Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Here when you need us mostInside our new emergency department
Lorem ipsum doloreApparatus bellis adquireret satis saetosu
Special deliveryCaring for our patientsfrom the very beginning
News from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Issue 31 | 2019
THIS ISSUE
2 the GiST
WelcomeI am extremely proud to take up the role ofChief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’, asAmanda Pritchard starts her secondment asthe new Chief Operating Officer for NHSEngland and NHS Improvement.
As someone who has spent most of myworking life at Guy’s and St Thomas’, this is a
huge honour for me. I am a kidney doctor and I have held a number ofsenior management roles at the Trust, including Chief Medical Officer.
Our staff work hard every day to provide the best possible care to ourpatients, so I was delighted that our recent Care Quality Commissionreport highlights so much of what makes our Trust such a caring andcompassionate organisation.
You can find out more about our recent inspection on page 7.
In this issue of the GiST, you can read about an inspiring fashion showthat was held in the Cancer Centre at Guy’s on Cancer Survivors’ Day.Meet the incredible models who took to the catwalk on page 8.
You can also find out how the maternity team worked with theircolleagues in the Lane Fox Respiratory Unit to help a woman with a rareform of muscular dystrophy safely deliver her two children. Read thisheart-warming story on page 12.
I hope you enjoy this issue of the GiST.
Contents
Meet the teamWords and photos by Marjorie Allen, Michael Carden,Kelly Cook, Nzinga Cotton, Simon Ellery, MaxineHoeksma, Graeme Mair, Eloise Parfitt, Joe Parry,Anna Perman and Joe Sparks.
Cover photo by David Tett.
Design: AYA-Creative www.aya-creative.co.uk
Print: O’Sullivan Communications
Front cover: Midwifery practice leader Miatta Kpakra and matronAnne Cobell with a newborn baby in the newlyrefurbished delivery room at St Thomas’ Hospital.
Dr Ian Abbs, Chief ExecutiveGuy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
If you have any comments about themagazine or suggestions for future articles,please contact the communicationsdepartment, St Thomas’ Hospital,Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7EH, or email [email protected]
Visit us online at: www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk
the GiSTis published by
05 Garden fun with Royal PatronEvelina London patients explore
08 Strike a poseCancer survivors hit the catwalk
10 At the heart of innovation Showcasing technology
12 Above and beyondTeam work to support new mum
14 Here for you Equality, diversity and inclusion
22 Behind the scenesA rapid response to cleaning
Sharon Wheeler cares for her 31-year-olddaughter, Charli, who has multiple complexneeds and often requires long stays at Guy’sand St Thomas’ hospitals.
Sharon, from Orpington in south eastLondon, said: “Mums, dads and carers knowtheir loved ones inside out so we can provide aconstant source of information for the multiplestaff who come into contact with them.
“Not only is it reassuring for Charli to haveme close by, but it also benefits the staff as Ican assist with her personal care or eating anddrinking.”
Dame Eileen Sills, Chief Nurse, said: “Carersare more than visitors, they have an invaluableknowledge of the patient that can help ourstaff to meet their individual needs moreeffectively, and can also give the patientadditional support at what can be a difficulttime.”
To find out more, visitwww.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/carers
Highlights from the last year include joiningup mental and physical healthcare to screen32,000 patients for anxiety and depression,and helping to better connect records acrossGPs and local hospitals serving two millionpatients.
The day was topped off with a birthdaymessage from Professor Dame Sally Davies,Chief Medical Officer for England, who said:“The best research in the world is of limitedvalue unless you can put it into practice.
“This type of partnership brings together thebrightest minds to offer patients the very bestcare and treatment, based on quality evidence.”
Guy’s and St Thomas’ is helping carers tosupport their loved ones during a stay inhospital with a Carers Passport.
The initiative offers carers flexiblevisiting times, enabling them to supporttheir loved one at a range of appointments,diagnostic investigations and during theirstay in hospital.
ROUND-UP
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 3
IN THE NEWSA round-up of media coveragefeaturing Guy’s and St Thomas’.
ITV London News ITV London News covered thestory of 89-year-old Frank Clark(below) who abseiled 160ft downthe front of St Thomas’ Hospital.
The great-grandfather wasraising money to give back to thehospital for being there all his life.Frank was treated for tuberculosisat 14 and still receives care fromthe Lane Fox Respiratory Unit.
Evening Standard An article in the Evening Standardhighlighted that Guy’s andSt Thomas’ topped a nationalleague table for the number ofresearch studies available forpatients to join.
In 2018-19, the Trust supported567 studies and recruited 19,522patients to participate in clinicalresearch.
Professor Andrew Shennan,consultant obstetrician, saysresearch is vital for developingbetter treatments and care.
BBC News Many women suffer fromsickness during pregnancy but forsome the nausea can be crippling.Hyperemesis gravidarum causessevere nausea and vomiting, insome cases up to 50 times a day.
BBC News highlighted thatGuy’s and St Thomas’ and King’sCollege London are leading thelargest study of the condition inEurope to find out how it iscaused.
King’s Health Partners has marked 10 yearsof being an Academic Health SciencesCentre at its recent annual conference.
The event celebrated the different waysthat the partnership is combiningexcellence in education, research andclinical care to improve health outcomes forpatients.
Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s CollegeHospital, and South London and MaudsleyNHS Foundation Trusts, along with King’sCollege London, formed the partnership 10years ago.
It brings together 40,000 NHS staff and30,000 students, and aims to speed up thetime it takes to turn research and the latestinnovations into outstanding patient care.
Professor Sir Robert Lechler, ExecutiveDirector of King’s Health Partners, kickedoff the conference by reflecting on theimpact of the partnership.
Supporting the crucial role of carers
Amanda Pritchard signs the birthday card
10 years of partnership success
Sharon and Charli Wheeler
4 the GiST
ROUND-UP
Your voice We love to hear from our patients, staff and supporters so join theconversation by following us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
@DaniellaDungate (from Twitter)Big thank you to everyone in thecardiology at @GSTTnhs for fixing mydodgy heart today. Couldn’t have hadbetter care.
@shelleylphelps (from Twitter)Wonderful care today @GSTTnhshospital. Thanks so much to fabdoctors and nurses in the hand traumateam for repairing my tendons!
Kathleen Langler (from Facebook)Cannot thank the Evelina enough.Helped support us through our son’sheart issue. That was 21 years ago!!!!!!
Simon Lydiard (from Facebook)Thanks to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHSFoundation Trust for enabling me towalk again after a devastating accident.
World-first brain opA little girl at Evelina LondonChildren’s Hospital has become theyoungest child in the world toundergo pioneering brain surgeryfor painful muscle movements.
Viktoria Kaftanikaite hasdystonia, a rare genetic conditionthat causes uncontrolled musclespasms and can affect herbreathing and eating.
The two-year-old, from Glasgow,was referred to neurologists atEvelina London who recommendeddeep brain stimulation, which isknown to be successful in treatingolder children with dystonia.
The procedure involvedimplanting very fine wires, withelectrodes at the tips, into the partof the brain that controlsmovement.
This was then connected to asmall device implanted, like apacemaker, under the skin aroundthe stomach area.
When the device is switched on,the electrodes deliver highfrequency stimulation to thetargeted area in the brain.
Dr Jean-Pierre Lin, consultantpaediatric neurologist at EvelinaLondon, worked closely with Mr Richard Selway, consultantneurosurgeon at King’s CollegeHospital, on Viktoria’s surgery.
Dr Lin said: “This is an excellentexample of our partnership workingto benefit our patients.”
Viktoria’s parents Martinas andPatrycja hope that the operation willbring an end to their daughter’s pain.
Surgeons operate on Viktoria Kaftanikaite
Twitter @[email protected]/gsttnhs
youtube.com/gsttnhs
Hollywood legend, Tom Hanks, met Evelina London patients and their families during a special pre-release screening of Toy Story 4 at St Thomas’ Hospital MediCinema. The Oscar-winning actor alsomade a special visit to Beach ward to meet children and young people unable to attend the screening.
@ToriiJenkins (from Twitter) 9 wks ago ourlives were a livingnightmare andwasn’t sure ourbeautiful girl wasgoing to make it,but with thethanks to@STRS_Evelina@EvelinaLondon she is here todaycelebrating her 1st Birthday in Barbados.Thank you for saving our precious girl.
@jomarshall2 (from Twitter) The physio team @GSTTnhs have beenamazing. Two knee surgeries on each legover four years and a lot of physio later, I am really grateful to have had access tothem #NHS.
The inflatable NHS rainbow badge
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 5
ROUND-UP
Staff let theirPride shine
Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrated the successof its NHS rainbow badge scheme by taking agiant inflatable badge to Pride in London.
The NHS rainbow badge scheme waspioneered by Evelina London and rolled outacross the Trust in February 2019.
Since launching, more than 3,000 Trust
Dr Emily Read leading the I Can Be session
staff are now wearing the badge to supportlesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender(LGBT+) patients, visitors and staff, and 50%of NHS trusts in the UK have adopted thescheme or are planning to roll it out.
Jayne King, head of security and siteservices, who co-created the staff LGBT+Forum 11 years ago, said: “It was an honour tosee so many LGBT+ staff and allies marchingunderneath the giant NHS rainbow badge,whilst celebrating the diversity that enrichesthe work of the Trust.”
The NHS rainbow badge scheme and inflatable were funded by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity.
Garden fun withRoyal PatronThe Duchess of Cambridge,Patron of Evelina London, metpatients at a special event tolaunch her Back to Nature garden.
Her Royal Highness invitedEvelina London patients to theunveiling of her garden at theRoyal Horticultural SocietyHampton Court Palace GardenFestival.
During the event, The Duchessjoined patients for special outdooractivities, including looking forinsects, exploring dens and atreasure hunt.
The Duchess spoke to EvelinaLondon patients Millie Allingham,Miracle Imadojrmun and EmiliaCotter.
Millie said: “The Duchess wasreally nice and friendly.
“I asked her what Charlotte andGeorge’s favourite part of thegarden is, and she said they reallylike the waterfall.”
The Duchess of Cambridge with MillieAllingham and Miracle Imadojrmun
Staff from Guy’s and St Thomas’ have beeninspiring the next generation of healthcareworkers with the organisation I Can Be.
I Can Be brings young children into theworld of work. It was founded for girls butrecently started running events for boys.
So far this year, Guy’s and St Thomas’ hashosted 24 visits for local children.
Research nurse Jakki Brandon led sessionsshowing girls how she prepares newborns forMRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans.
Jakki said: “I wanted to get involved in theprogramme because I feel strongly aboutproviding opportunities for young people tolearn about potential careers.”
I Can Be places particular emphasis onscience careers, where women areunderrepresented.
Researcher Dr Emily Read taught girlsabout cells and bacteria by making petri dishart – several of the girls who took part nowwant to be scientists.
Chinonso Nwannadi, who coordinates theTrust’s visits, said: “We want to inspire youngchildren and our staff are great role models.”
Anastasia de Waal, founding director at ICan Be, said: “The volunteers are having a bigimpact on the children and making such animpression that many now want to follow intheir footsteps.”
Inspiring the next generation
Togetherwe cook
SPOTLIGHT
6 the GiST
How do you quickly pull together ahealthy, tasty, nutritious meal thatsatisfies the whole family without breakingthe bank?
A new recipe book, ‘Together we cook’,launched by Evelina London’s communitychildren’s nutrition and dietetics teamcould be the answer.
It showcases a range of recipesprovided by families from Lambeth andSouthwark, and is given to people whocomplete a Cook and Eat Well course.
The courses, run by a team ofcommunity food workers, take place inchildren's centres across both boroughs.
Serena Cunningham, from Brixton insouth London, attended the course at theLiz Atkinson Children’s Centre.
She was joined by her three-year-olddaughter Naila, and previously attended
with her son Noah-Isaac, who is now eight.Serena, an administrator, said: "This
new book is perfect and means I have allthe recipes together rather than on lots ofindividual sheets.
“I will definitely be using this to get thechildren involved at home.
“Naila loves being in the kitchen withme and she’s willing to help by preparingvegetables, mixing and grating too.
“It’s good for children to learn how tocook from a young age and to learn moreabout food from other cultures, and byusing alternatives to meat and sugar.”
Families who attend the course developpractical cooking skills and learn moreabout making healthy meals on a budget.
Yuliyan Petkov, from Kennington insouth London, attended the classes withhis three-year-old daughter, Kalina.
The 44-year-old explained: “Who saidhealthy food is expensive and doesn’ttaste good?
“Just have a look at the recipes in thisbook and you will find plenty of healthyand tasty meals, which can be prepared inminutes.”
The recipe book, funded by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity, celebrates localdiversity and includes foods from thecuisines of West Africa, India, Portugal and
the Caribbean, to name a few. They have been nutritionally analysed
and adapted so that they fit with currenthealthy eating guidance.
Maryam Bader, an early years communityfood worker at Evelina London, wrote the recipe book with her colleagues Ana Da Silvaand Harriet Preston.
Maryam said: “It is a great source ofinformation for all families and can help themto provide good nutritional meals for theirchildren on a budget.”
Download the recipe book atwww.evelinalondon.nhs.uk/TogetherWeCook
Evelina London’scommunity foodworkers tellMaxine Hoeksmawhy a new recipebook is inspiringfamilies.
“Naila loves beingin the kitchen withme and she’swilling to help bypreparingvegetables, mixingand grating too.”
Serena Cunningham with her children Naila and Noah-Isaac
Fast facts
•Figures from Public Health England in2019 show that among children ofreception age, 11.4% in Southwarkand 10.5% in Lambeth are classifiedas obese, compared with an averageof 9.5% across England
• 23.4% of children under 16 inLambeth and 23.2% in Southwarkwere living in poverty in 2016
Maryam Bader, Harriet Preston and Ana Da Silva
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 7
The “outstanding levels ofcompassionate care to patients”provided by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust havebeen recognised by the Care QualityCommission (CQC).
In its report published on23 July, the Trust maintainedits overall ‘good’ CQC rating,with services for adults in thecommunity now rated‘outstanding’.
Following visits to adultcommunity, maternity andoutpatient services in Apriland May 2019, the Trust wasrated ‘outstanding’ for beingcaring for the second consecutive time,having achieved the same rating in 2016.
‘Good’ ratings for being effective andresponsive and a ‘requires improvement’rating for safety also stayed the same.
Having previously been rated as ‘good’,the Trust is now also rated ‘outstanding’for being well-led, with the CQC praisinghow the leadership at all levels of theorganisation allows “staff to respond tothe needs of the people who use servicesin a purposeful way”.
The report demonstrates the majorimprovements made in the Trust’s
community services for adults inLambeth and Southwark.
Rated as ‘requires improvement’ in2016, they are now rated ‘outstanding’,with inspectors highlighting the“consistent patient-centred treatment”,
that “staff werepassionate about the carethey provided” and that“the Trust planned andprovided services in a waythat met the needs oflocal people.”
Improvements,compassionate care andgood practice were alsonoted in the Trust’s
maternity services which raised its safetyrating from ‘requires improvement’ to‘good’, while maintaining an overall ratingof ‘good’ (see page 13 for moreinformation).
For outpatient services, while areas ofoutstanding practice were highlighted,they were rated as ‘requiresimprovement’ overall.
The report gives numerous examplesof outstanding practice across the Trustincluding the holistic care provided tocancer patients, its innovative neuro-rehabilitation pathway and nurse-led
“e reporthighlights whystaff across theTrust are so proudto work here.”
clinics in outpatient services.The report also includes a number of
areas of improvement, which the Trustare committed to addressing, includingperformance against national access andtreatment standards, some outpatientservices as well as the number of staffcompleting their mandatory training andhaving an appraisal.
Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive atGuy’s and St Thomas’ at the time of theinspection and when the report waspublished, said: “I am delighted that theCare Quality Commission’s reporthighlights so much of what makes Guy’sand St Thomas’ such a caring andcompassionate organisation.
“It highlights why staff across the Trustare so proud to work here, as well as theirdedication to providing the best possiblecare for our patients.
“I am particularly pleased that ouradult community services have beenrated as ‘outstanding’, whichdemonstrates our commitment toproviding the best possible communityservices for patients in Lambeth andSouthwark.
“The areas for improvement in thereport are things that we are aware ofand are working hard to address.”
Outstanding care recognised Community staff in adult services celebrate being rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission
8 the GiST
IN FOCUS
Joe Parry meets someof the models who tookpart in an inspiringfashion show for Cancer Survivors’ Day.
Models on the Cancer Survivors’ Day catwalk
Sasha Leacock was one of 20 models whotook part in a triumphant fashion show forCancer Survivors’ Day.
Now in its fifth year, the annual event atGuy’s Cancer Centre celebrates those whohave treated them.
Each of the incredible models whostrutted their stuff recently finished or arecurrently undergoing cancer treatment.
Sasha, from Penge in south east London,decided to sign up following her treatmentfor breast cancer in 2018.
The 48-year-old said: “Being part of thefashion show was my way of celebratingthe end of my cancer treatment, whilegiving back to Guy’s and St Thomas’ and living my lifemore fully.
“Having cancer hascompletely changed the wayI live my life.
“I’ve felt more alive thanever before. It’s given melicence to say ‘yes’ to thingsthat I would have said ‘no’ toin the past.”
Sasha, a part-time artsmanager, had eight sessions ofchemotherapy as well as surgery to removethe lymph nodes in her left underarm.
She finished her treatment last Januaryafter undergoing radiotherapy to removeany remaining cancer cells and is now in
remission.The mother-of-one said: “The care I’ve
received at Guy’s and St Thomas’ has beenamazing.
“The doctors went out oftheir way to ensure that Ifully understood all of thetreatments and spent lotsof time answering myquestions.
“They really helped tomake me feel at ease.”
Cancer Survivors’ Day is supported by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity and
King’s Health Partners. As well as a fashion show, it featured live
music, therapy ponies, seminars, exhibits,and a Celebration Walk.
More than 60 people took part in thewalk, which was started by Jonathan
Strike a pose
Sasha Leacock
“I’ve felt more alivethan ever before.It’s given melicence to say ‘yes’to things that Iwould have said‘no’ to in the past.”
IN FOCUS
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 9
Saying ‘yes’ feels like a weight liftedFor Mandy Mahoney the Cancer Survivors’ Dayfashion show was just one of the many things she’ssaid ‘yes’ to following her breast cancer diagnosisin 2011.
The mother-of-two has had five furtherrecurrences and is now living with incurablemetastatic breast cancer.
Mandy, from Bromley in south east London, said:“I know how fragile my health can be so I want tomake the most of life.
“I now say ‘yes’ to all the opportunities thatcome my way, even the mad ones.”
Mandy has already signed up for the world'slargest inflatable obstacle course, climbed the O2,agreed to take on a 10km run, and entered apowerlifting competition with her daughter.
The 48-year-old said: “Lifting weights isn’t seenas feminine and breast cancer changed my wholeidentity so the fashion show was anotheropportunity for me to try something out of mycomfort zone.
“Ultimately I want to live long enough to be aterrible example to my two children by doing all thethings that little old ladies shouldn’t.”
Dimbleby, to raise money for Guy’s Cancer. David Cheesman, cancer programme
director for Guys’ and St Thomas’, said:“Cancer Survivors’ Day isalways a highlight of ourcalendar and this year wasno exception.
“For our fifth year, wewanted it to be our biggestand best event and havingspoken to visitors, thefeedback couldn’t havebeen better.
“I would like to thank everyone whoattended and send a special thank you to allof our staff and volunteers who worked sohard to make it such an uplifting andinspiring day.”
Fast facts
• Models wore the latestfashions designed bystudents at NewhamCollege, whose alumniinclude the lateAlexander McQueen,and London College ofFashion whererenowned shoedesigner Jimmy Choostudied
• The event alsoshowcased clothesfrom Outsider, Fox in aGlove, Let It Gibbon,June’s Young Millineryand Peacocks
• Guy’s and St Thomas’pioneered the UK’sfirst Cancer Survivors’Day in 2015. Staff wereinspired by a visit tothe Sidney KimmelComprehensiveCancer Centre atJohns HopkinsHospital in America
Mandy Mahoney
e Cancer Centreat Guy’s opened inSeptember 2016and sees around450 patients a day.
10 the GiST
IN FOCUS
Anna Perman and Kelly Cookmeet some of the teams behindthe state-of-the-art technologythat was showcased duringLondon Tech Week.
Medical technology plays an important role in helpinghealthcare professionals to better diagnose and treat theirpatients.
Over the years innovations have made an incredible impacton medicine, from sticking plasters andwheelchairs to surgical robots and prostheticlimbs.
During London Tech Week, researchersfrom Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s CollegeLondon showcased their latest work and theinnovative technologies that are currentlybeing developed.
Professor Reza Razavi, consultantpaediatric cardiologist at Evelina London andprofessor of paediatric cardiovascular scienceat King’s College London, said: “Thisrevolution in applying technology is only going to accelerate overthe next few years, and will positively impact on patient care.
“Technology is already improving diagnosis, helping us toassess people who need treatment more quickly and reassurethose who don’t need further investigation. It is also helping usto achieve our aim of providing the right treatment, to the rightpatients at the right time.”
Read about three projects that were showcased duringLondon Tech Week.
World's most detailed pregnancy scan
An international team of researchers have created the mostdetailed pregnancy scan that could help spot abnormalities inmore babies.
The iFIND project aims to improve the accuracy of routine 20week screening in pregnancy by bringing togetheradvanced ultrasound and MRI (magnetic resonanceimaging) techniques, robotics and computing.
Unlike current ultrasounds, the high-tech scanprovides detailed pictures of a baby’s arteries andveins, and uses advanced motion-correctiontechnology to get usable images from even thewriggliest babies.
Professor John Simpson, a consultant inpaediatric and fetal cardiology at Evelina London,said: “By detecting more problems before birth wehope to provide better information to parents and
their doctors, and allow babies to get access to the treatmentsthey need as soon as possible after they are born.
“This world-first technique is being used in clinical practice at St Thomas’ Hospital and could easily be adopted by hospitalselsewhere.”
iFIND involves a group of researchers and clinicians fromGuy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College London, Imperial CollegeLondon, the University of Firenze in Italy, the Hospital for SickChildren in Canada and Philips Healthcare.
“iFIND usesadvanced motion-correctiontechnology to getusable images fromeven the wriggliestbabies.”
At the heartof innovation
The baby can be seen in incredible detail
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 11
IN FOCUS
A new generation of imaging
Imaging techniques such as X-rays, including more advancedimaging scans such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), arekey to patient care.
They help to diagnose conditions, decide on the besttreatment options and monitor how well treatment is working.
Professor Vicky Goh is a radiologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’and is researching how new technology can improve the way weimage patients. She was involved in a project using artificialintelligence (AI) to assess chest X-rays.
It is important that expert radiologists review abnormal X-rays as soon as possible so that patients get the mostappropriate care as quickly as possible.
The research project found that using AI could speed up thereporting of urgent findings by two days, which could improvepatient outcomes.
Professor Goh is now working on techniques that imagetumours in more detail than ever before.
She said: “Advanced imaging like MRI provides huge amountsof detailed information about the human body.
“When we start to pair these imaging techniques with AI systems that can combine and make sense of all of thisinformation, it becomes really powerful.
“Using technology wisely can help doctors to accuratelydiagnose patients and predict which treatment is likely to work best.”
A virtual surgeon
Clinicians collaborating in real time during surgery is nothingnew in medical practice, but doing so without everyone beingthere in person is.
Proximie is an innovative software that allows experts tovirtually transport themselves into any clinical setting aroundthe world, and has been used during robotic surgery at Guy'sand St Thomas'.
Surgeons can use the ‘augmented reality system’ to placetheir own hand onto a surgical screen in theatres in order to indicate where to make an incision without even leaving their desk.
The award-winning Proximie technology was co-founded byDr Nadine Hachach-Haram, a specialist registrar in the plasticsurgery team at Guy’s and St Thomas’.
She was motivated to create the platform following hermission work in Peru, where she helped children smile again bycompleting cleft palate reconstructions.
Dr Hachach-Haram said: “Imagine that by simply using alaptop, phone, or tablet, an expert surgeon could virtually scrubin to any operating room, anywhere in the world.
“This software is a game changer because it means thatpatients get the best expertise available, no matter where they are.”
Dr Nadine Hachach-HaramProfessor Vicky Goh
12 the GiST
A mum-of-two tells Kelly Cook why she’s sograteful to the maternity and Lane Fox teamsat St Thomas’ Hospital.
Sarah Hewes always knew that she wanted to be a mum butdidn’t know if it would be possible.
The 32-year-old has Bethlem myopathy, a very rare form ofcongenital muscular dystrophy.
It affects her skeletal muscles, which are theimportant muscles for sitting, standing, walking andbreathing.
But Sarah’s never let her condition hold her backand starting a family with her husband, Lee, wastheir dream.
The occupational therapist said: “My husbandand family are amazing, but I knew that I’d needmore complex support during pregnancy becausemy condition can cause respiratory problems as thebaby puts pressure on the diaphragm as it grows.”
After initially being told at a different hospital that the riskswere too high, Sarah got in touch with the experts at Guy’s and St Thomas’.
She contacted Professor Nicholas Hart, clinical director of theLane Fox Respiratory Unit, who reassured her that she would beable to start a family.
Professor Hart and his Lane Fox colleagues worked with thematernity services team at St Thomas’ Hospital to come up witha plan to support Sarah when she became pregnant.
She gave birth to her son, Orren, over two years ago and thento her daughter, Luna, in May this year.
Sarah, from Hampshire, said: “The whole team from Lane Foxand maternity did an amazing job and went above and beyond.
“I had two high risk pregnancies and the care I received bothtimes was phenomenal. They were so reassuring throughout thewhole process and I felt that I was in safe hands.”
Kate Harding, head of obstetrics and consultant obstetrician,said: “Along with the expertise of the anaesthetists and our LaneFox colleagues, our high risk team of obstetricians and midwives
were able to provide Sarah with individualisedcare for her complex condition, enabling herto have as normal a delivery as possible.”
Sarah’s lung capacity and carbon dioxidelevels were measured throughout herpregnancy and she used a non-invasive maskventilator during her labour and delivery.
Dr Lindsay Arrandale, a consultantobstetric anaesthetist, said: “It’s called labourfor a reason because giving birth is hard workand puts a lot of stress on the body.
“Our aim was to give Sarah really good pain relief and tosupport her breathing to take away some of that extra pressureon her breathing muscles.”
After giving birth to Luna four weeks early, Sarah continued toreceive support from the Lane Fox specialists alongside themidwives.
Sarah said: “The breastfeeding support from the midwives onthe ward was fantastic, and the staff really helped me to rest. Ittakes me longer than the average woman to recover but I’mdoing well. These two amazing teams worked so well togetherand I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Professor Hart said: “A huge number of people came togetherto provide Sarah with high quality, super specialist care.
“We were confident that with plenty of preparation, planningand coordination, Sarah would be able to have a safe andhealthy pregnancy, so it’s wonderful to see her now with twochildren.”
Aboveandbeyond
Sarah Hewes with her son Orren
IN FOCUS
Orren and Luna
“e whole teamfrom Lane Foxand maternity didan amazing joband went aboveand beyond.”
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 13
Gold starMidwife Mary Sheridan was one of thefirst people in England to receive theChief Midwifery Officer’s gold award.
She was recognised for heroutstanding contribution to bothclinical practice and research, havingbeen a midwife at Guy’s and St Thomas’ for 30 years and a lecturerat King’s College London for 18 years.
Maxine Spencer, Director ofMidwifery and Gynaecology Nursingat Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “Mary istruly one of a kind and her passionand drive means she is an excellentrole model for others.”
The award recognises andcelebrates midwives who go aboveand beyond their roles providingexcellent care, leadership andinspiration every day to theircolleagues, women and familiesregardless of their position.
England’s first Chief MidwiferyOfficer, Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, presented the gold award toMary during a visit to St Thomas’Hospital to find out how the Trustachieved full Unicef UK Baby Friendlyaccreditation.
Professor Dunkley-Bent said:“Presenting this award to Maryrecognises the outstandingcontribution that she has made to themidwifery profession, maternityservices and ultimately the lives ofwomen and babies. It was an absoluteprivilege to honour her in this way.”
Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, Mary Sheridan, Maxine Spencer
IN FOCUS
Fast facts
• Around 6,500 babies areborn at St Thomas’ Hospitalevery year
• St Thomas’ Hospital hasachieved full Unicef UK BabyFriendly accreditation
• The Baby Friendly Initiative,set up by Unicef and theWorld Health Organisation,works with UK public servicesto protect, promote, andsupport breastfeeding inorder to strengthen mother-baby and family relationships
• 18 delivery rooms wererecently refurbished to feelmore modern and homely,thanks to support from Guy’sand St Thomas’ Charity
• The recent Care QualityCommission report ratedmaternity services as ‘good’
• Inspectors highlighted that“staff with different rolesworked together as a team tobenefit women. Doctors,midwives and otherhealthcare professionalssupported each other toprovide good care”
14 the GiST
Here for you
Kelly Cook speaks to Manal Sadik about what makes Guy’s and St Thomas’an inclusive place to work and visit.
THEINTERVIEW
QHow does the Trust support patients?
We are fully committed to improving theexperiences of all our patients, carers andstaff, by placing equality, diversity andinclusion at the heart of all we do.
Our patients should receive the samehigh standard of care whenever they useour services, no matter what theircircumstances are.
We want to empower them to get thesupport they need so we provide hearingloops, access to British Sign Languageinterpreters and communication aid boxes,which include a magnifying sheet, whiteboard, pictures and symbols, and othermaterials.
We also work with AccessAble to providedetailed information about accessibility forall of our departments, wards and services,with information available on our website.
QWhat are the new sunflower lanyards?
Our sunflower lanyards are designed to givepatients and staff with hidden disabilitiesthe opportunity to easily tell us that theymay need extra support.
This includes people with a hearing orvisual disability, those with a physicaldisability that may not be obvious, peoplewith learning disabilities, those on theautistic spectrum, and people with anxietyor any mental health condition.
It’s not just a lanyard – it’s a powerfulmessage that ensures we communicate
with people in a way that meets theirindividual needs.
By enabling our patients to let us knowthat they have a hidden disability, we canunderstand their requirements andimprove the care we provide to them.
QTell us about the newChanging Places toilet
A Changing Places toilet has been installedat Guy’s Hospital to provide better accessfor people with a disability.
It allows those whose needs are not metby standard accessible toilets to use thebathroom in comfort and with dignity.
Changing Places facilities include fullyadjustable equipment such as hoists,curtains, adult-sized changing benches andenough space for carers.
We are very proud to have this as it’smaking a huge difference to people whorely on this type of facility, and we haveplans to install another at St Thomas’Hospital.
QHow is the Trust ensuring it’san inclusive place to work?
We care about growing, developing andcaring for our diverse workforce and wewant to ensure all our staff feel valued, thattheir contribution matters and they areable to perform to their full potential.
We’ve introduced diverse interviewpanels to ensure that all appointments tosenior positions are representative, andthat equality, diversity and inclusion
continues to be an important element of theselection process.
We also have a reverse mentoringprogramme, which sees people in a juniorposition mentoring someone more senior.
All of our senior directors, including ourChief Executive, are involved and so far morethan 200 staff from a diverse range ofbackgrounds and roles have been throughthe programme.
Mentors are encouraged to share theirstories and make their voice heard, whilstgaining valuable skills and knowledge alongthe way.
QWhat is Discover Healthcare?
Discover Healthcare was created for theyoung people of south east London to helpthem find out about the amazing careeropportunities right on their doorstep.
It was developed by King’s HealthPartners, which includes Guy’s and St Thomas’ and our local partners.
Our Trust has more than 17,000 staff,making us one of the biggest employerslocally.
We want to make it easier for students tomove from school or college into the worldof work, with initiatives from workexperience to apprenticeships covering awide variety of roles.
There are many different roles within theNHS so there is something for everyone.
To find out more, visitwww.discoverhealthcare.co.uk
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 15
Manal Sadik,associate director
for equality, diversityand inclusion
“It’s not just alanyard – it’s apowerful messagethat ensures wecommunicate withpeople in a way thatmeets theirindividual needs.”
If you’re a patient or carer living in Lambeth, Lewisham,Southwark, Wandsworth or Westminster and want to find out about joining our equality panel, visit www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/equalitypanelor email [email protected]
16 the GiST
Leia Armitage was born without hercochlea and auditory nerve in both ears.
It meant that she was profoundly deafand could not benefit from even the mostadvanced hearing aids.
The seven-year-old was neverexpected to speak and her parents weretold that she would only be able tocommunicate through British SignLanguage.
But when she was 22 months old, Leiawas the first child in London to undergopioneering brain surgery to have anauditory brainstem implant (ABI).
The highly complex procedure involvesinserting an electronic hearing devicedirectly into the brainstem, bypassing thecochlea and auditory nerve entirely.
Leia’s dad, Bob, said: “It was a hugedecision for us because it involvedcomplex brain surgery, but we decided togo for it because it was Leia’s only chanceof ever hearing sound and we wanted togive her the best opportunity in life.
“Our expectations were never that highbased on the experiences of a few otherchildren around the world.
“We hoped that she would be able to
hear environmental sounds, such as a carbeeping its horn as she crossed the road,to make her safer in the world.”
Three surgeons from Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital andUniversity College Hospital cametogether in May 2013 tooperate on Leia at King’sCollege Hospital.
Bob, 45, from Dagenhamin east London, said: “Wewere devastated when wefound out Leia was missingher auditory nerve as wellas her cochlea.
“We thought we had nohope as her deafness wasso rare, but thanks to the implant we’vecome so far.
“It’s taken over five years and a lot ofrehab to get to this point but Leia hasdefied the odds and is now putting fullsentences together.
“There’s nothing better than hearingher say ‘I love you daddy’.”
Earlier this year, NHS Englandannounced that it would fund thegroundbreaking surgery for children at
Kelly Cook finds outabout the pioneeringbrain surgery andyears of therapy thathas helped schoolgirlLeia Armitage find her voice.
Leia Armitage
THE LEADINGEDGE
Life changing surgerythe London Auditory Brainstem Implantservice, which is based at St Thomas’Hospital and combines clinical expertisefrom Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’sCollege Hospital, University CollegeHospital, and four hearing implant
centres in London. A trust in Manchester is
also approved to carry outthis specialist procedure,which is expected tobenefit around ninechildren a year who havethis very rare form ofdeafness.
Professor Dan Jiang,one of the surgeons
involved in Leia’s operation and head ofthe Hearing Implant Centre at Guy’s andSt Thomas’, said: “Once the implant hasbeen activated, it can take years forchildren to learn to interpret the soundbut, over time and with the support ofaudiology and speech therapists, Leiahas been able to develop both her speechand sign language.
“Our whole team is very proud of theprogress she has made.”
“ere’s nothing betterthan hearingher say ‘I loveyou daddy’.”
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 17
Mr Massimo Garriboli used aleading edge surgical device tooperate on Alexander Pasek.Nzinga Cotton finds out more.
“Alexander was diagnosed with hydronephrosis in July 2018after it was detected by chance when he was hospitalised inPoland with another medical condition.
He had no symptoms so we were very surprised when wefound out.
Thankfully the condition was diagnosed in good time andhas now been treated.
We were very excited when we were told that Alexanderwas the first child in the UK to be operated on with this newFlexDex tool.
I had never heard of the device before so Mr Garriboliexplained how it was going to be used and spent timeanswering my questions.
Alexander’s recovery has been fantastic. He spent threedays in hospital after the operation, but he recovered veryquickly.
He had his energy back by the time he was dischargedand enjoyed playing and running around a week after thesurgery.
The doctors have been very impressed by how well herecovered.
He shouldn’t need any further surgery and tests showthat his kidney is currently functioning normally, which isreally great news.
I was very impressed with the care Alexander received atEvelina London.
All of the staff we came into contact with were reallylovely, especially the nurses who looked after him on Beachward.
I think it’s really great that the hospital is able to providepatients with the latest treatments.”
Alexander and his mum Estera
The patient’s mum Estera Pasek
“I was delighted to be the firstsurgeon in the UK to use a novelsurgical instrument, called FlexDex,during keyhole kidney surgery on achild.
My patient Alexander had acondition called hydronephrosis,where one or both kidneys areobstructed and become swollen dueto a build-up of urine.
He had keyhole surgery, which is aprocedure that allows surgeons toaccess the inside of the abdomen andpelvis without making large incisions.
I used the FlexDex tool to insert internal stitches afterunblocking Alexander’s kidney.
The wand-like device is worn on the wrist and acts as anextension of the surgeon's arm.
It precisely copied my hand movements, enabling me tohave much better control and flexibility when performing theprocedure.
It meant that the surgery was less invasive and more efficientthan other traditional methods, which reduced tissue damageand scarring, helping speed up Alexander’s recovery.
It’s a game-changer for keyhole surgery and has the potentialto be used in other procedures and more complex cases.
It’s wonderful that we have become the first hospital in theUK to use the device in this way as Evelina London celebratesits 150th anniversary.
Our staff are committed to finding and developing the verybest treatments for our patients.”
MY STORY
Mr Massimo Garriboli
Pioneering‘wand’ used inkidney op first The practitioner Mr Massimo Garriboli
18 the GiST
TRUST LIFE
support to people with mild to profoundlearning disabilities who also have othercomplex conditions.
There’s a patient with dementia who ishaving problems swallowing so we referhim to a speech and language therapist.Another patient has a cochlea implant andneeds to see an audiologist for hearingloss and further assessment.
We also refer and support patients forcervical, breast and bowel screenings andtheir annual health check with their GP.
2:30pm – I meet a patient with mild learning disabilities who is having
problems getting around due to herweight. We talk about planning a shoppinglist, managing money and eating healthily.I use pictures of healthy meals to supportthe conversation and refer her to thephysiotherapist.
Busy hospital waiting areas can befrightening places for people withlearning disabilities.
Patients can get anxious, especiallywaiting for a test or procedure, whichcan lead to challenging behaviour likeshouting and screaming.
I’ve worked with people with learningdisabilities for 18 years so l know howimportant it is to build up to theseappointments.
We encourage patients to take theirwallet-sized 'hospital passport’ alongwith them.
It gives staff a summary of knownconditions such as diabetes or mentalhealth problems, as well as personalinformation such as information aboutfood preferences, behaviour and habits.
9:00am – Today I’m working with a patient who has been diagnosed with
cancer so I speak to Kerry-Anne Harwood,the learning disability specialist nurse atSt Thomas’ Hospital.
She arranges for the consultant to haveextra time with the patient to break thenews, explain different treatment options,and make sure that the patientunderstands as much of the newinformation as possible.
12:00pm – I have a team meeting with therapists and another
learning disability nurse, Omolola Akinola,who specialises in dementia and sexualhealth. We also link in with the psychiatristand psychologist from the mental healthteams and our specialist social workcolleagues.
We discuss how we can provide 24-hour
It’s been 100 years sincelearning disability nurseswere first recognised by theprofession. Cathy Adadevoh,a community disability nursewho specialises in epilepsy,tells Maxine Hoeksma whythere’s never a typical day.
Cathy Adadevoh, a learning disability nurse
A learningexperience
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 19
FUNDRAISING
3:00pm – I’m making plans for my twice- monthly epilepsy clinic at St Thomas’ Hospital.
This time I'm supporting carers to recognise when aseizure is happening, and explaining how to keep thepatient safe and when to use ‘rescue’ medication.
4:00pm – I meet 20-year-old Isabel Gouveia who experiences epileptic seizures and
is receiving treatment for a brain tumour. I’ve worked with Isabel and her mum for a while
and previously organised for her to have a sensoralarm, which she presses if she has a seizure inbed. I also arranged for the lights where she lives tobe changed, as flashing lights can trigger seizures.
5:00pm – It’s the end of another busy day and some patients have become quite emotional as
I talk them through their diagnosis. For me, it’s soimportant to make sure our patients know I’m hereto support them every step of the way.
Cathy Adadevoh and Isabel Gouveia
Cathy Adadevoh in a team meeting
Why I fundraise
Iain Yardley and his wife Sarah
A surgeon who works at Evelina London wasinspired to take on a cycle challenge tocelebrate the hospital’s 150th birthday.
Iain Yardley, a consultant paediatric andneonatal surgeon, completed the Southwold-Roubaix bike race in Suffolk with his wife,Sarah.
Between them they cycled 150 miles toraise money for Evelina London.
Iain said: “We’re keen cyclists but we’venever cycled that far before.
“The combined challenge of a longdistance ride with off-road segments, in a partof the world we love, was too good to pass up.
“The pictures of the ride look lovely withthe sun shining, but it was quite windy and itstarted snowing about an hour in.
“The cold was the main factor we had toovercome and finishing was a great feeling.”
Iain is encouraging anyone thinking abouttaking on their own Challenge 150 to getmoving.
He said: “I work at Evelina London so I seeevery day the amazing work that takes place.
“Fundraising helps us to go the extra milefor children with the most complexconditions, 24 hours a day, seven days aweek.”
To register for your own Challenge 150, visitwww.supportevelina.org.uk/Challenge-150
Governors play a vital role in ensuringthat local people, staff and all those whouse Guy’s and St Thomas’ services havea say in how the Trust is run.
The Council of Governors is made upof eight patient, eight public, six staffand nine stakeholder governors.
Bryn Williams and Vicky Rogers arenon-clinical staff governors and theirterms of office are coming to an end.
Bryn, a senior clinical quality analystin the business intelligence unit, hasworked at the Trust for 14 years andbeen a governor for six.
He said: “Our role has been to givenon-clinical staff a voice. I’m proud that,along with other governors, we wereable to put IT provision for staff at thetop of the agenda.
“Windows 10 arrived, restrictions toappropriate websites have been lifted,modern browsers installed, and we havemessaging tools such as Skype forBusiness on our desktops.”
Vicky, a project manager in the capitaldevelopment team, has worked at theTrust for 10 years and been a governorfor three.
She said: “Putting staff wellbeing highon the agenda has been key for me.
“I took on the governor role because Iwanted to give something back, whilesupporting staff and improving theirday-to-day life.”
Bryn and Vicky are encouraging othernon-clinical staff to consider a futurerole as a governor.
Vicky said: “It’s important that weraise awareness of the role thatgovernors can play as they are anothertool for staff to get their voices heard.”
Public governors at Guy’s and St Thomas’are local residents who represent thoseliving in Lambeth, Southwark,Wandsworth, Lewisham andWestminster.
Martin Bailey is one of two newlyelected public governors who have beenappointed following recent elections.
The 30-year-old is already a localschool governor but wanted tounderstand even more about the issuesfacing the local area, includinghealthcare.
Martin, from Kennington, said: “As agay black man and one of the youngestgovernors, I’m able to offer a differentvoice from within our diverse community.
Meet the governorsAs their role as staff governors comes to an end,Bryn Williamsand Vicky Rogers reflect on what they are most proud of.
20 the GiST
FOUNDATIONTRUST LIFE
The governors are your electedrepresentatives and are keen tohear your views. If you have aquestion, comment or idea pleaseemail [email protected] orcall 020 7188 7346.
To become a member call 0800 731 0319, [email protected] or visitwww.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/membership
Our new governors Martin Bailey explains why he’s looking forward to takingon his new role as a public governor.
Martin Bailey
Bryn Williams and Vicky Rogers
“I’ve used the Trust’s services manytimes, so I’m excited to be a small cogwithin the big machine that can hopefullymake it even better for other people whoneed it.”
Paula Lewis-Franklin has also joinedthe Council of Governors for the publicconstituency, while Betula Nelson, JohnKnight, and John Powell represent thepatient constituency.
Devon Allison, lead governor, said: “It’slovely to have such an enthusiastic,diverse and accomplished group of peoplejoining the Council of Governors this year.
“The Trust will benefit from their broadrange of interests and local knowledge,and from their experience of care.”
Dates for your Diary
• Annual public meeting Thursday 12 September,Refreshments from 5.30pm,meeting 6-7.30pm the marquee, St Thomas’ Hospital
• Rheumatoid arthritis seminar Tuesday 17 September, 6-7.30pm,Robens Suite, Guy’s Hospital
Our free health seminars are forFoundation Trust members. Toreserve your place, please [email protected] call 0800 731 0319.
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 21
Graeme Mair looks back on the lifeof a Victoria Cross hero who trainedas a doctor at Guy’s Hospital.
It is more than a century since HaroldAckroyd was killed on the First World Warbattlefield.
His brave and selfless actions tending tothe injured and dying in the Flanders mudearned him the Victoria Cross, the highpoint of the honours system awarded for‘gallantry in the presence of the enemy’.
Harold seemed an unlikely VictoriaCross candidate.
After a comfortable upbringing inSouthport, he attended CambridgeUniversity and then trained at Guy’sHospital medical school, gaining hisBachelor of Medicine in 1904 and hisDoctor of Medicine in 1910.
He held the role of house officer atGuy’s for a time and went on to posts athospitals in Birmingham and Liverpoolbefore returning to Cambridge to focus onmedical research.
His work concerned digestion, andcolleagues included Sir Frederick GowlandHopkins, who would go on to share a NobelPrize in 1929 for his discovery of growth-stimulating vitamins.
Harold married Mabel Smythe, amatron at Strangeways Hospital, in 1908and they had three children together.
The future seemed mapped out, raisinga family with Mabel while pursuing histalent for research but, as was the case for
so many, the outbreak of war in 1914changed everything.
King and country came first and,despite having not practised acutemedicine for some years, Harold soonfound himself patching up soldiers on thefrontline.
In 1915 at the age of 37, he joined theRoyal Army Medical Corps as a temporarylieutenant, soon promoted to captain, andwas in France by the summer as a medicalofficer attached to the 6th Battalion of theRoyal Berkshire Regiment.
Harold was awarded the Military Crossfor his bravery at Delville Wood during theBattle of the Somme where he supervisedthe rescue of more than 1,000 casualties.
He returned home temporarily on sixweeks’ sick leave in August 1916, but it wasonly a brief respite and he was back onactive duty later the same year.
The Battle of Passchendaele thefollowing summer saw Harold’s regimentinvolved in the assault on Glencorse Wood.
By now suffering eyesight problems andwearing dark goggles, Harold again provedheroic in his commitment to treating hiscomrades, tending to the wounded andperforming his medical duties whileseemingly oblivious to the hellish chaosaround him.
His actions here would earn him
Remembering a hero
HISTORYCORNER
The medals of Harold Ackroyd
Harold at Guy’s Hospital in 1905
Commitment to veteransGuy’s and St Thomas’ is accreditedas a Veteran Aware hospital and hassigned the Armed Forces Covenant.
It ensures that servicemen andwomen are never disadvantagedcompared to other patients, and thatstaff are trained on how to supportthe needs of veterans.
Picture courtesy of Wellcome Collection
Pictures courtesy of C
hristopher A
ckroyd
multiple – one source says at least 23 –recommendations for the Victoria Cross.
The fighting continued and, on August11, Harold was shot in the head by a sniper.
He was one of seven to die after beingcaught trapped in a shell hole close to thefrontline.
His Victoria Cross was bestowedposthumously by King George V to hiswidow and eldest son at BuckinghamPalace.
Harold’s widow Mabel and their son receive the Victoria Cross and the Military Cross from King George V
22 the GiST
TRUST LIFE
From thefrontline
Behind the scenes
Q Where do you work?
A I work in the rapid response team, which is part of the
housekeeping department. We areresponsible for deep cleaning anddecontaminating clinical areas,making sure they are safe and readyfor patients. We come in whenever aroom or theatre needs adecontamination clean after a patienthas been discharged. We also provideregular deep cleaning to wards andclinics to ensure these areas meetand maintain the NHS cleaningstandards.
Q Why are you called therapid response team?
A Our work is critical to the flow ofpatients around the hospital.
Every area must be cleaned betweenpatients so the quicker it’s done the
sooner other patients can beadmitted. We’re also called inwhenever someone with a highlyinfectious disease needs to betransferred from one area to another.We’ll follow the route they take andmake sure the areas they’ve travelledthrough, such as lifts, are safe to use.
Q What does the cleaning involve?
A There are different levels of cleaning depending on the type
of infection that was present beforewe arrived. At the most basic level this is cleaning as most people wouldrecognise it, starting with a manualdeep clean. For higher risk areas wehave machines that performdecontamination treatment usingultraviolet light or chemical vapour tosterilise rooms before patients arereadmitted.
Q What motivates you at work?
A I think about the standard I would want in hospital if I was a
patient and it always makes me dothe best job I can. I’m proud to work inthis team and at Guy’s and St Thomas’, we have the best cleaningand safety processes I’ve comeacross. Doing a good job for ourpatients and taking pride in what wedo are things we often focus on inteam meetings.
Carsten Flohr, professor in dermatology.
Charles Agyeman, rapid response team.
Severe eczema can have a terribleimpact on children’s lives.
Symptoms often mean that patientscannot sleep, affecting theirconcentration at school or college, andtheir general wellbeing.
Our severe paediatric eczema clinicis a unique service that supportspatients whose condition does notrespond well to the usual treatments.
The team is made up of consultantdermatologists, dermatologists intraining, clinical nurse specialists, apaediatric clinical psychologist and apaediatric allergist.
Having all this expertise in one place
means our patients can receivetreatment for their eczema, as well asfood and respiratory allergies and anymental health needs.
Due to the severity of eczema thatour young patients deal with, manyexperience anxiety and depression.
Having a paediatric clinicalpsychologist as part of our team meanswe can provide the necessary support,alongside treatment for the physicalsymptoms.
Our service is also involved in clinicalresearch, which involves testing newtreatments for severe eczema.
These are very exciting times for us,as there are many medications comingthrough that will help us to furtherimprove the lives of our patients.
If we can reduce symptoms such asscratching, which often leads to skininfections that require antibiotictreatment, we can minimise theamount of time patients spend inhospital and help improve their qualityof life.
Our team is passionate aboutmaking a difference to the lives ofpatients with severe eczema, and youngpeople really appreciate having a clinicdedicated to them.
Raise money for your hospitalsand community services
For all the latest news about our amazing fundraisers and how you can support
Guy’s, St Thomas’ and Evelina London,
follow @SupportGSTT and like facebook.com/SupportGSTT and facebook.com/SupportEvelina
TRUST LIFE
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 23
We have two pairs of tickets to a film of your choice atthe BFI Southbank. To be in with a chance of winning apair, simply complete the wordsearch below.
Name
Address
Telephone
Send your entry by 11 October 2019 to the GiST competition,Communications Department, 4th floor, Staircase C, SouthWing, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7EH;or you can email [email protected].
The winners will be selected at random and notified within seven days of thedraw. The result will be final and we will not enter into any correspondenceregarding the competition winners. The prize is non-transferable.
Your name and details will be collected solely for the purposes of thiscompetition and in order to be able to contact the winner and send themthe prize. By entering this competition, you give your consent for us to usethe data you provide in this way.
12 September Annual Public MeetingRefreshments from 5.30pm,meeting 6–7.30pm, the marquee, St Thomas’ Hospital
28 September Guy’s Urban ChallengeGuy’s Hospital Register atguysurbanchallenge.org.uk or call 020 7848 4701
1–31 October Black History Month
2/16 October Friends of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals book sale 10am–3pm Birdsong Corridor, St Thomas’ Hospital
23 October Joint Board of Directors and Council of GovernorsMeeting 3.45–7.30pm Robens Suite, Guy’s Hospital
What’s OnFree public tours (weekly event) Mon–Fri 3.30pm, Sat–Sun11.30am and 3.30pm Florence Nightingale Museum Call 020 7188 4400 or visitflorence-nightingale.co.uk
Until 19 January 2020 Free exhibition: Spanish Flu Florence NightingaleMuseum Call 020 7188 4400 or visitflorence-nightingale.co.uk
2-8 September Organ Donation WeekVisit organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23
4/18 September Friends of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals book sale10am–3pm Birdsong Corridor, St Thomas’ Hospital
S W I M M I N G F Y Q B
R U N N I N G C L T T A
S G G Y M N A S T I C S
K N N O T N I M D A B K
L I H C T I D D I U Q E
L L A B Y E L L O V C T
A C A I M Y K J U D O B
B Y T B W H O C K E Y A
T C B I T E N N I S S L
E G N I W O R C X R X L
N K K J K G O L F U C T
S K A R A T E F O L O P
BadmintonBasketballCricket
CyclingFootballGolf
GymnasticsHockeyJudo
Free film screenings:
MediCinema ([email protected]) showsthe latest releases for patients and staffGuy’s Tuesdays, 1.30pm and Thursdays, 7pm St Thomas’ Saturdays, 7pm and Tuesdays, 7.30pmEvelina London screenings on Wednesdays, 6.30pm
Free lunchtime concerts:
Mondays 1 – 2pm, Central Hall, St Thomas’Wednesdays 1 – 2pm, Atrium 1, Guy’s
Competition
KarateNetballPolo
RowingRunningSwimmingTennis
For more information call 020 7848 4701 or email [email protected]
Guy’s and St Thomas’ Registered Charity No. 1160316 Capen, trading as Za o, is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission as an external lottery manager withlicence number (Type F, Remote) (000-036257-R-317724-008)
Win up to £25,000and help make a di erence to the lives of Guy’s and St Thomas’ patients!
Join and start playing today – lottery.supportgstt.org.uk
