November 2014 Issue 8
New service sees mortality rates fall The new improved service introduced in December 2013 for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) patients has seen mortality rates fall. The new Non-invasive ventilation method sees the patient wearing a face mask which increases CO2 removal, and rests their respiratory muscles easing their symptoms such as breathlessness. The QE has invested in staff and four new non invasive ventilation machines to improve the service and increase the amount of lives being saved. Helen Curtis, Consultant in Respiratory and Critical Care at the hospital said: “QE Gateshead has invested more than £300,000 setting up a 24 hour non-invasive ventilation service for COPD patients staffed by five full time nurses. More than 9% of over 45-year-olds in Gateshead suffer from COPD and 25% will die from it, so this is also a major investment in the health and well-being of our local population. Up to 1,115 patients are admitted each year to the QE with exacerbations of their COPD symptoms so we know this technique will help.” The key benefits of the new non-invasive service are: Smooth streamlined pathway for all COPD patients 100% increase in patients receiving the NIV treatment Patients that need NIV treatment receiving it within NICE guidelines of 3 hours from admission Reduced critical care admissions Length of stay has reduced from 12 days to 6.6 days on average In-patient mortality rates fallen from 40% to 12%.
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New pathology centre hits the news Our new path lab has been in the news this week with a film crew from BBC Look North taking a tour. You can find out more by visiting: www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/pathology
High-tech wards proving a success
Seven wards at the hospital are now paper free with medical staff using electronic tablets and other smart devices to record the vital signs of patients. The new system is currently being rolled out across all in-patient wards at the hospital and is already helping to improve the way staff use and interpret information about patients. The new smart devices including iPods and iPads have replaced the traditional bedside paper observation charts that used to hang on clipboards the end of each bed. The new system saves time and provides more accurate, reliable patient records. It is hoped that better monitoring can lead to a wide range of benefits, but ultimately improved care and less time in hospital for the patient. The new devices mean that healthcare staff can provide more accurate and detailed information to senior clinicians who will then have better data to make informed medical decisions. It also takes less time to record the observations in electronic format than having to write it out on paper. In the future the system will also be able to monitor new areas electronically including nutrition, infection risks, dementia assessment and alcohol screening. It will also automatically inform junior medical staff of any potential deterioration of a patient’s condition. Read more‌..
MSK event a hit with the public An event brining together patients and health professionals to look at MSK services in Gateshead has proved a big success. More than 40 people with a range of conditions attended the event which brought professionals and the public together to help understand how MSK services can continue to improve. QE Gateshead has recently started work on refining the way it works for patients with musculoskeletal problems and a recent event helped bring these services closer to the public. A team including orthopaedics, rheumatology, GPs, physiotherapy and a range of support services are working together with agencies from the voluntary sector, to consider how services are currently offered to people with MSK conditions in Gateshead, and how they can be improved. Much has been learned from the engagement event and the teams involved will continue to work closely with the public to ensure that the QE provides the best possible approach to these issues Helen Groom, GP Advisor at QE Gateshead said: “This was an excellent and inspiring event that brought a whole system approach to MSK issues across Gateshead. We heard a range of experiences from local people and it was really useful to see how we can tackle some of the problems facing patients and work as a team across the whole NHS system.”
Cancer medics train at the QE Gateshead is becoming one of the world’s leading training centres for specialists in gynaecological cancers, with medics from around the globe honing their surgical skills at a unit in Gateshead. The Northern Gynaecological Oncology Centre (NGOC) now has such a good reputation that it’s become one of the world’s leading training centres for other consultants specialising in this field, with doctors from as far afield as the United States coming to study here. The centre has recently carried out UK and world-first training events that help medics from around the world develop complex surgical skills and advanced procedures for women with gynaecological cancers. Click here to read more…...
New ECC gets global attention A delegation from Hong Kong has been visiting Gateshead for a tour of the new Emergency Care Centre which is currently being built at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The overseas visitors came to the North East specifically to look at the new £32m facility which is set to revolutionise emergency treatment for people in Gateshead. The unit will bring state-of-the-art healthcare services to people across Gateshead and the bright, modern building includes single occupancy rooms and en suite bathrooms for all patients in the short stay wards. The new Emergency Care Centre will modernise the way patients are cared for during an emergency by bringing together a wide range of services including: accident and emergency walk in centre GP services medical & surgical assessment urgent children’s services They also heard from The North East Transformation System (NETS) - an improvement programme based on the LEAN principles and developed by a group in North East England. The NETS methodology is used by foundation trusts, commissioners and improvement networks to achieve continuous quality improvement in healthcare and identify, reduce or eliminate waste. The team are hosted by QE Gateshead and were able to show the delegates some prime examples of this approach has transformed systems at the hospital. The group from Hong Kong were led by Dr Albert C Y Lo from, coincidently, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kowloon. The Chinese namesake of the QE was opened in 1963 and now has around 1,840 beds. The guests also visited the Peter Smith Surgery Centre and had a tour of the innovative £12m pathology centre at QE Gateshead. A new website with videos, pictures and a range of information about the new ECC is now online. You can access it by visiting: www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/emergencycarecentre
Stay in touch We hope you enjoyed reading Health Matters which will now be sent out by email once a month. If you would like to submit stories for the this newsletter or offer any feedback on the content please get in touch with: Helen Groom (helen.groom@ghnt.nhs.uk) Ross Wigham (ross.wigham@ghnt.nhs.uk) Thanks for reading and please continue sending us your story ideas and suggestions.