A hospital trust is celebrating the mothers and daughters who devote their working lives to helping patients throughout East Yorkshire this Mother’s Day.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will use its Facebook and Twitter pages to celebrate the contribution of our mother-and-daughter teams.

Simon Nearney, director of workforce, said: “We appreciate the vital contribution every member of our staff makes but we’d like to send a special message to the thousands of mothers who work for the trust.

“We wish you a very happy Mother’s Day and thank you for all you do.”

Julie Fellowes with daughter Harriet

Julie Fellowes, 50, was bringing up two young daughters Aimee and Harriet when she pursued her dream of becoming a nurse.

“I’d been a printing assistant for years but I had always wanted to be a nurse,” she said. “But going to university wasn’t something someone with my upbringing was encouraged to do.

“You were made to feel  you weren’t clever enough to go to university. But I knew I was.”

She qualified with a first-class degree and became a registered nurse in 2002, working in infectious diseases before moving into acute medicine and becoming a senior nurse. She joined the gynaecology outpatients team as sister three years ago.

Daughter Harriet was working with young adults with learning difficulties in the community when her mother suggested a career move into the NHS.

Harriet joined the trust as a healthcare assistant on Ward 19 at Castle Hill before moving to Hull Royal and working on Ward 120 and the elderly assessment unit.

She joined the pre-assessment surgical unit two months ago and plans to train as a nursing associate.

Harriet said: “My mum has played a massive part in my decision to train as a nursing associate. I was about four or five when she went to university and I’ve seen how hard she’s worked to get to where she is.

“She’s encouraged me all the way.”

Rachael McDonald with mum Debbie

Debbie McDonald and her daughter Rachael don’t just work together, they job share as vascular lab assistants in the first floor department of Hull Royal Infirmary.

Debbie, 47, joined the trust 18 years ago, first as a ward clerk and then in the vascular department.

When the trust was looking for a partner to work with Debbie in a job share, Rachael was working for the agency and got the job. She is now employed directly by the trust, splitting the role with her mother.

“It’s great because I fit my hours around Rachael,” she said.

Rachael, 24, said: “I am studying education at the University of Hull and was looking for work part-time.

“It’s fine working with my mum although we get told off by my dad sometimes for taking work home with us.

“I was going to be a teacher but now I’m in the NHS, I’m enjoying it so I’d like to stay here and use my degree in another position.”

Claire Milsom was in a job she disliked when her mum Julie Simpson, a cardiographer at Castle Hill, spotted an advert for a post in medical records.

She encouraged Claire to apply and Claire got the job, starting at the trust in 2003.

“I knew I didn’t want to do anything clinical like my mum and it was always going to be an admin role for me,” said Claire. “My mum said the job might not sound very glamorous but it would be a stepping stone and she was right.”

Claire moved on to work in the ENT reception and worked across medical records, reception and the call centre after having her three children.

She now works as a patient management assistant at the Queen’s Centre at Castle Hill Hospital, setting up care pathways for patients requiring chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

“We can book up to 37 treatments for one patient,” said Claire. “I love my job. I’ve got three children and work just short of full-time hours so it’d have to be a job I’m happy doing for me to leave my children and do these hours.

“And it’s great working with my mum. I drop my kids off at school then go and get my mum. It saves my dad a job and we’re more like best friends, my mum and me.”

Julie, 60, joined the NHS in the late 1980s while her son and daughter were young before applying for a job as a cardiographer.

Now senior cardiographer, she heads a team of 13 carrying out ECGs and fitting day machines to people admitted to the Centre for Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery at Castle Hill Hospital with heart conditions.

Julie, who works reduced hours on flexi-retirement , said: “I remember telling Claire she should apply for the NHS because it was a stepping stone and a way to better yourself.

“I love my job although I sometimes struggle to get all I need to do finished in the hours I work. I’m really proud of Claire as I know she’s got a hard job too.

“But we’re both chatty and bubbly so both our roles suit us.”

The NHS celebrates its 70^th birthday this year! To mark the occasion, NHS organisations across Hull and the East Riding are planning a huge event, the 2018 Health Expo, on Thursday 5^th July, and everyone is invited!

The Expo will be held at the Hilton DoubleTree on Ferensway, Hull, and as part of the event, we’re planning to include an archive display to represent our journey from 1948 through to the present day. This means we’re now on the hunt for people who have items such as old uniform, pieces of equipment, artefacts, pamphlets or photos which we could use as part of the display. All items will be returnable.

If you have something you think would be of interest and you’d be willing to let us share this with others as part of our display, please get in touch by emailing hyp-tr.events@nhs.net Perhaps it’s something that’s been handed down through the family, or maybe it’s something you’ve hung on to from when you started your own NHS career. Please give us a full description (or as much as you know!) and where possible, please attach a photograph. We will get back to you in due course if we think we can use your item and to make further arrangements.

Thanks for your interest and in helping us celebrate this very special milestone!

The history of renal services in Hull was brought to life today after trust archivist Mike Pearson took part in World Kidney Day.

Nephrology consultant Dr Helen Collinson and members of Humberside Kidney Patients handed off information leaflets and stickers to staff after setting up their display outside the restaurant on the second floor of Hull Royal Infirmary.

Mike, who works for the trust’s estates department, spent hours locating photographs and memorabilia outlining the history of the service and the opening of the renal unit in 2010.

The first unit opened in 1969 at Hull Royal Infirmary (Sutton), later to become Princess Royal Hospital. The Princess Royal Princess Anne visited the unit in October 1985.

Services for kidney patients moved to Hull Royal in 1992 when former ward 17 was extended and refurbished to create a 12-bay unit. It was extended using additional office space and part of ward 18 to create a unit with 20 stations.

It was taken over by Fresenius Healthcare in 2008 and a new 40-station unit costing £11m was officially opened in 2010.

Dr Collinson thanked Mr Pearson for his efforts and said his display had proven popular with staff and visitors, with one former member of staff at the Princess Royal site delighted by the memories.

Nurses looking after Hull’s sick newborn babies are giving out sunflower seeds in special Mother’s Day cards to help mums of the babies cared for on the unit.

Kirstie Burron and Natalie Cook, both staff nurses at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), came up with the idea of making cards to celebrate the special event on Sunday.

Kirstie, who has worked on the unit for four years, said: “Natalie and I were talking about it and we thought it would be a really nice thing to do for the mums.

“We’re making the cards but we’re putting a packet of sunflower seeds inside too. We thought it would be something nice for them to watch grow as they’re watching their babies grow too.”

NICU is a specialist regional centre caring for babies who require intensive support following birth. Some of the babies have been born prematurely while others have been born with serious health problems.

The dedicated team on NICU nurse the babies in different rooms based on the severity of their condition. The Red Room deals with the most seriously ill babies who require round-the-clock intensive nursing, the Blue Room where babies require constant monitoring and the special care baby unit for babies who require additional support.

Once a baby is out of danger, they can be moved onto a transitional ward where their parents can stay with them to prepare for going home.

Kate Lamming, sister on NICU, said she immediately agreed when Kirstie and Natalie came up with the suggestion for Mother’s Day.

She said: “It can be a difficult day for some of the mothers because it wasn’t the way they had anticipated spending their first Mother’s Day with their babies.

“We try to make it as special a day as we can for them and I’m very proud of Kirstie and Natalie for coming up with the idea in the first place and then making the cards in their own time.”

Struggling to sleep and experiencing shortness of breath? Are your feet, hands or ankles swelling up and do you need to get up in the night for a wee?

Then you could be showing signs of a disease affecting the lives of three million Brits.

Today (Thursday, March 8) is World Kidney Day, a global event to raise awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD) which can lead to kidney failure, fatal without dialysis or transplant.

Dr Helen Collinson, a consultant nephrologist at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said around one third of the three million with CKD have no symptoms.

However, it is essential people recognise symptoms so they can be tested for kidney disease and given treatment as early as possible.

“Early diagnosis means we can start helping people quickly and they can make changes to their lifestyles which will slow down the progression of the condition,” she said.

Am I at risk?

Is there a history of kidney disease in your family? Then, you’ve got an increased risk of developing the condition yourself.

There’s also a greater risk of developing the condition if you’ve already got diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

And your chances of chronic kidney disease are higher if you’re overweight and obese.

People from a black, Asian or ethnic minority background also have an increased risk.

What are the signs of kidney disease?

Bear in mind you might have the condition but not show any signs. However, symptoms can include

• Insomnia
• Weight loss and poor appetite
• Tiredness
• The need to get up in the night to urinate
• Swollen ankles, feet or hands
• Shortness of breath
• Blood in urine
• Itchy skin
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea
• Headaches
• Erectile dysfunction

What should I do if I’m at increased risk or I’m showing symptoms?

Go to your GP and ask for a kidney function test. It’s usually a blood test measuring the levels of a waste produce called creatinine in your blood. Your age, gender and ethnic group are used as part of a calculation to work out how many millimetres of waste your kidneys are filtering. If it’s lower than 90ml a minute, you could have kidney disease.

What if I’ve got kidney disease?

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has a great renal service which is recognised for its excellence in helping and supporting patients with CKD and kidney failure.

Hull has a dedicated kidney unit at Hull Royal Infirmary, with main haemodialysis unit on site and satellite haemodialysis units led by nurses in Bridlington, Grimsby and Scunthorpe and patient outreach clinics at Bridlington, Goole, Grimsby and Scunthorpe.

There are also many patients on home dialysis treatments being managed in their homes, and a large number of patients with kidney transplants all under the expert care of the renal team

Medication can be used to treat your condition and you can slow down progression by making sensible changes to your diet and lifestyle. If your kidneys fail, you’ll require dialysis or a transplant.

What can I do to reduce my chances of developing kidney disease?

You can reduce your risk by simple changes to your lifestyle.

Stop smoking, reduce the amount of salt and saturated fats in your diet, take regular exercise, drink plenty of water and maintain a healthy weight.

The same lifestyle changes can also help a person already diagnosed with CKD to slow down the progression of the condition.

Dr Collinson said: “There are steps people can take to improve their lifestyles to reduce their risk of developing kidney disease in the first place.

“However, even when they have developed the disease, making lifestyle changes are important to slow down the progression of the disease.”

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will mark World Kidney Day tomorrow (Thursday, March 8).

Taking place on the same day as International Women’s Day, this year’s event will focus on the link between kidney disease and women’s health.

To mark the global event, we’re showing what it’s like to live with kidney disease, need-to-knows about your kidneys and how to keep them healthy throughout the week.

Today, here are some facts about the kidneys and the crucial role they play in the body.

• More than three million people in the UK are affected by kidney disease but up to one million don’t know they have the condition
• Hull has a dedicated kidney dialysis unit at Hull Royal Infirmary with nurse-led satellite dialysis units in Bridlington, Grimsby and Scunthorpe
• Kidney transplants for people living in East Yorkshire are performed at St James’s Hospital in Leeds.
• Outreach clinics for kidney patients are held in Bridlington, Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Goole
• Kidneys are fundamental organs and no human can survive without them. You normally have two kidneys although you can live with just one
• They regulate blood pressure, keep bones strong, make red blood cells and getting rid of excess water and toxins
• The kidneys filter around 180 litres of blood every day
• About 195 million women around the world suffer from chronic kidney disease.
• One in three women will develop a urinary tract infection (UTI), which can spread to their kidneys causing damage, in their lifetime and almost a third of those will have recurrent infections.
• At this precise moment, 64,000 people in the UK are being treated for kidney failure, which can be fatal without dialysis or a kidney transplant
• There are around 360,000 patients with chronic kidney disease in Yorkshire and the Humber
• Around 60,000 premature deaths in the UK are thought to be linked to chronic kidney disease
• Each kidney weighs between four to six ounces and measure about 4.5 inches
• Russian surgeon Yury Voronoy performed the first kidney transplant on a 26-year-old woman who had swallowed mercury to kill herself after a family row in 1933. He transplanted a kidney from a 60-year-old man who died of a head injury during a six-hour operation. However, the woman died two days later
• The first successful transplant was performed 22 years later by Dr Joseph E Murray at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Massachussetts. Ronald Herrick donated his healthy kidney to save the life of his identical twin brother Richard, who was dying of kidney failure. Richard lived for another eight years after the transplant.

A hospital doctor says thousands of people in East Yorkshire are unaware they are living with a disease which could claim their lives.

Dr Helen Collinson, consultant nephrologist at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said around three million people in the UK have chronic kidney disease (CKD).

However, around one million do not realise they are living with a condition which can lead to kidney failure, fatal without treatment by dialysis or a kidney transplant because they have no symptoms.

Dr Helen Collinson discussing a case with a nurse

Dr Collinson said: “The main thing about chronic kidney disease is that it affects a lot of people but doesn’t actually cause much in the way of symptoms for many.

“However, if we can diagnose the condition early, we may be able to help to slow down its progression, reducing or delaying the need for kidney replacement treatment such as dialysis or transplant which can make a huge difference to a person’s quality of life.

“If you know about something, there is often something you can do about it.”

The main thing about chronic kidney disease is that it affects a lot of people but doesn’t actually cause much in the way of symptoms for many.

“However, if we can diagnose the condition early, we can help to slow its progress and that makes a huge difference to a person’s quality of life.

“If you know about something, there is always something you can do about it.”

Hull has a dedicated kidney unit at Hull Royal Infirmary, satellite units led by nurses at in Bridlington, Grimsby and Scunthorpe and patient outreach clinics at Bridlington, Goole, Grimsby and Scunthorpe.

The trust plans to mark World Kidney Day on Thursday, March 8, with staff and patients manning a stand in Hull Royal Infirmary’s restaurant to raise awareness among NHS workers, other patients and visitors to the hospital.

The theme of this year’s event is kidney disease and women’s health, with the condition more common in older women than men. However, because the condition progresses more slowly in women, fewer need dialysis or a transplant.

People can reduce their risk of developing chronic kidney disease by changing their lifestyles right now.

Stopping smoking, reducing the amount of salt and saturated fats we eat, taking regular exercise, always drinking plenty of water and maintaining a healthy weight can all reduce the risk of developing CKD.

However, lifestyle changes can also help a person who already has kidney disease.

Dr Collinson said: “There are steps people can take to improve their lifestyles to reduce their risk of developing kidney disease in the first place.

“However, even when they have developed the disease, making lifestyle changes are important to slow down the progression of the disease.”

Symptoms of CKD can include weight loss and poor appetite, swollen ankles, feet or hands caused by water retention (oedema), shortness of breath, tiredness, blood in urine and an increased need to urinate, particularly at night.

Some people will have insomnia, itchy skin, muscle cramps, nausea and headaches. Men with kidney disease can also experience erectile dysfunction.

If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, family members with kidney disease, have had pre-eclampsia or are from a BME background, ask your GP for a kidney function test.

A mother-of-two has told how she has battled kidney disease after undergoing four kidney transplants including two from her parents.

To mark World Kidney Day on March 8, Michelle Barber has thanked the team of renal experts at Hull Royal Infirmary who have spent 24 years saving her life.

Michelle, 37, underwent her first of four kidney transplant at 16, became one of the few women to become pregnant during kidney dialysis and then did it again. She even survived at one stage thanks to an infusion of antibodies from a rabbit.

“They say I’m a bit unusual,” Michelle, who works in a GP surgery in Beverley, said. “I’m a great believer in what will be, will be and I’ve put my faith in my doctors.

“We are so lucky to have such great renal and vascular teams in Hull. I’ve had treatment in Leeds and London so I can honestly say, hand on heart, that the teams in Hull are extraordinary.

“This isn’t just a job to them. They really care.”

Chronic kidney disease affects 195 million women worldwide and events will be held around the world to raise awareness of kidney disease and women’s health to mark both World Kidney Day and International Women’s Day on March 8.

In the UK, chronic kidney disease is more common in older women than in men and women with kidney disease can face additional risks during pregnancy.

Michelle was just 13 and a pupil at Winifred Holtby School in Bransholme when she collapsed in the street after months of feeling unwell.

Rushed to Hull Royal Infirmary, a scan revealed chronic kidney failure and she was told she would need dialysis by the time she was 18.

She attended Hull Royal every three months for tests but had to go on dialysis three times a week in hospital from 1996 to stay alive.

She underwent her first transplant in 1997 but had to go back on dialysis three years later when it was rejected.

To the astonishment of her doctors, they discovered she was pregnant, an extremely rare development in women with severe kidney disease.

She was placed on dialysis for more than four hours every day and was monitored every week by obstetricians before giving birth to son Rhys at 35 weeks.

She continued dialysis but, within months, discovered she was pregnant again because the contraceptive pill had been dialysed out of her system. She gave birth to son Tyler at 32 weeks.

Her mother Vanessa and sister Kirsty helped Michelle bring up her baby sons while she prepared for a second transplant, this time receiving a kidney from her dad Kevin in 2005.

But a test within 24 hours showed she was experiencing vascular rejection and she had an infusion of antibodies from a rabbit over five days, a treatment used before plasma exchange, to prevent full rejection.

However, by 2006, the transplant was rejected and she was back on dialysis.

Treatment over so many years meant Michelle developed access problems with her veins and she was referred to St George’s Hospital in London for treatment by a world-renowned specialist.

Her mother Vanessa then donated her kidney in 2008 but Michelle developed an autoimmune disease and an incurable virus linked to kidney transplants, rejecting the third transplanted kidney.

Back on dialysis, she was told a further transplant was no longer an option because of the access problems with her veins.

“I was absolutely devastated beyond words,” she said. “But then I got my head around it. I accepted dialysis was how it was going to be for me and the thing that kept me alive.”

However, a surgeon in Leeds realised it would be possible to connect a transplanted kidney to her vena cava, the vein carrying deoxygenated blood to her heart, and she was placed back on the transplant list.

In September, while Michelle was undergoing tests to find out if her friend could donate a kidney, she received a call on her mobile from St James’ Hospital in Leeds to say a kidney had been found.

“They’d called me five times but I kept ending the call because I thought it was a cold call,” she said.

“I couldn’t believe it when they said they’d found a match but I was just so calm. I still bought my boys a pizza out of M&S for their tea and even ironed their clothes for the weekend before I went to hospital.”

Michelle and her sons, now 15 and 16, are adapting to life after her fourth transplant at their home in Hull.

“I’ve always overcompensated to make sure my boys don’t miss out,” she said. “Neither of them can heat up a tin of beans because I’ve done everything for them. I was determined they wouldn’t suffer because of my illness.

“Christmas was the first time I’d been able to eat and drink what I wanted without restrictions but I felt so guilty because I knew a family were facing their first Christmas without someone they loved, someone who has given me this chance.

“But I’m just trying to take each day as it comes.”

Although she experienced mild rejection and her kidney function isn’t 100 per cent, Michelle is off dialysis for the first time in years.

“Renal conditions don’t get the same attention as things like cancer,” she said. “People don’t realise kidney failure is for life and there are so many people out there with these problems.

“But if telling my story means people understand what it’s like to live with kidney failure or recognise the symptoms, I’ll be happy.”

Staff have been praised for keeping the busiest clinic in Hull’s hospitals running after the heating broke down during this week’s Arctic conditions.

Maintenance workers at the Eye Hospital were called in after the heating system in the main reception area broke down on Wednesday.

Today, ophthalmology consultant Colin Vize paid tribute to the dedication of reception staff who kept the Eye Hospital and its outpatient clinic running smoothly with no cancellations despite the difficult working conditions.

He said: “Staff running the outpatients clinic were absolutely fantastic and put patients above any other consideration.

“They didn’t go home, they stuck it out and wore gloves and coats so they could still type in patients’ details and send out appointment letters.

“This department is busy at the best of times but these circumstances made it extremely challenging for the people who work there. They have our deepest gratitude for battling on for the good of our patients.”

The problems began on Wednesday when temperature plummeted to minus 10 degrees as the “Beast From the East” caused widespread disruption throughout the country.

Radiotherapy staff at the Queen’s Centre at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham also battled through heavy snow and blizzard conditions from Sheffield, Brigg, Bridlington and Rotherham to ensure they were at their posts so patients’ cancer treatment could begin on time.

Team members covered for co-workers  who had been unable to get into Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, working well beyond the end of their shifts so patients continued to receive the best possible care.

Estates staff also worked round the clock to clear pathways and car parks, ensuring patients, staff and visitors were able to get into the hospitals.

The hospital’s heating system, like others throughout the city, developed problems as the worst of the weather hit and patients coming in through the main doors meant staff were hit by a blast of freezing cold air as they tried to do their jobs.

Staff were rotated to other departments so no one had to spend too long in reception

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust called in its estates team to repair the heating system as quickly as possible and work is now being carried out by contractors on sliding doors to the reception to minimise draughts when they were closed.

Mr Vize said: “Throughout the NHS, we’ve heard remarkable stories of people going above and beyond this week. Our staff are no different.

“The management team is truly grateful for their gritty determination.”

Critical care nurse Soo Hassall retires after 37 years in the NHS

A nurse who has helped to save countless critically ill patients at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital is retiring after almost 37 years of dedication to the NHS.

Soo Hassall, 54, started her nursing career as a student nurse in 1981 and worked in intensive care, cardiology and, finally, for Hull and East Yorkshire Hospital NHS Trust’s critical care outreach team.

Soo is one of the critical care specialist nurses who look after the most seriously ill patients recently released from the hospitals’ intensive care units and monitor patients on the wards whose conditions are deteriorating.

She will retire from the trust this month, although she intends to return to work part-time on a job share.

“If I had to do it all again, I’d do exactly the same again,” Soo said.  “I feel I have the best job in the world. But I can’t believe the changes I’ve seen during my career.

“The patients we look after now are far sicker than the ones I looked after at the start of my career. I think we are now seeing far more patients survive because of advances in medicine.

“One area where you really notice that is when patients suffer cardiac arrests. When I first started in intensive care, patients who suffered cardiac arrests and made it to ICU would end up with brain damage.

“Today, it’s amazing the amount of people that walk out of hospital as normal even after a cardiac arrest because they are resuscitated so quickly, we’ve got defibrillators in the community and people can do CPR.”

Soo started nursing in orthopaedics before moving into intensive care nursing on 1 April, 1985.

“I was fascinated with intensive care nursing and knew it was the right thing for me,” she said.

She worked in intensive care until 1989, aside from a six-month stint in A&E, before leaving to complete her one-year course to convert to a staff nurse.

Re-joining the trust, Soo spent four years in cardiology, working in what is now the cardiac monitoring unit before returning to intensive care in 1994.

She worked her way up to the position of charge nurse on ICU and joined the critical care outreach team, launched in 2000, in 2003, splitting half her year on the unit and then half with the outreach team. She joined the team full-time in 2011.

“Intensive care nursing has always been my passion,” she said. “I’ve loved looking after patients. In this job, we see some really sick patients and there’s that rush of adrenaline when you need to do everything you can to save them.

“We also get to build up relationships with the patients on the wards, seeing them improving and getting better every day.

“I’ve worked with a great team on outreach and I think we have a brilliant critical care team. We couldn’t do our job without them.”

Critical care outreach sister Mandy Price has worked with Soo for decades.

“With all her years of experience, she is like the matriarch of the team,” Mandy says. “Everything Soo does is all about the patients and when she hands over patients at the end of her shifts, you can see the compassion she feels for them when she’s talking to you.

“She is an all-round good egg and we’re so glad she’s coming back part-time because she would leave a big hole in this team.

“She has so much experience and knowledge and when you have a patient with complicated needs, Soo is the person you turn to for advice.”

Vicky Kirkby, critical care outreach team lead nurse, said: “When I first met Soo in 1989, I was so impressed by her knowledge and because she was such a proactive nurse.

“Now, I see Soo as someone I have a massive amount of respect for and a role model.

“I’m genuinely pleased she’s coming back part time as it would be such a loss to the trust to lose the kind of experience and care Soo has.”