September 2024
Our clinical experts lead the way
We are fortunate to have working clinicians with decades of experience at the centre of our organisation.
They lead our programmes, highlighting what changes need to take place to improve services for people in Greater Manchester and Eastern Cheshire.
In this month’s newsletter, we celebrate one of our leaders, Eileen Stringer (pictured above, second left), who has just marked her incredible 45th year working for the NHS.
The midwifery lead tells us about how she has ‘loved’ her role in the NHS in an interesting Q&A below.
Maternity also features in our 2023/24 achievements and 2024/25 priorities report, which you can download and read below.
Elsewhere in this month’s newsletter we have the following stories:
-
Diabetes: October diabetes event for health professionals in Greater Manchester. Clinical lead publishes paper.
-
Maternity: Chief midwife for England attends safety event. Trust wins prestigious patient safety award.
-
Palliative and end of life care: Invitation to join groups to lead on improvements.
-
Neurorehabilitation and Stroke: New clinical associates join the team. Nurse supports treatment of neurological conditions. Mini-Olympics boost for patient neurorehabilitation.
-
Cardiac Network: Masterclasses to improve heart failure tests.
-
Children and young people: Supporting young people to live their best lives.
Many thanks for your interest and support in our Networks.
Best wishes
Achievements and priorities
|
The Networks recently collated their achievements from 2023/24, together with the priorities for the next 12 months.
The document clearly shows what we have achieved since 2023, as well as the scale of our ambition for 2024/25.
We continue to focus on improvements to services which stay loyal to our vision, which is ‘for the health and wellbeing of local people and the care they receive to be comparable with the best in the world’.
|
|
 |
Autumn 2024 event now open for registration
The Network is delighted to invite clinicians and stakeholders to the second Greater Manchester Diabetes Clinical Network Event of 2024.
The session will take place on Thursday, October 17, from 1pm-5pm, and will feature keynote speakers and workshop discussions on strategy, implementation, pathways and services.
Previous events have been very well supported and the Network plans to use the gathering to build on NHS Greater Manchester’s commitment to champion diabetes as a major priority in its multi-year prevention plan.
There is a great deal of activity in Greater Manchester now aimed at supporting people living with diabetes and improving the services they rely on, including:
- Development of the Diabetes Oversight Group
- Joint working with the CVD Prevention network
- Diabetes quality improvement project work
- Review of structured education services
- Pharmacy supplies and availability of medications
- Additional care reviews for early onset diabetes
- Transition strategy (pictured above) and the Get it Right First Time (GIRFT) review of children’s and young adult services.
Many of these topics will feature on the day and attendees will be able to raise others as well.
This event will be of interest to nurses, pharmacists, GPs, consultants, podiatrists, healthcare professionals in primary/secondary/community care, commissioning teams and voluntary sector stakeholders.
There will be the opportunity to meet with colleagues and clinicians from across the Greater Manchester system, raise issues of concern and network with Greater Manchester and place-based ICB diabetes leads.
The full programme will follow shortly. Places are limited but you can book on the NHS Events booking page.
Please contact Michelle Davies on michelle.davies9@nhs.net if you have any queries regarding event booking.
|
The Diabetes Network’s footcare clinical lead Naseer Ahmad has published a paper on the MARS project (Manchester Amputation Reduction Strategy), which has reduced lower limb amputations, and includes a focus on gender inequalities.
The report appears in the online Diabetic Foot Journal and explains the aim of the project and the findings so far.
The report suggests that ‘multidisciplinary lower-limb wound care that is based on a ‘high-risk’ rather than ‘diabetes-only’ approach can reduce amputations at a faster rate by lowering inequality of care access’.
Midwifery lead celebrates 45 years of service
The Greater Manchester and Eastern Cheshire Local Maternity and Neonatal System's (LMNS) midwifery lead – who has played a big role in improving services for thousands of families - recently marked 45 years of NHS service.
Eileen Stringer (pictured right) was presented with a long service award by Kate Brintworth, NHS England's chief midwifery officer, at a recent safety conference (see story below).
During Eileen's years of service, she has worked across many Greater Manchester hospitals, starting her career as a student nurse before training to become a midwife. She has a strong academic side and since 2014 has been an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Manchester, contributing to curriculum planning.
Her work within the Greater Manchester and Eastern Cheshire Strategic Clinical Networks (GMEC SCNs) and the LMNS has focused on improving outcomes in many aspects of maternity care for all families and most recently she has been the driving force behind Saving Babies Lives, the programme which aims to improve safety.
Eileen said: “It was a wonderful day to receive my long service award and felt really personal. Hearing Kate Brintworth, our chief midwifery officer for NHS England, read out all the different roles and achievements I have been fortunate enough to have undertaken over many years was a complete surprise!
“Both Kate and Donald Peebles, our national clinical director for maternity, presented me with some lovely gifts to mark the occasion and it was emotional to stand and see so many colleagues within the maternity and neonatal services in GMEC applauding and wishing me well. I will never forget it and I am immensely grateful to them.”
Julie Cheetham, GMEC SCNs’ director, said: “I am so delighted we were able to mark and share the 45th NHS service anniversary with Eileen.
“Her dedication and passion for improving women and babies’ health and care is palpable.
"She continues to lead on Saving Babies Lives and our Equity and Equality programme, giving sound advice to the Greater Manchester and Eastern Cheshire maternity and neonatal system. Congratulations and what an achievement Eileen!”
The GMEC SCNs’ clinical director, Dr Peter Elton, added: “It is always a pleasure to work with someone who is always as positive as Eileen. No wonder she has achieved so much.”
|
Q&A with Eileen
After such a long and illustrious career, we wanted to have a chat with Eileen (pictured centre) about her life as an NHS employee.
Where and what was your first job at the NHS?
I joined the NHS on 16 August 1979 as a student nurse at Trafford General Hospital (then known as Park Hospital, Urmston, where in 1948 the national health service was launched by Aneurin Bevan). I went on to train as a midwife there in 1982 – they were very happy years.
How do you feel to have worked for more than four decades for the NHS?
It feels incredible to look back on what has changed - the NHS was still quite old fashioned at the time I joined and I can recall intravenous sets being made out of rubber tubing and glass syringes! It was a little like ‘Call the Midwife’ in that I really did work in the community for a time with a hat and a bike! But what we lacked in technology and equipment we made up for with a focus on holistic care and kindness.
What has been the best job you have had?
I have loved most of it. I really enjoyed my role as consultant midwife – I began that in 2003 at Rochdale Infirmary and worked in that role for 15 years before joining the Strategic Clinical Network. I loved working with women and families and supporting fellow midwives. I was also an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Manchester for a number of years and felt privileged to be in a position to teach nursing, midwifery and pharmacy students. I was also fortunate to have been published in subject matter books and journals here in the UK and New Zealand and presented research work in Brisbane along the way. My current role has been very rewarding – as clinical lead midwife for the SCN I have been able to lead on some large transformative programmes including one that has saved babies’ lives in GMEC and that is a great legacy for anyone to leave behind.
|
What has been the biggest change in the organisation over that time?
I think maternity and neonatal care has become much more complex over the decades as our population changed and how the workforce has changed in that time. I can also see improvements in outcomes as a result of some of the changes we have made.
What has been the biggest challenge?
I think mergers of smaller hospitals and organisations have featured largely in the last two decades and that can bring many challenges and can leave lasting legacies.
How would you like to see the NHS change over the next decade?
I want to see upstream interventions become the norm, to resource education and helping individuals to have control over their own health – this isn’t new and was certainly something that was essential when we did not have a National Health Service but I think there is a happy medium where we can do both and that means not stretching our resources further to treat things that could have been prevented. Some of that is easier said than done, particularly when inequalities exist, so our work as a system to improve inequalities is vital for our population and our health service to thrive.
|
The chief midwife for England attended a fantastic maternity and neonatal safety event.
Kate Brintworth (pictured left), together with Donald Peebles (pictured right), national clinical lead for maternity, visited the session, which was organised by the Network, LMNS and Health Innovation Manchester.
There was involvement from service users from ethnic minority backgrounds and the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership. It was a fantastic learning opportunity for all maternity providers to share best practice.
The team received really positive feedback and planning is underway for it to become an annual safety event.
|
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust were winners at the recent Health Service Journal Patient Safety Awards for their screening programme to detect a blinding condition in babies.
The team picked-up the ‘Improving care for children and young people’ award for their work to digitally transform the essential screening service which identifies retinopathy of prematurity.
With the development of separate platforms for imaging, data storage and electronic patient records comes risks of disconnection, data insecurity and information fragmentation. Judges said that the entry described a project that has successfully integrated all the separate, approved digital platforms into a single workflow, eliminating all the risks associated with its digital transformation.
The service is led at MFT by Sus Biswas and Julie Flanaghan.
  |
Join a working group and support improvements
The Palliative and End of Life Care team (pictured above) would like to invite Greater Manchester health and care professionals to join its various groups dedicated to supporting improvements in the area.
These collaborative groups and meetings are designed to bring together professionals who lead on implementing the Greater Manchester Commitments to individuals approaching or within the last year of life (adult services) and the National Ambitions for Palliative Care (adult and babies, children, and young people services).
Adult Groups:
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Palliative and End of Life Care Strategic Group (adults)
Chair Dr David Waterman (pictured above right)
This group has an identified membership of lead clinician and commissioner for each locality with some cross-cutting roles in Greater Manchester identified. The strategy group works towards consensus across the city region in approaches to palliative and end of life care, in line with the Greater Manchester Commitments to individuals approaching or within the last year of life (adult services).
IPOS (Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale) Group
Chair: Dr David Waterman
This community of practice aims to support a united approach to the use of Outcome Measures (including IPOS) in Greater Manchester.
The group meets quarterly (via virtual meetings) to provide a forum for professionals, at any stage of the development, implementation, or embedding of outcome measures in clinical practice. It offers an opportunity to learn together, share insights and best practice. All health and social care practitioners are welcome.
Please contact lynne.partington1@nhs.net if you would like to join this group or would like further information.
GM Electronic Palliative Care Coordination System (EPaCCS) and Digital Sharing Group
Chair: Dr David Waterman
This group operates as a collaborative group in providing influence and strategic leadership in the development and delivery of EPaCCS/digital palliative information sharing solutions across Greater Manchester. Membership includes both locality clinical leads and data/IT leads and representation from teams across Greater Manchester. The group acts as an expert resource to locality groups when developing local plans for implementing EPaCCS/ digital palliative information sharing solutions. The group meets quarterly through virtual meetings.
Please contact gillian.bailey3@nhs.net if you would like to join this group or would like further information.
|
Palliative and End of Life Care Educators Network
Chair: Dr Liam Hosie (pictured left)
This special interest group hosts quarterly face to face meetings at different localities across Greater Manchester and provides a dynamic forum for learning, presentations, discussions, and the exchange of best practice.
Its members, ranging from seasoned practitioners to emerging educators, come together to explore the latest advancements, innovative approaches and critical insights in palliative and end of life care education.
Its shared aim is to enhance the quality of palliative care education and, ultimately, the delivery of compassionate, patient-centred care. Join the group as it collaborates, learns, and leads the way in palliative care education.
Please contact lynne.partington1@nhs.net if you would like to join this group or would like further information.
Greater Manchester Palliative and End of Life Care Commissioning Group
Chair Dr David Waterman
This group brings together adult placed based locality leads with palliative and end of life care in their portfolio. The group provides influence and strategic leadership in the delivery of the Greater Manchester Commitments to individuals approaching or within the last year of life (adult services) and the Ambitions for Palliative & End of Life Care National Framework. The group is working to support the ICB in meeting the statutory responsibility to commission palliative care services to meet the populations need.
Please contact elaine.parkin1@nhs.net if you would like to join this group or would like further information.
Babies’ children and young people Group:
Greater Manchester Palliative and end of Life Care Babies Children and Young People’s Zonal Group
Chairs: Dr Bowden and Anna Oddy
This is a collaborative group of professionals from providers and commissioners with a collective aim to support the provision of palliative and end of life care for babies, children and young people and their closest support networks. The group provides support and shared learning opportunities whilst driving forward strategic approaches to education, training and policy.
Please contact elaine.parkin1@nhs.net if you would like to join this group or would like further information.
|
New clinical expertise boosts Network
The Network is continuing to diversify its clinical leadership with the appointment of new clinical associates to the team.
Katherine Swithenbank, from Bolton Community Stroke Team, and Sarah Williams, from Wigan, Wrightington and Leigh Community Stroke and Neurorehabilitation Team, will help lead the vocational rehabilitation work in their roles as chairs of our community of practice.
They bring considerable expertise to the Network and have already made significant contributions over the past two years. They join three other recent appointments, with interviews planned in the coming weeks for new clinical leads in acute stroke and also inpatient rehabilitation.
Loss of bladder and bowel function is a distressing and debilitating condition for many people affected by neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS).
The Network is delighted that a new Coloplast-funded specialist nurse will be supporting the region from the beginning of November. Coloplast helps develop products and services for people who have very private and personal medical conditions.
The new role will develop a service based within the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, initially for those affected by MS, but with plans to expand to other conditions in future. The initiative is the result of a long-standing collaboration between Greater Manchester NHS organisations, the voluntary sector and Coloplast.
A number of local clinical teams got into the Olympic spirit by hosting mini games to help patients with their neurorehabilitation (pictured left).
Being physically mobile and participating in group-based activities is an important part of recovery, and tying in with this global sporting event helped motivate patients to do their daily exercises.
Following feedback at the Clinical Effectiveness Group, the Network has also added a new webpage showcasing the current portfolio of projects, as well as highlights and impacts from those which have been completed in the past two years. You can also follow the Network on X (Twitter).
|
Successful masterclasses held to improve services
Three masterclasses were held to support a project to improve inpatient echo access in newly suspected heart failure admissions.
The face-to-face two-day sessions were held at Manchester Royal Infirmary to support participating clinicians to develop history taking and clinical examination skills.
Courses covered both theory and heart and lung clinical examination and included a heart failure session in support of the quality improvement project.
A total of 43 people attended, with the clinical disciplines taking part including heart failure specialist nurses, cardiac physiologists and cardiac rehabilitation nurses. Attendees were requested to complete pre and post self-assessment questionnaires to demonstrate learning outcomes and the effectiveness of the sessions.
The training was hugely successful with attendees providing positive feedback and demonstrating learning and increased confidence from pre-course self-assessments.
Support for #AskAboutAsthma campaign
The Network supported a campaign which asks parents, teachers and youth group leaders to support young people with asthma to live their lives to the full.
Thousands of children in Greater Manchester have asthma and the #AskAboutAsthma 2024 campaign promoted ‘the four asks’ to improve management of the condition and lead to more of them having no symptoms.
The four asks are:
- Get an asthma action plan in place
- Understand how to use inhalers correctly
- Schedule an asthma review – every year and after every attack
- Consider air quality and its impact on lung health
The team spread the word on social media, together with the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership, during the campaign week, which ran from September 9th-15th.
Dr Easwari Kothandaraman, NHS Greater Manchester’s children and young people clinical lead, said: “It is really important that both families and people who work with children are aware of the steps which can be taken to improve their care.
"If we all work together on this, we should see young people living their lives to the full as their symptoms reduce."
Children in Greater Manchester can also now use the free digital health passport to manage their asthma at home or school.
The smartphone app allows young people to get instant access to their personal action plan and alerts about air quality.
|
|
