International HR Day
Dear colleagues,
International HR Day was marked on Wednesday this week and I want to take a moment to recognise and thank our brilliant People Services colleagues.
Behind every great team, service and patient experience is a group of dedicated professionals working hard to support, develop and care for our people. From recruitment and workforce planning, to staff wellbeing, inclusion and development, our People teams play a vital role in making sure we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place.
Their work often happens behind the scenes, but its impact is felt everywhere - creating a positive, supportive environment where colleagues can thrive and deliver outstanding care for our patients. Whether it’s supporting colleagues through challenges, developing future leaders, or shaping a culture where everyone feels valued and included, our People Services teams are at the heart of our success.
I’d like to say a sincere thank you to everyone working in People Services. Your commitment, professionalism and compassion make a real difference every single day.
Best wishes
Daniel Daniel Hartley Director of People
EPRR’s Craig Patchett attends Royal Garden Party Page 7
Catch up on May’s
Team Brief
May’s Team Brief was held last week.
If you missed it, catch up now on our YouTube channel
Questions for our executive team are encouraged and anyone can submit a question to be answered.
Submit a question for our next Team Brief on Friday 12 April at 1pm.
Pharmacy apprentice Finley receives highly commended certificate Page 7
A1’s Sally Hooper is running to be Staff Governor Page 13
Do you have an
or some
Email the Communications Team
Rotherham-bound RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden wins award
The Asthma + Lung UK Breathing Space Garden has won a silver medal at the world-famous flower show.
The garden, designed by Angus Thompson, reflects the voices of real people in Rotherham living with lung conditions and the colleagues based at Breathing Space who care for them.
A calm, supportive ‘breathing space’ for patients to rehabilitate and reconnect with nature, it includes accessible paths, graded steps and seated rest points on a path to the centre of the garden, where there is a sheltered space for breath supporting therapies such as yoga and tai chi.
The design also considered plants with natural health benefits. Two pine treesknown for natural antioxidant and immune-boosting qualities - were planted in the heart of the garden. Considerate choices of low-allergen plants were selected for their gentler impact on people living with respiratory conditions.
As well as winning a medal, the garden was also highly commended in the RHS Environmental Innovation Award category for its use of innovative, sustainable and low carbon materials and practices.
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show ends this weekend. Following the show, the garden will relocate to BreathingSpace, The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust’s specialist site for people living with respiratory conditions.
Once there, it will become a permanent therapeutic space offering holistic support for people living with lung conditions and for staff working at the site.
Managing Director for The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, Bob Kirton, said: “It’s brilliant news to see the Breathing Space garden win an award at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
“From the beginning when the idea of the garden took it’s first breath, Angus and the team have included the voices of our patients and colleagues. His brilliant design which included this immensely impressed us - we’re glad to see this reflected at the show.
“We’re excited to receive the garden to BreathingSpace and we look forward to welcoming everybody for a formal opening later this year.”
Asthma + Lung UK CEO, Sarah Sleet said: "We’re absolutely delighted with this beautiful, peaceful garden Angus has worked so hard to create for Asthma + Lung UK.
“It really is a ‘breathing space’ that will inspire people to pause and reflect on how important it is to breathe freely, and help raise awareness of the reality of breathlessness for the 12 million people in the UK who live with lung conditions.
"This medal is the icing on the cake, and incredibly well-deserved –congratulations and thank you, Angus."
The award is Angus' third win following previous medals at the 2007 and 2009 shows.
Sexual health service moves to new, improved location
Patients across Rotherham are set to benefit from improved access and a more modern environment as the borough’s sexual health service relocates to a new location at the front of Rotherham Hospital.
The service has moved into a refurbished space within the former pre-operative assessment unit, placing it immediately adjacent to the hospital’s main entrance and making it easier for patients to find and access care.
The move forms part of a wider, multimillion-pound programme of investment to enhance urgent and emergency care services and improve patient experience across the hospital. This wider scheme has already delivered significant improvements, including a new pre-operative assessment unit and a purpose-built Medical Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) service. Once complete, it will also provide a brandnew fracture clinic with upgraded facilities.
The programme has been supported by £7 million in government funding aimed at increasing capacity and improving patient flow within urgent and emergency care services.
Dr Nadi Gupta, Clinical Lead for Sexual Health, said: “This is an exciting step forward for our service. The new location provides a welcoming, modern environment for our patients while maintaining the privacy and dignity that are so important in sexual health care.
“Being based at the front of the hospital will make it much easier for people to access our services, and we look forward to continuing to support the health and wellbeing of our community in this improved setting.”
Sally Kilgariff, Chief Operating Officer, said: “This move is an important milestone in our wider programme of investment across Rotherham Hospital.
By creating modern, purpose-designed facilities and improving the layout of our services, we are making it easier for patients to access the care they need and supporting our teams to deliver high-quality care.
“Alongside developments such as our new Medical Same Day Emergency Care service and the future fracture clinic, this scheme is helping us to meet growing demand and improve the overall experience for patients and staff.”
The relocation will support the Trust’s ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible services while making best use of hospital space to meet growing demand.
The sexual health service will continue to provide a full range of confidential advice, testing and treatment, alongside contraception and specialist support for patients across the borough. Work has now started in the former location of the service, in the middle of the hospital, to transform it into the brand-new fracture clinic which is due to open later this year.
Congratulations to our pharmacy apprentice Finley Thornton
EPRR’s Craig Patchett attends Royal Garden Party
Craig Patchett (Emergency Planning and Business Resilience Manager) attended a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on 12 May after being nominated by Sally Kilgariff in recognition of his 39 years of dedicated public service.
The afternoon event was hosted by the King and Queen to honour individuals who have made significant contributions to public life. Invitations are highly selective, with attendees put forward by the Armed Forces, charities, and the NHS to thank them for their dedication and hard work.
Sally’s nomination spoke about Craig’s transition to the NHS in 2016 after a full 30-year career with the police. Over the last nine years, he has focused on ensuring frontline teams are trained and prepared for any eventuality. This includes day-to-day business continuity to major critical incidents and complex chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) threats.
The submission praised him as a colleague works with the utmost professionalism without shouting about his achievements, navigating increasingly strict regulatory requirements to keep our patients and staff safe.
It concluded by noting that he is a true credit to the health service and thoroughly deserves recognition for his contribution to safety.
Reflecting on the experience, Craig said: “I am very honoured to have been nominated to attend the palace garden party hosted by the King and Queen.
“The afternoon was a wonderful experience and exceeded our expectations. Being given the opportunity to attend the event with my wife Joanne was particularly special given her support throughout my career with the Police and NHS. Wonderful memories we will cherish.”
Pharmacy apprentice Finley Thornton received a highly commended certificate at The Sheffield College’s Apprenticeship Celebration Awards last week.
Finley was shortlisted for the Healthcare Award, with his nomination recognising the dedication and skill he brings to his role every day.
Graham Travis, People Experience and Development Manager, and Sharon Wells, Lead Technician for Education and Training, said the whole team is “proud of Finley’s achievement and his well-deserved recognition.”
We are one of 820 employers working with the college to support training across a wide range of sectors, including science, dental, and health and social care.
From delivering totally crucial care to taking on the Total Warrior challenge: Meet Rotherham’s Hospital at Home Team
A dedicated group of colleagues from The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust’s Hospital at Home service will be swapping stethoscopes for mud, obstacles and ice baths as they take on the Total Warrior challenge this summer. The team are raising vital funds for Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity’s Dementia Appeal.
The cause is especially meaningful to them following one of their dedicated colleagues’ husbands being diagnosed with early onset dementia. The team were determined to rally around her by supporting an appeal that will directly benefit patients and families facing similar challenges across Rotherham.
The Hospital at Home service provides 24‑hour, hospital‑level care directly to patients wherever they call home, offering diagnostics, interventions and treatments that would traditionally require an inpatient stay. The service acts as both a step-up in care to prevent avoidable hospital admissions and a step-down to support earlier, safer discharge.
Launched in December 2022, their workforce includes nurses, support workers, advanced clinical practitioners, therapists and social prescribers - each playing a crucial role in delivering personalised, wrap around care.
Treating patients at home brings significant benefits for both individuals and the wider NHS. Patients remain in familiar surroundings, maintain independence and routines, and stay close to family and support networks. They eat and sleep better, experience fewer hospital acquired infections, and avoid the deconditioning that can occur during longer hospital stays.
For the Trust and the regional system, the impact is equally meaningful; fewer attendances at the Urgent and Emergency Care Centre, reduced pressure on inpatient beds, improved patient flow and fewer ambulance callouts.
Nurse consultants Paula Berridge and Vicki Williams have led the service since its beginning. Vicki commented: “Having care at home provides both benefits for patients and the hospital. It means we can treat people in the right place while they get timely access to the care they need. We can do all sorts of treatments in patients’ homes, such as intravenous fluids and antibiotics, and X-rays out of the hospital.
“We decided to run the Total Warrior in aid of the Dementia Appeal. Since our service started three years ago, we have cared for many people living with dementia, and in doing so we have seen how vital our service is to offer support and access to hospital-level diagnostics to people at home. Being in hospital and in unfamiliar surroundings can be very stressful for those living with dementia and their families. Our services allow people to be at home with loved ones whilst still accessing the services they need.
“We’ve all spent many years working with people living with dementia, and more recently a colleague of ours shared that her husband had been diagnosed with dementia – so the cause is really close to all of our hearts.”
By raising funds for their local NHS charity’s Dementia Appeal, they hope to support a local cause that directly benefit patients in Rotherham living with dementia.
Rachael Dawes, Head of Charity and Engagement at Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity expressed her appreciation for the Hospital at Home team’s kindness. She said: “As an NHS charity, we are always so grateful when our NHS colleagues go above and beyond to support our work. Our role is to help the Trust provide the very best care for patients, and that includes supporting projects that make a difference out in our community too.
“Seeing colleagues with such demanding roles dedicate their time and energy to fundraising for our Dementia Appeal is incredible. Their commitment reflects the compassion at the heart of our NHS, and we are so thankful for their support and wish them the best of luck for their challenge this June!”
The team aims to raise £1,000 to support the Rotherham Dementia Appeal.
If you’d like to support them, you can make a donation at: Fundraiser by Lauren Tointon : Total Warrior 2026
Prayer mats on Children’s Ward support Muslim families
Two prayer mats have been given on the Children’s Ward by the Chaplaincy team, making it easier for Muslim parents to complete their daily prayers without leaving their child alone.
For families with a child in hospital, being able to stay close to the bedside can make a challenging situation feel more manageable. The mats help parents maintain an important part of their daily routine while remaining beside their child. The idea came from Imam Mohammed Sultaan Mehmood, our Muslim Chaplain, after conversations with families about the practical challenges they faced on the ward.
Recognising the comfort and reassurance these rituals can provide during a crisis, he worked with ward staff to find a practical solution.
He said: “Given the importance of the five daily prayers in the Muslim faith, I discussed this with the Children’s Ward team and suggested keeping a couple of prayer mats on the ward to support families in these circumstances.
“The staff were very receptive to the idea and warmly welcomed the provision, ensuring that the prayer mats are now readily available for those who wish to use them.”
The introduction of the prayer mats shows how small, practical changes can make a difference for local Muslim families.
Scriptural reasoning from the Chaplaincy Team
The day of Eid will be celebrated on Wednesday 27 May, commemorating the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Ismail. In preparation, the Chapel held a scriptural reasoning session last week. For colleagues who missed the event, below is an overview of the scriptural reasoning session:
The story of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and sacrifice in Islam isn’t really about giving something up for the sake of loss - it’s about what you’re willing to let go of because of your trust in God.
The story of Ibrahim
Ibrahim (AS) waited many years to have a child. When his son, Prophet Ismail (Ishmael), was finally born, he loved him deeply.
Then came the test: Ibrahim saw in a dream that he was sacrificing his son. In Islam, prophets’ dreams are a form of revelation - so this wasn’t just a random nightmare. It was a command.
What makes this moment powerful is not just the command - but how both father and son respond.
Instead of forcing it, Ibrahim tells Ismail. And Ismail, rather than resisting, says (paraphrased):
"Father, do what you are commanded. You will find me patient, if God wills."
At the moment Ibrahim is about to carry it out, God stops him and replaces Ismail with a ram. The sacrifice was never about the act itself - it was about the willingness.
What sacrifice means
Letting go of something - Ibrahim wasn’t asked to give up something meaningless. He was tested with what mattered most to him.
Trusting when things don’t make sense - Sacrifice sometimes means accepting that you don’t see the full picture It’s not about loss - it’s about what replaces it
God didn’t ultimately take Ismail. He replaced the sacrifice with something else. This is a key Islamic idea: when you give something up sincerely for God, it is either:
Returned in a better form
Replaced with something greater Or rewarded in ways you don’t immediately see Sacrifice is internal before it’s external. The real test happened in the heartbefore any physical act.
Health Informatics achieves Service Desk Institute Certification – Proactive Level
The Health Informatics Service Desk is proud to announce it has successfully achieved Service Desk Institute (SDI) Service Desk Certification – Proactive Level.
This nationally recognised accreditation reflects the commitment, professionalism and dedication of the service desk and wider digital, data and technology teams in delivering high-quality, customer-focused IT support services across the Trust.
The assessment recognised the service desk’s strong focus on:
Customer experience and engagement
Continual service improvement
Knowledge management and self-service
Automation and innovation
Workforce development and collaboration
Alignment to Trust strategy and values
The accreditation demonstrates that the service desk is operating against recognised industry best practice standards while continuing to support safe, effective patient care through reliable digital services.
James Rawlinson, Director of Health Informatics, said:
“This is a fantastic achievement for the whole team and recognition of the hard work, professionalism and passion colleagues bring every day.
“Our Service Desk plays a critical role in supporting clinical and operational services across the Trust, and this accreditation reflects our ambition to deliver an exceptional customer experience whilst continuously improving how we support our users.
“I am incredibly proud of the team and the culture they have built together.”
The accreditation also supports the Trust’s wider Digital Strategy ambitions to deliver intuitive, reliable, integrated and customer-centred digital services under the #TRFTProud2bDigital vision.
A huge congratulations and thank you to everyone involved in achieving this success.
A1’s Sally Hooper is running for Staff Governor
Could A1's Ward Manager Sally Hooper be your next staff governor?
Rotherham native Sally has close links to her hometown. Her family are still residents and she has spent her entire 24 year NHS career working here.
Sally has experience in different areas of the Trust. She spent 17 years working in surgery before moving on to medicine seven years ago.
Becoming staff governor would build on Sally's portfolio of work on behalf of her colleagues which includes a role as the Trust's RCN steward. She's shared a little bit of what she would hope to achieve if elected to become a staff governor:
"I'm the RCN steward for the Trust so I already do a lot of work staff side with nurses and care support workers.
"If I become a staff governor, what I'm hoping to do is branch out and work on behalf of other staff groups too.
"In my role as steward, I'm already out and about a lot and hear a lot of feedback from lots of different staff groups. I have a good understanding of what matters to them and what is important to them. There are many that need to be represented.
"That's why I hope to be elected - I want to be able to act on the things I hear and work with them to make sure they are heard and represented - hopefully through me!"
Sally is passionate about the health and wellbeing of her colleagues and wants to be part of ensuring it feeds into the best possible patient experience: "I really believe if we get ourselves right and feel happy at work with good staff health and wellbeing, it will mean we can provide a better experience for our patients. I hope to be part of making that possible."
You can have your say in governor elections which close on Wednesday 27 May. Remember you must be a Trust member in order to vote.
BreathingSpace colleagues visit
RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Healthcare Support Workers
Rachid Kassimi, Ben Proctor, Adepeju adeoti-adeniji, Carol Tyas, Julie Friel and Respiratory Nurse Louise Fisher all took trips down to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week to see the Asthma + Lung UK BreathingSpace garden in all it’s glory.
Datesforyourdiary
World No Tobacco Day
Sunday 31 May
Dietitians Week
Monday 1 June - Friday 5 June
Team Brief
Friday 12 June
You can find more upcoming events like these on the Hub’s events calendar
