Bulletin Winter 2023/24 by Octagon D&M Ltd

staff magazine | Winter 2023/24

ROBOT ROCK Shape of the heart p19

On a mission p16-17

Sharing culture p10-11

Contents

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Meet an A&E Navigator

5 Solar canopy installed at Wharfedale Hospital 6 New Chief Nurse - welcome to Rabina 7 Our 7 Commitments: Reduce healthcare-associated infections 8-9 5,000 robotic surgical procedures delivered 10 Black History Month celebrated with cultural showcase 11 Get to know our Staff Equality Networks: Faith and Belief 12-13 Minister opens innovative new pathology centre 4

Meet an A&E Navigator

Wharfedale solar panels

14 New technology gives hope to patients with multiple sclerosis 15 Operational Transformation spotlight on Planned Care 16-17 Nutrition Mission blasts off! 18 New Equality Staff Network co-chairs wanted! 19

My Job with Lisa Ferrie

20-21 Flying High at Leeds Children’s Hospital Kite Awards 8-9

12-13

5,000th robotic surgery milestone

Pathology centre officially opened

22-23 Awesome Allied Health Professions 24

Leeds Hospitals Charity news

60 Seconds with Hayley Frazer

Bulletin is produced quarterly by the Communications Department. Photography by Medical Illustration Design by Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd Send your feedback, ideas and suggestions for the next edition to communications.lth@nhs.net Copy deadline is 1st January 2024 For more news on a daily basis from LTHT please follow us on social media: 19

20-21

My Job with Lisa Ferrie

Kite Awards return with a bang

search for ‘Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’

@LeedsHospitals

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News

Suicide memorial quilt helps highlight support available to Trust colleagues In just two years, LTHT has delivered training to more than 800 Mental Health First Aiders, facilitating hundreds of conversations to support colleagues. In September, ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, the Trust updated information and support on the staff intranet and shared stories across social media. Released at the same time as a national NHS England push and echoing the work across Yorkshire as part of the West Yorkshire suicide prevention campaign, the Health and Wellbeing team led on the campaign that included a new video featuring Mental Health First Aiders talking about their personal experiences and recommendations of taking part in the course.

Then in October followed the hosting of the Yorkshire Speak Their Name memorial quilt in the LGI and Bexley Wing, St James’s. The quilt recognises and memorialises more than 100 people, each panel of work representing someone who has died by suicide. Jo Buck, Deputy Director of Human Resources, said: “We need to break the stigma about suicide and get people talking about it. We want our staff to feel more comfortable with difficult conversations and to be able to signpost each other.” LTHT was the final stop on the quilt’s tour around Yorkshire, before the panels were moved to the Leeds Museum, where they will continue to be seen, remembered and encourage conversations for many years to come.

Welcome to the Winter issue of Bulletin Winter is a season of challenges and is an exceptionally busy time for our services. Our teams work tirelessly to ensure that our patientcentred approach shines through regardless of these pressures, for which I will always be grateful. But we know the constant pressure can take its toll. During these months, please do make time to prioritise your own self-care, and look out for each other. We know how busy things can get both in work and outside of work, so taking time to rest and relax is even more important than ever. And if you feel you are ever in need of additional support, please access the health and wellbeing pages on our Intranet where there are lots of resources designed with the needs of staff in mind. In this issue of Bulletin magazine, you’ll find stories that highlight the outstanding contributions, teamwork, and dedication of colleagues from across our seven hospitals. Find out about our remarkable milestone in robotic surgery, the official opening of our brand-new Centre for Laboratory Medicine, ground-breaking developments in the detection of multiple sclerosis – and lots more. These are all a testament to what we can achieve when we work together in The Leeds Way. I hope you find inspiration in these pages and take pride in being part of our Trust. Kind regards

Prof. Phil Wood Chief Executive

Feature News

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Meet an A&E Navigator Alice Jackson is one of our team of four A&E Navigators, working with patients aged between 11 and 25 who have been involved in serious youth violence or are vulnerable. She was born and raised right here in Leeds and has worked for Leeds Teaching Hospitals for almost two years. Her path to becoming an A&E Navigator began with a degree in Youth Work and Community Development. She then spent two years as a support worker for care leavers in semi-independent living, helping young people with their independent living skills as they prepare to move out on their own. A working day in Alice’s life begins with checking for referrals that have come in from the night before and if any of the young people are currently on a ward. “If this is the case I will then go and see them and carry out our assessment. If this young person is a victim of knife crime and under 18, a police strategy meeting will take place that day which we will attend.” In her visits with the young patients, Alice will also try and gain consent to refer them to other services which will provide them with support once back in the community. “Some young people are referred after they have left A&E which means we contact them on the phone.” Referrals to our A&E Navigator service mainly come from the Emergency Department (ED). Alice or one of her fellow Navigators will attempt to see them quickly in ED if the patient is still present. Otherwise, the Navigators work across the wards at both Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital to meet with patients who have been admitted. “Most young people we work with will have had one or more adverse childhood experience, such as parental separation, parental drug or alcohol misuse or parental mental health issues. We also get more referrals for individuals living in postcodes which are known areas of deprivation around Leeds. “The Navigator programme is needed as serious youth violence across Leeds is unfortunately increasing. Many of our young people are hard to reach and do not often engage with other agencies. In some cases, the first time outside agencies are made aware of them is when they attend hospital as a result of serious crime. This means we are able to provide them with information about the young person and share their views which is very helpful in understanding

why an attack happened and any further consequences this might have on the wider community.”

attacks. It is scary to think that another person, often a child, has inflicted this onto another child.”

Unfortunately, there are times when despite the Navigator’s best efforts, young people they have worked with will return to hospital. “This can be very disheartening. We have had a young person who attended twice previously who has since been murdered. It is hard knowing that sometimes no matter what services are put in place, violence can still follow our young people.

Despite the challenges and the reality of working with young people under such difficult and often distressing circumstances, Alice is passionate about her role. “I am motivated to do this role as I know how much youth work can impact a young person’s life. I enjoy working with disadvantaged young people as they can often be overlooked in society and looked down upon. Young people deserve to be listened to and have someone fighting in their corner and that’s what motivates me.

“One of the misconceptions I think is that we represent a permanent fix. The Navigator service can’t stop all knife crime, but hopefully we can prevent or reduce re-attendance and support young people into a more positive situation. “There have been a few cases that have stuck with me. Some of the injuries which we see are life altering. We have seen young people with full and partial hand amputations. We have had young people with serious neck wounds and abdominal damage because of knife and machete

“I hope to make young people’s experience in hospital that little bit easier by being a friendly face to them when they are in a situation that can be daunting and scary. And I hope to help young people find support which can help them make positive changes in their own life for better outcomes in the future.” For more information on our A&E Navigators visit leedsth.nhs.uk/navigators

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Feature

LTHT moves closer to achieving net zero objectives with innovative solar canopy installation LTHT has taken a big step forward to achieving its net-zero targets with the installation of a cutting-edge solar photovoltaic canopy over the car park of its Wharfedale Hospital site. This £1.1 million project will provide sustainable solar power to the hospital, reducing its reliance on conventional energy sources and, in turn, lowering the Trust’s carbon footprint. The 617 solar panels will reduce carbon emissions by 43.7 tonnes per year and save the Trust £75,000 annually. The electricity generated will reduce the use of grid electricity by 15%, which is equivalent to powering 60 UK households. Craige Richardson, Director of Estates and Facilities at LTHT, said: “The solar canopy at the Wharfedale site exemplifies the Trust’s dedication to both environmental sustainability and the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve. It’s a real positive that the power required to run Wharfedale Hospital will be partly supplied by green energy, especially as the energy demands for the site will increase

with the opening of a permanent Elective Care Hub.” The Trust has been at the forefront of investing in energy-efficient projects, with an impressive commitment of over £22 million. These projects, including the canopy, have been made possible through successful bids for the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Government funding. The range of initiatives implemented by

the Trust includes the installation of heat pumps and state-of-the-art LED lighting, building fabric upgrades, and connections to Leeds PIPES, a low-carbon district heating network. Over the past decade, LTHT has demonstrated its unwavering dedication to reducing its carbon emissions, resulting in a remarkable 34% reduction and the Trust remains firmly on track to meet the NHS’s ambitious net-zero target by 2040.

Work underway on £10m Elective Care Hub at Wharfedale Hospital Construction work is now underway at Wharfedale Hospital to create a new £10m Elective Care Hub which includes two new operating theatres, a recovery area, admissions and discharge area. The investment from LTHT is within the existing building footprint of the hospital and is aimed at reducing waiting times and protecting space for planned operations to take place. It is expected to open in October 2024. The Elective Care Hub will provide space for operations including minor cancers, urology and benign gynaecology. These are operations where a postoperative stay is required. As part of the development there will be some other changes at Wharfedale Hospital with the day unit and phlebotomy services moving into refurbished areas and a dedicated hysteroscopy treatment suite. Overall, the clinical footprint of the site will increase. Having a dedicated Elective Care Hub away from the major hospital sites in Leeds means there is capacity which can confidently be used all-year-round.

to receive care and where staff like to work. We’re looking forward to seeing work progressing and having a facility to improve timeliness and quality of care for our patients. We’ll also have plans and artist’s impressions of what the new facility will look like on display.” Craige Richardson, Director of Estates and Facilities at LTHT, said: “We are so pleased that work is now underway on our Elective Care Hub. This development demonstrates our vision of maintaining Wharfedale Hospital as an important and integral part of our Trust and how we deliver patient care. “There will be an increase in elective theatre activity from two theatres to four and we expect some key benefits including an additional 3,500 cases of care per year, and faster treatment times leading to improved patient experience.” Helen Harrison, Sister at Wharfedale Hospital, said: “Wharfedale Hospital is somewhere we know patients like

Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel visited the hospital recently to hear about the future plans. Mr Sobel said: “A mobile theatre was introduced nine months ago, the latest development, however, promises an even faster and more efficient service delivery for complex medical procedures. Once completed in October 2024 it will provide more accessible and efficient healthcare options for the residents of Wharfedale and surrounding areas.” On his visit, Mr Sobel was told of the challenges that persist in providing healthcare locally, particularly in the recruitment of staff. Public transport issues affect employees commuting to and from the hospital at their start and finish times.

Feature News

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New Chief Nurse welcome to Rabina The Trust has appointed Rabina Tindale as its new Executive Director of Nursing & Quality Assurance (Chief Nurse). Rabina is currently the Executive Chief Nurse and DIPC for Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust and there has responsibility for strategic leadership of the nursing, midwifery and allied health professional workforce, with Executive Director responsibility for quality and safety, adult and child safeguarding and Infection prevention and control. Prior to this, Rabina has held senior nursing roles in London and Essex. Over the years Rabina has been active with the Royal College of Nursing’s professional forum committees, having served on the RCN emergency care association forum steering committee as both a member and subsequent chair. She is currently a member of the RCN nurses in management and leadership forum committee and holds the role of vice chair and is due to take over as chair towards the end of the year. Rabina undertook her nursing training locally, just up the road at Harrogate School of Nursing, and she began her career in emergency nursing here at St James’s Hospital. Rabina said: “I am absolutely delighted to be appointed as Chief Nurse of LTHT. It is wonderful to be returning to the organisation, which has a brilliant reputation for providing excellent care, delivered by dedicated, passionate and values-driven staff, living and breathing The Leeds Way. I am so excited and can’t wait to start working with the teams to continue the journey to excellence.” Prof Phil Wood, Chief Executive, said: “I’m so pleased that Rabina will be joining us at such an important time here at the Trust, and I’m really looking forward to working with her. She brings with her a wealth of experience and some brilliant ideas and insights. She will make a great addition to the Trust Board and our nursing and midwifery team and will play a pivotal role as we continue our journey to be the best for patient safety and quality, as well as the best place to work.”

Innovation Pop Up celebrates two years and looks to the future This September saw our Innovation Pop Up take a breath as we celebrated two years of developing innovations for the benefit of our patients with a dedicated birthday party at the LGI. Supporters, friends and Pop Up members came together and were able to have plenty of positive conversations about the future whilst celebrating how far we’ve come in such a relatively short time. Through the platform of this year’s Leeds Digital Festival, the birthday event provided the Trust a fantastic opportunity to put a spotlight on some of the hard work that has gone on over the last two years and a chance to connect more widely with West Yorkshire’s innovation community. From Innovation Pop Up to Village, to working with partners to leverage future investment in Leeds – we’re developing best practice for the NHS in designing and creating healthcare of the future and to implement in our own ‘Hospitals of the Future’. Looking to the next phase of the Pop Up, continued support from Leeds Hospitals Charity and new partnership working with Fujitsu Intel represents the beginning of an exciting new chapter and the next phase of our innovation ambitions. The innovation Pop Up is at the heart of that ambition,

and its growth trajectory – in one of the fastest growing health tech regions in the country – represents our momentum in delivering that vision. Based at the LGI the Innovation Pop Up is home to a growing community of high-tech start-ups, led by LTHT clinicians working collaboratively with entrepreneurs, focused on transforming the latest advances in science, research and technology into real world solutions. The Innovation Pop Up, and other exciting plans are only possible with the support of our partners and members, including: Leeds Universities, Mayor Brabin, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Leeds City Council, West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts, Leeds Hospitals Charity, Fujitsu Intel, the Pop Up members and our own clinicians. Here’s to the next two years of innovation and beyond!

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Feature

Our 7 Commitments: Reduce healthcare-associated infections The campaign to focus on infection prevention control (IPC) began in June 2023 to refresh everyone working for the Trust’s awareness and understanding of essential IPC measures. Following the pandemic and a time of heightened IPC, and with new people joining the Trust who would only be familiar with these extraordinary measures, our clinical service units were calling out for a ‘back to basics’ awareness campaign that could help ensure every colleague at Leeds Teaching Hospitals is on the same page in terms of how to keep infections at bay across our hospitals. This campaign is the Essentials of Infection Prevention and you will have seen regular communications in Our Week, the Operational Update, on the staff intranet and in meetings at all levels about the newly launched toolkit. Hosted on the intranet, the standards of the toolkit follow guidance in the National Infection Prevention and control manual (NIPCM). The IPC team has tried to look at innovative and creative ways in which colleagues can engage with the toolkit, including staff pledge posters, ‘how-to’ videos, organism specific ‘at a glance’ documents and a ‘what we do’ animation.

Reducing healthcare associated infections is one of our 7 Commitments for 2023/24 and the aim of the campaign has been to relate that this commitment is everyone’s responsibility. Early indications have identified these are a valuable resource and CSUs are using innovative ways to share and embed the toolkit with their teams. As a key part of the Trust’s annual commitments, CSUs are focusing on quality improvement plans that will reduce harm from healthcare associated infections (HCAIs). The three areas of focus are:

standards for staff to follow to keep both themselves and patients safe. In September, we were delighted to appoint a new post as Medical AMS lead, Emma Ocofaigh, to support teams to understand how they can optimise the use of antimicrobials. Additional new roles are underway to recruit a surgical/ anaesthetic lead to support multiDisciplinary analysis of surgical pathways related to procedures and devices to reduce risk of infection.

• Procedure and invasive device management

From November 2023 onwards, the campaign moves to focus specifically on patients, spotlighting a different infection each month around which the team will share patient stories so that we can learn from each patient’s experience and make improvements to their ongoing care and of those around them.

The Essentials of Infection Prevention toolkit presents a series of 20+ standards and educational resources for CSUs to use to support with their annual commitment action plan. This has been a collaborative process with colleagues across the Trust as staff pledge posters for different staff groups within the organisation have been created as part of the project. The “I know what I need to do” pledges from porters, nurses, doctors and others are

Most importantly, infection prevention is a long-term commitment which should be firmly embedded in the daily practice of every individual at the Trust, from our frontline, patient facing roles, to those working in administration but still coming into contact with patients and staff as they move around the hospital. We’re confident that once we have the essentials right, the rest of the organisation will follow.

• IPC standards • Antimicrobial Stewardship

Feature

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LTHT becomes first trust in Yorkshire to deliver 5,000 robotic surgical procedures LTHT celebrated its 5,000th case of robotic-assisted surgery using the da Vinci Surgical System at the end of September. Last year, two older robotic systems across the Trust received updates and a brand-new model was introduced to the Leeds robotic surgical suite based at St James’s. Since then, the number of adult patients receiving robotic-assisted surgery for cancer treatment has more than doubled. LTHT installed its first da Vinci system in 2005 and is now home to three of the most advanced robotic systems from Intuitive, which are used by surgeons to treat patients across eight surgical specialities in Leeds, including cancer treatment and specialist care for children. More patients than ever before at Leeds are benefitting from the improved clinical outcomes of roboticassisted surgery, such as faster recovery times, reduced length of stay, fewer complications, fewer readmissions, with the need for conversion to open surgery far less likely. The da Vinci systems provide the surgeon

with an advanced set of instruments for minimally invasive surgery. By inserting a tiny camera inside the patient, the surgeon directs the robotic arms from

the surgeon console, which translates the surgeon’s hand movements in real time, bending and rotating the instruments while performing the procedure,

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allowing for far greater precision than traditional laparoscopic or open surgery. Prof. Phil Wood, Chief Executive at LTHT, said: “It’s a very exciting time for Leeds. We’re already one of the biggest robotic surgical centres in the NHS and our Paediatric Robotic programme at Leeds Children’s Hospital is one of the largest internationally. “We believe our recent investments in our da Vinci systems are now paying off for both our patients and our surgical teams. With this 5,000th patient, it’s clear more patients than ever before are benefitting from robotic-assisted surgery, and we can look forward to even more people receiving those benefits as more surgeons are trained to do other procedures using the system.” He added: “This impressive milestone demonstrates our commitment to delivering world-class care and for making Leeds an international centre of excellence for robotic surgery.” Matthew Millott, Deputy Team Leader – Robotics at St James’s Hospital in Leeds, said: “Thanks to the number of procedures now possible using roboticassisted surgery and some careful theatre scheduling and co-ordination, we are seeing tremendous benefits as it means we can treat more patients sooner, which is great news for patients who are waiting for surgery. “For some patients who received robotic-assisted surgery, the hospital stay has reduced from more than a week to just one or two days, such as with the newly implemented Nephroureterectomy program. As a result, we are enabling more and more patients to get on with their lives after surgery, much faster than before.” Leeds Children’s Hospital became the first hospital in the UK to install a robotic system dedicated to performing paediatric surgery in 2005. This was replaced in 2015 with a newer system thanks to a charitable donation. As one of the country’s leading teaching hospitals the formation of a robotic case observation centre has allowed for surgical peers and trainees to observe live robotic surgery and learn from experienced robotic surgeons. It has meant Leeds has gained a reputation as a centre of excellence, attracting surgeons wishing to train within the robotic specialty from across Europe. With dual console capabilities, trainees at Leeds teaching hospitals can get hands on experience with the da Vinci system during their training, learning valuable skills for their future surgical careers.

Feature

Meet Carol Stott – the 5,000th patient to have undergone robotic-assisted surgery at LTHT Carol Stott is 72, from South Leeds, and is married with two children and three grandchildren. Carol went to see her GP on 4 July when she found some unusual symptoms. She was immediately referred to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, where she received an appointment within two weeks, where she was sent for a test. Sadly, the results from Carol’s test showed that she had cancer of her womb. “When I found out I was shocked and upset,” said Carol. However, an MRI scan showed that the cancer had been caught early, meaning there was a much greater chance of removing it. Carol’s consultant talked to her about her options along with a cancer nurse specialist. “It looked likely I would need a hysterectomy to remove the cancer,” said Carol. In 2010, Carol was rushed to hospital because an abscess in her bowel had burst. After a lengthy but successful operation she had to wear a colostomy bag for eleven months. It was an experience Carol did not want to repeat – any surgical intervention for her cancer could affect her bowel function. With the risks clear, Carol went away to think about what she wanted to do next. Carol said: “I had to think about it carefully, as I was worried I may have to wear a colostomy bag again if my bowel was affected during the surgery. But I knew, because we had caught the cancer early, now was the best chance we had of removing it.”

Carol decided to go ahead with the hysterectomy. Because of her history with her bowel, two consultants from different specialties brought together a big team to ensure the procedure could go ahead without complication. Carol was admitted on a Friday, had completed the procedure by that evening, and on the Sunday, was back home. “It was a big team who looked after me – they were all really delighted by the outcome. I remember lying in bed after the procedure feeling elated and so thankful.” Carol only needed painkillers following the operation. “It felt like a period pain, to begin with, and then wore off. I wanted to make sure I could visit the toilet fine and that everything was working – it was, with no discomfort.” Robotic-assisted procedures mean faster recovery times for patients like Carol, so they can get home and back to their lives sooner. “When I had my bowel operation in 2010 under conventional surgery I was in hospital for eight days and it took a lot longer to recover.” Carol’s friends and family are delighted with her fast recovery following the hysterectomy. “Everyone was amazed with how well I looked so quickly after the operation,” said Carol. “My friends visited the following week and couldn’t believe it.” She added: “The treatment and attention I have received from beginning to end has been exceptional. I’ve been looked after so well.”

Carol’s consultant talked to her about robotic-assisted surgery, which uses precision keyhole surgical techniques to minimise the impact on the body. The hysterectomy procedure has been available to be used by robotic-assisted surgery at LTHT since 2019. “I didn’t know what to expect when I was told about robotic-assisted surgery,” said Carol. “My husband and I looked it up on the Internet, as we’d not heard about it before. It seemed marvellous, and when it was explained it to me, I was really put at ease.”

News

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Black History Month Celebrations and wall display competition winners The BME Staff Network celebrated the benefits of LTHT’s diverse workforce during Black History Month in October, focusing on the mantra of ‘Dig Deeper, Look Closer, Think Bigger’. A series of lunch and learn sessions brought to life success stories from those connected to the BME Staff Network and were open to all staff. In addition, colleagues were encouraged to join team fuddles and to take part in a display wall competition. The team also organised a grand finale event held at Thackray Medical Museum where staff and members of the public were invited to attend. The event was held to create awareness, celebrate, and highlight the immense contributions of staff from our black communities and to bring together staff and volunteers from all communities within LTHT and beyond to explore this year’s theme. The richness in the different cultures were showcased with music, food, artefacts and fashions from different black communities and we also experienced live Nigerian drumming from a group of community volunteers. We asked our BME Network Co-chairs, Monica Didi and Modupe Hector-Goma

why they have taken on their roles within the network. Monica said: “To support the Trust in working towards being fully inclusive and free from discrimination. It gives me the opportunity to network with staff and

colleagues at all different levels and to provide a source of support and safe space for staff, so they feel a sense of belonging. Also, to raise awareness of issues and opportunities within the organisation and empowering staff to be involved so they too can develop and progress.” Modupe said: “Having the opportunity to pursue my personal development and meeting inspirational colleagues who challenge and motivate me to the extent of coming from a point of not wanting to engage fuels my desire to support the vision of the organisation because I believe it is achievable and want to be able to contribute to making it happen.”

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Display Wall Competition Congratulations to our display wall competition winners, Lynn O’Donnell and Kirsty Slade, from our Outpatient Administration Team, LGI who won 1st place.

1st Place - Lynn O’Donnell and Kirsty Slade, Assistant Patient Services Coordinators from Outpatient Administration Team.

Get to know our Staff Equality Networks: Faith and Belief The Trust has an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy group who steer the direction of our actions which aim to positively impact our People Priority to be a Trust Free From Discrimination. In this issue of Bulletin, we’re hearing about the Faith and Belief Network at LTHT. Paul Jones

The Faith and Belief Staff Network has been set up as an umbrella network, to capture and provide a voice at Trust level across the boundaries of staff individual religion or belief. The network is led by our Head of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care Ben Rhodes and Paul Jones is our Executive Sponsor. The network works in partnership with our other LTHT Equality Staff Networks to raise and address issues which impact the aspiration of our ‘Free From Discrimination’ People Priority.

• Is our culture one that is ‘faith and belief friendly’, where people feel comfortable to bring that aspect of their identity to work? • How are we responding to needs? For example: appropriate catering options, quiet/prayer/mediation space, and pastoral/spiritual/ religious support? • Are we recruiting in a way which encourages diversity in the applicant base? • How strong is the religion and belief dimension of our equalities policy and implementation? • How may our workplace benefit from its diverse workforce, including those of different faiths and beliefs?

3rd Place - Charlotte Beldon, Junior Sister from Surgical Assessment Unit.

Ben Rhodes

Faith and Belief Staff Network

The network wants to ensure we encourage religion and belief literacy in the Trust and will focus on asking the following:

2nd Place - Lorna Coates, staff Nurse and Lorna Allsop, Sister from Geoffery Giles Operating Theatres and PACU.

News

We know that people work best when they feel that they can bring their whole selves to the workplace. Where people feel that they are

welcomed and that inclusion of faith or belief is apparent, it can have a positive impact on a person’s wellbeing and approach to work and colleagues. Faith and belief are not always fully understood. Developing networks can help increase religious literacy and foster stronger relationships and good relations in the workplace. This network wants to support single faith-based staff groups (such as Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, or Christian networks) and non-religious belief groups (such as Humanist), but also bring together their collective voice through this multi-faith and belief forum. Ben Rhodes, Faith and Belief Network Chair, said: “LTHT is proud of our Leeds Way values which shape who we are and what we do as a healthcare provider. The same is true for our amazing colleagues, with their diverse beliefs and values that shape who they are and together enable us to collaborate as a Team for the benefit of all whom we serve.” Dr Paul Jones, Chief Digital and Information Officer and Executive Sponsor of the Faith and Belief Network, said: “Living and working alongside faith and beliefs different from our own is essential to ensuring we build an inclusive culture in our organisation. At LTHT, we want to support our staff and encourage all colleagues and patients to practice and nurture their beliefs and values.” Get in touch with Faith and Belief Network via leedsth-tr.Chaplaincy@ nhs.net

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Minister opens innovative new pathology centre The new cutting-edge pathology laboratory at St James’ University Hospital, was officially opened by the Minister of State for Health and Secondary Care, Will Quince MP, in September. The Centre for Laboratory Medicine (CfLM) will serve patients across West Yorkshire. The facility also marks a significant milestone in regional healthcare, as it will also house pathology services from Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust and Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust. Consolidating these essential pathology services in this state-of-the-art facility will streamline access to routine and direct testing and improve working environments for staff. It will also facilitate seamless continuity and transfer of patient care across the region. This pioneering regional partnership, forged in collaboration with the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), will drive innovation in testing and diagnostics. Equipped with advanced technology and state-of-theart equipment, the new laboratory aims to deliver faster results for patients, regardless of their geographical location. In addition to Health Minister Will Quince, the opening event on 26 September attracted a host of VIP guests including West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin, Leeds Councillors and

Health Minister Will Quince, Dame Linda Pollard & Professor Phil Wood unveil the plaque alongside partners from Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust and the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.

senior leaders from across the Yorkshire healthcare system. Visitors joined teams from the three partnership Trusts to tour the new facility. Crucial partner organisations were also on hand to give guests an insight into the benefits this modern facility will deliver to patients, healthcare professionals, and the wider community.

LTHT’s construction partner for the CfLM, BAM Construction, commenced work on the new centre in April 2022. BAM worked closely with our project managers to ensure the building project was delivered on time and on budget. Siemens gave an outline of the incredible, advanced equipment they will install as the Pathology Partnerships’ Managed Service Contract provider. Clinisys were there too, explaining to guests the shared Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) they will supply to clinical services across West Yorkshire and Harrogate. This sophisticated new software will enable electronic test requests, tracking, and results reporting for clinical services. Health Minister Will Quince said: “This new, cutting-edge pathology laboratory will serve thousands of patients across West Yorkshire – helping to deliver faster results, speed up diagnoses and cut waiting lists. “Backed by £35million of government funding, this new lab will look at more innovative ways to test and diagnose patients and will be equipped with advanced technology and the latest equipment. Crucially, by consolidating

Students from Mount St Mary’s Catholic High School worked with pathology staff at the Trust

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current services into one place it will streamline access to testing and improve working environments for staff.” As part of the Building the Leeds Way Programme’s community engagement programme, budding young scientists from Mount St Mary’s Catholic High School took part in the celebrations. Throughout the day students participated in specially designed sample pathology experiments alongside the Trust’s dedicated staff. Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “This new centre firmly cements West Yorkshire as a global leader in health technology – it will fuel innovation in diagnostic testing and deliver better outcomes for patients worldwide. “It was inspiring to meet the staff who will pioneer these new technologies, as well as the talented high school students who could be our homegrown pathologists of the future. “With this new centre, I’m confident that Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will continue to play a vital role in our mission to build a brighter, happy West Yorkshire that works for all.” Currently, most of LTHT’s pathology services are delivered from outdated facilities in the Old Medical School at the LGI as well as from St James’s. The new building will bring many of these services together into one purposebuilt facility. Once pathology teams have relocated and vacated the Old Medical School, it will be repurposed as part of a plan to use surplus estate at the LGI to develop an innovation village which is expected to deliver up to 4,000 new jobs,

The new Centre for Laboratory Medicine

more than 500 new homes and almost £13bn in net present value. Alongside the milestone construction of the CfLM, LTHT have also recently completed construction of a new Acute Hospital Laboratory (AHL) at LGI. This facility will provide essential pathology testing facilities to support clinical services at LGI, when most of the Trust’s pathology services move to CfLM. This CfLM and AHL are flagship projects within the Building the Leeds Way programme, which will build a new home for Leeds Children’s Hospital, a new adults’ hospital and one of the country’s largest single-site maternity centres on the LGI site by 2030. Dame Linda Pollard, Chair of LTHT.

expressed her excitement about the opening of the new pathology laboratory, saying: “This is a landmark occasion for Leeds Teaching Hospitals and is the fruition of months of hard work from our staff and partners. “I am incredibly proud to see that this fantastic new facility is now officially opened. Pathology plays a crucial role in the delivery of frontline care, and I am excited to see how, together with our colleagues in Calderdale and Mid Yorkshire, we can really drive innovative diagnostic testing across West Yorkshire.” She also highlighted the broader impact, stating: “This impressive new building is a key milestone in our wider capital investment programme, as we start to progress our plans for a new hospital at the LGI. The completion of our new pathology laboratory is a catalyst for our proposed innovation village when the Old Medical School is vacated, bringing far-reaching economic benefits for the whole region.” The Trust’s commitment to sustainability and innovation is also evident in this world-class pathology building. Designed with flexibility and digital integration in mind, the CfLM is on track to achieve highly certified standards in staff wellbeing and sustainability. Environmentally conscious features include full mechanical ventilation with heat recovery systems to minimise power consumption and promote heat reuse.

West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin spoke to staff who will be working in the new lab

The Centre for Laboratory Medicine is set to become fully operational in 2024 after the installation of cutting-edge equipment and technology.

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New technology gives hope to patients with multiple sclerosis Clinicians and researchers have invented a new motion detection tool to help identify potentially life-changing treatments for progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurodegenerative conditions.

becoming more important. This is especially so if the drugs we are using are shown to be effective because it refines the outcomes. “The tool could also be really useful for rehabilitation as well as it provides a much better understanding of arm function. Physiotherapists and occupational therapists can monitor improvement, deterioration and the value of different approaches.

The pioneering project is a collaboration between the Trust, and the departments of psychology and engineering at the University of Leeds. MS is a long-term condition which affects the brain and spinal cord, causing problems with vision, movement, sensation and balance. Currently there are no treatments that stop its progression.

“And because the device is not specific to MS, it could have relevance to other neurodegenerative conditions such as motor neurone disease or Parkinson’s.” It is hoped the tool can be used as a sub-study of the huge new Octopus trial to find new ways to treat progressive MS.

The kinematic tool measures upper limb function by using 3D motion technology to capture finger and wrist markers as patients pick up, move and place objects across a board. An evaluation led by clinical research fellow Linford Fernandes, a neurology registrar at LTHT, funded by Leeds Hospitals Charity, found the tool can be used to detect progression in dysfunction sooner than current clinical measures.

Professor Helen Ford, Consultant Neurologist and LTHT’s research lead for neurosciences, said: “We see the device as having significant applications in both research trials and

clinical settings. “We are doing more trials with people with progressive MS and having a sensitive measure of arm function, cognition and thinking is

This multi-arm, multi-stage platform trial is designed to transform the testing of new treatments and could deliver them up to three times faster. LTHT is set to become the first regional hub to open for Octopus and will work in collaboration with clinical researchers at hospitals in Bradford, Hull, Sheffield and York.

Digital update: Windows 10 upgrade hits 95% At the end of October, we reached another milestone on our Windows 10 upgrade programme, with 95% of laptops and desktops upgraded across the Trust. The remaining 5% of upgrades are more complex and rely on upgrading key clinical systems such as those used in Pathology, so this part of the programme will be managed and supported as business-as-usual activity.

computers, as well as upgrading the Windows operating system on many more of our newer devices. Thanks to the work of our DIT team, we’re now in a great position, with secure, supported devices which we can proactively manage and update going forward. This has made a huge difference to colleagues right across the Trust, and we’ve significantly reduced the cyber security risks associated with unsupported software and applications.

Hitting 95% is a fantastic achievement and has involved a huge amount of work, building and issuing over 9,000 new laptops and 4,000 new desktop

The programme has involved an investment of £12 million, allowing us to buy new devices and implement industry best practice to reduce the time

and effort involved with setting up so many new devices. This will improve the way we provide and manage our PCs and software in the future. Read more about the work we’re doing to build our digital foundations and our wider portfolio of IT projects.

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Operational Transformation - spotlight on Planned Care The Covid pandemic has increased the length of time patients at the Trust are waiting to receive elective surgery, i.e. operations planned in advance. We have a proud record of delivering high quality care with excellent outcomes for our patients. However the timeliness of this care, for those having a planned procedure has not matched these high standards and people have waited too long. There are many colleagues across the Trust who are working hard to bring down waiting times and do as much as we can to provide timely, safe care for patients. Here we share a few of the projects taking place at the moment.

Shape Up 4 Cancer Surgery - a new cancer support pathway for patients in Leeds An innovative support service, which enhances cancer patient care and reduces the potential likelihood of complications from surgery, has launched in Leeds funded by Macmillan Cancer Support. Shape Up 4 Cancer Surgery, delivered by the Trust in partnership with Active Leeds, the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University, helps people with certain cancers prepare for and recover from surgery through the provision of guided physical activity, nutrition and psychological wellbeing support. This is the first partnership of its kind in Leeds. The new approach is based on clinical and academic research that has shown the benefits of ‘prehabilitation’, a personalised pre-operation support programme. Over the next two years, more than 200 cancer patients will benefit from a bespoke plan including tailored guidance on exercise, nutrition, and psychological and emotional support before, during and after their cancer surgery. It provides individuals with the tools and resources they need to be able

and is gaining positive feedback from patients. It has also been shortlisted as a Finalist in a Nursing Times award, which is brilliant news.

Radiographer-led genitourinary fluoroscopy service to independently manage their health and wellbeing in the long term. Patients from across Leeds with cancers such as bladder, stomach, bowel, oesophageal and pancreatic are currently being invited to join the programme. Patients will take part in an initial one-stop assessment clinic, before starting their personalised preparation programme designed by a team of specialists from across the city, including cancer exercise specialists, anaesthetists, dietitians, and clinical nurse specialists.

Chronic rhinosinusitis in an outpatient setting Mr Panas Symeonides, ENT Consultant, is leading a pilot with his team on a common problem relating to chronic rhinosinusitis (inflammation of the nasal sinuses). Panas has spoken about the benefits of performing a Balloon Sinuplasty in an outpatient setting, a procedure with lower risk and faster recovery. Work continues to progress this pilot and it meets several of our 7 Commitments, including effective use of assets and reduced length of stay in hospital.

Enhanced Care Unit At Chapel Allerton Hospital the Enhanced Care Unit is creating a safety net for those with more complex needs,

A radiographer-led genitourinary fluoroscopy service is evolving well. It provides a more resilient service for patients that needs less input from consultants and is enabling patients to come for same day care. This work has been shared and championed in a number of peer groups.

Urology cystoscopy The urology cystoscopy improvement work has had a complete restructure and overhaul, embedding a new administration team who are continually focused on improvement and feel a greater sense of empowerment in their roles.

Sleep diagnostics In some fascinating work, the clinical physiology sleep diagnostics team have taken part in a service overview to respond to an increase in clinical demand. The team sees 3,200 patients annually and with more than 8,000 patients on active treatment, the team has worked exceptionally hard to increase access to the service while empowering team members to develop their skills.

Friday Focus – come and hear about our fantastic work Want to find out more about what’s happening as part of our Operational Transformation Strategy? Each Friday at 9.30am we hold Friday Focus – an opportunity for any colleague across the Trust to join on Teams and hear about the latest projects and developments. It’s a really positive 30 minutes of sharing good news. If you’d like to join when you can, please get in touch via communications.lth@nhs. net and ask for the link.

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LTHT on a mission In November, LTHT set off on a mission to achieve outstanding nutrition and hydration care for all our patients. We know that by ensuring our patients receive outstanding nutrition and hydration care we can reduce our patients’ length of stay, reduce infections, and improve their overall experience of care whilst in hospital. Receiving the right nutrition and hydration care can help prevent patient harms, will improve patient experience, and is linked to better outcomes and a shorter hospital stay.

The impact of malnutrition •M alnutrition affects more than one in 20 people in the UK and this increases to one in 10 for people over 65. •H ealth and social care costs are estimated to be around £23.5 billion a year – around 15% of the health and social care budget. •3 0% of patients admitted to UK hospitals are malnourished and this can worsen during their time in hospital, leading to longer hospital stays.

Since Nutrition Mission started the campaign countdown earlier in 2023, there has been some really great work across the Trust, through patient feedback, and ward and mealtime audits. There are several improvement projects ongoing, including weights matter, the pressure ulcer collaborative, protected and assisted mealtimes, the decaffeinated drinks project, delirium, and ‘sit up, get dressed, keep moving and nutrition’, all of which feed in to the overall Nutrition Mission. With the official launch in November, now all teams across the Trust are encouraged to get involved and make a pledge to the mission. Interim Chief Nurse Jackie Murphy said: “It’s really important we see nutrition as both physiologically and psychologically important to our patients. For me, what’s really important is that we involve everybody that’s part of the multi-professional team – and that can be anybody – to make sure that patients receive the right nutrition that’s personalised for them. That can be anything from food and drink right through to enteral nutrition, but making sure it’s central to their care.”

Why outstanding nutrition and hydration matters ✓ Promotes continence and prevents constipation ✓ Reduces muscle loss and prevents falls ✓ Reduces risk of kidney injury ✓ Helps prevent delirium ✓ Enables quicker recovery and better rehabilitation ✓ Reduces length of stay ✓ Reduces risk of pressure ulcers and helps wound healing ✓ Reduces risk of infection

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Blast-off Roadshows In November, a Blast-Off Roadshow kicked off the official campaign launch at LGI and St James’s, where staff had the opportunity to find out more about the mission, try samples of our patient catering menu, and take part in a quiz to establish the current levels of understanding around nutrition and hydration care Congratulations to Jordan King, Clinical Support Worker on Ward J21, who won first prize!

Teams pledge their support Through November, ward teams were invited to get involved with the campaign by pledging their team to the Nutrition Mission with a mission statement for their clinical area. Teams who submitted their pledge were also entered into a competition to win a fantastic hamper of goodies.

Gaining mission credits for your ward Nutrition is everyone’s business, and with the official launch of the Nutrition Mission campaign, the Trustwide goal is to be outstanding in all areas of nutrition and hydration care. Across the Trust there is plenty of good practice which needs to be recognised, rewarded and shared with colleagues. A new accreditation framework is being developed to support ward and departments on their journey to providing outstanding nutrition and hydration care to their patients. The framework encourages wards to tackle barriers when providing every patient with outstanding nutritional and hydration care, through collaborative working, quality improvement, leadership, and action. Through the embedding of the accreditation program wards will be empowered to act in their areas, which will lead to creating meaningful and measurable changes within nutrition and hydration care at LTHT. The accreditation will have three stages: Bronze, Silver and Gold, with more information on how teams can take part publishing soon. More examples of outstanding nutrition and hydration care will be shared over the coming months. In the meantime, discover more and learn how your area can join the Nutrition Mission on the mission control Intranet hub, search: Nutrition Mission.

Competition winner Jordan King

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New Equality Staff Network co-chairs wanted! Could you be a good fit for an exciting role as co-chair of one of our Equality Staff Networks at LTHT? If you enjoy the opportunity to collaborate with Board members and colleagues across the Trust, want to develop your skills and are passionate about bringing about change to improve the experiences of our disabled, BME or LGBT+ staff, read on to find out more. The Trust has an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy group which aims to progress our People Priority to be a Trust Free From Discrimination. Ensuring our staff networks are represented within this group, sharing the issues and actions their members need to see happen is key to the success of this work. Being an integral part of that forum and leading on specific work aligned to our EDI delivery plan are key roles of our staff network co- chairs. Three of our staff networks are currently looking to recruit co -chairs. Could it be you?

address and make positive change. The network has been key in implementing a number of changes within the Trust since it was formed, and has contributed to the introduction of Reasonable Adjustments Guidance, the Staff Disability Passport, Flexible Working, as well as raising awareness and offering support to colleagues. The DSN co-chairs sit on the EDI Strategic Group, and also offers consultancy across Trust initiatives, such as working in partnership with the Building The Leeds Way team looking at future facilities in our new hospital at the LGI. Our Network Executive Sponsor is Craige Richardson.

LGBT+ Staff Network CoChair, Rob Fitzgerald robert.fitzgerald1@nhs.net

Disabled Staff Network CoChair Luke White: luke.white3@nhs.net The Disabled Staff Network (DSN) was first founded in July 2020 with three core members. Since then, the network has grown to 70+ members across the Trust, from both clinical and non-clinical roles. Our vision is to support those with disabilities and long-term conditions and to promote an inclusive workplace across the Trust. We are passionate about including everyone in the Trust in championing this vision. The DSN has been key in ensuring those of us working here at LTHT with a disability or long-term condition, identify the barriers and challenges in our workplaces and take action to

Being the Co-Chair of the LGBT+ Staff Network is a hard but extremely rewarding role, that can provide you with a wide range of leadership and management skills. It also provides access to work closely with many people within the Trust, such as executive directors, lead nurses and head of departments. The Co-Chair needs to have strong leadership, communication and time management skills, as well having a deep commitment to inclusivity, strong ability to advocate and excellent networking skills. These skills help to effectively lead, advocate for and support the needs of the LGBT+ community within the Trust. The network is sponsored by Clare Smith, Chief Operating Officer.

to lead and influence work that will really make a difference here at LTHT and support the delivery of the Race Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda. We’re looking for someone with passion, dedication and commitment to making LTHT fully inclusive and discrimination-free, turning the dial on race equality and improving the experience of BME staff. You will act as a voice for BME staff offering a source of consultation and a means of communicating with the Trust about BME staff issues affecting their work and professional development. You’ll work in collaboration with HR, Equality Diversity & Inclusion Leads, Organisational Learning, the Trust Board and line managers across the organisation, helping develop solutions and sharing ideas to assist BME staff. As well as supporting the Network on key areas identified through the People Priorities, you will be supporting the Network’s Project Leads in the delivery of initiatives such as BME Champions, Reciprocal mentoring, and others.

BME Staff Network CoChair Monica Didi: leedsth-tr.BME@nhs.net

If this has excited your interest, please discuss with your line manager as there is an agreement to fund half a day per week to your CSU to enable you to be released to undertake the duties of co-chair. If this can be supported, we ask that you outline in 200-300 words what skills you could bring to support the network and why you are passionate about the work. These statements will be shared with the relevant network memberships so that members can vote who to appoint. Please make contact with Luke, Rob or Monica directly to find out more.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Co-Chair of the BME Staff Network

Deadline for applying for these roles is 31 Dec 2023.

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My Job

These 3D models are also used in virtual surgical planning, where the procedure is simulated in a digital environment. This allows decisions to be made before entering the operating theatre and from a virtual surgical plan, we can design and manufacture patient-specific devices such as cutting guides, which might be used to aid tumour resection and custom implants for reconstruction. The service is in its infancy and currently works with Craniomaxillofacial, Cardiology/ Cardiac Surgery and Neurosurgery.

What else have you done in your career so far? Before this job I worked for a private company who design and manufacture patient-specific medical devices and surgical simulators. I was a 3D Printing Hub Manager and Biomedical Engineer/ Simulator Specialist. I also used to work at Glasgow University as an Anatomy Demonstrator, teaching anatomy to medical and dental students.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Lisa Ferrie Biomedical Engineer, 3D Planning Service, Leeds Dental Institute/ LGI has worked at the Trust since October 2022 What are the main aspects of your role?

It’s great to be developing such a new and innovative service within the NHS and knowing we are widening access to this technology for our staff and our patients. It feels like being of part of something where we can make a big difference.

What is the one thing you would change at LTHT to help you do your job better?

I was employed to develop and grow LTHT’s first in-house 3D Planning Service. This was a vision of Jonathan Lockwood, Head & Neck General Manager; and Jiten Parmar, Consultant CranioMaxillofacial surgeon.

Not sure. It’s a new service and there are plenty of challenges that come along with developing it.

The 3D Planning Service creates patient-specific medical devices, which are generated from the patient’s imaging data such as a CT or MRI scan. My job is to turn the 2D scan data into a 3D model. We do this because it allows clinicians to more readily visualise and understand what is quite often complex anatomy. The use of 3D models in clinical decision making can be the difference between a patient having a minimallyinvasive procedure or more invasive open surgery.

What’s your best advice to a new starter at the Trust? Just ask. There’s always a lot to take in when you start a new job so just keep asking questions.

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Flying High at L Hospital Kite Aw Leeds Children’s Hospital celebrated the fourth ‘Kite Awards’ staff recognition event at Village North in Headingley in November. The Kite Awards recognise excellence across the children’s hospital, highlighting outstanding examples of team work, innovation, compassion and collaboration. The Kite Awards have been on hold since 2019 because of the pandemic so this was a particularly special event. This year’s awards were sponsored by Leeds Hospitals Charity who also introduced a brand-new award – Funded Project of the Year. Flying High Award: Kate Davis

The event was opened by Clare Smith, Chief Operating Officer, who thanked all Leeds Children’s Hospital colleagues for their contribution to the pandemic response and for their ongoing commitment to providing outstanding patient care for children and young people. Chris Schofield, LTHT Deputy Chair, was also in attendance and shared his congratulations with award winners. Eight awards were presented by Colin Holton, Clinical Director, and Laura Whelan, Head of Nursing, in-front of nearly 200 guests.

Award Winners Flying High Award: Katie Davis, Physiotherapist. Recognising her leading role in the botulinum service and championing the broadening scope of physiotherapists.

Keeping Patients Safe Award: Abigail Kiely

Funded Project of the Year Award: Virtual Reality Play Team

Keeping Patients Safe Award: Abigail Kiely, ACP. Recognising a broad contribution to patient safety through a variety of initiatives and innovations such as Healthy at Home and Virtual Wards.

Outstanding Contribution: Sarah Fletcher

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Leeds Children’s wards Delivering the Best Award: Virginia Marsden, Cardiac Scheduler. Recognising consistent high standards and always going the extra mile for patients. Outstanding Contribution Award: Sarah Fletcher, Matron for Children’s Surgery. Recognising a tireless contribution to patient care, always putting patients first whilst supporting and empowering colleagues. Leading the Way Award: Haemodialysis Team. Recognising their contribution to improvements in patient experience, keeping patients at their local centre for treatment. Innovation of the Year: DinkyBetes Clinic. Recognising a new, patient-focused approach for the service’s youngest patients, enabling higher quality consultations, increased education and a more fun hospital experience!

Leading the Way Award: Haemodialysis Team

Funded Project of the Year: Virtual Reality Play Team. Recognising trail-blazing work in the field of virtual reality distraction therapy including contributions to research and national projects. Team of the Year: Leeds Inpatient Outreach Nursing Service (LIONS) Team. Recognising the establishment of a brand-new service and impact across the hospital in the first year of operation. Suzanne Abrahams, Leeds Children’s Hospital General Manager, said: “It’s been an absolute delight to recognise the achievements of colleagues across Leeds Children’s Hospital and to be able to celebrate together after so long. Tonight has been a brilliant reminder that we have so much to be proud of. Congratulations to every single award winner, everyone who was nominated and thank you everyone who took the time to nominate a colleague.”

Innovation of the Year: DinkyBetes Clinic

Team of the Year: Leeds Inpatient Outreach Nursing Service (LIONS) Team

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Awesome Allied Health Professions Allied Health Professions (AHPs) are the third largest workforce in the NHS. At Leeds Teaching Hospitals we have more than 1,500 staff members in AHP and supporting AHP roles; that’s more than 7% of our workforce, a significant number when you think about the breadth of roles across the Trust. AHPs are degree-level professions and professionally autonomous practitioners. Within the NHS, there are 14 roles incorporated within the Allied Health Professions of which we have nine represented at the Trust: • Dietitians • Occupational therapists • Operating department practitioners • Orthoptists • Physiotherapists • Podiatrists • Prosthetists and orthotists • Radiographers • Speech and language therapists Each AHP role is unique in its function, working alongside other clinical colleagues to provide the best possible support for patients.

delivering radiotherapy treatment in the treatment of cancer. “We work with a huge range of patients; from vulnerable premature babies needing their first x-ray at minutes old, to end-of-life patients requiring continuity of care.” Amy Richards, Lead Reporting Radiographer

preparing all necessary equipment and providing these to the surgical team throughout the operation. “Alongside theatres, we can also assist anaesthetists in a variety of departments including Radiology and A&E.” Caitlin McMahon, Operating Department Practitioner Caitlin McMahon

Radiographers Our radiographers provide a mix of diagnostic and therapeutic radiography for patients; producing high quality images to diagnose injury or disease, or Amy Williams

Physiotherapists Physiotherapists use a mix of physical approaches to promote, maintain and restore physical, psychological and social wellbeing in patients with a broad range of needs. We also have a team of dedicated paediatric physiotherapists using individualised, fun therapy to make a difference to our young patients. “Physiotherapy is not purely for massage or to get people out of bed. We cover a range of specialties in various areas of care including respiratory, neurological, and musculoskeletal.” Benjamin Thomas, Physiotherapist

Operating department practitioners

Occupational therapists

Operating department practitioners are an integral part of any surgical team. They provide support for the patient throughout their surgical journey, from anaesthetic to recovery, as well as

Occupational therapists work with patients of all ages with a wide range of problems. They provide patients with interventions to enable them to return to, or optimise participation in, things

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from basic care tasks to working, learning and playing.

adult patients with acquired speech, language, swallowing or voice disorders.

and age-related macular degeneration among many others.

“We are not the same as occupational health; whilst work is definitely one occupation we look at, we also help people participate in looking after themselves and the things they do for fun!”

“We can guess physical traits from someone’s voice almost as accurately as by looking at a photograph of them.”

“The eyes really do betray a lot about your health. Just by asking you to follow a pen torch we can diagnosis many different conditions and development issues.”

Lucy Cheshire, Speech and Language Therapist

Danielle Guy, Advanced Orthoptist

Emily Suffield, Occupational Therapist

Connor Moreton

Dietitians Our dietitians provide dietary advice for patients, supporting them with oral, enteral and parenteral nutrition. The team use their knowledge of nutritional science, medicine and social science to provide practical information about food choices. “I think a big misconception is that we review patients who are at risk of malnutrition, as opposed to weight management.” Danielle Ritchie, Dietetic Assistant Danielle Ritchie

Prosthetists and orthotists Orthotists specialise in assessing, measuring and fitting for devices to relieve pressure, correct or accommodate deformity and to improve function. While prosthetists focus on measuring, making and fitting prostheses for patients with upper and lower limb loss. “We provide supports and bracing for all parts of the body head to toe. It’s not just insoles and feet!” Connor Moreton, Principal Orthotist

Speech and language therapists

Danielle Guy

Podiatrists Podiatrists provide assessment, education and treatment for a variety of acute lower limb conditions in people with broad ranging underlying acute and chronic medical conditions. These might include those with diabetes, inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune conditions. “There is a common misconception that podiatrists cut toenails. It is one of the many skills we carry under our belt but alongside cutting nails, I have taken bone samples, tissue samples and even taken off a few toes!”

Providing an extensive range of inpatient and outpatient services, our speech and language therapists provide support to

Orthoptists Orthoptists specialise in the diagnosis, treatment and management of eye conditions in all age groups such as squint, eye movement defects due to conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and trauma, and glaucoma, cataract

Uroosa Rizwana Khan, Hospital Podiatrist All these great AHPs wouldn’t be able to do their jobs without our fantastic support workers, such as apprentices and non-registered staff. They really form the bedrock of a lot of AHP teams and are uniquely placed with time and skills to support our patients.

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Leeds Hospitals Charity news Leeds Hospitals Charity appoints Dr Yvette Oade CBE as Chair of Trustees In October, Leeds Hospitals Charity announced Dr Yvette Oade CBE DL as their new Chair of Trustees. Yvette is taking on the role following the departure of Edward Ziff OBE DL, who stepped down after almost a decade as Chair. Yvette first joined the charity’s Board of Trustees as Deputy Chair in 2020, after she retired from her longstanding role as Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Dr Yvette Oade said: “I am delighted to take on the role of Chair, I have always had a strong connection to Leeds Teaching Hospitals, it was where I first practiced medicine, where my daughter was born, and where I reached a pinnacle of my medical career. I have seen first-hand the impact charitable donations have made over the years. I view this as a wonderful opportunity to continue to support staff working across our hospitals in Leeds to provide the best possible care and support to the people of Yorkshire, and beyond.”

Kevin Sinfield’s epic 7 in 7 in 7 challenge in support of MND community

Rugby League legend Kevin Sinfield OBE has completed his fourth epic challenge, raising awareness and funds supporting those impacted by motor neurone disease. The 7 in 7 in 7 challenge saw Kevin and his team run an ultramarathon every day for 7 days in 7 cities across Great Britain and Ireland.

motor neurone disease is truly aweinspiring. We’re incredibly grateful to Kevin for lacing up his running shoes once again to fundraise.”

Kevin’s incredible efforts and fundraising has helped push us closer to making Rob Burrow’s dream of a specialist centre here in Leeds a reality.

Leeds Hospitals Charity welcomes all to join in this May for the second Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon and half marathon. It truly is an event for everyone, all abilities are welcome to join and help support Leeds Hospitals Charity’s appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND.

Esther Wakeman, Chief Executive of Leeds Hospitals Charity said: “Kevin has always gone the extra mile for Rob and the MND community, his unwavering commitment to support the fight against

To secure your place as well as staying up to date with all the latest news about the progress of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Appeal, please visit the Leeds Hospitals Charity website.

Christmas at Leeds Hospitals Charity Staff at Leeds Teaching Hospitals provide outstanding care to patients 365 days a year, but Christmas can be a challenge for the patients and their families being cared for. Leeds Hospitals Charity is proud to bring some sparkle across the hospitals during the festive season! Through delivering gifts, taking on a Christmas abseil and even a very special visit from a reindeer and donkey, we know that creating magic memories like this can make such a difference to patients and

their families during challenging times. Our Sparkle Christmas Appeal raises vital funds to continue to support Leeds Teaching Hospitals to make a real difference to patients, families and staff, bringing hope, happiness and home comforts to every bedside. A big thank you to everyone at Leeds Teaching Hospitals for all your support during 2023 and all our best wishes from everyone at Leeds Hospitals Charity for 2024.

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60 seconds

60 seconds Hayley Frazer

too loud rock music in my car on the way home. After that, Friday evenings are either spent with friends or swimming/soaking in the hydrotherapy pool at the gym!

What is your ideal holiday destination and why? Somewhere with both mountains and a beach within easy reach. Preferably warm and sunny because I get cold easily!

What is your favourite food? Sunday roast dinner with a fruit crumble and custard for pudding.

Infection Prevention Practitioner, has worked at the Trust for 5 years What do you do to wind down and relax after a hard week at work? My first stage of decompressing is

What did you want to be when you were growing up? I changed my mind every two minutes, so it was everything from a maths teacher to a midwife or a forensic anthropologist!

What is your favourite film? Labyrinth. Big fan of Jareth! “You remind me of the babe….”

Who would you most like to meet and why? Lizzy Hale, lead singer of Halestorm. Absolute legend of a lady who is a big advocate for pushing conversations about mental health and LGBTQIA+ issues. She also has some killer vocal cords.

What is your favourite book? Aurian by Maggie Furey. The very first epic fantasy book I read which introduced me to my favourite genre. It has been one adventure after another ever since.

Tell us something we don’t know about you … I’m in the process of buying a house in Huddersfield and when I’m settled, I want to take up woodworking. Give me six months and then ask me how my pergola’s coming along!

GRASP Champions – helping the Trust become greener GRASP Champions help make LTHT a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and healthier place for patients, staff, and the wider community. They have contributed to promoting recycling, reducing single-use plastics, and lowering energy usage. GRASP stands for “Be Green, Recycle, Be Aware, and Be Sustainable for our Patients.” We are inviting staff to sign up to become a champion so that we can empower individuals and teams to make small changes. Collectively, we can make a significant difference in our carbon footprint and operating costs. The GRASP Champions meet bi-monthly to share ideas, discuss best practices, and

explore ways to become a greener Trust. If you would like to become a champion, please get in touch with the Sustainability Team at leedsth-tr.sustainability@nhs.net. In addition to the champion network, there is GRASP Rewards, the staff incentive scheme that allows you to log your positive green actions and show that you are making a difference to the environment. You can choose from activities such as energy quizzes, reporting your recycling efforts, or trying locallysourced food. In return, you will be awarded green points. Each month, those who earn the most green points will win a £20 voucher. Currently, we have 650 staff signed up for the scheme, who compete against each other and within their Clinical Service Units (CSUs). In September, the top-performing CSU was Medicines Management and Pharmacy. Dr. Emmanouela Kampouraki, Specialist

Clinical Pharmacist Adherence Research, is a GRASP champion and a member of GRASP Rewards. She shares her thoughts on the scheme: “I joined to support sustainability actions across the Trust. The more we as staff support and participate in such initiatives, the more motivated the Trust becomes to do more and change practices. The second reason was to challenge myself to change daily habits. Now, I never leave the house for work without my reusable water bottle and, in most cases, without my reusable coffee cup. I wholeheartedly recommend the program to anyone who wants to stay conscious of their daily actions. It’s the small steps that make these efforts grow larger and have a meaningful impact.” You can sign up for GRASP Rewards by visiting: https://leedsth.greenrewards.co.uk/

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OCTAGON

staff magazine | Winter 2023/24

DESIGN PRINT SUPPORT

DE S IG N & M A R K E T I NG LT D

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Rossington Hall, Great North Road, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN11 0HR 01302 714528 | www.octagon.org.uk | info@octagon.org.uk

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor does The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust endorse any of the products or services.

ROBOT ROCK Shape of the heart p19

On a mission p16-17

Sharing culture p10-11

Every possible care has been taken to ensure that the information given in this publication is accurate. Whilst the publisher would be grateful to learn of any errors, it cannot accept any liability over and above the cost of the advertisement for loss there by caused. Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd has not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor does Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd endorse any of the products or services. No reproduction by any method whatsoever of any part of this publication is permitted without prior written consent of the copyright owners. Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd. ©2023. Rossington Hall, Great North Road, Doncaster DN11 0HR. Tel: 01302 714528

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