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CHOOSE and BOOK goes direct Patient choice means that if a patient requires treatment in a hospital, they can choose where and when to have that treatment. Since May 2006, extended choice has been available. This means that whether you live in Cornwall or Camden you can choose to be treated at any Foundation Trust – so you can be referred to UCLH from any GP in England (as long as we provide the service!) ‘Choose and Book’ is a national initiative which combines electronic booking and a choice of place, date and time for first outpatient appointments. Until recently UCLH services have only been available “indirectly”, in other words, the patient has had to call in to fix the time and date of their appointment – but all that is about to change as our services become bookable directly online. The first service to offer electronic direct booking launches this month. Patients needing referral to trauma and orthopaedics can now choose UCLH and book an appointment there and then in the GP’s surgery. The new system will be monitored for any glitches and the rest of the Trust’s Choose and Book services will be rolled out early next year. “This brings huge benefits for patients, giving them flexibility and control over the booking of their appointment” said Sarah Johnston director of service development & marketing. “It’s also a great opportunity for the Trust to make our services easily available to patients throughout England”. For more information on the new direct booking system email chooseandbook@uclh.nhs.uk or visit the Choose and Book pages on Insight. Annual memorial lecture ends on a high The Janet Hull Memorial Lecture bowed out on a high last month as NHS chief nursing officer Chris Beasley gave a talk to UCLH nurses on the challenges presented by modern day nursing. This is the last lecture to be funded by the Janet Hull Memorial Fund, set up in 1979 in memory of staff nurse Janet Hull who died tragically in a road accident. From now on, the fund will be used to finance travelling scholarships for nurses who wish to travel and study to improve their education and/or qualifications. Members of the Nurses’ Leagues (nurses who trained at UCLH), as well as current Trust nurses can apply for a scholarship of up to £1500. Submit your proposal to the Nurses’ League via Sylvia Jemmott (PA at chief nurse’s office), by 31 March 2007. Left to right: NHS chief nurse Chris Beasley (second left) flanked by UCLH nursing staff Rachel Halliday acting senior nurse, personal development (left), chief nurse Louise Boden (third right) and Alison Brooks, acting acute services head of nursing (far right) The bug stops Here! A giant fluffy bug greeted visitors to UCH during infection control week last month to The fluffy bug with infection control staff Annette Jeanes and Duncan Burton Award winner “An inspiration” Congratulations to Dr Usha Menon named Woman of the Year at the Asian Achievers Awards. Colleagues at the Institute for Women’s Health describe her as “an inspiration to everyone”. The accolade recognises her key contribution to medical research into ovarian cancer screening. She was a key member of the team that carried out the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer, involving 202,000 women, the largest UK randomised clinical trial ever performed. remind patients and staff of the importance of good infection control. The MRSA bug roamed around the atrium of the hospital handing out alcohol handrub to visitors. Although we have an excellent record on MRSA, we can’t be complacent, as infection control consultant nurse Annette Jeanes said. ‘We are highlighting the need to clean your hands and how that applies to everybody – including visitors ‘But we are trying to make it fun – hence the MRSA bug lurking in the foyer. People have been very amused and it’s really made them ask questions about what they can do to help and that’s exactly what we wanted. Dr Menon an honorary UCLH consultant and UCL director and senior lecturer at the Gynaecological Cancer Research Unit, was also praised for her innovation in trial management, hard work and attention to detail. Usha Menon, Woman of the Year Got a story? Contact anne.burns@uclh.nhs.uk or call x 9897
Equality for disabled people a priority A disability equality scheme has put the needs of disabled people at the fore of trust priorities. It aims to ensure they are taken into account in everything we do. “We want to put into practice a vision to achieve equality and break down barriers” said David Amos, director of workforce. “It’s about fostering a culture of positive attitudes where the views and needs of disabled people are heard and met. It’s also about practical things like making sure disabled people can get in and out and around our buildings with easy access.” The scheme is part of an on-going drive to integrate equality issues into decision-making and the running of the trust. From 4 December 2006, hospitals and all other public bodies have a legal duty to promote equality under the Disability Discrimination Act. The Trust’s equality scheme is on Insight and if you’d like to be part of a disability network or have any comments please contact Eyong Besong x 8760 or email disability@uclh.nhs.uk Key facts In the UK there are: 11 million disabled people and 770,000 disabled children 1 in 5 of the working population are disabled – that’s 6.8 million people 1 million disabled people without a job want to work Six core areas have been identified for Trustwide action: to improve access to buildings to encourage disabled people’s involvement in decision-making and service development to recruit disabled people to increase awareness of disability equality through staff training to ensure good communications for disabled people to take account of the needs of disabled people in service delivery and gather feedback UCLH LAUNCHES FIRST NHS DENTAL SMOKING CESSATION SERVICE Chief dental officer Barry Cockcroft cuts a cake with patient Mary Hartley to mark the launch of the Eastman Dental Hospital smoking cessation service What it’s really like views from a member of staff and a patient Veronica Beechey Veronica’s story “Parking and portering can be tricky at some trust hospitals”, says patient Veronica Beechey, who uses a wheelchair. “The clinical care is sympathetic and cutting edge, but getting back and forth can be problematic for dropping off and picking up. And it’s not always easy to find a porter. These are things that something can be done about with the will and resources.” Stanley Eyanagho Stanley’s story The world of staff nurse Stanley Eyanagho changed forever six years ago when he became paralysed. He left the wards he loved at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. “It was a great shock and big transition from being able to do everything to being in a wheelchair.” He now has a desk job as a clinical coding liaison officer. “I was told to take early retirement but I had a young family, I was in my early forties and I had a lot more to give. I felt very alone initially. I had to push and cajole for this job. Better communications between managers and personnel would be very helpful. This scheme is a great development and. I’ll do anything to help.” “My colleagues have been positive, sympathetic and understanding. I couldn’t do this job without them.” Useful links Find out more about the new legislation and how it affects you at: www.dwp.gov.uk and www.drc.org.uk The first dental stop smoking service in England was launched at the Eastman Dental Hospital at the end of October, with the backing of the chief dental officer and the British Dental Association. Specialist smoking cessation clinics with a stop smoking nurse will now be available for patients at the Eastman. Launching the service, chief dental officer Barry Cockcroft described it as ‘fantastically impressive’ and a factor in tackling an increase in oral cancer which was on the increase among young people. Eastman Dental Hospital clinical director Richard Welfare said the clinics were about helping patients live healthier lives as well as giving their treatment the best chance to succeed. “Smoking is key to the oral health of patients and it is also a fact that their treatment does not work so well if they are smokers.” Send details of your upcoming events to weekly.email.bulletin@uclh.nhs.uk
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