December 2016

3 / Meet our new CEO4&5 / Lorraine Kelly adds some sparkle6 / Feeling festive with gifts galore

2 News

Meet the teamProduced and designed by: The Communications Department

Front cover photo: Lorraine Kelly with our chairman Richard Murley

Inside Story magazine is published by UCLH (University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) for our staff

Contact usIf you have any information you would like included in Inside Story, or on Insight, contact: Communications Unit, 2nd Floor Central, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2PG. Email: communications@uclh.nhs.uk, Tel: ext 79897, Fax: ext 79401. Visit us online at: www.uclh.nhs.uk

Spreading joy at ChristmasWhile we are unwrapping our presents and tucking into turkey and watching the telly, many of our colleagues will be hard at work, caring for patients. So how will they be spending the day?

“When you say you work in critical care, people expect doom and gloom. But there is another side to critical care and it can be very festive. Sometimes we have a table full of gifts from patients’ families. They appreciate what we are doing for their loved ones and that gives us great satisfaction.”

Wendy, who is from the Philippines, and has worked in the CCU for 15 years, said: “It is a very multicultural unit – staff from many different countries work here and it is like a home away from home. The unit is like my second family.”Wendy Sandajan - senior nurse, critical care unit

As Christmas Day approaches in the maternity unit, everyone is watching the clock.

“As it gets closer to 12 the tension starts to mount as to which side of midnight the delivery is going to be. But being born on Christmas Eve is still special.”

Dr Nawathe hopes to have some turkey for dinner before clocking on for a night shift at 8pm on Christmas Day. From past experience, there will be plenty of food, lots of smiles and time will “just fly by”.Dr Aamod Nawathe - senior registrar, obstetrics and gynaecology

Imtiaz has worked for Interserve at UCLH for seven years and worked every Christmas. He said: “I love to work on Christmas Day. Everyone is happy. Patients that might be feeling down normally are upbeat. They are relaxed and happy and I like that I play a part in that.

“Although I do not celebrate Christmas as I am Muslim, I appreciate that religious celebrations are important and I always offer to work over the festive period.”Imtiaz Ali – porter

Ana tries to make every day like Christmas. “I love Christmas – I am a Christmas person. I love the sense of togetherness, support and kindness and try to embrace it all year round. But Christmas Day is extra-special. We put up decorations, the nurses wear hats and earrings and the patients are given presents. They even have turkey to eat – with a Christmas napkin. I really appreciate the fact that I can be of service on Christmas Day - I feel honoured to work it.” Ana Veloso - nursing assistant, acute medical unit

3News

Meet our new chief executive Marcel Levi Staff are invited to meet our new chief executive Professor Marcel Levi who will be hosting open forum sessions on all sites in January.

The Meet the CEO sessions are an opportunity for you to put your questions to Marcel and welcome him to UCLH.

Marcel has already made several visits to all of UCLH’s sites to meet staff and learn more about the organisation before he takes up his

position as our CEO on 3 January.“During my recent visits, I’ve been

very impressed with the care and compassion staff show to patients and how committed teams are to being world leaders in education and research.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting as many colleagues as possible in my first weeks and hope you will join me at one of the open forum sessions I will be hosting on all sites.”

Marcel joins us from the University of Amsterdam where he has been Chairman of the Executive Board of the Academic Medical Center, since 2010.

About Marcel • Marcel has had a distinguished

career as a clinician, academic and clinical leader in the Netherlands.

• He is a practising consultant physician, specialising in haemostasis, thrombosis and vascular medicine.

• He was named as the best specialist in internal medicine in the Netherlands for three consecutive years.

• He leads an active research programme and has been involved as a clinical teacher for students and as a trainer of interns and residents.

• Students at the University of Amsterdam have awarded him ‘best clinical teacher’ three times in the past five years.

• For the previous ten years he was chairman of its Department of Medicine and Division of Medical Specialisms.

• Marcel studied medicine at the University of Amsterdam. He obtained his PhD in 1991 and was appointed as a Fellow by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Science.

Lunch time sessions Refreshments will be provided between 12.30-1pm and the Meet the CEO sessions will be held from 1-2pm. There will be no formal presentation as the entire session will be open to staff to put their questions to Marcel.

Dates for your diary

Early morning sessions

“I feel honoured to be joining an organisation as prestigious as UCLH,” said Marcel.

Lecture theatre 1, Eastman Dental Hospital

Audiology lecture theatre, RNTNEH

Education centre, 250 Euston Road

Lecture theatre, 33 Queen Square

Boardroom, Westmoreland St

7.30-8.30am, seminar room PO2, University College Hospital

8-8.50am, room 4.10, University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre

Perfect Week: 12-18 January 2017Staff who have taken part in our first Perfect Week have seen how both safety and quality link to good patient flow. A Perfect Week will help us to focus our resources on discharging patients as soon as they are medically fit to leave hospital – rapidly improving patient flow and leading to a step-change in performance, safety and patient experience. For more info on how you can help us, see http://insight/perfectweek

4 Spotlight

Lorraine Kelly – dubbed the Queen of daytime TV – lit up UCLH at this year’s festive gathering which attracted hundreds of staff, patients and visitors.

“I had my baby in an NHS hospital and it was amazing and when I was very ill in an accident about four years ago, the care that I got on the NHS was incredible…I want to say ‘thank you’ to every single one of you who work here or contribute in any way to our National Health Service because it’s very, very precious,” said Lorraine before switching on our tree lights.

This year’s event showcased the work of our charities that manned display stands to raise money and awareness.

The UCLH Staff Singers, The Camden Community Gospel Choir, the Salvation Army, balloon modellers, a magician, a fun photo booth and mince pies added to the festive feeling.

It was an extra special event for two patients in particular. Our patient experience team made a wish come true for Chloe Leanne Brookes (photo one) who was eager to watch the tree ceremony and meet Lorraine Kelly. The seriously ill teenager watched the proceedings from her hospital bed, wheeled from the ward for a short period.

A primary school teacher who underwent life-saving treatment after being diagnosed with a rare sarcoma was among the gospel singers. “I was given the all clear in October and I’ve just got engaged to be married. I am so happy. I am delighted to be singing at University College Hospital – I want to give something back,” said Leanna Christie (photo two, pictured left). In particular she praised consultant Jeremy Whelan and clinical nurse specialist Rosie Donovan.

Thanks to our sponsors Health Management (UCLH) plc and Interserve for providing refreshments. The event was organised by the UCLH Communications Unit.

We’ve got that festive feeling

Spotlight 5

6 In the know

Whatever the time of year, our 340-strong army of volunteers is hard at work, brightening up patients’ days.

From retired nurses and headmistresses to students and accountants, these inspiring people helped patients more than 15,500 times last month alone.

The latest examples of their generosity include the donation of more than 100 twiddlemuffs - colourful sleeves decorated with buttons, pompoms and other knickknacks perfect for fiddling with - to dementia patients.

The twiddlemuffs, which were mainly knitted by the League of Jewish Women, keep restless hands occupied, reducing agitation

and providing warmth and stimulation.

Elsewhere in University College Hospital, Voluntary Services has introduced a boredom buster trolley, stocked with free newspapers, books, magazines, adult colouring books and puzzles.

Clive Pankhurst, volunteers lead, said: “We are very grateful to all our fantastic volunteers for making a big difference to our patients.

“We are always looking for more people – why not make volunteering at UCLH your New Year’s resolution?”

Volunteering is not just for Christmas

Ward sister Mary Callaghan and matron Josie Gladney with Sharon Becker and Louise Cohen of the League of Jewish Women

Look who’s had their baby at UCLH... @PalomaFaith I am a mum and I love the NHS here is my thank you to them www.palomafaith.com/en-us/god-bless-the-nhs/

Word on the Tweet...

Follow us: @uclh@LindaRobson58 Lauren was amazing today caesarean had to 11 lb 1 oz @uclh our beautiful baby was so looked after and we couldn’t be happier no name yet

@rob_shortman I received a speedy service & a great assessment @uclh a&e this morning from Leanne and her colleagues- so proud of where I work #NHSMillion

@gregjmchugh So ah gotta snapped pin in my foot. Off to the superstars at @uclh tomorrow. The plan is to wheech it oot.

@Dr_Ellie With a friend today at @uclh - saw the #NHS at it’s best. So proud to be a teeny tiny part of an amazing healthcare system

@lopezbib @mariadolores72 @HCC_UCLH @uclh Thank you so much for getting my Ollie through his treatment 4 #Leukemia What a fantastic bunch of people

Boredom busters Mayed Ahmed and Julian-Pascal Saadi

7

This marvellous mountain of presents will be distributed to young patients at UCLH this Christmas and throughout next year. It took 100 volunteers two and a half hours to wrap and label the 1,000-strong pile of parcels, ahead of delivering them to our radiotherapy unit.

They will now be distributed to youngsters who come in for radiotherapy, as well as patients on the children’s and young people’s wards. Youngsters who attend A&E and paediatric outpatients will also receive gifts, thanks to the generosity of Young

Fight for Life.The charity persuaded major

toy manufacturers to donate dolls, watches, craft sets, backpacks, bikes, DVDs and other goodies. Volunteers then picked up the toys and stored them at their homes until it was time for them to be gift wrapped.

Jaime Benton, Young Fight for Life’s treasurer, said: “We had to work like a factory production line to wrap them - it was insane.

“We want as many children as possible to get one, even if it takes

months to give them out. Every day can be Christmas, as far as we are concerned.”

Laura Allington, a radiographer and operational lead for the proton beam therapy department, said: “Young people can find having radiotherapy very stressful.

“If we can give them a gift, it might ease some of the anxiety for them and their carers and make it a much nicer experience.”

Festive stories

Santa’s elves have been busy

The icing on the cake!Paul and Mary eat your heart out. The winner of our Christmas bake-off has been crowned. Annie Lindsay, the trust’s archivist, took top spot with a beautiful chocolate, fruit and holly leaf cake.

Annie, who was a runner-up in last year’s contest, said: “It took me 10 to 12 hours to make and decorate my cake – and I loved every minute of it. I enjoy baking but I never expected to win – I simply wanted to stretch myself.” The runners-up were Christine Fripp, of GI Services, who

baked a Night Before Christmas-themed cake, and Kate Leng, medical secretary (oncology), who made a traditional Christmas cake.

The standard of entries was so high that the judges, medical directors Geoff Bellingan and Gill Gaskin, interim medical director Charles House, and chief nurse, Flo Panel-Coates, struggled to choose a winner. Proceeds from the sale of the cakes will go to the University College Hospital Cancer Fund.

8 Inside out

What do you get when you cross kunekune pigs, a built-up area and a doctor who loves looking after animals and mucking out? A city farm where pigs squeal with pleasure enchanting both children and volunteers alike.

UCLH consultant pathologist Sian Hughes is one of a growing number of people who are offering their time volunteering in urban farms. Vauxhall City Farm is a charity and one of the capital’s oldest community farms that aims to combine educational, recreational and therapeutic activities.

“I spend every other Sunday at the farm. First thing, we work like demons to clean the stables out and get ready for opening time. There’s a lot of hard physical work, but it’s fun and I love having contact with the animals. We’ve got alpacas, donkeys, goats, sheep, pigs and chickens as well as smaller animals and they’re used to people, so they’re really friendly.”

Sian has always been an animal lover and still misses her pet dog, Bonnie, who died from cancer. After an impromptu visit to the farm a couple of years ago, she fell in love with this countryside oasis. People of all ages and backgrounds come to take care of around 18 different types of poultry and animal, including rare breeds such as the Golden Guernsey goat. The goats were wiped out following German occupation of the island of Guernsey during World War II, but thanks to the wit of one resident who hid her Golden Guernsey goats, the breed was successfully re-established after the war.

“I love all the animals but I do have favourites. Shadow the rabbit, who was dumped outside in a cardboard box, is lovely and Trevor the turkey is a real character. And I usually bring apple slices for Jenny and Edward, the kunekune pigs – they’ll sit and wait for them, like dogs.”

“It’s a really special place, especially for children - some don’t have any other chance to have contact with animals and others have never touched an animal before. Even when it means getting up early on a cold wet Sunday morning, I’m always glad I did.”

To find out more visit vauxhallcityfarm.org

Secret lives

Christmas on the Bernhard Baron ward, The Middlesex Hospital, in 1930. All the children received a present from Father Christmas. If you look closely you will see that the fake Father Christmas has no hands! Entertainment was provided too, as you can see a pierrot and other fancy dress characters in the corner.

Archive

“I’ve learned so many new things from volunteering here: I’ve groomed a donkey, I can put a halter on an alpaca and I’ve even had a go at milking a goat.”

Credit: Waitrose Weekend and photographer Laura Ashman