The Pulse Autumn 2017

Autumn 2017 | issue 2

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Colour-coding shake up for oncology unit page 14 Bringing members, staff and PATIENTS the latest Trust news

Welcome from

Preparing for winter

Deputy CEO

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Caroline Walker Welcome to the Autumn issue of The Pulse magazine, bringing you the latest updates from our hospitals in Peterborough, Huntingdon and Stamford.

Although summer is not quite over we are already looking forward to winter and the autumn issue of The Pulse brings you the latest updates from our hospitals.

We need to plan well in advance for winter so that we are properly prepared for the poor weather and nasty bugs when they arrive. A key aspect of our planning is the annual flu vaccination campaign for staff to ensure we do not pass on any viruses to patients. We know that greater numbers of patients come into our hospitals during the winter so we need to make sure clinical staff stay healthy to keep the service robust.

There is more information on page four about the flu campaign and other ways we are preparing to do battle with winter.

The story on page ten relates the experience of a patient of the Cancer Wellbeing Service at Peterborough City Hospital. The new service works to support patients and their families to pick up their lives after a cancer diagnosis. This patient’s feedback is a real pleasure to read and I am sure our team at the centre will be helping more patients get their lives back on track in the future.

Patient feedback also features on page 11 where you can read about the improvements which have made a positive impact on patient experience in Hinchingbrooke Hospital’s Emergency Department. A patient survey carried out by Cambridgeshire Healthwatch has provided valuable information to bring about the changes.

Cuddle cot donation

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Creative donation to Stamford Hospital p8

We have now completed the £2 million redevelopment project at Stamford Hospital. Since work began in December 2016 there have been some fantastic improvements to facilities including an MRI scanner, a new pain management department, and a dedicated phlebotomy (blood taking) area.

We are grateful to staff and patients for bearing with us whole the 17 month programme of work took place. See page eight for more details.

Deputy CEO, Caroline Walker

Finally I would like once again to thank the staff members who have recently achieved 25 years’ continuous service in their organisation. We held two events to recognise those people who have dedicated a quarter century to one hospital – one at Peterborough City Hospital and one at Hinchingbrooke Country Park. Both events were a great success and, on behalf of the Trust Board, I would like to congratulate them all.

Contact Us

Autumn 2017 | issue 2

THE

The Pulse magazine is compiled by the Communications team at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust. If you have any comments or would like to suggest a subject you would like to read about in the magazine, please let us know on 01773 678024 or email communications@pbh-tr.nhs.uk

COLOUR-CODING SHAKE UP FOR ONCOLOGY UNIT BRINGING MEMBERS, STAFF AND PATIENTS THE LATEST TRUST NEWS

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Celebrating long serving staff

page 14

Cancer wellbeing service helps patients

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Patient development

Developments for Patients float dementia care The Emergency Department (ED) at Peterborough City Hospital has recently revamped 3 cubicles which are now painted mauve as research has shown it to be a calming colour aimed to specifically help patients living with dementia, delirium or learning disabilities.

on air

New equipment to help lift patients is now in place, thanks to the Friends of Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

The Hover Jack and Hover Mat systems are designed to replace a scoop stretcher, eliminating the need for staff to lift patients and helping reduce back injuries. The patient is lifted on a cushion of air and slides from one surface to another, aided by two staff members.

Rolf Stobbart, Moving and Handling advisor, explains: “This new equipment means that no one will need to lift a patient at any time and and also provides a smoother transition for the patient.

“The feedback from staff has been very positive and we are very grateful to the Friends of Hinchingbrooke who kindly donated the equipment to the hospital from charitable funds”.

ED staff in revamped cubicle

Fantastic fundraiser Mrs Vickers is 98 years ‘young’ with a passion for fundraising. After hearing about the dementia care initiatives being implemented at the Trust, she chose the Trust’s dementia fund to be her charity of the year.

Following her kind donation of £200 made earlier this year, she is now busy sewing sensory balls and mouse finger puppets to raise more funds.

Julia Jarman, local author and daughter of Mrs Vickers, recently shared a copy of her new book ‘The Lovely Old Lion’ with Alison Gray, Dementia Nurse Specialist.

Julia wrote the children’s book to help them to understand dementia with the help of the Lovely Old Lion’s grandson, who doesn’t understand why grandpa

The Lovely Old Lion

Tony Byatt with the hover mattress

forgets things and becomes muddled.

Alison said: “It was a privilege and a humbling experience to meet Mrs Vickers. With her kind donations and other craft donations from the public, I will be holding a craft stall in the main atrium of Peterborough City Hospital on 5 October from 11am to fundraise for dementia environmental changes within the Trust.”

If you would like to contribute any knitted or crocheted items such as cuddly toys, small bags, tissue holders and cup covers, or sewn items such as pin cushions or toys, they would be welcomed by Alison Gray or Teresa Jude at Peterborough City Hospital.

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Winter season

Preparing for Winter Plans are already being made across all three hospitals for the increasing pressures we face every year during the winter.

Later this month the Occupational Health team will launch the annual flu campaign which aims to ensure that as many staff as possible are vaccinated against the most common strains of the virus.

Joanne Bennis, Chief Nurse, says: “We offer vaccination to all our staff as it is our duty as healthcare professionals to make sure we protect our patients from flu. By having a vaccination staff help prevent the spread of flu to more vulnerable patients including pregnant women, premature babies and older people. It also protects their families from transferring flu from hospital to home.”

Everyone aged over 65, pregnant, has a long term condition or weakened immune system is eligible for a free flu vaccination. More information is available from GP surgeries.

Infection Control Nurses

Love from Lapland The festive Love from Lapland campaign was so successful last year in spreading festive magic to all patients who will be in hospital over Christmas that the Trust is relaunching again this year, across all three hospitals.

The aim is to ensure every patient – from newborns and their mums to the elderly – will still receive a special gift to unwrap on Christmas Day if they are poorly and spending their Christmas in hospital.

Jo Bennis, Chief Nurse, said: “We know that for some patients Christmas can be a particularly lonely time of year, especially if they do not have family or friends nearby to visit them. With our Love from Lapland campaign, we hope that a small gift will show that despite having to remain in hospital, patients can still enjoy Christmas and be part of the celebrations.

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“We are asking for support from the local community across Peterborough, Huntingdon and Stamford and would be extremely grateful if members of the public or local businesses are able to support the campaign by donating via the Trust’s Mydonate page: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ lovefromlapland” Any donation, however large or small, will be very much appreciated and will go a long way to creating more smiles in hospital this Christmas.

GPs to support Emergency Department From 1 September the Trust will launch a new Primary Healthcare service in partnership with the GPN Federation and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group.

This service provides GPs onsite in the Emergency Department (ED) at Peterborough City Hospital, offering a 7 day service. All patients who attend the department will be assessed initially by a clinical member of staff before being directed to a GP if appropriate.

Gill Waltham, Operational Lead for Emergency and Medicine, said: “This is a great joint venture that the Trust is excited to be a part of. We know that on average 30 patients every day come to the ED with minor illnesses and having the ability to redirect these patients to a more appropriate service on site should improve the patient care we are able to provide.”

Later this year, there are plans in place to construct a new building adjacent to the ED where GPs will be permanently located.

Fundraising thanks

Junior Doctor’s fundraising effort for his hometown in Syria A junior doctor at Peterborough City Hospital has completed a 10k run to raise vital funds for Save the Children after seeing the work they do in his home town in Syria.

Cuddle Cot donation provides support for grieving parents Maternity staff at Hinchingbrooke Hospital were incredibly grateful to receive a donation of a ‘Cuddle Cot’ from two families who lost their babies.

Mark and Kym Field and Cheree Goleby and her husband Phil have been working hard to raise funds to put towards the special cot after Mark and Kym lost baby Alfie 18 months ago and Cheree and Phil lost baby Miller one year ago.

Cheree said: “This is something that is incredibly close to our hearts and proved to be invaluable to us during

Dr Karim Ghabra, who comes from Damascus, fitted in a busy training regime round his night shifts during Ramadam. He has previously travelled to Syria to hand out food and blankets to people affected by the ongoing war there.

Karim, who moved to the UK in 2014, says: “I wanted to help in whatever way I could, so the work this charity is doing is very close to my heart.

I still have family living in Syria and fortunately they are safe but many are not. I would like to thank everyone who has donated.”

In total, including Gift Aid, Karim has raised £1,483.

a time when we needed to stay close to Miller. It just gives you that extra time to grieve and make memories with your baby.”

The cot is cooler in temperature and is designed to place the baby into it to provide more time for the family after the baby has sadly died.

Staff in the maternity department had a cot on loan, but with this invaluable donation, the team will now be able to provide this resource at a moments’ notice when parents need time alone with their baby.

Dr Karim Ghabra

Kind donation from young boy after brother passes away The brother of a 15-month old boy who recently passed away has made a kind and thoughtful donation to Amazon children’s ward at Peterborough City Hospital following the sad passing of his brother in April.

10 year old Harry Overland from March raised an astonishing £1,000 by holding a series of events at his school including a poetry competition and a sponsored nonuniform day. His younger brother James spent a lot of time on Amazon ward with an extremely rare neurodegenerative condition called Menkes Disease. James very sadly died at Milton Hospice earlier this year.

donation,” says Zoe Wilkinson, Play Team Leader. “Harry, James and their family spent a lot of time here with us on the ward and it was clear then that Harry was a very proud older brother. To have experienced such a great loss at his age and to still be coping with that, but to have the kindness to still want to fundraise, is truly amazing. Harry wanted to thank all of the staff who looked after James and we are immensely grateful to him for his efforts.”

The money raised will be used to buy specialist sensory equipment that James especially enjoyed during his admissions to Amazon ward.

“This is a particularly brave and heartfelt

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Consultant awarded Certificate of Excellence The Trust signed up with iWantGreatCare (IWGC) in 2013, which is a national independent service that invites patients to leave feedback on their care either with a specific consultant or department.

Eight consultants across all specialties at the Trust have recently been awarded the ‘Certificate of Excellence’ from Dr Neil Bacon of IWGC, based on the feedback received from their patients.

This award recognises excellence by those individuals who have put patient experience at the centre of their care by receiving regular reviews throughout the year and maintaining a

Staff members take on additional medical roles during their free time Rupert Clifton, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Hannah Kittson, middle grade doctor in ED were both course doctors for the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit earlier this month, which saw another British win for Lewis Hamilton.

Rupert regularly attends motorsport events to look after any trauma patients (he is an Advanced Trauma Life Support Instructor for the Royal College of Surgeons), but this was his first job as a doctor on the British Grand Prix Formula One Medical Team.

He said: “The experience was really special; Hannah and I worked as a small part of a massive team of around 158 doctors, paramedics, nurses and radiographers to cater for the trauma needs of the F1, F2, GP3 and Porsche Supercup drivers.

“Not forgetting the crowd of around 150,000 people who attended each day to view the racing! It was a real thrill to be so close to the action on the circuit and yet be ready for the catastrophic should it happen.”

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high average score.

Dr Kanchan Rege, Medical Director, said: “I would like to congratulate our clinicians; Dr David Woolf, Dr Mohammed Sultan, Dr Philip Das, Dr Sarah Treece, Dr Thamir Abraham, Mr Michael Lumb, Miss Aparna Gumma and Mr Rupert Clifton. They truly deserve to be acknowledged for this fantastic achievement.”

“The Trust encourages patient feedback at all times, whether positive or negative, through a number of channels. It is important to know where services are excelling and equally if there are cases where patients are not satisfied, we can work together to implement improvements.”

Mike Lumb

Innovations in the Eye Department Thanks to an innovative idea introduced by Heather Davidson, Healthcare Assistant in the Ophthalmology department at Peterborough City Hospital, cataract patients are now benefitting from a trial being carried out where volunteers are holding their hands while they are having surgery.

As part of her foundation degree studies, Heather was required to implement a management change in the department.

“I wanted to make a difference to the patient experience and simply having their hand held in theatre during cataract surgery has meant patients have reported

it makes a real difference”.

Research has supported this as valuable practice which can reduce patients’ anxiety and gives them an increased feeling of receiving excellent care.

Josey Garratt, Matron for Surgery, said: “I would like to thank Heather for her commitment and enthusiasm in constantly seeking ways for the department to improve and implementing them with confidence. We have been trialling this service since June with great success.

Patients really value this service as do the volunteers who enjoy spending time supporting patients.”

Stamford Focus

An artistic gift for Stamford Hospital

Sam’s painting on display in Waiting Room A

When local artist Sam Jarvis visited Stamford Hospital recently, he could see there was a need for some artwork in the new waiting area.

So he went home and came back with one of his paintings.

Sam said: “At the age of 41 you seem to spend a lot more time in hospital waiting rooms with other people who are just sitting and maybe contemplating. So I thought: ‘I’m going to give them a painting’.

“I think NHS staff are an amazing bunch and it felt like a really nice thing to do.”

And we’re delighted to have it. Thanks Sam!

Redevelopment complete Members of the Stamford Hospital MIU team, with Matron Sue Brooks, Governor and Friends representative Trish Mason, and Stamford volunteer, Janet Garner

Stamford Friends donate ‘grab bag’ resus trolley The Friends of Stamford Hospital have donated a ‘grab bag’ resus trolley to the Minor Injuries Unit to help staff treat patients or visitors who become unwell while in the hospital.

Debbie Nicholls, Lead Emergency Nurse Practitioner, said: “We used to have to manoeuvre the heavy resus trolley around the hospital to get to the patient, but now, thanks to the Friends, it’s so much easier to transport the equipment and get to the patient or visitor who needs help fast.

The unit is run by two emergency nurse practitioners and an emergency nurse, who treated almost 10,000 patients last year.

“As senior nurses we have many years of experience in emergency cases and are an integral part of the emergency response team at the hospital. If a patient or visitor becomes unwell while attending hospital, we will look after them until an ambulance arrives to take them to Peterborough. Having the new resus trolley means we can do our job more efficiently.”

Improvement work at Stamford Hospital was finished on Friday, 28 July.

Matron and Site Manager Sue Brooks said: “As each phase of the project has completed, we have been able to see how the changes will benefit our patients.

“We are holding an open day on Saturday 14 October between11am and 3pm so people can see the new areas and find out more about what we do at Stamford Hospital.”

Since work began in December 2016, the project has delivered a new: • MRI Scanner, expanded imaging department and booking office • Health clinic, purpose-built phlebotomy and pain management suites • Chemotherapy and lymphoedema suite • Outpatient area with rooms for adults and children • Ultrasound room and improved physiotherapy gym • A refurbished reception, redecorated corridors, new lighting and flooring

The ‘walk-in’ Minor Injuries Unit at Stamford Hospital is open between 09.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday. Nurses in the unit see and treat all patients who come into the hospital with injuries such as sprains, fractures, wounds, minor head and eye injuries.

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Staff achievements

More than a millennium of service Over 50 members of staff have been honoured for reaching their 25-year milestone in service to Peterborough, Hinchingbrooke or Stamford Hospitals.

Two ceremonies were held, one at Peterborough City Hospital and one at Hinchingbrooke Country Park, to celebrate with long serving staff and their families.

People with a whole range of different jobs – from catering and store to nurses and midwives - were presented with a certificate, a 25-year service badge and vouchers as a thank you from Chief Nurse, Jo Bennis and Chief Executive, Stephen Graves.

Stephen said: “It was an absolute honour to

present the long service awards. It is a real treat to meet such dedicated staff and their families who have supported them in their careers with our hospitals.

“I would like to reiterate my congratulations to those people who have collectively clocked up more than 1,250 years’ service to our hospitals.”

End PJ Paralysis Nearing the finish line Earlier this year, the Trust, the Trust launched the 100 day #EndPJParalysis challenge, with the aim of getting patients up, dressed and moving.

Staff pledged to get involved in the challenge as the benefits of maintaining a normal daily routine during a hospital stay include a faster recovery time, preservation of muscle strength, a lower risk of infection and therefore an earlier return home for patients.

This routine is particularly important for older patients as studies have shown that muscles in those over 80 years can age by up to 10 years if they spend 10 days in bed.

Project Lead, Lisa Sharp said: “Many patients believe that when they come into hospital it’s normal to stay in their pyjamas or hospital gown, but this can lead to unnecessary prolonged hospital stays.

The challenge has been a huge success with staff, patients and carers, and as a Trust we will continue to implement and learn from the principles of the #EndPJParalysis campaign”.

33 wards from our 3 hospitals took part in the challenge, seeing over 18,000 patients dressed and moving around the wards over the 100 days.

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for Global Challenge As part of the national initiative to improve patient experience, NHS England and NICE have made the health and wellbeing of NHS staff a priority.

Earlier this year, the Trust signed up to take part in a global challenge where teams from across the world sign up to walk/run/cycle or swim, recording their activity over a 100 day period. 75 teams across all 3 sites have registered to take part in the challenge which finishes in September.

The challenge encourages healthy habits to be formed and positive changes to be made in increasing or improving staff members’ activity levels.

Last year many staff reported an improvement in their physical and mental wellbeing and their new active lifestyles had become part of their normal daily routine.

Cirque de Sore legs team

Staff getting set to celebrate Outstanding Achievement Awards This year will be the first annual staff awards ceremony including all three of our hospital sites: Peterborough, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford Hospitals.

The prestigious event, which takes place at the end of October, will be held at the Marriott Hotel in Peterborough and will

see staff from across the Trust awarded for going above and beyond the call of duty.

“It is always an honour and an extremely humbling feeling to listen to the wonderful nominations from both patients and colleagues,” says Rob Hughes, Chairman.

“This year is going to be especially poignant as we celebrate our first awards event

Our Trust values Following feedback from staff, public and patients at our three hospitals we have agreed our shared values for the Trust. From a long list of values, staff selected the most important ones.

How our staff live to these values will

be through our ‘personal responsibility framework’ – which outlines how staff are expected to behave.

The Trust board will monitor and review how the Trust performs against the values on a regular basis, to ensure we provide the best possible patient care.

as a merged Trust and I am very much looking forward to being a part of such an important event for our hospitals.”

Public nominations for hospital heroes have now closed – thank you if you voted via your local newspaper. Winners will be announced in the winter edition of Pulse later this year.

Join us on social media Did you know, you can keep up to date with news from your local hospital through following our social media accounts?

Twitter @NWAngliaFT @PboroityHosp @HinchHospital @Stamford_Hosp Facebook- Peterborough City Hospital -Hinchingbrooke hospital -Stamford & Rutland Hospital Instagram – North West Anglia NHS FT

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Providing support

Cancer Wellbeing Service supported patient through dark times A patient has spoken of how the team of professionals at the Cancer Wellbeing Service at Peterborough City Hospital, helped her through the most difficult time in her life.

of professionals offer. These range from emotional support, therapeutic art, Nordic walking, and advice regarding fatigue, work and managing symptoms.

The centre is open for anyone affected by cancer to drop in, without a referral.

Sharon Donnelly

Sharon Donnelly, 53, from Orton Malborne, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2015 and felt desperately low, both physically and mentally. Now after undergoing a double mastectomy and ongoing treatment Sharon is in a much better place thanks to the support of the team.

She said: “It took a lot of nerve and courage to walk into the centre and ask for some help, but it has enabled me to reach the point of having a light at the end of a dark tunnel. My health

She was recommended to visit the Cancer Wellbeing Service and found speaking to someone neutral, who wasn’t a friend or family member, helped her to focus on something else that wasn’t cancer. is complicated and cancer had a devastating effect on my whole physical and mental health, but with their support I have learnt how to cope with family and

Trust’s pledge to make Time to Test The Trust has joined Time to Test, a campaign from Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust to raise awareness of cervical cancer, allowing female employees the time to attend cervical screening during the working day if they are unable to attend outside working hours.

Screening can detect abnormal cells before they develop into cancerous cells and prevents against 75% of cervical cancers, yet a quarter of women don’t attend appointments and over 3,000 women a year are diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Jo Bennis, Chief Nurse said: “We are proud to add our voice to this campaign. The health of our employees is paramount, so if colleagues are unable to make potentially life-saving appointments for cervical screening outside working hours, we will work with them to ensure they can attend.”

For more information on the campaign visit jostrust. org.uk/TimeToTest

friends, my all round health and getting back to ‘normality’.”

Sharon is just one of many visitors to benefit from over 20 support services that the team

Supporting patients on the road to recovery Sister Ros Rippon and Sister Marie Caston from the Critical Care Ward at Peterborough City Hospital hosted a coffee morning earlier this year for former patients.

Critical care coffee morning

Over 30 guests who had been previously treated on Critical Care arrived with their loved ones to reunite with staff members who cared for them whilst they were patients and meet with others who have shared similar experiences.

For some patients, even once they have left the ward and are well enough to return home, their full recovery mentally and physically could take up to 18 months.

Ward Sister Ros, said: “The Trust does offer an outpatient clinic run

by Consultant Matt Davies alongside nursing staff. It is a place where patients can receive support to help them process what happened whilst they were a patient on the ward.

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To find out more about the service please visit our webpage www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk/a-zof-services/c/cancer-services/ or contact the team on 01733 678570.

When a patient is critically ill, they may have been unconscious or sedated and may struggle to remember, also they may have vivid dreams, which can be upsetting.”

Sue Shipton, Matron for Critical Care, said: “This was the first event of this kind that we have held and were really pleased that the feedback from our guests was very positive.

Our aim was that through this event former patients could meet others locally to create a support network that would be available outside of the hospital.”

Service improvements

Juniper Ward new recruits Juniper Ward at Hinchingbrooke Hospital is welcoming four new senior nurses to the team in August and September.

Juniper Ward is a 30 bed acute gastrointestinal, medicine and general surgery ward that provides good quality care for patients with a variety of specialist needs. As a result the staff work within a broad spectrum of specialties and need to have knowledge of nursing in several areas including colorectal and gastroenterology.

Senior nurses, Shincy Joseph and Michelle Green, will be joining Ward Sister Christine Burdett, and Deputy Sister Sarah Edwards and Nanci Teixeira will provide support to the

team of staff already working on the busy gastro ward. They will be leading training projects, new pathways and research programmes as well as the day-to-day running of the busy ward.

Christine said: “Some of the senior nurses that have joined our team have been working on Juniper for some time and have worked their way up the ranks, but we also have some new starters, who we are looking forward to working with.

“We have a lot of projects that are taking shape including peer mentoring between our senior nurses and health care assistants and new pathways that are being implemented to further improve the patient experience.”

Patient feedback is put into action at Hinchingbrooke Emergency Department The Emergency Department at Hinchingbrooke Hospital have been quick to act following feedback from a recent Healthwatch survey.

The survey, which was completed by members of the public, highlighted areas that could improve the patient experience in the Emergency Department for those who come to hospital unexpectedly.

Areas that were highlighted included increasing the refreshments that were available for patients, speeding up the process for booking into the department and making sure someone was on the reception desk 24 hours a day.

Sophie Ives, Operations Manager for Emergency Care at Hinchingbrooke Hospital said: “We are always grateful for any constructive feedback regarding patient experience and have taken these comments on board. In this instance Healthwatch flagged up a few areas that we could rectify.

“The Emergency Department reception desk now has a member of staff there 24 hours a day to make sure that queues are kept to a minimum and patients can be quickly booked in and triaged to receive the most appropriate care. We also now have a dedicated assessment room which provides a private space for patients to discuss their symptoms with a nurse.

“To ensure patients receive regular drinks we now have a dedicated housekeeper and volunteers who can provide beverages and are about to install a coffee machine in the waiting area. Our staff are very proud of their department and continuously strive to improve services for patients.”

Shincy and Nanci

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Mayor visits Peterborough City Hospital The newly elected Mayor of Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, James Palmer, visited Peterborough City Hospital on Monday 17 July.

He was invited by Chairman Rob Hughes to meet with CEO Stephen Graves and Deputy CEO Caroline Walker to hear about the merger and to discuss how we can work together in the future.

While he was at Peterborough City Hospital, Mayor Palmer visited Ward A9, which specialises in care for our elderly patients and was given a tour of the ward

by Ward Manager Jayne Warburton.

Mayor James Palmer with Stephen Graves, Jayne Warburton and Rob Hughes.

Student superheroes cheer up children on Amazon Ward A group of students from Kings Lynn dressed as superheroes and Disney characters spent time with children on Amazon Ward at Peterborough City Hospital, sharing laughter and gifts.

The students, who have been working hard on a community project called the National Citizens Service, worked together as a team for three weeks to see how much they could give back to the community.

They fundraised £500 in just two days by holding a cake sale, tombola and an online fundraising page, before buying their

Improvements to car parking In response to feedback from patients, visitors and staff, a number of improvements have been made to the car park system at Peterborough City Hospital.

To ease congestion on site, following advice from travel experts, the direction of travel has been reversed in the staff multi-story car park as well as Car Park E (located opposite the renal unit). Relocated motorcycle spaces have now been created opposite Cavell Close (located next to the Robert Horrell Unit).

In the main atrium two more payment machines which will accept payment by card have been installed to reduce the queues during peak visiting times and make life easier for visitors.

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costumes and presents for the children on the ward.

16 students travelled via bus from Kings Lynn to Peterborough to join the Amazon Play Team on the ward, dressed as characters including Disney princesses Elsa and Ana, Alice in Wonderland, Dorothy, Teenage Mutant Turtles, Superman, Batman and Captain America.

Erika Anskaityte, from the National Citizens Service, said: “Visiting Amazon Ward was a once in a lifetime experience.

It was so lovely to see the influence we had when visiting the children during their

time in hospital. It was very rewarding to see the children smile and reminded us of how good it feels to donate our time to help others.”

Zoe Wilkinson, Play Team Specialist, said: “The students really have worked very hard on this project and have provided great entertainment for the children. We were very impressed with how much care and consideration had gone into making their costumes as authentic as possible.

We would like to say thank you on behalf of the team here on Amazon Ward for their kind donations.”

Homebirth workshops available at Peterborough City Hospital Women who are considering a homebirth will now have the opportunity to meet and speak with a team of midwives, who can help and guide them on the options that are available to them.

The ‘Homebirth Workshops’ are an informal way of exploring the homebirth choice with a community midwife to ensure that all women are aware of the support provided.

These workshops will be based in the antenatal clinics at Peterborough City Hospital from 10am to 12 noon on: • 7 October • 9 December

Hinchingbrooke volunteer receives award A valued member of the Hinchingbrooke Hospital volunteer team has received a highly commended award for Adult Learning and Skills after overcoming his confidence and self-esteem issues.

Chris Young, 28, who has mild learning difficulties, approached Switch Now, a community organisation dedicated to supporting young adults with learning difficulties or disabilities, in December 2016.

At the time Chris had very little social interaction which was impacting on his physical, mental health and wellbeing. After a few meetings Chris was introduced to the possibility of volunteering at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

With support from the volunteer services team and the staff on the wards, Chris has embraced volunteering and is making a difference to the patient experience by being an added resource on the wards.

Chris initially volunteered one day a week carrying out administration tasks for three wards; this has increased his confidence to a level where he now also volunteers on the main reception desk, greeting visitors to the Trust.

In July Chris proudly received a highly commended award for Adult Learning and Skills which was presented at the #BeInspired event, hosted by Cambridge County Council at Ely College.

Barry Pridmore, Volunteer Manager at the Trust said: “Volunteering makes a real difference to people, none more so than the volunteers themselves.

Chris has clearly highlighted how volunteering can have a positive impact on your own health and wellbeing and hopes his volunteer experience will lead to employment opportunities in the future.”

Catherine Fairholm from Switch Now said: “Chris said to me when I mentioned that he seemed happier that is was down to the work at the hospital, jwhich is just fantastic.”

Nicky Griffin, Outpatient Services Lead Midwife said: “We want to make sure that women are provided with as much information as possible, so that they can be assured that support is available for them wherever they choose to give birth, be that at home or in hospital.

These workshops are a good opportunity for our community midwives to meet with you and answer any questions that you might have.”

Author publishes second book on local history Author Margaret Brewster worked first at the District and then the City hospital from 2002 until she retired in 2015. She began as a health care assistant, through to ward clerk and then worked in the Oncology department reception.

Her second book, ‘A Collection of Oundle Families’ follows her first book ‘Woodstone 1841 to 2009’, and is a great reference source for local family historians.

It tells of families from Oundle through the census years, many of whom had lived in Oundle since the 18th century, and some even before that. A section is included telling of the experiences of Oundle soldiers and a lighthearted section of fascinating snippets from the newspapers linked to the people of Oundle.

Part of the proceeds of the sale of each book will be donated to Volunteer Action Oundle and Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, Peterborough.

Contact Margaret Brewster at Margaret.brewster@btinternet.com

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Gracefully Uncovered patients Former patients of the Breast Unit at Peterborough City Hospital have produced a Calendar Girls style publication called Gracefully Uncovered, the proceeds of which will be split between the Breast Unit and Cancer Research UK. Michelle Davenport arranged all of the suppliers and led the ladies in their journey of fun, while she was undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy and 2 operations.

Speaking about the calendar Michelle said: “We took our clothes off and showed cancer that no matter what it has put us through physically and mentally we are still beautiful inside and out, along with showing other cancer survivors that anything is possible.”

Consultant Medical Oncologist, Dr Karen McAdam said ‘The treatment that the ladies have all endured has been very tough and raising awareness of this issue is vital to so many lives. The effort they have all put in to produce a really professional looking calendar is wonderful’.

The calendar has already sold a number of copies. You can get your hands You can get your hands on a copy at www.gracefullyuncovered.bigcartel.com

An unusual ultrasound treatment Consultant radiologist, Roger Moshy and his team have performed what may well be a world-first in ultrasound procedures, at Peterborough City Hospital! Roger carried out an aspiration on a terminally ill patient using special ultrasound contrast agents - a technique not yet commonly used in this country.

“Within the UK, Peterborough was one of the first centres to begin using ultrasound contrast agents,” says Roger. “In the last 15 years new developments in technology have allowed us to use injectable chemicals during ultrasound to help obtain a clearer image - these are called contrast agents. About 13 years ago we put a team together and we now teach other colleagues from around the country how to use these agents most effectively in diagnostics and treatment.”

The contrast agents are extensively used in heart and vascular studies and in the main ultrasound department they are used in the liver for diagnostics. They have also recently been licensed to be used in some renal studies and for paediatric use.

“The procedure basically involves us using the dye-type agent when we are scanning a patient and this allows the scans to be more easily read and for the images to be much clearer,” says Roger. “They can also be used

for therapeutic benefit too, as in the case of this particular procedure.”

A terminally ill cancer patient was in extreme discomfort with a tumour in their abdomen. The tumour was inoperable and therefore couldn’t be removed but Roger came up with the an idea that would relieve the immediate pressure and discomfort this was causing. “The way to treat tumours like this case is to aspirate the fluid inside so that it decreases in size and stops pressing on other internal organs,” says Roger.

“However, if the tumour is divided into compartments then it’s not so simple and the procedure will be much more complicated, perhaps needing multiple needle insertions with each one adding risk to the patient. We decided to perform the aspiration under ultrasound to direct the needle into the right place using contrast agents.”

There are further plans for the ultrasound team to continue to develop this method, with the possibility of delivering drugs directly to a problem area by mixing them with contrast agent and using ultrasound imaging. Recently there has been a breakthrough with a pancreatic carcinoma being treated this way. Roger says, “Peterborough is proud of being at the forefront of this technique and will remain so as things develop.”

Colour-coding shake up for oncology day unit The chemotherapy day unit at Peterborough City Hospital has undergone some colourful changes in a bid to help staff identify their patient groups more easily, as well as brighten up the room in general.

“Everyone in the unit loves the new chairs,” says Samantha O’Connell, Deputy Sister. “We had some old green recliner chairs that needed replacing and so we decided to put some of the money kindly fundraised

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for our department, to purchase some new ones.”

The idea behind colour coordinating the chairs and nursing trolleys is that it makes it easier for patients to know which ‘team’ they belong to and where to come in and find a seat when they arrive for their treatment. Previously the teams, which are formed depending on what type of chemotherapy a patient requires, were separated by a small coloured square on the curtain rail which was hard

to see clearly and often confused patients as all the chairs were the same colour green.

“We thought using vibrantly coloured chairs would help make the room feel brighter and lighter which we hope enhances the patient experience,” says Samantha. “It can be a daunting and scary time coming in for chemotherapy but we try our utmost to keep the atmosphere welcoming and optimistic.”

Patients who are currently

receiving treatment have given positive feedback so far, reporting they found the day unit to be a cheerier place to attend despite the reasons for having to visit.

Ward assessment scheme continues Last year, the Trust launched a new internal ward assessment and accreditation scheme called CREWS at the Peterborough and Stamford hospitals. This month, this will be rolled out to Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

This scheme is aligned to the five Care Quality Commission (CQC) key lines of enquiry: Caring, Responsive, Effective, Well-led and Safe.

Each ward area will undergo an assessment by a clinical team, following which a report will be collated and a rating will be accredited of either: Inadequate, Requires Improvement, Good or Outstanding (CREWS status).

The ward team will then be required to meet the recommendations suggested and will undergo a re-assessment within specified timeframes.

Patients and relatives will be notified by a poster display outside the ward area which will advise that the area has undergone an assessment, the key recommendations highlighted for action and the date the reassessment will take place.

Iris Quirolo and Dr Richard Griffiths

Professorship for ground breaking anaesthetist Richard Griffiths, Consultant Anaesthetist at Peterborough City Hospital, has been awarded the prestigious Featherstone Professorship by the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

The Featherstone Professorship is awarded to practising clinicians and scientists who have made a substantial contribution to anaesthesia and its related subspecialties.

Richard was awarded in recognition of his work in investigating and promoting perioperative medicine for older people. He was lucky to arrive in Peterborough in 1996 when the Peterborough hip fracture unit was being established. Richard has a particular passion for older people’s healthcare and relished the opportunity to work with Martyn Parker.

Richard has promoted spinal anaesthesia

without sedation for repair of hip fractures and this technique is becoming popular throughout the NHS. As well as pioneering new methods of anaesthesia, Richard has been instrumental in spreading good practice, not only working with NICE but also setting up the NHS Hip Fracture Perioperative Network. He says that he is very grateful to the hospital for its support and encouragement in freeing his time to allow him to spread best practice across the NHS. “The Professorship is the crown of my career”, says Richard. “It has been such a pleasure to work in a developing field with such inspirational people and to see care for older people advance and improve. I hope we will have left a legacy for a new generation of healthcare professional professionals to carry on our work”.

This scheme is an example of Outstanding Patient Experience which is one of the five workstreams that underpin the Trust’s G2O (Good to Outstanding) programme.

Butterflies and angels garden A new garden for bereaved families has been created at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, thanks to the generosity of Cooperative Funeral Services, the Wyevale Garden Centre, staff and volunteers.

The garden is a calm space for relatives who are faced with the difficult and challenging times a bereavement brings. It offers a peaceful area for families and friends to spend a moment of quiet reflection and remembrance.

Bereavement Services at Hinchingbrooke would like to thank everyone involved in creating the garden.

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Membership news

See how your local hospitals are run Did you know that you can attend our monthly meetings of the Trust Board of Directors?

These sessions are held in public and this means that whether you are a member of the Trust or not, you can attend to hear updates on all aspects of how our hospitals are run. This includes reports on care quality, operational performance and how we manage the costs of providing acute care services to our growing population. Visitors to the meeting can also pose questions to the board members at the end of the meeting.

Board meetings are held in rotation at each of our three hospital sites. Here are the details for the remainder of 2017: • 26 September, 1.30pm, Board Room, Level 4, Management Suite, Peterborough City Hospital • 31 October, 1.30pm, New Meeting Hall, Stamford Hospital • 28 November, 1.30pm, Partnership Suite, Education Centre, Hinchingbrooke Hospital • 19 December, 1.30pm, Board Room, Level 4, Management Suite, Peterborough City Hospital

Trust congratulated

by Secretary of State The Trust received 95% on the Friends and Family Test for May which is an improvement on the previous scores.

To mark the improvement the Trust received a letter from Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health, congratulating the staff for their hard work in achieving this result.

An extract from the letter read: “The Trust is a real example to others, demonstrating how to improve performance in a short space of time and ensure that your patients get the care that they deserve…I know the immense amount of work that will have been behind this outcome cannot be underestimated. This improvement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Trust’s staff. The service they give makes a real difference to the lives of many of the area’s sickest and most vulnerable patients.”

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Governor Fact File Trish Mason - Public Governor Where are you from?

“I spent my childhood in Stamford and was born at Stamford Hospital. I remember having my tonsils removed there, aged five.”

What is your background?

“I trained as a nurse at Leicester Royal Infirmary, specialising in gynaecology and orthopaedics and worked at Luton & Dunstable, Blackpool Victoria and Stamford Hospitals.

I lived in Madrid for six years, where I was president of the British Ladies Association of some 200 members.

We raised around £20,000 a year for Spanish charities, including an orphanage and a Leper colony. I then worked for the British Red Cross West Sussex Medical Loan Services.”

Trish now lives at Easton on the Hill and has been a volunteer at Stamford Hospital for the past ten years, where she is responsible for book donations.

What do you like about being a Public Governor?

“I’m passionate about Stamford Hospital. I was a partner governor representing the Friends to start with, and then asked to apply to become a public governor. I’m really enjoying the role because it means I can have a say in what happens, for example I now sit on the Stamford Hospital Redevelopment Project Board. I think it’s really good that each hospital within the Trust has its own governors.

My aim is to ensure Stamford is well represented.” Trish also sits on the ‘Friends’ committee.

What do you do out of hours?

“I love reading, gardening, listening to classical and Country & Western music, and walking my spaniel, Freddie.”

Did you know? The Friends of Stamford Hospital raises £3,000 a year just from the sale of its 50p books!

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