Inside Story

Blaze of glory: our fire-eating neurologist - page 8AANNDDTiles of the unexpected - page 7PPLLUUSSMidwifery’s new Gould-en girl - page 6

Inside Story is the UCLH staff magazine

our trustA degree of success for ward sister

Contact UsIf you have any information you would likeincluded in Inside Story, or on the Trustintranet site Insight, contact:

Communications Unit, 2nd Floor Central,250 Euston Road, London NW1 2PG

Email: communications@uclh.nhs.uk

Tel: ext 9897Fax: ext 9401

2

UCLH Nursing and Midwifery Strategy 2008 - 2011

Women’s Health gears up for move

• Improving the patient experience

Effective leadership

Research and innovation in practice

Education and continuing professional

development

Improving working lives

You can view the full strategy document

on Insight.

(Debby Gould, new UCLH Head of

Midwifery – Interview, page 6)

••

•

•

Ward sister Samantha Philpott has won

an award to help fund her masters

degree in nursing. She was selected by

the Worshipful Company of Barbers to

receive £4,000 towards her two-year

post-graduate studies, the rest funded

by the trust.

She said: ”It’s very exciting. It will mean

a lot of extra work, about 18 hours of

study a week on top of my work hours.

But I like to push myself to the limit! I’ll

just have to be disciplined, prioritise –

and shut myself away to concentrate.”

The masters will focus on leadership

and involves critical self-examination,

problem-solving, strategic thinking,

managing and developing staff and

communication, as well as practical

tasks. The course will culminate in a

15,000 word dissertation.

Samantha, who has been a ward sister

at The Heart Hospital for the past four

years, said: ”I have already had a lot of

practical experience of the issues

covered in some of the course work,

such as managing change and

delivering results. I’ve had the

experience, learnt from my mistakes

and now I’m learning the theory.”

She says she hopes it will inspire other

colleagues to continue their

professional development and enhance

her leadership skills to improve the

experience of the patients on her floor.

She added: ”I’m not a naturally

academic person and if you had seen

me at school you would not have

imagined that I would go on to study for

a masters. I’m quite proud of myself – I

just hope I can live up to everyone’s

expectations.”

As part of the award, Samantha will be

invited to several official functions at the

Worshipful Company of Barbers – one

of the oldest livery companies in the city

which celebrates its 700th anniversary

this year. It is a predominantly

charitable organisation which offers

grants and financial support to those

with a background in the medical

profession, city – or barber trade!

Staff are invited to a series of weekly question and answer sessions about the

move from the Elizabeth Garret Anderson and Obstetric Hospital to new

accommodation which includes Phase 2, the new EGA Wing of University College

Hospital. Women’s Health Services will be transferring in less than 30 weeks and

the drop in sessions will enable the Phase 2 team to answer any questions or

concerns staff may have.

The sessions start on 2nd April and will be held every subsequent Wednesday

from 8am to 9am and from 12.30pm to 2pm in the 4th floor meeting room

(opposite Lift A) of the EGA Hospital. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Please ring Jean Harris on 0207 380 9839 if you would like further information.

The revised UCLH Nursing and

Midwifery strategy 2008-2011 published

this month, recognises the central role

played by these key staff in shaping the

development of clinical services.

It emphasises the need to work

collaboratively with patients and other

healthcare professionals to provide high

quality, cost-effective and holistic care -

with the patient as the central focus.

Louise Boden, Chief Nurse said:

“Nurses and midwives are at the

forefront of redesigning services to

streamline patient pathways so they will

continue to adapt their practice and

embrace new ways of working.”

The strategy, which builds on previous

themes, also continues to emphasise

the importance of promoting a culture of

lifelong learning, more formalised career

paths and encouraging nurse and

midwife-led research.

The key objectives include:

3

our trust

Trust chief executive Robert Naylor went

to Buckingham Palace last month to

receive his knighthood from The Queen.

Among the many honours recipients,

Robert was one of two who received a

Knighthood (Knight's Bachelor), the

other was John Stuttard, the recently

retired Lord Mayor of London.

Robert was joined at his investiture by

his wife Jane, daughter Victoria and son

James (pictured). He was named in the

New Year’s Honours List 2008 to receive

a Knighthood ‘for services to healthcare’.

Having spent his entire career in the

National Health Service, Robert has

been at UCLH for more than seven

years and was previously chief

executive for 15 years of the Heart of

England NHS Foundation Trust.

He joined UCLH in 2000 when the

contract for the new University College

Hospital was agreed that at the time was

the most ambitious single building

project in the NHS; it was delivered on

time and on budget and formally opened

by The Queen in October 2005.

At the investiture, The Queen asked

about the challenges of the NHS and in

reply he said: "Working at UCLH is both

a challenge and a privilege."

He reminded Her Majesty of the

landmark occasion of her formerly

opening the new hospital. She

commented on her recollection of a

wonderful new building and wished the

trust all the best for the future.

The ceremony was held in the Palace

Ballroom and lasted just over an hour.

Robert added: "It was a day to

remember and a great tribute to

everyone at UCLH and the many

thousands of people that I have had the

pleasure to work with over the past 23

years as a chief executive."

Chief executive’s day at the Palace

Chairman Peter Dixon

has presented 36

members of staff with a

glass bowl as a token of

the trust's appreciation for

their contribution to the

life of UCLH and to the

welfare of patients.

Peter Dixon said he was

pleased to note the

increasing number of

people who qualified for a

Long Service Award,

adding: “These are good

people doing serious jobs

and we treat them all

equally when it comes to

recognising their service

to the trust. These are

people whose

enthusiasm for their

work shines through

because they like what

they are doing."

A reception was held in

the Old Refectory at

University College

London (UCL) in Gower

Street last month.

Members of the board

and trustees of UCLH

Charities, who funded

and organised the event,

also attended the event.

Chairman presents long service awards

An appeal to raise £1m to upgrade the

Neurocritical Care Unit at the National

Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

has reached its target.

A charity ball held recently at the

Emirates Stadium closed the campaign

after raising the final £100,000.

Organisers at the National Hospital

Development Foundation described it as

a “thrilling finish”.

The funds will support a £2.5m

development to refurbish and refit the

medical and intensive treatment units at

Queen Square. It includes new

monitoring equipment and new facilities

for patients and relatives. Refurbishment

of the intensive treatment unit is now

complete.

The Development Foundation is now

launching two new appeals to raise funds

for Europe’s first Brain Tumour Unit and

a Centre for Neuromuscular Disease,

both at Queen Square. If you would like

any more information, please contact the

NHDF on 020 7829 8724.

Charity ball hits fundraising target for NHNN

Team of domestics

The team of award winners from obstetrics

and gynaecology with the Chairman

Julia Solano whose

connection with UCH

dates back to January 1973

L-r: Dr Nicholas Hirsch (Neurocritical CareConsultant), Herchel Maclear-Jordan (Chair ofthe Leap Ball Committee) and Dr Martin Smith(Neurocritical Care Consultant)

4

our trust - royal london homoeopathic hospitalHigh volume acupuncture clinicIn a sunny high-ceilinged room at the

trust’s Royal London Homeopathic

Hospital (RLHH) a patient with around a

dozen delicate acupuncture needles

inserted into her neck and shoulders lies

quietly, while Dr Saul Berkovitz chats to

a patient with knee pain (pictured). The

needles in her knee are stimulated by a

gentle electric current.

“It’s a completely safe treatment,” says

Saul. “We assess every patient, but even

people with fear of needles usually

tolerate it well. Acupuncture needles are

much finer than syringe needles, are

solid rather than hollow, and you can

barely feel them once they have been

inserted. It’s even suitable for patients on

the blood-thinning drug Warfarin: we just

use even thinner needles than usual.

“For each condition, we use a semi-

standardised acupuncture protocol -

each patient gets about the same

number of needles from a restricted

'menu' of points. The clinic can then be

run by a nurse with basic but adequate

training to deliver the treatment

effectively.”

The clinic has been running since

January 2006, and around 100 patients

have had eight sessions each. Of those,

about 45 per cent responded positively:

most were patients who had had no

relief from more conventional treatments.

“Often we’re their last resort,” Saul adds.

The clinic offers group treatment for

single conditions such as arthritis of the

knee, headache and lower back pain.

Acupuncture’s efficacy for these

conditions is backed up by clinical trials;

it is recommended in the NICE

guidelines as effective second line

treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee.

As yet there are no NICE guidelines on

acupuncture for lower back pain, but the

American College of Physicians

guidelines state that acupuncture is as

effective as conventional treatment.

“Acupuncture can really be considered

conventional treatment nowadays,” says

Saul. “Many doctors now have training in

it especially GPs, who use it mostly for

musculoskeletal pain: neck pain, tennis

elbow and so on. And it’s offered by

every pain clinic in the UK.” Since 1995,

5,110 registered health professionals

have studied with the British Medical

Acupuncture Society.

Saul himself trained as a general

physician, and now runs a range of

services at the RLHH, including a clinic

for people suffering from chronic fatigue

- “that’s an orthodox service which

doesn’t use any complementary

therapies” - an allergy clinic, and a

western herbal medicine clinic due to be

officially launched this spring.

The RLHH acupuncture clinic also works

closely with the pain management clinic

at the NHNN, next door at Queen

Square. “We are planning to start a pilot

clinic with the National to treat analgesia-

related headache - the withdrawal

headaches people get if they overuse

painkillers. At the moment, the patients

who suffer most severely from this have

to be brought into hospital to withdraw

from their analgesics: obviously if people

can be treated without an inpatient stay

it’s a lot less costly.”

Other projects include a pilot on the use

of acupuncture to treat menopausal hot

flushes: “There’s increasing evidence

that it’s effective, and more and more

women don’t want HRT. There is also

potential to use it for a range of other

pain conditions including fibromyalgia

and irritable bladder.”

How did the idea of treating patients with

acupuncture in groups rather than one to

one arise?

“It’s the way they do it in China,” Saul

explains. “There are well over a billion

people in China: people get treated in

big groups. In the West, acupuncture

has a reputation as a holistic treatment,

but Chinese clinics are very brisk, in-out

services, run like factories. Running the

high-volume clinic allows us to see

patients more frequently: the treatment is

more effective if you can see patients

once a week.

“The group setting has other

advantages: it’s a good place for

educational interventions, such as a visit

from a physiotherapist to teach

exercises. And patients benefit from the

social setting: they see each other

getting better, and they enjoy coming.”

“The clinic offers group treatmentfor single conditions such asarthritis of the knee, headache andlower back pain.”

“..patients benefit from the socialsetting: they see each othergetting better, and they enjoycoming.”

5

our trust

Qualified teacher wanted – no league tables, small friendly classes,

panoramic views across London. For someone teaching in the inner

city jungle of a large comprehensive school it must seem like a

dream job.

When the Hospital School advertises for a teaching post it can get

more than a 100 replies from those eager to work in this stimulating

and challenging environment. But only a select few make the grade.

The successful recruits soon realise there are both similarities and

differences from the mainstream educational experience.

Philippa Church, one of two full time teachers at University College

Hospital, worked in a wide range of schools before joining UCH –

including a large Hertfordshire comprehensive with more than a

1,000 pupils. Now, most days, she teaches many pupils but just a

handful at any one time.

Philippa said: “There’s a different kind of pressure. You may not

have to deal with exams and marking homework but you have to

deal with children who may be chronically ill. I did wonder how I

would cope – but I have. You also teach a range of subjects to

children of all ages, all at

different levels. And, of

course, the pupils might be in

hospital from one day to a

year.”

The School at UCH – which

is part of the Children’s

Hospital School at Great

Ormond Street Hospital – is

subject to regular OFSTED

inspections and offers young

people full access to the core

National Curriculum subjects

and many others too.

If the youngsters are too

unwell to come to the

classrooms on T11 and T12,

then the teachers go and see

them: at their bedsides they

can access the School’s

Network and the London Grid

for Learning which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The schoolrooms on T11 and T12 are open from 10am – 12 noon

and 1.15 – 3.00 pm Monday to Friday.

John Sosna, assistant head teacher and head of ICT at both UCH

and GOSH, said: “We encourage the young people to keep in touch

with their home schools and continue their education so they don’t

fall behind with their studies. Continuity, normality and enjoyment

are an essential part of what we offer.”

The Hospital School liaises closely with the young person’s home

school before, during and after their stay in hospital.

Karen Gwynne, the school’s learning mentor, worked with

youngsters at an inner city school in Manchester before joining

UCH. She liaises with local education authorities about home

tuition and reintegration once the young patient is discharged and

talks to schools and pupils about how they can best support a sick

schoolmate when he or she returns to school in the outside world.

Karen added: “When I saw the advert on the internet I said: Wow -

that sounds an amazing job! And it is – particularly when a kid

comes back to say ‘thank you’. But it’s not always easy”.

Hospital school team

An artist renowned for painting the pampered pooches of

the rich and famous is sharing her talents with our young

patients. The colourful doggie portraits by Cindy Lass

have been snapped up by A-List celebrities such as

Elizabeth Taylor, George Michael, Brad Pitt, Sir Elton

John – and even The Queen, to name just a few – but it’s

the children on T12 who really inspire her.

“Most of the celebrities are great but the children have a

lot more substance than some of those I’ve met, who sell

out – and become like a business corporation unit.”

Every week, Cindy enthusiastically encourages the

youngsters to “draw on their energy” and create “art from

the heart” at sessions in the hospital’s classroom.

“I believe everyone can paint…I tell them to think of the

sea, it comes in and out and ends up on the shore. I tell

them to paint what you feel. The results are often

amazing and they become so absorbed,” added Cindy

who says art makes her feel “totally at peace.”

When she was nine years old she spent time in hospital

with suspected cancer and remembers it as a grim

experience. “Painting can provide an emotional hug,”

added Cindy whose bold and energetic colours are her

signature.

Of course, many of the young patients are keen to get the

inside gossip on some of the celebrities. Cindy usually

paints their pets from photographs – and she’s keen to

stress that proceeds go to charity. “My husband says I’m

from the Planet Zog and would give all my money away if

I could,” she says.

So what DID Sir Elton think of the portrait of his dog? “I

took it round to his house and he was just popping out to

do some shopping. He flipped out when he saw it – and

said I had picked up on the dog’s spirituality.”

So the old showbiz adage of never work with children and

animals doesn’t apply then? “Oh no – they’re the two

nicest things on the planet,” she added with a laugh.

Art from the heart

L-r: John Sosna,

Philippa Church and

Karen Gwynne in the

T12 schoolroom

Cindy Lass with 13

year old patient

Bobby Markham

Our new Head of Midwifery is everything

you might expect from a clinical leader.

Career-orientated, enthusiastic, focused,

dynamic, assertive – it’s true that her CV

is testimony to her many skills and

attributes.

But there’s more to Debby Gould than

that… and a smooth, white, fecund

sculpture of a heavily pregnant woman

on the shelf above her desk gives a

clue.

“It’s my fertility goddess from the

Glastonbury Tor,” says Debby. “I’m very

interested in cycles of life and getting in

touch with nature. Giving birth is just

such a wonderful experience and I can’t

believe I’m getting paid to do a job that I

love so much.”

And it’s that passion for bringing life into

the world that shapes her vision of how

maternity services should be developed

here at UCLH.

“With the help of a midwife, my sister

gave birth to her second baby in our

front room when I was just five years

old. I remember being so excited. My

mum had six children, five of them born

at home. It was a great big happy event

– not at all fearful. That’s what I want to

achieve here.”

Debby – who’s in charge of strategically

planning maternity services at UCLH –

has reams of experience of childbirth in

all settings both hands-on and

managerial; from home births, to

establishing midwife-led units, to

managing a high-risk labour ward. And,

although you can imagine she’d find it

difficult to pass a baby by without

wanting to hug it, she says strategic

planning is equally fulfilling.

“As a midwife, I could make things better

for one woman. As a clinical leader, I

can try to influence policy to make it

better for all women.”

Having said that, Debby admits she can

often be found wandering the wards,

chatting to mothers and cooing over

their new-born. “Last week there were

beautiful twins born – and I changed the

nappies so their mum could eat her

lunch in peace. It was a really enjoyable

15 minutes!”

It’s a short-hand for her philosophy and

she hopes to lead by example - “You

should never feel you’re too important to

do anything …. I want people at all

levels to feel I am approachable.”

Debby embraces the EGA’s Service

Commitment Plus: the maternity quality

initiative is now well placed to address

the recommendations arising from the

recent Healthcare Commission review of

maternity services which awarded the

trust a ‘fair’ rating.

She says: “It’s about how we deliver

care; by taking the time to explain to

women what is happening, to find out

what is important to them at a particular

time – to really try to communicate with

them.”

She believes the move from the

cramped and ageing EGA to the modern

and purpose-built maternity unit in the

EGA wing of the new UCH will have an

uplifting effect for patients – and staff.

“Environment makes a big difference on

how patients perceive their care to be. It

will be emotionally better for staff too –

the open plan building will help pull us

together as a team.”

Debby qualified as a midwife in 1984

and worked part-time weekend shifts

whilst her adored two sons Will and Josh

were young (both trouble-free births in a

midwife-led unit).

As the years passed – Debby’s career

soared. As well as her high-ranking

hospital posts, she is also Chair of the

Council at the Royal College of

Midwives and writes regularly for the

British Journal of Midwifery.

Not only that, she’s studying for a

hypnotherapy qualification in her spare

time, is interested in the spiritual ,as well

as the physical side of life, loves yoga

and meditation – all this, on top of her

workload and a daily commute from her

home in Southampton.

“Are you a workaholic?” I ask. She

lowers her voice in mock secrecy: “I

think I just might be!”

But, as I said at the beginning, there’s a

lot more to Debby than that.

You can read the full interview withDebby on Inside Story Extra.

interviewDebby Gould

6

“As a midwife, I could make things better for one woman. As a clinicalleader, I can try to influence policy to make it better for all women.”

Elke Tullett talks to Debby Gould, UCLH’s new Head of Midwifery

our trust

7

An array of beautiful tiled murals which graced the

walls of the former Middlesex Hospital are now

lying in storage crates in Shropshire. The nursery

tale scenes from the 1920s may look innocent

enough but they have a surprise lurking in the red

and orange paint – radioactivity. It was this that

saved them from destruction.

Peter Marsden, head of radiation physics, and his

team made the amazing discovery last year as

they checked out every single square foot of the

building for radiation sources before it could be

demolished.

Specialist contractors were called in to carefully

prise each individual tile from the walls using

diamond drills. They were then carefully packed in

crates, ensuring they remained in tact to contain

any radioactive traces. Fifteen murals are now in

storage.

Peter said:” With more than a 1,000 rooms –

where do you start? We thought we would start in

the place where there couldn’t possibly be any

radioactive substances – the former children’s

wards.”

But their Geiger counters told another story.

“Basically anything red or orange was radioactive

– but it is very low level energy and, once restored,

there would be no risk to people standing next to

them. I think the radiation saved them. Otherwise

they could well have been demolished.”

The mosaic pictures – created by Hayden Carter in

the 1920’s - would cost between £1,600 to

£14,000 each to restore and mount behind

Perspex.

UCLH Arts plans to make a bid to UCLH Charities

to save some or all of the murals with the aim of

eventually displaying them at UCH or in the new

EGA wing.

Arts curator Guy Noble is now applying for funding

to restore them to their former glory – and bring

them back to UCH. He said: ”Many of them were

hidden behind panels and couldn’t be seen. My

first concern was that they weren’t destroyed with

the rest of the building. When I first saw them I

thought how lovely they were.”

NNuurrsseerryy ttaallee sscceenneess ffrroomm tthhee 11992200ss aarree nnoott ssoo iinnnnoocceenntt

Wanted: staff with links to the MiddlesexA community arts organisation is hoping to

tempt people with a strong link to the former

Middlesex Hospital to pose for portraits on

site before the hospital is demolished. The

organisation, Photoworks Westminster, is

looking for staff and patients who may have

worked or stayed at the Middlesex as well as

people who may have lived in the area

during its time as a working hospital.

Project coordinator Lucy Williams said: “We

are currently undertaking documentation of

the demolition and setting up portraits of

local people and former employees. The

result will be a unique record of the history of

the area associated with the Middlesex, and

will form a permanent display at the new

public health and leisure buildings to be built

there.”

If you have links to the hospital and would

like to be involved in a photo portrait, contact

Lucy Williams on 07866105776 or email

info@photoworks.org.uk More information is

available at www.photoworks.org.uk

8

the back page

Archives: our sporting heroes

Competition

A photograph capturing the members of

the hospital cricket team nearly 100 years

ago has been returned to UCLH after

being discovered in an attic of an

Edwardian home. The image shows club

president Bilton Pollard, a Fellow of the

Royal College of Surgeons, surrounded by

some dapper-looking medics outside the

Cruciform building. The photo identifies

W.J Pearson as team captain and Dr

Poynton, vice president.

Mrs Gillie Towers found the large photo -

clearly marked UCH Cricket Club 1913

season - in her Kew attic whilst moving

home.

Trust archivist Annie Lindsay said: “It is a

great addition to the archives as we have

very few photographs of that era of such

good quality.”

Secret livesJuggling is a fact of life for busy

doctors faced with multiple demands

on their time. But Dr Christian Lambert

(pictured on the front page of this

month’s Inside Story) is never happier

when he’s got lots of balls in the air –

and flaming swords, razor sharp knives

and fiery clubs. “I juggle with anything I

can lay my hands on – but not

chainsaws,” he adds.

Dr Lambert, a neurology senior house

officer at the NHNN, has also perfected

the art of fire-eating – a skill he

performs at festivals and parties

around the country and which he learnt

whilst studying at Nottingham

University.

“I like the unpredictability of it. It’s very

peaceful when you’re fire eating or

juggling flaming objects. When you

hear the roar of the flame it can be

very relaxing. I know it must sound

completely mad.”

His aim is to take part in a Samoan fire

sword competition – juggling three

flaming swords for eight minutes - and

he remains unfazed by the question of

whether it’s a teensy weensy bit

dangerous.

“You have to learn about fuels and, of

course, it requires concentration but

I’ve never been injured….apart from

when I lost one of my eyebrows.”

The young doctor always performs his

skills for free and says there’s “a whole

fire-eating community out there.”

And it certainly is an ice-breaker at

parties….

Read more about Dr Lambert’sdaredevil antics, as he prepares to setoff on a treck to one of the harshest,hottest places on the planet. SeeInside Story Extra.

This month you can win a £50 Marks

& Spencer voucher. To enter, just

answer this question (clue: the

answer can be found somewhere in

this issue of Inside Story!):

How many members of staff were

presented with a long service

award at a reception last month?

Email: communications@uclh.nhs.uk

or send your answer to

communications unit, 2nd floor

central, 250 Euston Road via internal

post. Closing date is Monday 7 April

2008.

The winner of last month’s

competition is Elly Keating who

receives a £100 Habitat voucher.

Spring is in the air and it’s the perfect

time to take a good hard look at your

fridge with the help of UCLH student

dietician Fiona Veira-McTiernan.

What’s in, what’s out over the Easter

period? It will be a challenge to steer

clear of chocolate eggs but try stocking

up with spring seasonal foods like

rhubarb, radishes, spring greens,

spinach, purple sprouting broccoli,

asparagus and beetroot. Mint and

parsley are also in season. How about a

tabouleh salad which is made from

bulgur wheat, chopped onions,

tomatoes, parsley and mint? Dress with

olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Another option is warm beetroot soup

for those chilly evenings. All you need is

beetroot, carrots, shallots, celery, garlic,

stock. Boil them briefly, simmer till

tender, blend and serve with a small

dollop of sour cream.

Seasonal produce tends to be fresher,

tastier and cheaper at this time of year.

Dark green leafy vegetables, such as

cabbage, kale, spinach, parsley and

chard are rich in many nutrients, and

are a good source of vitamin K.

Research on bone health suggests

vitamin K is one of the nutrients involved

in staving off osteoporosis.

What’s in your fridge?