NHSGGC Health News - Edition 5, Jul 2016

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Edition 5

Clowning about at the kids’ hospital It’s party time as the Royal Hospital for Children celebrates its birthday

Inside...

2–5

Birthday celebrations

Glasgow’s children’s hospital celebrates its first birthday in style

6

Cervical screening changes New programme introduced

7

New approach to treatment

Support for those with eating disorders

8–9

Dementia friendly

Services to help the elderly

10

Promoting mental wellbeing Website helps young people suffering from mental health issues

12 – 14

Summer safety advice Top tips for staying safe

14 – 15

Creating fairer healthcare

Everyone can access our services

Follow us on Twitter @NHSGGC Receive up to the minute information on all the latest NHSGGC Health News and campaigns.

Our last edition of Health News referred to the work of our staff in supporting people in “Palestine”. Our report should have referred to the “Palestinian territories” and we are pleased to correct this error.

Health News is written and designed by the NHSGGC Communications directorate.

Editors: Ally McLaws, director of communications and Sandra Bustillo, associate director of communications.

Health News is published four times a year.

It is inserted in The Herald and Evening Times newspapers and also distributed throughout hospitals, health centres and pharmacies. It is available to read online at: www.nhsggc.org.uk Follow us: @NHSGGC To contact Health News email: healthnews@nhsggc.org.uk

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Flurry of fun as charity sends in the clowns to celebrate Royal Hospital for Children’s birthday

Glasgow’s children’s hospital has celebrated its first birthday with a flurry of fun for young patients and their families and the opening of two super play parks, including one on the rooftop of the hospital and another at ground level.

To mark the anniversary, our paediatric staff and our friends at Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity brought in the clowns, the

Birthday celebrations

teddy bears and music makers to create a party atmosphere for our young patients to really enjoy.

And to open the hospital parks for play, the Children’s Charity Young Ambassador – and Young Scot of The Year – Jenny Cook (13) from East Kilbride had the honour of cutting the ribbon.

Jenny has battled inflammatory bowel

disease since she was a tot and underwent major surgery at the age of five. She has earned plaudits from both the Prime Minister and Scotland’s First Minister for her astonishing fundraising efforts.

Kevin Hill, director in charge of the children’s hospital, said: “We’re delighted that Jenny could join us to officially open our new play parks.

“Jenny is a remarkable young girl who has overcome her own illness to raise an amazing amount of money to support other children with illness.

“I would also like to thank the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, who contributed £17,000 of enhancements to the roof garden funded by donors and supporters, including > Continued overleaf

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Birthday celebrations > From previous page

the Rangers Charity Foundation and the Chloe McIntyre Memorial Fund.”

The rooftop garden is on level 3 and the ground-level play park is situated next to the main entrance to the children’s hospital.

Since its opening, the showpiece Royal Hospital for Children has been a fantastic hit with both staff and patients. It has treated more than 30,000 inpatients and more than 103,000 outpatients. A further 55,000 children have attended the hospital’s emergency department.

Chief executive Robert Calderwood said: “The move from the Yorkhill site was an emotional one for many staff and patients. But over the last 12 months, staff and patients have quickly settled and realised just what a brilliant facility the new hospital is.”

In the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for adults next door, our staff have also been busy delivering first-class care to more than a quarter of a million inpatients, day-case patients and outpatients. A further 90,000 were treated in our A&E department.

Mr Calderwood added: “I want to acknowledge and thank all the staff involved at the new hospital for their dedicated work and commitment to deliver for our patients.”

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Birthday celebrations

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Delivering the best healthcare for our patients

Scotland’s cervical screening programme is changing New system will see women aged between 25 and 64 invited for regular tests

If you are a woman aged between 20 and 64 years of age, then you need to be aware of changes that have been introduced to the cervical screening programme in Scotland.

From 6 June, the cervical screening test, or the smear test as it is also known, will no longer be offered to women between 20 and 24 years of age.

Women will now be invited for their first cervical screening appointment when they reach the age of 25.

They will then continue to receive invitations to attend for further tests every three years, until they reach 49 years of age.

Between 50 and 64, women will then be invited for a smear once every five years.

Explaining the reasons for the change to the programme, Dr Emilia Crighton, interim director for public health, pictured, said: “Cervical cancer is extremely rare in women under the age of 25.

cervical cancer is caused by strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) virus which are transmitted sexually.

to 24 has had little or no impact on rates of invasive cervical cancer in women up to the age of 30. Since the age of first invitation to screening was changed in England in 2003, there has been no increase in cervical cancer mortality in women aged 20 to 24.

“An HPV vaccination programme has been in place in Scotland since 2008.

The immunisation programme, offered to all girls aged 11 “For women over 50, fiveto 13 years old before yearly screening offers they become sexually adequate protection active, vaccinates The cervical screening test (also and women up to against two high-risk known as the smear test) is not a test the age of 64 can types of HPV which to diagnose cancer, but a test which benefit from cervical are known to cause examines cells from the cervix (the neck of screening.” more than 70 per the womb) looking for any changes. Where cent of cervical Women will continue changes are found, these can be easily cancer cases. to be invited and effectively monitored or treated. for screening by “The first girls who Without treatment, in some cases, receiving a letter and have been part of this the changes could eventually leaflet automatically programme are now become cancerous. sent from the Scottish young women due to Cervical Call Recall System. turn 20.

“We know that 99 per cent of

What is cervical screening?

“We also know that in the vast majority of women under 25, changes in the cervix will clear up of their own accord. Detecting these changes in women under 25 may lead to further investigation and treatment, which may cause anxiety and harm.

“A review of the data has shown that screening women aged 20

There will be cases when a woman aged between 20 and 24 is invited on or after 6 June because she has previously been invited as part of the programme before the changes were implemented.

Women wishing to discuss how these forthcoming changes will affect them should contact their GP or NHS Inform on 0800 22 44 88 or www.nhsinform.co.uk/ screening

Key changes at a glance n The screening age will increase from 20 to 25 years of age n Women between 20 and 24 will no longer be screened, unless they have already been invited for screening under the age of 25

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before 6 June n Women will be screened until the age of 64 (currently 60) n Some women on follow-up will be invited

over the age of 65. This will be where a woman’s last test was non-routine. n Women who have had changes identified during screening will be invited up to the age of 70 (currently 68 years).

Family-based support

New approach to treatment

What is anorexia and what is bulimia?

Programme has positive outcomes for patients with eating disorders

The eating disorder most commonly reported is typically anorexia nervosa, but what is anorexia nervosa and what is bulimia? And what is the difference between the two conditions?

provides the support the patient needs, including psychosocial intervention, to get back to a healthy life.

Recovering from an eating disorder is never easy, but the FBT programme is providing the support for young people to receive treatment in their home environment and since it began there has been a reduction of 25 per cent in the number who have required to be admitted to hospital.

Most of us probably know at least one person who, in an effort to lose weight or be healthy, has gone on a faddy diet, stopped eating a food group or subsisted on juice for days at a time.

Losing weight and dieting are often associated with females and young girls, but today, men and young boys are becoming more image conscious and turning to ways to lose weight or look healthier.

We are also seeing more children turn to dieting, with girls and boys as young as 11 being diagnosed with an eating disorder.

For the majority of people, faddy dieting will only be a short-term change and they will return to their regular eating patterns.

However, for a small number of people, this can be life changing and result in a potential eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia.

Now the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) for children and young people has implemented a new treatment

Julie Metcalfe

pathway which moves away from the tradition of treating young people with eating disorders in hospital.

The CAMHS team looked at research and trials undertaken in England which found that a stay in hospital for patients diagnosed with an eating disorder, particularly anorexia, can make the eating disorder worse.

Once referred by their GP, the Family Based Treatment (FBT) programme sees the child or young person remain as an outpatient and involves the whole family on the road to recovery.

This innovative approach allows families to take control of the eating disorder as soon as it has been diagnosed and

Julie Metcalfe, clinical director, CAMHS, said: “Between 2011 and 2014, the number of young people diagnosed with an eating disorder more than doubled from 41 cases to 111 cases.

“Research has shown that treating young people in an inpatient setting is not producing the best results, so by involving the whole family in their care, it is giving the family the opportunity to work together, support the young person and take some control.

“The role of parents and carers in supporting their child’s recovery from eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa is crucial and, with the support of the CAMHS, who monitor the young person’s physical and mental health, and therapists with expertise in FBT, partnership is at the core of intervention.”

Anorexia nervosa is a form of self-starvation where people keep their body weight low by dieting, vomiting, using laxatives or excessively exercising.

The way people with anorexia see themselves is often at odds with how they are seen by others and they will usually challenge the idea that they should gain weight.

Bulimia is where people are caught in a cycle of eating large quantities of food (called ‘bingeing’), and then vomiting, taking laxatives or diuretics (called purging) to prevent gaining weight.

Both are related to a mental health illness causing severe physical problems for the body and can lead to irregular periods or periods stopping altogether.

Anorexia can lead to loss of muscle strength and reduced bone strength in women and girls and men can suffer from a lack of interest in sex or impotency.

It is also associated with depression, low selfesteem, alcohol misuse and self-harm.

Excessive vomiting through bulimia can cause problems with the teeth, while laxative misuse can affect the heart. It can also cause tiredness, bloating and constipation.

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Support for those with dementia

Glasgow aims to be a dementiafriendly city People and businesses across Glasgow have been set the challenge of becoming a dementia-friendly city by supporting people with dementia to live well in the community.

The Glasgow City Dementia Strategy, created in partnership between Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and Alzheimer Scotland, is a three-year strategy designed to improve health and social care services for people affected by dementia.

The new strategy was launched in May at the city’s Silverburn Shopping Centre, which is aiming to become Scotland’s first ever dementia-friendly shopping centre.

As the number of people with dementia is predicted to double in the next 25 years, the strategy intends to ensure this rise can be met with improved access to information, support, care and treatment.

One of its main themes is to create an understanding of dementia in the city – whether that’s a large organisation, a local service, a shop, a business, a neighbour or a friend – that will enable those affected to enjoy the best quality of life possible and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect.

Jill Carson, adult services manager, Glasgow City HSCP, said: “Dementia is a growing issue that we can ill afford to ignore. By putting in place longer-term strategies now, we’re building the kind of wideranging response we need to address the issue in future.

“Health and social care services have a vital role to play in making sure families have access to the best treatment and support available. If we are to avoid people with dementia being disadvantaged even further in their daily lives, then all parts of society must play a part.”

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It’s better t get help ea

For people with dementia, there is lots of support available to h Too many people diagnosed with dementia are damaging their health by not seeking medical help quickly enough.

That’s the message from staff at the board’s dementia post-diagnosis support (PDS) service as they urge people worried about dementia to approach their GP as early as possible.

receiving a new diagnosis of dementia from their GP. This includes a named link worker to support the person with dementia and their carers for at least a year, help to find and access services needed, the building of a personal plan and dedicated support for carers.

Seeking help earlier rather than later gives an opportunity to plan ahead and build a support plan.

Stephen Lithgow, dementia support and development lead, said: “Research shows us that fear and stigma are factors stopping people seeking support.

NHSGGC is working with Alzheimer Scotland and Glasgow City Council to deliver one-to-one support to anyone

“However, I’m keen for people to seek help earlier and then access our service as we’re here to support

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Support for those with dementia

How post-diagnosis support has helped one sufferer Jean (80), who lives with her son in Glasgow, was referred to the link worker service following a diagnosis of dementia.

She and her family were concerned she wasn’t doing anything with her time and becoming increasingly dependent on her son.

The link worker spent time with the family talking about dementia, possible symptoms and the treatment options.

Jean was referred for a benefits check and her welfare rights officer looked at the whole family to maximise their income, which resulted in Attendance Allowance and a reduction in council tax.

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n Planning for future decision-making n Support to plan the shape of future care from the person’s perspective.

Stephen explained: “Everyone is different. People can work with their link worker from first contact or they can wait until they feel ready to accept it.

“However, it is better to receive post-diagnosis support earlier.

This enables you to plan ahead and look at strategies to manage the symptoms of dementia, to keep healthy, active and connected to your community.”

The family were initially worried about Jean being on her own in the house, but acknowledged she would do more for herself and be more independent at home.

The link worker applied for a community alarm which gave the family some peace of mind.

She had previously granted her daughters powers of attorney (POA). Her link worker referred Jean to the Legal Services Agency, and a solicitor helped the family to claim the money they spent on the POA back.

Jean and three of her children also attended an eight-week programme of supported self-management family workshop, which the service ran in partnership with the Occupational Therapy department.

This gave them the chance to meet with other families going through the same thing, who they now meet up with at the monthly drop-in café.

The family talks more openly about dementia and has developed coping strategies to manage at home. It has been important for Jean’s family that they, rather than professional carers, support her for as long as possible.

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Helping young people tackle mental health issues

Aye Mind – leading the way in promoting youth mental health A new website has been created with the help of young people to support those affected by mental health issues Out of every 100 children in Scotland, an estimated 10 suffer from some form of mental health problem.

A new website, www.ayemind.com – developed in partnership with young people throughout NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – has been launched to promote mental health and wellbeing in young people.

Mental health services staff worked with young service users to identify the support they felt they needed, how this should be delivered and the best way to inform health professionals.

Project lead, Dr Trevor Lakey, health improvement and inequalities manager, pictured, explained: “We know young people face unique and unprecedented pressures that impact on their psychological wellbeing, and that the majority of adult mental health problems have their origins in childhood.

“We’re seeing emerging evidence of the real potential of technology in promoting mental health.

“There is significant potential in using the internet, social media and mobile technology to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people.

“From the very beginning, we knew that for the platform to have any credibility with young people, it was crucial that the very people using the service led the way in developing it. It has to truly reflect what matters to them.

“At every stage of development, our young service users actively shaped the end product. This has led to the creation of a number of animations with a range of wellbeing messages that can be shared with peers.”

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Aye Mind has been developed as a TripAdvisor-style guide to the best mental health websites and social media out there.

The gifs highlight issues young people identified as the most important to tackle. These include online bullying, social media addiction and the value of reaching out to friends in need.

Trevor said: “The website is split into two sections. One is for young people and a separate resource toolkit is for youth-related workers. This features information on how

they can best help young people with their mental health and wellbeing, and direct them to appropriate information along with a searchable digital resources database.”

The project was set up in 2015 using an EU grant of €150,000 to develop online tools to offer positive mental health support for young people aged 13-21, building on an earlier programme called Project 99.

The website was developed in partnership with Snook, Young Scot, and the Mental Health Foundation, along with local health, youth and allied services.

It is now attracting praise from health workers around Europe, with interest coming from Finland, Germany and Italy.

Keeping you and your family safe

STRAIGHT OFF, STRAIGHT AWAY Keep your children safe by switching off your hair straighteners Did you know that hair straighteners are hotter than your iron at home? They can reach up to 230°C, three times hotter than a fresh cup of tea.

This extremely high temperature can have devastating effects for anyone who touches hot hair straighteners and can leave life-long scars, particularly for young children whose skin is thinner and more fragile than an adult’s.

Last year, 36 children in Glasgow ended up in hospital with serious burns caused by straighteners.

Now NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is working with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and Scottish Fire and Rescue to raise awareness of the risks posed by straighteners and to ask parents to switch them off straight away.

Health visitors and teams working with families in the area are also Lesley Nish

using these safety messages when carrying out their visits with families of young children.

Sharon Ramsay is a burns nurse specialist at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow and has seen for herself the damage straighteners can do.

She said: “It’s mostly toddlers we see here and the most common burns are to their hands and feet where they have either tried to pick them up or stood on them.

“This type of injury is very painful for the children and they are often quite distressed when they arrive.

“Parents too can be very upset seeing their children in pain and there’s the obvious guilt they feel too if they have left straighteners lying about.

“Children also have much thinner skin than adults. This means that while some burns heal, others can leave unsightly scars. Occasionally, some may need to have plastic surgery to repair the skin.”

Lesley Nish, senior health improvement officer, public health, NHSGGC said: “By being more vigilant, parents can drastically reduce the risk of their children being injured in the home.

“Although anyone who uses straighteners may be aware of how hot they are, many do not realise that they stay hot for a long time after being switched off, or may leave them unattended for a few seconds while they go to do something else – which is all the time it takes for an accident to happen.

“While using hair straighteners at home, parents can help to protect children from these horrific burns by using a heat-resistant bag. These can be purchased either from shops or online.” www.nhsggc.org.uk/healthnews – 11

Tips to enjoy your summer

Know before you go!

Make sure you’re vaccinated before you head off for some summer relaxation It’s the time of year when people are either planning their summer holiday or have already booked it and are counting down the days.

There is always a lot to organise – passports, currency, sun cream, visas if required, travel insurance etc.

Unfortunately, in the excitement, people don’t always obtain advice on travel health information and, depending on which country you are visiting, without the correct vaccinations this could seriously affect your health.

Dr Alisdair MacConnachie, right, consultant in infectious diseases, is keen that anyone going abroad seeks the right advice and does it in plenty of time to allow them to receive any medication or vaccinations they may need.

will be able to provide routine advice and some vaccinations. However, if your GP is unable to provide the travel advice you need, they can refer you to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Travel Clinic.

“Getting the right advice and vaccinations can protect you from a range of extremely serious illnesses, from malaria to typhoid. A list of some of the most common diseases can be found at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk, along with the countries they are found.”

Travel Clinic

“A good place to start is with your GP, who

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Travel Clinic is situated on the grounds of Gartnavel General in the Brownlee Centre. It is an appointment-only service for pre-travel advice for people who may be travelling to different countries and require multiple doses of medication, have a complicated medical history with underlying health problems or whose GP is unable to provide them with the necessary protection.

Typhoid

Polio

He said: “People going to foreign countries really should seek advice as soon as they book, as some countries require more than one vaccination.

Travelling abroad? Be aware of diseases that can Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. It belongs to the Salmonella group, which contains nearly 2,000 different types causing mild diseases such as food poisoning through to the more serious typhoid fever. Paratyphoid fever is a similar, but less severe variant.

Tetanus

Tetanus is a potentially fatal disease that is caused by an infection of the bacterium Clostridium Tetani. The bacteria enter the body through a wound, where they grow and produce a powerful toxin that circulates in the blood and causes muscular rigidity and painful muscle contractions. Death is usually caused by respiratory problems and exhaustion.

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Poliomyelitis, normally referred to as polio, is caused by a virus that is spread from person to person primarily through faecal contamination of food and water, although it can also be spread by droplet transfer.

Hepatitis A

This is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the liver. It occurs worldwide and is especially prevalent in areas of poor sanitation and hygiene.

Cholera

Cholera is a bacterial infection of the gastro-intestinal tract caused by the bacterium Vibrio Cholerae. These bacteria

are typically ingested by drinking water contaminated by improper sanitation or by eating improperly cooked fish, especially shell fish.

Diptheria

Diphtheria is an infection caused by a bacterium called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that causes a moderately sore throat.

Sometimes the lining of the throat may swell to form “a false membrane” that can cause difficulties in breathing.

Rabies

This is a viral infection that is acquired from the saliva of an infected or rabid animal, usually a dog or cat. In most cases, infection results from a bite, but even a lick on an open cut or sore may be enough.

Tips to enjoy your summer

TAKE CARE IN THE SUN Whether you are staying at home or going abroad for your summer holiday, it is extremely important that you take the necessary precautions to look after your skin and body over the summer.

People need to remember to take care in the sun, particularly the very young, the very old and those with chronic diseases.

It is not just sunburn, dehydration and hay fever that people need to be mindful of – the hot weather can also affect people with respiratory problems, particularly the elderly.

Dr Emilia Crighton, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s interim director of public health said: “Many Scots are fair skinned and need to take adequate steps to ensure their skin is protected, whether at home or abroad.

“Children are especially vulnerable and care should be taken to ensure they are covered up adequately. Babies in particular need to be covered up. With both suncreams and sun protection clothing designed for babies and children, there is no need for children to be over-exposed to the sun.

“People should also try to avoid being in direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day between noon and 3pm. Replenishing fluids is important, as everyone runs the risk of becoming relatively dehydrated in the hot weather and you should be particularly careful to take extra liquids – cold water is ideal – at regular intervals.”

Simple rules to stay safe in the sun:

be contracted in other countries Schistosomiasis

Also known as bilharzia, is a disease caused by parasitic worms called schistosoma. They belong to the family of flat worms known as trematodes or flukes.

About 200 million people are thought to be infected worldwide.

Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. It affects humans and animals and causes a wide range of symptoms, including high fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches and vomiting, and may include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, or a rash,

although some infected persons may have no symptoms. If the disease is not treated, kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory distress and even death may result.

Ebola virus

n Limit your time in the midday sun and use shade wisely n Wear protective clothing n A hat with a wide brim offers good protection for ears, face and neck n Use a suncream with adequate protection for your skin type n Drink plenty of water to replenish fluids lost in the heat.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever is an often-fatal disease that has appeared sporadically since its initial recognition in 1976.

It is caused by infection with Ebola virus, named after a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it was first recognised. The virus is one of two members of a family of RNA viruses called the Filoviridae. There are four identified subtypes of Ebola virus, three of which have caused disease in humans. www.nhsggc.org.uk/healthnews – 13

Tips to enjoy your summer

We all

Don’t let food poisoning ruin your summer fun The summer months see people enjoying ‘al fresco’ dining and by following a few simple tips, outdoor eating won’t result in anyone getting food poisoning.

off on the barbecue

Barbecues and picnics should be fun for everyone, but often people end up getting ill with food poisoning after the event.

n Do not assume the meat is cooked all the way through just because the outside surface looks well charred

By following our tips below, everyone can enjoy their barbecues and picnics without worrying about sickness and diarrhoea a few days later.

Tips for barbecues

n Light the barbecue well in advance, ensuring it glows red before cooking n Always keep raw meat and ready to eat food separate n Defrost frozen meats thoroughly in the fridge for 24 hours before cooking n Always wash hands thoroughly before preparing food, touching raw meat and before eating n Do not use the same utensils for raw and cooked foods n Do not place cooked foods on plates that have held raw meats n Keep food covered to prevent insects and pets getting to it n Do not use left over marinade of raw meats as a sauce n If cooking for a large number of people, consider pre-cooking poultry and other meats in an oven beforehand before finishing 14 – www.nhsggc.org.uk/healthnews

n Cook poultry, burgers, sausages and other meats until there are no pink bits in the middle and the juices run clear

n Keep cooked meats away from partially cooked or raw meats on the grill n Avoid drinking excess alcohol as this can impair awareness of good food hygiene measures.

Tips for picnics

n Use a cool bag with ice packs to keep food cool during the journey n Keep the cool bag in the coolest part of the car away from direct sunlight n On arrival at destination keep the lid of the cool box on and away from direct sunlight n Leave food in the fridge until the last moment n Wash hands or use antiseptic wipes before eating n Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly before eating n In visits to farms or zoo parks, do not eat food in areas allocated to animal contact or petting animals

It’s our When it comes to accessing good healthcare, some of us need more help than others.

And it’s our commitment to ensure we do everything we can to make sure everyone in our community can fairly and easily access local NHS services.

As NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) head of inequalities Jackie Erdman said: “When it comes to health, like most things in life, we all want the same thing – fairness. It’s just our needs that are different.”

NHSGGC has just published A Fairer NHSGGC 2016-20 – which reports on what we’re doing to address these inequalities and meet the requirements of equality legislation, including the Equalities Act 2010.

The Act refers to people having protected characteristics, including: n Age n Marriage and Civil Partnership

n Always wash hands or use antiseptic wipes immediately after contact with animals

n Disability

n Use only safe drinking water for washing food and dishes.

n Gender reassignment

n Religion and Belief n Pregnancy and maternity

Creating fairer healthcare for everyone

want the same things

needs that are different n Race n Sex n Sexual orientation.

But people are never just one of these; we are a combination of two or more of the above. In NHSGGC, we also recognise that people can experience poverty and other forms of social inequality such as homelessness, so we have included these in our actions for our 2016-2020 plan.

A huge range of work has already taken place to help make things better for all our patients – work which our staff and equality groups have helped identify. This includes around 500 interpretersupported appointments every day, improved access in and around the new Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

and helped patients to access £20 million through referrals to money advice and debt assistance.

n Ensuring our managers to know how they can support their disabled staff by making reasonable adjustments

But our work does not end there. A Fairer NHSGGC 2016-20 highlights what we want to achieve over the coming years and how we will continue to strive to improve quality and access to health services for all our patients.

n Challenging discrimination towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients and staff

Jackie Erdman added: “It’s our job to make it as easy as possible for our staff to know what they should be doing to address inequalities, and for patients to know their rights. This is the law, but that’s not why we’re doing it.

We’re doing it because we believe it’s the right thing to do.

“Many people may think, ‘oh, this doesn’t affect me’, but we all have one or more protected characteristic, making up the person we are. It’s also important to know how we can help people we care for, such as elderly relatives.”

Actions for the next few years include: n Providing communication support for British Sign Language users at all times Jackie Erdman

n Making it as easy as possible for our vulnerable populations, such as those experiencing poverty, disabled people and migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to access our services.

Jackie added: “We want to do more than just meet our legal requirements for equalities in NHSGGC. “Simple acts like asking what help a patient might need or speaking up for a colleague who’s being discriminated against can make all the difference – and every one of us is in a position to do that.”

To read the full A Fairer NHSGGC 2016-20 documents, or to find out more information about any of the above, go to www.equality.scot.nhs.uk or contact the Corporate Inequalities Team on 0141 201 4560. www.nhsggc.org.uk/healthnews – 15

Recognising our caring staff

Jacqueline Wright, Sharon Lambie and Jennifer Crumley won a Gold Award last year

NOMINATE A LOCAL NHS HERO

Our Chairman’s Awards honour the staff who go above and beyond in patient care NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is calling on patients, visitors and staff to nominate their local NHS hero for the prestigious annual Chairman’s Awards.

panel, will select the most outstanding nominees and present the winners with a prestige award in recognition of their outstanding service.

Do you know a local NHS hero who stands out from the crowd? Perhaps someone who has gone that extra mile to care for a relative or a friend… or has helped you?

Last year, Jennifer Crumley, Sharon Lambie and Jacqueline Wright – all clinical nurse specialists in the palliative care team at Glasgow Royal Infirmary – were winners in the Patient Centred Care category.

Every year, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde celebrates the success of our finest staff at the Chairman’s Awards and this year there are four categories open to the public, patients and carers for nominations: n The International Service Award: highlighting staff who have travelled overseas to provide healthcare n The Nursing Award: recognising nursing stars – an individual or a team – who have demonstrated the highest standards of care for their patients

They were nominated for their care of patients and for the time they take to educate other nurses and junior medical staff on a oneto-one basis in addition to running regular training for all levels of staff. They work tirelessly as a team, ensuring the ethos of support and patient-centredness is always at the forefront.

Jennifer said: “We were delighted to be

n The Patient Centred Care Award: honouring staff who have pulled together to tailor the delivery of services to ensure the best possible patient care n The Volunteer/Patient Ambassador Award: celebrating someone who goes that extra mile to help our patients or a patient ambassador who represents patients either on a Public Partnership Forum or on a patients’ panel.

Our Chairman, John Brown, and his judging 16 – www.nhsggc.org.uk/healthnews

nominated and to win the Gold Award in the category of Patient Centred Care, as it is at the heart of what we try to achieve in the hospital Palliative Care Team.

“We are grateful to our wider hospital colleagues for their ongoing support and collaboration to improve patient and family care.”

Chairman John Brown added: “This will be my first Chairman’s Awards and I’m pleased to be personally involved in recognising the dedication and compassion so many of our staff display in looking after people across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

“These awards have really struck a chord with the public and every year we receive a high volume of nominations from right across the board area. This is testament to the work our staff do and how highly they’re valued by the people they see.

“The awards were of an exceptionally high standard last year and the competition was stiff. I’m certain we’ll receive the same high standard of entries this year and I look forward to the difficult job of choosing the winners.”

Chairman John Brown

To nominate your local health hero visit www.nhsggc.org.uk/chairmansawards or call free on 0800 027 7246. The closing date for entries is Sunday 31 July.