April 2011 Rameen's one of the best Trust doctor shortlisted for ...

The magazine for Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
April 2011
Rameen’s one
of the best
Trust doctor shortlisted
for prestigious BMA award
See p7

Improvements made to
Maternity Services
Children bake a
difference
The Trust’s maternity services
have been in the news over the
past few weeks.
The Care Quality Commission issued
a report telling us that we needed to
make improvements at Queen’s
Hospital.
These included upping the number
of midwives and ensuring that
enough equipment was available.
Fortunately, we had begun making
major improvements to maternity
before we received the report, so
were well on track to meeting their
requirements.
Chief Executive Averil Dongworth
said: “We are aware that there have
been issues with maternity, and are
already working to improve the
service and address the areas which
have been mentioned.
“The experience that women have
during labour, and the care they
receive, is extremely important, and
in the past we have not always got
that right.
“We will be using the CQC’s report
to drive forward the changes that
are already taking place.”
The Trust had already put funding in
place to bring 49 extra midwives to
the Trust, and a successful
recruitment drive in March has now
filled those positions.
We have also redesigned services at
Queen’s Hospital to make care safer,
and improve the experience of
women in labour.
A new reception area has been
opened so that women arriving in
the maternity department are seen
immediately by a senior midwife and
sent straight to the most appropriate
ward.
We have also launched a telephone
service for women in labour. They
can call a designated number which
will be manned at all times by a
senior midwife.
They can then advise the women if
they need to come into hospital, and
can be ready and waiting to see
them when they arrive.
Director of Midwifery Carol
Drummond (pictured right) said:
“There has been substantial
investment in maternity services at
the Trust and a huge improvement in
the number of specialist staff,
including consultants.
“We are working closely with our
patients to ensure that services are
being developed to provide the best
possible environment and care for
women before, during and after
birth.”
Women who have given birth at our
hospitals sit on a Maternity Services
Liaison Committee. They work
closely with us to ensure that we are
providing the best possible
environment and experience for
women.
These volunteers have been
instrumental in ensuring that
improvements are made, and have
been talking to patients to check
that they feel confident and happy
with the care they are receiving.
The Care Quality Commission will be
revisiting the Trust to ensure that
changes have been put in place.
Averil Dongworth said: “I am
confident that the improvements
being made will see us fully
complying with national
requirements, and I will ensure that
changes are brought about quickly
and safely.”
Children from Al Noor
Primary School have
handed over hundreds
of pounds to help
youngsters in hospital.
Pupils from the Ilford
school raised £684 by
baking and selling cakes
at both their school and
the local mosque.
They came to Clover
Ward in King George
Hospital to present the
cheque to staff and
patients, and to see
where their money will
be spent.
Ward Manager Ann Honey said: “I’m so grateful to the school for thinking of
us. We are using the money they raised to buy televisions on trolleys which
can be wheeled to the children’s bedside.
“They will be able to watch television, DVDs or use games consoles from
every bed on the ward.”
• Pictured is patient Farnush Nadimifard, 10, from Chigwell, receiving the
cheque from pupils from Al Noor Primary School
Over 700 tonnes of waste
recycled at Queen’s
An impressive 726 tonnes of
waste has been recycled at
Queen’s in just six months.
That is equivalent to 92% of general
mixed waste and 100% of food
waste.
The Trust is working with its partner
Sodexo – which provides catering,
cleaning and a whole range of other
services on site – to raise awareness
of the importance of recycling.
A Waste Awareness Day was held in
March with people on hand to talk
to staff, visitors and patients. Leaflets
and posters full of useful facts and
figures were available for people to
take away and learn more about
how and what they can do to help
the hospital recycle further.
Claire Atkins Morris, waste and
environment manager for Sodexo
Healthcare, said: “By changing the
way we manage
waste we can identify
opportunities and
realise cost efficiencies
through avoiding landfill tax, which
is set to rise significantly over the
coming years. So instead of waste
being just waste, it is now seen as a
vital resource and considerably helps
towards adding value for both
Sodexo and the Trust.
“The best thing about this project
has been the way by which Sodexo,
the Trust and our waste partners
have co-operated to deliver this
fantastic achievement. The real
positive from this whole project has
been the commitment shown by
everyone.
“We will continue developing the
recycling process at Queen’s Hospital
to ensure recyclability rates remain
high.”
2 H O S P I TA L L I F E
A P R I L 2 0 1 1
3

Security are
good sports
Security staff at Queen’s Hospital have decided to be good
sports and get fundraising for the children’s day unit.
Security Supervisors Gary Martin and Tony Davis heard that the
department was in need of some extra play items, and wanted
to help.
Gary said: “The day unit needs more toys and computer games
to occupy the children while they receive their chemotherapy.
We put our heads together and hatched a plan to see if we
could get enough items of sports memorabilia to be able to hold
an auction on behalf of the unit.”
Tony added: “We have
approached loads of
sporting organisations. We
are working hard to
persuade people to give as
much as possible.”
There are two pairs of tickets available for any
of Middlesex’s County Cricket
Championship or Clydesdale 40 Over
League matches played at a home venue,
during 2011. Further details will be given
when arranging the date required.
The pair have already
secured a pair of tickets to
a London Wasps rugby
game and two pairs for a Middlesex cricket match. If you would
like to get your hands on any of these tickets, email your bid,
including your name and contact details, to
bhr.charity@bhrhospitals.nhs.uk by April 29th. The tickets will
go to the highest bidder.
• Pictured are Security Supervisors Gary Martin and Tony Davis
The pair of rugby tickets are for
the London Wasps versus the
Exeter Chiefs, Leeds Carnegie,
Newcastle Falcons or Sale
Sharks sitting in the ‘Dream Stand’
(reserved seating behind the goal) at the
London Wasps Aviva Premiership Rugby fixture
at Adams Park Stadium, High Wycombe,
Bucks. for the 2011/12 season.
HIV Team win award
The Trust’s Community HIV Team has been
honoured with a special award.
London-based charity Positive East has named the
team at its Professionals of the Year.
Mike Reardon from the charity said: “The award is for
their outstanding commitment and hard work, and
because they are prepared to go that extra mile for
the people living with HIV that they support at their
clinic.”
The award is normally given to an individual, but
patients nominated the entire team for the accolade.
General Manager for Sexual Health Maureen Ross
said: “I am so very proud of the team whose
dedication has been recognised by patients and
partners in HIV across London.”
The HIV Team are based at the Sydenham Centre on
the Barking Hospital site.
The Centre has also come out top in a recent patient
survey of north London hospitals.
• Mike Reardon from Positive East is pictured with members
of the Trust’s Community HIV Team
4 H O S P I TA L L I F E

Make garden dreams a reality
A new garden is being created at Queen’s Hospital -
and you could be a part of it.
The Lavender Garden is being planted in the grounds of
the hospital to provide a tranquil and relaxing
environment for patients, visitors and staff.
Coming into hospital can be a stressful and worrying
time, and the new garden will allow people to enjoy a
calm and quiet area to collect their thoughts.
The garden has been professionally designed with paved
pathways and circles snaking between flowerbeds filled
with plants of different colours, scents and textures.
To help BHR Hospitals Charity make the design a reality,
people are being encouraged to sponsor a paver, which
can then be engraved with a message of your choice.
High quality brick pavers and granite stones will be used
to create the hardwearing paths and circles, and these will
be inscribed with personal messages.
There will be a specific Birth Circle for people who would
like to commemorate the arrival of a new baby. What
better way to mark a new arrival than with a permanent
reminder at the hospital where they were born?
Or football fans may like a stone in the circle which
Dagenham and Redbridge FC are kindly sponsoring.
Individuals, groups or companies are welcome to sponsor
a paver, with costs starting at £50.
As well as having your message inscribed in stone, you
will also receive a certificate which can be framed.
For more information, or to order your paver, visit
www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk/lavendergarden. You can also
call BHR Hospitals Charity on 01708 435000, extension
2922 or 2913, or email BHR.Charity@bhrhospitals.nhs.uk.
Remember to let us know if you would like to be part of
the Birth or Dagenham and Redbridge Circles.
Lingerie event for breast cancer patients
The Trust’s Breast Care Clinical
Nurse Specialists are holding
their annual lingerie event for
women who have had cancer
surgery.
Many companies who supply
lingerie for women who have
undergone breast cancer surgery -
including Trulife, Marks and
Spencer and Nicola Jane - will be
bringing along their products.
You can view and try on the
lingerie, and can place orders or
make purchases on the night.
Linda Park, Macmillan Breast
Clinical Nurse Specialist, said: “This
is a non-profit making event which
women have found to be very
valuable to them in the past.”
The event is taking place at the
Victoria Breast Care Unit in Pettits
Lane, Romford, from 4pm until
7pm on Thursday April 14th.
Everyone is welcome.
Breast awareness
evening
An Asian Breast Awareness
Evening has been held at King
George Hospital. Patients and
their families were invited to
the event, hosted by a
Consultant Breast Surgeon.
Visitors watched a short play in
Hindi presented by a local ethnic
drama group on how to be breast
aware and the dangers of breast
cancer.
A P R I L 2 0 1 1
5

Fiona’s such an inspiration
A nurse who has been described
as an ‘inspiration’ by colleagues
has scooped an award.
Fiona Kenton, Senior Sister on the
Trust’s oncology ward - Mandarin B
at Queen’s Hospital - has been
named at the Employee of the
Month.
Fiona was nominated by patient
Rajesh Kalha for her care and
expertise and by staff member Anna
Welch, on behalf of the ward.
Anna said: “Fiona is an inspiration. I
cannot tell you the amount of care
and compassion she has. We would
be lost without her.
“Fiona is an excellent senior sister
and a shining example of what a
professional nurse should be -
student nurses and junior nurses
aspire to be like her.
“As a ward manager, she always
goes beyond the call of duty to
provide our patients with the best
possible care. She has often come
to the ward on her days off to
administer chemotherapy and she is
Hospital staff need to collect
sensitive and personal information
about patients and their health. All
our staff have a duty to keep this
information confidential and to
protect your information from
being lost or disclosed by accident.
There are a range of safeguards in
place to make sure only those who
need to access patient information
do so. This may include other
members of hospital staff or those
that provide care outside hospital,
other health bodies or medical
researchers. Wherever possible,
information is anonymised or
referred to by just a hospital
number rather than a name.
We will not disclose any information
about a patient without their consent
(or that of their guardian, or next of
kin in a medical emergency), unless
we have to by law. You are entitled to
be kept informed about the
information we record about you, and
can apply for copies of your medical
records. You have rights to access
a fantastic support to all of her
staff.”
Director of Nursing Deborah Wheeler
presented Fiona with flowers, a
certificate and vouchers in a surprise
ceremony in front of her colleagues.
Fiona said: “This has made my week
- well my year. I couldn’t do it
without a great team behind me.”
• Fiona is pictured with Deborah
Wheeler and colleagues
What happens to patient information?
information we hold about you
under the Data Protection Act and
the Health Records Act, and also
about other general matters under
the Freedom of Information Act. You
can help us keep our information
accurate by letting us know of any
personal changes, such as a new
What is freedom
of information?
Freedom of Information is the
legislation which gives members
of the public a right to find out
if information is held by public
authorities, and if so to apply
for access to it.
While some exemptions exist under
the Freedom of Information Act
2000 which prevents certain data
being released, the intention is to
make as much information publicly
available as possible in the interests
of openness and transparency.
address, GP, next of kin, or any
changes in your medical condition.
If you would like any more details
about how we look after patient
information, speak to a member of
staff or visit our website
www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk
The
Trust is
committed to
answering requests under
this legislation promptly and to the
satisfaction of our service users. As
such, if you would like to know
more about FOI please review our
website www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk,
or contact our FOI Lead via 01708
435000 extension 3681. In addition,
our allocated email account for FOI
requests is foi@bhrhospitals.nhs.uk.
6 H O S P I TA L L I F E

Junior doctor shortlisted
for national award
A trainee cardiologist at Queen’s
Hospital has been shortlisted for
the title of Junior Doctor of the
Year.
Rameen Shakur (pictured right) has
made it to the last three in the
prestigious British Medical Journal
Awards. Around 650 people were
considered for the award from across
25 countries.
Rameen, 28, has been working at
Queen’s as a Specialist Registrar
since October, and thinks that the
judges put his name on the shortlist
because of his interest in research
and teaching.
He is undertaking research on heart
failure mechanisms, and has set up a
pan-London research teaching
group.
The BMJ says that their annual
awards “recognise individuals,
organisations or initiatives that have
demonstrated outstanding and
measurable contributions to
healthcare”.
As well as working as a cardiology
registrar – the first cardiologist ever
to be shortlisted for Junior Doctor of
the Year – Rameen is also a clinical
teacher in medicine at Oxford
University, an honorary research
fellow at the National Heart and
Lung Institute and has published a
number of books and papers as well
as presenting at conferences around
the world.
He trained at Cambridge, Oxford
and Edinburgh medical schools and
was also a Fellow at Harvard and
Mayo medical schools in the USA.
“I have a real passion for teaching
and research,” said Rameen.
“Encouraging students and doctors
to take part in research and clinical
audit can lead to huge
improvements in patient care.”
The Trust’s Chief Executive, Averil
Dongworth, said: “I am delighted
that Rameen has been shortlisted for
such a prestigious award. To have
such a high calibre of junior doctors
at our hospitals is a huge benefit to
our patients.”
Professor John Alcolado, Director of
Medical Education, said “We have
always attracted the very best of
junior doctors and we are proud
Rameen will be representing all the
good work done for our patients
and the wider community.”
Rameen will find out if he will be
named Junior Doctor of the Year at
the finals in London on May 18.
A P R I L 2 0 1 1 7

Grateful cancer
patient returns
to Queen’s
A grateful cancer patient has pledged to make life
more comfortable for other people undergoing
treatment.
Pippa Ward was diagnosed with breast cancer in
September last year, and faced gruelling treatment at
Queen’s Hospital.
But the 44-year-old
“
said that the staff
in the radiotherapy
department were
so dedicated that it
made an enormous
difference to her
experience.
“Everyone was so
lovely. You could see
their dedication. Although all the
patients in this department have
cancer, you hardly ever see a
miserable face in the waiting room,
and that is such a credit to the staff.
“I wanted to give something back.”
Pippa, from Romford, has been
raising money for the department,
and has already collected £7,000.
Donations from colleagues, friends,
neighbours and shopkeepers,
coupled with cake sales and raffles,
mean that Pippa was back in the
radiotherapy department to see
where the money is being spent.
MP3 players and docks have been
bought for every treatment room so
that patients can listen to the music
of their choice while they are
receiving radiotherapy.
Lead Radiographer Jackie Hartigan
said: “We will put generic music on
the MP3 players to start with, but
will also be consulting with patients
about that music they would like
added. Of course they will also be
able to bring their own CDs or MP3
players to listen to now as well.
“Having music playing can be
extremely soothing for people while
they are receiving radiotherapy. Little
things like this help us to make sure
“
It is important to make
people’s lives easier
as you lead them through
their journey.
that patients have the best
experience possible at such a bad
time in their lives. It is important to
make people’s lives easier as you
lead them through this journey.”
Pippa is also planning to fund a
machine which takes fat from the
stomach and then redistributes it at
the tumour site, where an area had
been removed. This will help patients
having cosmetic reconstruction.
The mum-of-three said: “There is
nothing that prepares you for
having cancer, but raising money to
give something back stopped me
feeling sorry for myself and gave
me a purpose.
“I have also started giving breast
awareness talks. I talk to women
about how to examine their breasts
properly to check for lumps. If one
woman takes my advice on board,
and manages to get her cancer
diagnosed and treated at an early
stage, it means that something good
has come out of my bad luck.”
• Pippa is pictured with Radiotherapy
staff and the MP3 players and
docking stations which she funded.
Extra nurses on the wards
Almost 50 new nurses are
joining the Trust after whistlestop
recruitment trips to
Portugal and Ireland.
Matron Beverley Sawer said: “We
have had several recruitment open
days locally over the past nine
months with some success. But it
seems that there are just not
enough suitably trained nurses
available locally, and we were
aware there were opportunities in
Ireland and Portugal.
“We were recruiting to the Medical
Assessment Units and A&Es on
both sites, so it was vital that we
appointed nurses of the right
calibre and with the right
experience and training.”
The interviewees had already
undergone the maths and literacy
testing with recruitment companies
in their relevant countries.
Thirty-six Registered Nurses from
Portugal and seven from Ireland
were recruited to the Medical and
Emergency Directorate.
“We have now filled all our
vacancies in those departments,
which is great,” says Beverley. “We
now have a much better staff to
patient ratio which will improve the
continuity of care for our patients.”
Contact us: If you would like to see a particular service featured in Hospital Life, contact Niki Eves on
01708 435314, or email nicola.eves@bhrhospitals.nhs.uk