Empowered to Care
4 Sensory aids help deliver timely care for patients in acute care areas
5 Leeds Children’s Hospital takes Super Saturday on the road!
6 Shape Up 4 Cancer Surgery
7 International Day of Older People celebrated across Leeds
8-9 7 Commitments in focus
10 Digital December – a focus on support from the DIT team
11
New podcast features remarkable stories from Leeds’ pioneering hand transplant team
12-13 30 years of life-saving donations
14 Maternity team wins regional and national awards
15 Team Spotlight: Critical Care Outreach team
16 Jenny Ehrhardt joins LTHT as new Director of Finance
17
First patient recruited for novel melanoma vaccine trial at the Trust
18-19 Building the Leeds Way –latest news
20 £12m unit at Wharfedale Hospital reduces waiting times for operations
21 My Job with Jessica Towning 22-23 Retirements
24 Leeds Hospitals Charity news
25 60 Seconds with Rachel Davies
Bulletin is produced quarterly by the Communications Department.
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Design by Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd
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Care closer to home as Beeston Community Diagnostic Centre opens
Hilary Benn, MP for Leeds South, officially opened the NHS Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) – Beeston in October, bringing a range of health services closer to people in the community.
The CDC, operated by LTHT, offers ultrasound, a range of cardio-respiratory services including ambulatory blood pressure tests, ECG, and sleep studies, and blood tests.
GPs and hospital care teams will refer people for a required diagnostic test, at which point they will be able to select the most convenient location for them –which may be the CDC. The CDC provides an additional choice for patients and doesn’t replace any other options such as at a GP practice or major hospital. The benefits of CDCs include bringing easier access to diagnostic services, reducing waiting times and relieving pressure on major hospital sites. If needed, they also help provide patients with the option to access multiple tests on the same day, in the same place. It’s about having the right service available and truly accessible at the right time and in a place proportionate to patient need.
Hilary Benn MP said: “This is a great new service for the people of South Leeds
which will make it easier for people to get the tests they need closer to home. I was really impressed by the commitment and dedication of the staff and I wish them all the best for the future.”
Prof. Phil Wood, Chief Executive, said: “I’m really pleased that Beeston CDC has received its official opening. It’s a brilliant facility that brings care closer to home for patients in the area. Inclusion and fairer access to healthcare services is a key aim and our CDCs play a key role in this. Well done to colleagues across the Trust who have put so much effort in to get these up and running.”
Beeston CDC is in James Reed House on Town Street, Beeston. The other CDCs in Leeds are located within Armley Moor Health Centre and at Seacroft Hospital.
Welcome to the Winter issue of Bulletin
In our Summer issue I talked about how our 7 Commitments for 2024//25 are helping focus our combined efforts so that we can all make a difference, ultimately helping us deliver the highest quality patient care. The past few months have seen a continued focus on our 7 Commitments at LTHT, and I’ve been bowled over by the innovation, forward-thinking and determination shown by teams across the Trust to create real progress.
Each month has seen a different focus on one of our commitments, giving an opportunity for teams to share some of the fantastic work being done to help us deliver against our goals. In this issue of Bulletin we’ve got a spotlight on our Finance, Timeliness, and Sustainability commitments (pp. 8-9) – which have been the focus of September, October and November, respectively. We also have a preview of what’s in store for Digital December (p. 10) – putting the focus on our Resource commitment.
There are more stories of how you’ve been helping deliver against our 7 Commitments on our Intranet, so do take a look. And it’s not too late to share your stories about how you’ve been helping make a difference in your teams – please get in touch via the Intranet hub.
Kind regards
Prof. Phil Wood Chief Executive
Sensory aids help deliver timely care for patients in acute care areas
The Learning Disabilities and Autism team has been working with staff in Urgent Care to ensure patients with additional needs feel safe so that they can receive timely care the first time.
Funded by Leeds Hospitals Charity, acute care bags featuring a range of sensory and occupation items are helping Autistic patients and patients with a Learning Disability to manage their own sensory needs in the busy environment. Data has shown these patients are more likely to leave the department before receiving the care they need. Patients told us that this was because of the environment being overwhelming.
The care bags have been given out in our Emergency Departments since 2022, with more than 2,000 patients benefiting. Now, thanks to additional charitable funding, the initiative is set to continue to include all acute care settings across LTHT.
The tote bags contain sensory aids, including noise-cancelling headphones and eye mask, as well as items to help occupy and distract patients, such as stress balls and colouring books. Patients are also provided with information about the hospital in an accessible format, and a visible tag so clinical staff can refer them to the acute liaison team – who will then follow up with appropriate support.
23-year-old Kai Retalic from East End Park benefitted from a care bag, he spoke to us about how this helped him: “I came into A&E after having an epileptic fit and spent several days in hospital. I was given one of the care bags and I love it, it has things like ear defenders and a
stress ball to help me feel less anxious in a stressful environment. If I had to come into hospital again, I would definitely bring the bag with me as it would really help me cope.”
Following the success of the pilot initiative, the team applied for additional funding from Leeds Hospitals Charity to roll out the project across even more departments. Now, the care packs are available across all acute hospital areas for patients with a Learning Disability and our Autistic patients, with an average of 30 bags being given out every week.
The initiative has attracted recognition at national awards, receiving Highly Commended in the Breaking Barriers category at the National Learning Disabilities and Autism Awards in June, shortlisted to the final 14 out of 6,000 nominations. It was also the runner up at the PENNA (Patient Experience Network) Awards in September.
Alison Conyers, Lead Professional for Learning Disabilities and Autism at LTHT said: “Our goal is for every Autistic patient, or patient with a Learning Disability, to be offered a care bag when coming into our hospitals, acutely. We know from patient feedback that these bags empower patients to support and manage their own environment and needs. Our team are so passionate about getting care right the first time, as this will help our patients build positive experiences of healthcare. These bags are a great example of this ethos in action.”
Since the initiative began at LTHT, 25 hospital trusts across the country have gone on to implement the scheme, collectively handing out over 9,000 bags. Within LTHT, other specialities are now looking at how they can model this initiative to support a wider group of patients, including those with dementia or mental health needs.
Rebecca Baldaro-Booth, Head of Grants at Leeds Hospitals Charity said: “When we were approached by the team to fund the pilot scheme for the bags in 2021, I thought it was an absolutely fantastic initiative that would help reduce health inequalities for patients who might find the hospital environment overwhelming. I’m delighted that the project was a success and has been able to expand to support even more patients. Leeds is setting the gold standard of tailored support and care for patients with learning disabilities and autism, which is now being adopted by hospital trusts up and down the country.”
Leeds Children’s Hospital takes Super Saturday on the road
On Saturday 7 September Leeds Children’s Hospital staff took Asthma, Diabetes, Dental and Weight Management services on the road to deliver free, fun, health promotion activities for families with a ‘Super Saturday’ event in Kirkgate Market in the centre of Leeds.
Nurses, physiotherapists, doctors, play specialists and dentists from Leeds Dental Institute set up health promotion activities including a type 1 diabetes themed Teddy Bears’ Picnic, a designyour-own inhaler cover workshop, and oral health photo booth and more.
The event supported the NHS Core20PLUS5 national approach to reducing healthcare inequalities. Hospital
staff aimed to improve child health by reaching families with this innovative approach, delivering health education through fun, drop-in activities away from traditional healthcare settings.
Asthma Nurse Specialist, Matthew Hick, said: “Our specialist team are keen to help educate our children, young people and families to feel confident in managing asthma. Fun events in the city centre are a way to reach families with important information in a way that works for them. We hope events like today will lead to fewer children suffering from uncontrolled asthma and ending up in hospital.”
Speciality Registrar at Leeds Dental Institute, Shimal Némat, said:
“Dental decay can be prevented by simple changes like brushing twice daily with a fluoridated toothpaste and reducing the frequency of sugary snacks. Educating children and families in a fun way will help to prevent dental decay, reduce toothache and the need for more complex treatments in the future!”
Hospital staff also spoke to families to understand more about any barriers to accessing health care.
This is the fifth in a series of Super Saturday events at Leeds Children’s Hospital and the first time that the event has been delivered in the city centre. Activities were funded by Leeds Hospitals Charity.
Leeds Children’s Hospital celebrates success at The Kite Awards
In October, Leeds Children’s Hospital staff celebrated the 2024 Kite Awardsa celebration of excellence, innovation, teamwork and compassion across children and young people’s (CYP) services at LTHT. The Kite Awards were supported by Leeds Hospitals Charity.
250 guests attended the event in Headingley including colleagues shortlisted for awards, their guests, representatives from the children’s
hospital’s charity partners, Prof. Phil Wood, Chief Executive, and senior leaders from across CYP services.
Attendees heard some incredible heartfelt nomination messages and winners were announced with awards presented by the Leeds Children’s Hospital Triumvirate Team: Laura Whelan, Head of Nursing, Mr Colin Holton, Clinical Director, and Jo Haigh, General Manager.
Mr Colin Holton said: “This year our judging panel reviewed a whopping 200 nominations from colleagues! The content of these nominations really highlights the breadth of excellence in practice across our services as well as the volume of collaborations between disciplines, CSUs and with our charity partners. Thank you everyone who made a nomination this year and congratulations to all our winners!”
Shape Up 4 Cancer Surgery
More than a year into a partnership with Macmillan Cancer Research, Shape Up 4 Cancer Surgery is bringing more and more patients through its programme, with a view to getting them prepared both physically and mentally for their cancer surgery.
You can find a new set of resources online, which includes a welcome film taking patients on a quick tour of the service and who they might meet, and some new exercise videos created by Active Leeds’ cancer exercise specialist.
Patient stories are testament to the positive impact this programme is having and you can find out more online. Search: ‘What is shape up 4 cancer surgery?’
Wayne Johnson, aged 56.
“In September 2023 I was diagnosed with oesophhageal cancer. I had lost two stone in weight and had difficulty eating, so I was fitted with a feeding tube and began treatment of FLOT chemotherapy before and after a two-stage oesophagectomy operation.
“Shape up 4 Cancer Surgery was recommended to me in order to
maintain my fitness during the treatment and aid my recovery after treatment. I would definitely recommend the program for the following reasons.
“It helped me mentally - being told I had cancer and the treatments I needed played on my mind a lot and I worried about surviving and about my family.
“Being off work for a long period of time was something I hadn’t experienced before and I needed to do some normal activities that I could manage. I found even on days I didn’t want to get out of bed, the programme helped motivate me to get up and go to the gym for an hour in the morning a few times a week.
After going to the gym, although I felt tired, I found my mood had improved and I was able to do other things in the day.
“I found all the people in the gym helpful if I needed help, but also respectful of my personal space if I wanted to just shut off and get on with things. I was worried about other people’s reaction going to the gym as it was very clear from my appearance that I was ill, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all when I visited.
“My fitness levels improved and I am sure this not only aided my recovery from surgery but also my mental state. I plan to continue visiting the gym after I finish my treatments.”
More women encourageed to take up life-saving screening
350 more women each month could benefit from lifesaving early breast screening, say LTHT radiographers, who raised awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October for those invited to attend a breast screening appointment.
One in seven women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. The Leeds and Wakefield Breast Screening service screens around 60,000 women each year. But they can and want to do more.
On average, 4,500 invitation letters are sent each month,
with just under 70% of available appointments attended. During October the team at Leeds shared
stories and information with the media to help increase their screening numbers, with an aim to reach 80% of
the local population, that’s 350 more people who could benefit from lifesaving early scans.
Dr Nisha Sharma, Director of Breast Screening, said:
“Breast screening is a vital step in protecting your health, as it can detect early signs of breast cancer before symptoms appear, helping prevent complications. Women start to be invited from their 50th year onwards as there is a higher chance of risk the older you get and we’re really encouraging these women to come to their appointment.”
International Day of Older People celebrated across Leeds
More than one quarter of LTHT’s 22,000 staff are aged 50 or over, with the highest number of those in Estates and Facilities, in roles such as porters and housekeepers. These people are a really important part of our workforce and as part of International Day of Older People, teams at the Trust wanted to raise awareness to promote positive aging in our staff as well as our patients.
Across the Trust on 1 October, ‘aging well’ was a focus for staff and patients, with information stalls in Gledhow reception and the Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC), and also at the LGI. Craige Richardson, Director of Estates & Facilities, visited staff and some of the Trust’s external partners to thank them for the work they do to share positive aging with our families, visitors and partner organisations.
There was a visit from a patient-friendly dog, information from a specialist dietitian, light exercise sessions run by the Leeds United Foundation, and wellbeing guidance from colleagues at the Royal Horticultural Society. It was also an opportunity to showcase patient stories,
like 86-year-old Alistair, who said, “I am still very fond of wearing a tie!” and how
Leeds Children’s Hospital nurses celebrate their first ‘Nurse-versary’
In September, Leeds Children’s Hospital recognised new nurses who have completed their first year of practice, at a ‘Nurseversary’ party-themed event. Nurses from across the children’s hospital were invited to attend the event at St George’s Centre where they enjoyed some wellearned time away from clinical duties, time to reflect on their first year, heard messages of thanks from their ward managers and were presented with a commemorative pin-badge.
During the event new nurses took part in group discussions where they were encouraged to reflect on
their personal challenges and successes as well as suggest improvements to help the next cohort of new nurses to make the most of their first year.
Nurses were asked what they would say to themselves if they could go back in time to the start of the year. Comments included:
‘Don’t be afraid to ask’ ‘Smile – it will be Ok’ ‘Preparation and organisation is key’ ‘It’s OK not to know everything.’
Senior nurses hope to make this an annual event aiming to improve health and wellbeing as well as helping new nurses feel more connected to Leeds
Children’s Hospital and to LTHT as a whole.
Head of Nursing, Laura Whelan, said: “The first year of nursing is tough and the last year has brought its own challenges for new nurses. At today’s event we have been reflecting and listening to nurses talk about their first year, both the highs and the lows. It’s a reminder of the challenges we all face early in our career but also the rewards. Listening to how our nurses have grown in confidence over the last year has been truly inspiring.
“Through events like this we hope to demonstrate just how valued and appreciated our new nurses are.”
Saroj started her own older women’s group in her community.
7 Commitments in Focus
Our 7 Commitments are about focusing our collective efforts across the Trust to make progress in what matters most – by delivering these we will be able to realise our strategic priorities and ultimately our Trust’s vision to provide the highest quality specialist and integrated care.
This year, we’ve been dedicating each month since June to one of our commitments. In September we heard how teams are helping deliver the financial plan, October saw a focus on reducing patient waiting times, and November was all about sustainability. Here are a few of the stories in the spotlight – take a look on the staff Intranet hub for lots more! Search: 7 Commitments.
Upskilling staff, reducing patient waits
A service improvement project within the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at LGI and St James’s is aiming to improve patient flow through the department by expanding the skills of Emergency Nurse Practitioners (ENPs).
The project aims to educate and train ENPs to perform the reduction of wrist fractures and shoulder dislocations. ENPs will be able to perform these procedures in the MIU, reducing patient waiting times, improving staff and patient satisfaction, and reducing pressures on the main Emergency Department (ED).
Finlay Langlands, Lead Advanced Clinical Practitioner for MIU, led on the project. He said: “Wrist fractures requiring reduction often lead to long
patient waits in the main Emergency Department, with the average wait around four hours. We looked at the factors involved and found a lack of junior clinician experience with the procedures, a reliance on input from senior colleagues, and the time spent in transferring to resus rather than MIU, were all contributing to long patient waits.”
Finlay looked at what other trusts in the region were doing and discovered ENP staff had been trained to perform these procedures in minor injury units elsewhere.
To kick things off at LTHT, the team held a consultant-led training day in January 2024 to introduce the techniques required. ENP colleagues were then encouraged to develop a training portfolio throughout the year, after which they will receive consultant signoff to demonstrate their competence at
performing the procedures.
The first ENP to successfully achieve consultant sign-off was Farrah Hussain, who received certification for competence to perform wrist reductions independently in July.
Finlay said: “Farrah is the first ENP in LTHT history to achieve this and it represents a great deal of effort and engagement on her part as well as the rest of the ED team in supporting her to achieve this. It’s the start of what I hope will bring major benefits to the service for both patients and staff.”
Subsequently, ENPs Ellie Graham and Mollie Lunn have also achieved consultant sign off to perform these procedures, which the team hope will have a beneficial impact on reducing patient waits, improving patient flow and the overall patient and staff experience in the Minor Injuries Unit.
Pictured (L-R): Amy Coulson, Senior Sister: Alia Yaqub, ED Consultant; Finlay Langlands, ED ACP; Ellie Graham, Senior ENP; Molly Lunn, Senior ENP.
Procurement excellence
LTHT’s Procurement team received national Customer Service Excellence accreditation following an independent assessment of the service in August.
The assessment involved a rigorous evidence-gathering exercise from management, staff, partners and customers, culminating with a feedback session that outlined key strengths, areas for continuous improvement, and the overall recommendation against the national standard.
The Procurement Services team is made up of over 100 staff and manages the procurement and logistics of over 600,000 order lines for more than 250 wards, outpatients departments, theatres and other departments. Procurement supports the delivery of value for money across all non-pay spend in the Trust, with the exception of pharmacy goods. The team also works with suppliers on social benefits to local communities.
The assessment review noted that the range and depth of customer engagement in the team is more than would be expected, with customers stating they are fully involved in decisions relating to the delivery of services. The team was also praised for its “fully committed” leadership to customer excellence – an explicit part of the team’s three-year strategy.
John Smith, Associate Director
Commercial & Procurement, said: “The team’s vision is to be the best provider of procurement services to support delivery of patient care in The Leeds Way. This accreditation shows our 100-strong team putting the customer at the heart of what we do, ensuring value for money and an efficient service – which means our patient-facing colleagues can get on with focusing on patient care. I’m really proud of the team for achieving this standard and for doing our bit to support the Trust’s commitment to deliver the financial plan.”
Also highlighted was the collaboration of the team with other member trusts within West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), with a common goal enabling them to leverage
economies of scale, resulting in significant cost savings.
The team’s formal accreditation to the standard demonstrates their competence as a service against peers nationally, and shows their commitment to delivering the financial plan at LTHT.
Recycle, reduce –inhalers
The 2022 NHS report ‘Delivering a Net Zero NHS’ made reducing the carbon footprint of inhalers a priority across NHS services, and now LTHT is making this part of our commitment to deliver greener care.
One way to reduce the carbon footprint is to use more dry powder inhalers, which have a much lower carbon footprint than pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs). Another way is to dispose of inhalers safely by returning them to pharmacies. However, these are then incinerated to destroy the propellants, as no national inhaler recycling scheme is currently available.
In 2023, the Trust was awarded a £10,000 grant to implement an inhaler recycling scheme within our organisation. We have partnered with a waste management company, who are able to capture these propellant gases and repurpose them for use in the refrigeration industry. We launched our inhaler recycling scheme in April 2024 and now used, empty and unwanted inhalers are collected from wards and clinics.
As of September, we have collected 1,275 inhalers for recycling. Two thirds of these were pMDI devices, which have the highest carbon footprint of all inhaler devices. Incredibly, almost half of all inhalers with a dose counter had been in use for less than 72 hours, which equate to a cost of £6,885.
The estimated total carbon footprint of recycled inhalers is 6.3 tonnes of CO2e, and inhalers in use for less than 72 hours accounted for 1.8 tonnes of this.
The carbon footprint of all collected inhalers is equivalent to the carbon footprint of 50 acute medical care bed days in England or 24 car journeys from Lands’ End to John O’Groats.
This December, our DIT team is running a programme of different digital events, all designed to support our Digital Resources Commitment, and explain the help and guidance we offer to colleagues across the Trust.
From Virtual Wards to Digital Wellbeing and getting the most from PPM+ to hearing more about IT Service Desk developments, there will be something interesting for everyone, and lots of opportunity to share knowledge, learning and top tips.
We’re recording all sessions, so don’t worry if you can’t make it on the day, you’ll be able to view all resources on our Digital December Intranet hub.
Look through the full programme of events below.
Celebrating digital across our services and specialties
We’re also planning several visits to different services and specialties with members of our Executive team. If you’d like to talk to us face to face, or you’d
Digital December – a focus on support from the DIT team
like to arrange a visit to your ward or specialty, please let us know – email leedsth-tr.ditcomms@nhs.net
A new approach to training – launching during Digital December
Geoff Petrie, Digital Training Manager, and Sue Ottley, Digital Capability Transformation Manager, will be explaining more about our new approach to training at a Digital December event on Wednesday 11 December.
“Training needs have changed a lot over the last few years, and it’s
important that we respond to this, keeping our learning offer relevant, engaging and digestible. We’ve developed a new approach using bite-sized videos to help colleagues grasp the skills they need quickly and effectively so they can solve operational challenges and maximise value from digital implementations.”
Request a calendar invite to this session and view the full Digital December event programme on the internet. The Digital Capability and Training Team will also be running two other sessions, explaining how to get more from Microsoft Teams and how PAS functionality can support the Referral To Treatment (RTT) pathway.
New podcast features remarkable stories from Leeds’ pioneering hand transplant team
Imagine life without hands – or using a hand that once belonged to someone else. The latest podcast, In Safe Hands, released by the Trust, explores the complex world of hand transplantation in the UK’s first hand transplant programme in Leeds. The series explores the physical and emotional journeys of patients who have regained function and identity through these groundbreaking procedures.
One such story is Corrine Hutton’s. After losing her hands and feet to pneumonia and sepsis in 2013, Corrine faced life as a quadruple amputee.
Corinne said: “My first thought was, I’ll never wear another flip-flop.” When Professor Simon Kay, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, suggested hand transplants to improve her upper limb functionality, it sparked a new chapter.
Recalling the motivation behind her decision, she said: “For nearly five years, I couldn’t hold my son’s hand.”
Professor Kay leads a multidisciplinary team through every aspect of the complex process, but the patient is at
the centre of every decision. Since 2012, hand transplantation has developed into a realistic alternative for a select population of patients and offers an opportunity to once again have hands that look natural and function beyond anything achievable by a prosthesis.
However, finding a suitable donor is uniquely challenging. Unlike other organs, hand transplants require not only a physical match but also careful psychological consideration, as hands are outwardly visible and carry strong identity connections. Currently, limbs are not covered by the NHS Organ Donor Register and require special consent from the family.
Expressing her gratitude, Corrine said: “I never think about my hands without thinking about the donor.”
Listen to In Safe Hands via your usual podcast platform.
Flexible Working at LTHT – Women’s Services
Women’s Services
CSU is made up of around 1,000 staff. Offering flexibility to staff enables them to have a healthy balance in their lives, while still managing the needs of the service. The CSU has been part of a pilot project across several services at LTHT, considering how the Trust can implement a more consistent and fair approach to flexible working, without sacrificing the needs of the wider team and service.
Delivery Suite Team Leader at LGI, Briony Guilliatt, explains how her team trialled flexible working and what went well.
“We are currently supporting multiple staff members – around 30-40% of 80 colleagues – to work flexibly on the delivery suite at LGI. These include (but are not limited to) fixed working days, no nights, fixed days off, and additional flexibility in school holidays.
“All staff are required to complete the flexible working arrangement (FWA) request form, and we have taken steps to empower the team to support each other to work flexibly. This has broken down the barrier or ‘us vs management,’ and helped to promote better understanding and team working.
“For my core band 6 group of which 80% have an FWA and all work part time, we met together in person, and everyone mapped out on A3 paper what their desired FWA would be. We could then visualise together how this would impact the rota. From this, we then worked through different scenarios of individuals being on annual leave or long-term sickness and saw the impact this would have. This led to conversations such as ‘I will support X to have Tuesdays off if they can support me to not work Thursday nights.’
“We received really good feedback from the team following this meeting and everyone left with an FWA that worked
for them, whilst ensuring a suitable skill mix for the roster. The team have also gained an understanding of why FWA need to be revisited regularly as the team dynamics change and all are committed to repeating this meeting again if individual needs change.
“Taking a team-led approach has helped us to move away from judging people’s reasons for requesting an FWA and focusing on a pragmatic logical approach to covering the roster.”
30 years of life-saving donations
2024 marked 30 years since the launch of the Organ Donor Register, giving the gift of life.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals colleagues past and present gathered during Organ Donation Week in September to share in marking 30 years of the Organ Donor Register.
Although organ donation has been saving lives in the UK since the 1950s, the NHS Organ Donor Register was created in 1994 to promote the wider message of organ donation and allow people to record their decision to be a donor. Since then, more than 100,000 lives have been saved in the UK thanks to people agreeing to donate their organs.
A growing Leeds programme
It was 30 years ago that Dr Thomas Starzl, renowned liver transplant consultant in America, visited Leeds and planted a monkey puzzle tree to commemorate the transplant programme at St James’s University Hospital.
Dr Starzl was the first person to successfully perform a liver transplant in the world, and Leeds’s own Professor Geoffrey Giles learned the technical skills from him in the USA before returning and starting a programme here.
The monkey puzzle was planted as it paid homage to Dr Starzl’s book “The Puzzle People”. The reason behind this book was the theory of organ transplantation as making up people with organs from others, much like a puzzle.
The small sapling from 30 years ago has since grown to great heights, symbolising
also the growth and resilience of the transplant programme at the Hospital.
Dame Linda Pollard, Trust Chair, was at the event. She said: “It’s incredibly special to join colleagues for this celebration. We are proud to have one of the largest transplant programmes in the whole of the NHS and that is down to the sheer determination and brilliance of our teams. They are always wanting to do more, achieve more.”
She added: “This celebration is about them and how far they’ve brought transplantation to benefit hundreds
of people. It’s important that we celebrate that.”
Joining Dame Linda and Professor Phil Wood, Chief Executive, was Professor Peter Lodge who has worked at LTHT for over 30 years, former colleagues Professor Steven Pollard and Professor Pierre Guillou. They were also joined by the family of Professor Geoffrey Giles, his wife Pam and son Matthew.
They were able to recreate the original 30-year-old photo around the monkey puzzle tree and celebrate the success of the transplant programme here in the Leeds.
Celebrating Alfie
In Organ Donation Week we celebrated Alfie Barraclough. This year would be Alfie’s 18th birthday and for this milestone, his parents, Cathy and Nigel, and older brother Todd, along with their family and friends celebrated his incredible legacy.
Alfie saved the lives of five people when he became an organ donor in 2015, after he died aged just nine.
Cathy Barraclough, Alfie’s mum, still finds it’s difficult to speak of her youngest son, but speaks incredibly highly of him:
“What do you say about Alfie? He lived his life in the fast lane. He was always on the go. He wanted to do everything himself. A busy little bee.”
Alfie had just finished school for the Christmas holidays when he felt poorly with a headache, but he felt better after some medicine. However, that evening Alfie closed his eyes forever.
Sadly, Alfie had a catastrophic brain bleed. Something that couldn’t be predicted or fixed, and while the team at Bradford Royal Infirmary and Leeds Children’s Hospital tried everything they could, Alfie died on the 23 December 2015.
Cathy recalls: “How has my son died of a headache? It didn’t make any sense. The team asked us about organ donation and whether we had thought about it. We hadn’t. It never crosses your mind that you’ll ever have to make those kind of decisions for your children.”
She said: “Alfie was a loving little boy. He loved life. Organ donation was the only thing that could ever make sense of something like this.”
Thanks to Cathy and Nigel’s brave decision on behalf of their Alfie, he went on to donate his heart, lungs, kidneys and liver, saving the lives of five people on Christmas Day. The most incredible gift.
“Alfie’s legacy lives on. Ultimately his legacy is to stop other families going through the same pain we have,” said Cathy.
Now Cathy, Nigel and older brother Todd find themselves celebrating birthdays and Christmas without the youngest of the family – who will always be nine (and an important half).
In commemoration of Alfie’s 18th year, colleagues at NHS Blood and Transplant and Leeds Hospitals unveiled a special memorial plaque for him. This will stand as a permanent reminder of the good and the joy that Alfie brought to so many people’s lives, before and after his death.
Cathy remarks: “Alfie is our hero. Losing him didn’t make any sense, but donating his organs did.”
Thanks to heroes like Alfie and his family, more than 200 people received life-saving organ transplants last year in Leeds alone.
Leeds organ transplants in numbers
• 140 liver transplants (2023/2024).
• 106 kidney transplants (1 Jan to 9 Sep 2024).
• 31 of our patients in Leeds became organ donors (2023/2024).
• 83 lifesaving transplants thanks to Leeds donors (2023/2024).
• We are one of the largest transplant centres in the country.
Share your wishes around organ donation –www.organdonation.nhs.uk
Maternity team wins regional and national awards
The LTHT maternity team have been awarded a number of prestigious national and regional awards. From improving health outcomes for minority ethnic communities to enhancing care for babies born early, the teams have been acknowledged for their dedication, innovation, and commitment to excellence.
Twins & Multiples Midwifery Team wins Regional NHS Parliamentary Award
The Twins & Multiples Midwifery Team won the regional Nursing & Midwifery Award and represented the North East and Yorkshire at the national finals of the NHS Parliamentary Awards in September. This team, led by midwives Laura Jones and Nicky Nicholson, specialises in caring for patients with multiple pregnancies, a higher-risk group of patients who receive specialist support and continuity of care.
Caring for around 130 patients annually, the team ensures that women expecting twins or multiples receive personalised, consistent support throughout their pregnancy and into the postnatal period. Their work has gone beyond Leeds, as they were instrumental in setting up a national multiple pregnancy network to share best practice and improve care across the country. Nominated by MP Richard Burgon, their success in the regional category recognises the excellent care they provide.
HSJ Patient Safety Award for Maternity Health Equity Team
The Maternity Health Equity Team brought home the Improving Health Outcomes for Minority Ethnic Communities award at the 2024 HSJ Patient Safety Awards in September. This prestigious accolade celebrates the team’s efforts to address health disparities and ensure equitable care for all mothers and babies.
Established in 2022, the team led by a small group of midwives and a consultant obstetrician, has focused on reaching areas in Leeds with the highest disparities in health outcomes. Their work includes engaging with diverse communities through focus groups, securing funding for maternal journal art therapy workshops, and offering inclusive services such as ‘Bump and Baby Fit’ classes and a dedicated maternity stop-smoking service. Their work has made a lasting impact, improving both health outcomes and the patient experience for minority ethnic communities.
Maternity and Neonatal Teams win BAPM Gopi Menon Award
The Immune Boost Quality Improvement Team also received recognition, winning the British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) Gopi Menon Award for the best local project in October. This award celebrates their innovative work to increase access to maternal breastmilk for neonatal babies, improving outcomes for some of the Trust’s most vulnerable patients.
The team’s ‘Immune Boost’ initiative focuses on providing families with the tools, education, and support necessary
for expressing early breastmilk. By working closely with the neonatal unit at Leeds Children’s Hospital, they have helped many families with preterm babies, ensuring better nutrition and health outcomes for newborns in their care. This collaboration between maternity and neonatal teams has been instrumental in enhancing the well-being of preterm babies in our neonatal units.
Perinatal Mental Health Midwifery team shortlisted for RCM Award
The Leeds Perinatal Mental Health Midwifery team was shortlisted in the perinatal mental health category at the 2024 Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Awards in October. This nomination is recognition of the team’s relentless work in supporting women’s mental health during pregnancy.
The judges were particularly impressed by the team’s collaboration with local communities and multi-disciplinary services, working hard to create strong, supportive networks around the women they care for. This holistic approach makes a tangible difference in outcomes for women, helping build trust and providing care that strengthens emotional wellbeing. The team has also made a significant difference through the provision of ‘birth reflections’ appointments, enabling women to give feedback, debrief or understand the timeline of events in their care.
The series of award wins across LTHT’s maternity service reflect an ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centred care. From mental health support and high-risk pregnancy care to health equity and neonatal nutrition, the team is leading the way for excellence in patient care.
Team Spotlight: Critical Care Outreach team
The Critical Care Outreach team was set up in 2001 as a weekday, 9am-5pm service, covering the two main sites of St James’s and Leeds General Infirmary. Eight years ago, in 2016, the service was expanded to cover 24 hours, seven days a week and the team now includes 26 senior sisters, sisters and charge nurses, with an additional project role focusing on sepsis. The team have also recently expanded further to provide remote review to peripheral sites.
The team provides an extensive critical care experience in ward areas and works collaboratively with the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure patient deterioration is recognised and managed early. This improves patient outcomes, avoids further deterioration and ensures patients are nursed within an environment that meets their needs.
Call 4 Concern is linked to Martha’s Rule and is a new patient safety critical care outreach initiative from NHS England that allows patients, families, and carers to request a rapid review if they have concerns about a patient’s condition.
The national initiative is named after Martha Mills, a 13-year-old girl who died in hospital from sepsis in 2021 after her family raised concerns about her condition. The initiative has three main components:
• 24/7 rapid review: All staff and patients, families, carers, and advocates can
contact a critical care outreach team member at any time.
• Daily health information: Clinicians will record daily information about a patient’s health directly from them or their families.
• Escalation process: Staff can use the 24/7 escalation process to raise concerns.
Zara O’Grady, Deputy Matron Critical Care Outreach, said: “The patient is at the centre of our care and we look forward to rolling Call 4 Concern out across more wards and locations from December onwards.”
Rachael Foggo, Critical Care Outreach Senior Sister
“Working in the critical care outreach team is a dynamic, challenging job where no two days are the same. I worked in the outreach team for eight years, then spent the next nine years gaining clinical skills and competencies in both high dependency and intensive care units, which helped me apply for the job of Critical Care Outreach Sister. As a team we support nurses and junior doctors to manage their sickest patients. We can share our specialist skills and knowledge and we also deliver training and education across the Trust and to our university partners, in sessions
such as RRAPID, ALERT or WYCCN transfer training. I enjoy being part of the patient journey and the support I am able to give to both patients and their families when they are acutely unwell.”
Rebecca Rowlandson, Critical Care Outreach Sister and Resuscitation Officer
“Before joining the outreach team most of my contact with them had been while working on wards and referring sick patients. So, initially this aspect of the role was what appealed to me – assessment and acute management. However, while undertaking the role, I have gained an appreciation of other aspects such as reviewing intensive care unit stepdowns and providing support during a patient’s first few days on the ward. It is a challenging role, but very stimulating, and I am able to broaden my knowledge to cover all medical specialities across the city. When reviewing a patient as part of the outreach service, you can take a more general and holistic review to make recommendations to support their care overall and bringing in a wider support team. The opportunities to teach are endless, whether formally on the ALERT course or supporting staff on the units to use equipment in the most appropriate way.
Pictured left to right: Bex McAlpin, Michael Adlam, Adam Sharp, Antony Howes, Kitty Manku, Cherry Salutan-Cuevas, Emma Green, Dee Taylor and Zara O’Grady.
Dame Linda Pollard to step down as Chair after almost 12 years
One of the longest standing Chairs in the NHS will be stepping down in Summer 2025. Dame Linda Pollard, Chair of LTHT, joined the Trust in 2013, and has come to the end of her tenure in this role.
Dame Linda has given an impressive 30 years’ service to the NHS in a range of non-executive Chair roles across several NHS organisations in West Yorkshire, culminating at Leeds, one of the largest trusts in the country. In 2020, she was recognised with damehood in the Queen’s honours for her services to healthcare, her contribution to the community and her tireless commitment to address the under representation of women in senior roles across corporate Britain and in public services.
At LTHT, Dame Linda is credited with steering the organisation through an impressive turnaround. Under her leadership, the Trust has moved from Requires Improvement to a Good CQC
rating, improved staff engagement to some of the highest levels and brought the Trust back into financial surplus. She is well known for her passionate belief in collaboration and partnership working and has played a pivotal role across the city and wider region, in bringing together partners from health, care, government, academia, business and industry.
During her time at Leeds, Dame Linda has also led on many national projects including the Messenger and Pollard NHS Leadership Review alongside General Sir Gordon Messenger and the development of the Health and Care Hub in Leeds alongside Sir Chris Wormold, DHSC Permanent Secretary.
Commenting on this announcement, Dame Linda Pollard said: “I am extremely sorry to be leaving Leeds Teaching Hospitals. The last almost 12 years have been the highlight of my career. During
this time, I have had the privilege of working with some amazingly talented colleagues at the Trust who are hugely inspiring and strive every day to do their best for our patients and their families. I have enjoyed every second of my time at the Trust and have made some great friends.”
Linda’s exact departure date is yet to be confirmed but the Trust will begin a recruitment process for her replacement shortly.
Jenny Ehrhardt joins LTHT as new Director of Finance
The Trust’s new executive Director of Finance, Jenny Ehrhardt, started in her role in August. Jenny joined the Trust following five years at the financial helm for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust as Group Chief Finance Officer.
An experienced NHS finance leader, Jenny was awarded the national Healthcare Financial Management Association Finance Director of the Year award in 2022. This recognised her work during her time in Manchester to develop the finance team, financial skills across the Trust, and the delivery of good financial results during the Covid period.
Jenny has now returned to Leeds having worked previously at LTHT as Deputy Director of Finance for five years up to 2019. She said: “I am delighted to return to Leeds Teaching Hospitals as Director of Finance, following impressive predecessors and knowing many of the great people I will be working with. I am really looking forward to meeting the teams and being part of a Trust with such a well-embedded culture of continuous improvement, to contribute to delivering excellent patient care and making the best use of the funding we have.”
Jenny is a member of the NHS Finance Leadership Council and Chair of the National Finance Innovation Forum, which seeks to successfully share innovations developed and implemented within the NHS, for the benefit of patients.
Prior to her roles at Leeds and Manchester Jenny was Deputy Director of Finance at Harrogate and District Foundation NHS Trust for over five years.
On her return to Leeds, Jenny added: “It is good to see how developments have come to fruition, which I’d last seen only on paper, like the new Centre for Laboratory Medicine. The Trust’s exciting capital projects that are in progress, in particular the Hospitals of the Future, are of great significance to myself, the Trust, and the people of Leeds, and I am committed to help drive these forward in the coming years.”
First patient recruited for novel melanoma vaccine trial at the Trust
In October, the NIHR Leeds Clinical Research Facility recruited its first patient for an international clinical trial testing a cancer immunotherapy vaccine. LTHT is one of eight sites in the UK exploring a personalised mRNA vaccine designed to prevent recurrence of the most serious form of skin cancer, melanoma.
Matthew Adams, an engineering manager with Yorkshire Water was the first patient recruited to the trial. Matt lives with his wife of 36 years, Linda, and their two daughters. The recent arrival of his grandson brought joy into his life, making his health battle more personal. In February, Matt was diagnosed with melanoma, and he was admitted to the hospital for treatment in April. “I had the primary mole removed, followed by a biopsy of the swollen lymph nodes,” Matt recounted. “I must give special thanks to James Smith, my plastic surgeon, who did an amazing job. He was the first person who fully explained all my options and possible treatments, including the chance of a vaccine trial. His positivity is one of the main reasons I considered it.”
James Smith’s explanation of the vaccine attracted Matt’s interest. However, his oncologist Dr Maria Marples’ support made his decision clear. “Maria is so lovely and kind,” Matt shared. “She went through the risks and benefits many times, making me feel comfortable with my choice to take part in the trial.”
After receiving the vaccine, Matt did not experience any physical pain, and he credited the research nurses at LTHT for his care. “The research team at St
James’s is amazing,” he said. “They made me feel at ease right from the start. A special mention to Willombe, my research nurse, who has had to put up with me. She has been under a lot of pressure setting up the trial and taking endless amounts of blood.”
Matt encouraged other cancer patients to consider participating in clinical trials. “The team at St James’s explains everything from start to finish in a way you can understand,” he emphasised. “Yes, absolutely, I would recommend it.”
The personalised mRNA melanoma vaccine, being developed by Moderna and Merck Sharp and Dohme, is designed to match the unique genetic signature of each patient’s tumour.
The vaccine instructs the body to produce proteins, or antibodies, that target markers found on that patient’s
cancer cells. In this trial, the vaccine is combined with the standard-of-care immunotherapy drug, pembrolizumab.
The vaccine technology builds on what was used to develop many COVID-19 vaccines and is currently being tested in other clinical trials in a range of cancers. As yet, these vaccines are not approved as safe and effective, so they are not available outside clinical trials. They may, however, represent the next frontier in cancer treatment.
Trust reaches milestone of over 100,000 research participants
The Trust reached an incredible milestone in September, recruiting over 100,000 participants into research studies. This achievement came seven months ahead of its ambitious target of enrolling 100,000 participants between April 2020 and March 2025. Reaching this target early is a testament to the dedication of staff and the unwavering support of patients who have chosen to take part in research.
Among the participants is Mr John Ainsworth, who recently completed an 18-month clinical trial investigating a more advanced version of an eye injection treatment. He expressed his gratitude to the research team, led by Mr Mukherjee, for their clear guidance and supportive approach throughout the trial.
He said: “From the outset, the planned events were explained and made understandable. The consultants, doctors, nurses, and specialists ensured I felt at ease and well informed about the sight tests, eye scans, and blood tests. At the end of every session, I was reviewed by a consultant, usually Mr Mukherjee.”
He added: “The icing on the cake is that my eye problem currently appears to be resolved. Periodic examinations will be carried out to ensure there’s no recurrence, but I’ve been assured that treatment with the new advanced drug will be available to me in the future if needed.”
This milestone is a remarkable accomplishment and a significant step forward for medical research at LTHT.
Building the Leeds Way – latest news
Hospitals of the Future update
Since the Government announcement of a review to be undertaken of the national New Hospitals Programme, the Building the Leeds Way (BtLW) programme team has continued to work diligently to ensure the plans for the new hospital in Leeds remain on track and in the spotlight.
The Chancellor announced as part of the Autumn Budget that the Health Secretary will be announcing the outcome of the review into the programme in the new year. As Bulletin went to print, LTHT was still awaiting the outcome of the review.
This does place a pause on the progress that the Trust can make, but it has made considerable progress in its plans over the past five years with outline planning consent, a cleared construction site and an advanced plan, ready to go.
The BtLW programme team also continues to work with colleagues across LTHT on planning the important enabling works that are needed to ensure it remains in a strong position and ready to go as soon as it is able to.
City councillors pledge support for new hospital in Leeds
In October, Chief Executive Prof. Phil Wood, and Director of Finance and BtLW Senior Responsible Officer, Jenny Erhardt, were invited to join a Leeds City Council Executive Board meeting, where the Trust’s plans for the new hospital were discussed.
During the meeting, Prof. Wood had the opportunity to emphasise the readiness of the plans, which will have far-reaching benefits for Leeds and the region, and touched on the challenges LTHT’s ageing estate creates.
Colleagues reminded the council members of the Trust’s ambition to bring significant economic benefit to Leeds through the Innovation Village. The Council confirmed that they are calling on the Government to urgently approve and accelerate the LTHT’s new hospital programme.
Welcoming local MPs to the LGI site
LTHT welcomed two local MPs, Alex Sobel, MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, and Katie White, MP for Leeds North West, to Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) to see first-hand the urgent need for a new hospital at the historic LGI site and to hear about the exciting plans for the new hospital.
Alex Sobel (pictured, above) met with Chief Executive, Prof. Phil Wood, and Craige Richardson, Director of Estates and Facilities, to hear about the challenges faced with the hospital’s ageing estate and the steps the Trust takes to continue to deliver excellent patient care.
Chair, Dame Linda Pollard, Chief Executive, Prof. Phil Wood, and members of the Executive team met Katie White (pictured,
below), a newly elected MP, to introduce her to the hospital and share LTHT’s strategy, vision, and important updates on the Trust’s plans for the new hospital.
As part of the visit, White had the opportunity to see the ready-togo construction site and find out how the new hospital will harness technology and innovation through the development of the Innovation Village and fuel economic growth, for Leeds and beyond.
Support from the Trust’s local MPs is vital to keep the scheme at the forefront of decision makers as well as highlighting the important work that is being undertaken to transform healthcare across the region.
First equipment delivery for Centre for Laboratory Medicine
The first of many equipment deliveries arrived at the state-of-the-art Centre for Laboratory Medicine at St James’s Hospital in October.
Representatives from the Pathology team, equipment partners Siemens Healthineers, together with colleagues from LTHT’s two local NHS trust partners, were on site see the first lorry load arrive.
The facility will become home to many of the Trusts’ pathology services, together with some pathology services from Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust and Mid-Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust – in collaboration with the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT).
Mike Philpott, General Manager, Pathology CSU said: “This is an exciting point in this transformational programme, to see the equipment arriving that will drive such significant benefits to our clinical teams and the patients of our region. The way the equipment is much more automated in the new lab is a key part of delivering faster results while maintaining the highest standards of efficient and effective testing, which will help us to speed up diagnoses.”
Lord Lieutenant visits the Centre for Laboratory Medicine
The Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Ed Anderson, visited the LTHT’s state-of-the-art Centre for Laboratory Medicine, as part of an opportunity to see the Trust’s latest developments in pathology services.
Together with Chair, Dame Linda Pollard, he had the chance to see the work taking place to prepare for the full installation of cutting-edge equipment. The Lord Lieutenant also had the chance to speak to colleagues and partners who are already enjoying the new laboratory at St James’s Hospital. The facility will become a regional pathology hub driving improvements in diagnosis, treatment, and care for patients across West Yorkshire.
Once operational, staff will be using advanced equipment and innovative technologies to create a more consistent process for all patients no matter where they live. It will also enhance diagnostics for patients, helping to meet the growing
demand for specialist treatment and care as well as providing important development opportunities for staff.
The Centre for Laboratory Medicine is expected to be fully operational in 2025.
£12m unit at Wharfedale Hospital reduces waiting times for operations
A new £12m unit at Wharfedale Hospital, which includes operating theatres and wards opened in October, reducing the time patients wait for surgery and providing protected space for planned operations to take place.
The Elective Care Hub at the hospital in Otley creates additional operating theatre capacity away from LTHT’s main acute hospital sites, increasing the number of patients that can be treated each week. Having a dedicated Elective Care Hub away from the major hospital sites means there is capacity which can confidently be used all-year-round.
It includes two new theatres (taking the total number at the hospital to four), a recovery area, an admissions and discharge area alongside making an existing ward operational overnight.
The Hub provides operations including general surgery, minor cancers, urology and benign gynaecology. Other improvements include the day unit and phlebotomy services moving into refurbished areas and a dedicated hysteroscopy treatment suite. Overall, the space for clinical services has increased. It is estimated that an additional 3,500 people per year will be seen, and patients
will benefit from the quieter, relaxed environment and faster treatment times.
Prof. Phil Wood, Chief Executive. said: “I really appreciated visiting the new Elective Care Hub and meeting team members. I know patients are going to find it a great place to come, not just because of the facilities, but also because of how they’ll be looked after. The Hub increases protected space and theatres to see planned patients, enhancing their experience and meaning we can see more patients more quickly.
“This investment underlines our commitment to provide the right kinds of services at Wharfedale Hospital and ensuring it has a sustainable future. It’s fantastic news for the Otley community as well as our patients from further afield and our staff.”
Celebrating Black History Month with the BME Staff Network
Throughout October, the BME Staff Network at LTHT celebrated Black History Month, focusing on the theme Reclaiming Narratives. This series of events was dedicated to celebrating the achievements, cultures, and invaluable contributions of Black staff and communities, shining a spotlight on their stories in an engaging and impactful way.
The month began with ‘lunch and learn’ sessions that highlighted success stories from those connected to our the BME Staff Network, offering inspiration and fostering cross-cultural understanding amongst staff. These sessions provided a space to appreciate the accomplishments of Black colleagues and encouraged further dialogue around diversity and inclusion. To bring teams together and promote creativity
and teamwork, the network organised fuddles and a display wall competition for visual displays capturing Black history and heritage.
The month culminated in a flagship event at the Thackray Medical Museum,
open to both staff and the public. This celebration immersed attendees in Black cultures through music, food, and fashion, creating a vibrant experience that underscored the connections across communities. Highlights included a live performance by a Filipino dance troupe and a re-enactment of Mary Seacole, the pioneering Jamaican nurse and businesswoman, which brought Seacole’s inspiring story of resilience and service to life.
Yvonne Coghill, a race equality expert in healthcare, shared insights at the event into the significance of diversity in the sector and the importance of embracing all voices within healthcare. Leeds’ Lord Mayor, Councillor Marshall Katung, also attended, commending LTHT’s efforts in honouring and celebrate Black history.
with Jessica Towning
A Senior Clinical Trials Assistant in the Reproductive Health and Childbirth Research Team, Jessica has worked at the Trust for 18 Years
What are the main aspects of your role?
I am a Senior Clinical Trials Assistant supporting the Reproductive Health and Childbirth Research team and my role is to help co-ordinate studies and provide assistance to the midwives and nurses in my team.
I have been working closely on the BABi Leeds study and helping support the culture of Research and Innovation within Leeds Teaching Hospitals as part of the 7 Commitments. In the BABi Leeds study we give every pregnant woman the opportunity to
take part to help us learn more about how families in our community can live healthier, happier lives. I am regularly in clinics helping recruit women to the studies we have on our portfolio.
What else have you done in your career so far?
I started my career within Leeds Teaching Hospitals at the Dental Institute as a receptionist and moved on to be personal assistant to the Head of Nursing within the Infection Prevention and Control team.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Every day within my Research role is different and varied, and I feel I am able to help create a change for pregnant women within Leeds Teaching Hospitals, my days feel very rewarding.
I am extremely passionate about my role and how much our data within the BABi Leeds study will eventually change the care and lives within our communities for the people of Leeds.
What is the one thing you would change at LTHT to help you do your job better?
Networking across a variety of CSUs to help reduce working in silos and create a ‘work together’ attitude so we can work collaboratively.
What’s your best advice to a new starter at the Trust?
The NHS and the Trust can be the perfect place to build on your career, go on all the courses that are available to you.
Celebrating the fantastic work of our DIT colleagues
We celebrated the fantastic work of our DIT team in September, with Prof. Phil Wood, Chief Executive, joining Paul Jones, Executive Director for DIT, and Jo Koroma, Non-Executive Director, to host the DIT Colleague Awards.
Digital is absolutely central to the future of the Trust and our hospitals.
Our DIT team is responsible for a huge remit of work, and together, they’ve completed some amazing projects over the last few years – updating our device estate, modernising our telephone, network and data storage systems, and ensuring the resilience and scalability of our major systems, to name just a few. This has all been achieved to tight
deadlines and budgets alongside the day job and will make sure that our systems are fit for the future.
It really was fantastic to be able to take some time to recognise the many ways this has supported our Trust.
Congratulations again to our winners and shortlisted colleagues!
A fond farewell to our long-serving staff
Andy Tunstall
Andy Tunstall, Corporate Planning Manager retired on 31 October after 32 years’ service in the Trust. Andy has been instrumental is supporting many Trust-wide changes in accommodation and services.
Colleagues past and present came together to reflect and share their funny stories and recognise the many areas, both clinical and non-clinical, where Andy has delivered schemes making a significant difference to both staff and the patient experience.
Andy has been a valued member of the Corporate Planning team at LTHT and his tacit knowledge and friendly personality will be missed by all who knew him. His colleagues wish Andy all the best in his retirement.
Christine Allen
Christine Allen has retired from the Trust after 32 years of NHS service. Christine has worked within a range of departments within the Trust and the NHS throughout her career. She started as clinical support worker within the Emergency Department in 2010 and progressed into a patient flow manager position.
Christine received an IRIS Award in 2021 for her recognition of mental health within the Emergency Department and also received several CEED Awards over the years for her patient-centred approach and teamwork.
Christine brightens up the department on a daily basis and is ‘one of a kind’ and will be greatly missed by her colleagues. The team wish a happy retirement.
Debbie Brown
Congratulations to Senior Sister Debbie Brown who has recently retired from LTHT after 25 years working in Outpatients at Wharfedale Hospital. She will be sadly missed by her team and colleagues within the hospital having started her career at Wharfedale in 1993 as a Staff Nurse in ICU.
Her colleagues wish her well and hope she can enjoy her well-earned retirement and finally enjoy spending time with her dear grandchildren, family and friends.
A fond farewell to our long-serving staff
Heidi Farrell
Heidi Farrell has retired from her role as Clinical Site Manager following a lengthy career at LTHT, where she has a been a brilliant colleague and friend to many.
Heidi started her nurse training in 1989 at St James’s Hospital where she qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1992. She worked with Julie, her best friend on Ward 6 in Gledhow Wing, originally vascular and general surgery. After this she worked in a variety of roles and departments at Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Trust.
Heidi returned to LTHT in 2009 to the role of a Clinical Site Matron. After doing this job for around 10 years, she moved into a Clinical Site Manager post, leading and developing the CSM team, and focusing on discharge in some key projects, including the discharge lounge and winter room.
In 2022 she joined Speciality & Integrated Medicine, where she became an integral part of the team and worked on some key initiatives, including setting up and chairing the CSU Perfect Ward meetings, ensuring all wards have a perfect ward link board, and leading on the nursing and midwifery strategy. Heidi led on a decluttering campaign across the wards with Deputy Head of Nursing Ciara McCarthy, where both of them were considered the ‘Queens of Clean,’ and given the nicknames ‘Aggie and Kim’ from Channel 4 programme How Clean is Your House.
When she was not the Queen of Clean, Heidi was most definitely the Quality Assurance Queen for complaints and investigations. Her eye for detail was second to none, with many a matron caught out by her diligent scrutiny
Tara Parmar
Tara started working at LGI in housekeeping on the former Ward 17 in 2004. She then moved on to Ward 24, and has worked with several other teams during her time at the Trust. Tara attended focus meetings every month and in 2011 Tara received the Directors Award at the Estates and Facilities Staff Achievement Awards for her contributions after being nominated by nursing colleagues.
In 2024 Tara received a 20 year Long Service Award from Chief Executive Prof. Phil Wood and Director of Estates and Facilities Craige Richardson.
with one of Heidi’s most common QA catch phrases: ’and so what?’ This phrase helped staff reflect on what we can do next time to enhance patient experience. Heidi’s ability to relate to people and communicate at all levels was a real asset – she has a talent for dealing with difficult situations, and to some extent seeks them out, and yet can manage a sensitive conversation with tact and sensitivity.
The impact of Heidi has been well felt… and heard! Her beautifully BOOMING voice can penetrate through two concrete walls, so much so, that you are left in no doubt about what she is thinking and feeling at that time!
After enjoying a well-deserved rest on holiday in Greece, Heidi will be keeping busy and spending her time at her local church, undertaking community duties with the congregation. She is also looking forward to completing a long running project of a garden renovation and spending time with her friends.
Tara plans to spend her retirement holidaying with her husband and enjoying time with her family and grandchildren. Tara will be missed by all who knew her and her colleagues wish her good luck and a happy retirement.
Simon Worthington
Simon Worthington, Finance Director for the Trust, retired from his role in July. Simon started his career with the organisation in 1988 as a junior finance officer and, for the last seven years, has been the Trust’s Finance Director. He has worked hard within our corporate and finance teams to ensure that every decision that we make financially impacts positively on our staff and patients.
Simon plans to spend his retirement travelling and we wish him well for the future.
Sue Boden
After 40 years of working in the NHS, Sue Boden has taken the decision to fully retire following a retire and return in 2018. Sue has worked in the NHS since October 1984, commencing her NHS career in Harrogate and moving over to Leeds in December 2013.
Sue was LTHT’s pension manager from October 2014 until retiring and returning in October 2018 when she returned to the department as a pension specialist. Sue has been part of both regional and national pension groups and has also worked very closely with the NHS Pensions agency over the years. Thanks to her vast knowledge and experience, Sue has been highly regarded as one of the country’s NHS pensions leads.
Sue’s final official day was on 12 October and her colleagues wish Sue all the very best in her well-deserved retirement.
Leeds Hospitals Charity news
7 Days of Play
In September, Leeds Hospitals Charity was proud to launch a major fundraising campaign, 7 Days of Play to support the Play Team at Leeds Children’s Hospital. The project, costing nearly £500,000, will see the current Play Team expanded from a five-day service to seven days a week, meaning the team can support hundreds more seriously ill children.
The Play Team at Leeds Children’s Hospital already provides a vital service, going above and beyond to help make the hospital experience the best it can possibly be through specialised hospital play. From helping prepare children for complex treatment and scary scans and surgery, to supporting blood tests for children who have anxieties about needles, and using therapeutic books and specialised preparation tools helping children understand their illness, and often complex long treatment journeys.
As part of our campaign, we released a new video featuring three current patients, Max, Ruby and Leo, alongside members of the Leeds Children’s Hospital Play Team. The video features an Alfie Boe song, ‘Heroes’ and was directed by award-winning videographers, Sam Teale Productions.
Three-year-old Leo was diagnosed with the blood cancer leukaemia in April 2023
Staff Three Peaks Challenge
In June, a team of staff from Oncology took on the challenge of the Three Peaks in support of Leeds Hospitals Charity. The team raised an incredible £3,280 for the charity, and we would like to say a huge thank you to the team for all their support.
If you and your team would like to get involved in any fundraising or events with the charity, then please do contact our team at fundraising@ leedshospitalscharity.org.uk
and spent most of last year in and out of Leeds Children’s Hospital.
Leo’s mum, Rachel, said: “The Play Team are our lifeline. They support us by preparing Leo for procedures and distracting him while he’s having them. Often, they do painting and crafting with Leo while he’s undergoing his chemotherapy.
“They also provide vital respite for us, as caring for Leo and doing all the trips to hospital can be exhausting. Not having the Play Team around would be unimaginable. Every child in hospital
should have access to play, seven days a week.”
We have also funded the Play Team at Leeds Children’s Hospital with brand new uniforms, featuring the charity logo and our mascot, Ernie the Owl! The team previously wore red polos which didn’t identify with their roles, so with their new uniforms the Play Team will be much easier to spot on the wards.
Together, we can make every child’s days in hospital the best they can be.
Find out more on our website: www.LeedsHospitalsCharity.org.uk/play
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Rachel Davies
A Clinical Team Manager, Rachel has worked at the Trust for 5 Years
What do you do to wind down and relax after a hard week at work?
I like to spend time with my family on an evening and a weekend. This usually consists of watching my eldest son play football in the rain on a Sunday while trying to not get competitive from the sidelines! On those special child-free weekends seeing friends to listen to live music and have a dance is something I always enjoy. Sometimes you just need loud music and a dance!
What is your ideal holiday destination and why?
Somewhere hot, with a good book and a nice breeze. Ideally somewhere that the boys can be
busy, so I get to read more than one page of the book at a time.
What is your favourite food?
My favourite food at the minute is sushi. Blue Sakura in Leeds is one of my favourite restaurants and a nice treat when there is a special occasion.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I found academic work hard as a teenager, I had always wanted to be a nurse but didn’t always think I would achieve it. Two teachers changed this for me, a science teacher told me I wouldn’t achieve my goal and this spurred me on to prove her wrong, and an amazing business teacher showed me what I was capable of and pushed me to work harder and smarter.
Initially I wanted to be a Mental Health Nurse but through some volunteer work I realised quickly my passion was with Learning Disabilities. I have been a registered Learning Disabilities nurse for ten years now!
What is your favourite film?
I like something gritty to watch most of the time, and although not a film I loved the Sons of Anarchy series. However, you can’t go wrong with Finding Nemo.
Who would you most like to meet and why?
My maternal Grandma Beryl who I never met. Beryl was a nurse and I often wonder if nursing, caring, and wanting to make a difference is something we as professionals develop from our life experiences or if there is something more to it.
What is your favourite book?
The DCI Mark Heckenburg series by Paul Finch is fabulous, its also become a running joke in our office how invested I became in this series. I recently finished one of the audio books and contacted the author to see if the next one would be coming out on Audible as I can be a little impatient.
Tell us something we don’t know about you …
My music taste is really varied, and my playlist is frequently subject to some raised eyebrows in the office when it’s my turn to oversee music. My husband’s influence has seen my music taste vary from Deep House, RnB and Dance to include Metal and Pop Punk. Some of my favourite songs of all time include ‘Break Stuff’ by Limp Bizkit – this caused a mosh pit at our wedding – ‘I Try’ by Macy Gray – I danced to this with my dad at our wedding – ‘Running’ by Jessie Ware and Disclosure, and Sorry You’re Not a Winner by Enter Shikari.
Home Tomorrow, Medicines Today – preparing patients for discharge
Home Tomorrow, Medicines Today is a new initiative launched in September aimed at getting patients ready for discharge by preparing their electronic discharge advice note, their eDan in PPM+, the day before they are due to go home.
This gives pharmacists the maximum time to get medicines ready and delivered out to patients. Paul Jones, Chief Digital Information Officer, visited staff on wards J12 and J45 at St James’s to hear about
what they have been doing to help get patients home on time.
Teams all across the Trust are doing some fantastic work to make sure eDANs are completed in good time - thinking ahead and working together to update information at regular intervals, and creating protected time to complete the forms, which are vital in ensuring a timely discharge. Timeliness is one of the Trust’s 7 Commitments, bringing staff together to not only get patients the
right care they need at the right time, but also to discharge them from hospital when the time is right for them.
This initiative has been championed by the Pharmacy team, with a view to getting all care teams working more efficiently and on the front foot in patient discharge. Through their awareness and engagement campaign with ward staff, it is already improving patient flow and experience across our hospitals.
Advertising opportunities available in our staff magazines, care directories, and independent living guides
MATTERS
CARE DIRECTORIES
County, City and Borough Council care directories are comprehensive guides to nursing care, residential care and independent living support. Created for individuals and their families exploring the possibility of moving to nursing/ residential care or seeking advice and support to continue living independently at home.
Hospital at Home: supporting patients in their own homes
NHS STAFF MAGAZINES
NHS publications are circulated throughout hospitals to staff, patients and visitors on a regular basis. Advertising within the publications enables companies to promote their services to NHS employees and are an excellent way to Increase their customer base within this very targeted audience.
OPTIONS CARE AND INDEPENDENT LIVING GUIDES
Options provides older people with important information from health organisations such as CQC, ICB and the NHS. Circulated through various healthcare professionals including Council social work teams, NHS hospital discharge, community nurses, and various age related charities.