A newsletter for the 2,500 people who work and volunteer at Noble’s Hospital and Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital in the Isle of Man – sharing information, marking achievements and awards, and highlighting strong teamwork Published by the Department of Health and Social Care, Crookall House, Desmesne Road, Douglas
Connections
Winter 2017-18
Children’s physiotherapist Kim Dean, centre, pictured with her team-mates ahead of representing Great Britian as captain and goalkeeper at the World Dwarf Games in Canada
Kim’s on top of the world By Frances Butler Clinical Team Lead Children’s Therapy
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he Isle of Man has a triple world medallist – and she is part of the physiotherapy team working across Nobles’ Hospital and in the community!
She is none other than Kim Dean, Band 7 children’s physiotherapist, who has been with us for two years now, having moved here from Oldham in 2015. And Kim is not only a champion in her chosen sports – she is also the team physiotherapist for the Dwarf Sports Association in the UK. Last summer, Kim trav-
elled to Canada to take part in the World Dwarf Games in Guelph, where she competed in badminton, power lifting and table tennis, as well as captaining the women’s football team. The Games have been held every four years since the inaugural competition in 1993. With stiff competition from other participating
countries, there were many exciting challenges and some nail-biting moments, but Kim succeeded in claiming gold for the women’s football team – the third time Team GB has achieved this – a hard-earned bronze in badminton, and a silver medal in table tennis. The physiotherapy department staff members are justly Turn to page 2
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Noble’s News Winter 2017-18
The entrance to Noble’s Hospital covered in snow on December 8, captured by Macmillan project officer Tim Moughtin. The conditions proved a significant challenge but staff showed great resilience
Working together is key By Mike Quinn Director of Hospitals
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s we come to the end of another busy year, we should take this opportunity to reflect on the many achievements that have been made amid the challenges we have faced. Each has been responded to in a professional and supportive way, for which I thank you. 2018 will no doubt be another busy time for all of us working across both Noble’s Hospital and Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital. We will be faced with new challenges and opportunities and
Mike Quinn, Director of Hospitals I am certain that together we will continue to strive toward providing as safe and effective service to all patients and families in our care as we can hope to possibly achieve. We need to embrace and
deliver the reconfiguration plans for Ward 5, the Oncology Service and Martin Ward as previously communicated, and respect and support each other though the changes ahead. I am optimistic that through the sharing of best practice, professional skills and ideas that services on both hospital sites will be further enhanced such that the people of the Isle of Man that access our services will receive an improved, seamless and co-ordinated care experience. I hope that you will agree, the renaming of Noble’s News as ‘Connections’ is most appropriate as we work together to connect both of the island’s hospitals, creating
the new ‘family of hospitals’. Like any family, there will always be those occasions when we may not completely agree with each other, but through careful and mature discussion we will find resolution safe in the understanding that we all want the same thing, which is to provide what is right for patients. I look forward to working with each of you in the coming year, encouraging and supporting improvements in service provision and delivery and in making a lasting difference to the quality of healthcare provision on the Isle of Man. Wishing you and those close to you a very happy Christmas and a peaceful 2018.
Physio Kim claims medal hat-trick
Kim Dean claimed gold playing football at the World Dwarf Games
From front page proud of their athletic and inspiring colleague, and the Children’s Team in particular would like to thank her for all she contributes to their team, and for giving them so much excitement with photos and updates from Canada over the course of the Games. Kim enjoyed a week’s holiday in Canada with her family when the Games ended. And not forgetting to mention that she let us all try on the medals when she arrived back home! Well done, Kim!
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Parkinson’s champions
Jayne Kerruish, second right, celebrates her retirement with friends and colleagues at Keyll Darree Education and Training Centre
Jayne looks back on 37-year career
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enior nurse for patient experience and quality Jayne Kerruish retired in October at the end of a 37-year career serving the Manx population at Noble’s Hospital. During her final week, Jayne looked back on her time in nursing and the many changes and memorable moments that have taken place. ‘I started my nursing career on 1 September 1980 at Noble’s Hospital following a strong family tradition of nursing,’ said Jayne. ‘There were 13 of us in my set and we soon became good friends and have remained so ever since. Judy Williams was the matriarch of the group, and quite a lot older than most of us - what she didn’t know wasn’t worth knowing. Needless to say, we had a rapid education into the adult world!’ After qualifying as a Registered Nurse in 1983 Jayne started working in the Intensive Care Unit. At that time all the critical care services were staffed by the same
team, so there was always variety, a great deal to learn and Jayne worked among a team who really looked out for each other. She said: ‘I was one of the first nurses to care for neonates when Consultant Paediatrician Dr Birkin introduced a drug called surfactant, which significantly improved the survival chances for premature babies. One of the smallest and scariest was a girl who weighed just 1½ pounds. She is now a healthy 30-something.’ Jayne worked her way up, eventually becoming the Senior Sister of the Intensive Care Services, and was part of the commissioning team for the new Noble’s Hospital in Braddan in 2001-2002. ‘This was a really interesting role and very different to what I was used to,’ said Jayne. ‘The critical care services were divided into four separate areas when we moved. I got a real sense of satisfaction knowing I had played a significant part in developing these services, and knowing
that we had state of the art facilities in the hospital.’ Shortly after that, Jayne took on her role as senior nurse for patient experience and quality. ‘I would definitely encourage people to enter nursing,’ said Jayne. ‘My key message would be to really focus on the fundamental needs of people and always treat people with compassion and respect in the same way you would want to be looked after yourself.’ Immediate retirement plans include spending more time with her children and grandson. Jayne’s work days aren’t entirely behind though as she plans to update her CV and start looking for something part-time. ‘Nursing people is by far the most rewarding part of the job,’ said Jayne, who added: ‘I have so many memories both happy and sad. It’s hard to pinpoint my funniest moment because there have been so many of them but I do like to reminisce and tell my tales from time to time. It has been suggested I write a book!’
The Parkinson’s disease service development team are looking into the possibility of having a Parkinson’s champion on each of the hospitals’ wards. Anyone wishing to become involved should be a member of the nursing staff willing to enhance their knowledge of Parkinson’s and act as an advocate for patients admitted to their ward who have this condition. They would also be a direct link between the hospitals and the community Parkinson’s team. Obviously there is no financial benefit for these champions but it is an excellent CPD opportunity. To discuss further, contact Susan Lawley, Parkinson’s disease specialist nurse, on susan.lawley@ healthservices.dhss.gov.im
Top choice for students Noble’s Hospital is ranked the most attractive of 54 locations among medical students from Queen’s University Belfast. Noble’s accommodated six students from 41 applicants wishing to undertake their Student Selected Component, where partnered hospitals and trusts offer particular placements to students who are in their third year of studying medicine. The areas offered this year were anaesthetics/ ITU, renal medicine and emergency medicine, with students spending a week in each specialty. Dublin-based students are also taking advantage of the opportunities the Island offers. A total of 90 were accommodated across Noble’s and GP practices this year, of which 31 were from Trinity College Dublin.
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Noble’s News Winter 2017-18
Christmas lunch at Thie Bee Restaurant
Christmas comes early for team of volunteers
The Noble’s Hospital volunteers were treated to an early Christmas lunch at Cristory’s Restaurant at Isle of Man College towards the end of November. Around 40 enjoyed a three-course meal prepared and served by catering students.
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Christmas decorations competition RESULTS Overall winner – Women and Children’s Division Best Animated Elves – Cardio-Respiratory Outpatients Department Best Christmas Tree – AMU
Pictured above is the Grinch stealing Christmas, part of impressive display which clinched the title of overall winner for the Women and Children’s Division from judges Mike Quinn and Neil Davidson
Best Theme (Rainbow Ribbons) – jointly awarded to ICU and Oncology Best Reception Area – Hospital Atrium Best Poem – Hospital Flow Team (12-Days of Christmas) Best Humorous Entry – ‘Three Wise Surgeons’, Ward 1 Best Social Responsibility Entry (Food Bank) – jointly awarded to Dietetics Departments and Radiology Department Best Recycled Christmas – Renal Dialysis Unit Best ‘White Christmas’ (Polar Express) – Ward 2 Best Interactive Display (Santa’s Grotto) – General Outpatient Clinics Scariest Angel – Theatres
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Noble’s News Winter 2017-18
Competitive step league keeps staff on their toes
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oble’s physiotherapy department once again participated in the ‘Workout at Work scheme, an annual initiative from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Previous years has seen the department organising events from exercise classes to touch rugby, and aims to promote physical and mental wellbeing at work. This year saw more than 65 people from across a range of departments participate in an organised step league over an eight-week period. Teams of up to five competed to see who could rack up the most
steps each day, with a weekly league table published to highlight the week’s top team and individual. This event was the first time the physiotherapy team have ran the scheme over an extended period rather than on a single day. Its success was reflected in high engagement and the diversity of professions involved, from physio and occupational therapy, to dietitians and patient flow. Feedback was extremely positive with people acknowledging the daily target of 10,000 steps required a lot
of effort, particularly with the impact more office based days has on activity levels. While nobody could compete with the community-based team ‘Stray CATS’, there were lots of different top steppers over the weeks, and lots of reports of new exercise habits. This scheme is particularly welcomed within the physiotherapy department as the team constantly seeks to improve staff wellbeing at work. Keep an ear to the ground to find out how you will be encouraged to workout at work next year!
The purpose of the scheme is to raise the profile of physiotherapy as a profession, and the role it can play in helping to maintain a healthy work force with: l 41 per cent of all UK sickness absence is due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders l 8.8 million days are lost to work-related musculoskeletal disorders while 11.7 million are lost to work-related stress Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorder Statistics in Great Britain 2015/16
Coffee Chums collecting to help comfort those in need Thie Bee Coffee Shop at Noble’s has recently become involved with a growing community initiative called Coffee Chums. A counter collection tin is now available for donations. Cash is converted by the charity organisers into a voucher, similar to a loyalty card. These cards are then given to people in our community who may be having a difficult time for any range of reasons, and can be exchanged for a free hot drink in one of the participating coffee shops. Often someone visiting hospital, whether as an inpatient or relative, may be
sat around for several hours with only enough money for the bus home. Coffee Chums vouchers allows these vulnerable people to receive a hot drink, and avoids the stigma of them having to explicity ask. Thie Bee is the latest outlet to become involved and many Douglas coffee shops now have collection tins on their counters. Recipients of the vouchers are able to visit any of these approved coffee shops and exchange the voucher for a coffee, so that a degree of comfort and normal social life can be continued even
through tough times. The exercise is cost neutral to each shop, as Coffee Chums will reimburse the shop with the amount equiva-
lent to the number of vouchers they have taken in. Thie Bee Coffee Shop staff are very proud to support Coffee Chums.
Noble’s News Winter 2017-18
Showcase success
DHSC Member Jason Moorhouse MHK takes part in an interactive demonstration, guided by Air Ambulance Lead Nurse Graham Lloyd-Brandrick
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ynwald Members have been given a comprehensive insight into what goes into running Noble’s Hospital. On Tuesday 3 October, MHKs and MLCs attended an all-day showcase event organised by the hospital management team. Its aim was to explain in
detail the services provided at the hospital, the challenges faced by staff and volunteers on a daily basis, and aspirations for the future delivery of healthcare in light of an aging population and further medical advances. Presentations were made by senior managers, doctors, medical and healthcare staff, and support workers and
were categorised by division: surgical; medical; cancer services; women’s and children’s; diagnostic (radiology, pharmacy and pathology); patient safety and quality; and core services. Director of Hospitals Mike Quinn said: ‘Thanks go to everyone who took part for their hard work compiling and taking part in the presentations.’
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ANTT pilot initiative is under way A short-life working party has been established to introduce Aseptic NonTouch Technique (ANTT) across the Department of Health and Social Care. This is a standardised approach in the theory and practical application of the fundamentals of the aseptic technique, to improve practice, reduce morbidity and mortality, and to ensure the delivery of best practice to our patients. It is currently in the pilot phase of implementation, on wards 11 and 12, and this will inform the roll out across the department, with designated area champions supported by the Infection Prevention and Control Team. ANTT will be implemented over three phases following the pilot, actions will be based upon recommendations from the pilot to inform the implementation plan going forward. For more information about the ANTT Clinical Practice Framework visit www.antt. org
RSS is supporting bereaved families A service designed to help bereaved families is making a difference just weeks after it was launched in October. The Relatives Support Service is a collaboration between Noble’s Hospital and Hospice Isle of Man and involves the hospital’s mortuary team supporting people following the death of loved one. It was been established in memory of 14-year-old Jake Watson, who died last year following a severe asthma attack. Following Jake’s death, mum Leanna Watson spoke to the senior management
team at Noble’s Hospital and described how the family had little idea about where to turn at an extremely difficult time. The team pledged to look into establishing a Relatives Support Service and approached Hospice IoM who were pleased to offer the use of a room at their nearby building – and that’s a key feature of its success, according to mortuary manager Ian Hughes. He said: ‘Our partnership with Hospice IoM has provided families with exactly the dedicated and dignified service they deserve at a time of need. One of the main benefits is that the RSS
office is not located within the hospital building and therefore families do not need to come back to the area where their loved one passed away. ‘The Hospice building is a calming and reassuring environment, and is well sign-posted with good parking facilities, allowing families to visit for an appointment with the minimum of fuss.’ The death certification process has now moved away from the hospital wards and all documentation is now carried out by the mortuary team. This has been well received by frontline healthcare staff as it has released them to
concentrate on other duties. Ian added: ‘We have had some very positive feedback from relatives, especially those who had experienced the previous system. Indeed one family contacted Mrs Watson in our first week to say how impressed they were with the service. Funeral directors also appreciate what has been done – at no extra cost – and have also supplied supportive feedback on the timeliness of certification and how there is now a single point of contact.’ For more information, call the Relatives Support Service team on 650615.
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Noble’s News Winter 2017-18
PROFILE Gilly’s role as Lung Shadow Nurse
Nerology Nurse Sepcialist Heidi Morris and Consultant Physician Neurologist Martyn Bracewell
Neurology service marks 20 years
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he first visiting neurology clinic at Noble’s Hospital took place on Thursday 4 September 1997. It was held by Dr Mike Boggild, a consultant neurologist based at the Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Liverpool. Dr Boggild’s monthly visits were supported by Dr Neil Hockings, resident consultant physician, and his secretary Lynne Matthews. In 2004 a part-time neurology nurse, Heidi Morris, joined the team, initially
part-funded by the island’s MS Society. Throughout his tenure at Noble’s, Dr Boggild also held several waiting list initiatives, occasionally bringing colleagues from the Walton Centre to assist him in effecting a high quality service to the Isle of Man. Dr Boggild emigrated in 2012 and the service was taken forward by Dr Christine Burness. The service is now weekly, with visits on alternate weeks currently undertaken by Dr Martyn Bracewell and Dr Wojciech Pietkiewicz, supported by a team of mul-
ti-speciality secretaries. The consultant service provides inpatient consultations on Wednesdays with clinics being held on Thursdays. The nurse service continues to be provided by Heidi Morris with her clinic sessions on Mondays and Thursdays as well as home visits being carried out. Heidi looks after those patients with Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease, Huntingtons Disease or Muscular Dystrophy. For further information, visit: gov.im/categories/ health-and-wellbeing/neurology-service
Congratulations on Master’s degree success Ward manager Keren Wormwell, stroke nurse Gill Horsey and nurse Elizabeth Sawyer have all successfully
completed their Master’s degrees. Senior nurse Sally Anne Scott said: ‘They have worked extremely hard to
achieve this, studying alongside running their wards and services full time. Well done from the medical division!’
Gilly Culshaw, who is featured on the facing page, is the hospital’s Lung Shadow Nurse, and has been in the role for almost 18 months. She works 30 hours a week supporting people from the moment a shadow or lesion begins to be investigated at their first appointment. Gilly becomes their key worker at this point, which involves being a consistent presence during initial investigations and providing support and advice at final diagnosis, and remaining a point of contact throughout the treatment pathway. Gilly worked in ICU for 17 years before taking up her role on 4 July 2017. She now works closely with the Respiratory Consultant and their teams, along with all members of the multi-disciplinary team within Noble’s. Gilly liaises with specialty doctors from Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital and Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and supports them at their clinics on Island. Gilly said: ‘I’m here to support people and provide a constant presence for them during their journey. The role could be described as being as social as it is clinical as I try to be as comforting, supportive and empathetic as possible. The patient and their needs are at the centre of the care I aim to provide and I act as their advocate – their voice – throughout their illness. ‘It’s a challenging role but an important one in ensuring the care a patient receives is as co-ordinated and as seamless as possible – the aim is to reduce anxiety at an enormously stressful time. This role has highlighted to me the importance of good communication skills within Noble’s and I would not be able to ensure patients get the best care without the support of my colleagues from many departments. Patient care is truly a team effort.’ Gilly works Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday, and is available on 650086.
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From left, Lung Shadow Nurse Gilly Culshaw, League of Friends secretary Sue Grace and chairman Chris Kelly, and Corinna Haire, Senior Sister Medical Outpatients’ Department
Quiet room is restored as a haven for patients
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Quiet Room in the Medical Outpatients’ Department has been restored to its original use after years as a makeshift storeroom thanks to the vision and energy of the hospital’s Lung Shadow Nurse, Gilly Culshaw. Work began in clearing out the room last Christmas. It has since been painted and now features furniture funded by the League of Friends, which has invested around £1,200 in the project. Gilly said: ‘When I started this role it soon became apparent that we were lacking an appropriate area for patients to sit in after they have been given bad news. ‘At any one of the clinics I support - predominantly Rapid Access Clinic - the potential exists for patients to be told devastating news, either they have cancer confirmed, told of a recurrence or that they are unable to undergo treatment because of existing co-morbidities. ‘While it is often the doc-
tor who breaks this bad news, it is my role to offer support and ensure that the patient and their relatives understand the diagnosis and what the treatment plans are. ‘Patients are obviously upset by the news and need time to regain their composure before they walk back through a waiting room full of other patients.’ When Gilly started in her role in July 2016, she would take patients from the clinical room into an adjoining room to discuss treatments, management plans and allow them time to come to terms with
the diagnosis. This was not a suitable environment, however, as it was cramped and the patient and their relative would sit on chairs while she would be perched on a bed, often physically looking down on them. The Quiet Room already present in the Medical Outpatients Department was being used as a store room for equipment at this stage, but Gilly identified its potential and, with the support of hospital management, was given approval to return the room to its intended use. The newly-restored Quiet
Room began being used in mid-June and is proving an important asset to the department. Gilly added: ‘It’s important to point out that the room is not solely for the use of patients diagnosed with lung cancer, but any patient who feels they need some time to think. ‘I would like to thank the League of Friends, who have supported us by buying the furniture, and the Patients’ Comfort Fund, which has paid for a printed canvas to improve the ambience of the room.’
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Noble’s News Winter 2017-18
Pharmacist Holly picks up awards
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harmacist Holly Renshaw picked up two awards at the Annual College of Mental Health Pharmacy (CMHP) International Conference in October. She received the Helen Tennant Memorial Award for the best overall performance in the Postgraduate Diploma in Psychiatric Pharmacy from Aston University, and was also presented with a poster of an audit completed as part of the diploma after finishing runner-up in the poster category. Holly has been working at Noble’s since March 2016. She graduated with a Masters in pharmacy from Nottingham University in 2011 and then became a qualified pharmacist in 2012 after a pre-registration year at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. She then worked in a psychiatric hospital in Singapore before returning to the Isle of Man.
Share your poetry with colleagues By Frances Butler Clinical Team Lead Children’s Therapy Not everyone likes poetry. Perhaps it’s the memory of having to learn poems, or of struggling to understand a hidden meaning. But poetry in essence is a way of capturing ideas, moments in time or thoughts, in a form which is shorter than an essay or a novel. It is often very accessible. Have you ever heard of the haiku? This is a short form of poem originating in Japan, traditionally of three lines with a 5-7-5 syllable pattern. It is intended to catch a moment in time, a feeling or a scene which has impacted upon the writer. The syllable rule can be flexible, but the main rule is ‘three lines and short’. Here is an example: Christmas comes again. Trees shine, sparkle in the snow. Light and peace bring joy.
Holly Renshaw, right, picks up one of her awards from College of Mental Health Pharmacy president Nikki Holmes
And another: Winter beach freezes. White gulls swoop in stinging rain, Lighting up the sky Perhaps we should run a haiku competition and publish some of our favourites? Remember, three lines, short, complete. Give it a try – the haiku tradition is 11 centuries old so far!
Returns box at the canteen Pathology were represented in this year’s Toughmann event by Gemma Sutton and Michael Hayler from Histology and Polly Rogerson from Microbiology
Struggling to get over to Keyll Darree library to return books? Pop them in the red post box in the coffee lounge by the canteen. It’s secure, and checked daily. Help use the book fund on resources you love. Fill out a request form on our web page https://tinyurl.com/yakvtbdl You can request up to three books as long as the combined total doesn’t exceed £100. All staff ask in return is that you write a review.
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Corporate visit for donor team
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he Isle of Man blood donor team continue to extend its donor base by visiting new corporate venues. In September the team visited First Names, an independent provider of trust, fund, real estate and corporate services which operates worldwide.
The intention will be to visit twice a year, taking donations when they are required. John Loach from the company initially approached the team for the corporate session. He said: ‘A big thanks to the team, who never fail to inspire me with their motivation and dedication. We look forward to the next visit in the new year.’
Got news to share? Here’s how By Stephen Parry Communications Officer The success of this newsletter lies entirely with the contribution made by you – the people who work and volunteer at the hospitals. The editorial board is made up of staff from many backgrounds who would be pleased to discuss ideas, but they’d be equally happy to receive articles and submit
them for publication on your behalf. So how do you go about it? l If you have an idea and are not sure what to do next, phone or email any member of the board who will be able to offer advice on what to do. l The next stage is submitting words and images – this should be done by email to any member of the editorial board or to editorialboard@nobles.
dhss.gov.im l Attach Word documents for text and jpg files for images – please do not embed images on to Word documents as they are difficult to extract and often too small to use. l Provide the name and job title of the person who wrote the article, and include contact details in order to check information if there are any queries. l If you’ve supplied
an image, please ensure everyone on the picture has given permission for their picture to be used in the newsletter. l On the covering email provide names for everyone on the picture, and include job titles where appropriate. This newsletter offers a great opportunity for staff and volunteers to share information and celebrate success – let’s make of the most it!
Editorial board Mike Quinn, Director of Hospitals mike.quinn@nobles.dhss.gov.im 650142 Stephen Parry, Communications Officer stephen.parry@gov.im 686563 Jonathan Davies, Communications Executive jonathan.davies@gov.im 685138
Chukwuka Anaziah, Doctor chukwuka.anaziah@nobles. dhss.gov.im
Frances Butler, Children’s Therapy frances.butler@gov.im, 642563
Martin Lynch, Renal Nurse martin.lynch@nobles.dhss.gov.im 650172
Amy Hamm, Doctor amy.hamm@nobles.dhss.gov.im
Gill Horsey, Stroke Nurse gillian.horsey@nobles.dhss.gov.im 650953
Leslie Murphy, Midwife leslie.murphy@nobles.dhss.gov.im 650030
Anna Featherstone, Cancer Services Team anna.featherstone@nobles. dhss.gov.im, 650735
Cathie Robinson, Personal Secretary, Pathology cathie.robinson@gov.im 650621
Liz Lillis-Ingram, Thie Bee Commercial liz.lillis@gov.im, 650559
l Want to get involved? Email editorialboard@nobles. dhss.gov.im
Janet Austin, Systems Administrator janet.austin@nobles.dhss.gov.im 682324 Diane Batty, Recovery Nurse diane.batty@nobles.dhss.gov.im 650476
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Noble’s News Winter 2017-18
Employee of the month April: Amy Phillips, RN, Emergency Department
September: Sylvia Hewitt, PIC Manager
Amy Phillips claimed August’s award following a citation by a patient. It read: ‘I suffered a miscarriage and although this was a horrific ordeal, Amy went out of her way to reassure and comfort me. She didn’t leave my side all evening. She definitely didn’t take a break. She stayed with me until I was settled in Ward 4 late that evening. I wouldn’t have got through that experience without her.’
Patient Information Centre manager Sylvia’s citation read: ‘Sylvia has seen through a big move and kept up her polite service to the patients. She tries to solve any issues patients have with their appointments, and doctors value her. She will not tell you that, but you only have to see how they are with her to know that. She has given her holiday up to move from the Seagulls Office to the Porters Lodge. To many she is just the voice at the end of the phone. To me she is a dedicated member of staff.’
October: Suzie Skelding, Senior Sister, Ward 2
November: Josie Wade, Senior Dietitian
Suzie Skelding was nominated by a colleague, who said: ‘We have been so very busy and Suzie has stayed all day in some instances whilst supporting all other staff. She goes above and beyond all the time and is an excellent Senior Sister and role model’. Highly commended were: Olive Christian, Elaine Hayes, and Dr Prakash Thiagarajan
A bowel cancer patient said: ‘Josie is always there, helping my wife and I, as I have struggled with the effects of radiation, pain, nausea and two open surgeries since 2014. She has liaised with our GP and sought to find a supplement to stem the weight loss. She has succeeded in raising my weight from 8 stone back to 10. Nothing is too much trouble and she makes you feel at ease.’
Paper copies of the nomination forms are distributed around the hospital and they can also be downloaded from the DHSC intranet. Once completed, either email employeeofthemonth.nobles@gov.im or send to Employee of the Month Nominations, Management Suite, Noble’s Hospital. The winner is chosen by the Operations Management Team. All the Employees of the Month will be invited to a celebration next April – when one will win a trip for two to Madeira.