Your free community magazine from the Royal United ... · insight Summer 2019 I 5 News Roundup...

Your free community magazine from the Royal United Hospitals Bath

Golden girl Brenda’s 50 years of healthcare service…

RoyalUnitedHospitalBath

@RUHBath

insightIssue 42 I Summer 2019

2 I insight Summer 2019

Welcome

Improving Together Our new Trust strategy is focused on delivering the highest quality care; delivered by an outstanding team who all live by our values.

Our vision has five strategic goals:

✓ To give the highest quality of care to patients, families and carers, to listen and respond to individual needs.

✓ To be an outstanding workplace where staff can flourish.

✓ To put patient safety and service improvement at the heart of all we do.

✓ To work in partnership with patients and health care services across our community.

✓ To be sustainable and fit for the future.

Across the Trust we’ve introduced a long-term approach called Improving Together to help us deliver our vision to provide the highest quality of care. Everything we do aims to continually improve the RUH for our colleagues, patients and the community.

We’re giving insight articles an Improving Together official stamp to show you how these goals are being put into practice on a daily basis, helping to achieve our goals and vision.

WelcomeWelcome to the summer edition of insight, our community magazine.

This summer we’re nearing the completion of some major landmarks in the future of the Trust – our new RNHRD and Brownsword Therapies Centre followed later by the move of staff, patients and services from the Mineral Water Hospital to the RUH site.

This has been a four-year project that’s a key element of our ambition to make the RUH ‘Fit for the Future’. We’ve worked with patients and staff to design the best new home for each service, ensuring that we continue to provide the same high standards of care. You can find out more on pages 6 and 7 – and also read about our cover girl, Brenda Oliveira, who’s celebrating an amazing 50 years of working at the Min.

As a Trust, we are committed to ensuring that we use the experience of our patients, families and staff to improve the care that we provide. Giving pagers to parents waiting anxiously for their child to wake up after surgery is a great example. See pages 8 and 9 for details of that and other patient experience initiatives.

Our hospital charity, The Forever Friends Appeal, is marking 20 years of fundraising for the RUH. We’re indebted to the charity and all its generous donors who’ve raised more than £23m for patients and their families in that time. You can read about the charity’s work and its celebrations on page 13.

Finally, I hope that you notice and enjoy all the lovely trees and gardens around the RUH estate. We’re really grateful to out green-fingered volunteer gardeners who keep it looking so beautiful all year round. You can find out more on page 18.

Best wishes for a healthy and happy summer.

James Scott, Chief Executive

We’re always keen to hear your feedback about insight, or any aspect of our work. Please email [email protected]

Inside this issue

3 Career choices

4-5 News round-up

8-9 Patient Experience matters

10-11 Making the RUH Fit for the Future

12 Moving on – confident to exercise again

13 Celebrating 20 years of fundraising

14-15 Membership News

16-17 Art at the Heart

18 Friends of the RUH

19 Golden Girl Brenda’s 50 years of service

WELCOME

Every possible care has been taken to ensure that the information given in this publication is accurate. Whilst the publisher would be grateful to learn of any errors, they cannot accept any liability over and above the cost of the advertisementfor loss there by caused. No reporoduction by any method whatsoever of any part of this publication is permitted without written consent of the copyright owners.

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insight Summer 2019 I 3

Inspiring careersIt’s called succession planning – we’re always looking at new ways of encouraging local young people to consider a great career in the NHS.

Our Widening Participation Team have been organising a number of events to showcase roles and skills to appeal to our NHS workforce of the future.

New events include a twice-yearly evening careers fair for students to meet and talk to teams about the career options available to them, as well as interactive workshops offering hands-on opportunities to experience healthcare science.

The first of these events, a careers fair held in March, was a huge success with around 100 young people attending. It coincided with National Apprenticeship Week, which gave us the chance to promote RUH apprenticeship opportunities.

The first healthcare science workshop saw 24 Year 10 and 11 students from local schools take part in hands-on activities and meet RUH healthcare science staff.

The Widening Participation team continue to promote work experience opportunities for students in year 12 and above. Applications open at key times throughout the year. Full information with available dates and opportunities can be found on the careers page of the RUH website.

Suki’s a scientist for the day…A young girl with leukaemia became the first to experience a ‘trainee scientist’ tour of the pathology laboratory at the RUH.

Six-year-old Suki Corbett, from Devizes in Wiltshire, was given a private and interactive guided tour –even testing her own blood samples along the way.

Suki is part way through two and a half years of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, after being diagnosed at the age of four in January 2017.

The tour was arranged by Harvey’s Gang, a charity dedicated to giving seriously ill youngsters trainee scientist tours around pathology labs.

Suki was given her own mini lab coat and ID badge, booked in and labelled her own blood samples and watched as the machines processed them. Next she tested her sample to discover what blood type she was, looked at samples through a microscope, and had a race

with a scientist to fill up and then empty a pipette. The tour was topped off with a goody bag and certificate.

Suki’s mum Rachel said: “She was so excited when a visit was organised especially for her. The whole morning was fascinating and Suki was in her element.”

Students get hands-on experience

Suki’s path lab adventures

Career choices

Trying out the latest technology


News Roundup

Vicki’s bravery awardsCongratulations to Vicki Mockridge, an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in our Emergency Department, who’s been honoured for saving a motorcyclist’s life.

Vicki put her emergency life-saving skills into practice when she witnessed a serious road traffic accident at Longwell Green, near Bath.

She said: “I was driving home on the dual carriageway when I saw bits of

metal flying into the air. I stopped my car immediately and jumped over the central barrier to help.

“People were shouting that one of the riders, a woman, wasn’t moving. So I ran to help her and I found her face down and quickly

identified that she wasn’t breathing. We rolled her over, and I removed her crash helmet and cleared her airway. She started breathing again and I remained with her until the ambulance and air ambulance medics arrived. I later found out that she had a few broken bones and suffered a brain haemorrhage. Thankfully she’s made a good recovery.”

Vicki has worked at the Trust for 18 years, initially as a newly qualified nurse and now as Senior Sister/Advanced Clinical Practitioner. She was nominated for a Royal Humane Society award by Avon and Somerset Police. She received two awards – the Testimonial on Parchment, for a person who puts themselves in danger to save someone else, and the Resuscitation Certificate, for the successful resuscitation of someone who was at one stage ‘seemingly dead’.

Nicky Jakeman, Clinical Lead in the RUH Emergency Department, said: “Vicki should be immensely proud of saving this person’s life in difficult circumstances. It is an honour to know and work with her.”

Catering team’s recipe for successIt’s chef’s hats off to our amazing RUH catering team, who produce thousands of mouth-watering meals for patients every day of the year.

The food’s not only delicious – it’s designed to be healthy and nutritious to support patients in their physical and mental recovery.

The team’s hard work has been recognised with a bronze ‘Food for Life Served Here’ award from the Soil Association, which recognises caterers that meet sustainable and nutritious standards. Patient satisfaction ratings have increased too, and this year our caterers were named the Trust’s Team of the Year.

Catering and Quality Systems Manager Jason Joyce said: “We’re really proud of the fresh and tasty food that we send out each day for our patients.”

In an average week, our Catering Team use 1,040 loaves of fresh bread, 1875 free range eggs and 229 cucumbers. Where possible we source our food from local suppliers.

Catering team kitchen craft

Vicki Mockridge


News Roundup

Sustainability successWe’re committed to being green and enhancing our environment, so we were delighted when some RUH projects that save energy, improve food quality and reduce air pollution were not only shortlisted for the national NHS Sustainability Awards – but two of them won.

RUH Head of Sustainability Hayley Williams said: “We want to challenge the typical idea of what improving sustainability in a hospital involves and why it’s so important. We do much more than providing recycling bins and cycle to work schemes – we are committed to generating and embracing innovative ideas that help us become more sustainable.”

The team won for:

Staff engagement – we take staff on tours of our seven different types of plant room across the site, explaining our sustainable initiatives to manage and save energy and water.

Infrastructure – the relocation of the Spiritual Care Centre was shortlisted for its innovative design and build.

We were nominated for Public engagement for our ‘Switch Off When You Drop Off’ air pollution campaign, and for Procurement – switching to fresh, locally sourced ingredients for catering.

Spiritual Care Centre interior

Staff on plant room tours

A warm welcomeWe’ve recently welcomed some new faces to our leadership team.

Chief Operating Officer Rebecca Carlton, who joined the RUH in March, has over 15 years’ experience working in the NHS, most recently as the Service Director at Morriston Hospital in Swansea. Rebecca leads the Trust’s delivery of high quality, cost effective services.

Brian Johnson was appointed the Trust’s Director of Estates and Facilities on 1 April, after joining the RUH last year as Head of Capital Projects. Brian has over 30 years’ experience working nationally and internationally across a broad range of technically challenging, high profile projects in a number of sectors including education, sport and health.

New Trust Chair Alison Ryan also stepped into her role from 1 April, taking over from Brian Stables. She has 30 years of strategic and executive experience in the health and social care sector, and was most recently a Non-Executive Director at the University Hospital Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.

Chief Operating Officer Rebecca Carlton

Director of Estates and Facilities Brian Johnson Chair Alison Ryan


New-look RUH

Min on the move this autumnIt’s almost time to say a final farewell to the Mineral Water Hospital site, known locally as the Min, as we prepare to relocate staff and services to the RUH Combe Park site in the autumn.

This has been many years in the planning, and we’ve worked closely with patients and staff to create the best new home for each service, so we can continue to provide high quality care in the future. It’s just a couple of miles from the Min to the RUH, but moving a whole hospital is a big task so we’ll be relocating services in phases over the space of a couple of months. We have plans in place to ensure the minimum amount of disruption for all during this time.

We look forward to welcoming patients and colleagues later this year as they settle in to their new

surroundings. Until then, services continue to be provided from the Mineral Water Hospital site.

RNHRD and Brownsword Therapies Centre

Our new centre, under constriction close to the main entrance of the RUH, is a dedicated outpatient centre providing treatment, care and education for patients to recover from episodes of illness or injury, or to manage their long term condition. The new building will include a large hydrotherapy pool, specialist gym and rehabilitation equipment, and a biologics treatment space. The new Centre has been specially designed

to make use of natural light as well as garden areas and art to create a nurturing environment for all who use the building.

For more information about our staff and services moving, visit: www.ruh.nhs.uk/relocatingservices

The Mineral Water Hospital

The new RNHRD and Brownsword Therapies Centre – opening this autumn

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The Centre will be the new home for many of the services currently provided at the Min, including:

• Rheumatology

• Rheumatology Therapies

• The Bath Centre for Fatigue Services

• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Service

• Complex Cancer Late Effects Service

Forever Fr iends AppealNew-look RUH


Bernard Ireland House

We’re refurbishing one of our residential buildings, Bernard Ireland House, to create a fitting setting for the Bath Centre for Pain Services (BCPS). This specialised, national service treats people of all ages with chronic pain. Chronic pain often can’t be cured, so the team help people to have better lives by getting physically fitter, mentally clearer, and learning coping strategies.

BCPS offers a range of residential programmes, and Bernard Ireland House will provide specially-designed residential accommodation, group treatment areas including therapy and group rooms and office space. Patients told us it was really important to them that they were not treated in a hospital setting, so the new home for BCPS is away from the main hospital building, with it’s own dedicated therapeutic courtyard area.

Wolfson Centre

Both the RUH and the RNHRD have a long history of innovative research as well as supporting nationally organised studies. The Wolfson Centre is the research and improvement Centre at the RUH. It’s being refurbished and extended to provide improved facilities and a new home for the Research and Development Team relocating from the Min. The team will have more clinic rooms, a new research room, dedicated laboratory and freezer areas and plenty of office space. Bringing our teams together will bring benefits and new opportunities

for research and development at the Trust.

Clinical Measurement Services

The team will be joining forces with colleagues at the RUH in a specially modified department which can provide suitable facilities for bone density and clinical imaging services. Situated on the ground floor, it’s just a brief walk from the RNHRD and Brownsword Therapies Centre, so patients can still have their clinical measurement appointments alongside their rheumatology clinic appointments.

RUH services

It’s not just staff from the RNHRD who are on the move. Teams from the RUH will also be relocating into the new RNHRD and Brownsword Therapy Centre this autumn. Physiotherapy outpatients, Hydrotherapy Outpatients, the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Physiotherapy service, Hand Unit and RUH Bath Pain clinic will all relocate, bringing together therapies and pain services located at the RUH with many of the services currently located at the Min.

Once services have moved in the autumn, we’ll start work on demolishing the old Physio building and clearing the site ready for what will be our biggest project yet – the new Dyson Cancer Centre. See page 10 for more details.

The new Centre will be known as The RNHRD and Brownsword Therapies Centre. As many of you will be aware, Andrew Brownsword is a local entrepreneur and generous supporter of the Trust. Mr Brownsword has helped fund the new Centre, donating £1 million as part of the Brownsword Challenge, which matches fundraising donations from the public.

Proceeds from the sale of the Mineral Water Hospital have gone towards providing new facilities for services and staff relocating to the RUH site, and the Brownsword Match Funding Challenge is providing the final £2 million required to meet the total costs.

Wolfson Centre building site

Bernard Ireland View of South Garden

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Improving your pat ient exper ience

Parent pagers helping young patients Anxious parents waiting while their child has surgery at the RUH are now being given pagers to alert them when all is well.

What began as a trial in the Recovery Unit has proved so successful that it’s now being extended to other areas across the hospital.

Instead of being contacted by their mobile phone, parents are now given a pager which bleeps to let them know when their child is waking up after a procedure.

Consultant anaesthetist Fiona Kelly, who helped set up the initiative, said: “Mobile phones aren’t always reliable – some parents have their phone turned off or turned down, and some might not have a mobile. We’ve shown that a personal pager is a much more reliable way of contacting them when they’re needed.

“The feedback has been really positive, with parents saying how big a benefit the pagers are, improving their child’s

experience and making it much less stressful for them.”

Kerry and Neil Sidwick were given a parent pager when their son Charlie had an operation to have four teeth removed. Kelly said: “The pager gave us reassurance that we would not miss Charlie waking up. It meant we could pop and get a coffee without risking not being there for him.”

The pagers were funded by the Friends of the RUH charity and the Trust’s Innovation Panel, where staff pitch for funding for ideas that improve patient care and experience and efficiency.

The pager programme is supported by the Trust’s Patient Experience Team. Lead Sharon Manhi said: “As a Trust, we are committed to ensuring that we use the experience of our patients, families and staff to improve the care that we provide. Introducing these pagers is a brilliant example of a simple idea that we can demonstrate has real benefits to all concerned.”

Some 3,000 children from two months to 18 years old are anaesthetised each year at the RUH. A 2017 survey showed that, before the pager system was introduced, it took an average of 23 minutes for a parent to rejoin their child in the Recovery Unit, and 70% of children waited for more than 15 minutes. Using the pagers has cut that time to an average 2.8 minutes, with no child waiting more than 11 minutes.

Parents Kerry and Neil Sidwick with son Charlie

Heather White, staff nurse in Recovery, with two of the parent pagers

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Improving your pat ient exper ience

Patient Experience matters

Patient Experience matters at the RUH and feedback is very important to help us continue to provide a quality service which meets the needs of patients, families and carers. We welcome your comments about your experiences of the services provided by the RUH.

To find out more about the work of the Patient Experience Team: Call: 01225 821735 Email [email protected]

Compassionate Companions for End of Life Care We’ve launched a new service that provides specially-trained volunteers who offer support, compassionate listening, comfort and companionship to patients in their last days of life.

The Compassionate Companions Service is a partnership between Dorothy House Hospice Care and the RUH – organisations that are both rated outstanding in end of life care by the Care Quality Commission.

The service has been funded for three years by the Sperring Trust, the legacy of Midsomer Norton builder Ralph Sperring, who left his estate to benefit the local community.

Helen Meehan, Lead Nurse, Palliative Care and End of Life Team said: “I have always felt privileged to work in end of life care. I believe that our final hours are as precious as our first. Compassion underpins everything we do

and this service will allow volunteers to be on our wards, providing patients with comforting words, a listening ear or to hold their hand – the support these patients very much need. It will also give families the chance for some respite during what is an emotionally and physically exhausting time.”

Wendy Meilton, Companions Service Lead at Dorothy House Hospice Care said: “We are delighted that the hospice is able to provide this vital end of life support for patients and their families in collaboration with the RUH. Our role is to train hospice volunteers in patient support techniques and co-ordinate their work in the Compassionate Companions Service at the hospital.”

Giving HOPE to cancer patientsFor the Trust, improving a patient’s experience isn’t confined to when you’re in hospital. It includes the time when you’re at home, such as living with cancer or after treatment for cancer.

For instance, we run Macmillan HOPE courses – HOPE stands for ‘help overcoming problems effectively’ – to help people understand and learn to live with the challenges of living with and beyond cancer.

Specialist Occupational Therapist Kirsty Hastie said: “Having cancer can be an isolating experience and it can be daunting to make plans for the future. HOPE classes teach participants strategies to help them to regain confidence, to cope with anger, anxiety, low mood and uncertainty, and manage set-backs and stressful situations.”

HOPE is a free six-week course, run by a healthcare professional and a volunteer. Sessions are held at the RUH and are two and a half hours long, including a tea break.

If you think it might be for you, or if you would like to find out more about how the Therapies Oncology Team can support people during and after cancer treatment, please contact us on 01225 825596 or email [email protected]

Patients and volunteer after a Macmillan HOPE course

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mailto:[email protected]




Fit for the future

New oral surgery unit opensWe’re proud to have opened our new Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Orthodontics (OMFS) department after a £2.7m investment that positions the RUH as a centre of excellence for conditions of the head and neck, including cancer.

The department is now located at C29, on the first floor in Zone C above the Lansdown Restaurant.

The brand new unit took nine months to build, creating a calming, modern environment for our team to continue providing high quality patient care.

Serryth Colbert, Clinical Lead for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Orthodontics said: “The whole team are over the moon with the new facilities – it’s been a long time coming but worth the wait. It’s just amazing to be in this incredible facility.”

The new department has a bright and welcoming reception and waiting area, four modern consulting

rooms, a fully-equipped orthodontics suite, two minor operations rooms, an updated dental laboratory and new X-ray equipment.

The OMFS team’s work includes diagnosis and management of facial skin cancer, malignant disease of the jaw and mouth, traumatic facial injuries, facial deformity and pain, oral surgery and orthodontics.

The new department was partly funded by the hospital’s charity, The Forever Friends Appeal which more than doubled its original fundraising target of £200,000. The additional funds will be spent on a Cone-Beam CT X-ray machine allowing patients to have specialist scans at the RUH rather than having to travel to Bristol.

Some of our major building projects – making the RUH Fit for the Future – are taking shape rapidly and nearing completion. One, our Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Orthodontics (OMFS) department has recently moved into its brand new home.

It’s all part of our exciting programme of redevelopment to transform our site and further improve the services we provide. We’re fortunate to be able to invest in our site, which is made possible by continued careful financial management and generous donations from benefactors and fundraising.

Treatment room in the new Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Orthodontics (OMFS) department


F it for the future

Next – the Dyson Cancer CentreWith other major building works drawing to a close, it’s time for our next and biggest ever project – the Dyson Cancer Centre.

We’re designing a new building for the RUH that is centred around the patient and their experience. Staff will be able to provide clinically excellent care in an environment that is nurturing and therapeutic.

The new Cancer Centre will replace older buildings next to the main hospital entrance. This process has already started and, subject to planning approval, we can start looking ahead to clearing a significant proportion of the north of the RUH site, preparing the ground for building work to begin.

Fit for the Future – Decant wardOur new decant ward, D1, is now complete and up and running, with the Surgical Admissions Unit installed for the next few months of summer.

It means we’ve now started a five-year improvement and maintenance project, which will allow us to undertake essential work on wards across the hospital.

The new decant ward is built to a very high standard and offers all the facilities found in a modern hospital ward. Patients, their families and carers can be reassured that they will receive the same dedicated care and treatment, provided by the same teams, in the new ward.

The building covers 900 square metres and can accommodate 27 beds in total. There are three wards, with eight, seven and six beds and six single patient rooms.

Bays in the decant ward

Dyson Cancer CentreImag

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Keep on moving

Patients taking part in the specialist exercise classes

Legs matterWe’re standing up for legs at the RUH, offering advice and help to patients and public with some simple steps – pun intended – to keep you fit and walking tall.

It’s a serious matter. Leg and feet problems are extremely common in the UK. Common issues include swollen legs and feet, sores and wounds, dry and itchy skin, varicose veins, hot and tender skin and cramp or pain in the legs.

Taking early action can help. Our Tissue Viability team have some simple advice to follow:

Take charge of your own leg and foot health by:

✓ Paying attention to your legs and feet.

✓ Going to your GP practice if things aren’t looking right.

✓ Alert your GP or a healthcare professional if your leg or foot isn’t getting better.

Get moving:

✓ Try to walk at least 30 minutes three times a week.

✓� If walking is difficult, move feet around in circles, then up and down – this can be done sitting down.

✓Avoid standing for a long time.

Keep healthy:

✓ Maintain a healthy weight.

✓ Stop smoking.

Consider compression:

✓ If you are prone to swelling in your legs and feet or you have problems with your veins, then compression may be helpful.

✓ Compression or hosiery stockings are usually worn daily but your healthcare professional will advise you on what’s best for you.

Moving on – confident to exercise againWe all know that daily exercise can be really beneficial to our health and wellbeing. But a common fear for people recovering from a pulmonary embolism – a blood clot on the lungs – is returning to exercise. Many are scared they will cause themselves more damage, often unsure how far they can or should push themselves.

RUH Consultant Haematologist Dr Mark Robinson worked together with RUH Therapies Team Leader Regitse Lewis to introduce a unique new exercise programme, now available to all RUH patients who have suffered a pulmonary embolism, to overcome their fears and return to active lifestyles.

Patient Simone Vandermeer said: “I was terrified to exercise again. I knew it would help me recover but I didn’t know what was safe and how far I should push myself. The physiotherapy team are helping me recognise what pain or breathlessness is normal and what are warning signs to look out for.”

Dr Robinson said: “Research shows that regular exercise reduces both risk of recurrence and risk of bleeding for patients on anticoagulants. The programme is designed to instil confidence, help patients get back to normal as quickly as possible and develop new healthy habits. To our knowledge we are the only hospital in the country offering such a targeted programme.”

To find out about symptoms, treatments and ways to reduce your risk of a pulmonary embolism visit: nhs.uk/conditions/pulmonary-embolism

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Get the lowdown on leg and foot conditions at: www.legsmatter.org

Tissue Viability Nurse Nikki

Heywood with patient

http://www.legsmatter.org


Special appeal

This year our hospital charity, The Forever Friends Appeal, is marking a significant milestone – 20 years of fundraising for the RUH.

In celebration, a special floral display has been created by the Bath and North East Somerset council Parks team, featuring our charity mascot Big Ted.

Tim Hobbs, Head of Fundraising , said: “It is a delightful tribute to The Forever Friends Appeal which has raised more than £23 million for patients and their families in its 20 years of fundraising. I hope everyone gets the opportunity to see it in all its glory. The display will be in Parade Gardens until September.”

Help us fundraise for our breast unit

Please help us raise £450,000 for our Breast UnitThis unit needs to be redeveloped and expanded so it can continue to provide the very best treatment and care to the approximately 6,000 patients that are seen and treated every year.

The Breast Unit will be improved with:

• A new area for mammographic and MRI reporting

• A new waiting area and peace garden

• Enlarged consultation suites and examination areas

• A dedicated treatment room for nursing and breast prosthetic fittings

• Quiet rooms for privacy and an outside area for private retreats

• Extra space for breast care nurses to deliver survivorship support and ongoing care to patients after their treatment.

Patients diagnosed with breast cancer will be treated in the new Dyson Cancer Centre and will have full access to the Macmillan Wellbeing Information and Support Hub (Macmillan WISH) and will receive long-term support and care from the Breast Unit team.

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Therapies MatterThe RNHRD and Brownsword Therapies Centre is on target for completion to open in autumn. However, The Forever Friends Appeal still has the last £70,000 to raise

to achieve the £2m fundraising target. Can you help them reach their target? Every donation is matched £1 for £1 thanks to the Brownsword Challenge.

How you can get involved and show your support:

• Make a donate online: www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk

• Take part in one of our fundraising events.

• Organise a fundraising event with colleagues, friends or family.

• Leave a gift in your Will.

RNHRD and Therapies Centre


Membership News

Governor ElectionsHave you ever thought about becoming one of our Governors? Well, now’s the time because the Trust will soon be holding a constiturency-wide election to the Council of Governors.

Later this year we will be seeking candidates for each of the following constituencies:

• City of Bath – 1 position

• North East Somerset – 1 position

• Mendip – 1 position

• North Wiltshire – 1 position

• South Wiltshire – 1 position

To be eligible, you need to be a member of the RUH and live in the constituency for which you wish to be elected. If you’re not already a member, simply complete the form at the back of the magazine and return it to the Membership Office.

What do Governors do?

Our Governors play an essential part in the NHS Foundation Trust structure, contributing to the continuing development of the RUH and its role within our local communities. They also:

• Represent the interests and views of Trust members and the general public within their constituency, giving them the opportunity to influence the future direction of the hospital.

• Hold the Non-Executive Directors to account for the performance of the Board.

• Attend Council of Governor and Working Group meetings to discuss key issues and the strategic direction of the organisation.

• Hold constituency meetings and actively engage with members in the community to encourage them to feedback on the services provided by the Royal United Hospital.

You do not need any specific qualifications to become a Governor – all successful candidates will be provided with relevant training, development and support to carry out the role effectively.

“I was delighted to be elected because I wanted to give something back to my local hospital. It has given me a much greater understanding of how the hospital works”

Mike Midgely, Public Governor for City of Bath

Want to find out more?

If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a Governor you can request a Governor Guide by emailing [email protected] or calling the membership office on 01225 821262.

You could also join us at one of our Caring for You events or Council of Governors meetings for a chance to meet with some of our current Governors and experience some of the meetings you will be attending if you are successfully elected. The next meetings are:

Meeting Date Time Location

Council of Governors

Thursday 6th June

10:30 – 12:30

Oasis Boardroom, RUH (E6)

Caring for You – The Role

of Carers in Hospital

Tuesday 23rd July

18:00 – 19:30

Post Graduate Medical Centre,

RUH (B20)

How do I apply?

The Election process will be run by UK Engage and we hope that nomination forms will be available from August. Please let the Membership Office know if you would like to receive a nomination form and this will be sent to you automatically.


Membership News

Title Date Location Time

The Role of Carers in Hospital 23rd July 2019

Post Graduate Medical Centre (Dept. B20)

6pm – 7:30pm

New Developments at the RUH 3rd September 2019

Restart a Heart 24th October 2019

Medicines Optimisation 13th November 2019

Stroke 21st January 2020

Emergency Department – Working Together

19th March 2020

Date Constituency Location Time

Monday 3rd June South WiltshireHolt Village Hall, The Street,

Holt, Trowbridge, BA14 6QH

2.00pm – 4.00pm (tea and coffee from 1.30pm)

Tuesday 25th June North WiltshireChippenham Town Hall, High

Street, Chippenham, SN15 3ER2.00pm – 4.00pm

(tea and coffee from 1.30pm)

Tuesday 10th September North East SomersetKeynsham Masonic Hall, 99

Bath Road, Keynsham, Bristol, BS31 1SR

1pm – 3pm (tea and coffee from 12.30pm)

Wednesday 2nd October South WiltshireTrowbridge Town Hall, Market Street, Trowbridge, BA14 8EQ

10.30am – 12.30pm (tea and coffee from 10.00am)

Wednesday 9th October North WiltshireCorsham Pound Arts Centre, Pound Pill, Corsham, SN13

9HX


Thursday 17th October MendipFrome Medical Practice,

Enos Way, Frome, BA11 2FH


Contact us…To book your place at an event, sign up as a member, or find out more about the benefits of membership, you can contact the Membership Office on 01225 821262 or [email protected]

Constituency MeetingsOur Constituency Meetings are a fantastic way for local people to meet their Governors and find out more about the RUH. The meetings follow a regular format of an introduction from the Governors, an update from an Executive Director on RUH developments and a presentation on a topic of interest. Attendees are also given the opportunity to participate in focus groups and/or question and answer sessions to help us learn from patient feedback and improve our services. Future Constituency Meeting dates are:

Don’t miss out on our 2019/20 Caring for You events and 2019 Constituency meetings.

Caring for You events

Caring for You events cover a range of subjects and are usually presentation-based with a guest speaker or team in attendance to talk about different specialties and conditions. This gives you an opportunity to step behind the scenes and understand more about the work of the hospital and how it supports the health and wellbeing of local communities. There is also always a Q&A session where you can ask questions to the professionals. Future Caring for You event dates are:

Dates for the Diary


The painting, which can be seen hanging on the wall above the main staircase of the RNHRD, also known as the Min is titled ‘Dr Oliver and Mr Peirce, Physician and Surgeon Examining Patients Afflicted with Paralysis, Rheumatism and Leprosy’ by W.T. Hoare.

It is listed in the 1761 Society of Artists exhibition catalogue as ‘A picture intended to be given to the Mineral Water Hospital’. Mr Peirce is the figure on the left holding the patient’s hand. In his twenty years as hospital visitor, the artist W.T. Hoare would have had plenty of opportunity to study disease at close quarters and it is likely that he was able to use patients of the hospital as models.

If the application is successful, following conservation work the painting will be installed on the main hallway of the new RNHRD and Brownsword Therapies Centre.

This means patients, visitors and staff can continue to experience and enjoy the rich cultural heritage of our City’s medical past.

An impressive collection of fifteen 18th Century portraits at The Min include key figures of Bath who were also involved in the founding of the hospital, including Ralph Allen, Beau Nash and the founding doctor and physician of the hospital, Dr Oliver and Mr Peirce.

Three portaits have already received extensive treatment by our conservator, Sarah Cove. They form part of an exhibition at No 1 Royal Crescent called ‘Image Control’ which runs until January 2020, when

we intend to bring the two oil portraits (see opposite) of founding member Ralph Allen (left) and Daniel Danvers, the Treasurer (right) to the RUH.

The pastel self-portrait of William Hoare (right) will go on loan to the Victoria Gallery where the environment

SOUNDBITE The Soundbite Performance Programme brings a diverse range of live music to communal areas of the hospital and wards.

Soundbite: Lunchtime performances

7th June – Chris Webb (Live Music Now) – Guitar and Vocals

19th July – Marick Baxter and Tim Petherick – Flute and Guitar

16th August – John Nicholas (Live Music Now) – Guitar and Vocals

6th September – Julia Turner (Live Music Now) – Guitar and Vocals

13:00-13:30: Atrium or Lansdown Foyer

13:45-15:30 Older Patients Wards (either Combe, Cheselden, Midford, Waterhouse or ACE)

EXHIBITIONS Genius Loci – Sense of a Place Central Gallery: 3rd May – 18th July 2019

The title of this exhibition is taken from the Latin term genius loci, the guardian spirit or soul of a place.

The exhibition brings together works of five contemporary photographers, Sue Bishop, Benjamin Graham, Marianthi Lainas, Vanda Ralevska and Linda Wevill.

Staff and Volunteer Exhibition 2019

Art at the Heart intend to hold a RUH staff and volunteer exhibition in October 2019. If you would be interested in taking part please email with your name and department to [email protected] or by calling x.4987

Trust treasure – Dr Oliver and Mr Peirce

RNHRD History and Heritage Art and Design Manager Hetty Dupays has made an application to The Woodmansterne Art Conservation Awards to fund the conservation of the largest and most significant painting in the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) collection.


PARTICIPATORY WORKSHOPS Creative Art Workshops at the RNHRD with Edwina Bridgeman

Artist Edwina Bridgeman has been leading a series of workshops with residential patients and staff to create an art work for Bernard Ireland House, the new home for Bath Centre for Pain Services which will also provide accommodation for residential programmes when services move from the Min later this year. This project has been funded by RNHRD Charitable Funds and Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases (BIRD).

Edwina said: “Because of the Min’s association with water we have looked at the routes patients and staff would have taken had they travelled to Bath via waterways. Patients arrive from all over the country and plotting routes on the map has been a great starting point.

“Working with both staff and patients has been a real joy. The project is well underway and each week we are excited to see the progress made.”

STITCH IN TIME Stitch in Time workshops are now run by Stitch in Time Lead Artist Charlotte Stowell and take place on Fridays. These workshops are becoming a regular event in the routine for both Combe and Waterhouse wards. Combe ward has a new initiative for encouraging as many patients as possible out of bed and in to the day room for the morning, so the Stitch in Time workshops fit in well with this.

Therapy staff supporting patients on the wards have said how helpful it is to have creative materials and guidance for patients to create their own work and often patients seem much happier and more engaged afterwards. Many patients also enjoy the opportunity to be part of a group spending time away from the ward and socialising in a different environment.

including light levels and air temperature won’t negatively impact this very fragile but beautiful portrait.

We are in the process of reviewing and prioritising the paintings that have a medical history. If the application to conserve the Dr Oliver painting is successful, we can then investigate the conservation of many of the smaller portraits. We may be able to bring many of these paintings to the RUH to install in the new RNHRD and Brownsword Therapies

Centre as well as other areas of the RUH, such as the original entrance to the RUH known as the Lansdown entrance.

It is likely that we will need to remove more paintings from The Min later in the summer so that they can be restored and returned for the opening on the new RNHRD and Therapies Centre in September. Work continues with Bath Medical Museum to research and select artefacts for the cabinets of curiosities in the new centre. If you have any questions please contact Art and Design Manager, Hetty Dupays 01225 825558 or [email protected]

William Hoare self-portrait – Pastel

Daniel Danvers – Oil on Canvas

Ralph Allen – Oil on Canvas


Bloomin’ lovely RUHWe’re really grateful to our fantastic group of green-fingered volunteers who help to keep the RUH estate looking a gardeners’ delight.

The Friends of the RUH charity gardening team work all year round, digging, weeding, planting and potting to make sure the

grounds and gardens are always a picture during the changing seasons.

Gardening team leader and volunteer Jane Rymer said: “We do it because we just love gardening. Sometimes it’s hard work, but making the hospital a pleasure for patients, staff and visitors to enjoy and experience is all the reward we need.”

The team is made up of eight volunteers who look after some 20 courtyard gardens within the main hospital building. On top of all that they’re responsible for planting up the containers near the main entrance of the RUH twice a year.

RUH Director of Estates Brian Johnson said: “We’re fortunate that the RUH sits in a lovely 52-acre estate with many natural spaces, gardens and courtyards that patients, staff and visitors can enjoy. The gardening team do a great job that

enhances the hospital environment for everyone. At this time of year you can really see the results of all the time and effort they put in.”

Did you know…

✿ There are more than 1,300 trees on the RUH site.

✿ One is an Hippocrates tree, said to originate from the ancient Tree of Hippocrates on the Greek island of Kos,where the father of medicine taught his students some 2,500 years ago.

✿ Other rarities include a Judas tree from southern Europe, an Indian bean tree from southern United States, and a Chinese paperbark maple.

Say it with flowers – welcome to the RUH

The darling buds of May

Dig it – some of our volunteer team at work

Australian ferns light up the garden

It was the year of the last great flood of Bath when a young Brenda started work at the Min. Tom Jones was in the charts with Delilah, Lyndon Johnson was US president, the world had its first sighting of a jumbo jet – and Brenda had no idea how long her new role would last.

The answer – an amazing 50 years, and counting. All at the Min, all as a health care assistant and all on the night shift.

Brenda, 82, from Widcombe in Bath, said: “I’ve loved it here. It’s a hospital with a family feel where you get to know your patients over a long period. I’m very proud to have been lucky enough to work here.”

Brenda was guest of honour at a celebration team party at the Min, where family, friends and colleagues raised a toast and presented her with flowers, a long service certificate and commemorative glass award.

Amanda Pacey, RNHRD Matron said: “Other matrons and sisters I speak to are amazed at Brenda’s story and so envious that she has stayed with us for so long. I think it’s because of the sort of family we are here, we always rely on each other and help each other. One matron remembered a time when we were short-staffed on New Year’s Eve and Brenda, of course, stepped in to help out at short notice.”

Brenda is now, finally, planning to call it a day later this year. She plans to spend more time with Ollie, her husband of 63 years, and their four children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Brenda Oliveira – 50 years of service

Golden girl Brenda’s 50 years of healthcare service…She’s the golden girl of the Trust and our longest-serving member of staff – meet Brenda Oliveira, who’s celebrating a 50-year career at the RNHRD.

Insight feature


Brenda today – still going strong

Brenda’s 25 years at the Min

Brenda, right. The way they were

Help our membership growPass on this membership form to friends and family so that they can help support the RUH by receiving this magazine.

What is RUH membership? Being a member provides you with an opportunity to influence how your hospital is run and the services we provide.

It’s a great way to keep up to date with dates and news and offers a way for YOU to be more involved if you wish. Membership is completely FREE to anyone aged 16+

Please return your completed form to: Freepost RSLZ-GHKG-UKKL, RUH Membership Office, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Combe Park, Bath BA1 3NG

The Foundation Trust is required to keep a register of our members name and constituency. Your details will be held on an electronic management system and will be used by the RUH to provide you with information about the work of the Foundation Trust.

The information you provide remains confidential and will be held and managed in accordance with the Data Protection Act (2018). The electronic management system is maintained by a third part company called MES, part of the ERS Group and their Privacy Policy can be found at www.membra.co.uk/privacy-policy/#summary

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Your free community magazine from the Royal United ... · insight Summer 2019 I 5 News Roundup...

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Transcript of Your free community magazine from the Royal United ... · insight Summer 2019 I 5 News Roundup...