Families who have lost a baby are being invited to join in one of three special, regional remembrance events next month.

Reverend Harry Smart

To mark Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October), members of NHS Humber Health Partnership’s Pastoral and Spiritual Care Team have been working with SANDS, the Still Birth and Neonatal Death charity, and midwifery staff across the region’s hospitals to arrange a series of special services.

Anyone who has been touched by the loss of a baby, at any stage of life, is welcome to attend, as Rev. Harry Smart explains:

“For the majority of people, the arrival of a baby is a time of great joy and celebration, but sadly this is not always the case. The loss of a baby at any stage; before, during or after birth; can be devastating, not just for the immediate parents but for wider family and friends around them too.

“As baby loss is something our chaplains, our charity partners and our specialist midwifery teams support people with on a regular basis, we wanted to invite people to join us in a special service to remember their little ones and to find comfort and strength among those who have shared a similar experience.”

Joanne Milns

A total of three services will be held across both banks of the Humber; two in Hull and one in Scunthorpe. Each service will give families the opportunity for reflection and to give thanks.

Families will also be invited to light a candle and have their baby’s name read out during the service of remembrance.

Joanne Milns, from the Pastoral and Spiritual Care Team working across Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital says:

“No one can truly understand the grief caused by the loss of a child until they have lived that experience. It’s something that most people will carry with them for the rest of their lives, but many don’t feel able to talk about it or truly express how they feel.

“Our remembrance services will give local families and their loved ones the chance to grieve, to reflect and to remember in a safe and supportive space; everyone is welcome.

“We want families to know there is support and understanding out there; each one of those babies was precious, and they will never be forgotten in our hearts.”

Services will be held on both banks of the Humber as follows:

• HULL – Sunday 6 October

Horncastle Building, Hull College, Wilberforce Drive HU1 3DG.

Two separate services will be held at 1pm and 3pm.

Please book in advance by calling the bereavement team on 07990 800223.

Families will be a given a heart at the service upon which to write their baby’s name and it will be read out during the service.

• SCUNTHORPE – Sunday 13 October

St Lawrence’s Church, Church Lane, Scunthorpe DN15 7AB.

The service will begin at 4pm.

No booking necessary.

Families will be a given a heart at the service upon which to write their baby’s name and it will be read out during the service.

If you are unable to attend but would still like to have your baby’s name included in one of the service of remembrance roll-calls, please email

• Hull events: email Joanne.Milns@nhs.net
• Scunthorpe event: email Scunthorpe@sands.org.uk

Our specialist women’s health physiotherapy services are providing a vital lifeline for women previously too scared and embarrassed to leave their home.

Here at NHS Humber Health Partnership, which operates Scunthorpe General Hospital, Grimsby’s Diana Princess of Wales Hospital, Goole and District Hospital, Hull Royal Infirmary, Castle Hill Hospital and community services across northern Lincolnshire, our dedicated and highly skilled team of specialist pelvic health physiotherapy team provide the very best care for women with pelvic health problems.

The team are working with hundreds of women suffering with pelvic floor dysfunction which can leave them with urinary and faecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain and more.

As part of the new national perinatal pelvic health strategy (PPHS), we have recruited extra physiotherapists to help with the workload across our hospitals with further recruitment underway to support an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist. The aim of the PPHS is to provide focus on prevention, identification, and timely treatment for pelvic floor dysfunction during pregnancy and for at least 12 months after birth.

Helena Trought, who works at Scunthorpe and Grimsby hospitals, said: “This service makes such a difference to women and their quality of life. Women tell me it has given them a newfound confidence; they are able to leave the house without worrying about having an accident. One woman told me she could now go on holiday, wear a bikini, and get in the pool with her kids without the fear of embarrassing continence issues.”

Pelvic floor dysfunction is when the muscles or surrounding tissue are not working as they should do which can lead to faecal and urinary leakages when coughing, sneezing, laughing, running, or just standing up. It can also result in pelvic organ prolapse sexual dysfunction and more.

Physiotherapy helps retrain and strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and can improve or prevent the symptoms.

Helena said: “It is often perceived as an older person’s issue. However, the majority of women I see are young women and women who have suffered an injury during childbirth, which is when they are most vulnerable. I am also seeing teenagers who are experiencing problems.

“The main thing is for women to seek help and not sit in silence at home too scared to go out, too embarrassed to speak up and seek help from their care provider. I want to empower women to feel confident in their own bodies throughout their lifespan. I want women to be able to live their lives to the full and not be blighted by something which can be treated. They don’t have to live in isolation, or in pain both of which can impact on their mental health.”

Cleethorpes mum of one Laura gave birth to her daughter at Grimsby hospital last October during which she suffered a third-degree tear. She said: “My midwife was absolutely amazing, and I am still in touch with her today. She explained everything to me before I went to theatre for the tear to be repaired.

“I was slightly concerned about any lasting damage as I am a physically active person and exercise regularly, so I didn’t want to experience any incontinence or prolapses now or in the future. At my six-week check post birth my consultant referred me to Helena.

“She gave me pelvic floor exercises which I had to do in my own time, and I met regularly with her for treatment. She always updated me on my progress and being the competitive person I am I always wanted to keep improving. She kept reiterating how the exercises needed to become part of my everyday life moving forward.”

During her treatment, Laura did a range of pelvic floor exercises with the aim of strengthening the muscles. This is because the tear had affected her muscles and the way they contracted. At the start of her treatment there was minor strength on one side, and none on the other. Today, her pelvic floor muscles are back to normal and working as they should.

Laura added: “Helena took the time to get to know me, as well as my daughter as she was often with me at my appointments. She was a significant part of my recovery and I have to thank her for re-building my pelvic floor. She was so kind and considerate. At the end of my treatment, I felt some sadness as Helena had become part of my mothering life. I’ll forever be thankful to her. If any new mums out there get offered a women’s health physio, take it!. They’re superheroes.”

Nicole Haslam, another one of our specialist pelvic health physiotherapists who works in Hull, said: “I am privileged to work in this speciality and have spent many years developing my skills to best treat these ladies. Women’s health has for so long been a poor relation part of healthcare and I am passionate about spreading the word and helping women of all ages. Seeing the anxiety and worry visibly melt away as women are given the opportunity to explain their problems and really feel heard. The relief on their faces when they realise that someone actually hears what they are saying and understands their problems is probably the most satisfying aspect of my role.”

The service, which is provided at Grimsby, Scunthorpe, and Hull currently sees on average 130 women per week. Women can be referred in a number of ways including from urogynaecology, obstetrics, midwifery, nurse practitioners, other allied health professionals and by GPs. If you think the service could help you, then speak to your healthcare provider and ask for a referral.

The team works to help women with some of the most embarrassing and not talked about topics in health. They want to be able to help women live healthier lives, for longer.

Local people urged to confirm their wishes as the Organ Donor Register celebrates its 30^th birthday this year

Organ donors, recipients and healthcare staff are among those marking a very special anniversary today as national Organ Donation Week gets underway.

Since the national Organ Donor Register (ODR) was established in 1994, thousands of lives have been saved or transformed as a result of the kindness of others.

In the past 12 months alone, 76 transplants have taken place across the country thanks to organ donors from across Hull, East Yorkshire, North and North East Lincolnshire, and six of those recipients were children. That’s 76 lives which have been saved or changed for the better, and 76 families who have been gifted more time with their loves ones and the chance to make more memories thanks to people from our region.

As the country prepares to celebrate this significant milestone, specialist nurses are still urging people to be aware of the recent change in law around organ donation, and of the importance of discussing your thoughts with loved ones, should the worst happen.

Joanna Pancarowicz, specialist nurse for organ donation working across Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital says:

“The law around organ donation changed in England in 2020 to an ‘opt out’ system. Essentially, anyone who hasn’t registered a decision relating to organ donation is now considered as having no objection to becoming a donor, should the situation arise.

“Families are always consulted and have the final say. However, what we find, working with families, is that knowing their loved one’s decision can make an extremely difficult and heartbreaking situation slightly easier.”

Seventy-eight people across the Humber region are currently waiting for a transplant, and while 158,000 people in our area have already confirmed their wishes via the organ donor register, there are still hundreds of thousands of local people yet to record their views.

Helen Russell, specialist nurse for organ donation across Hull Hospitals says:

“Whether you opt in or opt out from becoming an organ or tissue donor, the most important thing is for your family and loved ones to be clear on your wishes.

“Death and dying are not something people talk about but in circumstances like this, it’s so important.”

Lisa Cochrane, specialist nurse for organ donation working across Scunthorpe General Hospital and Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, adds:

“Organ donation is a gift like no other and while some people can wait years for a suitable donor, it is the generosity and kindness of ordinary people and their families which make it possible for us to bring light and bring hope into patients’ lives.

“Receiving a transplant can be truly life-changing, but unfortunately there are still too many people dying while they wait due to the lack of registered donors.

“This Organ Donation Week, please be sure to register your decision on the national Organ Donation website, but also to talk to family and friends about it. Should the worst happen, this could help to take a difficult decision out of their hands and potentially make a traumatic time just that little bit easier for your loved ones.”

In celebration of 30 years of organ donation, buildings across the country will be lit up to raise awareness of this important topic for the next seven days; locally, The Deep, Hull City Hall and the Maritime Museum in Hull’s Queen Victoria Square will be lighting up pink for the week.

Anyone who would like more information or who wishes to talk through any questions they have around organ donation is welcome to visit the specialist nurses in organ donation on Wednesday 25 September, when they will be hosting a stand within the main entrance to Hull Royal Infirmary throughout the day.

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant says:

“It’s brilliant of NHS Humber Health Partnership to show its support for Organ Donation Week in the year of the NHS Organ Donor Register’s 30th birthday.

“We need more people to add their name and decision to the NHS Organ Donor Register. This could be the difference between life and death for someone else.”

Confirm your decision at www.organdonation.nhs.uk or if you have the NHS app on your smartphone or tablet, you can also use this to record, check or amend your details and decision.

Organ Donation Week takes place from 23 – 29 September 2024.

Special hospital clinics will be set up from this week to offer a new vaccine at 28 weeks of pregnancy to protect babies from a potentially deadly winter bug.

Around 30,000 children under five are rushed to hospitals across the UK every winter with RSV, a virus affecting 90 per cent of children under two which can cause severe lung infections including bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Around 30 babies die of RSV each year while others are left with lifelong complications.

Today, Public Health Midwife Joanna Melia of NHS Humber Health Partnership, said: “Getting the RSV vaccine means you’re protecting you and your baby from what can be very severe condition, particularly in infants under three months old.

“But you’re also doing the right thing for your friends, workmates and wider community by protecting hospital services this winter.

“Fewer cases of RSV means fewer hospital admissions – and that means more beds, staff and resources to save more lives.”

Clinics offering the RSV vaccine at 28 weeks of pregnancy will be held at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital in the Antenatal Department on Thursday mornings and Friday afternoons. They’ll also be offered at Castle Hill Hospital on Friday afternoons.

Appointments will be booked with your community midwife. You’ll also be able to book an appointment for the vaccine to protect you and your baby from whooping cough between 16 and 20 weeks into your pregnancy.

Andrew Gwynne, Minister for Public Health and Prevention, encouraged those eligible to take up the offer of the free vaccine after revealing his own family had been impacted by RSV.

“My own grandson contracted RSV when he was just days old, leading to weeks in intensive care and a lifelong impact on his health,” he said. “I don’t want anyone to go through what he went through.

“Not only will this vaccine save lives and protect the most vulnerable, it will help ease pressure on our broken NHS, freeing up thousands of hospital beds as we head into winter.”

People aged 75 to 79 years old by 1 September 2024 will also be invited to receive their RSV vaccination with their GP, and those turning 75 after this date will also receive an invitation from their GP once eligible.

A dazzling night of celebration saw a whole host of healthcare professionals recognised for their compassion and dedication, from porters, physiotherapists and pharmacists to administrators, nurses and midwives.

Golden Stars 2024 took place on Friday 13 September.

Lisa Wilson, Mortuary Assistant at Grimsby Hospital, scooped the Healthcare Heroes Award – a category nominated for and chosen by patients – for the comfort and reassurance she gives to grieving families.

Meanwhile Dorothy Gilchrist, Clinical Lead Physiotherapist, picked up the lifetime achievement award – in honour of her 31 years’ service to the hand therapy department at Hull.

16 awards in total were presented on Friday night at the Hilton Hotel in Hull with staff across Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLaG) and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH) rewarded for their efforts over the last year.

There were two surprise awards on the night. Ellie Laughton and Gillian Downs, from Hull Outpatients, were praised by Group Chief Executive Jonathan Lofthouse for the kindness and compassion they showed to a patient recently widowed, with no close friends or family, on their birthday. Meanwhile Chairman Sean Lyons, presented his personal award to Rachael Hardcastle-Pearce, Lead for Voluntary Services at Hull, for her dedication to supporting volunteers.

Golden Stars was the first awards ceremony of NHS Humber Health Partnership – the group name for NLaG and HUTH.

The winners of Golden Stars 2024 are:

• Net Zero Hero – Pharmacy Zero30 Group, Hull Royal Infirmary
• Unsung Hero – Collins Afful, Respiratory Virtual Ward, Hull Royal Infirmary
• Excellence in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – Community Inclusion Nursing Team, Scunthorpe
• Excellence in Partnership Working Award – Anlaby Suite, Hull Royal Infirmary
• Excellence in Quality Improvement Award – Colorectal USC/FDS Pathway Project Group, Castle Hill Hospital
• Excellence in Research, Development and Innovation – Respiratory Clinical Trials Unit, Castle Hill Hospital
• Excellence in Patient Safety Award – Ward 23, Scunthorpe General Hospital
• Volunteer of the Year Award – Bill, Caroline & Lisa from Ward 31, Queen’s Centre, Castle Hill Hospital
• Inspirational Leader – Joanne Goode, Chief Pharmacist, Hull
• Rising Star Award – John Epie, Staff Nurse, Scunthorpe Stroke Unit
• Outstanding Support Team – HUTH Portering Service
• Outstanding Clinical Team – Bereavement Midwives, Hull Women and Children’s Hospital
• The Healthcare Heroes Award – Lisa Wilson, Mortuary Assistant, Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby
• Chief Executive’s Award – Ellie Laughton and Gillian Downs, Outpatients, Hull
• Chairman’s Award – Rachael Hardcastle-Pearce, Lead for Voluntary Services, HUTH
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Dorothy Gilchrist, Castle Hill Hospital

Golden Stars was sponsored by APCOA, Fisher Security, Resource Finder, ACA Architects, Knowles Fleet, Listers, Capsticks, Elior and T2.

Hull Royal Infirmary is launching a patient safety initiative to prevent people losing their independence after hospital stays.

Patients who spend longer than they need in hospital beds are at increased risk of falling, mental health problems, losing their independence or readmission through a physiological process known as “deconditioning”.

Now, the Falls Service is unveiling the project as part of Falls Awareness Week to identify patients most at risk of deconditioning to keep them safe, active and engaged throughout their time in hospital.

Consultant in Elderly Medicine Dr Ricky Saharia, Clinical Lead for the Falls Service, said: “Patients admitted to hospital are at risk of deconditioning and staying in hospital longer than is clinically necessary can have a detrimental effect on health.

“The impact can be felt within 24 hours of bed rest and, after one week, patients can lose up to 10 per cent of their muscle strength.  Older and more frail patients are at higher risk of deconditioning.

“This can increase the risk of falls, loss of independence and longer time in hospital. Deconditioning increases the likelihood of requiring social care support on discharge and there’s a higher risk of readmission to hospital.”

The project aligns with “Flow”, a major campaign under way at NHS Humber Health Partnership, the hospital group running Hull Royal Infirmary, Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Scunthorpe General Hospital, Goole and District Hospital and Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham, to ensure people can leave hospital as soon as they are well enough.

Maintaining activity levels and avoiding deconditioning protects independence and helps patients return home earlier, avoiding further deconditioning.  Better for patients, it also improves flow for the hospital by creating capacity for sick patients coming into the Emergency Department.

From next month, people over 65 attending Hull’s Emergency Care Area will fill in a questionnaire soon after they arrive at hospital to identify those at risk of deconditioning.

Anyone attending after a fall, who has fallen in the past year or who uses a walking aid will use a dedicated section of the waiting area and will be given information about community services to help prevent future falls or hospital attendances. The questionnaire also means the Falls Service will be notified of anyone at risk of deconditioning.

Ward 120 at Hull Royal, which cares for patients with orthopaedic problems such as hip fractures, will also take part in goal-setting initiatives as the project continues throughout the summer.

Patients and their families will identify what help they may need, such as support to eat their food or walk to the bathroom, when they arrive on the ward.

With the support of their relatives, patients will also set small daily goals such as walking along the corridor and back to their bed, standing every hour or sitting in their chair for part of the morning.

“Activity Volunteers” will also be introduced on Ward 90 in the Department of Medical Elderly at Hull Royal and Ward 31 at Castle Hill Hospital for oncology patients to support patients at risk of deconditioning with activities such as gentle chair yoga or daily strengthening exercises.

Families will also be encouraged to bring day clothes and suitable footwear for patients to get them out of bed and into more normal routines.

Results from the project will be reviewed in six months with a view to extending the project to other hospitals in the group.

Community cohesion officers from Humberside Police have been supporting staff from the region’s hospitals in the wake of last month’s race riots.

In the four weeks since the civil unrest which saw violence, disorder and looting on Hull’s streets, a number of overseas workers and those who identify as Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff have reported increasing levels of anxiety, fear and nervousness in our community.

With BAME staff accounting for one in every five hospital employees across East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire – a figure that has doubled in the past ten years and now sits at almost 3,300 people – it is vital for their wellbeing, and for the local health service, that they are made to feel safe, respected and welcome, as Simon Nearney, Group Chief People Officer for NHS Humber Health Partnership explains:

“Last month’s violence in Hull was absolutely shocking, and while I don’t believe it was a true reflection of the welcoming, vibrant city that we live and work in, it naturally caused a lot of fear and anxiety for our BAME staff.

Group Chief People Officer, Simon Nearney

“Twenty per cent of our workforce is internationally educated or comes from a Black, Asian or other Minority Ethnic background, so as you might expect, a number of health workers were on shift at the time of the disorder and were faced with treating casualties coming through our hospital doors that same day.

“They cared for those people with the utmost professionalism, but many were naturally concerned for their own safety, and that is absolutely not a position our staff should expect to find themselves in.

“The fact of the matter is that the majority of our hospital services simply couldn’t function effectively without members of the BAME community.  They are essential to our health, our well-being, to our ability to care for one another and to creating a rich and diverse society.

“Well over two thirds of all our medical and dental staff, which includes many of our most specialist doctors and consultants, identify as BAME, and literally hundreds of overseas nurses have sacrificed their family lives to travel thousands of miles to East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire and care for people in our hospitals.

“What this group of people bring to our hospitals and to our society cannot be underestimated and must always be respected and appreciated. Some of our communities’ most critical services including intensive care, emergency care and paediatrics would be lost without them.”

In the wake of the August unrest, NHS Humber Health Partnership, the Group which runs Hull Royal Infirmary, Castle Hill Hospital, Goole & District Hospital, Scunthorpe General Hospital and Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby – called on colleagues at Humberside Police to help reassure its staff.

Community cohesion workers have now delivered a number of face-to-face awareness sessions in Hull, Cottingham, Grimsby and Scunthorpe for hospital workers covering advice on personal safety and help to understand the implications of relevant legislation such as laws around hate crime.

The hospitals’ own BAME Staff Network continues to work closely with Humberside Police, and both the network and the practice development team, which offers pastoral care for the many overseas nursing staff who have come to live and work in our area, continue to speak with staff and offer support.

A new partnership will see local NHS staff encouraged to make the move to an electric vehicle. As part of wider plans around sustainability, NHS Humber Health Partnership has teamed up with eco-smart tech manufacturer, myenergi, to offer employees a significant discount when purchasing a zappi EV charger. The partnership will help to accelerate the NHS’s transition to electrification, while also providing a smart, reliable, future-proof solution to enable staff to charge at home. Pictured: Simon Nearney, Group Chief People Officer at NHS Humber Health Partnership and Jordan Brompton, co-founder and CMO of myenergi

Designed and manufactured at myenergi’s state-of-the-art facilities in Stallingborough, Lincolnshire, zappi is a smart charger with a difference. As well as being fully grid-compatible as standard, it also has optional charging modes capable of utilising 100% green energy generated by consumers’ own renewable power. This means that drivers can effectively charge their EVs at home for free – zero fossil fuels, zero reliance on the grid.

The NHS is one of the largest employers in Britain and is responsible for approximately 4-5% of the UK’s total carbon footprint. In October 2020, the NHS became the world’s first health service to commit to reaching carbon net zero.

Jordan Brompton, co-founder and CMO of myenergi, commented: “We’re delighted to be partnering with the NHS to help accelerate the organisation’s progress towards net zero. Offering our latest technology at a discounted rate will not only make the transition to electrification easier than ever before for countless members of staff, but also make their daily running costs far cheaper and their commuting footprint even greener.

“With around 80% of all EV charging said to take place on the driveway, it’s important to have a reliable charger – like zappi – that’s not just suitable for charging today, but fit for the future too. Home charging is cheap, convenient and by far the simplest way to keep your EV charged up and ready for the day ahead.”

Simon Nearney, Group Chief People Officer at NHS Humber Health Partnership, added: “We have a forward-thinking approach to sustainability, placing social and environmental responsibilities at the core of decision-making and healthcare services in order to make a real difference to the patients and communities we serve.

“As part of our commitment to reducing or carbon footprint we’re encouraging staff to make the move to electric. We know from feedback that one of the main barriers to this is the high cost of the chargers. This new partnership with myenergi will provide a cost effective solution and help more of our team make the switch to electrification.”

“With myenergi headquartered just down the road in Stallingborough, we’re pleased to be working in close collaboration to offer our staff the benefit of discounted purchase and installation rates on zappi EV chargers.”

From recycling and waste management, to travel and transport and even donating beds and uniforms to developing countries, NHS Humber Health Partnership is committed to sustainability.

Work already undertaken by NHS HHP includes:

• An 11,000 panel solar farm saves Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust about £250,000 a month in energy bills – generating enough electricity to meet Castle Hill Hospital’s entire daytime running needs during the summer months.
• Improved insulation, windows, and LED lighting will reduce the carbon emissions at Goole alone by 60%.
• Gas boilers and coal fired boilers are being replaced with air source heat pumps across our hospitals and we’re reducing the consumption of anaesthetic gases in a bid to reduce our carbon footprint.
• Sustainability has also been at the forefront of our new Emergency Departments with modern construction methods and materials utilised to minimise the environmental impact of the builds and ensure their future energy efficiency performance is as high as possible.
• We’ve increased our number of electric vehicles and self-charging hybrids and we encourage staff to cycle, walk, take public transport or consider getting an electric vehicle

For more information about myenergi, or the company’s range of eco-smart solutions, visit http://www.myenergi.com.

Early findings from a collaborative project between Hull’s respiratory team and international biopharmaceutical group, Chiesi, were presented at an international conference this weekend.

Respiratory nurse specialists Kayleigh Brindle and Karen Watkins joined Professor Michael Crooks in travelling to Vienna to present at the 2024 European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress 2024.

Here, they addressed thousands of delegates with exciting early findings from the FRONTIER project, in which patients who previously attended an NHS Lung Health Check and who reported symptoms of lung disease and/or had emphysema on their CT scan were invited back for further COPD* testing.

During the first phase of the project, 201 people took part and over two thirds of those, 136 people, went on to receive a COPD diagnosis. The NHS Lung Health Check primarily screens for cancer, and these findings demonstrate that the checks also present a notable opportunity to identify and enable timely treatment for other respiratory illnesses.

L-R Karen Watkins, Prof Michael Crooks, and Kayleigh Brindle

Professor Michael Crooks, hospital consultant in respiratory medicine and Professor of Respiratory Medicine with Hull York Medical School and the University of Hull, says:

“Our early findings clearly highlight the burden of undiagnosed COPD among those attending the Lung Health Check programme in Hull.

“Many of those diagnosed with COPD during FRONTIER were living with daily symptoms but had not been able to access treatment due to a lack of diagnosis. Identifying people attending Lung Health Checks that are at high risk of having undiagnosed COPD and offering diagnostic testing enables access to evidence-based COPD care that has potential to significantly improve health outcomes.”

Around 1.4 million people in England aged 40 years or over are living with COPD, and a further 500,000 are thought to be living with the condition but without a formal diagnosis. The main cause of COPD is smoking, but it can also be caused by past exposure to fumes, chemicals and dust at work.

COPD is severely under-diagnosed, with many patients being diagnosed upon acute hospital admission. COPD causes 115,000 emergency admissions in England per year and as many as 24,000 deaths.

FRONTIER, which launched in September 2023 and will run for a further 12 months, seeks to support early COPD diagnosis and enable treatment to begin more quickly in order to improve outcomes for patients. Over the course of the study, around 1,000 people who have taken up the offer of a NHS Lung Health Check in the past will be invited back for COPD testing through spirometry.

Shish Patel, Medical Director, Chiesi UK & Ireland says:

“While chronic, COPD can be effectively managed, and the earlier it is diagnosed, the greater the opportunity for intervention, whether that be lifestyle changes, rehabilitation or treatment. The FRONTIER project represents Chiesi’s commitment to improving the lives of people living with COPD, and we look forward to sharing the full outcomes of the collaboration with the community to inform planning for a nation-wide screening programme.”

* COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, the name used for a group of lung conditions which cause breathing difficulties including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Around 21,000 people impacted each year by musculoskeletal problems such as back, knee and elbow pain are to benefit from a new service delivered by specialist physiotherapy and pain management teams in Northern Lincolnshire.

Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, part of NHS Humber Health Partnership, has just been awarded a £10.2m contract in partnership with Connect Health to deliver pain management and musculoskeletal (MSK) services for the next four years.

Hospital-based and community therapy teams will work with Connect Health, the UK’s largest independent community healthcare provider of MSK, pain management and mental health services, to care for people with MSK problems.

Ant Rosevear, Operations Director for Community, Frailty and Therapy Care Group at NHS Humber Heath Partnership, said: “This new service will offer patients timely access to assessment, diagnosis and treatment.

“Our clinical teams will work with patients, putting them at the centre of decision-making about their care so they feel empowered to manage their own conditions with expert support at the right time.

“By responding to individual needs, we’re aiming to remove the need for inconvenient and time-consuming outpatient appointments in hospital by delivering tailored care in community settings, closer to home.”

Currently, NLaG provides an MSK community service in partnership with other organisations in North Lincolnshire but the contract ends in December.

Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, which commissions health services for the local population, was keen to introduce a single service covering both North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.

NLaG and Connect Health launched a joint bid, which has now been accepted and will begin in January. Although the initial contract, worth around £2.5m a year, is for four years, there is an option to extend it to 2029.

Paul Allan, Chief Operating Officer at Connect Health, said: “We are excited to work with colleagues at NLAG to deliver this unified service across Northern Lincolnshire.

“Blending our national expertise and infrastructure with the local knowledge, skills and capabilities of the trust and its people will deliver the commissioners’ aims and improve services for local people.”