November 2023
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Providing outstanding integrated care and making a difference to people's lives #1BigTeam
UHP clinical nurse specialist reflects on learning from research internship
A Clinical Nurse Specialist at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) has spent the last year taking part in a new internship programme with the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (PenARC). ?
The programme, which launched in September 2022, is designed to help health and social care professionals develop their interests in research, alongside their day-to-day roles. Supported by the NIHR Clinical Research Network South West Peninsula, the internship saw four candidates gain access to new skills, knowledge and experience through hands-on training.
Fleur Cousins, a Stroke Clinical Nurse Specialist at UHP, is coming to the end of her year-long placement and explains what the opportunity meant to her, and the impact it has had on her role at UHP.
“I chose to do the internship because I was quite interested in research, but I didn’t have any training or experience, so it felt like a bit of a closed world that I didn’t know how to crack open.
“I had never heard of PenARC, but I was forwarded the opportunity by a friend. The internship sounded like it was for people just like me, who were working clinically but wanted to get some research experience, both in how to conduct research and how to understand research in a healthcare setting, and how that might then impact work.
“My interest was in social prescribing, so I wanted to look at signposting, health promotion, and stroke prevention. I was assigned an amazing researcher to be my mentor, Professor Kerryn Husk and I was able to spend a year working with Kerryn on a project, as well as doing some more formal training, which, for me, included completing a MSc research design module at Exeter University.
“After conducting my studies, I was assigned to a social prescribing project. I was working on a project looking at prescribing green spaces and gardening across two sites for people with mild to moderate mental health problems. We were progressing from a small feasibility trial to qualify for a larger full trial and I managed to get some really good hands-on experience about how trials work and the process for recruiting participants, data collection, analysis and synthesis.
“As a nurse here at UHP, when you think about research, you usually think about work that the medic led work and the Research and Development department clinical trials. Whereas this is was a fantastic opportunity for me to look at what I'm interested in and how I can apply those skills to what I'm doing in my role now in stroke medicine.
“From a professional perspective, it's given me the skills that I need to quantify some of the things that I do in my role. I see patients every day and it's enabled me to look at cases in more detail and use the data I can collect to actually think about areas where we can promote things like stroke prevention to then better the lives of those patients using applied research.
“Since starting the internship, I’ve created and run a South West Peninsula Network day for all stroke nurses and all stroke practitioners across Devon and Cornwall. I think it was the internship that gave me the confidence to just say ‘actually I can do this, and I can reach out to all these practitioners that are across the whole of Devon and Cornwall and link them with a common theme of we want to be better in stroke services and we want to be better for our patients’.
“From a personal perspective, it’s encouraged me to do more professional practice. I was already quite interested in in doing some advanced clinical practice (ACP) training but wasn't too sure if it was for me but having the confidence to do the research arm of it, I'm now doing the Advanced Assessment module and hope to complete more of the ACP pathway for the stroke service.
“As it complements your existing role, it is hard work. You have to put in the effort, but you get a lot out of it for yourself, your area of work, your career progression and potentially your patients. Overall, it’s helped my work and my directorate, and it's helped me personally.”
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust has a well-established reputation for high quality research and a strong record of participation in commercial and non-commercial clinical trials. If you are interested in learning more about the research opportunities available at UHP, you can find more information about the Research and Development team here.
Professor Vicki Goodwin MBE is the Academic Career Development lead for PenARC and established the internship programme to support health and social care professionals who have had little or no opportunity to get a taster of all things research. Speaking about the internship Vicki said: “This pilot programme has had a huge impact on the people who took part. As well as increasing their knowledge and research skills, it has allowed them to transfer these skills directly to their practice for the benefit of patients and services”.
PenARC works alongside health and social care professionals, researchers and local communities to address the immediate issues facing the health and social care system through applied health and care research. Find further information about PenARC and the training they offer here.
Recruitment Careers Showcase sees over 200 people
The Recruitment team have been working to support the Trust in implementing new solutions to encourage the region to join our #1BigTeam.
On Saturday 4 November over 200 people took advantage of UHP’s Careers Showcase, which was held at Derriford Centre for Health and Wellbeing (DCHW) and highlighted some of the roles that is available across the Trust.?
This showcase was a unique opportunity to explore the career options available at the Trust, extending beyond the conventional clinical roles that often come to mind. From innovative research positions to administrative and support functions, this event to showed that UHP offers a multitude of career paths that you may not have expected.?
The event was the second time that the Recruitment team had run an exclusive, Trust-wide careers open day, after the success of the first one back in April of this year.?
Scarlett Sterne, Resourcing Outreach and Events Lead said: “We saw over 200 attendees at the Careers Showcase, who were able to engage with 18?different departments across UHP. We also had education partners, should the attendees need to explore routes to gain qualifications, if they were interested in a job role that have particular requirements.?
“The event proved to be positive, with one department able to come out of the event with 9 prospective staff that could fill a variety of their vacancies. Additionally, also helped strengthen the relationship between the Recruitment team and the departments.”?
The showcase received some lovely feedback from the attendees, such as:?
The Recruitment team have developed new approaches to recruitment and have been working on building databases of people who have shown an interest in a career with the Trust. They then share regular communication about roles and vacancies with those on the database that might have an in interest for the future.?
If you want to be kept up to date with our latest hot jobs, good news stories and our attendance at specific events, please email [email protected].
Lastly, if you weren’t able to attend UHP’s Careers Showcase and are interested in a job with the Trust, you can find our vacancies on our website.
Ringing the bell: University Hospitals Plymouth breast cancer patient on a mission
Hannah Leach is on a one-woman mission to change the image of cancer after completing radiotherapy treatment at Derriford Hospital.
Following chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Hannah triumphantly rang the bell accompanied by her parents in Oncology, signalling the end of her primary treatment.
Hannah, a singer songwriter who performs regularly with a variety of bands in the Plymouth area?had recently decided to study for an accountancy qualification as well as to become a potter?when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 30.
The diagnosis rocked her world and upset?all carefully laid plans. There was no history of breast cancer in the family and she felt that she?needed to be positive and tell her story to make others aware of what might be in store for them.
She saw that as a performer she had the opportunity to use it and get people talking about cancer showing?them that you can live through it.
“I decided that I was going to try and live as much as possible through it. By finding out what was?possible myself, I could show other people what’s possible.”
“It’s taken a bit of fear away from people and helped me feel there’s been a reason for me going?through this. We need to get people interacting with their bodies and stop being scared of going?to get it checked out, because most of the time it is not going to be anything serious.”
Hannah decided to fund raise for charity from the very start. She started with a sponsored head?shave and has continued since with other events including a music festival. She has raised over?￡6000 so far. She has also been vlogging on Facebook throughout her journey (Hair today but?gone tomorrow).
The Mustard Tree at Derriford has been a tremendous support. There are many ways they can?support you.
“The idea of losing my hair was hard but the ‘Look Good, Feel Better’ sessions at the Mustard?Tree were good. It’s a specialised make up tutorial and deals with practicalities - like without?eyelashes and eyebrows things run into your eyes!”
“Everyone’s cancer journey is different, but you have that opportunity to sit and talk with other people in the Mustard Tree and that’s wonderful. My advice would be to make the most of all of?the support that you can. I’m very grateful that I’m living here in Plymouth as the Mustard Tree is?amazing and offers so much.”
“The specialist nurse I worked with helped me find different perspectives, and talking to all the?nurses really helps. Focussing on the humans around you, rather than the wires in your arm -?that’s really helped me. The positives were the people around me, and you can talk to them about?anything.”
Staff at UHP nominated for West Country Women Awards 2023
A member of our #1BigTeam have reached the finals of the West Country Women Awards.?
The West Country Women Awards are an annual celebration honouring the amazing women who have been an inspiration in the South West area. This year, over 100 women were shortlisted for the semi-finals across a range of categories, which has been narrowed down to just three finalists per category.?
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This includes Leanne Moore, Clinical Technologist, under the Directorate of Healthcare Science & Technology at the Trust and is a finalist for the Woman in STEM category. Leanne said: “I was nominated back at the end of May, so it has been a long time coming and I didn’t expect to reach the finals! It was a complete surprise to be nominated. I was not expecting that at all. You just think you are doing your job, and for somebody to recognise that you’re doing well is a wonderful feeling.?
“I would like to think I have been nominated due to my passion to promote careers in Radiotherapy Physics, creating networks within the local community here in the South West to encourage local talent to stay local in a worthwhile, challenging and advancing profession, such as designing radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients.?
“The world of Radiotherapy Physics is a mystery to many, and I have made it my personal mission to seize every opportunity to create awareness about what goes on behind the scenes in the Radiotherapy Physics team at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. I have a reputation as being a voice for the profession of Radiotherapy Dosimetrists and I am always getting involved in Open Days, Career Events, Community Outreach, and any other opportunity where I can share the amazing work of the Radiotherapy Physics Team.?
“I got to attend a wonderful nominee’s event held at The Lost Gardens of Heligan, where I met inspirational women from such a range of sectors, and we celebrated being nominated and the breadth of talent in the South West. I was so happy to be part of this celebration but was certain this was where my journey would end. So, I was completely overwhelmed to hear I have been selected as a semi-finalist and then to be announced as a finalist was amazing.??
“I've been a STEM ambassador and through this, has enabled me to do outreach work as I’m passionate about generating awareness about physics and the science in medicine. I want to show how the skills that you learn when you study or have interest in science can be applied in doing something like worthwhile in your career, as I'm proud of the fact that I'm a healthcare scientist.?
“I am so grateful to be part of this process and I really hope I can use it to put a spotlight on careers for Women in STEM. I would not be part of this process if it weren’t for the support of the phenomenal team, I work with in Radiotherapy Physics at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust.”?
Among the other finalists are more inspirational women from Plymouth and across the wider South West including Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset. There are 16 award categories in total covering areas such as Women in Tech, Women in STEM, Green Award, Combatting Violence Against Women and Girls and many more.?
The winners of the awards will be announced a grand final celebration at the Crowne Plaza on Friday 1 December.?
Find out more: West Country Women Awards – Recognising Inspirational Women
Phototherapy Bilicocoon service offered to parents at UHP
A phototherapy service to help babies who are suffering from jaundice is now available for parents to use at home in the form of a Bilicocoon, thanks to staff at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP).
Parents whose babies are suffering from jaundice can now benefit from treating their baby at home with the help of a new service provided by the Neonatal Outreach team at Derriford. The service became available in early September, thanks to the efforts of Sarah Underwood, Senior Sister for Neonatal Outreach and Transitional Care Services, Rowena Gruitt, Neonatal Outreach Sister, the Neonatal Outreach team and the wider Neonatal Multidisciplinary team.
Parents who have used the service said: “This is a highly professional patient and family focused service. Without the Home Phototherapy team, we would have stayed for over two nights in transitional care and lost family time together. Everyone was kind, caring and professional, the service is excellent.”
Speaking about the service Sarah said: “Being able to treat babies at home is extremely beneficial for parents both emotionally and financially, as it means parents are able to spend more time caring for their babies and bonding with them, without the additional stress and financial pressure of having to stay in the hospital”.
The treatment also greatly benefits the babies, Sarah continued: “Babies who are cared for by their parents often have better outcomes. The Bilicocoon empowers parents to take ownership of their babies’ care, and it also allows mothers to breastfeed freely, which is not always possible during hospital treatment when the babies are under blue light lamps”.
The service also benefits the hospital, as UHP cares for many babies from across the region in their NICU department. Jaundice is common in babies, and it often results in high numbers of readmissions for phototherapy treatment, which in turn impacts patient flow throughout the hospital. The trust currently has four Bilicocoons and having this service means that there are more beds available for babies who need hospital-based treatment.
To learn more about newborn jaundice and phototherapy treatment, you can visit the NHS website.
New Refreshed Green Plan for University Hospital Plymouth
The Sustainability team at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) have recently updated the Trust’s plan ‘For a Greener Future’.
The plan contains more targeted aims and objectives to ensure it aligns with the National Greener NHS and sets out the process to meet the NHS Long Term Plan, ‘Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service’.
Some of these aims include, but are not limited to reducing carbon, waste and water, improving air quality and biodiversity and reducing the use of avoidable single-use plastics.
The plan will guide and develop future services in line with national and local policies and to ensure sustainability is embedded in all services across the Trust.
The new Trust Green Plan objectives are to:
The plan will be reviewed regularly and will align with emerging policy, guidance, and other resources within the Greener NHS Programme.
Green Plan Programme Manager, Kirsty Wavish said: “Since the publication of the Trust’s Green Plan ‘For a Greener Future’ in 2020, we have taken steps to embed sustainability into Trust culture and operations. Our initial focus has been on engaging our staff and seeking views as to how we can become a more sustainable organisation. A governance structure has been set up with a dedicated Sustainability Sub-Committee, and specific working groups whose purpose has been to drive the aims and objectives set out in the plan.”
Kirsty added: “Acting responsibly and reducing the impact we have on our environment is an important consideration for the Trust, from the way we care for our patients, to ensuring we have a strong, financial and sustainable system in place. As a large acute healthcare organisation, we are committed to actively delivering our contribution to reduce carbon emissions and embed sustainability into everything we do. Climate change is globally recognised as the greatest environmental and economic threat faced by the national governments and individuals. It is also an opportunity for us to make those sustainable improvements, ensuring we use resources responsibly.”
Read the full plan here.
Work of the Derriford Cancer Services Team Shared as Best Practice
The work of the Cancer Services Admin Team, who track patients and meet daily to focus on ensuring patients get treated as quickly as possible, is being picked up as best practice and shared nationally.
The team, led by Cancer Performance Manager Callum Binnie, started tracking their cancer patients daily and introduced a daily escalation huddle to discuss patients who have been assigned to the responsibility of a Service Line for 2+ days. Staff come together to discuss capacity issues and track any patients who are at risk of delays in their treatment to ensure they bring dates forward or escalate upwards. The list of patients includes those with suspected or diagnosed cancer who are on the 31 and 62-day treatment pathways. The team can discuss between 300-350 patients every day.
In April 2022 Cancer Services created a departmental strategic direction with a vision of ‘efficient care for cancer patients’. They identified having ‘more focus on patients’ as their most important improvement priority because they felt like a data entry team who were adding little value to patients.
The team switched from weekly to daily tracking in July 2022. They have seen a dramatic change and the improvement has not only benefited patients but also staff in the team.
Callum explained: “Before starting, the number of patients waiting beyond the 62-day target for their treatment was high. With the daily huddles, the number of patients waiting beyond the 62-day target for treatment has reduced from 300 earlier this year to 173 and continuing to fall.
“Morale was also low in the team 18 months ago before we began. Sickness was just below 6% and staff reporting work-related stress was high. Through making changes to the way we work and allowing the team to drive forward their own improvements, that has had a positive impact on team health. Sickness had fallen to almost zero in August 2023 with reported work-related stress dropping significantly and the team’s scores have improved considerably in the staff survey, improving in 79 out of 97 metrics.”
This is one example of the many improvements being made by staff across different specialties involved in the People First programme which uses quality improvement methodology to make improvements to services.
The work has been picked up by NHS England’s National Cancer Team and will now be shared with other hospitals across the country with a view to more patients benefiting from the good practice developed at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.
Robyn Cutforth, Cancer Performance Manager with the NHS Cancer Programme, said; “What the Cancer Services Admin team have achieved with their approach to daily cancer tracking and escalation huddles is demonstrably making a difference to patients on cancer pathways, having contributed to a reduction in the 62-day backlog and bringing together teams from across the Trust to efficiently manage potential delays. It is also incredibly encouraging to see the impact the approach has had on staff morale and wellbeing within the team, and that the Trust are focusing on improving this as a priority. We have been very grateful that the team have shared their work with us, so that providers from across the country who are looking to make improvements to their patient tracking list management processes can benefit and learn from their work.”
23h Stay And Postbridge Unit reach remarkable milestone
In September, 100% of patients responded to a text follow-up service with feedback of either ‘Very Good’, or ‘Good’ after receiving treatment in the department. The feedback service, which was introduced in 2019, is sent to patients who have recently undergone surgery, asking them to rate their experience on a scale from ‘Very Good’ to ‘Very Poor’.
Since December 2019, the unit has received a 76% response rate, with 8917 texts sent and 6773 responses received, which shows a high level of engagement and feedback from patients.
The Postbridge Unit is the admission area for the majority of adult patients coming to the hospital on the morning of their planned elective surgery.?The unit also cares for patients having day case surgery after their operation until they are discharged and additionally it has twelve inpatient beds for patients that need to remain in hospital after surgery but are likely to be well enough to be discharged the following day.
The unit cares for patients from almost all surgical specialities including, neurology, gynaecological, colorectal, orthopaedics, maxillo-facial, ENT, breast, and urology as well as some patients that have procedures performed within the interventional radiology suite and the cardiology department.
Consultant Anaesthetist, Ross Vanstone?said: “This is a testament to the excellent care and service that the team on Postbridge provide to our daycase & overnight patients. Our satisfaction scores usually range from 90 to 95%, which is already impressive, but in September we surpassed ourselves”.
Ross continues: “I would like to congratulate Julie Overnell, Ward Manager and Sue Johnson, Matron and their team for all their hard work and dedication”.