Heartbeat August 2019

Children have their say on service
redesign
WOMEN AND CHILD HEALTH
Children from across the community
gathered at a special event to share
their thoughts and opinions on how
to improve services as the Trust looks
to co-locate paediatric emergency and
paediatric assessment units at City
Hospital.
Dr Chizo Agwu, Consultant Paediatrician
in Diabetes and Endocrinology, and chair
of the project believes it’s vital the Trust
engage with and seek the opinions of
children from across the borough as any
pathway changes are going to affect
them.
She said: “Children from across the
region will be using these facilities in the
coming years so it’s important we seek
their input when making these kinds of
improvements across our sites. It would
be easy for us clinicians and the rest of the
board to dictate what we feel would be
(L-R) Dr Chizo Agwu, Dr Lorna Bagshaw,
Suneeta Singh –HCA, Lisa Blunt – Student
nurse
most suitable but it will be local children who
will be using the facilities so their feedback is
invaluable to us.”
Sharing her thoughts on the engagement
event, Dr Agwu added: “The children that
attended approved the model of co-locating
the emergency department with paediatrics.
They indicated that they wanted bright
primary colours with a theme of animals and
facts about them running throughout the
department. With this in mind, our project
team will ensure that their vision of the new
unit is realised.”
The consultation event was organised
by Paul Hazle, Service Redesign Project
Manager. He said: “It was discussed at the
event, that the main drivers for wanting
the redevelopment included strengthening
resilience, essentially a single emergency
front door and a more integrated model
for children’s emergencies and reduced
isolation of 24/7 children’s services on our
city site, bringing together D19 paediatric
assessment unit on the main spine with
the paediatric emergency department.
Explaining the benefits, Heather Bennett,
Head of Women and Child Health Services
added: “There will be multiple benefits
from this expansion such as quicker
specialist assessments, reduced admissions,
a smoother flow, earlier discharge for
patients and a more flexible specialist
workforce in regards to caring for children.
All of these benefits will result in a more
improved patient journey for our younger
patients and their parents/carers. It will
also help the Trust continue to meet their
commitment of improving services and
outcomes for children.”
Exceptional maternity care brings
joy to colleague
Aysha, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Anti-
Coagulation, has worked within the
Trust for approximately 10 years and
wants to acknowledge and highlight
the exceptional care and support she
received from two colleagues during
a particularly difficult, but ultimately
joyful, time in her life.
In 2005 Aysha was dealing with infertility
issues and when a colleague, Dr Dawkins,
saw the strain that she was under, she
suggested that Aysha be referred to the
care of Mr Baghadadi, who at the time
worked at the Maternity unit at City
Hospital.
From 2006 Aysha was looked after by Mr
Baghadadi, but it was far from being an
easy, or quick, journey to motherhood.
Aysha said: “I want to say thank you
because he has been so persistent, it
took from 2006 until 2012 for me to get
pregnant with my first child.
He was the first doctor who wanted to
listen and didn’t just dismiss me, he did
his best to make me feel better about
everything.”
Initially, Aysha went through Dr
Baghadadi’s programme and when his
programme didn’t work she went through
Aysha enjoys a day out with her daughters
IVF. Sadly, Aysha miscarried at 19 weeks, but
Mr Baghadadi was there to provide help and
support with an offer of counselling, which
Aysha accepted.
She said: “I could tell that he really did care.
He said: ‘when you want to try again get in
touch with me.’ ”
When Aysha was ready to try again she did
get back in touch with Dr Baghadadi, who
agreed to help, even going so far as giving
Aysha his mobile phone number so that she
could keep in contact. It was decided that
they would try IVF again, but before they
could start the treatment, Aysha texted Dr
Baghadadi with a surprising announcement.
She had conceived naturally.
“I texted to say ‘IVF is off the plan, I’m
pregnant! What do we do now?’ ” Because
Aysha was considered a high risk pregnancy,
Mr Baghadadi referred her to the premprevention
clinic.
Mr Baghadadi made sure to keep a close eye
on Aysha’s progress: “All the way through he
was excellent. He kept saying we’re going to
do everything we can to have this baby”.
As a result Aysha gave birth to a healthy
baby girl. Three months later, Aysha became
pregnant again. Mr Baghadadi was there to
care and support Aysha in welcoming her
second daughter. In 2018 Aysha was able to
add another daughter to her family.
This time Aysha needed a c-section but was
worried about who would be undertaking
the procedure. She was scared about the
potential complications and she knew that
she would need someone very senior to
perform her c-section. Mr Baghadadi was
there again to reassure her that he would
ensure she received the specialist care that she
required.
Aysha said: “I can’t thank them enough.
I’ve had excellent care. Maternity at City is
fantastic, just incredible. Now I have my three
little miracles!”
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