QE News
The magazine for QE Gateshead
May 2014
Staff Awards pg 3
pg 5
pg 8
Emergency care centre progress
Spotlight on cardio catheter lab
pg 6-7
One patient’s journey through the surgery centre
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Welcome
News in brief Gateshead walk in centre changes QE Gateshead has now taken the responsibility for running the walk in centre at the QE from South Tyneside Foundation Trust, and will also be running the walk in centre at Blaydon from June. There won’t be any changes in the great service provided at the centres for patients, just some behind the scenes adjustments! Don’t forget if you come to the walk in centre at the QE to go straight to A&E first where a nurse will assess you.
Nurse turned media superstar You may have spotted our research nurse Lorna Ingoe in a regional TV campaign for My Medicines My Health, encouraging people to keep their medicines together in a special green bag. This is in case they are ever rushed to hospital, doctors and nurses can see exactly what medication they’re on. Lorna’s been getting recognised from the ads and the leaflets which you’ll find in a GP surgery near you!
Health and wellbeing success We have successfully achieved the Health and Well-being Good Practice Award from Investors in People for a second time. The Award helps organisations to focus on workplace wellbeing and covers areas such as effective planning, supportive management, supportive culture and work-life balance – all leading to more awareness of health and wellbeing and a healthier workplace.
Welcome to the April edition of your foundation trust membership magazine, QE News. In December we were visited unannounced by healthcare regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC). We recently had back the report from that inspection which saw the Queen Elizabeth Hospital receive unprecedented praise and given a clean bill of health for all of its services. The CQC were so impressed with the QE that they did not identify any recommendations for improvement.
Patient feedback on the care received was universally positive. It is unusual for a hospital to receive such outstanding feedback from an inspection of this nature. This is the strongest possible acknowledgement of the efforts made by our staff to provide high quality care to you day in, day out. The hospital was assessed on four
• Care and welfare of people who use services. • S afeguarding people who use services from abuse. • Supporting workers. • Complaints. In these areas, their judgement was that at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital: • P eople experienced care, treatment and support that met their needs and protected their rights. • P eople who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent it from happening. • P eople were cared for by staff who were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard. • T here was an effective complaints system available. Comments and complaints people made were responded to appropriately The inspection also included talking to patients about their care, and to staff about working at the QE. I was also particularly pleased that we got such enthusiastic and positive feedback from our patients, with the CQC acknowledging that the comments on our care were universally positive. We always encourage patients to leave us feedback, which they can do in a number of ways. The CQC said about us: “Patient feedback on the care received was universally positive. They felt they had been kept informed by doctors, consultants and the nursing staff regarding their treatment. They felt that staff caring for them were skilled to do so appropriately. Comments received directly and through our experts by experience were ‘…can’t find any fault’ ‘…staff are excellent’ ‘…they’re marvellous in here, always caring, always cleaning around’ and ‘…I drove past two hospitals to come to this one… I can’t fault this hospital. It’s very clean, there’s no rubbish, no smell, everyone is polite. They don’t rush you, they’ve got empathy and are very patient at reception.’
Under 65 dementia café Do you have or look after someone under 65 with dementia? We run a dementia café at our Woodside Unit based at Dunston Hill Hospital for younger people with a dementia and their carers. It’s a place to come for support including emotional and financial and even some therapies like massage. It takes place on the last Friday of each month from 1.00pm – 3.30pm. You can contact Helen McKee on 0191 445 6462 for more information.
different areas by the CQC, and met all of the standards, which were:
This report follows on from the CQC rating QE Gateshead as a band 6 trust, making us one of the safest and highest performing hospitals in the country.
Chief Executive Ian Renwick
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Staff Awards
Staff Awards
Team of the Year
Staff at QE Gatesheadwho go above and beyond the call of duty to serve their patients have been recognised at a recent special staff celebration event. Staff from across the Trust took part in last night’s event at the Sage, Gateshead to hear fantastic stories of how their colleagues ensure they really do provide the best possible care. From a fungus outbreak to helping children with weight issues to providing extra support to younger patients with dementia, the awards categories covered staff from the length and breadth of the hospital and all areas – doctors, nurse, porters, health care assistants, admin and support staff. The event, which was sponsored
by the QE’s charity, was a huge success. Julia Hickey, Chairman, said: “This is the second year we have run our staff awards and as last year, I am very humbled and proud of the amazing efforts our staff have put in. Choosing the winners from all the nominations was an extremely difficult task but I think the winners do demonstrate the very best the QE offers. I would like to congratulate our winners and nominees and I am already looking forward to hearing more stories from patients and colleagues of the excellent efforts our staff make next year.”
<< Chairman Julia Hickey
Amongst the winners are: EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR (INFECTION CONTROL) – CRITICAL CARE As a result of building work on the QE site, there was an outbreak of asprigillas in the critical care unit. This is a fungus which can affect wounds and be found in the lungs. Michelle Watson, Tracy Bolton, Judith Wilson and Martin Wood worked with others to come up with a plan that would resolve the issues without any patients coming to harm or causing further distress to those patients and their families in the highly pressurised environment of the critical care unit. The team supported their colleagues, made sure the ward was even more spotless than usual and worked with the estates to team to move patients so workmen could access the ventilation systems. Joanne Coleman, matron for the unit, nominated the team and said: “The whole team was brilliant and made a very stressful event into a learning opportunity and a chance for the team to bond even more.”
services for the benefit of overweight or obese children. The service has been in existence for eight years and has helped a great many children in that time. Hannah joined in 2011 and since then has worked tirelessly to improve the programme further. She has improved referral and communication streams between the different parts of the programme and introduced new ideas such as an allotment club, developing links with schools and a programme for families to work together to gain a healthier weight. Dr Anne Dale, consultant paediatrician, nominated Hannah and said: “These ideas are novel and require a huge amount of vision and commitment and Hannah has the ability to lead on these initiatives and introduce them effectively. She has taken the weight management services for children to a new level and clearly recognises how difficult the challenges are but responds by being imaginative, resourceful and hard working.”
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR (INNOVATION) – HANNAH MAYER
GOVERNORS AWARD FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE – PLASTER ROOM TEAM
Hannah is the lead dietician for Balance It, the children’s weight management programme in Gateshead which links health, diet, psychology and council
Mel, David, Peter and Lisa provide a dedicated service for both old and young patients, acknowledging how stressful and frightening it can be for
patients to have a broken bone but deliver a positive service with an excellent sense of humour – sourcing various colours of plaster cast to suit every occasion. They were nominated for their positive and inspiring customer focus with one patient saying: “I was very stressed when I broke my leg and I was very frightened but the plaster team made my visits fun, nothing was too much trouble and I even got glitter on my cast for Christmas which made me smile.”
PATIENT AWARD – EMMA PRENDERGAST Emma has been nominated for several awards but was chosen as the winner of the award nominated for by patients. She is the sister on the Woodside Unit, which cares for patients under the age of 65 with early dementia. She was nominated by the family of a 54 year old man who was diagnosed with dementia in September 2013 and was referred to the unit where Emma immediately made contact. His family said: “Despite his initial resistance, he agreed to meet her for coffee and he instantly felt at ease and looks forward to each weekly visit. He describes Emma as kind, easy going, good company and calm. In short, he has a new friend and this is an invaluable thing as dementia has left him very isolated. His 3
mood and behaviour seems more stable since he started meeting Emma. “The support for me as his wife and carer is also so much appreciated. The first meeting I had with her at Woodside was full of reassurance and assistance. I too found Emma’s calm, kind approach alongside her obvious knowledge and experience a huge relief. “My husband’s diagnosis firebombed our lives. Hopes and plans are dashed and living with his changed personality is distressing. At least with Emma and her team’s care and guidance the future will be easier to bear. It is clear to me that Emma isn’t just good at her job, but has a very real talent with her vocation.”
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR – DAVID ALLEN Aileen Rooney, the lead nurse for the programme, who nominated David, said: “Dave has been essential in providing support to other patients. He always attends the meetings and he is welcoming and friendly to new members, he listens to others experiences and reassures them that they are not alone. His charisma and charm keep the group entertained whilst his focus and dedication provides the group with direction.”
Safeguarding
Raising funds fo Since the start of 2014, there have been plenty of fundraising activities taking place to raise money for a host of departments and units across the QE. QE Gateshead Charitable Funds exists to raise money on research, staff training and improving the patient experience beyond what the day to day NHS budget can fund. In 2012, our local community fundraised, donated and bequeathed more than £300,000 which we are now looking to invest back into improving the care that we offer.
Keeping you safe We are committed to the wellbeing of all people using our services. This isn’t just our patients and staff, this also includes our visitors. We take the abuse of vulnerable adults and children very seriously and are committed to responding to allegations effectively. We have a dedicated Safeguarding Children Team and Safeguarding Nurse Advisor for Vulnerable Adults. Staff in all services – not just those designed for vulnerable people – can come into contact with adults and children who need safeguarding. We work hard to ensure that all of our staff are aware of their responsibilities and understand how to keep our patients and visitors safe. We also work closely with other public agencies, including education, social services, police, and other health services, to ensure that we properly safeguard vulnerable people. If we think you may be being harmed we may pass your information onto these other agencies. If you’ve seen something in any of our hospital sites, the Queen Elizabeth, Bensham, QE Metro Riverside or QE Blaydon, that
makes you feel uncomfortable, and you think a child or adult is at risk of harm, please: • T ell a member of staff or Trust PALS team about your concerns. •C ontact your local police on 101 if you are concerned that an offence may have occurred. •C ontact the police on 999 if someone is in immediate danger of significant harm, injury or death. If you would like more information about Safeguarding within the Trust, you can contact: Kate Jones Named Nurse Safeguarding Children Telephone: 0191 4452049 Email: kate.jones@ghnt.nhs.uk Claire Downes Safeguarding Advisor for Vulnerable Adults Telephone: 0191 4456341 Email: claire.downes@ghnt.nhs.uk
We’re making it easier to find your way around The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is undergoing a huge transformation with the new Emergency Care Centre and Pathology Laboratory and we wanted to look at how we can make it easier for you to find your way around.
ahead of time the best entrance and car park for your visit to the hospital. Once you get into your coloured zone, there will then be more detailed signage to the individual department that you need.
Listening to your feedback, we understand that it can be difficult to find your way around the hospital, so we’re simplifying things and splitting the hospital site into coloured zones, a little like the Metrocentre. Our hope is that when you get a letter from the hospital it will indicate which zone of the hospital your appointment is in.
We’ll also be giving the colour scheme a facelift to make the whole hospital look more modern. Our new signage will move away from the brown background and green writing to be in NHS blue.
This means you’ll be able to plan
If you have some ideas or would like to give your opinion on the changes to our signage, you can email them to facilities.admin@ghnt.nhs.uk or call 0191 445 2054. 4
Last month, a charity night took place at the Mickey Mouse Club in Sunderland organised by former meningitis patient Linda Tucker and her family alongside some friends who were raising funds for a cancer charity in Sunderland. More than £450 was raised for ward 12 at the QE and Mrs Tucker said: “What a night! This being the first time we had organised an evening for charity, we had no idea how much time and effort it would take. The outcome was worth every ounce of energy, worry and careful planning. There were many acts and all was done for charity! We would also like to thank the various businesses and people who donated the great prizes for the raffle and spot prizes.” Chris Ellis will be doing the Coast to Coast to raise funds for the cardiology unit in memory of his mam Cheryl who died in 2011 whilst Debra and Clare Maddison are taking place in the Pretty Muddy assault course to raise funds for the St Bede’s Unit which nursed their father Rollie in his final days. St Bede’s is also set to benefit from a special night at Newcastle nightclub World Headquarters organised by Ben Frith and his friends, in memory of Ben’s gran Kathleen who also died on the unit. Ben said: “ She had the best care ever and we want to do this to pay back the staff for all the hard work and efforts they have given to us. They gave her the best final few days anyone could have and there’s not a bad word I can say about them.” And it’s not just friends, family and patients getting involved – our staff are doing their bit too!
Emergency care centre opening
or our hospital
The front of the ECC
On May 18, a team of staff who all work at the QE will be taking on a team of local lads who were all born at the QE in a special football match at St James Park in aid of the hospital’s dementia unit. Our boys need to concentrate on training though – the Born at the QE team recently won a friendly 7 -1! Kick-off is at 5pm and they would like to welcome any spectators come and soak up the atmosphere and show some support. In September, a team of staff and friends will be joining former QE parents Dan Irving and Jill Nicholson at the start of the Great North Run. Team QE will be raising funds for the hospital whilst Dan and Jill are both running for the Special Care Baby Unit which helped their boys Luka and Harvey get off to the best possible start. If you are planning to take part in the race or be in the crowds lining the route, please give an extra loud cheer when you see people in a teal t-shirt with our hospital charity logo on it. We were also extremely humbled to receive a generous legacy of almost £180,000 from the estate of a former patient who asked that the money go towards kidney research, cancer care and our cardiology unit. Finally, a big thank you to 12-year-old Joe Robinson and his friends from Highfield Primary School who raised almost £320 through their annual fundraising event for the QE’s children’s diabetes team, who Joe has seen from the age of five. The funds raised paid for educations packs, some trendy wrist badges so everyone knows a child has diabetes and an emergency bag for diabetic children to carry with them at all times. If you would like to know more about the QE charity or woud like us to get involved with your own fundraising efforts, you can call our charity office on 0191 445 6451 or email qecharitablefunds@ghnt.nhs.uk. If you’d like any more information on the charity you can visit our website www.qegatesheadcharitablefunds.org. uk. You can also keep up with the latest news by giving us a like over on Facebook (just search for QE Gateshead Charitable Funds).
Emergency Care Centre Progress Work is well underway on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s new £32 million state-of-the-art Emergency Care Centre which will transform the way local people will be cared for when they need it the most. It will combine the traditional accident and emergency, walk in centre, medical and surgical assessment and urgent children’s services all under one roof. This will make things easier for our patients as all of these services will share the same reception within one building, where our fully qualified staff can make sure they are seen by the right member of the team. This means less moving around for the patient and lower waiting times because specialist staff and testing facilities to diagnose problems are all in such close proximity. The centre will also include a 24 bed short stay unit (all single occupancy en suite rooms) for adult medical patients who are able to be treated and sent home within a short space of time. These changes mean more dignity for emergency patients as they can be Our atrium area with shops
Joe Robinson with QE staff
transported to the short stay ward within the centre, through specially designed routes not accessible to other members of the public. In preparation for these services becoming more joined up physically, we’ve already started to amalgamate location and processes. Our Medical Admissions Unit and Surgical Assessment Unit have been combined to form the Emergency Assessment Unit. As well as the changes to our physical layout, there’s also been some changes behind the scenes with QE Gateshead taking responsibility for running the walk in centre at the QE from South Tyneside Foundation Trust in April. QE Gateshead will also be running the walk in centre in Blaydon from June. The Emergency Care Centre is part of a big year of change for QE Gateshead, with the opening of another state-of-the art facility in their Pathology lab. The Pathology lab will process most samples from across South Tyneside and Sunderland including all samples from the QE Hospital. Ian Renwick, QE Gateshead Chief Executive said: “I would like to apologise for the disruption for patients over the last 12 months while we have been building the new facility. However, it will be a flagship service offering the very highest quality of care in a world class environment of which the people of Gateshead can be extremely proud.” The Emergency Care Centre is due to open in Autumn 2014, you can visit www. qegateshead.nhs.uk/emergencycarecentre for more information and to view a virtual video tour.
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Surgery experience Surgery Centre Reception
My POD
First hand experience of surgery at the QE We often get lots of good feedback from patients that have had day surgery at our Peter Smith Surgery Centre, but have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes? In a role reversal, Kerri James from the communications team at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital who normally pens these very pages, steps out from behind her keyboard to become a patient.
Here she tells us about her recent experience. “Hello! Normally I am very much behind the scenes when it comes to publicising the good work that our hospital does, but after being referred to the QE recently for a knee problem I thought it would be a great opportunity to show people the whole patient journey from referral to discharge.
In my dressing gown and slippers
I play a very little known sport called roller derby which is a little like rugby on wheels, well that’s the closest I can get to describing it in a sentence! After falling and hurting my knee in July 2012, I was referred by my GP into physiotherapy. 6
Altogether I was discharged in and out of physiotherapy four times in a year and half, and each time I thought the problem had gone the pain came back. After going back to the physiotherapist, they suspected that it could be some torn cartilage if the problem had not gone away after 18 months so they sent a letter to my GP asking that I be referred to an orthopaedic surgeon at hospital for further investigation. Working for the QE, part of my job had been to write most of the content for our website, which included the pages on our orthopaedic surgeons. After doing some research, I knew
that I wanted to be treated at the QE as it has the best safety rating out of all of the hospitals in the local area from the regulator the Care Quality Commission. One consultant in particular appealed to me as he specialised in both knee surgery and sports injuries. So at my GP appointment I asked if I could be referred to consultant Mr Graham. At my first Outpatients appointment I discussed the problem with one of Mr Graham’s team and also had an x-ray to see if that could shed any light on what might be wrong with my knee. After my x-ray I was called back into the
Surgery experience sure that my heart was healthy and there was no risk to me during surgery. Luckily I passed with flying colours! I also have very mild asthma so my nurse asked me to take apart in a breath test, again to make sure there was no added risk for me during surgery, and also to give the anaesthetics team all the information that they need to keep me safe while I’m asleep.
to diagnose and treat problems with joints. As well as allowing us to look inside a variety of joints including knees, ankles, shoulders and wrists, it can also be used to treat a range of problems and conditions. With Kerri, we suspected that maybe there was a little torn cartilage causing the pain, but it didn’t show up in the MRI scan as it was deep within the knee. An arthroscopy would give us the opportunity to look where the MRI scanner couldn’t.”
My leg marked out for surgery
consultation room to say that the x-ray hadn’t picked anything up so they would like to send me for an MRI scan to try and get a more detailed picture. A few weeks later I got a letter through with the appointment date for my scan. All the staff in the MRI department were lovely putting me at ease, and as I was getting my scan they played some very eclectic music for me! It was actually quite relaxing and I nearly fell asleep at one point. After my scan, a letter popped through my door with another outpatient appointment to discuss the findings and next steps with Mr Graham. It was the first time I’d actually met Mr Graham in person, and he was quick to put me at ease and discuss my options after telling me that the MRI scan had also not picked up a reason for my knee pain. He said that he understood my frustrations, and that one option would be to give me a knee arthroscopy.
I was also given some antibacterial wash to make sure I didn’t bring any bugs into the hospital with me, like MRSA or Clostridium Difficile. This wash is given to everyone who has planned surgery here, and has gone a long way to helping us reduce the number of healthcare acquired infections within the hospital.
Being a relatively minor procedure, knee arthroscopies are performed as day case surgeries at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. I received a phone call from Mr Graham’s secretary, who was very helpful, rather than dictating when the operation should be, she was keen to help me find a date that fit in with my schedule, and we eventually decided on January 10th.
After that, it was count down to my operation day! I was told to report to the surgery centre at 7.45am and register with reception and get my wrist band. This would be the first of many times that I had my identity and operation confirmed. This ensures that each person is getting the right procedure on the right body part.
Once my operation was booked in, I was given an appointment to come to the Surgery Centre for my pre-operative assessment about a week beforehand. At this appointment, they go through in detail what will happen to you at your surgery, and ask about your medical history so they can tailor your operation and care to you.
I was whisked into my POD and shown the space that would be my base for the rest of the morning through to discharge. Each POD has a bed and chair, and is very comfortable and selfcontained giving everyone who comes through day surgery a lot of privacy.
I have a history of heart palpitations, so my nurse asked me to have an ECG test to make
I was asked to get changed into my hospital gown and put on my dressing gown and slippers that each patient is asked to bring from home. You can see me in my fetching gown in my POD here!
Mr Graham said: “An arthroscopy is a type of keyhole surgery used both
Mr Graham exploring the inside of Kerri’s knee
I had various hospital staff come and see me for different things, from marking out my leg with the operation site in pen, to the lovely anaesthetist who put me at ease and talked me through what would happen while being put to sleep. After all the necessary checks and a small wait, it was time to go to theatre. All the staff were so nice, and made me feel comfortable and at ease. The best part, which I’m sure most patients who come through the surgery centre will agree with, are the heated
Mr Graham and his team during the surgery
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Mr Graham
blankets you’re covered with before surgery! Everything was explained to me at each point so I felt very well informed, and with all the injections done, I was out for the count. Mr Graham said: “During the knee arthroscopy we didn’t find any definite tear of the meniscus (cartilage). There was soft softening of the lining of the joint surface cartilage, which may be causing the pain.” After coming round from the surgery, I didn’t feel groggy or sick, which I’d been worried about, and came round from the whole thing quite quickly. After bringing me some much appreciated toast (It was the best toast ever after being unable to eat before the surgery!) and giving me all the instructions I needed for my discharge I was allowed to go home. After surgery, patients must be taken home by someone who can look after them. My partner came to collect me, and I was even able to walk from my POD to the car, which amazed me. I’m writing this twelve weeks after my surgery, and my knee has healed really nicely. Although they didn’t find anything to fix, I was glad to have the reassurance that I wasn’t doing myself too much damage whilst playing roller derby. I’m back at the gym, building up the strength in my leg, and when I’m ready, I’ll be putting my skates back on. I want to say a huge thank you to Mr Graham and his whole team, which includes receptionists, nurses, physiotherapists, and anaesthetists as well as the scores of people like domestic staff who I may not have bumped into during my journey but are there working hard behind the scenes.
Spotlight on
Spotlight on Cardiac Catheter Lab The Cardiac Catheter Lab has been open at the QE Hospital since 2002 and provides a very important diagnostic and monitoring service to patients with heart problems. Sister Les Jones tells us all about the unique work that goes on behind the very unassuming white door on the cardiac corridor….
Sister Les Jones gives us a tour of the Lab
“The Cardiac Catheter Lab provides some very important diagnostic and monitoring services to patients. The Lab started as a mobile unit that would visit the hospital once a week, which was obviously quite restrictive in terms of how many patients we could see. However as demand grew, the hospital saw the need to bring some of those skills in-house to provide a better service, and we’ve been living here ever since! Now we see on average 25 patients a week, and because we are quite a specialist service, patients are always referred to us via a consultant, they could have seen a consultant through their GP’s, on an inpatient ward in the hospital or even our rapid access chest clinic in Outpatients. Our expansion also means that we have very short waiting times and we’ll also be replacing all of our machines to new state-ofthe-art models over the next six months The improved unit with the x-ray machine in-house means that patients don’t have to go elsewhere in the region for this test. meaning even quicker tests for patients.
The main function of our department is to take a closer look at people who may be experiencing chest pains, or heart problems, and to try and diagnose them before something like a heart attack happens. For example somebody coming in with chest pain or breathlessness, these can both be symptoms of heart disease. Visits to the Lab are classed as surgical procedures so we go through all the same vigorous checks that theatres would undergo before a surgery, including checking a patient’s name, date of birth, address and procedure at every point. So the patients come to us, normally from our Procedure Investigation Unit (PIU) where they get changed into their gowns and have their pre-assessment. When they reach the Lab they are checked in by a Radiographer and a Cardiac Physiologist.
Once you’ve been checked into the Lab, we’ll get you comfortable on the bed. In order to protect staff from radiation, they have to wear these rather fetching tunics and collars made of lead! They are designed to protect the breasts, ovaries and thyroid, the areas which are the most radiosensitive on the body. There are also extra lead screens to protect the doctor performing the coronary angiogram test and the scrub nurse at the heights of these areas. Patients don’t need to wear these as we need the x-rays to be able to pass through their bodies and a small amount doesn’t cause any harm. However if we’re working with it day in day out, that occupational exposure can carry a risk so we make sure we protect ourselves. It can seem like there are a lot of staff in the room for the procedure! There are at least five people doing different jobs during a coronary angiogram, doctor, scrub nurse, radiographer, cardiac physiologist, and a circulating nurse who can assist as needed.
Coronary angiogram
The most common test we do in the Lab is called a coronary angiogram which uses dyes and x-rays to show the inside of the arteries in the heart to look for narrowing or damage. The test can also give the doctor information about the heart pump and valves. Sometimes if you’ve been for other tests in the hospital, one of our doctors might send you here, even though you haven’t had any symptoms. As well as our day case surgery, we also see a lot of patients from our inpatient cardiology ward, Ward 8. Symptoms which might lead us to give you a coronary angiogram include breathlessness and intermittant chest pain, rather than a prolonged very painful feeling which would be much more serious and an emergency.
Screens to absorb radiation
l-r Carol Carr Healthcare Assistant, Sister Les Jones, Kelly Winterburn-Shaw
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Spotlight on During a coronary angiogram test, a fine tube called a catheter is inserted into an artery (usually in the right groin) and then guided into the coronary arteries by a doctor using x-rays. It doesn’t hurt as the area will be numbed using local anaesthetic and the test takes between ten and twenty minutes.
Pacemakers
X-ray dye is injected through the tube and a series of pictures is taken which can be analysed for the source of any pain. Catheter rack
As well as carrying out coronary angiograms in the Lab, we can also fit patients with pacemakers, both temporary and permanent. We would fit a patient with a pacemaker if they were having problems with their heartbeat, it could be slow, irregular or failing if both chambers in the heart don’t pump at the same time. Pacemakers contain a pulse generator that delivers electrical impulses to the heart, and it can be programmed to suit different needs. A fixed rate pacemaker for example sets your heart pace the whole time but another would only send an electrical pulse in the absence of your own heart sending one, such as for an irregular heartbeat. You won’t feel any pain when these electrical signals are sent out. Pacemakers are fitted just under your collarbone, under local anaesthetic and mild sedation.
Catheter close up
X-ray machine
Implantable Loop recorders
We also fit implantable loop recorders in the Lab which can be used to monitor more sporadic heart activity over a longer period of time than 24-48 hours which may not show up any problems. This is a good piece of monitoring equipment for somebody who may be fainting or collapsing as it’s long term and can give a good indicator as to whether it’s heart related or not. Once the loop recorder has been fitted (in the same way a pacemaker is) when a patient has an episode of heart activity/fainting etc. they hold a small remote control they’re given, over the implant and press the button which will store the information electronically. Then the next working day they come in to see a cardiac physiologist who will look at the information and interpret what’s wrong with the heart.
The x-ray machine is above you and you don’t need to be moved during the procedure, just lie flat and try to relax. Both the bed and the x-ray machine arm move so that the doctor can take pictures of both sides of the heart. When the dye has been injected, the staff will use the x-rays produced to try and see if there are any problems with your heart. 9
Membership
Membership Office contact information Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust Membership Office can be contacted by post on: FREEPOST NAT14353 Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust Queen Elizabeth Hospital Sheriff Hill Gateshead NE9 6BR
Calendar of events MAY
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on 0191 445 3713 (voicemail available out of working hours) or via email to foundation.enquiries@ghnt.nhs.uk
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 32 Governors, 23 of whom are elected by 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
QE News If you would like to change the way that you receive QE News, please contact the Membership Office. A hard copy of the newsletter can be sent to your home address or an electronic version to your email address.
Keep your details up to date
To ensure that you receive your copy of QE News, please let the Membership Office know if you move house or change any of your contact details.
Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm
Medicine for Members – Blood pressure
JUN
25 JUL
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JUL
23 SEP
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Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital from 6.15 pm to 8.00 pm Come along and find out more about blood pressure (high and low), symptoms, causes, prevention and treatments. Registration opens at 5.30 pm where a light buffet will also be served
Fancy being a Governor? Who can be a Governor of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust? You can!
Council of Governors Meeting
SEP
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Board of Directors Meeting Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 9.30 am
Medicine for Members – Audio and ENT Services Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital from 6.15 pm to 8.00 pm Come along and find out more about audiology and ENT services at the QE. Registration opens at 5.30 pm where a light buffet will also be served
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Board of Directors Meeting Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 9.30 am
Board of Directors Meeting Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 9.30am
Council of Governors Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting of the Council of Governors will take place on Wednesday 24th September 2014 at 10.00 am in the Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Medicine for Members – Care in the last few days of life Education Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital from 6.15 pm to 8.00 pm Come along and find out more about palliative care, care in the last few days of life and principles of good practice. Registration opens at 5.30 pm where a light buffet will also be served
Governors out and about You have a strong and diverse Council of Governors, working hard for you, serving on committees, questioning Trust decisions and examining them in detail. They are ‘critical friends’ challenging and supporting the Trust to improve and learn. They also have a role in helping local people and members understand what is happening at the hospital and why. Governors will be attending various events throughout the year to ask for views from local people. Recently they have attended Birtley Community Partnership Open Meeting and Whickham Get Together Group to talk about developments at the hospital and the new Emergency Care Centre. They will also be attending Friends of Winlaton Village at the West End Club, 10
Winlaton at 7.30 pm on Thursday 12th June and the Teams Festival on Saturday 14th June. Why not pop along for a chat?! 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.
Membership
Getting to know the Governors Six new public Governors were elected to the Council of Governors in January 2014. Here we find out a little bit about each of them. CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY
Breweries, finally retiring five years ago. I enjoy a game of golf when I have the time and I am currently trying to build a computer from scratch. As a Governor I will work to ensure that the best services and standards are available for disabled people.
Eileen Adams My name is Eileen Adams and I live in Low Fell with my husband. I have one daughter, one son and one grandson all born in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. I have lived in the Gateshead area all my life. I retired 12 months ago, since then I have been a volunteer in Low Fell library. I also enjoy reading and walking. I hope to represent the interests of patients and the local community to ensure a continuous and excellent service is provided.
John Bolam My name is John Bolam and I live in Washington with my wife and our disabled daughter. We have two grandsons. I have lived in Washington all my life. I am ex-Royal Navy. After leaving the Royal Navy, I worked in various divisions of Newcastle
including very little medical provision. The experience made me very aware of many of the things we take for granted, including the NHS. I am enjoying my new role as Governor of the QE, learning about the hospital and, I hope, making a meaningful contribution to the day to day life and future of our hospital.
Sheila Gallagher My name is Sheila Gallagher and I live in Birtley with my family. I have one teenage son and lots of nieces and nephews who all live close by. Last year, after many happy years in teaching, I took early retirement from my job as Head Teacher of an infant school in County Durham. This has left me with much more time to pursue my hobbies and interests. I love reading, walking in our beautiful countryside and gardening when the weather is fine! I have also taken the opportunity to travel more. Last year I had the privilege of being part of a volunteer group who went out to work in The Gambia. Whilst we were there we worked on several projects and I saw firsthand, people having to live with very little,
Teresa Waring My name is Teresa Waring and I live in Washington with my husband, Steve. I have two sons and one grandson. I have lived in the Gateshead region most of my life. I work at Newcastle Business School where I am a Professor of Information Management. I enjoy keeping fit and gardening. I have a keen research interest in the NHS and am committed to supporting the staff at the QE in their endeavours to make it one of the best hospitals in the country. As a Governor I will work tirelessly to ensure that the Trust maintains its very high standards of care and to act on behalf of patients if asked to express their views or concerns. 11
EASTERN CONSTITUENCY
WESTERN CONSTITUENCY
Alan Dougall
Lynn Ritchie
My name is Alan Dougall. I live in Felling with my wife. I have three sons, two of them married and living down South.
My name is Lynn Ritchie and I live in Blaydon. I live with my partner and three year old son, dog and cat.
I was born and raised in Felling and served in the RAF for ten years as an Aircraft Radio Technician. I came home to Felling for four years, and then got a job overseas. I came back to Gateshead in 1975 and have been here since then. I have been involved in union activities for many years and I am District Secretary of an ex-service organisation (I have a year off this year as I have been elected Chairman for 2014). I am also on the Gateshead Veterans Committee and a Trustee of Gateshead Older Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Assembly. I am also Vice Chairman of Felling Magpies YPC, a sight guide for Bensham Hospital Sight Services and I have just been appointed a Meet and Greet Volunteer at the QE.
I am originally from Lanarkshire, just outside Glasgow, but I relocated to the North East in the late 90s. I have lived in Gateshead for 10 years. I enjoy learning, family time, walking, days out, travelling, music and reading. I have worked in the public sector all of my career, in the local authority sector, housing association sector and third sector, gaining much experience relating to those in need in our society including several years at management level, delivering service improvements and being a strategic service lead. My passion is around people and society, and health and politics surrounding this. As part of this I have always had a keen interest in the NHS and being a part of that, therefore I jumped at the opportunity to become a Governor, helping to represent my constituency.
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
Membership
As a member you should have received a membership card. You can use this card to get 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.
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 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!
Governors Alan Dougall, Sheila Gallagher and Brian Hewitt formed the judging panel to decide on the winner of the inaugural Governors’ Award for Customer Service Excellence. 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. 12 nominations were received and after a lot of deliberation, the Governors decided that the award should be given to:
H HHH PLASTER ROOM TEAM HH David, Lisa, Mel and Peter The nomination described the team’s “positivity and excellent sense of humour, always bringing a smile to even the most stressful situation.” The team had even sourced various colours of plaster to suit every occasion. Their positive customer focus is an inspiration and nominator, Modern Matron, Joanne Coleman, felt strongly that they should be recognised for their outstanding work. The Runners-Up were Margaret Wilson, Receptionist from Windy Nook Outpatients and Janice Forster, Nursing Assistant from Cragside Court. Well done to all!
“Celebrating our Staff” Award – Patient Award 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 go 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 12
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 February 28th will be carried forward for consideration the following year. Please help us recognise, celebrate and thank those staff who have made a difference to your experience of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust by contacting odandtraining@ghnt.nhs.uk or calling 0191 445 5412 and asking for a patient nomination form.
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Membership card
Governors’ Award for Customer Service Excellence