Annual Report 2006/07 - Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital

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People to be Proud of “The biggest part of my job is to put a patient at ease. Often patients don’t like to stop a nurse for a chinwag because the wards are so busy, so they seem to enjoy chatting with us as we move them around. You’d be surprised how much better a patient will feel for having a smile and a bit of friendly chit-chat to reassure or relax them. Meeting so many different people, often with amazing personal stories to tell, is the best part of my job.” Al i s o n Co b l e y, X-Ra y Po r t e r
Head & Neck Team Cancers around the mouth, jaw and face are on the increase; in the last year 47 separate resections were carried out within the maxillofacial unit at the RD&E, 15 requiring complex reconstructions. Although cancer work takes precedence, consultant maxillofacial surgeon Andrew McLennan and his team also care for patients with major facial deformity, facial trauma and routine non-cancer work around the mouth, face and jaws. Someone who has reason to thank the team for their expertise is Stuart Waine (above), who was diagnosed with cancer of the tongue aged 24. Says Andrew McLennan: “Stuart had several areas of invasive cancer, needing extensive surgery. The operation involved a tracheostomy to secure the airway, and major surgery to remove both the tumour and the surrounding lymph glands. We then carried out reconstructive surgery by taking a skin flap from Stuart’s arm, together with its artery and vein, to be reconnected to artery and veins in the neck. The operation took the whole day and Stuart spent 12 hours recovering in intensive care before returning to the ward. He then had to cope with a six-week course of radical radiotherapy.” Five years on Stuart has made a fantastic recovery. He is an architectural stonemason and has raised hundreds of pounds for the Macmillan cancer fund, even travelling as far as Mount Everest! “Everyone in the maxillofacial department showed both professionalism and compassion in treating me and supporting my recovery. Whilst I can only guess at the huge workload of the department, I was – and continue to be – treated as if I were the most important person in the world. I am in their debt.” Stuart Waine Andrew concludes: “Although Stuart moved away we remain in contact and he has recently been giving invaluable counselling and support for another ‘youngster’ with a similar diagnosis and treatment plan. He’s an impressive guy.” Key to t h e s u c c e s s of the ‘maxfax’ team is one of the RD&E’s many clinical nurse specialists, Claire Barber. Her role is to act as an expert resource, not just here at the RD&E, but across the whole healthcare community, offering support and specialist care for patients with head and neck related cancers. This involves the development of a co-ordinated and integrated approach between organisations and agencies and close workings with key members of other health-related specialities such as doctors, speech therapists, dieticians and radiographers. “I care for patients with multiple health and social-care needs and carry out home visits for those who are too ill to travel or who are about to undergo major complex head and neck reconstructions. Some patients, due to the extensive nature of their surgery, have to rely on neck breathing (via a tracheostomy); others have complex nursing needs due to unhealed wounds and artificial feeding tubes. I also run a clinic jointly with the head and neck speech and language therapist, senior dietician and radiographer. Together we carry out a full assessment of every patient who has just completed a course of chemo or radiotherapy to the head and neck, and decide on treatments to encourage a more rapid recovery. “It’s wonderful to be involved in the care of someone like Stuart. His determination to return to a normal life is a real inspiration to others.” 10
Page 1 and 2: Annual Report 2006/07 Presented to
Page 3 and 4: Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation
Page 5 and 6: Infection Control Infection control
Page 9: Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation
Page 17 and 18: Membership As a Foundation Trust th
Page 25 and 26: The RD&E Directors: Appointments &

Annual Report 2006/07 - Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital

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