Harrogate District Hospital Porter’s hands featured on new NHS thank you badges

A porter at Harrogate District Hospital has had his hands cast in a melted-down 1939 vintage Spitfire main spar to form thank you badges, recognising the outstanding efforts of colleagues across the NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Faisal ‘Faz’ Yousaf, a porter as part of the Harrogate Integrated Facilities team at the hospital, is one of six NHS colleagues nationally who have taken part in the project in support of NHS Charities Together.

TMB Art Metal has created special 3D fundraising ‘Thank You’ pins to benefit NHS Charities Together. Initially consisting of a run of 5,000, the production of which TMB Art Metal is funding in entirety, the pins cost £25 each, £10 from the sale of each going to NHS Charities Together. The pin will be available exclusively from www.nhsthankyoupin.co.uk from Monday 21 June.

Called ‘A Symbol of Our Time’, the idea was formed to base the design around the hands of six members of NHS staff from the Covid frontline. They represent every member of the NHS who has cared for families, friends, communities and patients around the UK. With the help of NHS Charities. Using CAD technology their hands were amalgamated into a design based on clapping hands that has become the national symbol of gratitude to the NHS.

Faz was suggested by colleagues to be a part of this project. When the first wave of Covid-19 started, he was on the frontline in the Emergency Department as well as the admissions unit taking patients to and from Intensive Care. He works all around the hospital transporting patients, bloods, equipment as well collecting these from the villages nearby and from Leeds and this didn’t stop during the pandemic.

Faz said: “I was seeing first-hand the doctors and nurses who’d been in full PPE for 12, 13 hours coming out of Intensive Care, their expressions, body language and the scars the equipment made. Then in the days and weeks that followed it became a really proud achievement to have all my colleagues around me and to be a part of that team.

“I feel overwhelmed to be a part of this project. I’ve been here for around two years, and to me, my colleagues are not colleagues but friends and family. I have so much love and respect for all of them. I wouldn’t be here without their support.

“I feel so privileged to work alongside so many amazing doctors and nurses and when they call my name and ask for help with something, to do it as fast as I can in and safe manner is amazing. I love working with such amazing people and to represent them in this project is an absolute honour. From the start of patient care to the finish it’s a team effort. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

The pin is made from a very special material called Duralumin – a type of aluminium alloy – recycled from an actual World War Two Spitfire aircraft. This Spitfire, serial number ‘P7350’, first flew in August 1940 during the Battle of Britain and along with other Spitfire models became a symbol of bravery, resilience and hope during the Second World War.

Sammy Lambert, Business Development, Charity and Volunteer Manager: “I am delighted that we are involved in such a monumental project. Faz is an incredible colleague and a real asset to #teamHDFT. All of our colleagues across the Trust are so grateful to be part of such a lovely initiative to thank the NHS. I see first-hand the difference the monies raised through donations from projects such as this can make – thank you.”

Ellie Orton, Chief Executive of NHS Charities Together, said: “I love this project and want to thank Chris and the team at TMB Art Metal for everything they have done to raise funds for our Covid appeal. This new pin design is fantastic and a lovely tribute to the NHS staff who have worked so tirelessly to keep us all safe and well throughout the pandemic. I urge people to buy one, as it will mean we can do even more to support all NHS staff, volunteers and patients caught up in all this.”

ENDS

Harrogate Integrated Facilities Ltd (HIF) is a wholly owned subsidiary company of Harrogate and District Foundation Trust (HDFT) and supplies services to the hospital and community services with respect to Maintenance, Sterile Services, Portering, Catering, Equipment Library, Linen and Sewing Room, Security, Car Parking, General Office, Front Desk, Reception, Waste Management, Courier Services, Security Services and Domestics.

Karen Turner worked as a nurse for the NHS in her early 20s, and after many years working in the commercial world in travel and photography, she has recently joined #teamHDFT in a care support role.

At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic Karen was working part-time for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust as an administrator for Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy in Hambleton and Richmondshire.

She had already been considering re-joining the NHS in a clinical role after supporting her father through a long illness. The call to redeploy staff in response to Covid-19 prompted Karen to get in touch with HR and explain she was an ex Enrolled Nurse and could offer support with hands on care.

“I was keen to have a role with patient contact again and also wanted to help with the virus,” says Karen who is now working on Littondale Ward in a Care Support Worker role after completing the necessary training.

“Returning to the NHS just before the pandemic started, oddly gave me the opportunity to go back to hands on care, and it’s been a real privilege and very rewarding. It’s brought back skills that I thought I didn’t have any longer, and given me the opportunity to learn lots of new skills.

“Things have changed a great deal since I worked in the NHS over 30 years ago but you start remembering structures and care procedures on a ward very quickly.

“Being part of a team in an organisation where the focus is caring for others gives me a great sense of reward. At the end of a long shift walking out of the hospital, exhausted but knowing you have done something really worthwhile, is a great feeling.”

If you are interested in returning to work in the NHS, please contact our Careers Team [email protected].

Keen photographers are being encouraged to enter a calendar competition celebrating the invaluable contribution of Harrogate & District NHS staff and our local communities in response to coronavirus.

The competition is being organised by Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity (HHCC) and Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust. The Charity funds specialist equipment, training and services; going above and beyond the provision of the NHS to help raise funds for all the departments and services at the Trust for the benefit of all patients and their families.

The winning entries will feature in the HHCC 2021 calendar and a number will be displayed on the corridor walls at Harrogate District Hospital. The calendar will be available to buy to support the important work of HHCC.

The theme of this year’s competition is to capture inspiring and original photos which highlight the incredible contribution NHS workers have made over the last few months and to celebrate the incredible support from the local community.

Charity Manager, Sammy Lambert, said: “We’re looking forward to seeing the creative images that people come up with to celebrate the contribution of NHS staff and the amazing communities that have stepped up in ways we have never seen before.

“The competition theme can be interpreted in many ways and pictures could include landscapes or people – it’s really about what’s inspired you during these challenging times.

“We are extremely grateful to the local community for their continued support and the calendar will be a wonderful way to share people’s experiences.”

One of last year’s winners, Anita Thompson, added: “I was delighted to find out that my pictures would be featured in the calendar and they look amazing in print. I take great pride in my photography and it’s great to know that my work is helping such a worthwhile charity, while also giving so many people the pleasure of seeing my pictures.”

Local communities and staff across Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust are invited to enter the photo calendar competition. The Trust is the principal provider of hospital services to the population of Harrogate and Rural District and North Leeds and provides a range of specialist Community Health Services. These include a wide range of community-based services for both adults and children. The Trust is the principal provider of 0-19 Community Children’s services in North Yorkshire, Middlesbrough, Darlington, County Durham, Stockton-On-Tees, Sunderland, and Gateshead localities.

Entries must be submitted by Monday 17 August 2020 at midnight and the winners will be notified the week commencing 24 August 2020 by phone and/or email.

Full details of the competition and how to enter can be found at https://hhcc.co.uk/events/photo-competition/

All entries should be submitted via [email protected]

Any queries or questions please email: [email protected] or call 01423 557408.

New mums in Stockton borough looking for support, advice and guidance about infant feeding are able to access an enhanced range of virtual NHS support during the Coronavirus pandemic thanks to the efforts of the Stockton Infant Feeding Team.

In National Breastfeeding Celebration Week 2020 (1-7 June), the Team is raising awareness about the new initiatives that have been put in place to support new mums with any feeding and mental health queries including video appointments, the use of social media, and telephone calls.

This year’s theme is supporting breastfeeding during COVID-19 and the Infant Feeding Team is keen to help mums stay connected and supported.

Facebook support

The popular Facebook page is being used as a form of digital support for mums with a messaging facility and a daily virtual breastfeeding support group which mums can access and make a video call appointment.

The Team has received very positive feedback for providing helpful, clear information in a positive way.

Proactive calls

Proactive calls are also being offered by a team of public health nurses and have proved effective in supporting mums with breastfeeding during the coronavirus pandemic.

Service Manager, Sarah Massiter, said: “Our virtual breastfeeding clinics are a way of reaching out and continuing the support within our Stockton community and we’re delighted to raise awareness of the work we are doing in National Breastfeeding Celebration Week.

“It has been a challenge for everyone up and down the country to adapt to new ways of working due to the pandemic and we are really pleased that our new ways of keeping in touch are working well for mums. We’ve had some really positive feedback and it’s important that mums know we are still here to provide much-needed support, guidance and advice.”

The Stockton Infant Feeding Team works to provide advice and support around Infant Feeding in Stockton and the surrounding area to improve wider health inequalities. The team delivers support to mums via a small team of health visitors, a Staff Nurse, a Specialist Infant Feeding Practitioner and volunteers.

The Team is part of Growing Healthy Stockton-On-Tees which provides school nursing and health visiting services across the borough, provided by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust is stepping up the use of digital video consultations which will help to support patients during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.

Video consultations are being trialled as appropriate across a number of departments which helps staff and patients maintain social distancing and limit the spread of the virus.

As the Trust moves into the ‘recovery phase’ of elective work in the NHS, the use of video consultations and phone calls will continue with our patients.

However, it’s important that patients know if they need to be seen face to face, then arrangements will be made for this and referrals will be reviewed as soon as they are received. Patients with a high clinical need will be seen as soon as possible and suspected cancer referrals will be given the highest priority.

Over the last few weeks, video consultations have been used to speak to patients as required, for example for some pre-arranged appointment times set up by the relevant department.

Patients are directly advised if they are eligible for a video consultation by the relevant department in the Trust and they can then choose if they wish to use the service.

The digital consultations allow patients to consult with their clinician remotely through a video feed on their own device, including phones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers.

One of the departments which has been trialling video consultations is Cardiology.

Clinical Lead Nurse for Cardiology, Emma Edgar, said: “Video consultations are a useful resource to have especially in a time of pandemic and gives us the opportunity to support patients and assess problems. We are currently in the trial stages of using the technology and assessing for which patient group a video call would be helpful and practicable.

“The technology is secure and you can rely on its confidentiality. My patients have found it relatively easy to use but of course we continue to support patients who may not have access to technology.

“Recently, a cardiology patient contacted me as he had a recurrence of his heart rhythm problem. I made an appointment for him in my clinic and we had a video consultation during which I was able to assess the problem and come up with a treatment plan.”

Clinical Informatics Lead at the Trust Dr Matt Shepherd said: “We are all currently having to adapt to new ways of working and it is important that we make use of every opportunity to support our patients.

“Our priority is always to give the best quality care and we are pleased to be able to offer this as an option to our patients, where appropriate.”

Where video consultation appointments are available patients have the opportunity to discuss their options fully. If patients decide to use a video consultation they are provided with all of the relevant information they require ahead of their appointment. Any feedback provided by patients who use the video consultations is channelled back into improving the patient experience.

It is important to remember that we are here for anyone who needs emergency care: please call 999 in a life-threatening emergency. For anything less serious please visit 111.nhs.uk or call NHS 111.

A long-standing and much valued member of the NHS team at Harrogate and District NHS Trust has retired after 35 years working in Radiology.

Pat Hudson, 58, lives in Harrogate and joined the department in 1983. She went on to become Deputy Radiology Manager and lead Radiation Protection Supervisor at the Trust’s Harrogate District Hospital.

Among the highlights of her career include working with the Joints Injections Service to support patients with pain relieving injections guided by imaging techniques.

Pat also enjoyed supporting newly qualified Radiographers in the Radiology Department as they progressed in their careers.

She said: “Managing and watching our students grow from newly qualified to experienced Radiographers has been a very rewarding part of my role.

“I will also miss the satisfaction that I have made a difference to patients suffering with severe chronic joint pain, in some cases providing instant relief.

“I’ve been lucky to have such an interesting and varied career working with some fantastic colleagues, many of whom have become life-long friends. Recently has been a challenging time of course and I’ve never been prouder than watching how the Radiology department has risen to these challenges with good grace, humour and efficiency.

“I’ve always felt at home working here… it’s like being part of a big family and I will miss everyone a great deal.”

Pat is officially retired but is planning to help out in the department on a part-time basis until the end of August.

She is looking forward to travelling once the restrictions are lifted and spending time with her family, three dogs and her old horse Ringo.

Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity is launching a new online raffle with some fabulous prizes to be won as part of its on-going fundraising efforts.

The raffle is now open and members of the public can get involved with the chance of winning some brilliant prizes whilst maintaining social distancing.

The proceeds will go towards the Charity’s work to fund specialist equipment, training and services going above and beyond the provision of the NHS to help improve treatment and facilities to benefit patients and their families.

The raffle includes a top prize of ‘A Leeds Rhinos Match Day Experience’. This includes a pair of tickets (valued at approximately £400) as guests of Members of the Leeds Rhinos Directors Club, to attend a Betfred Super League match at the Emerald Headingley Stadium, with a suitable date arranged with the recipient. This amazing prize includes collection and return transport to Emerald Headingley Stadium from a single address in the Harrogate district and match day hospitality.

There is also a £50 voucher which can be used on any treatment or hair consultation at Kin & Co Hairdressers in Harrogate, an exquisite unique hand painted duck egg, a luxurious day out with chauffer service from Yorkshire Executive Hire, and lots of packs of 12 x 250ml Slingsby solo gin ready mixed bottles!

Business Development, Charity and Volunteer Manager, Sammy Lambert, said: “A huge thank you to all the local businesses and individuals who are supporting our online raffle. We are hoping it proves popular and supports our important work raising funds for all the departments and services at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.

“By entering our raffle, people are helping us do more for our colleagues, patients and their families during this difficult time. We are extremely grateful to members of the public who have been fundraising for Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity for supporting their local NHS.”

Tickets for the raffle cost £2 and people can enter here.