The presentation marks the culmination of a year’s work by Siemens and play specialists at the hospital, who first approached Siemens with the idea in October 2010.
Play specialists at the hospital provide therapeutic play for children of all ages, individually and in groups to help provide distractions during procedures. They also support families and siblings and add to clinical judgments through play centred observations.
Play Specialist, Sarah Browne, from Oxford Children’s Hospital has a special interest in preparing children for MRI scans. Children are often given general anaesthetics in order to have an MRI scan as it is important for the patient to remain absolutely still for the scan to be successful. With the help of play specialists some children are able to understand the need to stay still and therefore do not need to undergo general anaesthetic.
Sarah said: “A parent of a patient said to me that a toy sized MRI Scanner would be a really helpful way to prepare children for an MRI scan. I decided to contact Siemens, who make MRI scanners to see if they could help. I was absolutely thrilled when they responded to say that they would and the model, which we have tested in the hospital, is brilliant.
“I have already used it to help prepare some really young children to have an MRI without the need for general anaesthetic. We use play sets to show them how it works and the model even makes all the right sounds. It means that the patient can ask lots of questions about what is going to happen to them and talk about their feelings. This helps us prepare them to undergo the scan.”
Craig Marshall, managing director of Siemens Magnet Technology, based in Oxford, said: “The Siemens Healthcare mission statement is that 'we innovate to improve human health'. This model is an example of where we have been very innovative in improving the wellbeing, in this case of children, who are about to have a MRI scan and all credit to our Siemens staff who developed this idea and made it a reality. We are very happy to support our local hospital in every way we can.”
-Ends-
Notes to editors:
About Siemens Healthcare
The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimising clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 51,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2011 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 12.5 billion euros and profit of around 1.3 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.
For further information please contact:
Laura Bennett
PR Manager
Communications & Government Affairs
Siemens plc
Sir William Siemens Square
Frimley
Camberley
GU16 8QD
Tel: + 44 (0)1276 696374
Mobile:+ 44 (0)7808 823598
laura.bennett@siemens.com
1 Hospital Play Specialists provide therapeutic play for children of all ages, individually and in groups. There are many good reasons for this.
Play in a hospital setting
• helps patients reach developmental goals;
• distracts during procedures;
• provides an outlet within the clinical setting;
• supports families and siblings;
• adds to clinical judgments through play centred observations;
• gives babies, children and young people a voice throughout their hospital experience;
• prepares children for what is going to happen;
• provides ways for patient’s to work through worries and fears and deal with their hospital experience.
The value that play holds in children and young people’s development is widely understood and recognised and play holds a vital role for a child or adolescent in hospital. It is not just a form of keeping them quiet or passing the time, it is part of the treatment they are given.
2 Oxford Children’s Hospital is a regional centre for providing MRI scans for children.
3 There are many disadvantages for children having to undergo a general anaesthetic. Like any medical process, it is not without risk, and children, particularly those whose illnesses or conditions mean they have had to undergo many such procedures, often find it quite traumatic. There are also considerable costs attached to a general anaesthetic, not least the requirement for an overnight stay in the hospital.
4 It is hoped that the use of this miniature scanner will help prepare children to have their MRI scan when they need it without the need for general anaesthetic and to help others who will need a general anaesthetic to understand better what is happening to them.
5 The miniature MRI scanner will be used in all wards in the Children’s Hospital as needed, including the Day Ward.
For further information about the trust visit the website on www.ouh.nhs.uk
