JUNE 2014
NHS WALES AWARDS 2014
FOCUS ON FLOW TEAM SCOOP TOP PRIZE
WE ARE A NO SMOKING HEALTH BOARD PLEASE DON’T SMOKE AT ANY OF OUR HOSPITALS
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CONTENT
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FOCUS ON FLOW
8.
NEW UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION FACILITY
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TAILORED PROGRAMME TO HELP PREGNANT SMOKERS QUIT
12.
ORGAN DONATION SYMPOSIUM
14.
FREE WIFI ACROSS CWM TAF HOSPITALS
16. SIMPLY THE BEST - £1000 DONATION TO SCBU
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FOCUS ON
CWM TAF UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD WINS PRESTIGIOUS NHS WALES AWARD FOR WORK ON PATIENT FLOW Cwm Taf University Health Board has been praised for its work in tackling delays and improving the flow of patients across hospital, GP and community services at the NHS Wales Awards 2014. The health board’s innovative Focus on Flow project, which was recognised earlier today at the annual awards ceremony in Cardiff, is significantly reducing the length of unnecessary hos-
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pital stays and delivering better outcomes for patients. Overwhelming demand on the system, particularly in the accident and emergency departments, was leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment, and patients staying in hospital for longer than they needed. It was also impacting on the ambulance service, resulting in delays in patients moving from the ambulance into hospital.
“FOR OUR PATIENTS IT HAS MEANT THAT THEY ARE NOT WAITING FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME IN AMBULANCES OR SPENDING TIME WAITING FOR BEDS. WE KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT BECAUSE FEWER PATIENTS ARE ATTENDING OUR HOSPITALS OR THAT THEY HAVE LESS COMPLEX MEDICAL AND SURGICAL NEEDS, INDEED THE NUMBERS TELL THE OPPOSITE STORY.” DR RUTH ALCOLADO, CLINICAL DIRECTOR FOR ACUTE MEDICINE AND A&E
The ‘Focus on Flow’ project set about identifying blockages across the whole system and finding ways to overcome them. Staff from across the whole health and social care system have focussed their efforts on reducing delays in handing patients over from ambulance
to hospital, redirecting patients to minor injury units instead of accident and emergency where appropriate, and improving social care support. Elderly patients in particular, who are known to become more frail and vulnerable if their discharge is unnecessarily
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“THIS AWARD RECOGNISES TEAM-WORKING THAT DELIVERS IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR THE PEOPLE THAT MATTER MOST TO US – OUR PATIENTS. WELL DONE TO ALL OUR STAFF.” DR CHRIS JONES, CHAIRMAN OF CWM TAF UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD
delayed, have benefited from this focussed multi-disciplinary approach by having their needs met more quickly and appropriately. Clinical Director for Acute Medicine and A&E, Ruth Alcolado said: “Our ‘focus on flow’ work is about patient safety and the quality of care our patients receive. If we get that right, improved performance follows for everyone who uses our service. Each member of staff has played 6
a vital role, from the ward managers, nurses and clerks to the emergency department staff, the therapy teams, domestic staff and pharmacists who have all shown what can be done when everyone pulls together. “For our patients it has meant that they are not waiting for long periods of time in ambulances or spending time waiting for beds. We know that this is not because fewer patients are attending our hospitals or that
they have less complex medical and surgical needs, indeed the numbers tell the opposite story. In a time of financial squeeze ensuring less waste in our system means we can effectively treat more patients with the same or less money. This is key to providing a sustainable service for our local population, and the ‘focus on flow’ work has contributed hugely to what we have achieved this year.” Chief Executive of Cwm Taf
University Health Board Allison Williams said: “We are absolutely delighted that our work on improving patient flow within our hospitals and the community has been recognised by the judges at the NHS Wales Awards. At Cwm Taf we are committed to delivering innovative ways of working to transform healthcare services for patients and I would like to pay tribute to all our staff for making this project such a success.”
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WORK COMMENCES ON A NEW UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION FACILITY IN MERTHYR Work has begun on a new £2.8m undergraduate medical education facility at Keir Hardie University Health Park in Merthyr Tydfil. Due to open in January 2015, the new education facility will provide medical students with practical learning experience as part of the new C21 curriculum developed by Cardiff University. The new curriculum places a greater emphasis on theoretical learning combined with direct patient contact in the early years of doctors in training. In the first two years of the
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new curriculum, students from Cardiff University will be placed with the health board for community based learning. During the course of their placement, students will attend case-based teaching sessions at Keir Hardie University Health Park, applying their learning to real NHS situations, involving real ‘volunteer instructor patients’. This teaching is supplemented with visits to GP surgeries and patients at home, drug and alcohol teams and care of the elderly community teams. Dr Christopher Jones, Chairman of Cwm Taf University Health Board said: “This is just the be-
ginning of our medical teaching unit. “When it is completed, the whole building will form the foundation for encouraging young people to come and work in this area and be the doctors of the future.” The Dean of Medicine at Cardiff University, Professor John Bligh said: “This building is a sign of the enthusiasm and commitment of the health board to encourage young people to take up a career in medicine and to ensure that the health board area attracts the very best doctors in the future.”
“THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF OUR MEDICAL TEACHING UNIT. DR CHRISTOPHER JONES, CHAIRMAN OF CWM TAF UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD
Dr Christopher Jones, chairman of Cwm Taf University Health Board talks to members of Boyes Rees, architects and Interserve Ccnstruction.
INTERESTED IN BECOMING A VIP? A volunteer instructor patient (VIP) is some-one with a long-term health condition who is willing to help medical students at Cwm Taf University Health Board develop their clinical skills. The VIP will meet with a group of students who will take medical history and ask questions under the guidance of a tutor. All discussions will be treated as confidential. The volunteer can attend as many or as few sessions as they wish. Each session lasts two to three hours. Sessions are usually held at the Keir Hardie University Health Park, in Merthyr Tydfil. VIPs must be 18 or over, and they will come from a wide range of backgrounds. No specialist knowledge is required, just a willingness to describe their health condition and how it affects their life. To become a volunteer instructor patient, please contact Mr Kevin Jones on 01443 443406.
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TAILORED PROGRAMME TO HELP PREGNANT SMOKERS QUIT IS ROLLED OUT ACROSS RHONDDA CYNON TAF More pregnant women will be offered targeted support to quit smoking following a successful pilot programme by Cwm Taf University Health Board. Cwm Taf has the highest percentage of low birth-weight babies in Wales, with smoking being one of the highest risk factors.
ferred to a maternity support worker who provided them with one-to-one support to quit smoking. Early results have been positive with more than 80 women receiving smoking cessation advice and support. Now, the MAMSS model will
“BABIES BORN LESS THAN 2.5KG (5.5LB) ARE AT RISK OF PROBLEMS WITH GROWTH, COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT AND CHRONIC CONDITIONS LATER IN LIFE, AND CWM TAF HAS THE HIGHEST RATE OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABIES IN WALES.” ANGELA JONES, PUBLIC HEALTH CONSULTANT FROM CWM TAF PUBLIC HEALTH TEAM
The MAMSS (Maternal Advice for Maternal Smoking Cessation Support) research project, which started in May 2013, involved pregnant smokers being re10
be expanded across Rhondda Cynon Taf for the next two years with tailored support also available for pregnant women who are obese, which is another
risk factor for low birth-weight babies. Referral for support will be directly from the midwife at the “booking in” appointment. A senior public health midwife will be employed as part of the programme as well as three maternity support workers. Public Health consultant Angela Jones from Cwm Taf Public Health Team, said: “The results from the MAMSS pilot have been very encouraging and we are delighted to be able to roll out this programme to support even more women across Cwm Taf. “Babies born less than 2.5kg (5.5lb) are at risk of problems with growth, cognitive development and chronic conditions later in life, and Cwm Taf has the highest rate of low birth weight babies in Wales. Data
Watch the video from Rhondda Cynon Taf identified smoking and obesity as the greatest risk factor so it’s vital
but it was very hard,” she said.
just ring if I was struggling.
“When I was shown the jar of tar
“I feel so much better now – before, I used to have an asthma pump but now my chest is fine, I feel really good and it’s so much better for my family. I would tell anyone who is pregnant and wants to give up smoking to do it and that it’s never too late.”
“WHEN I SAW A BOTTLE SHOWING THE TAR AND HOW IT PASSES THROUGH TO THE BABY IT MADE ME CRY.” DEBORAH LLOYD, YSTRAD
that we target support at those most in need. “We are grateful for the financial support we have received from Families First in Rhondda Cynon Taf to enable this rollout.” One mum who quit smoking following the targeted support provided by the MAMSS project is Deborah Lloyd from Ystrad. Deborah, 39 who had smoked since she was 16 gave up smoking for good when she was 7-weeks pregnant with her fourth child Arya, who is now two months old. “I tried to give up twice before
that builds up in your lungs it wasn’t enough to make me quit, but when I saw a bottle showing the tar and how it passes through to the baby it made me cry. I was determined then to give up, and the midwives were a big help in making sure I kept going. The midwife came to the house and told me to choose a date to quit and aim towards which I did. After they left I went outside, had one cigarette and told myself that would be the last one and that was it.
FOR HELP TO STOP SMOKING DURING PREGNANCY SPEAK TO YOUR MIDWIFE. FOR GENERAL SUPPORT CALL STOP SMOKING WALES.
“It wasn’t easy and the first three weeks were a nightmare but the midwife was there to support me through it and I knew I could 11
ORGAN DONATION CAMPAIGN KICK-STARTS COUNTDOWN TO DECEMBER 1, 2015
Watch the video The first in a series of public information television, radio and digital adverts about the new organ donation legislation were broadcasted earlier this month. The inspiration for the adverts, which kick-start the next phase of the Welsh Government’s It’s Time to Talk campaign, is the fact 36 people died in Wales last year while waiting for a suitable donor organ to become available. The first advert features a digital countdown clock and four fictional individuals – a mother, young boy, a lady in her 50s and a young man. The countdown depicts the agonising wait individuals often face hoping for a transplant while also reinforcing time ticking away for those in need of an organ to survive.
Health Minister Mark Drakeford said, “I welcome the launch of a permanent presence for organ donation on Twitter and Facebook as more and more of us in Wales are embracing social media – this will enable the campaign to reach out and provide a public forum for sharing details on the legislation and facts about organ donation in general. “I hope the adverts will also prompt those watching at home to talk with their loved ones about their organ donation wishes as we prepare for December 2015 and the introduction of this landmark law in Wales.” This new wave of publicity is part of the wider communications campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the
ETHICS OF ORGAN DONATION SYMPOSIUM An event to raise awareness of the ethical issues in organ donation was held recently in Cardiff University Law School. Professor Vivienne Harpwood, Vice Chair of Cwm Taf University Health Board opened the event and introduced Dr Chris 12
Hingston, Regional Clinical Lead for organ donation. Dr Hingston presented an overview of achievements link here and welcomed Mr Mike Stephens, Consultant Transplant Surgeon for NHS Blood and Transplant, to present information on the policy document entitled “Tak-
new organ donation legislation, which will come into force in Wales on December 1, 2015. The move to deemed consent in Wales is designed to increase in the number of potential organ donors and ultimately increase the number of organs available for transplant. Under the new system, a person will become a donor either by registering a decision to opt in – as they do currently – or by doing nothing at all, in which case their consent may be deemed. By doing nothing it will be as if you have no objection to being a donor and an individual will be treated in the same way as if they had chosen to be a donor. If an individual doesn’t want to be a donor they can register a decision to opt out.
ing Organ Transplantation to 2020”. Mr Stephens gave a very interesting presentation and discussed DBD (Donation after Brain Death) and DCD (Donation after Circulatory Death) donors and the ethics dilemmas involved, explaining comparative data on waiting times in different areas of the country.
Mr Stephens said: “This event will raise the profile and awareness of organ donation and help people to understand more about the ethics and processes involved. Everyone needs to make changes if we are going to succeed. We in Wales have an excellent platform to build on”. Mrs Odette Ward, offered a family perspective on organ donation and told delegates about her husband Paul who died unexpectedly following an accident at the age of 38. His organs were donated after his death. Odette described the love and passion her husband had for life, and how it had been his wish that in the event of his death his organs would be offered for donation. She said: “Do you know how it feels to watch someone you love fight for their life?”. She explained that it was a comfort to her that in consenting to the donation, she knew she was carrying out Paul’s wishes. The audience felt privileged to have heard Odette’s story and a member of the audience said: “Odette you are truly inspirational”. “I hope the talk that I gave today will make people realise that ‘In giving we receive’ and the decisions we make today have the ability to change the lives of others that is a beautiful gift we can offer”. Welsh Health Minister, Professor Mark Drakeford, gave a lecture on the ethical aspects of the system of deemed consent which will be implemented in Wales in December 2015 under the provisions of the Human Transplant (Wales) Act 2013.
Here in Wales we have taken a practical approach to organ donation by introducing a system of deemed consent. You can opt in to organ donation, or opt out; or you can choose to do nothing in the knowledge you have allowed consent to be deemed. People need to understand the framework of rules in which they are operating, and with a high profile campaign, and by targeting specific communities such as newly arrived students and minority groups, we hope to achieve this”. The next presentation was given by Professor Steven Edwards, covering the problems involved in defining death in the context of organ transplantation. He was followed by Amanda Gibbon who discussed the issues of DCD and DBD donors. Amanda explained the differences in the
mation on the ethical dilemmas for a CLOD who refers a patient for organ donation which led to further interesting questions and comments from the audience. The last clinician to present was Dr Liz Stevenson, Consultant in Emergency Medicine. Liz showed a short silent movie which, although humorous in nature, demonstrated the ethical dilemmas faced by busy clinicians working under pressure in Emergency Medicine on a day to day basis. The last guest speaker was Mark Irwin, who gave his presentation on his experiences as a recipient of an organ. He told a heartfelt story about his life before and after he received his ‘new heart’ and the changes it made to his life. He described the ups and downs of life and his difficult
“DO YOU KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO WATCH SOMEONE YOU LOVE FIGHT FOR THEIR LIFE?” ODETTE WARD, ABERDARE annual percentages of DBD and DCD organ donation, saying: “It will be fascinating to see how the campaign in Wales takes off”. A debate led by Professor Ilora Finlay with Dr Tamas Szakmany and and Dr Melvyn Jenkins-Welch, both consultant intensivists, discussing the ethical considerations involved in the escalation of treatment in DCD donors. Dr Chris Hingston then took the podium, in a session led by Dr Beth Gibson, Clinical Lead for Organ Donation (CLOD) for Cwm Taf. Dr Hingston presented infor-
experiences over the years, sympathetically explaining what he and his family went through, and expressing his gratitude to the donor who gave him a new lease of life and the ability to see his family grow up. Closing remarks were then made by Mr Kamal Asaad, Medical Director of Cwm Taf University Health Board, who thanked everyone for an excellent and informative day, paying a special tribute to Odette Ward and Mark Irwin for sharing their traumatic and very personal stories.
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CWM TAF UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD
PROVIDES FREE WIFI ACROSS HOSPITALS
Cwm Taf University Health Board is delighted to announce the role out of free WiFi across its hospital sites. Driven by a booming mobile market in which two in five UK adults now own a smartphone , 14
WiFi usage in the UK has grown dramatically. Cwm Taf are responding by partnering with The Cloud to let patients and visitors go online to browse or shop, access emails, and log-in to Facebook or any other online service.
In addition to providing patients and visitors with WiFi, staff at these locations will also be able to access the network. As more and more healthcare is taken online, the use of mobile devices such as tablets on wards has become more common.
John Hunt, Head of ICT at Cwm Taf University Health Board, said: “There has been a long standing requirement to provide improved communications services to patients, visitors, students and staff. Overlaying “The Cloud” onto our existing secure WiFi hardware, which will be available across all major estates by the middle of 2014, has allowed us to provide appropriate and free internet access directly to users own devices without compromising the security of our systems.” Since “The Cloud” was rolled out across its hospitals, Cwm Taf University Health Board has seen an average of 1,000 devices accessing the service per day. Vince Russell, Managing Director at The Cloud, said: “People often rely on 3G to access the internet from their mobile device. “The problem is that coverage can be patchy and the demand on the 3G and 4G networks is so high that they cannot provide the speeds needed to satisfy people wanting to stream video or use other online services. It’s this kind of connection users want. In the digital age, the ability to go online is a necessity not a luxury.”
1. Ofcom Communications Market Report - http://stakeholders.ofcom.org. uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/ cmr13/
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SIMPLY THE BEST Cwm Taf University Health Board says a big ‘thank you’ to Ron Hancock from Aberaman for donating a £1000 to the Special Care Baby Unit at Prince Charles Hospital.
Seventy seven year old Ron Hancock along with management support from Aberaman Original Band Club Ltd raised £1000 for the Special Baby Care Unit at Prince Charles Hospital. Ron who lives with his wife Majorie in Margaret Street, Aberaman has 2 children and 5 grandchildren and has been a member of the Aberaman Original Band club for 57 years, the last nine years as chairman. Having a disabled grandson who is now 21 Ron said: “Over the years my grandson has had many visits to hospitals in the area. “I felt that the Special Baby Care Unit was a good place for the donations to go to as the NHS is always grateful for any extra money and after visiting the 16
ward and speaking to the ward manager Maisie Morris I knew the money would be kindly received and put to good use.
“Prizes were kindly donated from club members for the raffle and with the help of the steward and stewardess and management the event turned out a great success.”
the club where she was presented with a cheque for the Unit. Maisie said: “It was a pleasure to meet Mr Hancock and a lovely gesture for him and the club to offer their donation to us in
“I will no doubt be holding more charity nights in the future as there are so many causes we can donate to and it also brings the community together. It gives
“I FELT THAT THE SPECIAL BABY CARE UNIT WAS A GOOD PLACE FOR THE DONATIONS TO GO” RON HANCOCK, ABERAMAN me great satisfaction to think that I, with the help of the club contributed in some way to give a little back to the community.” Maisie Morris, Ward Manager at Prince Charles Hospital attended
the Unit. Donations are always gratefully received and put to good use within our ward. Thank you to all those people who contributed and the hard work in organising the charity night”.
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