The Pulse Winter 2020

Winter 2020 | issue 14

THE

North West Anglia

NHS Foundation Trust

OPHTHALMOLOGY MOVES SERVICE TO ANOTHER LEVEL Page 5 BRINGING MEMBERS, STAFF AND PATIENTS THE LATEST TRUST NEWS

New drivethrough respiratory clinic launched

WELCOME FROM THE

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Chief Executive Welcome to the Winter 2020 edition of The Pulse magazine.

I’m sure for many of you, you will be pleased to see the start of a new year. The Covid-19 pandemic has made 2020 a year like no other for everyone and I hope that 2021 will see us all head towards more ‘normal’ times.

Our staff have continued to work hard caring for our patients – despite being tired and managing their own family arrangements during lockdown periods. I am extremely thankful to them for their unfaltering support, and to our patients for bearing with us as we adapt to new ways of caring for them while trying to keep them safe.

Ophthalmology moves service to another level

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It’s amazing to think that we have been able to resume near-normal operational activity since the first wave of the pandemic when many services were paused. We will work hard to continue this as we head into the challenges that winter might bring to our local NHS. In this edition of Pulse magazine, we have captured some stories which show that life in our hospitals goes on despite the pandemic. For example, we have rolled back the clock to remember the opening of Peterborough City Hospital in November 2010, which was the biggest build to take place in the city since Peterborough Cathedral was finished in the year 1237!

Brand new rainbow at Peterborough City Hospital

We have also been working with our Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patient Panel to develop more content on our Trust website that helps patients with IBD. This is a great way to ensure we are working in the best way for our patients. Thank you to the panel members for helping us improve our online information.

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We have some notable staff successes to celebrate in this edition too – take a look on page 11 to see how our clinical colleagues are making the headlines!

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a safe and peaceful festive season – however you may celebrate - and a happy and healthy new year.

Peterborough City Hospital named Training Hospital of the Year

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Caroline Walker Chief Executive Winter 2020 | issue 14

THE

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

Contact Us

Young volunteers support patients during pandemic

The Pulse magazine is compiled by the Communications Team at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust. If you have any comments, or would like to make a suggestion about a subject you would like to read about in our magazine, please call the Communications Team on 01733 678024 or email: Nwangliaft.communications@nhs.net OPHTHALMOLOGY MOVES SERVICE TO ANOTHER LEVEL BRINGING MEMBERS, STAFF AND PATIENTS THE LATEST TRUST NEWS

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WISHING PETERBOROUGH CITY HOSPITAL A HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY! Sunday 15 November marked a decade since Peterborough City Hospital welcomed its first patients and began operating as an acute hospital serving the local community and beyond.

The build was part of an historic £330m healthcare project which also saw the opening of the City Care Centre on Thorpe Road and the Cavell Centre, also based at Bretton Gate.

Executive. “We have been able to offer improved treatments and an enhanced patient experience which is something we all strive to achieve during our careers in the NHS. We were very lucky to have Peterborough City Hospital built in the city as it enabled us to showcase further innovation and provide a greater range of treatment options to our patients in the local community”.

“The last 10 years has seen many changes to the way healthcare is delivered from hospitals,” says Dr Kanchan Rege, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief

The City Hospital became home to all staff and services that were previously spread across three sites; Peterborough District Hospital, Edith Cavell and the Maternity

Unit. Since opening, the hospital has seen over 50,000 babies born in it’s maternity unit, had over one million emergency department attendances and treated over 7,500 cancer patients – something that can only be achieved thanks to the new radiotherapy unit that formed part of the build back when it opened in May 2011.

Ten years on we still continue to expand and develop the care that we offer,” says Dr Rege. “These 10 years have passed incredibly quickly for those of us who were here on the day of opening and remain at the Trust today.”

Looking back at the last 10 years Radiotherapy Linac machine allowed us to offer treatments unavailable in the city

Peterborough City Hospital opened as part of the £330m

1,000,000 attendances to our emergency

Greater Peterborough Health Improvement Project

department (Photo by Chris Porsz)

480,000 operations carried out

Peterborough City Hospital before

(photo by Chris Porsz)

Edith Cavell was demolished

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IMPROVING OUR SERVICES

New IBD webpages Patients and relatives wanting to learn more about Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can now discover helpful guidance much easier, thanks to the redevelopment of pages on the Trust website.

The new webpages have been developed with the help of members of the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals IBD Patient Panel to align with what they would find most useful.

Jeanine Helliwell, Chair of the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals IBD Patient Panel said, “It has been great to work with the IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) and communications team on this exciting project. We hope that the new IBD section on the website will be a helpful and easy to use resource for patients across the trust, particularly during this difficult time. It will help IBD patients know when and how to access help, who will be caring for them and frequently asked questions relating to their disease, its treatment and selfhelp tips.”

You can find information about the Trust’s IBD services, helpful resources, and learn more about our IBD Patient Panel by visiting: www.nwangliaft.nhs. uk/a-z-of-services/i/inflammatory-boweldisease/

STAMFORD AND RUTLAND HOSPITAL EXPANDS ORTHOPAEDIC SERVICES DURING PANDEMIC Stamford and Rutland Hospital has expanded services during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure patients needing urgent hand surgery will not have to wait a prolonged period of time for their treatment The team in the Greenwood Day Treatment Unit has developed their orthopaedic service to include more complex elective and trauma cases in hand surgery where the patient remains awake under local anaesthetic, in addition to the service they already run.

The service is usually provided at Peterborough City Hospital but the hospital cancelled most elective surgery to allow staff to focus on treating patients with Covid-19.

Orthopaedic Consultant, Jonathan Jones, said: “Many of our hand trauma patients experience loss of function that affect their

day-to-day life so it is important they are seen in a timely manner. We worked with colleagues on the Greenwood Day Treatment Unit to ensure we could safely continue with surgery at Stamford Hospital.

“I cannot praise the team enough for their support and dedication. They worked tirelessly to ensure they had the skills and knowledge to provide the best care possible for patients undergoing this procedure at a time when most of the Orthopaedic Units in the country had stopped elective work.”

Su Mansell, Acting Manager for Greenwood Day Treatment Unit, said: “We have worked hard to continue to provide as many services as possible during the pandemic and I am very proud of the way the team has pulled together. They have been completely flexible in their ways of working and keen to learn to skills to better support patients.”

New drive-through respiratory clinic launched A new drive-through respiratory clinic has been launched at Peterborough City and Hinchingbrooke Hospitals, giving patients the opportunity to have their lung function test without even leaving their car.

The service has been put in place to reduce the risk of Covid-19 to patients and staff, while also helping to reduce waiting times.

Kelly Pauley, Head of Respiratory Investigations, said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer patients this new service.

Patients will now be asked to attend the drive-through clinic at a specified time,

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where they will be given a spirometer and asked to perform the test from inside their car.

“A Spirometry is a lung function test used to diagnose and monitor certain lung conditions. It’s important we continue to perform these tests to ensure patients are diagnosed and treated in a timely manner.

The new drive-through clinic allows us to do this while keeping our patients, many of whom have been shielding, safe.”

The clinic will also reduce current waiting times as more people can be seen in shorter space of time.

Chief Respiratory Physiologist, Melanie Bryce with patient

OPHTHALMOLOGY MOVES THE SERVICE TO ANOTHER LEVEL The Orthoptic team at Peterborough City Hospital have expanded their skills, so they can provide an intricate treatment for patients with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

AMD is a common condition which affects the central part of your vision and without treatment, can get progressively worse and cause sight loss. This treatment involves administering an injection into the eye, which can slow down the disease progression in some patients.

Patients with AMD, will now receive treatment from one of the qualified Allied Health Professionals within the team.

The team are also providing valuable support to consultants running virtual and face-to-face glaucoma clinics. Ophthalmic

Technicians are supporting these clinics by assessing patients ahead of the virtual review with their consultant. Even with Covid pressures, the technician team have upped their skillset, overcome issues and devised new ways of working.

Steve Joy, Head Orthoptist at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said, “I am immensely proud of how my Orthoptic and Technician team have stepped up, even before Covid was with us. We are able to flex our skillset to meet challenges and improve the care provision within Ophthalmology.

Working alongside our skilled nursing colleagues, experienced medical staff and vigilant administration team, we can move our Ophthalmology service to the next level.

I look forward to the next few years, as our plans grow and the roles develop.”

Trust to launch My Pregnancy Notes Following collaboration with NHS Digital, K2 Maternity Systems and Maternity Voices Partnership, the Trust is to launch a brand new look to maternity online notes.

My Pregnancy Notes aims to achieve the vision which has been set out by Better Births, by fully embedding the personalised care plan, enabling women to access their maternity notes and information through smart phones or other devices and improving the overall maternity experience within the Trust. It is expected to launch mid-December.

There are a number of benefits such as: • More streamlined referral to our service • Ability to share information enabling the midwife to have a more personalised initial conversations • Record and view appointments • Capture personalised care planning and support relevant to the stage of pregnancy • Easier access to pregnancy records • Provide women with greater visibility, control and access to trusted information • The reduction or removal of barriers between women and healthcare professionals enabling women to give access to their records to other healthcare professionals outside of North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust.

Trust trials new digital appointment management system The Trust has partnered with DrDoctor to trial a new digital appointment management system, designed to make it easier for patients to manage their outpatient appointment.

Patients under the care of the Gastroenterology Team will now be able to view and download their outpatient appointment letters on a smartphone, tablet or computer instantly via a new patient portal.

The system also allows patients to cancel or change their appointment if they aren’t able to make the original day and time.

Kate Hopcraft, Divisional Operations Director Surgery, said: “This new system will not only help us improve the patient experience, but reduce Do Not Attend (DNA) rates and save the Trust money in the long term. We are currently trialling DrDoctor in Gastroenterology and hope to roll it out across all specialties in the Trust in the near future.”

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NEWS Hinchingbrooke Hospital implements new Electronic Document Management Hinchingbrooke Hospital will be implementing a new Electronic Document Management System in health records in March 2021.

The system, which has been in operation at Peterborough and Stamford hospitals for five years, will help to eliminate the inefficiency associated with the hospital’s manual, intensive paper-based health records processes.

Kathleen Walker, Assistant Health Records Manager at the Trust said, “The digitisation of the clinical information will not only improve access for all clinicians to view records on demand but also reduce risks for our patients.

Records will be sent off site to our fully accredited scanning provider and within 12 hours maximum the clinical information will be back in our Evolve system for clinicians to review and refer to.

Across the Trust, when EDM is fully implemented, we will see ease of cross site working for all clinicians, working with one integrated health records system.”

STAFF GIVE BACK TO HELP VULNERABLE FAMILIES THIS CHRISTMAS Staff are giving back to the community this Christmas by launching a ‘Virtual Giving Tree’ and a ‘Hamper from Santa’ to help vulnerable families.

Staff at Stamford Hospital with last year’s food bank donations

Staff have championed the idea of giving back to their local communities after receiving a huge amount of support from the public during the initial lockdown in the Spring.

The Trust has participated in the Giving Tree and donated food to the local food bank for a number of years now, but unfortunately due to Covid-19, we are unable to accept actual gifts or food to be dropped off at our hospitals this year.

However staff are keen to make sure that we do everything we can to support local families in need again, especially as many are more in need than ever due to the pressures of the pandemic.

This year we have created an

Amazon Wish List, where our staff, patients and the public can all order gifts for those children who will receive very little for Christmas. These gifts will then be delivered directly to specific charities who then allocate them to their families.

local food banks to hand out.

In addition to this staff are creating individual food hampers, which will be quarantined for 72 hours, before being transported to the

If you would like to help local families in need by donating to our Virtual Giving Tree please go to our Trust website or social media pages for details.

Last year, the Trust donated over 800 presents and 1,500 kilos of food to families in the local area around Huntingdon and Peterborough, who were overwhelmed by the generosity.

Hinchingbrooke’s ‘Captain Sir Tom Moore House’ will provide a home-from-home for medical staff Medical staff will now have the option to stay in new state-ofthe-art modular homes onsite at Hinchingbrooke Hospital after the Trust was given the go ahead to build 10 new studio apartments as additional accommodation.

The modular building, which is now complete, has been named ‘Captain Sir Tom Moore House’ by staff in honour of our local fundraiser, who raised over £40million for the NHS by walking laps in his garden. These are just a short walk from the main hospital building and will be a restful place for staff to unwind without the

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long commute home.

The studio apartments, which are fully furnished, were created by ZedPods, which specialises in modular buildings and is available for staff now.

Graham Wilde, Chief Operating Officer for North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are very pleased with the finished result of the studio apartments. Onsite accommodation at Hinchingbrooke has been needed for some time, so this is a great place for our staff to have that option to cut down their commute and stay closer to work for periods of time, in comfortable surroundings.”

Each flat is fully furnished with modern decor

Breast cancer patient, aged 28, shares her story to help others A patient at Peterborough City Hospital who was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was just 26, is raising awareness on how the disease can affect anyone, of any age.

NOVEMBER 10 MARKED A VERY SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY FOR A GROUP OF NURSING STAFF It was the 20th anniversary of our first cohort of Filipino nurses first arriving in Peterborough to care for patients.

Back in November 2000, 36 nurses made the long haul journey to the cold and frosty UK to start a new life. Now, two decades later, 10 of that original group still work at Peterborough City Hospital and are key members of the local Filipino community, which has since grown considerably as more nurses followed their path in the years to come.

Angelo Cuenca, Macmillan Radiotherapy Nurse Specialist at Peterborough City Hospital, was just 23 when he arrived in the city with his girlfriend (now wife) who took up a post in Surrey.

He said: “Most of my family were taken with the American dream and aspired to relocate there, but I was always attracted to the European culture. When nursing opportunities became available in the UK it was an easy decision for us to make. It felt daunting, yet exciting.

I can remember my first few days like it was yesterday! There were a few ups and downs and lots to adapt to, such as the food, the climate and finding our way around. We had excellent support from the recruitment, management and nursing team. We also had a separate welcome party from the core Filipino community living in Peterborough and nearby.

“I started on Ward 3 at Edith Cavell Hospital, where I felt accepted, loved and cared for. Any worries I had quickly disappeared thanks to the team, so I could concentrate on doing what’s best for our patients.

“Peterborough feels like home now. My wife and I were married here, our children were born here and as a family we are active in our local church, school and community. The strength of the local Filipino community and the support of my work colleagues has really made it feel like home.”

Jack Stevens, Deputy Chief Nurse, said: “We are hugely indebted to our Filipino nursing recruits for the excellent care and support they have provided for our patients since the year 2000. Thank you to all our staff from the Philippines for their dedication to the NHS. It cannot be easy to leave family and friends thousands of miles away to follow their professional dream. It’s an honour to know they call Peterborough ‘home’ and have made their lives here.”

Kate Lancaster, now 28, from Farcet, has no family history of breast cancer, but found a lump in her breast when she was having a shower.

She said: “I was just washing under my arm and found a lump, which was the size of a gobstopper in my breast. I went to the doctors straight away to get it checked out, but I certainly wasn’t expecting the devastating news that I had cancer, especially not at such a young age.

Over the last 18 months, Kate has endured a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy and has just had a bone density scan, which now requires her to have regular drip infusion treatment.

She said: “If I could offer any advice it would be to make sure that you check your breasts, whatever age you are as, you need to catch cancer early.

Claire Hall, Breast Care Nurse Specialist said: “While it is not as common for women under the age of 39 to receive a breast cancer diagnosis, it does affect around 2,300 women in the UK every year. We really appreciate Kate sharing her story to raise awareness about the importance of checking your breasts. It isn’t something that you would expect in someone so young, but it is vitally important that we are all breast aware at any age.”

Sadly, our Filipino recruits have had their plans to celebrate their 20 years in Peterborough postponed by lockdown restrictions, but will revisit plans to mark the milestone as soon as they can.

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YEAR OF THE NURSE AND MIDWIFE

CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL YEAR Su Mansell, Deputy Sister on Greenwood Day Treatment Unit at Stamford and Rutland Hospital “I have worked at Stamford and Rutland Hospital for over 33 years, and have seen numerous changes but none quite as drastic and fast as those due to Covid-19.

Throughout the pandemic I have been acting up as Unit Manager supporting staff who were redeployed both to and from the department, while implementing big changes to our ways of working to ensure we could provide services for patients at risk of a cancer diagnosis.

It has been hard, but I have loved the challenge and have developed as a person and a manager because of it. I couldn’t have done it without the amazing support of the team on Greenwood though.

“I want to take the opportunity to thank each and every person who works in the NHS for everything they do.”

2020 marks the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth and to celebrate the World Health Assembly designated this year the first ever International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.

Sadly many of our celebratory plans were put on hold due to the pandemic, however to celebrate Florence’s legacy, we are shining the spotlight on some of our nurses and midwives from across Hinchingbrooke, Peterborough City and Stamford and Rutland Hospitals, as well as our outpatient departments at Princess of Wales and Doddington Hospitals.

Jo Bennis, Chief Nurse, said: “We have found ourselves in unprecedented times this year, but I am incredibly proud of the way our nursing and midwifery staff have handled the situation and continued to deliver the highest standard of care. They have adapted to the challenges that Covid-19 has brought, with many being redeployed to areas they had not previously worked, and found new, innovative ways of working. Each and every one of them has played a vital role throughout the pandemic. Their positivity and commitment to our patients inspires me every day, and I can’t thank them enough for their hard work and support during this challenging year.”

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Katy Leng – Research Nurse at Hinchingbrooke Hospital “I’ve been a research nurse for two years now and have found it so interesting. You need to be curious, resourceful and highly organised but it is so rewarding.

At the moment our research is primarily focused on Covid-19 as we try to learn as much as we can about this devastating virus to help improve treatments and find a vaccine. Our team is contributing to discovering what existing treatments can be used differently to treat Covid-19 successfully and which medicines do not influence patient recovery. In addition to patient-focused studies, we are also conducting staff studies to give us a better understanding of healthcare workers’ immunity and possible re-infection rates. I feel privileged to be part of this research.”

R OF THE NURSE AND MIDWIFE Elizabeth Disney – Community Midwife at Hinchingbrooke Hospital “This year has been a real challenge for our pregnant women, their families and our midwives, as they adapt and navigate the ever-changing restrictions due to the pandemic. I am incredibly lucky to be working a kind and caring team of community midwives, who are determined to give women and their families to same level of support and reassurance as before Covid-19. It is important we do all we can to keep everyone safe and I am immensely proud of our team, who continue to be fiercely passionate about supporting women throughout their pregnancy journey. This is the main reason I love the job I do.

“I also want to recognise the communities that have come together to support the NHS and each other.”

Linda Nkhata, Chemotherapy Unit Manager at Peterborough City Hospital: “Our patients are among the most vulnerable, especially those receiving Systemic AntiCancer Treatments who are immunocompromised. Their safety has been a top priority and we have spent time reconfiguring the unit to ensure we minimise the risk of Covid-19. Sadly, we have also had to restrict visiting which is especially hard on our patients.

Without the moral support of their loved ones, patients are often more nervous and as nurses we recognise their fears and reassure them as much as we can.

Jayne Rootham, Service Manager and Lead Nurse for Paediatrics “This year has been particularly challenging for our paediatric patients and their families. Many of our younger children are scared of us because we look frightening in our PPE and it’s been difficult on the families when only one parent is allowed to stay with their child. Our teams are doing a fantastic job at making hospital stays during this difficult time a positive experience. I work with a brilliant team of nurses, medical and support staff and I want to thank each and every one of them for pulling together and supporting each other. I am confident that this resilience will continue for many years to come, enabling us to provide the best quality care to our children and their families.

“I really enjoy working in cancer care as it gives the opportunity to be a small part of a patient and their family’s journey. Over the years, my role as a Chemotherapy Nurse has evolved over time but the call to nursing remains the same – providing the best care to patients who are trusting you to support them.”

“I have been a nurse at NWAngliaFT for 31 years and it has been challenging, but nursing is such a rewarding role.”

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ACHIEVEMENTS

Technical Services Team clocks up a quarter century of meeting top standards The Technical Services team at Hinchingbrooke Hospital has achieved the coveted ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System accreditation for the 25th year on the trot!

This means that the team has demonstrated its service meets this international standard that is recognised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as well as CQC. Jim McWilliams, Associate Director for Technical Services, said: “We have held this accreditation since 1994, however the system has changed a few times since then. We converted to the new standard in 2018 and the department is audited every 12 months.”

The audit is rigorous as it aims to ensure the team members: • Are fully trained and competent to carry out any routine or corrective maintenance • Follow agreed processes and address any risks to the users of medical equipment at Hinchingbrooke • Maintain a high quality service, that is delivered in a timely manner • Keep a high standard of documentation • Work to statutory or regulatory requirements.

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OVERSEAS NURSING RECRUITMENT TEAM SHORTLISTED FOR NATIONAL AWARD The Overseas Recruitment Team has been shortlisted in this year’s Nursing Times Workforce Awards in recognition of their work supporting international nurses.

The team, who recruit nurses from across the world to work at Peterborough City, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford and Rutland Hospitals, are finalists in the Best International Recruitment Experience category.

The award recognises an organisation’s strategic approach to the improvement of overseas nurses’ experience of recruitment to the UK. Jo Bennis, Chief Nurse at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am incredibly proud of the team for their recent achievement.

They have gone above to improve our overseas nurses’ experience, with a specific focus on Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). The team have worked hard to create an ‘OSCE boot camp’ that empowered learners and as a result our pass rate went from 53% to

90%. It has also received lots of positive praise from our overseas nurses who have found the boot camp style very helpful.”

Nurses and Midwives, who have trained outside of the European Union are required to pass the OSCE as part of their Nursing and Midwifery Council registration process. The test assesses an applicant’s ability to apply their nursing knowledge and skills in a simulated clinical setting.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Team receive national certification Our Cardiac Rehabilitation Team has been awarded their certification for 2020/2021 from the British Association for Cardiac rehabilitation And Prevention (BACPR).

The BACPR sets the standards for cardiac rehabilitation ensuring patients receive the highest quality of care.

Emma Majewicz, Cardiac Rehabilitation Coordinator, said: “I am incredibly proud of the team for all their hard work to support patients needing rehab after a cardiac incident.

The certificate is based on last year’s data, and despite the challenges of this year we have continued to deliver a first class service.

Our service was disrupted, like many others, due to the pandemic and our face to face cardiac rehab assessments and education and exercise programmes were paused, but we adapted to new ways of working. This included creating digital patient care plans, introducing telephone assessments and implementing an exercise programme that patients could do at

Emma Majweicz with the certificate

home with telephone support from our nurses and physiotherapists. We have also developed a virtual exercise class and exploring developing a virtual education programme.”

PETERBOROUGH CITY HOSPITAL NAMED TRAINING HOSPITAL OF THE YEAR Peterborough City Hospital has been named Training Hospital of the Year for East Anglia at the Cambridge Trauma and Orthopaedic club’s annual awards, in recognition of the support given to Orthopaedic Trainee Consultants.

Research Nurse Appointed Honorary Visiting Fellow at Anglia Ruskin University

This award is based upon trainee feedback, looking at the educational quality and experience gained in the previous year by trainees on rotation in the region’s hospitals.

Peterborough rated highly in both clinic and theatre exposure, with an emphasis on the number of core cases the trainees need to complete training.

Orthopaedic Consultant, Mr Amresh Singh also picked up an award as Trainer of the Year for East Anglia. He was awarded the Murray Mathewson trophy, with special mention to his devotion to providing individual teaching and training opportunities, even from home during these difficult times.

Andy McKee, Orthopaedic Tutor at the Trust said: “I am very proud of the team’s achievement, but the main mention must go to rota coordinator, Anne Uddin who is the unsung hero for Orthopaedic Training in Peterborough.

She coordinates the clinic and theatre experience provided based on trainee need.

“I would also like to thank all members of staff who have contributed to our trainees’ experience, from clinic, wards and theatres, to

Lead Nurse for Research and Development, Dr Fiona Maxton has been appointed Honorary Visiting Fellow at the faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care at Anglia Ruskin University.

Consultant Mr Singh and Rota Coordinator Anne Uddin

the admin staff who coordinate our activity and my Consultant colleagues who provide the direct training.”

Prizes were also scooped up by trainees Rachael Fisher and Mahmoud Awadallah who came first and second in the short presentation category, and Kate Spacey was runner-up in the main podium category for Projects Completed at Peterborough.

Play Specialist recognised in Starlight Awards A Senior Play Specialist at Peterborough City Hospital has come runner-up in the Starlight Health Play Specialist of the Year Award 2020.

Nicola Wright, Senior Play Specialist at Peterborough City Hospital, won third place after being nominated by colleague Jessica Forber. She caught the attention of all three judges because of the passion she holds for her job, with the work she did for Play in Hospital Week 2019, which included a flash mob performance from the Peterborough Regional College for the young patients staying on Amazon, among the many reasons cited in the nomination.

Nicola said: “I was surprised and honoured

to find out that I had been nominated for Health Play Specialist of the Year by a colleague. Even more so when I found out I’d been selected as runner up.”

“Play is such a vital part of a child’s life, especially when they are in hospital. I’m proud to be a part of such a fabulous team at Peterborough City Hospital, who always go the extra mile to support patients and their families. I am part of a profession that I truly believe in and have had the privilege to see grow and become increasingly recognised for its importance.

More notably I have seen first-hand the impact that play can have on a patient and their family, which for me is the greatest reward.”

She will complete a three-year period with the faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care at the university and as part of her post will provide research education and supervision.

Fiona, who works at both Peterborough City and Hinchingbrooke Hospitals, said: “I am delighted to have been appointed to this role. It is a great opportunity to develop further collaborative links with the university. This year has highlighted just how important research is and I am looking forward working to with colleagues at Anglia Ruskin University to grow and promote research among nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals.”

Dr Louise Jenkins, Head of School – School of Nursing and Midwifery (Cambridgeshire) at ARU, said: “I am delighted to welcome Dr Fiona Maxton as an Honorary visiting fellow in the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Cambridgeshire. It is a fantastic opportunity to further develop links with our local practice partners and continue to embed contemporary research and practice into our undergraduate and postgraduate curricula.”

Fiona’s background is in paediatric intensive nursing and education, and she has worked in clinical research at a senior level for over 20 years. Her PHD work has gone on to inform changes to the International Guidelines for Resuscitation and she regularly contributes to publications internationally.

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THANKING OUR SUPPORTERS

Thanking the Friends of Stamford Hospital Matron of Stamford Hospital, Caroline Wood would like to thank the Friends of Stamford Hospital (FoSH) for their invaluable help during the pandemic.

In the last few months, FoSH have donated money to ‘For the Love of Scrubs’ (FTLOS), a group set up in response to the pandemic to support local hospitals with sewing PPE items such as scrubs and face masks. They have donated £729 for materials for scrubs and a further £300 to help FTLOS make masks to be sold Stamford Hospital, with the money made being put back into the friends of Stamford Hospital donation pot.

Matron Caroline said: “Both FOSH and FTLOS have been so generous in their donations and I wanted to say thank you for their kindness.

Individuals have gone above and beyond to create such beautiful scrubs, ear protectors, uniform bags and face coverings through FTLOS. The Friends of Stamford Hospital have been unable to fund raise during the pandemic as we have had no visitors on site, so being able to donate back into their funds has really supported those who support us.”

If you would like to become a Friend of Stamford Hospital details of how to join can be found on their website: www. friendsofstamfordhospital.org.uk

FAMILY RAISE MORE THAN £9,000 IN MEMORY OF HUSBAND AND FATHER A family from Yaxley has donated more than £9,000 to Ward A8 at Peterborough City Hospital in memory of husband and father, Ian Ripley.

Ian was under the care of the Renal Unit for 20 years after being diagnosed with kidney failure in 1999 and sadly passed away from Cancer in June of last year.

Samantha Ripley, Ian’s wife, wanted to give back to the department for their support over the years and asked for donations instead on flowers at his funeral.

She said: “The ward were absolutely brilliant and did everything they could to give Ian extra time following his cancer diagnosis. I wanted to do something to thank them for their support, and asked for donations in lieu of flowers, raising roughly £1,600.”

When Samantha asked what the money would be used for, the staff explained that they wanted to buy another dialysis machine.

“After hearing that they were collecting donations for another dialysis machine, I just knew I had to do more,” said Samantha.

“On the eve of my 50th birthday, I created a JustGiving fundraising page and joined Facebook, where I asked friends and family to help me raise money. Ian was well thought of, so it’s no surprise that our family and friends rallied to help us do something wonderful to in his memory. In total, with the money from the funeral, we raised £9,392.45.”

Kaylie Harvey, Ward A8 Manager, said: “On behalf of everyone on Ward A8, I would like to thank to Mrs Ripley and her family for their fundraising efforts. Their kind donation has purchased a new haemodialysis machine, helping us improve our service for our patients.”

Brand new rainbow at Peterborough City Hospital A bright new rainbow smiles over the Peterborough City Hospital site from above the main entrance, thanks to our Resilience & Emergency Preparedness Point of Contact, Andy Howes.

“I had the idea of the rainbow in April,” said Andy. “The rainbow had become an unofficial emblem of the NHS during the pandemic, and I felt our staff should be able to see it as they arrive at the site.”

He made contact with Daral Brennan, owner of local company MisterVinyl, who designed a rainbow to the windows’ measurements at a heavily discounted price.

Daral said: “I considered this an opportunity to not only supply the NHS, but give a little support back. My daughter is a student nurse at Addenbrooke’s so supporting the NHS is

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Mrs Ripley with Dr Kleemann in July 2019

Daral Brennan with the rainbow

something we do as a family.”

Andy said: “I am really proud of the new rainbow, especially as it is visible from the roundabout, so you don’t have to be going to the hospital to see it, and what it represents.

“I’d like to thank the LGBTQ+ community for lending the symbol to us, and I promise that we’ll look after it in the meantime!”

SUPPORTING OUR PATIENTS

CANCER WELLBEING SERVICE GARDEN PROJECT BLOOMS DURING PANDEMIC The Cancer Wellbeing Service at Peterborough City Hospital has continued with its Garden Project, despite the pandemic.

Mary Green, who volunteers at the service, is part of a team of volunteers who wanted to use their love of art, and in particular mosaics, to create an outdoor wellbeing space for service users to enjoy.

Mary said: “I had to use the centre myself, and while I was there I started teaching people mosaics.

One day I was looking through the window into the garden and saw what a state it was in. I said: ‘wouldn’t it be lovely to do something with it.’ And as a group we devised the project. A special mention must go to, Jennie Grainger, our super gardener who has spent many hours digging and planting.”

Since the project started in July 2019, the team have added colour to the space, with artwork and flowers. With the support of generous wellwishers they are transforming this centre’s garden into a tranquil area for meditation, thought, and happiness.

Covid-19 has meant that fewer people can go onto the Cancer Wellbeing Service site, but the transformation continues to take shape, as currently

volunteers and centre users are creating much of the art for the garden at home, with mosaics picked up and transported to the centre.

If you wish to support the Cancer Wellbeing Service’s Garden Project then you can follow the team’s progress via their Facebook page, or support them via JustGiving. To find these pages, search for ‘Cancer Wellbeing Service Garden Project’ on the respective site.

Meet the team supporting patients with cancer Patients receiving cancer treatment expect to see clinical staff during hospital visits, but there is a small group of Cancer Support Workers who also play an important part in patient care. The Survivorship team works across Peterborough City and Hinchingbrooke Hospitals supporting patients and their carers living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis, offering both practical and emotional support.

Alanna Farrow, a support work based at Peterborough City Hospital said: “A cancer diagnosis can be life-changing; we work with patients to identify what matters to them, ensuring information is tailored to their needs and supports their wider health and wellbeing.”

Patients are contacted to offer a Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA) which helps them reflect on any physical, financial, psychosocial, information and support needs they have. Where concerns are identified the team offers a personalised care plan and support, signposting to available local and national resources.

The Survivorship Team at Peterborough City Hospital

Nicole Hayden, a Support Worker at Hinchingbrooke Hospital said: “Patients who may be struggling with sadness and need emotional support can be introduced to the wellbeing service and counselling via our team. It gives us the utmost satisfaction knowing we make a difficult situation more manageable, our aim is to help patients when they are at their most vulnerable.”

Any patient interested in the scheme should mention it to their clinical team for referral.

Young volunteers support patients During the COVID-19 pandemic the Trust’s Young Volunteers Programme has been inundated with applications to come into the hospital and help out! In August, our Young Volunteers, alongside some of our regular volunteers, welcomed visitors back to the hospitals. The volunteer’s role was to help visitors understand the new restrictions and also to spend time with patients if they didn’t have any visitors.

For many young people this was a great way to spend their six-week summer break, with one young volunteer saying: “I was able to gain valuable experience speaking to a variety of different patients, so I could develop my communication and consultation skills in preparation for medical school.”

During the second lockdown young volunteers were again helping out around the hospital delivering Letters for Loved Ones and patient belongings, as well as Wayfinding. The volunteering team has also joined forces with the apprenticeship team to offer young volunteers a more rounded experience by combining six weeks of volunteering on wards prior to completing an intensive fourday work experience.

If you are interested in joining the Trust’s Young Volunteer Programme please contact our Young Person Co-Ordinator, Taite Hawes: taite.hawes@ nhs.net

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NEWS

Trust ‘Hello My Name Is’ badges get a new look The Trust’s ‘hello my name is’ badges have been given a new look as part an initiative to make the Trust more accessible to patients with dementia and those with visual impairments.

This work is the result of a collaboration with patients with disabilities, including Jimmy who is deafblind. He recently help us implement accessible signage across Peterborough City, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford and Rutland Hospitals.

Alison Gray, Dementia Specialist Nurse, said: “Staff are now wearing yellow ‘hello my name is’ badges, which have been designed to help those with visibility issues, learning disabilities and dementia. I think this will be hugely beneficial in helping patients and staff build better relationships and help improve communication, and it’s great to see the Trust continuing to make positive changes for patient care.”

Chief Nurse, Jo Bennis, said: “It’s great to see the Trust continuing to make great strides in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work. These badges help to support those with a visual impairment the new yellow colour means that these badges will more identifiable and visible to both staff and patients. The Royal National Institute of Blind People has highlighted that clear colour contrast is more visible to those with sight problems and these benefits have helped us to make this decision. This badge will also help to support those with learning disabilities and our dementia patients, if the individual can read the staff members name this can lead to building better relationships and improve patient care.

“The Trust remains committed to the development of a culture that promotes and celebrates equality, diversity and inclusion and is a part of a wider strategy to make the NWAngliaFT more accessible.”

SAYING FAREWELL TO IBD NURSE ELIANE MARSDEN Eliane Marsden began her North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust journey in 1980, when she joined the Trust as a Health Care Assistant. After 20 years working across the Peterborough District Hospital site as a Health Care Assistant, Eliane was able to progress her career and become a nurse, as the Trust supported her to complete her nurse training.

After five years working on a variety of wards across the hospital, Eliane was promoted to a Deputy Sister position on the Gastroenterology Ward. It was this move that sparked a desire in Eliane to help IBD patients for the remainder of her career and a year later she was successful in gaining an IBD Specialist Nurse role, which she has held for 10 years.

Her colleague and fellow IBD Specialist Nurse Gill Anderson said, “Eliane has provided expert

Eliane said, “I have seen great changes in the NHS since I began as a nursing auxiliary and one that stands out is the patient relationship with the care giver. Patients are able to have more input into their treatment and their view is often invaluable to assess their needs. This has been shown with our IBD Patient Panel who help us to see the patient journey from their perspective and this can help us plan and organise our services around them.

“The NHS will always strive to improve and I have been very proud to have been a small part of its history.”

Maternity Department launches series of Facebook Live Events Our Maternity Services has worked in collaboration with Peterborough and Hinchingbrooke Maternity Voices Partnership to launch a series of Facebook live events for pregnant women and their families.

So far the Trust has hosted two live events - Infant Feeding with Cathi Rai and Debbie Abbott from the Infant Team, and Maternity

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care to our IBD patients during her ten years in the role as a specialist nurse. She is caring, professional, dedicated and selfless and has made a huge difference to so many lives. She will be hugely missed by the team.”

Visiting Restrictions During Covid-19 with Deputy Head of Midwifery, Nicky Griffin and Matron, Teresa McCarthy.

With the successful of these two Facebook lives Maternity Team have got plans in place to hold more so make sure to follow the @NWAngliaFTMaternityServices page on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest information and updates.

RECRUITMENT

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: KATE MARTIN Kate Martin is the Soft FM Monitoring Officer at Peterborough City Hospital. We have spoken to Kate about her role and what she loves most about it.

“My role involves monitoring the activities of our PFI partners and their contractors and ensuring they carry out their contractual and legislative duties within Peterborough City Hospital. I also hold responsibility for Waste Management and some elements of Sustainability across the entire Trust which has earned me a nickname in the office – Queen of the Bins!

“Lots of people give me a blank look when I use my full job title and ask what it means.

My colleague, Hard FM Manager Matthew Grant, has described Facilities Management beautifully; “If you remove all the people, then pick up the building and shake it, anything that stays put is Hard FM, and anything that falls out is Soft FM.” Hard FM involves but is not limited to electrical, water, lifts, grounds and gardens, pest control, fire, medical gases etc. Soft FM comprises but is not limited to catering, cleaning, portering, security, linen, traffic etc.

helps to keep things fresh!

“The variation of people I meet and work with on a daily basis is also a huge morale booster.

A large part of my role means I am frequently auditing around the building in various types of areas. I meet clinical staff, patients, visitors, other members of corporate, administration and secretarial staff…and everyone, without exception, is brilliant. New projects and ideas are met with excitement and enthusiasm.

Problems and concerns are resolved quickly and professionally. Everyone is exceptionally skilled, incredibly friendly, and we’re all genuinely cheering everyone else on. There is a real sense of family here.”

“The fact that no two days are ever the same means my job is still as exciting today as it was the day I started. There is always something new and different happening to challenge you and keep you on your toes, and every day is a learning opportunity in Facilities Management.

I work across all of our sites, too, which really

Staff Spotlight: Harun Nazir Harun Nazir is a Business Admin Apprentice at Peterborough City Hospital. We spoke to Harun to find about about his role.

“I really wanted to improve the skills I need to start a career in business administration. I enjoy the routine of business administration but knew that I needed to get some experience to move into a career.

The apprenticeship on offer at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust enables me to learn and acquire skills on the job, allowing me to build up my confidence and ability to succeed in my desired career.

“I started at the Trust as a volunteer, helping to create easy read leaflets for patients with a learning disability. The manager of this team then helped me to secure an internship doing this work. I loved this because I could see the difference I was making in lifting barriers for patients who could not access our usual leaflets.

Looking to move into the NHS?

“I told the Trust that I wanted to build a career in business administration, and they helped me to find the kind of apprenticeship that would help me to flourish and build the skills I need.”

We have a whole host of clinical and non-clinical you can apply for to become a member of Team North West Anglia.

Simply go to our website to see what role you can take on as part of our Trust: www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk

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MEMBERSHIP

Trust holds Annual Public Meeting virtually The Annual Public Meeting took place on 6 October from 6 – 6.45pm as a virtual event via MS Teams. Dr Kanchan Rege, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy CEO, gave a presentation on our Trust response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a successful event with a good virtual audience and lots of questions for our Board to answer.

If you missed the event and are interested in what went on, you can replay the meeting via this link on our website: https://www.nwangliaft.nhs. uk/about-us/trust-board/board-papersmeetings/ . You will find Dr Rege’s presentation and questions asked with the answers given there as well.

Keep an eye out on social media and, if you are a member, your email inbox, for information on the next Members’ meeting.

BECOME A TRUST MEMBER TODAY! Becoming a member of our Trust means you can give us your views on how we can make our services better for you, your family and the community in which you live.

As a Foundation Trust member you can also: • Apply to stand for election as a Trust Governor • Vote in our Governor elections

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

We are on Twitter, Facebook and even Instagram!

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

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• Attend events and meetings • Receive a free copy of The Pulse magazine – either through the post or online • Get involved in specific focus and feedback groups As a Foundation Trust member you are also entitled to register with NHS

Discounts, to take advantage of the same benefits that are offered to NHS staff. Just log on and register at www. healthservicediscounts.com to receive a range of discounts from participating high street stores and restaurants.

To sign up as a member, you can use our portal, designed especially for you. Just log on to: https://secure.membra.co.uk/ memberportal/NorthWestAnglia Register your name and create a password, then you can be in charge of the information we hold for you.

You can use the portal to change or update the information that we have for you – for example, change a postal or email address, check what format you would like to receive The Pulse, or even delete your file altogether.

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust has not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor does North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust endorse any of the products or services.

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