Foundations for Health September 2013

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

September 2013 WE CARE FOR YOU

AscAreAening for

+

men aged 65

Special focus on :

Dementia

Annual Members Meeting: all you need to know

News for staff, volunteers and members of Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Contents

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If you have any comments or want further information about any of the articles in Foundations for Health please get in touch with the Communications & Marketing team on 01302 647085 or email Emer Scott, Director of Communications & Marketing, on emer.scott@dbh.nhs.uk.

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3 Over 350 men self-refer for AAA screening

4-7 Annual Members Meeting: how we did in 2012/13

New volunteer role We’re looking for volunteers to be ‘Dining Companions’ for patients who need help during Heather Keane, mealtimes.

Assistant Director The increase in of Nursing patients with dementia, and also those who find it difficult to feed themselves because of their condition, has prompted us to introduce a brand new role for people wanting to volunteer in the NHS. Heather Keane, Assistant Director of Nursing – Patient Experience & Quality, said: “We are very excited about this new role which offers a completely different type of volunteering experience. It’s very hands-on and involves being able to work as part of a team, communicating with patients, being friendly and showing them kindness and respect.”

Anyone interested who would like more information can contact Nicki Ramshaw, Voluntary Service Coordinator, on 01302 366666 extension 3610 or email her on nicola.ramshaw@dbh.nhs.uk.

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8 Ed Miliband visits Montagu Hospital

8 New Orthoptic service helps stroke patients

9 Blowing the whistle on poor care

10-12 Special focus on: Dementia

13 The NHS – 65 years old

14 Caring for people in hospital with a learning disability

14 Governors Insight

Minister meets

award-winning Doncaster midwives Health Minister Anna Soubry MP visited DRI in June to find out about a pioneering specialist maternity service that supports pregnant women with a high body mass index (BMI).

The clinic team, which also includes a dietician and an anaesthetist, provides prospective mothers with non-judgmental support and encouragement to adopt healthy eating habits and gentle exercise during their pregnancy.

She met Healthy Lifestyle Midwives Alison Williams and Carolyn Garland, who won the national Royal College of Midwives Award for Innovation in January for their work, and met mothers who have used the service.

It has proved highly successful, reducing the number of women with a high BMI who suffer complications during their pregnancy or need caesarean sections for medical reasons. The number of mothers who initiate and then continue breastfeeding their babies has also increased.

Alison and Carolyn set up the ‘Monday clinic’ nearly four years ago to help women with a BMI over 40 have healthier pregnancies and healthier babies.

Alison and Carolyn now plan to expand the clinic with text-message support for women.

Health Minister Anna Soubry (centre) with Healthy Lifestyle Midwives Carolyn Garland (left) and Alison Williams (right)

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John Mann MP supporting the AAA Screening Programme is pictured with David Walters, Client, and Amanda Ford, Screening Technician

Over 350 men self-refer for AAA screening On 5 July we publicly launched a new health screening programme in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw to reduce the number of men who die from an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA).

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ince then, more than 350 men aged 65 and over have called the AAA team to make appointments for screening – an ultrasound scan that examines the aorta in the stomach region, checking for a potentially serious swelling.

It comes on top of the 8,500 men turning 65 this year who have already received invitations to come for screening.

AAAs are caused when the main blood vessel in the abdomen – the aorta – weakens. If undetected, the aorta can rupture, a medical emergency that is usually fatal. Around 6,000 people die every year from ruptured AAAs, mainly men aged between 65 and 74.

The AAA screening programme aims to reduce deaths by inviting men for screening in the year they turn 65 and encouraging other men in the target age group to refer themselves for

the ultrasound scan.

Vascular surgeon Mr Ray Cuschieri, clinical lead for the NHS AAA Screening Programme in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw and Deputy Medical Director of the Trust, said: “It is fantastic to see that so many men have made contact with us since the programme was announced.

“The programme is extremely important as men who have an AAA do not generally know they have the condition until it is too late. The screening test is simple, painless, non-invasive and usually takes less than 10 minutes. Early detection of AAAs through screening enables these aneurysms to be monitored or treated, helping to reduce deaths.”

Doncaster musician George Kilpatrick nearly died from an AAA earlier this year and is now supporting the programme.

New Staff Governors announced We are happy to announce that two new Staff Governors have been elected to represent the Nursing and Midwifery staff class. Valerie Wood, Drug and Alcohol Liaison Nurse Specialist, and Lynn Goy, Lead Nurse, Genito-Urinary Medicine, will take up their posts on 17 October 2013.

The 66-year-old was on stage at the Pilgrim Theatre in Boston, Lincolnshire on 22 February when he felt his stomach “swelling like a balloon”.

George managed to tell the audience that he didn’t feel well. Then his aorta ruptured and he collapsed. He woke up in intensive care after undergoing major surgery to save his life.

“I didn’t know anything about this condition, but it only took 15 seconds for it to very nearly kill me. I know about AAAs now and would strongly encourage other men to make an appointment for the scan as it will save lives,” George said.

“I am very lucky and I want people to listen to my story and to be aware of the gravity of an AAA as it can be a desperately serious condition.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about AAAs and the screening programme can call 01709 321189 or email dbh-tr.dbhaaa@nhs.net.

• Read about Ed Miliband’s visit to Montagu Hospital on page 8, when he saw the AAA service in action.

Keeping you in touch by email and Twitter We can email this magazine and other relevant news and information.

Just contact the Foundation Trust office on 01302 381355 or foundation.office@dbh.nhs.uk to give us your address.

You can follow us on Twitter @DBH_NHSFT for all our news and other interesting updates.

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Look back on 2012/13

Annual Members Meeting: all you need to know about our performance in 2012/13 All members of our Trust are invited to attend the Annual Members Meeting, which this year takes place at The Ivanhoe Centre in Conisbrough from 4pm on Tuesday 24 September.

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t’s your chance to find out more about how we performed in 2012/13 and our plans and performance so far in 2013/14. There will also be exhibitions and displays and a chance to speak to Trust staff to find out more about our work.

The Annual Members Meeting is where we officially launch our Annual Report & Accounts for 2012/13. We’ve included some of the key contents on the following pages.

Key facts and figures • Our turnover in 2012/13 was £342m and our capital programme saw £15m investment in buildings and equipment.

• We employed 6,434 staff at 31 March 2013.

• We delivered 5,310 babies in 2012/13.

• 172,236 people attended our hospitals for emergency treatment in 2012/13.

• We admitted 51,528 people to our hospitals for emergency treatment in 2012/13.

• 43,174 people were admitted for nonemergency treatment as day cases.

• 9,969 people were admitted overnight for planned treatment in 2012/13.

• We cared for 486,477 outpatients in 2012/13, including maternity care but excluding clinical therapies.

Our values show WE CARE: • We always put the patient first.

• Everyone counts – we treat each other with courtesy, honesty, and respect and dignity.

• Committed to quality and continuously improving patient experience.

• Always caring and compassionate.

• Responsible and accountable for our actions – taking pride in our work.

• Encouraging and valuing our diverse staff and rewarding ability and innovation.

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Look back on 2012/13 Message from our Chairman and Chief Executive The last year was a significant one for the whole NHS, with sweeping changes, the ongoing challenge of improving efficiency in an era of public austerity, and the Francis inquiry which highlighted what can happen if health providers forget their core purpose: caring for people.

This coincided with the development of our Trust’s strategic direction for 201317 so we took the opportunity to review our priorities to make sure we really are focusing on the right things.

Our values show ‘We Care’ and we are working hard to embed them in the very fabric of what we do every day. As we look back on 2012/13, we hope you agree it’s been an extraordinary year.

Mike Pinkerton Chief Executive

Chris Scholey Chairman

Key achievements at a glance ■ We won a number of national awards including a Royal College of Midwives award for innovation for the special service we provide for overweight pregnant women and a Patient Safety Award for innovation for preventing catheteracquired urinary infections.

■ Our new Education Centre opened at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, providing superb training and development facilities.

■ Doncaster Royal Infirmary was selected as the preferred location for South Yorkshire & Bassetlaw’s second radiotherapy centre.

■ We were chosen to provide the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening service for men aged 65 and over in South Yorkshire & Bassetlaw.

■ Our vision of an innovative rehabilitation centre at Montagu Hospital is due for completion this autumn. This new centre

puts us on the map for leading the way nationally on the care of people recovering from serious illness or injury.

We transferred services from Tickhill Road in August, consolidating our inpatient services onto three sites.

■ In partnership with Bassetlaw commissioners, we developed an Assessment & Treatment Centre (ATC), staffed by consultants and acute physicians seven days a week, with pharmacy, clinical therapy and diagnostic support. It provides emergency patients with rapid access to specialist assessment and care.

■ We implemented advanced robotic pharmacy services at Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Bassetlaw Hospital, speeding up dispensing for patients awaiting discharge as well as reducing medicines wastage and improving stock control.

“Our vision of an innovative rehabilitation centre at Montagu Hospital is due for completion this autumn”

Our vision: Our vision is to become recognised as the best healthcare provider in our class, consistently performing in the top 10% nationally.

Work is well underway on the new rehabilitation centre at Montagu

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Look back on 2012/13

“Immediate action was taken to review the entire waiting list of over 100,000 patients”

High-quality and safe services

for all our patients The effects of a long, bitterly cold winter on an ageing population meant a huge increase in the number of people needing emergency admission in 2012/13.

This placed increased pressure on bed capacity from October onwards, with knock-on effects for waiting times and some other areas of performance.

Emergency target Bed capacity issues meant that in October to December 2012 and January to March 2013, we did not achieve the national target for treating 95% of emergency patients within four hours.

We worked very hard to tackle this and to redesign emergency care pathways to give patients rapid access to specialist assessment and diagnostics. Consultants began doing ward rounds seven days a week so that patients who were fit enough to be discharged no longer stay in hospital over the weekend.

We began recruiting additional nurses across many specialties, including emergency medicine, and more emergency consultants to reduce our reliance on locums. We also invested £800,000 Department of Health funding in initiatives including weekend ward rounds, opening more beds and buying

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£150,000 of additional kit to reduce delays caused by equipment shortages.

In 2013/14, we are investing £7m in increasing our bed capacity by 80 and recruiting additional nursing staff. This will relieve pressure on the Emergency Department and improve the patient’s journey through the hospital.

Referral-to-treatment times In June 2012, following a review and the move to a new IT system, we found flaws in our data on referral-to-treatment times for planned treatment. Although we were achieving the main targets, a number of patients were waiting far too long.

Immediate action was taken to review the entire waiting list of over 100,000 patients. We revised our booking system and ran additional clinics and theatre lists to address the backlog.

This increased waiting times for patients who

September 2013

had been referred in the last four months and resulted in us not achieving the 18-week target for treating 90% of patients for nonemergency care from June 2012 to March 2013. It also meant we missed the target for treating 92% of patients whose treatment was incomplete from October 2012 to December 2012.

We were back on track for ‘incomplete’ waiting times for January 2013 to March 2013.

The need to cancel inpatient surgery to release beds for emergency patients has continued to affect waiting times for admitted patients but we expect to be back on track by autumn.

Look back on 2012/13 Performance issues cont’d Infection prevention and control We achieved our MRSA target with just two bacteraemias, one of which was deemed unavoidable. We also reduced hospital-acquired colonisation – where someone has MRSA bacteria on their skin but no infection – from 67 cases in 2011/12 to 43 in 2012/13.

Our success at preventing norovirus (‘winter vomiting bug’) was notable compared with other trusts and was down to staff vigilance, hand hygiene and good clinical practice.

Wound infections following Caesarean sections dropped noticeably from 22% in October 2012 to 12% in February 2013.

There was also a sharp decrease in knee infections after surgery, dropping from 5%

to less than 2% in the last six months.

However, we had 64 cases of C difficile, well above our target maximum of 48.

The increase was mainly at DRI where bed occupancy rates and the small percentage of single side-rooms meant infected patients couldn’t always be isolated straight away.

Research & development (R&D) A thriving research culture improves care, encourages innovation and ensures patients can benefit from the very latest treatments and techniques.

It also meant wards were deep-cleaned bay by bay, rather than a whole ward at a time. Eighteen of the 48 cases at DRI were a particularly virulent and persistent strain of C difficile.

Our R&D team supports this by approving high-quality research that will help prevent and treat illnesses. Sixty additional studies were approved in 2012/13. We now have a total of 195 studies that are either actively recruiting or in the follow-up stage.

The £7m we are investing in 2013/14 in extra beds and staffing will increase capacity and the number of single en-suite rooms making it easier to isolate patients immediately and deep-clean whole wards at a time.

In January 2013, we received external recognition of our commitment to R&D when the National Institute for Health Research presented us with a certificate praising our research culture in general and in the Renal department in particular.

Bringing new services to our patients Stroke patients who are medically fit can now have all their rehabilitation in the comfort of their own homes, thanks to a pilot early supported discharge scheme.

People with heart problems, carpal tunnel syndrome and gastrointestinal conditions can now access investigations or treatments more quickly, following the launch of ‘direct access’ services.

We’ve taken an exciting new approach to ensuring that people who need assessment and treatment for sudden illnesses get access to specialist expertise more quickly.

The Assessment & Treatment Centre at Bassetlaw Hospital has been developed in partnership with commissioners at NHS

Bassetlaw CCG. It’s staffed by consultant physicians 10 hours a day, seven days a week, with dedicated support from pharmacy, clinical therapies and diagnostics as well as nursing staff.

Deaths from the unexpected rupture of one of the body’s major blood vessels should be less likely in future, thanks to the new screening service we’re providing across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw. Men aged 65 and over are most likely to develop an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) which can easily be picked up by a simple ultrasound scan. Any small or medium AAA is monitored closely; those with large AAAs are offered appropriate care.

Financial performance We had another successful year in managing our finances and ended the year with a financial risk rating of 3 from our regulator Monitor, indicating they had no regulatory concerns.

Our income and expenditure account was in surplus by £3,485,000. Cash balances

Sources of Income

held at 31 March 2013 were £11.2m, £2.9 million less than last year. Loans outstanding at 31 March 2013 were £3.5 million and we paid the Department of Health a Public Dividend Capital of £5.5m which equates to a 3.5% return on average relevant net assets.

Doncaster PCT 56% Rotherham PCT 3% Barnsley PCT 5% Bassetlaw PCT 19% Derbyshire County PCT 2% Other PCTs 5% Education & Training 2% NHS Trust & Foundation Trusts 4%

Revenue Expenditure

Other 4%

Medical & Dental Staff 21% Nursing Staff 25% Professional Staff 9% Other Staff 13% Depreciation 2% Clinical Supplies 16% NHS Services 2% Other Non Pay 12%

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Ed Miliband visits Montagu Hospital Ed Miliband MP visited his local hospital at Mexborough Montagu on 12 July to find out how two new services will transform the health of people in South Yorkshire.

He toured the construction site for the £3.8m new rehabilitation centre that is set to lead the way nationally in the care of people recovering from serious and potentially life-changing illnesses or injuries such as amputations, falls, stroke and traffic accidents when completed this autumn.

The 58-bed rehabilitation centre will provide intensive nursing, medical and therapeutic care seven days a week in an environment completely unlike a traditional hospital ward, all specifically designed to meet each patient’s individual needs.

Mr Miliband also saw how a simple ultrasound examination of the abdomen aims to save hundreds of lives in South Yorkshire each year by reducing the number of men aged 65 and over who die from unexpected rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). He met David Grayson, from Sprotbrough, who was attending the hospital for his AAA screening appointment.

The Labour leader ended his visit to Montagu Hospital by spending time with patients and staff on Wentworth Ward, part of the current rehabilitation unit, where he saw how an activity programme called the ‘Feel Good Factor’, developed by healthcare assistants, is enhancing patients’ wellbeing and improving their confidence.

The staff who developed the programme were named ‘Star Team’ in our internal awards scheme in June 2013.

Ed Miliband MP watching the AAA screening in action

(I-r): Mr Gerard Jayamanne, Consultant Ophthalmologist, and Tanzeela Rabbani, Orthoptist

New Orthoptic service

helps stroke patients A new eye clinic is now providing patients experiencing visual problems following a stroke with specialist support.

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he Orthoptic Stroke Clinic in Outpatients at Doncaster Royal Infirmary has been successfully diagnosing and helping patients with visual problems since October. It currently runs on a Thursday morning in parallel with Mr Jayamanne’s Neuro-Ophthalmology clinic.

Orthoptists have the necessary clinical expertise to assess and manage a wide range of visual problems that patients recovering from a stroke/brain injury can encounter. These include visual field loss, double or blurred vision and moving images.

Tanzeela Rabbani, Orthoptist (Stroke Interest), said: “A stroke may lead to problems with eye movement which means that both eyes are not working

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together as a pair. This makes it very difficult to focus on specific things because of blurred or double vision which impacts on a patient’s everyday life. We provide visual rehabilitation and can refer patients to the Low Vision Clinic or to an Ophthalmologist.”

Doncaster patient Joseph, who has attended the Orthoptic Stroke Clinic twice, said: “I had my first stroke 10 years ago and my second just recently. After the second stroke I was having hallucinations and double vision. It was very annoying because I was trying to focus all the time.

“The hospital doctor referred me to the clinic.

They did some tests and I was diagnosed with double vision. I now wear glasses with prisms.

My eyes are a lot better with the prisms and hopefully they will improve even further.”

The Orthoptic Stroke Clinic also provides advice on partially sighted registration, reading aids, and various techniques that can be used to try to help or compensate for the various visual effects of stroke. These include glasses, prisms, patching, magnifiers and scanning information.

Staff focus

Blowing the whistle

on poor care

When patients go into hospital, they put their trust in us to care for them.

They may be feeling anxious or frightened – or they may simply be too ill to have any conscious thoughts or feelings at all.

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hat’s why it’s so important for any staff who witness poor practice, uncompassionate care, neglect or abuse to speak out and raise the alert.

There are lots of ways that you can do this in confidence and without fear of harassment or ill treatment for airing your concerns. Our Whistleblowing Policy promises protection to staff who air genuinely held concerns. In addition to this, we’ve also signed up to a national Nursing Times campaign guaranteeing staff the right to Speak Out Safely.

“Hospital can be very scary,” says Geraldine.

“No matter how successful, forthright or tough they are in daily life, people are often at their most vulnerable when they’re in hospital so it’s vital that we recognise that and take good care of them.

And if you fear your concerns aren’t being taken seriously after raising the alert – or if the matter is so serious you don’t feel comfortable speaking to a senior clinician, manager or member of the executive team – then you can contact Non-Executive Director Geraldine Broderick.

whether or not something is right, we should always think ‘How would I feel if that was happening to me or my loved one?’.”

Geraldine is keen to point out that speaking out doesn’t just relate to cases of physical abuse like those witnessed at Winterbourne View Care Home. It’s also about staff having the courage to challenge any colleagues who display a lack of kindness and compassion – for example, ignoring a call bell when a particular patient rings or not being gentle enough when providing personal care.

Non-clinical staff, and those in support roles, have the same duty to speak out if they witness poor care as frontline clinicians.

Totally committed to Geraldine Broderick compassion and excellence in care, Geraldine is the Trust’s Senior Independent Director, “We’re in a very privileged position where a role that means she is the ultimate people put their faith in us and trust their patients’ champion. wellbeing to us. When we’re questioning

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re a consultant or a receptionist; someone who’s worked here for 30 years or a healthcare assistant in your first week,” Geraldine explains. “Patients should be foremost in our jobs and we should put patients’ needs before our own. That’s the way to ensure that every patient receives the highest standard of care.”

Whistleblowing: How to raise the alert 1. Raise it with your work team or your immediate supervisor or line manager either in person or in writing. In some cases, for example, you may feel comfortable speaking to a colleague about their actions or attitude.

2. If you’re not happy to do this or are not satisfied with the response, speak to the manager or clinical director responsible for your area. You should do this within five days of step 1. Let them know if you want to raise this in confidence.

3. If you’re not happy doing this or with

Dawn Jarvis, Director of People & Organisational Development. You can contact Geraldine via the internal post (address it to Geraldine Broderick, Non-Executive Director at DRI and mark it ‘confidential’), through Karen Cooper in the Chief Executive’s Office or through Head of Corporate Affairs Maria Dixon.

the response, raise with an executive director or the Chief Executive. Again, let them know if you want to raise the issue in confidence. You should raise your concern within five days of the response to step 2.

4. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking to any of the people mentioned so far, or feel your concerns haven’t been taken seriously, raise them with the Senior Independent Director – non-executive director Geraldine Broderick. You can also contact

Our Whistleblowing Policy is on the intranet and our public website (www.dbh.nhs.uk) with full details of how to raise concerns.

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Special focus on: Dementia

Living with dementia: The term ‘dementia’ describes a set of symptoms which include memory loss, mood changes and problems with communication and reasoning. These symptoms occur when the brain is damaged by certain diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease or stroke.

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oday there are about 800,000 people in the UK with dementia. It usually affects people over the age of 65, but it can affect younger people too; around

17,000 people in the UK under 65 have dementia.

Most forms of dementia cannot be cured, although research into new drugs, vaccines

and other treatments is continuing. However there are lots of groups and organisations that can help and that’s why we have included a special feature on dementia in this issue of Foundations for Health.

Memory cafe offers comfort and support to people with dementia and carers If you or a loved one are affected by dementia and looking for advice and support, the Memory Cafes/Groups run by the Alzheimer’s Society across Doncaster and Bassetlaw can help. They offer a welcoming and relaxing setting where people with dementia and their carers can share their concerns and receive help and support over a cuppa.

Memory Cafes in Doncaster are being held in Barnby Dun, Conisbrough, Cantley, and Askern. Just contact the Alzheimer’s Society on 01709 580543 or email doncaster@alzheimers. org.uk for more information. In Bassetlaw there is currently one Memory Group at Hallcroft Community Centre, with a second Memory Group starting in September at the Centre in Costhorpe. For more details about these Memory Groups and other support available in Bassetlaw please telephone 01909 730 886 or email bassetlaw@alzheimers.org.uk.

Two couples who are experiencing dementia first-hand and regularly attend a Memory Cafe share their experiences with us:

Patricia and Jack’s story: Patricia, 65, of Moorends in Thorne, has been volunteering as a carer at the Barnby Dunn Memory Cafe for around three years. She goes to the centre with her husband, Jack, who was

diagnosed with dementia in 2006.

As a wife and carer of someone with dementia, Patricia says the Memory Cafe offers the chance to speak to husbands and wives experiencing the same challenges. She also feels that the support network that the Memory Cafe provides works both ways.

“You have to realise that living with someone with dementia is like living in a jigsaw,” she says. “It’s a complicated life but the Memory Cafe offers both Jack and myself company and support. Everyone who goes to the cafe has experienced hard times, but getting together as we do helps us get through them.”

Patricia also knows that the cafe benefits Jack. From other personal experience with the condition, Patricia knew Jack had dementia when he started to do minor things differently – things that no one but she would have noticed. She now also notices the positive changes.

Enrique said: “The first signs I noticed were about four years ago when Maria was becoming forgetful. We went to the doctor and she was given tablets and referred to the Memory Clinic. Her memory wasn’t improving so we went back and she was sent to DRI for a head scan.”

Although the scan was taken almost three years ago, Maria remembers the details vividly.

She recalls having the scan and said: “The hospital and staff were very nice. I didn’t like the flashing lights in the scanner, though.”

Enrique further explains: “We were shown the x-rays in the Memory Clinic, and this is when they told us Maria’s forgetfulness was due to dementia. We come to the Memory Cafe to socialise and be with other people going through the same experience. I compare notes with the other carers and it really does help. Maria enjoys coming and the staff there are excellent.”

“Most days, Jack doesn’t really want to get out of bed, but when we go to the cafe that isn’t a problem. He doesn’t say much, but I know the cafe has a positive effect on him because of the subtle differences I notice in his behaviour. No one else can see them, but they mean a lot to me.”

Enrique and Maria’s story: Husband and wife, Enrique and Maria Sanchez, have been married for 53 years.

Despite Maria being in the mid-stage of dementia, the couple are still going strong.

Patricia and Jack

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Enrique and Maria

Special focus on: Dementia

Nursing people with dementia in hospital Jo Sayles, Nurse Practitioner in Care of Older People, works on the Mallard Ward at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

She explains what makes the ward dementia-friendly.

“The Mallard Ward is geared up for looking after patients who have dementia and delirium. We can have patients awaiting a diagnosis of dementia or who are at the end stage of their dementia.

playing cards, knitting and we even have singalongs. Whilst there, they enjoy drinking copious amounts of hot drinks or juice, and we always have a constant supply of biscuits, fruit or cakes.

“On the Mallard Ward the dEcor helps them to find their way because we have bright pictures outside each ward bay and side rooms and this helps patients to recognise their own space” “People with dementia tend to forget to eat and drink. We monitor and encourage them to take fluids and eat; we always make sure there are extra drinks around. We do take any opportunities to give extra diet and fluids and have different themes. For example, when Wimbledon was on TV we brought in strawberries and cream, and for Royal Ascot we had cocktail hours where we served fruit cocktails in cocktail glasses.

Jo Sayles

“Our 16 beds are always full, but the ward is calm and relaxed. The decor gives you that homely feel and it seems to do the trick; our patients are calmer and appear happier.

We have lots of reminiscent books and old pictures that are good for memory practice.

The whole environment and ethos makes nursing more enjoyable.

“The dEcor gives you that homely feel and it seems to do the trick, our patients are calmer and appear happier” “We have no set routines but we do try to encourage all patients to have their meals in the ward’s dining area. It’s important for people with dementia to socialise and interact. They enjoy drinking from the china cups and brightly coloured beakers.

After breakfast they can stay in the dining area and do activities: for example, jigsaws,

“Some patients with dementia don’t sleep and like to wander around the ward. On the Mallard Ward the decor helps them to find their way because we have bright pictures outside each ward bay and side rooms and this helps patients to recognise their own space. The ward is designed to be dementiafriendly which allows the patient to wander around safely as all clinical apparatus is locked away.

“We aim for a holistic approach to patient care. This means that we don’t do unnecessary tests to prevent anxiety for the patient. We also review all medications and discontinue where possible. We treat all patients as individuals as no two patients are the same.

“Patients interact much better with their families and we have ‘open visiting’ so relatives and friends can stay as long as they like. We have drink-making facilities for relatives which is greatly appreciated; this also encourages the patients to drink more, especially if their family is having a soft drink too.

“We also use ‘This is Me’ forms. They contain key details about the patient: likes and dislikes, what they used to do and so on. It helps us to get to know the patient better so we can provide better care.”

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Mallard Ward, DRI decor

Doncaster selected for £1m national Department of Health dementia pilot Doncaster is set to benefit from £1m funding to create dementia-friendly care environments after being chosen to be part of a major Department of Health pilot scheme.

The joint bid by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals, Doncaster Council, and Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) is one of the 116 projects nationally to share the £500m funding from the Department of Health.

The plans will see £600,000 of the £1m contributing to the development of an acute hospital ward at Doncaster Royal Infirmary specially designed with the needs of people with dementia in mind, plus work to make other areas of the hospital more dementia-friendly.

We already have one dementia-friendly ward at DRI: Mallard Ward, which opened in January 2013, cares for people with dementia and delirium who need hospital treatment because they are physically unwell.

Doncaster Council and RDaSH will use the remaining £400,000 to develop dementia-friendly communal areas in two ‘extra care’ housing schemes in Doncaster, and new gardens on the St Catherine’s Hospital site in Balby.

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Special focus on: Dementia

DonMentia does its bit

for people affected by dementia DonMentia is a local Doncaster charity created for people living with dementia in Doncaster. Eileen Harrington, a former carer with first-hand experience of caring for her husband with severe dementia, founded the charity last year.

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ileen said: “My husband’s dementia was the catalyst behind the charity.

As his condition deteriorated I became aware of the needs of people with dementia and in particular those who care for them.

“DonMentia was created to help Doncaster people affected by dementia. It is made up of volunteers offering their time, money, skills and expertise to help others, with no paid employees or management structure.

By being local and unattached to any one specific charity we can choose to support a range of dementia organisations, thus enabling us to ensure that funds raised are used exclusively for local people.

“It started with small fundraising events: for example, a quiz night which raised over £400, the annual Garden Party which raised £1,600 and two Therapy Taster Days, each of which

raised approximately £1,000. We’re holding a Fashion Show on 24 September. I am always surprised by people’s generosity.

“We are always on the lookout for memory aids like books on old Doncaster, activities such as jigsaws or large print books. We have just bought some furniture for a day respite unit for Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber Trust, and donated funds to Doncaster Royal Infirmary’s Gresley Unit for them to buy necessary supplementary equipment to support patients with dementia. We also funded a Christmas party in Forest Gate Day Hospital.

“I would also like to mention the Doncaster Dementia Forum (DDF). It’s for anyone affected by dementia and is just the place where they can ask questions or raise concerns or put forward their views which are then taken to the Doncaster Dementia Alliance. It is held on the second Wednesday of the month at

1.00pm at Forest Gate Day Hospital at Tickhill Road Hospital. The atmosphere is informal and everyone will be assured of a warm welcome and friendly peer support.”

If you are interested in supporting DonMentia or attending the DDF, Eileen Harrington would be very happy to hear from you. You can contact her on 01302 723322 or email eileenharrington@talktalk.net.

DonMentia Fashion Show: 24 September Time: 7.00pm for 7.30pm. Venue: The Highwayman, Great North Road, DN6 7HU. All proceeds go to DonMentia.

Tickets cost £5 and are available by calling 01302 723322 or emailing donmentia@ aol.com or eileenharrington@talktalk.net.

Bassetlaw Alzheimer’s Society The Alzheimer’s Society has regional and local branches right across the country and the Bassetlaw arm has a number of groups supporting people affected by dementia.

There’s the Memory Group in Retford which meets every second Wednesday at Hallcroft Community Centre in Retford between 10.30am to 12.30pm. It’s a great opportunity to meet other people in the same situation, and a Dementia Support Worker is always on hand to offer private support.

A second Memory Group is being launched on 19 September. It will run on the third Thursday of each month at The Centre, Northumberland Avenue, Costhorpe between 10.30am to 12.30pm. There’s also a new Carers’ Group

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starting in October. It’s solely for carers and will focus on peer support. If you are interested in attending and want more details, please contact Rosie Dickinson on 01909 540 354.

Bassetlaw has its own Dementia Support Worker who provides information and support, either over the phone, letter, email, or in person. They can provide advice on how to start applying for benefits, help with queries about various conditions which cause dementia, and provide a sympathetic and understanding ear. The Dementia Support Worker can be contacted on 01909 540354 or email dswbassetlaw@alzheimers.org.uk. You can also write to them (address below).

There is also a five week Carers’ Information & Support Programme covering topics like what

September 2013

dementia actually is, coping and caring, and financial and legal affairs. It’s unique because it also offers on-site respite for people with dementia, reducing any anxieties carers may feel about leaving the person they are caring for.

The course is free, but you do need to book a place. If you’re interested, just call 01909 730886 or 07540 919865 to book.

For further information about any of the groups discussed please contact Rosie Dickinson, Dementia Support Worker at the Alzheimer’s Society, on 01909 730886 or email bassetlaw@alzheimers.org.uk. You can also write to her at Alzheimer’s Society, The Centre, Northumberland Avenue, Costhorpe, Worksop, S81 9JP.

History Matters

The NHS – 65 years old On 5 July 1948, the brass band from the Yorkshire Main colliery trooped up to the doctor’s surgery in Edlington, South Yorkshire, and began to play. The doctor hung a Union flag out of the window and gave them all a drink. The NHS had arrived!

N

o doubt similar scenes were enacted in towns and villages throughout the country, but not everyone working in the healthcare field was as enthusiastic about the new regime as this local doctor.

Women, in particular, were greatly disadvantaged since they often had to leave their employment when they married.

Mortality rates in childbirth and in children under four years of age were high.

Across the UK many local hospitals,

came into being this has not happened. It is doubtful that any of its founders could have foreseen the advances in technology and pharmacology, in diagnosis, treatment and professional practice, coupled with the inexorable growth in the population and increasing life expectancy that have caused the NHS to become the vast, cash-devouring organisation that it has become.

There are still some who believe that some of the problems that healthcare faces today would not exist if the NHS had not been created, and that private insurance schemes or local authority provision might have been better for the nation’s health.

Nevertheless, thousands of people living in Britain today have cause to be grateful for the care they have received from the National Health Service, which is surely the envy of the world.

And the future? Let us leave with Nye Bevan’s prediction: “It will last as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it.”

Garry Swann, Archivist

Member survey winner

Aneurin Bevan, architect of the National Health Service, 1948

The coming of the new order, outlined in the Beveridge Plan of 1942 and implemented by Minister of Health Aneurin Bevan in the immediate post-war Labour Government, gave rise to much argument and discussion.

A high percentage of doctors and dentists were deeply suspicious about what they considered to be an attempt to dictate how they should pursue their professional practice, and were sceptical about its future.

Some flatly refused to work under the new scheme. Bevan’s answer to this was to “stop their mouths with gold”.

Before 1948, all healthcare treatment had to be paid for; therefore only the better-off or those who benefited from private or employment health insurance schemes could obtain access. The poor, lacking treatment, simply got better, or worse, or died.

supported entirely by voluntary contributions, were struggling to provide even the most basic treatment. It was clear that a uniform, country-wide standard of comprehensive healthcare was not only desirable but necessary, and to the man in the street a system that was freely available to all – rich or poor, man, woman or child, from the cradle to the grave – was a highly attractive prospect.

Congratulations to Susan Ryan, Community Midwifery Data Entry Clerk, for winning the prize draw for the bouquet of flowers. Susan said: “Thank you very much. I had always wanted flowers in a box, and now I have some!”

A great deal of money, to be raised via taxation, would be needed to fund the proposed scheme. Even ‘Nye’ Bevan himself knew that there would never be enough. Naïvely, it was believed in some quarters that after a few years under the new regime, the populace would have become so healthy that the NHS would actually become self-limiting!

Of course, in the 65 years since the NHS

September 2013

Susan Ryan

for health

13

Caring for people in hospital

with a learning disability At Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals we have two Learning Disability Liaison Nurses, Glynis Smith and Michelle Neal, who support patients with learning disabilities coming in to hospital.

A

ttending hospital can be stressful. Patients with learning disabilities can feel vulnerable due to difficulties they may have communicating. They often say they are not given the correct information and don’t feel involved in the decisions being made about their care. Their families and carers also struggle to be heard.

Glynis and Michelle are now changing the way we care for patients with learning disabilities so that they are involved in their own care journey from admission to discharge. They also educate staff to communicate better with this group of patients.

Mark has been a patient recently at Bassetlaw Hospital. With the help of Michelle, Mark and his sister,

Debra, found their experience in hospital seamless. Debra said: “The support Michelle gave us during Mark’s hospital stay was invaluable. Michelle supported us throughout the process. She was there when we arrived and stayed with us throughout the day. She was even in the recovery room when Mark came round after his operation.”

Mark, who was on the interview panel when Michelle applied for the job in 2010, is actively helping Michelle and Glynis with our information leaflets for patients with learning disabilities. He’s a busy man: he also works with Nottinghamshire Police, training officers in communicating with people with learning disabilities and takes part in mock scenarios where he’s interviewed by the police for various ‘crimes’. He recently received a commendation for his services to the police.

Louise, a service user, helps Glynis and Michelle with staff training in our Trust. She has given presentations at

our Care and Compassion conferences and, like Mark, is in very high demand.

She assists the Primary Liaison Nurse with training for Doncaster GPs and has become the face of the ‘Going to the Dentist’ photo journey. She helps with all of the team’s publicity, participates in interview panels and has appeared in the local press. As if that’s not enough, she also works at Scope in Doncaster.

Louise and Mark were involved in developing our new booklet ‘Hospital assessment for people with learning disabilities’. This traffic light assessment system (red, amber, green) gives staff important information about the patient. Patients bring the assessment with them when they come into hospital.

The DRI team also have a new project on the horizon. Patients admitted to hospital and people living alone or with family, will be given a traffic light wristband printed with the words ‘I have a traffic light assessment’ to identify patients who have a hospital assessment form.

Debra, Mark and Michelle

Louise and Glynis with the wristbands

Governors Insight NAME: Clive Tattley OCCUPATION: Retired (recently) Dental Surgeon FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION: Sydney, Australia FAVOURITE RESTAURANT: The Partner Governor White Houses, Retford WHO MAKES YOU LAUGH? Hugh Dennis in Outnumbered Clive Tattley,

INVITING FIVE FAMOUS PEOPLE TO DINNER, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

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Einstein, Nelson Mandela, Carl Jung, Mao Tse-Tung and Lord Alan Sugar MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER: 1968, when I first read my name on the list of students who had passed their finals exams. It suddenly dawned on me that I was now a dentist!

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR IDEAL WEEKEND? Visiting either my son and family in London or our younger daughter in southern Spain.

FAVOURITE CD OR MUSICAL ARTIST(s): Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons

September 2013

FAVOURITE BOOK OR AUTHOR: It depends what I am reading at the time but I do enjoy books by Bill Bryson.

STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONE/TWO PERSONS WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE? My wife – she will be reading this – and Ray Mears so that we could have a chance of surviving until we were rescued.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR? Apart from the obvious downsides to life … none.

THREE WORDS YOU THINK DESCRIBE YOU: Thoughtful, optimistic, open-minded

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