The Medway NHS Foundation Trust has installed two new arcade cabinets in the paediatric ward of Medway Maritime Hospital, to help deliver a “calmer, more positive environment” for children and young people prior to surgery.

The trust invested research funding into purchasing the Pac-Man and The Fast and The Furious games after family feedback highlighted the need for more age-appropriate equipment, with the installation already yielding encouraging results.

“Anxiety around hospital admission is very common, with around 75 percent of children feeling worried in the anaesthetic room,” said consultant paediatric and perioperative anaesthetist, Dr Samantha Black. “Their fears can include the mask or cannulation, feeling a loss of control, and being separated from their parents.”

“Play is a well established therapeutic tool that reduces anxiety and improves the perioperative experience. By expanding the equipment available – including items chosen specifically for older children – we’re creating a calmer, more positive environment for young patients and their families.”

Eight-year-old patient Jacob was one of the first to try the games in the pre‑assessment unit, with his mother Lisa saying that playing “really helped Jacob take his mind off what was going to happen.”

“After the operation, playing again helped him focus on beating his score rather than any pain. We’re so grateful for the support – it made a real difference.”