Military Cross Award for Naval Medical Assistant Kate Nesbitt

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EVENTS Innovations Showcase “Design Bugs Out” and “Smart Pods” are two outstanding innovation projects making a big impact in healthcare. The event “Research - Innovate - Design - Manufacture” will showcase how “joinedup action” makes a real difference for developing new healthcare equipment. It takes place on Monday, December 14th and will be delivered via the telematic lecture theatres at the John Bull Building at Derriford Hospital, between 2pm and 4pm. Both of these national projects have sought extensive input from front-line staff – the people who use the kit day-in and day-out – to ensure that key issues are not compromised in new designs, and make sure people’s experience is incorporated. “Design Bugs Out” This is a “blank-sheet” re-design of hospital equipment to combat Healthcare Acquired Infection. The project was commissioned by the Department of Health, and the NHS Purchasing & Supply Authority (PASA). The Design Council brought together researchers, designers and manufacturers to work with healthcare staff and patients. The project was to design-out the root causes of HAIs in key hospital equipment. It has rapidly delivered a suite of excellent new products for the NHS – ranging from porters chairs and bedside furniture to medical equipment and ward fitments. These new products have “hit the mark” so much that they are going into production, and will be available to the NHS soon. “Smart Pods” This project is a radical re-think on the delivery of urgent healthcare in the community. The research project covered the issue of mobile deployment of urgent health resources into the community, ranging from advanced ambulance capabilities through to service re-design. Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Smart Pods involve designers from the Royal College of Art as well as academics from Loughborough University and the Universities of the West of England, Bath and Plymouth. The project worked directly with healthcare professionals in the ambulance service, emergency medicine, community services, and connected with NHS procurement sections. This yielded solutions “fit for purpose”, which are influencing future provision of equipment, vehicles and services. To attend the presentations, contact Michelle Bowden on 01752 764420 or email mbowden@sciencepark.org.uk For more information on either project log on to www.designbugsout.org.uk and www.smartpods.co.uk ‘Your 5 moments for hand hygiene’ Football players from Plymouth Argyle, children from Happy Days Nursery and an astrologer Lorie Reid, who writes for the Express newspaper and OK magazine paid a visit to Derriford Hospital on Monday 19 October to give their support to this year’s Cleanyourhands campaign. The players and children will be joined staff from the Infection Prevention and Control Team, Chief Executive, Paul Roberts and Director of Nursing and Midwifery Julie Hendry, in the main concourse area to help raise awareness of the importance of good hand hygiene to patients, visitors and staff. The Infection Prevention and Control Team also highlighted the continuous efforts of staff at the Trust in promoting hand hygiene and working towards the prevention of hospital-acquired infections. And also held workshops throughout the week, offering teaching/instruction on the ‘5 Moments’ and providing materials for staff to display in their areas. Now in the fifth year, the Cleanyourhands campaign has had a significant impact on hand hygiene compliance amongst staff. Susan Hunt, Infection Control Sister, said: “Since the Trust joined the campaign in February 2005, the hand hygiene compliance rate within the Trust has risen from 47% to 98%. Traditionally, the average compliance rate for hospital staff is approximately 60%. “The rise in hand hygiene compliance is a good indicator of the commitment of staff throughout the Trust to reduce the spread of infections. The fact that staff are seeing, hearing and taking on board the messages about cleaning their hands regularly and always in between patients is having an impact on our MRSA rates which are continuing to fall. “This year’s theme is ‘Five Moments for Hand Hygiene’ and has been developed to stress the importance of the correct location and time for hand hygiene and to ensure the chain of transmission is broken by hand hygiene and thus prevent healthcare- associated infection. “We were delighted that the players from Plymouth Argyle, children from the nursery and astrologer, Lori Reid, are all able to join us and support this vital and effective effort to prevent hospital-acquired infections at the Trust.” 12 Autumn 2009 Cascade
Immunology Patient Forum More than 40 people from all over the South West peninsula recently attended the annual Immunology Patient Forum. The event was hosted by Derriford Hospital’s Immunology and Allergy Team and it was the team’s fourth and most successful forum to date. This year the event was sponsored by the Primary Immunodeficiency Association and was held at the Moorland Links Hotel, Dartmoor. The Immunology Patient Forum is held every year to help patients to learn more about their condition and meet others with similar disorders. Patients shared their experiences as part of the day and several debates were held, led by Nurse Specialists. There were also talks from Dr Edward EVENTS Kaminski, consultant immunologist at Derriford Hospital and Chris Hughan, Chief Executive of the Primary Immunodeficiency Association. A raffle was held which raised almost £240 to go towards opening a patient travel fund to help patients with the cost of travelling long distances for treatment. The event received very positive feedback from attendees. One said: “The content of what was covered on the day was just right. It cleared up some misunderstandings and concerns that I had before. The whole event was very informative and it was really helpful to talk to other people with similar conditions.” The date has already been set for the next Patient Forum which will be held on Saturday 9th October 2010. World Osteoporosis Day Derriford Hospital’s Healthy Bones Service hosted an event at Derriford Health and Leisure Centre to promote World Osteoporosis Day on Tuesday 20th October 2009. The event was free to all and was attended by Ken and Wendy Foster, Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Plymouth. The theme for the evening was ‘Healthy Bones for Healthy Lives’ and featured a series of talks covering a range of subjects including the basics of diet and exercise, preventing falls, the menopause, weight bearing exercises and general bone health. There were a number of stands at the event representing organisations including the National Osteoporosis Society and the Plymouth Local Involvement Network. The Healthy Bones Service also arranged for their mobile Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) van to be present which was used to measure the bone density of attendees potentially at risk from breaking a bone due to osteoporosis. Sam Cross, lead practitioner for the Healthy Bones Service said: ‘This was an evening aimed at helping to keep older people safe, healthy and independent. Through this event we will be able to raise awareness, give advice and hopefully prevent fractures. We were also very grateful to the Lord and Lady Mayoress for their continuing support of our Healthy Bones Service.’ National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Staff from Derriford Hospital’s Primrose Breast Care Centre set up a stand to mark National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The stand was in the main concourse from Monday 12 – Friday 16 October 2009. It was manned on Wednesday and Thursday from 10am until 4pm by Lorraine Wilkinson, Community Cancer Practitioner for NHS Plymouth who provided advice and answered questions. On the stand there was a wealth of information relating to breast cancer including general breast awareness and what to do if referred to a breast clinic. Jo Lobb, Breast Care Nurse at the Primrose Centre said: “The stand is about getting a positive message to people. It’s a great way of educating the general public about breast cancer and it also helps to raise the profile of the work we do at the Primrose Centre”. Cascade Autumn 2009 13
Page 1 and 2: Military Cross Award for Naval Medi
Page 3 and 4: Kate Nesbitt THE BIG INTERVIEW Kate
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Page 7 and 8: H H CHARITY H H H H WORK H H H & FU
Page 9 and 10: SHARING EXPERTISE Inaugural Global
Page 11: DID YOU KNOW? What do you know abou
Page 15 and 16: You Talked, We Listened We know - b
Page 17 and 18: FLU SEASON Seasonal Flu Vaccine - H
Page 19 and 20: John Yarnold John Yarnold, the Depu

Military Cross Award for Naval Medical Assistant Kate Nesbitt

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