A spokesman at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“We can confirm that Humberside Fire & Rescue attended our Castle Hill Hospital site this morning to deal with a small scale fire in the plant room of the Centenary Building.

“All patients and staff have been evacuated from the building and safely relocated to other surgical wards.

“Due to the unforeseen circumstances, we will be cancelling outpatient appointments and surgical activity due to take place within the Centenary Building today, excluding Audiology. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused and we will look to reschedule all cancelled appointments and procedures as soon as possible.

“We would also like to thank our staff who acted quickly and safely to ensure all patients have remained safe during this time.

(ENDS)

Health experts from across the UK will convene in Hull this week for a prestigious national event.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will host the Fourth National Cancer Conference, ‘Contemporary Care: New Challenges, New Solutions’ on Thursday 23^rd and Friday 24^th June at the Village Hotel, Hessle.

Almost 200 delegates from as far afield as Exeter, the Isle of Man, and the internationally renowned Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London, will attend to discuss new approaches to issues such as radiotherapy and end of life care.

Cancer survivors and people living with cancer will also attend the event, where delegates will learn how singing and laughter yoga can help in the management and well-being of cancer patients.

BBC Sports commentator and five-time Paralympic gold medal winner Marc Woods (pictured above), who had a leg amputated due to cancer aged just 17, will serve as the celebrity speaker for the event. Other speakers include Professor Max Watson, Consultant Professor in Palliative Care from the Northern Ireland Hospice in Belfast, and the Trust’s own internationally-renowned Professor Andy Beavis.

Janis Hostad, Lecturer/Education and Development Coordinator at the Queen’s Centre for Oncology & Haematology in Cottingham, has organised the event. She says:

“We’re delighted to be hosting our fourth National Cancer Conference in Hull. This week, we’ll be bringing some of the country’s most respected cancer experts together with members of our local workforce and people who are living with, or have beaten, cancer to discuss some of the most current issues surrounding it.

“Cancer is such an emotive issue as many of us will either have experienced the disease ourselves or know someone who has, so it’s vital that we keep the discussions going and keep sharing new ideas and techniques for cancer management and treatment.

“The Queen’s Centre for Oncology & Haematology in Cottingham is an excellent local facility, and we’re proud to be hosting this prestigious national conference which will continue to help put Hull on the map in respect of its clinical expertise in this field.”

Two off duty nurses from Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham saved the life of a local man this week after he became unconscious whilst swimming.

Christina Scurr and Kristina Peat, both Staff Nurses on Ward 26, were enjoying a dip in the pool at Total Fitness in Willerby when the incident happened on Tuesday night.

After hearing cries for help, their swift actions and years of nurse training ensured they were able to pull Tony Nichols, from Kirk Ella, out of the water and restore his breathing before an ambulance arrived.

Christina says:

“Kristina and I had just been swimming a few lengths when, all of a sudden, we began to hear cries for help from the other end of the pool. We looked over and saw Mr Nichols face down in the water.

“At that point, we didn’t hesitate: I swam over whilst Kristina got out of the water and ran round to help.

“When we tried to put Mr Nichols in the recovery position, we found he wasn’t breathing, so we began performing CPR. After a number of cycles, he began to breathe so we attempted to put him in the recovery position again, but again his breathing stopped. We performed another round of CPR to re-start his breathing, and we then stayed with him until an ambulance arrived.

“We didn’t really think about our actions at the time; as nurses we’re trained to deal with the unexpected.  We’re just pleased to hear that the action we took has helped Mr Nichols and he’s now on road to recovery.”

The two nurses’ manager, Tracy Drury, is the ward sister on Ward 26 at Castle Hill Hospital. She says:

“It’s often said that a nurse is never off duty, and this was certainly true of Christina and Kristina in this case. What they did was fantastic, and we’re all pleased to see that there has been a positive ending to this story.

“Christina and Kristina are an inspirational pair of dedicated nurses, and every member of their team is incredibly of proud of them.”

Mr Nichols is now recovering well from the incident, and both he and his partner have passed on their thanks in person to the two nurses when they met at Castle Hill Hospital on Wednesday evening.

When you hear the phrase ‘plastic surgery’, you would be forgiven for thinking of celebrities and their never-ending attempts to look younger, slimmer, or more attractive.

Plastic surgery within this NHS, however, is very different. From dog bites to burns, accidents to assaults, the Plastics Team is on hand 24/7 to deal with whatever comes their way.

Plastic surgeons are regularly called upon to restore the function and appearance of limbs or digits which have been injured, helping patients to recover their confidence, mobility and independence after surgery. Plastic surgeons also contribute to the care given to patients born with abnormalities of the hands or face, and patients diagnosed with cancer, such as breast and skin cancer.

Members of the public are now being invited to hear more about the work which plastic surgeons working at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital carry out.

‘A Day in the Life of a Plastic Surgeon’ is an hour-long presentation by Miss CB Chuo, Consultant Plastic and Restorative Surgeon, and will be delivered at Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, in the morning of Monday 6^th June 2016.

The presentation is the latest in a series of discussion topics which members of the public are being invited to attend. Other upcoming sessions include:

• Friday 8 July (HRI) – How Volunteers are making a difference within our hospitals
• Thursday 15 September (HRI) – Stroke services and how our hospitals care for people who have had a stroke
• Tuesday 4 October (HRI) – Promoting equality and diversity at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
• Tuesday 18 October (CHH) – Local breast screening services and the National Breast Screening Programme

For more information on ‘A Day in the Life of a Plastic Surgeon’ or to book your free place at the event, please call the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Membership Office on (01482) 675165 or email membership.team@hey.nhs.uk  These details should also be used to request information/reserve places on any of the other, upcoming presentation sessions listed above.

A mum-of-two who is battling cancer is charting her most personal of journeys online to serve as hope and inspiration to others.

Clare Davies-Eaton, 41, from Grimsby, is currently receiving treatment for throat cancer at the Queen’s Centre for Oncology and Haematology at Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham. Having been diagnosed just 11 weeks ago, she has started a facebook page, ‘My lumpy, bumpy road to summer’, which she is using to update followers on her progress and, crucially, to raise awareness of head and neck cancers. Clare also uses the page to pay tribute to the people who are supporting her through her treatment, including family and health professionals.

The first signs of a problem came late last year when Clare experienced a sore throat, and found a lump in her neck shortly afterwards. Clare went to her doctor and, after numerous hospital referrals, scans, tests and procedures, and the removal of her lymph nodes in February, she finally received her cancer diagnosis on 11th March 2016.

Clare is now part-way through courses of both radiotherapy and chemotherapy at Castle Hill Hospital, and says the diagnosis turned her world upside down.

“In the weeks leading up to my diagnosis, I hadn’t really considered that it might be cancer so when I was told by the doctor, I went into shock, I just didn’t know what to say. In the space of five minutes I felt lost, like my world was falling apart, but then I heard the word ‘treatable’ which gave me hope that I could battle this.

“I have set ‘My lumpy, bumpy road to summer’ page up to track not just my journey but to highlight the work done by all the dedicated professionals that will help me along the way. I’m also hoping to raise awareness of head and neck cancers and encourage people to be more alert to the signs.

“I have got an amazing support network of family and friends, so I’m hoping my blog may be of comfort to them at times too, as I appreciate that this is a shock to their systems as well as mine.”

Throughout her cancer journey, Clare has been supported by countless health professionals from Diana Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby and, more recently, from Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, including Therapy Radiographers, Dietitians, Maxillofacial specialists, ward staff, and Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists.

Clare says:

“My first visit to the oncology unit at Castle Hill was not what I was expecting at all, it seemed more relaxed than a hospital.

“I went for my radiotherapy mask fitting, and the Therapy Radiographers were absolutely brilliant, so patient, understanding and compassionate, but at the same time very honest when answering my questions, which is just what I needed. They really helped me feel at ease.

“All of the health professionals who have helped me along my journey so far, from my stoma nurse to the dietitian, the Oncology day ward staff and staff on ward 30, I’ve been so impressed with the efforts they go to and the care and compassion they show.

“On one occasion, rather than just sending a message, the doctor came to find me while I was in radiotherapy to tell me he was considering a change to my medication. Just the simple act of coming to talk to me in person showed he cares, and not only did it impress me but it impressed my mum too, which is not always an easy task!”

Martin Sykes, Therapy Radiographer for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Trust has been involved in Clare’s treatment from the outset. He says:

“Clare is an amazing person. She was so scared about what we needed to do to plan her treatment, but we talked her through it and she managed everything we needed her to do.

“Her blog has given us a real insight into what it’s like for our patients, and it’s great for us to see that she really appreciates what we are doing; it’s been a brilliant morale booster for the teams involved with her care.

“Clare is fighting a disease that none of us should have to, and it shows her bravery, that she is not only going through all the treatment and dealing with its side effects, but she’s also trying to raise awareness of the disease and of radiotherapy, so that it can be caught earlier and be more treatable.

“I think Clare’s open and honest blog will be a support for anyone who is diagnosed with cancer; in particular patients who are are unfortunately diagnosed with cancers that are not widely known about, such as head and neck cancer, will find comfort in reading about her experiences.”

To read and follow Clare’s blog, visit My Lumpy Bumpy Road to Summer.

There has been much talk of a national recruitment crisis within the NHS. Now, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is to officially launch a “groundbreaking” campaign, helping to reverse this trend whilst having a positive impact on staff morale. The campaign is being strengthened by a series of “unprecedented” steps – including the “promise” of a job to outstanding students before they even open their results envelope.

The recruitment campaign has already been hailed as a major success with the Trust snapping up almost 100 new recruits to support its 8,000-strong workforce in just two months.

Championing a message which puts the emphasis on the Trust’s people and the city’s place in the world, the campaign’s launch event will give students, graduates and existing NHS professionals the opportunity to discover more of why the Trust, and the region, is the place to work and live.

Specially chosen ambassadors and other selected professionals will attend a launch event, which will introduce the new recruits, provide existing staff with information about how to progress further within the Trust, and give third year nursing students the potential to guarantee their first job in the NHS.

From staff nurses to consultants, the stars of the new campaign, which seeks to recruit and retain staff in the Trust, were chosen to feature on films, billboards, bus stops and posters for their ‘remarkable’ stories. These include Phil Darwick, Michelin Star chef turned operating department practitioner, Dr Dan Harman who returned to the city from Bristol to take up his role as a Consultant Geriatrician, and Melanie Lee, community and hospital midwife at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital. Melanie said:

“It’s a privilege to be part of the campaign. It gives us a great opportunity to attract new talent, help everyone in the team to reach their potential, and let the whole region know what an amazing job they do. There are lots of positive things happening in the city and this is mirrored within the Trust.

“My advice to students ready to take their place with us is to grab the opportunity to become part of a Trust that is beginning to stand out from so many others across the country in the way it finds the right people and really looks after them.”

The Trust’s Head of Education, Dave Withers, believes the campaign represents more than a recruitment drive, having the potential to mark an exciting new chapter for the HEY Trust itself.

He commented “We always knew that Hull was a unique, wonderful and delightfully peculiar place, but now the world is starting to take notice. If some of those people happen to fancy working here – we are only too happy to welcome them, and to offer them ongoing support within a caring Trust that truly looks after its people and the way they progress.”

Launching just before the area’s much anticipated year in the limelight as UK City of Culture 2017, and after Hull was named in Rough Guides’ top ten tourist attractions in the world, the secondary theme of the campaign focuses on how the region is the ideal place to live, learn, work and play.

The Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust ‘Remarkable People. Extraordinary Place’ event will take place at the Clinical Skills Facility (top floor), next to the Eye Hospital, Hull Royal Infirmary at 11am on Thursday May 26th.

Image caption: Melanie Lee, Midwife and ‘Remarkable People’ Ambassador.

People across Hull and East Yorkshire are being urged to help shape the future of healthcare by signing up to take part in clinical research.

Friday 20^th May marks International Clinical Trials Day, when both academics and health care professionals will celebrate hundreds of years of research by raising awareness of the importance of clinical trials within our community.

This year also sees the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) reach its 10^th anniversary. Throughout the last ten years, the NIHR has contributed significantly to the health and commerce of the nation, and is currently supporting around 1,000 studies in the Yorkshire and Humber region.  Present studies include diabetes and endocrinology, cardiology, maternity, paediatrics, surgery, stroke, dermatology, emergency medicine, critical care, neurology, and general practice. 

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has an excellent record of recruiting people into clinical research, with around 3,000 participants recruited to NIHR studies each year. However the Trust recognises that encouraging and empowering patients, relatives and carers to ask about clinical research opportunities increases the potential benefits that can be gained from taking part in research.

Joss Cook, a Senior Research Nurse based at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham says:

“Research is vitally important in the field of healthcare. Research helps to develop cures and, measure the effectiveness of drugs and treatments and promote better understanding of the human body. Ultimately it helps to make decisions which could be beneficial for groups of patients and carers in the future.

“People who haven’t come across or taken part in clinical trials before may have a preconceived idea of what they involve. In reality, the types of research we undertake vary markedly; from simple lifestyle questionnaires, testing of blood samples, through to studies of body imaging and drug and device trials.

“Whether they realise it or not, most patients coming into hospital today and receiving treatment will have benefited from patients taking part in research trials before them.”

The expertise to undertake such studies in Hull and East Yorkshire is delivered locally through funding from the NIHR Yorkshire and Humber Clinical Research Network. With this funding, around 70 research posts across Castle Hill Hospital and Hull Royal Infirmary are maintained.

Joss continues:

“Patients here in Hull and East Yorkshire are generally keen to be involved in research and it’s because of their support that the Yorkshire and Humber area can say it is one of the best performing regions in the country for clinical trial recruitment.

“People are recruited through Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Trust to take part in studies every year, and these pieces of work really do represent the future of healthcare, both locally and across the world.

“Contrary to how many people picture them, clinical trials are a very normal process. They are crucial in helping health care workers understand people’s conditions better, ease symptoms, improve the care we give, and ultimately can save lives.”

To mark International Clinical Trials Day on Friday 20^th May, Joss will be one of a number of local research nurses stepping out in Hull in a bid to get people talking. Passers-by within St Stephen’s shopping centre will be offered information on local clinical research trials and encouraged to ask questions. There will also be Research Nurses based around both Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital with further information relevant to their particular areas.

Joss adds:

“Our ultimate ambition is to ensure every one of the Trust’s patients is given the opportunity to take part in clinical research, so International Clinical Trials Day provides the perfect opportunity for us to raise awareness, address some of the misconceptions and say it’s “OK to ask” about clinical research.”

The research team will be providing information to the public on Friday 20^th May in St Stephen’s Shopping Centre from 10am.

For more information on clinical research and the ‘it’s OK to ask’ campaign, please visit http://www.nihroktoask.com/

Health experts in Hull will shine a light on the growing problem of Crohn’s and Colitis next week, as they prepare to mark World Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Day on Thursday 19^th May.

Fatigue, stomach pains, diarrhoea, bleeding, and weight loss are problems which many people will experience individually from time to time, but together, they could be symptomatic of one of these two chronic conditions.

At least 300,000 people in the UK have been diagnosed with IBD, and a further person is diagnosed in the UK every 30 minutes with either Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis – the two main forms of IBD. Research suggests that these diseases are on the increase, particularly amongst teenagers and young adults, and a recent survey by the EFCCA showed that more than 18% of people wait for more than five years for a formal diagnosis.

Dr Sebastian, Consultant Gastroenterologist and an IBD specialist of national and international repute, is joining with colleagues from Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to raise awareness of IBD and to encourage potential sufferers to seek help.

Dr Sebastian says:

“Many people who are not familiar with IBD do not realise how serious, and potentially life-changing, this condition can be.

“There is currently no cure for Crohn’s or Colitis, although once a diagnosis has been made, many people are able to find long periods of relief using some of the more recently developed treatments, thus potentially avoiding surgery.

“This isn’t always the case however; the fluctuating nature of these conditions means that patients’ quality of life can be severely affected, and I personally have seen people whose careers have been cut short or whose relationships have suffered because of the unpredictable nature of their illness.

“On Thursday 19^th May, to tie in with World IBD Day, we’ll be holding an event at the KCOM Stadium to get people talking about IBD.

“People have traditionally been quite reluctant to discuss these types of problem, often through embarrassment, but they needn’t be, as we have services available locally to help with IBD management. As the problem is becoming more and more common, and in young people in particular, it’s not something we can afford to ignore.

“As well as giving people the chance to meet the teams involved in IBD care locally and ask questions, our event will also encourage people who are describing the signs and symptoms of IBD to seek medical help, as it doesn’t have to be something you just learn to live with.

“In the afternoon, our focus will turn to local health professionals and GPs in particular, who have a key role to play in helping people to gain an accurate diagnosis for their condition and timely access to treatment.”

The World IBD Day event will take place between 9am and 4pm on Thursday 19^th May 2016. For more information including a copy of the morning or afternoon agendas, and to reserve a place, please call 01482 605243 or email megan.walker@hey.nhs.uk

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is using Thursday 12th May, Nurses Day, as an opportunity to celebrate the contribution that more than 3,000 nursing, midwifery and care assistant staff make to patients across Castle Hill Hospital, Hull Royal Infirmary and the wider community.

Nurses Day is celebrated annually on 12th May, to coincide with the birthday of the country’s most famous nurse, Florence Nightingale.

At Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, nurses and midwives make up more than 40% of the entire workforce, ranging from critical care and research nurses through to infection control specialists, theatre staff, and occupational health nurses, who care for hospital employees. They work across hospital wards and departments, outpatient services and community services.

And the good news is that the number of nurses working for the Trust is set to increase. Just days ago, 74 third year nursing students from the University of Hull, who are due to qualify this summer, were offered positions with the Trust in their chosen specialist areas.

Efforts to attract new nurses and midwives to the Trust, and to retain those who train for these professions in the city, will also continue over the coming months under the Trust’s ‘Remarkable People, Extraordinary Place’ campaign banner.

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

“I am extremely proud of all of our nurses, midwives, and care assistant staff for the fantastic jobs they do every day for our patients and the Trust.

“I have been privileged to be a nurse for over 34 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!”

A special event will be held at Hull Royal Infirmary on Nurses Day, Thursday 12th May, to showcase the work carried out by the Trust’s nursing, midwifery and care assistant staff to improve patient care. Nurses and midwives from across the region will be treated to a showcase of work on areas such as falls prevention, dementia care, and learning from incidents, and be able to take a step back in time as they inspect uniforms and clinical equipment from years gone by, courtesy of the Hospital Archive.

The event will also feature the launch of the Hull and East Yorkshire Nursing and Midwifery Strategy and Action Plan, which sets out how nurses and midwives will work together across the region to innovate, improve, and deliver quality care to local people in the coming years. Copies of this document are available upon request.

Do you have a local healthcare hero? Has someone working in a caring profession made a real difference to your life or that of your family? Perhaps someone has supported you through an illness or helped you in a way you never thought possible? Or maybe you wouldn’t be here today without the expertise or the response of a quick-thinking health professional?

Whatever your story, health organisations in Hull and the East Riding want to hear from you.

On Thursday 7th July, NHS organisations across the region will come together to host the first ever Health Expo, arguably the biggest celebration of healthcare innovation and excellence ever seen in Hull and the East Riding. The daytime event is open to the public, and will culminate in a special awards ceremony that evening.

But you have just a few days left to help organisers find Hull and East Yorkshire’s Healthcare Hero of 2016. Nominations are being accepted for anyone working within healthcare locally who has made a difference your life. From doctors to dentists, midwives to mental health workers, pharmacists to therapists, if you know someone who epitomises the caring profession, now is your chance to see them recognised.

Nominations can be submitted online via the Health Expo website: www.healthexpo.co.uk

Please try to give as much information as you can about the person or team you are putting forward to make their case as strong as possible; what is it that makes them so special? Have they gone out of their way for you or a loved one? How has their help made a positive impact on your health and well-being?

Nominations must be received by the closing date of Sunday 15th May 2016, and those who nominate individuals who go on to be shortlisted for this award will also be invited to attend the awards ceremony.

Good luck!