NUH Together Issue 3

Tiffany Jones

Director of Communications and Engagement

Tiffany.Jones@nuh.nhs.uk

Suzie O’Neill

Deputy Director of Communications and Engagement

Suzanne.O’Neill@nuh.nhs.uk

Grace Dawson PA to the Director and Deputy Director of Communications and Engagement Grace.Dawson@nuh.nhs.uk

Rosie Huckle

Head of Communications and Engagement - Tomorrow’s NUH Rosie.Huckle@nuh.nhs.uk

Tina Reid

Awards and Recognition Manager Tina.Reid@nuh.nhs.uk

Natalie Hewing Communications Co-ordinator Natalie.Hewing@nuh.nhs.uk

Gill Turton Communications Manager Gill.Turton@nuh.nhs.uk

Catherine Hancock Communications Manager Catherine.Hancock@nuh.nhs.uk

Karen Shale Communications Officer Karen.Shale@nuh.nhs.uk

Sophie Collings Communications Officer Sophie.Collings@nuh.nhs.uk

Craig Stanley Communications Officer Craig.Stanley@nuh.nhs.uk

Adam Bull Communications Manager (Digital Services) Adam.Bull@nuh.nhs.uk

Rachel Kouijzer

Recruitment Communications Officer

Rachel.Kouijzer@nuh.nhs.uk

Nancy Smith-Mitsch

Digital Communications Lead Nancy.SmithMitsch@nuh.nhs.uk

James Stephenson Graphic Designer James.Stephenson@nuh.nhs.uk

Charlotte Andrews Digital Communications Officer Charlotte.Andrews@nuh.nhs.uk

Contents

Introduction

Our Chief Executive Anthony May 3

Improved Children and Young People Department re-opened with new and improved facilities 4

Awards spotlight

The BAME Wig Project 5

Tomorrow’s NUH How our hospitals could look in the future 7&8

150000th COVID-19 Vaccination A look back over our hospital’s history 9

Fostering the next generation of health workers Thousands get a scan sooner thanks to innovative project 10

Making improvements Meet Nick Carver, new chair of NUH Trust 11

Larsen’s Pride Donating soft toys in memory of 5-year-old Larsen Roberts 13

WW2 Vet “Get me out of here, I’m a celebrity!” Getting 89-year-old World War II veteran home for remembrance day 14

Team NUH Awards 2022 Announcing the winners of this years Team NUH Awards 15&16

Recognising 50 Years of Service Divisional Nurse Sharon Saunders retires after 41 years 17

Tribute to The Queen Nottingham is one of seven Trusts piloting an AI tool 19&20

First 500 patients Helping pioneering research into brain tumors 21

Helping to prevent future blood infections Nottingham leads the way on Covid-19 research project 22

Free vitamins for parents-to-be Nottingham Hospitals Charity helps get blood supplies on board the Air Ambulance 23

Nottingham Hopsitals Charity news The latest Charity news 25&26

Ward Round A glance at what’s been happening across our hospitals 27&28

Introduction from our Chief Executive

Dealing with Winter Pressures

Since joining the Trust at the beginning of September I have seen the excellence, passion and commitment of our staff who keep our hospitals running, and serving our diverse local population.

In recent months our hospital services have been operating under the kind of pressure that we would normally only see in the most difficult winter periods. As we get further into winter, continuing to provide the best care possible will require new ways of working, looking after our staff and informing people about what health options are available.

One of my key priorities is ensuring the timely discharging of patients from our hospitals. This is not only important in terms of freeing up bed space and capacity but can also improve health outcomes and overall wellbeing for people. Through measures such as the introduction of Virtual Wards we are able to support patients who would otherwise be in hospital and instead provide them with the acute personalised care, monitoring and treatment they need within their own home. We are also improving training for our staff on discharging patients, standardising the criteria and sharing best practice across all our wards. Our new Integrated Discharge and Transfer Hubs also enable us to work better with our partners.

Maintaining staffing levels is also essential during this period. We often see an increased level of staff absences during this time which is why we have sought to build resilience in our workforce with our winter vaccination campaign. This has included incentives such as drink vouchers for every staff member who got a flu jab and I am pleased to say we have seen a very large uptake. We are also acutely aware how the cost of living crisis is impacting our

staff and we are supporting them through this with subsidised meals, discounted transport offers, as well as Staff Finance which provides advice and support.

Finally, we will continue to promote all the healthcare options that are available to people. If you need medical care or advice that is urgent but not an immediate, then NHS 111 advisors can tell you the best place to be seen quickly. Likewise, there is the Urgent Treatment Centre on London Road which is an alternative to attending

our Emergency Department for life threatening injury and illness that needs treating straight away.

Using the correct services not only helps free up our capacity but also ensures you have shorter waits for the care you need.

I would like to thank the continued support of our patients, visitors, staff and partners as we work through this period.

Anthony May Chief Executive

Anthony May, Chief Executive

Improved Children and Young People’s Emergency Department is Re-opened

We are proud that the Children and Young People’s Emergency Department re-opened in October 2022 with new and improved facilities that will expand our capacity and improve the quality of care people receive.

We have invested £3.5 million into improving the facilities, creating two new dedicated children and young people’s resuscitation cubicles, expanding our clinical space by 50 percent and creating new waiting areas, which includes a separate adolescent waiting area. There is now a dedicated ambulance entrance and separate main entrance specifically for children and young people. There are also plans for a new mental health space in the spring.

One of the first patients when it re-opened was three-year-old Iris who was there for an X-ray on her hand. Her mother Cristina, said; “We had a very good experience at the re-opened emergency department. The environment looks great with the new artwork on the walls and my daughter was very content playing with the toys in the waiting area. I would like to thank the staff who looked after us that day for all their help.”

Over 45,000 children or young people go through our emergency department every year.

Colin Gilhooley Clinical Lead Consultant for Children and Young People said “We are extremely grateful for the support of colleagues in increasing the capacity and the department’s ability to look after Children and Young People. “

“This has been alongside a phenomenal investment in medical staff and increased consultant hours to help the department to care for the severely unwell and injured children in the East Midlands region.”

“At NUH we know how valuable investing in improvements to our spaces is and hope this meets the needs of people that use our hospitals”

Jess Southwood, Catherine Livingston and Kayleigh Dawson

Awards spotlight…

Maintaining Patient Dignity – The BAME Wig Project

The BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) Shared Governance Council was formed in 2018 to assist us in supporting patients and staff from a BAME background to improve patient outcomes and staff experience.

The council soon recognised the need for providing appropriate wigs for BAME cancer patients who have experienced alopecia following chemotherapy treatment.

Having received feedback about the emotional trauma associated with hair loss, the council wanted to help, resulting in an innovative BAME wig project.

Initially, the project was for patients from a minority ethnic background only, but it has now expanded to all patients suffering from alopecia. The intention is to share the practice regionally, nationally and internationally.

The project was also shortlisted for two awards at the 2022 Patient Experience Network National Awards, which recognises best practice in patient experience across all facets of health and social care in the UK.

Aquiline Chivinge MBE, Michelle Rhodes, Paula Edwards, Onyinye Enwezor BEM, Rose Thompson

How our hospitals could look in the future

Nottingham University Hospitals is set to receive significant government investment through the New Hospital Programme that will allow us to radically improve both the Queen’s Medical Centre and the City Hospital environments, as well as changing where and how some services are delivered, by the end of the decade. We call this transformation Tomorrow’s NUH.

Earlier in the year, we worked with the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (formerly the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group) to carry out further engagement with our local communities about the Tomorrow’s NUH proposals, and 78 percent of the nearly 2,000 participants were supportive of our plans. We’re building on the feedback we received, and are planning a full public consultation in 2023.

Tomorrow’s NUH is all about improving the impact of treatments on patients’ overall health, working more effectively with local health and care partners to deliver healthcare services more efficiently, and improving both patients’ experience of receiving care and the experience of the more than 17,000 staff who work in our hospitals.

There are some specific things we would like to do:

1. Create a brand-new, state-of-the-art hospital for women, children and families at the Queen’s Medical Centre – the first of its kind in the East Midlands.

2. Enhance the way we manage the care of patients in an emergency by increasing the breadth of emergency care we provide at the Queen’s Medical Centre.

Tomorrow’s

NUH

Investing in our future

3. Develop best-in-class cancer services across both our main hospital sites and in the community.

4. Create a centre of excellence at the City Hospital for elective (planned) care.

5. Transform outpatient services to provide patients with high quality care at the right time in the right place.

Find out more about our proposals and how you can get involved at www.nuh.nhs.uk/tomorrows-nuh

Enabling works about to start at the National Rehabilitation Centre site

The National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) is a new 70 bed NHS clinical rehabilitation facility set to be built on the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate near Loughborough and operated by Nottingham University Hospitals.

It has the potential to be truly transformative, since it will bring together research, development, commercial innovation, training and education under one roof, alongside the delivery of clinical rehabilitation. We are working with an academic partnership led by the University of Nottingham and Loughborough University to achieve this.

The Final Business Case has now been submitted and is going through the final approvals process, and earlier this year we appointed IHP – a joint venture between Vinci Construction UK and Sir Robert McAlpine – as our main construction partner.

IHP is about to start early enabling works on site to prepare for construction to start in the new year, The NRC should be open to patients by the end of 2024. The building has been designed to be net zero carbon, in line with the wider Greener NHS pledge to be the world’s first net zero national health service.

Find out more and track our progress at www.nationalrehabilitationcentre.nhs. uk. You can also follow us on Twitter (@NRCrehabUK) and LinkedIn.

150,000th COVID-19 Vaccination

Congratulations to all the staff at our Vaccination Hub who hit a significant milestone with the 150,000th Covid vaccination.

Dulip Jayasinghe, a Consultant in Neonatal Services, was fortunate enough to receive his Covid booster at the end of September which was the 150,000th Covid vaccine that our team had administered.

Reaching 150,000 Covid vaccines is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the hard work of staff, the teams working operationally behind the scenes, those who have retrained to help and the many volunteers who we could not deliver this programme without.

The Covid vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and others. Research has shown the vaccines help:

• Reduce your risk of getting seriously ill or dying from Covid

• Reduce your risk of catching or spreading Covid

• Protect against Covid variants

It is very important that the public take up an offer of an Autumn Booster as this is a chance for the most vulnerable members of our communities to top up their protection ahead of winter.

We know Covid-19 will be co-circulating with flu this winter and this could cause excess hospital admissions and illness.

We also know that this vaccination provides dual protection against Covid-19 and the Omicron strain, which means that it is very effective in protecting the public from the virus. We would strongly advise eligible people to come forward and top up their protection.

Dulip Jayasinghe, a Consultant in Neonatal Services

Fostering the next generation of health workers

Earlier this year Djanogly City Academy and the Medicine Division at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust signed a Twinning Partnership Agreement to develop a wider understanding of healthcare issues and promote careers in health, medical sciences and care industries.

Following this NUH were pleased to welcome 16 year old Abdulrahman Alsahar to come do a work placement at Queen’s Medical Centre.

Abdulrahman started his studies at the Djanogly Academy on Gregory Boulevard in November 2020, having arrived in the UK with his family as a Syrian refugee. Abdulrahman did not speak English on arrival but has since learned it and is set to do his GCSEs next year. He has ambitions to be a Doctor and help people.

NUH organised a work placement to support him and others and throughout his placement at the Queen’s Medical Centre, Abdulrahman learned how to take blood samples, visited patients in the hospital and got involved in training sessions.

“I took this placement because I have wanted to be a Doctor for as long as I can remember. During my placement I accompanied a number of Consultants on

their ward rounds and it was so revealing to see how they work to make people better. The most fun activity for me was the training sessions like venepuncture, learning how to take blood samples by practicing on prosthetic arms.”

Medicine Division Director at NUH, Mark Simmonds, said: “Working in the health and social care sector is an extremely rewarding career. Every role, whether it is

clinical or non-clinical plays a vital role in making a difference to patients, service users and families and carers. Education is also key to promoting healthier lives. Through the links Djanogly City Academy has in the wider Nottingham community we will be able to better inform people about keeping themselves safe and healthy and how best to access healthcare services.”

Abdulrahman Alsahar, learning how to take blood samples

Making improvements across our hospitals

We are making improvements across our hospitals, in response to feedback from our staff and our regulators. We have put all of this information into a plan, which is articulated through our ‘Improvement Triangle’.

We have published ‘Our NUH’ the second edition of a magazine for sharing information and progress on these improvements.

Here are just a few of the improvements happening across our hospitals….

Improving how our staff

travel to work

We know car parking on our sites can be very difficult. With around 2,700 spaces and almost 18,000 staff, we are never going to be able to give a car parking space to everyone who wants one, and we also have to ensure our patients can access our services. However, what we can do is improve how we use the spaces and how we distribute parking permits.

We installed automatic number plate recognition software, to improve our understanding of parking habits, so that we will be able to allocate more than the 6,500 permits to our staff.

Over a quarter of staff responded to surveys about the new permit allocation process, helping us design an application system that fits as best as possible their priorities.

Whilst we have been working on the new process for car parking on site, there are lots of other ways to get to work that we have been exploring expanding too. We have been working on improving car parking off-site, improving the Medilink service which is free for staff as well as offers and discounts on other transport options such as tram, train and buses as well as a Cycle to Work Scheme.

We continue to work with our partners at the City Council and Community Transport for Nottingham to monitor and improve our Medilink service. Earlier this year we introduced:

• Buses every 10 minutes throughout the day

• Extra buses between Wilkinson Street and QMC between 6:30am and 7:05am

• New early morning journeys introduced between City Hospital and QMC from 4:50am

• New early morning journeys introduced between Queens Drive Park & Ride, QMC and City Hospital from 5:00am

• New evening journeys with final buses from both QMC and City Hospital departing at 9pm

• New stops introduced along the route including Leonard Avenue, North Gate and Clifton Bridge for easier connections to each hospital campus

• Contactless payments are now accepted to make payment easier for patients

• The introduction of three new bus stops to fill the gaps that have been requested for staff living in the New Basford and Sherwood area alongside access at Clifton Bridge.

We also have discounted bus, tram and train tickets and cycling schemes in place for staff to benefit from.

Other areas of improvement include making our Executive Team more visible across the organisation and improving the connect from ‘Trust Board to Ward’, and improving our work place culture.

You can read more about the improvement works by scanning the below QR code, or visiting our website.

Access to water

Access to water was a key theme in staff feedback and by staying hydrated, we are looking after our own wellbeing and health, boosting concentration and ensuring we give the best care to our patients.

In the next couple of months will be introducing 38 new communal bottle filling stations around the hospitals to make it easier for staff to get water.

The proposed stations are mains-connected and operate using sensors, creating a hygienic, touch-free way to get water. We have already identified locations for these stations and expect to have all of these in place by the middle of October.

she’d never have for Jade Crane. Monday 14 March.

Larsen’s Pride donate soft toys in memory of 5-year-old Larsen Roberts on his birthday

The family of a little boy who died with a brain tumour have delivered cuddly toys to seriously ill youngsters in Nottingham Children’s Hospital.

Mum Holly visited the paediatric neurooncology ward on what would have been Larsen’s 8th birthday, delivering a batch of Jellycats for children diagnosed with a brain tumour.

“Larsen wanted to be a zoo-keeper,” said Holly.

Throughout his treatment, his passion for animals helped to keep him distracted and engaged in learning.

“Although he was only four, we could often hear him watching David Attenborough documentaries from bed, teaching nurses about lions, tigers and sharks, and he didn’t go anywhere without his Jellycat snow tiger, Snowy.

“The soft big-cat toys felt like the obvious first project for the charity; they are born out of something Larsen loved; they represent the courage; and they bring comfort at the scariest of times.”

The family first donated Jellycats on Larsen’s birthday in September 2020 and went on to set up Larsen’s Pride, a charity with a mission to bring courage and comfort to children diagnosed with a brain tumour, to help improve their lives during treatment, and to raise awareness of brain tumours.

This year, the charity has raised enough money to supply Nottingham Children’s

150 Jellycats.

Larsen died at Christmas 2019.

“Most people assume Larsen died of his brain tumour - this is not entirely true,” said Holly. “Larsen died from the toxicity of the chemotherapy drugs he was treated with. Treatment is so cruel, there is no Calpol-chemotherapy, and our children need better.”

Larsen’s Pride works closely with health care practitioners and play specialists to develop clinical resources to allow children to be children, not just brain tumour patients.

The charity has recently commissioned an animation to support children in having radiotherapy without a general anaesthetic, which allows them to spend less time in hospital, at home, and in school.

“He loved all animals but was passionateparticularlyabout big cats.”

WWW.LARSENSPRIDE.CO.UK

World War II veteran

celebrity!”

An World War II veteran spent Remembrance Day at home – thanks to a pioneering initiative to ease the pressure on hospital beds.

Hospital at Home, commissioned and funded by NUH, allowed Caird to go home but remain under hospital care until a care package was in place. Caird received two one-hour visits a day from familiar staff for 14 days.Hospital at Home is one of a raft of new initiatives. One patient going home can free up several beds, relieving the pressure on the Emergency Department. Bev Brady is Lead Nurse in Clinical Care on Berman Ward 2 at City Hospital, a “transition ward” that bridges the gap between hospital and home.

“Sometimes, a chap would swing by and say ‘I’ve had a cancellation, do you fancy going up?’ and I’d say ‘boy do I ever!’ And then he’d do the loop-the-loop and the sky would become green for a few seconds before switching back to blue.”Caird praised the staff and the care he’d received but said he was looking forward to getting home.

“As much as he wanted to go home, he was feeling quite anxious,” said Lisa. “Having a familiar face is really important in easing the anxiety. I know him, I know what he likes. I’ve been on the ward with him and we’ve built up a rapport.”

Lisa Kelly, Chief Operating Officer at NUH, said: “We know that for recovery – both physically and psychologically – being out of hospital is best for patients, where they have their support networks and usual routines.”

Bev added: “It eases the pressure on the acute ward staff – and it eases the pressure on the Emergency Department.

“Potentially, you have freed up several beds by Caird going home; a patient in ED can go on to an assessment ward; a patient on an assessment ward can go to a base ward, and a patient can come here, taking the place of the patient who’s gone home. Back at Berman 2 and Caird made his way out, as staff waved and wished him well. Grinning from ear-to-ear, he told Lisa: “I feel like a celebrity!”

Dressed and waiting to go, Caird’s face broke into a wide smile when he saw Healthcare Assistant (HCA) Lisa, who was to deliver his homecare.

He wiggled his feet in his spotty red nonslip-soled socks “Do you like them? Would you like a pair?”

He chatted about his time in the RAF Education Department, recalling wistfully that poor eyesight prevented him becoming a pilot.

“Patients are desperate to go home,” said Bev. “People recover better when they are in their own environment and this allows them to do so while remaining under our care.”

“Get me out of here, I’m a

FeatureStory

Our Team NUH awards programme is open for nominations 365 days a year.

We are pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Team NUH Annual Awards, as well as our Volunteer of the Year.

Trust category – Joanna Fern, Digital Library Assistant

“Joanna handles calls when relatives are distressed above and beyond any professional expectation. She is extremely kind and compassionate and provides total care and compassion for each and every caller. She is inspiring to others and a perfect role model for those beginning their journey as a new employee in our team at NUH”

Empower category – BAME Ambassadors

“All BAME ambassadors have been working very hard to help the Trust with the BAME Strategy Project. They have been supportive by not only carrying out their own substantive roles along with their BAME ambassador role but also working in their own time. They are passionate and enthusiastic and this comes through in their everyday activity”

Ambitious category –Sarah Brand, Nursing Practice Development and Research Lead, Cancer and

“Sarah is the definition of ambition. Not only is she ambitious with her own workload but she helps others realise their ambitions too through her constant support to all who are fortunate enough to encounter her. In addition, her commitment to developing the research portfolio ensures patients are always offered additional opportunities to engage in research where possible”

Mindful category –Tabitha Rae, Staff Nurse, Radiology Angio/Interventional

“Tabitha is the absolute epitome of what a nurse should be. She is endlessly caring, always going the extra mile to ensure that patients are looked after to the very best of her ability. She understands when people might not be their best, and takes time to listen and console both patients and staff. By making time for everyone, listening and being compassionate, she embodies what it is to be mindful of others”

Nurturing category –Ami Wass, Facilities Team Leader, Cleaning

Services

“Ami will frequently go above and beyond for our patient groups. Nothing is too much trouble for her and our patients all benefit from her enthusiasm and commitment to excellent care. She frequently stays late and works extra shifts to ensure patients get what they need”

United category – Child Bereavement and Palliative Care Team

“This small team of dedicated nurses have worked hard over the last two years to provide tools that have empowered families to rebuild their lives. They have collaborated with many others to ensure families are supported and that wishes are heard and respected, regardless of culture, origin, background or beliefs”

Honest category –Sarah Henstock, Occupational Therapist

“Sarah puts our patients at the heart of all she does. She takes time to listen and inspires respect from those she works with. She is always supportive of the team, and is particularly skilled at supporting junior therapists and students to develop their skills and competency. She is insightful and open and honest about her own skills and strengths, and in all that she does”

Public Nominated category –Nikki Cotgreave-Keates, Fertility Sister, NUH Life

“Nikki is 100% on the fertility journey with you. She has provided such amazing support and always offers nothing but encouragement. She is so brilliant in giving people hope and confidence in themselves at such a sensitive and difficult time”

Volunteer of the Year category – Patricia Petman

“Patricia is absolutely passionate about the patient and staff experience and anything she can do to help and support this agenda. This includes taking part in Patient and People Experience Committees and always freely sharing her ideas about how we can improve things. She always proactively feeds back the patients voice from visiting wards and departments, ensuring all of our teams are recognised for the amazing work they do”

Did you know that both patients and staff can nominate someone for a Team NUH Award visit:www.nuh.nhs.uk/nominate-team-nuh or scan the QR code below

Recognising 50 Years of service to the NHS

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) is committed to recognising and celebrating staff members for their achievements and commitment to the Trust and NHS.

We recently relaunched celebratory events to recognise and award Long Service staff with an afternoon tea which brought together over 40 staff members celebrating 25, 35 or 40 years of NHS service, with more than 1200 years of NHS service between them!

Joan Fox however, has just retired after 50 years of NHS service, solely at the trust, so we put on a special event just for her, to recognise her phenomenal contribution.

Joan is originally from Durham and she came down to Nottingham to work as an Auxiliary Nurse, known today as a Healthcare Assistant, in 1972. By her own admission she originally took the role because she needed money for “a new three piece”.

Joan was based at City Hospital for 40 years before being moved to Queens Medical Centre and has worked on many different wards throughout her time. Reflecting on her working life, she said “I really enjoyed working at NUH because it was like a family. We knew everyone, had nights out and our team would often go on holiday together. For anyone thinking of working at NUH, do it. It is very rewarding seeing a patient come in poorly and walk out well. It is fantastic.”

Presenting Joan with a long service certificate and badge, Chief Executive Anthony May. said “People like Joan are the bedrock of this organisation. I have met a lot of Healthcare Assistants since starting at the trust and they know everything that is going on in the hospital. It is incredible to think about how many babies have been born here, how many people have been treated and how many Governments have come and gone during the 50 years Joan has worked here.”

Joan will be spending her retirement looking after her Grandsons.

“I want to say an enormous thank you to Joan on behalf of her colleagues, the whole Trust and the local community for everything she has done . ”

Joan Fox receiving her Long Service award

Tribute to The Queen

We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

Queen Elizabeth II was the longest serving monarch in British history, serving for more than 70 years. Throughout this time, Her Majesty earned the affection of generations here in the United Kingdom, across the Commonwealth and around the world. She was much loved and her contribution defies words.

We are incredibly proud of our own links to The Queen. It was 45 years ago that she opened the Queen’s Medical Centre in 1977, something we recently celebrated in her Platinum Jubilee year. Staff across the organisation shared their memories of that day and it is memories like these that will help people in the coming days.

Throughout The Queens’ reign many of our own staff were fortunate enough

to have met her, including Gill Godsell, a Consultant nurse in skin cancer and Heather Howe, who now works in Neurology as a Patient Pathway Administrator.

The Queen’s Entourage

As Her Majesty drew up outside the main entrance to the Medical School, almost 45 years ago, Heather Howe recalls how excited she felt.

“There was a line of people who the Queen shook hands with to say hello to. Then we started to show her around the building. I was there to support Professor Rex Coupland, the Medical School’s Foundation Professor in Human Morphology.” was 19-years-old when she was asked to be part of the Queen’s entourage.

She was so close, she took the photo you can see in this article! Heather was one of a small group who showed Her Majesty around the QMC when she opened it in July 1977:

“She was quite small, but very smiley. She stopped to talk to people. She wore a wide-brimmed hat, in turquoise and aqua. She was in a dress suit, with stripes, squares and circles on the fabric. She looked young and fresh, with pearl earrings and the same hairstyle as she has today.”

‘‘She was quite small, but very smiley.’’

HRH at QMC, 1977

OBE for Services to Nursing

When Gill was invited to Buckingham Palace to get her OBE, she took her three boys. It was a day they will never forget: “You remember everything. I wore a big hat; I bought a suit. The Queen looked lovely, in a neutral outfit. Her Majesty asked two questions ‘Where are you from? And what do you do?’, then once she lets go of your hand, that’s the sign for you to go away.”

“My youngest was 5-years-old and he was so proud, he wrote an essay about it. The school did an article too. We still talk about it now.”

HRH unveils a plaque at QMC, 1977

HRH QMC, 1977

First 500 patients help pioneering research into brain tumours

Research which could enable doctors to identify serious brain tumours, cysts and haemorrhages on MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans quicker has welcomed its 500th patient at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH).

The MIDI research study, which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms applied to MRI scans and reports to provide faster diagnosis of serious abnormalities, started at NUH in April 2021.

Now, the first 500 patients have taken part in the research at both the Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital.

Professor Rob Dineen, Consultant Neuroradiologist at NUH and Co-Principal Investigator for MIDI in Nottingham, said:

Find out more about another fantastic year of research at NUH, which has benefitted many patients, from our latest Research & Innovation Annual Report: https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/reportsand-publications-ri

MRI Research Team

“Patients at NUH and our MRI research team have both made a substantial contribution so far to the MIDI study, which employs Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learningbased (DL) algorithms.”

Helping to prevent blood infections in the future

First Multi-lingual app for parents to report children’s health changes

Parents from Polish, Urdu and English speaking communities in the East Midlands are being asked to help develop a multi-lingual app, which would offer a rapid response to alert healthcare professionals to early signs of deterioration in a child’s health.

Researchers at the Nottingham Children’s Hospital would like parents and guardians - especially from Polish and Urdu speaking communities - to get in touch if they have had a child or young person in hospital, to share their experiences.

Their input will help design or evaluate the app, to be developed for smartphones and tablet computers. Parents can share their thoughts on any barriers and enablers they may have experienced to their children receiving care. Their views are also sought on how to make the language in the app user-friendly.

Since parents and carers know their children better than anyone; they may recognise small changes that might indicate that their child’s condition is deteriorating. These subtle changes can be harder for the nurses and doctors to recognise.

New research has started at NUH to assess the effectiveness and safety of an investigational vaccine for preventing blood infections in adults aged 60 or over.

These blood infections can lead to serious complications such as dangerously low blood pressure or shock. Such infections are called an invasive (also known as systemic) infection, often referred to as an invasive E. coli disease (IED).

Although IED affects all ages, adults aged 60 years and older have an increased risk of developing IED.

There is a further increase in patients who have had a urinary tract infection in the past.

Knowledge gained by the E.mbrace Study may be helpful to prevent blood infection in the future.

More information about this research is available at www.en-gb. embracevaccinestudy.com/#aboutstudy on the study website.

The app – thought to be the first of its kind in the NHS – will create an extra safety net. Parents would be able to use the app to raise concerns about their child’s condition, providing an additional method to communicate and escalate any worries.

If you would like to help with the FARR (Family Activation of Rapid Response system) Study, please contact Nicola Taylor, Chief Investigator and Lead Nurse for the paediatric critical care outreach team, email: nicola.taylor@ nuh.nhs.uk

Free vitamins for parents -to-be

Maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH) have partnered with local councils to increase the uptake of vitamins in pregnancy.

Working in partnership with Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council, the scheme ensures that people who are pregnant can receive a bottle of free vitamins.

One bottle of Healthy Start Vitamins –which is around two months’ supply - is given out by a community midwife at the first booking visit, or as soon as possible. The bottle of vitamins include: Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Folic Acid.

Jasmine Cajee, Public Health Matron at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust, said: “We are proud to be working in partnership with our local councils to increase the uptake of vitamins in pregnancy for people living in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

“Taking vitamins while pregnant is important and sometimes new parents and children cannot get everything they need from their diets, so we want to ensure that we can support babies in our community to get the best possible start in life.”

Kate Whittaker, Public Health and Commissioning Manager at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Good nutrition in pregnancy is key to help give babies what they need for a healthy development.

“Vitamin supplements are an important part of this and we are delighted to be working in partnership with NUH on this important topic.”

The Healthy Start vitamins do not contain milk, egg, gluten, soya or peanut residues and they are suitable for vegetarians and halal diet.

Once people have finished the bottle of free vitamins, they should continue to take vitamins throughout pregnancy. In some parts of the county, people can buy vitamins in children’s centres for cheaper than the ones sold in shops and pharmacies. Visit www. nottshelpyourself.org.uk and search “Healthy Start” to find out more.

If you qualify for the NHS Healthy Start scheme you can get free vitamins throughout your whole pregnancy, while you are breastfeeding and for your baby until they are four-years-old. People can also get help to buy food and milk.

To see if you are eligible for a Healthy Start card visit: Get help to buy food and milk (Healthy Start) If you have any questions about vitamins please speak to your midwife or health visitor.

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Dedicated children’s interview suite opens at Queen’s Medical Centre

A dedicated video interview suite for children and young people who have experienced sexual assault or abuse has opened at the QMC.

The rooms are part of the East Midlands Children and Young People’s Sexual Assault Service (EMCYPSAS), which was opened in 2018 thanks to a £281,600 grant from Nottingham Hospitals Charity. The additional interview suite has been funded thanks to a further grant of £395,500 from Nottingham Hospitals Charity, which includes £60,000 allocated by the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry.

Children and young people who have been sexually assaulted or abused are currently seen at the EMCYPSAS suite for a medical examination, treatment to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections and referral for therapeutic support. Previously, the children and young people would then have to travel to a police station for police interviews before or after an examination.

The new Video Recorded Interview (VRI) suite will allow children to be interviewed by police within the hospital environment, rather than having to travel

to a police station. The rooms are designed to be a safe space for children and young people, away from the rest of the hospital, and the suite includes a family room, examination room, and interview room.

This safe and comforting environment will allow survivors of child sexual abuse to speak freely and provide police with a video-recorded statement, which may be used as evidence in court.

The new suite is based on the Barnahus, or ‘children’s house’, model which is used in Iceland, and where police interviews, medical examinations and child/family therapy is all provided in one environment. Since its introduction in 1998, the children’s house model has delivered compelling results – a trebling of the number of perpetrators charged, a doubling of the number of convictions, and better therapeutic outcomes for children and their families.

Dr Fiona Straw, Consultant Community Paediatrician and clinical lead for EMCYPSAS, said: “On behalf of the children, young people and their parents or carers I am really grateful to Nottingham Hospitals Charity and their donors for their very generous donation, which has enabled the development of a Nottingham ‘children’s house’, ensuring that the voices of children and young people are properly heard and offenders of sexual violence are successfully prosecuted.”

For more information about Nottingham Hospitals Charity please visit www. nottinghamhospitalscharity.org.uk

For more information or to receive support from the East Midlands Children and Young People’s Sexual Assault Service, please visit www.emcypsas.co.uk

Nottingham Hospitals

Charity’s Dragon Boat Race is back for 2023!

Did you know that Nottingham Hospitals Charity gives around £390,000 each year to Hayward House, the palliative care centre at Nottingham City Hospital?

The Big QMC Abseil is back for 2022 –and places are filling up fast!

Nottingham Hospitals Charity’s annual abseil is popular with staff and supporters alike.

On Saturday 17th September, dozens of daredevils braved the 100ft descent to raise money for their chosen areas of Nottingham’s hospitals.

Last year’s event raised more than £26,000, with 91 people taking part! Why not take on the Big QMC Abseil with friends, family or colleagues for a great team-building experience, and raise money for your local hospitals at the same time?

For more information or to sign up, go to www.nottinghamhospitalscharity.org. uk/events

Get involved

You can use the site to find out more about how to apply for a grant, how to get involved in fundraising for your chosen area of the hospitals, or sign up to the NUH staff lottery to be in with the chance of winning up to £1,000!

Find out more at www.nottinghamhospitalscharity.org. uk/team-nuh

Nottingham Hospitals Charity has an area on its website dedicated to Team NUH?

NUH Ward Round

A rundown of things happening across NUH

1,200 years of NHS service!

Staff with over 1200 years of NHS service between them were recognised at our first new Long Service Awards Afternoon Tea.

On Monday 24 October, the trust welcomed its first group of staff members to a special afternoon tea to recognise and award them for their 25, 35 or 40 years of NHS service.

The event was held at our City Hospital site, with over 40 staff members in attendance who had clocked up over 1,200 years of NHS service between them! Those celebrating included Matron’s, Nurses, Healthcare Assistants, Estates and Facilities Management staff, Personal Assistants and Physiotherapists.

Joined by Chief Executive Anthony May, Chief Nurse Michelle Rhodes and Chief People Officer Neil Pease, there was time for reflection and plenty of story telling over fresh sandwiches and cakes, before everyone was presented with their new NHS long service badge and a certificate.

New windows project at QMC

Clinical Engineer presented

Work to replace 18,000m2 windows at the Queen’s Medical Centre got underway this month.

This project, which will take 2 years to complete, will reduce our carbon footprint and upgrade our ageing hospital estate.

Tweet Tweet!

Here’s what some of our staff, patients and public had to say on Twitter.

UK’s most premature twins celebrate first birthday

Twins Harry and Harley Crane celebrated their first birthday on 26 October. They are the most premature twins in the UK and were born at 22 weeks

Harry and Harley spent four months on our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, being cared for by our staff.

It has been a long journey for parents Jade and Steve who went through 11 years of fertility treatment.

When they were born Harry weighed 520g and his sister Harley weighed 500g. Both are now thriving – happy birthday Harry and Harley!