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hospital Airedale NHS Foundation Trust Foundation Trust Members’ newsletter • April 2016 Pedal power for patients A new therapeutic exercise bike to help people with disabilities and mobility problems has been bought for the specialist rehabilitation team at Airedale Hospital. The bike was funded by the trust’s charity Friends of Airedale and is being used in the rehabilitation gym in the Day Hospital for the Elderly In the photo it is being put to the test by Nigel Hargreaves, aged 70, of Draughton, near Skipton who suffered a stroke. Julie Buckley, principal physiotherapist said: “We are delighted as this piece of equipment will ensure that all our patients, whatever their disability, will have the opportunity to improve their exercise tolerance individually or in a group. “The design of the bike means it can be easily used by people in wheelchairs with various conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, amputees and spinal injury. “It will also benefit patients attending the neuro outpatient department, the AIRE unit and the stroke unit at our hospital.” Eileen Proud, president of Friends of Airedale, said: “This bike will allow the specialist rehabilitation team to help their patients who would normally find it difficult to get fitter and stronger. We thought it was a really good cause to support.” Patient Nigel Hargreaves with Kathryn Webster, specialist physiotherapist at Airedale Hospital Signs of the times: new signage shows you how to find your way A new signage system has been introduced at Airedale Hospital to help patients find their way around the site more easily. Around 900 signs, both internal and external, were replaced in March by Nuneaton Signs and are an interchangeable panel system that can easily be updated. “It is a huge change but we hope it will benefit our patients who often find our site confusing the first time they visit the hospital,” said David Moss, interim deputy director of strategy, business development, estates and facilities at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust. “The previous signage had no real logic and just evolved as the hospital has developed. Our new system is well-thought out, consistent, colour-coded and we have involved patients in our planning process to make sure it is easy to use.” John Lofthouse, section leader of the guides and member of the wayfinding group, said: “It Inside may take a little time for some people to get used to the new signage but I feel sure it will help all patients and visitors in the future. “However if there is anyone who still needs help, the guides are there to provide assistance.” 10 information points with a map of the whole hospital site and department directory have been positioned at the entrances and major junctions in the hospital. The site is now split into four zones, A to D, and each ward or department has been given a location number. Visitors can consult an alphabetical list of wards and departments on the maps to find its location number, for example, the maternity ward 21 will be located at zone B – location number 18 and the Emergency Department x-ray will be zone A – location number 4. Car parking areas will also have numbers to make them easy to locate. All patient letters from the hospital have been updated to make sure that they are consistent with the new signage. This will give patients clear directions to the place they need to be. Extra volunteer guides will be on hand to help patients find their way during the transition period. A downloadable version of the site map and department directory is available on our website at www.airedale-trust.nhs.uk in the footer of each page. Local taxi companies; ambulance, police and fire services and partner organisations have also been given the new site map. •Governor update •Food tips for patients with dementia •All about prostate cancer YOUR HOSPITAL Here to care Governor update Governors make sure voice of the public is heard Welcome to your latest update from your governors, looking back it has been a busy period once again. The Trust has been preparing for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspection in March where Governors were involved and invited to share their views and experience of working with the Trust. We will give you an update on the report after it is published. Fulfilling our duties as governors A main part of the governor role is to hold the non-executive directors (NEDs) to account for the performance of the board. We do this by observing and questioning, at board meetings at council of governor meetings and at other meetings. The previous system by which governors met with the NEDs and Executives has been changed to a more time efficient and effective meeting and discussion format, which takes place during the Council of Governor meetings, the first of which in January was well-received. The appointment of two new NEDs will be taking place soon and Governors will again have a part to play in this very important process. Another important part of the Governor role is to represent your views and to this end Governors reviewed all the public comments received over the last year and in December delivered a presentation to the Board, so that these views could be considered as part of the annual plan. Governors presented the comments you have made and the outcomes of the previous year’s report, as part of our task to ensure that the public voice is heard and acted upon. It is very reassuring that the vast majority of comments are strongly supportive of the hospital and any other issues are quickly acted upon. A summary of your feedback and that meeting is below. We will give you an update on what has happened as a result of your feedback, in the next newsletter. 2 As well as holding the non-executive directors to account, governors like to see and be seen around the hospital the Emergency Department and described the treatment received from friendly, approachable and extremely professional staff. Main themes where you had a positive experience: • Consistent high quality care on every visit in all departments • Impressive new Emergency Department • Friendly, approachable and caring doctors • Good inpatient care • Good follow up care. Main theme where you think the hospital could improve: • Admission to hospital – parking and problems with public transport Your feedback in 2015 A small number of people felt there could be improvements in: The majority of feedback that you gave us was positive and across all service areas the main theme was high quality care and treatment. Many people had used • Waiting times – in the Emergency Department and waiting during outpatient clinics • Food – lack of choice and quality. We will report back on how the Trust has responded to your comments in your next newsletter. Events The regular focus events continue to be very popular. The Governor elections this year have now started and two events were held in February for those interested in the role. Governors have also been attending careers events at colleges in Skipton, Keighley and Bradford to hear the views of students and encourage them to join as members, so they can be invited to talks and open days. On 29 June we are pleased to say that the Board of Directors are coming to Barnoldswick Civic Hall to hold their meeting and to offer you the opportunity to ask questions of the Board and tell us governors what you think. There will also be a mini-health fair. For more details see your events programme. ‘Adopt a courtyard’ project There is a new project underway in the hospital to improve the courtyards and groups have been offered the opportunity to adopt a courtyard, re-design it and then do the planting. Governors have been given a courtyard and work starts in early March to prepare the area for planting. We hope to make courtyard 9 the pride of Airedale. Parking Unfortunately the new parking arrangements have been delayed through no fault of the Hospital. Hopefully the contract for the work will be in place soon and these improvements can then be put in place. We will keep you updated. Get in touch Please contact us if you have any questions or comments about improving our already excellent hospital. Email us at members@anhst. nhs.uk or phone the membership office on 01535 294540. We look forward to hearing from you. YOUR HOSPITAL Here to care Health Facts All about prostate cancer Understanding your prostate: a guide for men Every man has one, yet few men know anything about their prostate or what can go wrong with it. symptoms, think about visiting your GP. You can also talk to a Prostate Cancer UK specialist nurse on their confidential helpline on 0800 074 8383, or via the online live chat, instant messaging service at www.prostatecanceruk.org Who’s at risk Only men have a prostate. It’s a gland and its job is to make some of the fluid that carries sperm, called semen. It’s usually the size and shape of a walnut, and it sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine and semen. Some men with prostate cancer may have no symptoms. Other men may have symptoms that include: • needing to pee more often, especially at night – for example, needing to go again within two hours • difficulty starting to urinate • straining, or taking a long time to finish • a weak flow • a feeling that the bladder hasn’t emptied properly • needing to rush to the toilet, and the occasional leak • dribbling urine. Prostate cancer mainly affects men over the age of 50 and the risk increases with age. However, we also know that black men have been shown to be diagnosed with prostate cancer on average five years younger than white men and about 1 in 4 black men will get prostate cancer, which is double the 1 in 8 risk faced by all men. The reasons why are not yet clear, but it could be because of genetic changes. You are also two and a half times more likely to get prostate cancer if your father or brother has been diagnosed, compared with a man who has no relatives with prostate cancer. There might be a higher chance of developing prostate cancer if a relative was diagnosed under the age of 60, or if you have more than one close relative with prostate cancer. Less common symptoms of a prostate problem include: • pain when peeing • pain when ejaculating • problems getting or keeping an erection • blood in pee or semen. If you have any of these If you are worried about prostate cancer or other prostate problems, visit your GP. Your GP or practice nurse will ask you about your symptoms and they may do some tests to find out if you have a prostate problem, such as: YOUR HOSPITAL What to do next Here to care A urine test They might ask for a urine sample to check for any infection that could be causing you problems while peeing. A prostate specific antigen (PSA) test This is a blood test that measures the amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. Your PSA level rises as you get older. Prostate problems, such as an enlarged prostate and prostatitis – as well as prostate cancer – can cause your PSA level to rise. A PSA test alone cannot tell you whether you have prostate cancer. Your GP will need to look at your PSA level together with other test results, such as the digital rectal examination (DRE). A digital rectal examination (DRE) This is where the doctor or nurse will feel the prostate through the back passage (rectum) for any hard or irregular areas, and to check if it is enlarged. The examination is an important way for the doctor or nurse to help assess your prostate. Many men who have had the DRE say that it is not too bad and it doesn’t take too long. It ensures that your doctor gets the best idea about whether you have a problem that needs treating. How is prostate cancer treated? For many men with prostate cancer, treatment is not immediately necessary. If the cancer is at an early stage and not causing symptoms, a policy of “watchful waiting” or “active surveillance” may be adopted. This involves carefully monitoring your condition. Some cases of prostate cancer can be cured if treated in the early stages. Treatments include surgically removing the prostate, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. Some cases are only diagnosed at a later stage when the cancer has spread. If the cancer spreads to other parts of the body, typically the bones, it cannot be cured and treatment is focused on prolonging life and relieving symptoms. All treatment options carry the risk of significant side effects, including erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence. For this reason, many men choose to delay treatment until there is a risk the cancer might spread. Living with prostate cancer As prostate cancer usually progresses very slowly, you can live for decades without symptoms or needing treatment. Nevertheless, it can have an effect on your life. As well as causing physical problems such as erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence, a diagnosis of prostate cancer can understandably make you feel anxious or depressed. You may find it beneficial to talk about the condition with your family, friends, a family doctor and other men with prostate cancer. 3 Elections update: Don’t forget to vote Voting starts on 29 March for this year’s governor elections if there is more than one candidate for a seat. The public seats available are: Bingley, Bingley Rural, Craven, Ilkley, Settle and Mid Craven, Skipton, South Craven, Wharfedale and Worth Valley. The staff seats available are: Nurses and Midwives, Allied Health Professionals and Scientists and the ‘All other Staff’ ie non clinical staff group. If there is more than one candidate for a seat then all members in these constituencies will be sent a voting form on 4 May. This year to make it easier for our members, you can vote online or by phone or text. Just follow the instructions on your voting form. This is your right to choose someone to represent your area on the Council of Governors. The election results will be published on our website on 26 May. Practical tips for people with dementia Dietician Louise Nash has designed some new information sheets to help people with dementia overcome eating and drinking problems. The information sheets have been sent out to care homes throughout the Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven district and are being used throughout the country by other professionals after Louise shared them with her colleagues. Many older people or those with dementia are at greater risk of malnutrition which can result in falls, infections and being admitted to hospital. These leaflets aim to prevent people with dementia from becoming malnourished and requiring hospital treatment. Louise, from Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Eating nourishing food and drinking regularly is so important for helping people get well and keeping someone healthy. “Often people with dementia experience changes in their dietary behaviour, their tastes in food may change to preferring salty, spicy or sweet food or they may just forget to eat or drink or forget that they have just eaten. There can also be practical problems such as people lose the ability to eat independently, prepare food or use cutlery; medications can have side effects such as stomach cramps or feeling sick; they may develop difficulty in swallowing or not want to drink leading to dehydration resulting in urinary infections or they could develop a tendency to pace and wander burning off a lot of energy and calories.” “Their families may not realise these changes in behaviour are caused by dementia and eating and drinking worries can create stress in relationships.” Louise Nash, dietician, with information sheets designed to help people with dementia Louise has developed a series of information sheets including ‘Eating well with a small appetite’, ‘Finger foods’ and ‘Eating and drinking with dementia’ which are available by visiting http:// www.airedale-trust.nhs.uk/services/dietetics/leafletsfor-patients-with-dementia/ A few practical tips for carers of people with dementia are: • Try regular snacks and small meals rather than set mealtimes. Finger foods are sometimes preferred • Presentation should be attractive and colourful, avoid serving white food on a white plate. Don’t overload the plate. • Avoid making food and drinks too hot • Calm, quiet music can reduce agitation – avoid distractions, for example, TV or loud music • Meals should be relaxed and unhurried and served where the person with dementia feels comfortable Try different flavours, colours and smells. The aroma of cooking can stimulate appetite. CONTACT US Foundation Trust Membership Office Airedale NHS Foundation Trust Airedale General Hospital Skipton Road, Steeton Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD20 6TD Tel: 01535 294540 Email: [email protected] www.airedale-trust.nhs.uk 4 If you need this newsletter in another format, for example large print, audio tape or Braille or in another language please contact us at the Membership Office. It is important that we have your latest details so we can stay in touch. If you change your name, address, phone number or email please let us know. Switch to email and save money and the environment – email us and we will do the rest. @AiredaleNHSFT Airedale features in the Dr Foster Hospital Guide top ten list of most recommended hospitals – the only one in Yorkshire. YOUR HOSPITAL Here to care