Salisbury hospital unveils wet room funded by Stars Appeal

The £40,000 wet room in the Odstock Burns and Plastics Ward has a walk-in shower and is accessible for patients with wheelchairs and other mobility aids.

This will help patients adjust to a new personal care routine with privacy and dignity.

The facility was funded by the Stars Appeal, the hospital's official charity which aims to raise £1 million every year to fund new equipment, building enhancements and other ongoing projects to support patients and NHS staff.

Craig Winspear, who was treated for sepsis, was the first person to use the new wet room.

He was in the army for 10 years and lost both his legs after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated while he was serving in Afghanistan.

Patient Craig Winspear and senior sister Hazel Jackson in the wet room (Image: Stars Appeal) He said: “It was fantastic to get into a nice shower after being bedbound.

“Being able to have a proper wash was amazing in itself. Having a wet room like this with lots of space where I can move around more comfortably made all the difference.

“I was also able to have my music playing which made it feel more like home.

“Being a double amputee, it’s great to be able to relax in a bath after spending time in a hospital bed.

“Some people can be bedbound for quite a long time so when they are able to have a proper shower it’s a big thing – it gives you your independence and boosts your morale.

“A simple thing as a shower is something that people take for granted. Thank you to the brilliant donors who have helped fund this!”

The new wet room can also be used by patients in specialist shower beds.

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As well as helping patients on the ward, the facility gives burns patients who visit the hospital for their clinic appointments a private bathroom where they can remove their bandages and dressings and have a shower before having new dressings put on.

Hazel Jackson, the senior sister on the Odstock Ward, said: “This wet room is a huge benefit for all our patients.

“The walk-in shower is fully accessible to everyone, including wheelchair users, people who need to sit when they shower, and even patients who need to stay on their bed.

“Many of our burns and plastic surgery patients need daily showers as part of their treatment and some rooms on the ward don’t have a shower so we had to move patients around the ward.

“Now we can offer all of our inpatients and outpatients better treatment with these new facilities.

“The wet room is big enough to comfortably fit patients in their wheelchairs and still have room for staff members to help them with showering and their dressings when needed.

“Our patients now have a private washing space which also helps them to be more independent.

“A huge thank you to everyone who supports the Stars Appeal and make projects like this possible.”

To find out more about the Stars Appeal, visit www.starsappeal.org