Issue 6 - The Great Western Hospital

Issue 6 Autumn 2011
Your health, our passion
Celebrating excellence
Awards night honours staff
Also in this issue
dd
A Year in Review 2010-11
dd
Choosing the right services
dd
GWH welcomes new Chief
Executive
dd
What’s new at Chippenham
Community Hospital

Welcome
Welcome to the Autumn edition of
. In this issue you will find out
information about our new Chief Executive,
Nerissa Vaughan, who will be joining the
Trust from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in
Kings Lynn in early October.
Nerissa joins us at an exciting time
following the recent merger of GWH with
Wiltshire Community Health Services and
you can find out more information about
her on page eight.
Elsewhere in this issue you will hear
some of the amazing work our staff do
every day of the year. At the end of June
I had the privilege to attend the annual
GWH Staff Excellence Awards (page four)
which celebrate the achievements of our
staff. It is always a humbling experience to
see the difference our staff can make to the
lives of our patients and service users.
You will also find on page 16 our
annual review – an overview of the good
performance we achieved during 2010/11.
All of which is thanks to the hard work of
our staff and volunteers.
Finally, we know that on the whole we
provide good quality clinical care and when
we do receive a complaint from patients it
is about other elements of their experience
– the way they were spoken to or whether
staff were helpful for example.
To help us achieve a good all-round
experience for patients and service users
we have recently launched new Trust values
– Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect
or STAR.
These are the values that will underpin
everything we do at the Trust and more
information about what this means is on
page 12.
If you have any feedback on any of the
articles in this issue please let us know,
email: comms@gwh.nhs.uk
Best wishes,
Dr Alf Troughton,
Interim Chief Executive
It is always a
humbling experience
to see the difference
our staff can make
to the lives of our
patients and service
users.
In this issue
Issue 6 Autumn 2011
Your health, our passion
Celebrating excellence
Awards night honours staff
Also in this issue
dd
A Year in Review 2010-11
dd
Choosing the right services
4
Staff recognised for their outstanding
achievements
dd
GWH welcomes new Chief
Executive
dd
What’s new at Chippenham
Community Hospital
10 Easing the pain
Helping patients manage
pain relief.
12 Service, Teamwork,
Ambition, Respect
GWH’s new Trust values.
13 Baby-friendly boost
Maternity services earn
UNICEF recognition.
16 A Year in Review 2010-11
Looking back at our
achievements in the past year.
20 Membership news
Forthcoming elections.
23 News in Brief
A round-up of the latest news.
Plus: Staff’s successes and
achievements.
Editorial Group
If you have any ideas and suggestions about the magazine and would like to be part of a small
editorial group, please contact comms@gwh.nhs.uk
©2011, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Printed on 100% recycled paper
CS30852, NHS Creative, August 2011.
Copy deadlines
hh
st
Winter: 21 October 2011
hh
th
Spring: 20 January 2012
2 6 Autumn 2011

Patient experience
Only in an emergency
Chesty coughs, colds, wasp
stings, small cuts and having a
bad back are just some of the
reasons people attended Great
Western Hospital’s Accident and
Emergency Department during
the past six months. In a bid to
reduce unnecessary visits, people
are being asked to stop and think
if their symptoms are accidents or
emergencies before they come
to A&E.
A&E or 999
NHS Walk-in Centre
GP
Pharmacist
NHS Direct
Self-care
Have a recent
injury that
remains painful
despite pain
relief or first aid
Are suffering
from a serious
condition that
requires immediate
attention or stitches
Choose Well,
Choose Right
The Accident and Emergency Department is for URGENT emergencies only.
The A&E Department should only be used if you:
Are suffering
from severe
breathing
difficulties or
severe pain in
the body
Have significant
blood loss
Patients are assessed on arrival. However, you should be aware that very
serious conditions requiring immediate urgent treatment, will be given priority.
If your condition is NON-URGENT OR MINOR, for example: emergency
contraception, staple/stitches removal, or dressing changes, then you will be
redirected to a more appropriate service for your needs such as:
The walk-in centre or community dental services at Carfax Health Centre, Carfax Street, Swindon.
The centre is open from 8am to 8pm, call 01793 541655 for details.
Your local pharmacy or sexual health service.
Contact your local GP and make an appointment
If your condition has been present for more than 48 hours, it would be more appropriate for you to visit your Walk-In
Centre or GP who will be in a better position to provide care. This is to ensure that staff in the A&E department can focus
on providing urgent and emergency care to patients in genuine need.
Great Western Hospital and NHS
Swindon are working together to urge
people not to come to A&E unless it
is a genuine emergency. Posters have
been put on display around the hospital,
urging everyone to make the right
choice and people who are thinking of
attending A&E are also being reminded
that it is for emergencies only.
People attending either the Clover
Unit, which treats people with urgent
minor injuries (managed by Care
and Support Swindon), or A&E are
now assessed upon arrival and if the
assessment indicates symptoms are not
appropriate for that service, they will
be redirected to a service at a more
appropriate location.
Figures show that one in four visits
to emergency health services could be
treated more appropriately by using
another NHS service such as the NHS
Walk-In Centre at Carfax Street Health
Centre (open 8am-8pm every day), a
local pharmacy or GP surgery.
GP Philip Mayes and NHS Swindon
Urgent Care Lead, said: "By choosing
and using the right services, patients
can expect to be seen or treated more
quickly. While keeping emergency
services free for those who need
emergency treatment and by choosing
the right treatment location, patients
can also help us to ensure that the
limited NHS resources available are being
spent wisely.
"A&E’s role is to treat people who have
serious or life-threatening illnesses but
their teams are faced with having to deal
with cases such as coughs and colds,
backache, and upset stomachs on a
daily basis – conditions that often could
be dealt with through a trip to the high
street chemist or by visiting other local
services, such as the Walk-In Centre.
"We are urging patients not to use the
Emergency Department with non-A&E
conditions to free the department up to
treat people who have a genuine need
to access emergency services."
6 Autumn 2011
3

Workforce
Staff recognised for their
outstanding achievements
GWH staff celebrated their achievements and
commitment to improving patient care over the
last 12 months at a special awards ceremony on
Friday 24th June.
The annual GWH Staff Excellence Awards, held at the STEAM
Museum in Swindon, were attended by over 300 Doctors,
Nurses, Midwives, Therapists and a range of other Trust
staff who saw 17 finalists up for the chance to win one of six
awards. The Awards were established last year to reward and
recognise those staff who deliver an exceptional service to
patients. The ceremony was also attended by the Mayor of
Swindon, Cllr Ray Ballman.
Dr Alf Troughton, Interim Chief Executive at GWH said:
“What’s good about these awards is that they celebrate the
best achievements of our staff who work flat out day in, day
out. Nominations for these awards are put forward by the staff
themselves from across the hospital and the finalists were
shortlisted because of their dedication and professionalism to
their patients.
“The winners act as role models to everyone who works for
the Trust in the way they strive to do the best for the people
around them. The event itself is a chance for our staff to take
a break from their busy day jobs and reflect on the difference
they make to people’s lives. It is great to be able to recognise
their big efforts in this small way.”
The awards were made possible through sponsorship from
the GWH Staff Lottery, GWH Charitable Fund and Beachcroft
LLP.
Thanks also go to Toni and Guy, LUSH Cosmetics, The
Spotted Cow pub, the Sun Inn, DRC Locums Ltd, Chiquitos,
Baker’s Arms, Planet Pursuits and Wyvern Theatre who
donated raffle prizes for the event, which helped raise £1,025
for the Trust Charitable Funds.
4 6 Autumn 2011

Leadership
Award
Workforce
The winners
The award recognises members of staff who
lead by example and provide clear direction,
recognition, and guidance and support to others.
These are people who inspire others to go above
and beyond for their patients and service users.
Winner:
Wendy Johnson, Senior Sister in the
Coronary Care Unit (CCU)
Team of the Year
Award
The best care is provided by good teams working
together in the best interest of patients and
service users. This award recognises outstanding
teamwork that has led to service improvement
and has significantly improved patient experience
or improved the service offered.
Winner:
Stroke Team
The Stroke Team received the award for the
improvements they have made in caring for
people who have suffered a stroke which is
improving the chance of stroke sufferers from not
Star of the Year Award
This award recognises outstanding commitment to providing an
excellent, professional and caring service. We were keen to receive
nominations from support staff who are not in immediate contact
with patients but who can demonstrate improvements which will
indirectly benefit patients.
only surviving a stroke but also regaining a good
quality of life.
Amanda Chivers, Senior Sister on Falcon Unit,
said: “It’s a fantastic boost to be put forward for
an award like this. Our team of Doctors, Nurses,
Therapists and support staff have put in so much
effort to improve the care for stroke patients it’s
good to see it is rewarded in this way.
“Winning an award like this is a great
achievement given how far we have come in
such a short space of time and we aim to keep
improving what we do for our patients. A stroke
can be devastating and what we try to focus
on here is supporting patients with the right
treatment and right therapy to lead normal lives
wherever possible.”
Finalists: Cardiac Catheter Laboratory
Team, Digital Mammography Team.
Winner:
Pauline Andrews, Pain Management Secretary
Pauline was nominated by four of her colleagues for the crucial role she plays in supporting the Pain
Management Team to provide an essential service to patients. Receiving the award Pauline said: “It’s
fantastic to win this award, but my motivation is the fact that I work within a brilliant team who make
coming to work nothing but a pleasure.”
Wendy was given the award as someone who is
supportive and helps develop her team. She was
nominated by four of her colleagues who consider
Wendy to be one of the most dedicated and
professional Nurses they have ever met.
Wendy was delighted to be nominated and to
receive the award. She said: “I feel honoured that
peers and colleagues would have thought enough
of me to take the time to nominate me for an
award. That I was shortlisted was both a surprise
and also a great honour. Since commencing in
post on the Coronary Care Unit much time and
energy has been invested in both service and staff
development and it is probably due to the success
of these changes that I received my nomination.
“The leadership nomination is a singular award
for an individual but my feelings are that any
recognition of the contribution I make belongs to
the team of Nurses on CCU whom I am proud to
both lead and work alongside. To win the award
is extraordinary considering the calibre of my
fellow nominees.”
Finalists: Sandy Richards, Delivery Suite
Manager; Dr Elizabeth Price, Associate
Medical Director, Unscheduled Care.
Sponsored by
Finalists: Dawn Nelson, Ward Administrator, Falcon Unit; Sandra Kolasinski, Ward Hostess,
Mercury Ward.
6 Autumn 2011
5

Workforce
Quality and Safety Award
Educational
Supervisor and
Mentor Award
This award recognises staff who take on the
responsibility to develop others to reach their full
potential. Nominations were for any individuals
who educate, mentor or support others to help
them develop new skills, meet competencies and
improve their confidence with the overall objective
of improving services or patient care.
Winner:
Helen Good, Community Children’s
Outreach Nurse
Selecting for this award looked at a range of quality indicators such as MRSA screening, mandatory
training, patient falls and patient complaints to see which ward had performed the best.
Winner:
Aldbourne Ward
Aldbourne, which cares for patients who have undergone hip, knee and spinal operations, came top in
this category.
Rachel Palfreeman, Senior Sister on Aldbourne Ward, said: “In meeting these quality indicators
we make sure it isn’t about box ticking, as we recognise that behind these figures there are individual
patients with individual needs who we try to always do our best for. It’s fantastic for the whole team to be
recognised in this way as working on a busy ward like Aldbourne requires the support and teamwork of
dozens of people all pulling in the same direction and it is great to see that effort paying off.”
Finalists: Jupiter Ward; Intensive Care Unit.
Good Ideas Award
The award recognises an individual or team that has demonstrated innovative qualities and original
thinking which has led to direct service improvement and/or cost saving. The common theme of all the
finalists is how a small idea can make a big difference.
Winner:
Medical Workforce Team
The team won the award for their work in
saving over £1.3m on agency Doctor spend,
which they achieved through streamlining
the way locum doctors are recruited. The
money saved is reinvested back into patient
care.
Elaine Nash, Medical Workforce Team
Leader said: “It’s an honour to receive an
award like this. It’s great recognition for
those of us who work behind the scenes to
support frontline services and I am delighted that we have been able to save a significant sum of money
which can be reinvested back into patient services. It’s a great example of how doing things in a smarter
way can save money and improve the service we offer.”
Helen received the award for her work in guiding
student nurses to develop new skills managing
this work alongside her day job on the busy
Children’s Unit.
Helen said: “I feel very privileged, not only to
be nominated but in winning this award. My job
now is as a full time Children’s Outreach Nurse
but I have continued to keep my responsibilities as
the Student Link Nurse for the Children’s Ward. I
feel that it is so important to help and guide our
student nurses today, as I have been doing, as
today’s student nurses are our future.”
Finalists: Emma Shaw, Staff Nurse, Dove
Unit; Dr Carolyn Mackinlay, Consultant
Physician, Respiratory Medicine.
Finalist: Pilot Podiatry Pathway Team.
6 6 Autumn 2011

WCHS Star Awards
Workforce
From 1st June 2011 Wiltshire Community Health Services formally became part of Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation
Trust following a merger of the two organisations.
The merger saw GWH become responsible for the management of community
health and maternity services across Wiltshire and parts of Bath and North
East Somerset, along with hospital-based maternity services at the Royal
United Hospital in Bath.
Before the merger, on Wednesday 25th May, WCHS held their Star Awards
ceremony at the Town Hall in Devizes.
WCHS Managing Director Jenny Barker, now Director of Transition at GWH
told staff: “I always knew we had Star Teams in Wiltshire Community Health
Services and we had an absolutely brilliant time at the Star Awards. Reading the
nominations was a really moving experience and I’m very proud to tell you how
hugely valued your work is, and how very well deserved these awards are.
“Massive congratulations to the following people: Elspeth Griffiths, Lucie
Wilson, Gill Wicks, Margaret Claydon, Jackie Chilvers, the Flexible Workforce
Team, Pia Grant, Jayne King, Anne White, and the Maintenance Help Desk Team.
A very special mention must to go Gill Withington who received the award for
Blazing Star as well as receiving the fabulous accolade of the Star of Stars.”
Next year’s Staff Excellence Awards will see GWH and WCHS come together
for the biggest awards event yet.
Alf Troughton, Interim Chief Executive of GWH, presents the Star Team
award to the Maintenance Help Desk Team
Peter Lucas presents the Innovative Star
award to Jackie Chilvers
Bruce Laurie, Chair of GWH, presents the
Partnership Star Award to Pia Grant
Tony Barron presents the Star Support
Worker award to Jayne King
Jenny Barker presents the Star of Stars
award to Gill Withington
Margaret Claydon receives the Volunteer
Star award from Dawn Hales
Anne White receives the Patient Experience
Star award from Peter Biggs
The Flexible Workforce receive the Involvement Star award from Val Scrase
Gill Withington receives the Blazing Star
award from Suzanne Tewkesbury
Vicky Tinsley presents the Star Clinician award to Gill Wicks and Lucie Wilson
Tony Barron presents the Star Leader award
to Elspeth Griffiths
6 Autumn 2011
7

News
GWH welcomes new
Chief Executive
A new Chief Executive for Great
Western Hospitals NHS Foundation
Trust has been appointed. Nerissa
Vaughan, currently Chief Executive of
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s
Lynn NHS Foundation Trust will join
GWH in early October.
Nerissa has held a number of senior
management roles in the NHS since the
early 1990s. Her appointment comes after
the departure of previous Chief Executive
Lyn Hill-Tout, who left the GWH in June to
take up a new post at Mid Staffordshire
NHS Foundation Trust.
Welcoming Nerissa’s appointment,
Bruce Laurie, Chairman of Great Western
Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“Nerissa has an excellent track record
of delivering high quality patient care
combined with sound management of
resources and working proactively with key
stakeholders both within the NHS and the
wider community.
“She has the right experience and skills
to take the hospital forward, join up
community health services in Wiltshire and
work proactively with the proposed Social
Enterprise for Community Health and Social
Care in Swindon.”
On learning of her appointment, Nerissa
said: “I am delighted to be offered the
opportunity to be Chief Executive of Great
Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. I
think it’s a fantastic organisation and I feel
privileged to have secured such an amazing
job.
“I think the Trust is very well placed to
develop as an organisation and I am excited
about bringing together hospital and
community services.”
As a Foundation Trust the final decision
on confirming the appointment of a
Chief Executive rests with the Council of
Governors who are elected to represent
the Trust’s 12,000 members. Commenting
on the appointment, Godfrey Fowler, Lead
Governor said: “I am delighted that we
have appointed a Chief Executive of such
high calibre. I am sure our members will
be joining me in welcoming Nerissa to the
Trust and will be keen to have opportunities
to meet with her and discuss how we can
work together in the best interest of our
patients and service users.”
Until Nerissa formally takes up the post
the existing management arrangements,
with Dr Alf Troughton as Interim Chief
Executive, will remain in place.
Maternity team takes delivery of award
The Great Western Hospital’s antenatal
team has won a prestigious award from the
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Maternity
(APPGM) for care provided to women
with high risk or complex pregnancies.
The award was presented to the team
at a special ceremony at the Houses of
Parliament on Monday 11th July.
The restructuring of the complex pregnancy
clinics at the GWH, led by Dr Harini Narayan,
Consultant Obstetrician, was named the winner
of the ‘Best example of a service for women with
complex medical needs in pregnancy’ category
at the awards, which acknowledge inspiring or
innovative work in improving local maternity
services.
Dr Narayan said: “We are delighted that the
antenatal team at GWH has won this prestigious
award from the All Party Parliamentary Group on
Health. We have worked hard over the past few
years to radically change the service we provide to
women with high risk, complex pregnancies. “The
typical system used in the NHS has not changed
in over 50 years so the changes we have made are
a completely new way of delivering care for this
group of women who represent
over 40% of all pregnancies
we see at the Great Western
Hospital. We expect that the
innovative changes we have
brought about in the delivery
of antenatal care to women
with complex pregnancies will
be adapted by other maternity
units in the country.”
The change in the way care
is provided means that women
with high risk pregnancies
are cared for in one of our
condition-based clinics, for
example, dedicated clinics for
women who are expecting twins or triplets, women
with diabetes, epilepsy and heart problems or those
women who have experienced problems in previous
pregnancies. This new model of care means women
can build a much stronger relationship with the
team caring for them throughout their pregnancy.
The award was presented to Dr Narayan and her
team by Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for
Public Health Anne Milton MP.
Dr Ann Jones, Consultant Radiologist;
Dr Francesca Garrard, Obstetrics and
Gynaecology research fellow at Great
Western Hospitals NHS Foundation
Trust; Dr Harini Narayan, Consultant
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
for Public Health, Anne Milton MP.
8 6 Autumn 2011

Come along to our
Trust Open Day
Take a look behind the scenes on
Saturday 17th September
10am-3pm*
Tours of the hospital, display stands, competitions, raffle,
children’s zone, music by Saga Louts and much more!
FREE PARKING
For more information, or to get involved, please call Sacha Bacco
on 01793 604185 or email alesandra.bacco@gwh.nhs.uk
*Times may be subject to change. Look out for more details on our website www.gwh.nhs.uk
6 Autumn 2011
9

Photo courtesy of Swindon Advertiser
Quality and safety
Easing the pain
How we are helping patients to
manage their own pain relief
New support
for women in labour
A new service has been introduced on
the Delivery Suite at Great Western
Hospital, with the aim of improving the
quality of epidurals for women during
labour.
The Patient Controlled Epidural Analgesia
(PCEA) service has been introduced by
Matthew Drake, Anaesthetic Registrar
at GWH, but its success is due to the
commitment and enthusiasm of the whole
team on the Delivery Suite including
Midwives, Obstetricians.
PCEA has a button which women can
press when they start to feel pain during
labour. This delivers a set volume of epidural
drug which in just 5-10 minutes can help
make them more comfortable again and
lessen the pain.
This service can bring significant benefits
to women during labour as it puts them in
control of their own pain relief. The epidural
drugs also spread much better when
delivered this way, in what’s known as a
bolus, so provide more effective and timely
pain relief.
The Trust Equipment Department at
the hospital helped to reconfigure existing
equipment to allow PCEA to be introduced
without any additional capital cost to the
Trust.
Dr Drake, pictured above with the PCEA
device, said: “Unlike epidural infusions,
PCEA reduces the amount of time spent on
obtaining and administering extra boluses
of epidural drugs. This means there is less
clinical intervention for women during
labour, and they spend less time in pain
because they do not have to wait for extra
drugs to be administered. It also frees up
the Midwives and Anaesthetists to spend
more time on direct patient care.
“Feedback from patients using PCEA has
been very positive; patients have described
it as brilliant. Midwives and Anaesthetists
have also agreed the epidurals work much
better. PCEA is an excellent innovation
and GWH is proud to be one of only a few
hospitals in the region to offer this service
to mothers.”
Sandy Richards, Delivery Suite Manager,
said: “PCEA has been received favourably
by both women and staff. It has given
increased control to women, has reduced
any delays in administering pain relief
and freeing up time for staff to directly
care for the women in labour. Matthew
was instrumental in bringing PCEA to the
Delivery Suite and he deserves recognition
and our thanks for all his hard work with
this project.”
Dr Drake received the Clinical Audit and
Research prize for his work on the project.
Bringing your own
medication into hospital
The GWH Pharmacy team is encouraging
patients to bring in their own medication
when they come into hospital, especially
when they are likely to be staying in.
The aim is to improve the safety of
patients by:
• Ensuring the correct medication is
prescribed for patients when they
are admitted
• Ensuring patients receive medication
in a timely manner i.e. the patient
does not miss any doses
• Ensuring patients understand how to
take/use their medication correctly
What medication?
This relates to all medicines that are
prescribed to patients by their GP and any
medication bought from a local chemist
or supermarket, such as tablets, capsules,
inhalers, creams, ointments and eye drops.
Patients can bring their medication in
themselves or arrange for friends or relatives
to bring it in. Medication can also be
bought to the hospital by the ambulance
crew if patients arrive at the hospital this
way.
Victoria Jones, Lead Medicines
Management Pharmacy Technician at GWH,
is helping to run the project: “Posters about
the project will be sent out to GPs and
community pharmacies within the Swindon
area in order to target as many patients as
possible. We have also made sure clinical
staff and the Ambulance service are aware
of the project, so they can ensure they are
asking patients to bring their medication
into hospital with them.
“Our main concern is that patients
have the correct medication. Encouraging
patients to bring in their own medication
will help us to complete accurate and timely
medication histories and reduce the amount
of missed doses. It also helps us be more
cost-effective by re-using patients' own
medication as inpatients and for discharge.”
In focus: headaches
For most people, a headache happens
occasionally and can be quickly cured
with something to eat, a short rest or
a couple of painkillers.
Most headaches are harmless
and can be relieved with self-help
measures and pharmacy painkillers.
Only a few (around 5%) are a sign
that something is seriously wrong.
These more serious headaches are
often accompanied by other warning
signs. For example, a headache
accompanied by a rash and a very
high temperature could be meningitis.
For most headaches, you can take
pharmacy painkillers and try:
• Stopping any caffeine based drinks
(tea, coffee, fizzy drinks)
• Stopping alcohol
• Stopping chocolate or any other
sweets
• Eating a balanced diet
• Getting enough sleep
• Get equal amounts of sleep
every day
10 6 Autumn 2011

Quality and safety
Service focuses on
quality of life
Talking about death and dying can
be difficult, and particularly hard for
those who are coming to the end of
their lives. The Palliative Care Team
offers specialist care and support
to people living with a life-limiting
illness. The service focuses on
ensuring that each person maintains
a quality of life towards the end,
helping prepare the individual and
their family for their death.
The hospital’s Palliative Care Team
is provided by Prospect Hospice in
Wroughton, Swindon, to give advice and
support to staff, patients and relatives. It is
an advisory service, working in partnership
with other services involved in the
patient’s care.
The service has been in place for four
years and, on average, it receives 70
referrals each month for reasons such as:
• Pain and symptom control
• Emotional support
• Family and carer support
• Terminal care
• Complex discharge planning
• Assessment for hospice transfer
• Discussions around preferred place
of care.
Michelle Smith is the Senior Hospital
Based Clinical Nurse Specialist for Prospect
Hospice. She said: “We provide a service for
inpatients on any ward with any life-limiting
illness. Although we work for Prospect, the
hospital service we provide is accessible to
all no matter where they live and we will link
in with the relevant hospice or community
team to keep them updated.
“I set the service up originally with
another Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) who
has since moved on and now work with
fellow CNS Laura Kent. We are currently
recruiting for a third CNS to join us.
“We are joined twice weekly by the
GWH’s Palliative Care Consultant Dr
Beverley Lee who divides her time between
the hospice, hospital and community and
we are greatly supported by our Team
Leader Catherine Piggin.
“A great deal of work is being done
to ensure that Palliative Care support is
available to all and now about 40% of our
workload is non malignant (non cancer),
60% is malignant (cancer).
“We are supported by a group of
link nurses from across the Trust and
the number of members now exceeds
60, which has been one of our proudest
achievements.”
The team’s other main focus is providing
education to staff. As well as regular
informal sessions, they also hold two study
days each year.
Laura Kent leads on the Liverpool Care
Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP), which
is the gold standard tool for end of life care
and is currently participating in the National
End of Life Care Audit.
Through an extensive education
programme, the use of the Pathway across
the Trust has increased by two thirds. The
education has helped staff to recognise
more people reaching the end of their life
and deliver the appropriate and required
dignified care for that person.
Michelle says the Palliative Care Team
can be seen at their best when they
coordinate a patient’s rapid discharge.
She said: “This is where we carry out
a patient’s wish to die in their own home
when medical treatment is no longer of
benefit. This is dependent on sensitive
communication from the team to discuss
plans with the patient and family. It is also
heavily dependent on the Consultants and
their teams, the Ward Nurses and Auxiliaries,
the Ward Clerks, the Pharmacist, the
transport services, the Discharge Liaison
team, the Occupational Therapists, hospice,
the district nurses, GP and care agencies.
“For one discharge, all of these teams pull
together and an individual can be in their
own home within a matter of hours with all
of the equipment, care and support required.
“The team would not be able to carry
out its work without the support we get
from the Trust. All wards and departments
consistently make us welcome and they
demonstrate a continued enthusiasm
towards the delivery of high standard
palliative care.”
Last year, the Palliative Care Team
held an awards evening to thank the
ward nurses for the support they give.
Meldon Ward Sister Caroline Turner
won Nurse of the Year, Jupiter Ward
Nursing Auxiliary Trish Hanlon won
Link Auxiliary of the Year and Jupiter
won the 2010 Palliative Care Ward of
the Year. The next awards evening will
be held in September and the search is
on for nominees.
Palliative Care Team Michelle Smith
and Laura Kent.
6 Autumn 2011
11

"
Workforce
New ways of working together
As part of the Trust wide programme to develop a customer
service culture, a group of staff from across the hospital
and community have been working together to develop
new organisational values.
The group is made up of staff from a range of different job roles
and levels, both clinical and non-clinical, across the organisation.
The group researched staff and patient views to ensure that our
refreshed values reflect the aspirations and thoughts of our staff
and customers.
Tania Currie, Modern Matron responsible for leading the project
said: “Our values and their associated behaviours describe how
every patient, every member of staff and everyone else that we
come into contact with as part of our daily work can expect to
be treated. They establish a clear way of working so that every
member of staff provides the same high quality care and
customer service.”
Service
“We will put our customers first”
The new values are represented by the word STAR and four simple
but powerful words:
Service – We will put our customers first
Teamwork – We will work together
Ambition – We will aspire to provide the best service
Respect – We will act with integrity.
Each value has associated behaviours and skills to ensure that each
member of staff provides the same high quality care and level of
customer service.
The new STAR values will be embedded into all people
management activities including recruitment, promotion, induction,
performance management, recognition schemes and learning and
development.
To recognise those members of staff who demonstrate our new
values we launched a ‘STAR of the Month’ award in August. Staff
will be able to nominate themselves or their colleagues for the
award with a new winner announced each month who will receive
a £50 Marks and Spencer voucher, two tickets to the annual Staff
Excellence Awards and will be entered into the finals for the STAR
of the Year category in the annual awards.
Communicate
effectively
Make customer
Teamwork
care and safety
our priority
Listen to
our patients
and carers
and act
accordingly
Be flexible
to meet
patient
needs
Demonstrate
professionalism
Treat everyone
as equals
“We will work together”
Take personal
responsibility
for the service
we provide
Work effectively
in partnership
with others
Take pride in
our work
Appreciate
different
levels of
responsibility
Recognise
diversity
Be friendly
and supportive
Our values are the foundation of
everything we do – the way we act,
the way we speak and the way we treat
patients and colleagues. Our values
represent who we are.
Strive for
excellence
Use resources
effectively
Act as a
good role
model
Be open to
change
Be reliable
Ambition
“We will aspire to provide the best service”
Be
creative
and
proactive
Have a
positive
attitude
Encourage
others
Be open and
honest whilst
maintaining
confidentiality
Recognise
and celebrate
achievement
Be an
advocate
for the
Trust
Demonstrate
compassion
and empathy
Respect
“We will act with integrity”
Reflect and
improve
from
feedback
Treat others
with
dignity
Value
everyone’s
contribution
12 6 Autumn 2011

Baby-friendly boost for
Wiltshire Maternity Services
Patient satisfaction
Wiltshire Maternity Services has
reached another milestone towards
gaining international recognition from
the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative in
the Community, by passing the second
stage of the programme in May.
The initiative, set up by UNICEF (United
Nations Children’s Emergency Fund)
and the World Health Organisation, is a
global programme to improve the care
provided for mothers and babies, with the
focus in the UK on supporting successful
breastfeeding.
More than 220 staff from across all
Wiltshire Maternity Services, which includes
units in Trowbridge, Chippenham, Paulton,
Frome, Shepton Mallet and the Royal United
Hospital (RUH) in Bath, have been working
towards Stage 2 of the initiative for the past
18 months.
Wiltshire Maternity Services has
already been awarded its Certificate of
Commitment, which recognises that it is
dedicated to implementing best practice
standards, and Stage 1, where it was asked
to develop education programmes for both
staff and parents and an auditing tool to
monitor standards.
Stage 2 centres on staff training and to
pass this stage, Midwives and Midwifery
Care Assistants had to demonstrate their
knowledge and skills in breastfeeding and
Baby Friendly standards.
Vicky Tinsley, Assistant Director of
Maternity Services, said: “We decided to
work towards Baby Friendly to increase
breastfeeding rates across the county.
Breast milk contains antibodies to protect
babies from infection and a wide range of
serious illnesses such as gastroenteritis and
respiratory infections. Breastfeeding is also
good for mothers as it can help protect
them from breast and ovarian cancer and
can give them stronger bones in later life.
“The UNICEF/Baby Friendly standards are
a proven way of increasing breastfeeding
rates. Baby Friendly supports both the
health professional and mothers to continue
their chosen method of feeding for as long
as they wish.
“The results of the Stage 2 assessment
show fantastic progress with nearly all
the areas of assessment well in excess of
the level required. This is down to some
excellent team work. We are already
working towards Stage 3 and will continue
to be committed to the initiative and giving
consistent breastfeeding advice.”
Wiltshire Maternity Services is aiming
to complete Stage 3, where it must ensure
that all pregnant women and new mothers
receive care that meets Baby Friendly
standards, by May 2012. Wiltshire Maternity
Services would then be accredited as
Baby Friendly.
Take a virtual tour of
GWH’s new birth
centre
Mothers-to-be can now take a virtual tour
of the GWH’s new birth centre from the
comfort of their own home.
The White Horse Birth Centre, located
at the end of Hazel Ward on the second
floor of the hospital, opened in March 2011
offering women with low risk pregnancies
a ‘home from home’ environment in which
to give birth.
It has four birthing rooms, two birthing
pools, a family room and a host of furniture
and equipment to help make mums more
comfortable during labour.
The centre is led by a dedicated
midwifery team but is close to the
Consultant-led Obstetric Delivery Suite if
medical care or pain relief is needed.
You can take the virtual tour by visiting
the homepage of our new-look website at
www.gwh.nhs.uk
6 Autumn 2011
13

Patient satisfaction
What’s new at Chippenham
Community Hospital?
Chippenham Community
Hospital has seen a number of
improvements in the past few
months to enhance facilities
for patients and staff and to
increase services for outpatients.
Both Beech (stroke unit) and Cedar wards
have been refurbished to a high standard.
The Friends of Chippenham Hospital have
continued their excellent support and,
among other things, are restoring Beech
Ward’s garden and have provided new
garden furniture for patients and visitors.
They have also agreed to pay for wireless
call-bell systems to be installed in the
wards’ day rooms, with 10 ‘pendants’ for
patient use.
The Friends have enhanced Outpatient
services as well, by providing a new
slit machine, an instrument used in the
Ophthalmology department to examine the
eye. Its predecessor was found to date from
the 1950s and the results it gave were no
longer reliable but the new machine means
that 100 patients per month can continue to
be treated at Chippenham and won’t need
to travel to Bath or Swindon.
Signs are being updated to make
finding your way around the hospital easier
and new up-to-date equipment for the
Physiotherapy Department will ensure it
continues to provide an effective service.
There is also a new refuge room for staff,
with shower facilities.
The provision of x-rays has now been
extended to be available over threeday
bank holiday weekends, with some
additional sessions during the winter period
to help ease the weekend pressure on the
Minor Injury Unit and avoid a bottleneck of
appointments after the bank holidays.
The Birthing Centre continues to be
popular with mums-to-be and the birthing
pool is so much in demand, a second pool is
due to be installed in the next few months.
June Foster, Business Manager for
Wiltshire Community Health Services, said:
“We are so pleased to be able to provide
patients with access to new services and are
delighted they will be able to benefit
from the improvements we have
made to the hospital. We
would particularly like to thank
the Friends of Chippenham
Hospital for their generosity
and support in helping us to
make this happen.”
Beech Ward’s garden
Hospital radio’s
broadcast marathon
Chippenham Hospital Radio held a
Broadcasting Marathon in July to help
raise funds for the station.
The Broadcast Marathon was launched at
the studio, which is based at the hospital,
at 7pm on Friday 29th July by the Mayor,
Councillor David Powell at 7pm. The station
then broadcast live for 48 hours.
The fundraising marathon is to help support
the station that broadcasts to patients and
staff on the wards, and online at
www.chippenhamhospitalradio.com.
For more information, or if you'd like
to sponsor the station or become a
volunteer, please contact the studio
on 01249 456419 or email
studio@chippenhamhospitalradio.com
14 6 Autumn 2011

Photo finish
Workforce
A Consultant Anaesthetist
at GWH has developed his
fondness for photography by
taking on an MA in the subject
at De Montfort University.
You may have seen Mike Tattersall’s work
on the ground floor walls of the GWH
- his exhibition, The Theatre Company,
which features shots of a scrub nurse,
High Dependency Unit staff, a cleaner, a
Recovery Nurse, Surgeons and Anaesthetists,
went on display throughout June.
The project called for students at the
Leicester university to step out of their
comfort zone. Mike says: “I normally do
landscape shots rather than portraits, so
this was a different thing for me.”
The pictures were taken on a 1965
Minolta Autocord twin lens reflex camera,
which was found in Mike’s mother-in-law’s
attic. Apart from layers of dust and a few
seized up mechanisms, the camera still
worked, creating a series of 10 square black
and white photos with Ilford Delta 400 film.
He used a fill-in flash, bounced off ceilings
or walls, for most of the photos.
This type of camera requires the
photographer to look down into the
viewfinder, producing shots set at waist
level, with the subject looking above the
camera.
Mike explains, “Apart from the
sentimental attachment, I like the square
format of the photographs it produces and
the lower viewpoint was an integral part
of them. I think it gives the pictures an
interesting ambience.”
Mike decided to photograph his Theatre
colleagues anonymously, without captions
or name badges on show. He said: “We
are an integrated team and cannot work
effectively without each other. For most
of the subjects, I chose where to take the
photo, but let them adopt their own pose.”
Due to the camera’s age, Mike did
encounter a few problems in developing
the photos and eventually he had to scan
the negatives and print them digitally.
He said: “I developed the film
conventionally in a developer called
DiXactol, a so-called tanning developer
which gives negatives with very
manageable contrast and printing
characteristics. However, digital scanning
removes some of the grain hiding effect
of the developer so the digital prints have
quite a significant, but not unpleasant,
grain structure.”
But Mike is pleased with the finished
result.
“I have had lots of positive feedback
from people,” he says. “They have enjoyed
looking at them.”
Mike has held an interest in photography
for many years. Among his past projects
was taking a picture every single day during
2001 and 2006.
“Wherever I was, whatever I was doing,
I took a picture. This might have been at
work, what I had for dinner, or 9/11 on the
TV. People got used to me taking pictures
of them as part of my project.”
He has recently completed a book called
PMH/GWH: Transition charting the history
of Princess Margaret Hospital, its closure
and the construction of the GWH through
a collection of photos.
Mike says that doing the MA is proving
to be something of a personal journey: “I
am not thinking of this as a professional
career but this opportunity to show my
work has spurred me on and gives me
confidence in exhibiting pictures.”
The Theatre Company can be seen at De
Montfort University’s MA Show, September
3rd-8th, 2011.
Anyone interested in buying a copy
of PMH/GWH: Transition should email
comms@gwh.nhs.uk
6 Autumn 2011
15

A Year in Review
2010/11
Dear members and stakeholders,
On the following pages you will find highlights of our performance during 2010/11.
The past year has been a challenging one in many respects but also a successful one
for what we managed to achieve on behalf of our patients, members and volunteers
during that time.
We know that
behind the numbers
there are real people
with real experiences
and stories to tell
From a quality and safety perspective we
have much to be proud of – a continuing
reduction in the number of cases of MRSA
and Clostridium Difficile, reduction in harm
from falls, a drop in the number of pressure
ulcers and much more. We also managed
to achieve and surpass many of the quality
indicators we are measured against –
waiting times for cancer treatment, A&E
waiting times and improvements in stroke
care.
This may seem like ‘box ticking’ but
we know that behind the numbers there
are real people with real experiences and
stories to tell and we must never lose sight
of that. We know that by working hard we
are making a genuine difference to the lives
of our patients and service users.
Like all other NHS organisations we
continue to face unprecedented financial
pressures which will continue to grow with
the drive to raise quality and reduce costs.
This year we have also seen increasing
uncertainty around the NHS reforms.
Despite this our staff, volunteers and our
Governors have remained focused on
working hard in the best interest of our
patients and I want to thank them all for
their dedication, continuing professionalism
and above all their care of patients and
carers with dignity and humanity.
The year was a difficult one financially.
We forecast a surplus at the start of
2010/11 but ended the year breaking even.
This happened because we did not meet
some of our savings targets and the Trust
was not paid for all the work we delivered.
We expect to break even this year and we
need to achieve this as we do not want
to have a deficit, because of the impact
this can have on patient services. Patient
safety and quality of services was and is our
fundamental priority.
For more information on this, our full
Annual Report and Accounts and a Quality
Account is available to view at www.gwh.
nhs.uk
As well as balancing these difficult issues,
we have become the preferred provider of
community health services and maternity
services throughout Wiltshire. This was to
ensure we continue to develop and to “join
up” services between hospitals and the
community. We look forward to serving a
greater area and making these aspirations a
reality in the coming years.
I would also like to invite you to one
of our Annual Members’ Meetings in
September.
With the merger of GWH and Wiltshire
Community Health Services on 1st June
2011 we are hosting two meetings this year.
I hope you will be able to come along to
find out more about our work and ask any
questions you may have. More details can
be found on page 20.
With best wishes
Bruce Laurie
Chairman
16 6 Autumn 2011

The year in numbers:
448,253
patients were seen, treated or admitted by GWH in
2010/11,enough to fill Wembley Stadium nearly five times.
h h 68,618 people came to our A&E Department.
That’s an increase of more than 3% on the previous
year. On average, that’s about 188 people every day.
But there was a 10% drop in emergency admissions
last year.
309,343
people were seen by our Outpatients Department, 96,456
of those were first appointments.
h h 242 formal complaints were made to the Trust
during 2010/11, compared to 229 during 2009/10. This
represents 0.04% of the total number of patients seen,
treated or admitted during 2010/11.
h h 243 compliments were received by PALS (Patient
Advice and Liaison Service) during 2010/11. A&E, the
Acute Assessment Unit and Breast Screening received
the most compliments.
h h 3 cases of patients with an MRSA bacteraemia – a 50%
reduction in cases since last year and a fall of 75% in
five years.
of Clostridium Difficile – nine
less than last year and well below the
threshold for the year of 69 and a fall of
40cases
90% in five years.
h h11 cases of patients with Grade 4 pressure ulcers –
19 less than last year.
h h 97% of patients spent less than four hours in A&E,
exceeding the target of 95% set nationally.
h h 90% of patients were assessed for VTE (Venous
Thromboembolism).
h h 40% The drop in harm from falls – from 24 patients
to 15.
100%
of cancer waiting times targets were met.
How we spend the money
The GWH Trust income for 2010/11.That’s
£204m approximately £558,000 per day. £11.6m
The surplus forecast at the start of 2010/11.
£1.4m However, we ended the year breaking even. £20m
This was due to the costs of carrying out
extra unplanned activity and not achieving
some of our cost savings.
Staff costs – there are 3,223 staff at GWH.
£119m £3m
Buildings and estates, including land,
£23m buildings, furniture and fittings, plant £1.4m
and machinery, transport equipment and
information technology.
£13m Drug costs. £11.6m
Other services, including cleaning, catering,
portering, housekeeping, estates services
and other facilities management.
Supplies and services for clinical and general
requirements.
Clinical insurance.
Services from other NHS Trusts and bodies.
All other expenditure including research and
development, training and legal fees.
6 Autumn 2011
17

A Year in Review
20010/11
April
Volunteers get new look
Hospital volunteers were presented
with their own uniforms, making
it easy for patients, visitors and
staff to find them when they need
help. The teal polo neck shirts have their own crest of interlocking
hands and the words ‘Volunteer Team’ printed on the body and the
sleeve. There are more than 170 volunteers working at the GWH,
with ages ranging from 17 to 86.
July continued
Hundreds attend first
awards night
The Trust held its first annual
GWH Staff Excellence Awards at a
ceremony in Swindon. The event was attended by more than 270
members of staff who were invited to celebrate the achievements
of colleagues across the Trust. The ceremony has now become an
annual event, supported by an Employee of the Month scheme,
launched in 2011/12.
May
Turf cut for new quiet space
The turf was cut for a new pathway around Great Western
Hospital’s lake. The £5,000 development, funded by freemasons
Mark Masons, is designed to provide a calming space away from
the hospital for quiet contemplation. It replaced the former garden
site, where the Brunel Treatment Centre now stands.
June
National award for musculoskeletal team
A GWH team won a national award for its work in reducing the
number of work days lost due to muscoskeletal injuries to the back,
neck, shoulders or hands. The award, for Excellence in Improving
Employee Health and Well-being, was announced at an event in
London on 17th June as part of the national Excellence in Human
Resources Management Awards 2010. Targeting muscoskeletal
injuries has resulted in a 25% reduction in sickness absence
related to back, neck, shoulders and hand injuries.
July
Pharmacy robots start work
Two new employees joined the 3,300 GWH staff – Wall-E and Eve
the pharmacy robots. The new robots were officially launched on
21st July as part of the completion of a £350,000 programme to
enhance pharmacy services at the hospital, the aim of which is to
reduce the time patients wait to receive their prescriptions.
August
Five-year refurbishment
The Trust began its five-year ward redecoration programme which
will see all ward areas refurbished.
Bed numbers reduced
Plans to use our resources more effectively were announced with
Aldbourne Ward, Shalbourne Suite and Beech Ward planning to
reduce the number of beds following improvements in the time
patients spend on the wards.
GWH rated Excellent
Great Western Hospital was rated excellent by the National Patient
Safety Agency for the cleanliness of the hospital environment,
quality of food and levels of privacy and dignity in data. The
assessments were carried out by the Patient Environment Action
Teams (PEAT) programme. Only 40 sites in England were awarded
a score of excellent across all three categories.
September
Annual Members’ Meeting
On 8th September, GWH hosted its Annual Members Meeting and
Healthy Living Show at STEAM Museum in Swindon. The Healthy
Living Show included 40 stands from GWH and local organisations
including Swindon Borough Council, the Co-operative and
Swindon LINks. This was followed by the Annual Members’
Meeting, with presentations from Governors and members of the
Board of Directors including Chairman, Bruce Laurie and Chief
Executive, Lyn Hill-Tout. The event was attended by more than
250 members.
18 6 Autumn 2011

October
Services integrated
From 1st October 2010 staff at Community Paediatric Services,
based at Chatsworth House in Old Town, Swindon, were placed
under the management of the Women’s & Children’s Directorate
at the GWH. This will ensure an integrated service for children and
families and ensure more joint working between acute (hospital)
and community paediatric teams.
November
GWH named as preferred community
services provider
NHS Wiltshire announced that GWH was the preferred provider
for all Community Services across Wiltshire. This follows a tender
process which took place at the end of the summer. This would see
GWH become one of the largest providers of maternity services
in the country and responsible for the community care of over
750,000 people across the region.
Car parking charges announced
Changes to staff car parking, which will see 50 more spaces being
made available to patients and visitors, were first announced.
The changes would see parking for staff restricted and staff
encouraged to car share or use public transport. The aim is to
free up more spaces for patients so they find it easier to park at
busy times and create a ‘pay on exit’
system for patients and visitors, which
will put a stop to parking tickets
expiring while people are in hospital.
Work begins on new £2.5m Cath Lab
As part of a £2.5m investment, the Trust updated the current
facility and developed a second Cardiac Catheter Laboratory to
improve patient experience and further reduce waiting times for
procedures. The new cath lab opened in April 2011.
January
Ward closes
The Trust announces plans to close Linnet Ward and to use this
space during times of high demand and support the ongoing
redecoration programme.
February
GWH among best in south west
The GWH was named second best amongst all Acute Trusts in
the south west for care for people with learning disabilities (LD)
following an independent audit led by South West Strategic Health
Authority. The audit was based on a range of measures including
involvement of people with LD and their carers, leadership and
management and organisational learning.
March
Birth Centre opens
The £600,000 White Horse Birth
Centre was unveiled at a special
open day on 18th March. The
centre, led by a dedicated Midwifery Team, provides a homely,
comfortable and family-centred environment for mums-to-be.
Melinda Messenger opens £1.6m Breast Centre
Great Western Hospital’s new £1.6m Breast Centre was officially
opened by TV presenter Melinda Messenger on 18th March. The
centre, together with two mobile screening units, will mean more
women across the county are able to be screened to help the early
identification and treatment of breast cancer.
December
Maternity Survey results show GWH is
providing good care
A maternity survey carried out by the PICKER Institute, which
asked mothers how they feel about the service, named the GWH
as one of the top performing Trusts in the country for:
• Seeing the same Midwife at antenatal check-ups
• Treated with kindness and understanding for antenatal care
• Treated with dignity and respect during labour and birth
• Postnatal Care: Given information about contraception
• Postnatal Care: Offered a home visit by a midwife
6 Autumn 2011
19

Membership
matters
Ballot
Notice of forthcoming election
For the Council of Governors of
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Elections are to be held for the following positions:
Five Public Governors
in the following
constituencies:
*Subject to approval of changes to the constitution
h h Swindon (two vacancies)
(two-year term of office)
h h Wiltshire (one vacancy)
(one-year term of office)
h h West Berkshire and Oxfordshire
(one vacancy) (three-year term of office)*
hh Gloucestershire and Bath and
North East Somerset (one vacancy)
(three-year term of office)*
One Staff Governor
(two year term of office)
Nominations
Nomination forms to stand for election to these positions can be
obtained from the Returning Officer, at the address shown here
from Friday 16th September 2011.
Electoral Reform Services Limited
The Election Centre, 33 Clarendon Road, London N8 0NW
Tel: 0208 889 9203
Email: Christy.Gerould@electoralreform.co.uk
Nominations must be received at the address above by 12noon on
Monday 3rd October 2011. Faxed or emailed nominations will not be
accepted.
Should any nominee wish to withdraw their nomination, they must put this in writing to
the Returning Officer by 5pm on Thursday 6th October 2011.
Ballot papers will be distributed to qualifying members on Friday 21st October 2011.
Completed ballot papers must be received by the Independent Scrutineer by 12noon on
Thursday 10th November.
The regulations governing this election can be obtained from the Electoral Reform Services
Ltd (address as above).
Governor Role description
• Attending Council of Governors meetings and
other meetings
• Reading documents and preparing a view on them
in advance of meetings
• Commenting on issues between meetings
• Holding the Board to account, including observing
Board meetings
• Appointing the Chair and Non-Executive Directors
• Recruiting and engaging members
• Attending seminars and development days
• Participating in Patient Safety Walkabouts
• Getting involved in Trust events
• Acting as "eyes and ears" and being contacted by
members of the public or local groups with queries,
comments or criticisms
The Independent Scrutineer for these elections in the Electoral Reform Services Ltd
(address as above).
20 6 Autumn 2011

News from GWH’s lead Governor
Godfrey Fowler
Lead Governor
New Chief Executive
The Governors were closely involved in the appointment of the new
Chief Executive. We are satisfied that Nerissa is the best person
to steer the Great Western Hospitals Foundation Trust in the right
direction over the coming years and we will be working with her to
achieve excellence in all that we do.
New Governor
The Council of Governors was pleased to welcome Margaret White
who joined the Governors in June to replace Margaret Toogood.
Margaret has 24 years' experience working in the NHS as well
experience as a Councillor and Mayor.
Events
September is a really exciting month for members as we have a
number of events taking place. As mentioned in my last update
we are hosting two Annual Members’ Meetings this year to ensure
that we are in a location convenient to as many people as possible.
Please also come along to our Open Day on 17th September for
a fun day out and to see what is going on at GWH and to meet
members of staff and governors.
How to contact your Governors
You can contact your Governors via the Membership Office:
01793 604185
foundation.trust@gwh.nhs.uk
Foundation Trust Membership Office,
Trust Management, 2nd Floor
The Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Marlborough Road
Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 6BB
Would you like to get involved
with the work of the Trust? If the
answer is yes, have you thought
about becoming a Governor?
Come along to an event on Monday 12th September
at 6.30pm, in Lecture Hall 1, The Academy, GWH
explaining how you could become a Governor, what’s
involved and how you could make a difference. Learn
about the workings of the Trust and meet existing
Governors who will share their experiences.
Annual Members’
Meeting
Contact Sacha Bacco on tel: 01793 604185 or email
Alesandra.bacco@gwh.nhs.uk for more details.
Members’ Briefing hosted by the Wiltshire
governors, Thursday 17th November, 6pm-7.30pm,
Savernake Hospital, Marlborough.
Thursday 15th September, Devizes Town Hall, 7pm-8.30pm, doors open at 6.30pm
Thursday 22nd September, Lecture Hall 1, The Academy, GWH, 7pm-8.30pm, doors open at 6.30pm
Please attend the meeting most convenient for you.
6 Autumn 2011
21

Fundraising
Support us!
Rachel and David Hirst organised a
sponsored walk in memory of their
daughter, Imogen
Dawn Kennedy organised
a special Country and
Western Charity Dance
in July and raised nearly
£3,000 for the Cardiac Unit
at GWH.
Dawn runs the Uffington CMC (Country
Music Club) with her husband Allan, and
she decided to raise money for the Cardiac
Unit to say thanks for the care given to her
mum Fran, who had suffered five heart
attacks.
Dawn and Allan organised a Country
and Western Dance which was attended
by over 120 people, and featured live music
and a raffle and auction.
They visited GWH to present a cheque
for £2,685 to Consultant Cardiologist Dr
William McCrea who was responsible for
her mother’s treatment and care.
Dawn said: “We wanted to say thank
you for keeping her alive, and give
something back. The doctors know her so
well now they have got used to her.”
The money raised will be going towards
new hand-held ultrasound equipment
which can be used at patient’s bedside to
detect heart disease.
Dawn Kennedy, left, with her mum
Fran and Consultant Cardiologist
Dr William McCrea. Photo courtesy of
Swindon Advertiser
Rachel and David Hirst
raised more than £10,000
for Maternity Services at
the Royal United Hospital
in Bath.
Rachel and David decided to organise
a sponsored walk in memory of their
daughter Imogen who was sadly stillborn in
February this year.
The 10-mile walk took place in June, and
a number of their family and friends took
part walking the route from their home in
High Littleton to Victoria Park in Bath, via
Haycombe Crematorium.
They managed to raise over £10,000
and money is still coming in. Rachel said:
"We never dared believe that we would
raise this much money and have been so
overwhelmed by everyone's generosity. It is
important to us to do something positive in
Imogen’s name.”
This fantastic amount will go towards
refurbishing and upgrading a bereavement
room at RUH, creating a homely
environment for families.
For more information or to donate visit:
www.justgiving.com/angel-imogen
Donate online
If you would like to make a donation
to the hospital you can do this
safely and securely online at www.
justgiving.com/greatwestern.
You can even set up your own
fundraising page.
Donate by text
Why not make a donation to the
hospital by text – it’s so easy. Just text
GWHF00 and your amount to 70070.
You can donate up to £10! It’s a free
service and you just pay the cost of
the donation.
Jaime Clews, 12, from
Swindon and her friend
Bethany Barnes, 11, raised
£31 for the Special Care
Baby Unit (SCBU) at GWH
by organising a raffle at
their school.
The two girls brought the prizes for the
raffle out of their own money, and worked
very hard getting their friends, family and
teachers at the school involved. Jaime’s
goddaughter Isabella was born premature
and had to spend time in SCBU, so she and
Bethany decided to raise money for the unit
to say a big thank you for looking after her.
GWH Charity Abseil –
Come and support our
fundraisers!
As part of the Trust Open Day on Saturday
17th September 2011 we are organising an
abseil off the hospital roof to raise money
for the Trust's Charitable Fund. This money
will go towards equipment and facilities not
typically funded by the NHS, and will make a
huge difference to staff and patients in the
years to come.
We have had an amazing response from
staff and members of the public, with 50
participants signed up to take part. Come
along to our Open Day and show your
support for our fundraisers as they abseil
90ft all in the name of charity.
Get in touch
All spaces for the abseil are now full,
however similar fundraising events are being
planned for the future so if you would like to
get involved or be kept updated, contact us.
If you have an idea for a fundraising event,
or would like to discuss the ways you can
raise money for the hospital then we would
love to hear form you.
Contact us on 01793 604431
or email comms@gwh.nhs.uk.
22 6 Autumn 2011

News in Brief
News
Breast is best
June 19-24 was National Breastfeeding Awareness
Week (NBAW) a campaign to raise awareness of
the health benefits of breastfeeding and increase
social acceptance and support.
NHS Swindon and GWH supported the week
by promoting the work of local breastfeeding
volunteers. There are three National Childbirth
Trust Breastfeeding Counsellors, nine volunteers
who work on GWH’s Maternity Unit and peer
supporters – mums who have had breastfeeding
training to support others. Swindon also has
breastfeeding social and support groups
called Breastmates, run by peer supporters,
breastfeeding counsellors, midwives and health
visitors.
Cathy Gale, Infant Feeding Specialist Midwife
at GWH said: “National Breastfeeding Awareness
Week is a great opportunity for us to promote
the great work that breastfeeding volunteers
do, in conjunction with the newly trained peer
supporters in the community. We are really lucky
as a postnatal ward to have such a hardworking
and patient team of volunteers to help the
breastfeeding mothers in those early hours and
days. Every week is breastfeeding week of course,
but it is always good to celebrate it.”
New website goes live
The new look Great Western Hospitals website
went live at the beginning of July.
As well as more detailed information about our
services, the site offers handy tools such as Find
Your Nearest, where you can search for services
local to you.
Take virtual tours some of our facilities from
the comfort of your own home and keep up to
date with the latest news and information through
our Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages.
Take a look at www.gwh.nhs.uk
Handheld machine
improves heart
assessment
Consultant Cardiologist Dr Paul Foley recently
applied for a grant of £5,000 from the
Jehangir Manek Anlesaria Trust for a handheld
echocardiogram machine. His application was
successful and the machine was delivered recently.
Dr Foley said: “This machine allows easy
bedside assessment of the heart, and replaces
pushing a machine on a cart for many patients.
The new machine allows rapid bedside assessment,
and is especially useful in emergencies.”
Pictured with the new handheld device are:
Simon Brader, Technical Services Manager; Paul
Foley, Consultant Cardiologist; Trystan John,
Highly Specialist Cardiac Physiologist; Amanda
Colling, Highly Specialist Cardiac Physiologist and
Jane James Highly Specialist Cardiac Physiologist.
Award-winning staff
• Anita Johnson, Special Support Midwife
for Wiltshire Community Health Services, was
presented the Celebration of Achievement
Certificate 2011 by Bath and North East
Somerset Council for her work with other
agencies to ensure vulnerable young parents
and babies live comfortably and safely. Anita
is the Midwifery Lead for vulnerable children in
BANES and a member of the Children’s Centre
Leadership Group. She is also a member of Early
Communication Strategy Group which encourages
parents to read to their babies from birth.
• Two Registered Dental Nurses have won 1st
prize from Wessex Regional Committee for
Hospital Dental Services for a smoking cessation
audit. Anita Eastman and Claire Hutchings,
who both work in the Oral and Maxillofacial
Department at GWH, conducted an audit on the
effectiveness of a stop smoking leaflet given to
patients due to have surgery under a general
anaesthetic. 34 patients who smoked were
involved in the audit. Half of the patients were
given the leaflet, Stop Before Your Op – Why You
Should Stop Smoking Before Surgery, while the
other half were not. Those that saw the leaflet
said the information was very helpful and some
said they would use the helpline in the leaflet
should they decide to quit smoking. Anita and
Claire presented the audit at the Wessex Regional
Maxillofacial and Orthodontic Meeting.
• Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist Stephanie
Carter has been asked by the Institute for
Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) South West
Patient Safety Improvement Programme to share
best practice with other Trusts on how GWH
has achieved improvements in the reduction of
pressure ulcers.
Sensory
Awareness Day
A GWH action group has been considering the
needs of patients with sensory impairments
and how staff awareness and training can be
improved.
The group, which was formed in response to
comments from patients, is led by Janie Bond,
Matron for Planned Care, and includes Mal
Stewart, Matron for Unscheduled Care, Tim Vines,
Charge Nurse for the Eye Clinic, John Monniot
and Nicky Newport from the Eye Clinic Help Desk,
Librarian Sam Burgess and representatives from
Action on Hearing Loss formerly RNID and the
Wiltshire Blind Association (WBA).
A Sensory Awareness Day will be held on
Tuesday 25th October from 10am-4pm in Lecture
Hall 1 of the Academy. Eye Clinic and Audiology
staff, Eye Clinic Help Desk volunteers, WBA,
Action on Hearing Loss and members of the Social
Services Sensory Loss team will all be on hand
during the day.
A half-day teaching session for staff will be
held on Friday 28th October from 9am-12.30pm
There will be two 90-minute sessions on sight and
hearing.
Libbie Sheppard, of Action on Hearing Loss
and Gail Nugent from the WBA will be sharing
information and best practices with staff.
Action on Hearing Loss and WBA are helping
the GWH to develop a resource pack for each
ward/department area to signpost patients,
relatives and carers to the help that is available. It
will also include advice for staff when they care
for patients who have sensory impairments.
More teaching sessions are currently being
planned.
6 Autumn 2011
23

We value
your feedback
Ampney Ward
Both Mr Beck and
Mr Iacovou have been
excellent, together with all
the team. Very helpful and
friendly staff.
All the staff are excellent,
Staff Nurse Kimberley and
Dr Patel in recovery.
We are always pleased to hear feedback from
patients and relatives about the care and support
they received at GWH. Around the hospital we have
feedback forms for patients to let us know about
their experience. Here is just some of the positive
feedback staff received recently:
Betjeman Centre
Julie Candlin’s team are very
caring, thank you all.
Orthopaedics
The Receptionist Tanya, the
Nurses, all just wonderful.
Meldon ward
Annie, Charlotte and Geoff.
Staff were fabulous and
very helpful at all times.
Cherwell Suite
Sue Bridle, and the
Receptionist in Cherwell
Suite, very helpful and
friendly.
Tell us what you think
Received great care at GWH?
Then visit the NHS Choices
website, where you can give
feedback on the treatment and
level of care you or a family
member received whilst at the
hospital.
Your views are important
to us so if you want to share
your experiences, praise staff
members, or even suggest areas
for improvement then go online
now and let us know.
Visit www.nhs.co.uk go to
‘Find and choose services’ and
search for Great Western Hospital.
You said, we did
How your comments have helped us improve services
Audiology Support Desk
When patients commented about the length of time it took to get
hearing aid batteries replaced, Consultant Audiologist Gillian Reed
came to the GWH Voluntary Services department to see if volunteers
could assist with distributing hearing aids to patients.
The Audiology Support Desk was launched on 28th February
2011 and is serviced by volunteers from 10am-4pm Monday-Friday
(excluding Bank Holidays). The service is run from the WRVS Escort
Lounge on the ground floor of the GWH, so patients don’t need to go
to the Audiology Department on the third floor. Our volunteers also
assist with the Audiology Department’s battery replacement postal
service.
Carol Orrow, Voluntary Services Manager, said: “We have had
fantastic feedback from patients, who are able to take as long as they
need with the volunteers in order to get their replacement batteries.
The Audiology staff have been very grateful for the support given by
volunteers, as it has freed the receptionists up to deal with their busy
outpatient desk.
”To 31st July 2011, we have been able to assist in the region of 1,135
patients.”
For more information about this service, please email
audiology@gwh.nhs.uk or call 01793 604209.
Leaving Hospital leaflet
Going home after a stay in hospital can be an unsettling experience
and patients have commented that it’s often easy to forget the
information they have been given about ongoing care and medication
after they have been discharged.
We have created a leaflet where patients can record all the
information they need about their discharge from hospital, including
recovery advice, details of follow-up appointments and any
arrangements that have been made for further care.
Private healthcare at the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
All income from private treatment is used to support the Great Western Hospital
caring about every detail and every individual
The
Shalbourne
Suite
Great Western Hospital, Malborough Road, Swindon SN3 6BB