CONNECT
Marvellous Medicine
Meet our dedicated pharmacy team
We’re opening in Birmingham! PRACTICE PLUS GROUP
Linda’s bionic parkrun 5kms
WIN! £50 John Lewis crossword prize
Unlocking Access to Excellence.
At Practice Plus Group we believe everybody deserves access to outstanding healthcare.
In our hospitals and surgical centres, this means working with the NHS to treat as many NHS patients as possible and helping to reduce waiting lists.
It also means making private surgery more affordable and easier to access for those who choose to pay for themselves.
We offer faster diagnosis and rapid access to surgery at a time that suits you, with no hidden costs, a dedicated co-ordinator to guide you through, and at up to 30 per cent less than traditional private hospitals. The outstanding care you need, without paying for what you don’t.
4 Birmingham to get Wellsoon!
New hospital opening in September
6 Our very own Kelly becomes the star of our TV ad
Call centre manager’s Bristol lilt gets the TV treatment
6 In memory of Beau One colleague’s deeply personal fundraising efforts
7 Run Linda, run!
74-year-old Linda’s new knee is a big success
8 Marvellous medicines
An in-depth look behind the pharmacy hatch
12 A day in the life With Steve Ludlow, Reception Lead
13 13 Lucky for some! Plymouth hospital’s glittering awards night
14 Expert Q&A
With Physiotherapy Lead, Naomi Abdelmola
15 Prize crossword competition
Your chance to win £50 John Lewis voucher
WELCOME
to the summer issue of Practice Plus Group’s Connect magazine, for our patients and colleagues.
In this issue we’re delighted to share the news that we are expanding into Birmingham with a new Practice Plus Group hospital, currently being renovated and reconfigured and due to open in September to both NHS and private patients. I’m very excited to take what we do so well into a region that has suffered long NHS waiting lists.
We also hear from our Deputy Private Patient Manager Kelly Lee on becoming the voiceover artist for our national TV advert, from a former knee replacement patient whose 117 5km parkruns put most of us to shame, and from Governance Manager Hannah Henriques whose fundraising efforts are driven by the memory of her very special little girl.
Also in this issue we shine a light not on the doctors and nurses in our services, but on some of the vitally important areas that often go unnoticed. There’s an in-depth look at our pharmacy team across our group of hospitals, we find out about the work of our physiotherapy teams and what patients can expect before and after joint replacement surgery in our expert Q&A, plus we hear from one of our reception leads who are the ‘traffic lights’ of each service and that all-important first impression patients and visitors are welcomed with.
I hope you enjoy this issue,
Pharmacist, Andrew Mikhail
Jim Easton Chief Executive
BIRMINGHAM TO GET WELLSOON!
We are about to move into the West Midlands and bring Wellsoon to the UK’s second city.
Practice Plus Group is the proud new operator of what was The Edgbaston Hospital, part of Circle Health Group and known locally as The BMI Hospital, following a deal to transfer ownership.
With most of our ‘Outstanding’ and ‘Good’ hospitals concentrated in the south of England, this is our first move into the West Midlands. Our presence there is set to help reduce the pressure on NHS waiting lists in the region, as well as offer our private surgery option, Wellsoon.
CEO of Practice Plus Group, Jim Easton, said: “People who live in Birmingham and the surrounding areas have suffered particularly long waiting lists for planned treatments in the wake of the pandemic, with many people waiting a long time for hip and knee replacements and eye surgery. We are looking forward to partnering with the NHS locally to unlock access to excellent healthcare for as many people as possible. We also know from the calls we have received that there is demand in the area for our high quality, affordable private option for those people who want to pay or use their insurance for fast access to high clinical quality treatment.”
To be known as Practice Plus Group Hospital, Birmingham, the site will undergo an extensive programme of renovation and reconfiguration and is set to open in September. NHS patients will be able to ask their GPs for referrals to Practice Plus Group, and from this summer, private patients are able to call the private patient contact centre to book a consultation directly on 0330 604 641.
Hospital image courtesy of landlord Northwest Healthcare Properties REIT
Our very own Kelly becomes the star of our TV ad
We were excited to launch our first ever TV advert in May, with the voiceover recorded by none other than our Deputy Private Patient Manager, Kelly Lee.
“Back to your Best” is a 30-second spot that begins by asking, “What if your knee or hip stopped
giving you jip?” and takes the audience on a feelgood journey of sunny days, holidays and living life to the full.
The ad is set to the catchy track “Let the Sunshine in”, originally recorded by the Fifth Dimension, and ends with the voiceover and call to action, saying: “What if we’re called Wellsoon for good reason?”
Anyone who has called our private patient number before may recognise Kelly’s voice – as she can already be heard across our telephone messaging system.
Kelly said: “The recording experience was so much fun. It was such a cool set up, with a really cosy recording booth, a lovely comfy chair, and a TV to play the visuals of the ad whilst recording the script.
In memory of Beau
Staff and friends of Practice Plus Group
Surgical Centre, St Mary’s Portsmouth, have once again rallied round for its annual fundraiser for The Beau Halo Trust.
Governance Manager
Hannah Henriques set up the charity in 2015 after her daughter, five-year-old Beau Halo Henriques, died of a major heart condition she had lived with since birth.
“I do the recordings for our phone lines – you know the ‘press 1 for reception’. This was different – a big step up! Also, on weekends I’m a professional singer, for weddings mainly.
“Though using my voice for a voiceover was out of my comfort zone, I have to admit I was pretty nervous beforehand, and just wanted to get it right.
“I reminded myself that we talk to patients every day
on the phone, and actually that’s who they want to hear on the advert; a friendly, relatable voice.
“So, while I did concentrate on inflection and delivery learned from acting and theatre training in my younger years, I tried to be more myself.
“You’ll hear a hint of my Bristol accent in there! It was so refreshing to just be me, and to know that the team really thought it worked!”
The charity provides emotional, practical and financial support for locally bereaved parents and their families.
A special event held at our Portsmouth centre raised over £2,000 to support local bereaved families, with staff bidding on generously donated auction prizes, as well as a football competition and cake sale.
Hannah says: “We are so grateful to colleagues and friends at Practice Plus Group. The charity relies on such events to be able to provide the muchneeded assistance that
our families so desperately require. Beau was our everything. She was and is to this day, my hero.”
The charity welcomes donations and fundraising efforts –more information can be found at www.thebeauhalotrust.org
Run, Linda, run!
What a star former patient Linda MacDonald is – not only did she support our story that hit the national news in May, but she has run 117 5km parkruns despite having had a knee replacement.
The story, which was covered in national newspapers, used research from a poll of 2,000 people about their attitudes to age and healthy living.
It highlighted some of the clear generational differences, particularly between Gen Z (born 1997 to 2012) and Boomers (born 1946 to 1964).
Young people under the age of 27 believe old age hits you in your late 50s, with retirement primarily involving sitting in an armchair (20 per cent) and ‘pottering’ around (16 per cent).
This would mean Gordon Ramsay, Mike Tyson and Salma Hayek are geriatric in the eyes of the young at age 57!
But not surprisingly, those aged 60-78 (Boomers) believe actually 60 is the new 40, with two thirds of participants saying they felt more youthful than they are and one in
five feeling up to 20 years younger than their true age, and a fifth saying they’re having the time of their lives.
Boomers are the most active generation, typically spending four more hours outside compared to young adults and Millennial workers. They are the most likely to enjoy travelling and exploring new places, and are more likely to spend time exercising.
“I feel I have been given a gift and a new start.”
It also emerged 68 per cent of Boomers considered themselves an active individual, but 37 per cent were restricted from doing as much as they would like to due to health problems and chronic joint pains.
We’ve always known that people coming to us for hip and knee replacements and hernia repair want to go dancing, cycling, hiking, they want to swim on holiday and run around in the park with their grandchildren.
Just like Linda, 74, from Chard, Somerset, who appeared alongside the research, who couldn’t wait to get back to her active life.
She said: ‘I was so worried I’d never run again after surgery. I thought my running days might be over.”
But with the agreement of her team at Practice Plus Group Shepton Mallet, Linda made a gradual return, taking part in weekly fitness and weight training classes to strengthen her muscles and taking to an electric bike to build up her fitness.
Linda is now back at her beloved Vitality parkrun 5km run events with her daughter and son-in-law.
“I feel I have been given a gift and a new start. I look to the future and have always said I want to be running when I am 80! Running a regular 5km is part of my lifestyle, and I love the atmosphere of the parkrun and racing against myself. My time is probably ten minutes slower than before my surgery, but I’ll get there. I have a new lease of life and can continue to do all the things I enjoy and have recently returned to playing golf!’
MARVELLOUS MEDICINES
Pharmacies are the backbone of a hospital or surgical centre; they are crucial in the delivery of high quality surgery, patient safety and patient experience.
Roxy Killinger, Pharmacy Technician in Plymouth
Practice Plus Group has seven in-patient pharmacies serving our geographically spread hospitals, surgical centres and walk-in Urgent Treatment Centres – including a brand new pharmacy in Portsmouth St Mary’s Surgical Centre.
Chief Pharmacist Andrew Mikhail explains why we needed the new pharmacy:
“Until now, Portsmouth couldn’t directly order and store controlled drugs such as fentanyl and midazolam, which are commonly used in our diagnostic and surgical procedures, as these medicines have extremely strict management protocols in terms of secure storage and safe use. Portsmouth had to order controlled drugs from our Southampton hospital and courier them, which could lead to delays for both patients and staff and restricted our team’s ability to deal with last minute changes
in patients’ treatment plans, which is highly common in surgical settings.
“Now, not only can we stock controlled drugs securely, but we can also dispense the medication patients need to take home with them after their surgery. Before, we could only give them a prescription, which they would need to take to a local pharmacy. Now, we can save our patients taking that extra step and can send them home with everything they need, improving their experience and reducing delays. Also the pharmacy will cater for patients coming into our Urgent Treatment Centre next door as they can also get their medication from our new pharmacy, to save them that extra stop on the way home.”
The dispensing and distribution of medicines is considered a basic level of pharmacy service, but now
the Portsmouth pharmacy is open and the pharmacy team is in place, they will soon be providing more advanced clinical pharmacy, in line with our other hospitals and national clinical pharmacy strategy. This involves, for example, providing patient counselling with regards to medication, where a pharmacist will visit our patients on the ward or in clinical areas to discuss any newly prescribed medicines and/or any changes to patients’ regular medication they take because of the procedure they just had. Research has shown this approach improves patient safety and reduces medication errors.
Our Shepton Mallet hospital currently boasts the most advanced pharmacy service so far. This involves reaching out to patients before the date of their operation and discussing what medication they are currently taking, what they may need to pause for surgery, and working closely with the hospital multidisciplinary team (MDT) to devise a plan to re-introduce medication post-surgery alongside pain management.
Christian Pollard, Lead Pharmacist at Practice Plus Group Hospital in Barlborough (above) and Chief Pharmacist Andrew Mikhail (below)
One of the most common reasons for cancelling an operation on the day is because the patient is taking what we consider a ‘high risk’ drug that prevents them from having surgery, for example blood-thinning drugs also known as anticoagulants or anti-platelets, where for a variety of reasons the patient hadn’t stopped taking them. Shepton Mallet’s pre-admission pharmacy consultations have already helped the hospital to avoid four cancellations for this reason, which are understandably disappointing for the patient and have an impact on the efficiency of our service.
As part of the continuous development of our national pharmacy team, rather than bolster a central team, Andrew has given responsibility for key areas to our highly experienced pharmacists and pharmacy technicians on site around the country, in a bid to develop and retain our pharmacy workforce amid a national shortage of pharmacy professionals across both the NHS and private sector.
Gemma Treasure, Pharmacy Lead in Shepton Mallet, has led on the development of their pre-admission pharmacy consultations and is now supporting colleagues at
Rachel Pilgrim, Pharmacist, and Alison Stewart, Pharmacy Technician, Practice Plus Group Hospital Shepton Mallet
“By providing our own iron infusions to those patients who need them, patients can avoid having to go back to their GP for another referral, minimising waiting times and improving patient experience”
our Emersons Green, Ilford and Southampton hospitals to follow suit.
Gemma says: “The introduction of the new pharmacy pre-admission consultations has seen the pharmacy team at Shepton Mallet hospital further integrated in the patient’s pathway enabling us to manage our workload, work closely with the wider clinical team, and put a face to the pharmacy team, building relationships with our patients before they have been admitted.”
Christian Pollard, Lead Pharmacist at Practice Plus Group Hospital in Barlborough, played an essential role in introducing iron clinics as part of a
national project. These clinics offer intravenous (IV) iron infusions to certain patients who are not suitable for surgery because of anaemic conditions.
Christian says: “By providing our own iron infusions to those patients who need them, patients can avoid having to go back to their GP for another referral, minimising waiting times and improving patient experience.”
Stephane Jaglin, Pharmacy Lead at our Emersons Green hospital, has assumed the additional role of Associate Chief Pharmacist. In this role, Stephane supports the advancements of clinical pharmacy services across all our sites as well
as being our Thrombosis Lead. Stephane has been a trustee for Thrombosis UK for several years, giving him direct access to national and international experts in the field of thrombosis prevention and treatment.
Stephane says “Along with a special interest in clot prevention, I have a passion for patient safety and in particular the use of Evidence Based Medicine. By definition a medication is a poison which given to the wrong patient or at the wrong dose can have devastating effects. Pharmacy teams are the experts for all aspects of medication management and we endeavour to advise and educate patients as well as colleagues on medication safety. Our role begins very early in the patient pathway.” Other initiatives across our hospitals and surgical centres are helping to optimise patients for surgery, such as the pilot of a BMI clinic to help people manage their weight so they can become
“Pharmacy teams are the experts for all aspects of medication management and we endeavour to advise and educate patients as well as colleagues on medication safety.”
fit for surgery such as hip and knee replacements. Now that our Barlborough hospital is offering bariatric surgery to manage obesity and obesityrelated conditions, they have developed a programme to manage diabetes, which is more common in people who are overweight and can require additional support and care from the various healthcare disciplines we have at Practice Plus Group before and after surgery.
Retention and recruitment is key to a successful pharmacy service. Since joining Practice Plus Group in June 2022, Andrew and his pharmacy team, with support from Marcelle Michail, Medical Director, our hospital directors and colleagues
in the recruitment team, have increased the number of posts in the team by 20%, and at the same time have reduced the vacancy level from 33% to just 5%.
Andrew says: “We realised the need to train people up from very early in their career. We have established a new role of pharmacy assistant utilising apprenticeship funds, where people with no previous pharmacy experience can learn on the job and progress to become a pharmacy technician. For the first time, we have developed a holistic training programme and have become an accredited provider of the nationally funded Foundation Trainee Pharmacist Scheme, working in partnership with NHS England, local NHS organisations, Boots the high street chemist and GP practices. Trainee pharmacists will study and work on a rotational basis with our hospitals hosting trainees from Boots, GP practices and the NHS, and vice versa. From next year, we will have a trainee pharmacist at every site with a wide range of experience.”
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF STEVE LUDLOW
RECEPTION LEAD, PRACTICE PLUS GROUP
MSK & DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE, HIGH WYCOMBE
Steve Ludlow, Reception
Lead at Practice Plus Group
Muscular Skeletal (MSK) and Diagnostic Centre in High Wycombe tells us how a temping job turned into a 16-year career!
Tell us about your role at Practice Plus Group
I help to ensure a smooth-running service at reception. The reception team are effectively the “traffic lights” of the centre – directing who should go where and when. We’re the first face-to-face contact for every patient, visitor, colleague and maintenance person – as well as responsible for fielding “overflow” incoming phone calls for appointments. Being able to work accurately under pressure while multi-tasking is a big plus!
What does your typical day look like?
I’m fortunate that I start work at 11am. Before I joined Practice Plus Group, I worked for seven years as a radio presenter on High Wycombe’s Mix 107’s Breakfast Show– so I used to be on-air at 6am. I’m grateful for the lie-in these days!
When I start, I always receive a handover briefing from my fellow receptionist Shera who has worked the previous early shift to crosscheck which patients are booked in that day and what rooms are available.
Up until 3pm the centre is really busy; we see around 300 patients a day. I also have to keep my eye on what is
happening the following day to make sure the patient list is ready and all of the referral documents are prepared.
I’m generally the last one out of the building, so it’s my responsibility to make sure the building is safe, locked and alarmed.
How has your role changed over the years?
I’ve been here for 16 years, after first starting as a temp, and have seen many changes. Mostly these are down to expansion and the extra services we can now offer for both NHS patients and in our private service, Wellsoon.
As our patient booking capacity has expanded my days have got busier, but the role is essentially the same. Simply put, it’s not what we do, but how we do it!
What is your favourite part of your role on reception?
I love the variety and challenges. Every day is different – I am never bored – I work with great people and I feel really well supported. There’s great camaraderie with my colleagues and patients alike. Work makes me happy.
I like to be able to help patients and colleagues and enjoy the sense of accomplishment when the day runs smoothly. I’m quite good at reassuring patients who can be worried when they arrive. It might be daunting for some coming to see us after a GP referral – especially if they’re coming for diagnostic tests to find out what’s wrong with them. Also since COVID, I see more frustration in some patients who may have waited longer for their appointments. I always try to keep a cool head and am well-versed in calming techniques! A good sense of humour helps too.
What makes Practice Plus Group a great place to work?
Definitely the team around me. We have such a lovely poster in our staff room celebrating all the highlights of the centre – from staff socials, to rewarding and recognising colleagues. I’m fortunate to be a part of such a caring and collaborative team. I think this shows in how we all interact with each other and create such a positive, supportive environment for our patients. I feel lucky to have such a great job.
13 LUCKY FOR SOME!
Our hard-working colleagues at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth, recently spent a well-deserved evening recognising each other’s achievements from the last year, with 13 awards handed out.
Awards were presented for ‘Unsung Hero’, ‘Best Team’, ‘Clinician of the Year’, ‘Inspirational Leader’ and ‘Newcomer of the Year’, amongst some rather more light-hearted ones including ‘Most Likely to be Late to a Meeting’ and the highly sought-after ‘Best Hair’ trophy!
Hospital Director, Sarah-Jane Fell, said: “These were our first ever summer awards and were so successful we’ll definitely make it an annual event. I have never seen so many of my team celebrate other team members’ achievements. It was truly humbling.”
The Plymouth team
EXPERT Q&A
We spoke to Naomi Abdelmola, Physiotherapy Manager, Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth, to find out why physio is so important before and after joint surgery.
Q What is rehab physiotherapy?
A Rehab physiotherapy can cover pre-operative rehab which is anything to help a patient be as fit and healthy as possible before surgery, and post-operative rehab which tends to be a lot more targeted to help rebuild the muscles that have been affected during the surgery, and to help patients get back to the activities they want to be able to do.
Q Can physiotherapy prevent the need for a joint operation?
A Absolutely. Our consultants will ask patients whether they’ve
Patients who do some movement on day one do so much better the following day. After surgery, we look at any inflammation levels and teach patients how to get as comfortable as possible those first few days after their operation. Following that we focus on strength and mobility.
Q Are everyone’s physio goals different?
A Yes! It’s really individual depending on what surgery someone has had and what they want to be able to do.
We’ve had people in their 50s who have really struggled and have had a 96-year-old that came in and just flew, because she was walking five miles a day for as long as she could before surgery.
Q How long will it take to feel back to normal after a knee or hip operation?
A The first 10 to 14 days are the most challenging as that’s when you’re going to feel sore.
tried physiotherapy to help.
We’d then work with them through a strengthening programme. If that’s not enough, we can explore something like a joint injection. Surgery is always the final option and we only recommend it when absolutely necessary.
Q How soon do you start physiotherapy after a hip or knee joint replacement operation?
A The same day, if possible. It can depend on what kind of anaesthetic the patient has been given, but I encourage people to start moving as soon as possible, even if it’s just wiggling your toes or flexing your ankles.
Strength is important for the first six-to-eight-week period to promote range of movement and help to push patients as much as possible but what that programme looks like depends on their goals. For example if someone said to me it’s really important to them that they can get on and off the floor to play with a grandchild, or to go horse-riding, I’d look at which muscles they will need to work on to be able to achieve that.
As they start to use their muscles, blood starts to circulate better which we know is really good for reducing risk of blood clots post-surgery. More movement and mobility also gives patients their independence back.
Q Is physio more challenging as you get older?
A It’s very individual and I think this is where pre-op rehab comes into play. Generally, the more we do to prepare someone before an operation, and the fitter someone is before, the better they cope after surgery.
Typically, your first phase of exercises will last about six weeks and by week six most people feel like they’ve made a good amount of progress, and are back driving again. At six months patients hit a big milestone where more often than not, they forget they have had a joint op. But swelling can occur for up to a year so it’s important not to push the joint too quickly. We do everything we possibly can to support someone however a good recovery does require the patient to do their physio as advised.
In Plymouth we have just launched a ‘Joint School’ which is about an hour’s session with a nurse and a physio for a group of patients who have been booked in with us for surgery, to explain what to expect, have a tour, ask any questions about physiotherapy and what their recovery will look like. We know from research that if you’re shown how to use equipment and do your exercises before you have your operation, you will be more likely to stick to your exercises and therefore get the best results.
CROSSWORD COMPETITION
CONTACT US
Private treatment enquiries: Call 0333 060 6126
Email privatepatient@ practiceplusgroup.com
Visit practiceplusgroup.com/ contact
Visit us online: practiceplusgroup.com
Want to work with us? practiceplusgroup.com/jobs
Read Connect magazine online: practiceplusgroup.com/connect
Share your story:
Email ppgcomms@ practiceplusgroup.com
Previous Edition Crossword Answers
Across: 1 Editor, 5 Arms, 7 Thumbelina, 8 Orson Welles, 9 Tom And Jerry, 11 Marseilles, 13 Beta, 14 Gun Dog.
Down: 2 Deteriorate, 3 Truro, 4 Ruby Wedding, 5 Awl, 6 Monte Cristo, 10 Ellen, 12 Ska.
Congratulations to Justine Gillie, who won the latest prize.
Complete and send in the form below with your crossword to be entered into a prize draw and the chance to win a £50 John Lewis voucher. The closing date is 10th June 2024. Ts and Cs below.
Across
5 Waterloo or Ypres, perhaps (11)
7 List of names in order of accomplishment, etc. (6,5)
9 Period (3)
10 Ovum (3)
11 Of a tide, go out (3)
12 Uncredited author (11)
14 Hedgerow blossom, used in cordials (11)
Down
1 Brother of Cain, biblically (4)
2 City of south-west England (10)
3 Most weak (8)
4 Quickly, strongly or oddly, for example (6)
6 F Scott ___, Jazz Age novelist (10)
8 Large snake of South America (8)
9 Where ___ Dare, 1868 war film (6)
13 Scarce (4)
Summer 2024 Prize Crossword Entry Form
Fill in your details below and send your completed crossword to: Practice Plus Group Comms, Hawker House, Napier Court, Napier Road, Reading RG1 8BW
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
PRIZE DRAW TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Postcode:
