RD Vol 7 issue 24 Autumn 2012 - Rotunda Hospital
RD Vol 7 issue 24 Autumn 2012 - Rotunda Hospital
RD Vol 7 issue 24 Autumn 2012 - Rotunda Hospital
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<strong>Vol</strong>ume 7 Issue <strong>24</strong> <strong>Autumn</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
<strong>Rotunda</strong><br />
WxÄ|äxÜç<br />
The Official Newsletter of The <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong><br />
News<br />
DNE Neonatal<br />
Network Launch<br />
Bereavement<br />
Symbol<br />
Three Cheers<br />
Management<br />
Team<br />
A Word From<br />
Friends of the<br />
<strong>Rotunda</strong><br />
Fundraising and<br />
Events<br />
Focus On<br />
HARI<br />
Procurement<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
The Private<br />
6<br />
Clinic<br />
Quality & Safety<br />
National<br />
7<br />
Standards<br />
Round Up<br />
Appointments,<br />
Competition<br />
& Sports Round<br />
8<br />
L to R Ms Maura Lavery, Ms Aisling Bhreathnach, Ms Margaret Philbin, Ms Siobhan Hourigan,<br />
Ms Pauline Treanor, Dr Sam Coulter-Smith and Dr Genevieve Becker<br />
Baby Friendly<br />
T<br />
he <strong>Rotunda</strong> has been re-designated<br />
as a Baby Friendly <strong>Hospital</strong> after a<br />
recent inspection. The award was<br />
presented by Dr Genevieve Becker, National<br />
Co-ordinator for the Baby Friendly <strong>Hospital</strong><br />
Initiative in the presence of Ms Nikita White<br />
from UNICEF and Ms Siobhan Hourigan,<br />
National Breastfeeding Co-ordinator with the<br />
HSE. A large number of staff, along with some<br />
Governors and breastfeeding mothers and<br />
babies attended the ceremony on July 4 th .<br />
The Baby Friendly <strong>Hospital</strong> Initiative is a<br />
global project of the World Health Organisation<br />
and UNICEF. It recognises that implementing<br />
best practice in maternity services is crucial<br />
to the success of programmes promoting<br />
breastfeeding. The successful implementation<br />
of Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding<br />
ensures that the hospital supports and<br />
promotes informed parental choice through the<br />
provision of appropriate, accurate, unbiased<br />
information and discussion with women and<br />
their partners.<br />
The <strong>Rotunda</strong> was the first maternity hospital<br />
in Dublin to get the National Baby Friendly<br />
<strong>Hospital</strong> Award in 2006 and has maintained<br />
baby friendly status since then.<br />
Ms Margaret Philbin, Director of Midwifery<br />
and Nursing, said that “our philosophy is to<br />
provide the best standard of care for those who<br />
use our services and the achievement of the<br />
baby friendly hospital award is the gold standard<br />
for us and for our mothers and babies. It truly<br />
was a multidisciplinary effort and I would like to<br />
take this opportunity to thank all those involved<br />
for their efforts. In particular, I would like to<br />
acknowledge the hard work, commitment and<br />
determination of our two Lactation Specialist<br />
Midwives, Maura Lavery and Aisling<br />
Bhreathnach. They left no stone unturned in<br />
ensuring that all aspects of the ten steps were<br />
achieved. Despite the high activity levels and<br />
challenges we face, this is another example<br />
of the <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong>’s ongoing commitment<br />
to quality initiatives and the promotion of health<br />
for mothers and babies.”
2<br />
W<br />
Message<br />
From the<br />
Editor<br />
elcome to the <strong>Autumn</strong> Edition of the<br />
<strong>Rotunda</strong> Delivery Newsletter. It is<br />
hard to believe that the summer is<br />
nearly over and we are heading into another<br />
<strong>Autumn</strong>. We have all been so preoccupied<br />
watching the <strong>2012</strong> Olympics, enjoying the<br />
feel good factor created by Ireland’s athletes<br />
at the games. Since our Summer Edition,<br />
quite a lot has taken place and once again we<br />
highlight those events in this <strong>Autumn</strong> Edition.<br />
The Executive Management Team provide<br />
an update on the many ongoing initiatives<br />
within the <strong>Hospital</strong> and are delighted to<br />
announce that the <strong>Rotunda</strong> has been<br />
re-designated as a Baby Friendly <strong>Hospital</strong>.<br />
We are pleased to carry an article on the<br />
DNE Neonatal Network launched in July by<br />
Professor M. Turner, National Programme<br />
Director for Obstetrics and Gynaecology.<br />
The Friends of the <strong>Rotunda</strong> provide us with<br />
an update on their fundraising activities over<br />
the past number of months including fundraiser,<br />
Colin McGuirk who aims to raise over<br />
€10,000 for Temple Street and the <strong>Rotunda</strong>.<br />
A number of anaesthetists and other<br />
colleagues including the Master, Dr Sam<br />
Coulter-Smith, successfully completed a<br />
gruelling 180 kilometre charity cycle around<br />
the Ring of Kerry and there is a rumour that<br />
they are now in training for next year’s Tour<br />
de France... well done to all.<br />
Sean Williamson, Materials Manager,<br />
provides an overview of the importance of<br />
effective procurement within the hospital and<br />
how this can directly influence the overall<br />
spend in this area in an effort to manage the<br />
financial challenges the <strong>Rotunda</strong> is facing<br />
throughout <strong>2012</strong>.<br />
In November, the <strong>Rotunda</strong> will celebrate<br />
the Tercentenary of the birth its founder<br />
Bartholomew Mosse. The first event to mark<br />
this remarkable man’s achievements is a<br />
cultural evening to be held in October.<br />
Further details will be announced shortly.<br />
I hope you enjoy this <strong>Autumn</strong> Edition and as<br />
always, find it both interesting and informative.<br />
Remember this is your newsletter,<br />
suggestions are always welcome on how to<br />
improve its content.<br />
Kieran Slevin<br />
Editor<br />
Letters to the Editor<br />
If you’d like to send a letter to the Editor,<br />
suggest a subject to be covered in our next <strong>issue</strong><br />
or even write an article for us, please contact<br />
Kieran Slevin at kslevin@rotunda.ie or at ext 1777<br />
News<br />
DNE Neonatal Network<br />
Launch<br />
T<br />
he Dublin North East Neonatal<br />
Network was formally launched<br />
in the <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong> on July<br />
25 th <strong>2012</strong> by Professor Michael Turner,<br />
National Programme Director for<br />
Obstetrics and Gynaecology.<br />
The network was established between<br />
the <strong>Rotunda</strong>, Cavan General <strong>Hospital</strong> and<br />
Our Lady of Lourdes <strong>Hospital</strong>, Drogheda<br />
to optimise the care and management<br />
of premature babies born before the 27 th<br />
completed week of pregnancy.<br />
Women with pregnancy complications<br />
requiring delivery before 27 weeks<br />
attending either the hospital in Cavan<br />
or Drogheda are transferred to the<br />
<strong>Rotunda</strong> and their babies are cared for<br />
in the Neonatal Unit in the <strong>Rotunda</strong> until<br />
their condition improves and stabilizes, at<br />
which time they are transferred back to<br />
their original hospital.<br />
The formalised network also includes<br />
Bereavement<br />
Symbol<br />
T<br />
he <strong>Rotunda</strong> has recently started<br />
using this bereavement symbol,<br />
which was developed by the<br />
Hospice Friendly <strong>Hospital</strong>s Programme.<br />
It communicates to staff that the woman or<br />
family in the room has suffered a recent<br />
bereavement. On seeing the symbol staff<br />
should create an atmosphere of quiet,<br />
where people are respectful and are<br />
prepared to meet people who are grieving.<br />
The symbol is inspired by ancient Irish<br />
history and is non-denominational. The<br />
three stranded white spirals represents<br />
the interconnected cycle of life – birth,<br />
life and death. The white outer circle<br />
represents continuity, infinity and<br />
completion. Purple is associated with<br />
nobility, solemnity and spirituality.<br />
The symbol should always be used<br />
with one spiral arm pointing upwards.<br />
Prof Michael Turner, Dr Sam Coulter-Smith<br />
and Dr Alan Finan<br />
structured educational training days for<br />
staff in all three centres. There have been<br />
four educational days to date, which have<br />
been extremely successful, leading to the<br />
development of network guidelines for<br />
infant management. It is the only such<br />
formal network in the country and provides<br />
an excellent example of collaborative work.<br />
Three Cheers<br />
In May <strong>2012</strong>,<br />
Dr Bill Blunnie was<br />
awarded the College<br />
Medal, the highest<br />
honour awarded to<br />
Fellows of the College<br />
of Anaesthetists of<br />
Ireland, in recognition<br />
of service to the<br />
specialty. Bill, among<br />
other achievements, was the first<br />
President of the College in 1998<br />
when this was formed from the Faculty<br />
of Anaesthetists. He retired from the<br />
<strong>Rotunda</strong> and Mater <strong>Hospital</strong>s in 2011.<br />
Audit Day:<br />
1st Prizewinner<br />
was awarded to Dr<br />
Kathleen Gorman.<br />
Joint 2 nd<br />
Prizewinners were<br />
Mr Alfred Sankoh<br />
and Dr Aoife Doyle.<br />
Sponsored by<br />
Abbott Laboratories.<br />
Monica and<br />
Dr Bill Blunnie<br />
Dr K. Gorman, centre<br />
Alfred Sankoh, right<br />
The <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong> accepts no responsibility for errors, omissions or views expressed herein. © <strong>2012</strong> <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong>. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a<br />
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission of the publishers. <strong>Rotunda</strong> Delivery is produced by Geraldine Walsh of the <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong> Library and<br />
Information Service. Published by <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong>, Parnell Square, Dublin 1. Tel: 01 8171700. Fax: 01 8726523. www.rotunda.ie
Management Team<br />
T<br />
he Executive Management Team<br />
would like to take this opportunity<br />
to update you on some key matters<br />
relevant to the hospital at the present time.<br />
Activity<br />
Activity levels in the hospital remain very high.<br />
While there is a decrease in registrations for<br />
maternity care on the same period last year<br />
and a small decrease in births year to date, the<br />
demand for gynaecology consultations in the<br />
outpatient department has increased due to the<br />
cessation of routine gynaecology consultations<br />
in the Mater <strong>Hospital</strong>. There is also significant<br />
overcrowding in the NICU and a population<br />
with an increasing complexity of <strong>issue</strong>s.<br />
Increased demand is difficult to manage within<br />
our current space and staff resources and we<br />
are discussing this with the HSE to review all<br />
options for managing activity efficiently.<br />
Budget<br />
As reported previously our allocation from the<br />
HSE is short of what we need to continue the<br />
same level of service as last year. Despite a<br />
series of cost saving measures and one off<br />
savings we are predicting a deficit by year end.<br />
We encourage all staff to manage resources<br />
efficiently and economically. This includes<br />
managing sick leave, overtime and out of hours<br />
diagnostic testing.<br />
Strategic Plan<br />
We have progressed many elements of the<br />
Strategic Plan and continue to work on all<br />
aspects in line with the implementation plan<br />
timelines. Our Performance Management and<br />
Development System has been positively<br />
evaluated by staff involved to date. The<br />
communication plan is progressing with<br />
redevelopment of the hospital website which<br />
will enable better and more efficient<br />
communication with patients and reduce some<br />
of our current work processes and costs.<br />
Headcount<br />
We have been advised of a further reduction in<br />
our headcount for <strong>2012</strong>. The new controls for<br />
managing recruitment, overtime and agency<br />
<strong>issue</strong>d by the HSE in July will make local<br />
management difficult and will require all<br />
managers to ensure that efficient processes<br />
and staff management are in place so that<br />
patient care and safety is not compromised.<br />
New National Children’s <strong>Hospital</strong><br />
The announcement of any decision regarding<br />
the location of the new National Children’s<br />
<strong>Hospital</strong> has been deferred until after the<br />
Government summer recess.<br />
A Word<br />
<strong>Hospital</strong> Developments<br />
Dublin City Council want to work with us<br />
over the next few months to ensure that any<br />
plans the <strong>Hospital</strong> has for redevelopment on<br />
site comply with their overall strategic plans<br />
for Parnell Square as a whole.<br />
HARI<br />
Welcome to Ray Scully, the new CEO of<br />
HARI. We wish him the very best in his<br />
new role. The new board of HARI is now in<br />
place and we look forward to seeing HARI<br />
blossom with the new governance plan.<br />
Infection, Prevention and Control<br />
The third round of the national Hand<br />
Hygiene Audit was completed. We had an<br />
overall score of 83% which is less than our<br />
previous score. Continuing targeted<br />
educational sessions will be provided by the<br />
Infection Control Team. All staff must<br />
ensure that the ‘5 moments of hand<br />
hygiene’ are adhered to.<br />
Baby Friendly<br />
The <strong>Hospital</strong> has recently received<br />
re-designation as a Baby Friendly <strong>Hospital</strong>.<br />
Staff are commended on their commitment<br />
to maintaining this status.<br />
From<br />
<strong>Hospital</strong> Ball<br />
Please join us in celebration of 300 years<br />
since the birth of the <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong><br />
Founder, Bartholomew Mosse.<br />
Date: 17th November<br />
Time: 7:30pm<br />
Venue: Four Seasons,<br />
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4<br />
Ticket Price: TBC<br />
Quality, Safety and Risk Management<br />
The publication of the “Tallaght Report” has<br />
prompted the <strong>Hospital</strong> Board of Governors to<br />
undertake a review of governance structures<br />
throughout the hospital and those staff who<br />
have been involved or contributed to this<br />
review are sincerely thanked. Patient safety<br />
is the most important priority for all areas of<br />
the hospital and the launch of the National<br />
Standards for Safer Better Healthcare in June<br />
has highlighted this. These standards are<br />
mandatory and we will be conducting a self<br />
assessment against these standards over the<br />
next few months. All staff have a<br />
responsibility for patient safety and should<br />
contribute to the self assessment in whatever<br />
way they can.<br />
The hospital is currently undertaking a Gap<br />
analysis against the National Post Mortem<br />
Standards.<br />
Finally, we were delighted to host the<br />
recent launch of the Dublin North East<br />
Neonatal Network. This development will<br />
result in better collaboration between the<br />
maternity units in Cavan, Drogheda and the<br />
<strong>Rotunda</strong> allowing for more efficient and better<br />
care to premature babies and their families.<br />
Dr Sam Coulter-Smith<br />
Master<br />
Ms Margaret Philbin<br />
Director of Midwifery/Nursing<br />
Ms Pauline Treanor<br />
Secretary/Group General Manager<br />
3
Friends of the <strong>Rotunda</strong><br />
100 -10,000<br />
Baby Jack<br />
F<br />
undraiser, Colin McGuirk has set<br />
himself no ordinary challenge – Cycle<br />
10,000kms and lose 100lbs in 365<br />
days in his attempt to raise over €10,000 for<br />
Temple Street and the <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong>.<br />
Colin, pictured here, is highly committed and<br />
determined to achieve his goal. The challenge<br />
commenced in August <strong>2012</strong> with a 100km<br />
cycle and resulted in an immediate weight loss<br />
of 6lbs!<br />
The Reason – Baby Jack was born 10 weeks<br />
premature in the <strong>Rotunda</strong>, in November 2011,<br />
after an emergency C-section on Colin’s<br />
Partner, Siobhan. The family were so happy<br />
to finally be able to take baby Jack home, just<br />
in time for Christmas. However, on New Year’s<br />
Day, baby Jack became critically ill and was<br />
rushed to Our Lady of Lourdes <strong>Hospital</strong> in<br />
Drogheda. <strong>24</strong> hours later, he was moved to<br />
the Intensive Care Ward at Temple Street<br />
until he stabilised and was then transferred<br />
to the High Dependency Unit where he<br />
remained until he recovered.<br />
Colin and Siobhan were both completely<br />
overwhelmed by the incredible care and<br />
support that both <strong>Hospital</strong>s gave them in<br />
looking after baby Jack. The family could<br />
not begin to quantify the level of care that<br />
all children received from the doctors<br />
and nurses and they could not believe the<br />
amount of sick babies and small children<br />
who depended upon such care.<br />
They decided that they should try and<br />
help both hospitals by fundraising. In<br />
turn, both Temple Street and the Friends<br />
of the <strong>Rotunda</strong> hope to play an active role<br />
in helping Colin achieve his challenge and<br />
will follow his progress. The website<br />
www.100-10000.com goes live shortly<br />
and will be regularly updated as Colin’s<br />
Challenge enters its next stages. We wish<br />
Colin much success and the best of luck!<br />
Fundraiser,<br />
Colin McGuirk<br />
Recent Fundraising Events<br />
Golf Classic<br />
Milltown Gold<br />
The Friends of the <strong>Rotunda</strong> would like<br />
to sincerely thank the Browne Family<br />
and friends for raising €1,000 for the<br />
<strong>Rotunda</strong>’s NICU.<br />
Fundraisers, Sarah Grogan and<br />
Kathleen O’Neill discovered who<br />
had green fingers at their recent<br />
fundraiser.<br />
The Friends of the <strong>Rotunda</strong> Charity<br />
was chosen by Kathleen O’Neill of the<br />
Viscount Pub, in support of the work<br />
of the <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong>’s Neonatal<br />
Intensive Care Unit where Sarah’s<br />
son Carl, was born in May 2009 at 26<br />
weeks, weighing only 2lbs 4oz.<br />
Carl is now a very strong and<br />
healthy 3 year old and is about to<br />
start playschool this September. The<br />
Grogan family are very grateful to the<br />
incredible staff of the NICU and hope<br />
that their fundraising effort helps to<br />
support the unit and its work.<br />
Sarah and Kathleen held a Growing<br />
Tomatoes Judging Competition in the<br />
Viscount Pub on the 31st August to<br />
raise funds for the Friends of the<br />
<strong>Rotunda</strong>.<br />
The <strong>Rotunda</strong> Golf Classic - The<br />
Masters’ Cup took place at Milltown<br />
Golf Club on Thursday, 30th August.<br />
Congratulations to Dr Michael Geary<br />
and his team with a winning score of 89<br />
points.<br />
A special thank you to all of our teams,<br />
sponsors and to those who supported<br />
the event.<br />
Offspring of the Browne<br />
family who were all<br />
born at the <strong>Rotunda</strong><br />
Dr Michael Geary with the Masters’ Cup<br />
4
Focus On HARI<br />
Building<br />
By Ray Skelly,<br />
Chief Executive, HARI<br />
On Success<br />
T<br />
here has been lots of change in the<br />
Master’s House in the grounds of the<br />
<strong>Rotunda</strong> in recent months. With some<br />
interesting plans in the pipeline, we thought it<br />
would be timely to give our readers an update<br />
on what’s happening at HARI – The National<br />
Fertility Centre.<br />
“HARI has always been the leader in Irish<br />
fertility treatment, achieving the best success<br />
rates in a safe, evidence based setting with a<br />
genuine multi-disciplinary approach to patient<br />
care,” says Dr Edgar Mocanu, Consultant in<br />
Charge at HARI.<br />
“We have a new independent board in place<br />
for HARI. They’ve given us a mandate to take<br />
“<br />
HARI has always<br />
been the leader in<br />
Irish fertility treatment<br />
”<br />
our light from under the bushel and to get out<br />
and tell both the medical referral base and<br />
patients facing fertility challenges that HARI<br />
offers them the best chance of starting or<br />
extending their families” says Ray Skelly,<br />
the newly appointed Chief Executive of HARI.<br />
“We have a really strong team of highly<br />
skilled and passionate practitioners across<br />
each of the four key disciplines; clinical,<br />
counselling, nursing and embryology. When<br />
you combine this with our reputation for<br />
leading Irish research and developments into<br />
Assisted Reproductive Techniques, patients<br />
and their referring doctors are assured that<br />
they have come to the right place by<br />
entrusting their care to HARI”.<br />
Recent Recruits to HARI L to R Rebecca Rice, Dr Conor Harrity and Fiona Sutton<br />
Since his arrival Mr Skelly has done a<br />
benchmarking of the clinic’s pregnancy<br />
rates and says “it is very reassuring to<br />
know that HARI achieves world class<br />
success rates and certainly the best in<br />
Ireland.”<br />
Dr Mocanu said that recent<br />
international recognition of HARI’s research<br />
came in July at the ESHRE (European<br />
Society of Human Reproduction and<br />
Embryology) <strong>2012</strong> Conference in Istanbul.<br />
Attended by over 9,000 participants, a<br />
poster from HARI on AMH Levels in Female<br />
Oncology Patients attending for<br />
Cryopreservation presented by Dr Mashour<br />
Naasan, won the Best Clinical Poster Award<br />
at this highly prestigious conference.<br />
This success came hot on the heels<br />
of HARI reporting the first pregnancy in<br />
Ireland from embryos thawed following<br />
vitrification. This technique involves the<br />
rapid freezing of eggs or embryos in liquid<br />
nitrogen at minus 196°C and offers<br />
considerably enhanced survival rates<br />
after thawing.<br />
We understand you will be able to read<br />
about this and other developments in the<br />
Master’s House, when HARI launches its<br />
new website shortly and we also hope to<br />
feature future developments in HARI in<br />
upcoming editions of <strong>Rotunda</strong> Delivery.<br />
You will notice that HARI has changed its name and adopted a smarter, fresher logo.<br />
“Our full name is now ‘HARI – The National Fertility Centre’. This explains who we are,<br />
it reflects our leading role in Irish fertility and identifies us as the ‘go to people’ for our<br />
international colleagues” explains Chief Executive Ray Skelly.<br />
In the shorter version it will be known as “HARI”; without any cumbersome “the”. In future<br />
you will hear “Welcome to HARI” and references to “HARI’s world class success rates”.<br />
5
Procurement<br />
Procurement<br />
By Seán Williamson,<br />
Materials Manager<br />
Procedures<br />
A<br />
s a public body, the <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong><br />
must comply with prescribed<br />
procedures in relation to the<br />
procurement of goods and services.<br />
Procurement incorporates all activities from<br />
requisition and approval to purchase, receipt<br />
and distribution of goods, commissioning and<br />
training, through to payment of suppliers.<br />
The purchasing of supplies is governed by<br />
the following core values:<br />
• Achieving best value for money<br />
• Patient and customer focus<br />
• Dealing with quality suppliers and<br />
contractors<br />
• Operating in a fair, open, transparent<br />
and non-discriminatory manner<br />
• Complying with all relevant European<br />
and national legislation and government<br />
guidelines<br />
• Operating to the highest ethical standard<br />
The Procurement Committee was established<br />
to ensure compliance with the values outlined<br />
above and also that purchases conform to the<br />
hospital’s standards in relation to hygiene,<br />
infection prevention and control and health<br />
and safety. The multidisciplinary committee<br />
meets on a regular basis to review and<br />
assess any new products or services being<br />
considered for introduction by the <strong>Hospital</strong>.<br />
The requester must submit an evaluation<br />
form for review by the relevant committee<br />
members prior to approval. Urgent requests<br />
should be discussed with the Materials<br />
Manager who will advise on the procedure<br />
to fast track the approval process.<br />
To maximise economies of scale the<br />
<strong>Rotunda</strong> is a member of the <strong>Hospital</strong><br />
Procurement Services Group who tender<br />
on behalf of a group of voluntary hospitals.<br />
We also avail of HSE tendered prices<br />
where appropriate.<br />
For further information please see the<br />
Procurement Policy on Q-Pulse or talk to<br />
the staff in the Materials Department.<br />
The Private Clinic<br />
T<br />
he <strong>Rotunda</strong> Private Clinics have<br />
recently undergone some cosmetic<br />
changes. These changes help to<br />
reflect the new marketing position the Private<br />
Clinics are undergoing. The Private Clinics<br />
have begun an extensive advertising campaign<br />
with GP’s and in local news and magazines.<br />
The purpose is to highlight the excellent<br />
facilities and care that women will receive<br />
if they choose to go semi-private or private.<br />
A new package was recently introduced<br />
called Semi-Private Consultant Led care.<br />
This package allows a mum to see a<br />
consultant on every visit yet avail of semiprivate<br />
care at the birth & for accommodation<br />
after the birth. This new package has proved<br />
to be a success and there is a waiting list of<br />
patients wishing to avail of this option.<br />
6
Quality and Safety<br />
National Standards<br />
By Sheila Breen,<br />
Quality and Marketing Manager<br />
For Safer Better Care<br />
N<br />
ew national standards aimed at<br />
protecting patients and radically<br />
improving services were officially<br />
launched on June 26 th . The National<br />
Standards for Safer Better Healthcare<br />
contain 45 standards, based on best<br />
international evidence, to ensure service<br />
providers protect patients from risk and<br />
from harm, inform patients of adverse<br />
events, acknowledge and support the key<br />
role of staff, promote good governance and<br />
make the best use of information and<br />
resources to deliver high quality and safe<br />
care within the resources available.<br />
The national standards will:<br />
• place patients at the heart of the care<br />
process<br />
• be a benchmark for change for safety<br />
• give patients a clear expectation of the<br />
standard of care they can expect to<br />
receive<br />
• ensure services will be clear on what<br />
is expected of them<br />
• provide a strategic approach to<br />
improving safety, quality and reliability<br />
in our health service<br />
Eight Themes, Four Dimensions<br />
There are eight themes under which the<br />
standards are presented. The four<br />
dimensions of quality described in these<br />
national standards are:<br />
• Person-centred care and support –<br />
how services place the service user at<br />
the centre of their delivery of care. This<br />
includes the concepts of access, equity<br />
and protection of rights.<br />
• Effective care and support – how<br />
services deliver best achievable outcomes<br />
for service users in the context of that<br />
service, reflecting best available evidence<br />
and information.<br />
• Safe care and support – how services<br />
avoid, prevent and minimise harm to<br />
service users and learn from when things<br />
go wrong.<br />
• Better health and wellbeing – how<br />
services identify and take opportunities to<br />
support service users in increasing control<br />
over improving their own health and<br />
wellbeing.<br />
Delivering Improvements<br />
Delivering improvements within these<br />
quality dimensions depends on the service<br />
provider having capability and capacity in four<br />
key areas:<br />
• Leadership, governance & management<br />
– the arrangements put in place by a<br />
service for clear accountability, decision<br />
making, risk management as well as<br />
meeting their strategic, statutory and<br />
financial obligations.<br />
• Workforce – planning, recruiting,<br />
managing and organising a workforce with<br />
the necessary numbers, skills and<br />
competencies.<br />
• Use of resources – using resources<br />
effectively and efficiently to deliver best<br />
possible outcomes for service users for<br />
the money and resources used.<br />
• Use of information – actively using<br />
information as a resource for planning,<br />
delivering, monitoring, managing and<br />
improving care.<br />
The standards are a first step towards a<br />
licensing system for the Irish healthcare<br />
system, both public and private. Shortly,<br />
HIQA will launch an awareness and<br />
education campaign with key stakeholders<br />
and publish guidance on the standards.<br />
Later this year HIQA will begin the process<br />
of monitoring how HSE providers and HSE<br />
funded providers are meeting the national<br />
standards requirements.<br />
Every service, including hospitals, primary<br />
care and ambulance services must use the<br />
standards to improve the service they<br />
provide to patients. Service providers are<br />
now expected to begin to implement the<br />
new national standards, continue to improve<br />
the day-to-day experience and outcome<br />
for patients and their families and begin to<br />
demonstrate compliance with them.<br />
What Next<br />
Here in the <strong>Rotunda</strong>, a Steering Group<br />
and a Review Co-ordination Team have<br />
been established to oversee the review of<br />
the standards. Further information will be<br />
provided over the coming weeks on our<br />
approach to undertaking a self-assessment<br />
of where we are currently in relation to<br />
compliance with the national standards.<br />
We will develop implementation plans to<br />
address any gaps and we will identify and<br />
prioritise areas that need greater emphasis<br />
– particularly when identifying areas of risk.<br />
Like the accreditation process we undertook<br />
in 2005, multidisciplinary involvement and<br />
commitment will be essential to the<br />
successful completion of the initial<br />
self-assessment process.<br />
7
Round Up<br />
Appointments<br />
We are pleased to welcome Mr John O’Loughlin back to the<br />
<strong>Hospital</strong> as our new Laboratory Manager. John worked here for years<br />
up to 2002. It has been a difficult year for the laboratory staff but we<br />
know that John will be a steady pair of hands for the future.<br />
Dr Breda Hayes has also returned as a Locum Paediatric Consultant.<br />
Breda has worked previously with us both as a Senior House Officer<br />
and a Specialist Registrar.<br />
Ms Kathleen O’Donohoe, Mental Health Support Midwife, has<br />
joined us from the public health community service. Kathleen would<br />
like to thank all staff for making her feel so welcome in the <strong>Rotunda</strong>.<br />
Sports Round<br />
The Executive<br />
Management Team<br />
along with Ms Hilary<br />
Prentice, Chairman of<br />
the Board of Governors<br />
welcomed the Very<br />
Reverend Victor<br />
Stacey, Dean of St.<br />
Patrick's Cathedral and<br />
the Lord Mayor of<br />
Dublin, Naoise Ó Muirí<br />
to the July Board of<br />
Governors’ meeting.<br />
The teams who took part in the Football Competition in Belvedere<br />
College on 27th July.<br />
Clockwise from Left: John Oyedeji,<br />
Derek Byrne, Adrian Connor, Noel<br />
Carberry, Desmond Hickey,<br />
Glenn Byrne, Martin Duignam,<br />
Michael Donovan, David Byrne,<br />
Allan Varughese, Andrew Memery,<br />
Ray Philpott, Colin Kirkham,<br />
Robert McEvoy, Victor Ohuruogo<br />
and Sakhu Ngwenya.<br />
Dr John Loughrey and<br />
Dr Sam Coulter-Smith<br />
On July 7 th <strong>2012</strong>, a saddle-sore<br />
group including the Master,<br />
Sam Coulter-Smith and<br />
Anaesthetists, Niamh Hayes,<br />
Ivan Hayes, John Loughrey and<br />
Grace Donnelly completed the<br />
gruelling 180K Ring of Kerry<br />
charity cycle. All monies raised<br />
by the participants were<br />
donated to the specified Munster<br />
charities. Donations to Friends<br />
of the <strong>Rotunda</strong> are welcome.<br />
WIN A TWO NIGHT STAY IN<br />
ANY IRISH COUNTRY HOTEL<br />
FOR 2 PEOPLE<br />
including 1 evening meal<br />
www.irishcountryhotels.com<br />
To be in with a chance of winning this<br />
fabulous break in any Irish Country<br />
Hotel simply answer the following<br />
question:<br />
Who launched the Dublin North<br />
East Neonatal Network in July<br />
Answer:<br />
Name:<br />
Tel No:<br />
Please send your answer to Kieran<br />
Slevin, HR Dept, <strong>Rotunda</strong> <strong>Hospital</strong>,<br />
Dublin 1. The closing date is 31st<br />
October <strong>2012</strong>. One entry per person.<br />
Terms & Conditions Apply<br />
Competition Winner<br />
Congratulations to Jan Schweppe,<br />
Patient Services, winner of the<br />
competition in the Summer <strong>issue</strong>.<br />
Remembrance<br />
A Remembrance Service for<br />
Staff who have been bereaved<br />
will be held in the <strong>Hospital</strong> Chapel<br />
on Wednesday 7 th November<br />
at 5.00pm with light refreshments<br />
served afterwards. All staff are<br />
welcome regardless of when their<br />
loved one died. This is an<br />
opportunity to come together as<br />
staff united in our humanity and<br />
grief, and to feel supported by one<br />
another. It is a precious time<br />
when we remember and honour<br />
those who have gone before us.<br />
The Annual Service of Remembrance for those who<br />
have lost a baby through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy,<br />
stillbirth or neonatal death will be held on the 18 th November<br />
in the Pro-Cathedral at 3:00pm with light refreshments served<br />
in the Gresham Hotel after the service. Bereaved parents who<br />
attend speak of the support they feel when they meet <strong>Rotunda</strong><br />
staff in the Pro-Cathedral or the Gresham.<br />
If you have any queries, and/or are available to help out on<br />
either day please contact the <strong>Hospital</strong> Chaplain, the<br />
Bereavement Support Midwife or the Bereavement Support<br />
Medical Social Worker on 01 8171700.<br />
8