Amazonian Adventure: Pages 4 & 5
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Highlights MONTHLY October 2013 MEET THE BOARD: Adam Palmer New employee director looks forward to his new role after years as Unison branch secretary CREDIT UNION LINK-UP FORGEDWEDNESDAY 9th October HI-Scot among staff mem- was International Credit Un- bers through its internal; ion Day 2013. communications systems, And NHS Highland used and is encouraging them to the day to announce that it consider using the organi- has linked up with HI-Scot sation – a financial co- Credit Union, which covers operative run by the people the Highlands and Islands, for the people – to access a to encourage health board range of financial products. Tarus Elly (right) wasn’t the only winner employees to save what Ray Stewart, NHS High- in the recent Loch Ness Marathon and they can and borrow only land’s former employee di- 10k. John Docherty had plenty to smile what they can afford. rector, explained: “The about too, as we explain on page 3. The board is promoting Continued on page 2 Amazonian adventure: Pages 4 & 5 - - CONGRATULATIONS to John Do- cherty, our double lung transplant patient from Inverness, who com- pleted the Loch Ness 10k last month in just over two hours. He did the 10k to raise money for the Freeman Heart and Lung Transplant Association as a thank- you for all the help and support they gave following his transplant last year. So far over £1500 has been raised. Accompanying him on his trek were Corinne Clark, NHS Highland respiratory nurse specialist, and Judith Colligan, senior chest physiotherapist, and he couldn’t be more grateful for their support. John said: “I would never have made it if it wasn’t for them and their great support. We also had a blast!” NHS Highland in credit union link-up Continued from front out that credit unions already used to make loans for other financial wellbeing of our employ- serve 327,000 people across the members. ees is important to us and we country, and that the most suc- Only members can apply for a recognise the valuable role that cessful credit union movements loan through HI-Scot. The loans credit unions can play in enabling in the world have strong links with have no hidden fees or transac- people to help themselves in employers who promote member- tion charges, and interest rates money matters. ship to their staff, as NHS High- are affordable and are calculated “We are delighted to be able to land is now doing. on the reduced balance of the endorse HI-Scot to our employ- David Mackay, general man- loan, which means that interest ees and would urge those who ager of HI-Scot Credit Union, payments gets smaller as the feel they would benefit from the said: “Having this link with NHS loan is paid back. Loans are cus- services a credit union offers to Highland fits well with us. It’s tomised to suit individual mem- consider becoming a member of been acknowledged that improv- bers’ needs, and can be repaid it.” ing money management skills early with no penalty – and a sav- The role played by credit un- can positively impact on people’s ing of interest. ions was underlined in the Scot- health and wellbeing, so what Ray Stewart told Highlights: tish Parliament building on 9th can be more appropriate than “Credit unions are an easy way to October when Inverness and having a health board promote save and a cheap way to borrow, Nairn MSP Fergus Ewing, the our work to its staff?” with profits returning to the mem- Minister for Energy, Enterprise With a philosophy of mutual bers. and Tourism, was the guest self-help, credit unions are not-for “NHS Highland employees speaker at a celebration of Inter- -profit organisations controlled by who are interested in joining or national Credit Union Day. its own members. Members hav- finding out more about this The event was organised by ing savings called shares in the should contact HI-Scot on 01851 the Association of British Credit credit union, on which dividends 701865 or access the link on the Unions Scotland, which points are paid. Shares can then be intranet.” - 2 - IMMUNISATION: Chief executive issues plea to all employees Call to staff: get your flu vaccine NHS HIGHLAND chief executive at fixed sites by occupational is urging all staff, especially those QUOTE health at various locations across who have direct patient contact, the whole area. These started on to take up the offer of seasonal We are doing 16th October and a full timetable flu vaccination. This will help to is on the intranet. In addition, protect patients, staff members everything that we vaccine is also available from lo- and their families. can to make it as cally delivered mobile vaccination The three flu strains most sessions in October and through- likely to be circulating this winter easy and convenient out November. These ‘trolleys’ are incorporated within the sea- as possible for you to will visit wards, departments and sonal flu vaccine. The vaccine clinics to make it easier for staff will give a high degree of protec- get the vaccinations to access the vaccine. Details of tion and side effects are very un- these will be available from your common and trivial. The vaccine team leaders nearer the time. does not contain live flu virus and quences and can require hospi- Elaine continued: “Before you cannot give you flu. talisation. Nobody wants to take go for your vaccine it would be Staff suffering from flu, or even infection home to family mem- really helpful if you could get a just incubating flu, can uninten- bers. consent form from the intranet or tionally pass this on to patients If large numbers of staff re- from your team leader. they are looking after. If the pa- quire a week off work with flu, the “Please complete this in ad- tients are ill, elderly or suffering service’s ability to keep looking vance and take it with you to the from a variety of chronic condi- after ill patients is severely cur- vaccination session. This will tions this can lead to serious ill- tailed with the likelihood of ward minimise the delays at the ses- ness and even death. Patients in closures, cancelled operations sion itself. However don’t, worry if clinical high risk groups are at and cancelled clinics. you can’t do this, you can still get least 10 times more likely to die “For all of the these reasons,” a consent form at the vaccination from flu than healthy people. said Elaine, “I am asking you, session and complete it then.” NHS Highland should be doing particularly if you are working in a She added: “We are doing everything possible to prevent job that brings you into direct everything that we can to make it healthcare workers infecting vul- contact with patients, to please as easy and convenient as possi- nerable patients. respond to this invitation.” ble for you to get the vaccinations Influenza is not a minor illness More information on where and to ensure a healthy and trou- even in normally fit people. It and when you can obtain flu vac- ble-free winter.” makes people feel extremely un- cine is available from your line More information on flu vacci- well for two to three days and full manager or on the intranet. See nation is available on the Immuni- recovery normally takes a the NHS Highland intranet home sation Scotland website. week. Even fit, healthy people page under staff announcements. Be prepared for winter: can develop more serious conse- Vaccination clinics are running See page 22. - 3 - Safety first for daredevil rafter Emil HIS work with NHS Highland day, 411-mile expedition through with the risk of flash floods. may involve safety but some folk what’s been described as the But it’s not just the water and might think that there’s some- ‘Grand Canyon of South Amer- the canyon walls that the team thing inherently unsafe about his ica’. will have to negotiate: they will favourite leisure activity – rafting Emil (32), who has taken part be rafting through areas occu- down some of the world’s most in rafting exhibitions in places as pied by tribes known to be hos- remote and dangerous rivers. far afield as Costa Rica, Nepal, tile to visitors. But Raigmore-based fire Morocco, Uganda and the Emil, who will guide one of safety trainer Emil Carlsson in- United States’ Grand Canyon, in the four rafts on the expedition, sists that safety is the theme that Colorado, will be heading for explained: “There are tribes links his work and his hobby. Peru on 16th January to join a 20 along the river who have been “Most people might perceive -member team on an expedition violent to people who don’t have rafting to be unsafe but actually down the Rio Maranon, the larg- permission to travel through. there is a great deal of safety est tributary of the River Ama- “However, we will have that involved in rafting,” he said. zon. permission and we will be taking “There’s a lot of training and It will be the biggest expedi- a member of the tribe with us on skills involved, just as there is in tion Emil’s been on, and it prom- that part of the exhibition. my job.” ises to be one of the most chal- “I don’t imagine they will be a And all that training and skills lenging. problem.” will surely be put to the test It will be held during the rainy While it promises to be a when Emil undertakes his next season, and the upper section of never-to-be-forgotten adventure, big daredevil adventure – a 30- the trip will be on faster water, Continued on page 5 - 4 - Rafter planning Amazonian adventure Continued from page 4 the expedition has a more serious purpose: to raise awareness of environmental concerns relating to the con- struction of massive dams on the Rio Maranon.