THE NHS HIGHLAND STAFF NEWSPAPER January 2016 HighNOVEMBERlights 2015 eHEALTH CHALLENGES Improving access to latest technology... THE geography of NHS Highland’s area means that poor network signals are a daily occurrence for many staff and patients. However, according to NHS Highland’s new head of eHealth Iain Ross, work is un- der way to improve connectivity for staff and patients, ensuring that they have more reli- able access to the services and systems they require. “One of the main challenges we face in Highland is the geography and areas where we have poor network signals,” Iain ex- plained. “However, we have pilot projects in place at present to trial how staff can utilise mobile access where there is no network.” Iain added: “The rapid development of technology has been a challenge. NHS sys- tems have had to be developed to support the technology that staff and patients are already becoming familiar with. We are look- ing at how we can make better use of satel- lite technology. Why is Aaron just “The eHealth functions across Scotland ‘magic’ in our book? Look at his video on are looking at ways to improve access to NHS Highland’s modern technology and indeed this is the YouTube channel: aim of both the NHS Highland board and the https://youtu.be/ national eHealth strategy.” Uk2zLsXJlRQ Continued on page 2 - - Technological challenges clinical functionality including access Continued from front to areas within PMS. Once this has With more than 10,000 active been completed, we will look to in- email accounts, 6,000 PCs and 451 troduce the functionality to support servers providing systems and ser- nurse handover documentation as vices to all of its users, technology well as a system called Ward View, Contents has become part of everyday life for which is a replacement for the tradi- 3 Pharmacy award hopes many members of staff in NHS High- tional ward whiteboard. land. “Within primary care, we are 4 Highland Quality Award One of the largest pieces of work looking options for filling some of the 5 UK Public Health Register the eHealth department gaps that exist, such as 6 Commuters’ Corner has undertaken in recent the ability to request di- 10 Lung cancer campaign times is the introduction agnostic results electroni- 12 At Your Service: Patrick Byrne of the TrakCare Patient cally and receiving the 14 Care home overhaul planned Management System results back as individual (PMS). values rather than an 17 Obituaries Plans are in place to image. 18 Department profile expand its usage and en- “In terms of the com- 23 Marathon hopeful sure colleagues across all munity and social care, 30 Other Lives: Kim Stapleton sectors are able to access the department are 31 Q&A: Evan Beswick what is an essential piece working with staff groups of technology. to look at what their re- Iain said: “At our re- quirements are and what Keep us informed cent eHealth strategy potential solutions and group, we discussed how IAIN ROSS costs might be. Do you know of something you we can provide an electronic record Ian continued: “There is signifi- think should be featured in High- across all of NHS Highland including cant work to be done over the next lights? An award, an achievement, primary, secondary, community and few years. In keeping with the board- a piece of research, an appoint- social care to ensure that users of wide Lean methodology, the eHealth ment, a retiral … you name it, eHealth function have equity of ac- department will be making small im- Highlights has a place for it. Please cess to systems and services. provements each day that will enable “We hope to make more use of us to deliver the eHealth vision for send your articles to the PMS system with the launch of the board over the next few years.” [email protected] (01463 704903) or visit the Staff Dropbox on the NHS Highland intranet RETIRAL home page. Farewell to You can follow ‘Laura Beds’ NHS Highland on... LAST month staff at Raigmore bade a fond WEBSITE farewell to Laura www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk MacGillivray, affection- FACEBOOK ately known as “Laura https://www.facebook.com/ Beds”, as she retired NHSHighland from Raigmore after 29 years in NHS High- TWITTER land, latterly as the www.twitter.com/NHSHighland or hospital’s bed man- @NHSHighland ager. A number of people attended Laura’s retiral presen- tation, a testament to how much she will be missed across the hos- pital. - 2 - PHARMACY Two chances to win in national awards... A PIONEERING NHS Highland And with the staff at the pharmacy, patient safety initiative and an in- recent innovations she has introduced novative Islay pharmacist are both include a weekly ‘safety huddle’, a first- in the running for this year’s Scot- aid service, a tick removal service, a tish Pharmacist Awards. sexual health uptake service and a com- The health board’s Scottish Patient munity hospital supply and discharge Safety Programme – Pharmacy in Pri- service. The pharmacy also participated mary Care team (SPSP-PPC) has been in the NHS Highland SPSP – PPC pilot nominated as a finalist in the innovation on NSAIDs mentioned above. and change in pharmacy category and The first aid and the tick removal Catriona Brodie from Islay Pharmacy in services, for instance, came about the pharmacist of the year category of through the staff – including a former the prestigious awards. nurse and a Royal Navy medic – having The winners will be announced dur- the right skills set and the relevant train- ing an award ceremony at the EICC in Catriona Brodie, of the Islay Phar- ing and strict healthcare procedures Edinburgh on Saturday 27th February, macy, up for this year’s pharmacist of being put in place. hosted by TV presenter Carol Smillie. the year award Catriona, who studied Pharmacy at The SPSP-PPC team was nominated Frequently used NSAIDs include Strathclyde University in Glasgow, said: for its work in improving medicine ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac. “The population on Islay increases from safety as part of a pilot involving seven In addition, the pilot looked at how around 3,500 to 10,000 during the sum- community pharmacies and dispensing NSAIDs could be made safer through mer months, and a lot of visitors walk- GP practices across the Highlands. pharmacists reviewing the way they ing around the island are unaware of the The scheme is part a two-year initia- were prescribed, as well as advising pa- dangers that ticks pose. tive across four Scottish NHS boards – tients on their use and side effects. “We advised them about how to NHS Highland, NHS Fife, NHS Gram- The pilot was conducted in three deal with tick bites, how to safely re- pian and NHS Greater Glasgow and community pharmacies: Brora Phar- move ticks from the body and how to Clyde – aimed at improving the safety of macy; Islay Pharmacy; and Argyll Phar- cope with the itching around the bite medicines for patients. macy, Lochgilphead; and two combined area. We also gave advice about the Highland team lead Clare Morrison, community pharmacy and dispensing early warning signs of the associated who is also NHS Highland’s lead phar- practice teams: Kyle Pharmacy, Kyle of Lyme disease, a potentially debilitating macist (north), said: “In NHS Highland, Lochalsh, with Acharacle medical prac- disease. we decided to concentrate on non- tice; and Boots Pharmacy, Ullapool, with “Also, because our staff has the right steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Scourie and Kinlochbervie medical prac- skills set, under my supervision we are (NSAIDs) as these are more likely to be tice. able to provide a robust first-aid ser- associated with emergency hospital ad- Meanwhile, Catriona Brodie, the vice, where minor wounds and burns missions due to adverse drug reactions owner and manager of the Islay phar- could be treated by trained members of than any other class of medicine. They macy has been nominated for the phar- the team, dressing the wounds here in are also sold over the counter and are macist of the year award. the pharmacy. It certainly helps to stop dispensed frequently, so we knew there Catriona and her staff were recog- people turning up at the local hospital.” would be enough data for the pilot even nised for their unique service improve- And she is proud of the pharmacy’s in our most remote and rural sites.” ments to both the local community and involvement in the NHS Highland SPSP Having identified that there was a visitors to the island. – PPC pilot. potential for NSAID usage to be made In line with NHS Highland’s commu- “We gave out information at every safer, a brightly coloured knitted mascot nity pharmacy strategy, Catriona has point, ensuring that the correct advice called Bertiebrufen and a credit-card become the prescribing support phar- and warnings of possible side effects of sized information card were used to macist to the three GP practices on the NSAIDs and how to prevent them, was raise patient awareness of the risks. island. given to patients,” she said. - 3 - HIGHLAND QUALITY AWARD It’s an ill wind... REMEMBER the storms of last win- presented the award to John Stewart, ter? maintenance plumber and Michael Reid, The severe weather of 10th and 11th maintenance electrician, who accepted January 2015 resulted in large-scale it on behalf of the team. power loss throughout Highland. The team was nominated by south And, ultimately, it led to NHS High- area manager Jean Pierre Sieczkarek in land’s estates department’s maintenance recognition of their work during the team receiving the Highland Quality storms, when the team worked tire- vice delivery and the safety of patients Award.