Insight Northampton Spring 2020

SPRING 2020 | ISSUE 73

Insight NEW- IN NUMBERS FEATURE

SUPPORTED BY NORTHAMPTONSHIRE HEALTH CHARITY

10 MINUTES WITH… DR STEPHEN CORRY-BASS USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN CANCER TREATMENTS

MEET THE BREAST SCREENING TEAM

THE MAGAZINE FOR NORTHAMPTON GENERAL HOSPITAL STAFF, PATIENTS AND VISITORS

INSIDE INS

DR SONIA SWART CHIEF EXECUTIVE

A WELCOME FROM

OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE I’m pleased to introduce you to some new features in this issue of Insight that focus on the work done by our teams here at NGH. We have four new feature pages highlighting the achievements of staff and volunteers so we can showcase the wide range of individuals and teams who keep our hospital running. We hope you enjoy this new look and if you have any feedback or story ideas I know our hard-working communications team would love to hear from you.

Everyone at TeamNGH prides themselves on serving the people of Northampton. The hospital has been based on this site for more than 275 years. Our breast screening unit celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and you can read about the hard working team in the unit who see more than 46,000 people each year on pages 15-18.

We also feature our audiology team and James, our head of audiology, talks about how the team are supporting patients and how they work with them to improve, restore and maintain people’s hearing.

Just before Christmas I had the privilege of hosting an afternoon tea for some of our longest-serving members of TeamNGH. This was a special occasion for me as I was awarded my 25 year service badge. One colleague was celebrating 50 years’ service, whilst others were marking 45, 40, 35, 30 and 25 years’ service. Such dedication and commitment is humbling and is well worth celebrating. It was heart-warming to see so many familiar faces, and to hear about the many changes that colleagues have seen and experienced during their time at NGH. I hope you enjoy reading about some of the many aspects of TeamNGH in this issue.

Dr Sonia Swart, Chief Executive

Insight

Spring 2020 Issue 73

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.

Editor: Zoë Catlin Contributors: Kieran Jones, Lydia Stott and Billie Whitelocke Cover photo: Zoë Catlin Designed and printed by Octagon Design and 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 If you have a story to share or any feedback on this magazine please email us communications@ngh.nhs.uk Clarification Issue 72: Page 10: The scholarship awarded to Helen-Elliott Mainwaring was awarded based on submitted projects to the THIS institute 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.

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. ©2020.

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

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4-5

Young Healthwatch takeover day

12-13 6 Meet our IBS nurse

Organ Donation Pass it on What you need to know about the 2020 organ donation law legislation

FEATURES… 7

Our stores team in numbers

8-9 10 minutes with Dr Stephen Corry-Bass 15-19 Meet the breast screening team 24

Singing4Breathing choir

27 - 31 Northamptonshire Health Charity news

A WELCOME from our charity team The charity started 2020 on a very positive note, with the news that thanks to the enthusiastic, passionate and generous supporters who donated we achieved our fundraising targets for three projects the hospital asked us to support. The quiet relatives room on Brampton ward, the garden for Robert Watson maternity ward and the improvement of the waiting area and warm drink facilities in radiotherapy.

None of these projects were large or essential but often these small improvements have the biggest impact. The same can be said about the donations we receive, they don’t have to be large but the impact they have on patient care is invaluable. We look forward to seeing and sharing with you the progress and completion of these recent projects funded by the charity. It’s exciting seeing them come to life and what an amazing difference can be made!

Without regular giving from the people of Northamptonshire we

SIGHT… 10

Using artificial intelligence in cancer treatment

22-23 Audiology

8-9

simply wouldn’t be able to fund these desired changes that the wards and departments are so grateful for. It has been said that ‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.’ We don’t know what your plans are for 2020 but if you fancy giving your time and effort by taking part in any of our charity challenges, abseiling the Express Lift Tower, jumping out of a plane or running a half marathon, then contact the team.

C ha rity tea m - AlisZonoe, Ca ro lin e, R ob a n d

Merry Christmas

A letter from one of our patients...

S

n admitted to be induced due to arah was 41 weeks pregnant whe at inally only went in to be assessed reduced fetal movements. She orig Sarah d usse disc e wer erns conc all r the maternity day centre and afte the induction process. ted star follow, very nervous about the events to Being first time parents we were c. She asti fant was who rea And midwife but were put completely at ease by so lovely was d every step of the process and answered our questions, explaine kend and wee the over us and checked in on and caring. Andrea even came back was an absolute pleasure! ur William es of labour, our Grandfather Arth While Sarah was in the slow stag ing, even that ly nate s department. Unfortu Howkins was brought into the resu he and th, heal his in t men rove e was no imp ’s despite the efforts of the team, ther baby our e nd him. We had the chance to shar passed away with his family arou he re befo him with ndad was always known) name, William (by which our Gra spend time ly grateful for the opportunity to eme extr be ys passed. We will alwa with him and say goodbye. ly stretched however the team The resus department were extreme ained their best efforts to save his life, rem managed to give us their time, tried I us. with est hon and open very s and were professional despite the pressure reg ical med to the nurse and HCA, Simon the would like to pass on my thanks us. d orte supp of our Grandad and and the whole team that took care ed be monitored due to our baby’s rais to ed need h Sara During this time etic, path sym e wer our Hon y ciall espe heart rate. The midwifery team and ndad at d us to allow us to be with our Gra understanding, caring and supporte us. to h muc always mean so the time of his passing. This will were for Sarah’s waters to be broken. We ed mov e wer we ning In the mor n. atio situ wife who was aware of our fortunate to have Lauren as our mid went and n atio situ the a positive to help ease Lauren turned our negative into She boy. little our of ery deliv the to n it came above and beyond, especially whe . wife mid absolute definition of a brilliant was a true professional and is the ren Lau cy. rgen eme r afte it and had emergency Again the team were up against our er deliv to y Kat Dr of ce ed the assistan apologised throughout as we need . We really us with calm but responsive care ided prov ren Lau and y Kat little boy. y and path sym , care r efforts, professionalism, couldn’t be more grateful for thei ugh thro us get to wife mid er e asked for a bett positive attitude. We couldn’t hav our journey! other rience very strange, being on the As a paramedic, I found this expe amazing the te recia app rtunity to reflect and side of care but an excellent oppo all with g alon I and ner part My nd us. work of the clinicians and staff arou had ever I each and every one of them. If of our family would like to thank be an these staff as a clinician it would e gsid the opportunity to work alon absolute honour!

Yours truly, Aaron, Sarah and baby William

Insight ❘ 3

Hospital Takeover

with Young Healthwatch Volunteers from Young Healthwatch Northamptonshire had the opportunity to find out more about our hospital as we hosted a Healthwatch takeover day, to give a taste of what a future career in the NHS would be like.

T

hree volunteers were invited to Northampton General for an action-packed day of meeting staff, hearing feedback from children and young people and trying out some fun features at the hospital which allows for a better stay for young people. After a meet and greet with our head of patient experience and engagement, volunteers spoke to us about the feedback we receive from patients and how they think patient experience can be improved for young people.

Our visiting volunteers were then introduced to our patient train, which was designed to take children around the hospital for treatments and procedures.

Takeover day allows children and young people to gain an insight into the adult world and organisations open their doors to benefit from a fresh perspective on their work. Learn more about takeover day here: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/ takeover-challenge/

They were told how the train makes the process of going for operations and procedures less daunting for children. At lunch time, a tasting session was hosted to try out the hospital food. A variety of food was served from sandwiches to Sunday dinners, all of which are currently served to our younger patients, and we had some excellent feedback on our menu.

Towards the end of the day, our visitors scrubbed up and were shown our state of the art simulation suite. The suite allows simulated learning scenarios to provide invaluable opportunities to observe, develop 4 ❘ Insight

and test how healthcare professionals work together and interact with their environment and equipment.

During their time in the simulation suite the team got to try their hand at making a mock patient ‘Betty’ feel better after an accident on her scooter. Using the simulation suite mannequin the trio had the chance to administer drugs, regulate her breathing and put a splint in place on her leg.

Anya, Young Healthwatch volunteer said: “We all had a brilliant day at NGH for Takeover day 2019! My favourite part of the day was visiting the simulation suite where we performed several tasks on a breathing, talking, blinking mannequin. It gave us a real insight into how staff in the hospital train and we even wore scrubs, making the whole experience very exciting and engaging throughout.

“We also carried out a food tasting session, giving feedback on the current and new menus for patients which made us feel like our input was useful and we were listened to. The staff looking after us all day were very friendly and approachable, we loved spending our day of learning with them! Thank you NGH!” Rachel Lovesy, head of patient experience and engagement said: “Having Young Healthwatch with us for the day was incredibly exciting and inspiring.

Seeing their enthusiasm for how the hospital works and receiving their feedback on potential ways in which we can improve was fantastic. As an organisation we are keen to work collaboratively with our patients, families, young people and carers to ensure we make changes of direct benefit to patients.

“Young Healthwatch spent time with our catering team tasting the old and proposed new menu offered within the children’s wards. Their views were extremely valuable and the new menu is being developed as a direct result of this session. In addition to this, we are going to continue to work with the young people to look at the ways in which we collect feedback from children and young people on a daily basis. We hope the young people enjoyed the day as much as we did and are perhaps considering becoming part of Team NGH in the future!”

Pictured: > Resuscitation and simulation technician, Nick Hilliker, with Young Healthwatch volunteers

Insight ❘ 5

Northampton IBD patients to benefit from CROHN’S AND COLITIS UK I

Being able to provide high quality, sustainable care to our patients in Northampton is essential.

n 2016, Crohn’s and Colitis UK launched a national campaign for more inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) nurses across the country. Since the campaign was launched, the number of IBD nurses has increased by 32% across the UK, providing better experiences for people living with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Northampton’s IBD clinical nurse specialist (CNS), Tracey Shaul is part of the first cohort of Crohn’s and Colitis UK Nurse specialists to apply to the Royal College of Nursing for credentialing of her MSc. for Advanced Level Nursing Practice. Credentialing is formal recognition for each nurse, their colleagues, employers and most importantly, patients and the public, of the advanced level of expertise and skill that nurses awarded the credential have achieved.

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease, affecting more than 300,000 people in the UK. Due to the effects of these conditions, it carries a stigma, often leading to people suffering in isolation.

For people living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, having access to an IBD nurse via the IBD advice line or email is often a lifeline during times of flare when they are unwell. Much of the work of the IBD CNS is about admission avoidance but also arranging emergency admission to hospital when appropriate. It is about seeing the right people in the right place at the right time. Patients, carers and family members often find it reassuring to have continuity of care which an IBD CNS can offer to answer questions and concerns.

This allows patients to feel supported with a clearer understanding about their condition and how to obtain further help in the future.

Tracey said: “It’s important for people to understand Crohn’s & colitis and how it can affect people’s lives. Being able to provide high quality, sustainable care to our patients in Northampton is essential and providing education on the management of the condition will see improvement to their quality of life.”

For more information on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, visit www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk

Crohn’s disease is a lifelong condition in which parts of the digestive system become inflamed. Crohn’s disease affects people of all ages. The symptoms usually start in childhood or early adulthood. The main symptoms are: diarrhoea, stomach aches and cramps, blood in your poo, tiredness (fatigue) and weight loss.

The symptoms may be consistent or may come and go every few weeks or months.

When they come back, it’s called a flare-up.

There is no current cure for Crohn’s disease but treatment can help reduce or control your symptoms.

You should see a GP if you or your child experience these symptoms, your GP will try to find out what’s causing your symptoms and may refer you for tests to check for Crohn’s disease.

Pictured: > Crohn’s & Colitis UK Nurse Specialist and NGH IBD Clinical Lead, Tracey Shaul.

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Ulcerative colitis is a long-term condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed. The colon is the large intestine (bowel) and the rectum is the end of the bowel where stools are stored. Small ulcers can develop on the colon’s lining, and can bleed and produce pus.

Symptoms can include: recurring diarrhoea, stomach pain and needing to empty your bowels frequently. You may also experience extreme tiredness (fatigue), loss of appetite and weight loss. You should see a GP as soon as possible if you have symptoms of ulcerative colitis and you have not been diagnosed with the condition.

In Numbers with... STORES COLLEAGUES

WITHIN

12 2

RDP

&

RECEIPTING & DISTRIBUTING POINT

MAT MATERIALS MAN MANAGEMENT

TEAMS

18,500

Left to right: Richard, Ayinde, Ross, Luke, Steve, Joice, Connor, Luke, Dot and Paula

STEPS WALKED ON AVERAGE EACH DAY

9 MILES, OR 14.5 KM CALORIES = 882BURNED THAT’S

109,500 RECYCLED SHEETS OF PAPER EQUIVALENT TO THE WEIGHT OF POLAR BEAR

1

In numbers with stores: Team RDP manage the receipting process for all goods that are delivered to stores, and then upload these items to the system ready for dispatch.

Team MAT MAN maintains the medical and surgical stock levels in the wards using hand-held scanners. Once the items are processed, ordered, and delivered to stores, the team distribute them to the correct ward or department to ensure stock is maintained and up to date.

ON AVERAGE

650

PARCELS RECEIVED EACH DAY

8.00AM - 4.30PM 14 COURIERS EACH DAY

EQUIVALENT TO ONE PARCEL EVERY 69 SECONDS

11KG OF STAPLES EACH YEAR

OVER

250

RECEIPTS ARE SIGNED EACH DAY

SAME WEIGHT AS 4,074 PING-PONG BALLS

7 ELECTRIC & 8 MANUAL TROLLEYS

2 BREAKS

3.86 MILES OF TAPE USED PER YEAR (24 METRES PER DAY) Insight ❘ 7

10 MINS WITH… DR STEPHEN CORRY-BASS

I have been involved in NGH adopting the NHS Rainbow Badge which shows support to LGBTQ+ people within the hospital.

Pictured: > Dr Stephen Corry-Bass

8 ❘ Insight

Pictured: > Stephen with the Magpas Air Ambulance > NHS Rainbow Badge > Magpas Air Ambulance in flight

Tell us about your role at Northampton General Hospital: I’m a consultant in emergency medicine and prehospital medicine. Pre-hospital emergency medicine is a relatively new specialty in medical terms and has only existed for a few years as a formal sub-speciality.

How did you get into the role?

I trained at Northampton General Hospital and I took a year out of training as an emergency medicine registrar to do pre-hospital emergency medicine with Magpas Air Ambulance. As a consultant I spend most of my time at the hospital in the A&E department and a couple of shifts a month with Magpas on the helicopter, either as the team doctor or as a supervisor. I’ve always had an interest in emergency medicine, especially the detective work of finding out what is wrong with a patient and why is it happening. I think my interest in pre-hospital medicine has come initially from joining St John Ambulance at University.

Tell us more about Magpas, how did you get involved?

When I applied for my training post for pre-hospital emergency medicine Magpas was my first option. They have a long history in developing the speciality, and are local which was an added bonus. After finishing my training there was the opportunity to continue working with them, so I took it.

And what do Magpas do?

Magpas is dispatched by ambulance control, so when someone rings 999 if they feel a critical care team is needed Magpas is one of their options from around the country. The team will respond by either car or helicopter, whichever can reach the incident quickest.

The type of patients the team respond to tends to be the more serious sounding cases or where extra skills and equipment is needed for example car accidents with multiple vehicles or accidents where people may be trapped. A normal ambulance service can deal with 99% of 999 calls, Magpas and similar teams do the extra 1%.

Any other interests within medicine?

I’m very interested in FOAMed, which stands for

Free Open Access Medical Education, and have been involved from when it first started when I was working at Leicester. It’s a movement which started within the medical education community around 5 years ago and encourages the sharing of knowledge and work. Most education happens within a closed lecture theatre or a paid for journal article that you can only access with a subscription, FOAMed opens up more learning opportunities. It’s great to be able to hear about what other people are doing, reading others work, or sparking my own research into a topic.

Outside of the day to day job is there anything else you have been involved in at NGH? I have been involved in NGH adopting the NHS Rainbow Badge which shows support to LGBTQ+ people within the hospital. There is research to suggest that particularly teenagers struggle to talk about their sexuality or gender identity and don’t know who to talk to. There’s also a public perception that healthcare is homophobic and transphobic.

I originally saw the badge on Twitter from Dr Michael Farquhar, NHS rainbow badge lead and sleep consultant at Evelina London. The badge has been created for staff within healthcare to wear. It is inconspicuous but can be enough of a prompt to somebody to know they can talk to that person, be listened to and signposted to resources. Over a 1,000 badges have now been adopted by NGH staff which is great, and also helps towards an open, equal and welcoming culture.

Away from work, what hobbies do you have?

I am still involved with St John Ambulance and have attended events such as Wimbledon and London Marathon as part of their medical cover, as well as being involved in the training and teaching side of things. I am a keen knitter and have made quite a few Christmas stockings for godchildren, nieces and nephews and am currently in an ongoing two year battle with “The Snowman”. I also own a tropical fish tank full of around 20 small colourful fish, which is very calming to watch at the end of a long day!

Insight ❘ 9

REVOLUTIONARY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY R

adiotherapy patients at Northampton General Hospital are the first in the UK to be benefitting from the use of artificial intelligence for treating head and neck cancer.

The revolutionary new technology RapidPlan™ from Varian, has been developed for Northampton General using knowledge-based planning which determines the best treatment plan for patients. This software ‘learns’ how treatment plans have been generated for up to a hundred previous patients treated here at NGH, and then predicts the best possible plan for any new head and neck cancer patient.

The plan is then generated for the patient using the model, with minimal human interaction.

This new way of working aims to provide patients with the best treatment plan for their needs. It also helps to save time for clinicians and medical physics staff, who traditionally would have spent time analysing patient scans and performing many iterations to create the final treatment plan that satisfies the many ‘rules’ for a plan.

This time saving in the planning process allows the service to be more efficient.

As well as saving time, the technology will allow for a more standardised approach to treatment as the results will be more consistent across the department. Future work involves creating a supermodel across different Radiotherapy departments in the country to allow a standardised approach nationally.

> The technology maps out the best treatment plan for patients which can then be reviewed by clinicians

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Dr Craig Knighton, Clinical Director of Oncology and Haematology, described how the new technology will benefit patients: “We are really excited to be the first hospital in the country to be using this technology for our head and neck cancer patients, and our gynaecological patients. Head and neck cancers are a particularly complex area to treat due to the proximity of radiosensitive organs like the face, spinal cord and brainstem.

“Using this new technology gives our clinicians instant access to the information stored in previous treatment plans, to generate high quality treatment plans in a reduced timeframe. This will allow shorter waiting times and increased numbers of patients treated.

“It has taken a lot of work from the Radiotherapy Physics teams at NGH and Varian over 4 years to get this model ready to be used in practice, and we are delighted to see it now being used to help with patient care.

“It cements the reputation of Radiotherapy at NGH being amongst the most advanced and dynamic in the country.”

The new software was launched in December and has already been used to plan the treatment of 12 patients.

NATIONAL NOMINATION

FOR KIA

A

midwifery student’s top-level care for babies and families has been recognised with a nomination for a national healthcare award.

Kia Beeby-Parnham, who is on a placement at Northampton General Hospital, has been shortlisted for the Student Midwife of the Year award from the Royal College of Midwives. The award celebrates and rewards midwives across the UK for the difference they make to women, families and the newborn babies in their care.

Kia was nominated for this accolade by colleague Sarah Coiffait for her caring nature towards the patients she meets and as a result of the positive comments she has received from new parents.

Sarah Coiffait, clinical placement support in midwifery at Northampton General Hospital explained her reasons for nominating Kia: “I nominated Kia because she cares about the women and families she meets and is able to prioritise their needs in a very empathetic way.

“Kia has also been involved in re-establishing the University of Northampton Midwifery Society and has started to arrange several study days for the student midwives. She is also a really good role model having acted as a midwifery ambassador, promoting the profession to young people.”

Kia, who is in the final year of her midwifery degree at the University of Northampton, said: “I found out I was being put forward for shortlisting in September, which was really lovely news to start my last student year.

“I never expected to get an actual nomination so I feel a bit overwhelmed by it. But I love making that connection with the women and families I meet and caring for them at such an important time in their lives, it’s my favourite part of the job. It’s such an honour to be nominated by the RCM for this.”

Parents too have been quick to praise Kia’s efforts and role at the hospital and she has received numerous messages of thanks from parents.

The awards will be announced on Tuesday 5 May 2020.

Good luck Kia!

^ Photo courtesy of The University of Northampton

Kia, Thank you for all of your help during my time in hospital. From the moment I met you on the maternity observation ward for my ind uction I just felt so safe in your hands. I had no worri es or concerns because it was all explained to me so I understood what was going to happen. Then when I saw that you were one of my midwives on labour ward it just set my mind to rest a little because you were a friendly face.

You should be proud of yo urself and the work you do !

If you didn’t have differen t uniform on then I never would’ve guessed you were a student. xxx

I nominated Kia because she cares about the women and families she meets and is able to prioritise their needs in a very empathetic way.

< Sarah and Kia: Sarah and Kia both work in the maternity team at Northampton General

Insight ❘ 11

PASS IT O

What you ne 2020 organ d

One of the key things we want to tell people is that the choice is still theirs.

From spring 2020 the law around organ donation in England is changing. This means that all adults in England will be considered as having agreed to donate their own organs when they die unless they record a decision or are in one of the excluded groups. Whatever you choose, please let close family or friends know to help ensure your decision is honoured.

We spoke to Pete Braithwaite, Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation at Northampton General Hospital, to find out what you need to know and how your decision can make a difference in Northamptonshire.

“From spring 2020 the organ donation law will be changing. Known as Max and Kiera’s law, the change means that adults in England will be considered to have agreed to donate their organs when they die, unless they have made a choice not to be a donor, or they fall into a group exempt from the changes. The new law is designed to help improve and save more lives through donation, whilst making the process easier for families. Should anyone find themselves in a situation where they could potentially be an organ donor, the NHS Organ Donor Register will always be checked and relatives or loved ones will always be included in the decision on whether they would like to support

Thank you to NHS Blood and Transplant

12 ❘ Insight

organ donation.

“One of the key things we want to tell people is that the choice is still theirs. What we want this change to do is to inspire people to think about and discuss their choices with their loved ones. We don’t mind what your decision is, it will always be respected. Whether you register online or more importantly have a conversation with your loved ones, making your wishes known is so important.

“As of February 2020 we have 78 people in Northamptonshire who are waiting for a transplant and we’re thankful that 39 people have already benefitted from an organ transplant this year. We’re really grateful to everyone who has registered their wishes on the NHS Organ Donor Register and we’re proud to have 313, 477 people in the county registered.

“Let’s talk about organ donation.

Pass it on.”

To find out more about your choices, including how to opt out: visit organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 303 2094

ON -

eed to know about the donation law legislation Hayley and Tasha’s story of living organ donation Hayley Cole is an End of Life nurse at Northampton General Hospital. She told us about her story and experience of being a living organ donor for her sister Tasha. While the law isn’t changing for living donation Tasha also received two transplant organs from donors on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

“My sister Tasha had a heart and lung transplant in 2001. The transplant saved her life, but the medication that she had to take to prevent her from rejecting the organs also damaged her kidneys, to the extent that she started renal dialysis in 2018.

“We were asked as a family if anybody would be willing to donate a kidney. Neither mum or dad were able to donate but that didn’t mean it was an easy decision for me to make either - as a healthy mum of two, did I want to put myself under an anaesthetic and a surgeon’s knife?

“After much discussion with my children and partner, friends and colleagues, I decided that as it would potentially transform my sister’s life, I would go for it. I had every test you can possibly

Tasha (L) received a living organ donation from sister Hayley (R)

Hayley and Tasha after surgery

imagine to ascertain I was in good enough health to live with just one kidney, and we had our surgery at Leicester General Hospital on 25th July 2019. There was never any guarantee that the operation would be successful, or if it was for how long. The day after surgery though, and for the first time in my life, Tasha was healthier than me. I had gone from being healthy to being a sick patient – oxygen, drain, pain killer pump, catheter…… but she had gone from having almost no kidney function whatsoever to being able to walk round, pink and healthy, with a healthy kidney, to see me, the sick one!

“Six months later, I still get tired but I am back to work as a palliative care nurse and practice educator and slowly getting back into my running. I only require yearly appointments to check my remaining kidney is working as well as possible. Tasha is volunteering at the Salvation Army charity shop, her blood results are better than mine and I do not regret my decision one little bit.

“Organ donation really does transform lives – when asked why I wanted to donate my kidney I was very sure what my aim was: last Christmas Tasha could only manage to go carolling with the Salvation Army twice, she was in a wheelchair and exhausted. This year she stood strong, collecting donations and chatting to members of the public.

That made it all worthwhile.”

We were asked as a family if anybody would be willing to donate a kidney.

Insight ❘ 13

OUR

PEOPLE We would like to welcome Reverend Craig Shaw to Northampton General Hospital.

Craig joined us in October 2019 and will be joining our team to provide chaplaincy support in hospital.

1

Congratulations to new parents Katie and Dan on the arrival of Finley Paul.

Finley was the one of the first babies to be born this year and this decade arriving at 00.08 and weighing 6lb 6oz.

The maternity wards welcomed 10 boys and 6 girls in to the world on New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day.

2

2 1

Congratulations to our two latest Everyday Hero award winners Christine Bradshaw and Juliet Kotey.

Juliet was nominated thanks to her exceptional care for a 5 year old patient. She took the time to learn sign language to help the patient and his family feel at ease.

Christine was nominated by a patient who had never experienced such care and consideration from a health care assistant.

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14 â?&#x2DC; Insight

3

Celebrating 30 years of Breast Screening in Northamptonshire

The team celebrated the 30th anniversary with a party in the Forrest centre

T

The unit were one of the first in the country to open after screening was introduced in 1988 by Sir Patrick Forrest.

he breast screening team are celebrating 30 years of screening in Northampton. The department were one of the first in the country to open after screening was introduced in 1988 by Sir Patrick Forrest.

Now into its 30th year the department has screened over 332,000 women since opening in 1990. To celebrate the milestone, the team hosted a tea party inviting current and past staff members, including people who worked in the unit when the centre first opened. In addition, members of the executive team and commissioners attended to celebrate the anniversary.

In 1990 the department began with two x-ray rooms, one ultrasound room and a mobile unit. Film had to be developed in a dark room and typically the team just took one view or two pictures. Now the unit has two x-ray rooms, two ultrasound rooms and two mobile units and the team now screen with two separate views and four pictures.

The new digital equipment enables the team to look at the images immediately.

As well as this the modern mammography machines have the capability to take 3D tomograms, which take an image that can be used for 2D or 3D stereotactic biopsies.

A stereotactic biopsy involves using lowdose x-rays to locate an abnormality in the breast and remove a small tissue sample Continued overleaf >> for examination.

The screening teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mobile unit

1990

Invited:

vs

2019 Invited:

22,148

60,284

17,465

46,740

998

1872

Screened: Assessed:

Malignant:

90

Screened: Assessed:

Malignant:

416

Insight â?&#x2DC; 15

Seven steps to screening

1 2 3

If you are aged between 50 and 70 and registered with a GP you will receive a letter every 3 years inviting you to a breast screening appointment.

Some women may be invited for screening earlier depending on their medical history

4

You will then be asked to take your top and bra off. We recommend wearing a shirt with buttons or something easy to remove. If it makes you feel more comfortable you can cover yourself with a top before the scan begins.

5

The mammographer will then take the mammogram. They will position your breast in the machine to make sure they will get the right image. This will only take a few seconds. It may be slightly uncomfortable but should not hurt.

After the mammogram has been taken you can put your clothes back on and your appointment will be finished.

6 7

Once your scan is complete the team will check the mammograms to look for any changes or abnormalities in the breast tissue.

Meet

You will come for your appointment at either the Forrest Centre or one of our mobile vans. On arrival you will be checked in by a receptionist. hen you are called in by the mammographer W they will check your personal details with you and talk you through what will happen during your appointment. If you have any questions you can ask the team during your appointment.

You should receive your results in 2 - 3 weeks. If the team have any concerns or need to re-take the images they will ask you to come back for another appointment.

Rose Bridgewater

Radiographer Advanced Practitioner (Mammography) My day starts with one session of film reading. Usually most of our film reading images have two independent reads as they can often be difficult to interpret, particularly after surgery or radiotherapy. I will then help with the screening clinic or the symptomatic onestop clinic dependent on what is booked.

We also run assessment sessions where cases are recalled from the screening programme requiring further specialised imaging. If a breast biopsy is required under stereotactic (X-ray control) it is usually performed by myself, Catherine the other advanced practitioner or Nancy our consultant radiographer.

“It’s understandable that ladies are nervous when coming for a mammogram, we’re always happy to answer any questions to ensure ladies have a positive experience.”

16 ❘ Insight

t the team... first department to offer training as an assistant practitioner. My time is split between working on the breast screening mobile vans, and assisting the medical staff with ultrasounds and biopsies within the breast screening unit. It’s a very busy unit; we’re often running multiple clinics so we all work together to ensure our ladies have a good experience.

We’re a very friendly team and do our best to put our patients at ease. We understand everyone is an individual and we endeavour to make the mammogram as comfortable as possible.

friendly face and a professional approach, ladies will leave having had a positive experience and that is the most rewarding part of the job, caring and knowing we have made a difference.

Sian Simpson

Mammographer I worked as a general radiographer for four years and then undertook a postgraduate certificate in mammography.

I now split my time working in the breast screening unit and radiology.

Every day is different in the breast unit; one day I could work on the mobile screening vans which go out to places such as Guilsborough and Roade and the next I’ll be in the Forrest Centre in a busy clinic taking mammograms and assisting with biopsies. I enjoy the variety that the job brings and find it very rewarding. It’s understandable that ladies are nervous when coming for a mammogram, we’re always happy to answer any questions to ensure ladies have a positive experience.

Tracey Slope

Assistant Practitioner I’ve worked for the hospital for twenty years and in the Forrest Centre for eighteen years. The breast unit was the

Dr Nadia Mansoor Akhtar Breast Physician

Sarah Ogden

Office Manager

My job involves imaging patients coming with breast complaints in one stop clinics, interpreting screening mammograms, assessing clients from screening recalls, risk assessment of patients with family history of breast cancer, performing interventional procedures and managing benign breast diseases.

Most days I get in well before the start We have seven people in the of the clinic so I can prepare administration team including myself for imaging patients. and the only way to describe our The afternoons are working day as busy, busy, committed for busy! With two mobile units, “We all pride assessing patients both with approximately ourselves on making with screen detected 52 appointments per day, abnormalities or the Forrest centre, ladies any experience in preparing cases for on the family history breast screening unit multidisciplinary screening programme a safe, professional meetings or and supporting the breast and friendly film reading. care team, telephones are experience.” constantly ringing with If abnormalities appointment changes and are detected early, general enquiries. treatment is more successful and there My role is to oversee the day to are good chances for recovery. day running of the office, the welfare Interpreting the screening programmes of administration staff and to ensure to identify subtle early features of breast procedures and protocols are being met. cancer is the crucial part of the job of This could not be achieved without the breast physician. hard work, organisation and dedication of the team. We all pride ourselves on making any experience in breast screening unit a safe, professional and friendly Continued overleaf >> experience. We know that by offering a

Insight ❘ 17

... from previous page

What our patients tell us... them as comfortable as possible.

“If I am to get cancer I know my survival chances will be much greater if the tumour is found in its early stages. I think if my mum had realised what I now know she would have gone to the doctors and had a mammogram earlier.”

Louise Sanders

“I felt a bit apprehensive and embarrassed but the team put me at ease and the women doing the screening were amazing. I’d recommend anyone to do it to for their own peace of mind and to make sure everything is ok. It’s 2 minutes of your time to potentially save your life so I’d tell everyone to get it done.”

Janet Ellis

“I have had 5 or 6 appointments in the mobile screening unit. It might be a bit uncomfortable but I wouldn’t call it painful. You are shown to a cubicle to undress to the waist in private and you may put a shirt back on to enter the screening room.

“Concentrate on the benefits of the test.

It saves lives, just like smear testing. Be strong and brave and set an example to your daughters, nieces and young female friends.”

Krissy Cressey

“After living through my mums cancer and early death I cannot begin to tell you how reassuring it is to know that I am clear.

“My mum was aware of her lump for maybe 6 months before she decided it was something she should talk to the doctor about. That delay would inevitably have allowed her cancer to spread more before it was treated. I think she was intimidated by the process of diagnosis.

However for me the mammograms weren’t as uncomfortable as I thought they would be. They only took a couple of minutes and I was given advice to make 18 ❘ Insight

Sue Smythe

“In April 2012 I went for my routine mammogram. I’d been for 3 or 4 previously so knew what to expect. The team were lovely and talk to you, help to take your mind off things and take away any embarrassment.

“When the results arrived I had a

letter for another appointment at the Forrest Centre. On arrival I was seen by a breast nurse who explained that on my previous scan they had seen some small abnormalities. They did another scan and when that still showed abnormalities they did a biopsy on the same day which included taking a small sample from the breast with a needle which is then checked under a microscope. After this I saw a doctor who explained that the lump needed removal.

“In the next week I received an appointment to see the surgeon. He confirmed that the mammogram had found breast cancer. He introduced me to the team and explained what needed to happen. In May I came into the hospital for the surgery, which was called a wire guided local excision. This procedure involves a wire being inserted into your body to help surgeons to remove some of the breast tissue. I went to the Forrest Centre to have the wire inserted and then went into theatre. During the procedure the team also carried out a sentinel node biopsy to determine whether cancer had spread to other parts of the body.

“Everything went well and I was able to go home on the same day. I had a few uncomfortable experiences post-surgery, but the team were there to support. Following surgery I had daily radiotherapy for three weeks and medication for five years to make sure the cancer had been removed. I was thankful to have the support of friends and family and I feel very lucky that it was caught so early from the mammogram.

“During follow up appointments the team told me that as the lump was so deep without screening it would have been a long time before I would have noticed any changes.

“I’d encourage anyone invited to go for screening. It isn’t painful, it might be a bit embarrassing and uncomfortable but it’s over in minutes and it can save your life. The team are great and they’ve seen every body shape and size. The chances are you won’t see them again and if you do they certainly won’t be able to put a boob to a face!”

Miranda Osborne:

“I had my first one at 36 and have had several at NGH and in the mobile van. My grandmother had a double mastectomy and I would recommend any woman to go for one. The ladies doing them are very kind and it is painless just a little discomfort for peace of mind.”

...to our longest serving employees

SAYING THANK YOU...

E

very year we celebrate our colleagues who have dedicated large parts of their career to working at Northampton General Hospital and caring for our patients.

To recognise these achievements colleagues celebrating 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and

50 years’ service are invited for afternoon tea with Dr Sonia Swart, CEO, where they received a thank you gift from the hospital.

In 2019 the 65 people invited to the event had a combined total of 2,030 years’ service at Northampton General Hospital.

Helen and Jacqui, who attended

the event, described how it felt to be recognised: “We just wanted to thank you very much for our afternoon tea and award.

It is very much appreciated that we received the recognition of the work we do. It was a very enjoyable event and lovely to meet lots of new people.”

Insight ❘ 19

Word on hospital tweet NGHVolunteers @NghVolunteers A huge thank you to our 2 volunteers who helped on our meet and greet service today. Accompanying 2 very anxious outpatients to their appointments and ensured they got there on time. Without your support and encouragement they would not have attended soniaswart @soniaswartCEO NHS & team NGH under great pressure this winter-great stories of teams & departments pulling together to serve patients even when staffing shortage make this hard. Always important to remember this and thank those who remember to prioritise safety & support each other Wendy Smith @WendySmithNN Well that’s it!! Officially registered for The Macmillan Mighty Hike, walking the Thames Path with my fellow colleagues @NGHnhstrust. Let the practice and fundraising begin !!

The Lewis Foundation @uk_tlf We are so proud to be awarded @CitizenAwards in January 2020 for our free gifts & support we provide to adults receiving cancer treatment NHS Midlands @NHSMidlands Did you know that one donation can save up to three lives?

This year, become a life-saver and give blood. Register at http://blood.co.uk

LIBRARY ON WHEELS...

T

he Bedside Book Club is a free service run by volunteers to bring a friendly face and something to read to patients within the hospital. Now in its third year the service covers 24 wards a week, on Tuesday, Wednesday and

> S am, Jackie, Michael and Lauren on one of their book rounds

20 ❘ Insight

Thursday. The team have recently taken ownership of a new motorised trolley, allowing more books to be available for those on the wards.

Sam, Jackie, Michael and Lauren go out together every Wednesday morning to take the book club

around the hospital. Jackie, who supports Sam, said: “It’s lovely to be able to go around and offer this service to patients. We have a great time together and always have a giggle on the way, sometimes even a singalong in some of the wards. It’s amazing what a simple gesture of a book can do to make someone’s day a bit brighter.”

Lauren, who has only been volunteering for the Bedside Book club for a month, also said that she really enjoys it.

The service is looking to expand so more patients can take advantage of the choice of books on offer. If you, or if you know anyone who would like to volunteer in this friendly team call the volunteering team on 01604 523159 or email Volunteer.services@ngh.nhs.uk

GLAMIS HALL LUNCH CLUB - Monday to Friday, 11:30am-1:30pm 3-course lunch – pre-booking essential VIP CLUB - Monday to Friday 9:30am-3:00pm Affordable daily rates Enjoy a freshly-cooked 3 course lunch, plus activities, entertainment and time to relax with friends • Hairdresser, Beautician & Podiatrist • Café and Shop • Personal care and Assisted bathing • Transport available or use the WELLIBUS – it’s FREE if you have a bus pass Call 01933 677326 Email info@glamishall.org.uk or visit our website www.glamishall.org.uk Goldsmith Road, Wellingborough, NN8 3RU Registered Charity Number 1160317

Proud to be in the “Top 3 Most Recommended” Care Home in Wellingborough Area Established over 30 years ago The Cottage Nursing Home is based in the beautiful picturesque grounds of Irchester in Wellingborough. The area benefits from a range of amenities including a health centre, a chemist, a school, a library, churches, shops, public houses and a country park.

We provide premium residential and nursing care for the elderly, to enable them to continue living an active and independent life, in warm, safe and comfortable surroundings. We deliver a comprehensive range of care under one roof. This includes respite and specialist dementia care and end of life care. We recognise each individual is unique. Our compassionate and experienced staff ensure that each person receives the care that is tailored to their individual needs, personality and wishes, to enable them to lead the life they like in a dignified way. No wonder The Cottage Nursing Home is in the ‘Top 3 Most Recommended’ Care Homes in Wellingborough!

The Cottage Nursing Home, 80 High Street, Irchester, Northampton, NN29 7AB T: 01933 355 111 E: cottage@wellbeingcare.co.uk W: www.wellbeingcare.co.uk Insight ❘ 21

LENDING AN EAR

TO AUDIOLOGY

In the UK, it is estimated that hearing loss currently affects more than 10 million people in the UK and this number is set to increase to 14.5 million by 2031. Our audiology team work with Northamptonshire patients to help improve, restore or maintain their current levels of hearing. They also help patients understand and improve from balance and tinnitus problems. We spoke with head of audiology, James Lungley, who told us more about his service.

O

ur audiology department sees patients with a number of ear related conditions, including hearing loss, tinnitus and problems with balance. The department also provide Northamptonshire residents with a range of different hearing aids and advise on assistive technologies to help improve quality of life.

The department is made up of the head of audiology, a senior audiologist, five audiologists and 3 receptionists who all play a vital role in the day to day running of the department. The team cover a wide range of conditions, from hearing, tinnitus and balance related conditions.

James told us “Most commonly, we see patients with age related hearing loss and noise induced hearing loss. It used to be that hearing loss associated with working in loud industrial

The advancement in technology has been massive, especially over the past ten years.

James performing an investigation on a patient’s ears.

22 ❘ Insight

environments was more common, but more recently, we are seeing patients who have used earphones and other inserts to listen to music at a loud volume, which has affected their hearing.

“We also support our colleagues in our ear, nose and throat departments with hearing tests, balance tests and tinnitus support looking for signs of conditions such as glue ear (a condition that causes a build-up of fluid in the ear) and Meniere’s disease (a balance condition that damages the hearing and vestibular system). They can then make decisions on the best course of treatment. We see both adults and children.”

In many cases, self-management can improve certain hearing conditions, however devices such as grommets or hearing aids can be provided to improve hearing. With technological improvements,

A hearing test being performed in our Audiology department.

^ A pair of video goggles that are used to record eye and pupil movements, for investigating issues with balance.

hearing aids can now use connectivity such as Bluetooth or Roger to connect to a range of other devices, such as a television or mobile, to help with hearing in different circumstances.

James said: “When it comes to balance, you are likely to try and self-manage your condition. After taking a history and possible testing we can develop a rehabilitation programme, which will provide exercises to improve their balance; this could be for issues such as visual vertigo. Most of this work is about helping people understand their condition, and how it can be improved.

All of these programmes are tailored for each person.”

The audiologists use various pieces of technology to perform investigations.

Tests are conducted with an audiogram and tympanometry test. They can be carried out to examine the condition of the outer, middle, and inner ear as well as the mobility of the eardrum and ossicular chain. This is done by creating variations of air pressure in the ear canal and recording how sound is absorbed by the ear drum and middle ear.

James said: “The advancement in technology has been massive, especially over the past ten years. With the introduction of the digital age, what we could do with hearing loss improved massively. We can advise on better quality accessories and refine our testing methods, which can provide more accurate results.”

Looking after your hearing:

The best advice to maintain good levels of hearing is to be careful around high levels of noise, and try to avoid regular exposure to high levels of noise. Listen to advice from your family and friends, as they typically notice hearing loss before you might. Losing your hearing can be isolating and can have an effect on both your mental health and your memory. If you think you may be suffering from hearing loss, visit your GP surgery and request a hearing test.

Insight ❘ 23

singing4breathing @copdsingers

Community Health:

Singing4Breathing

Singing4Breathing is an award-winning Northamptonshire-based group, which works to help people diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory conditions.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties. It includes emphysema, which is caused through damage to the air sacs in the lungs and chronic bronchitis, a long-term inflammation of the airways. COPD is a common condition that mainly affects middle-aged or older adults who smoke.

Many people do not realise they have it.

Academic studies have shown that singing can benefit people with COPD and other respiratory conditions by working the diaphragmatic muscle which helps to improve lung function. Physical exercise can often seem like a nightmare for people with respiratory conditions; however singing is a form of enjoyable exercise for the lungs, heart, upper and lower body.

James Wyatt launched the group as part of a project during his second year of

university while training to become an occupational therapist. Research into COPD and singing was carried out with the respiratory team at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, and a singing group was later launched in Northampton.

James now has several groups across Northamptonshire led by musician, Chris Startup.

James said: “Members of our groups have told us they have felt the benefit of coming to the sessions. Our

groups are made up of both men and women and we adapt the songs for our group to make them manageable. We sing both modern and classical songs.

We also run two harmonica classes, which are more advanced sessions.”

While singing can have a positive effect medically for people living with COPD, it can also have a huge impact on a person’s wellbeing and mental health.

Singing4Breathing allows people to come together and socialise while taking part in an activity that will help with their condition, provide a sense of achievement and companionship.

How can I get involved?

Singing4Breathing have classes available in Northampton, Wellingborough and Corby on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Your first session is free and further sessions are £5.00/ per session. Come along and have a sing!

If you want something more challenging, check out Harmonica4Breathing, every Wednesday in Northampton and Monday in Wellingborough.

The group are always looking for volunteers and are also looking to launch a sign-language choir.

More information can be found at www.singing4breathing.co.uk For enquiries, contact Pat Harding on 07434 989146 or e-mail pat.h@singing4breathing.co.uk.

24 ❘ Insight

Insight ❘ 25

From the Archive

Hospital Gardens O

ne of the oldest traditions in medicine is herbalism. We know Egyptians used herbs such as myrrh and garlic as medicines over three thousand years ago. In Britain the herbal tradition can be traced back over a thousand years and doctors and apothecaries have used herbs in medicine ever since.

In the hospital historical archive we have several books showing that herbs such as chamomile, fennel, hyssop, lovage, mint and tarragon would be grown in a physic garden, similar to the one that was used in The gardens for convalescents, positioned at the south side of the 1903 ward blocks

Julia Corps Volunteer NGH Historical Archive

the comfort of patients and the grounds of the hospital were laid out with gravel walks, providing a seat and shelter for their use. In A view of the gardens on the south side of main 1859, Florence Nightingale hospital building before the addition of the two emphasised the value of plants Victorian ward blocks in 1903 and space for the healing of patients. However, by the early the first infirmary in George Row. In 1900’s gardens became less the 1831 editions of Medical Botany Anthemis Nobl is prevalent as major advances in (Stephenson and Churchill) we find (Common medical science caused hospitals Chamomile) ‘A beautiful illustrations of plants, powerful tonic to expand and gardens were lost where to find them, qualities and and stomachi to make way for new buildings. c for chemical properties, medicinal sluggish state of Current thinking, with growing properties and uses, dosage and intestinal cana l.’ scientific evidence, is that case histories.

Medical Botany .

Stephenson an gardens can measurably reduce During the Middle Ages in d Ch urchill patient stress and improve health Europe, monasteries created and clinical outcome, providing elaborate gardens, not only to welcome respite for both patients grow herbs but also to bring a pleasant, and healthcare professionals. At NGH we soothing distraction to the ill in their care. have 14 pocket gardens dotted around the Our records mention that in 1823 the hospital. How many have you noticed?

Hospital Committee did all they could for

Northamptonshire Health Charity

New comfortable seating for radiotherapy patients, with a hot drink too!

The new comfy seating in the waiting area for patients undergoing radiotherapy treatment has arrived in the Luke building. The large waiting area has been transformed into a space where patients can now easily chat with one another and have a free warm drink before or after their treatment.

The generous donations and fundraising by the Leon Barwell Foundation, Claire Irving & dbfb and radiotherapy patients and staff including the NGH Choir, has allowed these changes to be made. They may not be essential but they will make a world of difference to patients undergoing treatment.

The environment prior to this makeover wasn’t comfortable or engaging

26 ❘ Insight

We were delighted Claire Irving came in to officially open the revamped radiotherapy waiting area. Claire donated £6,400 raised from her golf day

The new furniture makes a big difference, adds comfort & encourages patients to chat, if they wish

Dave & Alex raised nearly £2,500 for the appeal

“A waiting room that allows easy conversation is so important so patients ca talk to each other becaus only the people going through radiotherapy kno what it’s like. It’s a lonely journey so being able to talk it through is crucial and very therapeutic.”

Claire Irving

Northamptonshire Health Charity

We’ve achieved our target for Brampton ward!

Unique fundraising challenge for NHS retiree set of physical challenges as Olive explained she Olive Stirling is a truly remarkable lady! In the wanted to be active: 1980s, Olive was PA to the district “I thought I could do a mini triathlon nursing officer and is now a member spread out. I play badminton so of the Northampton NHS Retirement Fellowship. After I did an hour of badminton.

“I thought it was I used to cycle so I did two learning about this fundraising very worthwhile as I miles on a static bike and I appeal, the 87-year old knew the ward was went for a three-mile walk.” great-grandmother wanted We would like to send Olive to get involved by doing a busy and noisy and all the thanks in the world skydive. Olive’s late husband it would have been for raising more than £2,000 James had spent some time ideal for us.” towards this new room. on Brampton so this project Olive Stirling “Olive has made such a resonated with her right away. difference! Her drive and energy Olive explains: “I was at our together with her determination are monthly branch meeting and our such an inspiration to us all!” said Rob fundraising officer was telling us how Powell from the charity team. the charity had been asked to raise about £15,000 to change a storage area on Brampton ward for elderly people into a quiet area for patients and their family and friends.”

Several exciting challenges were considered, including abseiling the Northampton Lift Tower and a skydive, which Olive was very keen to do. Unfortunately, her own health meant she was unable to undertake either of these.

Northamptonshire Health Charity suggested a

The fraud team at Barclays raised nearly £8,000 towards this appeal.

Nearly £8,000 from Barclays Fraud Team

an se

ow y o l

87-year old Olive Stirling completed a mini triathlon challenge, raising over £2,000 with gift aid.

We couldn’t have reached our target without the dedicated and continued support of the fraud team at Barclays. With a number of fantastic events last year at their head office in Brackmills, they raised a whopping £4,102.21!

These included charity stalls, Bake Off cake tasting and samosa and sweet sales. Thanks to the employee matched funding scheme their total contribution is £7,934! This makes up a huge bulk of the funds raised for this appeal so a huge thanks to everyone involved in raising this astronomical amount.

r Challenge 500 n took part in ou Staff on Brampto elves. ms almost £900 the scheme raising

Thank you, Brampton Staff The ward team on Brampton are very enthusiastic about the storage room for their patients. Healthcare assistant, Sam Clarke got the ball rolling by joining our team for the Northampton Half Marathon in September, raising a fantastic £356.50! Brampton staff hosted two events at the end of last year; a cake sale and a raffle. Between them they’ve raised £852.40 towards the target and on top of this, the charity matched £500 with our Challenge 500 staff scheme.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who donated to this appeal. A big thanks to Sue Kreft for kicking things off with £2,740 from her golf captaincy fundraising, to Kingsthorpe WI, Northampton Beckett Rotary Club, customers of Waitrose in Wootton and Kingsthorpe – and to all of you for your contributions. It is thanks to you that a difference will be made to so many patients staying on Brampton in the future.

Insight ❘ 27

Northamptonshire Health Charity

New garden on the way for maternity A huge thank you to everyone who raised funds and donated towards the maternity garden appeal. Thanks again to Rob Crussell and the team at 4Theo for kickstarting the campaign and to Walk for a Cause for granting us the final £1,500 we needed. The work can now begin!

Wonderful support for Light up a Life event continue working with the public in 2020 and raise even In December, we held our first Light up a Life event more money to support our hospitals.” to honour loved ones during the festive season Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Sheran with our tree of light. The tree was located Oke, was delighted to attend the event, at the Billing road entrance and lights were Over 140 lights on our tree “I would like to thank Northamptonshire dedicated to over 140 loved ones who had were dedicated to loved one Health Charity for their support in passed away or who were gifted a light in for the festive season. organising this fantastic evening for us. celebration and thanks.

Reflecting on loved ones is particularly Alison McCulloch, head of fundraising important to us and being able to thanked the public for their support: “We honour people in this way whilst would like to thank everyone who supported spreading some festive cheer means our Light up a Life evening. We are honoured a lot to all of us here this evening. that we can help the local community Thank you to everyone who dedicated remember and celebrate their loved ones a light, to our estates team for their support and to and are delighted to see so many lights pledged our choir for their performance on the night.” on the tree.

We will be holding another Light up a Life event in “It is also a chance for us to reflect and thank everyone December. Further details will be announced later in who has fundraised for the charity and helped us to the year. provide support to local NHS organisations. We hope to

Thank you for showing the Christmas spirit Northamptonshire Health Charity would like to thank the wonderful people of Northampton and the numerous local groups and companies who donated so generously to our Christmas gifts for patients appeal in December.

Thank you for making such a big difference.

TeamNGH Challenge 500 NGH staff have been busy fundraising for their own areas throughout 2019 and into 2020 with Northamptonshire Health Charity matching £4£ up to £500. Huge thanks to all the staff who have been involved in this initiative so far.

team’s fundraising The Singlehurst off. They’ve en tak y all has re £3,000 for er ov d now raise th Karen Ophthalmology wi 0 bringing in £2,00 ne alo ies hr mp Hu – ffle ra ir the ts for from selling ticke ld They’re still to ho well done Karen! and some of the rch a tombola in Ma able ing on a 5k Inflat team will be tak fun run in July.

Maureen Kilgann on from the Stro ke raised £530 for Allebone & Elean team has or wards at a quiz and au ction evening at The and Helmet & No rthampton Cater Swan ers. will make a big difference to strok This e patients at NGH.

We are grateful for the generosity of local people whose donations help make our wards more comfortable and help us support staff development and training, buy the very best equipment, further medical knowledge & expertise and to help us improve the environment for patients and staff. You can choose to donate to the ward or service that most touched your family.

s raised by the Almost £2,000 wa from them m tea Spencer ward ar. Well done! skydiving last ye

Help us today to improve lives tomorrow.

How can you help?

You can make a donation to the area of greatest need or to the area most personal to you, or alternatively why not try some fundraising?

Contact the charity team to register your interest on T: 01604 626927, E: greenheart@nhcf.co.uk,

Helping towards the waiting area appeal, Chelsea Carnall and raised £605 by ho the Radiotherapy team lding an NHS Big in July and a raffle Tea at the end of the Party year.

W: www.nhcfgreenheart.co.uk NorthamptonshireHealthCharity @NHCFGreenHeart

Ways to donate:  Post us a cheque: please make cheques payable to Northamptonshire Health Charitable Fund or abbreviate to NHCF and post it, or hand deliver to: Northamptonshire Health Charity,

Your donation will make a real difference, thank yo 28 ❘ Insight

Northamptonshire Health Charity

Thank you to our fantastic supporters!

rpenter for u to Marianna Ca A huge thank yo rous £4,000 donation to ne making a very ge ology, which has purchased ec Obstetrics & Gyna train junior ining simulator to tra ic op sc ro lap a s. ation doctors for oper

Thank you to Tom McCreadie & members of the Eleanor Cross Freemasons for donating £1,645 to the Snowdrop room.

A big thanks to everyone at Richmond Care Village for supporting our Brampton ward appeal; £450 was raised from their festive fayre in December.

thons last year, on two half mara nearly £1,800 Charlie Purr took ng Silverstone, raisi daughter, & es yn Ke n lto Mi his after they saved for Gosset ward . life Autumn’s

Springfield, Cliftonville, Northampton, NN1 5BE.  Bank transfer: please contact us.  Online: visit our website and click on “make a donation”. M astercard, Visa, Visa Delta and Switch: credit/debit card payments can be accepted over the phone. R egular giving: you can donate regularly by setting up a standing order, please give

We received wonderful support from Semilong CoOp last year – almost £300 donated to children’s wards & haematology as well as Easter eggs and Christmas gifts donated. Thank you!

Thanks to Robin Chapman & members of The Ceres Lodge No.6977 for raising £1,079.90 for Paddington & Disney to purchase new auroscopes/ophthalmoscopes.

Staff at HMRC Northampton raised £521.33 for Paddington & Disney from a farmers market and in lieu of sending Christmas cards – thank you all!

us a call for details.  Payroll giving: you can arrange with your employer to deduct a set amount each payday.

Please give us a call for details.  Gift in your Will: Call us to find out how you can make a gift in your Will.  Gift Aid: remember if you are a UK taxpayer we can claim an extra 25p from the Inland Revenue for every pound you

Thanks to Maria n Fir oncology to thank th for donating £1,010 to them for her care raised this by se . Marian lling tropic skinc are products at home parties.

A member of Ro ade Gosset ward to be Community Choir kindly chose ne concerts – thank fit from money raised from their you!

donate. This won’t cost you a penny! Just let us know if you would like us to claim Gift Aid when you donate.

We really appreciate your donations and it is important to us that they reach the ward/ department you choose. Please let us know which area your donation is for and please include your contact details so we can let you know when your donation has been received, thank you.

ou for helping us today to improve lives tomorrow.

Insight ❘ 29

Northamptonshire Health Charity

Zoe treks the Inca trail for Gosset & Talbot Butler wards Zoe Shackleton decided to do some epic fundraising for the hospital and taking on the mighty challenge of trekking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu in Peru was how she was going to do it.

Zoe explained: “The oncology ward, Talbot Butler, looked after both my parents during their cancer treatment and Gosset saved my nephew’s life when he was born prematurely, therefore, I’d like to give something back.”

A huge challenge like this requires a great deal of commitment to training and Zoe made sure she was all over this. It certainly wasn’t an easy ride, especially after a fall last February resulted in her tearing the LCL ligament in her knee. Thankfully, Zoe looked after this in the right way and in addition to the many training walks, she went on to complete the Loros King Power Stadium Twilight Walk in April with her mum. A climb up Snowdon followed, which also gave Zoe her first camping experience. She added: “This was a massive achievement for me, I’m all about that 5* hotel life.”

With the trek drawing ever nearer May, June & July saw Zoe complete the 26.2-mile London Moonwalk dressed in a disco-themed bra.

As well as a second marathon Moonwalk in Edinburgh where Zoe said: “There are far more hills, worse weather and I was wearing a circus-themed bra!” Then, for the final month before the challenge Zoe focussed on training hikes and cramming in as many spin classes as she could.

Zoe Shackleton trekked the Inca trail in Peru, raising over £5,000

30 ❘ Insight

Zoe completed the marathon-length London Moonwalk in May 2019 as part of her training.

Then it was trek-time and Zoe admitted that it was something completely out of her comfort zone to be swapping the 5* hotels for a tent on the side of a mountain!

Zoe Shackleton, fundraiser & mountain trekker “I’d like to give something back to those who looked after my family. It was an absolutely amazing trip and I’m so proud to have completed it. Even if the altitude was an absolute killer!”

All of those training events were massive challenges and as well as completing these and the mammoth trek to Machu Picchu, Zoe organised two hugely successful charity balls in 2018 and 2019. Another couple of donations have come in since Zoe came in to present the funds raised so the grand total is now at an amazing £5,456!

Thank you so much Zoe, for wanting to give back to the hospital, completing a year of epic challenges and raising such a huge amount.

This means £2,728 each for Gosset & Talbot Butler wards who will use the money to enhance patient care and experience.

Zoe came in to present the funds she’d raised to the Gosset ward team.

Northamptonshire Health Charity

Looking for a challenge in 2020?

Are you looking for a challenge in 2020? Why not do something outside your comfort zone and take part in the Northamptonshire Health Charity abseil day on Saturday 27th June at the Northampton Lift Tower.

Once again, we’re calling on you to go over the top and abseil the 418ft (127m) iconic National Lift Tower to raise funds in aid of the ward, department or service of your choice at Northampton or for Words adequateGeneral enough Hospital to express thethe depth community services across the county. of our gratitude to Jake Gillingwater areLast hard year, a fabulous £15,000 raised support to find.

On Saturday 15th was June, Jaketo took part a and in wide-range what has toofbewards one of thedepartments. most extremeCan you help ustests beat on it this endurance the year? planet! Jake wanted Demonstrating that&age is no barrier, to thank the Head Neck ward team82-year at the old NGH volunteer Brian Hayes, supported hospital because of how wonderfully they cared breast care services and our youngest for his fiancée’s grandmother, Sandra. So he daredevil Lucy Noel, was 13 Ultramarathon at the time, chose to take part in who the 69-mile gave her money to to Oncology and known assponsor The Wall.

Thanks the amazing Gosset NGH.anWe also had£3,120!

15-year old support,Ward Jakeat raised incredible Thomas whohas abseiled theone, Palliative Sandra’s Cole journey been afor long of Care where mum Hayley and a whichteam, the Head & his Neck ward have works been, and team of four staff from Cedar ward who raised continue to play an integral part. Following over £2,000 towards Sandra a bladder scanner. a total laryngectomy, spent 4 weeks You can choose to support the ward, in recovery on the ward. “This was made as department service closest your heart.

It comfortable or and supportive astopossible by the is always a really day with the a true team staff on the Headfantastic and Neck Ward, care that spirit and your family friends can ward comewas Sandra received fromand all staff on the second to none!” explained Jake.

The mammoth marathon that Jake completed begins at Carlisle Castle, runs along Hadrian’s Wall and ends so many miles later at Newcastle’s Millennium Bridge. He completed the tough course in just 16 hours 9 minutes and 36 seconds! The days following the Ultramarathon were a very scary time for Jake, Chloe and their families as he ended up being admitted to hospital with Rhabdomyolysis and was even on dialysis for a while. We’re so glad he has since made a full recovery.

artment ” for the ward or dep Will you “over the top ntact us today to register.

Co closest to your heart?

15-year old Thomas Cole was one of the youngest abseiling last year and helped raise funds towards the purchase of Z-beds for the Palliative Care team, where his mum Hayley works.

along to support Contact the Jake came in withyou thetoo. lovely Sandra tocharity present team to register today!

Perhaps you want something even more exhilarating? Why not skydive with us the 7th amount raised atorunner, ward staff.

They were on June!he If you’re run the Northampton Half Marathon in September.

Or for something a little more relaxed

organize your own NHS Big Tea Party in July. If you’d like to take part in any of these events or you have something else in mind please contact us today!

With your support we can continue to enhance care at NGH for the people of Northamptonshire.

thrilled and so grateful to be in receipt of this

donation. Thank you so much, Jake! And thank

you Head & Neck team for the incredible care

you give to patients like Sandra.

Join us for our first Skydive event in June or arrange your own.

If running is your thi ng why not start trainin g now for September’s Northam pton Half Marathon.

All donations to the hospital are manged separately from NHS finances, by the Trustees of Northamptonshire Health Charity, a registered charity. If you would like to make a donation, or be involved in raising money for NGH please contact our fundraising team on 01604 626927.

NorthamptonshireHealthCharity

@NHCFGreenHeart

Insight ❘ 31

Win a pair of tickets to the opening night of

Wuthering Heights Channelling Emily Brontë’s piercing wit and fierce emotion, Inspector Sands bring their characteristic humour, passion and pathos to the infamous love story of Heathcliff and Catherine.

“We don’t in general take to foreigners here… unless they take to us first” Wuthering Heights will contain violence, peril, social awkwardness, exhilarating music, high winds and mud.

A Royal & Derngate, Northampton, China Plate, Nuffield Southampton theatres and Inspector Sands co-production in association with Oxford Playhouse Wuthering Heights runs at the Royal & Derngate from Wednesday 27th May to Friday 6th June 2020 Tickets and Info: www.royalandderngate.co.uk For a chance to win a pair of tickets to see the production on Wednesday 27th May, get in touch and let us know which article you enjoyed most in this edition of Insight.

Send your entry to communications@ngh.nhs.uk or by post to Insight Editor, Communications Department, Northampton General Hospital, Northampton, NN1 5BD. Please include a daytime telephone number with your entry so we can contact you if you’re the lucky winner.

Send your entry to arrive by Wednesday 13th May 2020. The winner will be chosen by random lottery.

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