Summer 2016
InTOUCH A UL Hospitals Group Publication
Employee News & Updates
Focus on our Model 2 and Specialty Hospitals Ennis Hospital Medical Assessment Unit now open 7 days a week
Full details inside
Ireland’s most famous twins, Jedward, in Limerick for the 2016 St. Patrick’s Day Parade, took time to drop in to the Children’s Ark in University Hospital Limerick, to visit the kids there. Pictured is Ronnad Armstrong, age 3 from Cappawhite, Co. Tipperary with Jedward. The Children’s Ark at UHL is the only inpatient facility for sick children in the MidWest, it is a purpose built paediatric unit for children with 49 beds in our Sunshine and Rainbow wards, a high-dependency unit, a cystic fibrosis unit and our Caterpillar day ward. We also have a school for children staying in hospital so that those who are not well enough can keep up with their school work.
Contents Editorial Team: Elaine Connolly, Communications Manager, Mike Dwane, Communications Officer, Niamh Quinn, Communications Officer
Message from the CEO Chairman’s Message Cover Feature: Focus on our Model 2 & Specialty Hospitals New Patient Council appointed to UL Hospitals Group
Design: Designer’s Ink
Perioperative Directorate News
Photography: Brian Arthur Photography Joshua St. John Munster Images Kieran Clancy Photography Front Cover Image: Ennis Medical Assessment Unit now open 7 days a week. Pic Brian Arthur
Medicine Directorate News
Focus On: The Health and Wellbeing of Patients and Staff
A Day In The Life Of... A New Directorate for UL Hospitals News Feature: Leben Building Fully Opened Diagnostics Directorate News Human Resources News Maternal & Child Health Directorate News Focus On: eHealth News in Brief
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In Touch is a bi-annual magazine published by UL Hospitals Group Communications Team. The next issue will be published in December 2016. We would be delighted to hear your comments or feedback and any ideas for future issues, please email us at ulhgcommunications@hse.ie.
CEO Message
Colette Cowan, CEO
Six months in to 2016 and I am delighted with what we have achieved together in the UL Hospitals Group , thank you to everyone for your hard work so far this year.
e began the year with the Staff Recognition Awards in January, thank you to all who entered and congratulations to the winners, two of whom are featured in this issue, Maria Keane, Manager of the Cancer information and Support Centre and Mick Conlon, Catering Department, Ennis Hospital. The Awards are a recognition of the hard work which you all do, watch out for the entry form for 2017. We welcomed the publication of the National Maternity Strategy 2016-2026 in January. As a member of the steering group which developed the plan, I am looking forward, together with my colleagues, to implementing the actions in the strategy in the interests of all the mothers and babies of the Mid-West. We have made significant progress on our 2016 objectives across many areas of patient care. We have seen the completion of the Symptomatic Breast and Dermatology Units and the official opening of the Neurology/Stroke Unit in the Leben Building; our new Patient Council has been launched and the #HellomyNameis project is being piloted in the ED and University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL). #HelloMyNameis is a unique project which is about making human connections with our patients and establishing a relationship with patients on a firm foundation of mutual respect and trust. Thank you to Kate Granger for introducing this to us. Capital projects include: our Clinical Education and Research Centre (CERC) , co-funded by the HSE and our academic partner the University of Limerick; the new Dialysis Unit at UHL, set to open in Q3 and our new ED set to open in Q1 2017; we have also put in a capital bid for the development of a 96 bed block at UHL to address bed capacity and a Public Private Partnership to progress the relocation of UMHL to Dooradoyle is being discussed.
Summer 2016
Our first Winter Resilience plan for the Group was enacted to help support the expected high patient presentations to the ED during the winter months, which continues to be a challenge for us. This is a great example of how the hospitals in the Group can seamlessly work together to support each other for the benefit of the patient. Our Directorates continue to be the backbone of everything that we do and I would like to congratulate our new Directorate appointees, Clinical Directors Dr. Gerry Burke, Maternal & Child Health Directorate and Mr Declan Lyons, Medicine Directorate; Directorate Managers, Helen McCormack , Peri-operative Directorate and Mary O’Brien, Maternal & Child Health Directorate. Welcome also to the new Post graduate Physiotherapy students from the University of Limerick, who will be spending time here during the course of their studies. We hope you have benefited from our continuing focus on staff communications through Roadshows, Listening Forums, TeamTalk and InTouch. We are now also on Twitter, please join in the conversation through @ULHospitals. Our overarching objective in the months ahead will be to continue to deliver safe, excellent care to all our patients across the Group. This must be done against a backdrop of managing our finances , continuing to meet waiting list times and targets and developing our autonomy as the Government moves more towards a commissioning model of healthcare. We would like to welcome our new Minister Simon Harris to health and we look forward to working with him in the months ahead also.
Colette COLETTE COWAN, CEO, UL HOSPITALS
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Chairman’s Message
Chairman’s Message It is five years since the first graduates of the University of Limerick Medical School were conferred and on June 15th we celebrates the conferring of newly-qualified doctors of the Class of 2016. o establish a medical school reaching modern standards is a significant achievement and those responsible deserve thanks and appreciation. Much is expected of the modern doctor. It is certain that the new cohort of new doctors will provide knowledge and skill to our society and will do so in the competent, confident and caring manner that the medical school and society require of them. Some of these requirements have been defined by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Devised in the 1990s, the so-called CanMeds competencies provide an educational framework describing the abilities that doctors require in order to effectively meet the healthcare needs of the people they serve. They provide a dynamic and validated model of training for all medical specialties and are applicable to all doctors in all countries First and centrally, doctors must be medical experts, fully and comprehensively trained and accredited in their specialty with the requirement to maintain skills and to keep pace with the developments that frequently arise in medical care. These obligations include commitments to safety and improving quality of treatment. Becoming a medical expert requires much training and experience in order to develop judgment in the boundless complexity of human medicine and the ability to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity. They must be committed to teaching medical students and to the training and supervision of doctors in specialist training. In addition, doctors must exercise professionalism in their duty of care to the individual patient, to society and to the development of medical standards and practice. They must be communicators in their interactions with patients and their families, including understanding of the patient’s perspective in the making of decisions. They should be trained collaborators in their dialogue and with colleagues within and outside the Pictured opposite: Professor Niall O’Higgins, with Una Anderson Ryan, Chairman of Special Projects, Parkinson’s Association of Ireland at the recent unveiling of a plaque for the new Nuero/Stroke Unit at UHL.
hospital setting and be active participants in discussions and meetings relating to patient care. They have a duty also to be scholars, developing skills in critical analysis of the medical literature, participating where possible in clinical trials, encouraging and supporting research, learning by participation at scientific meetings and by teaching. Doctor should be leaders in utilising resources within the limits and constraints of the system in which they work. Leadership also involves providing support for co-workers and a keen understanding of the value in maintaining high morale, especially in situations and times of difficulty. They must be health advocates, assisting patients in health education, raising issues of quality improvement and contributing to the shaping of health care policy at institutional, regional and national level. It is quite proper that the public in Ireland expects that the trained doctors in our health care system have these skills and attitudes. We congratulate the new doctors. They carry our good wishes and hopes that their enthusiasm and commitment to the people they serve will remain undiminished throughout their professional life.
Professor Niall O’Higgins, CHAIRMAN UL HOSPITALS GROUP BOARD
Winter 2015
The team at Ennis Medical Assessment Unit
Focus on our Model 2 and Specialty Hospitals
Cover Feature
The Smaller Hospitals Framework (2013) set out a vision that, into the future, there would be “a strong role for smaller hospitals, in which they will provide more services, not fewer”. That vision sees hospital groups working together in an integrated and seamless way, making sure patients are on the right care pathways and are treated as close to home as possible and in the centre of least complexity. UL Hospitals believes itself to be well on the road to achieving that vision and in this edition we celebrate the role of our Model 2 (Ennis and Nenagh) and Model 2S (St John’s) hospitals and of specialty hospitals like Croom Orthopaedic by focusing on some of the specific services which they provide. All of them provide excellent services: to inpatients and outpatients; in scheduled and in unscheduled care. These hospitals have an integral role to play in the future growth of healthcare in this region, in the provision of ambulatory care, chronic disease management, day surgery, five-day surgery, endoscopy, local injury and medical assessment units and much more besides.
Ennis Hospital Medical Assessment Unit The Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) at Ennis Hospital is now operating 7 days a week. Medical Assessment Units (MAUs) facilitate the immediate assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients presenting with medical conditions such as chest infections, COPD, Pneumonia, Urinary Tract Infections, fainting episodes, clots in the leg, anaemia or non-acute cardiac problems. These patients, whilst they don’t necessarily require admission to hospital, do require assessment, investigations and a treatment plan which sometimes requires follow-up review in the Unit after a few days. The new extended opening hours mean that these patients now have greater access to this vital service. Patients are referred to the MAU via a Case Manager by their GP, Shannondoc or through University Hospital Limerick (UHL) once it has been established that they are
Summer 2016
suitable for the service. Patients will generally be offered an appointment on the same day or at the latest, the next day, and a follow-up appointment will be arranged upon discharge. Since opening in 2013, the number of patients presenting at Ennis MAU has increased year-on-year and between 2035 patients are assessed daily. They may have bloods taken, x-rays performed or other diagnostic tests completed whilst attending the MAU for assessment. It is hoped that the expansion of opening hours at the Ennis MAU to include weekends will help to ease overcrowding in the Emergency Department at UHL but more importantly will also enhance the service for the local people and GP’s of the Mid West region. Dr. Tom Peirce, consultant in charge at the MAU in Ennis, said: “Patients who come to see us in the MAU must be assessed and then referred by their GP. GPs will liaise with our Case Manager Patricia Donovan to discuss each case individually. We aim to see patients within two hours of arrival. In approximately 15% of cases, we will admit the patients who come to the MAU but the emphasis is on same day diagnosis, treatment and discharge wherever possible. We work very closely with the Community Intervention Teams to ensure a seamless pathway of care for the patient between our hospital and home.” The MAU in Ennis is open from 8.00am to 6.00pm on Monday to Friday and from 10.00am to 6.00pm on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to the MAU in Ennis, there are MAUs in UHL, Nenagh and St. John’s, operating 5 days a week, 8.00am to 6.00pm. The MAU in Ennis Hospital should not be confused with the Local Injury Unit or (LIU) treating minor injuries in patients aged 5 years and older. Patients can self-refer to the LIU or they can be referred by their GP and there are LIUs operating in Nenagh and St. John’s hospitals also.
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Winter 2015
Theatre nurses in St. John’s Hospital (l to r): Majella Shinnors, Ann Menzies, Vivienne Dee.
Surgery in St. John’s Hospital St. John’s Hospital is a designated Model 2S hospital under the Smaller Hospital Framework. This essentially means that St. John’s performs stay surgery as well as day surgery. In addition to performing the agreed basket of day care procedures for a Model 2 hospital, St. John’s can provide additional designated capacity for elective surgery to UHL to include more complex elective surgical procedures in otherwise relatively fit patients. Explained Fearghal Grimes, CEO, St. John’s Hospital: “This intermediate and complex surgery could not be carried out on a day case basis as it requires in-patient stay and accommodation. There is a great demand from the consultant surgeons, urologists and gynaecologists for access to this service.” “There are currently eight in-patient theatre sessions provided each week by a range of consultants. In excess of 20 different surgeons carry out stay surgery in St. John’s each month in general surgery, gynaecology and urology. Resources permitting, it is hoped to extend to ten theatre sessions in the future,” he added. There is also day care general surgery, gynaecology and pain management. The Day Care Unit is a 10-bedded unit consisting of a day ward, a day theatre, recovery room and an endoscopy room and is scheduled for refurbishment in 2016. The day theatre is also lead lined and a C-Arm is available for x-ray guided procedures. The surgical services are supported by out-patient clinics in general surgery, gynaecology, E.N.T. and pain management and by physiotherapy, pharmacy, and clinical nurse specialist services in continence care, dietetics, pain management, respiratory care, infection control and health promotion. St. John’s surgery services have rapid access to in-house diagnostic services in pathology (haematology and biochemistry) and radiology (plain film, CT and ultrasound) and endoscopy.
All elective surgery cases are pre-assessed by the nursing, surgical and anaesthetic teams. The hospital operates a day-of-surgery admission policy unless for medical reasons. The current rate of day-of-surgery admission is practically 100% as is our pre-assessment rate. Surgeons, in consultation with their anaesthetic colleagues, only operate on patients St John’s has the facility to care for post-operatively St John’s Hospital has an old infrastructure and new in-patient accommodation is being planned. In the interim, the hospital continues to provide services within challenging surroundings with ongoing refurbishment of facilities as resources permit. The in-patient theatres were upgraded in 2008. Two new theatres of equal size were fitted out, new scrub-up areas were provided and the recovery room was refurbished to modern standards. The theatre walls were leadlined, in keeping with current radiation protection requirements, and then covered in a washable material called “white-rock”. New coved floorcovering was provided throughout, new theatre lights were provided and the ventilation system was also upgraded. In 2010, an extension was added on top of the main theatre suite to provide male and female locker rooms, toilets and catering facilities for the theatre staff.
Nenagh Hospital Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme A successful pulmonary rehabilitation programme at Nenagh Hospital is equipping people with chronic lung problems with the knowledge, skill and confidence to manage their condition. Since September 2011, over 160 participants have completed the programme, which can accommodate 10 at a time over eight weeks. Participants are referred to Nenagh by the respiratory consultants in UHL. “They are assessed before and after the programme to get a baseline of where they are at in terms of their lung function and their physical capacity to exercise and to function. We could for example have someone come in with endstage COPD; they might be on oxygen therapy and only able to walk five steps. And this will be their starting point,” explained Olivia Quinn, respiratory clinical nurse specialist in Nenagh Hospital. “We also ask participants to complete three health-related questionnaires: to see how their condition is affecting their day-to-day life; if they have become isolated socially due to breathlessness; whether they need help with
Summer 2016
Cover Feature
Helen Rooney, senior physiotherapist, and Olivia Quinn, clinical nurse specialist, respiratory, at the pulmonary rehabilitation assessment clinic at Nenagh Hospital
daily activities such as dressing, washing etc. All of these things can have a big impact on how they live their lives. “But the vast majority of people who complete the programme do very well. We get hugely positive feedback – and that gives us a great lift too. The programme runs every Tuesday and Friday afternoon over eight weeks so it is a big commitment,” said Ms Quinn. The programme takes place at the Health Centre at Nenagh Hospital, with aerobic exercises and resistance training – the repetitions and weights gradually increasing over the eight weeks. But equally important is the education component, Ms Quinn explained. “If they don’t know what they have, they can’t manage it. They will know coming out of the programme what COPD or their lung condition is; how it affects their airways; how to use their respiratory muscles effectively; proper breathing techniques; what to do when they get breathless and how to control it. These are chronic conditions, which unfortunately are not curable, so we need to give them the right tools to manage it themselves,” she said.
In all, the process takes around five years to complete and with approximately 10-15 infants with talipes born in the MidWest every year, the clinic in Croom can have over 50 children on its books at any one time. “For the first six weeks of life, casts go on every single week,” explained consultant orthopaedic surgeon Tom Burke. “And for next four years or so, the children are wearing these boots and bars, initially for 23 hours a day and then gradually dropping hourly over six months to a year so that from one year of age they only have to wear braces at night.” This required a lot of commitment from families, said Mr Burke, but the results were such that parents were only too happy to stick with it. “It has to be done on an almost religious basis, with weekly casting as early as possible after birth and getting the correction done slowly over a period of time,” said Mr Burke. “It requires dedicated staff who know what they are doing - and this is where our casting nurse specialist Helen Hartigan comes in. She co-ordinates the service and has attended courses in Manchester, Chelsea and Westminster in Ponseti treatment. She is assisted by the casting nurses. They are essential, the backbone of the service, and it is their skillset and availability every single week that keeps us in operation. Young Ciaran Hickey, from Kildimo, County Limerick, was born with bilateral talipes and mum Edel O’Mahony said he had been attending the clinic since his second week of life. “The staff are great here; you never feel rushed,” said Edel. “At the same time they are quite adamant about the care for the children and will be stern with the parents about what they need to do. And it has to be that way or else the treatment won’t be effective. The team behind the Ponseti method in Croom are Mr Burke, clinical specialist MSK physiotherapists Paddy Julian and Liam Ryan, CNS in casting Helen Hartigan and casting nurses, Mary Browne, Maria Kelliher, Nicola Thompson and Claire Shannon.
Ciaran Hickey and his mum Edel O’Mahony with Croom Hospital staff Paddy Julian, clinical specialist MSK physiotherapist; Helen Hartigan, clinical nurse specialist in casting and Tatsiana Yahoudzik, orthopaedic registrar
Croom Orthopaedic Hospital, The Ponseti method CROOM Orthopaedic Hospital is one of a number of centres around the country applying the Ponseti method, a technique which has revolutionised the treatment of talipes, or clubfoot, in children. Treatment for clubfoot traditionally involved invasive surgery and serial casts. The Ponseti method – named after US specialist Ignacio Ponseti – is a less invasive, less costly and more effective treatment involving plaster casts, a small incision of the Achilles tendon and special splints to gradually correct the foot.
Summer 2016
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News Feature
New Patient Council appointed to UL Hospitals Group ELEVEN members of the public have been appointed to the Patient Council for UL Hospitals Group. he Patient Council is a new initiative by the UL Hospitals Group to improve the care experience for patients, families and care givers. This process will give patients and the public the opportunity to become involved as active partners in UL Hospitals. More than forty volunteers expressed an interest and applied to become members of the Patient Council from which the 11 members were selected after a detailed recruitment process. The members of the public selected for the Patient Council are Judy Ryan and Myron Robinson from Tipperary, John Killowry and Loretta Hughes from Clare, Michael P Ryan, Dolores Dunne from Limerick County and Joan Foley, Denis Ryan, Tom Callanan, John Hannafin and Damien Mulcahy from Limerick City.
Margaret Gleeson, Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery and Interim Patient Council Chair, UL Hospitals Group
UL Hospitals Group, nominees to the Patient Council are: Margaret Gleeson, Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery and Interim Chair of the Patient Council, Miriam McCarthy, Patient Advocacy Liaison Services, Catherine Hand, Patient Advocacy Liaison Services, Elaine Connolly, Communications Manager, Brian McKeon, Director of Informatics, Planning and Performance and Dr Mary Gray, member of UL Hospitals Group Interim Board. Margaret Gleeson, Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery and Interim Chair of Patient Council commented, “We were very pleased with the response from the public. The Patient Council will provide a strong independent voice for patients, service users and their families. We are looking forward to working with the Council in the coming months to establish objectives for the team and identify key projects where the team can contribute and represent the patient’s voice.”
Members of the UL Hospitals Group Patient Council. Back row: Elaine Connolly, Michael P Ryan, Brian McKeon, Joan Foley, Miriam McCarthy, Loretta Hughes, Denis Ryan and John Killary. Front Row: Delores Dunne, Judy Ryan, Catherine Hand, John Hannaifin and Margaret Gleeson
Summer 2016
PeriOperative Directorate News Pictured ( l to r ): Dara Walsh, Technical Support, UHL , Maura Tully, CNM2, UHL, Mr. Kevin Hickey , Consultant Gynaecology Surgeon, UL Hospitals, Mr. Subhasis Giri, Consultant Urology Surgeon , UL Hospitals, Prof. Calvin Coffey, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, UL Hospitals.
DaVinci arrives in UHL
On May 9th a state of the art Da Vinci Xi robotic surgical platform was installed in Operating Theatre 7 at University Hospital Limerick, the first such installation in Ireland. A similar system was recently installed at The Royal Marsden Hospital and at Guy’s Hospital, London.
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n the past, only patients with private health insurance could avail of this form of surgery in Ireland. Many Irish patients had to leave Ireland in order to gain the benefits of ‘precision surgery’ delivered through robotically assisted procedures. The introduction of the Da Vinci Xi robotic platform to the MidWest region means that a greater range of precision operations is now available to patients regardless of their insurance status. Robotically assisted surgery represents the most advanced form of “key hole” or “laparoscopic” surgery, and is the surgical equivalent of the modern concept of ‘personalised’ or ‘precision medicine’. During robotic surgery, the surgeon controls ultra high precision robotic arms which perform microscopically precise manoeuvres under their guidance, assisted by twenty-fold 3D magnification of the operative field. The benefits to the patient are well described in the scientific literature, including speedier recovery time, reduced postoperative pain, fewer complications, and less need to resort to conversion to old-fashioned conventional or “open” surgery.
For the HSE in the region, great benefits will be generated through reduced in-hospital stay and faster patient recovery. This will mean that vital funds can be redeployed to improve other aspects of health service provision. For the operating surgeon, the benefits include more precise control of instrument movement than the human hand and eyes are capable of. Precision surgery is further guided by the natural stereoscopic 3D view under extensive magnification. This is far superior to that available from standard keyhole surgery, and patients will benefit from further improvements beyond those already evident after the change from traditional more invasive open surgery. Technically challenging procedures will be particularly facilitated; meaning the range of procedures possible will expand. During robotically assisted surgery the surgeon sits at a console controlling the four arms of the robot. The robotic platform installed at UHL differs from most worldwide as it has two complete operating consoles. As a result, two surgeons can operate simultaneously and at the same time make use of the advantages provided by the Da Vinci Xi system. This means that surgeons from different disciplines can operate together which is particularly important in complex cancer cases. The Da Vinci Xi program is funded by the Mid-Western Hospitals Development Trust, University Hospital Limerick and the Graduate Entry Medical School at the University of Limerick. The UHL Da Vinci project team is led by Professor J Calvin Coffey, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon and Mr Subhasis Giri, Consultant Urologist, who will also be responsible for training their colleagues across the surgical disciplines.
Post-Operative Care Unit (POCU) POCU opened in December 2015 and provides postoperative care for surgical patients who need optimised care but not High Dependency Unit (HDU) care. POCU is located in the Critical Care Block, UHL and is open 3.5 days per week with 6 beds. Patient turnaround is 23 hours, with transfer to a ward or HDU after this time depending on the patient’s condition. It is planned that POCU will be open 7 days per week by the end of the year depending on recruitment and resourcing.
POCU team at UHL (l to r): Peter Burke, Mary Hannon, Helena Hogan, Edel Ryan, Marie Lyons, Bernie Brosnan, Declan McNamara, Wioleta Perec and Kay Chawke, Perioperative Directorate Nurse Manager.
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Focus On
A focus on the Health and Wellbeing of patients and staff 2016 has brought significant focus to the Health and Wellbeing programme for UL Hospitals Group.
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Group Steering Committee which meets monthly under the executive leadership of Mr. Hugh Brady, Chief Financial Officer, has been established and Laura Tobin has been appointed as interim project lead. During April, roadshows delivering the Healthy Ireland message to staff took place with the purpose of encouraging participation in re-orientating our health services to chronic disease prevention. Health and Wellbeing site leads have been nominated across all sites. The leads are establishing local site committees with a focus on implementing Healthy Ireland.
Site Leads Contact
Site Email
Rosalie Stack
Croom Rosalie.stack@hse.ie
Fiona Steed
Nenagh Fiona.steed@hse.ie
Kim Coughlan Kim.coughlan@stjohnshospital.ie St John’s Martina Ryan Martina.ryan@stjohnshospital.ie Josephine Howard
Ennis Josephine.howard@hse.ie
Anne Doolan Anne.doolan1@hse.ie Maternity Margaret Quigley Margaret.quigley@hse.ie Maggie Atkinson
UHL Maggie.atkinson@hse.ie
Each site within the group has gone to great lengths to provide staff with physical activity and wellbeing initiatives.
UHL:
Nenagh:
Ennis: St. Johns:
Maternity:
Croom:
• Lunchtime Pilates classes • Operation Transformation • Mindfulness classes • Staff leisure cycle • Operation Transformation • Lunchtime Pilates and Mindfulness • Operation Transformation • Operation Transformation • Lunch time circuit classes • Operation Transformation • Lunchtime walks • Operation Transformation • Evening circuit classes • Weekend walk
Sarah McCormack, National Programme Lead for Healthy Ireland, Laura Tobin, HI Project Lead UL Hospitals Group, Dr. Anne Doolan, HI Lead University Maternity Hospital, Martina Ryan, HI Joint Lead St. Johns Hospital, Rosalie Stack, HI Lead Croom Hospital, Fiona Steed, HI Lead Nenagh Hospital, Josephine Howard, HI Lead Ennis Hospital.
The ‘UL Hospitals Group Healthy Ireland Implementation plan 2016-2018’ was launched in June by the CEO, Prof. Colette Cowan and Dr. Stephanie O’Keeffe, National Director, Health and Wellbeing Division recently. Hugh Brady, CFO and Executive Lead for Health and Wellbeing commented, “This plan is focused on delivering realistic and achievable actions which will impact positively on staff health and wellbeing and reduce the burden of chronic disease amongst our patients. The Health and Wellbeing programme for UL Hospitals Group will work
with each site and directorate in the coming three years to establish standardised referrals and care pathways for management of chronic disease risk factors such as smoking, obesity and physical inactivity. We will work collaboratively with occupational health, HR and health and safety functions to pursue initiatives which support all staff to achieve and maintain the best possible health and wellbeing in order that we may all continue to provide the highest quality service and care to the patients we serve. “
Summer 2016
Medicine Directorate News
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Developing the Dermatology Service for UL Hospitals Group Pictured are (l to r) staff nurses Alma Hourigan and Aisling O’Shaughnessy, Dermatology, Nenagh Hospital with Phototherapy Unit.
he Dermatology services which are centred in the UHL site have over recent years expanded to include outpatient clinics in Nenagh Hospital and day case surgery in both Ennis and Nenagh University Hospitals. The team of three Consultant Dermatologists: Dr Kashif Ahmad, Dr Catherine Hackett and Dr Bart Ramsay, supported by two junior doctors, a team of specialist nurses and admin and support staff, have now for the first time got a permanent and dedicated home on the top floor of the Leben Building in UHL. The Dermatology Team are currently focusing on the two models of care, Pigmented Lesions and Phototherapy.
Pigmented Lesions For patients with Pigmented Lesions, like Malignant Melanoma, the team are able to offer an integrated approach to their care and have dramatically increased the amount of Melanomas identified. The Dermatology team work closely together to see patients in a timely manner and identify the most appropriate care pathway for patients, particularly those that are diagnostically difficult. Dr Bart Ramsay said “The installation of the Reflectance Confocal Microscope which is the first one in an Irish Hospital can be applied to individual lesions, providing non invasive cellular recognition of what is happening to the patient. This microscope enables the identification of the problem, enabling you to operate on the patient in a timely manner.” The Dermatology team receive excellent support from Mr Neville Shine and Mr Ashish Lal, both excellent oncologic surgeons, providing comprehensive surgical support for patients as well as wider oncology support, when required, meaning patients with Melanoma can get comprehensive care in UHL. “Dr Ahmad provides day surgery in Ennis Hospital and Dr Hackett runs an outpatient clinic and day surgery in Nenagh Hospital, enabling care to patients closer to their homes and removing the need to travel into the busy UHL site.” added Sheila Ryan, Advanced Nurse Practioner.
Summer 2016
The opening of the new Dermatology unit in the Leben building, UHL has signalled a key change for Dermatology Services in the region.
Phototherapy Service Phototherapy is light based treatment used for certain types of skin cancers and skin diseases. Narrowband UVB and PUVA phototherapy is now available for patients in UHL and Nenagh Hospital. “For the first time we are now able to offer treatment to patients with hand and foot dermatoses which can be very debilitating for some patients with severe forms of this condition who experience problems using their hands or walking.” said Dr Ramsay. Sheila Ryan added “Patients as young as 4 years old can be treated with phototherapy - the new facility in UHL particularly the open, child friendly spaces and treatment areas with their abundance of natural light help to remove the fear from our young patients who undergo this treatment.” The Phototherapy Unit in Nenagh which was kindly donated by the Friends of Nenagh Hospital has been operational since last summer and is proving a huge success allowing up to 20 patients to be treated daily.
Innovation Day During an Innovation day held on 16th May the Dermatology Team focused on the journey that patients make as they enter the new Dermatology Centre and looked at ways to optimise their experience. We were helped by a patient who had experienced the lows and highs of the Dermatology service when attending with a severe chronic inflammatory skin condition. One theme that emerged was a strong aspiration to make the patient’s experience as positive as possible. There was a clear sense of a new team spirit developing as the innovation day progressed. We are confidant it has given us a wealth of ideas to help progress the development of the new Dermatology Centre. Sheila Ryan and Dr. Bart Ramsay
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A day in the life of...
A day in the life of.... Staff Recognition Award winners Mick Conlon, Catering Department, Ennis Hospital and Maria Keane, Manager, Cancer Information & Support Centre, UHL Mick Conlon, Catering Department, Ennis Hospital
Tell us a bit about yourself.. I grew up on a small farm in Ennistymon, Co.Clare, near Lahinch. I started off in catering in the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis and from there I moved to Dublin, where I did much of my training. After that I spent a little while in Cruises Hotel, Limerick and then I moved back to Co.Clare, to live in Ennistymon. I am in Ennis Hospital 14 years now and I love it here. I work with lovely people, it is a small hospital and everyone knows everyone, both staff and patients, if they are not from North Clare, they are from West Clare, I think if people see a familiar face it makes them comfortable.
Your typical working day.. I start at 7.30am, having driven from Ennistymon and I finish about 4.30pm most days. The menu board will be there from the night before and we set about preparing the meals for breakfast, then lunch and for tea. The canteen is also open for breakfast and lunch so we also cater for that. I try to ensure that patients are well fuelled for recovery, providing nutritious and balanced meals.
Mick Conlon, Catering Department, Ennis Hospital
We talk to the patients and their families every day to prepare the menus, co-ordinating with the nurses and dieticians on various diets as patients will have certain requirements. Ann Marie is my Catering Officer so I work closely with her as well as my team in the kitchen to oversee and prepare the meals, I also make sure that everything that is coming in is fresh , local where possible and all supplies are up to scratch. We change the menu every second week, there is a big focus on soft diets, catering for allergies for many of the patients and also salt content and nutrition are key things. We will be introducing calorie counting also soon. We cater for 50 inpatients daily between the Burren Ward and the Fergus Ward, then we provide tea and sandwiches for day patients as well.
What do you enjoy the most about your work? As I work in a small hospital, I know a lot of patients and their families and do my best to ensure their stay in hospital is a pleasant one. I also try to visit the bereaved families when I can, I enjoy that ‘everybody knows everybody’ and that I can help out at difficult times.
Were you delighted to win the Award for ‘Unsung Hero’? Yes, it was fantastic, at this stage in my life, I’m 63 now, it was great to see catering recognised, we had such a fantastic night, everyone made us feel really welcome.
How do you unwind at the end of a busy day? I love to walk my dog, walk on the beach in Lahinch and I enjoy a sing song on occasion! My two kids and grandchildren also keep me going.
Summer 2016
Maria Keane, Manager, Cancer Information and Support Centre, UHL
Winter 2015
Above left: Mick Conlon & Colette Cowan at the Staff Recognition Awards Above right: Maria Keane & Colette Cowan at the Staff Recognition Awards
Maria Keane, Manager, Cancer Information & Support Centre
Tell us a bit about yourself .... I’m from Newcastlewest originally, now living in Co. Clare. I joined the Cancer Information & Support Centre two years ago having worked in the HSE in Cancer Services since 2004. I wanted to try and promote the Centre more and to help make it as good if not better than other cancer centres around the country.
Your typical working day..... I travel in every day from Co. Clare, we open at 9 but I am here at 8.30 - I love opening the door and welcoming people in, it’s great. The first thing I did when I started here was put a sign outside offering, ‘complimentary tea or coffee’, it was simply an invitation to people to walk in. We redesigned the area to make it more homely, making the fireplace the focal point. If people wanted information they could get it, if they wanted to sit and have a cup of coffee and read the paper they could do that too. From the day we put out the sign we were overwhelmed and for me it was about getting people through the door and we achieved that. We offer a wide array of services for people who have or who have had cancer and their families. These include counselling, clinical psychology and a recovery programme for people who have finished their treatment and need more help or confidence to get back to normal. We run various workshops, relaxation and other complimentary therapies, we have a Walking Club, a Choir, TaiChi, Arts and Crafts and many people avail of these services. It’s also good for families and friends who may just need somewhere to wait or sit and read the newspaper. We have a bank of about 15 volunteers, without them we couldn’t run the complimentary therapies in particular, they are fantastic. Our Walking Club is led entirely by volunteers. We have something going on every day in the Centre and to be honest there is no one typical day!
What do you enjoy most about your work? When you start a new service or therapy and see people are as enthusiastic as you are it’s very rewarding. I also love the freedom to be creative and come up with ideas, everyone has been very supportive of me in that.
Were you delighted to win the Award for ‘Exceptional Patient Experience’? I was overwhelmed and delighted to see that the Support Centre got the recognition it deserved. The clinical area of the service is vital but the services we offer complement a patient’s overall experience. It was a huge endorsement of the important part which psychological support plays in a person’s treatment.
How do you unwind at the end of a busy day? I am in a hillwalking club which I love and I am also part of a choir in Clarecastle, Co. Clare. The Cancer Information and Support Centre is adjacent to the cancer day unit treatment area in UHL, 061 485163.
The Staff Recognition Awards will run again in 2017 and details will be announced later this year.
Summer 2016
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New Winter 2015 Directorate
A new Directorate, the Hospitality/Facilities & Engineering Services Directorate is being set up. Irene O’Connor was appointed General Manager for the new Directorate in August 2015 and since then has been developing the structure and identifying the services which should be contained within it.
New Directorate for UL Hospitals, Making a Difference
Hospitality/Facilities & Engineering Services Directorate management team: Bernard Ryan, Clinical Engineering; Niamh O’Grady, Facilities; Irene O’Connor, Directorate General Manager, and Larry Murphy, Maintenance
he new Hospitality/Facilities & Engineering Services Directorate will encompass Facilities (catering, hygiene, waste management, car parking, security, grounds), Maintenance, Clinical Engineering, Healthcare Records and Accommodation across all sites in the Group, including Ennis and Nenagh who, prior to this managed their own Facilities and Maintenance on site. Irene O’Connor will work with three senior managers including Mr Larry Murphy, Maintenance, Ms Niamh O Grady, Facilities and Mr Bernard Ryan, Clinical Engineering. As with the other four Directorates at UL Hospitals the new Hospitality/Facilities & Engineering Services Facilities Directorate will be under the overall management of Noreen Spillane, Chief Operations Officer. Said Noreen, “Every clinical development has a knock on effect for support services, often when developing services this wasn’t previously considered. Now with the new Directorate, support services can be part of the planning. It will be more cost effective too in the long run to ensure that services are planned for in this way.” The first steps in establishing the Governance structure for the new Directorate are well underway with the imminent appointment of Catering, Hygiene and Portering Group Managers. A five year strategy is in its infancy for the new Directorate. Said Irene, “This is a huge opportunity to get the services which we manage valued and the people within the services valued for the support they provide to clinicians. It is important for the staff working in the Directorate to believe in the value of what they are doing, which in turn adds value to the service given to our patients.”
Key areas
Hygiene Hygiene audit findings are recording episodes of 100% compliance with a significant number achieving greater than 95%.
Nutrition and healing A move to a more patient-centered approach facilitated by catering leads and front line staff.
Portering Services Additional staff have been recruited to ensure a more responsive patient-centered service.
Comfort Beds, chairs and mattresses, linen and laundry services are all now within a core replacement programme.
Environment & Maintenance Minor capital programmes, ongoing maintenance and painting, ward refurbishments.
Technology Clinical Engineering staff ensure that all equipment is safe, reliable and of the highest standards. The planned Clinical Equipment Library will ensure a serviced, available range of technical equipment.
Sustainability Energy, water and waste management are key aspects to the Directorate’s services, its aim is to achieve the Green Flag on waste management by 2018. The new Directorate has a team of 445 staff across UL Hospitals Group, including engineers, technicians, tradesmen, general operatives, chefs, catering assistants, hygiene and porter staff, along with administrative and reception staff. A number of the services are provided by contract including environmental hygiene, security and car parking services. Our commitment is to Make a Difference and in particular to the experience of all our customers, whom we view as both patients/families and all staff. Summer 2016
News Feature
Leben Building, fully opened
The Leben Building, UHL is a six-storey, €16.5 million project delivered through a development agreement between the HSE and three charities which came together to form Leben Developments Ltd, namely the Parkinson’s Association of Ireland, the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland/TLC4CF and the Mid-Western Hospitals Development Trust. Cystic Fibrosis Unit
Symptomatic Breast Unit
Five beds in the new Cystic Fibrosis Unit opened in November 2014. Capacity has been designed into the unit, to enable additional beds to open as demand requires. People with CF and their needs were critical to the design of the new floor and patient feedback led to improved facilities including special additions like a kitchenette area, internet access and overnight stay facility for relatives. In February, the CF Outpatient Department was opened. Adult patients with CF can now access their own dedicated outpatient treatment areas without the risk of cross-infection. “The opening of the new purpose built Adult CF unit means for the first time there is a stand- alone facility designed to deliver patient centre care in an appropriate setting for adult patients with CF. It is a significant development and everybody involved can be immensely proud of the achievement.“ commented Peig Hartnett, Clinical Nurse Specialist. Both units were funded by TLC4CF in association with CF Ireland.
The first patients of the new Symptomatic Breast Unit went through the doors of the new unit on 7th April. The new Unit provides a dedicated Breast service in a single unit with a better environment which is more spacious and welcoming, for all of our patients. It allows us to see more women and to see them more quickly, affording them more privacy, access to more advanced diagnostics and many other improvements. The new unit was funded by the MidWestern Hospitals Development Trust. Consultant general and breast surgeon Shona Tormey commented: “We are all really excited about the new unit. So much work and so much planning has gone into this by the team at the hospital and by our charitable partners, for whose help we will be eternally grateful.”
Neuro/Stroke Unit The new unit opened in November 2015 and includes 24 inpatient beds, nine of which are dedicated to neurology, including Parkinson’s, patients. It was completed at a capital cost of approximately €3 million, with additional equipment costs being met jointly by the Parkinson’s Association and the HSE/UL Hospitals Group. Prof Declan Lyons, Consultant in Geriatric Medicine and Clinical Director, Medicine Directorate, UL Hospitals Group, commented: “The technology, the drug treatment and the management of acute stroke patients has changed dramatically in recent years and that will continue to be the case. That makes it all the more important to have the right facilities to deliver optimal care to stroke patients and that is what this new unit will help us to achieve.”
Dermatology Unit The new Dermatology Unit starting seeing its first patients in the Phototherapy suit at the beginning of May and their first Outpatient Clinic was held on 16th May. This purpose built Unit contains an Outpatient and Day Care services allowing all the Dermatology Team to be housed together. The team can now deliver the full range of services to their patients in one dedicated area and can tailor services based on patient need. Dr Bart Ramsey, Consultant Dermatologist commented “Having the team together in one place is a huge advantage, we can deal with problems and find solutions as they arise, it sounds very simple but it will make a big difference to how we deliver the best patient care. Our sincerest thanks go to the Mid Western Hospitals Development Trust, who through their altruism and kindness have developed the new Dermatology Centre which is an amazing gift to the people of this region. The City of Dublin Skin & Cancer Hospital Trust (formerly Hume Street) also provided significant support to equip the new unit.”
1. Breast Symtomatic Unit: Picture
captures staff and patients on the first day of patient clinics at the Syptomatic Breast Unit
2. CF Outpatients: Pictured in the
new patient gym in the Outpatient CF Department are Ciara Fannon, Catriona McGrath, Donna Daly, Peig Harnett, Dr Brian Casserly, Alan O’Gorman, Dr Nuala O’Connell
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3. Parkinson’s Ward: Staff from the Neuro/Stroke unit along with Prof Declan Lyons at the official plaque unveiling.
Summer 2016
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Diagnostics Directorate News
Laboratory Accreditation at UL Hospitals The laboratories of the Pathology Department of the UL Hospitals Group have an extensive internal quality assurance system, participate in external quality assessment schemes and operate in compliance with international standards to meet accreditation requirements by the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB). Klara Peyton, medical scientist, at work in the microbiology laboratory in the Department of Pathology, UHL
“Accreditation is objective proof that organisations have the competence to comply with best practice. It is the internationally recognised system that is used to develop and sustain high standards of performance,” explained Kathleen Keane, Pathology Quality Co-ordinator, UHL. The general accreditation process involves a documentation review of an applicant laboratory’s quality system and processes; as well as an on-site assessment visit with the full INAB assessment team to verify the technical competence of the laboratory and its compliance with ISO 15189 / ISO 17025 and INAB criteria. When all issues have been satisfactorily addressed a detailed report with the supporting recommendation is presented to the Board of INAB for decision on award of accreditation. Accreditation is awarded for a five-year period and is reconfirmed through annual on-site surveillance visits. The ISO 15189: 2012 standard incorporates essential elements for medical laboratories, in particular focusing on the needs of patients and clinical personnel. It addresses additional issues which include the provision of advisory services to clinicians, collection of patient samples, provision of testing in a medical emergency and the contribution of medical laboratory service to patient care. The staff and management of the pathology laboratories have been on the accreditation journey for a number of years. The public health laboratory within microbiology which tests food and water samples for various pathogens - has been accredited by INAB to ISO 17025 since 1998 (scope reference 096T). The blood transfusion department (blood transfusion laboratory and haemovigilance) has been accredited by INAB since 2008 (scope reference 209MT) and continues to maintain compliance with the international standard titled “Medical Laboratories Particular Requirements for Quality and Competency” (ISO 15189) and Articles 14 and 15 of EU Directive 2002/98/EC (S.I. No. 360 of 2005 and
S.I. No. 547 of 2006). Transfusion services are provided to UL Hospitals, Barrington’s Hospital and Milford Care Centre. Biochemistry, haematology and microbiology were initially accredited as individual laboratory disciplines by Clinical Pathology Accreditation UK (CPA UK) Ltd in 2010 to CPA (UK) Ltd Standards for Medical Laboratories. Under EU Regulation 765/2008, accreditation must be provided by the national accreditation body for each member State, hence the need to embark on the road to be accredited by INAB to ISO 15189 for these clinical laboratories (scope reference 303MT). The serology laboratory was accredited by INAB in 2012 with the scope extended to include microbiology and haematology in 2015. Work is ongoing to extend the scope to include biochemistry and histology. Said Kevin O’Connell, Laboratory Manager, UHL: “Achieving and maintaining accreditation status is an ongoing process, the scope continuously evolving with changes in technology and test repertoire. The achievement and maintenance of accreditation cannot be done without the ongoing commitment, professionalism and hard work of all the staff in the laboratories in an ever-challenging service.” The support from departments such as IT, Clinical Engineering, Maintenance, Cleaning, HR, Finance, Procurement, the Diagnostics Directorate team and the UL Hospitals CEO are also to be acknowledged in the day-today delivery of laboratory services and assistance with the accreditation process. Ms Keane said it was important for the laboratories in UHL, Ennis and Nenagh not to lose sight of who they are serving – the patient and the clinical personnel responsible for the care of the patients in our hospitals and the community. “This is why we are continuously striving to improve our systems and processes and why quality is about all the people involved in the care chain. As the old Irish saying goes: Ní neart go cur le chéile - There is no strength without unity,” she said.
Summer 2016
News Feature
Human Resources News Sponsorship Programme for Staff 2016-2017 In May 2015 the CEO announced a Sponsorship Programme for Staff, other than Nursing and Medical, to undertake a course of study at the University of Limerick (UL). This initiative came about as a result of feedback at Communications Roadshows and Listening Forums where Clerical, Support Staff and Health & Social Care workers highlighted the lack of access to further education over a number of years. The initiative was coordinated by the Learning & Development Department at UHL, as a result the following six employees were fully funded in 2015 to undertake a programme of study in the area of Healthcare Management at UL: Certificate in Management Practice : Diploma in Healthcare Management : BA in Management Practice :
Ms. Majella Hall and Mr. Cillian O Sullivan Ms. Denise Kiely and Ms. Fiona Steed Ms. Avril Kenny and Ms. Martina Roe.
All six are due to graduate this year and we wish them all the very best of luck. The CEO has approved the Sponsorship Programme again for the 2016-2017 Academic period, application forms are available by emailing ldu@hse.ie. The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday July 8th 2016. All enquiries to Ann Marie Kennedy, Learning & Development Manager, UHL 061 482030 or 0876530320.
Pictured ( l to r) are students: Denise Kiely, Majella Hall, Cillian O’Sullivan, Ann Marie Kennedy (Learning & Development Mgr), Colette Cowan (CEO), Avril Kenny, Fiona Steed and Martina Roe.
Online Feedback Tool for Staff UL Hospitals will be commencing a pilot staff feedback project shortly with a selected area within the Group. This will be an opportunity for those staff to provide feedback on the services, and the systems of work within the organisation. The aim of the pilot would be to use this valuable information to develop the way that the organisation can support staff and respond to their needs, with the ultimate aim of providing better healthcare to our patients. Whilst the HSE did have a national staff survey last year, it is not something that has been undertaken in UL Hospitals Group to date and this pilot will allow us to get a basis of feedback before we proceed to roll out amongst the entire Group. This is a great opportunity for UL Hospitals Group and one that we are looking forward to in 2016.
Summer 2016
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Maternal & Child Health Directorate News
Art and Music in the Children’s Ark
Being in hospital for any duration can be tough on children and their families. he Children’s Ark at UHL has introduced a range of programmes and events that both break up the day and help children cope with illness through the medium of art and music. These involve both qualified therapists and artists running more informal events. One of the more recent initiatives is the weekly art therapy sessions being run in the Ark since April 2016 by Sheila Richardson, who has over 20 years experience of working with children and adolescents. Explaining her work, Ms Richardson said: “Art therapy is a form of therapy that uses art materials to gain insight and awareness to facilitate change and growth. Art therapy is perfect for young people as it provides a gentle and safe way for them to explore their feelings verbally and nonverbally. “In a hospital environment, it is an ideal way to help children and teenagers who experience illness and injury to recover. The creative process helps build fine and gross motor skills while engaging the young person’s imagination and natural playfulness. Adolescents can gain insight into their problems and find compassionate and creative ways to support their development and healing. It also allows the processing of trauma that can lead to emotional healing and recovery,” she added. Play specialist Beryl Carswell said: “Art therapy allows the children and adolescents express themselves by using many forms of art materials. The art therapist provides these and allows time for them to be enjoyed during the busy routine within the unit. Sheila gives her full attention to the needs of the patient. The patient may be feeling low after surgery; confined to their room/bed for their specific treatment; coping with a new diagnosis such as diabetes.
The therapy provides welcome distraction from the routine of a busy ward. It is a total change from clinical care and choice of a specific activity is of paramount importance,” Ms Carswell said. Music is also helping children cope with illness and aids recovery in the Children’s Ark. In 2015, UHL was one of the first three hospitals outside of Dublin to participate in the Kids’ Classics’ Music in Children’s Hospitals, a programme supported by the National Concert Hall and the Lauritzson Foundation. More recently, the wards have been filled with the sounds of Music Generation Limerick, whose Peter Hannigan and Emma Langford are now regular performers in the Ark. “We started doing regular sessions in 5B last year with less regular, more seasonal visits here to the Children’s Ark. Then we decided to give it a go in 2016, which is our pilot year here,” explained Mr Hannigan. “It’s not formal therapy; more letting music do its own thing and the children are free to participate as much as they like.” “The minute you walk down the ward, a parent will grab you and tell you how much their child loves music,” said Ms Langford. “It will cheer kids up or it could put them to sleep if that’s what they want. There have actually been situations where kids who have not slept in 24 hours will be out like a light after three tunes. You might not always want that from an audience, but that’s what we might want here because it could help forget they are sick or it could help them recover and get them home sooner.” Play specialist Kristina Buckley said: “I have observed the positive experiences and benefits that both art and music therapies have on the children and adults. In the future, I would like to explore a variety of other therapies for the children, including animal therapy.”
1. Cathal McCarthy from, Banogue, County Limerick, with his mum Linda, second from right, art therapist Sheila Richardson and play specialist Kristina Buckley. 2. Play worker Geraldine Stück with Gearoid McCormick from Clonlara, County Clare, on bongos; Cathal McCarthy from Banogue, County Limerick on drum; and Music Generation Limerick’s Emma Langford and Peter Hannigan at the Children’s Ark in UHL
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Focus On
eHealth Ireland Richard Corbridge
The Office of the CIO has been very busy over the last year and a half with projects they have developed and continue to implement.
ive projects include eReferrals where a patient’s referral is sent electronically from their GP to the hospital. This is phase one of this project and is live in nearly all hospitals in Ireland. In UL Hospitals Group, more than 40% of GPs are now using electronic referrals which are managed through the Central Referrals Office in University Hospital Limerick. “The consolidation on to a single Patient Administration System (IPMS) across the acute hospitals in the former South East and South West areas was achieved in May meaning there is now a single unified patient administration system over the South/ South West Hospital Group. UL Hospitals Group is on track to fully implement iPMs at all sites by this October.” said Richard Corbridge. These successes provide a solid foundation and significant opportunity for the implementation of integrated clinical information systems such as Maternity and Pathology across the Group. This is a tipping point towards an Electronic Health Record for Ireland that can be built upon. In fact the Electronic Health Record business case has been approved and will be published in the coming weeks. Richard Corbridge commented “The delivery of an Electronic Health Record (EHR) for Ireland is the foundation for the reform of the health care system. The delivery of integrated care and the ability to truly place health information under the control of the patient is only possible with a digital fabric in place.” The office of the CIO also undertook a massive overhaul of technology infrastructure throughout hospitals and community services, with over 47,000 computers being installed or replaced. HSE Director General, Mr. Tony O’Brien recently announced plans to have all HSE staff digitally connected by the end of the year. This ambitious project will provide e-mail and online connectivity to over 30,000 staff in the health services who currently do not currently have access to digital tools to support them in their roles.
Richard Corbridge and Yvonne Goff pictured at The National Tech Excellence Awards.
According to Mr. O’Brien; “I want the HSE to have a more digitally connected workforce. The modern healthcare system must value connectivity highly and we need to embrace this in every way we can. In investing in our staff, and supporting them with the tools they need, we in turn are better able to provide a safer, more efficient and ultimately better service to our patients and to the public.” Progress on projects to move the HSE into the electronic age, continues apace and the Office of the CIO was honoured to win two awards at The National Tech Excellence Awards Ireland’s principal badge of honour in the IT industry. Yvonne Goff from HSE won IT Professional of the Year and Richard Corbridge won Person of the Year. For more information on all that’s happening visit www.ehealthireland.ie or follow @ehealthireland
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Focus On
eHealth in the UL Hospitals Group There has never been a better time in Ireland to work in healthcare informatics and UL Hospitals Group is uniquely positioned to take advantage of new technologies to improve patient care.
Brian McKeon, Director of Informatics, Planning and Performance, UL Hospitals Group
In January 2014, the Planning, Performance and Business Information (PPBI) department was established. In May 2016 the CEO brought PPBI and ICT Department together strengthening the synergy between the departments and giving the UL Hospitals Group a strong team of informatics professionals to develop into the future. The national momentum towards eHealth continues with the board of the HSE recently signing off a ~€875m strategic business case for the creation of an Irish Electronic Health Record. Brian McKeon, Director of Informatics, Planning and Performance commented “In our region, the consolidation of acute services into the UL Hospitals Group together with the co-terminus CHO Area 3 and Public Health Service present a unique opportunity in Ireland for the Electronic Health Record to deliver fully integrated patient care.”
PPBI Team: Rebecca Kelly, Lyndsey O’Rourke, Stephen Culligan, Ruth McGuinness, Brenda Cremin, Robert Hamilton, Audrey Allen, Caitlyn Madden.
ICT team: (Back Row) Neil Gleeson, Brendan Connaughton, Don Munro, Alan Ryan, Mike O’Nolan, Robert Berry. (Front Row) Sarah Butler, Sarah Corcoran, Terri Fitzgerald Scanlan, Elaine Sheehan. Missing from picture is Mary Braddish and Mark Ryan.
Planning, Performance and Business Information Department (PPBI) The PPBI department is unique to the acute division in Ireland. We coordinate the UL Hospitals Groups operational plan and monitor its progress through performance assurance meetings, using information from our business intelligence system. We provide data to help change business processes that deliver a better service to patients. We are also a central point of contact for a number of national bodies, producing data extracts and interpreting clinical and administrative reports. Working with the Office of the CIO, the PPBI department recently launched a pilot of the Microsoft PowerBI platform. This allows self-service real time and longitudinal reporting in the cloud on all mobile, tablet and computer operating systems. Brian McKeon added “It is the first time that group-wide data at a patient level, from multiple silos of information, has been brought together and will revolutionise the way in which we plan and deploy the service for our patients.”
ICT Department It is important to acknowledge the advances we have made in ICT in recent times despite years of national under-investment. NIMIS, iLab, eReferrals, Endoscopy, and Oncology are some of the examples in our group of how technology is now the norm in the treatment of patients.We have come a long way in a short space of time. This year we will finish our patient administration system (iPMS) implementation with a single system across the group and complete visibility of all data, a single “virtual hospital”, throughout the region. We will also complete the upgrade of our ED system and the installation of a completely digital electronic medical record in the intensive care unit. One of our key goals in the future is to consolidate this progress by unifying data into a portal that allows us to deliver the highest quality of patient care in a timely manner.
Summer 2016
News Winter 2015 in Brief
News in Brief UL Hospitals supports International Clinical Trials Day Members of the public were invited to UHL on 20th May, International Clinical Trials Day to find out more about cancer trials from staff attached to the Clinical Trials Unit, Cancer Services, at UHL. This event was part of a national campaign co-ordinated by ICORG, which co-ordinates most cancer trials in Ireland. UHL is one of 18 hospital-based cancer trials centres in Ireland and is the only one in the MidWest region. Munster head coach Anthony Foley, who is a member of the board at the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation, was at UHL to support International Clinical Trials Day. International Clinical Trials Day celebrates the pioneering work of all who are involved in clinical trials around the world. The date itself has historical significance. It was on 20th May 1747 that James Lind started what many consider the first clinical trial. That trial conducted among sailors found that citrus fruits cured scurvy. For inquiries on Cancer Clinical Trials, please contact the Clinical Trials Unit, Cancer Services, at UHL on 061 585824 or 061 482893
Supporting International Clinical Trials Day at UHL are Maureen O’Grady, Clinical Nurse Manager, Clinical Trials Unit, Cancer Services; Dr Linda Coate, Consultant Medical Oncologist and Director and Chief Investigator, Clinical Trials Unit, Cancer Services, Munster Head Coach Anthony Foley and Breda Fallon, Assistant Director of Nursing, Cancer Services
#hellomynameis: A compassionate care initiative for UL Hospitals UL Hospitals Group has introduced the #hellomynameis campaign at University Hospital Limerick and University Maternity Hospital Limerick. This is a compassionate care initiative founded by the British hospital consultant and terminally-ill cancer patient Dr Kate Granger. During a hospital stay in 2013, Kate observed that many staff did not introduce themselves. Kate also grew frustrated that fellow health professionals would refer to her as “Bed 7” or “the girl with that rare cancer”. #hellomynameis is about more than simple introductions. It is all about making a human connection and establishing a relationship with patients on a firm foundation of mutual respect and trust. UL Hospitals Group is proud to be in the vanguard of this movement in Ireland and has joined Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and Wexford Hospital in introducing it at ground level. The aim of the campaign is to enhance compassionate care by reminding healthcare professionals to introduce themselves to patients in all healthcare interactions. And the main message is to promote high quality communication in order to treat patients with dignity and respect. Summer 2016
Noreen Spillane, Chief Operations Officer, UL Hospitals Group, right, meets Dr Kate Granger, founder of the #hellomynameis campaign at the HSE’s Communicating Health conference in Dublin on Wednesday, March 9th
Staff working in maternity and paediatric services, in the ED and in the executive have beene provided with new name badges as part of the campaign. These are the areas selected for an initial pilot scheme, with a view to implementing the campaign across all hospitals in due course. See www.hellomynameis.org.uk/ or on Twitter #hellomynameis
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News Winter 2015 in Brief
New Kidney Clinic at Ennis Hospital
Update from the iPM team To date iPM has been rolled out in four hospitals within the Group, UHL, Croom Hospital, St. John’s Hospital and Ennis Hospital and to date we have 1,750 users using iPM across these sites. Work has commenced on the iPM roll-out for University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) and Nenagh Hospital with go-live scheduled for September in UMHL and October in Nenagh. Training has commenced on both of these sites and the iPM Team is looking forward to welcoming colleagues there onto iPM over the coming months. (l to r): Martina Roe, Caroline Conway, Cora Cliffe, Lesley Foley, Eileen Shaw, Donal Carroll, Aisling Guinan, Jo O’Gara, Gavin Sexton, Joanne Bennis, Barry White, Valerie Enright and Sandra Dempsey. Missing from photo – Karen Hartnett, Fiona Gaffney and Jennifer McCarthy.
UHL and Nenagh staff run Sun Awareness Campaign
Dermatology staff nurses Aisling O’Shaughnessy and Alma Hourigan with registered advanced nurse practitioner, dermatology, Sheila Ryan, spread the word on sun awareness at Nenagh Hospital.
A new Kidney Clinic opened its doors in recent months at Ennis Hospital, providing diagnostic and treatment services to Clare patients with suspected kidney disease. It is part of continuing efforts by UL Hospitals Group to expand specialist services across its network of six hospitals in Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. Led by Professor Austin Stack, Consultant Nephrologist and Chair of Medicine at UL Hospitals Group, and his specialist team, the aim of the new clinic is to investigate kidney problems and then prevent kidney problems from worsening. Many people have kidney disease but can lead a full life in spite of this. It is important that we know what has caused the kidney disease and prevent it from doing further damage. Emphasis is placed on the investigation of and treatment of kidney disease, control of blood pressure and the management of any problems that might arise as a consequence of the kidney disease. The clinic works closely with General Practitioners in County Clare and the care programme is closely linked with the Kidney Disease Programme at University Hospital Limerick, which coordinates the care programme for the region.
Attending the new Kidney Clinic in Ennis Hospital was Daniel Hassett from Quin, County Clare, centre, with staff, Patricia O’Gorman, operational director of nursing, Ennis Hospital; Dr Mohamed El Sayed, clinical registrar; Prof Austin Stack, consultant nephrologist; Mary Clancy, staff nurse; Bernie O’Malley, site administrator, Ennis Hospital; Dr Mohammed Kaballo, specialist registrar; Fiona Brouder, acting renal nurse co-ordinator and Brid Scanlon, clinical nurse manager, outpatients department.
As mercury levels begin to rise, UL Hospitals Group marked Sun Awareness Month in May with local campaigns in UHL and Nenagh Hospital on how to safely enjoy the sunshine. UL Hospitals Group Sun Awareness Campaign started with an event in Nenagh Hospital attended by over 210 people while almost 250 attended the second event at UHL. People were given advice and leaflets by specialist dermatology nurses and many also tried out a UV camera which can project the effects of sun exposure. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland with approximately 10,000 new cases diagnosed every year. All three forms – melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma – of skin cancer are on the increase and all three are linked to sun exposure and UV radiation. The advice from the skin experts is to wear sunscreen from April through to September and to be especially vigilant between the peak hours of 12 noon and 3pm. Skin surveillance is also a good idea and people should take the time at least twice a year to check any moles. GPs can refer patients for assessment to the pigmented lesion clinic at UHL. Other tips on how to keep both children and adults safe in the sun are available on the websites of the HSE, the Irish Skin Foundation and the Irish Cancer Society.
News in Brief
UL Hospitals Twitter goes live! @UL Hospitals Twitter is a new digital communications channel which we are using to promote our news and events. If you are already on Twitter, please follow us, if not, here are some tips to get you started: - - -
Timeline/Live Feed: when you sign in to Twitter, you’ll land on your home timeline. This displays a stream of Tweets from accounts you follow on Twitter. @username (or handle): a username is how you’re identified on Twitter, and is always preceded immediately by the @ symbol, eg @ULHospitals, this addresses that person specifically on Twitter. # Hashtag: A hashtag is any word or phrase
- Likes: Liking a tweet indicates that you appreciate it. Tap the heart icon and the author will see this and you can see your likes by clicking on the Likes tab on your profile. - Retweet: If someone tweets something that you really like or find useful, you can retweet it. - Direct Messages (DM): A private message you can send or receive to a user.
immediately preceded by the #symbol, it will ensure that your tweet appears in search results for the word it precedes e.g, #SafeSurgicalHands. - Follows: Click the “follow” button on a user’s profile if you like the information they’re posting. - Followers: These are all the people who follow you on Twitter. @ULHospitals currently has over 235 followers (and growing).
- Notifications: This shows all the tweets and retweets which reference you and displays all your new followers. - Happy Tweeting!
@ UL
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CERC on track for the Autumn The Clinical Education and Research Centre (CERC), which is a partnership project between UL Hospitals Group and the University of Limerick (UL) is on schedule to be complete by the end of September. An official opening is planned for mid 2017. The development, which comprises a 3,442m sq four storey building, is co-funded by both the HSE and UL with an overall project cost of circa €12.75m. CERC will accommodate and support the educational, training and research needs of both the UL Hospitals Group clinical community and the Graduate-Entry Medical School, the School of Nursing & Midwifery and the School of Clinical Therapies at UL. It will comprise a 150-seat lecture theatre, four 20-seat and two 10-seat tutorial rooms and some social space on the ground floor. The first floor will house a new medical library, a computer laboratory and self-directed study space. There will be office accommodation for senior academic, administrative and technical support staff on the second floor, together with some clinical education and clinical research space. The top floor will be dedicated to clinical research and will house the Clinical Research Unit (a joint ULHG/UL facility) and UL’s Health Research Institute (HRI). The building has been ‘future proofed’ so that two additional floors of research space can be added at a later stage; this will then convert the CERC into a six-storey facility.
Summer 2016
A joint UL and UL Hospitals Group Steering Committee is being formed for the CERC building and will ensure that the facility is used optimally to support the clinical education and research activities of ULHG and UL. It will also ensure that there is equity of access to the facility. Professor Paul Finucane, Chief Academic Officer, UL Hospitals Group, is very excited about CERC and what it will bring, “This is a hugely significant new facility for the Group. It represents a major step in our journey to transition fully to a University teaching hospital and it will also be a fantastic addition to the changing fabric of the hospital campus here at UHL.” Artist’s impression of CERC Building
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Cyclists setting off from UHL at the start of the 80k Tour de Limerick cycle on the 14th of May.
UL Hospital Group | Dooradoyle | Limerick T: 061 585844 | E: ulhgcommunications@hse.ie @ULHospitals
www.ulh.ie