The daughter of a prominent figure in the history of Hull’s hospitals returned to the city today for a trip down Memory Lane.

Jan Bennett is the daughter of Henrietta Brocklehurst, a pharmacist, founder of Hull’s Brocklehurst Chemist chain, and former Chairman of the Hull (A) Group Hospitals Management Committee for some 16 years, from 1958 to 1974.

Mrs Brocklehurst oversaw a number of key developments during her time in her hospital role, including the demolition of the old Western General Hospital and the opening of the Hull Royal Infirmary Tower Block some 50 years ago by Her Majesty, the Queen.

Prompted by Hull’s spell in the limelight as UK City of Culture 2017, Jan and her husband Peter, who now live in Bath, journeyed to Hull Royal Infirmary to do some fact-finding on her late mother as well as her father, E A Brocklehurst, another pharmacist and former Sheriff of Hull.

Jan, a retired GP, and Peter, a former General Physician, visited Hull Royal Infirmary earlier today where they met with Trust Chief Executive, Chris Long, for a quick chat about their family ties to the hospital.

The pair then met with Mike Pearson, who looks after the Trust Archive, and they spent some time looking through memorabilia, old film reel, newspaper cuttings and photos featuring Mrs Brocklehurst. Mike had also arranged for them to see first-hand a special plaque which had been made and dedicated to Jan’s late mother, before they continued on to visit the Trust’s Brocklehurst Building.

Jan says:

“I have early memories of Hull as a youngster and of spending time in the air raid shelter.

“When the Hull Royal Infirmary Tower Block was opened by the Queen, I was a house officer training in Aberdeen, but my older sister and I came back to Hull to be with mum and to attend the opening.

“I remember we were lucky enough to be introduced to the Queen; she acknowledged us and we shook hands, and I still have the glove we shook hands with now.

“Mum was a fiery character and all those years ago, she would often be found on the golf course, looking for consultants who should have been at work, demanding they get back to Outpatients!

“It’s great that the hospital still has all these items, but it’s a shame that people like mum; people who helped to build the city in essence; have almost been forgotten.

“The City of Culture is great for Hull, and the city has certainly been getting its share of the spotlight. It’s a special time and these celebrations were the motivating factor for me making contact with the hospital now and starting my journey of discovery about mum’s life.”

Whilst in Hull, Jan and Peter have also visited Hull History Centre and plan to do some exploring in the city centre.

Our Born into a City of Culture project reached its exciting half way stage, as panel number 6 of 12, representing June, was erected in the entrance to the Women and Children’s Hospital earlier today.

The project involves taking the footprint of every baby born in Hull in 2017 and using these images to create a unique piece of artwork. The babies’ footprints represent leaves, while midwives handprints also feature as the trunks of the trees.

Every month, a new panel is installed, and to mark the half way point, a mum and baby born in each of the first six months of the year were invited back for a mini celebration this morning. The artwork to date features more than 2,300 baby footprints, and will be complete by January 2018.

Vicky Turner (pictured far right) is mum to Travis, who is almost seven weeks old and whose footprint features in the June panel. She says:

“We’re really proud to be a part of this project. It’s great to know that Travis’s footprint is up there on the wall, and it’s lovely to have the midwives’ represented on the artwork too. Their hand prints show the journey that they’ve been on as well, helping young babies to grow and keeping all of us safe.”

The Born into a City of Culture project is supported by the Hull 2017 Creative Communities programme.

Postcards featuring images of the baby footprint panels are available for sale within the Women and Children’s Hospital, priced £1 each. Each postcard represents two months (January and February; March and April; and the latest is May and June) and the whole set will be complete in 6 postcards.

Hospital staff will be joining one of Hull’s biggest parties of the year this weekend, as Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust shows its pride in more ways than one.

Members of HEY Let’s Sing, the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust staff choir, will be performing for the second consecutive year at Pride in Hull tomorrow.

In 2016, this talented group of staff, which includes radiographers, midwives and therapists, were chosen to perform on the main stage. This year, they have been invited back again to help raise awareness of LGBT+ issues and to join in the celebrations, performing at the Bandstand in Queen’s Gardens at 3 and 4pm.

As well as treating revellers to favourites from Fleetwood Mac and Katy Perry, HEY Let’s Sing will also be joining in the Pride in Hull parade. The parade begins at 12 noon from Hull College, when the 30 strong group of health professionals will join the procession on foot, weaving and waving their way through the city’s crowds.

Bonnie Gray, Web Developer and Co-Founder of the HEY Let’s Sing Choir says:

“Taking part in Pride last year was such a great feeling; there was a really safe, supportive and celebratory atmosphere and it felt very inclusive too.

“It was a real honour to be a part of the celebrations then and to be able to perform on the main stage, so to be invited back for a second year is just fantastic.”

Saturday’s festivities will mark the start of a week full of Pride celebrations, and to ensure Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is playing its part in raising awareness, a number of Trust delivery vehicles have been emblazoned with rainbow stripes and a 5ft Pride flag will also fly from the top of the Hull Royal Infirmary tower block next week.

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

“Our Trust is extremely proud of the people who work here and of our city as a whole, so for Hull to be chosen as the focus for the UK’s first ever national Pride event is just brilliant.

“As an employer of over 8,000 people, we are fully committed to the principles of equality and diversity. Opportunities like Pride in Hull give us the chance to celebrate our remarkable people, to showcase the city, and to embrace the rich diversity we have here.

“This weekend’s event promises a real party atmosphere, and as one of the city’s major employers, we’re proud to be at the heart of it.”

Young men who are receiving or have completed cancer treatment took part in a regional first earlier today as the Look Good, Feel Better programme came to Cottingham.

National charity, Look Good, Feel Better, has been providing advice and support to women of all ages who are living with cancer for 23 years, concentrating specifically on the visible side effects of treatment. Until now, the charity has largely focused its efforts on women, but working with staff at the Teenage and Young Adult (TYA) Unit at Castle Hill Hospital, seven young men found themselves in line for VIP treatment today.

Ryan Nicholls, Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Coordinator based at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham, says:

“Being diagnosed with cancer at any age can be traumatic, but for teenagers and young people, for whom image is often everything, the side effects of treatment can be devastating. Losing your hair, your eyebrows or lashes, and changes to the skin can quickly dent a young person’s confidence.

“Whereas girls and young women generally feel happy to talk about things like hair and make up, men don’t always feel quite so comfortable, so the session held today was designed to give our male patients a non-judgemental space in which to work through some of those issues, pick up tips and ideas, and discover more about making themselves look and feel better.”

Sarah Addis from Look Good, Feel Better talked the young men through a range of different issues, from moisturising and sun protection to brow building and exfoliation.

Representatives of Skye & Craig salon, based within Total Fitness, Willerby, also gave up their time to visit the TYA Unit and offer advice on hair care, beard trimming and other aspects of male grooming.

Volunteer therapists offered massage to patients in a bid to help them de-stress and relax at what is undoubtedly a very difficult time, before the guys continued their chill-out with a game or two of pool.

“When someone starts treatment for cancer, they never know quite what the outcome or the effects of their treatment are going to be,” Ryan continues.

“We were keen to acknowledge that young men can become anxious and concerned  about their appearance too. This ‘men only’ Look Good Feel Better session is only the third to be staged by the charity, and the first in the north of England, and the feedback given by our patients today will really help to determine whether this programme goes forward in the future and what it might look like.”

All young men attending the session received a goody bag full of premium brand cosmetics such as YSL, Clinique and Cartier to take away with them, courtesy of Look Good, Feel Better. If the event proves successful, this could mark the start of further sessions designed specifically with men in mind being rolled out nationally by the Look Good, Feel Better charity.

29 June 2017

Chris Long, Chief Executive of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“The safety of everyone using the hospital is of utmost importance to us.

“In a bid to provide assurance for our patients, staff and visitors, and in accordance with guidance set out by NHS Improvement, cladding samples have been sent away for testing.

“Based on the information obtained to date, we can confirm that the cladding on the Hull Royal Infirmary tower block is not the same as that used on the Grenfell tower block.”

Chris Long, Chief Executive at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“Firstly, I would like to take the opportunity to reassure patients, staff and visitors that the safety of everyone using
the hospital is of utmost importance to us.

“In light of the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, I requested that we review our already robust arrangements around fire
safety in our buildings and we are currently working to review our existing estate and risk assessments as soon as
possible.

“Unlike most high rise buildings and residential dwellings, we are operational around the clock which makes us well
prepared to respond in the event of a fire. There is a 24/7 staffing presence which includes porters and security
staff who are trained as first responders in the event of a fire and can begin to take immediate action should this
become necessary. Buildings are also monitored with fire and smoke detection systems with fire breaks installed
to reduce the risk and speed of fire spread between rooms and floors.

“Regular contact is also maintained with Humberside Fire and Rescue in respect of fire safety and prevention; the
two organisations have a rapid response system in place, and fire training forms part of our mandatory training
programme for staff.”

(ENDS)

A live exercise to test the response of emergency services to a major incident will be conducted in Hull this weekend, on Saturday 24^th June.

Exercise Orange Falcon has been organised by a team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust with support from colleagues including police, fire, ambulance, and the voluntary sector. The exercise has taken over six months to come to fruition, after discussion and preparations began back in December last year.

Organisers will not reveal precise details of the exercise prior to the day, as staff are being asked to respond as if it were a real life situation. However, people will begin to notice activity on Saturday morning in the Londesborough Street area of West Hull, and mock ‘casualties’, played by students of Bishop Burton College, will be brought to hospital.

The exercise is designed to test the ability of the various organisations taking part to work together effectively. In particular, as Hull Royal Infirmary is one of just eleven adult major trauma centres in the country, it will also allow Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to test its internal systems and how the various teams and departments work together.

Care has been taken to ensure the exercise will not interfere with routine services provided in the Emergency Department or elsewhere in the hospital.

Alan Harper, Assistant Director of Planning at the Trust says:

“No one can predict when a major incident or large scale emergency will occur, so it’s important that we test our systems regularly with both table-top and ‘as live’ exercises to see how people respond.

“Exercise Orange Falcon will not only test the inter-agency agreements and processes we have in place should there be a major incident, but crucially it will also test the personal response of individuals to a situation which is unknown, urgent and constantly changing.

“Many people are giving up their own time to take part in the exercise, for which we’re incredibly grateful. It represents a fantastic learning opportunity for all involved and as such, we will be also be filming parts of the exercise to use in the subsequent staff debrief and internal training videos.”

Exercise Orange Falcon will take place across the morning and early afternoon of Saturday 24^th June. Those local to the Londesborough Street area may note some unusual activity, including use of a drone to capture footage of events, supplied by Humberside Fire and Rescue.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will be using its Twitter feed @HEYNHS to post information and updates throughout the exercise, which is due to conclude in the early afternoon.

Duncan Taylor, Director of Infrastructure, Estates and Development at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“Without detailed knowledge of the Grenfell tower block, it would be wrong to suggest that the encapsulation system used on that building is the same as that used on Hull Royal Infirmary.

“However, I would like to take this opportunity to reassure patients, staff and visitors that the safety of everyone using the hospital is of utmost importance to us.

“Hull Royal Infirmary is a concrete building with an outer framing system predominately made of aluminium with double glazed windows surrounded by further glass panels. Fire protection is incorporated within the cladding horizontally, across floors, to prevent a fire moving up, and similarly vertical fire protection is in place to limit any outward spread.

“In addition, over the last two years, we have continued to make significant investment in upgrading fire protection throughout the building following review and audit.”

(Ends)

It’s one of Hull’s tallest and most recognisable buildings, and this week, Hull Royal Infirmary will be celebrating a very special milestone.

Friday 16^th June will mark 50 years to the day since Her Majesty, The Queen, performed the official opening of the 14-storey hospital on Anlaby Road.

The Trust maintains a host of photographs and artefacts from throughout the tower block’s construction period and beyond. These include the original foundation stone laid by Enoch Powell on 25^th September 1963 along with the ceremonial trowel and mallet, and the original programme and visitors’ book signed by the Queen as part of the hospital’s opening ceremony in 1967.

Mike Pearson works in Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s estates team and maintains the hospital archive. He says:

“The site and the name hold over two hundred of years of history, its establishment dating back to 1782. When the contract was awarded to build the new hospital, it was the largest investment made by the NHS in any single project; originally estimated at £4m.

“The tower block always generates a difference of opinion. I personally find it an iconic structure which inspired Philip Larkin in his 1972 poem, “The Building”, but many describe it as an eyesore or a blot on the land scape due to its basic external appearance.

“Upon its opening, people were amazed with the panoramic view over the Humber and towards Beverley to the north. Patients compared the hospital to a five star hotel with plush spacious facilities, a personal locker in which to keep a change of clothes (clothes previously had to be taken home and returned on discharge), and the new menus with a choice of meals were also a hit. From a staff point of view, it was a wonderful experience with all facilities being new instead of using adapted Victorian equipment. Staff were also appreciative of the staggered visiting times, so all treatment did not have to cease for an hour while visitors were present.”

Coinciding with the tower block opening 50 years ago was the creation of the Western General Hospital League, a group of former staff who did not want the name of the previous hospital to be forgotten. Most of its members have, at some time, had an association with the new Hull Royal Infirmary. The consideration of age and dwindling numbers have now brought about the decision to disband the group. Mike Pearson and the Trust’s Chief Nurse, Mike Wright, will attend the League’s final meeting at the hospital on Saturday 17^th June to pay tribute to members’ contribution to local healthcare.

Photographs of the tower block construction and mementos of The Queen’s visit will be on display within the hospital this Friday 16^th June to mark the 50^th anniversary. Patients, visitors and staff are welcome to call in to the Hub, on the ground floor of the tower block, to view the images and artefacts. Those calling in will also be able to pose for a picture or snap a selfie with the Trust’s special ‘Queen for a Day’ photo-set up, complete with crown, robe and throne, and are encouraged to tweet these to @HEYNHS using the hashtag #HRI50

On their way in, visitors are encouraged to look out for the celebratory flower bed which Trust gardeners have created, planted at the front of the building with the number ‘50’ within.

Anyone with memories of Hull Royal Infirmary over the years, or of the former Western General Hospital, are also invited to share these with the Trust in order that they may be published collectively later in the year. Email your stories, memories and experiences to hyp-tr.events@nhs.net or post to: Communications Department, Alderson House, Hull Royal Infirmary, Anlaby Road, Hull HU3 2JZ.

East Yorkshire’s reputation for healthcare innovation and research has been further enhanced this week with the opening of an international centre of orthopaedic excellence at Castle Hill Hospital.

Multi-award winning healthcare company JRI Orthopaedics has worked alongside Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to establish its first UK Centre of Excellence for joint replacement.

The Hull and East Yorkshire Regional Arthroplasty Centre (HEYRAC) will have a key role in clinical research, sharing of best practice and the development of new hip replacement products and surgical techniques.

Mr Chris Shaw, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Medical Director for the Surgery Health Group at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:

“The Trust already has a strong reputation for arthroplasty, providing a local and regional service for patients with complex hip and knee conditions, including revision surgery. We have led the way by performing the UK’s first day case hip and knee replacements last year.

“Around 1,000 hip and knee replacements are carried out by our orthopaedic surgeons in Hull each year, and this kind of surgery really can transform patients’ lives.

“By partnering with JRI Orthopaedics through the new Regional Arthroplasty Centre, we hope to engage our patients in some really pioneering clinical research, attract more trainee surgeons to the region, and showcase some of the fantastic work which already goes on here to both national and international audiences.”

HEYRAC is affiliated to the academic department of orthopaedics, with a professorial chair appointed by the University of Hull’s Biomechanics Department. It is set to become a research hub with JRI Orthopaedics funding a new Fellowship post.

It is already proving a magnet for visiting orthopaedic surgeons from across the UK and around the world to observe procedures, learn about complex and revision case planning and the latest JRI implants and surgical techniques.

Jerry Agass, Operating Director at Sheffield-based JRI Orthopaedics said: “The team of world class orthopaedic surgeons in Hull already has a strong reputation for clinical excellence, for innovation and excellence in patient care.

“We are delighted to be partnering with them. We wanted to create a recognised Centre of Excellence in the UK which will focus on clinical evaluation, research and knowledge sharing for the further development and improvement of JRI’s hip portfolio.

“It will also give Hull a global platform on which they can demonstrate their excellent clinical results and advanced surgical techniques.”

JRI Orthopaedics, which employs 105 people, has world-class expertise in the design, development and manufacture of orthopaedic implants and surgical instruments.

Uniquely, JRI is wholly owned by the charity Orthopaedic Research UK (ORUK) and has donated £12m over the last 10 years to fund world-class research into bone and joint disease.

JRI Orthopaedics recently secured regulatory approval to sell its high quality cemented, uncemented and revision hip product portfolio in China and signed an exclusive distribution deal with Bejiing-based AK Medical – China’s largest domestic orthopaedic producer. It is hoped one of the first group of visiting surgeons to the new HEYRAC Centre of Excellence will be from China.

Mr Agass added: “The new Fellowship we are funding will enable an expanding national and international surgeon visitor and training programme. It will also facilitate greater clinical data evaluation and should provide a magnet for some of the biggest names in orthopaedics.”