Wednesday 8th June 2005 Issue No. 123 Chris Tarrant Takes Requests

The Spotlight is now firmly on Ashford and St. Peter's for June, as the Trust is focusing on its own services and highlighting all sorts of areas throughout Ashford and St. Peter’s Month.

This week the Trust received a visit from appreciative’ Freda Larham revealed that the new Mayor of Runnymede Frances more than 360 people volunteer at St. Barden - who came to attend the Peter's alone with some 250 plus at volunteers lunch. She is pictured here at Ashford. The new mayor of Runnymede, the new reception desk at St. Peter’s with Frances Barden, also recognised the volunteers, Geraldine Thompson, Daphne importance of the volunteers: “You are Butler, Doris Cooper. amazing, I can not see how the hospital would run without you.” The annual volunteer’s lunch was held on TV and radio presenter Chris Tarrant visited Monday June 6th, which, this year, Trust Chairman Clive Thompson, the Trust this week, as part of National coincided with National Volunteer’s Week. explained: “The volunteers are a vital part Volunteers week. Chris came to take Around 70 volunteers attended the lunch, of the past, present and future.” He also requests from patients for their favorite which is just a fraction of the number of praised the volunteers for all their hard tracks to play on Hospital Radio Wey. volunteers who work at the Trust. A ‘very work within the hospital but also with fund Accompanied by Radio Wey volunteer Julia raising. Moore, Chris toured Oak and Ash wards Work experience student and Press Office before returning to base at the Hospital volunteer, Marc Plumbley, is impressed with National Volunteer’s Week (1st to 8th Radio Wey Studio and recording an the hospital food at the Spotlight on Nutrition June) was celebrated at Ashford Hospital, stand on Tuesday interview for the station. While on his tour of on June 2nd with a Celebration in Words the wards Chris said: “I always notice a and Music. A packed Education Centre really happy atmosphere at St. Peter’s, and heard about the major contribution made its one of the cleanest hospitals I know.” by hundreds of volunteers to the smooth running of Ashford Hospital ranging from the work of the League of Friends in raising thousands of pounds towards the hospital to those who simply offer much needed doses of TLC at times of need.

Commenting on the role of volunteers Karen Marsden said: “The difference made by our volunteers in terms of both patient care and staff support is incalculable. The evening was a celebration of the commitment and dedication which lie at the heart of Sheila Clare (right) is pictured here with Diana volunteering.” Gibson, in the school room on Ash ward. Sheila has been a volunteer at the school for six years.

If you wish to have something featured in a future edition of aspire please email [email protected] or call ext. 2163 NHS Innovations for the benefit of the health you like to start over with a helpful in an emergency - it service and patients in the new wardrobe, a new look, would save ambulance South East - SEEDA region David will be new friends? Our team of crews and hospital staff Helping to Turn scheduling regular sessions experts will help you turn time and would ensure that at the local hospitals for things around. If this a patient's loved one was Ideas into Reality interested parties to discuss sounds like you, your friend contacted as soon as their innovations. or family member, please possible. call Sarah on 020 7751 For further info visit NISE is part of a network of 7385 or email us at www.eastanglianambulance.com nine regional innovation [email protected] hubs sponsored by the Department of Trade and Information on Industry (DTI), Regional Discharge Unit at Development Agencies and Fluoridation Office of Science and St. Peter’s Technology (OST) via the Re-launched Fluoridation is set to Public Sector Research become one of the key public health debates in Exploitation (PSRE) The Discharge Unit at St. scheme and the 2005. Following legislative Peter’s will be re-opened on changes regarding water Department of Health (DH). June 20th. The unit will be fluoridation schemes in managed by Sister Josie England. The National Timpaney and two Health Fluoride Information Centre Care Assistants. Josie and Living Space (NFIC) has been Dr David Lubega her team will be visiting the established to meet public Launched at wards throughout the day to Innovation Manager demand for objective Ashford support packing patient’s information on fluorides and property and transferring “At NHS Innovations South fluoridation. The web patients to the unit. East we believe that each As part of A2 Housing address is and every person has the Solutions' re-brand of www.fluorideinformation.com and Ward staff should ensure ability to innovate during accommodation at Ashford the helpline number is that that all patients and their daily activities, Hospital, 'Living Space' has 0161 275 8948. their relatives are informed whether delivering patient been launched to promote that they will be going to the care, training and educating the many accommodation unit while they await final or undertaking an R & D solutions which exist for arrangements for their Early Births Fund programme” Trust employees. Both new discharge. and existing key worker links Croatia and

NISE (NHS Innovations residents will be able to Ireland South East) is funded by learn more about Living the Department of Health Space through regular ICE – In Case of The EBF has benefited and the Regional newsletters, update Emergency from a very successful Development Agency for magazines, posters and a Croatian/Irish evening the South East of England brand new website - A new national emergency which raised £4,000. www.asphlivingspace.co.uk (SEEDA) to stimulate calling campaign enthusiasm and energise Tickets for the event were If you would like further has been the spirit of innovation launched by the completely free, which among all NHS staff at information on the range of means the money has been accommodation options East Anglian every level. NISE employs Ambulance raised entirely from a team of professionals who provided by A2, along with generous donations given current availability please Service, along have experience both within with Falklands at the event itself. the commercial world and contact the accommodation team on 0845 408 6625. war hero Simon healthcare. Their services Weston, and in £3,000 of the money will go are designed to facilitate Alternatively you can email direct to the EBF, with the the accommodation office association with the process of transferring Vodafone's rest benefiting AMAC UK (a inventions into new at the following address: charity that helps aspiring [email protected] annual Life products and services for Savers Awards. Croatian students). Dr Paul the benefit of the health Crawshaw said: “The The campaign, service and patients. dubbed ICE evening was a great Would You Like to (which stands for success - the hall was Dr David Lubega (pictured Turn Your Life ‘In Case of Emergency’), is completely full. We raised above) is the local NISE based on encouraging £3,000 for the NICU, which representative and can be Around? everyone to store the word is simply brilliant!” contacted on 023 8076 ICE in their mobile phone 3815 or by e-mail at The team behind Channel address book, and against [email protected] 4’s ‘Faking It’ are producing it enter the number of the a brand new makeover person they would want to As part of NISE’s plans to programme. be contacted 'In Case of aid the process of Are you single again after a Emergency'. It's a simple transferring inventions into long relationship? Would idea but could be really new products and services, Biomedical times mean that all the records), i.e. surveys, nurses are free to supervise questionnaires, interviews Science and help patients, etc should be registered Coterminus particularly the frail, elderly, with reference to the partially sighted or blind “Framework for Patients Degree Launched patients, because they are and Staff Surveys and not distracted by relatives, Studies, 2004”. The Surrey and North doctors, or paperwork. Our Sussex Pathology Network aim is to achieve the has announced the launch Moonwalk national benchmark of best of a coterminus training practice for food and This year’s midnight option to the existing BSc in nutrition and also to meet moonwalk, to raise money Biomedical Science the trust standards of care for breast cancer, is being available at the University for food and nutrition. held on Saturday June The Nursing Times Awards of Surrey. This major new Protected meal times also 18th. There are several reward the excellent work development is designed to enhance privacy and dignity groups entering from both taking place in nursing provide the local health for our patients (It can be hospitals so if you are today. These awards economy with graduates in embarrassing for a patient walking - Good Luck! recognise nurses’ the field of Biomedical to have people looking at remarkable contribution and Science, who will be them when a nurse is One such group has asked celebrate their sufficiently skilled on helping them to eat). We for a special mention:- The achievements. Each graduation to work as could not have achieved “Quality Street” category winner (individual registered Biomedical our success with the Moonwalking Team are a or team) will be awarded Scientists in the Pathology scheme without ward group of five, Suzanne £1,000 prize money and up laboratories of the Network. teamwork.” Littler, Sangeeta Singadia, to four finalists will be Tina Hopkins, Sue Southey The course is available awarded £100 each. Trust policy and and Maureen Smyth. They Winning entries will also be from Sept 2005. Students are taking part in the published in Nursing Times. wishing to be considered for procedures Moonwalk at midnight, the coterminus route will The winners will be It is important that all staff starting off at Hyde announced at a glittering apply to one of the local Park. The aim of the walk laboratories for a are aware of Trust policy to awards evening taking register all patient and staff is raise as much money place in a top London hotel scholarship. Those students possible for breast cancer. who meet the high studies for approval. This this autumn. includes research projects The team said: “We have all standards for entry criteria been busy training, and to the course and receive via Research and There are twelve categories Development department, have now had our “Bra this year, to reflect the an offer will be invited to the Decorating Party”. Our sponsor laboratory for a Dr. Isaac John ext. 2901, excellent projects being clinical audit projects via the theme is Hawaiian, with undertaken across every selection event, different coloured flowered incorporating an interview Audit department ext.2356. area of nursing practice; All other studies requiring bras, hula skirts and lei’s cancer nursing; continence; and tour of the training and even a few lights here facilities. involvement of patients or essence of care; infection staff (except health and there!” control; innovation in your specialty; mental health; An application form for scholarship can be Awareness Raised midwifery services; promoting health in your downloaded from the trust May has seen a national Coeliac Awareness Week, and at ASPH community; rising star; website - there were stands at both hospitals where staff patients and the sexual health; team of the www.ashfordstpeters.co.uk. public could talk to a dietician to find out more about the disease. Once completed it can be Pictured here is visitor David Weatherly and Chief Dietician Liz year; and wound care. Hedges at one of the stands. emailed back to the The Nursing Times Awards following address [email protected] are an opportunity to not only reward individuals and teams, but to raise the Mealtime Peace profile of your organisation and reflect the commitment Protected mealtimes have it makes to achieving now been rolled out across excellence in nursing care. the Trust and are working The closing date for entries very well in all areas. is Friday July 1st. Practice Development Facilitator Lynne Bates Entrants simply visit said: “Patients benefit from www.nursingtimesawards.co.uk to a peaceful uninterrupted enter online. Alternatively, meal time. Not interrupted call 020 7874 0542 or email by visitors, doctor’s ward [email protected] to rounds, patients not being request your entry pack taken away from the ward today! at lunchtime for x-rays and other tests. Protected meal

WELCOME!

Dr Dhakam Dr Otunla

Consultant Physician Dr Cambridge, for which he A new Consultant that lie ahead and I am Zahid Dhakam is a new was awarded MPhil Paediatrician has joined the keen to contribute to the appointment to the (Master’s degree in children’s unit at the Trust. development and delivery Department of Medicine Philosophy) by the of a premium neonatal and Elderly Care at the University of Cambridge. Dr Tosin Otunla, 40, has service for the community Trust. He joins from the He has presented his work joined the 12 strong that the Trust serves.” Cambridge University at national and international consultant team. His As a student Dr Otunla had deanery where he did his meetings and has been particular specialty is to make the decision of specialist training in Internal published in national and neonatal medicine and for whether to study Law or Medicine and Elderly Care. international journals. He the past year he has been Medicine. While he has During his training he has a special interest in locum consultant at the never regretted the decision carried out research in management of patients Trevor Mann Neonatal to become a doctor he is hypertension (high blood with hypertension, stroke as Intensive Care Unit in now looking forward to pressure) with Professor well as elderly patients with Brighton. Dr Otunla was at nurturing his growing M.J. Brown at cardiovascular problems. St. Peter’s Hospital earlier interest in Medical Ethics Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in his career, working briefly Said Dr Dhakam: “I enjoy and Law. as a locum Registrar, and being a generalist and the warm, friendly working dealing with a variety of environment is something medical issues, especially that he has always in the elderly, who have remembered. complex problems. The challenge of reaching Said Dr Otunla “It is a good diagnoses and its unit with supportive subsequent management is management. I had always what I’ve worked towards wanted to work in a busy, throughout the years. I am friendly unit and I had heard pleased that I have been about the good team spirit given this opportunity here here. I am looking forward at Ashford and St. Peter’s”. to the many years of work

Displays for all to see Complaints department this orientation programme New Cancer Nurse month, there has been a new in the initial months. As part of Ashford and St. Peter’s appointment. Complaints Jane Mallet has this Although the Month, there is a focus on the Manager Samantha Tilley has week announced that programmes have Customer Care department. At decided to move on and is Diane Rowe, has started already been put both hospitals in the main relocating to the North. Her with the Trust as the together please let entrances there are displays set position has now been filled by new Lead Cancer Nurse. Elaine Hart, on ext.4030, up to show what sort of work her colleague, former Complaints Her office will be in the know if you wish to meet goes on in the PALS office, and Officer for Ashford Hospital, Sal Practice Development Diane on a one-to-one the Complaints office. Pop along Maughan. Sal is now based at St. Offices on the Ramp. basis as part of her and have a look anytime this Peter’s and can be contacted on Diane will be attending orientation to the Trust. week or next. Also in the ext. 2859 an induction and

New Post - Consultant Nurse, Lung Cancer The new role of leaving Nottingham Specialist at East Lesley said: “My work Consultant Nurse for she worked at the Surrey Hospital, will involve the Lung Cancer has Weston Park Redhill, for five years challenge of ensuring been filled by a Oncology Unit, before joining this that the Trust meets former Research Sheffield, for four Trust recently. all the national Sister from the Royal years before moving Her work at the Trust standards for the Marsden Hospital. abroad and returning will involve her nursing care of lung to work for eight Lesley Spencer, who supporting Lung cancer patients and I years in the Lung did her nursing Cancer patients both am looking forward to Research Unit at the training at the on the wards and in a long and happy Royal Marsden Queens Medical clinics whilst taking a working relationship Hospital, Sutton. Centre, Nottingham, lead role in the with all those involved Lesley, who also qualifying in development of in the care of these holds a Masters 1985 has a services throughout patients. I know that I can draw on my Degree in Pain background in pain the trust and the the team here already Management, was past experience for management as well SWSH Cancer enjoys very high Chronic Pain Nurse the benefit of all as oncology. After Network. reputation and I hope concerned.”