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Research supports earlier detection of hip problems in babies
 Sonographer and Clinical Lead for Baby Hip Ultrasound, Innocent Onu, has published research that could help more babies receive early treatment for hip problems.
Innocent carried out a study looking at how local ultrasound scans are used to check babies for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), a condition where the hip joint does not develop properly.
Currently, national guidelines do not list baby girls born weighing more than 4kg as being at higher risk of DDH. However, based on growing evidence, Consultant in Trauma and Orthopaedics, Mr Marcos Katchburian introduced scanning at the Trust for this group of babies.
Innocent led the study to review how well this local approach was working and whether scanning these babies made a difference.
The results showed baby girls with a higher birth weight were more likely to develop DDH. Identifying this trend means the condition can be found early through ultrasound.
The study treated 112 babies, with 108 successfully avoiding surgery using a Pavlik harness (a soft brace worn by babies to help the hips develop normally).
Innocent’s research will help ensure that local practice meets high standards of care and continues to improve outcomes for patients.
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Surgical hubs join forces to treat more patients
 The Kent and Medway Orthopaedic Centre (KMOC) was one of more than 100 elective surgical hubs across England to join forces across one week and deliver high quality treatments to as many people as possible.
During Hub Optimisation Week, which was run by NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time programme, the team at Maidstone Hospital operated on almost 30% more patients than the average week. It included a ‘high intensity theatre list’ of 13 hip replacements that took place across two operating theatres in just one day, with four of the patients able to go home on the same day as their surgery.
Mr Lee David, Clinical Director for Trauma and Orthopaedics said: "As a high-volume regional elective orthopaedic hub, KMOC continues to develop pathways that prioritise efficiency, patient safety and high-quality outcomes."
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NHS leaders visit Maidstone Hospital |
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Professor Sir Jonathan Montgomery, NHS England’s South East Regional Chair, visited Maidstone Hospital at the end of May as part of a two day tour of services across Kent and Medway.
He was joined by Angela McNab, Interim Chair of NHS Kent and Medway, as they spent time learning more about the innovative ways our teams are improving patient care.
During the visit, they explored several key areas of the hospital, including the top-performing Emergency Department and the Care Coordination Centre, which uses real-time data to constantly monitor the Trust’s 700 beds and improve the movement of patients through our hospitals.
The visitors were also given a tour of the Kent and Medway Orthopaedic Centre and the Kent Oncology Centre, where they spoke with teams about the forward-thinking work taking place across our services to ensure patients receive high-quality care more quickly.
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Stroke Advisory Group inaugural meeting
 The Stroke Advisory Group held their first meeting last week to discuss how best to meet the needs of stroke patients at the Trust.
Hosted by the Stroke team, the Stroke Advisory Group brings together people who have experienced stroke care at MTW, including patients, family members and carers. Together, they share their views and discuss service developments with the aim of helping to shape the Trust’s stroke services for the benefit of future patients.
The Speech and Language Therapy team were on hand throughout the event to help anyone with communication difficulties to give their feedback, and the team will continue to provide support for the group’s future meetings.
The Stroke Advisory Group will meet every three months at Hermitage Court in Maidstone, and their next meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday 7 September, 10am to 12pm.
If you, a family member or someone you care for has experienced stroke care at our Trust, the Stroke Advisory Group is a great opportunity to tell us what mattered to you. Get in touch with the Stroke team at mtw-tr.salt-stroke@nhs.net to take part.
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Family honours father's memory |
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 A family has made a touching tribute to a much-loved husband and father by funding an intercom system on a ward at Maidstone Hospital in his memory.
Durga Chand spent a little over a month on John Day Ward at the end of his life.
His wife, Anita and his children Dibya, Diva and Aadar, generously donated to our MTW Hospitals Charity to fund the new system, thanking the team for giving him “the best care possible” in his final days.
"All the nursing staff and healthcare support workers we encountered during that time were incredible, and we cannot thank them enough for being so accommodating and understanding” they explained.
“We are especially grateful that our family was given the space, time and dignity to be with Dad in his final moments."
The new intercom system supports the nursing team to manage access to the ward more effectively, allowing them to let visitors in remotely without having to leave the ward area.
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Spotlight on the Switchboard team
Our Switchboard team are the Trust’s first point of contact for all incoming calls, and deal with almost every department in our hospitals.
Taking around 50,000 calls a month, including around 250 emergency calls, the team of 23 staff gather essential information and contact the correct emergency teams at the right hospital.
Whether it’s cardiac arrest, trauma call, stroke or major haemorrhage, every second counts and accuracy is critical.
Carol Hannaford, who has worked as a telephonist for 22 years, said: “You never know what the next call will bring, but that’s what makes the role so rewarding.”
The team also monitor alarm panels, keeping a close eye on systems such as fire alarms, boilers and medical gas supplies, and is the point of contact for major incident notifications across the south east.
John Weeks, Director of Emergency Planning and Response, said: “The team are crucial in keeping everything connected, especially when things are busy or under pressure.
"It’s not always visible work, but it’s essential, and they handle it with consistency and professionalism. They’re a brilliant team to work with.”
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Join MTW's upcoming Board meeting
 Our next Trust Board meeting takes place on Thursday 25 June at 9.15am.
Members of the public and staff are welcome to join the meeting in person at the Academic Centre at Maidstone Hospital, or online via Teams. The meeting link will be available on the Trust’s website from the start of that week.
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