HAVE you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at Arrowe Park Hospital?

To the thousands of patients who come through its doors every year, some staff may be less visible than others, but all play a vital role in the care provided to local communities.

This week, we hear from the staff on Ward 54 - the Gynaecology ward based in Wirral Women and Children's Hospital.

Those who don’t know a lot about this field of medicine may be surprised at how diverse it is.

Working closely with many other teams across Wirral University Teaching Hospitals, the team cares for patients with a vast range of gynaecological issues.

With gynaecology being a very diverse specialism, it is a very busy ward. The team cares for patients pre-operatively within a day case facility and then on the ward following gynaecological procedures and breast surgery.

At any one time, they could be caring for ladies who have had minor biopsy procedures, breast surgery, gynaecological surgeries such as a hysterectomy or treatment for cervical cancer or someone who has suffered a miscarriage.

The team has a very close working relationship with the hospital’s Gynae Assessment Unit and takes over their service out of hours.

During the night and at weekends, the ward is also an assessment area for patients referred via the Emergency Department and GP Out of Hours.

The ward offers open access to a selection of their patients following discharge and staff are available on the phone 24 hours a day meaning that care is still available for people who have any post-operative complications or queries.

Ward Sister, Jenny Robinson (pictured far right) has worked on the ward for almost two years.

She explained: “There are many gynaecological issues and procedures and we see most of them through the work we do.

"As you would expect, gynae is quite a sensitive area of medicine so it’s important that we are non-judgemental, empathetic and understanding of our patients’ needs.

"Some of the ladies that we care for are very vulnerable and we adapt our approach according to the patient.”

This team have to be very flexible and like so many other NHS staff, work really hard throughout their shifts.

They often receive nice feedback from their patients with words such as ‘caring’, ‘kind’, ‘lovely nurses’ and ‘good sense of humour’ making regular appearances.

One grateful patient took to social media this week saying: “An amazing team that looked after me really well during my stay.

"Nothing was too much trouble, everyone was so kind to me even when run off their feet.”

Another explained how she was “treated with compassion” and received “exceptional care” during a particularly traumatic time.

Sister Robinson is very proud of the work that they do and added: “I am lucky to have very dedicated colleagues who always pull together to do what’s needed.

"If we are caring for a patient who is going through a particularly traumatic time, we sometimes find it tough but we talk about things as a team and support each other.

"It’s important to share and communicate well when we are dealing with difficult circumstances.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the gynaecological team including the Doctors and Consultants, specialist nurses and many other colleagues.

"They work really hard and our patients really appreciate their efforts.

"I think I speak on behalf of all of us when I say we feel like we have a strong purpose and are making an important difference to peoples’ lives.”