Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Autumn 2022
INSIDE:
WARD WEDDING BLESSING ENABLES MOTHER-OF-THE-BRIDE TO SHARE IN SPECIAL DAY PAGE 5
TRUST FIRST IN THE WORLD TO ORDER CUTTING EDGE GAMMA KNIFE TECHNOLOGY
Welcome
Getting back on track is our priority Welcome to the latest edition of Link magazine, and thank you for all your hard work at this exceptionally busy time. Operationally it has been one of the most testing periods I have known. We are very aware of the ongoing challenges we have getting patients into and out of our services in a timely way and catching up all the paused operations and appointments following the pandemic. Our Getting Back on Track programme is focussed on this work, and I am pleased to say we do have some good news to share. In partnership with the council, we have been successful in bidding for almost £4m to increase domiciliary care in the city and the number of intermediate care beds available. There has also been a commitment that this extra resource will be focussed on getting the patients who no longer need our care out of hospital which should help with patient flow. The Board has also approved an additional £5.5m to support the running of additional clinics, extra staff and increased theatre lists at weekends to help reduce the number of patients we have waiting for planned surgery, procedures or appointments. Last month a business case was also approved to create a multi-million pound Elective Orthopaedics Unit on Q Floor at the Hallamshire Hospital. This development will help with keeping our elective surgery running and reduce cancellations. You can read more about this on p4. Our other big challenge is staffing. We are not
alone in this situation as most NHS organisations are experiencing the same pressures. In response to this we are funding more posts, stripping back HR processes to make it as easy as possible for people to apply and launching high-profile recruitment campaigns. Please also look out for the new monthly jobs bulletin and share it with your friends and family. Work to address the ‘must do’ actions raised by the CQC is going well. Following the recent re-inspection they carried out, the initial feedback is that they are pleased to see progress being made. Safety huddles were a ‘must do’ and during recent visits to wards it was great to see these being embedded as routine practice and how helpful they were to help ensure the whole ward team is aware of specific issues for individual patients. We have also done an enormous amount of work on improving our training, processes and practical support for staff to be able to assess and support patients with mental health needs in the most appropriate and timely way, and this was something I also noted being discussed in the safety huddles I observed. Another key focus has been our current waiting times for cancer care. The challenges being experienced across the NHS in delivering cancer care have been widely highlighted, and whilst we have always had a good track record on cancer performance, currently we also are not providing the same level of timely care as we were prepandemic. Everyone is working exceptionally
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hard to turn around the position and we are exploring several options to help the teams. Even though we have a very full agenda at the moment, there have still been some fantastic innovations and service improvements that you can read about in this edition of Link. We have become one of only nine Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) specialist centres in the country providing care for patients living with a rare lifethreatening blood disorder, and we are the first Trust in the world to order a new state of the art Gamma Knife machine. I know that you all regularly go above and beyond for our patients, and there is a lovely example of this with staff on Hunstman 5 arranging a ‘ward wedding’ (p5). The Getting back on Track programme is about doing the right thing for patients but it is also about ensuring we support each other. The costof-living crisis is leaving no one untouched and I am very aware of the anxiety this is causing to so many colleagues. We have a range of support in place which you can read about on P7. Thank you again for all your hard work and commitment. Kirsten Major - Chief Executive
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10 4 New surgical unit to boost capacity and provide state-of-the-art facilities 5 Staff arrange special ward wedding 6 Sheffield Hospitals Charity Page 2 • Link - Autumn 2022
7 A day in the life of… a Living Transplant Donor Coordinator 7 Support for your financial wellbeing 8 Treatments improve quality of life for patients with incurable genetic condition
9 Specialist service for rare blood disorder opens 10 Enhanced Care Unit shortlisted for top nursing award 11
Get your flu jab
PROUD behaviours support our values Many of you will be aware that our PROUD values (Patients First, Respect, Ownership, Unity and Deliver) were developed by colleagues across the Trust a number of years ago with input from our Governors and patient groups.
When I took up post in 2019, one of the things I was very keen to do was some further work on what behaviours would embody those PROUD values. I am delighted that following over 6,000 comments from staff, patients and Governors we have launched our PROUD
behaviours framework. Like our values, the behaviours will provide a framework for how we do things in the Trust. Please take a look at the PROUD behaviours poster to see how our values translate to the behaviours we expect to see from each other.
Volunteer contribution celebrated at special event Our hospital volunteers held their first celebration event since 2020 to mark and recognise their contribution to the Trust. It was a chance to thank our volunteers and acknowledge the varied roles they undertake, and to celebrate the receipt of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service which the group were honoured to receive in June 2022. Chris Morley, Chief Nurse, and Annette Laban, Trust Chair, both spoke of the great value volunteers bring to the organisation. The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Sioned-Mair Richards, presented special pin badges to each volunteer bearing the Queen’s Award emblem. A raffle was held in support of Sheffield Hospitals Charity, which raised £325 and included donated gifts from a variety of local companies. Volunteers give their time freely for the benefit of our patients and it is wonderful to be able to thank them with an enjoyable evening of celebration. Page 3 • Link - Autumn 2022
Successful launch of stroke video triage
New purpose-built surgical unit for Royal Hallamshire
Stroke Video Triage has been launched across Sheffield and Doncaster after gaining funding from NHS England.
An new multi-million pound unit for elective orthopaedic surgery is being created at the Hallamshire Hospital to help with the recovery work we need to catch up.
The Video Triage Pilot was launched in August and involves providing a new pre-hospital treatment video triage tool, for suspected stroke patients who receive treatment from the Ambulance service.
While RHH currently delivers some lower limb replacement and soft tissue surgery, the majority of elective orthopaedics surgery is currently delivered at the Northern General.
An app enables paramedics at the scene to initiate a video call with stroke clinicians at the Hyper-Acute Stroke Unit (HASU) at either the Royal Hallamshire or Doncaster Royal Infirmary who can support and document details.
Case study: An ambulance crew on scene with a 66-yearold man with a sudden onset of confusion and word finding difficulties were able to initiate a video call with a stroke clinician. The call lasted 10 minutes and provided a good video connection. The clinician was able to assess the symptoms and determine that it was not confusion but expressive and receptive dysphasia (language difficulties) and that the patient was a candidate for Thrombolysis (‘clot busting’ treatment) and should be transferred urgently to hospital. The ambulance crew arrived at the hospital with the patient 1 hour 36 minutes after the initial call was made to 999. When the patient arrived at the hospital they were taken straight for a scan and received Thrombolysis treatment 37 minutes after arrival.
The new unit will enable more types of specialist surgery – such as lower limb replacement, foot and ankle, and shoulder and knee surgeries to move across to the new unit based on Q Floor, with emergency, trauma care (including spinal) and limb reconstruction remaining at the Northern General. Due to open in April 2023 after a major refurbishment, the unit will cover the whole of Q floor and include: • An admission and day case ward with 16 beds • 4 laminar flow theatres with 8 recovery bays • A 27 bed inpatient ward • A 3 bed Enhanced Care Unit (ECU) within the inpatients ward • Therapy treatment rooms and equipment storage This will mean patients can be admitted, have their operation, recover, and be discharged from one location, without the need to be moved to other floors. The unit will allow more procedures to be delivered and reduce the length of stay after surgery. Kirsten Major, Chief Executive, said:
“This is a major investment in the way we deliver orthopaedic surgery across the Trust. The facility is already taking shape and I am incredibly excited to see it welcoming patients when it opens in 2023. "The unit will house its own theatres, recovery and inpatients wards, meaning a better experience and less disruption for patients, as they won’t need to be move floors before and after their operation. “For staff, this offers a brand-new facility to deliver the best possible care and smooth running of services. It will come with dedicated rest areas, lockers and changing space, as well as new offices. There is also a significant investment in training and development, with a dedicated training room and clinical educator, which will provide opportunity for career progression.”
Trust first in the world to order cutting edge Gamma Knife technology The Trust has become the first centre in the world to order the latest version of a cutting-edge machine for treating brain tumours and other brain conditions. The latest model of the Gamma Knife, called the Esprit, is due to be installed this year at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. The hospital is home to the National Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery which was the first and is the Page 4 • Link - Autumn 2022
largest centre for gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery in the UK. Gamma Knife technology uses a focused array of intersecting beams of carefully measured gamma radiation to target lesions in the brain with sub-millimetre precision, meaning that there is less risk of damage to surrounding healthy tissue and thus fewer side effects for patients.. Paula Hunter, of Rotherham, underwent Gamma Knife treatment after being diagnosed with a meningioma (a type of brain tumour). Due to the location of the tumour, traditional surgery to remove it was too risky. Paula said: “The Gamma Knife has saved my life. I was diagnosed during the Covid lockdown, which was scary, but you would
not have known it. The care could not have been better, I was looked after from the moment I walked into the unit and the precare, and the aftercare have helped me get through to where I am now."
Ward wedding blessing enables mother-of-the-bride to share in special day A bride who feared her elderly mother would not be able to see her get married due to being admitted to hospital was able to share the special moment with her after staff arranged for a ceremony to take place on the ward. Tracey O’Brien and her husband Anthony O’Brien got married at Gretna Green on 24 August, but nearly cancelled when Tracey’s mum, Barbara Muggeridge, 79, of Sheffield, was admitted to the Northern General Hospital with a fractured hip, meaning she couldn’t be there for the big day. But staff on the Huntsman 5 ward arranged for a wedding blessing and dedication to take place by Barbara’s bedside the very next day, and Tracey and Anthony were able to make the dash down from Gretna Green for a unique second celebration. The couple, who live near Reading, wore their wedding finery and hospital Chaplain Reverend Louise Yaull conducted the ceremony in the presence of the ward staff. The occasion was complete with flowers, wedding decorations and cake.
The happy couple with Barbara and Hunstman 5 ward staff Tracey said: “We want to pass on our thanks and appreciation of all staff involved in a very special moment. The efforts made on our behalf were simply top drawer. “It was very sad not to have mum with us on the day and at one point we nearly cancelled. However, to have our rings blessed the next day was like another mini wedding. “Liz Walls (Ward Support Facilitator) did so much organisation for this to happen and we cannot praise her enough. You have an amazing crew! Thank you so much for such an amazing memory and mending my beloved mother with such expert care and skill.”
Celebrating Onam Festival Members of staff including some of our international nurses gathered in the Osborn Dining Room to celebrate the Onam Festival. Onam is an annual Indian harvest festival and is the biggest festival in the Indian state of Kerala. It takes place during August to September. Food was enjoyed and some of our nurses shared their experiences of celebrating Onam.
Dad praises care after wife almost gives birth in the back of the car Phil Bessant, from Ecclesfield, has praised the care his wife received at the Northern General Hospital and Jessop Wing after his wife, Kathryn, went into quick labour in the back of their car.
Wing so that we could get transferred to the maternity unit.” An ambulance took Kathryn directly to the Jessop Wing where she was checked over again by the Midwifery team. “Everything was really straight forward from there. The midwives at the Jessop Wing told us to take our time, have a shower and gave us some tea and toast. The whole birth took place in about two hours, so it was rather a shock but we could not have asked for better care.”
When Kathryn began displaying signs of labour Phil rang the Jessop Wing in the morning and they advised the couple to make their way to hospital. But within 10 minutes it became apparent that the labour was happening a lot quicker than expected. Phil and Kathryn were driving past the Northern General Hospital when Kathryn started feeling the urge to push. Phil said: “I drove straight towards the A&E Department at the Northern General and there was just enough time for Kathryn to dive on to a trolley and we were wheeled straight through to Resus where they had an empty bay.” Within six minutes Kathryn had given birth to baby boy, Joseph, in the A&E Department.
“I know that they don’t get many births in the A&E Department, but everything was perfect. There were loads of staff around with plenty of warm towels on hand and the medical team were all great in keeping us informed about what was happening. “Once Joseph was born and everybody was happy with how they were both doing, the consultant made a phone call to the Jessop
By 10am, Kathryn, Phil and baby Joseph were all back home with their other son Evan, and the family are all doing well. “I’m eternally grateful to all the staff in A&E and Jessop Wing for caring for my wife and delivering our new son safely and to Joe and his team at Yorkshire Ambulance for their assistance. I am incredibly grateful for the wonderful NHS care we received and I am also very grateful that I didn’t have to deliver our baby in the back of the car!” Page 5 • Link - Autumn 2022
Secret garden underway… We are delighted to announce that work on our second and biggest outdoor health and well-being area is now firmly underway. The Sheffield Hospitals Charity Secret Garden Project, located just off the Vickers Corridor will offer staff and patients an outdoor sanctuary at the heart of the Northern General Hospital.
which has proven hugely beneficial to staff.” Once complete the charity will be looking for keen gardeners to help support the ongoing development of the garden, if you are interested in being a part of this then email charity@shct.nhs.uk.
Gareth Aston CEO Sheffield Hospitals Charity said “It is great to see the building work moving on this vital space for staff to spend time outdoors. The Secret Garden comes off the back of the charity’s refurbishment of the Western Park Cancer Hospital roof top garden,
City taxi thank you NHS Ball – a night to remember We would like to thank everyone who attended and supported our inaugural Gala Ball. It was incredible for us to see the love and support from so many who gathered to give thanks to our wonderful NHS Staff.
talents of Sheffield’s very own Dan Walker.
We raised a staggering £140,000 from the evening, with guests enjoying performances from Martin Kemp, the culinary delights of Jean-Christophe Novelli and the hosting
Throughout the evening a range of awards were presented to staff recognising the efforts, sacrifices and resilience of some incredible teams and individuals.
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Funds raised from the event will go to the Sheffield Hospitals Charity “We’ve Got You” Campaign, dedicated to support the mental health and well being of our NHS staff across the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.
Sheffield United new signing Sheffield Hospitals Charity are honoured to have been selected as an official charity partner of Sheffield United Football Club. The new partnership will provide a vital opportunity to raise awareness and funds. Sam Earnshaw, Head of Corporate Partnership and Major Giving at Sheffield Hospitals Charity, said “We are truly thankful for the opportunity to help spread the message of the charity across the city and what better way to do this than through United, a huge influence on the region” Dave McCarthy, Head of Operations for Sheffield United, said: “Sheffield United has always been supportive of local good causes and it was only right that we give back to our amazing NHS.”
Support for your financial wellbeing We know that the current cost of living crisis is tough and that no-one is unaffected by it.
• Ask Bill - Free and impartial help on how to save money on utilities i.e water and energy. www.askbill.org.uk
We care about our staff and patients and want to do all we can to support you. We have various schemes and partnerships in place offering support and advice to help you. These include:
• MoneyHelper Service – NHS staff can get free and impartial help on sorting out debts, credit questions and pensions guidance. Call their support line on 0800 448 0826
• Salary sacrifice - Spread the cost of goods and services from home and electronics to bikes and gym memberships over a set period of time with deductions direct from your salary. Visit www.vivup.co.uk
• Salary Finance - Provides a wide range of financial education resources and tools including a budget planner, savings calculator and financial fitness calculator. home.salaryfinance.com/ sheffieldteachingtrust
• Staff discounts - There are a range of discounts available including e-vouchers for less than face value from lots of well known retailers including Supermarkets. Visit www.vivup.co.uk • Sheffield Credit Union - Not-for-profit organisation offering savings and low cost affordable loans with deductions directly from your salary. www.sheffieldcreditunion.com
The Communications team have put together a handy guide with loads of discounts, health and well being support and money support. Visit www.sth.nhs.uk/work-for-us/ staff-benefits to download a copy or contact Angus.laird@nhs.net for a printed copy.
The STH Health and Wellbeing team is here to help you. To find out more about the support available: Email: sth.staffengagement@nhs.net Visit the Staff Health and Wellbeing site available from the front page of the STH intranet Follow @STH_Wellbeing on Twitter
A day in the life of… a Living Transplant Donor Coordinator For Organ Donation Week Living Transplant Donor Coordinator Debbie Douglas gave us an insight into what this vital role involves.
perform tests for people whose loved one lives in another town and vice versa. If a donor is unable to give a kidney directly to their loved one due to blood incompatibility, they can be entered into a national kidney sharing scheme to potentially find a better match. It Is part of my role to ensure they are enrolled and then work with the other centres involved if they are matched. This can result in up to three transplants all happening on the same day.
I am privileged to work with potential living kidney donors. These are people willing to offer a kidney to a loved one, friend or complete stranger. We receive multiple calls and messages from people expressing an interest in becoming a kidney donor. I complete a referral form and take a brief medical history. If there are no obvious problems they will then be contacted by our practitioner to have initial testing. This includes various blood and urine tests, chest x-ray, a heart tracing and blood pressure and weight check. If these tests are passed the donor will have an appointment for a nurse consultation. I explain the pathway to donation, the tests, surgery, risks and recovery. The potential donor is our priority and we must be as certain as possible that they will not be put at risk by donating a kidney. Alternate weeks I attend an x-ray meeting where I am involved in discussing the donor's scan results. I am jointly responsible for preparing the agenda and inviting the multidisciplinary team members. This is where the decision will be made that everyone is happy that the donor is healthy enough, physically and psychologically, to give a kidney.
When this process is complete, we have the day of the operation. This is a very busy and exciting day for all the team. There is a clinic every Wednesday with a varied mix of patients. The potential donors attend for further tests including a scan of the kidneys. They are examined by both a surgeon and nephrologist and I sit in during the consultations. There will be previous donors in the clinic having follow up check-ups and potential donors attending to be given their results and decision on whether they can donate. I also have a nurse led clinic weekly where I telephone previous donors for an annual review. They remain under our care for life. A large part of my role is liaising with other services such as psychology and making referrals to various agencies. I work closely with coordinators in other hospitals as we can
I will see the donor the night before surgery and again on the morning and check all is well before attending the theatre briefing. When they are safely asleep I prepare equipment ready for the removal of the kidney. The kidney is examined by the surgeons and perfused with special fluid, then I carefully pack it into a box of ice. This is a special moment and I always feel quite emotional as I complete the paperwork and send the kidney off to its new owner. I will speak to the families throughout the day to reassure them all is well and visit the donor as they wake up. I never forget that these people have undergone this operation to better the life of another. For more information about organ donation, visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk Page 7 • Link - Autumn 2022
Latest treatments improve quality of life for patients with incurable genetic condition Patients with a rare, progressive and incurable genetic condition that causes muscle weakness and movement problems are able to access novel treatments that can control the condition and improve their quality of life thanks to a new specialist service. The Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) service at the Trust is the leading one of its kind in the UK for adult patients, who have been among
the first in the country to benefit from new drug treatments on the NHS. The drugs, called Nusinersen and Risdiplam, can stabilise and improve the condition which would otherwise get worse over time. Previously there was no treatment and the care was focussed on symptom management. The Sheffield service was the first in the UK to treat adult patients with Risdiplam, which is taken orally every day, and one of the first to start Nusinersen in adult SMA patients, which is
given by lumbar puncture three times a year. The service was established in 2020 despite the significant challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. A ‘one-stop shop’ service model provides a single multi-disciplinary outpatient clinic where initial assessments and therapy can take place during the same visit, minimising hospital visits. Currently the service has 46 adult SMA patients on treatment, the highest of any UK centre currently.
Tess Daly, 33, of Sheffield, was the first adult in England to receive Risdiplam, which she has been taking daily since November 2020. Tess was diagnosed with SMA when she was 18 months old. The condition means she has never been able to walk or weight-bear.
CASE STUDY
Prior to Risdiplam becoming available, Tess’s condition had reached a point where she was struggling to do the things that she enjoyed. This included doing her make-up, which was particularly important for her because she is a social media influencer with 218,000 followers on her Instagram page where she posts about beauty, fashion and make-up. But since starting the Risdiplam treatment, she has noticed improvements in her strength and stamina which have enabled her to do start doing more for herself again, including her own make-up. She said: “The increased stamina means I can do it and still have the energy to do other things afterwards. Even if that was the only thing I got from this then I would feel like I have won the lottery.”
Sinead Corkery, 47, of York, was the first adult in the UK to receive nusinersen, beginning treatment in March 2020.
CASE STUDY
She said the treatment had been ‘life-changing’ and made her more confident and independent.
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“It has been incredible. Prior to the treatment I had lived my life with the very real risk of falling, often without warning and this was more likely when I was tired or had been doing a lot. This meant that I had to limit what I did and carefully choose where I put my energies. The risk of falling was always there and the repercussions would be at best embarrassing or frustrating and at worst painful and damaging. “Within a few months of starting treatment I felt more stable, more in control even when doing mundane tasks like standing brushing my teeth. I am still careful and mindful but it means that trying to avoid falls is no longer always the main thing on my mind all the time.”
Specialist service for rare blood disorder opens A new regional service for the treatment of Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP), a rare, life-threatening blood disorder, has opened at the Trust for patients across Yorkshire and Humber. The Haemophilia and Thrombosis Centre is one of nine specialist regional centres and 11 participating hospitals commissioned by NHS England to provide specialist treatment for TTP. TTP is an exceedingly rare and complex condition which can present as an acute life-threatening disorder requiring prompt diagnosis, early referral and effective immediate treatment led by a specialist in the condition. Kimberly Peters, 31 from Doncaster, was diagnosed with TTP in 2019 and was referred to the Haemophilia and Thrombosis Centre. She had symptoms including shortness of breath, cold sweats, fatigue, blood in her urine and bruising on her legs.
She said: “I was mortified when I found out that I had TTP. My mum had it when I was younger, so although I did have some awareness of the disorder, I was unsure what it would mean for myself.” She underwent Plasma Exchange Therapy, which is a life-saving procedure involving removing and replacing missing or damaged enzymes in the patient’s blood. “Following my Plasma Exchange, I continued to have follow-up treatment at the centre as an outpatient and thankfully I haven’t had a relapse since. The team have been fantastic and so reassuring. I keep in touch with them through regular check-ups but I’m now doing well and have since had a baby.” For more information about TTP or the referral pathway please contact the Haemophilia & Thrombosis Centre at sth. haemophiliacentre@nhs.net.
Research could mean improved quality of life for diabetes patients Researchers at the Trust are hopeful that diabetes patients suffering with neuropathic pain could benefit as a result of findings from the largest and longest ever neuropathic pain trial in the world. Diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) is caused by a type of nerve damage which may result in severe pain in the feet, legs and hands. Commonly described as a burning or electric shock-like sensation, it can be intractable and debilitating and affects up to a quarter of people with diabetes. The OPTION-DM trial, which was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), will inform future treatment guidelines, not only for neuropathic pain in diabetes patients, but chronic neuropathic
pain treatment in general. Current guidance recommends a choice of four drugs as initial treatment, however until now there has been little comparative evidence on which is best, or whether they should be combined. Trial findings demonstrated that all treatments provided similar pain reduction for patients, but that combination treatment, where needed, led to significantly better pain relief and improved quality of life. Professor Solomon Tesfaye, Research Director of Diabetes and Endocrinology, and Consultant Physician/ Endocrinologist, led the trial. He said: “This study has great potential to influence treatment guidelines not only in the UK, but across the world.”
Truly remarkable drug helps motor neurone disease patients Scientists believe a new genetically-targeted therapy to treat motor neurone disease (MND) could be a turning point for patient care, after the results of a Phase 3 clinical trial showed significant physical benefits for patients after 12 months. Researchers from the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) found that patients with a faulty SOD1 gene - responsible for two per cent of MND cases - noticed that the progression of their symptoms slowed down 12 months after taking the investigational drug tofersen and notable changes in patients’ motor function and lung function were reported. Sheffield was the only UK site involved in the research, which took place at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital’s NIHR Sheffield Clinical Research Facility. Clinicians and scientists hope that this is a first step towards a licensed therapy for MND patients. Professor Dame Pamela Shaw, Professor of Neurology and Director of SITraN, said: “I have conducted more than 25 MND clinical trials and the tofersen trial is the first trial in which patients have reported an improvement in their motor function. Never before have I heard patients say ‘I am doing things today that I couldn’t do a few months ago - walking in the house without my sticks, walking up the garden steps, writing Christmas cards’. For me this is an important treatment milestone." Page 9 • Link - Autumn 2022
Sheffield researchers win award for contribution to COVID-19 Research Two infectious diseases researchers have won an award for their contribution to COVID-19 Research. Pic l-r: Professor Diana Greenfield; Karen Jessop, Deputy Chief Nurse STH; research interns Rowan Waring, Andrea Sorsby, Mark Cassell, Vicki Middleton; Professor Laura Serrant, Regional Head of Nursing & Midwifery, Health Education England
Dr Thomas Darton and Dr Ruth Payne, who have led COVID-19 vaccine research at the Trust for the past two years, received the award at the National Institute for Health and Care
Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN) Yorkshire and Humber Research Awards. Their commitment to COVID-19 research has contributed to the availability of vaccines administered within the worldwide vaccination programme and has helped inform the booster programmes building immunity against the virus and its variants.
First research interns graduate The first cohort of nurses and an allied health professional have graduated from an internship programme which offers them the opportunity to take the first step into clinical research. The Nurse, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional (NMAHP) Research Internship Programme is a partnership between the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Sheffield Clinical Academic Training Programme. It offers professionals who may traditionally have had limited opportunities to be involved in research the chance to undertake a 12-month research project within their area of clinical practice, with clinical academic supervision and mentorship. The graduates and their research projects were: •M ark Cassell, Emerging Nurse Consultant in Infectious diseases, Infection and Immunity Services: Blood borne virus screening in community drug treatment services - access, engagement and linkage to care. •A ndrea Sorsby, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Lung, Specialised Cancer Services: Are certain ethnic groups less likely to be treated for lung cancer within our region? •R owan Waring, Community Nurse Team Leader, Community Nursing Services: Health coach training in community nursing – understanding the opportunities and barriers. •V icki Middleton, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, Spinal Injuries Unit: Development of a holistic physical activity promotion and knowledge dissemination programme for spinal cord injury patients. Ultimately it is intended that the research work can feed into clinical practice, and that the graduates will be prepared for the next stage of a clinical academic career and to provide peer support for future interns. Page 10 • Link - Autumn 2022
Freedom to Speak Up October was national Speak Up Month. The theme for 2022 was Freedom to Speak Up for Everyone with a focus each week on the impact Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) can bring for safety, civility, and inclusion.
and listening well supports equality, inclusion, and diversity.
• Speak Up for Safety
• Speak Up for Everyone
Speaking up is a gift, it gives an opportunity for improvement, for the benefit of people who use our services and our colleagues who work in them.
• Speak Up for Civility Working together and treating everyone with respect makes for a great place to work and better outcomes for those who use our services.
• Speak Up for Inclusion We all have a voice that counts. Speaking up
Find out more about FTSU at STH, including a list of our Guardians and Advocates, the FTSU Policy and our FTSU Charter by going to the Freedom to Speak Up intranet page.
Maggie Porteous, Non-Executive Director and Lead for FTSU says: “Everyone at STH should feel able to speak up, and we want to make speaking up business as usual regardless of job role, background or circumstance. Listening and acting upon matters raised means that Freedom to Speak Up will help us be the best place to work.”
Get your Autumn Covid19 booster and flu jabs The NHS autumn covid booster vaccination rollout has begun, and as health and social care workers, all STH staff are eligible to get the autumn booster which is available on site.
Vaccine hubs are available at Royal Hallamshire, Old Boardroom, A Floor, T uesday to Friday 07:40-19:00 and Northern General, Chesterman Entrance, Coffee Shop, Tuesday to Friday 07:40-19:00.
Flu vaccinations can be administered at the same time.
You can also walk into the Sheffield NHS Vaccination Centre, Longley Lane, next door to the Northern General Hospital anytime between 8am -7pm Tuesday to Saturday for all Covid-19 vaccines.
All staff should have received an email with a link to book your jabs, so please make sure that you book as soon as possible.
Long serving Nurse Director retires Jane Hopkins, Nurse Director for the Medicine and Pharmacy Services Care Group, will be greatly missed as she retires after 40 years of service. Jane has spent her entire career working in Medical Services, setting high standards of care and developing clinical leaders of the future. Amongst her many achievements, Jane was shortlisted for the Nurse Manager of the Year title in the prestigious Nursing Times Workforce Awards in 2020.
New Non-Executive Director joins the Trust Gul Nawaz Hussain KC has joined the Trust board as a Non-Executive Director.
Jane Hopkins delivers the first Covid-19 vaccine at STH Chris Morley, Chief Nurse at the Trust, said: “I have been lucky enough to work with Jane through most of my career, she continually strived to innovate and provide compassionate, high quality nursing care to our patients. She has developed countless nurses over the years, including me, and I would like to thank her for all her contributions over the last 40 years.”
Born and raised in Sheffield, Gul is a practicing barrister of over 20 years standing. He was the first Sheffield-based barrister to be appointed Queen’s Counsel (QC) in the city for over 15 years. Gul also sits as a Legally Qualified Chair for the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, which acts as the tribunal service for UK doctors.
Enhanced Care Unit shortlisted for top nursing award The Enhanced Care Unit (ECU) has been shortlisted for a 2022 Nursing Times Award for excellence in Theatre and Surgical Nursing. The ECU, a high dependency unit for surgical patients, was established at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic to accommodate for the rising number of patients requiring monitored beds that would previously have been sent to critical care. The ECU aims to improve quality of care for patients with monitoring, treatment or care needs which are greater than those on normal wards but are not expected to require critical care. Before the unit was established, many patients were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit due to there being no other alternative to monitor their conditions. The introduction of the ECU has therefore reduced the number of patient admissions
to Intensive Care, improved quality of care and reduced long waits or cancellation of inpatient surgery. Professor Chris Morley, Chief Nurse at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This recognition is a testament to the hard work of the multi-disciplinary team across the ECU and the positive impact they have had on the way we deliver care. The unit has provided crucial support to our teams over the last two years, easing pressure on both general wards and the Intensive Care Unit and championing the delivery of safe, patientcentered care.”
Appointment of Deputy Medical Director Charlie Elliot has become Deputy Medical Director. Charlie has been a Respiratory consultant and Pulmonary Hypertension specialist in the Trust for 15 years and was Clinical Director of Respiratory Medicine 2016 to 2020. Every possible care has been taken to ensure that the information given in this publication is accurate. Whilst the publisher would be grateful to learn of any errors, it cannot accept any liability over and above the cost of the advertisement for loss there by caused. No reproduction by any method whatsoever of any part of this publication is permitted without prior written consent of the copyright owners. Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd. ©2022. Rossington Hall, Great North Road, Doncaster DN11 0HR Tel: 01302 714528 Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has not vetted the advertisers in this publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any advertiser. Nor does Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust endorse any of the products or services.
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Refurbishments
estimating@pacy-wheatley.co.uk Page 20 • Link - Autumn 2022
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Sheffield Children’s Hospital Refurbishment
Client: Sheffield Children’s Hospital Sector: Healthcare Type: Refurbishment Procurement Method: Tender Location: Sheffield Project Value: £3.5 million
Project Description:
A 12-month refurbishment project of Ward 6 at the Sheffield Children’s Hospital creating a newly transformed Cancer and Leukaemia ward. This involved a complete strip out taking the building back to a concrete shell. We also built an extension at the back of the ward to form new doctor office with kitchens and places for the staff to relax on their breaks, In the new ward area we created ensuite bespoke bedrooms, interactive playrooms, school rooms and more for the children, to make the stay as comfortable as possible. Around the back of the hospital in between 3 building we manufactured and installed a steel mezzanine plant deck at roof level, on this 2 new AHU and 2 new chillers were built servicing all ward 6 and the ED department sending fresh filtered air in the ensuites. Our works included new mechanical and electrical installations, new partitioning and ceilings, replacement of all external windows on the entire hospital and roof coverings, all the joinery in the bedrooms was bespoke making the new rooms bright and welcoming, it is now a more comfortable place to stay.
The Solution:
Working a tricky shaped building can sometimes cause problems, luckily our teams knew how to solve problems quickly so as not to cause any hold ups. Biggest issue was the size of the void above the ceiling and fitting the vast ducts up there whilst also getting electrics and pipe work underneath, all the teams working hand in hand, so they all had enough space. The design and build steel plant deck at roof level connects to three different building on four different elevations. The steel had to be crane lifted over the roof of the main hospital building and assembled from a crash deck in the void between all four buildings. This deck had to be designed and installed in phases this was subject to road closure restrictions to the main road in front of the hospital and the installation was completed while operations continued in all four of the adjacent hospital buildings.
Testimonial:
Project was very successful, work was done to the scheduled program and completed with respect to the hospital’s requirements. A safe and welcoming safe space was created for the children, along with quiet and calming space for the parents and staff.
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Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Tel: 0800 0857 857 Email: john.campbell16@nhs.net Facebook: Unison Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Twitter: @unisonSTH
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