The Master and brethren of St John and St Pauls lodge number 615 and The Masonic Province of West Kent are delighted to have assisted Queen Mary’s Hospital Sidcup in the fully funded purchase of a much needed new piece of equipment – The Accuvein.
This machine (pictured) makes light work of the sometimes difficult process of vein location. This can be especially useful in the treatment of cancer patients and others in regular need of intravenous treatment whose skin may not be so resilient.
The Provincial Grand Master of The Province of West Kent (Mark Estaugh) received a ‘hands on’ demonstration from CT lead Catherine Barrett of how easy it now is to non-invasively identify a vein, and senior radiographer Gifty Opoku then explained how this piece of kit is already making the lives of their patients more comfortable and less stressful.
The Charity Steward of St John and St Pauls lodge explained how pleased they were to receive the match-funding (£2000) from West Kent to achieve the required total of £4000 to make the purchase of this machine a reality.
Speaking at Queen Mary’s Hospital, Mark Estaugh, said:
“ The West Kent Freemasons are delighted to support the excellent work that takes place at Queen Mary’s Hospital Sidcup – both by helping to improve the quality of the patient experience, and assisting the staff by providing additional equipment. I am proud of all West Kent Freemasons for continuously looking for ways to ‘make a difference’ in their local communities.”
Quote from DGT – Bradley Smith Radiology Operational Lead, QMS Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust bradleysmith@nhs.net
We are extremely grateful to St John and St Paul’s Lodge 615 and the Province of West Kent for their continued support of Valley Hospital Charity in purchasing a third Accuvein Finder in the QMS CT scanning department to aid accurate vein location and reduced discomfort for patients at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust. The Accuvein Finder has been a big success for staff and patients alike, and we look forward to enhancing the patient experience for many years to come with this new addition.
We are delighted that the Masons are already fundraising for another Accuvein for Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust based at Queen Mary’s Hospital site.
