Winter 2021 | issue 18
THE
BRINGING MEMBERS, STAFF AND PATIENTS THE LATEST TRUST NEWS
North West Anglia
NHS Foundation Trust
MEET THE TEAM ON HOLLY WARD P9
Find out about our winter plans
WELCOME FROM THE
Chief Executive
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Welcome to the last issue of Pulse magazine for 2021. Winter will soon be upon us. I hope the winter season is as safe and healthy as possible. Our operational teams have been preparing for the expected increase in the number of emergency patients needing hospital care over the upcoming winter period. While Coronavirus is still so prevalent in our communities, we expect this to result in a greater number of patients than usual requiring our care. We have taken learning from last winter, when we were in the grip of the pandemic, to inform our plans for this winter. In addition, we have set aside extra funding to create additional posts in our emergency and medical teams which are currently being recruited to. By taking these steps, and undertaking extra planning with our local health and care partners, we will ensure we safeguard patients’ experiences in hospital during what is normally a very busy period. You can help us to help you by choosing the right services for your care when you are unwell. Remember to seek advice from the experts at the NHS 111 service to guide you appropriately. And you can also make sure your medicine cupboard is well stocked with over-the-counter medicines such as pain relief, cold and flu remedies and a thermometer to help you manage symptoms of winter illnesses from the outset. I’d also strongly encourage for you to ensure you are up to date on your Covid-19 vaccinations – many people are having their booster at the moment and this is a vital weapon in our continued fight against Coronavirus. Our staff have been taking up a double vaccination offer since September, so they are armed against Covid-19 and the flu.
New integrated Doddington Hub
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The ground breaking cancer screening study
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You can read more about how we are preparing for winter in our hospitals, and how you can help yourself to stay well, on pages 4 and 5. In this edition we are also spotlighting the exciting redevelopment work taking place at our Hinchingbrooke Hospital site. There will be lots of changes on site in 2022 as we begin the build of our new operating theatre block and start our full site redevelopment. We will keep staff and patients updated on the development – but you can read the latest news on page 3. Finally, if you have picked up a copy of this magazine during a visit to one of our hospitals, why not sign up to become a member of our Foundation Trust? As a member you can receive a free copy of The Pulse every quarter – either by post or email – so you can keep up to date with what’s happening in your local hospital. Becoming a member is free and easy to do – either call our communications team on 01733 678024, email: nwangliaft. membership@nhs.net or visit our website (www.nwangliaft@ nhs.uk) to complete the online application form.
Congratulations to our Apprenticeship Award Winners
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Caroline Walker Chief Executive Winter 2021 | issue 18
THE
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Contact Us 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
Lead nurse appointed in new interim role
BRINGING MEMBERS, STAFF AND PATIENTS THE LATEST TRUST NEWS
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MEET THE TEAM ON HOLLY WARD P9
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Hinchingbrooke staff at recent ground breaking ceremony
REDEVELOPMENT IS WELL UNDERWAY FOR HINCHINGBROOKE THEATRE BLOCK Hinchingbrooke Hospital’s new theatre block is at the final approval stage ahead of funding being released by NHS England and NHS Improvement. The redevelopment will deliver 7 state-ofthe-art operating theatres, recovery and admission facilities and a separate area for children to be cared for during their surgical procedure. The block will be located between the main hospital and the Treatment Centre on the Hinchingbrooke site. In developing the design the project team has worked with experts to include the latest green energy systems, to ensure a low carbon impact on the environment is delivered and was recently awarded an ‘excellent’ rating under the BREEAM rating benchmark. The Trust has also made a commitment to support and encourage sustainable transport facilities on the hospital site and enhance the biodiversity of its grounds. The theatre block development is
Theatre staff looking forward to the new facilities
the second part of a three-phase redevelopment scheme to replace the old hospital building and modernise the hospital, which opened in 1984. The Trust also welcomed members virtually via a Members Meeting on the 30 November,
which gave the project team the opportunity to update the public about our plans and how the works are progressing. As this issue of Pulse went to print we were awaiting approval of our Full Business Case, which will provide us with the next stage in the redevelopment process.
Visiting reminder for our hospitals We are constantly reviewing the situations in relation to Covid rates in our hospitals and the community figures in our local area, which often means that we have to implement changes to our visiting restrictions in relation to this. We need to take extra measures to prevent the virus being brought into our hospitals by external visitors. If you are planning on visiting our hospitals as a patient or visitor then please continue to help us keep our hospitals safe and be mindful of others where space is more restricted.
You can help us by: • E nsuring you wear a face mask or covering at all times within our hospital unless you are exempt. It is important that your mask covers your mouth and nose in order to effectively reduce the spread of infection. •A ll patients, visitors and staff are asked to hand sanitise as they enter and exit the hospital, and the department they are visiting. Our hand sanitisation stations are available at all entry and exit points.
• To help everyone maintain social distancing, we ask that all patients and visitors keep left when traveling around our hospitals. When waiting in line, please observe the floor stickers clearly marking where you should stand and maintain a safe distance from others All of our information regarding visiting restrictions will be communicated via our website www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk and social media channels, which includes updates for our maternity services.
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WINTER PLANNING
STAYING WELL THIS WINTER This winter is expected to be a winter like no other across the health service. A combination of the ongoing pandemic and predicted increases in winter illnesses, including a potentially worse than normal flu season, means we are preparing for busy months ahead in readiness to support the health and wellbeing of our patients and staff. You can help us to prepare for winter and
support keeping everyone healthy this season. There are lots of things you can do to help us help you including:
•A ccess the right services and support when you need it, think 111 First and access support online at www.111.nhs.uk.
• Be winter ready and stock up on cold and flu medication, painkillers and other over-the-counter remedies for common ailments.
•P revent the spread of infection by continuing to practise good hand hygiene, mask wearing and social distancing (all required when attending hospital); and
•B oost your immunity this winter and have flu and COVID-19 vaccinations when offered.
Boost your immunity this winter Team NWAngliaFT have rolled up not one, but both sleeves to have a double boost this season. Staff will receive both Flu vaccination and COVID-19 boosters as part of a Trust-wide campaign to BOOST immunity this winter. Dedicated clinics have been created across the Trust to deliver this season’s staff vaccination programme which aims to protect more than eight thousand members of staff. COVID-19 boosters and Flu vaccines are the most effective way to boost our natural
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immunity and protect ourselves from these viruses. Most adults and children will be eligible for a flu jab, COVID-19 booster, or both. So, book your vaccine appointments now and BOOST your immunity this winter. COVID-19 vaccines are available to anyone over 16 through the national booking service or walk-in spots. Boosters are also available for people over 50 or health and social care workers, as long as you are 152 days since your second dose. For more information and how to book visit www.nhs.uk/book-acoronavirus-vaccination/
• L ook out for loved ones, friends and neighbours.
Keeping little ones protected from respiratory viruses This winter we may see a rise in the number of children with colds and viruses. One virus of concern in young children and babies is bronchiolitis, caused by the RSV (the Respiratory Syncitial Virus). The early symptoms are like a cold; other symptoms which might develop are a high temperature, a dry cough, difficulty feeding and rapid or noisy breathing (wheezing). In most cases and in older children and adults, this is a mild illness, with sufferers getting better in two or three weeks, but occasionally it can be more serious and some children with severe symptoms need hospital treatment.
What to look out for and when to seek help If you are worried about your child see your GP or call NHS 111, especially if your child has taken less than half their usual amount during the last two or three feeds, or they have had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more, if your child has a persistent high temperature of 38oC or above, or if your child seems very tired or irritable. In an emergency or if your child is having any difficulty breathing, or your baby’s tongue or lips are blue or there are long pauses in your baby’s breathing then call 999 for an ambulance.
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OUR COMMUNITY HOSPITALS
ROMA COMMUNITY EVENT The Eastern European Roma Community event was the very first event organised by the Trust to reach out to our local communities to tackle health inequalities.
Stamford Minor Injuries Unit now open Stamford and Rutland Hospital’s Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) reopened to patients in October. The MIU was temporarily closed in order to redeploy staff needed to work in other departments during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic. “There has clearly been a continued need to offer a MIU service in Stamford and the local community,” says Phil Walmsley, Chief Operating Officer. “We made the decision to temporarily close the unit, in order to move staff who were very much needed on our Peterborough City and Hinchingbrooke sites, but we appreciate this did create a gap at Stamford and Rutland Hospital. We are very grateful to local residents for their patience.” The MIU sees patients with minor injuries only, and all patients are triaged on arrival to ensure they’re in the right place for the care they require. Anyone needing treatment for an illness, as opposed to an injury, is advised to contact their GP first or call NHS 111 for advice. The MIU is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
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The event was co-produced with ‘Healthy You,’ a free service for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough residents who are looking to make a change in their lifestyles. We worked closely with the Trust’s Patient Experience department and our in-house team of interpreters who helped with the translations of the leaflets using community connections. The aim of the event was to: • Improve the Eastern European patients’ experience and quality of care in Cancer Services by using the insight and feedback from their lived experiences
• Build relationships within the community • Improve the explanation of diagnostic test results in a completely understandable way for adult cancer patients in the Eastern European community This was a step in changing cultural perception of government organisations such as the hospital for these communities. Engaging with our community is key in tackling health inequality as it helps to build trust. In the future we hope to conduct more events within the community for multiple diversities. We hope this is a first step in tackling health inequalities for our diverse community so that everyone can have equal access to care.
New Integrated Care Hub at Doddington Hospital A new Integrated Care Hub at Doddington Hospital has opened which provides patients access to outpatient clinics as well as diagnostics, rehabilitation services and health and wellbeing services. Arshiya Khan, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at North West Anglia Foundation Trust said: “Development of this Integrated Care Hub at Doddington Hospital aims to address some of the local health inequalities by improving access to care,
providing care closer to home and giving a key focus on long-term health conditions. “The Integrated Care Hub will bring health and social care services together into one place helping to provide more convenient and accessible patient care. This is a great example of partnerships working with the local NHS, social care and voluntary services as one system to provide more integrated and coordinated care, closer to home.”
OUR SERVICES
TRUST TAKES PART IN GROUND-BREAKING CANCER SCREENING STUDY Research on patients with signs of cancer has already found that the test, which checks for molecular changes, can identify many types that are difficult to diagnose early, such as head and neck, ovarian, pancreatic, oesophageal and some blood cancers, according to NHS England. The test could help meet the NHS Long Term Plan goal of increasing the percentage of cancers caught early, which can be vital to reducing deaths from the disease. The pilot will include around 140,000 patients across the UK, aged from 50 to 79 who have
no symptoms. They have been chosen at random and if in agreement to take part, will have annual blood tests for three years. “Our part comes in to play if we have local patients who test positive for signs of any of these cancers,” says Jakki. “At that point they will be referred to us under the twoweek wait pathway and we will investigate further.” If found to be successful then these tests could become routinely available, hailing a huge breakthrough in the fight against cancer, worldwide.
Jakki Faccenda, Respiratory Consultant
A pioneering new blood test that can identify more than 50 types of cancer is being piloted in the NHS, with Peterborough City Hospital chosen as one of the sites to see patients who test positive within the trials. “We are really excited to be part of this innovative programme,” says Jakki Faccenda, Respiratory Consultant. “It is based around the Galleri blood test, developed by GRAIL, an American biotechnology and pharmaceutical company, to develop an early screening test for people who do not have symptoms.”
New appointment management system The Trust has partnered with DrDoctor to introduce a brand new patient portal and text message reminder service designed to make it easier for you to manage your outpatient appointment. You will now receive a text message notifying you of an outpatient appointment, reminding you of your upcoming appointment or informing you that your appointment has been cancelled. The text will be delivered from a +447860039092 mobile number, stating it is from North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust. Text messages will include a link (drdoctor. thirdparty.nhs.uk/nwangliaft) to a secure patient portal, where you will be to see more information about your appointment on the
new patient portal. Once online you can: • Request to change or cancel your appointment • View and download your appointment letters. • View location information, including Google maps and floor plans • View important clinic information, this may include leaflets and videos • Add your appointment to your personal calendar Digital Letters have now been rolled out in some specialities with more to follow. We will send patients a text message when they have a new digital letter to view online.
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WOMEN’S AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Maternity feedback “I just wanted to message you to say thank you. Carla was born at home on 11th September, weighing exactly 3.5 kg. I had a perfect homebirth and Uche (my community midwife) was lovely! She followed my homebirth plan and supported my decisions. She made me feel listened to and safe. During these busy times, with staff shortages and everything going on - the community midwifes were there for me when I needed them. I had the home birth I wished for and it was more beautiful than I could have imagined. Thank you so much!” If you would like to share your feedback or birthing story with us you can send us a message @NWAngliaFTMaternityServices or email us at nwangliaft. maternityservices@nhs.net, we’d love to hear from you.
TOP TEN TRAINING UNITS FOR OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY Peterborough City Hospital came out as one of the top ten training units for Obstetrics and Gynaecology following the Annual General Medical Council (GMC) Survey. The survey questions are framed within a set of 19 key domains and Peterborough ranked in the top quartile in most areas, and ahead of other Obstetrics and Gynaecology units in the East of England. Back in 2019, Peterborough was commended for being one of a select group of two ‘top green outlier’ units, along with Papworth Cardiothoracic Surgery. This means units which have consistently achieved green outlier status for over three
years. An outlier is a Trust which is in the top (or bottom) 10% compared to other Trusts’ results. At that point the hospital had maintained a ranking of best Obstetrics & Gynaecology Unit in the East of England region for three years consecutively, and has also consistently been in the top 10 training units in the country. Rebecca McKay, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at Peterborough City Hospital said: “This is amazing news and we couldn’t be happier. As a college tutor I am very proud of our unit and want to thank all of my Consultant colleagues who continue to provide excellent training for our trainees.”
Consultants involved in the training for Obstetrics and Gynaecology
New cots for Maternity and NICU Our Maternity and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Peterborough City Hospital have recently purchased some new cots to help improve the experience of women who use our services. The pink and purple cots are adjustable and make it easier for women to pick up their baby, they are also designed to go over beds to help aid women who have had a C-section. Katrina Lilly, Maternity Inpatients Ward Manager for Peterborough City Hospital, said: “We purchased pink cots to improve the experience of our new mums during their hospital stay. They are adjustable and soundless to push which will allow new mums to tend to their baby, even when they have restricted
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mobility following the birth or if they have had a caesarean section.” NICU decided to purchase purple cots to help identify clearly which cots were for their department. Katie Barke, Neonatal Unit Manager, said: “The cots are height adjustable which will enable parents and staff to access the babies with ease. They are easy to clean and it’s great that we do not have to go searching for a cot when we are ready to move a baby from an incubator to a cot.” Maternity cots
NICU cots
WOMEN’S AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES
SPOTLIGHT ON HOLLY WARD – HERE WARD MANAGER, SANDIE WHITE EXPLAINS MORE ABOUT THE TEAM: Tell us a bit about Holly Ward. “Holly Ward is a paediatric inpatient ward, based at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, with a five bedded paediatric assessment unit opposite. The ward can take up to 13 patients, with an additional six day surgery beds available in the week. The unit cares for children from 1 day old through to aged 16 with the occasional specialist group taking 17 years olds.”
“We see children with all kinds of illnesses and the occasional injury. From acute tonsillitis, appendicitis, sepsis, asthma to epilepsy to name but a few. The surgical day cases could be for eye surgery, grommets or scans under general anaesthetic.”
“The staff caring for our young patients have a wide range of skills who all pull together with the fantastic support of the paediatric medical team to provide quality care for children. We also have a robust play team that support children and their families in times of need. They use creative, fun ways to communicate, give reassurance and support children through procedures using tailored distraction techniques. They are skilled and qualified staff that support the child to make life on the children’s ward the best it can be.”
Staff on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Peterborough City Hospital have pulled out all the stops to mark those precious moments and keep families connected, despite the struggles that the pandemic has created. NICU journey bags were designed by Senior Sister, Carrie Hadfield and Ward Clerk Aneta Sharlamanov to give families something to keep those precious memories of their baby’s first moments in.
What illnesses and injuries do you often see from children on the ward?
Can you tell us a bit about the different roles that you have within the department?
Neonatal Unit create ‘Journey Bags’ to reconnect families
Member of the play team in the sensory room
What is the atmosphere like on Holly Ward and how do you calm children and parents who may be feeling anxious? “The unit is a child-friendly, bright and colourful environment with a caring, compassionate, creative and supportive team. The team cope really well with calming both children and parents in what can be a very worrying time for them all. It is about being open and honest with children and their families, being available to answer questions and taking the time to reassure them as and when needed.”
The bag contains a NICU Moments Diary, donated by Give Back Peterborough called Bliss baby milestones. They record key moments such as ‘I left my incubator today’ and ‘I had my first cuddle’ and a heart voice recorder, which was donated by Darren Fox, for parents to record a message for their baby on the unit. There is also an octopus crocheted cuddly toy, which is specially designed for premature babies and is run by a worldwide initiative. The tentacles resemble the umbilical cord, which gives the baby something to play with, rather than the wires connected to the machines. The team have also created sibling packs, so that older brothers and sisters could also begin the bonding process. Marcia Foy created these which include colouring books, pencils, books and small toys.
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STAFF RECOGNITION
DEDICATED STAFF RECEIVE LOCAL APPRENTICESHIP AWARDS Three dedicated members of staff who were recently awarded apprenticeship awards at the Peterborough Telegraph Apprenticeship Awards share their stories on how they have progressed with their careers with the support from the Practice Development Team.
Award Winner Sharon Maywood Sharon Maywood won the Health and Public Service Apprentice of the Year Award and joined the Trust as a Healthcare Assistant (HCA) in 2015, aged 40, after deciding that she wanted a career change. She said: “I originally worked in accounting for years, but decided that I wanted to retrain and become a nurse when I turned 40. I started as a HCA on Ward A10 at Peterborough City Hospital and joined the Nursing Associate pilot scheme in January 2017 before qualifying in January 2019. I then went on to top up my qualification as a nurse and qualified in February 2021 with no debt and a wealth of experience. “Whilst training I also had a separate personal battle due to an illness in 2018, so I juggled my work with my treatment and the staff around me have been so supportive. A10 are a great team to work with, but my mentors Tanya and Rachel really have been fantastic.”
Danielle Murrell, Rising Star Award winner
Rising Star Winner Danielle Murrell Danielle Murrell is a Trainee Nursing Associate and is currently working on ward A2 at Peterborough City Hospital. She recently won the Rising Star Award through the Peterborough Telegraph Apprenticeship Awards and it is easy to see why. She said: “I started working as a dental nurse at the Trust in the Head and Neck department back in 2013 and I really wanted to retrain and become a nurse. The Trust does some fantastic courses to give you the opportunity to have hands on experience and I decided to start training as a Nursing Associate in September 2019. I never anticipated that I would be getting all the usual experience then experience a pandemic as well. I also fell pregnant with my second child during this time, so have been juggling a 22 week old and a 3-year-old alongside this. The Practice Development Team and A2 have been so supportive and I have gained some amazing experience in challenging situations. I will qualify as a Nursing Associate in December 2021 and I am hoping to apply for the top-up, so that I can become a fully qualified nurse in the next 18 months.”
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Sharon Maywood, winner of the Health and Public Service Apprenticeship of the Year award
Rising Star Runner-Up Lucy Rose Lucy Rose is currently doing her Nursing Associate apprenticeship alongside working in Ophthalmology at Peterborough City Hospital as a healthcare assistant, Lucy won the runner-up prize in the Rising Star Award category at the Peterborough Apprenticeship Awards and was described as showing the progress and having the potential to go far. She said: “I have had some great experiences during my Nursing Associate course, some of my favourite parts of my training include having the opportunity to work in Theatres, being part of setting up the Surgical Assessment Unit at Peterborough City Hospital during the pandemic and working in a variety of wards at both Hinchingbrooke and Stamford Hospital. Staff have been very welcoming and supportive and helped me to gain a variety of experience and knowledge. I am going on to do my top up course to become a Band 5 registered nurse at Liverpool John Moore in January which will give me even more experience in a very different setting.”
Practice Development Team
Lucy Rose, Rising Star Award runner-up
Shaun Fritter and members of the Practice Development Team
Shaun Fretter is the Pre-registration Clinical Lead and works with the Practice Development Team to support the Preregistration Nursing Team, Nursing Apprentices, Trainee Nursing Associates and all student nurses. He said: “The Pre-registration Nursing Team work with all nursing students and apprentices in the clinical areas to support their development and enhance the learning experience. We host study days to support clinical and theoretical learning, in addition to supporting supervisors and assessors in clinical practice and training registered staff to become supervisors and assessors. “This involves working in collaboration with local universities and also the Open University to recruit candidates onto these programmes and then recruiting upon completion of the course into the Trust’s professionally registered workforce. “All apprentices are employed by the Trust and this is a fantastic opportunity for unqualified staff to develop into a recognised professional role, whilst being paid. The training fees are met by an apprenticeship levy. What is required is the full commitment from applicants who have strong values to deliver high quality, safe, effective patient
care and the willingness to succeed both clinically and theoretically to ensure high quality safe effective patient care. “The apprenticeship course requires a commitment of a minimum of 15 hours’
theory and 15 hours’ clinical per week to enable them to successfully complete the course and have the correct amount of hours to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council upon the successful completion of all clinical and theoretical assessments.”
If you are interested in more information about the Apprenticeship Scheme please contact the Practice Development Team on 01733 678000.
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IMPROVING OUR SERVICES
Making patient stays more comfortable in hospital Volunteers can now be seen on the wards taking trollies full of goodies to patients that have recently arrived. These patients often end up in hospital unexpectedly and don’t have time to pack essential items for their stay. Carol North, Head of volunteering said: “The team will go and see patients that have just arrived to see if they need anything. The trollies stock items such as; ear plugs, magnified reading glasses, headphones, hearing aid batteries, personal products, activity items and much more. “We funded the trollies by putting in a bid to the Trust’s charity fund, with the aim of making our patients stay as comfortable as possible. Our kind volunteers will also carry phone chargers to help patients stay in touch with family members and friends. If there are any suggestions for what we could stock in the trolley please let Carol North, Head of Volunteering know at carol.north1@nhs.net
Chief People Officer, Louise Tibbert and Chairman, Rob Hughes collecting Gold Recognition Award for the Trust
TRUST EARNS TOP ACCOLADE FOR SUPPORTING ARMED FORCES COLLEAGUES The Trust was recently awarded the Gold Armed Forces Covenant in recognition of its work as an Armed Forces-friendly organisation. North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust first pledged its support for ex-service personnel and reservists back in December 2017 when it signed the Armed Forces Covenant and was awarded Bronze status. In 2018 the Trust joined
Improving stays for patients with Dementia Hospital stays can be difficult for patients with dementia, who are often confused by the unfamiliar clinical environment. To improve their hospital experience, our Dementia Nurses are working with ward staff to introduce a variety of dementiafriendly initiatives which have been purchased by various Trust charities.
fluid intake have also been introduced to aid nutritional support.
Alison Gray, Dementia Specialist Nurse, said: “Rummage boxes/distraction boxes have been placed in wards and outpatient areas to keep patients engaged and feel more relaxed and contain items such as puzzle books.
“We have also bought five new Reminiscence Interactive Therapy Activities systems (RITA). These machines are an innovative digital therapy system which allows patients to use apps, games and other leisure activities as part of their hospital recovery.”
“Blue crockery has been introduced at Hinchingbrooke (Peterborough and Stamford already have this) as research has shown that using blue cups and plates can help patients see their food and drink more clearly, improving their nutritional and fluid intake. Pantry boards, which report on dietary and
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the Step Into Health programme to provide access to employment for ex-Service personnel and their partners. Following a dedicated programme to support patients from the Armed Forces community to ensure they do not face disadvantage in health care as a result of their service to the country, and to improve working experiences for ex-forces staff employed in our hospitals, the Trust has now achieved the highest award in the scheme.
“Losing track of time is one of the early symptoms of dementia, therefore by introducing dementia friendly clocks those impacted can keep track of dates and times to help to ease confusion.
LEAD NURSE FOR RESEARCH APPOINTED NEW INTERIM ROLE We’re pleased to announce that Fiona Maxton, Lead Nurse for Research at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust has been appointed into an internship post with NHS England and Improvement, led by Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England.
North West Anglia is participating in the GBS3 trial and has been randomised to continue with current practice of screening women for GBS risk factors. This GBS3 trial is looking at whether testing pregnant women for Group B Streptococcus reduces the risk of infection in newborn babies compared to the current strategy in place in the UK. The current strategy in the UK is to offer antibiotics during labour to women who are considered at raised risk of their baby developing a group B Strep infection. There are three different arms to the study: • Continue current strategy of screening women for risk factors and giving antibiotics to women with risk factors • An antenatal test for all eligible women 3-5 weeks before your due date which is processed in the lab using a process called Enriched Culture medium. Women who return a positive swab will be offered antibiotics in labour
This new role will include working with the Chief Nurse on projects to work on the national nursing research strategic implementation plan to inform the NHS Long Term Plan. Fiona Maxton said: “This is an exciting opportunity to experience working with colleagues at NHSEI and contribute to the development of a national Nursing Research Strategy. Developing a clinical academic career pathway is intrinsic to the aims of the strategy and I also Chair the Careers Framework group – as part of the Council of Deans for Health (CoDH). These two roles nicely fit together and inform and support the national and international clinical
GBS3 Trial
• A test in labour for all eligible women using a rapid test machine. Women who return a positive test will be offered antibiotics in labour
Fiona Maxton, Lead Nurse for Research
academic career development for nurses and midwives.” On top of this Fiona has recently been award an Honorary Assistant Professor post at the University of Nottingham. Congratulations Fiona.
Jodi Carpenter, Research Midwife and GBS3 Regional Lead Research Midwife, said: “I am very excited to announce that North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust was the 10th site in the UK to be randomised in the GBS3 trial. The trial is huge, and will include 320,000 women across 80 sites in the UK. Taking part means we are able to contribute to this important research that has the potential to change practice and improve care for thousands of women in the UK, and around the world.” Further information about this trial can be found on our website, https://www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk/ maternity/maternity-research/ and remove under maternity
RETHINK Study Maternity research is recruiting participants now! The RETHINK Study aims to see if we can detect women who may find extra support for early labour useful, to help reduce their chance of a difficult labour and unnecessary intervention. To date research has not shown the best way to support women who are in early labour at home. This study will follow participants through pregnancy, labour and birth, and into the postnatal period to see if we can identify women who might benefit from additional support in early labour. To help us do this pregnant women will be asked to complete two questionnaires, one whilst pregnant
and the other one around 3 weeks after they have had their baby, or 3 weeks from their expected due date if they give birth earlier than anticipated. This study is open to 18 to 40 year old women who are expecting their first baby, and are planning a hospital birth at Hinchingbrooke or Peterborough City Hospitals and who are expecting an uncomplicated pregnancy.
important research please contact the maternity research team at Nwangliaft. fissresearch@nhs.net.
If you are interested in taking part in this
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DIGITAL SELF-MONITORING FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION The Cardiology team led by Dr Rebecca Schofield, Consultant Cardiologist, has introduced the use of the ‘Kardia’ app and patient self-monitoring devices to provide Atrial Fibrillation patients with faster diagnosis and more control over their care. Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. Patients with AF are at an increased risk of stroke and require evaluation for thrombo-embolic risk. For patients living with the condition, using traditional methods of monitoring the correlation of symptoms can be almost impossible. This leads to further anxiety and loss of control which can be frightening for the patient; and often results in an avoidable hospital admission. Dr Schofield wanted to empower patients to self-monitor and record their heart rate through an electronic trace at the time of their symptoms, in a way that would feed directly into their patient record, allowing their consultant to monitor them much more effectively. Patients install the Kardia app on their smartphones, then connect it to a heart rate monitoring device (such as a smart watch) to take live-readings of their heart rate.
Here at the Trust, the team is now able to provide accurate diagnoses of AF and other causes of intermittent palpitations within days, rather than weeks, months and years as would previously been the case. This enables
the Trust to provide earlier treatment and care for patients, meaning fewer un-necessary hospital admissions; and generally a better quality of life for those who could otherwise been at increased medical risk.
Our digital journey to enhance your care Digital has become ever more important over the last 18 months and we are actively looking at ways to make the most of digital tools, systems and data to enhance the way we work and the service we provide to our patients. The Trust was awarded funding from NHSX in April 2021 to develop a digital strategy and an outline business case for an electronic patient record (EPR).
We want patients to have better access to information about their care, and clinicians to have easy access to patient records and a more holistic view of their needs. Geraldine Wingfield-Hill, Chief Digital and Information Officer at the Trust said: “We are on an exciting journey to continuously improve the tools, system and information we rely on so that we can provide safe, quality and efficient care in response to growing demand. “This isn’t about making every interaction digital – much of our work will be focused on giving clinicians the right tools and data to enable them to spend more time with their patients. We’re already reaping the benefits of new innovations and we feel very positive about the potential benefits for our patients as we progress our digital ambitions.”
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Our Smart Digital Care programme is a long-term initiative that will see us engage with patients, staff and wider stakeholders to build on what’s already working well and accelerate digital progress where it’s needed most.
FRIENDS OF HINCHINGBROOKE HOSPITAL DONATE NEW WHEELCHAIRS The Friends of Hinchingbrooke Hospital have donated seven brand new wheelchairs to Hinchingbrooke Hospital. The Friends charity raises funds to buy equipment for the hospital and asks hospital wards and different areas what they need, adding it to a ‘wish list.’ A total of six red porter wheelchairs have been donated to the Treatment Centre and a rainbow children’s wheelchair to the Holly Children’s ward. Zoe Wilkinson, Play Service Coordinator, commented: “The rainbow wheelchair is greatly received. The bright colours help it to be child friendly with handles that secure the child into the chair like being on a fairground ride, which aids in making being in hospital fun. Being specifically made for children, the wheelchair helps to ensure children are safely transported, it will be used to support children going to theatre, and allow parents to walk alongside their child, providing reassurance in an uncertain experience.” Patricia Butcher, Chairman of The Friends of Hinchingbrooke Hospital group, said: “Over the last few years we have purchased many wheelchairs for the wards and departments in different colours to encourage ownership and care. We were delighted to hand over 6 bright red wheelchairs to the Porters in the Treatment Centre and then the Porta Rainbow wheelchair to Holly ward for the children. As well as arms that come forward to ‘hug’ the child it has leg supports and drip and oxygen stands if required. We received two generous anonymous donations for the Rainbow chair.” Thank you again to The Friends of Hinchingbrooke Hospital, it really will make a great difference to a child’s journey.
Zoe Wilkinson, Pay Service Coordinator with the rainbow wheelchair
Maternity unit receives heartfelt donation Maternity staff at Peterborough City Hospital have received a cooling cot from the charity Abigail’s Footsteps which has been donated to the Bereavement Suite for families who have sadly lost a baby. Abigail’s Footsteps was founded by Jo and David Ward in memory of their daughter, Abigail Rose, who was stillborn at 41 weeks.
The ‘Abi Cold Cot’ has been produced in partnership with The Bond Group, and contains a cooling unit which can be used when a baby has passed away to help preserve the body and allow more time to be spent with them. Lesley Carline, Bereavement Midwife for Peterborough said: “Hinchingbrooke Hospital had one donated a few years back now so I approached the charity to see if Peterborough City Hospital could receive one as an alternative to what was currently in place.” “Having the Abi Cot will make a really big difference to families. It will enable parents to stay longer with their child and give them time to grieve, make memories and say goodbye in their own time.”
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CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTION OF MEN IN THE NHS On International Men’s Day (19 November 2021) we put the spotlight on some of our male colleagues and the challenges they may face in their roles. Did you know that in the National Health Service as a whole, 80% of the workforce are women? This means men are in the minority across most roles and in some areas, such as nursing, you’re still less likely to find a male nurse, despite stereotypes being far less prevalent these days. To mark International Men’s Day, staff from across the Trust joined an online webinar to hear from a panel of male staff members of staff about their experiences – either as a man working in a predominantly female environment, or as a man whose
role has traditionally been one held by women only in the past. We are grateful to Matron David Hardiman, Deputy Chief Nurse Jack Stevens and Paediatric Nurse John-Paul Rhodes for their insights into the challenges of being a male nurse. They shared anecdotes about how female colleagues would seek them out to deal with any instances of aggression in the hospital and how patients and visitors can sometimes express surprise that they are in a nursing role rather than a doctor, for example. Our other panellists talked about how the NHS is supporting men to take shared parental leave and to focus more on their own health and wellbeing – a subject that some men are more likely to avoid.
Let’s talk Prostate Cancer
Membership updates
Our Urology/Oncology Nurse, Lauren Henson, has worked hard to bring the Nurse Led Urology Service to the Trust as part of the Fast Track Prostate Clinic, was invited in September by the Probus Group, to the Queens Head in Nassington to do a talk on prostate cancer.
During Covid we have not had the opportunity to involve members as we would have liked, but we are looking to do so now.
The Probus Group are a group of retired men who keep active with various events throughout the year and a weekly meet. They wanted to raise money for those affected by prostate cancer and they kindly chose to raise funds for our Trust as part of this. Lauren said: “It was a pleasure to speak to the Probus Group, and their generosity will mean that we can continue to adapt and develop our services to meet the needs of our patients as the number of patients we are seeing with suspected prostate cancer increases. We would like to say a huge thank you for their generous cheque donation of £1500.” 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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We will be arranging membership meetings on the subject of the major redevelopment of each of our hospitals and these will be publicised in the coming months. If you are a member and are reading this as a hard copy but would prefer to receive it via email, you can use our portal. Just log on to: https://secure.membra.co.uk/ memberportal/NorthWestAnglia. Register your name and create a password and you can be in control of the information we hold for you. If you would like to become a member, you can use the same portal to register and create your file.
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 @NWAngliaMat Facebook Peterborough City Hospital Hinchingbrooke hospital Stamford & Rutland Hospital NWAngliaFT Maternity Services Instagram North West Anglia NHS FT
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GRAND VIEW CARE HOME IN STAMFORD
Alysia Caring is proud to be opening a brand new care home in Uffington Road, Stamford. Grand View Care Home will provide residential dementia and nursing care and will be spread over three floors in a luxury environment. The views from the lounge and dining areas are a sight to behold! All rooms at Grand View Care Home have en-suite facilities and there are areas within the home to sit and chat or relax. The large lounges and dining areas have outstanding views with floor-to-ceiling windows. There is a very large cinema room situated within the Home and activities will be provided for all our residents. Our facilities allow residents to live and carry on enjoying the everyday routines that they cherish, including hair and nail appointments or catching up with friends in the vibrant bistro. Personalised care will be given by highly trained, caring staff and will be managed by an experienced Home Manager. The Executive Chef, along with a team of staff whom will assist in the kitchen to make all homemade produce, will create food that has been locally sourced to ensure that a highly nutritious and varied diet is available. Grand View Care Home is within walking distance of Stamford town centre so links with the community can be maintained. If you would like more information regarding Grand View then please call 01780 668118 and we will be happy to help.
• Purpose built pre-school with garden and outside teaching area • 3 outside play areas • Separate baby unit • Home-cooked meals • High quality childcare from specialist staff
10% discount to NHS and Blue Light Card holders
Day Nursery and Pre-School Open 7.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday Overton House, 42 Cold Overton Road, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6NT
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