Autumn 2008 - Homerton University Hospital

HOMERTON PEOPLETwominuteswith…Dr Mary Namnyak,Rheumatology1. What was your first job?Shelley’s Shoes, as a salesassistant at their old CoventGarden store. I think all themania around hitting salestargets and making sure everycustomer left the storesatisfied has prepared me wellfor a career as a doctor!2. What did you want to bewhen you were growing up?It was a toss up between BluePeter presenter and a doctorI’m afraid.3. Who is the person you mostadmire?There are so many people -family members, friends,colleagues, seniors, writers,politicians etc that I can’tchoose just one. I think I’m ata stage in life where I findinspiration from nearlyeverybody I come into contactwith. Maybe the list willnarrow down once I becomeolder and more cynical!4. What was your mostembarrassing moment?I’m not sure where to startand it would take more thantwo minutes!5. What is your biggestindulgence?Any skin lotion or potion.I love moisturisers andcleansers and facemasks.6. What would you do if youwon the national lottery?Keep it a secret then becomea “mysterious benefactor” tothe NSPCC and MSF7. What was the last:book you read?Notes on A Scandal.CD you bought?Deep Cuts by The Knife.Film you watched? Gomorrah.8. What dish would you like tosee in the hospital canteen?I wish I could afford to eatthere… If I won the lotterythen maybe I would subsidisea Sushi bar.12A day in the life…David makesa return callDavid Bridger recently started his new jobas Head of Governance at the hospital butinstantly found himself in familiar surroundings.David has returned to Homerton having workedfor the past three years at the Health ProtectionAgency as a research nurse.Said David: “It’s good to be back at Homertonand to see some old and new faces. My newrole certainly is different from what I have beendoing at the HPA which involved researchingdeaths following MRSA infection and workingon the national mandatory surveillance of MRSAand C.diff in hospitals.“As Head of Governance for the Trust, I am nowresponsible for ensuring that all the corporatepolicies are up to date and in place and ‘to ensurethat the Trust complies with the requirements ofthe Health and Social Care (Community Healthand Standards) Act 2003, and the Terms ofAuthorisation. This all sounds rather dry, but whatit really means is that I have to ensure that theTrust is meeting all its obligations as a FoundationTrust and continuing to meet the high standardsrequired of us by the independent regulatorybody Monitor, our FT members and our patients.”David’s other role is to support the Trust’sGovernors and to keep them informed andIn the news…for our hand gelHomerton Hospital found itself in thenews when hand gel kept on goingmissing from wards.The Trust took a positive stance over thethefts by telling the press and public ofthe missing bottles and dispensers, andtaking the opportunity to raiseawareness about the dangers ofdrinking the hand gel.There have been a number of deaths causedby consuming the hand gel over the summerand the hospital was able to say on theLondon Tonight programmewhat the risks were.David Bridgerengaged with what is going on in theorganisation.He added: “We have 26 Governors on ourCouncil and they are all fully committed toHomerton Hospital. I am looking forward to thechallenge of getting to know each and everyone of them and to ensure they feel activelyengaged with the work of the Trust.”David is also responsible for the growingnumber of Freedom of Information requests theTrust gets from members of the public and inmany cases, political parties and the media.“Having spoken to other Trust managers whodeal with FOI requests they have said that thenumbers have grown considerably in recentmonths and with local and national electionslooming sometime soon, the pile on my desk isonly going to get larger. So I’m making my pleato you all – if I come your way with an FOIrequest in my hand, please do me a favour anddon’t run the other way.”David is based in the Education Centreand can be reached on ext 5221.Deputy Director of Nursing,Jennie Negus said: “We wereable to get the messageacross that individuals whoare drinking handgel – whichconsists of over 70 per centproof alcohol – are puttingtheir lives at risk. We werealso able to show how wehad installed new dispenserswith a foam gel to deterwould be thieves. It certainlyappears to have workedbecause we have gone from losing up tofour bottles of gel a day earlier this yearto having no thefts at all in the pastcouple of months.”www.homerton.nhs.uk