The Pulse Summer 2022

Summer 2022 | issue 20

THE

BRINGING MEMBERS, STAFF AND PATIENTS THE LATEST TRUST NEWS

North West Anglia

NHS Foundation Trust

CHILDREN’S SENSORY GARDEN REFURBISHED P4-5

Additional car parking spaces created

WELCOME FROM THE

Chief Executive

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Welcome to the Summer edition of The Pulse. I am pleased to bring you all the news from your local hospitals. They are always a hive of activity, but it seems even more so at the moment as we work hard to treat as many patients as we can who may have experienced a delay in planned care as a result of the pandemic.

We have also been experiencing a peak in attendances at our emergency and urgent care facilities at Peterborough City and Hinchingbrooke Hospitals. Our staff are doing all they can to ensure patients receive care in as shorter time as possible. However, on occasions when we are particularly busy, it is more challenging and there are delays. In our Emergency Department you can help us by getting advice from our colleagues at NHS 111 on whether you need to come to the ED. There are other care services in place for people with urgent care needs that may be more appropriate to use.

New Breast pain clinic for Doddington hospital

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I am proud to share some great stories about the achievements of our staff in this edition. Our Obstetrics and Gynaecological Team, have been awarded an accolade for the training they provide to junior doctors and are putting our Trust on the map as a great place to train. See page 8 for the full details. Two of our nurses are also doing amazing things – read more about Sharon Maywood and Lauren Woods on pages 8 and 9.

I’d like to highlight the publication of our new Trust Strategy for 2022-25.

This sets out our goals for the coming three years. We have lots of work to do but we have clear areas of focus to provide great local care for local people. Our strategy is published on our website www.nangliaft.nhs.uk, but we have provided a summary on page 15.

Obs and Gynae award for top training centre

Our Chief Medical Officer Dr Kanchan Rege announced in January that she would be stepping down and will leave her board role at the end of July. Kanchan will remain a member of the Haematology/Oncology team by continuing her role as Consultant Haematologist.

I am pleased to confirm that we have appointed Dr Callum Gardner to the role of Chief Medical Officer on our Board of Directors. Callum has been Medical Director at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust since 2018. Prior to this he was Deputy Medical Director and Divisional Director for the Emergency and Medicine Division here at NWAngliaFT. He is due to return to our Trust in September 2022.

Finally, I would like to wish you a happy, healthy Summer. Our next edition of The Pulse will be published in September 2022.

Congratulations to our long serving staff

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Caroline Walker Chief Executive Summer 2022 | issue 20

THE

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

Contact Us The Pulse magazine is compiled by the Communications Team at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust. If you have any comments, or would like to make a suggestion about a subject you would like to read about in our magazine, please call the Communications Team on 01733 678024 or email: nwangliaft.communications@nhs.net

Bereavement bags created by local charity

BRINGING MEMBERS, STAFF AND PATIENTS THE LATEST TRUST NEWS

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CHILDREN’S SENSORY GARDEN REFURBISHED P4-5

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STAFF GET TO KNOW OUR NEW TRUST CHAIR Our new Trust Chair, Professor Steve Barnett, has been busy meeting staff and local health and care system colleagues in his first few weeks in post.

In familiarising himself with our hospitals, Steve has been visiting departments and getting to know both clinical and administration colleagues. This has included meeting our teams in Radiotherapy, the Faith Centre, Ultrasound, Occupational Health, the Emergency, Medicine and Surgical management teams, our volunteers, a number of patient reception areas and tours of Hinchingbrooke and Stamford and Rutland hospitals. He has also got to experience the service in the Emergency Department as he recently accompanied his teenage son who received care for his broken arm. Over the coming weeks, Steve will continue to visit teams across our hospital sites to understand their challenges and celebrate their successes.

Steve said: “It has been such a busy but rewarding first few weeks in post, interrupted unfortunately by a bout of COVID-19. I’ve taken great pleasure from meeting many of our staff and taking on board their honest feedback about the pressures we continue to experience and also listening to their achievements and all the things they rightly feel proud about from working at NWAngliaFT. The courtesy and friendliness shown to me is reflected I know in the care that staff show to our patients, often in very trying circumstances. I’ve been Trust Chair Steve Barnett

equally impressed by the commitment and professionalism of my colleagues on the Trust Board and in the Council of Governors, and the shared ambition to make our Trust an outstanding institution in all that we do.”

Another key element of Steve’s role is to represent our hospitals within the new Integrated Care System (ICS) along side our Chief Executive Officer Caroline Walker.

The development of this new system, which comes into being in July 2022, will change the way health and care services are delivered locally and see all local providers working more closely. This will afford patients a better experience and greater access to their health and care needs at the right time.

Steve added: “NWAngliaFT has a very important role to play in building and developing effective partnerships across the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICS, particularly in the north of the county, with primary care, local councils, Healthwatch, the voluntary sector, community, social care and mental health colleagues and other public bodies, to offer a genuinely integrated approach to understanding the broader needs of the local populations we serve.

Together, we can help create and maintain healthy communities. I’m looking forward to playing an active role on behalf of the Trust in these developments and ensuring that the voice of our patients and local comunities is always at the forefront.”

Non-Executive Director Tariro Matanga

Farewell to NExT Director Tari In June we will bid farewell to Non Executive Director Tariro Matanga, who joined our Trust Board of Directors as part of a national programme to provide experience of board-level roles in the NHS. The NExT director programme is supported by NHS England and is designed to give unique insight into the role and responsibilities of being an NHS Non-Executive Director. The scheme supports senior people by bridging knowledge gaps and providing the opportunity to learn firsthand about the challenges and opportunities associated with being a Non-Executive Director in the NHS today.

Tari said: “It’s been a good experience, despite there being a steep learning curve at the start of my appointment. Although I have worked in the NHS before, there’s a distinct difference in performing the role of a Non-Executive Director.

“I’m really grateful to the board for their support and guidance during the past 12 months, particularly Deputy Chair Bev Shears, who was assigned as my mentor.”

Trust Chair, Steve Barnett, said: “It’s been a privilege for our Trust to support Tari as she takes the next steps to become a Non-Executive Director.

We have benefitted from her expertise just as much as she has gained valuable insight from the experience of working alongside our Trust board members.”

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TRUST DEVELOPMENTS

One of the new disabled parking bays

Car parking works create additional spaces for staff and patients at Hinchingbrooke Hospital Work to expand the car parking facilities at Hinchingbrooke Hospital has been completed, following recent redevelopment works.

An additional 232 spaces have been created for patients and relatives, with another 220 for staff and 12 disabled spaces, located within a close proximately to the main hospital building.

Hinchingbrooke is located close to park facilities and while some trees were cut down to accommodate the additional spaces, 48 new trees have been planted, including lime, cherry and crab apple trees. Some of the larger trees have also been coppiced to keep them maintained and healthy and new webbing has been installed on the ground to ensure that the trees in the surrounding areas remain protected.

Chris Howard, RAAC Senior Project Lead, said: “We are really pleased with the overall result of the new car parking spaces. There is still some work which is being finished over the next few weeks, including additional lighting and line painting, but we have tried to ensure that our staff, patients and visitors have the much needed additional spaces to park in, whilst balancing this with the nature that we have around our hospital site.

“We have also created a specific area for disabled parking, which is much closer to our main hospital building and will mean that anyone who requires one of these spaces has a reduced distance between their car and our front door.”

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NEW OPERATING THEATRES STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE AT HINCHINGBROOKE HOSPITAL Building work has begun to create a new, purpose-built operating theatres block at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

It will be built on the land between the main hospital building and the Treatment Centre and is due to open by autumn 2023. It will replace the theatres currently in the main hospital building, which are coming to the end of their operational life.

Patients will undergo surgical procedures in one of 7 operating theatres that incorporate the latest thinking on operating theatre design and technology.

Jason Knaepel, Theatres Manager at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, said: “This is a really exciting time for us in theatres and it will be great to see the changes gradually Staff in one of the current Theatres at Hinchingbrooke

taking place to the site over the coming months. We’ve been working closely with the project team, so that we can provide some input into what is required for our new operating department.

“Some of the things we’re going to see in the new building will be a dedicated area for children in recovery, automatic doors and large, spacious theatres which will give us the opportunity to take into account changing technology and the increasing need for further equipment.”

The theatre block development at Hinchingbrooke is the second part of a three-phase redevelopment scheme which aims to replace the old hospital building and modernise Hinchingbrooke Hospital, which opened in 1984.

NEW SERVICES

New Breast Pain Clinic opens in Doddington A new breast pain clinic has opened at the Doddington Hub which offers support for concerned women with breast pain. The clinic offers a fast service in a local location.

The new one-stop specialist clinic is held at Doddington Community Hospital. It will allow the quick assessment and support of women in the community with breast pain only, providing there is the absence of a lump or any other abnormalities.

Patients with a breast lump(s) or other abnormalities will continue to follow the usual 2 - week wait pathway.

NEW MATERNITY SERVICE LAUNCHING AT HINCHINGBROOKE AND PETERBOROUGH CITY HOSPITALS Maternity Services at Hinchingbrooke and Peterborough City have launched a new service for women who may go into premature labour.

Preterm Prevention Clinics are dedicated clinics which have specifically been set up, alongside specialised sonography services, to provide additional support for pregnant women who are likely to go into premature labour. The clinics are being led by Consultant Obstetricians, Dr Sangeeta Pathak and Mr Peter Yeh and supported by specialist midwives, and midwifery assistants.

Community midwives performing the initial booking assessment will review the medical history and if required pregnant women will be referred to the clinic. They will then be reviewed by a consultant and if necessary, placed onto the preterm pathway with consultant-led care.

Pregnant women who are booked into these

clinics can expect to see a midwife and named consultant obstetrician for a holistic review of their pregnancy and personalised care plan. This will ensure that their maternity pathway is co-designed with the pregnant woman at the centre.

NICE has recognised that breast pain alone is not linked to breast cancer.

Breast pain alone (mastalgia) has no association with breast cancer and it affects up to 80% of women. It can be caused by the menstrual cycle (cyclic breast pain) or can be unrelated to this (non-cyclic breast pain).

Following a risk assessment the specialist’s aim is to identify women with breast pain who may be at increased risk of developing breast cancer in the future. This would offer the opportunity for prevention and earlier diagnosis. Patients identified as increased risk are referred directly to the specialist Family History Team.

Following a consultation which may need further investigation, arrangements will be made for patients to be seen in one of the main hospitals.

Dr Sangeeta Pathak, Consultant Obstetrician at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said: “About 1 in 10 women go into premature labour, which is any time before 37 weeks. This specialist preterm clinic will aim to have close surveillance of those women who have a higher chance of going into premature labour and provide them multidisciplinary and personalised care.”

The Preterm Prevention Clinic is a weekly service and will be set up in the antenatal clinics at both Peterborough City and Hinchingbrooke hospital. For further information women can speak to their community midwives.

Breast Pain Clinic team

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DONATIONS

LOCAL ARTIST DONATES ARTWORK DEPICTING STAFF MEMBERS Staff were recently presented with the creations from local artist Victoria Clarke, who goes by the name of ‘Savi.’

Chief Nurse Jo Bennis with artwork

Art dealer donates limited edition prints to the hospitals

She said: “I’ve been working with the Trust to donate some of my artwork to say thank you after my husband was very poorly during COVID-19. During the first lockdown I donated a pastel portrait of Captain Sir Tom Moore, in recognition of his huge fundraising efforts for the NHS and in honour of my late mother and the care she received from the Trust many years ago.”

Six caricatures were created by ‘Savi,’ and staff members were selected after colleagues nominated them, along with details of their hobbies and interests outside of work.

Caroline Walker, Chief Executive for the Trust said: “We’re grateful for such a touching and personal donation. Victoria has clearly put a lot of time and effort into these pieces and the likeness to our staff members is uncanny – she is very talented. We look forward to displaying them as part of a small exhibition at each of our hospital sites later this year.”

An art dealer recently gifted 50 limited edition art prints to staff at the Trust to thank them for their hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The artwork was created by world-famous street artist Rachel List who wanted to thank frontline NHS staff for everything they did during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ‘PPE Angel’ prints art that were kindly donated by dealer John Brandler, from Brandler Galleries These were showcased on the 23 March for the National Day of Reflection, which marked two years since the pandemic began.

John said: “I specifically wanted to thank the individuals who are working on the front line every day by giving them something of lasting value. Rachel List is a very popular and rising star in the street art movement, and consequently these limitededition prints will significantly increase in value over time.”

Jo Bennis, Chief Nurse (pictured), would like to thank everyone involved and is going to share the prints with all of the hospitals within the Trust.

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Staff with their caricature prints

Tree of Life planted in the Hinchingbrooke memorial garden A Tree of Life has been designed and planted in the memorial garden at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

The idea for the tree came from Ophthalmology Secretary Sandy Ball, who wanted to name the tree ‘Teresa’s Tree’ for her dear friend and colleague Teresa Cheeseman who worked at Hinchingbrooke for 23 years and recently passed away.

The unusual metal tree design was taken from a pendant Sandy had, which Teresa loved, and Sandy thought it a fitting tribute. Each branch has hooks for silver leaves to be hung with names of staff we’ve lost, which will provide an ongoing memorial that can be visited by staff.

It was designed and made by Fusion Fabrications, and Huntingdonshire District

Council helped fund it with a Community Chest Grant Scheme, which provides financial support to local community organisations and projects.

Another tree of life will be made for Peterborough City Hospital, kindly funded by the Hospitals Charity, and will serve as a memorial for staff members there.

DONATIONS

Huge thanks for generous donation from local business to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Peterborough-based insurance company iGO4 recently made a donation of £20,000 to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Peterborough City Hospital in a bid to say thank you for treating Chief Executive Matt Munro’s son, 16 years ago.

Consultant Midwife Gill Harris and midwife Leanne Matzk with the Michelin family (seated)

FAMILY’S HEARTFELT DONATION TO HELP WITH THE LOSS OF A BABY Parents and families who experience the heartbreak of losing a baby can now benefit from a selection of new literature available at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.

The books, which contain advice and guidance, were presented to the hospital’s maternity unit

by Zoe and Adam Michelin, who sadly lost their son Alfie at birth on 23 March 2021.

Together with support from members of St Neots Golf Club, the couple and their family have ensured his memory will live on in the hospital.

Alfie’s grandmother, Tina Michelin, has chosen to support the Meadow Suite in her role this year as Ladies Captain of the golf club. In the last six months, club members have been sponsoring events to raise funds to purchase the bereavement support books – with some even suitable for young children coping with the loss of a sibling.

Tina said: “When we started to raise the funds, I quickly discovered how the lives of more people than you realise have been touched by the loss of a baby. We are really pleased and proud to be able to deliver this range of books, which we hope will make a real difference to people going through such a traumatic time.”

Philip Fearn, Charitable Projects Manager for North West Anglia Hospitals Charity, said: “Our team in the Meadow Suite at Hinchingbrooke are so grateful to Adam, Zoe, Tina and their wider family and friends for such a heartfelt donation. The books will go a long way to helping families who sadly have a similar experience to them. Alfie’s grandparents have also provided a wooden garden bench in his memory which is now in place in our Bereavement Garden at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.”

Matt Munro, said: “The Special Care Baby Unit, at the old Peterborough Maternity Unit, took great care of our eldest son. He spent nine weeks on the unit, having been born 11 weeks prematurely and weighing just over three pounds. He has just celebrated his sixteenth birthday and is now a strapping young lad.

We wanted to give something back to say thank you for the care given to our son and my wife.”

Jo Bennis, Chief Nurse for Peterborough City Hospital said, “We are always incredibly grateful to any individual, family or organisation that raises money for our hospitals. This is a substantial amount of money and it will go a long way to further improving patient care in our NICU. We want to thank Matt and all of the iGO4 team for thinking of us.”

Matt Monro and his family on holiday

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STAFF ACCOLADES AND AWARDS

PETERBOROUGH CITY HOSPITAL NAMED AS THE TOP TRAINING UNIT IN THE COUNTRY FOR OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY Peterborough City Hospital has been named as the top training unit in the country for its overall performance in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

This is the fifth year that the hospital has consistently been highly commended following the release of the Annual General Medical Council (GMC) Survey.

The survey is completed by all doctors in training and is a self-assessment of their training, overall experience and professional development. The team at Peterborough City Hospital consists of 10 registrars, 2 SHOs 15 consultants and a rota coordinator, who all work together to personalise each trainee doctors educational needs.

Dr Rebecca McKay, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Peterborough City Hospital, said: “I’m incredibly proud of how well our team have worked together to provide the high standard of support and training for our junior doctors.

Obs and Gynae team with their award

“Our team work really hard to ensure that good pastoral care and support is available for them. We view training as something that we do during every session and this is embedded in our service and reflected in

these results.

“We have consistently been named as the top training hospital regionally, so it is a huge achievement to be named top in the whole country.”

Nursing Associate nominated for Student Nursing Times award One of our Nursing Associates has been nominated in the Learner of the Year: Post-registration category in the Student Nursing Times Awards.

Lauren Woods launched the ‘I’m Not Just’ campaign back in June 2021 to ensure all individuals in every role were recognised for the contribution they make to the NHS. Throughout her time at Peterborough City Hospital Lauren has undertaken many roles within the NHS, and quickly found that she would be approached differently depending on the uniform that she was wearing.

Lauren said: “Since launching in June the campaign has gone from strength-tostrength, I was invited to be part of the NHS Big Chat to present the ‘I’m Not Just’ campaign and am currently working with Health Education England in the hope that we can make this a national campaign.”

The Learner of the Year award recognises

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the importance of registered nurses continuing to study and develop throughout their career.

Lauren added: “Being shortlisted for the Student Nursing Times is amazing and will once again bring attention to the campaign from Trusts all over the county. Throughout this process I have been supported greatly by my manager, Heather Reid, and thank her for all the encouragement she’s given me.”

Caroline Walker, Chief Executive for North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This nomination is well deserved and we are immensely proud of Lauren and what she has achieved with this campaign.

Everyone in our Trust has a valuable and equal place in all roles in TeamNWAngliaFT and we couldn’t provide outstanding care without the dedication of all our staff and colleagues at partner organisations.”

Lauren Woods with ‘I’m Not Just’

goodie bag

Roles Lauren has undertaken: • Catering Assistant • Housekeeper • Healthcare Assistant • Student Nurse • Nursing Associate

STAFF ACCOLADES AND AWARDS

BREAST CANCER NURSE SURVIVOR WINS NATIONAL AWARD A Peterborough City Hospital nurse, who successfully completed her nursing degree apprenticeship despite battling breast cancer, has won a national Our Health Heroes award for the Breakthrough Apprentice of the Year category.

However, part way through her course in 2018, Sharon was diagnosed with breast cancer. Undeterred she took the brave decision to carry on with her studies, refusing to take a single day off, despite undergoing intensive cancer treatment.

Against all the odds, Sharon qualified as a nurse earlier this year.

Sharon Maywood received the devastating news that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, but was also studying to complete a degree apprenticeship course to become a gastroenterology nurse.

Sharon continues: “Whilst training, I had a separate personal battle due to an illness in 2018, so I juggled my work with my treatment and the staff around me have been so supportive. A10 are a great team to work with, but my mentors Tanya and Rachel really have been fantastic.”

Upon receiving the prestigious award Sharon said: “To be recognised and celebrated is very humbling. We’ve all worked hard the last couple of years, but it’s always nice to be recognised for the hard work you put in.”

Sharon originally worked in accounting for years, but decided to have a complete career change when she turned 40 and become a nurse. She started as a Healthcare Assistant on Ward A10 at Peterborough City Hospital and joined the Nursing Associate pilot scheme in January 2017, before qualifying in January 2019.

Nurse Sharon Maywood with her Breakthrough Apprentice of the Year award

She went on to top up her qualification as a nurse and qualified in February 2021 with no debt and a wealth of experience.

Jo Bennis, Chief Nurse for North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am so pleased that Sharon has received this award. I am incredibly proud of her for everything that she has achieved over the last few years.

She has grabbed every opportunity and despite personal illness, has continued to juggle her studies and work and achieve her qualifications. She is a fantastic role model for anyone considering a career in nursing.”

Maternity nominated for East of England Maternity awards The Risk Team at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust were runners up at the East of England Maternity awards, which were held on Friday 29 April 2022.

The Risk Team were nominated for being innovative during COVID-19, sharing key information through short, informative videos with staff working within maternity services.

nominated in the ‘Partnership Working – Improving Patient Safety Outcomes’ category. Emily Witney Fahey, PMA for the Trust, created a pastoral pathway for staff which offers psychological support after a traumatic incident.

Hazel Cathcart, Head of Midwifery for North West Anglia NHS Foundation

Trust said: “I’m extremely proud of both teams for their nominations, this is a fantastic achievement. For our teams to be recognised for all their hard work is a great morale booster.

Congratulations to the risk team for being runners up for the innovation in safety category.”

Kerri Bennett, Lead Midwife for Risk and Governance at the Trust, said: “I’m really proud of the team, they have continued to create these important learning videos during challenging times. Feedback from staff, both admin and clinical, has been really positive and it’s great to see everyone working together and supporting each other.”

We’re also pleased to share that the Risk Team have been recognised regionally and are being contacted by midwives who would like to learn about creating educational videos.

Our Lead Professional Midwifery Advocate (PMA) and Lead Midwife for Risk and Governance were also

Hayleigh Quince (left) and Kirsty

Sandra Sibanda pictured

Cottam (right) with their certificate

with her certificate

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SPOTLIGHTING OUR SERVICES

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME AND THE DISCHARGE LOUNGE ARE HERE TO HELP There’s no place like home and our team of 7 Staff Nurses and Healthcare Assistants working in the Discharge Lounge are here to help our patients at Peterborough City Hospital get everything they need to go home.

The team play a vital role in helping our ward staff, by speeding up the discharge process for patients. Patients can move from the ward and sit in a comfortable space while the team chase up the discharge letters and ensure their doctor has signed off their medication to be processed by pharmacy.

This means staff on the wards can quickly clean the bay and have a bed ready for the next patient.

Kim Jones, Senior Staff Nurse at Peterborough City Hospital, said: “Our

team work hard to look after patients who are medically fit to go home, whilst waiting for their discharge letter and medication, so that they can continue their recovery in the comfort of their own home. It can take time to gather everything together, so the Discharge Lounge is a comfortable space on the ground floor of the hospital for patients to wait, while we get the final items together for them.

“We have space for 16 patients, with unlimited tea, coffee, biscuits and even provide lunch so we can create a relaxing home-from-home environment and help our colleagues on the wards to clear the beds so they can be cleaned and available for the next patient.”

Two members of the Discharge Lounge team

Spotlighting Our Frail Elderly Care Team A new team has been formed at Peterborough City Hospital to help assess and review frail, elderly patients.

The Frail Elderly Care Team will provide specialist care to patients who are over 65 in the Emergency Department. Having various roles within the team means they are able to carry out a comprehensive assessments on all our patients and can work as a team to plan decisions around their care.

Samantha Chizhowezha, Physician Associate for the Trust, said: “There are currently 10 members of staff in the team, made up of consultant geriatricians, registrars, specialist nurses and physician associates. Our aim is to reduce the length of hospital stays and help safeguard patients in their own home.”

Frailty affects approximately 10% of those older than 65 and nearly 50% of individuals older than 85.

The team will work closely with occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers and teams within the community to help ensure patients are safe and being well-cared for at home.

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Frail Elderly Care Team

YOUR HEALTH

Love Your Liver roadshow Staff from Peterborough City Hospital supported a Love Your Liver roadshow, which gave members of the public the opportunity to drop-in for advice, support and a FibroScan to check for diseases of the liver.

The roadshow, which is one of the British Liver Trust’s national campaigns, was based in Cathedral Square in Peterborough City Centre. Volunteers asked members of the public if they would like to complete a questionnaire, which would highlight if they are at a moderate or high risk of developing disease of the liver. They were then given the opportunity to speak to clinical experts who could provide advice and offer the opportunity to have a FibroScan.

The FibroScan creates shearwaves, which feels like a tapping or flicking of the skin.

This then picks up any potential fibrosis or scarring which can be a sign of conditions such as fatty liver, poor diet, high alcohol consumption or diabetes. If the scan does detect any cause for concern then the individual will be given a letter to take to their GP for a referral.

Heart Failure Nurse Team, (left to right) Katherine Simmonds, Paige Williams and Michelle Medson

HEART FAILURE AWARENESS Heart Failre, what do these words mean to you when you hear them? How do you think you would react if you were told you had heart failure? Do you know the difference between a heart attack and heart failure?

failure can be devastating, in recent years there have been many advances in the availability of treatments. There are now many medications, devices and surgical interventions that can extend and improve prognosis and quality of life.

Within the Trust, there is a dedicated heart failure nursing team who are there to support patients in every step of their journey. The team see patients while they are in hospital and also in outpatient clinics and they are available to provide education and advice to patients on how they can manage their condition.

“There is a lack of awareness of heart failure and it is a condition that is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. National campaigns aim for symptoms to be recognised early so that people do not deteriorate to need admission to hospital.”

We caught up with Michelle Medson, Paige Williams and Kathy Simmonds, from the Heart Failure Team. Michelle, said: “Our aim is to be an advocate for our patient group, providing education and advice. With the right support and education we are able to facilitate a better quality of life for our patients.

“Heart failure means that the heart isn’t working efficiently which can cause the heart to become weak or stiff. Some of the causes can be a previous heart attack, high blood pressure, some lung diseases, alcohol, viral infections, abnormal heart rhythms and hereditary conditions.

“Whilst being given a diagnosis of heart

Recognition of symptoms is key: • Fighting for breath • Fatigue • Fluid build-up (swelling of ankles/legs and stomach)

Rachel Dix, Acting Ward Manager on A10, at Peterborough City Hospital, who is supporting on the day, said: “We have seen an increase in the number of patients coming into hospital with liver disease and lockdown has perpetuated the situation further. In particular there has been a steady increase in patients in their 40’s, but if we can catch conditions such as fibrosis of the liver early and educate people to look at factors such as their diet and alcohol intake, then we can avoid irreversible conditions such as Cirrhosis.”

Pamela Healy, Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust, said: “One in five of us are at risk of liver disease and the numbers of people being diagnosed have been increasing at an alarming rate. Liver damage develops silently with no signs or symptoms and people don’t often realise they have a problem until it is too late.

Although the liver is remarkably resilient, if left until symptoms appear, the damage is often irreversible.”

For more information or advice: https://www.pumpingmarvellous.org/ Anyone experiencing one or all of these symptoms should have a simple blood test (NTproBNP) via their GP which will help rule out heart failure or ensure that heart failure is diagnosed quickly. If this blood test is elevated a referral is made for rapid assessment by heart failure specialists.

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HEALTH AND WELLBEING

HOSPITAL CHILDREN’S SENSORY GARDEN REFURBISHED THANKS TO CHARITY DONATION Young patients at Hinchingbrooke Hospital will now be able to play in a sensory garden, which has been completely refurbished following a £28,000 donation from the North West Anglia Hospitals’ Charity.

The garden was originally created by local charity Dreamdrops 13 years ago, but needed some essential maintenance to update it and make it safe and accessible. New soft flooring, plants, raised beds and play equipment, including musical instruments, noughts and crosses and stepping stone toadstools have all been added.

Volunteers working at the hospital are planting additional shrubs and flowers to create a stimulating and engaging space for children on Holly Ward and in the Children’s Outpatients department to play.

Zoe Wilkinson, Play Team Leader for North West Anglia NHS Foundation

Trust, said: “We are so pleased with our new sensory garden and incredibly grateful to the North West Anglia Hospitals’ Charity for their generous donation. This has given us the opportunity to re-open this lovely environment for the children to utilise and our Play Team can set up additional outdoor activities in the garden, so that the children can play in a safe space.”

Philip Fearn, Charity Project Manager for the North West Anglia Hospitals’ Charity said “The updated children’s garden will be an important space for our young patients and their families, and the Hospitals’ Charity is delighted to support this project.

We are incredibly grateful to the charity Dreamdrops for supporting the original garden, and we are now excited to be working with them on a new project to update the Children’s Emergency Department at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.”

Celebrating long service to the NHS Celebrations have been taking place for staff reaching long service milestones, across various departments in our hospitals. Long service presentations are given out monthly, with staff receiving their awards from their own manager within their department, for service from 25 to 40 years’ service.

Caroline Walker, Chief Executive for the Trust, said: “Giving thanks to our staff for their dedication and commitment to the NHS and their work in our hospitals, is something that I feel is so very important. It is with a sense of pride that I sign each certificates for all of these wonderful people. It brings me great joy and it’s lovely to see the presentations taking place within teams across the Trust. I encourage every department to make a fuss of their long service colleagues; it’s a great achievement.”

Here is a snapshot of some of the presentations so far this year.

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er Tony Byatt Bereavement Care Offic at Hinchingbrooke receiving his 25 years award

Critical Care Staff, Ros Rippon and Carol Palmer at Peterborough receiving their 35 years award

Caroline White, B14 Ward Manager at Peterborough receiving her 25 year s award

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Refurbished courtyard to create beautiful hospital wellbeing garden Staff at Stamford hospital will be able to enjoy a time of rest and reflection following the completion of the wellbeing garden thanks to the North West Anglia Hospitals’ Charity.

The charity donated £22,287 to the project, which meant that work could start on the project last autumn and is due to the completed in the coming months.

Caroline Wood, Matron for Stamford Hospital said: “We’re really pleased to be able to develop one of our outside spaces into a beautiful garden for our staff to enjoy. We hope that this will give staff the opportunity to take a few moments to relax and enjoy the outdoors, which will also support their health and wellbeing.”

Staff and volunteers have been on site most weekends to help with the groundwork, painting benches and planting trees and bushes to create a serene environment.

Caroline added: “I just want to take this opportunity to thank every volunteer and member of staff who have helped to get this project underway. Thank you to the Hospitals’ Charity for their donation and all the businesses who have contributed their equipment and time to really move this along, it’s all been a huge help and we wouldn’t have been able to get this far without you.”

Bereavement bags donated by Adam’s Rose

FAMILY CREATE BEREAVEMENT BAGS FOR FAMILIES FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF LOVED ONE Families who have lost a loved one at Hinchingbrooke Hospital will now receive a bereavement bag, containing their loved ones possessions, following a charity donation.

Adam’s Rose is a local charity, set up in memory of Adam Hurst who died from a rare type of hernia, aged 31, three years ago, to provide support for others who are experiencing grief.

His family started the charity to ensure that people do not feel alone with their grief by creating support amongst the community.

Following their own personal experience, the team have been working hard to create bereavement bags. These are used to put a loved ones belongings in when

they have passed away, which would have previously been put in carrier bags.

Adam’s wife Victoria Hurst, aged 33, said: “We wanted to focus on something positive to help us through the difficult times and creating the charity has meant that we are actively helping those who are going through what we have been through. The bereavement bag really is a simple idea, but it is something that had a big impact on me from the early stages of grief.”

Philip Fearn, Charitable Funds Manager for North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Supporting staff wellbeing is one of the charity’s main objectives, particularly given our staffs’ heroic efforts over the last two years. The Hospitals’ Charity is delighted to support the Stamford Hospital Wellbeing Garden, and we hope it proves to be a haven for our hard-working staff for many years to come.”

Work is due to be completed within the next few months with the finishing touches being added in the form of a mural, which will be on all four walls of the courtyard, including a tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore as a tribute for all that he did for the NHS.

The bags are now available at Hinchingbrooke Hospital and will be available at Peterborough City Hospital in the coming months. If you would like to find out more about the charity |or make a donation please go to www.adamsrose.co.uk.

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COLLABORATIVE WORKING

Participant in Research Experience Survey Research wouldn’t happen without the support of volunteers who participate in the studies and trials at our hospitals. It’s important that participants are given the opportunity to feedback on their research experience. Once a year we ask people to fill in the Participant in Research Experience survey (PRES) which is produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The information from last year’s survey is currently being collated and already we have some initial data and comments.

“What did participants find positive about their experience?”

You said: “I felt I was helping others” “Well explained and friendly staff” “What would have made participant’s experience better?”

You said: “Regular updates on research I’ve taken part in” Where comments relate to something specific to a trial we can let the investigator’s know.

Often the feedback will go on to help shape how new studies are considered from the participant point of view.

There are a variety of different versions of PRES to give everyone in research a chance to give feedback including a children’s version and dementia friendly versions.

Please ask your Research Nurse, Research Midwife or Clinical Trials Assistant about the Participant in Research Experience Survey.

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BRA BANK RETURNS TO NORTH WEST ANGLIA NHS FOUNDATION TRUST The Bra Bank has returned to Peterborough City, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford Hospitals after the initiative was put on hold during the pandemic.

up again and I’m proud to have a team that are constantly supporting our patients and their families who are undergoing new treatment of breast cancer.

Staff, patients and visitors are now able to donate their unwanted bras to the bra banks, located at each of our hospital sites to help raise money for cancer research. Our Trust’s Research and Development team partnered with national charity, Against Breast Cancer to launch this initiative to help collect used, new and surplus bras.

“We all know how vital research is to improving care for those who have been affected by breast cancer, or any form of cancer. By supporting the bra bank initiative you are not only supporting research, but also certain areas of Africa where women have limited access to affordable bras.”

Fiona Maxton, Lead Nurse for Research and Development at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Peterborough City, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford and Rutland Hospitals said: “We’re pleased to be able to bring the bra bank back to the Trust since it was really popular then we originally launched it in 2019.

The team have been really keen to start this back

If you would like to donate your unwanted bras, please drop them off at the following bra banks: • Main atrium, Peterborough City Hospital • Information Zone, Main atrium, Hinchingbrooke Hospital • Main atrium, Stamford Hospital

COLLABORATIVE WORKING

LOCAL CARE FOR LOCAL PEOPLE In April 2018, we set out our vision for the newly formed North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust. Our vision of ‘working together to provide outstanding care for our local communities’ is rooted in our Trust values – to put patients first, be caring and compassionate, work positively together, be actively respectful and seek to always improve and develop.

local people, putting our community at the heart of what we do.

You can view a copy of our Trust Strategy on our website, visit www.nwangliaft.nhs.uk and head to the ‘About us’ section.

Delivering outstanding care and experience Recruiting, developing and retaining our workforce

Kanchan Rege, Chief Medical Officer said: “This is an exciting time for our Trust and recognises our ambitions to become an independent university hospital. The partnership will help us improve patient care and outcomes for the people of Peterborough and surrounding areas.

An anchor in our community Working together with local health & social care providers Delivering long-term sustainability Through each of our strategic goals we aim to build an organisation that supports our staff whilst aspiring to provide outstanding care for

Success for the Sterile Services Team This was a massive piece of work for all staff in SSD making necessary changes to comply with the newest version of this standard. It involved opening their doors to 12 days of audits carried out by multiple external auditors, examining their practices and procedures and Quality Systems to ensure to are compliant.

We are pleased to announce a new partnership with the University of Leicester after being awarded Associated University status by the university.

The Trust provides high-quality education to University of Leicester medical students and works closely with the university to enhance career, training, learning and development opportunities for our local hospital staff.

Our Trust Strategy builds on our journey so far and outlines five strategic goals that will help us achieve our vision throughout the next three years. They are:

For two years our Sterile Services Department (SSD) has been working extremely hard to achieve their ISO 13485 updated accreditation.

Associated University Status achieved

hard work to gain.

Mr Page said: “The medical device industry is a very complicated speciality and you must be very proud to take this back to your Trust, not only as an achievement but to reassure the quality of service is of a high standard especially during these difficult years.”

“It is also a fantastic opportunity for our Trust to better support, nurture and grow future clinical leaders right here within the Peterborough area.”

The Trust also has strong links with Anglia Ruskin University and Cambridge University, and will continue to drive more partnership working, including research opportunities, to understand our local health needs and improve health care and outcomes for our patients.

Nicola Overy, SSD Deputy and Quality Assurance Manager said: “I’m so proud that we gained this accreditation, it’s been one of the proudest moments in my 20 years of working in various SSD units.”

The team was invited to British Standards Institute Headquarters on 21 April 2022 for a very prestigious award ceremony. Nicola was presented with their accreditation by BSI CEO, Matt Page, who said he was extremely proud to present this award.

So many areas struggle to achieve this standard of practice and this takes a lot of

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MEMBERSHIP You’re invited to our Public Board of Directors and Council of Governors events Members of the public are invited to attend our Public Board of Directors and Council of Governors board meeting for North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Peterborough City, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford and Rutland Hospitals.

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust has been running meetings online, via MS Teams, since the pandemic begun, in an effort to continue to involve members of the public in the way their local hospitals are run.

We always invite members of the public to submit any questions they have, related to the business on the agenda, either in advance via email, or via the chat facility on MS Teams during the meeting. Where possible, all questions submitted will be responded to at the end of the meeting.

You can find more information about each event, including links to join on the news section of our website, https://www. nwangliaft.nhs.uk/about-us/trust-news/.

Follow us on social media

Become a NWAngliaFT member Membership is open to all patients and visitors, if you’re at least 16 years old and live within our membership area of Greater Peterborough, Huntingdonshire or Stamford and South Lincolnshire, you can help us by having a say in how we run our three hospitals.

You will also be emailed invitations to events, like our Membership Meetings and also our Annual Public Meeting (APM), which takes place on Wednesday 28 September this year.

Fill in our on-line application form here: https://secure.membra.co.uk/ nwangliaapplicationform/

Our last Membership meeting of 2022 will be on 7 December. Please look out for further details in the local press, on our website and on our social media channels.

Membership is free, and members will receive a copy of The Pulse magazine, either by email or post.

We look forward to receiving your membership applications and to seeing you at the APM this year.

Join the Patient and Public Voice Partnership Understanding how to make our services work best for you is one of our top priorities, and we are appealing for people to come forward and join the Patient and Public Voice Partnership, so you can have a voice in how we improve patient experience.

Maria Finch, Head of Patient Experience, said: “Patient and public participation is an essential part of helping us shape and improve our services. We want to build strong and supportive relationships with

our patients and service users. The Trust is committed to involving diverse groups in our work so that we can ensure our services are accessible to all.”

Members of the group need to be available for up to two hours every six weeks to meet and discuss new topics. If you would like to know more or join the Patient and Public Voice Partnership then please visit our website to complete an expressions of interest form.

Did you know that you can keep up to date with the latest news from your local hospital through following our social media accounts?

We are on Twitter, Facebook and even Instagram!

Twitter @NWAngliaFT @PboroCityHosp @HinchHospital @Stamford_Hosp @NWAngliaMat Facebook Peterborough City Hospital Hinchingbrooke hospital Stamford & Rutland Hospital NWAngliaFT Maternity Services Instagram North West Anglia NHS FT

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North West Anglia 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 North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust endorse any of the products or services.

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Summer 2022 | issue 20

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