Kingsbridge Private Hospital In Sligo Welcomes JAM Card Partnership

19th, Dec 2022

Kingsbridge Private Hospital Sligo is delighted to announce they are partnering with NOW Group, a social enterprise that supports people with learning difficulties and autism into employment; to introduce the JAM Card service to their hospital in Garden Hill.

The JAM Card was created in 2012 by NOW Group participants who wanted a discreet way of communicating to others that they need ‘Just A Minute’ (JAM) of time or assistance in certain situations.  Over the last decade it has grown and developed into a card and app that is used every day by people with any communication difficulty.

General Manager at Kingsbridge Private Hospital Sligo, Jennifer McLaughlin said she delighted that they have become the first JAM Card friendly hospital in the Group, an initiative that had been staff led from the outset.

“As a hospital it is vital, we put our patients at the centre of everything we do and ensure that people with hidden disabilities can inclusively access and experience the same first-class service as all our patients, through staff training to recognise when they need just a minute of extra time and patience.

“This was something that staff were really passionate about and when Theatre Practitioner Elizabeth Sudra, a former colleague initially brought the idea to management, it was immediately adopted by the team and our Theatre Manager and Clinical Lead, Ruth Scott was instrumental in rolling the training out across 81 staff members based in Sligo.”

Nicola Tipping, Business Development Manager at NOW added,

“Access to good healthcare is such an important part of our lives so ensuring communication between medical staff and a patient who has communication barriers is paramount so we applaud the wonderful team at Kingsbridge Private Hospital Sligo and welcome the prospect that we will be joined by their colleagues to provide the same pathway and training across the Kingsbridge Healthcare Group, in the coming year.”

Pictured: Ruth Scott, Theatre Manager & Hospital Clinical Lead is pictured with her colleagues and staff from Kingsbridge Private Hospital in Sligo launching the new JAM Card Scheme from NOW Project at the hospital.  Pictured (l-r) Sara Crystal, Administrator, Jennifer McLaughlin, General Manager, Bethany Grenham, Endoscopy Staff Nurse, Dr Tisse -Resident Medical Officer and (back) Shane Casey - Administrator

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