1. TALKING
POINT October
2014
– think beyond you
Julie Ann Harrison,
Ward manager
Jamie Goldswain,
Healthcare assistant
Paul Clarke,
Clinical lecturer
We know that influenza is dangerous,
highly contagious and largely
preventable. We could carry and pass
on the virus to others without having
any symptoms ourselves, so even
though we consider ourselves
healthy, we might be risking the lives
of others.
Protect yourself, your family,
colleagues and patients
– be a flu fighter, get your flu jab.
Think
of
FLU
Flu
kills
2. 2
KIDNEY disease affects a huge number of
people in the UK. It can affect people at any
age and has many different causes.
The trust’s living kidney donor team of dedicated
doctors and nurses help prepare patients for donation
and transplantation. Ralph and June’s story is
testament that age is no barrier to donation.
If you have a friend or relative affected by kidney
disease and would like to know more about living
kidney donation please contact Alison Callaway,
transplant specialist nurse on 01642 854732, extension
54732 JCUH. The NHS website www.organdonation.
nhs.uk gives more information and patient stories.
Gift of life - kidney donation
Staff nurse Claire Milner and healthcare assistant
Siobhan Doherty with June and Ralph on the renal
day unit at James Cook
June Henderson had been aware for some years
her kidney function was not as good as it should
be. She had been having six monthly checks and
the condition did not interfere too much with her
very active lifestyle.
After a hip replacement operation her kidney
function was deteriorating steadily and signs
of arthritis increasing. The next course of action
peritoneal dialysis started in September 2013.
Husband Ralph tells Talking Point their story:
“We met with Alison to find out if a kidney
transplant was a possible solution and initial blood
tests were arranged. The results were good and
after further blood tests during October we were
pleased to learn we were a good enough match
for transplantation.
“We both were examined to determine our
general health was good enough to cope with the
operation and my renal consultant, Dr Caroline
Wroe, kept me informed as to progress, which
looked good.
“We had our first visit to the Freeman Hospital
in November and met Professor David Talbot,
consultant transplant surgeon. At this time I was
two weeks short of my 75th birthday and June
was 77. He assured us age was not a problem as
long as we were as fit as we seemed to be.
“Further tests were arranged for June during
December including the ‘bike test’ which she
was dreading. Postponed until February due to
illness - June declared herself better on a bike than
walking and passed
with flying colours.
Dr Wroe explained
the results of earlier
tests - which
all seemed
satisfactory
and about this
time I met Mr
Naeem Soomro
consultant
urologist from
the Freeman
Hospital who explained the operation, the things
which could possibly go wrong and the statistics
relating to this operation. He arranged for fitness
tests for me which went very well.
“Then came a period when nothing seemed to
be happening until we were both called to James
Cook in March to meet with an independent
assessor - a legal requirement to ensure I was
under no duress or financial incentive to donate
my kidney to my wife of 57 years! Also to inform
me that I was at liberty to change my mind at
any time.
“We were back with Alison for final bloods
before the transplant was scheduled to take
place on 21 May. Due to my high temperature
on the day it was decided not to proceed and we
were sent home.
“The operation was rescheduled for
Thursday 26 June and this time all went well.
On Friday morning various tubes bags and
bottles were removed and off I went to see
how June had fared.
“She was not immediately as mobile as me as her
operation had been more intensive and she still
had tubes bags and bottles connected. All the staff
assured us it had been a great success and her new
kidney was working well. When I left after three
days she was up and about and had all her tubes
removed and was feeling better.
“In spite of the set-backs I don’t think we waited
overly long. The benefits for June have been
dramatic. Her new kidney worked immediately.
She was home on day nine and found she
was more mobile and able to walk up and
down stairs without the pain she had recently
suffered. She no longer got out of breath and
her cough disappeared.
“Friends and family remark on how well she
looks. She feels as though we now have a chance
to get our life back. I don’t feel bad either! We’ll
be forever grateful to the first class care and
concern of the medical staff at the Freeman and
James Cook.”
Ralph and June’s story
Age no
barrier:
June and
Ralph
Octagon Marketing
Company Ltd
specialise in gaining
advertising support
for magazines so
Talking Point is now
produced, packaged,
distributed and
delivered at a
minimal cost to
the trust.
Talking
Point
is your
magazine
and it is
only as
good as you
make it.
It is produced
quarterly in January,
April, July and
October each year.
Ideas and stories
or suggestions to
make Talking Point
even better are
always welcome.
Please send your
ideas to:
The editor - Lesley
Connor, Public
relations, South
Tees Hospitals
NHS Foundation
Trust, The James
Cook University
Hospital, The
Murray Building,
Marton Road,
MIDDLESBROUGH
TS4 3BW
Extension: 55900
Email: lesley.
connor@stees.nhs.uk
You can also contact
the public relations
team on 01642
854343, extension
54343, James Cook
or email public.
relations@stees.
nhs.uk
Talking Point
is written and
illustrated by the
public relations team
and designed by
Octagon Marketing
Company Ltd.
3. EVERYONE at the trust is being urged to
join the fight against flu this winter with
the start of the flu campaign.
Flu vaccination stations are available for staff to
access the vaccine and emphasis is on the first two
weeks so we get off to a good start.
While frontline health workers will be given
priority, everyone at the trust – including volunteers
and students – will be encouraged to have the flu
vaccine to ensure they are protected before the
winter season.
Occupational health nurses will be vaccinating
frontline healthcare workers and their support staff
this month and the vaccination will also be given
by vaccinators at ward or department level, in
central staff areas and in community settings with
flu clinics.
Pam McCourt, occupational health manager said:
“We hope staff will take the opportunity to be
vaccinated early in the campaign as it takes 10 to
14 days to develop your body’s immunity to flu.”
Chief executive, Professor Tricia Hart, said: “As an
organisation we do have a duty to ensure all of
our staff and volunteers, who have a direct role in
caring for patients, are offered this vaccination.
“By getting it, not only are you protecting yourself
but also your families, your patients and the NHS
services you provide.”
Staff are reminded the vaccine does not carry any
‘live’ virus, which means it cannot give you the flu
and while some people may experience mild fever
up to 48 hours after having the jab as their immune
system responds to the vaccine, this is not flu.
Last year we achieved 74.6% against a target of
75% and we continue to achieve improved uptake
year on year at the trust.
Think of flu – think beyond you
3
To commend the trust’s
achievement in increasing staff flu
vaccination uptake, the flu team
were winners in the Star Awards in
the partnership category, and were
finalists in the NHS Employers Flu
Fighter Awards in the best Flu
Fighter team category. Trust staff
have also been photographed
for this year’s national flu fighter
poster campaign.
So let’s take the challenge and
increase the trust uptake even
more this year.
If staff have any questions or
queries about the flu vaccination
or where you can get it,
contact the occupational health
department on extension 52482 at
James Cook.
What is seasonal flu?
1. Seasonal flu is a highly infectious
and very common viral illness
2. It is spread through coughs
and sneezes
3. Symptoms can make you feel so
exhausted and unwell you cannot
get out of bed
4. You can pass on the virus a day
before and up to six days after the
symptoms start
5. 15 to 20 per cent of the
population contract flu every year
6. You can carry and pass on
the virus without noticing
the symptoms yourself Fact
file
4. CONGRATULATIONS to Dr
Kumar Das who has been
awarded an MBE in the Queen’s
Birthday Honours.
Dr Das, associate specialist in orthopaedics
at the Friarage, came to Northallerton as a
registrar in 1985 and has worked in trauma
and orthopaedic surgery at the hospital
for 29 years. He brought new surgical
techniques for trauma patients to the
Friarage in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
His many achievements include introducing
a surgical procedure - close interlocking
nail - where a fracture is nailed together
allowing patients to be up and mobile
much sooner, within days. He also raised
£9,000 in six weeks to buy the medical
equipment required.
Dr Das, who will be going to Buckingham
Palace in November, said: ”I am delighted
and incredibly humbled to have been given
this honour. It warms my heart to receive it
and I can’t really believe it.
“I am just doing the job I love, to the best
of my ability and I am very lucky to work
with the most fantastic people at the
Friarage and at a very good hospital trust.”
MBE honour for
pioneering Dr Das
Rear Admiral pays a visit
THE TRUST was delighted to
welcome surgeon Rear Admiral
Callum McArthur, Commander
Joint Medical Command,
Medical Director General (Naval)
and Chief Naval Medical Officer
- on a visit to James Cook.
Rear Admiral McArthur is a general
practitioner and GP trainer, submarine
qualified and commando trained and
has served in shore establishments in
the UK and abroad, in submarines and
with the surface fleet.
On his tour of the hospital he visited
wards 1,6,15,35,37 and accident
and emergency (AE) taking the
opportunity to speak to military staff
working at the hospital and receiving
an update on the Ministry of Defence
Hospital Unit’s (MDHU) current and
future plans. He also met with trust
chief executive professor Tricia Hart.
Professor Hart said: “Our partnership
with the military is very important to us
and it is important for us to continue
to develop this. We hope Rear Admiral
McArthur enjoyed his visit and gained a
greater insight into the way the military
works with the trust.”
Pat slows
it down
after
46 years
PAT Dixon began her
nursing career in 1968 as a
nursing cadet in York and
46 years later she steps out
of full-time employment
to enjoy more time in her
garden and relaxing
on cruises.
Pat’s career progressed and she
became an e grade staff nurse
in 1993 – the same year she was
elected a union rep for the RCN.
In 2001, Pat relocated and came to
work in Middlesbrough, joining the
accident and emergency team at the
town’s General Hospital.
Renowned for her sense of
humour, Pat was surprised when
her colleagues said they had
got her a greenhouse and was
highly amused to receive one –
monopoly sized!
Susan Murphy, AE sister said at
Pat’s retirement lunch: “Pat will
be missed in AE, especially in
see and treat, and although she’s
leaving us, she will be working at
the Friarage one day a week and
continue her union duties. So this
is adios, not goodbye. Once again
thank you Pat and we wish you all
the best.”
4
Pat and her ‘green house’
5. THE TRUST has teamed up with Macmillan to review and
improve every step of a cancer patient’s journey.
Funded by Macmillan until autumn 2015, the integration of cancer care
project takes a close look at existing services and how patients move
through the healthcare system, covering everything from diagnosis to
recovery support and end of life care.
The project involves working closely with primary care, community
health services, social services and the third sector as well as patients
and their carers.
Recommendations will be made to help transform services with an
emphasis placed on improving patient experience, patient information,
communication between services, staff training, standardisation of care
and providing care closer to home.
“It’s about working together to ensure the right person provides the
right care at the right time and that the standard of care provided
is what we want for ourselves, our friends and family and the local
population,” said project manager Carol Taylor.
The development was one of many celebrated at the trust’s
annual cancer conference at James Cook. Other key achievements
highlighted were:
• The Trinity Holistic Centre has expanded its services – the centre has
traditionally supported people under the care of specialist cancer
consultants (oncologists). Now anyone with cancer who is under the
care of any consultant at the trust can use the centre. The centre has
also expanded to include a bedside service for inpatients along with a
number of wellbeing projects designed to support patients and carers.
• Lung cancer patients can now have their tumours removed using
keyhole surgery. The specialist procedure, known as a VATS (video-
assisted thoracic surgery) lobectomy, is much less invasive than
traditional surgery so it can be offered to elderly patients who may
previously have been deemed not fit enough for surgery.
• A new state-of-the-art radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients has
been introduced called stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR).
SABR uses the latest developments in radiotherapy technology from
Elekta to deliver very high doses of radiation to tumours in the chest
with millimetre precision. By maximising the dose to the tumour, the
risk of damaging surrounding normal tissues is minimised, increasing
cure rates for patients as well as reducing side effects. Treatment times
for some patients undergoing radiotherapy have also been reduced by
up to a fifth.
The annual cancer conference featured updates from national and
local speakers on what’s new in cancer services. These included
Professor Sir John Burn, Professor of clinical genetics (cancer genetics
- the future), Professor Greg Rubin, Professor of general practice and
primary care (primary care referral pathways), Sean Duffy, national
clinical director for cancer NHS England, (cancer 2014 and beyond) and
Macmillan GP Dr Jonathan Berry (clinical commissioning group service
developments in Middlesbrough).
Louise Shutt, cancer services manager said: “We are proud to offer some
of the most advanced cancer treatments in Europe.
“But we are continuously working on new developments, pathways and
techniques to keep us at the leading edge of cancer care and ensure our
patients receive the very best care and support throughout every step of
their journey.”
5
The future of cancer
services on Teesside
Liz beats
cancer twice!
ASSISTANT head teacher Liz Shaller is
urging people to get any symptoms
checked out as early as possible after
beating cancer not once, but twice.
Mrs Shaller was first diagnosed with cancer 10
years ago when an unrelated scan revealed a
tumour on her left kidney.
The kidney was removed along with the
tumour, which had grown to the size of an
orange. Luckily the cancer had not spread as it
had been discovered at such an early stage.
“I survived cancer and I thought that’s it for
me. I had had my cancer,” said Mrs Shaller,
who lives in Middlesbrough.
“But then last year all of my holiday plans
went out of the window when they found a
cyst on my ovary.
“The cyst turned out to be a tumour which
grew to the size of a rugby ball and attached
itself to the ureter of my remaining kidney.
“I just thought I was going to die, but they
removed the tumour and tests revealed it was
still at an early stage and had not spread - I
was very lucky.”
Mrs Shaller agreed to share her story at South
Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s annual
cancer conference where she urged everyone
to attend cancer screening appointments and
get any symptoms checked out by their GP.
“It’s all about early screening,” she said. “If
you get it caught early enough they can
cure you.”
Mrs Shaller, who works at Ingleby Mill
Primary School, said she could not fault the
service she received both from James Cook
and from her GP practice, Cambridge Medical
Group in Linthorpe.
“It was second to none in all areas. The
surgeons and the gynaecology cancer nurses
were incredible and you could ring the nurses
or the chemotherapy ward at any time day or
night and they would just put your mind at
rest. The Macmillan volunteers and the holistic
centre were fantastic too.”
Liz
Shaller has
beaten
cancer
twice
CASE
STUDY
6. 6
THE TRUST is taking part in an
England-wide pilot that aims
to identify heart problems in
people with diabetes.
It will see people who have developed
a foot ulcer because of diabetes
receive an electrocardiogram (ECG) to
check for problems with their heart.
Around 50% of people with diabetes
who develop a foot ulcer die within
five years and many of these deaths
are attributable to heart problems.
The pilot aims to identify these
problems earlier and take action to
manage them. The pilot is being run
by NHS Improving Quality’s Living
Longer Lives programme, which
aims to stop people dying too soon
from illness or disease that could be
prevented or treated.
Heart problems are commonly seen
in people with diabetic foot ulcers
for two main reasons. Firstly, diabetes
causes narrowing of the blood vessels
and damage to the body’s nerves.
This narrowing of the blood vessels
and nerve damage occur in the feet,
causing foot ulcers, but also in the
heart, reducing the blood supply
and altering the electrical signals.
Therefore a foot ulcer may also signal
heart damage.
Secondly, some of the medication
given to treat diabetic foot disease
may alter electrical activity in the
heart. Carrying out a quick and
non-invasive ECG helps doctors
identify those patients who either
need to have changes made to
their medication or who need to
be referred to a cardiologist for
further investigation.
It is hoped that the pilot will show that
ECGs for patients with diabetic foot
ulcer can help to prevent early death
and that hospitals across England will
begin to implement this approach.
Dr Simon Ashwell, diabetes consultant
said: “Carrying out a simple ECG on a
patient who has developed a diabetic
foot ulcer is a quick and easy way for
us to know if they are at risk of early
death. If doctors know about these
problems it is possible to treat them
and ultimately save lives.
“I’m very pleased we are taking part
in this important pilot and keen to
see the impact the ECGs have on our
patients’ health.”
The results of the pilot will be
collected and analysed in July 2015,
prior to the publication of the
findings in a final report.
Trust takes part in
innovative pilot
MOST people would want to
put their feet up and take it easy
after their 90th birthday – but not
Mabel McGurk.
Mabel has been a volunteer at James
Cook since the Macmillan cancer
support and information centre first
opened its doors in 2006.
The great grandmother spends one
day a week supporting cancer patients
as they undergo treatment at the
Middlesbrough hospital.
“Some people might want to take it easy
but not me,” said Mabel. “I enjoy seeing
the patients and talking to them all.
“It’s very rewarding work and it makes
me realise how fortunate I am to have
my health. I will keep volunteering for as
long as I am able to and as long as they
will have me.”
Patients from the chemotherapy unit
surprised her with a huge pile of
gifts to mark her 90th birthday and
fellow volunteers arranged a special
celebration event.
Cancer lead nurse Nicky Hand said
the trust is indebted to Mabel for her
contribution to cancer care.
Anyone interested in becoming a
Macmillan volunteer can contact the
Macmillan cancer support and information
centre on 01642 835674.
STAFF nurse Sue Lane has
retired after 41 years dedicated
service to the NHS - 28 working
in the endoscopy directorate
part of the trust’s integrated
medical centre.
Sue started her career in endoscopy
as a state enrolled nurse at
Middlesbrough General and is now
one of the trust’s lead endoscopy
pre-assessment nurses. Over the
years she has become an essential
step in the patient pathway,
ensuring patients receive the
appropriate advice and preparation
before their endoscopic procedure.
She plans to enjoy her well-earned
retirement by spending more time
gardening and cake making and
taking time out at her caravan by
the coast.
Dr John Greenaway, consultant
gastroenterologist, who thinks Sue
should regularly supply the endoscopy
unit with beautiful cakes during her
retirement, said: “In some ways this is
a sad day for us because we are losing
a valuable member of the team.
“We congratulate Sue on her long and
rewarding nursing career and thank
her for the many years of service she
has contributed to endoscopy. We
wish her a fond farewell and the best
of luck for the future.”
Mabel’s still
volunteering at 90!
Sue’s planning to relax by the sea
Mabel receives her birthday flowers
from Macmillan development manager
Stephen Guy
Sue (centre) celebrates with her friends and colleagues at her retirement do
7. First procedure: (left to right) Dr Sathyamurthy and Dr Rehan Mustafa watch the
ultrasound screen while staff nurse Victoria Fawcett and healthcare assistant Lee
Hockney look after the patient during the first EBUS procedure at James Cook
A NEW procedure in the
early treatment of lung
cancer has been carried out
on a patient for the first time
at James Cook.
Lung cancer is a rapidly progressive
disease and therefore early
diagnosis and accurate treatment
is crucial to making the correct
course of action to increase patients’
survival chances. Each case has to be
individually assessed as to the most
appropriate treatment.
By the time patients are referred to
secondary care, over one third of
them already have cancer that has
spread to the lymph glands. Taking
samples of the enlarged lymph
glands is vital for deciding the best
way of treatment for patients with
lung cancer.
Conventionally samples of
these lymph glands were
taken by a surgical procedure
(mediastinoscopy) which involves
a general anaesthetic. The patient
would have to recover, usually
including a couple of days stay in
hospital and be left with a scar from
the incision close to their windpipe.
With the advent of endobronchial
ultrasound (EBUS) these nodes can
be sampled by doing a camera
test under light sedation as a day
case procedure and patients can
be discharged home the same day,
within a couple of hours of having
the procedure.
NICE guidance on the diagnosis,
staging and treatment of lung cancer
(April 2011) highlights that one of the
key priorities for cancer services is to
offer EBUS as the first choice test for
patients who are potentially suitable
for curative treatment.
The trust started their EBUS service
earlier this month. Up until recently
South Tees patients were referred to
University of North Tees Hospital for
this procedure.
Dr Rehan Mustafa, respiratory
physician, who carried out the
first procedure at James Cook
with his colleague Dr Ramamurthy
Sathyamurthy, said: “Having a local
service at James Cook means that
our patients would not need to
travel to an unfamiliar hospital at a
potentially vulnerable time and we
anticipate that doing the test locally
will considerably shorten the time to
diagnosis and treatment.
“The other main benefit for the
patient is the non-invasive nature of
the procedure. They can be in and
out within a few hours as opposed to
a hospital stay of several days.”
7
PAULA Adamson could not believe
her eyes when her therapist from
the Trinity Holistic Centre arranged
for her to meet her favourite band
members from Boyzone.
The private meet and greet at the
Emirates Durham International Cricket
Ground was arranged by complementary
therapist Caroline Chinn who was able
to contact the band’s manager through a
friend of a friend.
“It was amazing, I did not know anything
was going to happen,” said Paula, 46, of
Eston who was diagnosed with terminal
cancer in 2012.
“We went into a VIP suite and Keith and
Shane were there first and we had our
photos taken and they talked to us for
ages. When I said Ronan was my favourite
they went and got him too and then Mikey
turned up for a photo as well. I did not
know whether to cry, laugh or scream!
“Every time I think about it I smile. It’s
something I will never forget. It’s just
something you never expect to happen. I
had only known Caroline for four weeks
and she did all this for me. I can’t thank
her enough.”
Caroline added: “It was worth the effort just
to see her face, it was amazing!”
The Trinity Holistic Centre, based at James
Cook, provides practical and emotional
support and wellbeing projects to support
cancer patients and their carers. To find out
more visit southtees.nhs.uk/services/trinity-
holistic-centre.
Therapist makes
Paula’s day
Ultrasound
boost for lung
cancer patients
Paula and sister Nicola Rutherford
(right) meet Mikey Graham, Keith Duffy
and Ronan Keating. Also pictured are
complementary therapist Caroline Chinn
(second left) and head of complementary
therapy Kathryn Almond. Picture courtesy
of FY Photography
8. AS PART of the team setting
up the ‘any qualified provider’
podiatry service in Hambleton
and Richmondshire, senior
podiatrist, Mickala McFadden is
used to seeing a wide variety of
foot problems.
As a volunteer with the medical team
supporting the runners at the London
Marathon this year, Mickala experienced
a wide variety of conditions and the
unusual working conditions were a huge
challenge. She tells Talking Point about
her experience:
“I had to draw on all my sports medicine
knowledge and clinical experience,
putting it into practice in a fast paced,
high pressure environment.
“I was stationed at the finish line on The
Mall, working
in a team that
included doctors,
physiotherapists,
nurses, podiatrists
and members of the
St John Ambulance.
“As a podiatrist I was able
to use my skills to manage an interesting
range of conditions including suspected
toe fractures, cramp, bruises, partially
attached nails, knee pain and lots and
lots of blisters!
“Personally and professionally I gained a
great deal of experience and knowledge
from working in this setting and skills
which I can transfer to my day to day
working in the trust for the benefit
of patients. I’ve also been inspired to
encourage other clinicians to volunteer
at similar events.”
8
Feet first
Redcar MP discovers vital role of eye clinic officers
Mickala and fellow volunteer podiatrist
Bethany Jones from Cardiff
REDCAR MP Ian Swales paid
a visit to eye outpatients at
James Cook to learn more
about the vital role eye
clinic liaison officers play in
supporting people who have
recently been told that they
will lose their sight.
Mr Swales met eye clinic liaison officer
Cathie Burke and two patients who
have recently benefited from the service
at the Middlesbrough hospital.
Eye clinic liaison officers (ECLO) provide
practical and emotional support to
people who have been newly diagnosed
with an eye condition. People who may
have been living with sight loss for some
years can also visit them for extra help
and advice.
They can offer patients the time that
they need to discuss their eye condition
and diagnosis, and to learn about
practical help and solutions to help
them cope with the difficulties they face
due to sight loss.
The ECLO role at James Cook is funded
by Action for Blind People (part of the
Royal National Institute of Blind People)
in partnership with the trust.
Mr Swales said: “It is a service which
provides essential support to people
in Teesside who have been newly
diagnosed with sight loss and don’t
know where to turn.
“I have recently experienced a rare eye
condition myself and I am pleased to
know that services like this one are out
there with the appropriate support
and knowledge.”
Lucy Dixon, RNIB regional campaigns
officer for the North east, said: “Not
only are ECLOs vital when it comes
to providing emotional support
for people at a time which can be
extremely daunting, but they can also
offer important practical support such
as helping people to understand the
process of becoming registered for their
sight loss and transferring people to the
right social services departments.”
Cathie added: “A lot of people don’t
know what to ask for because they
don’t know what is available.
“No one should face sight loss alone.
Providing this service is fundamental
for people in Teesside, and ensures that
everyone who is affected by sight loss
has the opportunity to gain the support
they need in order to lead fulfilled and
meaningful lives.”
MP Ian Swales meets patients Peter Dobson and
Christine Lutkin from James Cook, ECLO Cathie Burke
and representatives from Action for Blind People
9. 9
FOLLOWING the campaign
highlighting the vital
importance of case note
tracking, Talking Point takes
you behind the scenes with the
health records service.
The service employs 122 staff across
both James Cook and the Friarage
hospitals who manage over one
million volumes of patient records.
The James Cook department
operates a 24 hour records service
while the Friarage hospital operates
Monday to Friday with an extended
evening and weekend service also.
The service is split into the
following teams:
Library management
Each month porters and secretaries
and others deliver 45,000 case notes
back to central file from all offices and
departments around the trust. Deliveries
are constant throughout the day and
library staff - including two overnight
workers at James Cook - aim to file
notes within 24 hours of delivery. Staff
in this team also pack and transfer any
notes that have to be filed back at the
secondary storage unit, based off site.
The staff ensure every set of those notes
gets re-tracked on the information
system, CaMIS, to indicate where the
notes are being sent. James Cook has
four deliveries and collections per day
Monday to Friday while the Friarage
Hospital receives three deliveries a week
from the unit.
Emergency and
elective admissions
The library team work very closely with
James Cook’s emergency admissions
office who send information to staff
when any patient is being admitted as
an emergency. Staff work on locating
the patient notes for the admitting
ward. Around 4,100 sets of notes
are sent out to wards for emergency
admissions each month.
Clinic preparation
The teams in this area locate and
provide case notes for large numbers
of outpatient clinics across the trust.
The staff are responsible for locating
and preparing all of the notes for each
clinic in advance of the clinic date and
send out over 29,000 sets of notes per
month for clinics - averaging a success
rate of 99.7%.
Health records quality
This team is responsible for recording
deceased information and change of
address on CaMIS. On average there
are 1,643 such notifications per month.
However, the team is hindered in their
work by having to correct details on the
CaMIS system that should have been
picked up when patients are admitted
to the wards or attend outpatient
clinics, such as current home address and
GP practice.
Outpatients
A large central referral management
and appointment booking team
manage clinics across the whole
trust. The staff book outpatient
appointments on CaMIS and manage
the clinic templates while also
responding to calls from patients who
want to enquire, cancel or change their
outpatient appointments. The staff are
also responsible for ensuring patients
referred for suspected cancer receive
a first outpatient appointment within
14 days. The whole team receives
around 9,500 telephone calls and 7,600
appointments are booked each month.
Patient access requests
At the Friarage, staff provide copies
of patient records as per the Data
Protection Act when patients/
representatives place a request. The
staff will obtain consultant permissions
for information to be released and
then they have the unenviable task of
copying what is being requested. These
staff work closely with the main patient
access hub team based in the legal
department at James Cook.
The future
The department is currently undergoing
a major service review and it is hoped
to make changes that will improve
service delivery and working conditions
for the staff.
Any staff, whose work involves using
case notes, would find it useful to
spend a few hours with the service
to understand further why tracking
is vital and what goes wrong if they
don’t use it.
For more details about the service,
contact Emma Dodsworth, health
records manager on extension 54789
JCUH or emma.dodsworth@stees.nhs.uk.
Health records service: more
than just a filing room
Library assistant Kelly Lewis retrieves the
requested records
Kakali Dastidar and Harriet Smith at work
in clinic preparation
Appointment staff booking patient
appointments
10. 10
A TEAM of hard-
working field sales
representatives
voluntarily mucked in
and got their hands
dirty by helping to
build a vegetable
garden in the grounds
of the Trinity Holistic
Centre at James Cook.
Complementing and
redeveloping parts of
the existing enclosed
garden area at the rear
of the building, the area
will improve facilities for
all patients, carers and
staff providing a more
functional and therapeutic
space and environment.
The vegetable garden is
the first part of an overall
gardening project, which
is being funded initially
by National Lottery
operator Camelot with
further contributions being
sought from other charity
organisations and individuals.
A number of targeted
projects are currently being
planned including one by
Macmillan specifically for
patients who are living with
and beyond cancer.
The ten-strong team of
Camelot employees helped
build flower and vegetable
beds, load the soil and
compost in and plant up
the vegetables all within a
day. They were assisted by
Stephen Bell, health and
safety adviser at the trust,
Gary Taylor, a joiner from
Carillion and one of the
centre’s volunteers, Ray
Wheatley, who developed
initial ideas and planned the
project with Stephen.
The gardening project
follows input from a wide
range of specialist personnel
within the hospital
and following research
guidelines carried out from
looking at similar projects
in the UK and abroad.
The research showed
very positive results on
both physical and mental
improvements from all of
the groups, whether either
simply sitting on a bench or
performing easy gardening
tasks, like seed planting,
weeding, and cultivating
flowers and plants.
Heather McLean, business
manager at the centre, said:
“We are very excited about
this project and can’t thank
‘Team Camelot’ enough for
their help in getting it up and
running. The development
of accessible gardening in
a supportive therapeutic
environment will be a great
benefit for our patients,
carers and staff.
“The final phase of the
project is the installing of
a sensory garden, which is
hoped will start before the
end of the summer. The
vegetable patches aim to
encourage healthy eating
and patients will be able to
replicate all activities safely at
home adding to their weekly
exercise and activity levels.”
Field sales team get hands
dirty for centre users
Popular consultant retires
Team Camelot, along with Stephen Bell and volunteer Ray
Wheatley, relax after completing the vegetable beds at the centre
CONSULTANT Mr David Smerdon has retired
after 27 years working for the ophthalmology
directorate part of the surgical services centre.
A specialist in corneal transplantation, Mr Smerdon started
work at the trust in 1987 and his many achievements include
being head of school and head tutor.
Mr Smerdon - pictured celebrating with colleagues and friends
at his leaving do - is hoping to enjoy more time with his family
during his retirement.
Mr Tim Dowd, consultant ophthalmologist said: “Mr Smerdon
has made a significant contribution to ophthalmology over
the years. He will be greatly missed by all his colleagues and
friends and the many patients he has helped. We wish him all
the very best for the future.”
“We are very
excited about
this project and
can’t thank
‘Team Camelot’
enough.”
11. FROM the beginning of October,
the way we provide children’s and
maternity services at the Friarage
Hospital will change.
From 1 October 2014, there will no longer
be an inpatient (overnight) children’s ward
at the Northallerton hospital. Instead a
short-stay paediatric assessment unit (SSPAU)
will operate which will only assess and treat
children who have been referred by their GP
or who have open access arrangements.
Any child who is likely to need an overnight
stay in hospital will be treated elsewhere
but planned day case surgery for children
will continue to be provided at the Friarage.
On 6 October, the Friarage maternity centre
– a midwifery-led unit – will officially open,
where women who have been assessed as
low risk can give birth.
Mums-to-be who have been assessed as
high risk (and need consultant-led obstetric
and neonatal services including the special
care baby unit) will now deliver at another
hospital of their choice such as The James
Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough
or Darlington Memorial Hospital.
The special care baby unit will also close
on Monday 6 October, although the unit
stopped taking patients from outside the
trust at the end of September.
As there will be no children’s doctors or
inpatient facilities in the Friarage overnight,
the hospital’s accident and emergency
department is no longer the right place to
bring children who are unwell, although
staff will continue to treat children with
minor injuries.
As is the case now, if a child is unwell and
needs medical attention there are a number
of options available such as ringing your GP,
NHS 111 (out-of-hours) or getting advice
from the local pharmacy. In an emergency,
if a child needs urgent and immediate
attention ring 999 and call an ambulance.
Dr Ruth Roberts, a consultant paediatrician
at the Friarage Hospital, said: “Our
philosophy in children’s services has, for
many years, been to keep children out of
hospital where possible.
“The main change is that children from
Hambleton and Richmondshire who
need an overnight stay in hospital will
now be treated at another hospital such
as James Cook or Darlington, or one
closer to their home.
“The rest of our services remain unchanged
and through the short-stay paediatric
assessment unit, our consultants and nursing
teams will provide assessment, care and
observation for children and young people
who are referred by their GP.
“We’re also working closely with the parents
of children with long-term conditions who
use our services frequently to explain how
this will impact on them.”
Head of midwifery and gynaecology Yvonne
Regan added: “These changes are being
made purely on the grounds of safety
and the future long-term sustainability of
services – the safety of our women and
babies has to be our number one priority.
“We’ve discussed the changes with all
pregnant women who were planning to
give birth at the Friarage and what it will
mean for them and we are now discussing
all the birth options available to women
who are pregnant.”
The changes do NOT affect any of the
following women and children’s services at
the Friarage Hospital:
• Outpatient gynaecology
• Inpatient gynaecology for elective surgery
• Children’s outpatients
• Children’s planned day surgery
• Outpatient antenatal clinics
• Early pregnancy services
• Community midwifery services
• Community paediatric nursing services
A dedicated section about the changes
has been set up the trust’s website and
includes downloadable materials such as
posters, factsheets and leaflets. For more
information visit www.southtees.nhs.uk/
hospitals/friarage/changes
Changes to the special care baby
unit and children’s and maternity
services at the Friarage Hospital
11
✁✁
• There will be no inpatient (overnight)
children’s facilities at the Friarage
Hospital but a short-stay paediatric
assessment unit (SSPAU) will be open
from 10am to 10pm.
• The SSPAU will assess and treat
children and young people referred
by their GP or who have open
access arrangements. As there will
be no inpatient care, children who
are very sick will be referred to the
nearest major centre for specialist
inpatient care.
• Children’s outpatient services, all
planned day surgery and community
paediatric nursing services at the
Friarage remain unchanged.
• The special care baby unit at the
Friarage Hospital will close.
• Pregnant women who are at low risk
of complications will have the option
to give birth in a new midwifery-led
unit (which is part of the maternity
centre) at the Friarage Hospital,
supported by specialist midwives.
• Pregnant women at higher risk of
complications during labour will need
to choose an alternative hospital to
give birth (such as The James Cook
University Hospital or Darlington
Memorial Hospital), ensuring they
receive the most appropriate care
from specialist teams with the most
advanced facilities and expertise onsite.
• Antenatal care, such as ultrasound
scans and assessments, will still take
place at the Friarage, as will postnatal
care and support.
• All community-based maternity services
such as clinics and home visiting will
continue, offering care as close to
home as possible.
• As there will be no children’s doctors
or inpatient facilities in the Friarage
Hospital overnight, the accident
and emergency department at the
Friarage is no longer the right place
to bring children who are unwell,
although it will still treat children
with minor injuries.
Summary of key changes
13. 13
WANT to get into
shape but don’t know
where to start? Tried
every diet going but
nothing seems to
work? Then why not
take advantage of
the free services
provided by the trust’s
health trainers?
Health trainers offer a range
of weight management
services including one to one
support, group sessions and
community drop-in clinics.
People often wrongly
assume that because it’s
a service provided by the
NHS that they have to be
referred. But anyone over
16, with a BMI over 25
living in the Middlesbrough,
Redcar and Cleveland area
or working for the trust can
drop in to any of the sessions
for advice and support
from qualified weight
management specialists.
“Even people who have been
dieting for years are always
surprised by how much they
learn,” said health trainer
Andy Anderson.
“They have thought about
eating less fat but have not
considered portion sizes or
how much sugar is in certain
foods, or where extra
calories are hiding.
“One of the first questions
people ask is what can I
eat? They think they have
to cut everything out of
their diet but that’s where
a lot of people go wrong
because that can leave you
with a poorly balanced
diet. Plus if you don’t
enjoy your food how long
will it be before you fall
off the wagon?”
The trust’s team of five
qualified staff can support as
many as 100 clients a week.
Part of the health trainer’s
role is to assess whether
people are ready to change
their lifestyle and to help
them set realistic goals.
They also look at why
people eat what they
do and identify coping
strategies for dealing with
problems such as stress,
depression and boredom.
“There’s no magic to it. It’s
about taking little steps and
making small changes,” said
health trainer Jenny Yafano.
The team show clients how
to identify different food
groups and how many
portions of each they should
be aiming for.
“People often say fresh
fruit and vegetables are too
expensive but it does not
matter how it comes to the
plate - fresh, frozen or tinned
- as long as it’s in its own
juices or water,” said health
trainer Jo Ward.
Health trainer Carolyn Hill
said: “The best part of the
job is seeing the results
and how happy people
are. You see people start to
dress differently and their
confidence improve.”
Information obtained by the
service is confidential and
sessions are flexible to fit
around working hours.
Find your nearest drop in
session at southtees.nhs.
uk/health - the team are at
James Cook every Tuesday -
or call 01287 284479.
Time to shape up?
To attend the free NHS
weight management
sessions you must:
• Be aged over 16
• Have a BMI (body
mass index) over 25
• Be living in the
Middlesbrough,
Redcar and
Cleveland area
To work out your BMI:
• Divide your weight
in kilograms (kg)
by your height in
metres (m)
• Then divide the
answer by your
height again to
get your BMI
• Ideally your BMI
score should be
between 18.5 and 25
Top tips:
Reduce your
saturated fat intake
by using lean cuts
of meat, trimming
off excess fat before
cooking and grilling
instead frying.
Reduce your sugar
intake by keeping a
bowl of washed fresh
fruit handy for snacks
and choosing sugar-
free fizzy drinks
It takes about 20
minutes for the
stomach to tell the
brain it’s full so eat
slowly and try to stop
before you feel full.Health trainers (left to right) Carolyn Hill, Jenny Yafano and Jo
Ward demonstrate different food groups
The health improvement team at their base at Langbaurgh
House, Guisborough
14. 14
A MASSIVE thanks to all the walkers and cyclists who
took part in the second purple walk to benefit the
haematology department at James Cook and the first
event in our ‘walk for wards’ programme.
This fantastic fundraising bonanza was organised by South
Tees Hospitals Charity, Brian Jones and Mark Stewart from
purple walks and Stockton Council.
Money is still coming in and is already
in the thousands.
The RAF Falcons parachute display
team thrilled the crowds with
their air acrobatics and exciting free
fall display.
Walk for your wards
Pippa’s flying high
ADVENTUROUS hospital
worker - Pippa Grout -
who works on the surgical
admission unit at James
Cook took the plunge falling
through the sky from 10,000
feet in memory of her brother,
David Kristopher Grout. Pippa
raised £625.10 for intensive
care unit 2 at James Cook to
thank the dedicated staff
for the wonderful care they
gave her brother when he
was a patient.
Family’s mammoth
challenge to
thank staff
ANDREW Bunn, his sons, Will,
25, Tom, 22 and family friend
Jim O’Brien climbed the Lake
District’s 17 Wainwright fells
in 16 hours 58 minutes raising
a brilliant £4,218.90 to
thank the dedicated staff
from the Scott suite that cared
for wife and mum, Debbie
Bunn, as she recovered from
breast cancer.
Fantastic
fundraising
to thank
dedicated team
THANKS to the support
of the children’s diabetes
team at James Cook, young
diabetes patient, Ewan
McGee, 5, is enjoying
life to the full. His family
organised a successful race
night at Marton Cricket
Club which has raised a
terrific £3,023.70.
Fabulous four
Second annual purple walk
We feature below a small selection the fantastic fundraisers who have helped us
recently. If anyone is interested in fundraising contact the charity team on 01642
854160 or visiting their website at www.southtees.nhs.uk/charity. You can also keep up
to date with the latest on South Tees charity on twitter @STeesCharity
Rob’s miracle recovery
THE fantastic care given to
patient Rob McMullan following
a heart attack and brain injury
in November 2012 inspired his
wife, Heather and daughter,
Jordanne to bungee jump from
Middlesbrough transporter
bridge raising a fantastic
£523.50 to raise awareness
and funds for the neurology
department and ward 26
rehabilitation at James Cook to
thank the dedicated neurology
team for saving his life.
15. 15
WHEN Maureen Bates was
offered the chance to take part in
a clinical trial before undergoing
a major operation she didn’t
think twice and she is now
urging others to do the same.
Maureen of Skelton was the first patient
to complete a pre-op fitness programme
as part of a study exploring the potential
benefits of high intensity exercise prior
to surgery.
“I thought if it helps me it will help other
people as well so I was happy to take
part,” she said.
Led by consultant anaesthetist Professor
Gerard Danjoux from James Cook the
multi-site study focuses on patients who
have abdominal aortic aneurysms - a
potentially life-threatening swelling on
the main abdominal blood vessel.
Patients are asked to complete fitness
exercises on an exercise bike at the
hospital three times a week for four
weeks prior to surgery while their heart
rate and blood pressure are carefully
monitored by research nurses and cardiac
physiotherapists. After their operation
they are asked to complete surveys and a
diary to monitor their progress.
“I thought it was good fun and I never
found it difficult,” said Maureen, who
was back to normal within 10 days of her
procedure. “I would not be frightened of
doing it again. I had faith in the staff and
they were all absolutely fantastic. They
support you all the way through it.”
But it was only by chance that Maureen’s
aneurysm was spotted at all as she
had not been experiencing any
symptoms. Her doctor
noticed the problem in an
unrelated x-ray and sent
her straight to hospital
in an ambulance.
“I was extremely
surprised when they
told me because I felt
fine,” said Maureen.
“At first I was wary
about doing anything
strenuous but then I just
carried on as normal – I did
not know I had the aneurysm
before the x-ray so I would have just
carried on as normal anyway.”
Professor Danjoux hopes the study
will help change the way people
think and encourage them to keep
active before they have an operation
by exploring potential benefits such
as reduced complication rates and
faster recovery rates.
He said: “When people are told they
have an aneurysm it’s a big shock and
a lot of patients refrain from doing
anything at all for fear of the aneurysm
growing or bursting, but this means they
are less fit ahead of their surgery so it’s
probably the wrong thing to do.
“That’s the challenge we are facing
and we want to change
people’s perceptions.
“Evidence shows that the
fitter you are before
surgery the better
you do, but we are
looking at whether it
is possible to get that
fitness up in a short
period of time.
“This is something that
has not previously been
studied in patients with
aneurysms due to fears that
surges in blood pressure may
cause complications but our background
research shows the risks are very low and
are far outweighed by the benefits of
increasing the patient’s fitness.”
The Department of Health funded study
is a joint project with Sheffield Teaching
Hospitals, York Teaching Hospitals, York
Trials Unit and Teesside University. So far
30 out of 60 patients have been recruited
for the £245,000 trial.
Louise Cawthorn, research sister said:
“Around half of the patients we have
approached have agreed to take part
which is fantastic. Every patient receives
an individualised exercise programme
and we are there to monitor and
support them at each session. It’s also
an excellent opportunity for patients
to discuss any concerns or questions
they may have with the research nurses
ahead of their surgery.”
Evidence gathered will also help support
wider research by the Royal College
of Anaesthetists into the care given to
patients before, after and during surgery.
Julie Rowbotham, research and
development manager added: “There are
very few areas in the trust now where we
do not have clinical trials and we would
always encourage patients to ask their
consultants about any trials that may
benefit them.”
Maureen urges others to
support clinical trials
Maureen pictured with research sister Louise Cawthorn and consultant anaesthetist
Professor Gerard Danjoux
“Every patient
receives an
individualised
exercise
programme.”
16. JAN Parvin has said goodbye to a job
she first started 39 years ago. She
has worked in sterile services since
1975 when as a youngster she joined
the team at St Luke’s Hospital. She’s
seen an incredible change over the
four decades.
The sterile services assistant said: “The standards
are so much higher now than they were when
I started. The workload is also greater – we are
cleaning and repacking three-times as much as
we used to do – I’ve really enjoyed it, but now
is the time when I just want a bit of ‘me time’. I
may even look
for a small part-
time job.”
Jan, who has two
adult sons and
lives in Berwick
Hills, has been at
South Cleveland /
James Cook since 1990.
Gayle Saltmer, Jan’s current
manager said: “Jan is a hard
working member of the team, who is always
chirpy, she has dedicated a lot of years to her role
and she will be missed by the team very much.”
16
THE ACADEMIC
centre is using
state-of-the-art
video conferencing
facilities to make
it easier to deliver
training and
attend meetings.
A number of educational
meetings are now video-
conferenced between
James Cook, Friarage and
other sites including:
• Postgraduate lectures
every Thursday
lunchtime 1pm to 2pm
• Core medical training
- local and regional
training sessions
• Major trauma meetings
(next dates: 28 Oct,
22 Dec)
• Key lectures for the
organisation – C-difficile
reduction, lessons learnt
• Staff-student
undergraduate
committee meetings
In the academic centres at
James Cook and Friarage,
there are six rooms with
fixed video-conferencing
equipment and three
further mobile units
which mean that sessions
can be screened from
most rooms.
Video-con
saving a l
a lot of h
Geoff Mann, Sheila Barsoum
conferencing technology
THE Friarage’s hotel
services team - part
of service, strategy
and infrastructure
directorate – has won
two Association of
Healthcare Cleaning
Professionals (AHCP)
2014 awards.
The team - which provides
a clean and safe healthcare
environment for patients and
staff at the hospital - won
the ‘working in partnership’
category and Ann Horsfield,
Mary Robinson and Susan
Sangster, won the ‘supervisor
team award’.
Claire Pilling, Friarage clinical
matron for integrated medical
care centre, nominated Ann,
Mary and Susan as she relies
on the domestic team to
ensure patients are in clean
and safe surroundings, and
the supportive and caring
trio are always approachable
friendly and willing to help
solve problems.
The hotel services department
was nominated to highlight
what can be achieved
given the right support. An
effective recruitment tool
was developed through
apprenticeships and career
pathway initiatives, where
no previous training or
career structure was in
place. Team members
embraced learning and new
technology and now have a
greater understanding in the
importance of their role and
the difference they can make.
The Friarage team received
their awards at the AHCP Gala
Awards Dinner at the East
Midlands Conference Centre,
Nottingham as part of the
AHCP National Conference.
The Association of Healthcare
Cleaning Professionals is the
professional association for
healthcare cleaning in the
United Kingdom and Ireland.
Denise Foster, Friarage hotel
services manager, said: “The
Friarage team are absolutely
delighted to have won the
awards. It is a tribute to
their hard work and effort
in ensuring the trust has a
high standard, efficient and
modern domestic service
which provides a safe
environment for patient care.”
Double for Friarage’s clean team
Top team: Staff from the Friarage Hospital’s hotel services team with their awards
Jan’s clean break
17. 17
nferencing –
little time and
hassle
m and John Pulling show off the video
TAKING the time to observe
a busy ward has dramatically
changed the way one James
Cook consultant thinks and
now he is challenging staff
across all levels to do the same.
Diabetic consultant Vijayaraman
Arutchelvam was tasked with
observing a ward as part of an
assignment for his NHS leadership
course. He spent three hours talking
to staff and patients and observing
their interactions using the national
15 Steps Challenge toolkit.
“It really made me look at things
through the eyes of a patient. The
whole experience was a revelation,”
he said.
While the general feedback was
excellent – every patient interviewed
said they could not have received
better care, the exercise highlighted a
few simple changes that could have a
huge impact on the patient’s overall
hospital experience.
“If a buzzer rang from a patient’s
bedside the nursing staff were
running to them and they were
always smiling,” said Dr Arutchelvam.
“But we saw people waiting to be let
onto the ward. They had pressed the
buzzer but no one said ‘hello come in’
because everyone was so busy so they
didn’t know if the door was unlocked
- little things like that matter because
first impressions count.
“There was also a phone ringing
continuously for minutes before it
was eventually picked up. So many
people walked around it but did not
pick it up as they were all busy. But
what if it was a worried relative or
important test results? It’s such a little
thing but it could have a huge impact
on patient care.”
Other recommendations to come out
of the observational exercise included
having more prominent board
displays and the ward team keeping
the noise levels down when chatting
to colleagues.
“It was an eye opener and I would
urge other staff to take even just five
minutes to observe a ward or clinic
area. I have been a doctor since 1985
but this changed the way I think and
now whatever I do I always try to look
at it from the patient’s point of view.”
Dr Arutchelvam then sat in his own
clinic waiting area and instigated a
few improvements of his own.
“We do a young person’s clinic for
16 to 25-year-olds and I noticed that
all the young people came in and sat
in the furthest corner of the room
with nothing to do while they waited
up to 45 minutes. I realised they
weren’t interested in the out of date
magazines and that the environment
was not doing anything to encourage
them to attend future appointments.
After speaking to some of his patients
Dr Arutchelvam has now created a
young people’s waiting area which,
thanks to funding he had received
for recent lectures, includes an iPad,
handheld gaming devices and new
magazine subscriptions.
“It’s amazing what you can do when
you put your mind to it,” he said.
The power
of observation
Diabetic consultant
Vijayaraman
Arutchelvam and
diabetes specialist nurse
Tina Spence with the
new iPad, magazines
and computer games
Facilities at the Friarage
have received a huge
boost thanks to a grant
of £55,832 from Health
Education Yorkshire
and Humber. This
complements previous
investments in video
conferencing made by the
trust to support cancer
teams and by Newcastle
University to support
undergraduate education.
Ann Sanson, academic
centre manager said:
“Video conferencing
facilities are available to
all staff across the trust.
Help is always on hand
as all sessions are booked
through the academic
centre management team
at the James Cook site.
There are also a number
of supporting documents
to assist users.”
Louise Campbell,
postgraduate medical
and dental education
manager said: “It is great
to see people considering
alternative ways of
accessing learning and
working. Using Facetime
and Skype to video call
friends and family is
commonplace now - the
facilities available are just
a more advanced version
designed for secure,
professional use. Video
conferencing reduces the
duplication of training
sessions cross site and
reduces the need to travel
between them.”
Director of postgraduate
education David Macafee
added: “In the future, this
grant should also enable
us to begin recording
lectures if requested, on
either site – this will be
great for staff who could
not attend due to work or
other commitments.
“Creating such a strong
video-conferencing
capability has been
years in the making –
led by Sheila Barsoum
(previous divisional
manager now retired),
Ann Sanson and AV
technician John Pulling.
“John’s knowledge of
video conferencing
and problem solving
was instrumental in
winning the bid and
then embedding the
equipment within the
existing systems. With
the help of Geoff Mann
and other academic
centre “front of house”
colleagues, the centre
is a great place to learn
and work.”
18. 18
Ladies help
scanner appeal
WENSLEYDALE Ladies Circle – whose
motto is fundraising, friendship and
fun – generously donated £500 to
the scanner appeal.
Panto raises funds
- oh yes it does
NORTHALLERTON Amateur Variety
Company’s pantomime at the Forum
this year -Sleeping Beauty – provided
a generous £2,500 boost for the
scanner appeal.
Colourful boost
LISA Moon and her friends joined thousands of others in
becoming a rainbow at Castle Howards 5K run and dye event
and along with Gill Lewis - who held a barbecue - they raised
a fantastic 2,850.99 for the Friarage MRI scanner appeal in
memory of Lisa’s granddad, George Moon. A big thank you
to Lisa and Gill and their friends for supporting the appeal and
to everyone who generously sponsored them.
First million in the bag
OUR ambitious appeal to raise
£2million for an MRI (magnetic
resonance imaging) scanner
at the Friarage is now at the
halfway mark.
The response so far has been fantastic
and thanks to everyone who has
helped we are well on our way to
reaching our target.
Be part of the £2m party and
support the MRI scanner appeal.
Donate online at www.justgiving.
com/FriarageMRIscannerappeal,
contact the appeal office
telephone 01609 764936, email
judith.masterman@stees.nhs.uk,
or contact our appeal partners
the Friends of the
Friarage Hospital
01609 762013.
We feature below some
of the events, local people
and businesses who have supported
the appeal so far. For more details visit
www.friaragescannerappeal.org.uk
or check out twitter @STeesCharity
It’s classic
SWAINBY Classic Car Show
celebrated its 10th anniversary
this year giving classic vehicle
owners and members of the
public alike an enjoyable day out
and helping the appeal to the
tune of £3,000 at the same time.
Coffee time
COUNCILLOR John Forrest
- Northallerton mayor - is
supporting the scanner appeal
for the next 12 months. A coffee
morning and bring and buy in
the town hall kick started the
fundraising by £447.57.
Bowling for scanner
THIRSK Athletic Bowling Club’s
marathon 12-hour sponsored
bowling competition by 17 keen
bowlers – with ages ranging from
60 to 82 – led to a fantastic £3,191
boost for the scanner appeal.
Stylish staff
STAFF from the Friarage’s Allerton,
Romanby and Gara wards, intensive
care and clinical decision units kindly
donated money to the scanner
appeal when they bought new tops
raising, £25. MI Supplies – supplier of
the fleeces - also donated £50.
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