Primary care patients in Sefton to benefit from a new initiative

SEFTON based Primary Care patients with a learning disability (LD), are to benefit from a new initiative designed to help them through some of the more intimate examinations that could be faced in Primary Care.

When a number of General Practitioners (GPs) across Sefton asked if anything could be done to help patients with a learning disability understand what to expect when an intimate examination is needed, the Sefton Training Hub, set to work.

Maggi Bradley, Clinical Nurse Lead at the Sefton Training Hub and Honorary Lecturer in Edge Hill University's School of Nursing and Midwifery, says:- "going to the doctors for an intimate examination can be embarrassing and scary for anyone. Now imagine if you don't understand what's going to happen and why! This is the problem we were facing."

The Sefton Training Hub already works with learning disability nursing students from the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine at Edge Hill University, and together they developed a plan. Deciding to take advantage of the University's ultramodern patient simulation suite, students walked through a number of scenarios, demonstrating processes and procedures, explaining them in simple terms while an Edge Hill University media student expertly filmed and edited each scenario into a short video which can be played to patients in GP surgeries.

Nurse Maggi continues:- "this has been a fantastic collaboration, resulting in an exceptional piece of work which will provide previously unmet benefits to patients with specific needs. We hope people with learning disabilities will, at the very least, feel less nervous when an intimate procedure is called for."

Maggi is also delighted to share that Sefton Training Hub has been shortlisted for a Student Nursing Times Award in the Student Placement of the Year Category. This builds on Sefton Training Hub and Edge Hill University's combined success at the 2023 awards: their Aquarium project to include learning disability student nurses in Primary Care won the Partnership of the Year award.

3 videos; vaginal examination; rectal examination; and breast examination are now available to use across all GP Surgeries in Sefton.

Southern White Rhino Bayami celebrates her 1st Mother's Day with new calf
 

MOTHER'S Day on:- Sunday, 10 March 2024, will be an extra special day for 1 new mum at Knowsley Safari near Liverpool. Southern white rhino, Bayami, celebrates the day for the very 1st time after giving birth to her new calf.

Knowsley Safari has announced that the female calf, was born at:- 11.32am, on Monday, 12 February 2024, and mother and baby are doing well.

Southern white rhino have been brought back from the brink of extinction yet are still under threat from poaching in South Africa and the current white rhino population is around 17,000; so the birth at Knowsley Safari is extra special. Knowsley Safari has 1 of the largest white rhino crashes in the UK, and their breeding helps to protect this rare and vulnerable species.

In celebration of birth and motherhood, Knowsley Safari has launched a new offer to run over:- Saturday, 9 March 2024 and Sunday, 10 March 2024, which will allow 1 adult per car to enjoy the safari free of charge when they're with a full paying child. It means mum could be treated to a wild adventure or even given the day off for dad to spoil the kids instead.

After having all her checks, the calf will hopefully be out on the safari drive in the coming weeks as we move into warmer spring weather. Knowsley's Safari Drive provides a natural open space for the rhino, with the added benefit of a state of the art house. The landscape can support 2 separate crashes allowing females to move between different territories just as they would in the wild.

Mother and father; Bayami and Shaka; recently found fame on Channel 4's hit TV series Secret Life of the Safari Park, which aired on TV in January and February of this year.

In episode 6, filmed back in Autumn 2022, viewers saw sire Shaka attempting to mate with Bayami. What viewers didn't find out is that it was a success, and the birth has come after a 16-month pregnancy.

Chris Smart, Animal Operations Manager at Knowsley Safari, also starred in the 6-part series with the white rhinos. She said:- "We can't think of a better way to mark the addition of another beautiful calf to the world's dwindling southern white rhino population than to celebrate motherhood with our Mother's Day free day out offer. We're sure they'll love the rhinos and the multitude of other animals and activities the safari has to offer."

To treat mum to a safari adventure on:- Saturday, 9 March, or Sunday, 10 March 2024. 1 adult in every car can enjoy a free safari trip alongside 1 full paying child. To find our more information visit:- KnowsleySafariExperience.Co.UK.