January 2013 First baby born at Queen's Birth Centre - Barking ...
January 2013 First baby born at Queen's Birth Centre - Barking ...
January 2013 First baby born at Queen's Birth Centre - Barking ...
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The magazine for <strong>Barking</strong>, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust<br />
<strong>January</strong> <strong>2013</strong><br />
<strong>First</strong> <strong>baby</strong> <strong>born</strong> <strong>at</strong><br />
Queen’s <strong>Birth</strong> <strong>Centre</strong><br />
Baby girl <strong>born</strong> in one of<br />
our new birthing pools<br />
See p4
Keep well this winter<br />
With the cold we<strong>at</strong>her<br />
taking hold, people are<br />
being asked to help<br />
keep norovirus out<br />
of hospitals.<br />
The diarrhoea and<br />
vomiting bug takes<br />
hold during the colder<br />
months – which is why<br />
it’s also known as the<br />
Winter Vomiting Disease.<br />
This year the Trust has<br />
launched a comprehensive and preemptive<br />
campaign to try and keep its<br />
wards free of the virus – and it is<br />
paying dividends.<br />
The Trust has appointed Dr Ian Hosein,<br />
the first Director of Infection<br />
Prevention and Control in the UK. He<br />
is leading the work with staff <strong>at</strong><br />
Queen’s and King George hospitals,<br />
reinforcing key practices including<br />
optimal hand hygiene.<br />
Dr Hosein said: “Norovirus is one of<br />
the most infectious agents th<strong>at</strong> we<br />
face in the NHS, and it causes<br />
significant disruption to the services<br />
hospitals can provide. The virus<br />
always begins with spread in the<br />
wider community and then it gets<br />
into hospitals.<br />
“Our staff are being optimally<br />
trained to prevent, contain and<br />
ultim<strong>at</strong>ely defe<strong>at</strong> this thre<strong>at</strong>. But, we<br />
do need the help of the wider<br />
public. They could bring the<br />
virus into a hospital with<br />
them if they have recently<br />
been ill, or bring in<br />
contamin<strong>at</strong>ed food items.”<br />
Key points the Trust is<br />
asking people to bear in<br />
mind are:<br />
1. Be careful with food<br />
hygiene. Think about how<br />
you prepare food for<br />
yourselves and where you e<strong>at</strong>.<br />
2. If you get symptoms of<br />
vomiting or diarrhoea, do not<br />
come into hospital to see your<br />
friends or rel<strong>at</strong>ives. You may give<br />
the virus to them as well as other<br />
p<strong>at</strong>ients and staff. The virus<br />
continues to shed from you even<br />
after you feel better so leave <strong>at</strong><br />
least two days after you have<br />
stopped feeling unwell before<br />
you consider coming into hospital<br />
as a visitor.<br />
3. Do not bring in food for your<br />
rel<strong>at</strong>ives unless pre-wrapped and<br />
from a recognised commercial<br />
source.<br />
4. Hands must be washed when<br />
you get to our hospitals <strong>at</strong> sinks<br />
on the wards.<br />
5. Use the alcohol gel provided<br />
frequently. Dispensers are<br />
loc<strong>at</strong>ed throughout the<br />
hospitals.<br />
Dr Hosein said: “Helping us to<br />
defe<strong>at</strong> the winter vomiting virus<br />
means th<strong>at</strong> we will have as many<br />
hospital beds available as possible,<br />
and we will be better able to care for<br />
those who need our help.”<br />
The measures being taken <strong>at</strong> our<br />
hospitals are working, with the Trust<br />
faring far better th<strong>at</strong> some other<br />
hospitals.<br />
We have halved the level of<br />
disruption from last year, bucking<br />
the n<strong>at</strong>ional trend. From September<br />
to December we lost 89 bed days<br />
due to norovirus. In 2011 th<strong>at</strong> figure<br />
was 225.<br />
Get the jab - get<br />
FLU-SAFE<br />
Those <strong>at</strong> gre<strong>at</strong>est risk from flu are<br />
still being asked to protect<br />
themselves and their families, and<br />
get a free flu jab.<br />
Flu is a highly contagious<br />
infection th<strong>at</strong> anyone can c<strong>at</strong>ch,<br />
and it can be a really serious<br />
illness for some. Those <strong>at</strong> gre<strong>at</strong>er<br />
risk from flu include people aged<br />
65 or over, pregnant women, and<br />
those with health conditions such<br />
as severe asthma, chest or heart<br />
complaints and diabetes.<br />
Antibiotic Awareness Day<br />
Pharmacists <strong>at</strong> King George and Queen’s hospitals have been speaking<br />
to staff and p<strong>at</strong>ients about the importance of using antibiotics<br />
correctly.<br />
To tie in with European Antibiotic Awareness Day, they were reinforcing the<br />
message th<strong>at</strong>, if you use antibiotics unnecessarily, it could lead to you<br />
becoming immune to the drugs.<br />
Used correctly antibiotics can tre<strong>at</strong> life thre<strong>at</strong>ening illnesses. But antibiotic<br />
resistance increases p<strong>at</strong>ient morbidity and mortality.<br />
Trust pharmacy staff manned stands in the <strong>at</strong>riums of the hospitals giving<br />
general inform<strong>at</strong>ion to the public, and encouraging them not to ask for<br />
antibiotics when they do not need them.<br />
They also worked with hospital nurses and doctors, reminding them to be<br />
prudent when prescribing antibiotics to ensure they remain effective in<br />
tre<strong>at</strong>ing serious illness and to prevent overuse.<br />
• Teresa Woodburn and Sofia Azad from the Trust’s Pharmacy team.<br />
2 H O S P I TA L L I F E
New endoscopy suite<br />
<strong>at</strong> King George<br />
A brand new facility has been<br />
opened for p<strong>at</strong>ients <strong>at</strong> King<br />
George Hospital.<br />
The Juniper Endoscopy Suite is a<br />
st<strong>at</strong>e-of-the-art unit offering the<br />
very l<strong>at</strong>est imaging equipment.<br />
It will allow staff to carry out a full<br />
range of diagnostic and<br />
therapeutic procedures.<br />
An endoscopy involves examining<br />
the inside of someone’s body<br />
using a medical device consisting<br />
of a long, thin tube which has a<br />
light and a video camera.<br />
Images of the p<strong>at</strong>ient’s body can<br />
then be seen on a screen, with<br />
the endoscopy also recorded so<br />
th<strong>at</strong> it can be checked again.<br />
An endoscopy might be<br />
recommended if people<br />
experience symptoms such as<br />
difficulty swallowing, persistent<br />
nausea, unexplained weight loss<br />
or vomiting blood.<br />
The new suite has hugely<br />
improved p<strong>at</strong>ient care with<br />
dedic<strong>at</strong>ed prepar<strong>at</strong>ion rooms,<br />
brand new equipment, and<br />
aftercare provided by specialist<br />
endoscopy nurses.<br />
It should also reduce waiting<br />
times, with GPs able to refer<br />
p<strong>at</strong>ients directly to the unit.<br />
Students put Queen’s p<strong>at</strong>hologists<br />
under the microscope<br />
Students have donned white co<strong>at</strong>s and<br />
visited the labor<strong>at</strong>ories <strong>at</strong> Queen’s<br />
Hospital to mark N<strong>at</strong>ional P<strong>at</strong>hology<br />
Year.<br />
Thirty-eight students from Redbridge College,<br />
St Edwards’s School and Frances Bardsley<br />
School were given the chance to get some<br />
hands-on experience in the labs – checking<br />
out samples of brain and lungs.<br />
N<strong>at</strong>ional P<strong>at</strong>hology Year aims to raise<br />
awareness of p<strong>at</strong>hologists’ role in the<br />
diagnosis and management of illnesses.<br />
Funmi Akinlade, Principal Clinical Scientist for<br />
the Trust, organised the event for the sixth<br />
form science students.<br />
"N<strong>at</strong>ional P<strong>at</strong>hology Year gives us a gre<strong>at</strong><br />
opportunity to highlight the many career<br />
options available. We showed the students a<br />
number of different roles in our labs, ranging<br />
from those which are ideal for those without<br />
a university level of educ<strong>at</strong>ion, to others<br />
needing a science or medical degree."<br />
Workshops were organised to show the students th<strong>at</strong> P<strong>at</strong>hology is not just<br />
about dead bodies, but more about diagnostic testing such as blood sampling<br />
and biopsies. The budding scientists also received a tour of the labor<strong>at</strong>ories,<br />
seeing first-hand the work th<strong>at</strong> healthcare scientists do on a daily basis.<br />
• Pictured are science students visiting the labor<strong>at</strong>ories <strong>at</strong> Queen’s Hospital<br />
J A N U A RY 2 0 1 3<br />
3
<strong>First</strong> <strong>baby</strong> welcomed <strong>at</strong><br />
Queen’s <strong>Birth</strong> <strong>Centre</strong><br />
Ellena Kelly delivered her <strong>baby</strong> girl in one of the birthing<br />
pools in the new unit, just hours after it opened this month.<br />
The new arrival made history as the<br />
first to be delivered in the midwifeled<br />
unit <strong>at</strong> Queen’s Hospital.<br />
Ellena and husband Richard, from<br />
Gre<strong>at</strong> Gardens Road in Hornchurch,<br />
received one-to-one care from a<br />
midwife throughout the labour.<br />
Ellena said: “It was such a good<br />
experience and exceeded all of our<br />
expect<strong>at</strong>ions. We wanted a<br />
w<strong>at</strong>erbirth, and our midwife was<br />
supportive and positive, cre<strong>at</strong>ing a<br />
really relaxed environment.<br />
“It didn’t feel like a hospital – more<br />
like a home.”<br />
She added: “We had so much space,<br />
and the <strong>baby</strong> was <strong>born</strong> very relaxed.<br />
I can’t recommend it enough. The<br />
midwives were brilliant and everyone<br />
was so helpful and friendly.”<br />
Their daughter is a<br />
real honeymoon <strong>baby</strong><br />
– <strong>born</strong> nine months<br />
to the day after their<br />
wedding.<br />
The new family were<br />
presented with a<br />
bouquet of flowers<br />
and a “nappy cake”<br />
to mark the<br />
occassion.<br />
“I’m really proud to<br />
be the first person to<br />
give birth in the new<br />
unit,” said Ellena,<br />
who didn’t use any<br />
pain relief during the<br />
delivery. “It’s<br />
wonderful th<strong>at</strong> we<br />
had such a good<br />
experience.”<br />
The Queen’s <strong>Birth</strong><br />
<strong>Centre</strong> is midwife-led,<br />
and designed to<br />
promote n<strong>at</strong>ural birth.<br />
It has eight delivery rooms, two of<br />
which are fitted with large birthing<br />
pools. Portable birthing pools are<br />
also available in the other rooms.<br />
There are also post-n<strong>at</strong>al beds, and<br />
comfortable hotel-style rooms with<br />
double beds so th<strong>at</strong> partners can<br />
stay over after the <strong>baby</strong> is <strong>born</strong>.<br />
The unit is designed to care for<br />
women who are expected to have<br />
straight-forward births in a homely<br />
environment.<br />
They are cared for by midwives, with<br />
no involvement from doctors. Pain<br />
relief is provided by labouring in<br />
w<strong>at</strong>er, with gas and air also<br />
available.<br />
However, if any complic<strong>at</strong>ions arise –<br />
or if a woman decides she would like<br />
stronger pain relief th<strong>at</strong> needs to be<br />
administered by a doctor – they will<br />
be transferred straight to the labour<br />
ward on site for specialist care.<br />
The centre was designed with the<br />
input of local mums to make sure it<br />
provides everything th<strong>at</strong> women<br />
need.<br />
The Queen’s <strong>Birth</strong> <strong>Centre</strong> is integral<br />
to plans to reconfigure m<strong>at</strong>ernity<br />
care in the area. More inform<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
about the birth centre is available on<br />
www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk/ourservices/queens-birth-centre<br />
• Pictured right, Ellena and Richard<br />
Kelly with their new<strong>born</strong> daughter in<br />
the Queen’s <strong>Birth</strong> <strong>Centre</strong>.<br />
• Pictured below, staff celebr<strong>at</strong>e the<br />
opening of the new centre.<br />
4 H O S P I TA L L I F E
Praise for M<strong>at</strong>ernity Services<br />
M<strong>at</strong>ernity care <strong>at</strong> Queen’s<br />
Hospital has received a glowing<br />
report this month after an<br />
unannounced visit by the Care<br />
Quality Commission.<br />
In the past the CQC has expressed<br />
concerns about the m<strong>at</strong>ernity<br />
department <strong>at</strong> the Trust, but has<br />
now given the service a clean bill<br />
of health.<br />
In a positive report, it confirmed th<strong>at</strong><br />
the service met all of the below<br />
standards:<br />
• Care and welfare of people who<br />
use services<br />
• Safety, availability and suitability of<br />
equipment<br />
• Staffing<br />
The report comes after a two-day<br />
unannounced visit by inspectors in<br />
December.<br />
As well as looking <strong>at</strong> the personal<br />
care and tre<strong>at</strong>ment records of people<br />
using the m<strong>at</strong>ernity service, they<br />
observed how people were being<br />
tre<strong>at</strong>ed <strong>at</strong> every stage of their care.<br />
They also spoke to women using the<br />
service, their family members and<br />
staff.<br />
The report said: “Queen’s Hospital<br />
has made a range of improvements<br />
and the care of women has<br />
improved.<br />
“Women we spoke to were<br />
unanimous in saying th<strong>at</strong> the care<br />
they had received was of a high<br />
standard.”<br />
Director of Nursing Flo Panel-Co<strong>at</strong>es<br />
said: “I am absolutely delighted th<strong>at</strong><br />
the CQC has recognised the<br />
enormous improvements we have<br />
made to our m<strong>at</strong>ernity services.<br />
“But, more importantly, I am pleased<br />
th<strong>at</strong> the feedback of women who<br />
are having their babies with us has<br />
been so positive.<br />
“We know th<strong>at</strong> we are providing<br />
women with the high-quality one-toone<br />
care they deserve. We are on a<br />
journey and remain focused on using<br />
every opportunity to improve<br />
services, including the opening of<br />
our new Queen’s <strong>Birth</strong> <strong>Centre</strong>.”<br />
The CQC report highlights th<strong>at</strong><br />
women are seen more quickly in the<br />
m<strong>at</strong>ernity triage area when they<br />
arrive <strong>at</strong> the hospital, and also if they<br />
need to be seen by an obstetrician.<br />
The Trust also performs less<br />
caesarian sections than most other<br />
hospitals in London.<br />
A survey carried out of women using<br />
the m<strong>at</strong>ernity department showed<br />
th<strong>at</strong> 96 per cent would recommend<br />
it to family and friends.<br />
The report goes on to confirm th<strong>at</strong><br />
Queen’s has 321 midwives, allowing<br />
it to maintain a midwife to birth<br />
r<strong>at</strong>io th<strong>at</strong> is better than the target<br />
for London. D<strong>at</strong>a also shows th<strong>at</strong><br />
100 per cent of women receive one<br />
to one care in labour.<br />
“There were sufficient experienced<br />
midwifery and medical staff to<br />
ensure women received care th<strong>at</strong><br />
met their needs,” said the report.<br />
“All women in labour had a midwife<br />
with them all of the time.”<br />
The findings of the report are<br />
particularly important with the<br />
planned closure of the labour ward<br />
<strong>at</strong> King George Hospital by the end<br />
of March.<br />
The move is part of the Health for<br />
North East London plans to improve<br />
healthcare in the area.<br />
Women who are likely to be affected<br />
by the move have already been<br />
contacted, and detailed plans are in<br />
place to make the transition as<br />
smooth as possible.<br />
J A N U A RY 2 0 1 3 5
Working to make<br />
our hospitals better<br />
The aim of King George &<br />
Queen’s Hospital Charity is simple<br />
– to make our hospitals better.<br />
While the NHS provides funding for<br />
the necessities, the generous support<br />
of the local community enables us to<br />
pay for projects th<strong>at</strong> enhance and<br />
compliment the services of the Trust.<br />
In November, the charity underwent<br />
a name change and was given a<br />
fresh look - including a new logo<br />
and website.<br />
Since changing the name - previously<br />
BHR Hospitals Charity - we haven’t<br />
looked back. More people are<br />
discovering just how much of a<br />
difference we can make.<br />
With the fantastic support of the<br />
local community, we have been able<br />
to fund our biggest project to d<strong>at</strong>e<br />
which will forever change the way<br />
cancer p<strong>at</strong>ients in our local area are<br />
tre<strong>at</strong>ed.<br />
A phenomenal £480,000 was raised,<br />
allowing us to purchase and install<br />
RapidArc technology (pictured right)<br />
onto one of the radiotherapy<br />
machines <strong>at</strong> Queen’s Hospital.<br />
The new life-saving technology is an<br />
‘add on’ above the remit of the NHS<br />
and allows small radi<strong>at</strong>ion beams<br />
from many angles to be delivered<br />
only to the tumour. Not only does it<br />
make tre<strong>at</strong>ment times eight times<br />
faster, but it can also drastically<br />
reduce the side effects normally<br />
associ<strong>at</strong>ed with radiotherapy.<br />
We are extremely<br />
gr<strong>at</strong>eful to everyone<br />
who takes time to<br />
fundraise for us, or<br />
chooses to don<strong>at</strong>e<br />
to the charity.<br />
The Neurosurgical<br />
Unit <strong>at</strong> Queen’s<br />
Hospital has<br />
recently received<br />
two don<strong>at</strong>ions<br />
from current<br />
p<strong>at</strong>ients of the<br />
department.<br />
The first came from<br />
Derek Smith<br />
(pictured below)<br />
who don<strong>at</strong>ed £450<br />
specifically to be used<br />
for the Neurosurgical<br />
Research Fund. Derek suffers from<br />
cervical dystonia - which can cause<br />
involuntary contracting of the neck<br />
muscles, leading to abnormal<br />
movements.<br />
He became one of the first p<strong>at</strong>ients<br />
in the world to have electrodes<br />
inserted into a specific part of the<br />
brain to try and comb<strong>at</strong> his<br />
symptoms.<br />
His condition improved almost<br />
immedi<strong>at</strong>ely after surgery <strong>at</strong> Queen’s<br />
and his neck movements are now<br />
near-normal.<br />
The second don<strong>at</strong>ion to the unit<br />
came from Malcolm Buckley. He<br />
don<strong>at</strong>ed £5,500 which will be used<br />
to purchase an Ojemann Cortical<br />
Stimul<strong>at</strong>or - a piece of equipment<br />
which can ‘map’ areas of the brain,<br />
making brain tumour surgery much<br />
faster and safer. It also enables more<br />
tumour tissue to be removed.<br />
Malcolm and his wife Sylvia began<br />
raising money for the unit after their<br />
son, Chris, developed right sided<br />
weakness and severe speech<br />
problems due to a brain tumour. He<br />
was oper<strong>at</strong>ed on <strong>at</strong> Queen’s last year<br />
under local anaesthetic, so he was<br />
awake while more than 95% of the<br />
tumour was removed.<br />
King George & Queen’s Hospitals<br />
Charity would like to thank everyone<br />
who has supported us.<br />
More inform<strong>at</strong>ion about the charity<br />
and the projects it has funded is<br />
available <strong>at</strong><br />
www.supportyourhospital.org<br />
If you would like to find out wh<strong>at</strong><br />
you can do for the charity, please do<br />
not hesit<strong>at</strong>e to contact us. You can<br />
do this via email <strong>at</strong><br />
hospital.charity@bhrhospitals.nhs.uk,<br />
call 01708 435 000 ext 2922<br />
or write to us: King George &<br />
Queen’s Hospitals Charity,<br />
Management Accounts Office,<br />
Queen’s Hospital, Rom Valley Way,<br />
Romford, RM7 0AG.<br />
6 H O S P I TA L L I F E
Incredible achievement<br />
for our nurses<br />
Staff <strong>at</strong> our hospitals have played<br />
a key role in a n<strong>at</strong>ional cancer<br />
project.<br />
Macmillan Cancer Support has<br />
launched the Older People’s Project –<br />
to ensure p<strong>at</strong>ients over 70 are<br />
receiving the tre<strong>at</strong>ment they need.<br />
This Trust was one of 14 in the<br />
country to take part in the pilot<br />
project.<br />
Figures show th<strong>at</strong> cancer mortality<br />
r<strong>at</strong>es in the over 70s aren’t dropping<br />
as rapidly as in the younger<br />
popul<strong>at</strong>ion, and Macmillan teamed<br />
up with the Department of Health<br />
and Age UK to find out why.<br />
BHRUT recruited an impressive 50<br />
p<strong>at</strong>ients to take part in the scheme,<br />
and tested new models of care,<br />
including:<br />
• New methods of clinical<br />
assessment of older people with a<br />
cancer diagnosis<br />
• Delivering short-term practical<br />
support packages to people having<br />
tre<strong>at</strong>ment<br />
The Queen<br />
<strong>at</strong> Queen’s<br />
Her Majesty the Queen has been<br />
given pride of place in the<br />
hospital which bears her name.<br />
Romford MP Andrew Rosindell<br />
visited Queen’s Hospital to hand<br />
over a specially commissioned<br />
portrait of Her Royal Highness to<br />
commemor<strong>at</strong>e the Diamond<br />
Jubilee.<br />
The portrait is displayed in the main<br />
<strong>at</strong>rium of the hospital to welcome<br />
visitors and p<strong>at</strong>ients. Receiving the<br />
framed picture, Chief Executive<br />
Averil Dongworth said: “It is only<br />
right th<strong>at</strong> there is a picture of the<br />
Queen in Queen’s Hospital to<br />
celebr<strong>at</strong>e the Diamond Jubilee.”<br />
Mr Rosindell don<strong>at</strong>ed hundreds of<br />
the portraits to schools and<br />
organis<strong>at</strong>ion across the borough to<br />
mark the milestone<br />
• Promoting age equality to address<br />
age discrimin<strong>at</strong>ion in cancer services.<br />
Now the Trust has been<br />
congr<strong>at</strong>ul<strong>at</strong>ed on its hard work and<br />
dedic<strong>at</strong>ion to its p<strong>at</strong>ients in recruiting<br />
so many people to take part in the<br />
scheme.<br />
Clinical Nurse Specialists worked<br />
closely with their p<strong>at</strong>ients to see if<br />
they could benefit from the project,<br />
and recruited more people than any<br />
other Trust in the area.<br />
Dr Jackie Bridges, who is leading the<br />
research for Macmillan, said: “This is<br />
an incredible achievement,<br />
particularly given the small amount<br />
of clinical nurse specialists involved.<br />
“In addition to the benefits to<br />
p<strong>at</strong>ients who took part, the<br />
contribution of these individual<br />
nurses means th<strong>at</strong> the findings from<br />
the study will be used to benefit<br />
other older p<strong>at</strong>ients during their<br />
cancer tre<strong>at</strong>ment.”<br />
More inform<strong>at</strong>ion about the Trust's<br />
cancer services is available on our<br />
website www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk<br />
• Andrew Rosindell presents a portrait<br />
of Her Majesty the Queen to Director of<br />
Midwifery Wendy M<strong>at</strong>thews and Chief<br />
Executive Averil Dongworth <strong>at</strong> Queen’s<br />
Hospital<br />
Support<br />
for cancer<br />
p<strong>at</strong>ients<br />
P<strong>at</strong>ients being tre<strong>at</strong>ed for<br />
cancer <strong>at</strong> Queen’s and King<br />
George hospitals are being<br />
supported by a special service.<br />
Macmillan has teamed up with<br />
the Trust to offer benefits and<br />
welfare support to p<strong>at</strong>ients –<br />
ensuring they can access any<br />
financial help they need.<br />
The charity ran the project <strong>at</strong> our<br />
hospitals during 2012, and has<br />
now agreed to fund it until<br />
December <strong>2013</strong>.<br />
Divisional Nurse Director Judith<br />
Douglas said: “This is fantastic<br />
news for our p<strong>at</strong>ients.<br />
“People with cancer often find<br />
themselves struggling financially.<br />
They may be unable to work,<br />
and also face extra expenses<br />
such as travelling to and from<br />
tre<strong>at</strong>ment, expensive special<br />
dietary requirements, and even<br />
increased he<strong>at</strong>ing bills because<br />
they are less able to toler<strong>at</strong>e the<br />
cold.<br />
“Rel<strong>at</strong>ives might also have to<br />
give up work to care for<br />
someone with cancer. This can<br />
put an enormous financial strain<br />
on people.”<br />
She added: “This service from<br />
Macmillan – working with the<br />
Citizens Advice Bureau – makes<br />
sure th<strong>at</strong> people are aware of<br />
the benefits and grants they are<br />
entitled to and provides help<br />
with claiming them.”<br />
A case-worker is based <strong>at</strong><br />
Queen’s and King George for<br />
two days a week, linking with a<br />
support worker based <strong>at</strong><br />
Redbridge Citizens’ Advice<br />
Bureau three days a week.<br />
P<strong>at</strong>ients can be referred to the<br />
service by the doctors and nurses<br />
caring for them in hospital, but<br />
they can also contact the caseworker<br />
directly themselves.<br />
J A N U A RY 2 0 1 3<br />
7
Midwives shortlisted<br />
for n<strong>at</strong>ional award<br />
A team of midwives have been<br />
shortlisted for a n<strong>at</strong>ional award.<br />
The midwifery bereavement team <strong>at</strong><br />
the Trust have made it to the last<br />
three in the Royal College of<br />
Midwives <strong>2013</strong> awards.<br />
The midwives are in the finals of the<br />
Rewarding Excellence in<br />
Bereavement Care c<strong>at</strong>egory.<br />
The team of three dedic<strong>at</strong>ed staff<br />
care for and support families who<br />
have experienced a l<strong>at</strong>e miscarriage,<br />
still birth or neon<strong>at</strong>al de<strong>at</strong>h.<br />
As well as supporting the women<br />
while they are still on the labour<br />
ward, they also go out of their way<br />
to visit families <strong>at</strong> home after their<br />
loss.<br />
The team also offers unique clinics<br />
for mums-to-be who have lost a<br />
<strong>baby</strong> previously.<br />
Dedic<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
recognised<br />
Outstanding hospital staff<br />
have been thanked for<br />
their dedic<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>at</strong> a special<br />
award ceremony.<br />
The Trust has held its annual awards,<br />
with employees from Queen’s and<br />
King George hospitals receiving<br />
gongs.<br />
Hundreds of nomin<strong>at</strong>ions were<br />
received from gr<strong>at</strong>eful p<strong>at</strong>ients and<br />
colleagues for c<strong>at</strong>egories which<br />
included Outstanding Service,<br />
Inspir<strong>at</strong>ional Leadership and Hospital<br />
Hero.<br />
Chief Executive Averil Dongworth<br />
said: “Over the last year staff across<br />
the Trust have been working<br />
extremely hard to improve care,<br />
deliver a better experience for<br />
p<strong>at</strong>ients and address criticisms we<br />
have faced on quality.<br />
“The nominees and award-winners<br />
and setting the standard for all staff<br />
They run four clinics a week offering<br />
specialist care to pregnant women<br />
who have had to deal with a stillbirth<br />
or neo-n<strong>at</strong>al de<strong>at</strong>h, giving them<br />
intensive support and offering them<br />
many more scans than usual.<br />
The Trust deals with almost 10,000<br />
births a year, and with the l<strong>at</strong>est<br />
n<strong>at</strong>ional figures showing th<strong>at</strong> r<strong>at</strong>es<br />
of stillbirth have increased to 5.2 in<br />
every 1,000 births, it is a busy<br />
service.<br />
Bereavement midwife Diane Bellanca<br />
– who works alongside colleagues<br />
Claire W<strong>at</strong>ers and Liz Dorey - has<br />
been based in the Trust for almost<br />
three years.<br />
She said: “This job can take a lot out<br />
of you as it is obviously emotionally<br />
draining. But the positive side is<br />
supporting people through a<br />
successful second pregnancy.<br />
– delivering excellent service and<br />
compassion<strong>at</strong>e care.”<br />
The public were asked to nomin<strong>at</strong>e<br />
people to be their Hospital Hero, with<br />
gr<strong>at</strong>eful p<strong>at</strong>ients putting forward the<br />
names of staff members who had<br />
given them outstanding care.<br />
Winner was consultant neurosurgeon<br />
Babak Arvin.<br />
Delighted p<strong>at</strong>ients nomin<strong>at</strong>ed him for<br />
the care he gives his p<strong>at</strong>ients.<br />
They described how he “personally<br />
takes time to give positive<br />
encouragement during rehabilit<strong>at</strong>ion,<br />
and spends time with p<strong>at</strong>ients’<br />
families to listen and address any<br />
concerns and worries they have”.<br />
• Pictured are the Award winners<br />
“Th<strong>at</strong> is so rewarding.”<br />
The feedback the team has received<br />
from gr<strong>at</strong>eful p<strong>at</strong>ients has been overwhelming.<br />
Their office is full of<br />
Thank You cards and messages of<br />
gr<strong>at</strong>itude.<br />
• Pictured are Bereavement Midwives<br />
Diane Bellanca and Claire W<strong>at</strong>ers<br />
who have been shortlisted for a<br />
n<strong>at</strong>ional award<br />
Long service awards<br />
Members of staff who have<br />
devoted many years of their<br />
life working for the NHS have<br />
been recognised by the Trust.<br />
At the annual Long Service<br />
ceremony, dedic<strong>at</strong>ed employees<br />
were thanked for their work over<br />
the years with certific<strong>at</strong>es and<br />
vouchers. Sixty-five members of<br />
staff achieved 20 years service,<br />
and 20 employees have 30 years<br />
under their belt. There had even<br />
been one member of staff who<br />
has achieved an impressive 40<br />
years with the NHS.<br />
Contact us: If you would like to see a particular service fe<strong>at</strong>ured in Hospital Life, contact Niki Eves on<br />
01708 435314, or email nicola.eves@bhrhospitals.nhs.uk