your nhs needs you! w · [email protected]. nhs.uk or tel: 0141 232 2113...

Issue 24 March – April 2007

While Glasgow continues its bid tobecome the 2014 hosts of theCommonwealth Games and football

fans look forward to the arrival of theUEFA cup, health staff who think they havewhat it takes to be the next Pele have thechance to ‘put the ball in the back of thenet’ at this year’s seven-a-side EurospitalFootball Tournament.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is hosting thisyear’s tournament and we are looking for teamsof seven to register for the knock-out stages, thewinner of which will represent Scotland in thisyear’s Eurospital Football Tournament.

We need a winning team to represent Scotlandand will be holding a knock-out tournament onSaturday 26 May in Garscube Sports Complex,have you and your team got what it takes? Findout. Full story, back page.

Your NHSneeds you!

Now that the OutlineBusiness Case (OBC)for the £28 million

plan to upgrade andmodernise the SouthernGeneral Maternity Unit hasbeen approved by theBoard, work now begins inmaking the unit a reality.It is hoped that buildingwork could start by theend of this year.

The OBC to modernise andupgrade the Southern GeneralMaternity Unit meets all ofthe recommendations of theCalder Group andsubstantially expands on the

original refurbishment plans -significantly increasing theunit’s existing capacity andenabling it to provide a widerrange of services.

The proposals have nowbeen submitted to theScottish Executive for formalapproval.

See full story on page 4&5.

Rebirth of SouthernGeneral Maternity Unit

••• Latest on Agenda for Change, page 13 •••

South Clydefuture assured

The Board has nowformally approvedplans to retain

inpatient services and theA&E at Inverclyde RoyalHospital. The decisionlifts the threat that hasbeen hanging over theGreenock hospital andhundreds of staff therefor several years.

The consultationproposals on the future ofkey services at both the IRHand the Royal AlexandraHospital in Paisley receivedunprecedented backing fromboth staff and patients.

Now the Board approvedconsultation proposals arewith Health Minister AndyKerr for final approval.

Some service changesaffecting a small number ofspecialist inpatient serviceswill take place - about 500patients at the IRH and 900patients at the RAH. Full details of therecommendations and asummary of theresponses from staff andpublic can be seen at:www.nhsggc.org.uk andclick on Future of SouthClyde Hospitals.

News

2 | Staff Newsletter

Welcome to your newlook StaffNewsletter. With

the launch of the new lookintranet and website aswell as the revampedHealth News last year, wethought it was time thatStaff News also got a bit ofa redesign and freshen up.

We’ve gone a little bitsmaller so it’s now even easierto put in your pocket or slip inyour handbag and we’vechanged the name slightly toSSttaaffff NNeewwsslleetttteerr. However, lotsof things have stayed thesame, we’ve kept the bluecolour for the cover and westill aim to bring you the most

up-to-date news on thesubjects that affect you.

Inside, we’ll continue tocover all the issues that affectus all as well as featuring staffand news from the wholeorganisation.

As usual, you can alwaysget in touch with us by email:ssttaaffffnneewwsslleetttteerr@@ggggcc..ssccoott..nnhhss..uukk

oorr aatt tteell:: 00114411 220011 44999955..We’d love to hear from you soget in touch and tell us whatyou are up to or drop us a lineto tell us what you think of thenew look – SSttaaffff NNeewwsslleetttteerr,intranet or website.

New look Staff Newsletter

Using, customising and updating StaffNet

The first time you accessStaffNet, you will be asked toset the ‘My Profile’ area

including ‘My Details’ where you canselect the Division/Partnership youwork for; the Site or Campus youwork from; and theDirectorate/Department or Serviceyou work in. More than one optioncan be chosen for each area forthose who are involved in jointworking or have two bases.

Once you have filled in thisinformation, you will then be re-directedto the SSttaaffffNNeett Homepage. The bluesection managed by Communications andHR has information of relevance to all andcannot be moved from the homepage.

The green section is your usercustomised boxes and containsinformation relevant to you as selected inyour ‘My Details’.

Training to manage parts of theintranet is key as it means that users willbe able to manage their own contentpages. You will be able to add, edit anddelete your own departmental pageswithout having to go through a thirdperson.

The intranet training sessions will showyou how to publish a web page on theintranet. To attend a training session,send an email to:[email protected]

Any other questions – contact:• [email protected]

• Sarah Jane McCready email:[email protected] or tel: 0141 211 0347

• Paul Turkington email:[email protected] or tel: 0141 232 2113

Joining up with new singleintranet

THE new single intranet SSttaaffffNNeett -replacing all the various former Trustintranets – is now in place and accessibleto the vast majority of our staff.

Now the priority is to ensureconnectability to some staff groupslocated in local authority-based CHPs andparts of the former Argyll and Clyde.

IT colleagues are making this work ahigh priority to ensure that everyone hasequitable access to this new resource.

SSttaaffffNNeett is far more flexible andfunctional than any of the former set-ups.• It allows all users to access consistent

updated “corporate” information suchas policies, procedures, HR advice,management briefings and areapartnership briefings, staff benefits.

• It allows the user to customise thehomepage to site specific informationand also directorate/division specificinformation.

• It also enables individuals to create a“favourites” listing on the homepage forrapid access to specific areas ofprofessional interest whether clinical or

simply outwith the individual’s corearea.

One issue that is always raised whenSSttaaffffNNeett is discussed is the problem ofmaintaining levels of communicationsand information access for staff who haveno access to a PC.

This is a challenge that NHSGGC istackling through a network of keyinformation being issued in CCoorree BBrriieeffss tosenior managers prior to posting on theSSttaaffffNNeett,, with a responsibility for them toensure the information is cascaded tostaff in face-to-face meetings or via localnotice boards.

There have also been suggestions thatIntranet connection points be created onNHS sites in staff areas, such as canteensor rest rooms, allowing easy email andintranet access.

The 2006 Staff Survey identified theneed to further improve communicationsand the Communications Directoratealong with HR colleagues via StaffGovernance networks is taking theseissues forward.

Watch this space for furtherdevelopments.

Sarah JaneMcCreadyand PaulTurkington,creators ofthe newSSttaaffffNNeett

News

Staff Newsletter | 3

We are now only weeks awayfrom the introduction of thelong-expected car parking

charges. Due to be introduced across many key

NHSGGC locations at the beginning ofApril, staff who are eligible for a paid-forpermit will be charged £25 per month ifthey earn less than a basic (before tax)salary of £30,000 a year or £30 permonth if they earn more. These costs willbe deducted at source by payroll.

The new arrangements will apply toGartnavel General (including the West ofScotland Cancer Centre and theHomoeopathic Hospital), the Western, theVicky and NHSGGC’s Dalian House HQ.

Staff at GRI and at the RHSC and QMat Yorkhill already pay for parking.

The paid-for permit can only be used atthe staff member’s place of work. If youhave to travel to another site which hasparking charges, you can reclaim yourparking fees via your expenses.

Free permits for staff whose jobdepends on continuous car use betweendifferent locations, which allows access toall staff car parks, will also be available.

The policy of introducing charges wasadopted by NHS Greater Glasgow andClyde in 2005. Work has already begunto install ticketing machines and barriersat each location and to ensure that carpark layouts meet appropriate standards.An independent company will providemanagement and security of the car parks.

The introduction of carparking charges hasbeen under discussion

for some time. Director of Facilities Alex

McIntyre explained: “Parkingcharges are being introducedin response to growing andoften severe congestion in ourhospital car parks, as well asplanning and otherobligations.

“In part, this congestion iscaused by shoppers,commuters and others using

our hospitals to park for longperiods in the day for free.We want to make sure thatpatients and visitors - thepeople who actually use ourservices - have a far betterchance of getting a parkingspace. The parking tariff hasbeen designed specifically tocater for our many thousandsof outpatients and visitors –almost all of whom require topark between one and threehours.”

The policy was introduced as:

• patients and visitors haveexperienced severeproblems in finding parkingspaces at our hospitals andwe must take action

• we need to upgrade thequality of our car parks,especially security andlighting

• we must meet ourobligation to provideenough spaces for disableddrivers

• local authorities have

demanded that we reducetraffic flows to and fromour hospitals

• we have to play our part inreducing the impact of carson the environment andencourage use of publictransport

The next phase of thepolicy will be rolled out laterin 2007, with charges andpermits being applied at othersites, including the SouthernGeneral Hospital and Stobhill.

While staff and public reactionto the introduction of chargeshas been mixed, the majority

of staff at the sites affected havestarted the process of applying forpermits.

Local contacts (with responsibility for carparking) report that while staff do still havesome concerns about the parking and fillingin the application form, most are beginningthe process of applying.

Groups who have welcomed the move tointroduce car park charges include theMurray Foundation (an amputee supportgroup). Mr John R. Thompson from theFoundation welcomed the action taken tomake parking in hospital for those withdisabilities hassle-free.

He said: “I am delighted to hear that thenew policy will increase the amount ofdisabled bays closest to the entrances, butmore importantly that they will be"policed" at all times.

“On behalf of the Murray Foundationand all the disabled community, thank youfor these much needed improvements.”

How the news went down

Why it’s all happening

Reactionandresponse

News


Proposals to refurbishand extend theSouthern General

Maternity Unit willimprove facilities for staffand patients.

The proposals, outlined in a£28 million development plan,will see a major new three-storey extension being builtalongside the existingmaternity building. This willhouse neonatal medical andsurgical intensive care services(currently provided in theQueen Mum’s and RHSC), anew state-of-the-art laboursuite and two obstetrictheatres. A separate, brandnew, fetal medicinedepartment will also bedeveloped to provide specialistdiagnostic facilities andtreatment to unborn babies inthe womb from accrossScotland.

The addition of these newfacilities will significantlyincrease the unit’s existingcapacity and enable it toprovide a wider range ofservices.

Under the plans, much of the

existing accommodation will becompletely refurbishedincluding the current labourward which will be transformedto provide modern, attractiveaccommodation for day care,assessment and early pregnancyadvisory services. The layout ofthe unit will also be completelyredesigned to ensure the bestpossible links with the newadult and children’s hospitals.This will achieve the goldstandard triple co-location ofadult, paediatric and maternityservices. It will also see theSouthern General MaternityUnit becoming the nationalcentre for a range of specialistneonatal services.

Dr Alan Mathers, ClinicalDirector for Obstetrics andGynaecology, said: “Clinicalstaff have been closelyinvolved in developing theplans for the unit. We lookedat a number of differentdesigns and are confident thatthis option offers the bestsolution for patients and staff.

“It meets all of therecommendations of theCalder Report and will ensure

the majority of services aredelivered from new purpose-built facilities. The work willalso be able to be completedwithout disruption to existingservices.”

If the Scottish Executiveapproves the outline businesscase for the maternity unit,building work could getunderway in late 2007 and becompleted by the end of2009. This will then enablematernity services from TheQueen Mum’s to transfer tothe PRM and the SouthernGeneral Maternity Unit asplanned, and complete themove from three to twomaternity sites.

Staff praised forsmooth transfer ofmaternity services

Staff from both The QueenMum’s and the PRM havebeen praised for their effortsto ensure the transfer ofservices to a new ward at thePrincess Royal went assmoothly as possible.

In October 2006, 16 bedsfrom the South Wing at TheQueen Mum’s transferred acrossto the PRM and an additionaltwo beds were added to createa new 18-bed ward on level sixof the hospital.

A total of 17 stafftransferred across from TheQueen Mum’s to work in the

new ward. Eleanor Stenhouse, Head of

Midwifery Services, said: “Staffat both sites worked tirelesslyto make sure the move wentahead successfully without anydisruption to patient care. Thestaff who transferred acrossfrom The Queen Mum’s havesettled in well and are enjoyingworking on the new ward.”

Rosslyn Crocket, Director ofWoman’s and Children’sServices, said: “This transferwas one of the first steps inthe redesign of Glasgow’smaternity services and ourplans to create two first classmaternity units with directlinks to adult acute care andpaediatric support.”

ImplementingGlasgow’s MaternityStrategy

A huge amount of activityis underway to implement theagreed changes to maternityservices across GreaterGlasgow. Much of this focuseson the preparation workrequired to complete the movefrom three to two maternitysites for Glasgow. Thisincludes taking forward plansto extend and refurbish theSouthern General MaternityUnit to increase its capacityand identifying an alternativebase in the west-end of thecity for local antenatal

Rebirth of the SouthernGeneral Maternity Unit

News


The introduction of thetotal smoking banacross all off NHSGGC

will see us be totallysmoke-free by the end ofthis month (March).

If you are a smoker, you willnot be allowed to smokeanywhere on site at any of ourpremises, including externalareas and designated smokingareas, which are beingremoved.

The ban comes into forceon March 26 – a year to theday from the introduction ofphase one of our smokingpolicy, which banned smokingin our buildings, vehicles andoutside areas with theexception of designatedsmoking areas on some sites.

The complete ban willrequire the support of all staff.NHSGGC staff have a duty ofcare to take reasonable carefor the health and safety ofboth themselves and others.Policy enforcement is a reallyimportant role for staff, asstudies show that if rules areadhered to strictly from the

outset, they are adopted wellby all.

This means we all have aduty to ask people to notsmoke on any part of ourpremises.

When approaching thepublic it is important to befriendly and polite, to drawtheir attention to the nosmoking signage, and toremind them of the reasonsfor our policy. Most peoplewho are approached in such amanner will respond well to arequest to stub out their

cigarette. If staff are worried about

enforcing the policy, we dohave policies in place toprotect staff from aggressivebehaviour and guidance hasbeen developed forapproaching illicit smokers onNHS premises. This isavailable on StaffNet underNo Smoking.

If you are required to visitpatients in their own homes,you can ask them not tosmoke before and during yourvisit.

If you work on-site, youshould be aware that patientsare no longer allowed tosmoke in our external areas,not even at grassy areas awayfrom buildings. If you have anin-patient who simply can’t gowithout smoking and doesn’twant to attempt to quit, youcan provide them withNicotine ReplacementTherapy, which will helpreduce the cravings.

For those who want to stopsmoking, hospital-based stopsmoking advisors can offersupport and give informationon the local services. ContactSmoking Concerns for detailsof your local advisor, tel: 0141201 9825.

Information on the smokingpolicy is available on StaffNetand on the web, visit:www.nhsggc.org.uk/smokefree

If you’re a smoker whowants to give up, contacteither Smoking Concerns tel:0141 201 9825 or dial theStarting Fresh freephonenumber: 0800 389 3210.

services. This will enablematernity services from TheQueen Mum’s to transfer tothe Southern GeneralMaternity Unit and PRM, asplanned. Many frontlinematernity staff working acrossthe city are involved in thiswork which is being overseenand co-ordinated by aMaternity StrategyImplementation Group. Many

clinical staff are also involvedin a wide range of sub-groupswhich have been set up tocarry out the detailed workrequired in a number of keyareas. These include • Pregnancy Pathways sub-group

• West Glasgow Antenatalsub-group

• Neonatal sub-group

• Capital and Finance sub-group

• Accommodation sub-group

• HR & StaffCommunications sub-group

• Community Engagementsub-group

A separate process isunderway in Clyde to ensurethat maternity services in Clydeare in line with the strategyagreed for Greater Glasgow.

Maternity StaffBriefing Sessions

Details of forthcomingbriefing sessions on thematernity strategy are listedright. These are designed toupdate staff across the city onprogress and outline the nextsteps. A number of additionalevening sessions will also bearranged.

March 2007Tuesday 6 March at 2:00pmat PRM Conference RoomFriday 9 March at 2.00pm atSGH Walton Conference RoomWednesday 14 March at 2.00pmat QMH Conference Room

June 2007Tuesday 12 June at 2.00pmat QMH Conference RoomThursday 14 June at 2.00pmat PRM (venue tbc)Tuesday 26 June at 2.00pmat SGH Seminar Room,Maternity Unit

September 2007Monday 17 September at 2.00pmat QMH Conference Room

Tuesday 18 September at2.00pm at PRM (venue tbc)

Tuesday 25 September at2.00pm at SGH SeminarRoom, Maternity Unit

Totally smoke free by end March

Feature


Ahomeless liaisonservice workingacross Glasgow aims

to help some of the mostvulnerable people in oursociety access healthcare.

It is estimated there aresome 10,500 homeless peoplein Glasgow. This service,based at the GRI, aims tooffer continuity of healthcareto homeless personsdischarged from hospital.

Service co-ordinator DianeCassidy explained: “Homelesspeople often have poor accessto health services. They havemany associated issues andhealthcare is not always apriority. We aim to ensure thatthey are referred or haveinformation on how they canaccess health services in thecommunity when they presentat A&E.

“As well as addressing theirhealth needs when they are inhospital, we try to help withmany of the issues thatconcern them such as losingtemporary accommodationwhile in hospital or ensuringthey have accommodation ondischarge if they present withNo Fixed Abode. Really, it’sjust making sure that theissues that are important tothem are addressed, to assistthem when leaving hospitalwhich will help with theirrecovery.”

Nurse MargaretMontgomery added:“Normally people are veryglad to see us; even forpatients we see repeatedly wealways adopt a fresh approachand treat each admission tohospital as an opportunity. Welink them to all relevantservices and help withpractical issues that can makea difference to their stay inhospital.”

All of the team say the bestthing about their job is thatevery day is different but theyall really enjoy it as they canutilise all of their skills.

Margaret said: “There is notypical patient. Some havebeen homeless for years;others have just lost theirhouse for whatever reason.There are many sad stories,which can be very upsetting,but we like to think that weare helping and making thingsa little better for them,starting with getting themback to the life they want forthemselves.”

The team face manychallenges though it ispossible to get good results inthe short-term. Making surethat someone hasaccommodation whendischarged from hospital,knowing that someone islooking at any social careneeds and linking the patientto all services that can help, isrewarding.

But there can also befrustrations when you can’tget the accommodationoptions you’d like andalternative options are notideal.

Diane explained that whena homeless person is inhospital you have a clearwindow of opportunity towork with people in a veryunique way. Nurse ElizabethCampbell said: “For those withalcohol or drug problems thismay be a time of clear insightand they can decide whatthey want to change. Whilethey may have a totallychaotic life outside of thehospital, being in hospital canbe used as a period ofreflection.

“They see people helpingthem to make changes theyhave previously contemplated,and they feel supported to

take a fresh approach toaddressing their issues. It’s allpart of trying to offer thebeginnings of a new start.”

The Homeless LiaisonService is led by co-ordinatorDiane Cassidy with nursesElizabeth Campbell andMargaret Montgomery,administrator Isabel McGloneand overseen by IRIS ServiceManager Christine Ashcroft.The service sits within theIntegrated Discharge Team,Rehabilitation and AssessmentDirectorate.For more information or tocontact the HomelessLiaison Service, tel: 0141232 0784.

Helping start new beginnings

The Homeless Liaison Service Team.Back: Isabel and Christine.

Front: Elizabeth, Diane and Margaret.

General Info


Keeping staff up-to-date and makingsure they are

involved in the decisionswhich affect them is a keypriority for NHSGGC. Thisis particularly importantduring periods of potentialchange. That’s why overthe last few months anumber of events havebeen organised to keeplocal staff updated on theongoing review of healthservices across Clyde.

Advance briefing sessionsfor staff were organised beforethe launch of the publicconsultation on the future ofacute services at the RoyalAlexandra and Inverclyde

Royal Hospitals. This ensuredstaff were aware of thedetailed proposals before theywere made public and had anopportunity to feedbackcomments as part of theconsultation process. Therecommendations from thisconsultation, which would seeA&E and core inpatientservices retained on each ofthe sites, were approved bythe Board in February andhave now been submitted tothe Health Minister for formalapproval.

A number of local meetingshave also been held to updatestaff on the progress to reviewmaternity and mental healthservices and discuss the initial

findings of the Health NeedsAssessment for WestDunbartonshire. Local staffhave also been involved indiscussions on the balance ofcare for older people atJohnstone Hospital and thefuture shape of local PhysicalDisability services.

These meetings have givenstaff the opportunity to askquestions, feedback views anddiscuss some of the keychallenges faced by localservices. Similar engagementand update events have alsobeen held for local serviceusers, carers, support groupsand voluntary organisations.

Many frontline staff arealso involved in a wide range

of planning and clinical sub-groups set up to oversee andco-ordinate the work requiredfor each of the service areas.

Deb den Herder, Director ofAcute Services for Clyde, said:“We are committed tolistening to the views offrontline staff and ensuringthey are closely involved inthe review process. Thefeedback from all of the localbriefings and engagementevents will help us to developdetailed proposals for theClyde area which staff and thegeneral public will have theopportunity to comment onduring the formal publicconsultation process later inthe year.”

Update on review of Clyde services

Fraud is a majorproblem within theNHS and we all play a

part in preventing it. TheNHSScotland CounterFraud Services (CFS)highlights the detrimentalimpact of fraud and aimsto increase awareness ofhow it can be reported.

As part of a pan Europeananti-fraud campaign todevelop a real anti-fraud andanti-corruption culture withinhealthcare systems, CFS staffhave visited locations withinNHSGGC asking staff abouttheir awareness of fraudwithin the Health Service;what they would consider to

be the best methods topromote the issue; and bywhat means would theyconsider reporting a suspectedfraud. Several thousandquestionnaires werecompleted and the results willbe analysed and reportedback to CFS in due course.

Suspected fraud can bereported to the Fraud LiaisonOfficer within your Board. Itcan also be reported,anonymously if you prefer, on-line via the CFS website or bycalling the Fraud Hotline tel:08000 15 16 28.For further information onthe work of CFS, go to:www.cfs.scot.nhs.uk

Be fraud aware

Anew website fromHealth RightsInformation Scotland

(HRIS) aims to help healthprofessionals and othersinvolved in producingpatient information.

The site hosts a wide rangeof information for patientsabout their health rights, aswell as a variety of supportmaterials and links for staff.

It is the best place to findHRIS information in otherlanguages and differentformats. These can be easilyprinted off on computer inresponse to demand.

HRIS project staff can also

provide practical advice andassistance to individuals andorganisations involved inproducing patient information.They have developed a greatdeal of expertise in producinginformation and are able tocomment on, edit, and draftdocuments. They can giveadvice about organisingresearch with patients andmembers of the public andproducing information inalternative formats. If you would like moreinformation about HRIS,visit: www.hris.org.uk oremail:[email protected]

Providing healthinformation

General News


BBeehhiinndd tthhee BBeeaattssoonnThe opening of the new £105 million

Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre isone of the highlights for NHSGGC this year.

Behind the scenes a team of staff havespent many a long night and day to get it

finished. Here we find out about just two.

Name: Stephen BakerJob: Project Manager for new Beatson How long have you worked for NHSGreater Glasgow and Clyde?

Since May 2002Before that, what did you do?

I was a Commercial Manager with amajor building contractor and worked onvarious major projects like BraeheadShopping Centre.What does a Project Manager do?

Good question, goes mad and shouts a

bit, stays calm and keeps everyone atease, finds his hair going a wee bit greyerweekly! The textbook answer is someonewho should forsee as many dangers aspossible, and to plan, organise and controlactivities in such a way that risks areavoided or countered leading to a finalresult that satisfies the requirements ofthe project sponsor without using moremoney or resources than those that wereincluded in the budget. But then whoreads textbooks?What's it been like working on thisparticular project?

Murder polis at times. But it has beengreat to work with the User Teams on thisproject who have been right on side of theProject Team to help us deliver this newfacility. It has been interesting andexciting to develop the centre in apurpose-built way to accommodate theclinical and patient need plus we havehad the added benefit of being able to

incorporate some great designenhancements through our own artbudget and the support of our charitablefunding partners. It has been the bestconstruction project I have been involvedin.What have been the mostchallenging and most rewardingparts of the job?

Most Challenging - getting out of bedon a freezing, wet and windy morningwhen you know it’s a day for a site visitfirst off. Realistically, we have hadmilestone challenges throughout the lifeof the project: getting an affordabledesign solution out to tender in May2003; going through the contractordesign and selection process to get thebest value for money solution by January2004; then managing the client input tothe building element, complicated due tothe high degree of technical medical kitinvolved in running a modern cancer

Name: Margaret WelshJob: Commissioning Manager for newBeatsonHow long have you worked for NHSGreater Glasgow and Clyde?

I started with the NHS in Glasgow 33years ago in 1974.Background?

I come from a clinical background. I’veworked as a nurse and midwife,transferring from my clinical role intoGeneral Management in 2003.What does a CommissioningManager do?

I needed to find my own workingdefinition for the role. It’s about “puttingthe building into service” and “putting theservice into the building”. Acommissioning manager has what seemsat times to be the world’s biggest ‘To do’list.

I work with lots of different services,leading them through this new buildcommissioning process and organisingwith them their programmes of work.

The building needs to be prepared byan army of NHS workers - 100s oftelephone extensions and 100s of PCs allhave to be ready for staff; 20,000 itemsof equipment to be selected, ordered anddelivered to around 1000 rooms; verybusy cleaning teams needed for dustcontrol; a variety of physics staff areneeded to test all types of medicalequipment; and estates staff need to PATtest everything with a plug and make sureall the building systems are working.

Running in parallel with all of this is

the migration planning and thepreparation for the move with lots ofdebate before we finally agreed whowould move during the week and whowould move at weekends. What’s it been like working on thisparticular project?

The overall design philosophy for thisbuilding has the ‘WOW’ factor and thebuilding offers an incredible environmentfor both patients and staff. The servicesmoving into the new cancer centre arerather complex and varied and it has beenreally interesting learning all about them. What have been the mostchallenging and most rewardingparts of the job?

The most challenging part of this jobwas developing the migration plan whichis about ‘flitting’ around 800 staff from12 different buildings across threehospital sites. Just imagine how stressfulmoving house is!

The most rewarding part of this role;

General News / Healthy Living


centre; and being able to achieve theSEHD target of having patients in the newcentre for 2007.

Most rewarding - seeing the greatreaction of various visitors from staff,patient and other outside groups to howgood the building looks and feels.What is your favourite part of thenew Beatson?

Too many favourites really. There is adifferent significance or story behind howwe got to many of the designenhancements, but if I had to pick I'dplump for the curved corridor throughoutpatients with its pyramid rooflight, itjust has a nice spacious feel to it. It’s verycalming to walk through.What are you looking forward tomost in next six months/a year?

Well, I guess if Partick Thistle don’t winthe Scottish Cup again, I'll settle forgetting the roof leak fixed in my flat or abigger bucket.

well I like that I am in a position toinfluence what new healthcare facilitieswill be like and as I have spent most ofmy clinical career in old Victorianbuildings, it is great to be part of thebiggest modernisation programme thatGlasgow has ever embarked on.What is your favourite part of thenew Beatson?

A bit spoiled for choice really as thereare a number of lovely design features forexample the curvy raspberry ripple wall,decked roof gardens, external wall lights,the day case unit multi-coloured ceilinglights, the art work in the linac mazes butI reckon the water features in bothinternal courtyards will be fabulous.What are you looking forward tomost in next six months/a year?

Finishing off the ‘big Beatson flitting’and then looking forward to my summerholidays.

VSO Special


One of our docs isheading off toMalawi to work in

one of the country's mainhospitals.

After spending some timesaying goodbye to friends andfamily including twograndchildren, ConsultantSurgeon at the IRH, Dr EricTaylor, and his wife Celia are offto Malawi for up to two years.

Dr Taylor said: “I thoughtI’d better do this before I fallcompletely into senility. I hadthought about doingsomething like this previously

so when opportunity came upagain, I thought I’d betterreally think about this.

“I’ve been to Zambia beforeworking on a water project andI’ve also been in Kathmandu,so I am aware of some of theproblems we’ll face out there.”

Celia Taylor was born inKenya so is familiar with EastAfrica and it helps that theyalready have family and friendsout there to help them withthis transition.

Dr Taylor is realistic about thechallenges they will both face inMalawi. “I think one of the main

problems will be a lack ofresources and a lack of staff.

“I know that on a previousvisit to a hospital in Kenya, asurgeon there showed me hishospital where five wards held450 beds treating 90 patientsat a time. Often there is onlyone nurse to a ward and nonurse at night. I think the lackof junior staff and drugs willalso be a problem amongst apopulation which has a highHIV positive rate.”

The type of illness anddisease that people in Malawiface is also very different fromwhat we see here. Dr Taylorexplained: “Life expectancy inMalawi is 37, people just don’tlive long enough to get thingslike cancer so the pathology ofillness is different, you are morelikely to see diseasesoriginating from typhoid or TB.

“I think once we arrive, wewill find out what is neededand from there see how bestwe can help. Working in ahospital means we will be

quite central as opposed toworking out in one of theregions, but hospitals are stillquite poorly equipped so willstill present many challengescompared to home. “

As a trained generalsurgeon who has also workedin orthopaedics, Dr Taylor’sbreadth of training will comein very useful in thesecircumstances. “It doesconcern me that youngerdoctors do not get the trainingor experience in the breadth ofsubjects that I did. That is whyI would urge younger doctorsto look at ways to broadentheir own skills and experienceby doing things like VSO, thisis the perfect opportunity.”

Since graduating, I havealways wanted towork with VSO, but

life never lent itself to atwo-year placement. Uponhearing that VSO hadstarted offering short-termplacements I got in touch.

At the time I applied, short-term placements were arelatively new venture for VSO,so no physiotherapy placementsmatching my skills or availabilityexisted. Once I had completed amasters degree, I expressed aninterest in research so myplacement adviser suggestedthat I consider working as aresearch officer in Zambia.Although my placement iscompletely different from my jobat home, it seems to be within

my capabilities and I hope mytime here provides a valuablecontribution to my employer.

Although life in Lusaka isvery different to life in Glasgow(climate, pace of life, food andabsence of home comforts, toname but a few) I canconfidently say I have settled inperfectly. Despite being just twoweeks into a three-month stay,this is already proving to be anamazing experience - fromwhich I am learning aboutZambia, its people, its cultureand an awful lot about myself.This is unquestionably anexperience I would encourageothers to consider.

∑ Joanna Dawes is a Physiofor Homeless Service based at

Hunter Street.

If you are interested infinding out more aboutVSO opportunities, visit:www.vso.org.uk or send aCV to: [email protected] 'NHSScotlandpartnership' clearly in thesubject line of the email. Alternatively, if you have aspecific query you can

contact the VSO Scotlandmanager by e-mail:[email protected] write to: CatherineHewit, VSO ScotlandManager, St Colm'sInternational House, 23Inverleith Terrace,Edinburgh EH3 5NS.

No boundaries for our staff

NHSGGC physio Joanna Dawes gives usher personal view of VSO from Zambia

Health MinisterAndy Kerr withEric Taylor,TourismMinisterPatriciaFerguson andCelia Taylor.

Joanna withnew colleagueCris Sapele,Monitoring andEvaluationmanager of theproject inZambia.

Staff Update


Giving up your job togo and studyhomoeopathic

medicine in India underone of the world’s leadingexperts on the subjectmay only be a dream forsome but secretariatofficer Carla Carmichael ismaking it a reality.

Carla, who was based atDalian House, is off to studyhomoeopathic medicine inIndia and is then going on towork in a homoeopathic

hospital in Sri Lanka.Carla first got interested in

homoeopathy some years agoas she underwent her ownhealth problems and hasstudied at the Scottish Collegeof Homoeopathy in Glasgow.She explained: “Very early onin my studies I recall a visitingLecturer to the College talkingabout the opportunities tostudy in India once wegraduated. I was excited thenat the prospect, but neverthought at that time it wouldmaterialise because of my ownhealth issues, but it remainedmy dream.”

Last year, Carla attendedthe InternationalHomoeopathy Conference inIreland and found herselftotally inspired by thespeakers. Two worldrenowned Homoeopathic

Doctors – Dr David Lilley andDr A U Ramakrishnan – had aparticular influence. Whilethere, Carla learned that DrRamakrishnan was running apost-graduate Homoeopathicmedical course in India andfrom there she just knew shehad to attend.

Having successfullycompleted her academicstudies and clinical training,Carla went to London inOctober of last year for aninterview with one of theprofessional Homoeopathicbodies and has now achievedher practising certificate.Speaking to other professionalHomoeopaths, she found outabout Medicina Alternativa inSri Lanka, a hospital offeringan intensive one-month’sacupuncture and homoeopathycourse to doctors from all over

the world. After finding out some more,

Carla applied and has beenaccepted as a volunteer at thehospital. “They have alreadyagreed that I can stay on as avolunteer working in thehospital for sometime aftertraining. I’m really lookingforward for the chance to needlepeople in a different way!

“Currently, I am both excitedand sad. Excited to be livingmy dreams and sad to besaying goodbye to my friendsand colleagues, some of whomI’ve known for more than 10years. Thanks to email thoughI can stay in touch and I canbe contacted at:[email protected] I’m looking forward toembarking on what will be forme a life changingexperience.”

The alternative life...

Seven members of maintenancestaff from the Royal AlexandraHospital, Inverclyde Royal

Hospital and Vale of Leven Hospital,have been honoured at a specialceremony at Inverclyde RoyalHospital.

Mark Tarvitt, Brian McKay, Paul Allan,Andrew McCrae, Stuart McPhail, MichaelMcTiernan and Alan McArthur completeda two-year day release course, qualifyingas Maintenance Technicians (Steriliser) atJames Watt College, Greenock. Eachcandidate completed the course with

flying colours. The staff received their certificates from

Brian Wilson, Head of Facilities, Clyde infront of Hospital Estates Managers - DerekMartin, John Gilmore and Brian Gillespie,college lecturers and work colleagues.

Certified staffThe Scottish Workforce

Information Standard System(SWISS) Equality Monitoring

Survey should be circulating amongstaff at the end of March.

The survey is part of a national projectfor NHSScotland as a whole and will helpto create a more comprehensive picture ofthe workforce. Every member of staff willbe asked to complete a simple form -either online or on paper - providingdetails in respect of disability, ethnicity,gender, religion and sexual orientation.

The information provided will betreated with the highest standards ofconfidentiality and will only be used toimprove employment practice to ensurethat staff can work in an environment freefrom discrimination.

Look out for a copy of the survey inyour payslip on 29 March, or visit theSHOW website to view an e-version of thequestionnaire, visit:www.diversitysurvey.scot.nhs.uk

Getting toknow you

Aim: To provide participants with the basicknowledge & skills necessary to deliver brief,

opportunistic advice to stop smoking

Suitable for anyone who is expected / has the opportunityto bring up the issue of smoking with clients.

The course covers: • Understanding tobacco use• Health effects• Addiction• Facilitating behaviour change • Services to help quitting including Nicotine Replacement

Therapy (NRT) products

No charge for this training if participants work within the GreaterGlasgow and Clyde area. £10 for external participants.

To register for the course or for more information contact RebeccaCampbell on 0141 201 4813 or [email protected]

Health Promotion Officer (Tobacco - Training)4 North Dalian HousePO Box 15327350 St Vincent Street, GlasgowG3 8YZTel: 0141 201 4813www.smokingconcerns.com

General News


Providing the properclinical learningenvironment for staff

is the main role of thePractice EducationFacilitator (PEF).

This means providingsupport, educational inputand development activities formentors and students withinHNC, pre-registration and postregistration educationalactivities.

PEF roles aim to improvethe quality of the practicelearning experience andpositively contribute to thefuture nursing workforcedevelopment for the NHS.

In order to facilitate this

ethos within Mental Health,Learning Disabilities andAddiction Services, PracticeEducation Facilitators LesleyMcNab and Margaret Caldwellhave identified a number ofsupport mechanisms that havebeen provided for mentorsand students to support andenhance their knowledge,skills and application withinthe clinical learningenvironment.

Alongside line manager JoeWinters, they presented theirfindings at a conference inEdinburgh, "Celebrating TenSuccessful Years of Nursing &Midwifery Programmes inHigher Education".

Margaret said: “This wasthe perfect opportunity topromote our identified mentorsupport mechanisms to awider audience of students,mentors and academic stafffrom all over Scotland, asevidence of practicedevelopments for mentors.”

For more information onmentors, contact: LesleyMcNab and MargaretCaldwell, tel: 0141 2322060 or e-mail:[email protected] [email protected]

Improving clinical learning

Amajor project lookingat the health ofthose aged 45 to 64

is happening in a range ofgeneral practices acrossGlasgow. Practices in theNorth and East of the cityare already invitingpatients in this age groupto attend the practice andtake part in healthscreening. GP practices inother parts of NHS GreaterGlasgow and Clyde willcome on board later in theyear.

The Project will focus oncardiovascular disease, andassociated risk factors. One ofthe aims of the project is toidentify whatever barriers existthat prevent the target groupfrom going to their GP andother services. By workingtogether with patients,healthcare staff hope to breakdown these barriers and findother ways of engaging withpatients to improve their health.

The Public Health ResourceUnit (PHRU), Health Scotlandand other partnerorganisations provide a rangeof learning and developmentopportunities for Keep Well

staff from receptionists, GPsand other Providers fromenhancing communicationskills to exploring issues withliteracy and developingapproaches to supportchanges in health behaviours.A critical issue is thecontribution of Keep Well andpartners to reduce healthinequalities. Staff will be ableto access a range ofworkshops exploring what thismeans for their practice.

Later on it is hoped thatKeep Well practitioners willprovide training from theirexperiences to enhance theskills of other colleagues.

Courses are running over thecoming year with some datesstill to be confirmed.Information will be sent out toall in the relevant CHP areas,but any enquiries can be sent to:[email protected] members of the NHSand partners can accessPHRU courses at:www.phru.net or for moreinformation and onlinebooking visit:www.nhsggc.org.uk/content/default.asp?page=s447

Breaking down barriers‘HelpingSmokers Stop’ - 1 day training

AfC information and queriesTo find further information onAgenda for Change, including thereview policy, visit:www.nhsggc.org.uk/agendaforchangeStaff should contact their Manager,in the first instance, in relation toqueries about Agenda for Change. Inaddition to this, local HumanResources teams are able to offeradvice, guidance and support formanagers and staff. Staff can also contact their tradesunions and professional bodies foradvice and support. All Core Briefs are available onStaffNet. To see the full list of publishednational profiles used in the JobMatching exercise, visit:www.nhsemployers.org/pay-conditions/pay-conditions-262.cfm You can contact the Project Team byemail at:[email protected]

Staff update


Agenda for Change updateAt the end of March around

30,000 employees will havetransferred to Agenda for

Change (AfC) pay bands. We arecontinuing to assimilate staff basedon the previous Board areas.

Look out for Core Brief updates forinformation on the transfer of particularstaff groups to the new AfC pay bands.

Staff in posts that have notmatched to national profiles

The Agenda for Change Project Teamwill soon begin to contact employees whoare in posts that do not match to any ofthe published national profiles. Moreinformation and advice will becommunicated to staff over the next fewweeks to explain this process.

Review Procedure The Job Evaluation Review procedure

has been agreed in Partnership andprovides information for employees on theprocess for reviews of job matching

/evaluation outcomes as part of thetransfer of employees from Whitley Councilarrangements to Agenda for Change.

Employees who are unhappy with theresult of a matching or evaluationoutcome have a right to seek a revieweither on an individual or collective basis.It is strongly recommended thatemployees or groups of employees seekadvice from their trades union orprofessional organisation before lodging areview request. This may also help toallow similar requests to be groupedtogether.

Employees who wish to submit a reviewrequest should do so in writing, asadvised in the assimilation letter, within13 weeks of the date of the letter. It isimportant to remember that reviewrequests must be based on the job as itwas performed on 1 October 2004. Wherechanges to jobs took effect after this date,these may be subject to the Board’sgrading review procedure. Further adviceis available from your line manager orHuman Resources department.

Anew extranet sitehas been launched tosupport the public

health workforce toprovide information andservices on learning anddevelopment, knowledgemanagement and publichealth networks.

The new site is part of thePublic Health Resource Unit’s(PHRU) support for staff involvedin health improvement and is acentral point of access to the keysupport functions of the PHRU.

Although it is designedspecifically to support multi-disciplinary Public Health staff,anyone working to improve

health in NHS Greater Glasgowand Clyde can accessinformation on the site.

The new site at:www.nhsggc.org.uk/phruoffers specialised andinteractive knowledge servicesfor staff as well as enhancedsupport to the Public HealthNetworks via dedicated sharedspaces. Registered users ofthe extranet will be able to:• browse and upload news,

events and resources• access and share key

strategic documents andknowledge

• work collaboratively on

documents or presentationsfrom any PC with aninternet connection

• create lists of contacts anduseful links

• keep informed via emailalerts as news, events andresources are added to thesite

• participate in the PublicHealth Networks team sitesEven without registering,

visitors to the extranet willstill be able to access a widerange of public healthinformation and resources.

Norma Greenwood,Programme Manager for

Public Health Developmentwants Public Health staff tovisit the site on a regularbasis. However, she is keenother staff see what theextranet site has to offer.

She said: “This site wasinitially designed for PublicHealth staff but we areconfident that any member ofstaff involved in healthimprovement who visits the sitewill get something out of it.”Comments on the new siteare welcomed via thewebsite or to PaulineInnes, email:[email protected]

Supporting the public health workforce

Abrand-new home forsexual, reproductiveand emotional health

services in the East End ofGlasgow has beencommended in the 2006Glasgow Institute ofArchitects Awards.

The purpose-built Sandyford

East represents a £1.2 millioninvestment in healthcare forthe East End of the city and,for the first time, offers anumber of sexual healthservices to people locally.

The building was designedby Glasgow based architectsstudioKAP.

Design award for new sexual health centre

Winter pressures headlineNew Year newsNHSGGC shared the media spotlight with all the otherScottish boards at the beginning of 2007. The Press Officereceived around 110 calls in the first week of the New Year,with attention focused on how A&Es and GP practices werecoping with the large number of patients suffering from respi-ratory illnesses.

Media were informed that hospitals were indeed extremelybusy but coping, and staff were thanked for all their hardwork. Advice was also given via the media to the public,specifying that GPs and community pharmacies should be thefirst point of call for anyone whose symptoms weren’t life-threatening.

Staff Update

The Headlines • NHSGGC In The

Stobhill Health CareSupport Worker CarolHamilton has been

presented with an awardfor IT Innovation at aconference held by theWest of ScotlandOutpatient Nurses Forum.

Carol, who works in theOutpatient Department, hasdeveloped a role asdepartment IT Champion andhas produced a book which iswritten as an easy guide tousing IT systems.

The book is written in easyto understand terms, andincludes information onsubjects such as how to sendan email, how to access files,saving a document, being safeon the internet and so forth.

Carol offers training andsupport to all members ofstaff and is known as a link

nurse who troubleshoots IThardware and softwareproblems with the help of ITstaff.

Not content with producingone book, Carol has been hardat work putting a second booktogether. The pocket-sizedphlebotomist handbook givesdetails on which lab to sendsamples to and the correctbottle which should be sent.

Both books are availablefrom Medical Illustration atthe GRI, tel: 24692 quotingthe reference numbers below.

To mark her achievements,Carol was awarded with acheque for £50 and acertificate.

Computer Instruction Book– Ref: 127052

Phlebotomist Help Book –Ref: 130924

Stobhill HCSW winsaward for IT innovation

The School of Nursing, Midwifery and CommunityHealth at Glasgow Caledonian University is offeringclinicians the opportunity to further develop skillsand qualifications with a post-registration nursingdegree – BSc/BSc (Hons) Specialist Nursing.

Places are still available for September. For furtherinformation contact Janette Palmer, tel: 0141 3318356, email: [email protected] or for anapplication pack contact Evelyn Irwin, tel: 0141 3313084 or email: [email protected]

Specialist nursing

Paediatrician reassuresparents over IRHChildren’s UnitA senior paediatrician from the IRH reassured local parentswhen the children’s ward’s acute assessment unit closed itsdoors in January.

A small number of children from Inverclyde who need to beadmitted to hospital for tests or observation will now be seenin Paisley, but Dr Graham Stewart was able to reassure parentsthat the vast majority of children will continue to be treatedlocally. Through local media, Dr Stewart was able to remindfamilies in Inverclyde that emergency care for youngsters therewill remain the same as always, and that children willcontinue to access day surgery and outpatient care at theirlocal hospital.


General News / Healthy Living

Headlines • NHSGGC In The Headlines • NHSGGC In The Headlin

Brave breast cancer trialswomen thanked by staffThe thousands of women who have taken part in clinical trialsover the years were thanked publicly for the first time inFebruary. Doctors from the West of Scotland Cancer Networklaunched Project Thank You, using the media to try to reachthe thousands of women who had taken part in the life-savingresearch that has made the production of new treatmentspossible.

A number of outlets ran the story, also pointing out howthe role of clinical trials will be at the heart of the newBeatson. One radio station also ran an interview withVivienne, a patient who had herself taken part in a drug trialat one of the West of Scotland Cancer Network hospitals.

The Beatson also hit the headlines thanks to a number ofsubstantial charity donations, including eight hot pink scalpcoolers from the Walk The Walk and Breast Cancer 2000organisations.

Children’s dentalhealth boostThe latest figures on children’s dental health within NHSGreater Glasgow and Clyde provided a piece of good news.The National Dental Inspection Programme revealed thenumber of children in Primary One who have “no obvious oraldecay experience” is coming down.

Director of Dental Public Health, David McCall, gave aninterview in which he explained that much of theimprovement was down to tooth-brushing programmes innurseries, where children are giving free toothbrushes andtoothpaste to take home.

Miami therapy training forGlasgow addictions staffA groundbreaking family therapy programme from theUniversity of Miami made its UK debut in Glasgow, resultingin a considerable amount of interest from press andbroadcasters. The Multi-dimensional Family Therapy (MDFT)programme helps teenagers who suffer from addictions byputting their families at the heart of their treatment.

Staff from the Glasgow Addictions Service gave interviewsto print and broadcast media, spreading the message thatGlasgow had been chosen from an extremely wide range ofcities because of the strength of the partnerships betweenNHSGGC staff and their Glasgow City Council counterparts.

Minister opensEmergency DentalTreatment CentreThe £900,000 refurbishment of the Emergency DentalTreatment Centre (EDTC) on Level One of the Dental Hospitalwas put centre stage when Deputy Health Minister LewisMacdonald performed the official opening.

Staff and patients saw themselves on television and inprint, with a great deal of mediainterest in the EDTC’s effort atproviding routes back in tomainstream NHS dentistry forpatients.


STAFF NEWSLETTER Written by staff for staff with the full support of the Area Partnership Forum

address: NHSGGC Communications, Staff Newsletter, NHS Greater Glasgow andClyde, Dalian House, 350 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G3 8YZ

Published by: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Communications.Designed and printed by In Position Media Ltd. 0141 810 9000.

Send your articles, letters and photographs to:

email: [email protected]

tel: 0141 201 4995

Fun and fit

Raising funds for MSChampionsLeague Cupcomes toGlasgow!

Stobhill Hospital MaintenanceEngineer Robert Sanderson(pictured above right) has a busy

life and keeping fit and healthy is atthe very heart of it. As well as runningthe Stobhill adventure race team andhillwalking club, Robert plays a keypart in Adventure Zone Scotland whichaims to encourage sport among youngpeople.

Adventure Zone is sponsored by

Glasgow City Council whose support isessential, Rob believes, for its success.

He explained: “It is great to be involvedwith a council which is willing to try newideas and ways of motivating teenagers ina positive direction. Adventure Zonepromotes not just one sport but manydifferent sports such as mountain biking,trail running, orienteering, climbing andcanoeing. The level of skills needed can beas low or high as the race organisers feelnecessary, to make the race run smoothlyand safely. It involves teamwork, takes carenot to damage the environment andpromotes health and fitness in a fun way”. You can find out more aboutAdventure Zone by logging onto:www.sleepmonsters.co.ukDetails of the Stobhill HillwalkingClub are available at: www.stobhill-roughnecks.org.uk

HR Associate Director AndyCarter is currently in trainingfor the London Marathon

which takes place on Sunday 22April. Andy will be running the 26mile-long course to raise money forthe Multiple Sclerosis Society.

He explained: "When you commit torunning a marathon, you've got to use itas a way to raise money for a good cause.It's a big challenge if you don't consideryourself to be any kind of athlete! Thereare also so many good causes around, it'sdifficult to decide which charity to raisefunds for. For me, it’s easy, my brother-in-law Josh has secondary progressive MSand has episodes in our care.”

Currently Josh, who is only 38 andfather of three young children, is spendingsome time in the Southern General'sPhysical Disability Rehabilitation Unit(PDRU) for intensive physiotherapy. Andysays Josh lives with MS with inspiringgrace and courage. The marathon, whichAndy describes as a “gruelling event” is intribute to that bravery and in support ofJosh’s family.

Andy started his marathon trainingback in December and goes out running

three times a week for between 30minutes and two hours. He is hoping tocomplete the course in four to five hours.

"The training is hard, especially duringthese cold and windy winter months. I'velost around one stone in weight in thelast six weeks so it's undoubtedly ahealth improving activity! Raising moneyfor more research in this field and to helptrain and to employ more clinical staff is agreat motivator though."If you would like to sponsor Andy,visit: www.justgiving.com/josh-andyusing your debit/credit card. Alternately, you can email:[email protected] or tel:0141 201 4781 and arrange to fill ina sponsorship form.

The hospital staff ChampionsLeague comes to Glasgow inthe 15th Eurospital

Tournament. Started back in 1993 by Henri

Verbrugghe as a means of bringingtogether healthcare workers socially andcompetitively, this event has been heldin many countries over the last 14 yearsincluding San Marino, England,Denmark, Ireland, France, Spain andGermany - to name but a few.

The tournament is being held inGlasgow on Saturday, 1 September andother countries from throughout Europewill be coming to Glasgow as our guests.

Robert Calderwood, Chief OperatingOfficer, Acute Division is delighted wehave sponsored this tournament. Hesaid: “While we would like to win thetournament as the host nation, this is achance for our staff to get together andhave some fun.

“We hope we get a good response fromour staff and both the knock-out stage andthe tournament should be a fun day outwhere staff can bring along their familiesand friends to cheer them on.”

We need a winning team torepresent Scotland and will be holdinga knock-out tournament on Saturday 26May in Garscube Sports Complex.

Players must work for NHS GreaterGlasgow and Clyde and be over 30years old. Whether you’re a porter, adoctor, a consultant or a manager, allyou need is six other budding footballstars and you can take part in theknock-out event.To register a team you can eitheremail:[email protected] or tel: 0141 211 8508. Teamsneed to be registered no later thanFriday, 4 May. You can also getmore information at the Eurospitalwebsite, visit: www.eurospital.org.

your nhs needs you! w · [email protected]. nhs.uk or tel: 0141 232 2113...

Documents