service commitment awards

Inside Story
International award for cardiologist – page 3
AND
Staff service commitment awards – pages 4 & 5
PLUS
IVF success – page 6
Inside Story is the UCLH staff magazine

news
Cancer Centre – what a difference a year makes
October 12 marked a year to the day
that Skanska, the company appointed
to build our new Cancer Centre,
donned their hard hats and started
work on the construction site. “The
photographs show the amazing
progress we have made in a year, the
building seems to be going up before
our very eyes,” said Martin Lerner,
divisional manager for cancer.
Particularly impressive is the excellent
safety record – Mark O’Dowd, site
safety manager at Skanska
construction, said: "We are very proud
to recognise one year accident free on
the UCLH Cancer Centre project.
“Our safety risk profile will continue to
increase, and the Skanska team are
dedicated to making zero accidents
achievable for the remainder of the
project."
Changes at The Heart
Heart Hospital patients are already
reaping the benefits of the Trust’s drive
to improve the quality, efficiency and
productivity (QEP) of its services: a
new scheme to offer cardiothoracic
surgical patients same-day admission
has contributed to a drop in the
number of cancelled operations.
Around 60% of patients are now being
admitted on the same day as their
surgery and feedback has been very
positive. In a recent patient survey,
90% said they would recommend it to
family and friends.
Director of surgery Prof Christopher
McGregor said: “The majority of our
cardiothoracic surgical patients are
now admitted on the same day as their
surgery, which has represented a
Talar Dabagh, lead sister in the surgical
admissions unit.
A year in numbers...
On 12 October 2010 there will
have been 164,640 manhours
on site, the equivalent
of one person working for 87
years.
During the first week of the
project there were on
average 21 people working
on site. There are now 180
people working
on site each
day.
Vehicles to and
from the site
have travelled
90,583 miles.
This is the
equivalent of
travelling over
three and a half
times around the
equator! AFTER
complete change to our clinical
practice.”
“Patients can now spend the night
before major surgery in the comfort of
their own home with their family. The
new process has contributed to fewer
cancellations and a shorter hospital
stay for patients.”
BEFORE
Helping patients to get better, quicker
The Heart Hospital is also launching
an enhanced recovery programme
which has proven very successful
elsewhere in the Trust.
Dr Elizabeth Ashley, consultant
anaesthetist and lead clinician for
cardiac enhanced recovery, said: “The
enhanced recovery team will help
improve the quality of care our patients
receive and help them get better
quicker: they can be discharged
earlier, releasing beds for those
patients who really need them. It’s also
popular with patients who would prefer
to be at home.”
The enhanced recovery team provides
patients with practical support and
All patients are pre-assessed by their
surgeon and those deemed suitable
are entered into the same day
admission pathway. They are given
information explaining what will happen
and can talk to a member of the preassessment
nursing team for additional
advice and support.
advice at all stages of their treatment –
before admission making sure they are
as ready as possible for surgery,
through to patient and carer education
and support after discharge home.
In addition to the work in cardiac care,
the principles are now being extended
in orthopaedics and upper GI
supported by Sophia Mavrommatis
and Bella Talwar from the QEP team.
Other surgical teams have shown a
strong interest in adopting the
principles.
Please see the QEP page
on Insight for more
information or contact
Sophia or Bella.
Contact Us
If you have any information you would like included in Inside Story, or on the Trust intranet site
Insight, contact: Communications Unit, 2nd Floor Central, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2PG.
Email: communications@uclh.nhs.uk, Tel: ext 9897, Fax: ext 9401.
Front cover: Service
commitment award winners.
See pages 4 and 5.
2

Top award for heart trainee
A trainee cardiologist and research
fellow has won international
recognition in front of thousands of
peers for his study which attempted to
minimise heart damage in people with
acute heart attacks.
Dr Andrew Ludman focused on the
drug erythropoietin ”epo” which
effectively reduces the size of heart
attacks in pre-clinical tests.
However, Andrew’s study revealed
that despite the initial promise, “epo”
was not a successful treatment for
patients.
He worked closely with interventional
cardiology consultants and specialist
registrars at The Heart Hospital who
helped identify patients for the study.
It was part of Andrew’s research
thesis supervised by Professor Derek
Yellon and Dr Derek Hausenloy at The
Hatter Cardiovascular Institute.
Andrew said: “The basic science
studies came to confident conclusions
about the ability of the drug in limiting
heart attack size but this did not
translate to patients.”
“This study demonstrates
the challenges in
translating treatments from
the laboratory to the
patient.”
“The study would never
have been successful
without the fantastic
support of the cardiology
team at The Heart
Hospital. This study
exemplifies the
collaborative relationship
between the two centres.”
Andrew was awarded the
Young Investigators Award
in Clinical Science at the European
Society of Cardiology congress held in
Stockholm, Sweden.
He added: “I felt honoured to be short
listed – when I heard I had actually
won it took a while to sink in. It was
fantastic!”
Clinical director Clare Dollery
congratulated Andrew on “this well
earned recognition of the excellence
of his study."
Professor Yellon congratulates Dr Andrew Ludman
news
She said: “I am also proud of the
commitment shown by Heart Hospital
staff to recruit patients for important
research studies which inform future
treatments.”
Professor Derek Yellon from The
Hatter Cardiovascular Institute
added;” He is an extremely hard
working, bright young cardiologist in
training and has undertaken some
very exciting research with me here. I
am very proud of him.”
‘Cleanliness is a virtue’ says Annette following NHNN visit
Sparkling clean… brilliant…vibrant
attitude…a delight: words used by
Annette Jeanes to describe the
Neurological Rehabilitation Unit
(NRU) at the NHNN.
“I suggest you go down and have a
look!” the director for infection
prevention and control told the Trust
communications team.
So we did. The floor shone, the
chrome in the sluice rooms gleamed,
the medical supplies room was neat
and tidy and decontaminated
equipment was clearly labelled.
Winston Williams, clinical nurse lead,
(pictured centre with Dennis Minioza,
charge nurse and Elizabeth John,
nursing team lead) said: “Cleanliness
and tidiness is an ongoing process
iChange
Look at the iChange project pages
on Insight for more information on
this new user-friendly online
ordering system which is changing
the way you order IT equipment
and request IT services.
and we strive to maintain high
standards at all times. Over the past
year, we have been working to
improve levels of cleanliness and it
was a great morale boost to see
that this has been recognised.
“We work closely with the
nurses and therapists,
domestic and catering staff.
Each person knows what task
they are individually
responsible for and their
particular objectives with
respects to infection
control and hygiene
standards.”
Annette visited the 18
bed unit on the first
2010 UCLH Open Event
floor as part of an impromptu
walkabout. She reported her findings
to the Nursing and Midwifery Advisory
Board.
Christmas is only round the corner and so is the annual open event at UCH.
Make sure the date – Tuesday 7 December – is in your diary. With over 30
display stands, entertainment, tours of hospital departments and services and
the switching on of the Christmas tree lights this year’s event promises to
bring a festive cheer. The event is open to everyone, so come along between
3.30pm and 6pm for a mince pie and hot chocolate - and don’t forget to tell
your colleagues, patients, friends and family.
3

service commitment awards
Committed to the cause
Staff from all areas of the Trust were nominated for this year's Service Commitment Awards - making it the most successful
in the event’s history.
More than 150 people were put forward by patients and colleagues for 'going the extra mile' to provide top quality care for
patients. The awards, now in their fourth year, were presented following the UCLH Annual Public Meeting. ‘A sweet angel
from Heaven’, ‘kind and compassionate’, and ‘a gem’, were just some of the words used to describe this year's winners.
Presenting the awards Richard Murley, UCLH chairman, said: "The principle aim of the Trust is to treat patients as well as
we can which is all about quality of treatment, safety, outcomes and experience. These awards are about members of staff
who have gone the extra mile in the eyes of their colleagues or the patients they are looking after."
Winners were presented with crystal bowls engraved with their names, certificates, prize money and badges funded by
UCLH Charity and the Friends of UCLH.
Staff nominated team award
Shortlist
Bernard Sunley Ward at the NHNN; fetal medicine team
at the EGA Wing; housekeeping at The Heart Hospital;
sterile services at UCH.
Winner
Sterile Services (UCH)
Runner-up
Housekeeping, The Heart Hospital
Nominator David Sowoolu, estates and facilities
manager, said:
This nomination is for consistent and positive
services of a team who provide high class
professional services under difficult working
conditions where patients’ anxiety and concerns
have to be realised and anticipated.
Many of the staff have been doing this job for
over seven years and have an affinity with the
expected standards. Patients prize the cleaning
and the friendliness of housekeeping staff and
the way they integrate the service around sick
and unwell patients. Full marks in my book!
The sterile services team decontaminates tens of thousands
of surgical instruments each year and without its sterling
work, patient care would undoubtedly suffer. The team was
nominated by Sylvia Martin, decontamination & sterile
services manager, she said:
They are the unsung heroes in terms of supporting clinical
staff in delivering quality service to patients.
An example of their commitment to the organisation and
the service that the department provides is when the unit
had gone completely off-line due to a fault with the water
system that serves the machinery in the department. This
saw the department off-line for four days and in order to
minimise disruption to the Trust the staff worked varying
shifts from different units across London processing
UCLH work. No patients were cancelled which is a
tremendous achievement for a department that processes
over 10,000 instrument trays every month.
I am incredibly proud to manage this team and have seen
individual staff members grow in knowledge and
experience during the time that they have worked with us.
4

Patient nominated individual award
Winner
Cynthia Dako, a staff nurse on T13.
Nominated by patient Dr Tamar
Posner, who said:
Cynthia was the
only nurse
throughout my
24-hour stay
who:
Not only told
me her name
but called
me by my
name
Told me what
she was doing without me having to ask her
Engaged with me and actively sought my
involvement
Made all the difference during what was
otherwise a ‘very lonely and de-humanising
experience’.
Staff nominated individual award
service commitment awards
Shortlist
Gabriel Dainty, kitchen hostess on T10 at UCH; Cynthia Dako, staff
nurse on T13; Jovir Paga, receptionist at NHNN Front Desk; Rachel
Taylor, neurogenetics nurse consultant.
Runner-up
Rachel Taylor, a neurogenetics
nurse consultant. Nominated
by Danny Dexter, pictured with
his wife Maggie (left) for her
care for patients with
Huntington’s Disease.
What some of her patients said:
Rachel is not just our nurse.
When we see her she makes
us feel that we are her
priority and that we are not just patients but valued friends.
Rachel has been a lifeline to me since my son was diagnosed
with Huntington’s Disease. She is only a phone call away
whenever I need help or even just to talk when I am really
stressed out.
She is a sweet angel from heaven for us. She is so polite and
courteous every time we see her. We always look forward to
meeting her.
She has a smile that lights up a room and an aura that makes
her patients feel at ease and cared for.
Winner
Kristina Albizu,
healthcare
assistant at the
NHNN day care
unit.
Nominated for her love and
dedication to her role and
her commitment to better
patient experience. What the nominators said:
Kristina is the epitome of hard work and
dedication.
Her greatest quality is her patient care and
dedication. She provides a very high quality
service to our patients.
With her great qualities, hard work and
dedication, Kristina is well loved by all the
staff and all our patients. She is an integral
part of our unit and she is only one of a
handful of employees in the Trust who are
classified as "irreplaceable". She is truly a
gem.
Shortlist
Kristina Albizu, healthcare assistant at the NHNN day care unit; Gemma
Birchenough, neonatal secretary and PA to the neonatal consultants;
Patrick Oliver, secretary to the pain management physiotherapy and
psychology centre, NHNN; Stella Osei, patient emergency response team
nurse at UCH; Ramesh Pydiah, Trust photographer for the medical
photography team; Sookraj Seebaluck, Trust switchboard operator.
Runner-up
Gemma Birchenough, neonatal secretary and
PA to neonatal consultants (pictured right with
chairman Richard Murley).
Nominated for her work with the team and the
support she gives to parents. What the
nominators said:
Gemma is such a pleasure to work with.
She is proactive, doesn’t wait for things to
present as a problem. She is utterly reliable.
She is always friendly, helpful and frequently goes out of her way to
help every one she meets.
The parents of the babies ring her about a variety of issues, involving
scans, medication and outpatient appointments needing changing to
name but a few. She is great at getting them to explain what they
need.
5

interview
Making babies – business is booming
Elke Tullett met the team giving hope to childless couples
Members of the team at the UCLH IVF clinic
A bumper number of women are
expecting babies after undergoing
fertility treatment at UCLH which has
the highest IVF pregnancy rate in the
UK.
Nine babies have been born and a
further 35 women are pregnant since
the service was launched a year ago.
The 70% success rate is double the
national average.*
Rehan Salim, the lead consultant
gynaecologist and reproductive
medicine specialist for the IVF service,
said: “It has been a remarkable first
year. I think we are successful
because we have excellent protocols
and a fantastic team with the intensive
monitoring and clinical management of
each patient.”
Women referred to the clinic at the
EGA Wing are initially screened for
any underlying problems such as
fibroids or cysts which may be
preventing pregnancy.
These are treated by the UCH surgical
team using advanced keyhole
techniques before the IVF cycle
begins. The egg collection and
embryo transfer is undertaken at The
Centre for Reproductive and Genetic
Health, a private clinic based at The
Eastman Dental Hospital.
Dr Salim added: “Many of the women
come to us having spent years trying
unsuccessfully for a baby and they
see us as the last chance. They can
hardly believe it when they fall
pregnant at the first shot with us! We
have kept a low-profile up until now
but word is spreading fast and we are
getting requests from all over the
country.”
Only 15% – a
comparatively low
figure for IVF patients –
have conceived twins.
Yoshanta Wade and
Ivona Hofmanova,
clinical nurse
specialists for IVF at
the EGA Wing, offer
advice and support to
patients every step of
the way, from preconception
to birth.
Yoshanta said: “I treat
them like family and I
advise them to take
‘one step at a time’ –
not to think about the
past, or the future, but
to focus on the
present. Some cry,
some want to have a
good chat but the one
thing they have in
common is they are
always very, very
grateful. It is incredibly
rewarding.”
* In comparison to statistics published
by the independent regulator, the
Human Fertilisation and Embryology
Authority, (www.hfea.gov.uk) where
the national average is stated as 30-
35%.
Dr Rehan Salim with one of the IVF babies
6

our trust
RLHIM launches in style
Patients and staff gathered at
the Royal London Hospital for
Integrated Medicine (RLHIM)
during an open event to
celebrate its new name.
The hospital, formerly the Royal
London Homoeopathic Hospital
(RLHH), held a special event,
attended by chairman Richard
Murley, to mark the name
change.
Around 30 stands were set up to
tell staff and patients about the
work of the hospital which
changed its name to better reflect
the wide range of services it
provides.
More images can be seen by
looking at the photo gallery on
Insight.
Safeguarding children – everyone’s business
UCLH’s child safeguarding culture was
positively praised following a visit from
the NHS London Safeguarding
Improvement Team.
“We were impressed with the culture
around safeguarding at UCLH, with
training tailored to engage doctors who
see children only part of the time.
Safeguarding seems strongly
embedded in practice.”
Also highlighted were the multidisciplinary
meetings held across
paediatric, obstetric and emergency
departments and the strong mental
health engagement throughout
children’s services.
The Trust’s child safeguarding team
has simplified training in this area over
the past year, to ensure that all staff
have access to training at the
relevant level.
Bespoke training is given wherever
possible, to make sure that the
lessons shared are relevant to the
team. Jean Owino (pictured) has
joined the team as named midwife; a
key role in supporting midwives in
managing complex cases.
For advice or to report a concern,
staff should contact one of the team:
Named Nurse:
Polly Smith - 07984 389 643
Named Doctor:
Jo Begent- 079 768 248 92
Named Midwife:
Jean Owino - 07711797176
NHS Camden Social Work Team:
0207 380 9592
Out of hours staff should speak to the
emergency social work team or
attending paediatrician, both
contactable through switchboard.
Remember – if you have a concern
about any child or young person, it is
better to pick up the phone and speak
to an expert than let your concerns go
unreported. It is the responsibility of all
staff to remain vigilant.
All staff should therefore make sure
that they have had training in
Training requirements for all staff
safeguarding at the appropriate level
every three years – bespoke training
can be arranged. Further details can be
found on Insight under ‘child
safeguarding.’
Level of training Which staff? How often? For how long?
Level 1 All front-of-house staff At induction and
then every three
years
Level 2
Level 3
All staff who regularly
come into contact with
children
All staff working
predominantly with
children and A&E staff
Every three years
Every three years
30 minutes or
e-learning
Between one
hour and half a
day
One to two
days
7

the back page
Secret lives
Landing a pike, not just any old pike,
but a 20Ib whopper is pretty high up on
John Hufton’s wish list. But before
reaching for his fishing tackle, he tries
a more esoteric approach: Nam-
Myoho–Renge-Kyo.
As a Buddhist, those rhythmic sounds
have become a way of life.
“When you chant you feel strong, not a
victim of what’s going on around you
but in charge of your own destiny. The
chant taps into a mystic law – like
gravity you can’t see it – and it
empowers you to take responsibility,
unlock positive potential and overcome
obstacles. It is like having a surfboard
to ride the stormy seas.”
When a friend invited John, the Trust’s
voluntary services organiser, to a
Buddhist meeting 14 years ago, he
was initially sceptical. “I said ‘what’s
that weird noise?’ I thought there was
something wrong with the plumbing!”
But he decided to try it and quickly
began to see how the regular daily
practice brought positive spin-offs: he
left his frustrating job in advertising
sales, found a new career and met his
wife, a fellow Buddhist.
Now he chants in his living room every
morning and evening in front of a
Gohonzon, a scroll which represents
the Buddha nature, focusing on
courage, wisdom, compassion and
energy.
“You can have candles, a bell and
sometime incense around the altar but
it’s not like the stereotype of orange
robes, shaved heads and total silence.
It’s a very dynamic practice where you
determine to create value for your self
and others.”
So what would he chant for today?
“To do the best job I possibly can, to
help my son do the best he can at
school…and survive the recession,” he
said with a smile. As for the 20lb pike?
Let’s hear it loud and clear: Nam-
Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
* John is a member of SGI-UK
Buddhist network and holds a chanting
session at the multi-faith chapel at
UCH each Wednesday 1pm. Staff are
welcome to join him. Please contact
John via the Trust email for more
information.
John
Hufton,
working his
way towards
his dream
catch
Eye op is pure poetry
A grateful patient whose sight was
fully restored following a cataract
operation at UCH has written a poem
expressing her joy.
“I’ve carried out about 3,000
cataract operations since
becoming a consultant and
many patients have expressed
their thanks, but this is the first
time I have had a poem
written for me! It’s very sweet,”
said consultant
ophthalmologist John Brazier.
“The sky is transformed from
miserable
To the benevolence of blue
Where people are walking rainbows
And everyday objects shine with
beauty.”
She said: “When I took the bandage
off, the room exploded with light. Later
in Regents Park I was overwhelmed
by flowers and the depth of colour. It
was as if I was seeing the world for
the first time.”
Patricia, who has astigmatism, has
suffered from poor eyesight for years
and her poem highlights the impact
that had on her “sepia” life.
The poem written by patient
Patricia Mason from Central
London included the following
lines:
Patient Patricia Mason with consultant
opthalmologist - John Brazier
Two 12 minute operations at UCH,
using ultrasound technology, changed
her life. The patient’s lens – the size
of an aspirin – was removed and
replacement lenses were fitted.
Archives
Sister Morse working in the sterilising room of the Woolavington Wing. The
Woolavington Wing was the wing of The Middlesex Hospital for paying
patients. It opened in 1934, funded by a gift from Lord Woolavington in
memory of his wife. In 1936 the charges ranged from £4 4s to £12 12s per
week, depending on the size and location of the room. In the 1950s the
central sterile supply department was opened in the basement of The
Middlesex Hospital.
8