Hull-based manufacturer Willerby has got hospital staff and patients buzzing about its new WillerBee campaign, thanks to a donation of 500 packets of special bee-friendly seeds and four handcrafted bee houses.

Hull Royal Infirmary has taken the holiday home manufacturer’s campaign under its wing, with gardeners from the hospital planning to create a small patio area outside the hospital’s therapies centre and plant more seeds in new flower beds across the site.

In the coming weeks the bee houses, which have been crafted specially for Willerby’s campaign by prisoners at HM Prison Hull, will be situated around the therapies centre, where there are already plants and shrubs which are known to attract bees.

It’s hoped that as well as supporting the conservation of the bumblebee, the flowers and boxes around the Hull Royal Hospital site will brighten up the grounds for staff, patients and visitors alike.

Hedley Wilson, Building Estates Officer at Hull Royal Infirmary, says:

“We really appreciate Willerby’s kind donation of wildflower seeds and bee houses. By planting flowers and creating areas which will attract wildlife, we’re hoping to make the hospital environment that bit more pleasant and relaxing for patients, visitors and staff.”

Willerby recently became a corporate member of the Bumblebee Conservation trust and this latest partnership with Hull Royal Infirmary is just one of a string of collaborations, as part of its year-long campaign. Armed with more than 20,000 packets of special bee-friendly wild flower seeds to rebuild the native bumblebee’s disappearing habitat, Willerby is enlisting the help of schoolchildren as well as its staff, suppliers, customers and members of the Willerby Owners’ Club to ensure they reach every corner of the UK this year.

Kirsten Bolton, Willerby’s Marketing Director added:

“The response to the Willerbee campaign has been phenomenal so far – we’ve distributed thousands of packets of seeds and it’s fantastic to see how Hull Royal Infirmary in particular has got behind the campaign. We’re looking forward to seeing the wildflowers once they start to bloom and see the difference they make to our environment.”

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Remarkable People campaign, developed in conjunction with Strawberry Design, has caught the attention of social media users, print and broadcast media over the past few days. The coverage focuses on two campaign visuals featuring newly qualified nursing staff that we are proud to have working in our hospitals.

Jonathan Leafe, Chairman of Strawberry, says:

“On behalf of Strawberry, I would like to apologise to the individual nurses concerned, to Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and to anyone who has been offended by the campaign visuals in circulation that were not meant for publication.

“The Trust rejected these options at the development stage of the campaign, however we made a mistake when we supplied these to the Health Service Journal, and this is very regrettable on our part. At no stage did we intend to cause offence or distress to anyone involved with the campaign or the wider public.”

Mike Wright, Executive Chief Nurse for the Trust, says:

“It is deeply saddening to us that two professional people that have been supportive enough to front a campaign to try and attract more people to work here are now the focus of national media attention for the wrong reasons. This is not a position they should find themselves in.  The nurses involved are consummate professionals with exemplary employment records and we are very proud of them and the work that they do.

“We would like to reiterate that the campaign wording which sparked the debate related to prototypes that were never used.  When they were presented to us, we rejected them immediately. They have never been used alongside images of the nurses concerned in any advertising campaign run by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

“The visuals that were used in the media and social media were released to the Health Service Journal in error by our design agency, Strawberry, without our knowledge or approval. Strawberry has apologised unreservedly for this mistake, which is deeply regrettable.  However, not only is this now calling into question the aims and intentions of the campaign, but also the judgement of the nurses involved, the latter of which we find wholly unacceptable as all of it is untrue.  The nurses have been subjected to significantly inappropriate comments about themselves in the media and social media.

“Our focus is on the welfare of the individual staff members first and foremost. As such, we will provide no further comment on this subject, aside from kindly requesting that reporters, commentators and members of the public show respect for the nurses concerned by ceasing any further discussion on the matter.”

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Plans to install Wi-Fi at the Queen’s Centre for Oncology and Haematology in Cottingham have been brought forward thanks to the campaigning efforts of one local man.

Terry Garnett tragically lost his wife, Beverley, to pancreatic cancer in February after she was diagnosed with the disease last August. Whilst receiving treatment in the centre, which forms part of the Castle Hill Hospital site, Beverley found it difficult to stay in touch with loved ones due to a lack of mobile phone reception and data signals.

Beverley’s dying wish was to enable more people in receipt of cancer treatment to keep in touch with family and friends whilst in hospital; a mantle which Terry took up with Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust shortly after her death.

Terry explains:

“Beverley was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in August and, shortly afterwards, she was admitted to Ward 32 for treatment. Beverley spent two weeks in the Queen’s Centre, and largely had to rely on visitors to the ward to be able to speak with family and friends; there was no other way for her to be able to talk to or stay in touch with loved ones.

“At such a difficult, stressful and upsetting time, it’s so important to be able to keep in touch. My wife felt frightened, upset and isolated, and we, her family, were missing out on precious time with her.

“On numerous occasions when I was visiting the ward, I noticed other patients having to move to communal areas to try and get a mobile signal in order to have very personal and moving telephone conversations with their loved ones. This is something that patients undergoing going cancer treatment simply shouldn’t have to worry about.”

Terry took it upon himself to begin to raise money in Beverley’s name, and through the efforts of his friends and family, and with the generous support of the local community touched by his campaign, Terry has now raised well over £10,000.

“I wish to thank the local people for their generosity which highlighted the support for this campaign and equally the media support given to my campaign by David Burns of BBC Radio Humberside. I am pleased that Chris Long was so understanding and receptive to implementing the Wi-Fi installation. It is of some comfort knowing that I have now fulfilled the promise to my dying wife to have Wi-Fi installed at the Queen’s Centre within Castle Hill.

Terry recently met with Chris Long, Chief Executive of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to discuss Beverley’s experience, and Chris has since moved to bring forward plans for free public Wi-Fi in the Queen’s Centre. Originally scheduled for 2018, work to install free Wi-Fi within public and clinical areas of the building is now expected to be complete by October.

Chris says:

“It was incredibly moving to hear Terry’s story and I’d like to thank him for bringing this matter to my attention.

“Patients receiving treatment for cancer have enough to worry about without having to think about when they’ll next speak to their partner or children, and I fully appreciate just how difficult and upsetting this can be for both patients and their families.

“There is already a secure Wi-Fi system in the Queen’s Centre which is used exclusively for internal clinical systems, and we do have to prioritise this to ensure patient information, such as scans and test results, can be shared quickly and securely between clinical teams.

“Plans to install public Wi-Fi at the hospital were already in the pipeline, as part of a two-year IM&T strategy, however following discussions with Terry and our IT team, we will be looking to bring this work forward with a view to patients and visitors being able to log on from the autumn.

“I can see just how much potential there is for Wi-Fi installation to benefit patients and improve the overall experience of people in our care, so it seems only right to expedite this work.”

The start of the works will be subject to a successful procurement process by the Trust. As the Wi-Fi installation was scheduled to be carried out by the organisation, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will pay for this work, while funds raised by Terry will be used to purchase portable devices and equipment, such as iPads and tablets, for use by patients while in hospital.

A number of NHS organisations have been subject to disruption today due to computer malware.

Locally, we can confirm that we have detected malware on our system, however, at present, it has not had a significant impact on our organisation.

Our IT team responded rapidly and we have blocked all incoming email and all web mail for the time being.

No patient systems are affected.

 “If you want to have a positive impact on people’s lives, nursing is the way to go”

They make up almost half of the entire workforce at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, providing round the clock care, compassion and a listening ear to people, often at the most vulnerable times of their lives.

International Nurses Day, Friday 12^th May, coincides with the birthday of one of the world’s most famous nurses, Florence Nightingale, and serves as the perfect opportunity to celebrate the huge contribution which nurses make to our lives, from beginning to end.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust employs over 2500 qualified nurses and a further 1000 nursing auxiliaries, who assist with patients’ basic care needs such as washing, dressing, and feeding. Nurses are based at both Castle Hill Hospital and Hull Royal Infirmary, as well as in community teams working across Hull and East Yorkshire, and specialise in areas ranging from organ donation to diabetes, epilepsy and end of life care.

Louise Beedle, Clinical Lead for Patient Experience at the Trust has been a qualified nurse for over 20 years. She is a former Ward Sister at the Queen’s Centre for Oncology and Haematology and was involved in the first stem cell transplant to be carried out in Hull. She says:

“Nursing has changed a lot over the years, but the basic principles of care don’t change. A nurse always needs to be compassionate, needs to be calm under pressure, but also needs to be able to listen to their patients and act in their best interests, as many of the people we care for are frail, frightened or vulnerable.

“Nurses share in some of people’s most intimate moments, which can be upsetting, uplifting, or anywhere in between. In those situations, patients or relatives look to you for support and guidance, and it’s rewarding just to know you’ve been able to give someone comfort or hope at a difficult time.

“To be a nurse, you really have to work hard but there is a definite feel-good factor involved, and there is almost limitless scope to specialise in a particular area of care or work with different patients groups. Nursing isn’t for the faint-hearted, but if you want to have a career which has a positive impact on people’s lives, nursing is definitely the way to go.”

Locally, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is using its own nursing staff to spearhead an award-winning recruitment campaign called ‘Remarkable People, Extraordinary Place.’ The campaign led to jobs for more than 74 nurses in 2016, and a further 132 job offers have been made this year to nursing students wo are due to graduate from the University of Hull this summer.

In the last two weeks, the Trust has also become one of 24 second wave pilot sites for the new Nursing Associate role, a role which will bridge the gap between nursing auxiliaries and registered nurses and deliver hands-on care to patients. Twenty Nursing Associates have taken up posts in departments such as paediatrics, emergency care and neuro rehabilitation, and are now studying towards a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care at the University of Hull.

Mike Wright, Chief Nurse at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“I am extremely proud of all of our nurses, midwives, nursing associates and assistants for the fantastic jobs they do every day for our patients and the Trust.

“I have been privileged to be a nurse for over 35 years and, whilst it can be really hard work at times, it is also an extremely rewarding career. I believe that nurses and midwives are the life blood of the NHS. The great thing about nursing and midwifery is that there are so many different opportunities and areas in which to specialise, there really is something for everyone.

“As the Trust’s Chief Nurse, I meet some truly amazing nurses, midwives and care assistant staff on a regular basis who have devoted their lives to the care of others, and it’s an absolute pleasure to be part of that team. I see this not just on Nurses Day, but every time I visit our wards, clinics, and community facilities, and it makes me incredibly proud of them and of my profession.

“I would like to thank personally every nurse, midwife and care assistant for their hard work, commitment, dedication, and for the fantastic care that they deliver to our patients and service users. Happy Nurses Day!”
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The pitter patter of tiny feet brings joy to any home, but imagine having the pleasure of helping new life into the world, day in, day out?

More than 260 hospital and community-based midwives working for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust call this pleasure their vocation, and it’s their work which is to be celebrated this Friday 5^th May, International Day of the Midwife. With their help, and the support of some 54 midwifery assistants, a total of 5502 babies were born across Hull and East Yorkshire in 2016.

And with the growth of documentaries like ‘One born every minute’, it’s no wonder the prospect of a career in midwifery is increasing in popularity, but the role of a midwife is changing too, as Lorraine Cooper, Lead Midwife herself for 21 years (pictured, far left), explains:

“Being a midwife has changed a lot over the years. Women’s health needs are changing, as are their thoughts and preferences around how and where they give birth, so we have to be sensitive to those needs and guide people where they may not know what they want.

“There’s also a role in supporting the partner or family too, as many partners can feel quite vulnerable or unsure what to do when the focus is on the woman in labour.

“What’s really lovely though is that, for those women who are low risk and have a straight forward pregnancy, the midwife can be the single person who provides all of that woman’s care, and that’s such a privilege. On a personal level, I wanted to work in a job which made me and others happy, and sharing in people’s magical moments in time has given me so much.

“People never forget you either; I can be walking around town and people will stop me and say ‘I remember you: you delivered my baby!’ It’s so lovely to know that you’ve had such a positive impact on people’s lives, and to see their little ones doing so well.”

Gemma Butterworth was inspired by her family to join the profession, and has been working as a rotational midwife caring for women and their families in the antenatal , postnatal and intrapartum period  for 10 years. She says:

“I have always found pregnancy and childbirth fascinating from a young age and supported my cousin through a home birth before I became a midwife. My auntie also had a premature baby when I was young and from this stage, I always knew that I wanted to a midwife.

“I enjoy supporting women and their families through the stages of labour and feel incredibly lucky to share such incredible moments.”

Locally, the profile of midwifery has soared recently thanks to the opening of the new midwife-led Fatima Allam Birth Centre, and the ‘Born into a City of Culture’ project, instigated by Community Midwifery Sister, Sallie Ward, which will see footprints of every baby born in 2017 made into a giant piece of artwork.

Nicola Foster, Labour Ward Matron at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and a midwife for 22 years, says there’s no typical route to becoming a midwife:

“Some people come to midwifery later in life; often they decide on a different path or become more interested in midwifery once they’ve had a family of their own.

“Others may have worked as a nurse previously in a different health specialty, or come straight through college and university, while others work as midwifery assistants first and then love the job so much they go on to study to become midwives themselves.

“Whatever the route in, a midwife needs to be enthusiastic, passionate, good with people, and have the determination to work hard and change people’s lives for the better.

“For me, being a midwife is a forever job; it’s so exciting, there are always new things to learn, and it makes me want to stay in that role. Being able to look after someone from the beginning to the end of their care is pretty unique and not something you get in many other jobs.”

For more information on becoming a midwife, visit www.nhscareers.nhs.uk

A special, two-stage event is being held next week to help employers and members of the public to better handle bereavement.

According to the bereavement charity, Cruse, one in ten people in the UK is thought to be affected by bereavement at any given time. Whilst most bereaved people will cope reasonably well at work, others struggle to deal with their loss, and this can impact on both productivity and relationships with co-workers.  And what of co-workers and managers – how do you approach a colleague who’s dealing with grief? What do you say, and what should you do?

To help local employers support all of their staff with this most difficult and delicate of subjects, the Bereavement Team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, joining with ‘Cruse Bereavement Care’ and Dove House Hospice, will host a dedicated breakfast seminar for businesses on Friday 12^th May.

Sponsored by Macmillan, the event is free to attend and will take place from 7:30am to 9.30am at the Hallmark Hotel, North Ferriby.  Delegates will be able to hear first-hand experiences of managing bereavement from employers and employees, put questions to the expert panel, and receive a bereavement resource pack to take away and use in the workplace. Speakers include John Creasey from Dove House Hospice, who will help delegates to better understand bereavement, and Fred Sims-Williams from Cruse Bereavement Care, who will talk specifically about supporting the bereaved in the workplace.

Dr Barbara Payman, Bereavement Counsellor for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“Everyone will be affected by bereavement at some stage. Loss and grief can be difficult enough for people to speak about with their loved ones, but for employers, who understandably have to have one eye on their needs of their business, staff bereavement can pose extra challenges.

“Our special breakfast seminar will offer local employers the chance to hear from experts and ask questions which they may previously have been worried about asking. From compassionate leave and sources of bereavement support, right through to helping an employee return to work, our experts will give an insight into how best to deal with bereavement in the interests of the employee, co-workers, and the business as a whole.”

The breakfast seminar will be followed by a drop-in event for professionals, members of the public and anyone else who has in interest in, or would like assistance with, bereavement issues. Running from 9:30am – 12noon, the event is open to all and will feature guest speakers, short films, discussion and information on issues related to loss and bereavement.

Dr Payman continues:

“Loss and bereavement can be devastating, and people can find it very awkward just knowing what to say to someone who has lost a loved one, so many people avoid talking about these issues until they need to.

“This Dying Matters Week, we’re urging people to make time to talk about bereavement and offer support to those who may be struggling. A loss is something we will all go through, but there are many sources of support out there and strategies we can use to help. Please come to this event to chat to us and learn more about bereavement and what we can do to help.”

The “Understanding and Supporting the Bereaved: What else can employers do?” breakfast seminar will take place from 7:30 – 9:30am, at the Hallmark Hotel, North Ferriby. It is free to attend but places must be reserved – tel 01482 461318.

It will be followed by “Understanding and Supporting the Bereaved: What can you do?”, a drop-in morning for all members of the public and professionals to discuss and receive advice/information on issues of bereavement and grief. The event is free, and there is no need to book.

Patients, visitors and staff are being advised to plan ahead when visiting Hull Royal Infirmary from next week.

As Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust continues to improve its facilities and services, resurfacing and improvement works are set to take place at the main entrance to the Hull Royal Infirmary site, also known as Lansdowne Street.

From Tuesday 2^nd May 2017, Lansdowne Street will have a full road closure in place, meaning patients and visitors will only be able to access the hospital site via Fountain Street and Arlington Street. Disabled parking will continue to be available in the car park immediately in front of the HRI tower block, with access via Arlington Street.

The works are expected to take around eight weeks in total.

Duncan Taylor, Director of Estates Development for the Trust says:

“The works set to be carried out will ultimately improve access for all patients and visitors, and enable a smooth passage of emergency vehicles to the site.

“We have taken the decision to put in place a temporary road closure on Lansdowne Street to ensure these works are carried out as quickly as possible, resulting in minimal disruption.

“Diversions will be put in place and emergency services have been advised of the forthcoming closure. For the duration of the works, parking will be prohibited on both Arlington and Fountain Street, to ensure access is maintained for emergency vehicles.”

“We would like to apologise for any inconvenience that these works may cause, and we would like to reiterate that we are committed to improving the facilities in and around our hospital sites for the people of Hull and the East Riding.”

A 50-strong hospital team will hit the streets of Hull in June in support of the patients they care for.

Staff from Castle Hill Hospital and Hull Royal Infirmary will be running the Jane Tomlinson Hull 10K on Sunday 18^th June to raise money for WISHH, the independent charity working to enhance facilities and equipment at both hospitals.

People with dementia will be amongst the first to benefit from the fundraising of the hospital team, which includes midwives, radiographers, eye specialists, scientists and theatres staff, to name a few.

The idea to set up the hospitals team came from Chief Medical Officer, Consultant Gynaecologist and keen runner, Mr Kevin Phillips. He says:

“With over 8,000 staff working for us across our sites, we knew we’d have people running the 10K so it seemed a good idea to bring us all together with a shared goal in mind. As hospital staff, we all want to do the very best we can for the patients we see and treat, so fundraising for WISHH seemed like the perfect idea, because we will be able to see first-hand how our efforts, and the money we raise, are making a difference.

“Not only that, but it’s a great way of bringing staff who work in different departments and different sites together to meet each other and offer mutual encouragement for what is set to be another fantastic event.”

The team is made up of regular runners and running club members, right through to people who have barely laced up a pair of trainers before, but are now preparing to take on their first ever race. And whilst their experience may differ, they are all united in the aim of enhancing the hospital care received by local people in our area.

Cerys Brennan, a Staff Nurse on HRI’s Post Anaesthetic Care Unit says:

“I am running the Hull 10K for WISHH because, as a local charity, I will be able to see the positive changes they are making to the hospitals.

“Their first project is focusing on support for patients in our hospitals with dementia. I have seen family members struggle to come to terms with this condition, so anything I can do to help the charity make hospital stays better for people with dementia is worth doing.”

Audiologist, Paul Catlow (pictured above centre, with Kevin and Cerys), says:

“It’s great that we’ll be running this race together for a local good cause. One of the most important things for me is being able to encourage my team mates and get encouragement from them, and to know we’ll be doing something which is going to directly benefit the people of Hull and the East Riding makes it even better.

“The Hull 10K has a great atmosphere; I ran it for the first time last year and there were crowds all along the route. Sometimes all you need is somebody cheering your name and it can make a huge difference.”

Sue Lockwood Chairperson of Trustees for the WISHH (Working independently to Support HEY Hospitals) charity says:

“It is an impressive response and we are delighted that so many hospital staff are giving their support in this way to the WISHH charity. The runners are giving their own time and, not least, considerable energy to help us.

“We hope that the team has a great day and that their personal dedication raising funds to benefit our local hospitals and patients in their care will be rewarded through sponsorship. Large or small, every donation will go to benefit patient care.”

To support the team, you can donate online by visiting www.justgiving.com/heynhs10k

It’s the project that has captured imaginations across the region, and now new parents, proud grandparents and art lovers alike can recreate their own ‘Born into a City of Culture’ artwork at home.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has launched a series of six, limited edition postcards which will be produced over the course of this year. One postcard will be produced every two months, featuring scaled down versions of midwives’ handprints and baby footprints taken in the preceding two months. Once complete, the six postcards will together form an exact replica of the artwork, depicting trees throughout the seasons, which is currently taking shape in the Women and Children’s Hospital.

Sallie Ward, Community Midwifery Sister, came up with the idea for the ‘Born into a City of Culture’ project. She says:

“We’ve had a really positive response to this project, and we often see parents and visitors stopping to look at or discuss the artwork which is already there. It seems to be something which has really captured imaginations and people seem genuinely proud to be involved.

“Because of this, we decided to create a series of six, limited edition postcards which people can collect over the coming months, and once it’s complete, the set of six will provide an exact copy of the artwork which we’re creating in the hospital foyer now.”

Postcard 1, featuring baby footprints taken in January and February, goes on sale tomorrow (Thursday 20 April) between 10am and 2pm, priced at just £1. Postcards can henceforth be bought for £1 each from within the main foyer at the Women and Children’s Hospital, Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm. Proceeds will be reinvested within the ‘Born into a City of Culture’ project.

Sallie adds:

“Whether it’s just a single postcard or the complete set of six, these cards will make a lovely gift or keepsake for new parents and relatives, and help us to celebrate all of those babies born in our special City of Culture year.”

The ‘Born into a City of Culture’ project has been supported with a Hull City of Culture Creative Communities grant.

The sixth and final postcard will be available in January 2018, after all of the footprints have been collected from December babies.