September 1999

'Pet therapy' helps patients

COTTINGHAM'S Castle Hill Hospital has been at the forefront of a pet therapy initiative to help elderly patients.

Over the summer Kingstown Hospital Radio presenter Paula, a member of an organisation called Pets As Therapy, has been visiting Ward Five with her pet dog, a standard poodle called Henry.

'Henry helps to bring the patients out of themselves and make them feel at home,' she told the Leader.

'They can pat him and give him tit bits. It brings a little bit of home to them and a smile to their faces,' said Paula, who combines her visits to the hospital radio station with a ward visit with Henry.

Another PAT dog, Suki, a whippet, visits on another day, so patients on Ward Five get pet therapy a couple of times a week.

PATS is a national organisation and if dog owners think their pet is suitable and want to join the scheme they first have to apply for official registration.

Dogs taking part in the scheme have to undergo rigorous tests to make sure they have the right temperament for hospital visits.

More information on the organisation is available from Paula on 01482 666652.

Meanwhile, Kingstown Hospital Radio is getting a much-needed boost next week when its programmes will also be able to be heard by the General Public in the hospitals. Until now, studios at Hull Royal Infirmary have broadcast programmes direct to local hospital beds via landlines.

But on Saturday, the day after the East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust, merges with the Royal Hull Hospitals Trust to become the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals Trust, veteran television personality and radio presenter Jimmy Saville will launch a new transmitter allowing the programmes to be heard on medium wave.

The programmes can be heard on 1350 medium wave in the Hull Royal Infirmary.