Top award for team putting young patients at ease

THERE have been celebrations after NHS Dumfries and Galloway's Blood Sciences team claimed victory at a national award ceremony. The team scooped the prize of Harvey's Lab Tour of the Year award and lifted the overall winner award from all entries at the annual IBMS (Institute of Biomedical Scientists) awards night held in London. Biomedical scientist Gayle Johnstone said: "I am so unbelievably proud of these outstanding achievements and to receive the champion status is an indescribable feeling. "The team includes myself, biomedical scientist Sue Jeffrey and paediatric nurse Sharron McGarva, and over many years we have delivered lab tours for our young patients across Dumfries and Galloway. "To be acknowledged in this way and to know that we are making a powerful impact locally is amazing." Interim chair of NHS Dumfries and Galloway Marsali Caig added: "It’s fantastic to see the Blood Sciences team recognised in this way. "What a brilliant local innovation and I would like to thank the staff who make this work happen; they are an outstanding example to us all." Harvey’s Lab Tours help young patients and their families feel more at ease by connecting them with the biomedical science staff who process and analyse their samples to help manage and diagnose their illnesses. Gayle said: "Through interactive tours of the lab, children from across the region get a behind-the-scenes look at different stages of testing, watch specialist equipment in action and learn how their results help monitor their condition. "One moment, they might be looking at their own blood under a microscope, the next, watching automated analysers at work or experimenting with pipettes and chemical reactions. "By making their healthcare experience more engaging and easier to understand, Harvey’s Lab Tours transform what can often be an anxious process into something positive for young visitors. "Parents can find comfort in seeing how laboratory testing supports their child’s healthcare, gaining a deeper appreciation for the work of biomedical scientists and healthcare laboratory staff." The concept behind Harvey’s Lab Tours was inspired by eight-year-old Harvey Buster Baldwin. He was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia and spent many weeks in Worthing Hospital where his father worked as a biomedical scientist. Curious about what happened to his blood samples, his visit to his father Malcolm Robinson's lab sparked the idea that other young patients could benefit from similar experiences. Harvey sadly passed away in 2014 and left a remarkable legacy. Since then, the initiative has grown to include over 60 NHS hospitals across the UK, with many more in the process of joining.