staff magazine | Summer 2016
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust @LTHTrust
Contents
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4 Adult Therapies CSU recognises success 6 Sumaiyah and Girl Guide friends raise money for CF ward 9 Leeds patient celebrates 40 years since kidney transplant 11 Clinical Trials Day a huge success across Trust 13 International partnership goes from strength to strength 5
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Children’s allergy passport improves care
Emergency Departments win prestigious award
14 An unsung hero: meet Linda Robinson-Norfolk 16 New transfusion service launched at Wharfedale 19 LTHT Endocrinology team wow national conference
12 Trust pain team introduces new, collaborative approaches
17 LCHTV launched at Children’s Hospital
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My Job: Sunil Nila
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Farewell
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60 Seconds: Lewis Hands
Bulletin is produced quarterly by the Communications Department. Photography by Medical Illustration Design by Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd Send your feedback, ideas and suggestions for the next edition to communications.lth@nhs.net or call exts. 67381/66494/66244. Copy deadline is 17 August 2016 For more news on a daily basis from LTHT please follow us on social media:
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Leeds consultant solves medieval mystery
Former nurse Enid Winkley visits Jimmy’s
search for ‘Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’
@LTHTrust
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Leeds Rhinos and Children’s Hospital team up to tackle hand hygiene The Leeds Rhinos joined forces with staff at the Children’s Hospital to ensure everyone keeps it clean and washes their hands. Hand hygiene is crucial in avoiding the spread of infection and keeping children and young people safe. The Rhinos came along to support a week-long campaign to raise its profile at the Hospital. Player Adam Cuthbertson – the club’s Ambassador working to support Leeds Children’s Hospital - and the club’s mascot Ronnie the Rhino attended a special event in the Hospital’s Clarendon wing to show their support and add some sporting razzmatazz to the proceedings. This included judging a children’s poster competition with a “wash your hands” theme. The Giggle Doctors also came along and there were activities including the chance to look at bug-causing organisms which live on the hands under a microscope. Matron Rachel Hollis organised many of the week’s activities and said: “This is such an important issue which requires some very basic but important precautions each
and every time to ensure everyone visiting our wards has clean hands to help keep infection at bay.
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Mum, Becky Hughes and her son Elliot (aged 3) using one of the Parent Pagers with Leeds Children’s Hospital Recovery Nurses Sam Turnbull & Donna Longstaff
‘Parent Pagers’ improve recovery experience at Children’s Hospital
“Staff, visitors and our young patients all have an important part to play in keeping the hospital safe – it is a real team effort, which is why it is great to have the support of the Rhinos in ensuring we quite literally constantly tackle this issue.”
As a quality improvement initiative, the Children’s Post-Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU) team at Leeds Children’s Hospital have started trialling the use of ‘Parent Pagers’ in operating theatres to ensure parents know exactly when they are needed after their child’s surgery.
Adam Cuthbertson said: “Myself and the whole team are huge supporters of the work of Leeds Children’s Hospital and I am very pleased to be our Ambassador in this partnership. I wanted to come along to support this important issue and show that hand hygiene should be a priority. The hospital cares for some very poorly youngsters and it is important everyone keeps them safe by not bringing germs into hospital on their hands.”
Gogs Byrn, charge nurse on the unit, developed the idea as part of a Mary Seacole NHS leadership programme. He commented: “Parent Pagers offer parents or carers a sense of reassurance and freedom of movement to go to the hospital cafe, have a comfort break etc. while their child is in surgery.
The event underlines a growing partnership between the Leeds Rhinos Foundation and Leeds Children’s Hospital in which these two great local institutions are working together to provide mutual support and highlight issues of particular importance to children and young people’s health and development.
“Using mobile phones can be problematic as the signals can be unreliable in the Children’s Hospital and some parents may not have them, so the pagers are a better way of contacting parents once their child has woken up from their operation. “The pagers also help guarantee that parents are close by when needed meaning they can be quickly reunited with their child in Recovery, providing reassurance for both. “So far the feedback has been really positive, with parents saying how much of a benefit the pagers are and how easy they are to use, as they work in a similar way to the pagers commonly used in restaurants.” Gogs and the PACU team hope to roll out Parent Pagers to the parents of all children undergoing surgery in the Leeds Children’s Hospital in the next few months. It’s hoped that this innovative system will benefit the thousands of young patients who undergo an operation in Leeds each year. Funding for the project was generously provided by the Leeds Children’s Hospital Appeal, with PACU Nurses contributing to the fundraising by selling pies to their hungry co-workers!
Adam Cuthbertson and Ronnie the Rhino with the Giggle Doctors and Leeds Children’s Hospital staff at the hand hygiene event
Help and advice was also provided by Dr Avanish Tantry and staff on the CAT (Children’s Assessment and Treatment) Unit who have trialled pagers in their busy clinics.
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The Leeds City Museum was packed with over 200 members of staff from the CSU attending
Adult Therapies celebrate f awards evening In April over 200 staff from the Adult Therapies Clinical Support Unit (CSU) came together at the Leeds City Museum for their annual awards evening, recognising the very best of what their teams deliver. The awards celebrated those members of staff who work across the Trust as part of the CSU, which oversees Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Chaplaincy, Psychology, Dietetics, Foot Health, Speech Therapy and Prosthetics, Orthotics and Wheelchair Services. Chief Executive Julian Hartley, Chief Nurse Suzanne Hinchliffe and Director of HR
Dean Royles joined staff for the wonderful evening, which really showcased the tremendous contribution that this CSU makes to patients and the Trust every day. On the evening 12 awards were handed out in a range of categories designed to demonstrate the diversity of work that the CSU covers. Jo Bewley, General Manager for Adult Therapies, said: “The awards were a great opportunity for staff from across the CSU to get together with colleagues, celebrate their achievements over the past year and share their
Staff from across Adult Therapies came together to recognise their success
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many successes. Over the course of the evening we saw all areas of the wideranging CSU receive recognition for the excellent care that has been provided across the Trust. “It was a real demonstration of our values The Leeds Way - in action!” Chief Nurse Suzanne Hinchliffe added: “It was an absolutely fabulous evening and a real chance to commend the hard work and efforts of Allied Health Professionals and support staff within the CSU. I look forward to seeing where the next year will take Adult Therapies.”
The Chaplaincy team won the award for Service Improvement
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Allergy passport launched at Children’s Hospital Leeds Children’s Hospital has launched a new interactive “allergy passport” to help improve the experience for young people attending its allergy clinics. The Allergy Adventures Passport Pack has been specially designed to help parents and carers explain to children what will happen on the day of their visit to the allergy clinic, thereby helping to reduce anxiety levels. It also helps the medical team to introduce an element of fun into the clinic and is a useful distraction during painful procedures.
fantastic The winners on the evening were:
Around 2000 children and young people from across West Yorkshire attend the allergy clinics at Leeds Children’s Hospital annually. There are 10 clinics every week, supported by a small team of specialist nurses and consultants. Brenda deWitt, Children’s Allergy and Immunology Nurse Specialist at the Children’s Hospital, said: “We are really thrilled to be rolling out the new passport across our clinics and hope it will make a big difference to the experience of young patients and help reduce anxiety for both children and their parents.
“We know that for many children coming to hospital can be quite a scary experience, and we want to make a visit more bearable and the patient journey through the clinic more fun. The passports are colourful and really well designed, and youngsters will be able to see where they are going and collect a passport stamp at each stage as well as a certificate at the end. “The passport also introduces ‘allergy friends’ - who also suffer from allergies - to help guide the children through the various parts of the day and help show them that they are not alone and there are many different allergies young people can have.” The allergy passport is the brainchild of Hailey Phillips from Allergy Adventures, who has been gradually introducing it in hospitals across the UK. She explained: “My aim is to help children with food allergies to have the Allergy Adventures’ Passport Pack launched in Leeds Children’s Hospital is fantastic. It’s great to know this initiative will not only help ease children’s anxiety but give them something fun to focus on during their allergy appointments.”
Patient Engagement - Dr Chris Bulmer - Psychology Unsung Hero - Alan Bass - Physiotherapy Team of the Year - Physiotherapy in Elderly Medicine - Julie Isaac / Julie Roberts / Michelle Thompson Service Improvement - Adam Clayton, Chaplaincy Clinician of the Year - Emma Noble Support Worker of the Year - John Westmoreland Collaborative Working - Tina Heath - OT Quality and Safety - Stroke SLT Team - Clair Hick / Jennifer Thomson / Helen McDonald Researcher of the Year - Begonya Alcacer-Pitcarcy, Podiatry Research and Audit - Denise Ross, Physiotherapy Research Group Leader of the Year - Lynn George Administrator of the Year - Suzanne Elmslie
Shown with the new passports are (back row l-r) Dr Aida Semic-Jusufagic , Roisin O’Kane and Dr Donald Hodge; (front row l-r) Brenda deWitt, Hailey Phillips and Rachel Oller
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Girl Guides raise cash for Cystic Fibrosis at Children’s Hospital Leeds Children’s Hospital patient Sumaiyah Kamal and her Girl Guide friends were given a big ‘thank you’ after raising a grand total of £441.76 to be split between ward L30 and the Cystic Fibrosis clinic! Sumaiyah, who has cystic fibrosis and is a regular inpatient on L30, helped raise the cash at a fundraising morning at the Salvation Army in Morley. She organised the event with her 13th Morley Guides group as part of her Young Leadership project - where Guides have to show teamwork and working together. The morning included a meet and greet with Elsa and Olaf from Frozen, refreshments, a nail artist and various stalls including hook a duck, and guess the name of the teddy! Guide leader Shaniee Pickering and her daughter, Olivia, who also attends Guides came to visit Sumaiyah in hospital and hand over the money to the ward. L30 Play Leader, Tracey Martin said: “It was wonderful to see Sumaiyah raise this money for the ward and the clinic, helping many other young people living with Cystic Fibrosis across Leeds. Her leadership skills really shone through when she organised the amazing fundraising morning.” Shaniee added: “I am really proud of Sumaiyah and all of the Girl Guides for their efforts. It’s good to know that the money raised will be used for such a good cause!”
The team celebrate their success
Hyper-acute Stroke Research and Paediatric Research recruits 1000th patient Every year, thousands of people volunteer to take part in clinical studies, trials and research being conducted at LTHT. Research can help to improve the care the Trust provides here in Leeds and development of medicines and techniques within LTHT ensures that the hospitals can offer some of the very latest treatments, sometimes impacting on healthcare across the globe.
“I am really proud of all of the hard work of the team.”
The Trust works with partners locally, nationally and internationally on studies looking at a huge spectrum of medical science. Sumaiyah and friends celebrate with staff on the ward
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Recently, the Hyper-acute Stroke Research and Paediatric Research teams recruited their 1000th patient
to a study looking at procedures called ‘shunts’. The purpose of the trial is to find out which particular device is best for patients having these operations. These simple valve mechanisms help to remove liquid on the brain in cases of a condition called hydrocephalus. Surgeons, Mr John Goodden, Mr Ian Anderson and Mr Kenan Deniz joined research staff Mary Kambafwile, Janet Clark, Linetty Makawa and Helen Radford to celebrate this success. This study has been a real collaborative effort and demonstrates the passion of staff for high-quality, high-profile clinical research here in Leeds. Helen said: “We’d like to thank all of the amazing participants in this study who are helping us to improve patient experiences within Neurosciences. Only through research and trials such as this can we ensure that we are providing the best possible care. “I am really proud of all of the hard work of the team and hope that we will continue to build upon the success we have seen so far.”
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Ward staff become Nutrition and Hydration Champions In order to improve patient care, the Trust Nutrition and Hydration Care Steering Group has launched a brand new ‘Nutrition Champions’ initiative to be piloted within the Neurosciences Clinical Service Unit.
• action planning for improvements
The project, led by Rachel Carter, aims to improve the nutritional and hydration care of patients in LTHT by learning and sharing from experts and each other.
Jo Regan, Neurosciences Head of Nursing, and Caroline Dunn, Matron, joined in at the start of the day to lend their support for the project and thank the Champions for signing up to the role.
Nutrition Champions will support LTHT in achieving its local standards which in turn will support adherence to regulatory standards. The pilot mirrors work established by Leeds City Council where champions are being utilised to improve the nutritional and hydration care in community, social and non-acute healthcare settings. The launch came in the form of a special study day event, which was attended by nurses and clinical support workers from neurosurgery, neurology and stroke wards. The event was the first of a series and focussed on the topic of ‘supporting and enabling’ patients to eat and drink. The study day included: • teaching sessions • staff ‘observing and reviewing mealtime practice’ on their own wards • group working to consider how current practice at mealtimes compared with Trust standards
Nominated staff are now working in their areas as Nutrition Champions and act as a liaison between the wards and dietitians.
Rachel Carter, Senior Specialist Dietitian/Nutrition Education Lead, said: “It was great to see so much enthusiasm from the ward staff about the event and the launch of Nutrition Champions. It was clear that everyone understood the importance of patients eating well and being properly hydrated in care and were keen to identify and make key changes to improve the nutritional care of patients on their ward.” Three further study days are planned and if the pilot project is successful, there will be a plan to roll out the initiative to help ensure all Trust patients can benefit from having a Nutrition Champions on their ward. Jo Regan said: “There was lots of positive feedback about the event, which with staff better understanding how they can contribute to improving experiences and recovery time for patients through good nutrition and hydration care.”
Staff from Patient Services model the new uniforms which come in a distinctive purple
New uniform helps Patient Services to stand out! Patient Services staff across the Trust now have brand new uniforms, helping patients and members of the public to identify them and giving the teams a real identity. Rolled out initially for Patient Administration and Medical Records staff, the implementation of the uniform followed a series of staff engagement events in 2015. Teams within the department agreed that an identity was important to promote their services and delivery of their services to patients. It also helped create a consistent approach within the Trust, given that other professions have worn uniforms for many years. The tasks carried out by Patient Administration staff are varied and are highly visible within the hospitals. The Trust, through the support of Finance Director Tony Whitfield, is committed to providing staff with the right tools to carry out their role to the best of their ability and this includes providing a suitable uniform to allow them to do it. All clerical officers, reception staff, medical records library staff, including supervisors, site managers and service managers in Patient Administration and Health Records will have the opportunity to wear the new uniforms. Andrea Burnell, Service Manager, said: “The new uniforms have been really well-received by staff and patients alike. By opting for a distinctive purple colour palette, our staff can be easily identified working across the Trust. “All of the work developing the uniform has taken place in full consultation with teams and following engagement events to seek out views from staff. It is great to be able to finally see all of these efforts paying off.”
Staff from a number of Neurosciences wards were nominated to become Nutrition Champions
James Gledhill, Receptionist on E floor Jubilee Wing, added: “I really like the new uniform and wear it each day with pride. Since its introduction, I feel like I am more part of the wider team working at LTHT and have a much clearer identity as Patient Services staff.”
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Emergency Departments win prestigious care award The Urgent Care team celebrated success after winning at the prestigious CHKS healthcare awards. Representatives from the Emergency Departments (EDs) at St James’s and the LGI attended a glitzy award ceremony in London. The teams came top in the new “Excellence in delivering 24-7 emergency care” category, against some tough competition. The judges were unanimous in their decision, highlighting in particular the fantastic demonstration of effective team working, lack of hierarchy between team members and the clear and shared ownership from all staff in the management and delivery of exceptional patient care. The award was handed out following an evaluation including waiting times, the percentage of patients treated within four hours and weekend performance. Judges from CHKS visited both EDs to see how clinical teams have maintained access to and the quality of emergency care.
Staff from Urgent Care celebrate their success on the night
General Manager for Urgent Care, Rob Armstrong said: “LTHT has some of the busiest Emergency Departments in the country, so it’s a great achievement to win this award.
“This is real recognition for the huge efforts the team has made, ensuring that we are looking after our patients in a timely fashion and offering the best possible service.”
Patient Experience event improves community links Community events are really important for the Trust in helping to ensure the needs of different patient groups are met. Recently, staff from the LTHT Patient Experience team attended a special health day in Chapeltown. The event, which was organised by Liz Bailey (Health and Wellbeing Improvement Manager from Office of the Director of Public Health), took place at the Reginald Centre in Chapeltown and looked how healthcare organisations can engage with different communities within Leeds.
The patient experience team went along to showcase the different services available within the Trust and explain how LTHT can accommodate people from diverse backgrounds. It was also an opportunity to put people’s minds at ease about coming into hospital and was a chance to listen to what members of the public had to say and respond to any questions they may have. Councillor Jane Dowson, opening the event, made reference to the importance of patient involvement and engagement with healthcare providers, and remarked on the improved communication she had seen in recent times between patients and the Leeds healthcare community. During her opening address she commented on LTHT’s display banners, saying she thought it summed up how healthcare provision should be shaped in the future.
Staff from the Patient Experience team attended the event in Chapeltown
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The Patient Experience team were able to talk to members of the local community about a wide range of hospital and health
related subjects including: • The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS); and how to raise a concern • The Friends and Family Test (FFT); and how to leave feedback • Interpreting services that are available as a patient if your first language is not English • John’s Campaign - working in partnership with carers Alun Pymer, Deputy Patient, Carer and Public Involvement Manager, said: “It was great to be able to get out into the community, finding out more about how we can meet health needs across Leeds. This work is really important to ensure that the Trust, as an organisation, can continue to provide the very best possible patient experience. “Following the success of this event, it is hoped a similar event can be arranged in Harehills later in the year. The Patient Experience team will be encouraging other teams from LTHT to attend and promote their services to our communities.”
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Women’s Health Day a great success Following on from the successful LTHT Men’s Health Day, aimed at men with Learning Disabilities living in Yorkshire, the Trust proudly launched its first Women’s Health Day in Spring. The event was opened by Christine Talbot, from ITV’s Calendar, and also featured on the programme later that evening. Susan Hanley from Leep1 and Margaret Pearson, Tania Woodhouse, Sapphire Malcolm, Tash Wright and Annabel Park – the Trust’s Get Me Better Champions – coordinated the event. They showed Chief Nurse Suzanne Hinchliffe and Chief Medical Officer Yvette Oade
around some of the rooms at the event. The event was supported and facilitated by Sadie
Dunne, Lead Nurse Learning Disabilities, LTHT staff and partner organisations. Sadie said: “It was great to
Ladies with learning disabilities came together for this great health initiative
see so many organisations working together to support women with a learning disability. It was a great day and helped many women with learning disabilities to learn about how to look after their own health issues in a safe and fun environment. “Over 70 ladies attended the event and the feedback from community services has been really positive. Some ladies have visited their GP to ask for more information about how to look after themselves and have shared what they learned at the event with their friends.”
Leeds patient celebrates 40 years since kidney transplant Leeds renal transplant recipient Ian Harrison celebrated four decades of living with a donated kidney by returning to St James’s – the hospital where his transplant took place. An engraved pewter goblet was presented to Ian by Dr Chas Newstead, Consultant Nephrologist, to celebrate his 40-year post renal transplant anniversary. Ian received the kidney from his mum as a 27-year-old on March 16 1976.
“It was wonderful to be able to celebrate this remarkable milestone with Ian.” A small presentation took place in Renal outpatients for Ian along with fellow renal transplant patients, his wife Bronwyn, outpatient staff nursing and medical staff. Ian said: “I believe I am one of the luckiest men in the world. I have been in the right place at the right time and have been fortunate to have had some wonderful medical staff to care
Mr Harrison with his wife, Bronwyn, and staff at St James’s celebrating 40 years since his transplant
for me, some of whom have become good friends.
do what the medical staff tell you to do it’s working for me!”
“In the early days I was under the care of the brilliant Professor Giles and my good friend, Professor Davidson. I couldn’t have been any luckier. My story continues today and the treatment I am receiving at St James’s is second to none.
Andrea Rhodes, Post Renal Transplant Clinical Nurse Specialist, added: “It was wonderful to be able to celebrate this remarkable milestone with Ian. It has been amazing to see the organ continue to function so well until this day.
“My advice to anyone receiving such a wonderful gift of life of a transplant organ is to be grateful to the donor and
“At LTHT we offer support throughout the lives of patients following procedures such as transplants, with regular check-ups.”
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Training partnership with Malta goes from strength to strength In May, the Department of Medical Physics and Engineering waved goodbye for the last time to the nine Maltese trainee medical physicists who have now completed their work-based training scheme in Leeds. The first group of six trainees arrived in July 2013 for a 22-month placement at the Trust as part of a jointly funded venture by the European Social Fund and the Maltese Government to expand the profession of medical physics in Malta. LTHT won the contract on the basis of its long experience of training medical physicists. However, it was necessary to tailor the training to suit Malta’s requirements bearing in mind that the training syllabi were designed to cover the wide variety of equipment and techniques found around the world. In order to aid the training, additional equipment was purchased, including a radiotherapy planning system which was identical to the new system to be used in Malta and also dedicated test equipment for quality assurance measurements. The staff at LTHT also jointly supervised their Masters (MSc) research projects, part of their academic training with the University of Malta, which were chosen
to have a state-of-the-art clinical research element that would be directly useful to the trainees on their return to Malta. In addition to the training, the students were keen to explore the British countryside, and regularly consulted the members of the department for ideas for social activities and walking routes. Snow was greeted with delight, but the insistence on summer clothes being necessary just because it was July was met with disbelief when it was only 16 degrees outside. The first cohort was independently assessed by portfolio and viva voce by the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine with a 100% pass rate. The second cohort of nine arrived 12 months after the first, which resulted in a total of six radiotherapy physicists, four nuclear medicine physicists and five diagnostic radiology physicists returning to Malta. Accommodating 15 Maltese medical physicist trainees and 12 British medical physics trainees on two different training schemes was challenging! Contacts made through the training work lead to LTHT successfully tendering for a contract to
Maltese students and LTHT staff have worked hard to ensure success for the partnership
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commission new radiotherapy equipment at the Mater Dei Hospital in Malta, which involved staff from Leeds radiotherapy physics working at the new hospital. This commissioning process showed the expertise of the radiotherapy staff as well as their ability to innovate. Dr Michael Waller, Consultant Clinical Scientist, said: “The team and I here in Leeds are really sorry to see the trainees go, but also incredibly proud of the training we have provided and our participation in this programme as a whole. It has been great to see the Maltese participants develop so well over the past months. “From LTHT’s point of view, we have shown that our expertise can be shared and valued internationally and no doubt the skills and knowledge held throughout LTHT could also find wider application. “Sadly the stream of cakes from the Maltese bakery has ceased, as has the extra-curricular training in Yorkshireisms, but despite the extra pressures this has been a good experience for all those involved.”
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There were lots of opportunities to find out about research at St James’s
International Clinical Trials Day To mark International Clinical Trials Day, research teams from a wide range of specialties working across the Trust showcased their work in a number of events celebrating their successes. One of the key messages shared throughout the day was: ‘OK to Ask,’ which aims to encourage patients to ask about participating in clinical trials and research programmes. This is a vitally important campaign to ensure there are enough volunteers to make clinical studies worthwhile.
“Clinical research has contributed to significant advances in surgery and treatment.”
who were promoting their research into supporting the rare disease registry and another project studying young people with kidney disease under 30. Also present were the Patient Reported Outcomes Group, who are currently developing software for reporting patient symptoms, saving time and allowing patients to have more control over their care. The role of new technology was also shown and a team from surgical research demonstrated how it is changing and enhancing transplant procedures within LTHT. At Chapel Allerton a team working in the Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit presented information
for the public on their research into conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythrematosus (SLE), Sjogren’s Syndrome and scleroderma. They held an open day to showcase their work as well as offering Tai Chi lessons and tours of some of the labs. Debbie Beirne, Leeds Clinical Research Facility Manager said: “Clinical research has contributed to significant advances in surgery and treatment for both patients here in Leeds and across the country. This collaborative approach to research from teams around the Trust provides the specialist knowledge and experience that can change the way that we move forward with healthcare.”
The day was also the tenth anniversary of the creation of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) - the national body which oversees research in the NHS – and recognised its contribution to medical science in the UK. Many of the Trust’s research teams work collaboratively on studies, combining their specialist knowledge and experience to benefit patients and this was on display across LTHT sites. They also work closely with academic partners, including the local universities and other organisations in the health sector to help advance care and treatments. On the day a number of teams came to showcase their work in the Bexley wing. These included the kidney research team,
Research teams at Chapel Allerton were showcasing their amazing work.
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Offering relief: how pain patient experience in Lee Every day LTHT’s pain specialists work with teams across the hospitals to improve relief for people with both acute and chronic pain, helping to develop care pathways suitable for both simple and complex needs. Over recent months the specialist team has been looking at new ways in which they can further improve on how care is delivered and ensure that all patients have the best possible experience while in hospital. A key development has been the implementation of a new data system designed to improve patient safety by ensuring continuity of care through accessibility. This will make it much easier for hospital pain staff to access the records of patients they have seen before. Rayne Horsfall, Pain Management Nurse Specialist Team Leader, said: “The new system helps us to access and retrieve data much more easily and provide patients with much more effective management of their pain. Previously, we would see information not being passed on or cascaded properly, so this is a marked improvement. “This technology, alongside changes in working, means we can really live up to our value of being ‘Patient-Centred’.”
The Pain Management team have been looking at ways to improve care for patients across the Trust
Although the majority of the work carried out by the team is with patients who are in acute pain, usually after surgery, they have also placed a focus on the work they are doing with both patients with complex pain issues and those with cognitive impairment.
A collaborative approach has been taken to ensure ward teams are fully up-to-date with the latest innovations in pain management
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Following discussions with ward colleagues, the team are now offering teaching sessions to help ward staff understand complex and chronic pain more clearly. This is being supported by a new care plan and in-situ advice from the pain nurses. A further development in controlling pain comes in the form of a new assessment tool for patients who cannot self-report pain due to cognitive impairment. This has been created by working collaboratively with the University of Leeds and colleagues from across various specialities involved with patient care. This work has taken place within the Trust following evidence showing that pain in this group of patients is generally not very well managed, and the key to improving the situation is an accurate assessment. Samantha Welsh, Pain Management Clinical Nurse Specialist, said: “The new assessment tool for people affected by cognitive impairment will enable staff to safely and effectively assess and manage pain for this group of patients, improving current practice. The team and I have been the visiting clinical areas that are affected and have been offering education on how to use the tool most effectively with the view to a full Trust-wide implementation. “It can be really difficult to gauge just how pain affects people who may not be able
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nurses are improving the eds hospitals to communicate, so this new tool is a step in the right direction. We hope that this will help to ensure that we can keep our patients as comfortable as possible.” Training and development is at the heart of the work being progressed by the Pain Management team. They have been working on a project with the University of Leeds to offer a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for undergraduates studying pain management across the UK. This is set to be rolled out in early 2017 and will be the first of its kind in this speciality, offering a free resource for health care professionals studying the subject. Samantha added: “We’re really proud of our collaborative work with the University to help improve learning around Pain Management. This MOOC will hopefully be used in education nationally, meaning that LTHT is at the forefront of care.”
Care for patients who cannot self-report pain has improved with the introduction of a new assessment tool
Staff from across the Trust received Long Service awards after years of dedication and hard work
Long Service Awards In April the Trust hosted the Spring Long Service Awards recognising the contribution of longserving staff within LTHT. Chair, Linda Pollard and Chief Executive, Julian Hartley presented nearly 90 awards to staff who have worked continuously for 20, 30 and 40 years. The event was an occasion
to recognise and celebrate the achievements of veteran staff and the contribution they have made to patients over the years. Following the presentation, staff shared their stories over afternoon tea enjoying a cake and a chuckle. Linda said: “I felt privileged to award certificates and pin badges to people who have given such long and
dedicated service to our Trust. With long service comes invaluable experience, which ensures that the Trust can provide expert care for people living right across the region and that knowledge and wisdom is passed on to newer members of staff.” There were nearly 200 people eligible for an award this time and to-date over 2,500 members of staff have
received a certificate and commemorative pin badge since the awards programme was updated last April. Julian added: “I’d like to pass on my sincere thanks and gratitude to all of our long-serving staff for their time and dedication over the years working here at LTHT. It really is an honour each and every day to work in our NHS among such great people.”
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Pip the dog sniffs out diabetes! Earlier this year the Trust welcomed a new canine companion into Leeds Children’s Hospital – its first Medical Detection Dog, who stayed with 13-year-old patient Katie Gregson while she underwent tests for her ongoing Type 1 diabetes and related health issues. Linda with her stall in Clarendon wing reception
Unsung hero Linda is a crafty fundraiser Meet one of the unsung heroes – longstanding fundraiser Linda RobinsonNorfolk, who has a regular Thursday stall in the Clarendon Wing at LGI and can also sometimes be found in the Jubilee Wing. Over the last 12 years, Linda has raised a remarkable £37,000 for LTHT children’s charities through her stall, which sells many items she has lovingly made herself. Most has gone to the Neonatal Unit, but she has also started giving donations to the wards at Leeds Children’s Hospital. These include bags specially designed for new mums, containing a baby mat and no less than 16 storage pockets for all those baby essentials, and available in a range of colourful fabrics. Linda also makes mini-bags so an older sibling can have the same bag as mum. She loves to do crafting in her spare time and also knits baby clothing to sell on the stall, and sells items donated by other people, as well as some ex-chain store clothing and items including decorative charms for the bags. “When I started making the baby bags someone said I should do it as a business, but I decided I wanted to sell them for charity,” Linda explained. “Two of my grandchildren were born in this hospital and I’m a great admirer of the good work the neonatal unit does so I couldn’t wish for a better cause.” Linda, who comes from Drighlington, is helped out by husband John, who transports the items and has also designed special hangers for the popular stall. Matron for the Neonatal Unit, Siobhan Conlin said: “Linda is such a lovely lady and gives up a huge amount of her time to making and selling items to raise money for our unit. She is truly an unsung hero and we want her to know how much we appreciate everything she does to help give our tiny babies the best possible chance.”
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Pip, a lovable border collie, was first acquired by Katie four years ago, and Katie has trained her from scratch and succeeded in getting her fully accredited by Medical Detection Dogs UK after she passed some very stringent tests. Type 1 diabetes is a condition which Katie developed at an early age and causes the loss of insulin production in the body. People with the condition need to have very regular insulin administration by injection or pump, and must have their blood sugar levels constantly monitored. Pip’s talent is a clever use of her acute sense of smell, so she has been trained to notice if Katie’s normal scent changes – an indication that there is a problem with her blood glucose levels, which can fall too low or rise too high, often quite suddenly. Pip’s skill provides valuable early warning of a problem and helps prevent an unexpected hospital visit or stay, so she is a huge part of family life as well as being a much-loved pet and companion. For Katie’s parents, Christine and David, Pip has been a godsend as she provides them with the peace of mind that they can safely rest and rely on her to alert them
Pip the dog with patient Katie and mum Christine
if something unexpected happens in the night. “Before Pip was trained we were always up in the night testing Katie’s blood sugar levels, but now we can enjoy a good night’s sleep,” Christine explained. “If Pip senses something is wrong with Katie her first action is to go and wake one of us – she will push open Katie’s bedroom door, run down the stairs, push open our bedroom door and not rest until she has woken one of us up so we can go and help.” Katie, who comes from Lytham St Anne’s near Blackpool, is a patient of Dr Fiona Campbell and the children’s diabetes team, and needs to come into the hospital for regular check-ups. Now Pip is trained, Katie asked if she could come along in her “official” role, and the hospital team were only too glad to help. Accommodating a dog in a hospital ward isn’t a usual request, but the staff on L40 worked with our Infection Prevention and Control team to assess any risks and ensure appropriate hygiene measures are followed. Katie has a side room and Pip has been a model of good behaviour. “It makes a big difference to me having Pip here and I was so pleased when I heard that the hospital would allow her to stay with me,” Katie said. The lessons learned from Pip’s stay will be used to help the Trust formulate an official hospital policy on Medical Detection Dogs to help future patients with similar needs.
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News
Winners: the Saturday Referral and Booking service
Patient Services celebrate success with glitzy awards ceremony The Patient Services / Outpatients Clinical Service Unit (CSU) held their very own awards ceremony, recognising the very best of what their teams do within the Trust.
On the evening, the winners included: •C luster 5 Referral and Booking Service • L orraine Tennyson, Patient Services & Acute Health Records Team
At the heart of the ceremony were the values of The Leeds Way – the guiding philosophy which has been developed by asking members of staff and key stakeholders about what they believe the Trust stands for – and judging reflected these five principles.
•O utpatient Admin Team, Level 4, Gledhow Wing, St James’s
Staff were invited to the Leeds Irish Centre to come together and celebrate their successes over the past year. Seven awards were handed out to individuals and teams working within the departments.
•A lex Westwood, Clerical Officer, Referral and Booking Service
Staff from across the CSU joined in the celebrations
• S aturday Working, Referral and Booking Service, St James’s •Z oe Brown, Choose and Book, Advice and Guidance, Referral and Booking Service
A very special award, dedicated to the memory to Matron Amanda Dean, was awarded to Judith Shackleton, Senior Sister at the LGI.
Amanda, a Matron in Outpatients, sadly passed away last year after being diagnosed with cancer. Her colleagues took the chance on the evening to celebrate her life and recognise her contribution to the Trust and care of its patients. Karen Ledgard, Head of Nursing, said: “It was an absolutely fabulous evening and a real celebration of everything the CSU has achieved over the past year. I am really proud of everyone for their hard work and effort in living out The Leeds Way. “I am sure we will be looking to repeat and build upon all of the successes we have seen over the coming months and will be working to ensure we are provided the best possible patient care.”
A great evening was had by teams working across the Trust
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Innovative training for medical staff helps improve palliative and end-of-life care The Palliative Care team have made great strides in making training in palliative and end-of-life care accessible for all staff.
Following the successful introduction of palliative and end-of-life care priority training for nurses, allied health professionals and pharmacists last year, the team are now implementing this for senior medical staff. In order to achieve consistently highquality palliative and end-of-life care for patients and their loved ones, the Palliative Care Team have been working with Organisational Learning (OL), to develop a range of learning opportunities, one of which is the new Priority Training package. The emphasis has been on engagement with clinicians in order to make the training as meaningful and relevant as possible, with a range of different subjects offered, so that individuals can choose according to their own learning needs.
The Palliative Care team have been working with Organisational Learning
Dr Suzie Gillon, Consultant in Palliative Medicine said: “As well as all the other palliative care training on-going at LTHT, we are really looking forward to
The new online resources will benefit medical staff working across the Trust
engaging senior decision makers within the Trust in a peer-learning approach, which will hopefully translate to better care for patients and their families.” David Wignall, Organisational Learning Practitioner, said: “The development of these training programmes has been thanks to the collaborative effort between Palliative Care and OL. By listening to members of staff, we have managed to create a number of training opportunities that can be accessed by all staff.”
New regular transfusion service for local patients introduced at Wharfedale Hospital The Day Treatment Unit at Wharfedale Hospital in Otley is expanding its range of services in response to patient feedback. The enhanced service will run regularly on a Friday and will provide
Ian ‘Bomber’ Wilson, a former Town Crier from Weeton, receives a venesection under the careful hand of Staff Nurse Gwen Sayce
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a range of procedures including transfusions (receiving donated blood), venesections (bloodletting, often to reduce high iron levels), infusions, and injections. The service is an initiative in response to patient feedback. Consultant haematologist Dr Graeme Smith noticed that many patients attending his Outpatient clinic at Wharfedale lived locally, and found it inconvenient when referred to other Leeds hospitals for procedures. The new service is tailored specifically to local patients’ needs and provides treatment for various disorders. Gwen Sayce, Staff Nurse from Ward W1, who is involved with developing the project said: “The new service benefits local patients who need regular treatment but don’t want to have to go to St James’ to receive it. By providing regular Friday sessions we release beds elsewhere in the Trust and streamline the process here at Wharfedale, with
(Left to right): Sister Val Wells, Staff Nurse Gwen Sayce, and CSW Claire Sutcliffe
patients referred directly from our Outpatient clinics.” Gwen is keen to point out the flexibility of the service: “We are mindful of busy lifestyles and are committed to maintaining a bespoke service that accommodates patients outside normal hours, as well as on other days of the week as required.” “Some patients can be here for a while - blood transfusions can take up to six hours to complete - but we have comfy reclining chairs, and provide tea and biscuits for everyone. We always make our patients feel welcome, and ensure they’re steady on their feet before they’re sent on their way again.”
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News
Leeds Children’s Hospital TV is first in country
Head of Nursing Ann Stanton delivers a presentation on the exciting introduction of LCHTV!
A new resource to provide an insight into the wards and departments at Leeds Children’s Hospital was launched in the Spring. Leeds Children’s Hospital TV brings together a range of specially-made films made in conjunction with ward staff or sometimes by young people and their families themselves. It is intended to provide accessible, friendly information to help children and families prepare for a visit, explaining what to expect on a ward or during a particular procedure. It also enables feedback from existing patients in a fun, interactive way. Kindly funded by the Leeds Children’s Hospital Appeal, the service is built on expertise already in place through JTV Cancer Support, a service aimed at young people with cancer nationwide, which started at St James’s. Nurse consultant Sue Morgan is one of the driving forces behind the project at Leeds Children’s Hospital. “This is very exciting for us and the first time in the UK a children’s hospital has launched this type of service,” she commented.
“We know coming into hospital can be stressful for young people and their parents, and much of that is about the fear of the unknown. Seeing the friendly faces of our staff, what the wards are like and hearing from youngsters already in hospital will hopefully prove reassuring feedback so far has been really positive.”
“Our hope is that this becomes an excellent and inspiring example of how to ensure user involvement for other hospitals across the UK.” Leeds Children’s Hospital TV is headed up by Mark Wilkinson of Mosaic North, who added: “It’s a very exciting time seeing the model we developed for young cancer patients to share their experiences being utilised in a similar way to now provide resources for all
young people and their families at Leeds Children’s Hospital. Our hope is that this becomes an excellent and inspiring example of how to ensure user involvement for other hospitals across the UK. “Children, young people and their families have the opportunity to create content either through the video booth on the ward or by simply texting to get access to the uploader via smartphone. We feel that not only is this the future of user evaluation and feedback but an exciting way of developing content that can provide a very useful insight into wards, procedures and experiences at Leeds Children’s Hospital.” A significant number of films have already been made ahead of the launch of the project, and these will be added to in the coming year to create a really useful resource about the work of Leeds Children’s Hospital and what our young patients think. They can be found on the following website: www.lchtv.com
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Yorkshire Cancer Research gives Trust a boost with generous donation Leading man: Mr Mathew delivered a talk helping the public to better understand the role of research
Leeds leads the way in annual science festival Staff at the Trust helped celebrate the annual Leeds Festival of Science – now in its 11th year – by inviting people to find out more about research taking place here in Leeds. Around 30 members of the public visited the LISTA (Leeds Institute for Skills Training and Assessment) centre in Chancellor’s wing at St James’s to get a hands-on experience of surgery and find out more about research to combat cancer.
Earlier in the year, a local charity donated over £200,000 to fund a team based at St James’s carrying out an important study into the patient experiences of people living with lung cancer. The money was raised by Yorkshire Cancer Research (YCR), which funds research focused on tackling cancer across the Yorkshire region. At St James’s the team, led by Professor Galina Velikova, are looking into patient experiences following surgical and radiotherapy treatments
for early stages of nonsmall cell lung cancer. The study involves monitoring patients following focussed radiotherapy to the lung tumour (known as Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy SABR) - with the crucial support of Dr Kevin Franks - and those who have undergone surgery for early stages of lung cancer to see how quality of life is affected. Around 300 people will be recruited to take part in the study, which is being led by the team in Leeds. Once complete, it
The event was led by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and incorporated talks by Mr Ryan Mathew, a Neurosurgeon at LTHT, and Andy Wilson from CRUK. The pair delivered fascinating talks about cancer, surgery and what the public can do to minimise their risk of developing certain cancers.
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In the study, the team aims to find any correlation between clinical history and changes in quality of life after lung cancer treatments. They will detect changes in daily quality of life before and through all the first year after treatments. This will help clinicians to better understand how patients can be involved in making an informed choice before treatment. Professor Velikova said: “This work will make an appreciable difference for our patients here at the Leeds Cancer Centre. It will mean that our doctors will be much better placed to offer good advice prior to treatments. “The study is planned to last around three years and will involve several hundred patientvolunteers taking part. Once complete we aim to share our learning with colleagues across the NHS.”
The LIMIT suite is part of the Medical Education department and offers advanced training for LTHT’s junior doctors, helping to develop clinical and surgical skills in simulated scenarios. Following the talks, those in attendance had the opportunity to try out being a surgeon using the advanced techniques discussed. Participants practised their skills on simulation dummies, soft pads and equipment used by clinicians in training. Mr Mathew said: “It was a great to see so many members of the public take an interest in medical science and the research happening here in Leeds. I really enjoyed the opportunity to showcase the work we have been doing as a team to improve care for our patients.”
is hoped that this research will help to inform how patients across Yorkshire experience care following these procedures.
Dr Cecilia Pompili, a clinical fellow on the study, explained: “This research can only take place thanks to the generosity of Yorkshire Cancer Research, who made the donation of £200,000 to support the project. I feel incredibly proud of the work we are doing here at St James’s and I hope that it may long continue.”
The team aim to recruit a total of 300 people to take part in their study, which will improve experiences for patients
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News
FOCUS study hits 100 volunteers Research is an integral part of day-to-day life at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, with important clinical trials carried out across the hospitals helping to inform care not just in Leeds but across the globe. The FOCUS trial is one of the most exciting studies taking place within the Trust. The research looks at whether the routine administration of fluoxetine (an antidepressive drug) can improve outcomes for patients following a stroke. The researchers are looking at the impact of the drug, used over six months, following an acute stroke, seeing if it can improve patients’ functional outcome – their ability to move, talk and perform day-to-day tasks. The study commenced in 2013 with a target of 3,000 patients from the UK and is planned to finish in 2017. Led by Dr John Bamford, the team working on the trial in Leeds recently hit a key milestone when they recruited the 100th patient, which feeds in to the wider work of the trial taking place nationally. FOCUS stands for Fluoxetine Or Control Under Supervision, and the emphasis is on monitoring stroke patients’ progress carefully throughout in the trial. In the UK 150,000 people have a new stroke each year, and stroke is the main cause of disability across the UK. Although there have been major advances in stroke treatments in the last few years, new treatments are still needed to reduce the long-term physical and emotional
The team in Leeds have made a huge contribution to the FOCUS study
problems faced by stroke survivors. It is believed that while Fluoxetine is usually used as an anti-depressant drug, these properties are not thought to be the reason that the recovery of stroke patients may improve. Rather, the scientists leading on the study think the positive effects are arrived at because of chemical changes that may facilitate the “re-learning” process during recovery. Dr Bamford said: “I am really proud of the work that the team here in Leeds are doing. This research will help patients across the country to hopefully see much better outcomes following a stroke.
“Recovery from stroke can take many weeks or months and involve physiotherapy and other rehabilitation efforts by patient, carers and professionals. The aim of the FOCUS trial is to see if treatment with fluoxetine can speed up the rate of recovery and reduce long-term disability. “Patients who have had a stroke within the last 15 days are suitable to join the study. Once they have given their consent they are randomised to take either daily fluoxetine 20mg or a placebo for six months to see if there is an improvement in their function.”
Endocrinology team wow national conference The Endocrinology team at St James’s were recently invited to take part in the Pituitary Foundation’s National conference in Leeds. The Pituitary Foundation is a national support charity for people with pituitary conditions and its annual conference is well attended by patients and their families wanting to better understand their condition. Dr Rob Murray, Consultant Endocrinologist and Honorary Associate Professor at the Trust, helped organised speakers for the event and the Leeds Endocrinology team made a major contribution to the day leading workshops and staffing an information stand. The workshops provided open question and answer sessions to address the concerns of patients and were well attended on the day. Dr Murray lead a workshop on the rare syndrome,
acromegaly; Consultant Endocrinologist, Dr Steve Orme took a second on benign tumours of the pituitary gland, prolactinoma; and Senior Endocrine Specialist Nurse, Julie Andrew hosted another on steroid replacement therapy. The team’s stand at the conference was staffed throughout the day by Senior Research Nurse, Julie Lynch and Dr
The Leeds team were well-received by the national conference
Nikolaos Kyriakakis, a Clinical Research Fellow, who promoted the various endocrine research studies that are currently being undertaken at the Trust. The event proved to be a huge success and was attended by over 200 patients with pituitary disease and their relatives. Dr Murray said: “The recent Pituitary Foundation conference was held in Leeds for the first time. The fantastic conference brought together patients with pituitary disease in an environment that allowed for informal discussions, provided mutual support, and education around their disease. “It was great to see endocrine staff from LTHT supporting many of the sessions and manning a stand showcasing the worldclass research we are doing in Leeds. The conference was an undoubted success with patient appreciation and feedback on the day being overwhelming and, speaking as a consultant, humbling.”
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The Palliative Care team model some of the syringe driver bags
Crafty volunteers make the day for LTHT patients The ‘Making for charity’ organisation has supported the Trust for a number of years, helping out by making some fabulous items for patients undergoing treatments. In April, it teamed up with the Palliative and End of Life Care teams and Marks and Spencer’s Spark Something Good campaign to get people making syringe driver bags for patients in Leeds. Volunteers from the charity and LTHT staff went over to the M&S store on Briggate in the town centre to talk to members of the public and encourage them to get stitching! Over the course of the Leeds-focussed campaign, there were four two-hour workshops on each day and expert crafters demonstrated how to make syringe driver bags for LTHT. The Spark Something Good campaign aims to see 24 projects take place across 24 cities in the UK and Ireland over the course of 24 months. Once sewn up, the bags were then donated to LTHT and a number of care organisations across Leeds. The Palliative Care team then shared out the unique sewn items to patients being cared for across the Trust. Denise Kay, Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, said: “We’d like to say a big thank you to the Making for charity and the Spark Something Good campaign for helping us with so many wonderful bags for our patients. It was really great to see so much public engagement for the project.”
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Neurologist helps solve the mysterious handwriting of medieval scribe One of the Trust’s neurologists has been helping to solve the 800-yearold mystery of some famously shaky handwriting. Dr Jane Alty teamed up with University of York historian Dr Deborah Thorpe to shed new light on the cathedral scribe known as the “Tremulous Hand of Worcester”.
“We did this by applying modern day medical knowledge to the 800-year-old manuscripts.” The prolific 13th century monk’s identity is unknown but he was given his nickname because of his unmistakable handwriting. One question that has perplexed historians over the years is what kind of condition he had. This is the first time his writing has been investigated from a joint neurological and historical perspective and published in leading academic publication, Brain.
Mystery solved: Dr Alty has worked out the condition that affected the medieval monk
Dr Alty explained: “We did this by applying modern day medical knowledge to the 800-year-old manuscripts. This involved evaluating the characteristics of the tremulous letters, general abnormalities in the handwriting, such as lack of micrographia or ‘small handwriting’ that might point towards Parkinson’s, and also looking for clues within the content of the writing such as good spelling and grammar throughout the years that would point away from any concurrent dementia.”
Essential tremor is usually more noticeable when someone is trying to hold a position or do something with their hands, such as write, which usually gets more severe over time.
The research concluded the monk - an important translator of old manuscripts -
suffered from a condition called essential tremor, a type of uncontrollable shake which today affects around four out of 100 adults over the age of 40.
Dr Alty has a specialist interest in movement disorders such as tremor. She is also one of the key figures behind the drive to create a Yorkshire Brain Research Centre here in Leeds, which would help many present-day patients.
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My Job
Sunil Nila or via agency. We work in partnership with doctors and consultants in order to establish vacancies/annual leave/sickness within a given department. From this information we use in-house software in order to create electronic rosters for the department.
What else have you done in your career so far?
Sunil Nila, Medical Deployment - SJUH/LGI, has worked at the Trust for one and a half years Summarise the main aspects of your role. Medical Deployment is a relatively new department within Leeds Teaching Hospitals that came on to the scene in October 2014. We have two teams of around 20 people, both based at LGI and SJUH. The main aim of our department is to identify upcoming vacant doctor shifts and then source cover for these shifts internally
and tasks much faster, which in turn gives more time to source cover for vacant shifts. I also enjoy engaging with the other departments within LTHT from payroll, consultants, Medical Staffing to Estates.
What is the one thing you would change at LTHT to help you do your job better?
Before starting within the NHS, I studied computing at Leeds University - creating websites, databases, mobile apps, games etc. After graduating in 2014 I joined Seacroft Hospital where my role was to allocate tasks to porters at three different hospital sites, Wharfdale, Seacroft and Chapel Allerton using software known as CARPS. In August 2015 I joined the Medical Deployment team at SJUH.
I would implement high speed internet throughout the trust, the internet speed at SJUH reminds me of dial-up-internet circa 1997. As we use demanding software on a daily basis we require high-speed internet in order to create/edit rotas and complete our daily tasks within a swift time-frame.
What’s the best thing about your job?
What’s your best advice to a new starter at the Trust?
I enjoy the fact that we are presented with new projects and challenges to tackle on a daily basis. As a relatively new team member, I am constantly learning new tricks and techniques to make my job easier helping me to complete daily processes
Research the role, so you know what will be expected of you before you start work. It may be struggle at first, but in time the role will become second nature, more enjoyable and rewarding. Stick at it kid!
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, it cannot accept any liability over and above the cost of the advertisement for loss there by caused. Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd has not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor does Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd endorse any of the products or services. No reproduction by any method whatsoever of any part of this publication is permitted without prior written consent of the copyright owners. Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd. ©2016. Hawks Nest Cottage, Great North Road, Bawtry, Doncaster DN10 6AB. Tel: 01302 714528
The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor does The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust endorse any of the products or services.
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Farewell
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A fond farewell to our long-serving staff
Mary Farnell
Mary Farnell
Jenny Fielding
The Trust said farewell to Senior Sister Mary Farnell, who worked in the Emergency Department at Jimmy’s. She started at the hospital as an agency nurse before moving into a substantive post at the LGI. She then returned to Jimmy’s in 2011 to take responsibility for the Minor Injuries and Primary Care Access Line.
Ward Sister Jenny Fielding has retied Trust after 32 years. The Senior Sister worked on ward J98 – the surgical oncology ward - based in Bexley wing at Jimmy’s.
Mary is currently enjoying her retirement but has shared plans to return to nursing in the near future. She is involved with her local theatre group and plans to perform over summer. To mark her retirement, she got a new puppy dog called Billy, who will join her older Golden Retriever, Frankie. Sister Julie Groves said: “Urgent Care across the city were really sorry to see Mary leave. However, we hope she really enjoys her retirement, spending time with her new puppy and treading the boards.”
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Eve Cooper Theatre Sister Eve Cooper has retired after working at the Trust for 23 years at St James’s. She worked in the Upper Gastro-Intestinal and Transplant theatres at the hospital in Bexley wing. Now retired, she intends to move to Clifton Moor in York and is planning a big holiday in Borneo. Colleague, Ann Pezone, said: “We’re all really going to miss Eve here in the Bexley wing theatres – she was a really valued member of the team. We’d like to wish her the very best for her retirement and hope that she enjoys it!”
She started at the hospital in 1984 and, now retired, plans to come back and continue working as a nurse on ward J23. However, she does intend to have some retail therapy and enjoy ‘wining and dining’ too. On top of this, she will be spending more of her time on her garden. Eunice Redknapp, Sister, said: “Although she hasn’t gone too far away from us, the team on J98 really hope Jenny enjoys her retirement. She was a real star on our ward and we will all miss her.”
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Frank Rodriguez Staff from the Oncology and Haematology Department bid a fond farewell to Frank Rodriguez, Clerical Officer. Frank had worked for the Trust for over 42 years with 36 years in the catering team and the last eight years within the Oncology CSU. He has now retired from work and is looking forward to a long and happy retirement, and plans to undertake lots of DIY jobs. Colleagues bought Frank a watch as a retirement gift and wish him the very best for his retirement and hope he enjoys many years of well-earned rest and relaxation. Suzie Hackshall, Business Manager, said: “We’re all really going to miss Frank. He was a great asset to the team and a valued colleague.”
Liz Rowett Elizabeth Rowett (Liz) has retired after 46 years of service in the NHS . After completing her training, Liz worked as a Staff Nurse and Sister in various hospitals until she undertook her District nurse training and then worked in the Wakefield area.
Judith Bull Judith Bull retired from her role as team leader in antenatal clinic at LGI after working as a midwife in Leeds since the 1980s. She started her career in midwifery training at the Leeds Maternity Hospital, which was based on Hyde Terrace and then moved to Clarendon wing when the building opened in 1984. Judith worked for many years as a delivery suite midwife / midwifery Sister, and she has supported many women in the special time in their lives when they give birth. For the last 10 years Judith has been Team Leader in the antenatal clinic - she has been an inspiration to other midwives and has offered much support to the Obstetricians who have passed through her area. She is passionate about midwifery, is always willing to help, and has a great sense of humour - which has been very necessary at times over the years! Alison McIntyre, Matron for Community Midwifery, said: “We all wish Judith the very best for the future and hope she enjoys her retirement, although she won’t be going far and will be returning to work as part of the team at Jimmy’s.”
She then came to work in Leeds in 1996 as a Breast Care Nurse specialist, before moving on to join the Clinical genetics department as a genetic counsellor specialising in Cancer Genetics. More recently, she became a genetics research nurse working on Huntingtons disease research. Liz will be greatly missed by all her friends and colleagues in the genetics department who organised an Afternoon Tea party to thank her for all her hard work and wish her a long and happy retirement. Kath Ashcroft, Genetic Counsellor, said: “We’re all very sorry to see Liz leave us after all these years, everyone in clinical genetics wish her the very best and a long and happy retirement.”
Martin Krolzig Martin Krolzig retired following 35 years working as a registered nurse. His career has taken him to far flung places such as Arkansas, Antigua and Essex. But since 1994 he has been based at LTHT. When he first joined, he worked on Ward 69 and has been a permanent fixture in Oncology ever since, working most recently on J80. Kathryn Bootyman-Yates, Sister on J80, said: “Martin will be missed by everyone on the ward. We have been lucky enough to call him our colleague and wish him the very best for his retirement.”
Farewell
Keith Jackson Staff in the Ophthalmology Department were sorry to see Keith Jackson retire, after having worked in the Trust since 2001. Keith spent 15 years in the department, working as a medical secretary. He has worked for numerous consultants during his time in Ophthalmology and has looked after their patients and any queries they have had. His responsibilities have also included arranging the monthly audit meetings for all the doctors and the annual Brian Harcourt day. He recently bought a house in Harmby, North Yorkshire, which he has renovated and has moved into with his partner. Daniel Wignall, Business Support Manager in Ophthalmology, said: “The whole team would like to wish Keith all the very best for his retirement. We hope he enjoys a well-earned rest after so many years of service in the NHS.”
Sarah Lowe The Human Resources team said a fond farewell to Head of HR (Pay and Conditions) Sarah Lowe, who retired recently. Sarah started at St James’s in March 1989 having previously worked for Leeds Eastern Health Authority and Yorkshire Regional Health Authority. She worked in the Trust for 27 years. Sarah is now planning to add horticulture to her already impressive range of personal interests and intends to purchase a poly tunnel. Deputy Director for HR, Chris Carvey said: “Sarah contributed a great deal to LTHT. but her biggest single achievement has to be overseeing the implementation of Agenda for Change. In a Trust this size that was a huge logistical challenge which personally affected the vast majority of the Trust’s non medical workforce. Needless to say she did an excellent job and we will all miss her.”
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Former nurse Enid takes a trip down memory lane on visit to Jimmy’s A former nurse and midwife who trained at St James’s more than 60 years ago made a welcome return to her former workplace in April. When offered the opportunity to make a ‘wish come true’ by staff at the Haworth Court Residential Home in Hull, 93 yearold Enid Winkley jumped at the chance to return to the hospital for a very special tour of the site. Accompanied by Senior Care Assistant, James Jones, and Activity Co-ordinator, Sophie Hodgins, Enid was shown around the former nurses’ home – now the Trust Headquarters building – where she lived while training. The visit was facilitated LTHT staff, who guided her around many of the older parts of the site including what is now the Thackray Medical Museum. Enid shared her memories about training as a nurse and later a midwife, and described her years at Jimmy’s as a “very happy time”. She shared anecdotes about life in the nurses’ home and on the wards, and spoke with fondness about how she met Princess Margaret when she visited the hospital in 1954, as well as the big difference the establishment of the NHS in 1948 made. Chief Nurse, Suzanne Hinchliffe said: “It was truly wonderful to welcome Enid back to the hospital and recognise her contribution to care here in Leeds. She certainly had a full Enid with James Jones and Sophie Hodgins from Haworth Court Residential Home outside the Lincoln Wing
and varied career and lot of memories of her time at St James’s! “I was fascinated to find out about her experiences of nursing during the 1940s and 50s. It also was interesting to learn about how care has changed over the past 60 years thanks to the advances in both medicine and surgery.”
workplace has changed and to relive her memories. During the course of the visit she had a really wonderful time and it was great to see her take a trip down memory lane!”
Sophie explained: “We like to help our residents make the most of their time while staying with us at Haworth Court and recently introduced a ‘wishing tree’. The idea is that residents write down their hopes and dreams and, if it’s within our power, we try and make them come true. Enid (left) with colleagues outside the former nurses’ home at St James’s
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“It was Enid’s wish to return to Jimmy’s after all these years to see how her old
Enid shares her memories with Chief Nurse Suzanne Hinchliffe
www.leedsth.nhs.uk |
60 seconds
60 seconds Lewis Hands
What do you do to wind down and relax after a hard week at work? After a hard week I like to attend the gym in the St James’s Trust HQ, spend time with my girlfriend, friends, and visit my family in Birmingham as much as I can.
What is your ideal holiday destination and why? My ideal holiday is really anywhere hot with a beach. I have been to Florida and Mexico but I have always wanted to go to Hawaii. The islands and culture look incredible.
What is your favourite food?
Lewis Hands is a Clerical Officer/ Receptionist and has worked at the Trust for 18 months.
My favourite food would have to be pizza, especially BBQ chicken pizza.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? When I was younger I really wanted to be involved in film. I went on to study Film Studies in college and had a great time creating short films and studying the industry.
What is your favourite film? The Matrix (the first one). I think I was around 10 years old when I first saw the film, the stunts and plot blew me away.
Tell us something we don’t know about you … I was a Lifeguard and in a swimming team for many years in Birmingham and frequently went to swimming galas and championships across the UK. After a few years now I have started swimming again trying to get back into it!
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Ackworth School was our foundation for life
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Sally Hall: Sally is a nurse at Moorfield House Surgery in Garforth LEEDS.
Anna-Sophia: 1st Year Medical student, University of Dublin
Professor Fiona Wood: Director of Royal Perth Hospital Burns Unit; Australian of the Year 2005
Jason Beaumont: Clinical Director of Regeneration Physiotherapy Ltd and lead Paralympic Table Tennis Physiotherapist for the English Institute of Sport.
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Ackworth School
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