12 minute read
Living our Values
from LUHFT Life - issue 3
by LUHFT
LIVING OUR
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Congratulations to four of our teams, who have been shortlisted for an amazing seven awards at this year’s Nursing Times Awards 2021!
These nominations recognise the incredible work of our colleagues at LUHFT, and that despite one of the toughest years, our staff have adapted in many innovative ways to ensure that quality care continues for our communities. The awards ceremony will take place in October 2021.
Shortlisted teams:
Intravenous (IV) team
• Shortlisted in Infection Prevention and Control, and Patient Safety Improvement • The IV team at Aintree University Hospital successfully implemented ultrasound guided IV cannulation as a safe, effective alternative to midline insertion in the upper arm for patients with poor IV access. The innovation now reduces the number of failed cannulation attempts, increases first time success rate and improves patient experience.
Endocrine Specialist Nursing team
• Shortlisted in Managing Long-term Conditions, Patient Safety Improvement and
Promoting Patient Self-management • The Endocrine Specialist Nurses created an innovative and informative
‘Hydrocortisone Emergency Management’ education video for patients with adrenal insufficiency. As face-to-face group education sessions could no longer take place due to COVID-19, the video enabled patients to manage their condition in a timely manner and prevented potential admissions.
Ambulatory Home Ventilation team
• Shortlisted in Respiratory Nursing • The Home Ventilation team based at Aintree University Hospital have transformed the way patients start home mechanical ventilation, meaning they no longer need to spend several days as an inpatient at the start of their treatment. This has improved patient experience, and also frees up acute ventilation beds.
Multidisciplinary CPAP team
• Shortlisted in HRH The Prince of Wales Award for Integrated Approaches to Care • During COVID-19, a new approach enabled staff from Infectious Diseases,
Respiratory and Critical Care to deliver Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) safely and effectively in a ward-based setting – rather than Critical
Care. A multi–disciplinary nurse and physio-led enhanced training package was implemented to upskill many nurses to have the knowledge to provide CPAP in other areas, easing pressure on Critical Care.
VALUES
Congratulations to Ward 4B, Urology, our Team of the Month.
The team were presented with their award, following a patient nomination.
The patient, who has autism, praised Ward 4B for the excellent care they provided in what was an “unexpected and overwhelming experience” for them. The patient said: “Being on my own in hospital was challenging, but the staff on 4B made sure I was kept informed and well looked after.
“If I didn’t understand what the doctors were telling me, the nurses were quick to visit and explain things in ways I would understand. I really appreciated the lengths they went to during my stay.”
Become a Wellbeing Champion
Making sure staff are supported is our priority at LUHFT, so we are introducing Wellbeing Champions across the organisation.
We know many teams and staff are already engaged in wellbeing initiatives, but the aim is to ensure that all colleagues are aware of the support available to improve mental and physical wellbeing. We are looking for staff from all disciplines, grades and working patterns to volunteer for this role. Which is in addition to your day-to-day work and at the discretion of an individual’s manager. For information email: Sam.Holder@liverpoolft.nhs.uk
Organ Donation Week at LUHFT
We caught up with Alex Warner, a living donor who – despite delays due to COVID-19 – donated her kidney to her mum, Joan Warner, in November 2020 at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. “In 2018 when my dad died, we realised there was something seriously wrong with my mum – a trip to A&E the next day discovered she had a rip in her bowel. Surgery was scheduled to stich it back up but on the day I just had this awful feeling,” said Alex.
“The bowel surgeon called and said that following her operation, mum would be put on a life-support machine. She then had renal failure and was on a dialysis machine. In a short space of time she’d gone from being perfectly healthy to being seriously ill. “The consultant explained she’d need a kidney donation, and I just said; it’s me I’m the donor. Of course it doesn’t just work that way, you need tests and you need to prepare psychologically. It turned out I was a perfect match. “My mum needed to be stronger before we could undergo a transplant - the consultant noticed that she had a rare genetic condition which affects your blood and immune system, and overtime can damage your kidneys. “It wasn’t until November 2020 that the operation was rescheduled. However, due to the pandemic, staff contacted us regularly through video calls and always provided clear advice and support. “We had three weeks of complete isolation and in incubated rooms in the hospital before the surgery. On 16 November 2020 I was finally able to donate my kidney to my mum. “When I saw mum post-op I could see the instant effects – her eyes were brighter and her skin had changed colour. “The surgery went brilliantly, the kidney was pumping instantly and I was out of hospital in three days and my mum in a week. “We are forever grateful to all the Kidney team at the Royal. If you are thinking of giving then I would encourage you to reach out and do your research. You won’t regret it!”
Organ Donation Week at LUHFT
I was so pleased to get the opportunity to become part of the transplant team. I’ve always loved the process – from the start to the end of the journey, it’s something amazing,
said Michelle Tarpey, Renal Transplant Co-ordinator, who joined the team in July 2021.
“You really get to know your patients. They are going through a life changing experience and it can be a lengthy process, so you need to support them. It’s an emotional and often hard time for the recipient because they know it’s likely someone will die before they can have their transplant.”
Michelle first became interested in organ donation when she spent 10 years as a staff nurse in Critical Care at Arrowe Park Hospital. If a patient is suitable to become an organ donor they’re taken to ITU in a controlled environment on a ventilator.
“While in Critical Care I worked closely with the specialist nurses for organ donation (snod) and I was really inspired to become more involved. In Critical Care I’d meet families while providing care for their loved ones and I’d see the heart-breaking decisions they had to make. “I then joined the organ donation team at Aintree, where I stayed for three and a half years. It allowed me support families at their worst time and help them feel comfortable with any decision. “There is a thorough assessment before an organ donation - checking the donor’s medical history, talking to their families and GPs - we need to ensure that it’s the best decision for the recipient.” Michelle then became a diabetes specialist nurse for four years at the Royal. She continued: “When the opportunity came up to be part of the transplant team I jumped at the chance. “I’m still learning, but part of my new role is to educate recipients. Some are really positive, while others don’t want to accept that they’re on dialysis. “We need to find out if the recipient is suitable for surgery. They often have complex health concerns, so a transplant isn’t the best option for everyone, and we help patients understand each decision. An organ is a precious resource and needs to be compatible and ensure it will improve their life afterwards.”
Michelle, who returned to ITU during COVID-19, added: “We’re keen to get back to the transplant numbers preCOVID-19. Our living donor numbers are still low but it’s all about managing the risk and whether the donor is completely fit and healthy to donate. “Everyone should have a conversation with their family and friends. Make your feelings clear if you would like to donate your organs and it’ll ease any pressure at a difficult time.”
Meet our Interim Chief Executive
This month we welcomed our new Interim Chief Executive, Sir David Dalton to the Trust. LUHFT Life caught up with him to find out more about his first few weeks.
“I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to help LUHFT move forward. I’m keen to ensure that this next period will present an opportunity to look to the future and that together we can generate a new sense of stability, purpose and confidence within the Trust – across all its sites and services.
“As I outlined in my first few days, I will endeavour to meet with as many colleagues as possible to find out what are the real challenges that they face, so that we can tackle them together. “I’ve already had the opportunity to chair the Trust Management Group; attend my first Council of Governors meeting; meet with key partners from across Liverpool city region; attend the Great Care Leadership event and meet with staff from different wards and departments across all sites. The warm welcome that I have received from everyone and the sense of positivity for the future of the Trust has been so encouraging,” said Sir David. Sir David brings with him a wealth of experience within the sector and is well known for his work in quality improvement and patient safety. Previously, he was the chief executive at the Walton Centre for over seven years and then at the Salford Royal for 18 years. At Salford, the trust progressed to become an organisation with an international reputation for safety and quality, gaining an ‘outstanding’ Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating. “I have a simple philosophy that the people who are best placed to find solutions to problems are the people who
Sir David Dalton’s three priorities:
Purpose: the Trust’s overarching purpose is to deliver outstanding healthcare which is safe, effective and caring. We will launch a new approach to quality improvement and patient safety that will enable this to be achieved.
People: the Trust’s ambition and plans can only be achieved with the commitment of the people who work for it. I believe that colleagues will give their best if they feel genuinely involved and supported, and if leaders listen and understand the impediments which can sometimes get in the way of them providing great care. I will work with leaders and staff through the organisations to achieve this.
Partners: Liverpool can be stronger if it acts together. I will explore how we can unite with partners, in different ways, to improve the health and wellbeing of the people in the city region.
work every day in our wards and departments who know what prevents them from providing great care. I want to find new ways of giving people the power to make improvements. “When there have been issues identified I believe we should understand them and do our best to think through ways we can resolve them, and it is important that we are open and transparent in doing so. “I want staff to be comfortable in speaking with me so that I, and executive colleagues, can understand the issues you are facing and be better able to support you. “In my first week I met with staff in both of our emergency departments and listened to what they had to tell me. Since then, the Trust Board has committed its support and has agreed an additional investment of £1.5 million to fund 12 additional doctors who will help ease pressures at the front of the hospital – I expect this will be the first of many changes that will have a real beneficial impact for our clinical teams.
“The people of Liverpool and beyond deserve healthcare that is provided to the highest standard, and everyone who works for the Trust needs to be supported to provide such care. The commissioning of the long awaited new Royal hospital is a key component of delivering to these high standards, and so I hope my experience of building the new hospital at Salford Royal will be helpful to you. “Whilst my time with LUHFT will be relatively short, I believe there is much that we will be able to achieve. My aim will be to focus on three fundamental priorities: the Trust’s purpose, its people and its partners.”
This hospital and the staff are very close to my heart. Not only did they save my life by diagnosing and treating me for an aggressive type of breast cancer at age 36, they also looked after my grandad in his last months, making him feel comfortable, cared for and happy. “Having lost my mum unexpectedly just a couple of years before, they will never know how much that time meant. They are selfless, amazing human beings, changing lives every single day.
Lisa Hartley
Last year I was hit by a car while cycling to work and this abseil was a massive milestone in my recovery. Raising money for the hospital is my way of saying thank you to all the people that helped me, particularly the Aintree Orthopaedic team who put me back together again! “I feel so lucky to be able to participate in such an event, I’m getting stronger every day and will always push my limitations!
Phil Ashby
I was referred to the Roald Dahl centre for haematology a few years ago. From the very first appointment I received such excellent care at every stage of the journey. Not just the clinical care, but I felt so well supported by the team. “This is to show my appreciation and thankfulness for what they’ve done for me. But beyond that, it’s to make sure that my neighbour, family, friends or people in the community can also access the kind of excellent care that I’ve experienced at the Royal.
Jo Dunbar
Over the top support for amazing care
Over £10,000 has been raised by patients and their families who want to show their support and appreciation to our hospital staff following their excellent care and treatment. They took on the challenge of abseiling 150ft down from the top of the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral.
