The Leeds Teaching Hospitals
b bulletin
NHS Trust
staff magazine | Winter 2012/13
contents
The Leeds Teaching Hospitals
b bulletin
NHS Trust
staff magazine | Winter 2012/13
15 7 4
Inspiration: One of the young patients helped by Specialist Rehabilitiation Services at Seacroft Hospital, which recently held an open day.
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Biggest ever Trust Health Fair
12-13 Lord Mayor opens high-tech central home for X-ray and ultrasound
7 Kate aims to inspire with book on cancer survivorship
14-15 Radiotherapy opens its doors to the public
8-9 Unique model gives doll-sized view of complex cancer treatment
16-17 Military top brass impressed by Seacroft rehabilitation services
10 Automated medicine cabinets improve safety and efficiency
18-19 Inspirational staff shine at newspaper awards
11 Another radiotherapy world first for St James’s
20 Service celebrates ten years of outstanding care
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Bulletin is produced quarterly by the Communications Department Editor: Suzanne Breen Photography by Medical Illustration Designed by Octagon Design and Marketing Ltd Send your ideas, suggestions or articles for the next edition of Bulletin to suzanne.breen@leedsth. nhs.uk or call 0113 2066494. Copy deadline is 1st February 2013
Generous donation: Stuart Lancaster, England Rugby Coach with (l-r) Jackie Bailey, Children’s Outpatient Play Leader, Jacquie Cross, Development Manager, and Jonathan Sutcliffe, Consultant, Paediatric Surgery.
Point the way: Professor Tim Bishop (front centre) and his team of researchers at St James’s.
Leeds scientists support new cancer campaign A team of leading Leeds cancer researchers took time out to stand up in their labs and show support for the new fundraising campaign - Stand Up To Cancer. Stand Up To Cancer is being brought to the UK for the first time by Cancer Research UK and Channel 4. It will unite scientists, celebrities and communities in Yorkshire and across the country to generate funds, raise awareness and bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
scientists with doctors and nurses and boasts world-class experts in a number of key areas.
Led by Professor Tim Bishop, Director of the Leeds Cancer Research UK Centre at St James’s, the researchers held up bright orange and red arrows to represent the need for everyone to join together and take a stand against all forms of cancer.
Researchers at the Centre are also working on exciting new targeted treatments for cancer discovering novel drugs and testing them in early stage clinical trials.
“As well as the cancer patients we see at the hospital, we all know people close to us who have been affected by this disease.” The Leeds Cancer Research UK Centre is a partnership between the Trust, the University of Leeds, and Cancer Research UK. The Centre brings together internationally-respected
A particular strength is research into the genes that cause cancer, and how patterns of gene activity are controlled in cancer cells. Another area is biomarkers - investigating the molecular ‘hallmarks’ of cancer cells, to help doctors detect the disease earlier and track how well treatment is working.
Sporting stars drop in
Two sporting legends from the worlds of rugby union and cricket dropped in to the Leeds Children’s Hospital recently to show their support. Rugby Union England Head Coach, Stuart Lancaster, paid a special visit to wards in the hospital and Outpatients Department, where he handed over a framed England shirt signed by all the players. The shirt was donated by Leeds Carnegie players to raise funds for a distraction wall for a treatment room for young patients. Meanwhile, cricket legend and Ambassador for Yorkshire Bank, Alec Stewart, created a stir on the children’s wards by bringing in signed autograph cards and mini cricket bats to give out to young cricket fans as well as showing off the CB40 trophy.
Professor Bishop, Head of the Genetic Epidemiology lab, said: “As well as the cancer patients we see at the hospital, we all know people close to us who have been affected by this disease. So we’re Standing Up by working as hard as we can to try and improve treatments for cancer, which affects one in three people in the UK at some stage in their lives and has devastating effects on them and their families. “And we are asking people across Leeds and the region to join in and stand shoulder to shoulder with us in the fight against cancer.”
Sporting visit: Alec with young patient Jack Lawrence and his parents on ward L41.
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Lively event: The Health Fair in full swing.
Biggest ever Trust Health Fair More than 50 departments throughout the Trust organised stands at this year’s health fair, held in Gledhow Wing reception in September. Highlights included several interactive stands where staff, patients and the public could learn first-hand about areas such as intensive care, children’s radiotherapy or phlebotomy. Visitors to the catering stand were able to taste-test patient meals, and outside the bariatric ambulance crew demonstrated equipment designed to transport patients weighing up to 75 stone. A comprehensive display of prosthetic limbs was also on display by the Seacroft Rehabilitation Unit, providing a timely link to
similar products used so successfully in this year’s Paralympic Games. Hundreds of people attended the fair and feedback from stallholders, suppliers and visitors was extremely positive, with one staff member commenting that “it was way a great way to bring departments together, not only to celebrate their own success but also to learn about the work of others.” Nevertheless, despite the incentive of free coffee, food and the chance to win an ipad, the most talked about stand was that featuring Lucy, the Trust’s “pat dog”, who with his owner, Mel Sanderson, has been
visiting the Children’s Hospital one day a week for the last 18 months. Talking about his role, Mr Sanderson said: “It is a real honour to be able to help patients in this way. We thoroughly enjoy our visits to the children’s wards and we know that patients do too.” The Trust Annual General Meeting followed the health fair and this enabled a greater number of people to hear about the valuable work undertaken by the Trust this year. For a copy of the 2011-12 Trust Annual Report please visit the LTHT website - www.leedsth.nhs.uk
Lucky winners know about IG Sam Gaunt from Patient Relations, Hannah Wilson, Trainee Pharmacist and Kay Braddock, Head of Portering, were the lucky winners of three fabulous prizes at this year’s health fair. All three correctly answered a competition questionnaire on the Information Governance stand. Commenting on the success of this year’s stand, organiser David Wignall said, “Our competition proved really popular and it was great to see so many members of staff take an interest in information governance.
Show star: ‘Pat dog’ Lucy meets another fan.
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“Managing confidential data effectively is so important for this Trust. We can cause huge distress and be fined huge sums if we get it wrong, so it really is important that people understand the rules. This year’s competition enabled us to get our key messages out to a large number of people. We hope to do the same again next year.”
Trust Board welcomes Professor Cottrell Professor David Cottrell, Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Dean of Medicine at the University of Leeds, has joined the Board as a Non-executive Director, bringing a wealth of clinical and educational experience.
Demonstrating how to take bloods: Jane Docherty, Phlebotomy co-ordinator.
After graduating from Oxford in 1976, and London in 1979, Professor Cottrell trained as a lecturer at St. George’s Hospital Medical School and then worked as a Senior Lecturer at the London Hospital Medical College before he was appointed to the Foundation Chair in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry in Leeds in 1994. He holds an honorary consultant child & adolescent psychiatry post with the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, part of NHS Leeds Community Healthcare. Professor Cottrell was Director of Learning & Teaching in the School of Medicine with responsibility for all undergraduate and postgraduate learning and teaching activity from 1999 – 2006 and in 2008 he was appointed Dean of Medicine. In addition to his academic work he is also involved in ongoing research.
Hi-tech monitor: Anne Harrop, Clinical Educator for Neonatal Services, with one of the baby mannequins used for simulation training.
Commenting on his appointment, Professor Cottrell said: “The School of Medicine has been working closely with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals for many years and so I know the Trust well. I am delighted to have joined the Board and to be able to contribute to the future success of the organisation.” Professor Cottrell replaces Professor Peter McWilliam, the former representative of the University of Leeds on the Board.
Good practice: Showcasing medical education.
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Accolade for diabetes team Dr Philip Holland and his team have won an NHS Innovation award for an online service to support children affected by diabetes and their families.
The service called ‘Upbete’ was developed by the team along with parents and children to promote selfmanagement of diabetes, community knowledge-sharing, learning and public outreach. An online community has been formed, increasing understanding of diabetes and the confidence and wellbeing of the families. Patient health has improved and the website has received over 1,000 visitors in six months. The Awards, now in their eighth year, attracted the highest ever number of entries over 150 - with 24 finalists shortlisted across the five categories. The Leeds Children’s Hospital team were winners in the Software & Telehealth category. Two hundred people from across the NHS, academia and the medical technology industry attended the Awards, hosted at Cedar Court Hotel in Wakefield and run by Medipex - the NHS Innovation Hub for the Yorkshire and Humber region. Richard Clark, CEO of Medipex said: “The
sheer number of entries this year, and their consistently high standard, is testament to the innovative and empathetic people that work in or with the NHS and their continued striving to improve patient care. These innovations could be commissioned across other Trusts and organisations and, in some cases, this has already happened. All the finalists should be congratulated for their work in improving patient care.” This was the second recent accolade for ‘Upbete; which was also commended in the Best Improvement Programme for Children and Young People category at the national Quality in Care Diabetes Awards. Dr Holland said: “The diabetes team here in Leeds works hard to provide good quality care and support to young patients and their families and others who support them, so we are delighted to be recognised in this way.” Congratulations also go to Consultant Vascular Radiologist, Dr Christopher Hammond, and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Martin Stone who were both finalists at the Medipex awards.
Innovative work: Dr Philip Holland, Consultant Paediatrician.
Sharing knowledge: Some of the attendees at the good practice event for physiotherapists.
Physiotherapy in the spotlight The LTHT Physiotherapy Department held their bi-annual good practice event at St James’s in September to showcase and celebrate the high level service they deliver within the Trust. Presentations and table displays were used by representatives from specialist clinical areas within physiotherapy to show
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examples of innovative clinical practice, efficient clinical management, and current research projects. Carolyn Czoski-Murray, Senior Research Fellow in applied health research for LTHT, gave a key-note speech that flagged up the potential for physiotherapists to develop themselves academically and to become more active researchers.
Denise Ross, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, who delivered a presentation on neurological physiotherapy, said: “The event was a big success feedback about the presentations was enthusiastic and supportive and all the attendees seemed to enjoy the day.”
Kate aims to inspire with book on cancer survivorship Kate Hayward, a Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Bexley Wing, is using her personal experience of surviving breast cancer to give an insight into adapting to life after diagnosis. Her latest book, now available to download on Kindle, is called Cancer Survivorship: Helping patients to accept a new way of living, and follows up a successful book she wrote in 2008 based on a personal journal of how she coped with being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer, bringing in the perspective of her own role as an oncology nurse. The new publication, downloadable for less than 80p, is a 321-page guide to adapting to life after diagnosis, aimed in particular at helping health professionals understand more about their patients’ needs, although it is also suitable for patients and families directly. It is packed with useful insights, tips, points to consider and links where further information is available. In addition to the main text by Kate, Dr Tim Perren, Dr Dan Stark and Mr Philip Turton have all contributed sections. Kate explained: “After my original book I wanted to keep the momentum going and focus this time on survivorship and writing something relevant to all cancer patients and those health professionals looking after them. “More and more people are surviving cancer and we need to develop new ways of looking after and supporting people in the future. This is particularly needed when a patient has body image concerns or has trouble with adapting to life after their treatment has ended. “I have always gained great strength and solace from books and articles by survivors, and their personal stories always strike a chord with me. I wanted to continue this theme but also include more tips about health
Proud author: Kate Hayward, Clinical Nurse Specialist.
promotion and vigilance as well as where people can look for help themselves when they are ready to move on. “Feedback on my previous book from cancer patients and from health professionals was very positive and this encouraged me to write the new publication. I am hoping it will give some insight into this important subject and hopefully help improve outcomes for patients and their families adapting to life after both diagnosis and treatment.”
A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our staff
To order visit the Kindle store on www.amazon.co.uk
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Unique model gives doll-s view of complex cancer tr “Barbie” has a unique new accessory thanks to the efforts of engineers and radiotherapists in the Bexley Wing – a realistic one-sixth scale model of a linear accelerator cancer treatment machine. The specially designed simulator helps children undergoing radiotherapy treatment familiarise themselves with the high-tech kit that is being used to treat them. It is intended to take some of the fear out of the experience, and builds on the work the hospital already does, including promoting play. Controlled by a series of motors which the children can operate with buttons, a doll in a specially made hospital gown and mask is laid on the treatment couch, which moves up and down and from side to side. The linear accelerator also rotates realistically around the doll, and the colours and materials have been designed to look like the real department. The model even has two working TV screens for young patients and their siblings to watch specially-made cartoons. Paediatric radiotherapist Lucy Hume came up with the idea as part of work to develop better distraction techniques. By making child cancer patients more comfortable with their surroundings, they are less likely to need a general anaesthetic during radiotherapy treatment, which both slows down the treatment and recovery and is potentially more risky for the patient. “We already try and make the hospital seem
Double-take: Wayne Sykes and Lucy Hume with the scale model of a linear accelerator in front of a full-size machine.
as friendly as possible for our young patients, and when possible will take them into the linear accelerator chambers – for instance we have sometimes held a teddy bear’s picnic in there,” she explained. “However the machines are very busy and in use much of the time so
that isn’t always possible. “I came up with the idea of designing a model of the actual machine so children could learn about their treatment through play with our staff,” Lucy added. “The Yorkshire Cancer Centre Appeal generously provided £5,000 to fund the project, and our engineers have painstakingly designed and built it. The finished model is absolutely fantastic and we can’t wait to start using it.” For radiotherapy clinical technologist Wayne Sykes, whose role includes looking after the hospital’s 12 full scale linear accelerators – each one of which cost £1.6 million – Lucy’s idea was a unique challenge but one which he and his colleagues have embraced enthusiastically. “It has been built gradually as time allowed over the last four months, starting with a series of 3D drawings to ensure it is accurate and to scale,” he explained.
Learning through play: Twin brothers Scott Edwards (left) and Shane Edwards try out the model.
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“Great care has been taken to replicate the real machine as closely as possible, using small 12-volt motors so that it operates as much as possible like the real thing. It has generated a lot of interest within the department and we hope the children will have fun learning from it.”
sized reatment Learning time for Lucy In the last issue of Bulletin we reported that Paediatric radiographer Lucy Hume had been awarded the Society of Radiographers’ annual Arthur Kay radiotherapy award, a travel bursary worth £3,300 which is awarded annually.
Generous donation A patient who had major surgery to treat pancreatic cancer six years ago has raised over £3,500 to help fund research into the disease. Mrs Mary Parker, along with friends and family, started fundraising shortly after she was discharged from hospital after an 11 hour operation and 3 weeks under the watchful eye of Consultant Surgeon, Mr Krishna Menon in the Bexley Wing. She held coffee mornings with home-made cakes and a tombola at the local Town Hall which has now become a regular event in the calendar. Mr Menon said: “Mary is truly remarkable.
She has risen above her own trials and tribulations to help others by raising a substantial amount of money for the HPB Cancer research fund.” It was at a routine appointment back in the Bexley Wing that Mr Menon presented Mary with a plaque to thank her for support. She also had an opportunity to rekindle a heart-warming friendship with volunteer chaplain, Sister Mary Lardner, who visited her regularly after her operation six years ago. Mary said: “I would not be here today if it wasn’t for Mr Menon and his team. I can’t praise St James’s enough for the care I have received.”
Lucy headed “down under” in August, where she visited the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne – a pioneer of distraction techniques for children undergoing radiotherapy – as well as the Westmead Hospital in Sydney, and the Canterbury Regional Cancer and Blood Service in nearby New Zealand. “It was a fascinating trip and I learned a lot, but one of the lessons I brought back is that we already do a lot of work with our children which is comparable with the best in the world and we can be very proud of that,” Lucy said. “Colleagues in Australia were very interested that we had a dedicated paediatric department and that is something they want to emulate, and they were also amazed by our model of a linear accelerator. “Initiatives I saw which work well and I want us to consider introducing here include art and music therapy, and using balloon therapy with young children to make models, which seems to be a great way of taking children’s minds off where they are. Another great idea was to give children “beads of courage” – encouraging them to collect a different bead for every milestone they get past and make a necklace. “For older children and teenagers some of the hospitals used technology such as special ipods which work during the radiotherapy treatment, which I think would be excellent here. The trip also inspired me to push ahead with plans we already have to create a dedicated room for teenagers as they don’t always want the same environment as younger children.” Lucy will be sharing her experiences at a national conference for radiographers.
Helping others: Mrs Mary Parker receiving a plaque from the team that treated her (l-r), Consultant Surgeons, Mr Krish Menon and Mr Raj Prasad, and Nurse Specialist, Carmel Facer.
Visit of Japanese nurses to Children’s Hospital A group of Japanese children’s cancer nurses were welcomed to Leeds Children’s Hospital recently as part of a study tour to the UK, the host for an international conference on paediatric oncology. The six Japanese nurses were in Leeds for a two-day programme of visits and talks from experts. Presentations included the importance of play; working with teenagers; nutritional support, pain control, and the management of the late effects of cancer treatment. Rachel Hollis, Lead Nurse for Children’s
Cancer, said: “The visit demonstrates the international reputation of children’s cancer services here in Leeds Children’s Hospital and it provided us with the opportunity to learn more about services for children in Japan. “Paediatric Oncology is a speciality where international collaboration is seen as not only interesting, but essential because we can learn so much from each other in continuing to improve treatment and care. After the visit, colleagues from our children’s cancer service joined the Japanese nurses at the International Society for Paediatric Oncology in London.
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Automated medicine cabinets improve safety and efficiency The Trust has introduced automated medicine cabinets in four busy units, including our two A&E departments, one intensive care unit and a paediatric medicine ward. The cabinets work through fingerprint recognition technology. The user keys into the machine the medicine they need to access and the system will open the drawer containing the medicine that the nurse has requested. An audit trail showing who has accessed which medicines is stored and available to review. In addition the machine can provide a restock list automatically enabling replenishment to occur with the need for stock counting. The equipment supports the safe supply of medicines and the secure storage and record keeping which is required by Trust medicines policy. In addition it enables nurses to access medicines without the need for keys to medicines cupboards and to find medicines when they are needed. The new automated system builds on work already completed as part of the Trust’s
involvement in the Releasing Time to Care (Productive Ward) project, with an emphasis on how to make medicines administration more time-effective for nurses. It also fits in with work the Trust has been doing around reducing missed doses of medicines, following an alert from the National Patient Safety Agency.
“We’re delighted with our new system.” While the new system has only been in place for a short time, the pharmacy and nursing teams are already seeing benefits beyond the well documented area of stock control. Romy Smith, Senior Sister on the Acute Medical Unit, said: ‘We’re delighted with our new system. We are easily able to check what stock is available, and no longer have to spend time searching through different cupboards to see if a particular medicine is in stock.”
Safer medicines: Amy Barnfield, Sister, and Jacob Kuyiladan, Pharmacy Support Worker.
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Julie Groves, Senior Sister, Emergency Department, added: “It’s great not to hear the common shout of ‘Who’s got the keys?’ around the department. I’ve also found the system easy to use, including the use of the reporting tools which enable me to see what activity has taken place, and identify training needs when necessary.” Jo Dickson, Lead Nurse – eMedicines, said: “From a patient safety point of view, we also expect to see a reduction in people picking the wrong medicines from the shelves because of boxes looking very similar, for example.” The team involved with the implementation of these robots believe one of the reasons that the new system is working so well is because of the multi-professional team involved from the start, with input from the pharmacy team, IT staff and nurses and are grateful to all those involved in this successful project.
Cancer break-through: Mr Richard Berry with (l-r) R&D Radiographer, Alan Needham, Specialist Radiographer, Mark Holmes, and Medical Physicist, Sally Derbyshire.
Another radiotherapy world first for St James’s Staff at St James’s have carried out the first treatment in the world using a beam-shaping device to target lung cancer in conjunction with a technique called Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR). The hospital worked with leading global medical device manufacturer Elekta on the development of the “Agility” head, which is fitted to one of the high-tech linear accelerators in the St James’s Institute of Oncology, and provides more precise radiotherapy treatment in larger doses over a shorter period of time. Earlier in 2012 St James’s carried out the first ever clinical treatment using the equipment, and it is now being extended to help patients with cancers which are difficult or impossible to treat using conventional surgery. The first patient to have stereotactic radiotherapy for lung cancer using the new device was Mr Richard Berry. Mr Berry, aged 72, only discovered he had cancer a month ago after collapsing suddenly at home, and is delighted to have been offered the new treatment.
“I was very surprised to hear I was the first patient to undergo this process,” he said. “I didn’t relish the prospect of surgery and this treatment has allowed me to carry on with life much as normal, and I have felt fine throughout the process. Alan Needham, Lead Radiotherapy Radiographer for Research and Development, commented: “The Agility device enhances the way we can target radiotherapy treatment beams to match the precise shape of a cancer.
“We are delighted to have been able to undertake the first treatment using the device to target early stage lung cancer.”
“Combined with the latest therapy technique, VMAT (Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy), where a therapy beam is continuously reshaped as it rotates about the patient, we can significantly raise the standard and
quality of radiotherapy delivery. “We are delighted to have been able to undertake the first treatment using the device to target early stage lung cancer and are continuing to develop its potential and expect to expand its use to include other cancers over the next year.” The centre is fortunate to have the equipment to carry out this leading-edge treatment, thanks to the Yorkshire Cancer Centre Appeal, which has funded two research linear accelerators to develop improved treatments for patients from across the region. St James’s is already at the national forefront in the provision of stereotactic radiotherapy for lung cancer and has treated 360 patients so far, of whom Mr Berry is the first to have the added advantage of the Agility device to target the treatment more precisely. More than half the lung stereotactic treatments undertaken across the UK have been in Leeds.
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Lord Mayor opens high-tec home for X-ray and ultraso
The Radiology Department at St James’s has been totally transformed thanks to an £850,000 in services together in a central location in the Chancellor’s Wing, adjacent to A&E. The work – part of Managing for Success - was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Ann Castle, accompanied by her consort, Mr Graham Castle. This major project has totally remodelled the existing x-ray department in the Chancellor’s Wing, which was redesigned to maximise the available use of space. This has allowed services from the x-ray department and Ultrasound department in the nearby Lincoln Wing to move into the new facility, bringing staff together into an integrated service for the first time with all the latest equipment. Around 150,000 x-ray and ultrasound examinations take place at St James’s each year, and the department operates round the clock every day to ensure patients needing x-ray and ultrasound examinations have these whenever they are needed. Jane Bewell, Principal Superintendent Radiographer, said “This has been a huge project designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of staff, use our buildings more effectively and deliver better patient care. We have achieved all three aims as a result of the changes, and all the staff are
Proud moment: Matthew Smith, Radiology LEAN Lead, Councillor Ann Castle, Lord Mayor of Leeds K and Jane Bewell, Principal Superintendent X-ray, at the plaque unveiling.
very proud of our new department. “All three of the previous facilities were old and in need of repair and modernisation, and the X-ray equipment in there was ageing. Redesigning the department as an integrated unit has allowed us to address this and bring in new state-of-the-art machines for our patients.
“Staff at all levels were involved in planning the layout of the new facility.”
Technology at work: Samantha Madden, Radiographer, with the Lord Mayor and Carol Banks, Reporting Radiographer.
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“The challenge for us was both to design a new facility which fitted more services into less overall space, and keep the normal workload of the department running throughout the changes. Staff at all levels were involved in planning the layout of the new facility, and we also took on board feedback from patient surveys. The department has a new entrance with
ch central ound
nvestment which has brought
Proud moment (l-r): Nicholas Owen, with Sadie Smith, Macmillan Information & Support Manager, Marie Nebard, Macmillan Hair Loss Support Worker, and Louise Fisher, Macmillan Supportive Care Coordinator.
Robert Ogden Centre team win quality award
Karen Harrison Principal Superintendent Ultrasound,
direct feed into Accident and Emergency, making it easier for patients to access directly. A large central shared in patient waiting area created, with further out patient waiting areas outside the x-ray and ultrasound examination room doors. Equipment installed in the facility includes two new Siemens Wireless DR x-ray rooms with cutting edge wireless digital x-ray units which enable images to be viewed near instantaneously across the hospitals in Leeds. The wireless digital rooms offer versatility and speed and are more comfortable for immobile patients on trolleys. A new smaller lighter ultrasound machine has also been purchased for performing examinations rapidly on patients in the wards who are unable to come to the department. Other improvements in the new facility include upgraded air conditioning throughout, a new tannoy system, plus new patient and disabled toilets including en suite facilities in ultrasound rooms.
Staff from the Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre at St James’s are celebrating after winning a Quality in Care (QiC) Excellence in Oncology Award for developments in the Hair Loss Support Service. The award was presented at a glittering ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Liverpool, and the Centre gained further recognition as a highly commended runner up in the Reducing Cancer Inequality Initiative category. The Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre has been involved in a variety of projects to improve Hair Loss Support Services for cancer patients at the Leeds Cancer Centre in Bexley Wing. Training of hair loss support staff and a focus group led to improved acceptability of the wig service for black and ethnic minority communities. The Centre worked very closely with a local wig supplier to increase the range of wigs on offer under the NHS scheme, resulting in better choice for patients. An electronic catalogue has been developed specifically for the Hair Loss Support Service, which includes a diverse range of models to improve appeal and acceptance with the wider patient community and
different groups. A room in the Cancer Centre has been furnished into a hair salon to allow patients to be seen in a suitably private location, closer to where they receive treatment.
“Everyone is delighted that the Hair Loss Support Service has been recognised in this way. Sadie Smith, Macmillan Information & Support Manager at the Centre, said: “Everyone is delighted that the Hair Loss Support Service has been recognised in this way. I am so proud of the Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre Team as a whole, staff and volunteers and it is great to get national recognition for our efforts to enhance the quality of life of local cancer patients.” The award was presented by BBC newsreader Nicholas Owen, with speakers on the evening including Professor Sir Mike Richards, National Cancer Director.
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Radiotherapy ope doors to the publ
Radiotherapy is becoming increasingly recognised as an effective treatment in the fight against patients it is surrounded by mystery and myths.
To help raise awareness, the department in Bexley Wing at St James’s recently opened its doors for the weekend to welcome the public and other health professionals to see for themselves what radiotherapy is all about. The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Ann Castle, was one of those who came along. The aim was to show people how radiotherapy works, what goes into preparation for treatment and how it is delivered. Previous service users talked about their experience of undergoing radiotherapy, and members of the multiprofessional team described their roles outlining the research and development that is being pioneered in Leeds. The key event was a ‘walk through’ the patients’ radiotherapy journey. The pathway began by visitors being shown how CT scans are used to plan treatment. Physics staff showed how specific computerised
Friendly approach: Paediatric radiotherapist Lucy Hume with members of the Patel family.
Civic approval: The Lord Mayor of Leeds was among the visitors to the event.
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ens its lic
t many cancers but for some
radiotherapy treatment plans are created, and the tour then moved on to see the treatment machines, where staff showed how the machines work and described the maintenance and checks that go on behind the scenes to ensure safe and accurate delivery of radiotherapy. Following the tour, everyone was invited to look around the various stands and displays which included such topics as careers advice, how paediatric patients are prepared for radiotherapy through play, complementary therapies and survivorship/rehabilitation support (Bridge) clinic, Yorkshire Cancer Centre Appeal, Macmillan Cancer Relief, Cancer Research UK, and The Haven. There were also displays provided by Elekta and other sponsors and supporters.
Trust joins in Olympic joy It was a proud summer for Yorkshire as athletes from the region took centre stage at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, winning 11 gold medals, five silver and five bronzes in total.
The team provided a full imaging service for 20,000 athletes and the extended Olympic family for the duration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
LTHT had reason to be particularly proud as Alistair and Jonny Brownlee, sons of LGI Consultant Paediatrician, Keith Brownlee, won gold and bronze in the triathalon event. Colleagues of Dr Brownlee joined the throngs of supporters in Millennium Square to cheer them to victory.
Before the Games started some of our children’s wards received a visit from Olympic Torch Bearer, Alan Hoyle. Alan was chosen for the role as an inspirational person who co-founded an organisation that helps to get young people off drugs and crime and into employment.
Some staff at the Trust played a key role in the organisation of the Games too. Dr Phil O’Connor, Consultant Musculoskeletal Radiologist at Chapel Allerton Hospital, was chosen for one of the leading medical roles. He led a team of over 200 people, including 80 radiologists, 130 radiographers and around 80 radiographic assistants who diagnosed and helped treat sports injuries.
Other staff joined the 70,000 volunteers recruited for the Games and played their part in making it the success that it was.
Double victory: Olympic medallists, Alistair (right) and Jonny Brownlee.
‘I found it really interesting and informative and feel very confident in the treatment I am about to start. It answered all my inner questions’ The event was well attended by public and professionals alike, and visitors included those currently on treatment. Some people who are coming for radiotherapy in the near future took the opportunity to find out more for themselves and their families. One person commented ‘I found it really interesting and informative and feel very confident in the treatment I am about to start. It answered all my inner questions’ In addition to service users, radiotherapy staff were delighted to host young people considering a career in health care, radiotherapy students from other centres. The feedback from the open days was very positive, an example being “Actually seeing the department and hearing from past patients is a lot better than reading leaflets. Fantastic staff!” The radiotherapy department is keen to make this an annual event and continue to maintain awareness of the role of radiotherapy in cancer treatment.
Shining bright: Tracey Stephenson, Clinical Support Worker, Tracey Martin, Play Specialist, Tegan Hinds, Patient, Alan Hoyle, Olympic Torch Bearer, Renee Easton, Clinical Support Worker on ward L30.
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Military top brass impre Seacroft rehabilitation s
Senior officers from Catterick - Western Europe’s largest military garrison - turned out in force Rehabilitation Services based at Seacroft Hospital held an open day to showcase its prosthetic, They joined others guests including commissioners, GPs, surgeons, Trust employees, representatives from charities and allied health professionals from across Yorkshire and the Humber. During the event, visitors were guided through the patient care pathways and specialised services available within the centre, as well as giving information on outcomes. Service Manager, Nancy Rhodes, who is also the Military Health Champion for the Trust, said: “The purpose of the day was to showcase just how good the services are here in Leeds in an educational and informative way. The services are complex and require very skilled staff to provide them and we are very fortunate here at Seacroft to have such a team in place.” Among the attractions on show was a display from Prosthetics Physiotherapy (Lynn Hirst & Graham Dobbs), who demonstrated their early walking aid equipment, and discussed the positive benefits. Examples were given of current methods of residual limb oedema control, including compression socks, removable rigid dressings and the promotion of the importance of residual limb positions and exercises. One of the main interests for the guests was meeting the patient volunteers who gave up
Doing a recce: Nancy Rhodes (centre) is flanked by Colonel Nick Millen and Major John Mayo from Catterick Garrison, with some of the other Trust staff and guests at the event.
their time to come and discuss their experience of the Prosthetics Service at Leeds. Lyndsay Adams, a lower limb transfemoral amputee, brought film and photos of her high wire display during the opening and closing ceremony at the Paralympics. Kathleen Hawkins, ambassador for the Meningitis Trust, chatted about her rehabilitation. Carl Crisp, a transfemoral amputee with an interest in electronics, enjoyed a discussion with the Medical Physics engineer, helping design future research projects. Finally, Dean
Smahon was available to discuss his personal experience of both the lower limb and upper limb service. Staff from the Upper Limb service, Ruth MacDonald, Occupational Therapist, and Deborah Haworth, Prosthetist, demonstrated how the service can support patients with upper limb deficit or amputation. Guests were able to look at a range of equipment used to assist daily living skills such as eating and school work. On display was a full range of upper limb prostheses including a myoelectric hand and bespoke silicone covers. Also on show were recent photographs of bespoke solutions for existing patients. These adaptations allow them to achieve a range of work based tasks such as woodwork, tennis and piloting a plane. Staff answered many questions on how the service can assist patients with functional tasks of daily living. Rob Whittaker, Clinical Psychologist for the service, was delighted with the interest and volume of questions about the role of psychology in prosthetic rehabilitation. Many guests had a go at the neuropsychological test challenge, and took part in Rob’s quiz.
Exacting work: (l-r) Technicians John Graham and Bob Scholey in the workshop with Braham Myers, a user of the service, looking at the process to create a prosthetic leg.
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The Prosthetists Team demonstrated various processes that the service users would go through so a prosthetic limb can be supplied. Visitors were shown the CAD/CAM system as an example of the latest technology available in Leeds which allows us to provide ‘limbs in a day’ where required.
essed by services
recently when Specialist , orthotic and wheelchair services. Other areas on show included the centre’s in-house workshop facilities plus the highly advanced technological prostheses the Centre uses such as the BeBionic prosthetic hand, Genium Knee and C-leg. Guests were also given the opportunity to experience what prosthetic feet feel like to walk on, using bilateral aircast boots fitted with prosthetic feet. The latest developments providing cost effective and clinically appropriate Orthotics equipment for all parts of the body was also covered as part of the open day and there was a display on the work of the Wheelchair Centre staff. Many visitors were surprised by the vast range of different wheelchairs available and there were demonstrations of supporting aids such as pressure relieving cushions and bespoke seating. Nancy Rhodes added: “This was a very well received event and feedback from the guests who came along was very positive, with our military guests particularly impressed by what they saw. They gained a better understanding of our department and the excellent work the team in Leeds provide, and we hope this will help improve relationships as our service continues to develop.”
Winning entry: Patient, Hannah Whitaker, Hannah’s Mum, Clare, and Anna Grisdale, Play Specialist.
Talented Hannah wins art competition Comedian Harry Hill named 12 year old Hannah Whitaker - a patient on Ward L10 at Leeds Children’s Hospital - as winner of the National Play in Hospital Week Art Competition for the North. Hannah, who has recently undergone a kidney transplant, was encouraged to participate in the competition by Play Specialist, Anna Grisdale, and drew a colourful puzzle with the words, ‘Play In Hospital Is Fun!’. Anna said, “National Play in Hospital Week is a chance for us to demonstrate
Generous donation Hannah and her mother, Clare, have kindly donated £800 to thank staff on the unit for the care she received and also to give something back to other patients. The money was raised by Clare’s work colleagues at Pearson Jones who all paid to dress down for the day and sold homemade cakes, buns and samosas. Colourful chair: A young patient of the service.
The ward has used the money to purchase two iPads for patient use. Clare said: “Hannah is feeling great following her kidney transplant
how important play is in the treatment of poorly children and the art competition was a lovely way for Starlight Children’s Foundation and the National Association of Health Play Specialists to launch this year’s event. We are delighted that Harry Hill liked Hannah’s brilliant drawing and are really proud that she has been named as regional winner for The North.” Online children’s toy shop “Letterbox” generously donated exciting prizes to Hannah and the other winners. The winning drawings will also be used on marketing and publicity materials used to advertise National Play in Hospital Week. in May and she is thrilled to be able to give something back to say ‘thank you’. The play specialists really helped make her time in hospital pass quickly and she even won the ‘Play in hospital’ art competition, which was a lovely bonus for her.” “We all had a great time raising the money and it’s lovely to know that it will help make the children’s stay in hospital a little bit better. Hannah loved the idea of getting iPads as she thought it would be an excellent distraction tool for all ages.”
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Inspirational staff shine at newspaper awards Staff from the Trust took centre stage at the Yorkshire Evening Post’s inaugural Best of Health Awards, scooping the top prize in four of the ten categories. Set up to recognise health and social care workers and carers in all fields, the event at the Hilton Hotel was hotly contested, with all the staff eligible being nominated by readers of the paper. Local TV personality Clare Frisby handed out the awards to the lucky winners. Peter Charlton, Editorial Director of Yorkshire Post Newspapers gave his hearty congratulations, saying: “Everyone nominated for these awards has done something special for someone else, gone beyond what was expected of them, and they have done that because they care.” Steph Carncross from the children’s heart surgery ward at LGI scooped Nurse of the Year on the basis of comments from readers describing her as “wonderful” and “inspirational”. The two runners-up in this
category were also from LTHT: Sue Callum from the breast unit and head and neck specialist nurse Alison Reed. In the Midwife of the Year category, St James’s Midwife Amanda Burleigh was singled out as the winner for her efforts to improve care through research into the health benefits of delaying clamping the umbilical cord. Amanda beat off competition from midwives at the Mid-Yorkshire and Barnsley trusts. Ray Dunk, A&E Support Officer, scooped the category of Unsung Hero after being nominated by a reader for going out of his way to help all the patients he comes into contact with. He was particularly praised for the help he gave to the parents of a seriously ill child. Among the runners-up in this category was Janet Berry, Healthcare Assistant in the children’s heart surgery unit at LGI. The coveted prize for Team of the Year went
to the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Team at St James’s for the personalised care they provide for patients in a field which is still seen by some as a taboo subject. The runners-up were two other LTHT teams from the teenage and young adult cancer ward at St James’s and the children’s heart surgery unit at LGI. Other runners-up at the event included consultants Kevin Watterson and Dr Mehmet Sen, both nominated by readers for the Doctor of the Year award. The overall Judges’ Award went to Dr Kate Granger a registrar at Pinderfields, who has not let her terminal cancer diagnosis stop her continuing to work. She has also written two books about her experience to help doctors get a greater insight into living with cancer, and as a result has raised over £42,000 for the Yorkshire Cancer Centre Appeal at St James’s, where she has been treated.
Team effort: (l-r) Howard Masefield, Grace Dowson, Tanya Clark, Lisa Warren and John Hamlin from the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Team. Photographs courtesy of Yorkshire Evening Post.
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Transylvanian trekkers scale the heights Staff from a number of departments including ICU, theatres, nursing, fundraising and communications were among those who took part in Leeds Children’s Hospital Appeal’s first-ever fundraising trek. The participants braved a gruelling four-day hike in the Transylvania region of Romania, crossing some of the country’s most spectacular scenery near to the towns of Bran, Brasov
and Sinaia in the heart of the Carpathian mountains. The high point of the trip (literally) was a night in the spectacularly-situated Omu hut on top of one of the country’s tallest mountains, at over 2500 metres. The team also delved into the legend of Count Dracula during their trip and took time out to visit a bear sanctuary. Well over £10,000 was raised for the Appeal, and the team are already thinking of ideas for their next trek destination.
Special delivery: Campaigning midwife Amanda Burleigh.
Flying the flag: The trekkers unveil the banner of Leeds Children’s Hospital Appeal on top of Omu Peak.
A big success The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Ann Castle, joined over 100 staff and patients at this year’s World’s Biggest Coffee morning at the Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre at St James’s.
Hospital hero: Ray Dunk from A&E.
Heart of gold: Children’s cardiac nurse Steph Carncross.
Councillor Castle officially opened the event with the cutting of the Macmillan cake. Musical entertainment was provided by Sean Hunter who delighted the crowd with lots of old favourites which everybody joined in to sing.
Louise Fisher, Supportive Care Co-ordinator at the Centre said: “The coffee morning was a huge success and we were delighted to be joined by the Lord Mayor of Leeds.” “Thank you to everyone who came along and helped us to raise over £560 for Macmillan Cancer Support.” The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan Cancer Support’s biggest fundraising event with over £10 million raised so far this year.
Special occasion: Volunteer, Ruth Wilkinson, Lord Mayor of Leeds, Ann Castle, Patient, Sharon Winn, Lead Cancer Nurse, Krystina Kozlowska.
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Service celebrates ten years of outstanding care The Trust’s Cleft Lip and Palate Service at LGI is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. The service is one of just nine centres in England and Wales and sees around 80 new babies each year with cleft lip and/ or palate. The multidisciplinary team provide a full service in Leeds including cleft surgery but also provide a service to out-patient clinics in Bradford, York, Hull, and Wakefield. Alistair Smyth, Consultant Cleft, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and Lead Clinician for the service, said: It was following a national re-organisation of cleft services that we were designated as a regional centre which I believe is a reflection of our excellent clinical work. “We achieve all of the rigorous national standards for speech outcomes after cleft palate repair, low need for revisional surgery, and good outcomes for appearance and alveolar bone grafting. “As well as myself the team includes specialist nurses, speech and language therapists, clinical psychologists, orthodontist, paediatric dentist, care coordinator, audit coordinator and we work closely with ENT surgeons, paediatricians and geneticists. “Outcomes following cleft lip and palate surgery are generally long-term and after ten
Young patients: Jermaine Leaworthy and his mother Ama, and baby Arthur Harvey with his mum Rachael Harvey.
years of service we can now demonstrate some very good outcomes in terms of speech and appearance.” Recent patients include nine-year-old Jermaine Leaworthy, who was born with a cleft lip and palate, repaired at 3 and 9 months of age at LGI . He is due to have a planned bone graft to the upper jaw within the next year
Dedicated colleagues: The Cleft Team outside the Leeds Children’s Hospital.
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Baby Arthur Harvey has a complete cleft lip on the left side which was originally diagnosed ante-natally on scan and he was delivered at St James’s. He is expected to have his cleft lip repair surgery shortly at LGI.
Powerful stories improve neonatal experience Parents of babies born in Leeds have joined together with local health professionals to highlight the importance of using patient stories to improve the care provided to families across the region. Speakers at the first ‘Parent Stories’ workshop, organised by Leeds Neonatal Service in conjunction with the Yorkshire Neonatal Network, shared their experiences of a variety of neonatal care settings.
professionals have achieved improvements by sharing patient stories. This was followed by an account from the family of a little girl, Tallulah, who shared their experiences of the care they received when Tallulah was born preterm and needed significant resuscitation at birth.
Anne Wood, Neonatal Outreach Sister, and one of the organisers of the event, said: “The day gave us a real insight into the roller coaster ride that our families go through and how we need to adjust our practices to make sure we improve the experience for them.
Feedback from the event has been positive with one delegate describing the day as offering “excellent sharing experiences... and reality was great to hear!”
“It was a really powerful way of getting parents to help identify areas for quality improvement and to find out which aspects of their experience they value too.” Anne explained that the catalyst for this new way of partnershipworking with families and service providers came from a visit to Wales by Anne and to the USA by Gwynn Bissell, Education and Parent Lead. Anne explained: “We saw firsthand how you can improve care by sharing and mapping
Making them heard: Anne Wood, Neonatal Outreach Sister, (bottom right) with some of the participants.
the patient journey quite simply through the power of voice. It was something we wanted to replicate here in Leeds.”
The day was opened by Dr Liz McKechnie, Consultant Neonatologist, who gave a personal account of how health
The event organisers would like to thank all the families who helped make the event so successful, including Cally Albrecht who co-coordinates the BLISS Leeds Support Group, Lorraine Henderson, Parent Representative for the Yorkshire Neonatal Network, and Nicky and Al, the parents of baby Tallulah. Thanks also to Sharon Ombler-Spain from the Patient Experience team who provided support both during the story collation and development of the workshop. The stories recorded at the event will be used for staff education and training.
Chairman to retire The Chairman of the Trust, Mike Collier, has announced he will be stepping down from his post shortly before his 70th birthday, after nearly four years in the job. “This is something I have been thinking about for some months, bearing in mind I will be 70 early next year,” he commented. “Our hospitals are still on a journey towards becoming a Foundation Trust, and I believe that to complete
the application process, achieve FT status and ensure it is successfully established will take a commitment of several years. “With that in mind I am convinced now is the best time to step aside so a new leader can be appointed to lead this next stage of our development. I have been very privileged to be Chairman of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals and I have enjoyed every minute of my time here.” Paying tribute to Mr Collier, Mark Abrahams, the Trust’s
Vice Chairman, said: “Mike has worked tirelessly in his role as Chairman and has shown a strong personal commitment to championing our hospitals during a period of difficult challenges. “Under his leadership the Trust has made considerable progress in delivering real improvements to the quality of patient care, such as the creation of the Leeds Children’s Hospital. He should be very proud of all he has achieved.”
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Robbie the robot puts budding surgeons to the test Staff, patients and visitors were given a unique opportunity to enter the world of leading cancer surgeons by taking the controls of a £1.5 million state of the art surgical robot during an open event in Bexley Wing. ‘Robbie’, a full size da Vinci Surgical Robot interactive display, stopped off in Leeds as part of a UK wide tour in conjunction with Blue September, a men’s cancer awareness organisation, to show the public the cutting edge of cancer surgery and how this type of technology can help more people survive cancer. Under the watchful eyes of Professor David Jayne, one of the pioneers of robotic surgery in Leeds, budding surgeons were be able to test their skills to control its sensitive ‘arms’ in a game of quoits on the ‘operating table’ - all without a drop of blood in sight. Have a go: members of the public try their hand at controlling the robot.
The robot lets the surgeon sit comfortably a few feet away from the patient and watch magnified live video images of the operation.
Guided by these images, the surgeon then uses precise hand movements to carefully control a set of robotic arms that manoeuvre surgical instruments inside the body to remove the cancer. Robotic surgery systems have been developed that can make it easier for surgeons to see and take out bowel cancer using keyhole techniques. Patients in Leeds have been benefitting from two surgical robot machines already in place in operating theatres at the LGI and St James’s. Leeds and Manchester are the only cities in all the North of England where robotic surgery is currently on offer. Visitors to the event also had the chance to perform keyhole surgery on a virtual patient and seek out real human cancer cells on a giant, magnified, ‘Powerwall’ screen, using a video games controller.
Testing time: (l-r) Manos Kefaloyannis, Specialist Thoracic Registrar, Konstantinos Vachlas, Clinical Fellow with Professor David Jayne.
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Feeling good: Patients and staff involved in the pioneering programme.
Fitness programme helps male cancer recovery A group of 16 patients have embarked on an innovative new programme to aid their recovery from prostate cancer. The team from the Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre joined forces with the LTHT Urology team to develop an exercise and support programme. The programme was selected by voters over 47 other charities in Leeds to win £6500 from Natwest Community Force.
Project Manager Tom Mansell said: “Following the launch of Macmillan’s ‘Move More’ campaign the benefits of exercise to cancer patients have really been brought to the attention of health professionals and the public. We hoped that the men would also benefit from the peer support of being with other men in the same situation”
All the participants were 4 - 8 weeks post treatment and have had surgery, brachytherapy or radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer.
The 30 minute support sessions included topics such as nutrition, the emotional impact of cancer and how to deal with continence. To encourage the men to continue to exercise Leeds City Council have allowed them a three-month free gym membership at 17 gyms in Leeds.
The programme was designed to improve fitness levels whilst providing support and information to improve recovery. A steering group including Leeds University research leads, an LTHT physiotherapist, Clinical Nurse Specialist and a consultant worked to design a safe yet challenging programme. The exercise consisted of a carefully designed circuit that would improve bone strength and cardiovascular fitness. The group met for 12 weeks on a Thursday evening at Leeds University sports facility, “The Edge”. The venue was chosen to take the patients out of the hospital setting to somewhere as normal as possible to inspire the men to continue to exercise after completion.
To evaluate the project the men have been completing questionnaires throughout the programme and will be interviewed to ensure their feedback can be taken forward. A number of validated tests were completed at weeks one and after week 12 to measure improvements in the men’s fitness levels. Lisa White, Urology Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist, said: “The emotional support the men have given to each other throughout the course of this project has been better than we could have anticipated, there has been a real
sense of camaraderie.” Consultant Urologist Bill Cross added: “This is the best piece of support work I have ever seen. The difference in the men has been outstanding”. Patient Carlton Matthew said: “I just wish the programme could continue for another three months”, and patient David Brook added: ‘’ I looked forward to the social side of the project more than the exercise at first, but the exercise has become just as important to me, I’ve loved the project and I’m excited to continue.’’ As the programme has been such a success the men in the group will be continuing to meet to exercise weekly and encouraging other prostate cancer patients to join the group. Tom said “We could not have delivered the programme without the hard work and dedication of all the staff involved. The support Leeds University have provided has made a real difference”. The programme will be run again at the start of 2013. For more information email tom. mansell@leedsth.nhs.uk
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DVD aims to give a better start in life to neonatal babies Parents of neonatal babies being cared for at St James’s and LGI now have access to better information and advice on ongoing care including breast feeding thanks to a new DVD being handed out to families. The Trust has been working with child health charity, Best Beginnings, and was one of a number of pilot sites for feedback on the Small Wonders DVD, which provides a wealth of help and advice in a number of short films following real families through their experiences and the help and support available. To support the initiative, three Trust champions have promoted the DVD and its messages with staff to ensure parents get access to it in the hospital and then have a copy to take home with them. The champions are Katherine Dewhurst, a midwife in Transitional Care, Susan Harms, a staff nurse of the Neonatal Unit, and Consultant Neonatologist, Liz McKechnie. Katherine explained: “Babies that are born early face many challenges in their transaition to the outside world and just coming to terms with that poses a big challenge for parents; it can be heartwrenching. This DVD provides an excellent source of support and information.” “This DVD is designed as a tool to enable neonatal staff to support and advise parents through their baby’s stay, and encourage them to play a pivotal role in the care their baby receives and so improve his or her health. “It particularly looks at important interventions such as expressing breast milk and provision of skin-to-skin contact which make a big difference to a baby’s first few weeks and months. “By working to help develop the DVD and sharing it with relevant staff, they all have a clear and consistent message and can prompt families to look at individual parts of the film which are relevant to their circumstances. “Early feedback from both parents and staff has been very positive, and we are hoping it will be a significant help in improving the quality of life for babies and families who use our two units here in Leeds.” There are 12 films on the DVD each covering a different topic, which parents can select individually depending on the support they need. Films include “First hours”, “Expressing breast milk”, “Holding your baby”. An information booklet is also included with
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Excellent support: (l-r) Consultant Neonatologist, Liz McKechnie and Katherine Dewhurst, Midwife in Transitional Care.
the DVD in which parents can record their thoughts and feelings as well as their own baby’s progress. To support the initiative and promote breast feeding, the Trust has purchased a quantity of breast pumps which can be lent out to families to help with continuing to promote
feeding with breast milk when the baby has left the hospital. The team at the Trust recently were named as “Most Improved Trust in Yorkshire and Humber” from the regional Health Innovation & Education Cluster in recognition of the work they are undertaking.
Triumph for Leeds in Transplant Games Liver transplant patient, Louise Nearney, has generously donated a bronze, silver, and gold medal to the Liver transplant unit at St James’s to thank them for “saving her life” and to give hope to other patients that much can be achieved after a transplant. Louise won the medals at the British Transplant Games which she has competed in for the last two years as part of the Leeds team – the first time just 6 months after her transplant operation in 2011. This year’s Games were particularly special as they were held between the Olympic and Paralympics Games. It was a remark made by one of Louise’s doctors at St James’s that triggered a desire in her to get well enough to compete in the Games. Within weeks of her transplant she was making baby steps around a local lake, then power walking, cycling and eventually swimming – the sport that won her most medals. All three medals will be framed and put on display in the Unit for other patients to see. Louise said: “I donated the medals for three reasons, firstly to show other patients that you can have a good quality of life after a transplant. I think it would have helped me when I was so poorly on the Unit to see that someone could get well enough to win athletics medals. “I also wanted to thank the staff involved in my care at St James’s. I can’t praise them enough, I was fantastically looked after – not only did they save my life but they made me feel safe and supported throughout. They are a great team. “Finally and most importantly, I want to raise the profile of organ donation. I wouldn’t be alive today without it. It’s so important that people join the organ donor register.” After winning three gold medals in the 50m,
Team effort: Louise with Jacqueline Jennings, Clinical Nurse Specialist. Sean Willis, Senior Nurse, and Chris Sutton, Transplant Co-ordinator.
100m, and 200m freestyle swimming at this year’s Games, Louise has now been selected to compete in the World Transplant Games in South Africa in July. She is currently training five times a week. Congratulations to all the nine members of the Leeds adult team this year who won 22 medals between them, and the 18 youngsters in the Leeds Children’s team who picked up 17 medals. In addition, one of the children, Theo Bowens, won the Martin Gillman Award for a ‘Child showing most effort’. All the participants are looking forward to the games in Sheffield in 2013. Fantastic achievement: The Leeds Children’s Transplant team.
To join the organ donor register call 03001232323 or visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk.
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Goodbye to long-serving staff A fond farewell to colleagues who retired from the Trust recently. Some of those include: Carl Mitchell, Charge Nurse, who managed the outpatients department at Seacroft Hospital. He has been employed by the Trust in a number of roles since starting his nurse training in 1973.
Play Leader, Sue Hainsworth, has dedicated 37 years to caring for babies and children at our hospitals. She started work on the post-natal ward helping new mothers to care for their babies, later moving on to the Children’s Medical ward as a Nursery Nurse and then as a Play Leader to children and young people. Her colleagues wish her all the best and a well-earned rest in her retirement and the beginning of a new adventure.
Clinical Support Worker, Sue Spruyt, has worked at the Trust for 24 years, dedicating 18 of those years to Renal Services and spending the last five at Seacroft Hospital. Her colleagues said: “Sue will be greatly missed by patients and staff. She has particular qualities that cannot be taught, she is very kind and caring putting patients’ dignity and respect first and foremost. We will all miss her as a kind and thoughtful friend.” Payroll Manager, Marie Lewis, has retired after 40 years dedicated service in payroll, of which the last 37 years have been with LTHT and its former incarnations. Her colleagues said Marie was a “highly valued member of staff, who has trained many of her colleagues. She will be greatly missed and we wish her a long and happy retirement with her husband Dave.”
Denise Chappell, Senior Nurse on the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit at the LGI, worked for over 30 years at the Trust. She started her training on the Intensive Care Unit at St James’s before moving to St James’s. Colleagues said: “Denise was an extremely wellrespected nurse and valued manager. She was a privilege to work with and will be really missed.”
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60 seconds Clare Ashby is the Matron for Infection Prevention and Control. She has worked at the Trust for 21 years. In the office and out on the wards
Q.
What does your typical day at work involve?
No two days are the same in my role - it really depends on what is going on within the Trust. I have to react to day-to-day operational issues but also work with the team to plan ahead. We make the most difference to our patients by preventing infections. We do this by ensuring everyone knows what they should be doing and actually does it. My role is about communicating this best practice.
Q.
How did you get to be a Matron at LTHT?
My background is in neurosurgical and intensive care nursing but I have always been interested in education and training. Before I took this role I was working as a clinical educator. Most of my time seemed to be taken up by teaching staff about infection prevention, so it led me towards this post. I like to challenge myself and I’ve certainly achieved this over the last three years.
Q.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Knowing that we are making a difference to the effectiveness of the care we deliver. Knowing that each year there are less patients getting infections.
Q.
And there must be something about your work that really frustrates you… A large part of my role is about communication. I don’t think we communicate very well in this Trust. More listening and more sharing of ideas is required if we really want to make improvements; not just in Infection Prevention & Control!
Q.
Q.
Choose a good role model, watch them and understand what good practice looks like. Always have someone that you can reflect on your practice with. We constantly learn things from others and from our own mistakes.
Q.
Q.
Q.
What’s your best advice to a new starter at the Trust?
What are the behaviours that are most important to you? Respecting each other and valuing the talents and skills each person can bring.
And out of hours…
Q.
What do you do to wind down and relax after a hard day at work? I go home and see my kids – they make me laugh. I have a dog who needs lots of walks. I like listening to music, especially going to see live bands.
If you won the national lottery, what would you do?
Buy a camper van and travel about in it.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A nurse from the age of four… apparently. I think TV might have been to blame.
What is your favourite film?
Tricky one again, so many good films. Can I choose a series instead: The Wire.
Q.
Tell us something we don’t know about you.
I have another job too – I work for the NHS Institute working to implement Harm Free Care across the North of England. The Leeds Teaching Hospita ls
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Q.
If you could go anywhere this weekend, where would you go? To New Zealand to see my brother. I haven’t seen him for a while as it’s too far away.
Q.
You’re sitting down to your favourite meal, what’s on the menu? Tricky this as I love food, cooking it and eating it. Maybe a masala dosa – which is so tasty but hard to make at home.
If you have an interesting news story for Bulletin, or if you or one of your colleagues would like to feature in a future 60 Seconds, please contact Suzanne Breen in the Communications team on ext 66494 or email suzanne.breen@leedsth.nhs.uk.
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Norton Connor Solicitors Expert solicitors with the personal touch Based on Town Street in Horsforth Norton Connor Solicitors offer a range of legal services delivered in a professional, friendly and highly accessible manner.
Residential property, wills, probate, family law. 145 - 147 Town Street, Horsforth, Leeds LS12 5BL
Tel: 0113 239 0088
Fax: 0113 258 2715 Email: enquiries@nortonconnor.co.uk
2 courses for £9.95
Thackray Medical Museum A Great Year Out in Leeds! The award-winning Thackray Medical Museum is a completely unique visitor attraction, conveniently located next door to St James’s Hospital in Leeds. This beautiful 150 year old grade 2 listed building was formally the Leeds Union Workhouse, and boasts an impressive Victorian façade with stunning tiled entrance and stairwell. Since opening in 1997 the collection has grown to an impressive 44,000 objects, some dating as far back as Roman times.
Tickets last for 12 months
• For all ages and group sizes • Open all year round* • Unique conference and meetings venue • Only £1 for on-site car parking** • Concession and group rates • Unique gift shop and Café
“Camuco is a welcome antidote to hunger and well worth a visit in its own right”
NHS staff. Up to 20% off
Little Oliver, Yorkshire Evening Post
Speed up your luchtime
1) Ring 0113 2451111 and pre-order your lunch, including your drinks and time of collection 2) Go to fast track counter, collect & pay without queuing 3) Eat your lunch in our gorgeous café or take-away
Sign up to our Newsletter for 10% discount* Including NHS staff discount of 10% gives you 20% off Sign up at www.camuco.co.uk www.thackraymuseum.org Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7LN
0113 244 4343
info@thackraymuseum.org *The museum is open daily 10-5pm, visitors need to allow between 2 and 3 hours for their visit. (Closed 24th, 25th, 26th, 31st Dec and 1st Jan.) ** For museum and café visitors (other chargers apply for non-visitors.) The museum is supported by The Thackray Medical Research Trust
Newsletter-receive weekly updates • Daily specials • Special events both in café and museum • Weekly recipe of your favorite dishes from the café • Questionnaires to help us improve your café, so we offer the best service to you *Discounts apply on hot food only
www.leedsth.nhs.uk
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