Issue 4 July 2013
One &All Royal Cornwall Hospitals
NHS Trust
Surging ahead
with simulation training
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NG W OR KIN
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COMPETITIONS & PRIZES
I M P RO
RCHT out and about this summer
LIVES
NEWS / TRUST PEOPLE / GRAPEVINE / MEMBERS / VOLUNTEERS / patient story
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CONTENTS www.rcht.nhs.uk
One &All Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
One and All is published quarterly every January, April, July and October. Copy date for each issue is approximately six weeks before publication. DISCLAIMER Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that adverts and articles appear correctly. Edgemoor Publishing cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the contents of this publication. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of its publisher or editor.
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My View 5
Trust People News & Views
7
In Focus Simulating training
10
Membership News Open Day
16
Grapevine Improving Working Lives news and funday
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Volunteering Working Together, Caring Companion
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Charitable Funds Phoenix Appeal update and donations
24
Did You Know? Occupational Health Service
26
Patient Story Beating bowel cancer
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Achievements Long Service Awards
30
INSIDE OUT Memory Lunch, Generous Donations
33
ROYAL CORNWAL SHOW A Royal Outing
34
WHAT’S ON Diary Dates, Spot the Difference
Advertsing Zara Media 01392 201227 grant@zaramedia.co.uk
Welcome
TRUST VIEW
Lana-Lee Jackson - important feedback
Design Edgemoor Design 01837 659224 simon@edgemoordesign.co.uk
Cover Picture Simulation training underway on the maternity delivery suite
CONTENTS Andrew MacCallum
Editorial Communications, Bedruthan House 01872 253216 oneandall@cornwall.nhs.uk
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It has been another busy few months at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust! We welcome Angela Ballatti as the new Chair of the Trust. Angela has vast NHS experience and will clearly build on our recent progress. Everyone here is absolutely focused on providing the very best care for patients and it was great to see West Cornwall Healthwatch support our hospitals recently. It is vital that local people do choose us over other providers in a changing NHS. I for one always want to see this choice based on the quality and safety of the care we provide. The simulation training featured in the magazine shows how our doctors and nurses become the best. Thanks to our clinical teams we also now have short waiting times, clinics available across the region and access to world-class diagnostic, surgical and critical care facilities. Sometimes amongst the criticism of the NHS – which is important too if we are to improve – we can forget the extraordinary service we have. Aneurin Bevan, a key figure in the founding of the NHS famously said that the NHS “will last as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it.” Over the last few weeks my team alongside clinical colleagues have been out and about at events throughout Cornwall – including our own successful Open Day on Sunday 30th June. The stories and pictures are throughout this magazine. From those events it is heartening that we have magnificent support locally and as with our patient surveys the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. Thank you for your continued support. Garth Davies Associate Director, Communications at RCHT. oneandall@cornwall.nhs.uk
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TRUST INTERVIEW
Nurse Executive, Andrew MacCallum You joined the Trust just over one year ago. What are your impressions of working life at RCHT and standards of patient care? I really enjoy my work at RCHT; it has been an incredibly busy year for everyone, our wards have been especially busy and we have expected a lot from our staff – but they have delivered and keep delivering for patients, often in very challenging circumstances. The hospital is in a very different place to where it was two years ago, and this is evidenced by what the Care Quality Commission say about us when they visit and the wider feedback we receive. I am not naïve and know there are a number of issues we need to work on to improve things for patients and staff. It will not be a surprise to my senior nursing colleagues that I am not interested in ‘good enough’ when it comes to how we look after patients and I believe we can and will make RCHT an exceptional place for patient care and for our staff. What are you most proud of so far in your time as Nurse Executive at RCHT? That’s easy - challenging back to Laurence Read on his lunchtime show on BBC Radio Cornwall. I think Laurence is a great guy and his show is a good listen but sometimes he does make it up as he goes along. I think we all need to build the confidence of the public in our hospital to respond openly and honestly but also to tactfully challenge when the facts are not being presented fairly or accurately. I am proud I work at RCHT and of the support there is from our Board to focus on the quality of our care and treatment of patients. I also think nursing is in an increasingly better place – we have direction and plans for the future, we have strgthened the nursing workforce and recruited 37 new registered nurses last month, and we are focusing on the fundamental aspects of care as evidenced in our CARE campaign.
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clinical roles that match the changing healthcare needs of the people of Cornwall and secures the Trusts position as a provider of choice for acute and community services across south west England. Robert Francis QC who led the recent Mid Staffs public inquiry called for a ‘fundamental change’ in the culture of the NHS. Do you think this is needed at RCHT?
What do you consider to be the priorities for Nursing and Midwifery in the next three years at a time of major change in the NHS? It is vital in a changing NHS that we remain focused on the fundamentals of nursing and we are really clear about what we need to do and how we are going to do it. In terms of the next three years that is set out in our Trust strategy for nursing and midwifery. The five key themes of our strategy are: • • • • •
Assuring the quality of nursing and midwifery care Engaging and involving the Trust’s patient and public membership Strengthening the nursing and midwifery workforce Productive and cost effective patient care Leading and supporting nurses
At the heart of our strategy is the vision to deliver exceptional care to patients by the most highly regarded, competent and compassionate nursing and midwifery workforce in England, as judged by our patients. A nursing and midwifery workforce that significantly contributes to the future direction of the Trust through developing services and
If we think the ‘fundamental change’ is for another organisation or another professional group or another individual we have got it wrong. Like a lot of people I took the Francis report personally - the change is in fact about me, who I am, how I work with others and the kind of hospital I want to help create. This is why the work that has been done over the last few months on our values as a Trust is so important – these are not some nebulous statements but a way in which we can truly judge our behaviours towards each other and to our patients and to ensure our hospital is the kind of place we would be happy for our loved ones to be cared for in. In our 21st year as a Trust we aim to become an NHS Foundation Trust. Why do you think this is important and what difference do you think it will make to patient care? Being a Foundation Trust is not an end in itself - it does however demonstrate how far RCHT has come over the last two years. You have to be in a good place as a hospital before you are even considered to be assessed as a future Foundation Trust by the regulator Monitor. Being a Foundation Trust will give us greater freedom to decide how we run our hospital in response to the needs of our patients, local communities and staff. I am keen we use the freedom to grow our hospital and to work with our membership including our Council of Governors in a way that underlines’ our collective stake in the future of RCHT. n
MY VIEW www.rcht.nhs.uk
Lana-Lee Jackson, the new Patient Support Manager says patient feedback and complaints are an important part of making improvements at Royal Cornwall Hospitals
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he Complaints and PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) team is a vital part of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and at the frontline of responding to patient and family concerns. The team help resolve and address complaints about care as well as support organisational learning and improvement. Lana has recently joined the Trust from the Midlands and has a fresh and proactive approach to dealing with patient issues and concerns. She is impressed by the number of compliments and positive patient feedback the Trust receives but believes we can do more to resolve patient concerns quickly and to their satisfaction. Her priority is to shift the emphasis to resolving issues on the spot, encouraging patients and families to raise concerns at the time of their care and making sure they know that it won’t compromise their treatment in any way. “As much as possible we want to resolve issues before they become a complaint. If an issue cannot be sorted out by staff at ward or department level then the PALS Team are the first port of call and will be able to liaise with staff to resolve service user concerns. There are times when the nature or complexity of the issues raised means a robust investigation is needed and that will follow the Trusts complaints processes and procedures, but our aim should always be to avoid things escalating to that point.” To support this change Lana wants her team to be increasingly visible and accessible. She says: “It is important to get out and meet staff and talk to people on the front line dealing with complaints”. Successful complaints handling is all about making sure staff are equipped with the skills and knowledge to deal with issues on the spot. They need to know where they can go for help and as a complaints team we need to look at how we can improve our support for staff.” Lana and the team are currently reviewing procedures so that the process around raising concerns is simpler and more effective for patients, carers and staff. She also wants to ensure that the organisation as whole learns from common complaints
and issues. Often there are common themes such as lack of communication and information or delays in treatment. “Change is challenging,” says Lana. “What I do already know is that I have a great team who are passionate about improving our complaints handling processes and getting things right for service users and patients. I have also been impressed with the warm and open welcome I have received from staff and the clear desire to improve the way we deal with complaints.” She accepts there is work to do though with some staff and patients to change their attitude to raising concerns. Lana admits “there is a stigma associated with complaints. For patients we have to reinforce the message that it won’t affect care or treatment and for staff we have to view them as a positive thing, not a negative one. Unless we know of dissatisfaction we are not going to be able to recognise good practice, nor where we need to learn and improve.” Lana’s key message is that quite often we just need to say sorry. She feels that in an increasingly litigious society people have become more reluctant to say ‘sorry’. She explains “Saying sorry does not mean there is an admission of liability, it’s about acknowledging the upset caused. There will be times when our care does not meet an individual’s expectations and times when we do get it wrong. Simply saying sorry and being open can have a big impact on how an individual takes forward their concerns and how likely we are to resolve them.” Lana is positive about the progress the Trust is making and in light of the recent Francis report into the failings at Mid Staffordshire Hospital believes we are taking the right steps to be an open, transparent and candid organisation which can only benefit patients and staff. n
How can I contact PALS? If you require support to raise concerns please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service, you can visit the PALS office on the 1st floor Trelawny Wing at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro. Telephone: 01872 252793 (answer machine at weekends or evenings) Email: pals.service@rcht.cornwall.nhs.uk Text: 07800 006479 One and All 5
COMING SOON
at Hall for Cornwall Dreamboats and Petticoats Mon 5 to Sat 10 August Back by popular demand and featuring some of the greatest hit songs of the rock ‘n’ roll era. With special guest star Mark Wynter.
Evita Mon 16 to Sat 28 September Starring MARTI PELLOW as Che. ‘Evita triumphs. A production full of passion. A dazzling success’ The Echo
Win tickets to see
Stomp! A Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds production
Mansfield Park By Jane Austen
Tues 1 to Sat 5 October ‘A sheer delight’ British Theatre Guide
‘The play has all the shiny qualities of a piece penned yesterday’ ÌÌÌÌ The Telegraph
EP TO KEDATE O UP-T H HFC WIT OUR JOIN ING MAIL T LIS
Box Office 01872 262466 www.hallforcornwall.co.uk Hall for Cornwall, Lemon Quay, Truro, TR1 2LL
Monday 28 OCTOBER, 7.30pm If you have never experienced STOMP then this is your chance to see why this breathtaking show thrills audiences around the world – with its unique combination of theatre, dance, comedy and percussion.
For a chance to win two tickets to the opening night of Stomp!, please answer the following question: What high profile event, seen by millions across the world, did the Stomp cast appear in last year?
To enter, please send your answer along with your name, home address, or Department and extension number to oneandall@cornwall.nhs.uk or send it to: One & All Magazine, c/o Press Office, Bedruthan House, RCH There will be just one winner, no cash equivalent prizes. The competition is open to RCHT staff only, excluding those associated with the competition. The prize is non-transferable and is available to entrants aged 18 and above. Al entries must be made by 30th September 2013. The decision of the Press Office is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
TRUST PEOPLE www.rcht.nhs.uk
hing our Patients Changing the way we work The Listening into Action project started just 12 months ago with the aim of changing the way the organisation listened, engaged and involved staff in decision making. Lezli Boswell, Chief Executive was clear when she started that she wanted “a fundamental shift in the way we work, putting clinicians and staff at the centre of change for the benefit of our patients and the Trust as a whole.” In many ways the Listening into Action project was a response to several years of poor staff survey results where staff said they didn’t feel empowered or involved in decision making. It was also an opportunity to create a positive culture at Royal Cornwall Hospitals where all staff - regardless of background or position - had the freedom to innovate, come up with solutions and contribute to the development of the Trust. The principle of Listening into Action is simple and has been implemented successfully at many other NHS and private sector organisations. At Royal Cornwall Hospitals we know that our clinicians and supporting staff understand their services best and will be best placed to lead improvements, change and innovation. The Listening into Action project simply sets up a series of conversations where all the right people come together to identify priorities, the changes needed, barriers to success and actions that will result in positive improvement for patients and staff. The first Listening into Action projects have resulted in improved patient environments, new technology and equipment, simpler processes that benefit patients and staff and the development of the ‘Our People Strategy’ which focuses on priority issues such as leadership, management, values, health and wellbeing. Specific projects include a patient ambassador project to improve ward communications, a nutrition placemat to aid staff to identify those patients who need help with food and drink, Super Tuesday – a dedicated day
Lezli Boswell in renal department on Super Tuesday
every month for job swaps or shadowing and team conversations as opposed to emails, a staff wifi system, an improved system to provide medicines to patients so they can leave hospital quicker, dedicated time to declutter wards and improve efficiency, planting projects to improve the external environment and the 12 days of Christmas which helped teams bid for Charitable Funds to pay for the little extras that make patient experience great whether that be a piece of equipment or furniture or the facilities to make a cup of tea. The Listening into Action approach has undoubtedly been successful in increasing staff engagement and benefiting patients but there is still more to do. In September, Lezli Boswell will lead another series of Listening into Action events to discuss progress one year on and the priorities for the next 12 months. If you would like to know more about the Listening into Action project you can email: RCHT.Listening@ Cornwall.NHS.UK n
Listening into Action Conversation
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TRUST PEOPLE
RCHT staff help train Kenyan medics
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nly two Rheumatologists serve a population of 41 million people in Kenya, a situation staff from the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro are working to improve with help from Cornish charities. Rheumatologist Professor Anthony Woolf, Research Associate Dr Jo Erwin and Research Administrator Katie Edwards are part of a programme aimed at training medics in the African country to diagnose and treat a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions including Rheumatoid Arthritis. The trio made their first trip to Kenya in March 2012 to run the UWEZO Musculoskeletal Health Training Project, a train the trainer programme, raising awareness among clinical officers, nurses and other community based health workers and giving them the basic skills in diagnosis, management and referrals. The team are now gearing up to go back to Kenya in August for the second course, which will also feature a selfmanagement programme for patients. The project is a joint initiative with the Swedish Rheumatology Association, the Kenyan Rheumatology Association and the University of Nairobi. Funding has come from the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR), Cornwall Arthritis Trust and The Rotary Club in Falmouth. Dr Jo Erwin said: “The focus in Kenya is primarily on basic health care - dealing with infections, diseases and nutrition. Musculoskeletal conditions are not considered important because they are not life threatening but we know they have a massive impact on quality of life, the ability to work and contribute economically. If these conditions are diagnosed early and proper treatment given, a patient’s outcome will be so much better.” The week-long course attracts medical personnel from all over Kenya. Professor Woolf said: “This is an innovative and sustainable training programme to target the gap in health care services. We have participants from 11 different regions and we train them to become musculoskeletal health trainers. Once they are certified they then work as a team in their region to train
community health providers who are usually the first point of contact for patients. So far our trainers have gone on to train 400 people in eight regions.” An important aspect of the programme is the use of patients as trainers, an approach used successfully by the team in the UK and Sweden. Dr Erwin said: “The course last year had ten patients taking part. Their role is to bring the conditions to life. They talk about its impact, they highlight the importance of taking a good medical history and they provide the opportunity for medics to see and feel what the conditions’ symptoms are.” “For us meeting these patients was a bit like going back to the 1950s here. There were people who had lost the use of joints and were bed bound because they had never had treatment or it had come too late.” The ultimate aim for the programme is that it will become a stand alone training package for use in other low resource countries in sub Saharan Africa and elsewhere but the RCHT team would also like to see it expanded to include Occupational Therapists (OT) and Physiotherapists. Dr Erwin said: “The last course highlighted the need for training OTs and physios. We have strong links with a hospital there which trains therapists and we have had two OTs at RCH interested in delivering a training programme so we’d like to try and carry that forward. It’s exciting for us because it means we could see multi-disciplinary teams set up in locations across Kenya.” The team have so far been fortunate with their funding and donations of equipment have also helped. OT equipment was provided and Bristol company Limbs & Things provided 12 model limbs which will be used in August to demonstrate how to inject into joints. However, for the programme to move forward next year, the team will need to find new funding sources. “We were lucky to get additional funding from ILAR this year. They normally only fund international projects for one year but due to our success they extended our funding for a further 12 months.. We will need to find another donor to keep next year’s course viable,” Dr Erwin added.
Lunch at Garissa 8 One and All
TRUST PEOPLE www.rcht.nhs.uk
If anyone wants to donate to the programme or would like more information, please contact Dr Erwin on 01872 256431 or email josephine.erwin@cornwall.nhs.uk While the programme is primarily dealing with musculoskeletal conditions, it has had a wider impact on one of the RCHT team. While in Kenya in October for a programme review, Dr Erwin travelled to a small town in South East Kenya. She was being shown around the local hospital when she entered a ward and found a young child with severe burns. Six-year-old Habon’s lower body from the waist down is scarred andbecause of a lack of knowledge around caring for burns victims, the young child was suffering from contracture, where the scarred skin was pulling painfully tight inhibiting movement.
Training in East Jerusalem
RCHT Surgical Staff Magda and Robin Kincaid travelled to East Jerusalem for a third time in May to help train Palestinian surgical trainees to save lives in the West Bank and Gaza. The course, which is organised by the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh in conjunction with The Juzoor Foundation and UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency), aims to teach safe fundamental surgical skills including suturing and vein patches to Palestinian surgeons in training. This year also featured laparoscopic instruction. Robin, a consultant in Trauma in Orthopaedics, said: “The major achievement this year was the involvement of senior Palestinian surgeons from West Bank, East Jerusalem, as well as Gaza, in delivering some of the teaching sessions. It has also provided the first step in the course’s development, which will hopefully see the Palestinian faculty taking ownership of delivering the course in the future.” Keyhole (laparoscopy) surgery exercises also proved a hit with the candidates this time. The course benefitted from the use of four laparoscopic trainers on loan for the week from Consultant
Memory Boxes Habon, now 7
Dr Erwin said: “Habon had been in the hospital since May 2012 with very little medical care. While her father was very dignified and did not ask for help, her family are goat herders so there is no money to pay for treatment.” Moved by the girl’s plight, Dr Erwin organised for Habon to be moved to a larger hospital and also for the hospital to waive its £5,000 fees for the first round of operations the child desperately needed. However, Habon will need more surgery. Dr Erwin is now aiming to raise the funds required through fundraising and donations. Jo said: “Burns like this happen frequently in Kenya where families cook around an open fire in their home. There just isn’t the knowledge at local hospitals around basic care for burns victims. Just having an understanding of positioning a patient and splinting the legs would have helped Habon and lessened or even prevent her contracture.” n If anyone would like more information about helping with Habon’s treatment, please call Dr Erwin on 01872 256431.
Memory Box donation stations will be available in the reception areas of Trelawny Wing and Tower Block on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site in Truro throughout August. The donation stations have been provided to invite visitors and staff to donate items for the memory boxes which are available in all wards across the Trust and are used to enhance the care experiences of patients with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. The memory boxes generally contain objects such as photos, old postcards, ration books, old coins, pressed flowers, books and other objects with the aim of aiding reflection on past events and stimulating conversation and memories of the past. Items sought are: DOMINOS, OLD POSTCARDS, SHELLS,OLD PHOTOS, CHECKERS, RATION BOOKS, OLD COINS, RIBBONS, PRESSED FOWERS, LARGE BUTTONS, SMALL TOYS, BOOKS WITH PICTURES, JEWELLRY, TICKETS AND PROGRAMMES TO THE CINEMA, THEATRE OR FOOTBALL MATCHES, SHAVING BRUSHES, BALLETT SHOES, SEWING PATTERNS,FABRIC OR WORK TOOLS. Please put in objects that can be easily handled and avoid items that are precious, heavy or sharp. One and All 9
IN FOCUS
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IN FOCUS
Simulating the Future... The use of flight simulation in the aviation industry is something most of us are familiar with and something we expect those with our lives in their hands to undergo on a regular basis. It’s probably no surprise then that the same technology is being used as a training aid for todays and tomorrow’s doctors and nurses. What is perhaps more unique is the way it is being put into practice at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust.
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IN FOCUS
Late last year RCHT’s simulation team embarked on a pilot project to change the approach to simulation training at the Trust. Until recently a predominately classroom based experience, most often with groups of either doctors or nurses, the team developed a programme to take its hi-tech equipment out onto wards. SimMan and his ‘family’ are now regular admissions to the emergency department, theatres and wards.
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s simulation training fellow, Dr Jamie Plumb explained earlier this year, “We can provide really good training in the skills classroom but this can be improved if we provide training in the clinical environment. Not only by increasing the ‘realism’ of the scenario but also making it easier for staff to take part; increasing access to training. It can improve teamwork within multidisciplinary teams, bringing together medical, nursing and ward support staff, as well as the wider teams whose expertise might be drawn upon, such as the laboratories.” It is the benefit of being able to involve the whole team in any one clinical situation that is really paying dividends. The original pilot began by focussing on three areas – the emergency department (A&E), children’s unit and theatres/critical care. SimMan (complemented by SimMom, SimJunior and SimBaby) is a highly sophisticated manikin which can be programmed to mimic all manner of medical problems and crises. Among his many features,
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vital signs can be monitored, heart beat and breathing sounds can be heard and clinical procedures, such as catheterisation, cannulation and drain insertion can be performed. The manikin can also be intubated and, thanks to its wi-fi capability, can be remotely controlled to add speech and to develop the simulated situation to become more critical or difficult to manage or diagnose. In theatres he can be covered with
drapes, as a patient would normally be, making it all the more realistic. Consultant anaesthetist and part of the simulation team, Dr Roger Langford says, “We have been fortunate that the Trust has supported this programme to allow the delivery of simulation training within the clinical environment. We are leading the way in this respect and are one of very few Trusts nationally offering regular team-based training in multiple clinical areas. The programme
IN FOCUS www.rcht.nhs.uk
Obstetric simulation training is ‘best practice’
has real benefit to patient care on a number of levels with true benefits to clinical governance as well as clinical education. “Staff practice in their regular teams and are able to rehearse critical incidents and medical emergencies in their own clinical environment. As well as improving clinical knowledge and team-based skills, the clinical environment is tested such that logistical issues and systems-problems are picked up which can be remedied in preparation for the real events. It’s been very exciting watching this programme grow in the last year and we’re looking forward to bringing it to other clinical areas in the near future. Staff engagement has been phenomenal and the opportunity to bring multiple teams together to train improves our ability to work efficiently together when real critical clinical situations arise.” The training exercises allow clinical and support teams to manage a patient’s care as they would in a real life situation. They begin at the first point any member of the team, which could be a nurse, health care assistant, doctor or therapist, checks the ‘patient’ (one of the simulation mannequins) or spots a problem. They would then
be expected to respond and call upon the assistance of other members of the team as the simulation manikin’s condition dictates. The whole scenario is controlled remotely by the team’s simulation technician. As the ward-based simulations have begun to take place, clinical teams have been warned in advance but over time the plan is to make the exercises more spontaneous. The simulation team are clear though that it’s not about putting colleagues under pressure but about a chance to refresh skills, learn and to respond as a team. SimMan has also proven his value outside of the training situation. The manikin has been used to simulate different events and complications in new facilities such as the interventional radiology suite, where complex and delicate surgery takes place. Simulation training technician and operating department practitioner, Steve Harris explained, “It gives us an opportunity to test out what we can and can’t do in a new clinical environment, which is hugely important from a safety perspective.” SimMan has been a big hit outside the hospital too! Read our report from the Royal Cornwall Show on page 34-35. n
Such has been the success of simulation training in obstetrics (maternity) at RCHT that it has become the first in the South West to be recognised by the General Medical Council as an example of best practice. Training in Obstetric MultiProfessional Emergencies (TOME) is currently provided for all clinical staff that care for expectant mums in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This includes hospital-based and community-based midwifery staff, maternity nurses, obstetricians, GP trainees and obstetric trainees, anaesthetists and anaesthetic trainees, operating department practitioners, paramedics, GPs and medical students undergoing clinical attachments on the Delivery Suite. Participants in the 5-hour simulation sessions using SimMom and SimBaby, which put teams through a wide range of emergency scenarios or situations that only rarely happen, have overwhelming rated their experience as good to excellent. Over the past two and a half years almost every member of the emergency response team has taken part in at least one session. The programme continues and for the future the training team is looking to offer courses to obstetric teams from other hospitals and to further expand the range of simulation exercises. The dedicated faculty who deliver obstetric simulation training: Multi-disciplinary Consultant Dr Aylur Rajasri, Consultant Obstetrician Neonatology advanced nurse practitioner - Judith Clegg Anaesthetics Consultants - Dr Sally Nash and Dr Cathy Ralph, Dr Kate Teare Simulation technician - Steve Harris Practice development midwife Elizabeth Anderson
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Cornwall Health Services Retirement Fellowship Enjoy your retirement join our Fellowship
Welcome
It doesn’t matter whether you are old or young at heart, able or disabled, quiet or outgoing, there is always a welcome for you within the CHSRF. Our very successful days out this year have taken us from Trengwainton Gardens and Trereife House in the west of Cornwall to a Round Robin trip on the River Dart in Devon, with venues in between! Our normal coach pick-up points are Camborne, Carnon Downs, Truro, Probus and St Austell but these are flexible. Our Fellowship is Cornwall-wide and all our money is spent for our members. We may not be able to offer a benefit scheme or holidays abroad (yet!) but neither do we pay a substantial fee from your subscriptions to a National body. If you have retired or are about to retire from the NHS or any if its related professions, as a member of staff or a volunteer, do get in touch for more information.
Tel: 01872 863987
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Contact: Margaret Herbert Hon.Sec margirvinherbert@tiscali.co.uk ● Roseleigh Frogpool Truro TR4 8RS Tawanroath Engine House Chapel Porth, Photo by Terry Thomas
Jazz Dinner Friday 27 Sept 2013 Three course meal with entertainment from the fantastic ‘Atlantic View Jazz Trio’.
Bar Opens 7.00pm, sit down 7.30pm. £23 per person. Please contact Alice Watts on 01872 861032 to book or email alice.watts@nationaltrust.org.uk
nttrelissick nationaltrust.org.uk/trelissick © National Trust 2013, registered charity no. 205846
Your business could benefit from advertising in One & All call 01392 201227
Membership News IN THE NEWS
A peak behind the scenes
Through the keyhole - getting a feel for being a surgeon
Honorary est at our Open Day, Mrs Gregory, whoguwa N benefiting from hesr invited to see how patientevs aare la te husban the Donald Gregor y Interventiond’als Rlegadacy towards iology Suite
RCHT’s first ever Open Day on its Royal Cornwall Hospital site saw departments throw open their doors to members and visitors intrigued by the opportunity to look behind the scenes. Usually restricted access to theatres, nuclear medicine and hi-tech cancer treatment facilities in the Sunrise Centre attracted around 150 visitors to the three departments, as staff gave guided tours. Alongside the tours, the Knowledge Spa became the focal point for a series of health talks, health checks and a health fair, including an action packed Play Zone for young visitors.
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Membership News
IN THE NEWS
www.rcht.nhs.uk
Medical Director, Dr Paul Upton said, “It was a great opportunity to showcase just a few of the services on offer at RCHT. As a first event we weren’t sure what sort of response to expect and it surpassed our expectations. There’s clearly an appetite for us to offer the chance for people to see more of what goes on in their hospitals and we’ll certainly be looking to do more in the future.”
Paul added, “The success of events like this are of course thanks to the goodwill of staff and we are extremely grateful to everyone who gave up their time to open our doors to the public. It clearly demonstrates their passion for what they do and their commitment to patient care.” Talks on Living Longer, Living Better and the Future of Emergency and Urgent Care services were particularly popular, as audiences heard from experts from RCHT and Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group on what are two of the biggest challenges facing the NHS locally and nationally. Visitors were also able to take advantage of hearing and blood pressure checks and many enjoyed the chance to have a go at simulated keyhole surgery and dentistry. One visitor said, “I popped along with my family and thought the displays and stands were excellent. The people running the stands were all really friendly and ready to offer explanation and information about their area. The play area was superb and we were made to feel so welcome by the staff running it. I think it is great for children to be able to associate hospitals with kind and friendly people.” You can view a short video of the tour to the Interventional Radiology Suite in the Newlyn Unit on our Facebook page. There are also more pictures on the BBC Radio Cornwall Facebook page as well as a video of gynaecological oncologist, Tito Lopes putting reporter Johnny O’Shea though a keyhole surgery challenge. n
Say ahh - visitors have dental care a go at
Open Day at the Royal Cornwall Hospit
Medicine of the future Research @ RCHT
Happy Birthday! 16 One and All
Membership News IN THE NEWS
www.rcht.nhs.uk
Check it out - blood pressure is a key risk factor in stroke A peek behind the scenes of interventioanl radiology
tal site More fake wounds!
Behind closed doo a visit to theatrers -
Literally in the SpDotaylight - our Open on BBC
Celebrating 21 years of care Faking it! Expert wound painting from the Urgent Care Centre Team
One and All 17
VI
NG W OR KIN
G
I M P RO
Grapevine
LIVES
IWL Staff Photography Competition 2014
With the 2013 competition now completed, it is time to look towards the 2014 competition. The categories will be: Colour, What Happened Next?, Copycat (following in the footsteps) and You’re having a laugh. If you are interested in taking part, make sure you visit the IWL website for further information. The first place winners of the 2013 competition are: Life: Dudley by Nancy Sheppard; Celebration: Enjoying the beautiful weather at Prussia Cove; Seaside: Bucket and Spade by Pat Bartholomew; Black & White: Overlooking the Worsley Canal in Manchester by Stephanie Mcintosh; 21: Turning 21, camping in Botswana by Max Martensson. Judges choices: Highly Commended – The tree of life reaching for the skies by Lynn Pascoe and Two Castles by Pat Bartholomew. The full list of winners and the full image library of competition photos can be found on the IWL intranet site. It will also be featured in the October edition of One&All magazine.
Trisomy 21 Exhibition: (Cornwall Down’s Syndrome Support Group) This stunning exhibition is currently on display in the Link corridor at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro and really is a must see. It is promoting and raising awareness for the well-known Cornwall Down Syndrome Support Group, showing beautiful and heart-warming photographs of some of the young persons involved in the group. Please stop and enjoy the next time you are passing by. This exhibition will be on display for three months running until October 7. Any enquiries/feedback please contact Lizzie Pettet-Smith the Tri-Arts Facilitator on ext. 2297
IWL Thank You Awards presented April’s Award went to Marion Digby, Healthcare Assistant, Urology, RCHT. “I have worked closely with Marion since her appointment in the Urology clinic. She is unfailingly helpful, kind and hardworking, both to help us fulfil our overwhelming clinical need but also to maximise the quality of care received by our numerous patients. She has worked through times of huge change in the clinic and has taken on extended roles easily, providing excellent quality care and compassion.” May’s Award went to Alexandra Jones, L&D Lead Facilitator, Learning & Development, RCHT. “She has been instrumental in developing and promoting the Assistant Practitioner role within RCHT. She has supported and encouraged us with her knowledge and skills and given us the tools to take the role forward. She has worked tirelessly for us, developed Passports and frameworks, attended and facilitated meetings, and generally proved to be a valued friend and colleague. There is no way we could have achieved any of this without her and she deserves recognition for going beyond the call of duty.” IWL would also like to mention the following staff members who were also nominated by their colleagues for their hard work: Mary Rogers, Receptionist, Outpatients Dept (SMH), Jane Jackson, Secretary, Paediatrics (RCHT), Sharon Benton, Geraldine Hyslop, Maggie Burns and Frank Sciuto, Renal Specialist Nurses (RCHT) and finally Stacey Parr, Home Enteral Feeding Dietetic Assistant (RCHT). If you would like to nominate someone for going over and above their duty then IWL would love to hear from you. Please email iwl@rcht.cornwall.nhs.uk and tell us why we should award them. They are presented with a bouquet or gift voucher (to the value of £15) and are photographed with their colleagues. Many find themselves on the pages of the staff magazine ‘For One & All’.
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Grapevine www.rcht.nhs.uk
IWL Fun Day
F
ollowing last year’s successful Family Fun Day the event was repeated at Truro City Football Ground in July. With the weather predicted to be blazing hot, it was unpredicted that the van the company ‘We’re a Knockout’ were travelling down in was literally blazing on the motorway at 7.30pm on the Friday evening! Despite the lateness of the day another company ‘It’s a Knockout’ picked up the challenge to travel six hours into the night to get to us and ensure the day went ahead. Every team took part in all the games and were scored, the water/bubble games seemed particularly hilarious and welcome as temperatures soared. Alongside the games was entertainment for children including face painting as well as food stalls and companies promoting their products and services. A fantastic raffle was also held with amazing prizes donated by local companies in support of the Trust, all proceeds going directly to charitable funds. There really was something for everyone! Eight teams took part and every team member received a goodie bag donated by Sainsburys. Seven teams received an IWL lanyard with “I took part in this year’s ‘It’s a Knockout’ and got knocked out 2013!” (except the winners) and the team with the lowest points won a plastic spoon medallion each (well done to the Stand Deliver team). The winners – Turkish Delights - received a trophy, gold medallions, a luxury hamper for each team member generously donated by Tusker Car Salary Sacrifice and a bottle of champagne. Winning team captain, Nicky Rowe, was thrilled that her team (representing the RCH post room and Hospital Radio) won but said: “It really wasn’t about winning; it was about having a lot of fun while raising money for charity. We had an absolutely fantastic time.”
20 One and All
Grapevine
IWL – Sign up now!! If you are interested in finding out more about Improving Working Lives (IWL) and taking part in the group please contact IWL via Groupwise - iwl@ rcht.cornwall.nhs.uk IWL organise and run lots of initiatives for RCHT staff – lottery, photography competition, thank you awards, reading group, sports classes, cyclescheme and much more…. We meet every month and always welcome new members!
IWL Thanks: All of the teams that participated on the day. Also: Unison Age UK Friends of the Hospital RSPB Occupational Health Fire Brigade Ultra Entertainment
Special thanks to: Truro City Football Club, ‘It’s A Knockout’ team, Tusker Car Salary Sacrifice, Sainsburys, Lifestar Medical Ltd and Rebecca Gallagher for the wonderful photographs and to Ally, Rachel, Lizzie and Judy. Raffle Prize donators to thank – We had an outstanding response of donations for our raffle this year, so a huge thanks for the support to –
The Eden Project Cornish Rock Tours Sea Safari Newquay Zoo Flambards National Maritime Museum The Cornwall Pass Treasure Trails Cornwall Hall for Cornwall St Austell’s Brewery The National Trust Trelawny Garden Centre Tanner Brothers (for the signed book)
Tregenna Sharps Brewery Hendra Hair and Beauty Illustrated Living Saltrock RNAS Culdrose Photographer details to reference: Rebecca Gallagher www.rebeccagallagherphotography.co.uk www.facebook.com/ rebeccagallagherphotography
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Volunteer
Volunteer
profile Clive and Stephanie Blake
Clive and Stephanie Blake are two of the people whose voices you would recognise rather than their faces as they present on Cornwall Hospital Broadcasting Network - hospital radio. Clive and Stephanie joined CHBN together in 2008 after responding to a volunteer advert in a local newspaper. They are now the hosts of their joint radio show, The Clive and Stephanie Blake Show, which they broadcast on Mondays from 12pm until 2pm. Describing their enjoyment of volunteering, Stephanie said: “The thing we like most is meeting the different people. I come in to the studio thinking that we are producing something that people are actually enjoying listening to. It is good to do something where you actually feel like you are making a difference.” Clive and Stephanie always arrive an hour early in order to go and visit the patients on their wards and take music requests in preparation for their show. The first hour of their broadcast is spent on the patient requests and puzzles, delivered by Stephanie, and the second half consists of among other things music, interviews, jokes and features. The Cornwall Hospital Broadcasting Network (CHBN), consisting of 19 members, is soon to become the Community Hospital Broadcasting Network as it has recently been awarded with a Community Broadcasting License. Speaking about the license, Clive said: “It will mean a great deal for this radio station as it will enable us to carry on. We are the longest broadcasting station in Cornwall as we have been broadcasting for over 30 years. If the community station makes any extra money, it will go straight to the hospital charity. It is not to detract or be in competition with the hospital radio, it is actually to strengthen it.”. n
Contacts
For more information or advice about volunteering at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, or to get in touch with the Friends of Royal Cornwall Hospital, St Michael’s Hospital or West Cornwall Hospital please contact the Volunteer Services Office on 01872 253737 or email RCHT. voluntaryservices@rcht.cornwall.nhs.uk 22 One and All
Working together The Friends of St Michael’s Hospital are continuing to move forward with their reinvigorated group by joining in with partnership visits to the Royal Cornwall Hospital Friends group and the League of Friends of West Cornwall Hospital, Penzance. Committee members from all three groups have met to get to know each other and exchange ideas and views. Mike Rowe, Chairman of St Michael’s Friends, said: “We are three separate
groups that share a common purpose. It is valuable to preserve our distinctness but it is also beneficial to support each other.” Beatrice Dyer, Chairman of the Friends of the Royal Cornwall Hospital, said: “While our groups do a similar role in supporting the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, we were all set up differently and have continued to work like that. It’s good to meet up and see where the common ground is.”
Boscawen Rotary Club look after RCHT gardens The Friends of the Royal Cornwall Hospital have invited members of the Boscawen Rotary Club to get involved by looking after particular gardens around the Royal Cornwall Hospital site in Truro. The Rotary Club come to the hospital once a month and tidy up the Play for life children’s garden as well as the League of Friends garden situated behind the Mermaid Centre. Speaking about the responsibilities of a volunteer gardener, Rotary Club member, Mike Robertson said: “The Friends spent a lot of money on the gardens and we just like to keep them tidy for them. The Friends provide us with plants, chippings, and other materials. We then do whatever we can in the couple of hours that we are here.” Sadly, a vast majority of their time is spent picking up litter. Past Rotary Club President, Ed Hallett said: “We would like to stress that it is a pity that people don’t pick up their own rubbish. We have to pick up rubbish that people could have easily thrown in one of the many bins that the gardens have.” In order to maintain the popularity of the gardens, it is hoped that the litter issue will be resolved. Mike Robertson added: “You see a lot of people in here, especially with young children and it is nice to see it used. It is great to do what we do and know that it is appreciated.”
Volunteer The Caring Companion While many people prefer not to think of their own deaths, those that do often envisage it as during old age with loved ones by their sides. But for some people there are no loved ones. Who holds their hands in the final moments of this life’s journey? At the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, it is Margaret who shares that time. For the last eight months, Margaret has volunteered to sit with those who are dying so that no one has to die alone. Margaret’s decision to take on this role has not been a spur of the moment act. It follows a long period of personal reflection starting with an incident when she was a young child. “My father had come across a young lad who had lost control of his motorbike and been thrown into a field. Dad held and comforted him while he died. When I was a teenager I asked my father about it and he said that he had wanted to give the lad reassurance. He felt that if it had been one of his children, to know someone had been there would alleviate some of his pain in grieving. To this day, when I drive along that road I think of Dad caring for that young man.” Now married with three grown up children of her own and two grandchildren, Margaret had been volunteering at the hospital for ten years, five of them as a pastoral visitor with the Chaplaincy team when Hospital Chaplain Rev Mark Richards asked her if this was something she would consider. Margaret has a background in nursing, a Ministry to the Sick qualification from the Maryvale Institute and undertakes ongoing
training with the chaplaincy team. She has also completed a two year ecumenical course Nurturing the Listening Heart which have all helped her in this role. “I am still learning but I am supported through my faith and by the amazing chaplaincy team giving me the strength to provide this help to others. I personally believe you need to be a person of faith to do this, to be able to embrace silence and to pray. I don’t find it stressful and I don’t carry it away with me.” Margaret doesn’t tell people what she does. “My husband is very supportive and my family and close friends know but I don’t do this for recognition.” Margaret says her gift is the ability to sit still and quiet and through that she has been able to share special moments with those she has comforted. “For me to be asked to be alongside someone when they are dying is a great privilege. It is about letting them know someone cares, there was companionship even at the end.” Margaret provides her time in an on call way. She always begins by introducing herself to the patient and making sure they are not distressed by her presence and then she simply sits. “I don’t talk very much, simply reassuring when I do. Sometimes I hold their hand, sometimes not. One man I did not touch but every ten
Combined Leagues of Friends are honoured with voluntary services ‘MBE’ The combined Friends of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust are celebrating having been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2013. The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is a national honour to recognise the outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups of volunteers; it has an equivalent status for voluntary groups as the MBE has for individuals. Our combined Leagues of Friends representing our three hospitals – Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, St Michael’s
Hospital in Hayle and West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance - have been given the award for their invaluable support that benefits patients, staff and visitors.
minutes or so he would turn his head and open his eyes looking at me. We built up a comfortable time of companionship. One lady held and stroked my hand for a few hours, I felt most humbled in that she appeared to be ministering to me! “Doing this involves a deep level of listening to another person. To read the signs if they are uncomfortable or agitated, to gauge if they want to have their hand held, to reassure them.” Margaret says everyone’s final moments are unique. “Some people seem to wait until they are alone to pass and others when they are with others. Some of the people I sit with are not all alone in life but their loved ones are far away and can’t make it in time.” Margaret says many times the patient is stunned and all she does is ask them how they are feeling. “Sometimes they don’t know initially and all we do is talk. On one occasion I held a man’s hand for over an hour in silence while he just cried. It was just about giving him the freedom and comfort to do that.” At the moment, Margaret is the only volunteer to provide this service in the Trust, although the chaplaincy team carry out the role when requested. Hospital Chaplain Rev Mark Richards said: “Margaret does not sing her own praises but her work deserves to be recognized. We felt it was important to talk about this so those people who are alone or have no family nearby may take comfort in knowing that it does not mean there will be no one to care. “While we are the pastoral team and while Margaret is a person of faith, this isn’t about religion. It is about bringing comfort and companionship to those people who wish it as they face bad news or their time of passing.” n
Friends at Royal garden party
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CHARITABLE FUNDS
Patients’ birthday gifts for Mermaid Centre Staff at RCHT’s Mermaid Centre have been delighted by two donations from former patients. Chris Talbot from Bodmin and Marcia Sampson from Penzance have both recently revisited the Centre to hand over donations raised following their birthdays. Chris celebrated her 60th birthday in May this year and asked friends and family to give donations to the Mermaid Centre instead of giving presents. She has received treatment from the Centre on two occasions over the last 10 years, as well as from St Michael’s Hospital and the Sunrise Centre. Chris handed over a cheque for £440 in thanks for her care over the years and the continuing support of the team. Also celebrating a birthday milestone this year, Marcia Sampson asked her friends and family to support her in similar fashion to mark 10 years since she was diagnosed and successfully treated for breast cancer. At one point Marcia had been told that if she’d didn’t have surgery her chances of survival were slim. Maria presented a cheque for £990.
Charity Climb for RCHT nurses
Two nurses from the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro have climbed Ben Nevis at night in a bid to raise money for the Alzheimers’ Society. Research Nurse Emma Cresswell and Sue Derbyshire, a Teenage and Young Adults’ Clinical Liaison Nurse, joined 24 One and All
Specialist nurse, Josephine Brand said, “It’s always a pleasure for us to welcome former patients back to the Mermaid Centre and to see them doing so well. We never expect anything in return for their care but the many donations we receive do help so much in supporting others who are being treated for breast cancer.”
a team taking part in the Ben Nevis Midnight Climb in June. Both have personal experience of family members suffering from Alzheimers. Sue, who has worked for the Trust for over 20 years, said: “I’ve been fundraising for the Alzheimers Society for a number of years and when I mentioned this to Emma, she wanted to join us.” The climb is only four miles in distance but it is a 1,344 metre ascent up the highest mountain in the UK, some 4,409 feet above sea level. Sue said: “We did a lot of walking to prepare. It was very hard, almost more on the way down than the way up because it was bad weather and slippery.” It took ten hours to complete the walk, five hours up and five hours down. Emma, said: “We’d expected to get down quicker but because of the conditions it ended up taking just as long.” The pair, who are both from the Newquay area, want to thank all those who have supported them and sponsored them. Emma said: “We’ve had a lot of support from our colleagues and we want to thank everyone who has sponsored us and anyone who is interested can still do so.” To donate, log on to www.justgiving.co.uk/ emmacresswell
CHARITABLE FUNDS
CHARITABLE FUNDS
www.rcht.nhs.uk
Fundraising activity is getting hot at the Phoenix Stroke Appeal, now in its final drive to achieve Gold Standard Stroke Services for Cornwall. In March, cyclists joined forces on a sponsored ride from Devoran in Portreath, which raised more than £2,000. Phoenix was also the nominated charity for a Battle of the Breweries charity football match between Sharps and St Austell Breweries. To mark reaching £450,000 in May, volunteers from the hospital and Truro Boscowen Rotary gave a makeover to the circular planter near Tower entrance at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, now looking cheerful with donated flowering plants. Many wonderful donations included £1,000 from Falmouth Rotary, and £6,573 from the royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB). Hendra Holiday Park in Newquay gave £3,965 to charities, a good portion of it to Phoenix. June was an “out and about” month for stroke awareness, and the Phoenix display travelled to the Royal Cornwall Show, the Bodmin Hospital Fete, and the Royal Cornwall Hospital Open Day. In July, a Phoenix team bounced, scrambled, climbed and slid their way to a solid 4th place in the It’s a Knockout event at the RCHT Family Fun Day at Truro City Football ground. Money is continuing to be spent on equipment to help people who have had a stroke, at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Bodmin and Camborne Redruth Community Hospitals, and also for stroke carers in the community. “We thank everyone for their continued support: we are so pleased to see our vision approaching reality,” said appeal chairman Rik Evans. “We are in our final push now.” To see more about the Phoenix Stroke Appeal’s latest totals and upcoming events, visit www.rcht. nhs.uk/phoenixstrokeappeal, or call 01872 253 737. n 1. Gillian Molesworth at the Royal Cornwall Show 2. Coast to Coast cycle ride from Devoran to Portreath 3. Battle of the Breweries charity match 4. Planting Day at RCHT 5. Rik Evans receiving a cheque from the RAOB 6. Hendra Holiday Park donation 7. Phoenix Team at the It’s a Knockout event
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DID YOU KNOW?
Occupational Health Service
T
he Occupational Health team based at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust serves over 9,000 staff across the local health community and has around 8,000 contacts each year with RCHT staff alone. Earlier this year RCHT won Gold in the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Workplace Health Awards – an indication of good practice and a quality mark of health and wellbeing in the workplace. In the 21 years of the Trust the range and remit of Occupational Health has grown significantly and the service lead Tracy Hodcroft is keen to promote the full range of services on offer to staff. She says “Ultimately we are here to promote and protect the health of all our staff at work. We offer a wide range of services and advice - from immunisations and counselling to health protection activites.” She explains that the NHS is a complex, varied and yes often stressful environment to work in. The pressures on staff and the physical and emotional demands can be intense. The Occupational Health service helps to ensure staff have the equipment
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and knowledge they need to perform their job safely as well as the emotional support to work effectively. Reducing staff sickness and ensuring that colleagues both stay well but also return to work quickly after they have been ill is another part of the day to day work of the occupational health service. This can range from ensuring staff have the appropriate vaccinations to protect against flu and other viruses, to physiotherapy or shiatsu massage to treat aches and pains, to mindfulness sessions to help with stress prevention and management. Other innovative projects include body mapping to help individuals stay in tune with their physical wellbeing and an art project to help those who have been off work for a long time to regain group confidence and prepare them for a return to work. One colleague who has benefited from the free shiatsu massage said: “I found the session really helpful and have continued with the exercises. I think that holistic therapy is an important part of keeping healthy and that this type of service fits with the
Trust commitment to staff health and wellbeing.” Nick Macklin, the new Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development said: “The health and wellbeing of our staff is a major trust priority and vital if we are to continue to provide high quality services. We are pleased that we won the Gold Workplace Health Award earlier this year but we are not complacent. I know that the organisation has had its difficulties with staff sickness, stress and work/life balance but the new health and wellbeing strategy is designed to ensure we have a healthy, happy and effective workforce who can focus on delivering excellent patient care.” The occupational health service is a major part of the developing health and wellbeing strategy and recent feedback from people accessing the service has been exceptional. If you like to know more about the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Occupational Health Service you can call Tel: 01872 25 2770 Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm (4pm on Fridays). The service is completely impartial and confidential. n
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PATIENT STORY
my
story
Having lived with ME for eight years, Helen Connor wasn’t overly concerned when she started getting spasms in her abdomen, however it lead to her facing a life and death battle with bowel cancer. Helen tells One & All her patient story.
I
’d struggled with the various symptoms of ME since about 2001 so when my stomach started having spasms in early 2009 I just thought ‘what now?’. As there was no pain I wasn’t panicked, but thought as this symptom was new, I ought to get it checked by my GP. Helen sought advice from two GPs but it wasn’t until an appointment with her own GP who did a rectal examination and found blood that Helen was referred to Treliske for further tests. “I’d never seen any blood so it came as a bit of a surprise. I’d had intermittent diarrhoea and constipation for a long time, but as that’s a common symptom for many conditions including ME, I never thought about it being anything else. I’d mentioned it to my ME specialist over the years, but neither he nor I thought it warranted further investigation.” Helen’s GP thought it was probably a polyp but mentioned the possibility of bowel cancer. “I don’t think either of us really thought it would be that. I was only 44 for a start.”
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After a number of tests including a sigmoidoscopy, CT Scan, MRI and a colonoscopy, Helen was told she had bowel cancer. “Coming out of the colonoscopy I was told they hadn’t been able to put the camera where it needed to go because my bowel was so blocked. The doctors told me they had seen enough to know it was cancer and that came as a huge shock.” May 29, 2009, what Helen now refers to as “C Day”, was the day colorectal consultant Adam Widdison broke the news to Helen and her partner Pete that she had stage four bowel cancer with multiple liver lesions. “I was interested in seeing the CT pictures and you could clearly see the spread of the tumour in the bowel and loads of shaded areas in my liver. My first thought was that we had to get it out as soon as possible but that’s when Mr Widdison very gently told us there would be no possibility of surgery because it was just too widespread. We couldn’t believe it. We were half expecting cancer – just not that it would be so advanced. There wasn’t a family history of any cancer, never mind bowel cancer.” Chemotherapy was offered to Helen to try and reduce the size of the tumour and give her some more time. “I gratefully accepted all the treatment available to me and from day one adopted a very positive attitude. There was a touch of denial about my attitude but I’d always been a very competitive person before my illness and I was not going to let it get me. I must have been a nightmare for my cancer team!” Just two weeks later Helen began three months of intravenous chemotherapy and chemotherapy tablets under Dr Ellis at the Sunrise Centre and colorectal nurse specialists Clare Ferris and Candy Coombe. She remained on the tablets for a further seven months. “I felt good on it. It was working really, really well. The first scan I had after the chemo showed that the bowel cancer and liver lesions had shrunk considerably and I was feeling much stronger and more positive by the day. By then I was getting quite interested in the treatment and was reading more and more about bowel cancer with secondary liver cancer, the treatments available and any advancements in fighting the disease. I remembered reading about how operations on secondary liver cancer were getting amazing results.” This was when Helen decided to ask the team to approach Mr Stell, a liver surgeon, at Derriford Hospital, a specialist liver centre. Within a few days, Helen received a call from Clare Ferris to say Mr Stell had reviewed her scans and felt her liver was operable. “Following another examination of my bowel, Mr Widdison felt that because of the success of the chemo, along with Mr Stell’s green light on the resection of the liver, the bowel and surrounding area was now operable.” Less than a year after her diagnosis, Helen had the tumour, her womb and lymph nodes removed and an ileostomy created and six weeks later Helen had 60 per cent of her liver removed at Derriford Hospital. On June 1, 2013 Helen celebrated her third anniversary of being cancer clear. “The cancer has gone and there has been no return so far although I am still having regular checks. I am not out of the woods yet but I am moving in the right direction. I have been one of the luckiest people alive – I have battled stage four cancer and so far have won.”
PATIENT VIEWS www.rcht.nhs.uk
Thank you “I will always remember “C Day” and celebrate it because it was the beginning of getting better. I want to thank all the people who have helped me along the way from my partner Pete, family and friends to the team at Treliske and Mr Stell at Derriford Hospital.” But Helen says hers is a cautionary tale not to overlook symptoms or to be quick to attribute them to other pre-existing conditions. “If you have a condition that causes bowel problems consider getting checked and don’t just accept every bowel issue as being because of something else. If only my own problems had been investigated earlier rather than just putting it down to my ME, we might have picked up the cancer earlier.” n
We said: Adam Widdison, consultant, said: “For many people a diagnosis like that is a huge body shock. But when you hear Helen’s story it is fantastic. What we try to do is give people hope, treatment and care but we are also realistic. It is quite a remarkable journey Helen has been on and she is a remarkably positive person. She really is quite inspirational.” Clare Ferris, Colorectal Nurse Specialist, said: “It is possible for anyone to have bowel cancer without knowing it. We have treated teenagers and those in their 20s and 30s, so it is important people don’t just assume that because a person is under 50 that it can’t be bowel cancer. “I don’t think anyone is happy to talk about their bowel movements and many people don’t like the idea of a rectal examination, a finger in the bowel, but it is really important. Going to the GP as soon as you have symptoms and making sure you take up the screening test if it is offered to you can make all the difference. The quicker we find it, the faster and easier the cure. Bowel cancer is survivable.” Carol Wilson, Specialty Lead from the ME service, said: “It is so essential that health professionals and patients with ME/CFS don’t attribute new symptoms to the pre-existing conditions. CFS/ME has very distinct clinical features and these can be reviewed on the NICE Guideline website. NICE also stresses the importance of yearly routine blood tests to continue to exclude other conditions. We always treat any new symptoms seriously and make sure it is fully investigated. Cases like Helen’s continue to highlight the importance of good multi-disciplinary working in healthcare.”
Letters
Deserved praise for the superb A+E Team!! Following an accident whilst go-carting,I was admitted to A+E where it was discovered that I had suffered broken ribs and a head injury. This was distressing and painful but, in spite of everything, the amazing A+E staff were very helpful, caring,warm and professional, going out of their way to help me, giving me complete certainty that these health care professionals genuinely care...Thank you Gallbladder surgery at WCH I had my operation and within ten days feel completely recovered. I was very ill before my op, so to feel so well so soon is fantastic. I am so glad I had my op at Penzance. From my pre admission visit until I was discharged, all the staff I met were professional, kind, and friendly. Nothing was too much trouble for them, I was kept informed of everything that was happening and all my questions were answered, I was completely reassured that they were taking good care of me. The whole place was spotlessly clean. A gold standard service that should inform all NHS services I cannot praise the staff and set up at the Mermaid Centre highly enough. Everything about the process has been carefully thought out so you feel completely supported and in my case completely sure I am on the road to recovery. The staff are amazing: kind, communicative, funny and completely professional. …Thank you everyone involved from the volunteers who run the coffee bar to the Prof and especially all the terrific breast care nurses and the lovely team who took me on that journey on the day I was diagnosed and gave it to me straight. Orthopaedics at St Michael’s Hospital My stay of 4 days in St Joseph’s ward after my knee replacement was as good as staying in a first class hotel from admission to going home. I stayed awake during the op with thanks to my anesthetist, the surgeon, medical staff too many to name, physio therapy, my meal and drink providers who also never stop to help and with smiles, and last of all the 3 lady companions who with my help could not stop laughing. So thank you once again St Mikes and St.Josephs Ward for making my stay something to remember and not to forget your care is second to none.x Twitter: A night in the children’s unit at Treliske. All I can say is that Nurses are amazing!! They really are angels in disguise. Facebook To all the amazing nicu, itu and a&e drs and nurses that saved my son’s life and all the Polkerris staff that looked after him. Thank you. I would like to praise the Emergency Services and the NHS for a brilliant job in helping me this week – you can’t fault them when you ring 999 – paramedic was there within 5 minutes, helicopter within 10 mins and the staff at Treliske Hospital were brilliant with fast treatment – my thanks go to all involved. The Trust has social media sites: Click to like us on facebook at Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust And you can follow us on Twitter: @RCHT2013
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ACHIEVEMENTS
All Award… recognising our long serving ‘crew’
R
CHT’s annual Long Service Awards presentation evening took on an extra dimension this summer as members of staff marking their 21st anniversary of working for RCHT were invited to join those who have tallied up 25 years within the NHS. The Trust has been holding long service awards since the 50th Anniversary of the NHS in 1996 and this year 72 members of staff marked their 25 year milestone – that equates to over 1,800 years of accumulated working. Additionally, there were 44 members of staff eligible for the 21st Anniversary Award, a one-off for this year to recognise those who joined the Trust at its outset on 1st April 1992. Many of the staff enjoyed an awards event at the Knowledge Spa where RCHT’s in-house chefs had a chance to show off their skills, serving up a tasty three-course meal. Presenting the awards Non-executive Director, Rik Evans, said “It’s a real privilege to be celebrating with so many people who have given such a long standing commitment to the NHS. Their experience is immensely valuable not only to patient care and supporting services but also to those who are just starting careers and with whom they can share their knowledge and expertise.” http://intra.cornwall.nhs. uk/Intranet/AZResources/RCHT/LongServiceAwards/ PhotoGallery.aspx n
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r 1. Rik Evans and John Lewis 2. Nick Macklin and Deborah Victor 3. Rik Evans and Suzanne Atkinson 4. Nick Macklin and John Butler
30 One and All
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A I I R I E O O T I I T O N A R S H E E O L S L E A E C U K I H I U S C E A S C S O T S Y L F I T N E S S T I E M O L A N R U O J D O O F A E E H S I N S E L B A T E G E V H I R R V G R E F T B R C E B N S E I R E T R A I K L S R A G B H E E O G T D S R T N E T T I E L I R N R S H C U T M A I I W E C R S N G O O R R T C N R E T U A E T T A S O T V N I K E N S O T E R R N E T O F I O H S E D S E A C I I F G X I O I H T I K M S I A J L R T T R E H W A O A I L I O E V I L O Y A O R L L I F D H R I D K U W A L K F T C V O I E R I Y T I V I T C A L A C I S Y H P H G I S U H T N A C A U I S O I E W E T D E M N S U G W W I W E R N P L F I E E N W O R K O U T Y E E O E N A T I R I E I P U L S E G B I O B D T A I I L M T
INSIDE OUT www.rcht.nhs.uk
Memory Lunch held to remember youngsters
A
memory lunch for families who have lost children to cancer proved to be a positive experience for all ending with a balloon release over the cliffs of Newquay in June. Organised by the paediatric oncology team at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, the event was held at the Glendorgal Hotel in Newquay and was attended by around 20 people including families and hospital staff. It is the second time the buffet lunch has been held and featured pictures, music, readings as well as shared memories of each of the children. Helping to keep the memories alive, pictures and clay models made by the youngsters while they were in hospital were on display and later given to
the families to take home as keepsakes. Those present were also able to make memory bags to take away. Following the lunch, those attending released balloons for each of the children and young people who had passed away since the first lunch in 2010. Karen Berriman, CLIC Sargent Outreach Nurse at RCHT, said: “The idea for the Memory Lunch
came about at a regional meeting for outreach nurses in 2010. We were trying to look at ways we could best support families and staff after a child or young person had died. Successful bereavements days are held in Cardiff and we felt it would be good to try and do something similar in Cornwall. Our first lunch was in 2010 and proved to be a success so we
organised the second.” The event was open to all families who had been supported by the Paediatric Oncology Team in Cornwall since the 2010 event. RCHT Play Specialist Deborah Charles, who also attended, said: “We invited all the families and two decided to come along and spend time with each other and staff. The feedback we got was very positive with the families saying they had found the lunch a very important part of their bereavement process.” Karen added: “We just want to thank the Glendorgal Hotel in Newquay who donated the venue, refreshments and buffet lunch. We are really grateful and it provided a calm, private setting for us all to meet.”
Generous donations in Cornwall help Palestinian trainee surgeons Donations from the Cornish public have been used to help Palestinian surgical trainees in East Jerusalem learn the skills to save lives in the West Bank and Gaza. Following a fundraising campaign by Royal Cornwall Hospital doctors Robin and Magda Kincaid, dissecting instruments were able to be bought for use by the candidates on the Basic Surgical Skills course which took place at Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem in May. Magda, a Staff Grade in Vascular Surgery, said: “Following the fundraising efforts, this year we were able to take new dissecting instruments for the BSS course, bought with donations from members of the public in Cornwall. We want to thank
everyone who gave to the appeal. Being able to teach them properly is so important because these trainees will need to rely solely on their skills in the small surgical units in West Bank and Gaza, due to impossible or heavily delayed patient transfer into larger hospitals, roadblocks, checkpoints, and a lack of permits to cross into Jerusalem.” Keyhole (laparoscopy) surgery exercises also proved
a hit with the candidates this time. The course benefitted from the use of four laparoscopic trainers on loan for the week from Consultant Surgeon Mr Ian Finlay and the Royal Cornwall Hospital.
To find out how to make a donation, contact Natasha Photiou on 01872 255017 or email Natasha.photiou@rcht. cornwall.nhs.uk
A young cancer patient received VIP treatment at the Eden Project and got to meet Jessie J, who performed two concerts. Following a call to Eden by Hospital Play Specialist Deborah Charles, the venue came back to say that not only were they able to give eight-year-old Jessica a ticket but that she would also get the chance to meet Jessie J backstage. Not only did Jessica meet Jessie but she also got a song dedicated to her during the concert. Deborah said: “Jessica had a fantastic time and was very excited to meet Jess and tell us all about it on her return to hospital.” One and All 33
ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW
appy Birthday RCHT
oudly celebrating 21 years of ca yal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Tru A mong the first of the events on our 21st Anniversary year calendar was this year’s Royal Cornwall Show. It was a double celebration too, as RCHT was asked to join BBC Radio Cornwall – the station marking its 30th birthday this year. RCHT and BBC Radio Cornwall have enjoyed successful partnerships through the Sunrise Appeal and most recently, the Phoenix Stroke Appeal. From their marquee at the show RCHT staff demonstrated some of their clinical skills alongside the entertainment on the big stage. The team from the Urgent Care Centre at West Cornwall Hospital attracted much attention with their plastering skills, offering youngster’s the chance to have a dummy cast put on. They also took centre stage, hosting a Generation Game-style ‘cast off’ with members of the Radio Cornwall team. Experts from the dermatology unit at the Royal Cornwall Hospital also spent a day at the show. As well as providing information on skin cancer and sun awareness, they offered a drop-in mole advice service during part of the day, in partnership with the British Association of Dermatologists. The appearance of SimMan also drew in the crowds. RCHT’s simulation training team ‘admitted’ its hi-tech, wi-fi simulation mannequin, which is used to train clinical teams on the front line, to the Radio Cornwall marquee. The life-like dummy can breathe, talk and react to medical treatment and show goers young and old had the chance to try out some of the life-saving skills used by RCHT staff. Throughout the show RCHT also shared space with health community colleagues from Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group, Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust and Peninsula Community Health. Here RCHT staff demonstrated hand hygiene techniques – our first line in defence against infections such as Norovirus – as well as talking about career and volunteering opportunities, and promoting the iLiveiGive campaign encouraging people to share their wishes about organ donation and to join the national register. n
34 One and All
ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW www.rcht.nhs.uk
T
are at the ust
A Royal Outing
One and All 35
OUR PARTNERS
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36 One and All
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WHAT’S ON
Competition WIN two tickets worth £90 on a four hour wildlife trip with AK Wildlife Cruises, Falmouth
AK Wildlife Cruises based in Falmouth, offer all year round marine wildlife experiences from the comfort of their modern vessel.
Can you spot six differences from the photos below? For a chance to win, circle the six differences and send your entries to Spot the Difference Competition, Communications Department, Bedruthan House, RCH – Good Luck!
The heated cabin, outside seating, and home comforts provide a fantastic opportunity to observe wild dolphins and seals, basking sharks, ocean sunfish and marine birds. Captain Keith and crew are knowledgeable and passionate about the local wildlife, and endorsed by the Seawatch Foundation as a recommended boat operator with WiSe and WDCS. The Carrick Roads are home to a vast array of wildlife, landscape and history linked to the ocean and best viewed by boat. Come and enjoy encounters with up to eight species of whale and dolphin, ranging from the small harbour porpoise up to the huge fin whale. Sharing the coastline with the mammals are the Name………………………………..................................... birds. There are nesting peregrines breeding along the coastline as well Department (if applicable)…………………............................ as many wintering birds. To find out more log on Contact Number ……………………................................. to www.akwildlifecruises. All correct entries will be entered into a draw and a winner picked at random. There will be just co.uk, call 01326 one winner, no cash equivalent prizes. The competition is open to all, excluding those associated 753389, email info@ with the competition. The prize is non-transferable and is available to entrants aged 18 and above. All entries must be made by September 13, 2013. The decision of the Communications Team is final akwildlifecruises.co.uk and no correspondence will be entered into. or follow us on Facebook A list of winners will be on the Magazine’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RoyalCornwallHospitalsTrust or Twitter (AK Wildlife Cruises).
38 One and All
What’s On AUGUST 10 Falmouth Week 17 Bude Carnival 18-24 Fowey Regatta 18 St Ewe Fair 24 Cornwall Pride 26 Newlyn Fish Festival 29 RCHT Board meeting SEPTEMBER 12 Shadow Council of Governors Meeting 13-22 (Sat, Tues,Thurs, Fri): SPLASH in Falmouth 21 World Alzheimer’s Day 26 Annual General Meeting: RCHT at 21 OCTOBER Stoptober 1 Older Persons Day Breast Awareness Month 8 Multidisciplinary Obstetric Haemotology Study Day, 9.30-4pm, Post Grad Centre, RCH (Staff only) 10 World Mental Health Day 13 Thanksgiving service in Truro Cathedral at 2pm 31 RCHT Board Meeting NOVEMBER Movember 7 ‘Extra Mile’ Excellence & Innovation Awards 14 World Diabetes Day 30 – December 1 Fowey Christmas Market 22-24 Trereife Country Fayre in Penzance DECEMBER 4 Truro Primestock Show 7 Christmas Dinner Dance 6-8 Padstow Christmas Festival If you have an event or diary date email us at: oneandall@cornwall.nhs.uk
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