Women with abnormal smear tests are ending relationships because they wrongly believe their partner has cheated on them, a specialist nurse has revealed.

Nurse colposcopist Sarah Bolton said some mistakenly suspect their partners have been unfaithful after discovering they have the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

Others fear they have full-blown cancer or a form of HIV because of similarities between the initials despite there being no connection between the two viruses.

Now, Sarah has prepared a list of frequently asked questions to help woman invited for a colposcopy by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as part of the team’s #SmearNotFear campaign.

“My appointments last around 30 minutes and the majority of that time is spent unravelling misconceptions,” said Sarah. “I think it’s important to give the women the facts so they know exactly why they need to come for a colposcopy.

“Some people think they’ve got HIV and lots think they have cancer because they’re convinced they’ve got the symptoms they’ve found on Google.

“I’ve known women to end their relationships because they think their partner has been unfaithful. Others have been accused by their partners of cheating.

“I’ve even had an older woman with HPV who thought it meant her husband, who had died shortly before, had been with someone else without her knowing.”

Hull has high numbers of abnormal smear results thought to be linked to the city’s high smoking rates and because women become sexually active at a younger age than other parts of the country.

The team run a #SmearNotFear campaign on Facebook and Twitter, using the teal colour used to highlight cervical cancer in the same way as pink ribbons highlight breast cancer. The team hand out lollipops at public events to turn tongues teal as part of their campaign to raise awareness and encourage women to attend appointments as part of the National Cervical Screening Programme.

In a survey of patients using the service in June and July, 100 per cent of women who responded said they found the staff polite and helpful, they felt welcome, their privacy and dignity was maintained during their visit and they would recommend the service to their family and friends.

Some smears show up HPV which can cause precancerous cells to develop on the cervix and the women are referred to Hull Women and Children’s Hospital for a colposcopy to prevent the cells mutating into cervical cancer.

HPV is transmitted by sexual intercourse although it can be passed from person to person through intimate contact alone.

However, HPV is a very common infection carried by eight in every 10 people with active sex lives. You can also have it for weeks, months or years without you even realising or experiencing problems.

Sarah said: “You or your partner could have contracted it before you met each other and you wouldn’t know as it can lie dormant for weeks, months and even years.

“It’s only if the virus causes the cells around your cervix to change that it will be picked up during a smear test. However, HPV is not the only reason for the cells to change.

“Having a baby or getting the coil fitted can also cause abnormal cells which require further examination through a colposcopy.”

Sarah Bolton receives her award at the Golden Hearts event earlier this year

Sarah, who became a gynaecology staff nurse in 1994, is one of just 400 Nurse Colposcopists in the country, trained to perform the tests previously only carried out by consultant gynaecologists.

She studied at the University of Huddersfield and gained practical experience at Birmingham Women and Children’s Hospital before qualifying in 2012, working alongside the Hull trust’s team of five consultant gynaecologists.

Sarah’s dedication to her role was recognised in the trust’s Golden Hearts Awards earlier this year when she was named Outstanding Individual of the Year (Nursing and Midwifery).

She sees around 55 women at her six clinics held at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital every week, many of them fearing they have cancer because they’ve been told their smear rest has shown abnormalities.

If the colposcopy does confirm precancerous cells, Sarah is able to remove the abnormality under local anaesthetic to remove the risk of cancer developing in the future.

She said: “It’s very rare that I see women with cervical cancer and what I would say to women is this is all about health prevention.

“It’s essential they come for their appointments to prevent problems developing in the future.

“I always answer any questions to put their minds at ease because I understand how anxious they are feeling.

“But having the correct facts and not leaping to conclusions can make all the difference.”

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has received a Silver Award under the Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) for its work supporting the Armed Forces.

The ERS was launched to reward employers who support Defence People objectives and encourage others to exhibit the same behaviours.

Now, the trust will be presented with the Silver Award at a ceremony at the Guildhall in Hull in November.

Chief Executive Chris Long said: “I am very proud that our organisation is to be presented with the Silver Award from the Armed Forces.

“Our staff are committed to ensuring Armed Forces personnel, reservists and veterans can access high-quality health care when they need it. We are also proud to have a number of reservists working in the organisation.

“We value what they do for this country and the health care of our Armed Forces will always be a priority for our trust.”

Chief Executive Chris Long

The trust already held the Bronze Award for its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant and will receive the Silver Award at a black tie ceremony on November 22.

As a Silver Award employer, the trust will be entitled to carry the livery on its stationery and in all its publications.

Operations director Michelle Kemp said: “We were determined to build on the success of the Bronze Award we already held and it’s a great honour to receive the Silver Award.

“Our staff are trained to understand the needs of serving personnel and their families and we will continue to work with our Armed Forces colleagues to ensure we continue to improve our service.”

Tobias Ellwood, Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans, said the award recognised the “fantastic efforts” of the trust and other employers who had elevated their commitments under the Armed Forces Covenant to provide actual benefit to the Armed Forces Community.

He said: “The winners should all be proud of the life-changing impact and fresh opportunities they are providing to our reservists, veterans, wounded, injured and sick and their families.”

A volunteer helping patients coming for NHS appointments is facing a £300 bill after a thief stole his bike chained up outside Castle Hill Hospital.

David Walker, 66, has given up his Friday afternoons to greet patients arriving at the hospital’s main reception for almost five years.

However, he walked out of the hospital at the end of his shift to discover his bike had been stolen from the cycle shelter outside the main reception.

Mr Walker said: “I often go into town on errands and I suppose I could understand if this had happened in the middle of town.

“But I couldn’t believe that it would happen outside Castle Hill Hospital in the middle of the day.”

Mr Walker started volunteering for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust after retiring from his job as a heavy goods mechanic in April 2014.

He cycled the 20-minute journey from his home in Anlaby to help out at the hospital most Fridays, except when bad weather forced him to catch the bus.

He was devastated earlier this year when fellow volunteer and friend John Haines died of cancer, ending a great double act which had entertained visitors, patients and staff arriving at the hospital for years.

Now, he is facing the prospect of shelling out to replace his black Trek 1000 hybrid bike after the thief cut through the security chain attaching it to the rail.

Mr Walker said: “I had walked out about 3.30pm and saw a mountain bike lying on the ground. I thought that was a bit odd and then I noticed my bike was gone.

“I couldn’t believe that someone would steal a bike from right outside a hospital.

“I’ve contacted the police and I know the trust’s security staff is trying to see if there’s any CCTV footage.”

The theft took place on Friday, August 31, sometime between 12 and 3,30pm outside the main entrance to Castle Hill Hospital. Anyone with information or who can help Mr Walker should contact the trust’s communications team on 01482 675556.

Heart patients needing aortic valve replacements will be able to undergo the treatment at Castle Hill Hospital from the start of next year.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been commissioned by NHS England to set up Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) following a review of services for patients living in Yorkshire and the Humber.

The TAVI service means people in Hull, the East Riding, North Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire will be able to undergo the procedure closer to home and will no longer face journeys to Sheffield or Leeds for treatment.

Trust chief executive Chris Long said: “Becoming the third TAVI centre in the region further underlines our reputation for excellence in the field of cardiology and is great news, not just for us but for our patients.

“The centre will be located here after some inequality of access was noted during a review of the service by NHS England. Patients from this area were experiencing delays in accessing treatment compared to those in West and South Yorkshire.

“Having a TAVI centre here means patients will no longer have to travel to other parts of Yorkshire for treatment which can make such a difference to their lives.”

Dr Michael Gregory, NHS England’s Regional Clinical Director for Specialised Commissioning in the North, said: “NHS England is pleased to support the commissioning of a new Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) centre in Hull.

“It is the third such centre in Yorkshire and the Humber, alongside Leeds and Sheffield, and will improve access and reduce travel out of the area for local patients who require this specialised service.”

Patients with aortic valve disease can experience angina, shortness of breath, fainting or dizziness although some may not have symptoms at first.

As symptoms worsen, they require aortic valve replacements and those who are not considered suitable for major heart surgery will undergo the TAVI procedure instead.

Performed under a local or general anaesthetic, a catheter or hollow tube with a balloon on the tip is inserted into an artery in the upper leg or chest. The catheter is then passed into the heart and is positioned near the opening of the aortic valve.

The balloon is inflated to create space for a new tissue valve, which is then put in position and expanded.

The procedure puts less strain on the body as the heart does not need to be stopped and placed on bypass. It also avoids people having a large cut on their chests and can mean people recover more quickly than if they had undergone conventional surgery.

The trust is expected to introduce the TAVI service for some patients by January, with the centre becoming fully operational by 2020.

She appears on the ward mid-afternoon, bunting draped over a trolley loaded with brightly coloured plates and trays.

Sandwiches, cut into delicate triangles, a rainbow of fresh fruit, milkshakes, chocolate mousse and cheesecake create a mouth-watering feast. There’s even a cheese board, with the option of hard or soft cheese to enjoy with your crackers.

Afternoon tea at 2pm is ward nutritionist Michelle Priestley’s pride and joy.

Since her appointment in January, Ward 70 has seen its fundamental nursing standard for nutrition improve from red to green in the most recent audit.

“I never got told I was good at anything,” Michelle said. “But since I’ve been doing this, people have been saying ‘Wow’.

“I just really love it. I can see how it is helping patients get better and back home sooner.”

Michelle, 35, originally worked as a porter for almost nine years before leaving to bring up her three children.

Although she got a job in Asda, she wanted to return to the trust and applied in vain for every vacancy she thought might be suitable.

However, in January 2017, she was taken on as a health care assistant helping out on the winter ward, a temporary post for four months.

“It was a bit of a risk to take the job,” she said. “I was giving up a permanent job for a temporary one but I worked really hard and was offered a permanent post at the end.”

A year later, Michelle was asked to take on the role of ward nutritionist, helping to improve Ward 70’s performance in the fundamental standards introduced by Chief Nurse Mike Wright. Michelle leapt at the chance.

Eight months on, the difference Michelle has made to patient care, alongside the passion she has for the role, is obvious, not least because the last audit saw the ward scoring green in the fundamental standard.

It’s approaching 8am and Michelle is an hour into her shift. She’s been in patient handover so she knows who is on the ward and who needs what.

Those with special nutritional needs have red trays and water jugs with red lids, an instant guide for staff. But Michelle also has her special white board.

She’s filling it in on the kitchen wall, marking essential information next to each patient’s name to help catering staff. The woman in that bay needs encouragement to eat, the man in the bay across the way likes big portions. No sugar for that patient because he’s diabetic.

You can see how this plays a part in patient safety and Michelle takes great care to ensure the board is accurate and up-to-date.

She loads up the toaster and stacks the slices on the plate covered by a napkin to keep them warm before heading out onto the ward.

Some of the patients on Ward 70, a general medical ward for diabetes and endocrinology complaints, have been here for a while. One has been here for 100 days and he’s lost a huge amount of weight. He’s Michelle’s “special project”, a man in danger of malnutrition, and she endeavours to tempt his palate every day, just to get him to eat something.

“This man is just fed up with the food because, every two weeks, it goes back to the same thing. I try to see what he would like. I do that with all the patients who say they don’t want to eat anything.”

She goes into his room. He’ll have two triangles of toast, he says. “Three?” asks Michelle. “Oh, go on then,” he says with a smile.

Michelle scours the different menus available in the trust every day, from the gluten-free diets to special diets for patients with kidney problems, to see if there’s anything she can source to tempt patients’ appetite. She even looks for children’s meals, offering plainer food like fish fingers and bangers and mash to older palates not tempted by macaroni Provencal or pasta carbonara.

“I use smaller plates for some patients so they’re not overwhelmed by the amount of food before them,” she says. “Sometimes, they won’t have a full sandwich but they might have a quarter.”

With meticulous attention to detail, Michelle records every drink and every mouthful of food a patient has, essential information for the dieticians, speech therapists and even the doctors.

“Staff nurses fill in the notes that the patient is eating and drinking well but I provide that precise and detailed information which I hope can help,” she says. “The SLT team say I’m good at knowing which patient is likely to require pureed meals now. When I think they’ll agree, I make sure I order in a pureed meal so it’s there for them in the freezer.”

She opens a cupboard to reveal her secret crisp stash. She can also obtain Mars Bars, taking the trouble to chop them up into tiny, bite-size pieces to help a patient improve their calorie intake. It’s all on the afternoon tea trolley.

Despite the pressures on her time during her 7am to 3pm shift, five days a week, Michelle always has time for her patients. A friendly and familiar face on the ward, they greet her by name. They are always pleased to see her.

“It’s hard because sometimes you can be on your knees but then I just think they’re the ones in the hospital bed so it’s for us to put a smile on our face,” she said.

One patient, who has been on the ward for one month, accepts the offer of toast. Michelle knows he’s got a healthy appetite so she makes sure he always has large portions.

“You can tell when she’s not working, especially at the weekend,” he says. “She makes a difference, that’s for sure.”

Michelle takes the orders for the lunches and dinners but her hours mean she’s often asking people with poor appetites what they want for their lunch the next day, seconds after they’ve struggled through that day’s offering.

“I know it’s off-putting for them and I hate doing that,” says Michelle. “As there is only me doing the role at the moment, I like to get the orders in and away before I finish.”

It’s the individualised care Michelle offers that is improving patient care on Ward 70. Not only is she familiar with her patients’ requirements, Michelle sits by their bedside, taking the time and trouble to coax them with every forkful. Sometimes, she works with four patients at a time, flitting from one bed to the next then back again.

As well as providing the nutritional shakes which build up frailer patients, Michelle has used the outside world as her inspiration for her famous afternoon tea trolley.

“I took my Nanna to Morrison’s one day and I saw how the older people seemed to love a smaller sandwich with a few crisps on their plates,” she said. “I thought I’d do that and people seem to like it.”

Two frontline nurses are spearheading a drive to make Hull’s A&E department a friendlier place for patients with dementia and their families.

Carers are now able to stay with relatives when they are rushed to the Emergency Department at Hull Royal Infirmary after staff nurses Lisa Branston and Beca Trewhitt made it their mission to improve the experience for patients and their families.

Families are also asked to list their relative’s likes and dislikes, what makes them anxious, what equipment they need such as glasses or walking sticks and what staff can do to make the patient feel safer and less anxious during their stay in hospital.

The questionnaire is then passed on to other departments and wards in Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and is kept on file for future reference if they need to be brought to hospital again.

Beca Trewhitt and Lisa Branston with their questionnaire

Lisa, who has worked at the trust for four years, said: “In the past, relatives would often say they felt like no one was telling them anything because we were busy delivering the care while they were in the waiting area.

“We’ve also had patients brought in from care homes with no one with them so we don’t know anything about their needs and just had to work it out.

“We realised having relatives with their loved ones helped not just our patients feel less anxious, the relatives were involved in helping our staff look after their loved one.

“Asking the questions as soon as they arrive at hospital means ED can pass on vital information to other wards and departments so the patient and family have the very best experience we can offer.”

The Butterfly Scheme, where patients living with dementia are identified by a butterfly on their notes, was also extended in ED.

Now, butterflies are drawn on the outside of rooms in the majors area and a butterfly sticker is placed on their wristband so staff can see instantly that the patient may be confused or anxious.

Beca said: “This means that nurses and health care assistants are immediately aware that the patient has dementia and will adapt their nursing skills accordingly.”

As well as answering the survey, families are also given an information pack explaining the system now in operation and including a list of dementia organisations and services, vital tips on keeping older people well and details of local support groups.

The nurses say allowing main carers to stay with patients, in line with best practice in John’s Campaign, is making a huge difference in the department, which has treated increasing numbers of frail and elderly patients this year.

Lisa said: “Usually, when we go into a patient’s cubicle, we will ask the family members to leave so we can carry out procedures. Identifying the main carer means we know they can stay with the patient and they are a great help in keeping them calmer.

“Sometimes, patients would become really anxious and try to clamber off the trolleys and the demands on the service mean we can’t stay by someone’s bed every minute they are in the department.

“The families are a massive help to us and they feel the benefit too because they’re playing an active role in their loved one’s care.”

Helen Hudson, Senior Matron in Emergency Medicine, said: “Coming into hospital can be an anxious time for everyone and that’s multiplied when it’s an emergency and is an unexpected admission.

“Lisa and Beca have instigated changes which will make a massive difference, not just to our patients but to their families as well. We’re very proud of them and thank them for work which can only enhance our service and patient care.”

Antenatal classes just for dads are being set up to ensure men are ready for the arrival of their new babies.

The HEY Baby team at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital is launching the special dads-only antenatal class at its Carousel event this month.

Midwife Melanie Lee, who is part of the HEY Baby team, said: “We want to show dads they have a crucial role to play right the way through their partners’ pregnancy, during labour and birth and right from the start of their baby’s life.

“In the past, men were resigned to waiting in corridors for their babies to be born and the hands-on practical tasks of bringing up a baby were mainly left to women.

“Thankfully, times have changed and men now play a much bigger part in their child’s life. These classes are all about equipping them with the skills and confidence they will need, especially in those first few weeks.”

The HEY Baby team will hold its first dads-only antenatal class at its Carousel event at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, September 26, between 6pm and 8pm.

Men wishing to attend the event should email hyp-tr.hey.baby@nhs.net to confirm their place.

Birth educators will talk them through their roles throughout their partners’ pregnancy, how they can ensure the best start in life for their baby by adopting healthy lifestyles with their partners such as taking up exercise, giving up smoking and eating more healthy foods.

They will be shown techniques for staying calm during labour, with midwives explaining what is likely to happen at each stage leading to the birth of their baby.

They will also be given practical demonstrations of changing a nappy, how to help their baby to sleep safely and what they can do to support their partners in those first few days and weeks.

Infant feeding co-ordinators will also explain how a man can assist the baby’s mother, even if she is breast-feeding, by getting her everything she needs to feed their baby.

Melanie Lee said: “It’s about giving the man confidence to care for their baby as soon as they are born, from that very first minute.

“We will talk to them about any anxiety they feel in the run-up to the birth in a safe environment where they will be with other men who are likely to be feeling the same emotions.

“We’re here to help the fathers as well as the mothers as bringing up a baby is a joint effort.”

Epilepsy nurse specialist, Karen Evans, bows out after 40 years’ service to the NHS

The country’s first Sapphire Nurse has retired from her role at Hull Royal Infirmary.

Karen Evans, Epilepsy Nurse Specialist, has completed her last clinic and said farewell to colleagues after 40 years’ service in the NHS.

Karen started her career at St Thomas’ Hospital in London in 1978, and after a spell working in Birmingham, moved to Hull in 1993 with her consultant neuro-radiologist husband, Chris.

In 1995, Karen was appointed as the first of twelve new ‘Sapphire Nurses’, pump primed by the charity, Epilepsy Action, to further improve the quality of care provided to people with epilepsy across the country.

The term ‘sapphire’ was chosen to mark Epilepsy Action’s 45^th anniversary which the charity celebrated in 1995.

Sapphire Nurses provide important services to patients such as specialist epilepsy clinics, advice and counselling. They also work to develop better understanding of epilepsy throughout the health service, as well as among education providers and employers.

The longest serving staff member in Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s neurology department, Karen has been described by colleagues as ‘enormously important’ to the service and her contribution to epilepsy care is said to have been ‘immeasurable’.

Karen was presented with flowers and leaving gifts including a pair of Whitby Jet earrings from her co-workers.

Karen said: “I’ve enjoyed my time working in Hull and I have lots of special memories, but I’m happy to be moving on with my life.

“I’ll miss the people, the company and the intellectual stimulation, although I’m a very resourceful person so I’ll be sure to find something else!”

But Karen won’t be taking it easy just yet; she already has plenty lined up for the coming months including an upholstery course and trips to Rotterdam and Peru. Karen also took up cycling in 2011 and, having previously taken part in Coast to Coast and London to Paris cycle rides, she intends to spend a fair proportion of her time on two wheels too.

Seriously ill patients are to be protected from bad weather after a new £80,000 canopy built over the entrance to Hull Royal Infirmary’s Emergency Department.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has commissioned the bespoke polycarbonate and steel structure to shelter patients from wind, rain and snow as they arrive in ambulances.

Duncan Taylor, Director of Estates, Facilities and Development, said: “Our main aim is to protect patients coming out of ambulances into the hospital.

“The last thing we want is for our poorly patients to be unloaded from ambulances and exposed to torrential rain and high winds so this new canopy provides some shelter.

“It’s also protection for health staff as they go about their jobs so it’s an improvement for everyone.”

The canopy was designed by Sussex-based firm Fordingbridge to the trust’s specifications and is a self-supporting structure built on a concrete foundation laid around 900mm underneath the tarmac.

Crews from Yorkshire Ambulance Service will be able to drive right up to the back entrance of the Emergency Department, with patients sheltered from the elements from the moment the back doors of the vehicles are opened.

Mr Taylor said: “The new canopy also means patients who have to be taken out of the department for MRI scans will also be protected at the start of their journeys instead of being taken out into bad weather for essential treatment.

“This development is all about enhancing and improving the experience for our patients when they need to come into hospital.”