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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

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