Meet the concierge team

June 2013 7 / Health secretary visits emergency department 3 / C.diff blitz 4&5 / Meet the concierge team Inside Story_June.indd 1 12/06/2013 11:55:...
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June 2013

7 / Health secretary visits emergency department 3 / C.diff blitz 4&5 / Meet the concierge team Inside Story_June.indd 1

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News

From Leonard with love

Meet the Team Produced and designed by: The Communications department Front cover photo: L to r: Dr Jonathan Fielden, medical director for the Medicine Board; Amanda Webb, Emergency Department matron; Jeremy Hunt, health secretary and Sir Robert Naylor, UCLH chief executive. For more information see page seven Inside Story magazine is published by UCLH (University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) for our staff

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

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From his hospital bed high up in the University College Hospital tower, cancer patient Leonard Cockman created an unusual legacy for staff and fellow patients: nearly 1,000 drawings spanning all the colours of the rainbow. In the last few months of life his artistic talent was unleashed on an industrial scale, compelling him to create a vivid, child-like view of a world populated with cars, lorries, trucks and buses. Leonard, who had learning difficulties, had not drawn since he was a young boy and was inspired by memories of his childhood and love of vehicles throughout his life. Nursing and clinical staff on T16 and T14 were among those who encouraged him to pursue his new-found passion. As his physical strength waned, his creativity grew. “The colours make me feel great …and it keeps me out of mischief,” he told them. “I’ve always found cars and lorries interesting.” Ward sister Michelle Hope who still has one of his drawings on her office notice-

board, said: “Once he got quite stressed when his felt tips ran dry so we rushed out to buy him some more. It helped him relax.” Occupational therapist Gemma Lindsell described Leonard as a ‘kind and gentle’ man who was an inspiration to everyone who met him. He became a ‘bit of a legend’ added cancer services outpatient coordinator Richard Doran. Dr Lizzie Burns, research arts therapist at the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre, said: “When he woke up he would reach for the pens and draw for hours and hours until late in the evening. He looked so happy and content when drawing.” Several doctors and nurses accompanied Leonard and his siblings to the Cancer Centre where he proudly showed them a selection of his artwork which had been put on display. He died shortly afterwards, aged 67, in a hospice near his Hertfordshire home. Some of Leonard’s art remains on display on the lower ground floor of the Cancer Centre.

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Managing flow – ward snapshot The results of UCLH’s second annual ward snapshot revealed significant improvements are being made in ward rounds with senior medical staff and that the number of patients delayed due to discharge medication has fallen. Earlier this spring each patient on every ward (other than mums using maternity services) was surveyed to understand where they are in their care pathway and what, if anything, was holding them up. Tara Donnelly, director for QEP, said: “This work is really important to us in our ambition that no patient will be held up in their recovery and to become as world class in our management of care pathways and processes as we are in many other areas. Having a comprehensive understanding of what our patients are waiting for is key.” The proportion of patients reviewed on a ward round before noon has improved markedly, 62 per cent of patients were seen by a senior doctor by noon (compared to 44 per cent last year) and virtually all ward rounds had a very senior medical presence with a consultant or registrar, including at weekends. The snapshot did reveal areas that still need attention including: increasing the proportion of nurses discharging patients; better accuracy when predicting days of discharge; knowing where patients are in terms of real time bed state on EPR; and driving care through pathways.

Word on the Tweet... Follow us: @uclh @LineOne_Films: @iwonagruca1 Mornin’ babe. Yeh I had full organ failure 2 years ago and @uclh saved my life. Fantastic people, owe them everything xx ‫@‏‬cmoMD: @uclh pedometer challenge already changing behaviours – clinical board PAs having first walking meeting – @muirgray wld approve

Staff nurse Vania Barbosa and Fiona Kenyan, QEP programme manager

How to beat C.diff All of us must step up our efforts against clostridium difficile (C.diff) following an increase in cases last month. Please remember: >> C lean hands with warm soap and water before and after contact with patients. Alcohol gel is not sufficient >> Clinical staff should ensure patients clean their hands after going to the toilet and before meals >> Swiftly identify diarrhoea cases and isolate patients within two hours >> Be aware of the type and duration of antibiotic use and challenge a decision if you consider it inappropriate

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>> S witch from IV to oral antibiotics or stop as early as clinically possible >> Nurses should clean near patient equipment with a new type of sporicidal wipe >> Domestics should clean the bed area at least once a day or as directed by nursing staff – work closely with IFM colleagues and team members to ensure a scrupulously clean environment. >> Inform patients promptly if they are diagnosed with C.diff. For more information contact the Infection Control team on ext 79716 or see the Insight infection control pages.

@NayNeiland: @uclh @lauradowling198 @ MacmillanLondon Proud our cancer centre won volunteering organisation of the year a year since opening! @paulstpancras: Many thanks to the day surgery team @UCLH A swift, painless, removal of my IVC filter by a pleasant and friendly staff #NHS at its best @Jeremy_Hunt: Thanks to UCLH for a great visit. Particular thanks to Linda on reception and healthcare assistant Daniel for showing me the ropes @johns_tracey: @uclh @rcn thanks to Sister Majors and other ‘dragons’ who trained us to deliver compassionate nursing care #internationalnursesday

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Running head

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Spotlight

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Problem? No problem! Julia Peart, Sofia Hassan and Jahangir Sadri are nothing short of miracle workers in the eyes of ward sisters across UCLH. A door off its hinges, faulty buzzers, computer glitches and administrative hitches: all it takes is a quick phone call or a word in their ear and the new concierge team roll up their sleeves and get cracking Ward sister Elizabeth John is happy. “I called trying to get our leaking showers fixed, but with one thing or another it didn’t happen. The water would seep under the door and we were continually mopping up.” Then she spoke to the concierge team. “Look! All fixed within two weeks – wonderful!” she said, showing off the refurbished cubicles in the Albany rehab unit at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. Trudy Stewart on the Bernard Sunley ward had been grappling with a shortage of telephones. “I desperately needed a few extra. I spoke to the concierge team who worked with the Telecoms team on my behalf and a couple of days later I had the phones.” “Fantastic!” Trying to juggle a myriad of things alongside running a ward, takes precious time and patience. Time that could be better spent on caring for patients and leading the ward team as a visible clinical leader. The concierge team are the outcome of many months of planning by representatives working in five corporate areas (Finance, Estates and Facilities, ICT, Workforce and Procurement). As part of a new Liberating Sisters to Lead project, their task was to support UCLH’s vision to put ward sisters at the heart of patient care.

It is not just a quick fix either. Led by Jacki Parker, project manager, and concierge manager Natalie Howard, it will identify common bottlenecks and help instigate longer-term changes and service improvements – for the benefit of everyone at UCLH. The Liberating Sisters to Lead project is funded by the Health Foundation. Concierge Julia, who worked in the UCLH finance department for five years, said: “Some of the problems may appear relatively minor but, if unresolved, there could well be an impact three steps down the line. With other problems, staff may be unclear on how to start solving them. We have the time and continuity to make the calls, to proactively follow the processes involved and see it through from beginning to end.” Jeremy Over, project lead and head of workforce, hopes the project will have farreaching effects. He said: “As well as releasing more time for ward sisters, the data collected by the concierge team will provide corporate services teams with the type of detailed information which has not been gathered before. This will show us where we can make the most significant improvements and make sure that they are sustainable for the future, which will be for the benefit of everyone across UCLH who depend on us.”

“We have the time and continuity to make the calls, to proactively follow the processes involved and see it through from beginning to end.”

Sofia Hassan, Jahangir Sadri and Julia Peart

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6 In the know

60-seconds with... Mark Gatiss Actor, screenwriter and novelist Mark Gatiss was recently in Gower Street on the door step of UCLH headquarters filming the next installment of BBC1 hit series Sherlock. As an actor you’ve appeared in several programmes that you co-wrote. Which do you prefer – acting or writing – and why? I’ve been blessed to be allowed to do both things for many years and wouldn’t like to choose between the two! When things balance well, I get to do a sustained piece of acting work (on TV or the theatre) after a long period of writing. Writing can be quite a lonely profession so it’s lovely to go back into the more sociable atmosphere of a TV set or a play. Apart from Sherlock, who is your favourite detective on TV or in books? I’ve a soft spot for Poirot and have written three of the TV adaptations. I read tons of Agatha Christie when I was on sunny holidays with my parents. I can remember the exciting allure of those paperbacks with their scary covers and yellow pages. Christie had a genius for clever plots. Speedy’s Café opposite University College Hospital is featured regularly in Sherlock – what would be your perfect breakfast? It’s usually cereal or porridge but my guilty pleasure is a good bacon sandwich with HP sauce. Ever been inside one of our hospitals? Yes, to visit a friend who was having twins. I couldn’t believe people are allowed to sit on the bed now. My Auntie Sheila was a nurse all her working life and would’ve been horrified!

New malaria test kit boosts elimination efforts A new malaria test kit designed by scientists at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD) could make a dramatic difference in tackling the disease in the UK and across the world. The highly sensitive blood test quickly detects even the lowest levels of malaria parasites in the body, according to new research published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The simple LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) test can be performed by a nonspecialist health worker and does not need refrigerating like other tests. It requires a sample of blood to be processed and placed in a test tube with a dried reaction mixture, then heated. If the malariacausing Plasmodium parasites are present, the reaction causes the tube to glow green. The whole process takes less than an hour. The research, led by the HTD and the London School of Hygiene and

Tropical Medicine found the test had a greater sensitivity compared to methods in London laboratories that deal with imported cases of malaria to the UK, and to diagnostic methods used in the field in Uganda, where malaria is a leading cause of illness and death. Dr Colin Sutherland, clinical scientist at the HTD said: “The speed of diagnosis can make the difference between an uncomplicated episode of malaria that rapidly responds to treatment, and progression to severe disease, organ failure and heightened risk of death. It could also save the NHS a significant amount of money from having to treat the complications of malaria.” Researchers have also started using LAMP in Africa as a new tool for identifying ‘hot spots’ of malaria infections which can be mopped up quickly through a combination of drug treatment, house spraying and distribution of bed-nets.

[Ed: your Auntie Sheila had a point! Visitors should be discouraged from sitting on beds!] You’ve been quoted as saying that you are attracted to the macabre – what keeps you awake at night? Too much tea. I’m not scared of the dark. Only what’s in it. If you could change one bit of your body – what would it be and why? Is that an offer? I get my nose from my Irish grandfather. I’ve never liked it though some people do. Basil Rathbone does say, however, in one of his Holmes films that ‘prominent men have prominent noses’! Anopheles gambiae, the African mosquito that transmits malaria

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In the know

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Staff art exhibition Feeling arty? There’s still time to submit your creations for this year’s staff art exhibition. It is held from 1 August to 11 September in the Street Gallery at University College Hospital. The deadline for submissions is 15 July and successful entries will be selected by the Arts Committee. Entry forms are available on Insight. This year UCLH Charity is offering three prizes of £100, £70 and £50 of John Lewis vouchers. Entrants will be judged by the UCLH chairman Richard Murley and arts curator Guy Noble at a private viewing. This year’s submissions include photographic portraits taken by volunteer therapist Voichita Judele during her travels in India.

Pain day survey success David Wherrett, workforce director (pictured with patient Sean Josh Jermy), was one of 50 UCLH volunteers who asked inpatients about their experience of pain during a survey last month. Over 380 patients took part in the project which aims to improve the experience of patients who are in pain. The day not only produced a raft of vital information that will inform next steps for the project, it also gave staff from non-patient facing areas a chance to experience life on the wards. Lisa Godfrey, programme lead for the Making a Difference Together team which led the survey, said: “We

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had almost 50 volunteer surveyors made up of staff from across many areas – divisional staff, nursing, IT, performance, telecoms and estates to name a few. Our volunteers really enjoyed the experience and found it very insightful and rewarding.” The data collected is now being crunched – and amongst the replies were some glowing tributes to our nursing staff.

Health secretary on the frontline Health secretary Jeremy Hunt visited UCLH to experience a ‘hands on’ shift in the Emergency Department (see front cover). During his work on the frontline at University College Hospital, the health secretary worked with nursing assistant Daniel Slinn in resus and the Urgent Treatment Centre and admin supervisor Linda Fordjuor on reception. Mr Hunt said: “I was struck by the dedication and commitment of all of the staff I met.” The visit came in the same month that UCLH submitted plans to Camden Council to expand the department. Since the hospital opened in 2005, demand for emergency services at University College Hospital has doubled, a trend consistent with emergency departments across the NHS.

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8 Inside out

Secret lives

Daniel Humphreys is living proof that one person’s trash is another’s treasure. Do you have a pair of brown flares, purple platforms, ra-ra skirt, or slightly dodgy cardi knitted by your auntie in the back of your wardrobe? Well, for someone, somewhere it could be the height of sartorial elegance. Unloved DVDs, paperbacks, a battered (but perfectly good) kettle, a belt that’s too tight: just what someone’s been looking for! Welcome to the world of the swapaholics – a perfect antidote to a consumerist society with a disposable, throwaway, easy-come-easy-go attitude to goods.

“In a world that is constantly telling you to spend, spend, spend we promote and encourage people to reuse, recycle and upcycle. Swapping is tons of fun!” said Daniel who works for desktop support at Maple House. He and other like-minded people organise events around London where community members can swap items. “People bring and swap an eclectic mix of stuff. It makes more sense than just chucking it away. As well as vintage items of clothing we get the odd Armani designer suit or pair of Jimmy Choo shoes. You bring your items to swap, pay £5 at the door and then rummage around and walk away with the same

number of items. It’s a way of getting rid of stuff you don’t like and getting more stuff that you do.” The venues include art galleries, bars, community centres in funky, upand-coming areas of town and often include live acoustic music and display stands too. The organisers estimate that one billion items of clothing are sent to landfill each year (that’s 114,000 items every hour). In times of recession and growing eco-awareness, Daniel believes swapaholics is a habit worth getting hooked on. To find out more about future events visit www.swapaholicsuk.com

Archive In 1909 The Middlesex Hospital Rugby team went on tour – it was a challenging year and ended with the team losing in the final to Guy’s. The Middlesex lost one of their best players Gabe (who sadly would go on to die in World War One) early on in the game with a dislocated shoulder and were no match for Guy’s. The final score was 0-21.

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