A pilot project is underway at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital to help keep patients in touch with
their loved ones.

Emma Johnson, Ward Housekeeper on Maple Ward, had her bags packed and was set to embark on a trip
of a lifetime to Florida when she came across an innovative device that allowed people to charge their
mobile phones.

It was then, in Hilton’s Gatwick Airport Hotel, that Emma had a ‘lightbulb moment’, figuring this same
device could help new mums and mums‐to‐be, keep in touch with their loved ones whilst spending time
in hospital.

With the help of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Pioneer Team Academy; a scheme which
supports staff in developing and improving services; Emma was able to submit her project for
consideration by members of the executive team, and they immediately fell in love with it.

Now, the first phone charging device has been installed on Maple Ward, enabling women spending time
on the ward to charge their mobile phones quickly, safely, and securely.

Emma said “I was all set to go on holiday when I came across this phone charging device. I thought it was
such a great idea and one that we could potentially use within the Trust. Women who are expecting
babies are often rushed into hospital and are not always prepared for an overnight stay, but this is such a
special time in a family’s life, I just knew I had to find a way of implementing it.

“When I first looked at the costings, they were really expensive, but then I decided to submit an
application to the Pioneer Team Academy where I received help to find a local company who could create
a bespoke device for us.”

The device itself resembles a locker, allowing patients to charge their phones inside it within 15 to 20
minutes, and each station is secured with a key. The devices are perfect for those who don’t have a
charger with them, but even for those who do, it negates the need to go through health and safety
requirements to have their own charger PAT tested. Rapid charging in this way will enable more people
to keep in touch with family and friends using their own phones, which will, in turn, free up the ward
phones for other people, including staff.

Emma continues:

“Everyone has welcomed the initiative, from patients to colleagues and visitors alike. It’s great to see the
project come to fruition and I am just so proud knowing that this will improve the overall experience of
women and families in our care.”

Over the coming months, the project will be evaluated and, if deemed viable, such charging stations
could be rolled out further across the Trust in the near future.

Patients and the public are being invited to a special event next week focusing on local hospitals’ work around equality, diversity and inclusion.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will host the session on Tuesday 4^th October as a means of showcasing work carried out to improve care and accessibility for diverse groups.

Guests will receive a valuable insight into the changing make-up of our local population, as well as being briefed on the Trust’s own equality objectives and the various pieces of legislation it must comply with.

The presentation will then use real-life examples of work which has been carried out across both Castle Hill Hospital and Hull Royal Infirmary to cater for the diverse needs of patients, staff and visitors.

Jackie Railton, Chair of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, says:

“One of the great things about Hull and the East Riding is the very rich and diverse community we have, so it’s important for the Trust, as a provider of healthcare services, to ensure we can meet the needs of the people who live here.

“Work to accommodate the diverse needs of our patients, visitors, and of course, our staff too, takes many forms. We look at things like accessibility and signage for disabled people when designing new buildings, for example, but we also provide alternative meal menus for those with special dietary or religious needs, interpretation services for non-English speakers, and we are now are looking at ways of using technology to improve communication and access to information.

“Key in helping us to achieve this is the support of our workforce and the input of patient and community groups; their experience and expertise is invaluable in guiding what we do and how we approach such matters sensitively and effectively.

“We’d now like to encourage local people to come and hear about our work around equality, diversity and inclusion, and join the discussion on how we may improve the experience of both patients and staff still further.”

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion presentation will take place at 10am on Tuesday 4^th October at Hull Royal Infirmary. For more details or to reserve your place, call (01482) 675165 or email membership.team@hey.nhs.uk   

If you have any special requirements with regard to access or require the assistance of a British Sign Language Interpreter, please let us know when reserving your place.

They’re probably more used to being on the receiving end of donations, but kind-hearted hospital staff are now making a difference with a donation of their own.

Staff at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust approached Fiona Dwyer, of ITV Calendar News and PR consultancy FDPR, to host their annual staff awards ceremony earlier this year and, in return, offered to hold a collection on the night for one of Fiona’s favoured charities.

An amazing £700 was donated by those attending the Trust’s Golden Hearts Awards, and Fiona asked for the proceeds to go to the S.A.M.M.I. Fund, a local charity set up in 2015 by North Ferriby-based Sammi Petersen. Sammi was involved in a non-fault road traffic accident last year which left her paralysed from the chest down and requiring the use of a wheelchair. The S.A.M.M.I. Fund now provides both advice and practical support to people with spinal injury.

Fiona says:

“I met Sammi about 10 months ago when she and her family were setting up her charity.  They wanted some help to publicise what they were doing and, because they had heard of me and knew I was local, contacted me.  I was so touched by what she’d been through and I was so impressed by her courage and determination not to be beaten by her injuries that the S.A.M.M.I. Fund became the chosen charity for my PR consultancy, FDPR.

“So when I was asked to nominate a charity by the Golden Hearts Committee which was close to my heart, the S.A.M.M.I. Fund sprung to mind straight away.”

Lucy Vere, Organisational Development Manager and Co-Chair of the Trust’s Golden Hearts Planning Committee says:

“Every year, as part of our annual awards celebration, we hold a collection for a charity which is meaningful to us in that particular year. As a thank you to Fiona for giving up her time to join us and host the Golden Hearts that evening, it felt only right that she should choose where the proceeds of our collection went.

“Fiona has made a brilliant choice with the S.A.M.M.I. Fund; it’s great to know that the money will be spent locally, and may even be used to support some of the people our hospital staff have already cared for in the past.”

Sadly Sammi was unwell and therefore unable to attend the formal cheque presentation, so Fiona (pictured above, left) and Lucy were joined by Sammi’s brother, rugby player Dave Petersen, at Hull Royal Infirmary for the handover.

Sammi says:

“Receiving such a huge amount from the Hospitals Trust is amazing.  I have been working very hard with the charity to help others in my situation.  To be recognised by a health organisation is a huge thing and shows that the charity is becoming known.  The support from others is great.  I feel privileged and excited about the future.  My story began at Hull Royal after my accident and the staff there were amazing and I now thank them for their continued support.

“A massive thank you to Fiona and to all those who donated on the night.  Your donations will go a long way to helping others in very practical ways, one of the three main aims of the S.A.M.M.I. Fund.”

Newborn footprints set to form 12‐month piece of art in UK City of Culture year

A team of local midwives is celebrating after being chosen to receive funding for a special project from the Hull City
of Culture Team.

‘Born into a City of Culture’ will see footprints taken from every baby born in Hull in 2017 and used to create a
mural in the Women and Children’s Hospital. The artwork will depict trees throughout the seasons, month by
month, with the leaves and branches formed from baby footprint impressions, and the supporting trunks made
from the handprints of local midwives.

The artwork is the brainchild of Sallie Ward, Community Midwife for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust,
and will involve both hospital and community midwives across the Trust for the duration of the year.
Sallie says:

“2017 is going to be a very special year for the city, so I thought it would be great to try and mark this in some way
for every baby born in Hull next year too.

“As a service, and as a city, we’re welcoming of everyone, and so what I love about this project is that it enables
everyone to be involved, even if people don’t think culture is their thing or wouldn’t normally be inclined to get
involved in arts projects. It will also create a lasting legacy, as once the artwork has been displayed in the Women
and Children’s Hospital for the year, the plan is to then move it elsewhere in the community so more people can
see and enjoy it.

“For around 6,000 children born in 2017, they will become part of something special straight away, and for their
parents, it will be something for them to talk with their children about for many years to come.”
Janet Cairns, Head of Midwifery for the Trust says:

“Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the city’s biggest employers, so it’s great that our staff are
getting actively involved in the City of Culture preparations and celebrations.

“Sallie’s idea for ‘Born into a City of Culture’ really captures the imagination and will be a brilliant addition to the
Women and Children’s Hospital next year. We’re all looking forward to helping out and watching the artwork grow
as the months go by.”

‘Born into a City of Culture’ will be displayed in the main entrance to Hull and East Yorkshire Women and Children’s
Hospital on the Hull Royal Infirmary site throughout 2017, and has been made possible through the generosity of
the City of Culture’s Creative Communities Programme.

Hospital staff will be promoting good hand hygiene in a novel way next week as they take part in a torch relay with a difference.

Staff from Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will be taking part in the 2016 Hand Hygiene Torch Tour. Organised by the Infection Prevention Society, the tour is aimed at highlighting the importance of good hand hygiene to both healthcare staff and the public.

The torch has been touring the UK since 5^th May, with healthcare organisations and NHS Trusts across the country each being designated a ‘link day’ to hold the torch before passing it on to another health body.

The torch will be passed to Greta Johnson, Lead Nurse for Infection Prevention and Control at the Trust, on Monday 19^th September, and as it will be received from colleagues on the south bank at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust, where better to make the changeover than on the Humber Bridge?

Greta says:

“The torch relay is a novel way of taking the good hand hygiene message across the country and reinforcing the importance of hygiene for both healthcare staff and members of the public.

“As we start to approach winter, we will start to see more viruses like flu or Norovirus, the diarrhoea and vomiting bug, circulating in the community. Both of these viruses can be caught by touching contaminated surfaces and can leave otherwise healthy people feeling very poorly for several days.

“More crucially, if these kinds of virus are caught by people who are already unwell or have low immune systems, like a lot of people in hospital, it can be very dangerous or even potentially fatal.

“Good hand hygiene is as important outside hospital as it is in hospital, and it’s important that hands are washed; simply using alcohol gel is not enough to get rid of dirt and germs effectively.

“Clinical staff in our hospitals are taught about the ‘five moments’ of hand hygiene and trained in thorough handwashing techniques, but as viruses can easily be brought into hospital by visitors, it’s important for members of the public to know how they can also help us to protect vulnerable people, and handwashing is a key part of this.”

Greta adds:

“It’s quirky, but we felt it was important to take part in the torch relay to show how seriously we take infection prevention and control at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and as a means of promoting the role of thorough handwashing in keeping people fit and healthy.”

The IPS Hand Hygiene Torch will be handed over to representatives of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust from Northern Lincolnshire & Goole Hospitals NHS Trust staff at approx. 12:30pm on Monday 19^th September on the Humber Bridge. On Tuesday 20^th September, the baton will be passed on from hospital staff to representatives of City Health Care Partnership.

For more information on the IPS Hand Hygiene Torch Tour, visit www.ips.uk.net

Patients and visitors are asked to be mindful of temporary road closures around the Hull Royal Infirmary site this coming Sunday, 18 September, when the 2016 Hull Marathon takes place.

Whilst the 26.2 mile race route will not pass directly in front of the hospital, arrangements for nearby road closures and access restrictions, including the full closure of Anlaby Road, may cause some temporary inconvenience to those travelling by car or public transport.

Dr Mark Simpson, Emergency Care Consultant at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“The Hull Marathon is becoming an increasingly popular event in the city, and we want to ensure that race day is safe and enjoyable for all concerned.

“We have been working closely with Yorkshire Ambulance Service and the race organisers to minimise disruption and ensure access to the Hull Royal Infirmary site is maintained throughout the course of the marathon.

“Our Emergency Care team has been briefed on the race medical plan to ensure staff are ready to respond should the need arise, and pregnant women who may require urgent access to the Women and Children’s Hospital during this time have also been issued with relevant paperwork.

“The race route does not pass the main hospital entrance, so emergency routes on to the hospital site and those leading to our Emergency Department will be kept clear at all times.

“Whilst we understand that no one can predict an emergency, where people know they will be travelling to Hull Royal Infirmary, we would recommend they plan ahead and allow sufficient time for their journeys, taking into account road closures in the surrounding area too.

“Race marshals have been briefed on the need to maintain access to and from the hospital for emergency vehicles in particular, but also for staff, patients and visitors.”

The majority of runners are expected to pass around the back of Hull Royal Infirmary between 9:45 and 10:15am, moving from Anlaby Road on to Park Street, Londesborough Street, Argyle Street, then back on to Anlaby Road.

Those using the main hospital (Argyle Street) car park may experience some slight inconvenience between the hours of 9am and 11am as the Gladstone Street exit will be closed and all traffic will be required to turn right out of the car park, taking a diversion on to Rawling Way.

More detailed road closure information is available on The Hull Marathon website: www.thehullmarathon.co.uk/community/road-closures

Bus services will also be affected by temporary road closures and diversions. Information is available directly from EYMS (01482 59 29 29 / www.eyms.co.uk/bus-services/service-information) and Stagecoach (01482 222 333 / www.stagecoachbus.com)

A project aimed at tackling isolation and improving older people’s well-being in East Yorkshire is considered amongst the best in the country by leading industry professionals.

Today, the Health Service Journal has announced that the Bridlington Pathfinder Project has reached the finals of this year’s Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards.

Last autumn, the project was piloted amongst over-75s who were registered with three participating GP practices in Bridlington*. Patients were invited to have a free health and well-being review using the internationally recognised EASYCare tool to identify any issues which may affect, or have potential to affect, their health and well-being, such as loneliness or poor quality housing. Participants were then signposted to, or put in touch with, further sources of local help and support.

As well as earning a 93% satisfaction rate amongst those taking part, the project has, to date, helped to identify gaps in local services for this patient group, including help with arthritis, carers support, and access to rural transport. What’s more, signposting to sources of financial advice has enabled 77 of the 1,100 participants to access collective benefits of more than £307,000, which would otherwise have gone unclaimed.

The project; a partnership between Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Brid Inc GP Federation and KCOM; will now compete against 7 others in the HSJ Award category of ‘Improved Partnerships between Health and Local Government’. Members of the team behind the project; Judith Long (HEYHT), Jane Mears (East Riding of Yorkshire Council) and Bridlington GP, Dr Mike Hardman (pictured above at the recent Health Expo awards), must present to a judging panel next month before finding out whether they’ve won at the HSJ awards ceremony in London on 23^rd November.

Judith Long, Research Manager at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“This project is so innovative because it looks beyond what’s physically wrong with a person and considers the other things which can have a detrimental impact on a person’s health and well-being.

“Rather than being professionally led, it uses a person-centred approach so the response focuses on what matters most to the individual. Financial difficulties, caring for a loved one, or even something as simple as having no one to talk to can have a huge impact on how well a person feels, so one of our aims was to look at how we can help in these situations, whilst raising awareness of the variety of resources available in the community and voluntary sector.

“The findings of the pilot project so far have been eye-opening; we’ve made some real progress in identifying how agencies can better work together to help older people stay fit and healthy for longer, so avoiding potentially unnecessary hospital admissions.”

Dr Michael Hardman, local GP and Chair of Brid Inc says:

“We’re incredibly proud to have reached the finals of this year’s HSJ Awards with the Pathfinder partnership project. Many older people wouldn’t think to discuss practical issues such as keeping the house warm with their GP, so it has proved a great way of capturing some of this information and ensuring people are offered help without them thinking they’re a burden on anyone. It has also helped to empower older people to take decisions around their own health and well-being and access support which they were previously unaware of.”

Alex Seale, Director of Commissioning and Transformation at East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group says:

“The Bridlington Pathfinder Project is part of the Better Care Programme, which focuses on organisations working better together and promoting self-care and independent living.

“This project has given us some really great information, helping us to identify gaps in services that we can do something about. More importantly, it has already had a positive impact on the older people taking part.”

Rosy Pope, Head of Adult Services at East Riding of Yorkshire Council says:

“The Bridlington Pathfinder has delivered some brilliant results for individuals, which is excellent, but it has also given the Council detailed information on what is important to older people in Bridlington. It has also demonstrated that the older people of Bridlington are resilient and self-supporting and want to live independently in their own homes themselves for as long as possible.

“The information we now have will enable targeted support in the areas that are important to older people. It has also helped to build firm foundations for partnership working with primary and social care and the third sector. I am delighted that the Pathfinder project has reached the finals of the HSJ awards.”

Cancer patients in Driffield can now access specialist clinics and expert advice much closer to home.

Normally based at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham, the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Survivorship Team is launching bi-monthly outreach sessions at Alfred Bean Hospital in Driffield (pictured, above).

The sessions will run from 9:30am to 1pm starting on Tuesday 6^th September, and will then be held on the first Tuesday of every second month (November, January etc), providing the town’s residents with advice, care and support in their local community, thus reducing the need to travel.

Sarah Guest, Clinical Nurse Specialist with the Survivorship Team explains:

“Cancer can be a very personal experience and one which affects people in different ways. It can leave people fatigued, for example, or demotivated, and they may find the thought of leaving the house or of making a journey back to hospital personally quite difficult.

“By launching the outreach clinics in Driffield, we’re bringing the same clinical advice and personal support which we normally deliver at the Queen’s Centre in Cottingham out to the community in Driffield.

“As well as increasing convenience and reducing the need for our patient group to travel, it also means they have the opportunity to receive advice, benefit from our clinical expertise, and ask any questions face to face.”

The Survivorship Team’s approach is to look after the whole person, so as well as providing advice on managing physical health after cancer, the team also supports survivors by providing healthy lifestyle advice, emotional support, and the chance to take part in social activities with people who have been through similar experiences.

Sarah adds:

“We know people appreciate being seen and treated in comfortable, familiar surroundings. By delivering our service more locally, we’re hoping to empower patients who are living with or beyond cancer, and hopefully take away some of the extra little stresses, like travel, which they may encounter when accessing healthcare.”

For more information, contact the Survivorship Team on (01482) 461091 or email hyp-tr.survivorship.team@nhs.net

A hospital physicist will be getting on her soapbox this weekend as a way of encouraging more women into scientific careers.

Jenny Marsden, Higher Principal Physicist within the Queen’s Centre for Oncology & Haematology at Castle Hill Hospital, is one of just a handful of people chosen to take part in the Freedom Festival’s Soapbox Science event.

Soapbox Science gives some of the region’s leading female scientists the opportunity to showcase their professional passions to the general public. The event has been running in different parts of the country for several years, but 2016 is the first year in which the event will be staged in Hull.

Soapbox Science will take place on Saturday 3^rd September in Queen Street in the city centre, where Jenny, who’s incredibly passionate about the role of women in science, will take to her soapbox every 15 minutes from 12:30pm.

Jenny says:

“Soapbox Science is a great way of taking what I do, and showing the value of sciences within healthcare, to the people of Hull.

“Very few of us these days have the time to sit around and listen to lectures or presentations; people want things short and snappy, so this is a great way of getting people’s attention and making sure we really sell the good things about science and scientific careers.

“With a lot of young people having just completed their A-levels or GCSEs and now turning their thoughts to the future, this is a great time to capture their imaginations and show that science isn’t just about working in a laboratory or a university. Science can make a real difference to people and genuinely save lives.

“At Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, for example, healthcare scientists make up 5% of our entire workforce, that’s one in every 20 people, which shows just how important the role of science is in caring for people.”

Jenny’s role as a Radiotherapy Physicist in the NHS requires her to ensure machines used to treat cancer operate safely and accurately. As each patient is different, so each treatment plan is like a little problem waiting to be solved.

Jenny continues:

“Having two daughters myself, I am especially pleased that Soapbox Science promotes female scientists, as there is so much that women can bring to the role. Unfortunately we often feel we have to follow gender stereotypes that are instilled in all of us from a very young age.

“Going out and talking about science and getting people enthused is so important, not just as a means of building our workforce of the future, but of finding those people who will continue to make advances in treatment  and research so we can provide even better healthcare in years to come.

“It just takes a little spark of interest to blossom into a lifelong pursuit for learning, and I hope to inspire that spark for scientific learning in the people I meet during the Soapbox Science event.”

Around 110,000 people experience a stroke every year in England, making it one of the country’s leading health problems. In Hull alone, there are thought to be almost 7,000 people who have previously had a stroke.

Strokes occur when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. A stroke is a serious medical condition which can lead to sight or mobility impairments, communication difficulties, loss of use of limbs, brain damage, or even death.

On Thursday 15^th September, Dr Rayessa, a Consultant Physician specialising in stroke care at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, will be sharing her years of experience of the condition with the general public.

She will deliver a talk at Hull Royal Infirmary, looking at stroke services, signs and symptoms, and how people can reduce their risk of having a stroke; a risk which increases as people get older.

Dr Rayessa says:

“The number of people experiencing a stroke has been steadily rising for some time, but there are steps we can all take, related to diet or lifestyle for example, which can help us reduce our risk.

“The unfortunate thing is that many people don’t even think about stroke until the worst happens, so in delivering my presentation, I’m going to be looking at how we can reduce  our risk, plus what to do if you think someone is having a stroke, and then outline the care and support we provide locally.”

Members of the public are now being invited along to hear more from Dr Rayessa about the services in place at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to support stroke patients during a hospital stay and beyond, and to ask any questions.

The event is free to attend, and will take place at 3pm on Thursday 15^th September at Hull Royal Infirmary.

For full details and to register your interest, please email the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Membership Office on membership.team@hey.nhs.uk or call (01482) 675165.