Occupational Therapy News OTnews February 2019_Joomag | Page 29

REHABILITATION FEATURE
The Dusk Café
O
©GettyImages/mihailomilovanovic
ver the past year, Katherine Taylor, a band six
occupational therapist at Horsham Hospital in West
Sussex, has established a facility for patients and their
families, friends and carers, to have a social space
away from the ward environment to be ‘free of the patient role and
just relax’.
Katherine tells OTnews: ‘The Dusk Café was born following my
attendance, on behalf of the Horizon Ward team, at the Community
Hospitals Conference, which was held annually until this year. The
conference inspired me to consider what I could do to enhance the
patient experience and journey through recovery and rehabilitation
and support families and carers at the same time.
‘We have a wonderful League of Friends, who run an excellent
café and shop at the hospital, but unfortunately it shuts at 4pm. My
thoughts were around how we could provide a similar service for
our patients outside these times.
‘The patients’ psychosocial needs are as important as their
physical welfare, and as we know, we treat the whole person. If we
are mentally well, we will cope better to recover from any physical
disability – the holistic approach.’
Katherine explains that this ‘germ of an idea’ occurred to her,
and she began to think about creating a facility for the patients
away from their bed space, to provide a comfortable environment,
with refreshments, and simply ‘an area to just be themselves with
their visitors; a place to be just a mother, father, husband, wife,
daughter or friend’.
‘Initially I wanted to create this “chill out” space nearer to the ward
hub,’ she goes on, ‘but for various reasons this was not possible,
so after consultation with the ward manager it was decided that the
dining room would be available each day after it closed.’
When
Katherine
Taylor first had
the ‘germ of an idea’ to
create a social space away
from the ward environment for
patients, their families, friends, carers
and staff to relax, little did she realise how
successful such a simple idea would prove
Katherine wrote to the League of Friends explaining her idea
and reassured them that the café would not be open during
their core hours and asking them if some help could be given to
purchase a hot water dispenser.
‘This was readily agreed to, and the funds supplied. They also
provided the café with mugs, which helped immensely.’
Finally, Katherine wanted to name the café. ‘I was keen to make
it something significant and decided on the Dusk Café, as it would
only be open late afternoons, so it seemed appropriate,’ she says.
‘Credit must go to my occupational therapy colleague, Cathy
Farey, who produced an attractive poster advertising the café and
has supported this project at every step,’ she says.
‘To date, the café, which has only been open for around six
months, has been a real success and donations have been given
in appreciation, which have gone towards purchasing regular
supplies.
‘Further use of the funds contributed to an afternoon Christmas
tea, held on 21 December, for patients, family, staff and the League
of Friends, who met in an informal atmosphere and enjoyed time
away from the ward.’
Excitingly, the café was shortlisted for an Innovations and Best
Practice in Community Hospitals Award 2018, and Katharine
is very proud of how well it has been supported and extremely
grateful for all the help from fellow staff in making sure it can
continue and provide a safe, comfortable space for all to spend
some quiet reflective time in. ‘[It really is] a pleasant haven,’ she
says.
Katherine Taylor, occupational therapist, Horizon Ward, Horsham
Hospital, West Sussex
OTnews February 2019 29