work starts on hospital upgrade€¦ · upgrade 4 9 10 12 at your service 13 department profile 15...
TRANSCRIPT
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NOVEMBER 2015
W ORK representing the big-
gest single investment
Raigmore Hospital has had since it
was built got under way this
month.
Approval to upgrade the hospital’s
critical care service was given by the
Scottish Government in March, with an
investment of £28 million over the next
three years.
The upgrade, which will be carried
out by Graham Construction, will bring
all critical care services, which includes
the Acute Medical Assessment Unit, the
Intensive Care Unit, Surgical High De-
pendency Unit, Coronary Care Unit,
Cardiology and Theatre suite, adjacent
to each other over two floors.
The operating theatres will be refur-
bished and an additional theatre will be
added to bring the total number of
theatres in the suite to 10, seven of
which will be equipped with specialist
Highlights THE NHS HIGHLAND STAFF NEWSPAPER July 2016
RAIGMORE
Continued on page 2
Ward team receives board’s first
HQA merit award: Story on page 2
Work starts on
hospital upgrade
Pictured above: David McClure from
Graham Construction
- 2 -
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Contents
Being Here
Commuters’ corner
Exchange visit
At Your Service
Department profile
Rural fellowships
Comings & Goings
Doctors’ Olympic role
Highland Quality Award
Board finances
Other Lives: Catherine Fraser
Q&A: Jenny Liddell
Hospital upgrade Help us to fight loneliness and
social isolation. Check out: http://www.reachout.scot.nhs.uk
laminar flow, ensuring the air within
the theatre environment is at the
cleanest possible standard.
Doreen Bell, NHS Highland’s
clinical advisor for the tower block
upgrade, explained that the work
which began this month was the first
step in a three-year project.
She explained: “Grahams have
started an invasive drilling survey to
test how much noise and vibration
will be evident when the works get
under way.
“It’s a small part of this project
but it’s great to see this initial part of
the work begin and to know what’s
coming up in future months.
“Having critical care services over
the two floors will not only allow
best use of space and staff but it will
improve patient flow in the hospital
and the privacy and dignity of our
patients.”
The original building at Raigmore,
which services the population of the
Highlands as well as Moray and the
Western Isles for some specialities,
was constructed in 1980.
Some improvement works have
already been carried out including
refurbishment of some of the wards
and the provision of a new, state-of-
the-art endoscopy unit.
The next stage will see Ward GC,
which cares for oncology patients,
move from the ground floor to the
fifth floor into a newly-refurbished
ward.
Continued from front
A HIGHLAND Quality Ap-
proach Special Merit Award –
the first of its kind to be given –
has been presented to a Raig-
more Hospital ward.
The award recognises the dedica-
tion and drive shown by staff in mak-
ing improvements for patients.
Staff in Ward 7A, a respiratory
ward, have greatly impressed since
they took part in a rapid process
improvement workshop (RPIW) last
year, with their commitment to make
further improvements.
Their RPIW looked at the care of
patients with chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) and how
their length of stay could be reduced.
The work they have done has
meant that the average stay for
COPD patient has now reduced
from eight days to five. All COPD
patients now have COPD passport
so they know what to expect during
their hospital journey, and a COPD
bundle which includes a self-
management plan and discharge fol-
low-up, to improve the quality of
care and patient experience.
Anne Gent, director of human
resources, presented the award,
which was accepted by Kay Cordiner
(front-page picture).
Anne said: “What the team have
done to improve their processes and
systems is an outstanding contribu-
tion to enable high-quality care to be
provided to their patients. The com-
mitment from them all to make these
improvements for their patients and
their families is second to none.
“The feedback we have received
from patients and families is very
positive and testament to the work
they have done and continue to do.
“They have demonstrated a high
level of team working and have aimed
for excellence in all that they do.
They have also worked to make con-
tinual and ongoing improve-
ments which they have shared with
others across the organisation. “
PRESENTATION
Ward team receives
special merit award
- 3 -
NEARLY nine out of 10 consult-
ants employed by NHS Highland
say taking a job with the health
board was a lifestyle choice.
And more than half say they were
attracted by NHS Highland’s clinical
reputation, having heard that it was “a
good place to work”.
NHS Highland recently surveyed its
consultants to get views and data to
help inform future recruitment tactics.
Ninety-four consultants – around
one-third of the total – from a range of
specialties responded to the survey,
more than two-thirds of whom were in
their first consultant post.
Asked what attracted them to work-
ing for NHS Highland, 88.9 per cent said
it was definitely or probably a lifestyle
choice. Three-quarters said it was a
matter of timing – they were looking for
a consultant post and one came up in
Highland – and 56.3 per cent cited the
board’s clinical reputation.
Other reasons included that they
had direct contact with a clinician at
NHS Highland (68.6 per cent), had pre-
vious positive experience of NHS High-
land (57.5 per cent), and head that it
was a good place to work (56.3 per
cent).
The consultants were also asked
what made them want to stay with NHS
Highland, and 61.8 per cent said life-
style, quality of life and the area’s attrac-
tions.
More than two-thirds of respon-
dents said their good relationships with
colleagues made them want to stay with
NHS Highland, with comments includ-
ing: “A good atmosphere in Raigmore
where people are less concerned with
their own promotion and really focused
on high-quality service delivery despite
the challenges to achieving this” and
“Close-knit group of colleagues who
work collaboratively”.
Not all responses were entirely
positive, however. Asked what aspects
of their life would make them less likely
to stay, 30.6 per cent said excessive
workload/stress/poor work-life balance,
and almost one in five cited disengaged/
critical/unresponsive management. And
asked what they would like to see im-
proved, 42 per cent said resourcing and
investment.
Finally, the consultants were asked
what approaches they felt were success-
ful in attracting interest in consultant
posts. Nearly nine in 10 said direct con-
tact from a clinician in NHS Highland,
while previous experience of working in
NHS Highland, where adverts are
placed and the quality of the job de-
scription and adverts also scored highly.
SURVEY
Consultants attracted
by Highland lifestyle
NEW TECHNOLOGY
NHS HIGHLAND’S Technology
Enabled Care (TEC) team is host-
ing a series of workshops for health
and social care professionals across
the Highlands to increase the use
of new technology to diagnose and
treat more patients in their own
homes.
The 'Digital Health - How can digital
health help you?' events - each consist-
ing of three workshops - will start in
Portree on the Isle of Skye on 30th Au-
gust and then move on to Wick, Ding-
wall, Inverness and Fort William during
September.
Participants can choose which of the
three workshops they would like to
attend or they can do all three.
The first workshop will focus on
Telehealth and how NHS Highland is
using Florence - an interactive text mes-
saging tool - to reduce clinical work-
loads and improve patient care.
The second workshop, called ‘Living
It Up’, will explore the range of online
interactive tools and services available
that can empower users to self-manage
and lead happier, healthier lives.
And the third workshop aims to
highlight how Telecare can help patients
live safely and independently in their
own homes. This latter workshop will
look at Telecare options and the refer-
ral process.
Attendees need to register for the
workshops and also select their pre-
ferred locations. After Portree, the
workshops will be held at Wick on 1st
September, Dingwall on 2nd September,
Inverness on 6th September and Fort
William on 8th September.
Tech team plans patient workshops
To book your place and
also be added to the Tech-
nology Enabled Care mail-
ing list to receive updates,
progress and information
about future events, email:
n h s h i g h -
land.technologyenabledcare
@nhs.net
- 4 -
BEING HERE … 1
WORK is ongoing to make NHS
Highland’s rural support team con-
cept – devised under the Being
Here programme as an innovative
method of delivering healthcare
along much of the board’s western
flank – even more responsive to
local needs and challenges.
Last year, Highlights reported on the
development of the
rural support team as a
pool of health and so-
cial care professionals
who provide cover
where it’s needed in
some of NHS High-
land’s more remote
and remote areas.
The idea was that
the team would oper-
ate flexibly across the
west coast as required
almost like an internal
locum agency.
However, as the
concept was further
discussed with existing
teams, it became apparent that the rural
branding was attractive to people and
that there was a desire to be part of
something bigger with a remote and
rural identity. Thinking therefore moved
on to having a wider team with more
locally-based sub-teams that incorpo-
rated existing staff.
Evan Beswick, NHS Highland out-of-
hours project manager, explained:
“Experience showed us that, rather than
have one team covering the whole area,
it would be much better to have smaller
sub-teams working on an area-by-area
basis, but providing cover elsewhere as
required.
“We want to create roles that are
enjoyable, rewarding and sustainable,
and part of that is en-
suring that people
have a good work/life
balance. It would have
been unrealistic to
expect people to
move constantly from
one area to another.
But we did want to
allow people to ex-
perience working in
different locations if
that was of interest to
them. Of course, they
cross-cover and rotate
to where they’re
needed, but they have
a main base,
“More than that, we have found that
giving people a base means they are part
of the local teams and can develop rela-
tionships between colleagues and the
local community.”
The result is that there are now ef-
fectively three local teams, one on Skye,
one on the Small Isles and one in Ardna-
murchan.
So what is
Being Here?
NHS HIGHLAND is involved
in a major initiative to find
different and innovative ways
of sustaining health and care
services in remote and rural
communities.
The three-year project
was launched in 2013 with
funding totalling £1.5 million
from the Scottish Govern-
ment as part of its 'Being
Here' programme, and NHS
Highland's brief was to devise
and test innovative ways of
recruiting and retaining
healthcare professionals –
and particularly GPs.
Since its launch, NHS
Highland has set up a specific
website, http://nhshighland-
rural.scot.nhs.uk/, detailing
GP vacancies and featuring
video testimonials by GPs
from overseas who have set-
tled in remote and rural
practices. A locum GP page
has been added to the web-
site and one for pharmacists
will soon follow.
NHS Highland is also
working with other organisa-
tions to enhance the image of
North Highland and Argyll
and Bute as a place to work,
and is looking at issues such
as accommodation, transport
and IT connectivity. It recog-
nises that training and career
development is important for healthcare professionals, and
through Being Here NHS
Highland is implementing a
programme of accredited
training, workshops and
awareness-raising. NHS
Highland is also working to
develop some common prin-
ciples about rural NHSScot-
land needs in the future.
Being Here has been
working in four test areas:
Kintyre and Islay in Argyll
and Bute, West Lochaber
and the Small Isles of Eigg,
Muck, Rum and Canna.
Innovative
team idea
takes hold
- 5 -
THE work of the Being Here
programme will be put under
the spotlight at the Royal Col-
lege of General Practitioners’
annual conference, to be held in
Harrogate in October.
An NHSScotland remote and
rural stand to be mounted at the
conference will feature the work of
Being Here as well as individual
boards working in some of the coun-
try’s most isolated areas.
The Being Here steering group
had a stand at both the 2014 confer-
ence in Liverpool and the 2015 event
in Glasgow.
The Liverpool stand coincided
with a large campaign which high-
lighted the Highlands and Argyll and
Bute as a great place to work, live
and train as a GP. This campaign in-
cluded advertising on buses, bill-
boards and vans, as well as the devel-
opment of a microsite.
During the Glasgow conference
an advertising van was driven around
with city.
An application for funding to
mount a stand at this year’s confer-
ence pointed out that eight GPs
were recruited to the Being Here
test site areas, and four more into
either the rural support team of else-
where in Highland.
The application observed that it
was hard to say that the RCGP con-
ference had a direct influence on
this.
However, it pointed out that the
number of visitors to the stand
helped to raise the profile of remote
and rural GP training, and the steer-
ing group agreed that having a stand
had proved its worth.
BEING HERE … 2
HEALTH boards operating in
some of Scotland’s most remote
and rural areas have been bene-
fiting from the experience of
people working to support the
delivery of health and adult so-
cial care in the Small Isles.
The islands’ health and social care
support workers recently partici-
pated in a fact-sharing meeting –
three of them by videoconference
and one by telephone – with repre-
sentatives of NHS Western Isles,
Orkney, Shetland and Grampian.
Organised by Pam Nicoll, pro-
gramme director with the Remote
and Rural Healthcare Educational
Alliance, the meeting gave support
workers an opportunity to explain
their role and share their experi-
ences with boards keen to come up
with their own ways of supporting
care in remote communities.
NHS Highland learning and devel-
opment facilitator Claire Savage ex-
plained: “The meeting helped people
identify the competencies for the
support worker role and provided
them with an overview of what is a
combined health and social care role.
“One of the things that came
across was how the Small Isles’ sup-
port workers have been successful
by engaging with the community in
developing community resilience.
“The people we chose for these
roles live in the community they
serve; they are part of the commu-
nity and work for it, which is very
important.”
Claire added that from the meet-
ing participating boards would be
looking to take from NHS Highland’s
experience in the Small Isles and
adapt it to suit their own circum-
stances.
Programme under spotlight
Neighbours learn from
board’s experience
ADULTS in Inverness with mental
ill health are being supported into
employment and training opportu-
nities thanks to a service funded by
NHS Highland.
The Vocational Support Team was
established in 2014 and offers one-to-
one support to help people to remain in
or find new employment or training.
And, according to service manager
Heather Jappy, it has been a very suc-
cessful two years for her team.
She said: “The ethos of our service is
to support adults with mental ill health
to work towards a better future and
improve the quality of their lives.
“In the two years since our founda-
tion we have helped over 100 people in
Inverness and the Inner Moray Firth
area into employment, training and edu-
cation with a number of people securing
full-time paid employment.
“This has been a great achievement
for the individuals concerned, some of
whom have lived with mental ill health
for a number of years and have not been
able to work.”
The Vocational Support Team offers
personal development plans which iden-
tify goals, barriers to achieving these
goals and what support can be put in
place to overcome these obstacles.
The service is split into two teams: a
north team based in Wick and a south
team based in the Highland capital.
Overall, they have helped over 170 peo-
ple across Highland achieve their goals.
Mrs Jappy added: “We have worked
across a number of employment sectors
including retail, social care and construc-
tion and have secured places at the Uni-
versity of the Highlands and Islands and
the Open University.
“However, our work is only getting
started. We are working on a number
of projects that will support even more
people in Highland who are living with
mental ill health to achieve their goals.”
MENTAL HEALTH
Team offers
employment
support aid
- 6 -
Home’s
platinum
couple
‘perfect
lovers’ A PLATINUM wedding anni-
versary card from the Queen
was the icing on the cake for
an Inverness couple who re-
cently celebrated 70 years of
married bliss.
One of Scotland’s longest married
couples, Hugh ‘Denny’ Ross and his
wife Meg were touched by the ‘lovely
card’ sent to mark their years together
at a party at NHS Highland’s Ach an Eas
care home in Inverness last week.
It was a family affair. As well as their
four daughters, two sons and their fami-
lies, all 23 residents of the Island Bank
Road home were invited, including
Denny’s two sisters, Florie and Marga-
ret, who also reside at Ach an Eas.
Sprightly Denny, aged 90, was prag-
matic about why he and Meg stayed
together all those years.
The great grandfather said: “I picked
this girl and I got her, and I’ve stood by
her ever since. That’s the secret. We
have our arguments but we never allow
them to get to a break-up situation.”
Meg, 88, agreed, adding: “We can
have arguments but do not get into any-
thing serious.
“We are perfect lovers.”
The couple have six children – four
girls and two boys – and 10 grandchil-
dren and seven great grandchildren.
A gardener since childhood, Denny
has been growing tomatoes and other
vegetables in the Ach an Eas’s green-
house since moving to the home.
He said: “I recently had a surprise
for the cook. I’ve been growing cour-
gettes and after I picked the first ones,
she told me they were her favourites to
cook.
“Her secret is that she always cooks
them with ginger.”
THE first ever Quality Improvement
Awards 2016, organised by the Scot-
tish Government and Healthcare Im-
provement Scotland, have attracted
146 submissions from teams across
Scotland.
The awards were launched in
May this year to celebrate the fantas-
tic improvement work being done
through the Maternity and Children’s
Quality Improvement Collaborative,
Early Years Collaborative and Raising
Attainment for All programmes.
Judging is now under way across
the 10 award categories, which focus
on a range of achievements from in-
novation and collaboration to leader-
ship and results. Judges are looking
for projects and services that demon-
strate positive impact and outcomes
for babies, children, young people and
their families.
The shortlisted entries will be
announced in early August and win-
ners will be announced at an awards
ceremony on 15th November.
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AWARDS
Shortlist set to be announced
Platinum couple: Denny and Meg Ross with, inserted
left, their anniversary cake
70th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
- 7 -
Simple speech
SIGN AND SIGN, a programme
that teaches communication with
babies before speech using simple
gestures, joined breastfeeding sup-
port group Lochaber Baby Bistro in
the Salvation Army Hall, Fort Wil-
liam, earlier this month, and mums
and mum-to-be were encouraged to
go along and find out more about
the group.
Lochaber Baby Bistro is run by
NHS Highland infant feeding sup-
port worker Kim Grieve, and is one
of a number of such groups across
Highland.
Training transfer
WORK is continuing on the transfer
of pre-registration nurse training
from Stirling University to the Uni-
versity of the Highlands and Islands
(UHI).
Accredited Educational Institute
status is being recommended for
UHI – a requirement to provide pre-
registration nurse training. The
next step is to obtain the Pre-
registration Nurse Programme ap-
proval from the Nursing and Mid-
wifery Council.
Video to view
A VIDEO clip has been produced on
the admission, transfer and dis-
charge process for all hospitals
throughout NHS Highland. It can
be viewed on the NHS Highland
intranet.
Later breakfasts
THERE’S been a change to the
weekend opening hours at the dining
room at Raigmore Hospital. It’s now
open for breakfast at 8.30am as op-
posed to 7.30am.
Interests updated
THE formal Highland NHS Board
Register of members’ interests has
been updated.
The register is available at the
board’s offices for public inspection
and is also available on the NHS
Highland website.
NEWS IN BRIEF
DONATIONS given in memory of
a precious baby girl have bought a
second cuddle cot for Raigmore
Hospital.
Lily-Alexis Janet Aird was born to
Emma McAllister and David Aird on 5th
December last year and sadly passed
away the next day.
Emma and David, of Alness, wanted
to give something back to the maternity
unit and so set up a crowd funding page
which raised more than £1,500, allow-
ing them to buy a cuddle cot and a
Moses basket for the hospital.
Emma said: “We were told at 24
weeks that Lily had a diaphragmatic
hernia so we knew she would be very
poorly when she was born. But at 30
weeks we were given the news that she
also had Edwards syndrome and it was
very unlikely that she would survive the
birth.
“She weighed 4lb 10oz at birth,
which is actually quite big given how
poorly she was. We had hoped we
would get to spend a couple of minutes
with her but she was so strong and
brave that we got to spend 29 hours
with her at the hospital until she sadly
passed away.”
The couple presented the cuddle
cot - which allows parents time to say
goodbye to their stillborn babies - to
the hospital earlier this month. They
were also able to share their news that
they will become parents again in No-
vember as Emma is expecting a boy.
Caron Cruickshank, divisional mid-
wifery/nurse manager at Raigmore, said:
“We’ve the resources for looking after
women here, we have training for staff,
but we didn’t have anything for when
the parents go home and this extra cot
will make a huge difference to that.”
PARENTS’ GIFT
Cot donation
is Lily’s legacy
David and Emma with the cuddle cot and Moses basket with baby Lily-Alexis
Janet Aird (inserted)
- 8 -
Meeting to
be briefed
on redesign COMMUNITY representatives are
to be given an update on the wide range of activity that’s taken place
to improve NHS Highland’s services
in Caithness.
The health board is organising a
meeting of the reference group it
established some time ago to con-
sider the best way to redesign ser-
vices to meet future needs.
The meeting, to be held at 2pm
at the Pentland Hotel, Thurso, on 6th
September, will brief attendees on
what has been an extensive and con-
tinuous programme of redesign
work throughout the area, as well as
the ongoing work on a multi-million
pound revamp of Caithness General
Hospital in Wick.
Maimie Thompson, NHS High-
land’s head of PR and engagement,
said: “A huge amount of work has
taken place in Caithness to ensure
that all our health and adult social
care services in the area are fit for
purpose, safe and sustainable, and
best meet the present and future
needs of the population.
“This work has been progressing
over the last three years, and we feel
we are at the stage where we should
report to the reference group on
everything that has happened.”
There have been several strands
to the redesign work in Caithness,
which has looked at community ser-
vices and, for example, older adult
mental health and dementia, pallia-
tive and end-of-life care, care-at-
home services, care home capacity
and independent living.
The Town and County Hospital and the Dunbar Hospital are also
covered in the redesign, but there is
also a separate body of work relating
to Caithness General. As well as a
revamp of the hospital’s lay-out,
there has been an in-depth look at
the clinical staffing model, to ensure
that it complies with new care stan-
dards and pathways, and addresses
recruitment challenges.
CAITHNESS
AN ORGANISATION that pro-
vides free and confidential support
to people with hearing and sight
loss in Caithness and Sutherland
has been recognised for its volun-
tary work.
Hearing and Sight Care, which re-
cruits and trains volunteers to run clin-
ics and deliver practical help and advice,
was presented with an award by the
Lord Lieutenant of Caithness, Anne
Dunnett, in a ceremony organised by
the Caithness Voluntary Group.
Service manager Deirdre Aitken
said: “We were thrilled to be recog-
nised by the Caithness Voluntary
Group for our voluntary work across
north Highland.
“I would like to thank all of our
volunteers for the wonderful work they
do. Without their dedication the ser-
vice could not exist.”
Hearing and Sight Care, which is
part-funded NHS Highland, works in
partnership with the health board’s
audiology department, deaf services and
hearing support team as well as Sight
Action to deliver practical help on
hearing and sight loss at two drop-in
centres in Wick and Thurso.
The organisation provides routine
hearing aid upkeep and supply fitting,
tubing and batteries and offers advice,
support and information on hearing
and/or sight loss.
In addition, it provides demonstra-
tions of specialist equipment to aid daily
living and makes referrals to partner
agencies such as NHS Highland’s occu-
pational therapy, home care and tele-
care departments, Befriending Caith-
ness, Caithness Rural Transport and
the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
All its volunteers are trained to visit
nursing and care homes, hospitals and
people’s homes, and it also delivers
quarterly rural clinics in outreach areas
across Caithness and Sutherland.
VOLUNTARY WORK
Award for
sensory
loss group
Deirdre Aitken, left, and the Lord Lieu-
tenant of Caithness, Anne Dunnett
- 9 -
S ENIOR NHS manager Tracy
Ligema has an unusual com-
mute to work – she often cycles
the 50-mile round trip from
work at Larachan House in Ding-
wall to her home in Tain.
But there is a reason for this.
Tracy plans to undertake an ultra
challenge by cycling 969 miles from
Land’s End to John O’Groats in nine
days this September to help raise
money for British paralympic athletes.
Since Tracy, the board’s N&W
operational unit’s deputy director,
signed up for the Ride Across Britain
event – affectionately known as the
RAB – back in November/December
last year, she has done some serious
training including this commute.
She said: “Since I signed up for
RAB I’ve been trying to ride my bike a
lot. I have done a 100-mile ride be-
fore, which was tiring, and I’ve done
regular rides of 60 to 90 miles. My
cycling training does include doing
back-to-back rides, but working full-
time means I tend to take them at
weekends.”
So Tracy has regularly cycled
along the Old Evanton Road from
Dingwall, past the Skiach junction,
through Alness, Invergordon and on
to Tain.
“I have also done some one-off
events,” she said. “I participated in the
ETAPE Loch Ness in April and I did
way better than I did last year, so
some of the training I’ve been doing
must be paying off.”
Aside from cycling Tracy has been
hitting the gym to do a regular pro-
gramme of weight training and also
working with a personal trainer once
a week.
“He has been making me do things
like flipping over massive tractor
tyres. What with training on bike,
doing the weight training and having a
personal trainer, I am now stronger
than ever,” she said.
Diet has also played an important
part.
She explained: “I do not eat meat
anyway but I changed my diet further
this year because I decided that if I am
going to do this I need to be as
healthy as possible. And I think I’ve
achieved this. I haven’t had any re-
fined sugar since Christmas. The re-
sult is I’ve lost weight, certainly built
up my muscle mass and definitely lost
body fat.”
And on her commute, Tracy has
been trying out different equipment,
although one vital piece of kit still
eludes her.
She said: “I am also still looking for
the perfect saddle. Nothing seems to
be quite right at the moment. So up
until the event I’ll be trying different
ones.”
Curiously, on day eight of her
ultra challenge, Tracy will follow her
Dingwall/Tain commute for a consid-
erable distance.
“On the penultimate day the
route goes from Fort William to Fort
Augustus, then along the south side of
Loch Ness to Inverness, to Beauly,
Muir of Ord and then into Dingwall
up the Old Evanton Road. Then I’m
on my home commute. At the Skiach
junction it would be easier for me to
go home rather than to continue on
to the last base camp. I’ll only be 14
miles from home and the temptation
would be strong to do just that.
“I’ll be staying that night at the
base camp at Balblair Farm in Bonar
Bridge. To get there, I will have to go
up and over the Struie to Bonar
Bridge.”
Averaging more than 100 miles a
day, Tracy will take part in the
Deloitte’s Ride Across Britain ultra
cycling challenge that starts at Land’s
End on Saturday 10th September and
ends at John O’Groat on Sunday 18th
September.
So far, Tracy has already raised
over £200 in sponsorship.
“I’ve already paid Deloittes £500
towards it and I now have to raise
£2,000 for the British Paralympic As-
sociation,” she said.
We continue our regular series
about how our staff travel to
work. This month, N&W opera-
tional unit deputy director Tracy
Ligema explains why she’s been
getting on her bike.
COMMUTERS’ CORNER
To sponsor
Tracy in
her ultra
cycling
challenge
donate to:
mydo-
nate.bt.com/
fundraisers/
tracylige-
ma1
- 10 -
EXCHANGE VISIT
Israeli students get insight
into work in the Highlands FIVE student nurses from Israel
have been taking part in a three-
week exchange visit arranged by
the Highland campus of University
of Stirling in partnership with NHS
Highland.
This is the fourth year in a row that
pre-registration student nurses from the
Nazareth School of Nursing have visited
the Highlands.
NHS Highland’s senior nurse for
education and training, Stephen Loch,
said: “We are four years into an exciting
exchange project which offers partici-
pants a great opportunity to witness
nursing practice in a different country.
“The Nazareth students gained a
unique opportunity to learn about a
different system of healthcare. They also
observed how evidence-based practice
is implemented, how nursing is regu-
lated and how professionalism is ex-
pressed in Scotland. They are particu-
larly interested to learn about medical-
surgical nursing care in Scotland.
“The visit also offers us a helpful
insight and the opportunity to learn
from the culture and experience of the
visitors.”
The Nazareth Hospital, based in
Northern Galilee, is known locally as
the ‘English Hospital’ though it has
strong Scottish connections.
The Edinburgh Medical Missionary
Society, which trained medical person-
nel to work in needy areas, supported
its development and, under the operat-
ing name of the Nazareth Trust, runs
both the hospital and school of nursing.
The school, which opened in 1924,
is a distinctly Christian organisation,
although around 70 per cent of its fe-
male students are Muslim.
The Israeli exchange students and their teacher pictured with three nursing stu-
dents from the University of Stirling
REPORT TO BOARD
NHS HIGHLAND has shown an
improvement from last year in
meeting its Clostridium difficile
(C.diff) infection prevention and
control target.
A report to the July meeting of the
NHS Highland board by infection con-
trol manager Catherine Stokoe showed
that, despite the improvement, the
board had not met its C.diff target.
However, it did do so in the period
from January to March this year, the
latest for which figures are given. The
national target is 32 cases per 100,000
occupied bed days (OBDs), and in the
first three months of the year NHS
Highland achieved just 17.3 cases per
100,000 OBDs.
Data for Straphylococcus aureus bac-
teraemia (SAB) was also presented to
the board. The SAB target is 24 cases
per 100,000 OBDs, but in the period
from January to March the board re-
corded 26.8.
The report also showed that work-
load demands and priorities, as against
the current service provision, delivered
by the infection prevention and control
service across NHS Highland are under
review “to ensure the service is fit for
the future”.
And board members were advised
that a Healthcare Environment Inspec-
tions team undertook an unannounced
inspection visit to Raigmore Hospital on
25th and 26th May. As well as inspections
of the ward areas – including the A&E
and maternity departments – there was
a separate inspection of the operating
theatre.
The finalised report on the visit will
be published next month.
Board misses key infection control target
- 11 -
Going full tilt
to prevent
lung disease
STAFF in the intensive care unit at
Raigmore Hospital have tried a new
angle to reduce dramatically the
number of patients with ventilator
acquired pneumonia.
Research into the condition,
which occurs in people who are on
breathing machines in hospital, sug-
gested that the head of the bed
should be fixed at a 30 degree angle to prevent it developing.
With staff being unable to deter-
mine the desired angle by eyesight
alone, a special protractor has been
designed to help combat the lung
infection at the hospital.
Intensive care unit (ICU) charge
nurse Gwen Calder explained:
“While our beds are designed to
move up and down, they don’t have
a mechanism to highlight what an-
gle the head of the bed is sitting at.
The bio-engineers designed a pro-
tractor with a spirit level that we
were able to fix to the side of a pa-
tient’s bed and adjust the angle ac-
cordingly.
“The result has been a signifi-
cant decrease in the number of pa-
tients in our ward with ventilator
acquired pneumonia.”
Ventilator acquired pneumonia
(VAP) is a type of lung infection
that affects critically ill patients in
an intensive care unit. Patients who
contract the disease tend to stay in
ICU for longer.
The initial research was carried
out by the Scottish Patient Safety
Programme, a national strategy
that aims to improve the safety and
reliability of healthcare and reduce
harm wherever care is delivered.
PUBLIC HEALTH PATIENT SAFETY
A HIGHLAND doctor has filmed
himself removing a tick from his
arm in his ongoing campaign to
raise awareness of Lyme disease.
Dr James Douglas, of Tweeddale
Medical Practice in Fort William, demon-
strates how to remove a tick safely using
a special plastic tick removal device. He
advises to avoid using fingernails, tweez-
ers or Vaseline, which are the traditional
methods, as they risk squeezing infected
ticks and therefore transmission of the
Lyme disease bacteria.
The GP would like local shops, phar-
macies and petrol stations to
stock the plastic removal
cards or twisters. He also asks
B&Bs, hotels, campsites and
hostels to provide information
on tick removal and make sure
the removal devices – which
take the form of cards or twist-
ers – are available in first-aid
kits.
He explained: “I would encourage
everybody to continue to use the great
outdoors but just take some common-
sense precautions like having a tick re-
moval device in first-aid kits and ruck-
sacks.
“It is also important to check chil-
dren who can pick up ticks on the head
and neck from sitting on grass in gardens
and picnic sites.”
Dr Douglas’s message is to remove
ticks promptly within 12 hours with a
plastic tick removal device, which should
eliminate the risk of contracting Lyme
disease from ticks.
“Fortunately, very few ticks carry the
Lyme disease bacteria,” he said.
“However, if you develop a bull’s-eye
rash up to a week after a tick bite, take a
photo on your mobile phone and make
an appointment to see your GP or out-
of-hours service to discuss treatment.”
Dr Douglas’s video can be viewed at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Highland doctor
produces ticks
awareness video
Above: Dr James
Douglas
Left: A tick re-
moval device
A STUDY day for health professionals on ‘SIGNing up
to Osteoporosis’ will be held in Jury Inn, Inverness, on
15th November.
NHS Highland medical director Dr Rod Harvey will wel-
come delegates and will be among the speakers, as will NHS
Highland consultant rheumatologist Dr John Harvie and Inver-
ness GP Dr Jamie Fraser, a member of the SIGN 142 best
practice guidelines group.
OSTEOPOROSIS
Inverness venue chosen for health professionals’ November study day
- 12 -
AT YOUR SERVICE
Christine Tait: Practice
manager, Thurso and Halkirk The Caithness Courier/John o’Groat Journal is running a series of articles by NHS Highland
which puts the spotlight on people who work in healthcare in Caithness. Answering the ques-
tions here is Christine Tait (55), practice manager at the Thurso and Halkirk Medical Practice.
Q. What does your job involve?
A. It’s like being the manager of any small busi-
ness. In a larger company I suppose managers
might specialise in one or two areas, whereas
for us or any smaller organisation, you need to
know a little bit about a lot of things! My job
involves everything from the day-to-day opera-
tion of the practice to finance, economics, mar-
keting; it’s a varied role where no two days are
ever the same.
Q. And do you enjoy working in that way?
A. I do. It can be challenging at times, but I love
my job and the variety it brings.
Q. What are your biggest challenges?
A. I’ve been doing this job now for 25 years
and one of the biggest challenges is the constant
change – you need to be able to adapt very
quickly. However, in recent times the national
shortage of GPs and the number of people who
do not attend appointments have become our
biggest challenges.
Q. How have you adapted to tackle these
challenges?
A. It has been a gradual process. I think we
have been far more aware of the issues around
recruitment and retention in the north of Scot-
land than elsewhere in the UK. We’ve been
quite fortunate as we have been able to recruit
a new GP who starts in April. However, we
realised that we need to focus on patient need
as opposed to demand. There is a wealth of
skills among other departments in a practice –
not just GPs. It’s about making the best use of
what we have and providing a better level of
service using different clinicians. We introduced
nurse triage at the beginning of last year, and it
has been successful. It has allowed us to direct
patients to the right service for whatever their
need is. In addition, we also have an advanced
nurse practitioner who is very skilled and ex-
perience in dealing with minor illness. This has
‘
’
It can be
challenging
at times, but
I love my job
and the
variety it
brings.
taken some of the pressure off our GPs. In rela-
tion to missed appointments, it’s important that
the patients play their part and work together
with the practice staff to improve the service
we provide. We had very positive feedback
from our Facebook post last year when we
highlighted the fact that on a monthly basis we
can have over 30 hours of wasted clinical time
because of this. If you cannot make your ap-
pointment for whatever reason, I urge you to
call and let us know. This can free-up GP time
and enable another patient to be seen. It is so
important when resources are scarce.
Q. What has been the biggest change in
your 25 years of working as a Practice
manager?
A. When I started here in 1990, there wasn’t a
single computer in the Practice! I know that
might be hard for some of your younger read-
ers to comprehend, but everything was paper-
based. We simply couldn’t manage without it
now as all of our notes, prescriptions and ap-
pointments are managed digitally.
Q. What would you say to anyone who is
interested in working in Caithness?
A. Come and have a look, it’s an excellent place
to live. Caithness is a wonderful place to bring
up a family with excellent schools and a low
crime rate, there is plenty to see and do and it
is not as remote as people might think. We like
to think that we are good at creating opportu-
nities from challenges in the far north.
Q. How do you manage to switch off?
A. I’m an avid reader of fiction as it does help
me to switch-off. I also enjoy music and watch-
ing box-sets, particularly political drama; I love
24 and House of Cards. I’ve recently started to
research my family history, and have traced it as
far back as the early 1700’s. I have two sons and
two grandchildren aged 10 and eight, and I en-
joy spending as much time with them as I can.
- 13 -
DEPARTMENT PROFILE: SHHELS
Working to overcome
the barriers faced by
people with sensory loss By Jenny Liddell,
manager, SHHELS
SEE HEAR Highland Education
and Learning Services (SHHELS)
is a specialist learning and devel-
opment department within NHS
Highland.
We help staff to understand the
barriers people with sight and hearing
loss face and how to change our be-
haviour and the environment to pro-
vide better support.
With a quarter of the Scottish
population having a hearing loss and/or
significant eye condition, there are
many more people with ‘sensory’ loss
than you may imagine. It’s a big con-
cern for the Scottish Government and
for us here in Highland.
Our learning is for the brave! We
ask learners to try on ‘simulation’
spectacles and listening devices, and
then try to undertake everyday tasks
like pouring liquids or writing down
what someone is saying to you. Need-
less to say, it can get a bit messy! But
the important thing is that people get
an inkling of what it might be like to
contend with sight and/or hearing loss
issues on a daily basis.
We look at how we can adapt the
environment and change how we in-
teract with people with a loss, to make
life easier and safer for them.
We cover assistive technologies
too – everyday gadgets for the home –
so there are plenty of flashing lights,
vibrating pads and ‘tactile’ devices to
explore. Sometimes, a simple wee
device can mean a big difference. A
‘flashing-light’ doorbell can mean deaf/
hard of hearing people can lock their
doors without fear of missing a visitor.
Deaf-friendly fire alarms save lives.
‘Talking’ devices and services allow
people with sight loss to do everything
from telling the time, making food or
keeping up with the local news. As
well as allowing people to live inde-
pendently and safely at home for
longer, these devices can save money.
Colleagues in Glasgow issued a ‘liquid
level indicator’ to a visually impaired
client, which meant staff didn’t need to
visit this individual so frequently, saving
thousands of pounds. Plus, the gentle-
man is now able to safely enjoy a cup
of tea whenever he wants!
If you want a taster of SHHELS
training, check out our Deaf Aware-
ness eLearning module on LearnPro.
It’s just 30 minutes long but will give
you a great grounding in deafness is-
sues. We’ll launch our updated Sight
Loss eLearning on LearnPro shortly
too, then a module on how to support
people with combined sight and hear-
ing loss. Face-to-face courses in sight/
hearing loss plus dementia, stroke or
learning disabilities are in the pipeline
too.
SHHELS also offers British Sign
Language courses, so if you’ve ever felt
like learning this fascinating language,
we’ve got beginners courses starting in
Inverness and Wick soon.
Would lipreading benefit you or
your clients? How about coming to a
support group for people with a sight
or hearing loss? Get in touch – if we
haven’t got a group or class in your
area, we’ll do our best to set one up.
Do you know NHS Highland and
Highland Council jointly fund a com-
munication service for deaf/hard of
hearing people? You can book a Brit-
ish Sign Language/English Interpreter,
Deafblind Guide/Communicator and
Electronic Note-taker, free, to ensure
deaf people can get equal access to
our services. Electronic Note-taking is
a fairly new service, which involves a
trained Note-taker typing up whatever
is being said in a situation, so it ap-
pears on screen in front of the deaf/
hard of hearing person. Note-takers
can provide this service in all sorts of
situations – from a GP visit, at a meet-
ing, in education – so deaf/hard of
hearing people don’t miss out.
If you want to know any more
about SHHELS courses or courses
offered through UNISON, email Jenny
Q&A: Back page ‘
’
We look at how we can adapt
the environment and change
how we interact with people
with a loss, to make life easier
and safer for them
- 14 -
ENDOWMENT FUNDS
NHS HIGHLAND’S research, de-
velopment and innovation (RD&I)
department is seeking applications
for endowment funding for 2016-
2017.
Altogether, £20,000 has been
granted for this year's endowment, with
individual projects being funded up to a
limit of £3,000.
Applicants should be from the NHS,
but collaborative projects with universi-
ties or other organisations are welcome
to apply for the funds. The endowment
aims is to support small-scale research
studies, pilot studies or feasibility stud-
ies that may have a direct impact for the
Highlands, and which are likely to result
in publications and submission for larger
funding. Funds can be granted to allow
attendance at a conference just as long
as a paper is presented and the delegate
is an NHS Highland employee.
The endowment is for research ac-
tivities and costs only. It is not intended
for payment of student fees, travel to
see academic supervisors, educational
training, training for service improve-
ment, backfill or other such activities.
Two peer reviews per application
are required otherwise it will not be
considered by the RD&I Committee.
Application forms and guidance notes
can be found on the RD&I page on the
Intranet under the heading staff, and
then research and development.
Applicants who do not have access
t o t h e i n t r a n e t c a n e m a i l
All applications and peer reviews
must be submitted by 7th September.
Anyone who wants to discuss this
further or wants help in completing
their application form should contact
RD&I manager Frances Hines.
Board seeking
applicants for
research funds
NHS HIGHLAND’S board has ap-
proved one of the key documents
in the process to redesign health
and adult social care services in
Skye, Lochalsh and South West
Ross.
The document, known as the Initial
Agreement (IA), was produced to
clearly demonstrate the strategic case
for service change in the area.
Its approval will be followed by the
preparation of first an Outline Business
Case and then a Full Business Case,
both of which – like the IA itself – has
to be given the all-clear both by the
board and the Scottish Government
Capital Investment Group.
This will be the second time the IA
has been presented to the board for
approval.
It was approved by the board in Au-
gust last year but it was not formally
considered by the Capital Investment
Group, which, although overall suppor-
tive, felt that some elements of the
documents should be revised.
Part of this reflected that NHS High-
land’s unique arrangements relating to
the integration of health and adult social
care were not fully described or under-
stood.
It was also felt that some more de-
tails of the proposed future shape of
health care services in the area were
required.
A paper presented to the board
meeting also looked at progress with
the redesign of services in Badenoch
and Strathspey.
Services redesign approved SKYE, LOCHALSH & SOUTH WEST ROSS
Village GP
surgery to be
transferred
THE GP surgery in Cannich is
transferring from premises that are
no longer fit for purpose to the vil-
lage’s community hall.
And at its meeting on Tuesday
26th July, the NHS Highland board
declared the GP surgery and nurse’s
house to be surplus to require-
ments and agreed to its disposal.
In June, the board’s asset man-
agement group accepted a proposal
to relocate the surgery sessions – of
which there are two a week – to the
community hall and agree to the
disposal of the nurse’s house and
surgery, a move the board was
asked to endorse.
A paper to the board explained
that the damp and unoccupied for-
mer nurse’s house had not been
used since 2002, and the attached
surgery was no longer fit for pur-
pose.
This is primarily because there
are some pressing health and safety,
and infection prevention and con-
trol issues associated with the build-
ing.
PATIENT SAFETY
- 15 -
Ex-director
rallies to
organise
hospice
fund-raiser
NHS HIGHLAND’S former direc-
tor of public health, Dr Margaret
Somerville, is fundraising for the
Highland Hospice.
Dr Somerville, who retired from the
board in October 2014, is holding a
vintage tractor rally and a ceilidh in Sep-
tember for the Inverness-based charity.
The event is her way of saying thank
you for the support she has received
after being diagnosed with breast can-
cer.
“I’m recovering from breast cancer
which was diagnosed a year ago,” she
explained. “While it’s not been an easy
year, I have received wonderful care and
support from all the cancer services
which has made life a lot more bearable.
“I wanted to give something back
and so I’m supporting the Highland Hos-
pice, which provides vital care for peo-
ple with any terminal illness, not just
cancer, and is currently expanding their
services.
“The hospice is having a huge fund-
raising effort to finance the expansion,
and I am delighted to help out in any
way I can.”
Dr Somerville has teamed up with
Neil Macdonald, a tractor enthusiast
from Strathpeffer, who has held several
tractor rallies in the past, raising thou-
sands of pounds for charity in the proc-
ess.
The rally will take place on Saturday,
17th September and will travel around
the Black Isle and finish with a ceilidh in
Dingwall Town Hall, with music pro-
vided by Bob Massie and Friends.
Dr Somerville said: “Neil and I
would welcome anyone who wants to
come along to support the tractor rally
– or who has a vintage tractor and
would like to take part.
“We will set off from Dingwall and
have lunch at the Plough Inn in Rose-
markie before arriving in Beauly later in
the afternoon. I hope it will be a fantas-
tic day and we can raise a lot of money
for a fantastic cause.”
Tickets for the ceilidh can be pur-
chased at the door for £10 each. The
tractor rally will set-off from Dingwall
car park at 10am.
RURAL FELLOWSHIPS
THANKS have been expressed to
SiMBA (Simpson’s Memory Box
Appeal), for donating new equip-
ment to Raigmore’s maternity unit
so families can create lasting
memories.
SiMBA’s executive charity director,
Sara Fitzsimmons, left, presented a cam-
era, printer and cast-making kits which
were much appreciated by all involved.
SiMBA was formed in 2005 to re-
spond to the needs of those affected by
the loss of a baby.
A WORKSHOP on presentation
skills has been organised for 11th
January.
To be held in the John Dewar Build-
ing in Inverness, it will provide delegates
with the skills to carry out a basic pres-
entation with confidence. It will be suit-
able for anyone who requires some ba-
sic tips to make the experience of giving
workshops a little less scary.
To book, contact Margaret Wilson
([email protected] 01463
706880)
WORKSHOP
Presentation skills
DONATION
In loving memory...
- 16 -
CANCER
SHIRLEY BUCHANAN believes
that she is one of the 5,000 women
in the UK who do not develop cer-
vical cancer each year because
they take part in cervical screen-
ing.
The 44-year-old from Spean Bridge
has regularly attended cervical screen-
ing, which aims to pick up changes in
the cervix and treat them before they
develop into cancer.
She believes that doing so saved her
life, and is encouraging others to accept
their invitation to be screened.
She said: “I always made a point of
ensuring I attended my appointments
for cervical screening, and when I was
28 I was contacted by my GP to say that
something had shown up on one of my
routine screening tests.
“I attended an appointment at Raig-
more and the results showed that I had
pre-cancerous cells in my cervix. Fortu-
nately, I was able to undergo successful
treatment at an early stage. I dread to
think what the outcome would have
been had I not regularly attended cervi-
cal screening.”
Cervical screening, along with treat-
ment of any changes that are noticed,
prevents around eight out of 10 cervical
cancer from developing.
“The statistics don’t lie: early detec-
tion of changes in the cervix has the
potential to save your life,” said Shirley.
Changes to the Scottish Cervical
Screening Programme have recently
been introduced. Women aged 25-49
will be invited to take part every three
years, although women under 25 who
have already been invited for screening
many be invited again before they turn
25.
Women aged 50-64 will be invited
to be screened every five years.
Fifteen years on from her successful
treatment, Mrs Buchanan still attends
cervical screening – and encourages all
of her friends and family to do likewise.
She said: “No-one can force you to
attend, but it can save your life, or the
life or someone you love.”
NHS Highland has produced a
series of videos to encourage women to
consider taking part in cervical screen-
ing. They can be viewed on our Face-
book page at www.facebook.com/
NHSHighland
THESE TWO bedraggled scarecrows sitting
forlornly outside the Caithness General Hospi-
tal in Wick are all that are left of the staff entry
in the town gala’s scarecrow competition.
Every July local businesses and organisations put up
scarecrows on their premises around the town just
before the week-long gala celebrations begin.
Hospital staff made the scarecrows – highlighting
the hospital’s Queen Elizabeth assessment and reha-
bilitation unit – that have been looking down on Bank-
head Road since the gala week began on 23rd July.
After allowing the two scarecrows to watch the
world go by for three days, the gala committee toured
Wick on 25th July to judge each of the entrants. Unfor-
tunately, the hospital’s scarecrows didn’t win.
There’s always next year...
Follow my example
and get cervical
screening, says Shirley
WICK GALA WEEK
Hospital unit has a go
in scarecrow contest
- 17 -
A FTER almost 25 years of work-
ing within NHS Highland, Ray
Stewart retired from his role as qual-
ity improvement lead earlier this
month.
Ray, who previously worked in
medical physics and was also a for-
mer employee director, was bid a
fond farewell at a retiral tea.
Originally from Campbeltown,
Ray joined NHS Highland in 1991 and
worked as an electronic technician.
In 2004, having been heavily in-
volved in trade union affairs, he was elected by staff-side representatives
to be put forward as a candidate to
be the board’s second employee di-
rector.
In an interview for Highlights
three years ago, he recalled that he
had some reservations about becom-
ing a non-executive director of the
board.
“I wouldn’t say I was intimidated
but I kept having to remind myself
that I was equal to my colleagues on
the board,” he said.
Ray left the board in 2013 after
serving two four-year stints, and was
succeeded by Adam Palmer.
NHS Highland has appointed a na-
tive of Sutherland to be the new
Macmillan advanced nurse in can-
cer and palliative care to provide
support for cancer patients in the
area.
Avie Nicolson will be based in Mel-
vich where she was born and raised.
The 41-year-old will
use the experience she
has gained as a district
nurse to help cancer pa-
tients and develop ser-
vices across Sutherland.
Avie’s post is funded
by NHS Highland with full
Macmillan support in pro-
viding opportunities for
learning and development
and help with service
improvement.
Before taking up the
appointment Avie was
the lead district nurse in
North Sutherland, based
at Bettyhill for four years. During that
time she had a specific interest in pallia-
tive care and she gained experience in
working with patients and anticipating
care needs for palliative and end-of-life
care.
Before that Avie was based in
Thurso with the Caithness West com-
munity nursing service.
Avie did her initial RN nursing train-
ing at Foresterhill and Robert Gordon
University, in Aberdeen.
Prior to Avie taking up community
nursing, she specialised in ophthalmol-
ogy for nine years. During this time
Avie travelled extensively and worked in
Melrose, at the Addenbrooke’s Hospital
in Cambridge, in Auck-
land in New Zealand
and at the Moorfield
Eye Hospital in Lon-
don.
On returning to
Scotland, Avie became
the clinical lead of the
eye theatres at the
Princess Alexandra Eye
Pavilion in Edinburgh.
Family c ircum-
stances saw Avie re-
turn to Melvich with
her husband and saw
her change specialisms
at the same time.
She said: “I returned home to be
close to my mother who had been diag-
nosed with a palliative condition. This
also meant a change in nursing career
and further training.”
This retraining meant a return to
Aberdeen for Avie to do her district
nursing specialist qualification at the
Robert Gordon University.
COMINGS & GOINGS … 1
Karen joins Raigmore team KAREN McNICOLL will be joining
the Raigmore Hospital team in
August as clinical support division
general manager.
Karen comes to the post having
been employed as associate director of
Allied Health Professionals, which in-
volves both management of services and
professional governance in a joint post
between NHS Borders and Scottish
Borders Council.
She is also currently chair of the
Area Clinical Forum, which carries re-
sponsibility as a non-executive director
of NHS Borders.
Karen is an allied health professional
and has worked in a variety of clinical
and leadership roles in the NHS, local
authority and the voluntary sector.
She has held head of service roles in
performance and planning, communica-
tion and public involvement and clinical
governance and quality. She is a visiting
lecturer on health and social policy,
quality and leadership to under-graduate
and post-graduate students at Queen
Margaret University, Edinburgh.
Karen said she was “delighted to
have the opportunity to work in NHS
Highland and in this particular role to
work with staff and patients and to
jointly help provide the very best ser-
vices every day”.
Avie returns home
as Macmillan nurse
- 18 -
Farewell to senior
staff midwife after
41 years’ service
COMINGS & GOINGS … 2
NHS HIGHLAND senior staff mid-
wife Sharon Lawrence bid farewell
to the Special Care Baby Unit
(SCBU) this month as she retired
after working for 41 years at Raig-
more Hospital.
Sharon has seen a lot of changes in
her 41 years with the organisation.
She said: “I was in the maternity unit
initially and left the labour suite in 1981
to work in SCBU. I fell in love with the
department very quickly.”
When Sharon started in the unit it
was in the old Raigmore building but in
1987 she left to have a baby and when
she returned from maternity leave SCBU
had moved to the new Raigmore.
She said: “I’ve seen a lot over the
years; we’ve seen the fastest change in
neonatal care ever. I was around for the
advent of curosurf, an artificial surfactant
which can benefit some ventilated babies
with breathing difficulties. Raigmore was
involved in that trial.
“Advances in obstetric care have also
made so much difference as well as the
advances in screening and ventilation.
“It was also very satisfying to be in-
volved with the arrival of cooling. To see
the babies doing so well after cooling is
just huge.”
Sharon won’t be slowing down now
she has retired as she is a full-time carer
for her dad, who has Alzheimers, but she
will also be spending as much time as she
can in her garden.
She said: “My garden is my sanctuary.
I enjoy having my dad down when I’m
working in the garden but on the days
when the weather isn’t so good I’ve al-
ways got my baking and my crochet.
“I’ve also got four grandchildren who
keep me busy. Having time for my ex-
tended family is good and the support
from my husband Sam is great.
“I will miss Raigmore and I’d like to
thank the parents who have allowed me
the privilege of looking after their babies.
I’d also like to wish my colleagues every
success with any challenges they are go-
ing to face.”
SKYE midwife Natalie Scott is just
back from Africa after completing
a 257-mile cycle ride for charity.
Broadford-based Natalie completed
the gruelling Women V Cancer Bike
ride in Tanzania in four and a half days –
and didn’t have one puncture.
Natalie said: “Strictly speaking it was
not quite 257 miles, as there were times
when the sand, mud or water were too
deep to cycle through and I did get a
small push up a steep hill by some en-
thusiastic local children!”
She added: “It was one of the most
wonderful, challenging and exhausting
experiences of my life and I did it for all
those women who have experienced
breast, ovarian or cervical cancers.”
Now in complete remission after
having being diagnosed with cancer a
few years ago, Natalie said: “The sup-
port and information I received from
Jo’s Trust was invaluable. I am now a
helpline volunteer for Jo’s, taking
helpline calls for a few hours a couple of
times a month.”
“The Women V Cancer challenges
raise thousands of pounds for Jo’s trust,
Ovarian Cancer Action and Breast Can-
cer Care.
“So not only are these cycle rides a
personal challenge, they make a huge
difference to thousands of women every
year.”
And Natalie intends to continue her
cancer charity fundraising.
“I’m not intending to stop here,”
she said. “I’ve signed up for the Cycle
Brazil challenge in 2017 and have man-
aged to use gentle persuasion to enlist
my fellow midwife Mairi Milne to sign up
as well.”
The 350km Cycle Brazil challenge
will take place from 9th-19th October
next year. Anyone wishing to make a
d o n a t i o n s h o u l d g o t o :
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Natalie-
Scott20.
CHARITABLE EFFORT
Natalie completes African adventure
- 19 -
TWO NHS Highland doctors have been
selected to accompany the Team GB ath-
letes for the Olympic Games in Rio de
Janeiro.
Dr Jonathan Hanson and Dr Derick
Macleod have been chosen to serve as medical
officers for the performance services team dur-
ing the games, which will take place from 5th -
21st August.
The two doctors will primarily be based at
the Olympic Village in Barra de Tijuca as part of
a multi-disciplinary team made up of 44 health
professionals from all four home countries.
Dr Hanson, 43, is a qualified consultant in
sport and exercise medicine – one of only four
in Scotland – and works part-time as a rural
practitioner in Broadford on Skye. He combines
his time in Broadford with working at the
sportscotland Institute of Sport in Stirling and
for Scottish Rugby.
He said: “We all have specific roles depend-
ing on our skills and background. For my role,
working in a busy rural emergency environment
has provided me with valuable experience that
will help me and the team cope with any situa-
tion that arises.”
Dr Derick Macleod is a Culloden-based GP
who combines his day job with sports medicine.
Aside from his involvement with Team GB ath-
letes – he was their chief medical officer at the
European Games in Baku last year – he has
worked with Inverness Caledonian Thistle and
Team Sky in recent years.
NHS Highland chief executive Elaine Mead
said: “We are extremely proud that these two
talented and dedicated experts from NHS High-
land have been selected to support our Olym-
pic athletes in Brazil.
“Their participation with Team GB, along-
side their professional relationships with Scot-
tish Rugby, Team Sky and Inverness Caledonian
Thistle, highlights that not only are the High-
lands a beautiful place to work, but our staff
‘
hold prestigious positions, showing that working
in the north of Scotland provides outstanding
career opportunities and development.
“We wish them and all of Team GB’s athletes
the very best of luck for the Olympic Games this
summer.”
Highland doctors
picked for Rio role
OLYMPICS
Team GB doctors —
Jonathan Hanson (left, courtesy Physioinsport) and Derick Macleod
’
We are extremely proud
that these two talented and
dedicated experts from
NHS Highland have been
selected to support our
Olympic athletes
- 20 -
S TAFF from the Special Care
Baby Unit at Raigmore Hospital
received a special visit this month
from a little boy who wanted to say
‘thank you’ to them for looking after
him two years ago.
Two-year-old Alexander Mackenzie,
along with his dad Alan and mum Megan,
popped into the unit to thank the staff
and to hand over a donation of £3,230.
The family, who are from Skye, held a
ceilidh fundraiser and a raffle to raise
money for the unit which looked after
Alexander after he was born two months
early.
They raised a total of £4,230, with
£1,000 going towards the Ronald McDon-
ald House in Glasgow, where they spent
two weeks while Alexander had shunt
surgery.
Staff midwife Jane Elliot was on hand
to accept the donation and she remem-
bered the family from their time in the
unit.
She said: “It was great to see Alexan-
der again. This is a fantastic sum of money
which has been donated to the unit. We
are very grateful to them for thinking of
us and we really can’t thank them
enough.”
Free bowel
workshop
BOWEL health and screening is the
subject of a free, half-day workshop
to be held in the Lochalsh Hotel,
Kyle of Lochalsh, on 15th September. The event will provide detailed
information on the bowel screening
programme, bowel cancer signs and
symptoms and risk factors.
It will equip participants with the
knowledge, skills and resources to
cascade bowel cancer awareness
messages, and will boost the confi-
dence and knowledge of healthcare
professionals and community-based
staff to pass on potential life-saving
information on the subject.
The workshop will be suited to a
wide range of people who require
more in-depth knowledge about
bowel cancer and the screening pro-
gramme.
For further information, contact
health improvement specialist Jane
Chandler ([email protected];
01463 704943).
Heart symposium
HEALTH professionals are being
encouraged to sign up for this year’s
‘Heart of the Matter’ Cardiology
Symposium.
The event, which will be held in
the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness on
9th November, will feature a range of
speakers and poster presentations
on all things cardiology.
Nicole Mearns, cardiac education
co-ordinator for NHS Highland, said:
“Presentations this year include im-
proving psychological care, cardiac
genetics and a view from our pri-
mary care colleagues.”
Other presentations include
looking at SIGN guidelines and
medical legal issues.
Nicole added: “We will also have
our regular ‘Consultant Question
Time’, where those attending can
ask our expert panel any questions
they may have on cardiology care
and treatment, this always proves to
be a popular event.”
More details can be found on the
intranet under events.
LEARNING
Staff midwife Jane Elliot pictured with Alexander, Megan and Alan Mackenzie
Little Alex says a
thousand thanks
for special care
DONATION
- 21 -
Manager Trish steadies
practice under pressure WORKING well against incredible
odds and being calm and approach-
able are just some of the reasons
behind why the latest recipient of a
Highland Quality Award was nomi-
nated.
Trish Bremner took on the role of
practice manager at Riverbank Practice
in Thurso just over a year ago, joining a
practice which had had no partners for
over two years and was manned by a
group of GP locums.
In just a year she has steadily and
skilfully built an excellent staff team and,
despite incredible odds, has managed to
keep a happy band of GP locums and
receptionists together.
Systems have been put in place that
have helped to lessen the incredible
workload that was present a year ago
and “her calmness and approachability
for all members of the team has been
exemplary”.
Having more structure has helped
reduce the stress levels amongst the
locums and Trish’s patient liaison group
is a very active assist to the practice
helping in keeping patients abreast of
the changes.
Not only has Trish brought a col-
laborative style to managing the prac-
tice, her nomination said it was “evident
from discussions surrounding the future
of the practice that she is committed to
further improvements”.
The nomination form makes clear
that Trish’s “ongoing involvement will
be invaluable in ensuring that the pro-
gress made so far is consolidated and
continued”.
Her work has brought “considerable
benefits for the patients and staff of the
practice” and in recognising her input
and the gains made so far is not only
testament to Trish but to the practice
as a whole.
HIGHLAND QUALITY AWARD
Trish
Bremner seen
left being pre-
sented with
her award by
David Alston,
chair of NHS
Highland
AN opportunity for up to four stu-
dents to study in Highland as part
of a physician associate pro-
gramme is being offered through
NHS Highland and the University
of Aberdeen. Course fees and a
cost of living bursary will be cov-
ered by NHS Highland.
In the full-time, two-year pro-
gramme students will complete 11 clini-
cal placements across a wide range of
specialties, including emergency medi-
cine, acute medicine, respiratory medi-
cine, cardiology, general surgery, ortho-
paedics, paediatrics and general practice.
Dr Emma Watson, director of medi-
cal education for NHS Highland, ex-
plained that the physician associate role
originated in the United States in the
1950s and has since been adopted in a
number of countries.
Dr Watson said: “Their role in-
cludes obtaining medical histories, con-
ducting physical examinations, request-
ing and interpreting tests, initiating care
and providing guidance on preventive
healthcare.”
STUDY CHANCE
Students offered physician associate opportunity
- 22 -
STAFF at the Highland Health Sci-
ences Library in Inverness are keen
to have feedback from NHS High-
land employees about the recent
redesign of the library.
A number of changes have been
made to the library, located at the Cen-
tre for Health Sciences, in the past year.
The installation of an automated self-
check-in/check-out system for books
has been completed and, in response to
customer demand, the entrance turn-
stile has been removed – making the
library much more accessible.
Along with the improved access,
more space has been made available for
visitors. Altogether the library space
consists of six main areas: a book stock/
computer area, a training room, a meet-
ing room, a quiet room, offices and a
store. The redesign has incorporated the
creation of a separate ‘quiet area’ to
facilitate study and research.
All NHS Highland/Highland Council
integrated care staff are eligible for
membership of the library as long as
they have a NHS Highland/Highland
Council identity card.
If people wish to use the computers
in the library these belong to a different
network to the NHS so additional iden-
tification such as recent photographic
driving licence or passport is required.
Registration, which is currently re-
newed annually, also provides access to
the services and support of the facility’s
librarians. Separate self-registration is
required for digital resources like the
NHS Educat ion for Scot land’s
‘Knowledge Network’.
The library is open from 8am-9pm
Monday to Friday and from 9.30am-5pm
on weekends. A librarian is available
from 10am-4pm Monday to Friday.
Subject librarian Rob Polson said:
“We would like know what NHS High-
land staff think of the redesign so far, as
we have specifically made the changes
to attract more health and social care
professionals here in the Highlands to
use our facilities.”
Rob added that NHS Highland staff
are welcome to use the library as a
place to do some work in a quiet re-
laxed environment.
A Wifi network is available so NHS
staff can use their own laptops. Wifi
user names and passwords are available
from the reception.
Anybody who wants to provide
feedback or find out more about the
library should contact Rob, Chris or
Ellen-Ann on: [email protected]
REACTION WANTED
Health sciences library seeks
feedback on new redesign
A NINE-STRONG group of NHS
Highland staff on Skye really em-
braced the idea of doing more ex-
ercise during the Health at Work
awareness week, which took place
last month.
And the members of the Broadford
Step Count Challenge enjoyed the
week-long event so much they ex-
tended by two weeks.
Based around the Dr MacKinnon
Memorial Hospital, each member car-
ried a pedometer around with them
and through simple changes to their
routines, they made a big difference to
how many steps they took each day.
The main change was going for
walks at lunchtime, but significant con-
tributions were made walking to visit
patients or to meetings or other work-
related destinations.
At the end of the three weeks,
seven of the team completed a ques-
tionnaire about their experiences.
Organiser Elisabeth Phillips said:
“Something that surprised most of the
team was how few steps they were
doing as part of their previous normal
working day.”
She said all the team made the ef-
fort to walk more and there was quite
a buzz about the place with everyone
comparing notes. Ultimately, everyone
set goals that suited them.
These individual efforts, buoyed by
team members’ encouragement, cer-
tainly paid off.
Elisabeth, a cancer nurse specialist
and community nurse, said: “When
asked ‘Are you walking more as a re-
sult of the Step Count Challenge?’ six
said yes and one said no.
“But it was pointed out that this
colleague already walks more steps
than the rest of us put together.”
One issue was finding the time to fit
the walks into busy schedules.
Elisabeth said: “Even with the time
they had available, the team did really
well in picking out opportunities to
increase the steps they took.”
Dan Jenkins, health promotion spe-
cialist who co-ordinated the previous
Health at Work week commented: “It’s
fantastic that the Broadford team took
up the challenge, made it their own,
and are having a lot of fun in the proc-
ess – that’s what it’s all about.”
Skye team step
up to challenge
EXERCISE
- 23 -
NHS HIGHLAND last month wel-
comed the first two groups of sec-
ondary school pupils for this year’s
Doctors at Work programme,
which is going from strength to
strength.
The programme is designed to give
pupils an insight into their chosen ca-
reer and an understanding of the reali-
ties of working within a hospital.
This is the fifth year the programme
has been running in Highland and, with a
record number of students applying, the
programme will now run five times
across the year.
Dr Emma Watson, director of medi-
cal education for NHS Highland, ex-
plained that the programme had in-
creased the number of students from
Highland being accepted to medical
schools.
She said: “This year we have 40 stu-
dents over the five weeks, most of
whom are from The Highland Council
region but we have also welcomed stu-
dents from the Western Isles.
“Those taking part get to experience
a variety of clinical settings, including
wards, theatres and clinics across a
range of specialities such as surgical,
orthopaedics, diagnostics and medicine.
“The students also have the oppor-
tunity to talk to medical students who
are working in the hospital and can give
them an insight on what their medical
school life will be like. This year, they
also got to hear from a student who
took part in NHS Grampian’s Doctors at
Work programme, allowing them to see
the direct link from what they are doing
now to where they could be in four
years’ time.”
Historically, Highland pupils have
been at a disadvantage when competing
for places in medicine and other health
care related careers but thanks to a
number of initiatives, including Doctors
at Work, this trend is beginning to
change.
Since 2012, 125 pupils have taken
part in the programme, not including
those taking part this year. A recent
survey showed that of those who did
apply for medical school 63 per cent got
in and are continuing their studies in
Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow
and St Andrews.
EDUCATION...2
A CARDIOLOGY vlog is being
tried out by NHS Highland con-
sultant cardiologist Steve Leslie to
help get key messages about best
practice across to other clinicians.
Using YouTube as a way to reach
colleagues Highland-wide, the first video
highlights some of the key recommenda-
tions in the updated SIGN 147 guideline:
Management of Chronic Heart Failure.
Steve explained: “I’ve watched stu-
dents use multiple media tools like apps,
animations and videos as learning aids
so I was keen to explore the potential
of YouTube and social media as an edu-
cational method.
“The aim is to summarise a compre-
hensive piece of guidance and make it
into a short, easily understood piece
that can be rewound and replayed as
often is necessary until people get the
key points and understand the concepts.
“YouTube has transformed the way
information is discovered. It can be a
powerful learning environment to find,
watch and share knowledge.
“If anyone has two or three minutes
to spare they can watch me run through
the key points in one of the SIGN guid-
ance updates. The video can be watched
whenever is convenient, even if you are
on the go you can still view it if you
have a smartphone or tablet.”
Steve added: “I’m looking for feed-
back. Vlogging won’t be for everybody
but if it provides another way for peo-
ple to learn and retain information then
a regular cardiology update could be on
its way. If clinicians find this useful the
intention is to produce more.
“If staff have any suggestions for fu-
ture topics then let me know by
emailing [email protected]”
Watch the video here: https://
youtu.be/rlRkttirjXI
EDUCATION...1
YouTube used
as teaching aid ALL staff in NHS Highland should
be able to use social media channels
such as YouTube. If you are experi-
encing viewing issues with Internet
Explorer as a web browser you can
ask eHealth to give you access to
Firefox although this must not be
used with NHS Scotland clinical
websites.
STEVE LESLIE
Pupils learn how docs work
- 24 -
A BOOKLET has been developed
in partnership with Alzheimer
Scotland to record important per-
sonal information about dementia
patients that helps hospital staff
provide better care and support.
The ‘Getting to Know Me’ booklet
gives patients the opportunity to tell
care staff what and who is important to
the person and what matters to them in
their everyday life.
The NHS Highland Alzheimer Scot-
land dementia nurse consultant, Ruth
Mantle, said: “Every person with demen-
tia is different and any care given needs
to be tailored to reflect this and
‘Getting to Know Me’ is a great way to
help communicate this to staff.
“The booklet helps staff to see be-
yond the dementia diagnosis and to get
to know the person; knowing about
what might seem like the smallest detail
can make all the difference to that per-
son.”
The booklet is especially useful to
inform care given in hospital but can be
applied across a range of care environ-
ments including care homes, day ser-
vices and primary care including the
person’s own home.
Although initially developed for peo-
ple with dementia, it is intended for
anyone who can benefit from its use.
For example, people with a learning
disability or communication impairment.
Ruth is keen that people are encour-
aged to complete their booklet before
they come to hospital.
She said: “It can help to reassure
families and carers that staff are taking
the time to get to know their loved
ones, and can support a more positive
care experience for the person with
dementia and help keep the family and
carer connected.
The ‘Getting to Know Me’ booklet
can be accessed through community or
hospital teams in NHS Highland or the
regional Alzheimer Scotland offices.
They can be contacted on: Highland
region 01463 711707 or Argyll & Clyde
0141 4105306.
CAIRNGORM National Park Au-
thority (CNPA) is looking for peo-
ple’s views on the key issues to be
addressed in the next National
Park Partnership Plan 2017-2022
And NHS Highland chief executive
Elaine Mead said she “greatly wel-
comed” the opportunity to work in
partnership with CNPA to improve the
wider health of all individuals and com-
munities who live, work or visit the
park.
She said: “The interplay between the
environment, individual behaviours and
how people feel about themselves are
all really important factors around what
‘healthy’ people are, how they feel and
their sense of wellbeing. These were all
important themes which came up when
we held our public consultation into the
redesign of health and social care across
Badenoch and Strathspey.
“The park boasts a magnificent envi-
ronment and strong communities. We
look forward to working together to
build on these strengths, and to ensure
we achieve inclusion and improved
health for all.”
CAIRNGORMS
Consultation welcomed
Booklet helps
to inform care
Call made for
more people
to give organs
PEOPLE across the Highlands are
being urged to consider joining the
NHS Organ Donor Register in a
bold new campaign to increase
registrations in Scotland.
The We Need Everybody cam-
paign shows people of all ages,
shapes, sizes and ethnicities baring
almost all to highlight that anyone
can be an organ donor.
Latest figures highlight there
are 540 people in Scotland waiting
on a life-saving transplant, and 44
per cent of people living in the
NHS Highland area are on the
NHS Organ Donor Register.
Dr Kevin Holliday, clinical lead
for organ donation for NHS High-
land, said: “The people of the Scot-tish Highlands understand that
organ transplantation is one of
medicine’s great success stories,
transforming thousands of lives
each year. And yet we know that
some people die because organs
are not available.
“Organ donation occurs at a
time of great emotional distress.
But donating organs after death
can not only bring an element of
solace to the families of the donors
but the lives of desperately ill peo-
ple can be saved, helped and trans-
formed.
“Organ donation is an amazing
gift that you can give to others and
I would encourage everyone to sign
up to the register and to also let
their families know their wishes."
The face of We Need Everybody
is Gordon Hutchison (26), from
East Kilbride, who underwent a
transplant aged just 13 after being
born with a congenital heart de-
fect.
Gordon, who stripped off for
the TV advert to reveal his trans-
plant scar on screen, delivers the
message that organ donation saves
lives, as someone who knows first-
hand.
To join the NHS Organ Donor
Register visit weneedevery-
body.org
APPEAL DEMENTIA
- 25 -
Willie calls for
volunteers to run
charity events
WILLIE CROWE – who was
awarded the British Empire Medal
last month for his charitable work –
is calling for volunteers to help run
charity Kiltwalk events around Scot-
land.
Willie, a driver/storeperson with
the integrated equipment store in
Helensburgh, wants to sign up volun-
teers – known as Kilties – to help run
the Glasgow-based charity’s spon-
sored walks.
He said: “The 26-mile, 13-mile
and six-mile challenges are very
tough for the walkers. The charity
needs Kilties to give support at the
events, keep the walkers’ spirits up,
and create the most enjoyable day
possible.”
With nine roles to choose from,
says there is something for everyone
to get involved said Willie, who has
been a Kiltie for two years.
“Every volunteer will play a cen-
tral part in helping the charity raise
as much money for children’s chari-
ties and causes as possible,” he said,
adding: “If you have knowledge, ex-
perience and enthusiasm to give,
then the Kiltwalk needs you! After
training you can apply to be a volun-teer at all Kiltwalk events.”
To learn more about becoming a
Kiltie, visit www.thekiltwalk.co.uk or
contact Willie on 07830457335 or
via Facebook.
KILTWALKS
Event to look at
other ways to
communicate
INFORMATION DAY
THE REDESIGN of NHS High-
land’s physiotherapy continence
service has won awards at two na-
tional conferences in the past year.
The service redesign has been an
ongoing project for the last seven years,
and four clinical specialist physiothera-
pists have been training staff in basic
continence awareness.
They have also developed a network
to enable women with straightforward
urinary incontinence and prolapse to
access care as close to their homes as
possible.
A poster outlining this work
scooped first prize at both the Pelvic
Obstetric and Gynaecological Physio-
therapy and the Association for Conti-
nence Advice conferences.
NHS Highland clinical specialist con-
tinence physiotherapist Alison Clarke
said: “We were delighted to be recog-
nised for our work that has enabled
women to access services closer to
home, minimising long journeys for
those with bladder problems.
“To date we have trained over 60
physios in basic continence awareness
and 13 have progressed to practitioner
with special interest training.”
PHYSIOTHERAPY CONTINENCE
Success at the double for redesign work
NHS HIGHLAND is asking people
who use alternative communica-
tion systems, known as Augmenta-
tive and Alternative Communica-
tion (AAC), to get involved and
have a say in the services they re-
ceived.
AAC is any method of communicat-
ing that supplements the ordinary meth-
ods of speech and handwriting, where
these are impaired.
They can include signing, symbol
systems, communication books and hi-
tech aids.
Morag Tait, AAC lead for Highland,
explained that NHS Highland was keen
for everyone who uses AAC to have a
say in the service they receive and to
have the opportunity to share ideas and
influence others.
She said: “We want to ensure that
people who need alternative communi-
cation systems, or their parents or car-
ers, are getting the best service possible
and that the service they get is the
same, no matter which part of our area
they live in.”
An information day to be held on
22nd August from 11am-3pm in Inver-
ness – the venue has yet to be con-
firmed – will provide an opportunity to
find out what users of the service think
about it and what they would like to see
happening in the future.
The information day will also include
hearing the latest news from the plan-
ning group, the chance to try out differ-
ent equipment and the opportunity to
meet other AAC users.
Morag added: “We are also working
with a new group which is looking to
improve the lives of AAC users.
“This is very much in the early
stages so we’re keen for users to get in
touch with us and tell us what matters
to them and what they would like to
see the group doing.”
Anyone who wishes to find out
more should email Karen at karen-
[email protected] or call 01463
704780.
To find out more about the AAC
g r o u p c o n t a c t
- 26 -
- 27 -
NHS HIGHLAND risks missing its
target of breaking event at the end
of the financial year by around
£16.4 million – and the situation
could get worse.
In a report prepared for NHS High-
land’s board meeting on 26th July, direc-
tor of finance Nick Kenton stated that
the board had overspent its revenue
budgets by £4.3 million in the first quar-
ter of this financial year.
He added: “There is a risk that the
board may not meet its year-end target
of breaking even on revenue – this risk
has been currently quantified in the re-
gion of £16.4 million.
“In addition, there are around £6.1
million of further financial risks that may
crystallise in the remainder of the finan-
cial year.”
Mr Kenton asked the board to con-
firm that it is content that actions are
being taken to ensure that the target of
break-even is achieved.
The director’s report said the effec-
tive management of pay budgets was a
‘key challenge’. Locums or agency staff
were being used in number of hard-to-
fill vacancies, with costs tending to ex-
ceed the salary budgets available – often
by a “significant amount”. These exces-
sive costs meant that savings had to be
made elsewhere.
Mr Kenton assured the board that
efforts were continuing to achieve break
-even, and he listed a range of actions
being introduced. These include a re-
view of commitments in non-clinical
areas, which could save £2 million and
cost reduction programmes in north
Highland (£2.4 million) and Argyll and
Bute (£1.5 million).
Collectively, successfully applying
measures would still leave a £7 million
shortfall, which the organisation was
looking to address through “significant
improvement initiatives, changes in foot-
print and service delivery models”.
The board were also told that it
underspent its capital budgets by £0.65
million in the first quarter of the finan-
cial year.
FINANCE
Board risks
£16.4m
overspend
Work starts on
outdoor haven
PARKING at the Lawson Memorial
Hospital in Golspie is temporarily
restricted with the start of a new
construction project there.
Work on a new ‘outdoor space
patio’ around the hospital’s Cambu-
savie Unit began earlier this month.
Because of the work part of the car
park outside the unit will be cor-
doned off for six to eight weeks.
Disabled parking spaces are be-
ing made available immediately to
the right of the fence and a re-
stricted number of parking spaces
for other patients and visitors are
available to the right of that.
The project, which is funded by
the Lawson Cambusavie Memorial
Hospital Friends and Earl Cadogan,
a local resident, is designed to cre-
ate a haven for patients, families and
staff.
August courses
COURSES providing an introduction to Good Clinical Practice and an
update on the subject are to be held
in the Centre for Health Science,
Inverness, in August.
The introduction course will be
on the 24th and the update, for those
refreshing their knowledge every
two years, will be on the 31st.
The course presenters will be
NHS Highland’s research, develop-
ment and innovation manager, Fran-
ces Hines, and clinical research
nurse, Lesley Patience.
To book a place email
Sexual health day
A STUDY day on contraception and
sexual health is to be held in the
Highland Council Chambers in In-
verness, on 30th September.
The course is designed for nurses
and midwives who are new to con-
traception/sexual health care or who
would like to update their knowl-
edge of contraception methods and
STI screening and treatment.
Earlier in September, on the 1st,
the same venue will be used for
training for clinicians who undertake
cervical screening tests.
NEWS IN BRIEF
NICK KENTON
- 28 -
HIGHLAND HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY
Loneliness – why it’s
also a library issue
Remember, whatever your needs the Highland Health Sciences Library exists to help you. Save time and money. Don’t
spend more than 10 minutes on a problem you may be having – contact the library instead. To find out more about the
library call 01463 255600 (x7600).
COLDNESS, whiteness and white noise
awoke the Librarian. He wondered where
he was and what he was doing. It took a
while but it slowly dawned on him that he
was in fact on holiday in a tent being bat-
tered by wind and hailstones.
The Librarian is no stranger to the outdoors
and it is not well-known that he has spent time
in some of the colder, remoter parts of the
world. He has crossed the Gobi Desert, argued
with polar bears, barbecued penguins, sailed
icebergs and howled at the aurora.
Living and working in these remote areas
has given the Librarian a keen sense of how
disabling and soul-destroying the phenomena of
loneliness can be. Having also lived in towns/
cities he realises that loneliness is a problem no
matter where you are. He also appreciates that
sometimes loneliness is a situation that is
sought out by people.
The Librarian and his team have three
strategies for helping address these issues.
Firstly, they ensure that the library supports
current NHS Highland initiatives such as Reach
Out by stocking materials which can help staff to
‘
explore the issue and help them to assist any of
their clients who are suffering loneliness.
Secondly, regarding NHS Scotland, they help
develop and publicise the resources available on
topics such as loneliness on the Knowledge
Network for all staff.
Thirdly, they actively participate in loneli-
ness research. For example, the library has con-
tributed to a recent Chest, Heart and Stroke
Scotland report on the importance of social
support in heart failure: Evidence of the effective-
ness and patient experience of formalised social
support for people with a diagnosis of heart failure.
The Librarian – never a slouch when it
comes to technology – is using collaborative
communication tools such as Skype to support
loneliness research. He is currently helping a
remote PhD student who is working on a pro-
ject examining the linkages between loneliness
and other chronic disorders.
There is always someone around the library
so if you are lonely why not stop by – we
would be extremely glad to see you. If you
can’t come in, we can still chat by phone, e-mail
or by using tools such as Skype.
There is
always some-
one around
the library so
if you are
lonely why
not stop by
‘
Image courtesy: Stephen Hill
- 29 -
OTHER LIVES
Shooting star
Ever wondered what our staff do in their spare time?
‘Other Lives’ reports on colleagues’ outside interests
‘
‘
It takes quite a bit of commit-ment
“I’ve been shooting since 1994 and I made the
Scottish team in 1996. Since then I’ve had 20
continuous Scottish caps and I’m currently aiming
for number 21. I’ve got 18 Scottish championship
titles and have captained the ladies team eight
times.
"This year, in the space of a week we have
the Home Internationals and British Champion-
ships in Northern Ireland followed by the Euro-
pean and World Championships in Southern
Ireland."
In order to qualify, it is compulsory to com-
pete at the Scottish Championships, which take
place over a full two days towards the end of
June.
The two scores from the championships are
added to your five best scores, obtained
throughout the year and this determines your
team placing.
Participants shoot at 100 clay targets in four
groups of 25. The shotgun has two barrels; if you
hit the target with the first barrel, you gain three
points, and if you are required to use the second
barrel you only gain two points. The maximum
score available is 300.
Catherine said: "It takes quite a bit of com-
mitment. Shooting, like every sport, is expensive
and time consuming with the amount of travel
involved, but I have never lost my enthusiasm for
it.
“Working in the oncology department, in
particular, has made me realise how privileged I
am to be able to enjoy my sport.
"Shooting as a sport has taken a battering, but
it is making a comeback, which I am delighted
about. You can do it locally or at international
level and it is something you can do all year
round. I don't tend to travel too far in the win-
ter, but I enjoy taking part in the local club
shoots.
"It is like an extended family and the shoot-
ers are a great bunch of people. If anyone has an
interest, I would say look in to their local gun
club and give it a go."
A PASSING interest in visiting a local gun
club has turned into a lifelong passion for
Catherine Fraser, a medical secretary
based in oncology at Raigmore Hospital.
Since visiting the club Catherine has repre-
sented her country on numerous occasions and
has won no fewer than 18 Scottish champion-
ship titles.
She said: “There was a local gun club where
I stayed and I just fancied trying it. I got ad-
dicted and 22 years and a lot of money and
miles later I’m still doing it.
“I practise down the line clay pigeon shoot-
ing and I’m a member of Glenmoriston Gun
Club and the Highland Deephaven Clay Pigeon
Club.
- 30 -
How would you describe yourself?
I try to be happy – I’ve got a real inter-
est in positive psychology literature.
Life throws curve balls all the time –
how we react and how resilient we are
makes a huge difference to what we
can get from our ‘four score years and
ten’ (and hopefully a bit longer).
Do you have any hobbies and in-
terests?
My husband Alex and I have just pur-
chased a Grade-C listed lodge at Gol-
lanfield (think ‘derelict hovel’!), so
stripping it back and restoring it to its
former glory is going to be filling our
horizons for the next year or so. I’m
looking forward to establishing a pro-
ductive garden there too, in among
wild flowers and perennials that won’t
take too much work!
What was the first single you ever
bought?
I honestly can’t remember my first
single, but I do remember my eldest
brother bought Mouldy Old Dough by
Lieutenant Pigeon, and he played it
over and over and over. I still don’t
know what the attraction was.
What is your favourite food?
I’m a ‘salty’ tooth rather than a sweet
one. Salted peanuts are my guilty
pleasure.
Do you have a favourite film?
Gosford Park. The film is a bit of a
‘whodunnit’ but supposedly documents
the end of the class system. Nearly
100 years later we’ve got a wider rich-
poor gap than ever. Hmm.
Favourite TV programme?
I’ve just enjoyed Parade’s End with
Benedict Cumberbatch – I think
there’s a theme developing here!
How about a favourite book?
I’ve just finished studying (again!) so
I’m enjoying reading for pleasure at the
moment. Peter May’s Lewis Trilogy has
been enjoyable. For a non-
Leodhasach, May certainly has a sur-
prisingly insightful understanding of
Gaelic culture.
If you won £10 million in the lot-
tery, what would you spend it on?
After the usual, I’d set up a charitable
trust to fund causes and social enter-
prise start-ups in areas of interest to
me. I’d get British Sign Language onto
the school curriculum on an equal ba-
sis with other modern languages too.
What about a smaller sum, say
£1,000?
Blow it in the Milan shops when I visit
in October.
What are you pet hates?
Overly complex language. Have you
ever noticed the demise of that won-
derful wee word ‘use’? These days
people have to ‘utilise this’ or ‘utilise
that’. Drives me nuts.
If you could have dinner with
three people, dead or alive, who
would they be and what would
you cook them?
Give me three strong female leaders
any time. I’d go for Nicola Sturgeon,
whose value and ethos driven leader-
ship is an almost singular light in politi-
cal decency at the moment. I’d also
invite Sheryl Sandberg, CO at Face-
book and author of ‘Lean In’, and
Arianna Huffington, editor of the Pulit-
zer prize-winning Huffington Post.
The food and drink would be the very
best of local produce from Scotland’s
larder.
What are the best and worst
parts of your job?
The best part of my job has always
been seeing the difference that
SHHELS training makes to the individ-
ual learner and to the clients/patients
they serve. The worst part? When
learners reach the frustrating
‘conscious incompetence’ part of skills
learning and feel like throwing the
towel in. Learning can (and should!)
be challenging, so SHHELS provides a
wide range of support to see learners
through to the end and collecting their
well-deserved qualifications and certifi-
cates.
A & Q Answering the questions this month is Jenny
Liddell, manager of See Hear Highland Education and
Learning Services (SHHELS)