A virus normally seen during the winter months has led to temporary ward closures at Hull Royal Infirmary in recent days.

Wards 11 and 110 have been closed to new admissions due to the winter vomiting bug, Norovirus, and further bays have been closed on ward 31 at the Queen’s Centre, Castle Hill Hospital, due to an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting.

Both hospitals are continually busy, and the unwelcome news comes as Hull Royal Infirmary saw A&E attendances top 500 in a single day last week.

In light of this unseasonal outbreak, hospital staff are now appealing for the public’s help in limiting the spread of the virus and keeping patients safe.

Greta Johnson, Lead Nurse for Infection Control at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“It’s very unusual for a virus which is normally at its most prevalent in the midst of winter to be doing the rounds in July.

“In healthy people, Norovirus can be unpleasant but is generally quite mild, with symptoms such as sickness and diarrhoea lasting for a couple of days. For patients in hospital however, many of whom will already be weak or susceptible to infection, Norovirus can be much more serious.

“In order to limit the spread of the virus, we have temporarily closed two of our wards to new admissions, and staff are doing a great job in containing it, but we also need the public to play their part.”

Bugs such as Norovirus often originate in the community and can spread quickly when a number of people spend time in close proximity, such as in schools or on a hospital ward.

“As a temporary measure, in order to try and prevent further spread of the virus, we are asking people only to visit Wards 11 and 110 at this time if absolutely necessary, because Norovirus can be passed on so easily,” Greta continues.

“People who have had symptoms can remain infectious for up to two days after the symptoms have gone, so we would ask patients, visitors and staff who have experienced diarrhoea or vomiting to stay away from hospital until they have been symptom-free for 48 hours to help minimise the spread of the virus to others.”

Anyone experiencing sickness, vomiting or diarrhoea should not come to hospital but should seek advice first from their local pharmacy, or telephone their local GP or NHS 111. Attending the GP surgery or Emergency Department is strongly discouraged as this risks spreading the illness to other people who may already have weakened immune systems.

Regular, thorough handwashing, especially after using the toilet, can also help to reduce the risk of viruses being passed on to others.

Stories of A&E departments under pressure have become commonplace during the winter months but staff at Hull Royal Infirmary have seen record numbers of patients in the first week of July.

Over 500 people attended Hull Royal Infirmary’s A&E on Monday 2^nd July, many with illnesses and conditions that should have been seen and treated at their local urgent care centre, GP, pharmacy or minor injuries unit. Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust which manages Hull Royal Infirmary is urging people to stay away from A&E unless they have a serious illness or emergency medical condition and warning that the increase in minor attendances is putting lives at risk.

In February, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust reported that people had been turning up at Hull Royal Infirmary’s A&E department to ask emergency staff to remove acrylic nails, provide second opinions and manage chronic problems already under the care of specialist team. Others have turned up in the department with simple viral stomach upsets, running the risk of spreading the bug throughout the hospital. We would advise these patients to take rehydration supplements and anti-diarrhoeal available from any pharmacy.

Dr Jacquie Smithson, medical director for medicine at the trust, said: “We are seeing far too many people in our A&E department who should have been seen and treated elsewhere. The staff working in our emergency department must be free to deal with people facing life-threatening emergencies. By attending A&E with complaints that could be seen outside of hospital it is diverting our medical teams away from patients who require more urgent care and treatment.

“We are trying our best to cope with the demand we have seen this week and we are asking for the public’s help to ensure our staff are there to help those most in need of our attention by using alternative services if they do not have a medical emergency.”

The Trust launched an advertising campaign “A&E: It’s Serious Stuff” to urge the public to use alternative health services such as their GP, pharmacies, minor injuries units and the urgent care centres at Bransholme, Beverley, Bridlington and Goole.

Leaving school this summer? If you think working in the NHS is only for nurses and doctors, it’s time to reconsider your options.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is helping young people aged 16 to 24 find out more about the 322 different careers on offer in the health service.

The trust running Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital has set up three projects to give young people from different backgrounds an insight into opportunities in the NHS.

Rachael Pearce, the trust’s Senior Patient Experience and Engagement Officer, leads the Young Volunteers scheme, the Young Health Champions and the Pathway to Medicine scheme.

She said: “The NHS has so much more to offer young people. Young people are surprised when they find out about the fantastic opportunities available to them right here on their doorsteps.

“We can help anyone, from any background, and these schemes are about giving them that introduction and insight into careers they may not have considered in the past for whatever reason.”

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has helped 260 school-leavers as part of its “Young Volunteers” programme since it was set up three years ago.

Many young people have since taken up apprenticeships at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital or have gone into other health-related careers.

The programme, which pays young people travelling expenses as they gain vital work experience, has attracted national attention since it was launched three years ago and has now been introduced by other hospitals around the country.

A further 50 people aged 16 to 24 have also been signed up as Young Health Champions as part of a project reaching out to young people with depression, anxiety, social issues or conditions such as autism and ADHD.

Provided with a daily £3 lunch voucher and travel expenses, the young people attend a work placement three days a week in their chosen field in the hospital and go into a classroom setting to improve their skills in English, maths and IT one day a week.

They also spend a further day learning techniques to improve communication skills, team-working or motivation.

The Pathway to Medicine course supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the desire and ability to train as doctors.

Rachael Pearce said: “Many of these young people are more than capable of going to university to study medicine but it may be a path they have not been encouraged to take.

“We can show them their ambitions can become a reality and can provide that vital support in the early stages to help them take those first steps towards achieving their goals.”

Anyone interested in taking part in any of the three schemes should contact Rachael Pearce on 01482 675189 rachael.pearce@hey.nhs.uk or Lynn Jickells 01482 674668 lynne.jickells@hey.nhs.uk

Hospital staff have been chosen to sing at a prestigious national celebration to mark the 70^th anniversary of the NHS next week.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust NHS Choir will open the ceremony at York Minster, attended by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, on Thursday with their rendition of Adele’s Make You Feel My Love.

Trust web developer Bonnie Gray, one of the choir’s founding members, said: “It is a massive honour for the choir to be part of such a wonderful occasion.

“This is something we will never forget and we’re so proud to fly the flag for Hull and for the trust.”

National services will be held at Westminster Abbey and York Minster for around 3,000 NHS staff working for organisations around the country, alongside representatives of charities, local authorities and organisations with close ties to the health service.

Singer Linda Nolan, currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer, will host the concert at York Minster.

She will be joined by 15-year-old Eve Senior, a survivor of the Manchester terror attack who wants to become a nurse, and Amen Dhesi, who became a carer at 13 for his dad who has bipolar disorder.

Hull’s choir was founded in 2014 as a way of combining staff’s passion for singing with their passion for the NHS. It was set up as a health and wellbeing project, with no auditions necessary before members were allowed to join.

Today, the choir has more than 50 members working in almost every area of Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, including midwives, nurses, doctors, radiographers, biomedical scientists, office staff and occupational therapists.

Lucy Vere, Head of Organisational Development and another founding member of the choir, said: “Our choir is so proud to be part of the NHS and every time they sing, you can see their passion for what they do.

“We’re also so honoured to represent our trust and our city. To be part of the NHS’s 70^th celebrations is just the icing on the cake.”

Celebrations to mark the special anniversary will be held up and down the country, with thousands expected to attend a Health Expo at the Double Tree by Hilton from 10am to 4pm.

Seventy years of innovation in the NHS, with uniforms, artefacts and old photographs dating back through the decades on display until 7pm.

A tea party for long-serving members of staff who have contributed to the health and wellbeing of people will also be part of the event, running from 10am to 4pm.

People interested in working in the NHS will be able to find out about jobs in all different areas of the health service at a careers fair at Double Tree by Hilton.

Health Expo has been organised by the trust, Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, City Health Care Partnership, Hull Clinical Commissioning Group and East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

The Allam Medical Building at the University of Hull will be one of dozens of landmark buildings to light up blue on Thursday evening to mark the anniversary. The gardens at Hull Royal Infirmary, the York Minster, the Blackpool Tower, the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, the London Eye and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will also be lit blue.

Professor Julie Jomeen, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Hull, said: “To shine a light on this special day on the Allam Medical Building is a fitting way to pay tribute to our outstanding graduates – midwives, nurses, operating department practitioners, clinical psychologists, social workers and doctors – already working for the NHS

“It also celebrates the birth of one of the world’s most incredible organisations, the NHS, as it marks 70 years of providing healthcare for all.”

They were little girls when the NHS was created, offering universal health care to everyone whether they could afford it or not.

Today, Pat Watts, now 77, and Janet Harley, 76, pull on their striped uniforms two nights a week to work as midwifery assistants at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

Pat, a mum of two from Beverley with four grandchildren and one great grandchild and another on the way, said:  “I can’t imagine not doing this because it’s been part of my life for so long.

“When people see me, they don’t ask me how I am. Nowadays, the first thing they say is ‘Are you still here?’

“My husband does mention to me from time to time about retiring. But that’s because he has to drive me to work so it means he wants to watch the cricket or go swimming.”

Janet, who has two children and two grandchildren, said: “I reduced my hours from 30 to 20 a couple of years ago with views of trying to wean myself off work. But I’m still here.

“It has been a privilege to work for the NHS all these years. I’ve seen so many changes but I’m still smiling.”

Pat (above left) was born in 1941 and became a nursing cadet at Beverley Westwood. She started nursing training at 18 but it halted when she married husband John a year later.

She worked as an auxiliary until her first daughter Sharon was born in 1962. Pat wanted to return to the Westwood after Sharon was born but there were no vacancies so she went to work instead at a local hospital in Brandesburton.

Pat Watts, when she started her training

She had second daughter Deborah in 1965 and returned to the Westwood Hospital in 1966, working nightshift on the wards.

She transferred to the Cottage Hospital annexe, looking after women on gynaecology wards and working alongside a night sister.

The introduction of the State Enrolled Nurse changed the tasks of an auxiliary. Pat was moved back to the Westwood when the annexe was closed and joined the maternity team.

When maternity services moved from Beverley, Pat transferred to Castle Hill as a midwifery assistant, supporting women in the labour and postnatal wards.

Pat worked in the Jubilee Birth Centre, supporting midwives to look after women and training in baby massage before the centre closed in 2012.

She then transferred to Hull Women and Children’s Hospital and now works two nights a week on Maple Ward, the antenatal ward for women requiring additional care or who are due to be induced, and Rowan Ward, which looks after women after their babies are born.

Pat supports the midwives and medical staff looking after the women, helps the women through the night and is a vital support to the younger, less experienced staff who can rely on Pat’s vast knowledge.

“I’ve done all my NVQs,” said Pat. “I know it’s important to keep up with my training online.

“I just really like looking after the women and their partners. This is such a friendly team and it’s really nice to be part of it.”

Janet (above right) started her orthopaedic training at Bridge of Earn Hospital in Scotland and, even as a student nurse, took charge of a busy Nightingale ward at night, with the night sisters visiting twice or three times a night to check all was well.

She married husband Robert, who was in the forces, and they moved south, with Janet joining maternity services at a cottage hospital in Aldershot and then Frimley Park Hospital in Hampshire.

Robert got a posting in Yorkshire and Janet visited Beverley Westwood Hospital to see about a job.

Janet Harley, earlier in her career

“I got an interview and was asked by Matron if I could start that night as they were short of staff on the baby care unit,” she said.

Janet moved to Castle Hill Hospital and worked on the special care baby unit and on the labour and delivery ward before transferring to the new Hull Women and Children’s Hospital in 2003.

She worked on the labour and delivery ward for 14 years before moving to Maple Ward and cut her hours back last year, working just two night shifts a week.

“I still continue to do labour ward, theatres and work in the midwifery-led unit and I keep myself up-to-date with all the study days and online training,” she said.

“I enjoy the teamwork. I was asked many times over the years if I wanted to do my midwifery training but my priorities then were my two children and childcare was difficult in those days.

“I’ve been on nights for 59 years now and they fit well into my lifestyle.

“People call me the ‘lovely little lady’. I always say I was six foot when I started nursing, now I’m down to four foot nothing.”

A Cliff Richard fan has raised hundreds of pounds for a breast screening service after wearing a bright pink wig to meet her idol.

Jenny Dickinson, 68, is one of a group of women calling themselves “Cliff’s Pink Ladies” on Facebook because they wear pink to every one of the superstar’s concerts to raise awareness for breast cancer.

Now, after undergoing surgery twice to remove cysts, Jenny has raised £300 for Humberside Breast Screening Unit, based at Castle Hill Hospital, after she was sponsored to wear her bright pink wig to meet Sir Cliff during his “Singalong with Cliff” at his vineyard in Portugal.

Jenny Dickinson with Sir Cliff Richard

Jenny said: “Cliff knew exactly what I was doing and why I was wearing the wig. He’s heard all about it because it was posted all over Facebook and he reads all about what we get up to.

“When he saw me, he just said I looked edible and I got three photographs taken with him.

“I’m glad to have raised the money for the unit but it seems so little after all you have done for me.”

Lesley Peacock, programme manager at Humberside Breast Screening, said: “We’re really grateful to Jenny for her support.

“Not only has Jenny raised some much-needed funds for us, she’s also helped us raise awareness of the importance of women coming for regular screening.”

Jenny, who lives in Stoneferry, east Hull, with husband Ron, has seen Sir Cliff hundreds of times in concerts, travelling all over the country to watch him in action.

“He’s just the perfect package,” she said.

In the 1980s, Jenny underwent surgery at the Westwood Hospital in Beverley to remove a cyst.

She discovered a larger lump in her breast three years ago and doctors discovered it was a Cyst of Montgomery, a benign breast mass, and she underwent an immediate biopsy. Tests showed the cyst was calcifying so she had surgery to remove it from her breast.

Keen caravaners, the couple spent much of their time at Allerthorpe Lakeland Park just outside Pocklington and Jenny came up with an idea to raise money for the unit after one of their friends from the site underwent a mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Every year, Cliff has a signing for his fans at his vineyard in Portugal where you can go and get your photograph taken with him,” she said.

“Our friends at the site said they’d sponsor me if I wore my pink wig to go to the signing so that’s what I did.

“There were 1,400 people and he posed for photographs with all of us again.

“I’ve had photographs of me with him but never one showing my face. Now, I’ve got one face-on with him.”

Visitors and staff at East Yorkshire’s hospitals will be using their coffee breaks to send children to school in Uganda.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is teaming up with Hull Collegiate to support the school’s “Safi Coffee” initiative to pay for Ugandan children to go to school and break the cycle of poverty.

Profits from every cup of coffee sold to staff or visitors will help to fund the £180 it costs to send a child in Uganda to school for a year.

Ann Mason, the trust’s head of facilities, said the trust will sell Safi Coffee at the café on the ground floor of Hull Women and Children’s Hospital from today.

She said: “As one of Hull’s largest employers, we feel we have a social obligation to support the schools in our area. We heard about this project and thought this was a very good idea for a very good cause.”

Hull Collegiate students were inspired to set up the initiative during a school trip to the south west region in 2015 when they saw pre-school children in their bare feet using machetes on farmland because they did not have the chance to go to school.

When they found out it cost just £180 to pay for a child to attend school in Uganda for a year, including the cost of accommodation, food, uniform and healthcare, the school set up Safi Coffee – which means pure and fresh in Swahili – to sell Ugandan coffee.

Using grant funding and the support of local businesses, the school imports Ugandan coffee to sell across the UK, with every penny of profit from Safi Coffee paying for Ugandan children to go to school.

Rated as one of the best tasting coffees in the world and the first time the gourmet coffee has been sold in Europe, the initiative also creates farming jobs.

Head of Estates Ann Mason with Catering Manager Neil Woods

The school’s website states: “Why would we do this? Why not? We have no extravagant CEO salaries to pay, no shareholders to satisfy; just a group of pupils determined to make a difference.

“Children have designed the packaging, painted the logo and are managing the accounts. They are learning about key business skills. It makes sense, for both us and them. It makes a difference.”

Talks to finalise the trial project are now being held between the hospital trust and the school staff.

Ann Mason said: “Not only will we promote and sell the coffee in our outlet, we’ll also sell the coffee beans and the ground coffee. Every penny of profit from their sales will go to their cause.

“We’re inviting students from the school to set up a stand in the café where they can give information to the public about their project to send children to school in Uganda.”

Hospital staff are raising funds for camp beds so families can stay with their loved ones approaching the end of their lives.

Ward 30 at the Queen’s Centre at Castle Hill Hospital provides recliner chairs so relatives can stay next to their family member in their final hours.

However, staff will hold a Disco Fever night and a raffle next month to raise money to pay for camp beds so relatives can rest properly next to the people they love.

Staff nurse Millie Heeley said: “Some of our patients come to us for end of life care and relatives come to stay with them.

“We offer hospitality rooms for relatives off the ward but a lot of people don’t want to leave their family members and want to stay right next to them.

“We have recliner chairs but it’s not quite the same as lying down properly so we thought we would try and raise money for camp beds so people can be as close as possible but still get some rest.”

The ward raised more than £1,000 last year to pay for an ECG machine to help patients.

Julie Simpson, who volunteered on the oncology ward for four months before being offered a job as a health care assistant 18 months ago, came up with the idea to help patients and their families this year.

Helped by clinical supporter worker Sue Hemsworth, Julie has been collecting raffle prizes and donations to help raise as much money as possible for the camp beds.

She said: “We’ve got the hospitality suite but, to me, that defeats the purpose because the families want to be close to their loved one.

“I just thought camp beds would be a better idea because we’ve got them right here, as and when we need them, and we can store them when we don’t need them.”

The 1970s, 80s and 90s themed Disco Fever night will be held in the Kenilworth Suite at the Good Fellowship in Cottingham Road, Hull, on Friday, July 6.

Tickets costing £5 can be obtained from the Good Fellowship, from Ward 30 or at the door of the venue on the night.

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

A hospital staff choir is hosting a special “The Greatest Showman” singalong this weekend to raise funds for a charity supporting people with motor neurone disease.

The choir at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is staging the event in honour of Consultant Histopathologist Dr Anne Campbell, a member of the choir in the soprano section recently diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).

Made up of members of staff working in different departments at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, the choir aims to raise funds for the Hull and East Riding branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

The choir, with Dr Anne Campbell, far right

Trust web developer Bonnie Gray, one of the choir’s tenors, said: “Although Anne is not able to sing with us now, she has many friends in the choir and always brings a smile to everyone’s face.

“We all miss her enthusiasm, her beautiful singing voice and her willingness to help new members learn their harmonies so we wanted to do something to help the charity supporting people with the condition.

“We’re hoping Anne will be here with us on the night as our very special guest of honour to show her just how much we appreciate her.”

The event at the lecture theatre in the Medical Education Centre at Hull Royal Infirmary from 7pm on Saturday is almost sold out with only a handful of the tickets still available from the choir’s Facebook page.

Although tickets are free, people are being asked to contribute a minimum donation of £5 to go to the charity. Drinks and cinema snacks will also be on sale, with all proceeds going to the Motor Neurone Disease Association.