articulate newsletter oct.qxd - Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital ...

articulate: 

to connect by a joint, to speak distinctly 

October/November 2005 - Newsletter for the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital - Issue 77 

Centenary issue 

Whitmore School Project 

(Pictured above) Childrens Education Centre Teacher Heidi Kraines 

demonstrates one of the school’s science experiments to pupils from 

Whitmore School, during a recent visit 

At the heart of a successful specialist school are the 

links that the school develops with the local 

community. Whitmore was "introduced" to the 

RNOH last autumn and immediately formulated a 

plan that would forge a long term working 

relationship between staff and students at both 

institutions. At the centre of this, RNOH medical staff 

are supporting the delivery of the 21st Century 

Science GCSE course by taking time out from their 

busy schedules to educate the students in how science 

supports the work of health professionals in the NHS. 

Continued on page two 

The fourth Annual Staff 

Achievement Awards took 

place on Wednesday 28th 

September, following the 

Trust's AGM. Once again 

Trust staff had nominated a 

wide range of their 

colleagues from both 

clinical and non clinical 

roles for the eight award 

categories. 

The ceremony was very well 

attended by staff making 

the journey to the Charles 

Lack Lecture Theatre to 

support their friends and 

colleagues who had been 

nominated for an award. 

Andrew Woodhead, Chief 

Executive, hosted the event 

with the help of Donald 

Hoodless, Trust Chairman, 

who presented the winners 

and runners up with their 

awards. Turn to page eight 

to see the winners and 

runners up. 

Continued on page eight

2 

October News 

The Social Work 

Department would like to 

say 'happy birthday' to 

Chris Bestington and Anne 

Pearson who both 

celebrated in September. 

Happy 40th Birthday to 

Pauline Hector, Angus 

Mackinnon Unit. 

Pamela Gallagher recently 

retired from the Imaging 

Department after nearly 20 

years service to the RNOH. 

Farewell to Beryl 

Whiteman, Medical 

Secretary, and Milly 

Wolmark, Shoulder Unit 

Co-ordinator, both ladies 

are retiring after many 

years service in the Trust. 

A warm welcome to the 

following new staff. 

Gill Thurlow, Rehabilitation 

Ward Manager and Lead 

Nurse, who commenced on 

31st August. Many staff 

will know her from her 

previous role in the 

Teaching Centre. 

Sylvia McIntosh, Head of 

Administration and PA to 

Shane McCabe General 

Manager. Sylvia joins us 

from North West London 

Hospital Trust. 

Plaster Theatre would like 

to congratulate Shiona 

Round Up 

Masterson on her new 

position as Sister in Plaster 

Theatre. Shiona came to us 

from Watford General and 

has been working as a Staff 

Nurse in Plaster Theatre for 

nearly two years. We would 

like to give her a warm 

welcome. 

Congratulations to Edawne 

Babalola who was 

successfully promoted to 

Ward Sister on Angus 

Mackinnion Unit. 

Kathy Coultry would like to 

thank all her colleagues 

who have sent her flowers, 

cards and best wishes whilst 

she has been off sick. 

And a fond farewell to 

Richard Hudson, Head of 

Corporate Affairs who 

leaves the Trust after ten 

years to pursue his career in 

marketing/media. 

Richard has brought the 

Trust into the 21st century 

with the new and improved 

interactive website and has 

been instrumental in raising 

the profile of the hospital 

with the ‘bionic bone’. 

Good luck Richard, we wish 

you every success with your 

career. 

Whitmore 

School Project 

Continued from front 

page... 

This is very much 

appreciated by the staff 

and students at Whitmore 

as it brings the science 

curriculum "alive" and 

makes the science 

curriculum more relevant to 

their every day lives. In 

return, science lessons at 

Whitmore are being 

videoed so that the science 

curriculum is being brought 

into the RNOH to benefit 

GCSE students who are in 

hospital for vital treatment. 

This allows the students 

access to practical work and 

science specialist teaching 

so that they can continue 

their studies in hospital. 

As part of this joint work, 

Whitmore entered the Rolls 

Royce Science Competition 

and used the joint working 

project as the basis for the 

entry. Very excitingly, 

Whitmore was placed in 

the top 30 schools from a 

national entry of 800+ 

schools and as a result won 

£1000 of sponsorship 

money for the project. We 

look forward to a long and 

fruitful partnership.

My wife Tina Bailey took part 

in the Marlow 5km run on 

Sunday 8th May 2005 for a 

special reason, to raise money 

for the RNOH to help towards 

funds for rebuilding a new 

hospital. 

I, Steven Bailey, was a patient 

at the RNOH in Stanmore. Mr. 

Briggs had diagnosed me with 

malignant Chondrosarcoma 

cancer that required life saving 

surgery. The surgery 

involved the amputation of 

my left leg below the knee, 

which was carried out in 

February 2003. 

The hospital provided me with 

special care, love and gave me 

hope to carry on living and to 

adapt my life towards a new 

start. The reassurance I was 

given by Mr. Briggs that I 

would walk again gave me 

the determination to start 

getting myself ready for limb 

fitting. I attended 

regular physiotherapy 

within the first day after my 

operation to rebuild my muscles 

so I would be able to 

wear the prosthesis. I received 

Fundraising News 

my first prosthesis in April 

2003 and after many days of 

physiotherapy and limb fitting 

appointments I was walking 

again by June 2003 and took 

part in the Buttercup walk at 

Stanmore. 

We are grateful to Gordon 

Hayes, Andrew Cloke and 

Colin Lawson for raising nearly 

£2,000 towards the new 

hospital by completing the 

gruelling Three Peaks 

Challenge in an impressive 23 

hours in July 2005. Gordon is a 

former patient at the RNOH 

following a motorbike 

accident in 1997. He wanted 

to show his appreciation of 

the treatment and care he 

received by the staff at the 

hospital. 

Just 18 months after having a 

hip replacement at the RNOH 

David Boulter headed off on a 

cycle trip from the West Coast 

to the South Coast of France 

in June to raise funds for the 

RNOH. He was so 

overwhelmed by the 

treatment he received while 

recovering 

at the hospital 

that 

he would 

like the 

£1,000 he 

has raised 

to go 

towards 

staff facilities, 

namely in 

Ward 9. 

David said 

'The treat- 

ment was fantastic. The nurses 

always had a smile on their 

faces, nothing was too much 

trouble. I wanted to do 

something. I was so humbled 

by how they treated me'. 

A special thank you to Mr 

Utton for deciding to forego 

birthday gifts on his 70th 

birthday in order to support 

the Hospital. His 

granddaughter Lucinda Farley 

was treated at the RNOH. A 

total of £455 was donated 

towards the new family 

accommodation. 

We are hugely grateful to all 

our donors for taking the time 

to raise much needed funds 

for the Hospital. If you would 

like to know how you can 

become involved in 

participating in an event, are 

interested in organising your 

own or would like to know 

more about how you can 

become involved in fundrais- 

ing please 

contact the fundraising office 

on either ext. 5468 or ext. 

5660. 

3

National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) Alerts 

NPSA alerts are sent to the 

Trusts via the Safety Alert 

Broadcast System (SABS). At 

the RNOH, the Clinical Risk 

Manager coordinates the 

circulation of the alerts. 

What is the safety alert 

broadcast system and 

why is it important? 

Safety alerts and other 

notices are issued by a 

number of agencies 

including the Department of 

Health, the National Patient 

Safety Agency, Medicines 

and Healthcare products 

Regulatory Agency (MHRA), 

and NHS Estates (circulated 

by the Risk Manager). These 

bodies issue alerts by a 

number of different 

methods. 

The aim of the patient 

safety alert broadcast 

system project is to bring 

different types of alert 

together into one 

electronic system and 

improve the way in which 

they are issued and action 

taken monitored. 

NPSA Alerts 

The National Patient Safety 

Agency have developed a 

number of formats to 

disseminate its advice and 

solutions to NHS staff. 

A patient safety alert 

requires prompt action to 

address high-risk safety 

problems, for example: 

Correct Site Surgery: 

The recommendations 

promoting correct site 

surgery encourage a 

consistent approach to 

marking the patient for 

surgery and provide staff 

with a checklist to ensure 

important steps have been 

taken to protect the patient. 

This includes advice for 

surgical teams on where, 

how and when the patient 

should be marked to show 

where an operation should 

take place, who should mark 

the patient and the people 

who should be actively 

involved in the process. All 

Consultants have been made 

aware of this alert. 

A Safer Practice Notice 

strongly advises 

implementing a particular 

recommendation or 

solution, for example: 

Improving Infusion Device 

Safety: 

Fifteen million infusions are 

performed in the NHS every 

year. The vast majority are 

delivered safely. However, at 

least 700 unsafe incidents 

are reported each year to 

the MHRA, of which 19% are 

attributed to user error. The 

safer practice notices outline 

the steps that a hospital can 

take to improve patient 

safety and make significant 

cost savings. Action is 

ongoing in the Trust 

regarding this. 

Patient Safety Information 

suggests issues or effective 

techniques that healthcare 

staff might consider to 

enhance safety, for example: 

Protecting people with an 

allergy associated with latex: 

A survey by the NPSA, in 

conjunction with the Latex 

Allergy Support Group 

(LASG) and the National 

Association of Theatre 

Nurses (NATN), found that 

40% of NHS Trusts and 

primary care organisations 

do not have local policies on 

managing latex which could 

put sensitised patients at risk 

from harm. Trusts are 

required to develop a policy 

on the use and purchasing of 

latex products. The policy 

also should be audited and 

reviewed to check 

compliance. The RNOH is 

currently developing a policy. 

Within the last few weeks 

the most recent 'Safer 

Practice Notice' has been 

developed entitled, Being 

Open when Patients are 

Harmed. Each day more than 

a million people are treated 

safely in the NHS, however, 

occasionally something goes 

wrong and the patient is 

harmed. Healthcare staff 

may feel cautious about 

apologising for things that 

go wrong as they worry they 

may say the wrong things, 

make the situation worse 

and may automatically be 

blamed for the mistake. The 

NPSA are encouraging all 

NHS organisations to have a 

policy on how to be more 

open with people when 

mistakes are made. This 

notice is soon to be 

distributed to all relevant 

staff members and a policy 

will follow. 

Andy Dwyer 

Clinical Risk Manager 

5

Adolescent Unit - 

Extension and Refurbishment 

On a bright day in May the 

builders arrived to start the 

new extension for the 

Adolescent Unit. A very 

generous donation from Dr 

Jim Marshall OBE made it 

all possible and the 

Paediatric nursing team 

send a big thank you 

especially to him. 

The project team met 

regularly to try and ensure 

that the new extension and 

the refurbishment of the 

ward would meet the 

needs of the adolescent 

patients and the nurses 

that were to work in the 

area afterwards. 

For six weeks over the 

summer the child 

and adolescent 

wards relocated to 

Duke of Gloucester 

ward whilst the 

builders, decorators, 

plumbers and 

electricians did their 

work even 

managing to give 

Coxen ward a coat 

of fresh paint. 

Another thank you 

must be passed on 

to all the people 

around the hospital 

that pulled 

together to make it 

all happen, porters, 

schedulers, domestic 

services and nursing staff - 

a real example of 'esprit de 

corps' that this hospital is 

so proud of. 

Early September 

on a very busy 

clinical day and 

after a 

monumental 

team effort we 

moved back to 

the refurbished 

ward area. It is 

bright and airy 

and feels so 

much more 

spacious with the 

new floor and 

bed spaces the extension 

provides. 

There have been many 

changes in the last few 

months for the Paediatric 

service and we are starting 

a new chapter within the 

history of the organisation. 

The air of excitement about 

what the future holds with 

new ways of working, 

networking across the 

hospital and the building of 

a fabulous new hospital is 

contagious and the belief 

that we are providing 

orthopaedic nursing care 

for children that is of the 

highest quality is at the 

forefront of all our minds. 

Siobhan Lalor-McTague 

Matron - Paediatrics 

6

This is your Life! 

(Left to right) Alan Joyce (Trustee, Radio Brockley), June 

Snowden (President, Hospital Broadcasting Association) 

and Daniel Gee (Trustee, Radio Brockley) 

Radio Brockley members 

received a surprise visit 

from the president of the 

Hospital Broadcasting 

Association, who dropped 

in on Sunday (11.09.05) to 

present long service awards 

to two members. 

Trustees Daniel Gee and 

Alan Joyce are both 

celebrating fifteen years of 

volunteering at London's 

longest running hospital 

station and June Snowden, 

World's Biggest Coffee 

Morning is Macmillan's 

flagship event. Now in its 15th 

the head of 

the national 

organisation, 

brought 

along their 

certificates, so 

she could 

present them 

live on air. 

Some Sunday 

programmes 

took a backseat 

as Daniel 

Gee was 

surprised by a 

special half-hour "This Is 

Your Life" show, in which 

he was asked about past 

shows, his fund raising 

activities and stories about 

his antics on the wards. 

The programme also 

featured messages from 

past members and radio 

personalities including Pat 

Sharp, who started his 

career at Radio Brockley in 

the 1970s, and broadcasting 

veteran Tony Blackburn. 

Coffee Morning! 

year, it has grown to become 

one of the biggest events in 

the UK charity 

calendar with 

over 1.5 million 

people taking 

part and raising 

£5.3 million for 

Macmillan in 

2004. This year 

it was time for 

RNOH to join 

the fundraising 

as many of our 

patients receive 

The tables were also 

turned on volunteer Alan 

Joyce who was involved in 

arranging the surprise for 

his colleague, but didn't 

realise he too would be 

presented with his 

certificate on the same 

night. Members held a 

party and both Trustees 

were left bemused at the 

fuss. 

Trustee Daniel Gee was 

thanked for fifteen years of 

dedicated work at the 

station and said he was 

"chuffed to bits" with his 

certificate and "humbled by 

all the fuss members had 

gone to". 

Radio Brockley celebrates 

forty years of broadcasting 

in 2006 and is looking 

forward to being moved to 

new studios when the 

Royal National Orthopaedic 

Hospital is rebuilt, with the 

new hospital due to be 

opened in 2010. 

much needed support from 

this charity. 30th September 

saw outpatients welcome a 

stall bursting with tea, coffee 

and cakes. Staff and patients 

alike flocked over, willing to 

donate money in order to satisfy 

their sweet tooth. 

The stall sold out before 

planned and the event was a 

huge success, raising £350 for 

Macmillan!!!! 

A massive THANK YOU to 

everyone involved. 

7

4th Annual Staff Achievement Award 

Continued from front page 

Winner - Improving the 

Quality of Care 

Asouka Pallagamayalage 

House Keeper, Medirest 

Angus Mackinnon Ward 



Valentino Fernando 

Staff Nurse 

Spinal Cord Injuries Centre 

Runner up - Improving the 


Emma Linley 

Senior Occupational Therapist 


Effectiveness of Trust Services 

Emma Cockshoot-Sear 

PA to Director of HR and 

Corporate Affairs/ 

Redevelopment Project Officer 

Runner up - Improving the 

Effectiveness of Trust Services 

Rossa Thomson, 

Administration Assistant, 

Histopathology Department 

Winner - Contributing to 

Research and Education 

Jeanette Gillows 

Chairman Donald Hoodless pictured 

with Mary Abraham, long service 

award recipient 

Staff Nurse 

Spinal Cord Injuries Centre 

Runner up - Contributing to 

Research and Education 

Dr Asif Saifuddin 

Consultant Radiologist 

Winners - Enhancing the 

Trust's Reputation 

Natasha Wallace, Sian Rodger 

and Rose Miles 

Community Liaison Sisters 

Runner up - Enhancing the 

Trust's Reputation 

Rachel Brown 

Tissue Viability Nurse and 

Ward Manager, Angus 

Mackinnon Ward 


Quality of Working Lives of 

RNOH 

Jackie Stephen 

HR Development Manager 

Runners up - Improving the 

Quality of Working Lives of 

RNOH 

Ken Cousins and Steve 

Roberts 

Estates Gardener/Handyman 


with Emma Linley, 

Occupational Therapist 

Winner - Excellence in 

Customer Service 

Denise Himsworth 

Ward Administrator, 

Rehabilitation Ward 

Runner up - Excellence in 

Customer Service 

Abbey McCarth 

Physiotherapist, Bone Tumour 

Unit 

Winner - Excellence in 

Leadership 

Lynne Gunn 

Ward Manager, Alan Bray Unit 

Runner up - Excellence in 

Leadership 

Kathy Coultry 

Matron - Spinal Services 

Winner - Innovation 

Richard Hudson 

Head of Corporate Affairs 

Runners up - Innovation 

Diane Alcock 

Vimal Gajjar 

Redevelopment Project Team 

Long Service Award 

Mariamma (Mary) Abraham 

Adolescent Unit 

Chairman Donald Hoodless 

pictured with Asouka 

Pallagamayalage, House Keeper 

8


with Emma Cockshoot-Sear, 

Executive PA/Redevelopment 

Project Officer 

Chairman Donald Hoodless pictured with Ken 

Cousins, Estates Gardener/Handyman 


pictured with Diane Alcock, 

Redevelopment Project Team 


with Dr Asif Saifuddin, Consultant 

Radiologist 


pictured with Abbey McCarth, 

Physiotherapist 


pictured with Richard Hudson, 

Corporate Affairs Manager 


with Natasha Wallace, 

Community Liaison Sister 


pictured with Denise Himsworth, 

Ward Administrator 

9

In 1903 representatives of 

the Royal, City and National 

Orthopaedic Hospitals met 

to discuss an amalgamation 

of three metropolitan 

orthopaedic hospitals. The 

Royal and the National 

were in favour of the 

amalgamation but the City 

withdrew, perhaps because 

its name was not included 

in the new title. The first 

meeting of the Royal 

National Orthopaedic 

10 

RNOH 

Centenary 

A Brief History of the RNOH 

Hospital was in 1905 when 

it was announced that the 

King had granted a Royal 

Charter to the Hospital. 

The site selected was that 

of the National 

Orthopaedic Hospital in 

Great Portland Street and 

Bolsover Street. The 

National had just built a 

new wing at Great Portland 

Street but the building in 

Bolsover Street was about 

200 years old and falling 

down. In 1907 the full 

amalgamation was finally 

agreed when the City 

Orthopaedic reluctantly 

joined the other two 

because of financial 

difficulties. 

In 1907 a lease was 

obtained on 49-51 Bolsover 

Street to build a new 

Outpatient Department 

and Nurses' Home. 

Bolsover Street Outpatient 

Department was built at 

approximately the same 

time a new Hospital was 

erected on the site of the 

National Orthopaedic; the 

latter was opened in 1909 

by King Edward VII. This 

hospital known as the 

"Town Branch" (Stanmore 

was called the "Country 

Branch") remained open 

until 1984 when the lease 

expired. The rear of the 

hospital building in 

Bolsover Street was 

converted into apartments, 

however the front of the 

building in Great Portland 

Street has become the "The 

Portland Hospital".

RNOH 

Centenary 

The laying of the Eastgate House foundation stone 

by the Duke of Gloucester in 1923 

The House was built about 

1880 for Mr Samuel Loome, 

a butcher, and was 

originally called 'Verulam 

House'. Mr Loome never 

lived in the house, in fact it 

was said not to be 

completely finished. In 

1884 it became the Mary 

Wardell Convalescent 

Home, initially for children 

convalescing from 

diphtheria, scarlet fever 

and other diseases. In 1891 

an extension was added to 

the west end. During 

World War I, the 

Convalescent Home was 

used by wounded French 

and Belgium soldiers. Mary 

Wardell died in 1917 and 

the building was put up for 

sale. It was bought by the 

Royal National Orthopaedic 

Eastgate House 

Hospital. In July 

1922 the first 

patients were 

admitted.In 1923 

the foundation 

stone for the 

Nurses Home 

Extension added to 

the south side was 

laid by Prince 

Henry, Duke of 

Gloucester. The 

extension was built 

in three parts with the two 

wings lengthened and an 

extra floor added in the 

latter 1920s. 

In the early 1920's it also 

housed the operating 

theatre and it is rumoured 

that patients, children suffering 

from tuberculosis 

and rickets were hoisted by 

lift into the 

theatre up the 

outside of the 

building because it 

was easier than 

trying to 

negotiate the 

stairs. 

In the 1980's the 

Midland Bank 

opened a branch 

in the corner 

under the old Operating 

Theatre. It did not last 

long, everyone wanted to 

take money out and never 

put any in! 

The west extension used to 

be 'Matron's flat' before 

being used by the school 

and latterly the Finance 

Department. For some 

time The 'Works' 

Department, now called 

'Estates', had their offices in 

part of the building. Up 

until the 1970s it was just 

known as 'Main Building' 

before being re-named 

'Eastgate House'. Since the 

middle of the 1980s the 

lower floors of the house 

(which had once housed 

the medical staff Dining 

room) have been used by 

the Hospital 

Administration. 

An early view of Eastgate House, possibly July 1922 

11

NVQ Congratulations 

Congratulations to Anna Bower 

from SCIC, Penny Mullen from 

Community Liaison and Celia Short 

from X-Ray for completing their 

NVQ in Administration at Level 2. 

All three members of staff had very 

positive comments on the 

programme. Anna said "Anyone 

thinking of doing an NVQ should go 

for it-you have nothing to lose but 

plenty to gain!" 

Celia mentioned "The NVQ is a very 

good exercise in communication 

with people in all fields during the 

course of your work and helps you 

to appreciate the way other people 

work" 

Penny also said that it "Looked 

quite daunting when I had a look 

through, but once I started I 

realised how easy it was and how 

SSSSShhhhh for SCAT 

Ellis Clark (aged 13) in her 

fight against cancer has 

inspired many people and 

gained lots of support for 

SCAT. Top of the list are 

her mother Nicky and sister 

Billie who joined the SCAT 

team in Hyde Park. Billie is 

now in training for the 

12 

much evidence I could supply from the work that I 

do." Penny enjoyed the course so much that she is 

now taking the Assessor’s course! 

If you are interested in taking an NVQ qualification 

in Customer Service, Administration, Team Leading 

or Support Services, please email or phone Mandy 

Freedman on extension 5786. 

Scat Update 

London Marathon. 

But it was Karen 

Bundy a family friend 

and non stop chatterbox 

who went silent 

for SCAT in Emmy 

Murphy's, the village 

store in Little 

Berkhamsted run by 

Nicky and her 

husband Peter, 

raising an amazing £2,500 

for keeping her mouth shut 

from 9.00 a.m. - 7.00 p.m. 

Silence is golden!! 

Go Gently… 

Jo Gentle, with the help of 

two hip replacements, 

completed the Moonwalk 

in London - 26.2 miles - 

among 15,000 

walkers. Although 

Moonwalk is officially in aid 

of breast cancer, Jo asked 

some of her sponsors to 

donate to SCAT because of 

her history.

My Experience on Giving Up Smoking - 

Part Two 

I have now not been 

smoking for twelve weeks 

and it seems like forever. 

I reduced the strength of 

the patches gradually and 

even forgot to put one on 

a couple of times but it did 

not make any difference. I 

debated about whether or 

not to continue with the 

patches and finish the 

course but decided it was 

best to and I am glad that I 

did. 

I have had a couple of very 

stressful times during this 

period but am proud to say 

that I was not tempted to 

light up at all. 

I am not using the patches 

anymore and am entirely 

on my own. 

I was a bit nervous the first 

day without patches which 

just happened to be when I 

was on holiday in Spain and 

in the past when I was on 

holiday I tended to smoke 

more than ever. I was fine 

though and it did not even 

enter my head at all. I did 

notice how many people 

were smoking in the hotel 

though which is something 

I did not notice before and 

the smell of tobacco was 

horrible. 

I am still putting my 

cigarette money away every 

day and it is great to be 

able to go out and buy 

what I want whenever I 

want and enjoy using it so 

much. 

I now regard myself as non 

smoker and am very proud 

Thanks to the Special Trustees 

to say it. If I can give up 

anybody can. Good luck! 

Jackie Clifford 

Teaching Centre 

No Smoking 

Campaign 

From 1st November 

2006 Trust staff have 

been able to smoke 

only in the two newly 

designated areas. 

The open shelter by the 


The covered walkway 

at the top of the slope 

corridor. 

Many thanks to the 

Special Trustees for their 

financial support to repair 

the subsidence damage in 

the Trust's Therapy 

garden, earlier this year. 

Photographed here in the 

garden (left to right) Rex 

Bourne, Adrian Stokes, 

Fergus Robertson (all 

Special Trustees) and 

Linda Exley, Horticultural 

Therapist 

13

14 

New Women's World Record 

Freefall Formation 

14 British female skydivers, 

of which Ruth Green 

(Consultant Radiologist 

with over 1800 skydives) 

was one, were invited to 

join a world-class team of 

165 female skydivers, to 

break the Women's World 

Record Freefall Formation 

(which stood at 131 since 

2002). The "Jump for the 

Cause" was in aid of Breast 

Cancer Research and raised 

over $500,000. 

The record was made in the 

skies over California in 

September where a 

completed 151 way 

formation skydive was held 

for 4.8 seconds in the presence 

of two internationally 

accredited judges. 

The record was made on 

the 15th attempt. There 

were three warm up, then 

initially 158 were 

attempted but due to 

injury, heat stroke and 

other cuts, the final 

planned 

formation was a 

151 way achieved 

with two jumps 

still in the bag! 

Five jumps a day 

were taking 

place, but had to 

finish by 1630 as 

the sun would be 

in such a position 

as to cause the 

pilots significant 

difficulty in flying 

close formation 

on a jump 

run.The temperatures on 

the ground were in the 90s, 

which made dirt 

diving, debriefing and 

packing of parachutes 

strenuous. Many walking 

wounded arrived on golf 

carts and crutches to the 

dirt dives in order to be 

included in the record 

breaking skydives.The 

"vibe" was tremendous on 

both the ground and in the 

air, women united for the 

"Cause". Photos of the 

event as well as a link to 

the website can be found 

at 

www.getjealous.com/britchi 

cksforthecause which also 

has pictures and a day-byday 

diary of the event. 

Some of you may have 

noticed that Ruth went 

Blonde for the "Cause" and 

raised over £700 in the 

process for Breast Cancer 

Research and would like to 

thank all those who 

sponsored her. 

First 

Impressions - 

October 2005 

From the beginning of the 

year we have been asking 

those new members of staff 

who attend Corporate 

Induction "What are your 

first impressions of the 

Trust?" 

Here are a few of the 

replies: 

Specific facilities 

offered (limb fitting 

etc) 

Pleasant environment 

and friendly staff 

Good educational 

opportunities 

Good communication 

system 

Old buildings 

Buildings are very 

spread out and uneven 

surfaces - especially 

when raining 

Outpatient facilities - 

long way from public 

services i.e. main gate 

Dining facilities not 

very good - not much 

choice 

Free parking 

Good Training and 

development 

Good news about 

redevelopment 

Good infection control - 

low MRSA 

Poor location 

Poor lighting 

Free shuttle bus 

Specialist hospital

In the run up to the big 

day, our members and 

supporters are set to drive 

their family and friends, 

neighbours and colleagues 

and the hospital's patients 

and staff to distraction,in 

an attempt to raise as much 

as possible for the charity. 

They are tasked with 

beating last year's total, 

which was... 

£2,554.50 

Radio Brockley Christmas Raffle 

Our sincere thanks go to 

the following people who 

have agreed to help sell 

tickets: 

Nerina Bee, 

Education Department 

Barbara Newman, 

Acute Pain Team 

Lynn and Sue, 

RNOH Hairdressers 

Sarah Jason, 

Pain Clinic 

Val Johnston, 

Spinal Deformity Unit 

Clare Cassidy, 

Margaret Harte Ward 

The Royal National 

Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 

Invites you to attend our Christmas Carol Service 

Accompanied by the 

Salvation Army Band 

Monday 12th December 2005 

From 6.30 p.m. 

Sir Herbert Seddon Teaching Centre 

Followed by festive refreshments 

RSVP by Thursday 1st December 2005 

Marina Martin, Telephone number 020 8909 5571 

Email: marina.martin@rnoh.nhs.uk 

Lucille Rutter, 

Inpatient Bookings 

Cathy Hammond, 

Metabolic Unit 

Sue Casale, 


Kay Kyriacos, 

Centralised Bookings 

Department 

Hazel, 

Spinal Cord Injury 

Centre - Physiotherapy 

Barbara Maurice, 

Spinal Services 

Denise Dwek, 

Pre-Admissions Clinic 

Christmas 

Greetings 

from 

Articulate 

Once again 

we are 

offering 

staff an 

opportunity 

to place a Christmas 

message or greeting to 

other staff in the 

December issue of 

Articulate. 

Messages cost £5.00 

each, and all money 

raised go directly to the 

RNOH Buttercup Walk 

Appeal. 

Please send your 

message and money to 

the Communications 

Department by 

Thursday 1st December 

2005. 

15

The deadline for the 

December 2005 edition of 

Articulate is Monday 5th 

December 

Please send any submissions to: 

Peter Nelson 

Senior Communications Officer 

Extension: 5570 

16 

Articulate Steering 

Group 

Emma Linley 

Occupational Therapist 


Dr Angela Gall 

Consultant in 

Rehabilitation Medicine 


Mark Vaughan 

Director of 

Human Resources 


Christine Bows 

Manual Handling 


Simone Hamilton 

Events Coordinator 


Jackie Stephen 

HRD Manager 


Karen Satchell 

Matron 


Prize 

Sudoku 

Please return your 

completed Sudoku to 

the Communications 

Department, Eastgate 

House, (one entry per 

staff member) by 

Monday 5th December 

2005. 

The first correct entry 

out of the editorial hat 

will win a gift voucher. 

RNOH Sudoku - Three 

September 

Prize 

Sudoku 

Once again we would like 

to thank all the members of 

staff who took part in last 

months’s prize sudoku. 

The first correctly 

completed submission out 

of the editorial hat was 

Martina McManus, Medical 

Records Department. 

Congratulations Martina! 

Your prize will be with you 

shortly. 

Sudoku 

Rules 

The rules of Sudoku are 

simple. Place a number 

from 1 to 9 in each empty 

cell, so every row, every 

column, and every 3 x 3 box 

contains the numbers 

1 to 9. 

Although the puzzle grid 

contains numbers, you 

won't need any math to 

solve it, just a little 

reasoning and logic. 

Remember, the numbers 1-9 

must appear only once in 

each row, column, and 3 x 3 

block.

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