Welcome to the latest edition of your UHSussex staff newsletter, a round-up of the news stories from across our hospitals throughout June |
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Dear colleague
June marked the start of a very busy month, kicking off with Pride. To celebrate UHSussex@Prides2022, the Trust and staff LGBTQI+ Network launched a competition to decorate a staff room or office expressing what Pride means to you, your team, our patients and community.
We also recognised the important contributions of our Facilities and Estates teams, demonstrated our commitment to being Veteran Aware for Armed Forces Week, thanked our wonderful volunteers for Volunteers' Week, launched a new exercise video for patients receiving cancer treatment, heard from staff about their views on the 3Ts Stage 1 Building and, much, much more.
So please grab a cuppa and take some time out to catch up on our news.
Thank you,
Communications
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Shining a light on our volunteers |
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Volunteers’ Week, from June 1-7, provided an opportunity to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers across the Trust.
Our 946 volunteers set aside time from their own lives to support us in a variety of roles across all of our services. Their support and generosity makes a huge difference to patient care and their continued selfless commitment is truly inspiring.
Celebratory lunches were hosted across sites, with several volunteers recognised for their long service.
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Pride month: Pride competition |
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June is Pride Month and to celebrate UHSussex@Prides2022, the Trust and staff LGBTQI+ Network are running a Pride decoration competition – and we’d love you to get involved!
It’s open to all teams across the Trust, and closes at 4pm on 25 July. The winner will receive up to 10 tickets for colleagues to attend Brighton & Hove Pride’s Fabuloso at Preston Park on Saturday 6 August. Winners will be announced on 27 July (via email).
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National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day |
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On Wednesday 15 June we marked the very first national Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day. We wanted to celebrate the essential work of all our Facilities and Estates teams and recognise the critical importance of their service in the delivery of care to our patients.
For our services to work effectively there needs to be a range of teams working behind the scenes to make that happen 24/7, 365 days of the year.
Our Director of Facilities and Estates David McLaughlin shares:
“Because of our team’s professionalism and commitment, we deliver the same great service day in, day out.”
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Staff share their views of the 3Ts Stage 1 Building |
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In June, colleagues from Rheumatology, Non-invasive Cardiology and the Fracture Clinic, visited the 3Ts Redevelopment.
They toured the new homes for their services on levels 1, 2 & 4, and the Welcome Space that will be the hospital’s new main entrance. All of them were excited by the improvements the new facilities offer and some were kind enough to tell us about it during the visit.
This will be the first in a series of videos sharing staffs thoughts and feelings about the new building ahead of moving to Stage 1 early in 2023.
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A&E doctor speaks for first time about Brighton bombing in same hotel that was attacked |
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A former A&E doctor from Royal Sussex County Hospital has spoken about the response to 1984’s Brighton bombing for the first time - in the very building that was hit by the blast.
Carlos Perez-Avila MBE was one of a number of speakers to provide expert and real-life insight about major incidents at a conference organised by the Sussex Trauma Network and the Trust at The Grand Hotel in Brighton.
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Crucial eye screening tests resume to pre-pandemic levels |
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For Diabetes Week (13–19 June), we celebrated the fantastic efforts of the Brighton and Sussex Diabetic Eye Screening team for getting the crucial service resumed to pre-pandemic levels.
Diabetic eye screening is an important test to check for eye problems caused by diabetes. It can help detect any changes early on and prevent significant damage to eyesight, including sight loss.
A pause in screening for several months during the first wave of the pandemic followed by social distancing restrictions once the service resumed, meant there was a huge number of people with diabetes across the country waiting to be seen.
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Trust Army medic marches 11 km through Brighton and Hove war memorials to mark Armed Forces Day |
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Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon, Lt Col Ben Caesar, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust and 16 Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps, walked 11 km in full combat gear through war memorials of Brighton and Hove on 25 June to support Armed Forces Day.
Loaded with 20 kg of body armour, he set off from the Chattri memorial in Brighton, visiting several war memorials, including Patcham and Boer, before finishing at the Brighton Old Stein War Memorial.
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Armed Forces Week: A message from Chief Executive George Findlay |
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For Armed Forces Week, we celebrated our front-line armed forces personnel within our hospitals.
Our Chief Executive, George Findlay, shared his experiences of being in the Royal Air Force and the ways in which UHSussex is committed to our reservist and veteran staff, patients and communities.
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Exercise programme launches for patients receiving cancer treatment at Worthing Hospital |
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A new cancer specific exercise programme, ‘CU on the Ward’, has launched for patients receiving cancer treatment on Balcombe Ward at Worthing Hospital.
The initiative was created and funded by donations from a local charity, Cancer United, who specialise in improving the physical and mental wellbeing of those with cancer.
The new programme provides inpatients receiving treatment for cancer at Worthing with a free personalised exercise programme.
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Better health and care for all across Sussex |
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From 1 July, our new Integrated Care System, Sussex Health and Care System, will formally start operating. The new way of working will involve three changes to how health and care is organised.
- Together with other organisations with an interest in health and care across Sussex, we will come together regularly as our new Health and Care Assembly to make sure the needs of people across Sussex are being met.
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We will also become part of a new organisation called NHS Sussex that will help the local NHS work better for local people.
- And we are creating partnerships of health and care organisations across our local authority areas that will work closer together to better support communities to stay healthy and get the most appropriate support, care and treatment they need.
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Patient First STAR Awards 2022 - photo gallery |
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Around 300 more photos have been added the STAR Awards gallery. The ceremony may be long gone, but the memories of the night continue to live on.
Look out for photos of special moments throughout the night, where we recognised our hard working staff and volunteers who embody the ideals of our Patient First programme.
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Menopause series off to a great start |
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Following the brilliant success of our first virtual Menopause Café on 30 March, we are pleased to share the second event in the series will take place on 7 July at 8.30am via Teams.
The cafes are scheduled to be held quarterly and feature specialist speakers from the Trust, offering a safe place to ask questions, find out more about the menopause and seek support.
The opening event with Chief Medical Officer Charlotte Hopkins attracted almost 50 colleagues and generated really positive feedback, including this reflection from Tracey:
“I just wanted to say what a great support this will be for women. I know that going through this is a very lonely and frustrating time for women. I know myself I often felt that no one was listening and had not a clue what to do. This group is going to empower those women and be a much needed source of information.”
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The quarterly NHS People Pulse survey is open until 31 July.
This is an opportunity to share your insights and experiences. The outputs from the survey are reviewed at a national level and will help to shape the support available for NHS staff across the country.
Make a positive difference by taking five minutes to complete the survey online or via the QR code.
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Patient First Planet First news |
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Improvements prevent tonnes of harmful emissions being produced |
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The department has an impressive record of making improvements that benefit both patients and staff, as well as the environment.
They have saved 40 tonnes of CO2 a year by redesigning the Trust’s data centre and reducing server racks from 40 to just 10.
Reams of paper and other printing resources have been saved by the introduction of ‘Order Comms’ for radiology and pathology referrals; the Electronic Prescription and Medication Administration (EPMA) system trust-wide; and by digitising scores of other forms and referrals.
Additionally, nearly two thirds of the IT equipment disposed by the Trust is re-used, while virtually everything else is recycled.
Read more Green News including how My Health and Care Record is better for the environment, find out about a new eNoting service coming soon, and discover how you can Support the Patient First Planet First green plan.
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Charity event in thanks for COVID-19 care |
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To say a big thank you for the nursing care he received after contracting COVID-19, Lord Nicolas Gage of Firle is holding a charity event on Sunday 3 July, in aid of the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
The event will take place in the beautiful setting of his home, Firle Place in Lewes, with memoir readings from Lord Gage and Sunday Times Bestseller author, Lady Anne Glencomer.
Natasha Kaplinsky, TV presenter, journalist and fellow supporter of the Royal Sussex Hospital, will host the event and say a few words about the extraordinary challenges of dealing with this unexpected global pandemic.
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Supercar track day at Goodwood |
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Come and be a part of the action at Goodwood Motor Circuit for the Saywell Supercar Track Day from 9am to 5pm on Saturday 30 July.
Watch the world's most spectacular cars in action and get involved in the track parade to see these amazing motors up close. You don't need to know your Ferraris from your Lamborghinis either, with plenty of off-track fun day activities.
Admission is free, making it a great day out for families or enthusiasts alike. Proceeds from the event will go to support St Richard's, Worthing and Southlands Hospitals.
For more details, contact John Price on 01243 788122 ext: 32977.
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In case you missed it....
Here's our round-up of all the stories and updates across the Trust in June:
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Patient feedback highlights |
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