Always there for you... - Kettering General Hospital

November-December 2009 Issue 2
Ron Spencer finds out
more about KGH’s new
Improving Healthcare
Together programme
And you can too –
see page 5
Always there for you...
Welcome to Kettering
General Hospital’s
newsletter Mark Newbold
Chief Executive
Contents
Chief Executive’s message
2
Annual General Meeting
3
Skin surveillance and League of Friends 4
Improving Healthcare Together launch
5
Annual Health Check 2009
6
Trust’s £30m extension plans
7
Bronze award for paediatrics
8
Infection control team nominated again 9
Harrowden and MAU revamped
10-11
Staff Excellence, Long Service and
Retirement Awards
12-15
Blood transfusion and organ donation 16
Swine Flu and Seasonal Flu vaccination 17
Maternity news and Clifford Ward
is excellent
18-19
Charity news 20-21
NHS Constitution – know the facts
22
Crazy Hats Appeal donates £65,000
23
Care Quality Commission
inspection passed
24
If it’s personal it’s private campaign
25
KGH retirements
26-27
Membership page – come and join us 28
Staff briefing held at the Prince William Education Centre
2
November/December 2009
kghtogether
I hope you find this, our second
edition of KGH Together, a good and
interesting read. The stories and
articles reflect the wide range of
exciting initiatives on the go here
at KGH, and many of our proud
achievements!
A major theme is our Improving Healthcare
Together programme, purpose-designed to
improve the quality of our services and based
very deliberately on what we have been told
our priorities should be by local people, our
GP colleagues, and by our staff. This year we
are concentrating on improving the patient
experience, by offering all staff our specially
designed training sessions. Next year we will
develop some new initiatives designed to
improve patient safety in the hospital.
We are also celebrating the many
achievements of our staff in this issue. Our
first ever Employee Excellence Award event
was held in October, along with our Long
Service Award evening. The award winners
are outstanding individuals and teams
who can be very proud of what they have
contributed to patient care and to KGH.
And to those who were nominated by their
colleagues but not successful – well done
too and better luck next year!
With the winter and the flu season
well under way there is news too on our
vaccination campaign. This is the single
most important measure we can take to
limit the impact of both seasonal and swine
flu on ourselves, our patients, and our
families, so we are doing all we can to offer
the vaccine to as many staff as possible as
quickly as we can.
There is much more besides and I hope
you enjoy the read! I hope too that you
like our new colourful format. Do let us
know what you think!
New monthly staff
briefings launched
KGH has launched a new face-to-face
briefing system to help staff get a more
comprehensive picture of developments
at KGH and have a chance to comment
on them.
The first event was on October 26 and it was
held in the lecture theatre of the Prince William
Education Centre.
Chief Executive, Dr Mark Newbold, and
Associate Director of Strategy and Marketing,
Richard Cook, led the presentation and
discussion.
The plan is to hold the briefing event
on a monthly basis with departmental
representatives taking back both a written
and verbal brief for their colleagues.
There is also a chance to ask questions
on the day and a chance to feedback to the
events via department representatives.
If you don’t know who your
representative is start by asking your line
manager.
The event is designed to supplement the
information the Trust puts on the intranet,
on the internet, in Newsflashes and Board
Briefs and in this newsletter.
Contact KGH Together editor/Communications Manager David Tomney by email
david.tomney@kgh.nhs.uk; by phone on 01536-493509; or by letter at Kettering General
Hospital, Rothwell Road, Kettering, NN16 8UZ.
AGM is a great success
MORE than 100 members of the
public attended the Trust’s Annual
General Meeting and recruitment
event at Kettering Conference
Centre on September 7.
During the evening people had the
opportunity to visit a wide variety of KGH
stands to find out about our progress
in various areas of business and also
investigate job opportunities with us.
The AGM itself was well attended and
people were able to find out about the
Trust’s activities over the last year and pick
up a copy of the annual review edition of
KGH Together.
KGH Chair Steve Hone said: “Our
performance over the last year has been
good and now our focus will be to further
improve the quality of our care – which we
believe is the right decision and the most
important thing.
“We all know about the economic
downturn but at KGH we have
looked ahead and tried to protect our
developments as much as possible from
the effects.”
Chief Executive Dr Mark Newbold said:
“Foundation Trust status has given us a bit
more autonomy and that space is
KGH Members, the public and staff listen to the presentations at the Annual
allowing us to determine our
General Meeting. To become a KGH Member see page 28.
own destiny.
“Our Council of Members
The meeting heard
ask patients what they want they have three
is progressing well and
We have made lots of
that
financially
the
Trust
priorities – will I be safe, will I be treated well,
influencing how the hospital
improvements
over
the
last
was
on
track
achieving
in
and will my treatment make me better.
is developing its services.
year
including
refurbishing
year
capital
investment
of
“If we treat these as our guiding principles I
“We have made lots
£6.2m
while
at
the
same
don’t
think we will go far wrong.
of improvements over
our medical wards...”
time
making
£4.5m
in
“We
also have four top priorities for the
the last year including
efficiency
savings.
The
Trust
year
ahead.
To improve the quality of our care,
refurbishing our medical
scored
4
out
of
a
possible
5
for
to
manage
the
downturn, to keep developing
wards (the Harrowdens), improving same
its
financial
risk
rating
as
a
Foundation
Trust
our
services
and
to manage outward, doing
sex accommodation (MAU) and carrying
within
12
months
of
its
initial
authorisation.
things
like
taking
our facilities closer to
out new emergency keyhole angioplasty
Looking
ahead
Dr
Newbold
said:
“When
we
people’s
homes.”
treatments in our cardiac centre.”
“
Carole Speirs talks to Michael Hurst about the Treatment Centre
Head of Nursing Projects Tracey Brigstock talks to Ron Silver about same sex
accommodation
November/December 2009
kghtogether 3
Skin cancer surveillance day success
A SKIN cancer surveillance day held at KGH on
September 26 was a great success with more
than 250 local people attending.
Of those about 30 people needed to be
booked in for treatment – including two
people who were later found to have skin
cancer.
The aim of the event was to support
KGH Skin Cancer
people with skin concerns, identify any
Lead Dr Olivia
problem areas and organise treatment, and
Stevenson with
educate people about safe behaviour in the Caroline Worthington
sun.
who had a cancer
KGH doctors and nurses volunteered their
removed following
last year’s event
time to provide the advice.
KGH skin cancer lead Dr Olivia Stevenson
said: “We were very pleased with the
turn out and as usual we did discover
some people who needed treating for
the conditions they
presented with – at
least two people have
had definite squamous
Unfortunately many
carcinomas.
“Sometimes people, particularly
“Unfortunately
people are still not
men, can ignore these sorts of
many people are
aware of the damage
changes when they really should
still not aware of
the sun can cause...”
have them checked out by their
the damage the
GP straight away as if caught early
sun can cause and
many skin cancers can be completely
the importance of
cured.”
protecting your skin.
Mrs Caroline Worthington, 43, of
“There are several forms of skin cancer of
Rothwell, attended last year’s event
which mole cancer (melanoma) is the most
because she had a mole which had
publicised and dangerous however any
changed colour on her left leg.
lesion which is changing rapidly on the skin
Mrs Worthington – who is medicines
or behaving differently from other moles, for
management technician at Kettering
example changing colour or growing faster,
General Hospital – said: “I have had a
may be a cause for concern.
“
Skin cancer is on the increase
l
l
4
Since the mid-1980s rates
have doubled in women
and tripled in men but
a recent survey showed
that even though most
sunbathers knew the risks
they still intended to get
burnt on holiday
The number of cases of the
most dangerous skin cancer,
malignant melanoma, have
risen by 43 per cent in the
last decade, according to
figures released by Cancer
Research.
November/December 2009
kghtogether
mole on my leg ever since I was born but in
about June 2008 I noticed it was starting to
change colour.
“It was removed within two weeks and
about a month later I learned that the
mole had been a malignant melanoma.
Fortunately I had caught it in time and
it was removed completely otherwise
treatment could have been much more
prolonged.”
Dr Stevenson said she personally sees
some 20-30 new skin cancers each month
at the hospital. Anyone with concerns
should contact their GP.
General Advice in the sun
For sun protection
l
Use a good quality sun cream (at least factor 15),
applied liberally, to all exposed skin. Remember to
re-apply every 2-3 hours or after swimming.
l
Wear a broad brimmed hat and clothing that
completely covers sensitive areas and is not so
translucent that the sun’s rays can penetrate
through it and cause damage
l
Be sensible and stay in the shade during the
hottest parts of the day and limit your time in the
sun
l
If you feel you must sun bath limit it sensibly and
remember that it is easy not to realise you have
been burned until several hours later.
Programme to improve
personal care
KGH has publicly launched a
comprehensive new programme to
improve and personalise care for the
125,000 patients it sees each year.
The programme is called “Improving
Healthcare Together” and follows detailed
research into what KGH patients, relatives and
visitors think is most important to them.
It was launched at KGH’s first Annual
General Meeting as an NHS Foundation Trust
on September 7 (see page 3) at Kettering
Conference Centre.
KGH Chief Executive, Dr Mark Newbold,
said: “Improving Healthcare Together is
an ambitious new hospital development
programme which aims to improve people’s
experience of KGH.
“In the last major inpatient survey at KGH
92% of patients rated their care
excellent, very good or good.
“But we want to do
Staff nurse Kate Gordon from one of the pilot wards chats with Howard Wright
better than that and make
KGH stand out as a Trust
We have developed a
one of 14 wards which have received IHT
“While this is the public
that is one of the best in
training so far.
launch of the programme
simple patient promise
the country at personalising
She said: “I think the IHT programme is
behind
the
scenes
we
have
care to meet patients’
which all of our staff will
excellent and it is helping us to make some
been piloting many of
needs.
sign up to...”
very practical improvements to patient care.
our ideas in patient areas
“We have developed
Our improvements have included putting
and already getting good
a simple patient promise
up boards in each bay so patients can see
feedback from patients.”
which all of our staff will
the names of who is treating them; better
KGH aims to improve
sign up to and which is:
patient information leaflets; coat hooks
patient satisfaction in ward questionnaires by
“We will always treat you as an individual,
next to beds, and triangular signs which
10% by March 31, 2010.
always working together, always there for you,
stand out from the wall to make it easier for
Jo Milton is manager of Deene A ward always caring for you, and always improving”
people to see where the toilets are.
“We are also going to have photo boards
of all our staff so patients can see who
everyone on the ward is and what they do.”
Chief Operating Officer Jayne Tunstall,
who has been managing the overall IHT
programme, said: “A lot of this programme
is about giving staff the power to make the
changes that their patients have asked for.
Overall we want our staff be proud and
confident that they are doing something
which will make KGH a national leader in
patient experience and effective teamwork.”
“
Some of the signs which help identify staff
– Jo Milton chats with Ron Spencer. These
pictures and the one on the front page are
courtesy of the Northants Evening Telegraph.
November/December 2009
kghtogether 5
KGH gets Excellent and Good ratings
in Annual Health Check
KGH has achieved an Excellent rating for use of resources and a Good rating for
quality of services in the Care Quality Commission’s 2009 Annual Health Check.
This is an improvement from good to
excellent for the for the hospital’s use
of resources compared to 2008 but a
reduction in rating from excellent to
good for quality of service.
This reduction relates to a single
part of the health check, as explained
below, and does not reflect on the
many improvements that are currently
underway.
KGH Chief Executive, Dr Mark
Newbold, said: “These are very
pleasing results indeed which reflect
how much we have improved as a
hospital in recent years.
“We are pleased to have improved
our rating on use of resources from
good to excellent, which means that
we have a good control of our finances.
“This has been very important for
the hospital. For the last four years
we have made a surplus while at the
same time investing in improvements
at the hospital such as our £18m
Treatment Centre, £4.7m Cardiac
Centre, our £1.5m new short-stay
medical ward (Clifford Ward) and more
recently our £4.7m improvements for
the Harrowden medical ward floor and
our £500,000 improvements to the
Medical Assessment Unit.
“People who have visited the
hospital, or been a patient here
recently, will have seen significant
6
November/December 2009
kghtogether
Dr Kai Hogrefe performs an angioplasty operation on Leon Calcutt in the new Cardiac Centre
time it is being assessed.
improvements in the hospital’s services
“On April 3, 2009, we had a condition
thanks to all this work – which we have
attached to our initial registration with the
managed to do because we have made a
Care Quality Commission because visits by
surplus.
their inspectors had found an issue
“The reason we have
with how we document cleaning
slipped from excellent
routines in the hospital.
to good in the quality
“We immediately addressed the
of services category is
These are very pleasing
issue raised and on May 14 the
because in order to get
CQC lifted the condition. We also
excellent you have to
results indeed which
received an unannounced visit by
pass every single part
reflect how much we have
the commission on August 26 and
of the Annual Health
improved as a hospital...” passed all 16 measures assessed
Check process at the
relating to hygiene. (see page 24
or more details)
“We came very close to achieving the
coveted ‘double excellent’ rating and
we will now continue to work hard at
improving the way we deliver care and
services.
“At our Annual General Meeting on
September 7 we announced the launch
of our Improving Healthcare Together
The Treatment
programme which is a concerted effort
Centre and Cardiac
to improve the experience of care at the
Centre are two
hospital at all levels.
major investments
“Our front-line staff are being given
KGH has been able
the
power to make the changes to care
to make thanks to
which patients are recommending to us
its good financial
management in
and we feel that this will help us to further
recent years.
substantially improve our quality of care
over the next year.”
“
£30 million extension to main
hospital block by 2012
HERE is what the new £30 million
extension to KGH could look like.
The artist’s impression shows where
the new extension would sit with
Rockingham Wing on the left and the
Cardiac Centre and main ward block
directly behind it.
The new development is planned as
a three-storey extension to the main
ward block.
It will be located on the site currently
occupied by Althorp Ward, extending
by the side of the Cardiac Centre in an
L shape.
Althorp Ward will be demolished
before construction starts and
temporarily reprovided elsewhere
during the construction phase.
Interserve Health has been awarded
a contract to assist the Trust with the
building design and, subject to Trust
Board approval of the Full Business
Case, construction is planned to start in
Spring 2010.
There are some decisions still to be firmed
up but current clinical services planned
are:
l Ground floor: Paediatric Outpatients
with 6 consulting rooms, and Althorp
Acute Medical Ward, up to 28 beds;
First floor: Intensive Care Unit, 16
beds, including 2 isolation rooms
with direct access to hospital main
theatres;
l Second floor: Integrated Paediatric
Unit with a total of 32 beds, including
Surgical and Medical Wards, a
Paediatric Assessment Unit, High
Dependency and Isolation facilities.
Adolescent patients will have a
dedicated area within the unit.
l Ward administration offices, support
accommodation and staff facilities
will be available on each floor.
l
How the new £30m extension
to KGH will look.
Patient waiting areas with play areas for
children will be provided. There will be a lower
ground floor, mainly for the estates services for
the building.
The building will meet the latest statutory
and best practice guidance and provide patients
with well-designed, comfortable but functional
facilities, which promote healing and facilitate
high quality care from our dedicated staff.
The building will be completed in Spring 2012
and will come into service shortly after.
What the area behind the main ward block looks like at
the moment. Althorp ward in the foreground would be
built over completely – see artist’s impression.
November/Decemberr 2009
kghtogether 7
Paediatrics win award for the way
they involve children in care
KGH’s Paediatric Department has won
County Councillor Andrew
a Charter Mark Bronze Award from
Grant, cabinet member for children
Northamptonshire County Council for
and young people, said: “The
the way in which it involves children
hospital has been able to clearly
and young people in their hospital care.
demonstrate they have developed
To win the award the hospital had to
effective systems to involve children
demonstrate that it actively involved children
and young people in the services
and young people in decisions about their care
that affect them. We’re delighted
through things like comment cards, treatment
to acknowledge their good work
plans, talking patients through their care and
and look forward seeing them build
involving them in departmental improvement
on this accolade by aiming for the
plans for the future.
Silver standard.”
The Charter Mark
Children’s Ward manager
Award Scheme is
Katrina Allen said: “We
open to all local
involve children and young
The hospital has clearly
organisations that
people in their care in
provide a service
many different ways. When
demonstrated effective
for children and
they arrive on the ward we
systems to involve children
young people, but
explain all about what is
and young people.”
organisations have to
planned and let them make
actively get involved
decisions about things
with scheme and have
like which member of staff
to start by applying for
they want to be seen by, what
the bronze award (after this they are able to
activities they can do while on the ward
progress to silver and gold awards).
and whether they want their parents to
“
KGH shortlisted for second infection
control award
KGH’s infection control team has been shortlisted for a
major award – for the second time in four months.
L-R Ward Manager Katrina Allen, Trish
Brigden, Lynda Lane holding Emma
Evan’s son Jack, one, Alison Spraget,
Emma Evans, Laura Harris, Lyndsey Rose
and her son Owen, one.
actively participate in their care.
“We have also been trying to find out what
children and young people think an ideal
hospital experience would be like.
“This has helped us to get many great ideas
for the new children’s unit which will be built
as part of the Trust’s £30m capital plans for
2010-2013.” (see page 7)
Pub and brewery support children’s ward
MARSTON’S Inns and Taverns has
donated £500 to the children’s ward
at KGH – matching an earlier sum
of £500 raised by customers at the
Spread Eagle pub in Corby.
Alan and Julie Markham, managers of
the Spread Eagle pub in Oakley Road,
Corby, presented the donation to the
hospital’s play team on September 16.
Marston’s made the donation because
Alan and Julie and their customers had
already raised £500 towards special
sensory equipment for children with
disabilities at the hospital. The company
likes to match donations raised by its local
customers for charity.
Julie said: “We asked our customers
what they wanted to support during
2009 and they said the children’s ward at
Kettering General Hospital.
“The children’s ward is close to our
heart because some of our customers’
children have needed to use it in the past
and also some of them also have sensory
impairments.”
The pub has carried out various events
to raise money for the ward including raffles on
Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Easter, part of
proceeds from the sale of charity greeting cards
and a regular open-the-box quiz night.
Hospital play co-ordinator Trish Brigden said:
“This is a fantastic donation which will help
us to provide improved sensory equipment for
children with things like visual and hearing
impairments.
“We currently
have a £15,000
appeal underway
to raise enough
money to fully
equip a room
with all of the
Spread Eagle
manager Julie
Markham presents
the cheque to play
specialist Louise
McKerral
Charity Fund
latest devices which help children to distract
and relax children during their hospital
visit.”
A Sensory Sunday fun day at Kettering
Rugby Club in Waverley Road, Kettering,
on August 30 raised £2,500 for the appeal
bringing the current running total up to
£6,720 towards the £15,000 target.
The two nominations show that the
hospital’s pioneering Kettering Infection
Predictor (KIP) system (a way of helping
to reduce the risk of patients getting
infections) has been recognised as being of
national importance.
In May the team won the patient safety
category of the regional final of the
national Health and Social Care Awards
2009 for developing the
KIP system.
Now the KIP
system is one of six
top projects in the
We were absolutely thrilled
UK being considered
that our project has
for the Nursing
been shortlisted for this
Times Award 2009
Katrina Rufeea and Pam Howe will be travelling to London to attend the awards
– Infection Control
prestigious award...”
ceremony for what could be a second major award for the KIP system
Category.
Representatives of
the hospital’s infection
control team (infection control lead nurse
are implemented for patients who, because
staff to follow to ensure that every possible
Pam Howe and infection control practice
of things like their age and personal medical
precaution is taken to prevent infections.”
development nurse, Katrina Rufeea) will
history, have a greater potential risk of
be attending the final of the Awards on
infection.”
What is the KIP system
November 18 at the Hilton Hotel, London.
KGH now has C difficile and MRSA rates
Pam, who entered the Trust for the
which are lower than the national average
The Kettering Infection Predictor (KIP)
award, said: “We were absolutely thrilled
for a Trust of its size.
system is a method KGH uses to assess
that our project has been shortlisted for
Katrina, who has co-ordinated the
patients, on admission and during their
this prestigious award which looks at some
implementation of the project across the
stay, for their potential risk of developing an
of the best and most innovative infection
Trust, said: “Our pilot studies show that
infection such as MRSA or C difficile.
control projects being pioneered across
infections on the wards were reduced by
The system involves a risk assessment
the UK.
about 15% when the KIP system was in use.
process which gives patients a score
“The system means staff are prompted
“We think it has been so successful
according to their infection risk. If a patient
to ensure that infection control precautions
because it provides a pathway for all ward
receives a high score extra precautions are
taken to prevent infection such as additional
cleaning of their bed area, use of disposable
‘one-use’ medical equipment and prompts
for additional hand washing.
Director of Nursing and Quality, Liz
Libiszewski, added: “Kettering General
Hospital has been at the forefront of the
NHS’s war on infections and we have been
very successful at reducing them – and
helping others to find good ways of doing
the same.
“It is important to fight infections on
multiple fronts and in multiple ways and our
KIP system has helped us to do this right
from moment patients first arrive in hospital.
“We hope other Trusts will take up this
method to help the NHS fight infections
The infection control team and Director of Nursing Liz Libiszewski at the regional
across the country.”
“
final in May – the first award the KIP system won
8
November/December 2009
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November/December 2009
kghtogether 9
£500,000 revamp improves same
sex accommodation
KGH transforms Harrowden A
KGH has just completely refurbished
and modernised one of its main
medical wards.
Harrowden A – which has been closed
since March - re-opened for business on
September 7.
The re-opening marks the completion
of the first part of a planned £4.7m
transformation of the whole of the
Harrowden floor into two L-shaped state-ofthe-art wards by summer of 2010.
This in turn is part of the hospital’s
longer term multi-million pound ward
refurbishment programme which began in
early 2008.
Chief Executive, Dr Mark Newbold, said:
“The transformation of some of our main
medical wards – the Harrowdens – will
make a big difference to the care we
provide.
“These wards date back to the 1960s
and were really in need of complete
modernisation.”
Service manager Maxine White said: “The
transformation has made a major difference.
“The new ward is now light, airy, modern
with much more space and better privacy for
patients.
“Our overall plan for the Harrowden floor
(currently made up of Harrowden A, B and C
wards) is to turn it into two L-shaped ward
blocks split into seven bays.
“Each bay will have only three beds in it
compared to up to six at the moment.
“Each bay will have its own toilet, shower
and wash basins. All of the surfaces in the
ward, including the ceiling, will be made
“
Harrowden A ward manager Clare Beattie moves a
bed onto the new ward with the help of charge nurse
Arnold Aguilar and healthcare assistant Jodie Foster
“The transformation of some
of our main medical wards
will make a big difference to
the care we provide.”
of special antibacterial materials and be
designed so that they can easily be kept
scrupulously clean.
“Instead of having doctor/nurses
stations in a corridor away from patients
we will have them at the head of each
bay so that doctors and nurses can much
more easily stay in touch with patients’
needs.
“There will be six side rooms in each
ward block where patients can have even
greater privacy or be isolated if they have
an infection of any sort.
“The overall result will be a much
improved environment both for our
medical patients and for our staff
who are very much looking forward to
moving in.”
When the refurbishment of the
Harrowden floor is complete the
number of beds being provided on it
will fall from 96 to 57 but with the
addition of Clifford ward (20 beds)
and with new ways of working in the
health system, overall the hospital will
still have enough beds for all patients
in normal circumstances.
KGH’s multi-million pound ward
refurbishment programme started in
January 2008 and the first thing done
was the creation of Clifford ward as a
£1.5m new short-stay medical ward –
which opened in September 2008.
The whole ward area has been refurbished to a very high standard with
new windows, floors and bathrooms.
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November/December 2009
kghtogether
KGH put finishing touches to a
£500,000 upgrade of its Medical
Assessment Unit in early October.
Work on the 28-bed short-stay medical
assessment ward began on September
14 using money from the Government’s
Privacy and Dignity Fund – a fund which
is helping hospitals to improve same sex
accommodation arrangements
The aim of the revamp has been to
substantially improve the privacy and dignity
arrangements on this previously mixed sex
ward - where patients are assessed before
being admitted to one of the hospital’s
inpatient wards (or being treated and
discharged and going home).
KGH funded the improvements using
cash it was awarded from the Government’s
Privacy and Dignity Fund in May to improve
same sex accommodation arrangements at
KGH.
MAU previously consisted of two mixed
sex bays of 12 and 16 beds. Now these
have been transformed into same sex bays
and rooms.
There is now one same sex three-bed
bay, two five-bed bays, one eight bed bay
and three high visibility beds which are
The MAU team are pleased with their
refurbished department
close to the nurses’ station for patients
who are acutely unwell or need close
supervision (for example because they may
be at risk of falling over if they get out of
bed unassisted). Two side rooms have been
equipped with ensuite toilets.
MAU unit manager Dione Rogers said:
“MAU has been transformed by this revamp
and things are now much better for patients,
visitors and for our staff.
“The bays are now much smaller and are
all same sex areas which is an improvement
for people who may feel uncomfortable
being cared for in a mixed sex area.
“Overall patients and staff have said
the new arrangements make the unit feel
quieter and more personal. Being in a small
bay – with the nurse’s station in the bay –
makes people feel more secure and close to
help if they need it.”
Senior Healthcare assistant Annette Folwell and
Sister Rachel Mee helping patients Gwen Hale and
Margaret Burton
Ward managers Dione Rogers and Helen Fawdon
wheel a bed into the newly refurbished ward
Keep it in the family…
THREE members of the same family
have all been working in the same
KGH department – say hello to the
Fawdons of MAU!
Mum Helen Fawdon is the Middleton
Assessment Unit’s clinical manager.
Son James, 21, has been working on
MAU as bank healthcare assistant and
daughter Hannah, 19, is working in the
same role on the staff bank.
And health care certainly seems to run
in the family – dad Chris is also a former
paramedic who still teaches first aid.
Helen and Chris met at KGH 25 years
ago when Helen broke her toe and need to
go to A&E.
James said: “I have had a bit of ribbing
about working in the family business but
I’m used to it now.”
Hannah said: “I am really enjoying my
work and it is nice to be following in mum
and dad’s footsteps.”
Since this picture was taken though
James has now passed his staff nurse
qualifications and is working at the
Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.
November/December 2009
kghtogether 11
First ever KGH Employee Excellence event a great success
The winners were:
ALMOST 200 staff attended KGH’s
first ever Employee Excellence and
long service Award evening.
The event – designed to recognise the
amazing contributions of our staff – was
held at the Kettering Conference Centre
on October 23.
Staff from across the Trust nominated
many different deserving staff for the
awards – which had six categories.
The Trust also gave out 136 long
service awards to staff who have worked
for KGH for more than 25 years and 19
also received retirement certificates. For
staff who were not able to attend this
event a further event is planned.
Longest serving employee - KGH gardener
Ralph Howe got a standing ovation when
he came out to pick up his award for being
the Trust’s longest serving employee. Ralph
completed an amazing 50 years service on
May 26 after starting with us aged 17 – at
a time when the hospital grew all its own
vegetables in the surrounding gardens.
Then compere (and Director of Human
Resources) Geoffrey Etule took the audience
through the other main announcements of
the night and people came up to receive their
awards from the executive team and Chief
Executive Dr Mark Newbold.
The final award, the Chairman’s Award, was
presented by Steve Hone to PALS Manager
Flavia Defreitas for her immense contributions
to the Trust over the last 25 years.
Outstanding Innovation of the Year
Mary McDonald - Medical Devices Training
Co-ordinator – for her promotion of the use
of entonox therapy as an alternative form of
pain relief.
Clinical Team of the Year Pharmacy MAU Team - Rachel Glover, Julie
Fosbrook, Caroline Worthington and Dhiren
Bhurkhada for their significant contribution
to patient care by working with colleagues to
reduce patient waiting times for medications
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November/December 2009
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Support Team of the Year
Fire Team Trainers - John Payne, Sandra Hunter,
Christine Rospopa and Geoff Sergison for their
work delivering high quality fire team training
for the Trust which has resulted in high levels
of fire awareness and fire team leaders in every
ward and department.
Outstanding Service with Healthcare
Partners: Dr Gwyn McCreanor - consultant pathologist
– for her dynamic and pioneering work with
our healthcare partners both locally and
nationally
Outstanding Contribution to a Modern
and Clean Environment
Claire Nicholson - Ward Manager AM Lee
Ward – for demonstrating outstanding
commitment and dedication to a project on
cleaning standards which has led to overall
improvements in the cleanliness of the
hospital.
Chairman’s Award
Flavia Defreitas, PALS Manager – for her
outstanding work as a patient advocate
throughout her 25 years services with KGH.
Chief Executive’s Award
Lyn Pitt - Senior Supervisor Catering – for
going the extra mile in ensuring that the
catering department is able to provide
an excellent service to patients and staff
throughout the year. Other staff and departments which received
nominations were:
Linda Cottenham
Lamport and Twywell Wards
Audiology Department
Nathan Whitmill
Katherine Overson
Tracey Ingram
Yvonne Dale
Maryke Gosliga
Special Care Baby Team
Robert Best
Helen White
Elaine Clarke
Polly Mildren and Midwifery Team
Kerti Booluck
Jo Milton
Andre Richardson
Rob Haughney, Kathy Patrick and Michelle Barnett
The Cross Sectional Imaging Team
Mr Sankar and the Breast Reconstruction Team
Sterile Services Team
The Emergency Nurse Practitioners – Corby Minor
Injuries Unit
Katrina Allen and the Paediatric Team
Mary Chapman
The Communications Team
November/December 2009
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KGH employee Long Service Awards
Our long serving employees have carried out more than
3,500 years of service to KGH
HERE are some of the 136 employees who received
their 25 years service awards or retirement awards at
the KGH Employee Excellence event.
All of the pictures from the event are available from main
reception or in electronic form from Communications
Manager David Tomney.
The full list of staff who have received awards – not all of whom
could attend the event – were:
Flavia Defretais
Christine Rospopa
Ralph Howe
Susan Almond
Jane Ashbury
Sylvia Banes-Marshall
Fiona Barber
Eleanor Beard
Filomena Berardi
Janine Bianchi
Louise Blades
Leonora Bodsworth
Julie Bozicek
Julie Boss
Jane Boullemier
Anthony Boyd
Eleanor Braithwaite
Chris Brandon-Cox
Lynda Bridgeman
Jane Brocklesby
Angela Cannell
Jennifer Caulfield
Marie Chandler
Margaret Cleary
Jillian Coleman
Jane Cooper
Susan Cooper
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November/December 2009
kghtogether
Michael Crick
Asok Datta
Lisa Defuso
Anne Donnelly
Megan Dunkley
Alec Elson
Jennifer Fearne
Lyn Featherstone
Sally Fellows
Pamela Fleckner
Joy Fletcher
Kay Fox
Fiona Fraser
Lynn Garratt
Christine Garvey
Karen Gillon
Carolyn Ginns
Helen Goodall
Sally Goss
Brian Gostelow
Margaret Greer
Tracey Gregory
Lorraine Groom
Kay Hall
Janet Harris
Ann Harrison
Fiona Harrod
Heather Hart
Susan Hart
Christine Havers
Jayne Haycock
Amanda Hayes
Lesley Holland
Julie Holmes
Lesley Hurst
Janice Hyde
Julia Jackson
Peter Jenkinson
Lyn Johnson
Elaine Keegans
Valerie Knight
David Knight
Pamela Lai
Sheridan Lane
Maureen Lavin
Theresa Lawrence
Lilian Lawson
Anne Levett
Patricia Ling
Margaret Lugsden
Alison Mallett
Alan Manser
Paul Marrow
Donna Mason
Denise Maxey
Marion Mayes
Sophia McGill
Carole McIntyre
Karen McMahon
David Mercer
Patricia Millward
Janice Moseley
Elizabeth Munton
Linzi Neale
Mark Newbold
Elizabeth O’Brien
Janette Oliver
Ellen Thomson
Sally Tilley
Elizabeth Toyne
Joan Vaughan
Kimberly Wakley
Karen Warren
Wendy Warrior
Karen Weatherly
Lesley Wilson-Pratt
Jen Wood
Margaret Paragreen
Lynne Parker
Clara Partridge
Diana Patrick
Norah Pell
Heng-Bee Pentelow
Diane Percival
Melsada Prince
Karen Roberts
Tina Robinson
Georges Sandos
Nalina Segaran
Rosalie Sheffield
Kim Shelswell
Marisa Shrimpling
Mike Silverstone
Elaine Smith
Cheryl Snaith
Andrew Steel
Philippa Stocks
Haley Strachan
Linda Swannell
Helen Taylor
Clare Templeman
Elizabeth Thompson
Retirements
Lynne Abrahams
Jennifer Berry
Pat Clipston
Susan Crichton
Barbara Dickerson
Jean Fawkes
Cherill McMahon
Janet Ogilvie
Beryl Oram
Colleen Singh
Patricia Ward
Angela Woodbridge
Those with Long
Service and
Retirement Awards
Regina Beattie
John Burnell
Sandra Constable
Carole Glover
Mary Gogan
Mick Neal
Hridaya Shrestha
November/Decemberr 2009
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Swine Flu and Seasonal Flu
vaccination in full swing
Donors save lives – have you
signed the national register?
THIS month (November) a campaign
is being launched by NHS Blood and
Transplant to encourage more people
to agree to organ donation in the
event of their death.
And KGH is supporting the campaign
which encourages people to record their
wishes on the National Organ Donor
Register – www.uktransplant.org.uk
Currently 10,000 people in the UK need
an organ transplant to save their lives
but last year only 3,500 operations were
carried out. Research shows that 90%
of people are in favour of the principle
of organ donation but only 25% actually
bother to sign up.
There is no defined age cut off for
donation and few conditions disqualify
people from donation.
“
Currently 10,000 people
in the UK need an organ
transplant to save their
lives but last year only
3,500 operations were
carried out.”
KGH consultant anaesthetist (and lead
clinician for organ donation, Jan Szafranski,
said: “Over the years KGH has been very good
at making donation happen when this has
been the families’ wish but there remains a
huge missed opportunity.
“This is partly because of a lack of public
awareness and perhaps of misconceptions
about donation.
“We are in the process of setting up a
donation committee involving A&E, ITU,
Medicine and surgery and also interested
members of the public.
“The committee will aim to raise the profile
of and facilitate organ donation and we are
urging all KGH staff to sign the register if they
agree with the principle of organ donation.”
The Trust has joined with Cambridge as
our main transplant centre as part of the
UK Eastern Team and will shortly be appointing
an “Embedded Coordinator” jointly with
Hinchingbrooke hospital.
A local public roadshow to promote
awareness is being planned for the spring.
Give blood and save someone’s life this Christmas
GIVE blood this winter– there
has never been a more important
time to sign up and help!
Blood transfusion nurse Kelly
Wall joins Rory Laffey and Laura
Millward from the Coventry and
Northamptonshire branch of the
National Blood Service.
They held a stand in KGH main
reception during the first week in
September to promote the importance
of regular blood donation.
Laura said: “We are trying to get
as many staff as possible at KGH to
sign up to give blood regularly. We
know that it will be vitally important
this winter to get as many donations
as possible because of the possible
impact of swine flu and winter
pressures.
“We are advertising in Trusts like
this to get as many people as possible
to be a “blood buddy” for someone
whose life or health relies on these
donations.”
To get involved call 0300-1232323
or go on line at www.blood.co.uk
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November/December 2009
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VACCINATIONS against both Swine Flu and Seasonal Flu began at KGH in October as
part of the national drive to keep people safe in what could be a bad winter.
In late October the number of people
with flu-like illnesses in Northamptonshire
began to increase amidst national concern
that a second wave of Swine Flu had
begun, possibly coinciding with the start of
the normal winter ‘seasonal’ flu.
The first wave of Swine Flu had hit
Northants in June and July but overall the
impact was not severe.
However NHS Trusts like KGH all have
to plan for much worse case scenarios
and have been spending a lot of time
preparing for every eventuality.
Seasonal Flu vaccinations
The first vaccine to arrive at KGH was the
seasonal flu on October 5 and immediately
our Occupational Health nurses began
vaccinating visiting departments, holding
drop-in clinics and putting on evening
sessions for shift workers.
By early November 600 staff had been
vaccinated and new supplies of seasonal
flu vaccine were ordered. One of the
first volunteers for seasonal flu vaccine
was Director of Nursing and Quality, Liz
Libiszewski, (pictured) who urged all staff
to consider protecting themselves against
the illness.
Swine Flu
vaccinations
“
Clinical lead for swine flu, Dr Nathan Spencer, was one of the first people to be vaccinated for swine flu.
Nationally the plan is offer vaccination
at first to NHS staff, patients whose stay
in hospital exceeds 21 days and ‘at risk’
groups in the local community such as
people with underlying health conditions
like heart and lung problems.
Hospitals are carrying out their own
vaccination programmes and GPs are
carrying out vaccinations for everyone
else. The vaccination is not compulsory
for anyone but people are encouraged
to have it to help combat
the global pandemic and
reduce its impact.
Ever since the
Swine Flu outbreak
Why should I have
All staff are urged to have
began in April
the swine flu
the vaccine to protect
experts have
vaccination?
themselves, their patients
been working to
produce a vaccine
lTo stop yourself
and their colleagues.”
and in October
getting swine flu and
it was approved
suffering its symptoms –
by the European
which are often mild (but
Medicines Agency.
unpleasant) but can be more
The first 1,500 doses of Swine Flu
dangerous, even life threatening
vaccine arrived at KGH on October 21.
l To avoid catching it yourself and then
Within the first week we had vaccinated
passing it on to your family, your
344 staff were vaccinated in key
friends, your colleagues at work –
departments such as A&E, the Intensive
who all may be less resilient than you
Care Unit, the children’s wards, labour
to the virus
ward, the medical assessment unit,
l For KGH staff there is the additional
theatres, Centenary Wing, the Coronary
reason of preserving the hospital’s
Care Unit, and the medical wards.
services during the pandemic
What to do if you feel like you
have flu
You can call the National Pandemic
Flu Service on 0800 1 513 100 or
assess yourself online at www.direct.
gov.uk/pandemicflu . Protect yourself and stop the virus
spreading with good hand hygiene.
Catch It, Bin It, Kill It advice - always
use fresh tissues when sneezing and
coughing, throw them in the bin and
thoroughly wash your hands afterwards
or use an alcohol gel.
Director of Nursing and Quality Liz Libiszewski was
one of the first members of staff to receive the
seasonal flu vaccination
November/December 2009
kghtogether 17
KGH is first in England to pass new
maternity review
More than 300 sets of case
notes were reviewed!
KGH’s maternity department is the first
in England to achieved level 2 status
under a new review process.
This means it has proven itself to have
excellent standards of clinical care and safety
systems.
On October 9 the NHS Litigation Authority
(NHSLA) reviewed the Trust’s Maternity
services against the requirements of the
Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST).
CNST is a kind of insurance scheme for
NHS services and Trusts with good processes
and systems get reduced premiums to pay.
The assessment took place over a two-day
period and involved a full review of the
Trust’s systems, procedures and processes
within maternity services. This review not
only looked at the policies and guidelines
in maternity but also looked at these in
practice.
Director of Nursing and Quality
Liz Libiszewski said “KGH is the
first Trust to have been assessed
against the new standards for
CNST that have been set by the
NHSLA and to have achieved a
Level 2. The review team were
extremely complimentary about
our systems and processes
and praised the standard of
documentation within the
maternity department case notes.
“This achievement recognises
the continued high quality of care
provided to maternity patients at
KGH. I would like to thank all staff
for their continued hard work and
in preparing and undertaking the
review process - I am so pleased
that this has been recognised.”
Delivery of different kind for Labour ward
“On the face of it, the idea might seem
MIDLANDS Co-op made an unusual
quite silly but there are significant benefits.
delivery to Labour Ward at KGH on
For example, it means that personal
September 4 – 16 shopping trolleys.
belongings are kept safe and secure and
The donation has helped KGH to replace
can be easily wheeled around. It also
trolleys used for the last 30 years to
speeds up the process when having to
help new mums transport their personal
transfer mum to a different area without
belongings around the hospital.
delaying medical treatment. We are very
The community retailer donated the
grateful to Midlands Co-op for coming to
trolleys to the ward following a request from
our aid. At last we can dispose of our old
hospital Ward Clerk, Jayne Richards.
Jayne said: “We have been using
shopping trolleys for
at least 30 years
as they provide the
perfect solution
We have been using shopping
to transporting
belongings around
trolleys for at least 30 years as
the ward as
they provide the perfect solution
the mum-to-be
to transporting belongings
progresses from the
around the ward...”
assessment bay to
delivery room, labour
ward or even theatre. It
also means that dad no longer needs to be
a pack horse!
“
18
November/December 2009
kghtogether
trolleys and proudly push around nice new
shiny ones!”
Commenting on behalf of Midlands Co-op,
Alison Cooper, PR Officer, said: “I must admit
that this is one of the more unusual requests
that our office has received but we were more
than happy to oblige when we heard how
invaluable the trolleys are to the midwives and
mums. We hope the trolleys provide a good
service for many years to come.”
Clifford ward is featured
at Towards Excellence
Conference
THE Trust’s short-stay medical ward,
Clifford Ward, was one of a series of
examples of best practice showcased
at a regional “Towards Excellence”
conference.
The ward, which opened last year, is for
people with acute medical illnesses such
as heart and lung problems. It has a highly
experienced team of doctors and nurses
who work to stabilise patients quickly with
the aim of them being able to go home
within 72 hours.
The regional event, held on September
15 at Belton Woods, was designed to
inspire chief executives and executive
teams from 23 NHS organisations to look
at new ways of solving long standing
problems.
It also aimed to help define some of the
clinical processes which might be used to
deliver the East Midlands’ “From evidence
to excellence” vision.
The short-stay medical ward project
was filmed for one of a series of film clips
designed to be used at the conference
to help show case pioneering work and
Clinical lead for cardiac investigation, Dr
Naeem Shaukat, was interviewed.
He said: “The benefits of the way our
short-stay medical ward works are very
tangible.
“Patients see senior medical specialists
early in their stay and this enables them to
be treated very quickly with no significant
delays. This means we have a reduced
length of stay and patients are fit and able
to go home earlier after receiving very high
quality care.”
“
Patients see senior medical
specialists early in their stay
and this enables them to be
treated very quickly with no
significant delays.”
KGH staff nominated
for their local work with
Nene Commissioning
SEVERAL members of KGH staff were
nominated for a Nene Commissioning
“Hall of Fame” award for their
contribution to local health services.
Nene Commissioning, which represents
75 GP practices in the county, developed
its Hall of Fame Awards to celebrate work
done to improve health services in the
county.
Altogether there were 24 nominations
and five winners were chosen from
organisations which provide services to
Nene Commissioning.
KGH staff did not win an award but
nominations were Phillipa DanielsHolgate, specialist pharmacist project
development, for her role supporting GP
leads in developing shared protocols;
Naeem Shaukat, consultant cardiologist,
for extending the Echo reporting project;
and Jo Ross, head of partnership, for her
efforts to improve partnership working
and support organisational change across
boundaries.
Trust supports local
businesses during credit
crunch
THE TRUST has announced
that all local businesses with a
Northamptonshire postcode will
have their invoices paid ahead of the
normal procedures and as soon as
they are properly authorised.
This could mean receiving their
payment significantly in advance of the
current arrangements which require NHS
organisations to pay its suppliers within 30
days of receipt of a valid invoice.
This is in line with a recent government
recommendation that public bodies should
pay invoices from small companies earlier
to help ease the cash flow burden on those
companies during the current economic
climate.
Finance Director Marcus Thorman stated,
“We understand that during the current
financial climate it is important for the
Trust to do all that it can to support local
suppliers and ensure their cash flow is
maximised. This change could have a
significant impact for these organisations.”
November/Decemberr 2009
kghtogether 19
Practically perfect in
every way
Appeal reaches for
the stars!
This year has seen the launch of KGH’s
first official appeal since we began to
focus more heavily on fundraising.
The Cardiac Care Appeal has now raised
£75,000 and is striving hard to reach its
target of £100,000.
Although the UK charity sector has seen a
dramatic fall of 11% in donations we have
been overwhelmed by the generosity of
support for of our appeal.
In recent weeks, celebrity and Britain’s
Got Talent star Faryl Smith showed her
support for the appeal and met with nine
year old Addelle Knibbs from Cranford
Primary School. Addelle pays regular visits
to Kettering General Hospital and wanted to
say how important the appeal was for local
people.
Addelle said: “I have to go to hospital
a lot. I used to get really out of breath
because I had a hole in my heart, but look
at me now; I’m running around like a
headless chicken. Now I play football like
a normal kid. I want to help so others can
be just like me.”
The rehabilitation room which will be
funded as part of the appeal will help
heart patients to learn more about looking
after themselves after having heart
problems. Every penny that the appeal
raises will help to go the extra mile for
heart patients and their families.
To get involved with the Cardiac
Care Appeal and help reach the
£100,000 target call the fundraising
office on 01536 491 375.
Charity Fund
Celebrity Faryl Smith and 9 year old Addelle show their support for the Cardiac Care Appeal.
Parents beds on the children’s
wards funded by the Wish List
When you wish upon
a star your dreams
can often come true!
Christmas is coming, but at KGH it is not only
Christmas time when we can wish for those
little extras for ourselves and the ones we care
about.
Our Wish List has been a complete success
and enabled the Fundraising Department
to benefit a wide range of departments and
wards throughout the Trust.
The following wards have all benefited
from receiving funding via the Wish List to
help improve their services and go above and
beyond for the patients who are cared for in
each area.
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
ONCE again the KGH panto was a
triumph raising about £2,000 for
patient care and giving hundreds
of staff a good laugh.
This year’s event was a staff
production of Lizzie Poppins
on September 23-25 – with Liz
(Libiszewski) Poppins being played by
Jan Murts.
Liz, who is practically perfect in
every way, has the job of making Bob
Stewart’s (Owen Davison) son Michael
Wood (Jennie Lovell) and daughter Jayne
Tunstall (Kathy Reeve) learn how to
behave and win their father’s love.
Liz Libfraulmilch/Liberaci does a great
job with the help of a whole troop of
hospital personalities including Diane
Sheffield (Helen Neal), Lyn Pitt (Joan
Carnell), Phil Smith (Lydia Andrews),
John Payne (Colin Iverson), Nanny
Karen McMahon (Carolyn Palmer), Trudi
Vanni (Katrina Rufeea), Clara Partridge
(Pam Howe), Elaine Hayward (Carolyn
Ginns), Deirdre James (as herself), Eilish
Kennedy (Karen Walton), Polly Mildren
(Llinos Bradley) and the auditor (Eileen
Moloney).
Once again the event was a great
success thanks to the combined efforts
of script writer/director Katrina Rufeea,
the back stage crew, band and front of
house team.
Charity Fund
“
Once again the event was
a great success thanks
to the combined efforts
of script writer/director
Katrina Rufeea, the back
stage crew, band and
front of house team.”
Maxillo-Facial Unit
Lilford Ward
Dolphin/Timpson
NICU
Stroke Unit/Medicine
Audiology
Memorial Clinic
ROCKET
Our second Wish List has now been short
listed and the final list will be approved by the
Charitable Funds Committee in January – just
in time for a fresh burst of effort from the
Fundraising Department at the start of 2010!
If you want something to be considered
for the Wish List or to find out more about
the Wish List process and when the next list
will be put together you can contact Clare on
01536-491375
For more information about Fundraising or to get involved with the KGH Charity Fund call: 01536 491 375
20
November/December 2009
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November/December 2009
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Do you know what the NHS Constitution is?
WOULD you know what to say if someone asked about their rights
under the NHS Constitution?
As the Constitution is set to become law this
autumn here are a few questions and answers
which you ought to be aware of.
Q. What is the NHS Constitution?
A. It is a document which describes the rights
and responsibilities of patients, staff and the
public when using the National Health Service
(NHS).
Q. Why was it created?
A. Because there has been confusion around
what the NHS should and shouldn’t do and
because there was a need to create a clearer
understanding of it – particularly because it has
been going through a lot of changes over the last
ten years, and is set to undergo a lot more over
the next ten years.
Q. How did it come about?
A. The Constitution itself will form part of a
new ten-year plan for improvements in the
NHS devised by Lord Darzi who works for the
Government. It is just one of a number of things
being planned to improve the quality of care
across the NHS
to expect local decisions on funding of other
drugs and treatments to be made rationally
following proper consideration of evidence, a
right to receive the vaccinations that the Joint
Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
recommends
Have consent and confidentiality
respected – A right to be treated with dignity
and respect in accordance with human rights, a
right to accept or refuse treatment that is offered
and not to be given any physical examination
or treatment unless valid consent is obtained,
a right to be given information about proposed
treatment in advance, a right to privacy and
confidentiality, a right of access to own health
records
To be able to choose – A right to choose a
GP practice, a right to express a preference for
using a particular doctor within a GP practice, a
right to make choices about NHS care and the
information to support these choices
l
l
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What does that mean for me as a member
of NHS staff?
You have the right to:
l
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To get involved – A right to be involved in
discussions and decisions about healthcare,
a right to be involved directly or through
representatives in the planning of healthcare
services and the development and consideration
of proposals for change
l
To complaint and get fair redress – A right
to have any complaint made about NHS services
dealt with efficiently and to have it properly
investigated, a right to know the outcome of
any investigation into your complaint, a right
to take complaint to the independent Health
Service Ombudsman, a right to make a claim for
judicial review if you think you have been directly
affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS
body, a right to compensation where harmed by
negligent treatment
l
l
l
Q. What is in it?
A. It lists a series of rights, principles and values
associated with the NHS.
But what does this mean in reality for
patients?
It means that patients have legal rights to the
following:
Use the NHS – people have the right to receive
NHS services free of charge apart from certain
limited exceptions sanctioned by Parliament, a
right to access NHS services, a right to expect
local NHS to assess health requirements of
the local community and commission services
appropriately, a right not to be discriminated
against on any grounds
Be well looked after – A right to be
treated with a professional standard of care by
appropriately qualified and experienced staff,
right to expect NHS organisations to monitor and
improve quality of care
Be able to have nationally approved
treatments, drugs and programmes – A
right to drugs and treatments that have been
recommended by NICE for use in the NHS, a right
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What do the public have to do in return
for receiving their free, high quality
services?
l Taking some personal responsibility for own
and family’s good health and wellbeing
l Register with a GP
l Treat NHS staff and other patients with
respect
l Provide accurate information about own
health condition and status
l Keep appointments or cancel with
reasonable time
l Follow the course of treatment agreed
with a clinician
Participate in important public health
programmes such as vaccination
Ensure those closest to you are aware of your
wishes about organ donation
Give feedback about the treatment and care
received from NHS organisations
A flexible working environment with flexible
working opportunities, consistent with the
needs of patients and with the way that
people live their lives
Fair pay and contract framework
Involvement and representation in the
workplace
Healthy and safe working conditions and an
environment free from harassment, bullying or
violence
Fair treatment free from discrimination and
ability to raise grievances
Training and development opportunities to
enhance services to patients
You have the responsibility to:
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
Accept professional accountability and
maintain the standards of professional
practice as set by appropriate regulatory
bodies
Take reasonable care of health and safety at
work
Act in accordance with the express and
implied terms of the contract of employment
Not to discriminate against patients or staff
and to adhere to equal opportunities and
equality and human rights legislation
Protect confidentiality of personal information
Be honest and truthful in applying for a job
and for carrying out that job
Be open and honest with patients
Take on training and development
opportunities
Find out more at www.nhs.uk/aboutnhs/
constitution
For more information and related documents:
www.dh.gov.uk/nhsconstitution
Crazy Hats donate amazing
sum of £65,500
The Crazy Hats Appeal has donated
£65,500 to KGH to enable it to buy two
major new pieces of specialised equipment to enhance breast care services at
the hospital.
The equipment – a vacuum assisted biopsy
unit and MRI guided breast biopsy unit – will
help about 60 women a year whose individual
circumstances mean that without access to the
equipment they may need to travel to other
hospitals in Nottingham or London, or possibly
require more invasive open biopsy surgery.
Consultant radiologist, Dr Caroline Clark,
said: “The MRI guided breast biopsy unit is
a very specialised piece of equipment which
costs £43,000.
“It is especially useful for taking biopsies
in younger women whose dense breast tissue
make it difficult to identify lesions because they
may not show up on x-ray or be easily felt.
“Using an MRI guided breast biopsy unit
enables us to locate the lesion using the MRI
technology and then enables us to take a
biopsy from that exact location.
“The vacuum assisted biopsy unit has cost
£23,500 and has a different function.
“It is to enable us to take a larger than
average biopsy without the need for open
surgery.”
Over the last seven years the Crazy Hats
Appeal has donated more than £700,000
to breast cancer care locally of which about
£350,000 has gone to Kettering General
Hospital itself.
Charity Fund
Crazy Hats Appeal founder Glennis
Hooper said: “Local people have been
tremendously supportive of our efforts to
improve care for breast cancer and this
shows people where the money raised
from our popular events actually goes.
Kettering General Hospital’s Chief
Executive, Dr Mark Newbold, said: “We
would like to thank the Crazy Hats Appeal
once again for their tremendous support
which is helping us to improve services
for breast service patients.”
Line dancers step
in for Treatment
Centre
THE BARTON Seagrave Community
Centre Line Dancing Group has donated £300 to KGH’s Treatment Centre.
Representatives of the group, led by committee member June Dewar, presented the
money to the centre on September 2.
June said: “There are eight of us who meet
once a month because we enjoy line dancing.
We support various local charities which we
raise money for through things like raffles.
“A member of the group needed treatment
at the Breast Care Centre at the Treatment
Centre and so we decided it would be nice to
make a contribution to the Centre.”
Pictured left to right are Chris Kershaw,
Anne Donelly, Pippa Kilcoyne, Trudi Vanni,
June Dewar, Sally Holmes and Jenny Swan.
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NHS Confidential
– if it’s personal; it’s private
KGH gets ‘clean
bill of health’
from CQC
KGH has passed all 16 measures assessed during an unannounced Hygiene
Code inspection by the Care Quality
Commission (CQC).
The CQC said that after inspecting the Trust
it had “no concerns” in any of the areas of
cleanliness and infection control tested and
that the Trust has lower than expected MRSA
and C difficile infections for a Trust of its type.
KGH’s Director of Nursing and Quality, Liz
Libiszewski, has welcomed the findings.
She said: “One part of the Care Quality
Commission’s job is to ensure that hospitals
maintain a very high standard of cleanliness
and infection control.
“They do this by making both announced
and unannounced visits to Trusts and then
reporting on what they found, and whether
any improvements need to be made.
“Kettering General Hospital received
an unannounced visit on August 26 and
the report on that visit was published on
September 9.
“The inspection team visited various parts
of the Trust including our medical assessment
unit and two ward areas and had discussions
with a number of key staff about our policies
and procedures.
“They were therefore able to match the
hospital’s plans to the actual work that takes
place on the wards and were able to say that
in all of the 16 measures reviewed that they
had no concerns about our standards.
“We feel this endorses the hard work
the Trust has been undertaking to further
improve our infection control and cleaning
arrangements.”
The Trust has hit its national C difficile
target two years early and its MRSA rate is
lower than national average - with only 3
cases since April 2009.
“
We feel this endorses the
hard work the Trust has been
undertaking to further improve
our infection control and
cleaning arrangements.”
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KGH is taking part in a new region-wide initiative to raise awareness of
the importance of confidentiality for staff in the NHS.
Budding managers pass their course
CONGRATULATIONS to all candidates
who successfully completed
their Institute of Leadership and
Management course.
The Certificate in Team Leading and the
Award in First Line Management are both
accredited management training courses
provided in-house by KGH Staff Development.
The department is an accredited Institute of
Leadership and Management Centre.
The courses involved studying various
management topics including Motivation,
Leadership and Problem Solving. They are
designed to provide knowledge and skills
to be utilised by the candidates in the
workplace.
For every topic covered, candidates had
to write a work-based assignment which
demonstrated how they put what they
learnt into practice.
All candidates work was verified
externally and then they were awarded
their qualification.
The certificates were presented to
candidates by the Trust Chief Executive Dr
Mark Newbold on September 14.
ILM Certificate in Team Leading 2008/2009
Deborah Black
Lynda Brown
Jane Bull
Lorraine Cowell
Debi Davey
Leanda English
Karen Evans
Sue Fox
Shaun Heads
Wendy Height
Charlotte Dunkley
Anne Mattison
Natalie Reynolds
Christine Shearsmith
Paul Tester
Caroline Tester
Snr 1 Radiographer
Admin Lead Surgery
Snr HCA
Snr HCA
Snr Radiographer
Sister
Medical Secretary
Snr HCA
Staff Nurse
Deputy Office Manager
OT Specialist
Admin Co-ordinator
Staff Nurse
Finance Manager
Supervisor
Supervisor
Breast Screening
Medical Secretary
Ashton Ward
Naseby A Ward
CT/MRI Department
Deene C Ward
Radiology
Naseby B Ward
H C Pretty B Ward
Radiology
Occupational Therapy
Catering Department
Ashton Ward
Finance
Central H/K Team
Central H/K Team
Level 3 Certificate in First Line Management 2008/2009
Hayley Adams
Julie Allsworth
Barbara Bailey
Marinella Bianchi
Tina Coe
Nicola Dearn
Louise Dye
Stephanie Fretter
Timothy Jordan
Shekhar Purohit
Tracey Pharaoh
Jody Sadler
Newborn Hearing Screening
Staff Nurse
SCA – Nursing
SCA – Housekeeping
Sister
Staff Nurse
Theatre Sister
Midwife/Neonatal Nurse
Pharmacy Technician
Audiologist
Staff Nurse
Assistant Project Manager
That means we will be putting out messages,
in a number of ways, to remind staff about
their responsibilities around confidentiality.
We all know that it would be wrong to
share any information about a patient with
other people not directly involved in treatment.
But what about email, faxes, conversations
in open areas, and sharing computers?
Key things to remember are:
EVERYONE who works for the NHS and
comes into contact with personally identifiable
information – eg a patient’s name, address,
date of birth, NHS number, treatment
information or a staff members employment
details has a responsibility to keep this
confidential
BE CAREFUL every single time you are
involved in writing down or typing out
information about a patient or a member of
staff. If you are sending patient information
out always double check it is going to the right
place and contains only the information that
you should be sending – be wary of things
sticking together etc
ALL EMAILS containing patient information
should be encrypted – if you don’t know how
this is done should you be sending it! If in
doubt contact IT service desk on 2106
About the campaign
THE NHS Confidential – if it’s personal, it’s private campaign is being coordinated
by NHS East Midlands, the strategic health authority.
The campaign looks at all aspects of information governance – the term used to
describe a range of activities which ensure that information which a Trust holds is safe
and secure.
It includes how we maintain confidentiality, how/when we use information in our care,
how we manage our records and how we keep our IT systems secure.
Compliance with the necessary legislation and guidance is a legal obligation upon the
Trust and a contractual (and sometimes legal) requirement of its employees.
For many employees this also forms part of their professional Code of Conduct.
The NHS Constitution clearly outlines patient rights and staff pledges:
You have the right to privacy and confidentiality and to expect the NHS to
keep your confidential information safe and secure
Patient right, section 2a of the NHS Constitution
You have a duty to protect the confidentiality of personal information that
you hold, unless to do so would put anyone at significant risk of harm
Staff pledge, section 3b of the NHS Constitution
The campaign has been developed in response to mounting awareness of the NHS
Constitution and attention paid to the handling and security of personal information.
As part of the awareness campaign, look out for posters and leaflets explaining your
role in protecting personal, patient and organisation information. A new website also
gives staff more information http://nhsconfidential.eastmidlands.nhs.uk
If you would like to know more about how the Trust is meeting its information
governance obligations, or have an operational query, in the first instance please contact
the IT Service Desk on 2106 or by email at ITservicedesk@kgh.nhs.uk
DON’T STORE information on non-encrypted
memory sticks, discs or laptops
DON’T SHARE passwords and pin numbers
or leave screens on with patient information
visible to passers by
Deene A Ward
Harrowden C Ward
DON’T TALK about patient cases outside of
the proper environment or in places where the
public or passers by, including other staff, can
over hear.
Ashton Ward
SCBU
Treatment Centre
NICU/Poplar Ward
Stores
Audiology
A M Lee Ward
Human Resources
THINK before sharing personal information
about patients or colleagues. Does the person
you are sharing it with need to know and are
they authorised to know about it.
You may have noticed tips like these on the
screen savers on your computer. You will also
be receiving reminders like this in other ways –
like this newsletter.
What not to do! In this mocked up picture KGH staff pretend to discuss information from patient
notes inappropriately.
November/Decemberr 2009
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Fond farewells to the Rev Canon
Lesley McCormack
MORE than 60 friends and colleagues
said a fond farewell to much-loved
KGH Chaplain, the Rev Canon Lesley
McCormack, on her recent retirement
after 14 years service.
Lesley joined the Trust on May 1, 1995, to
become the hospital’s first full time chaplain
(part-time chaplains were Bill Bethel and
Father John Koenig).
She has developed and built the hospital’s
strong multi-faith spiritual care team and
in the 1990s led the £50,000 fundraising
campaign to develop the hospital’s first chapel
of peace.
She said: “I loved my time at Kettering
General Hospital and the many and varied
encounters of joy and sadness I have had with
patients and staff.
“Over the years my colleagues and I have
worked hard to meet the needs of all our local
spiritual communities including people of the
Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Hindu
and B’hai faiths. My time at KGH has been
enormously rewarding and enriching. It has
been a privilege to work among you and to
laugh, and on occasion cry, with you.”
KGH Chair Steve Hone said: “Lesley
has been a very important and passionate
advocate of patients and staff. She has treated
everyone in the same caring way whether they
are young or old, rich or poor, and we will all
miss her immensely.”
KGH Chief Executive Dr Mark Newbold said:
“Lesley is one of those people, partly through
her post, and partly through her personality,
who has touched the lives of many patients,
relatives and staff in a positive way. We wish
her a long, happy and fulfilling retirement.”
Lesley retired on June 26.
PALS manager Flavia Defreitas is off to France
behind the continued development
PATIENT Information and Liaison
of the Trust’s Patient and Public
Service Manager Flavia Defreitas is
Council and in further developing its
leaving the Trust to live and work in
work around equal opportunities and
France after more than 25 years of
volunteering.
service.
Flavia was congratulated on her
Flavia began her NHS career as a
student nurse in 1978 then became a staff KGH achievements and won the
nurse, student midwife and midwife before Chairman’s Award at the first KGH
Employee Excellence Awards on
serving as a KGH midwifery sister until
October 23. (see page 12-13)
1998.
She has worked tirelessly for the benefit
of patients throughout her career and
carried out significant work
in developing the hospital’s
bereavement services and
in developing the system of
She has worked tirelessly for the
critical incident reporting.
Flavia presented
benefit of patients throughout her
midwifery work at the
career and carried out significant
Royal College of Midwives
Annual Conference in 1997 work in developing the hospital’s
bereavement services...”
and to the journal Clinical
Risk in 2000.
Since 2002 she has been
PALS manager Flavia Defreitas (at the rear) with
PALS manager and a driving force
“
her support assistant Sarah Brooks
Rev Canon Lesley McCormack
Moira Wilkinson retires after
35 years service
Mick Neal retires after 39 years at KGH
PATIENT information co-ordinator Moira Wilkinson has retired from
KGH after 35 years of service.
Moira joined the hospital in 1974 as a
medical secretary before becoming personal
assistant to the hospital administrator Zak
Strilkowski.
From 1983-1999 she had various roles
including PA to the deputy director of site
services, PA to the legal manager, PA to the
director of corporate development and PA to
the chairman and chief executive.
In 2006 she took on the new role of
patient information co-ordinator and since
then has helped to improve the quality
and readability of the information that
patients receive – something which is
very important to them.
Moira said: “I have enjoyed all of
my different roles and have many fond
memories of working at KGH. I will
miss all my friends and colleagues but
hopefully I may come back to do some
part time work in the future.” Moira is
planning to take it easy for a while at her
home in Woodford with husband Pete
before considering her next moves.
PORTERING and transport manager
Mick Neal has retired from KGH after
39 years of dedicated service.
Mick, pictured here cutting his cake,
said his fond farewells to friends and
colleagues on August 7.
Mick had worked as a baker, shoe
repairer, and deep sea fisherman prior to
starting work for KGH in August 1975 as a
General Porter.
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November/December 2009
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as his father had been Head Porter at KGH
for many years.
He is currently enjoying his retirement and
spending time fishing in the local lakes and
holidaying abroad – and is particularly fond
of Greece, Cuba and the Caribbean.
We all hope Mick has a long and happy,
and well deserved, retirement.
He was then promoted in January 1987
to Deputy Head Porter and in April 1989 to
Acting Head Porter.
From October 1989 he became Portering
Services Manager, in May 1993 Portering
& Transport Services Manager and in June
1994 Deputy Hotel Services Manager before
finally becoming Portering & Transport
Manager.
Mick had followed in his father’s footsteps
November/December 2009
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Why join KGH’s Foundation Trust
Membership?
AS a member you will be invited to
attend various Health Awareness
Seminars over the year, at these event
members have the opportunity to meet
with specialist in a specific area.
This year we have held several events over
the year and had over 300 members attend
these events.
As well as the chance to attend our
Health Awareness seminars, there is also the
opportunity to join the various focus groups
around the Trust, departments are always keen
to here from members of the public regarding
new developments or initiatives.
Members also:
l
Receive a bi-monthly
newsletter, featuring
hospital news and
members’ information.
l
Stand for election and
become part of the
Council of Members.
So don’t delay, have your
say and join up today!!
Cardiac Investigations & Respiratory Diseases Health Seminar
March 2009
Sign up Friends and Family – let’s make KGH the one to choose!
At KGH we want the support from our community and we have set ourselves the
challenge of getting our public membership up to 5,000 members by March 2010.
We have over 3,500 public members and 3,000
staff members so if each of these members
signed up just one family members or a friend
we would have doubled our target!
It is important to us to have as many members
as possible. That way we will better reflect the
needs of local people, our patients and staff.
One of the main features of a Foundation Trust
is its membership. This enables people to get
involved in determining what KGH does,
how and when it does it - providing KGH
with new and innovative ways of engaging
with local communities.
Membership costs nothing and you can
be involved as much or as little as you
want. It is possible to be a Member of more
than one Foundation Trust in your local
area – you don’t have to choose just one.
To become a member
you must:
l
l
Be 16 or over.
Live in one of the
areas we serve (for
clarification please call
Christine Harrison on
01536 492169)
Join us and support YOUR local hospital. Simply fill in the application form and post it back to us.
For more information visit www.kgh.nhs.uk/for-members/
KGH Membership Form
Support your local hospital by becoming a KGH Member by simply filling in this form & posting it to us (for free)
Title:
Ethnicity:
Full Name:
Gender:
Address:
Do you consider yourself disabled?
Female
Male
Yes
No
I would prefer that my name was kept off the Members’
Public Register
Postcode:
Telephone:
I declare that I am over 16 years old & would like to become a member
of Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Email:
Preferred Method of Communication? Post
Date of Birth:
Email
Signature:
Date:
Please post to: FREEPOST Plus RRHA-UHCL-YJJG Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Rothwell Road, Kettering, Northants, NN16 8UZ.
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