FOCUS
POINT
The members newsletter for South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Seal
Of Approval
HRH Princess Alexandra officially opened the new
Endeavour Unit built as part of a £35m expansion of
cancer services on The James Cook Hospital site.
The re-development work means that the hospital is now
amongst the best in Europe for cancer treatment – and
trust members have played their part in this major project
by choosing the name of the unit. Last year you also had
the opportunity of a sneak preview of the centre as part
of a series of members meetings.
June 2012
Contact
us…
Focus Point
contact details:
Caroline Parnell,
company secretary 01642 835592
General email:
foundation.trust@stees.nhs.uk
Governor email:
gov@stees.nhs.uk
Website:
www.southtees.nhs.uk
Other useful
numbers:
The James Cook
University Hospital
01642 850850
The Friarage
01609 779911
If you choose to receive future issues
of this newsletter electronically you will
be helping us save money on postage
– just email foundation.trust@stees.
nhs.uk to let us know if you’d like
electronic issues of this newsletter.
Welcome
Welcome to the latest issue
of Focus Point, designed to
keep you, our members upto-date with news about
the trust.
In this issue we get the
opportunity to introduce the
governors you voted for in our
most recent elections – and thank
you to all the members who
stood for election or took the
time to choose their favourite
candidates.
Your new governors have
started the task of getting to
understand the trust, its services
and the challenges that face the
organisation, and I’m sure they
will do their best to represent the
views of their constituents.
Last year you told us that you
wanted more information about
the services we provide, and I
am delighted that in this issue of
Focus Point we can highlight not
only some new services but also
the long awaited opening of the
Endeavour Unit at JCUH.
Princess Alexandra carried out the
official opening, and she made a
big impression on all the patients
and staff that she met, showing a
genuine interest in them and our
major re-development of cancer
services.
If you would like any more
information about any of the
articles in this issue, or there
are any services that you would
like to see us cover in future
issues of this magazine then
please do let us know.
Deborah Jenkins,
Trust Chairman
Mary’s Hero Award
Mary Bilous, who was until
recently a staff governor, has
received a national award for
her work as a diabetes
specialist nurse.
Former patient Marion Williams put
Mary forward for the Tommy’s and
Danone baby nutrition hero award
in recognition for the support and
care Mary gave her during and after
a pregnancy.
Marion said: “Mary and the
diabetes team at James Cook have
set up a fantastic pre-pregnancy
clinic, and this is where I met Mary.
“Mary saw me in the medical
antenatal clinic, but also
between times. At 37 weeks
pregnant I was induced.
Mary came at least twice
a day to check I was OK,
even on her days off. We
had a beautiful and healthy
daughter, Eve, and
she is my constant
reminder of the
Mary collects
amazing care I
her award
received from
from actress
Mary.”
Terri Dwyer
“Like a
5 Star Hotel”
“It’s not like a hospital, it’s more like a
5 star hotel”, that’s one of the comments
on the new Endeavour Unit that Princess
Alexandra heard from patients when she
visited The James Cook University Hospital.
The state of the art Endeavour
Unit is part of a £35m service
expansion that puts the hospital
among the best in Europe for
cancer treatment. The new centre
houses three linear accelerators
– machines which give highly
accurate radiation treatment – and
the hospital is one of the first in
the world to treat patients with
these £1.5m machines. The unit
is also home to a CT scanner and
new outpatient suite.
Fiona Milnes, radiotherapy
services team leader, said:
“These leading edge machines
enable us to give a high dose
of radiotherapy to a smaller
area and they are extremely
accurate, which helps reduce
side effects. Demand for cancer
services is increasing all the time
and this expansion gives our
patients access to the very latest
technology in a purpose-built
unit, which really puts James
Cook on the map.”
Before officially opening
the Endeavour Unit Princess
Alexandra met Harold Winspear,
the first patient to be treated
with the linear accelerators in the
unit, and she also talked to many
of the trust staff and contractors
who had worked on the new
building.
HRH Princess
Alexandra signs
the visitors book
while opening the
Endeavour Unit
Built by Interserve, the unit
has been designed with
the involvement of patients
to create a light, spacious
and calming environment.
It is hoped that the unit will be
awarded an excellent rating for its
environmental performance, as it
incorporates a number of green
initiatives including rain water
harvesting for toilet flushing and
a ground source heat pump to
provide under floor heating.
HRH Princess
Alexandra chats
to patient Harold
Winspear when
opening the
Endeavour Unit
As part of her visit to the
Middlesbrough hospital Princess
Alexandra also toured the
extended and refurbished
chemotherapy day unit where she
spent time talking to patients,
their families and unit staff.
The re-development of cancer
services at JCUH has also
included the renovation of
the radiotherapy department
to accommodate a £2.5m
TomoTherapy machine, which is
an advanced CT scanner with a
high energy x-ray treatment beam
that more accurately targets
tumours.
In the run up to the official
opening of the Endeavour Unit
BBC Tees spent a week in the
hospital talking to staff in many
front line services, including
the Accident and Emergency
department, as well behind the
scenes services such as portering,
laundry and catering.
Meet your
Governors
At the start of April 11 new elected
governors joined our Council of Governors
Thanks to all members who voted in the election as we had a good turnout in most
constituencies. Your representatives are now busy learning more about their role as a
governor as well as getting to know the trust and the challenges that we face.
Here are the governors you elected, and if you want to contact them or the other
members of the Council of Governors call the foundation trust office on
01642 835592 or email gov@stees.nhs.uk
Hambleton and
Richmonshire
constituency
Middlesbrough
Constituency
Keith Henry
Martin
“I am a retired firefighter having served
the community for over 30 years in North
Yorkshire and Cleveland. I am passionate
about the north east, the area and services
and have worked closely with all areas of
agencies and partners of the emergency
and health services and I was a union
official for 10 years. As a governor I will
campaign to improve the level of service,
reduce waste, reduce bureacracy, promote
better use of facilities and staff, to have
the right staff in the right place, improve
access and parking.”
Alan Parton
“I stood for governor as I believe that I
can bring a pragmatic approach to the
role. My experience encompasses careers
in the Chemical and Nuclear industries
and latterly I worked for the NHS for 34
years as Project Manager in the planning
department.I retired in 2010 and can
provide a wealth of experience in these
challenging times for the health service.”
Plym Auty
“I come from a medical family and on leaving
school trained as a nurse. I subsequently
worked for the medical directors in the
administration/finance department for 25
years during which time I sat on various
committees.
Since retiring I have sat as a member of the
Ethics Committee and am presently a patient
representative, having been both an in-patient
and out-patient. I have been Chairman of the
local and regional NHS Retirement Fellowship
and feel passionately about maintaining
excellent medical services at the Friarage
hospital and the need to improve all aspects
of care. I am also a volunteer with the Great
North Air Ambulance.”
William
Davis
Bill has been a governor for three years
and was re-elected in the recent elections.
“My work career spanned 37 years
with one company as an
engineer/manager of
large construction
projects both in the
Redcar and
UK and overseas.
Cleveland
After retirement I was
constituency
a carer for my wife
who suffered from
Alzheimer’s disease and
I served on the NHS older
persons’ mental health committee for a
number of years. I am interested in patient
and carers’ experience particularly those,
who in addition to their organic illness,
suffer from mental health issues. I want to
raise the awareness these patients have on
hospital admissions.”
Noel
Alisdair Beal
“A retired Master Mariner I am now a
parish councillor and a member of my GP’s
patient group.
I would like to strive to make
improvements in the Trust as well as
maintain excellence and look at addressing
problems in failing areas. I am against
centralisation and slimming down of
services and will strive to maintain a viable
and safe service at the Friarage Hospital.”
Alan Leighton
Alan was previously a governor, and
successful stood again in the recent
elections.
“I was very fortunate to have served the
trust from day one and learnt a great
deal about how the trust runs and how
one can use one’s own gifts and abilities
to assist in many ways. After being a
governor I feel I am better equipped
to serve.
I am a retired COE clergyman and
previously a governor at Gillbrook College
of Technology in Eston and founder
governor of the Kings Academy.I played
an active role in helping to establish
the Hope Foundation in Middlesbrough
which brings education to the needy and
hope to many.I have worked as the Trust
chaplain for seven years and serve as
honorary chaplain in intensive care.”
David Stuart
Bentley
“I feel very strongly about maintaining
services at the Friarage. With redevelopment plans for nearly 2000
new homes in Northallerton and near
Sowerby this will inevitably put a strain on
local health care services. I would like to
prevent minimising Friarage services and
moving services to James Cook and feel
passionately about the potential burden on
the patient ambulance service, car parking
and staff jobs.”
John Race
“I worked in industry until retiring in
2010. Voluntary work has been a major
part of my life after serving over 40 years
with the RNLI and was awarded an MBE
in 2006. I was born in Redcar and feel
able to represent the people of Redcar
& Cleveland as a local and approachable
point of contact.
I would like to convey public opinion to
the Trust and inform the local community
about the aims of the Trust. I am thrilled
to be able to serve the wider community in
a useful manner and be part of planning
the future of a large NHS to the benefit of
the public.”
Janet
Crampton
“With all the threats (perceived and real)
to local services this is an important time
for local people to have their say in the
future of local NHS facilities and I am
keen to devote my time to ensuring local
people are adequately heard. Lately retired
from the NHS I can offer strategic insight
into managing efficiency without loss of
capacity or amenity.”
Meet your Governors...
Rest of England
Constituency
Shahrzad
Connolly
“I feel that reflecting the needs of the
community to the NHS managers is an
integral part of the social ownership
of services. I wish to participate in
representing the interests of the
foundation trust in the local health
economy through activating citizen
participation and reflecting their
interest in the NHS.
I believe an awareness of socioeconomic mix, ethnicity and diversity
is vital to FT activities. My background
encompasses a valid representation of
many areas of community concern to
NHS including disabilities.
Patient
and Carer
constituency
Staff
Constituency
Elaine
Lewis
Elaine has been a governor for three
years and was re-elected in the recent
elections.
“The Lewis family have lived and
worked in the Whitby/Esk valley area
for over 30 years. Three generations
now use James Cook as our hospital
of choice for accident and emergency,
elective surgery, etc. We have first hand
experience of the problems in accessing
health services caused by rurality. My
interest is in seeking to improve patient
pathways, as I have been an inpatient
myself, and I am interested in patient
involvement.”
Julie Harris
“The NHS was created out of the
ideal that good healthcare should be
available to all, regardless of wealth.
These principles need to be turned into
reality and maintained for the patients
of South Tees Hospitals.
I have worked for the NHS for over 30
years and have had experience as a
member of staff, a patient and a visitor:
I believe that we have a Trust to be
proud of.
The NHS is facing a challenging future
and our hospitals will need support in
meeting these challenges to ensure that
the needs of its users are met
Patients and NHS relations take
precedence over political affiliations and
I hope to encourage this sentiment.”
Members can now keep up
to date with everything that
is happening at the Trust via
Facebook and Twitter.
Follow us @southtees or find us
on Facebook - just search
for South Tees Hospitals
NHS Foundation Trust.
First for
The Friarage
The Friarage is the first
hospital in the UK to use
a specialist digital exray machine to provide
advanced treatment of
orthopaedic patients
needing surgery.
The compact and portable hightech Orthoscan C-Arm means that
surgeons can quickly and easily
x-ray patients’ hands or feet during
an operation without the need of a
radiotherapist.
The bariatric team
with their first
patient Simon
Brown
Weight
Loss Surgery
Local people can now benefit from weight loss
surgery thanks to a new service at James Cook.
The trust has joined forces with two neighbouring trusts, who
together expect to treat up to 300 patients a year in need of bariatric
surgery. The team at James Cook is made up of surgeons, dieticians,
nurse specialists, psychologists, allied health professionals and a
metabolic physician, and they work closely with a specialist weight
management service to help people struggling with weight problems
that affect their health or the quality of their lives.
Patients are benefiting from this
new equipment thanks to the
generosity of the Friends of the
Friarage Hospital and Steve Lamb,
Friends chairman, said: “I am
glad we can make a difference by
helping the Friarage, its dedicated
staff and ultimately patients by
making sure they benefit from the
latest technology available.
Mr Sanjay Miranda, consultant hand
and orthopaedic surgeon, said:
“We are very grateful to the Friends
for their help. The new equipment
helps to make the theatre process
more efficient and improves the
service for our patients.”
Surgeon Sam Dresner said: “We now offer all types of weight
reduction surgery – all done using key hole techniques to minimise
recovery time. This surgery gives another option to patients who have
been struggling to lose weight in more conventional ways. Bariatric
surgery offers health and economic benefits and can have a huge
impact on patient’s quality of life.”
Simon Brown of Middlesbrough was the first patient to have a
gastric bypass at the hospital. Weighing 25 stone with a high
risk of diabetes, Simon initially lost two stone before the
procedure and then a further three stone in the three months
after the surgery to put him well on his way to his target
weight of 15 stone. He said: “I feel a lot healthier already and
have more energy – it was all very straight forward and the
care I received was outstanding.”
Consultant hand
and orthopaedic
surgeon Mr Sanjay
Miranda with the
Friends and staff
New Specialist
Theatre Opens
Diary Dates 2012
JUL
24
One of the first specialist endovascular theatres of
its kind in the region was opened at James Cook.
The theatre combines advanced
x-ray imaging equipment with an
operating theatre to allow vascular
surgeons and radiologists to
work together on highly complex
diagnostic procedures and
operations.
Robert Walton, who in 1998 was
the first patient to have a stent
fitted at the hospital, officially
opened the new theatre, and
Dr. Richard Hartley, consultant
radiologist, said of the facilities:
“It enables us to do procedures
that previously would have had to
be done over two days or started
in the main operating theatre
upstairs.”
Vascular surgeon Andrew Parry
added: “This new endovascular
theatre represents a significant
investment in world class vascular
services and will further improve
what are already excellent surgical
results for patients treated at
James Cook.”
OCT
9
JUN
26
JUL
30
AUG
Robert Walton (far left)
with vascular surgeons,
radiologists and clinical
staff in the new
endovascular theatre
28
Fit for Health is the theme of
the annual members meeting,
which will be held in the Atrium at
The James Cook University at 12
noon, on this date and not July 19
as previously advertised. A range of
stalls and fun activities will also be
running from 11am – 2pm.
Council of Governors meeting
Board room, Murray Building,
The James Cook University Hospital,
2 - 4pm.
Members are welcome to attend.
Board of Directors meeting,
Board room, Murray Building,
The James Cook University Hospital,
10am- 12.30pm.
Members are welcome to attend.
Board of Directors meeting,
Board room, Murray Building,
The James Cook University Hospital,
10am- 12.30pm.
Members are welcome to attend.
Board of Directors meeting,
Board room, Murray Building,
The James Cook University Hospital,
10am- 12.30pm.
Members are welcome to attend.
Membership
update:
5 4 2 5
This is how many public members
we currently have, but we are always
looking for more.
Contact us…
Focus Point contact details:
Caroline Parnell
Company Secretary - 01642 835616
General email:
foundation.trust@stees.nhs.uk
Governor email: gov@stees.nhs.uk
Website: www.southtees.nhs.uk
Look out for the trust’s
membership recruitment team at
the following events - do come
and have a chat.
Other useful numbers:
The James Cook University Hospital
01642 850850
The Friarage 01609 779911
July 14 Mela Festival, Middlesbrough
July 25 Borrowby Show
Sept 25Freshers fayre,
University of Teesside
Sept 27Stokesley Show
If you choose to receive future issues of this
newsletter electronically you will be helping
us save money on postage – just email
foundation.trust@stees.nhs.uk to let us know if
you’d like electronic issues of this newsletter.
Encourage your friends and family
to sign up as members too, either at
these events or via our website
www.stees.nhs.uk