Prince Harry has visited Birmingham Children’s Hospital to meet seriously ill children and their families who are benefiting from the specialist support programmes of national children’s charity, WellChild.
The visit comes as WellChild, of whom Prince Harry is patron, celebrates the 20th anniversary of its pioneering Nurse programme – a national network of more than 50 specialist children’s nurses based across the UK, supporting families of children with complex medical needs to make the transition from hospital to home safely.
During the visit, Prince Harry toured the hospital’s WellChild ‘Better at Home’ Suite and met families who have received support from WellChild Children’s Nurses.
The nurses work alongside families and healthcare teams to help parents and carers develop the skills, confidence and practical knowledge needed to care for their child safely at home.
The Duke was welcomed by WellChild Chief Executive, Matt James; WellChild Director of Programmes, Amy Mitchell and Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive Officer, Matthew Boazman. He also met WellChild Nurses Nicky Holt and Rachel Shanahan, members of the multidisciplinary team supporting children with complex medical needs and their families.
The Duke has previously supported the development of WellChild’s nursing provision at Birmingham Children’s Hospital through funding towards a WellChild Nurse post, helping to strengthen the specialist support available to families in the area.
The WellChild Better at Home Suite at Birmingham Children’s Hospital provides a dedicated space where parents and carers can receive hands-on training from specialist nurses in a safe environment using state-of-the-art simulation equipment. The programme helps families prepare for life outside hospital, ensuring they feel supported, empowered and less isolated as they begin caring for their child at home.
Across the UK, WellChild Nurses play a vital role in enabling some of the most seriously ill children to leave hospital and live safely at home with their families. Last year alone, the programme helped prevent 16,000 hospital readmissions nationwide, helping to protect valuable NHS capacity at a time of increasing pressure.
Prince Harry’s visit forms part of a year-long schedule of events by WellChild to highlight the impact of its Nurse programme and the urgent need to protect this vital resource. With growing numbers of children living longer with complex medical needs, the support provided by WellChild Nurses is more important than ever in helping families and health services meet this changing need.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Patron of WellChild, said: “It is always a privilege to spend time with the children, families and professionals at the heart of WellChild’s work.
“Today’s visit to Birmingham Children’s Hospital is particularly special as we celebrate 20 years of the remarkable WellChild Nurse programme which has delivered two decades of helping children with complex medical needs transition home from hospital and supporting the families who care for them every day
“Over the past 18 years as Patron of WellChild, I have had the privilege of seeing first-hand the extraordinary impact these nurses have had on thousands of children and families across the UK.
"I have seen the difference specialist nursing support can make, from empowering families with the confidence to care for their children at home, to helping children have the opportunity to live their best lives, surrounded by those who love them most.
“I am especially proud to have supported WellChild’s work here at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, helping to strengthen the specialist support available to local families through a dedicated WellChild Nurse post.
"Seeing the WellChild Nurses, families and NHS teams working together today is a powerful reminder of why this programme matters.
“It's so important that WellChild, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and NHS teams continue to work together to give children with complex needs the care, support and opportunities they deserve.”
Matt James, Chief Executive Officer of WellChild, added: “Today’s visit is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate 20 years of the WellChild Nurse programme and the incredible difference this specialist support has made to thousands of children and families across the UK.
“Here at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, the Better at Home Suite demonstrates what can be achieved when charities, NHS teams and families work together, giving parents and carers the skills, confidence and reassurance they need to bring their child home safely and continue to provide the best possible care outside of hospital.
“Over the past two decades, our network of WellChild Nurses has become a vital part of the support system for children with the most complex health needs, helping families navigate some of the most challenging moments of their lives while supporting the NHS by preventing avoidable hospital stays.
“We are incredibly grateful to Birmingham Children’s Hospital for its continued partnership, and to Prince Harry for using his platform as our Patron to celebrate the incredible work happening here today and across the country. His support helps shine a national spotlight on the realities faced by families and the vital role WellChild Nurses play in ensuring children and families continue to receive the support they need.”
WellChild has supported seriously ill children and their families for more than 30 years. Birmingham was home to the charity’s very first WellChild Children’s Nurse in May 2006, launching a programme now marking its 20th anniversary.
Today, more than 50 WellChild Children’s Nurses work alongside the Better at Home programme to help families care for children with complex needs at home, improving quality of life and easing pressure on NHS services.
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