NTHNHS | Health and Wellbeing Magazine - Issue 6, July 2023

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Dear colleagues,

It is my immense pleasure to be writing as your Trust Wellbeing Guardian in this, our sixth issue of our Health and Wellbeing Magazine.

I joined the Trust as a non-executive director back in 2019 and during this time, my focus has been on patient experience, performance, safety and quality.

This year has been a challenge for us all, both professionally with ongoing pressures and personally with the increased cost of living crisis.

This continues to highlight why the wellbeing and health of our staff is paramount. Without providing wrap around care for one another, we would be unable to deliver the exceptional level of care to our patients that our ‘excellence as standard’ values encompass.

I do hope you take a few moments out of your very busy day to celebrate your achievements during the year so far, and to take a bit of time to read through this magazine.

I hope you enjoy discovering some of your colleagues’ passions and interests outside of our hectic workday and what helps them decompress and recharge their batteries. This may help you to reflect on the wealth of hobbies that could likewise help support your own wellbeing. Not forgetting the trust-led support systems in place should you need them, which are included in the back pages of this magazine.

I’d like to share a personal thank you for all that you do every day for our patients and the wider community and look forward to continuing in my capacity as wellbeing guardian, to look for more ways we can better look after each other’s physical and mental wellbeing.

Best wishes,

Ann Baxter Wellbeing guardian and non executive director

Emergency matron brings it on for North Tees and Hartlepool

By Laura Pennicott, matron

Laura Pennicott, matron in our emergency department, is known for her jolly spirit and enthusiasm at work. But after work she trades in her scrubs for throwing people in the air and coaching one of the North East’s only high level cheerleading teams – Evolution Athletics.

Her team has recently returned home after competing for the very first time at the World Cheerleading Championships, held in Orlando Florida. They finished in 12th place, qualifying into finals from over 20 teams. Not bad, eh?

We sat down with Laura for a chat about how she discovered her second passion, forming her own team and how she balances coaching with work.

How did you find your passion?

Laura: I found cheerleading while I was at university. I’d seen films like Bring it On and I always thought it looked so cool.

So, I was at uni studying nursing and they had a sports fair – all the sports teams got together to talk about their sports and cheerleading was there. I’d said to my now-husband, ‘Oh, I always fancy that’ and he said, ‘Well, why don’t you try it?’

I was nervous so he took me down to the first session and from then on, I was hooked.

I joined the team at Teesside Uni. And after I graduated, I joined another team. But in terms of high level teams, it’s quite difficult to find one in the North East, – I was travelling down to Leeds every week to go and train, even as far as Manchester and Sheffield at times. At a point, my husband and I said, ‘Why don’t we just start our own team to really give people up in the North East that opportunity to do higher level cheer?’ So that’s how Evolution Athletics was born.

What is it about cheer? Why do you love it so much?

Laura: I think it’s just one of those sports that once you’re in, you can’t get out of. It’s just the thrill and the exhilaration of throwing people around in the air, it’s that adrenaline rush.

The Evolution Athletics team has been established for five years now. We compete at international level and take both boys and girls, starting at 16 right through to 30. These kids have worked so hard and this payoff of them being able to go to the World Cheerleading Championships is so rewarding for me. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to offer them that. It’s heart-warming more than anything.

How do you balance coaching with working in a busy emergency department?

Laura: Being organised and planning my time is the main way. I’m running home from work and getting

changed and going back out to go coach and working my shifts around it.

But when you’ve got a passion for something and you want to do something, you make it work. Not making it work is not an option – I can’t afford to lose this out of my life. So you do these crazy hours… anything, just so you can have that thrill of doing your sport that you love. It’s so worth it to me.

And do you bring the cheer for your squad at work?

I try to as much as I can!

I think most people would say that I’m always dead jolly and bright – so absolutely, I’m very enthusiastic. I might sometimes be a bit too enthusiastic or a bit too jolly walking around but you know what, if it makes people smile then absolutely – I will bring that cheerleading here all day long.

The bigger picture

By Joseph Ladra, staff nurse

Joseph is in his seventh year as a staff nurse in the stroke unit and in the country. Hailing from the Philippines, he was recruited for our Trust back in 2016 and has since discovered his new hobby as an amateur photographer to explore his new home.

Joseph: How did I discover my love of photography? Me and my wife got married in 2018 and soon after we found out that she was pregnant. I bought a camera just to document her journey through pregnancy and then eventually, chronicled my baby, my growing kid, our family as we all grew. I had no experience and just thought it would be a ‘click and go’ kind of thing.

Of course, we started travelling around the country as a family to explore our new home. There’s just loads of nice places to go here in the UK.

The North East is really lovely place to live in and a beautiful place to be in terms of photography. We are surrounded by lovely coasts and seaside towns,

picturesque valleys, hills and mountains, and of course the iconic architecture in terms of cathedrals, castles, bridges and monuments – all within 30 minutes of where we are.

One of my favourite things about the UK is the changing of the seasons. We only have two seasons in the Philippines – either it’s really warm or it’s raining, six months of sun and then six months of rain. So I’m captivated by the changing of the colours every season, especially the autumn, so I just started taking photos. If you visit Saltburn three consecutive days, even though it’s the same place you’ll get plenty of different shots because of the ever-changing weather –sometimes four weathers in the same day. What started out as taking photos of my family turned into a love of landscapes as well.

And I got hooked. As we travel more and take photos, you learn more about this country, this area and more of its history. You meet people and attach their stories to photos – it gives me a sense of belonging to my new home.

Mental health and life lessons

Work can be really stressful sometimes and I think of photography as my go-to stress relief. So you’re always looking forward to the next road trip. Staring into the horizon, be it sunrise or sunset, and having the place to yourself exposed to the elements makes me feel I have accomplished something, and it does my mental health good.

It’s also great exercise – all the walking and hiking just to get to a good vantage point for the perfect composition.

Any advice for budding photographers?

Just go shoot.

Go and take pictures whenever you can, no matter what the subject. The best camera that you have is the one you have with you. You don’t need a fancy camera, phones nowadays are really good – take time to check what features it has. You might be surprised to know that it can do more than just taking quick snapshots.

Staff’s innovation idea reduces MSK issues in colleagues

Our Trust is a hot bed for innovation and new ideas. With around 5,500 staff, we have teams and individuals who regularly seek new ways to improve the services we provide and the working lives of our staff.

Phlebotomist Helen Ashcroft is the latest to celebrate seeing her idea go from concept to reality after she came up with the idea of designing a bespoke fit-forpurpose phlebotomy trolley.

The trolleys previously used by Helen and the phlebotomy team were industrial, heavy and very difficult to manoeuvre – meaning an increased risk of musculoskeletal problems.

In 2019 Helen approached the innovation team with her idea and asked for support in designing and manufacturing a trolley suited to their needs. It needed to be ergonomic, lightweight, have accessible storage, and incorporate clinical waste disposal. It needed to meet infection prevention and control standards and also be height adjustable to suit individual needs and reduce the risk of injury and fatigue.

Helen said: “After experiencing many problems with the trolleys we had available we tried to adapt them to best suit our needs but nothing was up to scratch. I decided to contact the innovations team to see if they could research alternatives or help me to create a design.

“The idea was taken through the innovation pathway and the team worked with external specialists to come up with designs and prototypes. We were given the opportunity to test and feedback any issues or suggest changes to the product to best suit our needs.

“When we trialled the latest prototype we were thrilled that it was everything we’d hoped for. The team and I are proud to have been involved in the process. It’s resulted in a trolley which makes our day-to-day working lives much better and more efficient.”

Now the trolley has been adopted and is being used on our wards and departments and staff can already feel the benefits. The trolley has enough storage to ensure the team are not travelling back and forth to restock –improving both efficiency and time.

The trolley incorporates a lightweight but durable frame – half the weight of current medication trolleys on the market. It’s already making continuous pushing, pulling and turning significantly easier, protecting the health of our staff.

If you have been inspired by Helen’s story, why not get in touch and be the next innovator at our Trust? Contact the team on nth-tr.innovations@nhs.net

Tips for preventing MSK issues

Musculoskeletal conditions affect many people and can affect your joints, bones and muscles. They can range from minor injuries to long-term conditions.

Over 20 million people in the UK, almost one third of the population, have a MSK condition such as arthritis or back pain. But there are some everyday things you can do to prevent MSK. We chatted with our occupational health team to bring you these top tips:

1. Regular movement – sitting still is a huge cause of back and neck pain so try to move every 20 to 30 minutes. If you have a desk-based job, take a lap of your floor every now and again.

3. Strengthen your muscles – and we don’t mean powerlifting. We’re not all the ‘world’s strongest man’. Do some squats at home or find a yoga video on YouTube. Keep your leg muscles strong to prevent falls in the future.

2. Moderate exercise – we recommend 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. This doesn’t necessarily mean going to the gym, but simply doing a bit of gardening, going for walks or dancing around your kitchen to Alexa. At work, park a little bit further away, get off the bus a stop earlier and take the stairs instead of the lift if you’re able.

4. Balance – can you put your sock on while standing on one leg? Activities like dancing and tai chi improve your balance, or simply practise balancing on one leg for 15 seconds.

Radio Stitch presenter shares his top three tracks

Radio presenter Mick Pearce who presents for hospital station Radio Stitch took time out this to share his top three mood boosting tracks that never fail to put him in a good mood:

Mick said :“I love listening to music just before bed, it’s a great way to relax before I drift off to sleep. Music is a great way of bringing people together, finding you have shared interests and being able to build comraderie through it is very powerful.”

How to tune in

You can tune in and listen to Radio Stitch in our hospital corridors, through our hospedia bedside system or online.

1. Goodbye Bluebird by Wayne Fontana

2. Here’s to us by Halestorm

3. Oxford Town by Bob Dylan

Nurse’s passion for playing football takes her to the top of the game

A hospital nurse has seen her hobby turn her into a European cup winner – after she helped the England women’s walking football team win top honours.

Shirley Mealing, nurse matron, played a key part in the national women’s over 60s team as they won the Walking Football Federation European Cup.

Shirley, who leads the team in the general surgery ward at the University Hospital of North Tees, first started playing six years ago at her local club in Middlesbrough, Kader Walking Football Club.

Earlier this year, Shirley was offered the chance to attend trials for the national team – and, to her surprise, she was selected.

This then led to her competing for the England team at this summer’s tournament in Marseille in France, held earlier this month, where the team triumphed over Wales in the final.

Shirley said: “I have always played football from a very young age – I always thought I was okay but never to this sort of standard!

“Not that it was easy to play then. I remember my school in Billingham having separate playgrounds for the boys and girls – with the boys having high fences and football goals and the girls having nothing!

“I mainly just played football in the street as a child.

“Playing walking football and joining the club was all about having fun and enjoying it.

“I actually couldn’t believe it when I made it through the trials. The standard is really good.”

The rules of walking football are a bit different to the running game – which took some getting used to for mum-of-three Shirley, who lives in Norton with her husband Gav.

She added: “You obviously can’t run or jog with or without the ball – three offences leads to a red card. You also can’t kick about head height, so it is quite strict.

“The club are always looking more players, it is very inclusive and anyone is welcome to come along.

“It is not only a fantastic way to get exercise and feel good but it is very supportive and friendly.”

A SONG IN THE NIGHT

By Dave Russon, Hospital Chaplain

My son Chris suffers from a form of blood cancer and although manageable has had several times when his life was in danger. Sleeplessness, intense pain and lack of energy are all common results of his illness. One of the ways of coping in these intense times is to write new songs. Chris is a professional musician along with his employment of helping those with addictions, rehabilitate and refocus their lives, he also finds that music and faith go hand in hand and can be a source of help to all especially those whose lives are affected by life controlling habits. On one of Christopher’s difficult health periods he wrote the following song which was one of a series of songs, called “Songs in the Night”. I pray it will be a blessing to you.

Help me in the times I get impatient

And want to rush and do things my own way

Help me Lord to know your perfect timing

On you Oh Lord I will wait

I will wait on you until my strength is renewed And listen to your still small voice

I will wait on you until my strength is renewed For Lord all my hope is in you

The times they are a-changin’: Bob Dylan at Nottingham Motorpoint Arena

By Mark Malik, communications and marketing manager

I was probably 12 years old when my brother Mike returned from (the now long gone) Record Mart in Stockton High Street with a second-hand copy of Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits. He’d heard the name and wondered what the fuss was about. The record was only a couple of quid, so he took a punt.

As soon as he got in, he went straight back out again – no doubt to enjoy the excitement of a 17-year-old’s Saturday afternoon that I was too young for.

So, with nothing better to do, I put the Dylan record on. And my life changed.

Music for me was a bit of a wasteland at this point – I was too young for The Smiths and barring the occasional pop classic (take a bow A-ha) my experience of music was limited to the kind of rubbish Stock, Aitken and Waterman were gleefully inflicting on the innocent public.

My initial thought on hearing the record was: “Songs

can, like, actually be about something?” Of course at that age I was too young to realise Blowin’ in the Wind is a civil rights song, but I knew it had a message. This wasn’t a vapid love song or pop gibberish. This mattered.

I’d never heard anything like it before. As soon as the record finished, I played it again. And then again. From then on, I was hooked: a Bob Dylan fan for life.

Over the years I’ve been to see Bob live a few times, my first time was my first ever gig as a fresh faced 17-yearold accompanied of course by Mike – an important night for our relationship, moving from combative brothers to something more like friends.

But this review is about my most recent Dylan gig on Friday 28 October in my birth city of Nottingham.

And what a show!

Bob sneaks onto the stage in the dark and launches

into Watching the River Flow before embarking on a Rough and Rowdy Ways-heavy set list with the odd unexpected older track thrown in, such as I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight and Gotta Serve Somebody.

Clearly invigorated by the new songs, Bob is performing with relish but as is usually the case, his grumpy old goat persona remains and he doesn’t interact with the audience at all until finally introducing the band members before the final song.

The set list might be a disappointment to the more casual fan – there was no All Along the Watchtower or Tangled Up in Blue here, but (and I’m being really selfish now), I’ve heard him play the classics so many times that I enjoyed hearing the newer material and older songs I’ve never heard live before.

Age catches up with us all – arthritis forced Bob to give up his on-stage guitar duties more than a decade

ago, with gigs nowadays seeing him embellishing the rhythm on the piano as his fantastic on-stage musicians do the heavy lifting. Not playing the harmonica until the final moments of the closing song was a classic Dylan tease.

I always say everyone owes it to themselves to see Bob Dylan at least once in their lifetime, but I accept that to a casual listener, this tour’s lack of recognisable songs may be off putting. Despite my 35-year fandom, I have to admit ending on Every Grain of Sand just isn’t the same as sending the audience home buzzing from a raucous Like A Rolling Stone or Highway 61 Revisited.

Bob is in his eighties now and frankly looks frail and unsteady on his feet. How many tours he has left in him remains to be seen. But as a lifelong fan, I was thrilled to see him on stage one more time.

Book review

MUSICOPHILIA:Tales of Music and the Brain

Oliver Sacks

Paperback, revised and expanded edition 2011

Review by librarian, Deborah Elliott

Oliver Sacks (1933-2017) earned the title of the ‘Poet Laureate of Medicine’ working as a Professor of Neurology and as a renowned author.

In Musicophilia, Sacks examines the power of music through the individual experiences of patients, musicians and everyday people to show the depth to which music grips so many people. He uses case study stories to help the reader understand not only the elusive ‘magic’ of music, but also to illuminate the way in which music interacts with the mind. The book is broken down into four parts, each with a distinctive theme. Each part has between six and eight chapters, each of which is in turn is dedicated to a particular case study that fit the overarching theme of the section.

If you are heavily into music then this book should have plenty to fascinate you, but if you have only a passing interest then there is still enough information in the science aspects of the book to keep you engrossed. It is a nice blend of the personal and the scientific. This is a book you can pick up and dip into any chapter for a quick read without losing any context.

One minor niggle is that this book is very classical music orientated, which isn’t a bad thing necessarily, but there are other forms of music that aren`t covered in any great depth.

Whilst being more academic than I had expected, Microphilia is a readable book which focuses on how music saves, consoles and nourishes us.

You can borrow a copy of ‘Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain’ for free from the ‘Health and Wellbeing’ collection available at the library.

Our wheelie great new bike shelters

We have recently installed two new bicycle shelters at our North Tees and Hartlepool hospital sites to encourage and support more of our staff to cycle to work.

Cycling to work has many health benefits and can contribute to reducing our carbon footprint. As well as improving general physical health and aiding weight loss, studies have shown a significant decrease in cardiovascular disease, cancer and allcause mortality in regular cycle commuters.

That’s why we are actively supporting our staff to cycle to work to improve their health and wellbeing, as well as contributing to lowering our carbon footprint.

As well as individual bike lockers across our hospital sites, the new communal bike storage facilities allows more staff to use them on a daily basis.

The new shelters are accessed by ID badge – keeping your bike safe and secure while you’re at work. The lock up will also have electric ports for electric bikes so staff can bring their chargers and charge their bikes while they store them.

Sustainability and waste manager Steven Bell said:

“I’m so pleased we have been able to install the new bike sheds on both hospital sites which will hopefully encourage more of our colleagues to start cycling to work in the warmer months.

“Being new to this role I have lots of ideas to help us become more sustainable and cycling is high on my agenda. We are hoping to implement a cycling buddy system for confident cyclists to accompany beginners on the journey to work to help them feel more comfortable, as well as promoting local cycling routes and tracks.”

The Vivup cycle to work scheme offers up to 43% on bikes, safety equipment, and high-vis clothing for your journey to and from work through your Cycle to Work employee benefit. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to swap your stressful commute for one that lets you feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your skin.

It’s only rock ‘n’ roll

By Lindsey Pattison, oral health promotion advisor

(but I like it)

Music is a freedom. When I wake up in the morning I put the radio on or Alexa and then it’s with me all day – in the car, everywhere I go until probably last thing at night. It’s an escape, it’s a freedom.

You can relate to so many things with it whatever mood you’re in – if you feel sad and need a release there’s a song, if you want to feel happy there’s another song.

That’s why I’ve been part of an online music community for a couple of years now.

The Facebook group I’m part of is called ‘Knows a good tune when they hear one...’ The point of it originally was to share music but it’s evolved so much past that – it’s connecting people, bringing them together. Music is great for mental health and the group is a way of being social and building relationships.

The group’s helped members through rough times. It certainly has me.

And I’ve made loads of new friends, I’ve reconnected with friends from primary school and people that live locally. I’ve found new music through them and I go to gigs with them now. There’s no judgement about music tastes because if everyone liked the same it would be boring.

We’d like to invite anyone to join our group to share music, find your new favourite band and perhaps make some like-minded new friends and gig buddies.

Fancy joining the group?

Scan the QR code:

- Keith Richards, Life

“Music is a language that doesn’t speak in particular words, it speaks in emotions and if it’s in the bones, IT’S IN THE BONES.”

Over £157,000 given to patients and staff from Trust charity

The Trust’s charity, North Tees and Hartlepool Together, has allocated its fundraising money back to staff and patients.

The general fund applications were released for over a month in November 2022 and received 29 requests from staff.

The funds were an accumulation of general fundraising efforts including historical events such as Great North Run and Yorkshire Three Peaks as well as kind support from local businesses and individuals.

There was a variety of strong applications ranging from sensory development equipment to stroke observation devices.

Here are just two amazing examples of how general funds have improved sites for our teams.

What are general funds?

When a person decides to raise money for North Tees and Hartlepool Together, they have an option to decide where they would like to donate their money to.

This is bespoke to the individual and can include specific departments or wards. Those who choose not to be specific with their donation leave their money to our Trust’s general fund. This fund is open to all Trust staff and we ask that applications focus on patient welfare, medical equipment, education or health and wellbeing.

Sky’s the limit for Hartlepool scanning room

The medical physics team at Hartlepool requested general funds to install LED sky tiles for patients.

They received £2,000 to transform the dark scanning room into an uplifting space, giving a positive area for patients to receive treatment.

With some scans taking over 30 minutes, the tiles have also helped improve the image quality of scans due to a reduction in patient movement.

Ward 31 are celebrating their new breakroom

The staff on ward 31 applied to the charity’s general funds for a new staffroom.

They received £4,500 to revamp their existing facilities with LED lights, a breakfast bar, coffee table and comfortable furniture.

Previously the staff were having their breaks in storage cupboards or the matron’s office meaning that they were having disturbed breaks.

This new space will benefit 44 staff members, including the doctor and physiotherapy team, giving them a relaxing space for wellbeing breaks.

Have you joined our staff lottery scheme?

The lottery is a chance for you to win monthly cash prizes while supporting our charity.

There are 11 prizes on offer and it’s £1 per ticket (maximum five lottery tickets per person per month) which will be deducted from your salary each month should you decide to play.

Scan the QR code for more information and to register.

Colleagues from podiatric surgery, paediatric nutrition and dietetics applied to the staff lottery from the last round of funding for afternoon tea. Colleagues from our breast unit choose to have a team building day and go bowling. The teams were grateful for the opportunity to take some time to recharge while having their hard work recognised.

Free meditation and relaxation taster sessions

The Trust has partnered with Alice House Hospice in Hartlepool to offer staff the opportunity to take part in free group meditation and relaxation taster sessions –proven to help our physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing.

The following sessions are available. Each will take place weekly from 1 to 2pm at Alice House Hospice:

• Mindfulness, Guided Meditation and Relaxation – every Monday

• Guided Meditation with Reiki and Shamanic Drumming – every Wednesday

• Mindfulness, Guided Meditation and Relaxation – every Friday

These sessions must be booked in advance via the occupational health team on nth-tr.occhealth@ nhs.net – please do not turn up without booking as places are limited to nine staff members per session.

The hospice is next to UHH – if you’re driving, please use the Trust’s staff car park. If you aren’t part of our car parking scheme, please remember to pay for your parking.

Generous donation

A huge thank you to Mick York, Sharon and Peter Phillips and Ken and Linda Tarn who have donated over £5,000 to renovate ward 28’s staff room in memory of Steven Phillips – Sharon and Peter’s son.

Builder and dedicated Boro fan Steven, from Eaglescliffe, was diagnosed with melanoma in 2019. After a brave fight, he sadly died in March last year, aged 44, in one of our Oasis suites at North Tees.

Steven’s family and friends hosted a charity night in his honour, raising £5,300 for the ward’s staff room.

A little less conversation, a little more action

Porter John Doyle is a keen singer who pulls on his blue suede shoes to perform his Elvis tribute act. John has put putting on Elvis shows since he was 16 and has held numerous charity events to raise money in memory of his good friend and colleague Graham Hudson who sadly died last year.

Ward matron Shirley said: “Thank you so much to Steven’s loved ones for this generous donation. It means everything to the staff, especially knowing that it was donated by the family of a patient who was in our care.”

Porter,JohnDoyle

John performing

Mick, Sharon, Peter, Ken and Linda with ward matron Shirley

Key support

EXTERNAL CONTACTS

Able futures

• Regular advice, guidance and support.

• Help to learn coping mechanisms, build resilience, access therapy or work with your employer to make adjustments to help your mental health at work.

• Available from 8am - 10.30pm weekdays or refer online.

Contact: 0800 321 3137

Access online: able-futures.co.uk/individuals

ICS TEWV staff wellbeing hub

Confidential advice and support helpline. 7am - 9pm (7-days a week)

Contact: 0191 223 2030

Recovery college online

A range of online courses to support with aspects of wellbeing and mental health.

Access online: www.recoverycollegeonline.co.uk

IMPACT on Teesside - talking therapy

Provide talking therapy, counselling and alternative therapies. Staff are placed on a priority list but must state that they are NHS staff at the time of referral. Initial assessments are relatively quick but the wait for therapy is currently a number of months. (Note: Therapy type determined from assessment will dictate how quickly staff can be seen).

Available 9am - 5pm (weekdays) and online referrals can be made anytime.

Contact: 01642 573924

Access online: www.impactonteesside.com

“When words fail, music speaks.”

– Hans Christian Anderson