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For patients, staff, visitors and volunteers
JULY 2017
Page 5 Food for thought from dietitians
Page 3 Campaign to save lives
Page 10 Mountain challenge for fundraisers
Success at Research Showcase – see centre pages
Stroke patients will benefit from trials Patients needing treatment for a stroke will benefit from the Trust’s specialist service being recognised at a national level. The stroke service at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham was awarded Hyperacute Stroke Research Centre (HSRC) status, making it only one of nine specialist stroke research centres across the country. The national accreditation will give the Trust’s team additional opportunities to undertake research bringing benefits to patients from around the region. Every year there are 152,000 strokes in the UK – approximately one every three and a half minutes. Most people affected are over 65, but anyone can have a stroke, including children and babies. In recent years there has been a major overhaul of how people are treated for strokes with teams like the one at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham offering round-the-clock care. Its Hyper-acute and Acute Stroke Unit takes all patients with a primary diagnosis of acute stroke admitted to the trust. The aim of the unit is to provide high quality hyper-acute care for all stroke patients, regardless of severity or rehabilitation potential. In addition to the Trust’s seven-day-a-week stroke service, patients can attend two nurse-led clinics a week. It is estimated that the team will see 800 strokes and 500 mini-strokes, known as ‘transient ischaemic attacks (TIA)’ each year. The team includes a wide range of specialists including four medical doctors, specialist stroke
and rehabilitation nurses, speech and language therapists, dietitians and psychologists as well as physio and occupational therapists. Consultant neurologist and senior lecturer Mark Willmot, has taken on the role of Clinical Lead for HSRC. He believes the service’s new status can have a direct impact on patients. “When diagnosing and treating someone who has had a stroke, rapid intervention is essential which is why our round-the-clock care can ensure the best possible outcomes. “There is also a recognition that access to patients on a 24-hour basis means it is possible to run more extensive research trials that will give us an insight into how treatments can be improved to support the patient.” The value of research has long been recognised and the HSRCs have shown that the infrastructure is in place at the Trust to support more complex work. At a recent conference held at the Trust, a wide range of specialists shared their thoughts including consultant Dr Don Sims, Clinical Services Lead for Stroke at QEHB. He outlined the importance of research in stroke, and how the speciality has seen a fall in mortality rate; in part due to changes in practice because of evidence from research trials which patients were willing to join. For more information regarding stroke visit the Stroke Association’s website www.stroke.org.uk
Recognise the signs of stroke Do you know the FAST message? Acting FAST saves lives and ensures a better chance of recovery. Facial Weakness Can the person smile? Has their face fallen on one side? Arm Weakness Can the person raise both arms and keep them there? Speech Problems Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Is their speech slurred? Time If you see any one of these three signs, it’s TIME to call 999. Stroke is always a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention.
There are over twenty stroke research studies currently taking place in the West Midlands, with many more to come. If you would like to find out how you can get involved contact: James Cunningham, Stroke Research Practitioner. ƀ james.cunninghan@uhb.nhs.uk
Nurse recruitment video grips social media A nurse recruitment video, aiming to attract experienced nurses to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), has sparked excitement across the Trust following its launch on social media. The video, which was released on the Trust’s Facebook page has already reached nearly 140,000 people across the city thanks to staff and patient sharing the content with friends, making it the hospital’s most popular post to date. In addition to raising awareness of nursing at QEHB, the video has prompted an outpouring of public support for the hospital from hundreds of reactions. One patient commented via Facebook: “Amazing hospital, unlike any other I’ve ever been to. The staff are exceptional and the care you receive is second to none. They saved my life and will continue to save millions more.” A former member of staff reacted to the video with praise: “Without this hospital I wouldn’t have achieved what I have in my career, they are phenomenal.” The video was launched to provide an insight into working at QEHB and promote on-site facilities ahead of a special nurse recruitment open day on 1 July. The video can be viewed at: www.nursing.uhb.nhs.uk, on the Trust’s YouTube channel ‘UHBvideos’ or via the Trust’s official Facebook page @QEHBOfficial.
Best in Care 2017 See page 3 for details
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