BASILDON Hospital chiefs say they mean business when it comes to ensuring tragic cases like Kyle Flack are never repeated.

A new wave of measures have been introduced at the hospital to improve standards of care for patients with special needs.

Improvements have been instigated since quadraplegic Kyle, 20, from Corringham, suffocated after getting his head stuck in the rails of his bed at the hospital.

Tragic Tina Papalabropoulos, 23, also died at the hospital after developing pneumonia and waiting four days to see a consultant.

One of the measures has been the creation of a new post – learning disabilities nurse adviser – someone on hand to support learning disabled patients, as well as advising and supporting hospital staff.

Shoenagh Mackay, who took up the full-time job in January, has already created a detailed new policy and awareness pack, designed to help staff give better care to patients with learning disabilities.

Shoenagh, 35, said: “I am here solely to support staff and patients and their families.

“I don’t have to worry about other issues, like targets and bed changing – this is what I’m here for.

“I have been working with people with learning disabilities for more than a decade. It’s something I knew I wanted to do since I was a child.

“I am passionate about this job and I want to make this hospital a beacon for excellence. I want people with learning disabilities to choose to come to this hospital for treatment because of the standard of our care.”

When a learning disabled patient is admitted to the hospital, Shoenagh will ensure staff are properly supported in caring for the person. She will also personally visit patients and spend time with them and their families.

She said: “It is estimated there are at least 3,300 children and adults with learning disabilities in our community, and at any time around ten will be in our hospital.

“Raising awareness and imparting knowledge is vital so all staff understand and respond to their needs and ensure their stay is as comfortable and dignified as possible.

“Just by communicating and knowing how to care for someone with learning disabilities makes all the difference.

“For instance, there was a patient with learning disabilities recently, who wouldn’t talk to staff at all.

“I went to her bedside, touched her hand and within minutes she was telling me about her love for Formula One racing.

“After that the nurses on the ward would chat to her about the racing and they formed a bond with her.

“When it comes to the bigger picture of making all the improvments we intend to, I would say we are on a long journey and we aren’t by any means there yet. But we’ve taken off our tracksuit bottoms and warmed up and we are on our way to starting the race.

“The cases of Kyle and Tina were tragic and we have to learn from them – and we are.

“We have stricter measues in place now, that weren’t here then, and I have worked with the families of both Tina and Kyle to make the changes they want.”

Maggie Rogers, director of nursing at the hospital, added: “The extra resources and materials Shoenagh has introduced since joining us really put us in the fast lane.”