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For patients, staff, visitors and volunteers

Page 7 Blooming marvellous work of volunteers

APRIL 2015

Page 9 Fundraising in honour of remarkable patient

Research showcase offers ‘hands on’ experience

Canadian Cass Little, pictured, winner of The People’s Strictly (story below), is still in the Royal Marines and working as a presenter for Forces TV and the British Forces Broadcasting Service. A lifelong dance enthusiast, he now has ambitions to become an actor. “I’ve always been a performer: I majored in ballet at university in Canada,” he said. “I was even an intern at a modern dance company but never thought I could make a living from it, and somehow ended up in the Marines.” And he admits to mixed emotions when he first learned that he had been selected. “I didn’t think I would ever dance on a stage in front of an audience again. After Afghanistan, I wasn’t sure I’d ever dance again, full stop,” he said. “To be honest, when I first found out I had been chosen I reacted negatively. “My first thought was, ‘Why would they ask a one-legged guy to go on a ballroom dancing show?’ Yes, I’ve had dance training, but I haven’t danced in ten to 15 years and I’m missing a leg – a whole bunch of negative thoughts of just pure bitterness. “But a few days in I realised I am a onelegged Royal Marine Commando from Canada. I am going to raise money for kids. I am going to raise money for people who need it, for Comic Relief. I’m going to help. “And you know what? If you want to be a broadcaster or a presenter, it’s pretty good exposure, too!”

I think Cass is a true example of all that is good here at the QE! Wing Commander Jon Kendrew

Dance triumph is strictly fantastic Medics at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham have applauded the exploits of Afghanistan veteran Cass Little who was crowned champion in the BBC’s charity dance show, The People’s Strictly. Lance Corporal Cass is a Royal Marine medic who lost his right leg below the knee when an improvised explosive device was triggered in Helmand Province in the summer of 2011. Three of his colleagues were killed and five seriously injured, including Cass. But despite his own horrific injuries, he attempted to tend to his colleagues on the ground after the attack. He was airlifted to Birmingham and spent two months at the QEHB

Page 13 Bright future for Trust’s apprentices

receiving treatment for his horrific injuries from the joint military and civilian trauma team. It was his former colleagues in Afghanistan who put the 33-year-old’s name forward for the People’s Strictly, a reality show based on the smash hit Strictly Come Dancing. After a gruelling training regime Cass and professional dance partner Natalie Lowe danced the paso doble, gaining a perfect score of 40 from the judges before the public vote. Among those glued to their TVs was critical care and anaesthesia consultant Sue Sinclair, who was part of the team that treated him. “Cass is an extraordinary ambassador for these guys and how resilient they are,” she said. “To see him doing so well now is such a great

tonic for the people who looked after him, and the many like him, when they were with us . “So to see them do something like Cass has done just warms your heart, it’s fantastic. It just validates everything that everyone who played a part in looking after him did.” Wing Commander Jon Kendrew, who also treated Cass, added: “I will always remember his time at the hospital well. Cass was surrounded in intensive care by the people he had tried to help before being blown up himself. “It was they who nominated him. That particular scenario was unique and very, very moving. I have stayed in touch with all of them. “I think he is a true example of all that is good here at the QE!”

Experts at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham are giving the public a chance to see some of the latest developments in medical research at an event on Wednesday 20 May. The hospital’s annual research open day provides people with the opportunity to meet researchers and see how they are working to improve our knowledge of illness and injury. The free event coincides with International Clinical Trials Day and promises a great hands-on and interactive experience with opportunities to see and take part in demonstrations, and even get involved as a research subject. It’s a great day to find out more about our current clinical trials and how they work. There will be more than 20 presentation stands on the day, with last year’s best stand winner from the University of Birmingham’s Liver Research Unit returning with a must-see display. Patients and healthy members of the public can find out how they can get involved in research which offers cutting-edge treatments or expands our understanding of how the human body works. The showcase takes place on Wednesday 20 May from 10am to 4pm in the atrium of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. Exhibits include: ■ Institute for Translational Medicine: a new research facility which will be based in the original Queen Elizabeth Hospital ■ Centre for Rare Diseases – how we research and treat the rarest conditions ■ The walk-through colon – find out about conditions affecting our bowels ■ The inflatable breast – find our more about our research into breast cancer treatments ■ NIHR SRMRC – learn how our care of injured soldiers is translating into benefits for all trauma patients The event will bring together the clinical, scientific and academic excellence of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Birmingham.

Contact the editor: Annie Roberts, news@QEHB, Trust HQ, QE Medical Centre, Edgbaston, B15 2PR. Email: annierhealth@gmail.com

Puzzle page: Delivering thebrainteasers, best in care mind benders and more P15 Find your way around: hospital maps P16 news@QEHB 2015_4_April_processed_links.indd 1

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University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | APRIL 2015

Health Talks for Foundation Trust Members Daytime sessions: 10.00–10.30 – Registration 10.30–noon – Health Talk

Evening sessions*: 18.00–18.30 – Registration 18.30–20.00 – Health Talk VENUE: Lecture Theatre 3, Education Centre, Level 1, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Friday 17 April Dementia and Alzheimer’s Thursday 7 May* Organ donation Tuesday 19 May Lungs: Coping with respiratory conditions Wednesday 17 June Sleep: Insomnia and sleep problems Friday 24 July Thyroid: Under-active and over-active Tuesday 18 August Can you hear me? Hearing problems and treatments Monday 7 September* Mental health Wednesday 23 September Eyes: Common conditions affecting sight Friday 23 October Stroke and TIA Monday 16 November How the brain works Wednesday 16 December Alcohol: The effects of drinking and support available For more information see: www.uhb.nhs.uk/health-talks.htm

Screening invitation Women can keep their breast screening appointment closer to home thanks to a mobile van service. The aim of breast screening is to detect breast cancer at an earlier stage, often before women are aware of any abnormalities. Early detection may mean simpler and more successful treatment. Currently the NHS Breast Screening Programme saves an estimated 1300 lives each year in the UK. To enable women to be screened closer to home, breast screening is carried out at a number of sites across the region. The South Birmingham Breast Screening mobile van is currently located at Quinton Lane Care Centre and the service is screening ladies from the following GP surgeries until the middle of May when we move the mobile unit to Balsall Heath: ■ Lordswood House Medical Practice ■ Dovecote Surgery ■ Harborne Medical Practice ■ University Medical Practice ■ Alexandra Medical Centre ■ Clement Road Medical Centre Ladies who are registered with these GP surgeries will receive an invitation letter through the post detailing an appointment date and time. It’s possible to change your appointment online or by telephone. We also offer appointments at the breast unit located within Birmingham Women’s Hospital on Tuesday mornings, Wednesday and Friday afternoons and alternate Saturdays. Breast screening saves 1300 lives a year.

Insight into brain issues Clinical nurse specialists were out in force to mark brain tumour awareness day organised by The Brain Tumour Charity (BTC). More than 200 members of the public visited the awareness stand set up in the Atrium at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists in neuro-oncology, Claire Goddard and Frederick Berki handed out information from BTC on the tumours that affect around 4,000 adults in Britain each year. Brain cancers cause around 3,000 deaths a year which accounts for two per cent of all cancers. However, they contribute to almost eight per cent of the lives lost from cancer before the age of 70 (ONS). On average, survivors of brain tumours still die 20 years sooner than a person who lives to the current life expectancy, which is 82.6 years for women and 78.7 years for men. About 2,000 cases are discussed each year at QEHB in multi-disciplinary team meetings, attended by a dedicated team of professionals who have expert knowledge and skills in the care and management of patients with suspected brain tumours. It is thought that the cause of five per cent of brain tumours is inherited however more research is needed as it is not known what the cause for the majority is. Claire said: “Many patients with a brain tumour diagnosis face an uncertain and frightening future. Research and early diagnosis can have a significant effect on management and outcomes. “New treatments for patients with brain tumours are becoming available all the time

If you would like further information, please ring on 0121 623 6890 or visit www.bscreen.org.uk/southbirmingham

Delivering the best in care

Many patients with a brain tumour diagnosis face an uncertain and frightening future. Research and early diagnosis can have a significant effect on management and outcomes. Claire Goddard, Clinical Nurse Specialist to complement the specialised surgery and radiotherapy available at UHB. “Awareness days are really to let people know what a brain tumour is and that they affect so many people. It is also to let them know about the resources available to support patients and their loved ones,” she added. Specialist nurses also raised awareness of the dedicated Brain Surgery appeal set up by QEHB Charity to bring more state-of-the-art neurosurgical equipment to the Trust which will benefit brain tumour patients and support research. For more information about the brain tumour charity, visit: www.thebraintumourcharity.org or to donate to QEHB Charity’s brain surgery appeal, visit: www.qehb.org/appeals/neuro

You said, we did…

Andrea Fernyhough, manager on Ward 621

You Said: The Trust’s GP Liaison Manager received a call from a local GP who had received feedback from his patients. His chemotherapy patients reported that, for a number of good reasons, a couple of their cancer drugs were not formulated until they arrived at the hospital. This meant they sometimes had to wait before receiving the medication. Comments in patient feedback surveys also reflected this issue, which led the senior nurses in the chemotherapy and haematology unit on Ward 621 to look into it. We Did: Firstly, a working group led by senior nurses addressed several of the operational reasons why patients were waiting and as a result, waiting times were reduced. In addition, the GP Liaison Manager contacted the Trust’s IT team. Along with the senior nurses, they discussed the potential solutions and contacted the hospital charity to help with funding. QEHB Charity purchased some state-ofthe-art patient pagers allowing patients more freedom and independence as they wait for their appointments. The ‘QuietCall IQ’ patient pagers are handed out by reception staff and buzz five minutes before the patients are needed for their appointment, giving them time to get back. Currently, the pagers are used in the chemotherapy and haematology day unit and the hospital is one of the first in Britain to begin using the paging system in a bid to help reduce the stress of waiting times. Mike Hammond, Chief Executive of the QEHB Charity, said: “These patient pagers are an excellent idea. They really make a difference for patients as it can be frustrating being restricted to a waiting area if there is a delay. “This way they can go to the café or shop or just step outside for some fresh air and feel their time is being better spent than just sitting in a waiting area.” For more information about QEHB Charity or to support patients with a donation, please visit www.qehb.org or call 0121 371 4852.

Keep up with UHB online  uhb.nhs.uk  facebook.com/QEHBofficial Clinical nurse specialists Claire Goddard and Frederick Berki

 twitter.com/uhbcomms

APRIL 2015 | University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Insight in to living with a rare disease Staff at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham did their bit to raise awareness on Rare Diseases Day 2015 – which aimed to highlight the plight of patients, families and carers who are living with a rare condition. University Hospitals Birmingham Rare Disease Project Manager Jane Lodwig and her staff took to the QE Atrium to talk to visitors, patients and staff about their work. Jane and her colleagues are gearing up for the opening of the dedicated Centre for Rare Diseases at the QE later this year. The centre will be situated in the Institute of Translational Medicine in the original QE Hospital and will provide a centre of excellence where doctors and researchers can work side by side to diagnose, treat and cure rare diseases. “Many people in the UK are living with a rare disease, which can have a major impact on the quality of their life and on their close relatives,” said Jane. “The new care model provided by the Centre for Rare Diseases will reduce the burden of travel for patients and their carers by provision of onestop multi-disciplinary clinics. “Many patients with rare conditions have to travel considerable distances to access clinical services and the nature of these diseases means that travel is frequently complicated by requirements for special transport. “The centre will offer the potential to develop registries for different conditions which can, in turn, provide new opportunities for improving care and research.”

Opportunity to plan ahead A conference is running in May which will enable delegates to focus on how to prepare for a major incident. The Emergency Preparedness Conference: ‘Major Incidents and Beyond’ will give an insight in to a wide range of major incidents and what teams need to consider in their plans. Major incidents to be discussed will include the 7/7 bombings in London, plus a year in Glasgow where teams had to react to a helicopter crash, Ebola and a refuse bin lorry accident in the heart of the city. There will be another session looking at life after an incident using experiences from a tsunami and Lockerbie. Other issues will be public inquiries, the impact on security arrangements and psychological effects. The session on Wednesday, May 20 will be held at the Trust’s Education Centre. The cost is £50 for UHB staff and £75 for non UHB staff. To book a place go online at www. qehb.org.uk where full details about payment options are available. For further information, contact Melanie Brown, Emergency Department senior sister and Emergency Planning Liaison Officer on 0121 371 2609 or via email Melanie.Brown@uhb.nhs.uk or Lynn Hyatt, Head of Emergency Planning & Resilience 0121 371 4713 lynn.hyatt@ uhb.nhs.uk

Share experiences A support group which brings together people affected by haemochromatosis is being held later this month. The genetic condition causes the body to absorb an excessive amount of iron from the diet. People will be able to share their experiences at the session on Saturday 25 April from 10.30am to about 12.30/1pm. It will be held at St Nicolas Centre at 81 The Green, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B38 8RU. Everyone is welcome to attend. For further details or to confirm your intention to attend contact the coordinator Kieran on 0121 457 8986 or by email at info@haemochromatosiswm. org.uk or look at our website at www.haemochromatosiswm.org.uk

Lottery winners The latest winner of the £1,500 prize in the Birmingham Healthcare 50–50 Club Staff Lottery was Yok Ying Patel. In the February draw, the second prize of £500 went to Natalie Bardsley and Catherine Kent scooped £250. Half of the entry stakes are reclaimable as vouchers annually. In January this meant £1,295 was handed out in Boots vouchers. Vouchers can also be claimed by members for the National Garden Centre scheme, which is also valid at Homebase and dental charges.

Jodi-Lee Thomas, Catherine Shepherd, Service Improvement Project Assistants, Sarah Boocock, Inherited metabolic disorders dietitian and Jane Lodwig, Rare Disease Project Manager.

Services offer support to smokers who want to quit Smokers who took the decision to quit on National No Smoking Day can get ongoing support through a wide range of services. Each year, more than 80,000 smokers die each year in England and Wales as a result of a smoking-related disease. Smoking also has a huge impact on the NHS and wider society. In 2009, some 462,000 hospital admissions in England among adults aged 35 and over were attributable to smoking while treating smoking related illnesses was estimated to have cost the NHS £2.7 billion in the year 2006/07. For those who want to break the habit there is support. Stop smoking advisor Stephen Pugh, who works for Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “Many smokers want to quit but aren’t sure about the best way to go about it. “The important thing is to find the support that’s right for you. It will improve your chances of quitting and mean there is a better chance of stopping smoking.” A wide range of options are outlined on the NHS website, which offers free help and advice. These include a chance to sign up to a Quit Kit support pack, which helps individuals stay focussed through to a smartphone app, email programme or text messages. Others choose to share their challenge online through the Smokefree Facebook community or contact an adviser by phone or online. The stop smoking service also runs regular

To find out more about how to take part in the draws, which take place on the third Tuesday of every month, contact either your General Office or UHB General Ledger team on ext. 53853. Email Leanne.Neeld@uhb.nhs.uk to join or claim benefits.

Nominations are open for 2015

meetings where people can meet others who are hoping to quit. Stephen said: “The health risks are well known and many people may have already tried to quit and are now making a fresh attempt. It can be very disheartening but, with the right support, this time it can be different.”

Finding help to quit For further information and to find your local stop smoking service go online to www.nhs.uk/smokefree Staff at Queen Elizabeth Hospital can attend a weekly support session. For further information email Helen.E.Roberson@ bhamcommunity.nhs.uk or Stephen. pugh@bhamcommunity.nhs.uk Call to Quit 0800 052 5855 Giving up smoking is not easy but with help and support from your local stop smoking service, you are up to four times more likely to stop than with will power alone. For friendly advice and support on how to quit, call the Birmingham stop smoking team on 0800 052 5855 free or text ‘QUIT’ to 80800. Visit www.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/ stop-smoking for more information.

Do you know someone who deserves recognition for their hard work, outstanding care or ‘nothing’s-too-much-trouble ‘attitude? If so we want to hear from you! Nominations are now open for the Trust’s 7th annual Best in Care Awards which recognise individuals or teams who go the ‘extra mile’ to deliver excellent service. Awards are given in a number of categories and nominations can be made for any Trust staff, members, volunteers or charity supporters. Shortlisted finalists, and the people that nominated them, will be invited to a special awards ceremony taking place in the autumn, to celebrate their achievements. To nominate simply complete the online form on our website: www.uhb.nhs.uk/awards, fill out a form available from the Information Desk at QEHB or call 0121 371 6491.

See www.uhb.nhs.uk for the latest news

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | APRIL 2015

APRIL 2015 | University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

New system makes care connections ‘Your Care Connected’ is a new electronic system that allows registered doctors and nurses to view relevant information from patients’ GP records. UHB is one of four Trusts involved in the project and the trial launched at the hospital last month. Patients from five GP practices in Birmingham are taking part. These are: ■ Hall Green Health Centre ■ Enki Medical Practice (Vitality Partnership) ■ Handsworth Wood Medical Centre (Vitality Partnership) ■ Oakwood Surgery ■ Grove Surgery How will it work? During a consultation, the doctor or nurse treating you will ask for your permission to view your GP record. If you allow this, they will record your consent. Only then can they look up the information they need. Sensitive information such as marital status, IVF treatment, HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, termination of pregnancy and complaints will not be available for hospital staff to view. How does ‘Your Care Connected’ help me? By having this information, doctors and nurses can understand your needs more quickly because the information is in one place. This means they will have faster access to help provide you with safer treatment, whenever you are seen by any participating NHS organisations in Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull. Further information is available at midlandsyourcareconnected.nhs.uk

Your Care Connected: A consultant’s view Alastair Denniston, Consultant Ophthalmologist, is using Your Care Connected in Outpatients at QEHB. Here’s his feedback on the new system and how it’s helping patients.

For the Council of Governors of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

The Trust gives notice that it will hold elections to the Council of Governors of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. Elections are to be held for the following number of Governors in accordance with the Trust’s Constitution: ■ One Governor for each of the following Public Constituency areas: [ Edgbaston [ Hall Green [ Northfield [ Selly Oak ■ One Governor for the Patient Governor Constituency To be eligible to stand for election, individuals must be members of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust – membership forms may be obtained from:  Corporate Affairs Department Room 22C, First Floor, Nuffield House Queen Elizabeth Hospital Medical Centre Main Drive, Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TH  0121 371 4323  members@uhb.nhs.uk  Sarah Snowden

How did YCC have a positive impact on patient care? YCC enabled me to quickly and efficiently establish the facts in the patient’s history and treatment plan, enabling me to make more informed decisions regarding their ongoing management including planning their surgery. Did the fact that you could see the patient’s GP record save time in clinic? Yes – I instantly had access to useful patient information such as up-to-date drug list and significant medical events.

The period of appointment will commence on 1 July 2015 and end on 30 June 2018. If you are uncertain as to your eligibility to nominate yourself as a candidate or have any queries, please contact the Returning Officer, on the following telephone number: 02871 371111. Nomination papers to stand for election can be obtained from the Returning Officer, from Monday 27 April, at the following address:

Did it mean that you didn’t need to fax/call a GP practice for the information you needed? Yes. Was YCC easy to use? YCC was extremely easy to use, being accessed intuitively through Clinical Portal, just by using its own tab within the usual screen. It then asked me to confirm that I had appropriate authority (including from the

Notice of election

patient) to access this data, and then provided immediate and easy to navigate access. Would you encourage other consultants and registered nurses to use YCC? Definitely.

 Returning Officer, Idox Elections, 25D Bishop Street, Londonderry BT48 6PR  02871 371111  nhs@idoxgroup.com  Chris McDonagh

Switch solution aids our patients The challenge for patients who have difficulty using a switch for nurses to come to their aid has been solved by teams at the Trust coming up with an innovative solution. Patients who are on the wards taking part in the pilot can now call for support by using an adapted switch. It has taken nearly two years for the switches to be developed and installed with funding from the QEHB Charity. The project has been a collaboration between neurorehabilitation and the occupational therapy team. Consultant neurologist Dr Steve Sturman said: “These switches are the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle to enable patients to access the nurse call system when they have severe loss of function that renders them unable to use the ordinary call switches. “The interface boxes were specially developed to comply with infection control and CE standards and we have had these for some time but the specialised adapted call switches were the vital bit in allowing patients to interface with the system.” Senior occupational therapist Nicci O’Neill has set up a system to issue and track all the

hardware with the hope, if it is successful, of extending the use of the switches. The project got off the ground thanks to input from occupational therapists Claire Travis and Fiona Kent, with the support of Yvonne Pettigrew, Associate Director for AHPs and Head of Therapy Services. Dr Sturman said: “The technical challenge was to design and manufacture an interface box that meant that we could use any switch necessary with the existing call system. “These boxes were developed and manufactured specifically for the Trust and the division commissioned these. “This is therefore a unique development to improve patient care in the region if not nationally. We are currently auditing the roll out of the switches and it looks as if at any one time around five per cent of patients in our Neuroscience and Trauma wards need this kind of switch. Across the Trust that would amount to around 50 patients in total. “This represents a major quality improvement initiative and the therapy services department have done a great job in driving this and big thanks to the charity for their donation.”

Patient Mary Higgins with (L–R) Consultant neurologist Dr Steve Sturman, Becky Collins, Yvonne Pettigrew, Associate Director of AHPs, and Nicci O’Neill

All nomination forms should be received by the Returning Officer at the address shown above by 12 noon on Thursday 14 May 2015. Faxed or emailed nominations will not be accepted. Notices of withdrawal must be received by the Returning Officer by no later than 5pm on Monday 18 May 2015. In the event of there being more than one nominee for a position, ballot papers will be distributed to qualifying Foundation Trust members in the relevant constituencies on Tuesday 2 June 2015. These will be sent out as a hardcopy via post, and also electronically via email to those members who have registered email addresses. If you have not registered your email address with University Hospitals Birmingham you can do so by emailing: membership@uhb.nhs.uk Completed ballot papers must be received by the Returning Officer by no later than 5pm on Thursday 25 June 2015.

The results of the elections will be published on the UHB website on Tuesday 30 June 2015.

See www.uhb.nhs.uk for the latest news

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | APRIL 2015

Donor plea to football fans NHS Blood and Transplant and a number of top Premier League, Championship and League One football clubs across the country are launching a campaign to urge fans to show the red card to organ transplant waiting lists. Football fans and their friends and family are being asked to think about organ donation and to be inspired by their club’s support for the campaign. Whatever the results, they can help us to score another name on the Organ Donor Register as well as tell their family that they want to be an organ donor. There are currently around 10,000 people in need of a transplant and the fact is there are simply not enough organs available. One organ donor can transform the lives of up to nine people. If more families agreed to donate their loved one’s organs, more lives could be saved. Anthony Clarkson, Assistant Director for Organ Donation and Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant said: “We are asking all football fans to take a moment to reflect on match day not just on their team’s result, but on whether they would like to help others to live after they have died by donating their organs. “We are delighted that so many top teams are working with us to encourage their fans to join the Organ Donor Register, showing that they want to save and improve the lives of others.” Teams across the country have pledged their support for the campaign including, in the Midlands, West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa and Stoke City. Each club will be supporting the campaign in different ways.

Some of these include featuring information in their match day programmes, via official club social media or on stadium screens. Aston Villa’s forward Christian Benteke, just one of the professional players backing the campaign, said: “As a team, we are delighted to be supporting this campaign to encourage Villa fans and their friends and family to join the organ donor register. “We are asking our fans to get behind the campaign and commit to donating their organs.” Albion star Darren Moore said: “It’s amazing to think that there are currently more than 100,000 people living in the UK who have received a transplant during their lifetime. “If we brought them together they would more than fill The Hawthorns Stadium three and a half times.”

Getting involved with the campaign is simple. To join the NHS Organ Donor Register, visit www. organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23. Let your friends and family know when you have signed The Organ Donor Register and join the conversation online by using the campaign hash tag #organdonor.

DO YOU NEED A PROFESSIONAL DESIGN AND PRINT SERVICE? The Graphics team at UHB offers a bespoke design and print service to internal Trust customers, along with other NHS Trusts and a range of external clients, producing a wide variety of items in electronic and printed formats.

[ Posters – from A4 to A0 sizes [ Leaflets [ Patient Information [ Stationery [ Promotional items [ Brochures [ Newsletters

Annual Reports Branding Medical Art Exhibition stands and signage [ Banners [ Signage [ Video Production [ [ [ [

GET IN TOUCH  Graphics, Room 4-23, Fourth Floor, East Block, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham B15 2TH

 +44 (0)121 371 6497  graphics@uhb.nhs.uk  uhb.nhs.uk/graphics

Delivering the best in care

Nurses celebrate St Patrick’s Day

Healthcare Assistants Keeley Holloway and Jenna Treacy mark St Patrick’s Day and help to keep spirits high in the Cancer Centre at QEHB.

APRIL 2015 | University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Volunteers help our orchards to bloom Over 50 green-fingered volunteers helped to give a young orchard a boost at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB). As part of the Big Tree Plant, QEHB’s Community Orchard and Gardens project saw over 120 new apple, pear, plum, damson and cherry trees planted by hard-working volunteers. Individuals from the local community, hospital staff, university students and generous volunteers from across Birmingham came along to help plant the new fruit trees in a number of groups at the hospital grounds over a February weekend. The Community Orchard and Gardens are the brainchild of Antony Cobley, Senior HR Manager and Equality and Diversity Lead at University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the QEHB. The project is being developed with the help of partners Helping Britain Blossom and The Trust Conservation Volunteers. It will bring together a variety of community groups and organisations to take ownership of unused areas on the Queen Elizabeth site to improve the land for all. By using the land in more creative and sustainable ways, the orchard will not only benefit staff and patients but the wider community. “The idea for the project is to give people somewhere to get away from it all for a few minutes of peace and quiet, whether they are staff or patients,” said Antony. “We have purposely planted British fruit varieties and those which are from the Midlands,” he added. Volunteers have already planted more than 1,000 trees on the hospital site with over 100 new whips (a young tree seedling) also planted across the weekend. This new orchard will complement a number of health and wellbeing initiatives already in place or planned at QEHB, such as a monthly Farmer’s Market, vegetable plots and a

of the month

Sport and Exercise Medicine talk through this month’s recommended exercise.

Dr Kim Gregory, Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine and Emma Batchelor, Consultant Physiotherapist

Overcoming barriers to exercise We all know that exercise is good for us – both our physical and mental health can benefit. So why aren’t we listening to our heads and making exercise part of our weekly routine? There are a number of barriers to carrying out our good intentions. Here are just a few, with some ideas of how to overcome them. Volunteers dig deep to plant the trees

woodland walk on the hospital/university campus. Antony said: “The number of volunteers who came along and gave up their Saturday and Sunday afternoons was excellent and so generous, they all worked tremendously hard to get these trees in the ground. “This is a long-term project. It will be four or five years before we start cropping decent amounts of fruit but the beauty of it is that a well-managed orchard will then go on for decades helping patients at the hospitals and local people.” The produce from the orchard will be used to help people in the local area, to teach them how to grow, tend, cook and prepare food and it will all be donated to benefit the community.

Rob Tilling, Birmingham’s Helping Britain Blossom Project Manager, said: “For some communities in Birmingham, there’s little or no access to green space. Orchards are a great way of bringing locals together. A community orchard isn’t just a collection of trees, it’s a community of people working together to make the local area a better place to live, work and enjoy.” To find out more or to get involved in future activities, email QEHB’s Community Orchard and Gardens mailbox. Email: Orchard@uhb.nhs.uk For more information about Helping Britain Blossom, visit: www.helpingbritainblossom.org.uk

HERE WE GROW AGAIN…

SIMON JOAO

Exercise

Jack Buckingham & SUKHDEEP

‘I don’t have time’ You can use this as a reason not to do many things – it’s just a case of prioritising. Try to work out the best way to fit exercise into your schedule – maybe it’s an early morning gym session or a lunchtime walk. Could you fit exercise around something you already do? If you take the kids swimming, why not head to an exercise class while they splash in the pool? If you get the bus to work, get off a stop or two early and walk the rest of the way. Use the stairs and not the lift. ‘I’m too tired’ It’s an interesting paradox but exercise actually helps reduce mental fatigue and gives you energy. Work out if you are a ‘morning’ or ‘evening person’ and tailor your exercise to how your body feels at different times of the day. ‘I don’t have the willpower’ A good way to tackle lack of willpower is to exercise with a friend or relative, so you can encourage each other. Why not join an online fitness forum to share your thoughts with like-minded people? They can be a virtual support network. It’s also useful to keep a diary or blog so you can reflect on how far you’ve come and use it as motivation for the future. Finding an activity that you enjoy makes it more likely that you will stick with it and do it regularly. ‘It’s hard work’ Start with something easy and simple and build up to larger goals. The NHS Choices ‘Couch to 5K’ and ‘Strength and Flex’ plans are great for gradually building up duration and pace. When you get to a certain point, you forget it was hard in the beginning!

Christos and Viv Tsesmelis, Deputy Director of Partnerships

For more information, visit the NHS Choices website: www.nhs.uk/livewell/fitness/Pages/ Fitnesshome.aspx

See www.uhb.nhs.uk for the latest news

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | APRIL 2015

Pilot programme success supports research work

Volunteer Recognition Day 2015 Are you interested in becoming a QEHB Charity volunteer? Want to know what all the fuss is about? Then why not join us for afternoon tea and cake as we celebrate our wonderful volunteers on this year’s international ‘Volunteer Recognition Day’. The afternoon, which will be held at Fisher House on Monday April 20, offers you the chance to speak to our current volunteers and

get your hands on useful information about the different opportunities that are available. QEHB Charity Fundraising Officer, Sian Averill, will also be on hand to answer any questions you might have about the charity. To book your place or to find out more contact Sian.Averill@uhb.nhs.uk or call 0121 371 4852.

Remarkable pa legacy to liver d The interns complete the first West Midlands Clinical Academic Internship Programme

The first cohort of professionals have successfully completed the pilot West Midlands Clinical Academic Internship Programme (CAIP). The programme, launched in October, is aimed specifically at non-medical clinicians who are thinking about embarking on a clinical academic career and undertaking their own research. Seventeen interns from a wide variety of professional groups and health care organisations took part in the pilot programme. The programme culminated at the end of February with the group presenting their learning and the development of their unique research question to help improve patient outcomes in their organisation. The internship programme was commissioned by Health Education England/ West Midlands and is part of their overall strategic approach to the development of the clinical academic workforce. The programme, provided by Birmingham Health Partners (BHP), brings together expertise from across the region, giving nurses, midwives, allied health professionals and health care scientists the opportunity to better understand the clinical academic career pathway with a structured 30 day programme running over six months. It is specifically designed to give participants exposure to a broad range of research roles, including experience of research in action, with the individual support of an expert research supervisor. The NIHR/Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility (CRF) at UHB has hosted the taught programme element and the research placements, in partnership with the paediatric CRF at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the University of Birmingham Clinical Trials Units.

At the end of January BHP received further funding to recruit a second cohort of 15 interns from a similar range of professional backgrounds across the West Midlands. A further five additional candidates were invited to participate in a newly developed programme offering an individualised education package of targeted supervision and academic development pitched at PhD preparation level. BHP commissioned an independent evaluation of the first programme and is measuring its success in a number of ways including: intern expectations prior and after the programme; number of interns who were successful in applying for Masters in Research; and the number of interns formally undertaking research in their own organisation as a result of the programme. Further feedback is planned but programme lead Jenny Hiley said: “Preliminary intern feedback has been very positive. Despite the anticipated challenges of balancing their clinical workload and the work for the internship programme, they were very excited about undertaking the programme and the structure and support it provided. They also looked forward to improving patient care in their workplace as a result of undertaking the programme.” The majority intended to complete the Masters level module accreditation during the programme. The post programme questionnaire measures if they intend to take this further and apply for further academic study. Visit www.birminghamhealthpartners. co.uk/caip for more details or by contacting Jenny Hiley, CAIP Programme Lead on CAIP@uhb.nhs.uk

The second West Midlands CAIP cohort and staff involved in programme delivery

Delivering the best in care

The team at the launch of the campaign: Learning Dis

In memory of Ann: Family and friends of liver patient Ann Fox with members of the team who cared f

A machine that will support patients in the Liver Department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham is to be renamed the ‘Fox machine’ in memory of Ann Fox, a patient who died just days after her fundraising event. The QEHB Charity funded the Normothermic Regional Perfusion machine (NRP), which keeps the liver, pancreas and kidneys perfused with the donor’s own oxygenated blood after circulatory death. This means the organs are healthier and less likely to be damaged than with conventional retrieval after circulatory standstill, increasing the number of potential organ donors and improving the likelihood of a successful transplant.

To thank staff at the QEHB for her care, Ann and her husband, Tony, organised a glamorous ball to raise money for QEHB Charity’s Liver Foundation. Sadly, Ann was undergoing treatment at the hospital at the time of the ball, which took place in their hometown in the Isle of Man in November, and she died just a few days afterwards. Tony, along with his two children and grandchildren, met QEHB Charity’s Fundraising Officer Abi Cligg and staff from the Liver Department at the hospital to present a cheque for £25,000. Tony said: “Following serious illness and a subsequent liver transplant, Ann wanted to give something back in appreciation of the skilful care and consideration offered to her by staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

APRIL 2015 | University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Dates for your diary Do summit rewarding for the QE Hospital Birmingham

Bone-Shaker-Marrow-Thon Join this 35 mile motorbike ride from QEHB to the Queen’s Hospital in Burton-on-Trent and help raise funds for research against blood cancers. After the ride will be a family fun day and entertainment, with refreshments at the National Brewery Centre in Burton Upon Trent. There will be a marquee, café, bars, restaurant and discounted access to the museum. For more information or to take part contact Laura.Power@uhb.nhs.uk. APRIL

atient’s lasting department

APRIL

Pub Quiz 8pm, The Plough, High Street, Harborne

The Plough Harborne is holding a quiz night in support of young people with cancer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. Come along from 8pm to show your support and remember to bring the friends with the biggest brains! Plus, if you’re an NHS staff member you can enjoy a ten per cent discount on production of your ID badge.

MAY

For the first time ever, we are joining forces with three other hospital trusts in Birmingham to take our fundraising to new heights. The Birmingham Hospitals’ Snowdon Challenge will see QEHB Charity, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Birmingham Women’s Hospital and the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust come together to take on the largest mountain in England and Wales – Mount Snowdon. Participants can conquer Snowdon as a family or climb with friends, or set a personal goal, whilst raising money for any ward within the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. Registration costs £30 for adults and £15 for children and includes travel to and from Birmingham and lunch. If you would like to join our Snowdon team visit www.birminghamhospitals.org and click QE Hospital, or call 0121 371 4852. Aegon classic Tennis Day Edgbaston Priory Club JUNE

APRIL

23–25

Five Soldiers theatre production Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Support Fisher House by attending ‘Five Soldiers’, a visceral ‘tour de force’ of the senses that provides an intimate view of the training that prepares soldiers for the sheer physicality of combat, for the possibility of injury and the impact conflict has on the bodies and minds of everyone it reaches. Tickets cost £20 and doors open at 7.30pm. To book your place visit: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/event/ 5-soldiers.

Join QEHB Charity for a fantastic day of tennis, on the first day of the Aegon Classic, and see some of the world’s most famous tennis players. Tickets cost £7 and are for Upper Tier seating only. To join us and secure your goody bag, visit www.qehb.org/events. All monies raised by the event will be donated to QEHB Charity. When buying your tickets you will also be automatically entered into a prize draw for two ‘Behind The Scenes’ guided tour tickets to see the players’ lounge and restaurant area, media centre and tournament offices. For more information or a list of terms and conditions contact Justine.Davy@uhb.nhs.uk. Wing walk and skydive

MAY

Morrisons Great Birmingham 10k Birmingham city centre

QEHB Charity has joined forces with the Birmingham Mail to raise £60,000 for the hospital, by entering a team to the brand new Great Birmingham 10k. To represent Birmingham and help raise money for an appeal of your choice, join ‘Team Birmingham’ by visiting the Great Run website, www.greatrun.org/great-birmingham10k, or contact charities@uhb.nhs.uk for more information.

Why not amaze your friends and family with an extreme feat MAY–SEP of bravery in 2015 and take part in one of our wing walks or skydives? A £30 deposit gets you a place on one of our jumps, followed by a minimum of £300 in sponsorship. For the wing walk, book your place with a £50 deposit and raise a minimum of £1,000 for QEHB Charity. For more information or to book your place please contact Laura.Power@uhb.nhs.uk or call 0121 371 4852.

2015

Fisher House celebrations

sability Made Clear

for her at the QEHB

To all of the staff at the QE we must express sincere gratitude. You gave Ann back to us with hope… for that we will each be eternally grateful. Tony Fox “Ann was a wonderful woman and we are all deeply touched, as I know she would be, by the generosity you have shown in naming this machine in her memory. Her legacy will live on in the long and fulfilling lives of those she has been

able to help. To all of the staff at the QE we must express sincere gratitude. You gave Ann back to us with hope. Although the time wasn’t plentiful, it was cherished and for that we will each be eternally grateful.” Thamara Perera, a consultant liver transplant surgeon at the QEHB, said: “Ann was a remarkable woman and it is a real honour to be able to name this machine, which will help thousands of patients in future, after her.” Abi added: “It was a great joy to meet Tony and his family at the hospital and we are incredibly touched and humbled by Ann and Tony’s generous donation.” To find out more about the Liver Foundation please visit www.liverfoundation.org.uk or contact Justine.Davy@uhb.nhs.uk.

Join QEHB Charity in celebrating the second anniversary of Fisher House, the ‘home away from home’ for the UK’s military patients and their families. Since opening in 2013, the facility has provided free accommodation to hundreds of patients and their families at a time when they need it most. A short walk from the main QE hospital site, the home offers a comforting and welcoming space to families of military patients, whose loved ones are undergoing treatment at the QE. On Saturday June 20, QEHB Charity will host a Fisher House Dinner at Warwickshire County Cricket Club, and would love you to join! Tickets for the evening, which include a four course meal, Champagne and a wide range of entertainment, cost £800 for a table of ten. All monies raised will be donated to Fisher House.

For your chance to win a luxury car whilst supporting military patients and their families, book your place by visiting www.qehb.org/event or contact Justine.Davy@uhb.nhs.uk

To make a donation to any of the appeals mentioned please visit www.qehb.org or contact the charity’s team 0121 371 4852 See www.uhb.nhs.uk for on the latest news

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | APRIL 2015

Fundraisers make French connection Former England footballer Geoff Thomas is preparing to cycle the gruelling Tour de France course for a second time in a bid to raise up to £1 million to help the Centre for Clinical Haematology (CCH) at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. In 2003 Geoff was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia and was given less than three months to live. Geoff has been in remission since January 2005 following treatment from Cure Leukaemia co-founder Professor Charlie Craddock at the Birmingham unit. Six months after his treatment, which included a bone marrow transplant from his sister, Geoff set himself the challenge of cycling the Tour de France 2005 route two days ahead of the race. He succeeded and subsequently wrote a book, Riding Through The Storm, to chart his physical and emotional journey. To mark the ten year milestone Geoff never thought he would reach, he will revisit the challenge when Le Tour kicks off in Utrecht in the Netherlands in July – this time one day ahead of the official race. Along with a group of up to 20 participants, Geoff will complete the ride and aims to raise £1 million for Cure Leukaemia. Geoff and the team’s fundraising efforts

will go towards boosting the life-saving work carried out at the CCH – increasing the Centre’s ability to deliver pioneering treatments for blood cancer patients at this international centre of excellence in Birmingham, consistent with the Government’s Life Sciences vision. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest star got in some preparation for the task ahead when he brought some members of his charity team to the QE to see the cutting-edge facilities. Professor Craddock showed the riders around the CCH’s treatment rooms where they had the opportunity to see the latest high-tech equipment being used, as well as meeting the nursing staff. Geoff, seven of the riders and George Lineker were then put through their paces by Le Tour sponsor Wattbike, with a training session in the QE atrium. George, the son of England footballing legend and Match of the Day presenter Gary, is also a blood cancer survivor and will be showing his support for Cure Leukaemia by cycling London 2 Paris, along with Geoff and his former Crystal Palace team-mates Ian Wright, John Salako and Mark Bright. England under-20 manager Aidy Boothroyd and broadcaster Jill Douglas will also be taking part.

Geoff Thomas with Professor Charlie Craddock and George Lineker

“It has been an emotional day coming back to the CCH and introducing my fellow riders to Charlie and the clinical nurses,” said Geoff. “Seeing first hand the impact the £1 million we aim to raise will have has further cemented our commitment to achieving this challenging

goal. I’m looking forward to riding Le Tour with the level of camaraderie and support demonstrated today.” To support the fundraising go to: www.justgiving.com/Geoff-Thomas-2015

Groups offer help: Patients, families and staff can turn to support from a range of groups at the Trust ALOPECIA Impartial information and mutual support to cope with hair loss Contact Jenny: 07760 95885, 0121 440 5794. Email: jen@araucaria.demon.co.uk Website: www.alopeciaonline.org.uk ANN CONROY TRUST Support and education for patients living with Syringomyelia and Chiari malformation. Website: www.annconroytrust.org Tel: 0300 111 0004 BECHET’S SYNDROME SOCIETY Helpline: 0845 130 7329. Email: Info@bechetsdisease.org.uk. Website: www.bechets.org.uk. Birmingham group contact: 07886 304018 or email: anishaz@hotmail.co.uk BIRMINGHAM ARTHRITIS RESOURCE CENTRE The resource centre is located at Birmingham Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Central Birmingham. Tel: 0121 464 2708 Email: barccentre@bham.ac.uk or Website: www.barc.org.uk BREATHE EASY – THE SUPPORT NETWORK OF THE BRITISH LUNG FOUNDATION For everyone living with lung disease. Birmingham South Group meets monthly at Moseley Hall Hospital 2-4pm. Contact BLF Direct on 03000 030 555 or go to w ww.blf.org.uk BRITISH ACOUSTIC NEUROMA ASSOCIATION (BANA) BANA’s friendly West Midlands group meets 3 or 4 times a year for mutual support, information exchange and talks by specialist guests. Group contact: Janet Mercer Email: janet@bana-uk.com Tel: 0121 604 2454. National website and headquarters: www.bana-uk.com Tel: 01623 632143 BRITISH SJOGREN’S SYNDROME ASSOCIATION Support group for sufferers of the auto-immune rheumatic disease. Tel: 0121 455 6532. BUSY B’S Support group for people with stomas and bowel disease. Tel: 0121 627 8343. CYSTITIS & OVERACTIVE BLADDER FOUNDATION Advice line: 0121 702 0820. Email: info@cobfoundation.org and website at www.cobfoundation.org DIABETES UK Has regular support group meetings in King’s Heath for people with diabetes, family members and friends. For further info see www.diabetes.org.uk/In_Your_Area/Midlands and follow link to Birmingham or email racheltier@btinternet.com DIGNITY IN CARE SUPPORT GROUP The group run the Memory Lane Cafe for patients with cognitive impairment and their carers. Cafe is open Wednesday afternoons. Email: memorylanecafe@uhb.nhs.uk Website: www.dignityincare.org.uk D.I.S.C (DEMENTIA INFORMATION AND SUPPORT FOR CARERS) A service offered specifically for CARERS of people with confusion and memory (DEMENTIA) problems. Tel: 0121 452 1152. Email: carers@discbirmingham.co.uk Website: www.discbirmingham.co.uk GET-A-HEAD Fundraising and support group for patients who have had head and neck cancer. Tel: 0121 371 5046 www.getahead.org.uk

GROWN-UP CONGENTIAL HEART PATIENTS’ ASSOCIATION Supports young people and adults born with a heart condition. Tel: 0800 854 759. HEADSTART BIRMINGHAM Aneurysm and Arteriovenous Malformation Support Group Meetings are held on the first Friday of the month 7pm-9pm. Seminar room in outpatients department at QEHB. Contact: Patricia Hewlett Tel: 0121 459 7147. HEADWAY Acquired brain injury drop in service. Wednesdays 1.30pm4.30pm wards 407, 409 & 411. 4.30pm-5.30pm. Second floor restaurant, QEHB. Tel: 0121 457 7541. HAEMATOLOGY SUPPORT GROUP Meeting at the Centre for Clinical Haematology on a monthly basis for information, social events, friendship and mutual support. Tel: 07766 875111 Email: Haematologys@yahoo.co.uk. HAEMOCHROMATOSIS WEST MIDLANDS SUPPORT GROUP Offering support and raising awareness. We hold regular local meetings. Tel: 0121 457 8986 Email: info@Haemochromatosis WM.org.uk Website: www.HaemochromatosisWM.org.uk HOME FROM HOSPITAL CARE Free support to Birmingham patients on discharge from hospital Including information, shopping, befriending and respite care. Tel: 0121 472 4499. INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETES TRUST Listening to people with diabetes and their carers. Tel: 01604 622 837 Email: enquiries@Iddtinternational.org Website: www.iddtinternational.org KIDNEY PATIENTS’ ASSOCIATION Runs local groups across the West Midlands. Tel: 01922 644 982 Email: flintnf@aol.com Website: www.kidneymatters.co.uk LARYNGECTOMY SUPPORT GROUP Meets monthly at British Legion social club, Quarry Lane, Northfield. A patient led group. Organised speakers at each session. Tel: 0121 627 2360 or 0121 627 2248. LET’S FACE IT Support group for people with any form of facial disfigurement Tel: 01843 833 724. MILITARY PATIENTS Military patients will be visited by a representative from the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) who will attend to their administrative, welfare, pastoral and spiritual needs. NATIONAL RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS ASSOCIATION Birmingham group at www.brasg.org.uk, Heart of England group contact 01628 823 524, national website: www.nras.org.uk OESOPHAGEAL PATIENTS ASSOCIATION (OPA) National charity offering support and information to patients and carers affected by oesophageal and stomach cancers. Birmingham group hosts two meetings per year. For information contact 0121 704 9860 Email: enquiries@opa.org.uk Website: www.opa.org.uk

PAIN FATIGUE SUPPORT Meets first Thursday of the month. Noon to 2pm, Erdington Methodist Church. Tel: 0300 330 0640. Email: painfatiguesupport@hotmail.co.uk. PATIENTS’ READING GROUP Meets Tuesdays, Weoley Castle Library. 2pm-3.30pm. To book call 0121 464 1664. PITUITARY FOUNDATION This group for patients, carers and friends meets at the Morris Centre Health and Fitness Club, QEH. The meetings for 2015 are as follows: Sat 28 February (Fisher House), Sat 6 June and Sat 26 September. All meetings are from 10.30am onwards. Contact: 0845 450 0375 Website: birminghampituitarygroup.weebly.com QE LIVER TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP The group meets at 7.30pm on the 3rd Monday of every month (except July and August) in the Faith Centre, Meeting Room level 1, QEHB. Tel: 0121 627 2089 or 01902 679333 (after 7.30pm). ROY CASTLE LUNG CANCER SUPPORT GROUP Held 1st Tuesday of every month, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital. Tel: 0121 424 1433 Contact: Lynne Reaper. THE NATIONAL OSTEOPOROSIS SOCIETY The National Osteoporosis Society runs a local support group based in Birmingham. Tel: 0121 429 7366 www.nos.org.uk THE STROKE ASSOCIATION Supporting people affected by stroke. Tel: 0303 303 3100 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) Email: info@stroke.org.uk Website: www.stroke.org.uk TINNITUS Practical support and advice for sufferers including group sessions and newsletters. C/o Birmingham Institute for the Deaf, Ladywood Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 8SZ. Eileen: 01384 831032. Email info@tinnitusbham.org.uk TRACHEOTOMY SUPPORT New group for patients following tracheotomy. 0121 627 2248. VASCULITIS SUPPORT GROUP WEST MIDLANDS (VSGWM) Support group for sufferers of Systemic Vasculitis (e.g. Wegener’s granulomatosis) as well as support for carers. The VSGWM circulates useful information and ideas, with friendly meetings held at least once a year. 0121 243 5621. WEST MIDLANDS BRAIN TUMOUR SUPPORT GROUP The support group meets in the Faith and Community Centre, first floor, QEHB on third Monday of the month, noon to 2pm. Contact Sue Wreglesworth on: 0771 7175 236. Email: sue.wreglesworth@braintumouruk.org.uk WILSON’S DISEASE SUPPORT GROUP – UK National charitable group offering support and information to patients with Wilson’s disease and their families across the UK. For information and local support contact jerry@wilsonsdisease. org.uk or visit the website www.wilsonsdisease.org.uk YOUNG ADULTS CANCER SUPPORT GROUP Is run by a group of young adult cancer patients to offer support for people who have similar needs. No strict age limit but current members in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Meetings usually held last Wednesday of month at The Plough, Harborne. Contact Vicky Stock on: 0784 589 7760. Email: stock.vicky@yahoo.co.uk

Steps have been taken to ensure this information is up to date but please contact the group directly before undertaking a journey. Support group coordinators can email revisions to their entry to: communications@uhb.nhs.uk. Please mark the email – support group revision.

Delivering the best in care

APRIL 2015 | University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

RESEARCH NEWS

Support for burns injury clinical trials

Researchers Rachel Beckett, Amy Bamford, Chris Wearn, Lucy Keegan and Fay Gardiner

Behind the scenes Trauma research patients and their carers enjoyed the chance to see ‘behind the scenes’ in a QEHB laboratory. The opportunity formed part of a Microbiology Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Group meeting organised by the NIHR SRMRC team to put patients at the centre of research. After a lively discussion about hospital infection prevention and control, attendees were given short summaries of current research trials and were then asked for their thoughts on the design of trials and the involvement of patients. Whilst the Q&A sessions with researchers were taking place, Clinical Scientist Nicola Cumley led small groups on tours of a microbiology lab, showing what happens to samples from patients. Hannah Brooks, event organiser, said: “We would like to thank everyone who kindly gave up their time to attend our first PPI event of 2015. We believe it is extremely important to inform the public about our work and gain different perspectives on our research. Our group’s participation in our events will help us to continue to develop exciting, innovative and ethical studies, which will make a real difference to the health and care of our patients.” If you’re interested in becoming a PPI group member and having a say in how research is conducted, contact Hannah Brooks or Rosie Sanderson on 0121 371 4223 or email ResearchSRMRC@uhb.nhs.uk

The Burns Research team, led by Naiem Moiemen, has successfully recruited eight out of their required nine participants for a study funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The study, PEGASUS, is being conducted across eight different hospitals and aims to determine whether pressure garments are a more effective therapy for burn injuries, compared to traditional methods of care (such as using moisturiser or giving patients a massage). Pressure garments are widely used in the treatment of burns and can often be worn for 23 hours per day for up to 18 months. Staff and patients believe these garments provide a better treatment for patients with severe burns. Research Nurse Amy Bamford who is involved in the study as well as the day-to-day care of burns patients who use the pressure garments, said: “Despite using pressure garments every day, no research has objectively shown how effective they are compared to other methods of care. “Here at QEHB, our team is excited to be part of a national research study in which we hope to provide solid evidence to support the continued use of pressure garments in clinical care.” Each of the hospital sites involved in the study must recruit a certain number of patients, and QEHB are well ahead of target.

Do you want to shape the future of renal research at QEHB? If you are a patient, carer, health professional or have an interest in research into kidney diseases, why not join the newly formed Patient and Public Involvement in Renal Research Group? The first meeting was held in December and 15 members of the public attended. Dr Charlie Ferro, consultant nephrologist and researcher, said: “We thought we would start small and if a handful of people attended I would have been delighted. When 15 people showed up I was totally bowled over. “Two hours of lively and very productive discussion ensued and it was a shame we didn’t have longer as many people still had a lot to say. We are now keen to build on the success of our meeting and would love more people to be involved. Whether you suffer from a kidney condition, receive dialysis, have had a transplant or are a carer or health professional, we would love your help in shaping renal research.” Sister Mary Dutton, senior research nurse, added: “It just goes to show that if you engage people they will respond. The number of ideas that this meeting has generated is incredible. It has also helped us avoid mistakes that could have delayed future research.” The results of the discussion and views of the group have been incorporated into grant applications that have already been submitted to improve the care of kidney patients. The next meeting of the group will be held in June. If you are interested in attending contact

The renal research team

Dr Ferro on 0121 371 5839 or by e-mail at: Charles.Ferro@uhb.nhs.uk and leave your name and preferred means of communication: letter, e-mail or telephone. The agenda will be circulated in good time before the meeting is held to give potential participants plenty of time to decide if they want to attend.

The National Institute for Health Research Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre (NIHR SRMRC) is a national centre for trauma research, bringing together the pioneering advances in surgery and infection control made by military and civilian scientists and medics working together. news@QEHB looks at some of the latest work which is helping to make a difference to the care of patients.

STEM young people’s interest in research

An NIHR SRMRC Research Sister is encouraging young people to pursue a career in science after she was inspired by those around her. Jo Thunder, who works within QEHB’s Emergency Department, has recently become a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Ambassador. The voluntary role involves giving careers fair talks, visiting schools and providing practical advice and support to STEM projects in the classroom. Jo explained: “I’m really excited by the opportunity to inspire young people to consider a STEM career and to share my passion for being an NIHR SRMRC Research Sister with others. “I know the difference that an enthusiastic role model can make because I chose this career after being inspired by those around me. When I was growing up a team of excellent nurses cared for my Mum and then at University there was a wonderful lecturer who really brought his subject to life. “Most recently, working with the excellent Emergency Department medical and nursing team has encouraged me to pursue my interest in trauma/ED research and Senior Research Sister Aisling Clarkson inspired me to apply for a secondment to my current role.” Jo is also passionate about educating young people about preventing traumatic injury. “Trauma is the leading cause of death for those under 40 and as part of my new role I want to try and make young people aware of the risks of lifestyle choices,” added Jo.

For more information about STEM visit www.stemnet.org.uk/about-us/

To share your research stories contact Rosie Sanderson and Hannah Brooks. Email: rosie.sanderson@uhb.nhs.uk and hannah.brooks@uhb.nhs.uk

See www.uhb.nhs.uk for the latest news

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | APRIL 2015

Worried about your memory? Call us on 0121

706 4052

Birmingham and Solihull office Mon-Fri 9.00-4.00

Local Age UKs provide vital direct services to people in later life throughout the UK, working in partnership with the national organisation. Local services can include: information, advice and advocacy services; day centres and lunch clubs; home help and ‘handyperson’ schemes; and IT and other training.

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UHB NHS Foundation Trust has not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor does UHB NHS Foundation Trust endorse any of the products or services. Every possible care has been taken to ensure that the information given in this publication is accurate.Whilst the publisher would be grateful to learn of any errors, they cannot accept any liability over and above the cost of the advertisement for loss there by caused. No reproduction by any method whatsoever of any part of this publication is permitted without written consent of the copyright owners. Octagon Marketing Company Ltd. ©2015 Britannic Chambers, 8A Carlton Road,Worksop, Nottinghamshire S80 1PH.Tel: 01909 478822

APRIL 2015 | University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Working to create brighter futures Apprentices at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust held a day of activities to showcase their work – and say a big ‘thank you’ to their managers. The Trust’s current cohort took a day out from their regular duties for a morning of teamwork exercises at the Post Graduate Centre followed by a presentation about the key role apprentices play. More than 50 managers from across the Trust were awarded certificates in recognition of their support for the apprenticeship programme and three apprentices received prizes, donated by QEHB Charity, for their entries into a competition. Learning and Development Manager Karen Jameson hailed the UHB apprenticeship scheme, the team who deliver it and the managers who support it – urging more to get their departments involved. “The apprenticeship programme has gone from strength to strength,” she said. “It’s about doing the right thing and we’re really proud of the scheme. We are grateful to all of the managers who support the programme and are constantly looking for more. “We’ve got some really good apprentices and the vast majority of them go on to secure positions in this Trust or in neighbouring Trusts.” UHB Vocational Manager, Sue Bell, added: “More and more managers are beginning to see the worth of having an apprentice. “Managers here have been fantastic in taking them on, supporting and mentoring them. “We wanted to say thank you for that and to say that, on the whole, it really does work well. We have had some cracking people go through the programme.”

Teresa Deakin, a Matron in the Liver Department, has been so impressed with apprentice Melanie Farrell, that a job was offered. “Melanie is very bubbly and very keen and has fitted into the team really well,” she said. “I think the scheme works really well. It’s good for the apprentice because it gives them a good opportunity and, as they all serve a trial period, it means we have a good chance to get the right person into the post.” Ahead of the day, which was organised to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week, apprentices were asked to come up with a piece of artwork to promote the UHB scheme. Michael McGurn claimed first prize with a poem, Jack Preece took second with a logo design, followed by Ruckhsar Malek, in third, with a song about the programme. All three received £10 Amazon vouchers donated by the QEHB Charity. Michael Tivey, of the charity, said: “We were very happy to provide these prizes to recognise all that apprentices do to support the work of the Trust.”

We’ve got some really good apprentices and the vast majority of them go on to secure positions here or in neighbouring Trusts. Karen Jameson

(L–R) Rukhsar Malek, Michael Tivey of QEHB Charity, Jack Preece and Michael McGurn

Age is no barrier for mum Change of direction for who took on challenge Uni student’s career When she decided her job as a part-time florist had little future, single mum-of-two Jacqui Kerr, pictured, sought a total change of direction. But she quickly found that she didn’t have the right experience or qualifications for the office jobs that she subsequently applied for. After ruling out college because of the prohibitive fees, she signed up for an Activate course at the Learning Hub, based next to the QEHB and part-funded by University Hospitals Birmingham, before moving onto the Trust apprenticeship programme. “I was a bit concerned about my age but the people at the Learning Hub said, ‘Go for it, you’ve got nothing to lose’,” she said. Jacqui is now working as an admin assistant in the Liver Biomedical Research Unit. Although admitting balancing her full-time role with family life has not always been easy, she is grateful for the chance to gain new skills and experience while still earning. “I’m a single mum and had always worked part-time to fit around the needs of the children. Obviously the apprenticeship is fulltime so it was a bit of a shock to the system to start with. There are times when it has been a bit of a challenge but overall it has not been too bad.

“As a single mum on benefits this was the only way I could see to get the experience and the qualifications I needed in business administration.” When her apprenticeship finishes in November, Jacqui is hoping to find a receptionist role within the Trust or elsewhere in the NHS.

Joe Ward decided, a year into his business management course at University College Birmingham, that university life was not for him. A quick chat with his family soon pointed him in the direction of the UHB apprenticeship scheme. Joe’s mother, brother and an uncle all already worked at QEHB and were quick to highlight the variety of opportunities presented by a job in the NHS. Encouraged by them, Joe enrolled on the Trust apprenticeship scheme and has been rewarded by becoming the latest family member to join the Trust staff – landing a fulltime role as an MDT co-ordinator for adrenal and pituitary in the Oncology Department. “I had decided after a year that university wasn’t really working for me,” he said. “My family suggested the apprenticeships here and I read up on it and it looked interesting so I applied. I wasn’t sure that I was going to like admin work initially but it has been going well and I’m really enjoying it. “The apprenticeship has been really good, it’s giving me a qualification which hopefully means I will be able to progress at the QE and, obviously, I have got a job out of it.” Joe is also grateful to the scheme for developing him as a person.

“Since I started here I have become a lot more confident,” he said. “I used to be quite shy but everyone says I’m a lot more outgoing now and things like my telephone manner have really improved. And that is all thanks to doing the apprenticeship here.” Joe now has his sights set on working his way up the band structure in the Oncology Department.

See www.uhb.nhs.uk for the latest news

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | APRIL 2015

APRIL 2015 | University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

No. 3590

Your monthly puzzle challenge Quiz Challenge

CROSS CODE 16

25 5

17 18

25 24

20 7

19 7

25 25

1. The birds of which species can rotate their heads through 270 degrees? 2. Which film soundtrack featured the Bee Gees hit song How Deep Is Your Love? 3. Which fruit is used to give a distinctive flavour to the liqueur Cointreau? 4. Which notorious judge presided at the ‘Bloody Assizes’ which began in 1685? 5. What is the scientific name for the pupal stage of the butterfly?

2 12

19 1

25 24

5 6

12 14

11 25

2 23

9 25

5 12

NONAGRAM

25 25

M G T

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 1

S O N

13 26

EACH number in our Cross Code grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. You have three letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check off the alphabetical list of letters as you identify them.

MAGIC SQUARE

PEOPLE NOTICE NEST

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from this Nonagram? Each word must use the central letter, and each letter may be used only once. At least one word using all nine letters can be found. Guidelines: 17 Good; 20 Very Good; 24 Excellent. Any word found in the Concise Oxford Dictionary (Tenth Edition) is eligible with the following exceptions: proper nouns; plural nouns, pronouns and possessives; third person singular verbs; hyphenated words; contractions and abbreviations; vulgar slang words; variant spellings of the same word (where another variant is also eligible).

USING all 16 letters of the phrase above, form four words each of four letters which will fit in the grid to form a magic square in which the words can be read both horizontally and vertically.

TO CA

OA HR

AM PL

4 7 5 6

3 9 5 8 4 8

Hard

8 1 5 3 9 6 1 5 6 2 4 1 3

2 15

5 7 4 8 1 3 6 2 9

6 1 8 5 2 9 7 3 4

8 9 2 6 7 4 3 5 1

4 3 5 1 9 8 2 7 6

EASY SUDOKU 9 2 3 4 6 7 1 8 5

HARD SUDOKU 7 6 1 3 5 2 4 9 8

3 8 6 2 4 5 9 1 7

2 4 9 7 8 1 5 6 3

1 5 7 9 3 6 8 4 2

5 8 2 7 6 3 1 9 4

4 7 3 2 1 9 8 5 6

6 1 9 4 8 5 2 3 7

7 6 4 1 5 8 3 2 9

1 2 5 9 3 4 7 6 8

3 9 8 6 2 7 5 4 1

8 4 7 3 9 2 6 1 5

9 3 1 5 7 6 4 8 2

2 5 6 8 4 1 9 7 3

K P

Down – 1 Comet; 2 Arson; 3 Tremolo; 4 Rasher; 5 Start; 6 Artless; 7 Locates; 12 Ape; 14 Neck; 16 Ogre; 17 Surpass; 18 Average; 20 Reserve; 21 Ink; 23 Arrant; 25 Eject; 27 Agile; 28 Elegy.

8. South African has a turn at producing cereal (4)

I G

HERE are two miniature fivesquare crosswords using the same grid – but the letters have been mixed up. You have to work out which letters belong to which crossword.

EQUALISER 4 8 6 2 6 2 2 5 2 1 5 1

9. He’s after your vote (9) 11. Umpire and I will put more fuel into the tank (6) 12. Jack heard to get underway and let himself down the rock face (6) 13. Stretch legate on rack (8) 16. Diagnose trouble suffered (8) 20. In a way a learner set up in office (6) 21. We do not differ at all in this (6) 23. New clues, about six, containing just the thing for the old book (9) 24. Taste of seaweed (4) 25. Introduced current editor (9)

10 10

14 17

15 18

16 19

All puzzles on this page are supplied by Sirius Media Services. To try more of our puzzles interactively online go to www.puzzledrome.com

(1) Across – Cubic; Perdu; Dwelt.

Perform the first calculation in each line first and ignore the mathematical law which says you should always perform division and multiplication before addition and subtraction.

FIVE ALIVE:

DOWN 2. Making a murderous attempt in the back? (8) 3. Look again at the critical assessment (6) 4. One is not expected to live on them (4,4) 5. Better that non-drinker leaves this! (4) 6. Lady at the yachting centre (6) 7. End, that is, for a footballer (6) 10. Strap in here included (4) 14. Strange things one gets in unmatching neckwear (8) 15. Cherish the hoard (8) 16. Sharpness that’s fashionable in a large town (6) 17. Apprise of the eastern situation? (6) 18. One old revolutionary god (4) 19. Allocate a s-symbol (6) 22. Never losing five, never (4)

QUICK CROSSWORD 1

PLACE the four signs (add, subtract, multiply, divide) one in each circle so that the total of each across and down line is the same.

Down – Cupid; Barge; Court. CRYPTIC CROSSWORD: 10 11 12 13 Across – 1 Comfortable; 9 Laser; 10 Startle; 11 Corm; 12 Adherent; 14 (2) Across – Sniff; Axiom; Sited. B O J W Fiesta; 15 Victim; 18 Radiator; 20 Spin; 22 Subside; 23 Aroma; 24 Down – Soaps; Idiot; Fumed. 23 24 25 26 Dragon’s-head. NONAGRAM: F G L E Down – 2 Observe; 3 Farm; 4 Reside; 5 Academic; 6 Lithe; 7 Black ackee; ankh; cake; caked; cakey; MAGIC SQUARE: Forest; 8 Sentimental; 13 Stealing; 16 Tapioca; 17 Come in; 19 Debar; cheek; cheeky; dank; deck; deke; care; amid; ring; 21 Lash. dyke; eked; hácek; hack; hacked; edge. QUICK CROSSWORD: hackney; HACKNEYED; hake; hank; hanky; heck; keen; keyed; khan; Across – 1 Chapter; 5 Snail; 8 Ant; 9 Mussels; 10 Attic; 11 Tango; 13 WORD PYRAMID: The man in the moon. Entreat; 15 Lore; 17 Sea dog; 19 Crisis; 22 Rake; 24 Roe deer; 26 knead; knee; kneed; naked; neck; necked; yack; yank; yanked. Stake; 29 Agate; 30 Airline; 31 Can; 32 Scent; 33 Thereby. EQUALISER: Clockwise from top left – subtract; multiply; divide; add. Total: 2.

ACROSS 1. Arab stole refurbished old sextant (9)

24 26

ACROSS 1. Spectre (8) 5. Incline (4) 9. Staying power (7) 10. Step (5) 11. Tall walking support (5) 13. Inflame (6) 15. Delete (5) 17. Milky gemstone (4) 19. Be unwell (3) 20. Ribbed border (4) 21. Weary (5)

listening to you Contact the editor: Annie Roberts, news@QEHB, Communications Office, University Hospitals Birmingham, Mindelsohn Way, Birmingham B15 2TH Email: annierhealth@gmail.com Designed by graphics@uhb.nhs.uk

PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS CROSS CODE

18 20

QUIZ CHALLENGE: 1 Civilisation; 2 Caracas; 3 Richard I (Lionheart); 4 Misère; 5 The larch; 6 The War of 1812; 7 The Songwriters’ Hall of Fame; 8 Arizona and New Mexico; 9 William Shatner; 10 Dominoes.

EACH row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box.

9 8 4 5 2 5 8 2 4 6 1 5 4 7 3 4 1 2 5 2 8 3 5 8 9 7 7 8 1 9 3 4 6

10. Hollywood actress Amy Adams had originally pinned her career hopes on becoming what?

6 8

9. The fabric gloria is most used for what?

8. What was the real first name of the 18th century dandy ‘Beau’ Nash?

FIVE ALIVE VS

7. In measurement, how many metres are there in a hectometre?

SPELL out a 15-letter word or phrase by moving from one chamber to another within the pyramid. You may only enter each of the chambers once and may only T proceed through openings in the E walls. The first letter may appear in any R A chamber.

6. The US animal the woodchuck is better known as what?

SUDOKU Easy

WORD PYRAMID

R A N

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

23. Obtain through intimidation (6) 24. Worthless material (5) 28. Accumulate (5) 29. Endocrine gland (7) 30. Abominable snowman (4) 31. Salve, lubricant (8) DOWN 1. Specific job (4) 2. Isolated (5) 3. Threefold (6) 4. Reserved space (4) 6. Cupidity (7)

7. Spread throughout (8) 8. Accepted practice (5) 12. Distinguishing feature (5) 13. Tiles (anag.) (5) 14. Herb (8) 16. Atmosphere (3) 18. Exert force on (7) 21. Bundle up (5) 22. Timber decay (3,3) 25. Scorch (5) 26. Dry river bed (4) 27. Narrow aperture (4)

To visit our website scan this QR code with the reader on your smartphone. To download a free QR code reader, visit the app store.

See www.uhb.nhs.uk for the latest news

Metchl

Site map

B15 2GW

ey Park Road

venue A m a sh Hintle

ing Old QE Park D rk – Car Pa tient Trust HQ

Busy Bees Nursery

Birmingham Women’s Hospital

Shuttle

n Way Mindelsoh

Shuttle

Medical School

Harb

Staff Car Park B1

University Station

Main Entrance

Shuttle

TAXI

orne

/ Patient / Visitor (non - A&E & CDU)

icl

ive

New QEHB Parking – Car Park A

r tD

e los

h ve

Parking on the Queen Elizabeth Hospitals site hn Way Mindelso nly

ss Acce

ts o siden

for re

Shuttle

c Vin

Visitor and Patient (non - A&E & CDU)

Shuttle

hn W ay

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham 1

Learning Hub

lso

Old Queen Elizabeth Hospital

A&E

Ambulances & Buses only

in de

Staff Post Car Park E Graduate Centre

A&E entrance

CDU

Shuttle

Cancer Centre

Clinical and drop-off Decision Unit (15 mins waiting only) (CDU) entrance Shuttle

Nuffield House

Visitor / Pa U / A & E / CD

Staff Car Park F

Access to Busy Bees and Staff Car Park F only

Fisher Centre House Club

Shuttle

The Barberry (BSMHFT) The Oleaster (BSMHFT)

Shuttle

Selly O ak

Harbor ne

ha ing

Selly Oak

irm

When visiting our hospitals we recommend the following car parks: New Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham use Car Park A Old Queen Elizabeth Hospital use Car Park D Emergency Department (A&E) or CDU use Car Park D If you are using a sat nav, please make sure it has been updated recently. The post code B15 2GW will bring you onto the hospital site. Once on site, please follow road signs to the relevant car park.

Hospital entrances

’s ury

ns Sai

Info desk

Pedestrian Route

Disabled Parking

Drop-off only

Parking

Taxi rank

Bus Stop Centro / WM Correct at 10/12/14

news@QEHB 2015_4_April_processed_links.indd 16

Cycle Storage

TAXI Shuttle

Shuttle bus Smoking Shelter

The free shuttle bus service runs from 07:00-19:00 Monday-Friday (excluding Bank Holidays).

1 Outpatients and all

wards/departments (new hospital)

2 Cancer Centre 3 All wards and

departments (old hospital)

4 East Block Day Unit

23/03/2015 10:37