1

Supported by

Your chance to shine as aStar or a Diamond!

Nurse’s Land’s End to John O’Groats challenge

‘Better for you’ – learning from the world’s best

Could you be a NUHonours winner?Page 8

Page 6

Page 4

Awards 2010NUH N URS

S t d bSuppporp ted by

Your chance to shine as aYo e to s

‘Better for you’ – learning from the world’s best

Could you be a NUHonours winner?Page 8

Page 6

Nurse’s Land’s End to John O’Groats challengePage 4

NUHorizonsMay/June 2010Issue 33

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WelcomeYour chance to shine as we launch the NUHonours Awards.

Contacts

It’s that exciting time of year again when staff at NUH have the opportunity to shine at our annual NUHonours Awards. They are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the hard work and achievements of all our staff. We had a huge response to last year’s awards but I’m certain that this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever. We want to recognise staff for achievements in innovative ways of working, improving patient care, supporting colleagues, and showing patients that we are here for them. Whether you want to nominate a colleague for a Diamond award or nominate yourself for a Star award, we want to hear from you. NUH Charity is supporting the event again this year so I’d like to thank them for their continued support and generous sponsorship. If you’d like to fi nd out more about the awards turn to page eight.

Also in this issue we’ve got an update on ‘Better for you’, our exciting whole hospitals transformation programme. Since we launched the programme last year, there have been lots of positive changes in many areas of the hospital, including the Emergency Department, Imaging and Theatres. The article on page seven looks at the difference it’s already making to patients and staff in the Nottingham Children’s Hospital and other areas.

Enjoy the magazine.

Cath Lovatt Director of Communications and Engagement

NUHorizons, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust’s staff magazine, is published bi-monthly by the Communications Team. Comments and story ideas are welcomed.

Contact the Communications Team on ext 63562 or email nuhcommunications@nuh.nhs.uk.

Extracts from NUHorizons should not be reproduced without prior permission from the Communications Team.

The opinions expressed in NUHorizons are not necessarily those of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

This publication is available in other languages and formats. For further information please contact 0115 924 9924 ext 62133. A plain text version is available.

Contents

Page 4

Page 6

Page 8

3 Improving patient safety

4 Nurse completes cycle challenge

5 NUH News

6-7 ‘Better for you’ update

8-12 NUHonours 2010 launches – nominations now open

13 ‘We are here for you’

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33

Commitment to reducing infection rates continues

The number of hospital associated infections continues

to fall at our hospitals.

From March 2009-April 2010 there were 40 cases of MRSA bacteraemia. Of these, 21 were NUH-acquired and 19 were recorded as community acquired MRSA. This total of 40 was fi ve below the Health Protection Agency’s ‘maximum target’ of 45.

During April 2009-March 2010 there were 201 cases of NUH-acquired Clostridium diffi cile. This is against a target of no more than 20 cases per month, a maximum number of 240 cases during the year (we averaged 16.75 cases a month over the year).

We know from what our patients tell us that they are most concerned about getting an infection in hospital. These latest fi gures go some way to reassuring everyone our hospitals are safe and demonstrate we are making continued progress.

Our aim for this year is zero tolerance to poor practice and behaviours which contribute to hospital associated infections. We know that if we do the right thing fi rst time, every time, in every procedure, variation in the delivery of care is minimised and the likelihood of infection is reduced.

Praise for hand hygiene awareness at NUHWork to raise awareness of infection prevention and control best practice at our hospitals has been highlighted in a National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) report.

The NPSA’s report, called ‘Stopping infection in its tracks - the story of the cleanyourhands campaign’, explores how the awareness raising campaign has been implemented by NHS trusts.

Mitch Clarke, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Infection Control leads on the project at NUH. He said: “The campaign has triggered interest in hand hygiene and has raised its profi le within the Trust. It is all about making gradual improvements over time and persevering while not losing sight that at the heart of what we are trying to achieve is the safety of all patients.”

NUHNews...NUH supports IDAHO DayStaff from NUH’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) network worked in partnership with our Equality Team and Nottinghamshire Police last month to celebrate the international day against homophobia and transphobia for the fi rst time at the Trust.

Proudly fl ying the rainbow fl ags at both sites to mark this day, there were information stands at both sites and an evening quiz at the Leisure Club at City campus. We raised £105 for Pride and £75 for the Social Club refurbishment.

Many staff and patients stopped to speak to colleagues and took away information on many issues including delivering inclusive services to the LGBT community, appropriate use of terminology and how to report hate crime and homophobic incidents.

The LGBT network exists to support staff who may feel isolated in the workplace and works closely with the head of equality and diversity, human resources and staff side to tackle homophobia. It also ensures that the Dignity at Work policy is implemented and all people are respected equally.

For further information on the LGBT staff network contact helen.lushpenko-brown@nuh.nhs.uk or carl.simpson@nuh.nhs.uk.

Helen Lushpenko-Brown and Jamie Kettle

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Senior nurse cycles 1,000 miles for colleague

First ever PPI conference big success

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A senior nurse has completed a gruelling charity cycle ride to raise money for another nurse.Angela Horsley, Lead Nurse at the Nottingham Children’s Hospital, cycled almost 1,000 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise money for the post of Ginny McGivern, Complementary Therapy Nurse.

Ginny’s post has been funded by NUH Charity since 2006 and involves providing physical, mental and emotional relief for patients through massage, aromatherapy and relaxation.

Angela said: “I think the important thing is that Ginny’s role complements the medical treatment at the Nottingham Children’s Hospital. The treatment she offers improves patients’ quality of life and provides symptomatic relief.”

NUH held its fi rst ever patient and public involvement (PPI) conference last month. It was attended by over 160 NUH staff, patient representatives and local community organisations.The event was organised to enthuse frontline leaders, managers and staff at NUH about the important role that PPI can play in helping to improve services for patients, share the most effective PPI approaches and empower staff to deliver PPI activities themselves to develop their skills and confi dence.

Speakers at the conference included Jenny Leggott, Director of Nursing, Cath Lovatt, Director of Communications & Engagement, Trish Cargill, Chair of the NUH Patient Partnership Group and Alec Mckee, Non-Executive Director. There were videos shown throughout the day including patient stories and feedback and views from representatives at partner organisations.

A new PPI toolkit for staff was launched at the conference which provides a step-by-step guide and hints and tips that staff will fi nd helpful in their day-to-day work. The toolkit is a resource pack which covers the importance of PPI, tools for how to do focus groups, consultations and surveys and guides on how to use each tool.

Further information about PPI and the toolkit will be co-ordinated via your directorate PPI lead. The toolkit is also available on NUHnet. If you have any further questions please contact the PPI team at ppi@nuh.nhs.uk.

Angela (far left) celebrating the completion of her marathon journey

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£3.5m research unit opens at QMCA new research unit to improve care for patients with digestive diseases has opened at QMC.

The Biomedical Research Unit (BRU) focuses on stomach, bowel and liver disease.

Nottingham is the only city in the country to be awarded three BRUs, which will enable research into hearing, digestive and respiratory diseases. It means patients will benefi t more quickly from scientifi c breakthroughs.

The unit, located on E Floor, West Block, has a laboratory, tissue culture room, consulting rooms, interview rooms and an inpatient area for intensive studies on up to four volunteers.

Robin Spiller, a professor of gastroenterology at the QMC, said the aim was to encourage people to take part in medical studies.

He said: “There will be benefi ts to the hospital, the university and the local community because we hope to generate new treatments.”

Research will focus on healthcare associated infections such as Clostridium diffi cle and MRSA. There will also be extensive research into many other areas, including the Hepatitis C virus, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the stomach germ Helicobacter pylori which causes ulcers and stomach cancer.

The unit was opened last month by actress Leslie Ash, the patron of the Centre for Hospital Acquired Infections in Nottingham. NUH Chief Executive Peter

Homa and the Lord Mayor of Nottingham were also present at the opening.

The BRU is a joint venture between the National Institute of Health Research, NUH and the University of Nottingham.

NUH selected as best practice example

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has been recognised by the Department of Health for its work around improving patient privacy and dignity through same-sex accommodation.

After securing £2.2million in 2009 to improve provision of same-sex accommodation, the Trust has been selected by the Department of Health as a best practice example to feature on its delivering same-sex accommodation website.

The improvements made by NUH have included the launch of the Welcome Team, a dedicated team to welcome patients and their relatives with the focus on same-sex accommodation and privacy and dignity. The team makes sure patients are cared for in the most appropriate facilities and that their privacy and dignity needs are met.

NUH has also introduced new and improved signage on 90 wards to make sure patients are clear about which areas of the ward are for male or female patients. New digital signage in the form of LCD screens has been installed at both City Hospital and QMC campuses. The screens display same-sex accommodation and privacy and dignity messages to patients, carers and visitors.

Garry Marsh, Clinical Lead for privacy and dignity, said: “We’re delighted that our hard work has been recognised by the Department of Health. We wanted to improve facilities for our patients. Our work around same-sex accommodation has made a big difference. Being recognised as a best practice example on the DH website shows that we are committed to improving the experience our patients have at our hospitals. It is a great achievement for NUH and all our staff.”

The case study is available at http://www.institute.nhs.uk/delivering_same_sex_accommodation/practical_support/case_studies.html.

Dr John Atherton, Lisa Chalkley, Dr Guru Aithal, Leslie Ash and Professor Robin Spiller

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Learning and sharing with the best in the world

A team of NUH staff attended the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare, in Nice, France, from 20 to 23 April.

This intensive four-day study trip was to look at and present on the best quality and safety practices in the world.

The annual conference, organised by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, brought together some of the world’s leading healthcare staff and practitioners to share learning and best practice approaches.

NUH was selected by the International Forum to showcase four areas of its work, in recognition of the Trust’s excellent work in those fi elds.

Trust staff presented to international colleagues on healthcare associated infection reductions, day-case care redesign in ophthalmology, privacy and dignity improvements and personal resuscitation plans for children.

Staff also brought back lessons on a range of topics including improving patient safety, fi nding the capacity to deliver world-class results, delivering improvements to clinical performance and taking forward patient-led change.

Ella Bowers, who attended from Ward C25, said: “Being part of an international forum was inspirational. It was just amazing to discover that no matter what the culture, language or system, we’re all facing the same conundrum of how to drive up quality and safety while reducing costs.

“We each brought back things that will improve the way we practice. But the overwhelming message for me was that as a Trust we are absolutely right to continue along the path we are on. It will make us safer and more effi cient.”

Emergency Nurse Practitioner Sue Shipston said: “I’m now totally focused on fi nding better ways of delivering quality and safety in patient care and ensuring our initiatives are sustainable in the present climate.”

The study trip forms part of the ‘Better for you’ programme to deliver continuous improvement through learning, sharing and supporting the development of staff.

‘Better for you’ Programme Director Tim Guyler said: “Many NUH front-line staff are leading change that is resulting in exceptional improvements. This was a fantastic opportunity for some of these staff to share their successes with and to learn from colleagues across the world.

“We’ll be making the lessons learnt from the conference available to all staff and organising opportunities for other staff to attend future events. We are also designing an internal NUH academy for learning.”

777

What’s happening in...

Emergency Pathways More than 120 clinicians, nurses, managers and others from across the hospitals came together to review the Trust’s Emergency Pathways last month at the fi rst wide-scale event of the latest ‘Better for you’ project.

The Emergency Pathways launch was the fi rst opportunity departments have had to examine how patients move through the hospital from point of admission to acceptance by the specialty, and to understand the decisions and processes which affect that journey.

Emergency Pathways lead Andy Haynes said: “Every winter we’re seeing an increase in the number of unplanned patients at the front door. When we struggle to cope, the patient experience is diminished, it can be unsafe and our working lives become a struggle. Every winter we fi x the problem but in an unsustainable way. What’s been missing from the process is staff insight into how things work and how they could work better. They have the expertise to solve their own problems. ‘Better for you’ is our chance to get it right.”

Staff from Cardiology, Neurology, Healthcare of Older People, Diabetes, Emergency Admissions Unit, B3 & D57, Rheumatology, Haematology, Infectious Diseases, Stroke, Respiratory, Oncology, Palliative Care, Renal, Therapies, Critical Care and Gastroenterology attended the event.

Key issues emerging from the event included improving the current out of hours service, better access to information, standardised, equitable and consistent processes across campuses, better communication with primary care and bed allocation. The project team is now taking the day’s fi ndings to shape what the Emergency Pathways project will deliver.

Contact Liz Williamson or Ceri Charles for more information on ext 55919 and 53059.

Web pages launched‘Better for you’ now has dedicated pages on NUHnet. For the latest news, events and reports on what’s happening in your area, visit the home page and click on the ‘Better for you’ quick link.

Nottingham Children’s Hospital Nottingham Children’s Hospital has held a series of events for staff to put forward views about how things are done and how systems and processes could improve to make life better for patients and staff.

The events will inform decisions on the big issues to be tackled over the summer months. The 120 staff who attended took time out to explore the results and themes which emerged from the process mapping work and looked at how those themes and issues affected their jobs, areas, services and wards. The ‘Better for you’ team is now pulling the information together in an action plan for the next steps of the project. Visit the Nottingham Children’s Hospital hub or contact Ann Fewtrell or Julie Beard on ext 63447 to fi nd out more. Alternatively email childrenshub@nuh.nhs.uk.

8

Welcome to the NUHonours Star & Diamond Awards 2010, an exciting opportunity for you and your team to shine!There are two types of awards available – NUHonours Diamond Awards and NUHonours Star Awards. Both are of equal merit and give all NUH staff an opportunity to see their work recognised by the Trust.

NUHonours Star & Diamond Awards celebrate the best that NUH has to offer. They will recognise staff for achievements in innovative ways of working, improving patient care, supporting colleagues and helping us all show our patients that we are ‘Here for you’.

NUHonours Diamond Awards:NUHonours Diamond Awards: nominating othersnominating othersDo you know someone who has gone the extra mile and made a real difference to the lives of patients, visitors or staff? Please complete a Diamond Award nomination form and tell us why you think this individual or team deserves to be recognised for their achievements during the last year.

NUHonours Star Awards: NUHonours Star Awards: enter yourselfenter yourselfHave you done something worth shouting about during the last year? You can enter yourself for a Star Award. Please complete a Star Award entry form and tell us why you think you or the team you work in deserve to be recognised.

Everyone shortlisted for a NUHonours Diamond or Star Award will be invited to celebrate at a glittering award ceremony and dinner at the East Midlands Conference Centre on Friday 19 November 2010.

Everyone shortlisted for an award will receive a certifi cate of achievement. The winners will also receive a sparkling glass trophy in recognition of their achievements.

The NUHonours Diamond Award nominations and Star Award entries can be made from 14 June 2010.

NUHonours Star & Diamond Awards 2010 is possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of our own Nottingham University Hospitals Charity, which is working in partnership with the Trust to organise the Awards.

If you have any questions about the nomination or entry process, please contact the communications team on 0115 924 9924 ext 66016 or email nuhcommunications@nuh.nhs.uk.

Your chance to shine as aStar or a Diamond!Yo e to s

Supported by

Awards 2010Welcome tStar & Diamond Awards2010, an exciting

Everyone shortlisted for aNUHonours Diamond or StarAward will be invited to celebrate at a glittering award ceremony

to the NUHonours d d

Everyone shortlisted for a

NUHNUH N URSURS

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Diamond Awards: to nominate othersDirectorate Awards - This award will go to the individual or team in each directorate who has gone the extra mile to improve patient or staff experience. There will be one winner for each of the nine clinical directorates, one from the estates and facilities directorate and one from the corporate directorates:

• Acute Medicine Directorate Award

• Cancer & Associated Specialties Directorate Award

• Diabetic Infectious Renal Cardiovascular Directorate Award

• Diagnostics & Clinical Support Directorate Award

• Digestive Diseases & Thoracic Directorate Award

• Estates & Facilities Directorate Award

• Family Health Directorate Award

• Head & Neck Directorate Award

• Musculoskeletal & Neurosciences Directorate Award

• Specialist Support Directorate Award

• Corporate Directorate Award

Volunteer Award – This Award will go to an individual or team who has worked in partnership with the Trust giving up their time, unpaid, to bring benefi ts to patients, carers and to staff.

Star Awards:to enter yourselfInnovation Award

This Award will go to the individual or team who has introduced something new or has streamlined processes or that have improved patients’ or staff experience.

Dignity and Respect Award

This Award will go to the individual or team who can show that they have improved thoughtful patient care and consistently delivered excellent customer service.

Partnership Award

This Award will go to the individual or team who can show that they have worked together with others, inside and outside the Trust to improve patients’ or staff experience.

THE RULESThe following rules are designed to make the NUHonours Star & Diamond Awards 2010 nomination and entry process as clear and fair as we can.

Diamond Award Rules1. Individuals and teams may not nominate

themselves for a Diamond Award.2. Nominations for a Diamond Award can be

made by the following people:• Employees or volunteers of Nottingham

University Hospitals NHS Trust• Patients who use the Trust’s services• People who care for patients who use the

Trust’s services• People in organisations that represent the

Trust’s patients and their carers• Employees of partner health and social care

organisations3. All nominees must be employees or an

active volunteer of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust at the time of nomination.

4. All nominations will be welcomed including previously nominated individuals or teams. The nomination must include examples of work within the last year.

5. There is no limit to the number of nominations that can be made by an individual, team or organisation.

6. Nominations must be made on the NUHonours nomination form and completed in full. Each nomination must be submitted on a separate form.

7. All nominations must be received by 5pm on Friday 17 September 2010. Nominations received after this date will not be considered.

8. The fi nal judging panel consists of a non executive director, a director, representatives from human resources, NUH Charity, staff side, and a patient representative.

9. The decision made by the judging panel is fi nal.

10. Nominators have the right to remain anonymous (their names not disclosed to their nominee). Please ensure you make it clear when completing your form by ticking the appropriate box on the nomination form.

Star Award Rules1. Entries for a Star Award allows staff, teams

and volunteers to enter themselves for an Award.

2. All entries must be employees or an active volunteer of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust at the time of entry.

3. Entries must be made on the NUHonours entry form either online or in hard copy and completed in full.

4. All entries will be welcomed including those previously submitted from individuals or teams. The entry must include examples of work within the last year.

5. You may enter for more than one Star Award category.

6. All entries must be received by 5pm on Friday 17 September 2010. Entries received after this date will not be considered.

7. The judging panel consists of a non executive director, a director, representatives from human resources, NUH Charity, staff side, and a patient representative.

8. The decision made by the judging panelis fi nal.

THE AWARD CATEGORIES

Defi nition of a team

A team is any group of people working together towards a common goal.

If you require the NUHonours Diamond Award nomination form or the NUHonours Star Award entry form in a different language or format, please contact the NUH communications team on ext 66016.

The Timetable 201014 June Nominations for Diamond Awards and

entries for Star Awards offi cially open

17 September Last day to submit a nomination or entry

September Judging takes place

October Invitations sent to all shortlisted nominees and entrants

19 November NUHonours Star & Diamond Awards Ceremony

NUH N URS

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How to complete the Star Award entry (enter yourself)

Do NOT use this process for a Diamond Award.

Star Award entry forms can be downloaded from www.nuh.nhs.uk/nuhonours

Before you start to fi ll in the nomination form, please make sure are familiar with the rules and this important information.

You will need to:

• log onto www.nuh.nhs.uk/nuhonours/star_ent.htm to download an entry form

• select the category(ies) you wish to enter

• give as much information as you can

• provide examples/evidence to support your entry

• provide your contact details in case further information is required

If you would like to enter for more than one NUHonours Star Award, simply download as many entry forms as you need from www.nuh.nhs.uk/nuhonours/star_ent.htm

All entries must be submitted by Friday 17 September 2010

How to complete the Diamond Award nomination (nominating others)

Do NOT use this form for a Star Award. Before you start to fi ll in the nomination form, please make sure are familiar with the rules. This information can be provided in different languages and formats.

You will need to:

• write clearly

• give as much information as you can such as job title and department or ward

• provide your contact details in case further information is required

If you would like to make more than one Diamond Award nomination and need additional copies of the form, please feel free to photocopy it. Alternatively, you can download a copy of the nomination form www.nuh.nhs.uk/nuhonours/diamond_nom.htm

Completed forms may be returned in person or by post to:

NUHonours TeamNottingham University Hospitals NHS TrustCity campusHucknall RoadNG5 1PB

You can also email completed forms to: nuhcommunications@nuh.nhs.uk

Please note when completing your nomination form the most important part is where you will be asked, in a series of questions, why the individual or team you are nominating deserves to win the award. This is the part of the form on which the judges will base their decision, so please take time to think through your answers carefully.

All nominations must be submitted by Friday 17 September 2010

THE AWARDS EVENING Shortlisted individuals will receive two tickets to the NUHonours Star & Diamond Awards evening on Friday 19 November 2010. Shortlisted teams will receive fi ve tickets. It is up to the teams to decide among themselves how to allocate their tickets.

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THE DIAMOND AWARD NOMINATION FORM

Please give your name, job title, department and your contact details. If you are not a Trust employee, please give your name, address, a contact telephone number and how you know the person or team you want to nominate:

Please tick if you would like your nomination to remain anonymous. This means that we will not tell the person or team that you have nominated them. We still need to know your details to accept the nomination.

❐ Yes, I want to remain anonymous.

Please give the name of the person or team you want to nominate, including the ward/department and extension number if known. If you are nominating a team please give a lead contact for the team and that person’s contact details.

For which Diamond Award are you nominating them? (Tick one box only)

❐ Directorate Awards (please state which directorate) _________________________________

❐ Volunteer Award

Please answer the next two questions to tell us why you think the person or team named should win this award. Please try to include at least two examples of things they have done or achieved as evidence to support your nomination. You might want to think about how they have helped show our patients that ‘we are here for you’ by:

• improving patient or carer experience, or• improving patient outcomes, or• delivering top level teaching and training, or• supporting leading edge research, or

• improving working lives for our staff, or • making sure that we use our resources

wisely.

Why should this person or team receive a Diamond Award?

Give examples of what they have done:

All completed nominations must be received by Friday 17 September 2010.

Send to: NUHonours Team, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, City campus, Hucknall Road NG5 1PB or email nuhcommunications@nuh.nhs.uk or telephone 0115 9249924 ext 66016.

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13

‘Values & behaviours’ workshops – sign up nowOver 300 staff have attended the all staff ‘values & behaviours’ workshops since they were launched last month. The half-day workshops include patient stories with fi lms focusing on customer service and discussion about the ways we can improve.

The aim is to integrate the values and behaviours across NUH by focusing on what we say, how we say it and how we look when we are dealing with patients, family members or carers and other members of staff – our colleagues. All staff are expected to attend over the next 18 months.

Please visit NUHnet to book your place or speak to your manager who will do this on your behalf. The sessions are held at both campuses and dates are available on the intranet.

Building ‘Here for you’ into NUH policies & proceduresThe ‘we are here for you’ standards have been developed by over 1,000 patients and staff.

They apply to all of us, every day, in everything that we do. The ‘we are here for you’ values are now being incorporated into all policies and Trust-wide procedures.

A toolkit has been designed for policy owners to ensure our policies refl ect the ‘we are here for you’ standards we have set for ourselves.

For more information about the toolkit please contact Jennifer Mitham, Directorate HR Manager, on ext 64633. All policy-owners will be contacted separately with advice on what this means for their policy reviews.

Training on new appraisal frameworkThe new appraisal policy has been

approved by the Trust Board and there

are signifi cant changes to the

framework and process.

Training dates for staff who line manage people or teams are now available on the learning and organisational development pages on NUHnet. Please visit the intranet to book your place. Due to signifi cant changes in the appraisal system it is essential you sign up if this applies to you.

From the summer onwards, training dates will be provided for other colleagues who are below band seven who carry out appraisals for members of their team. A new workbook will also be available soon to help managers further.

Cultural assessment survey – results available nowThe recent online cultural assessment survey was completed by 1,000 staff across the Trust. The aim of the survey was to help us better understand our strengths and weaknesses and determine our readiness to change behaviours and ways of working.

Only by taking action in the areas identifi ed through the survey will we achieve the ambitious and important objectives of ‘Better for you’, our Trust-wide change programme. This programme aims to deliver substantial and sustainable improvements in patient care. This will enable us to deliver better, safer and more thoughtful care to our patients.

There were some common themes from the survey, including:• The importance and value of visible leaders as positive role models

• Exploring new ways to enhance engagement and involvement among all staff groups

• Reward and recognition for staff who ‘go the extra mile’

If you would like to receive the full survey results please email nuhcommunications@nuh.nhs.uk or call ext 63562.

‘We are here for you’

More information on all of the above will follow in Trust Briefi ng, on NUHnet and future editions of NUHorizons.

Diary dates:June - July• Launch of new

staff handbook • New corporate

induction system

August• Start of training

in performance management for managers

• Launch of managers toolkit for keeping skills alive

y

14

With the summer fi nally here now is the perfect

time to start cycling to work.

As well as helping to keep you fi tter it’s also much better for the environment and is a stress-free way to get to work.

NUHorizons caught up with Paediatric Dietetic Technician Lindsey Regan who is a regular cyclist commuter.

How long have you been cycling to work?

Three years. I used to be based at City Hospital campus so cycled to the QMC campus and then caught the Medilink bus. Now I’m based at QMC I come straight here – my journey is very easy.

I live about three miles away from work so cycling is a quick and easy way of getting to work without the hassle of sitting in the rush-hour traffi c.

Why do you cycle?

Why not? It’s a good way of incorporating exercise into my daily routine, it’s free and I get to work quickly. It’s also particularly nice during the summer months.

How did you manage during the cold winter weather?

It has been the coldest winter for some time but I continued to cycle for most of the winter. There were only a few days when it was very icy that I used the bus or car shared with a colleague.

When I was cycling I made sure I wrapped up, wore extra layers and more waterproofs. It’s also important to have the right equipment during the dark nights – fl uorescent clothes and lights are essential.

What do you think to the facilities NUH provides for cyclists?

The facilities have improved – there are good showers and changing rooms as well as secure bike compounds.

What do you enjoy about cycling to work?

I enjoy doing exercise and getting to work without the worry of being late stuck in traffi c jams or worrying about where to park.

What do you least enjoy?

The rainy, cold and dark days of winter and fi xing punctures – although the bike clinics have been a big help with the punctures.

For more information about bike and walk routes visit www.qactive.co.uk.

Interview

Lindsey Regan

15

StaffNews...Thank you from the Burns Unit Staff on the Burns Unit would like to thank some former patients and their families for raising money to purchase a range of chairs for patients.

A total of 13 chairs were purchased using a memorial fund in memory of Coreen Bowden who sadly passed away on the Burns Unit earlier this year and money raised by Karen Kroule, a former patient, and her friends and family.

Karen and her family went to great lengths to raise this money and we are pleased that other patients will be able to benefi t from their generosity.

A wheelie good time for the panto teamMoney raised from this year’s hospital panto has been used to buy two specialist wheelchairs for the Neurosciences Unit.

Fundraising efforts for Fletcher ward framed prints Christina Dabrowska, a former patient on Fletcher ward, has raised more than £1,300 for the ward.

The money has been used to buy 16

framed prints for the side rooms on

the ward, which is a bone marrow

transplant unit.

Christina raised the money by selling ebay items, supporting her work colleagues

who ran the Nottingham Half Marathon. Christina’s son and his friend also raised

money by taking part in the Robin Hood fun run. Christina felt that these pictures

will help patients by giving the rooms a more personal feel.

FufofraChparath

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f

transplan

Staff from Fletcher Ward

Staff from Burns Unit

16

NUH Charity is funding time out days for the third year running.

The events give nurses, midwives and operating department practitioners a chance to take part in workshops and refl ect on the service they offer, in an environment away from their workplace. This year the Charity will also fund time out days for non-registered nurses.

Ella Bowers, ward manager of Ophthalmology ward C25, has benefi ted from time out days and the RCN leadership programme, all funded by NUH Charity.

She went on to lead a project about improved ways of working for eye surgery procedures, and applied to NUH Charity for six reclining chairs, to be used on her ward instead of beds. The application was approved, along with a second application for a further six chairs.

Ella explained: “We wanted to convert the majority of our elective surgery over to daycase, so we wanted to do it in recliners to save on linen and improve the pathway for

our eye patients, who were having to sit and wait until a bed came up.

“It’s improved the quality of care immeasurably. The patients go straight into a recliner, they have their surgery, and they go home. It’s much, much better. NUH Charity was instrumental in helping us redesign a service around patients’ needs and the feedback has been really positive.”

At the fi rst of this year’s time out events, NUH Charity Director Barbara Cathcart challenged nurses to see how much money they could raise for the Charity – and she has already had the challenge accepted.

A group of four nurses plan to take part in the Robin Hood marathon on 12 September, to raise money for Theatres. Entrants running in aid of NUH Charity will be provided with a free t-shirt, a fundraising pack, sponsor forms and a medal. Money raised will go to whichever part of the QMC or City campus you choose.

To fi nd out more or to enter the marathon in aid of NUH Charity, contact Amy Marshall on ext 55935. For more information about NUH Charity go to www.nuhcharity.org.uk.

NUH Charity funds time out days for third year – and nurses are running a marathon in return!

Ella Bowers, ward manager from C25, with a patient

A warm welcome to NUH Charity’s new Head of FundraisingNUH Charity would like to welcome new Head of Fundraising, Vanessa Riley, to the team. Feel free to drop into her offi ce at City Hospital campus and introduce yourself. Here’s a bit more about Vanessa…

Why did you decide to work for NUH Charity?

I wanted to make a positive, tangible difference to the experience of patients treated in Nottingham’s hospitals.

What are you looking forward to most about your new role?

I’m really excited about the opportunities and challenges that this new role offers, particularly now that there is a new Fundraising Team in place. I’m looking forward to seeing the difference we can all make together.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy spending quality time with my husband and two young children.