Sharing news about the Trust directly with staff and public members | Number 229 | November 2011

It’s ahealthrecord! Pat retires after 40 years!Page 11

Mainstreamwww.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk/mainstream.shtml

About 100 people stopped by thenational stress awareness day

stands at Colchester General andEssex County hospitals on 2

November to get literatureon how to live astress-free lifestyle.

Kate Farrelly, theHealth & WellbeingTeam’s specialistpractitioner in

occupational health,said: “People were

given leaflets on how tovalue themselves and

how to prioritise, as wellas advice on sleeping well

and exercise. Some took the oppor-tunity to have their flu vaccine. Thenew calm lifestyle package waspromoted and all visitors weregiven fruit, donated by Tesco at TheHythe. Visitors said the event wasvery informative and friendly andthey were made to feel very wel-come.”

All of the stress-free lifestyleresources are available from Health& Wellbeing, as is the stress buddyinitiative, stress resilience and stressrisk assessment training.

i Contact Health & WellbeingCentre on 01206 745284

A threat to patient safety in hospitals10TG Tipshelp CQUINs 6How the ThinkGlucose initiative is helping patients with diabetes

Generaldevelopments 8

Building work andplans for building atColchester General

105 entriesin new Awards 12First At Our Best Awards get a fantastic response

Ho!Ho!Hospital!

16Other newsWhat Satish did on holiday .......6CoHoC update .........................6Midwife receives prize ..............7Mr Loeffler is new CDD ............7Pat retires after 40 years!........11Nearly 1,500 jabbed ...............12

RegularsHow long will I wait?..............13In the diary.....................13 & 15In the news...............................4Letters | Emails | Your views15National news.........................11People news .............................7Sixty seconds interview ...........14Briefly for staff .................6 & 12

page 2 | Mainstream

Cont

ents

Research has shown thatearly intervention forstaff with both long and

short term sickness helpsreduce absence and promotesbetter health, writes SheilaBoyle, Head of Health & Well-being. Staff feel more valuedand supported and moraleimproves as staff recognisethat their health is importantto the Trust, with the ultimateresult being an improvedpatient experience.

In March 2011 the Health &Wellbeing team started a tele-phone triage initiative to sup-port staff who were off worksick. The sick member of staff

is advised on the appropriatemeasures they could take tohelp reduce the length of eachepisode of sickness absence.

The initiative has been suc-cessful in identifying staff withvarious issues on the first dayof absence, resulting in staffbeing referred to the appropri-ate specialists for early supportand treatment. Previously,many staff could have beenabsent for up to four weeksbefore a referral to Health &Wellbeing for an assessmentand support. Initially, staffwere suspicious of the new ini-tiative, but now the majoritycontacted say they appreciate

the early offer of care and sup-port. Staff now view the serv-ice as one that makes themfeel valued, appreciated andsupported in times of illness.

The triage enables a betterquality of Health & Wellbeingand gives support to the Trustin managing sickness absence.It has a positive impact onpatient care, as early interven-tion and supporting staff toreduce staff sickness results inteams that are working moreeffectively.

i Look on the intranet underInfo About > H > Health &Wellbeing

Early intervention and support for staff off sick

The Colchester Careers Convention on 2 Novem-ber at the Weston Community Homes Stadiumproved extremely popular.

About 80 exhibitors were visited by hundreds ofstudents from schools in the Colchester and surround-ing area. Neonatal Unit Sister Karen Moss is pictured(on the right) with Sister Clare Harden.

Successful careers fair at homeof Colchester Football Club

Don’tstress!

November 2011 | page 3

early successes, which haveincluded critical care patientsplaying on a Wii game consoleas part of their rehabilitation.

Among them is BarrySheppard who is now backhome after spending twoweeks on the Critical CareUnit. He is convinced thatplaying tennis, golf and tenpinbowling on the Wii con-tributed to his recovery.

“I’d played on a Wii beforebut when I was invited to havea go in Critical Care I was a bitsurprised,” he said.

“However, I found it verybeneficial, both from a physicaland mental point of view so

that I regained muscle strengthand my hand-eye co-ordinationimproved.”

Now back home, Barry isdoing three 30-minute work-outs a week in the gym andhas been told to expect tomake a full recovery.

Jennifer said: “There isnow a considerable amount ofevidence to show that the earli-er rehabilitation begins, thesooner a patient’s recoverystarts.”

She believes that our Trustdoes more rehabilitation withcritical care patients than thevast majority of acute hospi-tals.

Until recently, patientswho have been onventilators or

haemodialsysis machines havetraditionally been bed-boundand have taken part in onlylimited rehabilitation.

Now, however, patients onventilators with some aware-ness and those who canbreathe unaided are being

offered early stage rehabilita-tion. The six-month pilotstudy is being led by consult-ant anaesthetist Dr HelenAgostini and specialist physio-therapist in respiratory careJennifer Powner. It involves amultidisciplinary teamapproach by physiotherapists,nursing staff and doctors andwas launched following some

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!Patients on the Critical Care Unit are playing Wii games aspart of a physiotherapy project to accelerate their recovery

Barry spent up to 30 minutes each day playing on the Wii. He alsohad an exercise programme which included cycle pedals, handweights and walking practice. With Barry (seated) from left: Dr Helen Agostini, Sister Karen Baxter and Jennifer Powner

8Vascular surgery publicengagement exercise made frontpage news in East Anglian DailyTimes (EADT). Covered by BBCLook East, Daily Gazette andothers.8Baby boom: BBC LookEast interviewed two new mumsand a matron on the day theworld’s population reached sevenbillion. 8Publication of northeast Essex’s Quality, Innovation,Productivity and Prevention (QIPP)plan resulted in front page leadsin Daily Gazette and EADT. Also inClacton Gazette and Essex CountyStandard. 8Walking aids: liveinterview on BBC Essex, about thereturn of walking aids loaned topatients. 8Dignity andnutrition: Colchester GeneralHospital and other hospitalsnamed in Sunday Times (“Wherepatients were being failed”).Coverage included the Director ofNursing and Patient Experience,being interviewed on BBC Essex. 8Health Ombudsman:publication of a review ofcomplaint handing in the NHSreported by Daily Gazette andEADT. 8How physiotherapycan combat pain. Daily Gazettearticle based on an interview witha physiotherapist in the PainManagement Team.8BreastCancer Awareness Month DailyGazette article interview with abreast cancer survivor. 8Twomums in the Clacton Gazette andDaily Gazette praising the Trust’smaternity services.

i Read the latest mediasummary on our website,under “Board Meetings”

page 4 | Mainstream

4 IN THE NEWS

In the

new

s

Highlighting how the mediareported on our Trust last month

Arehabilitation pilotprogramme began onPeldon Ward last month,

aimed at improving the patientexperience.

The Enhanced RecoveryProgramme (Intensive Rehab-ilitation) project targets identifiedpatients on the ward to improvepatient outcome, expeditedischarge and reduce length ofstay.

Sophie Stubbings, Specialist

Physiotherapist for Older People,said: “Patients will be identified bythe multidisciplinary team andonce medically stable will be ableto participate. They will beencouraged to wear their ownclothes each day and walk to thebathroom for washing, dressingand toileting. A daily exercisegroup will be run with anadditional physiotherapy session.”

The project will be managedby Sophie and her colleague

Angela Sherring, and will be runby senior physiotherapy assistantMatt Cobbold. The ward will besupporting the project with one oftheir newly-qualified associatepractitioners.

Sophie said: “We will continueto refer to intermediate care, theAccelerated Discharge Team andother community services in thenormal way.”

The pilot will run for sixmonths initially.

Rehab pilot to improve patient experience

The Bishop of Chelmsfordthe Rt Rev Stephen Cot-trell visited Colchester

General Hospital lastmonth and was delightedwith the reception hereceived. His tour started atMersea Ward and then theChildren’s Unit where hespoke to patients and staff.

Later he visited A&E andwas particularly struck by the

wall mural modelled on theBayeux tapestry which for him

illustrated colourfully thevibrant diversity of care that isoffered by staff at our Trust.

After spending time withthe chaplaincy team he led a

thanksgiving service for thelate Father Richard Smith at

St Michael’s Church,Myland, which includedwithin the congregationmany members of staff,

past and present. The Bishopsaid he was really pleasedwith the experience and hos-pitality he received and wishesthe Trust great success with itsfuture plans.

Bishop of Chelmsford “really

pleased” with his visit

From left: staff nurse Caroline Collin-Brown;chaplain Rev Mark Thompson; the Bishop;matron Lynda Kitching; Associate Director,Women’s and Children’s Services, DymphnaSexton-Bradshaw – pictured on Mersea Ward

November 2011 | page 5

Doctors in Colchester havestarted to implant poten-tially life-saving defibrilla-

tors into patients that shockabnormal fast heart rhythms backto normal.

It means that Colchester Gen-eral Hospital is the first districtgeneral hospital in Essex to fitimplantable cardioverter defibril-lators (ICDs).

Before the new service start-ed, patients living in north eastEssex who needed an ICD had totravel to The Essex CardiothoracicCentre at Basildon Hospital.

So far, five patients in Colch-ester have been fitted with ICDsby Dr Debashis Roy (main picture),who joined the Trust in March asour fifth consultant cardiologist.One of the patients is MyltonHowlett (pictured right) who hadhis implant at Colchester GeneralHospital in August.

“When I returned to the hos-pital for a check-up, they werevery pleased with the progress I’mmaking,” he said.

“I’ve been told that I’ll soonbe able to step up my activity lev-els at home. However, I’ve alreadynoticed a difference. For example,in the past I used to get breath-less even when walking aroundthe house but no more and every-one tells me that I’ve got a goodcolour whereas before I was

blue.”Dr Roy said that com-

pared to conventionalpacemakers, which areused to treat slowrhythms, an ICD is forpeople who alreadyhave a life-threatening

abnormal heart rhythmwhich causes the heart to

beat very fast. It can also be

used in patients with other heartconditions, such as heart failure,and who have had, or who are atrisk of having, a life-threateningabnormal fast heart rhythm.

The ICD consists of a pulsegenerator which is a battery-pow-ered electronic circuit and one ormore electrode leads which areplaced into the right side of theheart through one of the majorveins located underneath the col-lar bone. A small incision is madein the chest (pictured below)where the lead and ICD are insert-ed. It can give the heart electricpulses or shocks to get the rhythmback to normal. If required, it canalso work as a pacemaker.

An ICD was implanted into ahuman for the first time in 1980but over the years the technology

has advanced considerably so thatthey have become smaller andpeople who have one can livefully and happy lives.

An ICD is not a cure andpatients are still considered to beat risk of arrhythmia, which mightcause unconsciousness or cardiacarrest, if only for a few secondsbefore treatment is delivered.

i Read the full story on ourwebsite, under “Latest News”:www.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk

New procedure forheart patients

CoHoC updateFor anyone thinking aboutwriting their will, ColchesterHospitals Charity (CoHoC) hasteamed up with local solici-tors to provide a will writingservice during Free WillMonth, in February. You willbe invited to make a volun-tary donation to CoHoC asthe solicitors have waivedtheir fees for simple wills.

Meanwhile, CoHoC will belaunching a hospital lotteryafter Christmas email fordetails of how to take part.

See back page for contactinformation, plus details ofthe Santa Fun Run.

Pharmacy extendsweekend working hoursThe Pharmacy Departmenthas extended its official week-end opening hours to providean enhanced clinical service topatients admitted duringweekends, especially via theemergency route.

It will open from 10am to2pm on Saturdays and Sun-days. Clinical priority is givento patients on the EmergencyAssessment Unit, care of theelderly and medical wards.Members of pharmacy staffworking over the weekendperiod can be contacted viathe dispensary on ext 2102.

i More details on theintranet under News

page 6 | Mainstream

4 BRIEFLY FOR STAFF

Briefly fo

r staff

More news for staff, page 12

For more news, staff can go tothe intranet: http://apollo andclick on “News” or “Forums” Asuccessful pilot to help

people with diabetes atColchester General Hos-

pital has been rolled out to allinpatient wards.

At any one time, one in sixpatients in hospital have dia-betes compared with a figureof one in 25 of the generalpopulation. ThinkGlucose (TG)– a major programme fromthe NHS Institute for Innova-tion and Improvement – aimsto reduce as much as possiblethe inequalities that they suf-fer. Following a successfulpilot study on Nayland andFordham wards last year, theprogramme was rolled out toall inpatient wards.

Part of the success of theproject is the use of a particu-lar form to identify patientswith diabetes. Glucose Project

Nurse Shirley Davis said: “Peo-ple with diabetes in hospitalhave longer lengths of stay,get more complications andhave more complex prob-lems that needlooking after.

“Staffshouldcompletea diabetesinpatientassess-ment formon apatient’sadmission, as itidentifies someonethat needs immediate orurgent referral to a DiabetesSpecialist Nurse (DSN) or to apodiatrist. The DSN will beable to review the patient’sglycaemic control and the

podiatrist any foot ulcerationor open wounds.”

Matrons are overseeingthe process with the DSNsauditing the wards. Ward staff

are using ThinkGlucosemagnetic buttons to

identify patientsthat have had aform completed.

Shirley said:“We’ve pre-pared some TGTips – a set of

questions andanswers for staff –

to help answer anyqueries they may have.” To help staff remember to

complete a form, the DiabetesTeam are offering the chanceto win a mug by completingthe most forms. Wards thatare doing well will be

X-ray engineer Satish Thakerspent two weeks of hisholiday last month training

hospital engineers at MulagoHospital, Uganda.

Working with the AmaltheaTrust, Satish was part of a team ofUK engineers helping to trainnewly-qualified university

graduates to repair and maintainhospital equipment. A newcourse, run by KyambogoUniversity and partly sponsored bythe Amalthea Trust, aims to train20 engineers every year.

Satish said: “I went to Ugandaon 1 October with Steven Daglish,the co-ordinator for the charity, tostart the pilot scheme.

“In Africa most hospitalshave large quantities of medicalequipment that could be made towork again with a little attention,but there is an acute shortage oftrained medical engineers.

“My role was to help Steventeach basic electronics and identifyrepairable equipment at the

hospital in Kampala.I was covering the first two weeks,and other volunteer engineerscame after me. The course goes along way to solving equipmentmaintenance problems, not just inUganda but in other English-speaking countries in Africa. Itmeans more operations and carecan be provided, thus saving lives.Overall it was challenging, eye-

TG Tips help CQUINs

What Satish did on holiday

Midwife receives ZitaKillick prizeFormer Colchester studentmidwife STEPHANIE BENNETTwas awarded the Zita Killick Prizeat her graduation ceremony on 4 October, by Professor DavidHumber, Pro Vice Chancellor andDean of the Faculty of Health &Social Care at Anglia RuskinUniversity.

The Trust’s practice educatormidwife/senior midwifery lecturerBev Lynn said: “The prize is a realhonour and is bestowed to onestudent each year for theircontribution to university life andis presented in memory of thelate Zita Killick, a local midwifeand tutor who was an inspirationto all who knew her.”

i Staff can read the fullstory on the intranet, under“News”: http://apollo

Mr Loeffler is new CDDOrthopaedic surgeon Mr MARKLOEFFLER has been appointed as

the ClinicalDivisionalDirector(CDD) forSurgery,following thevacancy leftwhen Dr SeanMacDonnell

was appointed Medical Director.Mr Loeffler is one of four clinicaldivisional directors – posts thatwere created to involve doctorsmore in the running of the Trust.

Meanwhile, orthopaedicconsultant Mr SHIV SHANKERhas taken over from Mr Loeffleras clinical lead in Trauma andOrthopaedic Surgery.

New consultant postsFour new consultants start innew posts at the Trust thismonth: n Histopathology consultant DrSOUMADRI SEN has worked inBirmingham for the past 15months. n Oncology consultant DrDakshinamoorthy Muthukumar(known as Dr KUMAR) hasworked as a consultant in Derbyfor the past six years. n Orthopaedics consultant MrTIM WILLIAMS has worked aslocum consultant at the Trust forthe past six months.

n Emergency medicineconsultant Dr EMMA CASTROwill join the Trust on 3 January.

Meanwhile, some replace-ments have been made too,including for Professor ROGERMOTSON’s post (plus a newgeneral surgeon post) namely,Miss SHARMILA GUPTA and MrGREG WYNN, who join the Trustsubstantively, having been locumconsultants here for the past 18months and two yearsrespectively. Breast surgeryconsultant Mr ARUNMOYCHAKRAVORTY replaces MrAnwar and obstetrics andperinatal screening consultantMiss AMBRIN GULL SHAMASreplaces Mr John Eddy. Urologyconsultant Mr ROWAN CASEYreplaces Mr David Galvin.

We do!ICT and Datix were broughtcloser together on 23 Septemberwith the wedding of ICT’sdesktop support team leaderTOM DONOVAN and Datixmanager JENNY BELL (pictured).Congratulations to them both!

4 PEOPLE II| NEWS ABOUT STAFF FROM THE INTRANET’S FORUM

Peop

le new

srewarded with some chocolatesand a ThinkGlucose mug.

Meanwhile, ThinkGlucose hasbeen chosen as one of the Trust’spatient safety initiatives for thisyear’s CQUIN. A CQUIN (Commis-sioning for Quality and Innova-tion) rewards excellence by link-ing a proportion of the Trust’sincome to achieving qualityimprovement goals.

The Trust has a target of 90%of patients having a completedform by December. This increasesto 95% by the end of March 2012and therefore staff are encour-aged to be particularly vigilant incompleting the forms and to filethem safely in the patient’s notes.

i Contact the diabetes team on01206 742076 or bleep 185

November 2011 | page 7

opening and a good experience towork in Uganda. One thing whichmade us feel really proud was thestudents saying they were ‘over themoon’ when they found out they weregoing to be trained by UK engineers.Spending just two weeks in Uganda, Ifeel that in this country we take toomany things for granted.”

i Visit: www.amaltheatrust.org.uk/

ProfessorDavid Humberwith Stephanie

page 8 | Mainstream

Generaldevelopments

1

Building work on the new £5mHospital Sterilisation andDecontamination Unit (HSDU)continues, with the delivery anderection of the first steel girders on10 November (pictured). It is beingbuilt next to the Old Boiler Houseand should be completed inAugust 2012. See September’s Mainstream.

The decision has been madeon the location of the £24 million radiotherapy

department at Colchester GeneralHospital.

At the public joint Board ofDirectors and Members’ Councilmeeting this month, three loca-tions were reviewed. The Board ofDirectors unanimously supportedthe first option – marked 1 on themap – by the Main Block to thewest of the Gainsborough link

corridor. Other options were tothe east of the corridor (marked 2on the map) or adjacent to thePharmacy Support Unit (marked3) – the late-duty staff car park.

The Board based its decisionon an assessment of the relativemerits of each site and the oppor-tunities presented or lost fromeach, as undertaken by the archi-tects, engineering specialists andTrust staff.

Two approaches of evaluation

Radiotherapy Centre

The Accident and EmergencyDepartment is bordered by theRadiology Department on one sideand Pharmacy on the other.

The Trust has for some timerecognised inadequacies in the designand size of the A&E Department and

there have been several attempt address the situation. Some incluambitious plans to integrate A&E the Emergency Assessment Unit(EAU); others have looked at staalone solutions for each departm

Expansion of A&E could be

Accident and Emergency Department

HSDU

Location of newradiotherapydepartment

Rejected locations

3

2

November 2011 | page 9

Judicial review

The decision to centralise cancerservices in Colchester andSouthend is to be scrutinised

by a judicial review after legalaction was sought by a group ofpatients in mid Essex. They are dis-appointed that Broomfield Hospitalwill miss out and patients could beforced to travel long distances forradiotherapy.

The decision to expand Essex’stwo existing radiotherapy centres atColchester and Southend, ratherthan develop a third centre inChelmsford, was announced in June,(see June Mainstream). NHS Mid

Essex ChiefExecutiveSheila Bremn-er said at thetime that itwas acceptedas the bestoption forincreasing thenumber ofradiotherapytreatments inEssex.

However,on 31 Octo-

ber the four primary care trusts(PCTs) in the Essex Cancer Networkwere served with notice of an appli-cation for judicial review in relationto the PCTs’ decision not to developseparate radiotherapy infrastructureat Broomfield Hospital for the popu-lation of mid Essex. Our Trust,together with Mid Essex HospitalsServices NHS Trust and SouthendHospital NHS Foundation Trust werecited as interested parties in thecase.

The documentation submittedinto court by the applicants is beingreviewed and the hearing is expect-ed to be sometime in the New Year.

The Trust will renew plans for 76 extraspaces in the main hospital car park,which Colchester Council rejected lastyear as it meant removing hedgesproviding a screen for residentsopposite the Turner Road site. The Trustwill also apply for a 65-space car parkon land it owns in Mill Road.

More parking spaces will beneeded for staff and patients when itbuilds a £24 million radiotherapy centreand transfers cancer services from EssexCounty Hospital.

More parking spaces

were used. The first, AchievingExcellence Design Evaluationtoolkit criteria, is not strictlydesigned for use at this stage in aproject, but gives useful indicationsof design issues that might arisefor each site.

The second used the Trust’sown criteria, including:n clinical appropriatenessn accessibility n “buildability” – site, environ-

mental services and disruption

n financial implicationsn strategic impact/fit.

A full business case will con-tinue to be developed to be com-plete as the contractual arrange-ments for the scheme come to aconclusion on a timescale to beagreed by the Board.

Meanwhile, the Board hascommitted £150,000 tosupport the creation of a

development plan and 1:200 scaledesigns to meet the longer term

environmental and space needs ofthe A&E department and a recep-tion and retail facility (see boxesbelow), addressing the needs ofany displaced services as a result.

It also has agreed to appoint acommercial partner to develop aretail and reception facility.

i More on the Trust website,under “Board Meetings”: www.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk

s to uded E and

nd- ment.

achieved externally by building outfrom the entrances, or internally byrelocating Pharmacy or parts ofRadiology. These latter options wouldhave knock-on effects with arequirement for the services affectedto be reprovided elsewhere.

New reception and retail zone near A&E

The current main reception atColchester General Hospital iscramped and restricted and doesnot give a good impression topatients and visitors.

Our Trust is a long waybehind neighbouring trusts inproviding a choice of shops andcatering to visitors and staff at thehospital. With more people on thesite as cancer services consolidateat Colchester General Hospital,the lack of amenities and thepressure on current facilitiesbecomes more evident.

Many NHS trusts aredeveloping retail and associated

facilities in partnership withspecialist companies. Theinvestment in the infrastructure ismet by the commercial partner ona long-term lease, typically 20-25years, with the Trust benefitingfrom an element of the rentalsfrom the sub-let units.

Local examples includeBroomfield Hospital in Chelmsfordand Southend Hospital.

Developing a new receptionnear A&E will take considerablepressure off the current entrancewhich would revert to being usedprincipally by outpatients andpeople attending radiology.

The Trust’s antibiotic prescribing IVstop, oral switch protocol has beenreviewed and updated. Some

patients are exempt from the protocol dueto their location within the hospital.

These include :n patients on the Critical Care Unit (ITU/

HDU) n patients on the Isolation Unit n haematology/oncology patients being

treated under the protocol for neutropenic sepsis

n paediatrics, including the Neonatal Unit.

Some patients are exempt with conditionswhere long-term antibiotics are indicated.

All antibiotic guidelines canbe found by clicking on theantibiotic icon (pictured) onthe desktop of all Trust com-puters. Alternatively, look inthe intranet’s e-library under Pharmacy >Antibiotics Prescribing and TreatmentGuidelines, or visit: http://apollo and searchfor “antibiotic guidelines”.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are increas-ingly becoming an everyday concern inhealthcare across the world. European

Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) on 18 Novem-ber is a Europe-wide public health initiativeaimed at encouraging responsible use of antibi-otics.

Dr Gillian Urwin, Consultant Microbiologist,said: “On 18 November the Trust’s AntibioticManagement Team had a mobile stand visitingwards at ColchesterGeneral Hospital topromote the prudentuse of antibiotics. Andon 21 November werolled out a new policyon reducing the routineantibiotic course.”

Infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteriamay render appropriate antibiotic therapy diffi-cult, resulting in increased morbidity and mor-tality as well as increased hospitalisation andcosts of care. Although there has not been anMRSA bacteremia infection at either of our hos-pitals since May 2010, the Trust has had 23 casesof Clostridium difficile since April (with a ceilingfor 2011/12 of 25).

“Using antibiotics wisely keeps the emer-gence of antibiotic resistant bacteria and therisk of C diff to a minimum,” said Dr Urwin.“All healthcare workers can play an active rolein ensuring antibiotics are used appropriately.”

Use of antibiotics is one of the main factorsdriving the development of antibiotic resistancein hospitals. Unfortunately, misuse of antibioticsis common. For example, patients are highly

likely to receive antibiotics during their hospitalstay yet studies show that 50% of all antibioticuse in hospitals can be inappropriate. Prudentuse of antibiotics can reduce the emergenceand selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Dr Urwin added: “From 21 November westarted recommending the routine antibioticcourse length is reduced from seven to fivedays, unless a restriction applies and a longercourse length is indicated by the patient’s con-

dition. To allow for thisthe antibiotic prescribingIV stop, oral switch pro-tocol has been reviewedand updated.”

IV antibiotic coursesshould be no longerthan two days, followed

by three days of oral antibiotics (total courselength = five days). If oral antibiotics are usedthe course length should not exceed five days.

Some patients are exempt from the proto-col by location within the hospital (see panelleft) while some are exempt with conditionswhere long-term antibiotics are indicated.

European Antibiotic Awareness Day is sup-ported by the Department of Health and itsadvisory committee on antimicrobial resistanceand healthcare associated infections.

i Dr Gillian Urwin is based at the Departmentof Microbiology on 01206 747374 or by email:gillian.urwin@colchesterhospital.nhs.uk

i See also our Clean, Safe, Spotless campaign: www.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk/clean_safe_spotless.shtml

A threat to patient safety in hospitalsMisuse of antibiotics is driving the development of antibiotic resistance in hospitals.From 21 November the routine antibiotic course length in our hospitals was reduced

page 10 | Mainstream

“All staff can play an active role

in ensuring antibiotics are used

appropriately”

November 2011 | page 11

What can you expect from your doctor?A public consultation has been launched to review Good Med-ical Practice, the core guidance for UK doctors. Every doctorhas to meet the standards within it and so the General MedicalCouncil (GMC) wants to hear from patients and doctors.

Under the new measures, patients, and particularly vulnera-ble adults and children will receive greater protection. Thedraft guidance also asks doctors to take prompt action to dealwith problems with basic care, particularly for patients who areunable to drink, feed or clean themselves. The consultationends on 10 February. Add your response to the consultation viathe GMC’s consultation website: www.gmc-uk.org/gmp2012

Ground-breaking schemes commended in awards A series of ground-breaking schemes has helped the NHS NorthEast Essex (PCT) public health team win a national accolade.The team was highly commended in the Commissioning Organ-

isation of the Year category in the HSJ(Health Service Journal) 2011 awards.

Dr Mike Gogarty, Director of PublicHealth at the PCT, said: “Our submissionwas based on a number of initiatives theteam has commissioned, for exampleNHS health checks in the community, sen-ior health checks, COPD (chronic obstruc-

tive pulmonary disease) diagnosis, virtual wards and a reach-out project, to improve the health of the local population.”

The 30th HSJ Awards took place on 15 November and morethan 300 organisations took part.

Automated pill dispenser could transform livesPeople who have trouble remembering to take their medica-tion at the right time are benefiting from an innovative auto-mated pill dispenser being piloted by NHS North East Essex.

The dispenser’s aim is to allow people who, for whateverreason, struggle to remember to take their medicine, to remainindependent at home and decrease reliance on health andsocial care services.

The dispenser is programmed with the patient’s dosagetimes and filled with their medication. At the appropriate time,a visible and audible alarm alerts the patient that it is time totake their medication. It can also be used in conjunction withanother device which sends a message to their family if med-ication is missed.

i People can self-refer onto the pilot by phoning the memoryassessment and monitoring support service on 01206 228901

4 NATIONAL NEWS II| IIPrimary care, Dept of Health and beyond

Nationa

l new

s

The longest-serving employee at theTrust retired on 26 October after 40years’ continuous service.

Medical records clerk Pat Slowgrovejoined the NHS straight from school as acadet nurse on 10 September 1971.

Ironically, her first three months werespent working in the Health RecordsDepartment at Essex County Hospitalwhich was followed by spells on the chil-dren’s ward there, on a geriatric ward atthe old St Mary’s Hospital, Colchester, and

then back to Essex County Hospital to work in the outpatientsdepartment.

Nine months into her NHS career, she decided that nursingwas not for her and she switched to the Health Records Depart-ment where she has worked ever since.

Pat said: “I’ve really enjoyed my many years in Colchester,have made many friends and will really miss it. The role of theHealth Records Department is an important one because it is toensure that the right medical record gets to the right place atthe right time. I’ve seen so many changes during my time herewhich began before we even had computers and is ending withthe Trust having a purpose-built health records centre at Colch-ester General Hospital.”

She spent 36 years at Essex County Hospital before transfer-ring to Colchester General Hospital in 2008. From 1984 to 2008,she was a supervisor and from 2008 she worked part-time tohelp her prepare for retirement.

Health Records Manager Teresa Frost said: “Pat has been avaluable asset to the department with her vast wealth of knowl-edge and has contributed greatly in assisting with the manychanges faced over the years. She has many friends and col-leagues who will sincerely miss her but send her very best wishesfor a long and happy and, certainly, well-deserved retirement.”

Meanwhile, Breast Unit Manager Pat Budd retires on 31December. In a tribute to her on the intranet, her colleagueswrote: “It is now time for you to live life according to your ownschedule so savour every minute of it.

“Your knowledge will be missed but you can leave the BreastUnit in safe hands knowing that you have helped to shape theteam into the great Colchester Breast Unit that it is.

“We have no doubt that you will continue to be busy andwish you a very happy retirement living in your new home inNorfolk.”

Pat retires after 40 years!

More than 240 enter Awards

Safety advice forChristmas decorationsAdvice relating to Christmastrees and decorations inwards and departments hasbeen issued on the Trust’sintranet. No wall or ceilinghanging decorations areallowed and any decorationsthat are used elsewhere mustbe new and in good conditionto reduce the potential infec-tion risks. Ceiling and wallstreamer decorations have thepotential to spread fire excep-tionally quickly, obstructsmoke or heat detection sys-tems and fire exit noticesbecome difficult to see. Allelectrical devices, such as tree-lights, must be examined andtested by a competent electri-cian. Lit candles are notacceptable either. Look on theintranet under Info About > F> Fire Safety.

Nearly 1,500 jabbedThe seasonal flu campaignhas been successful with 1,469staff being vaccinated by 3November against both sea-sonal flu and H1N1 (swine) flu(40% of clinical staff). Health& Wellbeing continue to holdregular clinics. Please seeintranet for dates. If you havenot had your vaccine you areadvised to attend one of theclinics as soon as you can.Staff vaccinated in Octoberwere entered into a draw andbiomedical scientist RichardStevens and HCA GillianO’Sullivan both won £50Marks and Spencer vouchers.

4 BRIEFLY FOR STAFF

Briefly fo

r staffContinued from page 6

More than 240 people entered theTrust’s first At Our Best Awards,launched last month to recognise staff

and volunteers achievements and to thankthem for what they do. Nominations closed on23 November, with the ceremony next month.

Anyone – colleagues, patients and the pub-lic – could nominate an individual or a teamthey felt had made an outstanding contributionat our Trust. Entries were accepted online or inwriting. People just had to write down thename of the person or team and explain in nomore than 50 words why they deserved to win(the citation). Thank you cards, plaudits and let-ters of praise also counted, as long as they metthe criteria and were sent in to the competi-tion.

Although 241 people entered the awards,not everyone wrote down the reason why theperson or team deserved to win. Nevertheless,140 entries were completed, with some individ-uals and teams nominated more than once.There were 37 nominations from patients.

Media partners the Daily Gazette supportedthe Awards by printing entry forms and run-ning articles.

The judging panel – directors, governorsand staff side representatives – will meet early

next month to judge the entries, with the prize-giving ceremony on 14 December. Entries willbe judged on the citations and the individual orteam that demonstrates the At Our Best behav-iours standards and values shown below – car-ing, communication and consistency.

The judges want to see the reasons a per-son or team should win and what qualities theyhave that make them so outstanding. Forinstance:n were they caring, welcoming, respectful and

kind?n did they communicate clearly, keep you

informed and stay responsive to your indi-vidual needs?

n did they give you a consistently professionaland safe service?

n did they make a difference to you and yourhealth?Although the current Awards closed on

23 November, there will be more individual andteam awards every three months or so, with anannual ceremony in July 2012.

The next quarterly Awards will beannounced in the New Year.

i More information from:www.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk/at_our_best.shtml

Staffnews!

Last month the Trustlaunched a set of organi-sation behaviour stan-

dards and values developedfrom the At Our Best pro-gramme.

More than 500 membersof staff, from every clinicaland corporate division andfrom all professional groups,were involved in creating the

standards. The three themes –caring, communication, consis-tency – have key actionsunderlying them.

The Trust gave a smallleaflet (pictured) to all staff

which highlights the six simplepledges to ensure patients getthe very best treatment andexperience at our hospitals.

i If you have not received aleaflet, contact Jo Willis, PA tothe Associate Director ofOrganisational Development,01206 742527 or emailAtOur.Best@colchesterhospital.nhs.uk

Have you got your At Our Best leaflet?

page 12 | Mainstream

The cases of C diff at our Trust since April 2008. Thisyear (2011/12) we have had 23 cases with a ceilingfor the year of 25. Source: Intranet home page

4 IN THE DIARY

4 November to 2012

Health Talks for the publicA series of free talks in Colchester where a leading doc-tor or other healthcare professional speaks on a healthtopic relevant to today’s lifestyle. Anyone, including pub-lic and staff members, their friends and family, are morethan welcome to come along. 6.30-8pm.n Wed 30 Nov “Living well with healthy kidneys”Dr Gabor Cserep, Consultant Nephrologist n Wed 25 Jan “The brain attacks”Dr Rajesh Saksena, Consultant in Stroke Medicine.Recognition of stroke, risk factors, preventive strategiesand management of acute stroke and TIA (mini-stroke). n Wed 29 Feb “Bowels and Bottoms!”Miss Sharmila Gupta, Consultant Colorectal and Laparoscopic Surgeon n Wed 28 Mar “ThinkGlucose” (note: talk is in Clacton) Dr Charles Bodmer, Consultant Physician. Future dates: Wed 25 Apr, Wed 30 May, Wed 27 Jun,Wed 25 Jul, Wed 29 Aug, Wed 26 Sep, Wed 17 Oct,Wed 28 Nov. More details on our website. For the exactlocation and details, call the Membership Helpline (seeback page).

4 Thursday 8 December

Brain Tumour Support groupFarleigh Hospice, Chelmsford, 5-7pm. The North andMid Essex Brain Tumour Support Group is being set upby Elaine Westall, a Macmillan neuro-oncology clinicalnurse specialist at Essex County Hospital and BroomfieldHospital, Chelmsford. Contact Elaine 07919 304 034 oremail elaine.westall@nhs.net for more information.See also 10 January, page 15.

4 Friday 9 December

Meet the Charity CommitteeCoHoC charity funds gatekeepers are invited to attendthe meeting 10am-12noon at the Postgraduate Centre.For more details, call Caroline Bates – see back page.

4 Friday 9 December

Volunteers’ Christmas PartyContact Lucy Archer for more details, 01206 744006.

4 Sunday 11 December

Santa Fun Run!See back page.

Trust’s financialposition is good

4 THIS MONTH’S GRAPH

How longwill I wait?

For April to September 2011(Apr to Sept 2010’s figures in red): JOutpatients attending hospital

for first time 50,790 (51,501) LFollow-up outpatients 114,395

(113,623)LDay case spells 11,313 (11,035)JElective inpatient spells 3,894

(4,072) JNon-elective inpatient spells

19,188 (19,227)LRegular day attendances 5,860

(5,625) In September 2011 (Sept 2010):LA&E department attendance

6,080 (5,950) JAverage performance of

patients seen, treated ordischarged against the four-hourstandard 98.10% (97.95%) L18-week referral to treatment

was 91.53% (94.07%) foradmitted patientsJFor non-admitted patients, it

was 97.33% (95.79%)J0% (0%) breaches in

outpatients 13-week targetLUrgent suspected cancer

referrals (those meeting two-week maximum wait from GPurgent referral to first outpatientappointment) 94.9% (96.29%)JMRSA cases 0 (0)

(ceiling is 1 for 2011/12)LC diff cases 5 (3)

(ceiling is 25 for 2011/12) JHand hygiene compliance

98.53% (96.74%).

i Visit the page “How longwill I wait” on Trust website: www.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk

i You can also see monthlyreports on our website under“Board Meetings” Continues on page 15

November 2011 | page 13

All events at Colchester General Hospital unlessotherwise stated. Members are invited toattend public events with their friends orfamily. Details from Membership Helpline on backpage. (Staff members should look on the Trustintranet’s Forums under ‘Events’ at: http://apollo)

It has been known for sometime that NHS expenditurein 2011/12 was going to be

relatively flat, but our Trustcontinues in a position offinancial strength. It does nothave any historic debt and iswell on course for achieving afinancial surplus for 2011/12while delivering a Service andCost Improvement Programme(SCIP) of £14.5m. Up to Sep-tember SCIP schemes haddelivered £5.7m against a tar-get of £7m, with £3.1m of thisbeing non-recurring.

The Trust has achieved ayear to date surplus of £2.1m,slightly behind budget of£2.3m. Over delivery of activi-

ty and income is mitigatingshortfalls in delivering SCIP.

The Trust is taking on morestaff to reduce its vacancy rate.

The capital programmespend from April to Septem-ber was £2m and the Trust iscurrently carrying out buildingwork at Colchester GeneralHospital (see pages 8-9).

Monthly staff turnover inSeptember was 1.16% (10.31%annually).

The rolling 12-month sick-ness absence figure is 3.62%.

i Finance and PerformanceCommittee Report, Month 6,on the Trust website under“Board Meetings”

Publicevent!

Publicevent!

Publicevent!

Publicevent!

Iam delighted to see so manyentries for the At Our Best Awardsfrom across all parts of the Trust.

These awards will recognise thosestaff and volunteers who trulydemonstrate care, communicationand consistency. I am especiallypleased to see that more than a quar-ter of the nominations have comefrom patients themselves.

In our latest outpatient survey,93% of respondents said their carewas either good, very good or excel-lent. This is very encouraging andsuggests that At Our Best is startingto have an impact on our patients.

However, you may have read theDaily Mail article on 7 November enti-tled “The Rudest Hospital in Britain”.Our Trust was listed as having 161complaints last year relating to “atti-tude”. I accept that 161 is 161 com-plaints too many so, whilst our ratioof compliments to complaints isabout 27:1, we do need to keep ourfocus on patient satisfaction. In par-ticular, staff attitude and our behav-iour towards patients is paramount.That’s why we launched At Our Bestin March to inspire our staff to be attheir best with every patient everyday. As part of the programme we lis-tened to hundreds of patients andstaff to identify a set of behavioursand values which culminated in care,communication and consistency.

So I do expect that as we allembrace the words and the spiritbehind the At Our Best programme,

our patient experience will improve.One way we will know this is happen-ing will be through the improvementswe see in our patient surveys.

Another way will be through theNHS Staff Survey. As we know, moti-vated staff who are passionate aboutpatients will improve the care weprovide. Many staff – about 54% –have already given their views, butsome staff have queried how QualityHealth, the company conducting thesurvey for us, know if someone hasn’treplied, given that it is confidential? I can assure all staff that the Trust hasabsolutely no access to individualresponses and they are completelyconfidential. There has never beenany leak of data from any staff surveyrun by Quality Health. All personaldata is destroyed three months afterthe survey closes, and no one outsideQuality Health has access to it.

You can read more about this onthe intranet, under “News”.

So I encourage everyone to com-plete their surveys with this thoughtin mind: “As a team, how do youthink things are going at the Trust?”

Personally, I do think things areimproving. I hope you too havenoticed an increase in confidence, anopenness and improved communica-tion. However, I would like to hearfrom you where we have improvedand where we need to improve fur-ther.

Dr Gordon Coutts | Chief Executive

Signs ofimprovement

Describe your job In the Antenatal Assessment Unit(AAU) we care for, assess,monitor and treat ante-natalwomen who may beexperiencing problems duringpregnancy. Problems are varied,but we see many women with awide range of conditions. Ourcare includes blood tests,monitoring a baby’s heartbeat,routine observations, organisingscans and consultant appoint-ments when appropriate. Wealso see pre-op women prior toCaesarean sections.

How does your roleimprove patient care? Prior to AAU, women may wellhave been hospitalised but now,by careful monitoring of thesevaried conditions, the need tostay in hospital is almost alwaysavoided. The midwives whowork in AAU are privileged to be

able to get to know manywomen and their partners duringoften difficult times. We takeownership of the care we give,planning it with obstetricians.

What would you changeat the Trust? Difficult to say this, but I wouldlike to see more fairness withregard to some of the wards andfacilities available to our public.The new blocks and wards arebright, airy and spacious withmany much-needed facilities,whilst other older-style wards areoften cramped and presentdifficulties for both patients andstaff.

Best part of your job? Getting to know the women,playing a part in their care andthen finally seeing them at theend of their pregnancy with bothmother and baby healthy!

4 KATHY FLINT

page 14 | Mainstream

60 sec

onds

4 PEOPLE II| IISIXTY SECONDS INTERVIEW

4MIDWIFE AND STAFF GOVERNOR

4 BASED AT ANTENATAL CLINIC, CGH

4WORKED IN NHS FOR 43 YEARS

Letters | EmailsYour viewsSt Mary’s Angling & Social ClubI am the secretary of the above clubwhich has been in existence since the1980s. Initially it was only an angling clubfor the members of the estates depart-ment at St Mary’s Hospital. But after afew years the fishing side of the clubstopped and the social side increased andtoday the social activities arranged arequite varied.

We have 143 members and the £6annual membership is open to NHS staffin north east Essex. Membership entitlesfirst refusal of any event they would liketo attend. Future events are now postedon the intranet forum, “Events outside ofthe Trust”. We look forward to meetingnew members at our forthcoming events!Heather Wragg, Former Administra-tive Manager for Women’s Services wragg706@btinternet.com

Midwife Michelle was so friendlyMy daughter Lena was born on 25December last year – so needless to say,getting to the hospital in the snow andice was pretty scary! Paired with a three-day on-and-off labour and the baby get-ting in distress, it could have made for avery hard experience. But midwifeMichelle Carrington turned it all aroundfor us.

Michelle was so friendly and encour-aging and proactive that it made all thedifference to me. I thought I was facingforceps and she managed to get me togive that last bit of energy I had and Lenamade it safely into the world without anyproblems. Michelle took a real interest inus as people (we are Jehovah’s Witnessesand so having a baby born on ChristmasDay was certainly a conversation starter!).

She got to know us and felt like a friendwhen we left with our precious little girl.

I know a few others who she haslooked after and they all sing her praisestoo, which I think really shows her natureand the standard of work she does. I haveheard some pretty rough birth stories, so Iknow it was really down to Michelle thatmine was such a happy one in the end!Allie Alderson, by email

ACE bit of feedbackI work for Anglian Community Enterprise(ACE) and regularly read Mainstream. Ithink it is a great bit of PR work and actu-ally makes me want to work for yourTrust, as it paints such a good picture ofyour work. Alix Sheppard Health Champion Coordinator Anglian Community Enterprise Colchester Business Park

Review of tax codesHer Majesty’s Revenue and Customs(HMRC) are checking employees’ taxcodes and as a result a number of tax-codes are being changed to “BR”.

In the vast majority of cases this isincorrect and you may pay too muchincome tax. If you receive notification of aBR tax code, I would strongly advise youto contact HMRC.

When contacting HMRC please ensureyou quote the Trust’s Tax Office ref083/CO53 and your own National Insur-ance number.

The phone number for HMRC is 08453000627. Kevin Ward Senior Human Resources Manager

November 2011 | page 15

4 IN THE DIARY | FROM PAGE 13

4 Monday 12 December

Chief Exec’s Staff BriefingPostgraduate Centre. Dr Gordon Coutts briefs seniormanagers who report to an associate director or similar.Key messages are then cascaded to all staff. If you do not receive the cascade, email info@colchesterhospital.nhs.uk n Mon 12 Dec. 11am (Note change of date)Dates for 2012 are currently being decided. Go tointranet http://apollo (Info About > ‘B’ for Briefing).

4 Tuesday 13 December

Windscreen safety checks Staff car park. Free windscreen check from Autoglass.See intranet for more details or call ext 6049.

4 13-15 December

Christmas lunch at Senses restaurant Come and enjoy a feast of delicious dishes, with tableservice by the catering team. £12.50 each, payable by 7 December. To make a reservation for you or yourparty, contact Chrissy on 01206 742478 or emailchristine.reynolds@colchesterhospital.nhs.uk

4 Thursday 22 December

Monthly payday More information on the intranet.

4 January to April 2012

Members’ Council & Board of Directors meetingsThe Members’ Council works closely with the Board ofDirectors to influence decision-making and strategicplanning. Local people and our staff are represented bytheir governors. n 19 Jan Members’ Council meeting in public n 16 Feb Board of Directors meeting in public n 12 Apr Members’ Council meeting in public Staff and the public are welcome to attend. Download the agenda and papers (with venue and time)from our website (look for Board Meetings under theAbout Us menu) or contact the FT Membership Officeon 01206 742586. www.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk

4 Tuesday 10 January

Brain Tumour Support GroupPostgraduate Medical Centre. See 8 December, page 13.

4 Christmas to New Year

Bank holiday opening timesThe intranet keeps staff familiar with departments’opening times on bank holidays. Departments can addinformation to it themselves. Christmas and New Yearschedules all listed. Go to the intranet http://apolloForums > Events > Bank holiday opening times.

# WRITE TO: Mainstream Editor

Trust HQ, Colchester General Hospital

; EMAIL: info@colchesterhospital.nhs.uk

Your

viewsPublicevent!

Publicevent!

4 EDITOR: Paul Searle, Head of Communications, 01206 742348. Send your photos, news or articles to: info@colchesterhospital.nhs.uk4 DISTRIBUTION: 2,000 copies delivered monthly to Trust sites (7,000+ to Public members in September, December, March & June). 4 ONLINE: Monthly at: www.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk/mainstream.shtml 4 NEXT EDITION’S DEADLINE: 2 December by midday.

Membership Helpline: 0800 0 51 51 43, weekdays 9.30am to 5pm. Email: ft.membership@colchesterhospital.nhs.uk Freepost ANG 2707, Chief Executive, Colchester General Hospital, Colchester, CO4 5BR

Staff who look after cancerpatients at Essex County Hospi-tal launched the Colchester

Hospitals Charity’s (CoHoC) secondSanta Fun Run this month.

The 3km (1.86 miles) Santa FunRun will start and finish near thebandstand in Colchester’s Castle Parkon Sunday 11 December.

Last year’s event attracted 115runners who raised £6,000 in spon-sorship which was used to buy a vitalsigns monitor for the Children’s Unitat Colchester General Hospital.

The money raised this year will beused to support patients in the newcancer centre that is to be built atColchester General Hospital.

The event is being organised byCaroline Bates, CoHoC FundraisingManager.

“Five companies have generouslyagreed to sponsor the fun run whichmeans that every penny raised will beused to help cancer patients,” shesaid. “We want more people to join inthe fun so we can raise as much aspossible. It’s open to children andadults of all ages and abilities.”

Sir John Ashworth, Chairman ofthe CoHoC Committee, said:“CoHoC aims to make a difference topatient care at Colchester GeneralHospital and Essex County Hospitalby providing the many extras thatcannot be supplied by the NHS alone.

“We want as many people as pos-sible to sign up and have fun running,walking or strolling around the park.”

The entry fee is £10 for adults(aged 16 and over), £5 for childrenaged 5-15 and £5 each for members

The cast of Tendring District Council’spantomime made a surprise visit to theChildren’s Ward at Colchester GeneralHospital on Saturday 22 October. Performersfrom Snow White and the Seven Dwarfschatted to children, parents and staff.Children’s Services Fundraising Co-ordinatorGraham Appleton said such visits are alwaysa boost for the patients and their families.

i Tickets available at: www.essex-live.co.uk

Ho! Ho! Hospital!Staff who work with cancer patients launch Santa Fun Run

of a team of at least 10. A limitednumber of people will be able toenter on the day for £20 each. Any-one raising £50 or more will havetheir entry fee refunded.

Entry for the under-5s is free buteveryone under 16 must be accompa-nied by an adult. Adults will be givena Santa suit and children aged 5-15 aSanta hat. The 3km course is on hardsurfaces.

i Get an information pack or entryform from Caroline Bates (CoHoC),Fundraising Office, Villa 10. Call01206 745282 or email: fundraising@colchesterhospital.nhs.ukTrust website: www.colchesterhospital.nhs.ukTweet: twitter.com/CoHoC_Facebook: www.facebook.com/CoHoCharity