Inside Story - University College London Hospitals

Inside Story
Prestigious award for UCLH homeless project – page 2
AND
Focus on senior investigators – pages 4 & 5
PLUS
Ward Safety Checklist initiative – page 7
Inside Story is the UCLH staff magazine

news
UCLH homeless project scoops top award
A pioneering project which is changing
the lives of hundreds of homeless
people has scooped a prestigious
award.
The London Pathway project, based at
UCH, is giving homeless people access
to proper healthcare and saving the
NHS money in the process.
The project won the Andy Ludlow
homelessness award which promotes
innovation and good practice in tackling
homelessness in the capital.
The London Pathway uses a dedicated
homelessness nurse and GP to make
sure that homeless patients get all the
care they need – including support after
they have left the safety of the hospital.
It has reduced admissions of homeless
people to UCH by 3.2 days per patient,
which equates to savings of £300,000
a year.
The project beat five other short-listed
groups to win the top prize of £25,000.
Dr Nigel Hewett, clinical lead of the
homeless team at UCH and medical
director of The London Pathway, said:
“This award publicly rewards the
incredible dedication of my two London
Pathway nurses – Flo Cumberbatch
and Trudy Boyce – and all the fantastic
staff at UCLH who we work with, and
who are trying to turnaround the lives
of homeless people.”
Alex Bax, chief executive of the
London Pathway a project set up with
funding provided by UCLH Charity,
said: “Winning this award is fantastic”.
Putting bright QEP ideas into action
The QEP Improvement Network
launched recently will provide practical
support to staff eager to introduce QEP
projects in their working areas.
Staff will receive training in project
management and change management
skills, as well as one-to-one support
and mentoring from an experienced
‘improvement coach’.
Guy Young, head of quality
improvement, who is one of the
mentors, said: "Frontline NHS staff are
never short of good ideas. Sadly, these
ideas don't often reach fruition and this
is where the improvement network will
make a big difference.
"The enthusiasm shown by the people I
am coaching is striking and their
projects are innovative and exciting. My
job is to help them to make their ideas
reality and I am very much looking
forward to it."
Training sessions start in late
November. Master classes and monthly
improvement clinics will be held in early
2011. If you wish to join the 2011
Improvement Network please contact
Laura Alexander on ext 3269.
Staff survey: have you
completed yours?
Have you received a 2010
staff survey pack? If so,
make sure you fill it in and
return it by 10 December.
This is an opportunity for
those people randomly
selected to have their say
about UCLH and also have
the chance to win a £100
John Lewis voucher.
Blueprint for success
Printers, photocopiers, scanners and fax
machines across the Trust were upgraded
and brought under the management of a
single supplier in June this year. Previously,
different departments bought these items
from different suppliers which resulted in
varying quality across the Trust and high
cost for purchase and maintenance. We
have now ‘bought in bulk’ and work with one
supplier for purchase and maintenance of
these items across our six hospitals, saving
money and equipping our staff with access
to modern technology on a day-to-day basis.
James Thomas, director of ICT said: “The
contract with Logica will generate a saving of
£123,000 per year, which is £0.86 million
over the proposed seven years of the
contract. But this has not just been about
saving money. Staff across the Trust,
including those in clinical areas, now also
have access to high tech print management
tools including colour printing, double sided
printing, scanning and emailing direct from
their PCs.”
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: Althia Turner,
nurse, and Ellie Knights,
divisional senior nurse, with a
patient. See page 2.
2

news
Don’t stop believing
Althia Turner is proof that it’s never
too late to pursue your dreams.
After 26 years as a domestic
supervisor, physiotherapy and health
care assistant at UCLH, she decided
the time was right to start a new
chapter in her life.
Althia (pictured above) embarked on a
full-time university course and has
recently qualified as a nurse – at the
age of 55.
Althia said: “When I was doing the
other jobs I knew I wanted more… but
I was caring for three grandchildren
and it just wasn’t possible. When my
50th birthday approached I decided I
wanted a change in my life and to do
something for myself. I feel so proud
at what I have achieved. My husband
and children are proud of me too!”
She was encouraged to move up the
career ladder after chief nurse and
talent spotter Louise Boden made a
comment.
“One day I was sent to first aid
training where I met a colleague called
Louise Boden who was a chief nurse.
Louise assumed that I was a nurse.
When Louise saw my badge one day
she was surprised and said ‘why don’t
you go for it?’ She inspired me.”
As a first step, she beat off stiff
competition to win a healthcare
assistant post at The Heart Hospital
and subsequently gained her NVQ.
Then – with support from senior
colleague Ellie Knights – she signed
up for three years at South Bank
University. Her
studies were
funded by
UCLH.
When the
going got
tough she
knew she
could rely on
her friends
and
colleagues.
“I didn’t have a secondary education
so I found university difficult at first.
When I was upset Louise and other
colleagues were very kind and
considerate and offered me support.
Louise in particular has shown an
interest throughout it all.”
Louise said Althia is a great example
of how it is never too late to develop
your career.
Louise added: “It is helping colleagues
like Althia that makes my job really
worthwhile. I wish her continued
success – and I have no doubt that
she will make a great nurse.”
Althia returns to The Heart Hospital as
a fully qualified staff nurse this
autumn.
“It’s made me realise you can achieve
anything if you put your mind to it. I
feel on top of the world,” she added.
Louise Boden will step down from her role as chief nurse
when she retires at the end of the month after 41 years in the
NHS. Louise who has spent nearly 18 years at UCLH will be
replaced by Katherine Fenton, chief nurse and director of
clinical standards at NHS South Central, who takes up her
role in January. Louise said: "It has been a real privelege to
have worked for so long in such a rewarding profession. I
have been fortunate to work with some wonderful people in
fascinating organisations and I will always look back fondly at
my time at UCLH which has been the pinnacle of my career."
Health secretary visits UCH cancer centre
The charity Macmillan Cancer
Support has announced its biggest
ever investment to help build what will
be the UK’s most advanced cancer
centre at UCLH.
The announcement was marked at a
reception attended by health
secretary Andrew Lansley, who visited
the site of the UCH Macmillan Cancer
Centre.
Macmillan has agreed to contribute
£10 million to the centre which will
open in 2012 and cost £100 million to
build.
Mr Lansley met staff, patients and
Macmillan representatives at the UCH
Education Centre, before visiting the
construction site at nearby Huntley
Street.
He said: “You are a fantastic hospital
that delivers a fantastic service to the
people you look after. To develop that
service even more is absolutely
critical. Thanks to Macmillan for all
they are doing to enable this to
happen.”
The UCH
Macmillan Cancer
Centre will be the
first of its kind in
the NHS and will
redefine the way
patients are
treated, using the
best diagnostic
and treatment
techniques to
improve survival
rates. Every detail
of the centre has
been designed
around the needs
of individual patients with more focus
on the best treatments, wellbeing,
rehabilitation and cancer survivorship.
It is due to open in 2012.
From l to r: Richard Murley, UCLH chairman, Steve Richards, Macmillan
director, Julia Palca, Macmillan chair, Andrew Lansley, Secretary of
State for Health and Sir Robert Naylor, UCLH chief executive
3

focus on research
4
Spotlight on top researchers
Twenty-two consultants and professors from UCLH and
UCL are among a select group making the most
outstanding contribution to patient-focused health
research in the NHS.
They hold the prestigious post of senior investigator for the
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the
research arm of the Department of Health.
They are also linked to the UCLH/UCL Comprehensive
Biomedical Research Centre (CBRC), one of only five in
the country, which brings together the work of hundreds of
scientists, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals
looking into some of the major causes of illness and
disease-related death.
Senior investigator Professor Deenan Pillay has recently
been appointed CBRC director and described it as ‘linking
world class clinical care at UCLH with equally world class
research at UCL’.
He added: “The purpose of the CBRC is to provide a
structure for funnelling resource to support clinicians and
clinical support staff in research activity.
“This ensures that UCLH remains at the very forefront of
developing novel clinical services at the cutting edge of
healthcare, which in turn attracts the highest quality staff.”
The key area for CBRC development over the coming
months is experimental medicine – in line with the priority
of the NIHR, which funds the UK’s five CBRCs.
Deenan explained: “Experimental medicine represents the
pre-clinical, scientific endeavours and early clinical trials of
new interventions into diseases. For example, new drugs,
new vaccines and new diagnostics.
“My aim is for CBRC-based research to allow UCLH to
offer the newest and most effective treatments for complex
diseases, including cancer and neurological conditions
and cardiovascular disease.”
This month we focus on the work of Deenan and
fellow senior investigator Professor David Linch.
From l to r: Professor Martin Rosser, UCLH/UCL; Professor Deenan
Pillay, UCLH/UCL; Professor John Duncan, UCLH/UCL; Professor
Anne Johnson, Camden PCT/UCL; Dame Professor Sally Davis,
director of NIHR and interim chief medical officer. Picture taken at a
recent NIHR conference
Bringing hope to HIV patients
Clinical virologist Deenan Pillay and his team have made a
huge difference to the lives of people with HIV, flu and viral
hepatitis.
When the swine flu pandemic spread across the world last
year, it was the clinical virology department at UCLH which
played a fundamental role in the rapid development of tests
to detect the virus and identify drug-resistant strains.
For many years, Deenan’s main research interest has been
the use of anti-viral drugs to combat HIV. The once killer
disease can now be treated with a range of drugs which
can significantly prolong the lives of those infected.
However these dramatic advances have come at a cost: the
virus has evolved to become resistant to certain drugs.
Deenan uses complex methods of gene sequencing to
detect how this happens to make sure patients get the most
appropriate treatment.
In collaboration with the Medical Research Council, Deenan
(pictured above) and his team have built up a picture across
the UK of how drug resistant strains of the HIV virus are
being transmitted. He has now extended this to a
European-wide network, through major EU funding.
He said: “From the work we have done, the national
guidelines have changed for monitoring HIV infection in
order for the correct treatment to be given right from the
beginning and tailored to the patient.
“HIV drugs cost between £10,000 and £15,000 a year for
each patient and it means that the patient outcome is
improved and money is not wasted on giving ineffective,
expensive treatments.”

focus on research
Stem cell breakthroughs for cancer patients
CBRC key facts
18 research themes
Over £5m invested in
new translational
research projects
Over £25m invested in
staff, equipment and
research facilities,
including the Clinical
Research Facility
136 consultants funded
Professor David Linch is at the forefront of
clinical research which has the potential to
save the lives of thousands of patients
with blood cell cancers. Throughout the
decades, his dogged determination to
push back the boundaries of scientific
investigation and uncover new patient
treatments and therapies remains
undiminished.
“There are constantly new goals – goals
that evolve on a daily basis. The second
you achieve one goal, three more goals
appear. It a step-by-step process and you
never reach the end of the journey.
“I wake up each morning and look forward
to coming to work. As long as I do, I will
continue.”
When the 59-year-old consultant
haematologist first embarked on that
journey in the early 1980s, the prognosis
was poor for the vast majority of patients
with leukaemia. Only 5% survived
compared to 40-50% of younger adults
today.
For patients failing standard therapy, high
dose therapy with autologous (patients’
own) stem cell transplantation can rescue
nearly half the patients with lymphoma.
The Department of Haematology at UCLH
was at the forefront of these
developments and is now leading the field
in defining the role of allogeneic (donor
cell) transplantation.
Professor Linch (pictured right) is
currently leading a study to test tissue
samples from patients at UCLH and
elsewhere to determine the genetic
changes which give rise to acute myeloid
leukaemia. Understanding those changes
will help in the development of new
therapies and treatments.
“The greatest advantage of working at
UCLH is the long standing tradition of a
shared agenda between the hospital and
the university. It enables you to do things
that would just not be possible in many
other institutions. In haematology we
make very little distinction between who is
hospital and who is university – everyone
provides a clinical service and everyone
makes a contribution to research and
teaching, he added.“
Research support for nurses and midwives
A new centre launched at UCLH aims to
encourage and support nurses and
midwives to become more involved in
research projects to benefit patients.
The Centre for Nurse and Midwife-Led
Research (CNMR) will provide expert
guidance to help them develop research
ideas into practice.
It is based within the UCLH/UCL
Comprehensive Biomedical Research
Centre at Maple House.
Project lead Kay Mitchell, a UCH nurse
and researcher at UCL’s Portex Unit,
said: “Sometimes even a small research
project can make a big difference to
patient care. Nurses and midwives –
whether at junior or senior level – are
well placed to see what patients need
and what could be improved.
“The centre will provide them with
resources and a network of support from
senior academic and clinical
colleagues.”
Intensive care nurse Alison Paterson
(nee Mulligan) has recently published
her research study findings into
validating the effectiveness of current
early warning systems (track and trigger)
for identifying haematology patients who
are developing critical illness.
She said: “The CNMR would have really
helped me throughout the process by
enabling me to tap into existing research
expertise. Advice on data collection and
analysis and writing the research
proposal would have been invaluable!”
If you are already involved in research or
would like to be please contact Kay on
kay.mitchell@uclh.nhs.uk
Sheila Adam, head of nursing for the
surgery and cancer board and nursing
lead for education and research said: "It
is one of the most important steps
forward taken by UCLH and the CBRC
in building research capacity amongst
our nurses and midwives."
5

interview
Blood, sweat and tears
Darielle Proctor reports
Jenny Berryman runs a tight ship.
Her team has to be meticulously
precise – there is no room for error or
lives are on the line.
Jenny (pictured right) is the Trust’s
Blood Transfusion Laboratory
manager and she runs the Blood
Transfusion lab based in Whitfield
Street.
The Blood Transfusion Laboratory
runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
and provides the hospitals across the
Trust with approximately 70,000
blood products – such as blood,
platelets and plasma – every year.
“This is an around the clock job,”
says Jenny.
“The laboratory team consists of a
core of dedicated biomedical
scientists (BMSs), a quality manager
and a training officer. We work as
part of the Hospital Transfusion Team
alongside consultants and
transfusion practitioners to ensure
that we deliver blood, and blood
products, to the patients who need
them as quickly as possible.”
The blood labs are stark and spartan –
clinically spotless and fastidiously
clean. In the background the fridges
hum reassuringly and agitators rock
rhythmically so that packs of platelets
are kept alive (they only have a five
day shelf life and this is even shorter if
the platelets aren’t kept moving).
The laboratory works efficiently with
biomedical scientists busily analysing
samples to check blood groups and
Some members of the Blood Transfusion Laboratory team
the presence of red cell antibodies.
They also have to check to see if
antibodies are present –
approximately 10% of the blood issued
at UCLH is for patients with antibodies
in their blood. Depending on which
antibody is present, it can often take
up to an hour to crossmatch and
ensure compatibility. Compatible blood
may have to be specially ordered and
for very rare types it can take several
days to obtain.
The safety checks – both manual and
electronic, including scanners,
signatures, labels, registers and legal
tags – are rigorous to ensure that the
right patient receives the right blood
and blood products.
Given that the team can issue up to
200 products a day it is easy to see
why there is a need for a fail-safe
system.
Blood transfusion and haematology
together recently attained Clinical
Pathology Accreditation which
assures users of high standards.
In 2005 a new law was introduced to
ensure standards of quality in blood
transfusion in the UK and particularly
that all donor blood could be traced
from donor to recipient via the donor
number. Jenny explains that a lot of
“hard work over the past five years”
has been focussed on blood
traceability. Each pack of blood that
is delivered to a patient has a
detachable ‘pinkie’ – a piece of
paper that has to be filled in by the
doctor or nurse administering the
donor blood – and it has to be
returned to the Blood Transfusion Lab.
It is this piece of paper that enables
the blood team to see if the patient
received the donor blood that was
allocated to them.
“Until we receive the pinkie we cannot
assume that the patient has received
the blood” says Jenny.
“We need to be able to decisively
report if the patient actually receives it,
if not then we need to make sure the
blood is returned to us and either reissued
for another patient or destroyed
if it has been out of a fridge for too
long or is past its expiry date.”
Jenny adds: “Our best compliance
score has been 99% but we normally
average between 98 and 99%. Whilst
this sounds high we do need to be
hitting 100%. Our patients’ health
and well-being is at risk when we
cannot track where blood has ended
up after it leaves our fridges or don’t
know for how long it has been
removed.”
Jenny credits the success to hard
working team members who pull
together to ensure that there is
nothing blocking a system that runs
smoothly, quickly and efficiently.
6

Staff make a clean sweep of infection control awards
If Sally Calimoso suddenly drops to her
knees in the middle of T9 don’t be
unduly alarmed. She’s just doing her
job.
“I randomly check the floor is clean
under the beds. If it’s not – it soon will
be!” said Sally who won the Trust’s
Housekeeper of the Year infection
control award.
She was one of several staff praised
for helping to keep our hospitals clean
and free from infection.
The awards were presented at a Trust
infection control study day for clinical
staff at 33 Queen Square which
Other award winners picked by the infection control
team were Dr Chris Taylor from the NHNN; T6 nurse
Angie Brooker and domestic staff Maria Goncalves
and Zlatina Georgieva.
Annette Jeanes, director for infection prevention and
control said: "We wanted to publicly recognise the
great work people do every day – those who get it
right and strive to keep it that way."
A simple checklist which encourages
staff to pause and consider safety
issues is being introduced on all
inpatient ward rounds across the Trust.
The Ward Safety Checklist (WSC) is
partly based on a similar initiative
sponsored by the World Health
Organization (WHO): the Surgical
Safety Checklist reduced safety-related
incidents in operating theatres across
the Trust, as well as improving team
communication.
Dr Yogi Amin, programme lead for
WSC, said: “We watched and
supported the WHO programme very
closely and started to wonder how
the approach could have a wider
impact – ward rounds were the
obvious answer.”
Yogi, a consultant neuro anaesthetist
and intensivist at the NHNN, said the
idea is not to dictate how people
actually conduct rounds, but to offer a
straightforward checklist for issues
like VTE prophylaxis, skin care and
fluid balance, things that can cause
harm if they are overlooked.
The project team reviewed existing
draft checklists from UCLH and
included practical sessions, workshops
and presentations on a number of
issues including updated antibiotic
guidelines, hand hygiene and the
enhanced recovery programme. It
aimed to influence practice in
accordance with the ‘Saving Lives –
High Impact Interventions’ programme.
Sally (pictured right) spends her days
doing various tasks but takes particular
notice of those related to infection
control: spot cleaning spillages,
removing clutter, cleaning drip stands
and commodes, monitoring cleaning
standards and double checking that
there is no dust or grime
lurking in awkward
nooks and crannies.
She said: “I know the
Trust goal is to deliver
high quality care and
infection control is a
major part of that. My
contribution helps and I
feel great satisfaction
to know I am making a
Ward safety – let’s pause for thought …
elsewhere and observed a series of
real ward rounds to help refine the final
design.
During a recent training day at the UCH
Education Centre, staff were able to
practise using the checklist in simulated
ward exercises, and decide precisely
how they were going to integrate the
checklist into their own practice. Some
attendees were able to explain how the
checklist might have avoided recent
serious untoward incidents.
our trust
difference to patients and staff. I’m
much tougher than I used to be. If I
see a colleague who hasn’t washed
their hands properly I’ll remind them!
“I just like the ward to be safe and tidy.
I’m like that at home too!”
The Education Centre training
programme will run until March 2011
and around 1,300 Trust staff will go
through the course; a number of senior
nurses, clinical and medical directors
have already attended, with others
already booked on.
For information about the WSC
programme and details of programme
dates please contact Carina Goncalves
on 0207 380 9613, or email
WSC@uclh.nhs.uk
Staff learn more about the Ward Safety Checklist at a training programme at the Education Centre
7

the back page
Secret lives
Q: What has lobster-wearing, steak
bearing showgirl Lady Gaga got in
common with cancer services PA Olivia
Mulholland? A: When it comes to
flamboyant hats they are both head
and shoulders above the rest.
A striking Las Vegas roulette wheel
spinning in fibre optic lights and
encrusted with crystals; an oversized
figure of ‘5’ in black velvet curled
around the eye; glitter and leather
poker cards festooned with feathers –
Olivia’s millinery creations are rarely
dull. Others are more subtle in design
with lace, pearls and velvet fitting for a
bride’s big day or an outing at Ascot.
Before joining UCLH, Olivia completed
a two-year millinery course at
Kensington and Chelsea College
before successfully undertaking a
degree in accessories at London
College of Fashion.
“I love big hats, flamboyant and
dramatic from a glamorous era. They
definitely make an outfit look more
special and I have designed tiaras and
hats for lots of weddings and special
occasions. My more outrageous Las
Vegas themed ones were designed as
part of my college course and
they are still on display at home.
“I used to want to open a shop in
the country, designing and selling
hats with a black Labrador at my
feet but somehow I find myself
here, at UCLH.”
Life in the cancer services division
maybe an unlikely choice for a
milliner like Olivia, but it suits her
well.
Olivia, who started off as a temp,
now works as PA to general
managers Emily Fremantle,
Chrissie Baylis and Jessica
Tudor-Williams.
She said: “I never thought I would
enjoy working in an office but I really
like it here. My colleagues are great.
Now I am happy to make hats on the
side.”
Art therapy
The Children and Young People
Outpatients Department is running
more clinics than ever before and
now sees an average of 500
patients per week. To help
reassure patients and to keep
them occupied whilst they are
waiting, the department has
introduced art workshops funded
by the Friends of UCLH and run by
artist Frances Newman.
The therapeutic nature of the
workshops enables young people
to express their feelings and
emotions about their condition and
ongoing treatment through their
artwork. Liz Wilkinson, the
clinic’s play specialist, said:
“Participating in art projects
can help to distract from pain
and discomfort by providing
an alternative focus. Often the
patients produce a piece of
artwork which they can take
home with them giving them a
sense of having achieved
something.”
Competition
Win a set of four tickets
for the Christmas
Spectacular at the O2 arena. The O2
arena has kindly donated 4 tickets to see
the Raymond Gubbay, the classical
spectacular impresario.
The event on 23 December at 7.30pm
will be a rousing night of carols,
traditional tunes and some cracking
Christmas number one hits.
For your chance to win these tickets send
your answer to the question below by
email to: competition@uclh.nhs.uk.
Q: How many research themes does
the CBRC have?
Competition entries must be received by
17 December, winners will be notified by
20 December.
Archives
The Photographic Department
at the Eastman Dental Hospital
in the 1950s was equipped with
a full dental unit for
instructional film making. In this
image Mr James Morgan is
operating the camera.
Open Event
Christmas is fast approaching! Join us at the
UCLH open event on Tuesday 7 December
between 3.30pm and 6pm for a mince pie
and some festive cheer. West End star Lee
Mead will be turning on the Christmas tree
lights. Don’t forget to tell your colleagues,
patients, friends and family.
8