Quality Quality

Care and Compassion

Quality Teamwork

Dignity and

Respect

Openness,Honesty and

Responsibility

Teamwork Teamwork

Dignity and

Respect

Dignity and

Respect

Openness,Honesty and

Responsibility

Openness,Honesty and

Responsibility

Care and Compassion

Care and Compassion

NEIGH BOTHER ARABELLA BECOMES A SCIENTIST2

THE MAGAZINE FOR NHS LOTHIAN STAFF

NOVEMBER 2018

The team at Willow Ward, in Ferryfield House, have been working to break down the barriers of dementia to bring out the person within the patient.

For the past few months, staff on the Willow Ward have been using a new Digital Reminiscence Therapy System to help evoke memories and joy in their patients with dementia.

The new computer programme allows the staff to build up a profile on each patient based on information from their past. It could include their favourite songs, hobbies they liked, favourite films and even horse racing.

Megan Ferguson, Deputy Charge Nurse, said: “We brought one of our dementia patients, called Phil, in to take part in the therapy. She sat with a cup of tea in front of her, uninterested in what was going on around her and unwilling to take part.

“Then we brought in a second lady, called Eillish, who seemed much more responsive. Phil wanted to stay in the room and it wasn’t long before she was joining in singing and tapping her foot to music.”

Hannah Moncrief, activities coordinator, and the staff on the ward work with patients to note their likes, dislikes and any

particular interests. With Eillish, they knew she liked to be creative.

Hannah decided to do some painting and Eillish was amazed at how she could paint by simply touching the computer screen.

“I really like that”, she said. When she saw a drawing of a horse, it evoked memories of how her Dad used to take her to see horses and how much she enjoyed being around them.

After a few stories from her past, Hannah played a few of Eillish’s favourite songs.

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The Power of MemoriesReminiscence Therapy for dementia patients

Quality

Continued on Page 2

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Megan added: “As soon as the music began you could see Phil getting interested in what was happening. Her foot began to tap the floor followed by her hand tapping on the table. All of a sudden Phil was smiling and talking. She then started to sing ‘Donald where’s your troosers’ along with Eillish and Hannah. Next she was telling jokes to Eillish and the two were communicating brilliantly with each other.

“It’s incredible to see how a patient like Phil can go from being uninterested in communication of any kind to talking, singing, smiling and even laughing along with her friend Eillish.

“Reminiscence Therapy is a great way of evoking memories and creating joy in patients with dementia.”

This project was possible thanks to the funding from the Edinburgh and Lothian Health Foundation (ELHF), if you have an idea which could make a difference to the patients you support, please call 0131 465 5850 / ext 35850 to discuss possible funding opportunities.

Continued from Page 1

Neigh Bother More than just horsing around

Standing out in the mud, exposed to the elements, may not sound like fun but it was for the young people at Neigh Bother! Being around horses, whilst learning practical horse care, achieving their skills section of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, and not to mention being able to meet other like-minded young people, is enough to make the biting wind and pouring rain worthwhile.

Neigh Bother is a collaboration between CAMHS and FOTA (Friends of the Award) with Karele Equine facilitated activities. It gives autistic young people the chance to learn a skill, develop interests and meet other people in a small, supported group environment.

One group member described the day as “very therapeutic” and a family member said it was the first in a long time that her daughter had successfully managed being in a group setting.

Over the last 10 years, CAMHS Occupational Therapy Team and FOTA have developed a unique project to support young people attending CAMHS in Edinburgh to achieve their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Additional Big Lottery funding has meant

young people across all of Lothian can now also benefit from the support of the CAMHS FOTA Development Officer.

Course organisers hope that Neigh Bother will be the first of many joint initiatives in East Lothian ... and no they’re not horsing about!

This project was possible thanks to the funding from the Edinburgh and Lothian Health Foundation (ELHF) and FOTA. If you have an idea which could make a difference to the patients you support, please call 0131 465 5850 / ext 35850.

Care and Compassion

NOVEMBER 2018

What does Quality Improvement mean to NHS Lothian A message from Simon Watson, Chief Quality Officer

NHS Lothian’s ambition is to make Quality Improvement (QI) the way we do things throughout the organisation and not just a separate thing. Our aim is that in five years time at least 80% of all our teams will have quality plans, measuring quality and testing out new ideas. We’ll support them through training, expert coaching in their service, giving them the time to do this and of course helping them to share what they’ve learned.

To make this work, leaders across the organisation need to bring people together and allow them to talk about what they need to do to deliver a high quality service and what are their biggest challenges versus their biggest priorities. Then through constant testing we work together to improve the quality of those priorities. To do this there needs to be consistent collaboration from teams on the ground, to leadership and the people we’re looking after. Our experience is that

a lot of the best ideas come from patients and their families.

One thing that we’ve learned since testing QI over the last two years is there are lots of different ways of testing quality, however, once you’ve got one that works - you should stick with it!

So far we’ve been testing QI in six different areas and we’re happy to say that the teams have shown some really positive success.

Not only does QI work to improve the service but most people involved have found that it makes them feel better too. This approach gives people permission not to ask permission. We all know what the sensible boundaries are and people in their service know what needs to be better and this will help them to make it better. It gives staff the opportunity to take control of what needs to get better and how they do it.

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We know our staff are exceptional in the care they deliver every day, but this winter we are asking you to ‘Be Incredible’ by getting a flu jab.By taking up the offer of a free, flu vaccination, you can help take the strain off the NHS during the busiest time of the year, by doing something ‘ Incredible’.

The jab will offer the best available protection against two A strains and two B strains of the bug.

That means you can protect your colleagues, yourself, your patients and your family from a really nasty illness that can hold serious implications for more vulnerable people.

We all have it in us to ‘Be Incredible’.

And as a bit of fun, we are asking all of our staff to join our campaign and show off their new found super powers.

Selfie frames, superhero masks and T-shirts are being delivered to clinics across Lothian.

We are asking you to pull on a superhero mask and take photos

of yourself, you and your bestie or even your full team and share them on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

FLU CLINICSYou can find details of clinics on the intranet flu pages. Please note that you can attend any of the clinics to receive your free flu vaccination.

These clinics are dynamic and subject to change. Please see local information about arrangements for the roving vaccinator teams including evening, weekend and night duty. We encourage staff to attend any clinic along with identification and consent form. Please note that you may need to travel to an appropriate clinic.

Don’t delay, protect yourself and your patients - this is your chance to ‘Be Incredible’.

Get Your Flu Jab

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I am a current inpatient on ward 31 at the Western General Hospital following an acute onset of bilateral peripheral neuropathy that is yet to have the cause identified.

I have to say the level of care and compassion I have been shown is unreal. The staff have all made me feel relaxed, spoken to me with genuine empathy and are a complete credit to the nursing profession. I would just like to mention a CSW called Rebecca who is one of the kindest CSW’s I have met (I’m a nurse in a different hospital so I know many health workers). Her manner and way of relaxing patients is a true credit to the profession and she should be recognised as perhaps one of the strongest assets on the ward.

Thanks again for all the hard work and support demonstrated to not just me but the others in the bay and visiting relatives. It’s really made an anxious patient feel less frightened by it all.

My son was admitted to Edinburgh Sick Kids A&E last Saturday. We were triaged immediately and given a bed straight away. Fiona, the deputy charge nurse, was amazing, kind and extremely caring. It transpired that my son had broken his forearm and within 20 mins of walking through the door he had been reviewed by both nurse and medic and given appropriate and adequate pain medication. My son was extremely nervous about attending hospital but the professionalism, kindness, patience and cheerful attitude of ALL staff turned such a horrible experience into a positive. Names of the orthopaedic surgeon, A&E consultant, plaster technician, clinical support worker and newly qualified nurse, I can’t remember but they were all amazing. THANK YOU. CARE WAS EXCEPTIONAL.

“ Care and compassion”

“ Excellent paediatric care of my son”

Recognition for our staff

Ewen Cameron @EwenDCameron

My family & me would like to thank the nurses @NHS_Lothian for their amazing support over the last fours days in helping us care for my Stepdad at his home.

They were caring, compassionate, understanding, thoughtful & supportive.

It won’t be forgotten ♥

John Pendlebury @johnfpendlebury

@NHS_Lothian Many thanks and sincere gratitude to medical and nursing staff of infectious diseases unit WGH. Saved my life.

Care and Compassion

NOVEMBER 2018

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School girl becomes a scientist for a dayThanks to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Harvey’s Gang charity 10 year old Arabella Muir became a medical scientist for the day to help in her battle against leukaemia.Arabella became the first patient in Lothian to become a “trainee Biomedical Scientist” in a bid to de-mystify the blood and bone marrow tests that she has to regularly undergo. As part of the tour, Arabella got to wear a mini laboratory coat and a personalised NHS Lothian I.D badge.

Arabella said “I saw how the blood sample arrives in the laboratory and I got to put stickers on the tubes and scan them into the computer. Then I put them into a tube that spins it in a circle really fast.

“I got to look through a microscope at a sample of my bone marrow from when I was first diagnosed and my most recent sample. I found it cool when we looked at blood cells (Neutrophil) and one of them looked like it had eyes and a mouth and it was smiling. That was my favourite cell”

At the end of the tour Arabella was congratulated on becoming an honorary

member of Harvey’s Gang and presented with Certificate of Attendance and a goodie bag filled with fun takeaways such as a squishy microscope, a Harvey’s Gang journal, a Gonk novelty character and more. She even got a new mini lab coat to take home.

Tamara Hanson, Biomedical Scientist RHSC Team Leader, NHS Lothian, said:

“The scheme is fantastic for staff and patients. It acts as a powerful reminder for us that behind every blood sample received into the department, there is a patient.

“Arabella was a fantastic visitor. Not only was it a pleasure for the staff to get the opportunity to meet her, but she asked lots of questions to keep us on our toes.

“We also got the chance to explain how we analyse blood samples and how important the results are in treating her illness and

making her feel better.

“The launch of the Harvey Gang initiative at Royal Hospital of Sick Children has had a positive and exciting impact on everyone involved.”

You can find out more about Harvey’s Gang on their website http://harveysgang.com

Teamwork

Old Masters – New Masters? How Ellens Glen became an art galleryThe team at Hawthorn Ward in Ellens Glen House recently put on an art exhibition called “Old Masters – New Masters?” with work created by palliative care patients. Activity Coordinator Susan Macrae supported the patients to create pieces of art based on either their past or their current ability.

They’ve had works including a sculpture of a three-tier cake celebrating the NHS 70th made from bedpans, a knitted elephant, an adaptation of a painting by Gustav Klimt of a woman swathed in gold fabric, wildlife paintings of a fox seen in the hospital garden and one of a frog, a self-portrait and abstract works.

One lady, who initially felt she couldn’t contribute, agreed to be photographed in a style similar to the famous “Old Master” painting called ‘The Girl with the Pearl Earring’ by Vermeer.

Another remarkable piece was wheelchair art done by one of the gentlemen. He had great fun producing his painting by maneuvering his wheelchair back and forth over paper as Susan put different colours of paint on the wheels. They made a huge mess but both laughed a lot – and the water soluble paint was easily cleaned up.

The exhibition has been displayed along the Cedar corridor in the hospital. It represents three months of hard work, especially by the wonderful patients. It’s created great enthusiasm and enjoyment – and even some terrific pieces of art.

Dignity and

Respect

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Courage and perseverance – living with diabetes

A night to remember

Kay Malloch, Diabetes Specialist Nurse (DSN), recently presented 91 year-old Evelyn Emslie, who has diabetes, with the John MacLeod Medal. This was awarded by Diabetes UK in recognition of the courage and perseverance required to live with diabetes for 70 years. This is timely as 2018 is the 70th anniversary of the NHS. Evelyn recollects how diabetes has changed over this time. She became unwell while studying for her MA at Aberdeen University in 1948, was admitted to Gray’s Hospital, Elgin and diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. She spent several weeks in hospital, when she learnt how to test her urine for glucose, by adding 5 drops of urine and 10 drops of water into a test tube with a Clinitest tablet. She also learned to sterilize needles for injections and carbohydrate count. Nowadays needles are disposable, education at the time of diagnosis is generally done in out-patients and testing involves compact blood glucose meters.

In February 2018, NHS Lothian was the first Scottish health board to implement the Freestyle Flash Glucose monitor for people who intensively manage their diabetes. Since then, diabetes control has improved across all Lothian clinics, with the clinics at the Western General, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) and Leith Community Treatment Centre ranked 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the country.

A further major change has been the development of the DSN role from the early 1980’s onwards. It would now be unthinkable to run a service without DSNs. If you’d like to see a bit more about the history of diabetes there is a

display cabinet in the RIE OPD2. The display was prepared by retired DSN Joan Allwinkle and funded by the RIE Diabetic Treatment Trust.

After attending the NHS 70th birthday at the National Museum of Edinburgh in June, NHS employee Cornelius Ojo and his wife were amongst a small group of NHS staff invited to have supper at Bute House and then went on to attend the Royal Military Tattoo as VIP guests of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

“It was a great honour to be invited as a guest of the First Minister. A truly amazing night to remember,” Cornelius told us.

Originally from Nigeria but living in the UK since 2003, Cornelius joined NHS Lothian in 2011 as part of the Generic Recruitment Team. In 2016 Cornelius was appointed as one of the first GIRFEC (Getting it Right for Every Child) Administration Co-ordinators. Cornelius works alongside our East Lothian Health Visitors and provides essential administration support to our NHS GIRFEC child planning process. GIRFEC is about supporting the wellbeing of our children and young people by offering the right help at the right time from the right people.

Dignity and

Respect

Teamwork

NOVEMBER 2018

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The winner of the Cardrona competitionJanine Ferguson, Mental Health Nurse Specialist, Department of Psychological Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

Chosen by random number generator – witnessed by Fiona Murray and Kate MacDonald, SCAN Cancer Network Manager. Tuesday 16th October 2018

Competition

With more than 125 years’ experience and seven stores nationwide, McCalls is Scotland’s leading Highlandwear outfitter supplying exceptional tailored kilts, high quality hire outfits and the exclusive striking PRIDE range.

McCalls offer an unrivalled level of choice with over 2,000 distinctive tartans available and one of the largest selections of Sporrans, Sgian Dubhs and other accessories in Scotland.

McCalls have 7 stores; in Edinburgh you will find them in Haddington Place. They also have stores in Glasgow, Elgin, Aberdeen, Dundee, Broughty Ferry and Tillicoultry.

NHS Staff can access 10% off hire & sales (excluding packages) – for more information visit www.nhsstaffbenefits.co.uk

Would you like to win one FULL KILT HIRE OUTFIT consisting of jacket, waistcoat, kilt and flashes of your choice, sporran, shoes, sgian dubh and tie? Also includes shirt & socks (retail items). A prize worth up to £130. Tartan choice from standard, premium and exclusive pride selection.

If so just answer the following question:

Do you prefer a paper copy of Connections or a digital copy? There’s no wrong answer and the winner will be chosen at random.

Just send us your answer along with your name, job title or department, site and telephone number to:

connections@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk or send to: Communications Department NHS Lothian, Waverley Gate 2-4 Waterloo Place Edinburgh EH1 3EG by 3 December 2018.

Win a full kilt hireStress and Distress is an evidenced based model of care which has been successfully implemented in the Older Peoples service in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. It was initially trialled on Canaan Ward and led to great improvements in care for patients with dementia. This included a reduction in violence and aggression and the use of restrictive practices such as 1:1 nursing care. Staff have also seen the benefits with increased job satisfaction and less use of bank and agency staff.

The Adult Acute wards have now been motivated to look at similar models of care to improve the experience of patients being cared for in their setting. The Safewards is one of these models now being tested. The aim of this is to make patients feel and be safe in the hospital environment. Teams feel empowered to use the QI methodology to conduct small tests of change on their own ward and to share the learning between teams to see which are the most powerful interventions.

Braids ward is also testing an approach called Positive Behaviour Support. This is an evidence-based approach which involves assessing patients and using evidence-based interventions and decision making. The aim is to support patients to build social and functional skills and reduce harm.

We hope that the ongoing testing of these exciting and innovative approaches to patient care will continue to improve the experiences for patients requiring inpatient care and can aid in their recovery.

Improving Inpatient Care at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital

Quality