VitalSignsSPRING 2011 Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

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Welcome tospring withVital Signs

Speaking of fresh starts, six members of staff have signedup to be UHB Health Champions. The team, pictured,has been given three month membership of the Sportsand Social Club, with members working to make changesto their lifestyle and fitness. They will be posting theirprogress on the Health Champions intranet page, andthey’ll be assessed at the end of the three months to seehow they have improved. You can follow their progresson the intranet, and we’ll be catching up with them laterin the year in Vital Signs, but give them a friendly smile ifyou see them in the gym – perhaps their progress willinspire you too.

Of course we’ve got all the latest Health Board news,including news from the 1000 Lives+ campaign and theChair’s Award, where you can apply for a grant to makeservice improvements in your area of the UHB. So whatare you waiting for?

So put a spring in your step and keep you stories coming.We’re always looking for stories from staff – have you oryour colleagues got something to say? Has one of yourteam gone the extra mile for patients recently, orreceived an award for their achievements? Whatever itis, let me know.

Best wishesMarie Concannon,Editor, Vital Signs

Contact me here:marie.concannon@wales.nhs.uk or call me onUHW (1872) 2406, externally on029 2074 2406.

Champions of Health

This month, we’re clearing out thecobwebs and making a fresh startfor spring.What’s your New Year’s Resolution? And moreimportantly, are you sticking to it? As No Smoking Daytakes place this March, we’ve talked to members of staffwho’ve worked hard to quit smoking and found outmore about the support available. Will you be a quitterthis year? You can also discover what the UHB is doingto promote healthier living in Cardiff and the Vale.

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Vital Signs talked to Dr Stuart Fisher(pictured), who is working on ensuringmental health inpatients receive good qualityGP care. Along with Dr Nimish Shah andDr Sarah Mules, he is employed directly bythe Health Board on a part-time basis.

“We’re a pilot project, and we’ve been working sinceautumn last year, seeing inpatients who wouldn’totherwise see a GP. For longer stay inpatients there isoften considerable unmet need. This group of patientsalso tend to have physical health problems and are morelikely to have chronic conditions such as diabetes than thegeneral population served by GPs. We’re meetingnational guidance on monitoring the physical health ofpatients with mental illness, and there’s a clear evidencebase behind the pilot.

“We see patients in Whitchurch, Barry, UHL, UHW andseveral community-based sites. We run clinics,emergency visits and planned sessions in different wards,visiting each patient referred to us.

“Previously doctors in charge of patients’ psychiatric carewould also look at their physical problems, so weprovide more appropriate care and free up the mentalhealth specialists to do their jobs better.

“Improving a patient’s physical health will have a positiveeffect on his/her mental health, and we can identify

problems earlier and refer patients to the right specialist.This will hopefully reduce the number of inpatients whoget taken straight to the Emergency Unit when they havea serious physical problem.

“It’s different from a conventional GP practice: manypatients will face difficulties communicating theirproblems, which is all the more reason to provide a high-quality, focused primary care service.”

Ward sister Jane Jenkins added: “It’s been a very beneficialservice and the GPs have all been very helpful and mindfulof how busy we are when they come to the ward.

“I’m sure it has helped some of our patients who oftensuffer with unresolved physical issues and the service haspossibly prevented several transfers to UHW.”

Rhian Blake, Primary Care Service Delivery Unit ProjectLead, said: “This is a great example of the UHB providingsafe, high quality services at the right time, in the rightsetting for the right person.

“It demonstrates how primary and secondary care canwork closely for the benefit of the patient. It’s also aboutreducing pressure on acute services, avoidingunnecessary delayed transfers of care and taking pressureoff the psychiatric teams so they can concentrate onsupporting the patients’ mental health needs.”

The team will soon be supported by Chronic DiseaseCase Manager, Alex Scott. To contact them, telephoneHelen Pearce on 029 2033 6452. Operational LeadSimon O'Donovan is available on: 029 2033 6148

“We provide the right care”

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No Smoking Day in Marchis always a great opportunityfor smokers to think aboutgiving up.

The Health Board’s Smoking Cessation Service worksall year round to support smokers to give up, not juston No Smoking Day. Members of staff who have beensupported by the service told their stories to Vital Signs.

Trauma Nurse Bethan Larimore (pictured):

“I’ve been a smoker for many years, and tried manydifferent methods to stop. Unfortunately, it’s a habit thatI enjoy, but I never should have started as it’s one of theworst to break.

“I gave up around No Smoking Day last year, and got mycolleagues and friends to sponsor me to stop. I wasmotivated to stay smoke free by fundraising for the

Are you a quitter?Noah’s Ark Appeal, and in the end I raised £300. Bystopping so publicly, and making the commitment, I had areal inspiration to stop.

“I stopped for about four or five months in all, butunfortunately personal circumstances got on top of meand I’m smoking once again.

“I don’t want to be a smoker forever. I’m on a health kickat the moment and once I feel fitter, I want to try andstop again.”

Helen Poole, Smoking Cessation Counsellor, said:“Giving up smoking is a massive achievement, becauseit’s so addictive. You might not succeed first time butyou’ve got to keep trying for your own health.

“The Smoking Cessation Service is based in UHW andLlandough, and helps support all outpatients, inpatientsand their partners, parents of paediatric patients and allstaff within the Health Board to stop smoking.

“We offer one-to-one intensive behavioural support tohelp break the habit of smoking as well as thepsychological addiction to cigarettes.”

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Vital Signs also heard from Steve O’Grady (pictured) whoworks in Heathfields and Jemma Cable in the Post Room,UHW, who both quit smoking a year ago.

Steve said: “I didn’t enjoy smoking any more when I quit– it was a difficult habit to break. The Smoking CessationService was great – they offer you counselling sessionswhere you discuss options on how to stop. I went alongwith Jemma, and I decided to try a course of tablets,gradually stopping at the same time.

“I didn’t like the tablets so I stopped taking them after afew weeks, and quit smoking at the same time. I haven’tsmoked since.

“Stopping was easy – breaking the habit and my dailyroutine of smoking was the hardest thing, I found thatvery difficult.

“Now I feel healthier, better in myself, and I don’t sufferin the same way from colds and chest infections. I’m alsobetter off financially – my 20 a day habit was costing me£5 a day, sometimes more. It was definitely the rightdecision for me.”

Jemma added: “The Smoking Cessation Service was sosupportive, it was so good to have a bit of support andencouragement. We received counselling every coupleof weeks, and it was good giving up at the same time asSteve – we supported each other.

“Like Steve, I look and feel a lot healthier, andmoneywise I’ve probably saved myself about £200 amonth.”

Will youchoose toquit?

Want some help to quit?The No Smoking Day websitewww.nosmokingday.org.ukWe Quit – support for people quittingwww.wequit.co.ukStop Smoking Waleswww.stopsmokingwales.comContact the Smoking Cessation Service:Helen Poole UHW ext. 3582 andSonja Edwards Llandough ext. 5420

5 cigarettes a day costs £548 a year – youcould buy a 42” flat screen HD ready TV

10 cigarettes costs £1,095 a year – you couldbuy a whole new wardrobe of clothes for that

20 a day habit costs £2,190 a year, whichcould get you seven nights all inclusive in a five starhotel in the Caribbean

40 a day habit costs£4,380 over a year,which could get you a good second hand car

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This is what itmight mean.

Every week, Independent and Executive Board Memberspound the UHB pavements as part of the Patient SafetyWalkRounds. They come to specific areas and listen tostaff, focusing on priorities for improving patient safety aspart of the 1000 Lives Plus programme. They encouragestaff to develop local solutions to local problems, but canalso act to improve safety where staff in the area cannotresolve problems themselves.

The WalkRound visited Rhydlafer Ward, St David’sHospital in June last year. Many patients spend a longtime on the ward and staff raised concerns about storagespace for their possessions. Each bed space has a chestof drawers, some of which were broken and removed,leaving patients no storage space for belongings.

Staff also explained that the Sluicemaster kept breaking,and was out of action for long time periods for repair,which was causing problems for waste disposal.

Board members suggested using charitable funds to replacethe chest of drawers and staff members received supportto make an application which was successful. Boardmembers ensured the UHB and its PFI partners workedtogether to replace the Sluicemaster and ensured WasteManagement and the ward had the right communicationprocess in place to deal with any problems.

Ward Sister LeaRomanes-Englandreported back tothe Patient Safetyand Quality team:

“Just to let youknow that oursluice master hasbeen changed toa brand new andmoreergonomicallydesigned one.Hooray!Hopefully therewon’t be anymore problems.”

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You said,we did

The way we handlecomplaints, claims andincidents is changing.‘I am extremely dissatisfied with the way Iwas treated’‘Nobody seemed to have learned fromthe mistakes they made with me’

When we haven’t got things right for a patients, itcan be hard for them to know how to complain, orto believe that such a large organisation mightchange working practices because of one incident.But the way we investigate complaints, claims andincidents is changing to meet new Welsh AssemblyGovernment standards.

‘Putting things right’ is our UHB response to the newWAG standards. It’s a new approach that brings theinvestigation of complaints, claims and incidentsunder one roof, with a team that has the right toolsto investigate thoroughly and to ensure that we learnthe lessons from our patients’ experiences.

It will be clear and easy for patients and their relativesto use, deliver a fair outcome, and make the bestuse of our staff’s time and resources in investigating.We want to ensure that staff feel supported so theycan be open when something has gone wrong, andwe will communicate exactly what patients andrelatives can expect from us, and ensure they havethe support they need to help them engage with us.

Nurse Director Ruth Walker is the Executiveresponsible and Assistant Director for PatientSafety and Quality Robert Williams is leading thenew team, whose members will also supporttraining for staff who need it.

To find out more, contact AngelaHughes on 029 2074 2202

Puttingthings right

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L-R: Ward Manager Lea-Romanes-England with DeputyManager Fiona Robinson with thenew furniture.

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1000 Lives+ initiatives are also making a real difference inreducing infection rates, with the Health Board makinggood progress on hitting its target to reduceClostridium.difficile infection by 20% this year.

Director of Infection Control Dr Eleri Davies explainedhow the UHB is confronting the problem: “Using the 1000Lives+ model for improvement, we engaged the areas withthe biggest C. difficile challenge first, then, havingdemonstrated that significant reductions in cases could bemade, we’ve since made improvements across the HealthBoard using leaders within the divisional structures.

“Key interventions have included working closely withwards to improve cleaning, particularly of beds andmattresses, and changing the commode cleaningprotocol. Many areas now tape commodes after cleaningto give confidence to patients that they are thoroughlycleaned. We’ve improved the process to identify andisolate infected patients earlier and also improved thetreatment of cases. As some antibiotics are associatedwith increasing the incidence of C. difficile, we’verestricted their use with the new antimicrobial policy.

“In January 2010, we had 74 cases of C.difficile; inJanuary this year it was 25. This is a significantimprovement to be celebrated, but we must not becomplacent – we are continuing to work with all thedivisions to eradicate C. difficile.”

Healthcare Support Worker Justine Dennett in theHaematology Day Centre came up with an innovativesharps disposal poster following the introduction of threesharps bins instead of the previous one, to meet newhazardous waste regulations.

The PC BODY acronym reminds staff which sharps go inwhich bin, and it’s going to be rolled out across theorganisation by the Waste Management Team.

Sharpimprovementsin safety

Success in reducing infection

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Together we dogreat thingsAs we work to deliver world-class healthcare, we can onlybenefit from better communication, and working together toachieve shared goals.

Each member of staff has a role to play indelivering services for the public, and overthe coming year there will be moreopportunities for you to make your voiceheard, and to recognise the vital role staffplay in the success of the Cardiff and ValeUniversity Health Board.

Chair’s WalkaboutsDo you know how important you are? Do you feelvalued? Do you feel listened to? Well the Board feelsyou should, because every member of staff makes adifference to our patients.

During this year, the Chair and Board members areplanning to meet staff who work in our support areas,the “engine room” as it were, of the UHB. They want tothank staff personally for their contribution and to takethe opportunity to find out what’s important to them.

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If you would like the Board and Chair to visit your team,please get in touch with Claire Smith on 02920 746360or email Claire.Smith4@wales.nhs.uk

The Chair and the Board promise to listen, to make adifference where they can . . . and to bring the biscuits!

Loyalty Award PolicyLong serving staff willnow be rewarded fortheir dedication to theUniversity HealthBoard with a newLoyalty Awardvoucher scheme.Acknowledging the

outstanding commitment of staff to the organisation, andto our patients, we will be providing John Lewis giftvouchers in recognition of long service.

These vouchers can be used in store or on-line and alsoinclude the John Lewis Waitrose chain.

The award will be based on the length of service as follows:• For 20 years a gift to the value of £100• For 30 years or more a gift to the value of £150

You and your manager will need to fill out an applicationform the month before your loyalty award date. This formcan be downloaded from the HR Pages on the intranet, onthe A-Z of Employment Policies and Documents.

Team Brief iscoming your wayIn the current climate of change, theneed to keep staff well informed ismore important than ever.

Team Brief is a powerful method of enabling two-waycommunication between the Board and frontline staff.Each month, key messages relevant to all employees willbe passed from the Board to Divisional Teams andcascaded through the entire Health Board via divisional,directorate and team meetings. All staff should receivethe information personally from their manager orsupervisor. Staff will also be able to give comment or askquestions, and this information will be fed back for theBoard’s comments and answers in time for the nextmonth’s brief. The first Team Brief is planned for April.

In March, training will be organised for staff giving thebrief, and how to process comments and questions. Allthe information about Team Brief, including a trainingpack, will be available on the intranet for managers andteam leaders to access. For further information, contactMarie Concannon on 02920 74 2406 or (1872) 2406 oremail: marie.concannon@wales.nhs.uk

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Fixed retirement age axedStaff who turn 65 after September 30 2011 maycontinue working beyond 65 without having to make aformal request to do so.

Staff who are already aged 65 or over can now make arequest to carry on working and remain in workindefinitely, subject to the usual terms and conditions ofemployment.

Maximise your savingswith Childcare VouchersIf you have children aged under 16 you could receivepart of your salary as Childcare Vouchers. These are freeof tax and National Insurance, meaning big savings on anyregistered childcare, from nurseries and nannies to out ofschool clubs and activities.

From April 6 2011, the tax and NI exemption is beingrestricted for those paying higher rate and additional ratetax, so if you haven’t joined, join before April 6 to get thebest savings. Ring Llandough (1776) 6884 for anapplication pack, which you must return by March 20.

Paternity leavechanges from AprilParents whose babies are due from April 3 this year, andparents matched for adoption with a person who isnotified of the match from April 3, will be entitled toadditional paternity leave of up to 26 weeks in the firstyear, and may be entitled to additional paternity pay. Formore information on the conditions that apply pleasecontact the Divisional HR teams.

Right to request flexible working

From April 6, parents with children under the age of18 will have a legal right to request flexible working.However, the UHB welcomes requests for flexibleworking from any staff members.

Whitchurch Hospital BowlsClub is seeking new membersWhitchurch Hospital Bowls Club is seeking new male andfemale members for the forthcoming season starting inApril. They offer reduced first year membership fees forexperienced players and taster sessions for players new tothe game (equipment and coaching provided free).

Further information is available from ClubSecretary Bob John on 01443 202798,07977091690 or by e-mail tobigfran@tiscali.co.uk

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I am also Lead Staff Representative for the ClinicalDiagnostics and Therapeutics Division. I have beena union rep for more than 20 years.

What is your role?

My role is to work with other staff reps to representmember’s interests at numerous meetings includingboard committees and partnership forums as wellas representing individual members who need help.I need to ensure that partnership works effectivelyand fairly for all staff.

How can you support staff?

I and my fellow reps can offer representation andadvice to union members. I would urge allmembers of staff to join the right union for them.The more staff that belong to a union, the more Iand other union reps can support them. This isparticularly true in this time of dramatic change forthe NHS and individuals.

What motivates you?

I have been in a union since I left school. I havealways believed that by working collectively we canachieve more than by working in isolation, and thisapplies particularly in our working lives.

If you are interested in joining Unite the Union (thebiggest union in the UK) contact:

0800 587 1222 or 029 2039 4521Website http://www.unitetheunion.org/Email: membership@unitetheunion.org

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Good to meet you:

Nigel GibbsChair Unite theUnion Cardiff andVale HealthService Branch

As a University Health Board, we areresponsible for the health improvement ofour population. We already support theCardiff Healthy Cities, the Vale HealthyCommunities project and Healthy Schoolsinitiatives in Cardiff and the Vale. It’s nowtime to apply this healthy settingsapproach to our own organisation.

Principal Health Promotion Specialist Ann Unitttalks us through the Health Board’s plans topromote health living:

“Becoming a practising public health organisationinvolves health promotion and disease preventionrunning through everything we do, as well asworking closely with other public sectororganisations and the local community.

“We’re going to be more proactive in the way wepromote health and wellbeing in the UHB. We’regoing to increase the focus on public health – goodpublic health and a healthy population iseverybody’s responsibility. We’re also going to bedelivering a clear communication programme,working closely with staff and staff representativesto think about how we can all improve our healthand wellbeing, as well as supporting patients andthe public. Initially we will focus on smoking, theneventually move on to healthy eating and fitness.”

Practisingwhat wepreach

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“CELT operates as a virtual ward in the community,providing a joined up cross-agency, inter-disciplinaryservice for patients in their own homes including carehomes. The co-located multi-disciplinary team aims toprovide a level and quality of care to improve patientoutcomes with the knock-on effect of ensuring timelyhospital discharge and avoiding admissions wherepossible.

“East Cardiff has high levels of socio economicdeprivation, and poor use of some intermediate careservices. By going directly to patients in their ownhomes, we bring the service to them.

“We developed CELT with GP and Local Authority leadson a blank canvas. It represents partnership workingbetween the UHB, Cardiff Local Authority and AgeConcern Cardiff. We are a co-located, integrated team,with a shared live electronic patient record which is

accessible in hospital and community settings. We have,and are developing further, very strong links with theElderly Care Assessment Service (ECAS), where patientsneeding assessment in a clinical area with diagnostics canbe effectively managed. Not everyone can have theirproblems solved in their living room.”

Cynthia Allen, the team Social worker agrees that co-located integration is the cornerstone of CELT’s success.“I share an office with our team GP and one of our nursepractitioners. Dr Butler next door shares an office withour ward sister and Age Concern officer. Like any bigfamily we have our disagreements, but working togetherhelps us to overcome these and helps us to develop theservice. We also have a lot of fun together!”

Dr Butler describes a “typical” patient who was a veryfrail elderly lady, admitted to hospital five times in oneyear, totalling 280 bed days:

Taking care of everything:the CELT teamAs the NHS Wales awards come round again, Geriatrician Dr JohnButler talks us through the work of the Cardiff East Locality Team(CELT), based in Llanrumney Avenue. CELT previously won anNHS Wales Award for working seamlessly across organisations.

CELT have supported Mr Orlando Humphreys and Mrs Ida Humphreys.

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“We pulled her out of hospital shortly after we were setup. Two days later, she was found at home after a fall byone of our carers. On a home visit that morning Iconcluded that she was clinically unchanged but unsafe toremain at home and that she lacked capacity on thisparticular decision. Often in this situation, there ispressure to admit. She didn’t clinically need this though.We organised an urgent same day respite residentialplace in a care home, which probably wouldn’t havehappened if our social worker wasn’t integral to CELT.

“In the care home, CELT provided dietetic andphysiotherapy support and organised a case conferenceinvolving the patient and her family advocates. She wasvery happy in the home and wanted to stay there. Shedied 18 months later, again supported by CELT, havingthis time been assessed and subsequently managed forend of life care support from us. She had no furtherhospital admissions during this time.

“We don’t however see hospital admission as a failure onour part because we aim to also be the team that pulls ourpatient back out again when they are clinicallydischargeable. We have open referral criteria and seniorstaff who can make decisions quickly. We take all adults,but the majority of our patients are frail older people, oftenwith considerable physical and cognitive impairments.”

Joy Corey, the team’s Age Concern Officer adds:

“We aim to help those most inneed and not necessarily thosewho shout the loudest.”

In their first year CELT had almost 1000 referrals, almostall of whom were accepted. A quarter of these werefacilitated hospital discharges. Evaluation showed thatbetween 15-29 hospital beds would have been occupiedthat year if it wasn’t for CELT intervention.

Contact CELT on 029 2083 9988

Link Workermakes adifferenceStaff at the Health Board’s first Manual HandlingLink Worker Conference heard how anenthusiastic link worker estimates she has helpedto save approximately 100 shifts annually in a busyunit.

Lisa Waters, Junior Sister in the UHW EmergencyUnit explained:

“As a Link Worker, I have a special interest inensuring staff are undertaking manual handlingcorrectly. I periodically assess our team to find outif they need more training, and together wediscuss how comfortable they are with patienthandling. By checking in with them and offeringsupport, I’ve helped a busy team reduce theamount of time spent away from the unit intraining whilst helping ensure their skills areupdated.”

Sarah Mortimer, Manual Handling Adviser said:“Link Workers are champions, people who spreadgood practice with support from the ManualHandling Department. Although this conferencewas about patient handling, we have link workersacross the organisation, in Estates for example.

“The conference was a chance to discuss changesto training. We are the first Welsh Health Board topilot accredited Manual Handling FoundationCourses, which can be used as evidence for theKnowledge and Skills Framework, and provide arecognised qualification.

“It was great to see howeveryone who attended wasso enthusiastic about thedifference they are making forstaff and patients.”

Contact the Manual Handling Team on029 2074 4960 or UHW (1872) 4960

Nurse Practitioner Sharon Parkhouse with MrsHumphreys.

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Chair’sAwardStaff are being encouraged to come forward with theirbright ideas to improve quality, safety and patient care.The Chair’s Award provides grants of up to £50,000 tomake service improvements. It’s open to all staff,whatever their role, who come up with new ways ofworking to give patients a better service and increaseefficiency.

UHB Chair Mr David Francis said :

“The Board is determined not to allowfinancial pressures to deflect it from itsfocus on continuously improvingpatient care, and these invest to saveschemes are designed to supportfrontline staff in making a difference.”

We’ve already awarded six schemes, which are designedto improve the patient experience and the second roundof applications is now open.

Staff have until March 31 to apply for this round of funding.

For more information email Maureen Fallon,Assistant Director of Service Improvement andInnovation: Maureen.Fallon@wales.nhs.uk

New Charter forMental Health ServicesService users, carers, mental health professionals, councilofficials and voluntary sector partners got together inFebruary to launch the new Charter for Mental HealthServices in Cardiff and the Vale.

Helen Bennett, Divisional Nurse for Mental HealthServices, said: “It sets out some common principles toensure that people who use our services are more incharge of their own mental well-being.

“This isn’t about ‘one-size-fits-all care’, but listening to whata service user feels will help them, and acknowledging thatevery individual’s idea of recovery is different.”

Name changefor Epilepsy UnitThe Alan Richens Unit/Welsh Epilepsy Centre is thenew name for the Epilepsy Unit based in UHW.Many patients who attend the unit don’t haveepilepsy but have attended for assessment forunexplained blackouts, so the name change aims toreduce anxiety for patients attending for the firsttime. Alan Richens was one of the driving forcesbehind setting up the unit in 1981.

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Board Members sign up to the Charter.

Do you love your NHS?Don’t forget to fill in the 1000 Lives Plus Quality andSafety Improvement Survey on the intranet inMarch. We are lookingfor views from across theorganisation, as everyonehas a role to play inproviding safe, highquality NHS services.

Ask JanThe UHB has recently launched Ask Jan, an intranet-basedforum which enables any member of staff to contact theChief Executive directly with questions, queries or ideas.

Chief Executive, Jan Williams, said: “In such a bigorganisation, it's a challenge to meet everyone. This isone way in which I hope staff will be able to makecontact and share issues they think are important.”

You can find the Ask Jan link on the homepage of theUHB intranet.

yourNHS

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Who do you work with in the UHB, andwhat does your role involve?I work with anyone who has IT equipment. I install,support, service and repair computers: staff the IThelpdesk, responding to calls from staff. My role alsoinvolves ensuring the UHB is fully compliant withsoftware licensing requirements.

What do you like most about your job?Actually I really love my job. I guess not because of asingle reason but for several. I love dealing withcomputers, meeting new people and I have greatcolleagues. We are not just working together but alsohaving fun too.

Who inspires you?My father.

What’s your favourite thing about Cardiff orthe Vale of Glamorgan?Being on the coast and the friendly people.

Which tourist attraction would yourecommend to someone new to the area orjust visiting?Cardiff Castle. It is absolutely beautiful.

What are your hobbies outside of work?Reading, travelling, remote controlled cars, buildingmodel ships and watching football and motorsports.

Who do you most admire (living or dead)and why?Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. He is the founder or TurkishRepublic. There were many great military leaders,statesman and revolutionist in history but very few ofthem have all these qualities at the same time.

Who would play you in the film of your life?Bruce Willis!

What would you do if you won the lottery?I was a semi-professional rally driver when I was inUniversity so I guess I would return to rallying again.

What was the first record you ever bought?Boney M – Nightflight to Venus 1978

What’s your lifelong ambition?To have a family and a happy life.

If you or your loved ones have had to useour health services, what did you appreciatemost about your experience? Is thereanyone you’d like to take the opportunity tothank?Well, not in our UHB but in the NHS I would love tothank everyone in the St John’s Ambulance Service inNorth London and Cardiology Department in NorthMiddlesex Hospital. If they hadn’t done such anexemplary job when I had a heart attack in 2007,probably I wouldn’t be here now.

What is the best piece of advice you haveever received?Don’t do anything to anyone that you wouldn’t like tohave done to yourself – from my father.

5 minutes with…

Ali TuzunIT Support Officer, basedat University HospitalLlandough

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Many communities across Wales have links withSub-Saharan Africa, links that work to reducepoverty and increase development in individualcommunities. Our organisation is no different, andmany staff have volunteered their expertise todevelop health services. For example, RebeccaOwen, Deputy Directorate Manager forUnscheduled Care recently spent seven weeks inMaseru, Lesotho, building health links and assistingwith strategic development.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board ChairDavid Francis is supportive of these links, saying: “AHealth Board of our size can do a great deal tosupport our staff to help their counterparts in Sub-Saharan Africa. They are helping some of themost needy countries in the world. We arelooking to develop closer links with Lesotho aswell as other major projects, and are working onways to make it easier for staff to share theirknowledge and expertise with their counterparts,and learn from time spent working in Africa.

“We know staff are committed to making adifference, as the success of the Go Africafundraising campaign demonstrated last year. We’llbe supporting it again this year, as well as thePennies from Heaven initiative.”

Pennies from Heaven,coming soonPennies from Heaven is a payroll giving schemethat allows you to donate the spare pennies fromyour pay. Health Board staff will be polled onwhich charity or charities we should support, thenyou will be able to sign up so the pennies at theend of your payslip are donated to the chosencharity – the most you can ever give is 99p perpayslip. Look out for it later on this year.

Wales forAfrica:What canyou do?

Go Africa is back this year, bigger and better thanever. Vital Signs spoke to Professor Judith Hall,who is the driving force behind the fundraising.

“I’m hoping we can make Go Africa even more ofa success than last year, walking further into Africa,perhaps as far as a country like Zambia and back.

“Go Africa will run for a month this autumn, andwe’ll be getting staff from across the Health Boardinvolved, with exercise and fundraising events.We’ll also be working closely with local communitycentres and schools in Cardiff and the Vale, raisingawareness about diet and health issues in parts ofAfrica compared to Wales.

“We’re hoping to build on the enthusiasm andgenerosity of last year, raise more money andawareness and make real links betweencommunities in Cardiff and Vale and communitiesin Africa.”

Go Africa,back for 2011