Take a look at our outstanding ophthalmology service
Thumbs up for hand surgery
Our Birmingham hospital opens
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 The eyes have it
An in-depth look at our ophthalmology service
8 Birmingham opens this autumn!
Zero waiting lists for NHS patients
10 Jennifer’s hip hip hooray and our nurse team’s new green initiative
11 Meet Kathy Lloyd Portsmouth’s new director
12 A Day in the life
With Linda Davies, Head of Nursing and Clinical Services at Ilford
13 New patient transport service
Door to door treatment for David
14 Expert Q&A
With consultant orthopaedic surgeon and hand specialist
Alison Edwards
15 Prize crossword competition
Your chance to win £50
John Lewis voucher
WELCOME
to the autumn issue of Connect magazine, for patients and staff of Practice Plus Group hospitals and surgical centres.
As the clocks go back and the nights draw in, many people notice they’re struggling to focus when driving at night. This could be a sign of cataracts or other eye conditions and we know just the people who can help with that! This issue takes an in-depth look at our CQC rated ‘outstanding’ ophthalmology service.
It’s been a busy time for us as we prepare our newest hospital for launch. Our Practice Plus Group Hospital, Birmingham, aims to fly the flag for our high-quality, accessible patient care to those in and around the West Midlands. We know how frustrating NHS waits have been to those in the area of late, so we’re delighted to open with zero waiting lists for both NHS and private patients this month.
I’m also pleased to introduce Kathy Lloyd, our new director at Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre, St Mary’s Portsmouth, and a new service we’re piloting at our Barlborough hospital to make life a little easier for patients and carers to get to and from the hospital for surgery.
You can also read about one of our many patients hitting their personal goals after completing surgery. It was party time for Jennifer after a hip replacement – something she couldn’t have dreamed of enjoying before her operation.
I hope you enjoy this issue,
Jim Easton Chief Executive ON THE COVER Medical Director and Clinical Director, Charles Kanavati
THE EYES HAVE IT
Our ophthalmology service, rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), is helping to prevent sight loss across the country.
At a time when over 600,000 people are on NHS waiting lists for eye appointments, with 30,000 of those waiting for a year or more, Practice Plus Group is offering short waiting times and excellent clinical outcomes.
The heart of our service is at Practice Plus Group Ophthalmology, Rochdale, located within the Croft Shifa Health Centre. The centre’s facilities are clean, bright and modern, and staffed by our team of specialist ophthalmology nurses, healthcare assistants, optometrists and ophthalmologists.
We schedule appointments to ensure that diagnosis and treatment can happen in a single visit, to save our patients time. We use the latest technology, which helps us to get to the root of the problem faster, so our patients can complete treatment and get back to their lives as soon as possible.
As well as the Croft Shifa specialist centre, we offer an outstanding ophthalmology service at our 11 hospitals and surgical centres around the country.
Every year we complete more than 13,000 cataracts procedures, Cataracts are a common eye condition that occurs when the lens inside your eye becomes cloudy, affecting your ability to see. This is usually caused by ageing but can
also be attributed to diabetes or the effects of steroid medication. Cataract treatment almost always requires surgery to replace the cloudy lens with an artificial one.
Medical Director and Clinical Director of Practice Plus Group’s national ophthalmology service, Mr Charles Kanavati, says: “The sooner cataracts are operated on, the better the patient’s vision will be in the long term.”
“There are so many benefits to cataract surgery”
– Mr Kanavati
“The risk of falls reduces, it helps hearing, improves mobility, enables driving and promotes independent living, quality of life and improves life expectancy. And if you don’t seek help, other eye diseases such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and retinal detachment can be hidden behind cataracts, lying undetected.”
Across the country we are helping to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cataracts through events and education sessions, in a bid to help people prevent avoidable sight loss and to avoid putting off treatment.
We can also treat glaucoma, a term used to describe a group of eye diseases that can lead to vision loss and blindness, at the same time as cataract removal. Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve, a part of the back of the eye. It can affect anyone, but some groups may be at higher risk, including people who are over 60, those with diabetes or a family history of glaucoma.
The most common glaucoma develops over time and is caused by your eye having trouble draining fluid. This can lead to increased pressure in your eye, which can damage the optic nerve.
At all our sites we investigate, diagnose and treat glaucoma with medication and Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) to control the pressure and prevent or slow down further damage to the optic nerve. At Rochdale, patients have cataracts and are struggling to control glaucoma with medication or who are intolerant to eyedrops can have a combined procedure on the same day where we remove the cataract and insert a tiny device called an ‘iStent’ to help control the ocular pressure and reduce dependence on anti-glaucoma eyedrops medication.
Patients in need of oculoplastic treatments can also come to Practice Plus Group. Oculoplastics covers a wide range of surgical procedures that deal with the eye socket, eyelids, tear ducts, and reconstruction of the eye and its associated structures. At Practice Plus Group we correct drooping eyelids (ptosis), eyelids that are turning inwards or outwards, rubbing eyelashes, eyelid lumps and tear duct obstructions or infections.
Azeem Kaleem, Optometrist
Clockwise from left: Sandra Taylor, Nurse, Emma Nixon, Nurse, Diana Kelly, Healthcare Assistant, Nazia Kanser, Nurse
Premium lenses via Wellsoon
While the NHS provides standard replacement lenses used in cataract surgery, anyone wanting premium lenses to reduce the risk of needing to wear glasses, can opt for our private option, Wellsoon. Premium lenses include:
Toric distance lens
This lens gives good distance vision for patients with astigmatism. These can be used for mono-vision or used with multifocal lenses to improve near and distance vision.
Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) and multi-focal lenses
These lenses give good distance vision and improve intermediate vision (e.g. computer screen vision). They are only suitable for eyes with low astigmatism (Toric EDOF lenses can be used to treat higher levels of astigmatism). These lenses would be suitable for patients who would like not to wear glasses for driving but would be happy to wear reading glasses.
Multifocal – distance, intermediate and near lenses
These lenses give good vision for distance, intermediate and near. They generally reduce the need for wearing glasses, especially in a good light. These lenses are only useful for patients with low astigmatism.
New service launch
Practice Plus Group Ophthalmology, Rochdale, recently launched vitreous and retina surgery. With advanced technology and highly trained expert surgeons, our Rochdale centre recently launched vitreous and retina surgery to treat Macular Holes (MH) and Epiretinal Membranes (ERM) that reduce vision and cause vision distortion. MH and ERM surgery can help improve the vision, prevent further reduction and improve or reduce the distortion in vision.
The new service also means we can deal with more difficult and complex cataract procedures.
PATIENT PERSPECTIVE: CATARACTS
Lesley House had been told by her optician years ago that she had cataracts forming.
However, it wasn’t until she was really struggling with her reading and crotchet that she knew something had to be done.
She said: “My optician couldn’t correct my vision with lenses anymore and said he would need to refer me for surgery. I was hoping this could be arranged quickly as it was really becoming a problem. I was given a list of hospitals I could choose to book in.
“I couldn’t believe it. It was a 48 week wait for cataract surgery and I was only offered a telephone appointment. So, we decided paying for the surgery ourselves would be the right option.”
“My husband had his cataracts done 10 years ago on the NHS at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Shepton Mallet but the waiting lists were a lot shorter then. I had to do something as I couldn’t see the cricket scores!”
Lesley said: “I was quite anxious and fidgety on the day but it went very well. The nurses explained everything to me and I was really reassured. One of the drops was a bit ‘stingy’, but I was warned about that.
“I couldn’t believe it when I opened my eyes. It was the brightness and light that I noticed the most. I didn’t realise how dull everything had become. Everything was so clear!”
Lesley has had both of her eyes treated now and is back enjoying what she loves – watching the cricket.
• Double vision or ghosting of images (especially if only noticeable in one eye)
• Progressive need for brighter light for reading
• Recent struggle with vision at night and increased sensitivity to light.
To book a private consultation call 0330 8226532
Eyes on the Road
In addition to the ophthalmology service provided at our hospitals and surgical centres, we have a fleet of high tech mobile units providing NHS treatment for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss in adults.
The wet AMD service was originally delivered from one mobile unit in the North West in 2014, and our nurses now run 15 clinics from four mobile units and fixed sites across Lancashire, Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and Winchester. Fast treatment for Wet AMD is vital, as even a few days’ delay can have serious consequences for vision quality.
In a climate where hundreds of patients have reported sight loss due to delayed appointments and cancellations, the speed of
our service is exceptional. We aim to see, diagnose and treat all of our patients within one week of referral or sooner.
Often, macular services take place in large NHS hospitals, where patients have numerous different appointments for scans and vision tests which are usually spread over a half or full day. All too often treatment happens on a different day. Our service means patients can be seen, diagnosed and treated quickly all in one place in a short timeframe. Operating out of B&Q and ASDA car parks, where there is free parking, the sites are often closer to home for patients, and they can be in and out in 10 to 20 minutes.
The mobile service, shortlisted in the Laing Buisson Awards for
PATIENT PERSPECTIVE: WET AMD
Angela Carmela began experiencing vision problems in her mid 80s.
Having lived on her own for many years, and loving her independence, she became frustrated when her vision began affecting her ability to perform everyday tasks. She was diagnosed with macular degeneration and was treated with injections of medication, but there was no improvement and she felt she had no choice but to move in with her daughter.
Angela said: “I didn’t think there was anything that could be done. But then my granddaughter told me about a local eye clinic run by Practice Plus Group and my family arranged for a referral.”
We were able to offer Angela injections with a different medication to what she had had previously, and made her sight ‘so much better’.
Angela said: “It is now one year since my last injection and things have not worsened at all – in fact they have stabilised. My improved eyesight and independence boosted my confidence so much that I decided to move into my own apartment and live independently once more. It’s wonderful. At 90 I feel like I have my life back. My daughter, Maria, visits regularly as she lives nearby so I have the best of both worlds – my family close at hand, but living independently. I can walk to the local supermarket with my shopping trolley and shop
Excellence in Nursing, operates under the supervision of consultant ophthalmologist Mr Barmak Zadeh, and is delivered by a team of specialist nurses.
Daniel Austin, Clinical Lead for Preston and Manchester, said: “The eyes provide a window into our souls and into our health. You can tell so much about someone’s health from their eyes. We pick up signs of diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and even cancer. If someone needs injections for wet AMD they can be in and out in minutes and if we detect other issues we can report back to their GP.”
for myself, and I’ve even started back with my favourite hobby –gardening. I love to potter about in the garden especially now I have my own again.”
Daniel Austin, Clinical Lead, at our Bamber Bridge, Lancs, mobile unit
BIRMINGHAM OPENS THIS AUTUMN!
We are counting down the days to opening Practice Plus Group Hospital, Birmingham.
Due to open its doors to outpatients in September and theatres and wards in October, the hospital will begin with no waiting lists for either private or NHS patients.
This will come as welcome news to the people in West Midlands and further afield who have been impacted by long waits for procedures such as hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery and endoscopy.
The hospital in Edgbaston is currently undergoing a £10m refurbishment, with a new X-ray department, new boilers, new air infiltration system, new pharmacy, wards and more. The main reception area (see artist’s impressions) is designed to be warm and welcoming with no large desk as a barrier between our patients and staff.
Our research has shown that 35% of people in the West Midlands waited seven months to a year just to get on an NHS waiting list. More than one in five people in the region say they are frustrated by the lengths of waits and one in 10 have come to expect to wait a year for surgery.
As a new hospital in the region, we will begin with a clean slate and our experienced teams and specialists are ready to welcome patients.
To be referred as an NHS patient, ask your GP for a referral. If you want to use our Wellsoon private service, whether you’re paying for yourself or have private health insurance, call 0330 8226532 and make a booking today.
Credit: Pinnegar Hayward Design 2024
All rights reserved Artist impression
THE GLOVES ARE OFF!
Staff at our Practice Plus Group Hospital, Shepton Mallet, embraced a ‘Gloves off’ initiative recently in a bid to help save the planet, one glove at a time.
Aiming to reduce waste and to continue to support environmentally friendly practices at the hospital, clinical staff at Shepton Mallet – which treats both NHS and private patients – are keen to reduce nonessential glove use and avoid unnecessary plastic waste going into landfill.
A staggering 1.4 billion gloves are used across the NHS every year. When used correctly, gloves are a vital piece of Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE). However, there are times when hand washing thoroughly with soap and water can be just as effective in protecting staff and patients. Times when gloves may not be necessary include: checking a patient’s blood pressure and temperature, dispensing medication to a patient, or handing out and collecting meal trays.
Lucy Weston, Lead Nurse, Infection Prevention Control, says: “Knowing when to use gloves at work and when not to is really important. We always prioritise patient safety and cleanliness and are proud of our zero MRSA infection rate.
Effective hand washing in the right circumstances can significantly reduce the number of gloves going to landfill without
compromising infection prevention. We’ve also had a bit of fun sharing this initiative and hope other hospitals will join in.”
Jennifer scores her birthday
“I had one goal before my knee surgery – to celebrate my sister’s 90th birthday, a fivehour car journey away.”
8 in 10 patients at Practice Plus Group who chose to self-pay for our Wellsoon service, claim lifestyle improvements like greater independence, or planning a special event or holiday, are their key motivations for paying to have surgery sooner.
A focused goal was especially important for Jennifer, who opted to pay for her knee replacement at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth, as she wanted to be pain-free in time to celebrate her sister’s 90th birthday –250 miles away.
The long journey seemed an impossible goal at the time, as sitting in a car for any length of time was causing a great deal of pain. However, we did everything possible to help her achieve her dream goal!
Jennifer says: “My GP suggested I go private as waiting lists were long –up to two years. She said at my age, two years of pain could become very
goal!
distressing and having a general anaesthetic later could take longer to recover from.
“I called the Wellsoon team and made an appointment with the consultant who I liked immediately. After an X-ray and MRI scan, he confirmed I needed a knee replacement and asked what I hoped to get from the surgery.
“I told him that I had only one goal in life and that was to celebrate my dear sister’s 90th birthday in June. I thought this might seem like a silly goal to him, but he simply said, ‘Well, in that case, we must get you booked in by mid-May to make sure you have a full six weeks
of recovery before the celebration, so you can make the long journey.’ I was delighted!
“Two weeks’ later, following a pre-op assessment, I had my knee surgery and felt so welcome at the hospital –they couldn’t do enough for me.
“I was due to stay one night, but didn’t feel ready to go home. There was no pressures. I stayed two more nights before I felt confident to return home with my husband Alan.
“My sister was thrilled I was able to attend her 90th birthday so soon after my op – but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!”
Left to Right: Practice Plus Group Hospital Shepton Mallet staff, Kelly Apfelstedt – Pharmacy Technician, Jen Smith – Assistant Practitioner and Student Nurse and Hannah Clayson – Registered Nurse
Welcome Kathy
Practice Plus Group
Surgical Centre St Mary’s, Portsmouth, recently welcomed a new director.
Kathy Lloyd sees herself first and foremost as a nurse who has a clear vision for both patient and staff experience.
What attracted you to your new role at Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre, St Mary’s, Portsmouth?
I was really drawn to the whole philosophy of Practice Plus Group and how it truly puts patients first. This spoke to my own ideas around patient care as I still see myself as a nurse first, over any managerial titles. I left Trinidad in 1991 and trained and qualified as a nurse in London and still hold my registration today so that I can still practice.
I love how we partner and collaborate with the NHS to deliver excellent patient care across all our sites and was really excited to join the team to provide equitable care for all and to meet the needs of the diverse community we have here in Portsmouth.
What are you proud of?
Our priority is helping to relieve some of the NHS waiting lists in the treatments we specialise in, such as ophthalmology and general surgery – for example laparoscopic hernia surgery and urology. These treatments are pinch points for NHS waiting lists. As we’re a specialist centre for day surgery, GPs can rely on us and refer patients quickly. We are efficient with what we do and deliver a very high standard of care. I’m proud that we treat so many NHS
patients and also that our private service, Wellsoon, offers more affordable private care for those who want to be seen even sooner, or who want to choose premium lenses for their cataract surgery.
“We have an engaged workforce of doctors and clinical teams who are experts in their field.”
We have an engaged workforce of doctors and clinical teams who are experts in their field.
We also have a busy Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) next door to the surgical centre, which people with an urgent, non-emergency
health issue can visit without an appointment. This helps take the pressure off the NHS A&E nearby and means people can be seen sooner. Sometimes the two areas mix, where you have a patient that comes in first to the UTC and then is later referred for surgery with us via their GP, helping to keep the patient journey as seamless as possible.
What do you love about Portsmouth?
I love living by the coast because I’m an island girl, so I like being near the sea. I like the fact that we have a little bit more sunshine here in Portsmouth and slightly better temperatures than being further north, and love that it’s so easy to get into London as well. I also enjoy the multicultural aspect of Portsmouth too – it’s a port city so we have quite a cultural mix and I’m proud to serve a diverse community.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF LINDA DAVIES
HEAD OF NURSING AND CLINICAL SERVICES, PRACTICE PLUS GROUP HOSPITAL, ILFORD
To celebrate her 10th work anniversary, Linda Davies, Head of Nursing and Clinical Services, Practice Plus Group Hospital, Ilford, describes supporting the NHS through COVID-19.
What was your background before joining Practice Plus Group?
I was a matron in the NHS before, and worked at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust for 27 years in total. I started as a staff nurse taking care of coronary patients, then as Matron on acute assessments where I was responsible for patients coming straight from A&E, and later on the respiratory ward.
When I joined Practice Plus Group, or Care UK as it was then, 10 years ago, I was looking for a change. I wanted to be involved in the broader patient experience and to make a more meaningful difference. Even then, the NHS was under pressure for beds and a lot of my time was spent on bed management.
I first joined as governance manager before being promoted to head of nursing and clinical services.
Did you find the more meaningful role you were looking for?
Absolutely! We provide an amazing service. We really talk to our patients, can explain things to them and meet their needs and what we do is very high quality.
It helps that we’re a small hospital, and have a very visible senior leadership team. All our staff know they can come and have a chat with me, our medical director or hospital director and that we’ll be there. Every day I start early and visit all the wards, making sure I say good morning to everyone.
I look at the environment, review any areas for improvement, and check that there are no issues early in the morning that could affect the smooth running of the day. I also make sure staff know I’m there, that they’re supported.
Our Ilford hospital won an award for supporting the NHS throughout the COVID pandemic. Describe that time…
As challenging as that time was, in a strange way it brought the hospital together. We had worked in silos before, but to get through the challenge we had to look at things differently and it really helped to integrate the team.
We became a hub for our next door NHS Trust so that they could focus on people with COVID. We went from providing routine, low complexity hip and knee replacements to a
specialist trauma unit overnight, seeing people with fractured necks and femurs coming straight from A&E. The Trust’s orthopaedic surgeons, theatre team and plaster technicians came to work with us and we provided everything else. Most cases were sadly elderly people who had fallen at home.
The NHS Trust later audited our morbidity rate over that period compared with their own and this showed we did a fantastic job. I’m very proud of what we did during that time.
What do you love most about working here?
At Ilford we really look after our own. I have had both hips replaced here, in 2015 and 2018, as I was completely confident that everything would go well. I had complete trust in the team.
In March this year I was in a nasty car accident and I felt incredibly well supported by my colleagues. I had to take time off and then work from home for a while. Now, it’s really lovely to be back on site, interacting with the team and our patients. For me this is the best part of the job.
DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE!
Practice Plus Group Hospital, Barlborough, is now offering our Wellsoon private patients having a hip or knee replacement a courtesy transport service.
Launched earlier this year, the scheme is available to patients who live within 50 miles of our Barlborough hospital for the journey to and from hospital for their surgery.
Our first patient David Gregan, 71, a retired Navy Officer, was delighted with the service.
He says: “I’m really active usually and love to walk, but my hip became more and more painful and I couldn’t get about.
“I was delighted when I was told I could have my surgery within 4-6 weeks. The patient transport service to the hospital and back – around 20 miles away – was welcome news as I was beginning to worry about who might take me to and from the hospital, as my wife doesn’t drive.
“There was no issue with arranging pick up times as the hospital liaise directly with the driver. I didn’t have to worry about when he would be available to take me home either and could stay in hospital as long as I needed to. It all worked perfectly.
“It was especially reassuring that the driver had a medical background so he could completely understand what I was going through. This made it so much better when I went home after the operation as he could advise me on a few tips to
manoeuvre myself into the house and start the recovery process.”
To take up the offer, run in conjunction with First4Care transport, patients can quote ‘transport offer’ when enquiring for their hip or knee surgery.
We hope to be able to roll out the service to other Practice Plus Hospitals around the country in the near future.
David Gregan, Barlborough patient
THUMBS UP FOR OUR NEW JOINT REPLACEMENT SURGERY!
We spoke to Alison Edwards, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, who specialises in hand surgery, about a new thumb replacement operation available at our Shepton Mallet and Emersons Green hospitals, and why it’s so beneficial to those with arthritis…
Q Tell us about the new surgery…
A We have had great success with a new type of surgery for patients suffering with arthritis at the base of the thumb. Traditionally patients would have a trapeziectomy operation to alleviate this condition – where the whole of the bone affected by arthritis is removed. With the new surgery –called trapeziometacarpal joint replacement we are
able to add a replacement joint which is much quicker to recover from, and has seen great results.
I’ve now done over 100 thumb replacement surgeries using the new thumb joint replacement method. This newer generation of dual mobility joint replacements have been used on the continent for around 15 years, but were not really adopted in the UK until around four years ago.
Q What are the benefits of the new surgical method?
A The majority of people who have arthritis in the base of the thumb experience pain when they’re trying to grip or pinch. If it’s their dominant hand, they’ll often have pain when they’re trying to write or perform dayto-day activities such as cooking, driving and so on. The joint implant helps to remove the pain and return them to their usual activities much sooner. The advantage of this operation over the traditional method is that it has a much quicker recovery time. It restores a stronger pinch grip and maintains the length and shape of the thumb –which is not the case for the former method as it removes sections of bone. The new joint emulates the natural mechanics of the thumb and cosmetically can look better too. It’s particularly good for those in a younger age group too.
Q How successful is the operation?
A Very. I’m impressed by how quickly patients seem to recover and have a good range of movement pain-free. In contrast, any hand surgeon knows that if you do a trapeziectomy on patients, they often go through a period of time where they wish they’d never had it done as it’s a slow recovery, during which time they’re quite unhappy.
I’m encouraged by how quickly patients return to everyday life. The surgery takes around an hour and most people are back to pretty much all of their usual activities by four weeks.
Patients don’t need a formal course of physio after this surgery either, though we do provide exercises to help aid recovery. This is a sharp contrast to the traditional method, where recovery could take as long as six months.
Q How did you come to specialise in thumb replacement surgery?
A I learned about the procedure from a previous colleague of mine and he was one of a number of early adopters in this country. I went to Geneva and undertook some training and trained in Bristol.
I’ve since performed many operations of this kind and am probably one of the top 10 surgeons in the country for the number of procedures performed.
The new type of thumb joint replacement surgery is available both via NHS and privately – whether someone is paying for themselves or using health insurance. NHS patients can ask their GP for a referral and private patients can call our contact centre on 0333 0606126
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 1st November 2024. Ts and Cs below.
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21 Outer (8)
Down
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4 Twig broom (5)
6 Country across the Channel (6)
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11 Cheap booze (informal) (6)
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16 Lowest part of a ship’s structure (4)
19 ___ Bradman, Australia batsman (3)
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