For You - Summer 2017 digital edition

At the heart of a healthy community

Issue 2 - Summer 2017

Don’t miss our heartwarming patient story... see page 8.

b The silent damage your blood pressure could be causing!

See page 12!

Try this refreshing and tasty recipe, page 22.

Welcome...

Welcome to our Summer edition of foryou – your NHS magazine packed with information, advice and details of the services available to support your health and wellbeing.

We’ve had a really exciting few months here at Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust. As a community trust, we provide NHS healthcare services outside of hospital.

You’ve probably heard talk of moving care out of hospital and closer to people’s homes.

We’re at the forefront of that in Wirral and Cheshire.

One of our big projects this year is integrating health and adult social care. I am immensely proud that we are now one of the few truly integrated care providers of health and adult social care. It’s testament to the hard work, tenacity and dedication of so many staff from the trust and the local

authority. They have worked tirelessly for many months to make this happen. We’ve shown that by working together we can absolutely transform public services for the better. Find out more on page 5.

I’m also delighted that we’ve launched a new Sexual Health service in Wirral, with a new interactive and mobile website for advice and support. We’re also really excited about our new service for care homes, helping residents to be treated and cared for in their own environment rather than facing a sometimes frightening and disruptive trip to hospital.

In Cheshire East we’ve launched a new ‘Livewell’ service to help tackle habits around unhealthy eating, smoking and drinking too much alcohol.

This edition is packed with lots more information about our new services, as well as advice

from our Medical Director, Professor Ewen Sim about looking after your blood pressure, how to tackle back pain, the antibiotic threat and much more.

I hope you enjoy reading our patient stories too, and finding out about the many services we have that can help you look after your health and wellbeing. And don’t forget to look out for my fortnightly column in the Wirral Globe to find out more about what’s happening in health!

Karen Howell Chief Executive

Trailblazing Skype Our Speech and Language Service has been trailblazing an innovative Skype project.

Staff have piloted a scheme using Skype to deliver quick and timely services to adults and children.

Strengthening links with the University of Chester We are delighted to announce that our Medical Director Professor Ewen Sim has been awarded the Honorary Title of Visiting Professor at the University of Chester.

The outcomes have been fantastic, with patients reporting much greater flexibility and reduced travel time and parents saying they feel more involved in their child’s consultation. 100% felt that using Skype had had a positive impact on their care.

100% were happy to continue to have Skype consultations.

Professor Sim has been working closely with the University’s Institute of Medicine (which offers a portfolio of postgraduate programmes for practising doctors, medical practitioners and health professionals), to ensure that its curriculum, and training, reflects the needs of the local community.

The project has the potential to change the way we offer care using technology and it will be exciting to see where it leads!

“I feel honoured and proud to have been awarded the title of Visiting Professor. It’s a fantastic accolade, which will strengthen the bond between the Trust and the University.”

Going Green We’re delighted to be working towards international accreditation for being environmentally friendly.

We already recycle much of our waste, but we want to do more! We’ll be running energy switch-off campaigns and increasing the amount of cardboard, ink cartridges, plastics and batteries we recycle, as well as encouraging staff to cycle to work or use public transport. We will also be installing more energy efficient lighting in some sites.

We hope to gain ISO 14001 later this year.

ISSUE

in this

news bites

News bites

3

Health & Social Care

5

Feature Sexual Health Wirral

6

Your story

8

Membership & governors

10

Professor Sim - Blood Pressure 12 News from around the trust 14 Cheshire East

18

A day in the life

20

Health & wellbeing corner

22

Puzzles

23

Professor Ewen Sim 0-19 Teen Team Wirral’s 0-19 service has developed a new Teenage Team to help teenagers minimise risk-taking behaviour and improve outcomes for vulnerable young people.

The team includes partners from Barnardos and Brook, whose focuses will include teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol misuse, child sexual exploitation and sexual health and wellbeing.

PUBLICATION DETAILS Produced by: Communications and Marketing, Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust.

SUBMISSION DETAILS If you would like to submit an idea for an article, please contact:

foryou Communications and Marketing Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust Ground Floor, Wing 5, St Catherine’s Health Centre, Derby Road, Birkenhead, Wirral CH42 0LQ E: wcnt.communications@nhs.net

advertorial

Are you looking after your eye health?

If you have a complex eye problem would you like to be seen by a consultant, out of hospital and nearer to home?

Our Community Ophthalmology Service provides rapid access to highly specialist eye care! We use the latest specialist technology to assess, diagnose, treat and monitor a wide range of conditions including: • Glaucoma (diagnosis and management) • Iritis (inflammation of the iris) • Dry eye • Persistent Blepharitis (swelling of the eye lids) • Gradual onset ptosis (drooping eye lid) • Uveitis (swelling of the middle layer of the eye) Two million people in the UK live with sight loss - over half of it is preventable. If you notice any changes in your eyes, act quickly and seek help.

Ask your optician, GP or practice nurse to refer you to...

Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust!

For a full list of conditions treated visit wirralct.nhs.uk

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Health & Social Care

Public sector organisations like the NHS and Councils can sometimes have a reputation for being big and unwieldy, slow to change, too bureaucratic and not working together.

Here in Wirral there’s a real appetite for doing things better - delivering the right care, at the right time, in the right place.

Health & Social Care: The dawn of a new era!

Over the last 12 months we have been working tirelessly with our Wirral Council colleagues to look at how we can improve community health and social care for older people and adults across Wirral. Together we developed a proposal to create a fully integrated health and social care service, transferring Wirral Council social care assessment and planning staff to the trust.

We are delighted that more than 200 adult social care staff joined the NHS and became Community Trust staff on 1 June!

We are immensely proud to be one of the few trusts in England to become a truly integrated care provider.

As one organisation, we will deliver a fully integrated social care assessment and health service to local residents. People will have one number to call, one person responsible for ensuring their health and social care needs are understood.

Community nurses, community matrons, therapists, social workers and other care staff will work side by side, supporting people in their local communities. As one integrated service we will be able to make a real difference to Wirral people, their families and carers.

We are immensely proud that Wirral is one of the few places in

England to achieve this level of integration. It is testament to the hard work, tenacity and dedication of so many staff from both organisations who have been involved in the scoping, planning and development of this programme of work. We’ve shown that by working together, we can absolutely transform public services for the better.

By becoming a truly integrated care provider we have reached a huge milestone in the way we support people in our local communities to remain well and as independent as possible.

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Sexual Health Wirral has changed!

We have re-designed our services to offer greater flexibility and access, making it as easy as possible for you to get the information, support and services you need to look after your sexual health. All services are available regardless of age, ethnicity, gender or sexuality.

So what’s new?

Visit our website

Young people

Our website is full of advice and guidance on how to look after your sexual health. You can book appointments and order FREE STI testing kits for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV.

Brook Wirral are offering a confidential and specialised service for young people 19 years and under.

Freephone helpline Call us on 0300 123 5474, lines are open 8.00am - 8.00pm 7 days a week. You can book a clinic appointment or be signposted to other services.

Telephone consultations are also available on a call back basis between 8.00am 7.00pm Monday to Friday.

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Pharmacies

We have a limited number of walk-in appointments available at all our clinics on a first come first served basis.

Pick up a copy of our clinic timetable or visit our website for details.

Many local pharmacies are working with Sexual Health Wirral to offer you services including emergency contraception and chlamydia and gonorrhoea screening.

Visit our website for a list of participating pharmacies.

Services

Appointments

• Pregnancy advice • Treatment and screening

You can book an appointment online or over the phone at one of our five clinics.

We provide a wide range of sexual health services offering advice, guidance and treatments. We can help with:

• A range of contraception choices

for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) inc. HIV

Sexual Health Wirral • Women’s Sexual Health • Men’s Sexual Health • HIV Post Exposure

sexualhealthwirral.nhs.uk

• Hepatitis B vaccines • Psychosexual counselling

7 DAYS A WEEK 8.00am to 8.00pm

Prophylaxis

and specialist services

You need to be referred by your GP or Health Professional for specialist/psychosexual services and counselling.

If you wish to choose either a male or female doctor for your appointment, please tell us when you telephone to make your booking.

Our clinics are fully accessible by wheelchair with interpreters available on request, providing a discreet and confidential service to all.

Visit our website for a full list of sexual health services available.

Our clinics St Catherine’s Health Centre Derby Road, Birkenhead, CH42 0LQ Brook Wirral Young Persons Clinic Whetstone Lane, Birkenhead, CH41 2QR Victoria Central Health Centre Mill Lane, Wallasey, CH44 5UF Arrowe Park Hospital 2nd Floor, Arrowe Park Hospital, CH49 5PE Eastham Clinic 31 Eastham Rake, Eastham, CH62 9AN Opening times vary at each clinic – please visit our website for details or pick up a clinic timetable.

FREEPHONE: 0300 123 5474

Your story...

Left to right: Gordon Burns, Karen Howell, Chief Executive Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust, the Cardiac Rehabilitation Team and the Mayor and Mayoress of Wirral, Councilor Pat Hackett and Mrs Elaine Hackett.

At the heart of the community Every year, we have over 1.1 million patient contacts.

We received over 7000 compliments about our services last year, but some stories are so special that they stand out from the crowd.

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In March 2016, following a heart attack, Jim Anderson’s GP referred him to the Cardiac Rehabilitation Team at St Catherine’s Health Centre in Birkenhead. His experience with the team was so positive that he felt compelled to enter them for our annual staff awards. His heartfelt nomination beat the competition, helping the team take home the coveted Patient Choice Award 2017.

For three years, the Patient Choice Award has been showcasing inspiring and insightful stories of the patients we serve. Patients, families and carers nominate individuals or a team who they feel deliver outstanding care.

Their story is recorded and played at the awards.

Jim felt the Cardiac Rehabilitation Team went above and beyond and gave him a fantastic patient experience. He said: “I honestly enjoyed every second of it, and I would have continued working at the gym if it wasn’t for the many other people that need the support of this brilliant team.”

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Team are a group of highly trained and experienced nurses, exercise physiologists, doctors and psychologists who support people who have had a heart attack in all aspects of rehabilitation.

They provide tailored, individual rehabilitation programmes to help people recover and resume a full life as quickly as possible.

Research has shown that cardiac

rehabilitation programmes can reduce mortality by between 21 and 34%.

It can be a frightening and traumatic time after suffering a heart attack. Sometimes it’s challenging for patients to feel like themselves again, but Jim took to his rehabilitation programme with gusto and cheerful resolve.

“Jim is the life and soul of the gym sessions, making people laugh, encouraging others to get up and dance. It has been a pleasure watching him improve over the weeks. We were all really surprised and honoured by his nomination. It was a complete shock!”

Antonio Vaquero Cardiac Rehabilitation Health Advisor

Jim said, “On behalf of my wife Anne and me, thank you for inviting us to the For You Thank You Staff Awards 2017.

We really enjoyed ourselves and when I heard my voice reading out my nomination through the speakers, I felt so happy and proud seeing the team’s reaction to winning this memorable award.

This team has helped me to feel more positive and encouraged me to start enjoying life again.”

When a patient shares their story with us, it helps us recognise the achievements of our staff and gives us insight into patient experience, helping to ensure we deliver an exceptional service. If you’ve got a story to share, please freephone 0800 694 5530 or email: wcnt.yourexperience@nhs.net A heart attack happens when a narrowed coronary artery becomes blocked by a blood clot. Part of the heart muscle is starved of oxygen and may become permanently damaged.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme:

Anne and Jim Anderson pictured with Antonio Vaquero at the Staff Awards.

• Initial contact within two weeks of discharge (or five days if you’ve had surgery) • Full assessment of your heart condition and lifestyle • Eight weeks of education and exercise tailored to your needs • Eight complimentary weeks of structured exercise individually prescribed to help you build up your fitness even further • The opportunity to exercise in the community after your rehabilitation is finished

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Governor news Since Wirral Community NHS Trust gained Foundation Trust status in May 2016, the Council of Governors has worked closely with the trust to establish and develop active working relationships, to support the provision of safe and effective services. The Council of Governors represents the interests of patients, public and staff, and oversees the work of the Board in running the organisation.

Irene Cooke Lead Governor

Hello and welcome to my first column in the new ForYou magazine.

As a public governor representing the trust’s Birkenhead constituency and Lead Governor for the Council of Governors (COG), I’ve been invited to write a column to keep you up to date with COG events.

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As Governors, we help to set the direction of the trust. We comprise of elected public and staff members, as well as members appointed by partnership organisations.

It’s been a very busy year, with highlights including reviewing the nominations for the 2017 Staff Awards. The awards are a fantastic way for patients and staff members to nominate outstanding individuals or teams and culminate in a glittering ceremony to celebrate the achievements of Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust staff. As Governors, we‘ve been actively involved in the

process, reading all the nominations and participating in the shortlisting process. It’s been so insightful as it clearly demonstrates to us the exceptional standard of care that is being delivered by community staff on a daily basis.

It truly captures the patient experience, and therefore assures us as Governors that Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust staff are committed to delivering outstanding care.

The Remuneration and Nomination sub-group (which reports to the Council of Governors) is currently in the process of recruiting to the post of Trust Chairman. I will bring you more in the next magazine.

Meanwhile the Council of Governors will also be undertaking Leadership Walkabouts soon, talking to service users and trust members about their experiences.

We’re really looking forward to participating in these and very much look forward to meeting some of you, particularly our colleagues in Cheshire East and our new adult social care teams.

Governors and Members Other Council of Governors responsibilities include: • Appointing (or removing) the trust’s Chairman and Non-Executive Directors • Approving the appointment of the trust’s Chief Executive

Volunteer of the year!

• Appointing the trust’s external auditors • Agreeing salaries of Non-Executive Directors and the Chairman • Receiving the annual report and accounts • Advising the board and represent members views about the strategic direction • Helping the trust to recruit members

foryou After feedback the next issue of ForYou magazine will no longer be sent to members by post.

To receive an electronic copy email foryouwithyou@nhs.net.

You can also pick up a copy from any of our clinics, GP surgeries and local libraries.

The magazine is available online - visit wirralct.nhs.uk

Left to right: Gordon Burns, Johanna Hay, the High Sheriff of Merseyside, Jim Davies and Karen Howell, Chief Executive, Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust.

We have more than 80 volunteers across the trust, all giving their time and dedication to supporting our services and helping to ensure patients have the best possible experience.

We were delighted to announce that Johanna Hay, Speech and Language Therapy Service, won the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ accolade at our Staff Awards ceremony this year.

for a child to encourage them to engage in therapy. It was totally personalised and made a massive difference to the motivation and happiness of the child in the sessions.

Jo has been volunteering with Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service for 12 months and has made such a positive impact.

She spent the majority of her first weeks scanning endless documents; a necessary but soul destroying job for anyone, but Jo stuck it out and as a result all the paperwork is now up to date!

Jo also completes feedback forms with parents at the end of the groups, which allows the service to develop further and meet the needs of the patients.

Jo interacts with the children and parents in the therapy groups, organises the resources and has even developed a Pokémon game

Jo is an extremely valued member of the team and has helped in many different ways. She is now completing a Health and Social Care foundation course in Wirral MET College.

Thank you Johanna!

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Take control...

Professor Ewen Sim Medical Director Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust

We all know about blood pressure (BP) and may think we know what high blood pressure can do; patients have a mistaken belief that it will cause headaches, nosebleeds or spots in front of the eyes first.

Well it might, but there is a lot more silent damage that can happen well before that yet it is all preventable. The list is long, but the concern is progressive damage to kidneys and the heart, again without any symptoms. At worst sudden stroke or heart attack that may lead to death or permanent disability, like a bolt of lightning.

of your blood pressure!

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Blood pressure

Let’s put the scare stories aside and focus on Wirral. There are fewer people than expected in Wirral who have a high BP recorded. This isn’t because we are fantastically healthy, but that there are lots of people, thousands, who have not been found. There may be lots of reasons why, but one is that BP does not have a high profile.

People are worried about cancer, food allergies and obscure, rare illnesses that flood the popular press. Some simply don’t want to be ‘messed about with’ and avoid medical care.

Take personal control Get a BP machine! One for the arm tends to more reliable than one for the wrist. The majority available in established retail outlets like pharmacies and supermarkets are accredited and come at very low cost. Those available from overseas online may not be as reliable and may not be accredited. A good source of information is the British Heart Foundation or the British Hypertension Society. GPs are now

Will I be asked to take pills?

If you listen to your nurse or GP and follow lifestyle changes such as weight loss, more exercise, cutting down alcohol and stopping smoking there is a very good chance that you will get your BP back to normal naturally. However if your BP remains high, you may be offered medication. Most medications have their greatest effect at the lowest dose. So, it

Other parts of the world (notably Canada) have taken the BP problem head-on as a society.

We are starting to do this in Wirral with a huge initiative from public health, but we need your help.

Canada has made remarkable progress and is reporting great outcomes and in Wirral we want to follow that lead.

What can I do to help myself?

Get your BP measured, simple as that. Many GP practices have a machine in the corridor that will measure your BP without an appointment (check first). A BP that is considered ‘high’ depends upon any other conditions that you have, so someone with kidney damage, diabetes or heart disease may have more strict targets than others. Also, some people have a high BP simply because it is being measured. For this we recommend a 24-hour BP or home BP measurements. A high BP from a single measurement doesn’t mean you definitely have high BP, but you might.

used to receiving home BP recordings. Try to take them at roughly the same time of the day, but please do record the date and time with the BP.

What happens next?

(Don’t be frightened) If you are found to have high BP you should be asked for several tests. If not, show your GP this article to jog their memory. You should have a urine protein test (ACR/PCR), an ECG (heart tracing) and a set of baseline blood tests to assess risk; U&Es, FBC, LFT, TFT, Lipids and HBA1c. If anything unusual is found you may be asked to see your GP to discuss it.

may be better to be on two or three medications at very low dose with fewer side effects, than one or two at higher doses with more.

Sometimes, you may need to take more medications to gain control.

What can I do to avoid this?

You will yawn, but it’s all of what you know already. Stop smoking, use less salt, lose weight, do more exercise. I have two patients who were diabetic, but after losing sufficient weight, they no longer have diabetes. Their BP became normal without medication, and no, they have not become super slim or miserable – there is hope!

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4,000 News from around the trust

...blood tests a week!

We’ve had great feedback from hundreds of patients praising our new phlebotomy (blood test) service. The service now runs from five hubs across Wirral at: • St Catherine’s Health Centre (drop-in) • Victoria Central Health Centre (drop-in) • Eastham Clinic (drop-in) • Arrowe Park All Day Health Centre (drop-in) • West Kirby Concourse (pre-booked appointments only) If you’re referred by your GP for a blood test, you can now be seen on the same day rather than wait weeks for an appointment. Four of the hubs run drop-in clinics, so you can just turn up to your preferred venue and you will usually be seen in less than half an hour. We’ve even had people complaining that they’ve brought a book and not had time to read any of it! Our fifth hub in West Kirby runs an appointment only service, which can be booked via our Centralised Booking Service.

Tracy Orr, Divisional Manager for the Phlebotomy Service said:

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“We worked closely with our commissioners Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group (WCCG), to explore options which were affordable and would increase the amount of patients we see each week. The hub model delivers both.

‘For me, living in Upton, access is easy. Seen promptly. All staff extremely pleasant.’

‘St Catherine’s is always great. No waiting and staff are always pleasant.’

‘Excellent, quick, efficient service.’

It has reduced waiting times and improved patient safety and so far we’ve received lots of positive feedback from patients. A big thank you to all the staff who are doing such a great job.”

If you are housebound and need a blood test, speak to your GP about arranging a home visit. If you need a glucose tolerance test, you can book an appointment at one of the clinics in advance by calling our Centralised Booking Service on tel: 0151 514 2222.

For details of each hub’s opening times visit wirralct.nhs.uk A small number of Wirral GP Practices are not covered by the Phlebotomy Service.

Please speak to your GP or visit wirralct.nhs.uk for details.

News from around the trust

90% of the UK population get back pain at some point. It can be triggered by bad posture while sitting, standing, bending awkwardly, or lifting incorrectly. In most cases it improves in a few weeks or months, but for some the pain can be long-term or keep coming back.

back pain BUSTING THE MYTHS

The Physiotherapy team at Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust see patients with back pain every day and are keen to bust some of the myths about it and reinforce what the latest evidence says is best for your back.

Myth #1 Moving will make my back worse.

Fact People should remain as active as possible and try to continue with daily activities.

Myth #2 I should avoid exercise.

Fact Back pain shouldn’t stop you enjoying exercise or regular activities. In fact studies found that continuing with these can help you get better sooner.

Myth #3 Pain equals damage.

Fact More recent research has changed our thinking on this. Modern physio takes a holistic approach

that helps people understand why they are in pain.

Over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can help relieve some discomfort and although it can be difficult to be cheerful or optimistic if you are in pain, it’s important to stay positive as this can help you recover faster.

Regular exercise, such as walking and swimming, is an excellent way of preventing back pain and activities such as yoga or pilates can improve your flexibility and strengthen your back muscles.

If you’re worried about your back or your pain hasn’t improved by around six weeks, it’s a good idea to visit your GP, who can advise you about the treatments available.

We offer a wide range of specialist treatments including physiotherapy and osteopathy.

You should ask to be referred to Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust.

Service stamps on superbugs Superbugs like MRSA, E Coli from undercooked meat and C diff, the bacteria that cause infection in people taking antibiotics; they can all pose a serious risk to young children, the elderly and people who are sick. So we’re delighted that our Infection Prevention and Control Service has won a three year contract to prevent and reduce infections like these in healthcare settings.

The team will also work to reduce outbreaks in care homes, and ensure standards are met in health and social care premises to prevent the spread of infection. They will provide training and support for healthcare and social care staff to increase their knowledge and skills in infection control. It’s great news for Wirral and will ultimately help prevent infections spreading in hospitals, health centres, GP practices and care homes.

Top tips: • wash your hands regularly with soap and water, particularly after going to the toilet and before eating • If you are ill with a superbug, E.Coli or C Diff infection, stay at home until at least 48 hours after your symptoms have cleared up

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News from around the trust

You can’t have escaped all the national media coverage about the pressures the NHS is facing. We’ve got the same challenges here in Wirral as elsewhere in the country, with more people than ever before needing treatment and care, and less money to do it with.

New NHS service for care home residents We’re working closely with Wirral Council, Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group and Wirral University Teaching Hospital to find innovative and new ways of working and mobilising our staff to meet the needs of local people.

We’ve just launched a pilot project for one new scheme, to provide healthcare advice to care homes.

Our senior nurses are supporting 10 pilot care homes, helping to manage any health concerns they have about their residents. If one of them is concerned about a resident, they can ring and speak to a senior healthcare professional at any time of day or night. One of our senior nurses or GPs will be able to see the patient on an ipad, and carry out a rapid assessment to determine what action is required.

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Most care home residents are frail older people and evidence shows many are admitted to hospital when they become ill, even though it’s often not the most appropriate place for them. Being admitted can sometimes have a severe impact on people both physically and mentally and for some they don’t regain the level of function they had prior to admission. So it’s vital that they are only admitted to hospital when there are no other alternatives.

As well as providing better care and better health for patients, the new service will help provide better value for the NHS too. Some of the pressure Arrowe Park is facing is because people aren’t sure where to go for the right advice and support and so resort to going to

A&E or dialling 999. This can be the case for care homes too.

But the new service will support unwell patients within their care home rather than facing the frightening and disruptive prospect of ambulances and hospital departments.

Similar projects are already running very successfully in other areas. Sefton and West Yorkshire report many cases where telehealth nurses have helped avoid 999 calls and unnecessary hospital admissions. We hope our new pilot service will have similar success, providing direct support to care home staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

News from around the trust Imagine a world where deaths in child birth are common place, where people routinely die from infected wounds or pneumonia. A world where 10 million people die a year because there are no antibiotics.

Art meets health

The antibiotic threat…

Do you live or work near St Catherine’s Health Centre in Birkenhead? Then come and visit our latest art exhibition!

The World Health Organisation fears that’s where we are heading; a post-antibiotic era where common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill.

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics is creating resistant strains of bacteria, which none of our current antibiotics work against. The race is on to develop new antibiotics to kill them, but if we don’t win that race we could face a future in which antibiotics no longer work.

It’s one of the biggest health threats facing us today. Whilst antibiotics are vital for many infections, they only work on bacteria. Taking them for viral illnesses like colds and flu won’t help you get better, but will mean they are less likely to work in the future. Sharing antibiotics with other people or failing to complete the full course is also making them less effective.

In Merseyside, we are prescribed more antibiotics than anywhere else in the country. So by making sure we use them properly, we can play a big part in helping to ensure they keep working now, and for our children and grandchildren Antibiotics don’t work on viruses, but people often still put pressure on their GP or health professional to prescribe them. Instead, ask your pharmacist about over-thecounter treatment options that can help relieve cold and flu symptoms.

We can all make a difference.

Don’t demand your GP prescribes antibiotics for a cold, flu or sore throat. If you do need antibiotics for a bacterial infection, make sure you finish the course, and never share them with anyone else.

Please help to keep antibiotics working.

The display features paintings, photographs and digital artwork by pupils from Mosslands School in Wallasey. The exhibition covers all three floors, with specially commissioned pieces in reception to commemorate 150 years since the first infirmary was built on the site.

Our rolling art exhibition programme provides a great opportunity for engagement with local schools and communities, as well as creating a bright and stimulating environment for patients, visitors and staff.

Creating a positive healthcare environment is very important to us and the work on display from Mosslands School will help us to do just that.

We’ve had a fantastic response to our art exhibitions and even had people asking if they can purchase paintings! We look forward to working with other local schools to give more pupils the opportunity to showcase their artwork later in the year.

The exhibition is supported by NADFAS – the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies, which kindly funded the artwork frames.

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Cheshire East

...in Cheshire East Everyday habits such as eating too much unhealthy food, drinking more alcohol than is recommended, continuing to smoke and not being active enough are responsible for around 40 per cent of all deaths in England. They cost the NHS more than £11 billion a year.

Want to drink less?

Our Livewell service has a long history of offering free and friendly support for people to make positive changes to their lifestyle. Our specialist health trainers offer one-to-one support to set personal action plans, motivation, encouragement and signposting to other services.

We offer the NHS Health Check for adults aged 40-74 from a number of selected GP practices. Health checks can spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia. Our health trainers can help lower your risk by providing personalised advice on:

They can help you to: • stop smoking • drink less alcohol • look after your general health Want to stop smoking?

Research shows you’re four times more likely to quit with the help of a trained NHS advisor. Our specialist team can give you motivational advice and practical one-to-one support. They can also provide Nicotine Replacement Therapy (prescription charges may apply) and provide stop-smoking support for people that use e-cigarettes.

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Our health trainers can help with: • advice and signposting • guidance to help people change their drinking behaviour and understand their responsibilities • liaison with Specialist Substance Misuse services to reduce alcohol related harm Age 40-74?

• improving your diet and healthy eating • increasing your physical activity levels • losing weight • stopping smoking and alcohol screening • signposting to other health and wellbeing services Quitting smoking is the single best thing you can do for your health.

We can help. Just pick up the phone and get in touch!

If we can do, it so can you! ‘‘I smoked around 80 rolls per day for 48 years. I tried to quit several times but always failed for one reason or another. I’ve found the support provided

by Livewell Advisors really helpful in explaining what to expect and how to overcome challenges. The weekly sessions have helped me stay on the right path and going through the service with my wife (who has recently been diagnosed with COPD) has increased my motivation to become smoke free.

We both have lots more energy and Doreen’s breathing has improved. We now go on regular walks and are able to keep up with our grandchildren, who put us through our paces with keep fit sessions. Our experience with Livewell has also helped our two sons to quit, benefiting the whole family.

My advice - give it a go!”

Phillip and Doreen Lloyd

For support from any of our Cheshire East Livewell services, call 0776 924 4789. We currently have clinics in Crewe, Macclesfield and Middlewhich.

Visit wirralct.nhs.uk for full details.

Cheshire East

Cheshire East 0 - 19 Service It’s 18 months since we launched our 0-19 Health and Wellbeing Service in Cheshire East, and what a busy time it’s been!

The service was developed in partnership with children, young people and their families to ensure it meets the needs of the local area.

Delivered from a range of children’s centres, community venues and health clinics across East Cheshire, we provide informative advice and support, including emotional health and wellbeing.

We’re really proud to have a proven track record in child immunisation and Healthy School status. Our CHERUBS Infant Feeding Team also has UNICEF UK Baby Friendly accreditation.

The service is delivered by health visitors, family nurses, school nurses, nursery nurses and health screeners, supported by our admin team. We all help to improve the current and future health and wellbeing of children and young people.

0 - 19 Service includes: • health visiting and Family Nurse Partnership (FNP), school nursing and immunisations/vaccinations • weight management support for children, young people and their families • training sessions in children’s centres, schools and other settings to help staff manage medical conditions • support for healthcare planning for children with physical,

medical, emotional and educational needs • support for parents and young carers • support for children, young people and families at transition points eg becoming parents, entry into primary, secondary school and adult services • working closely with safeguarding services to protect children from harm • signposting and referring to other services where necessary Visit wirralct.nhs.uk to find out more about what Cheshire East 0-19 service can do for you.

Breastfeeding Behind Bars

Safer sleeping advice, stop smoking support, mobile children’s centre launch... just some of the recent posts on our new facebook page, enabling you to get information at your fingertips, any time of day.

Whether it’s advice on feeding, behaviour, developmental steps, safety, vaccine information, clinic times and breastfeeding support, we feature a range of topics by specialists in child health and development.

Our Health Visitors work in the community with families and individuals to promote and improve the health and wellbeing of pre-school children and their families. They can help you to build on your strengths as a parent, develop parenting confidence and ensure that you are fully supported to give your children the best possible start in life.

Join our conversation and like... facebook.com/0219HVHubCE

CHERUBS is Cheshire’s Really Useful Breastfeeding Service, giving breastfeeding advice and support to hundreds of women across Cheshire East. We’ve been really excited about one of our latest projects at Styal Women’s Prison. We’ve been training staff there, so that they can provide breastfeeding support to female prisoners in the mother and baby unit. We’ve also been running a pilot scheme to train the female prisoners themselves and it’s going really well.

By training the prison staff and peer support volunteers, we can give new mum’s the best chance of breastfeeding their baby.

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A day in the life Andrew Giffard Community Nurse Team Leader Delivering quality care in the community and supporting people to remain at home.

My day starts at 6am when I get up, have breakfast and then go straight to my lap top to check any messages, events over night and my schedule for today.

support the patient I saw this morning, and make any referrals to other health professionals who need to be involved in keeping the patient at home.

The trust has invested a lot of time and money in technology and we now all have our own laptops for instant communication and patient information. The pace of change has been quite fast but it’s made my job easier and more responsive.

Community nursing is a unique and particularly skilled branch of the nursing profession, providing treatment and care in patient’s own homes, residential homes and community clinics.

We are part of a highly developed multi-disciplinary team including social services, health visitors, community matrons, therapy services, mental health and doctors, all working together to meet patients’ needs and prevent hospital admission.

I liaise with a number of professionals to coordinate on going care.

I write a few emails and make any changes to the staff/patient allocation and it’s off to visit a patient on my way to the office.

It’s Monday, so the whole team meets at 09.30, after our early calls, to discuss the needs of today’s patients. At 10.30 I speak to our Hub Manager, highlighting today’s capacity for calls and any outstanding operational problems.

I’m out again mid-morning to support a staff member with a patient who has complex needs.

I also pop into a GP surgery to a meeting about patients who require palliative end-of-life care at home.

I return to the office to order the nursing equipment required to

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By mid-day I’ve checked what patient visits we’ve completed, added new unplanned calls, and allocated all the known calls for tomorrow using our new computer system. I grab a bite to eat and make a start on next month’s staff rota. Then I meet with a team member to discuss their training needs and plan for their future education.

The team meet again at 2.30pm to discuss today’s events and plan for tomorrow. We have a little training session with new thermometers and I meet with one of the matrons to talk about a poorly patient who needs intravenous antibiotic therapy.

It’s great that we can provide that in the patient’s own home, rather than them having to go into hospital.

A bit more paperwork, planning of staff training and audit of patient records and its gone 5pm before I know it. Time for home.

Did you know?

• Community (District) Nursing began in Liverpool over 150 years ago • We have over 350 community nursing staff • Our service runs 24 hours a day 365 days a year • We do more than 28,000 visits every month • We love our work

Walk-in centres help take the A & E strain The three Walk-in Centres run by Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust had over 85,000 visits last year, that’s around 232 people a day, helping to ease pressure at Arrowe Park’s emergency dept.

Know your alternatives: Walk-in Centres at Arrowe Park, Eastham Clinic and Victoria Central Health Centre Self-care Your GP Your pharmacy

#morethanyouthink

keep a&e free for serious illness and injury! foryou - Summer 2017

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Health & wellbeing Pasta Primavera Pasta primavera is quite a straightforward recipe; spaghetti or fettuccine tossed with an array of fresh spring vegetables. When done right, this is one of the year’s great seasonal recipes. This looks, smells, and tastes like a cool, sunny spring day.

Recipe from Allrecipes.

Ingredients

Method

1 bunch fresh basil

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Hold basil bunch by the stems and dip basil leaves in boiling water until bright green, about 2 seconds. Immediately immerse basil in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the basil is cold, drain well. Remove basil leaves from stems and discard stems.

3 cups chicken broth, divided 1/2 cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic 500g fettuccine pasta 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, chopped 1 bunch spring onions, chopped 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced 2 pinches salt 2 zucchinis, diced 1 cup chopped sugar snap peas 1/2 cup shelled English peas 1 bunch asparagus, stalks diced, tips left whole 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or as needed

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2. Blend basil leaves, 1 cup chicken broth, 1/2 cup olive oil, and garlic together in a blender until smooth.

3. Stir fettuccine into the same pot of boiling water, bring back to a boil, and cook pasta over medium heat until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.

4. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir leek and spring onion in hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add jalapeno and salt; cook and stir until jalapeno is soft, about 5 minutes.

5. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir 2 cups chicken broth, zucchini, sugar snap peas, and English peas into jalapeno mixture; bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and continue cooking until asparagus is soft, about 3 minutes more.

6. Pour 1/4 cup basil-garlic mixture into zucchini mixture and cook and stir until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

7. Place pasta in a large bowl; pour zucchini mixture over pasta and pour remaining basil-garlic mixture over the zucchini mixture. Spread Parmesan cheese over the top. Toss mixture briefly to combine and tightly wrap bowl with aluminium foil. Let stand until pasta and vegetables soak up most of the juices and oil, about 5 minutes. Toss again.

Solution at wirralct.nhs.uk

Take the Plunge!

Crossword

Swimming is a great form of all-round exercise. It’s ideal if you want to be more active and stay healthy, whatever your age or ability.

Regular swimming can reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. It can also boost your mood and keep your weight under control.

Don’t worry if you’re afraid of the water or panic when you think about the deep end.

Beginners’ lessons focus on building your confidence in the water.

A swimming costume and a towel is all you need. Make sure your swimwear is comfortable and fits properly.

Starting out The best place to get started is at your local pool. You’ll find information on classes for different age groups and levels, women-only sessions, timetables and prices.

• Make it a habit

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1. Concern (5) 4. Maxim (5) 7. Fruit (3) 8. Responded (7) 9. Chess piece (4) 10. Writer (6) 13. Sagacity (6) 14. Leave out (4) 17. Decorate food (7) 19. Beverage (3) 20. Stitched (5) 21. Travesty (5)

1. Thin biscuit (5) 2. Areas (7) 3. Tall story (4) 4. Counting device (6) 5. Perform (3) 6. Duck (5) 11. Short-tailed burrowing rodent (7) 12. Aped (6) 13. Earnings (5) 15. Search and find (5) 16. Professional cook (4) 18. Uncooked (3)

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• Take the kids

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• Swim with a friend • Join a club A 30-minute session of moderate to vigorous intensity activity at the pool on one or more days a week will count towards your recommended weekly activity target.

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sexualhealthwirral.nhs.uk

Sexual Health Wirral has changed!

Making it easy for you to get the information, support and services you need to look after your sexual health.

New interactive and mobile website with advice and support Freephone number with call back consultations on request Services from local pharmacies Bookable appointments at five clinic locations across Wirral Confidential services for young people

FREEPHONE: 0300 123 5474

7 DAYS A WEEK 8.00am to 8.00pm

Visit our website to download our new clinic timetable.