(Title)
June 2015
pg 3 y Cutting edge patholog lab gets worldwide attention
Membership
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Welcome to maternity at the QE
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Welcome
News in brief SIM family training We’ve invested in a lifelike patient simulator family which is bringing real medical benefits to Gateshead. The SimMan 3G provides such a realistic experience for healthcare staff because of a range of features that aren’t on standard simulations dummies. They include SimMan 3G having a heartbeat and measurable blood pressure and even responding to trainee actions. SimMan 3G displays neurological symptoms as well as physical symptoms, with eyes that open, close and respond to light as well as the ability to respond verbally – the instructor will send these to the dummy wirelessly. As well as this, the SimMan 3G can bleed, cry and sweat and it automatically recognises and responds to different drugs. The simulation centre is used by medical students and staff training at all levels from across the region, including those moving onto particular specialities, such as anaesthesiology. Rachael Owen, 28, is in her first year of anaesthesiology training and recently used the simulation centre. Rachael said: “It all feels so real, the situations we have to deal with in the centre do happen in real life so this technology gives us a practical dress rehearsal for our future.”
We’re recruiting! Are you a nurse? Or used to be a nurse and interested in coming back to the profession? Email general.recruitment@ghnt.nhs.uk to find out more information.
Nutrition week We helped to celebrate nutrition and hydration week we served a cream tea with scones and hot drinks to all of our inpatients on Wednesday 18th March.
QE apprentice wins national award Engineering Maintenance Apprentice Sean Cook took home the award for most committed apprentice at a regional awards ceremony hosted by Health Education North East. Eileen Bayles, Regional Estates Training and Development Manager at the Northern and Yorkshire NHS Estates Training Centre nominated Sean, she said: “From commencing his apprenticeship Sean has shown dedication and consistency not only to his own apprenticeship but to the Trust. His attendance record is beyond reproach and he is always upbeat and pleasant to staff and patients.”
Carers week We support carers, whether that be our staff, patients or carers. We were at party in the park in Saltwell Park on 10th June from 10.00am - 2.00pm.
Welcome to the June edition of your foundation trust membership magazine Welcome to QE News In this issue we celebrate what has been a period defined by significant change across the NHS and no more so than here at QE Gateshead. This has been a hugely exhilarating few months when many of our longstanding, strategic plans for the future have become a reality. I’m incredibly proud of everyone who works for, or is involved with, QE Gateshead for making the start of 2015 one of the most exciting periods in our history. A brand new £32m Emergency Care Centre is now providing urgent medical care for our patients in some of the most modern surroundings in the country. This investment in new urgent care facilities will stand us in good stead for many years to come, placing us at the forefront of delivering emergency services in the NHS using a brand new way of working with patients. The new building not only has a unique design but it completely changes the way patients are cared for during an emergency by bringing together a wide range of services including A&E, medical assessment, urgent children’s services, a walk in centre and GP services. This state-of-the-art facility has been designed around and for patients. The layout has been chosen because it specifically reflects what people say they want from a modern NHS hospital, which includes single occupancy rooms with en suite bathrooms for all patients in our short stay wards. The building also includes a new main entrance for the whole hospital with all visitors and patients accessing the QE through a modern, bright atrium. This marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Gateshead with our innovative approach attracting a lot of attention from other health services across the world. This is the second world class building that we have opened in recent times because our new £12m Pathology Centre of Excellence is also now up and running, providing services across Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside. The fantastic unit is housed in a futuristic new building on the hospital site with staff from all three Trusts now working together as a single team. While it has been a period of new developments, the last quarter has also seen significant challenges as we faced an unprecedented demand for our services and a strain on finances. However our unremitting focus has been on high quality and outstanding patient care and we remain one of the few Trusts in the country who are consistently rated as band six – the best possible score – by healthcare regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC). I also want to highlight the hard work and dedication of all our teams who work in A&E, because they have just been recognised as one of the three best departments in the country at the CHKS Top Hospital Awards. Ian Renwick Chief Executive of QE Gateshead
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Pathology
Cutting edge pathology centre gathers worldwide attention Scientists and medical staff from the Queen Elizabeth have recently welcomed clinical teams from China, Israel, Australia, Germany, USA and the Middle East to our new, £12m pathology laboratory.
The new centre provides most of the pathology services for the NHS across Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside and also offers testing in a range of medical and other sectors.
The visitors were given the chance to see the centre’s world class testing facilities that operate at the cutting edge of pathology testing services in the UK.
Pathology is involved in more then 70% of all diagnoses made by the NHS
The specialist pathology unit contains some globally recognised new technology that provides health professionals with all the medical testing needed to run a modern hospital and deliver fast, accurate results for patients.
One of the main advantages of the new centre is that it is fully automated, minimising human interaction with samples, reducing the chance of incorrect results.
Pathology services are an essential part of the efficient and safe running of a hospital, analysing the thousands of tests that are done for patients every day. In fact, pathology is involved in more than 70% of all diagnoses made by the NHS. These tests include:
Chris Charlton, pathology manager at the centre said: Our lab is dedicated to providing quick, accurate results to doctors and our visitors were really interested in the setup we have here in Gateshead. Our specialist equipment is so cutting edge that we’re the only site in the UK to have some of these analysers in operation. We’re extremely proud of this new centre of excellence and it has been great to share our experiences worldwide.”
• Fertility tests • Blood or urine analysis • Tests for infection
For more information go to www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/pathology
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IVF
New IVF technology to help more couples conceive
The Fertility Unit at QE Gateshead now offers time lapse monitoring to patients undergoing IVF treatment. The new technology incorporates the use of new Embryoscope incubators equipped with time lapse imaging. This provides digital images of embryos every 15 minutes, allowing constant assessment of embryo development without removing the embryos from the stable environment of the incubator. Traditional methods of assessing embryo development during IVF involve removing the embryos from the incubator to examine them under the microscope. This exposes the embryo to changes in environmental conditions such as temperature and light which can be stressful to the embryo and impair its development. The time lapse images obtained can also provide unprecedented detail of early embryonic development to pinpoint precise timings when key developmental milestones occur. Using the powerful data analysing software in the Embryoscope, this extra information should enable the
embryologists at the QE Gateshead to identify healthier embryos that have the best chance of implantation and reduce the risk of miscarriage. Using this new technology, embryologists at QE Gateshead can now provide a more stable environment to allow greater numbers of embryos to develop to 5 days old when the embryo reaches what is called the blastocyst stage. Blastocyst embryos have a higher chance of implanting to produce a pregnancy. Previously embryos were transferred when only 2 or 3 days old. Transfer of blastocyst embryos can improve pregnancy rates following IVF by up to 50%.
We are the first unit in the North East to offer time lapse embryology to all our patients undergoing IVF Previously IVF units have had to transfer more than one embryo to increase pregnancy rates, this leads to an increase in the rate of more risky multiple pregnancies.
By using this latest technology the Fertility Unit at QE Gateshead will be able to select a single embryo with the highest implantation potential, maximising the pregnancy rate, reducing the rates of multiple pregnancy and providing a better pregnancy outcome for mother and baby. Mr Ian Aird, consultant gynaecologist and clinical lead for fertility services at QE Gateshead said: “We are delighted to be the first unit in the North East to be able to offer the benefits of time lapse embryology and data analysis to all our patients undergoing IVF. When eggs fertilise and grow as embryos, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that, if you just had a single static observation per day, you would miss. The use of time lapse imaging means that embryos do not need to be removed from the incubator for daily monitoring, maintaining a more stable temperature and environment. “The Embryoscope gives us the opportunity to do continuous imaging and closely monitor an embryo’s development. This means that we can select healthier embryos, increasing our pregnancy rates even further and help more couples who are having fertility problems to have the family they yearn for.”
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Membership Getting to know the governors
WESTERN CONSTITUENCY My name is Janice Todd and I live in Whickham. I live with my husband and I have two daughters and one grandson.
Three new public governors and two new staff governors have been elected to the Council of Governors recently. Here we find out a little bit about each of them. Janice Todd
CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY My name is Sue Begg and I live in Kibblesworth.
STAFF CONSTITUENCY
I have three daughters and two granddaughters.
My name is Paula MacGregor and I am an Assessment Coordinator for Clinical Support and Screening Services at the QE. I have worked for the Trust for 24 years.
I lived in Scotland for most of my life and I am a retired nurse. I have been a volunteer in Kenya, and currently volunteer with Beanstalk. I enjoy music making and wood carving. Sue Begg
I live with my husband, son and daughter.
I used to be part of a Fair Trade Group and went into schools talking about Fair Trade.
I have lived in Gateshead all my life and I have a degree in Paula MacGregor Fine Art. I enjoy painting and photography, visiting art galleries and the cinema.
My name is Jim Holmes and I live in Low Fell.
My name is Helen Mckee and I am the Deputy Manager of the Woodside Centre based at Dunston Hill Hospital. I have worked for the Trust for two years now. I also worked here between 1998 and 2002.
I live with my wife and we have a married daughter and a nine year old granddaughter.
Jim Holmes
I have lived in Gateshead for most of my life. My husband and I started and ran an insurance brokerage before retiring. I have also been very active in the community from running a nursery to being a lay assessor.
I have lived in Gateshead almost all my life and I am a retired head teacher. I enjoy cooking, gardening and watching sport. I have been treasurer of a local bowling club for over ten years.
I live with my husband and I have a son and daughter and grandchildren.
I am a passionate believer in the NHS, very much against privatisation and consider the QE to be an excellent hospital.
Helen McKee
I have lived in Gateshead all my life. I enjoy walking my dog, travelling and studying.
I enjoy spending time with my grandchildren and taking them on holiday.
If you would like to contact any of the governors, please contact the Membership Office on 0191 4453713 or by email to governors@ghnt.nhs.uk 5 x147677_nuth_p8_cg.indd 5
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Membership
Calendar of events JUNE
24 JULY
29 SEPT
22
Board of Directors’ Meeting Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 9.30 am
SEPT
23
Council of Governors’ Annual General Meeting Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 10.00 am
Board of Directors’ Meeting Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 9.30 am Board of Directors’ Meeting Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 9.30 am
OCT
7
Medicine for Members – Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s and Colitis) Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital from 6.15 pm to 8.00 pm Registration opens at 5.30 pm where a tea, coffee and scones will be served Come along and find out more about inflammatory bowel disease including symptoms, diagnoses, causes and treatment available at the QE
Membership Office contact information The Membership Office can be contacted by post to: FREEPOST NAT14353 Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust Queen Elizabeth Hospital Sheriff Hill Gateshead NE9 6BR by telephoning: 0191 445 3713 (voicemail available out of working hours) via email to: foundation.enquiries@ghnt.nhs.uk
Introduce a friend Do you have any family or friends who would like to become a member? If yes, it’s easy for them to join. They can either complete the membership application form online at http://www. qegateshead.nhs.uk/apply or contact the Membership Office direct for an application form. This can be done by telephoning 0191 4453713 or sending an email to foundation. enquiries@ghnt.nhs.uk Once their completed application form is received, we will confirm their membership and send out a membership card. Go on – why not introduce a friend today!
Fancy being Membership Engagement a governor? Who can be a governor of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust? YOU can! Nomination forms will be available in September for members who are interested in standing to become a governor. The Council of Governors is made up of 33 governors, 23 of whom are elected by the members, made up of patients, staff and the public. They provide members’ views on future hospital developments to the Board of Directors, represent members and provide feedback to the constituencies, appoint the chair and non-executive directors, and act as a general ambassador for the Trust. Further information on the timescales will be included in the next issue newsletter. However, in the meantime if you have any questions about becoming a governor please contact the Membership Office on 0191 4453713 or via email to foundation. enquiries@ghnt.nhs.uk
The Trust’s newly reviewed Membership Strategy is the main driver which describes our strategy to maintain and develop an active membership. The strategy defines the membership community and sets out a series of actions to help us achieve our objectives. The strategy can be accessed on the Trust’s website using the following link: www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/ membership. It is intended that the future strategy will aim to focus on carrying out more engagement work with members during 2015/16. The strategy also makes a commitment to focus recruitment efforts on those younger people during that time. We would like to seek your views, particularly in respect of: • ACCESS TO YOUR LOCAL GOVERNORS. Do you believe governors are accessible? How would you like to contact them? What do you think the most effective way your governor can gain your views is?
• WHAT WE INVOLVE YOU WITH. In the past members have been involved in various different ways from viewing plans for new builds, tours of new departments and giving views on wayfinding. Are there are areas of our work where you feel involving our members and the public would be beneficial.
• HOW WE INVOLVE YOU. Are there particular ways in which you believe we should involve you, for example via electronic surveys, information sessions or focus groups? Any comments should be sent to the Membership Office (contact details above). The deadline for providing comments is 24th July 2015. Thank you for your input. This will help us to continuously improve the service we provide to our patients, members and the local community. We will provide an overview of the comments in the next issue.
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Medicine for members events In February 2015, we held our latest Medicine for Members event. The topic was What Is Pathology?
Membership
Work of the governors Governors are always keen to increase their engagement, and would love to come to your place of work or worship, your school or college, or your group or society to talk to you. We need to hear your questions and concerns, comments and compliments, or talk about specific areas of interest. Governors are equally happy to hear from individuals too. Please contact Debbie Atkinson, Trust Secretary on 0191 4453712 or via email to debbie. atkinson@ghnt.nhs.uk for further information or email governors@ghnt. nhs.uk to contact any of the Trust’s governors. Recently governors have attended a number of community events throughout Gateshead, have observed meetings of the Board of Directors, attended training sessions and have visited areas of the Trust to learn what key departments do. One of those visits was to The Pathology Centre where governors were shown all aspects of the work undertaken in the new state-of-the-art laboratory on the QE site.
Chairman, Julia Hickey, welcomes members to the Medicine for Members event Key members of the Trust’s Pathology Centre team attended to give presentations on the various services within the Pathology department. Members heard all about Biochemistry (including toxicology), Cellular Pathology (including cytology, histology and post mortems), haematology, microbiology (including virology and serology) and Cancer Screening Services at the QE. Some of the comments received from members were:
This was the most informative talk I have attended - brilliant
These talks are very valuable and educational - thoroughly enjoyed the event
An excellent presentation fabulous
We have been running these events now for just over 10 years and have so far held 41 events. The events are very well received by members and in that time over 1,800 members have heard presentations from staff on the variety of services at the QE. Ian Wallis, public member, said “The Medicine for Members events are excellent presentations giving a clear understanding of what the various ailments they address are and how they are treated. The big advantage is that they are not only presented by the people who will be giving the treatment when it is required, but very often their patients are in the audience giving a very personal view of the treatment they have received”.
Governors are shown around The Pathology Centre by Lee Sudlow, the Centre’s Quality Manager
Membership card As a member you should have received a membership card. You can use this card to receive discount in the restaurants at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Bensham Hospital. If you haven’t got a membership card and would like to request one please contact the Membership Office.
Each year we hold at least four events and always welcome any suggestions from members on topics they would like to see. If you haven’t attended an event yet, why not book for the next session? This is being held on Wednesday 17th June 2015 from 5.30 pm to 8.00 pm where staff from the Trust’s newly opened Emergency Care Centre will be giving an in-depth presentation of the work of the Centre.
Member Please contact the Membership Office on 0191 445 3713 if this card is found or to confirm the identity of the person presenting it
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Membership
You said …we did …
Governors’ award for customer service excellence
Patient feedback from patient advice and liaison service A number of members and governors have asked for feedback from comments received by our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and any feedback or outcomes from the issues raised.
Public governors, Alan Dougall and Brian Hewitt and staff governor, Ian Stafford, formed a judging panel to decide on the winner of this year’s Governors’ Award for Customer Service Excellence.
Here are a few examples of recent concerns raised and we will publish regular comments and updates around this.
The award recognises an individual or team who demonstrates an excellent level of customer care. The panel heard examples of excellence in customer care, commitment to supporting colleagues and meeting the needs of patients, relatives or carers; and consistence in exceeding expectations.
PATIENT CONCERN: A relative raised concerns that the patient was not given nutritional supplements despite the dietician advising that supplements were to be given twice a day. The investigation confirmed that there was a delay in the supplement being commenced as it needed to be written up on the drug chart by a doctor.
Six nominations were received and after a lot of discussion and debate, the governors decided that the winner of the award is:
OUTCOME: As a result of the complaint the matron met with the lead dietician to look at a protocol for the dietician to add supplements to the drug chart without the need for a doctor’s signature. In the future as soon as the dietician has decided a patient needs additional supplements they can be written on to the drug chart immediately and prevent a delay.
Lynn Reed, HH H H HH Ward Manager Level 2, Surgery Centre Nominator, Steve Atkinson, Associate Director, Surgical and Maternity Services, described Lynn as “an inspirational leader who strives to capture the ethos of the QE by placing the patient at the centre of what we do and instils this into her team. She is exceptional in ensuring the delivery of high quality on a consistent basis”.
PATIENT CONCERN: A gentleman was concerned that access to the Women’s Health Clinic is unsuitable for disabled or elderly patients. The gentleman was also concerned that no information regarding the location of the Women’s Health Clinic was included in his wife’s appointment letter and on contacting switchboard he was advised of the wrong entrance appropriate to access the department.
Those highly commended were Debbie Bell, EAU and Irene Watson, Health Care Assistant, Delivery Suite.
OUTCOME: Appointment letters to be amended to include location and directions to access the department. Staff will also look at the current signage relating to the department and determine if additional signage is required. Apologies were given if the wrong information was given by switchboard staff and gentleman’s concern will be shared to ensure lessons are learnt.
Well done to all!
“Celebrating our staff” award - patient award
PATIENT CONCERN: Patient raised concerns at the lack of appropriate information in the clinic letter regarding the location of physiotherapy and orthotics department which caused his wife unnecessary distress.
The Trust’s Staff Awards “Celebrating our Staff” is an annual event, now in its second year. The event aims to recognise the things that our staff do that goes above and beyond what would normally be expected from them in the normal course of their work. The patient award is nominated by patients or relatives, and acknowledges a person or team who through their excellent care and approach made a significant impact to the care of the patient. Would you like to nominate someone who has really made a difference to your care, or to the care of one of your relatives? If you do, contact us and we can send you a nomination form. Judging takes place every March, with nominations that have been received up until the 28th February being considered. Any nominations that are received after 28th February will be carried forward for consideration the following year.
Plea for email addresses Members can receive their copy of QE News either by post, by email or by accessing a copy on the Trust’s website.
Over 1,400 members have supplied the Membership Office with an email address. However, a number of these emails are no longer in use. If you have supplied us with an email address and it needs updating, please let the Membership Office know.
Please help us recognise, celebrate and thank those staff who have made a difference to your experience of QE Gateshead by contacting odandtraining@ghnt.nhs.uk or calling 0191 445 5412 and asking for a patient nomination form.
If however, you would like to receive a posted copy of the newsletter, then please contact the Membership Office to request this.
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OUTCOME: Admin Manager is to arrange for clinic letters to be amended to advise patients of location of departments.
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Maternity
You and your baby deserve the best Having a baby is an exciting, life changing experience and it’s only natural to want the very best for your new arrival.
By coming to QE Gateshead, you have the reassurance of knowing you are at the safest place in the North East to have your baby – we are the only hospital in the North East to win and retain the top rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our highly skilled, caring team of professionals are here to support and guide you at all stages of pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period. What can we offer you? • One to one midwifery care in labour • Kind and compassionate staff • Free parking in labour • Birthing partners can stay over • Modern birth environment, with the option of a birthing pool and equipment for active births (mats, birthing balls and a febromed available) • Our full range of facilities can be personalised to the individual • We have a high rate of normal births, but obstetricians and anesthetists can attend the birth if needed – right at your bedside, without the need to move you elsewhere while in labour. What facilities do we offer? • Pregnancy Assessment Centre • Education Room • Six private, en-suite and modern delivery rooms • 15 postnatal beds (including en suite single rooms where birthing partners can stay too, both low and high risk deliveries) • Jungle Room – space for toddlers and other children to play while visiting postnatal
Want to see more? Visit our website at http://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/maternity If you would like a chat about coming to the QE to have your baby or would like a tour of our unit, please call maternity reception on 0191 445 2763 9 x147677_nuth_p6_sh.indd 9
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ECC
Emergency care centre NOW OPEN Our new, state-of-the-art emergency hospital is now fully open and treating patients. The fantastic new unit brings state-ofthe-art healthcare services to people across Gateshead and the bright, modern building includes single occupancy rooms with en suite bathrooms for all patients in the short stay wards. The new Emergency Care Centre building not only has a unique design and facilities, but it completely changes the way patients are cared for during an emergency by bringing together a wide range of services including: • accident and emergency • a walk in centre • GP services • medical & surgical assessment • urgent children’s services This state-of-the-art facility has also been designed in a completely different way to most existing hospitals. The layout has been chosen because it specifically reflects what people say they want from a modern NHS hospital, which includes single occupancy rooms with en suite bathrooms for all patients in our short stay wards. The opening of the Emergency Care Centre marks the start of an exciting new chapter for healthcare in the UK with our innovative approach attracting a lot of attention from other health services across the world.
building and the environment for patients and visitors is really something special. This is a very exciting time for the QE because the plans have become a reality and this exciting new Emergency Care Centre will provide an amazing new building for people in Gateshead.
for the patients, but will also offer more dignity and comfort during their stay in the hospital.”
“This innovative new facility will not only provide a state-of-the-art unit right here in Gateshead, but will also revolutionise the patient experience during medical emergencies. Our patients will have greater dignity because they will not need to be moved long distances across the hospital for treatment and will also experience improved surroundings with single bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms.”
The installation is a large stainless steel figure modelled at over twice life size (standing straight the figure would measure 3.6m). Award-winning artist Joseph Hillier has created the stunning piece which is made from hundreds of pieces of steel intricately fabricated together and weighing in at more than 530kg.
The building also includes a brand new main entrance for the whole hospital with all visitors and patients accessing the QE through a bright atrium.
Keith Godfrey, medical director at QE Gateshead said: “The new centre will be unique in terms of both the architecture and facilities, but also in bringing together all the services required to treat patients during an emergency into a single building. This means that patients do not need to be moved around a large hospital site for the various tests by different departments, they can all be carried out in a single, dedicated area.
Ian Renwick, chief executive of QE Gateshead said: “This is a unique hospital
This entirely new way of working will not only provide better medical outcomes
This is not just the start for an innovative, new building but also a brand new way of working with patients.
The new building also contains a landmark piece of public art in the form of Faith a giant steel figure in the main entrance.
Artist Joseph Hillier said: “Entering a hospital for many people can be an anxious experience. I have often heard it said that people don’t like hospital and the reasons seem obvious: the association with health problems and the fear of treatment. However we do have a faith in medicine, which outweighs this reticence, allowing us to make the journey.” For more information about the unit visit our website here: http://www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/ emergencycarecentre
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ECC
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