Super Saturday across two Yorkshire hospitals encourages families to brush up on dental hygiene

This Saturday (18 March) specialist children’s hospitals will be teaming up for Super Saturday – a nationwide partnership to help children and young people get the care and support they need and reduce delays.

This Super Saturday has a specific focus on oral health, as well as supporting anxious patients or those with sensory needs for particular procedures, across Sheffield Children’s and Leeds Children’s Hospital.

Super Saturdays were created in response to the challenges created by the COVID pandemic, including increased waiting lists. Recently, Super Saturday events have been used more widely for focusing on different elements of children’s health, education and community involvement, as well as additional clinical work.

Sheffield Children’s has the Sheffield University Smile Squad visiting the hospital to help teach children, young people and their families about the best tips for keeping teeth healthy. Alongside the squad, there are additional oral health surgeries taking place at the hospital all weekend. On Saturday, lots of helpful information being shared on the health bus and at health information stalls across the city.

Leeds Children’s Hospital is holding its first ever ‘Big Brush’ activity – an exciting collaboration between hospital Play Specialists and neighbouring Leeds Dental Institute. Play specialists, dentists and dental students have organised a mass tooth brushing event for patients across the hospital at 10.30am. The aim is to have as many patients, staff and parents brushing their teeth in time to the music for a whole two minutes! The Big Brush is followed by a day of oral hygiene activities and education for families in wards across the hospital.

Alexandra Norrish, Director of the Children’s Hospital Alliance and Development Director at Sheffield Children’s, said: “Super Saturday continues to be a fantastic opportunity to deliver care in a slightly different way to normal and support families across the country.

“As well as reducing waiting lists, we’ve been able to offer special sensory clinics for children with needle phobia or sensory issues with MRI’s, taking advantage of the fact clinical spaces are quieter than they are during the week. We’ve also been able to speak to children, young people and their families across local communities and in specialist clinics around oral health, diabetes and tablet taking.

“It has been so exciting seeing the ideas across the country, and where things are successful, we can adopt them more widely. Across the alliance, we’re sharing ideas that benefit children everywhere.”

To support patients with anxiety or sensory needs both hospitals are providing bespoke opportunities to help with procedures. Sheffield Children’s is offering a sensory-friendly session for scans. The aim is to help children and young people with additional or sensory needs to feel comfortable in the environment before having an MRI.

Leeds Children’s Hospital is holding an outdoor activity and education day for patients with type two diabetes at Herd Farm activity centre, near Leeds. 11 patients will take part in adventurous physical activities along-side engaging education sessions covering subjects such as food choices, the myths around type two diabetes and managing emotions, relationships and alcohol.

The aim of the day is to support patients to gain a better understanding of their condition and a greater awareness of other young people with the same condition. Many patients under the age of 18 won’t know anyone else their own age with type two diabetes.

Sheffield Children’s will also be focusing on supporting patients with sleep issues on the day. They’ll be running specialist sleep clinics for 50 patients alongside sharing their sleep knowledge at Meadowhall, the health bus at Tesco Infirmary Road and stalls at The Moor in Sheffield City Centre and Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

Suzanne Abrahams, General Manager at Leeds Children’s Hospital said: “Super Saturday is a brilliant opportunity to implement innovative approaches to patient care. I’m delighted that this Super Saturday we’re working alongside other children’s hospitals to support our patients and their families beyond their hospital treatment.

“We’re promoting healthy behaviours such as dental hygiene which is so important for all young people and can impact on so many aspects of their health. Our education day for young people living with type two diabetes is all about supporting patients to grow in confidence and feel empowered to make the best choices.”

Super Saturday at Sheffield Children’s

• Between 9.30am-3.30pm you can find us in our health bus at Tesco on Infirmary Road, under our giant gazebo on The Moor (near the old Debenhams building) and in Meadowhall too.
• The Smile Squad – a team of student volunteers from the Sheffield University Dentistry school – will also be at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and The Moor throughout the day. They’ll be providing expert advice and free resources all about helping take care of your teeth.
• We’re also providing specialist sleep clinics to support children and young people experiencing sleep issues, and patients with anxiety or sensory needs are being offered bespoke opportunities to learn more about procedures in advance of them happening (these appointments have been made in advance).