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University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust | MAY 2017
Members’ health talks Daytime sessions: 10.00–10.30 – Registration 10.30–noon – Health Talk VENUE: Lecture Theatre 3, Education Centre, Level 1, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham ■ Thu 25 May – Ulcerative Colitis and GI health ■ Thu 22 Jun – Asthma For more information see: www.uhb.nhs.uk/health-talks.htm
Liver study day A nurses’ study day looking at liver research will bring together a range of speakers knowledgeable in the field of hepatology and oncology. The study day on the 22 June will cover a range of topics including: ■ Primary sclerosing cholangitis & primary biliary cirrhosis; treatment options ■ Specialist Nurse Organ Donation (SNOD) ■ Vittal clinical trial – medical device ■ Drug, alcohol addiction and mental health ■ Case studies for patients with Hepatitis B and C. ■ Hepatocellular carcinoma: The growing case for immunotherapy as a treatment option ■ Ethical dilemmas in OLT; opt in or opt out approach ■ The challenge to maintain an adequate nutritional state in patients with liver disease ■ Sports and exercise post liver transplant; a patient’s perspective Payment is £20, which is non-refundable. For more details and to book a space email diana.hull@uhb.nhs.uk or emma.burke@uhb.nhs.uk
Specialist snapshot This summer, our consultants and associate specialists will once again join colleagues across England to provide a ‘snapshot’ of specialist intensity and 7-day services. The HiSLAC (High-Intensity Specialist Led Acute Care) study aims to determine whether having more specialists in hospitals at weekends will improve outcomes for patients admitted as medical emergencies. 2017 will be the fourth time the Trust has taken part in the HiSLAC survey. The webbased questionnaire takes just two minutes to complete and aims to capture a snapshot of the number of consultants on duty on a reference Wednesday and Sunday each June. The information remains anonymous. Since the survey began in 2014, researchers have gathered evidence from around 14,000 NHS staff at 80 per cent of acute Trusts in England. Increasing specialist intensity at weekends is a key component of NHS England’s policy drive for 7-day services. In addition to studying how levels of intensity change over time, HiSLAC is examining the cost-effectiveness of investing in consultant and other specialist staffing as well as looking at the impact on patient outcomes. The independent study is backed by a prestigious list of institutions including The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Royal College of Physicians and NHS England. The web-based questionnaire will be distributed by the Trust’s HiSLAC project lead in June. For more information see: ¬ www.hislac.org
From left: Col Nadeem, Defence Attaché; Brig Iftikhar, Private Secretary to Army Chief; Dame Julie Moore, Chief Executive; General Qamar Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff; Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, Chair; Maj General Martin Bricknell, UK DMS/RCDM; Dr Javid Kayani, Consultant Deputy Medical Director; Kevin Bolger, Executive Director Strategic Operations and External Affairs
Visit strengthens links between colleagues Representatives from the Army Medical Corps in Rawalpindi, Pakistan celebrated their collaboration with the Trust during a visit to Birmingham in April. General Qamar Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff from GHQ in Rawalpindi accepted an invitation from Dame Julie Moore, UHB Chief Executive, to meet with her and senior colleagues at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. The Trust has a long-standing relationship with the Army Medical Corps and every year accepts officers for advanced training in various medical specialties. The Trust also continues to support the Army Liver Transplant Unit at the Military Hospital in Rawalpindi.
You Said, We Did… You Said During a drop-in visit the Patient Experience team made to Critical Care, a patient commented that although he had a TV provided by staff, the remote control had to be shared with other patients. As there weren’t enough to go round, this led to the remote being hidden away.
We Did John Fletcher (pictured), Senior Charge Nurse on Critical Care, approached QEHB Charity who kindly funded a number of new universal remotes which are compatible with any TV set. John said: “Although this seems like a really small thing, being able to have a TV and choose what you want to watch is a big deal for our patients. Days can seem quite long and being able to pass the time watching something of their choice can really help.”
Delivering the best in care
Dame Julie said: “The collaboration has been to the mutual benefit of both organisations. It is particularly relevant because the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine is hosted here at QEHB, so our NHS staff have very strong working links with military medical colleagues.” UHB was instrumental in facilitating a MoU between the UK Defence Medical Services and the Pakistani Army Medical Corps under which senior specialists of the RCDM regularly visit the hospitals in Rawalpindi and work alongside their Pakistani counterparts – an initiative which is well received by both sides. The visit to the Trust on April 6 was also an opportunity for the VIPs to meet AMC officers currently seconded to UHB.
Because the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine is hosted here at QEHB, our NHS staff have very strong working links with military medical colleagues. Dame Julie Moore
Chief Executive, UHB