Patient First - Spring 2013

patient

first

#patientfirst

s p r i n g 20 1 3

‘I knew that they were in the best place possible even if it meant we couldn’t all be together’

Meet two of our trainee doctors p6

What is blood science? p4

patient first

Welcome to the Spring edition of Patient first!

This is the fourth edition of our patient magazine and it marks nearly a year of circulation. We really hope that you have found all the editions so far interesting and informative – we want to continue to produce the best possible magazine we can for you. And we would like your help.

Please let us know what sort of information you would like to see in your magazine – be it practical information, health advice, case studies of our former patients or news about our hospitals, let us know, and we will do our best to reflect your ideas and asks in the content of the magazines.

In this edition, you can read the heartwarming story of Joanna and Dan Mackenzie, and their beautiful twins, George and Sophie, along with a variety of news and events that have been happening at our hospitals in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells. You can try your hand at our quiz, sample the recipes from our very own League of Friends cook book, and find practical advice about local services available to you.

Once again, we hope you enjoy our Spring edition, and we look forward to hearing any comments you might have.

Contents

p14 p4

p7

3 4-5

8

Contacts

If you have a story to tell us, please contact us.

Communications Team: 01622 225858 Communications email: mtw-tr.communications@nhs.net

Learn more about the ongoing project to improve and modernise the facilities at our hospital

News from your hospitals Read about what’s been happening at our hospitals, including a national award for our library, the success of a new heart service and a hospital radio milestone

Case study ‘Double the joy…’

Read about Joanna and Dan Mackenzie’s experience after the earlier than expected arrival of their IVF twins, George and Sophie

11

Kangaroo care

12

A taste of spring

13

Private Patients Unit

14

Old photos rediscovered

Best wishes and see you in summer!

T he Pati ent F irst tea m

Maidstone Hospital redevelopment

Find out more about our innovative midwives and their kangaroo care research and projects

Try out our delicious spring recipes, including banana and honey teabread

Read about how our Private Patients Unit reinvests money into our Trust

See what life in our old hospitals looked like half a century ago

For any general enquiries or advice, please contact our Trust switchboard or visit our website.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust switchboard: 0845 155 1000 Website: www.mtw.nhs.uk

2

www.mtw.nhs.uk/patientfirst

Find us @MTWnhs #patientfirst Like us and join in the conversation www.facebook.com/mymtwhealthcare

patient first

ENHANCING YOUR EXPERIENCE We want our patients to have the best possible experience, whether that’s at the very start of your care with us or when you’re ready to go home.

Plans are being developed to transform Maidstone Hospital and provide patients with more state of the art facilities and comfy surroundings for their care.

This year sees the development of new admissions and discharge lounges at Maidstone Hospital. And that’s not all!

On average, we admit in excess of 3,000 patients every month to our hospitals for planned procedures and at least another 3,500 emergency admissions on top of that. Then we help just as many patients get ready to go home.

Our patients have told us that they would have a better experience if we improved our admissions and discharge facilities within Maidstone Hospital. So that’s what we’re doing. We will be spending £1 million over the coming months to create new admissions and discharge lounges that better meet the needs of both our patients and staff.

A new discharge lounge will be built on land next to the A&E Department. It is going to be a third bigger in size then the one we’ve got now. It will have a reception area, comfy chairs, patient WCs, and a beverage bay. Once patients are ready to go home, they will be able to wait here in comfort.

Our admissions lounge is going to get a complete revamp too, providing more privacy and dignity for patients at the start of their care with us.

We’re going to make the admissions lounge bigger and better with a separate reception area, waiting area, and admissions area. There will also be two separate consulting rooms, and staff and patient WCs. Patients will be able to discuss their procedures in private with doctors and nurses and have somewhere more comfortable and completely separate to wait prior to their procedure.

We hope to have both projects finished and the new facilities open by the late autumn.

Work is also currently underway to provide patients with a bigger and better endoscopy unit and urology investigation unit. Both of these areas are due to open in bright new surroundings at Maidstone Hospital this summer as part of a £2.1 million development.

Looking further ahead, plans continue to be developed to create larger specialist medical wards at Maidstone Hospital. We are going to do this by combining neighbouring wards into single areas.

New ward layouts are being created that replace existing six bedded bays with en-suite four bedded bays and en-suite single rooms. The ward developments will have a major impact on patient experience at every level – more space, more privacy, better care, and more comfort.

Crucially, the new ward layout will enable patients to start the treatment they need sooner by being on a specialist ward for their care, in an emergency, at the start of their care.

Sometimes we need to move patients to a different ward for different parts of their care. That won’t be the case in the future – you’ll be on the same ward with all the care you need based there. Things are changing and there’s more to come.

For more information about the changes happening at Maidstone Hospital join our membership scheme.

We will keep you informed by post and/or email. It’s simple, it’s easy and it’s free! Just visit http://www.mtw.nhs.uk/mymtw

spring 2012 / 13

3

patient first

NEWS FROM YOUR League of Friends fundraising

In March, Maidstone Hospital’s League of Friends, along with the Peggy Wood Breast Care Team, held a cake sale in the reception area of Maidstone Hospital.

The group also ran a raffle which had a number of beautiful cakes up for grabs.

Over £1,200 was raised as a result of the sale and the money will go towards the money will be split between the League of Friends and the Peggy Wood Breast Care Centre, to be spent on items which will directly benefit patients.

Many thanks to those who were involved in organising and running the event, and also to the patients, visitors

and staff who bought cakes and raffle tickets.

The League of Friends will also be hosting ‘An evening with Chicory Tip’ on Friday 10 May at Larkfield Village Hall. The evening starts at 7.00pm and concludes at 10.30pm. Free tea and coffee will be provided but people are welcome to bring their own drinks and nibbles.

Tickets cost £6 each and can be booked by calling 01622 224326.

Can you help with online magazine?

A Senior Clinical Support Worker from Maidstone Hospital’s Discharge Lounge is looking for some feedback with regards to an online magazine she is in the process of setting up, which aims to educate, communicate and offer practical advice to people about bullying, anti-social behaviour and violence.

Sue Chapman’s son, Michael, died in June 2006 after being attacked in Sittingbourne. Since then, Sue and her family have worked tirelessly on community projects and are now looking to launch the online project to make people better understand the issues around bullying, anti-social behaviour and violence, to try and stop others from going through an experience similar to their own.

Sue said: “At the moment, the idea is to set up a magazine style site which has practical information on it

as well as opportunities for people to share their own experiences, plus resources for schools and workplaces.

“People need to understand the potential consequences of violent behaviour and I hope this site will be a useful guide for anyone who looks at it, in terms of warning signs, how to deal with problems, and case studies around those who have actually been through something themselves.

“I would love to hear from anyone with ideas and advice about the magazine, and also from anyone who might be able to lend a practical hand in writing articles for it and generally helping us to get it set up. I want it to be a resource with a real community feel to so would love to hear from anyone keen to be involved.”

Those who would like to help, or have an article to submit to Sue for the magazine, can email walkwithmichael@btinternet.com

National award for Trust Library and Knowledge Services Our Trust’s Library & Knowledge Services won a national award in February for their work in developing Medical Humanities across the organisation.

Medical Humanities is about using arts and humanities to develop insight into the human condition, helping clinicians to treat the whole person, and not just the illness or injury.

The programme has included lectures, a film society, a book club and an art competition. The prize fund of £250 will be spent on developing the collection of DVDs used for the Film Society and for loan via either Trust library. All NHS staff from across the community setting are welcome to attend any of these clubs and societies; please contact Emma Aldrich (emma. aldrich@nhs.net) for more information.

4

www.mtw.nhs.uk/patientfirst

patient first

HOSPITALS Hospital Radio Maidstone celebrates 50 year milestone Maidstone Hospital’s radio service is this year, celebrating 50 years of broadcasting.

To mark this very special occasion, the Hospital Radio team have organised a celebration party to be held at the Hilton hotel, Maidstone on Saturday 20 April.

Guests will enjoy a three-course meal, a live band and a number of long service awards will be presented.

Martin Haskell, who has volunteered as a presenter on the station for 20 years, said: “The party will be a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and have some fun celebrating our Golden Anniversary.

“We would love as many people as possible who have been involved in the radio since 1963 to come along and share their memories and help to make the event really special.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about the party, or to order tickets, please either call 01622 224747 or email: info@hrm.org.uk

Radiotherapy Survey In this edition of Patient First, we are able to report some very encouraging results from the National Radiotherapy Patient Survey for Kent Oncology Centre.

The results showed, amongst other things that 94% of patients were satisfied with the information they received about radiotherapy treatment, content and delivery, 97% of patients were satisfied with their experience of radiotherapy treatment, and that 98% of patients thought their overall radiotherapy care was excellent, very good or good.

LOOKING AFTER OUR ENVIRONMENT Environmental sustainability within the NHS is an area which has seen an increasing focus over the past three years, with Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust taking part in the National Sustainability Day of Action at the end of March.

This is an international event for the NHS and also healthcare facilities outside the UK. It is aimed at raising awareness of the health implications of climate change, encouraging changes in behaviour, and is supported by action on the day itself.

To try and make the maximum impact, we offer advice to all our staff on how they can reduce their carbon footprint at home and work, and we ask them to make practical changes to the way they do things, in order to save energy and become ‘greener’.

Here’s some tips so you can do the same:

New heart service is a success A brand new heart service set up at the end of last year has already seen nearly 30 patients The EPS (Electrophysiological Studies and Ablation)

❁

every day

❁

treatment for abnormal heart rhythms. In the past, people needing this kind of treatment would have been referred to St Thomas’s or King’s College Hospitals in London. For many patients and their families this would have been logistically difficult and stressful.

❁ ❁

which was performed at the time of the study and all of which were successful.

Generally, patients undergoing the treatment can go

If you’re not in a particular room, turn off the lights and TV

❁

Defrost fridges and freezers regularly to improve their efficiency

❁

Out of 27 patients who had EP studies up until the end of February 2013, 23 required ablation therapy,

Shower rather than bath – it’s faster, cheaper and more efficient

The Maidstone-based service is the first of its kind in Kent.

Turning down your thermostat by just one degree could save you around £65 per year

Service is based in the Cardiac Catheter Lab at Maidstone Hospital and will be used by patients needing

Run your heating for just one hour less

Use low energy programmes on dishwashers for everything except particularly dirty dishes

❁

Run your washing machine on full loads – or use half loads/ economy programmes if you have them

home the same day.

spring 2012 / 13

5

patient first

r u O t e e M

Trainee Doctors Many people are unaware that the Trust has an excellent medical education department, with advanced training facilities at both Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals. We have programmes for more than 100 foundation trainees as well as two highly regarded GP training schemes. specialities and the Trust’s simulation suites provide

Q. Can you tell us a bit more about the training programme?

opportunities to test key skills, under pressure, but in a

Chris: Following completion of my degree, I applied to enter

safe learning environment.

the Foundation Programme and fortunately, was offered

Here we speak to two trainees, to find out more about them

by first choice of hospital, which was Tunbridge Wells. I will

and their career aspirations.

spend 12 months here (which concludes this August), before

Training opportunities are offered in a wide range of

Chris Vary is 31-years-old and is an F1 trainee (the first grade on the Foundation Programme – a two year training programme undertaken following the completion of a medical degree). He is originally from Brighton but is currently living in Tunbridge Wells whilst he is studying.

John Jones is 26-years-old and is also an F1 trainee.

John grew up in the Maidstone area.

Q. Why did you decide to pursue a career in medicine?

Chris: I actually did medicine as my second degree and completed a graduate entry course. My first degree was in Environmental Science, but once I started working in that field, I established it wasn’t for me. I had always liked the idea of being a doctor, as it offered a good mix of sciencebased work, people interaction and continuous learning and career progression.

John: When I was 10-years-old my dad had a brain haemorrhage and as a result, I spent a lot of time in different hospitals. I become very interested in becoming a doctor from that point on.

Q. What did you do before you began your training with the Trust?

6

moving on to my second year at Guys & St Thomas’ Hospital in London. We do three, four-month rotations each year, so whilst at Tunbridge Wells Hospital I will be focusing on Cardiology, Orthopaedics and care of the elderly.

John: I also applied to train at Tunbridge Wells Hospital as it has a number of different specialities. This year, I have chosen Cardiology, general surgery and care of the elderly and next year, which will be spent at Margate Hospital, I will focus on Orthopaedics, general surgery and A&E.

Q. What area would you like to specialise in?

Chris: I am interested in pursuing anaesthetics as my specialism. I really like being hands on, dealing with critical incidents and developing practical skills. I also enjoy the buzz of the theatre environment.

John: Anaesthetics really interests me too as I want to work in pre-hospital care. I’m keen to work in Emergency Medical Services, on the helicopter team. I particularly enjoy acute medicine – managing critical incidents and emergencies, as I am a good problem solver and work well under pressure.

Q. During your down-time, what do you like to do to relax and enjoy yourself?

Chris: I play football as often as I can, go cycling and swimming. I also have quite a lot of family and friends in the South East, so spend most of my spare time catching up with

Chris: I worked as a Health Care Assistant for a while which

them. There is a good social scene with the other trainees and

provided me with a great opportunity to experience working

we generally do something together every month.

in a hospital and interacting with patients.

John: I enjoy rock climbing, which is good fun and great

John: After finishing University I travelled to Malaysia where I

exercise, and when I have the time, I go to a local indoor

worked in a cancer hospice for three months. I also spent time

centre. I also go to the gym and like Chinese Boxing, a form

travelling in New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

of martial arts.

www.mtw.nhs.uk/patientfirst

patient first

What is

Space for new article

BLOOD SCIENCE? Intro Body

Here, Geoff Weild, Deputy Blood Science Manager, gives us an insight into how much can be discovered from one small sample of blood.

The name blood science is fairly selfexplanatory-it is the science of blood!

The term encompasses: • Phlebotomists - making sure that the process of taking blood is as painless and stress-free as it can be • Biochemistry - measuring substances present in the blood which indicate if a disease process is occurring • Haematology - measuring how many cells there are in the blood (red, white, platelets) and how well they are working • Blood Transfusion - they provide the vital blood for operations and transfusions-making sure it is the right blood!

Every time someone has a blood test, a whole team of consultants, scientists and support workers contribute to make sure that when the results are returned, they are produced as quickly and as accurately as possible.

The Trust uses state-of-the-art machinery which produces tens of thousands of results per day (over 8 million per year!).

We identify diseases such as anaemia, leukaemia, diabetes, kidney failure, heart failure, infertility and we help prevent disease by monitoring kidney function, cholesterol levels, hormones, clotting, etc.

We help the A&E department to treat trauma patients, diagnose heart attacks, overdoses, abdominal pain. We also help to ensure that mums and babies go home healthy.

The team help to prepare patients for their operations-measuring vital constituents of the blood, which help guide the use of anaesthetics and also provide the blood necessary to allow these operations to be carried out. Recovery and treatment is also monitored intensively using blood tests, allowing for targeting of medication and alerting to any relapse.

The team carrying out this work are all highly qualified and the work is monitored rigorously by internal and external checks, which every test issued undergoing thorough scrutiny. The service is offered 24 hours a day, every day.

In summary, the team provide a service that aids the diagnosis and recovery of tens of thousands of patients every year.

Blood Science is the science of life!

patient first

Quiz Geography

Q. What is the capital of Brazil?

Q. Where is the city of Sofia?

History

Q. Who is Queen Elizabeth II’s great grandfather?

Q. Who led the Roundheads to

victory in the English Civil war?

Literature

Q. Who wrote best-selling

‘Eat, Pray, Love’ which was adapted into a film starring Julia Roberts in 2010?

Q. Who wrote ‘Life of Pi’?

Food/Dining

Q. What is the name of Heston Blumenthal’s

famous three Michelin starred Berkshire restaurant?

Q. Which famous TV chef is married to Fern Britton?

Entertainment

Q. In which English city was three times Oscar winner Daniel Day Lewis born?

Q. How many UK number one singles did the Beatles have?

Sport

Q. Who won the Australian Open this year?

Q. What football team has David Beckham recently moved to?

(Answers to be published in Summer edition)

spring 2012 / 13

7

patient first

Case study

DOUBLE THE JOY After being told they would never naturally have children of their own, 31 year old Joanna Mackenzie, and her husband, Dan, were delighted when their second round of IVF treatment was successful. However, when Joanna developed pre-eclampsia at just over 34 weeks of pregnancy, their experience turned out to be far from the smooth one they had hoped for.

Here they tell their story and share with us their overwhelming joy at their twins’ arrival.

I

n August 2010, Joanna and Dan Mackenzie from Paddock Wood were told that it was highly unlikely they would ever have children of their own naturally.

Joanna said: “Our first round of IVF failed. The second round really was our last hope – and it worked. I found out I was pregnant four days earlier than I should have done, and it was at that point, I had a feeling it might be more than one baby!”

A seven week scan confirmed there were two heartbeats.

Joanna had what she described as a ‘very good pregnancy’. With the babies

due in early March, Joanna went on maternity leave from her job as a veterinary nurse on Christmas Eve last year and all was progressing well, until towards the end of January, when she began to experience high blood pressure.

On 23 January, Joanna felt unwell and came in to Tunbridge Wells Hospital during the late afternoon. Her blood pressure was found to be very high and a urine test confirmed the presence of protein.

She was quickly diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia.

“I was initially told I would have to have a caesarean section immediately but I stabilised overnight, so the following day I was kept in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) under observation,” Joanna explained.

Unfortunately, Joanna’s condition deteriorated during the evening and a decision was made to deliver the babies on Friday morning.

George and Sophie were delivered by emergency caesarean section on 25 January, five and a half weeks’ early, and were immediately moved to the Neonatal Unit for intensive care.

Sophie and George (above, left to right) and the first family photo (below)

8

www.mtw.nhs.uk/patientfirst

Joanna said: “George was born at 11.32am and weighed 4lbs and 12oz, Sophie came one minute later at 11.33am, weighing 4lbs 9ozs. While George screamed as soon as he was out, Sophie didn’t make a sound. Both of them were placed onto ventilators in the Neo-natal Unit to help them breathe – Sophie needed a little more help than George did.”

Although Joanna gave birth to the twins on Friday 25 January, she didn’t see them until the evening of Sunday 27 January, when she was well enough to be transported to the Neo-natal Unit in a wheelchair.

“It was so hard to not be with them but I had to accept it,” Joanna said, “In fact, I let my sister and my mother in law both go to see the twins even before I was able to. I felt they had been through so much worrying about me and the babies, that it was only fair.

“I was still the first person to hold them which was the most amazing moment.”

While the twins remained in the Neonatal Unit, Joanna had help to express milk for them, which she says was of utmost importance to her.

“I knew that they were in the best place possible even if it meant we couldn’t all be together all the time. The one thing I wanted to do, which was

patient first

was extremely important to me, was making sure I expressed milk for them.

I managed to do this with lots of support from the staff in the Maternity Unit and seeing my babies really helped too.”

IVF

the facts

I

n vitro fertilisation (IVF) is one of several techniques available to help couples with fertility problems to have a baby.

During IVF, an egg is surgically removed from the woman’s ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised egg, now called an embryo, is then returned to the woman’s womb to grow and develop.

IVF doesn’t always result in pregnancy and it can be both physically and emotionally demanding. If you’re going through IVF, you should be offered counselling to help you through the process.

According to guidelines, couples may be eligible for IVF treatment on the NHS if: ❁ The woman is between 23 and 39 years old at the time of treatment. ❁ A cause for their fertility problems has been identified or they have had infertility problems for at least three years.

However, the decision about who receives treatment is made by local healthcare trusts.

Clinical Director of Women’s and Children’s Services and Fertility Specialist,

George stayed in the Neo-natal Unit for eight days and Sophie stayed for nine.

Joanna said, “The relief to have them out of the Neo-natal Unit and in the room with me, at last, was unbelievable. It was such a fantastic feeling because we had all been on such a big journey. I spent a lot of time just watching them sleep.

“I can’t wait to get home, get back to normality and properly start being a Mum. I haven’t even seen the nursery yet as my sister has decorated it as a surprise!”

Despite the trials and tribulations of her experience, Joanna says it has been positive, and she is full of praise for the staff who have supported her.

“Everyone here at Tunbridge Wells Hospital has been fantastic – the staff in the HDU, the porters, midwives, night

Mark Wilcox (inset), said: “My advice would be that women under 35 years old should try to conceive naturally for one year, before seeking advice from their GP. Their GP may suggest trying for a further year or two if investigations into fertility do not present any apparent issues.

“If conception has not occurred within a reasonable amount of time, their GP will refer them to the hospital for further evaluation and advice. If IVF is recommended, the couple will then be referred again to their choice of clinic.

“Fortunately, for those who proceed with IVF treatment, NHS waiting times are relatively short. Couples will make between 6-8 visits to the clinic over a period of a few weeks. During this time, the woman will have eggs removed and fertilised and within a few days, they will be implanted. The couple should know within about two weeks whether or not the treatment has been successful.

staff, Health Care Assistants, everyone.

I am especially grateful to Amy Snow, a student midwife who has been with me every step of the way, Marion Adams, a senior midwife, who has been incredibly supportive, and the wonderful nursery nurse Margaret King.

“And another thing that has really worked for me is the single rooms at the hospital. I have appreciated the privacy but have still been able to chat with other Mums during the course of the day.

“To be honest, the time I have spent at the hospital has been just phenomenal, I couldn’t have asked for more.”

UPDATE: George and Sophie have now left Tunbridge Wells Hospital to go home with their Mum and Dad. Both are putting on weight and making excellent progress.

“If it has been unsuccessful on that occasion then a second treatment cycle can begin approximately three months later. If it has been successful, the couple will return to the hospital for a scan to ensure that everything is progressing as it should, and then normal antenatal care will begin.

“Joanna and Dan’s story highlights some of the ups and downs of IVF. Of course, it is not always successful, although information gained from the cycle helps clinicians to individualise future treatment. Although it can be an emotional experience, nobody can question the joy that successful treatment brings and the happiness in achieving the desired outcome.” *Information taken from NHS Choices website – www.nhs.uk

IVF Facts & Figures:

❁ An estimated 1 in 7 couples have difficulties conceiving ❁ Between 2008 and 2011, the rate of multiple ❁ ❁ ❁

pregnancies (twins etc) has decreased In 2011, over 60,000 IVF cycles were performed By 2010, the success rate following IVF had increased to a quarter A total of 13,703 pregnancies were reported as a result of IVF treatment in 2011

To find out more about fertility treatment, please visit the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) website at: www.HFEA.gov.uk spring 2012 / 13

9

patient first

PRE-ECLAMPSIA Pre-eclampsia is a condition that affects some pregnant women usually during the second half of pregnancy (from around 20 weeks), or immediately after delivery of their baby.

M

ild pre-eclampsia affects up to 10% of first-time pregnancies. More severe

pre-eclampsia affects 1-2% of pregnancies. If you have pre-eclampsia during your first pregnancy, you will be more likely to have it again in subsequent pregnancies.

Women with pre-eclampsia have high blood pressure, fluid retention and protein in the urine. If it’s not treated, it can lead to serious complications.

In the unborn baby, pre-eclampsia can cause growth problems.

Although the exact cause of preeclampsia is not known, it is thought to occur when there is a problem with the

High blood pressure affects 10-15% of all pregnant women, so this alone does not suggest preeclampsia. However, the presence of protein in the urine is a good indicator of the condition.

placenta (the organ that links the baby’s blood supply to the mother’s).

Pregnant women with pre-eclampsia may not realise they have it and it is usually diagnosed during routine antenatal appointments.

Mild pre-eclampsia can be monitored with blood pressure and urine tests at regular antenatal appointments and usually disappears soon after the birth. Severe preeclampsia may need to be monitored in hospital.

Treatment for pre-eclampsia focuses on lowering blood pressure and managing the other symptoms, sometimes with medication.

The only way to cure pre-eclampsia is to deliver the baby. In some cases this may mean inducing labour (starting labour artificially), although this depends on how far along the pregnancy is. Being born prematurely (before the 37th week of pregnancy) can be dangerous for the baby, but delivery may sometimes be necessary to relieve the mother’s symptoms.

Progressive As pre-eclampsia develops, it can cause fluid retention, which often causes sudden swelling of the feet, ankles, face and hands.

Oedema is another common symptom of pregnancy, but it tends to be in the lower parts of the body, such as the feet and ankles. It will gradually build up during the day. If the swelling is sudden, and it particularly affects the face and hands, it could be pre-eclampsia.

As pre-eclampsia progresses, it may cause: • severe headaches • vision problems, such as blurring or seeing flashing lights • pain in the upper abdomen (just below the ribs) • vomiting • excessive weight gain due to fluid retention • feeling generally unwell

Early symptoms Pregnant women with pre-eclampsia develop the following symptoms first: • high blood pressure (hypertension) • proteinuria (protein in the urine) You probably won’t notice these symptoms, but your GP or midwife should pick them up during your antenatal appointments.

If you notice any symptoms of pre-eclampsia, seek medical advice immediately by calling your GP surgery or NHS Direct on 0845 4647. *Information taken from NHS Choices website – www.nhs.uk

DARTS LEAGUE PROVIDE YEARS OF SUPPORT – AND LIFE SAVING EQUIPMENT A local darts league, whose members have donated almost £80,000 worth of specialist equipment to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust since they formed in 1988, visited Tunbridge Wells Hospital recently to see some of the items they have bought and how patients are benefiting from their help.

Five members of the Kent and Sussex Hospital Fund Darts League (K&SHFDL) committee came along to the hospital to meet with the Trust’s Medical director, Paul Sigston, for a formal thank you,

10

www.mtw.nhs.uk/patientfirst

and a tour of the Neo-natal Unit, which houses one of the specialist ‘Giraffe’ incubators they paid for.

The League was founded by George Williams, a respected local darts player, and his son, Mark Williams, who is now Chairman. It was set up specifically to provide equipment for the former Kent & Sussex Hospital so those who lived in the community would benefit, at the same time as providing those interested in playing darts with a regular time to enjoy the sport. Although the old hospital no

longer exists, the League has decided, for historical reasons, to retain its original name while now supporting the new Tunbridge Wells Hospital with their tireless fundraising efforts.

In the past, the League has donated a huge range of vital and costly equipment,

patient first

KANGAROO Kangaroo Care (skin to skin

contact between mother and baby) has been performed across

Care

there was a shortage of incubators.

They found that mortality rates dropped from 70% to 30% as a result of this simple intervention. Since then the benefits of Kangaroo care have also been studied in Neonatal intensive care units in the west and found it to be associated with: • Better weight gain • More successful breastfeeding • Shorter hospital stay • More quiet sleep – less crying • Better temperature control Surprisingly, Kangaroo Care has never been studied within the postnatal ward environment, until a team of midwives from within the Trust carried out their own study, which was published in the British Journal of Midwifery in 2011. The research confirmed that Kangaroo Care does have a positive impact on babies.

During the course of the study some of the Trust’s midwives were keen to develop a baby wrap made of a light fabric, which could be used in and outside of hospital. The vision for this was that the wrap could be sold with all the profits benefiting maternal and child health projects in low income countries. With the help of friends, colleagues and members of a local

church, Trade4Life was created and the KangaWrap subsequently created and brought to market.

During the past couple of years, Trade4life has continued to develop and every penny of profit made from the sale of KangaWraps goes to Maternal and Childhealth projects in low income countries, such as the ASHA project in the slums of Delhi.

The project currently supports two community health ‘midwives’ working in the slums and has also contributed towards the rebuilding of the health centre at Kanak Durgha slum. With increased sales during the last few months, Trade4life, are now increasing the number of midwives they support to three.

KangaWraps are used within our Trust and since the research project was published, six other hospitals in the UK have also introduced them and are using Kangaroo care for the preterm babies cared for on their postnatal wards.

As a result of the success of the KangWrap, the team have gone on to develop a KangaWrap Kardi. The Kardi assists women who are confined to bed in carrying out Kangaroo Care (such as during the first few hours after a caesarean section).

Consultant Midwife Sarah Gregson said, “Kangaroo care is really simple and does not require any special equipment to do it, however after a

including oximeters (used to monitor levels of haemoglobin), ventilators and an incubation fibre scope. More recently, they have purchased the Giraffe incubator (at a cost of £16,500), optical equipment and almost £15,000 worth of specialist pressure cushions.

Medical Director for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Paul Sigston, said: “What the Kent and Sussex Darts League have done, and continue to do for us, is quite remarkable. They have donated a huge amount of money and

equipment to our hospital over the years, which will have benefited literally thousands of our patients. We are extremely grateful for their support and want to thank them wholeheartedly for showing such generosity to their local community.”

Chairman of the League, Mark Williams, said: “Twenty five years of darting and the League still hits the bullseye. We are able to do what we do due to the excellent committee members we have had over the years,

the world for thousands of years, however the medical benefits of this were not recognised until the 1980s, when two paediatricians working in Bogota, Columbia strapped small and premature babies onto their mothers because

caesarean section, women have told us that they can sometimes feel insecure doing skin to skin contact because of their scars and the after-effects of an anaesthetic.

Women who have tried out the KangaWrap Kardi have found it very helpful, but it is important that we now evaluate this with a proper research study, which we have recently begun.

“We are delighted that our bid for a £10,000 grant from the Royal College of Midwives/Phillips Avent initiative to improve breastfeeding rates has been successful. Our research study has just begun and the grant means that we can get some help with our data collection.”

Mum of prematurely born twins, Joanna Mackenzie, used the KangaWrap very effectively when she was in hospital following George and Sophie’s birth.

She said: “The KangaWrap is brilliant. I used it while I was in hospital to carry both the babies around with me at one time and it really helped us bond. It also helped hugely with feeding and both George and Sophie slept extremely soundly when they were cuddled up inside the wrap I was wearing. I definitely think using the wrap helped with the whole experience after the babies were born and during the weeks I stayed in hospital. Any further developments in Kangacare will be a really positive step forward for Mums, particularly those who have been through a caesarean and may be finding it a bit more difficult to hold their babies for the first few days.”

To find out more about Kangaroo Care and the KangaWrap, or to purchase your own wrap, please visit: www.kangwrap.co.uk

and of course the keen dart players in the Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells areas. We want to continue raising money for our local hospital to ensure as many people from our local community as possible can benefit may we continue for another 25 years.”

A full list of all the donations made by the League, and more general information, can be found on their website: www. kentandsussexdartsleague.webs.com

spring 2012 / 13

11

patient first

A Taste of Spring…

Try these mouth-watering spring recipes from our very own Maidstone Hospital League of Friends Cook Book…

Leek, Mushroom and Lemon Risotto Serves 4 2 tbsp olive oil 3 garlic cloves (chopped finely) 8oz leeks (washed well, trimmed and sliced) 8oz mushrooms (peeled and sliced) 3oz butter 1 large onion (sliced) 12oz risotto rice 2 pints of vegetable stock 1 lemon Freshly grated parmesan cheese Chives and parsley (chopped) Salt and pepper to taste Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the garlic in it for about a minute.

Add the leeks, the mushrooms and add the salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have softened and turned brown. Place the mixture in a bowl.

Melt half the butter and cook the onion in it, stirring occasionally until its soft and golden (about 4 minutes). Stir in the rice and mix well to absorb the butter. Add a spoonful of stock and cook gently, stirring until the stock is absorbed.

Keep adding the stock, a little at a time, with stirring and gentle heat until, after about 25 minutes, all the stock has been absorbed and the mixture is moist and the rice soft.

Banana and honey teabread 115g/4oz unsaturated margarine 115g/4oz light soft brown sugar 115g/4oz set honey 2 eggs (beaten) 225g/8oz self raising flour ½ tsp ground nutmeg or cinnamon 2 large bananas Squeeze of lemon juice Preheat the over to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

Lightly grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin.

Beat together the margarine, sugar and honey in a bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, then fold in the flour and nutmeg or cinnamon.

Peel the bananas, mash the flesh with a little lemon juice.

Fold the mashed bananas into the tea bread mixture until well mixed. Spoon the mixture into prepared tin and level surface.

Bake in the oven for 1 to 1¼ hours or until risen, golden brown and firm to touch. If necessary cover lightly with non-stick baking paper or foil towards the end of cooking time to prevent the top of the loaf over browning.

Cool for a few minutes in the tin, turn out on to a wire rack and serve warm or cold in slices.

The Maidstone Hospital League of Friends Cook Book is available from The League of Friends Shop near the main entrance of Maidstone Hospital and is priced at £5.

Add the set aside leeks and mushrooms and the remaining butter and mix well. Keep heating gently.

Grate the lemon rind onto the mixture and squeeze the lemon, and then add the juice.

Garnish with the parmesan cheese, chives and parsley, if desired.

have your say...

Tea party to celebrate colleagues 50th birthdays

A tea party was held at the Maidstone Birth Centre earlier this year in order to celebrate four members of staff’s 50th birthdays. The birthday girls were joined by colleagues, their friends and families and a short presentation was given about their midwifery experiences over the years.

The four women, Jackie Riggs, Carolyn McMahon, Maria Wright and Jacqueline Wier, who are all trained midwives, have a combined NHS service of well over 100 years and have all worked for our Trust for a large proportion of their careers.

12

www.mtw.nhs.uk/patientfirst

Got something to say about your local health service?

What changes would you make?

Pick up a leaflet from Maidstone Hospital or Tunbridge Wells Hospital Reception areas #mymtw facebook/mymtwhealthcare

patient first

Private Patient Unit at Tunbridge Wells Hospital creates income for Trust

D

id you know that Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust operates a private patient unit at Tunbridge Wells Hospital?

Located on Level 3, The Wells Suite offers state-of-the-art facilities, consulting rooms and luxury single patient rooms, each with far-reaching views of the surrounding forest near Pembury.

Zorica Wiley, Director of Private Patient Services said, “Our patients enjoy the comfort and benefits associated with private healthcare, together with the reassurance and clinical support of a large NHS Trust, with fast access to state-of-the-art equipment, facilities and experienced healthcare professionals.

“Coming into hospital can be a stressful time but here you can feel supported and reassured. You will receive personalised care from a specialist consultant, assisted by a professional and committed nursing team. We will do everything \we can to make your recovery as swift and as comfortable as possible.”

The Wells Suite is just one part of MTW Healthcare, the private healthcare division of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. The division also operates The Chartwell Suite, a modern, purpose-built private cancer services unit within Kent Oncology Centre in Maidstone.

Claire Hubert, Marketing Manager at MTW Healthcare, explained, “All profits generated by MTW Healthcare are re-invested back into our local NHS services.

“Operating Trust-run private patient facilities is an important way for the Trust to meet its financial challenges by creating extra income rather than cost-cutting. For example, this financial year, the profits from The Wells Suite alone could pay for the annual salaries of 27 newly qualified NHS nurses.”

The private patient unit at Tunbridge Wells Hospital is open to self-funded or insured patients and is part of the AxaPPP, Aviva, Bupa and other insurer networks. Specialties include: Orthopaedics; Upper GI; Rheumatology; Oncology; Ophthalmology; Cardiology; Gynaecology; Ear, Nose & Throat; Paediatrics; Bariatric surgery; Cosmetic and aesthetic surgery; Gastroenterology; Colorectal; Cardiology; Oral and Maxillofacial; Urology; Respiratory, and Intensive care medicine.

Zorica added, “That’s just to name a few. That’s the great benefit of being a part of this acute hospital; we have a full team of consultants and surgeons whose expertise extends to a wide range of specialties and all are available to our patients.

“Patients can access treatment at The Wells Suite by asking their GP to refer them to a consultant here. If you’re already awaiting a consultation or appointment, you can telephone The Wells Suite directly on 01892 635888.” www.mtwhealthcare.co.uk

Executive Team

U pd at e

Paul Sigston, Medical Director As the Trust’s Medical Director, I am keen to ensure that our patients receive the highest standard of treatment, in the best environment possible, and that is why I am delighted that our plans to modernise and improve Maidstone Hospital are now fully underway.

At present, the admissions and discharge lounges are rather tired and no longer fit for purpose, so we are investing around £1 million to create facilities that better suit the needs of our patients.

The new discharge lounge will be purpose built near to A&E and in addition to it being larger than the current lounge, it will also have many more facilities, such as patient WC’s and a beverage bay. This new improved area will also help patients in leaving the ward sooner, as part of their discharge planning.

Changes to the admissions lounge will also improve privacy for patients, by creating two separate consulting rooms. There will also be somewhere comfortable to wait, prior to procedures taking place.

There will be further improvements at Maidstone Hospital over the course of the next couple of years, including the development of larger specialist medical wards.

The existing six bedded bays will be replaced with en-suite four bedded bays and some single en-suite rooms. This will greatly improve the patient’s time in hospital, providing more comfort and privacy.

There is still much work to do but we are committed to making these changes and are sure that they will be of real benefit to our patients.

Pa u l You Y can read more about the planned improvements at Maidstone Hospital on page 3, as well as have a look at artists impressions of the new wards. spring 2012 / 13

13

patient first

FACEBOOK ALBUM Take a step back in time with 50 year old photographs These photos were unearthed from the archive at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, by Emergency Planning Manager John Weeks, during research he was carrying out into a book he is writing about the Trust. The photos show a range of buildings, equipment and people from half a century ago, in 1963.

More old photos will be posted into new albums on our Facebook page to give an insight into the fascinating history of our Trust – the next instalment being a selection of photos which are 75 years old.

If you would like to see more of the photos, please join us on Facebook – you can search for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust or you can go to: www.facebook.com/ mymtwhealthcare You can also catch up with more of our news by following us on Twitter, @MTWnhs.

Details of photos are (from top of page): • The old porter’s wagon used at the hospital 50 years ago • The newly refurbished gynaecology ward at Pembury Hospital in 1963 • A night sister consults with a nurse at Pembury Hospital • An old store room at Kent & Sussex Hospital • Dr Godber and Matron Jane Jacobs at a Pembury hospital open day in 1963 • Staff at work in the Kent & Sussex hospital kitchens • A new medical ward in F block at Pembury Hospital • X-ray equipment at Pembury Hospital

14

www.mtw.nhs.uk/patientfirst

patient first

Choose well…

Get the right NHS treatment. If you’re not sure what’s best, phone before you go.

Self-care

injuries units

NHS Direct

Edenbridge Hospital Mill Hill, Edenbridge, TN8 5DA

Medical advice 24/7 www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk 0845 4647 Emotional support Mental Health Matters helpline Confidential emotional support 0800 107 0160

Tel: 01732 863164 Open 8.30am to 8pm, 365 days a year X-ray available from Monday to Friday 9am to 2.30pm Sevenoaks Hospital Hospital Road, Sevenoaks, TN13 3PG Tel:01732 470200 Open 8am to 8pm, 365 days a year

GP and dentist

X-ray available from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

GP out of hours

Crowborough War Memorial Hospital Southview Road, Crowborough, TN6 1HB

Call 03000 242424

Tel: 01892 603602

Dentist Contact your dentist directly, or if you have no dentist you can call: 0808 238 9797 Evening and weekends Dentaline 01634 890300

Pharmacy To find out where your nearest pharmacy is, text ‘Pharmacy’ to 64746 Late night and Sunday pharmacies Maidstone Morrisons Pharmacy, Sutton Road – 01622 661750 Sainsbury’s Pharmacy, Quarry Wood, Aylesford – 01622 790223 Tesco Pharmacy, Lunsford Park, Larkfield – 01622 701449 Sevenoaks Sainsbury’s, Otford Road – 01732 469198

Open 8am to 8pm, 365 days a year Some GP practices also offer a minor injury service. To find out who, visit www.nhs.uk

Emergency Care Centres and Accident and Emergency For critical or life threatening emergencies, call 999 or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency, open 24 hours a day.

Maidstone Hospital, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, Kent ME16 9QQ Tel: 0845 155 1000 Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Tonbridge Road, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 4QJ Tel: 0845 155 1000

Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells Boots, Calverley Road – 01892 526486 Sainsbury’s, Linden Park Road – 01892 532569Minor

last issue’s

QUIZ Answers

Geography • What is the capital of Iceland? - Reykjavík • What is the population, to the nearest 10,000, of Lapland? - 184,000 History • Who was the first person to reach the North Pole? - Robert Peary (in 1909) • When did the image of Father Christmas, as we know him today, first appear? - In 1935, when an advertising company created a version of Santa Claus for Coca-Cola Literature • Who wrote the play: ‘The Winter’s Tale’? - Robert Burns • Finish the title of this Ken Follett novel – ‘Winter of the _____’? - World Food • Does the first evidence of ice cream being produced in a basic form and eaten go back to the Persian Empire or the Roman Empire? - 1670 • On average, to the nearest million, how many Christmas puddings are consumed in the UK each year? - 25 million Entertainment • What is the longest running Christmas number 1? - Whitney Houston – I will always love you • In which film is Kevin McCallister the main character? - Home Alone Sport • When and where was the first Winter Olympics held?

- 1924, in Chamonix, France • What is the name of Torvill and Dean’s famous routine, which was performed at the 1984 Olympics?

- The Bolero

spring 2012 / 13

15

give peas a chance!

r o f e tim e g n a ch don’t veg out, run about!

we’re 4 living! more

e k a m s ean rs! b n a hum od runne go

If we carry on living as we are, 9 out of 10 kids are set to grow up with dangerous levels of fat in their bodies. This can cause life-threatening diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Which is why it’s really important that we all get together to do something about it today.

So what do we want? CHANGE! And when do we want it? NOW! Change4Life is a nationwide movement which aims to help us all, but especially our kids, eat well, move more and live longer.

Get involved today!

Search for Change4Life or call 0300 123 4567* *Calls to 03 numbers should cost no more than geographic 01 or 02 UK-wide calls, and may be part of inclusive minutes subject to your provider and your call package. Our offices are open from 9am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. © Crown copyright 2008. C4L002 100k Dec 08 (HOW). Produced by COI for the Department of Health.

WF/C4LP/12/08

it’s just mind over batter!