April - May 2022
InTouch
Emma Willis - Delivering Babies to return This is Us Week Awards for our people
Foreword 2
Welcome to InTouch magazine
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Emma Willis: Delivering Babies to return
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Staff Survey
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This is Us Week
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New hospital update
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New hospital update (continued)
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Everything equality, diversity and inclusion...
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Our pledge of support to tackle racism Our Learning and Education Centre
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The Alex Lounge one month on...
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Charity update
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Charity update (continued)
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Charity update (continued)
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Dedicated nurse receives award Pets as Therapy Cyber security team award Dying Matters Awareness Week Bowel Cancer Awareness Month CQC update
Welcome to InTouch magazine – your insight into the latest news and updates from across PAHT. Firstly, thank you to all of you who took the time to complete the Staff Survey. We are committed to taking action to improve your experience – please work together with us to make a difference, with more details about how to get involved on p.4. We are pleased to share that TV presenter Emma Willis will be returning to our hospital to film the hit series Delivering Babies this month (May) – you can read more on p.3. You can also find out the latest about This is Us Week – our brand new engagement event for all of you, on p.5. This edition includes an update on our Learning and Education Centre, part of our commitment to support the development and health and wellbeing of our people. You can read about our focus on equality, diversity and inclusion on p.8; some fantastic awards for our people on p.14 and p.15; and our latest wellbeing tips on p.20. This magazine is for and about you, our #PAHTPeople – please contact the communications team if you would like to see your team featured, at paht.communications@ nhs.net. I hope you enjoy the read. Lance McCarthy Chief executive
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Our patients said...
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Divisional update
20 Wise about wellbeing... 21 #PAHTPeople 2
Welcoming TV presenter Emma Willis back to the frontline for hit series We are set to welcome TV presenter Emma Willis back to our maternity unit for the hit series Delivering Babies. Emma will return to her role as a maternity care assistant (MCA) this month (May), rejoining the team after two challenging years as they managed the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the third series, as well as working on the unit, Emma will experience working in the community with home births, and she will learn more about one of the most difficult aspects of the care the team provide – supporting expectant mothers and families who lose their babies. Emma Willis said: "I am so excited to be back. I can’t believe how long it’s been since I worked a shift with the wonderful team at PAHT. The staff are still very much on the frontline and, although life is starting to feel normal for us, I’m sure there will still be lots of challenges for us to work around whilst filming on the busy maternity unit.” Giuseppe Labriola, director of midwifery, said: “We are delighted to welcome Emma back to the team. “We look forward to Emma joining us again as we support
families through such a special time in their lives.” Sharon McNally, director of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, added: “It is fantastic that Emma is returning to our hospital. “Our maternity team are all excited to support her on shift and show a slice of life at PAHT.”
Emma Willis: Delivering Babies in 2020 being named as the Best Lockdown Programme in that category at last year’s ceremony. Emma Willis: Delivering Babies will return to W later this year. Please note that the photo was taken for a previous series, preceding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Series 1 of Emma Willis: Delivering Babies saw Emma train for three months to become a maternity care assistant in the busy maternity unit at The Princess Alexandra Hospital. In series 2, Emma returned to our hospital and successfully completed her training as a fully-qualified maternity care assistant. The hit series has been awarded the Broadcast Digital Award for Best Popular Factual for three years running, with 3
Message from Lance – Staff Survey outcomes your experience of working at PAHT.
On 30 March, the outcomes and results of the national NHS Staff Survey were published.
How are we, together, going to make a difference to the way you have told us you feel?
Firstly, thank you to all of you who took the time to complete the survey and for your honesty. Whilst it is good to see that you have rated us as better than the national average on some responses, overall, the outcomes are not good and make difficult reading for us all.
our focus on recovery and the huge pressure on our services continue. I thank you all for your hard work and continued focus on patient care.
Sadly, our ratings continue to be low and this extends to before the COVID-19 pandemic. I am absolutely clear about how tough the last two years have been and that the pressures of managing the ongoing impact of COVID-19,
In response to your ratings from previous staff survey results, we have put in place many improvements. However, this is not enough. It is important to me that you all feel good about the valuable work you each do and positive about
This is our time to work collaboratively and to unite to make PAHT a place where people want to work. This won’t be easy. To make a difference will need us all to work together. We will be giving you opportunities to share your suggestions and to be part of making them a reality. I know how passionate you are about making it right for our patients – let’s make it right for our people too.
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We have been holding workshops across all divisions to share and discuss the survey feedback with managers Management teams are currently developing detailed improvement plans to act on the survey findings Results roadshows will be run across all divisions to give everyone the opportunity to hear about the results, and offer feedback on the improvement plans Implementation of the improvement plans will be an important focus and reviewed monthly In the meantime, please contact paht.odpartners@ nhs.net for more information about how you can get involved 4
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This is Us Week: Celebrating, recognising and developing our people It is just two months to go until our brand new annual event, This is Us Week, begins. This is Us Week promises to be a spectacular event with an exciting mix of sessions and activities to recognise, celebrate and develop our amazing PAHT people. Open to all, the event will take place over six days from 27 June until 2 July, with sessions at the Learning and Education Centre at The Princess Alexandra Hospital, Herts and Essex and St Margaret’s Hospitals and Kao Park. If you are a manager, please start to plan how you can release your teams to ensure that they have an opportunity to join the sessions and activities. Many of our events are drop in sessions, or are designed around 30 minute slots, to enable as many of our people to join as possible. We continue to add to our exciting mix of sessions and activities, however you can take a look at what we have in store so far (right)… Note: Please visit the This is Us Week AlexNet page for the latest updates and confirmed timetable of events > Please keep look out for more information coming soon and if you have any further queries, please contact paht.learningod@nhs.net.
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New hospital update will go to the Treasury to secure the money for the new hospitals. The PBC will ensure the benefits of operating as a national programme are maximised going forward and once approved, we will be able to continue We thought we would explain with the development the reasons behind these shifts in timings and provide an of our own outline business case for update on where we are now. the new Princess Alexandra Hospital. For the last couple of years, we have been working towards a new hospital opening date in We are working early 2026. However, following really closely with the national team and the appointment of the they have repeatedly national team overseeing the reassured us that we New Hospital Programme in Summer 2021, our completion will receive funding for our new hospital. We date has been pushed back. are confident it will be The New Hospital Programme built. you may remember, is a We are still ready to go government-backed multiThese national changes have, billion pound programme to inevitably, resulted in a delay deliver 48 hospitals by 2030. to our original completion deadline. And realistically, Why the delay? 2028 is the earliest we might The national team have realised there are even greater now hope to deliver the new hospital. benefits for staff and patients by joining up common aspects However, the good news is of all the new hospital builds. that an incredible amount of Looking at a shared approach progress has been achieved on the case for a new Princess to design, the procurement of Alexandra Hospital, despite contractors, and how we can the ongoing pressures of all best use modern methods COVID-19, and we are ready of construction will mean to go once the PBC has been the new hospitals can be approved. built faster, better and more efficiently. y Our clinical model is agreed with system partners The national team are currently writing a Programme y New ways of working are already underway Business Case (PBC) which Many of you may have spotted news about delays to our new hospital programme in the local and national press. You might have read that the new hospital will now not be completed until at least 2028, possibly even later.
y 1:200s design drawings have been signed off by our clinicians y Our strategies are in place for digital, net zero carbon, procurement, facilities management and more y Planning Performance Agreement is agreed with the local authority y Preparation for the outline planning submission is in progress y Our outline business case is 60% drafted We have also had project funding confirmed for 2022/23, which will keep our core new hospital team in place and moving forward with our plans.
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What happens next? A huge amount of exciting work is continuing across PAHT right now to deliver our transformation agenda, of which the new hospital is just one part.
Major projects are underway in digital health including the introduction of a new electronic health record, as well as significant developments in the rollout of our new models of care.
You can read more about our transformation plans in our PAHT 2030 strategy.
How can you help?
We are aware of the need to make sure all our various stakeholders – both our people and external – are kept up to speed with our plans. If you are asked about what is happening with the new hospital, please use the information provided here as your guide. Alternatively you can direct any questions to the new hospital team on paht.newhospital@nhs.net. Thank you for your patience whilst we wait for further news on our new hospital and for your ongoing support in transforming the way we provide care. As soon as we are able to provide a further update we promise to do so. Images: Artist's impressions of the new hospital. Best wishes Michael Meredith Director of strategy and estates
Transport and travel survey How we travel to and from PAHT every day plays a big part in our mission to create a greener hospital. As part of our Green Plan, we need to understand how all of our people travel to and from work now and before the pandemic. Please complete our short travel survey about your work journey. To take part in the survey, simply scan the QR code (right) using your smartphone camera, or click on the link on the AlexNet homepage (available from 9 May). 7
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Everything equality, diversity and inclusion... National Day for Staff Networks "It is National Day for Staff Networks on Wednesday, 11 May. The theme for 2022 is #ViableVisibleVoices. "To meet our aim of being one of the most inclusive employers in the UK, we need to make sure that everyone feels that their voice is heard, and that they have a safe space in which they can air any concerns or worries. Our networks are a key part of that. "Our staff networks often shape ideas and deliver them in partnership with teams across PAHT. The recent requirement for making sure that interview panels for band 8+ posts have an inclusion champion and a diverse mix of people on them was developed with the Race Equality and Cultural Heritage (REACH) Staff Network, for example. Also, our work to ensure that PAHT is a disability inclusive employer will be given a boost by the brilliant work that the newly established Disability and Wellbeing Network (DAWN) is carrying out. "We have three networks catering to different groups and interests. So, if you aren’t part of one, it might just be worth trying it out. All of our staff networks are open to everyone, and all of our network events are for everyone, not just those who identify in a particular way. Networks at PAHT: y Race Equality and Cultural Heritage Staff Network y Disability and Wellbeing Network y LGBT+ staff network "A huge thank you to all of the volunteers who keep our networks running. If you are interested in joining any of the networks, please contact paht.equalityandinclusion@nhs.net."
Monika Kalyan, head of equality, diversity and inclusion 8
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Our pledge of support to tackle racism We have become the first NHS Daphne Lewis, UNISON hospital in Essex to sign up to eastern regional organiser said: “This a new anti-racism charter. charter means PAHT is making a firm We signed the anti-racism commitment to tackling charter, developed by trade union representative UNISON, discrimination in all its forms. at a special ceremony at the Alex Lounge on 23 March. “This will not only improve It commits us to a range of the experiences of black pledges designed to prevent staff, but lead to fairer racial bias. and better workplaces, helping improve the The charter includes quality of services for the championing a racially people of Harlow.” diverse workforce, having a clear programme of antiLance McCarthy, chief racist initiatives and providing executive, said: “We’re equality and inclusion training delighted to be working in sessions for all of our people. partnership with UNISON and We will also report on ethnicity signing up to their anti-racism charter. At PAHT, we are pay gaps and monitor extremely passionate about disciplinary processes to equality ensure that all outcomes are fair.
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and inclusion for all of our people and the charter is a big step to ensuring that all of our colleagues feel that they belong. “A huge thank you to UNISON for introducing this initiative that will help to bring change and support many of our people.”
Our new Learning and Education Centre Our new Learning and Education Centre opened on Monday 4 April. Open to all, the bright and modern facility consists of a new library, lecture theatre, training rooms, a clinical skills room, a resuscitation training room, a simulation suite, IT training room, and a manual handling training room. The centre is adjacent to The Princess Alexandra Hospital main entrance.
light refreshments of canapes and mocktails. You can read more about our new facility, how to book a training room and your questions answered information, on AlexNet. director, cut the ribbon (above), and was joined by Hattie Llewelyn-Davies, chair, and Lance McCarthy, chief executive, who gave an opening speech.
There was an opportunity to The official opening event meet with colleagues and took place on Friday (29 April) join tours showcasing the at 2pm, with a ribbon cutting centre. Attendees enjoyed ceremony. Fay Gilder, medical
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The Alex Lounge one month on... Our fantastic new space for our people, the Alex Lounge, opened in March. The Alex Lounge, next to the Alexandra restaurant (location A21) at The Princess Alexandra Hospital, is a hub for you to meet colleagues and relax together, to take some time out for yourself, or to join one of the health and wellbeing sessions. Open to all and free of charge, the space is a bright, modern area and has been funded in response to your feedback about how important a new staff area is to support your health and wellbeing. We have caught up with colleagues to ask for their views since the official opening:
"The Alex Lounge is a perfect place for people to regain their strength from the hustle and bustle of the workplace. "It has charging ports, which are very beneficial if you happen to be working in silence whilst being there. "For me, the best part are the chairs that look like they could hug you when you think of having seat on one of them." - Paul Gonzales, infection prevention and control associates team leader "I have utilised the lounge for an informal meeting with other departments and outside agencies. "It was very comfortable, inviting, calming and accessible, whilst remaining professional." - Cassie Burke, paediatric emergency department sister “The lounge is a great place to spend your break with colleagues. It feels welcoming and accessible, even on the weekends.” - Janice Bernardo, frailty lead practitioner
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Charity update... The Liver Ball It's time to put on your dancing shoes and help to raise funds to support early diagnosis of liver disease for our patients. The Liver Ball, organised by the gastroenterology department, promises to be a spectacular black tie occasion with a three-course dining experience, disco, and 'mocktail' reception, together with a range of raffle prizes to be won. It will be held at The Manor of Groves Hotel, Sawbridgeworth, (CM21 0JU) on Saturday 21 May. The fantastic prizes include an overnight stay at The Manor of Groves Hotel with dinner and breakfast,
The Princess Alexandra Hospital Charity Registered Charity Number: 1054745
photographs signed by players from Arsenal football club, a pair of football boots signed by Paul Gascoigne, former English professional football player, a second pair of football boots signed by Dele Alli, professional footballer for Premier League club Everton and the England national team, a Rolex golf jumper and golfing day, tickets to a Tottenham Hotspur football game, a Benefit Cosmetics gift set and so much more. The appeal has been led by Dr Deb Ghosh, consultant gastroenterologist, to raise £80,000 for a specialist piece of equipment called a fibroscanner.
The fibroscanner would enable a fast, painless and non-invasive examination of the patient's liver, helping clinicians to detect liver disease and related conditions quickly at the bedside. Information: The event will run from 7pm1am. To book tickets, which cost £60 per person, please contact c.mcclements@nhs.net or call 01279 82 7006.
Top tips • Are you thinking of holding a charity event for us? Please get in touch beforehand to discuss how we may be able to support you. Remember that our people are only permitted to hold charity events for our own charity on site. • Donations don’t always have to be money, and we have recently benefited from gifts of toys and laptops. Please let us know if you think you can help. • Do you know someone who would like to volunteer to support us? Even better if they have fundraising experience – let us know. • We are looking for the opportunity to work with some local businesses. Does a friend or family member work at a local company who are looking for their next charity to support? • The simplest way to now make a donation to the charity is by using the donate button on our website rather than going to JustGiving directly, as this means we receive 100% of the donation. 11
Easter surprise for hospital with special delivery from train company Our patients were treated to a special Easter delivery from train company, Greater Anglia. Thanks to an initiative organised by generous Greater Anglia employee Michael King, relief ticket office clerk at Sawbridgeworth and Stansted Mountfitchet stations, the company delivered more than 250 Easter eggs to The Princess Alexandra Hospital on 13 April. In March, Michael organised an appeal for commuters to donate Easter eggs at Bishop’s Stortford, Harlow Town, Stansted Airport, Stansted Mountfitchet, and Sawbridgeworth train stations. They donated more than 450 Easter eggs and treats, which have also been given to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, as well as over £150 to buy activity kits such as colouring books and pens. Michael delivered 255 eggs to The Princess Alexandra Hospital, which were enjoyed by children on Dolphin Ward
and the children’s emergency department (ED). The eggs were also shared with patients with dementia, and staff enjoyed a hamper of Easter treats.
Helen Weaving, ward manager, Dolphin Ward, (pictured, fourth from the left) said: “A huge thank you to everyone involved for thinking of us. It was wonderful to be able to share donations with the children who are on our wards and in our emergency department and put smiles on their faces. It meant a lot to the children and their families. Thank you so much.”
Gary Taylor, head of charity at The Princess Alexandra Hospital Charity, said: “A big Michael said: “I first did this thank you to Michael, the in 2020, and we only had staff at Greater Anglia, and 120 eggs donated then. I everybody who donated for didn’t think that we would get anywhere as many as we have. such a great cause. Receiving something as simple as an I’m blown away by it. It was a Easter egg while admitted to case of doing something nice hospital can help to make our for the hospital, especially the hamper, to say thanks for what patients feel more positive they’ve done over the past two during what could be a challenging time for both the years. patient and their families, and we are incredibly grateful for “I’m proud of what has been this very generous donation.” achieved over the past six weeks, our staff and customers have helped out massively. I’d Photo: The Greater Anglia like to say a huge thank you to team donating the Easter eggs to the Dolphin Ward team at everybody.” PAHT.
Mum thanks hospital for son's care with special gift A mum has thanked our hospital for the care of her son over the years with a special gift for other children. Melanie, from Hertfordshire, kindly donated a selection of toys for the children’s ward and chocolates for the team. She was inspired to donate after her son’s stays on Dolphin Ward.
She said: “My son Ciaran has a history of breathing problems from when he was just six months old. We have had to take him to PAHT many times over the last few years. We were at the hospital so frequently that we got to know most of the nurses by name. It’s really hard as a parent to see your child suffering and when you are staying on a children’s ward or in the children’s A&E for 12
days at a time, it can be quite traumatic to hear other children in pain and suffering. The staff at PAHT are amazing and we have always had the best care whenever my son has needed treatment. We have had to stay with my son on Dolphin Ward on many occasions, sometimes for three to four days at a time, and having a place that the kids can go to play is invaluable when you are unable to leave the ward. We’ve always found it so lovely how the kids play together
with others staying on the ward and make friends during their stay. As a thank you to the sterling work carried out by the staff in the children’s A&E and Dolphin Ward, we donated a bag of brand-new unused toys for the play room on the ward and a box of chocolates for the ward staff. It has been such a tough couple of years for frontline health workers during COVID-19, so we wanted to give something back in gratitude for the wonderful care."
Fundraiser boosts fantastic total with spectacular event to support patients with cancer
publicising the evening and supporting us throughout.”
A generous fundraiser has boosted the fantastic total he has raised to support patients with cancer at PAHT with a spectacular event.
Graham Norcott, 63, from Harlow (pictured, with the Williams Day Unit team) held a black-tie event to raise money for the Williams Day Unit (WDU) at the Novotel in Stansted on 26 March. More than 120 guests were treated to a three-course meal, live music from local singers, an Adele tribute act, and a magician who kept guests entertained. He raised over £8,500 through this event for the WDU team, who diagnose, treat and support people with cancer. Graham, a committed supporter of the hospital charity, has held annual fundraising events since 2012, raising more than £58,000 in total. This was the first event for over a year, after a pause due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Graham said: “I’ve regularly fundraised for the WDU, because I want to help the people that work there as they are just fantastic, and I’ve always wanted to support the important work that they do, however I can. “I invited nurses from PAHT to show my support and thanks for all of the great work that I saw when I worked at PAHT as a clerical worker before I retired and also when my family or I have needed their services. A big thank you to all of my family and friends, for helping me to organise this event and making it successful, and also to Harlow MP, Robert Halfon, for
Gary Taylor, head of charity at The Princess Alexandra Hospital Charity, said: “Well done to Graham and his family for arranging this amazing night in support of our Williams Day Unit. Graham has gone above and beyond for The Princess Alexandra Hospital Charity, and the incredible donations that he has secured over the last 10 years have been an amazing help. Graham’s donations will help with the health and wellbeing of our patients with cancer and offer haircare support, where they will receive expert advice and support on hair loss and hair loss prevention, and also offer hand and feet massage therapy while our patients are receiving treatment on site. “Graham’s recent donation will help to pay for these services for the next two years. We are incredibly grateful for his contribution.” 13
Dedicated nurse receives prestigious award A dedicated nurse has been awarded a prestigious High Sheriff’s Award in recognition of the valuable contribution she has made to our hospital and patients living with dementia.
“Thank you to Harlow Council and the High Sheriff’s team for this award, it means so much. We look forward to working together to further improve the experience of our patients.”
The High Sheriff's Awards are designed to reward the volunteers, charities, organisations and community groups in Essex who devote their time and energy to improve the communities in which they live and work.
the Chair of Harlow Council’s chosen charities of the year.
Councillor Clive Souter, chair of Harlow Council, said: “I’m so proud to see Caroline recognised for the extremely valuable work in providing high quality care and experiences for people living with dementia.
Caroline Ashton-Gough, dementia clinical nurse specialist, said: “I was honoured to attend the Harlow Council annual dinner, representing PAHT as one of
“To my surprise, I received a High Sheriff’s Award in recognition for the care that we provide for our patients living with dementia and helping to improve their quality of life.
“We will continue to support fundraising efforts for dementia care at PAHT until the end of my term in May, to help raise much-needed funding for this important work.”
Furry friends bring smiles and joy to patients at local hospital We are working in partnership with Pets as Therapy, a national charity that helps to enhance the health and wellbeing of thousands of patients across the UK. The charity strive to ensure that everyone, no matter their circumstances, has access to the companionship of an animal. Their friendly pets visit hospitals, care homes, hospices and schools.
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Alison Lawrence, deputy voluntary services manager, said: “We are delighted to welcome Pets as Therapy to the hospital to help make a difference for our patients. “To begin with, our furry fourlegged visitors are spending time with our patients living with dementia. “The therapeutic value of human and animal interaction is now well recognised and research suggests that introducing a companion animal into a hospital can
result in patients feeling more at ease, communicative and more motivated to engage.” Sharon McNally, director of nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, said: “A huge thank you to Pets as Therapy and their hard working volunteers who generously give up their spare time to help others.
develop their confidence and bring a smile to their faces. “Although it is tempting to pet the animals, infection control remains our absolute priority and so we ask that our staff and other patients refrain from stroking the dogs.”
“We know that the animals will be extremely beneficial for our patients living with dementia, to help stimulate their memory, improve communication,
Cyber security team highly commended for excellence The cyber security team have been highly commended in the Cyber Team of the Year category for the NHS Digital Cyber Associates Network Awards.
The new awards ceremony, hosted by NHS Digital, is an opportunity to recognise and shine a light on the innovation and expertise involved with increasing cyber security and resilience to protect patient and staff data across the NHS. The team have worked hard to test, review and introduce a number of technical solutions to enhance cyber security at the hospital within a short time frame; the team have also hosted a series of staff training sessions to highlight potential cyber security risks that could arise and explain best practice on how to manage them.
Jeff Wood, deputy director of ICT, said: “I am extremely proud that the team have been recognised for their dedication and fantastic efforts.
“They continuously strive to enhance our cyber security services and put our patients and people at the heart of everything that they do. “Going forward, the team plan to host regular cyber security sessions with technical experts to see how cyber security can be further improved and create a cyber-security online booklet to increase cyber security
knowledge and how people can remain safe at home and within the workplace."
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Dying Matters Awareness Week Dying Matters Awareness Week, taking place this week (2-6 May), is a moment to encourage people to start conversations about dying, in whatever way, shape or form that works for them. The aim of the week is to help people to talk about dying and grief, to plan for the end of life and ensure that plans are in place to deliver on those wishes. In support of the awareness week, our specialist palliative and end of life care team has arranged a series of InTouch briefings that will help to
guide your conversations and raise awareness of why dying matters. This includes: • Our Butterfly Volunteers • Chaplaincy support – death café • PEACE documentation • Patients living with dementia • End of life care All staff diary invites have been issued for the briefings and activities, please accept the diary invite as confirmation of your attendance.
a Why Dying Matters information stand, outside the Alexandra restaurant (location A21) on 5 May between 1-3pm, come along to find out more.
The team will also be holding
Bowel Cancer Awareness Month April marked Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, which is an opportunity to raise awareness of the disease. Bowel cancer is also called colorectal cancer; it affects the large bowel, made up of the colon and rectum. Most bowel cancers develop from pre-cancerous growths, called polyps. However, not all polyps develop into cancer. If your doctor finds any polyps, they can remove them to prevent them becoming cancerous.
Know the symptoms of bowel cancer Knowing the symptoms of bowel cancer could help to save your life. They include: • Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo • A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit • Unexplained weight loss • Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason • A pain or lump in your tummy
Facts about bowel cancer
• Nearly 43,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK • More than nine out of ten new cases (94%) are diagnosed in people over the age of 50. • Nearly six out of ten cases (59%) are diagnosed in people aged 70 or over. However, bowel cancer can affect anyone of any age • 1 in 15 men and 1 in 18 women will be diagnosed with bowel cancer during their lifetime If you have any concerns and for advice, please speak to your GP. 16
CQC update Quality improvement ‘Evidence of a consistent approach to quality improvement is key to ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ well-led organisations’ Care Quality Commission Our quality improvement (QI) methodology and approach to leading change and projects was established in April 2017. Putting ‘quality first’ is the underpinning principal to quality improvement at PAHT and we define quality improvement ‘as working together in partnership to make the sustainable changes that will lead to excellence for our patients, people, performance, places and pounds’. In April 2022 the Quality Project Management Office (PMO) merged into PAHT’s PMO. This is to further enhance the organisation's commitment to improving quality and clinical effectiveness across PAHT. The PMO team will advise, guide and coach teams in the development of project plans in accordance with our leading change and leading projects methodology. The PMO team are consistently working with governance leads, clinical leads and the executive team to ensure all risks and issues are comprehensively
documented. This is to enable us to look at new ways of working and to implement the changes needed to ensure our patients are receiving the best care possible. Please note there will be no changes to the functionality of the Quality PMO’s work within the organisation. This will merely be carried out under the PMO team who are working very closely with the Quality First team.
going forward. The PMO team is facilitating training sessions over the coming weeks to ensure all colleagues are familiar with the functionality of the system. For training date availability, or to book onto a session, please contact paht. pmo@nhs.net and a member of the team will respond as soon as possible.
One of the signs of quality improvement being embedded across an organisation is the ‘presence of a central team that leads the provider’s quality improvement approach’ (Care Quality Commission). This is to ensure that best practice and lessons learnt are shared effectively across teams and coordination/progress is tracked centrally. Please contact paht.pmo@nhs.net for more information. The PMO team is currently working with all areas of the organisation on the implementation of PM3. PM3 is a project management tool to assist us in achieving our strategic priorities over the next decade and will support all divisions in documenting their projects and running essential reports and more. Please note that all projects within the organisation are required to be put into PM3 17
Our patients said... "I cannot thank the Charnley Ward team enough for your kindness and care. "You are a credit to the ward and your professions."
"From the A&E reception through to the nurses, senior radiographer, doctors and especially Richard in catering, every one of our needs was met. "It was my first time at A&E and I already have my follow up scan - a good experience of care."
"The team on Nightingale Ward were all super. Truly caring and they made my time there a lot easier."
"Thank you for the great care the older persons assessment and liaison service (OPAL) unit gave my father. You all do a very difficult job, so I wanted you to know how much this is appreciated." 18
Divisional update: Clinical support services "We have welcomed Debbie Thomas, matron, to our division, and said a fond farewell to Lorraine Talbot, who has worked for the division as general manager for many years. Lorraine is now supporting surgery with ophthalmology. Tracy Nevin, our blood transfusion clinical nurse specialist, is leaving for a fantastic new opportunity with the national blood transfusion service. "We have temporarily said farewell to Saritha Prathipati, lead nurse for medicines management, as she has been seconded to NHSX for a year to undertake the Florence Nightingale Foundation Digital Nursing Fellowship programme – congratulations and we look forward to welcoming Saritha back next year. "We continue to be grateful for all of the additional work that our services are carrying out to support the recovery programme for PAHT, in particular the dermatology team who have been supported to assist with the backlog of patients waiting to be seen – thank you. "Some of our areas have undergone recent external visits (pharmacy, mortuary and pathology) and microbiology are due to have a Health and Safety Executive visit during May. We would like to thank the teams for the work that has been carried out prior to these inspections and the post-inspection actions that are currently being worked through.” The clinical support services divisional management team 19
Wise about wellbeing... While you are caring for our patients, or supporting those who provide care, it is extremely important to remember to focus on your wellbeing and to check in with your colleagues too. There are a wide variety of resources available to you to support your health and wellbeing. Each month, we are sharing practical information and tips as part of our wise about wellbeing feature. You can access details of the full range of health and wellbeing resources on the staff health and wellbeing hub on AlexNet. This month, we are focusing on the management of stress, with some advice from NHS Stress Busters. y
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Be active: Exercise won't take the stress away, but it can reduce the emotional intensity, helping you have a clearer mind to deal with your problems calmly. Take control: One of the main causes of stress is the feeling of loss of control. Try and take control to look for solutions to your problems. Connect with people: In the UK, we work the longest hours in Europe. This can make connecting with people a challenge. It is recommended to try and plan activities that you will really enjoy at least two nights a week. Challenge yourself: Try and learn a new skill or take on a new hobby to push yourself, this can help you to become emotionally resilient. Avoid unhealthy habits: It may appear for a short while that unhealthy habits such as drinking alcohol or excessive caffeine, or smoking, are helping you to cope with stress, but over the long-term it can create more problems. Help others: Research shows that helping other makes us more resilient. Work smarter, not harder: Prioritise your workload, accept that your work tray will always be full. Try to be positive: Try to find the positive side in situations, you could write down three things that went well at the end of each day. Accept the things you can't change: Focus on the things you can control and try your best. 20
#PAHTPeople - making a difference Clinical director appointed as the Integrated Care System regional clinical lead A huge congratulations to Dr Andrea Annoni, clinical director for urgent and emergency care, who has been appointed as the Integrated Care System clinical lead for the east of England. Andrea will work closely with NHS England and Improvement and national teams to implement the new clinical reviews of access standards. The new initiative will help to ensure that patients are seen by the right service, in the right place, at the right time. This is a fantastic opportunity and will support us to implement the new reviews process, in line with the national guidance.
Patient at home manager awarded distinction in Masters of Business Administration
Congratulations to Hiral Patel, patient at home manager, who has recently been awarded a distinction in her Masters of Business Administration - a fantastic achievement. Hiral's dissertation focused on the integration of services, collaborative practice and how the integrated care system structure supports systemic challenges. This will support Hiral in her role to further improve our services for our patients and people.
A warm welcome to Dr Rob Gerlis We have appointed a local GP to our board as an associate nonexecutive director. Dr Rob Gerlis, who joined PAHT in April, has been a GP for more than 30 years. He began his career at The Princess Alexandra Hospital, where he completed his postgraduate medical training. He then participated in the West Essex GP vocational training scheme, progressing in his medical career to become a partner at the Ross Practice in Harlow in 1986. Now semi-retired, Rob has been the chair of West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group for nine years and has taken on the role of chair of Stellar Healthcare, a GP provider company covering Harlow and Epping Forest. 21
