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ce C o Th nt n s e N re t p a it u H S ge ti pu o n llo ut

www.kirklees.nhs.uk

Issue 24 April 2009

News and views from NHS Kirklees

NHS staff survey results What you say about working at NHS Kirklees The staff survey results are in and almost all of you say you feel valued by your colleagues at work. With more than 450 of you taking part in the survey this year, 66% of our workforce was represented, and 92% of those said they felt appreciated by their peers. It’s a massive achievement for us at NHS Kirklees.

Through the survey you tell us what we’re doing right and wrong as far as you’re concerned.

Chief Executive Mike Potts said: “I am delighted to be able to say that in many of the areas that concerned us last year, you feel things have improved. I am particularly pleased so many of our staff feel valued by work colleagues and over half would recommend us as a place to work. Even in the areas where we have not done as well as we might have hoped, the percentages are relatively small and show we are on the right track. The results of all the hard work we have put in to areas such as appraisals, reducing stress and improving work/life balance and health and safety

can be seen in improved results. Thanks to all of you who took the time to fill in the forms. The survey is a very valuable way to make sure NHS Kirklees is a good place to work, values our staff, and provides high quality services for patients.”

The results of the survey will now be shared with staff representatives and an action plan drawn up to be presented before the NHS Kirklees Board in May. If you would like more information or a more detailed explanation of the results, please ask your Director.

We scored highly in comparison to other PCTs in the number of you who would recommend us as a place to work, the percentage of you who reckon you work in a well structured team environment, and the number of staff who witnessed harmful errors or near misses in the month prior to being questioned.

There is always room for improvement, and you told us where you didn’t think we were doing quite so well. These include the availability of hand washing materials for staff, patients and service users, as well as the number of you who felt you received job relevant training, learning or development in the previous twelve months.

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On the positive side, there were a number of things that you thought had significantly improved since last year.

Fewer people said they had suffered from work related stress in the 12 months between the two surveys, and less staff members said they felt pressure at work or intended to leave their jobs.

Project celebrates five years of success in Newsome A highly successful five year project to develop healthy living activities for young and old people across the Newsome ward drew to a close at the end of March.

Diabetes in the spotlight - 2... One number does it all - 3... Project celebrates five years of success in Newsome - 4... EPP patient journeys - 6... In the spotlight - 11... Kirklees Community Healthcare Services update - 13... and much more

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Diabetes in the spotlight Raising awareness in the South Asian community Diabetes was the focus of a successful event in Batley last month where more than 150 people turned up to learn more about improving their health. The aim of the event was to raise awareness about diabetes, particularly amongst the South Asian community, whose risk of developing the condition is up to six times greater than the national average.

The event was arranged by the Indian Muslim Welfare Society in partnership with NHS Kirklees. Its intention was to emphasise the message that diabetes is a serious and potentially fatal condition. If not well managed, it can lead to coronary heart disease, kidney disease, amputation and blindness.

Evidence from the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment identifies Batley as having one of the highest prevalence rates of diabetes. The population of Batley also experiences significantly worse health than the rest of Kirklees. The focus here was on engaging effectively enough with people to encourage them to take responsibility for their own health.

The event, held at the Al-Hikmah Centre in Batley on 21 March, was split in to two parts. The morning allowed people to informally look at educational stands, chat to health professionals and get their blood pressure taken. The afternoon involved a

series of talks about diabetes and health, a question and answer session and a number of workshops. The interactive workshops were aimed at helping people understand diabetes and what they can do to look after their health. They included retinal screening, blood pressure checks, information on keeping active, self care skills and further information. Members of the diabetes team also used the event to understand the barriers to good diabetes management which the local community faces.

The event was considered a huge success and feedback from those that attended was very positive. Most said that the day was well organised, the talks useful and the workshops relevant. Twenty people signed up to the health trainer service on the day.

Mohammed Laher, Vice Chancellor of the Indian Muslim Welfare Society said: “We were absolutely delighted to see so many people attending this awareness day on

Take the cool approach to personal safety

Join the ICE campaign Most of us nowadays walk around with a mobile phone permanently attached to our ear, but if you were in an accident and the emergency services found it, would they be able to figure out who to contact as next of kin?

The answer is probably no…they’re not mind readers after all. But the nationally recognised ICE campaign hopes to change all that. It stands for ‘In Case of Emergency’ and is a method of contact during emergency situations.

All you have to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during an emergency under the name ‘ICE’. Then in an emergency situation, ambulance, police and hospital staff can quickly contact the right person by dialling the number you have stored as ‘ICE’. For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc.

diabetes. The question and answer session was most popular and the guests were also confident to ask questions in the workshops which were very beneficial. We would like to thank those from NHS Kirklees and Kirklees Council who came along to the event. It was a joy to work in partnership with NHS Kirklees.”

New purposebuilt dental practice opens in Holmfirth Holmfirth Dental Surgery has moved to a new state-of-the-art purpose built facility in the grounds of Oaklands Health Centre. The project has been six years in the making and half a million pounds has been invested. Three hundred more NHS patients have already been taken on since the relocation and there are hopes to increase this still further in the future.

The dental practice offers state-of-theart digital x-rays and hi-tech sterilisation, with plans to provide orthodontics and minor oral health surgery in months to come. This will ease the pressure on these services in local hospitals and it is hoped that the specialisms on offer will develop further.

Chief Executive, Mike Potts, said: “This development will improve access to NHS dentistry by providing treatment closer to home. It supports the national guidance set out in the recent World Class Commissioning document, ‘Improving dental access, quality and oral health’, alongside the NHS Kirklees Oral Health Strategy.”

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How to discover…

ways to wellbeing A new handbook has been written to offer guidance on where to turn when you need help coping with mental health issues. The ‘ways to wellbeing’ booklet brings together information from a wide variety of organisations offering mental health support solutions across Kirklees.

One in four of us will experience a mental health condition during the course of a year. But despite this high figure, having a mental health issue can feel very isolating and uncertainty about who to turn to can make this situation feel worse. The booklet aims to minimise that anxiety by offering a one stop shop for anyone who is seeking help, advice or support.

The ‘ways to wellbeing’ booklet is available for download via the Kirklees Council website. Simply enter www. kirklees.gov.uk/community/care-support/health/ mentalhealth/mentalhealth in to your web browser and download the pages that are most relevant to you.

The booklet will be launched at a special event to promote the range of mental health services available in Kirklees next month. The Spring in to Action event will be held on 21st May at the Brian Jackson Centre in Huddersfield. For further information call 01484 225274 or visit www.kirklees.gov.uk/springintoaction.

One number does it all April saw the launch of an improved service to local people who need their healthcare in a hurry. One number - 0345 6059999 - now gets them straight through to urgent care services. These are the services that people need when they've got a minor injury or they suddenly feel ill. The sort of thing that isn't an emergency, but needs urgent attention.

The introduction of the new number is in response to feedback received from a public consultation in 2007. Patients said that when they have an urgent healthcare need, they often don't know where to go for help. Sometimes this means that they go to A & E, or call an ambulance when this isn't the best way for them to be treated.

Many patients also use NHS Direct, or call for an out of hours doctor. One thing to come out of the consultation was that people don't like having to repeat their story on the phone, and they don't like waiting for call backs.

So the new number has been introduced - 0345 6059999. Patients ringing from anywhere in West Yorkshire can ring this number, and they will be passed smoothly to the service they need. This could be advice, or a GP visit. If it's a real emergency, an ambulance will be sent straight away.

The new service is being provided by NHS Direct. It deals with the part of the patient's care that we call access and assessment. If the patient needs out of hours treatment, this will continue to be provided by Local Care Direct under a new contract.

For more information please visit the West Yorkshire Urgent Care Services website at www.wyucservices.nhs.uk.

0345 6059999

The NHS Leadership Awards 2009 There are many examples of outstanding leadership in the NHS locally, regionally and nationally. The new NHS Leadership Awards scheme aims to recognise these outstanding leaders across England and at every level. The scheme is aligned to the National Leadership Council and will complement their aims and commitments by encouraging future leaders from all backgrounds, reflecting the diverse communities served by the NHS. The awards aim to recognise outstanding leadership in seven categories: • NHS Leader of the Year • NHS Mentor of the Year • NHS Partner of the Year • NHS Quality Champion of the Year • NHS Change Leader of the Year • NHS Innovator of the Year • NHS Award for Inspiration Sharing best practice is central to the NHS Leadership Awards Scheme. All shortlisted nominations will be digitally showcased over the summer. NHS Chief Executive, David Nicholson, said: “We are extremely lucky to already have fantastic leaders throughout the NHS. But if we are to realise our vision of an NHS that puts quality at the heart of everything it does, we need to embrace more leaders from all levels in the service and from a wider range of backgrounds.”

Who you can nominate The awards scheme is an exciting opportunity for you to nominate one of your peers for the most prestigious health awards in the country. If one of your peers has shown outstanding leadership in one of the categories then you should nominate them. The scheme is only for individuals, except for the NHS Partner of the Year award, which is open to teams and organisations.

How to nominate Once you have identified the person you want to nominate, approach them to gain their support and to provide the depth of information that will help you to draft a 250 word citation.

Nominations can be made online at www.nhsleadershipawards.nhs.uk before the deadline of 15 May.

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Project celebrates five years of su A highly successful five year project to develop healthy living activities for young and old people across the Newsome ward drew to a close at the end of March.

The Newsome Next Generation Healthy Living Programme was run by staff from NHS Kirklees and funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

Since it began in 2004 the team of NNG staff, volunteers, staff from partner agencies and local people have had fun whilst developing creative opportunities for learning and improving health and wellbeing for the people of Newsome.

Councillor Julie Stewart-Turner, who has been part of the management board since the project began, said: “Over the past five years I have watched the individuals involved grow as part of a team and become a vital part of the development of Newsome. They have encouraged members of the community to work as volunteers and enabled individuals to take part in activities and care for themselves better. The project has provided wonderful initiatives for local people, many of which will continue thanks to the tremendously committed volunteers and partner agencies.”

Mike Hughes, Senior Public Health Manager for NHS Kirklees

“Everyone involved in the project from beginning to end should be very proud of what has been achieved. The project has seen people taking exercise who never have before. Young people are showing more confidence in their abilities and awareness of looking after their health and the belief they can make changes to improve their health. I have every confidence that it will be sustained.”

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uccess in Newsome Throughout the programme, there have been many successes.

The enthusiastic and committed team have undertaken a huge amount of activities including:

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• A successful project working with Castle and Minster Credit Union to promote the uptake of credit union services. Today Newsome has a large number of residents signed up as credit union members.

• Starting a flourishing group for older residents in the area.

Now more than 50 people go along to the Young @ Heart sessions where they can take part in exercise, dances, day trips and demonstrations while making friends with other local people and offering invaluable support to one another.

• Setting up a football programme for young people in the Lowerhouses and Ashenhurst areas. Although this only began as part of a summer holiday programme back in 2006, it still runs today and continues to go from strength Rebecca Farah, Youth Development Volunteer

“There has been a remarkable change to the area and lifestyles of the young people. The project has given them the opportunity to do things they wouldn’t normally have the chance to do such as making videos with police, dancing, positive acting and artistic workshops. The youngsters seem to be more appreciative of their area and are developing positive peer relationships.”

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to strength. Kirklees Young People’s Services have agreed to develop the sessions and it is hoped that some of the youngsters involved will continue their training to complete level one coaching courses.

• Initiating a summer pilot scheme of out-of-school activities which began in 2007 but continues to grow in popularity.

More than 150 young people took part in sessions such as cook and eat, self defence, drama, arts and crafts and film making. The youngsters recently evaluated the project and told project workers that they made new friends thanks to the scheme and gained more confidence and self esteem.

The project team are negotiating with Kirklees Young People’s Services as well as a local arts based organisation in order to keep the activities running in the community.

Anne-Marie Kelly, Project Co-ordinator said: “These are just a snapshot of our successes. Over the five years there have been some wonderful projects which have only taken place due to the invaluable input from partner organisations, volunteers, local people and of course funding from the Big Lottery Fund. We are extremely grateful to everyone who has shown continuous commitment and enthusiasm over the years and are confident that the seeds that have been sown will continue to bear fruit and the NNG legacy will be around for a long time to come.”

The team of staff are now busy preparing a final report for the Big Lottery Fund which will be submitted at the end of April.

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Chris Hawley, Reverend at Longley and Lowerhouses Community Church

“I have been involved with the project from the beginning by helping the team with their initial tenancy within the church. It has been great working with the team from NNG and having the project based within the church has meant that people have had access to a meeting place within their own community.”

Pat Plowman, Treasurer for Young at Heart and Company Secretary for Lowerhouses Community Trust and Newsome Unite

“We are going to miss the members of the team which have meant that older members of the community have had the opportunity to socialise and try out new activities.”

Newsome Next Generation… A Tribute

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Patient Journeys

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The finishing touches are being made to a new booklet sharing the personal stories of patients who have taken part in our Expert Patients Programme. These moving accounts written by patients in their own words offers a truthful and honest look at how such a programme can help to overcome both health and emotional problems. Patient Journeys is due to be published in the next couple of months and is Patieas ntajo urneyfor intended to be used resource s healthcare professionals who might suggest the programme to prospective patients. Peeling back the front cover, here is a brief sneak preview of what the booklet has to offer...

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Expert Patien ts Programm e

Patient journe ys

Malcolm’s story

Carol’s story

“I had bronchitis for quite a few years, and then I got pneumonia and pleurisy which stopped me smoking straight away. I had smoked up to 30 a day up to then. I had recurring problems of the same nature and then I was told I had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. From about 1998 up to 2006 I was always in and out of hospital with infections and breathing difficulties. With living on my own I just sat and watched TV getting depressed and not eating properly.

“I’ve had back problems for over 25 years and had always managed my condition myself until things went severely wrong and I was diagnosed with Multiple Disc Degeneration. I had constant severe pain in my lower back and legs and couldn’t function properly at all. I became very dependent on my family and grew very depressed. I had to give up work and basically thought I was finished. The nurse at my pain clinic suggested I try the Expert Patients Programme...and to be honest I thought it would be a load of baloney to put it mildly. How wrong I was.

Whilst I was in hospital...I was asked if I would be interested in taking part in the Expert Patients Programme...I said yes...and couldn’t believe how great the people were who came to it. Some people there were a lot worse off than me. After the course finished, I felt a thousand times better. It turned my life around...and...whilst on the course I was asked if I would like to become a Tutor. I said yes I would if I could help people who had problems like me.

The six week programme is given by tutors who themselves are people with long term chronic medical problems.

They understand what you’re going through. Even though everybody may have different medical conditions most of the problems we face are common to everyone. I met some wonderful people on the course and it quite honestly changed my life.”

In October 2007 I went on a four day training course to learn how to become a tutor...and I passed!

A few days after completing the tutor training course I started to shadow other tutors and eventually started to co-tutor the courses myself. I have now successfully passed an assessment and am hoping to become a fully fledged tutor on the Expert Patients Programme.”

For more information about the Expert Patients Programme and when the next sessions are go to www.kirklees.nhs.uk/getinvolved/expert-patients-programme

Telehealth equipment allows patients to take their vital signs at home, and for a clinician to access that information via a secure website. The equipment is being launched via the community matrons service and will be installed during April. To access the service patients need to have a diagnosed long term condition and meet assessment criteria. The project will also be looking at how the equipment can be used by other clinicians and GPs. For more information please contact Karen Chetham on 07528 252268.

NHS apprenticeships set to double Hundreds more opportunities for people who want to start a career in the NHS in Yorkshire and the Humber are on their way. Workforce bosses have promised an extra 350 apprenticeship places to people living in Yorkshire and Humber, taking the total number in the region to 700.

That doubles the number of opportunities on offer.

Director of Workforce for NHS Yorkshire and the Humber, Tim Gilpin, said: “This is fantastic news for people who are looking to get on the NHS career ladder and in times when the job market is anything but certain, we are delighted to offer this opportunity to those who are just starting out in their working life or are looking for a change of direction. The apprenticeships range from jobs in catering and joinery to dental nursing.

The NHS has a huge range of jobs so it’s not just exclusive to those who want a career in healthcare.”

The push to increase apprenticeship opportunities has received strong support from NHS Kirklees and all other trusts in the region. This was shown recently at a region wide event where the plans were unveiled.

The Department of Health has set a target of 5,000 new health apprenticeship places across the country for 2009/10. These 5000 health places will help to deliver the Government’s pledge, made earlier this year, to create 35,000 additional apprenticeships.

Apprenticeship places will not only be available to the traditional school leavers but to anyone over the age of 16 and existing NHS staff. Details about how people can get on the apprenticeships will be available shortly.

The NHS Constitution: securing the NHS today for generations to come The NHS Constitution has been published and brings together in one place for the first time, what staff, patients and the public can expect from the NHS. As well as capturing the purpose, principles and values of the NHS, the Constitution brings together a number of rights, pledges and responsibilities for staff and patients alike. These rights and responsibilities are the result of extensive discussions and consultations and reflect what truly matters to the people who use and are employed by the NHS. All public health bodies will be required by law to take account of the Constitution and we have already embedded it in our decisions and actions. The NHS belongs to us all and the aim of the Constitution is to protect and renew its enduring principles.

NHS values The aim of having NHS wide values is to inspire behaviours that put the needs of patients, the public and health service staff foremost in people’s minds in any given situation.

When there are inevitably tough decisions to be made, shared and widely understood values create the bonds of trust and common ground that allow for engaged debate beforehand and implementation afterwards. As local autonomy and professional freedom grow, shared values become more important to ensure that the NHS continues to operate with shared purpose when and where it matters.

Patients, staff and the public have said that the following values inspire passion in the NHS, honour its heritage, and should guide it in the 21st century:

Respect and dignity

Improving lives

We value each person as an individual, respect their aspirations and commitments in life, and seek to understand their priorities, needs, abilities and limits. We take what others have to say seriously. We are honest about our point of view and what we can and cannot do.

We strive to improve health and well being and people’s experiences of the NHS. We value excellence and professionalism wherever we find it – in the everyday things that make people’s lives better as much as in clinical practice, service improvements and innovation.

Commitment to quality of care

Working together for patients

We earn the trust that is placed in us by insisting on quality and striving to get the basics right every time – safety, confidentiality, professional and managerial integrity, accountability, dependable service and good communication. We welcome feedback, learn from our mistakes and build on our successes.

We put patients first in everything we do, by reaching out to staff, patients, carers, families, communities and professionals outside the NHS. We put the needs of patients and communities before organisational boundaries.

Compassion We find the time to listen and talk when it is needed, make the effort to understand and get on and do the small things that mean so much – not because we are asked to but because we care.

Everyone counts We use our resources for the benefit of the whole community, and make sure that nobody is excluded or left behind.

We accept that some people need more help, that difficult decisions have to be taken – and that when we waste resources we waste other’s opportunities. We recognise that we all have a part to play in making ourselves and our communities healthier.

What the NHS Constitution means for you The NHS Constitution is an important document for staff working in the NHS. It lets you know what to expect…and what’s expected of you. Importantly, it lets you get on and improve patient service. There are four elements of the Constitution that relate to NHS staff. They are:

• •

Staff rights Pledges to staff

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Expectations of staff Staff duties

The Constitution has a vision that all staff commissioning and providing NHS services should have rewarding jobs. It aims that employees will be able to provide quality care, because jobs will have been designed around patients with the input of staff. The inclusion of staff pledges, expectations, responsibilities and legal duties reflects the fact that improving the patient experience requires the continued improvement of the working lives of staff.

After lengthy research involving around 9,000 NHS staff, a number of values were identified as mattering to you. They were having:

• • • •

The resources to deliver quality care for patients The support you need to do a good job A worthwhile job with chances to develop The opportunity to improve the way you work

NHS Kirklees is fully committed to implementing the Constitution and therefore supports the following rights and pledges to you as our valued employees.

Staff rights The NHS has a good record of fair employment and respecting the rights of staff.

These rights are embodied in general employment and discrimination law and are summarised in the handbook to the NHS Constitution which is accessible via the Department of Health website.

Your rights are there to help ensure that you have: A good working environment with flexible working opportunities, consistent with the needs of patients and with the way that people live their lives.

A fair pay and contract framework.

Safe working conditions free from harassment, bullying or violence.

Involvement and representation in the workplace.

Fair and equal treatment that is free from discrimination.

A process of complaint/redress if it is felt that a right has not been upheld.

“It is the loyalty, professionalism and dedication of staff that really make the difference to patients’ quality of care and experience.”

Pledges to staff Over 9,000 staff contributed to What Matters to Staff in the NHS. This work identified the significant factors that contribute to staff motivation, and has been used to develop a number of pledges that the NHS will strive to deliver.

The NHS will strive to provide all staff with well-designed and rewarding jobs that make a difference to patients, their families and carers, and communities.

The NHS will strive to provide all staff with personal development, access to appropriate training for their jobs, and line-management support, in order to succeed.

The NHS will strive to provide support and opportunities for staff to keep themselves healthy and safe.

The NHS will strive to actively engage staff in decisions that affect them and the services that they provide, individually and through their representatives. All staff will be empowered to suggest ways to deliver better and safer services for patients and their families.

NHS Kirklees recognises and supports the staff pledges as an opportunity to demonstrate the positive nature of our relationship with staff. This fits in well with our local vision and values and our (on going) commitment to achieve the Investors in People standard in 2009. It also links to our organisational development plans which support our development as a World Class Commissioner and Kirklees Community Health Services as our provider.

NHS Kirklees continues to give support and energy to strong partnership arrangements with staff representatives and to measure our progress in relationships with all staff through the Staff Opinion Survey.

We continue to strive towards a working environment which is free from harassment, bullying and violence and staff support is provided by formal and informal routes including: • A comprehensive occupational health and staff counselling service and access to an HR team who can help staff with employment related matters including mediation on employee relation issues.

• Stress management guidance which has been published and is available on our website.

• A series of management of stress awareness training sessions which have been attended by all our Directors, or they have committed to attend in the future.

• Workplace risk assessments which are undertaken and investigated. Staff are encouraged to report incidents including any allegations of harassment, bullying and violence. Management action is then taken if allegations are proven.

• Regular team meetings and annual staff appraisals which are held together with ongoing development activities and induction.

“All staff should have well-designed, rewarding and worthwhile jobs, with the freedom and confidence to act in the interest of patients.

To do this they need: to be trusted; actively listened to and treated with respect at work; to have the tools, training and support to deliver care; and to have opportunities to develop and progress.”

NHS expectations of staff These expectations show how staff should play their part in making the NHS successful.

You should strive to maintain the highest standards of care and service, taking responsibility not only for the care you personally provide, but also for your wider contribution to the aims of your team and the NHS as a whole.

You should strive to take up the training and development opportunities provided.

You should strive to play your part in improving services for patients, the public and communities.

You should strive to contribute to a climate where the truth can be heard and

“The highest quality of patient care is delivered by staff who are ambitious in their expectations of themselves and their colleagues, and strive to achieve beyond what is legally required of them.�

the reporting of, and learning from errors is encouraged.

You should strive to involve patients, their families and carers in the services that you provide.

Staff duties Staff also have existing legal duties summarised in the Constitution.

You have a duty to accept professional accountability, and to maintain the standards of professional practice as set by the appropriate regulatory body applicable to your profession or role.

You have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for you and others, and to co-operate with employers to make sure that compliance with health and safety requirements is achieved.

You have a duty to act in accordance with the express and implied terms of your contract of employment.

How will the NHS Constitution make a difference?

You have a duty not to discriminate against patients or staff and to adhere to equal opportunities and diversity legislation.

You have a duty to protect the confidentiality of personal information that you hold.

You have a duty to be honest and truthful in applying for a job.

For the Constitution to succeed in its aims, it needs to become part of everyday life in the NHS for patients, the public and staff. Achieving this will require leadership, partnership and sustained commitment over months and years, to raise awareness of the Constitution and weave it into the way the NHS works at all levels.

Publishing the Constitution is only the first step in the journey. Help us to make it the best step for all our interests.

A good read is therapy indeed

In today's busy world the powers of a good read should never be underestimated. There are those who believe that reading is a form of therapy, helping us through those difficult times in our lives. In other words....bibliotherapy.

Kirklees Libraries in West Yorkshire, pioneers of the first bibliotherapy scheme of its kind in the country nine years ago, will be sharing their years of experience using reading instead of medicine to help reduce stress, anxiety and depression. They will be holding a national conference 'Well into Words' at Huddersfield Town Hall on Thursday 7 May, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

The 'Well into Words' conference is the ideal occasion for those working in the fields of health, social care and library services to come together and find out more about bibliotherapy and receive advice on setting up their own bibliotherapy scheme in their areas. There will be the opportunity to take part in workshops, hear from bibliotherapists working in the field, their customers and how they have benefited from it, as well as other health professionals. Participants will be able to experience bibliotherapy for themselves.

During lunchtime there will be a self care fair where self care organisations will be on hand to promote the work they do and provide advice.

Almost ten years ago Kirklees Libraries pioneered the health benefits of bibliotherapy. Today their bibliotherapy scheme continues to go from strength to strength.

"After nearly ten years of leading the field in library based bibliotherapy it is really exciting to have this national conference here in Kirklees.

We've come a long way since it started in 2000 and hundreds of people have benefited. It promises to be a very stimulating day" commented Assistant Head of Culture and Leisure Services for Kirklees Council, Catherine Morris.

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What is your name?

Jayne Heley

What is your job title?

Kirklees Baby Friendly Initiative Coordinator / Health Improvement Practitioner Advanced - Public Health

What does your job involve?

Coordinating and working in partnership at a strategic and operational level on breastfeeding initiatives across Kirklees as part of the breastfeeding agenda and a Baby Friendly Initiative approach.

What are the best things about your job?

Variety is rich in my job and it is most enjoyable and rewarding to see a project through from beginning to end.

What are the worst things about your job?

Minor frustrations in changing society's attitudes towards breastfeeding.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Approachable, enthusiastic and resourceful.

What do you like doing in your spare time?

Chatting to family and friends and visiting York at regular intervals.

Dr Judith Hooper, Director of Public Health for NHS Kirklees and the Council commented: "Reading opens the world to all of us, much more so when we are limited by some form of distress or ill health. This guided discovery has proved so useful to many people in expanding their worlds that can be so limited by their disability or illness. I hope this can be a real celebration of joining forces between the NHS and councils in supporting such vulnerable people as we have managed here."

Working with a wide range of people living in Kirklees, the team of five bibliotherapists work with people suffering from mental illness including depression, stress and anxiety.

The Kirklees bibliotherapy scheme promotes reading as a mental health tool to engage the emotions, encourage

What is your pet hate?

Lack of respect - treat people how you would want to be treated.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Chocolate fondue with strawberries.

Where was your best holiday?

As a family we make a visit to the Lake District every year. We have enjoyed many thrills and adventures walking, boating and just having fun together.

If money was no object, what would you buy?

An island in the Mediterranean.

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

To ensure happiness reaches all every day.

conversation and social interaction with others, support creative thinking, stretch the imagination and provide an opportunity to forget cares and worries for a while.

Recognising the health benefits, NHS Kirklees have funded two more bibliotherapist posts for this year, boosting the scheme yet again, enabling more bibliotherapists to work in the Kirklees community. One post focuses on working with older people and the other with younger people.

For more information on the conference or for a copy of the application form contact Julie Walker, email: juliei.walker@kirklees.gov.uk or phone 01484 226364 or 07973152986.

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Focus on...

the Chief Executive’s Office In the heart of St Luke’s House sits the Chief Executive’s Office and three very busy ladies who keep the pulse of the organisation going. They do everything from running the diaries of the most senior people in the organisation, to organising meetings, pulling together reports, responding to complaints and queries and even mopping brows when the situation requires it. But one thing for sure is that they do it all with a smile on their faces and a joke on their lips. So for those of you who haven’t met them already, here’s a brief introduction to Jayne Conway, Diana Bray and Pauline Kershaw.

Jayne Conway – PA to the Chair (Rob Napier) and PEC Chair (David Anderson) I started working for the NHS 20 years ago and sat in this very office on my first day.

Back then I was a clerical officer and could never even imagine working for people as senior as I do today. The whole prospect would have filled me with dread. But with several different roles under my belt, a few organisational changes and some time off on maternity leave when I had my two children, I guess I’ve grown in confidence and maturity, so now the job is second nature.

My main responsibilities are managing the

diaries for Rob and David, dealing with any queries that come through to them, arranging their meetings, doing general secretarial work, taking minutes etc. I am the first point of contact for anybody wanting to get in touch with them or any of our six Non Executive Directors (NEDs). I also administer the monthly Commissioning College meetings in addition to the Professional Executive Committee (PEC). This includes booking external venues, taking and distributing minutes, and getting all the relevant

Diana Bray – PA to the Chief Executive (Mike Potts) Compared to Jayne, I’m almost a newcomer to the NHS! I’ve worked for the NHS for ten years and have also seen a couple of big organisational changes. My work always keeps me on my toes but as long as you keep your spirits up and a smile on your face, I find that you can get through most things.

I work as the PA to the Chief Executive which can involve a whole range of things, from trying to pull a last minute lunch together to looking after visiting MPs. But mostly, I’m responsible for managing Mike’s diary. Obviously he’s a very busy man and it’s a full time job trying to maximise the use of his time, getting him from place to place, and making sure he knows (and maybe more importantly, we know) what he’s doing and when. It’s a case of squeezing 15 hours into 7½ most days. Although Pauline and I work very closely together, my role is slightly different, and people often get our roles confused, which can complicate matters at the best of times. I suppose the best way to put it is that I help to plan Mike’s life and Pauline helps him get on with it! papers ready to send out to all who’re involved with the Commissioning College (around 58 members). It can be a tough challenge, especially when you only work part time. Although we always seem to be working to tight deadlines, we still manage to have a laugh, therefore, nothing ever seems like too much of a chore.

I honestly don’t think I’d like to work anywhere else - I love working for the NHS.

Pauline Kershaw – Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive (Mike Potts) I’ve worked for the NHS for 16 years and it’ll be two years in August since I started working in the Chief Executive’s office. I remember it well because I think that was my first case of shell shock! Diana was off on holiday and suffered quite a serious heart attack whilst she was away. I came back from leave and instead of working my notice in HR, was literally thrown into the deep end – talk about sink or swim!

Diana needed to be off for quite a while so not only did I have to try and get to grips with my new job, I also had to cover Diana’s day to day work, in a hectic office, whilst feeling very much the “new girl”.

In some ways, this wasn’t the easiest of inductions, but it did enable me to very quickly get a feel for life in a Chief Executive’s office and the “new girl” feeling is very much part of the long and distant past.

Following Diana’s return and Jayne’s return from maternity leave, we have now worked together for 18 months. We work well as a team and we honestly get on really well together. No matter what the day throws at us, we always have time for a laugh – it gets us through some days!

As Mike’s Executive Assistant, I’m responsible for pulling together

information and briefs for meetings, reports etc, making sure any complaints or queries are responded to and channelled correctly. I also arrange and minute the weekly Senior Management Team meetings, cover the actions from the Board meetings and if we have any VIP visitors, then it’s probably me that dusts down the red carpet!

I can honestly say there is never a dull moment working in room “101” and I thoroughly enjoy day to day life both with Diana and Jayne and the whole management team - it’s always easy to smile at NHS Kirklees!

Jayne Conway – 01484 466133 – jayne.conway@kirklees.nhs.uk (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday) Diana Bray – 01484 466040 - diana.bray@kirklees.nhs.uk Pauline Kershaw – 01484 466013 - pauline.kershaw@kirklees.nhs.uk

Kirklees Community Healthcare Services

Cash not ash

Make a choice – value your voice

Our stop smoking team members were busy on National No Smoking Day offering support to people who want to quit for health, and in this credit crunch, financial reasons.

Specialist stop smoking advisors were aboard the stop smoking bus in Dewsbury market place explaining about the various therapies available, offering free carbon monoxide tests and advising on the confidential, expert support sessions they offer either in group drop-in or one to one sessions across Kirklees.

Their colleagues spent the day at the Packhorse Shopping Centre, Huddersfield, where they teamed up with the shops to highlight the vast numbers of chemicals present in cigarettes. Shop windows displayed a giant pound coin bearing the name of a chemical and shoppers had to record all the chemical names to enter a stop smoking service competition for prizes donated by the businesses.

A few days earlier specialist stop smoking advisors targeted the crowds at the Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield, with their support to quit messages. This complemented the service’s advertisments which will be carried on the Stadium’s electronic scoreboard at around 60 home games in this and the next Huddersfield Town and Huddersfield Giants seasons.

update 13

Our adult speech and language therapists celebrated World Voice Day on 16 April by encouraging the public to “make a choice, value your voice”. They held a drop-in information and advice session at Dewsbury Health Centre on the day.

Specialist Stop Sm oking Advisor Joy Thomas and “the enemy” at the Galpharm St adium.

World Voice Day began in Brazil before spreading world-wide. Our therapists believe that most people take their voices for granted and only think about it when something goes wrong. People who use their voices all day every day e.g. teachers, call centre workers, fitness instructors, are particularly vulnerable to voice problems.

Dr Andrea Dew, one of the team, said: ”Some people may have a hoarse or croaky voice; others may find their voice wearing out by the end of the day. These are classic signs that they need help.

ft) and Amina Rebecca Elliott (le ecialist Stop Sp , m Hans-Ada s in Dewsbury.

Smoking Advisor

Gwen bows out after 40 years

“We find people have one of two reactions to voice problems – “oh it’s just a cold and it will get better” or “is it cancer?” In reality for most people it’s neither and we can help. We want them to go to their GP and ask to be referred to our service.”

The drop-in was a great success with local people and others from further afield calling in for advice. There was plenty of written information to take away and interesting snippets to pick up such as which international singers have voice nodules!

The therapists are happy to offer information about their service to colleagues telephoning 01924 816058 or emailing lynne.bagot@kirkleeschs.nhs. uk

Health visitor Gwen Bachelor Gwen Bachelor (centr has called it a day after 40 e) and her colleagues. years of dedicated service to the NHS. After such length of service it was naturally with mixed feelings that she left Batley Health Centre for the last time at the end of March.

Gwen, who lives in Batley, says she has been very happy in her various NHS roles over the years and has worked with and made friends with some lovely people.

Starting out as a cadet nurse, she went on to complete her training at the Dewsbury School of Nursing. She worked as a registered sick children’s nurse in midwifery and theatres before switching to health visiting in and around the Batley area.

No doubt before long she won’t know how she had time to work as she looks after her four dogs and two parrots and fully indulges her love of amateur dramatics. There will be even more to do when her son and daughter are both home from university.

Even a speech and language therapist can need help sometimes with her voice! Janet Isaacs (left) who is based with the paediatric team at Dewsbury Health Centre, seeks advice from Louise Kelly, Speech and Language Therapy Assistant and her assistant, “Larry the Larynx”.

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Kirklees Community Healthcare Services ESCAPED...

update

Have you spotted measles

Highly contagious. If spotted

and the gang?

avoid!

and other vaccines.

Protect your child with the MMR www.kirklees.nhs.uk Available here today.

MMR on the bus...again!

Our Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) immunisation team are getting on the bus again to encourage parents to have their children protected against these vicious illnesses.

Their campaign includes advertising on the back of buses in North Kirklees and now they’re actually boarding a bus – the stop smoking bus to be precise - to help get their message across.

Monica Plested (second left) with (left to right) Joanne Keeling, District Nurse Team Leader of Evenings at Mill Hill Community Health Centre (who made and iced the narrow boat cake), Tina Quinn, Assistant Director of KCHS and Janet Tinsley, District Nurse Team Leader of Evenings at HVMH.

Farewell…for now!

Past and present colleagues flocked to Holme Valley Memorial Hospital (HVMH) recently to wish Monica Plested a happy retirement. But none were surprised to learn that it was only “farewell for now” as Monica has signed on with the nurse bank and will return.

She first went to the Holmfirth Hospital as a child with her Honley GP father who was visiting patients there. One of her sisters was born there and her appendix was taken out there when she was 13.

She joined the bank and then the evening nursing service at HVMH in the 1990s, later becoming night sister.

So it was entirely appropriate that her retirement celebration – after 35 years of NHS service – was held there. Tina Quinn, Assistant Director of Kirklees Community Healthcare Services, outlined Monica’s career path, from training at Westminster Hospital to nurse tutor in Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester and Huddersfield and her arrival at HVMH. When the two Huddersfield PCTs merged in 2004 she moved to manage the out of hours nursing team and finally, 18 months ago, she managed the long term conditions team, reporting to Tina.

Tina said: “I have enjoyed working with Monica. She has worked vey hard to get the long term conditions teams to where they are today. We all wish her well in retirement and hope she enjoys every minute of every day. I suspect though that this may not be the last we have seen of her!”

Monica revealed that she had planned a farming career and had a place at agricultural college before taking up nursing…whilst she decided exactly what she was going to do!

Looking back over her NHS years she said: “I’ve enjoyed so much. Theatre, palliative care, legal issues and my experiences here, including becoming an NHS manager, something I vowed I would never be!

Thank you to everyone who has taught, assisted and supported me over the years.”

Monica will be busy in the days to come, training for the Great North Run, when she will raise money for the RNLI. She also enjoys gardening, walking, visiting friends and is contemplating the idea of buying a narrow boat with her husband.

Congratulations to…

Our congratulations go to Finance Manager Helen Rees who gave birth to a baby girl on 24th March. Harriet Lucy weighed in at a healthy 7lbs and 15oz. Well done Helen and enjoy your little bundle.

They’re teaming up with the Kirklees Stop Smoking Service on the bus at Asda car park in Dewsbury on Wednesday 29 April to offer information and advice.

Who do we need to target?

A recent study by researchers at the University College London’s Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children found that children who had not received any MMR vaccine were more likely to come from a large family. Their mother was also more likely to smoke and be either under the age of 20 years or older than 34 years when she gave birth.

Update on Denise Royal College of Nursing Chief Executive and General Secretary, Peter Carter, made a special trip to Bury in Greater Manchester recently to mark the official launch of Community Services Bury, the new arms length provider at NHS Bury. Denise Boyd, formerly Deputy Director of Kirklees Community Healthcare Services and now Director of the new organisation, welcomed the official guest and invited him to cut a celebratory cake.

15

Fresh support for laryngectomees in Dewsbury A new support group has been set up for people who have gone through the life changing event of having a laryngectomy.

The group, whose first meeting was held at Dewsbury and District Hospital in December, will meet every six months to share experiences and offer advice to one another.

At the meeting, members of the group discussed the feelings of isolation that can be experienced as a result of having a laryngectomy, particularly in the early days after their operation, but also in the longer term. The emphasis of this group is on creating feelings of inclusion as well as community amongst local laryngectomees.

The major aim of the group is for patients to be able to socialise with like-minded individuals as well as to be able to discuss issues surrounding laryngectomy and share advice and tips. Another item raised was the creation of a contact list of laryngectomees in the area to enable them to get in contact with each other in case of an emergency, to ask questions, or to simply have a chat with somebody who really understands their situation. In this way, friendships are built and feelings of anxiety for new patients can be allayed.

The new group agreed that many forms of cancer are well publicised, but felt this was not necessarily the case for head and neck cancers and were keen to raise awareness of the symptoms, particularly because it is known that early diagnosis can lead to better outcomes. Patients thought that if information could be publicised in health care settings, new patients, family and friends could find out what to expect and to discover that there is ‘life after laryngectomy’.

Lunch was provided by Countrywide Supplies (a specialist next-day home delivery supplier of laryngectomy products). Joanna Knight, a representative

Movers and shakers Starters • Hayley Senior, Bank Community Nurse • Lisa Brooke, Community Staff Nurse, Valleys Locality Relief • Jacqueline Hill, Community Staff Nurse, Elmwood • Julie Williams, Bank Nurse

of the company, joined the group to showcase new products and advances- a vital service for patients both old and new, who may now be able to take advantage of new products. Patients were then able to share their thoughts about the products and their preferences, thus providing new ideas for each other as well as being a direct form of feedback for the supplier.

Future meetings will also feature a speaker, to be decided jointly by group members and therapists.

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Andrea Dew, said: “The feel of the group is informal and friendly, with members made up of both experienced laryngectomees and newer patients who want to find out more. Be it friendship, peace of mind or advice that is sought, all needs can be met and all are welcome.

Our therapists and assistants take pride in the service offered and in the future we hope that our fledgling group will blossom into an integral part of the local laryngectomee community”.

• Theresa Cox, Equipment/Clerical Officer • Kirsty Aimbrick, Bank Admin Assistant • Rebecca Robinson, Business & Admin Support

Leavers • Kashif Ahmed, Katrina Devall, Sarah Goode, Elaine Goldring

What is a laryngectomy?

Having a laryngectomy operation involves total removal of the larynx (voice box) and often other surrounding structures as well. This is a life changing event. Not only are people facing a diagnosis of cancer, but they are also not able to use speech as they used to. There are a number of ways of achieving a new voice: • a speech valve which is inserted by a surgeon into the neck between the oesophagus and trachea • using an Electrolarynx which produces electronic sound which can then be shaped by the lips and tongue into speech • learning oesophageal speech, a method which involves taking air into the back of the throat and then bringing it back into the mouth where once more it can be shaped by the lips and tongue into intelligible speech To help people learn the new speaking techniques and adjust to their post operative condition, patients receive therapy and support from Dr Andrea Dew, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist and Helen Chadwick, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Laryngectomy and Tracheostomy.

Oops...please accept our apologies!

Last month we featured an article congratulating three staff members on being shortlisted for a national Queen’s Nursing Institute Award.

Unfortunately we mixed up with just about everyone’s job title. So our apologies are offered to...let’s hope we get it right this time...Community Matron, Ann Brady, Paediatric Respiratory Sister, Marilyn Krauz and Stop Smoking Advisor, Rebecca Elliot.

A smoke free homes worker has yet to be appointed. Find out if they were successful in the next issue of Talk About.

Securing the emotional wellbeing of all our children More than 100 representatives of services aimed at children and young people got together last month to discuss how best to make sure that this important group have the chance to grow up happy and emotionally secure. The event took place at Briar Court in Huddersfield and involved representatives from local children’s centres, schools, colleges, health services, voluntary organisations and community groups - to name but a few. It was arranged by NHS Kirklees and aimed to encourage joint ownership of the emotional wellbeing and mental health strategy, as well as developing an action plan to implement the priorities it contains.

The emotional wellbeing and mental health strategy includes ten local and national priorities which aim to deliver high quality services for all children and young people from birth to 18. The priorities focus on making sure that services are accessible and delivered close to home, as well as identifying the different needs of individual groups such as those in their late teens and those from black and minority ethnic groups.

Clinical Development Manager for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Debi Hemingway, said: “The emotional wellbeing of children is massively important. They are our future and it is our duty to make sure that they have the best quality services available to help them grow in to well rounded and emotionally secure individuals. A child’s emotional wellbeing can affect everything including their educational achievement, their ability to forge successful relationships, and their susceptibility to engage in unhealthy behaviour such as overeating, excessive drinking and drug

taking. We designed this event to engage all the people who might come together to help deliver the emotional wellbeing and mental health strategy, as the best outcomes for children and young people are derived from working together, to make sure that the emotional wellbeing of our future generations is everybody’s business.”

The event, held on 26 March, was opened by the Chairman of NHS Kirklees, Rob Napier, and started with an engaging talk

by Dr Judith Hooper, Director of Public Health for NHS Kirklees and Kirklees Council. She referred to the soon to be published Joint Strategic Needs Assessment which incorporates the ongoing importance of catering adequately for the emotional and mental health needs of the youth population in Kirklees. This was followed by a discussion about the role of the emotional health and wellbeing partnership board as well as joint commissioning, before attendees split off in to relevant working groups to suggest how best to go forward with a collaborative action plan to deliver appropriate support.

The suggestions from this event are now being collated before an action plan for the next three years is drafted. This will dictate what services need to be commissioned to deliver on the overall aims of the emotional wellbeing and mental health strategy. It will outline where money needs to be spent and will be reviewed each year.

Debi Hemingway, added: “The whole event was very successful with everybody working hard to suggest innovative and workable solutions. It was great to get all stakeholders involved and buying in to the

Get involved

Remember, this is your newsletter and we’d like everyone to be involved.

So, if you have anything you’d like to share please send it to: Communications team, St Luke’s House, Blackmoorfoot Road, Crosland Moor, Huddersfield HD4 5RH 01484 466044/466223 or email communications@kirklees.nhs.uk Deadline for articles for next issue 8 May

strategy from the very start, with the collaborative working style creating a real buzz. There was overwhelming support for developing a one stop shop for children and young people in the area, to enable them to seek emotional, sexual, and housing advice without having to go via several different agencies. We will now look in to the feasibility of this and will endeavour to include all reasonable suggestions in our forthcoming action plan.”

As well as involving over 100 children’s experts from a variety of sectors, the event was also attended by local sixth form students from Greenhead College and New College in Huddersfield. They contributed their ideas on what services they would find useful and suggested how best to engage with young people in the Kirklees locality.

In the news The following media releases have been issued in the last month: • Make a choice: value your voice • ‘Spring into action’ to find out more about mental health services in Kirklees • One number does it all • Project celebrates five years of success in Newsome • Find out more about diabetes – a serious condition for you and your family • New purpose-built dental practice opens in Holmfirth • Lucky student wins Wii Fit in lifestyle competition • Students encouraged to make ‘Change4Life pledge at Mirfield Free Grammar and Sixth Form • ‘Healthy Ambitions’ are being delivered in Kirklees • Cash not ash in Dewsbury • Cash not ash for National No Smoking Day If you would like to read any of the media releases in full please go to the news section of our website: www.kirklees.nhs.uk or contact the communications team on 01484 466223 for more information.