Readers’ Panel member joined after “brilliant” support for her husband

Terry, from Yorkshire, has direct experience of Sciensus as her husband used the service for two years. She is also part of the Readers’ Panel, which advises the organisation on wording and layout in its patient leaflets.

Terry’s husband, David, needed regular infusions over many months to treat ulcerative colitis. Thanks to support from Sciensus, he was able to safely administer them himself in their home, instead of making a half-day round trip to the hospital every week or fortnight – something that Terry describes as being “really time consuming”.

“You’re looking at an entire morning, going to and from the hospital,” Terry says. “Being taught how to set the injections up at home and then being able to do them in the evening, which took 10 minutes, was fantastic.”

She says the solution made life “so, so much easier,” and the level of service experienced was “fantastic”.

“It was absolutely seamless,” she says, describing how she received regular phone calls to coordinate medication deliveries to her workplace and home, with diligent checking of what was required and whether further support could be provided.

“They were brilliant,” Terry adds.

From her personal experience, Terry could see that Sciensus is committed to listening to patients and their families, and joined the Readers’ Panel after realising it fit her skills in proofreading and customer service, and her experience working in a doctor’s surgery, perfectly.

“I was really impressed,” she says. “I thought ‘what a marvellous thing to be involved in’.”

She adds: “There are so many different ways of getting in touch. I was really enthusiastic about that. Anything I can do to improve the system for other patients, I’m more than happy to do.”