A Southend-based choir has helped improve care for the hospital’s youngest patients by funding a new piece of medical equipment for the neonatal unit. The community choir, Vocal Ease, raised £2,514.50 to purchase a specialist vein-finding device that is now in use at Southend Hospital.
The device, known as an AccuVein, uses near-infrared technology to help doctors and nurses locate veins quickly and accurately. According to the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, this technology makes care gentler for premature and seriously ill babies by reducing the need for repeated needle insertions, which also helps lower stress levels for parents.
The donation was made through the Mid and South Essex Hospitals Charity. Vocal Ease has supported the hospital’s neonatal unit since 2009, raising more than £15,000 through various concerts and fundraising activities during that time.
The choir’s dedication to the unit is deeply personal for founder Lesley Fleming. Her grandson, Jose-Luka, received lifesaving treatment at the hospital after being admitted at just 24 hours old. Now 14, he required intensive care, including multiple blood transfusions, during his time in the unit as an infant.
Jen Foster, the neonatal ward manager, expressed gratitude for the ongoing support from the choir. She noted that the new equipment is already making a tangible difference in the daily care provided to the unit’s smallest patients.
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