News from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Issue 24 | 2017

SpeakingoutHelping Cortez find his voice

THIS ISSUE

2 the GiST

WelcomeGuy’s and St Thomas’ staff provide notonly hospital but also communityservices for adults and children, asshowcased in this issue of the GiST.

A team of staff from our newLambeth Reablement team gave aninspiring presentation at our AnnualPublic Meeting in September.

They told the story of one of theirpatients, Betty, who has been able tocontinue living at home thanks to theirsupport.

This team combines the talents ofphysiotherapists, occupationaltherapists, social workers andrehabilitation support workers to makea big difference to local people likeBetty – find out more on page 7.

Our cover star, Cortez Nelson, hasbenefited from the expertise of staff inour Assistive Communication Servicewho have helped to empower him andincrease his independence – you canread his story on page 16.

And there is an opportunity to followa ‘Day in the life of’ our @home team –highly skilled nurses who ensurepatients can be treated at home ratherthan being admitted to hospital – onpage 18.

I hope you enjoy this edition of the GiST.

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Contents04 Sidcup centres

officially openedBringing care closer to home

06 A lifeline for heart patientsA unique group for people whoneed a device to keep theirheart beating normally

08 Dragons’ Den winners reveal allThe staff turning bright ideasinto reality

14 e Interview Professor Sean Whittaker talks genomics

18 History Corner The Florence NightingaleMuseum’s treasures

22 Say what?Physiotherapy TechnicalInstructor Cathy Stead in thespotlight

Meet the teamTELL US WHAT YOU THINK

If you have any comments about the magazineor suggestions for future articles, please contactthe communications department, St Thomas’Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7EH, or email press@gstt.nhs.uk

Visit us online at: www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk

Words and photos by Matt Akid, Marjorie Allen, Nicki Bickford, Cleo Downs,Maxine Hoeksma, Cara Lee, Éilis McGrath,Heather Marriott, Adeola Ogunlaja, Hamza Omaar, Eloise Parfitt, Ruth Shepherd,Shanique Wahrmann and Rosamunde Wells.

Cover photo by Nathan Clarke.

Design: AYA-Creative www.aya-creative.co.uk

Print: O’Sullivan Communications

Front cover: Patient Cortez Nelson with Cristiana Atherton(Speech and Language Therapist), MeikeCurrie (Rehabilitation Engineer) and FumiHiraide (Occupational Therapist)

the GiST is published by Guy’s andSt Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Twitter @GSTTnhs@EvelinaLondon

facebook.com/gsttnhs

Amanda Pritchard, Chief ExecutiveGuy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

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youtube.com/gsttnhs

ROUND-UP

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 3

IN THE NEWSA round-up of mediacoverage featuring Guy’sand St Thomas’.

BBC Radio 4 The Today programme on Radio 4 highlighted thework of the Evelina LondonResolution Project tosupport families and staff inEvelina London Children’sHospital.Dr Sara Hanna, EvelinaLondon Medical Director,explained that maintainingtrust between a child’sfamily and the staff caringfor them is essential.

Evening Standard The Evening Standardfeatured Patricia Carroll(pictured above centre),whose daughter died waitingfor a transplant, as sheurged people to join theOrgan Donor Register. Dr Marlies Ostermann,clinical lead for organdonation at Guy’s and StThomas’, said it was crucialfor people to discuss theirwishes with their families.

Daily MailNational newspapersincluding the Daily Mail andThe Sun reported on a newblood test that can diagnosea heart attack in 15 minutes,which was developed by researchers based at St Thomas’ Hospital. It isthought the test could savemoney for NHS trusts andfree up beds.

New Resuscitation area opens

dedicated Resus room for children.“The new unit will improve the dignity and

privacy of our patients and relatives.” The Emergency Floor development is due to

be completed in Spring 2018.

The development of a new Emergency Floor onthe ground floor of Lambeth Wing and EastWing at St Thomas’ Hospital is more than 75%complete.

It will ensure that the 140,000 patients whovisit our Emergency Department (A&E) eachyear are cared for safely in a betterenvironment.

A bigger and better Resuscitation areaopened on 26 September. It has largertreatment cubicles and dedicated trauma andisolation rooms.

A&E Consultant Dr Nicola Drake says: “Thenew Resus area has more space, with all ourequipment within each cubicle, so everything isimmediately to hand.

“We now have places to plug in vitalequipment immediately next to the patient,there is good lighting, and all of this helps us dothings quickly and safely.”

Lee Patient, Advanced Nurse Practitioner,adds: “Our new Resus area has an additionaltwo cubicles, including a negative pressureroom for patients who need to be treated inisolation, an amazing trauma room, and a

Sports starsback heartresearchFormer England cricketerJames Taylor and Sky Sportsfootball pundit GraemeSouness called for morefunding for heart researchduring a visit to St Thomas’Hospital in September.

James Taylor has become a British HeartFoundation (BHF) ambassador after beingforced to retire from cricket last year when hewas diagnosed with an inherited heartcondition.

He said: “More needs to be done to preventa dozen young people dying every week fromundiagnosed heart conditions.”

Graeme Souness, the BHF’s ambassadorfor research, was diagnosed with coronaryheart disease in his late 30s and suffered a

Heart patient Peter Hibbert with Cardiology Consultant Dr Gerry Carr-White, Graeme Souness and James Taylor at St Thomas’ Hospital

heart attack in 2015. He noted that research ishelping to save lives but much more needs to be done.

Michael Marber, Professor in Cardiology at St Thomas’, is investigating new ways to detectheart attacks – his research is funded by the BHF.

He explained: “Heart disease is one of theleading causes of death in the UK. But ourresearch, alongside the efforts of ambassadorslike James and Graeme to raise awareness, cansave the lives of thousands of heart patients.”

A staff training session before the new Resuscitationarea opened to patients

4 the GiST

“To be able to recognise our mostoutstanding nurses and midwives is incrediblyimportant.”

The Nightingale Nurse Award includes thecompletion of a work-based learning moduleand will give staff the opportunity to start orcomplete a Masters qualification.

The first awards to staff will be made inMay 2018.

ROUND-UP

Babies to benefitfrom milk allergyguidance

New guidelines are set to benefitbabies around the world who areallergic to cow’s milk.

The international milk allergy inprimary care (iMAP) advice is acollaboration between the world’sleading children allergy experts,led by Dr Adam Fox, who is aConsultant Children’s Allergist atEvelina London Children’sHospital.

Dr Fox says: “The iMAPguidance can help primary carephysicians to correctly diagnose,manage and follow up patients,alleviating their symptoms.

“We’re very proud to bringtogether experts from around theworld to create this advice.”

Lucy Wronka attended theEvelina London Allergy Clinic afterher son George, aged four, becamesickly, unsettled, and had colic andreflux. After being diagnosed withnon-IgE milk allergy, George wasprescribed a hypoallergenicformula, an alternative to cow’smilk.

Lucy explains: “Within a week itwas like we had a different child.George was much happier, his skinimproved, his cradle capdisappeared, and he startedsleeping. I don’t know what wewould have done if we hadn’t seenthe team.”

James Brokenshire MP officially openedGuy’s and St Thomas’ two new centres forcancer treatment and kidney dialysis atQueen Mary’s Hospital (QMH), Sidcup, on 19September.

He said: “Both the cancer and kidneytreatment centres will make a hugedifference to patients by delivering worldleading treatments close to home. Ratherthan having to travel up to London, peoplewill now be able to get the specialisttreatment they need here in Sidcup.”

Guy’s Cancer at QMH and the new KidneyTreatment Centre, which is run in partnershipwith kidney dialysis specialists Diaverum,bring care closer to where patients live.

The development of Guy’s Cancer atQMH means that for the first time peopleliving in the borough of Bexley and thesurrounding area can receive radiotherapytreatment locally – previously, cancerpatients had to travel into central London.

Chemotherapy treatment facilities havebeen expanded and there is also a DimblebyMacmillan Support Centre for people livingwith cancer and their families.

The new Kidney Treatment Centre is apurpose-built facility which replaced anageing unit on the QMH site. The number ofkidney dialysis stations has increased from12 to 20 and the centre also includes roomsfor outpatient appointments.

The Nightingale Nurse Award, a newprofessional accolade to recogniseoutstanding nurses and midwives, waslaunched at St Thomas’ Hospital on 13September.

It is named in honour of thepioneering nurse Florence Nightingale,who established her first nursing schoolat St Thomas’ in 1859.

The launch event was attended by morethan 200 staff and included a processionwith Florence’s lamp from the FlorenceNightingale Museum.

Dame Eileen Sills, Chief Nurse at Guy’sand St Thomas’, said: “I am so proud of ournurses and midwives here at Guy’s and StThomas’. They do fantastic work day in, dayout, and always put our patients first.

Finding thenext Florence

Members of the Guy’s Cancer at QMH Patient Reference Group with James Brokenshire MP

Dame Eileen Sills speaks at the official launch

Richard, George, Iris and Lucy Wronka

Sidcup centres officially opened

Cred

it: Mel W

ilde P

hotography

VibrantSoundbridgemiddle earimplant, whichreplaces thefunction of themiddle and outerear.

Charlotte hadthe procedure inJuly 2016 and thedevice was turnedon 12 weeks later.

Sophie says:“Charlotte heardthings she hadnever heard before. It made a big differencestraightaway.”

Since then the audiology team has adjusted thesettings to get the sound perfect for her. Charlotte,who is now aged five, has experienced dramaticimprovements in both her speech and behaviour.

Professor Dan Jiang, Consultant Otolaryngologistat St Thomas’, says young children with other typesof hearing loss, chronic ear infections or tumoursmay also benefit from the implant. He adds: “This isa world-leading intervention.”

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 5

ROUND-UP

TOP TWEETS@hmthompson__ Thank you to the

wonderful team at @GSTTnhsDental Department this morningfor easing my nerves around mypesky wisdom teeth!#appreciated.

@cindygallop From the doctors to the

nurses to the orderlies –everyone on Albert Ward at StThomas’ @GSTTnhs is fantastic.So happy my father is here.

@AbsHSE22 Thanks to all in the Eye

clinic for looking after me so welltoday. Very good care @GSTTnhs.

@Crundwell Huge thanks to all the

nursing and physio staff yester-day @GSTTnhs OPAU whowere funny, caring,professional –and generally just lovely!

@saze72 Thanks to the great team

@GSTTnhs renal department forlooking after me today, & thepast 11 years since #kidney#transplant. Superb unit.

@lynn457@GSTTnhs Thank you

Hedley Atkins Ward! Fantasticstaff in this ward. Will miss youall. Thanks for Anne’s care andlove. Please commend! X

@Magnetacs@GSTTnhs Thank you for

your service. Twisted footswollen, you got me looked atand x-rayed and on my wayhome last night... You guys rock.

@LessGrumpy@GSTTnhs I was treated

for anaphylaxis at St Thomas’today. Your staff are wonderful.Professional & caring. Thank you so much.

Joining Guy’s and St Thomas’ as a member ofour Foundation Trust is the best way tosupport your local hospitals and communityhealth services.

You can get involved and help shape thefuture of patient care.

It's free to join and you can become amember if you are aged 18 years or over andlive in Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham,Wandsworth or Westminster, or if you havebeen a patient at Guy’s and St Thomas’ inthe last five years.

As a member you will receive a copy ofthis magazine through your door four timesa year, you will also be sent our monthlyemail newsletter, and benefit fromdiscounts on products and services.

You will be invited to attend meetings and

events, take part in surveys and consultations, andvote for your representatives on the Council ofGovernors – you can even stand for election ifyou are interested in becoming a governor.

•Complete an online form atwww.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/membership

•Call us on 0800 731 0319

•Email us at members@gstt.nhs.uk.

Charlotte isyoungest tohave ear opA little girl who was the youngest person inthe UK to have a middle ear implant hasexperienced life-changing benefits from thepioneering surgery.

Charlotte Wright, from Teddington, wasthree when she had surgery at St Thomas’Hospital to implant the device. She was bornwith microtia, when the outer ear isunderdeveloped, and atresia, absence of theear canal, so sound could not travel to theinner ear on her right side.

Her mother Sophie Wright, 42, explains:“Charlotte’s hearing difficulties meant herspeech was delayed, when she spoke no onecould understand her, and she hadbehavioural problems because she wasfrustrated at not being able to hear.”

Doctors at St Thomas’ Hearing ImplantCentre’s specialist microtia and atresiaclinic found that she was suitable for a

Charlotte Wright is all smiles

Foundation Trust Governor James Palmer signs up morelocal people as members

Become aFoundation Trustmember today

SPOTLIGHT

6 the GiST

Bob Lowrie’s life changed forever in 2010when he was diagnosed with heart failure.He needed to have a device called animplantable cardioverter defibrillator(ICD) fitted. It uses electricity to shock theheart back into a normal rhythm if it goesinto a life-threatening rhythm.

Bob, 71, from Southwark, recalls: “I’dhad symptoms including pain andtightness in my chest, arms, legs,shoulders and neck for a while but neverthought it was that bad. I was glad thedoctors found what the problem was but Iwas worried that getting shocked by thedevice would be painful and I had no idea ifand when I’d get one.”

At the time he worked as a coach driverin Europe but was unable to stay in his jobdue to his diagnosis.

Bob, who has 13 grandchildren and twogreat-grandchildren, was later told by thecardiac rehabilitation team about a newsupport group for patients with ICDs atGuy’s and St Thomas’. He attended hisfirst session five years ago and has beengoing ever since.

He says: “Without a doubt, the group

has been hugely helpful and I now feel lessanxious about living with my ICD. It’s veryuseful listening to other people who are inthe same boat as me. I’ve made goodfriends and seen how other people havebecome less anxious after going to thesessions.

“The group have provided invaluablereassurance. The staff are helpful andhave time to talk to you one-on-one to giveany advice you need.

“I have also shared my experienceswith the group. I explained how seeing apsychologist can be beneficial andencouraged others to do the same, assometimes there can be a stigma aroundasking for this kind of help.

“I think most people who need an ICDdevice would find the group as beneficialas I have.”

The support group was set up bySharlene Hogan, Arrhythmia Nurse, withthe help of Ellie Hoad, CardiacRehabilitation Nurse, and LeanneMaddock, Cardiac Physiologist. Meetingstake place four times a year, with up to 40people attending each session.

Patients can feel anxious if they need a device to keeptheir heart beating normally.A unique group set up atGuy’s and St Thomas’ isproviding vital support, as Cara Lee explains.

Sharlene explains: “It’s very normal tofeel anxious if you need an ICD. It is a life-changing event and can affect your job,family life and ability to drive, so in turn itimpacts on your independence. There is afear of the unknown about receivingshocks from the device so patients needto find ways to cope with this anxiety.

“The group focuses on all aspects ofliving with an ICD, including medication,exercise and diet. We invite patients toshare their stories about how they cope –and hold question and answer sessionswith experts such as doctors, specialistnurses, pharmacists, dietitians,psychologists and physiologists.

“While this group is very beneficial, fewhospitals have groups like this so they arenot easily accessible. People come fromall over to attend the sessions, and seeingthe difference it can make to patients isvery rewarding.”

Bob Lowrie with Arrhythmia Nurse Sharlene Hogan

A lifelinefor heartpatients

If you would like to find out more, pleasecontact ICDsupportgroup@gstt.nhs.uk

SPOTLIGHT

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 7

Betty Mullins, 95, looks incredibly youngand fit as she reels off a list of activitiesshe still enjoys doing including twiceweekly ballroom dancing.

After a fall in January left her with afractured shoulder which led to a hospitalstay, Betty was adamant that she wantedto regain her independence as quickly aspossible.

Thankfully she was helped to get thetargeted support she needed at home,and was back on her feet within six weeksbecause of the Lambeth ReablementService.

Betty says: “I was in St Thomas’Hospital for nine days and they looked

after me very well. When I got home I hadlots of people to help, taking me for walks,making me meals.

“I couldn’t fault the excellent way theyworked together, so friendly anddedicated to what they do. Everybody wasdoing a job until gradually I could say Ididn’t need them anymore.”

The Reablement team, based at theAkerman Health Centre in Brixton, hassocial workers from Lambeth Councilsitting alongside health professionalsfrom Guy’s and St Thomas’, includingtherapists and rehabilitation supportworkers.

Close working means the teamprovides the right support at the righttime, from intensive physiotherapy andarranging specialist equipment such ashandrails which improve safety in thehome to help with taking medication,shopping, washing, dressing and mealpreparation.

Rehabilitation support workers are at

Betty Mullins andRehabilitation SupportWorker Lorraine Boateng

the core of the service, following carefullydesigned plans prepared by socialworkers and therapists to ensure patientsmake a quick recovery and become lessreliant on the support of carers.

Sian Eke, Registered Manager for theLambeth Reablement Service, says:“Sometimes it can be reallyoverwhelming for patients when they firstcome out of hospital. By working togetherwe gradually reduce the number of visits,giving patients more time to practise theirexercises, meet with friends and recover.

“From the minute we knock on thedoor we’re helping our patients tobecome more confident, until they areable to do things themselves.”

•For more information about theLambeth Reablement Service, call 020 3049 6599.

Supportingindependent livingMaxine Hoeksmafinds out more about aservice which helps patientsin Lambeth stay in their ownhomes after an illness.

Lambeth Reablement Service

Our staff:

•Social workers and assessors

•Physiotherapists and occupationaltherapists

•Rehabilitation support workers.

Our patients:

•Adults living in Lambeth who requiresupport with daily living

•Adults referred from the hospital orthe community.

Our outcomes:

•Checks carried out at 91 days of careby the Lambeth Reablement Serviceshow that more than 90% of ourpatients remain at home

• In 2016, 686 people were treated bythe team and more than 60% fullyregained independence without theneed for ongoing social caresupport.

8 the GiST

Since 2013 a total of 40 projects havebeen funded through Guy’s and StThomas’ Dragons’ Den competition,from apps and 3D printing technology todiabetic foot checks and hot food lids.

The competition enables any memberof staff to get their idea funded and turnedinto reality. To succeed, they need to makethe shortlist and then pitch their idea to apanel of expert judges – the dragons.

Director of Improvement, HannahCoffey, who is one of the dragons, says:“Our 15,000 staff, who care for patientsday-in day-out, have great ideas abouthow we can improve things. The Dragons’Den competition is one way we can makethe most of that potential. It’s fantastic tosee projects come to life and improve theexperience of our patients.”

Consultant Obstetrician Dr DaghniRajasingam and Nicola Spray and MeganWinters from the Children’s CommunitySpeech and Language Therapy team havedeveloped winning projects.

Daghni’s idea – an app forpregnant women

What was your pitch?My idea was the One-to-One app. It allows women to communicate directlyand quickly with midwives on theMaternity Unit.

Women told us that they don’t alwayswant to use the alert bell when they’re onthe ward, particularly when they just needa glass of water or want to discusssomething that is worrying them.

By using the One-to-One app, they canmake requests via their smartphones. Itdoesn’t replace the existing alert systemswe have, but it offers an alternative way tocommunicate with the midwives.

How does the app support women?It improves their experience, reducesanxiety and also enables our staff to bemore responsive. It’s about bringing the

IN FOCUS

Ruth Shepherd talks tofrontline staff who havepitched their bright ideas toget funding for projects toimprove patient care.

Dragons’Den winnersreveal all

technology thatwomen use inevery other aspectof their lives intothe ward setting.

We completed atwo-week pilot onthe Labour Ward.All the women whoarrived were giventhe opportunity todownload the app.

Women liked knowing that theirmidwife had received their message, andhaving an alternative to the alert bell. Thematernity teams liked using the app as itmeant they knew straight away what theirpatients wanted and could be moreresponsive.

What’s next?We will do another pilot on the PostnatalWard and we then plan to extend use ofthe app across all our maternity services.

Consultant Obstetrician Dr Daghni Rajasingam

Children’s Speech and Language Therapist Nicola Spray

IN FOCUS

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 9

Watch the film on the Trust’s Youtubechannel: www.youtube.com/gsttnhs

Nicola and Megan’s idea – a filmto promote children’s speech and language therapy

What was your idea?There is lots of written informationavailable about children’s speech andlanguage therapy in Lambeth andSouthwark, but we work withcommunities with low literacy levels sowe wanted to provide information in amore accessible way. We decided to pitchthe idea of creating a short film about ourservice to the Dragons’ Den.

How did you develop the film?We had a good idea of what the filmshould include, and approached acompany called NKD Learning to make it.The key message we wanted to get acrosswas that communication is everyone’sbusiness. Everyone has a role to play inhelping a child to communicate.

We asked our speech and languagetherapy team to approach patients andschools who might like to take part in thefilm. It features an assessment clinic, ourwork in schools, and also our work inchildren’s clinics and special schools.

What impact has the film had?Since we launched the film in April thisyear, more than 2,300 people haveviewed it. We know that more people arelooking at the online information we haveabout our services, and parents havegiven us lots of positive feedback.

We get a lot of last minute cancellationsand no-shows so have included a link onour appointment letters, and we hope thiswill result in more families keeping theirappointments. The film also won a GivingVoice Award in September.

The film helps families know what toexpect from therapy. Parents sometimeshave pre-conceived ideas, and the filmhelps to give the full picture.

Local schools are also putting the filmon their websites to highlight our work inschools.

What would you say to other staff whoare considering applying for Dragons’Den funding?Pitching our idea to the Trust’s dragonswas a little daunting, but we are sopleased we did it.

It’s brilliant to see our project come tolife, and see it helping and informing localfamilies.

A scene from the film

10 the GiST

Michelle Ticktin, 38, who is originally fromGlasgow and now lives in Brixton, has ahistory of breast cancer in her family. Andso she wasn’t surprised when a geneticscounsellor at Guy’s Hospital told her shehad a BRCA1 gene mutation, whichmeant she was at a high risk ofdeveloping the diseaseherself.

She recalls: “It was still ablow, and I saw the geneticscounsellor at Guy’s bothbefore and after the test.She clearly outlined therisks and choices ahead,and was both direct andkind.”

As Michelle explains, shewas supported every step ofthe way from that point onwards.

She says: “The next steps in theprocess moved swiftly. The geneticscounsellor told me I was BRCA1 inFebruary 2016, and I had a three-hoursession with the gynaecology and breastteams in April. My ovaries and fallopiantubes were removed in July, and I hadbreast surgery in September.

“I was offered several options forbreast reconstruction, and chose to gowith nipple-sparing pre-pectoral

When Michelle Ticktin was told shehad a high genetic risk of developingbreast cancer, staff at Guy’s Hospitalsupported her to make the decisionshe felt was best for her. She told herstory to Hamza Omaar.

IN FOCUS

implants. In this procedure, you go intothe surgery with breasts and come out ofit with breasts. Any subsequent cosmeticsurgery is optional. I had counselling fromstart to finish.

“There were bumps in the road. Thesurgical and other teams took fantastic

care of me throughout,treating me quickly andeffectively. My breasts aredifferent now, but they lookgreat – I'm not giving themback!”

Breast cancer is themost common cancer inwomen, affecting 1 in 8women, and ovariancancer affects a further 1 in

52 women. In men, breastcancer is rare but prostate cancer affectsaround 1 in 8 men.

Some families have a higher risk ofdeveloping breast, ovarian and prostatecancers due to a genetic mutation.

The BRCA family service at Guy’sHospital, which was set up in 2006, helpspatients who have been found to carry aBRCA1, BRCA2 or other high risk breastcancer susceptibility gene mutation.

The service holds an annual patientinformation day which is an opportunity

for former and current patients to meeteach other, share their experiences, andlearn more about the latest innovationsand research into hereditary cancer fromstaff at Guy’s and St Thomas’.

Staff also offer guidance and supportto patients and their families, who canoften find both the results of their genetictest and the options available to themcomplex and daunting.

Dr Vishakha Tripathi, ConsultantGenetic Counsellor who leads the BRCAfamily service, says: “Our patientinformation days have been a hugesuccess. We are delighted to have beenable to help patients share theirexperiences with other people goingthrough the same journey.

“It is also a great opportunity for ourexperts to share key points from theirleading edge clinical practice and

Michelle’schoice

“e surgical andother teams tookfantastic care of me throughout,treating me quickly andeffectively.”

Michelle Ticktin

IN FOCUS

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 11

research directly with the patients onwhom it will impact.”

In addition to the patient informationdays, patients are invited to attend theBRCA clinic for a face-to-faceappointment. Theyare encouraged tobring a family memberor friend to supportthem during their visitwhich usually lastshalf a day.

Visits involve amulti-disciplinaryteam of staff includingan oncologist (cancer specialist), clinicalpsychologist, breast surgeon, plasticsurgeon, breast nurse, gynae-oncologist,clinical geneticist, genetic counsellor,researchers and a BRCA co-ordinator.

Patients choose which specialists theywould like to see on the day, depending ontheir needs, and the specialists will see thepatients in turn.

Patients arediscussed at a multi-disciplinary meeting toensure high quality,consistent care isprovided to eachpatient.

Patients unable toaccess the clinic due toillness can havetelephoneappointments.

During the appointments, patients areable to discuss any worries or concernsthey may have. They also reviewinformation about topics such asscreening options, risk-reducing options,

talking to their family members, andreproductive options.

Issues raised during the patient’s visitto the BRCA clinic are followed up by therelevant clinician. If patients want toproceed with risk-reducing surgery, theirGP will refer them to the relevantspecialist to take this forward.

The number of patients has beensteadily increasing, resulting in additionalclinics being added, and patientsatisfaction rates are high.

“Breast cancer is the most commoncancer in women,affecting 1 in 8women, and ovariancancer affects afurther 1 in 52.”

The BRCA clinic team – Hisham Hamed, Michelle Weston, Clare Turnball, Vishakha Tripathi, Clare Firth, Sarah Rose, Cecilia Compton, Louise Hopkirk,Kathrine Hilario, Isabelle Jendrulek and Rachel Painter

12 the GiST

LIVING WELL

What is it like for parents when their child isdiagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?Rosamunde Wells met the Demmer familyto find out.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is awell-known but sometimes confusingcondition. Being a spectrum condition,people with ASD are affected in manydifferent ways, dependent on theirpersonalities and whether they have anylearning difficulties, mental health issuesor other conditions.

Families are oftenunsure how to respondto a diagnosis. Amoreenand Ryan Demmer, fromEast Dulwich, recall howthey felt when they weretold their son, Thomas,aged three, had ASD.

Amoreen reflects: “Itwas quite a reliefactually. We were justglad to have it confirmed.”

Ryan agrees: “We had suspected thatThomas might have ASD as we’d read upon it and he has some of the classicsigns. He didn’t answer to his name andhe doesn’t do ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’.

“Like many people with ASD, he alsohas very intense interests. Thomas lovesbuildings, especially buildings in London.He likes to look at them, draw them andvisit them. We asked for a GP referral and it was quite a slow process, so whenwe finally received a diagnosis we were ready.”

The Evelina London Community

Speech and Language Therapy team hasset up a series of parent workshops tosupport families when they first receive adiagnosis. The workshops are a chancefor parents and carers of children withASD to meet other parents and learnfrom each other’s experiences. They’rerun by a mixed group of staff including

speech and languagetherapists andpsychologists.

Ruth Fine, HighlySpecialist Speech andLanguage Therapist,explains why the workshops are soessential. “It’s reallyimportant that childrenand their families can get

support from other people in the sameposition as them, as well as fromhealthcare professionals. The impact thatASD can have on a child changes as theygrow so we’ve tailored each workshop fordifferent age groups.

“We tend to start with a presentationabout what it is, discussing myths andfacts, and we show some videos whichhelp explain autism. Then we’ll use this asthe basis for a group discussion whereparents can ask questions and others canprovide their perspective.

“Parents like to share success storieswhich other parents can learn from, such

It’s good to share

as how to create a new routine for a child.It’s also an opportunity to developstrategies to deal with some of the morechallenging behaviours that their childrenmay display.

“We have asked the parents whichissues they’d like to know more about andwe have also created a series ofworkshops around topics such astransitioning from primary to secondaryschool, creating visual aids to supportcommunication, and understandingbehaviour.”

Amoreen and Ryan attended one ofthese workshop for families with childrenwho had been newly diagnosed with ASD.

“We were given a lot of information andleaflets when we first learned Thomas

“e workshopswere a chance totalk to otherparents who weregoing through thesame process.”

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 13

LIVING WELL

had ASD,” Amoreen remembers. “Theworkshops were a chance to talk to otherparents who were going through thesame process.”

Ryan adds: “It wasn’t something wewould have thought of going to but then werealised we had to get ourselves involvedso that we could have that supportnetwork. The group was so relaxed. Youjust grab a seat and go! They talked usthrough what ASD is and helped to dispelsome of the myths around it which wasreally helpful.”

Amoreen agrees: “Every family’sexperience is unique but there will alwaysbe some things that someone else willhave gone through. I remember there wasa family who were further along the

The Demmer family with staff from the Evelina LondonCommunity Speech and Language Therapy Team – Gill Davies, Ruth Fine and Laura Alcock

What is autism spectrumdisorder (ASD)?

A lifelong disorder that affects thebrain, changing how peopleexperience the world around them.

It affects everyone differently,however some common traits are:

• Difficulties with interpreting bothverbal and non-verbal language likegestures or tone of voice

• A very literal understanding oflanguage, thinking people alwaysmean exactly what they say

• Difficulty ‘reading’ other peoplewhich can make it hard torecognise or understand otherpeople’s’ feelings or intentions

• Difficulty expressing emotions

• Intense and highly-focusedinterests

• Difficulty changing an establishedroutine

• Under or over-sensitivity to sounds,touch, tastes, smells, light, colours,temperature or pain.

For more information about ASDvisit www.autism.org.uk

process than us so they provided reallyuseful information about where to go fordifferent types of support, such as speechand language therapy and toilet training.”

The team provides workshops tosupport families from diagnosis through toadulthood and so Amoreen and Ryan planto go to more sessions.

“As Thomas grows older his needs willchange,” says Amoreen. “Next year he’ll bemoving up to primary school which will bea big change for him. It’s really great thatwe’ve got this local support network ofparents and professionals to help us whenwe need it.”

For now, Thomas is enjoying being at apre-school where there’s a panoramic viewof the London skyline from the window.

Thomas Demmer with his mum Amoreen and dad Ryan

14 the GiST

Talking genomics

Éilis McGrath meets Sean Whittaker, ConsultantDermatologist at Guy’s andSt Thomas’, Professor ofCutaneous Oncology atKing’s College London andjoint lead for the CancerClinical Academic Group of King’s Health Partners.

THE INTERVIEW

Q What is genomics?

A Genomics is the study of changes in our DNA which can

cause diseases, specifically inheriteddiseases, which are often the cause ofrare conditions. Damage to DNA is one ofthe main causes of cancer.

In England there is a nationalgenomics programme called the 100,000Genomes Project which aims tosequence 100,000 genomes from around70,000 NHS patients with a rare disease,plus their families, and patients withcancer.

Q How is Guy’s and St omas’ involved?

A Guy’s and St Thomas’ is leading the South London NHS Genomic

Medicine Centre, covering thepopulations of South London and Kent,Surrey and Sussex. We’re working withour partners at St George’s Hospital,King’s College Hospital and SouthLondon and Maudsley, as well as NHStrusts across Kent, Surrey and Sussex, todeliver the national project locally andunravel the basic causes of rare, inheriteddiseases and cancers.

Abnormal chromosomes from a patient with a cutaneous lymphoma, a rare skin cancer affecting 500-600 people a year in the UK, one third of whom are seen at Guy’s and St Thomas’

By working collaboratively, we willdevelop standard genomic tests forpatients with complex conditions. Thesetests will ensure our patients have accessto the same diagnostic tools, with thesame accuracy as anywhere else in thecountry.

We’ve had great success so far. SouthLondon is the top recruiter of cancerpatients to the 100,000 Genomes Projectand we are one of the highest recruiters ofpatients with rare and inherited diseasesand their families. To date we haverecruited more than 6,000 participants tothe project.

Q What does it mean for patients?

A Advances in genomics will mean patients may be offered a

diagnosis where there wasn’t one before.In time, there is the potential for new andmore effective treatments.

We’ve already had some successes intreating rare, inherited diseases based ona better understanding of genemutations and gaining the ability toidentify damaged genes earlier.

We’ve created drugs that can targetspecific damaged genes and reverse thedamage that cancer has caused. We evenhave a tablet for advanced cases ofmelanoma that can make cancerdisappear.

Drugs are now becoming availablefor breast, lung and colon cancer.

Q What is your main area of interest?

A My main area of interest is in complex skin cancers, both

melanoma and lymphoma in the skin. My work is all about studying andanalysing the causes of DNA damage,finding out which genes are damagedand, from there, finding new treatments.

I work collaboratively with teamsacross universities and NHS trusts togather information and research onmutations and damage. The moreknowledge we have, the more options wewill have for future treatments.

Q What are the challenges?

A One of the main challenges in genomics is getting people to

participate in our research. We need people to take part in

initiatives like the 100,000 GenomesProject so it can achieve its full potentialand make a difference to how wediagnose and treat patients.

When it comes to rare and inheriteddiseases, the biggest concern for patientsand their families is the lack of a cleardiagnosis.

Without a diagnosis, it is difficult forpatients and families to understand thecondition and to access the care theyneed.

In cancer the challenge is improvingour knowledge. Most patients understandthis is critical not only for them but forthe future.

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 15

INTERVIEWTHE

“I believe diagnostic testsand treatment will be greatlyimpacted bygenomics in thenext five years.”

We need to encourage patients andgive them confidence to take part ingenomic tests. We have staff who arespecially trained to help people makethese decisions, give patients time to askquestions, and get the reassurances theyneed.

Q How will genomics improvehealthcare in the future?

A I believe diagnostic tests and treatment will be greatly impacted

by genomics in the next five years.Already we are working with lung cancerpatients on diagnosing cancer through ablood test and treating their cancer withone tablet.

Analysing DNA from a blood sample isa much less invasive procedure than atraditional biopsy and can be repeatedthroughout the course of treatment tomonitor progress and inform futuretreatment decisions.

We’re hoping to repeat this blood test,as well as one tablet treatments, for arange of cancers in the future.

You can get involved in the 100,000Genomes Project by visiting www.genomicsengland.co.uk/taking-part

16 the GiST

INSIDE OUT

Maxine Hoeksma finds outhow staff at Bowley CloseRehabilitation Centre inCrystal Palace are openingthe door to a wider world ofcommunication for patients.

Hawking is one famous user of acommunication aid.

Cortez, who was referred to the serviceby a speech and language therapist inNewham in October 2016, explains: “Thecommunication aid helps mecommunicate with people socially andprofessionally through social media. I useFacebook, I listen to music on YouTube,watch broadcasts and take selfies. I use ita lot in replying to emails.

"Before it was frustrating for peoplewho don’t know me that well tounderstand me. They could see that I hada lot to say.

“When I first got the communication aidI spent a lot of time exploring and findingout where everything was. Now I take it

out on Wednesday evenings to BibleStudies at church, just saying hello topeople and asking how they are. People areamazed at what the computer can do.

“I love the technology! It has been life-changing. Before I would depend on mum,close friends, and my carers to checkemails and social media. Now I can do thison my own, in my own time.”

Cortez’s mum, Linnet, says: “I cangenerally understand what Cortez issaying but sometimes it takes a while. Thiscan be difficult for both of us, especiallywhen time is a factor or there isbackground noise.

“The potential for Cortez using thiscomputer is vast. We’ll start to hear morefrom him and he can join in conversations.”

e power ofcommunication

Cortez Nelson with Speech and Language Therapist Cristiana Atherton

“e team are amazing!Without them I wouldhave given up. I thinkthey are angels.”

It doesn’t take long to realise that CortezNelson has plenty to say for himself.

Cortex, 30, has always foundcommunicating with people extremelychallenging because his cerebral palsymakes speaking difficult. But with the helpof a hi-tech communication aid, getting hisvoice heard has become easier.

Cortez is one of 100 adults and childrenwith complex communication problemswho have been referred to the AssistiveCommunication Service at the BowleyClose Rehabilitation Centre since 2016.

The service covers 11 London boroughsincluding Lambeth, Southwark andLewisham. It supplies, fits and trainspatients to use a range of hi-techcommunication aids, and trains speechand language therapists from theseboroughs to support patients’.

Working in partnership with therapists,the service also makes recommendationsfor low-tech devices such as alphabetcharts, communication books and boards.

In Cortez’s case, eye tracking softwarewith a special camera allows him to usehis eyes to move a mouse cursor on atablet, forming words and sentences thatare turned into an electronic voice.

These types of aids help people withspeech difficulties, as is the case withmotor neurone disease, to communicatemore freely and access social mediaindependently. Professor Stephen

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 17

THE LEADING EDGE

Speech and Language TherapistCristiana Atherton is part of a team oftherapists, technicians and engineers atBowley Close who have supported Cortez.

She says: “Communication is theessence of being human. We all need tomake ourselves understood on some level.Our team’s aim is to help improve ormaintain our patients’ communication andtheir quality of life.”

Cortez says of the team at BowleyClose: “I think they are amazing! Withoutthem I would have given up. I think theyare angels.”

Surgeons at Guy’s Hospitalhave become the first in theworld to routinely perform atype of robotic surgery whichtransforms the lives ofpatients who are at risk ofkidney failure.

If left untreated, patientswith retroperitoneal fibrosis(RPF) can develop kidneyfailure because the conditioncauses scar tissue to formaround their ureters – the tubes which pass urine from the kidneys tothe bladder – which stops them working properly.

Patients with RPF are usually treated with stents – internal tubeswhich are inserted into the ureters to stop the tubes getting blocked.However, stents can irritate the bladder, cause blood in the urine, andmake patients constantly need the toilet. The stents also need to bechanged every six months.

Urological surgeons at Guy’s Hospital are now treating patients in apioneering procedure, known as robotic ureterolysis.

They use robots to snip away at the scar tissue with accuracy andprecision, freeing the ureters. This relieves the blockage, allowing thetubes to drain properly.

Terry Iddenden, a 49-year-old father of two from Chichester in WestSussex, was one of the first patients to benefit from the innovativeprocedure.

He says: “Being able to function without having to plan your lifearound toilet routes is amazing. After two hard years with stents it wasfantastic to get rid of them.”

Ms Archie Fernando, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Guy’s,explains: “We have carried out the robotic procedure on around 40patients and are excited about the results. After surgery patients canhave the stents removed and their kidneys are able to drain well, whichcan have a hugely positive impact on their lives.”

Terry Iddenden

Roboticsurgery transformspatients’ lives

Terry Iddenden

TRUST LIFE

18 the GiST

staff, like our pharmacist, they workthrough the entire patient caseload,deciding what action is needed forindividual patients.

In winter we often see more patientswith long-term conditions such as heartor kidney problems or breathingproblems. They may need more care thanusual but this does not always need to beprovided from a hospital bed.

4:00pm – Our team are back at base.The duty matron carries out a

handover and staff provide an update onpatients who may need extra support orpeople with more complex needs whoneed to see a GP or hospital doctor.

At homewith the@homeserviceOur job is exactly what it says on the tin.We keep people out of hospital or helpthem to return home sooner by providingintensive clinical care at home, much like ahospital ward.

We are a team including nurses,therapists, geriatricians (elderley caredoctors), GPs, pharmacists, socialworkers, and rehabilitation supportworkers, and we are all here to help peoplestay well in their own home.

Today, among the 65 patients we’ll beseeing, are people with heart problems andchronic breathing problems. The serviceruns seven days a week, 8am to 11pm.

Our sister night-time service,pal@home, supports patients nearing theend of their lives by providing pain relief,for example. It operates from 8pm to 8amseven days a week.

8:00am – As usual we start the day witha handover. The team discusses the

patients to be seen and any we may beparticularly concerned about. If a nurse isworried about a patient they’ve seen theycan raise it with our GPs at this meeting.

9:00am – Our team of expert nursesare on their way out to see patients.

A nurse assesses the kind of care needed,following a telephone referral from otherhealth professionals like paramedicsfrom the London Ambulance Service or alocal GP. They match staff to patients,sending nurses and therapists to see apatient within two hours, up to four timesa day for up to seven days.

12noon – The team are supportedfour days a week by geriatricians

who are consultants from Guy’s and StThomas’ and King’s College Hospital.They are specialists in elderly care andcarry out a ‘virtual ward round’ from theoffice. Sitting with a matron and other

Debi Miller, Deputy Head of Nursing, tellsMaxine Hoeksma aboutthe @home service basedat Walworth Road Clinicnear Elephant and Castle.

The @home team outside Walworth Road Clinic – Ruby Groome, Sandra Silva, Priti Patel,Adam Fitzgerald, Paulette Jackson, Debi Miller and Tiziana Ansell

TRUST LIFE

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 19

5:30pm – We get a call from our In Reachcolleagues who are based at St Thomas’

Hospital and King’s College Hospital. Theyproactively attend hospital ward rounds, findingpatients who could be cared for by our team athome.

8:00pm – At this time of the evening we have asmaller team making visits to those patients

who perhaps need another dose of intravenousantibiotics and help getting into bed.

10:30pm – It’s back to base for theremaining members of our team who finish

the day by writing up their notes on individualpatients they’ve seen and the care provided.

Everything is in place for another busy daytomorrow.

Why I fundraiseGeorgie and James Melville-Ross have spent moretime at Evelina London than many of the staff. Their13-year-old twins, Alice and Tommy – dubbed theTwinvincibles – were born at St Thomas’ Hospitalfour months early and were only given a 20% chanceof surviving.

The twins have severe quadriplegic cerebral palsywith dystonia, giving them uncontrolled musclecontractions, and are supported by Dr Jean-PierreLin and his team in our Complex Motor DisorderService (CMDS).

Both children have had deep brain stimulatorsurgery which implants electrodes into the brain todeliver electrical currents to help reduce theinvoluntary muscle spasms. Tommy was a pioneer toreceive a new, rechargeable device but sadly, itbecame infected in November 2012 and he neededemergency surgery.

“Very gradually Tommy started to calm and hisbody repaired itself,” Georgie says. “The tireless anddedicated work of Dr Lin and the CMDS team,together with the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit andthe Savannah Ward nurses, saved my son’s life.”

To say thank you to the team, the whole familystarted fundraising, setting a target of £40,000.

Georgie and her sister ran the London Marathon,the whole family – wheelchairs and all – used ahighly sophisticated rope system to pull the twins tothe summit of Britain’s tallest mountain, and James,his brother, sister and brother-in-law scaled threemountains in three different countries in a week.

And finally the whole family tackled the fittinglynamed Superhero Triathlon.

• You can help the family reach their target bydonating at www.supportevelina.org.uk/twins

• If they have inspired you to get involved, go towww.supportevelina.org.uk to find out more.

TRUST LIFE

20 the GiST

A couple whose daughter was born at St Thomas’Hospital earlier this year have thanked staff withheartwarming photos of the moment she was born.

Photographer Jack Ladenburg, 38, tookimages of his wife Naomi, 37, to capture babyEmmeline’s arrival into the world – she wasborn after the couple had IVF treatment in theAssisted Conception Unit at Guy’s Hospital.

Naomi says: “Jack felt helpless beforeEmmeline’s birth so he did what he knew bestby documenting it, after checking the staffwere happy for him to do so. It’s a momentthat wouldn’t have been possible withoutthe maternity team who were so calm, kindand thoughtful. They made it feel like ours was the only birththat day – it was really special.

“We wanted to give something back with the photos – the team arepart of life-changing moments in people’s lives every day. We wantedthem to cherish something which celebrates the amazing work they do.”

Lynne Pacanowski, Director of Midwifery and Head of GynaecologicalNursing, adds: “These wonderful photos are proudly on display in theMaternity Unit. It’s lovely to have a keepsake which captures thededication of the team.”

including reducing the amount of time it takes for acall to be answered, and ensuring that staff provide aprofessional and courteous response.

We are also reviewing and updating the contactinformation on our website and in our appointmentand clinic letters.

And through our Digital Patient Journeyprogramme, we are looking at different ways in whichpatients may be able to stay in touch in future, forexample by managing their outpatient appointmentsthrough an online portal.

If you would like to send any questions to ourgovernors for future issues of the GiST, please emailmembers@gstt.nhs.uk or call 020 7188 7346.

Ask us: How are we making it easierfor patients to contact services?Alastair Gourlay, Director of Essentia at Guy’s and St Thomas’, explainshow we are improving communication with patients.

Ph

otos: Jack Laden

bu

rg Ph

otography

Our Foundation Trust Council of Governors regularlyasks questions of the Trust Board – on behalf of ourmembers – based on ‘hot topics’

such as the issue of contacting the Trust by telephone.

We have identified that telephone calls areanswered much better when we have a callcentre or team approach in place, using asingle contact number. We are working withour clinical directorates to understand thebest way of moving towards this system.

We have developed quality measuresthat set out the standards that patientsshould expect when they phone the Trust,

Capturing the miracle of birth

You can see more images atwww.jackladenburg.com/blog/

the-birth-of-my-daughter/

TRUST LIFEHISTORY CORNER

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 21

Tucked away in the basement of St Thomas’ Hospital, the museum bringsFlorence’s legacy to life through its uniquecollections, art and interactive displays.

Visitors can travel through three iconicstages. The first focuses on Florence’seducation and Victorian childhood. Thesecond takes visitors on a journeythrough her experience of the CrimeanWar where she became known for herexceptional work providing care towounded soldiers with her dedicatedteam of nurses. The third showcasesFlorence’s influence on global healthreforms, which still remains relevant fornurses today.

In many ways, her greatestachievement was to establish nursing as a respectable profession for women. But Florence had to overcome significantopposition.

Learning and Access Manager HajraWilliams says: “Florence was preventedfrom pursuing nursing for a long time.Although she came from a very wealthybackground, nursing wasn’t veryrespectable and wasn’t seen as much of aprofession. But Florence was determinedto change that.”

Taking her experiences from theCrimean War in the 1850s, Florencecampaigned tirelessly to improvestandards of health, as Hajira explains.

“She was innovative and made a

profound contribution to thedesign of St Thomas’ Hospital. Sheworked closely with architects,advocating the pavilion style ofhospital. This meant havingseparate wings and connectingcorridors to allow more space,ventilation and sunlight, as well asmatrons on each ward.”

In 1860 Florence successfullyestablished the NightingaleTraining School at St Thomas’Hospital, the first official nursingschool in England.

The museum opened in 1989and today houses approximately3,000 items including letters,Florence's iconic lantern which earnedher the nickname of the Lady with theLamp, and even a medicine chest whichwas brought back from Crimea.

Museum Director David Green says:“More than 50,000 people come hereevery year. Apart from visitors from theUK, we most commonly meet people

The Florence NightingaleMuseum at St Thomas’Hospital is the perfectplace to rediscover thelife of a woman known forher revolutionaryinfluence on modernhealthcare, as ShaniqueWahrmann discovers.

Florence’s legacy

The Florence Nightingale Museumat St Thomas’ Hospital is open dailyfrom 10am-5pm.

Free entry for Guy’s and St Thomas’staff and children under five.

Get 2 for 1 entry with a copy of thismagazine.

It’s not just about nursing

•Support for students –The museum runs a learningprogramme for schools including KS1workshops, as well as family activitiesand a lively events programme.

•Support for teachers –The museum hosts a teachers’evening on 22 November. Find out more at www.florence-nightingale.co.uk

The Florence Nightingale Museum team – David Green,Emma Hixson (as Florence Nightingale), Haidee Chuterand Holly Carter Chappell

The museum is full of fascinating interactive displays

from the USA, Canada, Australia, Japanand China who want to pay their respectsto a figure who inspired their careers.”

TRUST LIFE

22 the GiST

From the frontline Phlebotomist Dionne Harrington works forViapath, our pathology services provider.

Say what?

Q What do you rememberfrom your first day in theTrust in 1991?

A We were given a second-hand uniform – my top was far too

large at the time! And I was given anavy blue cardigan, as we had severaldifferent sites to travel between. Wewere told to look after the cardigan,and give it back when we left, or we hadto pay £18! I’ve still got it.

Q If you could have threeguests (past or present) at a dinner party, whowould they be?

A Gandhi, Princess Diana and Elvis Presley. Elvis and Diana could

dance while I had a chat with Gandhi.

Q What are you most proud ofachieving?

A The accumulated knowledge of working with so many different

people and medical conditions.

Q What is the best piece ofadvice you’ve ever beengiven?

A Chill. Whether you’re upset or wound up, just take a moment

and relax.

Q What’s the best experienceyou’ve had?

A I ran an orthopaedic Knee School session recently, and a

lady told me that, after her stroke 10years ago, I’d been the one that got her

back on her feet. It is lovely to beremembered for doing a great job.

Q What’s your philosophy on life?

A Be there for other people – family, friends or even strangers.

Don’t judge people.

Q What do you like to do in your spare time?

A I love gardening and seeing my family. I have two daughters and

five grandchildren, as well as two cats,so there’s always plenty going on.

Physiotherapy Technical Instructor Cathy Stead hasworked at Guy’s and St Thomas’ for more than 25 years.

Dionne trained as a phlebotomist (aspecialist in taking blood) last year andher clinical placement was at St Thomas’Hospital.

She enjoyed it so much that she appliedfor a post and has been here for nearly ayear and is now a trainer for new studentson their placements.

The Phlebotomy team work on bothGuy’s and St Thomas’ sites, at healthclinics in the community, and also on the wards.

Dionne says: “We visit very poorly

patients on their ward which can bechallenging as some need tests every dayand can easily get distressed. It’s soimportant to me to make every patient Isee as comfortable as possible so theirblood test is done quickly and withoutpain.”

There are plenty of opportunities forDionne to continue her training and shehas just finished peripherally insertedcentral catheter (PICC) line training. Thismeans she can now work in the CancerCentre at Guy’s Hospital to take bloodtests from patients directly through theirPICC or Hickman line. This saves patientsthe discomfort of her trying to findanother vein when they could be

hardened as a result of chemotherapy. All staff receive customer service

training so they know how tocommunicate well with their patients.

Dionne’s manager, Vicky Shah,explains: “When I am recruiting, I reallyfocus on the candidate’s personality. I canteach them the skills but I can’t teachthem how to be nice.”

The demand for the service is alwaysincreasing as many clinics now requiretheir own phlebotomists so that patientscan get blood tests done there and thenwithin their clinics.

Viapath, which is a partnership betweenGuy’s and St Thomas’, King’s CollegeHospital NHS Foundation Trust and Serco,has been operating the PhlebotomyService at Guy’s and St Thomas’ since2009. Staff see approximately 1,500patients every day and the laboratoriesanalyse around 30,000 blood tests a day.

Raise money for your hospitalsand community services

For all the latest news about our amazing fundraisers and how you can support

Guy’s, St Thomas’ and Evelina London,

follow @SupportGSTT and like facebook.com/SupportGSTT

and facebook.com/SupportEvelina

TRUST LIFE

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk 23

We have a pair of tickets for a fabulous B-Bakery Bus Tourwith Afternoon Tea up for grabs. To be in with a chance ofwinning, simply complete the wordsearch below.

Name

Address

Email

Send your entry by 8 December to the GiST competition,Communications Department, 4th floor, Staircase C, SouthWing, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7EH;or you can email communications@gstt.nhs.uk.

The winners will be selected at random and notified withinseven days of the draw. The result will be final and we will notenter into any correspondence regarding the competitionwinners. The prize is non-transferable.

1 DecemberWorld AIDS Day

7 December Friends of Guy’s and St Thomas’ HospitalsChristmas Market 11am - 3pm, Central Hall and Birdsong Corridor, St Thomas’ Hospital

11 December Carols by Candlelight7-8.15pmSt George’s Cathedral,Lambeth Road, SE1 6HRCall 020 7848 4701 or visitwww.supportgstt.org.uk/carolsto book tickets

14 December Friends of Guy’s and St Thomas’ HospitalsChristmas Market 11am - 3pm, Atrium 1, Guy’s Hospital

What’s OnFree Public Tours (weekly event) Florence NightingaleMuseum Tuesdays at 3.30pm (except during schoolholidays) Call 020 7188 4400 or visitflorence-nightingale.co.uk

14 November World Diabetes Day

29 November Friends of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals Book Sale 10am - 3pm, Birdsong Corridor, St Thomas’ Hospital

I M L P H S V X S A O S

N M U T U A R K L C X E

B S Q U I R R E L O R V

D S D R U O G V K R E A

W C O B W E B H E N B E

B C H E S T N U T S O L

O B R E B M E V O N T C

N I K P M U P K R W C R

F G K K O C M O A C O V

I Q M O C D I H N R L R

R B E T A N M W G U V T

E S T W D H C D E Y G B

AcornsAutumnBonfireChestnuts

CobwebConkersFireworksGourds

HarvestLeavesNovemberOctober

OrangePumpkinRakeSquirrel

Free film screenings:

MediCinema (gsttmedicinema@medicinema.org.uk) showsthe latest releases for patients and staffGuy’s Tuesdays, 1.30pm and Thursdays, 7pm St Thomas’ Saturdays, 7pm and Tuesdays, 7.30pmEvelina London screenings on Wednesdays, 6.30pm

Free lunchtime concerts:

Mondays 1 – 2pm, Central Hall, St Thomas’Wednesdays 1 – 2pm, Atrium 1, Guy’s

Competition

Tickets are £14 for adults, £3 for children aged 5-16yrs and under 5’s go free

To book visit www.supportgstt.org.uk/carols or call 020 7848 4701

Carols by

CandlelightMonday 11 December

7pm-8.15pm

St George’s Cathedral, Lambeth Road

SE1 6HRJoin us for

some festive cheer and inspiring

stories about our hospitals followed by

mulled wine and mince pies.

Evelina London Children’s Hospital is part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Registered charity No. 1160316. Company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 9341980.