A real life-saver - Barking Havering and Redbridge University ...

The magazine for Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
March 2012
A real
life-saver
Patient returns to say thank you
to surgeon who saved her life
See p5

Mum’s stamp
of approval
for Queen’s
Maternity
Major changes are being made to
the Trust’s maternity services.
The Care Quality Commission
inspected the service last year and
rightly told us that improvements
needed to be made.
Over the last year we have employed
more than 100 new midwives, and
now have the best midwife to birth
ratio in London.
We also have the highest levels of
consultant obstetrician cover on any
labour unit across the capital.
“They let my
mum and
partner stay with me
overnight and I
thought they were
brilliant . . .
Alongside this we have recruited
new consultants, re-trained staff,
and are working with Trusts across
London to manage capacity so that
women can receive dedicated oneto-one
care in labour.
Now new parents have come
forward to praise the care they
received and to try and allay any
fears that other mums-to-be may
have about giving birth at Queen’s.
Jenny McArdle from Hornchurch
gave birth to twins Ben and Harry
after an emergency caesarean
section. She spent time in our
maternity High Dependency Unit
after losing a lot of blood during the
operation, but said that staff always
made her feel safe and supported.
She praised nurses
for helping her to
breast-feed, and
doctors for
thoroughly
explaining what
would happen
before her
operation.
“The staff and
their actions made
me feel very safe
and confident that
I was being cared for to the highest
level. The team was incredible.”
Hannah Evans said that she too was
given the best standard of care she
could have asked for during her
labour.
The 19-year-old gave birth to baby
Danny in the unit, 11 days after he
was due.
“It was better than I had expected it
to be and the midwives were
fantastic with me.
“They let my mum and partner stay
with me overnight and I thought
they were brilliant. They treated me
like an adult and explained clearly
everything they were going to do
and supported me the whole way
through.”
Other women have also come
forward independently to thank the
Trust and praise the care they
received.
Chief Executive Averil Dongworth
said: “We have been working
extremely hard to improve our
maternity service, and it is gratifying
to get such positive feedback. This
also gives a well-deserved boost to
our dedicated midwives.
“We have made enormous
improvements and will strive to
improve still further, so that women
can be reassured that they will
receive the best levels of care during
their labour and delivery.”
• Grateful mum Hannah Evans is
pictured with baby Danny and
partner Jamie Howe (photo courtesy
of the Romford Recorder)
New Endoscopy
Unit for
King George
Work begins on April 2nd to
create a new Endoscopy Unit at
King George Hospital.
Housed in Juniper Ward, the
development will provide a stateof-the-art
unit for patients.
The Trust is continuing to invest in
front-line services to ensure that
our patients receive the best
possible care. The work will cost
just under £500,000, and is
expected to be completed in
around 21 weeks.
2 H O S P I TA L L I F E

Radical changes
made at our
hospitals
This has been an extremely busy
few months for the Trust as radical
changes are made to the
organisation.
The publication of the Care Quality
Commission investigation report was
the catalyst for major change at the
Trust.
Staff have been working tirelessly to
bring about improvements for our
patients.
Chief Executive Averil Dongworth
(pictured right) said: “The publication
of the CQC report was a real turning
point for the Trust.
“All of our staff are committed to
making improvements which will lead
to real changes in the services we
provide.
“Many of these improvements were
already being introduced before the
report was published - which the CQC
recognised - and we are making sure
that they are sustainable and making a
measurable difference.
“We treat hundreds of thousands of
people every year, and I know that the
vast majority of them are happy
with their care. But I don’t want
even one person to believe they
have been treated poorly.
“We recognise that there have been
failures in the past, but we are
committed to improving care until
we are among the best Trusts in the
country.”
Hopefully you will see in this issue of
Hospital Life just how much work is
taking place to improve services –
with real success. New ways of
working are being introduced across
the board, and patients themselves
are telling us that they have seen a
change.
We want to be as
open as possible
with the
challenges
and
changes
taking
place at
Queen’s
and King
George,
Feedback kiosks
so our CQC action plan is available
on our website for everybody to see
at www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk
And with patients at the very centre
of our services, we want you to be
involved in the changes and
developments taking place.
The Trust’s Improving Patient
Experience Group and Maternity
Services Liaison Committee are
instrumental in ensuring that the
organisation is meeting the needs of
its patients.
Feedback from people who use our
hospitals is incredibly valuable, and
we are working to make sure that
your suggestions are acted
upon.
You can contact us via our
website, or make use of the
hand-held feedback
computers on our wards, or
the kiosks dotted around the
hospitals.
Handheld computers on wards
F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 2
3

PM’s nursing plans
are already in
place at BHR
Patients at our hospitals are
already benefitting from the
nursing care lauded by the Prime
Minister.
David Cameron called for nurses to
change the way they work - making
sure they see patients every hour. He
also called for senior nursing staff to
spend more time on the wards, and
for local people to come in to
hospitals to check standards of care.
All of these are already in place at
Queen’s and King George hospitals,
and the improvements have been
clear to see.
The Trust introduced a system last
summer where nurses carry out
regular care checks on patients.
The most vulnerable - including
those who are very ill, have
dementia or learning difficulties - are
seen by a nurse at least once every
hour while they are awake.
Those who are recovering well and
are soon to be discharged are given
the option of whether they would
like a nurse to check on them every
hour or every other hour. No patient
goes more than two hours without
being seen.
This system works across all the
wards at the Trust – including
Accident and Emergency where
every patient is checked on every
hour, 24-hours a day.
Director of Nursing Deborah Wheeler
said: “We have had really good
feedback from patients. They like to
know that they will be seen regularly
by a nurse and that we are keeping
a close eye on them and they care
they are receiving.”
The Trust also put a Visible
Leadership scheme in place almost
two years ago which sees the senior
nursing team back in uniform and
back on the wards.
They spend one day a week on a
ward - making an unannounced visit.
As well as checking on all aspects of
care on the wards, they focus on
one specific area each week such as
nutrition, hygiene, IV line care, falls
or pain control.
Deborah Wheeler said: “There has
been very positive feedback from the
matrons and the ward staff to the
programme. We see this as a key
way for us to ensure that patient
care is of a consistent, high standard
across all of our wards.”
Mortality rates
success
Queen’s and King George
hospitals have better than
average mortality rates, it has
been revealed.
The Department of Health has
launched a new indicator of deaths
at NHS hospitals.
This measures how many patients
die in hospital, or within 30 days of
being discharged. That figure is
then divided by how many patients
would be expected to die at a Trust
of that size and with the same
specialities.
The score for this Trust has been
published as 97 - meaning that
fewer patients died than would be
expected.
Medical Director Stephen Burgess
said: “We have been working
extremely hard to reduce our
mortality rates, and I am delighted
that this report proves that real
improvements have been made.
“Mortality rates are seen as an
indicator of wider standards of
clinical care across the organisation.
This shows that we are committed
to providing the best possible care
for our patients.”
The recent Care Quality Commission
national report into nutrition and
dignity for elderly patients proved
that the work taking place at the Trust
is paying dividends. It was named as
one of the organisations meeting
both of the essential standards.
The Trust also actively encourages
members of the public to feedback
on standards of care and be involved
in service developments.
It works closely with the Local
Improvement Networks, who carry
out regular visits to our hospitals.
Patient feedback surveys have been
introduced on all wards so that
people have the opportunity to tell
us how they felt about the care they
received.
All of this patient involvement and
feedback is then used to shape
future services, and helps us to
determine where we need to
concentrate our efforts.
4 H O S P I TA L L I F E

“You saved my life”
A grateful patient has thanked
the surgeon who saved her life.
Sylvie Dean came back to Queen’s
Hospital just days before her 65th
birthday to shake the hands of staff
who had cared for her.
“If it wasn’t for the team at Queen’s
I wouldn’t be here to celebrate it,”
she said.
Sylvie thought she was suffering
from a stomach upset last November,
but went to see her GP when she
found she was passing blood.
He told her to go straight to
Queen’s.
“It was all systems go,” said Sylvie.
“I had all of the tests done as soon
as I arrived. I was told that they
needed to operate as soon as
possible. Otherwise I could have
been dead within a couple of
hours.”
“I can’t thank
everyone
enough for saving my
life and for looking
after me so well . . .
Tests showed that she had a large
abdominal aneurysm, which was at
risk of rupturing.
Sylvie was so scared that
she doesn’t remember
much of that day - but
clearly recollects seeing
her surgeon, Gabriel
Sayer.
“He could see from
the look on my face
how scared I was. He
put his hand on my
shoulder and told me
that he was going to
look after me as if I
was his own mother.
“I thought that was a
wonderful thing to
say. It gave me so
much more
confidence.”
Sylvie spent two weeks
at Queen’s after her
surgery, and said that the
care she received was
“brilliant”.
“The staff were brilliant. One
member of the surgical team stayed
with me long after she was due to
go home, just because she could see
that I was scared.
“I can’t thank everyone enough for
saving my life and for looking after
me so well.
“You hear a lot of bad news about
the NHS, but I think it’s important
for people to know that there is top
quality care.”
Sylvie came back to Queen’s to meet
up with surgeon Gabriel Sayer. He
said: “I am delighted to see Sylvie
again, looking so well.
“It gives a real boost to our hardworking
staff to get thanks like this
from a patient and I’m grateful to
her for coming back to see us.”
• Gabriel Sayer with Sylvie Dean
HIV patients’ praise for our care
A survey carried out among HIV
patients has seen them singing
the praises of the care they
receive.
The services provided by this Trust
came out well ahead of other
providers in north east London.
A patient satisfaction questionnaire
was handed out to visitors to HIV
outpatient clinics across the region -
and patients were also able to take
part on-line.
Those attending the Trust’s clinics -
with the main hub being at the
Sydenham Centre at Barking
Hospital - rated its services extremely
highly.
More than 93 per cent said that they
had been involved as much as they
wanted to be in decisions about
their HIV and care. Ninety six per
cent were given information about
their HIV and medication when they
needed it, and 93 per cent said that
they were helped to manage their
condition and to stay well.
Maureen Ross, General Manager for
Integrated Sexual Health, said: “This
is a great response. I am so glad that
our patients feel supported and
cared for by our staff. We work
closely with our patients to provide
the best possible service for them.”
Deputy Chief Pharmacist Teresa
Woodburn added: “We spend a lot
of time counselling patients and
explaining their medication to them.
This shows that it is well worth the
care and time taken.”
The survey was carried out by North
East London HIV and Sexual Health
Clinical Network.
F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 2 5

Hospital heroes pick up awards
Hospital staff have been
honoured at a special awards
ceremony.
The Trust held its annual
Outstanding Staff Celebration and
Rewards ceremony, with more than
120 staff nominated for a gong by
colleagues and the public across 13
different categories.
Handing out the honours to staff
including healthcare assistants,
consultants, nurses and managers,
Chief Executive Averil Dongworth
said: “This Trust has been through a
difficult time, and there have
certainly been
problems, but these
awards give us a
balance. There are
things we need to
change, but there
are things to be
proud of, to hold
on to and
recognise.
“There is some
fantastic work
going on in the
Trust, and we are
proud of what you do.”
Chairman George Wood added: “If I
needed any confidence that we can
turn this Trust around, then I have
seen it here tonight. I feel humbled
by what you do, day in day out.”
Award-winners were thanked for
going above and beyond their roles
to ensure that patients have the best
possible experience and care while
they are in hospital.
These included a healthcare assistant
who had redesigned mealtimes to
ensure that every patient got the
help they need to eat and drink, and
a specialist diabetic nurse who was
described as “a star” by patients.
The Hospital Hero Award was given
to the reception team at Queen’s
Hospital – largely staffed by
volunteers.
They have been heaped with praise
by visitors to the hospital who have
been helped by the friendly and
compassionate team.
Elaine Clarke, Chair of the Improving
Patient Experience Group, said:
“Nothing ever seems too much
trouble for them. They greet the
public and staff with a smile and are
always ready to help. They have a
great pride in the service they offer.”
Award winners were presented with
a certificate and vouchers.
Also celebrated on the evening were
the 110 people receiving Long
Service Awards. The dedicated staff
have clocked up 2,395 years’ service
between them.
• Pictured are the Queen’s Hospital
Front of House Team receiving their
Hospital Hero Award from Chairman
George Wood
Patient safety
award for Trust
A new system to improve patient safety on hospital
wards has won a national award for the Trust.
The computer system ensures that the handover of
patients’ care between shifts and specialties runs
smoothly, and that no critical information is lost.
Until now, transfer of care in hospitals has often relied
on a hasty briefing or hand-written notes.
The eHandover system developed at the Trust includes a
huge range of materials for doctors such as centralising
key patient information, and identifying critical patients
with actions clearly allocated to a specific clinician.
The Trust has piloted the system at both King George
and Queen’s Hospitals for just over a year. In that time,
more than 25,000 handovers have been logged by more
than 400 different doctors.
The system was officially launched in the UK at a national
conference in June.
It was named by E-Health Insider as the winner of the
national award for the Best Use of IT to Promote Patient
Safety.
The Trust’s Chief Executive, Averil Dongworth, said: “I am
delighted that the Trust has won this award. We take the
safety of our patients extremely seriously, and the
important work that has been done here can now be used
to help others in the NHS.”
Clinical Director for Acute Medicine, Dr Aklak Choudhury,
helped to develop the system. He said: “We are very
pleased and excited that the eHandover solution won the
patient safety category. Clinical risks associated with patient
handover should be at the forefront of everybody’s minds.
“We are all very excited about eHandover. It has the
potential to standardise handover across hospital trusts in
the U.K."
The Trust was presented with its gong by comedian Sean
Lock at E-Health Insider’s awards ceremony.
• Trust directors are pictured receiving their national award
for the Best Use of IT to Promote Patient Safety from
comedian Sean Lock.
6 H O S P I TA L L I F E

1 2
Health Secretary
visits Queen’s Hospital
Improvements at Queen’s
Hospital have been seen first
hand by Secretary of State for
Health Andrew Lansley and NHS
Chief Executive Sir David
Nicholson.
The pair came straight from a
summit held at 10 Downing Street to
discuss the Health and Social Care
Bill, to visit the Romford hospital.
They visited the Accident and
Emergency and maternity
departments, talked to patients and
also met with staff from Queen’s
and King George hospitals.
As they were being shown around
the wards, staff explained what
improvements have been made since
the Care Quality Commission
investigation into the Trust last year.
Stopping off in the post natal ward,
Mr Lansley met new mum Alison
Joyce, from Barnsley Road, Romford,
who had given birth to twins Joshua
and Samuel just days earlier.
Her waters had broken at 36 weeks
and she had to have an emergency
caesarean section. Alison had to
spend time in the specialist maternity
High Dependency Unit after the
operation, but she told Mr Lansley
that she could not have received
better care.
Her partner Glen Willis said: “Alison
became very ill very quickly, but
everyone at Queen’s was amazing.
They moved really fast and I knew
that she and the babies were in safe
hands.”
The couple have friends and families
who have given birth at Queen’s
previously, and some had not been
happy with the care they received.
Glen added: “Alison’s sister had
twins at Queen’s two years ago and
didn’t have a very good experience,
so we were a bit worried. But the
improvements in the care from then
to now are clear to see. Everything
has changed.
“We would like
3
to say a massive
thank you to all
the staff – they
were amazing.
Nothing was too
much trouble
and everything
was explained to
us. We were
supported every
step of the way.”
The couple took
their twins home
soon after
meeting Mr
Lansley.
At the end of his visit to Queen’s,
the Secretary of State stressed how
the staff he met had been focused
on continuing to make
improvements and that he was
confident in the services provided by
the Trust.
• Mr Lansley meets new mum Alison
Joyce, her partner Glen Willis and
twins Joshua and Samuel (1)
• Mr Lansley talks to Clinical Director
Derek Hicks in Accident and
Emergency (2)
• Chief Executive Averil Dongworth
with Secretary of State for Health
Andrew Lansley (3)
F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 2
7

Lifetime of suffering
cured by brain surgery
A man given pioneering brain
surgery at Queen’s Hospital has
been back to thank the medics
who changed his life.
Cyril Gleeson, 86, suffered such
appalling shaking that he was unable
to even hold a pen.
After the Deep Brain Stimulation
treatment he has been able to
complete intricate works of art.
The former engineer has suffered the
crippling condition – known as
essential tremor – for most of his
life. It had grown worse over the
years until it dramatically affected his
everyday life.
Cyril, from Bishops Stortford, said:
“The tremors had got so bad that I
was finding it hard even to feed
myself because I couldn’t get my
hand to my mouth. There were
hundreds of little problems every
day, like not being able to press the
cash card keypad at supermarkets.
“It has been getting worse and
worse for years and was really
affecting my social life.”
His condition had also hindered his
job, building and maintaining
microscopes. “By the end, before I
retired, I wasn’t able to handle the
fine mechanisms, and had to get
steady-handed friends to help with
the fiddly bits.”
But everything changed when Cyril
agreed to take part in a trial and have
Deep Brain Stimulation - a new and
revolutionary treatment - carried out
by consultant neurosurgeon Ian Low.
Cyril’s four children have inherited the
condition, and he hoped that - by
agreeing to take part in the trial - he
would help develop a treatment that
could also help them in the future.
“I thought this could really be a
chance to improve my life and help
my children too,” said Cyril.
The surgery is carried out under local
anaesthetic, so Cyril was awake
while the brain surgery took place.
After an MRI scan was carried out to
pin-point the area for treatment, Mr
Low made a hole in Cyril’s skull and
inserted a tiny electrode into his
brain.
The patient needs to be awake so
they can tell if the electrode is
working. As soon as the tremor in
Cyril’s right hand stopped, they
knew that the electrode was
positioned in exactly the correct spot
in his brain.
A stimulator was then put under the
skin of Cyril’s chest to operate the
electrode.
The whole procedure takes about six
hours, and Cyril was allowed home
the very next day.
He is the sixth patient that Mr Low
has treated using Deep Brain
Stimulation.
He said: “A lot of patients like Mr
Gleeson are told surgery isn’t worth
it, but this proved it is. People in
their 80s still have a lot of life left to
live.
“We were elated with the results. Mr
Gleeson was able to write his name
immediately, right there on the
operating table, for the first time in
about four years.”
Cyril has returned to his love of
painting, and has given one of his
pieces of artwork to the
neurosurgery department at
Queen’s.
• Consultant neurosurgeon Ian Low
is pictured receiving artwork from
patient Cyril Gleeson
Contact us: If you would like to see a particular service featured in Hospital Life, contact Niki Eves on
01708 435314, or email nicola.eves@bhrhospitals.nhs.uk