Derby Private Health celebrating 10 year anniversary with drop-in open day
Colleagues at Derby Private Health are opening their doors to patients, visitors, and fellow UHDB colleagues as they host an open day to celebrate the unit's tenth anniversary.
Derby Private Health is based at Royal Derby Hospital, and is run in partnership with UHDB, offering services and procedures to patients through health insurance policies or those that choose to fund their procedures themselves - with all profits being reinvested back into the Trust to help fund the development treatments, services, and improvements across UHDB for all patients and colleagues.
Now, the team is celebrating its milestone anniversary by welcoming those who want to see their facilities first hand and find out more about the work that goes on within the unit on Thursday 19 October between 10.30am - 2.30pm.
The team moved into the current space on 30 September 2013 with a team of 10 registered nurses, six healthcare assistants, a sister and senior sister - but the service has grown over the last decade to now incorporate more nursing, HCA, and sister colleagues as well as a dedicated pre-op team and domestic support. The support services have also grown during this time, with the administration team processing all inpatient and outpatient bookings as well as supporting overseas patients who access NHS services in our hospitals.
The unit is home to 11 en-suite inpatient rooms providing care seven days a week for those requiring overnight stays. Outpatient services are offered five days a week, with a minor treatment and pre-op room, five consultation rooms and a private chemotherapy suite, allowing patients to receive treatment for a range of conditions in one department.
Sharon Moulton, Head of Private Patient Services, and Teresa Purdy, Senior Sister, said the team has a lot to offer to both patients and the wider organisation:
"Over the years, we've expanded our services, and we now offer a range of procedures from minor treatments to joint replacements, paediatric clinics, aesthetics and more. It's great for our staff as they get exposed to so many surgical sub-specialities as well as some medical too, so it's fantastic for their development.
"A lot of the nursing and administration team have been with us since we opened back in 2013, so it's been inspiring, really, to see the team grow in numbers and develop professionally over the past decade to get us to where we are now."
Natalie Murray, Sister on the unit, joined the team as a nurse back in 2013, and said she has seen the unit go from strength to strength and develop a wide range of services for patients:
"It's been amazing to see the unit develop over the last 10 years, and to have personally developed myself to become a sister has been great. As we offer such a wide range of services, you get to learn so much about so many different specialist areas, which really helps broaden your knowledge and skillset and really helps to keep things even more interesting."
Charlotte Tomlinson, Sister on the unit, said that as well as providing services for private patients, the unit regularly assists with ensuring NHS patients can receive the treatment they need.
She said: "We do a lot to support the Trust during the busier winter months which I don't think everyone is aware of. We open up some of our bed spaces for NHS patients to alleviate pressures on the wards and help to maintain the flow of patients through the hospital which is really important."
This support saw the team recognised back in 2020 for the support the offered to colleagues and patients during the initial peak of the pandemic after they cared for more than 160 patients who required urgent treatment for cancer.
Charlotte added: "This was a really tough time for the team, but we were so proud to be able to provide this really important service to patients at what was a worrying time. It's something we're all really proud of to this day."
The open day will take place on Thursday 19 October from 10.30am - 2.30pm on a drop-in basis. Members of the nursing team will be on hand to tell you more about Derby Private Health and give a tour of the facilities, with refreshments also available.
Derby Private Health is located on Level 2 at Royal Derby Hospital, with the nearest entrance being Entrance 21. You can find maps of Royal Derby Hosptial on our website >
If you have any questions, or would like to find out more, please email: