Trust Today | October 2007 - Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS ...

Infection control updateThe foundation trust is continuingto work towards reducing MRSAand other healthcare associatedinfections.On July 31 there was a return visitfrom the Department of Health’sHealthcare Associated Infections (HCAI)improvement team to assess progresstowards achieving the agreed action planfrom their initial visit in November 2006.The team were impressed with progresstowards achieving the actions agreed.However, work will continue to ensurewe reduce HCAI’s. This includes:• Ensuring that the antimicrobialprescribing policy is fullyimplemented andperformance managed assoon as possible• Continued work onincreasing isolation facilitieswithin the foundation trustwith 12 additional singlerooms being constructed• A new system for monitoringof patients with C Difficilebeing nursed in single siderooms has been introduceddelivery suite assessmentunit opensDuring the past four years, thedelivery suite assessment unit hasbecome an established featureof maternity care at the foundation trustand the unit has now moved to theground floor of the maternity unit.The unit is now situated opposite thedelivery suite. The four-bed unit has beenpurposely designed and decorated toprovide a welcoming and comfortableenvironment in which care can beprovided.Caroline Lowe and Julie Baker, wardmanagers, both said: “We are reallyexcited about our new premisesand believe it will enhance women’sexperience of maternity care. Our teamof midwives all work hard to make surethat women receive appropriate adviceand individualised woman-centred care.”On August 3 a round of highimpactintervention auditsand hand hygiene audits werecompleted. Results will bedistributed shortly. The frequencyof the hand hygiene audits willincrease from September 30to monthly and in some areasfortnightly to ensure continuedimprovement and stringentmonitoring. Action plans toincrease compliance will be drawnup in all areas to ensure thatfurther improvement can be madein the next round of audits dueto be completed by the end ofOctober.The foundation trust has recentlyundertaken a pilot on MRSAscreening using a method calledPolymerase Chain Reaction (PCR),which ensures results are availablethe next day. This has now beencompleted and has proved to bevery successful and it is planned tointroduce this method of screeningas soon as possible.For more information contact DrStanley on ext 2733 or contactinfection control on ext 4049 orThe assessment unitis a triage service thatoffers advice andsupport to pregnantwomen over 20 weekspregnant. Women areassessed and treatedwhilst visiting theunit. Women whorequire admission aretransferred to themost appropriatedepartment andthose who do notrequire admissioncan be discharged.This reinforces ourphilosophy in relation topregnancy being normal and at the sametime reassures and supports the women ofBradford in their needs and choices.The delivery suite assessment unitFor more information please contactCaroline or Julie on ext 4532.FOUNDATION TRUSTBECOMES BOWEL CANCERSCREENING CENTREThe foundation trust - along withAiredale NHS Trust - is now ascreening centre for bowel cancer.The Bradford and Airedale Bowel CancerScreening Centre is the first to go-live aspart of the second wave of the nationalNHS bowel cancer screening programme.It’s the first screening centre in WestYorkshire.The centre covers Bradford, Airedaleand Craven. The administrative office isbased at BRI but clinics and colonoscopiesare carried out at both BRI and AiredaleGeneral Hospital.Dr Adrian Manning, consultantgastroenterologist and clinical director ofthe centre said: “It’s great to be chosenas the first centre in West Yorkshire andthis is testament to the hard work of staffboth here and at Airedale.“If bowel cancer is detected at an earlystage there is a very high chance that itcan be successfully treated, so anyonewho gets the kit should make sure theyreturn it - it’s completed in your ownhome and is very easy to use.”About one in 20 people in the UK willdevelop bowel cancer during theirlifetime. It is the third most commoncancer in the UK and the second leadingcause of cancer deaths, with overThe Patient Advice and LiaisonService (PALS) offer many differentservices that can be used bypatients, relatives, carers and staff.The aim of PALS is to help sort outproblems quickly, to listen to concerns,suggestions or queries, to offer adviceand support and to provide informationon NHS services and health-related topics.Gill Waudby, PALS officer, said: “There’sa whole range of different things that wecan help patients and their families with.Staff can either direct patients to PALS, orask us to visit the ward or department, ifthey think there’s an issue that we couldhelp with.”16,000 people dying from it each year.The national screening programme isdesigned to detect bowel cancer as earlyas possible - even when people have nosymptoms - so that they are more likelyto make a full recovery after treatment.Screening can also detect and removegrowths called polyps, which maydevelop into cancer if not treated.Around 60,000 men and women, aged60 to 69, who are registered with a GP inthis area will be invited to take part in theprogramme over the next two years. Theywill then be invited for repeat screeningevery two years if they are still within thisage range.MORE ABOUT PALSPALS provides an ‘on the spot’ service,which people can contact if they have aconcern, or need help and advice.Gill added: “Sometimes, what may seema major issue for a patient or a relativecan be resolved quickly and simply byliaising with staff and external agenciessuch as PCT’s and other hospitals. Oftenwe can prevent a complaint being madeif the issue can be resolved quickly, whichis good, not only for the patient, but alsothe organisation”.From August 1, PALS has dealt withissuing concessionary car parking permits,so staff should direct patients and visitorsto PALS not estates.The risk of developing bowel cancerincreases with age - eight out of tenpeople who are diagnosed with it areover 60, which is why the programmetargets this particular group of people.People in this area who are over 70 andwho want to take part in screening canrequest a kit by contacting the NHSBowel Cancer Screening Programmehelpline on 0800 707 6060.Further information about theprogramme can be found at www.cancerscreening.nhs.ukFor more information contact JennieWright, project manager, on ext 3345.For more information contact Gill onext 4021. The PALS office at St Luke’scan be contacted on ext 5853.10Trust Today | October 2007 Trust Today | October 200711