Insight Northampton Winter 2013/2014

Insight

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R N O R T H A M P T O N G E N E R A L H O S P I TA L PAT I E N T S A N D V I S I T O R S

Easing winter

PRESSURE

on health services

Winter 2013/2014 Issue 49

FaRgaEziE ne m

WIN

Free tickets to

Chariots of Fire

– SEE BACK PAGE

Cool technology

curbs chemorelated hair loss

He’s not boring, but he does send lots of people to sleep Consultant anaesthetist Dr Chris Frerk in the spotlight Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

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2 ❘ INSIGHT

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Insight Winter 2013/2014

29 6

An inspector calls…

Many readers will be aware from the local press and other media of the announcement that NGH is to be inspected by the Care Quality Commission early in 2014. We welcome the opportunities that the inspection will bring, as we welcome all constructive feedback that enables us to provide even better care for our patients.

News of the inspection did not come as a surprise to us, and we had known for some time that several factors would make one likely. Our struggle to cope with rising numbers of A&E attendees and emergency admissions has been well documented by the Chronicle and Echo. So too have the concern about mortality figures, and the ‘whistleblowing’ concerns raised by ward staff.

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10 19 16

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S COLUMN ◗

26

Editor: Peter Kennell 01604 523871 (peter.kennell@ngh.nhs.uk) Photos: Medical Illustration 01604 545251 Advertising: Octagon Design & Marketing 01909 478822 Insight is a free magazine, and we encourage our patients and visitors to take one home with our compliments. Please pass it on to a friend or relative when you have read it.

Printing and design of the magazine are provided free of charge in return for the revenue from advertisers. No NHS or charitable donations are used to fund its production.

We have been working on improvements to the way we deal with patients requiring urgent care for some time now, and there are signs that these are at last starting to pay off. We have introduced several new ways of working (including an ambulatory care centre to provide same-day treatment for some patients who would otherwise have been admitted to the hospital – see page 14). We’ve also increased our A&E staff, the number of nurses on our wards, and the number of community beds for people no longer needing acute care.

As for mortality ratios, this is a very confusing area. There are currently two national indicators, HSMR (Hospital Standardised Mortality Indicator) and SHMI (Standardised Hospital Mortality Indicator) which both attempt to measure the number of actual deaths against the number of those ‘expected’. At one stage the two systems produced similar results but for the last 12 months our SHMI score has been rising while the HSMR figure has been falling. Even Sir Bruce Keogh, the Medical Director of the NHS, said earlier this year that the indicators were confusing and that we should be looking at the numbers of avoidable deaths instead.

We are not entirely sure why we have a high SHMI score, although we think it might have something to do with our three community hospitals that have a very different cohort of patients from the acute trust and certainly include patients admitted for palliative care. We are looking at this in as much detail as we can

in order to know where to focus our improvement work, and we are also examining every death in detail, using case note reviews. It is clear that our high SHMI score is one of the prime reasons we have been made a priority for inspection. Our Patient Safety Academy was set up to reduce avoidable harm and with the aim of reducing avoidable death, and it covers the themes identified from reviews of case notes and from serious incidents and complaints.

Prior to the CQC announcement we had already been working on an internal inspection scheme aimed at making sure our hospital is as safe as can be. You can read more about the process, which we are calling QuEST (Quality, Effectiveness, Safety Team) in our feature on page seven. This system is not about getting ready for the CQC inspectors. It is about being sure we know exactly what we need to do to improve, as we do not really want to wait for the inspectors to tell us what we need to do. We want to be able to describe our own analysis of our problems and solutions, and use the inspection as a lever to obtain further advice on how to embed and sustain improvement. I believe everyone at NGH understands the need to accelerate the momentum for change and has an appetite to get on with the task in hand.

Until the next issue of Insight in the Spring, all of us here at NGH would like to wish you and all of your families a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Dr Sonia Swart Chief executive

INSIGHT ❘ 3

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

What we do

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust provides general acute services for a population of 380,000 and hyper-acute stroke, vascular and renal services to people living throughout the whole of Northamptonshire, a population of 684,000.

The Trust is also an accredited cancer centre and provides cancer services to a wider population of 880,000 who live in Northamptonshire and parts of Buckinghamshire.

In addition to the main hospital site, which is located close to Northampton town centre, the Trust also provides services at the following sites in the county: ◗ Danetre Hospital in Daventry: Outpatients, day surgery and in-patient rehabilitation ◗ Isebrook Hospital in Wellingborough: In-patient rehabilitation services ◗ Corby Community Hospital: In-patient rehabilitation services We provide the full range of outpatients, diagnostics, inpatient and day case elective and emergency care and also a growing range of specialist treatments that distinguishes our services from many district general hospitals.

Our vision and values

Our vision is to provide the best possible care for all of our patients. This requires NGH to be recognised as a hospital that delivers safe, clinically effective acute services focused entirely on the needs of the patient, their relatives and carers. These services may be delivered from our acute or community hospital sites or by our staff in the community.

Our prime focus is to provide the best possible care for all of our patients, regardless of the setting where this is undertaken.

Our values are: ◗ We put patient safety above all else ◗ We aspire to excellence ◗ We reflect, we learn, we improve ◗ We respect and support each other

Who we are

Chairman Paul Farenden | Chief executive Dr Sonia Swart | Acting chief operating officers Deborah Needham and Rebecca Brown | Acting medical director Dr Mike Wilkinson | Director of nursing, midwifery and patient services Suzie Loader | Acting director of finance Andrew Foster | Director of facilities and capital development Charles Abolins | Director of strategy and partnerships Chris Pallot | Director of workforce and transformation Janine Brennan | Non-executive directors Graham Kershaw, David Noble, Nick Robertson, Liz Searle, Phil Zeidler.

Contact us

NGH all departments: 01604 634700 Website: www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk

4 ❘ INSIGHT

◗ NEWS ROUND-UP

NGH to benefit from energy saving fund Northampton General Hospital is to receive a £2.76 million slice of a £50 million fund to help cut the NHS energy bill.

With NGH facing significant increases in energy costs, increasing requirements to reduce carbon emissions and a need to plan for the replacement of key energy related plant, the hospital’s estates team developed an energy supply strategy and

bid for a share of the fund to help realise its plans.

Head of estates Stuart Finn said: “The £50 million fund presented a perfect opportunity to help us deliver the step change required to meet the target of a 25 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2015. We’re delighted that our bid was successful.”

Stuart said: “We will be providing a biomass boiler and new combined heat

and power plant which will reduce the trust’s carbon emissions from buildings by over 3,000 tonnes a year from their current level of just over 14,000 tonnes. The new scheme, which will be installed by March 2014, will also deliver significant financial savings in the region of £500k per annum, replace key energy related plant and improve the resilience of our energy infrastructure.”

A Christmas Tree Service

(Christmas Child and Baby Loss Service)

Northampton Girls High School, Newport Pagnell Road, 3.00pm on Sunday 15 December 2013 For further details please contact the Hospital Chaplaincy Department at Northampton General Hospital on (01604) 545773 or Northamptonshire SANDS Support Group on 07907 836050

Northampton Genera l Hospital Carol Service

with the Northampton Hospital Choir

Day Hospital in Care of the Elderly Building (Area R) 7.00pm on Tuesday 17 December 2013 All are welcome – patients, relatives, friends and staff.

For further information please contact the Hospital Chaplaincy on (01604) 545773

Carol Singing around the Wards

7.00pm on Tuesday 24 December 2013

(Please meet at 6.45pm at Cliftonville Restaurant on Hospital Street) Light refreshments are available afterwards.

For further information please contact the Hospital Chaplaincy on (01604) 545773

Christmas Day Holy Communion Service

25 December 2013 – 10.00am in St. Luke’s Chapel (opposite Cliftonville Restaurant on Hospital Street) All are welcome

NEWS ROUND-UP ◗

Praise for A&E We said thank you on Facebook to all our A&E staff when they notched up a 100 per cent record on 31 October – every single one of 286 people who attended were seen, treated, admitted or discharged within four hours. And the department continued to do well into November with all but a very few seen within the target time.

Fab Fran’s Facebook fame Many congratulations to Fran Core, one of our gynaecology nurses, who was nominated for a ‘best care’ national award by a grateful patient. Fran, who cares for women experiencing early miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy loss, was put forward by a lady who thought she went above and beyond her role to help her.

I feel proud and honoured to be able to offer help support and future care for families in this situation.

Samantha Allington said: “Before I lost my triplets, Fran supported me by answering my grilling questions constantly and then when I lost them she offered hugs and moral and emotional support to me. She was sympathetic and compassionate and let me call on her any time. I can’t say how much she’s been a massive support to me throughout the entire ordeal, I love her to bits.

She dealt with things calmly and lovingly even when I was shouting, crying and hysterical.”

Fran says: “I am very touched to have been nominated for this award for my work and for my job which I am very passionate about. The loss of a baby is one the most life changing situations families can be faced with. Any plans or dreams can be

Thanks to all who posted ‘well done’ messages of support, saying things like “that’s awesome”, “staff were very helpful”, “thank you to everyone involved, you all do an amazing job”.

And to Sue Walker-Parry who wrote: “Your care, attention and bedside manner were exemplary. My health is very important to me and on that evening you made me feel it was important to you. A&E staff, Hawthorn ward staff just fantastic, you’re a credit to the NHS.”

shattered in an instant. I feel proud and honoured to be able to offer help support and future care for families in this situation.”

Unfortunately Fran didn’t win a Butterfly Award, but she did really well to be runner-up to Heart of England NHS Trust. She was up against a whole organisation who evidently had a lot more voting power! We’re very proud of Fran, and we’d like to thank all the people who voted for her and said such nice things about her.

When we posted news about her nomination on the hospital’s Facebook page in October, we were inundated with messages of support such as this from Vickie Taylor: “She was amazing with me after my two miscarriages too. Very supportive and so lovely. Always made me feel at ease. Totally deserves this award.” Siobhan Storm Bell said: “You’re what a nurse should be. You told me it was ok to cry and offered your arms. Thank you Fran” and many others referred to her as “brilliant, amazing, or fab Fran!”

Awardwinning video stars We were really pleased to hear that last year’s Handwashing Gangnam video won the ‘Best Use of YouTube’ award at the UK Social Media Communications Awards in October.

Thanks again to our NGH stars who helped to make it such a success!

To watch it once more, search for it on YouTube – or copy this link into your browser http://youtu.be/ TGddyTW5eMc

INSIGHT ❘ 5

◗ PATIENT SAFETY

Patient Safety Academy update All of our Safety Academy leads are currently working together on one six-month project to enhance the way we use what is known as the ‘early warning score’ (EWS) to recognise when a patient’s condition is deteriorating. The EWS is a calculation based on a range of observations such as blood pressure and breathing rate.

All inpatient wards have been allocated a senior nurse and consultant medical lead who will visit the wards on a two weekly cycle.

The programme will focus on the accuracy and timeliness of clinical observations, accurate calculation of the early warning score, and ensuring that the management of any deteriorating patient is escalated to the appropriate level.

A secondary focus of the ward visits is to ensure that patients are receiving information about their safety. There is a patient safety video available for patients to watch in wards that have access to bedside TVs (this is free); there is also a leaflet available to patients and relatives or carers. At NGH safety is our number one priority and both of these resources aim to help inform patients about aspects of their care which could help staff ensure their safety during a stay in hospital.

Dr Jonny Wilkinson

Mary Burt

Dr Jono Hardwick

Dr Lyndsey Brawn

Dr Chris Frerk

Who’s who in the Patient Safety Academy: To enable and sustain the improvement work of the Patient Safety Academy, the academy is led by five clinical leads, a project manager and a safety programme director, supported by over 200 safety champions (interested staff). These people join with the Chief Executive, Medical Director and other key individuals to lead on initiatives aimed at improving patient safety.

The five clinical leads are each responsible for a number of projects within an individual work stream: ◗ Reducing harm from failure to plan – Dr Jonny Wilkinson, consultant in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine ◗ Reducing harm from failures of care – Mary Burt, nurse consultant, critical care ◗ Reducing harm from failure to rescue – Dr Jono Hardwick, consultant in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine ◗ Learning from and sharing lessons from failures and successes – Dr Lyndsey Brawn, consultant physician ◗ Human factors and safety science – Dr Chris Frerk, consultant anaesthetist

6 ❘ INSIGHT

INSPECTIONS ◗

Our QuEST QuEST for excellence In October it was announced that Northampton General Hospital would be included in the next 19 acute and specialist trusts to be inspected by the Care Quality Commission. The inspection is expected sometime in early 2014 and will form part of a new programme of inspections under the direction of the recently-appointed Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Sir Mike Richards.

Dr Sonia Swart, Chief Executive of NGH, said: “We welcome the opportunities that the CQC inspection will give us to make further improvements to the services we provide. Feedback from our patients and our staff, along with our own internal inspection processes, scrutiny and constructive challenge from regulators enables us to provide even better care for our patients.

“We know there are areas where we need to take action to ensure our services are of a consistently high quality and there is an enormous amount of work already underway. The CQC inspection will complement this work and help us to improve patient care even further.”

Here at NGH we have always aimed to make patient safety a priority, but the focus on quality of care and safety throughout the NHS has become stronger than ever this year, following the publication of several highprofile reports. The Francis Report into care at Stafford Hospital, the Keogh review of 14 trusts with high mortality rates, and the Berwick review of patient safety all identified concerns for hospitals to urgently address.

To assure ourselves that we are delivering the high quality care our patients have a right to expect, NGH has set up a new programme of internal inspections which have been named QuEST (Quality, Effectiveness, Safety Team) reviews.

QuEST reviews are a comprehensive rolling programme of visits by teams of reviewers to every ward and clinical area in the hospital to assess how well each is performing against key standards of practice.

We want to ensure that we are continually driving quality and safety forwards, identifying areas for improvement internally in the first instance.

Chief executive Dr Sonia Swart said: “NGH is inspected on a periodic basis by the CQC as our health regulator to satisfy themselves and assure the public that the care we provide meets national quality and safety standards.

But we don’t want to wait for an external view of our services. We want to ensure that we are continually driving quality and safety forwards, identifying areas for improvement internally in the first instance. We need to challenge

ourselves to be as good as we can be, and testing ourselves is one way to do this – it’s our QuEST for excellence.”

How do QuEST reviews work?

The reviews are unannounced inspections, and occur in one of two ways. Every month, matrons review the wards in a peer review process. Every quarter, a full QuEST review is undertaken by a team of three to four members, usually including a patient representative or a hospital governor. Key information will be made available to the team in advance of the review such as performance data, any recorded serious incidents, complaints, CQC notifications, safeguarding referrals etc. On arrival the team will introduce themselves to the person in charge and arrange to provide feedback at the end. They will ask questions of patients, carers and staff, observe the environment and interactions within it, and review health records. They have the authority to ask staff for documented evidence of how core standards are being met. The visits are comprehensive and take around three hours to complete.

At the end of the review, the ward or department team receive feedback from the reviewers. This includes positive findings as well as any areas for immediate action, and the feedback is followed by a written report. Areas of good practice and any improvements identified are then shared across the organisation in order to promote wider learning.

Project manager Sarah Norrie said: “The response to QuEST is very heartening, both from people who been reviewers and the wards that have been reviewed so far. We are noticing some themes already, including many positives.

We are still working on how to best support areas on making any improvements that may be needed. Throughout the hospital there’s a real desire to see this succeed.”

INSIGHT ❘ 7

◗ LETTERS

Patient praise Many of our patients and their relatives are kind enough to take the time to compliment hospital staff and volunteers on the standards of service and care they provide.

We really appreciate all your comments and publish many of them on our website. Here are some brief extracts from others we have received recently.

Doctor was a true model for patient care Today I had to bring my 85yr old mum back into A&E. It was so mum could have her injuries reassessed following a hit and run accident with a bicycle the previous Wednesday evening.

I think the doctor who treated my mum was called Elena.

I really want to recognise her fantastic patient care. She actively listened to my mum’s symptoms, she showed a tremendous amount of empathy and compassion for what had happened to my mum. She did not rush her, she put her at ease when she was feeling very vulnerable. During

the examination Elena was so gentle, but at the same time very thorough, ensuring that nothing was missed.

The care this doctor showed is how all doctors should be. She truly is a role model for patient care and a hell of a lot of far more senior doctors could learn a great deal from her.

Thank you so much for looking after my mum, I hope you never lose the special qualities you showed when treating her.

CLD

Fantastic work to support cancer patients I am going through radiotherapy and chemotherapy for treatment of endometrial cancer at NGH, and the treatment I am receiving from radiology, radiotherapy, gynaecology, hair and beauty service and oncology and all of the support staff in the hospital has been nothing short of exemplary.

Also my two Macmillan nurses Anita York and Claire Campbell have been so supportive and caring that they are a gold star example of the work that you do to keep cancer patients in

such difficult times. Keep up the tremendous work that you are doing and best wishes for your future.

I am pleased to report that our allotment association, which held its annual show and party in September, raised £165 for Macmillan cancer support in recognition of the fantastic work that you have done for so many of our members. A cheque for this amount is enclosed.

Pauline Burford

Little short of miraculous care As a recent, elderly visitor to the Head and Neck ward at NGH, suffering with a very painful inner ear condition, the care and attention given to me was little short of the miraculous. I was attended by no less than 18 members of the nursing staff and a cohort of doctors, as well as the domestics who brought meals, drinks plus other chores carried out with enormous patience

8 ❘ INSIGHT

and tenderness.

This specialist ward cares for a wide range of patients, some of who are long stay folks with serious conditions requiring the highest standards of treatment.

A BIG thank-you to one and all for being such a great team!

Dennis H. Sear

◗ Would like to thank staff at A&E on Sunday evening. I think my daughter may have been seen by Laura Trotter but when you are worried you forget to check names. Excellent service and excellent advice. Yes it is a long wait but she had been in pain for two days and out of hours were no help.

A&E gave peace of mind and spot on treatment. Pain subsided within a few hours. Amazing competent polite caring staff. ◗ During his 13 week stay, my grandfather was diagnosed with bladder and stomach cancer. The family cannot fault the care he had received from staff on Benham, Hawthorn, Collingtree, Rowan, and Willow wards as well as consultants Mr Evans and Mr Beattie. My grandfather sadly passed away on Tuesday on Benham ward. Staff were very professional and thoughtful at this sad time. He spent his last few weeks at home, and his last day doing what he loved, sitting in the sun. Please send our thanks to the nursing staff, doctors and miscellaneous team members for all their hard work and caring nature. ◗ As we are constantly hearing the NHS being criticised I felt the need to say thank you for my care whilst having a tonsillectomy at NGH. My care during the operation was great I was kept informed and well looked after. I was then sent to Spencer ward and was extremely well cared for as it was a gynae ward. Special thanks to staff nurse Kate and HCA Sharon. ◗ My thanks to Dr Pandey and his team, Sally Mora, Graham Smyth and the team within urodynamics, for their work pre and post my minor operation. I would also like to compliment the pre-operations team including Carmel, Carol and Charlotte amongst others - when you know you have to re-appear for an operation, and are feeling low, you need truly helpful people and they delivered!

See more at www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk If you would like to share your positive comments, please get in touch with us - email pals@ngh.nhs.uk

WINTER PRESSURE ◗

Easing winter pressure on health services The winter chill shouldn’t freeze health care quite so much this year after county hospitals secured a cash injection of almost £8 million to employ more staff and provide extra beds.

A package of £250m of winter contingency funding has been shared between the 53 NHS trusts nationally with A&E departments under the most pressure, including £4m for NGH and £3.9m for Kettering General Hospital.

Almost half of the NGH allocation is being spent on extra staff. Acting chief operating officer Deborah Needham said: “In A&E we’ve already put in extra nursing staff and consultants, and we are now planning to increase staff in the site management team, portering and therapy teams which includes physiotherapists and occupational therapists. We will also have staff at the front door of A&E who can help to turn around patients who could be treated more appropriately elsewhere, such as by their GP, pharmacist or dentist.”

The remaining £2m will be used by Northamptonshire County Council and Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust on health and social care schemes to help reduce pressure on services. This includes provision of an extra 24 beds in the community where patients who no longer need acute care, such as those with dementia, can be cared for by the most appropriate people.

In A&E we’ve already put in extra nursing staff and consultants.

Another scheme brings together health, social care and mental health professionals to better support and cater to the needs of frail and elderly people across Northamptonshire, who often present with symptoms such as falls, immobility and confusion.

The aim of the new hub is to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions by supporting people in their own homes where possible.

All the arrangements are evidence of local health and social care providers working effectively

NGH staff have been having their flu injections so they stay well to look after patients

You can help us to cope NGH has to look at different ways of working with the local health economy to ensure we are providing care closer to people in their own home.

together to provide an integrated system of care. Mrs Needham said: “As with every hospital, NGH has to look at different ways of working, and working with the local health economy to ensure we are providing care closer to people in their own home. Patients can then be cared for more appropriately rather than just putting additional beds and capacity into acute hospitals.”

Despite the additional funding, Mrs Needham said that it was important for patients and the public to help the local NHS deliver great care by themselves using services really efficiently. “This means not attending A&E unless it’s a medical emergency. Instead you can call your GP, visit a pharmacist or call NHS 111. If everyone could remember this it would really help us cope this winter.”

Members of the public have an important role to play in helping the NHS to function well during times of extreme demand. There are three main things you can do: 1 Use services appropriately – Make sure you go to the right NHS service for the right job. For example if you have a cough, cold or flu it may be most appropriate to go to your local pharmacist for advice. If you have an old injury, ache or pain, or long standing illness, it may be best to go to your GP for advice.

2 Stay away from hospital if you have an upset stomach, cough, cold, or flu-like symptoms. Don’t go visiting friends in hospital if you have these conditions.

3 Wash your hands – if you do need to come to hospital as a patient or visitor make sure you wash your hands with soap and water on arrival and on leaving a ward. Dirty hands are the main way winter illnesses are spread around the hospital so washing them – as well as using gels – is important. Gels in themselves don’t kill all the bugs.

INSIGHT ❘ 9

â—— COMMUNITY HOSPITALS

Local, friendly care at Danetre

As well as Northampton General Hospital itself we also provide services at three community hospitals in the county. We manage inpatient wards at Wellingborough, Corby, and at Danetre Hospital in Daventry where we also run the day surgery unit and out-patient department. Danetre inpatient ward is the focus of our feature for this issue.

Some of the staff from Danetre inpatients ward

10 â?˜ INSIGHT

COMMUNITY HOSPITALS ◗

Ward manager Sue Lee

Ward manager Sue Lee says there have been significant changes to Danetre inpatient ward since she started working there in 1997. “When I first came here, half of the beds were for respite care, and most patients were not that poorly.

Now, of the 28 beds on the ward, six are for palliative care and six are for stroke patients, and the type of nursing required for these and our other patients is much more intense. Those of us who have been here for a while have had to learn new skills, which is a good thing.

We’re now cannulating patients, doing IV antibiotics, things which are done everyday on a general hospital ward, but there wasn’t the need here for them in years gone by. It’s better for relatives because it means that we don’t have to send someone to Northampton if they have an infection, as we can treat them here if they are stable enough.”

Sue says that working at Danetre was her goal on finishing her nurse training.

“In fact I came for 18 months experience as a part-time staff nurse but never left. A fiveday post came up which I took, although I’d planned to only come short term and then do district nursing. I didn’t get to do that because I had so many opportunities here.” Sue has had several other roles, including helping to build up a busy outpatients department at Danetre following a period of change, but has been the inpatient ward manager for ten years now and has no wish to move on. “I enjoy being a ward manager and I love working here. I like to have the contact with the patients, I think that’s really important.”

Senior staff nurse Lindsay Randell was redeployed from Spencer ward at NGH following a reorganisation two years ago. She says: “Danetre sounded an interesting prospect so I chose to come here. After 21 years in a surgical environment, being in a medical setting is very different to what I was used to but I’m enjoying it. It’s quieter and a lot more settled here which means you have more time to look after patients. The team are great too, and made me feel very welcome.”

and as a staff nurse before that.

She has had breaks for children, lived abroad for a couple of years, and has also worked in a nursing home. When Nicholls House closed in 2006 she applied for a job at Danetre, where she had previously been offered a post but had been unable to take it up. She got the job and started on the same day as ward receptionist Katrina.

Lindsay heads up a team of nurses that look after patients needing rehabilitation. She has managerial responsibility for her staff, and for ensuring that vital tasks are completed, but it’s the hands on care she most enjoys. “We’re working with therapists and care managers to help the rehab patients – mainly elderly but occasionally some younger ones – achieve better health and be able to return home or to the community. That’s very rewarding work and, because they’re usually here for some time you get to know them and their families, which is really nice. I’m not planning to move because it still feels quite new and there are new challenges all the time. There’s always something new to learn in nursing.”

There’s a good team spirit here and we all support one another, we all gel quite nicely.

Staff nurse Jane Dexter has also worked at NGH, including 13 years as a midwife at the Barratt,

Jane says: “I love it here. I work mainly on the rehab side but also with palliative patients and wherever we’re needed. Because we’re a small group we’re a bit like family really, we all get on reasonably well. We have our moments as we all do, but there’s a good team spirit here and we all support one another, we all gel quite nicely. With a settled team you know who you’re working with. You know that all of them will get on and do what they’re needed to, and I can do what I need to do. If they’re happy for me to stay here I would love to stay until I retire.” >>

I love it here. I work mainly on the rehab side but also with palliative patients and wherever we’re needed.

Lindsay Randell and Jane Dexter with patient Iris Moody

INSIGHT ❘ 11

◗ COMMUNITY HOSPITALS

Healthcare assistant Andrew Timms has worked on the ward for just over a year.

A physics graduate from Manchester University, this current job is part of his larger ambition to become a doctor, and so he is here for a grounding in what life is like ‘at the sharp end’ of life in an NHS hospital. He has no immediate plans to leave but is applying for medical school next year and considering other positions that may come up, such as a clinical scientist role which would suit his physics background.

His current job involves washing and dressing patients, feeding and toileting,

generally assisting with patients’ overall comfort, and taking observations. It can be hard work, particularly when a late finish is followed by an early shift the following morning, with a drive home to Wellingborough and back in between.

Andrew says: “You have to go where the work is, and there are people who do a lot worse. It’s no fun if it’s particularly busy, but the good times are when you have time to interact more with the patients, and many of them on rehab are here for some time so you end up building quite a relationship with them.”

Healthcare assistant Andrew Timms with patient Lillian Palmer

Ward clerk Katrina Proctor came to Danetre from an admin background seven years ago to become a healthcare assistant but, although she was quite happy with the work, the hours didn’t suit her. “My body clock couldn’t cope with doing different shifts,” she says, “and with a young child at home it didn’t work out for me. Luckily a position came up in the office here and, having job shared for a while, I became full time in July. I absolutely love it. It’s quite demanding at times but I enjoy being busy and there’s no chance of being bored here.”

Kat’s job involves being the ward

12 ❘ INSIGHT

Physiotherapist Lesley Roache with patient Ron Drinkwater

Physiotherapist Lesley Roache joined Danetre in January, having relocated to Northampton from London, where she worked for a time at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington. Lesley says: “On first becoming a physio you do a lot of rotations and that’s essentially where you figure out what you enjoy best because there are different specialisms within the role. I’ve been doing rehab for seven years now, and I was taken on here in readiness for the six stroke beds which were put in place at Danetre this year. The therapy team consists of four physiotherapists, three occupational therapists, two rehab assistants and one technical instructor, and we decided to split all the types of patients between us. That means we all see some of the stroke patients, some palliative

receptionist and attending to visitors, doing all the paperwork for patients who are admitted, drugs orders, arranging appointments and transport, and anything else required.

“Because I’ve had that rapport with patients before, I’m quite comfortable with popping into patients to sort out little problems and have a chat with them. I can have a manic day but the next morning you can start again and it’s all lovely. I live locally so I can walk to work if I need to on snow days, I finish early enough to walk my dog before it gets dark, and really this job ticks all the boxes for me. While they still want me, I’m not going anywhere – it’s perfect!”

Ward clerk Katrina Proctor

and other rehab patients so we can keep abreast of what’s happening. It also ensures we don’t lose our various skills and we see a bit of variety.”

The ward has its own small gym with a standing frame and parallel bars to help people stand and walk, plus a range of other equipment including weights and balls to help regain muscle tone. In an assessment kitchen next door to the gym patients can practice making their own drinks and meals.

There’s a lounge where people can go with their families, and a terrace where patients can get some fresh air and practice walking outside. “It’s a nice unit,” says Lesley. “There’s a friendly team, a lot of changes going on which makes it interesting, and I’m enjoying it.

I’m quite happy here.”

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INSIGHT ❘ 13

◗ AMBULATORY CARE

Ambulatory care centre set to reduce hospital admissions A new ‘ambulatory care centre’ (ACC) has opened at NGH where some patients will be treated and sent home within a single day, avoiding the need to be admitted to a hospital bed. It is designed for patients who are mobile and self-caring but still need an acute medical assessment.

Patients can be referred from their GP’s, from A&E or from one of the hospital’s two assessment units. By having speedy access to diagnostics, and ongoing community support if necessary, patient experiences can be transformed – helping to make same day emergency care the norm.

It is an incredibly exciting development and I am really enthusiastic about the future and the potential behind this new idea for emergency patients.

14 ❘ INSIGHT

Assessment unit junior sister Emily Clarke said: “This new area has been set up as an initiative to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions. Nationally there are 49 clinical conditions that can be managed within an ambulatory care environment. At present NGH are working with 10 care pathways, with more being planned.

“After an initial nursing assessment looking at the patient’s symptoms, routine blood tests are carried out and vital signs observations are recorded. A junior doctor clerks the patient and arranges any investigations that are needed, a chest x-ray for example, and the on-call medical consultant reviews the patient with all the results to decide their further plan of care. Any follow up and treatment that is required can be carried out as an outpatient

within the ACC with a further review by the medical consultant with any outstanding results.

“It is still early days and we are continuing to iron out a few problems, but we have had very positive results already from patients that would normally have been kept in a hospital bed overnight for investigations and subsequent aftercare. For example, patients with a suspected pulmonary embolism (clot on the lung) – provided they have normal oxygen levels and are clinically well - can come here.

We do the initial blood tests and start preventative treatment with Clexane, and either teach the patient to self-administer that or they can come back in on a daily basis to for nursing staff to administer. A VQ scan in nuclear medicine is organised and the results are reviewed in an outpatient appointment in the chest clinic for their follow up care.

This creates a better experience for the patient because their care needs can be met on a clinic basis.”

Senior nurses in the ACC assist in identifying patients who fit the ambulatory criteria, and attend the A&E board round every morning to identify any patients there that are suitable to be managed in ACC instead. The medical on-call consultants are also screening patients from A&E and GPs and referring them to

ACC if they are appropriate.

Carly Newport is the sister for the ambulatory care centre. She said: “The ethos behind a centre like this is that all patients should be deemed suitable for ambulatory emergency care until it has been proven otherwise. We are trying to change the traditional thought that patients must be admitted in to a hospital bed to receive the best care.

A significant proportion of adult patients can be managed safely and appropriately on the same day without admission. Due to a large part of our success coming from fast-tracking patient investigations

Sister Carly Newport

AMBULATORY CARE ◗

Some of the nursing staff in the new ambulatory care centre: (l-r) junior sister Emily Clarke, healthcare assistant Hannah Raines, receptionist Sarah Briers, and staff nurse Amy Cowley.

and diagnostic tests, the ACC has the potential to provide high quality emergency care and a good patient experience in a cost effective way. This is becoming apparent through the results of our Friends and Family Test patient satisfaction scores.

We are currently recruiting to establish the centre with its own workforce.

“As we expand the number of ambulatory conditions, more emergency patients can be seen as day case. Senior nurses working in the area will be able to take the medical GP calls, filtering those patients that are suitable for ACC so that they are directed to the right place the first time. We are currently recruiting to establish the centre with its own workforce and the cohesive working this will bring will enhance the patient experience further.

It is an incredibly exciting development and I am really enthusiastic about the future and the potential behind this new idea for emergency patients.”

Conditions that can be treated in the ambulatory care centre are: • Cardiac chest pain • Cellulitis • First seizure • Seizure in a known epileptic • Painless jaundice • Pulmonary embolism • Pleural effusion (fluid on the lung) • Supraventricular tachycardia (fast heart rate) • TIA (mini-stroke) • Upper gastrointestinal bleed

INSIGHT ❘ 15

◗ PEOPLE SPOTLIGHT

Meet consultant anaesthetist

Chris Frerk

Chris Frerk can juggle with fire. He can ride a unicycle, and he can also fly a gyrocopter. These are perhaps not the extracurricular activities you would expect of a consultant anaesthetist, who also happens to play a major role in our Patient Safety Academy - nor of a man who believes he thinks too much.

But Chris is a person who loves to learn, as well as teach. He enjoys learning new skill-based activities – especially, it seems, if they are uncommon, technically challenging, or dangerous. He says: “I don’t do anything I can’t do well because I don’t enjoy it. If I thought I could do something I would learn it, do it, practise it, and either stick with it until I got to an acceptable level – or abandon it. I suppose I’m quite competitive.”

I’ve come to know and recognise lots of them over 20 years or so, and it’s nice to see friendly faces wherever I go in such a big place.

Chris wanted to learn to fly a helicopter but, while watching a tv programme about them, he saw an autogyro flown by Ken Wallis, the pilot who flew ‘Little Nellie’ in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice. He says “I thought, that looks so much more fun!” So he travelled to Carlisle to take lessons from the only instructor in the country, and learned to fly – as the picture here shows. Unfortunately Chris’s gyro was later destroyed in a hangar fire, but he has flown several other makes and models since.

He went to circus school because he wanted to learn to ride a unicycle and, having learned that, moved on to juggling. He can juggle swords, and even flaming torches – which he has demonstrated here at NGH. Needless to say it was on a very safe area of the site, with appropriate fire precautions in place!

16 ❘ INSIGHT

PEOPLE SPOTLIGHT ◗

At school, the results of a test Chris took suggested medicine was probably the career for him. Well, that or farming apparently, but after spells as a baker and a DJ, his parents ‘encouraged’ him to go to medical school. He first joined NGH as a senior house officer in 1986 for two years, as an anaesthesia trainee, and then later returned to us as a consultant in 1993.

Chris says: “Days are a lot longer now than when I first started. There’s a lot more to do now that doesn’t relate to my core job, which is looking after people while they’re having surgery. I sometimes delete emails, knowing that if somebody needs something they can come and find me. I particularly enjoy the clinical parts of my job, which take up three days a week, and teaching and learning.

“The number of patients I see varies enormously. On one day it can be 15-16 patients anaesthetised for operations, and on another it can be just one complex case with me finishing at eight o’clock at night. They’re both equally fun – you need the variety. My specialism is anything above the collar bone, so I work a lot with the maxillofacial surgeons on head and neck cases, but also work regularly in the emergency theatre covering any and all specialties.

If you need help from other consultants there’s a very good support network here, and that makes it a nice relaxing environment to work in.”

Chris’s work on patient safety is focused on the human factors angle. “Any harm that happens to patients in healthcare is not generally because of bad or poorly trained people,” he says. “it’s because of human factors such as communication problems, shift patterns, the work environment, design of equipment, policies and protocols, and our ability (or inability) to learn from things that haven’t gone as well as expected. Other high risk industries such as aviation, nuclear power and offshore oil have recognised this, but healthcare is still catching up. The fact that this hospital has included a human factors work stream on its patient safety agenda shows that NGH is helping to lead the way on making things safer for patients.”

For Chris, working at NGH is all about the people. “I’ve come to know and recognise lots of them over 20 years or so, and it’s nice to see friendly faces wherever I go in such a big place. Most of them are really generous, many experts within their field. I especially love it when students surpass their teacher – that always cheers me up. People who encourage me, who bring things out in me I didn’t know were there, that’s very nice. I try to bring things out in others too.”

QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS If you could change one thing about working at NGH, what would it be?

Everyone would have somewhere to park whenever they arrived at work (well you did ask).

If you could spend a day as any other person, living or dead, who would it be?

Somebody living preferably.

What is your ideal day off? Tuesday (but I’d miss the maxillofacial surgeons).

What are your interests outside of work? Learning new skill based activities.

What is your philosophy of life?

Listen, think, practice (these are three separate things!)

What single thing would improve your life?

I think it would be thinking less but I’m not sure it would and it’s probably not going to happen so I try not to worry about it.

What has been the highlight in your career so far?

Being given time and encouragement by some truly great people who were happy to share their skills and knowledge with me.

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?

Anywhere where I could drink the water, speak the language and know where I could get something good to eat. England would be fine.

INSIGHT ❘ 17

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18 ❘ INSIGHT

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MATERNITY SERVICES ◗

Thank goodness for NGH! Natasha and Daniel Rawson wrote to us to thank “the wonderful staff at the hospital” following the birth of their son earlier this year.

Natasha said: “We conceived Toby under the excellent care of [consultant obstetrician] Mr Roy Davies, and I remained under his care throughout my pregnancy.

Thank goodness I did.

“I was admitted into hospital at just 32 weeks when, during a routine appointment, Mr Davies picked up some problems. He took one look at me and said he knew something was wrong, so he ran some tests and found I had pre-eclampsia. I was admitted immediately. I had no symptoms, so without this fantastic doctor I dread to think what the outcome could have been.”

Natasha spent the night on the labour ward having her blood pressure lowered. When it was in safe levels she was moved to the Robert Watson ward who she says took ‘fantastic’ care of her. A few days later she went into labour at only 33 weeks.

I had no symptoms, so without this fantastic doctor I dread to think what the outcome could have been.

Natasha came in to show Gosset staff how well Toby, aged four months, has progressed

“During the start of my labour I was being taken care of by a young midwife. As my health took a turn for the worse it was decided I would have an emergency c-section. My midwife was fantastic and kept me calm and advised throughout, and I found her so reassuring.

“During surgery the consultant anaesthethist was excellent and talked me through the procedure and what was happening with our son.

After this I remained in the labour ward for 27 hours, although because of my health I was unable to see my son. The staff were fab at making calls to check his progress, help me express and put up with my tears.”

Natasha and Daniel with Toby

Natasha was then moved back to the Robert Watson ward for two weeks while her blood pressure was

still unstable. She said: “The staff had changed due to a ward swap over but they were again excellent and found me a room without babies as my son was on Gosset ward, the special care baby unit. The staff supported me emotionally and with expressing which I was really struggling with.

“As for Gosset I have nothing but total praise. The care they gave my son during his three-week stay was nothing but outstanding. All the staff we encountered were excellent but some of those that stood out were Minnie, Judith, Claire and Tina. I wish I could remember more of their names. All the SCBU nurses deserve a medal and are truly amazing. We really want to pass on our praise to all the staff involved. We cannot thank them enough.”

INSIGHT ❘ 19

◗ MATERNITY SERVICES

Birth centre opens its doors Our new Barratt Birth Centre opens for business on Monday 2 December, the first midwife-led unit in the county.

The new centre has four birthing rooms, three of them with pools, plus kitchenettes and double beds so dads can stay over. It provides a way of having a baby in a more homely and calming environment, with all the benefit of having expert medical support very close by should the need arise.

Head of midwifery Anne Thomas said: “We are extremely proud of

We are now able to offer a complete range of birth options for women and their families.

20 ❘ INSIGHT

our award-winning home birth team and we have built on our experience of its development to help ensure the birth centre is equally successful. As with home birth, the new birth centre is suitable for women who are healthy, with a ‘low-risk’ pregnancy who are unlikely to develop complications.

“Earlier in the year we opened a new birthing pool room on the obstetric labour ward and that has proved very popular with new mums. A maternity observation ward was also opened alongside the labour ward, providing an area for mothers who

require increased monitoring either before or after birth.

“With these improvements and now our new birth centre, we are able to offer a complete range of birth options for women and their families.

The value of caring for women in a conducive environment is known to be key to their birth experience - be that in an obstetric labour ward, a birth centre or at home. NGH now has the ability to offer all these choices, and this will ensure that women receive the right care, in the right environment for them at the right time.”

MATERNITY SERVICES ◗

Beau is special 1,000th home birth baby Our home birth team of midwives was set up in April 2010 to ensure that greater choice was made available to local women of how they wanted to give birth. Less than a year later the team scooped an award at the Royal College of Midwives annual awards, and home birth rates stood at seven per cent of all NGH

We only moved up from London two months ago, but the support we’ve had from the home birth team here was just phenomenal.

deliveries – nearly three times the national average.

And this year the team delivered their 1,000th home birth baby, the very lovely Beau Baker, just after 5am on 27 August. Beau was born – ten days late - in a birthing pool in the family dining room, weighing a healthy six pounds 10 ounces.

Proud parents Laura and Lee said: “A home birth was a dream we didn’t think would happen. We only moved up from London two months ago, but the support we’ve had from the home birth team here was just phenomenal.”

Laura, who had her first child in hospital 19 years ago, said: “I remember feeling scared then, but this time I was in my own environment and much more relaxed.

I got to know my midwives and it felt like I was giving birth with the help of a friend.

“All the midwives were very positive, they made me sure I was doing the right thing. It happened how I imagined it, couldn’t have asked for anything better. They spent a lot of time with us, picked up on what we wanted, and just blended in.”

Home birth midwives Angela Boyce, Marion Barclay and Rita Long with a basket of goodies for the new family. Angela, Laura’s antenatal midwife, was involved in home delivery number 999 but made it along to take over from Rita just after the birth.

Marion, who helped deliver Beau, said she felt privileged to have been at the birth. She said: “Every birth is a milestone, but this one feels very special and I’m glad to have been part of it.”

To celebrate Beau’s arrival, the family was presented with a basket of home-made gifts from the 12 NGH home-birth midwives, which included hand-knitted cardigans and bibs.

Steffans Jewellers, in Northampton, also gave the new arrival a necklace made from peridot, Beau’s birthstone, set in white gold. Steffans director Wes Suter said: “Midwives go above and beyond in their jobs so when we were approached by them to help celebrate the 1,000th birth, we were happy to help.”

INSIGHT ❘ 21

◗ NGH FESTIVAL

Festival of fun Bird box painting

NGH Choir

Our staff Changing faces

Face fax Dancers

Inside an operating theatre

22 ❘ INSIGHT

of the hospital This year we threw open the doors learn more to ce and gave our visitors the chan es. A huge scen the ind about what goes on beh turned up who f staf the all to thank you goes out also We . lays disp ul derf won e and laid on som – Fund le ritab Cha our for 00 £1,0 raised over Thank You! star ted the The trust’s annual general meeting to ask nity ortu day off and, following an opp ndees were atte , bers questions of our board mem of the NGH ance orm perf lic treated to the first pub ir rendition The . year this ier earl ed Choir which form of eyes many of Hallelujah brought a tear to the n a very of the audience, and they were give deserved standing ovation. locations The festivities continued in various invited to were ors visit around the hospital where . We ities activ and s visit of take part in a variety the of ance orm perf ther ano by were entertained bers of mem choir and by a jazz band made up rounded was n rnoo afte The f. staf l of hospita cing and dan off with demonstrations of Bhangra Dhol drumming. that our visitors These are just some of the things tions that nisa orga the got involved with, and joined us.

is Photographs cour tesy of Lisa Curt

Pets as Therapy

The Sustainability Team

CANCER SERVICES ◗

Cool technology curbs chemo-related hair loss Hair loss is a common and wellknown side effect of chemotherapy, but scalp cooling has been found to prevent or decrease chemo-related hair loss by reducing blood flow to the scalp and preserving hair follicles. The breast cancer charity Walk the Walk has donated four Paxman scalp coolers to our oncology department over the last year, enabling us to help a number of patients go through chemotherapy without noticeable hair loss.

consultant about suitability.

“We’re very grateful to Walk the Walk for donating the machines, which are much more effective than the previous gel caps we used. It’s been very successful for Elaine, although some patients experience more thinning and it can be patchy, so ladies may have a hairpiece as well. Either way I can check and maintain, offer guidance and answer

questions, keeping an eye on how they go, every few weeks when they come in.”

Elaine added: “Debbie does a fabulous job and her role here is a massive support. Before I started chemo I walked through that door to choose a wig – a thought that horrified me – and Debbie turned a really horrible situation into something nice. She’s amazing.”

Effectiveness can vary, and the coolers are only suitable for some chemo regimens, but Elaine Neal of Kingsthorpe, who underwent treatment for breast cancer after being diagnosed in April, said the cooling technology certainly worked for her. Faced with chemotherapy she had thought losing her hair was inevitable, but was given the opportunity of using the scalp cooling system.

She said: “Any cancer diagnosed is a massive confidence blow but due to the encouragement and support of Debbie Smith and the team here at NGH I decided to embrace the idea of maybe not losing my hair as part of the cancer journey. Having had six chemotherapy sessions I’ve retained my hair. Some thinning has taken place but I’ve been able to retain my identity and dignity. Initially I felt slightly guilty because the perception is that retaining your hair is about vanity, but really it is helping to maintain some feeling of normality.

I would encourage anyone, male or female, to use the cold cap treatment – it worked for me.”

Debbie does a fabulous job and her role here is a massive support.

Oncology hair and beauty coordinator Debbie Smith said: “Hair loss is almost the first thing that people raise after a cancer diagnosis – it’s such a visual thing.

I think for ladies like Elaine who have already gone through surgery it’s another issue to worry about, but this treatment can help many of them with that. Unfortunately it’s not suitable for all chemotherapy treatments, and anyone considering the cool cap must ask their

Chemo patient Elaine Neal, oncology hair and beauty coordinator Debbie Smith, and Kat from Paxman scalp coolers

INSIGHT ❘ 23

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6

NGH people 1 W

Neurology secretary Angela Baker has retired after 30 years of service at NGH, for 19 of which she worked alongside consultant neurologist Dr Paul Davies. His sentiments were echoed by all who came across Angela in that she is an incredibly hard working and diligent lady who always strived to provide the patients with the best patient experience, and her commitment to her work was second to none. We wish her all the very best for an incredibly happy and memory-filled retirement.

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Pharmacy QA technician Jane Thompson was filmed by an ITN crew for a video about the benefits of automation in pharmacy, commissioned by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society to be

24 ❘ INSIGHT

shown at their annual conference. The RPS asked to make part of the film here as NGH has recently installed a new automated dispensing system (or ‘robot’) and a wireless temperature monitoring system.

3 W

Althorp ward staff nurse Mel Rowland is the ward’s student coordinator and is passionate about mentoring and anything to do with learning and development. She describes herself as “cheerful, positive and adventurous” – the last quality perhaps best illustrated by the fact that she drove 10,000 miles to Mongolia in a Ford Ka last year with her partner Simon for charity. Mel says the scariest moment, apart from border officials and the

police, was getting stuck in a river crossing with water up to her waist!

4 W

Staff nurse Ellen Ivins has retired after 19 years in the NHS. Knightley ward sister Naomi Walters said: “Ellen will really be missed because she is a very, very experienced nurse and has lots and lots of knowledge. She has been a really good teacher too and has looked after many of our new staff over the years.” Ellen bid an emotional farewell to her colleagues, saying: “It’s the people I’ll miss most. There have been some lovely ones and there still are – it’s like a family here. Everything changes, but the people seem to carry on. They make this hospital what it is.”

3

4

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Colleagues of Janet Cook, a discharge coordinator who worked at Corby and Isebrook hospitals for 40 years, held their own bake-off competition at a party to mark her retirement. Senior occupational therapist Lisa Whittington-Prior, who worked with Janet for more than 15 years said: “Janet is lovely, bubbly, a good communicator, very efficient and would always do her best to try and help you. She loves to bake and often brought things in for us to share, so we thought we’d have our own bake-off for her to judge. As a long-standing member of the team she will always be in our thoughts.”

(Picture courtesy of Northants Telegraph)

6 W

Members of our infection prevention team, including Jean Hart, Nora Webster, Dr Tony Bentley, Patricia Dominguez and Holly Slyne, held their fourth annual study day in October when 50 members of nursing, therapies and domestic staff from across the trust came together to learn more about different aspects of infection prevention and control.

9 7 W

Following Dr Sonia Swart’s appointment as chief executive of the trust, Dr Mike Wilkinson has taken on the role of interim medical director, supported by Dr Natasha Robinson and Dr Amanda Bisset who will continue as acting deputy medical directors. Mike is well known for never having his photograph taken – but there is no escape now!

8 W

Congratulations to radiotherapy advanced practitioner Glenda Logsdail, who has been awarded an MSc in Advanced Practice in Radiotherapy and Oncology. A big well done from your colleagues for all that hard work, and we look forward to seeing the photos from the official ceremony!

9 W

NGH consultant anaesthetist and associate medical director Dr Natasha Robinson was invited to the Women of the Year Lunch in October, in recognition of her work on patient safety at the Royal Society of Medicine. She said:

“I am absolutely delighted to have been invited to this event. To say I’m honoured is an understatement – it is just nice to be considered. Patient safety is very high profile within Northampton General Hospital, and I’m very pleased that the work I’m doing nationally has also been recognised. The patient safety section at the RSM is very much a team, not just me.”

10 W

Jane Bradley, assistant to the medical director for quality and safety, has been shortlisted for an award by the NHS East Midlands Leadership Academy for her work on patient safety at NGH. Jane was nominated in the category for NHS Quality Champion/Innovator of the Year. As Insight went to print, Jane was preparing to attend the awards ceremony at Nottingham on 28 November – fingers crossed she won!

INSIGHT ❘ 25

◗ VOLUNTEERS

RVS volunteers welcome men and women of all ages In addition to the Friends of NGH, our hospital is well served by another band of dedicated volunteers, members of the Royal Voluntary Service, who have been supporting patients, visitors and staff at NGH for over 25 years.

Over 100 volunteers run two retail shops, a coffee bar in the oncology department, a ward trolley service, an information point at medical outpatients, and also help to provide a ward support service.

This year the national charity celebrates 75 years and has also had a rebranding to drop the word ‘women’ from its WRVS name – a move designed to attract more men

to its ranks. Already more than ten per cent of RVS volunteers at the hospital are men.

Service manager Maggie James said: “Our volunteers are amazing.

They range in age from teens to the late 80s, and come from a wide range of backgrounds. Some of them have given us more than 20 years dedicated service, and we will be presenting our long service awards in December. We are also encouraging our volunteers to do customer service NVQs, and around 20 who have already achieved their qualification will be presented with their certificates at the same celebration.”

The RVS shop at the south entrance has been recently refurbished, and the Billing Road shop is also having an uplift, with more new lines being introduced for customers.

In partnership with Friends of NGH the charity has introduced volunteers to help support older vulnerable patients on the wards, with more due to be recruited in a campaign in the new year. The ward trolley service is being extended to cover all wards in the hospital at least five days a week, and there are other initiatives in the pipeline including good neighbours and community transport schemes. All income generated from retail sales

Our volunteers are amazing.

They range in age from teens to the late 80s, and come from a wide range of backgrounds.

Some of our RVS volunteers outside the Cliftonville shop – the old WRVS logos are due to be replaced in the New Year!

26 ❘ INSIGHT

VOLUNTEERS ◗

Could you be a volunteer?

Whether you are a younger volunteer, approaching retirement or fitting volunteering around your work, there is something for everyone.

June Spokes and Ray Eldridge on the ward trolley service

(after deduction of costs) is gifted back to the hospital, often paying for vital equipment.

Maggie became the RVS manager two years ago, after a 35-year career in retail which included managing a major DIY store. “I wanted to do something different, and I love working with all these volunteers. It really makes you feel quite humble because they all give their time freely and they are a lovely bunch of people.”

I really enjoy it and it is a very interesting job. No two days are the same because there are different sets of volunteers for each shop every day.

Gina Kimpton became senior service assistant for the RVS here almost three years ago, having previously worked at a polymer engineering company and in several retail outlets. She now manages the shops, including scheduling the volunteers and training them to work the tills and the handheld terminal used on the trolley service. “I really enjoy it and it is a very interesting job.

No two days are the same because there are different sets of volunteers for each shop every day.”

If you are interested in joining our very special and dedicated team of volunteers please contact us. All our volunteers are fully trained, including in all compliance and health and safety aspects for their roles. They also have an opportunity to undertake NVQ qualifications free of charge on site.

If you would like more information about Royal Voluntary Service, volunteering opportunities and the services we provide for older vulnerable people, please pop into one of our shops for a leaflet or contact Maggie James on 01604 545959 or email Maggie.James@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk Sally Hillyard and Lesley Chadwick in the Cliftonville shop

Since retiring as a social worker, June Spokes has been an RVS volunteer for ten years, working on the shop, coffee bar, and also on main reception for the Friends of NGH. She said: “This is my first day on the trolley round, and it’s nice that you can change around to do different things if you want to. I’d never done shop work before I came here, but that’s something else I can do now. Volunteering is quite a commitment but I love it. I enjoy the company, it’s nice to get out and meet people, and if you can help others who are ill in hospital it’s worthwhile.”

Ray Eldridge was a fireman for 30 years and moved up from London two years ago. He now lives at Blisworth and is a recent recruit to RVS volunteering, doing two mornings a week. Ray said: “I love it, it’s brilliant and I thoroughly enjoy it. John, another volunteer here is an ex-policeman and we’re really on the same wavelength.

When we go on to the wards with the trolley we can usually make the patients laugh.”

INSIGHT ❘ 27

◗ CHARITABLE FUND

NGH

ble ChaFruitnad

Northampton General Hospital Registered charity no: 1051107

All donations to the hospital are managed, separately from NHS finances, by the trustees of the NGH Charitable Fund, a registered charity. If you would like to make a donation, or be involved in raising money for NGH, please contact our fundraising office on 01604 545857.

Please visit our website for more fundraising stories and details of how you can get involved www.nghgreenheart.co.uk Caroline Stafford and Alison Waples accept a cheque on behalf of Paddington ward. Picture courtesy of Chronicle & Echo

Walkers’ gratitude

Recliner chairs help parents stay close Volunteers from Zindgani and Sakhi Milap Dostiyo, Asian older men and women community groups, have very generously raised enough money to enable the Paddington children’s ward to benefit from two slim recliner chairs. A dinner dance was held to help raise the funds and with further donations from their members they raised over £1,470.

Senior staff nurse Alison Waples and ward

clerk Caroline Stafford, who went along to meet the group and receive the cheque on behalf of the ward, said: “We are very grateful for these funds as the slim recliner chairs can fit by the children’s bedsides, which will enable their parents to stay close to them at all times and through the night. It is only with the support of the local community that we are able to make these important improvements to the care we provide.”

Pain clinic benefits from surplus cash Four members of the Zindgani group came in and presented Julie Price from the Pain Clinic with £170. The funds were the surplus the group had raised for the recliner chairs for Paddington ward and as some of the members of the Zindgani group are being treated by the clinic is was suggested that this department should benefit.

The Waendel walkers’ club, which has 180 members and was established in 1981, raised £870 for the ophthalmology department by organising a Festival of Family Walking in the summer.

Paul Ollett, who came in with Lorraine Brown to present the cheque to service manager Ian Beattie, said: “We really felt that we wanted to thank the department for the excellent treatment that several of our members have received.”

28 ❘ INSIGHT

With fundraiser Alison McCulloch (centre) are (l-r) Meera Shah, Mettu Reddy, J. Patel, Urmila Unalkat and Julie Price

Julie Price said: “We are very pleased with your donation as it will enable the department to purchase a good old fashioned blood pressure monitor which the unit would really like to benefit from.”

CHARITABLE FUND ◗

Cayden gets on his scooter to help other children An eight-year-old boy from Northampton has raised more than £150 to help pay for a new incubator on a children’s ward at Northampton General Hospital.

Cayden Brown, a pupil at Lings Primary School, raised the money after he was sponsored by friends and family to complete a ‘scootathon’ at Woburn Abbey last month. The event involved a 400m scoot, a 400m bike ride and a 250m run.

raise the money for the children’s ward because a family friend’s child had recently been treated on Gosset ward. She said: “I am extremely proud of him. On the first lap he fell off his scooter, but he got back up and carried on. He had tears in his eyes but said he was doing it for the poorly children in the hospital.”

We always appreciate every penny we receive, especially from an eight-year-old. It is an amazing achievement.

Wendy Copson, Gosset ward manager, said it was fantastic that someone of Cayden’s age had managed to raise so much money.

She said: “We always appreciate every penny we receive, especially from an eight-year-old. It is an amazing achievement. Every penny we get will go towards new equipment for the ward.”

Cayden’s mother, Claire, said she was very proud of the fund-raising effort of her son, who chose to

The money Cayden raised will help pay for a new travelling incubator to replace the current one on the ward, which is 16 years old. Cayden plans to do another scootathon again next year.

Dr Leigh Moss, Janice and Roy Leeding, and Bethan Read from Talbot Butler ward

First ever CAT scan patient returns to NGH When Roy Leeding was treated at Talbot Butler ward for cancer in 1988, the CAT scan was cutting-edge technology and he was the first at NGH to use it.

Twenty-five years later, when Roy reached his 70th birthday this October, he asked well-wishers to donate cash instead of presents to say thank you to the ward.

He said: “So many people held events to raise money for the scanner, and the appeal raised £750,000 in less than a year - it was wonderful, all the effort that went into it. The treatment obviously worked, and I was gratified that it did all work because I was quite scared at the time.”

Roy is retired from his building business, now being run by son Mark, but is still in good health and keeping busy gardening and “messing about in the garage”.

He and his wife Janice, who live in Gayton, met up again with Dr Leigh Moss, who treated Roy alongside his consultant Ken Lloyd 25 years ago, when they donated £700 to the ward.

e l b a t i r a h C Fund

Cayden presents his cheque to Dr Nick Barnes and sister Wendy Copson from Gosset neonatal ward. Picture courtesy of Chronicle & Echo

INSIGHT ❘ 29

◗ CANCER SERVICES

Nurse-led skin cancer clinics

Ruth Fox explains how a nurse-led pathway for people with skin cancer is working at Northampton General Hospital.

In January 2012 I began nurseled clinics, based in Northampton’s dermatology department, with the support of the skin cancer multidisciplinary team.

At first, I set up a clinic to see people who were coming back to receive their test results and diagnosis. Patients are referred to the clinics after biopsy of a suspected melanoma lesion, and I will give them their results and diagnosis.

The clinic allows me to see as many people as possible at this stage, so I can help to explain their diagnosis, introduce the key worker role and make sure they receive written information and a thorough holistic assessment.

I also make contact as soon as possible with people diagnosed with melanoma when I am absent, or who are diagnosed by their GP or in other settings.

I invite these people to meet with me for further assessment and support.

Since the nurse-led clinics began, the number of patients referred to this service for face-to-face contact has increased by 15%, as the service has become better known by relevant staff. I hope that more melanoma patients will be referred to my clinics for their diagnosis as this new way of working becomes better embedded.

Follow-up service Ruth Fox

30 ❘ INSIGHT

To complement the clinics where I see people at diagnosis, I’ve

also established a nurse-led follow-up service.

If I see a patient at diagnosis who has a lowrisk melanoma, I book them into my followup system.

Higher-risk patients go into the consultant follow-up system. If a GP or consultant sees a low-risk melanoma patient at diagnosis, they will refer them to my clinic. I then see the patient every three months over the year after their diagnosis. During these appointments, I physically examine the patient, teach selfexamination techniques and give out sun protection advice and written information.

I’ve completed an MSc module in Skin Lesion Recognition and Management to prepare me for these sessions.

This follow-up clinic gives an opportunity to assess how someone who has had a melanoma is getting on physically and psychologically, and to address any other problems. The final follow-up appointment takes place with the consultant who referred to patient to my clinic.

The patient will then be discharged back to the care of their GP. People with metastatic disease, high-risk primary melanomas, or who have other complex problems that have affected their ability to cope following diagnosis, are also offered ongoing nurse-led appointments for more intensive assessment and support.

By being in contact with patients from diagnosis to regular contact and needs assessments, I can forge relationships that allow me to support people through all stages of their illness.

The nurse-led clinics don’t yet have high numbers, as the referral process has taken time to establish, and some new melanoma patients are inevitably given their diagnosis by their GP or one of the consultants in a private healthcare setting.

However, results of a survey sent to people I saw over a six month period were favourable.

Of 49 people surveyed, there was a 78% response rate, and 79% of respondents gave a maximum satisfaction score of 10. Plus, no one surveyed said they would rather have seen a doctor than attend the nurse-led clinic.

CANCER SERVICES ◗

Pauline’s ‘awful year’ Pauline Williams, 67, lives in Daventry and has been married to Barry for 50 years. They have two daughters and two granddaughters.

Support day for renal cancer patients

Pauline wrote to Insight to tell us about her ‘most awful year’ in which, as well as both daughters having problems of their own, Barry had to have a double heart bypass and she was diagnosed with womb cancer.

An information sharing event has been held to support patients on continuous treatment for metastatic renal cancer. The aim of the day was to provide both professional and peer support to help manage the side effects which vary over the course of each patient’s treatment. It was also hoped that friendships would be struck and partners and carers would feel less isolated in living with someone with a relatively rare incurable cancer.

The good part of the year was that, in between Barry’s operation and Pauline’s diagnosis the couple managed to holiday in Turkey to celebrate their golden wedding, and to renew their vows in the same church in Kenilworth where they were married on 1 June 1963.

Pauline had an operation to remove the tumour but the cancer was later found to have spread to her lungs, and she has started a course of chemotherapy to help shrink it.

After an overview by Dr Guy Faust of the renal cancer pathway and how treatment decisions are made, a ‘speed dating’ format saw professionals moving from table to table for a set time, giving patients the security of asking questions in small groups rather than to the whole room. The professionals, who all gave their time at a weekend, included community Macmillan nurses, pharmacists, Macmillan information, Macmillan social care coordinator, an acute oncology nurse, Judith Fletcher and Pam Ferrar.

Despite the devastating news Pauline has made a point of praising staff at the hospital, saying: “Everyone I have met in the NGH oncology centre has been very supportive, very helpful, very friendly. The chemo nurses are wonderful, and I have a lovely wig thanks to Debbie the hair and beauty lady.

“I know I can ring the oncology centre or Talbot Butler ward anytime I have a problem, and someone there is always ready to help. I am so very grateful to everyone at NGH, and whatever happens they have done all they can to help.”

Macmillan nurse Judith Fletcher said: “Although we were nervous beforehand about how it would work, and whether people would talk to each other, the day was a huge success. All involved said they learned a great deal and would like it to be repeated – and we are now seeing more patients and loved ones chatting to each other when waiting to be seen in oncology clinic. Everyone was very grateful for the generosity of a patient who funded the event by asking for donations rather than presents for his sixtieth birthday.”

New oral chemotherapy dispensing system The trial of a new system for dispensing oral chemotherapy for patients being seen in the oncology out-patients clinic is proving very popular. Previously patients were seen by their oncologist and if all was well they then attended the main pharmacy, which often involved a long wait for their medication. The new system involves the oncology pharmacist team predispensing medication and being present within the clinic. Once the consultant has seen the patient and authorised the prescription, it can now be immediately be given to the patient.

Pauline added: “It’s been such a shock and has changed our lives. I think very differently about things now. I try to be positive and think cancer, chemo are just words.

Me and my precious family, who have all been brilliant, will fight hard.”

Everyone I have met in the NGH oncology centre has been very supportive, very helpful, very friendly.

Pauline and Barry in Turkey earlier this year

INSIGHT ❘ 31

◗ NEWS ROUND UP

Dunstone Bennett in the pink The Dunstone Bennett Complementary Centre has just celebrated its fourth anniversary, and has recently received some significant donations from grateful users.

The centre, founded by Carol Dunstone and Ann Bennett, both of whom were recovering from cancer, works closely with NGH and Macmillan to provide complementary therapies, care and support for patients, carers, relatives and friends at any stage on a journey through cancer.

Thanks to Mandy and Chris White, who organised a very successful fundraising ball for the charity ‘A Touch of Pink’, a £6,000 donation was made to the centre. Mandy said: “When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I turned to complementary therapies and the obvious place to attend was The Dunstone Bennett Complementary Centre. It helped keep me sane during the darkest days of my life and I will always be thankful for the help and unconditional support I received.”

“Realising that the centre is totally self-funded and run by an amazing team of volunteers, I wanted to repay them in some way. The donation will ensure they can continue supporting

This was a surprise and wonderful gesture which will be a tremendous help towards the running costs and ongoing success of the centre.

32 ❘ INSIGHT

Mandy and Chris White with their children present a cheque to Carol Dunstone (far left) and NGH maxillofacial unit manager Anne Hicks (far right)

others in similar circumstances.”

Commenting on the donation, co-founder Ann Bennett said, “This wonderful donation shows such generosity of spirit and is gratefully appreciated by all those connected with the Centre.”

Towcester-based ACS (UK) Ltd, suppliers of heating and cooling systems, donated a £1,000 prize they were awarded at a recent business event. Managing director of the company David Knibbs explained: “My decision to donate to The Dunstone Bennett Centre was based upon personal contact Opened in October 2009 by Carol Dunstone and Ann Bennett, The Dunstone Bennett Centre specialises in providing complementary therapies, care and support for patients, carers, relatives and friends at any stage on a journey through cancer.

Whilst both recovering from cancer, Carol and Ann wrote their first book, Trilogy: How to Help the Mind, Body & Spirit Survive Mouth, Head and Neck Cancer, highlighting what they had found helpful on their journey to recovery. Following the book’s success they wanted to create an environment to help bridge the gap between science and spirituality.

Over the past four years the Centre has grown and offers a range of

with the charity, which has opened my eyes to the valuable works that are carried out by a purely voluntary organisation.

It is very encouraging to find a local organisation who not only provide help and support to people recovering from cancer, but also recognise that those around them also need help and are prepared to offer this extended support.”

Centre manager Christine Gould said: “This was a surprise and wonderful gesture which will be a tremendous help towards the running costs and ongoing success of the centre.” complementary therapies by fully qualified, insured and DBS endorsed dedicated volunteers. These include Reiki, reflexology, massage, counselling, beauty treatments, art therapy and legal advice. Open three days a week, the Centre is located at 38 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5DQ and can be contacted on 07541 998711.

The Centre’s services are provided by an army of trained and qualified therapists specialising in Reiki, Reflexology, Massage, Beauty Treatment, Counselling, Art Therapy through to everyday matters such as Legal Advice. It does rely upon voluntary donations and appreciates any financial support from the local community to continue its work.

WAYFINDING ◗

Find your way around the hospital Follow the signs to the area letter, then look for local signs to the ward or department you need DEPARTMENTS D Accident & Emergency L Antenatal Assessment Unit K Antenatal Outpatients K Audiology W Billing House H Biochemistry K Blood Taking Unit R Centre for Elderly Medicine E Chapel D Chest Clinic L Child Development Centre K Children’s Hearing Clinic K Children’s Outpatients U Chiropody J Cripps Centre K Day Surgery Unit K Dermatology J Diabetes Centre E Discharge Lounge C Echocardiography K ENT L Eye Unit B Forrest Centre D Fracture Clinic R Genitourinary Medicine K Gynaecology Outpatients G Haematology D Hand Therapy C Heart Centre Q Human Resources B Integrated Surgery W Limb Centre F Main Theatres Admissions Unit A Manfield day case L Maternity day unit R Maxillofacial Unit K Medical Outpatients H Mortuary and Chapel of Rest J Neurophysiology E Nuclear Medicine N Oncology Centre S Pain Relief Clinic R PALS and Bereavement Service G Pathology K Pre-operative Assessment D Radiology (X-ray) D Rapid Access Chest Pain J Research and Development F Respiratory Laboratory F RESTART C Rheumatology W Sunnyside Q Training & Development

WARDS E Abington (Orthopaedic) 545982, 544945 C Allebone (Gen medicine & dermatology) 545536, 545336 S Althorp (Orthopaedic) 544410, 544413 L Balmoral (Maternity) † 545434, 544826 D Becket (Medical short stay) 545981, 544972 C Benham (General medicine) 545537, 545337 R Brampton (Elderly medicine) 544460, 544462 A Cedar (Trauma) 545553, 545353 A Collingtree (Medical) 523870, 523780 S Compton (General medicine) 545332, 545532 C Creaton (General medicine) 545539, 545339 M Disney (Children’s) † 545518, 545318 C Dryden (Cardiology) 545540, 545340 C Eleanor (General medicine) 545804, 544808 D Emergency Assessment Unit (EAU) † 545613, 545304 D Finedon (Renal) 523530, 523560 M Gosset (Neonatal) † 545520, 545320 A Hawthorn (Surgical ward and assessment unit) 545551, 545351 S Head & neck 523961, 545509 C High Dependency Unit (HDU) † 545544, 545344 R Holcot Stroke Unit † 544430, 544432, 544433 C Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) † 545542, 545342 M Paddington (Children’s) † 545319, 545519 M Paddington HDU (Children’s) † 545836 L Robert Watson (Maternity) † 544928, 544819 A Rowan (23-hour surgical) 545549, 545349 L Singlehurst (Eyes) 545483, 545083 S Spencer (Gynaecology) 545525 M Sturtridge (Labour ward) † 545058, 545426, 545898 M Sturtridge HDU † 545055 G Talbot Butler (Oncology & Haematology) 545534, 545334 S Victoria (Discharge ward and lounge) 545326 A Willow (Surgical) 545548, 545348 Visiting 2.00pm – 4.30pm; 6.00pm – 8.00pm unless marked with † (please check with these wards)

INFORMATION Northampton General Hospital, Cliftonville, Northampton NN1 5BD Tel: 01604 634700 www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk D Reception Cliftonville. Open Mon-Fri 9.00am – 6.00pm.

Dial 0 from any corridor phone and ask for “operator” when prompted.

E Restaurant Hospital Street, open Mon-Fri 7.15am – 7.00pm; Sat-Sun 7.15am – 6.00pm.

D Café Royale Main reception, Cliftonville, open Mon-Thurs 9.00am – 3.30pm; Fri 9.00am – 3.00pm.

WRVS shops E South entrance, open Mon-Fri 7.00am – 8.00pm; Sat, Sun, bank holidays 10.00pm – 4.00pm.

T Billing Road entrance, open Mon-Fri 9.00am – 4.00pm.

Buggy service Guiding and transport service provided by Friends of NGH volunteers Mon–Fri 8.30am – 4.00pm.

Dial 88 then 4501 then enter your extension number to request the buggy.

D Travel office For car parking permits, and travel info. Open MonThurs 9.00am – 4.30pm; Fri 9.00am – 4.00pm.

01604 545966 or 544600.

E Bank Cash dispensers in lift lobby near south entrance and near Billing Road entrance E Chapel Open to all. For details of services or to contact the chaplains, call 01604 545773.

INSIGHT ❘ 33

◗ NOTICEBOARD

MORE ONE-LINERS

DO SOMETHING AMAZING…

FOR SALE BATH LIFT £300 (cost £1,000 new)

Stupid autocorrect. You always end up posting some thong you didn’t Nintendo.

When I argue with my wife, I always get the last word. It’s just that sometimes she can’t hear it.

I went for a run but came back after two minutes because I forgot something. I forgot I’m out of shape and can’t run for more than two minutes.

If you stop and think, you must not be a very good thwimmer.

I’ve never been skydiving, but I’ve zoomed in on Google Earth really really fast.

You know you’re getting old when you have to turn your music down to park your car.

Business idea: a home surgery kit called Suture Self.

I see these mums who can do everything and I think... I should have them do some stuff for me.

I ran into my old English teacher. He said, “Goode to see ye!”

SUDOKU Fill the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains the numbers 1 to 9.

96% of us rely on the other 4% to give blood.

Please don’t leave it to someone else.

Who can give blood?

Most people can give blood. If you are generally in good health, age 17 to 65 (if it’s your first time) and weigh at least 7st 12Ib you can donate.

You can give blood every 16 weeks, that’s approximately every four months.

For more information please visit www.blood.co.uk The next donor sessions at St Giles Church Rooms, St Giles Terrace, Northampton NN1 2BN are: Monday 09 December 1.30pm to 3.30pm; 4.30pm to 7.30pm Monday 16 December 1.30pm to 3.30pm; 4.30pm to 7.30pm Friday 14 February 2014 10.30am to 12.30pm; 2.00pm to 5.00pm Friday 07 March 2014 1.30pm to 3.30pm; 4.30pm to 7.30pm Friday 21 March 2014 1.30pm to 3.30pm; 4.30pm to 7.30pm To book an appointment call 0300 123 23 23.

To advertise in Insight, please contact us on

01909 478822

Please contact the Friends of Northampton General Hospital office 01604 545802.

ANNOUNCEMENTS RETIRED (or soon to be?) NHS Retirement Fellowship (Northampton Branch) meets on first Wednesday of each month at 2.15pm at Northampton East Salvation Army, Northampton, NN3 8EZ. Range of speakers and activities. Open to ex NHS staff, together with spouse or partner.

Please contact the chairman Mrs Pat Oliver on 01604 839085.

BACK ISSUES of Insight are available online at www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk - go to About Us > Documents and Publications

Come and join us By becoming a member of Northampton General Hospital you can have a say in the way your hospital develops, and you can be sure your voice is heard. You may want to simply sign up for our members’ newsletter, or you may want to attend meetings and local focus groups, or even stand for election to become a member of our Governors’ Council. The choice is yours.

All you need to do is fill in the form and return it to the Freepost address below; or you can call us on 01604 523894, or email us at members@ngh.nhs.uk . We look forward to hearing from you.

Please return your form to this Freepost address – there is no need for a stamp: Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, Membership Office, Freepost RRBA-RGGA-TEEL, Cliftonville, Northampton NN1 5BD. Title and name .....................................................................................................................................

Address ................................................................................................................................................. ....................................................................................................Postcode ............................................

Telephone . ............................................................................................................................................

Email address ......................................................................................................................................

Please write clearly in BLOCK CAPITALS, thank you

From the Archive

Who was that girl in the NGH film?

This photograph is taken (by kind permission of the Northamptonshire Film Archive Trust) from a film about Northampton General Hospital made in 1935. This closing shot shows a girl, placing a donation into the hospital box which bears the inscription: “This hospital is in urgent need of funds.

Visitors and friends of patients are earnestly invited to contribute.”

Paediatric consultant Dr Andrew Williams is the curator of the archive at Northampton General Hospital. He said: “Northampton General Hospital’s first reported patient in 1744 was a child, Thomasin Grace, and we have been treating large numbers of children for over 250 years – which is more than 100 years before Great Ormond Street Hospital opened.

making a cine film to replace the slide shows.

Mr Wenman Bassett Lowke agreed to help supervise the making of the film, as he had previously made a film on Northampton and its history. Mr Bassett Lowke ran the toy company in the town which specialised in model railways. He is also remembered for his family home, 78 Derngate, redesigned by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

sheet the expenses listed are:

A motion was passed in 1934 by the Hospital Executive Committee “to put the production of the film into the hands of Kodak experts... it would be a higher cost but a good investment.”

It is unclear when the film ceased being used as a fund raising tool. At some point it was disposed of and eventually acquired by the Northamptonshire Film Archive Trust at an auction.

By 1935 the film had been completed, and bookings to show it had been made with organisations around the county. On the balance

We are extremely grateful to them for facilitating an exclusive screening to an invited audience here at NGH in November.

• £154.9s.6d. for the film • £90.11s.6d. for projection equipment • £236.1s. for transport - this could have been for the purchase of a car to reach the various venues.

In that first year the film was shown at 27 different locations and raised £56.18s. 10d.

We asked the Chronicle and Echo to help us trace the girl in the photo and, as Insight went to print, we were contacted by Stuart and Carol Bruce who had seen the picture in the newspaper. They believe it to be Stuart’s mum, Sylvena (Sylvia) MacDonald of Long Buckby, who spent many years in hospital as a young girl.

She was later after marriage known as Sylvia Bruce but sadly passed away in 1978.

Jenny Butterfield, volunteer at the NGH Archive, provides this background about the history of the film...

As a voluntary hospital, the major part of the running costs had to be found from the local communities. This was achieved by fund raising events and special appeals. The town carnival was a major source of income and this was held annually.

The Hospital Week Committee (HWC) was the most important fund raising body for the hospital and was established in 1875.

Between 1926 and 1932 magic lantern slide shows were held, illustrating the work of the hospital.

In 1933 the HWC began discussions on

Learn more about the history of the hospitals in Northamptonshire by visiting the Historical Archive at NGH. Open on Wednesday mornings 8am to 1pm.

Telephone: 01604 544868 Email: sue.longworth@ngh.nhs.uk

INSIGHT ❘ 35

Chariots of Fire brings alive the incredible true story of two British athletes whose honour, sacrifice and courage brought them glory and immortality on the greatest sporting stage of all, at the 1924 Paris Olympics.

Win free theatre tickets Chariots of Fire Direct from the West End, Chariots Of Fire thunders into Royal & Derngate from Tuesday 18 to Saturday 22 February, restaging the true story of one of the most extraordinary achievements in British sporting history.

Adapted from the legendary Oscar-winning movie, this spectacular and ingenious account of Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams’ quest to become the fastest men on earth is an electrifying and immensely moving tale of two men’s rivalry, and their unwavering determination to conquer the world in the face of prejudice, immovable beliefs and overwhelming odds.

Featuring the original, classic Vangelis score and a magnificent ensemble cast, Chariots of Fire brings alive the incredible true story of two British athletes whose honour, sacrifice and courage brought them glory and immortality on the greatest sporting stage of all, at the 1924 Paris Olympics.

Chariots Of Fire comes to Royal & Derngate from Tuesday 18 to Saturday 22 February, with performances at 7.30pm daily and matinees at 2.30pm on Wednesday and Saturday.

Tickets are priced from £12 to £33.50*.

For more information and to buy tickets, call the Box Office on 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk. * A per transaction fee of £2.50 applies to telephone and website bookings only. Does not apply in person, or to groups and Friends.

For your chance to win a pair of tickets to the 7.30pm performance of Chariots Of Fire on Tuesday 18 February, answer the five questions below.

Send your entry to arrive by Friday 31 January 2014 to peter.kennell@ngh.nhs.uk – or by post to Insight Editor, NGH, Cliftonville, Northampton NN1 5BD. Please include a daytime telephone number with your entry.

1 Who was our first patient in 1744?

2 What have we named our new birth centre?

3 Where is the Dunstone Bennett Complementary Centre located?

4 When was the home birth team’s 1,000th delivery born?

5 Which composer wrote the theme to Chariots Of Fire?

◗T he winner of the ‘Wind in the Willows’ tickets in our last competition was Vanessa Cross of Danetre Hospital, Daventry.

Designed & Published by Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd, Britannic Chambers, 8a Carlton Road, Worksop, Notts. S80 1PH Tel: 01909 478822