A STUDENT doctor from Urmston has helped provide vital medical care to a hospital on a Caribbean island during a recent six-week placement.

Olivia Ward, a student at the University of Leicester, lent her expertise to caring for patients at Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in St Vincent, as part of her final year medical placement.

Olivia, aged 22, was supported throughout her experience by PHMG Foundation, the charity arm of Old Trafford audio branding specialist PHMG, which donated £3,000 towards specialist medical equipment and Olivia’s accommodation.

“I’ve learnt so much during my time at Milton Cato and the challenges and hardships have all been worthwhile,” said Olivia.

“What will stay with me the most is the incredible talent, generosity and compassion of the staff at the hospital as despite not having the necessary medical resources, they did everything they could to help patients and constantly strived to provide the best care.

“The donation from PHMG has made a huge difference, not only to Milton Cato but to me also - this is an experience I’ll never forget and I know it’s already made me a better doctor.”

At Milton Cato, the average waiting time is around 12 to 16 hours, much more than the targeted four hours in the UK.

The hospital has a high volume of patients and the accident and emergency department regularly runs out of common medication, such as antibiotics and painkillers.

Olivia added: “I always knew the NHS was an incredible resource we shouldn’t take for granted, yet my time on St Vincent has made me even more grateful for our health service.

“Some specialist equipment and medicine isn’t readily available so I had to rely on my knowledge a great deal more to treat the patient without the necessary tests available.”

As an audio specialist, PHMG donated much-needed hearing equipment that is used for routine checks.