LHCH Matters - Issue 3

Issue 3 2023
LHCH
matters
The newsletter for our patients,
staff and communities of Liverpool
Heart and Chest Hospital
Celebrating 75 Years of the NHS
– page 3
All the latest Research
News – pages 4 & 5

Welcome
Welcome to the third edition of
LHCH Matters this year.
It was lovely to mark the 75th
birthday of the NHS recently and
celebrate the hard work and dedication
of Team LHCH. We continue to be
proud of the tireless commitment the
team shows to provide outstanding
care to our patients, families and
colleagues. Don’t forget to join us for
the celebration of the NHS birthday
with Maghull Wind Orchestra on
17th September, 2pm at Liverpool
Philharmonic Hall. Full details within
this newsletter.
In this edition, we are delighted
to share a more extensive research
update on the exciting research
activities and clinical trials our team
have been working on. These are
important and such activity enables
us to provide world class care. We are
able to offer patients the most suitable
treatments based upon the best
available evidence and technology.
We are also pleased to be launching
our Patient Choice Award. If you have
been a patient or family member in the
last twelve months then please get in
touch and let us know which member
of staff or team made a big difference
to your LHCH experience. You can
nominate now on our website. The
winner will be announced at the ‘Best
of the Best’ LHCH Grand Awards later
this year.
We hope you enjoy reading this
newsletter. If you have any feedback
or suggestions for future editions
please do get in touch with our
Communications team by emailing
CorporateCommunications@lhch.
nhs.uk
Best wishes
Val Davies
Chair
Jane Tomkinson OBE
Chief Executive Officer
Happy Hearts at Eurovision
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
was pleased to partner Liverpool
City Council’s Public Health team
and the Pumping Marvellous
Foundation to encourage people
enjoying the Eurovision Festival to
undertake mini health checks.
Our CVD prevention team visited The
Strand in Liverpool City Centre for three
days of the Eurovision festival to offer
blood pressure, cholesterol testing
and pulse checks. This was part of the
“Happy Hearts” cardiovascular disease
(CVD) prevention campaign.
CVD is largely preventable through
a healthy lifestyle and the early
detection of key risk conditions
such as atrial fibrillation, high blood
pressure and high cholesterol. Our
team are continuing with their extensive
programme of community events
planned throughout the course of the
year to raise awareness of the risks,
signs and symptoms of CVD.
LHCH at the for
Paula Dyce (left) and Vicky
Jackson, CF Diabetes
Specialist
Nurse
The Pumping Marvellous team are pictured at a recent visit to LHCH as part of their Heart
Failure awareness campaign.
2

Electronic prescribing
goes live
We wished our beloved
NHS a very Happy
Birthday on 5th July.
Team LHCH enjoyed
a celebration event on the day with hot food and ice
cream! A good time was had by all.
Members of
Team LHCH also
attended a service
at Westminster
Abbey to
celebrate the 75th
anniversary of the
National Health
Service (pictured
right).
In April, we were delighted that our Knowsley
Community Respiratory Service went live with
EMIS Electronic Prescribing.
This new integrated system will deliver more
efficient, safe and cost effective care to our patients.
EMIS has significantly reduced the number of
paper prescriptions, preventing unnecessary delays
in treatment and avoiding duplication. Wait times for
patients and families in Pharmacy will be reduced
as dispensers can predict when medication is
required and prepare it in advance. The new system
ensures that patient safety has been enhanced as
the risk of a paper prescription being lost has also
been removed. GPs are now able to access the
shared record which reduces the risk of duplicate
prescriptions by improving communication.
Our community team have described the new
system as a “game changer” and one that will make
a big difference to our patients, their families and
our staff.
efront of Cystic Fibrosis Diabetes care
Over the last ten years, LHCH
has seen a growth in the number
of patients with Cystic Fibrosis
Diabetes.
At LHCH we set up a service 2010
to specifically meet this demand. In
2023, over a third of our patients
treated at LHCH for Cystic
Fibrosis (CF) had Cystic Fibrosis
Diabetes.
The team has subsequently
attracted interest from other
hospitals across the country
interested in replicating our
service model. Our Cystic
Fibrosis Diabetes clinic runs alongside
our general Cystic Fibrosis (CF) clinic
and plays an important part in the work
of the wider CF multi disciplinary team.
Since establishment of this service,
Paula Dyce, Advanced Nurse
Practitioner for Cystic Fibrosis Diabetes
has joined forces with counterparts at
Birmingham and Manchester Hospitals
to set up a national Cystic Fibrosis
Diabetes Committee. Paula said:
“We realised that there was a real
variation in the clinical practice and
care of all patients with Cystic Fibrosis
Diabetes right across the country. As
co-founder of the committee I was
asked to Chair this new committee.
Despite many challenges during the
pandemic, we are delighted that the
new guidelines for Cystic Fibrosis
Diabetes was completed late last year
and has now been published. We
gathered information and best practice
from throughout the UK and worldwide
to update and clarify the guidance,
which was first published in 2004.”
The guidelines can be viewed on the
news pages of CF Trust website.
3

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION NEWS
Telehealth in Cardiac
Surgery (TICS)
LHCH is undertaking a new randomised clinical trial called
Telehealth in Cardiac Surgery (TICS), looking at the periods
either side of the hospital stay for patients undergoing heart
surgery, and at the time spent at home before coming to
hospital and the time back at home after discharge and post
surgery.
For patients taking part in the study, they will either be
managed as normal (current standard of care with no telehealth
monitoring) or they will be given instructions and equipment on
how to monitor their condition at home (telehealth monitoring)
– measuring their heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels,
weight and step count, and answering a series of weekly health
questions.
One of the aims of the study is to find out if regular monitoring at
home, with a smart device (telehealth monitoring), helps to improve
quality of life for a patient undergoing heart surgery. We would also
like to see if regular monitoring can prevent any
worsening of their condition that may require
them to seek additional medical help or their
surgery being delayed.
One patient involved in remote cardiac
monitoring, recently shared his experience
with us (pictured). You can watch this now by
scanning the QR code or by visiting the news
pages of our website.
LHCH is a Research Active Trust
We are delighted to be
able to celebrate recruiting
1,042 participants to our
research studies at LHCH
over 2022/23.
This is a great
achievement, ranking us
higher than any other similar
sized specialist trust in the
Clinical Research Network
North West Coast.
Thank you to our
hardworking research nurses,
principal investigators,
support teams and of course
our patients who have
contributed to research.
For research queries please call 0161 600 1876 or email research@lhch.nhs.uk
4

LHCH wins Ruth
Young Award
LHCH has been awarded the
Ruth Young Award for Research
Implementation at the NIHR
North West Coast Research and
Innovation Awards.
This event was organised to
recognise the best innovators and
researchers in health and care in
Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire
and South Cumbria. Congratulations
to Professor Rod Stables, Consultant
Cardiologist and the rest of the team
whose work made achievement of this
award possible.
For more information on the awards,
including an interview with Professor
Stables, please visit
www.nwcawards.co.uk/awards
International Clinical Trials Day
Our Research team were out and about on International Clinical Trials Day,
pictured, raising awareness of the importance of research within the NHS.
A huge thank you to all our Research colleagues here at LHCH for all you do to
provide outstanding care for our patients and their families.
DID YOU KNOW?
Our Research Unit are
currently working on 80 active
clinical trials. Plans are in the
pipeline for this to increase
to over 100. Our clinical
trials are wide ranging and
focus on cardiology, cardiac
and thoracic surgery and
respiratory studies.
Receive your
eConsent Form
via Email
Patients will now be given the
opportunity to receive a copy
of their eConsent form via their
email account.
If you choose to do this, your
clinician will ask you to verify
your email address and you will
receive an email containing a link
to your consent form.
You will be required to confirm
your email address, when you
click on the link to download the
file. The file will only be available
to download for 6 months from
the date it was sent.
The email should be sent to
your inbox, but you may need to
check your junk or spam folders.
If you have any queries
regarding your eConsent please
contact the clinical team involved
in your care.
How can robots help us feel better?
Hear Professor Mark Field, Consultant Aortic
and Cardiac Surgeon talk about the effects of
transcranial doppler ultrasound and how this new
system, funded by LHCH Charity, will ensure even
better and safer patient care for those individuals
undergoing highly specialised aortic arch surgery
at LHCH.
Scan the QR code or visit
https://tinyurl.com/3te75y3w
5

HAVE
YOUR
SAY!
We love to hear from our patients about their
experiences. If you would like to share your story
please email communications@lhch.nhs.uk. A
big thank you to Rachel for sharing her emotional
story with us and for supporting LHCH Charity too!
,
Rachel’s story
A mum of two from Warrington ran 13 miles, halfmarathon,
from her home to LHCH on 21st May to
say ‘thank you’ for the specialist care she received
before and since the birth of her daughter.
At 32 weeks pregnant, to hear the
words, ‘heart attack, heart failure,
rare heart condition and surgery’,
was a frightening prospect. But that
was the situation that 32-year-old
Rachel Munn was facing.
After experiencing some discomfort
in her chest, Rachel went to her local
A&E and was stunned to be told that
she’d had a heart attack and was
showing signs of heart failure. Rachel
was immediately referred to LHCH
for specialist care and her clinical
team discovered she had a rare heart
condition, called Anomalous Right
Coronary Artery.
Rachel said: “To say I was petrified
was an understatement and it almost
felt as if my world had stopped.
“The LHCH team were clear that
I couldn’t go home and wanted to
monitor my heart very closely until a
plan could be put together for the rest
of my pregnancy.
“In the end they decided that the best
solution for me was to be transferred
to hospital in Manchester where their
cardiac team could keep my heart
under observation, and their specialist
obstetric team could deliver my baby
safely via C-section at 37 weeks.”
Rachel said that the challenges only
got harder, as immediately after giving
birth, she was moved to the intensive
care unit for 5 days, while her daughter
was taken to the post-natal ward.
“It was a really difficult time and
6
the mix of emotions was
unreal. I was so happy
we were both alive, but
the upset of her going off
without me was heartbreaking.
“Eventually, following a
series of further heart tests,
I got the news I wanted
more than anything else - I could go
home and was referred back into the
care of the team at LHCH.”
However, a further challenge arrived
within days of Rachel coming home as
the first covid lockdown arrived.
“After being in intensive care just
days earlier, surrounded by specialists
and hooked up to machines for weeks,
to then be isolated at home and told
to shield because of my heart, was
actually pretty scary. It was almost like
a battle with my mind.
“But thanks to the care, support and
reassurance that I received from all
the clinical team at LHCH, especially
the Psychology Team, I was able
to slowly build my confidence and
realised that a life lived in fear is not a
life lived. Throughout covid, the team
at LHCH were my lifeline and I’ll always
be indebted to them for the emotional
support that they gave me, and for
making me realise that I could get back
to full fitness and return to running.
“That’s why I want to show my
gratitude for all they did for me, by
raising as much money as I can for
the hospital charity, so that they can
support other patients and families like
me.”
You can watch Rachel’s full story on
the news pages of our website www.
lhch.nhs.uk

Behind the scenes with the Acute
Dietetics Team
LHCH Matters was pleased to meet and chat
to Ruth Johnson, Team Lead of the Nutrition
and Dietetics Team and Critical Care Dietitian
Specialist. Ruth, along with Mary-Ann and
Catherine, from the Acute Dietetics team
(pictured) providing a vital service for the
patients of LHCH.
Sadly, one in four inpatients at LHCH are admitted
with malnutrition and on average these patients
have a longer hospital stay of two additional days.
These stark statistics make it clear that this team
have an important role to play.
The role of the team is to treat patients, following
referral by ward staff, to improve their nutrition to
aid their immediate recovery. It is also to provide
education to support prevention of malnutrition in
the future and to equip medical, nursing and catering
colleagues with the knowledge to make good
decisions to improve the patient experience.
Tell us about a typical day
A good proportion of the day will be visiting wards
to see and treat patients. We act upon referrals
received from colleagues which identifies adults who
are malnourished, at risk of malnutrition or obese.
It also enables us to put a care plan in place for our
patients. We work very closely with the Speech and
Language Therapists and often undertake these visits
with them.
Treatment may include providing parental nutrition
which is infusing a specialised form of food through
a vein. We work closely with the Pharmacists on
providing this and due to its technical nature this is
the most urgent treatment of the day. Other support
alternatives offered include providing gastric tubes,
some oral supplements and support to our Diabetes
and Speech and Language teams.
We are part of the Nutrition Steering Group which
looks at nutrition at a strategic level and the Focus
Group which looks at influencing the day to day
patient experience. Through these groups patient
feedback enables us to all make improvements in the
quality of the food patients receive.
The team are often delivering education sessions for different
colleagues such as medical, nursing and catering staff. We also
hold awareness events to drive forward the importance of good
nutrition and hydration.
What are you most proud of?
The patient feedback we receive is very positive and it is heartwarming
to hear the difference we have made to their lifestyle
moving forward. We still receive a Christmas Card from a patient
years on which is lovely.
We presented at the British Association of Parenteral and
Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) national conference regarding our
compliance with the national screening tool. Our presentation
was well received by peers from across the country and we were
able to share our experience and learning at this forum for others
to benefit from.
In the future we are looking forward to commencing non
medical prescribing within the team and the necessary courses
are being undertaken now. We are really proud of what we have
achieved as a small team and are excited for the future.
COMING
SOON
NEW LHCH Website
This summer, we are pleased to be launching our
brand new website so please look out for it.
Coming soon to a screen near you.
www.lhch.nhs.uk
7

Employee of the Month Awards
Every month, we are pleased to present a very worthy colleague with the ‘Best
of the Best’ Employee of the Month Award to recognise their hard work and
dedication to go above and beyond.
We welcome nominations for this award from our patients, visitors and staff. You
can nominate for this award the hospital website.
FEBRUARY 2023 MAY 2023
JUNE 2023
Joe Dann, Booking Clerk. Joe was
nominated by a patient’s family
member for going ‘above and beyond’
to help them resolve a concern. His
kindness meant a lot to them during
this worrying and stressful time.
Lauren Farrell, Staff Nurse. Lauren
was nominated for her amazing
compassionate end of life care for a
patient and his family recently. Her care
made the experience of losing a loved
one the best it could be for all at such a
sad and difficult time.
Claire Lee, Research Nurse. Claire
was congratulated for her role in the
DAPA MI study. Claire was nominated
for her professionalism, dedication,
approachable nature and being a true
asset to LHCH.
MARCH 2023
Nathan Harris,
TAVI Coordinator
Nathan was praised
for being extremely
hard working and
for the positive
impact he has had
on the TAVI service
and the patient
experience.
APRIL 2023
INTRODUCING OUR
PATIENT CHOICE
AWARD
2023
We’d like to welcome our patients, families and visitors to
nominate the LHCH member of staff or team that have made
a huge difference to your LHCH experience in the last twelve
months. Please take this opportunity to nominate your LHCH
star for the Patient Choice Award!
Just scan the QR code or visit www.lhch.nhs.uk to nominate
the member(s) of team LHCH.
Felicity Kempson, Critical Care
Infection Specialist Nurse. Fliss was
recognised for being the ‘backbone of
IV Access’ and playing an invaluable
role in continuing to provide this service
and also supporting her Advanced
Practitioner colleagues.
8
The winner will be announced at our LHCH Grand Awards
at the Crowne Plaza, Liverpool City Centre later this year.
Nominations close at 5pm
on 12th September

Awareness Days at LHCH
Its been a busy period for our teams who have been raising
awareness of key health messages to each other, patients and visitors.
We have also been delighted to
recognise and thank our dedicated
staff and volunteers for the
outstanding role they play each and
every day through a series of events.
We were excited to celebrate
Nurses’ Day, the anniversary of
Florence Nightingale’s birthday on
12th May, when our colleagues were
pampered and treated to ice cream
and other goodies.
We also recognised and thanked
our fantastic volunteers during
national Volunteers Week in early
June.
Our Estates and Facilities team
also showcased the importance of
their services on national Estates
and Facilities Day on 21st June.
This team works, often behind the
scenes, to ensure the safe and
effective care of patients, families
and staff.
Ellie’s Windsor
Horse Show
triumph
Team LHCH are proud of Ellie,
Targeted Lung Health Check Nurse,
who won the Windsor Horse Show
at Windsor Castle recently on her
horse Paddy.
Ellie and Paddy were overjoyed to be
winners and Champions of the SSADL
section qualifying them for the Royal
International Horse show at Hickstead
at the end of July this year.
Ellie, who has worked at LHCH for
three years and part of the Targeted
Lung Health Check team since
November, is dedicated to ensuring
the best care for her horses and fits
this round her busy work schedule. At
LHCH, Ellie supports our outstanding
Targeted Lung Health Check service
which saves lives by enabling early
detection and effective treatment of
lung cancer.
Ellie said: “I’m delighted that all
our preparation has meant we have
been awarded this accolade at such
a special show. It was a thoroughly
enjoyable experience. We’ve been
competing at this show for many years
now but never expected to win and
qualify for Hickstead.”
Congratulations Ellie and Paddy!
Above: Our colleagues
celebrate Nurses Day.
Pictured left are members of
our Volunteers Week Team
and (below) our Estates and
Facilities Team showcased
their services on national
Estates and Facilities Day.
9

Your invitation
to our Annual
Members’
Meeting
2023
25
SEPTEMBER
Monday 25th September
2023 at 4pm on
Microsoft Teams
Celebrate our successes of 2022-
23, receive the annual report
and accounts from the Board of
Directors and hear a report from
our Governors along with details
of our future plans and service
developments.
This is also a perfect opportunity
to share views and ask us any
questions you may have regarding
the services we provide.
To register your attendance and
receive a Microsoft Teams link to
join this virtual meeting please email
membership.office@lhch.nhs.uk
Disability
Awareness Day
LHCH Governors enjoyed attending
the recent Disability Awareness Day
at Walton Hall Gardens in Warrington
recently.
The team were pleased to be able to
chat with event attendees about the
hospital and to promote Foundation
Trust membership.
Public Governors Elaine Holme, Trevor
Wooding, Ray Davis and Denis McAllister.
For more information about
becoming a member or the role of
a governor please visit the About
Us section of www.lhch.nhs.uk
Love
your
lungs
21st to 27th June
was Love Your
Lungs Week and
so as good a time
as any to consider
how we can love our
lungs!
At this time of year the weather
is warmer and it is important for
people with lung conditions to be
aware of changes in weather, as
extreme weather conditions can
worsen symptoms.
Inhaling hot, humid air in very
hot weather can cause airway
inflammation and trigger symptoms.
It has also been linked to an increase
in respiratory tract infections. Hot
weather brings with it more air
pollution, which can affect breathing.
Cold, dry air and strong winds can
irritate airways and cause wheezing,
coughing and shortness of breath.
How to stay well in hot weather
In hot weather it is important to
stay well hydrated. For people with
certain lung conditions, dehydration
can cause mucus to become thick
and sticky. This can make people
more sensitive to existing allergies
and vulnerable to illness. Keeping
your flat or house cool is important
in warm or hot weather- closing
curtains and using plug-in fans can
help.
On hot days, you should continue
to eat as usual, and drink plenty so
that you do not become dehydrated.
Stay out of the sun if you can and
avoid going out during the hottest
part of the day if possible. Take cool
showers and baths to help to prevent
your body from overheating. Light
weight, loose fitting clothing may also
help you to feel more comfortable.
How else can I help myself?
It is helpful to monitor air quality,
as people with lung conditions
can be more sensitive to airborne
pollutants. These may be things
such as dust particles or vehicle
exhaust fumes, which can become
more of a problem during certain
weather conditions. Air pollution
can irritate the nose, throat and
lungs, causing coughing, wheezing,
shortness of breath, chest tightness
and increased mucus. This can lead
to symptoms worsening, e.g. an
asthma attack or COPD flare-up. You
can keep a check on the air pollution
forecast for today and the coming
days. Hay fever can affect some lung
conditions and cause symptoms
to be triggered- it is a good idea to
know your pollen triggers.
Keeping an eye on the weather
forecast and/ or pollen forecast can
help to avoid situations which may
trigger symptoms. It is helpful to
understand the things which might
trigger your own symptoms, so that
you can avoid these. For example,
stay away from busy roads on high
pollution days, avoid going outside in
extreme heat and wrap up warm in
cold weather. Take all medications as
prescribed.
Thank you to the Breathing Point
website, supported by LHCH and
the Innovation Agency, which
is available now via https://
breathingpoint.co.uk/. The site
provides a whole host of helpful
resources which has made this
article possible.
10

To find out more about LHCH
Charity give them a ring on
0151 600 1409 or email
enquiries@lhchcharity.org.uk
Cardiac Diagnostic
Team run to
improve
Cardio-Oncology
services
Well done to our committed Cardiac
Diagnostics team who completed the
Liverpool Spring 5/10km race on 7th
May to support LHCH Charity.
LHCH is one of only a handful of
hospitals in the UK who offer care
for those who have an existing heart
condition and develop cancer or whose
heart is at risk of being damaged due
to chemotherapy treatments.
The team raised over £1,300 to
help support our appeal to purchase
a dedicated 3D Echocardiogram
machine for our Cardio-Oncology
service. This new machine will enable
us to see hundreds more people and
help prevent delays in their treatment.
A big thank you to all the team!
The magic of music from stage and screen
Join us to celebrate both 45 years
of Maghull Wind Orchestra, and 75
years of the NHS, on Sunday 17th
September 2023, 2pm at Liverpool
Philharmonic Hall.
Maghull Wind Orchestra (MWO),
conducted by Phil Shotton, is proud
to present an extravagant afternoon
of music from the world of Stage
and Screen! They’ll be joined by The
Trinity Catholic Academy Choir, St
Andrews CofE School Choir, Maghull
Before and after mucking about for
a good cause... our twelve entrants
who completed the Tough Mudder
challenge.
LHCH Charity Adventurers
The 15th and 16th July saw a weekend of
challenges for our LHCH colleagues and LHCH
Charity supporters.
On Saturday 15th July our incredible supporters
tackled their fears head on by abseiling 150 feet
down Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. The team
(pictured right) collectively, at the time of writing,
raised £5,455!
The following day we were also tremendously
proud of our twelve entrants who completed
the Tough Mudder challenge at Heaton Park,
Manchester. Our LHCH Charity supporters
conquered the course tackling 22 obstacles
through the mud raising an impressive £2,945 to
date.
A big thank you to all who took part in these
events and for their support of LHCH Charity.
High School Choir, and singers from
the local Maghull community. There
will be world première performances
of new arrangements written by
MWO musicians Adam Dutch, Dave
Matthews, and Glenn Waite. This will
be a concert of engaging, toe-tapping
theatrical and cinematic delight that will
have the whole family singing along!
Tickets start from £15 (under 16s £7.50)
and are available now via
www.liverpoolphil.com
11

Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps Facebook “f” Logo CMYK / .eps
Privacy
notice
for our
Members
We collect and hold
public and staff
member information
for the purposes of
the Trust to meet the
legal requirements
set out in UK law, or
exercise the official
authority established
for a Foundation
Trust as a public
body.
Personal information
will only be used to
fulfil the requirements
in relation to
the individual’s
membership of
Liverpool Heart and
Chest Hospital NHS
Foundation Trust and
not shared elsewhere.
Staff and Public
Members can opt
out at any time
by contacting the
Membership Office on
0151 600 1410 or by
emailing membership.
office@lhch.nhs.uk
For more information
please visit the LHCH
Privacy Notice on our
website http://www.
lhch.nhs.uk/aboutlhch/informationgovernance/
data-protectionand-confidentiality/
privacy-notice/
12
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