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Read about: Living with a stoma, what is a stoma?, plus
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handy hints and tips. Fittleworth to the rescue plus much,
much more
The Fittleworth Post
www.fittleworth.com
caring@fittleworth.com
Welcome to the Fittleworth E-Newsletter July 2015
Did you know… this year the NHS will be 67 Years old!
On 5th July 1948 the NHS was born to provide a health service that was available to all. For the first time,
hospitals, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, opticians and dentists were brought together to provide a free
service.
Every day for the last 67 years, the NHS has helped people to recover from illness and to live independent
healthy lives. We should all appreciate what a great service this is, and thank those who work in the NHS
for the wonderful work they do. Where would we all be without it? Happy 67th Birthday NHS.
Last month I introduced myself to you, and I hope that you enjoyed reading a little about me. This month
we have the pleasure of introducing Nicola. Further down in the newsletter you can read a little about
Nicola and her role within Customer Services.
Going on holiday?
It doesn’t matter whether it’s spring, summer, autumn or winter, if you are a client of Fittleworth and jetting
off for a break, should you find yourself needing emergency supplies, we are here to help using our unique
World Assist Alliance network. You can read more about this further down in the newsletter.
As always, we hope you find the information within this newsletter valuable and interesting, and if you
have any suggestions that you would like us to consider, then please get in touch, my email address is
susan.goodchild@fittleworth.com.
Sue Goodchild and the Fittleworth Marketing Team.
Living with a stoma
Some useful information with a few handy hints and tips
Whatever type of stoma you have, you will want to get your life back to normal after surgery. Modern
medicine and the discreet and efficient design of current stoma pouches mean that this can happen very
quickly and there is no reason why you cannot continue to do all the things you did before.
What is a stoma?
A stoma is a surgically created opening on the surface of the abdomen. The stoma is made from the colon
or ileum to allow the flow of faeces or urine.
What kind of stomas are there?
A colostomy can be made at almost any point along the large bowel (colon). Where the colostomy is
created will depend on the medical reason, but generally they are located on the lower left hand side of
the abdomen. The output may be almost fully formed stools and wind is common.
A ileostomy is made from the small intestine (Ileum); it will usually be located on the lower right hand side
of the abdomen. The output is generally liquid to paste-like stools and can be corrosive due to the
presence of digestive enzymes.
A urostomy is a diversion which drains urine and is made using the small bowel. It is generally located on
the abdomen on the lower right hand side. The output may contain mucus as a portion of the small bowel
is used to form the stoma.
What should my stoma be like?
Your stoma should be red in colour similar to the inside of the mouth; this is due to the rich blood supply to
the stoma. If the colour of the stoma changes, turns pale, dusky or darker then please contact your stoma
nurse.
Applying your pouch
Try to change your pouch when your stoma is less active. It may take some time to get to know or
recognise a pattern, but it could help to make changing quicker and easier.
If you have wrinkles or folds in the skin around your stoma, try standing up or changing position to stretch
skin, it will give you a better fit.
If you need your pouch cut to size to fit more comfortably you can ask us to do this for you free of charge.
To organise this either call us or speak to your specialist nurse.
Clothing
Having a stoma does not mean you need to have any special clothing; you should be able to dress just as
you did before. High waisted clothes are often more comfortable and discreetly hide your pouch.
To read more, please click here.
World Assist Alliance
Delivering an easier lifestyle no matter where you are
Fittleworth is the exclusive UK member of the World Assist Alliance; a network dedicated to helping stoma
and continence customers with emergency goods when abroad on holiday or business.
Each member has signed up to a promise, that should you have any problems with your products whilst in
their country, they will help you with emergency supplies of appliances.
The World Assist Alliance can supply emergency goods free of charge. There is no need for a prescription
and you do not need to claim on your insurance or complete any paperwork. Terms and Conditions apply,
please see our leaflet for full information.
How World Assist Alliance Works
Simply call your normal Fittleworth contact number with your details and we will do the rest.
World Assist Alliance Network Coverage
To find out which countries are part of the World Assist Alliance network, please call our Customer Service
team on 01903 731244.
To read more about World Assist Alliance, please click here.
Many thanks to Fittleworth staff for help recently needed for medical requirements. I received
emergency supplies as promised. Fittleworth staff are always helpful, respectful and cheerful when I ring up to
order medical supplies. I do not know what I would do without them.
Introducing Nicola
South East Customer Services Senior Littlehampton
My name is Nicola and I have worked for Fittleworth for 11 years.
I started working as a Customer Service Advisor when the customer
service team worked in the Ford Care Centre and there were only a few of
us.
As the company grew, so did the opportunities, and I became a senior shortly after the move to
Littlehampton. Then I became a team leader, I enjoyed this very much and my greatest achievement was
organising the Fittleworth 25th birthday party in Nottingham.
During my time at Fittleworth, I have had two children, and I now have a 9 week old adorable but mad,
schnoodle puppy. I have been married to Lewis for 13 years and he recently threw me a surprise 40th
birthday party.
I enjoy coming to work every day and thoroughly love the variety that each day brings. But most of all, it is
the people I talk to every day that keeps me coming back with a smile on my face.
When you depend on a regular supply of stoma, continence or wound
care medical appliances, Fittleworth is here for you.
We are one of the UK’s leading home delivery companies for stoma, continence and wound care medical
appliances. Our success has been built on understanding the importance of each and every delivery. We
appreciate that our customers have individual needs and we make every effort to make your life easier.
Working in partnership with the NHS, we strive to provide you with a discreet, reliable and quality service
tailored to meet your requirements. We are not tied to any manufacturer, so no matter which product you
use, if it is available on prescription, we can supply it for you.
Our friendly, efficient service is simple to use and here is how it works.
Placing your Order
You can order through Fittleworth in 4 easy ways, all of which are very simple and all of which are
free.
By Post
Post your prescription to: Fittleworth, FREEPOST, Hawthorn Road, Littlehampton,
West Sussex BN17 7LT.
Call us on our Freephone number
For England and Wales Customer Service Team please call: 0800 378 846
In Scotland please call the Customer Service Team on: 0800 783 7148
Order Call Reminder
We can arrange to contact you on a pre-arranged date to check your stock levels, and where
necessary place an order in line with your requirements.
Online Ordering
Our website is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This is the quickest and most convenient
way to place your order. Registering for online ordering is easy and once done you will be able to
place an order at a time convenient to you.
If you need help with registering or placing an order online, please send me an email:
susan.goodchild@fittleworth.com or alternatively, follow our easy to use guide by clicking here.
Fittleworth attend Colostomy Association meeting and
come to the Rescue
Two of Fittleworth’s Dispensing Relationship Manager’s recently attended a Colostomy Association event
and met, amongst many people, a lady who uses an irrigation system for her colostomy. Having realised
that she had accidentally forgotten her irrigation stand, she approached our stand in great distress,
worried that she would not be able to irrigate whilst staying at her hotel.
Fittleworth staff are well known for going out of their way to offer help when needed, and our two DRMs
didn’t disappoint on this occasion. Part of our display on the day was a coat stand that was being used to
hold carrier bags, the bags were quickly removed and the stand given to the lady to use as a substitute to
enable her to irrigate as normal.
It was our DRMs pleasure to do what they could, to make sure that this lady’s visit to the event was a
comfortable and enjoyable one.
Extremely Complimentary on our service
When speaking to others on the day, all were extremely complimentary about the service we provide.
One lady said that she was told by a well-known parcel delivery/courier service that they would not
be doing medical deliveries over the weekend, which would leave her without any appliances.
The lady in question called Fittleworth and explained the situation, and a member of staff from her nearest
Fittleworth care centre delivered her order to her on their way home.
Coming Soon to a PC near you!
New Fittleworth Lifestyle Website
Fittleworth Lifestyle has grown out of our experience in providing our customers with a
discreet and reliable home dispensing service for their stoma, continence and wound
care medical appliances.
The Fittleworth Lifestyle catalogue features a wide range of non-prescription products
aimed at improving independent living and quality of life, as well as offering genuine
value for money.
Fittleworth Lifestyle is coming soon; please keep a look out for updates.
The Electronic Prescription Service
And how it affects you!
Did you know that you don’t have to visit your GP surgery to collect your
prescription?
Below we explain a little about Electronic Prescriptions and how it all works.
What is the NHS Electronic Prescription Service?
The Electronic Prescription Service is an NHS Service. It gives you the chance to change how your GP
sends your prescription to the dispenser you choose to get your medical appliances from. Your GP can
send your prescription electronically to us at Fittleworth and we will deliver your medical appliances as
usual.
What does this mean for you?
You do not need to visit your GP practice to collect your prescription
Your GP will send it electronically to us at Fittleworth, saving you time
Your goods will be prepared ready to dispatch upon receipt of your repeat prescription
You will get your goods sooner, as we will not have to wait for your prescription to arrive in the post
What you need to do now!
You need to choose a place for your GP practice to electronically send your prescription, this is called
nomination.
If you would like to nominate Fittleworth to continue to deliver your medical appliances, please complete
the nomination form and post it to us. Alternatively you can contact your GP practice to confirm your
preferred supplier of your medical appliances.
To read our full leaflet on the Electronic Prescription Service, please click here.
Useful Contacts for Advice and Support
If you would like to find answers to questions or would like information on support groups in your area,
please see below just a few contacts that you may find useful.
The Bladder and Bowel Foundation
E: info@bladderandbowelfoundation.org
The Colostomy Association
E: cass@colostomyassociation.org.uk
The Ileostomy Association
E: info@iasupport.org
The Urostomy Association
E: secretary.ua@classmail.org
We have plenty more useful contacts on our website, please click here to view.
Dates for your diary
Frimley Park Hospital Continence Awareness Day
Date: 10th September 2015
Time: 9am to 3pm
The urology nurse specialists invite you to their seventh annual Continence Awareness day. You are
welcome to come along to find out more about continence issues and visit their drop-in advice clinic.
Thames Path 50K Walking Challenge
Date: 12th September 2015
Fittleworth's Vanessa Bewley and Cheryl Thomas from Dansac join forces to take part in this worthwhile
event, to raise money for the Beating Bowel Cancer charity. If you would like to donate, please click
here.
Macmillan Coffee Morning
Date: 25th September 2015
Bake a cake, have some brownies and raise money for cancer support. To find out how you can help,
please click here.
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Hawthorn Road
Littlehampton, England BN17 7LT
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