In recent years the service provided by the original Danesbury Home has expanded and it is now a Neurological Centre. As part of the Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust the centre also now offers a variety of treatment options for adults with a neurological problem. These are designed around individual needs and preferences allowing people to participate in their community to their full potential. The service is designed to allow patients to co-ordinate and plan their care and treatment and works with them and others to design services that give them choice, control and independence.
Patients coming into Danesbury may have conditions such as Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Acquired Brain Injury, neurosurgery following brain tumours and many other related conditions. Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Dietitians, Psychologists, Specialist Parkinson’s disease nurses and Specialist MS nurses have all joined the nursing team at Danesbury to enable us to offer this wider service. The Hertfordshire Community Trust is always keen to have feedback about their services and encourage you to let them know what things you think they are doing well, what they need to do better and where the gaps are.
Contact telephone number for visiting times and patient information is 01438 841841
Support provided by the Friends
Notably the Friends provided the entire funding for the building of a new Day Room and kitchen at a cost of almost £200,000.
In December 2012 the Friends provided funding of over £25,000 for a revamp of the reception area at Danesbury. The reception now provides a really inviting appearance as well as making the very best use of the existing facilities.
More recently the Friends funded the refurbishment of the patient kitchen in Danesbury. The kitchen allows patients to (re)learn skills in a specially adapted kitchen which can be seen above.
In 2012 the Friends commissioned the design and construction of a Sensory Garden incorporating a large, metal sculpture in memory of one of the original residents. Once a month, we also provide fish and chips for the patients!
We have funded physiotherapy equipment (for example a specialised treadmill with a gait-training facility costing £10,000), patient hoists, powered wheel chairs and health classes. And in the day room we have provided a large, cylindrical aquarium, and we also pay for its maintenance.
The Friends have supported Danesbury in many ways other than those mentioned above, here are just a few other ways in which we have been able to help over the past year:
| Hoist £5,804 |
| 2 Sara Steady’s £1790 |
| AGE UK sessions for patients £1,680 |
| Music Therapy sessions £1,600 |
| Aquarium hire £900 |
| Room hire in Stevenage for exercise classes for ex patients £672 |
| Patient kitchen refurb £17,000 |
| Cabinets for patients’ room £8,500 |
| Radio for day room £149 |
| Exercise classes for discharged patients £1,120 per year |
| Exercise classes for patients £175 |
| Monthly magazines & newspapers for patients |
| Weekly fish and chip dinners for patients |