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University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
together SPRING 2020: NURSE SPECIAL
Leicester
L ves Nurses & Midwives
Leicestershire Health
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In this Issue
SPRING 2020
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Get social with Leicester’s Hospitals @Leic_hospital
Carolyn gives thanks to all our nurses and midwives and shares her ambitions for them
A Message from Carolyn Fox, OBE
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leicester’shospitals
LeicesterHospitalsNHS
leicestershospitals
Emma Duckers is helping make children’s hospital needs, a reality
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#DoThemProud
Cover story Meet my midwife
Empowering mums for better births. Harriet Curson shares her story
New campaign launching
Mark Layton on what being a matron in one of the UK’s biggest hospitals is like
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Thoroughly modern matron
University Hospitals of Leicester
NHS Trust
Get the opportunities you want and the recognition you deserve.
Mulki Deputy Sister, Specialist Medicine (Leicester Royal Infirmary)
A Year of
Thanks
A message from Carolyn Fox OBE, chief nurse at Leicester’s Hospitals. The Year of the Nurse and Midwife is one gigantic opportunity to appreciate our nurses and midwives and shout about the amazing work they do.
Each day nurses and midwives across the globe make an amazing contribution to the communities they serve. From bringing new-born babes into the world, getting you back on your feet after an injury, delivering life-saving treatments, to looking after the elderly in their last days of life, there is no part of our human journey that these wonderful people aren’t a part of. Follow our chief nurse and the fantastic work of our nursing and midwifery staff on Twitter: @UHLFOX
Congratulations Carolyn on your OBE I’ve been a nurse a very long time, (and it’s kept me feeling young!) and whilst there is much that has changed about our profession (just look at our latest vacancy – a digital midwife) one thing stays constant – the ability to provide compassionate care despite all the challenges. What nurses and midwives do day-to-day goes beyond admirable and so it is my absolute life-goal to see nurses and midwives feel valued. When a nurse feels valued what they are capable of is unlimited. This is more important than ever, for we need inspired individuals who want to deliver excellent standards of care for the people they encounter each day to ensure that our beloved health service continues long into the future. The Year of the Nurse and Midwife is one gigantic opportunity to appreciate our nurses and midwives and shout about the amazing work they do. We hope it will encourage more young people to choose nursing and midwifery as a career, and a fantastically rewarding career it is too!
This leaves me only to say thank you. Thank you to each and every nurse and midwife here at Leicester’s Hospitals for the role you play.
You are invaluable members of #TeamUHL and our patients are all the better for having you there to care for them. I’m incredibly proud to represent you and your voices at work each day. You can help nurses and midwives across our hospitals feel valued by nominating them for a DAISY Award, or even just simply saying thank you on a shift – it’s one of the most powerful messages we get.
Carolyn.
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Co-Production in Action Karl Mayes explores how we are developing culturally sensitive maternity care across our Trust, with feedback from our community.
Annabelle Barker, home birth team lead, Khudeja Amer-Sharif, Shama Women’s Centre chief executive officer and Flo Cox, community midwifery matron
For some time, our maternity services reported a significant number of women saying they were uncomfortable about their antenatal scans. In some cases it meant women declining the scan all-together. What became clear was that some women preferred not to be scanned by a male sonographer at this incredibly personal time. Enter Flo Cox, our community midwifery matron. Keen to ensure that every woman embraced the opportunity to have an antenatal scan, Flo collaborated with the Shama Women’s Centre in Leicester to develop a culturally sensitive solution to the situation. The group devised a process that identified the gender of sonographer in advance, and through a personalised letter, offered the chance for women to make a choice to proceed or request a female sonographer.
Preserving Dignity Local community representatives have also been working with us to introduce a new ‘dignity gown’ as an alternative to the standard hospital gown in order to preserve the modesty of patients whose culture or religion may require them to do so.
“It’s great to see what can be achieved when our staff work together with their patients, we’ve had a significant reduction in the numbers of women declining scans, which is good for baby and good for mum” Flo Cox, community midwifery matron
Karamjit Singh, chairman for Leicester’s Hospitals, said:
“This is another example of how we try to be receptive and responsive to the needs of our local community. The needs of patients should always be at the forefront of our thinking and actions.”
Flo is now using her experience of community engagement to encourage greater adoption of home-birthing across BAME communities. If you’d like to find out more about this please contact: karl.mayes@uhl-tr.nhs.uk 6
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Nursing International
With nursing shortages nationally, it’s important we cast our net as far as possible to ensure we have the right level of nursing across our hospitals. Karl Mayes speaks to Judy Queally (pictured below), to find out about the important role that international nurses play in maintaining these standards. In 2016, Leicester’s Hospitals engaged in two recruitment trips to find potential candidates outside of the EU. The first was to India and the other to the Philippines.
“In 2018, I got the opportunity to join the renal transplant ward at Leicester General Hospital. I am now a deputy charge nurse at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
What are the best things about Leicestershire and the surrounding area?
“To date, we have recruited over 400 nurses through our international recruitment programme,” said Judy.
“I have been fortunate enough in my time here to pursue my passion for quality improvement by becoming an improvement agent. I lead initiatives that help improve our existing practices and hopefully contribute to our organisational priorities in my own little way.”
“Leicester is multi-cultural so I always feel there is a piece of home here, which made the adjustment period less stressful. The surrounding areas are good for trips away and easily accessible. The cost of living here is also significantly lower than other popular cities like London, Oxford and Cambridge which helps if you are trying to establish a good financial foundation.”
“Each candidate undertakes our OSCE programme and examination - designed to assess the skills and knowledge of nursing and midwifery professionals that have trained elsewhere as well as their communication skills.” “The programme has been so successful that we are still able to connect on a fortnightly basis via Skype to continue to interview and recruit international nurses.” Michael Pelayo joined Leicester’s Hospitals following ten years in Singapore “At Singapore General Hospital I gained an extensive amount of nursing experience working in a multidisciplinary medical-surgical ward.
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“I felt that I had been listened to. It was a breath of fresh air!”
Meet My Midwife When Harriet Curson met midwife Kerry Williams in 2019, it was the start of the positive birthing journey that Harriet had always dreamed of. Ghezala Sultan met them both to find out more.
Harriet already had two beautiful boys when she found out that she was carrying her third child. Both of her eldest children were born by emergency caesarean, which had left Harriet feeling disempowered.
need to be more involved in the birth plan. I arranged a multidisciplinary team meeting for her and husband Adam, to explore their options and make choices that were both safe and in line with their wishes.”
“Before going into the meeting, I had feared that I would be labelled as an ‘awkward patient’. However, when we left it, I felt that I had been listened to which made me feel empowered. It was a breath of fresh air!”
This was affecting Harriet’s outlook when considering the plan for her next baby, so her community midwife put her in touch with Kerry.
“I was struck by how understanding the team was, and the collaborative way we agreed on a birthing plan.” Harriet
As Harriet neared the end of her pregnancy, scans showed that her baby was not growing as expected. This prompted the need to prepare for a delivery by caesarean section.
Kerry says, “I realised that in order for Harriet to have a positive birthing experience, the midwifery team would 8
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Better Births Initiative
“I am eternally grateful to Kerry, and the team, for helping us to achieve a positive and empowering birthing experience.”
Better Births ensures every woman is able to make decisions about her maternity care and can access information that is individualised to her and her baby’s circumstances. The goal is to make maternity services safer, more personalised and family friendly.
Kerry says, “I knew how apprehensive Harriet would be, so to ensure the day went smoothly for everyone, I was there to prep the medical team and give her emotional support.” This made all the difference. Harriet says, “I cannot praise Kerry and the team enough. They kept me informed throughout, making me feel part of experience, instead of feeling that it was happening to me.” When the moment of baby’s arrival came, Harriet and Adam’s birthing plan was followed: Harriet’s mum was present, the drapes were lowered and baby wiggled out.
Harriet recalls the moment emotionally, “I saw Esmae being born! She cried instantly where my older two children had not.” Harriet also achieved her dream of skin-to-skin contact, widely recognised as a way to soothe baby and regulate their temperature, whilst developing an emotional bond between baby and parent in those early moments. The day was made all the more special when Harriet, Adam and Esmae stayed in the recovery room together and Harriet dressed her baby for the first time.
The final moments of their stay in hospital encapsulated how Harriet had achieved the family-focused birthing experience that she had always wanted. She says, “I was discharged the next day and, for the first time, we left to go home as a family together.” Reflecting on the birth, Harriet says, “It was amazing! I have memories of the day that I did not achieve in my first two births. This is priceless.” “I am eternally grateful to Kerry and the team for listening, understanding and helping us to achieve a safe, positive and empowering birthing experience. I am now at peace with my overall birthing history - I cannot thank them enough!”
Have you given birth recently? Feedback on your experience to our Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP) Visit: www.leicestermaternity.nhs.uk SPRING 2020
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CLINICAL EDUCATION
What makes nurses so vital
“Advances in healthcare over the last 200 years have transformed the way we provide care but without the compassion, care and hard work of nursing and midwifery teams day in day out, the advances would be meaningless. Thank you for all you do.” Andrew Furlong, medical director
Doctors and nurses: a vital relationship Nurses are one of the key cogs of the NHS and doctors would be the first to admit they would struggle to do their job safely and efficiently without the brilliant support of nurses. Their roles continue to evolve, but inter-dependence, shared learning and team work remain vital to realising high-quality patient care.
Thomas Jelley spoke to doctors across Leicester’s Hospitals to find out about the relationship between doctors and nurses and what makes nurses so vital.
“Doctors and nurses have a symbiotic relationship when it comes to healthcare and education. What isn’t well recognised is that nurses are a constant source of education and training for our medical students and doctors; they remain some of the best educators I have encountered.” Mark McCarthy, director of clinical education
Here’s what they said:
“There is no doubt that nurses are the engine of the NHS, that’s certainly true in the emergency department where I work. The skilful and compassionate delivery of decisions, remains dependent on our highly trained and hardworking nursing staff.” Dr Damian Roland consultant in paediatric emergency medicine 10
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CQC rated our accreditation process
Outstanding
Becoming the best
In February, the CQC described our ward accreditation process as “outstanding”. Maria O’Brien caught up with programme leads Carol Bradley and Diane Champion to find out how the accreditation works. Hospitals can be incredibly challenging environments for patients, families, carers and staff. As part of our Becoming the Best* strategy we want to improve how we deliver care. To help make this happen we took inspiration from some of the best hospitals in the UK and implemented a ward ‘assessment and accreditation’ programme. Ward assessment is the process of observing, measuring and rating standards of care.
It is conducted by a stand-alone team to help wards understand what they do well but also what they could improve. “The accreditation process can be a real eye opener,” said Diane, co-lead of the programme. “During our day on the ward, we ask over 170 questions related to what we see.” “So far we have assessed 34 adult inpatient wards since August. Those wards are now in their first re-assessment and we’re pleased to say that we have seen improvement,” said Carol. Wards that achieve 12 months of continued improvement and attain safety, quality and patient experience standards will be awarded “Accredited” status. We hope to have our first accredited ward by August 2020, twelve months on from the start of the programme. The awarding of the accreditation also has an emotional dynamic for those
who work on the wards says Carol: “Yes, the ward gets lots of data, but the most powerful part for me is when the matrons and sisters from the assessed wards come together to share their experiences and learn from one another. “They are very humbling conversations and the humility and desire to change that our staff show I find really inspiring.”
* What is Becoming the Best? Becoming the Best is our trust-wide approach to quality improvement. It outlines how we make improvement and what we are focused on improving. You can find out more leicestershopsitals.co.uk/becomingthebest. SPRING 2020
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University Hospitals of Leicester 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 University Hospitals of Leicester 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, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN10 6AB. Tel: 01302 714528
the UNION in HEALTH Leicestershire Health Service Branch
Your Health and Professional Union Whilst you are caring for others Unite will stand up for YOU
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To get you the best terms and conditions of service and provide advice, information, guidance, support and representation on all work related matters. Unite Legal and Affiliated Benefits As a member of Unite you have access to a great range of benefits and services. • Unite Legal Services • Unite Life Insurance • Unite Mortgages • Unite Prepaid Debit Card
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Hello my name is Emma and I want to
#DoThemProud Our dream to build a single site children’s hospital in Leicester would not become reality without the incredibly passionate and talented staff who take care of our children. Gareth Aston meets nurse Emma Duckers from East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre to find out more about why this project matters so much. Gareth: So what is it that you do Emma? Emma: My job is to look after children who come into the world facing serious cardiac conditions. A congenital heart defect is big and it’s scary and it can mean further intervention in the future as well as the requirement for round-the-clock care for new-born babies and teens alike.
Gareth: That sounds tough, what is it that keeps you doing your job? Emma: We say around here ‘once a Ward 30 baby, always a Ward 30 baby‘. Kids are incredibly resilient. Even when things are looking really dire, kids have this ability to bounce back and, before you know it, you’re discharging them and then you see them again months later and they’re just a normal kid in their school uniform. It's just amazing.
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Gareth: It sounds like our people become a pretty big part of their life Emma: One of the things about
Gareth: And what difference would this make to children’s services in this region? Emma: For one, it would mean that
providing such intensive treatment means we do have the chance to form incredibly strong bonds with patients and their families. We’re here because we really care and I think that comes across.
the East Midlands gets a dedicated children’s hospital. A hospital suited to the needs and feelings of children which are so different to adults. Also, if we had all our children’s services on one site, I genuinely think that nurses outside our region would think ‘that's amazing, I want to work at Leicester’s Hospitals’. If that were to happen, it would mean we could open more beds, and ultimately help more children both now and in the future. That’s a pretty huge difference to make.
Gareth: What made you want to get involved with our #DoThemProud – children’s hospital appeal? Emma: Ward 30 is the only children’s ward that isn’t located with the other children’s wards at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. This isn’t great for patients, families or staff. To offer the best possible care, we have to bring our services together, and that is what this appeal is all about. I want to help make that happen because I know the difference it would make.
You can help #DoThemProud by donating or signing up as a supporter at DoThemProud.com or simply ringing our friendly team on 0116 258 8709.
James and the
World’s Strongest Man
“To offer the best possible care, we have to bring our services together, and that is what this appeal is all about.”
When 14-year-old James Rimmer’s mental health hit rock bottom after constant bullying at school, it was hard to imagine a year later he would be shaking the enormous hands of World’s Strongest Man champion Eddie Hall. The young entrepreneur caught the attention of Eddie ‘The Beast’ Hall after launching ‘Home Eddies’ – teddy bears designed to bring comfort to children living with anxiety. Eddie invited James to meet him at the world-famous
Strength Asylum Gym in Stoke-on-Trent, where The Beast featured him on his hugely popular YouTube channel. Over 400,000 views later, James’s website has been getting hits from Dallas to Dunkirk.
James donates a portion of all proceeds from Home Eddies directly to our #DoThemProud Appeal.
Let’s #DoThem Proud
Check out
www.HomeEddie.co.uk today to buy your very own bear
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Thoroughly
Modern Matron
Thomas Phelan meets matron for specialist surgery, Mark Layton, from Ward 9 (Kinmonth Unit) at Leicester Royal Infirmary to find out what being a matron is like in one of the UK’s busiest hospitals
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When Mark arrives at work the first thing he does is a walk around, covering the burns and plastics clinic, and ear nose and throat (ENT) outpatients. “I’m not just checking everything is as it should be, I’m touching base with my teams too. I want to know how they’re feeling and how I can make their job easier. It’s really important to me that I’m visible and approachable”, said Mark. Mark joined Leicester’s Hospitals in 1997 as a healthcare assistant. He had some experience of caring for people from a part time job at the care home where his Dad worked, so it felt like the right job at the time. Nine years on, Mark started his nurse training: “I kind of fell into nursing. I didn’t have a career plan in mind when I started but the ward sister encouraged and supported me to do my training. I never imagined I’d end up as a matron.” When becoming a matron in 2018, Mark remembers: “All of a sudden I wasn’t just responsible for a single ward, I had four areas to focus on which meant letting go of some previous tasks. My role now is much more about supporting and nurturing others to develop, and ensuring they have the right skills and tools to deliver the very best care.”
“The variety of work is one of the reasons I love it.” Mark said: “I still see patients just not as often as the nurses do. I’ll regularly schedule myself clinical shifts to maintain my clinical skills and it’s nice to get that extra patient interaction. It also helps me look at the ward from a different point of view and see where improvements can be made. “As a matron, I’m a decision maker so I need to be aware of what’s happening across the our hospitals and the impact it might have on my areas – the bigger picture is really important. “Like any job some days are tougher than others but listening to feedback from patients and relatives about the amazing, compassionate care they’ve received fills me with pride. I’m so proud of the work we do here” added Mark. “How do I know it’s a good day? I get to finish on time” laughs Mark. “It’s knowing that the team are working together to deliver the highest standard of care to all of our patients and their families – it’s the reason we’re here” Mark says passionately.
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Let’s talk about end of life care Jake Toon finds out about a new specialist nurse project in our emergency department. It is never easy to talk about the end of your life and this can mean people not expressing the wishes that would enable them to embrace the last moments of life in the way they wish to. To start to change this, two palliative care nurse specialists, Karen Murray and Stacey Kerslake, have been appointed at Leicester’s Hospitals as part of a Macmillan funded project. Their job is to encourage patients, family members and staff to talk more openly about end of life care and facilitate the difficult conversations this can bring. Karen said: “We are seeing more people living longer with complex needs, presenting at hospital multiple times in their last year of life. This brings its own complications when considering end of life care. Currently 46-49% of Leicestershire deaths occur in our hospitals yet many people would not choose this if asked.” “When a patient comes to our emergency department who we recognise is at the
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end of their life or we worry may not survive this admission, it is our responsibility to have an honest and open conversation with everyone involved. “It can be a team effort but we owe that to the patient and their families so we can understand what their priorities are and enable them to live the last moments of their life in the way that they wish to.”
Stacey added: “Talking about what is important to you before the end can help those people who provide your care support you to achieve the end of life that you want - like where you want to be cared for and who you want around you. “These conversations though difficult, are powerful in that they can refocus a sensitive situation and give people space to think. In turn this helps patients to fulfil their final wishes. The idea of a good death might seem difficult, but we all deserve to go in a way of our choosing. That’s what we’re here to do.”
Will Writing Event 18-29 May Gifts in wills fund hundreds of thousands of pounds of improvement in our hospitals each year. These gifts show how dearly our hospitals are held in the hearts of our staff, patients and their families.
“It can be a team effort but we owe that to the patient and their families so we can understand what their priorities are and enable them to live the last moments of their life in the way that they wish to.” Karen Murray Macmillan palliative care nurse specialist (left)
For more information visit LHCharity.org.uk/willevent or call our Legacy Manager, Marie, on ext. 8709.
“Talking about what is important to you before the end comes can help those people who provide your care support you to achieve the end of life that you want - like where you want to be cared for and who you want around you.” Stacey Kerslake Macmillan palliative care nurse specialist (right)
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From nurse
to volunteer
Lindsay Poynton was a nurse for 46 years, 14 of them spent at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. Her new role as a volunteer buggy driver at the Royal Infirmary has many similarities. Holly Wormleighton met with her to find out more. Nursing was a job that had kept Lindsay busy her whole career, so come retirement, she still wanted a pursuit that would keep her occupied. “I felt like I had something to give, and that it would be nice to become a volunteer at the hospital because I knew it,” said Lindsay. “My favourite part of being a nurse was that I knew I could make a difference. I’m fortunate that I still get to make a difference today as a volunteer.” “I bump into lots of my friends whilst driving the buggy and I still get to see some of my old colleagues. The first time that one of the consultants I worked with saw me, she couldn’t believe it and had to take my picture!” Before being interviewed, Lindsay had just taken
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someone on the buggy who had been anxious about finding the clinic she needed on her own. “When I saw the hesitation, my instinct was to reassure her. She was so pleased to see that I could help. When I was a nurse I experienced many similar situations and so it feels very natural to just lend that helping hand.”
“I’m always trying to make a difference to how people experience our hospitals. I love that I can still bring a smile to a patient’s day despite the circumstances. In a hospital, inevitably, some things that you see are sad; not all visits to the hospital start with a happy reason so I always try and make the best of any situation.” The latest volunteering initiative - manicures for patients - has piqued Lindsay’s interest. “As a nurse I used to pay particular attention to people’s hands. In hospital, hand care can be neglected, and our latest
Time for a Treat Last month volunteer services welcomed new ‘Time for a Treat’ coordinator Laura Connolly to their team. Laura oversees a dedicated team of Time for a Treat volunteers who provide patients with hand massages and manicures across Leicester’s Hospitals, as well as hairdressing services at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. Laura is interested in hearing from anyone who would like to receive these services, or who have any ideas about how volunteers might be able to improve the patient experience.
Thinking of becoming a nurse?
“It has been wonderful to see the difference that these volunteers make to patients’ well-being, from providing a relaxing hand massage to recovering from surgery to washing or styling a patient’s hair who has been unable to do it themselves”.
If you would like to request a treatment or would like to request a treatment on behalf of a patient, then please inform one of the ward staff or contact volunteer services directly on 0794 000 0977 or 0116 258 7221.
“Do it” I think you regret what you didn’t do, not what you did. The same goes for volunteering - have a go.
La
Lindsay said:
ur
a
volunteer offer helps to tackle that. It’s something that I might look at doing alongside what I do now. We’re always trying to improve what we offer so there are always things to explore.”
If you are interested in volunteering please visit the www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk or call Laura on 0116 258 7221 / 8868 / 3955 for an informal chat. SPRING 2020
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Where it begins: becoming a nurse or midwife in Leicester
Leicester’s Hospitals has partnered with University of Leicester and Leicestershire Partnership Trust to offer a new MSci designed to train high-quality nurse and midwifery leaders. Jake Toon met mature student Becky Futers to find out what attracted her to the new course. Becky Futers has two children, both under the age of four, and has being living in Leicestershire with her husband for the last six years. Having already achieved a degree in biomedical science, and having previously worked for NHS 111 she decided to embark on the MSci in Nursing with Leadership at the University of Leicester. Becky said: “I loved my first degree but sadly there were no jobs in my field, so I started at NHS 111. It was on a visit to hospital with my youngest son that one of the matrons suggested I apply for nursing. “I remember looking at the course site regularly. As a mature student making a career change with a family wasn’t easy.
“I have always wanted work in healthcare and knew as someone who naturally takes the lead that I wanted leadership to form part of my study. I found that here in Leicester.” “The course is truly holistic in that it marries physical and mental health together. I also get to learn how to be a change maker for the future of nursing. Nursing leaders on this path are being empowered and given all the skills to make our health care service amazing.” Once graduated, Becky hopes to find a role in children’s nursing with mental health alongside. “My 111 experience highlighted a gap in the mental Become a leader of the NHS’s future health care for children with chronic physical health The courses offered by the university are the first of their needs and the impact that had on their and their kind and are designed to equip graduates with the family’s mental health – and I’m really keen to technical and managerial skills required for critical help shape this area.” positions within hospitals with a fast track development opportunity to high earning managerial positions.
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Imagine yourself working here... Leicester’s Hospitals
£450m transformation
General Hospital
Royal Infirmary
Stroke Rehabilitation Unit Primary Care Diagnostic Hub Expanded Diabetes Centre
New Intensive Care Unit New Maternity Hospital Children’s Hospital New Wards
Becoming
Glenfield Hospital Treatment Centre New Wards Expanded Intensive Care Unit
There will be a public consultation this year
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Nurse Research
“There are so many opportunities for nurses who want to engage with research, full or part time.” Dr Claire Lawson
Shaping the future of healthcare Nearly 200 years since Florence Nightingale measured the infection rate among soldiers and used trial and error methods to reduce it, more nurses than ever are pursuing paths in research to improve the safety, quality and efficiency of patient experiences, writes Rachael Dowling.
“Nurses play a pivotal role in enhancing patient experiences, shaping nursing practice and implementing evidencebased procedures and interventions,” says Antonella Ghezzi, Head of Research (nursing and midwifery) at Leicester’s Hospitals. “Their research is focused on finding solutions to problems that matter most to patients and their families, empowering the communities we serve, and benefitting the NHS.” “It’s an exciting time for nursing research,” says Dr Claire Lawson, a clinical research fellow at the University of Leicester. “There are so many opportunities for nurses who want to engage with research, full or part time.” A former cardiology nurse at Leicester’s Hospitals, Claire knows the impact that 26
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nursing research has in reducing the length of hospital stays, but hopes her work will prevent patients from needing to enter hospital in the first place. She said: “Patients with heart failure often experience frequent hospital admissions. My current work looks at whether routine collection of symptoms and health information in community settings might help identify and treat them before they deteriorate to the point where they need to come to hospital.” Dr Rose Webster, an education and practice development sister at Leicester’s Hospitals, focused her PhD on the experiences of healthcare assistants (HCAs). “New HCAs had very powerful stories about how it felt to be exposed to very vulnerable patients for the first time.
When they first put on their uniforms they felt like a fraud,” she said. Her findings were fed into the development of HCA training to help empower HCAs to cope in their new work environment. “Now we encourage them to wear their uniform in the classroom before they step onto the ward and offer shadowing experiences before their first shift.” This is just one of the ways in which research is supporting staff on their Becoming the Best journey. Nurses are also well-positioned to conduct research, according to Rose: “Nurses are at the coalface with patients and families. They have the opportunity to implement findings directly into practice and make change happen.”
“Nurses are at the coalface with the patients and families. They have the opportunity to implement findings directly into practice and make change happen.� Dr Rose Webster
Five benefits of nurses and midwives in research 1
Improve patient outcomes by applying the latest evidence to empower patients
2
Support development of colleagues through coaching, mentoring and sharing expertise
3
Generate funding through grants for continuous improvements to care
4
Identify gaps in clinical practice at the bedside and develop ideas to fill them
ÂŁ
5
Reduce length of hospital stay to maximise resources
Days
For more information about clinical academic nursing and midwifery, contact Antonella Ghezzi on antonella.ghezzi@uhl-tr.nhs.uk or call 0116 258 8241. SPRING 2020
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SAHARA DESERT 3 -11 October 2020
E G N E L L CHA Face the Ultimate Race Challenge this year and raise funds for Leicester Hospitals Charity
For further details call 0116 258 8709 or email lhcharity@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
enhancing your hospitals
Advertorial Right at the heart of Leicester City Centre, The Wullcomb is much more than just a living space. The 297-apartment complex is a mix of thoughtfully-designed studios, one and two-bed apartments, and presents a plethora of shared communal spaces to facilitate a comfortable, social environment and living space. The fabulous shared facilities are a key part of Way of Life’s commitment to providing more than just a place for people to live. Residents are encouraged to step out of their flats to socialise, engage and enjoy getting to know their neighbours. The rooftop terrace with pizza oven, barbecue space and stunning views of the city is a fantastic space for get-togethers and relaxed evenings outdoors; residents can also host parties in the building’s communal kitchen/dining space, relax in the Post Room, or entertain friends in the cinema room and shared living area, The Perch. A place to relax and socialise, The Wullcomb encourages a modern working environment in the shared spaces, where residents can work individually as well as collaboratively and benefit from fast Wi-Fi and everything you’ll need to complete that work task list. Boasting a 24h concierge service, on-site maintenance, cleaning and security, the contemporary accommodation also features 119 car parking spaces and secure bike storage. Located opposite the Highcross Shopping Centre on Vaughan Way, residents are just a stone’s throw away from Leicester’s thriving nightlife, main retail areas and transport links. The Leicester General Hospital, Glenfield Hospital, and Leicester Royal Infirmary are all within a 15 minutes’ drive from The Wullcomb. Rents start from £675 a month, with apartments available furnished or unfurnished. thewullcomb.com
DESIGN PRINT SUPPORT
Options Leicestershire and Rutland is a care and independent living guide circulated locally through various healthcare professionals ranging from hospital social work teams, hospital discharge assessment, district and community nurses, Age UK hospital to home teams and Alzheimers Society. The publication is distributed to people requiring help, advice and support on living independently or accessing care options.
To advertise in the Options Leicestershire and Rutland publication please call the sales team on 01302 714528 Hawks Nest Cottage, Great North Road, Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN10 6AB 01302 714528 | www.octagon.org.uk | info@octagon.org.uk
OPTIONS Leicestershire and Rutland A guide to care and independent living
Leaving hospital
Spring 2020
FREE
guide
What’s next?
NHS continuing healthcare Who’s eligible?
10
SOCIAL CARE
tips
Healthcare services Choosing the right one
CONTRIBUTORS: Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland Alzheimer’s Society Leicester City Council Leicestershire County Council Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust The NHS Rutland County Council University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Read online
To view online scan this QR code
OCTAGON DE S IG N & M A R K E T I NG LT D
What’s on at Leicester’s Hospitals
Spring
Images of Research trail
2020
Arts & Heritage Images of Research trail
International Clinical Trials Day
Throughout March Leicester General Hospital University of Leicester researchers have created an exhibition that captures their passion for the subject. For further information about upcoming plans or to make a donation please contact: artsandheritageatuhl @uhl-tr.nhs.uk
May 20 An annual event to raise awareness of clinical trials, to encourage patients, carers and the public to get involved in research. leicestersresearch.nhs.uk/ news-and-events
Marvellous Medicine:
Moving and Shaking Understanding Parkinson’s disease
Medicine talks Marvellous Medicine talks
April 9 6:00 - 7:30pm Clinical Education Centre, Leicester General Hospital Dr Victoria Haunton covers the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s and the complications that arise as the condition progresses. Free - No booking required
International Day of the Midwife May 5 Join together to celebrate midwives all around the world, and the fantastic work they do.
International Day of the Nurse
Butterfly Walk
Marvellous Medicine Children’s Asthma
May 28 6:00 - 7:30pm Clinical Education Centre, Leicester General Hospital Dr Gaillard will give an overview of children’s asthma, and explain why the condition needs to be taken more seriously. Free - No booking required
Wing Walking Thrill Challenge
Leicester Hospitals Charity Event May - Any week day RFC Rendcomb Airfield, Cirencester Take your fundraising to new heights - strapped to the top of the biplane! Registration £99 (+ minimum sponsorship £900). To register: lhcharity@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
May 12 International Nurses Day celebrates the contribution that nurses make to societies around the world.
Tough Mudder 5km Leicester Hospitals Charity Event June 13 Belvoir Castle, Loughborough Are you up to the challenge? Join our team against 13 obstacles and plenty of mud to support Leicester’s Hospitals! Registration £49 (+ minimum sponsorship £100) To register: lhcharity@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
Butterfly Walk 2020 Leicester Hospitals Charity Event
June 14 Winstanley House, Leicester Join us for Leicester’s biggest breast cancer fundraiser as we walk around the beautiful grounds of Braunstone Park and Winstanley House! To sign up visit: LHCharity.org.uk/bw20
Marvellous Medicine:
Helping people to look after their kidneys in the community June 25 6:00 - 7:30pm Clinical Education Centre, Leicester General Hospital Dr Gang Xu covers how patients can look after their health and avoid issues that may arise in the future. Free - No booking required
If you have an event coming up contact the Communications Team: communications@uhl-tr.nhs.uk Leicester Hospitals
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Editor: Maria O’Brien, Head of Communications Design: graphics@uhl-tr.nhs.uk Photography: photography@uhl-tr.nhs.uk 30
together SPRING 2020
@Leic_hospital
@leicestershospitals
Special thanks to Beth Walsh photography Printed by: Octagon
Want to Say
Thank You
To Your Nurse or Midwife? The DAISY Award is your opportunity to say thank you by sharing your story of how a nurse or midwife made a difference you will never forget. To nominate scan the QR code with your smartphone camera or visit the website
www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/daisy-awards Š DAISY Foundation 2019