April 2015

3 / A heart felt goodbye 4&5 / Spotlight on staff excellence 7 / Rugby under-grads end century of pain

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2 News

The RNTNEH productive outpatients programme (POP) took centre stage at an event to mark national NHS Change Day.

Guest of honour was NHS Improving Quality transformation lead Jackie Lynton who chatted to each of the project teams – including the reception team (pictured) about the improvements they have made to patient care.

She said: “You have found and are using your ‘lost third’ to provide better care for patients. You have captured the essence of NHS Change Day – how it’s the small things that really make a difference to patient experience and why it’s so important to showcase the vital role of reception staff – they are the first point of contact for patients and ‘set the scene’ for the rest of the patient journey”.

Inspired by the successes of the POP, staff were encouraged to make pledges about their ‘lost third’ for NHS Change Day.

Jackie also highlighted excellent examples of how patient care is being improved at the RNTNEH: the development

of a pager which keeps patients informed of their appointment time and the Listening App which patients can use to practise using their new cochlear implants.

Gill Gaskin, medical director, specialist hospitals, said, “Jackie was so upbeat and positive about the improvements we have made at the RNTNEH and we hope that the programme has inspired all staff to really think about what they can do to improve patient care.”.

View all the POP improvements made at the RNTNEH here: http://insight/pop

For more about the lost third, go to: http://insight/FutureUCLH

Meet the TeamProduced and designed by: The Communications department

Front cover photo: UCLH award winners Anthony French-Lowe, nursing assistant T7 and Grace Dent, staff nurse, T14 Cancer Services .

Inside Story magazine is published by UCLH (University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) for our staff

Contact usIf you have any information you would like included in Inside Story, or on Insight, contact: Communications Unit, 2nd Floor Central, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2PG. Email: communications@uclh.nhs.uk, Tel: ext 79118, Fax: ext 79401. Visit us online at: uclh.nhs.uk

POP!

The music therapy group on T12 turned up the volume for UK singer Foxes when she dropped in to see teenage patients and sing some of her latest tracks. The regular weekly improvisation sessions are run by Jimmy Lyons, from the Nordoff Robbins music therapy charity. Foxes, whose debut album Glorious features the top 20 singles Youth and Holding onto heaven, also tried a bit of improvisation, taking a turn on the xylophone.

Fantastic Ms Foxes

Sweet music: Patient Mo Asiam and Foxes at a music therapy session.

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3News

Word on the Tweet...

Follow us: @uclh

@HSJEditor Thanks to all @uclh - even the grumpy doc, but especially the Garret Anderson midwives - for delivering my son after a 38 hr labour.

@natalieshamash @uclh thank to all the midwives today for being so patient and helping my sister and brother in law deliver a bundle!! #UCLH

@robdykedotcom @SteveLaitner @HSJEditor our baby 2.0 arrived 1st April. Back in @uclh last night. Seen In 1hr then home again. Can’t fault team there.

@jonathanhearsey Thank you to @uclh’s chief nurse, @kfentonobe for the cake on her last day.

As cardiac services transfer from the Heart Hospital to Barts Heart Centre over the next few days, it’s time to say ‘thank you’ and to reflect and celebrate the achievements of those who have worked there.

Gill Gaskin, Medical Director for the Specialist Hospital Board, said: “I would like to thank you all for your dedication and particularly those of you who have been involved in the upcoming transfer and the planning for thoracic surgery and local cardiac services at UCLH.

“Change on this scale is never easy and I am extremely grateful for your professionalism to ensure the safe transfer of patients and the service. I would like to send my very best wishes to all of you.”

In 1913 the Heart Hospital opened in its doors as the first hospital in the world dedicated to the treatment of patients with cardiovascular disease. In 2001 UCLH took ownership of the hospital and since then services on the site have gone from strength to strength. Highlights include:

> The development of a

3D virtual heart in 2008 which has changed how doctors are trained.

> Developing guidelines for the care of patients with inherited cardiac conditions that are now followed worldwide.

> Establishing the Heart Hospital as a leading UK centre for Cardiac Rhythm Management.

> The specialist GUCH (Grown Up Congenital Heart) team has helped bring 1,000 babies into the world since the

service was launched 10 years ago.

Edward Rowland, Divisional Clinical Director of the Heart Hospital, said: “Staff at the Heart Hospital should rightly feel proud of all that has been achieved over the last 14 years. Working with our new colleagues at the Barts Heart Centre, we will build on them to go even further and deliver world leading patient care and research.”

The first patients move to Barts Heart Centre on 27 April 2015 with the transfer complete on 6 May 2015.

Farewell to the Heart Hospital

We need staff just like you!

Staff governors play an important role – from being involved in improving the patient experience to appointing the chairman. If you

are in a non-clinical (admin) role, a doctor or dentist, nurse or midwife then we really hope you will consider standing. Just nominate yourself and complete a form saying why the role appeals to you. Come along on Tuesday 12 May 6.00pm – 8.00pm at the UCH Education Centre.There will be presentations from the chairman, deputy chief executive and current governors. Nominations open 11 May and close 8 June. Contact Ros Waring, membership development manager – foundation.trust@uclh.nhs.uk/ 020 3447 9923

“We approved the decision to build the new cancer facility and Phase 4”

“We held workshops at the RNTNEH and EDH and staff told us how they thought we could help. And we did!”

“I was on the interview panel to appoint a Non-Executive Director and really enjoyed it.”

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4 Spotlight

You’re all excellent – let’s celebrate!Staff from across UCLH were honoured for their outstanding work at the Celebrating Excellence Awards, hosted by actress Barbara Windsor MBE.

Introducing the awards, UCLH chairman Richard Murley described the ceremony as “the standout moment in the UCLH year”. He said: “It is with pride tonight that we recognise the great work of all of our finalists – individuals and teams who go above and beyond for their patients and their colleagues.”

Almost 1,300 nominations were submitted to the awards this year, 30 per cent more than last year.

Barbara Windsor told the audience that working in the TV and movies was easy compared to a career in the health service: “Working in an NHS hospital on a Saturday night – that’s hard work. You all make it seem like it’s not hard work, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Nursing assistants, nurses, doctors, researchers, volunteers and porters: all the finalists demonstrated the UCLH values of kindness, safety, improving and teamwork.

Workforce director Ben Morrin described it as a “Great night”. He added: “I want to see us capture the sense of celebration we saw tonight and bring that even more into our day-to-day work – we’ll be looking at ways to do that in the coming weeks.”

He thanked UCLH Charity for supporting the event and the workforce team, governors, communications and everyone nominated for helping to make the night a success.

You can view our award winners on right (not pictured Pauline Mohammed winner of the UCH Nurses League Christine Harcourt-Smith Awards/ Nursing Assistant of the year).

Chairman’s Achievement Award: Julia Solano, formerly head of Radiotherapy Services

UCH Nurses League Christine Harcourt Smith Awards/Registered Nurse Mentor of the Year: Jean O’Neill, RNTNEH

Top Quality Patient Care/ Gwyneth Griffiths Award: Ward T7 led by Josie Gladney matron, medical specialties.

Safety Award: Sam Abdul, matron Eastman Dental Hospital

Chairman’s Medal or Excellence in Education and Training: Dr Stephanie Baldeweg, consultant medical specialties.

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5Spotlight

You’re all excellent – let’s celebrate! CelebratingExcellenceAWARDS

Kindness award: Anthony French-Lowe, nursing assistant T7

Improving award: Julie Pluck and Linda Huggins, Integration Division

Top Quality Patient Care/ Gwyneth Griffiths Award: Ward T7 led by Josie Gladney matron, medical specialties.

Living the values award/clinical staff (patient nominations): Pedro Fernandez, midwife, Women’s Health.

The best UCLH Trained Newly Qualified Nurse/UCH Nurses League: Grace Dent, T14 Cancer Services.

Living the values/non-clinical staff (patient nominations): Richard Mayes and Imran Hussain, IFM Costa Catering Team, Cancer Services. Chief Nurse’s Prize: Louise Baxendale T12N

Going the Extra Mile – volunteer award: Pragna Shah

Chairman’s Medal or Excellence in Education and Training: Dr Stephanie Baldeweg, consultant medical specialties.

Chief Executive’s Outstanding Leadership Award: David Sanderson, charge nurse Heart Hospital

Contribution to World-Class Research: Professor Alimuddin Zumla, consultant in Infectious Diseases, physician professor of Infectious Diseases and International Health and the UNZA-UCLM and RiD-RTI research teams.

Teamwork award: Bernadette Wilson and the Aural Care Team

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6 In the know

Technology is helping health planners and clinical teams to draw up detailed plans for services based in the “Phase Four” development.

Alison Fawthrop, health planner for UCLH, explains: “Working with clinical and design teams, we are using technology to build Phase Four in a virtual world. We can plan the layout of theatre spaces, wards, equipment storage and waiting areas in a very detailed way. The technology also allows us to stand back and think about how the building as a whole will feel for patients and staff.”

Clinical user groups are being set up for the Proton Beam Therapy service, short stay surgery and haematology services as well as imaging, all of which will be in the new building.

Kirsty Thomson, a consultant haematologist who is part of the haematology user group, said: “I am looking forward to using this technology and seeing how it can help us develop new approaches to delivering our services.”

The planning phase comes after a number of milestones including Government approval for PBT and UCLH Board approval for the short stay surgery service and the haematology service. The building contractors have started work on the site.

Tahir Ahmed, capital lead for phase four, said: “This is a really complex project involving many different partners and different clinical divisions. I am really proud of the team and the work we are doing using digital technology

to engage with our stakeholders and deliver truly intelligent building.”

For more information about the project, planning phase and user groups please visit the Strategy Development pages on Insight.

Building “phase four” in a virtual world

New chief nurse joinsNew chief nurse Flo Panel-Coates joined UCLH this month following the retirement of Katherine Fenton. Flo joins us from Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. Katherine Fenton visited more than 80 wards and teams in her final week to say a final thank you to the staff she has worked with over the last four years.

The PBT project team taking time out to celebrate their success

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7

UCLH’s under-graduate rugby team has lifted the coveted United Hospitals Cup for the first time in 128 years after a 20-6 victory against Imperial College.

RUMS is the rugby team of UCLH, the Royal Free and Middlesex Medical Students’ Society. Along with medical schools from across London, RUMS has competed in the United Hospitals Cup since the tournament began in 1875.

Prof Fares Haddad, club president and consultant orthopaedic surgeon who played in the 1992 cup final, said: “This has been coming for the last few years and means so much to all of us who have been involved with RUMS over the years.”

In other sporting news, UCLH’s GI Services 7-a-side football team enjoyed success in March with a tournament victory over The Lister, Royal Free and St Marks hospitals.

In the know

Rugby under-graduates break 128-year duck

An idea from a play specialist, turned into a design by a radiotherapy engineer has now become an integral part of preparing young children for an MRI scan.

The mini MRI model, complete with a Lego patient, is a simple way of explaining to youngsters what’s going to happen and helping to make the process a little less scary.

Radiotherapy play specialist Laura Walter suggested the idea after seeing a similar one produced by Siemens. Radiotherapy engineer, Ernie Palfi, then produced a design which was created using a 3D printer with the help of the mechanical department in medical physics.

“My intention was to make it as simple as possible, with no loose parts, no screws and no sharp edges,” Ernie explained. “ … to make a small toy that would also have the different sounds of an MRI scanner so that children will know what to expect and it will be less frightening. I’ve heard the children love it.”

Catherine Gardner, University College Hospital senior health play specialist for imaging and nuclear medicine, said young children find it difficult to put their concerns into words and the model helps them to explore what’s going to happen.

The aim is for children as young as three to have their MRI awake, without general anaesthetic or sedation. “We can’t guarantee it,” said Catherine, “but we are having good success.”

Ernie’s Mini MRI model is a hit with children

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8 Inside out

For deputy ward sister Vicky Larrad Rahkonen it started on dark, rainy January afternoon on a tube platform at Liverpool Street and ended 8,500 miles away on the South China Seas.

“I saw the poster on the platform about the Clipper Round The World Sailing Race and the words ‘This could be you!’

And Vicky – who had never set foot on a sailing boat before – decided yes it would be.

After organising a sabbatical from UCLH, and completing three weeks of training at Gosport and Solent, she set sail on Leg 5 of the race from Brisbane to China, via Singapore. Aboard a 70 foot racing boat, Vicky and the dozen other amateur sailors learnt the secrets of ocean racing from their professional skipper.

“ Across the Coral Sea, Solomon sea, Bismarck sea, South Pacific, Sulu Sea, Celebesi Sea, Singapore Strait and South China Sea. I was terribly seasick for the first 24 hours….but the next 54 days were much better.”

No showers, no cabins, no privacy, technical problems, night watch duties on deck, temperatures that veered from 40 degrees to sub zero and three broken ribs, (sustained during a

tumble in choppy weather). Nothing much to see but sea.

But for Vicky it meant her dream had come true.

“I was finally sailing – and loving it. You feel very small in the middle of nowhere but the sea is always beautiful. There were loads of dolphins and the night skies were amazing and you are so far from everyday life that there are few worries. The rest of the crew were amazing people – a company boss, a tree surgeon, a nursing assistant. All types and all learning from each other.”

At journey’s end in Qingdao in China, they

were greeted by the media, champagne, a delegation of VIPS and fireworks. “It still makes my hair stand up on the back of my neck just thinking about it.”

Now back on the neonatal unit at University College Hospital, Vicky’s seafaring experiences remain relevant. “It showed me the importance of teamwork. If the outlook is ever gloomy, a team can help inspire each other, to build resilience and overcome challenges and find solutions – together.” Anything else? “Yes I learnt how much I love sailing and why if you really, really want to do something – don’t wait. Make it happen.”

ArchiveAn electrocardiograph (ECG) from 1922 at the National Hospital for Diseases of the Heart, London: one man adjusts the dials while another looks on. Nowadays patients having an ECG have a small metal plate attached to their arms and legs with a little conductive gel – this machine needed saline baths for the electrical connections.

Secret lives

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