Visit our website: www.uhb.nhs.uk
For patients, staff, visitors and volunteers
MARCH 2015
Page 8/9 Purpose-built renal unit to open its doors
Page 2 Working to ensure Dignity in Care
Family’s life-saving kidney transplants A brother and his sister-in-law are thought to have made medical history by undergoing life-saving transplants with kidneys taken from a single donor. And, in a remarkable twist of fate, his wife, Nasim Akhter and brother-in-law Mohammed have also undergone kidney transplants after years of illness. Mazim Ali had been living with a deteriorating kidney for many years and had been on dialysis when the early morning call came through. Moments later another call came through on his home’s landline informing his sister-inlaw, Tazeem Aktar, that the team at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham was able to give her the other kidney. The donor was one of many thousands of people who had signed the register which authorises medical teams to transplant their organs in event of their death. Maz, who has returned to part-time work as a community pharmacist, said: “As far as I am aware we are the only two living relatives to have received a kidney transplant on the same day from the same cadaveric donor. It has meant everything to us and we will always be grateful.” The life-saving transplants took place in April 2013 just a month before Maz’s wife had her
kidney removed due to her illness (PKD). She underwent a transplant operation, with the team using a kidney from a member of her family in January 2014, and is also recovering well. Maz’s brother-in-law Mohammed Jamil, 47, was the fourth member of their family to undergo a kidney transplant. The engineer received the kidney from his wife, Nasreen Akhtar. Since the operation in April 2014 both Mohammed and his wife have recovered well. The same progress has been made by Maz, who was first diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease while studying at University. His kidney function began to gradually decline and in March, 2010 he was placed on the hospital’s transplant register. He said: “I was informed that due to my background and ethnicity, the average wait would be about five years, as few members of my community donate organs after death.” While Maz waited he was taught how to manage his condition while continuing to work full time until 2013 when he had to start haemodialysis. These three sessions a week, each lasting four hours, cleansed Maz’s blood but forced him to reduce his other commitments. Maz said: “There were some good days and
some bad. Dialysis is not a cure it is a treatment option. The statistics show that about half of the patients that start dialysis will die after five years on dialysis.” He was able to learn how to undertake selfdialysis and a purpose-built room was built in his garden. Supportive family were considered as donors and it was found his younger brother and first cousin were both compatible. An early morning call put these plans on hold with the hospital team confirming kidneys from someone who had died would be available for him and his sister-in-law. Maz said: “It really has been a life changing experience and we will be ever grateful to the donor and their family who took this decision. It has changed so many lives, not only for myself and my sister-in-law but for all our family.” Now Maz is hoping that other people will see the value of joining the organ donor register. He is an active member of the Sadqa project and, 18 months after the transplant, said: “Initially I had post transplant complications, called ‘sleepy kidney syndrome’, but now a year and a half post transplant, I am very well. I hope others will see just what this can mean to someone’s life.”
New checks to track health of teams The Trust will be piloting a new, free and confidential health check for all housekeeping assistants and porters. The check-up will make use of new automatic ‘health pods’ that measure, height, weight, body mass index and blood pressure. A research nurse will then measure the waists of staff and have a conversation to talk about their results from the health pod, any health issues that might be concerning them. Staff will then be given advice on diet and exercise, signposted to their GP or to a smoking cessation clinic. The hope for the ‘well people’ clinics is to boost the health and wellbeing of staff at QEHB by giving staff with busy lives the opportunity to see a health professional and given the information needed to make healthier choices. If the pilot is successful the Trust hopes to roll out the clinics to all staff. To book an appointment or for more information, call or email the team at: Tel: 0121 371 3155 email@alison.berry2@uhb.nhs.uk
Jenny Hiley, Professional Development Research Nurse, Antony Cobley, Senior HR Manager-Governance, and Christina Reihill, Pre-admission Screening - Leading Nurse Practitior
Page 11 Global burns experts share their expertise Community growth
National recognition for orchard project
The Trust’s Community Orchard and Gardens have been nominated in two categories at the prestigious annual Patient Experience Network National Awards, PENNA. The Community Orchard and Gardens feature in the ‘Environment of Care’ category for the work done to improve the 16,000 sq metres of land around the hospital site for better use by patients, staff and the local community. Collaborative working may also see the orchard gain an esteemed PENNA award in the ‘Partnership working to improve experience’ category. The annual PENNA awards aim to recognise and celebrate the delivery of outstanding patient experience by those involved in healthcare. Antony Cobley, Senior HR Manager and Health and Well-being Lead at QEHB, said: “These nominations show the level of innovation and determination at the Trust to improve not just the patient’s journey, but that of our staff. “Weeks and months of planning and hard work with all of our excellent and driven partners have helped us to deliver on this vision, but there is much more to do. “The hope is that patients will be able to access a number of unique and welcoming spaces outdoors and around the hospital to get away from what can be a worrying and stressful time on the wards and in clinics.” Mandy Green, Head of Patient Experience at QEHB, said: “The gardens represent the Trust’s commitment to finding innovative ways to improve the experience for our patients and staff for the better. “It is an incredible achievement and testament to Antony’s vision.” The Trust was also nominated for a further PENNA award which will compete against the Orchard. The Trust’s buggy service which helps transport patients with limited mobility between the car park and main entrance was also nominated in the ‘Environment of Care’ category. The shuttlebug is operated solely by volunteers and has helped over 50,000 people to date.
For more details about the Awards visit: www.patientexperienceawards.org For the full story see page 13
Puzzle page: Delivering thebrainteasers, best in care mind benders and more P15 Find your way around: hospital maps P16 Jenny Hiley helps a member of staff. news@QEHB 2015_3_March.indd 1
23/02/2015 15:11