Two hospital choirs formed to promote positivity, good health and well-being will come together next month for an evening of song, enjoyment, and inspiration.

Local NHS choir, HEY! Let’s Sing (pictured), will join forces with Positive Note, a choir comprising hospital patients and staff from the Queen’s Centre for Oncology and Haematology in Cottingham.

Directed by Helen Garnett, who featured on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year, the HEY! Let’s Sing choir comprises more than 75 members of staff from Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital. Established in 2014, the choir contains NHS midwives, accountants, secretaries and radiographers to name a few, and they are now taking the city by storm, having already featured in a recent Hull City of Culture video* and performed at both Hull Pride and Hull City Hall.

Positive Note, also formed in 2014, is made up of patients who are undergoing cancer treatment or who have beaten cancer, along with their family and friends, and staff from the Queen’s Centre for Oncology and Haematology, some of whom will have played a part in those patients’ care and treatment.

Proceeds from the concert, which will see a range of rock and pop favourites being performed, will help to fund further workshops and performance opportunities for both choirs.

Bonnie Gough, Web Developer for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and one of the founding members of the HEY! Let’s Sing Choir, says:

“We wanted to join together with Positive Note as we really love what they are doing for patients and families affected by cancer. Although our two choirs are aimed at two different groups of people, we share the goal of encouraging singing for health and wellbeing.

“There are numerous physical benefits to singing, including increasing the amount of oxygen that gets to your brain, and giving you a greater awareness of your body and the way it works.

“As for mental health, it requires motivation and focus to learn a song, which can act as a really good distraction from the worries that are often experienced by anyone who spends a lot of time in a hospital environment – whether we’re talking about staff, patients or relatives.

“Singing also gives a huge boost to our emotional health, often unlocking emotions we had been keeping locked inside. Singing often makes us laugh or cry! Not to mention all those endorphins it releases.”

Sarah Guest, Clinical Nurse Specialist with the Trust’s Cancer Survivorship Team, says:

“Anyone who is affected by cancer, whether that’s as a patient or as a carer, can go through an incredibly emotive and difficult journey, regardless of the outcome. Positive Note really helps to bring people who have been through similar experiences together and gives them something positive to focus on.

“Singing has proven to be incredibly therapeutic, not just for our patients but for staff as well who are often very busy and use this as a kind of release at the end of the day.

“We’re now really excited to be teaming up with HEY! Let’s Sing to showcase the benefits of singing and what we can do.

“Positive Note took its inspiration from visiting Tenovus choir in Cardiff which is another choir for cancer patients, and we had the privilege of singing with them this year. The funds we hope to raise through this concert will be used to take the choir back to Cardiff to sing again; it was just the most uplifting experience.”

The HEY! Let’s Sing / Positive Note concert kicks off at 7:45pm on Friday 4^th November in the Lecture Theatre, Medical Education Centre, Hull Royal Infirmary. Tickets are priced at £10 each and are available by calling 07834 322694, emailing hyp-tr.choir@nhs.net or by messaging HEY! Let’s Sing via Twitter @heyletssing All welcome.

See the Hull City of Culture video featuring HEY! Let’s Sing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3ziUECCPrI

Members of the Paediatric Healthcare Team at Hull Royal Infirmary have received a financial boost to help babies and children in need of special care.

The Society of MICE*, a group of Hull-based artists involved in the entertainment industry, have passed £14,000 to the Paediatric High Dependency Unit (PHDU) at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to purchase specialist equipment including a ventilator.

The money was raised through entertainment events and afternoon teas, and the PHDU was nominated to receive the funds by Peter Briggs, King of the Society for 2015/16. Peter says:

“The Society’s members elect a new King every February, and one of their roles is to choose a charity or specialist project for the year which will benefit from the Society’s fundraising.

“In my role as King last year, I chose the Paediatric High Dependency Unit, having supported the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in my previous term as King a few years ago. During this time, I was able to speak with staff and see the good work carried out in the hospital, and as my wife is a child minder, I know that young people often need a bit of help, so this felt like a very worthwhile cause.”

Alan Brattan is the Chair of the hospital’s Family Involvement Group which sees families and hospital staff working together to deliver great care to children and their loved ones. He says:

“As part of the Family Involvement Group to the PHDU at Hull Royal Infirmary, we are very grateful indeed for this significant donation from the MICE charity.

“Their members have devoted their spare time and resources to collecting this money in order to benefit the very sick children who pass through this ward, and the donation will now help to buy equipment which will further improve the care they receive.”

Dr Hilary Klonin, Consultant Neonatologist at the Trust, says:

“This state of the art equipment will keep children comfortable and safe when they have breathing difficulties. Non-invasive ventilation helps to stabilise children and can enable them to safely remain in local care, in some cases even helping them recover from their illness faster and more fully.
“We are very grateful to the Family Involvement Group, The Society of MICE and Hayek Charitable Foundation for their support in getting the equipment to us.”

A local charity set up just 18 months ago to fundraise for potentially life-saving equipment has achieved its target.

Thanks to the generosity of local people, businesses and community groups, the Clarity Appeal has enabled state-of-the-art equipment valued at £80,000 to be installed at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham.

The Clarity Appeal was set up in April 2015 in order to fundraise to install cutting edge diagnostic facilities within local Breast Screening Services.

The innovative Tomosynthesis diagnostic tool uses x-ray imaging to create a 3D image of breast tissue. Clinicians are given a more detailed and accurate view of any suspicious areas, helping to reduce the number of biopsies taken from healthy patients in order to rule out malignant diagnosis.

The technology also enables many different images to be taken at the same time, and is much quicker than traditional mammography, so women spend less time undergoing the procedure, thereby reducing any associated stress or discomfort.

Carly Medlock, Health Promotion Officer for the Humberside Breast Screening Service says:

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to the Clarity Appeal from the local community.

“Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, so many people will have a loved one who has experienced this in some way, or will know someone who has. High quality screening plays a vital part in helping health professionals to identify any changes and take the appropriate action at an early stage.

“Tomosynthesis allows us to take 3D mammograms, a lot like a CT scan where it takes ‘slices’ through an object. Healthcare staff can then zoom through the tissue to look at any areas of concern. Access to Tomosynthesis has been available in Northern Lincolnshire for some time, so it’s great that we can now offer use of this state-of-the-art technology to men and women in East Yorkshire too.

“Tomosynthesis will not replace traditional mammography, but it will be used in second stage screening where health professionals need to take a closer look at breast tissue and feel the improved imaging capability it offers will be of extra value.

“On behalf of Clarity and the Humberside Breast Screening Service, I’d like to thank everyone who donated to the Tomosynthesis appeal; their generosity will make a huge difference to the experience of people in our care, both in the short and long term.”

For more information or to arrange interviews/photographs, please contact the Communications Office at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust on (01482) 674486.

They may not be medically trained, but the latest recruits to help care for older people at Hull Royal Infirmary are a
tonic in themselves.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has created two apprentice Recreational Coordinator posts to help
improve the experience of older people in hospital.

Thought to be the first of their kind employed by any acute hospital in the country, Recreational Coordinators
Laura Marks and Emma Smith provide a warm smile, a friendly face, and ensure their patients on wards 8 and 80, 9
and 90 have plenty to occupy their time.

Debbie Hamer, Business Manager for the Department of Medicine for the Elderly explains:

“The idea to introduce recreational posts to our wards came from Dr Kirsten Richards, Clinical Director for Medical
Elderly, who had noticed how well the Play Therapists in Paediatrics engaged with children spending time in
hospital, keeping them busy and entertained. We thought a post like this could make an equally positive difference
to the elderly patients in our care, so with the support of the Divisional Nurse Manager, Stacey Healand, we
decided to give it a go.

“Some of our patients may not have relatives or visitors, and often they might not have spoken to anyone for
weeks before coming into hospital. Older people decondition very quickly once they are admitted to hospital, so
keeping our patients physically healthy and mental well is really important, and that’s where Laura and Emma
come into their own.”

Often considered the ‘gold standard’ in care homes, the use of recreational staff in acute hospitals has been so far
unheard of, making Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust the first in the country to introduce such a role.

The Recreational Coordinators provide activities and entertainment for all older people on the wards, not just
those with dementia, to occupy their time and make them feel happy and cared for. And for Emma and Laura, now
working on the hospital’s 8th and 9th floors respectively, no two days are ever the same.

“I used to work in a care home promoting physical activity amongst residents, so I know just how important it is for
older people to stay physically active and mentally alert,” says Laura.

“Since I started at Hull Royal Infirmary, I’ve been doing all sorts of things, from nail painting and hand massage to
helping out at mealtimes and even recreating the seaside on the 8th floor, complete with a sandy beach! It’s all
about giving people a good experience whilst they are in hospital so they have a positive mindset, which can really
help when it then comes to their physical recovery.

“Being a Recreational Coordinator is such a rewarding job, and we have a lot of flexibility to be able to choose what
we want to do for our patients on any given day. Some patients are happy enough to just sit with a puzzle book,
but others will prefer a bit of company and enjoy having someone there who has time to sit and have a chat.

“It’s no secret how busy our nurses and doctors are these days, so by spending time one-to-one or in groups with
our patients, it not only makes them feel cared for, it also means our clinical staff can get on with what they do
best too.”

At the same time as working on Hull Royal Infirmary’s medical elderly wards, Laura and Emma are also studying
towards NVQ Level 2 in Health and Support Services with the support of Hull-based HYA Training. They are two of
almost 90 apprentices taken on by the Trust since 2014 in a bid to improve patient care and help grow its
workforce of the future.

Emma says:

“Spending time in hospital can be quite boring for anyone, so our role is to provide activities and opportunities for
older people to socialise with each other and stay both mentally and physically active whilst they’re here.

“No one would want to think of a relative of theirs just sitting and staring out of the window all day, so as well as
spending time one-on-one, we also help to provide group events which encourage patients to get to know each
other, such as afternoon sing-alongs and gentle exercise sessions.

“Small gestures such as a smile or a five minute chat can mean so much to people who might otherwise feel
isolated or alone on the wards, so it’s a really rewarding job and one where you can really see you’re making a
difference.”

Almost 120 newly qualified registered nurses are set to swell the ranks of two East Yorkshire hospitals.

A total of 109 new nurses will take on permanent positions with Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust next week after completing their undergraduate nursing studies at the University of Hull over the last three years. They will be joined by a further 10 nurses who have trained elsewhere in the country, such as in York, Leeds and Nottingham. All will shortly begin working at either Castle Hill Hospital or Hull Royal Infirmary in areas such as intensive care, the Emergency Department, and elderly medicine.

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

“I am delighted to welcome all of these newly registered nurses to work at the Trust and congratulate them on becoming registered nurses.  It is fantastic that they have chosen to work in our local hospitals and the senior nurses and I look forward to supporting their career progression and development.

“It is important for us to try and retain as many of those talented individuals as possible who have trained locally, so that we can continue to provide great care to our patients and service users, both now and in years to come.

“Nurse recruitment is a key element of our business continuity planning, ensuring that, as those reaching retirement age leave the Trust, we have the right staffing levels and, more importantly, the right people to continue caring safely for the people who need us.

“The majority of newly qualified nursing staff joining us will begin work in their chosen departments or areas of interest, and we’re really looking forward to welcoming them to the team.  I wish them all every success and look forward to working with them and supporting them.  We all need to look after our nurses as we are all likely to need them at some point in our lives.

“Nurses are the lifeblood of the NHS and I am very proud that they have chosen to come and work with us.”

The success is attributed not least in part to the Trust’s efforts to create a better place to work under the ‘Remarkable People, Extraordinary Place’ banner.  Staff are already rating the Trust above the national average for flexible working and opportunities to show initiative in their roles, and the Trust’s efforts to improve organisational culture have also received national recognition.

Simon Nearney, Director of Workforce at the Trust says:

“Hull is not alone in experiencing a shortage of nursing staff; hospitals and NHS Trusts across the country are also facing this problem and so competition for nursing staff is growing between organisations.

“Using our Remarkable People, Extraordinary Place campaign, we’ve been working hard in recent months to promote Hull and East Yorkshire as great places to live and work, and to offer staff coming into the organisation the chance to create and build an exciting career.

“We’re really proud to have been chosen by these newly qualified nurses as the place to begin their careers, and we’re sure they will be a great asset to both the Trust and our patients.”

A pilot project is underway at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital to help keep patients in touch with
their loved ones.

Emma Johnson, Ward Housekeeper on Maple Ward, had her bags packed and was set to embark on a trip
of a lifetime to Florida when she came across an innovative device that allowed people to charge their
mobile phones.

It was then, in Hilton’s Gatwick Airport Hotel, that Emma had a ‘lightbulb moment’, figuring this same
device could help new mums and mums‐to‐be, keep in touch with their loved ones whilst spending time
in hospital.

With the help of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Pioneer Team Academy; a scheme which
supports staff in developing and improving services; Emma was able to submit her project for
consideration by members of the executive team, and they immediately fell in love with it.

Now, the first phone charging device has been installed on Maple Ward, enabling women spending time
on the ward to charge their mobile phones quickly, safely, and securely.

Emma said “I was all set to go on holiday when I came across this phone charging device. I thought it was
such a great idea and one that we could potentially use within the Trust. Women who are expecting
babies are often rushed into hospital and are not always prepared for an overnight stay, but this is such a
special time in a family’s life, I just knew I had to find a way of implementing it.

“When I first looked at the costings, they were really expensive, but then I decided to submit an
application to the Pioneer Team Academy where I received help to find a local company who could create
a bespoke device for us.”

The device itself resembles a locker, allowing patients to charge their phones inside it within 15 to 20
minutes, and each station is secured with a key. The devices are perfect for those who don’t have a
charger with them, but even for those who do, it negates the need to go through health and safety
requirements to have their own charger PAT tested. Rapid charging in this way will enable more people
to keep in touch with family and friends using their own phones, which will, in turn, free up the ward
phones for other people, including staff.

Emma continues:

“Everyone has welcomed the initiative, from patients to colleagues and visitors alike. It’s great to see the
project come to fruition and I am just so proud knowing that this will improve the overall experience of
women and families in our care.”

Over the coming months, the project will be evaluated and, if deemed viable, such charging stations
could be rolled out further across the Trust in the near future.

Patients and the public are being invited to a special event next week focusing on local hospitals’ work around equality, diversity and inclusion.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will host the session on Tuesday 4^th October as a means of showcasing work carried out to improve care and accessibility for diverse groups.

Guests will receive a valuable insight into the changing make-up of our local population, as well as being briefed on the Trust’s own equality objectives and the various pieces of legislation it must comply with.

The presentation will then use real-life examples of work which has been carried out across both Castle Hill Hospital and Hull Royal Infirmary to cater for the diverse needs of patients, staff and visitors.

Jackie Railton, Chair of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, says:

“One of the great things about Hull and the East Riding is the very rich and diverse community we have, so it’s important for the Trust, as a provider of healthcare services, to ensure we can meet the needs of the people who live here.

“Work to accommodate the diverse needs of our patients, visitors, and of course, our staff too, takes many forms. We look at things like accessibility and signage for disabled people when designing new buildings, for example, but we also provide alternative meal menus for those with special dietary or religious needs, interpretation services for non-English speakers, and we are now are looking at ways of using technology to improve communication and access to information.

“Key in helping us to achieve this is the support of our workforce and the input of patient and community groups; their experience and expertise is invaluable in guiding what we do and how we approach such matters sensitively and effectively.

“We’d now like to encourage local people to come and hear about our work around equality, diversity and inclusion, and join the discussion on how we may improve the experience of both patients and staff still further.”

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion presentation will take place at 10am on Tuesday 4^th October at Hull Royal Infirmary. For more details or to reserve your place, call (01482) 675165 or email membership.team@hey.nhs.uk   

If you have any special requirements with regard to access or require the assistance of a British Sign Language Interpreter, please let us know when reserving your place.

They’re probably more used to being on the receiving end of donations, but kind-hearted hospital staff are now making a difference with a donation of their own.

Staff at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust approached Fiona Dwyer, of ITV Calendar News and PR consultancy FDPR, to host their annual staff awards ceremony earlier this year and, in return, offered to hold a collection on the night for one of Fiona’s favoured charities.

An amazing £700 was donated by those attending the Trust’s Golden Hearts Awards, and Fiona asked for the proceeds to go to the S.A.M.M.I. Fund, a local charity set up in 2015 by North Ferriby-based Sammi Petersen. Sammi was involved in a non-fault road traffic accident last year which left her paralysed from the chest down and requiring the use of a wheelchair. The S.A.M.M.I. Fund now provides both advice and practical support to people with spinal injury.

Fiona says:

“I met Sammi about 10 months ago when she and her family were setting up her charity.  They wanted some help to publicise what they were doing and, because they had heard of me and knew I was local, contacted me.  I was so touched by what she’d been through and I was so impressed by her courage and determination not to be beaten by her injuries that the S.A.M.M.I. Fund became the chosen charity for my PR consultancy, FDPR.

“So when I was asked to nominate a charity by the Golden Hearts Committee which was close to my heart, the S.A.M.M.I. Fund sprung to mind straight away.”

Lucy Vere, Organisational Development Manager and Co-Chair of the Trust’s Golden Hearts Planning Committee says:

“Every year, as part of our annual awards celebration, we hold a collection for a charity which is meaningful to us in that particular year. As a thank you to Fiona for giving up her time to join us and host the Golden Hearts that evening, it felt only right that she should choose where the proceeds of our collection went.

“Fiona has made a brilliant choice with the S.A.M.M.I. Fund; it’s great to know that the money will be spent locally, and may even be used to support some of the people our hospital staff have already cared for in the past.”

Sadly Sammi was unwell and therefore unable to attend the formal cheque presentation, so Fiona (pictured above, left) and Lucy were joined by Sammi’s brother, rugby player Dave Petersen, at Hull Royal Infirmary for the handover.

Sammi says:

“Receiving such a huge amount from the Hospitals Trust is amazing.  I have been working very hard with the charity to help others in my situation.  To be recognised by a health organisation is a huge thing and shows that the charity is becoming known.  The support from others is great.  I feel privileged and excited about the future.  My story began at Hull Royal after my accident and the staff there were amazing and I now thank them for their continued support.

“A massive thank you to Fiona and to all those who donated on the night.  Your donations will go a long way to helping others in very practical ways, one of the three main aims of the S.A.M.M.I. Fund.”

Newborn footprints set to form 12‐month piece of art in UK City of Culture year

A team of local midwives is celebrating after being chosen to receive funding for a special project from the Hull City
of Culture Team.

‘Born into a City of Culture’ will see footprints taken from every baby born in Hull in 2017 and used to create a
mural in the Women and Children’s Hospital. The artwork will depict trees throughout the seasons, month by
month, with the leaves and branches formed from baby footprint impressions, and the supporting trunks made
from the handprints of local midwives.

The artwork is the brainchild of Sallie Ward, Community Midwife for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust,
and will involve both hospital and community midwives across the Trust for the duration of the year.
Sallie says:

“2017 is going to be a very special year for the city, so I thought it would be great to try and mark this in some way
for every baby born in Hull next year too.

“As a service, and as a city, we’re welcoming of everyone, and so what I love about this project is that it enables
everyone to be involved, even if people don’t think culture is their thing or wouldn’t normally be inclined to get
involved in arts projects. It will also create a lasting legacy, as once the artwork has been displayed in the Women
and Children’s Hospital for the year, the plan is to then move it elsewhere in the community so more people can
see and enjoy it.

“For around 6,000 children born in 2017, they will become part of something special straight away, and for their
parents, it will be something for them to talk with their children about for many years to come.”
Janet Cairns, Head of Midwifery for the Trust says:

“Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the city’s biggest employers, so it’s great that our staff are
getting actively involved in the City of Culture preparations and celebrations.

“Sallie’s idea for ‘Born into a City of Culture’ really captures the imagination and will be a brilliant addition to the
Women and Children’s Hospital next year. We’re all looking forward to helping out and watching the artwork grow
as the months go by.”

‘Born into a City of Culture’ will be displayed in the main entrance to Hull and East Yorkshire Women and Children’s
Hospital on the Hull Royal Infirmary site throughout 2017, and has been made possible through the generosity of
the City of Culture’s Creative Communities Programme.

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