staff magazine | Winter 2013
Improving the care of our patients with dementia
Contents
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4 Improving the care of our patients with dementia 6 Duo of awards for Leeds Children’s Hospital diabetes team 9
A record achievement
10 Royal welcome for Patron of Leeds Children’s Hospital 12 Trust takes centre stage at global economic event
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Duo of awards for Leeds Children’s Hospital diabetes team
A record achievement
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New major trauma ward
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My job
19 Friends and Family Test boosts quality and morale 20 Videos make life easier for new wheelchair users 21 Leeds Central MP visits lifesaving men’s screening service
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A right royal welcome as our Patron gets an insight into children’s intensive care
Trust takes centre stage at global economic event
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Radiotherapy superstars snap up two awards
Hard lessons as Leeds midwives check out the reality of Liberia
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Farewell
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Pathology opens its doors
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Bulletin is produced quarterly by the Communications Department. Editor: Suzanne Breen Photography by Medical Illustration Design by Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd Send your feedback, ideas and suggestions for the next edition to suzanne.breen@leedsth.nhs.uk or call ext. 66494/66244. Copy deadline is 31 January 2014
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Winter flu: Still time to get protected Fond farewell: Ken celebrates his retirement with colleagues from the Switchboard
Half-century hero 50 years ago, a 15 year-old Ken Davison applied for a part-time position working in the post room of the LGI; half a century later he’s finally decided to call it a day. Ken, who retired in October, worked in the LGI for 50 years without a single day off sick or absent without leave. This impressive feat he attributes to staying healthy; avoiding cigarettes and too much alcohol; and eating fruit every day. Initially working on a part-time basis in the post room at the LGI for £3 6s 4d a week (about £43 in today’s money), Ken moved to the switchboard a few years later and worked there right up until his retirement. When asked about how he managed to avoid illness and stay in such good health, Ken said: “I think it’s got a lot to do with what I eat. I have a banana, an apple and an orange every day, and when I get home I just have a sensible meal. “I’ve never had a cold or flu, so I think I’ve
been lucky with that. I’ve felt a bit under the weather now and again, but I’ve never been so ill that I couldn’t come in.” After 50 years at the LGI, Ken said that he was looking forward to his retirement: “I’m not sure what I’m going to do now but I’m going to enjoy sleeping-in on a morning! It’ll be nice to go for a few holidays with my wife.” He also left some advice for anyone who has recently joined the Trust: “I think the best thing for new members of staff is to be patient, understanding and to listen to others. You’ve got to have a good attitude about the work you’re doing and this will make things better for yourself and the people around you.” Jackie Goodwin, Switchboard manager, said: “Ken’s a real star. I think he’s deserved a bit of a rest after coming in to work rain or shine without a day off sick for 50 years.”
Donation from former Lord Mayor The former Lord Major of Leeds, Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, recently visited Ward L47, the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Leeds Children’s Hospital, to hand over a £61,000 cheque to Trust Chair Linda Pollard. Councillor Iqbal generously nominated the PICU as his charitable cause during the term when he was Lord Mayor.
The money will be used to upgrade the monitoring systems in L47 including the purchase of a 20 channel central monitor, that will enable the nursing and medical team to have a continuous overview of the status of all of the patients in the unit. This central monitor system will be invaluable and will support the whole team in delivering safe patient care.
Chief Executive, Julian Hartley, receiving his flu jab from Sue Preston.
Every year winter brings a surge in seasonal illnesses, of which one of the most threatening - and potentially deadly for many of our vulnerable patients – is flu. The Trust has a robust Winter Plan in place to open extra beds to cope with an anticipated increase in admissions, and work has been underway since October to try to ensure this year’s staff flu vaccination programme is the most comprehensive yet. One of the simplest preventative measures all staff can take is to receive a free flu jab through the Trust. By having the flu jab, we can protect both patients and staff from an illness that costs lives every winter, and a jab also helps you protect your family from bringing the germ into the home environment. If you haven’t been protected yet, please take five minutes out of your busy day to get a jab – it is critically important you do so. Contact Occupational Health or find out the name of your local peer vaccinator. Julian Hartley, Chief Executive of LTHT, said: “The importance of having a flu jab cannot be overstated. Protection of staff and patients from communicable diseases is one of our key priorities.”
Generous donation: Trust Chair, Linda Pollard, received the cheque from Councillor Iqbal on behalf of the Trust.
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Improving the care of our patients with dementia
Patient focussed: (l-r) Fiona Sweeney, Care support worker, Alison Raycroft, Matron, Dr Oliver Corrado, Consultant Geriatrician, Charlotte Hartley, Staff nurse, and Dr Saad Suleman, SHO.
Dr Oliver Corrado, Consultant Geriatrician and LTHT ‘Dementia Champion’, explains the work being undertaken here in Leeds to improve outcomes for our patients Dementia is a common problem, affecting about 800,000 people in the UK. To better meet their needs, the Trust has introduced a number of new initiatives to improve the care of people with dementia. A new CQUIN goal for dementia was introduced nationally in 2012, requiring hospitals to screen all acute admissions aged 75 years and over for dementia. LTHT has been very successful with this goal - over 90% have been screened and an average of 70 patients each month are referred back to GPs for further evaluation and consideration of referral to a Memory Clinic Thanks to everyone in the Trust, and particularly Erika McGinnes and her team in Informatics, for their help to ensure we meet this target which has improved the assessment of people with dementia in the Trust. The Dementia CQUIN was extended in 2013 to improve the support hospitals provide for carers of people with dementia. LTHT has addressed this in a number of ways: • A monthly survey of carers of people with dementia to establish how involved they felt with care, whether anyone had enquired how they were coping, and whether they had been given information about support services. The Trust can significantly
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improve the assessment of carers’ needs and provide better information. • S imilar responses were given at two focus groups LTHT had with carers of people with dementia. Concerns regularly raised included: repeated ward moves, non-flexible visiting hours, lack of activities for people with dementia, help feeding, poor staff awareness and understanding of dementia, lack of information about patient’s progress, support services and discharge arrangements. CSUs need to do all they can to address these concerns.
To date over 1,500 members of LTHT staff have had dementia training. • I n conjunction with Carers Leeds, LTHT has appointed Fiona Sweeney as a Hospital Support Worker for people with dementia and their carers. Fiona can provide help and advice to carers of patients with dementia from any ward in LTHT, so please do refer carers to her. She is on fiona.sweeney@leedsth.nhs.uk or mobile 07854481024. LTHT has also introduced a ‘Know Who I Am’ document for people with dementia to provide better patientfocused care. Staff can now obtain more
information about patients with memory problems such as their likes/dislikes, preferences and interests, enabling us to provide much better person-focused care for these patients. I am grateful to Barbara Hodkinson for allowing LTHT to incorporate some ‘Butterfly Scheme’ documentation into ‘Know Who I Am’. We will soon implement a ‘Forget Me Not’ scheme within Medicine for the Elderly and Trauma and Orthopaedics as an opt-in scheme to ensure staff are aware that a patient has memory problems. This ‘early implementation scheme’ will in time roll out elsewhere within the Trust. All staff encountering people with dementia in their work should have at least basic training in dementia. LTHT has developed a number of dementia education and training packages - the most basic is Foundation training, with higher training at Levels 1 – 3. To date over 1,500 members of LTHT staff have had dementia training. Wards and clinical areas which regularly have patients with dementia have been prioritised, but dementia training is being steadily rolled out throughout the Trust so please ask your manager how you can obtain this in future. Thanks go to Vee Lebrunn, Pauline Newsome, Alison Raycraft and Ceri Edwards for developing these training programmes.
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The Colin Smith Nursing Education Fund for Dementia Colin Smith sadly passed away in 2010. He was a former Director of Nursing Services having spent more than 20 years as a Senior Nurse Manager within Elderly Services in LTHT. When Colin arrived at St James’s back in the early 70s, the hospital was reeling from an inquiry undertaken by the Minister of Health, describing the ‘geriatric unit’ as overcrowded, understaffed with inadequately trained and demoralised nursing staff. As a man of great determination and compassion Colin was just the person to relish the challenge. He used every means possible to do so, being prepared to defy authority and risk his career in the process. He was subsequently joined by Dr. Bill Bagnall, an enthusiastic consultant, and together they formed a dynamic partnership to transform the Department of Medicine for the Elderly into one which became recognised as among the best in the UK. Colin was regarded as an extremely capable, approachable, hands-on manager who inspired many other senior nurses to join him and take the
department further forward. In 1999, just after Colin’s retirement, Help the Aged commissioned an inspection of St James’s as part of their Dignity campaign and singled the hospital out for its ‘excellence in multi-disciplinary care’.
This is a fantastic legacy and one which Colin would be proud to be associated with.
Throughout his career Colin had a particular empathy for patients with dementia. LTHT is very grateful to Colin’s wife Bridget and family for their generous bequest which has enabled the Trust to create a fund bearing Colin’s name. It will allow nurses in LTHT to further their training and education in dementia, thereby improving the care of this vulnerable group of patients. This is a fantastic legacy and one which Colin would be proud to be associated with.
Championing dementia awareness Clinical Educator, Peter PriceNicholson, has developed an inventive way of teaching staff about how to care for people with dementia. After attending a dementia awareness session, Peter decided to register as a dementia champion and received training to carry out his role, educating others. With Fragility fracture nurse Christine Tall, they have managed to deliver sessions to almost 200 members of the Trauma and related services team, from ward housekeepers to junior doctors. Using role-play scenarios, Peter helps staff learn about issues surrounding dementia including how to identify patients with dementia when they are being admitted onto a ward. In a group, staff from the Trauma unit can share their stories relating to the illness.
Generous bequest: Colin’s wife, Bridget, with Dr Corrado.
Peter said: “Feedback on the sessions has been really positive and we are already seeing the benefits in the quality of care we provide on our wards. One of the staff nurses told me that after attending a session she had used the ‘Know who I am’ document and as a result the patient’s dietary needs were more effectively met.”
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Duo of awards for Leeds Children’s Hospital diabetes team Tasty treats: (l-r) Jane Pilkington, Mandy Spiteri, Helen Sutcliffe, Gareth Lumb, Kirsty Roberts and Kelly Long
Who’s for coffee? Staff at the LGI’s emergency department took a coffee break for a good cause this month. As part of Macmillan Cancer Support’s ‘World’s biggest coffee morning’ in September, staff and relatives brought in baked goodies to sell to visitors and raised over £500 for the cancerfighting charity. Staff nurse Kirsty Roberts said: “It was great to be part of such a massive nationwide event. It’s good to know that little things like baking can bring in money for such an important cause. I think we might have given Mary Berry a run for her money!”
Trust technology praised at Medipex awards
The children’s diabetes team has won two top accolades for “best improvement programme for children and young people” and “best network care initiative” at a prestigious national quality event. The two wins took place at the Quality in Care (QiC) Diabetes awards, which recognise good practice in diabetes care, education and management. Consultant Paediatrician at Leeds Children’s Hospital, Dr Fiona Campbell, picked up the accolades from Dr Jyothis George, Senior Clinical Researcher, Diabetes Trials Unit, University of Oxford, and founder of the Young Diabetologists and Endocrinologists Forum. The Best Improvement Programme for Children and Young People award relates to a workbook the team in Leeds have developed which is given to families at the time of a child’s diagnosis which in turn is linked to a website with further useful information about living with diabetes. The QiC Diabetes judges described this
Congratulations to Dr Nicholas Todd, Psychologist in Clinical training at the University of Leeds, Thomas Bamford, fourth year medical student and Trust consultant, Dr Alison Cracknell, who were shortlisted for the annual Medipex innovation awards 2013. The awards for the Yorkshire & Humber and East Midlands regions are to identify people working within the NHS who have helped improve patient care through more efficient use of new technology. Dr Todd, runner-up in the mental health & wellbeing category, has created the first web-based selfmanageable intervention for Bipolar Disorder (BD) that aims to improve people’s quality of life. Thomas Bamford, and Dr Cracknell, with support from the Nasogastric Tube Steering Group, were also shortlisted for their innovative development of nasogastric tube safety insertion packs.
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Highly commended: Dr Fiona Campbell picking up the award from Dr Jyothis George on behalf of the service.
as “a wonderful concept with results we would want to see in every centre”. The Best Network Care Initiative award was for work led from Leeds in an attempt to address the lack of a standardised approach to healthcare for children and young people (CYP) with type 1 diabetes. Ten regional diabetes networks for CYP have now been set up to share good practice and maintain high quality standards. Working in conjunction with the Department of Health, the networks have recognised the need to develop a five-year National Paediatric Diabetes Service Improvement Delivery Plan. Achievements so far include the development of 13 care standards and the establishment of a patient/carer reference group. The judges commented: “Supporting children with diabetes is a very important topic with significant implications, and the process of getting everyone who was involved in this project together has to be commended.”
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Out and about: Julian Hartley with staff in elderly acute admissions in Chancellor’s Wing at St James’s.
The Leeds Way New Chief Executive, Julian Hartley, explains the work he has begun to create a new vision for the Trust. Before I started as Chief Executive I wrote to over a thousand leaders within the Trust to ask them what our challenges are and how we might go about solving them. I received hundreds of responses to that invitation. One of the messages that stood out for me is the need to engage our staff. I believe this is essential if we are to overcome our challenges and realise our great potential. So, having heard the ideas of our clinical and other leaders, I now want to share them more widely and involve more people. I want you to build on these ideas and pick the best ones to create our vision for Leeds, our culture and our priorities - to create the Leeds Way of doing things. I need everyone to contribute to building the Leeds Way. I will share the ideas put forward by you and discuss them in our regular meetings, at special events and online. Once we have decided what we stand
for and how we will work, we will start to implement the Leeds Way together. The values we identify will guide our actions and the processes we adopt (like appraisal and recruitment for example) as a trust. And the direction we set will inform our planning and where we focus our resources. This part is just as crucial as developing the ideas and my aim is to be working in a ‘Leeds Way’ by spring next year. Since starting at the Trust I have been hugely impressed by the commitment, dedication and expertise of our staff. I have seen this first hand on my visits to wards and department across our hospitals.
compassionate and kind and working very hard to support the medical and social needs of their patients. I spoke directly to patients such as Joan Hatfield who gave me feedback on their experiences of being on the wards. Joan was extremely complimentary and praised the quality of care she was receiving. I will continue to spend time getting out and about to see the work you do and meet the patients you care for. Overall the quality of care I have seen has been high but I know we can always do better and I believe the Leeds Way will allow us to do that.
I spent an afternoon in one of the Trust’s busiest, and most highly pressured environments recently - Wards J27 and J28, elderly acute admissions in Chancellor’s Wing at St James’s. The wards are made up of often very sick elderly patients, some of whom may be confused or have dementia and are struggling to cope, all of whom need a high level of pastoral care and support. I met many highly skilled staff who were
Listening ear: Julian with patient Joan Hatfield.
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National award for Seacroft eye team
Outstanding achievement: Trust Chair Linda Pollard.
Top honours for Trust Chair
An eye specialist and his team from Seacroft Hospital have won a national award after outstanding praise from patients.
The Seacroft-based team collected their award during the Society’s annual London conference which was attended by over 500 people.
Martin McKibbin, Consultant Ophthalmologist, and the hospital’s Macular Service beat off stiff competition for the ‘Clinical service of the year’ award as part of the Macular Society’s Awards for Excellence. The accolade recognises their exceptionally good practice in the care of people with macular degeneration.
Mr McKibbin said: “I am delighted that the team has once again proved itself with this award. Last year, much of the service re-located to Seacroft Hospital and this meant we could improve people’s experience, create new ways of working and to start to increase capacity. The award is a reflection of this hard work and it will encourage us to make things even better for our patients.” Helen Jackman, Chief Executive of the Macular Society, said: “Martin McKibbin and his team do an incredible job in Leeds and we are delighted that they have been recognised for their excellent work.”
It was a memorable month for Trust Chair Linda Pollard in October when she received two top accolades in different fields. Her CBE, awarded earlier this year, was officially presented in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
Veronica O’Reilly leads the Macular Society’s local support group and also nominated Mr McKibbin. She said: “I have known Martin McKibbin for more than 12 years from when I was first diagnosed with macular degeneration.
Closer to home, Linda was also given a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2013 Yorkshire Awards. This is given annually to a person who has had an outstanding impact upon Yorkshire and its people, demonstrating their affection for and commitment to the county. As well as her role in the Trust, the award recognises her long track record of success as an entrepreneur in a succession of businesses, in addition to public sector roles. Other winners at this year’s glittering ceremony included actress Katherine Kelly and BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration.
“His sympathetic approach and understanding of the fear which overcomes a sufferer is extraordinary. His team also are, without exception, all very helpful and considerate. I always feel in the very best of hands.”
Some of the winning team: (l-r) Mandy Currotto, James Mahoney, Michael Forster, Martin McKibbin, Carlo Suter, Bataung Mokete.
The team have been working from the Seacroft site for over a year and continue to deliver an excellent quality of care.
Teresa is award winner Congratulations to Ward clerk, Teresa Foster, who won this year’s David Swirsky award for services to haematology. Teresa was nominated by colleagues for her dedication to patients and relatives and for going above and beyond the call of duty on several occasions. During the ceremony she was described as “the cement that holds the department together”. The prize is in memory of the late David Swirsky who was a nationally respected consultant in haematology at the Trust and is presented yearly to a member of staff on AFC band 5 or below, along with a cash prize donated by his family.
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Setting an example: Ward clerk, Teresa Foster, with colleagues in the Leeds Cancer Centre.
David was well-liked by everyone and thought that people should receive praise and reward for a good job, regardless of their position.
Andrew Jack, Consultant in HMDS, said: “All Teresa’s colleagues across the department of haematology would like to thank her for all the time and effort she puts in to the service. She sets an example for us all. We’d also like to thank David’s family for their continued support.” Senior sister, Kim Haggitt, who presented the award said “Teresa is just brilliant. The passion she has for improving the service really rubs off on everyone around her.”
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A record achievement The Trust’s Health Records Library reached the finals of the Health Service Journal’s Efficiency awards in October. For Library staff, it was a celebration not just of their achievements, but also of a complete turnaround in morale. Not long ago, Sue Brown, Supervisor with the Health Records Library would have found it hard to believe that the service it provided would one day be nominated for an award. “The targets that were needed just to keep the Library ticking over seemed to be getting harder to achieve month by month,” she recalls. “Morale was low and there didn’t seem to be a way of getting out of the rut we were in.”
Across the Trust, the Library had a reputation for poor performance. A backlog of work was proving impossible to clear. There were no set systems for managing records and procedures were often duplicated. From the start, engaging Library staff in its transformation was crucial. Together with the SIT, they examined the state of their service and considered how it could be improved. From this, they set a number of measures to gauge success. The Library team learned how to use service improvement techniques to identify where they were wasting time, effort and resources. Some became ‘lean champions’, motivating others to refine their working practices.
Looking back now, Sue can’t remember being so unhappy in her work. But a great deal has changed in the Health Records Library since the days when staff were tired and demoralised.
After studying how they moved around and used the library area, staff redesigned it to make the layout more logical. Its tidy, open plan now reflects order and professionalism.
Today, it is efficient and well-managed, following a successful partnership between Library staff and the Service Improvement Team (SIT).
The team also analysed capacity and demand and came up with a set of streamlined, standard processes for completing their work.
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High standards: The Health Record’s team in Chancellor’s Wing, St James’s.
Morale boost The result is a Library that bears no resemblance to the chaotic place it used to be. Records that would be delayed for 72 hours before being tracked back are now filed in less than 24. Ninety-five percent of records are now available at first pull, consistently meeting monthly targets. As quality has soared, so too has respect for the Library and staff morale. The team owns the changes it put in place; delivering high standards is part of the daily routine. “It used to be the place where we worked,” says Sue Brown of the Library. “Now it’s our Library, the place we are proud to work in.” Les Barr adds of her staff and supervisors. “It was your enthusiasm, professionalism and sheer determination to make a difference that delivered this change. You are all winners.”
Better practice The SIT supported the Library to improve the flow of records in and out of this vital facility. One of the Trust’s busiest departments, the Library handles more than 4,500 files every day. Before the project started, however, it was struggling to cope. Les Barr, Health Records Manager for the Trust says of the Library: “Its layout and footprint didn’t help our processes to flow. There were severe congestion hot spots, rooms were not used to best advantage and everything lacked organisation. This hindered the team’s ability to store and retrieve records efficiently.”
Efficient service: Karl Rahman, Clerical officer, in the Health Records Library.
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Meeting parents in the main PICU facility.
A right royal welcome as our Patron gets an insight into children’s intensive care Sophie, Countess of Wessex, was welcomed to Leeds Children’s Hospital on Tuesday 1 October to open the new Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The Countess, who is Royal Patron of Leeds Children’s Hospital, was greeted when she arrived on the unit by the nursing team, initially touring the high dependency ward, which is adjacent to
PICU on D-floor of Clarendon Wing.
old was taken in for her operation.
One of the first patients she met was Nikita Chidwick, who was with her family on the ward awaiting surgery for a spinal condition.
Nikita said: “It was really nice to meet her. She was really friendly and asked about how I was doing and my school work.”
Her Royal Highness enquired about Nikita’s well-being and whether her school had been setting work for her to do while in hospital, before the 15 year-
“We are very proud of our new unit and are delighted we were able to welcome the Countess of Wessex to see it for herself.” The Countess then toured the rest of the unit, and saw the new stateof-the-art facilities and met families in the paediatric intensive care unit, where some of the most critical cases are being treated. She took time to chat with both staff and families and showed particular interest in the care being delivered.
The Countess officially opens the unit, with Chair Linda Pollard and Dr Tim Haywood.
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Clinical lead for paediatric intensive care at the hospital, Dr Tim Haywood, said: “We are already one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country, and this new purpose-designed facility
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Some of the nursing team meet the Countess.
enhances that by providing a truly excellent environment for children needing intensive care. “We are very proud of our new unit and are delighted we were able to welcome the Countess of Wessex to see it for herself - the visit was very exciting for our patients and staff.” She toured the unit and met staff and patients including Grace Naylor and her parents.
“The Countess went on to praise the team working in the unit and the quality of care they provide.” The Countess meets two-year-old Grace Naylor and her family.
Former patient, Isabella Cook, who had been in hospital due to a heart defect, presented the Countess with some flowers and they talked about her recovery and how she was getting on. Youngsters with heart defects make up around 40% of the 900 children who will be treated in the new unit annually. The Countess went on to praise the team working in the unit and the quality of care they provide. She told those present she was very impressed by the £1.75 million investment in the PICU and the technology that will help save the lives of some of the sickest youngsters in the region. The Countess concluded her visit by unveiling an impressive plaque to mark the unit’s official opening.
Chatting to Nikita Chidwick on the High Dependency Unit.
A young patient welcomes HRH to the hospital.
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Momentous occasion: (Front) Linda Pollard, LTHT Chair and HRH Princess Ghida Talal of Jordan, Chair of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation. (Back l-r) Dr Geoff Hall, Associate Medical Director for Cancer, LTHT, Baroness Morris, The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Jordan, Mr Dave Berridge, Medical Director (International Relations), LTHT, Mr Peter Millett, UK Ambassador to Jordan, Dr Asem Mansour, Chief Executive Officer, King Hussein Cancer Center, Mr Zaid Bitar, Deputy Director General, King Hussein Cancer Foundation, Ms Foluke Ajayi, General Manager for Oncology and Oncological Surgery, LTHT.
Trust takes centre stage at global economic event In a glittering ceremony at the 9th World Islamic Economic Forum the Trust formalised its international partnership with a leading provider of cancer services in the Middle East, the King Hussein Cancer Center in Amman. HRH Princess Ghida Tala of Jordan signed the Memorandum of Understanding along with Trust Chair, Linda Pollard, during the high profile conference attended by a number of world leaders, being held for the first time in London. The agreement seals a partnership which will see some of Leeds’ pioneering expertise and innovations in cancer treatment shared and developed in the Middle East. This echoes the Forum’s theme of developing new economic linkages between nations across borders, religions and cultures in a fastchanging world. Cancer experts from the Bexley Wing will be working with the King Hussein Cancer Center on a mutually
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beneficial collaboration across the spectrum of cancer including training, teaching, research as well as the delivery of healthcare. The partnership between the two hospitals began to develop in July 2013 when a delegation from Jordan visited St James’s to see the facilities in the Leeds Cancer Centre. As part of the visit, staff in Leeds delivered a two day training and development programme to showcase its expertise and share best practice with specialists from the King Hussein Cancer Center. Linda Pollard, LTHT Chair said: “It was an honour to be signing this Memorandum at one of the year’s most important global economic events. I hope this will be the start of a productive international relationship between the two specialist centres.” From her part, HRH Princess Ghida said: “This occasion and partnership being forged today is of special importance. As
we continue our pursuit for excellence and equity, building synergies with European leaders in cancer care such as the reputable Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust broadens our global network for the mutual benefit of both institutions and patients in Jordan and the UK.” The partnership has been developed under the guidance of Healthcare UK, a joint venture between the Department of Health and UK Trade & Investment. It is part of a strategic initiative to give healthcare system providers across the world access to the UK’s healthcare expertise. King Hussein Cancer Center is the only specialist cancer centre in the Middle East to treat both adult and paediatric patients. It opened its doors in 1997 and is continuing to expand its expertise and services to provide access to state-of-the art cancer facilities to patients in Jordan and the wider region, with a new wing due to open in 2015.
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Radiotherapy superstars snap up two awards A radiotherapy team based in the Bexley wing have won the Society of Radiographers regional award, for ‘Radiographer of the Year’ and ‘Radiography Team of the Year’, for the Yorkshire and North Trent area after being nominated by their manager, Julie Owens. Louise’s award comes for her work to develop the psychological and emotional support provided in radiotherapy, allowing patients who feel they cannot cope to gain confidence and move forward to progress their treatment. Louise also created the Bridge Clinic, which patients can attend after finishing radiotherapy treatment, providing support and guidance after treatment to help them move on. The team award was for the patient support provided for radiotherapy
patients, offering the care and advice patients need. The award specifically focused on the creation of the Radiotherapy Service User Group, which the team established and currently runs. This has allowed them to place patients at the centre of decision making and to listen directly in order to improve the service. Julie said “I’m proud of the whole team for winning these awards. Radiotherapy is delivered in a highly technical environment and it’s great to see them gain recognition for the time and effort put in to providing an excellent service that enhances patients’ experience. “Since the introduction of the Radiotherapy Service User Group, we have seen an improvement in how patients experience is integrated into service development and hope to see this continue into the future.”
Top honour: Jacquelyne Todd, Physiotherapist Consultant in Lymphoedema.
Lifetime achievement award for Jacquelyne Jacquelyne Todd, Physiotherapist Consultant in Lymphoedema, has been recognised by the British Lymphology Society with a Lifetime Achievement award. She received the accolade for her tireless work with both children and adults and in raising the profile of lymphoedema. She has been based in Leeds for 13 years and set up the first Lymphoedema clinic in West Yorkshire. Furthermore, she has written several books on the subject, including one for children dealing with the illness, The Big Book of Lymphoedema. She also runs various educational courses in treatment for Lymphoedema, running refresher courses every two years from Wharfedale. The award ceremony took place in Birmingham this October and was attended by lymphology experts from around the country. Jacqueline Banks, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Lymphoedema, said: “We’re so proud of Jacqui. She gives it her all, so this Lifetime Achievement award really is well deserved. “She really cares about the education side of things too, and has probably done more to keep everyone up-todate than anyone else.”
Top team: (l-r) Radiographers, Georgina Preston, Lucy Rogers, Louise Wem and Sue Crowther.
Jacquelyne will be retiring in December to spend more time with her family and engaging in her hobbies.
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New ward puts Major Trauma Centre at heart of Jubilee Wing The Trust’s Major Trauma Ward has moved to a brand new £1.2 million ward in the Jubilee Wing at LGI, colocating this vital service with other key facilities already in the building. As part of a national reorganisation, Leeds became a Major Trauma regional centre in April and deals with patients from across the county involved in serious incidents such as road accidents – for example the M62 coach crash near Castleford earlier this year, which saw a number of patients rushed to the LGI. Initially the team were housed in a temporary facility in the Clarendon Wing while their permanent home was under construction. The beginning of November saw staff move into their new 25-bedded facility, ward L22.
Ever ready: Some of the Major Trauma team.
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The new location means the Major Trauma Ward is close by other key specialities including A&E, neurosurgery, vascular, intensive care and theatres, as well as the hospital’s helideck. The unit combines a rich skill mix of staff, many specially recruited when the Centre was set up. This includes 36 nurses in addition to specialist doctors and a dedicated physiotherapy and occupational therapy team who are on hand to ensure that rehabilitation can get underway as soon as possible. Advanced Nurse Practitioners are a new addition to the ward, as they can prescribe drugs and make more independent decisions in the treatment process. Shaun Preece, Ward Manager, said “It’s a fantastic unit and the move
went like clockwork - it’s great to be finally settled. The ward has the capability to cope with any eventuality and the team of experts and specialists from across the country are ready to deal with any accident that may occur. “The way we work together is very different from a traditional ward, and staff are truly expanding the boundaries in healthcare to get the best possible outcomes for our patients.” Creating the new ward was a considerable feat of planning, and it was brought in on time and budget. It’s location on the G-floor of the Jubilee wing was previously office accommodation, which had to be totally transformed. Some exterior building work was also required to maximise space on the ward.
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Two new faces join Trust Board There are further changes to the composition of the Trust Board with two key new faces joining the organisation.
Excellent team: The Head and Neck team picking up their award from Jeremy Clifford and Clare Frisby.
Head and Neck team scoop top prize at the YEP healthcare awards The Head and Neck team have won ‘Team of the Year’ at the Yorkshire Evening Post Best of Health awards 2013, for their “beyond excellent” care and support to patients with cancer.
The ceremony, held at the Hilton hotel in Leeds, was marked by emotion, with many stories of unsung heroism within the medical profession being brought to the attention of the public.
Consultant oncologist, Dr Mehmet Sen, for the Head and Neck team, said their win was “beyond our expectations.” The team were described as “clinically excellent”.
Clare Frisby, from BBC Look North told guests: “What was clear from all the nominations was that every individual or team put forward was worthy of public praise.”
Fundraiser, Karen Stead, a cancer survivor won ‘Unsung Hero of the Year’ after she had turned her battle with cancer into a drive to raise awareness of the disease. She was described as an “inspiration to all who know her, offering a glimmer of hope to those beginning their own battle with pancreatic cancer”. Georgina Speak, a specialist nurse at St James’s, was runner-up for the award.
Jeremy Clifford, editorial director of Yorkshire Post Newspapers, told the audience: “Everyone nominated for these awards has done something special, and is someone special, who goes above and beyond what is expected of them.”
Dr Keith Brownlee, consultant at the Cystic Fibrosis & Respiratory unit at the LGI, and Dr Tracey Glanville, consultant Obstetrician at St James’s, were shortlisted for the ‘Doctor of the Year’ award. Jane Nicholson, Breast Care nurse, and Nicci Isaac, lead for Children’s Disability Nursing at the Child and Family Unit at St James’s, were also nominated for ‘Nurse of the Year’ award.
Unsung hero: Fundraiser and former patient, Karen Stead.
October saw Professor Paul Stewart take up his role as Non-executive Director , succeeding Professor David Cottrell. Professor Stewart is the recently-appointed Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Leeds and will represent the University on the Board. Meanwhile it is all change in Finance where Neil Chapman has now departed for a new role with the NHS Trust Development Authority, after being in Leeds for much of his career. He was by far the longest serving member of the Board, having served as Director of Finance since the Trust was formed in 1998. Neil’s successor, Tony Whitfield, will be taking up the role of Finance Director in early 2014. He first started work within the NHS in 1983 and has been Executive Director of Finance at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust for the past ten years. Commenting on Paul’s appointment, Linda Pollard, Chair of the Trust, said: “Partnership working across the different sectors in Leeds makes us all stronger and it is vital we all work together to make sure Leeds plays a full part on the national and international stage. Our relationship with the University is the cornerstone on which this success is built.” Welcoming Tony, Julian Hartley, Chief Executive, added: “Tony is a well-known and well-liked Finance Director with one of the best reputations in the NHS. He will be a great addition to our executive team and I am greatly looking forward to working with him.”
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Charity focus
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Appeal celebrates three years of helping sick children Leeds Children’s Hospital Appeal celebrated its third birthday in September with a fun day of events which took over the whole of the Clarendon Wing reception area.
A round-up of fundraising activities for the Trust
The charity was set up in 2010 to raise funds for Leeds Children’s Hospital, and has already raised over a million pounds thanks to the enthusiasm of volunteers and supporters. They provide extra equipment over and above what the NHS funds, as well as comforts and environmental improvements that help make the stays of younger patients a more pleasant experience for them and their families Guests of honour were the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Leeds, Tom and Edna Murray, who helped cut a huge birthday cake to make the auspicious occasion. Joining them were other famous faces like Mickey Mouse, Ronnie the Rhino and the Appeal’s own mascot, Mr Ted, together with staff from the different services the Appeal assists. Many supporters from businesses, community groups and individuals came along, supporting the Appeal and celebrating the Birthday by taking part in our ‘Show us Your Onesie Week’. Over the past three years, as well as breaking the £1 million barrier, the Appeal has helped over 200,000 children have a happier and more enriching visit to hospital.
Helping out: The Brownlee brothers with staff at the Leeds Children’s Hospital
Santa’s little helpers launch letter scheme Father Christmas received some extra help this year in the shape of Olympic triathletes Alistair and Johnny Brownlee. Old St Nick tasked the two Leeds lads with helping him distribute presents to patients at Leeds Children’s Hospital. The brothers were also at the Hospital to launch a ‘Letter from Santa’ campaign that means children around Yorkshire can receive a special letter from the North Pole, while also raising funds for the Children’s Hospital.
Having fun: Cutting the birthday cake with some of the charity’s supporters.
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Patients on the cystic fibrosis ward were delighted to receive some special treats from the athletic duo. The brothers toured parts of the Hospital
with their father, paediatric consultant Dr Keith Brownlee. Tom Moore, Fundraising Coordinator for Leeds Children’s Hospital Appeal, said: “This is such a magical promotion and thanks to the Leeds Metropolitan University (LMU) and Yorkshire Bank volunteer-elves, all the income goes directly to making a difference for our young patients with no administration costs. To order a letter from Santa visit www.leedschildrenshospital.org.uk – please do so before 14 December. And the festive spirit doesn’t stop there - volunteer staff from Yorkshire Bank will carry out elf duties by handwriting the envelopes and stamping them Reindeer Express Delivery.
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Hit TV show takes candid look behind the scenes of the sexual health service in Leeds Sparing few blushes, BBC3’s popular documentary series Unsafe Sex in the City returned to TV screens this autumn, with a starring role for the Leeds Centre for Sexual Health based at LGI.
was a great opportunity to spread safe-sex messages as well as demystify what goes on behind the doors of the clinic, to encourage more people who need their help to seek it.
Leeds and the Devon city of Exeter were the joint locations for the critically acclaimed programme, which looks at how NHS staff tackle Sexually Transmitted Infections through the revealing stories of people who use the clinic.
One of the consultants taking part, Dr Jan Clarke, said: “We wanted to be part of a programme to influence young adults 16-35 to consider their own sexual behaviour and what risks they might be running- and not to be scared about getting checked up. I think the programme will have been an eye-opener for parents of young people in Leeds.
Most of the Leeds filming took place in June and July in the clinic’s home in the Sunnybank Wing at LGI. The Leeds team also worked with Yorkshire MESMAC in two outreach events in the summer- Leeds Pride and an African community football tournament in Bradford. Staff in Leeds thought long and hard about the invitation to take part in the programme but decided it
“The film crew spent a long time getting to know the clinic staff, so we were relaxed when they asked us to do some filming. About half the clinic staff agreed to be filmed, with some people who were initially reluctant agreeing to take part as they saw the process unfold. The
Top team: Staff from the unit who took part in the programme.
crew used handheld cameras and minimal kit, so they did not intrude too much into normal working. “I have great admiration for the patients agreeing to take part - it is a very personal part of healthcare but public awareness of sexual health is so important. I’m pleased the staff come over as nonjudgemental, humorous and human.
know the film crew it became less stressful. Staff nurse Tim Coates and Doctor Mags Portman seemed to emerge as stars of the show, along with Dawn Zanetti, support worker. “We are monitoring the impact of the programme on attenders in clinic - and have already picked up that several people have come for a check since they saw the clinic was not a scary place.”
“Initially being filmed was nerve-racking, but as we got to
Specialist radiotherapy team pass the 500th patient mark The Trust has cemented its role as the leading centre in the UK undertaking highly advanced Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR), with staff at the Leeds Cancer Centre having now treated over 500 patients using the technique. Representatives of the big team who work in partnership to make the treatment possible recently came together to celebrate the milestone. These include clinical oncologists, therapy radiographers, medical physicists, radiotherapy technologists and treatment planning dosimetrists. SABR benefits patients with potentially curable lung cancer for whom conventional surgery is too risky. By far the largest number of treatments in the UK take place at St James’s, with patients coming from as far afield as Devon, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The success of the Leeds SABR programme has been in large part thanks to the highly advanced linear accelerators available in Bexley Wing. The team in Leeds can deliver the same radiation dose in 3-8 treatments compared with 20-30 treatments using more conventional technology. This more than doubles the cancer control rates to over 90%, with the advantage of fewer visits to hospital and less side effects Dr Kevin Franks, Consultant in Clinical Oncology, said: “Lung cancer is responsible for 1 in 7 new cases of cancer and is responsible for more than one in five of all cancer deaths, so this is a very important programme which is now benefitting patients from Yorkshire and right across the UK. “The success of the Leeds programme and the increasing numbers of patients
Leading the way: The SABR team celebrate treating more than 500 patients.
being referred here from all across the country, is testament to the extremely high level of commitment by a team of specialist staff helping to deliver this care here at St James’s. “Achieving the milestone of 500 patients is something for all of us to celebrate.”
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My Job
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I work with both corporate functions and the Clinical Support Units to develop and deliver long term strategic plans. This involves planning service changes and any building works required to deliver them. We do seem to spend a lot of time moving people around the organisation which requires a lot of logistical planning!
What else have you done in your career so far?
Angela Bradshaw, Corporate Planning Manager Angela is based at Trust HQ at St James’s but works Trust-wide. She wouldn’t tell us how long she has worked at the Trust, but simply said it was ‘a long time!’ Summarise the main aspects of your role? As the title says I plan and organise and then re-plan and reorganise because even the best laid plans can go wrong and people do tend to change their minds!
My whole career has been spent working for LTHT and its many predecessors. I started as a medical secretary in paediatrics until I left to have my son. However, I couldn’t keep away so came back on the secretarial bank at the LGI working in almost every department. I then moved to planning, business manager for children’s services, manager for prosthetics, orthotics and wheelchairs, operational manager for orthopaedics and plastics and finally back to planning.
What’s the best thing about your job? It may sound trite, but it is about making a difference for patients.
In particular when you take hand over of a new ward that has taken a long time to plan and build you forget all the hassle and worry you’ve had. The wide spectrum of people you work with both inside and outside the Trust also make life interesting and no two days are ever the same.
What is the one thing you would change at LTHT to help you do your job better? Working across all sites means that planners spend a lot of time walking and travelling. We’ve often talked about having roller skates or even a Segway to make life easier!
What’s your best advice to a new starter at the Trust? Get out and about and see how the place ticks. The Trust is a big place and you need to see how your job fits into the bigger picture. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and if you aren’t clinically based take the opportunity to talk to patients when you can after all that’s why we’re all working here.
Kind donation The walls of ward J30 have been livened up by several pieces of art recently, donated by local artist Shelley Creswick. The Stroke Rehab team looked into ways of improving the experience of their patients, many of whom need to stay on the unit for upwards of a month, and decided to focus on brightening up the day room. After some discussion, Nurse Jenna Hilton contacted North Yorkshire-based artist Shelley Creswick to see if she could help by providing some of her
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work. Shelley very kindly agreed. The team are also having the room painted before they hang the pictures to give it some vibrancy and warmth. Senior Sister, Karen Greenwood, said: “We are always looking for new ways to improve the patient experience, and Jenna’s idea for having art in the day-room has received fantastic feedback. With stroke rehabilitation, people on the ward tend to have to spend a great deal of time in the unit; the art is one way of making that stay more comfortable.”
Raising spirits: Artist Shelley Creswick with her paintings and staff and patients on the ward.
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Listening and responding: Ward clerk, Zarina Baz helps patient, Roy Mitchell to fill in an FFT card.
Friends and Family Test boosts quality and morale The Friends and Family Test (FFT) has collected more than 23,000 patient comments on the care provided by the Trust since it was launched in April. Eight months on, patients’ views are making an impact on their quality of experience and staff morale.
ward, or on the coffee table in the observation area. The nurses and ward clerks actively encourage patients to give their feedback.
Dawn Galloway, Senior Sister on Ward J22, the Urgent Care Clinical Decisions Unit (CDU) is delighted with the results of the test so far. Of 557 patients who have shared their views, 365 said they would be ‘extremely likely’, and 124 ‘likely’ to recommend the unit to their friends and family. For Dawn and her staff, these responses are tangible proof that the care they provide is meeting patients’ needs.
Dawn admits that at first, it was hard to get staff on board, saying: “The team didn’t see any benefit from it.”
“Ward J22 is a fantastic example of how the Trust can benefit from the FFT.” The Clinical Decisions Unit is one of the busiest facilities at the hospital. Patients are moved here from A&E before they are either transferred to a ward or sent home. They are also referred to the unit by their GP, or come to attend the returns clinic the day after their initial assessment. Every patient in the CDU is given the opportunity to fill out an FFT card. They are left by the bedside on the
Positive feedback
When she displayed the FFT comments in the CDU for patients and staff to see, however, attitudes towards the survey and its worth changed dramatically. Patients had mentioned the fast service, the caring, friendly and polite staff and the excellent treatment they were given. “When the team saw the positive things that were being written about them – some mentioning staff members by name – it was very powerful,” Dawn explains. “It was a real boost to morale.” Making sure patients can see the FFT feedback has been equally valuable, Dawn believes: “It shows that we care about what they think, we listen and we will make changes if necessary – ‘you said, we did’.”
Improving services Patient suggestions help the team to identify where they can improve
practice in the CDU. Sometimes, the smallest changes can make a big difference to patients’ perceptions of their care. In the observation area, for example, patients commented that they were not offered a cup of tea, even though the nurses always ask if they would like a drink. Thinking about the feedback, staff realised that patients are often worried or distressed and may not remember what is offered to them. Now, the housekeeper is sent into the Observation area with a tea trolley – a practical and visible solution that is better for patients. The Friends and Family Test will be used in every area of the Trust by 2015. Suzanne Ross, Senior Patient, Carer and Public Involvement Officer comments: “Ward J22 is a fantastic example of how the Trust can benefit from the FFT. The results are a real boost for staff while helping us to improve the quality of our care for patients.” The Patient Experience Team is very keen to hear about anything you have changed in response to patient feedback. You can email them on: yoursaidwedid@leedsth.nhs.uk To find out more about the Friends and Family Test, email Suzanne.Ross@ leedsth.nhs.uk.
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News
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Muddy hell in aid of our wards Two teams from St James’s braved the Major Series Mud Run this September at Bramham Park. Staff from wards J94, Young Adults Oncology, and J28, Acute Medicine, took part in the weekend event. The J94 team ran 5K, raising over £800 so far for the Teenage Cancer Trust, while 13 members of
staff from J28 ran, swam and wallowed through the gruelling 12K Mud Run to raise over £1000 for patient equipment. The teams were joined and supported by friends and family, as well as other members of staff who came along to cheer them on. Jonathan Moore of GDF Suez Energy also ran with the J94 team, completing the 10K course, backed by his company who kindly offered to double the amount of money he raised for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Acute Medicine completed the course in around 3 hours, despite one of their members losing a shoe Good cause: The team from Ward J94 in Bexley Wing. half way round and
Great achievement: Staff from Ward J28, Acute medicine, at St James’s.
another breaking her foot, while 5 brave volunteers from Young Adult Cancer did the mud run. Nicola Bona, a Sister from J28, said: “It was really hard work, but well worth the effort. The team spirit of everybody there was just fantastic. I think we were all spurred on because it
was all for a good cause. I hate to say it, but I think we might have to do it again next year!” Staff Nurse Caroline Overvoorde, from J94 said: “It was great. The team took some convincing, but it was well worth it in the end. It’s really worthwhile to have raised so much money for charity.”
Videos make life easier for new wheelchair users The Wheelchair Service at Seacroft Hospital has come up with five easy-to-watch video clips to provide information and tips to its wheelchair users. They have been produced to support more traditional leaflets, and concentrate on imparting important information in an easier and more understandable style, particularly for new users and those who help them. The clips show the wheelchair user and helper actively going through the practical advice, clearly demonstrating each of the key points about potentially tricky techniques such as how to transfer the wheelchair to a vehicle and how to navigate kerbs. Samantha Sterling, Wheelchair Services Manager at the Trust, said: “Getting started with a wheelchair
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can sometimes be daunting as there is so much to take in. Despite our best efforts, hospital leaflets imparting detailed information can be rather boring to read and instructions are sometimes hard to understand. “We decided it would be far more userfriendly to produce a series of videos covering the parts of a wheelchair, how to use it safely in different locations, transportation tips and basic maintenance to keep it in the best possible condition. “Children and adults of all ages use our wheelchairs and we have tried to make the videos practical, relevant and interactive. Feedback so far has been very positive.” They are available in DVD format or can be viewed on the LTHT Youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/leedsthnhs
Helpful aid: Patient, Beatrice Rogers, with Sam Sterling, Wheelchair services manager, and Lynne Yeadon, Wheelchair therapist.
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Leeds Central MP visits lifesaving men’s screening service The Rt Hon Hilary Benn, MP for Leeds Central, has given his strong backing to a lifesaving men’s screening service during a visit to Leeds General Infirmary. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening is for men aged over 65, who are most at risk of serious illness or even death from this condition. The service run from the Trust - which covers both Leeds and Wakefield got under way in 2012 and has so far screened over 10,400 men, with over 6,700 attending in Leeds and over 3,700 in Wakefield. The programme has already been successful, identifying over 180 potentially dangerous aneurysms which would otherwise have gone undetected. During his visit to the Surgical Outpatients department in the Brotherton Wing at the LGI, Mr Benn met staff including Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Mr Craig Irvine, and Darren Cole, who manage the service.
“This service has already proved itself a life-saver” Also there to meet the MP was one of the AAA screening service’s early “success stories”, Mr Dennis Pattinson from Belle Isle. He went to a routine screening at his GP surgery just after his 65th birthday and the test identified a very large 7cm aneurysm, which could have ruptured at any time and potentially been fatal. Commenting after his visit, Mr Benn said “This screening service is a life saver and I would urge everyone to spread the word. I want to congratulate the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust on providing the screening and all the staff for their care and expertise.” Darren Cole, AAA screening programme manager, added: “This service has already proved itself a life-saver, and we are delighted that Mr Benn was able to come here to see in person the good work that we do and to hear about how we are improving the lives of men in the city. “We also hope his presence will help
Vital services: (l-r) Hilary Benn MP with Dennis and Christine Pattinson. Behind are Darren Cole and Mr Craig Irvine.
us spread the message about how important it is for local men to attend for a scan when they get one of the invitations that we send out after they turn 65. Attending for a test is extremely quick and routine and can make a real difference to ensuring they have a
happy and healthy retirement.” • Men over 65 in Central Yorkshire who have not previously been screened can self-refer for an appointment by ringing 0113 3923740. Patients are asked to have their NHS number to hand when self-referring.
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Farewell
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The Trust bids a fond farewell to those who retired from the Trust recently, including:
Jackie Geldard
Jacqui’s wisdom and advice. Jacqui has been a loyal, hard-working Nursing assistant with us in Gynaecology for the best part of 10 years.”
Trish Hill
Lauren Mann, Staff nurse on J24, said “Trish has dedicated her career to Gynaecology and has been a treasured member of our team. We will miss her but wish her happiness in her retirement.” Health care assistant, Jacqui Ridley is also leaving Ward J24. At 65 she requested to carry on working as she loved her job and colleagues so much! Jacqui is now looking forward to her retirement and plans to spend time with her family, eventually moving with them to New Zealand. Lauren added: “We will really miss
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Jane Marshall, Advanced Practitioner, said “Anything Sue does, she does with enthusiasm and good humour. She has provided us with some of the funniest moments and stories and we will really miss her. Sue Ferguson
Jacqui Ridley
Trish Hill is retiring after a lifelong nursing career. She qualified in 1976 as a trained midwife and nurse, and has most recently been working on Ward J24. She will be retiring to spend more time baking, catching-up with friends and spending time with her grandchildren.
and completed her mammography training a year later. Since then she has x-rayed over 40,000 women and read 45,000 sets of images, a truly astounding statistic!
Pauline Doyle After 15 sterling years in the Trust working as a Ward clerk on Ward J20, Pauline Doyle has decided to hang up her uniform and put her feet up. She said that she intends to spend time with her family and doing some gardening, Junior sister, Lizzie Ware said: “She is the most amazing Ward clerk ever! No one can do her job, and we feel lost now she’s not here.” Sue Ferguson, Advanced practitioner, has retired from the Leeds-Wakefield Breast Screening Unit. Sue joined the department on a part time basis in 1997
Jackie Geldard retired this August from working as a Clerical supervisor within Diabetes and Endocrinology. She worked at the LGI for many years before moving to St James’s. Her time at the Trust isn’t completely over though as she hopes to return to the unit as a volunteer, working alongside her colleagues from diabetes. Val Greaves, Patient services co-ordinator, said “We’re really going to miss Jackie working with us. She could be relied upon for anything and knew everything. She was so likable and would help anyone in whatever way she could.”
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Hard lessons as Leeds midwives check out the reality of Liberia Liberia, on the west coast of Africa, is one of the toughest places in the world to have a baby.
hospital, conditions are hard. Maud said: “We don’t want women back home to feel bad at having access to a higher level of care but at the same time we in Britain don’t know how lucky we are. Help is a phone call or a taxi away. We’re minutes not days from first class care.
Only 32% of women give birth in a health facility and girls of 15 there currently face a one-in-12 chance of dying during pregnancy at some stage in their life.
To donate to Save the Children’s Build It For Babies project, call 020 7012 6400, text CLINIC to 70008 to give £5 or go to www.savethechildren.org.uk
Maud Hardy, Louise Holt and Gemma Raby, three midwives from Leeds General Infirmary, were invited to travel to Liberia by Save the Children to see what conditions are like for expectant mums there. “Our job can be tough but the situation here is totally different,” said Maud, during the visit. “We know we’re going to hear some upsetting stories and see some things that we wouldn’t back home.” Until 2003, Liberia was ravaged by 14 years of civil war. Today, just 10% of women and children have access to basic healthcare. Maud, who has been a midwife for 12 years, said: “It’s shocking that in 2013 women have to accept such conditions.” Women make demanding journeys through the bush on average five times for routine antenatal care. There are registered midwives on call 24 hours a day, mosquito nets over all beds and safe drinking water. On the clinic’s veranda, 22 local TTMs (trained traditional midwives) are waiting to meet their British counterparts. Many have been delivering babies for 20 years but have only received proper medical training in the past 10 years. Before then, dangerous practices were rife – such as pushing women’s stomachs and rubbing dung on a newborn’s umbilical cord. Now the TTMs are excited to show how much they have learned. They demonstrate the eclampsia dance – which mimics the fits associated with the life-threatening condition and which
On location: Midwives, Maud Hardy, Louise Holt and Gemma Raby, outside one of the clinics.
is taught to help them spot the signs and save lives. It may be unusual but it is surprisingly effective. “We’ll have to show that one to the girls back home,” joked Louise, who has been a midwife for more than 22 years. One TTM, Fatu Garjah, revealed the shocking details of her own labour. “The traditional midwife put a rope round my neck, made the father of my baby wash his private parts and then made me drink the water,” she said. “I was being tortured throughout the labour.” On Saturday night the midwives are called to the local hospital in Kakata, where a mum is in labour. Louise and Gemma throw on their blues just in time to help a new baby girl into the world. It is an experience neither midwife will forget in a hurry. Louise said: “Working in a hospital with the latest technology, you forget how vital basic midwife skills are. I’ve never delivered a baby outside of Yorkshire, so it’s absolutely amazing but it makes me wonder about the areas where hospital isn’t an option.”
Harry Hesling, a long term patient on Ward J8 at St James’s and his wife, Joyce, were given the Royal treatment recently as they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on the ward. Staff threw a surprise party for the couple at which a congratulatory message from HM The Queen was read out, much to their amazement. Gemma Gregory, Senior Sister on Ward J8, Elderly Medicine, said: “It was an emotional day for everyone, Harry has been an inpatient with us many times and in particular this has been a long stay and we’ve grown very fond of him. “When we found out it was his and Joyce’s 60th wedding anniversary we knew we wanted to do something special to help them celebrate.”
Her question is answered the next day. Blessing Jones, the 19-year-old mum of the new baby girl, had suffered a secondary haemorrhage. If she had not been in hospital she would without doubt have died. It is just the start of a long day, during which the midwives have to help a woman with eclampsia. Later Gemma, a midwife for nine years, assists in a C-section – and the baby is named after her.
Helping hands: The trio share advice with local staff.
A heartwarming milestone
Special occasion: Patient Harry Hesling with his wife Joyce, and relatives and staff on the ward.
Even for the lucky few giving birth in
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Football match raises money for Young Adult Services within the Liver unit The friends of former liver transplant patient, Adam Davies, have raised £1,600 for Hepatology and Liver Transplantation at St James’s. Last September Adam sadly passed away and with this regrettable news, Mark Young decided to celebrate the life of his friend by organising a charity football event between two local sides and raising money for the unit that had treated him. Adam’s family wanted the money to go towards the work that takes place in the young adult service within the liver unit as he had received his transplant as a young adult. Jacqueline Jennings, Liver Transplant Nurse Specialist, said: “While the news of Adam’s death was incredibly sad, his memory can live on through Mark’s fundraising. The donation is absolutely fantastic and on behalf of everyone else in the unit I would like to thank him.” Mark has said that he intends to hold the fundraising football match on a yearly basis.
There are many great benefits working for the NHS, but not everyone takes advantage of them. In these days of tight budgets and austerity, people are looking for new ways to economise. For NHS staff there are some great deals worth considering. As one of the largest employers in the region, the Trust has worked with partner organisations and businesses to negotiate deals to help staff make savings in almost every aspect of dayto-day life from grocery shopping, car finance schemes, deals on holidays and insurance, and childcare. Here are just a few of the available benefits:
Salary Sacrifice At home The Trust works with www.leedsth. groupschemes.com and other partners to use collective purchasing power to work out discounts for NHS staff. Two major supermarkets and many other high-street giants, as well as mobile phone service providers, have signed up to the scheme, helping to reduce the living costs of staff throughout the Trust. There are also lots of deals on holidays, from full packages to weekend breaks away. There are discounts on flights and booking hotels. Benefits of the discount scheme also extend to financial services, mortgages and legal advice from professional solicitors. This can make a difference when looking for a home.
Heartfelt donation: Mark Young hands over the cheque to the young adult services within the Liver unit.
Getting to work LTHT have worked with Metro to offer a 15% discount on travel cards, which can be paid directly from your salary at the end of the month, reducing the amount you have to spend on travel. Drivers will be pleased to note that they can get a better deal on a
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brand new car through the car lease scheme. There are also several deals on insurance and break-down cover, saving yet more money on travel.
Many benefits can be gained through the Trust’s salary sacrifice schemes, which take a portion of salary before tax to pay for things like parking, childcare vouchers and the cycle-towork scheme, saving you money in tax and national insurance.
Childcare The Trust offers a wide range of childcare options such as on-site nurseries and childcare vouchers that can be used at any Ofsted-registered childcare provider. Alongside the vouchers, deals on kids’ days out and money off at toy retailers can be found on the group schemes website.
Taking advantage of the deals You can take full advantage of these deals by visiting the website www. leedsth.groupscheme.com. For more information about staff benefits, including the salary sacrifice schemes, please visit the Human Resources page on the intranet.
Pathology opens its doors The Pathology team held its third open day in October, welcoming students to the LGI’s Old Medical School to give an insight into a typical working day within Pathology. The attendees, studying for GCSEs, A-Levels and degrees, as well as postgraduates, were shown various aspects of diagnostic laboratories and were given the opportunity to meet pathologists from the many disciplines across the trust. Talks, lectures and presentations were given and the visitors were also able to interact with equipment used in diagnosing illness. NHS healthcare careers set up a stand to provide literature, resource toolkits and careers advice to the young people in attendance.
Zeshaan Ejaz, Biomedical scientist and organiser of the event, said “I’d like to thank everybody who came and made the open day such a successful event. We hope that it provided some insight into the world of pathology for the students.”
Event organiser: Biomedical scientist, Zeshaan Ejaz.
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Cycling for success Oliver Sapier, a 16-year-old longterm patient of Leeds Children’s Hospital completed a 100K cycle at The BIG Leeds Bike Ride in September. Oliver wanted to give something back to the hospital for the level of care he has received over the years, and decided to undertake the gruelling challenge, raising over £4,700 for improvements on the wards. Since six-weeks-old, Oliver has been in and out of hospital with many medical problems, and was a permanent resident on Ward 12 at St James’s for the first two years of his life. In fact he has spent so much time on Ward L42 at the Leeds Children’s Hospital, he calls it his second home. After completing his bike ride, Oliver said “After all these months of training and doing the 100K in not the best weather, it was still worth it. All the money I have raised I know is going to help make the stays of many children and families on the ward a much better experience.” Sharon Edwards, fundraising coordinator, said “It’s inspiring to see someone as young as Oliver raising so much money for the Children’s Hospital. All the staff would like to say a big thank you to him.”
Gaining insight: Some of the students at the event.
Renal transplant study day The renal transplant team played host to the second Renal Transplant Study day in the Clinical Sciences Building at St James’s this October. The objective of the day was to educate healthcare professionals working in renal services about transplants. Furthermore, organisers wanted to give attendees the knowledge and confidence to discuss this option with their patients on dialysis, in outpatient clinics or on the ward.
The day attracted 40 delegates from all across Yorkshire, taking them on a journey of a transplant patient through the assessment process, waiting, having the transplant and the aftercare process. Heather Roberts, Transplant Coordinator, said “We had a really positive response to the day. It’s through education that we can maximise the patient experience. We are looking forward to hosting another event like this in 2014.”
Inspirational feat: (l-r) Sharon Edwards, Fundraising co-ordinator, Louise Porter, Senior sister, patient, Oliver Sapier, and Katy Inman, Ward play leader.
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News
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Visit strengthens links between Seacroft and Catterick A delegation from the specialist rehabilitation service at Seacroft Hospital visited Phoenix House, a rehabilitation centre in Catterick for serving and former members of the military injured in conflict.
Raising awareness: (l-r) Dawn Stevenson, Critical care outreach sister, Philip Howard, Consultant pharmacist, and Stuart Nuttall, Consultant in Emergency Medicine.
Spreading the word about sepsis To mark World Sepsis Day 2013, the LTHT Sepsis team held an event at St James’s to raise awareness about the risks associated with the condition, which kills one person every three seconds worldwide. It was one of many events taking place across the UK and beyond to highlight the issue and help improve treatment outcomes for patients. The team promoted awareness through a stall in Gledhow reception, informing patients, visitors and staff about sepsis and ensuring that information was distributed widely. Stuart Nuttall, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, said: “The response we received on the day was fantastic. Over 90% of the staff we talked to were aware of the Trust’s BUFALO guidelines used to help identify and treat patients with sepsis, which we view as being positive.
Nancy Rhodes, Head of Services for Specialist Rehabilitation, and Steve Carter, Branch Manager, RSL Steeper Prosthetics, were invited to tour the site with Mike Hern, Chair of Seacroft Amputee User Group, due to their close involvement in the rehabilitation of wounded personnel. The site is run by Help for Heroes, a charity dedicated to the health and wellbeing of injured soldiers, in conjunction with the Royal British Legion. Many of the users of the site have received prosthetics from Seacroft and the trip offered the opportunity for the Leeds trio to see how their work helps towards improving the lives of injured troops.
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Nancy Rhodes commented: “It is satisfying to see that our some of our patients who have suffered so much, can access a place like Phoenix House. It really does provide for these brave men and women who have served our country.” Seacroft Hospital has close ties with the armed forces, having being used as a military hospital during World War One. This role continues today, as the hospital helps service personnel with prosthetic limbs, and has recently been forging closer links with Catterick, Europe’s largest military garrison.
To ensure that the soldiers being treated are comfortable, the site boasts excellent facilities and spacious, modern living accommodation. Alongside recreational pursuits, serving and ex-service personnel also have access to classrooms to up-skill and prepare for life outside of the forces. Mike Hern said: “It is perhaps a reflection of the way the nation has taken Help for
Building strength: Steve Carter tries out some of the gym equipment.
LTHT Consultant wins international award Accident and Emergency Consultant, Rosalind Roden, has won the International Meritorious award at the International Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) meeting held in Washington D.C. This is a highly prestigious award that is made to one individual per year by the American College of Surgeons.
“It was equally encouraging that all members of staff who completed the questionnaire were aware of how to access the Trust’s antimicrobial guidance and all of those who use it regularly reported that it is easy to use.” The team is already planning for World Sepsis Day 2014 with the aim of running events at different sites across the Trust in order to reach a wider audience.
Heroes and the work they do for injured service personnel to heart, especially when you consider that these top of the range kitchens were donated and installed free of charge.”
The meeting included medical professionals from all around the world, who are involved in the ATLS programme, which is a leading course in trauma training.
Award winner: Consultant, Rosalind Roden with Clinical Director Stephen Bush.
Clinical Director, Stephen Bush said: “We’re all really happy for Ros. After 20 years of involvement with the course, she has shared her knowledge with passion, drive and utter professionalism throughout the UK.”
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60 seconds
60 seconds What do you do to wind down and relax after a hard week at work?
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A couple of drinks with friends in the city. It’s good to just chill out with friends at a bar, maybe have a few cocktails to unwind.
Wildlife photographer. When I was a kid, I loved animals and really wanted to work with them as a photographer. I used to watch a lot of documentaries, and I’m still a massive fan of David Attenborough.
What is your ideal holiday destination and why? Nuuk in Greenland, it’s an unusual place and I’d love to see the geysers and stay in one of the Igloo hotels.
What is your favourite food?
Josh Farley, Student Nurse
Mexican: I love the flavours and spiciness of the food. I could eat Mexican all day if I had the chance.
What is your favourite film? Kill Bill 1&2. Nothing beats Tarantino when it comes to watching a good film. I imagine it’s not to everybody’s taste, but I really enjoy the mix of styles in Kill Bill. Uma Thurman is just brilliant too!
Tell us something we don’t know about you … I’ve been told talk in my sleep, though I’m not sure what about.
Poster success Colleagues from the Medicines Management and Pharmacy Services Clinical Support Unit (MMPS) showed their creative side in late September when they designed 11 posters demonstrating how they have improved their working practices to make sure they offer patients the highest standards of service. Over the past twelve months, the Service Improvement Team has supported MMPS to review the way it works and put new systems in place to make the most effective use of its expertise, time and resources. The unit learned how to streamline its processes, reduce delays and create a more efficient working environment, all of which result in a faster, smoother service and a better experience for patients. All the posters were entered into a competition and unveiled at a special, ‘Lean Celebration Event’ at the end of September to acknowledge the various projects, which was attended by more than
Winning team: (l-r) Lauren Gillatt, Project support officer, Abdul Parker, External lead lean consultant, Amrit Puee, Service Improvement Team, Katy Matthews, Emma Craske, and Chris Hunt, Pharmacy technicians, Michelle Fielding, Service Improvement Team, and Janet Murphy, Pharmacy technician.
100 people from across the Trust. The winning poster was designed by the Bexley Wing Pharmacy and showed how they have dramatically reduced the turnaround times for outpatients prescriptions by refining their procedures. Professor Liz Kay, Clinical Director for the MMPS CSU commented: “I had no idea the MMPS teams were such talented
designers, but they’ve shown the same level of innovation and commitment to putting together the posters as they have to creating a better service.” “We’re delighted to have partnered the Service Improvement Team on this important project: with their support we’re making a real and lasting difference to the effectiveness of our service and the quality of care we can offer to patients.”
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