PLUS A LOT MORE - The Princess Alexandra Hospital | NHS Trust

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Issue 05 Winter 2009
Tottenham visit
P4
Award Winners
P6
60 Second Interview P8
PLUS A LOT MORE
The Princess Alexandra Hospital
NHS Trust
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Chief Executive’s Column
Firstly, I would like to take
this opportunity to wish
you all a Happy New Year.
There have been a
number of trials and
tribulations over the
last twelve months, but
also some well deserved
national recognition,
particularly in relation
to infection control.
We have successfully exceeded performance targets and
our innovative approach in tackling the questions posed
in how we deliver patient care has resulted in the
introduction of first class initiatives.
Despite the operational pressures caused by increased
inpatient numbers and tougher measures imposed by
the government, we have worked tirelessly.
The 18 week referral to treatment target has touched
many areas of the organisation along with meeting
the four hour 98% target. Through embracing the
introduction of new ways of working we have continued
to meet these targets.
A continually downward trend in the number of hospital
acquired infections reported has placed us amongst
the best acute providers in the country. The work of
our nursing, domestic, pathology and infection control
colleagues has delivered us to this point.
In spite of everything I am confident that 2009 will be
a successful year. By constantly pushing boundaries and
harnessing our internal creativity we continue on the
path to become ‘the best district general hospital in
the east of England.”
Chris Pocklington, Chief Executive
Patients Receive Hospital Care
At Home
Eligible patients can now choose to receive their care and treatment
at home.
The Virtual Ward project is a six month pilot that will conclude in
the spring. Having given consent, the patient is discharged home to
receive personal nursing and medical support from a dedicated nurse.
The person’s condition still continues to be regularly monitored by
their consultant and they will be re-admitted immediately if there are
any signs of deterioration.
The project offers benefits to all concerned. Evidence suggests that
patients recover quicker at home because it is a comfortable and
familiar environment. For the hospital, valuable beds and resources
are freed up for new admissions.
Jim Mcleish, Associate Director for Emergency Care, said: “With the
increasing demands placed on Trusts both via performance targets
and additional patients it is vital that we use our services and
resources as efficiently as possible.”
The new initiative is not mandatory. Whilst the consultant and clinical
team are responsible for identifying clinically suitable patients, it is
the individual’s decision if they are prepared to leave the ward.
A&E Compares with
Neighbouring Hospitals
The Hospital’s Accident and Emergency services have faired
averagely against other Trusts in the country according to a recent
Healthcare Commission Report.
290 people responded to say they had received a satisfactory
service, although their overall experience was not as positive.
Areas where the Trust faired well included the arrival in the
department, the information provided about a patient’s condition
and the explanation of test results.
How doctors and nurses communicate with patients, the
administering of pain relief and discharge arrangements fell
significantly short of the national average, placing the department
in the worst performing 20% of organisations.
Since the questionnaire was conducted last year various
improvements have taken place including the £1m A&E extension
and the appointment of a consultant anaesthetist, Dr Kirkor, who
specialises in chronic pain.
Trust’s Plans To Be Tested
The recent visit from Sir Neil McKay, Chief Executive of the
East of England Strategic Health Authority (SHA), confirmed
the revised timetable for the Foundation Trust application.
Having been tipped for an early 2009 Board to Board
session with senior executives at the SHA, it has now been
pushed back to April. This delay has been caused by a
number of issues including our performance against the
18 week referral to treatment target and the requirement
to re-work our financial assumptions based on the new
tariffs introduced for treatments.
At this meeting the Trust’s financial and operational plans
will be tested to see if we are deemed suitable, in their
view, to become an NHS Foundation Trust. Following this
decision, our intentions will be audited by the Department
of Health before the Secretary of State for Health invites
us to apply to Monitor, the independent regulator for FTs,
to enter the final stage of the process.
Since previously reporting on the Shadow Council of
Governors’ elections, the dates have since slipped. Once
we have been given the ‘green light’ from the SHA we will
have to move very quickly to appoint our 37 public and staff
governors.More information will be released shortly.
More information will be released shortly.
Changing Reporting on Cancer Targets
The Trust is changing how it reports on its performance against
national cancer targets.
From 1 January 2009 the Department of Health required all NHS
Trusts to increase the number of cancer patients who are tracked
during their care. Previously, only patients referred urgently by
their GP or who were undergoing their first treatments were
monitored to ensure that they were treated within the national
target of two months.
Monitoring has now been extended to all patients who have a
suspected cancer and will be for all treatments, not just the
first treatment.
The way data is collected has also changed. Previously, if treatments
were delayed for any reason then a “pause” period was introduced
into the patient’s treatment timeline. Under the new arrangements
there is no stopping of the timeline clock. This gives a clearer
picture of how long it is taking for the patient to complete their
care (from first diagnosis to treatment) but in terms of reporting
our performance against national targets it will look as if more
patients are waiting longer for treatment.
Please Give Blood
Local health services are encouraging people to give blood to
boost the regional stock levels.
In the two weeks prior to Christmas, 6000 fewer people across
England and Wales have donated blood causing a significant dip
in supply. The National Blood Service needs 7000 donations of
blood every day to support the demands of local hospitals and
other healthcare providers.
When commenting on the importance of a constant supply of
blood, Jan Purkis, Transfusion Practitioner from the Trust, said:
“We have a continual need throughout the Trust for a regular
supply of blood for transfusions. During an average week we
will use around 160 units of blood for operations and other
medical emergencies. It is important that we have access to
these supplies, especially over periods of increased demand
on clinical services.”
Local donor sessions take place regularly across the region.
If you 17 or over, weigh at least 50kg (7st 12lb) and want to
find out more about how and where to give blood, contact the
National Blood Service on 0845 7 711 711 or visit ww.blood.co.uk.
Every donation makes a difference.
Adrian Cullen, Cancer Services Manager, said: “Changing how we
record our waiting time targets means that we can improve the
efficiency of our service. By continually monitoring delivery against
national targets it means we are constantly looking for
opportunities to develop better ways for how we care and treat
our cancer patients.”
In the last year the Trust has consistently reported over the national
average of 95% being seen within the 62 day treatment target.
It is anticipated that in the next first few months compliance
against the existing target for all Trusts will fall because of the
changes. However these figures will not be indicative of the
level of people being treated under the new system; comparisons
between the new and existing targets will not be possible due to
the difference in data collection methods.
For the first three months of 2009 all NHS providers will be trialling
the new scheme to ensure that the government have set the
correct standards with which to measure compliance against the
waiting list targets.
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Tottenham Hotspur Visit
Children’s Ward
Two Tottenham Hotspur
football players visited the
children on Dolphin Ward to
wish them a Merry Christmas.
Gareth Bail and Jamie O’Hara
visited The Princess Alexandra
Hospital to deliver gifts to
young inpatients and their
families. The pair also spent
time chatting with doctors
and nurses about their work
on the ward.
First team player, Jamie
said: “It’s great that the
Club visit hospitals such as The Princess Alexandra every Christmas
and as players it’s always something we’re keen to do. Both myself
and Gareth were overwhelmed by the experience and the
reception we received on the ward, and if we can help put smiles
on as many of these children’s faces as we can then it’s a humbling
experience for us.”
Staff from the Tottenham Hotspurs Membership department
organise an annual Christmas visit each year. Each player is
allocated a hospital in the north London area where they go to
hand out presents to poorly under 16 year olds. This year the
event was followed by Tottenham’s film crew who filmed the hour.
Your intranet is forging ahead!
Work is well underway on the PAH intranet with content
managers across the hospital currently uploading copy about
their areas.
The intranet is going to be a one stop shop for everything you
need including looking for policies or procedures, finding out
about new starters or leavers, finding a telephone number or
simply just keeping up to date with Trust developments and news.
It’s not too late to be involved with the intranet as we’re still
looking for content inputters for the following areas:
Cancer and Core Services, Elective, Estates, Finance, Governance,
IT, Transformation and Women’s and Children’s.
Please contact Gaynor Cross on email at Gaynor.Cross@pah.
nhs.uk or via extn 7312 for further information.
Christmas Cheer for
Volunteers of the Year
A group of volunteers who assist visually
impaired patients when in hospital were
recently recognised for their work.
The Harlow Sight Support Team working
at The Princess Alexandra Hospital were
presented with the Chair’s team prize at
the annual Volunteers’ Christmas lunch.
Two individual prizes were also given
to Christine Clarke, who supports the
medical secretaries; and to William Harris who sits on the Meet
and Greet desk and also assists the staff on Harvey ward.
Staff from across the organisation are asked to nominate those who
they feel have gone that extra mile in their duties and so are worthy of
the award. The individual winners were given a cheque and the team
was presented with a plaque which will be displayed in the Eye Unit.
On receiving his award, William said:
“It is lovely that those I work with felt it
appropriate to nominate me to receive
a prize. It was a kind gesture and I am
truly touched.”
Typically volunteer duties include anything
from meeting and greeting people when
they arrive, helping ward staff with their daily
duties to sitting and having a chat with a patient.
Exciting News in Endocrinology
It has been an exciting twelve months for the diabetes and
endocrinology team.
The appointment of two new consultants, Dr DeSilva and Dr ElRishi
plus a nurse practitioner, Jenni Wallace has expanded the capacity
of the endocrinology service. The department provides assessments,
advice and management of hormonal related conditions such as
diabetes, adrenal and thyroid diseases, lipid disorders and menopause.
The additional man power has enabled the team to review their current
provision and develop new services. One such new development is the
introduction of a nurse led dynamic endocrine testing clinic.
Specific, often lengthy, tests are carried out under Jenni’s supervision.
Tests offered include, short Synacthen, glucagons, glucose tolerance,
GnRH/LHRH tests and hydrocortisone day curves.
CONGRATULATIONS for taking a bite of the APPLE!
Congratulations to the 18 staff who have taken
a first bite of the APPLE and who have achieved
excellent results, successfully completing
the first part of the ILM Team Leader Certificate!
Staff from a wide variety of work areas across
the Trust commenced the ILM Team Leading
Certificate course in October 2008. The ILM
qualifications are being delivered on site by tutors from Harlow
College with input from Trust specialists. Feedback on the first
APPLE/ILM programme, from both learners and tutors, has
been very positive and learner results from the first assessments
are outstanding.
Suzanne Al-Amily,
friend of Roz
cutting the
ribbon
Roz Callum Plaque Opening
Close friends and colleagues of Roz Callum, previously the Clinical
Nurse Specialist for Stoma Care, gathered to witness the opening of
the Roll of Honour dedicated in her memory. Roz sadly passed away
last year after completing 40 years service in the Trust.
Colleagues from the Stoma Care Department and Roz’s next of
kin were invited to a formal plaque presentation ceremony. Chris
Pocklington, Chief Executive, delivered a moving speech about Roz’s
work in the organisation.
A plaque in Roz’s memory is situated along the executive corridor
alongside the Roll of Honour naming staff who have received
Commendation Awards.
Kirstie Rowe, NICU said: “I’m delighted and over the moon with
my results! I’m so pleased that the standard of both groups’ results
showed all their hard work. Also these results show a successful
teaching package by Harlow College so please pass on my thanks
to the whole team.”
ILM Awards, Certificates and Diplomas are nationally recognised
leadership and management qualifications that underpin the
Trust’s APPLE Leadership and Management Development training
programme.
Best wishes go to the 18 staff who have taken their first bite of
the APPLE as they progress onwards to achieve their ILM Certificate!
More ILM Award and Certificate courses at levels two and three are
planned for 2009.
Or for more information please contact the Training Department:
coral.roberts@pah.nhs.uk or martin.smith@pah.nhs.uk X7630
Restaurant Staff Receive
Commendation Award
On Friday 19th December Kaye Childs,
PA to Alan Farmer and Jamie-Lee Kelly
from Corporate services, handed out mince
pies and fruit cake to passing staff in the
canteen. Chris Pocklington, Chief Executive,
James Day, Trust Secretary and Robert Powell,
Trust Chair, also joined in the festivities.
Little did the Catering team know but the stand was a part cover
up for the fact that they had won a Princess Commendation
Award for all their hard work and dedication!
Alan Farmer, Executive Director of Workforce, publicly announced
in front of a restaurant full of staff and visitors that Andy Slade,
Catering Manager, and his team had been nominated for their
contribution to the hospital and all those that use the service.
After the speech Andy Slade, Jonathan Levantine, who deputises
for Andy and the rest of the catering staff joined Robert Powell
for the certificate presentation and photographs.
The Restaurant Commendation picture will be displayed on the
Role of Honour outside the Trust Headquarters.
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Working Together to Improve End of Life Care
A vision for the future of delivery of end of life care has been agreed following a stakeholder
event with staff and healthcare colleagues from across the region.
The intention is to ensure that all patients, regardless of diagnosis, receive high quality care
at the time and location of their choice.
The recently published End of Life Care Strategy prompted the debate as to how staff work
with community colleagues to forge stronger relationships, share learning and best practice
to better deliver quality care. The outcome highlighted the need for better information
sharing, improved support for patients when transferred from one organisation to another
and a host of other ideas.
Dr Virginia Craig, Associate Director for Transformation, who is involved in the project explains:
“The Strategy has stimulated us to look at the way we work. For us to improve we must
not work in isolation, instead we must be willing to adopt new ideas and work alongside
healthcare providers to provide a seamless service to patients and carers. The outcome of
this is the development of an exciting, innovative and collaborative approach across acute,
community, social services and voluntary settings.”
The hospital and St Clare’s Hospice have already organised joint education sessions focussed
on delivering quality end of life care.
As Tanya Curry, Director of Patient Care for St Clare, explains working together is the
only way forward for end of life care: “It is really important for us as a hospice team to
understand the real needs and demands on our colleagues working in the hospital wards
or in patients’ homes, across our area. We can share our skills, knowledge and experience
to ensure that wherever the patient receives their care, the service is seamless and care
well informed.”
The project team will be submitting a bid to fund a pilot to drive some of the more costly
ideas forward. If successful, it is anticipated that by streamlining the care pathways some
of the historic issues will be addressed, including: the lack of knowledge and understanding,
accessing key services and reducing the number of unnecessary interventions.
Switching off PCs to save £27,000
An Estates initiative that automatically switches off all unnecessary PCs each night will save
the Trust £27,000 each year.
The implementation of Nightwatchman has allowed Bill Dickson, Energy Manager, and his
colleagues to intelligently control the power shutdown of designated workstations from a
single location.
Identified computers are turned off at 6:00pm every day if they have not been closed down
by the member of staff before they leave for the evening.
Staff receive an electronic notification prior to the system shutting down. This gives the
person the opportunity to override the action if they are still working.
News in Brief
All PAH departments at Terminus House
will be relocated by the end of February
2009. The date has yet to be finalised
and more information will be
communicated shortly.
Hospital donates obsolescent computer
to National Museum of Computing
A pathology computer which was state
of the art in cutting edge computer
technology when it was first installed
at Princess Alexandra Hospital has
found a new role – as a museum piece.
Ten years after it was switched off, the
Ferranti Argus 700 computer will have
a new home in the National Museum
of Computing, Milton Keynes.
The computer was installed in the
pathology department in 1987
to enable electronic reporting on
pathology samples, such as blood
test and swab results.
The maternity team were delighted to
welcome the first baby of 2009! Mother,
Tracey Hornett of Sawbridgewoth, had
a baby boy at 00:03 on 1st January 2009.
Baby Ellis weighed 6lb 9oz and both
mother and baby are settling in well at
home with proud big brother Ryan and
the rest of the family.
Tracey said that the birth at PAH was
a wonderful experience with first class
facilities and a wonderful, supportive
team. Sue Gravestock and Vicky Hudson
successfully delivered baby Ellis so a big
well done to them both!
A SOLDIER’S DILEMMA
by Christine Hawkins, Chaplain
Part One (four part series)
Harry sat supported by several pillows to keep him upright as the
nurse carefully adjusted his neck feed. A few minutes ago the doctors
had confirmed that it was a large mass in his abdomen which had
been preventing him from eating for the last two weeks and from
enjoying his nightly nip of single malt before he went to bed.
He looked through the window adjacent to his bed in the ward and
watched a team of construction workers pile-driving huge pieces of
steel into the ground preparing the skeleton for a new extension to
the hospital. So this, he thought, was a time of expansion for some
whereas for me it is a time of constraint, constriction and, perhaps,
even cessation. He was struck by that paradox.
Harry smiled wryly as he recalled an earlier time when lengths
of metal had similarly clouded his view and dominated his vista
wondering how this particular element had come to feature so
largely in his life. Those were tough days in Burma labouring at the
behest of brutal Japanese guards, laying mile after relentless mile of
railway track in the exhausting and merciless heat of the jungle.
But he had survived and had returned to “good ol’ Blighty”,
received his de-mob suit and settled down with Madge, his childhood
sweetheart, to a life of contented domesticity and happiness. His had
been a good life excepting those few occasions when the memories
of the chap taking the third light returned to disturb and haunt him.
He’d become a father, first to Janet, a feisty girl with a keen mind
and an eye for the main chance, and then to Peter, “shock-headed
Peter” he used to call him, a gentle giant of a man and talented
rugby player until one day (“15 years ago practically to the day”)
when his heart had given out in the middle of the match and Harry
became the father of one again.
During those early post-war years Harry had taken to bending metal
for a living; plumbing in new lavatories, “inside and upstairs” in the
brand new homes of a brand new town where young couples could
start out in life together safely evacuated from the austerity and
devastation of a bombed out London.
He was a strong man, dependable, one who had never let his family,
colleagues or country down. Harry looked life straight in the eye,
was fearless and was not one to flinch in the face of danger or evil.
He had prided himself on those qualities all his life. Today though,
things were somehow different. He was facing the toughest decision
of his life, one that he would prefer not to have to make. The doctors
had offered him a course of chemotherapy which might shrink his
inoperable tumour and buy him some extra months.
But why bother - he was ninety years old; why should he want to eke
out a few more hours; he’d had well above his allotted three score
and ten Yet the choice had been laid before him and the option
produced a knot in his cancer-filled stomach – he knew not why.
He was in a dilemma. He could either take the treatment or surrender
to death, letting nature take its natural course. Harry stared across
those metal piles wondering which route he would take.
Downstairs the chaplain was hurrying past the coffee shop on her
way to take Holy Communion to a long-stay patient. Whenever she
was in a hurry, she would invariably be stopped by someone asking
directions to another part of the hospital and today was to be no
exception. She was just pushing her way through the double doors
when a large man called to her asking the way to the Eye Unit. Trish
cursed the inaccurate maps of the ever-sprawling mass of hospital
departments but smiled politely as she pointed the man in the right
direction. Freed finally to continue on her way, Trish proceeded
down the corridor only to be obstructed by a woman with her
arms outstretched ready to embrace her.
“Jan”, she said, “how lovely to see you – it’s been a long time.”
The chaplain kissed her friend on the cheek and asked her what
she was doing at the hospital. Jan explained that her elderly father
was an in-patient, had been for the last week in fact, having been
admitted after being unwell and unable to eat. “Had I known that
you were chaplain here, I’d have asked you to visit him”, Jan said.
“Will you come up and let me introduce you Dad’s a lovely old boy
who’s still got all his faculties and loves nothing more than to have
a good old chat. He’s not religious but I know he’d like to meet you.”
Trish explained that she needed to be somewhere else but promised
to visit later that day.
“And the blessing of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with
you and all whom you love this day and always”, Trish concluded the
bedside Communion, packed her pyx and chalice back into their box,
said her farewells and made her way to the ward to meet Jan’s father.
Arriving at the bedside, Trish was greeted by a tearful Jan who
introduced her father whilst blowing her nose into a man-sized
Kleenex. “Trish, this is my dad, Harry” she said. “He’s just been told
that he has an inoperable tumour in his stomach but he’s been
offered chemo in the hope that it will shrink it”.
Trish leant across the bed to shake Harry’s hand. “I’m so sorry,
Mr Scott – this must be very hard for you.”
Harry Scott fixed the chaplain with periwinkle blue eyes and replied
“Well, not really Padre. I’ve had to do much harder things than this in
my life. This is just about me dying and I’m not frightened of that. It
was far more frightening to watch men drop dead all around me, like
so many flies, without being able to do a thing to prevent it – that’s
what I call hard, not this.”
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60 Second Interview with...
James Day
Name: James Day
Job Title: Trust Secretary
Year Born: 1959
Star Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Colchester, Essex
Describe Your Job in Twenty Words:
Supporting the Board, Chair and CEO,
managing Corporate Governance and
Corporate Services, Communications and the Foundation Trust
structures and membership.
What Is The Best Bit About Your Job
The people - in my teams, all my colleagues and in the hospital as
a whole, plus being part of a successful and friendly organisation.
How Do You Spend Your Free Time
Anything to do with my family, flying light aeroplanes,
playing bass guitar in the band and fixing my 1992 Mini.
Where Would You Like To Go On Holiday
Preferably somewhere hot, quiet and with its own swimming pool
or beach – but really anywhere the family are.
Name Three People You Would Invite To A Dinner Party and
Why
Barack Obama – To listen to him and maybe influence
a little.
Gordon Brown – For the same reason. I’m not convinced he
deserves his bad press, but I could decide for myself.
Jeremy Clarkson – To liven it up a bit - it could be a bit dull with
just the other two!
Where Do You See Yourself in Ten Years
Doing something useful in the NHS and wondering why the time
went so quickly.
My Life Outside of Work by Wade Norcott
Outside of work Wade Norcott, Recruitment
Advisor, enjoys life as Football Association
(FA) referee.
the ranks to where he is today, Level Three. In December ’08
he was Assistant Referee at MK Dons .v. Leeds United in front of
17,000 people.
During the 10 month season 25 year old When commenting on the best game he has officiated he said:
Wade officiates at two 90 minute games a “The FA Cup 1st Round proper Horsham .v. Maidenhead United in
week in various high level leagues including 2007. It was a fantastic day from start to finish and the atmosphere
the Coca Cola Championship. Off the
around the town, in the ground and amongst the teams was the best
football pitch he has a gruelling training I have ever known at a football game.”
and fitness schedule to follow set by a
dedicated FA Sports Scientist. These sessions ensure he is fit enough Good communication skills and people management are an essential
to make informed decisions during a game whilst burning on
part of Wade’s role, both on and off the pitch. Wade added: “Within
average 1400 calories.
the first ten minutes of the whistle going I will have normally
identified and spoken to the trouble makers.
By making an example
Wade qualified in December 1997 at the tender age of 14. He started of these individuals I find it normally earns me the respect of the rest
to referee adult football in Harlow in 2001 and has since moved up of the team so I don’t tend to get too much abuse after that!”
Interested in a Tag
Did you know ...
Rugby Tournament
If you would like to put together a mixed sex team to compete
The Communications team recently launched a GP newsletter.
in a spring tag rugby tournament, please email your details to
The publication is sent to all local GPs on a quarterly basis.
Communications@pah.nhs.uk. If there is sufficient interest we
If you have any information for the next edition please email
will send out more information in the coming months.
it to Communications@pah.nhs.uk
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