A new support role is being introduced to empower midwives and midwifery assistants in Hull to take small steps to improve maternity services and feel happier in their careers.

Professional Midwifery Advocates (PMAs) at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will support staff in their roles to make sure women have the best care and staff are cared for as well.

Head of Midwifery Janet Cairns said the team of 12 PMAs will support the trust’s 230 midwives and the midwifery assistants to achieve the most out of their jobs.

She said: “This is about their health and wellbeing, given them a safe space to reflect on what has gone well, what could have gone better and what could they change to improve the service in the future.

“But it’s not just about the difficult situations our staff sometimes have to face, it’s about when things go really well that could be shared more widely to improve the service.

The new role is being introduced at hospitals throughout the country as part of the national maternity transformation aimed at improving maternity services.

The Hull team aim to build resilience, enable professional development and make time to check on the health and wellbeing of midwives and midwifery assistants.

They also see the role as providing the time and space to celebrate successes, offer time for reflection on any challenges facing the service and support midwives to make changes.

A key part of the PMA role is also to make staff feel valued.

PMAs will be given two days a month to work with midwives and midwifery assistants at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital and those working in the community, either in group sessions or in one-to-ones to offer support to staff.

As well as listening to staff, the PMAs can offer staff advice on how to handle difficult conversations, such as discussing a woman’s birth options when her preferred choice wouldn’t be safe for her or her baby or when the mother chooses lifestyles that may impact on the health of her baby, such as smoking and drinking alcohol.

Instead of their normal midwifery uniforms, the PMAs will wear pink tops to ensure they are freed up from their clinical roles to work with their colleagues.

Lorraine Cooper, part of the PMA team, said: “Research shows that if health care professionals feel supported in their roles, they will, in turn, improve standards of care so this has major benefits for women too.

“Not only will our midwives feel more supported, we hope this new role will help achieve the most out of their careers and come up with ideas which can benefit everyone.”

The PMA team will be launched at the trust on August 10 and midwifery leaders will welcome other members to staff to sign up to the new role in the future.

A man rushed into hospital with a lung condition has spoken of his gratitude after a health care assistant stepped in to look after his dog.

Jenny Wilson, who works at Hull Royal Infirmary, offered to look after Nigel Sutcliffe’s Staffordshire Bull Terrier Bruno after hearing how the dog would be distressed going into kennels.

Nigel said: “As soon as the staff heard I’d a dog and I was worried about him, everyone was really helpful and nice.

“I couldn’t believe it when Jenny said she’d have him. It was a weight off my mind knowing Bruno was being looked after.

“Bruno’s a bit special and can cry a lot so I told Jenny that she could bring him straight back if it didn’t work out. But it turned out that he had the time of his life.”

Bruno the Staffordshire Bull Terrier reunited with health care assistant Jenny Wilson from HEY Hospitals NHS Trust on Vimeo.

She said: “He was quite worried about his dog and was asking if we could get in touch with social services so the dog could be put in kennels.

“But he said the last time the dog had been in kennels when he was in hospital before, he’d been upset.

“I had a few days off after that shift so I offered to help.”

Nigel said: “When I’d been in hospital before, social services had helped me get Bruno into kennels but when I’d call to check on him, staff told me he was quite stressed and had cut all his paws and face on the metal fence trying to dig his way out.

“I felt like the last thing I wanted to do was put him into kennels again but I didn’t think I had any option. But as soon as I told the staff in the hospital about him and what had happened, people were trying to help me.

“When Jenny said she would have it, I was a bit worried at first because this was someone I hardly knew who would be trusted to look after my dog but everyone told me how nice she was.”

Grateful of Jenny’s offer, Nigel arranged for his friend to meet Jenny at his home at the end of her shift to introduce her to Bruno and she took him back to her own home to meet her 15-year-old daughter Alysha, twin sons Owen and Declan, both 12, and her partner Amy.

“They absolutely loved having him and couldn’t wait to take him out for walks,” said Jenny. “The dog loved the kids as well.

“He cried at first but settled in after a little while and I took lots of pictures to send to Nigel every day so he could see he was getting on fine.”

After four days, Bruno was reunited with his owner. However, they all still keep in touch.

Jenny was nominated in Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s staff awards known as Moments of Magic by Patient Discharge Assistant Ashleigh Jaffray.

Ashleigh said: “It was just such a thoughtful thing for Jenny to do, especially after a 13-hour shift. You could tell how relieved the man was to know his dog was being looked after by Jenny and her family.”

A hospital trust is introducing reusable cups to slash the number of disposable cups sold in its restaurants by 180,000 in two years.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has brought in black and lime green reuseable cups in all of its outlets at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital.

Last year, the trust used 390,000 disposable cups in its restaurants, cafes and retail outlets and the aim is to halve that amount by 2020.

(From left): Neil Woods, Caleb Ruffus-Isaacs, Hannah James and Bob Scutt

Cups cost £5.50 or £5.75 with a hot drink and staff, visitors and patients will receive a 10p discount on all future hot drinks.

Catering manager Neil Woods said the trust would also be introducing discounts for people bringing in their own reusesable cups in the next few weeks.

He said: “This is a win-win for everyone – the trust saves money on disposable cups, people save money on their drinks and the environment benefits because we’re reusing rather than buying single-use cups destined for landfill.

“We are looking at ways of reducing our environmental footprint over the coming weeks and months by introducing changes in our catering and retail outlets.

“But we’re asking staff, visitors and patients to play their part. People can help by “eating in” and using crockery and cutlery rather than taking their food away in plastic containers, using plastic cutlery.

“Together, we can make a huge difference.”

NHS staff have been inundated with “twiddle muffs” after thieves targeted a fracture clinic supporting people with dementia.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was forced to step up security patrols last month after thieves stole “twiddle muffs” and a “twiddle pillow”, donated to the clinic to help patients with dementia tackle anxiety during their treatment.

Now, clinic staff have received replacements from all over the country after word spread about the theft.

Nicola Day, sister in charge of the fracture clinic at Hull Royal Infirmary, said: “We have been so touched by the response.

“People have been sending us replacement twiddle muffs and blankets after they heard what had happened.

“We used these to help some of our most vulnerable patients and it’s reassuring to know that people were as outraged as we were by what had happened.”

Twiddle muffs, which are knitted tubes often fashioned with ribbons, buttons, bells and zips, can have a calming effect on people with dementia by keeping their hands busy and warding off anxiety. They are particularly useful in hospitals where people can feel anxious ahead of appointments and treatment.

The theft of the twiddle muffs happened weeks after memorabilia including  tea pots, dishes, old photographs and even an old tea cosy was stolen from an area created by staff in the style of a 1960s front room to help people with dementia feel more comfortable..

However, donations were sent into the hospital after the trust posted details of the theft on its Facebook and social media sites and news of the theft was posted by media outlets including the Hull Daily Mail, news website Hull Today and the BBC’s online service.

Staff working in the patient experience team in the outpatients department at Leicester Royal Infirmary were among those to send in replacement twiddle muffs.

Clinical support worker Kerry Morten, who helped to set up the dementia area in the clinic, said the donations had cheered everyone up.

She said: “It was just sickening to think someone could do such a horrible thing as to steal what was so obviously used by people with dementia. It was so upsetting.

“But the donations have been flooding in and it has restored our faith in human nature.

“It just makes you realise the good and kind people outnumber the minority who would think something like this is acceptable behaviour.”

Hundreds of new junior doctors started work at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital today.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust welcomed about 400 newly-qualified doctors starting their first jobs and trainee doctors, some of them returning to Hull for the next stage of their training.

The trust held inductions at the Medical Education Centre at Hull Royal infirmary today to mark the annual event, taking place every year on August 1, when junior doctors “rotate” to different organisations as part of their education.

Welcoming the junior doctors to the organisation, interim Chief Medical Officer Dr Makani Purva said “You have a great experience waiting for you here.

“We are a forward-thinking and very supporting organisation.

“Care, honesty and accountability are our three values and we live up to those values.

“We hope those values will support you in having an excellent experience with us.”

Dr Audrey Fox is joining the trust as a Specialist Trainee in her fifth year (ST5) in emergency medicine after working in Scarborough.

She has worked in Hull Royal Infirmary’s emergency department twice before, between May 2012 and August 2013 as a clinical fellow in accident and emergency and again in 2016 as part of her training in paediatric emergency medicine.

Hull is a regional Major Trauma Centre, where doctors are involved in saving the lives of patients with severe injuries from all over Yorkshire every day.

Dr Fox said: “You see major traumas and really poorly patients here, more than you would see in other smaller hospitals.

“You get a different kind of experience here and I’m very keen to see what it’s like as a more senior doctor.”

Dr Meenu Mohan is joining the trust’s obstetrics and gynaecology team as a Specialist Trainee in her first year and will work at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

She trained in India before coming to the UK in 2016 to further her education, working as a senior house officer in Winchester before apply to come to Hull.

Dr Mohan said: “The training in the UK is so much better than in India and I’ve heard great things about this hospital and the training you receive.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Dr Adnan Ahmed and Dr Chin Soo will join the cardiology team at Castle Hill Hospital as Specialist Trainees in their third year. Both worked as cardiologists at the Royal Preston Hospital before coming to Hull.

Dr Ahmed, who qualified in Pakistan before coming to work in Lancashire before moving to Hull, said: “I’ve heard a lot of positive things about Castle Hill Hospital and the work they do in cardiology so it’s really good to be here.”

Dr Soo, who qualified as a doctor at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Yorkshire is a very beautiful place and I knew about Hull as City of Culture so it’s a really nice area to live and work. ”

East Yorkshire parents are being urged to ensure they and their children are protected after more than 70 cases of measles were reported in West Yorkshire.

Large numbers of cases were recorded in Italy, France and Greece as well as in Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Russia and Albania.

With 757 cases now reported in parts of the UK, including 73 in Yorkshire and the Humber since January, Public Health England is advising people travelling to Europe this summer to ensure their families are vaccinated properly before heading off on their holidays.

Visit www.travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/30/general-advice-for-travellers for advice on keeping you and your family save overseas this summer.

Janet Cairns, Head of Midwifery at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said catching measles during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or premature labour.

She said: “Now is the right time to check if you and your family are vaccinated against the risk of measles.

“GPs can advise, and give vaccines to anyone who has not been adequately protected. Two doses of the MMR vaccine can prevent more than 95 per cent of cases of measles, mumps and rubella, which was known as German measles.

“If you are pregnant and have been in contact with someone with measles, which is infectious from a few days before the rash appears, please contact your GP or midwife, who can request a blood test to check whether you are immune.”

Symptoms of measles include a rash, which usually spreads from the hairline down to cover the body, a high temperature and a dry cough.

Affected people may also have red, inflamed eyes and a runny nose before the rash appears.

Music lovers can help save lives in the future when they attend the Humber Street Sesh this week.

The organ donation team from Hull and East Yorkshire Hospital will be at the event from 10.30am on Saturday at the terrace outside the Minerva Pub.

Alex Wray, Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation, said: “We know people will be enjoying themselves at the event and what will happen to them when they die might not be on their minds.

“But we say it’s better to think about what they want in advance and sign the organ donor register so we know their wishes.

“Lots of families attend the event together so we’re asking people to sign the register and share their wishes with their loved ones so that tough decision is removed from them at the worst time of their lives and they’ll know what you would want them to do if the time comes.”

As well as signing the register, people will be able to play a life-size game of operation and look at the specially designed fire engine supporting the work of Hull’s organ donation team.

Hull Royal Infirmary’s main entrance has been re-opened to staff and visitors this morning after a glass panel cracked on the tower block.

One of the 7,000 glass panels on the 13-storey tower block was damaged by high winds on Sunday.

Although no-one was injured, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust took the precaution of cordoning off the main entrance and cash machine, directing staff and visitors to the back entrance until safety checks were carried out.

Now, after members of the trust’s estates team oversaw a safety inspection of the affected panel, the main entrance has been re-opened, with people able to use the cash machine once more.

Duncan Taylor, the trust’s Director of Estates, Facilities and Development, said: “One of the panels on the fourth floor cracked like a car windscreen in the strong winds and broke into pieces about one centimetre in size.

“We’re investigating what caused the panel to crack. However, just four of the 7,000 glass panels in place in the tower block have cracked since they were installed four years ago.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the closure of the main entrance but the safety of our staff, patients and visitors will always come first.”

Nursing staff caring for people with cancer have raised almost £3.000 to help people spend their final days and hours with their loved ones.

Ward 30 at the Queen’s Centre at Castle Hill Hospital provides recliner chairs so relatives can stay next to their family member as they approach the end of their lives.

However, staff held a Disco Fever night this month to raise £2,800 to pay for camp beds so relatives can rest properly next to the people they love.

Health care assistant Julie Simpson and clinical support worker Sue Hemsworth worked together to arrange the fundraising event at the Good Fellowship in Cottingham Road, Hull, collecting raffle prizes and gathering donations to reach their target.

Ward sister Hayley Butler said: “I’m really proud of the team. The overnight equipment will make such a difference to patients and their relatives on the ward.”

Although the ward has a hospitality suite, staff realised families were reluctant to leave the bedsides of their loved ones but were exhausted without sleep.

Staff, who raised more than £1,000 last year to pay for an ECG machine to help patients, hope to be able to buy at least eight camp beds. They have also received two beds from Hull and East Yorkshire (HER) Breast Friends, a proactive charity helping people whose lives have been affected by breast cancer.

Hospital managers are asking people to avoid using A&E unless their problem is urgent or life threatening following a seasonal rise in admissions.

Doctors and nurses working in the Emergency Department at Hull Royal Infirmary are seeing an increase in the number of older people being admitted in particular who are dehydrated or whose conditions are likely to have been made worse by the recent spell of warm weather.

In the last two weeks, daily attendance at Hull Royal Infirmary peaked at 464, a figure which, only a few years ago, would have been more likely to be seen in the depths of winter. Bed capacity has also been variable due to sporadic outbreaks of Nororvirus, the diarrhoea and vomiting bug which is also more commonly associated with winter.

Staff are now appealing to those with minor conditions, whose problems could be potentially be cared for by another health professional, to seek treatment elsewhere or call NHS 111 for advice, to allow specialist staff to concentrate on the most seriously ill.

Dr Kirsten Richards, Consultant Physician in Elderly Medicine for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“It’s easy to assume that everyone has been enjoying the recent spell of warm weather, but prolonged heat can be quite problematic for older people or those with chronic health conditions.

“Over recent days, we’ve seen more people being admitted on to our wards with symptoms linked to the heat, including dehydration, falls and breathing difficulties.

“We have been doing our utmost to care for these patients but it can take some time for them to become well enough again to be discharged. At a time when bed capacity is also somewhat reduced due to outbreaks of D&V, this places extra strain on both our Emergency Department and our wider hospitals.

“As the summer holidays are here and many people are now off work with children or on holiday, we would encourage use of urgent treatment centres, pharmacies and other community walk-in services for less serious health problems wherever possible. This will allow emergency care staff and those working with older people in particular to focus their efforts on those in the most urgent need of attention.

“We would also urge people to check in on elderly friends, family or neighbours regularly while the warm weather continues to ensure they stay well hydrated and they have food available in the house to save them a potential trip out in the heat.”

Details of urgent care centres and other nearby community-based walk-in facilities can be found by calling 111 or visiting www.nhs.uk

Top tips for staying well during the hot weather include:

1. Stay out of the sun, especially between the hours of 11am and 3pm.
2. When you are outside, spend as much time as you can in the shade.
3. Avoid alcohol and caffeine but drink plenty to stay hydrated. Water and fruit or vegetable juices are best
4. Wear a sunscreen with a high protection factor of at least 30 as older skin can be more sensitive to damaging UV rays from the sun.