the gazette may 2010
TRANSCRIPT
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World first for St Georgesas keyhole op saves baby
the
May 2010issue 17
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Econtents
2 the gazette
the gazette is written and published
by the Communications Unit. The
opinions expressed do not necessarily
represent those of St Georges
Healthcare NHS Trust. The next edition
will be published during July 2010. If
you are a staff member with a story forthe gazette, please email:
2 Staff pull out the stops for iCLIP
3 A word from David
4 No smoking day
4 Transforming patient care
5 Keyhole op saves baby
6 All the ingredients for a great
restaurant
6 Patient takes gold at Winter
Games
7 New leaflet launches
8 Spotlight on Mickey Koh
9 View from the top
10 Focusing on patient safety
11 New Macmillan service
12 Hi-tech scanner trialled at
St Georges
12 Robot cuts waiting times
13 New approach to procurement
14 Nurses rise to the challenge
15 St Georges demonstrates cutting
edge technology
16 Fundraising news
State of the art theatre opensA new operating theatre has opened in the Atkinson Morley Wing asSt Georges takes its place at the heart of the trauma network coveringsouthwest London and Surrey.
The theatre has been built to cater for surgical specialties suchas bariatric, robotic surgery and renal transplantationprocedures.
Because trauma now has a dedicated theatre there is less riskof elective operations being rescheduled to make way foremergency cases.
The new facility will increase the trusts overall capacity forsurgery by around 15 to 20 per cent.
Clinical theatre manager, Alberto Castrillon, said: The theatrehas been built to the highest standard so that whatever sort of
work needs to be done, it can be done there. There is an airpurifying system which means that a greater range ofprocedures can be carried out.
We are also working to increase the number of staff working in theatres and areadvertising in most of the main journals.
The South West London and Surrey Trauma Network covers an area with a population
of 2.6million people.
Under the network, instead of being sent to local district general hospitals, patients
with very severe or multiple injures are being sent to St Georges, which has thecapacity and expertise to provide the best possible care.
Front page picture shows Isabel Dolby, theworlds youngest patient to have keyhole
surgery for acute appendicitis, with hermother Candice and paediatric consultantMr Zahid Mukhtar.
With thanks to Mark Evenden, MediaServices, St Georges University of London,for photographic services.
Clinical theatre managerAlberto Castrillon
Staff pull out the stopsfor iCLIP launch
management and outpatient system tothe trust. Subsequent phases will include
full theatre scheduling, diagnostic
ordering and resulting and a specialist
critical care module.
Trust chief executive David Astley was
onsite on the weekend of the launch. He
said: This is a huge project that has
required a great deal of commitment and
hard work from people across the trust.
The go live follows years of strategic
planning, and months of training to
help people get used to working withthe system.
Dedicated staff ensured iCLIP launch was a success
new Ingredients restaurant
opens in Lanesborough Wing
new Ingredients restaurant
opens in Lanesborough WingHnew Ingredients restaurant
opens in Lanesborough Wing
6
The iCLIP launch went ahead asplanned on Monday 29th March.
Chief operating officer Patrick Mitchell
said: Staff worked closely with
colleagues from BT and the London
Programme for IT to ensure a smooth
transition onto the new system. We are
pleased with how things have gone so
far. However, work is ongoing to
ensure the project remains on course
and is a success.
This initial phase has replaced the
patient administration system andprovides an integrated A&E, bed
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the gazette 3
As the gazette goes to print weare at a pivotal time in the year we have just entered into a new
financial year and the general electiondate has been announced, the outcome
of which will see challenging times aheadfor the whole NHS.
But no matter what happens one thing
remains the same our dedication to
moving the Trust forward through
cutting-edge developments in equipment,
techniques and training.
This commitment to drive change resulted
in St Georges becoming a major trauma
centre earlier this month, putting the trust
at the heart of a major clinical network
which will radically improve access to
specialist care for the most seriously
injured patients across the capital.This is just one of the many success stories
giving us cause for celebration. Other
highlights include the opening of a state-
of-the-art theatre in the Atkinson Morley
Wing; and one of many firsts, St Georges
performing keyhole surgery for acute
appendicitis on the worlds youngest
patient.
A word from David
Staff on Benjamin Weir ward were
surprised and delighted when a
grateful former patient sent them a
huge summer fruit cake.
Elle Pitar, owner of the Moulin Rouge inKingston-upon-Thames, was given an
emergency bypass and admitted onto theward earlier this year.
He is now recovering and asked his chefsto create a giant cake that could be
shared amongst all the staff on the ward.
Senior staff nurse, Sophie Proctor, said:
We heard that a big cake was beingdelivered to our ward as a thank you, butwhen four men entered the ward carrying
a cake nearly as wide as the corridor wecould not believe it.
It was the talk of the whole unit, andthe cake was shared between every ward
from CTICU to Caroline, secretaries,doctors, domestics and nursing staff. Itfed literally hundreds of people.
Ward receptionist, Pearl Livingston said:
It was one of the tastiest and biggest
Sweet gesture from restaurateur
Left to right: Kimberley OHara, KateFincham, Josette Pitar, Hoda Pitar, Elle Pitar,Sophie Proctor, Venessa Sookhoo
Following
the theme ofcontinuingsuccess, we
have now
marked animportant
milestonein thetransformation of St Georges the
successful deployment of the trusts newclinical information systems.
This launch followed years of strategicplanning by the trust and months of stafftraining to ensure everyone was fully
prepared.
So far the deployment has gone
according to plan and Id like to thank
staff for their hard work andcommitment. A special thank you must
go to the iCLIP project team and ourcolleagues from BT and Cerner.
The iCLIP project demonstrates the valueof collaborative working and I was deeplyimpressed by their professionalism duringmy time in the project command centre at
the beginning of the month.
St Georges is also making positive
changes to the hospital environment,
such as the opening of the new
Ingredients restaurant in
Lanesborough Wing.
This now offers staff, patients andvisitors an impressive range of freshly
prepared, high-quality food, bright,
modern dcor and top-of-the-range
facilities. The restaurant has proved
extremely popular so far, and I would
encourage you to visit if you have not
already done so.
Once again, thanks to staff members
for their dedication, patience and team
work, which will keep the trust on
course to achieve its goals.
Continuing in this spirit will be essential
as we push on towards achievingFoundation Trust status, continuing the
improvement of services and building
projects and ensuring the iCLIPprogramme remains a success for the
trust. I am looking forward to another
successful and
progressive year.
surprises ever received from a patient to
the staff on Ben Weir. It was nice that wewere able to share it with other staff inthe cardiac unit.
Recovering at home, Mr Pitar said: I was
on the ward after being given a full graft
bypass, and everyone was telling me how
serious the procedure is. I was really
grateful to everyone at St Georges; it
means a lot to me.
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kpatient care
Ziggy the ciggie fumesover No Smoking DayEfforts to stub out smoking were stepped up as St
Georges marked No Smoking Day in March.
Staff, patients and visitors interested in quitting were
encouraged to visit a drop-in stand in the hospitals main
entrance for advice and support.
Security staff stepped up efforts to stop people smoking on the
hospital grounds, and posters were displayed across the site
reminding patients and staff not to light up.
NHS Wandsworths smelly mascot, Ziggy the ciggie, was fuming
as he was shunned by hundreds of people passing through the
main entrance.
Mohamed Bhatti, NHS Wandsworths stop smoking service
manager, said: Last year we helped more than 1,200 people to
stop smoking. We understand that stopping is not easy, so our
advisors are trained to assess which is the best way for you.
Changes to managing patient
discharge are freeing up space on
wards and helping people go home
as soon as they are clinically ready.
A transformation project has been
looking at the way patients are
discharged, to identify where delays are
taking place and find solutions to them.
Pilot schemes are being run on somemedical and surgical wards to find ways
of discharging patients before 11am in
order to make beds available for
patients admitted that day.
Transformation Director, Alan Thorne,
said: We are looking at ways to ensure
that, when a patient is medically fit and
ready to go home, they can go.
Consideration of how and when a
patient is to be discharged from
hospital should begin as soon as they
are admitted.St Georges is also looking to reduce
the number of long-term patients who
are kept in hospital because of poor
health, but may be better off in a care
home, rehabilitation facility or at home.
GPs and community matrons were
invited to a ward round recently, to
discuss how care in the community
could be provided for such patients in
the future.
Alan added: This work is not just
about discharge, but about avoidingadmissions in the first place by reducing
the episodes and emergencies which
lead to hospital care being necessary.
4 the gazette
Better technology
to track bloodA high-tech barcode system is beingintroduced to keep track of the hundredsof litres of blood used every month atSt Georges.
When the Blood Track system goes live in
May, the Haematology department will
be able to see where every unit of blood
is in the hospital and manage the supply of stocks
accordingly.
Every month St Georges uses between 2,200 and
2,500 blood components, each containing between
240ml and 280ml and costing 139.
Under the existing system staff members write in a
register when blood is removed from the main
blood fridge. Under Blood Track, each blood
component will have a barcode, which can be
scanned when it is removed. Six satellite blood
fridges have been placed around the hospital,
which staff can access using their ID cards.
The system will ensure blood is not left out of the
fridges for prolonged periods. It will also bepossible to monitor how much is in stock and when
demand for blood is heavy, which will be more
important than ever with the trust becoming a
Major Trauma Centre.
Training will be rolled out across the trust prior to
the go live date with key staff being shown how to
use the system first, then cascading the knowledge
through their wards and departments.
Ziggy the ciggie seeks advice about quitting
Transforming patient care
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It was every parents worst
nightmare four-week-old
Isabel Dolby was seriously ill
and in agonising pain, but
nobody knew why.
Isabel became the youngest child in the
world to have keyhole surgery for
acute appendicitis when paediatric
consultant Zahid Mukhtar used the latest
miniaturised technology, including a tiny
endoscopic camera, to operate on her.
Worldwide there have been just 100
recorded cases of appendicitis in babies
during the last 100 years. All were
treated using opensurgery, and sadly, a
third of these children
did not survive.
Isabels mother,
Candice, of Raynes
Park, said: I noticed
what looked like a
milk rash and wasnt
too concerned, at
first. However, a few
days later, I noticed
the rash had becomered and inflamed and
it had spread from her
face and neck all the
way down her torso.
The rash progressively
got worse as each day passed.
She took Isabel to the paediatric accident
and emergency department at St
Georges, but doctors were unable to
diagnose what was wrong with her.
Because Isabel was eating normally and
had no temperature they sent her home
again and told Mrs Dolby not to be too
concerned, as babies do sometimes get
rashes and it would probably disappear
on its own.
But over the next few days the rash kept
getting worse and Isabel was unable to
settle. Mrs Dolby said: One night, at
about 8.30pm, she started crying and
wouldnt stop. I picked her up and she
had a projectile vomit and let out an ear
piercing scream.
Her stomach was so swollen and hard.She was screaming, her body rigid in pain
for hours, and nothing would settle her.
We took her to our nearest A&E.
the gazette 5
First for St Georges as baby haskeyhole op for acute appendicitis
getting smaller and better.
He said: The Paediatric Surgery
department at St Georges is fast
becoming a leading centre in the
safe development of minimally invasive
surgery for young babies. Only last year we
reported a new laparoscopic assisted
technique to treat intestinal artesias in
newborns.
Minimally invasive techniques such as
keyhole surgery are far better for babies,because they recover more quickly. Isabel
made a remarkable recovery and the only
remaining signs that she had surgery are
twosmall marks on her stomach, a few
millimetres across.
He added: This was the first time this
operation had been performed on a baby.
It was only possible because of our units
experience in dealing with babies with
other surgical conditions through this
minimally invasive approach, including
hernias, intestinal atresias, Meckelsdiverticulum, which is a swelling in the
small intestine, diaphragmatic hernia and
bladder and kidney pathologies.
The paediatric surgery team made
history with an innovative keyhole
operation
Isabel Dolby, the worlds youngest
endoscope patient with her mother
Candice and paediatric consultant
Mr Zahid Mukhtar
Staff at Kingston Hospitals accident and
emergency department carried out blood
tests, a lumbar puncture and an x-ray of
her swollen stomach, but there was no
clear sign of what was wrong with her
apart from an indication that she had an
infection. Isabel was transferred to the
paediatric unit at St Georges where more
tests were carried out.
Mrs Dolby said: After five or six days Mr
Mukhtar scheduled Isabel for surgery. The
consent form was signed and we sat and
waited. We had no idea on how long the
surgery would last for as we still did not
know what was wrong with her.
Three hours later we were told that she
had acute appendicitis. I honestly think
her rash in the beginning was a sign of
infection from the appendicitis.Mr Mukhtar said that keyhole surgery
had only recently become possible for
babies, as the surgical equipment is
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6 the gazette
St Georges patient Carl Downing won two medals in the Winter
World Transplant Games held in the French ski resort of Sainte Foy
in January.
Mr Downing, 36, of Southfields, has been a regular patient since akidney transplant in December 2004, to treat IgA nephropathy, alsoknown as Bergers disease, a condition that can lead to chronic renalfailure.
The games are open to transplant patients from around the world andcompetition is fierce. Carl took the gold medal in the parallel slalom, andbronze in the giant slalom.
He said: Ive always been a very active person and having a transplanthas not changed that. I feel stronger than ever and was very keen to getout on the slopes and give it my best shot.
Im planning to go back and compete again next year.
Mr Downing still visits St Georges regularly but has been healthy since
his father donated a spare kidney in 2004.He said: It was amazing. It took a few weeks to recover but nowI just have to come in for check ups. Im very grateful to the staff atSt Georges for everything theyve done.
Patient takes goldat Winter World Transplant Games
To be one of the best restaurants in Tooting.Thats the aim as the new Ingredients restaurantopens in Lanesborough Wing.
Judging by the reaction of staff, patients andvisitors it is destined to be a great success.
Restaurant is the toast of
With a menu featuring an
impressive range of freshly
prepared, high quality food, and a
bright, modern dcor that would
not look out of place in Canary
Wharf, this is a restaurant
everybody at St Georges can be
proud of.
On the first day of business,
Wednesday 31st March, staff
members clamoured to see the new
facility and were impressed with the
amount of effort that has gone into
making the restaurant a success.
Staff and student discounts are still
in place and the art gallery and
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A new booklet explaining what patients can
expect when they come to St Georges is
being sent to thousands of first-time
patients.
Welcome to St Georges includes usefulinformation for both inpatients and outpatients,
and is being sent out with appointment letters.
Information is provided about public transport,
parking, catering facilities and what to expect as
an inpatient on the wards. The booklet also gives
information about what to bring to hospital,
questions that patients could ask clinicians and
how to raise concerns about the care provided.
Abi Changer, patient information manager, said:
Coming to hospital can be extremely stressful, so
the more information we can provide before people
arrive, the better.
The booklet is kindly supported by Marks and Spencer
and Whistlestop.
HowdoIgettoStGeorges?
WemayhavesentyoualeafletTravellingtoStGeorges.Ifyou
wouldlikeacopyanddidnotreceiveone,pleasetelephonethe
numberonyourletterandaskforone.Youcanalsodownloada
versionfromwww.stgeorges.nhs.uk/findstgeorges.asp
Ifyouneedassistanceonarrival,pleasetellthereceptionstaff.
Theycanarrangeforaportertohelpyou,thoughplease
understandyoumayhavetowaitforthis.
Non-emergencypatienttransportthisistheambulance
servicethattransportssomepatientstoandfromhospital.Itis
onlyprovidedforpatientswhohaveveryspecificneeds.A
patientsneedswillbereviewedeachtimetheycometohospital.
GeneralInformation
5
Howtogettothehospital
Generalinformationfor
patientsandvisitors
Welcome
toStGeorges
Aguideforpatie
ntsandvisitors
the gazette 7
New patient leafletavailable now
ootinginternet access points are still
available.
There is a dedicated childrens playarea, a branch of Costa Coffee and
a huge plasma screen television.
Special events and surprises are
being lined up for the months
ahead; keep checking the intranet
and the gazette for details.
Healthcare Assistant, Fatmata Sesay, said:
The play area is a brilliant ideaand I like the food.
Trust chair Naaz Coker said:
The new restaurant is avast improvement on whatwe had before, and reflects
wider improvements beingmade across St Georges.
Engineer, Trevor Reynolds, said:
Its really nice, the dcors great andits a hundred per cent better thanthe old restaurant.
Staff help trust chief executive David Astley and chief executive of MITIE Group Ruby McGregor-
Smith, officially open the new ingredients restaurant
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kspotlight
Patients needing a bonemarrow transplant areamong the most
vulnerable at St George's.Consultant haematologistMickey Koh, who joined the Trustin September, is quick to praisestaff members in the many wardsand departments who help themto recover.
Mickey trained as a haematologist at
the Royal Free before working at Guys
and St Thomas and Colchester
hospitals. He then spent five years at a
hospital in his native Singapore.
There, he led a research project looking
at stem cell therapy, which involves
growing immune cells in the laboratory,
which can be put into patients receiving
a bone marrow transplant, boosting
recovery and reducing the risk of
infection. He is carrying on with this
work at St Georges and the Singapore
Health Sciences Authoritys Blood
Service Group.
The work, which he still oversees,
involves growing immune cells in the
laboratory, which can be put into
patients receiving a bone marrow
transplant, boosting immune recovery,
fighting cancer cells and reducing the
risk of infection.
Mickey said: I was keen to come to
St Georges because it is renowned as a
centre for treating bone marrow
failures. One of the main treatment
options for this is a bone marrow
transplant, or what is now more
commonly termed a stem cell
transplant.Over the years, the type of patient
receiving a stem cell transplant has
changed significantly.
He explained: In the past we could
only treat patients aged up to 35 years
due to the toxicity of the procedure,
but over the last ten years the age limit
has been raised to 70 years for healthy
patients, and new drugs mean the
procedures are not as toxic as they used
to be.
I think the scope of transplant will
continue to broaden, and the success
rate of transplants continues to rise,
due to improvements in supportive care
and novel ways of reducing the toxicity
of the procedure.
Every patient admitted goes through a
rigorous process. We have a dedicated
team of consultants, transplant
coordinators and nurses trained in
transplant. Many of the patients are
suffering from haematological
malignancies, such as leukaemia and
lymphomas, or from aplastic anaemia, a
type of bone marrow failure.
Patients who have undergone a stem
cell transplant are immunosuppressed
and at high risk of infection, so for a
transplant to work you need support
from ancillary departments across the
hospital. All patients are nursed in
special rooms which have unidirectional
air filtered through to preventinfections. We are careful about the
food they eat and have in place extra
precautions for visitors, like meticulous
hand cleaning and gowning up.
I feel lucky that we have such fantastic
support at St Georges, including the
gastroenterologists, respiratory team,
pharmacists, apheresis staff,
nutritionists, ITU, and staff at the
McEntee clinical infection ward. We
also have evolved a close link with the
Full Circle Foundation, which runs acomplementary therapy programme for
our transplant patients, including
aromatherapy and reflexology.
8 the gazette
Meet
MickeyKoh,Consultant haematologistand the clinical lead forbone marrow transplant
I think the scope of transplantwill continue to broaden, andthe success rate of transplantscontinues to rise, due toimprovements in supportivecare and novel ways ofreducing the toxicity of theprocedure.
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view from the top
Can you explain your role as deputy
principal at St Georges University
of London (SGUL)?
Deputy principal is the senior academic
role in the principals management and
advisory team. Generally, I lead on
education, but there is a range of other
activities including NHS liaison, research,
enterprise, collaborations with other
universities in research and education,
and international links.
For example, I chair the board of
management at the South West
London Academic Network, which is a
collaboration between KingstonUniversity, Royal Holloway and St
Georges. I am also head of an
academic division. SGUL recently
restructured into three divisions not
unlike the trust and I am head of
population health sciences and
education.
How does this fit with your non-
executive role on the trust board?
It fits very well. The hospital and
university medical school have livedalongside each other for 250 years and
there are large areas of common
interest in education, research and
service development. Indeed it is
essential that we work closely together
in these.
We are separately governed; SGUL is
accountable through the higher
education system and the trust is
accountable via the NHS. This can cause
complications and sometimes tensions,
but we have a number of jointcommittees working on strategy and
operations, and I am involved with
many of these.
the gazette 9
Professor Sean Hilton,is deputy principal ofSt Georges university and
non-executive director onthe board. Sean talks to thegazette about his role atboth organisations andhow the trust can meet thechallenges facing the NHS.
What do you see as the major
challenge for both SGUL and the
Trust in 2010?
In common with all other universities
and hospitals we face the challenge to
improve what we do in the face of
reduction of resources in real terms,
and a rapidly changing external
environment.
The good news is that we both face
the same challenges, and that together
we have the opportunity to work with
the whole South West London sector
to address these. Clearly, for the trust
achieving foundation status as soon as
possible is the priority, alongside themajor work to merge with Community
Services Wandsworth and deliver the
stroke and trauma centre unit
requirements.
How is education and development
changing for clinicians?
Change is a continuous process, it is
happening across undergraduate,
postgraduate and continuing education
for all health professionals. Integration
of traditional subjects into case basedand problem based learning has been a
major shift in the last ten years, and
increased interprofessional education
and team based (and work based)
learning have become more prominent.
Structural changes to the ways in which
we work, such as the European
working time directive and the
modernising careers initiatives, have
encouraged the rapid development of
simulated learning and e-learning.
Technological advances mean that
many of these are highly sophisticated
and cutting edge, and we have a lot to
learn about how to employ them most
effectively.
You graduated from St Georges in
1974 and came back as a senior
lecturer in 1987. How has it
changed over the years?
I did my first house job at St Georges
Hyde Park corner, so there has been
some change! We spent around half
our time as students in the developing
St Georges Tooting, but it was still all
laid out as the Knightsbridge Wing
remains today.
Ingleby House and the student centre
(now the Robert Lowe sports centre)
were the first new buildings. Atkinson
Morley Wing is the most obviousestates development in the last ten
years, followed by the new foyer, but
the major change has been in the
volume, complexity and technology of
patient care.
Mostly there are huge improvements,
but I hope we will always remain as
caring and compassionate a hospital as
we have been historically.
What advice would you give to
students thinking about coming toSGUL?
Do come. You will gain a special
experience of integrated healthcare, on
an amazing campus, with a university,
hospital and community services co-
located in a vibrant and diverse sector
of a great city.
What do you do to relax?
My indulgences are frequent concerts
(Wigmore Hall and South Bank Centre
are my favourite venues); football(Arsenal supporter since 1968, though
not always relaxing), cricket, and most
of all for relaxation, gardening.
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vpatient safety
Patient safety is at the heart ofeverything we do at St Georges,and the trust is continuously lookingat ways of improving the care weprovide, based on audits andimplementing the latest research.
In 2002 the trust invested in amortality monitoring system, one ofthe first in the UK, which compares
death rates with the expected averageat St Georges.
A mortality monitoring group, made upof senior clinicians and members of theclinical effectiveness team, meetsregularly to examine the data and lookfor worrying patterns or trends.
The system now operates in 30 areas,providing a comprehensive and almostinstant snapshot of clinical outcomesacross the trust.
Steve Milan, head of the clinicaleffectiveness team, said the systemusually highlights two or three
unexpected rises in mortality data everyyear. Once an increase is spotted, thegroup launches an investigation lookingat why death rates have recentlychanged, and whether this indicates aproblem with care provided at the trust.
Patient notes are examined to see ifanything could have been donedifferently, and clinicians from therelevant department are asked for theirviews.
In an exciting new development for StGeorges, the same systems are nowbeing developed to create an earlywarning system that will show whenpatients are staying in hospital for longerthan necessary.
As with mortality monitoring, a groupwill meet regularly to discuss length ofstay in wards across the trust, and wherepatients are staying longer thannecessary, the reasons behind the trendwill be scrutinised and solutions sought.
Eventually the system may help free upspace on the wards, leading to shorter
waiting times for patients and a moreefficient hospital.
Steve said: St Georges is leading theway in implementing this system, and
we expect it to deliverreal benefits for patients,allowing them to accessservices more quicklyand to recover in thecomfort of their ownhomes as soon as they areclinically able to do so.
Clinical auditors play animportant role in patientsafety working with
clinical staff to assesswhether care isconsistent withrecommendations fromhigh quality research.
In one such case, a newprotocol was introducedfor patients coming to StGeorges for anangiography, a type ofX-ray that examines theinside of blood vessels,arteries, veins andchambers of the heart.
The test is carried out as a day case and
involves a contrast agent, or dye, being
injected into the jugular or femoral vein.
Patients need to rest after the test, but
following research carried out at St
Georges the amount of time they
spend resting has been reduced.
Clinical auditor, Mike Pollard, said:
Under the old guidelines patients
would rest for four hours. We carried
out a study in cardiology involving 499
patients, where we got them up andabout two hours after the test. Research
has shown that this is better for patient
comfort and helps to reduce any pain.
There were no safety issues and
complications rates were low, so the
two-hour guideline is now in force for
all angiography patients. Thats a good
example of where audit has changed
practice, and patients are benefiting as
a result. We wrote up the study and it
was published in the British Journal of
Cardiology.Clinical audit manager, Kate Hutt, said:
We are about to carry out another
audit looking at the situation,
background, assessment,
recommendation (SBAR) tool that was
brought in, to look at how well that is
being used.
Kate said the way audits are carried outhad changed for the better in recentyears. She said: Until 2003 there wasno central audit team and so there waswide variation in activity across the trust.Now there is an audit team coveringeach speciality or care group. Year-on-year there have been more audits
registered on the trust clinical auditdatabase, and I am confident the qualityof audits being carried out has improved.
The clinical effectiveness team alsoprovides training to staff acrossSt Georges, and the number of peopletaking part is increasing.
During 2008/09 clinical effectivenessand audit training was attended by 332participants, which is an increase of 27per cent over the previous year. A totalof 473 projects were registered on thetrust clinical audit database during the
year, 161 of them carried out withsupport of the clinical audit team, anincrease in activity by the team of over14 per cent.
10 the gazette
Improving
patient safety
Steve Milan, head of the clinical effectiveness team, talks tojunior sister Vennessa Sookhoo about the scheme in place toimprove patient safety issues
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Doctors and clinicians of cardiacsurgery from St Georges took tophonours at the Society forCardiothoracic Surgery of GreatBritain and Irelands annual meeting.
The unit presented eight abstracts, the
highest number in UK.
Specialist registrar, Antonios Kourliros
was awarded the Best Presented Paper,
and Kalypso Karestergiou the Heart
Research UK award.
Specialist Registrar Justin Nowell was
awarded the 10,000 Travelling
Scholarship, which he plans to use
financing a stay at the Cleveland Clinic in
Ohio, USA, a well-known centre of
excellence for cardiac surgery in NorthAmerica. He said: I hope the experiencegained will be something that benefitsnot only me but also our patients back at
St Georges.
Consultant John Smith was appointedchairman of the intercollegiate board.
Professor of cardiac surgery, MarjanJahangiri, said: There were four awardsmade nationally and three were awardedto members of the team at St Georges.Were all very proud of the result.
This reflects the high quality of work bothin clinical and academic cardiac surgeryand success of new and noveldevelopments in the unit.
Sue said she is thinking about moving to
Scotland for her retirement, where shewill pursue her hobbies - walking andmaking quilts. Mostly Im just looking
forward to having a rest, she said.
Zoe Packman, who worked alongside
Sue as a deputy director of nursing, said:She always has the patient at the heart
of everything she does. Sue has doneexcellent work on patient pathways,reducing the length of stay for patients
with a fractured neck or femur, and shehas made a valuable contribution insupporting and developing nursing
practice.
Alison Roberton, director of nursing and
patient safety, said: Sue has also led onthe safeguarding adult agenda and herknowledge and expertise will be missed.
Her focus on what matters to patientsreally shines through.
the gazette 11
Macmillan Cancer Support launchedan innovative new service at StGeorges during February.
Patients and visitors visited the
Infozone, a booth offering informationon all issues relating to cancer. The
booth was located in Grosvenor Wing
for a week and then at the AtkinsonMorley Wing for a second week.
Around 15 people visited the service
every day, seeking advice on topicsranging from treatment options to theirrights at work and which benefits they
may be entitled to.
Beverley van der Molen, Macmillaninformation and education officer at StGeorges, said: St Georges was the
first hospital to be visited by the
Infozone, and it proved to be very
useful for patients and their carers. It
included a screened-off seating area
with an information advisor, internet
access and specialist booklets about
cancer which people could take away.
The hospital is very large and a lot of
departments deal with cancer in oneway or another, so it was great benefit
to have one point where people could
go to ask for help and advice.
The Infozone is just one part of
Macmillans mobile information service,
which also includes a travelling
exhibition which visits events across the
South East, and a team of three
specialists who provide talks for groups
and at community events.
Honours and a scholarship forSt Georges cardiothoracic team
The picture shows left to right, Martina McGill of Macmillan Cancer Research and Beverleyvan der Molen, St George's cancer information officer
New Macmillan service launched
Sue Cooper is going to relax after a long and
successful career
St Georgesborn and bredNurses raised a toast to Sue Cooper asshe retired from her long andsuccessful career at St Georges onWednesday, 31st March.
Sue, deputy director of nursing, was bornon the top floor of St Georges Hospitalat its old Hyde Park Corner site, but onlycame to work for the trust by accident.
She trained at the Royal Free hospital inHampstead and Angus College of Nursing
in Scotland, between 1968 and 1974,and then came back to London as anagency nurse.
She said: I started at Atkinson Morley by
accident. I didnt want to work there butagreed to do it temporarily as a favour,and I was placed in the intensive
treatment unit.In 1992 she joined St Georges at the
Tooting site, where she carried on buildingher career and improving standards andprocedures for nurses. She said: I have
always absolutely loved working atSt Georges, and Im really proud to havebeen part of the team. Ive had my ups
and downs, but Ive loved it and Ive beenoffered so many opportunities.
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btechnology
12 the gazette
The latest technology is helping a St Georgeslaboratory to carry out faster and moreaccurate tests across a range of specialities.
The cytogenetics laboratory, part of the South
West Thames Regional Genetics Service, has
installed a 250,000 automated microscope
that has dramatically decreased the time it takes staff
to analyse and report cases for a raft of specialities.
Instead of taking months, results are now returned
within around three weeks, leading to an increase inthe number of consultants using the service. The lab
processes around 4,000 samples every year and
provides vital screening for specialities including fetal
medicine, paediatrics, obs and gynae and infertility
clinics both here at St Georges and other hospitals in
the region.
The laboratorys quality manager, Will King, said:
There are other laboratories across the UK that have
the same equipment, but we are the first to have
fully integrated it into our clinical and laboratory
management software using barcoding for patient
sample tracking.
Departments we serve have responded very
favourably and it has been a massive morale boost to
staff.
The equipment reduces the risk of errors occurring
during processing and has also freed up some time
for staff to investigate developing other new
technologies to further improve our services for
patients.
This work is also being presented at local training
sessions and national and international conferences
as an example of service improvement.
The 250,000 investment came from a variety ofsources, including the Department of Health, medical
equipment funds, charitable funds and a business
plan approved by the trust.
Doctor at seaClinical Fellow Dr Solne Aoutin has returned to St Georgesafter an inspirational year aboard the Africa Mercy, a formercargo ship converted into a floating hospital.
Solne volunteered for Mercy Ships, which sails the African Mercy
along the west coast of Africa, helping adults and children who
require surgical interventions.
The ship has a crew of more than 400 people, and boasts four
wards, an ICU, a recovery room and several operating rooms.
She said: I had heard of this organisation at medical school throughan ex-anatomy tutor of mine, retired general surgeon Lord Ian
McColl, and had always wanted to go to help out.
In May, 2009, Lord McColl invited Solne to be his assistant for his
time on the ship. She said: Before I knew it I was on the medical
rota looking after ward patients post-operatively and assisting with
the on-call rota for the 400 crew.
I also got involved in land projects where in the space of one week
our team saw more than 700 patients.
I love Africa because it has a magic about it that I have never found
anywhere else.
When you see patients trying to lead a normal life with their
incredibly disabling and often disfiguring medical conditions, whichmaybe have remained untreated for 20 or 40 years, it reminds me
how lucky we are here and that I must never take anything for
granted.
A hand-held ultrasound scanner that is only slightly
bigger than a mobile phone is being trialled at St Georges.
George Sutherland, Professor of cardiac imaging, has been
working with the Vscan device and says that when it is rolled
out across the NHS it will lead to significant improvements in the
triage and diagnosis of patients.
Traditional full-size ultrasound scanners would still be
performed when more a comprehensive diagnosis was
required.
Prof Sutherland said: In terms of clinical practice its a huge
step forward. Here we are giving people essentially an
electronic stethoscope in their pocket that images and looks atall parts of the body.
With adequate training this should mean we can diagnose
rapidly and treat accordingly. It should be an amazing
development.
BBC News visited St Georges recently to film Prof Sutherland
using the machine, the story featured on BBC One and Radio 4.
The Vscan, developed by GE Healthcare, has been approved for
use in Europe and North America and is expected to cost
around 5,000 per unit. It could eventually be used by GPs,
accident and emergency clinicians and paramedics.
Hi-tech scanner trialledat St Georges
Laboratory robot cutswaiting times
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kstaff news
the gazette 13
Staff should always have the right
equipment at the right time and in
the right quantity thats the aim of
improvements being introduced to
the trusts approach to procurement.
St Georges has launched a
programme, Transforming
Procurement, to look at the
methods the trust uses to acquiresupplies. This includes sourcing,
contracting and how we distribute and
manage supplies.
The programme focuses on freeing
up time for matrons, sisters, consultants
and clinicians, so that they are able
to focus on providing excellent
patient care.
This will be achieved by increasing the
responsibilities, capacity and capability
of the procurement team.
Chief executive, David Astley, said: TheTransforming Procurement programme
forms a central part of reaching the
goal of transformation within St
Georges and supports the productive
theatre and product ward goals.
Moira Crabtree, programme manager,
said: This is a long-term programme
which will be hardwired into the
St Georges culture to ensure success
and increase efficiency within the
organisation. An additional benefit of
the programme is that it will deliversubstantial savings.
For example, we are launching a
scheme, the Theatre Case Cart System,
which will assist Theatre and medical
staff by providing the equipment they
need for surgery, allowing more cases
to start on time by addressing needs
prior to going into theatre.
Were aiming for a process where the
right supplies and quantities are
delivered at the right time. A further
trust-wide briefing will be circulatedsoon, covering the objectives, approach
and anticipated benefits of the
programme in more detail.
Thousands of you took part in the2009 Staff Survey, providing themost accurate picture to date ofwhat it is like to work at St Georges.
The results show the trust making goodprogress across the board, and that
improvement projects introduced as a
result of feedback provided during the
2008 Staff Survey are having a positiveeffect.
Questionnaires were sent to 5,903members of staff, and 2,730 (50 per
cent) responded by the deadline inDecember.
Sally Storey, interim director of humanresources, said: I would like to thank
everybody who took the time to respond
to the survey.
It is encouraging to see that working
conditions are improving. We listened to
the opinions, experiences and concernsthat were raised in the 2008 Staff Survey
and have worked hard to address those
concerns.
World kidney dayKidney donors attended an eventheld to recognise the generosity oftheir actions.
More than a dozen donors were atthe event on World Kidney Day,Thursday, March 11, where they heard
from clinicians how important their
donations had been, and of the needfor more organ donors.
There was also a stand at the main
entrance where staff carried out bloodpressure checks and gave advice ondiabetes.
David Astley, chief executive, talks to the team about the Transforming Procurement programme
New approach to procurement
Staff Survey shows progress
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A team of nurses from St Georgestook first place at the 2010Nursing Times Challenge.
The event, staged in Coventry,involved teams from trusts across thecountry competing against each otherin a role playing event.
St Georges interim head of nursingfor patient experience and quality,Laura Dowd, was one of those whotook part.
Laura said: We played the role of astrategic health authority and wereput into a number of situationsincluding a major incident. We had toattend a fake press conference, which
included having microphones andcameras shoved at us, and we had tocollaborate with some of the teamswe were competing against.
It was a really useful exercise and
gave us a good appreciation of the
issues facing the wider NHS, and the
challenges that St Georges is likely to
be facing in the next few years.
The team took first place and wasshort listed in all but one of the othercategories.
Volunteerssought for anti-bullying hotlineA hotline is being launched forstaff members who are concernedabout bullying. The new initiative
is part of a joint project betweenthe trust and Staff Side.
Volunteers are being sought to runthe confidential service, whichwill be operated on Mondays and
Wednesdays from 4pm to 9pm.
The hotline is being provided as part ofthe One Team initiative, in response toconcerns raised in last years staffsurvey about harassment and bullying.
Callers will be able to discuss the mostappropriate ways of dealing with theirsituation by themselves, how to seek
other sources of support and whatformal processes exist if appropriate.
Volunteers operating the line will begiven comprehensive training in how tolisten to callers and provide the bestsupport, information and advice fortheir situation.
Sally Storey, interim director of humanresources, said: We are seekingvolunteers and plan to launch withinthe next two months.
Staff members are still experiencingproblems with bullying, so were
hoping to find volunteers with goodlistening skills who understand thecomplex issues surrounding bullyingand harassment, and are keen to learnnew skills.
Staff Side secretary, Jane Pilgrim, said:Many months of work andnegotiation have gone in to planningthis partnership project, which hasbeen carefully thought out for thebenefit of both the callers and thevolunteers, in order for it to have thebest chance of success."
Once they complete their training theadvisors will carry a mobile phone fortwo five-hour shifts every other monthin their own time.
Would you like to be part of a teamwhich believes in offering confidentialsupport, information and advice topeople who feel that they are beingharassed or bullied in the work place?
14 the gazette
Winning team: (L-R) Abbe Robertson, Jolita
Zarnani, Helen HcHugh, Dana Scott, Laura
Dowd and Dee Kapfunde
New team of nurses will ensurecontinuity of careA new team of nurses who will provide cover across the trust wheneverand wherever it is required will soon be launched.
The nursing response team will be made up of 12 nurses, working day andnight shifts, who will be trained to provide care in a number of areas, and toprovide escalation beds during busy times, without causing a knock-on effectin other wards.
Jenny Muir, head of nursing projects, said: Very often when there is a shortage,nurses are asked to move to a different ward or department to provide cover.
This can be disruptive for patients, who do not receive the same continuity ofcare, and can be annoying for staff who would prefer to stay on their own ward.
We hope this will lead to a reduction in the trusts reliance on agency andbank staff.
Because members of the nursing response team will be employed directly by
St Georges, they will understand the hospital better than an agency nursewould, and cost less to employ.
We are still recruiting at the moment but there are seven staff members alreadyin post, and we expect to be fully staffed by May.
Nurses rise to the challenge
If you are interested injoining the team as anadvisor and would likefurther information, pleasecontact Di Emmerson,executive assistant to theHR director, via email ortelephone extension 2204.
(
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NHS Chief Executive Sir David Nicholson visitedSt Georges on Tuesday 2nd March. During his visitSir David met with clinical staff from St Georges stroke
unit and trauma centre teams and received a tour ofthe Trusts new advanced CT scanner.
Three of NHS Londons non-executive directors visited the Trust
on the same day to learn more about, stroke, trauma and
maternity care. The group also visited St Georges University
where they learnt more about the work that has been done to
widen student access to higher education.
New deputy chairCongratulations to EmmaGilthorpe, who has been boardappointed deputy chair afterfirst joining the trust as a non-executive director in August, 2008.
Trust chair Naaz Coker said: Id like to
thank Paul Murphy for his outstandingcontribution to St Georges over thetwo years he was deputy chair, and
wish Emma all the best as she takes onthe extra responsibility of thisdemanding role.
Emma, who will retain her current portfolio of interests, alsosits on the audit committee, finance committee and the
nominations and remuneration committee. Emma also chairsthe risk assurance and compliance committee and the equality
and human rights committee, and is a maternity champion.
the gazette 15
Cancer informationevening showcasesSt Georges careA cancer information evening
held to highlight the cancer
services available at St Georgeswas hailed a success by its
organisers.
The evening, entitled Evolving Cancer
Care: Working Together Beyond Care
Boundaries, was held in the Hunter
Wing in March, and was opened by
chief executive David Astley.
It covered three main areas of cancer
care at St Georges, including
diagnosing cancer, delivering high-quality cancer services
and supporting patients through their cancer pathway.
The aim was to highlight how St Georges works well withother organisations, such as the PCTs, local hospices and
cancer support groups, to offer patients a seamless care
experience.
June Allen, lead cancer nurse at St Georges said: We had
a fantastic response of about 80 people and it was a very
good mix of professionals and patients. It is important to
highlight how well St Georges works with other
organisations.
Patient user Valerie Emmons said: The event brought
together an interesting mix of people concerned with
current and future cancer care at St George's, including staff
doctors, nurses and managers, plus GPs, students, PCTrepresentatives and local user and support groups.
It was good to have the opportunity to meet new people
and talk over ideas. I think everyone took away with them
some new knowledge and a very positive feeling that St
George's is working hard to develop its already excellent
cancer care both in the hospital and the community.
Veronique Furse, patient user, said: It was re-assuring and
exciting to hear about the extent and variety of cancer
services at St Georges as well as the plans for the future.
Based on the success of this event, the organisers are now
planning another event for spring next year.
Kate Baskerville, A&E superintendent radiographer, demonstratesCT technology to Sir David Nicholson
St Georges demonstratescutting-edge technologyto VIP visitors
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RBalham gig sells out!Even before the gig took place on Friday 12th March, rumours were rife theCrazeefass gig at The Bedford in Balham could be their last. A source closeto the band revealed this month Shola Adegoroye was moving to the NHSIntensive Support Team and key fundraiser Sarah Hart to Canada.To give Shola and Sarah a great send off Jonesys Jukebox collated someparticularly excellent tunes and the band practised hard, as anyone passingBence Jones offices in the evenings prior to the gig would have heard. AlanThorne learnt a fourthchord, Osian Powelldiscovered his voice,Richard Billington foundfaith and the band waspowered by a mysterydrummer.
All proceeds are going tothe St Georges Hospital
Charity, specified for therefurbishment of the familywaiting area in the fetalmedicine unit.
Nurses VoicesSt Georges Day, Friday 23rd April,was marked by the launch of avery special book: Nurses Voices -Celebrating 60 Years Of NursingAt St Georges Hospital London1930-1990.
Nurses Voices captures the oralhistory of St Georges from theperspective of its nurses. More
than 150 interviews and 1,000 hours ofrecordings have been generated,featuring nurses and midwives whotrained or worked at the trust fromaround 1930 to the present day.
Memories of historical events aredifferent for each person and byrecording personal experiences theproject boasts a richness that cannot be
gained from static records. How did itfeel to work in healthcare at theintroduction of the National HealthService? Which clinical practices wereundertaken that would cause uproartoday? What were the personalitiesinvolved like to work with?
Nurses Voices has its origins in aresearch project lead by Kath Start andmanaged by Carol McCubbin from theFaculty of Health and Social CareSciences at Kingston University andSt Georges University of London. The
publication of the book has beenfunded by St Georges Hospital Charity.
16 the gazette
R
RNews from St Georges
Hospital Charity
R Priced at just 25, or 20 for allthose who contributed to the oralhistory project, with all proceedsgoing to St Georges HospitalCharity, the book is available tobuy in the main entrance,Grosvenor Wing on Friday 23rd
April, St Georges Day, andWednesday 12th May, FlorenceNightingales birthday and
International Nurses Day.Copies are also available from thefundraising office, main entrance,Grosvenor Wing.
Schools engagementOur schools engagementprogramme is taking shape, withRokeby School in Kingston namingus as one of its chosen charities fortwo years after a couple of its pupilswere treated on Ocean ward. TheParents Circle raised a staggering1,000 from a cake sale, with greatplans for further fundraisingactivities over the next 18 months.
Sarah Papageorgiou, senior staffnurse, Ocean ward and LisaLewington, play specialist, attendeda school assembly: We are thrilledthe Rokeby Parents Circle haspicked us. The money will buy anew wheelchair to help bed-boundchildren get out in our garden forsome fresh air, and provideadditional equipment, toys anditems.
Walking the WandleFollowing the success last year ofour sponsored walk along the RiverWandle, part of the Wandle Valley
Festival, were supporting the eventagain this year. For moreinformation call Sheila in thefundraising office on ext 4917.
Third year runningWere delighted that the Balham and Tooting Community Association issupporting St Georges for the third year running. The community fun dayon Saturday 12th June is hosted by theSt Augustine Church and Gatton School,both on Broadwater Road, Tooting.
The now notorious and traditional GreatTooting Ambulance Pull will also takeplace that day, finishing the punishingroute through the streets of Tooting atthe fun day itself.
Rfundraising