June / July 2010 - Northampton General Hospital

Northampton General Hospital
NHS Trust
REE
F
MAGAZINE
insight
June/July 2010
Issue 31
Two home births
inspire Becky to
be a midwife PAGE 10
NGH named as
Primary Stroke
Centre PAGE 16
Keyhole surgery
a “perfect
experience” PAGE 4
New cancer
treatment
bends x-rays
round corners
PAGE 12
WIN
free theatre
tickets
SEE BACK PAGE
Hospital meets all
its key targets
HOW WE PERFORMED IN 2009/10 - PAGE 6
Contents
Welcome
I was absolutely delighted to
inform the trust board and all
of our staff that we delivered
against all the national targets
for last year.
17
23
This means, for instance, that all
patients arriving at A&E were dealt
with in four hours more than 98 per
cent of the time, that we reduced
the number of MRSA and C Difficile
cases dramatically, that patients
referred to us by their GPs were
seen and, if necessary, operated on
within 18 weeks.
Not only did the hospital do all
this but it did it within the funds
available. All of our staff played
a part in this success story, from
cleaners and porters through to
nurses and consultants. We are
now facing challenging times
ahead but our performance last
year has demonstrated that we
are capable of rising to the tasks
presented to us.
14
I’m also delighted that we have
been asked to become the primary
stroke centre for Northamptonshire.
All of the best evidence shows that
early awareness and intervention
in stroke can give patients the
best opportunity for successful
outcomes. We will be developing
our services so that those early
interventions are available.
18
10
3
Health advice
18-19
Hospital radio
4-5
Improving our services
20-21
NGH Charitable Fund
6-7
Our performance
22-23 NGH people
8-9
News round up
24
Born at the Barratt
10-13
Our services
30
Get involved
14-15
News extra
31
Noticeboard
16-17
Our services
32
Who, what, where?
2 insight June/July 2010
We are also developing other
services whether that be daycase
laparascopic cholecystectomy (see
page 4) or the available choice for
new mothers through our home
birth team (page 10). Even though
we know that we face challenging
financial times over the coming
years we will continue to ensure that
services we deliver are the safest,
most clinically effective services
possible based around the needs of
the patient.
Paul Forden
Chief executive
Health advice
Be ‘Sun Aware’ this summer
Specialists from NGH have been
giving out advice in Northampton
town centre to help local people
stay safe in the sun this summer.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Pick-Ngor
Woo, and Macmillan skin cancer nurse
specialist Ruth Fox, gave advice, staged
a display and handed out leaflets and
sunscreen samples on the Market
Square during Sun Awareness Week
in May.
Ruth said: “Nobody wants to spend
the entire summer indoors, and
indeed some sunshine can be good
for us, helping the body to create
vitamin D and giving many of us a
feeling of general wellbeing as we enjoy
outdoors activities. However, all too
often we over-do our sun exposure,
which can lead to a range of skin
problems, the most serious of which
include skin cancer.
Top sun safety tips
“Sunburn and heavy tans in particular
are harmful, and can lead to skin
cancer. In fact, every four hours
someone in the UK dies of skin cancer
and malignant melanoma is now
responsible for the highest number
of cancer deaths in the 18 – 34 year
age group. That’s why the British
Association of Dermatologists has
launched the Sun Awareness campaign,
to teach people how to detect the
signs of skin cancer. Early detection
saves lives.”
Sunburn and heavy
tans in particular are
harmful, and can lead to
skin cancer.
■ You don’t have to avoid the sun all year, but taking a
few steps when out and about in the summer sun or
when on a sunshine holiday will help to protect you
from sunburn and the risk of skin cancer.
■ Protect the skin with clothing, including a hat, T shirt
and UV protective sunglasses
■ Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm
when it’s sunny
■ Use a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 (SPF 50 for
children or people with pale skin) which also has high
UVA protection
■ Keep babies and young children out of direct sunlight
■ The British Association of Dermatologists recommends
that you tell your doctor about any changes to a
mole - if your GP is concerned about your skin,
make sure you see a Consultant Dermatologist (on
the GMC register of specialists), the most expert
person to diagnose a skin cancer. Your GP can refer
you via the NHS.
■ Sunscreens should not be used as an alternative
to clothing and shade, rather they offer additional
protection. No sunscreen will provide 100% protection.
■ Arthur Cuthbert was a visitor to
the stand, and had a mole checked
out by consultant dermatologist
Dr Pick-Ngor Woo
Visit the British Association of Dermatologists website at
www.bad.org.uk for more information and to download
leaflets and posters.
June/July 2010 insight 3
Improving our services
Through the keyhole…
and home in time for tea!
Gallbladder removal always used to entail an overnight stay in
hospital, but now more and more patients are able to go home
within a couple of hours.
Until a year or so ago, almost
every patient coming to NGH for
surgery to remove a gallbladder
would spend at least one night
in hospital. Now the majority of
people are treated as a ‘day case’
meaning that they come in on the
day of their operation and can go
home a couple of hours afterwards.
This means reduced disruption to
patients’ normal lives, and it also
frees up hospital beds for more
serious or emergency cases.
n Consultant surgeon Guy Finch
4 insight June/July 2010
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, known
as ‘lap chole’ in hospital jargon, is
surgical removal of the gallbladder
using keyhole surgery. A laparascope
is a type of very narrow camera that
enables the surgeon to see into the
body through a very small incision, and
cholecystectomy is the surgical removal
of the gall bladder.
The drive to increase the number of
day cases has been led by consultant
surgeon Mr Guy Finch and consultant
anaesthetist Dr Mike Goodwin. Guy
said: “In almost all cases we are able to
remove the gall bladder using keyhole
surgery, but for a small number of
patients we have to perform ‘open’
surgery, which requires greater recovery
time by the patient, including staying
longer in hospital.”
Advancements
in pain relief
and greater
familiarity
with key hole
surgery has
meant that
day case lap
chole has
now become
routine for
the majority
of cases.
It isn’t always possible to be certain that
keyhole surgery will enable successful
removal of the gallbladder, and so a
decision to switch to open surgery
may not be made until a patient is
undergoing surgery. This was the
reason why an overnight stay used to
be the default choice for the lap chole
procedure – but Guy explained that
now times have changed.
“Advancements in pain relief and
greater familiarity with keyhole surgery
have meant that day case lap chole
has now become routine for the
majority of cases, but the biggest
changing force has been our
philosophy. Having the intent to perform
day case surgery, preparing the patient
to be a day case, and giving them the
best chance by operating early in the
day, have all been at least as important
as subtle tweaks of anaesthetic or
surgical technique. The reassurance
that it is now normal procedure also
helps, as does the knowledge that
post-operative support is there if
required. Most people really appreciate
being back in the comfort of their own
homes overnight. We ring to check that
they are OK, and they can call us if they
have any concerns at all. It’s better for
everyone concerned.”
Recovery is usually quicker after
laparoscopic surgery because smaller
incisions are made, and wound pain
is much less than with open surgery.
Patients are prescribed painkillers to
take home with them, and are asked
to continue to wear the support
stockings to help prevent a deep vein
thrombosis (DVT) - which is a blood
clot in the leg.
Surgical removal of the gallbladder using
keyhole surgery involves making three
or four small incisions in the tummy
while the patient is under general
anaesthetic. A thin tube carrying the
video camera is inserted, and
the surgeon inflates the stomach
(peritoneal cavity) with a harmless gas.
This allows the gallbladder to be seen
and makes space for the operation to
be carried out. Fine instruments are
inserted through the other incisions,
and the surgeon can see what (s)he
is doing with the instruments on the
screen. The operation takes about
an hour.
“A perfect experience”
n Dawn Branigan
Photographer Dawn Branigan,
who recently had the operation,
said: “It was an absolutely perfect
experience. And I was back home
in Daventry by a quarter past
three in the afternoon, which was
very impressive!”
A couple of years ago Dawn
started to have what felt like chronic
indigestion or heartburn. Eventually
she went to her GP who thought
she might have gallstones, and this
was confirmed at NGH. She also
had tests to rule out a possible
hiatus hernia, but then her consultant
Mr Finch told her that she would need
to have her gallbladder removed.
Dawn said: “Initially I wasn’t
convinced because I didn’t have
typical symptoms, but when he told
me that the long term implications
involved a higher risk of developing
cervical cancer, I agreed to be
booked in. Anyway, when my
gallbladder was eventually removed,
I’m told that it was a particularly
bad one, and could also have been
perforated at some point.”
“Because I’m a photographer and
I do a lot of weddings I had quite a
tight window to have the operation. It
had to be done in the first two weeks
of April to make sure I was fit and well
enough for the beginning of May, and
they were quite accommodating with
the date.
“I came in at 8.15am, and after the
assessment part I was first in to
theatre. After the cannula went into
the back of my hand, the next thing
I knew I was coming round in the
recovery area. A couple of hours later
I was able to go home, and I was
back in Daventry by 3.15pm.
I can’t
fault it
really,
it’s been
perfect.
“I was really, really worried about it
beforehand but I would say that the
op actually had very little impact on
me. It didn’t hurt, and though I was
bruised it wasn’t even particularly
tender. I didn’t have any trouble
sleeping. I was given painkillers but I
took them for maybe a day, and I didn’t
take any of the strong ones - it just
wasn’t necessary. I had a couple of
weeks off work, but I would have come
back earlier if my staff had let me. And
I was driving within three days, so there
was very little downtime.
“To anyone else facing the same
operation, I would say just do it. It
wasn’t a problem for me and I feel fine,
absolutely fine. I can’t fault it really, it’s
been perfect.”
June/July 2010 insight 5
Our performance
Targets success,
thanks to staff
The hospital met all its targets for the 09/10 financial year - and
earned some rare praise from the local newspaper as a result.
NGH chief executive Paul Forden
said: “I’m delighted to report that
we have met all of the key national
targets. This includes those for
maximum waiting times, cancer
waiting and treatment times,
A&E transit times and reducing
MRSA and C Difficile infections.
We have been able to achieve all
of this and still deliver our required
financial surplus.”
Director of operations Christine Allen
said: “It’s been a few years since all our
annual targets were achieved. It was a
hard slog but these figures are a pat on
the back for our staff’s great efforts.”
The Chronicle and Echo’s editorial
column added its own congratulations.
It said: “It is a performance worthy
of the warmest praise. All must have
played a part in this success story,
from the cleaners and porters to the
consultants and executives.”
The column admitted that the NHS and
its hospitals come in for much criticism,
but added: “Surely it’s time for those
sniping from the sidelines to shoulder
arms and give credit where it’s due...
to the hard-working employees of
Northampton General Hospital.”
It was a hard slog but
these figures are a pat on
the back for our staff’s
great efforts.”
6 insight June/July 2010
Our numbers are up
During the year we
treated more patients
than ever before.
We saw over 97,000
outpatients, 88,000
inpatients, and more than
80,000 visitors to our
emergency departments
– all significantly up on the
previous year.
2009/10
(2008/09)
47,743
Elective Admissions
50,009
36,913
Non - elective Admissions
38,178
87,447
1st Outpatient Attendances
97,277
171,247
Follow up outpatient
193,297
2,701
Outpatient Procedures
2,938
79,307
A&E Attendances
80,808
52,071
GP referrals
52,199
A&E
performance
We achieved 98.2% against the
annual four-hour transit time
target of 98% for 2009-2010.
There were considerable pressures
over the winter months due to
an increase in activity. Significant
changes have been made to
improve the flow of patients
through the hospital enabling the
trust to achieve this target.
Some highlights of
the year
Waiting time targets are all met
18 weeks
For the second year, we delivered the national
18 week referral to treatment time across
every specialty.
Diagnostics
We have continued to deliver the targets for a
maximum six-week wait for diagnostic tests and,
since January 2009, have delivered the locally
agreed target of diagnostic wait times being no
greater than four weeks. 99.9% of our patients
had a diagnostic test within four weeks.
Cancer waiting times
During 2009/10 we have delivered additional
national cancer targets. Patients treated at
NGH have continued to receive treatment within
all the existing and new targets of:
■ 93% of suspected cancers seen within two
weeks of a GP referral
■ 85% of patients treated within 62 days from
referral to treatment
■ 96% of patients being treated within 31 days
of a decision to treat
■ 94% of patients being treated for subsequent
cancer treatments within 31 days from
decision to treat
■ 90% of patients treated within 62 days
From January 2010, 94% of all breast routine
referrals were required to be seen within two
weeks. From January to March 2010, we have
exceeded this standard with 96.5% of patients
being seen within two weeks.
Thrombolysis
We have exceeded the target of 68% for people
suffering a heart attack to receive thrombolytic
within 60 minutes of call (where this is the
preferred local treatment for heart attack). We
achieved 84%.
Infection Control
We have achieved all the national targets for infection
control of:
■ 15% reduction in Clostridium Difficile cases
■ Maintaining the annual number of MRSA bloodstream
infections at less than half the 2003/04 level
■ All patients admitted for treatment to be screened for MRSA
Balancing
the books
In 2009/10 the trust again met
its financial targets, achieving an
operating surplus (£2.1m) for the
fourth successive year.
We also spent £10.7m of capital
expenditure in 2009/10. This
included expenditure on improving
ward facilities as part of the
initiative to provide Same Sex
Accommodation, and investment in
information technology.
Maternity services
During the year we helped 4611 women deliver babies. Of
these, 234 (5.1%) delivered at home, and NGH is in the top
two per cent of all trusts for the number of home deliveries.
The NGH Charitable Fund has
continued to make significant
contributions to the trust, which
have included £362k for capital
projects and a further £299k for
staff and patient benefit. We would
like to take the opportunity to thank
all the fundraisers, donors and
supporters of the Charitable Fund
for their generosity.
■ A new Day Surgery Unit was
developed to provide a much
improved patient experience
and increased efficiency. Feedback
in the first few weeks of operation
showed that patients were
extremely positive about
the care and attention they
received as well as the modern,
fresh environment.
■ We were successful in our bid
to be designated as the Primary
Stroke Centre for the county.
■ The Northampton Heart Centre
was formally opened in October
2009, and local patients no longer
have to travel outside the county
for treatment such as angioplasty
(widening of narrow or obstructed
blood vessels). Pacemakers
can be implanted as a day case
procedure, and advanced imaging
techniques, such as nuclear
cardiology and ultrasound scans,
have been introduced to detect
coronary disease.
■ During 2009 we made significant
changes to ward accommodation
to improve patients’ privacy
and dignity. By increasing toilet
and bathroom facilities we
have ensured that patients no
longer have to pass patients
of the opposite sex whilst on
the way to the facilities. We
also made considerable progress
in modernising public spaces
and corridors.
■ The Evelyn Centre, housing a
new bereavement suite as well
as our Patient Advice and Liaison
Service (PALS), was opened by
the Duchess of Gloucester.
■ The maternity unit successfully
applied to be one of the 12 sites
chosen to form the King’s Fund
Safer Births Network, a project
that is helping to bring about
improvements to patient care.
■ The Breast Screening Unit has
been working to expand the
scope for breast cancer diagnosis
and care. Digital mammography
has been introduced to enable
the unit to screen women aged
between 47 and 73, and is
the first UK unit outside of pilot
projects to be accredited to do
this work.
■ The hospital’s Service
Improvement Team has enabled
departments throughout the
trust to enhance the services
they provide. Examples include
increasing the amount of time
nurses are able to spend giving
direct patient care, reducing
length of stay for cancer patients,
standardising methods to boost
efficiency and safety, and reducing
time taken to dispense medicines
and carry out pathology tests.
June/July 2010 insight 7
News round up
Specialist
centres
announced
NHS Northamptonshire has
commissioned specialist
stroke and heart attack centres
for the county that will offer
patients the most up-to-date
and effective treatment as quickly
as possible.
You can read more on page 14 about
the announcement that Northampton
General Hospital is to become a
Primary Stroke Centre for the area.
Evidence shows that people who are
treated in specialist centres are more
likely to survive their stroke, and less
likely to be dependent on others for
long-term care.
It was also announced that a
specialist centre for heart attack
treatment and care in the county
will be based at Kettering General
Hospital (KGH). Patients will continue
to receive care for heart attack and
stroke at both hospitals but the more
8 insight June/July 2010
severe cases will be seen at the
specialist centres.
Dr Lyndsey Brawn, NGH clinical
director for medicine, said: “We
have a well equipped heart centre at
Northampton, and we will continue to
offer the extensive range of cardiac
procedures - including a treatment
called Primary Percutaneous
Coronary Intervention (PPCI) to
unblock arteries - to treat patients
with suspected heart attacks.
“Our existing services for the
assessment of angina, pacemaker
implantation, heart failure and other
cardiac treatments will all continue,
including the new nuclear cardiology
service for assessment of some
angina patients. The Northampton
team look forward to working with
KGH to provide timely, high quality
intervention for all cardiac patients
across the county.”
■ Fiona Barnes, Aneta Ivanova and Sarah-Jane
Leatherland in old nursing uniform
Nurses’ Day turns
back the clock
NGH nurses turned back the clock by wearing
some old-style uniforms to celebrate Nurses’
Day, which is traditionally celebrated on Florence
Nightingale’s birthday, 12 May, every year.
This year staff took the opportunity to reflect on the last
100 years of the nursing and midwifery profession in
the light of the centenary year of Florence Nightingale’s
death. Past nursing uniforms, books and photographs
from the NGH Archive, and donations from local people
were all on show in a display set up in the Cyber Café
area on Hospital Street.
The Rugby branch of
the building contractors
GB Building Solutions
has donated some
furniture to the NGH
medicine directorate.
Tony Lynes, senior project
manager at the company,
said: “We have amalgamated
two of our midlands offices,
Tamworth and Northampton,
to a new location north
of Rugby, and as a
consequence of the moves
we had quite a lot of furniture
surplus. Quite often the
cost of moving and storing
furniture is greater than the
■ Jo Haensel and Vicki Moroney
Furniture gift
value, so we are more than
happy to find a new home
for it. We arranged for the
removal vehicles to make a
delivery to NGH before taking
the remainder to our head
office, and are pleased that it
has been well received.”
Deputy director of operations
Deborah Alderson said:
“The directorate is extremely
grateful for the kind donation,
the furniture is of a very high
standard, and staff in the
directorate are delighted with
it. We are very appreciative
to GB Building Solutions for
this valuable donation.”
Nurses head
to Malawi
Two NGH nurses are raising
money to fund a three-month
stay in Malawi, where they will
be working in a community
health centre.
Date set for Open Day
Last year the people who came to our open day in
June were so impressed with what they saw, they
have been asking when we are going to open to the
public again.
We are pleased to announce that another hospital open
day will be taking place on Saturday 18th September
(between 11.00am and 4.00pm). Like last year we will
be holding our Annual General Meeting on the same day.
And as part of this year’s event we will also be supporting
NGH Green Heart Day to help raise the profile of the NGH
Charitable Fund.
There will be lots to see and do, and we will bring you more
details of what’s available throughout the day in our next
issue of Insight (published on 30th July).
Creaton nurse Jo Haensel, and nurse
practitioner Vicki Moroney plan to
travel to Malawi in August to volunteer
with a charity called Ripple Africa.
They are currently raising funds to
help with the cost of the trip, and to
fund healthcare projects they intend
to set up while they are there.
Jo said: “Where we’re going the
infrastructure of the country has
been particularly affected by the HIV/
AIDS pandemic and as a result the
community has a lot of health needs.
“We believe it is a real privilege to be
able to be involved in this work. Vicky
and I are going to be working in the
Kachere Health Centre, and with the
community workers on a completely
voluntary and self funded basis.
We will be nursing members of the
community with acute and chronic
problems and promoting the longer
term health of the community with
education, and health projects that
seek to address some of the issues
that disable the community in their
efforts to progress.”
Vicki said: “The challenges we will
face out there will be very different
from here. People die from things that
here we would just take a couple of
tablets for and be cured.”
The pair are raising money through a
variety of methods. So far they have
held a party for friends and family,
cake sales for staff at the hospital,
sold quiz sheets for £1 each with a
cash prize, and organised a clothes
swap night. They also plan to hold
a quiz night, a comedy event, and a
murder mystery weekend.
Jo added: “The cost of the trip is
around £3000 each, and we hope to
raise as much as possible to enable
us to buy equipment to take there.
The clinic currently has very little
diagnostic equipment, so we would
like to purchase what we can to leave
there for the ongoing work of this
extremely committed charity.”
If you would like more information
please visit www.rippleafrica.org
June/July 2010 insight 9
Our services
Boost for home births
The percentage of babies delivered
at home by NGH midwives is one
of the highest in the country. Last
year we helped 234 women
achieve their wish to have a home
birth. Now a new dedicated home
birth team of 13 midwives has
been set up to support all women
in South Northants who choose to
birth at home.
Senior midwife Anne Richley, who
leads the team with colleagues
Bobby Williams and Sally O’Connell,
explained: “The home birth rate in
Northampton is now three times the
national average and, because of
that, we have had to find a new way
of working. Previously midwives were
leaving clinics to go these births, but the
new team of experienced midwives will
care solely for women who want to give
birth at home.
“There are still a lot of women who
assume, with a first baby, they have
to give birth in hospital; that isn’t
the case. With any women whose
pregnancies are low risk, we encourage
home births as an option. You are
more likely to have a normal birth
experience at home, with a low risk
pregnancy, and you need less pain relief
because you are relaxed. At home the
women can eat, they drink, they listen
to music, they walk around and the
labour happens very normally. They feel
safe and relaxed.
“The women’s antenatal care will
be offered at home, by their named
midwife within the team, and they can
also meet other team members at
antenatal workshops. They will have our
phone numbers to call us directly, day
or night. This new system will be more
sustainable and we are confident that
all women will receive an even higher
standard of care as a result.”
■ The Home Birth Team are: Louisa Chown, Sarah Cook, Clare Dale, Kelly Emmerson, Jayne Fox, Becky Johnson, Sally O’Connell, Sally Pollock,
Selina Reader, Anne Richley, Marion Steel, Tina Till, Bobby Williams
Photographs by kind permission of the Chronicle and Echo
10 insight June/July 2010
“I couldn’t have paid for a better
service – the team are really lovely”
Becky Harris of Wootton is an
enthusiastic supporter of home
births – so much so that, having been
through two of her own, she was
inspired to become a midwife herself,
and is now in her final year of training.
Becky said: “My first child, Jordan,
was a hospital birth. I didn’t
particularly enjoy being confined
to bed, and it all seemed very
medicalised. When it came to my
second pregnancy I’d looked into it
and decided that I wanted a home
birth. It was so much calmer, and
a very positive experience. I felt
empowered to do what my body
should do naturally, but also really
supported by the midwives.
to do. After I’d had our two girls, Abbie
and Emilia, I said ‘I’m going to train to
be a midwife’ – and I was accepted
and started seven months later.”
Becky is due to complete her training
at Milton Keynes General Hospital early
next year.
“I remember thinking after I’d had
Millie that, whatever you want to do,
you can achieve it,” concluded Becky.
“Next year I’m doing the London
to Brighton bike ride, and I’m also
planning to do the Marathon before
I’m forty!”
“All the community midwives were
really good. They came round to the
house, we had their contact numbers,
and it was such a personal service.
As for my third delivery, I couldn’t
have paid for a better service. I had
all my antenatals, my delivery, my
postnatals all done by the same
midwife, and I think that continuity is
so important. The Home Birth Team
really are lovely. They’re so supportive
and they make the experience so
enjoyable.
When Becky left school she knew
she wanted to go into health but
wasn’t really sure exactly what to do.
“I became a healthcare assistant and
worked in a children’s home but I just
knew I wasn’t doing the job I wanted
“The home birth team
are so supportive and
they make the experience
so enjoyable.
■ Becky Harris had two home births, and is now training to become a midwife
June/July 2010 insight 11
Our services
New radiotherapy
treatment means fewer
side effects for patients
Bending radiation beams around corners means more precise
targeting of tumours, and a grandfather from Corby is the first
patient to benefit from the new treatment.
A NEW radiotherapy technique
which targets tumours but avoids
damaging vital organs is now being
used on local cancer patients. NGH
is the first hospital in the area to
use Intensity-Modulated Radiation
Therapy (IMRT).
The new technique uses more precise
radiation beams that can be varied in
intensity and even shaped to target
tumours but protect healthy tissue.
This means higher doses of radiation
can be given to cancer patients,
cutting side effects and improving their
responses to treatment.
A grandfather from Corby is the first
patient to experience IMRT in operation
at Northampton General Hospital.
Billy Irvine, 69, was diagnosed with
prostate cancer last October. He
had a course of hormone therapy by
means of tablets and implants for more
than six months, but is now able to
benefit from the new and improved
radiation treatment.
He says he is quite happy to help
pioneer the treatment, as long as it
helps someone else. His wife has MS
and he has become a source of advice
and information for others in Corby
who are caring for people with the
disease. Billy says: “In the same way.
I’ll be able to explain about this new
12 insight June/July 2010
treatment. I’m quite happy to do it. And
I’m very happy with all the people I’ve
met here at NGH – and Kettering too.
They’ve been fantastic.”
might get tired after a fortnight of the
treatment, but at the moment I’m doing
fine. We’ll cross that bridge when we
come to it.”
“When you find out you’ve got prostate
cancer it hits you hard. But my kids
are wonderful, and friends are a great
support and that is a big, big thing.
Without family and friends you would
struggle. My next door neighbour had
prostate cancer four years ago, and
it’s been good to talk to him about it. It
makes me feel better to see him now,
four years on.”
Consultant clinical oncologist Dr Philip
Camilleri said: “IMRT shapes the
radiation beam more precisely to the
shape of the prostate so we are able
to bend x-rays around corners into
flexible shapes, and avoid other organs
that we don’t want to treat. So it’s much
more accurate, and patients get fewer
side effects.
Billy is no stranger to NGH, having
worked for many years at BOC,
involved in the supply of medical gases
to hospitals in the region. “I came
here from as early as 1967, and my
colleague John Chapman were asked
for by name because they said we did
a first class job. But I never thought I
would be back here doing this!”
Billy is having treatment five days a
week for seven weeks, but says that
having prostate cancer has made little
difference to his life, and he is trying to
live as normally as possible. “I am still
doing my gardening, though I don’t
do as much and I can’t do the heavy
work. But I’m determined to do it
because there’s nothing worse than
sitting or lying around. I’m told I
“It also means that we will be able to
treat tumours with a higher dose of
radiation and have a better chance
of providing a cure. This is a really
sophisticated treatment that is not
available in some of the bigger cancer
centres around us – so it is a big
achievement for us.”
The planning for IMRT takes longer than
normal radiotherapy, so while capacity is
being increased it is being used on just
two or three prostate cancer patients
a month. The new treatment will then
become widely used on an increasing
number of other cancers, such as
those of the lung, oesophageus and
pancreas. A year from now it is possible
that 200 patients a month could be
treated this way.
■ First patient Billy Irvine with deputy head of radiotherapy physics Nicky Whilde (left) and consultant
clinical oncologist Dr Philip Camilleri
When you find out you’ve
got prostate cancer it
hits you hard. But my
kids are wonderful,
and friends are a great
support and that is a big,
big thing.
June/July 2010 insight 13
News extra
Gary’s legacy to
Talbot Butler
The grateful family of a former
patient has made a donation to
Talbot Butler ward in recognition
of the ‘excellent care’ he received
there. Gary Barton, aged 45, from
Daventry, passed away in January
this year after an 11-month battle
with cancer.
Julia Barton said: “Gary really liked
the ward, saying that it was clean and
secure. He felt safe here, surrounded
by staff that were both friendly and
helpful, and I felt the same.
“Our daughters could sit and study in
the day room - Laura was doing her
GCSEs and Emily is at uni – and we
could all be here with Gary. It sounds
bizarre but it felt like home.
“All the staff were so friendly, including
the tea lady who we had a really
good relationship with. And Gary
struck up a great rapport with Dan, a
chemo nurse, who used to joke with
him about getting a waitress from the
restaurant to bring him a steak!
“Everybody was so good to us
and that’s why Gary wanted to be
remembered. We are setting up a
trust in his name and we hope to do
more work for this ward.”
Emily and Laura Barton handed
over cheques totalling £1,263 which
had been donated by Gary’s family
and friends. The family also made
a donation to Cawthorne Ward at
Danetre Hospital where Gary was
also treated.
Mums and nurses
skydive for Gosset
Gosset ward staff will
be joined by grateful
mums for the first fundraising event of its new
charity committee.
Gosset neonatal ward, which
looks after about one in ten
of all babies born at NGH,
often receives donations
from mums and dads whose
babies have spent time on
the unit. Now staff have
targeted a £30,000 incubator
and have decided to launch
their own committee to
attract cash for it and other
new equipment as quickly
as possible, with a skydive
being its first event in June.
Twelve people will be taking
part - six nurses, one doctor,
and five mums of babies
who have been cared for on
the unit.
■ Talbot Butler sister Jackie Perkins, with Emily and Laura Barton, and chemo
staff nurse Dan Cojocaru
14 insight June/July 2010
Alex has got so
much enthusiasm
and so many
ideas, it’s
quite infectious.
Clinical educator Katy Bates
is leading the fundraising
committee with healthcare
assistant Alex Highton.
Katy said: “Quite a few
people are accompanying
us to watch and give their
support, and a lot of the
mums with babies currently
on the ward are sponsoring
us. Alex has got so much
enthusiasm and so many
ideas, it’s quite infectious.”
Alex said she hoped the
skydive would be only the
beginning of the events
they will organise. She said:
“The hospital pays for all
the essential care that the
babies need but there isn’t
endless money so any extras
to make things easier for the
babies and staff have to be
funded by donations.
“Some families tell us they
don’t really know how to
thank us so it’s fantastic for
them that they can feel they
are doing something.”
The skydive takes place
on 8 June at Hinton-in-theHedges airfield. To pledge
a donation, which will go to
the NGH charitable fund,
visit www.justgiving.co.uk/
skydiveforscbu
Physio course
puts NGH on
the map
A two-week course to train physiotherapists from all over
the country has been hosted by NGH. The course was run by the
British Bobath Tutors Association (BBTA), an organisation of tutors in
the UK specialising in the assessment and treatment of adults with
neurological impairment.
■ Organisers Brian Dew and Tracy Winfield
NGH physiotherapist Tim Meads was instrumental in securing NGH as a
venue. He said: “We had to apply to be a venue for the course about a year
ago. The BBTA organize the 20 participants, who are from all over the country,
from their long waiting list. We are hoping to make a profit from the course fees
which will be used to purchase new equipment for the stroke unit.
“Although it has been a lot to organise, the physio staff and our managers have
all helped a lot. And it gives NGH good publicity as the course has been very
well recognised for many years.
The two week course
is followed by a break
for three months
for the participants
to do a project,
and then there is a
further training week
to consolidate their
learning. The course
comprises a series
of lectures on current
neurophysiology,
many practical
sessions covering
posture and movement
analysis, and patient
treatment sessions
which link the practical
to the physiology.
■ NGH car boot sale in action
Sales boost
Friends’ funds
Car boot sales are in their second year back at NGH,
after previously being located at the Beacon Bingo site.
The first sale of the year in April raised £460, with all
proceeds being used to benefit patients and visitors to
the hospital.
Organiser Brian Dew said: “I’m responsible to the Friends of
NGH volunteers, and the council, for the monthly event. Every
first Sunday of the month, I am at the staff car park at 5.30am
putting up the direction signs and placing the cones, ready to
guide the sellers’ cars on the site. At 7.30am the rest of the
team arrives to organise the sellers in their places and collect
the donations for parking.
“We have two teams, helping on alternate months, but we
need extra help. So if you can spare a few hours from 7.30am
to 12noon it would be appreciated. Any staff volunteering
from wards and departments will receive a donation towards
their charitable fund.”
For more details about our car boot sales, contact the Friends
of NGH office on 01604 545802.
June/July 2010 insight 15
Our services
NGH named as Primary Strok
NHS Northamptonshire has announced
that Northampton General Hospital is
to become a specialist, emergency
stroke centre. NGH will be one of five
Primary Stroke Centres (PSCs) in the
East Midlands, set up with the aim that
people throughout the region will be
able to reach one within a 60-minute
ambulance journey. In some cases,
reaching a specialist hospital may mean
travelling further than the local A&E, but
it also means that everyone will get the
right care quickly.
The best stroke care relies on highly skilled
and experienced staff using sophisticated
equipment. This means concentrating services
in specialist centres rather than spreading
skills and equipment over too many hospitals.
Also many local hospitals will not treat enough
people in the early stages of stroke to get the
experience found at specialist centres.
Dr Lyndsey Brawn, stroke consultant and
clinical director for medicine, said: “The initial
first three hours are important in making the
diagnosis and that will impact on how much
medical treatment they need.”
The best stroke care means rapid access to
a CT scan to determine the cause of stroke,
immediate treatment with clot-busting drugs,
if appropriate, and physiotherapy within a
few days of the stroke. Thrombolysis – the
use of clot-busting drugs – needs to occur
within three hours of the onset of a stroke to
be effective, and a CT scan is required before
thrombolysis can occur.
Treatment depends on rapid response and,
thanks largely to the ‘FAST’ posters and
television ads, this is something the public are
becoming increasingly aware of. Dr Brawn said:
“The necessary speed has not always been
understood, and people would sometimes go
to bed, wait overnight and go to the doctors in
the morning. But there has been a lot of work
over the last 10 years which has brought the
symptoms to the forefront.”
Dr Brawn said: “Another part of our work is
for TIAs – Transient Ischaemic Attacks – often
known as ‘mini-strokes’. People may have had
the same symptoms. We see these people
very quickly and we are able to get them on
treatment which will reduce their chance of
having a more major stroke at a later date.
We have been running this since 1997 but
the numbers for this service are 500 a year for
Northampton alone.”
Stroke is when the normal blood supply to part
of the brain is cut off. If brain cells do not get a
constant supply of oxygen from the blood, the
cells in the affected area become damaged or
die. In the UK, someone has a stroke every five
minutes. They are the leading cause of disability
in the UK, and the third most common cause
of death, after cancer and heart disease.
NGH stroke consultant physician Dr Mel Blake
said: “People who are older get more strokes,
and men tend to have more than women. The
main factors are blood pressure, cholesterol,
diabetes and smoking. But strokes can happen
at any ages, and a quarter of them happen in
people younger than 60.”
Dr Blake said: “Clot-busting thrombolysis
can potentially reverse the damage caused
by a stroke, but it can only be given within
three hours of the first signs for it to be
most effective. The earlier a person gets this
treatment the better, which is why it’s so
important to act FAST.”
■ Stroke consultant Dr Mel Blake, specialist registrar Dr Lisa Manning, stroke specialist nurse
Rachel Day, and medicine clinical director Dr Lyndsey Brawn
16 insight June/July 2010
The FAST acronym - Face, Arm, Speech,
Time to call 999 - was created by The Stroke
Association and is used by paramedics to
assess three symptoms:
■ Facial weakness. Can the person smile?
Have they a droop to one side of
the mouth?
■ Arm weakness. Can they raise both arms?
■ Speech problems. Can you understand what
they are trying to say?
■ Time to call 999
ke Centre
The initial first three
hours are important in
making the diagnosis
and that will impact
on how much medical
treatment they need.
Reduce your risk of
stroke – five things
you can do
Stop smoking
Smoking causes the arteries to fur
up (atherosclerosis) and makes the
blood more likely to clot. Stopping
smoking can cut the risk of a stroke
in half - no matter how old you are
or how long you have smoked.
Drink sensibly
Drinking too much alcohol raises
blood pressure. Drinking more than
six units in six hours is particularly
dangerous as it can cause blood
pressure to soar.
Get your blood
pressure checked
Untreated high blood pressure
(hypertension) is the biggest single
risk factor for stroke.
Eat healthily
Salt is a hidden danger. It’s in a lot
of processed and fast foods. Eat
fresh foods whenever you can.
Exercise
Regular physical exercise halves
your risk of a stroke.
Photographs by kind permission of the
Chronicle and Echo
■ Stroke patient Margaret Ratledge receives some help with rehabilitation from our therapists
June/July 2010 insight 17
Hospital radio
Radio brightens
patients’ stay
The hospital radio station, Radio
Nene Valley, is a completely free
service for patients on NGH
wards, and broadcasts 24 hours
a day, seven days a week. It is
run as a registered charity, does
not receive funding, and is staffed
entirely by volunteers.
Hospital broadcasting in Northampton
began in the early 1950’s when the
hospital administrator of the time,
Stanley Hill, broadcast live commentary
of Northampton Town Football Club’s
home matches over the hospital’s
internal radio system.
On Sunday 7th November 1971,
hospital radio began proper as the
first faltering words were heard on
‘Radio Titania’ as it was then known,
although there were probably more
listeners in the studio area than in the
hospital wards. Space for a studio had
been provided, by an understandably
cautious health authority, in the form
of a vacant nurses’ bedroom on the
top floor of the old part of the hospital
above the Billing Road entrance.
The station was renamed to Radio
Nene Valley, and began to build itself a
reputation and a niche within its role of
providing a service to the community.
Then in 1983, the operation moved
to a brand new broadcast suite in
We are constantly
looking for sponsors of
shows and contributions
to our running costs.
18 insight June/July 2010
the basement, formerly the hospital
kitchens. It has been there ever since
and, as hospital radio stations go, it
is one of the best resourced with two
presentation studios, interview studio,
music library, reception area, workshop,
store and offices.
Staffing is now made up of around
thirty unpaid volunteers who come
from all walks of life and range from
school leavers to pensioners. Kevin
Askew, Chairman of Radio Nene Valley
said: “Over the years, Radio Nene
Valley has become a much respected
service within the local community and
we’ve collected a number of awards.
It’s thanks like this, together with the
warm response we get when visiting the
wards, that helps make it all worthwhile.
“As a registered charity, RNV receives
only money it raises itself – so, with
running costs of over £3,000 a year,
this presents us with something of a
challenge. We rely on fundraising and
donations from local businesses to keep
us going and, while the support of these
businesses and the general public are
very gratefully received, it never seems
to be quite enough.
“We are constantly looking for
sponsors of shows and contributions
to our running costs. It works out an
extremely efficient and economical
way of marketing and also makes you
feel good about yourself and your firm
too, so we would appreciate anyone
interested getting in touch with us.”
If you can support Radio Nene Valley
in any way or would like further
information, contact us on 01604
545454 – or via our website:
www.radionenevalley.co.uk
How to listen to Radio
Nene Valley
Switch on the Telecall unit,
then simply:
1. Tap the screen
2. Tap “Radio”
3. Tap “Radio Nene Valley”
It’s as simple as that… and we
broadcast 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. We broadcast a
patient request programme every
weekday evening between 8.00pm
and 10.00pm. You may meet
some of our members collecting
requests on the wards (usually
between 7.00pm – 8.00pm) –
but you can also call us. You
can contact Radio Nene Valley
on (01604) 545454 or internal
extension 5252 and one of our
members will be more than happy
to take your dedication or request.
Remember – Radio Nene Valley
is your hospital radio station. We
broadcast only to NGH to try and
make your stay in hospital a little
brighter, so please do use us.
June/July 2010 insight 19
NGH Charitable Fund
Jagger and
Woody pop in
Jagger and Woody from Heart FM popped in to see the
play specialists on Disney and Paddington as part of
their Heart Appeal which is raising money to upgrade
the Starlight Fun Centres
■ The Odell fundraisers
More Odell
support for ITU
Richard Odell began his
relationship with the hospital by
raising funds as a ‘thank you’ in
2003 following a very serious road
accident in 2002 which left him in
intensive care for five weeks and
a total stay of ten weeks at the
hospital. In the intervening years,
as Chairman of the Charitable
Appeals Committee, he has put
considerable energy into helping
raise funds throughout the
hospital for various departments
but recently felt he wanted to
again support the intensive
therapy unit (ITU) which helped
save his life.
Richard was very touched when his
son Jonathan told him of his idea to
raise funds for the hospital and take
part in the Paris Marathon.
It came about whilst on holiday in
Australia last year, when Jonathan
met up with old university friend
Bruce Cameron, and over a few
‘tinnies’ the idea was born, to run a
marathon and raise money for the
NGH ITU. Their thought was that they
and a group of friends could enter
20 insight June/July 2010
the Paris Marathon, so Jonathan
and Bruce recruited the support of
Ben, Catherine, Bruce and Alexi who
all willingly gave the commitment to
train and raise funds to support the
fantastic work of the unit.
On Sunday 11 April 2010 they
completed their challenge of 26.2
miles around beautiful springtime
Paris, and raised a fantastic
£23,000 to purchase a portable
echo-cardiography ultrasound
system for ITU.
The echocardiography ultrasound
system will help by improving
diagnostic as well as therapeutic
skills in critical care. The ultrasound
machine will be able to perform
echocardiography and ultrasound
of the chest. Jo Dilley, critical care
matron said “We are so grateful to
Richard and his family for all the
ongoing support they have given
us over the years. This new piece
of equipment will make a huge
difference to how we treat ITU
patients, and will really ensure we
can give the best possible care
through better diagnosis and
therapeutic care.”
A Starlight Fun Centre is a specially designed mobile
entertainment unit incorporating a TV monitor, a combi video/
DVD player and a Nintendo GameCube. They can be used
in many different ways. Children on the ward can all sit
together and watch a film, breaking the ‘first day at school’
atmosphere and encouraging the children to make friends.
Alternatively, the Starlight Fun Centre can be wheeled right up
to an ill child’s bed in intensive care, providing entertainment
whilst isolated from others.
Starlight Fun Centres are also used as a crucial part of
a child’s treatment. They can be used to help calm
children down prior to an important operation and to
distract them as they fall asleep after their pre-med injections.
Children who have access to a Starlight Fun Centre whilst
undergoing treatment are often so absorbed playing their
Nintendo game that they are unaware of the treatment being
administered to them.
With the support of Heart FM and all their listeners we hope
to upgrade all three Fun Centres currently available on the
children’s wards.
Briefly…
■ Staff from A&E joined the Hannah Payne Memorial
Trust at their annual ball and were delighted to be
presented with a cheque for £20,000 - bringing their total
donation to £30,000. The hospital has begun a £40,000
project to build the first ‘Hannah Payne Room’, which will
provide a family room in the NGH A&E department for
the friends and relatives of seriously ill patients.
■ We have very much appreciated all the support
from Howes Percival Solicitors throughout their year of
partnership with the hospital, and send a big thank you
for all their efforts. They helped support a number of
areas including child health, A&E and neurophysiology,
raising almost £4,000 for our funds.
Donna’s skydive
Workforce planning manager
Donna Henshall, and Laura
Robinson from Northampton
Borough Council took to the
sky on Sunday 25th April to
skydive and raise money for
Northampton General Hospital.
Despite feeling some trepidation
before the jump, they both found
it an amazing and exhilarating
experience which they both said
would definitely do again.
So now it could be you - Imagine
standing at the edge of an open
doorway in an aircraft flying at 10,000
feet - the noise of the engines and
the wind ringing in your ears with only
the outline of distant fields below.
Now imagine leaning forward out of
that doorway and letting go - falling
forward into the clouds, diving down
through the air as you start freefalling
at over 120mph! Then imagine the
peace and quiet as the canopy opens,
the steering toggles come down either
side of you and you begin a tranquil
parachute descent from a mile up in
the air, steering yourself back down
■ Following a toy fair held by the Northamptonshire and
Huntingdonshire Freemasons, our play specialists were
very pleased to receive a donation of brand new toys for
a wide age range of children. Team leader Sue Faulkner
said: “We are very grateful for these new toys, which
will help keep the children occupied during their stay
in hospital. Certain toys work really well to distract the
children during treatments and procedures.”
to the centre of the drop zone below.
Imagine being able to do this for FREE
whilst harnessed to a professional
freefall parachute instructor and at
the same time being able to help
Northampton General Hospital! Stop
imagining, it’s real and it’s happening
all the time and you can be part of it...
On Sunday 12th September it could
be you. All we ask you to do is raise
£395 in sponsorship money in order
for you to jump for free and in turn
an average donation of £140 will be
made to support charitable projects at
Northampton General Hospital.
For more information on how to take
part call the charities team on ext
5091 or email [email protected]
Ward sister Elaine Crisp said:
“Donations like these make a
■ Staff in the diabetes centre were very happy with
the refurbishment of the education room, which was
financed using their charitable funds. Kind donations
from staff, patients and their families enabled them to
transform a very old and dark room to a light, bright
and much more welcoming environment. The room is
used for group sessions such as the ‘DAFNE’ project to
provide nutritional advice to patients with diabetes, as
well as a staff meeting room, and also by Diabetes UK
Northampton Branch. Thanks to everyone who made
this possible.
■ Sedgebrook Hall in Chapel Brampton is hosting a
Country and Western Night in aid of the A&E children’s
area on Saturday 26th June. To book your ticket call
the events team on 01604 821666 - tickets cost £24.95
which includes arrival drink, BBQ, line dancing instructor,
prize for best dressed, and a disco.
John Lewis
boost for
Brampton
Brampton Ward was thrilled
to take delivery of coffee,
biscuits and magazines for
their elderly patients following
a very generous donation from
John Lewis, who are based on
Brackmills. The donation was
used on St. Georges Day when
the ward staff held a celebration
event for patients.
■ Staff in the haematology clinic were delighted to show
the freemasons the new electric recliner chairs and
scales which had been bought following their generous
donation. Sister Annette Steele said: “We would like to
thank the freemasons for their generosity and support.
The electric recliners provide real comfort, and allow
patients to adjust and maintain dignity and independence
whilst undergoing treatment - which can sometimes last
for up to six hours. The stand-on electric scales provide
acute rate and BMI measurements which are essential
for accurate chemotherapy dosage.”
NGH
ble
ChaFruitnad
Northampton General Hospital
Registered charity no: 1051107
huge difference to patients on the
elderly ward. Many patients are in
for long periods of time, and being
able to brighten their day with fun
events like this really makes their time
in hospital easier.”
All donations to the hospital are managed,
separately from NHS finances, by the trustees
of the NGH Charitable Fund, a registered
charity. If you would like to make a donation, or
be involved in raising money for NGH, please
contact our fundraising office on 01604 545091.
Please visit our website for more fundraising
stories and details of how you can get involved
www.nghgreenheart.co.uk
June/July 2010 insight 21
NGH People
Sarah
Langford
Sarah Langford, who
works in the hospital’s
medical equipment library,
leads a double life as an
actress, writer and drama
teacher.
Following the publication of
her novel Handle With Care
in 2007, Sarah has now had
a second book published - a
play she co-wrote with her
friend Kimberley Godsall.
Sarah said: “Kimberley
wanted to do a play
about the Holocaust, and
she enlisted my help in
expanding some of her
A level work to become
something good enough for
a London stage. She wrote
the girl’s account of life in
the Holocaust, and I wrote
the boy’s account, then we
edited each other’s work.
“From the research we
undertook, we found that
Wyn Glencross
We are pleased to welcome Wyn
Glencross to NGH who, as our
tissue viability specialist nurse,
is an expert on the prevention
and management of pressure
ulceration. Wyn first started
nursing in 1974 and, having
worked across a wide variety
of specialties, was appointed
as a community tissue viability
nurse at Kingston primary care
trust, developing much needed
services such as leg ulcer and
wound clinics.
22 insight June/July 2010
Prior to that Wyn had developed
an interest in wounds and became
heavily involved in tissue viability
during her ten years in an A&E
setting. She was curious as to
why there was poor healing in the
wounds of young, fit individuals so
undertook specialist training and
shared that knowledge with nursing
and medical staff, leading
to improved healing rates of
wounds and reduction in onset of
pressure ulcers.
despite all these people
in the same horrific living
conditions there was still
a lot of prejudice towards
homosexuals, Gypsies,
Christians and so on.
We chose the title The
Forgotten Millions because
not many people are aware
that five million of the 11
million people who were
murdered in the Holocaust
were not Jewish. We are
not ignoring the Jewish
victims, but highlighting and
remembering the others that
suffered as well.”
The play was successfully
performed at the Barons
Court Theatre in London,
and now that it has been
published in book form Sarah
and Kimberley are aiming to
get copies into bookshops,
libraries and schools. For
more information about the
book, please visit www.
kgslpublishing.webs.com/
Neelam
AggarwalSingh
Neelam Aggarwal-Singh has been appointed as a nonexecutive director of the trust until March 2014, and
says that she is looking forward to getting involved with
and learning about NGH.
Neelam is a self-employed consultant, who manages and
facilitates various projects and delivers training for the local
authority. Starting out in retail, she worked for Northampton
College for 13 years, and has extensive experience of being a
non-executive director in other local health organisations.
Aneta Ivanova
Born in India, Neelam has succeeded in many challenges
since her arrival in the UK in 1981 with no spoken English.
Her profile was included in the “Who’s Who of Asian
Achievers” in 2000, and she was shortlisted for the final
four in the Asian Jewel Award for central Britain in 2002.
Neelam started the “Diwali Light Event” in Northampton
nearly ten years ago, and she is also a lay member of the
Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Committee, a role that involves
interviewing and recommending magistrates for the county.
Aneta Ivanova has joined us as the modern matron for child health.
Formerly she led a large team as an advanced practitioner in paediatric
A&E at Salford Royal Hospital. Before that she was a surgical specialist
nurse for Derbyshire Children’s Hospital, where she led a project to set
up a nurse-led paediatric orthopaedic/fracture clinic.
Aneta describes her career so far as “challenging, demanding, but very
rewarding” and says that what she likes most about her current job is that it is
never boring. “Every day is a different challenge. And NGH is great, a happy
place to work. This job is a great opportunity to lead a fantastic, established
team of paediatric nurses, who aim to provide the best care for children and
young people in the Northampton area.”
Asked to describe herself in three words, Aneta chooses ‘happy, positive,
and perfectionist’. The most important people in her life are son Lubo, partner
Jordan, and her family back in Sofia. Outside work she loves to cook, or just to
relax in the garden – when the English weather allows!
Aneta always wanted to be a nurse, although she says “my family wanted me
to be a lawyer, because I have an argument for, hmmm, almost everything! But
the best piece of advice I ever received was something that my son said to me
years ago when I was going through a difficult time. I think it might be from a
Michael Caine film: ‘Smile today. Life is not a rehearsal.’”
June/July 2010 insight 23
Born at the Barratt
And, not quite ‘Born
at the Barratt’…
On Easter Saturday, James Carveth
and his fiancee, Gemma Chambers,
made the short trip to the hospital
from their home in Kingsley after
Gemma’s waters broke.
But although the couple made it to the
hospital, they were unable to reach the
Young mum –
fifty years on
Back in the December
issue, we printed this
picture of the Queen
Mother at the Barratt
in 1956, and asked if
anyone knew who the
young mum was she
was talking to. We’re
pleased to say that
we can now name
the young mum as
Peggy Collin, who is
now 90 years of age
and living in Wales.
Her son Don still lives in
Northampton and
got in touch with us,
■ Charlie Collin
24 insight June/July 2010
■ Peggy Collin
having picked up a
copy of Insight while
in the hospital with his
wife Nena.
Don said: “The baby in
the picture is my young
brother Charlie. He was
the only one of the four
children to be born in
hospital, and he was
a massive 10lbs 4ozs
when he was delivered.
He’s not keen on the
photograph, but mum
still has it hanging on the
wall. Luckily he now lives
in Felixstowe so I doubt
whether he’ll get to see
it in print again in the
NGH magazine!”
maternity ward in time and Gemma gave
birth on a grass verge in the car park.
The family were grateful for a maternity
healthcare assistant who was able to
help out, and baby Alice weighed in at
a healthy 5lb 12oz, a sister for two-yearold Bethany.
Patient Praise
■ I am writing to say how delighted I
was by the care I received on Knightley
Ward for a scheduled operation.
Throughout my stay I was impressed by
how well the ward was run, the level of
cleanliness, and most importantly, the
high level of professionalism and care
I received from all staff members, from
healthcare assistants to senior staff. My
overall view of my experience at NGH
is of a very clean, well run hospital with
amazing staff. (From LW)
■ From the time I arrived with a broken
ankle until discharge I was cared for with
the utmost dedication. Please convey
my thanks to all the ward staff, porters,
and tea ladies, who were extremely
stretched (the world and his wife had
broken bones during the icy winter
conditions) but who carried on with
professionalism throughout this difficult
period. I cannot fault the care I received.
A sincere thank you, (From AS)
■ Over the past couple of months, I’ve
been going through chemotherapy, as
both an in- and out-patient on Talbot
Butler Ward and the Oncology Centre
at NGH. During this difficult time the
care I’ve been given by all members
of staff of both of those places has
been exemplary. The commitment
shown to not only my physical wellbeing, but that of my family, partner
and my psychological well-being has
gone beyond everything that I could
reasonably expect and I feel that it’s
contributed enormously to my recovery.
I’ve mentioned individual names of staff
in my letter, but everyone here deserves
a chance to be recognised as a real
star performer. Am looking forward to
being back to full health shortly and
that’s in no small part due to everyone in
Oncology at NGH, so again a big thankyou. (From AC)
■ When my mother died, your people in
the bereavement office were absolutely
magnificent. You never failed to ring
back when you said you would, and
you were brilliant at tracking down
people and getting things moving. Most
of all it was the manner of people who
made me feel that you were concerned
and were able to help. For these things I
am eternally grateful. (From MR)
■ I was admitted to NGH with acute
abdominal pain from a recurring gall
bladder problem. I was quickly seen in
A and E, given pain relief and taken to
admissions, then admitted to Rowan
Ward, where the care was fantastic. The
staff were all obviously very busy but
provided excellent care throughout my
stay. The cleanliness of the ward was
excellent and the food was also very
good - I was amazed by the choice. I
am fully aware that the NHS often has
bad press and being a teacher I am
also aware of what it is like to work in a
busy environment with targets to meet
and services to provide. I can honestly
say that I could not fault the care given
and the efficiency of service. I do hope
that I won’t have to visit NGH again in
the future but am happy that if I do I will
be in very good hands. Thank you for all
your help, you should be very proud of
your hospital and staff. (From HP)
June/July 2010 insight 25
Tel 01327 878199 or 07590 486286
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also incorporating WINGS NURSERY
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For further information or to arrange a visit to the
School please contact Emma Mason on
01604 761907
www.ghps.co.uk
[email protected]
26 insight June/July 2010
To advertise in this publication call our
sales team on 01909 478822
June/July 2010 insight 27
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, has not vetted the advertisers in this
publication and accepts no liability for work done or goods supplied by any
advertiser. Nor does Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust endorse any of
the products or services.
Every possible care has been taken to ensure that the information given in
this publication is accurate. Whilst the publisher would be grateful to learn
of any errors, it cannot accept any liability over and above the cost of the
advertisement for loss there by caused. No reproduction by any method
whatsoever of any part of this publication is permitted without written
consent of the copyright owners.
Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd. ©2010. Britannic Chambers, 8a
Carlton Road, Worksop, Notts. S80 1PH. Tel: 01909 478822
To advertise in this publication call our
sales team on 01909 478822
sallyclarke
bespoke furniture designer and maker
Makers of contemporary & traditional furniture
Are you looking for furniture that makes a lasting
impression? Do you want to create the ‘wow’
factor in your home? And are you disillusioned
with not being able to find just the right pieces?
I will listen to your ideas, work with you to create
stunning designs and then transform them,
using only the best hardwoods, into beautiful
pieces of furniture that are not only exquisite
but unique to you. Contemporary or traditional;
simple or extravagant; large or small, your piece
will be individual.
Telephone 01302 759191
From bedrooms to kitchens; bathrooms to
studies; cabinets to dining tables, occasional
tables to chairs, I will create bespoke furniture
that will complement your individual style and
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If you are looking for something with soul
and character, created especially for you
and custom made for your home then call
me for a chat.
Also specialising in ecclesiastical work and small
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28 insight June/July 2010
• Complete electrical installation
• Commercial, domestic & industrial installations
• Inspection & testing
• Data & voice cabling
• Fire alarms & emergency lighting
• Free, full lighting design
• Burglar alarms and door entry systems
FREEPHONE
0800 955 6025/
01604 708716
email: [email protected]
www.central-elec.co.uk
28 Willow Crescent, Great Houghton, Northampton NN4 7AP
• quality pre school education
• 3 months to 5 years
open 8am - 6pm all year
• mature qualified and caring staff
• small group sizes
• home cooked meals
• education grant
and vouchers
processed
day nursery school
tel: 01604 633 109
54 Billing Road, Northampton NN1 5DB
The New Cliftonville Care Centre will be opening in early
2011 on Cliftonville, just along from the main entrance
to Northampton General Hospital and will provide 105
residential and nursing places.
Around 100 jobs will be created in a range of positions from
nurses and healthcare assistants to catering, housekeeping
and maintenance, recreation and leisure organiser positions
and recruitment will commence in September. As one of
the top care homes in the UK Avery Healthcare will also be
looking to recruit one of the top managers in the area.
The home will provide personal, respite and dementia care
along with a specialist nursing care unit.
The Cliftonville Care Centre will be the flagship development
of Northampton-based Avery Healthcare, one of the fastest
growing care providers in the UK with a well-deserved
reputation for designing homes which are hotel style and
user friendly.
Avery is altering the perception of Care Homes in the
localities in which it operates from a reluctant choice to a
positive lifestyle change where guests enjoy service and
support to quality hotel standards.
All Avery homes offer en suite rooms and real individual
attention. Its 88 room Brampton View Care village near
Chapel Brampton which opened at the end of 2008 is
well known and its 66 bed Claremont Parkway home in
Kettering will be joined next year by the new 115 bed Elm
Bank Care home.
To enquire about recruitment at Cliftonville please call
0845 643 3046
or email [email protected]
June/July 2010 insight 29
Get involved
READER SURVEY - Many thanks to
everyone who completed the survey in
the last issue. We’re reviewing all your
comments and suggestions, and will
be making some changes in the next
issue of Insight.
Support Our
Soldiers
Awareness Month
Support Our Soldiers is a registered
charity, whose aim is to boost the
morale and well being of our troops
posted overseas by sending out care
packages and messages of support
throughout the year. We support all
services and all ranks.
We also work closely with the medical
teams in Afghanistan and the UK to provide
much needed support for the injured.
A dance and buffet to raise funds for
this charity is to be held at the Function
Room, Frog & Fiddler, Harborough Road,
Northampton on Saturday 26th June 2010
at 7.30pm. Tickets £12.00 each now
available on 07763 246501, northampton@
supportoursoldiers.co.uk or June on
01604 545692
If anyone would like to donate suitable
items to go into the care packages
and/or messages of support, please
contact me on the above mobile number
or the email address.
Come and join us
Become a member and help us to shape our future
We want to be the best – with the highest
level of patient safety, the best possible
clinical standards and the very best
patient experience – and to do this, we
need your help. We need to know what
we are doing right, and where we could
improve; how you would like to see our
services develop, and what services you
think we should provide.
We want to be the hospital you, and others like
you, would choose to be treated in.
We already have more than 7,500 members
of the hospital. People like you, who use our
services, live in the area we serve or work here.
But we would like to involve even more people
in the future of their local hospital.
By becoming a member you can have a say
in the way your hospital develops. It is up to
you how much you become involved. You may
want to simply receive our quarterly members’
newsletter, or you may want to attend
meetings and local focus groups, or even
stand for election to become a member of our
Governors’ Council. The choice is yours.
As a member, you can be sure your voice is
heard. You can be a part of our future and
help us to develop how we move forward. We
want to be sure that we continue to provide the
services needed by our local community as it
changes and grows.
As a member you may wish to be invited
to attend local special interest meetings,
where you can listen to the people who provide
the treatment and care at NGH, and talk to
them about any issues relating to the care
we provide.
You will also be invited to attend our Annual
General Meeting, or local events for members
near you, where you will have the chance to
meet with and talk to our chairman and chief
executive, along with members of their team.
All members are able to take advantage of the
NHS discounts scheme, which could provide
you with some significant savings on items
such as holidays, clothes, electrical and other
household goods.
All you need to do is fill in the form and return
it to the Freepost address below; or you
can call us on 01604 523894, or email us at
[email protected]. We look forward to
hearing from you.
Please return your form to this Freepost address – there is no need for a stamp:
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, Membership Office,
Freepost RRBA-RGGA-TEEL, Cliftonville, Northampton NN1 5BD.
Title and name .............................................................................................................................
Address ........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................Postcode .............................................
Telephone .....................................................................................................................................
Email address . .............................................................................................................................
Please write clearly in BLOCK CAPITALS, thank you
30 insight June/July 2010
Noticeboard
■ SERVICES
n INSIGHT
n OUR WARDS
ARC LOCKSMITHS Qualified local locksmith,
Police accredited. 24/7 emergency access.
Locks fitted/replaced, UPVC specialist. Flexible
working hours to suit customer needs. OAP
discounts. 01933 279561/07851 357595. Find
me in Yellow Pages/www.yell.com
NEW ACCOUNTANT? Want to cut 25%
of last years Accountancy Invoice? Local
practice, chartered accountants offering great
value for money. For no obligation quote, call
Andy on 07813 906757 or email andyajlcons@
yahoo.co.uk
D ARCHER ELECTRICAL All types of
electrical work undertaken. Fast reliable service.
Call Dan on 07969 000470 or 01604 630229
for no obligation quote (NHS staff discount)
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY Capture all the
memories and emotions of your special day
with contemporary images by award-winning
photographer Dawn Branigan. 3 High Street
Daventry NN11 4BG. Contact 01327 702437.
Website www.shotatdawn.com
STEVE BOWLES can provide all your electrical
needs, from sockets to re-wires. No job too
small, no job too large. For a free quotation call
07951 295572.
WEDDING VIDEO/Photography from £445.
Cine & Camcorder tapes transferred to video/
DVD. More details at www.aprilproductions.
com Call Lee: 01327 353303 / 07764 461671
VOYAGER UK - UK and airport transfers for
up to six passengers and luggage. Licensed
by Northampton Borough Council Tel: 07940
072754 www.voyageruk.com. ‘Executive
service at taxi prices’.
Insight, the
magazine for NGH
patients, visitors,
staff and the local community is published
every two months. It is entirely supported
by advertising, and no NHS or charitable
donations are used to fund its production.
If you would like to take out a display
advertisement, please contact Octagon Design
and Marketing on 01909 478822.
Please contact the editor about smaller line
ads, which are available at just 50p per word.
Editor: Peter Kennell 01604 523871
[[email protected]]
The last copy date for the next issue is Monday
28 June 2010. The August issue will be
published on 30 July.
Pictures Many of our pictures were taken
by NGH Medical Illustration, and copies may
be available to purchase. Please call 01604
545251 for details.
Website Insight is also available on the NGH
website at www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk go to About Us > Publications
As Insight went to press, visiting times of
2.00pm – 3.00pm and 6.00pm – 7.00pm
were in place on most of our wards. To
check the latest position, or for details of
the exceptions marked by a †, please see
the visiting time page on our website (www.
northamptongeneral.nhs.uk ) or contact the
relevant ward for advice.
Abington (Orthopaedic) 545982, 544945
Allebone (Gen medicine & dermatology)
545536, 545336
Althorp (Elderly rehab) 544410, 544413
Balmoral (Maternity) † 545434, 544826
Becket (Medical short stay)
545981, 544972
Benham (General medicine)
545537, 545337
Brampton (Elderly medicine)
544460, 544462
Cedar (Trauma) 545553, 545353
Collingtree (Orthopaedic) 543944, 543966
Compton (General medicine)
545332, 545532
Creaton (General medicine)
545539, 545339
Disney (Children’s) † 545518, 545318
Dryden (Cardiology) 545540, 545340
Eleanor (General medicine)
545804, 544808
Finedon (Renal) 523530, 523560
Emergency Assessment Unit (EAU) †
545613, 545304
Gosset (Neonatal) † 545520, 545320
Hawthorn (Surgical) 545551, 545351
High Dependency Unit (HDU) †
545544, 545344
Holcot Stroke Unit † 544430,
544432, 544433
Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) †
545542, 545342
Knightley (Head & neck) 543961, 545509
Paddington (Children’s) † 545319, 545519
Paddington HDU (Children’s) † 545836
Robert Watson (Maternity) †
545428, 544518
Rowan (23-hour surgical) 545549, 545349
Sandringham (Maternity) †
544928, 544819
Singlehurst (Eyes) 545483, 545083
Spencer (Gynaecology) 545525
Sturtridge (Labour ward) † 545058,
545426, 545898
Sturtridge HDU † 505455
Talbot Butler (Oncology & Haematology)
545534, 545334
Victoria (Elderly Medicine) 545326
Willow (Surgical) 545548, 545348
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Next sessions at St Giles Church Rooms, St
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Friday 04 June and Monday 21 June:
1.00pm to 3.30pm; 4.30pm to 7.30pm
Monday 28 June: 10.00am to 12.30pm;
2.00pm to 5.30pm
Monday 12 July and Friday 30 July: 1.00pm
to 3.30pm; 4.30pm to 7.30pm
To book an appointment call 08457 711711.
n INFORMATION
Northampton General Hospital, Cliftonville,
Northampton NN1 5BD
Tel: 01604 634700
www.northamptongeneral.nhs.uk
Reception
Cliftonville. Open Mon-Fri 9.00am – 6.00pm.
Dial 0 from any corridor phone and ask for
“operator” when prompted.
Restaurant
Hospital Street, open Mon-Fri 7.15am –
7.00pm; Sat-Sun 7.15am – 6.00pm.
Café Royale
Main reception, Cliftonville, open Mon-Thurs
9.00am – 3.30pm; Fri 9.00am – 3.00pm.
WRVS shops
South entrance, open Mon-Fri 9.30am –
8.00pm; Sat 1.00pm – 4.00pm.
Billing Road entrance, open Mon-Fri 9.30am –
4.00pm; Sat 1.00pm – 4.00pm.
Buggy service
Guiding and transport service provided
by Friends of NGH volunteers Mon–Fri
8.30am – 4.00pm.
Dial 88 then 4501 then enter your extension
number to request the buggy.
Travel office
For car parking permits, and travel info. Open
Mon-Thurs 9.00am – 4.30pm; Fri 9.00am –
4.00pm. 01604 545966 or 544600.
Bank
Cash dispenser in lift lobby near south entrance
(entrance from main car park 1)
Chapel
Open to all. For details of services or to contact
the chaplains, call 01604 545773.
June/July 2010 insight 31
Who, what, where?
“So here I am, homeless at
home and half-gratified to feel
that I can be happy anywhere”
John Clare
Win free theatre tickets
Town
Fri 18 June – Sat 3 July
On John’s return to Northampton from the bright lights of
London, he finds his hometown is exactly the same as when
he left it – from the rooms at his parent’s house, to the Saturday
nights on Abington Street. In fact, the only thing that seems to
have changed… is John.
Slipping back into his old habits, old jobs and old relationships,
John considers the reasons why his urge to come back took him
on a sixty mile walk North, from the anonymity of corporate city
life, to the comfort of home.
Following his critically acclaimed Honest for Royal & Derngate,
Northampton writer DC Moore’s Town poignantly explores
enduring themes of identity, isolation and belonging, rooting
them in modern life. With heartbreaking honesty and humour, it
explores the feelings that we all have about our hometown, and
follows one man on his road to get back to where he started.
Tickets
£15.00 (£10 previews first three performances)
For more information and to buy tickets for Town and other
productions at Royal & Derngate, call the Box Office on 01604
624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk
For a chance to two tickets to see Town on Thursday 1 July at
7.45pm, answer the five questions below.
Send your entry to arrive by Monday 21 June to peter.kennell@
ngh.nhs.uk – or by post to Insight Editor, NGH, Cliftonville,
Northampton NN1 5BD. Please note that your entry must
include a daytime telephone number. The winner will be
notified by Thursday 24 June.
1 Who is the NGH modern matron for Child Health?
2 What factor sun protection should be used for children?
3 Where are nurses Jo and Vicky going to volunteer for
three months?
4 When is the hospital’s Open Day this year?
5 How far does John walk to return to Northampton in
DC Moore’s Town?
n The winner of the ‘Deborah Colker’ tickets in our last competition was Louise Chatwyn from the Booking Centre.
Designed & Published by Octagon Design & Marketing Ltd, Britannic Chambers, 8a Carlton Road, Worksop, Notts. S80 1PH Tel: 01909 478822