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March 2015
Issue 12
Gateshead investing in dementia care Over the last 18 months QE
Gateshead has invested around 160,000 into schemes that are
improving local services for patients with dementia.
The three main projects this in-vestment funded have made a real
difference to the lives of patients who use the hospital and other
dedicated units in Gateshead.
The condition is a key priority for the NHS with an estimated
25% of acute beds occupied by people with dementia.
In 2013 the QE was successful in getting a grant from the
Department of Health to invest more in the care of people with
dementia.
The Trust has now created a dementia-friendly outpatient
facility, a gym at our Woodside Unit (a de-mentia day care service
for younger people) and an outdoor garden modelled on the famous
Saltwell Park after research by two of our consultants showed that
access to nature could help with de-mentia symptoms.
Hilary Lloyd, director of nursing, midwifery and quality at QE
Gateshead said: We know that one in 14 patients over the age of 65
currently has a diagnosis of dementia and that this number will
increase be-cause of an aging population. Our patients tell us that
what they need from us is kindness, compassion, a smile,
understanding and most importantly to be their voice when they are
unable to speak.
At QE Gateshead were tackling this in a number of ways including
more training for staff and changes to the way wards can be
designed. After some real investment Ward 23 is now a dementia
friendly unit, which has meant looking at everything from signage
to lighting and working out what we can do differently.
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Emergency Care Centre transfer Thank you for your help and
patience during the major transfer of hospital services into the
new
32m Emergency Care Centre which is now open to the public.
At the start of the
year services
including A&E, the
Emergency Assess-
ment Unit (EAU),
the walk-in centre,
GATDOC, Paediat-
rics, ambulatory
care and the short
stay unit all fully
transferred into
the new
building.
The building also includes a new main entrance for the QE with
all visitors and patients coming into the
hospital through the new atrium in the Emergency Care Centre
building. The process has been a
smooth and successful one so thank you for your assistance
during this exciting time for QE Gateshead.
The fantastic new unit brings state-of-the-art healthcare
services to people across Gateshead and the
bright, modern building includes single occupancy rooms with en
suite bathrooms for all patients in the
short stay wards.
The new Emergency Care Centre building not only has a unique
design and facilities, but it completely
changes the way patients are cared for during an emergency by
bringing together a wide range of
services.
A new road entrance with a dedicated area for emergency vehicles
is currently being installed, changing
the flow of traffic through the site. Vehicles now access the
site using a new road entrance in front of
the new building (just past the existing junction which is now
closed off).
You can find more information including videos and pictures on
our website by visiting:
www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/emergencycarecentre
For enquiries about the ECC please contact Darren Makepeace on
0191 4453838
[email protected] or the ECC switchboard on 0191 445
2171.
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Working together to beat Sepsis Spot it, treat it, beat it.
Staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead have been
looking at innovative ways to tackle the deadly medical condition
sepsis which kills 37,000 people a year in the UK alone. Sepsis is
a common and potentially life-threatening con-dition triggered by
infection. Common signs and symp-toms are fever, increased heart
rate, increasing breath-ing rate and confusion. The outcome for
patients im-proves dramatically if sepsis is recognised and treated
quickly. Andy Rooks, Senior Charge Nurse and Project Lead for
Sepsis at QE Gateshead said: The key to treating sepsis is early
recognition, using a system called the sepsis six to give effective
treatment and involving senior medical staff early. No one
profession can do this alone and true team work is required to save
lives. Here at Gateshead were trying to raise awareness of the
condition among staff. We held an event that brought together lots
of staff from different wards, areas, specialties and job roles to
give them a chance to think creatively about the barriers to giving
great sepsis care. The staff looked creatively at how to Spot it,
Treat it and Beat it. The feedback was amazing and staff can
influence their own areas sepsis care.
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Cancer consultant riding for funds
A surgeon from the QE is taking part in a six day bike ride in
the searing heat of the Italian Dolomites mountains to raise money
for his patients.
Mark Katory is a specialist in colo rectal cancers and the team
of three special-ists at the QE see about 200 new pa-tients every
year just from the Gates-head area. Now he is planning to raise as
much money as possible to help all cancer pa-tients at the QE. He
explained: I see on a daily basis both the devastating impact it
can have on families and the extraordinary work being undertaken by
the NHS to work with some of the major cancer charities to improve
the care on offer to our pa-tients. The five year survival rate for
colo rectal cancer is 50% nationally. I am hoping to raise around
5,000 to improve the facilities and experience we can offer to
patients at the QE. Id like to purchase some new equipment for our
theatres and we have a very good en-doscopy department at the QE
but I know they need some new equipment too. Mark admitted that the
six day bike ride covering 600km climbing to more than 54,000 feet
is going to be a challenge.
The cycle ride sounds like a killer but I am motivated to do it
because it is such a good cause and one I truly believe in. The
only thing that is preventing me from not going is because I have
agreed to do it for our hospital charity and that the money raised
will really make a difference to help people. That is also what
will stop me from giving up once I am out there. To sponsor Mark
and the team you can visit www.justgiving/mark-katory and for
updates on progress look out on Twitter (@QEfunds) or Facebook (QE
Gateshead Charitable Funds) and look for #raiddolomites.
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The Bright Ideas in Health Awards 2015 is an annual competition
organised by NHS Innovations
North, which is a service delivered by RTC North Limited on
behalf of the Academic Health Science
Network North East and North Cumbria.
The closing date for entries into the Bright Ideas in Health
Awards 2015 has been extended to Monday
6th April 2015. The awards ceremony will take place at the
Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Hotel on Thurs-
day 21st May 2015.
Entries can be submitted to the Bright Ideas in Health Awards by
clicking here.
Please contact [email protected] for more
information if required.
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Online feedback from patients
Patients now have more ways of
providing feedback than ever be-
fore including all our social media
channels and NHS Choices.
This increased level of feedback
lets us understand what areas are
working well and helps us learn
where we can improve.
To see some examples of our feed-
back click here or find out more
about our social media by visiting:
www.qegateshead.nhs.uk/
socialmedia
BOC oxygen supply
BOCs home oxygen supply contract covers 12 North East CCGs
(excluding Cumbria) and the provider
is introducing a quality programme from 1st April 2015 to ensure
all oxygen patients know how to
manage their medicines and use their inhalers correctly.
If an issue is recorded BOCs patient reps will inform the
patients GP to ensure action can be taken as
appropriate.
A dedicated leaflet will be left with patients for their
information.
Stay in touch We hope you enjoyed reading this issue of Health
Matters and would love to hear your views on the
newsletter.
If you would like to submit stories or offer any feedback on the
content please get in touch with Helen
Groom ([email protected]) or Ross Wigham
([email protected]). Thanks for reading
and please continue sending us your story ideas and
suggestions.