2012 QAHH Reception and tour dates now available

We would like to invite Trusts, Foundations, Individuals, Corporates and other organisations to the facilities here at The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home on a regular basis. It is an opportunity to tour the Hospital Home, meet residents, staff, trustees and volunteers. Refreshments and a light lunch will also be available.
If you would like to attend or would like more information, please confirm in writing, phone 01903 218444 or email gemma-cannon@qahh.org.uk. The next reception will be on Wednesday 7th March 2012.Back to top

The Freemasons' Grand Charity donates £15,000.

The Freemasons' Grand Charity donated £15,000 to the Queen Alexandra Hospital Home. This generous donation is restricted towards the salary costs of a Neuro-psychologist in 2011/2012.
QAHH specialises in the rehabilitation and care of those with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). We are welcoming an increasing number of residents who have difficulties with communication following a stroke, neurological impairment or degenerative condition as well as younger residents with ABI with their lives ahead of them, making our commitment to rehabilitation even more important.
To fully complete our multi-disciplinary team there is an urgent requirement for a neuropsychologist to ensure our residents are receiving all the treatment and care necessary for their individual needs. The services we provide for those with Acquired Brain Injury is now well established and the Neuropsychologist will be an integral part of our tailored rehabilitation programme for ABI residents. This will greatly improve the quality of life and well-being of the residents who suffer with complex or degenerative neurological conditions.

The cheque was presented at the Trust Reception in August 2011 by John Byford from The Brook Barn Lodge. This latest wonderful donation brings the total we have received from the Grand Charity to nearly £30,000 since 2008. Juliet Stallard, Head of Fundraising said "This support from the Grand Charity is magnificent and very much appreciated by everyone at the Queen Alexandra Hospital Home'.Back to top

QAHH becomes a 'Karten CTEC Centre'

QAHH becomes a 'Karten CTEC Centre'QAHH are please to announce it has become part of the Karten Network.

The Karten Network is a network of IT centres for disabled people. The centres are funded through the Ian Karten Charitable Trust, with the purpose of improving the quality of life and independence of adult people with congenital or acquired physical, cognitive, sensory, learning disabilities or mental health problems. The Karten Centres provide a supportive learning environment together with access to the latest in adaptive computer technology, and are located in a wide range of host organisations.

The Occupational Therapy Department now have new facilities for the residents such as:

  • Ipads
  • Ipods
  • Speech assisted software
  • Digital cameras
  • Video cameras
  • Large screen training facilities
  • Interactive white board
  • Xbox Kinect
  • Web cam and skype facilities

Resulting in:

  • Wider variety of technology available for current residents
  • Improved facilities adapted to individuals needs and changing needs of the residents
  • Group training facilities to encourage team work and confidence in learning
  • Flexible assessment across the hospital via a wireless connection allow more flexible appointments
  • Introduction of new programmes such as camera and film club and reminiscence projects
  • Enhanced computer equipment for easy of use by residents with limited hand movements
  • Participation enhancement of Wii through adapted equipment
  • Newly accessible activities for some residents through the Xbox -Kinect
  • Enhanced computer skills
  • New skills in digital photograph resulting in increased inclusion and ability to share experiences with friends and family
  • Improvement of IT knowledge, increase of IT usage and improvement of communication by the residents through these avenues

Thank you for the Ian Karten Charitable Trust for your generous donation to enable QAHH to have these new facilities.Back to top

Follow us on Twitter

Are you on Twitter? Be sure to follow us @QAHH to get up-to-the-minute news and information www.twitter.com/QAHH

Just Text Giving

Vodafone and JustGiving have launched a new service called Just Text Giving, which was launched in May 2011. The service allows people, on any phone network, to donate up to £10 to their chosen charity by using a unique code. The donation will be collected through your mobile phone bill and 100% of the donation will be given to the charity.

QAHH supporters can donate directly to QAHH by texting QAHH11 £1 (or any amount up to £10 of your choice) to 70070 and make a difference to the lives of physically disabled ex-servicemen and women.

See http://www.justgiving.com/justtextgiving for more details.

Support us today by texting QAHH11 £(your amount up to £10)Back to top

Charity of the year partnership

Thomas Eggar LLP (Worthing)We are pleased to announce that the Queen Alexandra Hospital Home has been chosen as Thomas Eggar LLP's (Worthing) charity of the year for 2011. We will be working together closely over the coming months, as they are proud sponsors of both our Newsletter and annual Open Day in July.

Thomas Eggar LLP offers the full range of legal services required by business entities and private clients with offices in Chichester, Gatwick, London, Newbury, Southampton and Worthing. The firm is committed to ensuring that their business is operated in a socially responsible way; from their direct and indirect impact on the environment to the support they provide to the local community.

Tony Edwards, Managing Partner at Thomas Eggar said: "Within our firm there is a very strong cultural commitment to supporting charities in our local communities. This year the Worthing office of Thomas Eggar has chosen to support the QAHH. This is an extraordinary charity which does so much to improve the lives of so many of our ex-Servicemen and women and therefore we are delighted to be able to work with such inspirational people"

Thomas Eggar is unique amongst law firms in offering specialist expertise to the charity sector. The dedicated charity and not-for-profit team acts for national and international charities, as well as an array of charitable trusts, associations, schools and social enterprise partnerships.

In addition to their sponsorship of our events, the firm hope to raise money for QAHH through charity dress down days, cake sales and other fundraising activities. We are thrilled to embark upon this partnership and look forward to updating you on the various activities undertaken throughout the year!Back to top

QAHH welcomes new Chairman.

New Chairman Colin Field JPQAHH are delighted to welcome Colin Field JP as the new Chairman of the Queen Alexandra Hospital Home, having taken over the role from Rear Admiral Richard Irwin who had been chairman for the past thirteen years. We wish to record our thanks to Richard Irwin for all he did for the Hospital Home – and for the calm, inclusive and decisive manner in which he steered The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home through all the challenges and changes that were encountered during his tenure.

Colin Field lives in West Hoathly and is a former High Sheriff of West Sussex. His interests also include shooting and sailing and he continues to be closely involved in a successful family business. He has been a QAHH Trustee since 2008.Back to top

The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home is a finalist at the Great South East Care Awards 2010

The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home is a finalist at the Great South East Care Awards 2010The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home is proud to announce we were one of five finalists at the Great South East Care Awards 2010 representing the Care Team Category.

The awards took place at the Hilton Hotel, Brighton on 27th November 2010. The evening consisted of a champagne reception, a gourmet dinner followed by an awards presentation with Olympic champion, Sally Gunnell.

The Great British Care Awards are a celebration of excellence across the care sector. The purpose of the awards is to promote best practice within both home care and care homes sectors, and pay tribute to those individuals who have demonstrated outstanding excellence within their field of work. The awards have received support from across the Social Care sector, including the Adult Directors of Social Services (ADASS), Department of Health, Ceretas, the English Community Care Association (ECCA), the Social Care institute for Excellence (SCIE) and Skills for Care.

John Paxman, Chief Executive Officer, said "It is a great honor to get this far and demonstrates the effort that Queen Alexandra Hospital Home staff put into providing excellent care and rehabilitation service to our residents".

Lisa Carr, a Director of the Great British Care Awards and one of the judges on the day said 'The awards offer a unique opportunity to celebrate the successes of individuals, teams and businesses throughout the UK - people who really do make a positive impact on people's lives. The quality of the finalists was extremely high and it was humbly to meet so many local champions'.Back to top

Phase III – Update

Before refurbishment
To date we have received £299,375 in gifts and grants towards this capital appeal. Your support means a great deal – especially to our residents who benefit from such a caring, safe and home-like setting at The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home.

Refurbishment work commenced on April 11th 2011. In just a few short months, residents, visitors and staff have seen the newly refurbished bathrooms quickly take shape. A range of state-of-the-art equipment has been installed including light sensors that are activated on movement and water taps that have sensors for ease of use. These upgrades will make a huge difference to residents' sense of empowerment and self esteem as they go about their daily life.
In July, staff were invited to trial the bathrooms so any teething problems could be realised before work begins on the North blocks. Our nursing staff and residents have been delighted with the ease of use, modernisation of equipment and surroundings and the resulting positive effects upon resident wellbeing.

After refurbishment


Building work will now start on the North block with an anticipated completion date of late October. In the meantime we have identified the equipment costs needed. This equipment has been sourced by our Director of Nursing and have been agreed across the board as the most cost-effective. These include baths especially designed for the disabled, overhead tracking hoists and disinfectors. The total equipment cost is an additional £56,122. We have already successfully secured £12,400 towards these costs from The Frances and August Newman Foundation, The Doris Field Charitable Trust, The W G Edwards Charitable Foundation and The Good Neighbours Trust.

The important and much needed project will continue until late October and so too will our fund-raising endeavours. We invite you to use the time remaining in the Appeal to consider making a contribution if you haven't already. If you have made a pledge or donation, please consider whether an increase might be possible at this time. If you would like to support this project by making a donation towards a specialist piece of equipment for the bathroom blocks, please contact gemma-cannon@qahh.org.uk for a detailed equipment wish list.

A donation towards the appeal will provide residents with:

  • more accessible toilet and sinks at wheelchair height
  • bathrooms with ample room, improved lighting for better visibility ensuring safety
  • improved modern décor providing creating light and space and providing well being to residents
  • provision of specially equipped rooms so that residents can use them independently at ease despite their disability
  • non-slip floors and adapted wet rooms for easy and safe bathing and showering

Back to top

Awarded Gold Standards Framework for excellence in nursing care

The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home has been accredited with a Commendation Pass for the Gold Standard Framework (GSF) for End of Life Care. The purpose of the GSF is to deliver a Gold Standard of Care to those who are nearing the end of lives – and is not an award that is lightly given or awarded.

This is a major achievement for QAHH who specialise in nursing care and rehabilitation for ex-Service men and women with an age range from 21-90+. QAHH has been delivering care of the dying for many years but this award recognises and publicly acknowledges the standard of care of the dying that is prevalent at QAHH. So it is a major achievement.

The Gold Standard Framework in Care Homes Programme grew out of the work of GSF in primary care, improving the care for people nearing the end of their life. Though it shares many common principles with the primary care programme, the work is quite independent of it, with a separately evolved programme tailored to meet the needs of staff in care homes. It has been grown and developed from the grass roots experience of over 600 care homes over four years, blending evidence based good practice with real-life experience from thousands of staff and residents. It is now a very successful, user friendly training programme that can bear fruit in any care home.

The GSF had three aims:

  • To improve the quality of care provided for all residents from admission.
  • To improve the collaboration with GPs, Primary Care teams and specialists.
  • To reduce the number of hospital admissions in the final stage of life, enabling more people to die with dignity in the home if that is their wish.

Valerie Walker, Director of Nursing at QAHH said:
"This is a very major achievement for all the staff at QAHH as it demonstrates and acknowledges their commitment and professionalism for end-of-life care for all residents at the Hospital Home. This award is not an easy qualification to achieve as demonstrated by the fact that there is only one other care home in West Sussex that has also been recognised. I must make particular mention of Dr Michael Twitchen and Dr Richard Orpin, the two QAHH doctors, for all their help and support to us in the long work-up and preparation prior to achieving this award"Back to top