Hospital staff will be promoting good hand hygiene in a novel way next week as they take part in a torch relay with a difference.

Staff from Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will be taking part in the 2016 Hand Hygiene Torch Tour. Organised by the Infection Prevention Society, the tour is aimed at highlighting the importance of good hand hygiene to both healthcare staff and the public.

The torch has been touring the UK since 5^th May, with healthcare organisations and NHS Trusts across the country each being designated a ‘link day’ to hold the torch before passing it on to another health body.

The torch will be passed to Greta Johnson, Lead Nurse for Infection Prevention and Control at the Trust, on Monday 19^th September, and as it will be received from colleagues on the south bank at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust, where better to make the changeover than on the Humber Bridge?

Greta says:

“The torch relay is a novel way of taking the good hand hygiene message across the country and reinforcing the importance of hygiene for both healthcare staff and members of the public.

“As we start to approach winter, we will start to see more viruses like flu or Norovirus, the diarrhoea and vomiting bug, circulating in the community. Both of these viruses can be caught by touching contaminated surfaces and can leave otherwise healthy people feeling very poorly for several days.

“More crucially, if these kinds of virus are caught by people who are already unwell or have low immune systems, like a lot of people in hospital, it can be very dangerous or even potentially fatal.

“Good hand hygiene is as important outside hospital as it is in hospital, and it’s important that hands are washed; simply using alcohol gel is not enough to get rid of dirt and germs effectively.

“Clinical staff in our hospitals are taught about the ‘five moments’ of hand hygiene and trained in thorough handwashing techniques, but as viruses can easily be brought into hospital by visitors, it’s important for members of the public to know how they can also help us to protect vulnerable people, and handwashing is a key part of this.”

Greta adds:

“It’s quirky, but we felt it was important to take part in the torch relay to show how seriously we take infection prevention and control at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and as a means of promoting the role of thorough handwashing in keeping people fit and healthy.”

The IPS Hand Hygiene Torch will be handed over to representatives of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust from Northern Lincolnshire & Goole Hospitals NHS Trust staff at approx. 12:30pm on Monday 19^th September on the Humber Bridge. On Tuesday 20^th September, the baton will be passed on from hospital staff to representatives of City Health Care Partnership.

For more information on the IPS Hand Hygiene Torch Tour, visit www.ips.uk.net

Patients and visitors are asked to be mindful of temporary road closures around the Hull Royal Infirmary site this coming Sunday, 18 September, when the 2016 Hull Marathon takes place.

Whilst the 26.2 mile race route will not pass directly in front of the hospital, arrangements for nearby road closures and access restrictions, including the full closure of Anlaby Road, may cause some temporary inconvenience to those travelling by car or public transport.

Dr Mark Simpson, Emergency Care Consultant at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“The Hull Marathon is becoming an increasingly popular event in the city, and we want to ensure that race day is safe and enjoyable for all concerned.

“We have been working closely with Yorkshire Ambulance Service and the race organisers to minimise disruption and ensure access to the Hull Royal Infirmary site is maintained throughout the course of the marathon.

“Our Emergency Care team has been briefed on the race medical plan to ensure staff are ready to respond should the need arise, and pregnant women who may require urgent access to the Women and Children’s Hospital during this time have also been issued with relevant paperwork.

“The race route does not pass the main hospital entrance, so emergency routes on to the hospital site and those leading to our Emergency Department will be kept clear at all times.

“Whilst we understand that no one can predict an emergency, where people know they will be travelling to Hull Royal Infirmary, we would recommend they plan ahead and allow sufficient time for their journeys, taking into account road closures in the surrounding area too.

“Race marshals have been briefed on the need to maintain access to and from the hospital for emergency vehicles in particular, but also for staff, patients and visitors.”

The majority of runners are expected to pass around the back of Hull Royal Infirmary between 9:45 and 10:15am, moving from Anlaby Road on to Park Street, Londesborough Street, Argyle Street, then back on to Anlaby Road.

Those using the main hospital (Argyle Street) car park may experience some slight inconvenience between the hours of 9am and 11am as the Gladstone Street exit will be closed and all traffic will be required to turn right out of the car park, taking a diversion on to Rawling Way.

More detailed road closure information is available on The Hull Marathon website: www.thehullmarathon.co.uk/community/road-closures

Bus services will also be affected by temporary road closures and diversions. Information is available directly from EYMS (01482 59 29 29 / www.eyms.co.uk/bus-services/service-information) and Stagecoach (01482 222 333 / www.stagecoachbus.com)

A project aimed at tackling isolation and improving older people’s well-being in East Yorkshire is considered amongst the best in the country by leading industry professionals.

Today, the Health Service Journal has announced that the Bridlington Pathfinder Project has reached the finals of this year’s Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards.

Last autumn, the project was piloted amongst over-75s who were registered with three participating GP practices in Bridlington*. Patients were invited to have a free health and well-being review using the internationally recognised EASYCare tool to identify any issues which may affect, or have potential to affect, their health and well-being, such as loneliness or poor quality housing. Participants were then signposted to, or put in touch with, further sources of local help and support.

As well as earning a 93% satisfaction rate amongst those taking part, the project has, to date, helped to identify gaps in local services for this patient group, including help with arthritis, carers support, and access to rural transport. What’s more, signposting to sources of financial advice has enabled 77 of the 1,100 participants to access collective benefits of more than £307,000, which would otherwise have gone unclaimed.

The project; a partnership between Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Brid Inc GP Federation and KCOM; will now compete against 7 others in the HSJ Award category of ‘Improved Partnerships between Health and Local Government’. Members of the team behind the project; Judith Long (HEYHT), Jane Mears (East Riding of Yorkshire Council) and Bridlington GP, Dr Mike Hardman (pictured above at the recent Health Expo awards), must present to a judging panel next month before finding out whether they’ve won at the HSJ awards ceremony in London on 23^rd November.

Judith Long, Research Manager at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“This project is so innovative because it looks beyond what’s physically wrong with a person and considers the other things which can have a detrimental impact on a person’s health and well-being.

“Rather than being professionally led, it uses a person-centred approach so the response focuses on what matters most to the individual. Financial difficulties, caring for a loved one, or even something as simple as having no one to talk to can have a huge impact on how well a person feels, so one of our aims was to look at how we can help in these situations, whilst raising awareness of the variety of resources available in the community and voluntary sector.

“The findings of the pilot project so far have been eye-opening; we’ve made some real progress in identifying how agencies can better work together to help older people stay fit and healthy for longer, so avoiding potentially unnecessary hospital admissions.”

Dr Michael Hardman, local GP and Chair of Brid Inc says:

“We’re incredibly proud to have reached the finals of this year’s HSJ Awards with the Pathfinder partnership project. Many older people wouldn’t think to discuss practical issues such as keeping the house warm with their GP, so it has proved a great way of capturing some of this information and ensuring people are offered help without them thinking they’re a burden on anyone. It has also helped to empower older people to take decisions around their own health and well-being and access support which they were previously unaware of.”

Alex Seale, Director of Commissioning and Transformation at East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group says:

“The Bridlington Pathfinder Project is part of the Better Care Programme, which focuses on organisations working better together and promoting self-care and independent living.

“This project has given us some really great information, helping us to identify gaps in services that we can do something about. More importantly, it has already had a positive impact on the older people taking part.”

Rosy Pope, Head of Adult Services at East Riding of Yorkshire Council says:

“The Bridlington Pathfinder has delivered some brilliant results for individuals, which is excellent, but it has also given the Council detailed information on what is important to older people in Bridlington. It has also demonstrated that the older people of Bridlington are resilient and self-supporting and want to live independently in their own homes themselves for as long as possible.

“The information we now have will enable targeted support in the areas that are important to older people. It has also helped to build firm foundations for partnership working with primary and social care and the third sector. I am delighted that the Pathfinder project has reached the finals of the HSJ awards.”

Cancer patients in Driffield can now access specialist clinics and expert advice much closer to home.

Normally based at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham, the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Survivorship Team is launching bi-monthly outreach sessions at Alfred Bean Hospital in Driffield (pictured, above).

The sessions will run from 9:30am to 1pm starting on Tuesday 6^th September, and will then be held on the first Tuesday of every second month (November, January etc), providing the town’s residents with advice, care and support in their local community, thus reducing the need to travel.

Sarah Guest, Clinical Nurse Specialist with the Survivorship Team explains:

“Cancer can be a very personal experience and one which affects people in different ways. It can leave people fatigued, for example, or demotivated, and they may find the thought of leaving the house or of making a journey back to hospital personally quite difficult.

“By launching the outreach clinics in Driffield, we’re bringing the same clinical advice and personal support which we normally deliver at the Queen’s Centre in Cottingham out to the community in Driffield.

“As well as increasing convenience and reducing the need for our patient group to travel, it also means they have the opportunity to receive advice, benefit from our clinical expertise, and ask any questions face to face.”

The Survivorship Team’s approach is to look after the whole person, so as well as providing advice on managing physical health after cancer, the team also supports survivors by providing healthy lifestyle advice, emotional support, and the chance to take part in social activities with people who have been through similar experiences.

Sarah adds:

“We know people appreciate being seen and treated in comfortable, familiar surroundings. By delivering our service more locally, we’re hoping to empower patients who are living with or beyond cancer, and hopefully take away some of the extra little stresses, like travel, which they may encounter when accessing healthcare.”

For more information, contact the Survivorship Team on (01482) 461091 or email hyp-tr.survivorship.team@nhs.net

A hospital physicist will be getting on her soapbox this weekend as a way of encouraging more women into scientific careers.

Jenny Marsden, Higher Principal Physicist within the Queen’s Centre for Oncology & Haematology at Castle Hill Hospital, is one of just a handful of people chosen to take part in the Freedom Festival’s Soapbox Science event.

Soapbox Science gives some of the region’s leading female scientists the opportunity to showcase their professional passions to the general public. The event has been running in different parts of the country for several years, but 2016 is the first year in which the event will be staged in Hull.

Soapbox Science will take place on Saturday 3^rd September in Queen Street in the city centre, where Jenny, who’s incredibly passionate about the role of women in science, will take to her soapbox every 15 minutes from 12:30pm.

Jenny says:

“Soapbox Science is a great way of taking what I do, and showing the value of sciences within healthcare, to the people of Hull.

“Very few of us these days have the time to sit around and listen to lectures or presentations; people want things short and snappy, so this is a great way of getting people’s attention and making sure we really sell the good things about science and scientific careers.

“With a lot of young people having just completed their A-levels or GCSEs and now turning their thoughts to the future, this is a great time to capture their imaginations and show that science isn’t just about working in a laboratory or a university. Science can make a real difference to people and genuinely save lives.

“At Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, for example, healthcare scientists make up 5% of our entire workforce, that’s one in every 20 people, which shows just how important the role of science is in caring for people.”

Jenny’s role as a Radiotherapy Physicist in the NHS requires her to ensure machines used to treat cancer operate safely and accurately. As each patient is different, so each treatment plan is like a little problem waiting to be solved.

Jenny continues:

“Having two daughters myself, I am especially pleased that Soapbox Science promotes female scientists, as there is so much that women can bring to the role. Unfortunately we often feel we have to follow gender stereotypes that are instilled in all of us from a very young age.

“Going out and talking about science and getting people enthused is so important, not just as a means of building our workforce of the future, but of finding those people who will continue to make advances in treatment  and research so we can provide even better healthcare in years to come.

“It just takes a little spark of interest to blossom into a lifelong pursuit for learning, and I hope to inspire that spark for scientific learning in the people I meet during the Soapbox Science event.”

Around 110,000 people experience a stroke every year in England, making it one of the country’s leading health problems. In Hull alone, there are thought to be almost 7,000 people who have previously had a stroke.

Strokes occur when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. A stroke is a serious medical condition which can lead to sight or mobility impairments, communication difficulties, loss of use of limbs, brain damage, or even death.

On Thursday 15^th September, Dr Rayessa, a Consultant Physician specialising in stroke care at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, will be sharing her years of experience of the condition with the general public.

She will deliver a talk at Hull Royal Infirmary, looking at stroke services, signs and symptoms, and how people can reduce their risk of having a stroke; a risk which increases as people get older.

Dr Rayessa says:

“The number of people experiencing a stroke has been steadily rising for some time, but there are steps we can all take, related to diet or lifestyle for example, which can help us reduce our risk.

“The unfortunate thing is that many people don’t even think about stroke until the worst happens, so in delivering my presentation, I’m going to be looking at how we can reduce  our risk, plus what to do if you think someone is having a stroke, and then outline the care and support we provide locally.”

Members of the public are now being invited along to hear more from Dr Rayessa about the services in place at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to support stroke patients during a hospital stay and beyond, and to ask any questions.

The event is free to attend, and will take place at 3pm on Thursday 15^th September at Hull Royal Infirmary.

For full details and to register your interest, please email the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Membership Office on membership.team@hey.nhs.uk or call (01482) 675165.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has submitted proposals to Hull City Council’s Planning Committee to create a new helipad at the back of Hull Royal Infirmary.

The hospital serves the region as a Major Trauma Centre, regularly receiving emergency patients via helicopter and organising patient transfers via air ambulance. A number of providers currently fly in to Hull Royal Infirmary, including Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Embrace, the children’s air ambulance based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

Duncan Taylor, Director of Estates, Facilities and Development for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, explains the proposals:

“Hull Royal Infirmary (HRI) is a major trauma centre for the region, so it’s important that we have the estate and the infrastructure to support this role. The recent, multi-million pound redevelopment of the Emergency Department has given us the most up-to-date medical facilities in which to treat patients, so the development of an on-site helipad is the next piece of the jigsaw.

“Helicopters bring patients to the hospital on an almost daily basis now, but currently land on a helipad situated in a field just over the road from the hospital. An ambulance is then required to transfer each patient from the helicopter, negotiate the busy junction onto Anlaby Road, and then transport the patient to the Emergency Department. All of this takes time, and in emergency situations, every second counts.

“Demolition of the three buildings at the back of the HRI site would need to take place to allow the 100ft by 100ft helipad to be constructed. In turn, this would then ensure patients arriving by air ambulance could be taken into hospital more quickly, and would free up traditional road ambulances for duties elsewhere.”

The Trust has consulted with all air ambulance providers currently transporting patients to HRI prior to submitting its planning application. Alternative accommodation for staff currently housed in the outgoing buildings has been identified at both Castle Hill Hospital and elsewhere on the HRI site.

Subject to the necessary planning approvals, demolition would begin in early 2017 and the helipad would be expected to be ready and operational by the Spring.

Two hospital physiotherapists will be going for gold next year as they compete for Great Britain in their age groups in international triathlon.

Kerry Archer, Clinical Lead Physiotherapist working at the Queen’s Centre for Oncology and Haematology, has qualified to represent the country at the European Triathlon Championships in Dusseldorf, Germany, next June.

As well as working full time with Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to support people with cancer, Kerry is also a member of York Triathlon Club and trains five to six days per week. She qualified for the European Championships last month, having finished fourth in her age group in a sprint distance triathlon qualifier in Strathclyde (750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run).

Kerry says:

“Over the years, I have taken part in many different sports, but it was my brother who inspired me to take up triathlon about four years ago.  I completed my first triathlon in Driffield and haven’t really looked back.

“In a role like mine, being physically fit is important. It can be a challenge fitting in training around a full time job, but I’m really proud and excited to representing my country next year.”

Meanwhile, Becky Mason (pictured above), a Physiotherapist who is currently working within the Plastics Outpatient Department at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham, will also don the Team GB colours in 2017.

But Becky has already had a taste of what it’s like to represent her country this year, when she competed in the European Duathlon Championships in Spain. This race involved a 10km run, followed by a 40km cycle ride, then a further 5km run, and Becky finished an impressive eighth in her age group overall.

Becky says:

“I have always been fairly fit and healthy, and I did a couple of triathlons whilst I was at university. Once I qualified as a physiotherapist and moved to a new area, however, I found it more difficult to fit training in around my new job.

“I had been working at the hospital for about two and a half years when a friend asked me to take part in the Castle Howard triathlon last summer, and I was the second female to finish.  This made me decide to get back into training, and I’ve been training with Humber Triathletes since November.

“It’s such a great feeling to represent your country in a sport you love. It can be quite difficult fitting everything in at times, but it’s well worth it.”

Becky has already qualified to represent Team GB in the European Duathlon Championships in 2017, and is in a reserve position to compete in the European Triathlon Championships in 2017 at Sprint distance, alongside Kerry.

Kerry is also looking to join Becky in the line-up for next year’s Duathlon Championships when she competes in a qualifying race in October.

A local doctor has joined an elite team of medics who fly with Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA).

Dr. Chris Srinivasan, a Consultant in Emergency Medicine, usually spends his days treating critically ill patients at Hull Royal Infirmary’s Emergency Department. But if this wasn’t exciting enough, he has recently joined a specialist team of hospital doctors on board the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, enabling him to be one of the first on scene in extreme or life threatening situations.

Having just completed a “medical passenger course” (modified air crew course), Chris, who has been in Hull since 2007, now joins a team of 8 other specialist doctors from across the county who fly with YAA. The charity is now able to ensure there is a consultant trained in pre-hospital emergency medicine on board the helicopter, 365 days of the year.

Serving the whole of Yorkshire and sometimes further afield, this team of highly trained, specialist doctors and paramedics regularly carries out life-saving procedures, such as emergency anaesthesia and critical care interventions, at the scene of an incident.

A member of the team will work on the helicopter 12 hours a day, every day of the year, attending 999 calls when requested. They will work alongside two highly trained paramedics and a skilled pilot. The team aboard the helicopter will fly out to assist critically ill patients in the most urgent situations, as well as providing medical assistance in more remote locations across the county.

Seconded by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Chris joins the Yorkshire Critical Care Team to support the service provided by Yorkshire Air Ambulance and other frontline response teams.

Chris says:

“I’ve always been interested in pre-hospital emergency medicine, from the moment I started my career in emergency medicine. No two days are ever the same, the job is so varied and provides me with an opportunity to work with such a fantastic close-knit team.
“This is the best job in the world for me, to work alongside the team at YAA and other emergency care providers on the front line. Making early interventions and giving our patients the best chance of survival is just brilliant.”

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance relies on the generosity of individuals and organisations to help save lives across Yorkshire. It serves five million people and has carried more than 6,800 people in its 15-year history.

£12,000 per day is required to keep both of Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s helicopters maintained and in the air. All donations received go directly into the lifesaving service provided. For more information on how you can fundraise, or donate, please visit www.yaa.org.uk
(ENDS)