CONSULTANTS AT NNUH are attending a

series of information sessions to explain the

benefits of a new online communication

system for GPs

So far 350 GPs in the NNUH catchment

area have expressed an interest in piloting

the “Confer” system, which is designed to

provide instant access to specialist advice

from our consultants.

The system allows GPs to log on and

“chat” to consultants to help with their

decision making. Clinicians can even view a

snapshot of information, such as lab test or

ECG results, by clicking on a hyperlink on

their desktop.

It’s thought this timely access to specialist

advice could considerably reduce the

number of unnecessary referrals, especially

for patients where the diagnosis is not yet

clear or for the management of those with

long-term conditions There is wide

variation between referral rates in the East

of England and currently around 30 per

cent of patients attending for first

appointments are discharged from the

consultant’s care with no further follow up

required.

Issue Number 7Summer 2011

GP

You may remember that in the spring edition of GP Update wehighlighted some of the children’s services we offer and the benefits of specialist care closer to home. Our new logo (above) was launched

at an evening event in June and you will be seeing this branding in all ourcorrespondence and communications relating to children’s services.

Soon you will be receiving in the post our new brochure, which contains a directory of contact details for all our children’s services. The brochure is aforerunner to the new-look website for children’s services which will give in-depth information at the touch of a button. The website should be ready by early autumn but until then up-to-date information can still be accessed from the Norfolk & Norwich website: www.nnuh.nhs.uk – select Jenny Lind.

We will shortly be sending you details of of our GP evening events for theautumn and look forward to seeing you then. Meanwhile, we welcome yourfeedback and suggestions on the brochure, the websiteand other children’s service issues. Please contact me byemail: rebecca.perry@nnuh.nhs.uk

Rebecca Perry, GP Liaison Manager, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals

NHS Foundation Trust

NEWS FROM

UpdateA new look for children’s servicesGo Confer for

timely advice

CROMER HOSPITAL is to launch a one-

stop cataract service so patients can have

surgery on the same day their condition is

diagnosed. They will be seen by a consultant

during the Tuesday morning clinic and, if

appropriate, will be assessed for surgery and

offered an operation later that afternoon.

Consultant ophthalmologist Mr Colin

Jones commented: “We are delighted to be

able to offer this service for patients in

North Norfolk as it should save them the

inconvenience of having to make extra

journeys to hospital.

“Initially it will be limited to a small

number of newly referred patients but if

successful we will extend the service to other

out-patients needing cataract surgery.”

Patients will be warned about the new

service in information leaflets sent out with

their appointment letters so they are fully

prepared for same-day surgery. Most will be

fine afterwards, although they need to

arrange to have a lift home as they will not

be able to drive.

It’s expected that the same-day service will

be available at the Allies Day Procedure Unit

from September until the ophthalmology

department moves into the new hospital

building next spring.

The new unit will occupy about a third of

the ground floor area and will include

theatres, out-patient facilities and space for

pre-assessment.

Same day cataract surgery to be launched in Cromer

GP UPDATE SUMMER 2011KEY CONTACTS

Norfolk and Norwich UniversityHospitalColney Lane Norfolk NR4 7UYWebsite: www.nnuh.nhs.uk

On-call: For emergencies tel: 01603 286286 andask to be transferred to the appropriateon-call teams: • Surgical: SpR. (bleep 0080) • Medical: via the Emergency Assessment

Unit (EAU) on bleep 0002• Medicine for the Elderly: ext. 6509

There is also an on-call general (GI) andvascular consultant available via theswitchboard.

Norwich Community HospitalBowthorpe RoadNorwichNR2 3TUTel: 01603 776776(Also Breast Screening, Pain Management)

Norwich Contraception and SexualHealth ClinicGrove RoadNorwichNR1 3RHTel: 01603 287345

PharmacyMedicines information line: 01603287139

Pathology

Clinical Biochemistry andHaematology 01603 286929 / 286932 / 286959

Microbiology01603 288587 / 288588

Knowledge Norfolk website:

http://nww.eastern.nhs.uk/scripts/index.as

p?pid=73450&id=95975

GP UPDATEGP Update is edited by RebeccaPerry and produced by the NNUHCommunications team If you haveany questions, comments orcontributions please contactRebecca on 01603 289989 or byemail: rebecca.perry@nnuh.nhs.uk

BABIES AND children up to the

age of five could be referred to

Cromer Hospital for specialised

hearing tests when the new

hospital opens its doors next

spring.

Newborn hearing screening is

already carried out at Cromer but

children needing further

investigation are currently referred

to NNUH for further diagnostic

tests. The new facilities will provide

this service closer to home for

families living in North Norfolk.

A special “flexible test room” is being built

as part of the redevelopment project and

our audiology specialists have been working

hard behind the scenes to ensure the new

state-of-the-art facilities meet all their

specifications. The plans provide for a

“room within a room” suspended on anti-

vibration mounts to eliminate echoes and

noise from the rest of the building.

“Children’s diagnostic hearing tests are

extremely sensitive and it’s vitally important

that the acoustic levels are the same

throughout the room,” explained John

FitzGerald, clinical director of audiology at

NNUH. “Noise can reverberate throughout

a building, which is why the room has to

have a false floor, ceiling and walls. It also

has to be big enough to allow us to test the

children’s reaction to sounds from a loud

speaker.”

The audiology unit will be known as the

Cox Audiology Unit after Phyllis Cox, who

left £1.3 million to Cromer Hospital in her

will.

The unit includes three testing rooms

and for the first time in Cromer there will

be a fully equipped work room for shaping

ear moulds to fit each individual patient.

Room for more at Cromer

TRACKING REFERRALSOur IT team has been working on a web-

based system to enable our staff to view and

track the progress of electronic referrals

across the hospital. The system saves

valuable time for the admin teams and

should ensure that referrals do not go

missing between departments.

COTS FOR TOTSMore than £107,000 has been raised so far

for the Norwich Cots for Tots appeal,

including £24,000 from our hospital Open

Day and Fete in June.

Staff and visitors turned out in force to

make the day a success and support the

appeal, which aims to increase the capacity

of our Neonatal Intensive care Unit so we

can provide care for more premature and

critically ill babies closer to home.

ONE STOP UROLOGY COMING SOONFrom September 2011 we will be offering a

one-stop Urology clinic allowing patients to

receive their diagnosis and treatment plan

on the same day. Investigations available for

this same day service include: • Ultrasound

– renal/ testicular • Flexible cystoscopy •

Flow rate • Transrectal ultrasound of the

prostate • Plain film x-rays

The clinic will run three times a week and

will reduce the time taken from initial

referral to consultant led diagnosis.

STOP PRESS - DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

Cardiology Up-date – an opportunity to

meet our cardiology consultants and hear

about new services – Tuesday 13 September

7-9:30pm Dunston Hall Norwich, more

details to follow. If you would like to attend

email rebecca.perry@nnuh.nhs.uk