News from The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

THe PulseIssue 134 Summer 2013

2012/13 A YEAR IN REVIEW

The Pulse

The PulseSummer 2013

Issue 134

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Produced by:The Communications Departmentemail: neena.shah@thh.nhs.uk

Print: streamlineyourprint.com

THIS ISSUE

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Welcome from shane DeGarisOur Chief executive welcomes you to The Pulse

Introducing Theresa MurphyOur new Director of The Patient experience and Nursing

Focus on diabetesSilver certificate for care and new life changing drug for patients

Medication passportHelping patients keep track of their medication

New electronic displays improve care Improving care on inpatient wards

simulation mannequinsTraining for emergency Department staff

Modernising emergency Care servicesWork begins on £12.3m redevelopment

Public governorsA word from one of our public governors

Year in review 2012/2013A reflection on the past year

Who’s whoThe Pulse magazine is for our patients, local people, staff and members of The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It can be picked up around our hospital and downloaded from our website www.thh.nhs.uk.

Follow us @HillingdonNHSFT

Contents

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www.thh.nhs.uk

Welcome

WELCOME

Shane DeGarisChief executive

The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Chief executive shane DeGaris

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It is no exaggeration to say that the NHS across england has entered a period of major

change. For those living in North West London this can be seen most obviously in the recommendations put forward by the ‘Shaping a Healthier Future’ programme. These identify Hillingdon Hospital as a fixed point for acute care services including A&e and Maternity.

The process of change is never easy, particularly in the NHS where emotions run high. The service was created out of the ideal that good healthcare should be available to all, regardless of wealth.

NHs core principles

When the NHS was founded in July 1948, it was based on three core principles:

• that it meet the needs of everyone

• that it be free at the point of delivery

• that it be based on clinical need, not ability to pay

These three principles have guided the development of the NHS over

the last 65 years and remain at its core today.

New vision

It is in this spirit that the Trust recently launched its new vision, chosen by staff, To put compassionate care, safety and quality at the heart of everything we do.

Our staff already provide high quality care to hundreds of patients every day. The new vision, which reflects our established CAReS values, makes clear our commitment of improving care and where we fall short to learn and act on the lessons.

To ensure that we continue to provide quality care to patients the Trust is investing in key services on its Hillingdon and Mount Vernon sites. These schemes will improve the patient experience and provide a better working environment for staff.

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In this issue of The Pulse we look at the redevelopment of the emergency Care Department at Hillingdon Hospital.

This issue also includes an interview with Professor Theresa Murphy our new Director of The Patient experience & Nursing and looks ahead to the Trust AGM on September 11th.

As we plan for the future it is also important that we take time to understand the good progress that has been made during the last year. Our Year in Review feature inside looks at some of the highlights from 2012/13 with the full annual report available to view on line at www.thh.nhs. I hope you enjoy reading The Pulse and as always welcome feedback either directly to me or via email to neena.shah@thh.nhs.uk.

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NURSING

Meet Professor Theresa Murphy, our newly appointed Director of The

Patient experience and Nursing.With a dedicated passion for

Nursing, Theresa says: “I decided to go into nursing because I wanted to do a practical job, were I could make a difference to patients, I loved my nurse training and if I could do it again I would. I liked the fact that I trained in a school of nursing that was hospital based, one of the benefits was developing your skills and competencies, to enable you to be very much part of the clinical team.”

Looking forward to her new role, Theresa’s aspirations are centred around delivering the highest quality patient care for the local population and, in turn, continuously improving our score on the recently published Friends and Family Test. She says: “I want to see staff across all levels, from healthcare support workers through to our senior staff, liberated to drive forward and improve clinical standard in practice, education and research. I can see that we have a phenomenally dedicated team of staff and I see it as part of my role to enable and empower them to deliver compassionate care in a patient centred culture, where safety is embedded in all aspects of their work.”

Clinical Fridays

Theresa has started Clinical Fridays where she invites senior nurses and midwives to join her in spending the morning working in the ward and department as part of the team, to deliver direct clinical care and work with the staff. Theresa believes that it is important that she and her team dedicate time on a weekly basis to make a contribution to care and treatment and also to get a granular understanding of some of the challenges staff face. She also plans to have an annual plan of events for nursing and midwifery which will focus on a range of different topics including education, clinical masterclasses and supporting the development of staff in clinical areas.

Theresa knows that there will be many challenges and opportunities in her role: “I am very fortunate that I have a broad remit, which spans across professional and patient areas, including public engagement, infection control and governance. This allows me to really focus on the key issues that affect our patients and staff”.

Inspired

“In just a couple of months, I have already been inspired by the nurses, midwives and therapists that I have encountered. Our challenge is to ensure that we inspire talented staff to remain in clinical practice and part of my role is to ensure that we attract and retain high calibre nursing staff that deliver exemplar care for our patients.”

InTroDuCInG Director of The Patient Experience and nursing

www.thh.nhs.uk

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Silver award for diabetes team

“It is now the diabetes team’s aim to secure a Gold certificate by the end of the year.” Hillingdon Hospital

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Our diabetes team has become the first in the country to receive a silver Certificate of Achievement from NHs Improving Quality for their care.

The award recognises the Trust’s success in ensuring that over 50 per cent of qualified doctors and nurses have completed learning diabetes modules on the safe use of insulin and intravenous insulin infusion.

The course was designed in collaboration with the Virtual College. It was set up in response to a National Patient Safety Agency alert issued in June 2010, requiring training to be put in place for all healthcare staff that prescribe, handle or administer insulin in england and Wales. Joy Peter, Diabetes Nurse Specialist, said: “It is really great that the hard work of all staff has been recognised in this way.”

Diabetes patients at Hillingdon Hospital are among the first in england to benefit from a life changing drug treatment. For some this will mean that they retain their eyesight and for others even allow them to continue driving.

The National Institute for Health and Care excellence (NICe) issued new guidance in February 2013, about the use of Lucentis in patients with Diabetic Macular Oedema a condition which can cause blindness. This was immediately implemented in the treatment of diabetic patients at Hillingdon Hospital.

Patients receive monthly injections of Lucentis directly into the eye, reducing fluid on the eye and the development of fragile blood vessels. Previous treatments involved the use of lasers and had very little benefit for diabetes sufferers.

Nicholas Lee, Lead Clinician in Ophthalmology, said: “This is a life changing treatment that for some diabetic patients will mean the difference between being able to see and going blind. Our Ophthalmology team were preparing to use this new treatment in advance of the NICe guidelines so we were able to start offering the treatment immediately.

I started receiving the eye injections in March and my sight has improved so much, even after the first injection I noticed a big improvement. I am so grateful for this life changing treatment, which I am so lucky to be receiving.

Diabetes team (Catherine Mitchell, Claire Sheppard, Joy Peter, Sharon Mackenzie, Sue O’Sullivan, Rajee Baburaj)

Diabetic patients benefit from life changing drug

DIABETES

Lorraine Howard, a patient from Market Drayton

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The My Medication Passport helps patients to maintain an up-to-date list of medications, keep details of dose and timing and record all changes in treatment.

The passport was developed by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and is available to patients across North West London

and those attending outpatient appointments. The Trust’s pharmacy and Hayes and Kennedy Wards are among the first to try it.

The passports will also facilitate the transfer of medical records between patients and healthcare professionals and allow patients to add their own personal details

such as specific allergies or dates of vaccinations.

My Medication Passport is available as a pocket booklet or as a downloadable Smartphone app for both android devices and iPhones by searching for ‘Medication Passport’.

“My Medication Passport” launchedNew initiative will help patients to manage and keep track of their medications.

INNOVATION

www.thh.nhs.uk

SAFETY

Ground-breaking organ donation studyThe Trust is taking part in a ground-breaking study that will put us at the leading edge of organ donation.

The eU funded study, “Achieving Comprehensive Coordination in Organ Donation”, seeks to improve collaboration and coordination in organ donations to increase the organ donation and transplant rate.

The study aims to reduce mortality rates caused by a lack of available organs and will give the Trust national and european recognition as a leader in developing innovative systems to identify organ donors; this will be achieved through a range of staff training and development courses.

During July, work began to install new electronic whiteboards on 17 inpatient wards across Hillingdon and Mount Vernon Hospitals.

The new boards reduce duplication by taking information directly from the nursing handover process. The information can also be seen on Trust computers allowing teams, including therapy

and pharmacy, to view the latest information about what is happening to their patients on the ward.

The initiative forms part of the Trust’s Improving Inpatient Care programme which is strengthening the communication between staff and helping to reduce the time that patients spend in hospital.

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new electronic displays improve care on inpatient wards

Whiteboards display latest patient information

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TRAINING

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Doctors and nurses from Hillingdon Hospital’s emergency Department have been testing their skills in real-life trauma scenarios using cutting-edge computer-controlled

patient simulation mannequins. The training, held at the STaR Centre in Harefield, aims to improve team working in emergencies, and to gain an understanding

of how human factors can impact on patient outcomes. Dr Andrew Greenland, Consultant in emergency Medicine at Hillingdon Hospital, said: “The ability to realistically simulate what happens in clinical situations has progressed by leaps and bounds in recent years.

“By embracing this technology we can deliver better care to patients. Crucially, the training enables doctors and other health professionals to learn clinical skills and develop team working in a safe environment.

”The adult and child mannequins simulate a wide range of acute medical problems and injuries. Trainers can remotely control them to instantly change the scenarios and introduce new challenges for the trainees to tackle.”

Training improves team working

Hi-tech training for emergency care

By embracing this technology we can deliver better care to patients.

Simulation recreates clinical situations

www.thh.nhs.uk

Modernising Emergency Care

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The redevelopment, which will be completed by the end of 2014, will see improvements made to the hospital’s A&e department, paediatric emergency department, acute medical admissions unit and endoscopy unit. The design of the building and changes in the clinical pathways have been developed in conjunction with patient groups, the clinical staff and local GP’s.

Dr Richard Grocott-Mason, the Trust’s Joint Medical Director, says: “The guiding principle behind our plans is to ensure that patients can access the right service at the right time. This redevelopment will improve the care we can offer to patients and help to shorten the time that they spend in hospital. It will also strengthen the Trust’s position as a `fixed point` for acute care as identified by the North West London `Shaping a healthier future` programme.”

Work has started on the £12.3m redevelopment of emergency Care services at Hillingdon Hospital, the largest building project on the site for over 40 years.

Benefits of the scheme include:

•Improving patient experience by changing the environment and clinical model of care

•Reshaping the emergency service to meet national quality standards

•Supporting delivery of more integrated care for patients as part of a partnership arrangement with health and social care

•Building a new acute admissions ward to improve quality of care and reduce time patients spend in hospital

•Improving the working environment for staff

Refurbished A&E waiting room

Creating a dementia friendly environmentThe Trust has successfully bid for £845,000 from the Department of Health to create a dementia–friendly environment on Beaconsfield east.

The funding will mean that the Trust can enhance the experience of patients and their carers through the provision of quiet and stimulating areas. Improvement works will include an upgrade to ward décor including lighting, flooring and signage, creation of a patient day-room and a sensory room and sensory garden.

This exciting project, will allow us to provide a flexible space where patients can move freely and safely and socialise with other patients and their carers, helping

to prevent distress, disorientation and delirium. The enhanced environment and rehabilitation facilities will benefit all patients on Beaconsfield east, whether or not they have dementia.

MODERNISING

New funding will help to create a dementia friendly environment for patients

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Public governors Involved in the life of our hospitalsCurrently we are involved in areas ranging from the redevelopment of the A&e department, a review of hospital car parking, the Patient experience and engagement Group, the PLACe (Patient-Led Assessment of the Care environment) reviews, the appointment of new auditors and reviewing Non-executive Directors appraisals.

Once a month, all governors are invited to an informal session with Mike Robinson, Trust Chair, and Shane DeGaris, Chief executive. These meetings are an opportunity outside of the formal governor meetings to exchange views on a wide range of subjects. Most of us mix with the community and hospital staff and hear of happenings, both good and bad. We are able to discuss these freely and often there is a resulting good outcome.

We are now in our third year as a Foundation Trust and, as governors

have got to know each other, they have become more useful to the Trust. Recently, having completed two years as Lead governor, Roger Shipton passed on the baton to John Coleman. Quiet but firm and persuasive, Roger developed the role of Lead Governor and was very much involved in strengthening the role of governors. Thank you Roger for your leadership. John was born at Hillingdon Hospital and has known it all of his life. We are lucky to have a man so committed to the Trust. Good luck John, the governors are right behind you.

People in Partnership (PiP)

PiP meetings continue to be a success with a governor chairing each session. One subject is explored in depth with plenty of time for questions. Shane DeGaris also gives a review of the latest Trust news. If you haven’t been to a meeting, please do attend. You will find it an interesting experience. The next PiP meeting is on Wednesday 13th November at the education Centre, Hillingdon Hospital.

Parts of Hillingdon have a very high percentage of older people, for instance in Northwood 22 per cent of the population is over 65. This is already creating strains on the system - GP care is patchy and many of the ancillary services are not up to scratch. This unsatisfactory infrastructure leads to many of our elderly being admitted to hospital. Transferring more care into the community will prove challenging. Although funds have been allocated to cover the cost of transfer, a successful transition will need the goodwill and hard work of all concerned and no doubt, more responsibility will fall on the voluntary sector. If you have an elderly neighbour, please keep a watch over him/her. A few kind words can make a day!

Tony ellisPublic governor

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Governors meeting

Did you know?More referrals from GPs means more income for the Trust. Please ask your GP to refer you to one of our hospitals.

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Patient care is shaping our futureThe Trust’s performance remained strong throughout 2012/13 despite a prolonged and extremely busy winter. We met all the targets set by Monitor, the independent regulator for NHs Foundation Trusts including the challenging A&e four hour access target and all infection control targets. The year also saw us successfully bid for funding worth £12.3m to invest in our emergency Care Services and over £700,000 to refurbish our Maternity Unit. This work will help to further strengthen our position as a major acute trust as recommended by the North West London ‘Shaping a Healthier Future’ programme.

By keeping the needs of patients as our top priority, we will continue to strive to deliver the very best care. The views of our staff provide a good measure about how we are performing. In the 2012 NHS annual staff survey 86 per cent of our staff said that they would recommend the Trust as a place to work or receive treatment, the highest score in London for this question.

Our achievements would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of all of those working across the Trust. We also benefit from the support of our governors and from the many volunteers and charity workers who play a crucial role in fundraising and supporting patient care.

Looking ahead, the Trust has some important challenges to meet as we play our part in supporting changes planned for healthcare in NW London. Not least we have a huge programme of change underway and at the same time have significant efficiencies to deliver. However, this will not distract us from our main purpose of delivering high quality patient care and improving the patient experience.

2012/13Year in Review

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MATERNITY

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APRIl Gold rating for stroke services

The Trust received a gold standard rating for stroke and TIA (mini-stroke) care following a two year assessment of services by the North West London Cardiac and Stroke Network.

MAY New Chief executive

Shane DeGaris appointed as Chief executive replacing David McVittie

who had served 11 years in post.

30,000 donation from Bishopshalt school

Students from the local Bishopshalt School presented the Maternity Unit with a cheque for £30,000 following a year of fundraising.

JuNe launch of CARes

The Trust’s CAReS values and behaviours were developed by staff and patients. We believe that putting people first is the right

thing to do; we will achieve this through our CAReS values.

Friends receive long service awards

League of Friends volunteers were awarded with certificates from Shane DeGaris.

New website design

Over 160,000 people visit the Trust website each year. The new website caters for the largest growing user group – the mobile web. It also includes sections detailing performance, patient safety and career opportunities.

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Bishopshalt School donation

Long Service Award

Radiology makeover

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Launch of CARES

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JulY Grange Ward refurbishment

The new look Grange Ward opened its doors after a four month revamp. Three of the six side rooms now have en suite rooms and the two assisted shower rooms have been provided on the main ward.

Olympic volunteers

Staff played their part in supporting the London 2012 by being performers in the opening ceremony and ambassadors for the Olympics and Paralympics.

AuGusT emergency care funding secured

The Trust received £12.3 million from the Department of Health to redevelop emergency Care services at Hillingdon Hospital. The redevelopment is the largest on the hospital site for over 40 years.

sePTeMBeR Radiology makeover

The radiology departments at Hillingdon and Mount Vernon Hospitals received a makeover

complete with new equipment and décor.

OCTOBeR successful ophthalmology bid

The Trust retained its Ophthalmology Services complying with new requirements to enhance the provision of a local service for patients.

To view the 2012/13 Annual Report go to www.thh.nhs.uk/media/pubs/

Grange Ward refurbished

Radiology makeover

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Olympic volunteer

£12.3m to redevelop Emergency Care Successful Ophthamology bid

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Ophthalmology honour for consultant

Professor Philip Bloom, Consultant Ophthalmologist at Hillingdon Hospital, was elected as President of the Ophthalmology section of the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM).

Pathology wins GP contract

The Pathology Department was awarded a contract for the GP Direct Access Pathology Service in the Borough of Hounslow. This will provide a complete service from hospital to GP surgery,

NOVeMBeR Macmillan award for cancer nurse

Lead Cancer Nurse, Lorraine Barton, won the Partnership excellence Award at the 2012 Macmillan excellence Awards.

Friends and Family Test

The Friends and Family Test (FFT) is designed to aid improvement in patient experience and identify best performing hospitals across the NHS. The Trust began the FTT by surveying adult acute inpatients (stayed at least one night in hospital) and adult

patients who have attended A&e and left without being admitted.

DeCeMBeR Hillingdon passes quality and safety inspection

An unannounced visit by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on 5th December, found Hillingdon Hospital to be meeting essential standards for quality and safety. The report included feedback from CQC inspectors who spoke to and observed patients. The CQC found: “People were treated with kindness

President of Ophthalmology QPR visits Children’s Unit

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Lorraine Barton

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STAFF

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and respect. They were involved in planning their care and were informed about their treatment. People received the care and treatment they needed from a team of different professionals who worked closely together.”

QPR stars visit hospital children

Players from Queens Park Rangers visited the Peter Pan and Wendy Wards at Hillingdon Hospital in the run up to Christmas.

JANuARY Maternity funding boost

The Maternity Unit at Hillingdon Hospital received funding of £741,000 to support the upgrade facilities. The Trust delivered over 4,000 babies during 2012, a number that is set to rise in future years.

Cold cot offers comfort to bereaved parents

A family from Ickenham presented the maternity ward with a Cold Cot a specialist piece of equipment that enables bereaved parents to spend more time saying goodbye to their babies. Sara Lomax and Patrick Harris made the presentation in memory of their son Che Maximillian who was delivered stillborn at the hospital in September 2010.

2013QPR visits Children’s Unit Cold cot donation

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Jayne Austin with her award Gastroenterology scanner

Annual Members’ Meeting

TIMe: 5.15pm

DATe: Wednesday 11th September

lOCATION: education Centre,

Hillingdon Hospital

You are invited to join us at the meeting

which will include presentations and

display stands on key issues at the Trust. If

you would like to attend, please call 01895

279757 or email alic.joy@thh.nhs.uk by

Friday 30th August 2013.

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Annual Members’ Meeting

In June, The Worshipful Mayor and Mayoress of Hillingdon, Councillor Allan Kauffman and Mrs

Lynne Kauffman were invited to record a get well soon message for Radio Hillingdon and to spend some time on the wards and meet many of the hospitals volunteers. Councillor Kauffman spoke openly about his recent stay in hospital and the great care he had received from the staff.

Mayor visits Hillingdon Hospital

The Mayor recording a get well soon message on Radio Hillingdon

To view the 2012/13 Annual Report and Annual Trust Quality Accounts go to www.thh.nhs.uk/media/pubs/.

FeBRuARY Olympic effort recognised

Jayne Austin, the Trust’s emergency Planning Officer, was nominated by NHS London to receive an award for the work she did with the NHS in the three years prior to the start of the London 2012 Games.

Inspired to lead, inspired to care

Developing leadership among staff is a key priority. As part of this work a vision for leadership, ‘Inspired to lead, inspired to care’ was launched to help build an understanding of what leadership is.

MARCH Funding helps fight liver disease

Mount Vernon Hospital Comforts Fund awarded £35,000 to the Gastroenterology Department for a highly specialised non-invasive scanner that can assess the presence and severity of liver damage within 10 minutes.