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Ward block 1 wins Built in Quality award

wardblockone1The newly built ward block 1 at Good Hope Hospital has won a presigious industry award for the quality of its construction work.

The £22 million project was awarded a Built in Quality award 2012 in the healthcare category after being selected by Birmingham City Council for the high standard of quality achieved in designing and constructing the building.

Throughout the year, the Council’s building control surveyors look for work of a particularly high standard in the region and nominate these projects for the awards. Each scheme is scored against a range of criteria, before being visited by judges who select the winners.

Head of design and compliance at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, Sarender Chana, said: “I am pleased that the quality of design of new development has been recognised by an external body.  We have succeeded in providing an exceptionally high quality of built and comfort environment which exceeds expectations and this will set the benchmark standard for future developments across our Trust sites.”

The award was received by Interserve Construction Limited on behalf of the architect, Highbury Design Limited and the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust programme management office.

The four-storey inpatient facility was opened in February 2011 and includes a state-of-the-art Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) and Coronary Care Unit (CCU) facility, designed to improve the ease at which patients can be treated in a safe environment and offer a greater degree of control and improved management of infection.  The arts team worked with the programme management office and user groups from each ward in the new block to develop the artwork and interior design colour themes of each ward.  This was to reflect the wards functionality and provide an aesthetically pleasing peaceful and serene environment.

The award was presented by the Mayor of Birmingham on 6 July 2012 at the Birmingham ICC at the event organised by Birmingham City Council.

Locals are invited to join in and support healthy lifestyle shop, You+ celebrate its third birthday on 1 September.

From 10.30am until 3pm there will be face painting, a smoothie bike, fruit and vegetable tasting, and balloons and health-related give-aways.  Fun on the big day will spread into Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre from the shop which offers free health checks and advice.

Street nurse Carolyn Lindsay will be available to give advice along with health trainers, health care assistants, the weight management team, stop smoking team and advisers for breastfeeding, alcohol use and sexual health.

You+ service manager Thenain Coulibaly, said: “Many people have come through our doors over the three years and received help and encouragement towards leading a healthier life so we have lots to celebrate. We hope lots of locals will join us to make it a fun occasion.”

For further information contact You+ Shop on 0121 712 7770 or email youplus@heartofengland.nhs.uk

WD 16 Panto122_2Summer fun came to patients and their families at Heartlands Hospital when a performance of pantomime, Dick Whittington visited the children’s ward.

Starlight Children’s Foundation is staging performances of Dick Whittington in children’s wards during an eight-week tour throughout the UK this summer.  A stop-off at Heartlands brought smiles and joy to the faces of sick children on the ward.  The panto’s four actors danced, dazzled and sung for the young patients, their families and the staff.

Bhavna Gokani, senior sister on the children’s ward at Heartlands Hospital, said, “Every year we look forward to the arrival of Starlight’s panto and the entertainment and distraction it brings with it.  The play offers poorly children a way of escaping any anxiety that they might be feeling as a result of their illness and Starlight’s panto is always a great dose of fun for our young patients.  We are very grateful for all that Starlight do for the children”.

Patient Archie Tunstall, aged four from Kingshurst, said, “I really enjoyed the panto, especially the singing and dancing.”

Every year, Starlight provides entertainment and distraction to over half a million poorly children and this summer’s panto will give thousands of poorly children the chance to boo and hiss at the evil King Rat and cheer Dick Whittington along on his brave quest, all from the safety of the Hospital ward.

A team of medics from Heartlands Hospital has battled it out with fellow hospital staff from Good Hope and Solihull Hospitals as well as local community teams to be crowned winners of the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust’s Touch Rugby League.

The winning team, ‘Dump’, from the elderly care department at Heartlands, claimed victory in the closely drawn tournament. Having pulled together at the last minute to take part in the tournament, ‘Dump’ claimed the most points during competition and calculated as winners of the title.  They beat off strong competition from ten other teams including Birmingham and Solihull Bulls and staff from Birmingham City University.

Peter Carr, stroke lead nurse in the elderly care department at Heartlands Hospital and captain of the winning team, said: “Well done to all the teams that took part. It’s been a really great league, bringing staff and members of the local community of all ages and backgrounds together, as well as helping people get fit and have fun.  It feels good to have won as we had not played together before the tournament.  The girls were the stars of the show – they won it for us with great hands and brilliant defence.  I hope people enjoyed the league and are inspired to keep active.”

In association with the Rugby Football League (RFL) and Rugby Football Union (RFU), The Trust’s Touch Rugby League is part of a wider initiative to get NHS staff more involved and active.  It was one of a number of projects which inspired the Department of Health to challenge the NHS to get 2012 people active by 2012 and has been awarded use of the London 2012 Inspire branding. More than 300 people from across six hospitals and the community took part in the Touch Rugby league.

For more information on the Touch Rugby league or the upcoming sporting events, contacttouchrugby@heartofengland.nhs.uk

birthdayA 16th birthday is special for any young person, and for long-term Heartlands Hospital patient, Baabar Mahmood, staff made sure it was an occassion to remember.

Staff on the children’s ward at the Hospital surprised Baabar, who is being treated for rare genetic condition Giant Axonal Neuropathy, and his family with a surprise party complete with cake, decorations, party hats and entertainment by beatboxing act ‘The beatbox twin’.

The youngster from Alum Rock has a rare condition which causes damage to the nervous system, affecting movement and sensation in the arms, legs, and other parts of the body which progressively declines over time.

Baabar said: “It feels a bit scary to be 16 but I’m pleased to have this party and appreciate what everyone has done for me.”

Baabar’s brother, Faisal Mahmood, aged 24, said: “The party has been good for Baabar.  He has been coming to Heartlands since he was little and has currently been here for three months, so the party has really made him happy.  He is a special brother and we appreciate everything the nurses do for him as well as all the other children, they are like family to us.”

Kelly Jones, healthcare assistant said: “Baabar has been here a long time so it’s lovely for him to have this party. We see so much of him we’re like an extended family.”

AMU_Concert_DSC5113A Good Hope Hospital nurse raised an impressive £860 after performing with one of the country’s leading chamber groups for a cause close to his heart.

Acute medicine unit charge nurse, Andrew Woodburn-Drayton from Sutton Coldfield joined the Galliard Ensemble at Chester Road Baptist Church for an evening of music and entertainment whilst raising vital funds for the emergency medicine department of Good Hope.

Andrew said: “The acute team at Good Hope sees between 50 and 70 patients across Birmingham, Tamworth and Lichfield each day, providing urgent assessment and treatment for a wide range of conditions.

“The concert went fantastically well with over 100 members of the public coming along to join in the fun.  Acute medicine is not a specialty that is widely known about, so events like this are great for raising the profile of this area whilst raising much needed funds.  Proceeds from the night will go towards purchasing vital equipment for the unit”

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