Want to give up smoking? Now is the time you stop for good.

Three-quarters of smokers wish they could give up and many aim to quit on No Smoking Day, which falls on Wednesday, 12 March this year.

However, most think they’ll be able to tough it out by relying on willpower alone, only to fail that very day or shortly thereafter.

So, this year, boost your chances of success by getting your plan in place right now.

Pamela Parkinson, Clinical Lead for the Tobacco Advisory Team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals, said: “Research shows going ‘cold turkey’ is the least effective way to give up smoking so, this year, if you want to quit, start making your plan right now, ahead of No Smoking Day.

“Contacting Stop Smoking services for support, advice, nicotine replacement products, vape starter kits or counselling now will be the difference between success and failure.”

On average, every cigarette you smoke takes approximately 20 minutes from your life so, this year’s message is “Take back your life this No Smoking Day.”

Smoking claims around 80,000 lives a year in the UK and is responsible for one in four cancer deaths in England alone. Two-thirds of smokers will die from it and 408,700 hospital admissions were due to smoking in 2022-23, according to NHS England. Treating people with smoking-related illnesses takes £3bn from the NHS and social care funding pot.

At a time when the country’s finances under intense pressure, smoking costs our economy £21.3 billion a year through lost earnings, unemployment and early death.

And it’ll also boost your finances – saving you £48 a week or £2,500 a year.

So, ready to quit? Get in touch with your Stop Smoking team today.

• If you live in Hull, call Smokefree Hull on 01482 977617
• Residents in the East Riding should contact East Riding Stop Smoking Services on 0330 236 9102
• Call North East Lincolnshire Wellbeing Service on 01472 325 500 if you live in Grimsby
• And people in Scunthorpe should contact North Lincolnshire Healthy Lifestyle Service on 01724 298 212

You can also access the NHS Quit Smoking app, a Personal Quit Plan, 28-day email programme and advice on stop smoking aids from NHS Better Health.

At NHS Humber Health Partnership we’re proud to say that we employ hugely talented people from across the globe – 112 different nationalities to be precise!

And, while we value and appreciate every single person, no matter where they hail from, as today is NHS Overseas Workers Day we wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of all those who have travelled to our area to help care for you.

They bring a wealth of skills and experience in everything from clinical care to developing others – and we don’t know where we’d be without them.

We hope you’ll join us in thanking every single member of staff for their ongoing dedication and commitment in helping to make our communities better.

Their stories

Valerie, our head of Occupational Development, Inclusion and Wellbeing is originally from Lyon, France, but first came to the Humber region in the 1990s, studying in Hull.

It’s fair to say that she has a real passion for learning and inclusion – both in work and in her personal life – enjoying spending her free time studying foreign languages, spirituality, philosophy, and religion, when she’s not tending her fully-organic allotment or spending time with her family that is!

That love of learning and helping others to develop has also helped to shape her career.

She said: “I moved to the UK in 1998 and after working a few years in the export and import sector and international logistics, I realised I was enjoying training and development a lot.

“At the same time, I developed a fascination for tech and the boom of the internet offered me opportunities in online education and instructional design.”

Her career took her into leading on e-learning for Centrica, moving onto project management for HT and programme management for leadership development; before taking on senior Learning and Development and coaching roles in the wealth management and banking sector in Canary Wharf, London.

Valerie added: “I then moved to Lincoln and after taking a career break to raise my twins, I worked for local government services, before joining the NHS in 2021 as an OD business partner.

“I initially started working for NLaG in 2023 as Head of OD Inclusion and Wellbeing and grow a team of professionals to support culture transformation in the Trust and provide support to staff so that we build an environment where they thrive. What a great opportunity to make your mark isn’t it? I continue to strive to bring that change to the partnership since it was formed a year ago.

“People are our number one asset. I like the diversity of the people who work in the NHS best. I feel that the entire world is represented in all professions here and I see this as a great competitive advantage, to harness the richness of talent, ideas and innovation that people from all cultures and all backgrounds bring to the Partnership.”

It’s hugely important to us that we help our teams to grow and develop – taking on new challenges and achieving their career goals.

So, despite being very sad to see him leave us, we’re immensely proud that working for NHS Humber Health Partnership has helped talented Registered Nurse Ihsan Ullah take on his dream role in research.

Originally from Pakistan, Ihsan graduated with a nursing degree in 2007 and went on to achieve a PhD in Medical Sociology, joining Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust in January 2024 working in Emergency Care.

He said: “My aspiration has always been to progress in my career as a researcher, and I am fortunate to have been appointed to a research role by the Noclor Research Office in London, which I will be joining soon. However, NLaG will always hold a special place in my professional journey, and I will never forget the experiences and support I have received here. I have greatly appreciated the initial efforts of the Practice and Development team, as well as the support from the team on the Integrated Acute Assessment Unit and Same Day Emergency Care unit.

“What I like the most here is the emphasis on continuous professional development, the strong sense of teamwork, the supportive management, and the recognition of individual contributions. These aspects create a positive and motivating work environment.”

A passion for caring for others runs in the family for Nutritional Support Nurse, Esther Okochi.

Originally from Nigeria, her grandmother, mother and aunt were all nurses.

She said: “Growing up amidst these lovely and caring individuals in the noble profession of nursing attracted me to the career.

“Being a nurse myself for 16 years now, has also taught me to be more kind, empathetic and to be more diligent, and has afforded me the opportunity to meet a host of beautiful people from different walks of life. It has also opened me to a plethora of opportunities that I am forever grateful for.”

Esther graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing Science degree and qualified as a Registered Nurse in 2009, before taking on a role as a Nurse Tutor in the school of nursing. From 2011 she moved into clinical roles, working in medical, surgical and orthopaedic wards, along with obstetrics and gynaecology and community nursing.

The busy mum-of-four – who also loves singing, dancing, reading and cooking, as well as creating social media content – took the plunge to move to the UK in 2003, initially working on the Stroke unit.

She said: “I came upon an advert for the Trust and saw that the values aligned with my personal values. Not only that, but I watched the testimonials from other internationally educated staff; Nurses and Doctors. Their shared experiences made me feel at ease, also made me aware that the Trust has its staff well-being at heart. I applied, was fortunate to get a job in the Trust.

“Honestly, I will say I have met some incredible people since working here who have shown me kindness, ready to help to ensure there is professional development and career advancement which for me is vital to attaining job satisfaction, and self-actualization – so I say a big thank you to all the wonderful teams making this happen.”

Although moving to another country and adapting to a different healthcare system has been a challenge, since joining us in 2020 Odunola has soared.

She said: “NHS Humber Health Partnership stood out to me because of its reputation for supporting international healthcare workers and the opportunities available for training and career progression.

“I came here in October 2020 as a dedicated International Professional, with a passion for using my expertise and dedicating myself to patient care. I have worked in Ward 22, the Endoscopy Unit and I am now part of the Occupational Health Department.

“I have been a qualified Professional Nurse Advocate since two years ago and I am proud to be a source of encouragement and support to patients and colleagues.

“Beyond my professional role I have integrated into the local community, building meaningful and lasting relationships.

“What I like best about working here is the warm and inclusive culture, genuine care for staff wellbeing, the commitment to professional development and the diverse and collaborative work environment.”

Originally from Nigeria, Olu was drawn to a career in occupational health nursing because of her “passion for making a real impact in people’s lives—both in their health and their workplace experience.”

She said: “I have always believed that work should be a place where people can thrive, not just survive. The idea of promoting health, preventing illness, and ensuring a safe and supportive working environment deeply resonates with me.

“I love my Job – it is more than just a role; it’s a chance to support people, drive change, and ensure that everyone has the care they need to stay happy, healthy, and productive at work.
And I absolutely love the fact that i have a manager that shares the same vision.

“Beyond work, I’m a proud mum of two energetic boys—a full-time job I absolutely love! I also enjoy cooking because the men in my life sure love to eat.”

Cervical cancer screening rates in Humber and North Yorkshire are now among the highest in the country thanks to the commitment and dedication of a Hull screening team.

More than 72pc of women aged 25 to 49 and almost 77pc of women aged 50 to 64 attended cervical screening appointments last year, much higher than the national average of 67.5pc and 74.9pc.

As well as being the highest in the region, Humber and North Yorkshire’s figures are higher than attendances in the North East and Yorkshire at 70.5pc and 76pc, South Yorkshire at 70.4pc and 75.8pc and 67.7pc and 75.9pc in West Yorkshire.

Now, the Colposcopy Team at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital have been credited with the increase in attendance rates thanks to their #smearnotfear campaign to encourage women to keep smear test appointments.

Lisa Pearce, Operations Director for Family Services, said: “This amazing achievement is due to the effort and commitment the team has given to the development of the #smearnotfear campaign over the years.

“They have shown dedication to the cause and to women’s health in our area. Not only did they have the foresight to start up the campaign, they’ve kept the momentum going.”

The #smearnotfear campaign was launched by Nurse Colposcopist Sarah Bolton and her team in 2017. Since then, the team holds events in their own time to raise awareness including lighting up the hospital in teal, the colour associated with cervical cancer awareness, and attended major events including Hull Pride, Hull Freedom Festival, rugby matches and sporting events.

They’ve set up their own social media pages, released videos on TikTok including one video which attracted 4,500 views in two hours and supported targeted messaging to encourage Polish and Romanian women now living in Hull to have smear tests.

Sarah Bolton said: “Before we started #smearnotfear, our cervical screening rates were one of the lowest in the country despite the area having some of the highest rates of cervical cancer.

“We knew we had to do something to get the message out about the importance of coming for smear tests.

“We visit schools, colleges and health centres when we’ve got days off work to spread the word and it seems to be working. We love our jobs and our women and we’re so glad it’s making a difference.”

Women in East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire are being urged to attend breast screening appointments to help reduce deaths from cancer.

 Around 1,300 lives are saved every year because those women take up the invitation to attend breast screening appointments when letters arrive on their doorsteps.

 Although breast cancer is the second highest cause of cancer deaths in women, screening reveals problems early, with 98pc of woman diagnosed with breast cancer at this stage surviving five years and beyond.

Yet, uptake by women aged 50 to 53 is as low as six per cent at some GP practices in our area. Women from Black, South Asian and Eastern European communities are also less likely to attend their appointments so the team are sharing exactly what happens during screening to remove all uncertainty.

 Lesley Peacock, Programme Manager for Humberside Breast Screening Service, said: “Now is the time for women to prioritise their own health and come for breast screening.

 “Women have nothing to fear from attending their appointments. In fact, it can save their lives.

 “The vast majority of women we see show no sign of cancer, so it’s reassurance every three years. However, our equipment detects signs far earlier than women may feel a lump and it’s that early diagnosis which is your best chance of survival if you are one of the tiny number who do have breast cancer.”

 You’ll receive your letter to attend your first breast screening sometime around your 50^th birthday. You’ll then be recalled every three years until your 71^st birthday.

 Screening takes place in mobile screening vans, similar in size to portable cabins, in community venues including Bridlington Hospital, Lakeside shopping Centre in Scunthorpe and others soon to be moving to Holme on Spalding Moore Village Hall and St Hugh’s Hospital, Grimsby.

 Once inside, your details will be checked by the screening team and you’ll be shown to a cubicle to remove clothes from your top half, including your bra. A female mammographer will then take you to the room containing the screening equipment and will assist you by placing your breast in a plate while you stand still.

 The plates will come together to provide accurate images of your breast and while you may feel slight discomfort, it is not painful. Images will then be taken of each breast, with the process normally completed in 10 minutes from start to finish.

 The Humberside team is backing NHS England’s ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign to encourage women in England to attend their breast screening appointments when invited.

 Lesley said: ”We are providing all women with clear information about what will happen when they come for screening to remove all uncertainty over what will happen during appointments.

“It’s over in a matter of minutes, any discomfort you may feel is over in seconds but it could mean the difference between you living to see your grandchildren grow up or leaving your loved ones to cope alone.

 “This is about women coming together, supporting each other and prioritising their own health so they attend their breast screening when invited.”

Patients will play a key role in a new accreditation programme rolling out across NHS Humber Health Partnership.

A commitment to excellence (ACE), which starts in March, will set high standards for patients receiving treatment at Castle Hill, Goole, Grimsby, Hull and Scunthorpe hospitals.

Patients will be asked directly about their experience as part of the scheme which will see wards and departments awarded ‘red’, ‘amber’ or ‘green’ ratings for the quality of care provided.

Areas will be reviewed against a set of key quality standards including infection prevention and control, nutrition and hydration and safeguarding.

As well as speaking to patients about their experience, the visits will see patients’ documentation reviewed, discussions with managers, observations of staff delivering care and evaluations of the environment.

Areas that excel and maintain a green ‘significant assurance’ rating over a two-year period (three consecutive visits) will be celebrated and recognised as achieving ‘full assurance’ status.

Amanda Stanford, Group Chief Nurse, said: “It’s absolutely right that patients are at the heart of this new assurance programme. The aim is to bring a new set of standards across our five hospitals, giving us continuous assurance that the quality of care our patients receive is in line with best practice. It will enable us to identify any areas of concern as well as celebrate areas of excellence. We’re asking our staff and patients to embrace these visits to ultimately help us to provide the very best care to our local population.”

ACE will provide ward-to-board assurance on the quality of care, demonstrate compliance with key standards and identify themes for improvement to support shared priorities and learning.

It’s been revealed a quarter of medicines dispensed by hospital pharmacies at NHS Humber Health Partnership (NHSHHP) are for medication patients are already taking before they arrive for treatment.

NHS HHP runs the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, Scunthorpe General Hospital, Goole and District Hospital, Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital.

Patients packing a bag for a planned hospital stay are being urged to include any current medications and prescriptions.

Other items patients are encouraged to bring with them include toiletries, hearing aids, glasses, nightwear, emergency contact details and books/magazines.
Jo Goode, Group Chief Pharmacist for NHS HHP, said: “By not bringing their current medication with them, patients not only risk interrupting their regular medication doses, which could have serious consequences on their long-term condition or treatment, but they’re also unnecessarily costing the NHS money.”

Patients not bringing their own medication in with them is estimated to cost NHS HHP thousands of pounds every week. A recent audit of patients at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLaG), which runs hospitals in Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Goole, highlighted potential savings of £6,000 a week simply by patients bringing their existing medication in with them – that means patients at NLaG alone could help save up to £24,000 a month and £312,000 over the course of a year.

At Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust a recent audit carried our during Diabetes and Insulin Safety Awareness Week found that if patients brought their insulin pens into the hospital and hospital teams managed this medication more efficiently, savings of up to £2,000 each week could be made on insulin supplies alone.

Jo continued: “If you’ve got an operation or procedure coming up, where you need to stay overnight with us, I’d urge you to pack any tablets, liquids, drops, creams or ointments that you’re currently prescribed and may need. By doing so you’ll be looking after your own long-term health and helping your local NHS to save money too.”

Nurses at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital are using clinical simulation to learn new ways of helping patients who become sicker in hospital.

 Special training events are being held in the Clinical Skills building in the grounds of Hull Royal Infirmary to help nurses who may encounter deterioration in their patients.

 The Nurse Training and Simulation sessions allow clinical staff to practice five different scenarios they may face during their shifts, such as a patient developing the potentially deadly condition sepsis, using mannequins in a mock hospital ward in the training suite.

Donna Gotts

Donna Gotts, Sepsis Specialist Nurse at NHS Humber Health Partnership, said: “Any unwell patient needs to be recognised quickly, no matter what the cause is.

 “We’re putting a massive emphasis on taking observations because they’re our first sign and red flag warning of a potential problem.

 “Observations can be seen as a mundane task given to junior staff but the reality is it’s a clinical assessment. It’s not just about doing it properly, it’s about understanding and interpreting what the readings mean, say, when there’s a change in respiratory rate.”

 As well as refresher training covering observations and how they highlight deterioration in patients, the training sessions also cover recent changes to sepsis guidance, showing staff warning signs of sepsis, how to voice concerns and the steps to take to escalate to the medical team.

  “It’s about giving people time to step back and think about patient care while giving them the confidence to know what to do, how to act and when to escalate to medical staff,” Donna said.

 “These training sessions are an open, honest and safe environment where no question is a silly question, mistakes can be made and shared and we all learn from each other.”

Kirsty Stephenson

Kirsty Stephenson, Nursing Simulation Fellow, has designed the training programme and has run sessions with registered nurses since November, with a view to extending the training to other staff groups.

 She said: “We’ve created different scenarios based on what a registered nurse may encounter, how to recognise signs of deterioration in patients and how to respond.

 “These training sessions enable staff to learn in safe environments, helping them understand why we do the basics like observations.

“It’s getting them to not just do the observations but to think deeper about what might be going on with their patient.”

Hundreds of people of all ages and backgrounds attended a special event at Castle Hill Hospital last night to learn about nursing careers and apprenticeships in the NHS.

The Apprenticeship team at NHS Humber Health Partnership had planned to see around 150 people interested in joining one of three different routes for apprentices into nursing careers.

However, more than 300 people from school leavers to older people seeking a new career direction attended the two-hour drop-in at the new Learning and Innovation Centre at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham.

Anne Burdis, Widening Participation Manager, said the event, held as part of National Apprenticeship Week, surpassed all expectations and was an overwhelming success.

She said: “We’d expected around 60 people last year and 150 turned up and we were absolutely delighted. We were expecting the same again this year but we’d more than 300 people coming with their friends, parents and family members to find out about apprenticeships.

“We’d so many people, we’d to introduce a queuing system so we could help everyone who turned up.

“While we had many people asking about our nursing apprenticeships, we’d lots of people asking about other clinical roles like midwifery and operating department practitioners and paramedics as well as lots asking about non-clinical roles in the NHS.”

The group, which runs Hull Royal Infirmary, Castle Hill Hospital, Goole Hospital, Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby and Scunthorpe General, currently employs around 450 people studying towards an apprenticeship of some level in areas such as nursing, therapies, estates and facilities.

Four apprenticeship routes are offered for those interested in nursing careers in conjunction with Hull College, North Lindsay College and the University of Hull – Trainee Nursing Associates, a Registered Nurse degree programme and Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships for Health Care Support Workers.

The event was held to encourage people to apply for the new intake of apprenticeships starting in September, with around 15 places for each nursing apprenticeship cohort.

Claire Pick and Pearl Armstrong, both Education and Development Advisors in the team, linked up with 40 schools and colleges in the area and worked with Cornerstone, a Hull-based organisation supporting young people, to publicise the apprenticeship programme ahead of the event and produced a special guide for the first time to help parents and guardians support a young person through an apprenticeship.

Practice Development Matron Natalie Hall said apprentices currently enrolled in the nursing programme also attended the event to help speak to people keen to follow in their footsteps.

Natalie said: “We’d our younger apprentices speaking to school leavers and college students about their experience while some of our older apprentices were able to speak to people looking for a change in career or to move into nursing from an existing NHS role.

“We’re really happy with how the event went and we’d like to thank everyone who dedicated their time to making the night such a success.”

The next stage in the process is for people to apply for the places ahead of the new intake in the autumn.

Visit Apprentices – join.humberhealthpartnership.nhs.uk to find out more.

Help is at hand for parents of young people looking to embark on NHS apprenticeships.

In a first for the region’s hospitals, NHS Humber Health Partnership has launched a new Parents Guide to Apprenticeships during National Apprenticeship Week, 10-16 February 2025.

The guide is designed to help parents, carers and guardians better understand what’s involved in an apprenticeship and provide key information to help with decision-making, such as educational entry requirements, financial support and how family benefits may be affected.

Anne Burdis, Widening Participation Manager, says:

“We have been providing hospital-based apprenticeship opportunities in Hull for over ten years now, and in that time, we’ve come to realise just how important it is for parents and guardians to be a part of a young person’s apprenticeship journey.

“Aspiring apprentices usually have a number of key questions around qualifications, time commitment and so on, but the questions which parents and guardians have are often very different.

“With support from our own apprentices, training providers and through discussion with parents at careers events, we have devised our own parents guide to provide quick and easy access to advice and further sources of information.  We want this to be helpful for the whole family in understanding what’s involved in a hospital-based apprenticeship and where more help can be found if required.”

The 12-page guide, which also contains tips, background information and answers to some of parents’ most frequently asked questions, is available online at https://hey-nhs.pagetiger.com/HHPParentsGuide/1

It will also be presented to parents and carers this week as part of a special webinar hosted by the Hull and East Riding Business Growth and Skills Hub. On Thursday 13^th February, parents and carers will hear from Hull Hospitals staff as well as some of the region’s other large employers and apprenticeship champions, such as BAE Systems, Siemens, Sewells, and Cranswick Foods.

Katherine Bosanquet, Training and Development Manager, says:

“The guide contains some of the core information about apprenticeships which both apprentices and their parents or guardians will want to refer back to, as well as some of the handy stuff to know, like how to get a NUS card and how having an apprentice in the household can affect council tax or child benefits.

“As an employer of some 17,000 people across the region, we recognise the importance of ‘growing our own’ and we’re proud to have a really strong track record of supporting both new recruits and existing staff through apprenticeship training.

“Our parents guide is being published this week alongside a further guide for managers to ensure we can support our new and aspiring apprentices as far as possible.”

Hospital infection expects are advising people to stay away from hospital if they have symptoms of a highly contagious virus. 

Hospitals around the country are seeing patients with norovirus, which causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pain.

 Also known as the ‘winter vomiting bug’ because of its prevalence during the colder months, Norovirus can affect people of all ages and thrives in closed environments such as hospitals, care homes and schools. Older or frail people and those with underlying health conditions are at particular risk from Norovirus.

 Now, the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) team at NHS Humber Health Partnership, which runs Hull Royal Infirmary, Castle Hill Hospital, Goole Hospital, Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital and Scunthorpe General, is advising people to stay away from any hospital or care facility if they have any symptoms or are feeling unwell.

 Assistant Chief Nurse Wendy Millard, Deputy Director of IPC, said: “By taking simple precautions like washing your hands after using the bathroom and before eating or preparing food can prevent you catching the virus in the first place.

“And if you do have any symptoms or feel unwell for any other reason, please help us by staying away from our hospitals and not visiting relatives or loved ones until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped.

“If you have a hospital appointment but develop symptoms, please contact the number on your appointment letter to reschedule.”

The virus is transmitted by consuming contaminated food or water, touching contaminated surfaces or coming into close contact with someone already infected with Norovirus. It is resilient and can survive on surfaces for days or even weeks, which makes it easy to spread from person to person.

Symptoms including the sudden onset of nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps, low-grade fever and muscle pain usually start within 12 to 48 hours of coming into contact with the virus and can last for one to three days.

Although most normally healthy people recover without medical treatment, the illness can be severe for young children, older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems due to the risk of dehydration.