Insight
T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R N O R T H A M P T O N G E N E R A L H O S P I TA L PAT I E N T S A N D V I S I T O R S
Spring 2014
ISSUE
50
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Four new A&E consultants join NGH FaRgaEziE ne m
Emergency medicine consultants double from four to eight in just four months Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
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2 ❘ INSIGHT
P rovided with accurate unbiased information on your rights, roles and responsibilities in relation to special educational needs and disabilities. G iven practical support to help in discussions with schools and other agencies, providing opportunities for early disagreement resolution. H elped to express your views and assist in getting them valued by professionals. P rovided with information about other agencies which can help. S upported to participate in strategic decision making for services for children and young people in Northamptonshire.
Insight Spring 2014
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Green shoots of recovery By the time you read this, the report of our recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission may well have been published, and we will know how we have fared in it. My hunch is that it will say that some parts of the hospital are in need of improvement, and I would not disagree with that assessment. In fact, in briefings to staff, the media and to the CQC inspectors themselves I was very frank and suggested that, although much of the care we deliver is good, we know that improvements are needed and we have a plan to work on key areas. I would be very surprised if the report were to identify any weaknesses that we do not already know about and are working to put right.
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S COLUMN ◗
That does not mean that we are complacent, but whatever the report says it will not shake my belief that this is a fundamentally good hospital and that we can improve to hopefully reach the highest standards in every service. Following the first part of the inspection in mid-January, which coincided with two days of the most severe pressures on beds and intensive care of the winter so far, the inspectors provided me with some brief feedback. This was mainly to alert us to a few areas for immediate attention, and fortunately these were all things that we were quickly and easily able to address.
14 26 18 Editor: Peter Kennell 01604 523871 (peter.kennell@ngh.nhs.uk) Photos: Medical Illustration 01604 545251 Advertising: Octagon Design & Marketing 01909 478822 Insight is a free magazine, and we encourage our patients and visitors to take one home with our compliments. Please pass it on to a friend or relative when you have read it. Printing and design of the magazine are provided free of charge in return for the revenue from advertisers. No NHS or charitable donations are used to fund its production.
Overall they agreed with our own assessment that urgent care pressures have a serious impact on the functioning of the hospital, and that this sometimes masks the performance of some of our good services. They did say that generally they found better standards than they expected to find from the information they had received about the hospital. They commented specifically on how well they were received for the visit and welcomed by staff. They were also impressed with our desire for improvement, what they described as ‘the green shoots of recovery’, and the general support for the recent improvements we have made or are committed to making. The second phase of the inspection took place at the end of January when nine CQC inspectors arrived unannounced one evening and looked at a range of our services. We were not made aware of any new areas of concern and we are now awaiting the
full report with interest. Meanwhile the hospital continues to be very busy with high numbers of admissions and pressure on all our specialties. We are also busy planning for the new financial year, and working with the local health economy to address the most urgent priorities we are facing in the county. And of course, we must do more with less as the pressure to reduce costs intensifies. There is good news though. Recent data for NGH shows improvements in both measures of hospital mortality indicators and these are now at acceptable levels. As you will read on page six, we have doubled the number of consultants in our A&E department from four to eight – and we have also appointed some other consultants to help us to manage the workload in areas where this has been steadily increasing. Best of all I continue to receive a number of very nice compliment letters from grateful patients and relatives, which provide a real boost to our hardworking staff. This year we opened up nominations for our annual awards so that patients could put forward the names of staff who have gone the extra mile to provide great care. I’m now very much looking forward to presenting our Best Possible Care Awards in April when we will announce the winners, who will then feature in the next issue of Insight which will be published at the start of June.
Dr Sonia Swart Chief executive
INSIGHT ❘ 3
Northampton General Hospital
◗ NEWS
NHS Trust
What we do
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust provides general acute services for a population of 380,000 and hyper-acute stroke, vascular and renal services to people living throughout the whole of Northamptonshire, a population of 684,000. The Trust is also an accredited cancer centre and provides cancer services to a wider population of 880,000 who live in Northamptonshire and parts of Buckinghamshire. In addition to the main hospital site, which is located close to Northampton town centre, the Trust also provides services at the following sites in the county: ◗ Danetre Hospital in Daventry: Outpatients, day surgery and in-patient rehabilitation ◗ Isebrook Hospital in Wellingborough: In-patient rehabilitation services ◗ Corby Community Hospital: In-patient rehabilitation services We provide the full range of outpatients, diagnostics, inpatient and day case elective and emergency care and also a growing range of specialist treatments that distinguishes our services from many district general hospitals.
Our vision and values
Our vision is to provide the best possible care for all of our patients. This requires NGH to be recognised as a hospital that delivers safe, clinically effective acute services focused entirely on the needs of the patient, their relatives and carers. These services may be delivered from our acute or community hospital sites or by our staff in the community. Our prime focus is to provide the best possible care for all of our patients, regardless of the setting where this is undertaken. Our values are: ◗ We put patient safety above all else ◗ We aspire to excellence ◗ We reflect, we learn, we improve ◗ We respect and support each other
Who we are
Chairman Paul Farenden | Chief executive Dr Sonia Swart | Interim chief operating officers Deborah Needham and Rebecca Brown |Interim medical director Dr Mike Wilkinson | Director of nursing, midwifery and patient services Suzie Loader | Acting director of finance Andrew Foster | Director of facilities and capital development Charles Abolins | Director of strategy and partnerships Chris Pallot | Director of workforce and transformation Janine Brennan | Non-executive directors Graham Kershaw, David Noble, Nick Robertson, Liz Searle, Phil Zeidler.
Contact us
NGH all departments: 01604 634700 Website: www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk
4 ❘ INSIGHT
Dancing shoes on – it’s Strictly NGH! Staff at NGH will soon take to the floor and begin training for Strictly NGH – our own version of the popular BBC1 dance show. Head of communications Sally-Anne Watts said: “Thanks to the Step by Step Dance School, who also produce Strictly Northampton, 16 members of staff will get a chance to take part in this dazzling event. We hope staff will be keen to take part – they will have fun, learn something new and, at the same time, raise money for the hospital’s Charitable Fund.”
Wendy Foster, infection prevention and control practitioner, who came third in Strictly Northampton in 2012. The competing dancers will undergo six weeks’ training on Sunday afternoons at the Step by Step Dance School
studios in Northampton before they take to the floor at the Deco Theatre, Northampton on the evening of Saturday 14 June 2014 to battle it out for the coveted first place trophy. Tickets for the event will be on sale soon.
Sally is helping to arrange the event with
Calling all local artists and sculptors Northampton General Hospital is looking for budding and established local artists and sculptors to put forward their ideas for new art installations at the hospital.
here for local artists and sculptors to come up with some ideas for installations that will ultimately be seen by hundreds of people who use the hospital every day.
Charles Abolins, NGH director of facilities and capital development, said: “We have identified a couple of roof spaces visible from some of our busiest areas – adjoining our café, radiology and A&E departments for example – that would benefit from some artworks to add interest and enhance the view.
“We are very keen to support a sustainable environment, and for that reason we particularly want the artworks to be constructed from recycled materials. The materials will of course have to be weatherproof.
“We believe there is a fantastic opportunity Charles Abolins on the roof area adjoining the hospital’s cafe
“We think it is important to show off the wealth of artistic talent we have in the area, and this would generate a lot of recognition throughout the county for whoever was accepted to help us create this project.” The hospital is inviting expressions of interest and outline ideas from prospective contributors until 31 March 2014. To submit a proposal, please email an overview of the project, rough illustration, and description of the design including materials to be used, to Charles.Abolins@ngh.nhs.uk For more information or to arrange a site visit to view the intended location of artworks, please contact the Estates and Facilities office on 01604 545589.
NEWS ◗
Lucy’s fundraising is up and running Lucy Bazeley, healthcare assistant and student nurse on Hawthorn Ward, is running the London Marathon on 13 April when she hopes to raise funds to benefit two charities close to her heart. She says: “I will be running alongside my brother and Mo Farah. Well maybe not exactly nose to nose but, like me, Mo will be taking part for the first time! The London Marathon is such an iconic event. For me it used to be a regular trip to see my Dad run and then later my brother, so I am totally chuffed to be following in their running footsteps.” Lucy says she is truly excited to be taking part and, strangely enough, she has been enjoying the training… so far! “I feel fortunate. While I’m soaking up the adrenaline I can also raise awareness and funds for two charities that I totally believe in.” One of those charities is the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation. Created by the former Saints and England rugby union player, it’s a charity that creates awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of bullying and also raises funds to support those doing real-world work to stop it.
StandUp aims to connect communities and create a world of understanding and kindness. Ben, who retired from professional rugby to chair the foundation, says: “It is time we stand up for what is right and support people who are being harmed. Every person on the planet has a right to be true to themselves, to love and to be loved, and to be happy. Let’s make a difference.” You can visit Lucy’s fundraising page to be part of making a difference at https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ lucybazeleychambers The second charity is the British Heart Foundation. Lucy says: “Recently a dear friend of mine was fighting for their heart beat. Their wife, friends and I were with them at the time. The tireless work the British Heart Foundation researchers do allows us to continue spending time with those close to us, and the funds we make can help others affected by heart disease. The importance of keeping a family unit together is beyond explanation. Join me to prevent heart disease and mend broken hearts by donating on my fundraising page at www.virginmoneygiving.com/ LucyBazeleyChambers. Thank you.”
Neither of them will be any serious London Marathon competition for Mo Farah, but both of these NGH runners will be in great company on 13 April and doing it for all the right reasons. We wish them the very best of luck.
David Stock, running for diabetes What should an ageing (50 in March), unfit, slightly overweight orthopaedic surgeon, with injuries to his knee and ankle, who hates running - not take on as a challenge? The London Marathon! David said: “I was diagnosed as an insulin dependent diabetic (Type 1) 26 years ago at the age of 24. This came completely out of the blue. I had always been fit and healthy and four years before was playing rugby for Saracens Rugby Football Club. I was studying for the first part of my surgical exams at the time. “My diabetes has never really prevented me from undertaking anything, but has at times made it slightly more difficult (training for the Marathon being a case in point). “If I had been born with, or developed diabetes at a younger age I am sure it would have had a significant effect on my career and all those activities I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed.
“I have a charity place from JDRF to run in the London Marathon, but also hope to raise money for the Diabetes Centre here at Northampton General. “Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) funds research to cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes. They provide information for children, adults and parents living with the condition, at all stages from diagnosis and beyond. “The diabetes centre here at Northampton General have been incredibly supportive over the years, helping me manage my diabetes. Like many NHS departments there are pieces of equipment and facilities that are not available, that would improve the quality of care that could be offered. Hopefully the money raised will help contribute towards this. “I would love you to sponsor me and donations can be made through the link on my website: www.davidjstock.co.uk”
INSIGHT ❘ 5
◗ ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY
A&E consultants double in four months The busy workload of A&E departments up and down the country has been well documented by the media in recent months. According to some reports, consultants in emergency medicine are quitting in droves for sunnier climes while others are seeking help for stress in significant numbers because of the pressure. The College of Emergency Medicine has warned of a shortage of consultants, and said that many senior doctors are having to cope with up to double their workload. However here at NGH, while there is no doubt that our emergency department is seeing record numbers of patients, we have been able to double the number of consultants employed there. Between last November - when there were four – and February this year we welcomed another four consultants, bringing the total to eight. We spoke to three of the new doctors to find out what made them choose to work at NGH in such a busy role. Profiles by Kenny Engelfield
Mike Pearce First up is Dr Mike Pearce. A father of two, he spent a year training here and liked it so much he wanted to join what he describes as a hospital that looks after its patients very well.
I enjoy working here, which is why I came back for more. This department works better than others I have been in.
“I had already worked here as part of the team and I really enjoyed it when I was here. I thought the nursing team and the other consultants were a great bunch of people. When you are thinking about where you want to work long term, those things are quite important. It’s a very big hospital with lots of different services, and it has a really good track record of providing high quality care to people across all specialties. Being part of a new team that is rapidly expanding gives us greater opportunities to improve and develop the service that we offer.” A keen baker in his spare time, he is also a member of a local church, where he loves being part of another type of community life. It seems that he enjoys the pressure of being responsible for people and patients both at work and outside. “I do enjoy that pressure because if you know you have worked with the wider hospital team to do the best you can for patients, it is extremely satisfying.” “There are lots of pressures on you
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at one particular time in this job. We have to look after a wide range of patients with different types of medical problems who are often extremely unwell. There are also time pressures, and pressures that come from the national shortage of emergency physicians. All of those combined make it a challenging environment.” Mike’s interests in A&E include ultrasound and improving the care of patients with mental health difficulties. He also enjoys teaching and using pathways to improve patient care. These are just some ideas that he is hoping to bring to a department that he hopes to work in for many years to come. “I have come here to work long term, helping to build on the foundation we already have and to make the most of an expanding team to really improve our services so we have a great reputation for emergency care within the hospital. Our trainees already enjoy coming here and learning here so I want to build on that as well.”
she jumped at the chance to work here permanently. “I enjoy working here, which is why I came back for more. This department works better than others I have been in. I think part of that is because we work in the same area, so the medics and the surgeons will come down to A&E. Out of the five emergency departments I have worked in, Northampton is definitely the best for teamwork.” She specialises in looking after the elderly in hospital and its surroundings after finishing a 12 month training programme, which she was the first person in the country to do. The geriatric training was an extra year on top of her six year emergency medicine training programme.
Sarah Vince
It is unusual to find such a happy and bubbly consultant as Sarah. After all, she is working in A&E, a part of hospitals nationwide that has come under intense scrutiny recently. She admits the anti-social side of it is something that she and others do not look forward to.
Another new A&E consultant is Dr Sarah Vince. Originally from Wiltshire, Sarah enjoyed spending eighteen months working as a registrar at NGH as part of her training, and when she saw a post for a new consultant at the hospital,
“I think that is what discourages most people from doing A&E. A lot of junior doctors do enjoy it, but the idea of doing those types of hours when you are forty or fifty is not very attractive at all. But I’m still one of those crazy people that want to do it! Moving somewhere like New Zealand would appeal to me, as there is less pressure on consultants. However I just couldn’t be twenty-four hours away from my family.” >>
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ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY ◗ Outside of her work, she spends time running and painting watercolours. She also likes sewing, a secret she instantly regretted sharing as she deemed it ‘boring’. The future is looking exciting for Sarah. In November she is flying out to Zambia for the second time to volunteer her services, something she has paid for herself due to her dedication for improving the health of those less fortunate. She also fundraises for equipment to donate to the hospital where she is going to be volunteering. Long-term, Sarah is hoping to become part of the furniture here at NGH for many years to come. “I hope I am here forever. I don’t want to go through any more interviews! Life changes, but I haven’t got any ambition to become the head of the college of emergency medicine. I would be happy to stay here and help make Northampton A&E the best it can be.”
Tom Odbert The third of our new A&E consultants is Dr Tom Odbert. Having started out in A&E nine years ago at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, Tom has worked across the country in the Oxford, West Midlands and East Midlands Deaneries, as well as in New Zealand. He came to a crossroads in his career where he had to make
a choice between studying for anaesthetics and ITU, or A&E. “I decided on emergency medicine, and started off my specialist training in the West Midlands. I first worked here at NGH as a registrar at the same time as Sarah Vince and Mike Pearce, two years ago. When I came to the end of my training it seemed like a good idea to apply here because of the people who work here, the size of the department, and the opportunities for personal and departmental development.” Compared to other hospitals Tom has worked at, such as Walsgrave in Coventry, and Leicester Royal, it would be fair to say that Northampton is smaller. But does that mean that our new consultant has an easier ride of it? He makes the point that although the hospital does not see as many patients, there are fewer doctors and nurses, and so the amount of patients he sees could be higher than a consultant somewhere else. “In a smaller unit there is less flexibility, and if someone is away or off sick it makes more of a difference. Being smaller, it’s also a friendlier place to be, and that gives patients a better experience. “The pressures on the NHS are well-known to the public, especially during the last six months, because of the media coverage. I think everyone who gets to the end of their A&E training knows what these pressures are like. We see a huge range of different people and different conditions. I enjoy seeing the really unwell resus patients, as well as the
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‘quick fixes’; seeing patients with broken bones, sprains and minor injuries, and either fixing them and seeing them on their way, or sending them on to the next stage of care.” Like other consultants in A&E, you would think that the main thing to do on their days off is relax and spend time on a hobby. Although Tom does spend time taking part in outdoor sports, walking and camping, he also makes use of his medical skills. “Outside of work, but connected to my job, I volunteer with the air ambulance. I work in the emergency medical team which is activated by the ambulance service. When we get a call we make a decision whether to go by car or by helicopter. I work for MAGPAS, which is based in Cambridge. We get to see people who have fallen off motorbikes and suffered scrapes and aches, and others who are really sick. I spent just over three weeks doing that in August last year.
On average I volunteer two days a month, during days off and weekends. Two of my consultant colleagues are also involved in pre-hospital care, and NGH is a recognised centre for Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine Training.” So what does the future hold for Tom? Like Sarah Vince, he is hoping to stay at NGH for quite some time. On the table where he is interviewed there are plans for a new design of the department, something that excites him. “The immediate future is really exciting for Northampton General Hospital. I’m hopefully going to be a part of that for a long time to come.”
Phil Dykes At the end of February we also welcomed our fourth new consultant, Dr Phil Dykes. We hope to catch up with Phil in time for our next issue.
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www.sprattonhall.com INSIGHT ❘ 9
◗ CQC INSPECTION
Helping the inspectors with their enquiries In January NGH was subject to an inspection by the Care Quality Commission to check that standards were being upheld throughout the hospital. A&E was just one area they looked at, and Insight spoke to emergency care matron Rob Bleasdale to see how the department coped. The increasing pressure on A&E departments and the struggle to cope with rising numbers of people seeking urgent care have been well documented by the media in recent months. So when the Care Quality Commission arrived in midJanuary to carry out a full inspection of Northampton General Hospital, matron for emergency care Rob Bleasdale knew that A&E would be very much in the spotlight. A team of four inspectors spent two days in the department – two of the busiest days of the winter - observing care being given first hand, talking to patients, carers and staff, collating evidence and evaluating the information they gathered. They were joined by a fifth member on the second day, plus a paediatric inspection team to look at the service provided to our younger patients. Then later in the month they returned on an unannounced visit to carry out further checks. We asked Rob how he and his team coped with the ordeal. He said: “We were prepared for it, although you never know what the inspectors are actually going to ask you so understandably some staff were anxious – particularly that answering questions and explaining what they were doing would get in the way of providing clinical care. But the inspectors weren’t intrusive. They were quite supportive, and the questions they asked were mainly what you would expect. Sometimes they asked relatively junior staff questions about the organisation that you wouldn’t expect them to know the answers to, in which case staff would explain where they could get the information that was needed. All our staff were positive, professional and friendly, and happy to speak to the inspectors openly and honestly.” “When they questioned patients,
10 ❘ INSIGHT
sometimes they asked for the nurse to be there, and at other times they spoke to them on their own. Patients were generally aware of the inspection, and we know that many were complimentary about their care and wanted to share with the inspectors what a good experience they’d had, despite recognising how busy the department was. Every two hours now a senior nurse and a consultant review and speak to every patient, to check on their pain and ensure they know what is happening to them next. It has really helped to reduce anxiety and improve their experience, and the inspectors were quite complimentary about that. It has also helped to make our patient satisfaction scores – measured by the Friends and Family Test – better than the national average. “Questions ranged from about my background and how did I enjoy working for the hospital to how do we identify vulnerable patients, how do we monitor quality, safety and effectiveness and so on. Then they would come back with further questions, and also check with other staff that what I was saying was actually happening in practice. Two weeks later they came back unannounced at ten o’clock at night to carry out further checks and ask more questions, and stayed until two in the morning. “I hope they have been reassured that we’re aware of our issues and that we’re doing things about them. An example is that we have started to reconfigure the whole area that adjoins A&E, bringing across the minor injuries unit to make it more accessible and efficient. It will also entail moving areas such as the fracture clinic and ambulatory care unit so it will be quite a change, but it should all be complete by the end of the year.”
Rob: Why I do what I do Rob has been the matron for emergency care for three years. Originally from Leeds, he trained as a nurse in Oxford then moved to work in Leicester - where he still lives - before transferring to NGH. Does he enjoy working here? “Absolutely, yes. You spend more time at work than you do at home so if I didn’t enjoy it I wouldn’t have stayed for over four and a half years. This is one of the friendliest places I’ve worked in, and everyone’s very supportive and welcoming to new staff.” But surely the pressure of working in a busy A&E is immense – what do you get out of it? “I think people who work in A&E are attracted by and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment. It’s about the variety, not knowing what’s going to happen next. You deal with everyone from adults to children, with a wide range of conditions, and you carry out very quick investigations and treatment to make people better. Being in hospital can be very frightening for people, particularly when they are at their most vulnerable, have had an accident or are ill but don’t know what’s wrong with them – and as well as making physical changes we can provide psychological and emotional support to reassure them. That’s why I do what I do.” What does being a matron involve? “You’re setting the standards for the department and monitoring the level of care that patients get, checking on standards for everything from the skills of the staff to infection control, the environment and finance. To be a credible leader you have to have a clinical background and be visible on the shop floor, so I still get hands-on and look after patients. Although everything you do in terms of monitoring the service and making changes has an impact on patient care.”
CQC INSPECTION ◗
INSIGHT ❘ 11
◗ FAREWELLS
Piers flies the nest We bid a fond farewell to Piers Massey, nurse consultant in A&E for the better part of two decades By Jessica Steel
You sit back at the end of the week and go ‘crikey’, what a great bunch of staff.
There are few people who can show more love and admiration for a department than Piers does for NGH’s A&E. A supportive, helpful and downright cheerful fellow, Piers describes himself as “the ultimate odd-job man in A&E”. His role includes working clinically on the ‘shop floor’ in all the areas of A&E, in addition to the training and education of the staff there.
leaving a team and department he cherishes and regards with such pride and esteem. “I don’t particularly want to leave, to be honest” says Piers ruefully, “as I said, I adore the staff here. But I want to try something different,” he
It is with pride that Piers declares “the clinical team in A&E is an awesome team. I do literally stand there and think I am absolutely blessed to work with the best team around.” No one understands the pressures facing Accident and Emergency greater than Piers, who easily admits that A&E, as we all know, is overwhelmed on a daily basis with sometimes staggering numbers and a whole host of clinical conditions. “But,” he says “everybody works their socks off … every day they work so hard at getting people better, at saving lives and improving care within this department. They operate under a relentless workload … but they put a smile on the faces, they crack on and they deliver the highest standard of care possible at that time.”
Mull has the wildlife to die for.
So what’s the secret of their success? Piers describes how he considers the “phenomenal work” A&E achieves to be the result of a very trusting and supportive relationship within the whole team here. “I work hand-inglove with the nurses, consultants, health care assistants, receptionists, trackers, cleaners, porters and security. I think A&E as a team flourishes because of that close connection within the team.” Naturally, then, Piers describes himself as “very sad” to be
12 ❘ INSIGHT
smiles wryly “before I’m too old and can’t face too much change”. There is also the question of schooling. Piers admits that if there is a time, then it is now, before his youngest daughter becomes too entrenched in her studies. “It’s all about time,’ he declares sagely “and when these opportunities come up”.
New adventures await Piers describes how his family have made a joint decision to move to the Isle of Mull where, during the busy tourist-driven summer and autumn months he will act as the clinical lead for the A&E departments there. “There aren’t any doctors there,” he confesses “so I’ll be the lead clinician there, with remote access. So I’ll be able, via IT, to talk with doctors on the mainland, but ultimately I’ll be the one clinically leading the department.” In the winter months, Piers will resume his training role, flitting about the Argyle and Bute region to train staff up and down the islands and highlands in other departments.
The prospect of life on Mull seems to be sitting very well with Piers. “I enjoy nature and wildlife,’ he smiles. “I’ll be able to wonder around with my bins” (secret lingo for ‘binoculars’ that I’m assuming only the nature-savvy among us know) “I’m very keen on birds particularly, they have a massive white-tailed eagle population, golden eagles, stags, otters – the wildlife there is extraordinary” Piers face lights up with the prospect of it all. “I’m a very out-doorsy kind of person. I love walking with my dogs” he reveals. “I like being out with them walking and looking for wildlife, and Mull has the wildlife to die for.” It is no doubt for this reason that the adventurous and nature-loving Piers is particularly looking forward to the move. “The idea of travelling around the different islands – and having a good look – that’s what’s exciting” he declares with relish. Other pursuits include creative writing, as Piers reveals he already holds book contracts and has even co-written and edited screenplays in the past. “Part of why I am doing this is to change my life style and to allow time for some more creative space in my life,” he admits. Piers describes how he is looking forward to being able to resume his writing, which has unfortunately been sidelined in recent years, and is looking forward to being able to put the time back in to his novel writing. Clearly a very talented and interesting man, is Piers Massey. At this point we can only thank him for his hard work and dedication here at NGH, and wish him all the best in what promises to be a wonderfully exciting and fulfilling future away on the Isle of Mull.
Tobermory is the largest town on the Isle of Mull with a population of around 700
Piers and his daughter Jessica savour life in Tobermory
INSIGHT â?˜ 13
◗ NURSE TRAINING
NGH nurse training scheme is a model of best practice I agree with Lucy that the training is really tough, but I absolutely love it and it’s true that you get out what you put into it.
In March 2013 the government endorsed a recommendation made in the Francis Report that nurses should work as healthcare assistants (HCAs) for at least a year in order to complete their training. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that the change would help “promote frontline caring experience and values, as well as academic strength”. The Open University (OU) requires all students to be a HCA before starting on their nurse training scheme and, when this was highlighted as good practice, the OU in turn recommended NGH as a successful site for Health Education England (HEE) to visit and speak
Lucy Bazeley, Tess Passmore, and Lisa Sargeant
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with staff about their experiences. Ian Cumming and Lisa BaylissPratt, chief executive and nursing director of HEE, recently came to meet with our managers, mentors and students for a wide-ranging discussion about the scheme and the differences between it and the full-time traditional route of studying. Most importantly they heard about what the experience of being a HCA brings to being a student nurse. The OU have indicated that HEE were impressed with what they heard and have suggested a follow-up meeting to gain further information about the course.
Insight spoke to three students who are undertaking the course or have recently completed it. Lucy Bazeley is in year three of the four-year course. She joined the hospital four years ago as an HCA on Hawthorn and Rowan wards, having previously been a retail buyer. She said: “I started doing volunteer work for the Live at Home scheme, befriended a 96-year-old lady, went to see her every week and I just loved it. That’s what got me into healthcare initially. I worked on the bank here in lots of different wards and then I applied for a full-time position. “The training programme was tough to start with, because you
NURSE TRAINING ◗
The healthcare assistant role
Health Education England chief executive Ian Cumming and nursing director Lisa Bayliss-Pratt, NGH director of nursing Suzie Loader, and Professor Jan Draper, director of nursing at the Open University
work on two different modules at a time, and you have a lot of assignments each month. But I think you get out what you put in really, and your programme tutor can help. We also have an assigned mentor, who works with you to produce the portfolio of evidence you need. “Since the Francis report there has been a lot of talk about compassionate care, but you can’t teach somebody to be compassionate. You can use role models. It’s an innate ability and by working as a healthcare assistant your managers can see somebody who is showing that compassion which is so important in nursing. Working as a healthcare assistant means you understand that basic nursing care and you develop that within your team. I think that is really important.” Lisa Sargeant is now in her final year and was at the hospital for two years before joining the programme. She said: “Previously I worked in elderly dementia in the community and before that I was a nursing cadet with the St John’s Ambulance from the age of eleven, which got me into bones and orthopaedics. I’m now a theatre assistant in Manfield orthopaedic theatres, where I help to look after people going through operations. “I agree with Lucy that the training is really tough, but I absolutely love it and it’s true that you get out what you put into it. Without the training I could never have got this far. I think it’s important to recognise the mentors, who work-full time in their own jobs and give 110 per cent to support us as student nurses. They are the nurses who inspire you to get onto this programme. “The scheme helps people from disadvantaged backgrounds to be given an opportunity. You become an HCA because you love to care, and you already have that instilled ability to talk to your patients. Being able to build on those skills is what nursing is all about. I think that being a theatre assistant has really prepared me for student
nursing. My ultimate goal is to become an adult nurse and go back into orthopaedics.” Tess Passmore completed her training in October 2013 and is now a registered nurse on Benham assessment unit. She said: “For the duration of the training you work parttime as a healthcare assistant and part-time as a student, so you are working full-time but in two different roles. All the OU study is at home which can make it seem quite lonely, but as well as the support of your colleagues and mentors there are also a few tutorials where you can all get together. Towards the end of my training they introduced more online tutorials where you can all log on together, interact and ask questions. They are recorded and then put online so you can listen back to them which is very useful. “I think being an HCA is a good way of seeing if nursing is what you really want to do, and this scheme opens up a big opportunity for people who are not able to do the traditional training. I have two young children and if this opportunity had not been available I would not have been able to do this for both financial and childcare reasons. It’s a wonderful way for people who are less able to go into further education to be able to do it. The support you get from your mentor, colleagues and the hospital is great, and I think NGH should be proud of providing opportunities like this for people.” So – three students at various stages of their transition from healthcare assistants to fully-fledged registered nurses, all singing the praises of what is known as the Open University Pre-Registration Nursing Programme. As Tess suggests, NGH is indeed proud to be involved with a programme that is helping those with natural compassion find a route into nursing. Proud too to be sponsoring students like these. The final word goes to Tess who, when asked what her ambitions were for the future, replied: “Simply to be a good nurse, and to do the best I can for my patients.” Could there be a better answer?
The NHS employs somewhere around 180,000 healthcare assistants, or healthcare support workers. In many ways they are the unsung heroes of our health system, having been around in various guises for decades. Previously known as nursing auxiliaries, their role has expanded over the years and they now perform many services for patients that were once the province of nurses. In turn registered nurses are increasingly undertaking more highly skilled tasks, and from 2013 nursing has become a degree programme. HCAs work alongside nurses, and carry out various duties such as: ◗ Washing and dressing ◗ Helping people to mobilise ◗ Assisting at mealtimes and with feeding patients when necessary ◗ Toileting ◗ Bed making ◗ Generally assisting with patients’ overall comfort ◗ Monitoring patients’ conditions by taking temperatures, pulse, respirations and weight Professor Jan Draper, director of nursing at the Open University, says: “Healthcare assistants play a significant role in patient care, making sure patients are clean and comfortable and so on, but they also record temperatures, take blood pressures and in more specialist areas can be responsible for taking blood or renal dialysis. This workforce makes a massive contribution to healthcare.”
INSIGHT ❘ 15
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16 ❘ INSIGHT
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INCREASING CAPACITY ◗
Cliftonville ward helps us make best use of bed capacity By Jessica Steel Some NGH patients who have completed their treatment in hospital, and are awaiting large care packages or permanent residential or nursing home placements, are transferred to Cliftonville ward – which is part of Cliftonville Care Centre located next door to the hospital. It’s a partnership arrangement the trust has set up with Avery Healthcare who own the facility. Our patients’ stay in Cliftonville can range from anything from 48 hours to – and ideally no more than – 28 days. While all patients are nursed by Avery staff, they nevertheless remain under the care of NGH clinicians until they are ready to go home, with a dedicated consultant who performs two weekly rounds. The ward comprises 29 beds, each
in a single en-suite shower room, and these rooms boast a selection of comforts. These range from a flat screen television complete with freesat and DVD, to hotel-style catering. The centre’s catering department is equipped to provide for a wide variety of dietary needs, and staff do their best to provide for our patients’ wishes. The centre also offers a varied leisure and recreation programme to our patients, in addition to a cinema and landscaped gardens. It also has a visiting hairdresser, barber and chiropodist, whose services are available to patients, and payable at the point of access. Julia Geier, as discharge team leader at NGH, manages the facilitators who assess patients with complex needs to ensure that they can be
safely and effectively discharged from hospital. She said: “Cliftonville ward is perfect for those patients who are medically fit for discharge, awaiting care or placement, but are not in need of an acute bed. Situated next door to the hospital the care centre is also in an ideal location for us, and it’s well-liked by patients and their relatives.”
Cliftonville ward is perfect for those patients who are medically fit for discharge, awaiting care or placement, but are not in need of an acute bed. Discharge facilitator Lynda Shaw talks to patient Joan Eglinton in one of the rooms on Cliftonville ward
Director of strategy and partnerships Chris Pallot added: “Having the option to transfer patients to Cliftonville means that those who no longer need acute hospital care are looked after in the right place for them as they prepare for discharge. It has also enabled us to reduce costs, review our forward needs and ensure we make the best use of our bed capacity.”
INSIGHT ❘ 17
◗ PATIENT EXPERIENCE
Friends & Family Test gathers your feedback The Friends & Family Test was launched by NHS England in 2013 as a way of gathering real-time feedback from patients about their experiences of the services they have received within the NHS. Our patient experience lead Rachel Lovesy explains more. The Friends & Family Test (FFT) asks patients at the point of discharge whether they would recommend the hospital ward, A&E department or maternity service to their friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment. This means every patient attending a ward or department at NGH is able to give their feedback on the quality of the care they received, providing the hospital with an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the views of patients, and identifying where changes need to be made. At present, we collect the information on paper in most areas, and on iPads in A&E. Each area that is collecting FFT information is required to obtain responses from at least 20 per cent of patients, to ensure that the responses given are
Rachel Lovesy with a Friends and Family Test poster
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statistically representative. This produces a response rate score for each area, and from the responses given (ranging from extremely likely to extremely unlikely) a final score known as the net promoter score is calculated. This can range from minus100 to plus100! At the moment there is no official target for the net promoter score within NGH, but we have set ourselves a target of 80 or higher. In the data for January 2014, the latest available as Insight went to press, the NGH inpatient ward and maternity service scores were both around the national average, but our A&E score of 72 was 16 points higher than the national average – a significant achievement considering the huge pressure the department is under.
All the scores are tracked to see whether areas make improvements, or whether there are significant decreases that might indicate problem areas. The response rates and scores are also available to the public via the NHS Choices website. In addition to the main question NGH has opted to include a free-text question ‘What is the reason for the answer you have given?’ which enables patients to leave a comment. These have proved very fruitful and have enabled the hospital to make immediate changes based on the information received. This information also means that the hospital can identify common themes across the services and align any working groups aimed at improving patient experience directly to the issues identified by patients themselves.
PATIENT EXPERIENCE ◗
Rachel Lovesy
I am thrilled to be working in a role which can really make a difference to the way patients are experiencing their healthcare within the hospital.
Sample comments from the Friends and Family Test: More than four out of five comments we receive on the forms are positive. ◗ Fantastic doctors and nurses. We have received excellent care and would like to say a big thank you for looking after my little girl. Truly wonderful staff who do a great job. Thank You. (Paddington) ◗ Staff were very friendly and helpful. No delays and everywhere nice and clean. Also all the staff had a good sense of humour, that is not normally available these days. No problem with the food either. Service excellent. (Eleanor) ◗ Excellent service from staff. A bit of a wait
but that is to be expected, and the treatment received easily made up for the wait. A great service. Many thanks (A&E) ◗ Wonderful nurses, dedicated and kind - the long hours they work shows strain on them at times. Very well cleaned ward. Food served hot and palatable, good choice - would prefer more fruit (not hard apples!) Rather noisy - a can of machine oil on wheels would help. (Knightley) ◗ Staff were excellent day and night. I was taken for physio nearly every day. Every member of staff on the ward has been helpful and kind. I could not have received better
treatment if I was at the London Hilton. Thank you to everybody. (Abington) ◗ Very good facilities, especially the birthing pool. Staff on Balmoral are all helpful and supportive. Very good handover of information between staff/shifts, however, sometimes different advice/information given by different staff, which can be confusing and frustrating. (Balmoral) ◗ The ward staff are all so nice and work so hard to make your stay as pleasant as possible, under the circumstances. The only difficulty is how hard it is to sleep at night with all the activity and the challenges of non co-operative patients. Your staff all deserve medals for their patience, kindness and cheerfulness. (Benham)
Rachel Lovesy has had several roles within the NHS in Northamptonshire before becoming our Patient Experience Lead last September. She worked in research and development at Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, where she was presented with a PRIDE award for always ensuring that the patient was considered at the heart of every piece of work she carried out. A study she project managed exploring the role of the pharmacist within a community mental health team has recently been accepted for Health Service Journal and will be published at the end of March. She has also been studying for a Master of Research (MRes) in Applied Health Research at the University of Leicester, and she is currently in the throes of writing up her 20,000 word dissertation – when she is not being mum to a sprightly two-year-old! Rachel says: “I am thrilled to be working in a role which can really make a difference to the way patients are experiencing their healthcare within the hospital.”
◗ Nursing staff were so good. They explained everything that was going on to me. Nothing was too small for them to do. The nurses were so cheerful and dedicated to their jobs and they treated everyone with the utmost professionalism. The food was good too. (Hawthorn)
INSIGHT ❘ 19
◗ MATERNITY SERVICES
Your choice of birth options With the opening of the new Barratt birth centre, NGH can now offer a complete range of choices for new mums Whether you are expecting your first baby or you are adding to your family, we aim to work with you and your partner to plan the labour and birth that you want. Our highly skilled team of midwives and maternity care assistants can support you
to have your baby in your own home or in our new birth centre which offers a calm and homely environment. While a majority of women experience a normal pregnancy and birth, our labour ward provides care for women and babies who need additional
monitoring throughout labour and birth. Here are two mums who have recently experienced NGH care – Sarah who chose our new midwife-led birth centre, and Lisa, who has delivered all three of her children at home.
New birth centre was ‘perfect’ Our brand new Barratt Birth Centre opened its doors on 2 December 2013, the first midwife-led unit in the county. It bridges the gap between an obstetric labour ward and a home birth, providing pools, double beds, en-suite bathrooms and kitchenettes – altogether a more homely and calming environment, but with all the benefit of having expert medical support very close by should the need arise. Sarah Jett was one of the first users of the centre, giving birth to Eliza on 3 December.
Afterwards she told us: “I couldn’t have wished, planned or asked for a more perfect birth. I had complete faith in the NGH team and, although the birth was monitored closely from start to finish, it all felt so natural that it could have been just me and Nick in the room. I was allowed to make the decisions, and nothing was hurried or interfered with. “It didn’t stop after our little bundle arrive either! I was lucky as I was the only lady in labour at the time, but the midwives cared
for both me and Eliza – and my husband – intently after the birth, not leaving my side until I was completely recovered. After giving birth at 19:53, I was home by 23:30 that night – not because anyone was in a hurry for us to leave, but because everything was so calm and well that it felt right. “Eliza was born in her waters, which is apparently lucky. I can say that my luck definitely started in the birth centre and has continued ever since. I hope everything continues to go well and I am really looking forward to the next one! Thank you to everyone.”
Sarah and Nick with Eliza, and (above right) just minutes after the birth
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So how does mum get to use these wonderful facilities? After discussion with her midwife a woman can be referred to the Birth Centre at 34 weeks. She must be considered low risk to complications, like when opting for a home birth. If no complications have arisen prior to 37 weeks, once labour starts, mum can then phone the unit and will be admitted accordingly. All of this is to carefully ensure the midwives can provide the right care, in the right environment at the right time, with the welfare of both mum and baby as the top priority.
MATERNITY SERVICES ◗
Midwives make awards shortlist
Lisa and Gareth Grayson with Willow, George and Olivia, and midwives Sarah Cook and Tina Till
Three home births in three years Lisa and Gareth Grayson from Duston are such big fans of home births that they have now had three children at home with the support of our team of midwives – all in the space of three years! Willow Amelia weighed in at 9lbs 6oz on 23 November, a sister for Olivia and George.
I’ve seen the pictures of the new birth centre and they do look pretty amazing.
Lisa said: “Initially I had wanted a water birth, but as there was only one pool at the hospital at the time I came to think that if we had our own pool at home it would be more guaranteed. That meant having a home birth, and we got to know a bit more about it, and all the pre and post natal care you get. We had midwives come round every day after and it’s just been great, excellent. I couldn’t imagine doing it any other way.” Gareth agreed: “With the first home birth, the very idea of being at home without the whole medical team around you is
initially quite daunting. Then once your midwife comes, you get to know them and learn how much support you are going to have, obviously you become more comfortable with the idea. Now we wouldn’t want it any other way. And there’s that lovely thing as well, when you’ve had your child at home, that’s it – you’re at home, you don’t have to go anywhere! You can use your own bathroom, get a cup of tea when you want and it’s so much quieter than hospital. Ultimately that’s so relaxing.” “The midwives didn’t leave until we were completely comfortable, and they’re there 24/7 if you need them,” said Lisa. “They make you very comfortable and we would highly recommend a home birth. I’ve seen the pictures of the new birth centre and they do look pretty amazing. If we had another, I could be tempted – but I do like my home comforts!”
Congratulations to three of our midwives who were shortlisted for the ‘Excellence in Maternity Care’ award at the Royal College of Midwives’ awards in January. Paula Briody, Sian Davidson and Anne Richley planned and implemented a Birth After Caesarean (BAC) clinic to help reduce the number of women electing to have a caesarean section. Anne, who is now the midwifery sister leading the new clinic, said: “There are lots of reasons why women elect, or are advised, to have a caesarean section in order to deliver their baby safely. However in the majority of cases this does not mean that they will automatically need a section with their next pregnancy. There is now a regular clinic and workshops, helping ensure that women and their partners have consistent evidencebased information to make their birth choices. Out of the women who choose to have a vaginal birth following a caesarean over 80% will be successful, which is higher than the national average. Midwifery matron Paula Briody said: “Overall, your risk of complications is lower if you are able to have a vaginal birth than if you have a caesarean section. In general, your recovery time will be quicker, you will have a shorter stay in hospital and often, a more successful start to breastfeeding. You will also be able to resume normal activities at home sooner, such as driving and caring for your other children.”
INSIGHT ❘ 21
◗ LETTERS
Patient praise
Ten out of ten and gold star for hip care and Althorp I have just had a total hip replacement, carried out by Mr Auld. I thought the four month period from consultation to surgery perfectly acceptable. The pre-op briefing cleared up any uncertainties and I found the physio information very useful. The loan equipment was delivered and collected at the appointed times. Althorp Ward can be held up as a shining example of how a ward should be run. Spotlessly clean and staffed by compassionate and hard
working auxiliary, medical and physio staff, I couldn’t have been treated better. The food was ok too. The follow up home visits were informative and detailed. What more can I say? 10/10, Gold Star and a pat on the back. Thank you very much. Clive Robinson PS. The hip is quite good, too! I have to dash, I need to impersonate a spring chicken.
Fantastic staff at Luke radiotherapy unit From day one of my chemotherapy for prostate cancer, I was received with the greatest of consideration, friendliness, compassion and professionalism.
radiographers. They have eased the passage of my treatment, making it actually enjoyable to be there, their warmth and their smiles brighten an otherwise trying time.
There would be too many names to mention and their particular ways in which they have affected me in my visits. So, therefore praise must go to all the staff that work in the Luke Radiotherapy Unit, from the receptionist to the
NGH should be very proud of all the personnel that work at this unit, and I hope that they get the recognition they work so hard for. John Mills
Amazing professional caring staff I rang the out of hours on Saturday at 4 am with intense stomach pains, and was seen at NGH, diagnosed with appendicitis and admitted to Hawthorn ward for an operation the same day. Hawthorn ward were just amazing! They didn’t stop the whole time I was there! I was taken to theatre with two fabulous porters and a nurse called Claudia. The nurse and the porters were just so supportive, professional, not over the top, just brilliant. The two anaesthetists were great too.
groans all the time. I had none. I wanted to write to acknowledge the wonderful work of the nurses, porters, cleaners, food ladies, health care assistants that I came across on my stay. Ward staff were amazing, professional, caring and I would like them to be acknowledged for all their wonderful work. They work on an extremely busy ward, yet it was never a problem to help anybody for any reason! A big thank you to them all – and also to Callum in the discharge lounge who sorted out my medication for me
You must receive complaints, moans and
Vicki Wild
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Many of our patients and their relatives are kind enough to take the time to compliment hospital staff and volunteers on the standards of service and care they provide. We really appreciate all your comments and publish many of them on our website. Here are some brief extracts from others we have received recently. ◗ I’d like to thank & praise the staff at NGH from A & E to resus, then Benham onto the angels of the Intensive Care Unit ....forget the rockstars footballers and the wannabes these are the true heroes of today and everyday ..these folk who are so selfless and inspirational in all they do... day in day out they put the true meaning into care & support of their patients & families.. helping and guiding you every step of the way ..so much respect heading there way xx thankyou & much appreciated. The Wright Family xx ◗ I would just like to thank the wonderful staff in A&E for their kind and caring treatment of me when I visited the department last week. I was very impressed by the politeness and caring attitude of all the staff, I wasn’t made to feel like a nuisance even though it was my own carelessness that caused me to become unwell. I was looked after, respected and made to feel that the staff really and truly cared about my welfare. Well done, keep up the good work and thanks again ◗ I just wanted to pass on our thanks for the services provided on Saturday 11 January. Our 6 year old boy split his head open and after registering at A&E we were passed onto the Minor Injuries unit. He was treated immediately by one of your nursing staff (Marko), who was extremely professional and made Adam feel at ease. After less than 15 minutes on site we were on our way home. Thank you once again for the level of service and professionalism which always seems to be ignored and missed in media reports. ◗ I was taken to accident and emergency with acute kidney failure. The doctors on duty that night got me stable and then I was admitted to Finedon Ward. While I was on this ward the care I received was excellent, in particular from the renal doctors. They answered my questions, involved my wife with updates as to my treatment, they never talked over me and their bedside manner was excellent. See more at www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk If you would like to share your positive comments, please get in touch with us - email pals@ngh.nhs.uk
INSIGHT ❘ 23
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NGH people 1 W
Systems trainer Jan Hammond and project coordinator Pat Stevens have both retired from IT, and their colleagues gathered at a send-off last Thursday to wish them both well. Jan is looking forward to retirement and, although she has no definite plans, may well move closer to her family in south Wales. Pat has set her sights on a cruise but admits to having mixed emotions about retirement, so she will see it suits her before making more plans.
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2 Congratulations to these RVS volunteers who have all received long service awards. Left to right: Maggie James (service manager), Marion Moore (27 years service), Sylvia Scotney (27 24 ❘ INSIGHT
years), June Spokes (10), Pat Findley (20), Sally Hilliard (10), Sylvia Jane (27), Iris Russell (15). Freda Rimmington (29 years service) was unwell and could not attend the presentation.
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And congratulations to these RVS volunteers who have all completed their NVQ training and been presented with their certificates. Left to right: Joan King, Barbara Hunter, Gladys Glen, Lesley Chadwick, Kathy Andrews, Rob Whinstone (NVQ Assessor), Margaret Bushell, Joyce Harris.
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Lizzie Loe has retired from her role as a staff nurse on Holcot stroke ward, after a nursing career of
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forty years and having worked at St Crispins (where she was ward sister) and St Edmund’s Hospital as well as NGH. She plans to come back on the bank to help out for one or two shifts a week, but is also looking forward to being able to do other things including helping out at the food bank, visiting residents at St Christopher’s Home where she is a trustee, and spending more time with her two granddaughters.
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Congratulations to eye department staff who have now been running a clinic for patients with ARMD (age related macular degeneration) for five years. The service started in December 2008 as a weekly clinic with just 19 patients. There
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are now four clinics a week with over a thousand patients being seen in the main clinic. Around 20 new patients are being referred monthly and are seen within two weeks. The four original members of staff (Mr Reddy, Mr Logendran, Sue Moore and Marianne Young) are still continuing to provide the service, and are supported by 15 regular nursing staff who are a great asset to the team.
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In this year’s clinical audit presentations, anaesthetics and critical care foundation doctor Hannah Gardner (left in picture) won first prize for her audit ‘Patient safety – improving the ward round’. Second prize went to Macmillan palliative care nurse specialist Kerry Messam for her audit ‘Initiation, prescription and administration practice of opioid analgesia to adult cancer patients with palliative disease in an acute hospital’. Congratulations to them both, plus the runners-up Sarah Tang, Alex Till, Aisha Rizvi and Harriet Pudge.
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Sue Douglas, Rowan ward sister since 2001, and a part of the NGH
team since 1979, has retired – leaving behind a tight-knit team of fantastic people that she is certainly sorry to leave, and who have all been a pleasure to work with over the years. With a sister and brother-in-law who have also recently retired, Sue is looking forward to meeting up with friends and family, as well as to some much overdue ‘me time’. But then she plans to return in a basic nursing role for a few shifts each month – and to explore the few other departments of the hospital where she hasn’t already worked!
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Anticoagulant nurse Gill Askens has retired after 42 years. She started as a pre nursing student in 1971 and qualified as a SRN in May 1976. Gill worked on ITU where she later became a sister. After a year in Australia she returned to become a practice nurse, and worked at the Three Shires. She is perhaps best known for helping to develop the anticoagulant service here at NGH and will be much missed by her many friends and colleagues.
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Regular visitors will notice that our eye department reception area has recently been upgraded. Here are ophthalmology staff Emily Barnard and Georgie Mitchell in the refurbished area.
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The first delivery in our new Barratt birth centre was a 7lbs 9oz baby boy. Here is the new arrival with midwives Faiza Rehman and Rachel Brass, and a basket of goodies for mum and baby that the staff on the unit presented. Many thanks to the Chronicle & Echo, and to the family (who asked not to be identified) for letting us use the picture.
INSIGHT ❘ 25
◗ ENDOSCOPY
Endoscopy on track for accreditation An endoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that involves examining the inside of a patient’s body by means of an endoscope. An endoscope is a long, thin flexible tube with a light and camera at its tip. The images captured by the endoscope are transmitted as live video footage to a small screen. Endoscopy is a lowrisk, minimally invasive procedure, and so patients are usually conscious throughout - though often provided with a local anaesthetic or sedative
We are a very good team. I enjoy watching the team grow and new services being introduced Group shot
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for their own comfort. Here at NGH, our Endoscopy unit deal with a wide array of medical procedures: gastroscopy (examination of the upper gastronintestinal tract), colonoscopy (examination of the large intestine), examination or removal of the gallbladder/gallstones, bronchoscopy (the examination of airways and lungs), endoscopy ultrasound and bronchoscopy ultrasound. The endoscopy unit also participates in the national
bowel screen programme. The unit has three procedure rooms, a ninebedded recovery area and a new two-bedded recovery area to ensure privacy and dignity for emergency bleed patients. ERCPs are normally dealt with in the X-ray department. The endoscopy unit performs at least 8,000 procedures a year. The department is facing an obligatory five year inspection this year from the JAG accreditation system. JAG stands for Joint
Sue Broughall
Advisory Group which was established in 1994 under the auspices of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. Its mission is to provide UK wide support for endoscopy units to ensure they have the skills, resources and motivation necessary to provide the highest quality, timely, and patient-centred care. They assess clinical quality, safety, workforce, environment, comfort, appropriateness, timeliness, patient experience, aftercare and staff training. Senior sister Sue Broughall said: “In order to maintain our JAG accreditation which we received five years ago we have to submit a self-assessment every six months, and annually we have to submit evidence, such as patient survey, mortality rates and waiting times. When they visit the hospital, the JAG team consists of a clinical lead, administration lead and a nurse lead. They’ll come in, interview staff, do a walk-round checking the environment and decontamination, and assess all the evidence the team submits. Then they will give us feedback on the day and decide if we achieve our accreditation for further five years or deferral with more evidence to provide.” According to patient feedback which is carried out on a regular basis the NGH endoscopy unit is on track for success at this year’s inspection. Described by outpatients as a unit with “very kind and helpful staff” who demonstrate a “100% attitude”, Sue agrees: “We are a very good team. I enjoy watching the team grow and new services being introduced, and I am looking forward to Endoscopy’s plans to expand in the future.”
Common conditions that an endoscopy might be used for: ◗ Chronic Diarrhoea ◗ Irritable bowel syndrome ◗ Gallstones ◗ Anaemia ◗ Stomach ulcers ◗ Internal bleeding ◗ Breathing disorders ◗ (Pancreatic) Cancer ◗ Dysphasia (difficulty swallowing)
INSIGHT ❘ 27
◗ INSIGHT
Insight is 50! As we notch up our fiftieth issue of Insight, we thought it was worth a nostalgic trip down memory lane to revisit some of the earlier incarnations of the hospital magazine. Insight began life in 2005 intended for NGH staff only, but swiftly evolved to become a publication that we were happy to share with patients, relatives and the wider community beyond the hospital itself. Our first cover featured consultant paediatrician Dr Cathryn Chadwick, who had managed to get herself incarcerated in the local jail as part of a fundraising stunt for the Anthony Nolan Trust.
28 ❘ INSIGHT
Happily Cathryn managed to raise her ‘bail’ of more than £900 and was eventually released, but sentenced to spend the rest of her days here at NGH! Since that first 12-page issue we have moved onwards and upwards to produce a now quarterly 40-page magazine that has attracted praise from many quarters, including other corners of the NHS as well as our local staff, patients and visitors. No awards yet though – we’re still working on that! Impressively, what is often referred to as a very professional “glossy” magazine is actually designed and printed
for us at no cost at all to the NHS. That is thanks to a very successful contract we have with Octagon Design and Marketing Ltd, a specialist company based in Worksop, who regularly disprove the theory about silk purses by turning our often hastily-assembled words and pictures into 3,000 copies of fine product. Well done Rachel, Richard, Caroline and the team – we salute you! As ever we welcome readers’ comments and suggestions, and would be delighted to hear what you think of the magazine. Please drop us a line at communications@ngh. nhs.uk and let us know what
you would like to read about in issue 51. Meanwhile, we look forward to seeing you in June when our Summer edition hits the wards.
PARTNERSHIPS ◗
Home service helps reduce admissions The Intermediate Care Team IV Service and Diabetic Foot Team provide an integrated approach that benefits patients and the NHS. People with diabetes are prone to frequent and often severe foot infection requiring admission to hospital. Diabetic foot infections take up more bed days in the UK than all the other complications of diabetes combined. Admission to hospital for treatment increases the burden on the patient of living with a long term condition and it increases the treatment costs to the NHS. Northampton General Hospital and Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS trusts are working together to reduce both. The intermediate care team and the diabetic foot team have collaborated with NGH doctors and nurses to discharge patients home earlier on intravenous (IV) antibiotics or, in some cases, to completely avoid a hospital admission. The decision requires careful consideration of whether patients are currently medically stable and their suitability for what is known as a PICC line insertion (peripherallly inserted central catheter). A very thin plastic tube is sited, usually in the vein of the patient’s upper arm. This allows the intermediate care team to visit the patient at home up to three times daily to administer the antibiotics directly into the vein through the PICC line. Patients are monitored for ongoing antibiotic requirement at outpatient appointments in the weekly diabetic foot clinic. AHP consultant podiatrist Maria Mousley said: “The home IV service has become an increasingly important facility for our patients. Where possible it offers patients choices about where they would like to receive their treatment. Over the last few years we have seen younger patients present with diabetic foot infections which we know will require many weeks of treatment. As patients don’t always feel unwell they don’t perceive a need to stay in hospital. Given a choice most of us would prefer to sleep in our own
Maria Mousley with NGH consultant diabetologist Dr Jonathan Rippen and patient Sandra Pragnell
The home IV service has become an increasingly important facility for our patients.
beds, be with family and friends and generally get on with our lives away from a hospital environment.
Sandra with ICT nurse Barry Haney
“There is a lot of communication behind the scenes between all the teams involved - consultant vascular and orthopaedic surgeons, consultant microbiologists, consultant
diabetologists, intermediate care and district nurses and podiatrists. But this increases the efficiency of the service and facilitates working between the hospital and community nursing teams. The home IV service contributes to a truly integrated approach to healthcare which brings personal benefit to patients and a cost benefit to the NHS. It is a winwin service.” Patient Sandra Pragnell from Hartwell said “Going into hospital does put you out of your routine, and it’s difficult to sleep. It’s also expensive keeping people in hospital so think how much money we could save, especially when you see all those people in hospital beds who could go home using this service.”
INSIGHT ❘ 29
◗ CHARITABLE FUND
NGH
ble ChaFruitnad
Northampton General Hospital Registered charity no: 1051107
All donations to the hospital are managed, separately from NHS finances, by the trustees of the NGH Charitable Fund, a registered charity. If you would like to make a donation, or be involved in raising money for NGH, please contact our fundraising office on 01604 545857. Please visit our website for more fundraising stories and details of how you can get involved www.nghgreenheart.co.uk
L-R Front row – Caroline Sheldon, Carianne Lawrence Ainsley Karella from Office Depot, Cheryl Schofield and Wendy Copson. Second row – Dr S Jayaseelan, Rita Upeniece from Office Depot, Dr Cathryn Chadwick, senior staff nurse Jo Cooper. Back row – Dr Fiona Thompson, Dr Nick Barnes and Alison McCulloch
Gosset parents’ room opens After a year of planning and fundraising, Gosset Ward’s parents room has been officially opened. Cheryl Schofield, a mother who has had to use the room in the past, cut the ribbon to formally open the room in a ceremony attended by some of the fundraisers and medical staff. Donations of over £15,000 came in from several different sources including companies such as Barclaycard and Office depot, from
Rachel James, who has previously used the room, and from the Gosset Ward Parents, run by Theresa Wright. Ward manager Wendy Copson said: “The refurbishment of the room makes a fantastic difference to the parents that have to use it. The room is a great first step for the parents towards going home. It has been described as a “home from home” and a complete change from being in the ward’s sterile environment. A big thank you to everyone involved.”
More recliner chairs for Paddington close. Since then another two chairs have been purchased, thanks to fundraising by Rob Crussel, who took part in the Tough Mudder event last year to raise an incredible £1,471.53. Rob was inspired to fundraise as his nephew Alfie was treated on Paddington as a baby. His sister Hannah came in with son Alfie to try out the chairs and was impressed, saying: “These are much better than the upright chair we had when I was in hospital.”
A wheelchair from Joe The Day Case Unit received a generous donation in memory of a former patient, the late Joseph Laukitis. The family donated £100 as a tribute to him as he was a regular patient of the unit. Unit manager Faye Boateng-Bell said: “We are very grateful for the donation as it has enabled us to purchase a much needed wheelchair which will help many of our patients move in and out of the unit. We thank Mr Laukatis’s family and in particular his son Anthony.” (above).
30 ❘ INSIGHT
In the last issue we reported on the donation of some slim recliner chairs for Paddington children’s ward, which are small enough to fit by the bedsides and enable parents to stay
Cliff Davies and John Westlake from the Lodge of Fidelity Masons in Towcester also made a generous donation of £1,200 towards more recliner chairs for the ward. John, the Worshipful Master, said: “Each we choose which charity to support with
funds raised by the Lodge. My predecessor, who was unable to attend today, chose to support Paddington Ward. We are very pleased that our donation has been put to such good use.”
CHARITABLE FUND ◗
£1,200 raised for cooler treatment Veronica Bradley and Karina Bird have presented the oncology department with a donation to purchase products for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Karina’s mother had been treated in oncology and Karina asked Veronica to help her raise some money as a thank you. They held a demonstration of flower arranging followed by a traditional cream tea with vintage china. The day went very well and as they were fortunate to have both the marquee and cream donated to them they raised an amazing £1,210. The funds were raised in aid of the Paxman Ice Caps Cooler treatment that is offered by oncology to help reduce the loss of hair during chemotherapy treatments. It works by lowering the temperature of the head and scalp immediately before, during and after chemotherapy. This in turn reduces the blood flow to the hair follicles, preventing or minimising the damage, meaning that hair loss is not inevitable. Special shampoos and conditioners designed for the system are approximately £35 per bottle, which is not affordable to everyone, so the money raised will enable products to be provided free to patients undergoing treatment.
I would strongly recommend using the products they worked for me.
Elaine Neal, a recent oncology patient who has been using the shampoos with the treatment throughout her chemotherapy, spoke very highly of how the machine has helped her. Elaine said: “I readily invested in the chemical free hair cleanser and conditioner and they lasted me the whole five months of treatment. I believe that using the products, taking the advice of not washing the hair more than twice weekly, ditching my hair straighteners and using a gentle heat when drying the hair have all paid off. Yes thinning has occurred but I would strongly recommend using the products - they worked for me.”
L-R Denise Kelly, Elaine Sheehan, Joanne Scriven, Debbie Ansell, Sarah Desborough, Emily Petter, Ann Williams, Anna Szczepaniak, Adele Williams, Ruby Goyena
More funds for chemo suite refurbishment Ann Williams and her employer Asda donated a total of £2,700 towards the refurbishment of the chemotherapy suite. Mrs Williams raised £1,575 by holding two garden parties in her own garden in memory of her late husband. Mrs Williams’ daughter is going through treatment at the moment so she wanted the £275 she has raised by doing a sponsored walk to also be donated to the cause. At the funeral of the late Mr Williams, who died in last year, they had a collection instead of flowers and raised £350. A cheque for the total, which included a generous additional donation of £500 from Asda, Brackmills, was presented by Ann Williams and Anna Szczepaniak from Asda. Chemotherapy manager Adele Williams and oncology service manager Emily Petter accepted the cheque, and said that the funds were very gratefully received and very much appreciated.
e l b a t i r a h C Fund
L-R Emily Petter, Veronica Bradley, Elaine Neal (at the back holding two blue bottles), Karina Bird, Debbie Smith
INSIGHT ❘ 31
◗ CHILD HEALTH
Enter:
The Play Specialists
By Jessica Steel From lending support for surgery and leading play sessions, this small, select team safeguards the emotional care of the many children here at NGH, providing them with the coping mechanisms necessary to help get them through stressful times. The Activity Centre, accessible for children on both our Paddington and Disney wards, is a bright and vibrant room, small, but in a very snug fashion, and filled with a selection of toys, colouring, books, movies and video games that would make even the biggest kid among us feel right at home. And, in the middle of it all, is the welcoming Play Specialist, Kate Hainsworth, who has agreed to tell me just a little bit about what they do here, and how they lend support to our youngest of inpatients. Kate, who has recently graduated from the two-year Foundation Degree necessary for this post, admits she was always eager to pursue her career with children on a more practical level. “I was trying to find a job that didn’t involve, effectively, too much paperwork” she confesses wryly, choosing to value instead “the time actually spent with children”.
Our role is to give the child a voice.
32 ❘ INSIGHT
Landing on her feet, then, in this interactive role as a play specialist, Kate describes her responsibility as an advocate in helping to give children a voice. “It’s to ensure that when they come into hospital that they are heard – and that it’s not all adults making the decisions for them” Kate divulges. From explaining things in a more child-friendly manner, to aiding in the child’s understanding of the big decisions
taking place around them, play specialists are pivotal in helping children to understand and make sense of their hospital experience. An initiative designed to help promote such understanding is a series of pre-op clinics, which are immeasurably helpful for both the children and their families alike. These are where the children can come and view the equipment that will be used during their surgery, and have it all explained to them in a more friendly, less clinical manner.
For children, play is their form of communication.
“They can see all the equipment that is going to be used on the day” Kate explains, “and see it in a friendly, playful manner … but then also receive the explanation of how these items work, in a medical way”. Naturally, by experiencing all this under playful conditions, these explanations of what this equipment will achieve from a medical standpoint seem far less daunting, for everyone. These clinics also provide the staff with “the opportunity to observe any anxieties that might be held by the child … but also to take that opportunity to overcome any fears” Kate explains. Naturally, it is critical to address and resolve any doubts before the day of the operation. Things are always going to be jittery in an operation room, though. During procedures the presence
of our play specialists again helps drastically, providing a familiar face at what can, quite naturally, be a very fearful and intimidating time for anyone, and most especially for a child. Play specialists will continue to lend support throughout the treatment room experience by keeping the child distracted and entertained, through various learning techniques or activities, or simply supporting them with coping mechanisms to help them get through such stressful times. These can be anything from breathing exercises, to blowing bubbles and shaking noisy toys, or simply to how the child is held to support them, to a book that can be used as an emotional shield. At this point Kate laughs, “we should be sponsored by Where’s Wally?” she admits with a wide smile, describing the book as “a classic for distraction in the treatment room”, for both the children and their parents alike. “Being able to have that distraction works to no end with some children” Kate reveals, “but it’s not all necessarily about hiding it from them seeing, but working out how the child will benefit from watching, and giving them the techniques to cope with that.” It is vital that the emotional support play specialists provide is extended to the patient’s family. For many of our long-term child patients, hospital can come to be seen as a “second home”, and it is the role of play specialists like Kate to help the family to adjust and also lend support to siblings who, for quite understandable reasons, might be feeling a little left out of things. By making trips
CHILD HEALTH ◗
Kate Hainsworth with patient Matilda Jamieson
to hospital a family experience, it further helps to dispel any fears and qualms’, ensuring everyone enjoys as positive an experience as possible.
We should be sponsored by Where’s Wally?
Play, naturally, is hugely integral to building and maintaining the level of trust and faith in this bond the child shares with a specialist such as Kate, who describes play as a vital means of communication for a child. It is important for children to be able to say how they are feeling, to share any worries and concerns. It may sound obvious, but it is during playtime, when they feel most comfortable, that children can really tend to open up. “That is the beauty of what we do” summarizes Kate “we are the emotional support”. And that is why the role of a play specialist is so important. It ensures that there is a place for these little golden moments of privy information to exist, and that there is someone ready and waiting to respond and support children on an emotional level, when they do.
INSIGHT ❘ 33
From the Archive
Northampton’s first infirmary On 29 March this year it will be the 270th anniversary of the town’s first infirmary opening in George Row.
The Founders
Because the infirmary and patient care was all funded by donations persons would purchase ‘hospital letters’ and make them available to patients requiring admission. They also had to pay 15 shillings ‘caution money’ to defray burial expenses, if the patient did not recover, this was refundable if a cure was achieved!
The First Patients On the opening day 10 patients were admitted, ages ranging from 13 years to 40 years, with a range of ailments. It is recorded that by the end of that year of those 10 patients, six had been cured, one had died, two were incurable and one had been made an out-patient.
A Patient’s Lot Dr James Stonhouse | Dr Philip Doddridge
The story begins when Dr James Stonhouse arrives in Northampton in 1743 and sees the need for a hospital in the town. He becomes friends with Dr Philip Doddridge and together they start a campaign and subscription list. By the end of the year, with the help of a committee of titled gentlemen they had rented a house in George Row for £30 a year.
Life in the infirmary was not easy for the patient, rules were strict, conditions insanitary and the range of cures was limited. When the patient started to recover they were expected to assist with cleaning and nursing duties. On leaving the infirmary it was obligatory to write a letter of thanks to the Governors.
This infirmary was in existence for 50 years until a new hospital was established in 1793 on the Billing Road, which is now Northampton General Hospital.
Hospital Letters and Caution Money
Images of the current George Row portico (left) and garden (top right) are by kind permission of Enid Jarvis, author of “A History of Northampton and County Club.”
Learn more about the history of the hospitals in Northamptonshire by visiting the Historical Archive at NGH. Open on Wednesday mornings 8am to 1pm Telephone: 01604 544868 Email: sue.longworth@ngh.nhs.uk
34 ❘ INSIGHT
NOTICEBOARD ◗
MORE ONE-LINERS
DO SOMETHING AMAZING…
If a man said he’ll fix it, he will. There is no need to remind him every six months about it. I broke up with my gym. We were just not working out. The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts while the stupid people are full of confidence. Two silk worms were in a race, it ended in a tie. Here’s what I don’t get about Spiderman. Why haven’t any of his arch enemies just squashed him with a giant shoe? They say you need to listen to what your body is telling you. But mine just points and laughs. Wine improves with age. I improve with wine. I don’t have time to discuss all the lies in your name, jellyfishes. He said “Your obsession with cats is out of control. I can’t handle it anymore.” She cried, “You’re kicking meeeowt?”
SUDOKU Fill the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains the numbers 1 to 9.
96% of us rely on the other 4% to give blood. Please don’t leave it to someone else.
Who can give blood? Most people can give blood. If you are generally in good health, age 17 to 65 (if it’s your first time) and weigh at least 7st 12Ib you can donate. You can give blood every 16 weeks, that’s approximately every four months. For more information please visit www.blood.co.uk The next donor sessions at St Giles Church Rooms, St Giles Terrace, Northampton NN1 2BN are: Friday 07 March 1.30pm to 3.30pm; 4.30pm to 7.30pm Friday 21 March 1.30pm to 3.30pm; 4.30pm to 7.30pm Friday 04 April 10.30am to 12.30pm; 2.00pm to 5.00pm Monday 14 April 1.30pm to 3.30pm; 4.30pm to 7.30pm Friday 02 May 1.30pm to 3.30pm; 4.30pm to 7.30pm To book an appointment call 0300 123 23 23.
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01909 478822
ANNOUNCEMENTS THE BOUDICCAE, a play devised by Dr Andrew Williams, will be performed at the Birmingham ICC on the evening of April 8th 2014 as part of the prestigious Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Annual Meeting. There is free entry for the 1,500 seats, but there will be a collection in aid of childrens’ charities such as Helen and Douglas House, Down Syndrome Association, Whizz-Kidz, National Meningitis Trust and Autism Concern. The play, which will be performed by the Perceptive Minds Theatre Company, is based on verbatim conversations of five Northamptonshire mothers of children who have special needs, and also features music and dance. Please visit and ‘like’ the Facebook page of the Perceptive Minds Theatre Company where you can see their latest news and pictures of the mothers and the actors. “The Boudiccae” lasts 60 minutes and was performed in April 2013 by five final year University of Northampton drama students who formed the Perceptive Minds Theatre Company to take this play forward. The company had nine performances over five days and went on a short tour of Oxford, Cambridge and Northampton. RETIRED (or soon to be?) NHS Retirement Fellowship (Northampton Branch) meets on first Wednesday of each month at 2.15pm at Northampton East Salvation Army, Northampton, NN3 8EZ. Range of speakers and activities. Open to ex NHS staff, together with spouse or partner. Please contact the chairman Mrs Pat Oliver on 01604 839085. BACK ISSUES of Insight are available online at www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk - go to About Us > Documents and Publications
Come and join us By becoming a member of Northampton General Hospital you can have a say in the way your hospital develops, and you can be sure your voice is heard. You may want to simply sign up for our members’ newsletter, or you may want to attend meetings and local focus groups, or even stand for election to become a member of our Governors’ Council. The choice is yours. All you need to do is fill in the form and return it to the Freepost address below; or you can call us on 01604 523894, or email us at members@ngh.nhs.uk . We look forward to hearing from you. Please return your form to this Freepost address – there is no need for a stamp: Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, Membership Office, Freepost RRBA-RGGA-TEEL, Cliftonville, Northampton NN1 5BD. Title and name ..................................................................................................................................... Address ................................................................................................................................................. ....................................................................................................Postcode ............................................ Telephone . ............................................................................................................................................ Email address ...................................................................................................................................... Please write clearly in BLOCK CAPITALS, thank you
The show has delighted audiences around the world.
Win free theatre tickets Let it Be Following its hugely successful run in London’s West End, the hit Beatles show Let It Be comes to Royal & Derngate for one week only from Monday 26 to Saturday 31 May.
* A per transaction fee of £2.50 applies to telephone and website bookings only. Does not apply in person, or to groups and Friends.
Let It Be showcases the music of the Beatles in a spectacular concert charting the band’s meteoric rise from their humble beginnings in Liverpool’s Cavern Club, through the height of Beatlemania, to their later studio masterpieces.
For your chance to win a pair of tickets to the 7.30pm performance of Let It Be on Monday 26 May, answer the five questions below.
Packed with over forty of The Beatles’ greatest hits, including I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Hard Day’s Night, Day Tripper, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Strawberry Fields Forever, When I’m 64, Get Back, the show has delighted audiences around the world. Let It Be comes to Royal & Derngate from Monday 26 to Saturday 31 May, with performances at 7.30pm daily and matinees at 2.30pm on Wednesday and Saturday.
Send your entry to arrive by Wednesday 30 April 2014 to peter.kennell@ngh.nhs.uk – or by post to Insight Editor, NGH, Cliftonville, Northampton NN1 5BD. Please include a daytime telephone number with your entry. 1 Who was the third home birth baby born to the Graysons on 23 November? 2 What are the names of all four members of The Beatles?
Tickets are priced from £26 to £33*.
3 Where will ‘The Bouddicae’ be performed on 8 April?
For more information and to buy tickets, call the Box Office on 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk
5 Which of our new A&E consultants specialises in care of the elderly?
4 When will our staff be dancing at the Deco?
◗T he winner of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ tickets in our last competition was Tina Arnold of the NGH IT department. (The ‘Chariots of Fire’ production was cancelled.) Designed & Published by Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd, Britannic Chambers, 8a Carlton Road, Worksop, Notts. S80 1PH Tel: 01909 478822