Visit our website: www.uhb.nhs.uk
For patients, staff, visitors and volunteers
Page 3 Best in Care Awards 2017
JUNE 2017
Page 3 Innovative approach eases pressure ulcers
Page 8&9 Nursing conference explores patient care Research Showcase Event put spotlight on ways to improve patient care
Executive Chief Nurse Philip Norman and Lead Nurse for Workforce Carolyn Pitt with trainee nursing associates
Training our nurses: shaping the future The first trainees have embarked upon on a landmark training programme to become nursing associates. In December 2015, the government announced its plan to create the Nursing Associate – a new nursing support role. University Hospitals Birmingham is one of 24 centres chosen by Health Education England to test the ability of education and service providers to deliver work-based training programmes. The Trust will be involved in training and developing the second wave of trainee nursing associates, who began a two-year programme for a cohort of 1,000 trainees in April. Nursing associates will work alongside healthcare assistants and registered nurses to deliver hands-on care, however, they will have wider opportunities and more flexibility to move between acute, social and community settings and primary care. It’s hoped that the new nursing associate roles will bridge the gap between nursing assistants – who provide the core of personal care such as washing and dressing and support patients with feeding and mobilisation – and the registered
staff nurses who provide more complex clinical care. UHB has two nursing associates undertaking the programme, as part of the Birmingham and Solihull Partnership, and trainees will be undertaking a Foundation Degree (Nursing Associate) at Birmingham City University. The programme is modular with assessments and exams undertaken during the programme leading to qualifications as a nursing associate, regulated nationally by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Each week the trainees, who were previously nursing assistants, will spend one day at university and a second day on placement in another healthcare setting or area. Their remaining hours are spent undertaking work-based training in their primary placement (ward/unit) where they are employed. The trainees will be supported by clinical mentors, senior nurses, clinical educators and UHB’s Practice Placement Team. The trainees began their programme in late April, with a welcome from Chief Nurse, Philip Norman, and a two-day induction focused on
exploring their role and getting to know each other. Lead Nurse for Workforce, Carolyn Pitt, said: “This is one of the most exciting and challenging opportunities we have as a pilot site testing a National Curriculum Framework and shaping the future of nursing. Our trainees are incredibly enthusiastic and are really breaking new ground as we test work-based learning leading to academic professional qualification. “As senior nurses, all the partnership leads are working together to ensure that all of our trainees get exposure to working in different practise settings across the health economy in Birmingham and Solihull. “We aim to ensure our trainees at UHB get to undertake placements which cover adult and paediatric, mental health and learning disability nursing as well as exposure in different adult care settings in hospital, close to services and in patient’s homes. “As the Trust lead I am delighted to be involved in such an important programme and hope our journey at UHB will influence future trainee nursing associates.”
UHB’s annual Research Showcase wowed hundreds of members of the public with teams from the Trust and University of Birmingham celebrating the incredible research they undertake to drive improvements in patient care. Twenty-five research teams marked International Clinical Trials Day with exhibits from head and neck cancer research, the 100k Genomes Project, to ophthalmology and rare eye conditions. Visitors were able to experience how virtual reality may be transforming critical care by encouraging earlier mobilisation after major injury and illness, and also on show was the latest ‘spray-on’ treatment for burns. Experts from the Inflammation Research Facility were able to scan hand joints and update on the latest rheumatology trials and show the effect blue light can have on bacteria. The annual event celebrates research and the massively important part ordinary people have to play. Last year, 6,327 patients took the opportunity to participate in ‘research that matters’ – research that enable experts across the city able to truly transform care and advance treatments. Each year, International Clinical Trials Day celebrates clinical research all over the world, and highlights the important impact research has had on medicine. The day celebrates the anniversary of the first clinical trial by James Lind in 1747 into the causes of scurvy on board the HMS Salisbury. One hundred per cent of trusts in the West Midlands are research active, together with 410 GP practices (45 per cent) and the network is the highest recruiting of the 15 networks in England for commercial studies. Jo Plumb, Head of Research and Development at UHB, said: “The more patients can be offered the opportunity to take part in vital clinical research, the better the care we can offer and the quicker the NHS can introduce new and better treatments for the benefit of all patients. “This year’s Research Showcase was a fantastic event that engaged and inspired hundreds of members of the public and staff to see how they can get more involved.” 2017’s events also saw the launch of a new national campaign, ‘I Am Research’, which highlights the many different ways in which people can get involved. See next month’s news@QEHB for full coverage and pictures from the event. See the complete round-up in July’s news@QEHB.
Puzzle page: Delivering theBrainteasers, best in care mind benders and more p15 Find your way around: Hospital maps p16