The community magazine from the Royal United Hospitals Bath Stop smoking help (page 3)
Building the future (page 4-5)
insight ❆ ❅
ISSUE 36 WINTER 2017
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Meet our new Public Governors (page 15)
Royal United Hospitals Bath
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NHS Foundation Trust
RoyalUnited HospitalBath
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Get knitting! Baby bobble hats wanted
@RUHBath
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inside this issue
Welcome
4 Buildings fit for the future 6 Say aah! Babies in bobble hats 10 Help shape our strategy plan 14 Meet our new Public Governors 17 Friends of the RUH
Contributors
Welcome to the Winter edition of insight, our community magazine. Well, where did that year go? It’s been such a busy, exciting and challenging 2017 for everyone at the Trust – and we expect nothing less for 2018. We’re heading into those winter months when demand for our services tends to peak, and as usual there’s plenty we can do to keep ourselves well all year round. I’ve had my ‘flu jab and so have a huge number of our staff – have you? You can help to protect yourself by having one, and they’re free to many people. There’s plenty of good advice too on www.nhs.uk/staywell/ In this insight we’re looking ahead to some major developments at the RUH, particularly the new RNHRD and Therapies Centre that you’ll see taking shape already as you come in to the hospital’s main entrance. Also, as I write, our new Multi-faith Centre is nearing completion and will soon be up and running (Pages 4&5). We’re also celebrating some of our successes – in the prompt detection and treatment of strokes and in the increased numbers of organ donations (Page 7). There’s positive feedback from patients, friends and families (Page 18). And finally, as they say, don’t miss our bobble-hatted babies story (Page 6) that’s bound to have you reaching for the knitting needles.
Regitse Lewis Home First lead Why there’s no place like home (page 8)
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Joanne Wilmott
We wish you all good health this winter and for 2018.
Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation (page 7)
James Scott Chief Executive We’re always keen to hear your feedback about insight, or any aspect of our work. Please email ruh-tr.communicationteam@nhs.net
Stop smoking service helps patients kick the habit would like help giving up can speak to their ward smoking advisor and fill in a referral form that can be found on the ward. You can also email ruh-tr.smokingcessationteam@nhs.net
“It’s never too late to stop smoking”
With the New Year just around the corner, perhaps we can help you to kick that smoking habit once and for all in 2018? We’ve launched a new stop smoking service throughout the RUH to help patients put their smoking days behind them and to look forward to a healthier and wealthier future. It’s been piloted on our Respiratory, Medical Short Stay, Cardiac ward and Respiratory outpatients with success, and is now available across the Trust with training being offered to every ward and outpatients departments. It’s led by respiratory nurse specialist (RSN) Claire Jones, who has a background of acute care and who works with patients with a wide range of respiratory illnesses.
discuss with the patient nicotine replacement therapies and medication options available, which can be prescribed or recommended. “Our ultimate goal is for smokers to be identified and given advice and support while they’re at the RUH. It doesn’t stop there – they’d then be referred to Virgin Care and continue to receive support when they leave the hospital and go home.” Patients at the RUH who smoke and
Stop smoking – the facts According to Public Health England: • Last year, 2.5 million smokers tried to quit, and 500,000 people (20%) were successful. • The smoking rate in England has fallen to below 17% for the first time. One of the biggest decreases is here in the South West – down from 18.7% to 15.5%. • Smoking accounts for over 78,000 deaths a year. Stopping is the best thing a smoker can do to improve their health.
She said: “It’s never too late to stop smoking. We’re here to give you support, education and encouragement to achieve that goal. “Our aim is to have advisors on every ward and department who can give patients information on how they can help themselves and how we can support them to quit smoking. “If the patient would like a more in-depth consultation, the stop smoking team can be contacted to www.ruh.nhs.uk
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“This is a really exciting time for the Trust, our staff and our patients.”
All change at the RUH – the These are exciting and changing times for the Trust with major development work well and truly underway – marking a big step forward in our vision of making the RUH ‘Fit for the Future’.
raising a minimum of £2m towards this multi-million pound project – with the Brownsword Charitable Foundation challenging the public to back the appeal by promising to match every pound donated, up to the level of £1m.
The first difference many visitors will see is at the main entrance of the RUH, as you come in via Combe Park. On the left, the old Pharmacy buildings and disabled car park have gone, and in their place is rising the new RNHRD and Therapies Centre.
Tim Hobbs, Head of Fundraising, said: “It’s an amazingly generous gesture by the Brownsword Charitable Foundation. This is a very expensive project, not just the building but all the equipment and facilities inside, and we need help from the public to help us achieve our target. This building will make a major impact on the services the hospital can provide to some 25,000 people each year. The charitable funding we are able to provide towards the overall cost of the building will play a key role in helping to make it a unique and special facility for patients.”
Steve Boxall, Head of Capital Projects, said: “This is a really exciting time for the Trust, our staff and our patients. Before you know it we’ll be seeing some big changes on the site as the new Centre starts to take shape. The RUH’s Forever Friends Appeal is 4
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The new centre, close to the main entrance of the RUH, will be a predominately outpatient centre providing treatment, care and education for patients to recover from episodes of illness or injury, or to manage their longterm condition. It will house many of the services currently located at the Mineral Water Going, going…
Artist’s impression of how the RNHRD and Therapies Centre could look. Image supplied by IBI Architects.
new developments taking shape Hospital and in RUH North, namely rheumatology, therapies and pain management services.
Scanning the future Just opposite the Therapies building there’s yet more construction work going on to create an extension that will make our Radiology Department among the …gone.
most modern and best-equipped in the South West. In a five-year, £7.5m project, two existing MRI scanners are being refurbished and upgraded. One CT scanner has already been replaced, and building work has begun on the extension to house two suites for new state of the art CT and MRI machines. In the construction business you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs – and that’s meant some essential but noisy works taking place. Many thanks to staff and patients for putting up with the disruption. Craig Forster, RUH Head of Radiology said: “This is a major investment by the Trust to continue
to provide the best equipment and facilities for our patients and to meet the increasing demand for radiology services. Some of our existing scanners were ten years old and were coming to the end of their working life, so it was decided to make the commitment to upgrade and improve them. With our new PET-CT scanner that was installed in 2016, it will confirm the RUH as a centre of excellence and care in radiology.” So – changing times at the RUH. As we went to press, our new Multi-faith Centre was close to completion. There’s much more to come too, with the Trust gearing up for our biggest new development yet, the Dyson Cancer Centre. We’ll give you the insight on all that in later editions. www.ruh.nhs.uk
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Get knitting – baby bobble hats wanted Calling all knitters – we’re asking for help to provide around 5,000 tiny bobble hats for newborn babies at the RUH Bath Birthing Centre. We’ve introduced a traffic light, colour-coded system of green, amber and red bobble hats to provide a visual aid for the level of care that a baby may need. Rachel Coleman, Practice Development Sister, said: “Babies will still receive the traditional midwifery care, but this is an extra visual aid. A green bobble means your baby is term, warm and feeding well. Amber indicates a baby needs a little more help with feeding
Prepare for winter with HANDiApp As winter approaches, make sure you have downloaded the free paediatric HANDiApp for expert advice on the most common childhood conditions. It contains information about illnesses such as diarrhoea and vomiting, high temperature, chestiness, newborn problems and stomach pain. It takes users through a set of questions about a child’s symptoms, offering advice according to their severity and also includes leaflets, home care plans and guidelines as well as more advanced medical content for ED consultants, doctors and nurses. The app is available from the Apple Store and Google Play, and can also be downloaded as a desktop version with the same information. 6
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Four in a bed. L-R: Harrie Freeman, Wilfred Cromwell, Poppy Lyls-Trudgian, Spencer Carson. INSET: Alexander McNamara and baby Merry.
and keeping warm. Red indicates a baby will have regular observations by a nurse or midwife, for example if you are diabetic.”
a baby and be greatly appreciated by everyone.”
The bobble hat idea was ‘borrowed’ from a system already underway “It’s a brilliant Alexander McNamara, at the Royal Surrey father of two-day old idea. Merry had a County Hospital. With Merry, said: “It’s a red bobble hat as up to 5,000 babies being brilliant idea. Merry had she needed more delivered each year at a red bobble hat as she observation on the Bath Birthing Centre needed more observation the ward.” – and going home with on the ward. And it their personal hat – the means that, even if you unit is hoping that volunteer don’t know anyone with knitters and people with crotchet skills a baby on the way, you can still will rise to the challenge. make a lovely hat that will be worn by The tiny hats must be plain white with a red, amber or green pom-pom, and sized between 34-38cms. They can be sent to the Bath Birthing Centre or to Mary Ward at Royal United Hospitals Bath, Combe Park, Bath BA1 3NG. IMPORTANT NOTE: NHS Sudden Infant Death Syndrome advice is that, when indoors or in a warm car, bus or train, you should remove a hat or extra clothing from your baby to prevent it becoming overheated.
Organ donation – the gift of life We’re encouraging even more patients and families to consider becoming an organ donor, following a report that shows our highest-ever donation figures in 2016-17 at the RUH. Eight families consented to organ donation or respecting the wishes of their loved one, which led to 28 people receiving lifechanging organ transplants. Many more received life-enhancing transplants through tissue donation, such as corneal and heart valve transplants. The report from NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) also recognises that the RUH has matched and gained higher than average performance measures by referring potential donors, approaching families to explore organ donation, carrying out tests required to support organ donation and consenting families, which resulted in higher than national average transplants of organs per donor.
Joanne Wilmott, Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation
organ donation. We are embedded within critical care and provide a 24/7 on-call service, available for advice, support and facilitating organ donations.
NHSBT works in collaboration with hospital Trusts, and since 2009 has embedded Specialist Nurses in Organ Donation (SNOD) to raise awareness of organ and tissue donation.
“We work closely with the nursing and medical staff within intensive care and emergency departments, providing information to support their decisions. We want organ donation conversations to become part of every end of life conversation, making it normal practice.
The RUH Specialist Nurse, Joanne Wilmott, said: “SNODs are dedicated to provide the opportunity to explore organ donation, carry out someone’s known wishes and support families through the process of
“All families should be given the opportunity to discuss organ donation and explore this option. By providing this practice the critical care teams within the RUH Trust have continued to achieve a
100% referral rate for potential donors identified within ITU and ED. “These transplants could not happen without the dedicated work and support from our colleagues within the Trust, in particular Intensive Care, ED and theatres, and more importantly the donor families who have a given us the opportunity to help others by offering the gift of life. “Anyone can sign up to become an organ donor and it takes only a few minutes. Organ donation saves lives - to someone you can become a hero.“ For more information please follow the link https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/ register-to-donate/
Stroke team success Congratulations to our Stroke team who have scored top marks in the national audit for their performance and care they give our patients – the only Trust in the
South region to do so. The 65-strong team was marked A in the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) annual survey that has been running since 2012.
The team achieved top ratings for rapid diagnosis of stroke when a patient first arrives at hospital, with a CT scan/thrombolysis within one hour and therapy. Stroke medical nurse practitioners work in conjunction with Stroke physicians within the Emergency Department, supporting the ‘front door’ in facilitating the fast identification of stroke patients, rapid thrombolysis and expedited brain imaging. Heidi Cox, Specialty Manager, said: “I’m very proud of everyone within the Acute Stoke Team and everybody who has contributed to the improvements. It is an outstanding achievement.” www.ruh.nhs.uk
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Regitse Lewis, Home First
There’s no place like home Our new community-wide project to help patients go home from hospital – Home First – is going from strength to strength with staff and patients themselves recognising the benefits. themselves when they are in a familiar When a patient no longer requires setting. Assessments undertaken in a acute care, hospital is not always patient’s own environment are often the best place for them to be. a far more accurate reflection of their Home First is an innovative new discharge system that aims to reduce ability to care for themselves than assessments performed in the length of stay hospital. for patients who are clinically well “We’re working “The more a person enough to leave with our partners in can get up and do the hospital, but who little things – water the community to might need a bit the plants, draw the support patients to of extra support to curtains, get dressed, go back where they return to their usual feed the cat – the want to be – home.” place of residence. stronger and more independent they will Regitse Lewis, joint lead remain. We call this on the Home First pathway, the ‘power of pottering’ – in hospital said: “By enabling a patient to return it is much harder for someone to find to the familiarity of their usual place of reasons to potter and stay active. residence – be it their own home or a community care setting – we can help to So getting a patient home and on their feet can really help speed their maintain their independence. Home first recovery, build their strength and help helps us do just that. them maintain their independence. “Home assessment is a key part “From a professional perspective, of Home First. Hospital can be a Home First has been a great disorienting place and patients are opportunity for us to work even more often far more capable of caring for 8
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closely with our colleagues in the community. It’s rewarding to know we’re all working with the shared goal of providing real continuity of care for patients going from the acute to the community setting. “Ideally, patients should not have to make major life-decisions about long-term residential or nursing care at a point of crisis. Home First means that our patients and their relatives are supported so that long-term care planning can take place outside of the acute setting.” You can read more about Home First on our website http://bit.ly/2A7bTyv
Home First – the patient’s journey Audrey, 89, was admitted with a chest infection. She has some memory problems but was managing well at home before she became unwell and had a fall. When she was medically fit on the ward she was noted to be “a little bit muddly,” out of condition and fatigued, had lost her confidence and was worried about going home. She could only stand for short periods and had been given a walking frame to get her mobile again.
benefit from Home First and referred her to the service.
Audrey went home with Home First Transport before 10am. The community team came to visit and assess her at 11am. They found that Audrey could manage to get in and out of her own familiar bed without any difficulty, but she was struggling to use the bathroom. They also identified that she was struggling to Audrey was take her medicines at the really happy with right time and was getting very tired and not really the experience managing to cook for herself. she had from
The team were concerned that she wouldn’t be able to manage her personal care and meals. She needed some help getting in and out of bed and The community team went Home First. washing and dressing back that afternoon and herself – things that brought some equipment she was managing well at that helped Audrey to use home before her admission. The multiher bathroom and to sit down and disciplinary team felt that Audrey would manage her washing and dressing at
home. They visited her twice a day, getting her to do a little bit more every day and regain her balance and stamina. Audrey settled in well at home. Within a week she was walking unaided, within ten days she was much less muddled and her confidence and stamina had improved so that she was able to look after herself again at home. Audrey was really happy with the experience she had from Home First. She said she found the thought of going home really daunting and didn’t think she’d ever be able to manage on her own again at her age, but was pleasantly surprised that she got so much better so much more quickly at home. She said getting a decent night’s sleep in her own bed made a big difference, as did the patience and encouragement of the people helping her at home.
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Shaping the future We’re developing our strategy for the next three years, and have been talking with our members, staff and partner organisations to listen to their views. We want to know what they think our ambitions and priorities should be, so we know that we are developing our services to meet the needs of everyone involved with the RUH.
Fiona Bird, Head of Business Development
The RUH is active in the region, stable and well-led External partner organisation, September 2017
In August and September 2017 we set out to engage with staff, members and volunteers through a series of meetings, telephone interviews and events. Information was made available on the staff website, and for two weeks there was a virtual noticeboard where “Ensure that staff could post their what we do, comments and ideas.
we do well.”
RUH member of More than 450 people staff, September took part – around 140 2017 members and volunteers meetings in Chippenham how we can build upon being a (including governors), and Westbury, and to patient-centered and compassionate 300 staff and 30 the Trowbridge organisation, being an representatives of partner organisations Health and Social outstanding place to including local charities, community Care Forum.” work where staff can “Continue to service providers, universities and flourish, continuing to |consult patients, Participants talked colleges and other healthcare providers. improve the quality staff and community to us about what an of our services and Fiona Bird, Head of Business and report on outstanding RUH would about how important Development, said: “I’ve really enjoyed be like, and what they progress.” the time we’ve spent going out to it is that we work RUH public member, feel our priorities for talk to people about our future. It’s with our partners September 2017 the next three years so important that we develop our to strengthen should be. We also spent strategy with our members, staff and our community. some time looking at our community, and We’re now using the our journey over the last I’m grateful that information we’ve gathered to develop few years. so many people “Partnership between our draft strategy. Thank you to Jocelyn Foster, have taken the staff, patients and everyone who took part.” Commercial Director, time to talk to us. carers, with patient In the past few months we’ve gone back said: “We’ve received As well as running experience embedded out to gather views about our future so much helpful workshops at the in everything we do.” strategy. We will share them in the next information from those RUH, we’ve also RUH member of staff, edition of insight. In the meantime, if who took part. Some been out and September 2017 you would like to know more, please really clear themes about, for example to the constituency have emerged, about contact ruh-tr.strategy@nhs.net 10
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Rugby star is ambassador for The RNHRD and Therapies Centre Campaign Welcome to former rugby player Ed Jackson as a Forever Friends Appeal ambassador – helping the RNHRD and Therapies Centre fundraising campaign.
supported by working in the right environments to help them to deliver the best level of care. We need the public’s support to help raise the remaining £800,000 towards an innovative and therapeutic new centre.
The Bath Rugby back row, born in Bath, broke his neck in a freak accident at a family barbecue in April 2017. Aged 28, he was told that he may not walk again. But after months of recovery and rehabilitation at three different hospitals, including the Royal United Hospitals Bath, Ed’s mobility is making incredible progress. His first role as an ambassador saw him accept a cheque on behalf
“Thanks to the Brownsword Match Funding Challenge, every pound donated will be matched by the Brownsword Charitable Foundation, doubling support.” (from left to right): Andrew Brownsword, Miriam Roberts, Neuro Trauma Therapy Assistant, Ed Jackson and Jenny Wilson, Neuro Trauma Occupational Therapist.
of the Appeal for £200,000
by members of the public.
from benefactor Andrew
Ed said: “The staff at the RUH do an amazing job, and I believe that they should be
Brownsword, matching the same amount already raised
To help build of the new RNHRD and Therapies Centre, you can make a donation on the hospital’s fundraising charity’s website: www.foreverfriendsappeal. co.uk
Celebrating National Play in Hospital Week Young patients and staff on our Children’s Ward enjoyed a week of music, dressing up and games to celebrate National Play in Hospital Week 2017. The year’s theme was the Power of Play, raising awareness of the benefits of play and activity in the treatment of sick children and young people.
Melanie Gittins, Senior Sister said: “The fun doesn’t stop when National Play in Hospital Week is over. Every week our Play Specialists put on a variety of play activities to welcome children and prepare them to cope with surgery or other procedures.”
Lyn Gardiner, RUH Play Specialist said: “Play helps children cope with pain and fear while they are in hospital. National Play in Hospital Week is an opportunity for us to show the positive impact that play and distraction has on a child’s hospital experience.” Children’s ward staff dressed up as superheroes to match the Power of Play theme and local Bath Rugby heroes Taulupe Faletau, Luke Charteris, Kahn Fotuali’i and Anthony Perenise paid a special visit. www.ruh.nhs.uk
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Art at the 3D Mackerel Shoal ‘Twenty-two Tiddlers’ Jess Hughes, Clinical Auditor
Creative Perspectives Staff & Volunteer Exhibition 20th October 2017 – 18th January 2018 A fantastic showcase of the RUH Staff’s artistic talents is on display in the Central Gallery (Ground Floor, Zone B) for the RUH Staff and Volunteer Exhibition.
Creative Perspectives, a creative peer-led group that supports creativity, health and wellbeing in Bath are exhibiting their work at the RUH. Come and support them and Art at the Heart and take this opportunity to buy an original piece of artwork by local artists.
Staff members from a range of departments, Maternity, Estates, Pathology, Therapies and ward volunteers to name a few, have taken part by exhibiting mediums such as photography, painting and mixed media. Did you know?... Patients, staff and visitors can vote for their favourite artwork on display. You can vote by filling out a voting slip in the Central Gallery at the RUH and placing it in the box provided or Meerkat, Amanda vote on the Art at Gell, Matron the Heart website http://artatruh. org/exhibitions/ temporaryprogramme/ central-exhibition/ A prize will be awarded to the winning artist in January 2018 when the exhibition ends. Good luck to all staff and volunteers who have entered. 12
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The Music Room, Anna Newman, Creative Perspectives
Bath Artists’ Studios Silent Auction results This year the Bath Artists’ Studios Silent Auction raised £2,000 and the proceeds will be split between both charity organisations, Art at the Heart and Bath Artists’ Studios. Thank you to everyone who made a bid and well done to the winners!
of the RUH New Multi-faith Centre The New Multi-faith Centre will open its doors this winter. There will be a stained glass window focal point designed by glass artist Sally Politzer (expected completion January 2018). It also offers a beautifully designed courtyard garden with restful planting, seating and as its focal point a unique sculpture by artist Chris Buck. The new Multifaith Centre will be very accessible and is located on the crossroads of Zone C&D on the ground floor.
Artsparks In October, we welcomed a new artist, Mary Chamberlain to deliver Artsparks workshops on the Children’s ward. Mary is an artist specialising in drawing and painting and loves looking at movement and the captured moment in her work. She studied at Wimbledon School of Art and has since pursued her interest in using creativity to enrich people’s lives. She has worked as a Creative Practitioner ‘Blue Parrott’ with the Artwork produced by NHS, a patient charities and community groups for 19 years and is very much looking forward to starting at Artsparks. She takes a patient led approach with her work and will be using a variety of materials including watercolour paints, acrylic paints, pencils, and stencils on the ward.
Musicians from Bath Folk Club performing on a ward
December performances from Bath Folk Club 1-1.30pm in the RUH main entrance 1.45pm – 3.30pm on the older people wards for patients Friday 8th December - Gina Griffin and Tim Petherick (Lansdown Foyer) Monday 18th December - Seb Gutiez and Charlotte Ostafew (Atrium) Tuesday 19th December – Jenny Crook (Atrium) Wednesday 20th December – Gina Griffin and Tim Petherick (Atrium) Please visit: www.artatruh. org/music/lunchtimeperformances
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Membership news
Caring for You As we near the end of 2017 and tip into the New Year, we are also coming to the end of our Caring for You schedule. These are events for our members that cover a range of subjects, giving our members and the public the opportunity to step behind the scenes and understand more about the work of the hospital and how it supports the health and well-being of the local communities. We always have a guest speaker or clinical team who explain their work and what’s being done at the hospital. We’ve had a fantastic range of topics in 2017 and these events are proving to be more and more popular with our members. There are still a few events left into 2018, so please make sure that you book a place for the following dates: 16 January 2018 – Food and Nutrition 21 March 2018 – Age Related Macular Degeneration 24 May 2018 – 21st Century Lifestyle All events take place at 6pm – 7:30pm in the Post Graduate Medical Centre (Dept. B20). You can book a place by contacting the Membership Office on 01225 821262 or by emailing ruhmembership@nhs.net
It’s All About You
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It’s that time of year where we ask you what you are interested in. What topics would you like to see on next year’s Caring for You schedule? Please complete this form and return it to the Membership Office by 8 January 2018 using our freepost address: FREEPOST RSLZ-GHKG-UKKL, Foundation Trust Membership Office, Royal United Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Combe Park, Bath, BA1 3NG.
Caring for you Survey 2018 Please select up to 6 topics from the list below that you would be interested in seeing in our Caring for You schedule 2018: ■ RUH Estate – Tell us what’s New?
■ Organ Donation
■ Men’s Health ■ Women’s and Children’s Services
■ A Day in the Life of an RUH Employee
■ Urgent and Emergency Care
■ Cardiology
■ The Value of Therapies (Physio & Occupational)
■ Research and Development at the RUH
■ Antibiotic Resistance
■ Nuclear Medicine
■ Winter Pressures
■ Cancer Services
■ All About Skin – Moles and Melanoma
■ The Surgical Theatre
insight Winter 2017
Our Annual General Meeting was held at the Assembly Rooms in Bath on 27th September, and was well-attended as usual by 158 people. It was a pleasure to meet so many of you and to be able to share our achievements and challenges over the past financial year. We also had the opportunity to share our plans to continue to enhance and develop our services for patients. You can read more about this in our Year in Review brochure which is available on our website, www.ruh. nhs.uk, click on About Us and then the Annual General Meeting 2017 page (found on the left hand menu). Alternatively you can request a hard copy from our Membership Office by contacting them via the details below. During the AGM, all attendees got involved and talked to our Governors so we could understand what an outstanding RUH would mean to you. The information gathered will inform our 2018-2021 business plan and we will feature articles based on this member feedback throughout the insight magazine next year.
■ Diabetes
■ Respiratory
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Did you miss the 2017 AGM? Here’s an update
YEAR IN REVIEW
2016/17
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Meet your new Governors Our members had the opportunity to take part in our second constituency wide Governor election this summer since becoming an NHS Foundation Trust. This year we had six public vacancies to fill across the constituencies and 13 candidates chose to stand in the election.
We are delighted to announce the following successful candidates:
Amanda Buss, Helen Rogers and
• Amanda Buss, City of Bath • Helen Rogers, North East Somerset • Michael Welton, Mendip • Jacek Waclaw Kownacki, North Wiltshire • Chris Hardy, South Wiltshire
Governors who have been re-elected.
Your new Governors:
Mendip: Michael Welton City of Bath: Amanda Buss “I am delighted to have been re-elected as a Governor to represent the people of Bath, and I am very much looking forward to continuing to meet as many members as possible. I have really enjoyed my time as a Governor, and it has been very rewarding to be involved right from the start and to see the new Foundation Trust evolve and develop as both the national and local health landscapes have changed. “On a personal level, I am hoping to build on the knowledge that I have acquired since I was first elected and to utilise this to further improve the communication between the Trust and the membership. It will also be exciting to be here when the new RNHRD and Therapies Centre and the Cancer Centre are opened.
“I am very pleased to be re-elected. I have been a Governor for five years and I think we have achieved a lot in terms of communication with the local community and feeding into the strategy and direction of the RUH. In the last two years we have held the Non-Executive Directors to account and monitored the performance of the Board. We need to continue this good work and I’m looking forward to it.”
Michael Welton are previous Public Jacek Kownacki is a new Governor elected for the first time. Chris Hardy is a new Governor for South Wiltshire who has been confirmed through an uncontested election.
again representing the people of North East Somerset on the Council of Governors. I work for the Royal College of Midwives, and I really enjoy using my experience to work alongside my other Governors to make a difference at the RUH. I look forward, along with my fellow Governor, Nick Holton to meeting and talking to more of you in the future so that I can represent your views. Thank you.”
North Wiltshire: Jacek Kownacki “I am delighted to find a new vocation where I can put something back into the community. Thank you for putting your trust in me.”
newly elected candidates will now join others on our Council of Governors to represent you, our members, for the next three years. “It is really important that members have a voice and are able to help the Trust improve services for both patients and staff, so thank you for taking part in this important process. “Unfortunately nobody put themselves forward to become our next Rest of England & Wales Governor so we are currently running a by-election which should conclude on the 21 December. All members who live within this constituency will be sent their ballot documentation at the end of November.” South Wilts: Chris Hardy “I am delighted to become a Governor and to use my fifty years of experience as a nurse to help the RUH and local community.”
Trust Chairman Brian Stables said:
North East Somerset: Helen Rogers “I am pleased to be once
“Thank you to all of you who took the time to vote for your new representatives. We had a great turnout with a good number of your choosing to cast your ballots online. Our
To contact our Governors call: 01225 826288 or email: ruhmembership@nhs.net www.ruh.nhs.uk
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The fundraising charity for the Royal United Hospital @ForeverFriendsA
foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk
foreverfriendsappeal
01225 825691
Hello! We’re the fundraising charity for Bath’s Royal United Hospitals. Our fundraisers and donors make it possible for us to help fund additional equipment, research and innovations, as well as finishing touches and extras that complement the existing high quality care at the RUH. We run a calendar of events throughout the year, hopefully there’s something for everyone!
Come and find out about our 2018 Trek the Canyons adventure Next year’s adventure is an eight day ‘once in a lifetime’ trekking challenge to explore America’s three of the South-West most majestic National Parks; the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park – lesser known than their iconic neighbour, but equally packed with bucket-list worthy and challenging landscapes for trekkers. We understand that taking on a challenge of this scale can be a big commitment, that’s why we’re holding a Trek the Canyons Information Evening on Tuesday 23 January 2018, 6.30pm – 8pm. During the evening a representative from Global Adventure Challenges (the company we team up with) will explain the trek in detail and answer any questions you may have to help you decide if this challenge is for you. Interested? For more details about the trek, visit our website.
Join us in the 2018 Bath Half Missed getting a public place in next year’s Bath Half Marathon? Join our team and run for The Forever Friends Appeal on Sunday 4 March. We have a limited number of places available. The Bath Half Marathon is a fast flat course that threads through the heart of the city. You’ll start and finish at the same point in Great Pulteney Street and avoid all the hills surrounding the City. When you join our team, you can choose to fundraise for our RUH Cancer Care Campaign, the RNHRD & Therapies Campaign, or for a ward or department in the hospital that is close to your heart. You can also join us if you have a general entry place. So, sign up today, visit our website – see you at the start line.
Join one of our community groups There are so many ways in which you can fundraise for The Forever Friends Appeal. For those who would prefer to do something less energetic, why not join one of our community groups? To find out where your local RUH fundraising Community Groups is visit: www. foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk/community-groups. Alternatively, if you would like to set a community group to meet with like-minded people and fundraise for the RUH contact our Senior Community Fundraiser on: Claudia.hickin@nhs.net for a free starter pack.
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Thank you! www.friendsoftheruh.org.uk | 01225 824046 | ruh-tr.volunteers@nhs.net
The Friends of the RUH is a voluntary organisation which provides amenities and comforts for patients and relatives which could not otherwise be provided by the NHS. They also organise volunteers to work across the hospital, fundraise, and run a café and shop that are open 7 days a week. hospital shop (near the main entrance), office, as well as take our trolley around the wards so patients can buy essentials. Plus, we also need help from fundraisers and apprentices. If you’re interested and would like to find out more, please contact us.
Sam Nolan, Volunteer Services Manager said: “We have twenty different volunteer teams working across the hospital helping with a range of tasks. These tasks range from guides meeting and greeting people as they walk into the hospital, to attending to the several gardens around the hospital. “This year we launched our ‘acts of kindness’ campaign which refers to the emergency toiletry packs which are given out by our volunteers to patients who have been rushed in without the bare essentials. I’d like to thank everyone who has donated one pound towards one of these as patients are grateful to receive them, so thank you. “We’re currently looking for volunteers,
And finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our volunteers for giving up their spare time and helping us. Their contribution and dedication is humbling and we couldn’t do it without them.”
so if you have some spare time, come and join our team. We need more volunteers to help us in our coffee shop,
It’s bingo time! If you’re quick with a dabber, come and join us at 6pm on Thursday 14 December in the RUH Oasis Conference Centre for a game of Christmas bingo. Tickets cost £5 which includes three books, five games and a bingo dabber. Tickets can be bought in the Friends Shop.
www.ruh.nhs.uk
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Thanks &thoughts We love to hear from our patients and their families and every year we receive an incredible amount of thank you letters and helpful feedback. Here’s a selection of recent thanks and thoughts, which we thought you’d enjoy reading. Posted on the RUH’s NHS Choices Reviews page (www.nhs.uk)
“Recent stay at the RUH” I have recently spent five days in the Medical Assessment and Respiratory Wards and just want to thank all the staff for their attention, kindness and treatment. Both day and night, although they are very busy, nothing was too much trouble. Thank you again.
“Thank you RUH Bath!” I was on holiday in Bath when I fell and broke my ankle. The care I received at RUH Bath was outstanding. The personal care and professional, skilled services I received at a very traumatic time were of the highest standard. I am so appreciative of all the staff who helped me. I am healing well and have every hope that I will have a full recovery. Thank you so much for everything!”
Father’s £10k donation to RUH Critical Care in son’s memory People needing critical care at the RUH are to benefit from the generosity and gratitude of the father of a former patient. Adrian Hunter, who was 39 years old, spent eleven weeks in the Critical Care Unit earlier this year. On what would have been Adrian’s 40th birthday, his father Rik came in to the RUH and presented the unit with a cheque for £10,000 in thanks for his son’s great care and to honour his memory. Mr Hunter, a retired Royal Air Force officer from Wroughton, near Swindon, said: “Adrian was given unbelievable care and attention from a dedicated nursing team looking after him 24 hours a day. The doctors went to enormous lengths to try to find out what was wrong with him. Everyone put in so much time and effort to try
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to save him and, as far as I could tell, no stone was left unturned. What the staff do in intensive and critical care is absolutely brilliant, I want to make this donation in memory of Adrian through the hospital’s charity, the Forever Friends Appeal, which will purchase specialist equipment for the unit to help support the amazing work they do.” Gavin Hitchman, Critical Care and Outreach Matron, said: “This is an extremely generous donation that will be used for the benefit of future patients we care for. Adrian was an amazingly brave and likable young man, one who staff recall as a pleasure to care for. His father too is a considerate, kind gentleman which I’m sure many people would agree with. We are deeply grateful for this gift in Adrian’s memory.”
www.facebook.com/RoyalUnitedHospitalBath
You can also leave feedback on the NHS Choices website. Visit www.nhs.uk and search for Royal United Hospital Bath. 18
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Forget Me Not bereavement suite – a quiet space for parents A new purpose-designed and built Bereavement Suite has been opened at the RUH Bath Birthing Centre to help families cope with the loss of a child.
Midwifery Sister Linda Davis with Nick and Victoria Price
The Forget Me Not suite has been equipped, furnished and decorated with help from volunteer fundraisers, many of who were present at the official opening ceremony. The suite provides a space away from the busy maternity ward where grieving families who have experienced a stillbirth or neonatal death can have the privacy they need at a particularly difficult time. Midwifery Sister and Bereavement Lead at the RUH, Linda Davis, said: “To lose a baby is an horrific experience. Having a dedicated and designed space for those families is one of the most important parts of the service we provide here. “It allows them to have the space and the time they need to grieve. We help them
to create a personal memory box to take with them, and we offer expert support to help them
“Having a dedicated and designed space for those families is one of the most important parts of the service we provide here.”
to start understanding what has happened so they can take something positive from such a devastating event.”
Guests at the opening included Masonic lodges from Bath that joined forces to raise £5,000 towards the suite, and Ceri Shaw, who set up the Bath branch of the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society, and who raised £6,000 for a specialist folding bed. Also present were Victoria and Nick Price, from Frome in Somerset, who raised £9000 in memory of their baby George, who was tragically stillborn in October 2016. Their donation will go towards creating a new family room adjoining the suite. Nick said: “If we can contribute even in a small way to this worthy cause, and help families and couples cope with this awful experience, then it will be a legacy for George. A family room would be so useful - it would give relatives somewhere to stay and to support the parents, while allowing them time alone when they need it.” www.ruh.nhs.uk
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