Helicopters are now able to fly critically ill and injured patients directly to Hull Royal Infirmary after its new £600,000 helipad was declared operational.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has completed the major construction project so patients seriously hurt in accidents across East and North Yorkshire and parts of Lincolnshire can be flown into the hospital grounds, the Major Trauma Centre (MTC) for the area.

The helipad, behind Hull Royal Infirmary’s £12m Emergency Department (ED), had been funded entirely by the HELP Appeal, the only charity in the country dedicated to funding NHS hospital helipads.

Trust Chief Executive Chris Long said: “We are deeply grateful to the HELP Appeal for its £600,000 donation which has allowed us to construct the helipad directly behind our Emergency Department.

“There is no doubt that having a helipad so close to our highly skilled major trauma team means we will be able to save more lives in situations where every second counts.”

Robert Bertram, CEO of the HELP Appeal

Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal, said: “As the Major Trauma Centre for the whole region, funding a helipad outside ED was essential. Everyone is aware of the vital roles that hospitals and air ambulances play in treating a critically ill patient but having a helipad outside the ED can play a significant part in saving vital minutes when transporting a patient to the expert care they need to save lives.

“As the only charity in the country funding live-saving helipads, we are pleased to be able to cover the entire cost of the helipad. We know the difference having a ground-level helipad right outside ED would make.

“With the support of the air ambulances and the excellent emergency care team at Hull Royal Infirmary, this unique mix of helicopters, helipad and hospital medical staff will make a huge difference to those people who may need life-saving treatment urgently.”

Patients were previously flown to the helipad on the other side of the hospital car park on Argyle Street and had to be transferred to Hull Royal in an ambulance along Anlaby Road, one of the busiest roads in the city centre.

Intensive Care Consultant Dr Tom Cowlam, the trust’s clinical lead for the MTC, said: “The new helipad will shorten the journey by a quarter of an hour and remove the need for the patient to be transferred in a second ambulance to the Emergency Department.

“It will make the transfer quicker and more seamless for the trauma patient.

“When you have a really poorly person, this might be the difference between life and death because this could be the time when they are having surgery or a massive blood transfusion to save them.”

Duncan Taylor, Director of Estates, Facilities and Development, said the trust funded the demolition of the Haughton building among others and clearance of the site before main contractor Unico Construction could begin work on the helipad.

Measuring 30 metres by 30 metres, 900 tonnes of concrete were brought onto the hospital site, over the course of one day.

An access road for fire engines and service vehicles has been built alongside a second pedestrian route where patients will be carried out of the air ambulance and rushed into the ED.

Special double fences have been erected around the helipad as “baffles” to reduce noise pollution, provide security and the majority of the site has been turfed with pinned grass covered with mesh overlay to act as a “soakaway” to remove water from the helipad.

Lights have been imported from Holland to be set into the concrete, now covered in specialist paint.

Hull is one of the country’s 27 Major Trauma Centres (MTCs), credited with saving an additional 1,600 people’s lives since they were established in 2012.

Lincs and Nott Air Ambulance use the Hull helipad most often, with Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Derbyshire, Leicester and Rutland Air Ambulance also flying casualties to the city.

The Search and Rescue helicopter, based at Humberside Airport, also lands in Hull with people winched off mountains or those injured on oil rigs or out at sea.

The helipad will also be used by the Children’s Air Ambulance, which can fly specialist medical teams into Hull to treat seriously ill children as well as fly children from here to hospital with specialist paediatric services.

To support the HELP Appeal please call the donation helpline on 0800 389 8999 or text HPAD22 plus the amount and send to 70070.

Hull’s main landmarks will turn pink next week to mark Organ Donation Week.

The Deep, the KC Stadium, St Stephen’s shopping mall and buildings including City Hall, The Maritime Museum and Queen Victoria’s statue in Queen Victoria Square will all shine bright pink on September 7.

The event celebrates the contribution of dozens of families who have agreed to donate the organs of their loved ones to save the lives of others.

Fay Turner, Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are so grateful to the support of so many organisations in the city to help us spread the message.

“Donating organs saves lives. Talk to your family and friends about your wishes. Make sure they know what you want to do in the event of your death.

“By donating your organs, you can save a mother, father, son or daughter being taken away from their loved ones too soon.

“This year in particular, when so many families have lost someone dear to them because of Covid-19, that message has never been more crucial.”

Last year, 42 patients received a life-saving or life-changing transplant after Hull families consented to organ donation.

While the impact of Covid-19 has seen a decrease in organ donations, four families have still donated their loved ones’ organs since the height of the pandemic in April to ensure other people have the chance to live.

Organ Donation Week will run from September 7 to 13. Social media platforms will be used by organisations this year, including the trust, to encourage more people to agree to organ donation in the event of their deaths and to share their wishes with their family.

The law about organ donation changed earlier this year to an “opt out” system. Also known as Max and Keira’s Law, the legislation change means you will be considered to have agreed to donate your organs unless you have specifically opted out.

Unless you are in an excluded group, have recorded your decision not to donate on the register or have informed your family that you do not wish to donate your organs in the event of your death, it will be considered that you have agreed to organ donation.

Watch the video to find out how transplants can make sure a difference to so many people.

Eight lucky members of staff have received bikes thanks to the generosity and support of charity R-evolution.

The Cottingham charity teamed up with Up! – the trust’s programme to support fitness and happiness at work – to offer staff the chance to win a free bike after it was awarded funding from the Big Bike Revival to refurbish bikes for key workers.

The charity provides training for people from all backgrounds including ex-offenders, people with mental health problems or those struggling to find work, unlocking and developing skills.

The eight members of staff receiving bikes are Sarah Atkins, Janice Jackson, Karen East, Anna Fraser, Mohamed Mohamed, Jane McCulloch, Aimee Cooney and Ellen Pattison. Two other members of staff – Yvonne Jackson and Jenny Chapman – were offered free servicing of their own bikes.

Simon Nearney, Director of Workforce at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “What a fantastic gesture from R-evolution, a great charity making such a difference to people’s lives.

“Thanks to their generosity, these members of staff can now cycle to and from work and spend quality time with their families outside of work.

“We don’t just see it as our responsibility to look after people while they’re working. Their entire health and wellbeing, inside and outside work, matters to us.

“That’s why we set up our Up! programme earlier this year. Although we’ve had to pause some of our plans because of the pandemic and need for social distancing, we’re doing everything we can to help our staff to stay happy and healthy while looking after the environment.”

Lots of hospital staff are using the pandemic to improve their lifestyles and get more exercise. Many are opting to cycle to and from work, taking advantage of quieter roads, lighter nights and warmer weather (sometimes).

The trust has responded by offering secure bike lockers and sheds for staff to keep their bikes and is working with both Hull City Council and East Riding Council to offer cycling refresher courses.

Other initiatives are planned for the coming months, including changing facilities for staff, a bike forum for staff and maps to help people plan their routes to and from work using the most cycling friendly routes through the city.

The charity offered eight of the refurbished bikes with helmet, locks and lights worth a total of around £120, to our staff. The winners entered the competition, explaining why owning a bike would make such a difference to them.

John Marshall, Chief Executive of R-evolution, said: “It was great to hand over the bikes to the staff and we hope they’ll have many happy miles on them.

“Cycling is a fantastic form of exercise, boosting not just your physical but your mental wellbeing, and we’re really glad to be doing something for the staff who dedicate their working lives to helping others. Cycling to work is not only good for your health, it benefits the environment and cuts congestion.

“This is just the latest link up with the trust and we’ve got more events in the pipeline.”

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is looking for volunteers aged 70 and over to take part in our trial of a vaccine for COVID-19 developed at the University of Oxford.

Patient information sheets which offer more details about the study can be found on the trial website: https://www.covid19vaccinetrial.co.uk/participate-hull-1

Consultant in Infectious Diseases and principal researcher for the vaccine trial in Hull, Patrick Lillie, said:

“Researchers need to trial the vaccine in people of all ages to make sure the vaccine is effective no matter how old someone is. Participation in this trial could really make a difference during the Covid19 pandemic.

“We need healthy people aged 70 and over to contact us. In general, COVID-19 is more dangerous for older people, so a vaccine would be particularly beneficial for people in older age groups. The vaccine does not contain the virus so it is impossible to catch coronavirus or develop COVID-19 from the vaccine itself.

“I would urge people to contact us and help us with this vital study.”

Anyone interested should click on the ‘Pre-Screening Questionnaire’ button and complete the online form at https://www.covid19vaccinetrial.co.uk/participate-hull-1

If you have any questions about the study please don’t hesitate to contact us: hyp-tr.huth-oxvaccinetrial@nhs.net

Changes have been introduced at Hull Royal infirmary to protect some of the hospital’s youngest patients, but staff are stressing that they’re as easy as 1-2-3.

In recent weeks, new rules have been brought in by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to protect patients, staff and visitors across HRI and Castle Hill from the potentially fatal COVID19.

Now staff working in the Children’s Accident & Emergency Department are keen to explain what they’re doing to keep people safe too.

Dr Liz Herrieven, paediatric consultant in emergency medicine (pictured left) says:

“People are largely familiar with the ideas of social distancing and face coverings now, but if a parent needs to bring their child to A&E, they may not necessarily know how the rules impact them and whether the rules are different for children.

“We would always encourage parents, where they can, to seek treatment for their child closer to home in the first instance. Many children are being brought into A&E right now with routine complaints such as sunburn, insect bites, heat rash and verrucas which could be more easily – and more safely – treated at home.

“If the child’s problem is serious, however, the rules within Children’s A&E are very similar to other parts of our hospitals, and we’re saying they’re as easy as 1-2-3:

1 – Only one parent is allowed to wait with each child in need of treatment – sorry, no siblings are able to wait with you
2 – Two metre social distancing is required, so the number of seats and the amount of space available in the waiting area has been reduced to keep people safe
3 – Remember the three 1s. If you’re unsure what to do, call NHS111 first. They can provide over-the-phone advice, tell you the best place to seek treatment, and if your child still needs to come to A&E, they’ll let you know.

Dr Herrieven says parents should not become complacent:

“While COVID19 has been more serious in the older end of the population so far, children are by no means immune to the disease.

“No one would deliberately put their child in harm’s way, but in the middle of a global pandemic, that’s just what parents could be doing if they bring a child to hospital who doesn’t need to be here.

“We are doing our utmost to protect people; we have put measures in place around social distancing, handwashing, face coverings, and we’re limiting each party to two people – one parent and one child – in the department at any one time, but parents also have a role to play in thinking whether they need to be here at all.

“The majority of childhood illnesses, along with the usual summertime, bumps, bruises, cuts and scrapes can be treated at home or with advice from your local pharmacist. More serious problems such as cuts which need stitching, sprains, animal bites and even some suspected fractures can also be sorted at one of the local urgent treatment centres.

“If we see a second spike of COVID19, we’re going to find ourselves under severe pressure and we’ll need to prioritise the most seriously unwell children. It’s important, therefore, that parents start to use the full range of NHS services available to them now. We know parents were doing this during the height of the COVID outbreak in March, April and May when they wanted to avoid hospital, so we know they can do it again, and help us make what’s set to be a busy winter that bit more bearable for everyone.”

Hayfever, insect bites, constipation and verrucas: minor health problems which most of us would sort with a quick trip to the pharmacy.

But they’re also among a growing number of routine complaints which parents are seeking help for at Hull Royal infirmary’s Children’s A&E.

Paediatric emergency medicine consultant, Dr Liz Herrieven

Dr Liz Herrieven, consultant in paediatric emergency medicine (pictured, left) says taking children to hospital when they don’t need to be there could mean putting them more at risk:

“During the height of the coronavirus outbreak, people were naturally fearful of coming to hospital and so parents became very good at either treating their children’s minor illnesses and injuries at home, or using alternatives such as local pharmacies or urgent treatment centres instead.

“After lockdown ended and now restrictions are starting to ease, we are seeing more and more parents bringing their children to us for help with non-urgent complaints again such as runny eyes, verrucas and upset tummies.

“In many cases, these children could have been cared for more appropriately and received the treatment they needed more quickly if their parents had taken them elsewhere. Not only that, but in the current climate bringing any child to hospital when they don’t need to be here potentially puts both the child and the parent at greater risk of exposure to COVID19.”

A total of 206 patients have died with COVID-19 at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust since March 19^th.

Dr Herrieven is now asking for parents’ help ahead of an unpredictable winter:

“Since lockdown restrictions began to ease, the number of patients coming through the doors to Children’s A&E has been gradually increasing. During the height of the coronavirus outbreak, there were days when we could see as few as 20 patients per day, but now we’re averaging three times that, and in the depths of winter numbers have been known to go as high as 120.

“No one knows what’s going to happen with COVID19 as we head into the winter months, but we do expect an increase in demand for paediatric emergency care.

“We’re appealing to parents to start forming good habits now, and to start using alternatives to A&E for their children wherever possible. Reducing the number of routine ailments that our specialist staff have to treat will free us up to care for the most seriously ill children when they need us most.”

Barely three weeks have gone by since viewers across the country were left “gobsmacked” by the amount of abuse and disruption caused by patients and visitors in Hull’s A&E Department.

Channel 5’s A&E After Dark took viewers behind the scenes of the Emergency Department at Hull Royal Infirmary where, in some of its darker moments, patients and relatives were filmed spitting at, threatening and verbally abusing staff.

Throughout the series, week after week, people took to social media to shame the people exhibiting such behaviours and to commend staff for their professionalism.

Yet frontline NHS workers and reception staff are on the receiving end of abuse once again, this time linked to social distancing and new rules brought in to protect patients and visitors from the threat of COVID19.

Dr Ben Rayner, consultant in emergency medicine who also appeared in the TV series (pictured, top) says no matter what the situation, verbal abuse towards staff is not acceptable.

“Several weeks ago, we introduced social distancing within our Emergency Care area to protect people and help limit the spread of COVID19. This essentially means people must stay 2 metres apart and, in most cases, must wait alone.

“Since then, we’ve seen an unacceptably high number of incidents where staff have been sworn at and verbally abused simply because visitors cannot wait in the hospital with their friend or relative needing treatment.

“The reality of the situation is that patient attendances are rising once again and we’re regularly seeing around 350 patients in the department every day now. There simply isn’t space to comply with social distancing requirements and have friends or family waiting alongside our patients.

“Upon arrival, a lot of people are saying they didn’t know that patients had to wait alone. Even if that’s the case, shouting at staff who are simply doing their job and trying to protect everyone in the hospital is not going to change the situation.

“We understand that loved ones may be worried, but anyone who is considered well enough to wait in either our GP streaming or Minors areas of the emergency department is most likely well enough to wait on their own.

“Our jobs are difficult and stressful enough at any time. Those being subjected to verbal abuse are also someone’s mum, dad, sister, brother, daughter or son. We’d really urge people to think about that; would you be happy with someone shouting abuse at a member of your family, just for doing their job?

“COVID19 has not gone away, so we all have a duty to act responsibly and respectfully. Our staff come to work in a place of care, and we will not tolerate raised voices, bad language or threatening behaviour towards staff. No one should have to put up with that.

“If a patient really has to attend A&E, we’d recommend they and anyone who might be planning to come with them or bring them to hospital familiarise themselves with the rules. They are not there to be difficult, they are there for everyone’s protection.”

Rules for HRI’s Emergency Department check-in and waiting areas

The number of people in our Emergency Department is being restricted to keep everyone safe.

• Seats in our waiting areas have been placed 2 metres apart
• Face masks or another form of face covering such as a scarf or buff must be work inside the hospital at all times
• Floor stickers and signage have been placed at reception areas – please stand on the circles and behind the lines where indicated
• Only patients requiring treatment can enter the department
• The only exceptions are carers, a parent of a child requiring treatment, or if you are supporting someone with learning difficulties or dementia.
• Our highly trained and experienced staff will assist everyone else, including your loved one if they are in pain or distress.
• Please be respectful and courteous at all times. Anyone subjecting any member of our staff to threats or abuse will be ejected from our hospital and could face further action.
• Please make use of the handwash facilities and hand sanitiser which can be found throughout the department.

NHS and council organisations in Humber, Coast and Vale are appealing for the public’s help as they work together to increase the availability of health and care services, which were restricted, relocated or paused during the coronavirus outbreak.

At the outset of the pandemic, health and care professionals including hospital teams, GPs, health visitors and social care staff responded quickly by changing the way they worked.

While some services are returning to how they were before, many of the changes made in response to the pandemic need to remain to maintain patient and staff safety and ensure services are prepared to handle any future increases in Covid-19 cases.

The public can play a pivotal role in helping to ensure that health and care services can resume safely and promptly. You can support your local NHS by:

• Attending any appointments booked on your behalf
• Consulting NHS 111 first if you are unsure which service you need
• Only using A&E for emergencies
• Being prepared to travel to a different location for appointments or treatment
• Helping family and friends to get online so they can access online services if required

Dr Nigel Wells, Clinical Lead for the Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership, (pictured, right) said: “We have to make some tough decisions about how we bring back services over the coming months. These decisions are being taken by the doctors and nurses in our hospitals and in the community. Our main concern is and always will be everyone’s safety.

“Many of our staff have been asked to work in new roles and locations; equipment has been moved to where it is most needed to care for people; we have fewer beds in our hospital wards as we have had to move them further apart which takes up more space; and we have to wait longer between procedures in our operating theatres to allow for deep cleaning and for the air to change.

“This all means that while some services are being restored to how they were before the outbreak, we can’t switch them all back on straight away and we hope people can understand the reasons why and bear with us.

“We are thankful for your patience as we resume services safely as quickly as possible and we need your help to do this. If you are asked to come to hospital or your GP practice for treatment, please do everything you can to keep your appointment so that we can see as many people as possible within the current constraints.”

Dr Makani Purva, Chief Medical Officer for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (pictured, right), said: “We’d like to thank local people for their patience, understanding and visible support over recent weeks and months. We had to make some immediate decisions for the safety and wellbeing of our staff, patients and their families and we know that, for some, these service changes will have caused a level of anxiety and concern.

“As we continue to work differently over the coming months, we ask for your ongoing support and patience. Measures will remain in place for now to enable us to try and resume more of our routine work but in ways which maximise safety for staff, patients and visitors. Your appointment might be conducted over the phone or online, for example, your care may be provided in a different way than you are used to, or you may even be asked to travel to a different location.

“The NHS is under pressure across the board right now, so if you have a hospital appointment or have been asked to visit your GP practice for treatment, please do everything you can to attend. This will help us to help as many people as possible within the current constraints.”

Our breast cancer screening service is starting next month after we had to put the service on hold to deal with Covid-19.

We’ll be starting routine mammograms from August 3 and priority will be given to women whose appointments had to be cancelled during the lockdown and suspension of all non-urgent health services.

Our screening sites are at Castle Hill Hospital, Morrison’s in Holderness Road,  East Hull, Freshney Green GP Practice in Grimsby. We’ve also got limited availability at the Pink Rose Suite at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby.

A spokeswoman for Humberside Breast Screening Team said: “We’re so sorry we had to cancel appointments but we really appreciate the good will and understanding women have shown us while we’ve been dealing with the virus.

“We’ve worked really hard to get the service up and running again and we’ll be contacting women to rearrange their appointments over the coming weeks.

“Please be assured that if you’re coming for treatment, we’ve got all the proper safety measures and social distancing in place to keep you safe. You’ll need to wear a mask and our staff will be wearing the appropriate PPE.

“Thank you so much for your understanding.”

You can also contact our team by emailing Humberside.breastscreening@nhs.net or calling 01482 622300. Press option 1 for changes of appointment and general enquiries.

For hospital staff caring for patients with coronavirus, there can surely be no better sight than to see a patient leaving the ward after successfully beating the disease.

So imagine the joy, not only for ward staff but for the whole of Castle Hill Hospital’s endoscopy team when 52-year old Neil McDonald left hospital yesterday evening.

Neil was not only a patient, but a fellow employee at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, having worked as a healthcare assistant in the endoscopy team for some 15 years.

Neil began to experience coronavirus symptoms at the end of April, testing positive for COVID-19 shortly before he was admitted to Hull Royal Infirmary on May 3^rd.

Within a day, Neil’s condition had deteriorated to the point where he required the specialist support of HRI’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU). And that’s where he stayed for the next nine weeks.

Neil was ventilated and sedated, and his condition fluctuated many times while in ICU. Loved ones, staff and colleagues prepared themselves for the worst on several occasions.

But Neil proved to be a proper fighter, and having finally turned a corner in early July, he was able to leave intensive care for ward 5 where he spent a week, before moving on to complex rehabilitation ward 9 at Castle Hill to complete his hospital-based recovery.

Friend and endoscopy team registered nurse, Allyson Pattison said:

“As healthcare workers, we’ve been all too aware of the devastating impact coronavirus has had on individuals and families, but it hits even harder when it’s someone close to you who’s affected.

“Endoscopy is a close team, so finding out that Neil was seriously ill in hospital with COVID19 was such a blow to all of us. It was absolutely awful, and we were so worried about him, especially as his condition seemed to keep fluctuating; there were several times when we thought we were going to lose him.

“Obviously he wasn’t able to communicate with us while he was in intensive care, so it was such a relief when a few of us started to receive messages from him again just before he moved onto ward 5. We’d heard nothing for weeks and then we started to see him pop up on social media again, it was brilliant and just what we’d all been waiting for.”

Allyson has paid tribute to all of her hospital co-workers who have cared for Neil and supported his recovery:

“The staff in ICU who cared for Neil have done an amazing job, in fact I take my hat off to all of the staff who have played a part in his recovery. They did their absolute best to keep him going.

“When patients are with you for a long time, you do bond with them so it must have been incredibly hard for them to see a colleague so desperately ill too. They’ve been through the highs and lows with us and with Neil’s loved ones, and we’re just so fortunate and grateful to have him back.”

Having spent weeks being fed via a tube, Neil has had to re-train his stomach to start accepting solid food again, and being able to enjoy proper, home-cooked food again is one of the things he’s said to be looking forward to most.

In a short but heart-felt message sent after leaving hospital, Neil said: “To my family, ICU staff, the staff on ward 5 at Hull Royal Infirmary and Ward 9C at Castle Hill Hospital, friends and colleagues: thank you all for your support to help me beat COVID19 and be here to tell the story of my recovery. THANK YOU SO MUCH.”

Neil’s manager in endoscopy, Lucy Holgate, and the rest of her team are thrilled to see Neil doing so well, with many even popping down to cheer him off the ward yesterday:

“After spending months on an emotional roller-coaster, we were all so moved to spend the moment with him when he left ward 9C. We have missed him so much on the unit, especially his humour, and we are all so, so happy to see him on the road to recovery”.