Palliative care is all about caring for people who have an advanced, progressive and incurable illness so they can live as well as possible until they die.
Here at our Trust, we aim to promote a culture in which all patients, regardless of diagnosis and location, receive high-quality end of life care in a place of their choice, delivered by trained and informed healthcare professionals.
Patients will be supported in making decisions about their care. Families and carers will also be supported in an appropriate environment during the patient’s illness and in their bereavement.
Wendy Edwards, clinical nurse specialist in palliative care at Good Hope Hospital, says: “We provide end of life care education to doctors, nurses and therapists in a formal and informal setting, including state-of-the-art simulation training in end of life care. We have a dedicated team of staff providing palliative care to patients with a life limiting illness which is ward-based and within outpatients clinics.
“Caring for our patients at the end of life is everyone’s responsibility. Our palliative care team are here to help and will always offer advice and support.
“We are continually looking at ways of improving the palliative and end of life care we provide at our Trust to help our patients, their families and friends as well as health care professionals.”
If you have an advanced illness and coming to the end of your life, making plans in advance for the future of your care can really help.
Wendy adds: “It’s a good idea for people to say what their wishes are as early as possible as they approach the end of their life. This will help both emotionally and practically.
“Open and honest communication with family and friends is important, so that loved ones know how the person feels about them and also that they are aware of any plans that have been made. Health care professionals can support patients and families to have these difficult conversations.
“It’s also a good idea for people to consider thinking about their options at this time. Sometimes people choose to complete an advanced decision document highlighting their wishes for care and treatment options. This document is shared with health care professionals and family members so everyone knows what is important.
“We never know what kind of day we are going to have, but we feel privileged to be in this specialist nursing role and value the huge amount of job satisfaction that this work brings.”
For more advice and guidance on end of life care, visit the NHS choices website at www.nhs.uk.
With World Breastfeeding Week fast approaching, mums and mums-to-be are invited to take part in an online Question and Answer (Q&A) on Twitter for advice on feeding from experts at Solihull Children’s Community Services.
With 81 percent of women in the United Kingdom starting to breastfeed, only seven percent still feed with breast milk alone at four months.
Elaine Bates, infant feeding co-ordinator and Amy Sadler, infant feeding specialist, both from Solihull Children’s Community Services, will take to Twitter to answer any questions mums and mums-to-be might have about feeding their babies. They will offer some advice and signpost them to breastfeeding support available in the local community.
The open Question and Answer (Q&A) session will take place on 5 August from mid-day until 3pm.
Elaine said: “Breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for your baby and gives your baby all the nutrients he or she needs to protect them from infection and other diseases. It can also help to build a strong physical and emotional bond between a mother and baby.
“Twitter is a friendly, informal environment open to all to get any of their questions answered. I’m looking forward to hearing from people on Twitter and offering them a new way to interact with people and support them with their feeding choices.”
To be part of the breastfeeding Twitter Q+A session, visit the hospital Trust’s Twitter account @heartofengland. If you don’t have a Twitter account already, go to twitter.com and follow a few easy steps to set one up.
Mums-to-be joined midwives and their colleagues at an open day to celebrate Solihull Hospital Birth Unit’s fifth birthday.
Five years on, more than 1,400 natural births have been delivered with over half of the women using the unit opting to have water births.
Attendees at the open day shared a special celebratory cake over tea and coffee with staff and enjoyed tours of the facilities to celebrate the occasion. Since opening, the midwifery-led birth unit at the Hospital has offered mums-to-be the opportunity to have a natural birth with facilities such as a birthing pool, birthing balls and outstanding postnatal care. The unit is also able to provide private room facilities and the option for partners to stay overnight.
Karen McGuigan, midwifery matron for the unit said: “It’s been a terrific day for us all and we have enjoyed celebrating it with our new mums, mums to be, staff, friends and family. We believe that the unit offers women and their families a supportive environment and we look forward to continuing to provide this valuable service to our local community in the future.”
To find out more about the Netherbrook Midwifery Led Unit call: 0121 424 4051.
Please can you provide me with the organisation’s existing contracts relating to facilities management for each of the categories below:
A. Property and Building Services Maintenance
B. Cleaning and Janitorial Services
C. Security Services- From building and car park security to prisoner escorting services
D. Catering Services
For each of the contract above can you please provide me with the organisation’s primary/main contracts that are above £1,000.00. If there isn’t
1. What is the type of contract please pick from one of the categories above? If the organisation has a fully managed contract please state “Managed”.
2. Who is the supplier for this contract? Please can you provide me with the contract information for each individual supplier?
3. What is the annual average spend? Please can you provide me with the contract information for each individual supplier?
4. What is the contract duration? Please also provide me with any extensions that maybe offered to the supplier.
5. What is the contract expiry date? Please at least provide me with the month and year.
6. When will this contract be reviewed? Please at least provide me with the month and year.
7. Can you please provide me with the total number of sites the contract covers? An estimate will also be acceptable.
8. What services are provided under this contract? A brief description will be acceptable
9. Who is the main contact from within the organisation responsible for reviewing this contract? Can you please provide me with their full name, actual job title, contact number and direct email address?
Notes: If the contract information provided is going to be expiring within the next 3 months it would be helpful to know if you’re going to renew or are planning to go to tender for a new contract for this particular service.
A Property and Building Services Maintenance
All property and building services maintenance is carried out in-house
B Cleaning and Janitorial Services
Housekeeping & Portering Managed Service Contract provided by G4S Integrated Services
Duration 5 +1 +1 years
Start date April 2011 end date April 2016 extended to February 2017
Spend on cleaning 2014/15 £4,218,493
One main site to satellite sites
Under review
Cleaning in a healthcare environment for very high to low risk areas
C Security Services- From building and car park security to prisoner escorting services
Car Parking & Security Managed Service Contract provided by G4S Integrated Services
Duration 5 + 1 + 1 years
Start date February 2012 end date February 2017
Spend 2014/15 £1,258,959
Three main sites
Under review
Hospital car parking & security
D Catering Services
This service is not contracted out.
Contracts for the above services will be reviewed by Tony Cressey, Deputy Head of Facilities, Tel: 0121 424 3852, E-mail: tony.cressey@heartofengland.nhs.uk
Who is the senior responsible person for interpreting and translation services?
Dawn Chaplin, Head Nurse Patient Experience & Clinical Dean
Is Interpreting services contracted?
Yes, the Trust has awarded a contract to Language Line Solutions via Shared Business Services (SBS) framework
Do you have an in-house interpreting model or outsourced or use a combination of both?
HEFT uses a combination of both in-house and external interpreting services.
Do you service interpreting bookings for any other public sector organisations?
No.
If the service is contracted, when did the contract commence and when is it due to expire?
Contract commenced 2nd March 2015 and due to expire 28th February 2016.
Was the contract awarded after using an OJEU tendering process or was the service accessed through a framework, if so which one?
The contract is via the Shared Business Services Framework agreement. NHS/12/DC/ZW/7775
Please provide a copy of the contract/framework call off minus any commercially sensitive information.
Attached signed copy of the SBS SLA. pages 5, 6 and 7 withheld as they include commercially sensitive information. NHS Conditions of contract supply of Services SLA for interpretation Services FOI Request
Attached is the NHS Conditions of contract provided to us from SBS (Shared Business Services).
Total face to face interpreting spend in 2012
Figures are provided on financial year basis: 2012/2013 cost £166,495.79
Total face to face interpreting spend in 2013
Figures are provided on financial year basis : 2013/2014 cost £233,390.39
Total face to face interpreting spend in 2014
Same as above.
Total telephone interpreting spend in 2012
Total cost £5,155.50
Total telephone interpreting spend in 2013
Total cost £2,703.40
Total telephone interpreting spend in 2014
Total cost £2,749.60
Number of face to face interpreting bookings 2012
Figures are provided on financial year basis: 2012/2013, interpreting bookings = 5233
Number of face to face interpreting bookings 2013
Figures are provided on financial year basis : 2013/2014, interpreting bookings = 6581
Number of face to face interpreting bookings 2014
Same as above
Number of telephone interpreting bookings 2012
Total calls 470
Number of telephone interpreting bookings 2013
Total calls 255
Number of telephone interpreting bookings 2014
Total calls 265
A request to learn the amount of money that has been paid by the Trust for breaches of the Department of Health’s same sex accommodation (mixed sex wards) guidance since penalties were introduced:
The Trust registered £8,000 against same sex accommodation on the fine tracker, however because we have been under the JMRA, no fine was actually levied against us.
How much management consultancy spend in the Trust’s accounts over the past 2 years was spent by a Clinical Commissioning Group but recorded on the Trust’s accounts i.e. pass through payments.
In 2014/15 the Trust has received, but not yet paid, an invoice for recharged costs from Birmingham Cross City CCG for £106,736. This is in query but it was accrued at the year end.
In 2013/14 the Trust paid an invoice for recharged costs to NHS Birmingham South and Central CCG for £121,478 which the Trust treated as consultancy.
I would like to request the following information – A list of all serious untoward incidents in the calendar year 2015 so far, for each hospital site you cover.
As part of Trust Board Papers (Safety SitRep section in the Integrated Quality and Performance Report), the Trust publishes a list of all SUI’s (Serious Untoward Incidents) that have been investigated through a Trust level investigation process. This list provides a high level summary of the incident and once the investigation has been completed, includes a summary of the recommendations.
Please note: This list does not include all incidents which are reported to our Commissioners under the National Serious Incident Framework.
The Trust board papers are available at this site https://hgs.uhb.nhs.uk/trust-board-papers-and-meetings/.
As the information is already, or will be once available, published elsewhere, exemptions under sections 21 and 22 of the FOIA are applicable, however for your ease we have also provided a very high level list.
Date of Incident | Location of Incident | Brief Description | Investigation Outcome / Key Themes |
12/03/15 | Solihull Hospital | Missed pneumothorax diagnosis | Misinterpretation of chest x-ray, communication |
13/02/15 | Heartlands Hospital | Sub-optimal care of deteriorating patient | Lack of monitoring of blood tests, delay in transfer to critical care |
11/02/15 | Good Hope Hospital | Wrong body released | Investigation on-going |
03/06/15 | Heartlands Hospital | Unexpected neonatal death | Currently under investigation |
18/04/15 | Heartlands Hospital | Unexpected intrapartum death | Currently under investigation |
21/02/15 | Heartlands Hospital | Unexpected death | Communication, documentation, direct patient observation |
14/04/15 | Good Hope Hospital | Recognition of deteriorating patient | Currently under investigation |
Asset Name | Description-Purpose |
Ideagen | Re-engineering of scanned medical records retrieval process, to deliver improved performance. Using DartKW to provide a browser based document repository for all scanned records, which will also allow direct document retrieval from the ViewOne viewer |
TMS Insite Prescription Tracking | Prescription Tracking System |
Pyxis CII Safe Heartlands | Controlled Drug Safe |
Pyxis CII Safe Good Hope | Controlled Drug Safe |
Powergate Tecsol (EDI) | Electronic Order Transmission |
Tempulog | Temperature Monitoring System |
CRD | Crystal Report Distributor |
JAC Pharmacy Stock Control | Pharmacy stock control and dispensing |
JAC EPMA (electronic prescribing and medicines adminstration | Electronic Prescribing and Drug administration system |
Resilog | On Call Tracker for Pharmacy/EP |
DEFINE | National drug trend database |
CRIS | Recording of radiology record |
IMPAX | Storing/Viewing/Sharing radiographic images |
HSS Euroking E3 | Maternity information system |
Badgernet Maternity | A Maternity Information System to electronically record in real-time a mothers complete pregnancy episode. |
MSS Patient First | The solution enables doctors, nurses and reception staff to input information quickly and easily, giving instant access to previous attendances as well as current patient information. The system allows triage nurses to fast track the most urgent cases, wh |
ILabTP | Laboratory Information management system Telepath (CACHE) (Laboratory system) |
Immunology Patient Database | Immunology Patient Database Immunology Laboratory in Pathology |
Blood Trace system | Blood Trace system (blood transfusion) (Laboratory Medicine) |
Bloodtrack (Pathology) | Bloodtrack (Pathology) |
Cyres | Cyres |
DART (Laboratory Medicine) | DART (Laboratory Medicine) |
Dawn (Pathology) | Dawn (Pathology) |
Formate – FACT | Formate – FACT owned |
ICE (Laboratory Medicine) | ICE (Laboratory Medicine) |
Infoflex (Histology) | Infoflex (Histology) |
Medifact (Pathology) | Medifact (Pathology) |
Qpulse (Quality Management System) | Qpulse (Quality Management System) |
Qpulse (Quality Management System) | Qpulse (Quality Management System) |
Cathether suite System | To capture, record and report angiograms |
BCIS Database | To capture angioplasty data |
RACP Database | To capture data for rapid access chest pain |
Heartfailure Database | To capture heartfailure data |
Cardiac Rehab Database | To capture phase 1,2,3,4, rehab patients |
IHT Referral system | To capture patients going to surgical centres for bypass etc. |
Exercise Tests | |
Ambulatory Monitoring system | |
electronic handover | To capture ward patient information whilst instay |
Sentinal system | Holter Monitoring software |
Tilt Testing software | Capturing tilt test information |
sleep database | To record cpap machine data |
remlogic | Recording sleep studies of patients overnight |
embletta | A recording on a overnight analysis |
jeager | Lung function equipment database |
cpex | Exercise lung equipment database |
Bronchscribe | Lung database when bronchs are done in endo suite |
Alice Sleep software | Database on sleep monitoring |
CF annual review database | |
Brittle Asthma Database | |
HOOF Form | |
Oasys database | |
Critical Care ICNARC Database | National data collection system feeds into national database |
Critical Care Outreach Team Dendrite Database | Local database collecting audit data and activity for patients seen by CCOT |
Critical Care Dendrite Database | Local database collecting patient data for EPR, audit data and activity for patients seen in Critical Care |
Blood Track | Blood Tracking software / tracks blood from issue in blood bank around the hospital fridges and provides an audit trail of the fate of each unit of blood issued |
REDA | Database which stores the details of all research projects which are of have been active at the Trust. Information includes study titles (which can be commerically sensitive) and names of research staff working on the project both internal and external |
RDMIS | Database which stores the details of all research projects which are of have been active at the Trust which are on the Department of Health National Institute for Health Research portfolio. Information includes study titles (which can be commerically sen |
CONDECO | Database for managing clinic room bookings in MIDRU. Details include name of room booker, reason for booking and any equipment / catering required |
EDGE | Database which stores all patients details who have consented to take part in specific cancer research projects. This will be identifiable data including name, date of birth and address. This database is for used for managing the cancer |
Proton | An easily configurable database system for all aspects of renal medicine and patient care, flexibly designed by the renal department to collect renal patient data and diabetic patient data, demographics, chemistry results and data for each and ever dialys |
Blithe Lilie | Patient Clinical Record |
Medisoft General | |
Koha [PTFS provide server hosting & support] | Library Management system |
BASE Doc [B’ham Com Healthcare Trust developed by Mike Webb] | Article request system |
ePrints Repository [Southampton Univ hosting & support] | Publications Repository |
RefWorks [Supplied by Proquest] | Citation management software |
Safecom | Printer/copier software |
Smartgate admin software[ Supplied by Bibliotheca fomerly Intellident] | Self-issue & security software |
SPSS [supplied by IBM] | Statistical software for social sciences |
Medgate COHORT – Please note this is currently hosted on the Trust server, but as of the 7th November 2013 we will move to an internet hosted service. | Collating patient records, booking appointments, health surveillance recalls, reports. |
WEST MIDLANDS CANCER INTELLIGENCE COLPOSCOPY DATA BASE | DOH KC65 COLPOSCOPY RETURNS |
DAWN V7 | Electronic dosing database-Patient record of INR readings and VKA dose. |
Death Database | To record details of patients dying within HEFT |
Bereavement Database | To record details of patients dying within HEFT |
MSS Patient First | The solution enables doctors, nurses and reception staff to input information quickly and easily, giving instant access to previous attendances as well as current patient information. The system allows triage nurses to fast track the most urgent cases, wh |
DermaMate | Monitoring dosage of light therapy for patients, treatment protocols |
DermaMate | Monitoring dosage of light therapy for patients, treatment protocols |
Spreadsheet | Monitoring Mohs patients on waiting list for surgery |
Spreadsheet | Monitoring patients waiting for PDT |
Spreadsheet (EB Patient Profiles) | Recording EB patient data for use for home visits |
SystmOne | Patient Clinical System |
Carestream Dental | Patient Clinical System |
NOAH | Patient Clinical System |
Bookwise | To record patients who are on treatment as an outpatient.The function of this is to plan a correct chemotherapy pathway, works in conjunction with pharmacy to deliver chemotherapy. |
Dendrite | To record patients chemotherapy treatment as an in-patient and day case. This database supports the waiting times data required for cancer targets |
CF Database | To keep log of all CF patients which is linked to HISS |
PORT CF Database | This is linked to the CF Trust and determines how much income per year we receive for each CF Patient |
Annual Review Database | |
Training Database 2013 | Staff training records |
Healthroster | Roster recording |
Medisoft General/cataract/diabetic/AMD | Medisoft (data base/EPR) Ophthalmic image capture system/image viewing system |
Topcon imagenet/i-base | OCT/fundus camera/imaging |
Patient activity monitored for invoicing | Excel spreadsheet by Kathy Noble |
Oesophageal physiology activity | Monitoring patient activity daily |
Oesophageal physiology waiting list | Managing the waiting list |
Oesophageal Reporting | Patient Oesophageal Physiology diagnostic results available for clinicaians to access. |
Fotostation | Medical Photography Image Storage Database |
Mitts | Medical Photography recording system |
Traffic | Work record & Billing system |
Audio Network | Used by Multimedia to download music |
iStock | Used by Multimedia to download photos |
HIS – Hospital information Support Services | Patient Demographics |
Andover | ID card database |
Screensaver | |
Oracle E-Buisness Suite | Procurement, Asset Management, Financial Management, Stock Management, Invoicing, Banking, Scanning |
Contract Monitoring System (inc DRS) | Monitoring / Invoicing the Trusts income |
Healthcost Usercost | Service Line Reporting, Reference Costing |
Medicode | Clinical Coding |
Finance Buisness Inteligence / Datawarehouse | Reporting, Performance Management |
Active Dashboards | Reporting |
EVAS | Vacancy Recruitment Approval |
MRSA RCA Tracker | Tracking Cause of MRSA infections |
CDIFF Monitoring | Monitoring screening and audits of C-Diff infection |
Auditbase | System has modules for Pt demographics, scheduling, waiting list and patient clinical records and test results. The clinical testing equipment links to the Database. |
Endoscribe | Reporting system for endoscopy procedures |
Rapid 8 Capsule Endoscopy | Reporting system and video creation for capsule endoscopy |
Process manager | Endoscope tracking system |
Optomize Retinal Screening Programme | To manage and screen diabetics within the Birmingham Solihull and Black Country |
Model Box Database | Storing Patient Model Box Numbers for Orthodontic Purposes |
Breast Prosthesis | Stock control and patient fitting |
ESR | All staff records for payroll and HR Admin purposes |
Registration Authority | Smartcard access to Summary Care Records/ESR |
Medgate COHORT | Collating patient records, booking appointments, health surveillance recalls, reports. |
AVA | Temporary staffing software |
Electronic Vacancy Approval system | Hierarchy approval System for vacancies |
NHS Jobs | Website advertsing of jobs within NHS |
CAPITA Recruitment & Vetting Service | To process all the Trust Disclosure and Barring requests |
DataXchange | To manage change/starter/leaver forms |
Allocate Healthroster | e-roster tool for Junior Medical Staff |
3 Blue Dots | Locum Management System |
Intrepid | West Midlands Deanery Database |
Thomas International | Personality Profiling Tool |
Easiadmin | Management of Junior Doctor Induction, teaching attendance & Study Leave |
nhst.co.uk | JD Portal to access induction content, studly leave requesting & teaching attendance / evaluation |
look&book pilot | Pilot in-house LMS designed to allow staff to request and manage their training |
bds system | DTS package bought to attempt to integrate the ESR new staff employment process to ADS |
edcen utilities | Internal website tools, education centre / faculty use this to receive & manage room booking requests, and to manage external meeting sponsorship |
staff A/L / turnaround system | Website based management of annual leave requests, overtime/lieu time and sickness absence management |
Meetingroom Manager | Website based room bookings management system for the education centre rooms |
Complaints Folder in My Docs | Complaints from Patient Services working documents |
Front Door Data | Patient related data from front door service |
Junior Doctor Availability | Doctors rota |
Rapid Access Clinic Effectiveness | Audit of the effectiveness of rapid access clinic |
Mortality Data | Monthly data obtained form Certificate Office |
Dementia Audit | Audit of appropriateness of CT requests |
Various TIA / SINAP data | Information from finance to facilitate completion of SNNAP |
SNNAP (Stroke National Database) | National database |
Home visit database | Log of consultant home visits |
Advice and Guidance requests. | Log of GP requests for advice on patient management |
Leave database | Log of dept leave Consultants and admin |
Ward referrals | Log of requests for consultants to review pts on wards |
Acticve Directory | Security database containing details of all the trusts pcs, laptops etc as well as all trust user accts. The system allows people to use the trusts equipment and then provides a model as to what is available throughout the network to each of the users. |
Exchange (email) | Allows internal users to send message to one another and out to the rest of the world. |
Landesk | Incident management software |
DataTrack Call Management System | call Log/record of all Trust Telephone Calls incoming & Outgoing |
DataTrack Voice Recording System | Recording all Emergency Telephone calls to 333 & 2222 |
Telephone Directory DB | Provision of Operator Telephone Directory integrates into Netcall Speech Recognition System, Confirmer and Intranet Telephone Directory |
Operator Statistics DB | Provision of Operator Statistics for Telecomms |
Financial Management DB | Provision of Financial Information for Telecoms |
Mobile Comms DB | Provision of Mobile Device Data for Telecomms |
MACLAB | Monitoring system |
MINAP | Database to capture National Audit Project |
Cardiac Rhythm Management | Database to capture cardiac pacing data |
A service in Solihull which has helped locals living with diabetes learn about and manage their condition has been officially recognised at a prestigious awards ceremony.
The Solihull Community Diabetes Service, part of Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, has been presented with two awards by charity X-PERT Health at a glittering award ceremony after the results for its patients attending diabetes education sessions in 2013 and 2014 showed impressive results.
Nominated in two categories, the Solihull Community Diabetes Service came second in the ‘best participant attendance score’ category and were highly commended in the ‘largest impact on body weight and waist circumference’ category.
The 10 Year Anniversary Awards Ceremony was held at The Burlington Hotel, Birmingham and the awards were presented by Dr Trudi Deakin, founder and chief executive of X-Pert Health and author of its award-winning programmes. The awards are designed to recognise the best performing of its 84 centres across the UK.
Dr Deakin said: “Organisations like Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust are making a real difference to the lives of so many people with diabetes – well done for carrying the banner and providing the evidence we need to keep pushing diabetes education to the top of the agenda.”
Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust has a number of diabetes specialist nurses & dietitians who have been trained to become X-PERT Health educators and deliver two of the XPERT programmes – X-PERT Diabetes and X-PERT Insulin. Each is delivered through six weekly two-and-a-half hour sessions, run at a variety of times of the day and venues across Solihull. The programme is designed to be user friendly and is accompanied by a range of easy-to-understand course materials.
Julia Gilroy, lead nurse diabetes specialist & manager at Solihull Community Diabetes Service, said the success was down to the whole team.
She said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been recognised at the X-PERT Health awards and to have achieved the excellent results we have over the last two years. It really is a team effort and this success is down to the hard work and dedication of both the clinical and administrative staff within the service.
“Achieving positive outcomes for our patients is our primary goal so these awards are recognition that we are hitting this target and we will continue to strive to make a real difference for people with diabetes in Solihull.”
For more information on Solihull Community Diabetes Service visit communityservices.heartofengland.nhs.uk under the Planned Care section or call 0121 770 4432.