Aylesbury university students host event highlighting Covid's hidden cost to society

Buckinghamshire New University (BNU), which has a campus in Aylesbury, will be hosting an event discussing the hidden cost of the pandemic.

Students who are undertaking their District Nurse, Community Children’s Nurse, Health Visitor and School Nurse training at BNU, will be holding an online conference on Wednesday 15 September from 10-3pm.

Community children’s nurse Colette Smith said: “Apart from the obvious impact the pandemic has had on both society and the NHS, there has been a hidden cost to patients, their families, and those working in health and social care.

"One guest speaker, a parent, whose child was hospitalised during the Covid-19 pandemic, will discuss the challenges she experienced navigating the Covid-19 rules and the emotional difficulties caused by only one parent being able to stay with a hospitalised child.”

The aim of the conference is to gain a better understanding of the impact of Covid-19 on different communities across the lifespan.

Guest speakers will be covering a range of topics such as the experience of breastfeeding during the pandemic, how patients, clients and children were supported by dedicated community nursing teams. As well as an exploration of the hidden costs of the pandemic on the wider community and the nursing profession.

Keynote speakers include:

Neil McDonald: chief executive of Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust

Emma Fitzpatrick-Bird: representative from the Covid-19 team at Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust

Kim Slee: children’s community nursing team respite services – Berkshire Care Foundation Trust East

Izzy: service user- transitioning to parenthood during a pandemic

Fran Chamings: West Berkshire Food Bank

Katriona Kennedy: lead nurse, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

People can sign up to the free event online here. Participants will be sent a Microsoft Teams link 24 hours prior to the event for access.