Warrington Hospital staff are asking patients to only use Accident and Emergency for urgent cases after a surge of serious illness in the town has seen the hospital have one of its busiest ever emergency days.

The hospital cared for around 25% more emergency patients than on a typical Monday this week (Monday 20th February). This included a large rise in the number of patients referred direct to A&E from GP surgeries who needed beds. The number of patients with complex needs has led to longer than usual waits for non-urgent patients in A&E. Local people are being asked to only use A&E for real emergencies and serious injuries and illness.

The hospital has seen a particular rise in patients with respiratory illness, chest pain and symptoms of stroke. Staff have put steps in place to make sure that the patients get the care that they require as soon as possible.

A spokesman for Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said:

“Monday saw large numbers of patients presenting at A&E – almost a quarter more than we would typically see. The most common problem has been respiratory illness that has caused complications – particularly for elderly patients – but we've also seen a lot of chest pain and symptoms of stroke.

“Our staff have been superb in making sure these large numbers of very poorly patients are seen and given beds as soon as is possible. However, that does mean that patients with minor ailments in A&E will not be seen quickly and we’re asking people to consider if they really need to visit A&E. We have also cancelled some routine outpatient clinics this afternoon so our staff can concentrate on the priority patients. By taking these steps we hope we can get back to usual working as soon as possible.”

•  You can find out some of the local alternatives to A&E on the NHS Warrington website here.

Tinnitus is the name given to the condition of noises ‘in the ears’ and/or ‘in the head’ with no external source. Tinnitus noises are described variously as ringing, whistling, buzzing and humming.

The noise/s may be heard in one ear, both ears or in the middle of the head or it may be difficult to pinpoint its exact location. The noise may be low, medium or high-pitched. There may be a single noise or two or more components. The noise may be continuous or it may come and go.

Experiences of tinnitus are very common in all age groups, especially following exposure to loud noise; however, it is unusual for it to be a major problem. There is a widely held misconception that tinnitus is confined to the elderly, but various studies have shown that it can occur at any age, even quite young children.

Audiologists from the trust are advising people, who think they might have tinnitus, to go and see your GP, who may refer you to an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist, who will take a full medical history and provide a thorough examination. Based on this, medical conditions related to the tinnitus can be confirmed or ruled out, thereby providing a basis for more specific tinnitus management.

The Audiology Department at Warrington and Halton Hospitals treat patients for tinnitus who are referred by Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists.

They use hearing assessments and tinnitus questionnaires to determine an individual’s difficulties in coping with tinnitus. For tinnitus management it must be realised that every patient is individual, and that it is very difficult to set out hard and fast rules, as each patient will respond differently to tinnitus management procedures.

There are several strategies that can be very helpful in managing the condition.

Information – you will probably feel better when you find out more about the condition, that it is very common and that you are not alone.

Counselling – techniques such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CPT) can be helpful, either as a standalone therapy or combined with sound therapy, such as in Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT).

Correcting any hearing loss – if your tinnitus is accompanied by any hearing loss, then trying to correct this loss with hearing aids is often very helpful.

Sound therapy – if the noises seem louder at quiet times, particularly during the night, it may help to have some environmental or natural sound from a CD, sound generator, or even a fan or ticking clock in the background. Some people use in-ear sound generators.

Relaxation – learning to relax is probably one of the most useful things you can do to help yourself. Those who practice relaxation say it reduces the loudness of their tinnitus and helps them become indifferent to it.

For more information log on to The British Tinnitus Association website: www.tinnitus.org.uk or call the BTA Helpline on 08000180527

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are inviting patients, visitors and members of the public to nominate a member of staff at the hospitals as part of their annual staff awards scheme – the Thank You Awards.

The trust launched the Thank You Awards four years ago to help recognise some of the work that goes on from staff across Warrington Hospital and Halton General Hospital each day. Local people access over 500,000 appointments, operations and procedures each year provided by the hospital’s 4,000 staff.

The awards are about sharing best practice across the hospitals and giving the public a chance to say thank you to staff. Last year’s winners included nurses, doctors and entire wards and department teams at both hospitals – as well as some of the unsung heroes behind the scenes including domestic and catering staff. The trust has now launched the 2012 awards and nominations are open.

Mel Pickup, chief executive at the hospitals, said:

“We want to give patients and visitors the chance to nominate staff, teams or even entire services that have made a special difference to them and their families. All they need to do is tell us a bit about why the staff they want to nominate deserve an extra special thank you. Last year there were some incredibly moving stories of care, compassion and support which show the pride that local patients have in their health service.”

All people need to do is to write a bit of information on why the staff or teams they wish to nominate should win an award.

You can submit your nomination easily by using a simple online form on the trust’s website at www.warringtonandhaltonhospitals.nhs.uk/awards-nominate.asp  

Alternatively, you can email your nominations to thankyou@whh.nhs.uk or by post to Membership Office, Warrington Hospital, WA5 1QG. Clearly state your name, your contact details, the name of the staff member or team you wish to nominate and why you think they should win.

The closing date for all nominations is 6th March. Panels that include the hospitals’ elected public governors judge nominations. The top three nominees in each category go forward to a staff awards event in June where the winners are announced.

According to the annual results of the Advancing Quality programme, Warrington and Halton Hospitals has rated as 3rd best performer out of the 25 North West hospitals for heart attack treatment, 4th best for heart failure and 7th best for pneumonia. The trust was just outside the top ten for hip and knee replacement surgery care, ranking at 11th.

The Advancing Quality programme was established in the North West in 2008 to measure that hospitals carry out the right steps with patients at the right time during their treatment.

Focusing on several clinical areas that affect many patients in the North West - heart failure, heart bypass surgery, heart attack, hip and knee replacement surgery and pneumonia - it provides hospitals with a list of key measures which should be delivered to every single patient to ensure they receive the highest standard of care.

For example, for a heart attack there are eight steps that every patient should follow ranging from aspirin being given at arrival to hospital, clot-busting therapy provided within 30 minutes and certain key tests being promptly carried out. It also includes making sure that patients are offered smoking cessation advice whilst in hospital and are given the right drugs at discharge. The programme also measures survival rates.

There are different steps based on best practice care for each of the key clinical areas. By measuring how each hospital performs against these for each patient, scores and rankings can be given.

Dr Cheong Ooi is a consultant physician at Warrington and Halton Hospitals and the Advancing Quality clinical lead for the trust, he said:

“We are delighted with the scores that are being published for the latest year of the programme. They show the quality of the treatment that we provide to local patients in these key areas. There has been an improvement in our performance every year since the start of the programme.

“Advancing Quality really allows us to look at how we can improve our care for patients. It is based on a similar programme from the US and the results from that showed that the better care achieved led to reduced readmissions, length of stay and mortality rates.”

Advancing Quality was extended last year to look at stroke care and the initial targets in that area have been achieved by the trust. Further key areas will be added to the programme in the future.

You can view more information on Advancing Quality and the latest results at http://www.advancingqualitynw.nhs.uk/index.php

Local people are being asked to take part in a regional consultation on the future of vascular services in Cheshire and Merseyside.

Hospital staff, public governors, MPs and local councillors have expressed their disappointment at proposals that could see emergency and complex vascular operations stopped at Warrington Hospital. Under the proposals, patients from across Warrington, Halton, St Helens and Knowsley would need to travel to Chester in the future for these services.

Vascular services are a part of the service currently provided at Warrington hospital. They include surgical and radiological treatment for people with major bleeds like abdominal aortic aneurysms that require major, often life-saving surgery. It also includes procedures for stroke- preventing surgery and other vascular problems such as poor blood supply to the feet and legs. Surgeons at Warrington have excellent clinical outcomes around these procedures and are looking looking to expand the service that is currently provided.

A review of services across Cheshire and Merseyside took place last year that will reduce the number of centres providing the emergency and complex services in the future - known as arterial centres. Warrington hospital staff believed that the service already in place meant that they should remain an arterial centre in the future and that the existing high quality service provided should be expanded and continued.

However, the initial review, which is now subject to a 12 week public consultation that launches soon, recommended that there should be two arterial centres providing the service in the future – one in Liverpool and one in Chester. Local councils and MPs have expressed concern - particularly about travel times for local patients.

Mel Pickup, chief executive at Warrington and Halton Hospitals, said:

“The review’s initial findings were a disappointing outcome, we believed that there was strong evidence for three designated centres within the area with Warrington being one of those, but the members of the review panel disagreed. This consultation is an opportunity for the public to have their say. I know already from the previous consultation that the people of Warrington and Halton, councillors and MPs have some very strong views about this issue and are genuinely concerned about what impact the loss of some of our vascular service will have on patients.

“Our proposal was about the best patient care for our local populations. I believe Warrington would make an excellent arterial centre. Whatever service models are to be put in place in the future, we have to be assured that Warrington and Halton Hospitals is able to secure the best possible vascular care for its patients.”

Janet Walker, one of the 16 elected public governors for Warrington and Halton Hospitals, added:

“The Governors’ Council at the hospital are opposed to these plans and have made our views very clear that we want the hospitals to be able to retain this service. It is important that good services are developed rather than taken away. Speaking to members of the public, we know there is a lot of support for retaining all of the vascualr service we provide.

“During recent Governor events at the hospitals and local GP surgeries, many people who have benefitted from the service or have family members who have been treated at Warrington, have expressed grave concern about the journey time crossing the county in an emergency. We will be actively writing to all 10,000 of the hospital’s public members that we represent to encourage them to make their views clear to the review team.”

People are being asked to complete the survey and read the information that is included on the website www.vascularconsultation.org.uk/ - it allows people to express their views on where the centre for the South Mersey area should be located.

The consultation will see a public consultation event take place at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday 2nd March (10 till 2). There will also be road show events at the hospital over the coming weeks.

Each year up to one million people across the country are affected by Norovirus. It is the most common cause of infectious gastroenteritis in England and Wales and can affect people of any age. It is very contagious, is spread from person-to-person and through food and water.

Many hospitals around the country have reported a major rise in cases in the last two weeks and more patients coming to hospital with the virus. So far, Warrington and Halton Hospitals have only seen a limited number of cases but they are asking visitors to be vigilant if they have not been well and have relatives in hospital.

Staff are asking visitors to the hospital to following four simple steps in a bid to reduce the risk of spreading the bug among patients:

1.  Always wash your hands with soap & hot water and/or use hygiene hand rub when entering and leaving the ward.
2. Do not visit hospital if you feel unwell. If you, your family or close work colleagues have experienced vomiting and diarrhoea in the last 72 hours please contact the ward for advice before visiting. If you have an outpatient appointment but are unwell, ring and tell us and we can rearrange it for you.
3. Do not sit on the patient’s bed. If you intend to visit your friend or relative please do not sit on their bed or the patient’s chair. Visitors’ chairs are provided – please ask the nurse if you need more.
4. Ask staff to wash their hands. Do not be afraid to check that staff have decontaminated their hands either by washing them with soap and water or using the alcohol hand rub – they do not mind and expect patients and visitors to ask.

David Melia, Director of Nursing at the hospitals, said:

“In Winter, stomach bugs like Norovirus are very difficult to control because they spread so quickly and easily from person to person and are very common out in the community. Staff have been asked to be extra vigilant and ensure they properly wash their hands between patients and we are now asking visitors to help us too by following these simple steps.

“What we would like people to think about is whether they or anyone close to them such as family, friends or colleagues has had diarrhoea, vomiting or fever within the last 72 hours. If this is the case then they should avoid visiting the hospital and use alternative methods of contact to speak to the patient such as the hospital’s bedside telephone system. If they really feel they can’t postpone their visit they should contact the ward for advice prior to coming to the hospital.”

Symptoms such as sickness and diarrhoea can be best treated by staying at home, drinking plenty of fluids and getting some rest. Advice is available from your local high-street pharmacist, on line from NHS Choices www.nhs.uk and from NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. If you live in the Lancashire area, you can call the new 111 service.

Local residents are being urged to choose Halton General Hospital if they need a hospital outpatient appointment or routine surgery.

Over 94 per cent of patients who have left feedback on NHS Choices about their care at Halton General would recommend the services to friends and family. A recent visit from the health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission, found that patients at the hospital were very positive and staff were meeting all national standards around privacy, dignity and nutrition for their patients.

Halton General provides a range of NHS inpatient and outpatient services but is a local centre of excellence for routine surgery. The majority of simple day case and routine procedures performed by surgeons from Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are performed at Halton General now. Patients from across Warrington, Widnes, Runcorn and the surrounding areas use the services at the hospital. A whole range of general surgery, ear nose and throat, breast, vascular and other procedures are now performed at Halton General. Complex procedures (that might need intensive care and other support), children’s surgery and orthopaedic procedures are carried out at Warrington Hospital.

The hospital can offer short waiting times for most surgery at the hospital. Most operations are well within the recommended 18-week waiting time from going to your GP to having your actual surgery. This includes your outpatient appointment and any scans and tests you need as well. You can often have your outpatient appointment within just two or three weeks of being referred by your GP. Most first outpatient appointments are available at Halton for local patients and GPs can book you in at the hospital where this is possible.

Because the high-risk emergency care for local residents is focused at Warrington, Halton General has an excellent infection record with virtually no hospital infections in recent years and has been free of hospital acquired MRSA for over four years. This makes it ideal for routine surgery.

All patients across both hospitals are screened for hospital infection in advance of their surgery. If any signs of it are picked up (many people naturally carry some of the bugs that can cause infection), staff take steps to make sure they are clear before surgery. This reduces the risk to them and to other patients.

If you need to be referred to hospital for an NHS appointment and possible surgery, you can ask to be booked at Halton General under the ‘Choose and Book’ service at your local GPs who can advise you on the choices you have.

Recent patient comments on their experience at Halton General from the national NHS Choices website

• “The consultant was friendly, professional and polite. Well done to all the people involved. If only every hospital visit was like this one!”
• “The staff were lovely plus i had a laugh while in there, so it made my stay a lot better. I had a breast cancer op and the theatre staff were wonderful as well.”
• “From start to finish this hospital has been brilliant. Staff friendliness, docs, theatre staff, information - the whole thing was faultless.”
• “Best NHS hospital I've ever been in, fantastic staff on the day case unit - a credit to the NHS.”

For further media informaiton on this story contact chris.horner@whh.nhs.uk

We're excited to announce the introduction of a new Volunteer Service at the trust. We already have a number of volunteers doing excellent work in the hospital, for example the WRVS, League of Friends, Bosom Buddies and members of various support groups. Now we are taking an opportunity to expand the contribution of volunteers to support our staff in delivering safe and respectful care to patients.

You can visit our volunteering page here and find out more.

We staged our first volunteers open day on January 18th and over 30 people came along to find out more. Email foundation@whh.nhs.uk to register your interest. in volunteering and we'll let you know about future events.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals are going green behind the scenes with a major project to reduce their carbon footprint and energy costs.

Many people struggle to control their energy costs, so imagine the challenge for one of the area's largest energy users with an annual bill of around £2 million a year. Last year, the water bill for Warrington Hospital and Halton General Hospital was a combined £348,900, gas £678,790 and electricity a huge £977,270.

The trust is participating in the NHS Carbon Management Programme operated by the national Carbon Trust. A detailed strategic five-year carbon management plan is now in place that pledges to reduce the hospitals’ carbon footprint by at least 30% by the end of March 2015. Working in a more environmentally friendly way will also save energy costs that can be put back into patient care.

The hospitals achieved a 5% reduction in carbon emissions last year during the first year of its plan. They are on track to achieve similar reductions again this year. They were awarded the Carbon Trust’s carbon management certificate for their achievements so far at a recent event at the University of London.

A range of energy efficiency schemes are being put in place across the hospitals. Warrington hospital’s landmark boiler chimney disappeared from the skyline when new natural gas low-pressure hot water boilers (pictured) were installed last year. These energy efficient systems now deliver heating and hot water throughout large parts of the hospital. It has led to a 750 tonne reduction in carbon emissions each year. This in turn will equate to an annual saving of around £100,000 on energy costs.

Marcus Summers, specialist services manager at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, whose role includes energy management, says:

“Hospitals are large employers and large energy users. We have to play our role in reducing carbon emissions and working in the most energy efficient way possible. Most of the changes are behind the scenes but each year we’ll be able to demonstrate the difference we are making in reducing our carbon emissions and our energy consumption and costs.

“The replacement boiler system is a good example. It has the advantage of benefitting from recent improvements in available technology. For a vast majority of staff, patients and visitors, the difference will be difficult to see but behind the scenes there’s a much more energy efficient process taking place.”

A number of other energy saving schemes are currently planned for the near future at the hospitals. These will range from installing more energy efficient / improved lighting to even potentially generating their own electricity on site.

For further information on this story contact communications@whh.nhs.uk

The players dropped in to hand out books and gifts on the children's ward and visited some fans on ward A5.

The Wolves have a close relationship with the trust. They have a player ambassador scheme that sees a nominated player take time to regulalrly visit the children's ward and learn more about how the hospital work.

It's part of the Wolves' community work scheme that links players into local organisations.

Wolves players are pictured with Joanne Trantum and Bernie Martin from the hospital pharmacy department.

As an NHS Foundation Trust, the hospitals have a governors’ council made up of local people. They provide an important link between the trust and the community. They help to gather views from the hospital's public membership and also feed back to them what is happening at the hospitals. They have a number of statutory duties, monitor the trust’s progress in key areas and help in a number of other ways including carrying out inspections on standards on the wards.

There are 16 public governors in total – five representing Halton and nine representing Warrington. They are elected from the 10,200 people who have joined the hospital’s free membership scheme. Any member can stand for election for the area they live. Where more than one person stands, a postal vote of other members in that area elects the governor.

The new governors have been elected following the end of the terms of office of some of the first governors who were elected when the hospitals became a Foundation Trust in 2008. Two of the existing governors were re-elected and five new governors have joined.

The new governors are -

Halton area

• David Trowbridge (re-elected) – Norton South, Halton Brook, Halton Lea
• Roy Radley – Appleton (Halton), Farnworth, Hough Green, Halton View, Birchfield

Warrington area

• Michael Ashley – Burtonwood and Winwick, Whittle Hall, Westbrook
• Charles Coughlan – Lymm, Grappenhall and Thelwall
• Peter Harvey - Penketh and Cuerdley, Great Sankey North, Great Sankey South
• Jean Ann Pownall (re-elected) - Bewsey and Whitecross, Fairfield and Howley
• Alfred Clemo - Poplars and Hulme, Orford

You can see a full list of all the Governors here.

Interested in being a Governor?

There are currently three vacancies on the hospitals’ governors council in the following areas:

• Daresbury, Windmill Hill, Norton North, Castlefields
• Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft, Poulton North
• Latchford East, Latchford West, Poulton South.

If you live in these areas and are interested in finding out more about the role of a hospital governor please contact foundation@whh.nhs.uk Anyone over the age of 12 can become a member of the hospitals for free and you can join online here.

The majority of outpatient services are running as usual but the hospitals have cancelled some appointments and non-urgent surgical procedures due for Wednesday because staff from key areas may be involved in strike action. Patients affected have been contacted in advance.

Although the doctors union and the Royal College of Nursing are not planning on action, many of the hospital support services including radiology, pharmacy, domestic staff, estates and support services are affected. It means that the hospitals will not have the staff in place to support some procedures.

The hospital trust and unions have agreed a number of areas that need to be covered. These include A&E, critical care and the ward areas – as well as services like catering to ensure food services for patients are in place.

Sheila Samuels, director of organisational development and governance at Warrington and Halton Hospitals said:

“We have a good relationship with our Union colleagues at the hospitals and whilst recognising their right to strike following the national ballots, we have worked to make sure that our essential emergency services are able to run as usual where possible. Unfortunately, there will be disruption to non-emergency care on the day. Our ability to provide support services that are needed for some appointments and procedures will unfortunately be affected. We have contacted patients who will be affected by this in advance.”

We know that getting through the hospital switchboard to cancel or change an outpatient appointment can sometimes be difficult. Because of the volume of calls we have, it often takes several attempts to get through.

In response to your feedback we have introduced a new, simple system using our website www.warringtonandhaltonhospitals.nhs.uk  

On the front page there is now a simple link where you can click and fill in a few details from your appointment letter on a secure online form. Our staff will do the rest for you and either cancel the appointment or contact you with a new date.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has started to provide clinic services from the Culcheth Clinic facility on Jackson Avenue. It means that patients can have their initial appointment with a hospital specialist without having to travel to Warrington Hospital.

Initially, the service is providing clinics in paediatrics (children’s services) and colorectal services. This will expand into elderly care, diabetes, rheumatology and ear dressing services in the coming weeks.

Local GPs can refer their patients to the new services through the ‘Choose and Book’ system once they decide that the patient needs a hospital opinion. Current clinic schedules are paediatrics on alternate Wednesday afternoons and the colorectal service once a month on Thursdays.

It is part of the hospital’s drive to work with GPs to look at opportunities to provide services in the community where the right facilities are in place. The hospital has been providing some outpatient services at Newton Community Hospital for some time and non-maternity ultrasound services at Stockton Heath Medical Centre.

Chris Knights, director of business development and strategy at Warrington and Halton Hospitals, said: “We’re really pleased to introduce this service at Culcheth which we hope will prove popular with local patients. It means that if they live in the area and the towns nearby they have the option to get their specialist appointment locally without having to travel to hospital. We are bringing the expertise of the hospital to them.

“We’re working closely with GPs to look at opportunities like this to make services as convenient as possible.”

A group of local women are celebrating becoming ‘bosom buddies’ after completing a course helping them support new mums with breastfeeding at Warrington Hospital.

As part of the hospital’s Bosom Buddies breastfeeding support scheme, six women have completed a 13-week course. It trains women who have breastfed or have a passion about breastfeeding to help support other parents.

Jill Higham, Natalie Quinn, Jacqueline Nutt, Terry Power, Lucy Mort and Lauren Sheen are now putting their skills into practice. They provide support on the wards after birth to help new mums with breastfeeding skills and technique, answer questions and can give impartial advice. The Bosom Buddies also work in community groups outside the hospital across Warrington, Runcorn, Widnes and further afield.

The scheme launched in 2009. There are now 17 active Bosom Buddies at the hospital with nine more in training.

Melanie Hudson, Head of Midwifery and Children’s Services at Warrington and Halton Hospitals said: “These ladies have put in a great deal of time and effort and are helping to make a difference. They give valuable help and support to new mothers and to our midwives in helping as many of our 3,300 babies born here each year get the benefits of breastfeeding.”

For Sarah Tandy and Jayne Bamber, the Support Coordinators who helped the group to reach this milestone it has been a great experience.

Sarah said: “This role we have taken on is very rewarding. Recruiting and training all the new volunteers and helping them to acquire their skills in breastfeeding is so enjoyable. We feel the Bosom Buddies are now an essential part of the midwifery team at the hospital and in the community groups. The time, effort and support for the mums is very beneficial and we cannot thank them enough.”

Why breastfeeding?

Breast milk is the ideal baby food. It has the perfect combination of proteins, fats, carbohydrate, and fluids that newborn babies require. On average, breastfed babies have fewer infections in their early life. In particular, they have less diarrhoea and vomiting, chest infections, and ear infections compared to babies who are not breastfed. The main reason for this is that antibodies and other proteins are passed in the breast milk from mother to baby. These help to protect against infection.

Want to become a bosom buddy?

If you are interested in becoming a Bosom Buddy and can help and support mothers please contact Sarah or Jayne on 07760 173145 or email bosom.buddies@whh.nhs.uk
 

112 of the 302 shoppers who had a check on the day found they had raised blood pressure. 40 people were advised to make an appointment with their GP within a week. The other 72 were told to visit their GP within a month.

12 doctors from Warrington Hospital joined the Stroke Association staff through the day to carry out the checks. Shoppers also had the opportunity to find out about stroke risk factors, the signs of stroke and how to act fast in the case of emergency.

Around 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke each year - one person every five minutes. Stroke is now the third most common cause of death in the UK, but can be prevented if people understand the risks and take action to reduce them. 40% of all strokes could be prevented through simple lifestyle changes such as healthy eating, regular blood pressure checks, stopping smoking and cutting alcohol intake.

Warrington Hospital provides a stroke service that the Royal College of Physicians rates as in the top 25% in the UK. It provides emergency and rehabilitation care on the wards. This is alongside a community service that aims to get stroke survivors back home with the right support where possible.

The hospital works closely with The Stroke Association who provide emotional support and practical information on the wards. They also play a key role in helping stroke survivors and their families at home and in the community as they continue their journey back to life after a stroke.

Jane Guy, Information, Advice and Support Coordinator for The Stroke Association in Warrington said,

“The sad fact is that one in every six people around the world will have a stroke. It is a scary statistic but one that we can change. People can make changes to reduce it. This event showed just how many people have a blood pressure that could be a cause for concern. We want to urge everyone to take five minutes to know your blood pressure because it could save your life. We’re extremely grateful to Golden Square for supporting us and hopefully the people who came along can now take steps to reduce their blood pressure.”

More information on The Stroke Association can be found at www.stroke.org.uk 

Warrington Hospital is offering local people a free mouth cancer check as part of Mouth Cancer Action Month next Thursday (17th November).

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Maxillofacial and Orthodontic department is throwing open its doors to the public on Thursday 17th November. The department is inviting the public to come and have their mouth examined by one of the specialists in the team. The sessions will run from 9.00am-12noon and 1.00-4.00pm in the Maxillofacial department at the Appleton Wing of Warrington Hospital. No appointment is necessary.

5,000 people are diagnosed each year with mouth cancer. The disease kills almost 2,000 people each year. The action month is about raising awareness, as early detection saves lives. Early diagnosis improves survival chances to more than 90%.

It is also important that people play their part by being aware of the early warning signs of mouth cancer. There are risk factors such as smoking, excess alcohol and HPV - human papilloma virus, which is transmitted via oral sex. It is important to have regular visits to the dentist, who as part of their examination professionally screen for signs of mouth cancer.

Dr Adrian Thorp, associate specialist at the hospital said:

“A growing number of people are developing the disease without displaying any traditional risk factors which underlines the need for check-ups and self-examination. Statistics are also changing. Men were once five times more likely to develop mouth cancer, now it is twice as likely so it is affecting everyone. The age group affected is also falling from in the 40’s to the 30’s. If you have any worries or doubts, get it checked out. We will be delighted to see as many people as possible on the 17th at the hospital. Just drop in to the department and we’ll give a quick check up and some advice.”

If you cannot make it to the event, self-examination is a simple, potentially life-saving process.

Dr Thorp outlines the signs to look out for:

“You should look out for ulcers which do not heal within three weeks, red and white patches in the mouth and unusual lumps or swellings. If you have any concerns about your mouth make an appointment with your dentist immediately and make sure they know your worries.”

Background on mouth cancer

How many cases?

One person dies every five hours from mouth cancer in the UK. 5,325 new cases of mouth cancer were diagnosed in the UK in 2006 – more than ever before. The number of annual mouth cancer cases increased by a staggering 41% in the last decade A third of cases of mouth cancer are found in the mouth cavity and a quarter are found on the tongue.

What about deaths?

• 1,851 people died from mouth cancer in 2007.
• Under half of those diagnosed survive beyond five years of being diagnosed
• About 70% of mouth cancers are detected at a late stage, reducing chances of survival
• Early detection transforms survival chances to more than 90% cases
• Mouth cancer kills more people than cervical cancer and testicular cancer combined

What are the risk factors?

• Tobacco use and drinking alcohol are the main risk factors and account for around 75% of mouth cancers.
• People who both drink and use tobacco are up to 30 times more likely to develop the condition
• Although some people believe that chewing tobacco is safer than smoking, the reality is that it is even more dangerous. Chewing tobacco, paan, areca nut and gutkha are habits favoured by some ethnic groups
• Mouth cancer is more likely to affect people over 40 years of age, though an increasing number of young people are developing the condition
• 50 years ago mouth cancer was five times more common in men than women. Now it is only twice as common
• US studies relate the human papilloma virus (HPV) to more than 20,000 cancer cases in the past five years. Experts say HPV could overtake tobacco and alcohol as a major risk factor within the coming decade.
• Poor diet is linked to around a third of cases.

The Stroke Association and doctors and nurses from Warrington Hospital’s stroke unit are running a ‘stroke shop’ in Golden Square on the day. Between 12 noon and 3pm, the team will be in the community square next to Mark and Spencer’s.

Shoppers and anyone with blood pressure or pulse concerns can drop in. As well as a free check, visitors can find out their risk, the signs of stroke and how to act fast in the case of emergency.
Around 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke each year. That’s one person every five minutes. Stroke is now the third most common cause of death in the UK, but may be prevented if people understand the risks and take action to reduce them.

Warrington Hospital provides an excellent stroke service that the Royal College of Physicians rates as in the top 25% in the UK. It provides emergency and rehabilitation care on the wards. This is alongside an excellent community service, which aims to get stroke survivors back home where possible, with the right support.

The hospital works closely with The Stroke Association who provide emotional support and practical information on the wards. They also play a key role in helping stroke survivors and their families at home and in the community as they continue their journey back to life after a stroke.

Jane Guy, Information, Advice and Support Coordinator for The Stroke Association in Warrington said,

“The sad fact is that one in every six people around the world will have a stroke. It is a scary statistic but one that we can change. People can learn more about their risk and make changes to reduce it. That’s what the stroke shop is about. We want to urge everyone to take five minutes to know your blood pressure because it could save your life.

“We’re extremely grateful to Golden Square for supporting us. We will be there with a team of doctors and nurses from the hospital on hand to give you expert advice. These checks only take a minute but could be life-saving.”

The checks are important because high blood pressure is a key stroke danger sign. Most people don’t realise their blood pressure could be a concern.

The Stroke Association and hospital team did checks on fans at a recent Warrington Wolves game. Out of 216 checks, they advised 48 fans to go and see their GP within a week because of the readings. A further 64 were advised to follow it up within a month.

• Although it is a long and arduous journey, with support and encouragement, enjoying life after stroke is possible.
• 40% of all strokes could be prevented through simple lifestyle changes such as healthy eating, regular blood pressure checks, stopping smoking and cutting your alcohol intake.
• In the UK, 150,000 people have a stroke in the UK each year. There are over 67,000 deaths due to stroke each year in the UK.
• Stroke has a greater disability impact than any other chronic disease. At least 450,000 people are severely disabled as a result of stroke in England.
• A stroke is a brain attack which causes brain damage. A stroke can be diagnosed by using FAST – Facial weakness, Arm weakness, Speech problems, Time to call 999. If any of these symptoms are present call an ambulance straight away.
• The Stroke Association campaigns, educates and informs to increase knowledge of stroke at all levels of society acting as a voice for everyone affected by stroke. The charity funds research into prevention, treatment, better methods of rehabilitation and helps stroke patients and their families directly through its community support services as well as providing information through its helpline, leaflets and factsheets.
• The Stroke Helpline provides information on stroke to the general public and is open between 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday on 0303 303 3100.
• More information on The Stroke Association can be found at www.stroke.org.uk

An endoscopy is a procedure where the inside of your body is examined internally using a sophisticated telescope called an endoscope. The unit, which provides around 8,000 endoscopic procedures a year, has been given full accreditation from the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) after their team carried out an inspection in August. The JAG programme aims to ensure the quality and safety of patient care in the UK and assesses all endoscopy units in the country against a series of strict standards.

The assessment is based on a number of factors such as staffing, quality of care, patient comfort, training, unit design, cleaning standards of the equipment used and the length of time patients wait between referral and diagnosis. The JAG visit in August confirmed that the hospital unit complies with all the standards.

The unit, which won an award for its design at the Cheshire Built in Quality Awards, opened its doors in January 2010. It received its first JAG inspection shortly afterwards and while it didn’t fail the assessment, its accreditation was deferred. This was an expected result for a new unit, which was nonetheless praised for its excellent facilities.

If an endoscopy unit’s accreditation is deferred, the JAG works with the unit to help it make the improvements needed to meet their criteria. Not all units meet the standards set by JAG.

The accreditation marks the start of an exciting time for endoscopy at Warrington and Halton Hospitals. It opens up new opportunities to expand and further improve services as it is required to provide certain procedures. It also reassures patients that the unit provides high quality, safe healthcare with a strong focus on maintaining patient dignity and providing services in comfortable surroundings.

Dr Subramaniam Ramakrishnan, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Clinical Lead in Endoscopy at Warrington Hospital says:

“All endoscopy units within the UK aim to be JAG accredited, so we were delighted to receive the award. After the first JAG visit in 2010, we were advised on a number of specific improvements we could make to the new unit, focusing on same sex accommodation and patient dignity. We worked hard to meet the standards set and this was reflected in the excellent results we have achieved.

“Patients can sometimes feel anxious about coming for an endoscopy. Let’s be honest, it’s not the most pleasant experience, but it is an essential part of modern medicine. Hopefully, the accreditation will assure patients that they are safe in our care and that we are providing a quality service with comfortable accommodation and highly trained staff. The new status also provides us with an opportunity to expand our services and we hope to be awarded Bowel Cancer Screening accreditation in the near future so that we become a centre for the expanded national screening programme.”

Members of the public got the chance to see behind the scenes at the endoscopy unit at the recent hospital family fun day in September. An endoscopy is usually carried out while a person is awake. Before the procedure, a sedative may be given to help the patient relax.

The endoscope is a thin, long, flexible tube that has a light source and a video camera at one end. Images of the inside of the body arerelayed to an external television screen. Endoscopes can be inserted into the body through a natural opening, such as through your throat or anus and mean that diagnosis and some treatment can be provided without the need for traditional surgery.

Warrington Hospital now provides a full first trimester screening programme for all local mums to be. Women are offered the test at the Hospital in the first 11 -14 weeks of their pregnancy. To do this the midwives need to book women for the tests before 10 weeks.

The combined test consists of an ultrasound scan and a simple blood test for the mother. As well as providing an early scan of baby and confirming how many weeks along the pregnancy is, it also allows screening for Down's syndrome.

During the scan the sonographer takes a simple measurement on screen of the thin film of fluid under the skin at the back of the babies neck (nuchal area). Babies with Down’s syndrome can have an increase in fluid in this area. A blood sample from the mother’s arm is taken during the same appointment. Different amounts of natural substances that baby passes to their mother can be found in the blood if a baby has Down’s syndrome.

Combining these results together with other factors like the woman’s age and stage of pregnancy means that the hospital can provide a calculation of risk of having a baby with Down’s syndrome. For most women it offers simple reassurance. For those with found to have a higher risk it means the hospital can offer further tests and advice.

The hospital is urging mums to make contact with their GP or the community midwifery team straight away when they think they are pregnant. They will then be sent an information booklet on the screening test so they can make an informed choice. Midwives give information about screening and diagnostic tests when they first meet the mother to be and they have the chance to answer questions.

Mel Hudson, head of midwifery at the hospital, said:

“We’re delighted to be able to provide this screening to our local women but it is really important that they contact their GP or community midwife team as soon as they think they are pregnant. Many new mums automatically think they have to contact their GP first after taking a pregnancy test. However, they can contact us directly and we will make an appointment to see them as soon as possible. It helps make sure that we can get scans and screening booked in immediately.

“This is really important because this screening has to be carried out in first trimester of pregnancy. It is quite common that some women do not even think they are pregnant until several weeks so time can become of the essence. The test can’t be carried out after 14 weeks and needs to be booked in advance.”

To contact the community midwifery team you can call 01925 662092 or contact your GP surgery and ask for direct referral to the midwife.

We operate the shuttle bus service, seven days a week between Warrington Hospital and Halton General Hospital. The popular service helps over 500 people a week get to their appointments free of charge - as well as providing transport for staff between the sites.

People visiting relatives in hospital can also use the bus. Our bus has full wheelchair and disabled access.

The shuttle bus runs from outside the main entrance on Hospital Way at Halton Hospital and drops off at the main entrance to Warrington Hospital before making its return journey. The journey takes around 25 minutes.

Please be aware that the bus can be busy - particularly at key visiting times.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

Seven days a week.

Departs Halton Hospital to Warrington - 6.30, 8.10, 9.10, 11.15, 12.55, 14.05, 15.30, 16.35, 17.30, 19.15 and 20.45.

Departs Warrington Hospital to Halton - 7.40, 8.40, 10.30, 12.00, 13.30, 14.40, 16.10, 17.05, 18.00, 20.15 and 21.40.
 

Over 400 members of the public came along to find out more about their hospitals on Saturday at Warrington Hospital’s first family open day.

Many of the hospital departments put on stands at the event, including the diabetes team, ophthalmology department and cardiac rehabilitation services. Department tours also ran throughout the day of the maternity, endoscopy and catering departments and the operating theatres, giving members of the public the chance to see some of the day to day work that goes on around the hospital.

There was something for the whole family to enjoy at the event, with plenty of fun activities to keep the children entertained, including first aid for kids and free face painting throughout the day.

Chris Riley from the Warrington Wolves also turned up to show his support to the event, have a look round some of the stands and have his photograph taken with fans. The trust has worked closely with the Warrington Wolves over the past 12 months, with a player ambassador from the team making regular visits to the children’s wards at Warrington Hospital.

The open day was followed by the annual members’ meeting, which was an opportunity for the trust’s members to hear about its performance over the past year and included a presentation from senior staff, highlighting key areas of the Annual Report for 2010-2011.

Mel Pickup, Chief Executive of Warrington and Halton Hospitals says:

“We were delighted that our first open day proved to be such a great success and that so many members of the local community turned up to find out about what goes on at their hospital. A lot of hard work went into the planning of the event and staff put a lot of effort into making sure their stands were interesting and informative for the public.”

“As a Foundation Trust it is important for us to communicate with our local community, so by hosting an event like this we were able to show the public what we do and give them the chance to find out about the services we offer here at the trust. We tried to make sure that there was something for everyone at the open day and feedback from guests was very positive.”

Warrington and Halton Hospitals hopes to stage a similar event at Halton Hospital in the future.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has pioneered a range of work that has reduced the number of regular admissions from alcohol dependent patients at the hospitals by more than half over the last year.
 
Figures released last year showed that a core of 96 people with severe alcohol dependency issues from across Warrington accounted for 583 admissions at Warrington Hospital. Latest estimates are that those attendances and subsequent admissions cost up to £1.7 million between April 2009 and March 2010 based on the price of treatment and an average stay in hospital of around 10 days each admission.
 
Latest figures from the hospital’s alcohol liaison team have shown significant improvements thanks to a package of hospital and community support for these patients. Over the last year there has been a 37% reduction in attendances at accident and emergency and a subsequent 53% reduction in admissions to hospital wards. It is believed that this could have halved the overall cost to the health service.
 
The hospital has worked in partnership with teams from NHS Warrington, community mental health, social services, housing and alcohol and drugs support agencies to reduce attendances and admissions. The aim has been to provide more community based support to provide early intervention and support to prevent the need for the patients to go to A&E and into the hospital. By putting better support packages in place, when the patients do attend the hospital they are flagged and the alcohol liaison team can intervene with the aim of preventing the need for them to be admitted into hospital.
 
Jim Higgins, alcohol liaison nurse specialist at Warrington Hospital, said:
 
“The work across Warrington has led to some significant reductions in admissions and attendances and better support for these patients. What we have to remember is that these patients are ill and have an addiction and dependency that needs the right care. They don’t just attend hospital for the sake of it, they have a real medical problem which in some cases means they do need admission, but in many cases we can provide that support outside the hospital.
 
“What we are trying to do is to intervene early. By being seen sooner, any chronic or long term illnesses can be dealt with more appropriately rather than simply being admitted and spending a long time in a hospital ward with the knock on cost and effect on other patients.”
 
The team are clear that this kind of targeted support is essential. Simple steps have helped such as Jim working new shifts that match the most common times that these patients attend A&E in the early evening. By being there and working with them as they attend, the liaison team who have that relationship with the patients can bring in the right support and prevent the patient being admitted. This can be difficult, in some cases patients can attend A&E multiple times in a day and recently, five of the 96 patients independently attended hospital on the same evening.
 
The hospital has been successful in securing funding for two extra posts which will double the hospital liaison team and mean that more patients can be seen in A&E and also on the wards if they are admitted. The team estimate that around a third of patients who may need specialist support aren’t seen at the moment.
 
Jim Higgins continued:
 
“Working in this field of medicine we know that there are attitudes that this is a waste of money and that it is a lifestyle choice that these patients have taken. Our view is that there are often a range of complex issues behind their dependency which we need to address. People need the alcohol and we need to know why that’s the case and try and address what is behind that addiction. No-one starts off as an alcoholic or plans to become one. By investing in this kind of support we can reduce the impact of their drinking on wider society, on the areas that these patients live in and on their families.
 
“All the agencies have worked together to help address this issue and we’re showing that the approach we are taking in Warrington can make a difference. We know that in many ways we are just reaching the tip of the iceberg and that there is much more that we can do. It can take a very long time for people who have had this dependency for many years to change, and in many cases there will sadly be long term chronic problems as a result of their alcohol use. The overall indications are that many have reduced their overall use. Some have stopped but there are always new cases coming in to our area.”

 
[ENDS]
For further media information please contact:
Chris Horner, associate director communications
Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
 
Email: ​chris.horner@whh.nhs.uk
 

Warrington Hospital is opening its doors to the public with its first ever Hospital Family Open Day on Saturday 17th September.

There will be over 50 stands from teams across Warrington and Halton Hospitals ranging from diabetes and stroke awareness to hospital catering, NHS careers and even first aid for kids. There are also a range of stands from local companies, a children’s ride, face painting and even local singers on hand to entertain.

The event will also give members of the public the opportunity to go on tours of some of the hospital departments to see what goes on there. The operating theatres, maternity, catering and endoscopy units are running short tours that can be booked on the day.

The open day event takes place from 12.30 through to 3.30 on the afternoon of Saturday 17th September in and around the main entrance and education centre at the hospital. Parking is free for the afternoon in the main car park at the hospital. The hospital shuttle bus from Halton General Hospital to Warrington Hospital is also running for people who want to come over from Halton.

As the stands close at 3.30pm, the trust’s annual members’ meeting will commence in the lecture theatre in the Education Centre, which will include a brief presentation of the trust’s annual report and accounts for 2010-2011 and updates from the trust’s public governors on their work over the last year.

Chris Horner, from the communications team at Warrington and Halton Hospitals, said:

“We want to give local people the chance to come and learn a bit more about their hospitals and their health so we’ve tried to create an open day that will let them do that. As well as meeting some of our staff and seeing the work that they do you can hopefully pick up some advice as well.

”We hope as many people as possible can drop in and see us on the day and there is something for everyone. We are very proud of all the hard work that goes on within the hospitals and this gives people the chance to find out a bit more.”

You can find out more details about the open day here.

The Warrington neonatal unit is equipped with three intensive care cots and a total of 18 spaces for a mix of high dependency and special care babies. Over 400 premature babies a year in total receive the expert care of the unit each year.

Whilst the unit mainly cares for babies born locally, staff also take in babies from further afield as part of the neonatal network which ensures that babies get the care they need as soon as possible, even if local units are full.

This year the unit treated one of the smallest babies it has ever cared for when twins Rowan and Sarah Barnes came to the unit after being born at 28 weeks and five days gestation. Sarah weighed just 1lb 4oz compared to Rowan who was 2lb 11oz. The twins actually live near York but came to Warrington as there were no neonatal cots available locally for both twins.

Sharon Foreman, neonatal nursery nurse on the unit who helps organise the annual fun day, said:

“We've cared for a lot of twins over the last 12 months and I don't think there's been a week when we haven't had twins on the unit which is really unusual. It's not uncommon for one twin to be a fair size larger than the other but Sarah was particularly small and the smallest baby we've cared for for many years.

“Coming over from York which is the best part of two hours away was an extra challenge for their mum Helen and family as they spent over three weeks with us until they were fit to travel and cots were available closer to home for them. The twins are doing well now back at York. Rowan is now 4lb 4oz and Sarah weighs over 2lb now. The family have kept in close contact with us to keep us up to date."

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is fighting an initial decision not to recommend Warrington Hospital as a centre for the future provision of emergency vascular surgery as part of a regional review of services.

Vascular services are a key part of the emergency services provided at Warrington and Halton hospitals and one that the trust has a good record and excellent clinical outcomes around. They include surgical and radiological treatment for people with major bleeds like abdominal aortic aneurysms which require major, often lifesaving, surgery, strokes and those needing stroke preventing surgery and other vascular problems such as poor blood supply to the feet and legs.

A regional review of vascular services across Cheshire and Merseyside has been taking place over the last few months looking at reducing the number of hospitals carrying out these services.

Despite Warrington already providing an excellent vascular surgery service, investing in new staff and equipment to meet new standards and putting a case forward to be regional centre, the initial review has not recommended it.The hospital has developed plans in partnership with St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals to continue to provide these services - with Warrington Hospital being the centre which will provide the emergency vascular service for patients from both areas.

The Warrington bid was supported by the Local Authorities/Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees in both Warrington and Halton and by local MPs. Around 1,500 staff and patients also completed consultation responses about the review earlier thsi year - with the majority stating that local access was essential as well as safety.

However, the initial review has recommended just two centres in the region – one in Liverpool and one in Chester, meaning patients would have to travel in an emergency for surgery.

The trust has raised its concerns about how local emergency patients would be treated under the proposed arrangements put forward by the review team and believes that the relationship between vascular services and other key clinical services needs to be looked at very carefully before any recommendations are implemented. The hospital already provides stroke and other services in a similar network to the one they had proposed for vascular.

An independent assessment of the future impact of any review decisions is now taking place over the coming months.

Mel Pickup, chief executive at Warrington and Halton Hospitals, said:

“We feel it is vital that we have the opportunity to maintain and develop our vascular service for local patients and our view is that there should be three centres across the region. We have the expert staff here who have developed our service to the highest standards and we are perfectly located to provide access to high quality vascular services to a large local population.

“There is a lot of support locally for our bid and we are disappointed that the review did not reflect this. Residents clearly told us and the review team that having a safe service that is provided locally was important to them. We already provide an excellent clinical service here at Warrington and national audits show that our stroke prevention surgery results and emergency outcomes for ruptured aortic aneurysm are better than the national average. We are continuing to work to show that these vascular services need to be retained here in Warrington on behalf of the community.”

For further media information contact chris.horner@whh.nhs.uk

The investment coincides with the extension of the NHS Breast Screening Programme to cover all women aged between 47 and 73, which means women will be invited to attend two extra breast screenings during their lifetime. The programme presently invites all women between the ages of 50-70.

The new digital equipment replaces traditional analogue mammogram systems which took x-ray photographs and develop the images onto film. The new system provides clearer images and allows staff to zoom in to specific areas to examine them in more detail. This means that abnormalities can be detected earlier on when they are more difficult to identify, leading to cancers being more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage which can help to simplify treatment and increase success rates.

The new technology also eliminates the need to print as images are stored electronically and can be accessed at the touch of a button. The quicker processing means that more women can be seen in the Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust breast screening centre as the national screening programme expands. The centre will also be refurbished and will include a new patient counselling office.

The £500k at the hospital is part of a package of improvements that the Warrington, Halton, St Helens & Knowsley Breast Screening Programme has announced in the area. A brand new mobile screening unit is also being commissioned which will also use the new digital equipment and replace two older mobile units used to screen women from St Helens, Widnes, Runcorn, Frodsham & Helsby.

Mammogram images taken at the existing mobile units have to be sent to the hospital for analysis as the units do not have x-ray viewing facilities. The new technology will allow staff to analyse images on site.

Jill McKay, breast screening programme manager, said:

“Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and regular screening prevents deaths in women from breast cancer. Breast screening uses x-rays to look for breast cancers when they are too small to be seen or felt. Screening can find cancer early, and the earlier breast cancer is found, the better the chance of surviving it.

“Improving the technology by replacing the analogue equipment with new digital x-ray systems will result in more detailed, clearer images which will contribute to early diagnosis so we are delighted to have the new equipment being put in place here at Warrington hospital. Extending the age range of women who will receive breast screening invitations will also result in the diagnosis of more breast cancers at an earlier stage.”

Work on the refurbishment of the Breast Screening Centre and the installation of new equipment is due should be completed by the end of the month with the new system up and running in early September.
 

Find out more about the breast screening programme on their dedicated website here.

Staff from Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are putting stethoscopes and thermometers to one side after work to take to the field for some touch rugby action as part of a national linkup with the Rugby Football League.

Working with the RFL League For All initiative, the hospital are putting on a weekly session for staff at Bank Park in Warrington after work.

“The programme has started well,” said Shane Eccles, RFL League for All Officer, “We had a great initial response from the promotion that we did around the hospitals and this has transferred into people taking part in the sessions. It’s great to see so many people from a variety of positions within the NHS coming together to play touch rugby and keeping fit. The sessions are a great team building tool for the staff to come out of their everyday roles and get to know a different side to their work colleagues.”

The hospitals are equally as happy with the way the sessions had gone.

"We're delighted to be taking part in the League for All initiative with the RFL," said Chris Horner, associate director communications at Warrington and Halton Hospitals, "One of our key responsibilities is to promote sport and wellbeing to our patients, but also to our staff as a major employer. Being in a Rugby League heartland means that these sessions are an ideal way of doing this. The feedback from staff, some of whom have played a bit before, but many of whom have never even held a rugby ball, has been excellent. The game is easy to pick up but also provides a great workout so there's been some tired legs but we're looking forward to developing our skills. We'd encourage people to look out for other touch sessions run locally - it's a great way of getting fit."

Touch rugby is a minimal contact version of Rugby League with the emphasis on skill and possession. It is suitable for players of all ages and sexes. The RFL has launched a national programme with the NHS, which in the North West has seen them engage with 10 different hospital trusts to deliver regular sessions to NHS staff and promote the game to patients as well.

• You can find out more about Touch Rugby at http://www.therfl.co.uk/play/touch
• For any further information on touch rugby contact Shane Eccles on 07775 441724 or at shane.eccles@rfl.uk.com

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has seen a decrease in the number of Clostridium difficile cases at the trust by 43% over the past year, according to latest figures.

Targets stated that the trust aimed to have no more than 116 cases of the bacterial infection which is often caused by antibiotics interfering with the body’s natural balance of bacteria. These targets were surpassed with only 65 cases of Clostridium difficile reported for 2010-2011 - a 43% decrease from the 114 cases reported in 2009-2010.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals has made improvements to their infection prevention and control systems and has worked to strengthen the practices adopted by staff whilst caring for patients, specifically in the prescription and monitoring of antibiotics, handwashing and cleanliness. The decrease also follows the recent introduction of new antibiotics which have a lower reported association with the development of Clostridium difficile.

Audits to ensure the appropriate prescribing of antibiotics are carried out quarterly and training is provided to staff to enable them to effectively identify and manage patients who develop symptoms of the infection.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals have also maintained their low incidence of MRSA bloodstream infections, with 5 cases reported in total for 2010-11. This was an increase from the previous year by one case but still within the expected number for the hospitals. Prevention and control of such infections remains a key priority for the future. MRSA screening is in place for both planned and emergency patients and there is careful monitoring of the safe management of intravenous devices, with weekly audits demonstrating compliance of good hand hygiene at the trust.

Mel Pickup, chief executive of Warrington and Halton Hospitals, said:

“We were very pleased to see such a significant fall in the cases of Clostridium difficile at the trust, which reflects the seriousness that the trust places against infection prevention and control. Staff have worked very hard to ensure all infection prevention measures are complied with and their efforts are illustrated by the positive decrease in cases of the infection at the trust.

“The targets set for MRSA were for the trust to have no more than four cases of MRSA bloodstream infections, so it was disappointing that there was one more hospital acquired case than had been anticipated. However, we have reduced occurrences of MRSA to these low levels in line with what is expected for a trust of its size and we are continually striving to reduce infection risks and ensure cases of all infection remain low.”

In order to maintain and further improve the high standards of infection prevention, the trust’s targets for 2011-12 are to have no more than 54 cases of the Clostridium difficile infection and no more than 4 cases of hospital acquired MRSA.

You can read more on the hospitals work around infection control and prevention here.

Further information: chris.horner@whh.nhs.uk

The popular service is provided by Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and helps over 500 people a week get to their appointments free of charge.
The times provide more options for visitors travelling between the sites. They have also been changed to reflect new nursing shift times at the hospitals that have slightly different start and finish times than before. The bus is used by staff travelling between the hospitals as well as patients and visitors.

People visiting relatives in hospital can also use the bus which has full wheelchair and disabled access.

The shuttle bus runs from outside the main entrance on Hospital Way at Halton General Hospital and drops off at the main entrance to Warrington Hospital before making its return journey. The journey takes around 25 minutes. Please be aware that the bus can be busy - particularly at key visiting times.

The new times are:

Departs Halton Hospital to Warrington - 6.30, 8.10, 9.30, 11.15, 12.55, 14.05, 15.30, 16.35, 17.30, 19.15 and 20.25.

Departs Warrington Hospital to Halton - 7.40, 8.40, 10.30, 12.00, 13.30, 14.40, 16.10, 17.05, 18.00, 19.50 and 21.40.

Car parking has long been identified as many patients’ number one frustration when visiting the hospitals. Being unable to find a space at busy times on the car parks causes anxiety and patients to arrive late for appointments or arrive too early in order to ensure they find a space, which then causes a knock on for other patients as spaces are occupied.

In order to change the system a number of changes are being put into place. The main car parks at the hospital will become barrier controlled so they are solely for the use of patients and visitors. At present, anyone is able to use the car park.

The hospitals’ elected public governors have helped to promote a number of improvements to the system after patients and the public told them that parking was a major issue in responses to surveys and meetings over the last year. The trust’s transport group, which includes staff and union representatives, have developed the new plan.

The hospitals are unable to increase the number of overall spaces available due to space and the significant cost and have had to review schemes to re-allocate spaces from staff to patients. This is necessary to re-balance the numbers, as staff have increasingly dominated the spaces available over the last few years.

In order to change the system a number of changes are being put into place.

• The main car parks at the hospitals will become barrier controlled later this year so they are solely for the use of patients and visitors
• Additional disabled spaces will be created around the site close to main entrances and departments
• Discounts for regular visitors and patients (for instance those who have to come for a series of treatments) will be better advertised
• The total number of staff spaces will be reduced and given over to patients. Staff will be encouraged to use public and green transport when they live close to the hospitals or car share where possible.

The changes will apply to both the Warrington and Halton hospital sites. There will be no increase in parking costs as part of these plans.

All staff permits are being reviewed on criteria such as shift working, need to have a car for work business, distance to work from home, ease of access to public transport and any caring responsibilities. At present any staff member can apply for and receive a permit. The new system aims to help the hospitals use the spaces available in the best way.

Simon Wright, chief operating officer at the hospitals, says:

“We know the frustration that car parking can cause at hospitals for patients and staff at busy times so we are taking these steps to improve our patient and visitor parking, increase disabled parking and ensure a fair system for our staff.

“Our hospital public governors identified car parking as one of the main issues for people using the hospitals and have worked with us to develop the proposals so that we can redistribute the split of parking spaces between patients, visitors and staff more fairly.

“It does mean that we will be issuing a new permit system for staff where they will have to apply based on a number of criteria such as their distance from work, need to use a car for work and their proximity to public transport routes but we feel that this system will be fair and is necessary to use the limited spaces that we have in the best way.”

The hospitals invested over £1 million in parking two years ago to create new car parks at the rear of the Warrington Hospital site and also lease an off-site car park at the rear of the Warrington hospital site for extra staff parking.

We take the reduction of pressure sores (also known as bed sores) extremely seriously at the hospitals and any avoidable case is a case too many. However, the articles did not provide the full comment we had provided which gives some important context about this story and the data.

The data was taken from national tables produced by healthcare analysts Dr Foster based on information hospitals submit nationally. There have been issues with the data we submit which mean that our hospitals have had a higher number of cases attributed to us than is the actual case.

Why the data was incorrect

A pressure ulcer is an ulcerated (an area where the skin is sore and breaks) area of skin caused by irritation and continuous pressure on that part of the body.  Pressure ulcers can be very painful and can take a very long time to heal. Pressure ulcers can develop very quickly. In people who are at high risk, it can take less than an hour for a pressure ulcer to develop.

The figures used in the tables in the media looked at hospital acquired ulcers (where the patient has developed the ulcer whilst in hospital). On review of the data that was used in the tables, the trust identified that a high proportion of the cases marked as hospital acquired ulcers for our hospitals are actually ulcers that patients already had before their hospital admission (community acquired ulcers). These should not have been included in these tables.

This was a data issue at our end in including these figures which we spoke with Dr Foster about last year when we first realised that our data looked incorrect. We’ve completed a review that will ensure that our data will give a more accurate score of pressure sore incidence at our hospitals in the future by only including the hospital acquired cases. Unfortunately, at the moment, the published figures currently give a much higher reading than is the actual case. This was of course pointed out to the journalist writing the story but not mentioned in the articles over the weekend.

Reducing cases of pressure ulcer

As well as the fact that the data that led to these stories was incorrect, we hope the public will be reassured that reduction and care of pressure ulcers is a key part of our strategy around quality and safety. Prevention and reporting of ulcers has been strengthened at our hospitals over the last year. We know how important this is for patients and it’s an issue that all of our staff are aware of and take action around.

We take a range of precautions to prevent pressure ulcers forming and also to provide treatment to patients who do have a pressure ulcer. This includes screening patients who are at risk of developing a sore, ensuring good nutrition and hydration, changing position of immobile patients regularly and providing a range of specialist equipment such as pressure relieving mattresses.

Staff from departments across the hospitals wore camoflauge and military fatigues for the day. There has always been a strong link between the NHS and the forces with many staff volunteering in medical roles.

The dress down day was orgnaised by Phil Winstanley, theatre coordinator at Warrington Hospital and formerly a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Phil is coordinating the Warrington Afghanistan Challenge - aiming to raise money towards forces charities with a range of events. You can find out more by emailing takethechallenge@live.co.uk  

Kids on the children's ward at Warrington Hospital also took part and Phil (centre) is pictured with trust staff Lucy Forster, Amanda Glover and Rachel Foster and patients Joe Peploe (front) and Alex Bond.

It is Breastfeeding Awareness Week from 20th – 24th June and this year’s focus in Warrington is encouraging and supporting mothers to breastfeed in public.

To celebrate the week health professionals from Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Warrington Division and the ‘Bosom Buddy’ peer supporters will be hosting a breastfeeding coffee morning where all mothers who are breastfeeding are welcome to join us. This will be an opportunity to get information and support on breastfeeding and also win some great prizes in the free raffle, with one prize being a £20.00 voucher for Mothercare.

The coffee morning will be held on Wednesday 22 June at the new coffee shop on Riverside Retail Park in Warrington, the Bru Station (the old Borders) from 10.00am – 12.00noon. Clint Boon, ex Inspiral Carpets and current XFM Drive Time Show DJ (4 – 7 week days) will coming along with his wife Charlie to support the event.

Mothercare on Alban Retail Park are also supporting us in Breastfeeding Awareness Week with a breastfeeding information stand from 20th – 24th June from 10.00am – 4.00pm where there will be arrange of information, leaflets and freebies. The stand will be manned at different times during the week by health professionals and ‘Bosom Buddy’ peer supporters.

For years there has been confusion on whether a mother can breastfeed in public without being asked to stop and move on, but in October 2010 the Equality Act addressed breastfeeding in public and reassured women that they were allowed to breastfeed in public spaces. This includes parks, sports and leisure facilities, public buildings and when using public transport such as buses, trains and planes. They are also allowed to breastfeed in shops, public, restaurants and hotels regardless of how big of small, a café owner can no longer ask them to leave whilst feeding.

The week will also be an opportunity to find out more about the ‘Bosom Buddy’ peer supporters and how they support women across Warrington with breastfeeding and also how women can become one and support other women. ‘Bosom Buddy’ peer supporters are Warrington mothers who support breastfeeding on a voluntary basis. Warrington Hospital and Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Warrington Division, in partnership with Warrington Borough Council are looking to recruit more volunteers to help support women across Warrington to breastfeed. A ‘Bosom Buddy’ would need to commit a minimum of two hours a week to volunteering and are supported by the Peer Support Coordinators. So if you are passionate about breastfeeding and would like to share this with others and support mothers as they start out on their breastfeeding journey, then we would love to hear from you.

Full training will be given, after an interview and assessment.

Please contact Sarah Tandy/Jayne Bamber on 01925 662092 or call 07760173145 or drop us an email on either sarah.tandy@whh.nhs.uk or Jayne.bamber@whh.nhs.uk

Or pop along and see us at the Bru Station on Wednesday 22 June from 10.00am – 12.00noon.
 

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts’ care for older people at Halton General Hospital has been praised by the health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) with high standards of dignity, respect and patients’ nutritional needs met.

The CQC made an unannounced visit to Halton General in April as part of a targeted inspection programme in NHS hospitals to assess how well older people are treated during their hospital stay. The hospital was found to be fully compliant with the key standards around dignity, respect and nutrition.

The report of the visit says that on the wards they observed that staff were respectful, explained to the patient what they were going to do and that permission was asked before any procedures were carried out. They saw that staff were sensitive to patients needs, had good relationships with them and made eye contact with patients. Call bells were within reach and staff answered them promptly.

All patients spoken with said that staff treated them with respect and that their dignity was maintained at all times. Patients comments highlighted in the report said “staff are wonderful, the hospital is wonderful,” and “staff are excellent.” All patients spoken with said they were given information about their care and felt confident that if they didn’t understand they could ask for further explanation.

Relatives spoken with said staff informed them of any updates to the care and discharge plans that were being discussed for their relative. Highlighted in the report are comments made by relatives of one patient who said, “nurses here are very good and give information.”

The visit also had a key focus on whether nutritional needs of patients were being met which is an essential aspect of NHS care. The report says that people the inspection team spoke with were positive about the food provided, that there was choice made available on a daily basis and that people said that dietary choices and requirements were discussed either prior to or during the admission process.

Mel Pickup, chief executive of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“This report from the Care Quality Commission shows the high standards of care that are provided to local patients by our staff at the hospital. Dignity and nutrition are essential aspects of care for older patients and our staff work incredibly hard to make sure that patients’ needs are met in these areas. Our aim is to provide high quality, safe healthcare and meeting these high standards is a key element of this work.

“The visits are unannounced so we are delighted to be found fully compliant in meeting both of these standards. I’d like to thank all of the staff as their day to day work is what ensures that we meet the needs of our patients in this way.”

David Wilson, communications officer from Halton LINk (Local Involvement Network) that represents local people’s views in health and social care, said:

“The national Dignity in Care campaign has been an issue that the Halton LINk has promoted widely over the last 18 months and we are delighted to see Halton General Hospital receiving such positive comments in this CQC report. It’s good to hear that our local hospital provides such high standards of care for our older patients. The report is a credit to all the hard work put in by the staff at the hospital.”

The inspection teams were led by CQC inspectors joined by a practising, experienced nurse. The inspection team also included an ‘expert by experience’ – a person who has experience of using services (either first hand or as a carer) and who provides the patient perspective. They observed how people were being cared for, talked with people who use services, talked with staff, checked the provider’s records, and looked at records of people who use services.

• You can download a copy of the PDF report here

The report was published on the Care Quality Commission website www.cqc.org on June 9th 2011.

Health professionals at NHS Halton and St Helens are encouraging local residents up to and including the age of 24 who haven’t received both doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccination, to take up the jab. Already this year, hundreds of measles cases have been confirmed across England and Wales, and there is currently an outbreak of the disease on the Wirral. The majority of those who have contracted measles are children or young adults under 25, who either haven’t received the MMR vaccination at all or haven’t had both doses.

Dympna Edwards, Interim Director of Public Health at NHS Halton and St Helens said: “Measles is highly infectious and it’s really important that we take steps to prevent it spreading.

“MMR is a safe and effective vaccination which provides an excellent defence against measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) when both doses are given.

“In recent years MMR vaccination rates have been steadily increasing across Merseyside – approximately nine out of ten children now get two doses of the vaccine before their 5th birthday. However, we know that thousands of older children and young adults in Merseyside remain either unprotected or only partially protected.

”If you’re the parent of a child who hasn’t received both MMR doses – or a young person who hasn’t had both jabs – then it’s not too late to act. GP practices will be happy to provide everyone under 25 with the vaccination.”

The first dose of the vaccine is given to children shortly after their 1st birthday. Children receive their second dose before they start school, usually once they are 3 years and 4 months old.

Dr Andrew Riordan, Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, said: “Measles is a highly infectious disease which can have severe complications including pneumonia and brain infections. On rare occasions, it can even kill.

“We’ve seen children who have been hospitalised because of measles, which highlights just how seriously everyone should be taking this disease.

“The best way to prevent children and young people from catching measles is to ensure they have received both doses of the MMR vaccine. It’s a really important message and one which we hope parents and young people will act on.”

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) had confirmed 334 cases of measles in England and Wales up to the end of April 2011, compared to a provisional total of 374 cases for the whole of 2010. Around 10,000 measles cases and four deaths have been reported across Europe so far this year, with France particularly badly affected.
 

The service will extend to 12 hours at Warrington Hospital, from 8.00am – 8.00pm, Monday-Sunday and after 8.00pm patients will be transferred to Whiston Hospital. This will mean that patients will no longer have to be transferred to Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool out of hours. The service will be covered by consultants from both Trusts and will start in July 2011.

Thrombolysis involves giving patients drugs to break up blood clots which have travelled to the brain and are stopping blood from flowing freely. If the blood clot can be broken up within the first few hours, then brain damage and resulting disability can be significantly reduced.

The process of making a decision to offer thrombolysis once the patient is at hospital is a complex one. It involves an urgent brain scan and assessment by a senior doctor specialising in stroke medicine. The thrombolysis treatment is only appropriate for a small number of stroke patients and needs to be administered quickly, hence the importance of developing the service locally so that patients do not have to travel to Liverpool.

The stroke thrombolysis service at Warrington Hospital was originally established in April 2008, where stroke patients are met from the ambulance by an Acute Stroke Nurse, they are then assessed and a CT scan (computed tomography-brain imaging) will be ordered, before being transferred to the acute Stroke Ward for treatment. The service was offered from 9.00am – 5.00pm; over a year later the hospital developed an out of hours transfer to Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool for suspected stroke patients.

Specialist Stroke Nurse, Tina Dooley, is pleased to be part of an expanding and improving service. She explains “specialist stroke nurses offer an experienced assessment to patients who arrive in hospital with a confirmed or suspected stroke, and at times we are the first person from the stroke team that a patient will see. When someone suffers a stroke, the most critical thing is to get speedy diagnosis and treatment. The longer treatment is delayed, the more damage a stroke can do to your brain.

“Extending to a 12 hour service, seven days a week at Warrington Hospital and then with the out of hours being transferred to Whiston Hospital will bring real benefits to our patients.”

It is critical to administer thrombolysis quickly, which is why members of the public are constantly reminded to act "FAST" if a stroke has occurred in someone.

"FAST" stands for Face, Arm, Speech, Time to call 999:

Facial weakness - Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
Arm weakness - Can the person raise both arms?
Speech problems - Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
Time to call 999 - If the person has any one of these symptoms call an ambulance.

To celebrate the week health professionals from Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Warrington Division and the ‘Bosom Buddy’ peer supporters will be hosting a breastfeeding coffee morning where all mothers who are breastfeeding are welcome to join us. This will be an opportunity to get information and support on breastfeeding and also win some great prizes in the free raffle, with one prize being a £20.00 voucher for Mothercare.

The coffee morning will be held on Wednesday 22 June at the new coffee shop on Riverside Retail Park in Warrington, the Bru Station (the old Borders) from 10.00am – 12.00noon. Clint Boon, ex Inspiral Carpets and current XFM Drive Time Show DJ (4 – 7 week days) will coming along with his wife Charlie to support the event.

Mothercare on Alban Retail Park are also supporting us in Breastfeeding Awareness Week with a breastfeeding information stand from 20th – 24th June from 10.00am – 4.00pm where there will be arrange of information, leaflets and freebies. The stand will be manned at different times during the week by health professionals and ‘Bosom Buddy’ peer supporters.

For years there has been confusion on whether a mother can breastfeed in public without being asked to stop and move on, but in October 2010 the Equality Act addressed breastfeeding in public and reassured women that they were allowed to breastfeed in public spaces. This includes parks, sports and leisure facilities, public buildings and when using public transport such as buses, trains and planes. They are also allowed to breastfeed in shops, public, restaurants and hotels regardless of how big of small, a café owner can no longer ask them to leave whilst feeding.

The week will also be an opportunity to find out more about the ‘Bosom Buddy’ peer supporters and how they support women across Warrington with breastfeeding and also how women can become one and support other women. ‘Bosom Buddy’ peer supporters are Warrington mothers who support breastfeeding on a voluntary basis. Warrington Hospital and Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Warrington Division, in partnership with Warrington Borough Council are looking to recruit more volunteers to help support women across Warrington to breastfeed. A ‘Bosom Buddy’ would need to commit a minimum of two hours a week to volunteering and are supported by the Peer Support Coordinators. So if you are passionate about breastfeeding and would like to share this with others and support mothers as they start out on their breastfeeding journey, then we would love to hear from you. Full training will be given, after an interview and assessment.

Please contact Sarah Tandy/Jayne Bamber on 01925 662092 or call 07760173145 or drop us an email on either sarah.tandy@whh.nhs.uk or Jayne.bamber@whh.nhs.uk

Or pop along and see us at the Bru Station on Wednesday 22 June from 10.00am – 12.00noon.
 

The League of Friends generously donated £4,250 to give Paediatric A&E a vibrant and colourful new look to engage the young patients who come in for treatment. The work was carried out by local artist Anthony Turk over a two month period. His recent work at the hospital has seen him transform the corridor leading down to the Children’s Ward (B10/B11) in to an underwater scene.

Anthony Turk, who is renowned for the large ‘Pink Eye’ mural on the explains the themes he created in Paediatric A&E,

“I wanted to create a calm environment that is engaging for the young patients. The waiting area can be a stressful place for patients and their carers as they wait to be called for treatment. So I chose the theme of the silhouettes and based it on holidays and open spaces so when the public see the silhouettes they will think of a time when they were calm and hopefully this will lessen their anxiety.

“At the entrance and nurses station I kept the theme running through with the open spaces and hot air balloons with child friendly characters riding in the balloons, whilst white picket fences surround the garden with daisies and sugar steelers painted in a stylised fashion giving a feeling of a peaceful garden. The Wires aeroplane towing the welcome sign gives a local significance.

“In the treatment cubicles I have created a jungle, with each cubicle having its own animal. The staff can then direct the patients to the zebra cubicle or the elephant cubicle making it less clinical and help to distract the child from their condition for a second or two.”

Amanda Turton, Assistant Matron for Child Health/lead for Children's urgent care commented,

“We wanted to give the area a new look and make it bright, vibrant and engaging. I think the work that Anthony Turk has done is fantastic, it has really changed the unit and the children love it. The pictures on the wall have proved a great distraction technique for the children whilst undergoing treatment. It has been a huge success and all this would not have been made possible without the generosity of the League of Friends who are invaluable.”

A spokesman for the League of Friends said,

“This was one of our most unusual requests, but after seeing Anthony Turk’s recent work on the Children’s Ward we where only to pleased to get involved and provide the funding. He has done a superb job and it really has changed the atmosphere in the Paediatric A&E it is very calm and relaxing and there is so much to see and keep children occupied with. The feedback from the young patients has been excellent and it is donations like this that really make the fundraising worthwhile.”

The League of Friends is an active part of Warrington Hospital and is a voluntary organisation which raises monies from weekly lottery sales and tickets can be purchased in their shop or from their table in Outpatients. They also receive donations and legacies to be used for medical equipment and services for patients within the hospital. The League run a small charity shop situated in the main foyer next to Radio General. The personnel service section of the League mans the Help Desks situated at the main entrance to the hospital and Croft Wing entrance. They also assist in-patients attending church services and supply a refreshment service to patients in A&E. Over the last seven years they have spent £508,566 on the hospital. This year, 2011, they have committed £61,324.00 to equipment and service development including the mural.

If you have some time to give and would like to get involved call the League of Friends Recruitment Officer at Warrington Hospital on 662328.

We’re a very small band of volunteers – only 8 of us – so we need more people to help us visit the wards and make sure the radio headsets are clean and fresh. Have a look at our information stall on Tuesday 7 June 2011 between 12 noon and 4 o’clock. We’ll be standing in the corridor just inside Entrance 2 of Halton Hospital, near to Minor Injuries.

You’ll be able to hear some of our programmes, find out what we do, and get a free Radio Halton pen if you feel like signing up to join our team! You can also have a look at our studio and see where all the music comes from.

If you’re not able to make it that afternoon, please ring Radio Halton on 01928 753417 or email info@radiohalton.org

Find out more about how to join our team, please visit our website at www.radiohalton.org

Volunteering changes lives… it could change yours!

A spokesperson for Warrington and Halton Hospitals Foundation Trust said:

“Once we were informed of the recall of the XL Acetabular System and ASR Hip Resurfacing System we immediately identified the patients that have received these hip replacements at the Trust and have contacted them to arrange appointments.

“We have not used these implants from this manufacturer since January 2010 and these products have only been used in 1% of our patients who have had hip replacements. All patients who have metal on metal joint replacements are seen on an annual basis to ensure that there are no identified ongoing problems.

“We would like to stress to patients that they do not need to contact us, we will be contacting all patients who have had hip replacements using the identified products.”
 

The unit is run by a team of highly qualified nurse practitioners who have experience and expertise in treating minor injuries and provides treatment for less serious injuries, such as sprains, fractures, cuts and grazes.
On arrival at the unit you will be seen by a trained nurse and your condition will be assessed as to whether your condition can be seen in the unit, if the condition cannot or does not need to be seen in Minor Injuries you will be redirected safely to the appropriate health care provider such as a dentist, your GP or A&E. You do not need an appointment to visit the unit. However, the unit is for injuries and is not an alternative to going to your GP for a minor illness.

The Minor Injuries Unit has a paediatric area to treat children for minor injuries, any child with a serious injury or illness should be taken to Warrington Hospital A&E.

The Minor Injuries Unit can treat a wide variety of problems including:

• cuts and grazes
• sprains and strains
• broken bones (fractures)
• bites and stings
• infected wounds
• minor head injuries
• eye problems, such as minor eye infections, scratches or something that is stuck in your eye.

Some of the nurse practitioners are nurse prescribers which enables them to see and treat patients who present with some minor illness. This can include simple urinary tract infections in women, skin infections, ear and throat infections and emergency contraception.

Conditions that Minor Injury Units cannot treat include:

• chest pain
•  respiratory problems
• abdominal pain
• gynecological problems
• pregnancy problems
• drug overdose
• alcohol related problems
• mental health problems
• dental problems
• health conditions that would normally be treated by your GP or hospital.

The Minor Injuries Unit is located at Entrance 2 of Halton General Hospital. This is at the rear of the hospital site near the main car park areas.

•  By car - If coming via Hospital Way by car, turn right as you reach the Brooker Centre before the main entrance. Follow this road and you will see Entrance 2 to the left and the unit entrance and reception is just through the doors.
• By bus - If arriving by bus at the main entrance, keep walking through the main hospital corridor and then take the stairs or lift down to Entrance 2.

The unit is open from 9am to 10 pm every day of the week. The department cannot offer advice over the phone and if you require advice from a trained nurse by phone you should call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
 

Consultants at Warrington Hospital are urging people across Warrington to look out for the early warning signs and symptoms of a stroke; the UK’s third most common cause of death.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust sees on average over 600 patients a year suffering from a stroke or a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack). The acute Stroke Unit at Warrington Hospital works to meet the growing need for stroke care and provide some of the best possible care and rehabilitation in the region but prevention still remains better than the cure.

“Most people affected by a stroke are over 65 but a stroke can affect anyone of any age so it’s essential we all know what to do if someone is having a stroke and how we can prevent one,” explains lead stroke consultant, Dr Otaiku. “We advise our patients that the best ways to reduce their risk is to enjoy a balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables, regularly do some exercise which can be as simple as going for a walk or cleaning around the house and keeping alcohol intake to a minimum. These are very simple things that we are all aware of but probably don’t do enough of.”

“Many people are still not aware that despite strokes being the UK’s third biggest cause of death, we can prevent further risk and manage a patient’s recovery better if the right action is taken quickly,” Dr Otaiku continues. “Survival and successful recovery are greatly improved if the symptoms are recognised and immediate medical attention is given.”

A stroke is the brain's version of a heart attack. It happens when the blood and oxygen supply to the brain is disrupted. Most strokes occur when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain but some strokes are caused by bleeding in or around the brain from a burst blood vessel.

This causes sudden symptoms such as loss of vision, leg and arm weakness and slurring of speech. If you have any of these symptoms you should dial 999 or go straight to A&E.

Dr Otaiku explains,

“A TIA is a mini-stroke when symptoms are less than 24 hours, however a full blown stroke occurs when the symptoms last longer than 24 hours, our aim is to get everyone to hospital for immediate assessment and treatment quickly.

“And if the person is seen within 3 hours of onset of symptoms a clot-bursting injection could be given to limit the damage from symptoms of stroke. If you have a TIA or stroke symptoms you should attend A&E, your GP surgery has been told that anyone presenting with such symptoms should call 999 for immediate assessment and treatment.”

Raising public awareness is paramount and the Stroke Association’s FAST tool is a very effective tool used to help recognise the symptoms associated with strokes:

F – Facial weakness
A – Arm weakness
S – Speech problems
T – Time

Time is an important factor in the diagnosis and treatment of strokes so it is vital that people call 999 without delay.

The Stroke Association will be available to answer any questions you might have on Tuesday 10 May in the Main Entrance of Warrington Hospital from 1.00-3.00pm.

Jane Guy, Family and Carer Support Coordinator - Warrington said: “We hope that this event will help to raise local people’s awareness of the symptoms of a stroke, as well as the services available locally to support those who have suffered a stroke. By using the FAST test, people can identify the signs of a stroke and respond to them – a stroke is a medical emergency, but by acting quickly to ensure early treatment, further damage to the brain can be prevented, meaning a better chance of a full recovery.”

For more general information about strokes, please visit www.stroke.org.uk

It is part of a new initiative launched by A&E Sister Ann Bebbington and will be delivered by a team of Emergency Care staff volunteering their off-duty time to visit the primary schools. The talk will centre on visiting an A&E and what the children can expect if they where to find themselves coming in to the department as a patient or accompanying a relative.

The children will have the opportunity to talk about their experiences of hospital and Accident and Emergency. They will also be shown different types of equipment that they might encounter in the department and what it is used for. The session will then finish with a practical demonstration in basic first aid with bandages.

Sister Ann Bebbington explains,

“It is important that children have an understanding of what to expect on coming in to an Accident and Emergency Department and the different types of equipment that might be used on them.

“I think it is important in alleviating the fears about hospitals by going to the primary schools and talking to the different year groups about Emergency Care and to educate them about basic first aid.

“The team is looking forward to visiting the primary schools in Warrington to talk about our work and the department here at Warrington.”

The initiative was launched on Monday 18 April at Stockton Heath Primary School with the Reception Class. The talk was trialed at Cinnamon Brow Primary School last year and the team is looking to develop it for delivery at high schools in the area later this year. All primary schools in the borough have been sent a letter inviting them to take part.
 

The team will be on hand to answer any queries about maternity services at Warrington, pregnancy and also how to become a midwife. There will be stands on the different role of the midwife, alcohol and drug addictions, teenage pregnancy, giving up smoking, supporting parents in miscarriage, stillbirth and other pregnancy related loss, the Antenatal Day Unit – what it is and when to use it, aromatherapy, home deliveries and natural birth and breastfeeding/Bosom Buddies. If any of these topics interest you then we look forward to seeing you between 10.00am and 4.00pm on Thursday 5 May in the Main Entrance, there will also be a breastfeeding and Bosom Buddies promotional stand in the Antenatal Day Unit situated in Croft Wing at the rear of Warrington Hospital.

Mel Hudson, Head of Midwifery, said,

“We are there for women when they are at their most vulnerable and they depend on us to nurture, support and care for them and their families at a very special and life changing event. We deliver high standards of care and it is important that we celebrate our profession and how we make a difference.”

The International Confederation of Midwives continue to campaign for progress in reducing harm to mothers and babies through lack of access to skilled maternity care and Thursday 5 May is about raising awareness to the international status of midwifery. There are countries where the midwifery profession is less developed and as often as every minute a woman is unable to survive childbirth. Here in the UK women are guaranteed a highly trained professional through the birth event, which includes from the moment they find out they are pregnant, during the birth and after birth.

If you would like to find out more about midwifery as a career please visit one of the following websites:

www.rcm.org.uk

www.internationalmidwives.org

If you would like to know more about maternity services at Warrington Hospital please click here.

Julie-Ann, 45 from Padgate who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis recently spent time on the Short Stay Ward at Warrington Hospital after a flare up of the rheumatoid arthritis which caused inflammation and severe sciatic leaving her in a great deal of pain. She was so touched by the kindness and caring nature of staff on the Short Stay Ward, in particular one nurse that she wanted to say thank you.

Julie-Ann commented,

“When I came in I was in a great deal of pain and the staff where so lovely and understanding, in particular Staff Nurse Helen Farrelly-Daly. She was a lovely person, so cheerful and just made me so at ease, despite the pain I was suffering.

“I just wanted to say a big thank you to the staff and the hospital who have been fantastic, I can honestly say I have never had a bad experience here and the staff have always been great.”

Julie-Ann is a professional artist working in acrylics and is known for her big bold brush strokes, the painting she has donated to the hospital appeared in her exhibition at the Pyramid in Warrington in November 2009. It is entitled ‘Purple lily in rain’.

Joanne Hazlehurst, Sister on the Short Stay Ward commented,

“We are touched by Julie-Ann’s generosity; the painting she is donating will brighten up the Short Stay Ward. It is always nice to know that a patient has appreciated the care they have received.”

For more information on Julie-Ann and her work: www.julie-annart2.co.uk

Greg has been working at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for over 15 years now based at Halton Hospital working in the community with patients who have acute respiratory illnesses. The role of the Rapid Response Respiratory Team that Greg oversees is to support the patients and keep them out of hospital if possible and if they do come in then to support them in early discharge home again. The team provide chest physiotherapy, oxygen and respiratory drugs to make their life easier at home.

This will be Greg’s second attempt at Everest, three years ago he got within 800 metres of the top, but unfortunately he had to turn back as the weather closed in and made it impossible to complete, with winds of 300 miles per hour. This time he will be taking on the challenge with a climbing friend Ray Smith from South Shields. They anticipate that the trip will take two and a half months starting in Kathmandu in early April.
Greg explains why he wants to climb Everest,

“Ever since I was a young boy I have always wanted to climb Everest and three years ago I came pretty close to it, this time I am determined to complete it. The weather changes in May/June and therefore we have every chance of making it this time round.”

Greg will be raising monies for two charities close to his heart and work; the British Lung Foundation and Motor Neurone Disease Association,

“I see every day what affect respiratory diseases and Motor Neurone Disease has on people’s lives and if I can give something more back to help with research then my climb will be worth it. It will be a personal and professional achievement.”

To donate to Greg’s worthy causes please log on to:

http://www.justgiving.com/Gregory-Roberts-Everest for the British Lung Foundation
http://www.justgiving.com/Greg-Roberts-EverestMND for Motor Neurone’s Disease

Also log on to either Just Giving page from April – June to find out how Greg and Ray are progressing.

Ava was born at Warrington Hospital on 16 February 2009, 3 weeks early and spent the first couple of days of her life on the neonatal unit. The fundraising idea for the neonatal unit came when Lee, 33 a Building Surveyor on the Estates Capital Projects for the Trust decided to lose weight. His friend Mark, 50 from Runcorn suggested the challenge of taking part in the Nantwich Triathlon.

Lee explains,

“I wanted to lose weight and when Mark suggested a triathlon, I wanted to do it for a cause and what better cause than the neonatal unit at Warrington Hospital, who without my daughter Ava would not be the thriving little girl that she is today. So it is my way of saying thank you to them.”

Kelly, 35 from Widnes is the only girl in the team is a Purchasing Team Leader for the Trust explains why she decided to get involved,

“I work with Gemma, Lee’s wife and when I heard about it, I thought it was such a worthwhile cause with the added bonus of the challenge. I enjoy running and cycling, but never thought of combining them. It is going to be hard, but worth it.”

Mark’s company Keelagher Okey and Klein are a Warrington based consultancy firm who have sponsored all three entries and are supporting the team in their fundraising.

The neonatal unit cares for more than 400 babies every year and is equipped with three intensive care cots and a total of 18 spaces for a mix of high dependency and special care babies. There is also a breastfeeding room just off the unit to allow mothers quiet time to feed their babies. There is also a dedicated rest room for parents to spend time away from the unit; visiting time is unrestricted for parents allowing them to spend valuable time bonding with their newborns.

To make a donation: http://www.justgiving.com/lee-bushell

Mary, 60 from Dallam started her nursing career as a cadet at the age of 16 in September 1967, before qualifying in1969 and taking her first post on the Children’s Ward. Where she affectionately became known as ‘Nurse Jelly on a Plate’ by the young patients she entertained with her singing and dancing on the ward.

She spent some time at Newton Cottage (now Newton Community Hospital) as a Night Sister, before coming back to Warrington Hospital in June 1986 as a Theatre Reception and Recovery Nurse. At that time, she had to give up her title as a Sister as she came back part time and in those days you could not have part time Sisters.

Mary’s next move and final one was to Endoscopy in 1993 before going back to full time in 1995, when she went to cover a maternity leave and enjoyed it so much that she stayed. During her time on the old Endoscopy Unit in Appleton Wing Mary took part in the BBC Horizon’s programme with the now retired Dr Linaker, who set up the unit. They appeared on the national news talking about Endoscopy.

Mary comments on her time at Warrington Hospital,

“I have loved every minute of it, I will take with me so many treasured memories of my time here and the staff I have been fortunate enough to work with and the patients that I have cared for. I can say that I have truly enjoyed my vocation and I will miss it so much, but I want to spend time with my loving husband, two daughters and my two grandsons. “

Mary recalls with fondness her first Nursing Sisters, who took her under their wing and looked after her,

“When I first started my training Ms. Parker and Ms. Wells where two Sisters that I really looked up to and respected, they looked after me. I lost my mum when I was 11 and it was just my dad and two brothers at home and I had always looked after them. As a nurse in training you were supposed to live in the nursing home, but they allowed me to live out at home in Dallam as it was within walking distance of the hospital.
“I will always remember them for their kindness they showed me, now don’t get me wrong they were firm, disciplined, but very fair.”

Looking back at the Consultants that she has worked with over the years, she pays tribute to the most recent still working at the hospital today,

“There are so many people that I have enjoyed working alongside, I have been truly blessed by having worked with some of the best, in particular, Mr Copeland, Mr Taylor, Dr Ramakrishnan, Dr Tan and Dr Khalid.

“At my 60th birthday party at the beginning of March I was delighted to see Dr Clayton who I had worked alongside in 1968, he will be 80 in November and he came to wish me well. That was truly special.”
 

Their latest donation worth £4,000 has provided eight new oximeters and a breast pump to be used on B11, the Children’s Ward situated in Burtonwood Wing. The oximeters will be used to monitor the patient’s heart rate and saturation levels (the level of oxygen in the blood). These are specially designed for children.

The purchase of a breast pump is to allow mothers to express milk for their very young children who are patients on the ward. The electric breast pump will make it easier for them to express in hospital.

Sue Stewart, Children’s Ward Manager commented,

“We are indebted to the League of Friends for their generosity, which has allowed us to purchase additional specialised equipment that is not been able to afford within our budget. Their charitable work and donations are the lifeblood of this hospital and we would like to thank them for coming to our aid once again.”

A spokesman for the League of Friends said,

“When the Children’s Ward approached us about helping them to fund new and up to date technology to aid them in the care of sick children, we more than happy to oblige. The League works tirelessly to make money to buy equipment for the hospital and is staffed completely by volunteers who receive no payment at all.”

The League of Friends is an active part of Warrington Hospital and is a voluntary organisation which raises monies from weekly lottery sales and tickets can be purchased in their shop or from their table in Outpatients. They also receive donations and legacies to be used for medical equipment and services for patients within the hospital. The League run a small charity shop situated in the main foyer next to Radio General. The personnel service section of the League mans the Help Desks situated at the main entrance to the hospital and Croft Wing entrance. They also assist in-patients attending church services and supply a refreshment service to patients in A&E.

If you have some time to give and would like to get involved call the League of Friends Recruitment Officer at Warrington Hospital on 662328.
 

The books will be a selection of children’s books worth £500 and children on the ward will be able to take them home when discharged the end of their treatment. Richie Myler, the current children’s ward player ambassador from the Warrington Wolves, handed out the books to young patients on the ward.

The Book People regularly donate a percentage of their sales of books at the hospital to the hospital’s charitable fund, which is invested back into equipment for patient care.

Joy Randall from The Book People explains the donation, “As our name suggests, here at The Book People we just love books, so I was delighted to be able to donate some brilliant books to Warrington Hospital for the children staying there to enjoy. Hopefully having some great books to read will make their time in hospital a bit more fun!”

Richie Myler added, “It’s been my pleasure to hand out some of these books to the kids on the ward on behalf of the club and the book people. As the player ambassador I get to see the children and how important books and games are to them to keep them occupied while they get their treatment from the staff. We’re delighted to be able to help out.”

Jane Scott, Children’s Matron commented, “This is a lovely gesture from both The Book People and Warrington Wolves and we appreciate their generosity. The children I am sure will enjoy reading their books on the ward and taking them home with them as a keepsake.”
 

The revised Operating Framework for 2010-2011 made it clear that NHS organisations are expected to:-

eliminate mixed-sex accommodation, except where it is in the overall best interest of the patient, or reflects their personal choice.

We have the necessary facilities, resources and culture to ensure that patients who are admitted to our hospitals will only share the room where they sleep with members of the same sex, and same-sex toilets and bathrooms will be close to their bed area.

Sharing with members of the opposite sex will only happen when clinically necessary, for example where patients need specialist equipment such as in Intensive Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit and Acute Stroke beds, or when patients actively choose to share.

If our care should fall short of the required standard, we will report it. We will also set up an audit mechanism to make sure that we do not misclassify any of our reports. We will publish the results of that audit.

What to do if you think you are in mixed sex accommodation?

If you have questions or concerns, speak to the ward or department manager or ask to speak to the Matron.

Michele Lord, Quality Improvement Matron is the lead for Delivering Same Sex Accommodation and can be contacted on 01925 662904

For more information on how the Trust is Delivering Same Sex Accommodation please take a look at theimprovement plan

The 15-22 mile walk will kick start their campaign to raise £50,000 for a new IOL Master machine and an additional Endothelial Count machine to be used in the Ophthalmic Department in Kendrick Wing at Warrington Hospital. The new machines will be used for patients attending Cataract Surgery pre-operative assessments. The IOL Master machine allows the Ophthalmology Department to measure the lens power for cataract surgery, whilst the Endothelial Count machine determines the best way to do the operation. On average, the clinic assesses 12 patients daily and the additional equipment will shorten the length of an appointment, which can take up to 3 hours at present and will allow for more patients to be seen.

Juliat Burns, Ophthalmic Department Manager explains why the additional equipment is needed:

“The additional machines would provide us with more flexibility in assessing patients and allow us to see more patients in one clinic. At present, we are limited to 12 patients per session due to the time it takes to assess them on the current equipment and sometimes our patients can be with us for up to three hours.

“We want to provide a quick and efficient service for our patients and this additional equipment will allow us to improve our service for the Warrington and Halton public.”

The department will be planning further events throughout the year to work towards their total.

To make a donation please log on to: www.justgiving.com/Juliat-Burns

Dr Asangaedem Akpan will spend a year in the USA at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Cambridge, Massachusetts, developing skills in healthcare quality improvement techniques. On returning, he will put his learning into practice to drive improvements at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as well as at a national level.

Each fellow will be working on their own area of interest to improve healthcare quality. Dr Akpan will work on developing systems and techniques to reduce the adverse effects associated with the taking of multiple medications by older adults.

Dr Akpan said, ‘This is a great opportunity for me to bring back knowledge and skills to share with colleagues in both my base hospital and local health area to continuously improve the quality of care we all deliver within the finite resources available.’

Jo Bibby, Director of Improvement Programmes at the Health Foundation said, ‘We are delighted to be supporting four such talented professionals. Our previous Quality Improvement Fellows are beginning to make real changes to the quality of care in the UK. We are confident that this year’s fellows will follow in their footsteps.’

Each year, the Health Foundation’s Quality Improvement Fellows take up their places in July for approximately a year, relocating to the US for the duration of their tenure. These individuals must be senior NHS leaders who are clinically qualified and have a track record of achievement in quality improvement, and the motivation to become quality improvement champions within the UK.

The aim is that on their return, fellows will integrate their learning into processes and procedures at their employing organisation in order to really impact on service improvement and promote quality improvement nationally.

The Health Foundation Quality Improvement Fellowships will be open for application for the 2012 cohort on 4 July 2011.

For further information about the Quality Improvement Fellowships visit the Health Foundation website www.health.org.uk/qifs

The Trust’s Food and Health Team and the Stroke Association will be promoting Salt Awareness on Tuesday 29 March at Warrington Hospital’s Main Entrance from 2.30-3.30pm. So pop along and find out more and also get your blood pressure checked. The Food and Health Team also run weight drop in clinics on Mondays at Garven Place between 5pm-6.45pm and Tuesday 10am-12noon at The Halliwell Jones Stadium, home to Warrington Wolves, if you are concerned with your weight or any aspect of your diet. Appointments are not necessary.

This year's National Salt Awareness Week is about raising awareness about the health risks of a high salt diet, particularly amongst men who have a higher risk than women of suffering or dying from preventable diseases such as cardiovascular disease before the age of 65. The topic of Salt and Men’s Health’ was identified as a result of UK research which showed that more men prematurely die of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than women. CVD accounts for 29% preventable deaths in men (compared to 21% in women). The research shows that men eat more salt than women and on average have a higher blood pressure than women, particularly at a younger age, and are less likely to have their blood pressure measured, to take action to reduce it when it is raised or to take blood pressure lowering drugs.

By reducing your salt intake you will reduce incidences of cardiovascular disease which could save your life. Currently the average salt intake in the UK is 8.6g per day; much higher than the daily recommended maximum intake of 6g! So it is important to act now and look at how much salt you are actually eating.

The week is about encouraging you to think about how much salt you are eating, to check labels when shopping and to make more of your own food at home. Too much salt causes our body to retain water which increases your blood pressure. High blood pressure is defined as over 140/90 mmHg.

High blood pressure leads to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is the biggest cause of death in the UK through the strokes and heart attacks it causes. Reducing salt intake by 1g per day is predicted to save 6,000 lives each year in the UK and reducing salt to the recommended level of 6g is predicted to save 17,500 lives.

But a diet that is high in salt can cause raised blood pressure, which around one third of adults in the UK already have.

High blood pressure often has no symptoms. But if you have it, you are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke. Cutting down on salt reduces blood pressure, which means that your risk of developing stroke or heart disease is reduced.

Jane Guy, from the Stroke Association supports National Salt Awareness Week in prevention of stroke,

“By reducing our salt intake is one of the easiest things we can to do to help prevent stroke. High blood pressure is the single biggest risk factor for stroke and there is evidence to suggest a high intake of salt can aggravate high blood pressure. Reducing salt intake is simply done: beware of the salt content in every day foods and opt for low salt alternatives"

A high salt diet has also been linked to stomach cancer, osteoporosis, kidney disease, obesity and bloating/water retention. CVD, kidney disease and stomach cancer are particular problems for men and that is the reason why National Salt Awareness Week is focussing on them this year.

CVD includes strokes, heart attacks and heart failure. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off which causes a break in the brain’s oxygen supply. Heart attacks and heart failure occur when the heart’s blood supply is reduced or blocked. Too much salt causes high blood pressure which is responsible for many incidences of these conditions.

Stomach Cancer is often caused by an infection of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Salt, particularly in high concentrations, damages the delicate lining of the stomach. This makes it more vulnerable to infections of this bacterium.

Kidney Stones are made up of calcium. Salt increases the amount of calcium in the urine and therefore can increase the risk of kidney stones. Reducing salt intake has been shown to reduce the reoccurrence of kidney stones.

You don't have to add salt to food to be eating too much: 75% of the salt we eat is already in food when we buy it.

Jayne Russell, from the Trust’s Food and Health Team comments,

“Despite many efforts, people are still eating far too much salt and it is extremely important that we try and cut down. Reducing salt intake doesn’t have to be difficult, with simple changes such as; reading the labels of foods; choosing lower salt ingredients; and not adding salt during cooking or at the table all making a real difference to our health.”

If you are unable to pop in and see us at the Drop In clinics then call us 01925 662255.

Top tips

• Sodium is only a part of salt. If you find sodium on a label you will need to multiply the figure by 2.5 to get salt
• Did you know that most of the salt you eat (75%) is hidden in processed foods? Check labels of products such as bread, cereal, soup, sauces and meat products and choose lower salt options
• Don’t add salt when cooking or at the table; although foods may taste bland at first it will only take a couple of weeks for you to adjust
• Adults should be active for 30 minutes five times a week; try getting off the bus or train s top earlier and walking into work
• Have regular blood pressure checks to monitor your progress.
   

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have signed up their 3,900 staff to the 5 Boroughs Partnership campaign to stamp out stigma against people with mental ill health and learning disabilities.

The campaign aims to educate the public about the realities of mental health problems and learning disabilities and to ask them to make a pledge not to use words that can hurt, offend and stigmatise people suffering from these complex and often distressing conditions.

Hospital chief executive Mel Pickup and chairman Allan Massey welcomed 5 Boroughs partnership NHS Foundation Trust chairman Bernard Pilkington to the hospital and publically signed the pledge board.

By signing up to the campaign people can actively show that there is no place for stigma and discrimination in modern society. 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust aims to have got 100,000 local people to sign up to the campaign by the end of the month and to date are on target with over 98,000 people supporting it. The hospitals have joined illustrious names such as Stephen Fry, who has pledged his support.

Mel Pickup said: "We're delighted to show our support for the campaign on behalf of the hospitals and play our part in stamping out stigma. Mental health problems can affect anyone and at the hospitals we work closely with 5 Boroughs Partnsership in many ways in providing hospital care to many people who also have mental health problems as well as physical problems. Our staff are very much committed to stamping out stigma."

You can find out more and sign up to the campaign at www.stampoutstigma.co.uk

Set a date – No Smoking Day was this week and is a good time to stop with millions of other people. Go to www.nosmokingday.org.uk, for more help, information and support or get free local help by calling Warrington Stop Smoking Programme on 01925 843713

The Stop Smoking Programme is now providing:

• Group sessions: Need support, don’t want to go it alone? Small groups of people starting on the programme together with the support and guidance from the advisor.
• One to One: Want individual support?
• Out of hours service: Do you work during the day? Then this is for you, make an appointment to suit you.
• Pharmacy Based Service: Pharmacist advisor and you
• Smoking and Pregnancy Support: Are you pregnant and want to give up? It's the right thing to do and a Smoking Cessation Midwife will advise you.

  ---

Other advice and key facts

1. Replacement Therapy support - Your pharmacist or GP can also help you deal with nicotine withdrawal by talking to you about the proven treatments, such as,

• Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
• Bupropion (Zyban)
• Varcenicline (Champix ®)

2. Tell your friends and family – support is the key to succeeding

3. Reasons - Make a list of the reasons why you want to stop smoking:

• For better health
• For more money
• For more energy
• To prevent premature ageing
• For whiter teeth
• For lower stress levels
• For an improved sense of taste and smell
• For the sake of your family and friends

4. Know what to expect – most people will find it very difficult to stop smoking but it does quickly start to get better. Cracking the firs tday without a cigarette can be the key for some people. Then after just a few days your energy levels will increase and other benefits you will feel once you stop include:

• After 20 minutes your blood pressure and pulse will return to normal
• After 24 hours carbon monoxide will be eliminated from your body
• After 48 hours your senses of taste and smell are greatly improved
• After 72 hours your breathing becomes easier and your energy levels will increase
• Between 3-9months any coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve.

5. Reward yourself - The financial benefits of stopping soon add up.

• 1 day: £6.30 = a movie rental or a few magazines
• 1 week: £44.10 = facial, a cheap flight or DVDs, paintballing, a day at the races
• 1 month: £189 = a shopping spree or premiership football tickets
• 3 months: £567 = holiday or a new laptop, flat screen TV
• 6 months: £1,134 = football season ticket, a family holiday or a home cinema, top of the range bicycle
• 1 year: £2,299 = a new kitchen, a second hand car or a luxury leather suite

Please note that these figures are based on a 20-a-day smoker paying £6.30 per packet of 20 cigarettes.

Some final tips to help you on your way

• Find a buddy who's also going to stop smoking - it's easier if you've got a friend
• Throw away ashtrays, lighters and cigarettes - you are no longer a smoker
• Patches and nicotine gum are a great way to stop the cravings - and available on prescription from your doctor.
• Avoid anyone who isn't supporting your quit attempt
• Get out for a walk every time you feel tempted to smoke
• Join a gym and enjoy a healthy new you
• Fill the fridge with healthy, low calorie snacks like carrot sticks and celery so if you're tempted to eat rather than smoke you won't pile on the pounds.

Warrington Stop Smoking Programme - 01925 843713

Across Warrington and Halton, the Trust sees over 1,000 new patients a year with vascular disease. So what is vascular disease? Vascular disease is a general term used to describe the problems and conditions that can occur with an individual's circulation, and does not include the heart.

The focus of the awareness week is PAD, also known as PVD (peripheral vascular disease) and it is strongly associated with diabetes and heart disease and is one of the fastest-growing diseases of our time.

Karen O’Rourke, Vascular Nurse Specialist for the Trust explained,

“One of the first signs of peripheral artery disease is an ache or cramp in your leg muscles when you walk. The most common site for this to occur is the calf but can also be felt in the thigh or buttock muscles. This is called intermittent claudication and is caused by ‘furring up of the arteries’, causing a reduction in the flow of arterial blood. Intermittent claudication in itself is not life threatening but will increase your chance of having a heart attack or stroke. If you experience such pains, we would advise you to go to your GP in the first instant.”

Peripheral vascular disease occurs when the main arteries taking blood to the legs become blocked, causing pain when walking. If left untreated, vascular disease can lead to the need for bypass surgery, angioplasty or stents, and in severe cases can lead to amputation. It can also be an indication of serious disease elsewhere in the body.

PAD may be the first warning sign of atherosclerosis, which are chronic fatty deposit build-ups throughout your arteries. The whole circulatory system, including your heart and brain, are at risk when arteries are blocked and narrowed. Fatty deposits also increase the risk for vascular inflammation and blood clots that can block the blood supply and cause tissue death. PAD is a life-threatening condition that can be managed or even reversed with proper care.

The exact cause of is unknown, but several risk factors linked to vascular disease are:

• being male
• family history of vascular disease, angina, heart attacks or stroke
• high blood pressure
• smoking
• diabetes
• being overweight
•  high cholesterol levels
• an unhealthy diet
• lack of exercise
• stress

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides a full range vascular services for both inpatient and outpatient cases, including surgery, procedures and clinics. The hospitals can treat patients by a range of procedures including abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid artery disease, varicose veins, and peripheral vascular disease.

Paul Moody, consultant vascular surgeon at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"We want to raise awareness of this disease and highlight to people how they can reduce the risk of developing it. For example, people know that smoking increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease, but many aren't aware they could lose their legs as a consequence of smoking.”

Vascular health problems account for 200,000 deaths in the UK each year, which could potentially have been prevented with routine screening programmes and increased awareness of the risks of vascular disease.
To help ensure that those at risk of PAD and other forms of vascular disease are identified and treated before it is too late, the Circulation Foundation, the charity which organises Vascular Disease Awareness Week, has launched a new risk checker tool on its website www.circulationfoundation.org.uk.

If you have any concerns relating to vascular disease we would advise you to contact your G.P in the first instance.
 

Key Facts about Vascular Disease and Peripheral Vascular Disease

• It’s as common as cancer and heart disease – affecting 4 million people each year in the UK alone and accounting for 200,000 preventable deaths.
• It affects a wide range of people, from those with diabetes to the elderly, or individuals with inherited genetic conditions.
• It is treated both medically and surgically - and through important lifestyle changes like healthy eating, regular exercise and no smoking.
• Peripheral Vascular Disease / Peripheral Arterial Disease are a form of vascular disease that affects the blood vessels in the legs. It occurs when arteries become clogged with a build up of fatty deposits, limiting circulation to areas of the body including the legs, feet and kidneys
• Peripheral arterial disease is one of the most common causes of amputation in England: 10,763 amputations were associated with diabetes or arterial disease in England in 2007/08.
• If left untreated, 75% of people with Peripheral Arterial Disease will die from a sudden heart attack or stroke
• hose with diabetes are two times more likely to develop PAD. Other risk factors include smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a family history of PAD and a genetic predisposition to PAD.

We have a hospital shuttle bus that runs between our two sites seven days a week, except for New Year's Day and takes the stress out of planning your journey and then finding parking and it's FREE. The bus service has wheelchair access.

Where to catch the bus:

Halton:Outside the main entrance on Hospital Way at Halton Hospital

Warrington: Outside the main entrance next to the car park

The journey takes around 25 minutes.

Please be aware that the bus can be busy - particularly at key visiting times, which are 3.00 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.

Shuttle bus timetable

Departs Halton Hospital to Warrington - 6.40, 8.10, 9.10, 10.30, 11.35, 13.10, 14.30, 16.00, 17.10, 18.10 and 19.25.

Departs Warrington Hospital to Halton - 7.40, 8.40, 10.00, 11.00, 12.30, 13.45, 15.30, 16,40, 17.40, 18.40 and 20.30.

We did trial a 7.00am service, which was advertised in the Warrington council's recent 'The Wire' from Warrington Hospital to Halton, but this has now been dropped due to low usage. We apologise for any inconvenience that this might cause.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust gynaecological consultant Nigel Holland is calling for more awareness of the symptoms of endometriosis:

“Despite affecting 2 million women in the UK, awareness about endometriosis is still low. So it is important to make local women aware of the symptoms and possible treatments available to them, which can be successful. Endometriosis is a condition that generally affects women during their reproductive years. Although in most cases patients’ present with only moderate symptoms, in a few cases it can be extremely debilitating. Symptoms can include chronic pain, heavy and painful periods and in some cases infertility.

“There are now a range of treatments that we can use to help women with endometriosis. In the cases where surgery is necessary we do this laparoscopically, using keyhole techniques. This improves recovery time and reduces the time a patient spends in hospital.”

Endometriosis occurs when the womb lining (endometrium) is found growing in the wrong place, on other organs outside the uterus. This tissue responds to the hormone cycle and sheds blood every month with a period. In endometriosis patients this blood has nowhere to escape and remains in the abdominal cavity where it may cause inflammation and pain. This gives rise to scar tissue and adhesions. It is commonly found on the ovaries, womb, fallopian tubes and on ligaments supporting the womb, and between the womb and the bowel and other places in the pelvic area.

Occasionally it is found in other areas of the body, eg. lung, kidney etc. It may also grow on surgical scars or form chocolate cysts* on the ovaries. Small patches of endometriosis can cause more pain than large growths in some women. The stage of endometriosis is not linked to the amount of pain. The disease can also go into remission and disappear for a period of time. The effects of the disease on a woman's life can be serious and far reaching.

Mr Holland reassures women who are worried: “Endometriosis is not a cancer, nor can it be spread because it is not contagious. It is important that anybody experiencing these symptoms discusses any concerns with their GP, who may then refer them on to a consultant at Warrington Hospital for treatment. Fortunately, most women with endometriosis have a mild form of disease and their fertility is not impaired. Once pregnant, most women's endometriosis gets better under the influence of the constant high levels of female hormones produced in pregnancy."

There are a wide range of treatments available. The treatment recommended will be influenced by many things including age, the severity of symptoms, the severity of the endometriosis and whether the patient wishes to have children in the future or not. Advanced laparoscopic surgery can now be carried out if this is clinically appropriate at a specialist endometriosis centre - there are 26 centres around the country.

Symptomatic treatment means treating the symptoms of the disease rather than the disease itself. In endometriosis, this means pain relief which can most effectively be provided by a group of medicines called the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Medical treatment of endometriosis aims to stop the fluctuations in the woman's own hormone levels in an effort to remove the stimulation for growth of the endometriosis. Although medical treatment is usually successful in alleviating symptoms, relapses may occur after treatment has stopped. Surgical treatment is then often appropriate and can include keyhole surgery (laparoscopic surgery) to remove or destroy endometriosis or open surgery to remove ovarian cysts. In some cases the definitive management may be to remove the ovaries or a hysterectomy may be suggested if the main symptoms are heavy and painful symptoms and the woman's family is complete.

Endometriosis is a condition that cannot always be cured although the symptoms can usually be sufficiently relieved to allow the woman to pursue a normal life. Symptoms will go away at the time of the menopause.

For more information about the condition, go to www.endometriosis-uk.org or talk to your GP.

*Chocolate cysts are caused by endometriosis when a tiny patch of endometrial tissue (the mucous membrane that makes up the inner layer of the uterine wall) bleeds, sloughs off, becomes transplanted, and grows and enlarges inside the ovaries. As the blood builds up over months and years, it turns brown. When it ruptures, the material spills over into the pelvis and onto the surface of the uterus, bladder, bowel, and the corresponding spaces between.

You can contact the hospital communications team on 01925 662 873 or 01925 275 249 for further media information on this topic or to arrange to speak with Mr Holland for more information.

Astech Projects, a robot automation company based on Manor Park recently ran a competition at an exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham for customers to win the robot dinosaur. The winner Alan Wilson of Pirelli Tyres in Carlisle and he asked for it to be donated to deserving children.

The large children’s robot dinosaur toy has been making himself at home on the Children’s Ward at Warrington Hospital getting to know the patients.

Photo: John Roberts, Business Development Manager at Astech Projects introducing ‘Dino’ to Claire Higgins and her daughters Billie and Millie Watmough.

By monitoring persistent and frequent symptoms this can lead to early detection and treatment. So it is important if any woman is experiencing any of the following symptoms on most days that they seek medical advice from their GP.

Symptoms include:

• Persistent pelvic/stomach pain
• Increased stomach size
• Persistent bloating
• Difficulty eating
• Feeling full quickly.

Other less common symptoms include; urinary symptoms, changes in bowel habits, excessive tiredness and back pain.

Women should also tell their GP if there are two or more cases of ovarian or breast cancer in their close family, as ovarian cancer can sometimes run in families. If women have already visited their GP and the symptoms continue or get worse, it is important to go back to their GP and explain this.

Nigel Holland, Gynaecological Consultant at the Trust explains why it is important to know the symptoms,

"If ovarian cancer is diagnosed at an early stage the outcome is good. However, because some of the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be vague and similar to those of more common conditions, it can be difficult to diagnose. Most women are not diagnosed until the disease has spread. It's important to know about the symptoms, so that advice can be sought as early as possible. Early diagnosis can save lives."

Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer in women but the average GP sees only one case of ovarian cancer every five years. The risk of ovarian cancer increases with age, particularly after the menopause. Cervical screening tests (smear tests) do not help to detect ovarian cancer.

Cancer of the ovary affects around 7,000 women a year in the UK. Knowing the signs could help women seek advice early, when treatment is more likely to be effective.
Remember, ovarian cancer is uncommon and early diagnosis and can save lives.

For further information visit www.ovarian.org.uk.

You can contact the hospital communications team on 01925 662 873 or 01925 275 249 for further media information on this topic.
 

Staff and members of their families donned charity t-shirts and shook buckets pre-match and at half time, before taking to the stands to watch Warrington beat Hull Kingston Rovers.

The final total raised from the event was £314.27.

The fund plays a key role in supporting hospital staff develop services and helps buy equipment and facilities that normal NHS budgets cannot always cover. We need your help to raise funds that benefit the people of Warrington, Runcorn and Widnes.

The fund manages donations that are made by patients and the public to the hospitals. It benefits patients and staff by purchasing equipment or services that cannot usually be provided from NHS funds. Funds are directed to patient and staff benefit as soon as is potentially possible and doctors, nurses and other teams can bid to the charity for funding.

Your donations go directly to the fund. Donations and instructions can also be given by post. Payments should be made to Warrington and Halton Hospitals Charitable Fund and sent to:

Warrington and Halton Hospitals Charitable Fund
Co/ Finance Department
Kendrick Wing
Warrington Hospital
WA5 1QG

For more information email charity@whh.nhs.uk or contact the Trust’s communications team on 01925 275249.
 

Vascular services are a key part of the emergency services provided at Warrington and Halton hospitals and an area of expertise that the trust has a good record and excellent clinical outcomes in. They include surgical and radiological treatment for people with major bleeds like abdominal aortic aneurysms which require major, often life saving, surgery, strokes and those needing stroke preventing surgery and other vascular problems such as poor blood supply to the feet and legs.

A review of services across Cheshire and Merseyside is taking place that will reduce the number of centres providing the complex and emergency surgical services in the future. The review is focusing on patient outcomes and safety which is entirely the right approach. The hospitals believe that the existing service already in place meets the criteria to be such a centre in the future the high quality service provided should continue.

A consultation led by NHS Knowsley on behalf of the Cheshire and Merseyside Primary Care Trusts is now underway as part of the review and the hospitals are encouraging members of the public to express your views and ensure that a vascular centre based around the services at Warrington and Halton Hospitals and its partner hospitals is secured.

• You can read our four key reasons why Warrington and Halton Hospitals should be a Vascular Centre and you should support our work here

Members of the public are being asked to complete the survey on the consultation on services by February 18th and make it clear they want Warrington and Halton Hospitals to be a centre to provide these services in the future and that local access to services is important to you. The survey can be found at www.surveymonkey.com/s/CMVSR-public - stating that you feel our local service should be one of the future centres and that local access should rank highly.

Gordon Ramsden, medical director at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"We want to ensure Warrington and Halton Hospitals is named as one of the centres that will provide this service in the future. We believe that if patient safety and local access are priorities then expert staff and good outcomes, which we already demonstrate, are a given. It is important that local people make their support known as part of this review.

"We are perfectly located to provide access to high quality services to the population of parts of Cheshire and east Merseyside and have developed plans in partnership with Whiston Hospital and are in discussion with Leighton Hospital in Crewe - with us being the centre which will provide the emergency vascular service for patients from these areas.

"Many of our clinical outcomes for these services are better than the national average. In January this year alone, 11 limbs were saved from potential amputation due to successful vascular surgery intervention by our team and our stroke prevention surgery results audited nationally show that our results are much better than the national average, emergency surgery results for ruptured aortic aneurysm are also already above the national averages and provide a lifeline for those patients who suffer a massive haemorrhage. Vascular care also supports many other services such as stroke, trauma & orthopaedics and other hospital care that we provide."

You can find more on the review and links to the consultation and survey at www.warringtonandhaltonhospitals.nhs.uk/vascular

For further media information on this story please contact chris.horner@whh.nhs.uk

Tinnitus is the name given to the condition of noises ‘in the ears’ and/or ‘in the head’ with no external source. Tinnitus noises are described variously as ringing, whistling, buzzing and humming.

The noise/s may be heard in one ear, both ears or in the middle of the head or it may be difficult to pinpoint its exact location. The noise may be low, medium or high-pitched. There may be a single noise or two or more components. The noise may be continuous or it may come and go.

Tinnitus is not a disease or an illness, it is a symptom generated within a person’s own auditory pathways. Although it is often assumed that tinnitus occurs as a result of disease of the ears, this is often not the cause. The precise cause of tinnitus is still not fully understood but is usually associated with some hearing deficits.

Experiences of tinnitus are very common in all age groups, especially following exposure to loud noise; however, it is unusual for it to be a major problem. There is a widely held misconception that tinnitus is confined to the elderly, but various studies have shown that it can occur at any age, even quite young children.

If you think you have tinnitus, go and see your GP, who may refer you to an Ear Nose and Throat Specialist, who will take a full medical history and provide a thorough examination. Based on this, medical conditions related to the tinnitus can be confirmed or ruled out, thereby providing a basis for more specific tinnitus management.

The Audiology Department at Warrington and Halton Hospitals treat patients for tinnitus who are referred by Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists.

They use hearing assessments and tinnitus questionnaires to determine an individual’s difficulties in coping with tinnitus. For tinnitus management it must be realised that every patient is individual, and that it is very difficult to set out hard and fast rules, as each patient will respond differently to tinnitus management procedures.

Depending on the results of the assessments and questionnaires, they then create a treatment plan, including:

• a full explanation of the hearing system and mechanisms of tinnitus
• hearing aid or white noise generator if appropriate
• sound enrichment therapy
• counselling on lifestyle (diet, exercise, smoking)
• relaxation techniques
• advice on sleep
• For more information log on to The British Tinnitus Association website: www.tinnitus.org.uk

There will be a display stand with a member of the team at Halton Hospital on Thursday 9 February to answer any questions you might have concerning tinnitus.

Please bear with us whilst our improvement works continue to our maternity services and we apologise for any inconvenience caused during this time. As part of these improvement works, the maternity ward moved to a newly refurbished ward in November 2010, bringing all our services together on one floor. The new ward C23 is down the corridor from the Labour ward and opposite the neonatal unit and hosts 30 beds.

If any expectant women have any concerns regarding the work please contact either your Community Midwife on (01925) 662092 or telephone the Labour Ward on (01925) 662394.
 

The new visiting hours will be:

Partners and children will be from 10:30am – 10:00pm.

Family and friends (children must be over 12 years of age), with a maximum of 5 per bed will be:

Afternoon: 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Evening: 6:30pm – 7:30pm

If you have any queries please contact the maternity ward C23 on (01925) 662258 or 662088.
 

The team are supporting National Obesity Week (17-30 January) which aims to encourage you to find out what you weigh. According to the National Obesity Forum (NOF), research shows that nearly half of adults have an inaccurate picture of their own weight. The week is about raising awareness of how being overweight can affect people’s health and is promoting healthier lifestyles.

Losing weight is not necessarily to just reduce your growing waist size but also helps you live a healthy and a happy life. To achieve this it is important to eat balanced healthy food i.e. avoid eating food that are rich in fats and calories.

Along with healthy eating if you take up some physical exercise you will not only lose weight but will have a healthy toned up body. A well and healthy body helps you face challenges of life with more energy, enjoyment and contentment. The Trust’s team will provide advice and guidance on how you can achieve your goals with continued support along the way.

So what are you weighting for? Drop in and see us on Mondays at Garven Place between 5pm-6.45pm or on Tuesdays 10.00 – 12noon at The Halliwell Jones Stadium, home to Warrington Wolves. Appointments are not necessary. The service offers various options to suit individual needs and the team will be happy to discuss them with you and see which ones suit. All courses and the Drop In clinics are FREE.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PROGRAMME is an 8 week programme designed to help you to lose weight by changing your lifestyle. The Healthy Weight Programme is based on evidence based information, which shows that the best way to lose weight is by eating a healthy balanced diet and being more physically active.

Each session will provide information and support through behaviour change on healthy eating, being more active and keeping motivated. After the 8 week course there is follow up for 12 months which includes a drop-in clinic.

We can also offer one to one sessions for 4 weeks to support individuals if the groups are not suitable.

COOK HEALTHY, EAT WELL (CHEW) is a 4 week course designed to help you to ‘Cook Healthy and Eat Well.’ Each session offers information and support on healthy eating by providing the opportunity to learn how to make some basic, tasty, cost effective recipes. Different recipes will be prepared and cooked each week.

We look forward to seeing you, if you would like more information or can’t make the drop-in sessions call us 662255.
 

Flu Questions and Answers

Is the swine flu pandemic back?

Swine flu or the H1N1 virus, which sparked a pandemic last year, never really went away. Influenza is a largely seasonal phenomenon, with peaks every winter and very low background levels at other times. Flu pandemics are the exception, and as last year showed, they can begin in any season.

The swine flu pandemic is over. The term "pandemic" is used to describe a world wide spread of a new disease. Flu pandemics occur when a new strain of the virus emerges with different characteristics to normal flu. For example, seasonal flu usually occurs in the winter months, but in 2009 swine flu was seen throughout the summer. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the pandemic over in August 2010, when it could be seen that the virus was beginning to behave like seasonal flu.

Is seasonal flu serious?

For most, influenza causes an unpleasant but self-limiting illness which lasts several days. If you got a mild dose of flu last year then you may wonder what all the fuss is about. But for a small minority flu can be serious, even fatal.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of seasonal flu include sudden onset of fever, cough as well as sore throat, aching muscles and joints. The best advice for treating flu in healthy people in the population is to rest, drink plenty of fluids and take pain relievers such as paracetamol.

Who is at risk?

Anyone can get flu, at any age, but for winter 2010/11 the following groups are especially at risk of complications:

• People of any age with chronic heart, lung, metabolic disorders (including severe asthma and diabetes), kidney problems or a lowered immune system due to treatment or disease.
• Pregnant women.
• Everyone aged 65 years and over.
• Those in long stay residential care accommodation where influenza, once introduced, may spread rapidly.

What should I do if think that I have flu?

Although unpleasant, flu is a self-limiting illness and if you have flu it is best to stay at home until well, however, if individuals in at risk groups develop symptoms consistent with flu or if anyone whose symptoms persist or become more severe then we advise they seek medical advice.

In young children under five and particularly infants under one, it is very difficult to distinguish influenza and its complications from other respiratory viral infections and other treatable diseases. Infants should always be reviewed by a health care professional (usually a GP).

If you are suffering from flu you can get advice from NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or www.nhs.uk or visit your GP. For further information on flu go to: http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/SeasonalInfluenza/  

Are people dying because of seasonal influenza?

Sadly, even with a mild flu, seasonal flu kills around 2,000 people in the UK every year and this year swine flu is the most common seasonal flu virus and one of three types currently circulating.

How many people are in critical care beds as a result of flu?

As of Wednesday 5 January, there are 108 people in critical care, who have been confirmed as having the H1N1 virus. The figure for Cumbria and Lancashire is 26; for Greater Manchester 46; and for Cheshire and Merseyside is 35. NHS North West are monitoring this situation and will endeavour to update figures on a weekly basis.

In recent weeks several people have needed specialist emergency treatment due to lung failure, using machines which pump oxygen into the blood outside the body (ECMO). Pregnant women, and those with underlying health conditions are among those most vulnerable to the complications of H1N1.

What other figures are available?

The HPA are reporting the latest national flu data each week. This includes data on the types of flu circulating, levels of severe disease, the age/sex of people affected, the number of people on ECMO, the number of deaths and vaccination uptake data.

What should people do to protect themselves?

Catch it. Bin it. Kill it

It is worth stressing that flu is a vaccine-preventable illness. The HPA has urged people in at-risk groups to get immunised. The seasonal flu vaccine is always trivalent - so it protects against the three most likely circulating strains of flu. This year the vaccine contains antigens against the influenza type A strains H1N1 and H3N2 and against flu B.

Maintaining good cough and hand hygiene, such as covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough and sneeze, disposing of the tissue as soon as possible and cleaning your hands as soon you can are important actions that can help prevent the spread of germs and reduce the risk of transmission.

Basic Hygene Advice

• Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible
• Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully
• Maintain good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water
• Clean hard surfaces (e.g. door handles, computer keyboards and mouse devices, telephones and remote controls) frequently using a normal cleaning product

Who should get a flu jab?

The Seasonal flu vaccine (which includes protection against H1N1) is recommended for those aged 65 with chronic heart, lung, metabolic disorders (including severe asthma and diabetes), kidney problems or a lowered immune system due to treatment or disease

Vaccination is also recommended for pregnant women and those living in long-stay residential care homes or other long stay care facilities where rapid spread is likely to follow introduction of infection and cause high morbidity and mortality (this does not include prisons, young offenders' institutions, or university halls of residence).

Vaccination is also recommended for carers defined as those who are in receipt of a carers allowance, or those who are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill. This should be given on an individual basis at the GPs discretion in the context of other clinical risk groups in their practice. In addition, it is recommended that immunisation be offered to all health care workers involved in the delivery of care and/or support to patients.

Vaccination of frontline Health and Social Care workers is a key infection control measure, both to protect staff and to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to vulnerable patients.

http://www.nhs.uk has a full list of those eligible for a free flu jab.

Useful links

• NHS Choices - http://www.nhs.uk
• Department of Health Winter Watch - http://winterwatch.dh.gov.uk/
• BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12113594
• Health Protection Agency - http://www.hpa.org.uk/

Across the NHS North West area, the number of people in critical care with symptoms of seasonal flu has gone up in the past seven days (to 6th January 2011). There are now 108 people in critical care who have been confirmed as having seasonal flu, the majority of who have underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, asthma and heart-disease. This is up from 74 for the previous week. Early indications are that ambulance calls are up by approximately to 25,646 – an increase of 8.5% on the same week last year. And health leaders and senior doctors have made a fresh appeal to people in local communities for their support as GP, A&E and ambulance teams cope with record numbers of patient with a range of conditions.

Dr Ruth Hussey, North West Director for Public Health said that NHS staff are doing a fantastic job to make sure they use all their facilities flexibly to provide the best possible care in the light of this increase in patients attending services.

Dr Hussey said, “We don’t know at the moment whether the flu season has peaked. We have asked all our hospitals to make sure that they can expand the number of critical care beds and that they can move staff from routine duties to help if necessary.

“What we need more than ever before is the support of local people. I’d like to repeat the request that if you are a normally healthy adult and have a complaint such as a cold, sore throat, upset stomach, back ache and even flu, you can self-treat the symptoms using some basic essentials, such as paracetamol, cough and cold remedies and re-hydration medicines for stomach upsets such as diarrhoea. If we can get as many people as possible to self-treat, this will leave our GPs, community nurses, paramedics, hospital doctors and nurses free to treat those who are seriously ill with flu and other life-threatening conditions.”

Dr Hussey said that the response to the NHS’s Choose Well campaign has been very positive. Choose Well aims to get more people to self-treat for common complaints, to ease pressure on NHS teams – and to make use of more local services such as pharmacies, walk-in-centres, urgent care centres and NHS Direct.

“Sometimes people with a heavy cold think they have the flu. Colds and flu are both caused by viruses. The main difference is that with flu, you have the sudden on-set of a high temperature. Your symptoms should peak within two-to-three days and you should start to feel better within four-to-five days. However, if your symptoms suddenly deteriorate or you are not getting better, telephone your GP for advice”.

A large number of people with long-term health problems who are at risk of complications if they catch seasonal flu have now been vaccinated or have booked to have their flu jab.

There are a number of useful websites with information about how to self-treat for common complaints - including flu - such as www.nhs.uk; www.northwest.nhs.uk/choosewell; and a series of short-films giving advice are available at www.youtube.com/nwnhs
 

Press release issued by NHS North West - figures on flu cases are being published on a weekly basis by NHS North West.

The players, along with Wolfie and the Carnegie Challenge Cup visited patients and staff on the Stroke Ward, Children’s Ward and several of the Appleton Wing wards to wish them a speedy recovery and talk all things rugby league.

Former Children’s Ward Ambassadors Matt King and Lee Briers spent time on a busy Children’s Ward handing out early Christmas gifts, signing autographs and posing for photographs along with the other players.

The Carnegie Challenge Cup also visited the Accident and Emergency Department giving staff and patients an opportunity to have their picture taken with it.

Wendy Turner, Assistant Matron Scheduled Care showed the players around the Appleton Wing Wards commented,

“The players are always well received on the wards and there was a lovely buzz around the hospital after they left yesterday with many patients recalling stories of watching ‘The Wire’ many years ago. I know many of our elderly ladies where very disappointed that they did not turn up in their kit.

“We would like to say a big thank you for taking time out to come and see us at this time of year, it is much appreciated and we look forward to the next visit.”

Wolves Centre Matt King said of the visit: “As professional sports stars we are in a privileged position to be able to go into the hospital and help brighten peoples days, as it can be difficult being in hospital at this time of year, so it is always good to take their mind off things, and give people a more positive outlook!”

The patients that attended are ones with conditions such as cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis, who the Children’s Ward treats regularly throughout the year with various illnesses due to a weakened immune system. The children were treated to a Build-A-Bear Workshop party at Warrington Hospital, where the team from Build-A-Bear Workshop in Golden Square, Warrington came along with the mascot Bearemy to play games and help the children put their hearts and wishes in their bears.

Local companies Chris Barr from Arven, Fiona Bruce & Co LLP, Human Resources at Warrington Hospital, League of Friends, Lookers Vauxhall Warrington, Seddon Homes Limited, Tomlins Bakery and Woolston Car Centre all kindly donated the Christmas bears from the Build-A-Bear Workshop range making the party possible. Build-A-Bear Workshop also donated bears to be used as surprises for children who find themselves admitted to hospital on Christmas Eve.

Jane Scott, Children’s Matron said,

“We can’t thank these companies enough; their generosity has put a big smile on a lot of children’s faces this Christmas. The Build-A-Bear Workshop team put on a great interactive party for our regular patients and the bears are a great present as they are tactile and a lovely present for them to cuddle. They are also perfect for them to bring with them on their trips to our ward.”

Jean Fearns, Chief Workshop Manager, Build-A-Bear Workshop Warrington comments,

“We were delighted to be invited to help bring a few extra smiles to children’s faces this Christmas with the Build-A-Bear Workshop party at the hospital. We hope the children enjoy their new furry friends as much as we loved helping to bring the bears to life with the special Build-A-Bear Workshop party.”
 

The cuddly toys will be used as gifts for the siblings of the babies currently in the unit over Christmas, in particular those coming to visit on Christmas Day.

Alison Johnson, neonatal unit manager commented,

“We would like to thank the Freemasons of Cheshire for their generous donation of the Elmer the Elephant; they will make a lovely gift for the siblings of children coming in to the unit on Christmas Day to visit their new brother or sister who is not well enough to go home for the festive period.”

The neonatal unit cares for more than 400 babies every year and is equipped with three intensive care cots and a total of 18 spaces for a mix of high dependency and special care babies. There is also a breastfeeding room just off the unit to allow mothers quiet time to feed their babies. There is also a dedicated rest room for parents to spend time away from the unit; visiting time is unrestricted for parents allowing them to spend valuable time bonding with their newborns.
 

Local companies Burtonwood Generators, Causeway Electrical, Edmundsons, JMBC, KL Joinery and MCS have provided a selection of Christmas lights, which have been used on the Christmas trees outside the Main Entrance of Warrington Hospital, inside the foyer of Warrington Hospital and in the courtyard outside the Children’s Ward. With plenty of lights to go round, the trees at Halton Hospitals are also twinkling bright this Christmas.

The donations didn’t just stop there; Wilkinson in Warrington donated a selection of baubles to deck out the tree in the main entrance. They have also provided the Children’s Ward with lots of Halloween decorations and treats for next year.

Catherine Beardshaw, chief executive at the hospitals commented,

“The generosity of local companies has been fantastic this year. The lights have made a real difference and made the entrances of both hospitals and the courtyard near the Children’s Ward very festive. The memorial baubles are a lovely idea and have been embraced by patients, visitors and staff.
“I would like to thank all the companies for thinking of us at this time of year.”
 

Warrington and Halton Hospital’s emergency services coped superbly despite one of the busiest days since records began yesterday (Thursday 9th December 2010).

Black ice caused several severe road traffic accidents on the motorway network around the area and the gridlock meant that Warrington Hospital Accident and Emergency became the focus for treating many of the serious injuries from the accidents as other local hospitals were not easily accessible.

By lunchtime, 53 ambulances had already ‘blue-lighted’ patients to the department. On a normal day staff would expect that amount of emergency ambulance arrivals in a 24 hour period.

The ice on pavements also meant a massive rise in the usual number of slips and falls leading to fractured bones. Between 9am and 10am alone 35 walk in patients arrived at the department, three times the usual number. In total around 114 cases involving limb injuries and slips and falls were treated at Warrington A&E and the Halton General minor injuries unit, many of them had resulted in fractures.

With the usual emergency work on top, in total the A&E department treated 329 patients on the day, compared to a typical day when around 200-220 people use the service.

The hospital emergency plan came into place and staff used the new Urgent Care Centre at the hospital, which is normally used to provide an assessment area for patients sent to hospital from their GP as an emergency, to run an extra fracture clinic so they could double the amount of fracture patients that they treated.

The Halton General Hospital minor injuries unit was also very busy with staff there treating a higher than usual number of patients from the Runcorn area for less serious injuries and fractures - again, many the result of the icy conditions.

Simon Wright, chief operating officer at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“The incidents on the day were unprecedented with so many major accidents at key parts of the motorway network. We received a lot of cases that would have usually been shared amongst hospitals across the patch because we were the easiest site to get to for the ambulance service.

“Everyone at the hospitals pulled together superbly. The A&E team were fantastic throughout the day. We ran extra fracture clinics from our new urgent care centre at Warrington, provided care for our emergency patients in good time despite the pressure and dealt with some serious injuries as well as a huge number of fractures.

“Staff across the hospitals worked so hard and the ambulance service worked superbly with us, with local GPs helping us out by dealing with more work in the community until the pressure from the incidents had eased. It meant we could deal with the situation without it having a major affect other services in the hospital or needing to cancel routine surgery. The excellent work of the A&E team yesterday combined with work we’ve done to put the new urgent care centre in place at Warrington and to move more of our routine surgery to Halton General came into its own and meant that our patients had a better experience.”

Notes

Across the hospitals yesterday (i.e. at Warrington Hospital A&E and Halton Minor Injuries Unit) from the primary cause of attendance we saw a total of 114 cases which might be attributable to the conditions:

• 46 arm/wrist injuries
• 19 leg/ankle injuries
• 49 slips and falls injuries (separate to those above)

There were also 20 attendances from road traffic accidents across the area.

The results following the elections were:

Halton area Governors

• Beechwood, Mersey, Heath, Grange Constituency - Doreen Shotton reelected
• Appleton, Farnworth, Hough Green, Halton View, Birchfield Constituency - Geoffrey Swift elected
• Broadheath, Ditton, Hale, Kingsway, Riverside Constituency - Ann Gibbons elected

Warrington area Governors

• Appleton, Stockton Heath, Hatton, Stretton and Walton Constituency - Helen Reay elected
• Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft, Poulton North Constituency - Ann Haddow elected
• Birchwood, Rixton and Woolston Constituency - David Ellis elected

Out of area Governors

• North Mersey - Joe F Davis elected
• South Mersey Constituency - Janet Walker reelected.

No candidates stood in Public Area 1 (Daresbury, Windmill Hill, Norton North, Castlefields).

Elections for NHS Foundation Trusts are run to strict election rules. Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust used Electoral Reform Services (ERS) who are national experts in running elections and ensure impartiality and proper process. All members of the trust who live in the constiuencies where elections were taking place were issued nomination papers by ERS and, where more than two candidates stood, a postal ballot of the members took place to decide the Governor.

Public Membership of the hospitals is available to anyone aged 12 years or over who live in Warrington and Halton, as well as to all former patients of the hospitals and people in other local areas that use our services. As well as receiving regualr information from the hospitals, any Foundation Trust member over the age of 16 can stand for election as a Governor in elections.

The Public Governors join elected staff governors and nominated partner governors to form the Governors' Council at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust which helps shape and endorse the future strategy of the trust, and provides a critical link between the hospital and the local people it serves within Warrington, Halton and other local areas. Governors give up their time voluntarily and make a major contribution to the way the hospital relates to its patients and the wider community.

You can read more about Foundation Trusts, membership and Governors on the hospital website here.

We will shortly be updating the Governor Profiles on the trust website with further information on our new Governors. If you want to contact your Governor then please email foundation@whh.nhs.uk, call on 01925 664222 or write to them care of: Membership Office, Warrington Hospital, Lovely Lane, Warrington WA5 1QG.

The Tissue Viability Service has been running at Warrington Hospital for over 12 years and is currently managed by Heather Aston, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Sharon Wimpenny, Tissue Viability Support. The service focuses on the management of patients with complex wounds, non-healing wounds and the prevention pressure ulcers. The team then ensure that the patient has the specialised equipment in particular beds and mattresses to aid in their recovery.

The League of Friends purchased the two specialised mattresses to help cater for the growing demand of larger patients who need specialised care, they cost £2,500 each. The mattresses are specifically designed to relieve pressure and aid in the prevention of pressure ulcers.

Heather Aston, Tissue Viability Clinical Nurse Specialist explained the need for the new mattresses,

“We have seen an increase in the number of bariatric (heavyweight) patients admitted to the Trust over recent years. Until now we have had to rent specialised pressure relieving equipment for patients over 23 stone if required. This is costly and the mattresses are not instantly available.

“The purchase of the two bariatric pressure relieving mattresses will ensure that these patients can be nursed on the appropriate support surface immediately, thus ensuring patient safety and comfort and reducing the risk of pressure ulcer development.

“We would like to thank the League of Friends for purchasing the equipment.”

A spokesperson for the League of Friends commented,

“This request was slightly unusual, but given the demand for specialised mattresses to ensure that our larger patients are cared for, we were more than happy to oblige. We continue to fundraise to enable us to donate equipment to ensure services like Tissue Viability can carry on the great work that they do here in Warrington Hospital.”

The League of Friends is an active part of Warrington Hospital running the helpdesk at the front entrance and a small charity shop within the main foyer. They also run a successful weekly lottery and tickets can be purchased from their shop or from their table in Outpatients. In addition they provide support for A&E patients by giving out refreshments. Over the past eight years, they have raised over £400,000 which has been used to purchase additional medical equipment for the departments, wards and services within the hospital.

If you have some time to give and would like to get involved call the League of Friends on 662328.
 

Following a few basic principles can make a big difference to the safety and wellbeing of those at risk.

Measures such as:

• checking on them to make sure they are safe and well;
• making sure they're warm enough, especially at night; and
• stocking up on food and medicines.

Icy conditions have made many areas extremely slippery and there is an increased risk of vehicles skidding. People - especially older people - should take extra care to avoid slips and falls and be aware vehicles might take longer to stop than normal. Older people and those with health conditions should stay inside if at all possible and only make essential journeys.

To keep the public informed about how they can keep safe and how well the NHS is coping in the cold snap, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is launching Winterwatch - a weekly update with relevant information in one place.

Andrew Lansley said

“There is often more pressure on the NHS at this time of year. It deals with rises in slips, trips and falls, increases in admissions due to flu and other health problems associated with the colder weather and the winter vomiting bug norovirus. But the NHS is well prepared.

“I welcome the fact that NHS staff are experienced in handling events like this. The purpose of this first bulletin is to enable the public to understand how well the NHS responds to pressures at winter-time.

”Across Government we are working on our cold weather plans which are supported by our pledge to retain the winter fuel allowance, which will help people to keep homes warm.

“We have turned the temporary increase in the Cold Weather Payments, introduced by the last Government, into a permanent increase.”

Across the NHS, local plans are already in place to mitigate the extra pressure on services caused over winter months. In addition, many parts of the NHS will be running Choose Well campaigns designed to inform patients of the NHS services available to them in their local area and direct patients to the service best suited to meet their clinical need such as pharmacies or walk-in centres. As well as guiding patients to the most appropriate care, it also seeks to help to relieve pressure on A&E and GP services by reducing unnecessary patient attendance.

The Department of Health plans, from next Friday, to publish weekly information for the public demonstrating:

• the resilience of A&E departments and showing how well levels of performance and response are being maintained;
• seasonal flu vaccine uptake figures; and
• seasonal flu activity.

It is vital that all those who are eligible make sure they take advantage of the free seasonal flu vaccine. Every year there are approximately 8,000 flu-related deaths in the winter months in England and Wales - these deaths are avoidable. Rates of people taking the vaccine remain lower than at the same point in previous years.
 

Issued by the Department of Health.

Research around visual problems after stroke has often focused on visual field loss, caused by an interruption in the pathways that deliver an image from the eye to the brain for processing. However, the study led by scientists at Liverpool University, has shown that damage to the nerve supply that controls eye movement is also a common problem after a stroke. Impaired eye movement can impact on the ability to follow a moving object or read words on a page.

Treatments include exercises to strengthen the eye muscles when looking at objects close to the face, as well as prisms that can be fitted to glasses to join double vision. The research highlights the need for developing stricter assessment methods to ensure vision problems are detected and appropriately identified as the after-effects of stroke as opposed to a symptom of old age.

Other vision problems include central vision loss, a complete loss of vision in one or both eyes, and 'higher' visual processing problems, in which the image is formed by the eye and transmitted to the brain, but cannot be interpreted properly.

Dr Fiona Rowe, from Liverpool University's Directorate of Orthoptics and Vision Science, said: "If a stroke patient has vision problems it can impact on the rest of their rehabilitation in a variety of ways, including reading difficulties and moving around properly. It is vital that health care services are aware of the different vision problems that stroke patients can face and have clear guidelines on identifying where the condition originates, whether it is in the eye, brain or the connecting pathways.

"Quite often patients do not connect difficulties with reading with the after-effects of stroke and so they can be missed. It is important, therefore, that health workers ask the right questions of the patient in order to understand whether the condition is as result of a stroke or if the problem existed prior to this. We hope this new research will increase awareness of vision problems in stroke patients and encourage those affected by the condition to consult medics with any difficulties they experience."

The research will be presented at the UK Stroke Forum conference today and published in the International Journal of Stroke in the New Year.

Notes:

1. Collaborators in the research include: Altnagelvin Hospitals HHS Trust; NHS Ayrshire and Arran; Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Trust Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust; East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust; Bury PCT; Derby Hospitals NHS Trust; Durham and Darlington Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust; Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; St Helier General Hospital; United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust; Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust; Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust; Salford Primary Care Trust; Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust; Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust; Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust.

The Hospitals' League of Friends are offering people the opportunity to hang a bauble on the tree in memory of a loved one. The baubles will be available from the Main Entrance for £1.00 and a card will be available to write a message to put on the bauble if you wish. All proceeds from the sale of the baubles will be going to the League of Friends.

The League of Friends is an active part of Warrington Hospital and is a voluntary organisation which raises monies from weekly lottery sales and tickets can be purchased in their shop or from their table in Outpatients. They also receive donations and legacies to be used for medical equipment and services for patients within the hospital. The League also run a small charity shop situated in the main foyer next to Radio General. Over the past six years to October 2010 they have raised over £454,000. The personnel service section of the League mans the Help Desks situated at the main entrance to the hospital and Croft Wing entrance. They also assist in-patients attending church services and supply a refreshment service to patients in A&E.

If you have some time to give and would like to get involved call the League of Friends Recruitment Officer at Warrington Hospital on 01925 662328.

From the moment you find out that you are pregnant, we are here to guide you through your pregnancy, labour and postnatal care. Did you know that you can refer yourselves direct to us, the Community Midwives on 01925 662092 as soon as that positive comes up on your test.

We have changed the way that we deliver our care to you by introducing the Pregnancy Parentcraft pathway, which has been designed to ensure that all expectant women in Warrington are given the opportunity to access health education and parenting advice throughout their pregnancy. The classes will be run by the Community Midwives along with the Children Centres and will provide you with information on all aspects of your pregnancy, health education, labour and postnatal care.

The sessions offered will include an ‘early bird’ so as soon as you discover you are pregnant and have booked in with the team you will be offered a group session at your local children’s centre. The topics that will be covered here will be antenatal screening tests – what are they and when to go for them, common ailments of pregnancy and how to manage them and healthy eating during pregnancy.

This will be followed on by your ‘booking appointment’ at 8-12 weeks you will meet with your team midwife and will have the opportunity to ask further questions on your pregnancy. From 24 weeks (you can book in for these after your 20 week scan) you can attend a series of parent education classes, which will include healthy Mum, healthy baby, healthy lifestyles and an introduction to infant feeding support.

From 30-32 weeks of pregnancy you can access your own team’s parentcraft classes (these can be booked from 28 weeks); information at these classes will focus on all aspects of labour, delivery and post natal care. All of these sessions are designed to be informative, interactive, fun and to support you during your pregnancy and are free of charge.

Want to have a home birth? We have made changes to our service to ensure that more women have this option, to give birth at home in familiar surroundings. From 1st November, we will have a midwife on call specifically to attend home births. Previously, it would depend on staffing levels on the delivery suite to whether we could facilitate a home birth. But we want to ensure that pregnant women in Warrington are being offered a service that is right for them and research has shown that women who give birth at home require less pain relief.

Giving birth in hospital? Our maternity wards (C21and C22) are merging and we are moving to a newly refurbished ward on the 1st floor of Croft Wing. This will bring all our services together on one floor, the new ward C23 will be down the corridor from the Delivery Suite and opposite the neonatal unit and will host 30 beds. (C21 and C22 will be used as general escalation wards).

The Community Midwives are also offering mothers a choice of where to have their postnatal care. Your initial visit will be at home the day after you have left hospital with your baby and then the midwives are offering you a flexible post natal clinic service. You will now be able to book an appointment to see a midwife at your local health centre. The clinics will be held in the mornings and afternoons to offer you more flexibility. Previously, women were offered a home visit service, which took place between 9am-5pm in which the midwife would have a list of visits to make and could not guarantee an exact time that they would arrive at each one; therefore women were restricted to the house until the midwife visited.

This new service has been trailed over an 18 month period in the Birchwood and Culcheth area and has proved to be a success offering women flexibility. If women do require a home visit, these can be accommodated by contacting the Community Midwives on 01925 662092.

The Children’s Centres also host breastfeeding clinics run by the Bosom Buddies offering support and advice on every aspect of feeding. Information on their meeting times can be found on www.warrington-pct.nhs.uk or on the information boards at the Children’s Centre or by contacting the Community Midwives on 01925 662092.

For more information on any aspect of your pregnancy or how to book on to any of these classes call the Community Midwives on 01925 662092.

Paula Evans, Clinical Lead for plain imaging at the Trust was nominated for her work in leading the way in improvement by being innovative and setting up new initiatives and systems of work to smooth the patient’s pathway through the department.

As Maureen Taylor, Senior Radiographer who nominated her for the award explains,

“She is very focused on the quality of service we provide for the patient and has driven forwards a patient centred approach regarding their experiences and care received within the x-ray department. This is an ongoing process incorporating patient satisfaction surveys and teamwork in sharing best practice and innovative ideas across the trust.

“She has taken a lead in improving quality and has set up a theatre coordination system to ensure smooth and effective utilisation of both staff and image intensifier. She has also developed links and communication between the radiographers and orthopaedic staff, resulting in improved understanding and relationships between the two professions.”

Paula, 35 from Appleton started her career in plain imaging at Warrington Hospital in 1997 after graduating from Liverpool University, having spent her placements at Warrington. Paula also won the Northwest Radiographer of the Year before going through to the final for the UK.

Paula commented,

“I love it here at Warrington, it is a great department with fantastic people and even though winning these awards at the moment is rather overwhelming it means a lot to our department and to me.

“ Patient contact is the best bit of the job, but the team I work with are important as you couldn’t make ideas happen if it was not for their backing to take them forward and make them work. So without them I would not have been nominated or won this award.”

Louise Harding, Clinical Tutor, another colleague who nominated Paula for the ward commented,

“Paula is very keen to promote the role of the radiographer within the plain imaging environment and is an excellent ambassador for the “plain film radiographer”. She is currently involved in an audit on dose reduction involving pelvis techniques in the direct digital radiography room. Without Paula’s enthusiasm and encouragement this project would struggle to move forwards and it is her ability to bring the team together and motivate fellow staff that has helped to progress this research.

“Paula does all this with a smile on her face and a cheery attitude and always has the interests of both patients and staff at heart.”

Paula will receive her award on 11 November at the House of Commons.

Picture: Paula (middle) pictured with Christine Caine and Louise Harding who nominated her for the award.

Despite annual safety warnings, Bonfire Night week still ends in disaster for far too many families. Yet, fireworks and bonfire evenings can provide fun and entertainment for families at a time of year when the evenings are rather dark and gloomy. They literally light up the sky. As long as everyone follows the right safety procedures and remembers that fireworks can be dangerous if misused, a good, safe time may be enjoyed by everyone.

Dr Dave Geggie, A&E consultant at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“Burns are not the only injuries we see on Bonfire week, we often see people with sprains and fractures from where they have fallen over on uneven ground at bonfires held in fields; these are often caused by wearing inappropriate footwear. So make sure that you wear boots with ankle support and not high heels!”

“We also see an increase in people suffering from chest conditions, which are often triggered by the cold air and inhalation of the smoke from the bonfires. If you are asthmatic please make sure that you take an adequate supply of your inhaler with you.”

Each year there are a large number of accidents caused by sparklers with children particularly at risk. In 2001* nearly one in ten firework accidents were caused by sparklers. Nearly seven in ten sparkler accidents happened at a family or private party. Children’s injuries can be more problematic, because their skin can be more delicate than an adult’s, therefore making the burns more severe.

Most firework accidents result in injuries to the eyes, head, hands or more than one of these areas. Over 60 per cent of injuries require ongoing treatment from a GP or hospital and may leave permanent scarring.
If you are injured by a firework please take the following action:

• If you have suffered a burn, cool the area immediately with cold water and continue to do so for at least 10 minutes, but not more than 30 minutes.
• Do not put anything onto affected area including butter, ointments, cotton wool except a clean, wet dressing. If you do not have a dressing use a clean handkerchief, tea towel, pillowcase or sheet, etc. soaked in cold water
• If a blister forms, do not break it.
• If the area affected is larger than the size of the patient’s palm or the patient is displaying signs of shock, then seek urgent medical advice.
• If the burn is to the facial area, call 999.

The safest way to watch fireworks is at a professional show, not by setting off fireworks at home. When viewing a firework display, respect the safety barriers and select a safe viewing distance of at least 500 feet away.
If you do decide to hold your own firework display, here are some tips to have a fun, but safe night:

• Buy fireworks that meet British Standards and ensure you buy your fireworks from a reputable retailer and that they confirm to British Standards, these will be marked BS 7114 on the box
• Stand back and light your fireworks at arm’s length, using a taper and then stand well back
• Wear gloves when using sparklers and often thought to be one of the safest fireworks, sparklers actually burn to temperatures five times hotter than cooking oil. You should not give sparklers to children under the age of five
• Stay clear of fireworks that have been lit even if the firework has not gone off, keep your distance as it could still explode
• Do not consume alcohol if setting off fireworks it is important to keep your wits about you so steer clear of the alcohol to ensure a safe display
• Keep fireworks in a closed box away from where you are launching the live fireworks
• Keep pets indoors - Animals can become distressed at loud noises so for their own safety, keep any pets inside the house and keep small children away from them as they may act out of character and attack.
• Supervise children at all times as with over half of firework injuries being suffered by children, make sure you keep an eye on little ones during any displays

Remember remember the fifth of November, gun powder, treason and plot. But take care of your eyes as the fireworks fly, it’s something that shouldn’t be forgot.

*The 2002 statistics provided by ROSPA are the latest, as the government stopped collecting accidents statistics in that year.
 

The nurses on B11 arranged a special visit from Lee Briers to big Wolves fan Matthew who had been in hospital a couple of weeks and needed cheering up. Matthew is a big fan of the rugby league team, in particular Lee and had been a mascot at one of their games in August.

Lee popped in with a signed shirt and beanie hat to keep Matthew warm on his road to recovery.

Lee also donated a signed Carnegie Challenge Cup shirt to the ward, which is currently being raffled off to raise funds for medical equipment and new furniture for the Children’s Ward. If you would like to be in with a chance of owning a piece of Wolves history, then come along to Warrington Hospital’s Main Entrance on Thursday 4 November and Friday 5 November between 1.00-2.00pm and buy a raffle ticket at £1.00 each.
 

We are inviting patients, visitors and members of the public to nominate a member of our staff or a team or service at the hospitals you have used as part of our annual staff awards scheme – the Thank You Awards.

The Thank You Awards were launched two years ago to help recognise some of the work that goes on from our staff across Warrington Hospital, Halton General Hospital, Houghton Hall (our intermediate care facility in Orford) and community settings each day. It culminates in an awards event (kindly sponsored by some local companies we work with) where over 350 of our staff, all nominated by colleagues for their work and shortlisted for the awards, attend to hear the winners announced and receive a prestigious Thank You Award.

It’s all about sharing best practice across the trust and last year’s winners included our stroke team at Warrington Hospital, the programmed inverstigation unit at Halton and a range of individual staff. Last year's winners included the stroke team, the programmed investigation unit at Halton General and a range of individual nurses, doctors, midwives and support staff.

How you can nominate

We have now launched our 2011 event and nominations are now open to the public. We want to give you the chance to nominate staff, teams or even entire services that have made a special difference to you and your families. There are eight categories of the awards ranging from excellence in patient care through to excellence in team working but to make it easier for public nominations you don’t have to pick a category – we’ll put forward your nominations into the most appropriate one.

What we do need you to do is give us some details and background on why you want to nominate the staff member or team. To get your nomination in you can:

1. Use our simple online form by clicking here - http://www.warringtonandhaltonhospitals.nhs.uk/awards-nominate.asp  

2. E-mail - Send your nominations to thankyou@whh.nhs.uk - clearly stating:

• your name
• your contact details
• the name of the staff member or team you wish to nominate (if you're not sure of a staff member's full name then give us as much information as you can so we can locate them)
• where the staff member or team work (which hospital and ward or department)
• why you think they should win - give us as much information as you can as we can only judge nominees on what you tell us

3. Paper form - Our 9,000 Foundation Trust public members will receive a paper copy of the form in the back of the Autumn/Winter edition of the Your Hospitals newsletter in early November which can be used to submit an application as well. If you're not a member then call 01925 662296 and we can send you a nomination form.

The closing date for all nominations is the 1st December 2010.

We look forward to receiving your nominations – it’s a great way to say Thank You and a chance to recognise the staff who care for our patients every day of the year.
 

As part of National Pathology Week 2010 the hospital is giving people a chance to learn more about the work that goes on in the laboratories.

The labs at the hospital provide a range of vital services. They carry out around 1,500 blood tests each and every day from patients in the hospital and people who have a blood test at their local GP – processing them and providing results within hours and diagnosing a range of conditions.

You can see all the technical equipment used to produce results for diagnosing and treating disease both in the laboratory and on the wards. Visitors will get to see the key departments in the labs which are haematology, biochemistry, histopathology and microbiology. They’ll also get to see the blood bank where all the blood needed for the hospital is stored. Some of the tour might not be for the squeamish!

“We hope that this will be a fascinating chance for people to see behind the scenes,” said Wendy Davies, assistant general manager for pathology and therapies, “Almost everyone who comes into hospital or needs a diagnosis when they go to their GP will need a test of some kind. This is a chance to see the work that goes on to turn that test into a diagnosis and how we do that.”

The tours will be running from 1pm till 5pm on Saturday and will take the best part of an hour in total. The pathology labs are located on the first floor of the Appleton Wing at the hospital. You need to be over 11 to take the tour and under-16s need to be accompanied by an adult.

If you want to attend then please let the hospitals know by emailing foundation@whh.nhs.uk or calling 01925 664222 - if numbers of attendees look like being large we may give you a particualr time slot to attend on the afternoon.

We are in the process of making some improvements to the way we provide surgery across Warrington Hospital and Halton General Hospital. Basically, more of our routine surgery will be carried out at Halton General Hospital from the start of November 2010.

This will have several benefits for our patients from this. Firstly, we can use our beds in a better way – freeing up more beds at Warrington for dealing with urgent emergency work by moving routine surgery to Halton. It also means that fewer routine surgery operations will be cancelled as a result of emergency cases taking priority at Warrington. Our emergency and more complex surgery will remain at Warrington. This move is all about making better use of our resources and providing an improved service to patients by better balancing our emergency and routine surgery work.

In order to make these changes to our surgical services, we have had to reorganise our consultants' rotas from November so they can split their surgical work between the two hospital sites as we start to work in this new way.

Because of this, some of our consultants have rearranged their outpatient clinics to accommodate their new surgical rotas. This is why we have had to change some appointments taking place in the next few weeks.

We hope this helps you to understand why we have had to make this change. If you have received a change to your appointment time and the new appointment is not convenient, then please contact us on the telephone number stated on the appointment letter. Only a minority of patients are affected by this as the new rotas come into place.

The flower girls are volunteers of the League of Friends, who are celebrating Friends Week, a week focussing on the work that they do in the social and health care settings across the country. League of Friends is a charity that formed 45 years ago and provides financial and voluntary support to the hospital and aims to improve patient comfort. They currently have about 60 members here at Warrington Hospital.

Each week, the girls visit the wards to change the water on patients’ flowers, re-arrange them and stop for a chat with the patients. The team is made up of Joan Burns, 74 from Paddington, her neighbour Pat Stewart, 66, Maureen Cartledge, 46 from Orford and Joan Smith, 50 from Padgate. Joan is the longest serving flower girl who has dedicated 17 years to the League of Friends.

Joan commented,

“I love the company, we have a lovely team here and I like going out on the wards helping out and cheering people up. Flowers brighten the place up and it is our little way of giving something back by looking after the patients’ flowers and stopping for a chat.”

The league also runs the helpdesk at the front entrance of Warrington Hospital and has a small charity shop within the main foyer. They also run a successful weekly lottery and tickets can be purchased from their shop or from their table in Outpatients. In addition they provide support for A&E patients by giving out refreshments. Over the past eight years, they have raised over £400,000 which has been used to purchase additional medical equipment for departments, wards and services within the hospital.

If you have some time to give and would like to get involved call the League of Friends on 662328.

Jeans for Genes is a UK children’s charity that aims to change the world for children with genetic disorders. Individually, genetic disorders are rare but together they affect 1 in 25 children born in the UK – that is more than 30,000 babies each year. Their associated health problems mean that genetic disorders are the biggest killer of children aged 14 years and under.

The money raised from this national awareness day funds the care and support children need every day, and the research that could change their lives in the future. The monies go to helping charities to provide a full range of practical support to children and their families living with genetic disorders. Such as practical day-to-day support, equipment, respite and events which bring families together to help them feel less isolated. The money that goes in to the research funds the search for a cure for the conditions that the children suffer from.

Last year, over 20 departments across the two sites participated raising nearly £300. This year they hope to raise more.

If you would like to know more and maybe get involved: http://www.jeansforgenesday.com/

Visiting hospital

If you are feeling ill or recovering from an illness, we ask that you please do not visit the hospital to visit family or friends. The health of our patients and their families is our top priority and we greatly appreciate all visitors adhering to this policy.

Flu Awareness & Prevention

People at the greatest risk for infection include children, pregnant women and individuals with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart & lung disease.
Patients with seasonal flu typically have a fever or a high temperature (over 38°C / 100.4°F) and two or more of the following symptoms:

• Unusual tiredness

• Headache

• Runny nose

• Sore throat

• Shortness of breath or cough

• Loss of appetite

• aching muscles

• Diarrhoea and/or vomiting

To reduce your chances of being infected, there are several precautionary measures you can take:

• If you are sick with a fever or other flulike symptoms, it is recommended that you stay home until you have been fever free for more than 24 hours without use of fever reducing medication.
• Get the seasonal flu vaccination as soon as possible.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze, or use an alcohol based hand gel.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Avoid close contact with sick people
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth as germs are spread this way.
• While sick, limit contact with others.

Are you eligible for the free seasonal flu jab?

You are eligible for the free seasonal flu jab if you are 65 and other individuals below that age, including children, who suffer from certain conditions such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes, should have the vaccine.

The free seasonal flu vaccination is recommended if you have:

• A heart problem

• A chest complaint or breathing difficulties including, bronchitis, emphysema

• A kidney disease

• lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as steroid medication or cancer treatment)

• A liver disease

• had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)

• Diabetes

• A neurological condition e.g. multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy

• A problem with, or removal of, your spleen e.g. sickle cell disease.

This year the seasonal flu vaccination is also being offered to pregnant women who didn’t have the swine flu vaccine last year, as it offers protection against the H1N1 virus.
You should also have the seasonal flu vaccination if you live in a residential or nursing home, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person. Paid and unpaid carers are also eligible for the seasonal flu vaccine, so that they stay healthy in order to benefit those they look after.

The vaccination is the best way to guard against potentially life-threatening consequences of contracting flu.

How effective is the seasonal flu vaccine?

Most people who have the seasonal flu vaccination will not get seasonal flu. However, like any vaccine, it does not give 100% protection. In years where the vaccine is well matched to the circulating viruses out of every 100 people who have the vaccine, 70-80 may be protected, while others who have had the vaccine and catch flu are more likely to get milder symptoms.

The seasonal flu vaccination will not protect you against:

• The common cold

• Other winter viruses.

Do I just need to have the vaccination every year?

Yes. The virus changes every year as does the vaccine. So don’t assume that you don’t need another vaccination because you had one last year. It is best to have the seasonal flu vaccination annually in the autumn before any outbreak of seasonal flu.

What is the best way to protect yourself against seasonal flu?

The best way to protect yourself is to have the seasonal flu vaccination particularly if you are at an increased risk from seasonal flu. Preventing the spread of germs is the most effective way to slow the spread of flu. Always:

• ensure everyone washes their hands regularly with soap and water,
• clean surfaces regularly to get rid of germs,
• use tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze,
• and put used tissues in a bin as soon as possible and wash hands.

Should children be given the seasonal flu vaccine?

If you have a child who has one of the conditions listed below or who has previously been admitted to hospital with a serious chest or respiratory condition, they may not be able to recover from seasonal flu as well as other children can. They are more likely to be very ill if they catch seasonal flu, and it could make their existing condition worse. Talk to your GP or practice nurse about your child having the seasonal flu vaccination.

• a heart problem

• a chest complaint or breathing difficulties including, bronchitis, emphysema

• a kidney disease

• lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as steroid medication or cancer treatment)

• a liver disease

• had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)

• diabetes

• a neurological condition e.g. multiple sclerosis (MS) or cerebral palsy

• a problem with, or removal of, their spleen e.g. sickle cell disease.

For more information and to book an appointment to have your flu jab please contact your GP.

In 2008/2009 the figures for the Trust’s Breast Screening Unit showed a 1% decline in women taking up their invitation for screening. 22,679 women where invited from across Warrington and Halton to attend the clinic of those number 17,280 women came, 72.9%. 129 cancers were detected.

So why has there been a decline? There are many reasons why women do not take up the invitation to be screened, for some it is the fear of finding cancer or the fear of the unknown – what does screening entail?, for others it is being too busy to make an appointment or it is simply they did not realise that they were still eligible for screening. A visit to a screening unit for breast screening takes about half an hour, once every three years and by detecting cancer early will make a difference in your treatment.

Breast screening is a method of detecting breast cancer at a very early stage. The first step is a mammogram, a low dose x-ray. Each breast is placed in turn on the x-ray machine and gently but firmly compressed with a clear plate. The compression only lasts a few seconds and does not cause any harm to the breasts. Compression is needed to keep the breast still and to get the clearest picture with the lowest amount of radiation possible.

The NHS Breast Screening Programme provides free breast screening every three years for all women in the UK aged 50 and over. Women aged between 50 and 70 are now routinely invited. The programme will extend the age range of women eligible for breast screening to ages 47 to 73 by 2012.

Because the programme is a rolling one which invites women from GP practices in turn, not every woman will receive an invitation as soon as she is 50. But she will receive her first invitation before her 53rd birthday. Once women reach the upper age limit for routine invitations for breast screening, they are encouraged to make their own appointment.

Women can ask their GP to refer them to a hospital breast clinic if they are concerned about a specific breast problem or otherwise worried about the risk of breast cancer. This is not part of the NHS Breast Screening Programme, which uses a routine call and recall system to invite well women.

Being breast aware

Whatever your age, size or shape it’s important to take care of your breasts. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, so it’s important to look after your breasts by being breast aware.

Being breast aware is an important part of caring for your body. It means getting to know how your breasts look and feel, so you know what is normal for you. You can then feel more confident about noticing any unusual changes.

How do I check my breasts?

There’s no right or wrong way to check your breasts. Try to get used to looking at and feeling your breasts regularly. You can do this in the bath or shower, when you use body lotion, or when you get dressed. There’s really no need to change your everyday routine. Just decide what you are comfortable with and what suits you best.

Remember to check all parts of your breast, your armpits and up to your collarbone.

The breast awareness 5-point code

1. Know what is normal for you
2. Know what changes to look and feel for
3. Look and feel
4. Report any changes to your GP without delay
5. Attend routine breast screening if you are aged 50 or over

Possible Changes

• A change in size or shape
• A change in skin texture such as puckering or dimpling (like orange skin)
• A lump or thickening that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue
• Redness or a rash on the skin/and/or around the nipple
• If your nipple becomes inverted (pulled in) or changes its position or shape
• A swelling in your armpit or around your collarbone
• Discharge (liquid) from one or both of the nipples
• Constant pain in your breast or your armpit

What to do next

If you notice a change, see your GP straight away. Don't worry about making a fuss, and do remember that most breast changes will not be cancer, even if they need treatment or follow-up appointments.

Your GP may be able to reassure you after examining your breasts, or you may be asked to come back at a different time in your menstrual cycle to rule out a hormonal cause. Alternatively, you may be sent to a breast clinic for a more detailed examination.

If you would like more information on the breast screening process: http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/breastscreen/index.html

For more information on breast cancer: http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/

And now for the facts, stats and fiction about breast cancer:

The facts:

• the biggest risk factor, after gender, is increasing age – 80% of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50
• more people are being diagnosed with breast cancer but survival rates are improving – probably as a result of improved treatment and earlier detection
• breast cancer also affects men, but it is rare – around 300 men are diagnosed each year.

The stats:

• nearly 46,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK. That’s one person every 11 minutes
• just over 12,000 people die from breast cancer in the UK every year
• breast cancer is the second biggest cause of death from cancer for women in the UK, after lung cancer
• there are an estimated 550,000 people living in the UK today who have had a diagnosis of breast cancer
• in women under the age of 35, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer.

The fiction:

• Five years past diagnosis means I’ve got the ‘all clear’. As well as potentially experiencing long-term side effects of treatment, patients face the uncertainty that their cancer could return at any time – including a diagnosis of secondary breast cancer which can’t be cured, only controlled.
• Stress causes breast cancer. Despite numerous studies, no definitive link between stress and breast cancer has been found.
• Breast cancer is mainly a hereditary disease. Breast cancer can run in families, but fewer than 10% of cases are as a result of an inherited faulty gene.

The family of the late Marie Denton made the kind donation in her memory after she sadly passed away in October 2009 from pancreatic cancer. Marie, 69 was born and bred in Latchford, Warrington and her family felt that a donation to the Children’s Ward would be a fitting tribute to a lady who loved being surrounded by children. She worked for many years as a dinner lady at St Oswald’s Primary School and dedicated herself to her four grandchildren; Thomas, Gemma, Robert and James.

The monies purchased two oxygen analysers which are used to monitor the levels of oxygen a baby or small child is receiving within a respirator or incubator.

Jane Scott, Children’s Matron commented,

“This donation has allowed us to purchase the latest equipment on the market for testing oxygen levels, which is vital in the care of small babies and children requiring oxygen as part of their treatment.

“Donations like this make all the difference to our ward by providing additional equipment to support us in our work and we would like to thank the family of Marie Denton for thinking of us.”

The event was held on 19 September and is annual reunion for former patients, their families and staff on the unit. This year it was held at Callands Primary School, with an extra special guest as Warrington Wolves’ Wolfie dropped in with the Carnegie Challenge Cup drawing in the crowds, who queued to have their pictures taken holding the Cup.

The £1500 raised will purchase breast pumps and parent diaries for the unit. The diaries are important part of the baby’s time on the unit encouraging parents to write down their feelings and daily experiences.

Debbie Yates, senior nurse practitioner on the unit commented,

“The day was a success even with the rain; it did not dampen our spirits. It was lovely to see so many past patients and their families turn out to support the unit. The Challenge Cup was a hit and Wolfie was a winner with his cuddles.

“I am really pleased with the amount we raised and it will go to benefiting future patient’s families.”

The neonatal unit cares for more than 400 babies every year and is equipped with three intensive care cots and a total of 18 spaces for a mix of high dependency and special care babies. There is also a breastfeeding room just off the unit to allow mothers quiet time to feed their babies. There is also a dedicated rest room for parents to spend time away from the unit; visiting time is unrestricted for parents allowing them to spend valuable time bonding with their newborns.

If you would like to find out more about how you can support the unit, call the neonatal unit on 01925 662278.
 

A spokesman for the trust said:

“Mr Johnson was excluded by the trust in February 2008 after issues regarding performance were raised with us which we reported to the General Medical Council and which will be explored at this hearing. He has not worked clinically at the hospitals since then and has resigned from his post with us. It would be inappropriate for us to comment any further until the hearing concludes at the end of November.”

For further media enquiries please contact chris.horner@whh.nhs.uk

Action has been in progress across Warrington and Halton hospitals since the introduction of the National Dementia Strategy in February 2009. The dementia lead for the Trust, Dr Asan Akpan has been working with a large multidisciplinary group made up of staff and outside organisations to implement changes to how patients with the condition dementia are treated whilst in hospital by providing training to staff on the condition and common behavioural traits associated with the disease. As people with dementia are usually admitted to hospital for a reason other than their dementia, it is important to understand the condition to be able to treat the medical problem they were admitted with.

Dr Asan Akpan, Consultant lead for dementia at the Trust commented,

"Caring for older people with dementia in hospital is both challenging and rewarding when staff harness some simple skills. When you think that up to 20% of acute hospital beds are occupied by persons with dementia - skills in caring for them efficiently and respectfully are paramount.

“The care pathway will be ready at the end of this month and we will launch it at our dementia symposium on 14 October. The symposium is made up of primary and secondary care practitioners, as it important that our approach to the pathway is seamless in delivery between hospital and community care, to ensure the best service for our patients.”

Changes to the hospital environment are being introduced, to try and reduce the confusion and agitation a hospital admission can cause. The work being undertaken is changes to signage to make it more suitable for the visually and cognitively impaired.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Dementia is a collective name for progressive degenerative brain syndromes which affect memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion. Symptoms may include:

• loss of memory
• difficulty in finding the right words or understanding what people are saying
• difficulty in performing previously routine tasks
• personality and mood changes

Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. It knows no social, economic, ethnic or geographical boundaries. Although each person will experience dementia in their own way, eventually those affected are unable to care for themselves and need help with all aspects of daily life. There is currently no cure for most types of dementia, but treatments, advice, and support are available.

There are a number of conditions which cause the symptoms of dementia, as a result of changes that happen on the brain and the ultimate loss of nerve cells (neurons).
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and accounts for 50% - 60% of all cases. It destroys brain cells and nerves disrupting the transmitters which carry messages in the brain, particularly those responsible for storing memories. During the course of Alzheimer's disease, nerve cells die in particular regions of the brain. The brain shrinks as gaps develop in the temporal lobe and hippocampus, which are responsible for storing and retrieving new information. This in turn affects people's ability to remember, speak, think and make decisions. The production of certain chemicals in the brain, such as acetylcholine is also affected. It is not known what causes nerve cells to die but there are characteristic appearances of the brain after death. In particular, 'tangles' and 'plaques' made from protein fragments are observed under the microscope in damaged areas of brain. This confirms the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Typically, Alzheimer's disease begins with lapses of memory, difficulty in finding the right words for everyday objects or mood swings. Every person is unique and dementia affects people differently - no two people will have symptoms that develop in exactly the same way. An individual's personality, general health and social situation are all important factors in determining the impact of dementia on him or her.

As Alzheimer's progresses, the person may:

• Routinely forget recent events, names and faces and have difficulty in understanding what is being said
• Become confused when handling money or driving a car
• Undergo personality changes, appearing to no longer care about those around them
• Experience mood swings and burst into tears for no apparent reason, or become convinced that someone is trying to harm them
In advanced cases people may also:
• Adopt unsettling behaviour like getting up in the middle of the night or wander off and become lost
• Lose their inhibitions and sense of suitable behaviour, undress in public or make inappropriate sexual advances.

Dementia affects 1 in 20 people over the age of 65 and 1 in 5 over the age of 80. Worldwide there are an estimated 30 million people with dementia. By 2050 the number will rise to over 100 million.
 

Meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, can be caused by infection with a bacterium or virus.

There are two main types of meningitis:

• Viral meningitis tends to appear in summer months and is generally much less severe. Most people recover fully. Initially, vague flu-like symptoms occur with fever and muscle aches.
• Bacterial meningitis tends to be more severe, with a serious risk of complications and death. Any type of bacteria can cause it, but in the UK the most common types are meningococcal and pneumococcal bacteria.

In Warrington between 2004 and 2009 there were 19 cases of meningococcal meningitis reported and 13 of these cases where under the age of 16.

Dr Dave Geggie, A&E consultant at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust explains,

“Although both viral and bacterial meningitis can occur at any age, babies and young children are particularly at risk of meningococcal infection and all types of bacterial meningitis. An additional high risk group is people aged between 15 and 24.

“Delays in treatment increase the risk of long-term damage. The most important thing is to remember above all else to trust your instincts and get urgent medical advice if you suspect meningitis. “

The bacteria that cause meningitis vary with a person's age, but meningococcal meningitis is the most common. Meningococcal bacteria are very common and are usually carried harmlessly in people’s noses and throats. It is only when the bacteria get into the wrong place that they cause disease.

Meningococcal septicaemia (when the bacteria get into the blood stream) is the more life-threatening form of meningococcal disease. It can present alone or with meningitis, but is more dangerous when it occurs alone and causes most deaths from meningococcal infection. It typically presents with a pin-prick rash that doesn’t fade when pressed. This rash can spread rapidly to form blotches all over the body.

In bacterial meningitis, symptoms can develop rapidly, often within hours, whereas the symptoms of viral meningitis may take a couple of days to develop.

If you are worried that someone has meningitis, or has a rash that doesn't fade when you press a glass on it (the glass test), you must seek medical advise immediately.

Symptoms to look out for in babies and small children include:

• Stiff body with jerky movements, or very floppy
• Irritability, or dislike of being handled
• A shrill cry or unusual moaning
• Refusal to feed
• Tense or bulging fontanelle (soft spot on head)
• Pale blotchy skin
• Rapid breathing
• Fever
• Lethargy
 

Symptoms in adults and older children include:

• A rash that doesn’t fade under pressure (try pressing a glass against the skin)
• High fever
• Severe headache
• Stiff neck
• Dislike of bright light
• Drowsiness
• Confusion and irritability
• Vomiting
• Muscle pains, stomach cramps and diarrhoea
• Cold and pale hands and feet

Meningitis by numbers:

• Around 3,000 people in the UK are affected by all types of bacterial meningitis each year.
• Meningitis can kill in less than 4 hours, which is why it's vital to know the signs.
• There are 8 main symptoms to look out for: fever, vomiting, headache, stiff neck, dislike of bright lights, drowsiness, difficulty in supporting own weight and a rash that does not fade when pressure is applied.
• Over 500,000 people in the UK today have had viral or bacterial meningitis.
• Every week, 6 families face the traumatic loss of a loved one to meningitis.
• 1 in 10 victims will die.
• 1 in 7 of those who survive will be left with a permanent disability such as loss of limbs, blindness, deafness or brain damage.
• Children and babies under 5-years-old are most at risk because they don't replace the natural immunity they get from their mothers until school age.
• Those aged 14 to 24 are second most at risk, particularly students who are believed to be more susceptible due to living in close proximity to others.
• In the past 20 years vaccines have been developed to protect against Hib, Meningitis C and Pneumococcal Meningitis.
• There is no vaccine for Meningitis B, which accounts for 90 per cent of all meningococcal cases in the UK.

Statistics provided by Meningitis UK, for more information: http://www.meningitisuk.org/

The event is an annual get together for former patients, their families and staff on the unit, but is open to the general public to come along and celebrate the work of the neonatal unit. This year Warrington Wolves’ Carnegie Challenge Cup will be visiting the fun day from 1.00 – 2.00pm accompanied with Wolfie, this will be the perfect opportunity for all those Warrington Wolves fans to come and have their picture taken with it.

This year’s event includes fun for all the family with gymnastics and dancing displays, ‘Doc in the Stocks’ and ‘Gunge the Daddy’. There will also be a prize raffle, tombola, bouncy castle, trampolines, fairground rides, a selection of stalls and face painting. Prizes on offer include a Blu-ray disc player, child’s bike, an iPod shuffle and stadium tours of Liverpool and Manchester City football clubs.

The neonatal unit cares for more than 400 babies every year and is equipped with three intensive care cots and a total of 18 spaces for a mix of high dependency and special care babies. There is also a breastfeeding room just off the unit to allow mothers quiet time to feed their babies. There is also a dedicated rest room for parents to spend time away from the unit; visiting time is unrestricted for parents allowing them to spend valuable time bonding with their newborns.

The main aim of the fun day is as a reunion, but any profits will go towards helping to purchase breast pumps and parent diaries for the unit. The diaries are important part of the baby’s time on the unit encouraging parents to write down their feelings and daily experiences.

So if you are looking for a fun afternoon with the Carnegie Challenge Cup, Wolfie, games and prizes out, then why not join us from 12noon – 4.00pm on Sunday 19th September at Callands County Primary School, Callands Road, Callands, Warrington, WA5 9RJ.

If you would like to donate a prize for the fun day or find out more about how you can support the unit, call the neonatal unit on 01925 662278.
 

With more long-term relationships breaking up than ever before, older men and women are returning to the dating scene but in many cases ignoring safer sex messages and assuming warnings are aimed only at young people.

The concern is that lots of people over 50, single or dating, don’t think safer sex applies to them. With many having been in a long-term relationship it may not have been something they have had to consider for years. And after the menopause, when pregnancy isn’t a concern, using condoms can be easily forgotten about. Result? STIs are making a comeback in a new generation.

Recent statistics by the Health Protection Agency has shown a steady increase in sexually transmitted diseases (STI) in the over 50 age group. Chlamydia cases in the UK have rose by 72 per cent in men and women aged 45-64 between 2002 and 2006.

A poll by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain found that almost 20 per cent of people aged 45–54 admitted to having unprotected sex with someone other than a long-term partner in the last five years. And a survey of sexually active people over 50 by Saga recently found that one in ten are not using condoms with their current partner to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted infections.

The Royal College of Nursing has recently highlighted an alarming statistic in that there has been a 93 per cent increase in gonorrhea in women aged 45–64 between 1999 and 2008.

However, these statistics are not reflective of the figures that Warrington Hospital’s Genito Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinic have seen and treated. Over the last 4 years they have seen 13 patients a year test positive for a range of sexual diseases such as Chlamydia, genital warts, syphilis and gonorrhea.

Dr Debashis Mandal, GUM consultant commented,

"The reasons why we might not be seeing and treating people in the age group of over 50 is that they may not be aware that they are putting themselves at risk or do not know the purpose of a GUM clinic. This can be attributed to them never having had sex education and therefore not being equipped with the knowledge of the dangers unprotected sex can cause in the modern world of STIs. There is also denial thinking, that it will never happen to them.

“There are many different reasons for people not to come forward to be tested, but the national statistics show that there has been an increase in STIs in this age group and it is important that people come forward to be tested if they do have concerns for their sexual health and also before embarking on a new relationship.”

It is important to protect yourself and condoms help protect against STIs. Older people are more vulnerable to some infections because of weakened immune systems. In post-menopausal women, thinning vaginal walls and a decrease in vaginal lubrication can also make it easier to get an STI.

For women, even if you have been through the menopause, keep using contraception for at least 12 months after the date of your last period.

Some infections can pass from person to person through unprotected sex. These are known as sexually transmitted infections, and symptoms can include:

• A change in the normal discharge from the vagina.
• Discharge from the penis.
• Sores.
• Blisters.
• A rash or irritation near the vagina, penis or anus.
• A burning feeling when peeing.

If you have any of these symptoms, contact your GP or a sexual health clinic. Using a condom correctly every time you have sex will help protect you against infections.
It is important when starting a new relationship, for you and your partner to get the all-clear from an STI check-up. If you get a new partner you must get tested again or use protection.
You can get ALL tests and comprehensive treatments at a GUM clinic. GP surgeries, sexual health clinics and some pharmacies may also provide limited testing for some infections. If they can’t provide what you need, they will be able to give you details of the nearest service that can.

To contact the GUM clinic at Warrington Hospital: 01925 662476 or Halton Hospital on 01928 753217 or check out the services guide for clinic times.
 

The team will be on hand to take your blood pressure on Monday 13 September, 11am – 1pm at the entrance to Warrington Hospital. The campaign focuses on taking your blood pressure and explaining what your reading means to you and how you can take steps to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease. Every day 350 people across the UK have a preventable heart attack or stroke caused by high blood pressure. The condition is also a major risk factor for heart and kidney disease, and there’s increasing evidence that it’s a risk factor for vascular dementia.

Last year’s Know Your Numbers campaign highlighted the importance of the week as 79% of the people who came to be tested in the North West where unaware of what their BP numbers were. Out of that 32% of them had high blood pressure and where putting themselves at risk of serious illness.

So what is blood pressure and how do we know if we are at risk? Blood pressure is when your heart beats, it pumps blood round your body to give it the energy and oxygen it needs. As the blood moves, it pushes against the sides of the blood vessels and your blood pressure is how fast your blood is pumping around the body and the pressure it is putting on your vessels. If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your arteries (and your heart) and this may lead to heart attacks and strokes.

What do your numbers mean? Your blood pressure reading will consist of two numbers or levels; one number on top of the other. The first and top number is your systolic blood pressure. It is the highest level your blood pressure reaches when your heart beats. The second or bottom number is your diastolic blood pressure. It is the lowest level your blood pressure reaches as your heart relaxes between beats.

High blood pressure or hypertension as it is often known is when your readings are consistently 140 over 90 or higher. High blood pressure put extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. Overtime, this extra strain increases the risk of a heart attack or a stroke. Once diagnosed, high blood pressure can be very successfully managed with medicine or lifestyle changes.

If diagnosed with high blood pressure, there are steps to lower it:

• Eat more fruit and vegetables – ideally more than five portions a day
• Eat less than 6g of salt a day – check food labels and try not to add salt while cooking or at the table
• Be active for at least 30 minutes five times a week
• Drink alcohol in moderation – 3-4 units a day for men, 2-3 units for women
• Keep to the right weight for your height, and lose weight if you need to

What if you are diagnosed with low blood pressure, know as hypotension? This is normally when the reading is less than 90 over 60. It is not normally a concern, but in a few cases has caused problems, such as feeling faint and dizzy.

If you don’t know your numbers or want to get them re-checked come down to the Main Entrance of Warrington Hospital on Monday 13 September.

If you are unable to make it and have concerns about your blood pressure call your GP surgery to make an appointment.

National Statistics provided by the Blood Pressure Association

• High blood pressure is the main risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease. There is also increasing evidence that it is a risk factor for vascular dementia.
• One in three adults in the UK (16 million) have high blood pressure.
• Around a third of people with high blood pressure do not know that they have it, as there are no obvious symptoms. This is why it is often called the 'silent killer'.
• People with high blood pressure are three times more likely to develop heart disease and stroke and twice as likely to die from these as people with a normal blood pressure.
• Approximately 62,000 unnecessary deaths from stroke and heart attacks occur due to poor blood pressure control.
• High blood pressure rarely has any symptoms; the only way for people to know if they have the condition is to have their blood pressure regularly measured.
• Someone with high blood pressure that is well controlled reduces their risk of stroke and heart disease to almost that of a person who does not have high blood pressure.
 

• Friday 24th September 2010, 12.00pm – 3.00pm
• Medical Education Centre, Warrington Hospital (at the front of the hospital site on Lovely Lane).

From 12.30 there will be a brief presentation of the annual report and accounts for 2009-2010 and our governors will tell you more about their role and work in the hospitals and their plans to involve Foundation Trust members in the work of the hospitals over the coming year and beyond. A range of stands from hospital teams will be available to view before and after the presentations where you can get a blood pressure check, find out more about healthy eating and much more. You can also meet your Governors and have the opportunity to learn more about them and their role.

We are also staging a smaller ‘information meeting’ at Halton General Hospital on Wednesday 22nd September from 12.00 pm for Halton residents who can’t attend the main Warrington meeting. This will take place in the Medical Education Centre (near the Minor Injuries entrance to the site). The report and accounts will be presented from 12.30 and Halton based Public Governors will be available to talk about their role here as well.

Full copies of the Trust’s annual report and accounts for 2009/10 are available online from this link for you to read in advance of the meeting. Print off copies are available on request by emailing foundation@whh.nhs.uk  or by calling 01925 664222. There will be an opportunity to submit questions from the floor at both meetings or you can submit questions in advance to foundation@whh.nhs.uk 

All members of the foundation trust are welcome to attend, as well as any interested member of the public. It would be helpful if you can email foundation@whh.nhs.uk or call 01925 664222 if you are planning to attend so we have an idea of expected numbers for the meetings.
 

Warrington and Halton Hospitals Foundation Trust has had 4 Club Wembley tickets donated to the hospitals charitable fund thanks to Europa Capital. They are situated in block 236 and include four flexible rail passes from Marylebone Station to Wembley.

All we are asking is for you to email us with your bid to communications@whh.nhs.uk by 4pm on Thursday. Please include your name, contact number and address. You must be able to either collect the tickets on Friday or be local so that they can be delivered to you. The bid is for all 4 tickets as we can't split the prize.

The monies from the winning bid will go direct to the Warrington and Halton Hospitals Charitable Fund, benefitting patients and staff across the hospitals.

UPDATE -  The final bid for the tickets was £240! Thank you to everyone who bid!

The report places Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the top quartile of hospitals nationally and represents an improvement over recent years. Two years ago the Stroke Sentinel Audit placed the Trust in the middle quartile.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) Stroke Sentinel Audit 2010 shows that 90% of patients with stroke received their care in a specialist acute stroke unit (up from 83% previously). The Trust was also one of only 28% of hospitals that from April 2010 could arrange 24/7 access to clot-busting thrombolysis treatment.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was also one of only 44% of hospitals nationally that had a specialist early supported discharge team and one of only 55% of units nationally who could offer patients access to specialist community rehabilitation.

Dr Ola Otaiku, Stroke lead at the Trust said: "This is excellent news for the Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and we congratulate everyone involved in the provision of stroke services at the Trust. To be in the top quartile of hospitals nationally is an excellent achievement.

“People across Warrington and Halton can be assured that they are receiving the best stroke care we can provide. We are particularly proud of our Early Supported Discharge Service, which was created in partnership by our Stroke Rehabilitation Team and Warrington Community Services Unit (CSU) Community Neuro Team.
“We will take the needs of stroke patients very seriously, and will continue to do so in the future".

Strokes happen when the blood supply, carrying essential nutrients and oxygen, to part of the brain is cut-off. This can be caused by a blood clot (ischaemic stroke) in a blood vessel or by a burst blood vessel (haemorrhagic stroke) that causes a bleed in the brain.

A stroke can leave brain cells damaged or destroyed, affecting body functions. For example, if a stroke damages the part of the brain that controls how limbs move, the person will have difficulty moving their arms.

FAST – Face, Arm, Speech, Time to call 999. FAST is a simple test to help people to recognise the signs of stroke and understand the importance of fast emergency treatment. The FAST acronym was created by the Stroke Association and is used to assess three symptoms:

• Facial weakness - Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye dropped?
• Arm weakness - Can they raise both arms?
• Speech problems - Can you understand what they are trying to say? Are they speaking clearly?
• Time to call 999.

Since April 2008 thrombolysis treatment – or clot busting treatment – has been available at Warrington Hospital Monday – Friday, from 8.30am – 4.30pm. The treatment is given to suitable stroke patients who arrive at Warrington Hospital within three hours of onset of acute stroke. It can have a major impact on the patient’s recovery and reduce the risk of brain damage and resulting disabilities.

The service sees patients being met at the hospital by a specialist team of nurses and doctors who work with A&E staff and the admissions unit to confirm the stroke diagnosis. Once a brain scan has been done the decision to begin thrombolysis treatment is made by a consultant specialising in stroke.

It is estimated that around 10% of stroke patients are suitable for the treatment.

A stroke can leave brain cells damaged or destroyed, affecting body functions. For example, if a stroke damages the part of the brain that controls how limbs move, the person will have difficulty moving their arms.

Symptoms occur suddenly and can include:

- numbness, weakness or paralysis on one side of the body (signs of this may be a drooping arm, leg or lower eyelid, or a dribbling mouth)

- slurred speech or difficulty finding words or understanding speech

- sudden blurred vision or loss of sight

- a severe headache.

But studies show that if the patient is treated immediately, the risk of long-term damage is reduced, which is why the FAST test is so important in spotting the signs.
 

PEAT is an annual assessment of inpatient and outpatient healthcare facilities in England. PEAT teams inspect standards across a range of patient services including infection control, privacy and dignity and patient environment. Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust involved local patient representatives for their assessments to ensure that the assessments reflect patient views.

Halton General Hospital and the Houghton Hall intermediate care facility in Orford all scored the top mark of excellent for quality of food and the privacy and dignity offered to patients. Warrington Hospital scored the second highest rating of good. The food score looks at choice and quality of food and is judged on a range of factors from menu choices to taste and presentation. The privacy and dignity score looks at sleeping accommodation, bathrooms and shower facilities for patients and changing facilities.

Houghton Hall and Halton Hospital also scored excellent on the overall environment, whilst Warrington hospital scored good for the environment. The environment score looks at standards of décor, cleanliness and tidiness across hospital sites as well as aspects such as signage.

Mike Atkinson, Associate Director Facilities at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We are committed to treating our patients in a clean, safe environment across all our sites and are delighted that the PEAT assessment has recognised the high standards we maintain. We understand how important the hospital environment is to our patients, and are particularly pleased by the ‘excellent’ ratings across the board that Halton General and Houghton Hall received by PEAT.

“The PEAT standards rate excellent at 96% for Environment / Privacy and Dignity and 94% for Food and above which is very difficult to achieve, particularly as they are developed to a higher standard each year. On the Food there were additional criteria regarding "Protected mealtimes" and nutritional assessments which are fully in place on two of our sites and being progressed at Warrington. The menu choices and food sampled on the day were of a very high standard. In the Privacy and Dignity section there are additional standards on the elimination of mixed -sex accommodation on which all three sites scored well. Warrington, however, had some issues on the day regarding privacy and dignity which still justified a "good" score. These issues have been addressed.

“The scores reflect the tremendous amount of work carried out by staff on all our sites to continually improve the patient environment and experience.”

The full national results show that of all 1,265 healthcare sites which were rated, 87 per cent of NHS hospitals across England (1,084) have been rated ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ for their environment. In addition, 96 per cent of NHS hospitals (1,143) achieved an ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ rating for the quality, choice and availability of food for patients. There were 40 sites which scored ‘excellent’ on all three PEAT categories – an increase of eight compared to last year.

A local family raised £1,000 for Warrington Hospital’s coronary care unit through a sponsored bike ride from Manchester to Blackpool as a way to say thank you for life saving treatment given to a family member earlier this year.

Mike McCue, a 56 year old grandfather of eight from Old Hall, Warrington, was rushed into the accident and emergency department on Easter Saturday this year with suspected heart problems. He was moved to the coronary care unit which is specially designed to look after people with suspected unstable heart conditions and monitor and diagnose the problem.

Mike’s heart actually stopped beating six or seven times whilst on the unit for periods of up to 20 seconds at a time. Under careful observation from the expert team of doctors, nurses and support staff they diagnosed that the problem was Sick Sinus Syndrome – a condition where the conducting system of the heart fails intermittently.

Doctors at the hospital quickly fitted a temporary pacemaker to stabilise the heart and, just a few days later, a permanent pacemaker was fitted allowing Mike to recover at home and manage the condition. He’s now been able to return to work just three months on.

Mike’s family decided they wanted to say thanks to the hospital and son James Millar-McCue, aged 40 who lives in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, decided to take on a Manchester to Blackpool bike ride. Friends and family raised £1,000 for the coronary care unit which they handed over to staff on the unit this week.

“We were so impressed with the care he received and wanted to say thank you in some way,” explained James who cycles for leisure, “They basically saved dad and looked after him so well so the bike ride seemed like a good idea to be able to give something back. Cycling from Manchester over to Blackpool was like coming home for me as I live over that way and we covered the 60 or so miles in around four hours which wasn’t a bad time.”

Janet Heys, ward manager on the coronary care unit said, “We’re really grateful to Mike, James and all the family for raising this money for us. It’ll go directly to equipment that will benefit other local patients.”

The coronary care unit is an eight bedded unit and treats around 50 to 60 patients a month who come into the hospital with unstable heart conditions.

Pictured left to right - Ward manager Janet Heys, Mike McCue, James Millar-McCue, support worker Dawn Wright and junior sister Emma Lambert.

Accident and Emergency doctors in Warrington are warning of the dangers of injury to children from accidents involving popular garden trampolines and bouncy castles.

Dr Dave Geggie, A&E consultant at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We are in to the second week of the summer holidays and we are already seeing one to two trampoline injuries a day in the department. These are ranging from quite serious head and spinal injuries through to minor cuts and bruises.”

Safety is crucial in reducing the risk of injuries. It is vital that when purchasing a trampoline that parents ensure that:

• they buy the right safety netting to go around the trampoline
• they choose a clear area with no hazards nearby such as trees, fences, washing lines or poles
• the trampoline is positioned on a soft energy absorbing surface such as a springy lawn and not an uneven surface, where the trampoline could tip over when children bounce on it.
• they never place the trampoline on a hard surface without some form of crash matting or safety netting surrounding it.
• most importantly, they never use a ladder that will provide unsupervised access to small children.

“It is important to parents to follow the safety advice and ensure that their trampolines have a safety net and are properly maintained," advises Dr Geggie, "It is also vital that poles have padding, metal springs are not left to rust and if a trampoline has a rip or hole that this is either repaired or condemned. Simple safety and maintenance could prevent many of the injuries that we are seeing.”

Accident figures available from 2002 by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA)* showed 11,500 people in the UK visited the hospital after an accident with a trampoline – an increase of more than 50 per cent over a five-year period. Accidents on trampolines at home had increased almost fourfold in the same time, with 4,200 under-15s being hurt in 2002.

Three quarters of injuries occur when more than one person is on the trampoline. The person weighing less is more likely to be injured. Small children under five are particularly vulnerable - as the lightest they are often propelled high into the air and can land heavily off the trampoline. It is also important that parents do not bounce on the trampoline under the influence of alcohol as this will slow their reactions and can result in crush injuries to small children when parents land on them.

Dr Geggie concludes:

“The more children on the trampoline bouncing will cause the smallest and often lightest child to bounce higher than the others and often this will result in them landing on the ground, if the trampoline does not have netting often resulting in serious injury. Therefore it is important to take it in turns and have one child on at a time.

"Injuries can occur to all parts of the body, including the neck, arms, legs face and head. Head and neck injuries are the most serious injuries associated with trampolines. It is important that there is parental supervision, this of course will not guarantee that accidents will not happen, but at least parents can call for emergency care immediately.”

*The 2002 statistics provided by ROSPA are the latest, as the government stopped collecting accidents statistics in that year.

Catherine Beardshaw, chief executive of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is to leave the hospitals in January 2011 after being appointed as chief executive at Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Catherine has been chief executive at the hospitals for over four years, joining in July 2006. During that time the hospitals have improved their national performance ratings, cut infection numbers, invested in a range of new facilities and moved into financial balance from a position of being in financial turnaround. The hospitals were able to become an NHS Foundation Trust in December 2008 giving them more freedom to manage their finances and services and less direct government control.

Allan Massey, chairman of Warrington and Halton Hospitals, said:

“Aintree’s gain is going to be our loss as Catherine has bought stability, high quality leadership and made a real difference to our hospitals in her time with us. We have started the process of searching for a successor and hope to be able to appoint to the post as soon as possible to ensure continuity and a smooth transition.”

Catherine started her NHS career as a radiographer before moving into general management. She joined Warrington and Halton Hospitals (then known as North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust) from Leeds Teaching Hospitals where she had been director of operations.

In a letter to hospital staff last week, Catherine said:

“This has been an incredibly difficult decision for me to take. Whilst it is a wonderful opportunity for me personally, I have spent four very happy years as Chief Executive here and in that time I feel that all of us as a team across the hospitals have achieved so much together. All of this has put us in an excellent position for the future and I am personally very proud of all that we have done together.”

Catherine will join Aintree in February 2011.

Further media information available from Chris Horner, associate director of communications - chris.horner@whh.nhs.uk

The certificate of Anatomical Pathology Technology is gained after two years of study and the Diploma after a further two years of practical experience in anatomy and physiology and pathological disease, health, safety, hygiene and management within the mortuary. Chris studied for his Diploma at Hull Royal Infirmary, which involved attending week long study courses and then returning to sit his exam in April at the hospital.

Chris from Anfield in Liverpool has been working for Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for 18 months and was the youngest qualified technician in the country at 17 years old. He started his training to become a Mortuary Technician at the age of 16 at the Royal in Liverpool. The job runs in the family with his dad being a full time locum.

Chris was that dedicated to working in the profession that he paid his tuition fees himself to get on the ladder. He now has the highest qualification in the role, which will give him the opportunity of becoming a senior technician or manager in the future when he has gained further experience.

The role of a Mortuary Technician involves assisting the pathologist in conducting post mortems, taking samples for clinical examination, record keeping and working with the families of the deceased to ensure that everything runs smoothly for them at a sensitive and sad time.

Chris commented,

“Every day is different in my role and I enjoy that, you can never plan for anything. It is an unusual role to want to pursue, but it interests me and there is a sense of satisfaction in being able to help the families of the deceased, by ensuring that everything runs smoothly to take the stress out of a very sad time.”

Chris will receive the award at a ceremony held at the Royal Society of Public Health in London in 22 September.

Jeff Green, Histopathology Service Manager is full of praise for Chris’s work within the Mortuary,

“I first met Chris when he undertook some locum work for us. I was pleased that he liked our department and chose to apply for a permanent post with us. It didn't take Chris long to settle into the job and become a valuable asset to the team. Not only does he provide support to the mortuary supervisor, he is also a strong mentor to the departmental trainee. I always thought that Chris was good, but gaining the Heggie award proves how good he is.”
 

As well as being able to provide them with hospital information and advice, the Trsust has been able to secure access to the national NHS Discounts scheme for their 9,000 plus public Foundation Trust members. NHS Discounts is a national scheme that offers NHS staff discounts on a range of website and high street stores ranging from clothing and electrical goods through to insurance and days out. It has been running for several years now for NHS staff and Warrington and Halton Hospitals members can also now  access the majority of discounts on offer through the NHS Discounts website www.nhsdiscounts.com

You must be a member of our Foundation Trust to access the site (NHS Discounts check this with the hospitals) – so if you've not joined your local hospitals already, follow this link to the online membership form - http://www.warringtonandhaltonhospitals.nhs.uk/membership-app-form.asp - and as part of your welcome pack you'll receive information on how to access NHS Discounts.

Foundation Trust membership shows you care or have an opinion about your local hospitals and that your healthcare is important to you. The hospitals inform and consult with their members on issues and gain their views through surveys and other work. At the same time, it allows the hospitals to let you know the latest heatth news and build a better understanding of the NHS.

Members of the hospitals receive:

• A quarterly Member's newsletter 'Your Hospitals' - Helping us bring the hospitals to your home and build your understanding of what's going on in your NHS. The newsletter includes health tips and advice direct from our expert staff as well as valuable information on the hospitals and future plans so you are kept informed and can get involved
• A chance to have your say - By taking part in surveys and consultations about the hospital or letting the hospital Governors who represent Members know your views
• The opportunity to vote in the elections for the hospital Governors - Every member can vote and you can even stand for election yourself if you want
• Invites to exclusive Member's events - These might range from health fairs where you can come and get your blood pressure checked and meet our staff to open days and informative lectures on key topics.

"As well as getting involved in the hospitals and learning more about us, members can now also access a range of discounts on a massive range of products through NHS Discounts," explained Chris Horner, associate director of communications for the hospitals, "We've been working to make membership valuable for local people and getting access to this is something that we hope will benefit all of our members and makes their support of our hospitals even more valuable to them."

You can find out more about foundation trust membership in general by clicking here.

The Trust will be retaining the target of ensuring that the majority of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks for their final hospital treatment from the time they see their GP and are referred to hospital. Although the target has been dropped at a national level as part of the new NHS White Paper plans, hospital staff feel that the 18 week target works well for local patients and means that hospital treatments have been provided faster than ever before.

“18 week waiting has changed the way that the hospitals work,” explains Simon Wright, chief operating officer at the hospitals, “It basically means that after being referred by your GP you get all of your hospital treatment in that 18 week period – that includes your outpatient appointment, any scans and tests you need and then any actual surgery or treatment. We were one of the first hospital trusts in the North West to meet the target when it was introduced and it has meant we’ve been able to speed up treatment for local patients.

“Although we could in theory now relax these timescales, we’ll be continuing to work towards the 18 week target. It is good for our patients and a lot of work has taken place to ensure our departments across the hospital work together so patients get their appointments and treatment quickly. We have listened to our patients and they want us to ensure that they are seen quickly and safely so maintaining the 18 week commitment remains important to us.”

For Warrington and Halton Hospitals, in the 12 months up to April 2010, 93.2% of patients who needed to be admitted to hospital for treatment or surgery and 97.8% of patients whose treatment did not require admission to hospital (such as those who just required outpatient treatment or tests) waited 18 weeks or less from referral - performing better than the national targets for 18 week waiting in both cases.

The unit which is currently situated at Warrington Hospital was made possible by a bid submitted to the National Osteoporosis Society in October 2007. The funding for the scanner came from the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, who had provided £3million pounds nationally to fund more scanners to detect osteoporosis.

The DEXA (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) is used to detect osteoporosis accurately. It is a quick, painless procedure for measuring bone loss. It is most often used to diagnose osteoporosis, with bone density measurements of the lower back and hips mainly taken. Each scan takes about 20 minutes and is a relatively pain-free procedure, and involves only a very low dose of radiation.

Bryan Ogden, Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons in Cheshire commented,

“The Mark Benevolent Fund made a donation of £3 million to the National Osteoporosis Society to enable the Society to fund a National Osteoporosis Scanning Service that will provide over 30,000 bone density scans every year in England and Wales.

“The Service will provide a local osteoporosis scanning provision which will operate in areas where NHS patients have to travel long distances or wait months for osteoporosis scans and hence greatly improve the quality of life for those who suffer from this condition.

“We are particularly delighted that a substantial portion of this funding has been given to Halton and Warrington Hospitals and we sincerely hope that it will make a significant impact on the quality of life of the people throughout the area.”

Osteoporosis is a condition that results in porous bones. The bones in our skeleton contain an inner mesh of struts. In osteoporosis these struts become thin or weak, causing bones to become more fragile and likely to break (fracture). Osteoporosis can go undetected until the time of the first broken bone, which is why it is called the “silent disease”. The most common osteoporotic fractures are just above the wrist and top of the thigh bone. Other areas include the spine, hip, pelvis and upper arm. One in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 in the UK will fracture a bone, mainly as a result of osteoporosis.

Women are often considered more at risk because they have smaller bones than men and they also experience the menopause which accelerates the process of bone turnover. The female hormone oestrogen has a protective effect on bones. At the menopause (normally around the age of 50) the ovaries almost stop producing this hormone reducing the protection it gives to bones.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust services the populations of Warrington and Halton, which is over 300,000 people. The number of women over the age of 50 in Halton and Warrington is expected to rise over the next five years to 60,000.

Talking about the service, Dr Mark Caplan, Consultant Radiologist said:

“The introduction of the DEXA scanning service at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has allowed us to treat patients more effectively, by screening onsite. In the past patients have had to travel in excess of 20 miles to other hospitals to be screened, often with long waiting lists. We are now able to screen them within seven days of referral which significantly improves their health through the early diagnosis of osteoporosis, targeting treatment most appropriately, reducing the risk of fractures and future fractures.

“We are delighted that the Freemasons have come to formally open the service, without their financial support and that of the National Osteoporosis Society the mobile screening unit would not be possible. This is a great way to celebrate our commitment to providing high quality healthcare to our patients.”

Nearly 2,000 patients have benefited from this service since it started operating in October 2008. Previously patients had to travel to Manchester, Liverpool or to the Wirral for a scan. Patients no longer face lengthy waiting times for their scan.

Bone density scans are only recommended for people who are considered to be at high risk of having fragility fracture. Your GP will discuss your risk factors with you and then decide whether a referral is necessary. If you think you are at risk then talk to your GP to discuss whether a scan would be useful.

Picture: L-R: Chris Kenyon (Trust governor), Peter Connolly (Provincial Grand Master for West Lancashire), Bryan Ogden (Provincial Grand Master for Cheshire), Allan Massey (Chairman of the Trust) and Dr Mark Caplan, Consultant Radiographer/Lead of DEXA scanner at the presentation of the plaque.

The National Osteoporosis Society is the only UK-wide national charity dedicated to improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. For more information: www.nos.org.uk

Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons

Charity has always been a central tenet of Masonry and the Mark degree is no exception. The Mark Benevolent Fund was founded as long ago as 1868.
Since then, in addition to grants to brethren or their dependents in need, over £8½ million has been donated to Worthy Causes. All charitable contributions come from the members themselves and not from any outside agencies.In recent years, these have included major grants of £1.5 million to the Hospice Movement, £2 million for the purchase of ambulances for the St. John Ambulance Brigade, £2 million for Prostate Cancer Care and £1.6 million to the RNLI for the provision of a new Tamar Class Lifeboat aptly named “Mark Mason”. In our 150th Anniversary Year; 2006, it was entirely appropriate that we made a substantial donation to a very Worthy Cause.
The 150th Anniversary was a major milestone for Mark Masonry.
 

The established group have been meeting for over 20 years and started when a group of ladies who had breast cancer and wanted to offer help and support to other ladies who were going through a similar journey.

The group runs a drop-in-centre centre between 9.30am and 12pm every Wednesday. It is located in the breast screening clinic in the Kendrick Wing at Warrington Hospital where you can pop in for a cup of tea or coffee and a chat as well as getting a range of information.

The group also run a support meeting on the first Thursday of each month at 7.30pm in Warrington Hospital post graduate centre. At this meeting the group run a varied range of social evenings and events as well as being able to offer support and advice. Those attending are invited to bring a friend as well.

The social events calendar is jammed pack through until December 2010:

July 1st Strawberries and Cream

August 5th Dr. Katrina Lavelle, speaking on the results of her Qualitative Health Research

September 2nd Mrs Sheila Warr – Talking of her life experiences

October 7th Mrs. Diana Bird with her beautiful collection of jewellery

Nov 4th The Positive Clinic from Stockton Heath with Lymphatic Drainage Demonstration by Kathy Mills & Helen Cotterell

Dec 2nd Christmas party with entertainment, provided by Iona Sounds

If you would like to speak to one of the ladies running the group please call:

Margaret Creagan    01925 471013
Penny Woodhouse   01928 733700
Lorna Manning          01925 763560
Ann Bebbington        01925 480436

Or

Jane Farrel, Macmillan Breast Care Nurse 01925 662308
 

The hospitals stand proved to be a huge success with hundreds of people stopping by to sign up as members to the Foundation Trust, get information on healthy living and checking their blood pressures.

The Stroke Team were inundated with requests for blood pressure checks and advise on how to avoid a stroke. Knowing your blood pressure and changing your lifestyle if is high could save you from a stroke.

So what is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the pressure placed on the body's blood vessels by circulating blood. Because circulation varies throughout the day, depending on whether a person is resting or being active, the blood pressure also varies. If blood pressure is consistently high or low it's a sign that there could be an underlying health problem that is affecting the pressure of blood circulating around the body.

For more information check out: www.stroke.org.uk or contact Warrington Hospital’s The Stroke Association’s Family and Carer Support Service - Jacquelyn Berry or Jane Guy on 01925 662053.

The Healthy Living Team where on hand to promote their healthy weight management courses and healthy living. Their smoothies went down a treat in the hot weather, with people queuing along the marquee just to sample them. Easily made, frozen berries and fruit juice with ice in a blender, yummy on a hot day!

If you where unable to make it along and wanted more information on what is on offer to get you on the right track, the service offers various options to suit individual needs and the team will be happy to discuss them with you and see which ones suit. All courses and the Drop In clinics are FREE.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PROGRAMME is an 8 week programme designed to help you to lose weight by changing your lifestyle. The Healthy Weight Programme is based on evidence based information, which shows that the best way to lose weight is by eating a healthy balanced diet and being more physically active.
Each session will provide information and support through behaviour change on healthy eating, being more active and keeping motivated. After the 8 week course there is follow up for 12 months which includes a drop-in clinic.

We can also offer one to one sessions for 4 weeks to support individuals if the groups are not suitable.

COOK HEALTHY, EAT WELL (CHEW) is a 4 week course designed to help you to ‘Cook Healthy and Eat Well.’ Each session offers information and support on healthy eating by providing the opportunity to learn how to make some basic, tasty, cost effective recipes. Different recipes will be prepared and cooked each week.

Drop-in - Alternatively just drop-in to the open sessions held at the Warrington Wolves Stadium on a Monday night 5pm to 6.45pm and on a Tuesday morning 10-12noon. Here you can get further information and support before or after finishing the programmes. Or simply just to find out who we are and what we can offer you.

If you are unable to make it and want to find out more about us call 01925 662255.

Do you use the hospitals at Warrington and Halton? Want to know how you can be more involved and find out what is happening at both hospitals?

Then check out the Foundation Trust Members section on how to join us.
 

Do you want to know more about your hospitals? Come join us this Sunday at Disability Awareness Day at Walton Gardens, 10am – 5.00pm.

We will be in marquee 7 and will be providing information on your hospitals and how to become a Foundation Member. If you have used the hospitals, want to know more about what they can offer you and your family, have an interest in improving them or want to know more about how they work then becoming a member of the hospitals will be of interest to you.

Are you looking for a new ‘me’ this summer time? Pop along and have a chat to our Healthy Living Team who will talk you through all the different opportunities available to you to kick start your healthier new ‘me’. Also try their delicious smoothies, perfect on a hot day in the park, learn how to make them, so you can enjoy them on your adventures to being fit and healthy in 2010!

We will be joined this year by The Stroke Association, who based in Warrington Hospital on B14. The Family Carer and Support Team will be on hand to provide information, practical advice and emotional support for patients, carers and their families across the Warrington area. There will also be an opportunity to get your blood pressure checked. Did you know that this is an indicator of a stroke waiting to happen?

Also available will be the opportunity to see how clean your hands are, the team will be brining the light box and will test you on your hand cleaning technique..you will be surprised at how dirty your hands are after you have washed them!

So for information on leading a healthier lifestyle this summer and beyond pop along and see us in marquee 7 between 10.00am- 5.00pm on Sunday at Walton Gardens.

For more information: www.disabilityawarenessday.co.uk

Earlier this week Matt King popped in to the ward to show the youngsters his new haircut, he was accompanied by teammate and fellow Aussie Michael Monaghan, fresh off the training field after a win against Celtic Crusaders at the weekend.

Matt and Michael spent an hour on the ward chatting with patients, their families and staff happily posing for pictures and signing autographs.

Matt will initially hold the role for two months before it rotates to another squad member. Each player who honours the role will donate a signed playing jersey that will be displayed on the ward and then auctioned off at the end of their term, with the monies going direct to the ward.

There will also be an opportunity for the children once released from hospital to visit the team at a training session and have a behind the scenes look at the training life of a rugby league player.The role of Player Ambassador came from the players themselves after a recent visit to the hospital.

For more information on Warrington Wolves: www.warringtonwolves.com

Families across Warrington and Halton are being urged to sit down and talk about organ donation as part of National Transplant Week.

Warrington and Halton Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust’s Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation, Paula Rea said it was vital that families discussed the issue before it affected them.

Paula said: “Organ donation is something that families often don’t talk about and it is a hard subject to bring up at such a difficult time. However, one organ donor can save or transform the lives of up to eight people so it is crucial that it becomes part of all end-of-life care discussions.”

More than 10,000 people in the UK need an organ transplant and on average three people die every day waiting.

National Transplant Week runs from July 5th to 9th and this is called “Heart to Heart” – the aim being that families sit down and discuss the issue of organ donation which can be put off in day to day life.

If you would like to sign up to the Organ Donor Register go to www.organdonation.nhs.uk

The volunteers of which there are over 70 work throughout Warrington Hospital in the gift shop at the main entrance, the shop in Outpatients and on the trolley that goes out to the wards and provides a lifeline for patients who are unable to get down to the shops. The monies that they donate to the hospitals are raised through the shop in Outpatients, which is a tuck shop for refreshments and snacks for patients and staff. It is a hive of activity with patients popping in for a drink or snack, whilst attending an appointment.

Hilda Robinson, from Thelwall has been volunteering with the WRVS for twenty six years and works in the WRVS shop in the Outpatients department at Warrington Hospital,
“I enjoy volunteering here at the hospital; you build up a rapport with the regular patients and I have made some good friends. It gets me out of the house and raising funds for hospital equipment is important. You give and in return you get the enjoyment of meeting the patients, staff and making friends along the way.”

Geraldine Broadhurst, Project Manager for the WRVS Warrington and Macclefield commented,

“We help to change lives. Volunteers are at the heart of what we do. You can make a difference to the lives of people that you meet and here at Warrington Hospital it is about providing a service that provides refreshments to patients and staff, which in turn allows us to give back to the hospitals through donations from our sales. It is important to us that the monies are used for the patients that we serve. We want to make a difference, even if a small one to benefit the community that we volunteer in.”

Mike Atkinson, Head of Patient Services commented,

“The donations from the WRVS have been extremely valuable and have previously provided some medical equipment for the wards as well as the wheelchairs in our main entrance. I am not sure there is much equipment, which is so regularly used as the wheelchairs and in demand for our patients. There is now also a regular need for bariatric equipment. The funding to provide these items makes all the difference”

WRVS has 70 years experience of helping people in hundreds of communities throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The volunteers and staff work together to support people in need who might otherwise feel lonely and isolated, whether at home, in hospital, or in times of crisis.

For more information: www.wrvs.org.uk

Dr Asan Akpan, Clinical Lead for Elderly, Stroke and Intermediate Care at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is calling for more awareness of dementia across Warrington and Halton. The Trust is introducing initiatives to implement the National Dementia Care Strategy, which focus on improving the quality of care for people being admitted to hospital who have dementia.

The key areas being reviewed are the care pathway, education of staff and the ward environment. Dr Asan Akpan, lead consultant for implementing the National Dementia Strategy, commented:

“The National Dementia Strategy is about improving the pathway, environment and education of staff within the hospitals. Patients are not normally admitted to hospital as a result of their dementia, it is normally an illness or injury, but it is important to understand their dementia, as this needs to be accounted for in their treatment and care plan.

“Hospitals can be challenging environments for patients with dementia with busy ward areas, poor signage and other hazards. As a result small but effective changes are being introduced to wards in Warrington and Halton Hospitals to create a safer and improved environment to reduce anxiety and confusion.

“It is important that all staff that work within a hospital environment have a level of understanding of dementia and aspects of challenging behaviour that might be displayed by a patient when in a new environment and how they can be of benefit to that patient.

“The National Dementia Strategy will have a real impact on patient care. It is a key part of the Trust’s work to push back the barriers to improve care for its local population.”

Dementia is a term used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions. These symptoms include memory loss, i.e. forgetting the way home from the shops or what happened earlier in the day, mood changes – particularly as parts of the brain that control emotion are affected by disease. People with dementia may also feel sad, frightened or angry about what is happening to them and may have communication problems.

There are many different causes of dementia with the commonest cause being Alzheimer’s disease. Different people are affected in different ways, depending on the type of dementia, and on the individual’s personality, lifestyle and state of health.

Dementia is progressive. This means that the symptoms get worse over time. How fast dementia progresses will depend on the individual. Each person is unique and will experience dementia in their own way. In the later stages, someone with dementia will find it difficult managing even simple tasks, and will need more and more support from others.

There are over 750,000 people living with dementia in the UK, which normally affects those over the age of 65, but there are currently 16,000 people under the age of 65 diagnosed with the condition. There is no cure for dementia yet, but there are some treatments that can delay the progression of some forms of dementia, and there is ongoing research into finding a cure.

Dementia is a challenge, but life with dementia can still be full of joy and laughter. It is important to ‘Remember the person’. This is also an important focus of work at the Trust on increasing the understanding of hospital staff of dementia. Staff will undertake training to provide a level of understanding of the needs, communication styles and adjustments to medical care that can help a hospital admission be a positive experience.

Many people fear they have dementia, particularly if they think that their memory is getting worse. Becoming forgetful does not necessarily mean that you have dementia: memory loss can be an effect of ageing, and it can also be a sign of stress or depression. If you are worried about yourself, or someone close to you, it is worth discussing your concerns with your GP.

The Trust is keen to work with providers in the community on implementing the strategy on a local level and will be holding a dementia symposium looking at the local approach to dementia on 14th October. The event is an update for all practitioners in primary, secondary mental health and long term care settings. If you would like more information contact helen.kiely@whh.nhs.uk

 The first ever National Dementia Strategy is a landmark document that will transform the quality of dementia care. It sets out initiatives designed to make the lives of people with dementia, their carers and families better and more fulfilled.

Published on 3 February 2009 the National Dementia Strategy is backed by £150 million over the first two years. It will increase awareness of dementia, ensure early diagnosis and intervention and radically improve the quality of care that people with the condition receive. Proposals include the introduction of a dementia specialist into every general hospital and care home and for mental health teams to assess people with dementia.

Alzheimer’s Society is the UK’s leading care and research charity for people with dementia and those who care for them, for more information www.alzheimers.org.uk

Warrington Wolves’ star Matt King will be aiming to put smiles on the faces of young patients at Warrington Hospital in his new role as Player Ambassador to the Children’s Ward.

The role will see Matt becoming a regular on the ward as he visits the children to raise their spirits during their stay. Matt will initially hold the role for two months before it rotates to another squad member. Each player who honours the role will donate a signed playing jersey that will be displayed on the ward and then auctioned off at the end of their term, with the monies going direct to the ward.

There will also be an opportunity for the children once released from hospital to visit the team at a training session and have a behind the scenes look at the training life of a rugby league player.

The role of Player Ambassador came from the players themselves after a recent visit to the hospital, as Brian Carney, Player Liaison Officer explains: “This is a very special role as it is part of a player driven initiative with the players having come up with the idea themselves. They are all keen to get involved in the ambassador programme and assist in any fundraising for the hospital during that time.”

 Matt talks about his new role: “As professional sportsmen we are in the privileged position that by us simply heading down to the ward we can change the whole day for a kid in hospital. This only takes an hour out of our day and can make a big difference. I am very proud to be the first ambassador from the Wolves and will do anything I can to help.”

Jane Scott, Children’s Matron commented, “We are delighted to have Matt King and the Warrington Wolves onboard in this unique role; it is sure to bring a lot of joy to our young patients, a lot of who are big fans of the team. The role will play a very important part in raising the spirits of the children as they receive treatment and provide a great distraction from the reason they are in hospital.”
 

The Ophthalmic Day Case Unit is a specialist unit that deals specifically with patients who require eye surgery and investigations into eye disorders on a day case basis. Some of the procedures that take place on a daily basis are cataracts, specialised treatments for glaucoma, squint surgery, eyelid disorders including tumour removal, lacrimal (tear drainage surgery), and orbital surgery.

Mark Halliwell, Ophthalmic Consultant commented,

“The new Ophthalmic Day Case Unit is commitment with both the hospital and Ophthalmology departments desire to develop a range of high quality services and provide an optimal patient experience. This unit will help us to achieve these aims.”

Inspired by the need to provide same sex accommodation to patients, Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have taken to opportunity to design a unit that is split into two sections; male and female. This allows for segregation prior to, and after any procedure. This includes changing areas, toilets and recovery accommodation. There are five trolleys for patients who have had general anaesthetic and nine recovery chairs. The average day case patient will stay on the ward 3-5 hours depending on their procedure.

The new facilities have left an impression on Patricia Bradbury, 67 from Padgate, Warrington who had a cataract implant operation in the new unit two weeks ago and was invited to officially open the unit,

“I am very impressed with the new facility it is very nice and spacious. The care was marvellous I certainly did not feel like I was coming in for an operation, everyone was so friendly and made me feel relaxed. It was a real honour to be invited to officially open the unit.”

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust are committed to improving services across their hospitals and the completion of the ophthalmic day case unit is one of those improvements.
 

The challenges have involved endurance, running, hiking and adventure taking David and Michael all over the UK. They have participated in the 3 peaks challenge, the West Highland Way - a 96 mile hike in Scotland, the 3 Rings of Shap - 100km endurance through Cumbria, several runs of 10km or more, and whitewater rafting in Wales, a 95 mile bike ride from Alty to Southport and back and ended the year with a 6 hour football marathon.

The motivation to raise monies for the Children’s Ward came from a personal experience for Michael,

“Anyone who has experienced having a sick child in hospital will know that it is a harrowing time. I have gone through this with both my children. My son Ben had a medical condition when he was first born that meant he had recurrent UTI's. I will never forget having to hold him in my hands bent double, when he was 5 weeks old, as a doctor performed a lumbar puncture to rule out meningitis. Over the next 6 months we spent 5 more weeks in hospital with him with either my wife or I in with him.

“My daughter was 6 weeks old when she was admitted with what they later said was most likely a viral infection. I remember her lying in the cot with a fluid drip in her arm and leads from all sorts of devices attached to her. She looked so small and so helpless and for days she was so ill she was completely unresponsive to anything around her.

“Through all of this the medical staff were amazing and that is one of the two reasons I wanted to give something back. The other was that everyday parents of young children go through the same experience and anything that helps in that situation is worthwhile in my opinion.”

Jane Scott, Children’s Matron commented,

“This is an amazing feat by David and Michael and we are very grateful for considering the Children’s Ward when setting out on this adventure. Kind donations like this allow us to purchase equipment, toys and other items to benefit the children on our ward that budgets do not cover.”

The 12 for 12 challenge also raised monies for The Christie Hospital in Manchester, the monies raised overall where split between the Children’s Ward at Warrington Hospital and the Christie Hospital.

For more information on the challenge www.12fortwelve.com

Picture: L-R – Kath Coleman (Play Specialist), Andrea Davies (Staff Nurse), Michael White (12for12), David Coleiro (12for12) and Jane Scott (Children’s Matron). Front: Donna Rhodes (Ward Assistant)

Joshua Rogers, 8 has been an inpatient on the ward for six weeks having broken his leg playing football. Joshua is a big Sale Sharks fan and the ward staff contacted Sale to see if Sharky could put in a surprise appearance to lift Joshua’s spirits after a long stretch in hospital.

The surprises didn’t just end there; Sharky brought Joshua a signed ball by the players and a flag he can wave on his next visit to watch his beloved Sharks play.

For more information on Sale Sharks: www.salesharks.com

During the week physiotherapists from across the Trust will be promoting the importance of staying active by carrying out small chair based exercise classes with their patients. The classes will be carried out in line with recommendations made by AGILE, the Special Interest Group for Chartered Physiotherapists working with Older People, for frail older people to participate in 10 minutes of active exercise each day.

We all know what it is to fall. It can happen to a person at any age and at any time. But as we grow older and the risk factors increase, what was once just an embarrassing occurrence becomes much more serious. In 2009 over 1,000 people over the age of 65 from across Warrington and Halton attended hospital with a hip or wrist fracture, possibly caused as a result of a fall.

The consequences of a fall in later life can be devastating, both physically and emotionally. They can cause loss of function, mobility, independence and confidence. But despite this, falls are not an inevitable part of ageing.

Carol Millington, Therapy Manager commented,

“As we age our muscle strength naturally declines, which increases our risk of falls. Physical inactivity can make this much worse, so it’s important not to be tempted to slow down as we grow older.

“It is never too late to benefit from physical activity; strength and balance hold the keys to independent living. Without them, we would be unable to do everyday activities like getting up from a chair and going walking. Quite simply, good strength and balance gives us the ability to Get Up and Go!”

For more information on National Falls Awareness Week 2010 visit: www.helptheaged.org.uk/fallsday

Osteoporosis is a condition that results in porous bones. The bones in our skeleton contain an inner mesh of struts. In osteoporosis these struts become thin or weak, causing bones to become more fragile and likely to break (fracture). Osteoporosis can go undetected until the time of the first broken bone, which is why it is called the “silent disease”. One in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 in the UK will fracture a bone, mainly as a result of osteoporosis.

Women are often considered more at risk because they have smaller bones than men and they also experience the menopause which accelerates the process of bone turnover. The female hormone oestrogen has a protective effect on bones. At the menopause (normally around the age of 50) the ovaries almost stop producing this hormone reducing the protection it gives to bones. By the age of 80, 50% of women will have sustained least one fracture due to osteoporosis.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust services the populations of Warrington and Halton, which is over 300,000 people. The number of women over the age of 50 in Halton and Warrington is expected to rise over the next five years to 60,000, showing the increasing demand for scans to detect osteoporosis.

Patients across the Warrington and Halton area have been able to have their scans closer to home since October 2008, when the Trust was successful in a bid for a mobile scanning unit from the National Osteoporosis Society. The unit was funded by the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons.

The DEXA (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) is used to detect osteoporosis accurately. It is a quick, painless procedure for measuring bone loss. It is most often used to diagnose osteoporosis, with bone density measurements of the lower back and hips mainly taken. Nearly 2,000 people have benefitted from the introduction of the DEXA scanner situated at Warrington Hospital. The scan takes about 20 minutes and is a relatively pain-free procedure, and involves only a very low dose of radiation.

“Our very latest scanning equipment is capable not only of scanning the lumbar spine, hips, and forearms but can also look at the spine sideways-on and detect clear cut vertebral collapses, which sometimes go un-noticed.” commented Dr Caplan.

The current waiting time for a scan is under one week and often sooner. Reports are prepared on line with the scanner, printed, checked and signed within one week of the scan in most cases.
“We are proud of the service we deliver and this is evident by the increasing demand we are facing,” he added.

Bone density scans are only recommended for people who are considered to be at high risk of having fragility fracture. Your GP will discuss your risk factors with you and then decide whether a referral is necessary. If you think you are at risk then talk to your GP to discuss whether a scan would be useful.

The National Osteoporosis Society is the only UK-wide national charity dedicated to improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. For more information: www.nos.org.uk
 

Jill, 33 from Locking Stumps is a Paediatric Nurse on B11 at the hospital and has taken up running to take part in this years run.

Jill explains, “I am not a runner, I did the Race for Life two years ago and occasionally run in the gym, but never anything like this. I was inspired by Claire Pearson, our Paediatric Epilepsy Nurse Specialist who is also running it. So I am starting with the basics, but I am determined to run the whole way.”

Jill Maddock will be running for Make a Wish Foundation, grants magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses.

“As a Paediatric Nurse I am only too aware of the effect these illnesses have on young people and their families and feel by doing this race, I can contribute to making these wishes become a reality.”

To give to Jill and Make a Wish Foundation - http://www.justgiving.com/jill-maddock

Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK grants magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses. To learn more about Make a Wish Foundation - http://www.make-a-wish.org.uk/
 

During Diabetes Awareness Week (13th-19th June), Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is encouraging people to check out their health and risk of developing diabetes in the future.

The diabetes team will be in Warrington Hospital Main Entrance on Thursday 15 June to answer your queries on diabetes and provide information and support.

Senior Diabetes Nurse Specialist, Lesley Mills commented,

“Diabetes affects approx 27,000 people around Warrington, Halton and St Helens. Treating people significantly reduces diabetes complications. Diabetes in the UK is costing the NHS - £3.5 billion a year, which is £400.000 an hour or £111 per second!

“Our philosophy is to support patients and health care professionals to manage care safely and effectively in both the community and the hospital. To prevent admissions and expedite discharge.”

Diabetes is a common life-long condition where the amount of glucose in the blood is too high for your body to use it properly. The main symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes include passing urine frequently (especially at night), increased thirst, extreme tiredness, unexplained weight loss, genital itching or regular episodes of thrush, slow healing of wounds and blurred vision.

There are two main types of diabetes; Type 1 diabetes develops when the insulin-producing cells have been destroyed and the body is unable to produce any insulin. Usually it appears before the age of 40, and especially in childhood. It is treated with insulin either by injection or pump, a healthy diet and regular physical activity.

Type 2 diabetes develops when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the insulin that is produced doesn’t work properly. Usually it appears in people aged over 40, though in South Asian and Black people it can appear from the age of 25. It is becoming more common in children and young people of all ethnicities. Type 2 diabetes is treated with a healthy diet and regular physical activity, but medication and/or insulin is often required.

Although diabetes cannot be cured, it can be treated very successfully, which will reduce the risk of developing long term complications.

For information on diabetes contact Diabetes UK on their careline 0845 120 2960 or log on to: www.diabetes.org.uk

There are over 150 children with the condition in the Warrington and Halton area living full active lives. Diabetes doesn’t stop children from being fit and active, it is important for them in controlling their diabetes. Preparation is key to everything!

So what is diabetes and how might it change your life? Diabetes is a common life-long condition where the amount of glucose in the blood is too high and your body is unable to use it properly.

There are two main types of diabetes; Type 1 diabetes develops when the pancreas stops making insulin. This type is managed by daily insulin injections and eating healthily and exercising are recommended to control it.

Type 2 diabetes develops when the pancreas makes too little insulin for the body to work properly and/or the body doesn’t react to it properly. Type 2 diabetes mainly affects adults and children are more likely to be diagnosed with Type 1.

Although diabetes cannot be cured, it can be treated very successfully, which will reduce the risk of developing long term complications. Children with diabetes can’t just eat what they want when they want. But by managing it properly, they don’t have to give up everything they enjoy. Learning about how to manage diabetes is the key to being healthy, fit and strong.

It is important to look out for the diabetes warning signs, which are frequent urination, weight loss, lack of energy and excessive thirst. Diabetes can affect children at any age and it is important if you have any concerns to contact your GP to discuss.

Wendy Schmitt, Paediatric Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist commented,

“It can be difficult for a child and their family to accept they have diabetes and it is normal to feel upset and worried about the diagnosis at first but by learning about how to manage the condition properly means that very soon diabetes becomes part of everyday family life.

“That is the aim of the children’s diabetes team based at Warrington Hospital. The team consists of a Paediatric Consultant, 2 Children's Specialist Nurses and a Children's Dietician who are here to help families learn and manage their child's diabetes. “

Do you have a child with diabetes? You are not alone there is support here in Warrington and Halton with Warrington Children’s Diabetic Group, who can be contacted on 07984164432 or email: warringtonchildrensdiabeticgroup@hotmail.co.uk. Or you can them on facebook – Warrington Children’s Diabetic Group.

For information on Diabetes contact Diabetes UK on their careline 0845 120 2960 or log on to: www.diabetes.org.uk

Or contact the Paediatric Diabetes Team on 01925 662159
 

Paediatric Epilepsy Nurse Specialist Claire Pearson explains,

“It is important to raise awareness and understanding of epilepsy. People tend to shy away from talking about it, but it is important for everyone to understand how the condition effects not just the individual, but also their family.”

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterised by recurrent unprovoked seizures. It is the third most common neurological condition behind stroke and Alzheimer’s. Bit because of the stigma associated with it, epilepsy has been somewhat of a silent disorder.

One in every 131 people in the UK has epilepsy. This means that there are at least 456,000 people with epilepsy in the UK. Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Paediatric Epilepsy Nurse Specialist Team currently look after 300 children across Warrington and Halton. Epilepsy is more common in children and people over 65, but anyone can develop epilepsy; it happens in all ages. There are over 40 types of epilepsy. Epilepsy can cause a variety of symptoms such as strange sensations, changes in behaviour or emotions, muscle spasms, convulsions, and a sudden loss of awareness or consciousness.

Claire explains,

“It can be very frightening to see a child having what appears to be a seizure. However, it is important to keep calm so you can describe exactly what has happened to the doctor. Epilepsy is often difficult to diagnose, and it is not always clear whether a child has had a seizure.

“Children, like adults, can have either generalised or partial seizures. Other conditions can sometimes be mistaken for epilepsy and it’s important for the doctor to exclude these. They include febrile convulsions and breath-holding attacks. If your child collapses for any reason at all contact your doctor. ”

Sometimes the reason epilepsy develops is clear. It could be because of brain damage caused by a difficult birth; a severe blow to the head; a stroke; or an infection of the brain such as meningitis. Very occasionally the cause is a brain tumour. Epilepsy with a known cause is called ‘symptomatic’ epilepsy. For most people - six out of ten, in fact - there is no known cause and this is called ‘idiopathic’ epilepsy.

There is no conclusive test for epilepsy, although tests such as the electroencephalogram (EEG) – which records brainwave patterns - can give doctors useful information. Epilepsy should be diagnosed by a doctor with specialist training in epilepsy. An epilepsy specialist will use their own expert knowledge, along with test results and the patient’s or witness’s accounts of the seizures, to make the diagnosis.

Because epilepsy is currently defined as the tendency to have recurrent seizures, it is unusual to be diagnosed with epilepsy after only one seizure. In the UK around one in 20 people will have a single seizure at some point in their life, whereas one in 131 people have epilepsy.

At the moment there is no cure for epilepsy. However, with the right type and dosage of anti-epileptic medication, about 70 per cent of people with epilepsy could have their seizures completely controlled.

For more information on epilepsy: http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/

If you are concerned by your child contact your GP in the first incidence.
 

Cervical cancer can be prevented by having a free smear test, so what are you waiting for? Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Gynecological Consultant Mr. Nigel Holland is encouraging women to attend their cervical smears:

“A smear is very important as it picks up abnormalities before the development of cervical cancer. Smears are usually easy to do and most results are normal. If an abnormality is identified then this better to be recognised and dealt with early, treatment is usually straight-forward. The screening programme works very well and has successfully reduced the incidence of cervical cancer in recent years.”

The National Cervical Screening Programme is encouraging every woman aged 25 to 60 who receive a cervical smear invitation to accept it and go for their free smear test. The invitation for first smear is 25 years of age; thereafter it is done 3 yearly to 49 years of age then 5 yearly to 64. The National Cervical Screening Programme has a list of eligible women nationwide aged 25 to 60 and sends out a letter inviting them to be screened.

Appointments to have a screening can be made at:

•  Your GP surgery
• A well woman clinic
• A Family Planning Clinic
•  A genito-urinary Clinic (clinic for sexually transmitted diseases)
• An antenatal clinic if you are pregnant
•  A private health clinic
• A voluntary organisation clinic, such as Marie Stopes

A smear test is a simple procedure that only takes minutes and is the most effective way to detect changes in the cells of the cervix (neck of the womb). The earlier cell changes are found, the easier they are to treat. Cervical screening is very important because it can help stop cervical cancer from developing. This is one of the few cancers that are preventable because pre-cancerous cell changes can be picked up before they have a chance to develop into cancer.

Most smear test results are found to be perfectly normal and you will receive your results within four weeks of having your free smear test. If a woman is concerned that she might have cervical cancer Mr Holland advises,

“Any woman with concerns should see her GP in the first instance, they would take her medical history and examine her by doing a pelvic assessment to look at the cervix, and do a smear if clinically appropriate. They will also offer the appropriate advice and further information if required.”

The main causes of cervical cancer are infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV); infection with sexually transmitted diseases such as Chlamydia can increase the risk of cervical cancer. Also it can be genetic; if a woman with a sister or mother who has had cervical cancer is at increased risk of developing it themselves and smoking can also act as an increased factor, along with long term use of the contraceptive pill.

Mr Holland commented “If there are any abnormalities then this requires referral to the gynaecology department for a close look at the cervix using an instrument called a colposcope. If treatment is required the cells can be removed or destroyed.”

So if there is one invite that you accept this year, make sure it is the one for your cervical screening, it could save your life!
 

For more information on the Cervical Screening Programme

We’d appreciate a minute of your time to complete a quick survey regarding equality at the hospitals. From the beginning the purpose of the National Health Service (NHS) has been to eliminate health inequalities across the country by way of enabling free access to health services for those who need it.

Over the last 50 years there have been significant social and economic health improvements in this country. Unfortunately, due to many different factors, not everyone is able to share the benefits of these improvements. It is essential that everyone has equal access to health services and we are committed to ensuring this. A key part of our work is creating what is known as a Single Equality Scheme which shows how we intend to implement equality at the heart of everything we do.

As part of this we have a few questions about your experience or views of equality at the hospitals. Staff and public involvement is vital in helping us to understand whether our equality priorities are meeting your needs and only by expressing your views/opinions can we improve our services.

Things we are keen to know include:

• How should we take different people's needs into consideration when we develop or change our services, policies or procedures?
• What is the best way to communicate our services, policies, procedures or plans so that everyone has the opportunity to view them?
• How we can ensure that all of the local population has equal access to our health services?
• How are we as an employer?
• Are we welcoming as an employer and encourage people from all walks of life to apply to work for us?
• Do our staff receive equal opportunities in their working roles, promotion/training etc?

How to take part

To take part, please read our full consultation leaflet which can be downloaded here and complete it and return it to the hospitals. Copies have been sent to all GP surgeries and other public bodies we work with as well.

You can also complete the questions online here

We need your responses by 14th June 2010 please.

Claire has been a part of the Paediatric Epilepsy Nurse Specialist Team at Warrington Hospital for the past 12 years, having originally done her training in Birmingham at the Children’s Hospital, where she worked with children with brain injuries, who often had Epilepsy.

Claire, 41 living in Newton-le-Willows, but originally from Birmingham will be running for a cause close to her heart,

“Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions in the UK affecting many people, but unfortunately it is way down the list when people think about donating to charity.
“As a Paediatric Epilepsy Nurse Specialist I am well aware of the impact that a diagnosis of Epilepsy has on a family. Further research in to Epilepsy is crucial to make a difference to the people currently living with the condition and those that may be diagnosed in the future.”

As part of her training Claire will also be taking part in the St Rocco’s Starlight Walk in June as a warm-up to the 13.1miles in September.

Claire commented,

“I wanted a goal to get me back in to running again; I used to run a lot, but haven’t really been motivated since I had the children; Finn, 10 and Gabby, 8. So I decided to set myself a target to aim for and the Great North Run is it.”

Claire needs to raise a minimum of £300 to take part, if you would like to sponsor her or donate to Epilepsy Research UK then log on to: http://www.justgiving.com/claire-pearson

Epilepsy Research UK supports the work of scientists and clinicians throughout the UK, who are investigating all aspects of epilepsy in both adults and children. They are especially looking at what causes epilepsy, who gets it, what goes on in the brain during a seizure, and safer drugs and better surgical techniques to treat it.

If you would like to know more about their work - www.epilepsyresearch.org.uk/index.htm

The group choose a charity or organisation each month to make a donation to and they choose Warrington Hospital this month. Members donated brand new items such as toothbrushes, face cloths, soaps and toiletry bags for patients being admitted to Warrington Hospital.

EMUA Ward Manager Denise Ellis explained,

“This donation of toiletries is very important to the ward, many of our patients have been admitted under emergency circumstances and the last thought when they have left home is to pack a toothbrush or other toiletries.
“The kind ladies of St Oswald’s Mothers Union have now given patients an opportunity to freshen up.”
 

The school invited Sister Ann Bebbington from Warrington Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department in to run a session with the children from Year 4 and 5 on what to expect if they where to find themselves coming in to the department.

The children where given the opportunity to talk about their experiences of hospital and Accident and Emergency. Ann talked to them about what to expect on coming in to the A&E department and showed them the types of equipment they might encounter and what it is used for. The session finished with a practical, in which the children where able to practice basic first aid with bandages.

Sister Ann Bebbington commented,

“It is important that children have an understanding of what to expect on coming in to an Accident and Emergency Department and the different types of equipment that they might encounter.

“ I think it is important in alleviating the fears about hospitals by coming out to primary schools like Cinnamon Brow to talk to the children about Emergency Care and educate them about basic first aid.”

If you would like a visit to your school please contact the Communications Team on 01925 662873.

The Trust has made significant investment in the new unit, which has three purpose built and state of the art procedure rooms where patients are examined with the help of fibre optic endoscopes.

Endoscopes are long flexible tubes that are used to examine patients’ digestive organs (gullet, stomach, small bowel, large bowel and bile pipes), breathing tubes and urinary organs. Additionally facilities are also available to assess motility of the gullet and severity of acid reflux.

Procedures are done usually as day cases. The examination not only helps visualise the different organs and sample various abnormalities but also provides an opportunity to treat problems such as removal of growths (polyps), stones from bile pipe and also treat blockage of the different areas of the digestive organs.

The Unit which started operating from December 2009 regularly sees patients directly referred from General Practitioners and patients referred after being seen in the hospital. There is also a cancer fast track system to speed up the tests necessary for patients with suspected symptoms of cancer. Other patients seen in the Unit include those who are admitted with problems such as internal bleeding and those who need regular surveillance for polyps, cancers and other conditions such as colitis.

Consultant Gastroenterologist and the Clinical Lead in Endoscopy, Dr Ramakrishnan said: ‘At the forefront of this investment was designing a unit with the patient journey in mind. This was a driving force to ensure that patients are felt welcome in a calm and quiet atmosphere and that the Unit has the appropriate facilities to meet the Delivering Same Sex Accommodation standards. Great care was taken in the planning of the build and all members of the team were consulted in achieving these standards.’

Patients are brought from the waiting area through separate entrances to same sex areas. The individual cubicles where patients are attended to before and after the procedures were specially designed to ensure that the ‘Privacy and Dignity ‘standards are met. All patients therefore are cared for in the same sex areas throughout their stay.

Vinci Construction recently won an award for best public/community project for their work on the unit at the Cheshire Built in Quality Awards. The unit has also been praised by the assessors from the Joint Accreditation Group in Gastroenterology for the excellent facilities provided for patient.

Dr Ramakrishnan added: This unit is a tremendous asset for our patients – a real centre of excellence within the hospital with the latest technology at the forefront of patient care.
‘It is vitally important that patients have these procedures in the right kind of environment and our new unit has been purpose built to ensure patient’s visit is made as comfortable as possible’.
 

Consultant Gastroenterologist and the current Clinical Lead in Liver diseases including Hepatitis C and Endoscopy at the hospitals, Dr Ramakrishnan commented "Hepatitis C is a potentially fatal virus but one which can be cleared completely with appropriate treatment in many cases. Many people have no idea that they have the virus but left untreated, it can lead to liver damage and can be fatal. Getting tested is an important first step so it is vital that anyone in Warrington and Halton area who may have been at risk of having contracted the virus contacts their GP for testing.

"This includes anyone who has injected drugs in the past, no matter how long ago that was, people who had blood transfusions in the UK before 1991 and anyone who has shared items such as razors or needles with someone who has the virus."

In most cases, the initial infection does not cause any symptoms and when it does, they then to be vague or non-specific, that is why testing is recommended. Possible symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, joint pains, nausea, flu-like symptoms (fever, headaches, and sweats), anxiety, difficulty concentrating and alcohol intolerance and pain in the liver area. The most common symptom experienced is fatigue, which may be mild but is sometimes extreme. Many people initially diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome are later found to have hepatitis C. Unlike hepatitis A and B, hepatitis C doesn't usually cause people to develop jaundice at the time they get infected. Therefore infected people do not get any warning that they may have contracted the virus.

It is estimated that over 250,000 people in the UK have been infected with hepatitis C, but eight out of ten don’t know that they have it because they have no symptoms. Worryingly, about 75% of these people go on to develop a chronic hepatitis(inflammation of the liver cells). But because it can take years, even decades, for symptoms to appear, many people (possibly 100,000 or more) remain unaware that they have the problem. By the time they become ill and seek help, considerable damage has been done to the liver. This might have been prevented if the person had been diagnosed earlier.

Hepatitis C virus is usually transmitted through blood-to-blood contact. One common route is through sharing needles when injecting recreational drugs - nearly 40% of intravenous drug users have the infection and around 35% of people with the virus will have contracted it this way. Similarly, having a tattoo or body piercing with equipment that has not been properly sterilised can lead to infection. Before 1991, blood transfusions were a common route of infection. However, since then all blood used in the UK has been screened for the virus and is only used if not present.

Hepatitis C can be sexually transmitted, but this is thought to be uncommon. It can be passed on through sharing toothbrushes and razors. If someone needs a blood transfusion or medical treatment while staying in a country where blood screening for hepatitis C is not routine, or where medical equipment is reused but not adequately sterilised, the virus may be transmitted.

Most people diagnosed with hepatitis C can identify at least one possible factor which may have put them at risk but for some, the likely origin of the infection isn't clear. Because it can remain hidden and symptomless for so many years, it may be very difficult to think back through the decades to how it might have begun.

There are a number of ways to reduce the risk of the infection being transmitted. Those most at risk of contracting the infection are injecting drug users, who should never share needles or other equipment. Practising safe sex by using condoms is also important. People with hepatitis C infection aren't allowed to register as an organ or blood donor.

People with chronic hepatitis C infection should be seen by a specialist team which currently is led by Dr Ramakrishnan with an invaluable support from Hepatitis C specialist nurse Pauline Kua at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Whether treatment is needed, and if so which type, depends on a number of factors. These include blood tests to identify which strain of hepatitis C infection is present and how well the liver is functioning, and a liver biopsy to establish whether cirrhosis is occurring.

Dr Ramakrishnan advised, “If you think you could have been in contact with the hepatitis C virus at any point in the past, you can have a test to find out if you've been infected. You should ask you GP. Local drug agencies and sexual health clinics (sometimes called genito-urinary medicine or GUM clinics) may also offer testing.”
 

Today, Wednesday 19th May is World Hepatitis Day, to learn more http://www.hepctrust.org.uk/

The new unit at Warrington Hospital site has been purpose built and replaces a smaller unit situated within the hospital. The unit and the nursing staff have been provided by the operator Fresenius Medical Care Renal Services UK.

The formal opening of the Warrington NHS Dialysis Unit took place on Monday 17th May with Dr Gordon Bell, Clinical Director of Nephrology at The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust leading the opening ceremony.

Warrington Wolves RLFC Captain Adrian Morley will unveiled a commemorative plaque and took a tour of the newly refurbished unit, which first opened to patients at the end of March 2010.

The new satellite unit houses 10 dialysis stations and two additional isolation rooms allowing for the treatment of up to 50 patients per week, improving on previous care provision for around 30 patients per week.

The isolation rooms are a new addition to kidney care at Warrington and will allow patients suffering from infections to continue their treatment closer to home rather than transfer back to The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust for dialysis. The Warrington-based unit is open six days a week providing treatment from 7.00am to 11.00pm.

The new unit is home to the very latest equipment including a water treatment system, which provides a sophisticated filter system to ensure the very highest standards of water purity. The quality of the water running through the machines is essential for delivering high quality dialysis and the water is tested regularly in order to detect any problems. The Warrington NHS Dialysis Unit also has its own designated car parking, making it more accessible to patients using their own transport or the hospitals.

Patients receiving treatment at Warrington are cared for by doctors at The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, while benefiting from Fresenius Medical Care Renal Services proven experience and expertise in the haemodialysis sector.

Dr Gordon Bell, Clinical Director of Nephrology at The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “The new unit means that more people can be treated closer to their homes, whilst continuing to receive high-quality care, in bright, spacious and comfortable surroundings. Dialysis patients have to receive treatment three times a week, every week, so it important that they receive care in the best possible environment – this unit will provide that.
“It is also home to the very latest equipment, which patients respond very well to. This helps their general wellbeing and life away from dialysis.”

The Strategic Framework for Kidney Care in Cheshire and Merseyside, published in March last year by the Kidney Care Network, set out the region’s commitment to ensuring that patients were able to access high quality dialysis services closer to their homes.

Its partnership with the independent sector has enabled the NHS to improve the number of options open to dialysis patients in terms of when and where they receive their kidney care.

The number of patients requiring dialysis annually in the region is expected to increase from 903 in 2009 to 1145 in 2013.

Catherine Beardshaw, Chief Executive of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said:
“The new unit is a fantastic facility, and the increase in the number of beds it offers allows for more local haemodialysis patients to be treated closer to home, which will considerably enhance quality of life for people with renal failure in Warrington. “

The Warrington Hospital NHS Dialysis Unit is the fifth satellite dialysis unit to open as part of the Government’s independent sector procurement programme to expand dialysis provision across Cheshire and Merseyside.

All units in the scheme are operated by Fresenius Medical Care Renal Services UK and facilities already open include one at Halton hospital, which is part of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and others at St Helens and Knowsley, Clatterbridge and Southport. Another unit at Macclesfield will open later this year. Warrington Hospital’s NHS Dialysis Unit is the final one in the original programme of work.

Christine Houghton, Managing Director of Fresenius Medical Care Renal Services UK, said: “We now have an outstanding opportunity to improve capacity for haemodialysis patients in the UK and provide easier access to services more centralised for the population. Ultimately, we will help NHS patients on dialysis to receive the treatment that they need while minimising disruption to their day-to-day lives and vastly reducing travelling times.”

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust sees on average over 600 patients a year suffering from a stroke or a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack). The acute Stroke Unit at Warrington Hospital works to meet the growing need for stroke care and provide some of the best possible care and rehabilitation in the region but prevention still remains better than the cure.

“Most people affected by a stroke are over 65 but a stroke can affect anyone of any age so it’s essential we all know what to do if someone is having a stroke and how we can prevent one,” explains lead stroke consultant, Dr Otaiku. “We advise our patients that the best ways to reduce their risk is to enjoy a balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables, regularly do some exercise which can be as simple as going for a walk or cleaning around the house and keeping alcohol intake to a minimum. These are very simple tasks that we are all aware of but probably don’t do enough of.”

“Many people are still not aware that despite strokes being the UK’s third biggest cause of death, we can prevent further risk and manage a patient’s recovery better if the right action is taken quickly,” Dr Otaiku continues. “Survival and successful recovery are greatly improved if the symptoms are recognised and immediate medical attention is given.”
A stroke is the brain's version of a heart attack. It happens when the blood and oxygen supply to the brain is disrupted. Most strokes occur when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain but some strokes are caused by bleeding in or around the brain from a burst blood vessel.

This causes sudden symptoms such as loss of vision, leg and arm weakness and slurring of speech. If you have any of these symptoms you should dial 999 or go straight to A&E.

Dr Otaiku explains,

“A TIA is a mini-stroke when symptoms are less than 24 hours, however a full blown stroke occurs when the symptoms last longer than 24 hours, our aim is to get everyone to hospital for immediate assessment and treatment quickly.

“And if the person is seen within 3hours of onset of symptoms a clot-bursting injection could be given to limit the damage from symptoms of stroke. If you have a TIA or stroke symptoms you should attend A&E, your GP surgery has been told that anyone presenting with such symptoms should call 999 for immediate assessment and treatment.”

Raising public awareness is paramount and the Stroke Association’s FAST tool is a very effective tool used to help recognise the symptoms associated with strokes:

F – Facial weakness
A – Arm weakness
S – Speech problems
T – Time

Time is an important factor in the diagnosis and treatment of strokes so it is vital that people call 999 without delay.

For more general information about strokes, please visit www.stroke.org.uk

The home game played at The Halliwell Jones Stadium will raise awareness of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. Fans will be offered advice about how to spot the signs of bowel cancer and people aged 60-69 will be encouraged to get screened.

Bowel Cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Specialist Colorectal nurses from Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will be present in the South stand providing useful information on bowel cancer for fans plus free giveaways.

Fusion Elite, The Wolves Foundation Community Dance Team will provide entertainment at the game, wearing Bowel Cancer Awareness t-shirts to show their support. A mobile cancer information and support vehicle (iVan) will be parked outside the South East stand for the duration of the game. Nurses will be on board giving advice and information on bowel cancer and bowel cancer screening.

Dr Rita Robertson, NHS Warrington’s Director of Public Health and Health Strategy said:

“We fully support and encourage men and women aged 60 to 69 to undertake bowel cancer screening. The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme offers screening every two years and aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage (in people with no symptoms), when treatment is more likely to be effective.
The Bowel Cancer Screening Programme is available in the Warrington area for 60 – 69 year olds, this is being extended to include 70 – 74 year olds on a rolling programme throughout 2010. We continue to work alongside our partners to raise public awareness of bowel cancer screening and the screening service available.”

Julie Hewitt, Colorectal Nurse Specialist commented,

“Bowel cancer can affect anyone at any age therefore it is important that we ensure that people are aware of the signs and symptoms. Anyone can request a screening kit and our aim at the Warrington Wolves game is to raise awareness of screening by giving out leaflets and being a point of contact for help and advice.”

Wolves player Adrian Morley is also giving his support to Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. Adrian said:

“I fully pledge my support in raising awareness of bowel cancer. It’s really important for people to be aware of the symptoms like a change in bowel habit or a sudden weight loss, that’s why our Community Dance Team, Fusion Elite, will be wearing Bowel Cancer t-shirts to raise awareness of this disease – If anyone has any concerns they should contact their GP.”

If you have any questions or you would like find out more information about bowel cancer screening call the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme helpline on 0800 707 60 60, talk to your GP or visit the NHS Cancer Screening Programme website at www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk or NHS Direct www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Tickets for the game are on sale now from Wolfware, over the ticket line 0871 622 1879 or online at warringtonwolves.com.

Fans can keep up-to-date on Tackling Health on Warrington Wolves, Wolves Foundation and NHS Warrington websites, plus information and updates will also be available on Facebook.
 

Children and Staff at Warrington Hospital where in chocolate heaven after McInerney Homes delivered a very large chocolate Easter egg to the Children’s Ward.

The chocolate egg was gratefully received by the staff who are planning on using some of the chocolate from the 18inch egg to make crispy cakes with the children on the ward.

Jane Scott, Matron on the Children's Ward commented,

“We are grateful to McInerney Homes for thinking of us when making this very kind donation. Chocolate eggs are not just for Easter and this one will be enjoyed by all on the ward.”

Carol Nomdedeu, sales manager for McInerney Homes North West, said:

“The big chocolate egg was part of our Easter decorations at our new Warrington development, Beaumont Grange. We knew the Children’s Ward would put it to good use after Easter and I’m just glad the chocolate made it to the children and staff in one piece – it looked very tempting!”
 

St Helens Rugby League Club put a smile on a young patient’s face at Warrington Hospital, when Jon Wilkin dropped in to chat with Aaron Smith, 13. Jon also surprised Aaron by giving him a signed England Rugby League shirt.

Aaron, from Newton-le-Willows has spent the last three weeks on the Children’s ward at Warrington Hospital after a series of operations on his knee, which he had injured playing for Blackbrook U13s. Aaron a keen St Helens fan and has been a season ticket holder at Knowsley Road for the past two seasons.

Aaron was delighted to meet Jon “I am made up to meet Jon and over the moon that he has given me a signed England shirt. I rarely miss a game I go to all the home matches and most of the away games, except for the far away ones like Catalan and Harlequins. My favourite players are Kyle Eastmond and of course Jon Wilkin.”

Saints on hearing that Aaron had not been well enough to make the Good Friday fixture against Wigan Warriors have arranged for him and his family to come to the next fixture against Leeds Rhinos on Saturday 24 April and Jon has invited him to join him in the Players Bar at the end of the game to meet the rest of the team.

Jon commented on his visit, “Aaron is such a nice lad, I can emphasize with him over having to stay in hospital and miss playing rugby, I spent a lot of time in hospital when I was his age with compartment syndrome and I know how frustrating it can be wanting to be out there playing rugby with your mates.

“I was pleased to be able to cheer him up today, it is important for me and the club to give back to the community and our fans and visiting children in hospital is a special way of doing that. “
 

The Stroke Association is running an awareness campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of not knowing your blood pressure. ‘Know your blood pressure’ Day, on Saturday 17 April, 2010 focuses on the importance of everyone knowing their blood pressure and making sure that we get it measured regularly.

Blood pressure is the pressure placed on the body's blood vessels by circulating blood. Because circulation varies throughout the day, depending on whether a person is resting or being active, the blood pressure also varies. If blood pressure is consistently high or low it's a sign that there could be an underlying health problem that is affecting the pressure of blood circulating around the body.

High blood pressure or hypertension puts a strain on blood vessels all over the body, including vital arteries to the brain. The excess pressure can damage the lining of an artery, allowing blood clots to form which may then cause blockages. The extra strain may also cause blood vessels to burst and lead to bleeding in the brain. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms and, if not treated and kept under control, is one of the major risks for stroke. 40% of strokes could be prevented if more people were aware of their high blood pressure and received treatment and/or made lifestyle changes.

There are a range of measures you can take to reduce your chances of high blood pressure and therefore your chances of having a stroke.

• If you smoke, give up
• If you drink alcohol, drink sensibly and do not exceed the recommended daily intake which is 2-3 units a day for women and 3-4 units a day for men
• Eat a balanced diet including plenty of fruit and vegetables and reduce the amount of salt you eat by avoiding processed foods
• Take more exercise and generally be more active during the day
• Get your blood pressure checked regularly by your GP or health professional
• Try to reduce your stress levels

Every year, an estimated 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke. That’s one person every five minutes. Most people affected are over 65, but anyone can have a stroke, including children and even babies. Around 1000 people under 30 have a stroke each year. Stroke is the largest single cause of severe disability in England and Wales, with over 250,000 people being affected at any one time.

Jane Guy, family carer and support at Warrington’s branch of the Stroke Association commented,

"For every ten people who die of stroke, four could have been saved if they had arranged regular blood pressure measurements and then followed medical advice. It is vitally important that people make an appointment with their GP practice to have their blood pressure measured regularly. High blood pressure often has no symptoms and this campaign aims to raise awareness of this silent killer and save lives.”

Facts on Blood Pressure:

The Stroke Association’s Family and Carer Support Service – for more information contact Jacquelyn Berry or Jane Guy on 01925 662053.

A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted. Most strokes occur when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain. Some strokes are caused by bleeding in or around the brain from a burst blood vessel. When the blood supply is disrupted, parts of the brain become damaged or destroyed. Some strokes are fatal whist others can cause permanent or temporary paralysis to one side of the body and loss of the ability to speak, read or write. Recovery may be slow and can vary from person to person.

The Stroke Association is the only national charity solely concerned with combating stroke in people of all ages. It funds research into prevention, treatment and better methods of rehabilitation and helps stroke patients and their families directly through its community services. These include dysphasia support, family support, information services, welfare grants, publications and leaflets. We also campaign, educate and inform to increase knowledge of stroke at all levels of society and we act as a voice for everyone affected by stroke.
 

Consultants at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are backing the campaign to raise people’s awareness of the symptoms to reduce the risk of developing it.
Mark Tighe, colorectal surgeon at Warrington Hospital, says:

“Bowel cancer is a very serious condition but if caught early enough can be treated. The biggest problem with bowel cancer is that the symptoms can easily be mistaken for other conditions such as haemorrhoids or IBS. Unfortunately, because of this tumours are often diagnosed later in their development, meaning that surgery and chemotherapy are often the only available treatment options.

“Early identification is key, so if there is anything out of the ordinary, it is much better to be safe than sorry and visit your GP for onward referral. The diagnosis can then be made by having a colonoscopy.

“There is no known cause for bowel cancer however prevention is better than cure. People should make sure they eat a high fibre diet, eat their five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and exercise regularly.”

Nationally more than 36,500 people suffer from bowel cancer - Warrington and Halton Hospitals treat about 200 patients each year with colorectal cancer.

The condition is the third most common cancer in the UK and the second biggest killer - however if caught early it can be treated very effectively.

People are advised to look out for common symptoms including a change in bowel habit lasting four weeks or more, bleeding from the back passage or blood in your stools, extreme tiredness with no obvious cause or unexplained weight loss. It is important to recognise that in most people these symptoms do not represent cancer - however if people are worried it is recommended that they contact their GP.

Older people are more at risk of bowel cancer, with eight out of ten sufferers aged over 60 years. However consultants have noticed a rise in the number of young people affected. Those at risk also include people with a family history of the disease or with pre-existing bowel conditions such as Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis.

The NHS runs a Bowel Cancer Screening programme offering free screening to those aged 60 - 69 years. People are sent free a home screening test which detects tiny amounts of blood in bowel motions. Samples are collected on special cards and are then sent for analysis in hygienically sealed containers. Those aged 70 years or older can also have the test but need to request it through their GP.

If people are concerned or think that they might be suffering from the symptoms of bowel cancer they should contact their GP for advice.

To find out more about the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme visit: www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/bowel or call 0800 707 6060. For more information about Bowel Cancer Awareness month visit: http://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk .

Bowel Cancer Facts:

The bowel is divided into the small bowel (small intestine) and the large bowel (colon and rectum). Cancer of the small bowel is rare with only just over 700 people diagnosed in the UK each year.

Nearly all bowel cancers develop in the large bowel – two-thirds of these are in the colon and one-third in the rectum. Bowel cancer is also referred to as colorectal or colon cancer.

• More than 37,500 men and women are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK every year, making it the third most common cancer; that's someone every 15 minutes
• Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK and more than 16,000 people die each year - that's someone every 30 minutes
• 97% of all diagnoses are in people over the age of 50
• If diagnosed at the earliest stage, bowel cancer is highly treatable, with a survival rate of more than 80% over five years.
 

Staff came together to fundraise for the hospitals charitable fund, which allows people to donate to their hospitals and helps fund new equipment and items that improve the hospital for our patients, visitors and staff.

Known officially as The North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust Charitable Fund (the name will soon formally change to Warrington and Halton Hospitals Charitable Fund). The fund plays a key role in supporting hospital staff develop services and helps buy equipment and facilities that normal NHS budgets cannot always cover.

The fund manages donations that are made by patients and the public to the hospitals. It benefits patients and staff by purchasing equipment or services that can not usually be provided from NHS funds. Funds are directed to patient and staff benefit as soon as is potentially possible and doctors, nurses and other teams can bid to the charity for funding.
Bids often submitted in partnership with patients and visitors or based on their ideas, and the charitable funds committee then considers the bids. It approves funding on a number of criteria which include the value to improving services for patients or staff and ensures that items that are bid for are sustainable and will have a long-term benefit. It also looks at if the items that are bid for should really be funded from regular NHS annual budgets to ensure that charitable donations are used in the best way.

Recent successful bids from the fund have included:

• Specialist biopsy equipment for the breast screening unit
• State of the art portable oxygen monitors for babies and children
• New fold up beds for parents to stay overnight on the children’s wards
• VIEU – a body worn overt CCTV cameras which assist hospital security in tackling anti-social behavior.

Around 20 hospital staff will be shaking their buckets at the match so please give generously if you’re planning on attending the match on Friday.

Your donations go directly to the fund. Donations and instructions can also be given by post. Payments should be made to North Cheshire Hospitals Charitable Fund and sent to:

North Cheshire Hospitals Charitable Fund
Co/ Finance Department
Kendrick Wing
Warrington Hospital
WA5 1QG

For more information email charity@whh.nhs.uk or contact the Trust’s communications team on 01925 662296.

The regulator has registered the hospitals in the second wave of Trusts to receive the licence by law. Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is amongst the Trusts to have received its registration without conditions.

Chief Executive for the hospitals, Catherine Beardshaw commented,

“We are delighted that we have been registered without condition by the CQC. Our aim is to provide high quality services and an excellent patient experience to all our patients and the licence recognises the hard work of our staff in ensuring patients receive excellent levels of care and are treated with dignity and respect.
“Our registration with CQC confirms that we are meeting essential standards of quality and safety, which is at the heart of everything we do and will continue to be a focus for further improvement in the future.”

From April 1, a number of NHS trusts in England will have to be registered with CQC by law to provide care. To be registered, trusts must show they meet new essential standards of quality and safety, which the regulator will constantly monitor.

The new standards cover important issues for patients such as treating people with respect, involving them in decisions about care, keeping clinical areas clean, and ensuring services are safe.

Where the CQC finds Trusts are not meeting standards, it has stronger enforcement powers than ever before. This can start with a warning notice and escalate to fines, prosecution, restrictions on activities or in extreme cases, closure. The regulator is also promising to take more account of the views of the public, gathering systematically the views of local patient groups and ensuring that patients have greater involvement in inspections.

In October this year CQC will extend the new registration system so that it covers independent healthcare and adult social care providers. For the first time, all these organisations will have to comply with a common set of essential standards.

From April 2011, the registration system is set to cover dentists and private ambulances. From April 2012, it is set to include primary medical care services such as GPs and private midwives.

For more information from the CQC, please go to www.cqc.org.uk/

The donation of £1,000 funded a new two seater brown leather sofa bed and a matching reclining chair, along with a light that can be dimmed to create a calm mood. The unit was also able to purchase a family size freezer to store expressed milk.

The monies where raised by staff at Warrington Pension Centre/Hilden House Sports and Social Club who came together to raise the funds on behalf of their colleague Angela Pennington, who sadly lost her daughter Anya, after she was born premature at Warrington Hospital last year.

The room will also be used as a bereavement room for parents to spend time with their baby away from the ward during their last moments.

Julie Harris, neo natal breast feeding lead nurse for the unit commented,

“This donation has allowed us to turn the room in to a comfortable and relaxed environment for mothers to express and spend time with their babies away from the unit. It has been beneficial in getting mothers and babies ready for going home after a long stay on the unit, by allowing them time alone at night, but with support on hand.
“The purchase of the freezer has been fantastic and allows us to store a lot more expressed milk, making it easier for the mothers on the unit.
“Donations like this make all the difference to our unit by providing additional equipment to support us in our work.”

Marie Brophy, Chairperson for the Hilden House Sports and Social Club said

“Warrington Pension Centre has always been proactive in their fundraising, supporting various local and national charities nominated by the staff on a monthly basis.

“On this occasion Angela’s colleagues suggested a fundraising event to help support the Neo-Natal Unit at Warrington Hospital following the heartbreaking news. Various activities included a “posh up” day were staff glammed themselves up, cakes sales and various small collections realising a generous total of £1000.

“Angela herself was content for the staff to have a themed day in support of the unit and had asked that the money be spent on improving the comfort area for the parents.”
 

A spokesperson for the League of Friends commented,

“We were pleased to be able to assist in managing this donation for the neo-natal unit at Warrington Hospital, but saddened by the circumstances of how this donation came about. Future mothers and fathers experiencing similar to Angela can now benefit with privacy away from the ward.”
 

The squad including Head of Coaching Tony Smith spent time visiting the wards in Appleton Wing, Burtonwood Wing and Croft Wing chatting with patients and staff about all things rugby league.

The children on the Children’s Ward were treated to chocolate Easter eggs provided by the Co-Operative Food on Lovely Lane. Wolfie and the Easter bunny also made a visit, with player Paul Wood dressing for the occasion.

Club Captain Adrian Morley and Matt King popped along to the stroke ward and raised the spirits of several patients as they talked about their recent wins on the field. The visit was a huge success leaving smiles on patients and staff faces across the hospital.

Jill Holland, Play Specialist on the Children’s Ward was delighted by the visit,

“The players are always socialable and lift the spirits of the children on the ward, it is a great distraction from the reason they are in hospital. Yesterday was really special and it was lovely to have lots of smiles and laughter in the playroom.

“The Easter eggs where a lovely gift and even more special to the children that they where given by their heroes. I would like to thank the Wolves and Co-Operative Food for thinking of us at this time of year it makes a huge difference to children who will be staying in over Easter.”

Head of Coaching for Warrington Wolves Tony Smith commented,

"It was our pleasure to visit the hospital. It brought a lot of happiness to a lot of young people, but also to our people. It was good for our guys to give something back to the local community and to appreciate that some people are in situations not quite as comfortable as their own. It will help them to appreciate the gifts that they do have and the role models that they are. It certainly keeps everybody grounded and it was nice to see the joy that it brought to those, young and old. It was a real pleasure and we will certainly be doing something similar in the future."
 

‘The Lounge’ is a new day/evening room on the children’s ward at Warrington Hospital. The room was officially opened by media stars Matt Littler and Darren Jeffries, formerly Max and OB of Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks.

The creation of ‘The Lounge’ recognises the need for older children to be able to mix with their fellow patients and receive some peer support in their own space whilst staying in hospital.

The traditional playroom on the ward is designed with younger children in mind rather than teenagers so the new room has been kitted out with a sofa, chairs and large floor cushions for them to relax away from the ward setting.

‘The Lounge’ also has a 42 inch television with freeview, Wii and assorted games including Guitar Hero. There are also three computers with restricted internet access to allow the patients to surf the net. The room is fitted with cameras with the monitor on the nurse’s station, allowing controlled freedom but making sure the patients stay safe and under the watchful eye of their nurses and clinicians.

It also means that patients have the space and ability to carry on their studies even though they are in the hospital.

Jane Scott, Children’s Matron at the hospital commented,

“It is important to recognise that young people between the ages of 11 and 18 require their own space away from the younger children on the ward and The Lounge meets that need.
“It is a great facility just off the ward, where they can go and watch television, play on the Wii or surf the internet. By providing these facilities it also gives them the tools they require to fulfill homework commitments, whilst receiving treatment.”

The room comes as part of the Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s funding from the Department of Health’s ‘Delivering Same Sex Accommodation’ programme. Work is being carried out across the trust to ensure that the hospitals are compliant in delivering single sex accommodation by the end March 2010 and the programme also includes projects to improve privacy and dignity for all patients of all ages.

Other projects as part of the programme have included refitting bathrooms and toilets in the wards, developing single sex areas in the hospitals’ new endoscopy and ophthalmology units and fitting the ward bays on the wards in Appleton wing with sliding doors for greater privacy.
 

The League of Friends have provided funding of £7,200 which has provided new lighting, painting and decorating in five of their rooms. The new look rooms also have new air conditioning grates and ceiling tiles that comply with infection control regulations, giving them an airy and bright feel.

The Audiology department specialises in an all-age diagnostic and rehabilitative service covering the areas of Hearing, Balance and Tinnitus. They provide a comprehensive service for hearing assessments, hearing therapy, digital hearing aids, diagnostic audiology for hearing/balance disorders and tinnitus retraining therapy. The department also carries out newborn hearing screening tests and complex diagnostic otoneurological tests. Audiology is a major support service to ENT.
 

Milly Syres, Head of Clinical Audiology at Warrington and Halton Hospitals, commented,

“I am very grateful to the League of Friends for their kind donation to help us re-decorate and improve our rooms making them a nicer and lighter environment for treating our patients in.
“The lighter rooms have also made a huge difference to our staff who spend long periods of time in front of a computer screen programming hearing aids. Our rooms do not have windows, due to where the department is situated, so bright lighting is beneficial.”

A spokesperson for the League of Friends said,

“We where approached by the Audiology department to help fund the re-decoration of five of their rooms. This was an unusual request for us as we normally provide equipment for patient care. But the environment in which patients are treated is just as important and we where more than happy to assist in the refurbishment of the rooms.”

The department has worked tirelessly to reduce its waiting lists for hearing aids and diagnostic tests. About 2 years ago the waiting time for a patient to get a hearing aid was approximately 18months. With the support of the Trust, the Audiology Department undertook a restructuring of the service, increased the staff and worked evenings and weekends for 6 months to reduce the waiting list to less than two weeks today.

The department is also keen on education and takes degree and postgraduate students from Manchester University on placements, where they gain practical experience in Audiology techniques.
 

Support your hospitals and help us to invest in your care is the call from staff across Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust who will be shaking a bucket at the upcoming Warrington Wolves match against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday (26th March).

Staff have come together to fundraise for the hospitals charitable fund, which allows people to donate to their hospitals and helps fund new equipment and items that improve the hospital for our patients, visitors and staff.

Known officially as The North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust Charitable Fund (the name will soon formally change to Warrington and Halton Hospitals Charitable Fund). The fund plays a key role in supporting hospital staff develop services and helps buy equipment and facilities that normal NHS budgets cannot always cover. We need your help to raise funds that benefit the people of Warrington, Runcorn and Widnes.

The fund manages donations that are made by patients and the public to the hospitals. It benefits patients and staff by purchasing equipment or services that can not usually be provided from NHS funds. Funds are directed to patient and staff benefit as soon as is potentially possible and doctors, nurses and other teams can bid to the charity for funding.

Bids often submitted in partnership with patients and visitors or based on their ideas, and the charitable funds committee then considers the bids. It approves funding on a number of criteria which include the value to improving services for patients or staff and ensures that items that are bid for are sustainable and will have a long-term benefit. It also looks at if the items that are bid for should really be funded from regular NHS annual budgets to ensure that charitable donations are used in the best way.

Recent successful bids from the fund have included:

• Specialist biopsy equipment for the breast screening unit
• State of the art portable oxygen monitors for babies and children
• New fold up beds for parents to stay overnight on the children’s wards
• VIEU – a body worn overt CCTV cameras which assist hospital security in tackling anti-social behavior.

Around 20 hospital staff will be shaking their buckets at the match so please give generously if you’re planning on attending the match on Friday.

Your donations go directly to the fund. Donations and instructions can also be given by post or through our JustGiving online charity pages. For more information email charity@whh.nhs.uk or visit our charity pages here.

Set a date – No Smoking Day is a good time to stop with millions of other people.

Go to www.nosmokingday.org.uk, for more help, information and support.

Get Free local help – call Warrington Stop Smoking Programme on 01925 843713

The Stop Smoking Service is now providing:

• Group sessions: Need support, don’t want to go it alone? Small groups of people starting on the programme together with the support and guidance from the advisor.
• One to One: Want individual support? Advisor and you
• Out of hours service: Do you work during the day? Then this is for you, make an appointment to suit you.
• Pharmacy Based Service: Pharmacist advisor and you
• Smoking and Pregnancy Support: Are you pregnant and want to give up? A Smoking Cessation Midwife will advise you.

Deal with nicotine withdrawal – your pharmacist or GP can talk to you about the proven treatments, such as,

• Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
• Bupropion (Zyban)
• Varcenicline (Champix ®)

Tell your friends and family – support is the key to succeeding

Make a list of the reasons why you want to stop smoking:

• For better health
• For more money
• For more energy
• To prevent premature ageing
• For whiter teeth
• For lower stress levels
• For an improved sense of taste and smell
• For the sake of your family and friends

Know what to expect – most people will find it difficult to stop smoking but it does start to get better after just a few days –

Within 3 days your energy levels will increase

Here are some of the benefits you will feel once you stop:

After 20 minutes your blood pressure and pulse will return to normal
24 hours carbon monoxide will be eliminated from your body
48 hours your senses of taste and smell are greatly improved
72 hours your breathing becomes easier and your energy levels will increase
3-9months any coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve
 

Reward yourself

The financial benefits of stopping soon add up.

1 day = £6 A movie rental or a few magazines
1 week = £42 Shoes, facial or DVDs, paintballing, a day at the races
1 month = £182 A shopping spree or premiership football tickets, a day rally driving
1 year = £2,184 New kitchen, designer jewellery, a car or a luxury leather suite

Some final tips to help you on your way:

• Find a buddy who's also going to stop smoking - it's easier if you've got a friend
• Throw away ashtrays, lighters and cigarettes - you are no longer a smoker
• Patches and nicotine gum are a great way to stop the cravings - and available on prescription from your doctor.
• Avoid anyone who isn't supporting your quit attempt
• Get out for a walk every time you feel tempted to smoke
• Join a gym and enjoy a healthy new you
• Fill the fridge with healthy, low calorie snacks like carrot sticks and celery so if you're tempted to eat rather than smoke you won't pile on the pounds
 

To find out where your local stop smoking service is log onto www.nosmokingday.org.uk or call 0800 169 0 169

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Gynaecological Consultant Mr. Holland calls for more awareness of the symptoms of endometriosis,

“Despite affecting 2 million women in the UK, awareness about endometriosis is still low. So it is important to make local women aware of the symptoms and possible treatments available to them, which can be successful.

“Endometriosis is a condition that generally affects women during their reproductive years. Although in most cases patients’ present with only moderate symptoms, in a few cases it can be extremely debilitating. Symptoms can include chronic pain, heavy and painful periods and in some cases infertility.

“There are now a range of treatments that we can use to help women with endometriosis. In the cases where surgery is necessary we do this laparoscopically, using keyhole techniques. This improves recovery time and reduces the time a patient spends in hospital.”

Endometriosis occurs when the womb lining (endometrium) is found growing in the wrong place, on other organs outside the uterus. This tissue responds to the hormone cycle and sheds blood every month with a period. In endometriosis patients this blood has nowhere to escape and remains in the abdominal cavity where it may cause inflammation and pain. This gives rise to scar tissue and adhesions.

It is commonly found on the ovaries, womb, fallopian tubes and on ligaments supporting the womb, and between the womb and the bowel and other places in the pelvic area. Occasionally it is found in other areas of the body, eg. lung, kidney etc. It may also grow on surgical scars or form 'chocolate'* cysts on the ovaries. Small patches of endometriosis can cause more pain than large growths in some women. The stage of endometriosis is not linked to the amount of pain. The disease can also go into remission and disappear for a period of time. The effects of the disease on a woman's life can be serious and far reaching.

Mr Holland reassures,

“Endometriosis is not a cancer nor can it be spread because it is not contagious. It is important that anybody experiencing these symptoms discusses any concerns with their GP, who may then refer them on to a consultant at Warrington Hospital for treatment.”

Fortunately, most women with endometriosis have a mild form of disease and their fertility is not impaired. Once pregnant, most women's endometriosis gets better under the influence of the constant high levels of female hormones produced in pregnancy.

There is a wide range of treatment available. The treatment recommended will be influenced by many things including age, the severity of symptoms, the severity of the endometriosis and whether the patient wishes to have children in the future or not. Advanced laparoscopic surgery can now be carried out at endometriosis if this is clinically appropriate at a specialist endometriosis centre, of which there are 26 around the country.

Symptomatic treatment means treating the symptoms of the disease rather than the disease itself. In endometriosis, this means pain relief which can most effectively be provided by a group of medicines called the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Medical treatment of endometriosis aims to stop the fluctuations in the woman's own hormone levels in an effort to remove the stimulation for growth of the endometriosis. Although medical treatment is usually successful in alleviating symptoms, relapses may occur after treatment has stopped. Surgical treatment is then often appropriate and can include keyhole surgery (laparoscopic surgery) to remove or destroy endometriosis or open surgery to remove ovarian cysts. In some cases the definitive management may be to remove the ovaries or a hysterectomy may be suggested if the main symptoms are heavy and painful symptoms and the woman's family is complete.

Endometriosis is a condition that cannot always be cured although the symptoms can usually be sufficiently relieved to allow the woman to pursue a normal life. Symptoms will go away at the time of the menopause.
 

For more information about the condition, go to www.endometriosis-uk.org or talk to your GP.

*Chocolate cysts are caused by endometriosis when a tiny patch of endometrial tissue (the mucous membrane that makes up the inner layer of the uterine wall) bleeds, sloughs off, becomes transplanted, and grows and enlarges inside the ovaries. As the blood builds up over months and years, it turns brown. When it ruptures, the material spills over into the pelvis and onto the surface of the uterus, bladder, bowel, and the corresponding spaces between.
 

The Trust is committed to energy conservation and improving the environment. The replacement LPHW boiler plant will operate at an efficiency of around 82% or more. As a comparison many older domestic central heating and hot water boilers operate at an efficiency of between only 50 – 60%.

Design calculations show that the new LPHW boiler plant will reduce the Trust’s (gas) energy use by over 4,125,000 kWh per annum. This will mean a reduction in over 750 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. This in turn will equate to an annual saving of over £100,000 on energy costs / carbon allowances at current energy prices.
 

Recently appointed Specialist Services Manager, Marcus Summers, whose role includes energy management, explains,

“The replacement system will have the advantage of benefitting from recent improvements in boiler technology and the associated improvements in boiler operating efficiencies. This will result in reductions in both carbon emissions and energy costs.

“The project is engineering infrastructure based and so for a vast majority of staff, patients and visitors, the initial difference will be difficult to see.
“The new plant will continue to provide hot water and heating to the areas that it serves – however ‘behind the scenes’ this will be carried out by a much more energy efficient process.

“This ‘out of sight / out of mind’ situation is basically the nature of successful engineering projects. When an engineering project delivers building services apparently ‘seamlessly’ from the building user’s viewpoint, then that project has delivered those building services successfully.”

The Trust is working with guidance from the NHS Sustainable Development Unit to ensure that the hospitals meet the Climate Change Act targets of 26 percent reduction in their carbon footprint by 2020. Work to achieve these objectives includes development of green travel plans, use of local suppliers for goods and services, encouraging staff and patients to observe energy and water conservation activities and increasing recycling and improved waste management.
 

The capital cost to replace the boiler system was £2million. The hospitals were awarded £1.1 million to invest in energy saving schemes, such as this one. This allocation was the result of a successful bid to the Department of Health’s Energy Sustainability Fund. The bid was submitted following a detailed energy study which considered various ways of improving the provision of efficient heating and hot water, which would be value for money, resilient and sustainable.

The Trust continues to look at ways to improve it carbon footprint,

“We are looking to invest £600,000 during 2010/2011 in energy efficiency schemes,” said Marcus Summers.

“We are currently in the planning stage but some of the proposals to reduce the Trust’s carbon footprint that we are looking at are full participation in the forthcoming Carbon Reduction Commitment Scheme that will be operated by the Environment Agency.

“We are also looking at the replacement of existing energy using services / equipment with more energy efficient alternatives as those services / equipment are required to be refurbished / replaced.

“Other ways being considered is the use of energy assessments / advice provided by specialist organisations such as the Carbon Trust and a review of the existing building management system and associated controls with a view to upgrading these. We are also looking at replacing existing inefficient lighting with new low energy lighting schemes.”
 

The Cheshire Built in Quality Awards is an annual event organised by the Local Planning Authorities in Cheshire - Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East and Warrington Borough Council. The Local Authorities aim to recognise good practice in building projects across the County, in a number of specific categories.

Vinci Construction has won the award for Best Public/Community project for their work with the Trust on the new Endoscopy Development. The award ceremony took place on 5th February at Mere Golf and Country Club. They won a similar award last year for their work with the Trust on the Intensive Care Unit in Burtonwood Wing.

The new unit provides a home for all endoscopy services at the hospital in purpose built accommodation. The unit is in the area of Appleton Wing vacated by the old intensive care unit. Endoscopy services were previously provided from temporary accomodation at the hospital so the new unit has improved the patient experience greatly for local people needing endoscopy procedures.

The unit was also built with new rules on same-sex accomodation in mind so there are seperate changing and treatment areas for male and female patients.

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Gynaecological Consultant Mr. Holland is calling for more awareness of the symptoms as we enter Ovarian Cancer Awareness month (March),

“These common symptoms alongside needing to urinate more frequently, a change in bowel habits, back pain and extreme fatigue are often confused for less serious and more common conditions, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or the menopause.

“Whilst it is most likely that these symptoms are not ovarian cancer, it is important that anybody experiencing them on most days discusses any concerns with their GP.”

Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer in women but the average GP sees only one case of ovarian cancer every five years. The risk of ovarian cancer increases with age, particularly after the menopause. Cervical screening tests (smear tests) do not help to detect ovarian cancer.

Cancer of the ovary affects around 7,000 women a year in the UK. Knowing the signs could help women seek advice early, when treatment is more likely to be effective.

Mr Holland said: "If ovarian cancer is diagnosed at an early stage the outcome is good. However, because some of the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be vague and similar to those of more common conditions, it can be difficult to diagnose. Most women are not diagnosed until the disease has spread. It's important to know about the symptoms, so that advice can be sought as early as possible. Early diagnosis can save lives."

Symptoms to look out for include:

• Persistent pelvic and abdominal pain.
• Increased abdominal size/persistent bloating (not bloating that comes and goes).
• Difficulty eating, and feeling full quickly.

These symptoms are more frequent in women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

If any of the above three symptoms occur on most days this may suggest ovarian cancer.

Occasionally women may also experience other symptoms such as pelvic pain, changes in bowel habit, extreme fatigue or back pain on their own or at the same time as those listed above. It's likely that these symptoms are not ovarian cancer, but may be present in some women with the disease.

If women regularly experience any of these symptoms, which are not normal for them, it's important to see their GP. It's unlikely that their symptoms are caused by a serious problem, but it's important to be checked.

Women should also tell their GP if there are two or more cases of ovarian or breast cancer in their close family, as ovarian cancer can sometimes run in families.

If women have already visited their GP and the symptoms continue or get worse, it is important to go back to their GP and explain this.
 

For further information visit www.ovarian.org.uk.
 

The hospital is putting on the new series of events over the coming months called Medicine for Members. The events allow people who have joined the hospitals as a member of the NHS Foundation Trust to come along and learn a bit more about their health services.

The first event takes place next Thursday the 25