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Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Prostate-Cancer

Did you know prostate cancer is the most common cancer in males with 119 men diagnosed every day in the United Kingdom? March is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month aiming to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms to look out for.

Prostate Cancer UK have already teamed up with The Football League to help promote the disease and the Men United v Prostate Cancer campaign is all about galvanising the football family and inspiring a movement for change in men’s health to win the battle against prostate cancer.

Here at the Trust, our MacMillan Cancer support team are helping to raise awareness of prostate cancer in Birmingham. Nula Allen, urology clinical nurse specialist at Good Hope Hospital, said: “Each year approximately 795 men in Birmingham are diagnosed with prostate cancer and three quarters of those will be aged over 65. Being aware of the signs and symptoms is vital, especially if you are in that age category.

“We want to encourage men across Birmingham to talk to their GP if they have any concerns. Men are often put off by going to the doctor because they don’t want to make a fuss or don’t want to take time off work. The key to the best outcome is early diagnosis and treatment so I would urge anyone exhibiting symptoms of cancer to go and get checked by their doctor.

“The most common symptoms of prostate cancer include having to rush to the toilet to pass urine, difficulty in passing urine and passing urine more often than usual, especially at night. These symptoms are also common when men have an enlarged prostate, which can occur as men get older and can be nothing to do with prostate cancer.

“If you are experiencing any of these symptoms then it’s worth discussing this with your GP. If there are any concerns, your GP can arrange appropriate tests as necessary. If there are no concerns then your GP may be able to suggest treatments that may help your urinary symptoms, so it’s worth the visit.

“It’s worth acknowledging that for some men there are no symptoms at all. For some the first noticeable symptoms are pain in the back, hips or pelvis. These symptoms could be caused by other problems such as general aches and pains or arthritis, but it is still a good idea to get them checked out by a GP.”

Cancer is the toughest fight many people will ever face, and the feelings of isolation and loneliness that so many people experience make it even harder. You don’t have to go through it alone. If you have any worries or questions about prostate cancer, visit www.macmillan.org.uk or call our Macmillan Cancer Support team on 0121 424 9486.

Donna1Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Good Hope, Heartlands and Solihull Hospital, is piloting a new booklet to provide better dementia care in its hospitals.

Based on what staff and carers have said would help them to respond to the person with dementia’s needs, ‘About me’ is filled out and given to staff when a person with dementia goes onto a ward and provides a ‘snapshot’ of the person behind the dementia. The booklet helps hospital staff to learn about the person’s habits, hobbies, likes and dislikes.

People with dementia can become agitated and confused when they are in an unfamiliar environment and it is this behaviour that nurses can find challenging and prevent them from providing good care. ‘About me’ will help staff to communicate appropriately with people with dementia, helping to reduce any feelings of agitation or distress.

Margaret Meixner, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust dementia practitioner, said: “Staff can sometimes find it difficult to engage and care for people with dementia. We hope ‘About me’ will support staff to provide the best possible quality of care, by helping them to get to know the individual and understand their needs. For family members of patients with dementia, knowing that their relative is being cared for appropriately then also alleviates any feelings of anxiety that they may feel.”

Initially, ‘About me’ will be used on elderly care and trauma & orthopaedics wards at Heartlands and Good Hope Hospital for a three month period, then rolled out across all hospital sites as part of the Trust’s Dementia and Delirium strategy. The fact that by 2015, approximately 850,000 people nationally will have a diagnosis of dementia and that one in four patients within the Trust’s bed occupancy is made up of people with dementia and/or confusion have acted as driving forces for developing this strategy.

Dr Adel MansurHeartlands Hospital is to be a clinical centre for a £4.8 million national research programme launched to help transform the lives of those with severe asthma. Twenty percent of asthma sufferers currently have conditions which are difficult to treat.

Consultant in respiratory medicine at Heartlands Hospital, Dr Adel Mansur said: “This is a very exciting development which I’m confident will lead to patients responding much better to treatment and as a result improve their quality of life, and in some instances even save lives.”

The United Kingdom Refractory Asthma Stratification Programme (RASP-UK) is a partnership between the Medical Research Council, Asthma UK, leading clinicians and academics from across the UK and a group of pharmaceutical companies.

The severe and Brittle Asthma Unit (SBAU) at Heartlands Hospital is one of the leading centres for adults providing advice, assessment and treatment to patients suffering from difficult to control asthma. As a supra regional centre, the unit attracts referrals from across the UK. See: http://www.severeasthma-birmingham.co.uk/

 

New signs Images taken for Annual Reportare to be erected at Solihull Hospital this week to provide better clarity to the public as to what services are on offer and to improve patient experience.

Solihull Hospital, part of the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, has been running a very successful Minor Injury Unit (MIU) department for many years, which means that patients with minor illnesses, cuts and fractures are treated on site and X-Ray facilities are available.

To reflect the service offered at Solihull Hospital the signage on the site needs to be updated to say MIU which it is hoped will help to improve patient experience by eliminating unnecessary confusion.

The new signage will remain in place until the proposed Solihull Hospital Urgent Care Centre is established. It should be made clear that there will be NO changes to the current service at Solihull Hospital; the signs merely aim to help provide clarity for service users. The signage will be changed this week with the external signage around the local area to be changed by Solihull Council in the coming months.

Matthew Cooke, Deputy Medical Director Strategy & Transformation at the Trust, said: “We want to make sure that signage on site is not misleading or confusing for patients and their families visiting Solihull Hospital. Solihull Hospital has not offered full A&E services for many years; instead it currently operates with a MIU which is why we are so keen to make sure that the new signage will now reflect the current facilities. Once the Urgent Care Centre procurement is underway we will review the situation.”

Rare-Disease-Day

Rare Disease Day is held on the last day of February every year aiming to raise awareness of rare diseases and improve access to treatment for individuals who have rare diseases and their families.

It has been eight years since Rare Disease Day was first celebrated and this year’s theme is ‘Living with a Rare Disease.’ The day will focus on the daily lives of patients, families and caregivers who are living with a rare disease.

Did you know there are over 6,000 rare diseases including cystic fibrosis, which affects the lungs and the digestive system, and Huntington’s disease, which causes progressive damage to the brain cells? Examples of lesser known rare diseases are Epidermolysis Bullosa, genetic disorders that result in the fragility of skin, and Lysosomal Storage, a group of rare disorders which can lead to deterioration in the function and structure of the brain, liver and heart.

The majority of diseases classed as ‘rare’ are genetic, serious, chronic and debilitating. Each disease is different but they can affect people in similar ways. Orphan drugs, which are medicinal products, can be used to treat and prevent some rare diseases.

Complications as a result of having a rare disease may mean patients are more susceptible to pneumonia and other infections, injuries related to falls, or other associated developments. This is because rare diseases are progressive disorders.

Cathy Wogan, paediatric respiratory nurse at Heartlands Hospital, said: “It is estimated that there are more than three million people in the UK who have a rare disease, this is one in 17 people.  Often inherited from their parents, around 75 percent of rare diseases will affect infants, children and young people.

“Although many of those with a rare condition can live a long and fulfilling life, 30 percent of rare disease patients will die before their fifth birthday.”

It has been recognised both nationally and internationally that rare disease patients and their families need to be provided with as much care and support as possible. For children and adults living with a rare disease, primary care will primarily be provided by family members.

The Department of Health has come up with a strategy to improve diagnosis, research and treatment of rare diseases. The strategy highlights that a clear personal care plan should be provided for every patient which will bring together health and care services, in addition to more support being given to patients and their families.

Rare Disease Day is all about encouraging everyone to continue finding ways of working together to provide different kinds of care that people living with rare diseases need.

For further information on rare diseases, visit the Rare Disease Day website (http://www.rarediseaseday.org). You can also join in the conversation on Twitter by following @rarediseaseday.

Please can you send me the following contract information with regards to the organisation’s telephone system maintenance contract (VOIP or PBX, other) for hardware and Software maintenance and support:

  1. Contract Type: Maintenance, Managed, Shared (If so please state orgs)

Maintenance agreement Hardware & Software with Unify

  1. Existing Supplier: If there is more than one supplier please split each contract up individually.

Unify (previously Siemens)

  1. Annual Average Spend: The annual average spend for this contract and please provide the average spend over the past 3 years for each provider

8 switches 5 sites 84.5K

4.       Number of Users:8000

5.       Hardware Brand: The primary hardware brand of the organisation’s telephone system. Siemens Realitis

6.       Application(s) running on PBX/VOIP systems: Applications that run on the actual PBX or VOIP system. E.g. Contact Centre, Communication Manager.None

7.       Telephone System Type: PBX, VOIP, Lync etc 7 PBX & 1 VOIP

8.       Contract Duration: please include any extension periods. 12 Months

9.       Contract Expiry Date: Please provide me with the day/month/year. 16th April 2015

10.   Contract Review Date: Please provide me with the day/month/year. January 2016

11.   Contract Description: Please provide me with a brief description of the overall service provided under this contract.

24/7 365….. 4 hour response…… Maintenance charges cover all hardware including Screen Based Operator Consoles, faults and Battery Care

12.   Contact Detail: Of the person from with the organisation responsible for each contract full Contact details including full name, job title, direct contact number and direct email address. Lyn Ward, Telecommunications Manager, Lyn.ward@heartofengland.nhs.uk

How much food is thrown away each year from each of your hospital each year? What is the total expenditure on food and what proportion is thrown away? Please show results in by month by the last five years.

We do not keep month by month records of food wastage or food expenditure but we have annual information which is below.

 

Year Food Expenditure £ Food wastage % Wastage cost £
2014 2,129,785 15% 319,467
2013 1,687,156 17% 286,816
2012 1,751,859 12% 210,223
2011 1,942,222 12% 233,066
2010 2,308,880 20% 461,776

The target percentage waste is 10% for the next 12 months

 

Food Expenditure        
  2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15
Apr £238,230 £154,095 £139,998 £125,326 £132,628
May £198,410 £136,065 £133,811 £157,307 £159,978
Jun £151,609 £130,953 £162,262 £133,504 £125,046
Jul £164,229 £118,689 £132,937 £125,030 £113,355
Aug £146,039 £129,689 £150,331 £151,072 £159,493
Sep £136,228 £187,251 £129,186 £122,959 £125,224
Oct £135,132 £113,752 £127,337 £124,622 £157,472
Nov £138,192 £128,067 £150,802 £150,074 £163,395
Dec £125,506 £197,735 £150,652 £137,189 £116,245
Jan £96,675 £126,341 £122,210 £152,793 £143,726
Feb £114,955 £152,041 £146,775 £122,860 N/A
Mar £92,032 £141,583 £159,981 £115,774 N/A
Total £1,737,237 £1,716,261 £1,706,282 £1,618,510 £1,396,562
  • Do you have information that the outbreak at Heartlands Hospital was caused by eggs from Southern Germany?

The strain of Salmonella found at our hospital is indistinguishable from the strain which caused the outbreak in Germany.

 

  • How many people got infected at Heartlands Hospital during the outbreak last summer?

7 staff and 21 patients.  We also identified 3 carriers.

 

  • What are the costs caused by the salmonella outbreak for the Hospital?

We have not calculated this and it would be very difficult to do so.  For example there is no way to estimate how much Salmonella exacerbated the existing conditions of the patients who contracted it whilst in hospital.

 

  • Do you take legal action against companies from Germany?

In this particular case we are not seeking any legal redress.  We would be unable to categorically state that we do not take legal action against companies from a specific country.

 

  • The Birmingham City Council told me that one of their officers was working with Heartlands Hospital to help control the outbreak. His contributions would have been noted in reports/minutes produced and held by the hospital. Is it possible to provide me with these reports or any other background information on the salmonella outbreak? or any other background information on the salmonella outbreak?

An investigation into the outbreak is still ongoing and a report will be published in the future.

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY TRAINING – Faculty Website Information Aug 14

A1 Corporate Induction Poster

ED DEPARTMENT TRUST CORPORATE INDUCTION DOCUMENT 2014

1. Does your NHS trust have a mechanism in place to identify and flag patients with learning disabilities and protocols that ensure that pathways of care are reasonably adjusted to meet the health needs of these patients? The Trust has introduced mechanisms to identify and flag up patients with Learning Disabilities through the electronic “Nurse Hand-over System”.

2. Does your NHS trust provide readily available and comprehensible information to patients with learning disabilities about the following criteria:

  • treatment options;
  • complaints procedures;
  • appointments?
  • Learning disabilities patients are supported to receive clear treatment by guidance provided through Learning Disabilities policy/guidance and information for patients/carers and staff. Learning Disabilities policies, protocols and adjustable pathways of care are in place.Learning Disability Health Facilitation Nurses provide  support /communication aids to LD patents  and staff  to enable  patients to understand  their care /treatment and express their needs.  HEFT Speech &Language Therapy/ Vision and  Hearing  services  provide  individual care pathways for patients with Learning disabilities. Trust’s Special Care Dental Service provide individual care pathways for example;

 

  • Provide and help development of picture pathways/ social stories to aid visits
  • Acclimatisation and familiarisation visits
  • For those who require a general anaesthetic for their treatment this is undertaken at Spire Parkway to offer  individual rooms with removed chairs or the bed, covered mirrors depending on individual needs/ behaviours. use a back door entrance which allows patients to come straight from the car park into a bedroom without walking through the hospital to keep their anxieties etc as low as possible.
  • best interest meetings involving parents to allow as much flexibility about appointments and how to address treatment when necessary
  • seeing patients in a domiciliary setting if required
  • working with the Ministry of Justice to achieve treatment when required
  • providing support and training with carers to improve the oral health (tooth brushing), diet and outcomes for their patients
  • Link in with other disciplines for treatment when using sedation and GA. For example undertaking blood tests, podiatry visits and also have seen patients jointly with ENT/ gynaecology/ podiatric surgery.

3.  Does your NHS trust have protocols in place to provide suitable support for family carers who support patients with learning

disabilities?

 

Suitable support for family carers who support patients with Learning disabilities in consultation with key stakeholders Please see

supporting evidence;

View Equality & Diversity Department Internet webpage Learning Disabilities Policy etc. via:

https://hgs.uhb.nhs.uk/equality-and-diversity/

 

View Equality & Diversity Department Internet webpage Learning Disabilities Patient Toolkit via:

https://hgs.uhb.nhs.uk/equality-and-diversity/

 

  • Collaborative working with Learning Disability Teams from Coventry & Warwickshire Partnership Trust & Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust to provide Learning disabilities acute liaison service
  • Joint appointment of Learning Disability Nurse with Coventry & Warwickshire Partnership Trust
  • Trust hosted launch of Learning Disability Health Toolkit in January 2015

 

View E&D Department Internet webpage  Leraning Disability Health Facilitation Nurse via:

https://hgs.uhb.nhs.uk/equality-and-diversity/

 

4. Does your NHS trust have protocols in place to routinely include training on providing health care to patients with learning disabilities

for all staff?

 

Equality & Diversity mandatory on line training for staff includesLearning Disabilities Awareness; In addition Deaf/deafblind

Communication Awareness; Disability Equality; Equality Impact  Assessment and Human Rights training are delivered.

Comprehensive Learning Disability training is delivered by Learning Disability Health Facilitation Nurses  including role

play by Learning Disabilities People drama group from Grapevine. Please see supporting evidence;

 

Training also advertised on  Department Trust Corporate Induction document [attached], Faculty of Education webpage & Nurse

 

5. Does your NHS trust have protocols in place to encourage representation of people with learning disabilities and their family carers?

 

The Trust has representation of people with Learning disabilities, their family carers, local groups, voluntary organisations on key

Trust’s forums, Steering Groups, and other Committees to contribute to service planning, development and implementation. Please

see supporting evidence

 

View Equality & Diversity Department Internet webpage Equality and Diversity / Learning Disabilities Steering Group:

https://hgs.uhb.nhs.uk/equality-and-diversity/

 

Copies of minutes/agenda etc. if required are available from the E&D Department.

 

This forum is also advertised on the Equality & Diversity Department Trust Corporate Induction document [attached].

 

6. Does your NHS trust have protocols in place to regularly audit its practices for patients with learning disabilities and to demonstrate

the findings in routine public reports?

 

The Trust has developed an electronic Patient Satisfaction tool to audit its services and care provided to Learning disabilities

patients. Survey tool is currently being reviewed & will be updated/implemented.(copy attached)

1. How many chaplains does your Trust currently employ? 4.74 wte, Headcount of 9 Substantive, Plus Bank when required

2. How many members of staff are employed as part of the chaplaincy service, and what are their job roles? The Chaplains above, only

 

3. How many people have used the chaplaincy service over the last three years?

2012:     17,508

2013:     21,660

2014:     28,699

 

4. What is the annual cost of chaplaincy services (pay and non-pay), broken down by year for the last three financial years.

14/15 £200,286 YTD up to Month 10, 13/14 £235,353, 12/13 £263,036

 

5. How much money is allocated to external religious bodies, such as the Roman Catholic Church, broken down by year over the last three financial years.

We do not allocate funds split by Religious bodies. However of the current split of Chaplains is shown in the table below:

 

Substantive by Name   wte   Substantive by Religion wte
  Generic 1.00   Generic 2.78
  Generic 0.48   Roman Catholic 1.20
  Generic 0.30   Muslim 0.62
  Generic 1.00      
  Roman Catholic 0.31   Bank  
  Roman Catholic 0.09   Generic 0.00
  Roman Catholic 0.80   Roman Catholic 0.14
  Muslim 0.31   Muslim  
  Muslim 0.31    TOTAL 4.74
Bank          
  Generic        
  Generic        
  Muslim        
  Muslim        
  Roman Catholic 0.12      
  Roman Catholic        
  Roman Catholic 0.02      
   TOTAL 4.74      

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