Happy to be here
Benenden Hospital’s acclaimed paediatric unit offers personalised care for children aged six months to 16 years – with a built-in fun factor. benhealth’s Angela Spencer reports.
A case study
It was a bit of a wet weekend and the Hoad family of Brentwood were wondering what to do for the day. Then three-year-old Kayla-Rae came up with an idea. “Can we go to Benenden Hospital?” she said.
Kayla-Rae had accompanied her elder brother Sam, six, on several trips to the hospital in Cranbrook, Kent, including when he had a tonsillectomy and grommets inserted in his ears. She knew all about the big playroom with a dressing up box and activities organised by a play specialist, the toy bikes and cars on the patio, and the dining area overlooking acres of rolling countryside.
The fact she’d had such a good time that she now likened the hospital to a play barn came as no surprise to her parents Kelli and Rob.
“I can totally understand it because the atmosphere in the paediatric unit at Benenden is absolutely brilliant,” said Rob. “The staff have a marvellous personal touch and they have looked after us as a family each time we’ve been.
“When we went in the first time, Sam drew a picture and when he returned several months later he found it had been put up on the wall of his room. The staff knew he was due to come back in, so they saved it all that time to welcome him back.
“Things like that go well beyond what you would expect and they give children confidence. Sam has needed quite a bit of treatment over the last couple of years, but the staff have helped him through it by taking away any anxieties he had.”
This article first appeared in issue 5 of benhealth, the magazine for Benenden Healthcare members.
For further peace of mind...
Don’t forget that with Benenden Healthcare you can request that your children are treated at the award winning Benenden Hospital. It costs £1.50 per person, per week for Benenden Healthcare Society membership. You can join Benenden Healthcare online.
