Pregnant people will be able to access their maternity records and update their birthing preferences at the touch of a button when a new electronic system is introduced next month.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is set to launch BadgetNet on 6^th February 2024 for pregnant women and birthing people accessing maternity services at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

The new system is a full electronic patient record where every clinical interaction with health professionals will be recorded throughout the full course of their maternity journey. It will launch with an online portal and app called ‘Badger Notes’ alongside, through which anyone who’s pregnant will be able to view their record and add or adjust their preferences, such as where they want to give birth and details of their birthing partner.

Badger Notes replaces the traditional hand-held paper file that people are given, and provides real-time access to their maternity care record over the internet through their PC, tablet or mobile phone. The app is updated with information drawn from hospital maternity records.

This allows more convenient and timely access to key information and also ensures the pregnant person’s choices on what they want to happen at each stage of the pregnancy journey are clearly captured, so all those caring for them can see it.

Liz Davis, Digital Midwife said: “In the past the hospital and the person who was expecting a baby each had separate paper records. If the pregnant person forgot their paper record, we would not be able to see or know what has been done in the community, likewise community may not see the hand-held notes the consultant has written. Now, with this new service, pregnant people and hospital staff both have a full record of their care, wherever they are, at whatever stage of their pregnancy journey.

“There’s a real shift now towards electronic record keeping and digital access. People already access many elements of their healthcare online; GP appointments, prescriptions, hospital letters and so on, so why not maternity care too?

“This is going to make a huge difference in the way we as professionals care for pregnant people, both during their pregnancy and in the post-natal phase. It will save a lot of time as midwives do not have to double enter data onto paper, and in this respect it will help to reduce our paper use and our environmental impact too.”

Rukeya Miah, Head of Midwifery said: “We are thrilled to bring Badger Notes to people using maternity services. This innovative system will deliver a more joined up approach across maternity care, and reflects our commitment to providing expectant families with the highest standards of support and empowerment.

“The system will contribute massively to improved patient information and experience, and ultimately contribute to positive maternal outcomes by increasing choice, personalisation and empowering patients participate in their maternity journey.”

Because the system is personalised, patients can also add details about themselves, such as occupation and any allergies and add their own plans and preferences for care, before and after birth.

The system is completely secure and only those with the correct login details are able to access notes.

Midwives will provide people with details of how to create an account and access Badger Notes at ante-natal appointments, though the app can be downloaded anytime from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Wyke 6th Form College students have welcomed a new project offering volunteering opportunities in healthcare facilities across Hull and East Riding.

The ‘Young Health Champions Together’ project, created by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in partnership with City Health Care Partnership (CHCP) will offer students the opportunity to gain valuable insight into different areas and specialisms on offer in the health sector.

Angelina who has booked to volunteer as part of the project said: “I decided to join the programme because I knew I was interested in medicine but was uncertain about what path I wanted to take. So, I thought volunteering in an actual ward would help.”

Ala said: “I found out about the NHS volunteering programme through a talk given by one of the organisers. I was excited to hear about it and I look forward to starting my volunteering experience which starts soon.”

Another student who wants to volunteer on the cardiothoracic ward to explore the various roles available in the NHS said: “I hope to develop skills like confidence, effective communication and responsibility, all of which are valuable for my future career in the NHS.”

Sixty students from Wyke 6th Form College will be the first to take part in this unique project and are expected to commit six months to the programme and undertake four hours of volunteer work each week.

Students are not limited to volunteering in the hospital setting alone, however. With CHCP’s involvement in the project, students will have the option to volunteer in community-based healthcare facilities such as community hospitals and care facilities too.

Rachael Hardcastle-Pearce, Lead Voluntary Services Manager for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:

“This collaboration represents an exciting milestone in our ongoing efforts to provide meaningful opportunities for young people. The students are going to take away amazing life skills, it’ll help with their confidence and open their eyes to the world of health: since a lot of them already aspire to work in health, we’re hoping this will just cement that desire.

“The good thing is they can do this in their own time, without losing out on schoolwork. Another thing for us at Hull Hospitals, which is amazing, is that a lot of our Young Health Champion volunteers go on to our apprenticeships, so this really could be the first stepping stone to a career in health.”

The Young Health Champion Volunteer programme for 16-25-year-olds has been operating successfully within Hull Hospitals for a decade now, delivering a proven model that has yielded powerful outcomes.

Many volunteers have either gone on to university or to pursue careers in healthcare across the Yorkshire region.

The Youth Health Champions Together project builds on this success, seeking to enrich the volunteer experience while equipping young people for future healthcare roles.

Gemma Hayes-Logan, Head of Careers and Skills at Wyke 6th Form College said: “The NHS Volunteers programme creates opportunities for students to make a meaningful impact whilst shaping the future of healthcare together.

“Being a Health Champion can open doors to a bright future in the NHS. It could be that essential addition to the student’s UCAS statement and job application that sets them apart from the crowd.”

By creating opportunities for college students to volunteer within hospital settings and in the community, both HUTH and CHCP hope to bridge the gap between education and real-world experience while simultaneously growing the city’s own future workforce.

Emma Johnson, Volunteer & Work Placement Lead, CHCP said:

“I am thrilled to be part of this exciting new partnership with Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and City Health Care Partnership CIC. For young people volunteering is often the first step towards an exciting and varied career in health care. This programme aims to enhance the volunteer offer and provide collaborative working within health care in Hull and East Riding offering an experience in both a hospital and community setting.

“This fantastic opportunity provides a valuable experience of volunteering in a health care environment, the Young Health Champions Together Programme enables participants to develop skills and build confidence to better prepare them on their chosen future career in health.”

Hospital staff are celebrating after more than 800 people have successfully completed an apprenticeship which has helped them into their chosen career over the last seven years.

With hundreds of different schemes running from school entry level to Master’s degree, there are lots of exciting opportunities on hand for local people trying to get onto the job ladder, as well as those staff already working for the NHS who want to develop their careers.

In fact, there are now even more opportunities available after Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLaG) and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH) moved to a ‘group’ management model making it the 12^th largest trust in England.

As part of * National Apprenticeship Week which runs from 5 to 11 February, we want to showcase how we are growing our own workforce for the future of our hospitals – Hull Royal Infirmary, Castle Hill Hospital, Grimsby Diana Princess of Wales Hospital, Scunthorpe General Hospital, Goole and District Hospital, as well as our community services in North Lincolnshire.

As well as the people who have already completed their courses, we also have more than 450 people currently on a programme!

Did you know we offer clinical and non-clinical apprenticeships with people learning through a mix of on-the-job training and studying towards formal qualifications?

Lucy Vere, one of the Group’s leads for education and development, said: “Apprenticeships are a great way of bringing new people into the NHS and also a way of developing our existing workforce. It is important to remember that although apprenticeships are a great way for school leavers to start their careers, we have opportunities available across our sites for both new and existing colleagues; in nursing, pharmacy, finance, healthcare sciences, occupational therapy and within our estates teams to name a few.

“Many of those starting out as apprentices are still with us, having gained qualifications, secured permanent roles or promotions, and in many cases, they are now carving out careers for themselves within their chosen department or clinical speciality.”

Rachael Simpson

We are always looking at extending the number of schemes we offer, and in a first for the area NLaG is now offering not only T levels in healthcare, but also business and engineering. These are two-year courses for 16 to 19-year-olds which are aimed at supporting young people to develop their skills, knowledge and to thrive in the workplace. Hull, instead of offering T Levels is one of the biggest providers of work experience placements for schools on the north bank and clinical apprenticeships for school leavers.

As part of the national awareness week, HUTH is offering more than 60 vacancies across all nursing apprenticeship levels including the Registered Nurse Degree, Trainee Nurse Associates, Apprentice Healthcare Support Workers and Apprentice Healthcare Assistants. An open evening is being held on Wednesday 7 February between 4.30pm and 6.30pm, in the Wellbeing Centre, Entrance 2, Castle Hill Hospital where people can find out about these opportunities, as well as vacancies in our customer service and admin teams. It is also open to existing staff to talk through development opportunities.

Katherine Bonsanquet

The group is also proud to be working collaboratively on a joint Senior Leader Apprenticeship opportunity which officially launches during the awareness week. This innovative, online Level 7 (equivalent to Master’s level) will support existing, senior colleagues to develop their skills and knowledge. It goes to show apprenticeships truly are for all!

Here we hear from one of our apprenticeships who is working at Castle Hill Hospital. Rachael Simpson, who, after completing the healthcare assistant apprentices (HCA) is now on the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship (RNDA) programme. She said: “I started volunteering when I was 16. While doing this I met someone who was doing the HCA apprenticeship and I realised I would really enjoy that role. I now work on Ward 9. I love working with the team, but my favourite part of the job is the contact I have with patients. It is being able to help them and helping to make them feel comfortable on our ward. Looking to the future, my aim is to become a registered nurse by 2026.”

Katherine Bosanquet, who works at NLaG has been with the Trust for 22 years starting out in admin. Over the years she has completed various apprenticeships in administration and more recently management. Katherine, who is now the Training and Apprenticeship Manager, said: “Apprenticeships have helped me develop my confidence within the working environment through hands-on learning, expanding my knowledge and skills within my chosen field. Completing an apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to build relationships with staff within other areas, at all levels.”

For more information on National Apprenticeship Week, visit https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/influencers/national-apprenticeship-week#

A health screening service which had to leave Driffield in 2021 has found a new home in the town.

The mobile breast screening unit, operated by the Humberside Breast Screening Service (HBSS), will be situated at Driffield Showground for the next three months as patients from Driffield and surrounding areas take up their screening invitations.

Karen Hallberg, Superintendent Radiographer with the HBSS explains:

“Until 2021, the mobile screening unit was based within the local supermarket car park, but changes to the layout meant that it was no longer able to accommodate our breast screening unit which needs a large amount of space to operate and manoeuvre.

“We were unable to find an alternative site at the time with all the space and facilities we needed, such as power, toilets and parking, and as a result, we had to invite people to attend Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham for their breast screening appointments.

“This naturally led to concerns that this would become a permanent arrangement, and that the unit would not return to the town. However, we’re really pleased to say that, following some really constructive discussions with David Tite and his team, Driffield Showground will now be used to site our mobile screening unit whenever it comes to town.”

The mobile breast screening unit visits Driffield once every three years. Earlier this month, it began its latest rotation to the town and the team expects to screen around 4,500 people before moving on again at the end of April.

Karen adds:

“We know people are more likely to take up screening invitations when they are convenient and close to home, so the fact we’ve been able to base ourselves within Driffield once again is good news for everyone. We’re incredibly grateful to David and all the team at Driffield Showground for their support.”

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is delighted to welcome Prof Adele Fielding to Queen’s Centre for Oncology and Haematology at Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham.

Prof Fielding, renowned professor of haematology will be seeing patients at the Queen’s Centre as part of her role as Clinical Director of the University of York’s newly opened Centre for Blood Research.

Although her main work will be at the Centre and the Hull York Medical School (HYMS) where she serves as Head of Experimental Biomedicine, Prof Fielding will be seeing cancer patients at the Queen’s Centre once a week.

With a remarkable career spanning over three decades, Prof Fielding brings a wealth of expertise in blood cancer research to the Queen’s Centre where she will be carrying out clinical trials. The Queen’s Centre is a state-of-the-art facility primarily dedicated to serving cancer patients across the Yorkshire region. It also houses essential services such as immunology and allergy, haemophilia and lymphoedema.

Prior to her move to Hull, she held a prominent role at the University College London Cancer Institute, specialising in the research and treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).

Commenting on the move, Prof Fielding said:

”I had a choice about where to do my clinical work and I selected Hull because I think it is important that people realise there are really good haematology departments that aren’t just based in London or Oxford or Cambridge. I know that the department at the Queen’s Centre is staffed with excellent people who are absolutely brilliant.

“They have succeeded in recruiting a lot of patients into national trials and are a really cooperative unit, nationally. They experience different clinical and service issues to some of those I’ve faced in my previous clinical career and I thought it would be important for me to see some of those issues for myself and see if I can help.

“I am not going to help by seeing a million patients, but I might be able to help by working with my colleagues to get them the recognition that they deserve on the national stage and also let people know that Hull is a great place to work.”

Prof Fielding’s work on ALL is vast. Her research has looked into improving the lives of people living with the rare disease which affects both children and adults. She has led several clinical trials into ALL, which include studying the underlying mechanisms and searching for new treatments.

The Queen’s Centre is confident that Prof Fielding’s wealth of experience and expertise will contribute significantly its cancer work.

James Bailey, Medical Director, Clinical Support Health Group said: “The Queen’s Centre haematology team are delighted to have Prof Fielding working with us. Her incredible experience in cutting-edge leukaemia research and practical clinical management is already bringing real benefit to our patients being treated at the Queen’s Centre.

“We anticipate seeing a growth in our clinical activity enabling us to offer exciting new opportunities for patients receiving treatment across our region whilst helping to further develop Queen’s Centre as an exciting place for staff to come and work.”

Professor Matthew Morgan, Dean of Hull York Medical School said: “Research is a fundamental part of medicine, ensuring that approaches to diagnosis, treatment and care focus on those things which really matter to patients. We are delighted that Adele is joining our community of clinical academic researchers at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and know that, together with her colleagues, she will make a real and lasting difference to the lives of cancer patients in our region.”

The first striking image of how Hull’s new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at Albion Square could appear has been revealed.

The £18m facility will provide a wide range of city centre healthcare and an initial CGI of the how the centre could look shows a two-storey building with an entrance on the corner of Albion Street and Bond Street.

The CDC will feature a range of services including MRI, X-ray, CT scanning and ultrasounds and is expected to provide more than 100 jobs.

This comes with the aim of identifying health problems early and improving outcomes for patients with conditions including cancer, stroke, heart disease and respiratory conditions, as well as reducing waiting times and pressures on acute hospital sites.

Cllr Linda Chambers, portfolio holder public health at Hull City Council, said: “The CDC is a fabulous project at Albion Square and it’s exciting that we’re able to see an image of what it may look like.

“Albion Square is a significant development in the city and seeing this visual really starts bring it to life.”

Plans for the CDC were submitted in late 2023 after Hull City Council’s Cabinet approved for the development to go ahead.

The NHS secured £16m in funding from the Department of Health and Social Care to develop a CDC in Hull, £12m of which will go towards construction of the facility, with the remaining amount allocated for clinical equipment.

The council will contribute £2m of funding from the existing Albion Square capital budget to support building costs.

Alongside other Community Diagnostic Schemes across Humber and North Yorkshire, this represents £80 million of capital investment in the region, meaning there will be a capacity for almost one million additional diagnostic procedures annually.

The CDC will be accessible for all patients, with bus services directly serving the location and Paragon Interchange only a short walk away.

Jonathan Lofthouse, Group Chief Executive for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Thousands of tests are performed locally across the NHS each week, helping to identify disease, diagnose problems or confirm diagnoses and then shape patients’ future treatment and ongoing care.

“The development of a new Community Diagnostic Centre will be a significant step forward for Hull and the surrounding area, as not only will it speed up access to NHS care, but it will also create over 100 NHS jobs for local people once it’s fully operational.

“Waiting for tests can be the cause of real anxiety for some people, so the CDC will enable our staff to carry out those tests more quickly and enable patients to undergo multiple tests at the same visit if required, in some cases seven days a week.

“With access to all the latest technology such as MRI scanners, CT scanners, ultrasound and ECG, this venture will help to reduce the number of appointments which patients are asked to attend and enable them to undergo their tests in more suitable, purpose-built accommodation outside of a main hospital setting.”

The facility’s central location is also expected to provide practical and economical benefits by encouraging additional city centre footfall, therefore supporting local businesses and the wider economy.

Preparatory work has already begun on the development, with Albion Street car park undergoing reconstruction.

Parking is still available for patients accessing the Wilberforce Centre, whilst the newly-improved Pryme Street car park is just a six-minute walk away.

Michael McInerney, aged 83 has always loved the great outdoors, as a keen cyclist taking part in cycle cross, dashing through the countryside. Michael took up running in his mid-50’s as he took part in his first marathon in Boston Lincolnshire. He loved the course, and the wonderful surroundings. The following April, he secured a place for the London Marathon, and it’s safe to say, from there it cemented his love for running.

Now three decades later, Michael has completed 35 full marathons, over 100 half marathons and took part in no less than 285 Park Runs. Throughout this journey, he has tirelessly raised funds for charities close to his heart.

Michael McInerney and his family

This coming Saturday (6^th January) marks a significant milestone as Scunthorpe hosts  it’s 500^th Park Run.  Michael will participate in this special run, kick starting the month long Park Run Challenge. The goal? To raise funds to support the Queen’s Centre at Castle Hill Hospital, inspired by the exceptional care he has received over the past two and half years. He is also keen to help other people receiving treatment and care for cancer though funds raised.

Michael said, “This is my personal thank you to the nursing staff and team at the Queen’s Centre at Castle Hill Hospital for the care they have provided me over the past 2 and a half years. I wouldn’t be here without their marvellous care.  Everyone has been fantastic with me.  From the funds I manage to raise through my jogging and waking will help other patients like me at Castle Hill through the hospital’s WISHH Charity.”

Grandson, Conor McInerney said, “We are incredibly proud of my grandad. My dad has also completed the same number of Park Runs and my sister Amy and I will be walking and jogging alongside him throughout January to support him as he raises funds to support Cancer patients at the Queen’s Centre, Castle Hill Hospital.”  To support Michael click on his link to access his just giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/michael-mcinerney-snr

Lisa Whitton, WISHH Charity Manager said, “It has been a great privilege to team up with Michael and his family to help support him and raise awareness of his fantastic challenge.  I will be working alongside Michael and the nursing team at the Queen’s Centre, to look at how the funds raised will help make a difference to patients receiving care.”

Michael’s son, Michael Jnr has completed 285 ParkRuns alongside his Dad. They will also be joined at the ParkRun’s by proud grandchildren Amy and Conor throughout January.

Michael came to Scunthorpe from Ireland for three weeks, 57 years ago working at the Lindsey Oil Refinery and has lived here ever since!  Michael is looking forward to his January Challenge and would like to thank his family, local running club – Scunthorpe and District, plus the many friends at Park Run and supporting running clubs for their support over the years.

Photo and Interview Opportunities

Michael is more than happy to be contacted for interview to help raise awareness of his fundraising challenge and can be contacted on mobile 07867 981230. I have copied both his son and grandson into this email for information.

Please feel free to contact me if you need any additional information.  With the permission of Michael and his family, I have attached a selection of photographs for illustration purposes that you are welcome to use.

Thank you in advance for your help in raising awareness of Michael’s challenge.

Junior doctors across the Humber region will begin a further round of industrial action this week as part of their long-running pay dispute with the Government.

Members of the BMA will take industrial action in the form of a full walkout from 7am on Wednesday 3 January through to 7am on Tuesday 9 January 2024. This will be mirrored by junior doctor members of the HCSA union.

The industrial action, the first of the New Year, comes less than two weeks after another 72-hour strike by junior doctors concluded, on 23 December.

Dr Kate Wood, Group Chief Medical Officer for Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“Early January is always one of the busiest times for local hospitals. It’s winter, so as you’d expect, we have lots of sick and vulnerable patients in our care, but we are also seeing the effects of viruses such as Covid-19, flu and Norovirus in circulation too, which are also common at this time of year.

“With the festive period now over, we also find that some people who have previously put off seeking help for medical problems over Christmas and New Year come forward for treatment, and our Emergency Departments often bear the brunt of this as people want immediate help or are unable to see their GP.

“With a significantly reduced number of medical staff on duty across all of our hospitals, including Scunthorpe General, Hull Royal Infirmary, Diana Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, Goole & District, and Castle Hill Hospital, we are expecting the forthcoming strike dates to be incredibly busy.

“We’ve had to make some difficult decisions to cancel and reschedule people’s appointments so that staff who are not involved in the action can support colleagues in areas that are affected by the strike. We know how frustrating this can be, especially for those who have been waiting a long time to be seen or for their surgery, and we would like to apologise for that.

“As the strike is due to last for almost a week, one of our main areas of concern is emergency care, ensuring we maintain flow through the departments and that we’re able to continue prioritising the most seriously ill and injured. For this reason, we are asking people whose health problems are not a threat to life or limb in the coming days to seek help elsewhere in the first instance; NHS111 is often a good place to start for advice and details on nearby services. We’ll have fewer doctors on duty, so we must prioritise the sickest people, and this may mean re-directing patients who attend with routine ailments or minor complaints to a more suitable place of care.”

Dr Wood continues

“Some planned surgical activity will continue, as will some outpatient clinics, so where patients have been given an appointment between 3^rd and 8^th January* and have not heard from us beforehand, they should assume their appointment is still going ahead as planned. We have already contacted the majority of patients whose appointments have been affected by the action to update them and try to reschedule; again we’d like to apologise for the inconvenience.

“As ever, we are grateful to all of our colleagues who will be supporting throughout the strikes, but the fact remains that our medical staffing levels will be notably reduced so we are preparing ourselves for a difficult week ahead.”

Patients can also help themselves and others by:

• Ordering repeat prescriptions in plenty of time so they don’t run out of medication or other essential items
• Avoiding hospital if suffering Norovirus-type symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting, or with cold or flu-like symptoms
• Keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet at home including painkillers, indigestion remedies and diarrhoea tablets
• Using the NHS Emergency Prescription Service if a regular medication runs out completely
• Taking up the offer of Covid and flu vaccinations where eligible; and
• Familiarising themselves with nearby NHS services which can offer help both in and out-of-hours; these include all Walk-In and Urgent Treatment Centres and a number of local pharmacies. NHS111 remains available 24hrs/day, 365 day a year for medical advice and signposting, online or over the phone.

Full details of alternative local healthcare services can be found at www.letsgetbetter.co.uk

Note

* Industrial action will end at 7am on Tuesday 9^th January, so only appointments and procedures from Wednesday 3^rd up to and including Monday 8^th January will be affected by this particular round of strike action.

Midwives at Hull’s Fatima Allam Birth Centre are celebrating the delivery of their 500^th baby of the year.

Baby Jenson Rackham was born to parents Kate Clayton and Tim Rackham, from Beverley, on the evening of Monday 18^th December, weighing 7lb 1oz.

Brother to two older siblings, Ozzie (3) and Piper (20 months), Jenson seemed to be in a bit of a hurry to get here, but that’s no bad thing, as mum Kate explains:

“I started with contractions on and off in the early hours of the morning, then they went away until the kids had gone to bed, around 6:45pm. Then it all happened really quickly; by around 8.30pm we were in hospital and at 10:09pm Jenson was born.

Tim and Kate are now ready to celebrate Christmas with Ozzie, Piper and baby Jenson

“Jenson arrived earlier than we expected, but I’m actually quite glad as I was getting anxious that he or she – as we kept it a surprise – would arrive on Christmas Day and I would miss dinner!”

Kate says her experience on the midwife-led unit was outstanding:

“I had both Piper and Jenson at the Fatima Allam Birth Centre and the staff have been absolutely fantastic every time, we couldn’t’ fault any one of them.

“The unit provides such a calming atmosphere, the rooms are better than some hotel rooms, and there’s only minimal intervention from the midwives as you need it.

“We’d like to say thank you to each and every person who works there. The birth centre is a fantastic resource and an amazing tool to help mums achieve the most magical births.”

Katie Headlam, Midwifery Sister at the Fatima Allam Birth Centre says:

“I’d like to pass on my congratulations to Kate and Tim on the birth of their baby boy. It was a pleasure to welcome them back to the Fatima Allam Birth Centre.

“Reaching 500 births this year is a wonderful achievement and I am so proud of my team and the support we have from our wider multidisciplinary team in the maternity unit.

“We are so grateful that, thanks to the late Dr Assem Allam and his family, families have the option of using the only alongside midwife-led unit in our local maternity system area.

“Since we opened in 2017, we have welcomed nearly 4000 babies into the world and the Fatima Allam Birth Centre has gone from strength to strength.”

It’s the stuff many of us dream of for Christmas; new furniture, a new kitchen, a nice breakfast bar, but never in their wildest dreams could the staff on Hull Women and Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) imagine they’d get all this and more for free.

The parents room before refurbishment began

But the kindness and generosity of Hull-based Helix CMS, who are currently working to expand the unit and create extra cot capacity for premature babies*, clearly knows no bounds.

Now billed as NICU’s own ‘DIY SOS’ team, Helix has agreed to refit and refurbish the neonatal unit’s parental living room free of charge, from new kitchen worktops, taps and units through to spotlights, a tea boiler and a fresh coat or two of paint; and all this in under two weeks!

But thanks to the contractor’s generosity, the real winners will be the parents of those babies born prematurely, as Jenny Hemingway, Neonatal Clinical Nurse Educator explains:

“We encourage parents to spend as much time as they can with their babies while they’re on the unit, but we know there are times when they simply need a break, even if it’s just for ten minutes, and that parental living room can then act as a real sanctuary. It’s a safe space to collect their thoughts, hydrate, have something to eat and step away from the hustle and bustle if the ward becomes busy.

“Because of this, it’s really important that it’s a pleasant and comfortable space for them, and not overly clinical; many families can spend weeks and weeks here with us, so we need that living room in particular to be as much of a ‘home from home’ as we can.

Work gets underway…

“Having parents spend time on the ward is all part of the process of learning how to care for their baby and preparing the family for a safe discharge back home. Many babies leave our unit still requiring extra support such as oxygen or help with feeding, so by creating an environment where parents feel comfortable, it helps us pass on the skills and knowledge they’ll need when they return home, and it helps them feel more confident too.

“The parents are such an important part in a baby’s journey to full health, that our thoughts must be equally as focused on them as they are on our young patients.

“It’s really amazing what Helix and their partners are doing for us and we’re so grateful.”

From first starting on Monday 11 December, the Helix team has managed to transform the second floor, dual aspect room in just under two weeks, and only a handful of hospital staff have been party to the progress made, with most only witnessing the transformation for themselves on Thursday 21^st December, the day of the big reveal.

Francesca Matthews, Ward Manager of NICU adds:

“Our new parental living room is just amazing, a perfect retreat for parents spending time here when they need it and it was such a generous gesture.

“The team at Helix have been a delight to have working here. No problem has been too big or too small for them, and they have been incredibly considerate given the ward environment we work in and how difficult a time many of the families we care for are going through.

“They’ve already supported NICU by buying items from our Amazon Wish List and we even have a weekly delivery of home-made cakes for our staff tea trolley from Helix’s very own Project Support Sophie and her mum!

The newly refurbished room is complete, including new worktops, units and a tea boiler

“The refurbishment of our parents living space wasn’t part of the contracted works, so to have them offer to refit it and give it a much-needed freshen up, all at no cost to us and with some staff giving up their own time to help, was like a Christmas wish come true; we can’t thank them enough.”

Helix’s generosity also supplements the Trust’s own WISHH Charity’s ‘Space to Grow’ Appeal, which has sought to raise £100,000 for the development of a sensory room and staff training facilities within the expanded neonatal intensive care unit.

Mark Pearson, Helix Construction Director, says:

“After working on NICU ward for the last 12 weeks, we’ve witnessed all the hard work and compassion the staff show the parents and babies. As a company whose focus is to leave a positive legacy in the areas we work, we decided we wanted to offer our help to upgrade the parents kitchen. This was a great opportunity to give something back to the staff and the parents using the facility, now and in the future. It makes me really proud that Helix and all of our partners and subcontractors have achieved this in the middle of a very busy phase of the building works. Many thanks to Francesca and the nursing team at NICU for working together with all the building team over the last three months.”

The team at Helix is clear that they couldn’t have completed the project without the help of their generous partners and local companies who have gone above and beyond to provide materials and work for free.

Mark continues:

“We would like to extend our thanks to MEC Humber Ltd for the mechanical and electrical works and the new tea boiler; to Lisa at Howdens, Hessle Road, for the kitchen units; to Joe Fletcher from Beechwood Joinery for the window boards; to Apleona for supplying the new window blinds;  Pittaway for providing all decoration works; Techcon Flooring for the new vinyl step; and Paul Oliver at Helix FMS for fire stopping and ceiling works.”

* Note to editor – Helix CMS are currently contracted to deliver works which will create capacity for an additional five beds within the neonatal care service, a further two intensive care beds and three more high dependency unit beds. Work began in September 2023 and is due to conclude in Spring 2024.

NICU’s Jenny Hemingway (left) and Francesca Matthews receive a gift hamper from Helix CMS at the handover of the newly refurbished parents room