Patients in the Paediatric Children’s Emergency Department at Derriford Hospital will benefit from the donation of two Buzzy Devices.

A Buzzy, is a bee-shaped tool that uses vibration and cold to distract children and reduce needle pain, helping to make medical procedures less distressing for young patients.

The devices were donated by construction company, Willmott Dixon who have been awarded the contract to build the new Emergency Care Building for University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) .

They are already making a tangible difference to patient care through a joint Social Value strategy with the Trust.

The two devices were handed over to Paediatric ED Nurse, Abigail Harrison by Willmott Dixon’s Operations Manager, Steve Wallace.

Abigail said: “Children can often find the Emergency Department a scary place to be and we sometimes have to complete painful procedures. We strive to make a child's journey through Paeds ED as positive as possible. One way of reducing pain is through the use of a Buzzy. A Buzzy works by using vibration and the cold from the ice packs to confuse pain receptors to minimise the pain caused by a procedure. We are absolutely delighted to receive these devices, it will make such a difference when delivering care to our young patients.”

Social Value refers to the positive impact that an organisation can bring to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of its local community beyond just the structure being built. For UHP and Willmott Dixon, this means creating apprenticeships and training opportunities, supporting local suppliers, reducing environmental impact, engaging staff and volunteers, and contributing gifts-in-kind to enhance patient care and wellbeing. One of the first deliverables under this strategy was the donation of two Buzzy devices to the Paediatric (Children’s) Emergency Department.

Sharon Tucker, a Social Value Lead for UHP said: “Working closely with Willmott Dixon over the next four years to embed a social value strategy right through the construction of our new Emergency Care Building is an exciting and important opportunity.“