LUHFT Life - issue 5

NOVEMBER 2021

£75,000 donation

Support from Marina Dalglish Appeal

Meet your shortlist

Our Future Together Staff Awards 2021

LFC Captain Jordan Henderson visits staff

Contents

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£75,000 donation enables rapid cancer diagnosis Meet your shortlist for Our Future Together Awards 2021 No excuse for abuse

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility

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Maria Lawrence shares breast cancer story

Nursing Times Award winners

Getting to know you …Sam Holder Zero tolerance to violence - report any abuse

Send us your stories Our staff magazine reflects all the great achievements and inspirational stories from you and your colleagues.

Within LUHFT Life we’ll be covering key Trust priorities but we also want to showcase the amazing people that make up our organisation and share what’s happening throughout our hospitals.

Is there an award you’ve gained, an innovative way your team is working, an inspiring patient experience or a new patient treatment that deserves recognition? Send your stories to communications@liverpoolft.nhs.uk.

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Consultant Surgeon gains prestigious award

LFC Captain Jordan Henderson visits staff

Boosting Crohn's and Colitis services

Front cover image: Each month our cover will feature a member of staff who is living our values.

Kate Lynes, Critical Care Nurse, one of the staff chosen to meet LFC Captain Jordan Henderson, is keen to encourage colleagues to take time to care for themselves and use the Trust support available, such as the staff psychology service.

If you know a colleague who is caring, fair and innovative and would like to feature on our cover, email: communications @liverpoolft.nhs.uk.

* Some photos taken before COVID-19

£75,000 donation enables rapid cancer diagnosis Thanks to a £75,000 donation from the Marina Dalglish Appeal, our new state-of-the-art ultrasound machine provides rapid cancer diagnosis for our patients.

Around 12,000 new cases of head and neck cancer are diagnosed each year in the UK. Professor Terry Jones, Consultant Head and Neck Surgeon, said the donation is helping people in the region to receive diagnostic results more quickly.

He said: “Our new ultrasound machine is being used as part of a rapid diagnosis service at Aintree University Hospital. Time is of the essence when it comes to diagnosing and starting treatment with any cancer, so I’d like to thank Marina for this generous donation which has made a real difference to the experience of patients in our region.”

Marina set up the appeal in 2005 after being successfully treated for breast cancer two years earlier at Aintree. Over the years the appeal has made charitable donations which have benefitted cancer patients at Aintree, Broadgreen Hospital and the Royal.

Marina and her husband, Liverpool FC legend, Sir Kenny Dalglish recently visited the Head and Neck team to see the ultrasound machine in action and meet some of the surgical and radiology staff who work together to diagnose and treat patients with head and neck cancer.

Marina said: “I know first-hand what a fantastic job the team at Aintree University Hospital do and the Liverpool Head and Neck Centre is doing really important work to tackle some of the most complex cancers there are. I’m delighted that, through the appeal, we have been able to support the purchase of an additional ultrasound machine that is helping people to get diagnosed more quickly.”

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Your shortlist!

Our Future Together Awards are a celebration of the outstanding achievements of our staff across the whole Trust, including those who deliver exceptional service, live the Trust values, and work together to support patients and fellow colleagues.

As well as the Divisional team awards (listed), colleagues will also be awarded for Trust Safety, Team of the Year, Employee

of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and the Patient’s Champion award, voted for by patients, families, members of the public and foundation Trust members.

Congratulations to all our teams and individuals who have been shortlisted for an award at Our Future Together Awards 2021! More than 250 nominations were submitted this year for consideration and the following stood out as finalists:

Divisional Award - Acute and Emergency Medicine Emergency Department Mental Health Link Team Aintree AMUs/ANPs/Pas ENP (Emergency Nurse Practitioners) Team Acute Intervention Team

Acute Medical Unit A&E Acute and Emergency Medicine Wellbeing Team Site and Flow Team

Divisional Award– Surgery Robotic Correctal Team Aintree Urology Outpatients Team and Aintree Theatres PC FIT Testing Project Team R Homecare HPN Team

LUHFT Prehab Team Virtual Fracture Clinic Team IDA Preop Team Breast Unit and Radiology

Divisional Award– Corporate Services Psychology LUHFT COVID Vaccination Team Infection Control Team Practice Education Facilitators

Research Team Corporate Governance Team Procurement and Supplies Catering

Divisional Award– Specialist Medicine CPAP in COVID MDT working ID, Respiratory, and Critical Care LUHFT Integrated Heart Failure Team Ventilation Inpatient Centre Cardiac Rehabilitation Lipid Optimisation Service

CURE Team Infectious Diseases Department of Medicine for Older People and Stroke Axess Sexual Health

Divisional Award – Anaesthetics, Critical Care and Head, Neck and Theatres Critical Care Critical Care Research Nursing Team Urgent Dental Care The Orthoptic Team Liverpool Dental Hospital Redeployment Nurses Ward 28 Head and Neck Department Theatres St Paul's Medical Retina Service Divisional Award– Diagnostics and Support Services Renal Pharmacy Team LAMP Testing Enhanced Orthopaedic Discharge Team Therapies Care Group

Dermatopathology Team Imaging Performance Team Clinical Gerontology Therapy Team Virology Department

Trust Safety Award Vaccination Team Non-cancer Chemotherapy Training Team Krista Gelder IV Access Team

LUHFT Staff COVID Support and Swabbing Service Critical Care Pharmacy Team Dr Maia Graham Julie McKiernan

Find out more details here: www.liverpoolft.nhs.uk/our-future-together-awards/

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Consultant Surgeon gains prestigious award Prof Mason said: “It was an incredible experience to give my Hunterian lecture at the BOA, to have my work recognised at the highest level. I was delighted to be able to share the work we’ve been doing at Aintree and the University of Liverpool, and our learning, with peers from across the UK. The Hunterian Professorship is a great honour for myself but also our foot and ankle and University team. This award would not have been possible without my colleague Mr Andy Molloy, staff at the University of Liverpool and numerous junior members.”

Prof Mason's ground-breaking research has become nationally and internationally recognised, winning 15 national and international prizes in the last eight years. These include the Robert Jones gold medal and Association prize in 2017, for his work on the evolution of the foot, and the Jaques Duparc prize in 2018 from the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, for his work on the discovery of a new foot ligament.

It was an incredible experience to give my Hunterian lecture at the BOA, to have my work recognised at the highest level.

Get your free festive thank you meal

Professor Lyndon Mason, Consultant Surgeon in the Liverpool Orthopaedic and Trauma Service, recently gave his Hunterian lecture to the British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) Conference in Aberdeen.

Our Executive Team is offering all LUHFT colleagues a free end of year festive meal, as a thank you for your hard work this past year.

The Hunterian lecture is a requirement of the Hunterian Professorship, a prestigious award given by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Prof Mason had presented it virtually in 2020, however he was given the opportunity to present the lecture live in 2021, wearing the Royal College of Surgeons regalia.

Staff will be given a meal voucher to redeem in our staff restaurants, equating to the value of £6, to present at the tills.

Named after John Hunter, the pioneering surgeon scientist, the Hunterian Professorship has been awarded annually by the Royal College of Surgeons of England since 1810. The Hunterian Lectureship is awarded in recognition of a significant contribution to surgical or dental science.

The work of candidates is carefully considered by an expert committee and Prof Mason received the accolade for his pioneering work on ankle fractures, specifically posterior malleolar fractures, at the Aintree University Hospital and the University of Liverpool.

The festive meal will be available from Monday 29 November until Friday 17 December. Food will be served in takeaway cartons to account for limited seating due to social distancing.

For colleagues working off-site unable to visit our hospitals or those unable to leave the ward due to operational pressures, delivery can be arranged by completing a booking form. Visit the intranet for full details.

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NO EXCUSE FOR ABUSE

We’re a team together and none of us expected she would react the way she did.

It was easy to fill in the form and report the incident on the Datix system. Security have always been really supportive in ensuring we report any incidents.

We have a zero-tolerance approach to abuse against staff and, since the start of the year, 374 violent and abusive incidents have been reported by LUHFT colleagues who have been supported throughout each occurrence.

In an aim to remind visitors and patients to show staff respect and that there is ‘no excuse for abuse’, colleagues are being encouraged to report any incidents they experience in the workplace. Taking into account patients effected by a clinical factor, we will always attempt to prosecute anyone who wilfully abuses our colleagues or another patient.

We spoke to Jean Cooney, HCA at the Royal who was supported after an attack by a patient, she said: “I just wasn’t expecting it, I’m usually good at reading people and building up a rapport with patients so they’re calm and relaxed. But this came out of the blue because I thought she’d left the room.

“Initially the patient was brought into the Royal A&E on a Saturday night by police and was quite erratic, but with our Security Team, we quickly calmed her down and got her settled.

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Security wouldn’t have left her if they thought she would hurt someone or herself.

“When I went back 20 minutes later, the patient wasn’t in the bed so we thought she’d left the hospital. I was then bringing an old lady to wait in the room and I just saw the wheels of the drip stand coming towards me.

“The patient was hitting me repeatedly with the drip stand, she was just running and screaming at me. Luckily the police, security and paramedics where all nearby and intervened. It was completely unexpected and unprovoked. She then went on to assault the police, so a full police presence attended the Royal.

“We’re a team together and none of us expected she would react the way she did. It was easy to fill in the form and report the incident on the Datix system. Security have always been really supportive in ensuring we report any incidents.”

Please contact the security team if you witness or are experiencing violence in the workplace.

Aintree Security Team: Broadgreen Security Team: Royal Liverpool Security Team: Trust Violence Reduction Lead:

0151 529 3735 0151 282 6500 0151 706 2228 0151 706 3999

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility This month National Safeguarding Adult Week is highlighting ‘Creating Safer Cultures’ ensuring organisations take steps to minimise harm and ensure correct policies and procedures are in place.

Our Safeguarding Team plays an essential role in supporting all of our patients who at risk of abuse, as well as our staff who need personal advice and support.

“We’re a small team of 10, providing a single support service across the Trust, with bases at the Royal and Aintree so we can easily provide advice and guidance to patients when we need to. People often forget that we’re not just an adult Trust, 16 and 17-year-olds also come to our A&E and younger children also attend our clinics, so we provide support for children, teenagers and young adults too,” said Deborah Ward, Associate Director Nursing – Safeguarding.

“Some patients may be at increased risk of harm, both in the community and in the hospital, because their health condition or disability makes them more dependent on others. They may need extra support to safeguard them from the risk of abuse or neglect. The Mental Capacity Act ensures our staff make the best decisions in the interest of the patient. There are many ways in which someone can be abused.”

Our Safeguarding team also works closely with other agencies, such as social services and the police, to ensure any adults at risk receive the correct help and care during their hospital stay and once they’re discharged.

Figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales show 1.6 million women and 757,000 men had experienced domestic abuse between March 2019 and March 2020.

During the COVID-19 lockdown those figures are likely to have increased as there was a 65% increase in calls to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline between April and June 2020.

We believe safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. I always tell people there’s never a silly question – if staff have a worry or concern about what could be a safeguarding issue, contact us.

“Also, if staff have a personal concern they can come and speak to us and when they’re ready we can put them in contact with domestic abuse services in the local community.

They can also seek advice from Occupational Health.

“National figures show around 1 in 14 health professionals report domestic abuse. So, if you think about the amount of staff we have, that’s a huge number of people potentially experiencing domestic abuse and needing support.”

Contact the team for more information at Aintree 0151 529 2590 and Royal and Broadgreen: 0151 706 2862.

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LFC Captain Jordan H Liverpool FC Captain Jordan Henderson visited our hospitals to see what a vital difference the money raised by his initiative, #PlayersTogether, has made for our staff.

After being really inspired by the job that NHS workers were doing throughout the pandemic, he started #PlayersTogether, inviting professional footballers to support the NHS by donating part of their wage to the NHS Charities Together COVID-19 Urgent Appeal.

Jordan spent an afternoon meeting staff from different parts of the Trust, listening to how the £520,000 in grants is being used to benefit the health and wellbeing of our colleagues. These funds have provided additional support for staff, including 40 new volunteers trained in Psychological First Aid. Speaking about the visit, Jordan said: “It’s been an absolute privilege to meet the staff who cared for Liverpool throughout the pandemic. I know how tough it has been for the NHS and the reality is things haven’t eased up. I have family in the NHS and they are all working so hard, it’s relentless. Many staff are still struggling as a result and mental health in particular has taken a hammering.

“It’s reassuring to see the workforce getting proper support, but we can’t get complacent – and must continue to care for them like they care for us, not just for now but for years down the line.”

Liverpool was one of the cities hit hardest by COVID-19, and to date LUHFT has cared for over 7,800 COVID-19 patients, with many sadly passing away.

These challenging circumstances meant staff have had to cope with significant pressures both in work and at home – some have experienced stress, anxiety and difficulty sleeping, as well as depression.

Throughout the pandemic 25-year-old, Kate Lynes, Critical Care Nurse, (pictured on the front cover) worked in both the Ventilation Inpatient Centre and Critical Care, caring for COVID-19 patients. Kate is one of the staff members who benefitted from the staff psychology service.

Upon meeting Jordan, Kate said: “It’s been a really challenging and often upsetting time for staff. In this job you’re always caring for other people, but I think it’s really important that you take time to care for yourself.

“The support that we’ve had from NHS Charities has meant that I can carry on being a functional human. I’m not just nurse Kate who gets completely exhausted at work, I’ve got the tools to live a functional life and be happy in my life. I can’t thank Jordan and the #PlayersTogether campaign enough.

If you need support, I’d encourage you to take that step and ask for it.”

Since the start of the pandemic, we established a range of services to provide essential wellbeing support to staff. This includes new wellbeing hubs, improvements to rest areas, and care packages.

Sue Musson, Chair, said: “I am incredibly proud of every colleague at the Trust. Despite the profound challenges presented by COVID-19, our staff have worked and continue to work tirelessly to treat and care for our patients safely.

“It was a real pleasure to welcome Jordan Henderson as he made his first visit as an NHS Charities Together Charity Champion to Liverpool University Hospitals. The generous donations we have received from members of the public and NHS Charities Together has made such a difference in helping to support the wellbeing of our staff. We will continue to provide investment in staff wellbeing, and recognise the importance of supporting staff into the future, beyond the pandemic.”

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Henderson visits staff

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Charity lunch As part of Breast Cancer Awareness month LUHFT charity hosted a lunch event at Mason's Restaurant for our supporters who - along with Pink Party events - helped raise £1,597 towards the Breast Unit fund for the new Royal Hospital.

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Take time to look, touch and check To help highlight Breast Cancer Awareness month, Maria Lawrence, Nurse Clinician, was keen to share her story to encourage colleagues to check themselves.

university simply said mum you can get through this, while my youngest worried the worst would happen,” said Maria, who adopted the brothers together as babies in 2000.

“I can remember the exact moment I found a lump in my breast. Liverpool FC had been on their victory tour on 2 June 2019, and I’d been on a night shift. I came home washed my uniform and was hanging it on the line and as I reached up I just noticed something didn’t feel right,” said Nurse Clinician Maria Lawrence.

“The doctors and nurses were great, they didn’t assume because I was a nurse I would understand everything. There was a lot to take in, so they explained it simply to me and my husband.

“It was the waiting, the build-up and not knowing that made the two weeks until my appointment feel like forever. The Royal could see me quickest so that’s where I went, even though I’d worked at Aintree since 1992 when I first qualified as a registered nurse. In a way it felt better to have a bit of anonymity.”

Maria, who started on a medical ward at Aintree and then became a specialist rheumatology nurse for 14 years, has now worked for almost 10 years in the Nurse Clinician Team.

“At my appointment they treated me with the upmost dignity. I was scanned, examined, had a mammogram, seen a specialist nurse and had a biopsy. It was when they were trying to do the biopsy that I just knew.

“I stayed away from Google because I wanted to be guided by the specialists. I met the consultant and even before we had the biopsy results he was talking about treatment options.

It was another two weeks before the results confirmed I had cancer.

“The hardest thing was telling my two boys – they both reacted differently, my eldest at

“Chemotherapy was rough – it was a rollercoaster for six months with sessions every two or three weeks. Nothing tasted or smelt the same, I was nauseous, couldn’t sleep and more and more fatigued as the treatment went on.

“When my hair started falling out, I didn’t expect how traumatic it was going to be for me. At my hair salon, I ended up crying with my stylist because I wasn’t ready to shave my hair off, they were brilliant too. I got a short pixie cut and then went back a week later when I was ready.

“It's your eyebrows and eyelashes that you don’t expect to make a difference, but they frame your face so it was all something else to deal with. I always wore a scarf or my wig when I went out and kept a beany hat by the door, I wasn’t ready for people to see me bald.”

During her treatment, Maria was admitted twice to the Royal due to infections she’d caught while her immune system was low.

After her chemotherapy finished, she was scheduled for a lumpectomy in January 2020 – which just happened to be on her husband’s 60th birthday!

“I went with my wig on to surgery, they were so good, and waited until I was under aesthetic before removing it – it just made me feel like my dignity was maintained throughout. After they removed the lump, they confirmed there was no cancerous tumour remaining – so as tough as the chemo was, it had worked – I was so pleased.

“I began radiotherapy in March 2020 – I wasn’t prepared for how frightened I felt and I think it was because I didn’t have much knowledge about what would happen – after the first two sessions I was so emotional. This really made me think about how some of our patients must feel.

“I’m taking a different outlook on life now, I’m looking after myself, eating healthier and going for walks. It’s an ongoing process – and I’m so relieved right now because I’ve just had the allclear on this year’s mammogram.”

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LIVING OUR Our values are ‘the way we do things around here’. They are the very core of who we are, for every colleague, patient and individual who comes into contact with us.

Our values enable us to work together more effectively and to deliver great patient care more consistently.

We see examples of our values in practice on a daily basis, and each month we will celebrate individuals or teams who are clearly caring, fair and innovative.

Boosting Crohn's and Colitis services Lisa Critchley, IBD Nurse Specialist, has gained a place on the 2021 Crohn's & Colitis UK Nurse Specialist Programme and is hoping to further inspire and support others living with Crohn’s and Colitis.

“During my nursing training I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease – and this is what gave me the ambition to become an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) nurse. I never let it hold me back. Ever since my work experience in a nursing home I wanted to become a nurse, so despite my diagnosis and needing to have surgery in the middle of my nursing training, I didn’t drop back. I feel really proud to have now been awarded a place on the Crohn's & Colitis UK Nurse Specialist Programme,” said Lisa.

Crohn’s causes inflammation of the digestive system, and Colitis causes inflammation and ulceration of the inner lining of the colon and rectum.

“I was 18-years-old when I was finally diagnosed with Crohn’s, three years after I started developing symptoms.

Having the condition has helped me when working with my patients. I know the way they are feeling and how bad it can

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be. To me, it’s personal and I really want to help them get better. Gaining a place on this programme means I’ve been given the funding to be able to start my masters in advance nursing practice at Edge Hill University – which is a massive opportunity for me to be the best I can be for my patients.”

Lisa has also created the North West’s only Gastroenterology transition clinic, supporting young people aged 15 to 21 transition to adult care, under the mentorship of Dr Phillip Smith, Consultant Gastroenterologist at the Royal.

She said: “As well as reviewing their condition, psychological support and education about the disease, we help them to adjust to adult life with a GI condition, such as managing their appointments themselves or ordering medication from the pharmacy.

“Little tweaks such as support letters if they are struggling with schoolwork because of their symptoms can make a big difference. The rapport we have with patients and their families is great and we’ve had some really positive outcomes that have helped to avoid hospital admission. It makes me really proud.”

VALUES

Double award win for patient care Four LUHFT teams were shortlisted in the Nursing Times Awards 2021 for their outstanding dedication to patient care, with two nursing teams winning awards.

can view beneath the patient's skin to see veins not visible to the naked eye, assessing their size and quality and enabling the practitioner to completely guide the cannula into the vein.

A multi-disciplinary nursing team were crowned winners of the HRH Integrated Approaches to Care award, a category in partnership with His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales.

Congratulations also goes to our Endocrine Specialist Nurses and Ambulatory Home Ventilation service, who were both shortlisted at the awards.

Nurses from the Trust’s Infectious Diseases, Respiratory and Critical Care won the award for their innovative role during the COVID-19 pandemic. They introduced a new enhanced training package to upskill nurses to have the knowledge to deliver CPAP safely and effectively in a ward-based setting, rather than Critical Care.

Dame Elaine Inglesby-Burke, interim Chief Nurse, said: “We are very proud of all our nurses at the Trust and the quality care they provide to our patients. The teams who have won, and been shortlisted, for these prestigious Nursing Times awards should feel a real sense of pride for this achievement.

The Intravenous (IV) team were announced winners of the Patient Safety Improvement award, for the successful implementation of ultrasound guided IV cannulation. The ultrasound guidance means that high frequency sound waves

“It not only recognises their amazing commitment to patient care despite a challenging 18 months working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but also reinforces what an incredible job that our nurses do day in, and day out, for our communities.”

Celebrating our digital teams Congratulations to our Digital Team who have achieved Excellence in Informatics Accreditation Level 1, marking the first milestone in Liverpool University Hospitals’ journey towards digital excellence.

The accreditation was presented at the NHS Connect Conference after a rigorous review. Our Chief Information Officer, Dr Jason Bincalar, was presented with the award by Pam Green, Chair of the Excellence in Informatics Assurance group.

Also pictured is (L-R), Jacqui Cooper, Chief Nursing Information Officer; Mandee Leese, Digital Change Manager; Linda Havard, Digital Nurse and Melissa Royle, Digital Programme Officer.

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Axess service expands Axess Sexual Health has now expanded its services to the residents of Liverpool – making it one of the largest providers of sexual health in the UK. This new, inclusive sexual health service came after Liverpool City Council awarded us a new contract which brings together the services currently delivered by LUHFT, Mersey Care, and Brook to become Axess.

Patients can now use Axess for all elements of sexual health care including contraception as well as testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). There is now a simplified journey which ensures every patient gets the care they need from one single service. Axess will continue to strive to deliver a non-judgemental, welcoming and easily accessible service for all.

In addition to the expansion of existing services, Axess is opening a dedicated clinic for the LGBTIQ+ community, as well as a specific provision for young people, with their outreach services working with the community’s most vulnerable to ensure they receive a patient-focussed service with increased awareness and education around the topic of sexual health.

The Axess teams will operate from a central Liverpool hub as well as two north and south locations and can also provide online bookings, remote consultations, postal testing kits and treatment through the post.

Visit www.axess.clinic for more details or follow @axess_sh social media.

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City’s COVID-19 story At a special event hosted by Liverpool City Council, Sarah Meeson, Sister in ICU, was presented with a copy of Liverpool’s COVID Journey, a new book which tells the city’s coronavirus story from April 2020 through until March 2021.

Sarah was pictured in the book demonstrating the impact of wearing PPE for long periods of time. Also featured were staff outside Aintree Hospital taking part in Clap for Carers.

The book uses powerful images to document key moments from the start of lockdown through to the vaccine rollout and the gradual reopening of society.

Liverpool’s COVID Journey is being distributed to libraries, community centres and schools.

Getting to know you…

This month we caught up with Sam Holder, Occupational Therapist, also currently our Health and Wellbeing Manager, who loves art and crafts and is rewinding the clock with roller skating.

What are your highlights during your time at LUHFT? I’ve often laughed and called it my “Royal family”. I loved working on the Stroke Unit at the Royal, such a great team with lots of laughs.

The therapists are such a caring and supportive bunch. Now I’m loving the enthusiasm from so many different people around the Trust who simply want to give something back to their colleagues after a tough time. There are such a lot of caring and compassionate people and bringing that sense of belonging and togetherness is definitely the key to improving staff health and wellbeing.

What are your hobbies outside of work?

I’m so content with my music on, a paint brush, a pyrography tool, or alcohol ink in my hand and a brew on the side! It’s my release my mindful time in a hectic world. I’m a firm believer that a craft is the key to your mental health. Watch this space there’ll be basket weaving in the hubs one day… oh and I’ve recently taken up roller skating trying to bring back my youth.

What’s your favourite thing about Liverpool?

How long have you worked in our hospitals?

I work across all sites, but started at the Royal in 2006, prior to this I worked in a mental health secure hospital.

What did you want to be when growing up, did you always want to work in healthcare?

When I was younger, I wanted to be a dancer and a kids entertainer at holiday resorts! Then I wanted to be a clinical psychologist but I realised I’d be “really old… like 30” before I would have a job I reconsidered my career choice and honestly stumbled over OT at a uni open day.

What does your role involve?

The focus of OT is to improve a person’s ability to engage with daily activities.

This could be work, self-care or leisure.

A person’s health; physical or mental,

and their environment can impact their ability to perform a task and my role is to suggest ways to help. This nicely fits into my latest role as health and wellbeing manager as I am working with lots of different people across the Trust and our sole focus is to ensure that we are looking after our staff. The last two years have been hard and we need to help staff recover and provide activities, events and groups that can support them with their health, work and home requirements.

What’s your favourite thing about your job?

People. I love working with different people, learning about them and working with them to help to improve different aspect of their lives. No-one is the same, no problems are the same and no solution is the same. Problem solving and personalised care is the secret weapon of an OT.

Oh, I just love it, I could lose myself wandering the city and looking at the stunning buildings, the people are so quick-witted.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

Maray, I meet an old friend every two weeks and we keep sneaking back.

What’s your favourite film or song?

I often fall asleep during films, I am a lover of Christmas films though! I love too many songs …but Everlong by the Foo Fighters will always be up there.

You win the lottery, what’s your dream holiday?

A Canadian adventure.

You’re stranded on an island, what three items would you want with you?

A boat, a phone and some suncream… bit of a chill and then I’m out of there.

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LIVING OUR VALUES CARING

FAIR

INNOVATIVE

NO EXCUSE FOR ABUSE

If you are a victim or witness of abuse in the workplace, call the security team on 0151 529 3333 (Aintree) 0151 282 6345 (Broadgreen) 0151 706 2233 (Royal).

We will always attempt to prosecute anyone who wilfully abuses our colleagues or another patient.