time to comply is now
TRANSCRIPT
www.nhsggc.org.uk
Issue 19 May – June 2006
From 30 June, theCommunity Health Index(CHI) must be used in
every patient communicationthroughout Scotland.
Every year, NHSGGC staffproduce millions of communicationsabout patients in their care.
From GP referral letters todischarge summaries, X-ray requeststo laboratory results, a patient’s careis dependent on the safe, accurateflow of information between thevarious clinicians caring for thatpatient.
And with more and more patientsreceiving treatment from differentteams, perhaps working in differenthospitals or even across differentHealth Boards, it has becomeincreasingly important to use a single,consistent way of identifying patients.
CHI is the unique number given toevery patient registered with a GP inScotland.
For certain communications thatare created electronically (eglaboratory requests), IT systems arebeing updated to automaticallyinclude the patient’s CHI number.
For others that are manuallyproduced, the onus is on staff toensure that the CHI number isincluded at all times.
NHSGGC’s Medical Director DrBrian Cowan explained the benefits toboth staff and patients of using asingle patient identifier: “We are allaware of the rare occasions when apatient is mixed up with a fellowpatient of the same name and aclinical incident occurs. The CHInumber will minimise the risk of suchan error.
“It will eventually enable cliniciansto access all relevant clinicalinformation for a patient – no matterwhere that patient has been receivingtreatment.
“Its significance should, therefore,not be underestimated and it isimportant that we all think CHI whencorresponding about our patients.”
Director of Nursing for the Board,Ros Crocket, stressed the need for allclinical staff to be aware of their rolein this: “Whilst medical staff producea great deal of correspondence aboutpatients, they are not uniquelyresponsible. Every clinical groupneeds to consider what patientcorrespondence they produce andtake action to make sure that the CHInumber is included.”
If you want to know more aboutCHI, log on towww.nhsggc.org.uk/chi
Inside this issue
page 3
Getting fruity Sporty staff
page 16
New Sick Kid’s
Hi-Tech System makes worldwide headlines
The eyes of the world havebeen trained on threeGlasgow hospitals in
recent weeks! Not only did the news that our
hospitals were the first in Britain tostart using the Voicemap trainingsystem featured in Scottish papers,
television and radio.The story also ran extensively in
overseas media.Newspapers and news websites
in Spain, Portugal and the UnitedStates wrote about the latestdevelopments in training at thePrincess Royal Maternity, the Royal
Infirmary and the Western –meaning a healthy dose of positiveinternational publicity for NHSGCC.
At least two members of stafftook part in interviews with localradio stations, promoting thegroundbreaking work being done byNHSGGC’s training teams.
Continued on page 14
SO, WHAT NEEDS A CHI?
Laboratory requestsLaboratory resultsRadiology requests Radiology results Referrals – GP to hospital andspecialty to specialtyImmediate discharge lettersFinal discharge letterClinic lettersOut-of-hours summaries Appointment cards/letters
page 8&9
Time to comply is now
STAFF NEWS | 3
Amajor consultationexercise on a newChildren’s Hospital kicked
off on April 3 and, as part ofthis, we want you to tell us whatyou think of the proposals.
The new £100million children’shospital – which will replace theRoyal Hospital for Sick Children - willbe built alongside maternity and adulthospital services.
This will ensure immediateaccess to specialist services of allkinds and, therefore, the highestquality and safety standards formothers, children and babies in theevent of any complications.
The 67-acre Southern Generalcampus has been recommended asthe best site for the new hospitalbecause, uniquely in Glasgow, it hasthe required adult services for veryunwell mothers, a maternity unit andland available next to the presentmaternity unit to accommodate thehospital.
Tom Divers, Chief Executive ofNHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde,believes that staff can play a vitalrole in shaping the new hospital. Hesaid: “With this new hospital, wehave a tremendous opportunity tocreate a world-class service forchildren, mothers and babies. Thestaff who currently work in thechildren’s hospital – and those whoprovide support to it – are ideallyplaced to help us realise that goal.
“This consultation is the first stepin a long-term process that willensure staff are involved in decisionsas the design and construction of thenew children’s hospital goes ahead.I hope that you will take the time togive us your views.”
There are a number of ways thatyou can contribute to ourconsultation.
As publicised in Core Brief, aseries of meetings for staff directlyby the proposals have been takingplace throughout May. The Womenand Children’s Directorate hostedthese meetings which were open toall to attend. All issues raised at themeetings have been recorded and
submitted as part of the consultationexercise.
You can also obtain a copy of fullconsultation document from ourwebsite at:www.nhsggc.org.uk/childrenshospital
You can either e-mail yourcomments to us at:[email protected] or write to:
John C Hamilton Head of Board AdministrationNHS Greater Glasgow and ClydeDalian House350 St Vincent StreetGlasgowG3 8YZ
Have your say on Glasgow’snew Children’s Hospital
NewsNews
2 | STAFF NEWS
Welcome to Staff News –your staff magazine
NewsNews
Many of you will already befamiliar with the ‘weeblue magazine’.
But, for those of you just joiningus in the new organisation that isNHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde,here’s a wee bit about Staff Newsand the other ways we talk to ourstaff.
Staff News comes out every twomonths and is written by staff forstaff. Available in both paper formand on our intranet, StaffNet, StaffNews is packed full of the latestissues and stories about NHSGGCstaff.
If you have something you’d liketo see, get in touch:
Email:[email protected]
Write to: Staff News, NHSGGCCommunications, NHS GreaterGlasgow and Clyde, Dalian House,350 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G38YZ.
Tel: 0141 201 4912.Our contact details are always on
the back of Staff News so that youalways know where to find us!
Other ways we let you knowwhat’s going on include our systemof staff briefs. These tell you aboutthe things you need to know asquickly as possible. There are threedifferent types of briefing papers and
these are:Core brief – this has a blue
header and tells you everything youneed to know about ourmodernisation programme (includingwhat’s happening with the newhospitals builds), major consultations(including the one for the newChildren’s Hospital) and any othercore business staff should knowabout.
Partnership brief (orange header)– provides updates on the work ofthe Area Partnership Forum includingAgenda for Change.
Transition brief (green header) –talks about the reorganisationprogramme we’re currently goingthrough including talking about thenew NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde,where new management teams willbe situated and other issues.
These briefs are produced on aregular basis, as and when needed,and are emailed out to key managerswhose job it is to ensure that all staffhave access to them. The briefs arealso available on the intranet,StaffNet.
Now available! A fourth brief, thistime from the Scottish ExecutiveHealth Department (SEHD), is now beavailable via StaffNet only. This briefwill be updated on a monthly basisand will let you know what’shappening within SEHD.
CAR PARKINGUPDATE
As we go to print, the new chargesfor NHSGGC’s hospital car parkshave not yet been decided. It isexpected that car park charges willbe set on May 3, full details will beannounced in a Core Brief when wehave all the details.The first sites to charge for parking(with the exception of the RoyalInfirmary which already has paid forcar parking) are the Western, theSick Kids’ and NHSGGC’s HQ atDalian House.
Keep an eye on staff briefs andthe next edition of Staff News(due out July) for moreinformation.
diarydates
>>>>>
°DIABETES IN MINORITY ETHNICCOMMUNITIES IN SCOTLANDCONFERENCE (free to healthcare staff)
Apex International Hotel, EdinburghFriday, May 26, 2006 Information: 0131 623 2533/2508Email:[email protected]
°INFORMATION GOVERNANCECONFERENCE
May 23, 2006, 9.30-14.00 (includinglunch)Next Generation, Newhaven, EdinburghThis half-day event will look at:* information governance standards andelectronic toolkit; * information governance knowledgeportal hosted by NHS NES E-Library* information governance educationprogramme led by the University ofBath
To book your place please contact eventco-ordinator Richard Snowden at:[email protected]
HAVE YOU GOT A DATE FOR THE DIARY?
Contact us:[email protected] or
Staff News, NHSGGC Communications,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde,Dalian House,
350 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G3 8YZ
tel: 0141 201 4912
STAFF NEWS | 5
Stop smoking staff acrossNHSGGC have reported abig upturn in the number
of people coming to them forhelp to quit since the Marchsmoking ban.
Thousands of smokers aresigning up to our stop smokingservices…
Enquiries to Starting Fresh,NHSGGC’s pharmacy-based stopsmoking scheme, has doubled tomore than 2000 a month comparedto the same period last year.
And our stop smoking advisorsare getting more and more enquiries,as Patricia Thomson, who’s based atBridgeton Health Centre, explained:“In general people feel that the ban
is helping them give up, although oneor two others think it is aninfringement of their civil liberties.
“Others have said that thelegislation is highlighting how difficultit is to give up and also howunsociable smoking has become.”
And the new law will help supportthe resolve of quitters determined tostay off the weed, as Patricia added:“We find that the biggest test for ex-smokers once they have left thegroups is their first night out in a pubor club with friends who smoke. Butbecause smokers now have to gooutside, their friends who have quitare not faced with the sametemptation to light up again.”
Agnes McGowan, NHS GreaterGlasgow and Clyde’s Principal HealthPromotion Officer Tobacco, revealed
that more stop smoking groups hadbeen launched in the NHSGGC area.
She added: “They’ve already beenvery busy because of a tremendousupsurge in people wanting to join.”
Staff can access our stopsmoking services. Information:www.nhsggc.org.uk/smoking or tel:0141 201 9825 or the Smokelinetel: 0800 84 84 84.
What’s your experience been ofthe smoking ban? How have youcoped with helping to police the ban?Have you experienced any problemsor aggressive behaviour? Are you amember of staff who’s trying to quit?Tell us about it! Contact Staff Newson [email protected] or tel:0141 201 4912.
Stop smoking staff inundated
Progress ReportProgress Report
4 | STAFF NEWS
NHSGGC’s massiveprogramme ofmodernisation is striding
ahead…Here’s a quick update onwhere we’re at with what.
The new Beatson A great many members of the
Beatson Oncology Centre staff,including those in GRI and Stobhilland those in GGH already, are workingvery hard to prepare us for the moveinto the new West of Scotland CancerCentre. We are on track to takepossession of the building in the latesummer of this year.
A period of 14 weeks followswhen we check the building, equip it,install furnishings and complete workon the MRI department within thenew cancer centre. To prepare andguide us we have an experiencedcommissioning team headed byMargaret Welsh. She is ablyassisted by the Beatson's own staffwho, through policy groups,purchasing teams and workingparties are ensuring the eventualmove, scheduled to start in late2006 or very early 2007 goes assmoothly as possible.
A great excitement at present isthe choosing of three more linearaccelerator treatment machines(linacs), up to three brachytherapymachines, an MRI and a CT scannerand up to two CT-Simulators, as wellas several large computers.
Meantime, the last three linacs
we bought have been installed andare being tested and one will be inservice by August this year.
On top of all that we are planningfor a PET-CT unit to be built on to thecentre. Internally the Art Coordinatoris working closely with major donors,artists, designers, architects,builders and staff to ensure thecentre looks superb and feels "nice"to be in.
The New VictoriaHospital
Work has begun on a new roadbetween Grange Road andProspecthill Road. Construction onthe new road, which replaces AnnanStreet, began in January and shouldbe completed in the summer of thisyear. The old Queen’s Park Schoolin Grange Road has now beendemolished to make way for the newhospital buildings and a temporarycar park that will be built on the siteof the school. This work will becompleted by the summer. It ishoped to salvage much of thesandstone brickwork from the oldschool for use in the new building.The new hospital will have more than40 clinical specialties and will seemore than 400,000 patients per year.
Stobhill CampusThe Stobhill campus will be home
to a number of major developmentsover the next few years. These
include primary and acute healthcareservices as well as a new facility forthe Marie Curie Hospice.
The developments currently beingimplemented include the New StobhillHospital – preparations are nowunderway for this development.There have been very productivetalks with the Planning Department ofGlasgow City Council and planningpermission is anticipated very soon.Demolition will begin at the end ofApril to clear the site, ready forbuilding work to begin in latesummer. The new Stobhill will havemore than 40 clinical specialties andwill see more than 400,000 patientsper year.
Rowanbank Clinic (Local ForensicPsychiatry Unit) – work is progressingwell on the new 74-bed RowanbankClinic with the building now startingto take shape on site. Completionis expected in summer 2007.
Adolescent Psychiatry InpatientFacility - The New West of ScotlandAdolescent Psychiatry InpatientFacility is scheduled for completionby the end of 2007. This facility willprovide 24 inpatient beds andreplace the existing adolescent wardat Gartnavel. A series ofawareness sessions were held inFebruary to keep staff informed ofdevelopments on site. This includedinformation on how the planneddevelopments will roll out and theimpact on roads and car parks.
Progress ReportProgress Report
Two events were held in March forlocal communities to keep themsimilarly informed of progress.
Gartnavel Royal Hospital Building work is now well
underway on the new mental healthhospital. With six new purpose-builtwards, it will provide inpatient careand treatment for adults and olderpeople. Central to the designs –which were informed by staff andusers – are the concepts of privacyand dignity. Single roomaccommodation will be provided inthe new wards and the new hospitalwill also have increased space forrecreational, therapeutic, leisure andsocial activities. Completion isexpected in summer 2007.
The New South GlasgowHospital
An outline business case for thesubstantial developments planned forthe South Glasgow Hospital is underdevelopment. A series of focusgroups with carers, hospitalvolunteers, disabled people andpeople from the local minority ethniccommunities was held recently togive them an opportunity to help“envision” the new hospital. Acomprehensive survey of patientsalso allowed them to contribute theirideas for the new hospital.
For the most up-to-date news on the new children’s hospital, see page 3.
The New Beatson
Hospital modernisationplans on target
STAFF NEWS | 7
Lynne Eshelby likes achallenge, but herappointment as a British
Lung Foundation Nurse (BLF) toroll-out an early dischargescheme across Glasgow is smallfry to her ‘other’ role as Captainin the TA.
Lynne is one of six new BLFnurses appointed to roll-out a newEarly Supported Discharge (ESD)service across Glasgow for sufferersof chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease (COPD).
The scheme has proved sosuccessful in the north of the City, itis now going Glasgow wide.
Lynne will be one of two nursesbased at Southern General - her firstchoice. “This is a brand new serviceand the challenge is going to besetting up (from scratch) in the southof the city. So, I really want to beinvolved at the beginning to get thisup-and-running.”
ESD is provided specifically forCOPD – (a chronic lung disease)patients. It allows patients to leavehospital and be treated in their ownhome rather than spending ten daysor more in hospital. The service getsthem home earlier where they aremonitored until well enough to bedischarged from ESD care.
Lynne explained: “In hospital,
patients can feel like they have nocontrol over their illness. At home,they feel that they have more control.For instance, they can nebulise at atime that suits them.
“Once the patient is at home, Imight go out the morning afterdischarge, assess the patient anddecide from then whether to visitthem the following day or leave a dayin between visits. Each package isindividually tailored to patients’needs.”
Lynne is keen to emphasise thatESD patients receive the samepackage of care as those inhospitals: “It just means some of thetime-consuming discharge organisingis taken off ward staff. We alsoarrange transport for patients,organise discharge prescriptions andso forth.
“Most patients are very keen andvery supportive of the scheme, theyare just happy to be at home. Froma nursing perspective, I think I’ll enjoygetting to meet patients, building upa rapport with them, and just gettingto know them.”
While Lynne’s focus is squarely onthe job ahead, she has plenty of otherinterests to keep her going. Sheadmits to being a bit of a “fitnessfanatic”, into running, the gym andthoroughly enjoys her other role asCaptain in the Territorial Army (TA).
“My main focus is my job, but theTA lets me be adventurous and hasreally honed my clinical skills. Itinvolves everything from overnightexercises, running miles, learningsurgical skills, dealing with burns andso forth.”
All of Lynne’s medical trainingand expertise came to the fore duringa tour of Iraq last summer.
“It’s described as a three-and-a-half month tour, but really it takes sixmonths with pre-training and skilldevelopment. So, I left work in Julylast year and only got back mid-December.
“We were there mostly to lookafter soldiers, but you do end uptreating locals as well.”
A difficult job under anycircumstances, but, for Lynne, justanother challenge to be faced headon.
Lynne is also taking part in the BLF ‘LungRun’ happening on August 27 at GlasgowGreen, this is to raise money towardsfunding the work of the BLF in Scotland.
The ‘Lung Run’ is open to all runners andspectators. For more information, visit:www.britishlungfoundation.com/scotland.asp
Leading the charge on lung disease
NewsNews
6 | STAFF NEWS
Staff at Inverclyde Royalrecently welcomed theinstallation of a new
£750,000 CT Scanner.This is the third new scanner to be
installed recently at an NHSGGChospital – with CT scanners also beinginstalled at Stobhill and the Western.
Inverclyde’s scanner is state-of-the-art and greatly benefits patients,the scanner has also meant extratraining for staff too.
Mary McCue, SeniorRadiographer, said: “The greattechnological leap forward of this newCT Scanner has involved a very steeplearning curve for all staff.
“An applications specialist fromGermany spent a week with us,helping us to maximise our currentskills and clinical know-how. We havehad to familiarise ourselves withsafety checks and pro-active remoteservices. Reconstruction andpresentation of images were new tous and we are learning every dayabout how to keep up with evolvingworkflow improvements, clinicalapplications and diagnostic functions.
“The most difficult part of theprocess so far has been thebalancing act between delivering anormal service to the patient andlearning how to make the most of ourbrilliant new scanner.
“The open gantry (the doughnut-
shaped hole) offers the patient amore comfortable scanningexperience and the advancedtechnology gives a greatly enhanceddiagnostic image.
“In the short time it has been inoperation, the advantages to patientsand staff are already evident: patientsspend less time on the scanner,improving the throughput and bringingdown waiting times. For inpatients,this means staff escorts are not awayfrom the wards for extended periods.
Patients, travelling some distance toget to the hospital, are more easilyaccommodated regardingappointments, whilst those coming byambulance are less likely to disruptbusy ambulance schedules.
“The learning process is ongoingwith improvements for our patientsalready evident as severalprocedures, which previously requireda trip to another hospital, are nowbeing performed at IRH.”
New Inverclyde CT ScannerNewsNews
Left to right: Joyce Stewart (CT Superintendent); Linda Marner (X-ray helper); Wendy Boag (SeniorRadiographer); Evelyn Church (Student Radiographer); Dr Patrick Walsh (Radioglogist); Lesley-Anne Hillier
(Senior Radiographer); Mhairi Rebecchi (Senior Radiographer) and Mary McCue (Senior Radiographer).
Lynne in her many guises
We need youIn your June payslip you’llreceive a flyer that potentiallycould save lives. Don’t chuck itin the bin, please read it.
The flyer will ask you to considerregistering as an organ donorand is part of a nationwidecampaign by UK Transplant, theScottish Executive and theScottish Transplant CoordinatorsNetwork.
The campaign will run for thewhole month of June and aimsto encourage more Scots tosign up.
For more information onorgan donating, contact:www.uktransplant.org.uk ortelephone the Organ DonorLine: 0845 60 60 400.
The Variety Club Children’sCharity is invitingapplications for its seventh
annual Nursing Awards Scheme.The grant provides furtherspecialised education andtraining for qualified paediatricand oncologist nurses workingwith children throughout the UK.
The Nursing Awards Scheme alsoprovides vital support to thosenurses who would have beenprevented from further study due tofinancial constraints. Applicants musthave been in employment for at leasttwo years as a registered nurseworking with children.
The award can cover coststowards fees, travel, accommodationand study materials.
Deadline for applications is May 29,2006 so get your applications innow! For more information, contactthe Variety Club’s Nursing AwardsCo-ordinator, tel: 020 7428 8100or email: [email protected] visit: www.varietyclub.org.uk
Variety Club seeks Paediatric &Oncologist nurses
STAFF NEWS | 9
Festival Business Centre in Govan, issomeone who has done just that andhas really benefited from joining theGlasgow Club.
Catherine Gale explained: “Idecided to join the Glasgow Clubafter hearing my colleagues talkabout the NHS membership scheme.I looked it up on the intranet and sawthat it was really simple to join. Therewas just a form to fill in and then themoney comes off your salary everymonth - it is only £21, so I don’t evenmiss it. I’ve looked at membership ofprivate gyms in the past and theycost much more. I’d not taken muchexercise for a while and wanted tolose weight and get fitter for myholidays.
“I go to the Tollcross LeisureCentre which is near to my home.The gym is very good and the staffare always there to help and givegood advice. I go about three timesa week. The swimming pool isexcellent and also my favourite sportis badminton which I enjoy going toon Saturday mornings with myhusband and son (I hate getting beatthough). Since I’ve become fitter, I
have taken up jogging at lunchtimeabout three times a week. It feelsgreat to hear people tell me howgood I look now. I would encourageanyone like me who wants to find aneasy and cheap way to get fitter to doas I did and go on line, it could notbe easier.”
RAH Heart Doc’s healthdrive for staff
The RAH’s Dr Paul McIntyre isone of the country’s leadingclinicians specialising in coronaryheart disease.
Over the past few years, he’sbeen the driving force behindencouraging staff at the Paisleyhospital to be more healthy.
In 2002, Paul was instrumental inopening the first ever fruit shop atthe RAH offering staff, patients andvisitors a healthy alternative andgiving everyone the help they need toeat the recommend five portions offruit every day.
He has also been instrumental inproviding staff with the opportunity toget fit without having to leave theirown workplace.
Paul said: “The fruit shop hasexpanded beyond all recognition fromthe first day it opened. I am delightedis has proved to be such a success.
“Staff and members of the publichave told me that they use the fruitshop to buy most of their weeklyshop and it has really helped them toeat better.
“The success of the shop is downto the hard work of a number ofpeople not least the individuals whostaff it.”
Poor diet and the lack of exerciseare the two biggest factors in ourcountry’s poor health record.
As well as the fruit shop, Pauland his colleagues are also lookingto put in place an initiative whichwould allow staff in the RAH to use astate-of-the-art gym, originally built forthe sole use of cardiac patients.
He added: “Giving staff thechance to work out where they workcan only help improve their health. Itis important that we make physicalactivity more accessible for our staffas well as offering them the choice ofhealthy food.
“We need to set an example inthe Health Service and practice whatwe preach.”
Are you involved in a healthyliving initiative for staff? Do youuse NHSGGC facilities? What doyou think about them? Wherecan improvements be made?We’d like to hear from you. Contact:[email protected] or tel: 0141 201 4912.
Healthy LivingHealthy Living
8 | STAFF NEWS
We all know theimportance of keeping fitand healthy whether that
be eating better or taking timeout of our busy lives to exercisemore.
In this article, we are highlightingtwo initiatives that staff can accessto help them on the road to ahealthier lifestyle.
In future editions, we’ll be lookingat other initiatives there are for staffand letting you know how to access
them. We will also be looking atareas where services may need to beimproved and how this can be done.
The Glasgow ClubOne excellent initiative is the
Glasgow Club that many of you maywell know about and use. In fact,more than 800 of our staff in GreaterGlasgow already have signed up.
Many NHSGGC staff have alreadytaken advantage of a reduced
membership rate of £21 per monthfor the Glasgow Club. This givesaccess to all local authority sport andleisure facilities in Glasgow, includingswimming, gym and fitness classes.For more information go towww.glasgowclub.org
If you are interested in joiningthis scheme then access theStaffNet intranet to find out how easyit is to get up and running today.
Catherine Gale who works in theHealth at Work Team, based in the
Fit and healthy staff Healthy LivingHealthy Living
Dr Paul McIntyre.
Queuing for fruit are the RAH’sKaren Runciman (SeniorPhysiotherapist), Julie Bradley(Senior Physiotherapist) and SarahMcGuire (Physiotherapy AdminSupport Officer).Catherine Gale
STAFF NEWS | 11
Dermatology staff at theVale are this monthcelebrating the opening of
a brand new purpose-buildDermatology Department.
The £140,000 new unit meansthat dermatology services are all nowbased on the one site, which is greatfor patients because it allows moreflexibility in the service staff canprovide.
At the same time, the new singlesite unit will give dermatology nursesmore opportunity to expand theirroles.
The unit is staffed by a smallteam of specialist staff including aConsultant Dermatologist, twoHospital Practitioners, two Sisters anda Dermatology Secretary.
One of the Dermatology Sisters,Grace Wark, has nearly 20 yearsexperience working in dermatology.
She said: “By having alldermatology services focused in theone department, we can expand ourservices as well as giving the nursesthe opportunity to further expand theirrole. We will know be able to carryout Roaccutane clinics, Phototherapy,Cryotherapy, Patch Test and ChronicDisease Management and, in turn,free up Consultant time within theclinics allowing more new patients tobe seen.
“By being based in the one areawe will be on hand to offer advice ifanything untoward arises as atpresent we have clinics in Dumbartonand Helensburgh and are not alwayson site at the Vale of Leven.
“Our new department offers morefacilities dedicated for dermatologypatients.”
Sister Wark said that keeping ontop of new developments in
dermatology is a key part of her roleand that of her colleagues.
She added: “I completed theNurse Prescribing course three yearsago and keep updated by attendingDermatology Nurse prescribinggroups. My colleague Staff NurseMary Dillon has just finished nurseprescribing and has completed adermatology course just recently also.We both keep updated inPhototherapy and Patch testing and Iam applying for the minor surgerycourse to start later on this year.”
Greater role for ValeNurses in new unit
NewsNews
10 | STAFF NEWS
There’s no doubt that one ofthe downsides ofNHSGGC’s reorganisation
has been the ‘loss’ of quite afew people from the telephoneand email system.
As staff have been moved aroundoffices and different sites,colleagues from other departmentshave lost track of new emailaddresses or telephone numbers andbeen unable to contact them quickly.
Now a new online service isabout to become available thatshould do away with all that.
A new StaffNet telephonedirectory has been pulled togetherthat will give you the name,telephone number, job title and placeof work for all NHSGGC staff on thetelephone system.
Karen McSweeney (picturedbelow), the NHSGGC TelecomManager said: “This new directoryshould make it a whole lot easier forstaff to find each other.
“We’ve been pulling this togetherover the past few months with theassistance of key personnel. Weaccept it will not be as up-to-date aswe would like and would appreciatethe assistance of all to check bothindividual and departmental entries.However, it’s never going to becompletely correct as staff arealways moving around, so we’rerelying on all of you to help us keep itup-to-date.”
How Karen hopes to do this is byproviding an electronic change formwith the new system.
She said: “We’re asking all staffto have a look at their own entry andsomeone from each department tolook at departmental entries to makesure all the details on it are correct.If they are not correct, we’d ask youto fill in the electronic change formand send it back to us.”
Your incorrect entry will then becorrected.
The new directory will beavailable on StaffNet during May.
New on-line telephone directoryat last!
NewsNews
Single EmailAddress
Following NHSGGC’s move tosingle system working and themerging of IT under the one IM&TDirector, staff are to have asingle email address.Instead of the myriad ofaddresses currently in use, weare to have the one namingconvention, which will be:[email protected] is not going to happenovernight, but we expect to seethe first tranche of stafftransferred over to the new emailaddress by the end of the year.
Keep an eye on Core Brief andStaff News for more info.
Making knowledgemore accessibleMore than 250 staff have takenadvantage of an internet-basedlearning system since its launch18 months ago.KnowledgeNet allows staff totake part in a range of differentcourses over the internet,including: EffectiveCommunication, StressManagement, LeadershipDevelopment and IT courses suchas ECDL. There’s also othercourses that may suit a personalhobby, such as DigitalPhotography.Most of the courses have beenmapped out to the NHS’Knowledge and Skills Framework(KSF) and can help staff achieveobjectives within their PersonalDevelopment Plans (PDPs).Staff working in the Clyde areacurrently don’t have access toKnowledgeNet, but that’ssomething that’s being looked atfor the future.Information, contact your localLearning Centre Coordinator:Royal Infirmary – Kris Mackie (ext 21239,[email protected])Southern General – Christine MacKenzie (ext 67548,[email protected])Sick Kids’ – David Campbell (ext 80160,[email protected])CHPs – Derrick Grant (ext 33653,[email protected])Dalian House – Kate Findlay (ext 64475,[email protected])
Roadrunner Rosie
Left to right: Sharon Howie (DermatologySecretary), Dermatology Sister Grace Warkand Dr David Dick (Consultant Dermatologist)
It was a dress rehearsal for a“home run” when RoyalInfirmary manager, Rosie
Cherry, took part in a specialrun in New York recently.
For Rosie was one ofthousands of runners who took partin the third 10K Scotland Run duringthe city’s Tartan Week in April.
And she’ll be donning herrunning shoes again this month.Rosie will be one of around 11,000
runners pounding the streets ofGlasgow on May 21 for the annualWomen’s 10K Marathon.
This time she and a number ofother hospital staff are pulling on theirrunning shoes to raise funds for theGlasgow Royal Infirmary Appeals Trust.
Rosie said: “The hospital benefitsregularly from donations from the trust,and I and the rest of my colleagues arehappy to help fundraise for this goodcause.”Karen McSweeney
Implementation of a newnation-wide diagnostic imagingtechnology, Picture Archiving
and Communications System(PACS) will begin this summerat the Southern General and theVicky. It will transform the waythat millions of patient X-ray,scanning examinations anddiagnoses are carried outannually by NHSScotlandradiologists and radiographers.
PACS will be installed in 39hospitals across Scotland andconnected to a further 67 satellitesites with X-ray departments. Itallows clinicians to easily view andshare digital patients no matterwhere they were taken.
Health Minister Andy Kerr whosigned the contract for PACS at theSouthern said: “This will bring greatbenefit to patients through moreaccurate diagnoses and reducedneed for repeat investigations.”
Transforming patient diagnoses with PACS
STAFF NEWS | 13
“Probably the biggest difficulty Iface is the heavy caseload – I don’tlike to compromise on the time Ispend with families or colleagues onindividual cases because that’swhat’s important. Buildingrelationships with families, seeing achild thrive, that’s what makes thejob worthwhile.
“I believe there are some issuesaround succession planning for theprofession…not enough hospitals areable to take students for training –that’s something I’d like to seesorted out. We need to know that wehave dieticians in the systemproviding the service and I’d likemore people to know what arewarding career this can be.”
Emma Boyd has been anOccupational Therapist for nearly fouryears, rotating between the Victoria,Mansionhouse and Southern GeneralHospitals.
She said: “I work in the medicalwards with patients of all ages and awide variety of conditions. There canbe people who have suffered astroke, others requiring palliative careand there are those whose problemsare connected with social issues likealcohol or drug abuse.
“These are big hospitals and therotation through different areasmeans you have to have a variety ofskills to tailor them to the patient’sneeds. It’s an ongoing learningprocess, but helps you build yourprofessional identity.
“I don’t know about the otherprofessions, but I suspect in OT we’remore fortunate than some in that wealready have a good system for CPDand on PDPs. Here in the Souththere’s a strong emphasis on theneed to achieve our objectives withineach rotation and we have regularsupervision by our mentor or head ofdepartment. I hope that might give usa foot in the door already with Agendafor Change and the KSF framework,but we still need to find out moreabout what KSF actually means forus. We have KSF facilitators workingwith OT reps of all grades and we’rebeing encouraged to attend theawareness sessions.
“I imagine what we have incommon with a number of other AlliedHealth Professions in that we improvepeople’s quality of life by helping tomaximise function and buildconfidence. We use wheelchair andseating solutions, hand therapy –
making splints, go out to patients’homes and carry out assessments.
“Sometimes, when we have apatient requiring palliative care, wemight be helping them to go home forthe last time. That can be emotionaland we deal closely with relatives andcarers, but ultimately it might be oneof the most rewarding aspects of ourjob too.
“We have a marketing group withinthe department which goes out toschools and colleges and anywherethey can raise awareness of ourprofession.”
Within this series, Staff News hastried to focus on a range of AHPs.We’ve not been able to cover them all,but here’s what we hope is the full listof professions that come under thebanner of Allied Health Professional(we apologise if we’ve missed anyoneout!): Art/Drama/Music Therapists;Dietitians; Occupational Therapists;Orthoptists; Orthotists; Paramedics;Psychologists; Psychotherapists;Physiotherapists; Prosthetists;Podiatrists; Radiographers; Speech andLanguage Therapists.
As you can see it’s a title thatcovers a wide range of professions.
AHP NewsAHP News
12 | STAFF NEWS
In our final look at the work ofAllied Health Professionals,we find out about three very
different professions….
Community Physiotherapist,Deanna Greaves, has been based atClydebank Health Centre for fouryears, having first worked inPaediatric Physiotherapy at the SickKids’ Hospital.
“Now that we have direct accessand patients can refer themselves itmeans Outpatients is busier thanever. On the whole our patients areindependently mobile, but the scopeof the problems we see is very wide –back problems, osteo-arthritis, kneereplacements – the whole spectrum.
“When I was deciding on a careerI looked at the different AHPprofessions, but physiotherapyseemed to me to be the mostdynamic. That’s why I prefercommunity health. You have a morestructured and timetabled day than onthe acute side and I like that, but youalso have the variety which keeps youinterested and on your toes. I dodrop-in and telephone clinics, a backclass, patient assessments andfollow-up treatments, and I’m the linkperson to the osteoporosis service.
“The most challenging part of thejob for me is the consequence of therange of problems we treat. I’mconstantly trying to upgrade myknowledge base so that I can dealwith whatever comes along.Clydebank has been a really goodlearning environment and I’m addingto my skills all the time.
“We get a lot of patients forfollow-up from the acute side and I’dlike to see closer links with the acutesector, especially so that we haveaccess to scan results and other datathat we need to make what are oftenon-the-spot decisions abouttreatment. Direct access has made ahuge difference to waiting lists. Itworks well at Clydebank because wehave the staff to handle it, but Ibelieve it has put increased pressureon some of the smaller departmentsso there are still some operationalissues to work out.
“We need to make sure that,whatever changes are proposed,physiotherapists are allowed tocontinue to develop in an appropriateprofessional structure. The greatthing about physiotherapy is howmuch difference it makes to thepatient’s quality of life. It’s greatbeing able to celebrate with them
when the treatment works.”Karen Riddell is a Community
Paediatric Dietician who has workedat the Sick Kids’ Hospital for the pastthree years.
She said: “The community aspectof my post probably makes my job alittle different from the otherdieticians working within the hospital.Instead of dealing with acuteproblems in the hospital setting, Iwork with special needs schools andin child development centres. In thecourse of that, I cover all sorts ofproblems – from obesity to failure tothrive and everything in between.
“The popular perception is thatwe hand out diet sheets for patientsto follow, but the reality isn’t like thatat all. For instance, if you have achild who needs to be tube-fed, myrole will be to see that the patient istolerating the feed and gettingeverything they require from it. Also,it can be really difficult for parents toaccept the situation and I can providehelp and reassurance.
“It’s important to have a goodworking relationship with speech andlanguage therapists, occupationaltherapists and nurses so that wehave an integrated approach totreatment.
Providing a wide range ofvital services to patients
AHP NewsAHP News
Deanna Greaves enjoys making a difference to her patients’ lives.
Enma Boyd loves her work as an Occupational Therapist.
Karen Riddell
STAFF NEWS | 15
NHSGGC in the HeadlinesNHSGGC in the Headlines
14 | STAFF NEWS
NHSGGC in the HeadlinesNHSGGC in the Headlines
HOW WE’RE MAKING THE NEWS!New system’s makingworld headlinesContinued from page 1.
New Board Makes Its Debut
Dr Syed Ahmed from the Public HealthProtection Unit was featured in a number ofnewspapers after the bird flu scare hit Scotlandin April. Dr Ahmed made himself available forinterview in response to a number of requestsafter the discovery of a dead swan in Cellardykein Fife.
A strong message of reassurance was given,reiterating that there remains no need to panicabout any possible threat to human health fromthe bird flu diagnosed in Fife.
Parents and children have helped staff to promotethe good work being done by NHSGGC’s FamilyBereavement Service. The FBS launched a CD-Rom,sponsored by Glasgow City Council, to help schoolstaff support bereaved children.
The Mitchell family from theSouth Side, who lost their mum,spoke to the Evening Times andagreed to have their photographstaken. Alongside the extensiveinterview given by Irene Courtfrom the FSB, this created a greatdeal of positive coverage for a veryworthwhile service.
A joint projectbetween Inverclyde RoyalHospital and InverclydeLeisure got some positivepublicity when its co-ordinator agreed to posefor a photograph at alocal gym!
Dianne Blackelypromoted her Fit For Lifeclasses in the GreenockTelegraph, giving detailsof her cardio rehab workfor IRH patients, as wellas her work in PortGlasgow helping olderpeople recover from falls.
Good Grief CD-Rom Fit for Life atthe IRH
Public HealthReassurance AmidBird Flu Scare
The success of NHSGGC’sstop smoking services wasunder the spotlight in the weekleading up to the Smoking Banon March 26. A record 500smokers a week contacted theNHSGGC Starting Freshscheme in the precedingmonth, looking for help inquitting the habit.
Blanket coverage of the banmeant the Starting Freshhelpline got widespreadexposure, as did the advice ofPublic Health Pharmacist LizGrant!
PAY ANDCONDITIONS
UPDATESince our last update on
Agenda for Change,NHSGGC has now
transferred a further 550staff members fromCatering, Stores andadditional Hotel Services subjob families across to newAfC pay rates. This bringsthe total number ofemployees who are now onfull AfC terms and conditionsto more than 2000.
The next staff groups to beassimilated in May 2006 will beDietetic staff and Midwiferystaff.After assimilation to terms andconditions, managers and staffneed to begin work onproducing outlines for theKnowledge and SkillsFramework (KSF). Work on thishas already begun in theoperating divisions and thisprocess will be explained inmore detail in Core Brief.Updates are due shortly andwill also describe other keychanges from Whitley Councilarrangements to AfC.Meanwhile the assimilationworkshop training is provingsuccessful. As with all AfCtraining programmes, theworkshops are delivered inpartnership and targeted atHR, Payroll, Managers andStaff Representatives.
Staff can find out more bychecking local notice boardsand StaffNet.
Theatre Staff Nurse Sean McInally.
Voicemap is makingworld headlines.
And the interest hasn’tjust been in a snappyheadline!
A specialist health magazine inPortugal has been in contact toask for more details, with theintention of preparing an in-deptharticle about NHSGGC’s use of theVoicemapTM system. InterfaceSaúde is one of a number ofoverseas outlets seeminglyintrigued by the notion of Scottishhospitals using cutting-edgetechnology!
Voicemap – which uses MP3players to deliver induction andother training – is being piloted atthe Royal Infirmary and thePrincess Royal Maternity.
Since its launch, NHSGGC’spress office has been inundatedwith press calls from as far afieldas Spain and Portugal and haseven appeared in newspapers inNew York!
A first for the UK, the newsystem is proving so successful,it’s now being adopted by hospitalselsewhere in the UK and Europe.
How it works is that each newmember of staff is given an audioinduction via an audio player andfollows a customised tour, which
describes the geographical layout oftheir workplace and identifies safetyissues involving potential risk to staffand patients.
The system is currently up-and-running in operating theatres inGlasgow Royal Infirmary, in the labourward and the Neonatal Unit at thePrincess Royal Maternity Hospital,and will be introduced shortly at theWestern Infirmary’s Accident andEmergency department.
Alastair Kirk, an NHS GreaterGlasgow and Clyde Training andDevelopment Manager, believes thenew system will have a direct effecton patient safety: “Using technologymeans we can make sure all newstaff are trained to exactly the samestandard and it’s inevitable thatthat’s a big improvement on asystem that relies on other staff andcan, therefore, be vulnerable tohuman error.
“What’s fantastic about this isthat, as well as working to the samestandards, it can also be‘personalised’ to each department.Operating theatre staff have to knowabout how to apply proper infectioncontrol in a certain way, for example,and that’s exactly what this lets usdo.”
And here’s how else we’ve beenmaking the news….
The creation of NHS GreaterGlasgow and Clyde was marked onApril 1, leading to a number ofpositive articles. NHSGGCChairman Professor Sir JohnArbuthnott was quoted by the BBCwelcoming the establishment ofthe new Board, thereby bringingthe change to the attention ofmembers of the public.
This was alsoan opportunity tospread themessage ofcontinuity andstability of healthcare provision;something that was backed up byinterviews given by senior staff toSaga Radio and Real Radio newsteams.
Green Light for £100MChildren’s Hospital atthe Southern
There was significant media coverage when HealthMinister Andy Kerr announced the site for the newChildren’s Hospital.
Following the report by Professor Andrew Calder’sexpert review group, which agreed with the Board’srecommendation to site the new hospital at theSouthern General, the Minister announced the£100million hospital would be built there, next to amaternity unit and an adult acute hospital.
The Minister’s announcement led to positive newscoverage in both print and broadcast media, both inGlasgow and nationwide.Other aspects of the reportalso received positiveattention, including thepossibility of developingservices for teenagers atthe new hospital.
Ban SpotlightsSmoking Services
STAFF NEWS Written by staff for staff with the full support of the Area Partnership Forum
address: NHSGGC Communications, Staff News, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Dalian House, 350 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G3 8YZ
Energetic NHSGGC staff aredonning their running shoesto take part in Glasgow’s
first Men’s 10K.Three of them include Stevie
Lydon (a Strategy Co-ordinator for theAlcohol and Drug Team at RossHouse, Paisley), Keith Dunn (EstatesOfficer at the RAH) and MartinAnderson (a technician at GartnavelGeneral).
Starting from Bellahouston Parkon Father’s Day (June 18), the race issupported by NHSGGC and isexpected to attract around 1500participants.
Stevie said: “I think the race is agood idea for men as it encouragesthem to take responsibility formaintaining their own health.”
Ex-marathon runner, Keith isrunning to raise funds for ErskineHospital and, he said: “My fitnesslevel has decreased while my waistsize has increased and I would like toreverse that and I think this could bethe event to stimulate me into it!”
Martin Anderson is taking part inthe race with his two brothers, Stevenand Michael. The brothers arerunning to raise money for CancerResearch as the disease has affectedfamily members, including their ownmother, and friends. Martin has alsoadmitted that natural sibling rivalryhas already begun to rear its head intraining.
“Competitiveness has kicked inand there are old scores to settle!”He laughed.
The first men’s 10K was launchedby the Men’s Health Forum Scotlandworking with CancerBACUP and a widerange of partners including NHSGGC.
For more information and toregister to take part, contact theMen’s Health Forum, tel: 0141 5507515, email: [email protected] orvisit: www.mhfs.org.uk
If you’re taking part in sports, letus know. We’re always keen to hearfrom you. Contact us at the numberson the bottom of the page.
Other dates for the running diary:■ The Women’s 10K – May 21, 2006www.runglasgow.org ■ Race for Life (women’s race) –Glasgow Green, June 11, 2006www.raceforlife.org■ The Great Scottish Run and theJunior Great Scottish Run –September 3, 2006www.runglasgow.org
Wonder what’s going through the mindsof these lucky nurses from the SickKids’ Ward 3B who got to meet hunky
Glasgow Warriors rugby players!The boys were in delivering Easter eggs to the
kids when they were hijacked by this band of nurses.Meeting the players are: (left to right) Staff
Nurse Jennifer Laing, Staff Nurse Anne MacLean,Nurse Support Cathy McLernan and Staff NurseLinda Brown.
The Glasgow Warriors are: (left to right) JonPetrie, Craig Hamilton, Dan Parks, Graeme Beveridgeand John Barclay.
Running to raise funds for Cancer Research
Published by: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Communications
Stevie Lydon in action.
If you’re female andkeen to get fit, whynot take part in this
year’s Race for Life?The nearest annual
race – organised by and inaid of Cancer Research UK- takes place at GlasgowGreen on Sunday, June 11,2006.
This is the eleventhtime Glasgow has hostedthe event and, to date,women have raised awhopping £2.1million forCancer Research.
You don’t have to runthe 5K race…many womenwho take part, walk it. Ifyou don’t want to takepart, the charity is lookingfor volunteers to help outon the day. If you’re
interested in volunteering,contact:[email protected]
To take part in therace and for moreinformation:www.raceforlife.org
The annual Race for Life eventswere launched in Scotland by
TV’s Heather the Weather.
Egg-stra Special Treat!
Send your articles, letters and photographs to:
email: [email protected]
tel: 0141 201 4912
Get ready for Men’s 10K