CHARD Hospital’s minor injuries unit has been lent a helping hand thanks to a rather unusual donation.

Staff and patients will find it easier to put their best foot forward after the minor injury unit was gifted two anatomical models by a Somerset-based company for use in training.

The unorthodox presents came after Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s emergency nurse practitioner, Judith Barry, borrowed a three-dimensional anatomical model for a training session at Chard’s minor injuries unit and she realised just how useful a teaching aid it was.

Some of the hospital’s senior staff have recently retired from the unit and a lot of students were joining.

Rather than continuing to rely on diagrams, Judith decided to try and get some hand and foot models of their own.

She said: “They are an excellent way of explaining the impact of an injury and how to treat it, not only from our team’s point of view but also for patients.

“They are not cheap, though, so I decided to get in touch with the company that produces Bloccs waterproof wound and cast protectors to see if they could help.”

Based in Yate, near Bristol, Precision Dippings Manufacturing is a family-run company that won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise and Innovation in 2016 for their Bloccs range.

Hannah Prickett, Precision Dippings Manufacturing’s business development consultant, said: “We do a lot of work with hospitals and run a monthly competition encouraging patients to publicly thank the nurses and medics who have looked after them.

“When Judith got in touch, we were very happy to donate two models.”

Hannah visited the minor injuries unit recently to present the hand and foot to the Chard Hospital team.

Judith added: “We’re delighted and excited that we can now start using them.

“I know how good the Bloccs range is from the reports I get from patients but this is a very generous donation and we really are very grateful.”