|
Friday 9 December 2022 - issue #73 |
|
Dear colleagues,
Last week I bumped into Dr. Ghadeer Khaled, one of our obs and gynae registrars who featured in my very first newsletter - I caught her inhaling the scent of the beautiful roses at the front of Trust HQ - after arriving at North Mid last summer.
Before heading off to our respective appointments, we briefly spoke but our meeting reminded me of the need for us all to stop and ‘smell the roses’.
In last week’s newsletter, I wrote about the importance to be thankful – this week, I ask you all to consider the importance of the small things we do and should do more of.
As our daily cost of living continues to rise, it reassures me to know that it doesn’t cost much to deliver a small act of kindness – at most, just some time. In these moments of reprieve and regeneration, we should take time to look after ourselves. In doing so, we will then be in a better position to look after our staff and patients.
Over the coming days, I encourage you to pause and reflect on your actions and how these can positively affect the lives of others. I would love to hear your examples of what you or your team have done to be kind to our patients, service users and fellow colleagues whilst at work.
Your chief executive,
|
|
|
My thanks to you for your time and dedication |
|
 |
Colleagues, it has been a hard week. Due to the incredible demand and enormous pressures being placed on our emergency department, we had no other option but to declare a Trust-wide critical incident earlier this week. On Monday, we registered an astonishing 768 patients through the doors of A&E – the highest number of attendances in the history of North Mid.
I need to thank every single one of you for your incredible work, dedication and support in responding to these pressures. I saw first-hand how colleagues from across the organisation literally dropped what they were doing to lend their support to those working in busy frontline areas such as ED, discharge lounge and clinical site management. It was all hands-on deck.
Thank you IT, thank you admin and clerical colleagues, thanks to those in site management, estates and facilities, clinical engineering, pharmacy… just to name a few. I’m so incredibly proud of you, Team North Mid, so please be proud of what you do, day in day out.
|
|
My presentation to NHS London's WRES Expert Graduates |
|
 |
 I was asked by the organisers of this year’s NHS London Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) Experts Programme to deliver a short presentation to fellow NHS colleagues attending its graduation ceremony in central London.
|
The event was an opportunity to celebrate the important work being delivered by NHS England to improve access to career opportunities for colleagues from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds.
I was honoured to also present awards to a number of colleagues in attendance: I met Gubby Ayida (pictured right with her certificate), a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist who works at The Women’s Wellness Centre in south London, who was delighted to have completed the London programme.
|
|
 |
|
|
Checking in to check out our new mobile MRI unit |
|
 |
 The eagle eyed amongst you will have spotted a recent new arrival situated at the front of our Trust Headquarters building: a new 50ft long mobile MRI scanner (pictured above) to support our imaging teams to see and help diagnose more patients.
I popped in to say hello to the team and view the facility for myself. I’m always impressed at how this amazing technology is efficiently packed into such a limited space, without feeling cramped. Inside the unit, users will be surprised to find a changing room and control room alongside a large spacious scan room for day to day use.
The unit is set to remain with us for the next three to six months.
|
|
Festive fun: Illuminating our official Christmas tree |
|
 |
Immediately following my visit to the new MRI unit, I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of the festive lights being installed on the large tree located between the Trust HQ and Pymmes buildings. This annual tradition is just one of the activities we’re running this year to mark the season of Christmas at North Mid.
Last Friday afternoon, we held a small ‘switch on’ event to officially illuminate the tree: thanks to a performance by North Mid Choir, those in attendance were able to enjoy a soundtrack of traditional carols.
It wasn’t until the late afternoon as the daylight ebbed away that the tree (pictured) shone in all its colourful glory. I’ve spotted a few colleagues in recent days taking a quick photo of the tree as they've walked past. Thank you once again to our estates and facilities department colleagues and facilities management partners for arranging this year’s display.
|
|
|
Alexander Pringle team raise awareness on World AIDS Day |
|
 |
 Once again, our incredible colleagues at Alexander Pringle Centre celebrated World AIDS Day in style last week. It was a pleasure to see the team's hard work, dedication and passion in helping our local community, our colleagues and our patients as the team hosted an awareness stand in our atrium.
On hand with key information about AIDS and HIV, what you can do to keep yourself and others safe and all the hard work the team put in day in, day out, the team did an incredible job speaking to as many people as possible last Thursday.
On World AIDS Day in 2020, North Mid introduced a pilot programme that would make HIV testing for patients over the age of 18 in our A&E department routine. I am so proud to hear that 40 lives have been saved through this, now permanent programme.
I'm proud to see it's been such a success due to its prevalence in the local communities that we serve. The programme has also detected over 440 positive HIV tests in that time. This is a lovely reminder of the lifechaning impact our work has on people.
|
|
Turning up for the topping out ceremony at our MSCP |
|
 |
I donned a hard hat, hi-vis jacket and safety shoes last Thursday afternoon for a visit to our multistorey car park (MSCP) to celebrate its ‘topping out’ – the name given for a long-standing tradition in construction which marks the achievement of reaching significant milestone in construction project.
Accompanied by our Trust chair Mark Lam and members of our executive and estates and facilities team, we were guided up to the top floor of the MSCP by the site leads from R G Carter where we were treated to a stunning view of the sun setting over the hospital. It was an honour to be asked to help (symbolically) tighten the final bolt of steelwork structure before the next phase in construction gets under way.
Even with the traffic whizzing below us on the North Circular, I was filled with great hope for the future of staff parking provisions at our hospital: more spaces, electric charging points, well-lit facilities, increased safety.
Team North Mid, I apologise once again for any stress and inconvenience you may have experienced from the works to construct this facility. However, I hope that once the MSCP opens in the new year, you agree that this short-term disruption was well worth the long-term gain. I look forward to celebrating its completion and moving forward in transforming North Mid for the future.
|
|
|
Trust board meeting: Inspired by Sita's story and bOOsting our board |
|
 |
One of my personal highlights from our most recent Trust Board meeting was hearing the personal journey of Sita Chitambo, our community division’s director of nursing, AHP and quality.
Introduced to attendees by her Future Leaders Programme sponsor, our chief operating officer Shola Adegoroye, Sita spoke about her early years growing up in Zimbabwe before training to become a nurse, her time working at Whittington Health NHS Trust and now at North Mid and her hopes for her career path in the future.
It was inspiring to hear Sita’s passion for nursing and the new enthusiasm she now has as a nursing leader, helping to teach and share her knowledge and experience with her peers. I have asked Sita to contribute to our #ThisIsMe series of blogs about diversity so that she can share a glimpse of her journey more widely with Team North Mid: please watch this space.
 During the meeting, we invited Dale Carrington (pictured back row, in yellow), our Trust's chief nursing, midwifery and AHP information officer< to deliver seasonal vaccinations to those of our Trust Board who had yet to receive their annual flu and covid jabs.
Our Trust Chair Mark Lam (pictured below) and non-executive director Sarah Rapson were some of those to roll up their sleeves to be bOOsted. Following the meeting, I'm pleased to confirm that every member of the North Mid Trust Board (pictured above) is now fully vaccinated.
As you read this, we are experiencing severe cold weather across the country with The Met Office recording some of the lowest temperatures this year. In addition to dressing appropriately for the winter weather, please increase your personal safety by getting your seasonal vaccinations as soon as possible if you haven't done so already. At the last count, 49.3% of staff have received their flu jab whilst 24% of Trust colleagues have come forward for their Covid booster.
Both of these will provide you with the invisible protection we all need - especially as healthcare professionals - against the most prevalent illnesses in circulation. This is an opportunity to take control and do everything in your power to look after yourself and your loved ones.
|
|
|
Meeting Bouygues for an electrifying ride around the hospital |
|
|
 |
|
I spent some time with Bouygues’ general manager Robert Dashwood and his team last Thursday to view and test a new electric version of the cargo bikes which they use around the hospital site to help transport equipment and waste.
Using these bikes will support Bouygues and North Mid in being more sustainable and will help our organisations work in achieving Net Zero in carbon emissions, benefiting the local and global environment in the long term.
|
|
|
Here, there and everywhere: This week, I joined an NCL workshop about Delivering Population Health and attended our Trust's quarterly partnership meeting with the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. I also paid a visit to colleagues on our T4 ward and in our radiology and urology departments.
Next week, I look forward to welcoming our newest members of staff at our Trust Corporate Induction and participating in the Junior Doctors Forum.
I will also be paying a quick visit to our Clothes Swap event on Monday (search 'clothes' on My North Mid to find out more and get involved) to take a look at all the items kindly donated by others...and to see if there's anything suitable for myself. It's all for a good cause!
|
|
|
|
|
|
