03 July 2012
Launch of Bristol Royal Hospital for Children Interactive Website
A child-friendly interactive website designed to communicate
directly with young patients at the Bristol Royal Hospital for
Children (BRHC) has been launched.
The easy to follow interactive site provides information and
answers to questions that the young patients and their families
might want to know about what they can expect at the
BRHC.
Children are guided around the microsite - which is part of
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust's (UH Bristol)
website - by a friendly cartoon character. Illustrated under four
main options: 'coming to hospital'; 'being in hospital';
'operations and tests'; and 'library', the site includes an
interactive colour-coded map of each floor and who works there;
'ebooks' based on patient leaflets; a checklist for patients and
their families to use to prepare for coming to hospital; and an
activity called 'uniform bingo' to help young patients identify who
they might meet.
There are guides to being on a ward: about what happens
each day; food and drink; and play; as well as information about
visiting and where parents and carers can stay. Also clearly
illustrated are explanations about what happens during scans;
x-rays; going to theatre; and getting medicine.
Dr Jackie Cornish, Head of the Division of Women's and
Children's Services at UH Bristol, said: "Following on from
the success of 'One of a Kind!' - the award-winning animated short
film that the Trust commissioned to demonstrate the experience of
radiotherapy to young people - we wanted to build a website that
our young patients could identify with. We are proud and
excited by what has been achieved. One of the most useful
features is that we can add to it in the future as we have new
developments, such as the transfer of paediatric burns, plastic
surgery and neurosurgery to the children's hospital site. We
are grateful to the Grand Appeal for funding this website, which we
anticipate will be of far-reaching benefit to our young
patients."
The website content was created by UH Bristol and the site
itself was built by Bristol-based digital agency Mentor
Digital. Holland Risley, Mentor's Managing Director,
said: "We are really pleased with the new interactive
website and really enjoyed working on the project. Apart from the
fun design, this site uses modern technology, and functions without
using Flash. This means that it works across all modern browsers
including iPad and iPhone. The site uses fun and colourful
interface designs and delivers multimedia content including video,
page turners, object browsers and document libraries in an engaging
way."
The Trust is very grateful to Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal
who are behind funding this interactive website. Anna
Shepherd, Deputy Director at the Appeal, said: "The Grand
Appeal is committed to funding services at the Children's Hospital
that enhance the experience for young patients and their families.
The new website has been specially designed to appeal to children
and to provide lots of information to interest, help and support
them during their stay in hospital."
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