Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

FTiThe information newsletter for Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust members www.barnsleyhospital.nhs.uk April 2009 Cancer patients Act F.A.S.T. enjoy new Do you know complementary how to spot the It’s the one part of the NHS mosttherapies people tend to identify signs of a stroke? withSee page straight 4 away See page 7 Cleanest hospital set to get cleaner

Patients at Barnsley Hospital look set to benefit from an even cleaner hospital and more time for nursing thanks to a new cleaning contract starting this month, which will see extra cleaners and a 55 per cent increase in hours spent cleaning each week. Last year, Barnsley Hospital was one of just a few hospitals in the country to pass the tough new hygiene code inspections set by health watchdog, the Healthcare Commission, who praised hospital staff for their high cleaning standards and commitment to reducing infections such as C. difficile and MRSA. David Peverelle, chief operating officer for the hospital said: “With cleanliness and hospital infection rates being a very high priority with patients and visitors, the new contract with extra cleaners will help to maintain Barnsley’s position as one of the cleanest hospitals in the country. The new service will also have an impact on patient care as domestic staff take over the role of cleaning nursing equipment; a role previously done by nursing staff. Items such as wheelchairs and dressing trolleys will be expertly cleaned and save over 84 hours of nurse time a week, leaving nurses more time to spend caring for patients.” “Our domestic staff are well trained Cleaners like Margaret Brae (pictured in hospital cleaning and by having the right) will take over the role of cleaning right equipment and the time to carry out nursing equipment leaving staff like cleaning tasks, they can make sure every Sandra Newman (middle) more time to piece of equipment is cleaned to the very spend with her patients. highest standard.” 2 FTi April 2009 www.barnsleyhospital.nhs.uk TheNews A word from our Chief Executive - Making Barnsley the number one choice in 2009 On behalf of Barnsley Hospital, welcome making patient safety a number one ternity services also go from strength to hospital.nhs.uk with up to date infor- to our first FTi of 2009. Before talking priority. We also submitted a three year strength offering women a real choice mation and advice for patients, visitors about the year ahead, it is useful to plan to Monitor (our regulator) in May and a safe, high quality service. and members reflect on some of our considerable which achieved the highest financial, Since April 2008 we have: In 2009, we plan to deliver service de- achievements from 2008 and how service and governance ratings we have • Cut MRSA infections to just velopments across the hospital, maintain we have worked to make Barnsley ever received. eight cases a high level of service and bring in more Hospital the first choice for healthcare. If that wasn’t enough to make • Slashed Clostridium difficile cases by services, more resources and more ex- We have been rated by the Healthcare Barnsley Hospital your number one 22 per cent pertise to Barnsley than ever before. Commission as “Excellent” for our choice for 2009, then our range of first • Reduced waiting times even further If you wish to learn more about our services and “Good” for our use of class services certainly will! Amongst • Put in a new phone system in outpa- plans for 2009, you can download a resources, as well as being one of only several services which are subject to ex- tients to help us increase the number copy of our Annual Plan from a few trusts in the country to be found ternal accreditation, our breast screening of calls getting through www.barnsleyhospital.nhs.uk. fully compliant with the Hygiene Code. services have maintained their very high • Been successful in getting planning The glowing report noted how our rating and 2008 also saw tremendous permission for a new 300 space car Sandra Taylor staff, at every level, demonstrated their success in achieving accreditation of park to make it easier to find a space Chief Executive commitment to reducing infections and our bowel screening services. Our ma- • Created a new website www.barnsley- Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Your appointment Over 243,000 people attended for an outpatient appoint- trained staff will assess if you are fit and well enough for ment at Barnsley Hospital in 2007/2008 and the number surgery and the anaesthetic and also screen you for MRSA. looks set to grow throughout 2009. Many of these pa- Going to your pre-assessment appointment is essential as all tients received tests such as x-rays, scans and endos- surgical procedures carry a certain amount of risk, some more copies through our excellent clinical support services. than others and in certain cases, it may be harmful for you to Coming for an appointment is pretty straightforward but undergo surgery until you are fitter. Some examples of where what about late clinics or being told you are not fit for surgery? we may ask you to go back to your GP and improve your What should you do then? Hopefully this guide will explain condition before surgery include being overweight, having an why these issues sometimes happen and what you can do to infection or having a condition like sleep apnoea. avoid them: What can I do to help? Late clinics or appointments As a patient, you can help us to keep waiting times short While the vast majority of our clinics run to time, there are for all and save yourself time by arriving at least ten minutes times when they run late. Sometimes the doctor running the before your appointment time, leaving enough time for your clinic might need to be called to an emergency or a patient journey and parking up if you are driving. If you cannot attend may have required more complex tests resulting in a longer or wish to change your appointment please let us know by appointment. Should there be a delay, a member of staff will ringing the number on your appointment letter or the keep you informed and you will be seen as soon as possible. appointments call centre on 01226 434343.

Long appointments MRSA screening We sometimes need to do procedures or further tests at Almost all patients undergoing surgery have to be your appointment which require a detailed examination at MRSA screened. Screening is a simple procedure and short notice. This may result in your appointment being longer involves taking two painless swabs from your nose and than you expected but we do this in order to save you another groin to check for signs of infection. MRSA can be a visit and where needed, start your treatment sooner. Should nasty infection to have when you’ve just had surgery as you feel that you are not prepared to undergo any procedure it can infect your post-surgery wounds. If you have the at your appointment, please discuss this with the doctor/nurse infection, don’t panic; we will organise for your GP to Quitting saves to arrange a more suitable date and time. prescribe a simple treatment that should clear it right up before going for surgery. If you have any more questions Having surgery about MRSA screening, please speak to your you quids If your doctor recommends you need surgery, you will be pre-assessment nurse. asked to go along to the pre-assessment unit where specially- With the credit crunch still biting, many of us are try- ing to save money with shopping and household bills but for smokers, they could be treating themselves to allsorts of luxuries and treats and boosting their savings this year…if only they just quit smoking! It’s a fact that as well as damaging your health, smoking seriously damages your pocket. On average a packet of 20 cigarettes costs £5.30. If you smoke a packet a day, everyday for a year, it totals almost £2000; imagine what you could buy, where you could go or what you could pay off with that sort of money. Smoking is the single largest cause of preventable cancer deaths in the UK claiming the lives of over 32,000 people every year from lung cancer and thousands more from other cancers. It raises your risk of heart disease, ages your skin quicker and can cause infertility in men and women. If you’re a smoker, giving up is probably one of the toughest things to go through but it can also be the great- est single step you can take to improving your health. There’s plenty of help on offer too to help you quit, you just need the motivation. An extra £2000 or more in your back pocket every year would certainly be a good starter for six! You can get free help and advice and even patches from Barnsley’s very own NHS Stop Smoking Service. Based on Eldon Street in town and now in the outpatient depart- ment at Barnsley Hospital, their friendly team is on hand to help you every step of the way. If you want to quit smoking and are coming to hospital for an appointment, ask your doctor or nurse to make you an appointment with the Stop Smoking Service or call 01226 737077 for more information. www.barnsleyhospital.nhs.uk FTi April 2009 3 TheNews Governors on the Go New Faces Since the last edition of FTi, the Governing Council has been joined by some new faces. It was election time in October last year and six public and three staff governor posts were up for election. Members in each of the constituencies up for elec- tion were written to and sent a ballot form to vote. The elections closed on 9th December 2008 with five Public governor Public governor seats uncontested and four constituencies going to Public governor an election. The new Governors were welcomed into the fold Carol Robb Bob Ramsay David Thomas formally with an induction day where they had chance to meet other Governors and find out more about the Public Constituency A Public Constituency C Public Constituency D roles they’ll be playing over the coming years in shap- ing hospital services. The Governors are elected to post for three years at which point they can go up for re-election again. If you’re a member and want to know more about becoming a Governor, have a chat with Carol Dudley, secretary to the Board on 01226 435000 who will be happy to give you more information on these important roles. Hospital

parking: New governor New governor New governor

Malcolm Ginn Eric Livesey Julie Smith your views Public Constituency A Public Constituency B Public Constituency B The Governors were pleased to welcome acting director of estates, John Rhodes, to their Governing Council Sub-Group meeting in December to talk about hospital car parking; a subject close to the hearts of most people in connection with the hospital. Parking at hospitals up and down the country is getting harder and harder as more patients, staff and visitors choose to drive to the hospital. A lack of parking causes stress to patients, makes people late for appointments, leads to frustration and demotivates staff. It also brings rush hour congestion and inconvenience to local residents as parking overflows onto surrounding streets. Lack of car parking is one of our New governor New governor patients’ biggest complaints and so, as the Staff governor ‘voice’ of our community, we as Governors are determined to improve things. We were pleased to hear back in 2008 that Viv Mills Joyce Rhodes Ann O’Brien planning permission had been sought and Staff Constituency: Clinical support Staff Constituency: Volunteers Staff Constituency: Nursing and granted for 300 additional parking spaces to Midwifery be built next to the hospital on Helensburgh Close, just off Pogmoor Road. The site had been home to some out-of-date hospital accommodation and a disused children’s nursery until works began last November to demolish the buildings to make way for the Key to constituencies Governors meet new car park. Constituency A John was keen to inform us on how the work was coming along and that the car Dodworth, Hoyland Milton, Penistone East, Penistone West Trust Chairman park would be ready for use in Summer. In and Rockingham November, the hospital carried out a survey The Governing Council was pleased to welcome Stephen Wragg, new Trust Chairman to their first meeting of to get a clearer picture of the demands and Constituency B 2009. Stephen at that point had not even been with the expectations for parking at the hospital. The Darton East, Darton West and Old Town Board of Directors is currently considering the Trust for a week but he was keen to meet members of results from this survey carefully in order to the Governing Council and talk about what each of the agree the best split for public and staff with the Constituency C Council wanted to gain from, and give to, the Governing additional parking spaces. Stairfoot, Central, Kingstone and Worsbrough Council over the next few years. So…what do you think? Should we provide Stephen hails from Sheffield but now lives in Wombwell. He more patient spaces, more staff spaces or an Constituency D is a management consultant with expertise in IT, customer even split? Help shape the decision on parking service and strategy. He is vice president of the Barnsley St Helens, North East, Cudworth, Monk Bretton and Royston by telling your local Governor. You can write Chamber of Commerce and was a non-executive director to us at: Governors Office, Barnsley Hospital, with NHS Barnsley for three years. Stephen also holds sev- Gawber Road, Barnsley S75 2EP or by emailing: Constituency E eral other non-executive posts in Barnsley including Barnsley [email protected]. Darfield, Dearne North, Dearne South and Wombwell Development Agency, Barnsley Rotherham Chamber and Barnsley Enterprise Agency. 4 FTi April 2009 www.barnsleyhospital.nhs.uk TheNews New counselling service for pregnant women Members of 'The Friends' at one of their popular sale days

Women in Barnsley facing an unplanned pregnancy, or pregnancy loss following a miscarriage or abortion, can now access free care and support from a specialist pregnancy counsellor at Barnsley Hospital. The new counselling service is available to women of all ages across the region who until now could only access a similar service of its kind by travelling to Huddersfield or Sheffield. Paula Paynter, working within Barnsley Hospital’s women’s services, is heading up the new service which is already being received positively by the women using it: “Our sessions are completely unbiased and confidential, giving women considering a termination, the space and time to make their own decisions without the pressures of others around them. We sit, listen and help the woman go through her options so she is able to make the best choice for her and her alone. “For those with pregnancy loss, we are able to provide a safe and quiet place to think and talk, and hopefully through the sessions, help these women to move forward more positively in the future. “Of the women who have used the service already, many have commented how it is has helped them focus on what they want to do instead of perhaps what their families or friends have wanted.” The pregnancy counselling service can be accessed through the woman’s GP, midwife, school nurse or directly if she has already been discharged from the hospital’s early pregnancy unit. For more information please contact Paula Paynter on 01226 432008. It’s better with Friends Registered charity ‘The Friends of Barnsley Hospitals’ • £20,000 for the Barnsley Hospital chemotherapy appeal have been working tirelessly since 1981 to raise funds to • £10,000 towards the purchase of a second ‘Squeezy Pant’s’ benefit hospitals across Barnsley. machine (which now exists and means we can treat twice as Made up entirely of volunteers, these men and women have many patients with angina using Squeezy Pants) given their time and dedication to run ‘sale days’, raffles and the staff lottery and have made such a difference, particularly in Can you help? some areas, which would not have been possible otherwise. Their good work can only carry on with the continued ef- Requests for donations from ‘The Friends’ are taken to their forts of generous people in the community. You can help committee meetings where a decision is made as to whether ‘The Friends’ even if you don’t have a couple of quid to give; the request should be supported; no easy task for anyone! why not donate something for their next ‘sale day’ or as Examples of some of their donations have included: tombola prizes (please note, no electrical goods or second hand clothes) or donate your time by joining the committee or • £500 for a diabetes monitor used by the children’s helping at an event. Contact Rosemary on 01226 763512 or community team email Jill Marshall on [email protected] to • £3600 for a relatives room on wards 34 and 18 find out more.

New AMD service Cancer patients enjoy new complementary therapies Cancer patients at Barnsley Hospital can now enjoy a free relax- is launched Kate Cadwell ing massage after their chemotherapy treatment thanks to the Pensioners suffering from Age-Related Macular work of a local cancer support group. Degeneration (AMD), the UK’s biggest cause of blindness Barnsley Cancer Aftercare has been tirelessly fundraising to in the over 60’s, can now get treatment for the disease secure the services of a dedicated complementary therapist on in Barnsley. Barnsley Hospital’s chemotherapy unit and in August last year The condition, which affects over 500,000 people in the local therapist Kate Cadwell was appointed. In conjunction with UK every year, is a progressive eye condition which gradu- Barnsley Cancer Aftercare, NHS Barnsley have agreed to con- ally destroys the eye’s central vision and your ability to see tinue funding the service for the future. Kate works on the unit straight ahead. three days a week and offers a range of therapies to patients In summer 2008, the National Institute for Health and undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Clinical Excellence (NICE) approved the drug Lucentis, con- “I’m delighted to have been chosen to provide such a special sidered to be the best but most costly treatment available, and personal service here at Barnsley Hospital,” explains Kate. to treat the ‘wet’ form of the disease. Now, new ophthalmic “Therapies such as massage and acupressure are deeply relax- consultant Mr. Sami Gerges will be able to investigate and ing and can really help patients to feel better after their chemo treat the condition with Lucentis here in Barnsley. treatment, however, it is not usually a service offered to patients Mr Gerges said: “Many people start to experience chang- when they’re at hospital.” es in their vision as they get older but AMD is a slow and Barnsley Hospital’s haematology clinical nurse specialist, Susan painless condition usually not detected until it is more se- Brown said: “I am thrilled Kate has joined us to run the service vere. If you are aged over 60 and experience sudden, dis- which is already proving a real hit with our patients. Coming into torted vision in one eye and/or bleeding in the centre of your hospital and having chemotherapy, on top of having the cancer eye, this could be AMD which needs treatment as soon itself, can make patients very anxious, not to mention the side as possible to prevent further damage. You should seek effects that can be experienced from the chemotherapy treat- urgent advice from your optician or go to the emergency ments. Complementary therapies have been proven to signifi- department immediately if the distortion is severe. cantly reduce the discomfort felt after treatment and help the “The AMD treatment consists of one injection each month patient relax. The service at Barnsley Hospital is unique as Kate for three months to start with, depending on the nature of can treat our patients to a massage before they go home.” the disease, which works to stabilise the vision. Some peo- Barnsley Cancer Aftercare organiser, Nicola Haycock conclud- ple experience better results than others but this is currently ed: “It is great to see our hard work has paid off and that every the best treatment available on the market for AMD.” cancer patient will be able to benefit from this free service as part If you think that you, or someone close to you, may be af- of their treatment in hospital. Traditionally, people had to find and fected by AMD, please contact your local GP or optician as pay for their own complementary therapies unless they could get soon as possible for an appointment. an appointment at the local hospice but now the treatments will be available as a matter of course.” www.barnsleyhospital.nhs.uk FTi April 2009 5 TheNews Spotlight on… GU Medicine The department of genito-urinary medicine, or GU clinic as it is more commonly known, is based on the first floor of the hospital, and provides care for young teenagers and adults with concerns about sexually- transmitted infections (STI’s) or anything else to do with sexual health. For many people, going to a GU clinic for the first time can be worrying; ‘what sort of people will be there, what will they think of me, will they tell anyone what I’ve got and worse still what will they do to me?’ Hopefully this guide to GU medicine will explain all:

What does the GU medicine department do? The GU clinic is a confidential one-stop-service for anyone who is concerned about their sexual health and is open from 8am Monday to Friday with a late night clinic on Tuesdays.

Appointments are available within two working days of contacting the clinic or by popping in to the clinic and com- ing to the ‘drop in’ sessions. You can be referred by your GP but many people refer themselves. If we can’t see you straight away, you will still be seen by one of our nurses who will listen to your concerns and advise whether an appoint- Health advisor David Allen ment is needed. You can also request whether you’d prefer (right) talks about safe sex to be seen by a male or female member of staff. and sexual health to a patient

What happens at the appointment? The doctor or nurse will start by listening to your concerns and asking you about your sexual history and any symptoms We provide the following services: you’ve noticed. He/she will then ask you to undress from Green as well your waist down so he/she can carry out an examination of the area affected. Having an ‘examination’ may sound • STI testing embarrassing but don’t worry. Staff are very experienced at • HIV testing putting you at ease and understand this may be an anxious as clean time for you. • STI treatment We all know Barnsley Hospital is clean but what • HIV treatment and care about being green? What tests do you carry out? Businesses, organisations and individuals across the UK are We check for STIs by carrying out simple urine or swab • Sexual health advice feeling the pressure to reduce their carbon footprint. Here in tests which are quick and painless. For women we do rou- • Emergency contraception the NHS, we’re responsible for about 3 per cent of the UK’s to- tine swab tests for chlamydia and gonorrhoea. We can also tal carbon emissions which is created through waste, transport do swab tests for thrush, bacterial vaginosis and trichomo- • Partner notification / contact tracing and our buildings. As the UK’s largest employer the NHS has a nas. For men we do a routine swab test for gonorrhoea and • Specialist vulval clinic responsibility to lead the way in this green era and play its part. a urine test for chlamydia but we will soon be able to offer a The future of the planet as well as NHS funding and the public’s urine test for both infections. Swab tests for herpes, hepa- • Hepatitis B testing and vaccination health are all at stake. So what is Barnsley Hospital doing to play titis B and C may also be offered as well as a blood test for its part? HIV and syphilis.

What happens at the end of the appointment? Tests are examined in our Changes around the building Your tests will be sent to the laboratory with results taking department laboratory so Tackling climate change and energy efficiency is no easy up to ten days to come back although in some cases, we we can get results back task but we’re constantly making ‘green’ changes around can get your results back the very same day. If you need as soon as possible the site including: any treatment, we will arrange a follow-up appointment for • Improving roof and wall insulation you or with your permission, start it straightaway whilst your • Replacing windows there. If you need medication, we can also give you this • Upgrading heating and cooling systems straightaway so you don’t have to visit the pharmacy. You • Adding high efficiency lighting on the wards may also be seen by a health advisor who can offer you ad- • Adding new infrared taps in the public toilets vice and support for safe sex in the future. When your test results come back, we will let you know by either text, phone call, letter or in person; whichever suits you and arrange a follow-up appointment if needed. Getting rid of rubbish We don’t let anyone know, not even your GP, that you Cardboard, paper, plastics, fluorescent tubes, furniture have been to the GU clinic unless you give us permission to and clinical waste all have to be got rid of somewhere and do so. up until a few years ago, all our non-clinical waste went to landfill sites but things have become much more eco-friend- Who are the staff that will see me? ly in recent years. Working with six local suppliers we now The GU medicine team is made up of three consultants, recycle all of the above. Every ward and department has two staff grade doctors, nurse practitioners, staff nurses their own set of recycling bins so staff recycle everything and health care assistants who are all very experienced they’re supposed to. in dealing with people who have personal problems. They are very friendly and down-to-earth and are non- judgemental. Everyone who works in the clinic will maintain your confidentiality. Using local suppliers Last year the hospital awarded £80,000 of its annual How can I contact the service? food contracts to local suppliers saving £7000. Saving the Call the GU medicine team in confidence on 01226 money was great but we also helped the environment by 432599 if you have any worries about your sexual health. reducing the amount of time the supplies spent on the road We are happy to listen and answer any questions you may to the hospital. have over the phone or if you want to know any further infor- By being more energy efficient, we don’t just help Mother mation before visiting the clinic. Nature but we pass the savings made back into providing more care for our patients. 6 FTi April 2009 www.barnsleyhospital.nhs.uk TheNews Support group gives heads up on rare cancers People living with cancers of the head or neck in Barnsley are now able to seek local support and meet others living with the disease thanks to a new support group. Cancer of the head or neck is uncommon but there are still over 29 types and over 7800 new cases diagnosed every year in the UK. Until now, very little has been available for patients and their families of these rare cancers, which in some cases can re- sult in facial disfigurement and speech, language, and swallowing problems, but thanks to specialists in Barnsley and Sheffield, a new support group looks set to change this. The new support group set up by Barnsley and Sheffield hos- pitals will provide the perfect opportunity for people living with these rare cancers to come together, meet others, talk to special- ists and find out more about living with the condition. The Head and Neck Support Group meets every two months at the Burton Street Project, 57 Burton Street, Hillsborough, Sheffield. For more information contact Gail Coggins, head and neck oncology nurse on 01226 434492.

Catch it, Bin it, Kill it Do you need help getting Research has revealed that people don’t understand what a huge difference using and disposing of tissues correctly and washing hands can make in helping prevent the to and from hospital? spread of the common cold and more serious flu virus. So you’ve got an appointment at hospital but you might need some help getting there and back. You may feel a bit un- Colds are spread easily but do you know just steady on your feet, want someone to come with you or perhaps you’re worried it might cost you a few pounds on the how much? bus or in a taxi. Did you know that Barnsley Hospital might be able to help? There are still many patients unaware of • If someone with a cold or flu sneezes, coughs or speaks what help is available to them so this guide will hopefully help: near to you, tiny droplets of fluid containing the cold virus are launched into the air. If you breathe them in you may become infected. Help with travel costs Parking discounts • If someone with cold or flu touches a door handle or Did you know that if you are claiming Income Support, Free parking is available for: telephone, the virus may be transferred to the object. If Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance, Working Tax • Visitors of sick children, intensive care patients and you pick it up a short time later and touch your mouth, Credit, Child Tax Credit or Pension Credit, you could be coronary care patients nose or eyes, you could become infected. able to claim back your travel costs between home and • Patients attending for chemotherapy, dermatology or Most adults suffer two to five colds a year, the under hospital when attending for treatment? renal dialysis fives have an average of four to eight. Around one in seven Simply pick up a claim form, fill it in and take it to the Ask the staff on the ward you visit for a free parking people catch flu in a year. cashier’s office located behind the PAL’s office in the main form and more information. Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you hospital entrance. Claim forms are available from the cough and sneeze, disposing of the tissue as soon as department you visit and main reception. possible and cleaning your hands as soon as you can are the most important actions people can take to stop the Patient transport spread of the common cold and flu virus. Where it is judged by the doctor or nurse involved with your How to claim: care, that your health may suffer from using private or public Coming by bus transport, he or she can arrange patient transport for you. Bring your proof of entitlement i.e. benefits book and Yorkshire Ambulance Service provide a non-emergency trans- proof of travel i.e. bus ticket. Payment cannot be made port service that offers you the ability to get to and from the without both being presented. hospital with trained medical staff who can assist you through- out your journey. Coming by taxi Transport will only be provided if there is a clear medical We cannot refund travel by taxi however if you present need and we have strict eligibility criteria to ensure only pa- your proof of entitlement and a valid taxi receipt stating tients who need the service, get the service so that they arrive where your journey started, we can refund you with what at hospital safely, in comfort and on time for their appointment. it would have cost coming by bus. Unfortunately we are unable to transport a friend or relative with the patient unless there is a clear medical need for the pa- tient to have them on the journey. An escort uses a valuable seat in an ambulance that could be used by another patient. Coming by car If you still think you need help to and from the hospital but We pay a set mileage amount for patients wishing to don’t wish to use public transport, there are a number of local travel by car. Please bring your proof of entitlement along community schemes operating in the Barnsley area. To find with your car parking ticket to the cashier’s office. out if you are eligible to use these services, contact Barnsley Patients in receipt of Mobility Allowance should (except Dial-a-Ride and Community Transport on 01226 298675. in exceptional circumstances), make their own way to hospital, using those monies which are paid specifically ‘to help them get around’, which includes attending hos- pital appointments. If you don’t receive benefits but are on a low income, Be green, get FTi in your inbox you may still qualify for help with your travel costs through Save paper and do your bit for the planet by getting FTi by the NHS Low Income Scheme. Details of this can be email. Just send your name, address and date of birth (so we found at www.dh.gov.uk, by calling 0845 850 1166 or by can track your membership number) to [email protected] visiting the cashier’s office next time you visit the hospital. and we’ll add you to our email list. Sorted! www.barnsleyhospital.nhs.uk FTi April 2009 7 TheNews

Lead stroke Act F.A.S.T. consultant If you’ve been watching the TV in recent weeks, you’re Dr Al-Bazzaz bound to have seen the striking advert for recognising the signs of a stroke. Like a fire in the brain, the stroke creeps up and completely takes its victim unaware. Stroke is the UK’s third biggest killer after cancer and heart disease and the leading cause of disability but in many cases, its devastating effects can be reduced if we know what to look for and when. Stroke is more common in those over 65 but people of any age can be affected, so for the sake of your friends and loved ones, knowing the signs of a stroke could be the best thing you learn today. A stroke is a medical emergency and needs urgent medical attention even if the person starts to feel better. In the event of a stroke, the easy way to remember what to do is to ACT FAST: At Barnsley, lead stroke consultant Dr Al-Bazzaz heads up the acute stroke unit where we provide some of the best possible specialist stroke care and rehabilitation in the region however this can only happen with a rapid diagnosis beforehand as Dr Al-Bazzaz explains: “Strokes can not only cause death but long Rehabilitation forms an important part of recovery after term disability such as weakness or paralysis, problems with your a stroke Ask Me… swallowing, continence and energy levels and also your ability to remember things and even how to talk. What is a stroke? …about strokes “Treatments and ways of caring for stroke patients have im- A stroke is a brain attack. A stroke is what happens proved dramatically in recent years meaning we can do much when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. In each issue of FTi, we let you the reader ask our more for people than ever before but this depends entirely on Without a blood supply, brain cells can be damaged or health professionals a question about a health topic. how quickly they are brought to us and how soon we can find destroyed. Because the brain controls everything the body This month we look at strokes and your questions out the cause and assess the damage. The quicker the person does, damage to the brain will affect body functions. For have been answered by lead stroke consultant, is in our care, the more chance of a speedier recovery with fewer example, if a stroke damages the part of the brain that Dr Al-Bazzaz: long term effects.” controls speech, your speech will be affected. So remember, act FAST. What is the difference between a stroke and a TIA? TIA which is sometimes called a mini stroke is a short lived sign and symptom of stroke which recovers and lasts less than 24 hours. It acts as a warning of impending and full blown stroke which could lead to permanent weakness and disability. It is an opportunity for patients to seek urgent medical attention to prevent future stroke. In some TIA patients up to 12% of these patients could go and develop stroke within a short time if they don’t seek urgent medi- cal care. Following the FAST adverts all patients should call 999 if they develop neurological symptoms and will be taken to A&E for further assessment. A significant number of these patients will recover whilst in A&E and they will be called TIA. They will be given the right medical advice and arrangements will be made for them to be seen in our TIA clinics within the following days. If you have a short lived neurological symptom and recovered and you did not attend the A&E department then you should see your doctor on the same day or following day and he will refer you to the TIA clinics for further assessment.

Do young people have strokes? Although most stroke victims are elderly, 1 in 4 people with stroke are under the age of 65. In our stroke unit at Barnsley we admit on average 3-5 patients with stroke per month who are under the age of 50 and our youngest stroke victim aged 23 years.

Why do you feel so exhausted after a stroke? Stroke is a major illness and like other major illnesses like heart problems, pneumonia, liver disease etc, it does make patients feel exhausted and more so for stroke as the brain controls the function of all our systems and organs. If it is not doing its job properly it is not surprising that patients feel generally exhausted. It is like a large defective computer which cannot do the job you want it to do properly.

We have a family history of strokes. Is there anything I can do to reduce my risk of having one? People with family history of stroke may share common risk factors of stroke with other members of the family, e.g hypertension, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and smoking. Therefore, identification and treating these risk factors at an early stage will reduce the chance of other members of the family from having a stroke in the first place. It is also becoming increasingly recognised that there are some genetic defects within certain families particularly if stroke happens at an early age, ie around aged 30-40 years and now we can test for some of these genetic defects and advise families accordingly.

Send your health questions to [email protected] or post to Kara Dudley, Communications, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Gawber Road, Barnsley S75 2EP and we’ll get the answers! We cannot respond to all your questions and if you have an urgent query, don’t wait for the next issue of FTi, go and see your GP! 8 FTi April 2009 www.barnsleyhospital.nhs.uk TheNews Welcome to our new members Want to have your say? Over 400 people took part in our recent web survey to As members of the hospital, you know better than most find out what people thought about our hospital’s new about what goes on at Barnsley Hospital. At times, Do you know someone website. Over 27 per cent asked to join the Trust which people are swift enough to complain about the hospital was great so if you’re a newly signed up member, a very and its services, which is great because it means we who would like to big welcome to you. can do something to put things right, but what about The web survey was a great way of finding out if the when we’ve done a good job? website was doing its job. It told us: Let our staff know by having your say through one of become a member? • The site is easy to find the following: • The site is quick and easy to navigate around • Tell your local Governor (see page 3 for Maybe a friend, neighbour or relative? Let them fill out • The site is being visited mainly by people looking for contact details) the form and return in an envelope without a stamp to: job vacancies • Take part in our next consultation or hospital Thanks to everyone who took part – we can now get survey by contacting John Armin on to work on making it even better for the future. The win- 01226 432430 Membership Office ner of a fantastic relaxing break for two at Brooklands • Visit www.nhs.uk and rate the hospital for all to see Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Hotel was Hayley Thomas from Rotherham. Enjoy! • Write a letter to the Barnsley Chronicle FREEPOST BY 184 Barnsley S75 2BR

Or if they prefer, call the membership office today and request a copy to be sent to them on 01226 432430.

Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust I wish to become a member of the Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust My details are: Full Name Address:

Got your number?

Did you know that everyone registered with • If you are not currently registered with a GP Postcode: a GP in and Wales has their own practice, but think you already have an NHS unique NHS Number? Your NHS number allows number, you can ask the local primary care trust to E-mail address: healthcare staff, such as those involved in your look it up. For Barnsley residents, please contact care at hospital, to correctly identify you and 01226 730000. Date of birth: ____/____/____ ensure you get the right care and treatment. • If you have never registered with a GP practice, Your NHS number appears on your NHS Medical you will not have an NHS number. When you o Male o Female

Card (if you have one) and should appear on all register with a local GP practice, you will be given I would describe my ethnic origin as: correspondence you receive from the hospital or an NHS number as part of registration. You can your GP practice. either go to a GP practice yourself to register or A. White While it’s not essential to know your NHS number ask NHS Barnsley, if you are a Barnsley resident, o British off by heart to get care, it can sometimes be helpful to put you on the list of a local GP practice – o Irish if you need to visit a different GP practice or be find out where the GP practices are at o Any other white background treated at a hospital you’ve never visited before. By www.nhsbarnsley.nhs.uk. B. Mixed knowing your number, it can help healthcare staff Your NHS number will appear on all o White and black Caribbean find your records more easily. Write it down or store correspondence sent to you by Barnsley Hospital. o White and black African it in your mobile phone as ‘my NHS number’. Keep it safe and as an added safety measure, start o White and Asian o Any other mixed background If you want to find out your NHS number you can checking each letter that comes to you from us to C. Asian or Asian British do the following: make sure we have the right NHS number for you o Indian • If you are registered with a GP practice, you will every time. o Pakistani already have an NHS number. Simply contact o Bangladeshi your GP practice and ask them to look it up. To o Any other Asian background protect your privacy, they may ask you to show D. Black or Black British them a passport, driving licence or some other o Caribbean proof of who you are. o African o Any other black background E. Other ethnic groups o Chinese o any other ethnic group F. Not Stated Dates for your diary o Not stated Want to hear more about what’s happening inside the hospital and give your views? Want to know more about This section is optional but allows us to ensure that our po- a medical condition and what services we offer? We have a number of public meetings and events throughout tential membership reflects the diversity of our community the year that everyone is invited. For more information please see the contact name under the listing you are interested in or visit www.barnsleyhospital.nhs.uk. *Please note these were correct at time of going to print. Signed: Dated:

Event Date & Time Venue Contact April 2009 Board of Directors General Meeting Thursday 30 April Education Centre, Carol Dudley This data will only be used to contact members about the NHS Foundation Trust or other related issues and will be stored and 1.15pm – 5.00pm Pogmoor Road, 01226 435000 processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act. Barnsley Hospital Please tick here if you would prefer your details not to appear on May 2009 Governing Council General Meeting Wednesday 13 May Education Centre, Carol Dudley the Public Register of Members o 5.30pm – 7.30pm Pogmoor Road, 01226 435000 Barnsley Hospital

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