news@QEHB February 2017

Page 1

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For patients, staff, visitors and volunteers

Page 3 Clinicians develop life-saving app

FEBRUARY 2017

Page 7 Show how much you care

Page 9 Paramedic’s research ready for take-off

Michael Tomlinson who has worked at the Trust for 14 years now has a new recruit by his side: George

Haematology clinics relocating for refurb

Michael, who has been visually impaired most of his life, shares his experiences on page 3

Haematology clinics are being temporarily relocated while a £3.4 million refurbishment of Morris House is carried out to increase capacity and improve facilities for patients and staff. Funding for the redevelopment of the Centre for Clinical Haematology has been provided by the Local Enterprise Partnership, the Trust and Cure Leukaemia. The vision is to build on the Centre’s reputational excellence by combining outpatient and day infusion facilities along with access to world-leading clinical and research teams. Professor Charlie Craddock, Consultant Haematologist and Cure Leukaemia cofounder, said: “Once established, the Centre’s capacity for research nurse positions, clinical trials and patients treated will be doubled. “Over 100 jobs will be created, further enhancing Birmingham’s reputation for clinical excellence in the life science sector, and patient experience will be transformed by amalgamating all haematology and blood cancer services into a single space, from outpatient services to clinical trials. “These are just some of the benefits that the Centre’s development will enable. Not only will the Centre immediately increase the number of lives saved but it will also hasten global progress towards establishing effective treatments for all blood cancers within our lifetime.” In order to bring this vision to life a considerable amount of building work will take place in Morris House. To avoid disruption to clinics and offices, they will be temporarily moving this month until mid-October when the project is due to be completed. The clinics will be relocated in the Heritage Building, behind the Anti Coagulation Clinic off the main hospital corridor. Car parking for patients will still be in Car Park D but access will be either via the Cancer Centre, opposite the car park (contains steps) or via the Heritage Building main entrance. The latter is the entrance patient transport will use to reduce the walk for patients. The current clinic schedule is being reviewed to reduce delays during the temporary move but patients can minimise their waiting time by arriving at the time of their appointment or just before.

World-class centre opens to patients The first patients have been using the ITM Imaging Centre, an innovative and world-class Magnetic Resonance Imaging research facility. The new centre, situated between the Institute of Translational Medicine and East Block Day Unit, on Mindelsohn Way, is an exciting collaboration between the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), Institute of Translational Medicine (ITM) and medical charity Cobalt who invested £2m into the research facility. The centre, which houses a state of the art Siemens Skyra 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner, welcomed its first set of patients through the door on 9 January 2017. The MAGENTOM Skyra MRI system from Siemens Healthineers will allow research professionals at QEHB to use a range a different scanning positions and obtain the high image quality required for the studies taking place. The wide bore design also ensures that participants taking part in the research are comfortable and compliant, and that image quality is not compromised. Jan Kennedy, MRI Research Superintendent at the ITM Imaging Centre, said: “The service will introduce the newest techniques to routine clinical imaging appointments, enhancing the level of care provided to patients across a broad range of specialities at QEHB. It’s an exciting project to be part of.”

Left to right: Kerry Wilson, Charlotte Cannon, Liz Squire, Michiel Tesfazghi and Nigel Davies

Peter Sharpe, CEO of Cobalt Health, added: “We are very proud to be working with the Institute of Translational Medicine and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham to deliver this new service.” The new centre will allow the development of research in the areas of oncology, liver disease, cardiology, neuro-science and trauma, contributing to the achievement of research outcomes delivered by the Institute of Translational Medicine. Paul Brettle, Deputy Divisional Director of

Operations, said: “I’d like to thank all those involved in ensuring that the ITM Imaging Centre opened successfully. “This world-class facility will put medical imaging at the forefront of its research and will help pioneer medical research.” If your team has a research idea and would like to seek funding to use the new MRI facility please contact the research application support team via email: ƀ RAS@uhb.nhs.uk

Read more: Sporting celebrities support fund-raising launch – p11

Puzzle page: Delivering theBrainteasers, best in care mind benders and more p15 Find your way around: Hospital maps p16


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