Our matrons! - Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

2 TrustNews OCTOBER 2008
News in brief
Claire Gruszka
Security Awareness
Month
November 2007 is Security
Awareness Month and the Trust
will be staging a week of events
aimed at making staff, patients
and visitors feel safe when they are
at Calderdale Royal Hospital and
Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.
To make sure we cover topics
relevant to you please contact Claire
Gruszka, the Trust’s local security
management specialist with any
topics or ideas. You may also contact
Claire with any particular security
concerns that you may have. All
calls will be treated in confidence.
Your comments or suggestions
would be appreciated by Friday
31 October 2008. Further details
of the event will be posted on the
intranet in due course. Claire can
be contacted on HRI 2936 or
email: claire.gruszka@cht.nhs.uk
Technician Joanne Smart, left and pharmacist Anne Coleman
On target with
antibiotics
Our new measures to restrict antibiotic
prescribing have been continuing with
great effect across the Trust led by our
pharmacy and microbiology teams
One focus has been on whether the
choice of antibiotics prescribed are
in line with current Trust guidelines.
We are aiming for a monthly
target of 95% adherence. Latest
figures for September show a 97%
compliance at CRH and 96% at
HRI which is above the set target.
A second focus is on the restriction
of the broad spectrum antibiotic
ciprofloxacin outside Trust policy.
Ciprofloxacin is associated with an
increased risk of both C.difficile
associated disease and acquisition
of MRSA. The monthly target
is 0% ciprofloxacin prescribing
outside of Trust policy and this
was adhered to in September.
The number of ciprofloxacin
250mg tablets dispensed in
September 2008 was 2548, down
65% from 7285 dispensed in
September 2007 which reflects
the intensive efforts of both
pharmacy and microbiology.
Weekly antibiotic audits once
a month are being held to check
for compliance with prescribing
policy, course lengths for all
antibiotics and % ciprofloxacin
prescribed outside Trust policy.
Antibiotic pharmacist Sandra
Martin, said: “This is due
to all the hard work of the
pharmacy teams who have been
challenging prescriptions and
ensuring adherence to policy.”
The new measures started last
November with the launch of an
updated prescribing policy and
throughout the year there have
been briefings across all areas.
Car parking
update
The main visitor car park at
Huddersfield Royal Infirmary will
become a full visitor-only car park
from next month. The section
nearest the main road that is
currently barriered-off will be opened
up to the public from November 3.
Work to create car parking
solutions at Calderdale Royal
Hospital is also due to start next
month. Staff will be kept up-to-date
on all progress via the staff intranet
and later editions of Trust News
All staff at CRH should have
received a re-application form for
parking permits. If any staff have
not received this please contact the
travel department on HRI 2358.
Chlamydia
screening
Occupational health is
offering staff aged under 25 the
opportunity to be screened for
chlamydia in support of the
national screening programme.
The aim of the screening is
to control chlamydia through
early detection and treatment
and to prevent the development
of serious associated problems
and reduce the risk of further
transmission of the infection.
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection
that affects the sexual organs and
often people infected have no signs
or symptoms. If untreated chlamydia
may cause complications such
as chronic pain and infertility.
A simple urine test can detect
if someone is infected. Testing is
free and is completely confidential.
Chlamydia is easily treated with
antibiotics, though it is also important
that all sexual contacts of people who
screened positives are also checked.
Information leaflets and screening
packs are available from the
occupational health departments
both at Calderdale and Huddersfield.
Rachel Wood, occupational
health practitioner, said: “Around
10 per cent of Trust staff fall into
the under 25 age group so we
can play an important role in
helping young people to access
this screening programme.”
Meet the team
The janitors - HRI’s new cleaning
team - are set to start deep
cleaning in various areas
from November.
Katharine Fletcher
and Huw Griffiths
The janitors are split into new cleaning teams
and have been undergoing special training ready to
give extra support to our existing domestic staff.
Head of cleaning services, Janet Plows, said: “The
janitor teams are taking cleaning a step further and are
reflecting the high priority placed on cleaning services by
the Trust to improve cleaning standards and they will give
give a tremendous boost to our existing domestic team.”
The eight-man team will be split into three groups:
n Team one will be the rapid response team aimed
at providing extra, emergency out-of-hours cleaning
services on wards or departments during the night
from 8pm to 7am. They will be contactable via the
bleep system on numbers to be circulated shortly.
n Team two will cover from 6.30am to 8 pm
supporting the deep clean team and improving
standards by providing extra heavy duty cleaning cover
on wards and departments during the daytime.
n Team three works from 6.30am to 5pm covering all
the main public and staff heavily trafficked areas such as
all general corridors, lift areas, toilets, steps and entrances.
All change
Appointments and
medical records, with a
team of 130, have switched
divisions and moved
into DATs (diagnostics
and therapeutics).
Originally in surgery,
the move is to boost the
team’s profile and the
switch also means they now
have a clinical director,
consultant chemical
pathologist Huw Griffiths.
He said: “They are
joining a division which,
Health fair and AGM
More than 100 people came along to After the meeting, during the health fair,
our Annual General Meeting (AGM) people were able to meet staff to find out
and health fair earlier this month. more about services and topics including
The meeting highlighted achievements infection control, cleaning services, the
of the last year, and took a brief glance 18 week standard, heart health, smoking
at what is coming up in future months. cessation and safe levels of drinking.
Our chairman Sukhdev Sharma told Angela Bradshaw, head of patient and
the meeting at Berties Banqueting public involvement said: “The event
Rooms in Elland: “It has been a busy, had a great atmosphere, and we have
challenging and exciting year. I have received excellent feedback from many
been inspired by the commitment of our visitors. We hope to make the
of our staff, volunteers and members health fair an annual event, and that
of our Membership Council.”
next year, it will be even better.”
like them, is central to
delivering quality patient
care and is key to all the
Trust’s services. There is
also a huge amount of
work ahead including
Direct Booking, Choose
and Book and electronic
patient records.”
General manager in
appointments Katharine
Fletcher, said: “We have
never had a clinical
director before that is
a massive bonus.”
Money
matters
If you deal with money or order goods
or equipment you need to know about
standing financial instructions or SFIs.
These are instructions which detail
the financial responsibilities, policies
and procedures adopted by the Trust.
They act as a regulatory mechanism
in relation to its financial matters.
They help ensure that the Trust’s
resources are used economically,
efficiently and effectively and concern
everyone working for the Trust.
The instructions do not provide detailed
procedural notes but provide a framework
within which all employees should work.
You should discuss their relevance to you
with your manager who will inform you
which specific ones you are responsible for.
Examples of topics covered By SFIs:
n Audit, bank and PGO accounts,
income, charges and security of cash and
cheques, terms of service and payment
of directors and employees, non-pay
expenditure, stores and receipt of goods,
disposal and condemnations, losses and
special payments, patients’ property, funds
held in trust (Charitable Funds).
n More details can be found in the
policies section of the intranet (G1 and
G2) or speak to your line manager or call
Kathy Bray on HRI ext 7186.
Clean team: Julie Walker,
Gina Davies and Janet Plows