People across Hull and the East Riding are being encouraged to take part in some gentle healthy activity this weekend as a way of saying thank you to those who care for them.

Parkrun has teamed up with the NHS to celebrate the health service’s 70^th birthday via a series of NHS70 themed 5km events across the country.

The NHS70 parkruns will take place at 9am on Saturday 9^th June. Well over 300 parkrun teams across the UK have signed up to get involved, with the most local events taking place at Peter Pan Park and East Park in Hull, and at the Humber Bridge.

Health experts agree that regular gentle exercise can deliver a whole host of physical and mental benefits for people of all ages. So, to encourage people to think a little more about their own health, and as a means of saying thank you to the thousands of NHS workers who dedicate their lives to caring for others, parkruns across the UK are expected to be awash with blue and white this weekend.

Diane Mawer is a Clinical Lead Physiotherapist working within Hull Women and Children’s Hospital and a core volunteer at Hull parkrun. She has completed over 380 parkruns and has around 250 stints as a volunteer under her belt. She says:

“We know that going along to your local parkrun has a positive effect on both physical and psychological health and that these benefits are seen very quickly. It’s also a great way to make friends and enjoy a strong sense of community.

“Whether you choose to run, jog, walk or volunteer, I really can’t recommend parkrun highly enough.”

Hundreds of parkruns take place in parks and open spaces across the UK every Saturday morning, staffed entirely by volunteers. They are community-led events, designed for people of all ages and abilities. While some run as fast as they can, others prefer to walk or jog the course, often with children, dogs or buggies.

And nowhere could the NHS70 celebration be more fitting this week than at Peter Pan Park, next to Costello Stadium, west Hull, as a local running club also concludes its latest Couch to 5K beginners running programme at the same parkrun event.

Members of Kingston upon Hull Athletic Club have been guiding more than 100 new and aspiring runners for the last nine weeks in order to help people improve their health and fitness, make new friends and achieve their personal goals. Participants have gradually built up the amount of time they are able to run for, week on week, and this Saturday’s 5km parkrun will mark the culmination of their efforts.

Stephen Hunt, Run Leader with Kingston upon Hull AC says:

“Couch to 5K is a great way for people who are new to running or who haven’t exercised in quite a while to gradually build up their fitness, and it’s done in such a way that people can go at their own pace.

“The idea isn’t that people can necessarily run the full 5K at the end, but that they can complete it confidently and in a way which suits them, and that matches the general ethos of parkrun, that it really is for everybody.

“This is the third year in which Kingston upon Hull Athletic Club has run the Couch to 5K programme and in that time, we’ve supported more than 500 people and seen it have a huge impact on people’s health and well-being. We’ve seen people lose weight, increase their fitness, improve their mental well-being as they take some time for themselves, make new friends; it’s even helped one runner to identify a health problem which may otherwise have gone undetected for much longer.

“Seeing our Couch to 5K Class of 2018 graduate at the same time as the NHS70 celebration parkrun takes place is just fantastic, and a real reminder of why it’s important for all of us to be grateful for the NHS we have, and to play a part in keeping ourselves fit and healthy.”

How to get involved in NHS70 parkrun

The NHS70 parkrun celebrations are open to everyone, and there are two ways to get involved:

1. Take part in your local parkrun by walking, running or jogging the 5km course, at your own pace, either on your own or with friends and family; or
2. Volunteer an hour or two of your time to help with jobs like marshalling, scanning barcodes, or timekeeping (no experience necessary!)

More information on parkrun locations and details of how to register can be found at www.parkrun.org.uk

Business leaders in Hull will learn this week how young people are gaining vital experience through volunteering at the city’s hospital trust.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has taken on 260 school-leavers as part of its “Young Volunteers” programme to give them an insight into 322 different careers within the NHS.

Many young people have since gone on to start 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.

Rachael Pearce, the trust’s Senior Patient Experience and Engagement Officer who leads the Young Volunteers project, will address company representatives at Fruit on Wednesday as part of Hull Business Week.

She said: “Young people have a vital contribution to make to the NHS and our programme shows them there is a huge variety of career opportunities open to them. They learn working for the trust is not just about training as a doctor or a nurse.

“My view is ‘Believe in young people and the magic will happen’ and that has been proved time and time again since we launched the programme. Young people have responded so well because we have put our faith in them and have opened doors they never thought were open to them before.

“We as employers just need to give them that first chance and support them into productive, valuable and rewarding careers.”

As well as the Young Volunteers programme, 50 people aged 16 to 24 have also been signed up as Young Health Champions at the trust.

This project reaches out to people with depression, anxiety, social issues or conditions such as autism and ADHD.

Providing them 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.

Rachael Pearce will outline the success of both schemes when she attends the Right Here, Right Now event hosted by Athena Aspire.

Visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/right-here-right-now-tickets-46071351653?aff=es2 to register for the free event.

A husband and wife have thanked hospital staff for saving their son after he was born with a potentially life-threatening condition affecting newborn babies.

Stacey Smith, 30, and her husband, Martin, also 30, are planning to raise funds for Hull’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after son Noah was born with haemolytic disease of the newborn.

Noah spent 22 days of the first month of his life in hospital after the couple endured the death of their daughter Darcie, born stillborn at almost 35 weeks in 2014.

Stacey said: “It was a really difficult time but staff understood how difficult it was and helped us so much.

“We just wanted to do something for NICU to thank them and to help other families who are going through similar problems.”

Haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDNB), also known as Rhesus Disease, happens when antibodies in the mother’s blood attack her baby’s blood cells. While it is not harmful to the mother, it can cause anaemia and jaundice in a baby.

Although rare, severe cases of haemolytic disease of the newborn can cause stillbirth, brain damage, learning difficulties, deafness and blindness if untreated.

It usually occurs when the mother has rhesus negative blood (RhD negative) and her baby has rhesus positive blood (RhD positive) and if she has been previously exposed to RhD positive blood. However, it can also be caused by antibodies to a variety of other blood group system antigens.

All pregnant women are now offered blood tests to determine if their blood group.  If RhD negative, the mother will be offered injections during her pregnancy.

The couple, who live in Kingswood and have an older daughter Summer, now seven, discovered Stacey, although blood type O+, had somehow developed a rare combination of antibodies before she became pregnant with Noah.

Understandably anxious following Darcie’s death, Stacey was already being monitored and, at 35 weeks, the levels of antibodies were found to be rising and she was booked in the following week to be induced.

Noah was born weighing 6lbz 2.5 oz but, hours later, following blood tests, his bilirubin levels were extremely high and he was taken into the Red Room at NICU for intensive light therapy and treatment.

He was allowed back onto the ward beside Stacey after eight days and they went home after 12.

However, the bilirubin levels rose again and his haemoglobin levels plummeted and he was rushed back into hospital.

Noah underwent two life-saving blood transfusions after doctors found only one match for him in the whole country.

“He’s absolutely fine now and you’d never know what he went through in the first month of his life,” said Stacey. “He’s 100 per cent well with no lasting effects.”

Stacey, who works in accounts, and Martin, who works in CAD design, now plan to run the Hull 10k on Sunday and the Great North Run and have set up a Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/stacey-smith34  to raise funds for NICU.

Hospital wards in East Yorkshire have been boosted by a further intake of qualified nurses.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been working with international recruitment firm, Resource Finder, to attract nurses working in the Philippines to live and work in the UK.

Like many others across the country, the Trust which runs Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham is struggling to recruit qualified nurses in the UK, so is now looking further afield in order to boost its staffing complement.

Simon Nearney, Director of Human Resources for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“The shortage of qualified nurses is something which Trusts up and down the country are experiencing, so increasingly we’re all competing to attract the same, limited number of people.

“As well as our ongoing work with the University of Hull, which is regularly helping us to recruit more than 140 newly qualified nurses each year, we have also been looking to international recruitment as a means of bringing more qualified and experienced nursing staff onto our wards.

“Previous attempts to recruit from the Philippines have been successful and we now have a very skilled and well established Filipino nursing community here in Hull, so it made perfect sense to look at this as an option again.”

A total of 23 nurses have so far arrived in the UK, of which 21 have successfully passed the practical, language and knowledge-based examinations required to practice to UK standards, known as Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OCSEs). They are now working in areas such as intensive care, surgical theatres and the acute medical unit.  The remaining two are already working in clinical support roles at HRI and Castle Hill to gain experience of local hospitals, pending successful completion of their OSCEs.

One of the new arrivals is Rain Otic (below, left), who is now nursing on the Intensive Care Unit at Castle Hill Hospital. He says:

“I was a nurse for five years at Chong Hua Hospital in the Philippines before coming to Hull. I didn’t feel like I was going anywhere and so when I was given the opportunity, I came here as a way of progressing my career.

“My son, Calix, was born in January and I have not seen him or held him yet. It’s been difficult but it’s something I have to do for my family. I want to get myself established in Hull, so I will be returning home to meet Calix and to see my family in November.

“When I arrived in England, I found London very fast paced but Hull is much more relaxed. There is still a lot to learn here, but it’s great to have my colleagues around me and the trainers have been a great support.”

Robert Fuller, Managing Director of Resource Finder Recruitment understands how important it is for local hospitals to not only recruit but to retain qualified nursing staff. He says:

“We have worked closely with Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust for a prolonged period to identify and vet the most suitable nurses from the Philippines. As an organisation, we have invested heavily to ensure we offer a safe and trusted pathway into the NHS for these outstanding nurses and the Trust.

“Not only is our process of bringing nurses here effective, our efforts always continue beyond their arrival to ensure the transition into the UK is comfortable. Our team support from a professional and personal perspective with assistance towards clinical examinations such as the OSCE to finding properties to live.  

“The nurses’ commitment to this opportunity from the moment we come into contact with them is second to none, they are a credit to the profession of nursing and we are delighted to see them here complementing the workforce of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.”

Karen Mechen, Clinical Nurse Educator Team Manager at the Trust says;

“The Filipino nurses joining us have quite varied backgrounds; some have been working as personal carers, while one worked in intensive care and another worked as an occupational health nurse, for example.

“As nursing practice and expectations can differ between countries, the NMC assessments which nurses coming into the UK have to pass are very stringent. The OSCE covers all aspects of care from dressing changes and infection control to care planning and administering medication, so in passing this examination, we can be confident that our newest recruits are able to work to the required standard.

“The new recruits are all so positive and enthusiastic about coming to work in Hull, it’s really fantastic and refreshing to see.

“In many cases they are leaving family and friends behind to come and work here and help us care for local people, so it’s important that we make them feel genuinely welcome and valued in return.”

Hull’s Coroner will talk to medical and nursing staff about his role in allowing patients’ families to proceed with organ donations to save lives this week.

As Her Majesty’s Senior Coroner for Hull and the East Riding, Professor Paul Marks has to give his permission for some organ donations to go ahead.

Now, Professor Marks has now been invited to outline his role in the procedure when Hull hosts the Organ Donation Conference on Friday.

Alex Wray, specialist nurse in organ donation, said: “This is a great opportunity for us to raise awareness and give information to staff who look after the patients who may go on to become organ donors.”

Hull’s organ donation team had a record-breaking year in 2017/18 after 35 families gave permission for their loved ones’ organs to be used to save a life compared to 13 in 2016/17.

As a result of their bravery, 54 life-saving transplants could be carried out.

Staff at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital also referred more patients to the organ donation team than other hospitals in the country, achieving a referral rate of 94 per cent compared to a national rate of 90 per cent.

Hospital staff have to seek permission from Professor Marks and his team in certain cases including if the patient has been in hospital for less than 24 hours, recently underwent surgery or if there are any special circumstances surrounding the person’s death.

Professor Marks, who presides over inquests into sudden and suspicious deaths, will explain the procedure and answer any questions staff may have about the procedure.

Although the talk is not open to the public, staff working in hospitals across Yorkshire will be invited to attend the conference at the Medical Education Centre at Hull Royal Infirmary to understand more about organ donation.

A donor family will talk to staff about their experience while the family of a person who received organs will explain the difference organ donation has made to all their lives.

Consultant neurosurgeon Mr Anuj Bahl will talk about brain injuries in patients, Consultant nephrologist Dr Matt Edey will talk about looking after a post renal transplant patient in intensive care while the renal transplant nursing team in Hull will discuss their work.

Mr Vipin Mehta, a senior transplant fellow and consultant cardiac surgeon, will also discuss his work during the morning session.

Shahid Farid, a locum consultant liver transplant surgeon, will explain the role of a liver transplant surgeon before Dr Dale Gardiner of NHS Blood and Transplant gives the final talk on “diagnosis of death”.

A couple have raised thousands of pounds to thank hospital staff for saving the life of their baby son.

Caroline Latus, 35, developed severe pre-eclampsia when she was 32 weeks’ pregnant and had to undergo an emergency caesarean section to save her life and the life of her baby son Zach.

Now, family and friends have helped Caroline and husband Will raise more than £6,500 for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust after Will completed his first triathlon Ironman in Majorca with Zach’s uncle Sam.

Caroline, of Hessle, said: “We are just so grateful to the hospital. They did such a fantastic job for us and we can’t thank them enough.

“This was our way of giving something back and it was very emotional to watch Will and Sam after all we’ve gone through.”

Caroline with Zach, shortly after he was born, and Zach, home with his parents

Born eight weeks early weighing just 2lb 7oz on July 15, 2017, Zach was rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) while staff at Hull Royal Infirmary’s intensive care unit battled to save Caroline.

It was 34 hours before Caroline was well enough to be wheeled across the footbridge joining both hospitals to meet her son.

Zach spent almost six weeks in NICU before he was well enough to go home, weighing 4lbs. He is now 10 months old, is just under one stone in weight and has been given the all-clear by hospital teams, with no lasting health effects despite coming into the world two months early.

Caroline, who owns a web design business, and Will, who runs a gym in Chanterlands Avenue with his brothers, decided to raise funds for Hull Women and Children’s Hospital to thank the NHS for saving both mother and baby.

Will and Sam trained for months to take part in the 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride and 21.1km run in the searing Majorcan heat, cheered over the finish line by Sam’s girlfriend, Zach’s grandparents and Caroline and Zach.

Caroline said: “It’s been a roller coaster of a year but Zach’s doing great. He’s developing his own personality and we’re so proud of him after all he’s been through.”

Will Latus (left) with Sam and Zach

NHS staff, patients and the public are being invited to get active and celebrate the NHS’s 70^th birthday on Saturday 9^th June.

Health workers, their families and those they care for are being encouraged to walk, run, or volunteer at one of three local 5km parkruns, either Peter Pan Park (next to Costello Stadium), Hull (East Park), off Holderness Road, or Humber Bridge next week.

This event is designed to encourage people to take part in gentle, enjoyable exercise while serving as an opportunity to say thank you to the thousands of NHS workers who, like Kerry (pictured right, from Castle Hill Hospital), dedicate their lives to caring for others.

Dame Kelly Holmes is leading the call nationally for communities to get involved with their local NHS70 parkrun.

Hundreds of parkruns take place in parks and open spaces across the UK every Saturday morning, staffed entirely by volunteers. These community-led events are designed for people of all ages and abilities. While some run as fast as they can, others prefer to walk or jog the course. Those with children, dogs or buggies are also welcome.

How you can get involved

There are two ways to get involved:

1. Take part in your local parkrun by walking, running or jogging the 5km course, at your own pace, either on your own or with friends and family; or
2. Volunteer an hour or two of your time to help with jobs like marshalling, scanning barcodes, or timekeeping (no experience necessary!)

If you would like to take part, please read our list of parkrun pointers below, or if you would prefer to volunteer, please email either:

Peter Pan: peterpanhelpers@parkrun.com
Hull (East Park): hullhelpers@parkrun.com
Humber Bridge: humberbridgehelpers@parkrun.com

The full list of participating NHS70 parkrun locations can be found on the NHS England website.

NHS70 parkrun pointers

• Parkrun starts at 9am. Please arrive in plenty of time to warm up. A new runners briefing is given at 8:50am for first timers.
• While it is not essential to register to take part, if you would like your finishing time to be recorded, please sign up at parkrun.org.uk/register then just print a copy of your barcode and bring it with you on the day. This also helps the parkrun volunteers when it comes to processing the results.
• Participants are being encouraged to wear blue and/or white on 9^th June to reflect the colours of the NHS logo. (N.B Trust staff are regrettably unable to wear their uniform, in line with the Trust Uniform Policy).
• Children are welcome to take part but under 11s must be accompanied by, and remain in arm’s reach of, a parent or guardian at all times.
• Please be aware that photographs are taken at all three local parkrun events and are posted to their respective facebook pages shortly afterwards.

For more information on parkrun, visit www.parkrun.org.uk

Midwives are offering antenatal classes to couples from Hull’s Polish community who are expecting a baby to ensure their children get the best start in life.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will offer the free class to Polish couples at its next Carousel event at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital on Wednesday night.

Held on the last Wednesday of every month, the HEY Baby Carousel offers advice, support and information to help women and their partners throughout their pregnancies.

An interpreter will be present to help midwives and child care experts talk to 22 Polish mums-to-be and their partners, answering their questions and providing them with information about the trust’s maternity services.

Child birth educator Melanie Lee

Child birth educator midwife Melanie Lee said: “We are here for every woman in the city so they can access the best support and advice as they prepare for their babies.

“Hull has a growing Polish community and it is right that maternity services in the city adapt and evolve to ensure every woman and their partners can benefit from the help our midwives can provide.”

The trust has produced posters in Polish to promote the new service, with details posted on its social media pages on Facebook and Twitter.

Members of the HEY Baby team have also been touring Polish shops and community venues around the city to put up their posters and inform people of the special service.

The class will take place on May 30, between 5pm and 8pm, at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital. Women are welcome to bring along a partner, family member or friend and an interpreter will be on hand if required.

Any woman who wishes to take part in the class should book her place by emailing hyp-tr.hey.baby@nhs.net or by calling 07769 671449.  

Hull Royal Infirmary staff have created a boutique on a hospital ward to help patients out of their pyjamas and into their clothes.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is taking part in #EndPJParalysis to get patients wearing everyday clothes after studies showed keeping patients in pyjamas can reduce mobility and independence, increase the risk of falls and lengthen hospital stays.

Now, Senior Sister Stephanie Hazell has created “Steph’s Boutique” on Ward 70 for patients with diabetes, endocrinology and general medical conditions at Hull Royal Infirmary.

She said: “When I managed Ward 1, staff used to bring in unwanted old clothes so patients could go home in clothes rather than nightwear to allow them to maintain their dignity when they were discharged.

“We used to get quite a few homeless people and we were able to give them new clothes when they left and I’ve just extended that idea.

“Staff have been bringing in old clothes belonging to them or members of their family so patients can wear comfortable clothes once they’re feeling better and able to get out of bed.

“We know it makes a massive difference to their wellbeing and makes them feel less vulnerable.”

The 70-day initiative will run until June 26 as part of the NHS’s 70^th anniversary celebrations.

Staff at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital are using an app to record how many patients are wearing their own clothes in an attempt to reach a national target of one million patient bed days.

On Ward 70, staff have been bringing in comfortable clothes such as jogging and tracksuit bottoms, sweatshirts, jumpers and long-sleeved tops for patients as part of their recovery.

Families and care homes are being asked to take the clothes home for washing before returning with the patient’s own clothes.

Stephanie Hazell said the ward would be grateful for donations of comfortable clothes suitable for older people.

She said: “Older people tend to feel the cold so we use jumpers, cardigans and long-sleeved tops and comfortable trousers and skirts rather than jeans or blouses with lots of buttons.”