Hospitals in East Yorkshire are offering patients the chance to agree their own appointment times in order to speed up care and reduce waiting lists.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s partial booking system enables patients to choose a time and day for outpatient appointments that is most convenient for them*.

The process is simple; when it’s a patient’s turn to be booked in, they will receive a letter from the Trust, but instead of being allocated an appointment, they will be asked to contact the hospital to discuss setting a mutually convenient date and time.

The idea is just one way in which the Trust is looking to improve patient experience and reduce waiting times.

Melanie Leedham, Head of Clinical Administration Services for the Trust says:

“Hospitals across the country are extremely pressured right now. Our services are no different, and that’s why it’s important for us to maximise use of the appointment slots and clinics we do have, and to do all we can to ensure patients attend their appointments.

“Partial booking is such a simple concept, and while it does rely on the patient contacting us to confirm a date, it means that date can be set to suit them. Being able to work around a person’s holidays, childcare responsibilities, work or other family commitments is not only more convenient for the patient, but it makes it much more likely that patient will attend.

“We know in the past that some people simply haven’t attended appointments because the time or date given to them didn’t suit, so we’re trying this the other way round, with encouraging results.”

The Trust is also using other initiatives to try and maximise patient attendance including the use of text message reminders and Patients Know Best, an online system which enables patients to receive correspondence relating to their care straight to their phone or computer. Virtual appointments have also proved more convenient and reduced the need for patients to travel, with over 67,000 patients having received telephone appointments or taken part in video consultations in the last six months.

Despite these efforts, non-attendances or DNAs (Did Not Attends) as they’re known, still remain high. In the month of August, there were 6,747 DNAs across the Trust’s outpatient services, and in any given month, almost a quarter of all outpatient appointments made within diabetes and endocrinology services (24%) go unattended.

Eileen Henderson, Head of Outpatient Services for the Trust says:

“We know there are times when things crop up which mean missing an appointment is unavoidable, but this doesn’t account for the consistently high levels of DNAs across all services.

“Text reminders are helping to jog some patients’ memories, as sometimes the issue has resolved, but we know that factors such as taking time off work or the cost of getting to appointments can also influence whether people attend or not, and if this is the case, we’d welcome a conversation as there may be ways we can help.

“Otherwise, our message to patients is to help us help you. NHS resources are finite, and we all want to be seen as quickly as possible, so keeping your appointment once it’s made, or letting us know in advance if you can’t make it, is really important. Given enough notice, we can offer a short-notice appointment to someone else on the waiting list, which makes best use of our staff and clinic resources, but which also reduces the wait for others.”

The NHS offers help with healthcare travel costs to certain patient groups, subject to meeting set criteria. More information can be found at www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/

Patients who have received a letter inviting them to make an appointment (partial booking) as described above should contact the Appointments and Referrals Centre using the details provided on their letter. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and Saturdays 8am to 12 noon.

Note

* Partial booking is offered to patients waiting to receive their first outpatient appointment across the majority of hospital specialties, and will be available within all specialties by the end of October 2022.

Organ donation is the gift of an organ to help someone who needs a transplant. Thousands of lives in the UK are saved or transformed each year by organ transplants.

Organs that can be donated by people who have died include heart, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, liver and small bowel.

Tissue such as skin, bone and heart valves can also be used to save and improve people’s lives, and corneas can help to restore people’s sight.

If you want to become a donor after you die you could save and improve the lives of up to nine people through organ donation and even more if you also donate tissue.

Organ donation remains your choice.

Every day in the UK, someone dies waiting for an organ transplant, because there just aren’t enough organ donors.

There are currently more than 7000 people waiting for an organ transplant in the UK, and while more people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are receiving transplants than ever before, Black and Asian patients still wait longer than White patients for a transplant.

People can receive a transplant from someone of any ethnicity, however the most suitable match is likely to come from a donor of the same ethnicity.

You can choose to donate some or all of your organs and tissue, or you can choose not to donate. You can amend or withdraw a registration at any time. If there is no recorded decision for you, in England, Wales and Scotland this means your consent may be deemed, due to the organ donation laws in those countries.

Families will always be involved before organ donation goes ahead so it’s important that you talk with them about organ donation and whether you’d want to be a donor. Your family will be expected to support your decision.

If you don’t have family, or your relationship is difficult, you can also nominate a representative. This might be a friend, GP, faith leader or someone else of your choice.

The best way to make your decision known is to record it on the NHS Organ Donor Register and tell your loved ones. You can do that via our website, or via the NHS app in England, or by calling 0300 123 23 23. There are tips on the organ donation website which could help start the conversation with your family.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been reviewing arrangements for patient services following the announcement of Monday 19 September as a Bank Holiday.

The Trust and the clinical teams have worked together to enable as much planned activity as possible to proceed on the Bank Holiday and can confirm that around two thirds of all planned surgical procedures which have been scheduled for this date, including the most urgent operations and cancer cases, will go ahead as planned.

Unfortunately, some routine procedures have been postponed, albeit a relatively small number. We apologise to those patients affected and will seek to reschedule as soon as possible.

Our outpatient services have been more heavily impacted; with around 6 in every 10 appointments postponed, however thanks to the support of our clinical teams we will still provide over 1,000 outpatient appointments on Monday as planned.

As the picture varies across different departments and services, the Trust is now in the process of contacting all patients with an appointment or procedure scheduled for Monday to either confirm it is going ahead or to cancel and reschedule.

Ellen Ryabov, Chief Operating Officer for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“We understand some patients will be disappointed to hear their appointments have been postponed. In making our decisions, we’ve had to consider a number of different factors including safe staffing levels, the potential for patients not to attend because they wish to observe the funeral themselves, and the desire among many of our own staff to observe the occasion and pay their respects to our late Queen on the day of the funeral.

“Other factors outside of our control, such as reduced public transport services and closure of community venues where we would ordinarily deliver clinics have also been considered.

“We are therefore making every effort to ensure priority surgeries and urgent appointments continue as planned, including cancer cases, diagnostics and radiotherapy treatments, but many other clinics and some non-urgent procedures are being rescheduled.

“We are now in the process of contacting everyone who is scheduled for an appointment or procedure on Monday to advise whether it needs to be rescheduled or whether it will go ahead. We would ask patients for their patience and understanding as we work through a high volume of appointments and calls, but please be assured we will be in contact.”

Urgent Treatment Centres and NHS111 will be open throughout the Bank Holiday period for those with medical problems of a routine, non-life threatening nature – call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk for advice or details of your nearest centre.

Health professionals from across the globe will descend on East Yorkshire tomorrow as a team from Hull Hospitals plays host to a prestigious clinical event.

The major trauma team from Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will host the Chest Wall Injury Society (CWIS) Modern Management of Chest Wall Injury conference tomorrow, Tuesday 6 September, at the Mercure Grange Park Hotel in Willerby.

The honour of hosting the conference comes just weeks after the Trust’s thoracic trauma team was awarded CWIS ‘Collaborative Centre’ status in recognition of its often life-saving work with patients with rib fractures and other chest injuries.

The conference will welcome both UK and international delegates, online and in person, and will explore hot topics, research, and examine challenging cases in the rapidly evolving field of rib and sternal repair through presentations, interactive discussion and shared expertise.

Major trauma clinical lead, Dr Tom Cowlam

In advance of the course, the CWIS’s SarahAnn Whitbeck and Dr Thomas W. White have travelled from the US and been hosted at Hull Royal Infirmary today by a team including Chief Executive Christopher Long, who will open tomorrow’s conference, plus major trauma clinical lead Dr Tom Cowlam and thoracic surgeons Mr Michael Cowen and Mr Michael Gooseman.

Mr Gooseman, who is also a senior clinical lecturer with Hull York Medical School, says the event is a real feather in Hull’s clinical cap:

“This is a proud moment for us in our ongoing relationship as a CWIS Collaborative Centre.

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming the Chest Wall Injury Society to Hull for this prestigious educational event. It promises to be a cutting-edge exploration of current operative and non-operative approaches to chest wall trauma, taking the experience and most recent learning from experts in the field and sharing this far and wide.

“Chest wall injuries are usually sustained as a result of moderate or major trauma, so something like a fall or a crush injury. Though not uncommon, it’s important that these injuries are managed correctly as they can lead to significant health risks for patients such as compromised breathing or further complications.

“Tomorrow’s event is a meeting of health professionals first and foremost, but what we’re all aiming to do is bring learning back to the workplace and use it to benefit the patients we all care for.

“Being able to host some of the leading names in chest trauma right here in Hull not only means we have direct access to their expertise, but it also means we can showcase the work of our own team on a global stage and show just why Hull has earned its Collaborative Centre status.”

More information and an agenda for the conference can be found on the CWIS website.

Our main Hull Royal Infirmary car park on Argyle Street, and all of our patient and visitor car parks at Castle Hill Hospital, now use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).

• A camera will read your number plate as you drive into our car park.
• You will need to “pay on exit” before returning to your car.
• When you reach the exit, the barrier will lift as long as you have paid.

Some of our car parks at Hull Royal Infirmary are still pay-and-display, so please check the signs in the car parks.

Charges

• £2.00 for up to 1 hour
• £3.00 for 1 to 2 hours
• £5.00 for 2 to 24 hours

If you have any questions, please speak to a member of car parking or security staff.

Car Park Maps

Our maps have been updated to show you the locations of the different car parks at both hospitals.

• Map of Hull Royal Infirmary car parks
• Map of Castle Hill Hospital car parks

Free Parking

The following groups of patients and visitors are entitled to free parking.

Blue Badge holders

• Parking is free for Blue Badge holders.
• You must display a valid Blue Badge in your vehicle.
• You must register your Blue Badge on the APCOA Blue Badge Permit Portal ideally before you come to hospital. You can add multiple vehicle registrations via the app if necessary.
• If you arrive at hospital before registering your Blue Badge, you can validate your free parking using the tablets at the security offices or the Queen’s Centre.

Parents of children staying in hospital overnight

• Your parking is free if your child has to stay overnight in hospital.
• Please speak to the ward team caring for your child, who will validate your parking.

Regular outpatients attenders

• Your parking is free if you have to attend outpatients regularly.

Please speak to the reception staff in your outpatients department, who will validate your parking.

Short-Term Parking Permits

If you are going to be attending hospital regularly for a short period of time, you can save money by purchasing an unlimited parking permit, with the following charges:

• £10.00 for a week
• £15.00 for two weeks
• £20.00 for a month

You must ask for a form from the ward or department you are visiting, then take it to the Security Office at either of our hospitals.

Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicle parking is not included in the charging fee and should be paid for at the parking payment machines or on the app.

For more information on EV charging, please refer to the EV charging signage.

Security Offices

• Hull Royal Infirmary
  3rd Floor Tower Block
  Tel: 01482 675257
• Castle Hill Hospital
  Main Reception
  01482 623723

Effective from Monday 15 August 2022.

We recently updated our car parking payment machines at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital to allow hospital users to pay using cash card, contactless, online via the APCOA app and with cash.

From Monday 15^th August, the machines will be linked to an Automatic Number Plate Recognition system so all you need to do when you arrive at one of our hospitals is park up and go to your appointment. Before you leave site, please visit one of our payment machines, type in your registration number, and pay for your parking. There’s no need to pay in advance, and no need to display a ticket.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) works by constantly searching a ‘read zone’ for vehicle registration numbers. Once a registration number is recognised by the camera it will start a parking episode. The ANPR system will log the entry time to the site, or individual car park, for the purpose of working out the charges when the vehicle leaves. If you are not a Disabled Blue Badge holder, please make a payment before moving to the barrier.

Patients or visitors who hold a valid Disabled Blue Badge issued by the local authority will be permitted to park for free however to ensure that you benefit from this free parking, you are required to register your vehicle on the National APCOA Portal at https://bluebadge.apcoa.co.uk/

If you hold a valid Disabled Blue Badge and you are coming on to one of our sites for the first time you can go to the Security Office to register your vehicle and have it safe-listed. If you find that all accessible parking bays are full, or if it is more convenient to you, you can park in any patient/visitor parking bays, and still benefit from free parking, provided you’ve registered the vehicle. Please note though that we do not permit parking on double yellow lines, double red lines or hatchings, even with a valid Disabled Blue Badge issued by the local authority.

Car parking at the Queen’s Centre will continue to be free for cancer patients, however you will be required to enter your registration number on a tablet within the Queen’s Centre upon arrival to validate your parking.

Very short stays, such as to drop someone off or to pick someone up (including taxis) will also be free, however if you know you will be waiting a while, please park in a relevant bay and pay on exit as per the above instructions to enable drop off bays to remain free for others to use.

Hull Hospitals are in the running for a prestigious national award based on their efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of nine organisations to be shortlisted this week in the ‘Towards Net Zero’ category of the Health Service Journal Awards 2022.

The Trust has made a bold commitment to achieve net zero by 2030, seeking to become carbon neutral up to 15 years earlier than the targets set by the Department of Health*.

The Trust has already made some significant progress towards this aim, such as the replacement of its gas boilers with heat pumps, replacement of some 20,000 traditional light fittings with low energy versions, a reduction in the use of gases such as Entonox, and the creation of Castle Hill Hospital’s ‘Field of Dreams’; an 11,000 panel solar farm which currently generates enough power to meet the daytime needs of the entire hospital site.

Marc Beaumont, Head of Sustainability for the Trust says:

“It’s great to be recognised for the work we’ve been doing but our achievements are not just down to a few, they’re the result of all staff pulling together to do their bit, so I’d like to thank everyone whose actions are helping to bring the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality that little bit closer every day.”

The Trust’s Sustainability Team must present its case to the HSJ judging panel in October, before winners are revealed at a special awards ceremony in mid November.

You can help Hull Hospitals make a difference by submitting your own Zero30 pledge via the Trust website.

* Current NHS guidance asks all NHS organisations to become net zero in respect of the carbon emissions they directly control by 2040, and those they can influence by 2045. Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is aiming to become one of the first hospital trusts in England to reach zero carbon emissions by 2030.

We asked women and birthing people across Humber and North Yorkshire what was important to them when choosing where to give birth

Across Humber and North Yorkshire, the NHS and local partners are looking at ways to improve healthcare in our region.

Last year, as we started to consider how maternity and neonatal care could be delivered in the future, we launched a survey to hear from new and expectant mothers, women trying to conceive, surrogates, other birthing people, and their families about what matters to them when accessing maternity services.

Working collaboratively with Maternity Voice Partnerships (MVPs) across the region an engagement exercise called Your Birthing Choices was co-produced to help us better understand what environment people would prefer to give birth in, what influences their decisions on where to give birth, what their main concerns are and what could be put in place to alleviate those concerns.

An incredible 1,136 people participated and shared their views, through either an online survey or by attending a focus group. You can read what they had to say.

• Overall, an Alongside Midwifery-Led Unit was participants’ preferred place to give birth, but not everyone’s first choice.
• At Home and at a Standalone Midwifery Led Unit were participants’ least preferred locations to give birth at due to concerns around safety should complications arise during labour.
• Not having neonatal care available would influence where many participants choose to give birth
• Being kept safe and well looked after was comparatively more important to maternity service-users than the public as a whole

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took the time to respond, your feedback has been invaluable.

Read the Your Birthing Choices engagement report and the findings. 

A passion for guitar is not the only thing Hull Hospitals’ Professor Andy Beavis has in common with Queen’s Brian May.

The consultant medical physicist and the legendary rocker were both presented with honorary degrees by the University of Hull this month.

A former pupil at Longcroft School in Beverley, Professor Beavis was put forward for the Degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, by the University of Hull’s Dr David Richards.

Dr Richards’ nomination described how Andy has excelled throughout his career after discovering his passion and abilities in both physics and maths at a young age.

After gaining his degree in radiation physics from Newcastle and periodically serving as a roadie for space rock band, Hawkwind, Andy joined Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as a clinical scientist in 1992. He progressed through the ranks and eventually took on the role of Head of Radiation Physics at Castle Hill Hospital in 2007.

During this time, he developed the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in radiotherapy, a significant step forward in radiotherapy treatment planning from the standard x-ray CT technique, and created an algorithm for new treatment techniques called Dynamic Wedges, something which had stumped other industry experts at the time. These techniques were quickly adopted in cancer treatment and Andy started to become noticed on the world stage.

At the same time, he joined the National Radiotherapy Programme Board, influencing national policy, playing a key role in the future direction of radiotherapy treatment, and helping to establish a £23m Radiotherapy Innovation Fund to modernise radiotherapy throughout the UK.

2007 was also the year when Andy became co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Vertual Ltd, a spin off enterprise with colleagues from the University of Hull which uses virtual reality (VR) to train radiotherapy professionals.

Described as being like a ‘flight simulator for radiotherapy’, every radiographer delivering therapy in the UK after 2007 has been trained using Vertual’s VR simulation system. The system is now in over 160 installations in over 30 countries around the world, helping to shape how care is delivered to millions of people with cancer.

Dr Richards says:

“Andy is someone who has always strived to deliver more, whether that’s clinical care for his patients, advances in technology for his colleagues, or shaping the direction of his profession and radiotherapy treatment across the globe.

“He’s been published over a hundred times, he’s received multiple awards, and he’s been listed in the top 100 Leading Practicing Scientists in the UK.  It makes us all really proud when we consider just how far Andy’s work has reached and how many lives it has touched for the better. He very much deserves the honorary degree given to him this month”.

Now Head of Medical Physics at the Trust, leading a team of nearly 100 scientists, engineers and support staff, Andy is an internationally recognised expert who continues to fly the flag for Hull when it comes to research, innovation and improving patient care.

Andy says he’s thrilled to have received the doctorate from the university:

“In academic circles, it’s considered a great honour to receive such an honorary degree and I am truly grateful to the University for the award.

“Across the Medical Physics service in Hull, we have achieved so much in radiotherapy, diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine and clinical engineering, and I am very proud of the fantastic team that I have the pleasure to lead.

“The work we have done in developing novel training methods with Vertual has been very exciting, especially reflecting a Hull-based company growing from the Trust and University which has changed international practice in clinical training forever.

“I hope that this award might help promote the opportunities that the NHS offers to scientists, engineers and technologists. It would be fantastic if we could interest local people to explore the type of career that I have been fortunate to enjoy so much.”

Andy hasn’t forgotten his rock roots either, having taken another ride on the ‘Starship Hawkwind’ in Tokyo, Japan, in 2015.