Fleur de Lys Foundation

Patron: H.R.H. Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia

Registered Charity No. 1116928

The Fleur de Lys Foundation is the Charity arm of the Order of the Fleur-de-Lys

Project Update Newsletter

Dear Supporter,

This is the first of a series of periodic updates for all those who are generous supporters of the Birmingham Children’s Hospital – Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Malawi Partnership.

I hope that you will be pleased and satisfied with what your support has achieved so far and what is planned.

Quality and Value Review

Last Autumn, BCH project leader Mandy Goldstein led a structured review with QECH of the quality and value of what the Partnership delivered during 2007/8 and the priorities at QECH for the period ahead.

Eighty Six staff at QECH were interviewed about every aspect of the Partnership and I am delighted to report that we received excellent feedback and a very strong message that QECH hoped that the Partnership would continue. This evaluation and the phlebotomy training that we delivered were presented at the Royal College of Paediatrics’ 2008 annual meeting where these presentations were exceptionally well received. We are told that we are leaders in the field of Paediatric Links and apparently other paediatric departments in the UK are watching what we do with interest. They tell us that we are providing excellent value for money

Priorities; Costs and Funds

The QECH priorities for the period ahead were costed and compared to available funding. I have been working on the expected funding gap since the beginning of the year. Details of the priorities, costs and available funding are attached.

We are extremely fortunate to have a major supporter (who would prefer to remain anonymous) who has not only donated to the nurse programme and is funding our container costs but made a commitment to match whatever funds we raise overall, up to a set limit and within a two year period. This added a precious £45,000 to our funds at the beginning of this year for funds raised to 31 October 2008.

Since the end of January, some 40 individuals have responded generously to a personal appeal for funds; and in addition to those major donors referred to individually below, Fleur de Lys Foundation donated £1,000 and a Malawi Ball, organised by a member of BCH staff and with some support from Barclays Bank, raised £2,495. Thanks again to everyone – all your contributions are greatly appreciated and valued!

Assuming that we again receive from our major supporter matching of funds raised, I can report that my estimate is that we are currently short of funds for the short/medium term priorities programme by about £6,000. On total delivery costs of some £174,000 for these priorities, I believe that this is manageable and has only been made possible through the continuing generosity of all our supporters.

Delivering the Priorities

The left hand column (“Incurred”) of the attachment shows the elements of the current programme already delivered. The delivery of some of the other elements are imminent and others will roll out during the period ahead.

Nursing exchange, development and training

Paediatric nurse, Marie Walters was at QECH for 6 months in 2007 as part of the Partnership. It was great news that Marie agreed to return to QECH in March for another 8 months. Joining her in June for a few weeks of specialist work will be BCH A&E nurse Stewart Mason. Stewart’s special skills are in trauma so he will deliver some training in a) the management of burns, which are very common from cooking equipment in family homes and b) the management of children injured in road accidents. Again, it is sadly
common for children to run out into the road and the injuries can be horrific. He also leads at BCH for development of improved patient flow through a busy A&E, and at QECH A&E can get very busy!

Since returning to QECH last month, Marie has been working flat out in A+E; it has been very busy and local staff shortages are a problem. Things are now starting to calm down a little, so there will be some time for Marie to prepare and conduct teaching sessions. She is planning a series of sessions with the patient attendants and support staff/cleaners who work with or near the children. Her programme for the
first month covers triage and assessment of the deteriorating child, including airways and breathing; circulation and dehydration, convulsion and coma, and priority signs and ABCD review. She also plans to start this year’s nurse teaching sessions soon, beginning with pain assessment and management.

Working full time and teaching is a huge challenge for anyone. Marie’s dedication and commitment are substantial and we will give her all the support that we can.

Malawi nursing sisters Elestina Kayange and Tinnie Mthuzi will be at BCH in June and in the autumn their FOSC (Friends of Sick Children) nursing colleagues Florence Mwenefumbo and Florence Cheppe will follow. Their training and development will include a 5 day pediatric assessment skills course at BCH. This Royal College of Nursing accredited course has been modified, in its final day, for their particular needs. These four ladies are the latest to come to BCH from QECH and we look forward to having them with us.

We are also planning for more tours of duty at QECH by BCH nurses.

Funding of local nursing staff in Malawi and issues arising from economic recession in the UK make planning more difficult than it has been in recent years.

Thank you again to The Wood Family Trust, BCH Charities and our fund matching donor for their substantial contributions specific to the nursing exchange, development and training programme.

Cardiology and ECHO Cardiology Skills

In this update I would also like to highlight the Cardiology and ECHO Cardiology Skills element of the priorities. Thanks to the generosity of Kitchen Table Charities Trust (essential equipment) and The Douglas Turner Trust (‘people’ costs) three skilled paediatric cardiology staff (one consultant and 2 technicians) from BCH will develop and deliver a programme at QECH covering the interpretation of the clinical findings when babies and children with heart disease are examined using the new equipment, along with basic skills in ECHO, so that a more accurate diagnosis can be made and appropriate treatment offered.
The technicians will teach the ECHO skills on the wards ‘using’ the existing in-patients and whilst there the consultant will be able to see out-patients brought there specifically for diagnosis, as well as teaching the staff. A legacy of sustainable skills transfer that can be passed on within QECH is always one of our objectives.

Instant Boiling Water Heaters

Zip Industries (Aust) Pty Ltd have delivered two more of their excellent instant boiling water heaters to QECH. Zip and supporters, Sue and Pete Bainbridge have funded these. Zip’s Export Manager in Australia, Susan Kennedy is our champion and we are indebted to all three supporters.

Next Container Shipment

The next container shipment of supplies and donations is being planned for July.
As well as valuable medical consumables and other items, classroom materials courtesy of Waseley Hills High School and knitted baby hats and other knitted items courtesy of a small army of knitters the length and breadth of the UK will be heading to Malawi. Some 3,000 hats went out after the first appeal in 2007 and it is hoped that a similar number will be going in July. Again, a big “thank you” to all our donors.

A final word

It is worth remembering that as no administration or similar costs are charged against the projects funds, everything goes to the direct benefit of the health and well being of some of the poorest children in the world.

Regrettably, you are unlikely to meet any of the children who will benefit from your generosity, but having met some of them I can assure you that your unseen help is greatly appreciated and valued.

This little patient will say it for the rest ……simply, a big ....

Any help towards the current £6,000 funding gap will be, as ever, very gratefully received!

Zikomo Kwambiri: from me too!

Gordon.

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During the past eighteen months the Foundation has been supplying equipment to the Queen Elizabeth Children’s Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi via the Birmingham Children’s Hospital (BCH) - Malawi Link. The Foundation has supplied the money for heaters for the neo-nate unit and most recently a supply of naso-gastric tubes. Prior to the Foundation becoming involved, the unit suffered 5 deaths per week from a mixture of malnutrition and hypothermia. Blantyre is high up in the hills and gets incredibly cold at night.

It is the intention of the Foundation to continue to support this hospital for children and orphans.

The following photographs show the Phlebotomy training in Malawi using some of the equipment the Fleur de Lys Foundation has paid for.