Highlights

Director of Public Improved access to dental Staff immunisation - are Health consulted on services you protected? licensing applications p3 p4-5 p8

Issue 7: January / February 2012 Integrating Health and Social Care Services - Senior Appointments

As from 1st April 2012, there will be a significant change to the management and co-ordination of some adult and children’s services in Northern Highland (ie the area covered by the Highland Council). NHS Highland will assume control of adult social care; and the Council will take over issues relating to children.

This move will see around 1,400 Council employees coming across to be employed by NHS Highland; and 208 going from NHS Highland to the Highland Council.

NHS Highland and The Highland Council are very pleased to announce some key senior appointments to support the move to integration of health and social services in April.

In addition to The Highland Council appointments of Bill Alexander to Director of Health and Social Care and Hugh Fraser, as Director of Education, Culture and Sport made earlier this month, the following appointments are confirmed:

NHS Highland: Director of Operations North and West Highland (Remote and Rural) Operating Unit – Gill McVicar Director of Operations South and Mid Highland (Inner Moray Firth) Operating Unit – Nigel Small Head of Adult Social Care – Brian Robertson

The Highland Council: Head of Health – Sheena MacLeod Head of Social Care – Fiona Palin

Elaine Mead, Chief Executive for NHS Highland, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to appoint such experienced senior managers into these key posts. They will bring with them many years of local expertise and knowledge about the way services are delivered across Highland. Over and above this all of them have demonstrated significant commitment, leadership and enthusiasm to the integration of health and social care which will benefit people of the Highlands. I look forward to working with them all.”

In making these new arrangements the Highlands are leading the way in Scotland to integrate care systems. It means that staff will no longer have to work across two agencies to make decisions or allocate resources. In doing so it will improve better planning, consistency, be more effective and help to keep support more people to live in their own homes.

- - Minister for Public Health opens Cardiac and Interventional Radiology Suite

Raigmore Hospital today welcomed Michael Matheson, Minister for Public Health, to officially open the new £5.1 million purpose built, Cardiac and Interventional Radiology Suite.

Dr Peter Clarkson (pictured right with the Minister), Head of Service for Cardiology, explained that cardiology services being provided in Highland have increased over the past few years and the new unit brings a wide range of benefits to cardiology patients.

He said: “We started to expand the cardiology service provided within Raigmore Hospital in preparation for the new facilities. Due to space constraints, a temporary unit was put in place which allowed us to develop services further.

“Since the service was set up, as many as 400 patients a year no longer have to travel to Aberdeen for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) – widening a narrowed artery). In addition, many hundreds of in- patients are now able to have angiograms locally.”

The new state of the art unit, which was one part of a three phase project that also included the refurbishing of staff changing rooms and a brand new medical records department, will house cardiology and interventional radiology services. The new theatre suite for interventional radiology brings an improvement for patients requiring minimally invasive surgery and the staff working in the x-ray department.

Dr Helen Shannon, Head of Service for Radiology, explained that the work done in interventional radiology, providing a wide range of minimally invasive treatments guided by imaging.

She said: “The facility has been designed to operating theatre standards allowing vascular surgeons to work more closely with interventional radiologists. Procedures, which previously involved open operations, can now be performed using keyhole techniques. It also allows emergency department staff to treat critically ill patients.”

The new facilities are designed for greater patient comfort with dedicated preparation and recovery areas. The unit allows greater nursing efficiency and supervision by its well appointed design.

The Minister also received a tour of the staff changing rooms and the medical records department.

The staff changing rooms were refurbished, which not only reduced space but now also meets infection control needs. In addition, a brand new Medical Records department was built making it more spacious and efficient and allowing the Cardiac and Interventional Radiology Suite to go where the previous Medical Records department was.

Public Health Minister, Michael Matheson, said: “The opening of the Cardiac and Interventional Radiology Suite at Raigmore Hospital is a huge step forward for patients and healthcare in the Highlands.

“The facility fits with our vision of delivering more sustainable, high- quality and continually improving health services closer to home.

“Patients will benefit from new surgical techniques as well as being treated in the best possible surroundings.”

- 2 - Director of Public Health consulted on licensing applications

NHS Highland’s Director or Public Health is now consulted on all licensing applications in the area covered by the Health Board.

The Licensing Act (Scotland) 2005, which came into effect in 2009, introduced five core licensing objectives, one of which requires each licensing board to consider the impact of the availability of alcohol on public health.

Another requirement of the act is that, from October 1 last year, all licensing applications in Scotland have to be sent to the relevant Director of Public Health for their opinion.

Dr Margaret Somerville (pictured) said: “NHS Highland is working with The Highland Council Licensing Board to provide members with information on the health effects of alcohol. The public health department provided a report on rates of hospital admissions attributable to alcohol for all 22 wards within The Highland Council area.

“At present, there is no single methodology for calculating overprovision, but NHS Highland believes that excessively high levels of alcohol related harm to health indicate harmful and high levels of alcohol consumption in those areas.

“Such high levels of consumption occur because alcohol is both widely available and affordable in these areas. We therefore consider such areas to be overprovided.”

The wards identified as being overprovided were Caol and Mallaig, Cromarty Firth, Dingwall and Seaforth, Eilean a' Chèo, Fort William and Ardnamurchan, Inverness Regularly drinking too much can seriously impact on your health. In the Central, Inverness, Millburn, short term, you may have disturbed sleep, feel sluggish the next day, start to Inverness Ness-Side, Inverness gain a bulging waistline and suffer brittle hair and nails, as well as looking older and speeding up the ageing process unnecessarily. West, Landward Caithness, Thurso and Wick. Over the long term regularly exceeding the sensible drinking guidelines can

Dr Somerville said: “NHS add years to our faces. Once the lines are there it’s very difficult to get rid of Highland is keen for the them. It’s much easier and a lot less painful to take a preventative approach licensing board to consider the to ageing and reduce alcohol amounts before the lines appear than wait to see the effects then cut down. potential effect on the health of local people when granting In addition regularly drinking more than the sensible drinking guidelines licenses in these areas. could have much more serious effects on our health like an increased risk of

high blood pressure, chronic liver disease and even breast cancer. “And we can all do our bit to help change the drinking culture You can see how regularly overindulging could be affecting your health and in the Highlands by keeping looks by downloading a new free ‘drinking time machine’ app, which shows within the sensible drinking just how much that extra glass could be affecting your face. The app can be limits. downloaded from www.drinksmarter.org

“Drinking sensibly means you’re Sensible Drinking Limits likely to sleep better, feel happier, have more energy, save Women: 2-3 units per day and no more than 14 units per week. Women who are pregnant or trying to conceive should avoid drinking alcohol. money, feel more positive, have less accidents and injuries and Men: 3-4 units per day and no more than 21 units per week. argue less.” Everyone should have at least two alcohol free days per week.

- 3 - Working Group to examine Cowal Out of Hours GP Services

As part of the NHS Highland Better Health, Better Care, Better Value process, a Working Group ‘Cowal 24/7’ has been convened to examine and develop potential options for the sustainable provision of GP out of hours services for the Cowal peninsula and medical cover within Cowal Community Hospital.

The group, which held its fifth meeting on Thursday January 26, is co-chaired by a member of the public (Heather Grier) and Dr Brian McLachlan (Clinical Lead for Helensburgh & Lomond). Membership also includes GPs, councillors, public and community council representatives, Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS 24, nursing staff and other health professionals.

Heather Grier said: “I would like to thank all the members of the Cowal 24/7 Working Group for their hard work and commitment in examining and developing future plans for the delivery of out of hours GP services in Cowal.

“There are already a number of community representatives on the working group who are working closely with other stakeholders to keep the public informed of our plans so far. However, we are always looking for more public representatives to become involved.”

The group agreed that work would start on putting together a broad list of service options and, once this is completed, to further engage with the public across Cowal to explain the options in more detail.

It is anticipated that this will start in March with a series of roadshows across Cowal to outline the options and answer any questions raised by members of the public. Dates have yet to be confirmed.

The group will also contact all community councils in the area offering to present the options to their members and it will be happy to meet with any other local community groups who express an interest.

Ms Greer said: “All the feedback from the public and other interested stakeholders will be used when we go through the options appraisal process and will help in determining which options will be short listed for detailed assessment by the working group.

“The short list of options will then be shared with the wider communities across Cowal and feedback on these options will be encouraged.”

New clinic improves access to NHS Dental Services in Caithness

People living in Caithness will have better access to NHS dental services with the opening of the new Dunbar Dental Clinic at the Dunbar Hospital in Thurso in January.

General Dental Practitioner, Dr John Barry, has taken on the lease on the new four-surgery dental clinic - built by NHS Highland at a cost of £1.2 million - and is running it as an NHS committed practice.

This is one of the first leases of its type to be agreed in Scotland and the practice will have the capacity to register 6,000 patients once it is fully staffed.

When the new clinic opened, NHS Highland Dental Service Development Manager, Alex Fraser, said: “We are delighted that the opening of this clinic will significantly improve access to NHS dental care for people living in this area.

“There are currently 4,833 people on the waiting list for NHS registration in the Caithness area and the practice will ensure that all these patients are offered an opportunity to register with them before opening registration up to the wider community.”

She explained that priority was being given to patients registered with the Salaried Dental Team, which used to provide a service in Thurso, and those on the waiting list for NHS registration.

- 4 - Improvements to Lawson Memorial Hospital

NHS Highland outlined the options for improvements to the Lawson Memorial Hospital site in Golspie at a well attended meeting in the village in January.

North Highland Community Health Partnership (CHP) – the part of NHS Highland covering Caithness and Sutherland – needs to consider changing the way the Lawson site is used because recent surveys have shown that the hospital is in need of considerable work, much of which is associated with the flat roof areas.

The CHP set up a community group to involve local people in this work and a staff group, including staff from all areas of the hospital, has been meeting to discuss the options.

The community meeting on January 25 was attended by representatives of local community councils, the Friends of Cambusavie Unit, the Lawson Memorial Hospital League of Friends, Sutherland Access Panel and the Scottish Health Council, one of the local Highland Councillors and NHS Highland clinicians and managers.

Locality General Manager, Georgia Haire, updated them on the work that has been done so far and outlined the options that have been identified to date.

The options are:-

• The status quo. • To make some minor improvements in attempt to bring the building closer to modern healthcare standards. • To move the outpatient services into the Cambusavie Unit and to demolish the existing outpatient department, which has very high maintenance costs, and upgrade the rest of the Lawson Memorial Hospital. • To move the inpatient unit from the Lawson Memorial Hospital into the Cambusavie Unit making a 25 bed unit – there are currently 14 beds in the Cambusavie Unit and 11 in the Lawson, and to demolish the current outpatient unit. The outpatients unit would be moved into the space currently used for inpatients.

Ms Haire said: “Further staff and community meetings are planned and we are hoping to take the work to the CHP Management Team meeting in March.”

Opening of new Portree Dental Clinic

The opening of the new Portree Dental Clinic will improve access to NHS dental services for people living in Skye and Lochalsh.

The NHS Highland Salaried Dental Team in Portree transferred from the two- surgery temporary clinic it had been using in Bayfield to the new £1.2 million facility at Sraid An Eorna on January 30.

And Duncan MacFadyen, of Fiscavaig, was the first patient to be treated at the new clinic, which has three dental surgeries and a soft clinic room to provide oral health education.

He said: “The new dental clinic is great. It’s a first class facility. It’s really spacious and it’s good that the staff have got such a lovely place to work. It’s convenient, with plenty of parking. Just what we needed in Portree.”

- 5 - Dentist Graham Smith said: “We were delighted to put the new clinic to its proper use for the first time. It’s a state of the art facility and provides an excellent environment for both patients and staff.”

There are currently two full time dentists working at Portree Dental Clinic. A third dentist is due to start part time in March and there are plans to recruit another member of the team to fully utilise the three surgeries.

When the new clinic opened, NHS Highland Dental Service Development Manager, Alex Fraser, said: “The waiting list for this area currently stands at 2,244 and, once the new dentist is in post, NHS Highland will be able to offer some of these patients access to NHS dental care, starting with those who have waited the longest.”

Kate Earnshaw, who is Clinical Services Development Manger for Skye, Lochalsh, Ross Cromarty and West Ness, said: “This is a fantastic new facility for Skye and Lochalsh from which patients and staff alike will benefit.”

Well North in South Skye and Lochalsh

Local people in South Skye and Lochalsh have been taking part in Well North - a project funded by the Scottish Government - to keep them fit and well.

The first stage of the two-year pilot project, run in conjunction with the four medical practices of Broadford, Kyle, Sleat and Glenelg, was to find out what local people wanted to help them eat healthily and keep active.

Project Lead, Sarah Bowyer, said: “This enabled us to find out what was already going on and to strengthen and support current activities so they can be sustained in the long term.”

As a result, support was given to 10 local initiatives that demonstrated benefits to health through better food or more physical activity or both and the groups had to demonstrate how these initiatives would carry on after the lifespan of the Well North funding.

Two projects in Sleat - The Garden of Skye and The Camuscross and Duisdale Initiative - involved local people growing their own vegetables and fruit.

A number of cookery and activity courses were funded through established groups, such as Family First and Kyleakin Connections, and a member of staff at local social enterprise firm Rag Tag ‘n’ Textile received a grant to help her train as a fitness instructor so she can run classes with the group.

Other groups that received support included Skye Circus Skills, Glenelg Pony Club, Dornie Lunch Club and Skye and Lochalsh Council for Voluntary Organisations, which received a grant to update the online health care register.

Community Nurse, Tina Barrows, said: ‘’Keeping well is not just about adding years to life, but adding life to years. This was a different approach. It did not tell the community how to live, but worked with the community to use the skills, talent, enthusiasm and drive that was already there to strengthen positive lifestyle habits and increase opportunities for more.”

The results of the pilot project will be looked at by NHS Highland and used to develop the follow on programme Keep Well which begins in April 2012.

- 6 - Work to improve power and lighting system at Belford Hospital

Work is now underway on upgrading the power and lighting system at Belford Hospital in Fort William. It is expected to cost around £260,000 in total and is being carried out over a two-year period.

This follows the investment of £530,000 in improvement work at Belford Hospital last year and further work, costing around £90,000, is planned for this year.

Rewiring work started in Outpatients on January 30. This was followed by the Emergency Department and the Theatre Suite is to be rewired between Monday February 27 and Monday March 12.

Contingency plans are in place to keep the impact on patient services to an absolute minimum and services delivered by these departments are being relocated while the work is carried out.

Marie Law, who is Clinical Services Manager at Belford Hospital, said no clinics had been cancelled due to the work. Most of the 31 clinics due to take place during this period were being relocated to other locations within the Belford, two were moved to Fort William Health Centre and some were being rescheduled.

She added that, while work is carried out in the Theatre Suite, surgical activity will be exclusively endoscopy and minor surgical procedures.

“All major elective surgery will be undertaken in the week before the theatre is closed and the High Dependency Unit at the hospital will be converted for use as an emergency operating theatre to ensure we can still provide emergency surgery during the closure period,” said Mrs Law.

NHS Highland Estates Manager, Alastair McKenzie, said: “As the hospital is now some 50 years old, NHS Highland is undertaking a modernisation programme to improve the power and lighting infrastructure.”

Highland 4x4 Response Group helps NHS Highland patients and staff

NHS Highland is now able to call on a Highland charity to use its 4x4 vehicles to provide assistance when roads are not suitable for normal vehicles.

Highland 4x4 Response Group is a registered charity made up of volunteers who can be asked to use their 4x4 vehicles to transport people, such as home carers, NHS medical staff and other emergency services or to transport essential equipment in times of need. And the Health Board has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with this group.

NHS Highland Emergency Planning Officer, Peter MacPhee (pictured right with Archie Knox), explained that this means NHS Highland can now approach the group directly for assistance, whereas it previously had to go through Northern Constabulary, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the charity about 18 months ago.

He said: “A number of similar groups exist across Scotland and in several cases, they have agreements in place with their respective Health Boards. NHS Highland is very pleased that it now has an agreement with Highland 4x4 Response Group.

“The severe weather we have experienced over the last two winters demonstrates the type of situations that can arise where this type of assistance would be invaluable.”

Andrew Knox, who is Chair of Highland 4x4 Response Group, said: “We’re a group of people who are trying to help the community. We’re volunteers - we only get mileage – and we do it as a service to try to help people in need. If we can help one person or save a life, it makes it all worthwhile.”

- 7 - Staff Immunisation. Are you protected?

All staff in regular clinical contact with patients and directly involved in patient care should be up to date with their immunisations. Immunisation can protect staff at risk of exposure to many infections. In doing so, staff also protect their families, patients and colleagues. Healthcare staff have a professional duty to ensure they do not put their patients at risk. Additionally, NHS Highland as an employer has a legal duty to ensure staff are protected.

It is recommended all clinical staff are protected against tetanus, polio, diphtheria, mumps, measles, rubella, TB, hepatitis B, chicken pox and influenza. If you are unsure about your immunity to these infections, please contact NHS Highland Occupational Health Service. One of our team will check on your immune status, advise on what protection you require for your particular job and discuss the need for immunisation. The Occupational Health Service can then arrange any necessary immunisations with you at a mutually convenient time and place.

Specific additional measures may sometimes be required following staff exposure to an infected individual, their blood or body fluids or a contaminated instrument, e.g. sharps injury. Advice must be sought from the Occupational Health Service immediately or from your local Emergency Department if out of hours.

Call NHS Highland Occupational Health Service on 01463 704499 or self refer online via our intranet site Human Resources - Occupational Health.

Staff bank goes 24/7

The NHS Highland Staff Bank is going through a number of changes in a move to becoming a more integrated, NHS Highland wide service.

Work has been ongoing to ensure the staff bank, which at the moment is manned Monday-Friday (9am-3pm) and only covers nursing and midwifery staff, will be manned twenty four hours a day , seven days a week and will cover the whole of the NHS Highland area. In the future the bank will include other groups of staff, however the focus is firstly on Nursing and Midwifery, followed by the Allied Health Professionals

In April the North and Mid Highland Community Health Partnerships (CHP) and Raigmore Hospital will have full coverage, with South East and Argyll and Bute CHPs achieving full coverage in May.

As part of the changes taking place, all current bank nursing staff will be receiving a mail shot which will include information about the changes and paperwork which they must complete and return. Bank Nurses who do not return the paperwork completed fully will be removed from the Nursing and Midwifery bank.

Helen Morrison, Associate Director (Clinical Workforce Development) for NHS Highland, said: “There are a number of changes happening to the staff bank that are being implemented to make it a much more user friendly service which will cover the whole of NHS Highland..

“As the work progresses I would hope staff will see a difference in how the bank itself is contacted and the service being provided.

“We want people to be confident in the staff bank and to know that by contacting us you will be dealt with effectively and efficiently.”

A bulletin with further information will be distributed to all areas that use bank nurses during March so please look out for that.

In the meantime if you have any questions please contact Ann Williamson Nurse Bank Clinical Lead at [email protected] or Jennifer Bremner Project Manager, Nurse Bank at [email protected].

- 8 - Men’s Health Highland Public Talks

Men’s Health Highland (MHH) is a local charity which was established in 1989. They seek to work with partners including the local NHS and Council in Highland to positively influence the design and delivery of services by all health and social related providers.

As part of the charities work, it organises public stands at several venues including the major local shopping centre (Eastgate), football matches, University of the Highlands and Islands campus and for major employers in Highland region.

They also hold a series of public talks in the Town House in Inverness. The purpose of which is to get men more interested in health, as men in general less likely to attend surgeries for problems than women and may leave things till too late. The talks also give those attending the opportunity to listen to and ask questions from experts in different fields in the Highlands.

Dr Trevor Escott, Convenor of MMH, explained that this is the fifth year talks have been held in the Town House and the upcoming talks for March offer a wide range of topics.

He said: “This year we have introduced some new speakers and Men’s Health Highland Public Talks for March also have a couple of patients giving their experiences. This includes All talks are being held in the main hall (upstairs) of the Town House in Martin MacRae who travelled by Inverness. canoe for six days with a portable dialysis machine. Fri, Mar 9th, 9.30-12noon

“We now also have sessions on 9.35 Intro Wednesday lunchtimes. It is hoped 9.40 - Dr Neil MacPhail, Men and Prostate Cancer this will make it easier for those who 10.20 - Mr Piers Renshaw: Men and Joint Replacement are working to attend. 11.00 - Interval 11.20 - Professor Angus Watson: Men and Surgery “I'm very grateful to Highland 12noon - Closing remarks Council for their help and support with all these, providing the premises Fri, Mar 23rd, 9.30-12noon and facilities, including refreshments.” 9.30 - Intro 9.35 - Professor Stephen Leslie: Men and Heart Disease/Erectile All are welcome to attend these free Dysfunction public talks, including ladies! The 10.15 - Mr John Braynion: Heart Failure: a patient’s experience group often get asked if women can 10.45 - Interval attend and the answer is definitely 11.05 - Linda Bailey: Men and Exercise ’Yes’. 11.35 - Colin Baillie: Men and Sport 12noon - Closing remarks Volunteers are always welcome to our group meetings and to help in Wed, Mar 28th, 12.55-1.55pm our public stands. As well as providing leaflets, nurses are also 12.55 - Intro available to take blood pressures, 1.00 - Dr Satinder Bal,Men and Diabetes; Nurse Alison Smith, Men and heights and weights, as well as Diabetes referring those who need a follow up 1.50 - Closing Remarks with their GP.

- 9 - Reasons to be cheerful

Home dialysis possible thanks to fundraiser

A charity fundraiser where a Highland renal patient took to a canoe in a bid to highlight kidney disease has raised enough money to allow the renal unit at Raigmore Hospital to buy another NX Stage portable dialysis machine.

Martin Macrae, from Inverness (pictured dialysing at a forestry road), spent six days travelling from Fort William to Inverness by canoe, dialysing everyday using a portable dialysis machine. The aim of his trek was to not only raise awareness but to show how freeing it is to be on home dialysis and not having to come into the hospital.

Thanks to his fantastic effort the renal unit at the Inverness hospital has been able to buy another portable dialysis machine.

Chris Ridden, Home Haemodialysis Sister for NHS Highland, explained that patients on dialysis do have the option of being dialysed at home but, due to the size of the equipment needed and necessary alterations required to their property to accommodate a kidney dialysis machine, not everyone is able to.

She said: “Being dialysed at home rather than having to come into hospital can be life changing for renal patients. It can be done for a shorter length of time meaning they have more time to themselves.

“With more frequent, shorter sessions patients are likely to feel better so their quality of life will improve and they are likely to live longer.”

Chris explained that these machines cost about £25k, half of which came from the canoe fundraiser and the rest from the renal unit endowment fund. She said: “There are now three patients within Highland who are using these portable dialysis machines, Martin being one of them.

“Our third patient, Chris Forbes, is only able to home dialyse using the portable machine and I can’t thank Martin enough for the effort he has gone to in raising this money for the unit. To do what he did while still on dialysis is an amazing achievement.”

Mr Forbes, 33, from Inverness has been on dialysis for nearly four years. Home dialysis was not an option for him before due to the size of the kit involved but he is delighted that he is now able to dialyse at home.

He said: “I was previously spending every second night away from home being dialysed for six hours, with home dialysis I can dialyse more frequently for shorter periods of time. Myself and my partner can be a couple again as I’m home. I’ve got my life back. Martin did a fantastic job in raising awareness and fundraising for the unit. I can’t thank him enough for this great gesture.”

Martin is already thinking of what he can do next to fundraise and raise awareness but he is delighted that a fellow renal patient has had their quality of life improved with home dialysis.

He said: “I couldn’t be happier for Chris, the difference home dialysis can make to you is remarkable. I am already contemplating what my next fundraising activity will be but I really want to thank everyone for all their support during my canoe trip. It was a real morale boost receiving messages of support from across the country and even around the world.

“I would also like to thank Macrae and Dick for the vehicle, John Munro Slaughter House for the food and Explore Highland for the training. Without their support I wouldn’t have been able to do this!”

- 10 - NHS Highland midwife soon to be a published author

Congratulations to Maria Anderson, a Senior Charge Midwife based at Raigmore Hospital, who will soon be a published author when her book ‘Tales of a Midwife’ hits the shops in March.

Through the Royal College of Midwives Maria answered an advert that was looking for a midwife who had 15- 20years of experience and who felt they had a story to tell.

Maria said: “I’ve always felt I’ve had a book in my head. I’ve got a range of experience from London to the Highlands, as well as my own personal experience, so I expressed an interest and applied.”

From a number of applicants Maria was chosen for interview by Headline publishers, a month after this she found out she had been successful and a book was to be written about her life.

She said: “Since I found out I was the midwife picked it’s been non-stop. It has been a really challenging time but I’m hoping that by doing this I can pay tribute to everyone I have worked with.

“So many women have varying experiences of childbirth and I wanted to capture some of the stoical women that I’ve met.”

Helen Bryers, NHS Highland’s Head of Midwifery, said: “I are delighted that Maria was chosen for this project and look forward to reading the book

Maria is about to embark on some publicity in her native Newcastle as well as locally in Inverness. The book ‘Tales of a Midwife’ will be on sale at the beginning of March.

Tonnes of recycling being done at Raigmore

Staff at Raigmore Hospital have been praised for their recycling efforts over the past year and have been awarded a ‘recycling certificate’ from Northern Recycling Solutions.

Over a year 67,536 kilograms of paper was recycled at the Inverness hospital, this equates to 293,849 daily newspapers or 206.66 cubic metres of landfill.

Brian Beattie, Support Services Service Manager for NHS Highland, explained how impressed he is at the way recycling has been embraced across the hospital and the rest of NHS Highland.

He said: “Throughout the hospital we have recycling bins for paper, batteries, plastic, light bulbs and glass and it is something that staff here at Raigmore and many of our other sites, actively do.

“During the past twelve months Raigmore has also recycled 66tonnes of cardboard as well as 2894 printer cartridges.”

Mr Beattie explained that the hospital also employs a ‘green porter’ who undertakes regular collections of recyclable waste as well as working with staff to look at recycling initiatives and put forward proposals.

They also provide staff with advice on the disposal of all wastes as well as carrying out audits to ensure that all statutory obligations with regards the correct sorting and disposal of waste.

- 11 - No Smoking Day Awards

Two people who organised events for No Smoking Day 2011 in the NHS Highland area have been honoured with awards for their efforts to help people quit smoking.

Val Kennedy (pictured with her award), of the local Smoking Cessation Service at Cowal Community Hospital, was awarded the title of No Smoking Day Organiser of the Year for Most Unusual/Innovative Event at an awards ceremony at the end of last year.

And community pharmacist James Higgins, of Alness Community Pharmacy, was named as runner up in the Best Pharmacy Activity category.

To mark No Smoking Day, which was held on March 9, 2011, Val carried out an interactive talk with first year pupils at Dunoon Grammar School at which she and a colleague demonstrated the harm smoking can do to health and in particular oral health.

In order to reinforce this message to the pupils, Val blacked out her teeth, left her hair unwashed, clipped cigarette butts to her hair and wore home-made cigarette “perfume”.

Val said she was delighted to win this UK award. She added that she thoroughly enjoyed talking to the pupils, who enthusiastically provided their own thoughts about the way in which smoking harms the body.

And James and his staff decorated Alness and Balintore pharmacies with balloons and posters and handed out flyers and promotional packs downloaded from the No Smoking Day website.

Staff used these tools to engage with customers to stimulate conversations around smoking and to raise awareness of the risks of smoking and of the pharmacy stop smoking scheme. They also offered customers the opportunity to have their breath tested using a Carbon Monoxide (CO) monitor to provide measurable proof of the difference smoking was making to their lives.

James said: “It was a really fun day and it boosted our sign up rate to the pharmacy stop smoking service, not just on the day, but over the following weeks. We have a few regulars who are still abstinent and can trace their success to No Smoking Day 2011.”

The next No Smoking Day takes place on March 14, 2012. For more information visit www.nosmokingday.org.uk

Awards for Highland Nurses

Nursing and midwifery students in the North this month (March) recognised practice colleagues who have done most to help and support them during their learning in practice.

Selected nurses and midwives from across the Highlands and Moray were invited to a mentor event where they were presented with certificates at the University of Stirling’s Highland Campus, Centre for Health Science in Inverness. This was the eighth annual event held by the University.

Sandra MacFarlane, who is the Practice Learning Co-ordinator at the University’s Highland Campus, said: “All students on a practice experience are supervised by a mentor, who is a qualified nurse or midwife. The students were asked to nominate a mentor who provided exceptional support during their learning in practice, and of 227 nominees we invited a selection from across the Highlands and Moray to this event.

“The mentors cover all areas of nursing and midwifery and have been instrumental in helping students to develop the skills that will ultimately benefit patients. The event is also a great opportunity to bring everyone together to share best practice and examine what makes a good mentor.”

- 12 - Double donation for Ward 4C

Staff in Ward 4C at Raigmore Hospital were delighted to receive two separate donations recently as a thank you for the care they have provided to patients.

Pictured on the right are nursing and clinical colleagues from the ward with a table that was made and presented to them by the son of a former patient. The family expressed their gratitude given to their loved one during his time on the ward.

Also pictured (left) are nursing staff from the ward accepting a £500 cheque from City Taxis Inverness who hold a yearly fundraiser with proceeds going to a different area of the hospital each year.

Many a Mickle Maks a Muckle

For a number of years now, a BHF coin spinner collection container has been located in the café area at the main entrance to Raigmore hospital in Inverness. The Inverness Branch recently decided that, after sixteen months, it was time to empty the “Raigmore Spinner”. Seven members of the committee arrived on the appointed day to assist. After turning the Spinner on its side, it was emptied by handfuls and transported in many bags to the counting area. Two and a half hours later the coins had been bagged and weighed.

The Spinner location is ideal to collect the small change from visitors and entertain waiting children who like to see the coins spin round and round before dropping into the collection well. The bulk of the coins are 1p and 2p, and in this case there were 12,037 bronze coins. The total weight of coins was 80.5kg which next day was transported to the bank in 22 large bank deposit bags.

However it was all worthwhile, with a total of £697.36. It just goes to show the truth of the old Scots proverb, “Many a mickle maks a muckle”.

Catering staff congratulations

Congratulations to Moira Campbell, Dolina Cruickshank, Simon Findley, Irene Gill, John Peter Mackenzie and Virgie Macrae from Raigmore Hospital’s Catering Department who recently passed their Hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCAP) Introduction Exam.

HACCAP is used in the food industry to identify potential food safety hazards, so that key actions can be taken to reduce or eliminate the risk of the hazards.

Thanks for Raigmore Maternity donation

Many thanks to Fiona McConnachie, Paramedic Mentor and her colleagues who has donated £82.00 to the maternity endowments fund.

They attended obstetric emergency training and had a whip round from the ambulance crews. Angela Watt, Midwifery Manager, said: “We much appreciate the gesture.”

- 13 - The End of an Era

A leaving party was held for Dr Jean Knowles (pictured) in January at Islay Hospital to give the NHS staff who have worked with her over the past 23 years the opportunity to show their thanks and appreciation for all her hard work and commitment to the communities of Islay and Jura.

Dr Knowles took over from Dr Archie McKinnon in 1989 and was appointed as Medical Director for Islay and Jura. As well as being a committed and caring GP over the years, she has also been very pro-active regarding her support for many community ventures and her tenacious input has helped to achieve many positive changes which have improved the quality of life for many islanders.

Many of the staff at the hospital have known Dr Knowles since she first arrived on these shores and they regard her as a friend as well as a colleague.

Dr Knowles was presented with two Islay Studio pictures as a leaving present from the staff. Islay Hospital staff wish her all the very best in her retirement, she will be greatly missed by staff and patients alike.

Fond Farewell to Iris

At the end of last year Iris Mackenzie retired as Administrative Assistant with the Health Protection Team within the Public Health department at Assynt House after 37 years of service. A presentation was held to mark her outstanding service to NHS Highland and Iris received a laptop, complete with accessories, as well as a booklet with memories, good wishes and photos as a reminder of her time in health protection.

Iris started with the Highland Health Board in May 1974 as a personal secretary working within the Chief Administrative Medical Officers (CAMO) team at Reay House in Inverness. As the years went on she worked as a personal secretary and personal assistant to numerous Consultants, first within the CAMO team and then within the Public Health Directorate. Since 1997 she has been the Administrative Assistant for Health Protection and personal assistant to Dr Ken Oates, lead Public Health Consultant.

Iris’s legendary minute taking skills and attention to detail have been valuable to the team during outbreaks. She often worked way beyond the call of duty to turn around minutes overnight or over a weekend in time for the next outbreak control team meeting.

Generations of doctors and new staff in public health have benefited from her experience in health protection as she gently provided advice or reminded them how things were done the last time a similar incident occurred.

Earlier this year Iris’s lifelong contribution to NHS Highland was recognised and she was presented with a lifetime achievement award for her work ‘Behind the Scenes’. Her hard work, dedication, commitment and desire to help others together with her cheerful and generous demeanour have been an example to us all. She will be very much missed by all her friends and colleagues.

- 14 - Letters to NHS Highland…

“Following an emergency operation at Oban Hospital in December I was visited by members of your community nursing team. Your colleagues were an enormous help and encouraged both myself and my wife when we were really struggling. They were Isla, Judith and Lorna. Please convey our gratitude to each of the. We wish you and all your team good health, delight in all you achieve, together with every blessing.” A Patient from Oban

“I wish to convey my most grateful thanks to all Hotel Services staff involved in my care whilst I was in Bignold Ward over the festive season. My most grateful thanks for all their good care, all very much appreciated.” A Patient from Caithness

“During December last year I contacted the Early Pregnancy Unit at Raigmore Hospital during my 12th week of pregnancy. Due to severe weather the lady who dealt with my call explained that she would try and arrange a scan, but it was likely to be the following day. A short time later I was contacted to be advised that a scan couldn’t be arranged for the same day but she would contact me the following morning to arrange an appointment. She also gave me advice on what to do if things got worse. Early the following morning I got a telephone call advising me that I would be scanned within the hour. On visiting the department I immediately felt I was in safe hands. Every member of staff I met knew my situation and were wonderful. I was a visitor to the area and had no notes with me. However, I was treated with professionalism and understanding and I felt my situation was understood fully. I would like to offer my sincere thanks to this department who gave me such reassurance at a stressful time. I am now 20weeks pregnant and looking forward to me 20week scan.” A Patient via email

“My son and I would like to thank the nurses, doctors, attending staff and ambulance men and women from Caithness General Hospital who took care of him and saved his life. He was initially taken to Caithness then transferred to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary shortly after. He returned to work six months later. He lives a full life, has 99% of his faculties, 100% of his brain power returned and he went back to his job in Edinburgh. How do I say thank you for my sons life? By continually remembering that you saved his life and being forever in your debt. Please pass my sincere thanks to all staff involved.” Patients Relative by email

“On behalf of my family I would like to express gratitude for the wonderful care our dear mother received at Broadford Hospital from when she was admitted until her passing. “We were comforted from the moment we were informed that she was terminally ill. We can not speak more highly of your professional medical team from doctors, nursing and auxiliary staff - an absolute credit to the NHS. We would also like to take this opportunity to express our thanks for the care she received over the years from the dedicated medical teams from the Portree Hospital and Portree Medical Centre including the District Nurses and Physiotherapists. The invaluable daily care she received from the Home Care Team in Portree enabled our mother to be in her lovely comfortable home which was her wish and this was only achieved by the much needed services in the community. Also we appreciate the care she received from Crossroads Care in her last couple of weeks. It meant so much to her family to see her so content. We would be most grateful if you could convey our appreciation to all concerned.” Patients Relative from Skye

- 15 - Need to know… Planning for Integration - Public Meetings

I would be most grateful if you could please share this information below with the NHS Board; GP surgeries, hospitals, NHS newsletters and any other appropriate NHS channel.

Please find below a list of confirmation dates and venues for the March Planning for Integration public meetings. This information is available on the P4I website at www.highlandlife.net/p4i where posters for each event can also be downloaded.

Each meeting, which runs from 7pm – 9pm will be led by Transitions Director Jan Baird with assistance from her project team colleagues in adult and children’s services. Teas and coffees will be served from 6:45pm. Copies of the poster are being distributed to Libraries, Service Points, Leisure facilities, Council and NHS properties.

Public Meetings

8 March - Highland Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness; 13 March - Macphail Centre, Mill Street Ullapool; 20 March - Ben Nevis Hotel, North Road, Fort William.

Do you give respect and get respect at work?

This is the third in the series about Dignity@Work. Every issue, we’ll be giving you tips, stories or discussion points to make sure we all give respect and get respect in the workplace.

This month…. Take control It’s your job and it’s your responsibility to make sure you have the skills and knowledge to do it well. Being confident in what we do helps us relax and do our best.

Questions to ask…..

How clear are you about your role? How clear are others – what do they expect from you?

Are your skills and knowledge up-to-date? How do you know? How could you demonstrate this to others?

Do you know how to find out about learning opportunities?

Can you think about unusual ways to learn? Maybe we could go to a Board meeting or shadow someone else for a day!

Netiquette tip 3 -

Beware of acronyms - Not everyone reading your email will be familiar with NHS jargon or even words that are local to your area. So always provide a brief description of unfamiliar terms. Never use text speak – such as, IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) or FWIW (For What It’s Worth). Acronyms can confuse.

NHS Highland Board Briefings available

A briefing note will now be available after every Board Meeting. This will summarise key notes from the Board and also any other topical or significant issues. The Briefing will be widely distributed internally and externally, including MSPs, Councillors, Partners, as well as being available on the internet and intranet.

If you would like something covered in the briefing, please contact contact [email protected] or [email protected]

- 16 - Need to know…

Love Is... Easy Ready Policy 2012

The Highland Learning Disability Relationships Group (HLDRG) with input from service users, carers, council staff, NHS staff and voluntary staff, along with the NHS Accessible Information Officer are pleased to announce the updated Love Is Easy Read Policy 2012, is now available on the NHS Highland intranet. You can find it under Policies - Organisation - General.

If you would like further information about other HLDRG work, please contact [email protected]

NHSScotland Event 2012 21 – 22 June 2012, Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow

The dates have now been set for the 2012 NHSScotland Event and staff from across NHSScotland are invited to attend the event on 21 – 22 June 2012 at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow.

This is the only NHS event in Scotland which provides an opportunity for individuals working in, and with, NHSScotland to come together to consider and discuss some of the important challenges for health now and in the future. The event theme and programme for 2012 are still to be finalised so please keep checking the NHSScotland Event website at www.nhsscotlandevent.com/Home for updates. In the meantime, all the resources and speaker presentations from the 2011 event are available on the site.

Why you should attend in 2012 The NHSScotland Event provides an excellent opportunity for discussion and debate. You’ll hear from top keynote speakers and there will be a range of relevant and topical sessions scheduled over the two days. There will be many networking and learning opportunities which are not to be missed.

Booking your place The booking system will open at the beginning of May however email [email protected] to register your interest in attending the event.

The Highland Health Sciences Library can help NHS Highland achieve Qualificiency

Garry Coutts in his New Year message to all staff (available in the November/December issue) coined a new word - Qualficient; meaning: a service that is both high quality and efficient in its use of resources. The main knowledge meister for the NHS Sir Muir Gray states that knowledge and its management are key components in health care. Libraries are strategic knowledge support repositories and librarians in conjunction with health professionals can make a huge contribution to making a service Qualficient.

The Highland Health Sciences Library exists to help NHS Highland become Qualficient - why not contact us to see how we can help you make the service high quality and resource efficient.

You can find out about us in a number of ways:

Internet: http://www.is.stir.ac.uk/nhs/index.php Catalogue: http://libcat.stir.ac.uk/ e-mail: [email protected] blog: http://connect.stir.ac.uk/pg/blog/rp5?view=rss Phone: 01463-255600 or ext 7600.

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