Insight Northampton Spring 2018

Insight

THE MAGAZINE FOR NORTHAMPTON GENERAL HOSPITAL PATIENTS AND VISITORS

Spring 2018 | Issue 65

NGH Special edition:

y a w a d n a e m o h : s heroe

Read about the outstanding work of Team NGH at home and abroad Supported by Northamptonshire Health Charitable Fund

 CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S COLUMN

In this edition of Insight, we celebrate the outstanding work of our employees in caring for others.

In the case of our Winter Heroes and our Daisy Award recipients, we say thank you to all those who have given exceptional care to our patients or who have made extraordinary efforts to make sure winter pressures did not have an adverse impact on the services we provide.

We also look further afield and celebrate two heart-warming examples of NGH staff using their annual leave to voluntarily deliver care and training abroad.

Operation Hernia in Ghana and our midwives’ experience in Zimbabwe both demonstrate how the spirit of Team NGH extends far beyond Northampton.

Every day, we have opportunities to make a positive difference to people’s lives. You can read about the different ways that manifests itself, whether it’s the work of our children’s oncology team, the support provided by our specialist inflammatory bowel disease nurse or how our maternity team works with a local charity to make sure vulnerable mothers have basic equipment and toiletries to care for their babies.

Throughout all these articles is a common theme of NGH employees striving to deliver the best possible care for their patients. Nowhere is the human impact of this more evident than in the story of our patient Andrew who contracted a rare but potentially fatal infection. Andrew has chosen to share his story with us to raise awareness of necrotising fasciitis; his powerful and moving story reminds us that providing the best possible care is much more than simply treating an illness and that every time we care for a patient, we care for their whole family.

Dr Sonia Swart

Chief Executive Northampton General Hospital

Northampton General Hospital 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 Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust endorse any of the products or services.

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Hypnosis support for anxiety launched

A

free digital self-help hypnosis programme has been made available by Northampton General Hospital for free download to help patients with anxiety before coming to hospital for medical procedures.

The programme, which is an audio hypnosis series, has been created by consultant anaesthetist Paul Slater to support patients in managing anxiety before or during hospital procedures.

Dr Slater said: “A recent survey in our hospital indicated that severe pre-operative anxiety affects around a quarter of patients prior to surgery and this figure is likely to be higher in certain patient groups.

“Hypnosis has been proven to be effective in the management of anxiety and is extremely safe and generally well received by patients.

“The self-help programme focuses on helping patients relax and suggests how they can create a more positive mind set regarding their hospital procedure and how to remain relaxed while it is carried out.”

Patients who use the programme are more likely to see improvements in their background level of anxiety and be better able to control their anxiety immediately before and during their hospital procedure. Previous studies have shown that patients who use hypnosis may also experience reduced post-operative pain, have reduced need

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for sedation using drugs, have better blood pressure control and leave hospital sooner following their procedure.

Dr Slater added: “This programme could help any patient who is attending hospital for an operation, investigation, procedure or test of any kind. It is likely to help any patient who wishes to use it but be of most benefit for those patients with heightened anxiety.”

The programme is available through the SoundCloud platform which can be digitally downloaded for free or streamed online at www.soundcloud.com/nghnhstrust

Dr Paul Slater

Spring 2018 Issue 65

Insight is a free magazine. Please feel free to take a copy home with our compliments and pass it on to a friend or relative when you have read it.

Insight is produced thanks to the sponsorship of Northamptonshire Health Charitable Fund.

Edited by Eva Duffy eva.duffy@ngh.nhs.uk; Contributors: Kieran Jones and Zoe Catlin; Cover photo: Kieran Jones Designed and printed by Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd, Hawks Nest Cottage, Great North Road, Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN10 6AB.

Keep in touch Follow us on Twitter @NGHNHSTrust Follow us on Instagram northamptongeneralhospital Like our Northampton General Hospital Facebook page 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. No reproduction by any method whatsoever of any part of this publication is permitted without written consent of the copyright owners. Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd. ©2018.

Hawks Nest Cottage, Great North Road, Bawtry, DN10 6AB. Tel: 01302 714528

OUR PAST INSPIRES THE FUTURE Team NGH pays tribute to NHS founder, groundbreaking black footballer and town’s first matron with new ward names

T

he founder of the National Health Service, the second black professional football player in British history and first nursing matron to serve Northampton will give their names to our new emergency assessment building and wards.

The new building will be called The Nye Bevan Building in honour of the architect of the NHS who 70 years ago established the British system of a health service funded from general taxation and free at the point of use.

The two wards in the building will be named:  The Esther White Ward, in honour of our first matron, who began working at the hospital in 1743. This will be the first ward at NGH to be named after a woman.  The Walter Tull Ward in honour of the footballer who signed for Northampton Town Football Club from Spurs in 1911. He played 111 games before serving Britain’s war effort in the first world war, becoming the first British Army officer of black heritage Chief operating officer and deputy chief executive Deborah Needham said: “This is very special year for the NHS as we celebrate 70 years since its inception. It’s also 225 years since we began providing health services on this site.

“Today, we have 5,000 employees who come to work to deliver Nye Bevan’s vision of a health system based on clinical need and not

Walter Tull

Nye Bevan

ability to pay. So it was no surprise when we asked our staff what they would like to see the building called that Aneurin Bevan’s name was overwhelmingly the most popular suggestion.

“In a further nod to our heritage and history, we’re delighted to commemorate 275 years of nursing care in Northampton by naming a ward after our first matron, Esther White.

Esther was employed as Northampton’s first matron from 1743 until her death in 1751.

At that time, services were provided at the infirmary in George Row, Northampton.

“It’s an honour and a privilege to pay tribute to footballer and war hero Walter Tull and play our part in having his contribution to British society and culture more widely recognised.

The history of the NHS is inseparable from the history of immigration and when we celebrate the 70th birthday of the NHS, we celebrate the diversity of our workforce. As the son of a black carpenter from Barbados and a white English woman, Walter faced and overcame many challenges. It’s fitting that we remember him as part of our plans for a new facility that will be staffed by health professionals from all over the world who have chosen to live and work in Northampton.”

The £12 million emergency assessment unit is on schedule to be completed by the end of summer.

The emergency assessment unit will be used to assess acutely unwell patients arriving from the emergency department or referred by their GP. It will be staffed by a dedicated team of consultants, nurses, assistant practitioners and healthcare support workers with specialist support from other services across the hospital.

New fundraising campaign launched We’re working with our charity Northamptonshire Health Charitable Fund to launch a new fundraising appeal to help us to provide a emergency assessment bay for our oncology and haematology patients.

The Talbot Butler emergency assessment bay will have dedicated areas for triage, assessment and examinations for patients who are receiving treatment for cancer and in need of emergency care.

Our fundraising target is £350,000.

You can support the campaign in a number of ways:  You can donate cash at our cashiers office at Billing Road entrance to hospital  By cheque made payable to NHCF and posted to Springfield, Cliftonville, Northampton, NN1 5BD  Online by visiting the charity’s JustGiving page - just search for nhcfgreenheart and choose eab  Or contact the charity if you have a fundraising suggestion

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Susanne and Andrew are raising awareness of the bacterial infection necrotising fasciitis

EARLY DIA CRUCIAL BACTERIA

This edition’s patient story com rare but serious bacterial infect Andrew: It is hard to convey the shock and trauma that is associated with contracting necrotising fasciitis. It is the speed by which your entire body is consumed by the poison spreading rapidly, the intense pain, and the rapid realisation that the man flu you thought you had could well kill you within the next 24 hours. That was very much my experience, and one that I am happy to share so that others may be more informed and spot signs early. Speed is everything.

I started feeling unwell over a weekend and had suffered from a mild, tickling type sore throat for a couple of weeks prior. I went to work on the Monday but by mid-afternoon had to give in and went home to bed. By the Tuesday evening I was sweating, then shivering, then sweating again, and thought at that stage I’d got the flu. As I woke Thursday, I noticed my foot, that had reddened on the Wednesday, had now started to go black, and blister. My wife immediately told me to go to A&E. She phoned ahead and asked that they immediately rule out necrotising fasciitis, as she suspected, or rather feared, the worst.

By the time I arrived, I was effectively passing out, requiring a wheelchair and immediately looked at by the excellent staff who very quickly realised what a bad state I was in. Antibiotics were injected, and by that stage I was in liver and kidney failure.

I was aware in A&E how serious the situation was. To hear doctors discussing amputation as an option that evening came as a devastating realisation of the severity of the situation. However, even amputation seemed a good option, by the time I fully realised that this alone could save my life.

Susanne, Andrew’s wife, explains how Andrews’ sudden illness affected 4 ❘ Insight

AGNOSIS AND TREATMENT IN TREATING RARE AL INFECTION

mes directly from Andrew Langley - a patient who was struck down with the tion necrotising fasciitis - and his wife Susanne, a nurse at NGH. that he would please hold on and please not the whole family. When I arrived at die on our son’s birthday. He returned to A&E, they had immediately started the sepsis protocol. Andrew was taken theatre the next day for more surgery, again to HDU for fluid, IV antibiotics and with the possibility of amputation. monitoring. I stayed with him for the Andrew held on and for periods first night in hospital and he seemed to improved, would then deteriorate, return settle, slightly relieved that the pain had for more surgery and it was only after reduced. However this is typical the fifth operation that he finally in necrotising fasciitis; as the seemed to stabilise. nerve endings are totally Andrew was incredibly destroyed, the severe pain lucky, the surgery did “Healthy people go experienced initially can eventually stop the no longer be felt. from feeling under spread. He was able to When there was leave intensive care the weather to still no improvement and was eventually death or major life

by Sunday discharged to the ward. changing disabilities, morning, Andrew He was very weak and in a matter of days, or again consented to he faced months and debridement - the even hours.” what turned out to be surgical removal of years of treatment to try to damaged tissue - and close his wounds. His illness exploration of the inflamed took over our entire lives. areas for amputation if required.

Andrew: That I managed to not only While he was in theatre I dashed home to survive necrotising fasciitis, but maintain try to sort out my children and help to care my limbs, face and all aspects of my for them, to quickly wrap my son’s birthday health, is incredibly rare and completely presents; it was his 11th birthday the next down to the fantastic work of Mr Hicks, day and I just did not know where the next the entire surgical and medical teams at 24 hours would take us or if Andrew would NGH, and not least my incredible wife, even be alive. who not only cared for me throughout, I returned to the hospital to find that but cared for my family, and maintained necrotising fasciitis was confirmed in three normality for the children, our business, sites. The whole of the top of Andrew’s foot and me. down to the tendons had been excised. His calf had been opened from toe to knee, to relieve the pressure. His thigh had been “The pain is immense. The fear is sudden opened on both sides from knee to hip and overwhelming. Healthy people go and knee to groin. His left hand had been from feeling under the weather to death or debrided and left open. major life changing disabilities, in a matter of He returned to intensive care, requiring days, or even hours. I received exceptional multiple blood transfusions as he was losing care, but even then, lessons can always be so much fluid from all of his wounds. I learnt. Early diagnosis is key.” prayed that night that whatever happened

Factfile Necrotising fasciitis is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.

Early symptoms can include:  a small but painful cut or scratch on the skin  intense pain that’s out of proportion to any damage to the skin  a high temperature (fever) and other flu-like symptoms After a few hours to days, symptoms can include:  swelling and redness in the painful area – the swelling will usually feel firm to the touch  diarrhoea and vomiting  dark blotches on the skin that turn into fluid-filled blisters

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NGH WOR CHARITY T

Nurse Elizabeth Austin-Fell specialises in hepatitis and runs clinics three times a week. These clinics typically see between two and five fibroscans performed.

Patients benefitting from revolutionary diagnosis system P atients with liver-related conditions

in Northampton are benefitting from a revolutionary system which helps diagnose cirrhosis of the liver.

Thanks to a loan arrangement with Leicester Royal Infirmary, we now have access to a Fibroscan device. This equipment is valued at £50,000 and allows doctors and nurses to painlessly and efficiently scan a patient’s liver for scarring.

Hepatitis specialist nurse Elizabeth AustinFell explains: “The Fibroscanner gently taps your side and emits a sound frequency which rebounds back and shows on the screen as a black line. The scanner uses this to calculate the stiffness of the liver. A healthy liver is soft and springy like a raw liver in a butcher’s shop, but a diseased or scarred liver becomes stiff, almost like cooked liver.

“Once we have this stiffness score, we can decide if further tests and treatments are needed. For example, this may include deciding a patient with cirrhosis requires regular screening for liver cancer by doing an ultrasound scan and liver cancer blood test every six months.

“We can decide to check for swollen veins in the oesophagus to prevent bleeding.

“The scanner helps us choose treatments for patients with Hepatitis B and C, and helps us decide whether to investigate patients with other suspected liver diseases further. This speeds up treatment and provides a more efficient method of monitoring our patients.”

Consultant gastroenterologist Paul Sherwood said: “We are really proud of the scanner and we feel very fortunate to have it. We have

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wanted one for several years and it has really revolutionised our work. It’s helped Liz to do her job very efficiently and it’s made it much quicker and easier to assess all patients with liver conditions.

“Previously, patients would have had to go to Kettering for a similar scan. For some people this was quite a hassle and we had a lot of people who didn’t attend their appointments.

“The second option would be to do a liver biopsy here in Northampton, which nobody likes to have – it can be uncomfortable and carries a small risk. A liver biopsy means spending six hours in the hospital. It’s a reasonable amount of staff time and then there is the pathology processing time on top of that.

“A liver biopsy does give you a bit more definitive information, so it’s not become totally obsolete. However, with using the scanner, we more regularly choose not to conduct a biopsy if the scanner provides results that would suggest it is not necessary.”

Factfile  Cirrhosis of the liver can be caused by auto-immune liver diseases, inherited liver diseases, alcohol misuse or through the contraction of Hepatitis B or C.  It is a serious condition which can lead to complications such as liver failure and cancer.  Early detection allows interventions such as quitting alcohol or various drug treatments to considerably reduce the risk of deterioration.

N

orthampton General Hospital is working with award-winning local charity Baby Basics to support vulnerable new mothers in Northamptonshire.

Baby Basics Northampton provides care hampers to mothers whose circumstances “It’s a beau mean they might be without essential items being able to care for themselves these hamp and their babies. The mothers, a packages include a baby absolutely p bath or Moses basket, items that bedding, towels, baby great impo clothing, and toiletries for they are so mother and baby. put tog The charity was set up in 2013 and is made up of a team of four: project manager Angie Kennedy, Sabrina Oakey, Kristine Fisher and Julie Bainbridge.

Angie explained: “It is amazing that

Team NGH at home and abroad

RKING WITH LOCAL TO SUPPORT NEW MOTHERS

since we started in 2013 we have sent out over 650 starter packs to new mums in need in Northamptonshire. Baby Basics Northampton would not be able to reach families in need without the support from Northampton General Hospital. With their expertise, knowledge and relationships with the families, we are 100 per cent certain utiful thing, that our starter packs to present reach the right families. pers to the Our relationship with the hospital is vital to the as they are success of our project”. packed with Baby Basics works t will be of with midwives and ortance and health visitors to identify o beautifully and support vulnerable groups such as women gether.” fleeing domestic violence and human trafficking, teenage mothers and asylum seekers.

NGH midwife Emma Fathers said: “Before we started working with

Examples of a care hamper including nappies, bathing products and baby clothes

Baby Basics, women may have come onto our ward with very little, if anything at all. Previously they may have needed to borrow from the ward, but clothes for the baby, for instance, might not have fit so it’s something that makes a real difference to these women.

“It’s a beautiful thing, being able to

present these hampers to the mothers, as they are absolutely packed with items that will be of great importance and they are so beautifully put together. They also now provide toiletry bags for the mothers who may have come into the hospital with nothing and women are always so appreciative of these.”

Northamptonshire County Council’s fire and rescue service have also got involved with the project through the provision of a free home fire safety check when mother and baby return home. They have also pledged to provide and fit smoke alarms free of charge if necessary.

Lisa Bryan, from the fire and rescue service, said: “We are pleased to work with Baby Basics who help to promote our service and encourage the families they support to request a home safety visit.

“During these visits we talk about the importance of having working smoke alarms and making an escape plan so everyone knows what to do in the event of a fire.

“We also promote a safe bedtime routine.

This includes things like switching off electrical items such as phone chargers and shutting doors at night. All of our advice is aimed at keeping the whole family, including the new arrivals, safe. We hope to meet lots more new Baby Basics families soon.”

Baby Basics relies on the generosity of members of the public and local businesses.

If you would like to get involved you can contact the Baby Basics team by e-mail on babybasics.gpc@gmail.com.

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Team NGH at home and abroad

WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ONE OF OUR NURSES OR MIDWIVES?

Share your story with us.

W

e are proud to be one of the first hospitals in the UK to introduce the DAISY Award, an international recognition programme that honours and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses and midwives provide every day.

The Daisy Award is your opportunity to say thank you by sharing your story of how a

“From day one, Hollie has continuously showed empathy and provided support whenever needed. She showed so much passion and love for her job. She was always professional and had exceptional level of knowledge and experience, which was reflected in her dedication to nursing. Our family will always be grateful for her nursing skills, kindness and wonderful care.”

“We were lucky enough to be met by Rosina, a ray of light in a terribly dark time, From that moment, we felt safe in her hands. Her devotion was tangible. Our special time with mum was made special due to the extra efforts of all on Creaton ward, but especially the angel Rosina whose concern extended to the wider family unit.”

nurse or midwife made a difference you will never forget.

Established in the USA in 1999 by the family of J Patrick Barnes following his death from complications of the auto-immune disease ITP, the DAISY Foundation commemorates the appreciation Patrick’s family had for the care and compassion shown to him and his family. Following Patrick’s death they felt compelled to say ‘thank you’ to nurses in a very public way.

Each DAISY Award Honoree will be recognised at a ceremony in her/his ward or department and will receive a DAISY Award pin, certificate and a hand-carved sculpture A Healer’s Touch. Everyone in the ward/department will celebrate with cinnamon rolls, which were a favourite of Patrick’s during his illness. The Barnes family hope that whenever and wherever nurses and midwives smell that wonderful cinnamon aroma, they stop for a moment and think about how special they are.

To nominate an extraordinary nurse or midwife, simply download a nomination form from our website and send it back to us by:  Email: daisy.awards@ngh.nhs.uk  Post: Julia Jones, DAISY Award Co-Ordinator, Patient, Nursing & Midwifery Services, Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, Cliftonville, Northampton NN1 5BD

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Patient Aleksander and his dad Mihaild pictured with some of his care team: Dr Koodiyedath, Rachael, Sheila, Emma and Lisa

CHILDREN’S ONCOLOGY SERVICE SUPPORTING FAMILIES CLOSER TO HOME H

aving a child diagnosed with cancer is a worrying and stressful time for any family. Northampton General Hospital’s paediatric oncology service helps to make dealing with cancer easier for young patients and their families.

The service pulls together a range of professionals providing care in hospital, in the community and in the child’s home where appropriate so that each child receives specialist individualised treatment.

The team ensures patients can receive treatment as close to home as possible. The community outreach nurses undertake between 60 and 80 home visits each month, helping families to maintain normal routines as much as possible.

For most patients it also means that treatments and routine procedures, such as blood tests, can be done at home.

Sheila Fox, children’s Macmillan lead nurse, described how the team delivers the best possible care: “Everyone in the team works collaboratively to respond to patient’s needs. Each child we care for receives tailored care. We have a weekly consultant-led clinic, inpatient beds, specialist nurses, school support, play and where possible we always try to 10 ❘ Insight

arrange home visits to make the treatment process less clinical.”

The team work with organisations including Macmillan, CLIC Sargent and the county council’s hospital and outreach education service so that children still have opportunities to play and learn throughout their treatment.

This means children can keep up to date with school work, meet other children with cancer and go on organised trips or holidays with families.

Gemma Stockton, Senior Staff Nurse/ Children’s Macmillan Keyworker explains how at every step of the journey the team puts the patient in control: “Patients are empowered to make decisions which help them to take control of their situation. This helps them to find ways to manage the treatments and establish what they like and don’t like. These preferences and coping strategies can then be discussed with other hospitals so that wherever children are treated they’re still in control.”

Families and siblings are also guided through the diagnosis and treatment process by our dedicated team including psychological support thanks to a buddy scheme where families experiencing similar situations can meet up and attend events.

Lead Consultant Dr Bindu Koodiyedath said: “We organise events and activities to help the children, siblings and parents know that they’re not going through this difficult journey alone. It gives them a chance to make friends, share experiences and look at us as a team doing more than just giving treatment.

“For siblings too it helps them to make friends, make memories and makes life a bit more normal. It’s good to see the children undergoing chemotherapy happy, playing and most importantly being children.”

Children are invited to ring a bell to celebrate the end of their treatment and recognise the journey they have been on. Sheila Fox said: “Seeing children ring the bell at the end of their treatment is a heart-warming and proud moment for us all. We watch these children and the whole family - parents, siblings and grandparents - come along this journey

so to see them get to the end and ring the bell is really special.”

Team NGH at home and abroad

The role of play in children’s oncology treatment Situated between the two children’s wards the activity centre provides space away from the ward for children to play and explore. The play team works with cancer patients and the oncology service to bring play to children receiving treatments. Alongside play activities the team develop individual treatment plans and coping strategies to make the experience a bit easier. Coping strategies can include using breathing techniques, counting, reading a book or set routines which help to keep the children calm and relaxed.

Play specialist, Sue Faulkner, described why play in the hospital is so important: “Playing is a very familiar thing for children, so by bringing play into the hospital it helps to make the situation less clinical. We always have a play specialist available to encourage play and distract from the treatments and procedures.

“Play is used as a communication tool to help explain the procedure and treatments the children will experience. This helps the children to have an appropriate level of understanding about their treatment.”

Part of the treatment process includes participation in the international Beads of Courage programme. The initiative offers children a physical memento of their treatment journey in the form of small beads. After each trip to hospital children receive a bead, each representing a different treatment or milestone to create a keepsake of their treatment journey.

Paediatric oncology treatment and support includes:  inpatient supportive care  outpatient care,  outpatient oral and bolus intravenous chemotherapy,  day case chemotherapy,  inpatient 24-hour chemotherapy,  intrathecal chemotherapy,  long-term and late effects care,  palliative and terminal care,  bereavement support  psychosocial support for patients, families and their siblings.

Aleksander, pictured with play specialist Emma, choosing his Bead of Courage (top) and receiving his certificate to mark the end of his treatment

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NGH Winter Heroes W

e launched our Winter Heroes nomination scheme in the New Year to recognise those members of Team NGH who made exceptional efforts to support patients and colleagues during our busiest winter on record.

“NHS staff regularly go that extra

mile for individual patients – most don’t see it as doing anything out of the ordinary, saying ‘I was just doing my job.’ But, in the face of the increasing pressure we all need to take a moment to feel proud of the special nature of the commitment shown. The respect and

dignity for patients at birth and death is one of the markers of our common humanity and its value trumps that of any target.”

Dr Sonia Swart, Chief Executive, Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

Our Emergency Department worked tirelessly over winter to care for our patients. They have been innovative in delivering new ways of working to cope with demand.

Claire Dale, Community Midwife who abandoned her Christmas party and volunteered to attend a home birth when sickness left the community midwifery team short-staffed.

Debbie Garner made extra efforts to get her patients back home safely including personally making sure the necessary equipment was in place for safe discharges.

Volunteer Maureen Jones was nominated as a winter hero for her dedication to volunteering on our acute stroke ward, Allebone, including on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Gary Crockett, Information Analyst, volunteered to come into work to complete and submit our winter reports to government over the Christmas and New Year period, including Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and both weekends.

Jemma Moore, Senior Pharmacy Technician, worked long hours including covering weekend shifts to support her colleagues.

Des Daly, Emergency Nurse Practitioner, led on a number of projects including the relocation of Northampton’s out-of-hours service and the introduction of primary care streaming services on our site. He also supported our emergency services partners on New Year’s Eve to treat patients in the community, reducing unnecessary A&E attendances.

Our Elderly Medicine Day Case Unit pulled together to make sure the service ran smoothly over the winter period, including staying late to ensure the service was safe and efficient.

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Team NGH at home and abroad

Our Microbiology Lab Team work tirelessly to ensure we can quickly identify and manage winter illnesses. Their quick turnaround of swabs and communication with the infection prevention team has really made a difference.

During heavy snow in December, Clinical Site Manager Sharon Cole finished her night shift on Sunday morning and volunteered to stay on site instead of going home to ensure she could be there ready for her next shift.

Colleagues describe Zoe Hughes as an indispensable member of the heart centre team. She worked late throughout the winter to support and motivate her team, all while keeping cheerful despite pressures on the department.

Matron Linda Bazeley helped to minimise disruption to our services during heavy snow and icy weather back in December, walking into work on her day off to support colleagues.

The out of hours service was recently relocated from an external location into the fracture clinic at NGH. Debs Norman worked with colleagues in IT, estates trauma and orthopaedics and her exceptional, accommodating and professional support made all of the difference to the success of the project.

Our Manfield Theatres Team adapted their work to the winter pressures; from working in anaesthetics, admitting patients through our recovery areas to carrying out all their post op care and discharging them safely home. Their hard work ensured the trauma and orthopaedic department could treat as many people as possible.

Our Spencer Ward team brought Christmas day forward for a woman dying of cancer to fulfil her wish of having her last magic of Christmas surrounded by her family.

Jon Dilworth, Jane Boyson and Andy Smith have all taken on additional volunteering roles to support the smooth running of the hospital. Their efforts have ensured our patients’ experience is as positive as possible.

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 SPECIAL REPORT: OPERATION HERNIA

TEAM NGH TRAVEL NEARLY 5,000 MILES TO SAVE LIVES IN GHANA F

or most of us, time off is a chance to relax and forget about the dayto-day stress of working life. For a team of dedicated health professionals from Northampton General Hospital, their holiday time has been spent providing care for patients nearly 5,000 miles away Ghana.

From hernia operations and malaria treatments to teeth extractions and back pain, in a two week period a team of volunteers from Northampton were part of an international delegation which provided care for over 10,000 people in the Accra region.

The multi-skilled team spent two weeks providing advice, treatments and surgery as part of the charitable organisation, Operation Hernia.

Leading the NGH contingent, and on his seventh trip to the region, was consultant vascular surgeon Rob Hicks. He was joined by breast clinician Jo Inchley, Ted Hicks Rob and Jo’s son, surgical recovery nurse Melissa Frost, practice development nurse Ashley Gayton, specialist general surgeon Elke Von Haefton, general surgical registrar, David Hunter, specialist care dentist Neil Martin, consultant paediatrician Anne Smith, pharmacist Karin Start, and Nichola Blunt from Three Shires Hospital’s main theatres.

Operation Hernia was founded upon the principle of providing access to healthcare for some of the poorest Ghanaian families.

Hernias are commonplace in Ghana due to nutritional deficiencies, the focus on subsistence farming and the lack of access 14 ❘ Insight

to healthcare provision. If left untreated hernias can have a significant impact on the health of the individual and their ability to provide for their families who are dependent on their contribution.

“The missions have been running for 10 years now and the surgical set-up gets upgraded each year. The hernia patients are listed from the previous year and are invited to come along each morning for their surgery.

Most operations are performed under local anaesthetic but there is also a list each day for the more complicated procedures and the children’s operations.” Dr Jo Inchley

Pre-booked operations, some of which were planned a year in advance, were carried out alongside many other walk-in treatments.

However the significance of the trip is not just the healthcare provided as the team also have a strong focus on training the surgeons and healthcare professionals in the region, leaving a legacy of good healthcare behind once they return home to England.

Rob Hicks described the significance of the mission, the importance of healthcare across the world and the challenges of those who don’t have the same provisions we do in the UK: “The people of Northern Ghana have the same right to fresh water, food, education and healthcare as we do.

Healthcare cannot be delivered in 2 weeks once a year, but it is so rewarding to see the improvements that have taken place in the region since I first visited in 2011.”

During the self-funded mission, the team delivered 297 life enhancing hernia operations. And for Rob the latest trip was made even more memorable than those of previous years by having his family close by: “It was a special privilege to have my wife and eldest son as part of the team, some colleagues who I have worked alongside for many years and some new recruits.”

Summarising the trip Rob once again praised the huge effort of the team and the legacy that their generosity and kindness has left behind: “The NGH team really delivered the extraordinary. It really showed how the enthusiasm and passion for work was infective. Every member of the team of 67 was striving to do their best at all opportunities. Without exception there was always a ‘can do’ response. As a result as a team we outperformed all of our own expectations.” – Rob Hicks You can see photos and stories from the Ghana trip in this special four-page Insight feature.

Cancer specialist Dr Jo Inchley (centre) pictured with her husband, surgeon Rob Hicks and their son Ted

Team NGH at home and abroad Ted Hicks: “Medical technology really is fascinating in this environment. It may seem all very tame to medical professionals, but to a boy who’s closest contact to medicine was Holby City and Call the Midwife, the fact that a droplet of blood put on a small piece of plastic can show within 15 minutes that someone has malaria, or HIV, was eye-opening.”

Dr Jo Inchley, breast clinician: “The sickest patients would be picked out of the crowd and receive urgent treatment in the nursing station. These were usually babies and children with severe malaria and pneumonia who would receive intravenous antimalarial treatment antibiotics and fluids. Most of these children would see a dramatic improvement within hours and be able to go home at the end of the clinic. - a truly lifesaving service.”

Neil Martin, special care dentist: “I saw over 100 patients and extracted over 130 teeth. We also saw four maxillofacial tumours that needed onward referral.

For me it was an overwhelming experience and has made me realise the importance of our NHS despite all its issues. I have never felt my skills were better used throughout the whole 37 years of my career.”

Ted Hicks: “The amount I have gained for those two weeks has changed me as a person. It is us who should thank them for gracing our lives with their kindness, and nobility in the face of all the struggles they have.”

Dr Anne Smith, consultant paediatrician “My first very sick patient was brought to me on the second clinic day out in the village of Nyamboi.

A young girl had been sent to the nursing diagnostic station by the nurses in triage for a malaria test. The malaria test was positive and the nurse from diagnostics brought her to me and asked me to see her quickly as they were worried about her. She sat in the chair next to me, and as I was questioning her mother (via our fabulous translators) I noticed that she had fallen sideways in her chair and was fading into unconsciousness.

As I moved to examine her, I put a hand on her forehead and she was cold and sweaty – always a bad sign- it is difficult to feel cold in 40 degree heat. This is the sign of an unwell child, so I stopped all questioning and moved her quickly to the nurses treatment station. There was no space on the treatment couch, so the nurses pushed aside some equipment from a table, put down a blanket and laid her down. I asked for an IV line, a blood glucose, a bolus of IV fluids and a dose of IV antimalarials – and by the time I had worked out how much glucose to give her for her low blood sugar that was all done, faster than I have ever seen in any first world hospital! I left her with the nursing staff, and came back 1 hour later to see her sitting up and much better. Within half an hour of this she was on her way home.”

Insight ❘ 15

 SPECIAL REPORT: OPERATION HERNIA

16 ❘ Insight

Team NGH at home and abroad Ted Hicks “What struck me more than anything else was not the number of people, or the variation of afflictions, or even the severity which was difficult at times to stomach; but the fact that every single man, woman and child we saw had something they wanted the doctor to look at. A family would sit down, and each member would have something that needed medical attention. Most adults had waist and back pain – hardly surprising from all the farming and hard labour they have to do. But there were countless cases of malaria, yaws, rashes, fevers, discharge, the list goes on.

All those presenting with any concerning symptoms were sent past triage onto registration. Those that were not were sent with a supply of pain relief so that they could farm without the pains in their hips or back, preventing them from feeding their families.”

Ashley Gayton, practice development nurse “Myself and a Canadian scrub nurse Emilia helped sterilise the dental instruments for the dental team every evening. To keep sprits up we made up our company name and every night we would wrap and tie a bow to each of the sets for the dental team as a joke to express our delights of staying up so late to sterilise the instruments.

Every morning, when we received the dirty instruments from the day before we would receive a note from the dental team expressing friendly advice to improve our service, such as velvet ribbons or more colourful wrapping paperas we used out of date green or blue straps to wrap the instruments. In the end the dental team would read out our messages to them at evening dinner. They were friendly, maybe slightly sarcastic depending on how late we stayed up doing them, but it just helped build team moral and reinforced how much of a team we all were. And to me that was the most amazing experience I had in the Ghana, the team work and how much everyone looked after everyone

else. We did such long days with very little sleep but little things such as the wrapping of dental instruments with ‘how can we improve our service’ notes, really helped us battle through the long days and made them fun. I had the most amazing experience with this team and will love them dearly forever.”

Pharmacist Karin Start

“There were many different languages spoken but we had lots of different Ghanaian health professionals working with us as translators. These fellow health workers had travelled hours from other areas to be with us to help their fellow Ghanaians. There were nurses and pharmacists working alongside me and we shared knowledge and skills working hard in the relentless heat.”

The delegation included dentists, pharmacists, doctors, nurses, ophthalmologists, lab technicians, surgeons, theatre and recovery staff and volunteers who helped with clinic flow and logistics.

With thanks to Erica Jensen-Mann for permission to reproduce her photographs.

Insight ❘ 17

NORTHAMPTON TEAM PROVIDES MATERNITY TRAINING IN ZIMBABWE L

to organise a volunteer visit to Mpilo ast autumn, a group of midwives, each year. support workers and an A&E nurse from Northampton General Hospital Sam also set up the Life Project charity travelled to Zimbabwe on a self-fundraised to make improvements to the hospital’s trip to provide training and support to the clinical and non-clinical areas, including Mpilo Central Hospital’s maternity team. the refurbishment of ward areas, training Mpilo Central Hospital is located in of midwives and doctors and donations of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second materials and medical supplies. largest city.

NGH midwife Marie Marshall NGH midwife Samukelison explained: “I was asked to come “It was a great (Sam) Tennyson was born to Mpilo to improve the training at Mpilo Hospital and had as I am a practicing neonatal team feeling her first daughter there resuscitation instructor and for us working following an emergency PROMPT trainer. During alongside the that could have been my time there I trained staff at Mpilo.” managed better. This 130 midwives, doctors and influenced her decision to student midwives on neonatal come to the UK to undertake resuscitation and obstetric her midwifery training. emergencies, focussing on team work.

Since she started working at NGH in “I also trained two nominated midwives 2011, Sam has used her annual leave to carry on this training after my departure.

It’s a measure of how much impact Sam has made that the Mpilo team decided to name the training resuscitation doll after her in recognition of her hard work and dedication to the hospital.

I produced training packs for all areas in the hospital as a continuing resource to learn from.

“I knew there would be lack of basic equipment so six months before our trip I started to fundraise with the other members of the maternity team to purchase medical supplies and equipment including sonicaids, blood pressure machines, glucometers, gloves, catheters and baby essentials. Medical training supplies company Laerdal sponsored me 10 bag valve masks and a training doll.

Marie said: “The conditions the team encountered were basic despite Mpilo being one of the largest hospitals in Zimbabwe.

Despite the poor conditions the midwives 18 ❘ Insight

Team NGH at home and abroad

and doctors were very welcoming and embraced all the training and support.

Combined massage and breathing techniques were demonstrated on the women in labour as very limited pain relief is available.”

In Zimbabwe. 21 per cent of women have HIV infection which means maternal deaths are more common and mothers are at a higher risk of contracting sepsis as their immunity to infection is already low.

HIV treatment is expensive in Africa and mothers often find that they cannot afford to treat their children as well as themselves.

As a result, there is a particular problem with the abandonment of new-born babies.

The team witnessed this first hand as two babies were abandoned while they were at Mpilo Hospital. As an extension to their trip, the team visited the Queen Elizabeth Orphanage where the babies would be cared for. Two midwives pledged to financially support these two children during childhood, and the team carried out some refurbishment of the orphanage and donated some toys.

In the weeks after the team arrived back in Northampton, they organised a container of donated toys to arrive at the orphanage in time for Christmas.

Zimbabwe has among the highest global rate of pre-term births. Mplio Hospital has limited incubators and intermittent electrical supply on their special and high dependency care areas.

Kangaroo care is used in Mplio and can significantly reduce mortality rates among babies born prematurely and involves the mothers remaining in hospital with their babies nestling in the kangaroo position on their chest skin-to-skin at all times.

This starts as soon as possible after birth and accompanied by exclusive breast feeding for at least until the babies original due date, if not longer.

The NGH team pictured around the Mpilo sign

Factfile Z imbabwe has one of the highest rates of maternal deaths globally. The main causes of death include postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis and malaria. n estimated one in five Zimbabwean A adults are living with HIV and AIDS. HIVrelated illness remains the largest cause of death of among adults of reproductive age

and children. here are approximately 370 neonatal T and 36 maternal deaths each year at Mpilo Hospital. he Mpilo Life Project charity was set T up by midwife Sam and others in a bid to reduce the neonatal and maternal mortality rates.

Marie leads a midwives training session

Although the team was there to deliver training, they did find themselves having to get hands-on as Marie explained: “We arrived on Saturday afternoon to meet the staff before starting work on the Monday; however, a pre-term baby was born following an unplanned birth at home and brought into the hospital. His heart rate was low and was demonstrating very minimal breathing.

We got a bag valve mask and stethoscope from our case and I used it to successfully

resuscitate this preterm little boy who would not have survived without this piece of equipment being available, the correct training on its use and team work.

“Mpilo Hospital simply does not have the equipment and training that is readily available in Northampton. When it came to leaving Mpilo two weeks later, the baby was breathing on his own and feeding well. It was a great team feeling for us working alongside the staff at Mpilo.”

Insight ❘ 19

GOING BLUE FOR BEST POSSIBLE CARE E

introduced as part of a three year plan nsuring that everyone who comes with all 23 inpatient wards currently into hospital receives the best possible care is at the heart of taking part in the programme. everything staff do at Northampton Modern matron Helen Lidbetter, General Hospital. Which is one described how NGH have of the key reasons why an embraced the accreditation: initiative to showcase, “Teams have risen to the celebrate and commend challenge and embraced “It’s a huge sense the great care provided the process with the of pride that we has been so successful desire to improve have achieved three and welcomed by all. their department or consecutive green The Best wards. It’s part of a Possible Care ward three year plan which ratings and being assessment and will encompasses all awarded the blue accreditation scheme wards, outpatients, status is the icing on aims to celebrate A&E, critical care, the cake.” examples of great paediatrics, maternity practice and identify how and theatres enabling we can continually improve the voice of the patient to the care we provide. The project be articulated and listened to, officially began in May 2016 and was inspiriting change.”

The Althorp ward team

20 ❘ Insight

Each department is visited and assessed against 15 Care Quality Commission standards and then rated as red, amber or green. If a ward achieves three consecutive green ratings, which will take a minimum of twelve months, they can then apply for blue ward status.

The hard work begins when Helen Lidbetter and Carol Bradley, nursing and quality matrons, arrive at a department or ward unannounced at 7.00am. They spend the day with the team to gain first-hand experience of life on the ward, talking to staff, volunteers and patients about their experiences and assessing how the ward is constantly learning and improving from this feedback.

The team visiting the wards describe witnessing fantastic care, moments

Team NGH at home and abroad

Cedar Ward was the first to achieve the status of Best Possible Care ward

“This recognition is all about best possible care and keeping high standards in our team. It’s been a true team effort to get to this point and it’s required a united team approach. From

New wall plaques celebrate the achievement

and conversations which could never be captured on paper. This accolade is truly about the care provided and the united nature of the team.

Carol described how important it is to have strong supportive leadership in practice: “Leadership is key and it’s great to see the team being cohesive and working together to ensure they’re delivering the best possible care. Seeing the whole team taking pride and being motivated to be the best is brilliant.”

For patients the change is noticeable on their entry to the ward. The Best Possible Care plaque adorns the entrance, while ward sisters show their status with a new uniform featuring a gold coloured trim.

The first two wards to receive the blue accreditation, Cedar and Althorp, are already reaping the rewards of their hard work and seeing the benefits of their accreditation.

Cedar was the first ward to achieve the Blue status with ward sister, Stacey Cheney, taking on the challenge to earn their plaque and evidence the best possible care that patients receive on their ward.

all bands of nursing, doctors, catering, volunteers, domestics and every person who works and assists on the ward it’s been a united team approach. We’ve been assisted by matrons who have helped us do spot checks in line with the 15 CQC standards and the medical team have been on hand to offer their support and guidance. Without Althorp ward, led by ward sister Jay Briah, was the second ward to apply for their blue accreditation. The team began to ensure their ward was in line with the green standard and once three greens had been achieved, work began to gather a large portfolio of evidence including patient feedback, complaints, incidents, learning and improvement, training figures, budgets, safety and more.

Jay described what the accreditation means for the team: “It’s a huge sense of pride that we have achieved three consecutive green ratings and being awarded the blue status is the icing on the cake. The whole process has bought us together as a team and has given us the drive and determination to maintain our standards and continue to improve patient care. Staff engagement and hard work from the team has played a big part in achieving the blue ward status.”

everyone on board and engaged in the process we wouldn’t have the open communications and culture we now see every day on the ward.” Stacey Cheney, Cedar ward sister.

The accreditation project is expected to award more blue accreditations this year with other wards already in the application process. As the scheme progresses more areas of the hospital will earn the commendation ensuring everyone is consistently delivering and sharing ways to provide the best possible care to our patients.

Carol said:“The involvement we’ve seen throughout this process has been utterly outstanding; teams have embraced the accreditation despite the everyday pressures within the hospital and have truly risen to the challenge.”

Insight ❘ 21

ADVICE JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY FOR IBD PATIENTS M

ore than 300,000 people in the UK suffer with a form of inflammatory bowel disease.

Many people can also have the condition and go undiagnosed as a result of the stigma attached to the condition with many suffering in silence.

Northampton General Hospital has a dedicated clinical nurse specialist, Tracey Shaul, to support patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Tracey told us: “We offer outpatient and inpatient services and diagnostic services which include endoscopy, radiology and blood investigations. We also offer training; since I’ve been in post, we put on a study day for the hospital once a year. We aimed it predominantly at ward nursing staff but we opened it up to junior doctors, GPs and we’ve also had some new IBD nurses from surrounding hospitals attend.”

On top of these services, Tracey also runs three face-to-face clinics each week in the hospital’s medical outpatient department as well as a patient advice line for five sessions each week, Monday to Friday afternoons.

Most of the work provided by Tracey over the phone is considered ‘rescue’ work, when a patient calls, Tracey is able to provide advice and counselling as well as prescriptions, which can be collected and processed at our on-site pharmacy on the same day. This is especially helpful for patients who may have a flare late on a Friday afternoon as they will be able to gain access their medication quickly and not have to endure a weekend of illhealth or come to A&E.

22 ❘ Insight

Directorate Matron, Joanne Loveday says: “In the past, patients could end up going into crisis and a large proportion ending up in A&E, whereas now they are able to contact Tracey who is a prescriber, so treatment can be initiated or changed without them coming into the hospital Tracey provides and having patient advice intravenous via a weekly steroids rescues phone service. and other treatments. It means patients can be reached out to a lot quicker.”

One of Tracey’s patient’s, Keeley, told us: “Tracey provides an absolutely amazing service. IBD is an illness that can flare up at any time within hours, if I need to contact Tracey in an emergency and she is not there, I know she will get back to me as soon as possible, not days or weeks later. Even if I don’t need to contact her, it’s just comforting to know that the service is there and available for me.”

Tracey is also focusing on providing other health care professionals in the hospital with knowledge on the disease and what it can mean for patients, through providing training sessions for GPs and allowing staff members to shadow her to get an insight into the condition. Joanne says: “It’s about what impact it has on that patient, that’s what we were trying to help staff in the hospital to understand. The psychological aspect of being on a ward and needing to go to the toilet 30-40 times per day can be really challenging and that’s one thing we were trying to get staff to think about. Tracey provides a really invaluable service and is a massive support for patients.”

What our patients say “The IBD nurse has proved to be an essential point of contact to me when I have been unwell with my condition. I am able to manage my condition myself most of the time knowing that help is available to me if needed.

Thank you NGH.” “Nurse Tracey Shawl has been brilliant with her care to me. Knowing there is someone to talk over any worries is I feel important to anyone with IBD.” “Without an IBD nurse the hospital consultants would be crammed with patients struggling physically and emotionally with their IBD. I couldn’t manage my Crohns disease without her.”

Last year, Crohn’s & Colitis UK launched a campaign called More IBD Nurses: Better Care with the aim of highlighting the importance of specialist Inflammatory Bowel Disease nurses on the lives of people affected by Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or other forms of inflammatory bowel disease.

During the ongoing campaign, Crohn’s and Colitis UK asked supporters of the charity to contact their local hospital to discuss the importance of specialist IBD nurses with the chief executive. Crohn’s & Colitis UK revealed that during the campaign, Northampton General Hospital ranked as one of the top 15 responding organisations.

Factfile Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term mainly used to describe two conditions: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

These are long-term conditions that involve inflammation of the gut.

Symptoms of IBD include:  pain, cramps or swelling in the tummy  recurring or bloody diarrhoea  weight loss  extreme tiredness Not everyone has all of these symptoms, and some people may have additional symptoms, including fever, vomiting and anaemia.

Team NGH at home and abroad

Insight â?˜ 23

K Lodge is situated in Higham Ferrers, an idyllic and historic small town in East Northamptonshire. We provide:

Tel: 01933 315 321 www.klodge.co.uk info@klodge.co.uk

• Residential Care for the elderly • Specialist Dementia Care unit • Respite Care • Garden Villa, our new six bed unit – A unique alternative to Home Care Our Facilities • Fully furnished bedrooms, majority with en-suite facilities

• Expert 24 hour care and assistance

• Three lounges and two dining rooms

• Prompt health care treatments as required

• Beautifully landscaped, large sensory gardens

• Daily social activities and regular religious services/activities

• Nutritionally balanced meals, snacks and refreshments including special diets

• Six bed unit offering an alternative to Home Care

24 ❘ Insight

• Security doors and 24 hour CCTV

50 North End, Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire NN10 8JB

From the Archive

Our ambulance history O

n the 14th September 1887, the Northampton Ambulance Corps was founded and a wheeled litter was bought. This was a wheeled carriage that carried a canvas stretcher with iron rimmed wheels and was kept at Northampton Infirmary.

Many patients were brought to the infirmary by train and met at the station. It was laborious to transport the patients to and from the infirmary, so in 1888 it was decided to purchase a horse drawn carriage.

Mulliners, cab manufacturers on Bridge Street, built the first ambulance at a cost of £48, plus £6.10 shillings to fit rubber tyres. A far more comfortable ride!

Mr Frisby, a local carriage and cab proprietor supplied the horses to pull the

new ambulance. However, he stipulated that the needs of his business such as weddings, funerals, cab hire took priority of the needs of the infirmary.

Mr Harvey Reeves raised money to provide the first motorised ambulance

in 1912, during his first term of office as Mayor of Northampton.

During WW1 Thomas Woolston and Harvey Reeves expanded the fleet with Model T Ford ambulances. In WW2 Joseph Grose, owner of garages and workshops in Northampton created a business converting private cars into ambulances. Many of these vehicles had been donated by locals and businesses for this purpose.

In 1948 when the National Health Service was introduced the Northamptonshire County Council Ambulance Service was established.

The ambulance service of today now has helicopters, paramedic cars and motorbikes in a bid to speed up response times.

Did you know you can visit the historical archive at Northampton General Hospital?

We have an enthusiastic team of volunteers who look after our hospital archive, which includes books, documents, artwork and instruments. To arrange a visit, contact the archive team on 01604 544868 on Wednesday mornings between 8.30am and 1.30 pm.

Help us to get better!

Pets as Therapy Patients on our adult wards were delighted to receive a very special visitor when Great Dane Anya started her new volunteering role at NGH. Anya is a Pets as Therapy dog and we work with the charity to organise visits of behaviourallyassessed dogs.

We’re recruiting Patient and Family Partner volunteers to help make the care and services we provide to patients and their families even better.

If you or a loved one have received care at Northampton General Hospital, or you want to help us improve, please consider joining our Patient and Family Partners program.

Joining the programme means you’ll become one of our registered volunteers. Opportunities for involvement may include:  Reviewing the information we produce for patients to help make it as informative, readable and understandable as possible.  Collating and sharing patient stories to help our staff learn.  Improve working with our patients, families and carers to gather their feedback in the best way for them.  Contributing to a project team looking at how to make quality improvements in specific areas.  Sharing your perspective on a variety of committees and groups which review and plan services throughout the hospital.

To find out more, email us at membership@ngh.nhs.uk

Insight ❘ 25

 CHARITABLE FUND

Abseil down the National Lift Tower on Saturday 30th June and raise money for the ward, department or service of your choice.

Are you brave enough to launch over the top and abseil down all 418ft of the National Lift Tower? Last year, 30 people abseiled down this lofty tower on our charity abseil day, raising more than £10,000 for 18 different wards and departments. The amazing group of fundraisers included NHS employees as well as patients who wanted to give something back. Why not have a go this year and raise money for the department of your choice?

You can register your place right NOW and get on your way to raising those £££s for your chosen department.

Those chosen to benefit from last year’s event included ophthalmology, maxillofacial

and Wheatfield ward at Berrywood Hospital. A team of eight, Team ED, raised almost £2,000 between them for A&E! The money Team ED raised went on to support things like a speech amplifier and headphones for patients with hearing impairments, desk fans for patients during the horrendous summer heat as well as human joint models to explain injuries to patients – something that has received amazing feedback.

If you would like to challenge yourself and join in this year to raise money, please contact the charity team on 01604 626927 or email greenheart@ngh.nhs.uk

Third annual charity golf day in September Our third annual charity golf day will be held on Thursday 20th September this year so plenty of time to get practicing and polishing up on your handicap.

Our previous two golf events have helped raise around £5,000. The money from the first day held in 2016 went towards our Do-it-for-Dementia appeal. This helps to make positive changes around the hospital so that the environment is more dementia-friendly. The fantastic amount raised from the second day last September went towards the fund for a Paediatrics Adolescent Area on the children’s wards.

You can register your interest for this year’s event right NOW. Contact us on 01604 626927 or email greenheart@ngh.nhs.uk

Thank you for showing the Christmas Spirit!

We thank all the people of Northampton and the numerous local companies who donated so generously to our Christmas Gifts for Patients appeal at the end of last year. Thanks to you we were able to make sure every patient in our hospitals on Christmas Day received a gift.

26 ❘ Insight

Houghton Hams raise an INCREDIBLE £32,770.28 for neonatal ward H

oughton Hams kindly selected Gosset Ward as the focus for their charity fundraising for 2017. We are so grateful to Nigel Wagstaff, his family and friends, and to this wonderful family-run company.

Nigel explained: “When I first discussed the initial request…it touched a nerve as both Jo and myself were indebted to the fantastic love and care

that [our son] Paul received from the ward…whilst raising funds many people have offered their support, many with touching and moving stories.”

The incredible total of £32,770.28 was raised in a number of ways with the Big Red Gig back in February 2017 raising around £11,000, getting things off to a fantastic start! A charity golf day followed, as well as raffles and auctions

with numerous donations all counting towards that eye-watering total, and the final tally included a donation of £400 from an individual who heard Nigel talking about the campaign on local BBC radio.

The hospital was able to purchase a brilliant state of the art incubator thanks to the donation. This Giraffe omnibed care station makes a world of difference to the babies being cared for and their mothers. It is heightadjustable so there is space for a wheelchair underneath for mothers to be closer to their baby, something which is invaluable in the early stages of life.

Other features include being able to weigh the babies so they don’t have to be disturbed and taken out.

Nigel and Jo came in with Julie Blayney to present the Giraffe incubator to Doctor Nick Barnes and Ward Sister Grace Rogers. Dr Barnes commented: “Just wanted to thank you all for your collective endeavour over the last year, a very significant fundraising drive which has been so palpably to our current and future patients’ benefit.”

Insight ❘ 27

 CHARITABLE FUND

Fantastic Support for ITU

A Way With Pain present two new TENS machines for pain relief David and Alan from the chronic pain support charity A Way With Pain presented two new TENS machines to ward staff Sharon Tate and Emma Young.

10 year old Daisy fundraises to purchase 2 Accuvein machines At just 10 years of age, Daisy Pancoust walked 27 miles in the Waendel Walk, and held an afternoon tea and cakes event. Along with generous donations from family, friends, patients in the unit, the sale of jewellery and a matched donation, the blood-taking unit has benefitted from not just one, but TWO machines that make it easier to find veins.

As a thank you, head of pathology Gus Lusack invited Daisy to have a tour of the department.

“If half of the community had Daisy’s public spirit we would be in a much better situation within the NHS,” Gus said as he met with Daisy and her parents Dawn and Darren.

The Birch Family raise £4,727 for I.T.U.

Following an emergency operation for a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, Ben Birch was cared for in the I.T.U department and on Willow ward. The care shown to Ben and all of his family was second to none, so they held a series of fundraising events with family and friends. These included a family fun day, a headshave that raised an amazing £664, abseiling down the Northampton Express Lift Tower and a donation from Ben’s former employers DHL – all leading to a grand total of £4,727.

Latest 24 hour gaming live stream raises £2,500 for ITU

James Welford, his brother George and friend Luke Nunn raised an amazing £2,510.40 for ITU from their latest annual 24-hour live gaming stream, bringing the total raised by the trio to just over £5,000!

They were prompted to fundraise in response to James and George’s nan’s experience on the unit five years ago.

The money from their donations has been used towards running a group that supports former ITU patients and their relatives. Emma Madden says, “Sharing experiences with others has helped people to understand that they’re not alone in what they feel and think... more often than not, what they’ve experienced is normal for someone who’s been through a period of critical illness.”

28 ❘ Insight

Rushden & District Photographic Society donates £795 to oncology Thank you to the Rushden & District Photographic Society for their latest donation of £795 to our oncology department. The society raised money through their two most recent annual competitions, held in memory of former member Terry Chapman.

The photographic society has supported the oncology department since the passing of Terry, who was treated at the hospital more than fifteen years ago.

Brenda Marshall came in to present the cheque to staff along with member Michael Hadley, his wife Mary and Carole Harvey.

Equipment upgrade thanks to Greencore Food To Go donation Greencore Food To Go, the world’s leading manufacturer of pre-packed sandwiches, has donated some of the proceeds from an employee fun and activities day to the hand therapies department. Alyson and Sonia from the company came in to present their cheque for £2,252 to the department. Sonia chose Hand Therapies to benefit, explaining how she wanted to give something back following the exceptional care she received from staff when she was a patient.

The donation will allow the department to purchase new and updated E-Link equipment which forms an important part of assessment and recovery for patients.

Amazing support for Child Health

Pull-down beds for parents installed on Paddington Ward

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the Hannah Payne Memorial Trust whose generous donation of £16,086 allowed us to provide six pull-down beds for Paddington ward. This incredible Trust has donated in excess of £84,000 to our charity since 2009 supporting different areas.

Huge thanks also goes to David Goldman who raised over £7,000 at his 50th birthday golf celebrations and to the Friends of NGH who donated £4,000 enabling the purchase of a further four of the beds for the ward.

David has so far raised more than £14,000 for us since 2016!

These beds, which are stored in the wall, enable parents to get some rest while their child is in hospital, without using up lots of space. The Mayor and Mayoress of Northampton visited Paddington in November for a presentation with ward staff and our very generous donors.

Zumbathon raises money for Benham Ward A zumbathon organised by Michelle Jones raised a fantastic £393.15 for Benham Ward. This is the second dance event Michelle has arranged to encourage men to exercise more, bringing the total raised to £841.40.

Michelle came in to present the money raised from the latest event to Christina Mallinder and staff on Benham.

Northampton Punjabi Association donates a further £1,000

Kislingbury Village present Jazz for Gosset

Kislingbury Village has been very busy organising events and fundraising to purchase a new ophthalmoscope for our neonatal Gosset ward. This piece of equipment allows medical staff to examine a baby’s eyes by taking a digital picture, a much less invasive way than older equipment A Jazz for Gosset event was organised by five residents from the village, to the sounds of Fenny Stompers Jazz Band. 120 people attended, raising £3,900. Local companies donated raffle prizes and the Northampton Saints Rugby Club contributed £1,000 by way of auction.

One resident secured a generous donation from John Lewis for £2,000 and the cause also featured as part of the Community Matters green disc scheme at Waitrose in Wootton, adding a further £560 to the pot. The amazing efforts of this village helped raised a fantastic total of £6,460.00.

Saints player Alex Waller came in to present the cheque along with Di Ward, Pat Kidson and Alan Cook.

The Northampton Punjabi Association (NPA) raised £1,000 at their Hawaiian night held back in September in support of the hospital, bringing the total the association has raised for the hospital to £2,600.

Pummie Matharu, co-founder of the association came in to the hospital with Mayor of Northampton, Councillor Gareth Eales to present their latest cheque to staff on Paddington ward.

Thanks to everyone involved with the Association and for the continued support for child health at the hospital. *Picture from bulletin 18/12/17*

Brackley & District Running Club donates £250 to Gosset Thank you very much to Richard McMahon and the Brackley & District Running Club for their £250 donation for Gosset ward. The money was raised via a 10km chicken run organised by the club. They were inspired to donate to Gosset following the care given to one of their team members and her baby on the ward a few years ago.

EBC Brakes raise over £2,000 for Paddington At their car show in November EBC Brakes chose Paddington Ward to benefit from a fundraising drive. Frank Hall of Frank’s Charity Track Day Club kicked it all off with a fantastic £500 donation, which EBC Brakes generously matched.

Kate Williamson and Finlay Hackett came in to present a cheque for £2,103.54 to Chris Wood and staff on Paddington.

All donations to the hospital are managed, separately from NHS finances, by the trustees of the Northamptonshire Health Charitable Fund, a registered charity.

If you would like to make a donation, or be involved in raising money for NGH, please contact our fundraising office on 01604 545857.

Find us on Facebook/NorthamptonshireHealthCharitableFund

Insight ❘ 29

Our people

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Our best wishes to retiring Spencer Ward nurse Johanna Blood. Johanna qualified and registered as a nurse here in 1964 and has worked in various areas across Team NGH since then.

Johanna said: “I’ve enjoyed my time all over the hospital, I’ve been on almost every unit and I couldn’t actually describe how I feel about having worked here or about the job itself, the satisfaction I have gained has been tremendous. The amount of people I have met and cared for over the years has been incredible. In fairness, I don’t know what I have done for them, but they have certainly enriched my life.

It’s simply been wonderful.”

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We recently welcomed three new members to our executive team. Matt Metcalfe is our new medical director, Stuart Finn is our interim director of facilities and capital development and Phil Bradley is our interim director of finance.

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Congratulations to ophthalmology registrar Dr Sohaib Rufai who has been awarded a national research prize, the Vernon Prize Trophy, for his clinical research into the diagnosis and management of underdevelopment of the retina in young children.

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Well done to Heidi Pryor-Jones, our link nurse for patients who have learning disabilities. Heidi won a Nursing Times subscription in recognition of her special efforts to support our patients.

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A big well done to all of our 2017 Global Challenge participants who have achieved fantastic results. The winner of the most active team award was Spencer Ward’s Legs Up! team who travelled an incredible distance of 6,134 miles between them and ranked 117 in the world!

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Congratulations to our teams shortlisted in three categories of the Patient Experience Network’s National Awards (PENNA) which aim to highlight outstanding patient experience across the health and social care sector in the UK.

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The Keep Connected initiative is a real-time survey of patients while they are in hospital and equip the wards with the results to make immediate improvements wherever possible. It has been shortlisted in two categories while the midwifery service’s Meet the Matrons project has been shortlisted for their work with expectant mothers and fathers when preparing for the arrival of their baby.

Retirement fellowship Approaching retirement or about to retire from the NHS? The NHS Retirement Fellowship is the social, leisure, educational and welfare organisation for current and retired NHS and social care staff and their partners. The Fellowship is a registered charity and has in the region of 10,000 members across the UK. The Northampton branch meets on the first Wednesday of the month at the Salvation Army Hall in Penistone Road. Meetings start at 2.15 and you are welcome to come along and have a taster session. For more information, visit their website or contact either of membership secretaries:  Joan McDowell (01933 383215) e-mail joanmcdowall@yahoo.com  Kathleen Davison (01604 811452) kathleendavison@hotmail.com 30 ❘ Insight

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Insight ❘ 31

Win free theatre tickets

It has been packing in audiences worldwide.

Nigel Havers, Denis Lawson and Stephen Tompkinson star in award-winning comedy Art Yasmina Reza’s multi-award-winning comedy Art tours to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate, from Monday 14 to Saturday 19 May, starring Nigel Havers, Denis Lawson and Stephen Tompkinson.

One of the most successful plays ever, Art originally opened in 1996, taking both the West End and Broadway by storm and winning Olivier, Tony and Moliere Awards, along with every other major theatre award. It has been packing in audiences worldwide ever since.

When Serge spends an extortionate amount of money on an allwhite modernist painting, his close friends Marc and Yvan are baffled. But do their violent reactions to this provocative canvas mirror more dangerous antagonisms towards each other?

Taking the part of Serge, Nigel Havers has starred in many television productions, including more recently Coronation Street, Benidorm and Downton Abbey. His films include Chariots of Fire, A Passage to India and Empire of the Sun. Extensive theatre work includes The Importance of Being Earnest and Harold Pinter’s Family Voices, both directed by Sir Peter Hall for the National Theatre.

Denis Lawson, who plays Marc, is known for TV roles such as DI Steve McAndrew in BBC1’s hit series New Tricks. In film, his notable credits include the roles of Gordon Urquhart in the film Local Hero. On stage, he won an Olivier for his performance in

Mr Cinders was Olivier-nominated for La Cages Aux Folles.

Playing Yvan, Stephen Tompkinson’s screen credits include the TV series DCI Banks, Trollied, Wild at Heart, Drop the Dead Donkey and Ballykissangel, and the film Brassed Off. His theatre work includes Spamalot, Rattle of a Simple Man and Arsenic and Old Lace in the West End. Art takes to the Derngate stage from Monday 14 to Saturday 19 May, at 7.30pm with matinees at 2.30pm on Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets – priced from £13 to £35.50* – can be booked by calling Box Office on 01604 624811 or online at www.royalandderngate.co.uk. * A charge of £3 applies for all transactions £15 and over. Does not apply to Groups, Friends or Disabled Patrons, and is per-transaction, not per-ticket.

For your chance to win a pair of tickets for Art on Monday 14 May, answer the questions below. Send your entry to arrive

by Tuesday 1 May 2018 to eva.duffy@ngh.nhs.uk or by post to Insight Editor, Communications Department, Northampton General Hospital, Cliftonville, Northampton NN1 5BD. Please include a daytime telephone number with your entry.  Where did a team of NGH volunteers go as part of

Operation Hernia?

 What did NGH staff choose as the name of our new

emergency assessment unit opening later this year?

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