NEWS FOR NHS LANARKSHIRE STAFF • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
Page 6
Page 12
GET MORE THAN
BOOKS AT LIBRARIES
Hair-raising
experience!
Success
in site
HEALTH Secretary Nicola Sturgeon paid
a visit to Wishaw General’s refurbished
neonatal unit during NHS Lanarkshire’s
annual review in August.
The health board made some
tremendous progress in the last year
and was able to highlight various
successes during the review.
These included achieving our targets
for cancer appointments and treatment,
and achieving our health improvement
targets in dental registration, suicide
prevention training, alcohol brief
interventions, smoking cessation and
inequalities health checks.
Another success was the completion
of a £1 million refurbishment of
Wishaw General’s neonatal unit.
Ms Sturgeon visited the unit to meet
patients, families, and staff, and to see
the new facilities.
GREETINGS: Nicola Sturgeon meets with
Samuel Ibhanesebhor, NHS Lanarkshire’s
consultant neonatologist and Violet
Drummond, staff midwife
TURN TO PAGE 10 FOR MORE,
WE’RE ON BUDGET
Chief executive praises positive start to savings projects and staff support
ENCOURAGING progress has
been made with our financial
performance in the first quarter
report for 2010/11.
This has been achieved through
sound management against
budgets and good progress with
efficiency schemes.
Tim Davison, NHS Lanarkshire’s
chief executive, said: “It is a
positive start and one which we
thank all staff for their continued
efforts in supporting and managing
ALSO INSIDE
budgets and in progressing the
savings projects.
“There are, however, new pressures, such as the VAT increase,
which will mean that further action
will be required to achieve our
target savings this financial year.”
A full report on the financial
position and the efficiency savings
projects’ progress was provided to
the Board at its meeting in July.
A copy of the Board update is
available on NHS Lanarkshire’s
site at www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk
within the Board Papers’ section.
Recent media coverage has
reported the fact that Scotland is
facing the biggest financial challenge since devolution.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health
and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon
confirmed in the media that “the
NHS is facing serious financial
challenges and that any increase in
the health budget next year will be
much, much smaller than the
increases the health service has forward in partnership and we will
continue to fully engage with all
been used to in recent years.”
Anne Armstrong, chair of the staff on this issue.
“You can continue to support this
Area Clinical Forum, said: “While
we are continuing to concentrate on process by identifying areas for
developing the efficiency projects savings which can be submitted via
and progressing the savings plans your line manager, staff side/clinical
for this financial year, we need to professional representative or the
start now to identify potential FirstPort discussion forum.”
saving areas for next year to meet
You can participate in the
the challenging times ahead.”
discussion forum online at
Lilian Macer, employee director,
added: “This work is being taken http://maintainingfinancialhealth
NEWS ACROSS THE DIVISIONS • TRAINING UPDATE • YOUR STORIES • YOUR HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE
2 thePulse GENERAL NEWS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
Patients to benefit from one-site vascular service
Contents
CONTINUING
IN RIGHT VEIN
PLEDGE TO CUT POLLUTION: (from
left) Councillors Hamish Stewart and
Eddie McAvoy with NHS Lanarkshire
chairman Ken Corsar. See page 4.
4-9 GENERAL NEWS
Call for staff to save energy; new e-learning system
goes live; focus on library service; get a new
computer tax free; record violent incidents; and its
vital for staff to talk about transplant decisions.
10-11 SPECIAL REPORT
Annual review of NHS Lanarkshire’s progress
towards meeting targets and developing services.
12-14 LOCAL, DISTRICT, PARTNERSHIP NEWS
Staff and patients celebrate drop-in centre
birthday; and new group provides support to
families of babies in new neonatal unit.
16 PEOPLE NEWS
Staff say farewell to work and hello to retirement.
20 ACHIEVEMENTS
Staff perform on the radio and coach sports stars.
Editorial policy
As the staff newspaper of NHS Lanarkshire, The Pulse aims to celebrate
the work and achievements of staff and services. It also shares
information about the changes and issues that affect staff at work.
We would like to hear your thoughts and suggestions about the kind
of stories you would like to see in The Pulse. Contact the team (below)
with your stories, comments and ideas.
Got a story?
If you have any ideas,
stories or features you
would like to see included, or
would just like to tell us what you
think of The Pulse, please get in
touch with a member of the
editorial team...
Martin Stirling
01698 245069
Michelle Nobes
(Hairmyres)
01355 585325
Christine McNeill
(Monklands)
01236 713065
Yvonne Ross
(Wishaw General)
01698 366558
The deadline for
contributions to
the next issue is
Friday 8 October
A PROPOSAL to concentrate the
existing two-site provision of
inpatient vascular services to one
inpatient centre at Hairmyres
Hospital was approved by the NHS
Lanarkshire Board in July.
The proposal, which was
supported by a wide range of stakeholders, will result in improved
quality of service and clinical
outcomes for patients.
Dr Jane Burns, consultant anaesthetist and divisional medical
director, said: “We welcome the
Board’s decision.
“It is good news for patients as
evidence has shown that the concentration of this specialist service will
provide better patient outcomes.”
In 2006, NHS Lanarkshire recognised the benefits that could be
derived from concentrating inpatient
vascular surgery on fewer sites
and the first stage of this was
implemented in May 2007.
It was clarified at this time that it
was a first step in a phased move
towards a single inpatient vascular
centre for Lanarkshire.
Jane continued: “We felt it was
Off to a
Healthy
Start
NHS LANARKSHIRE is encouraging
local women to embrace a healthy
start to motherhood.
The Healthy Start Scheme is an
initiative which allows some new
mums to receive free vouchers (each
worth £3.10) which can be exchanged
for milk, fresh fruit and vegetables,
as well as infant formula milk.
Healthy Start beneficiaries are
also entitled to free vitamins.
Vitamin supplements for pregnant
women and women with a baby up
to one year are available in tablet
form and contain folic acid and
vitamins C and D.
Children’s vitamin drops – which
contain vitamins A, C and D – are
also available for children from six
months to four years of age.
Lizzy Hammond, nutritionist,
maternal and infant nutrition, said:
“Unfortunately, Lanarkshire doesn’t
have a great uptake rate for Healthy
Start vitamin supplements.
“However, we want to change
all that and NHS Lanarkshire has
committed itself to improving
Patients will
benefit from
the concentration
of the clinical
expertise and from
the co-location with
the interventional
radiology service,
which is now a
key aspect of
vascular surgery”
important to revisit this strategic
intent and undertook a wide review
of the service, which culminated in
a stakeholder event in June to
consider the proposal and identify
a preferred site.
“We had significant support within
the stakeholder event to proceed to
a single site and for that site to be
Hairmyres Hospital.”
Increasing numbers of vascular
interventions are being done as day
cases and surgical interventions
have become less invasive.
Smaller numbers of patients
require vascular surgery as an inpatient and this tends to be more
complex surgery.
Jane added: “Patients will benefit
from the concentration of the
clinical expertise and from the
co-location with the interventional
radiology service which is now a key
aspect of vascular surgery.”
Patients requiring vascular day
case surgery will be treated within
the three acute hospitals, and
community and hospital vascular
outpatient services will continue to
be provided from nine locations
throughout Lanarkshire.
Director of Acute Ser vices
Rosemary Lyness said: “Planning
work will now take place for the
service change to take effect by the
end of 2010.
“In developing the implementation plans, we will ensure appropriate communications take place
with patients, GPs and the Scottish
Ambulance Service.”
HELP FOR NEW
MUMS: Lizzy
Hammond with
the Healthy Start
Guidance Pack
the delivery of
Healthy Start by supporting health
professionals and organisations
working with pregnant women,
breastfeeding mothers and children
in the early years living in lowincome households.”
A Healthy Start Guidance pack has
now been developed specifically for
Lanarkshire containing information
on the scheme, how it can be
promoted, details on the vouchers and
vitamins, what resources are available
and vitamin distribution centres.
To support the guidance pack,
awareness-raising sessions are
being held across Lanarkshire.
Healthy Start is available to
pregnant women and families with
children under four years who are
on Income Support, Income-based
Jobseeker’s Allowance, Incomerelated Employment and Support
Allowance or Child Tax Credit (but
not Working Tax Credit) with an
income below £16,190 (2010/2011).
All pregnant women under 18
years old qualify for Healthy Start.
For more information on Healthy
Start or training, email lizzy.
[email protected]
GENERAL NEWS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
In brief…
support network
e AhasNEW
been established for
physiotherapy support workers
within NHS Lanarkshire.
The aim of the Physiotherapy
Support Workers Group is to
provide an opportunity for
colleagues to share information
about learning opportunities and
other issues that affect this group.
It also enables the networking
and sharing of good practice
across their varied roles,
contributing to the development
of learning opportunities for
physiotherapy support workers.
A development day is planned
for 6 October within the Ronald
Miller Suite at Wishaw General.
All physiotherapy support
workers are encouraged to attend
this exciting event and there will
various topics of interest
presented with guest speakers.
If you would like to attend or
receive further details of the
group, contact chairperson
Carina Miller at carina.miller@
lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
carers in
e UNPAID
Lanarkshire are set to benefit
from two new documents
produced by NHS Lanarkshire’s
Carers Information Strategy Group.
The documents are a leaflet
entitled “Information for Carers”
and a primary care pack entitled
“Carers Information Pack”.
These will be distributed to all
GP practices in Lanarkshire.
For further information,
contact a member of the carer
support team who can direct you to
the most appropriate person. See
page 7 for contact details.
3
Focus on financial squeeze
NHS Lanarkshire teamed up
with the Lanarkshire Citizens
Advice Bureaux and Credit Union
Alliance, to hold an event to help
people through the current
financial crises.
The event at Hamilton Racecourse
looked at the impact of the financial
squeeze and offered practical solutions to allow agencies to work
better together to help support
health and wellbeing.
Among the speakers was Alex
Neil, Cabinet Secretary for Housing
and Communities.
NHS Lanarkshire’s Kevin O’Neill
said: “Tough times can often bring
financial problems for people which
in some cases, can impact of their
health, particularly mental health.
“For example, if someone
becomes ill, they may need to take
time off work which can badly affect
their finances which can lead to
stress. Similarly, if they are in debt
or struggling with money, this can
also affect their health – especially
their mental health.
“The two areas often impact on
each other and the conference
brought experts from finance,
financial advice and health agencies
together to look at ways of how we
can best support people who find
themselves in these situations.”
To find your local Citizens Advice
Bureau in Lanarkshire, visit:
www.cablanarkshire.org.uk
CENTRE OPENS
Carluke facility will serve the community better
THE new £14m Carluke
Community Health Centre has
opened for business.
The facility, on Chapel Street,
replaces the previous health
centre in Market Place.
Marilyn Aitken, NHS Lanarkshire
general manager for South East
Unit of South L anarkshire
Community Health Partnership
(CHP), said: “The new Carluke
Community Health Centre will
allow NHS Lanarkshire to provide
high-quality services in brand new,
fit-for-purpose premises.
“The centre provides a significant
number of benefits for the local
community and delivers a vastly
improved facility for the provision
of community health services.”
Built over three levels, the new
centre will house two GP practices, High Mill (formerly Dr
Workman practice) and St Luke’s
(formerly Dr Stewart practice), a
general dental practice (Carluke
Dental Studio) and a wide range
of community services.
The new facility will enable the
delivery of patient care from
purpose-built accommodation
with dedicated consulting suites
and treatment rooms.
To make it easy to contact the
GP and general dental practices,
each of them will continue to use
their existing telephone numbers.
The general dental practice
will have an additional surgery
which will enable the practice to
significantly increase the level of
service provided.
The community ser vices
accommodation includes space
for a wide rage of clinical
services, including:
q podiatry
q speech and language therapy
q dentistry
q physiotherapy
EXPERTS: The event was
held at Hamilton race course
Have a say
in survey
THE TEAM: from left – Carol Wallace, health
centre administrator, Audrey Telfer, community
staff nurse, Karen McCusker, charge nurse,
Janette Carlin, clerical officer, and Yvonne Carlin,
administration and clerical assistant
initiative to encourage
e AN
members of the public to take
more exercise has won an award.
The GP Exercise Scheme is a
joint initiative between NHS
Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire
Leisure and it was given the
accolade by the Institute for Parks
and Leisure which is funded by the
Scottish Government through
Health Scotland.
The scheme allows GPs to give
people whose health would
improve through physical activity,
access to leisure centres free of
charge for an eight-week period
then half price for three months.
Since it was launched in 2004,
more than 2000 people have taken
part with over a third still
exercising after a year.
Sheila Dorrens said: “The award
is tremendous recognition for all
the hard work put into the project.”
thePulse
q adult mental health
q health education
q alcohol and drugs service
q community nurse team offices.
Plans for the centre were
developed in partnership with
members of the public and the
project group has benefited
from the inclusion of representatives from Clydesdale Public
Partnership Forum (CLPPF).
Irene Miller, chairperson of the
CLPPF, said: “I’m delighted to see
that Carluke Community Health
Centre has opened. The centre is
a magnificent facility, allowing
people to access a wide range
of health ser vices in one
convenient location.”
Anne Lindsay, vice chairperson
of the CLPPF, added: “We really
enjoyed participating in the
meetings with NHS Lanarkshire
and representing the thoughts of
the local community.”
STAFF will
have their
chance to give
their views of
working in the health
service through this
year’s NHSScotland
national staff
survey. It takes
place from 18 October
to 5 November.
The questionnaire should only take
15 minutes to complete. It focuses on
employees’ key issues of concern.
It asks your views on being: kept
well informed; appropriately trained;
involved in decisions which affect you;
treated fairly and consistently; and
provided with an improved and safe
working environment.
Your feedback on these issues will
help NHS Lanarkshire see where we
are doing well and where further
improvements need to be made.
The survey, which is confidential,
will be available electronically and in
paper format. You are encouraged to
complete the questionnaire online
where possible.
Check the weekly staff briefing
for further details.
Plans are
in place
THE importance of comprehensive
business continuity arrangements
is being highlighted to staff across
NHS Lanarkshire.
Business continuity planning
ensures we are ready to respond
to a major disruption to services –
whether it is a flood, fire or power
cut.
Individual departments are
responsible for ensuring they have
business continuity plans in place
for their own services. All the
individual plans will be made
available on FirstPort in the
coming weeks.
Staff can also access NHS
Lanarkshire’s overall Business
Continuity Policy on FirstPort.
4 thePulse GENERAL NEWS
In brief…
chaplaincy team at
e THE
Hairmyres has recently
taken the step of revamping the
provision of worship available
to staff and patients.
Worship is now held in the new
sanctuary area on Sundays at 2.15
pm, with patients returning to the
wards for the visiting hour at 3pm.
Chaplain Derek Peat said: “Our
team of NHS chaplains elected to
hold worship later in the day.
Given that visiting time
is from 3pm-4pm, the new time
allows patients to worship
while in hospital and then be back
in their ward when their loved
ones visit.
“This move also allows family
and friends who are coming to visit
to arrive a little earlier and join in
worship if they wish.”
The change in time has seen an
increase in the number of patients
worshipping in the hospital,
but this has presented a new
challenge – more helpers are
needed to escort patients to and
from their wards.
Chaplain Jim Hastie added: “We
recognise that it is difficult to ask
people to give up some of their
Sunday afternoon to carry out this
valued task, but if we can
get a number of people involved
then the frequency of help needed
would be less.
“It is also something that allows
volunteers to be part of the
spiritual care community in
the hospital, and hopefully feel
spiritually nourished by being
part of the team.”
Call 01355 584301 for more
information.
NEW DVD has been
e Alaunched
for healthcare
professionals wishing to develop
their clinical supervision skills.
The DVD, entitled Make Room
for Clinical Supervision, was
developed in collaboration with
NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Ayrshire
and Arran (NHSAA) and the
University of the West of Scotland.
Pauline Hanlon, practice
improvement and development
nurse, mental health and learning
disabilities, said: “It is an
information resource for all
healthcare professionals who are
new to clinical supervision and
includes demonstrations, reading
materials, reference lists, local
policies and guidelines.”
Following its launch on
3 September at the NHS
Celebrating Lanarkshire
conference, the DVD will be
available to teams and services
within NHS Lanarkshire and
NHSAA. The DVD will also be
incorporated into two forthcoming
clinical supervision modules at
the University.
For more details on the DVD
or to order a copy, call Pauline
on 01698 366011 or email pauline.
[email protected]
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
STAFF are being asked to turn off
their PCs, monitors and printers
at the end of every day to help
save NHS Lanarkshire millions
of pounds.
By leaving PCs and monitors on
standby, individual staff members
could be wasting £27 a year.
Not only is this wasting money –
it is unnecessarily increasing our
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
NHS Lanarkshire’s head of
sustainability and environment
Marie Porteous said: “People can
make a major difference by taking
small steps.
“Everyone should ensure their PC
and monitor is switched off, not just
on standby, at the end of every day.
“Printers and photocopiers should
be switched off when not in use.
“Lights should also be switched
off and heating turned down or off
when not needed.”
It pays to be energy efficient
Appliance
Annual cost
PC (Hard Drive)
£17
Conventional monitor
£10
Flat-screen monitor
£3
Laser printer
£21
Photocopier
£42
Fax
£6
Lighting (per m2)
£2
Figures based on Energy Saving
Trust studies leaving devices on
standby for 16 hours Mon-Fri and
24 hours Sat-Sun.
NHS Lanarkshire signed up to the
Carbon Trust Carbon Management
Programme in 2008 and was set a
target to reduce carbon dioxide
emissions by 15 per cent by 2014
– which would save £5.1 million.
In an office of 45m2 with 12
computers and monitors, three
printers and a fax, the cost of
leaving these items on standby
every night and at weekends would
potentially be £483 every year.
Other appliances
Appliance Usage
Annual Cost
Kettle
10 times a day
£54
Desk fan 10 hours a week £2.60
Mobile phone charger
On standby
£2.50
To meet the 15 per cent target
NHS Lanarkshire is aiming to reduce
emissions by about 5911 tonnes of
CO2 every year.
Emissions have been cut through
various projects including the
Christina’s
on her bike!
Pledge
to cut
pollution
NHS Lanarkshire demonstrated
its commitment to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions when it
recently signed Scotland’s Climate
Change Declaration.
Chairman Ken Corsar joined
with councillors Hamish Stewart
and Eddie McAvoy, from South
Lanarkshire Council, at the Low
Carbon House in South
Lanarkshire College in June to
sign the declaration.
Scotland’s Climate Change
Declaration acknowledges the
reality and importance of climate
change and is a means of
demonstrating local leadership
and commitment to action.
The declaration includes
commitments both to mitigate our
impact on climate change through
reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and to adapt to
predicted climate change impacts.
The declaration was developed
by a group of 12 organisations in a
process supported as part of
Changing Our Ways: Scotland’s
Climate Change Programme.
They included:
q Scottish Government
q Convention of Scottish Local
Authorities
q SOLACE Scotland
q Sustainable Scotland Network
q Energy Saving Trust
q Carbon Trust
q Local Energy Support Programme
q UK Climate Impacts Programme
q Scotland and Northern Ireland
Forum for Environmental Research.
replacement of some windows,
boilers and light fittings.
The health board is currently on
course to meet its target but it will
only succeed if staff take personal
responsibility ensuring energy is
not wasted.
What you can do:
q Turn off your monitor when you
are away from your desk
q Turn down your heating or turn it
off completely when it is not needed
q Shut down PCs and switch them off
at the wall at the end of each day (PCs
still use power when shut down)
q Also switch monitors off at the
wall (monitors automatically go
into standby when PCs are shut
down but this is not switched off)
q Printers and photocopiers are all
switched off at the wall at the end
of every day
q All lights are switched off when
not needed.
A MONKLANDS hospital
support worker is the first in
NHS Lanarkshire to get a bike
through the cycle to work
scheme.
Christina Caldow applied for
a bike as soon as the launch of
the scheme was announced on
the computer screen wallpaper
back in June.
Christina, who works in the
hospital’s renal unit, collected
her bike on 21 July, and has
been using it regularly to cycle
to work from her home in
Rocsoles, Airdrie.
Christina said: “It was costing
me a fortune to get to work –
about £10 a day on taxi fares.
I recently moved to Rocsoles
which made the journey a bit
cheaper but it was still costing
me a lot of money.
“As soon as I saw the scheme
had been launched, I decided to
make use of it.”
She added: “The other big
attraction for me was I wanted
to get fitter.
“On the days I don’t cycle, I
walk and already I’m feeling
much better.”
The cycle to work scheme
gives staff the chance to get
themselves a bicycle and associated equipment up to the
value of £1000.
The introduction is part of
NHS Lanarkshire’s Travel Plan
launched in 2008 to encourage
more sustainable travel within
the organisation.
SIGNED UP: (from left) Councillors
Hamish Stewart and Eddie McAvoy with
NHS Lanarkshire chairman Ken Corsar
To find out more about
the scheme, visit
www.cyclescheme.co.uk and click
on the employees tab or visit the
travel section on FirstPort.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
GENERAL NEWS
thePulse
5
Great feedback from trainees and departments
A GOVERNMENT project to boost
young people’s job prospects is
proving a big success for both NHS
Lanarkshire and the trainees taken
on by the health board.
NHS Lanarkshire undertook the
Government’s Future Jobs Fund in
October 2009 and the first trainees
began in January of this year for a
period of 26 weeks.
Recruitment advisor Sarah Glass
said: “The feedback we received both
from the trainees and from the
participating departments has been
extremely positive.
“To date, we have 55 confirmed
posts within NHS Lanarkshire and,
so far, 41 trainees are currently
NEW SKILLS: Some of
the Future Job Fund
trainees who voted
the scheme a hit
working throughout the organisation
in a number of clerical and allied
health professional roles.”
Although the initiative aims to
provide young people with the skills
to undertake permanent employment,
it has also given people the chance to
discover new interests.
SYSTEMS
ARE GO!
THE LEARNPRO TEAM: (from left) Jackie
Fitzpatrick, Jan Shand and Agnes Robb
with the new system
Paul Langton worked in Strathclyde
Hospital’s communications
department for the six months.
He said: “I had never worked with
websites before, but because of this
opportunity, I have now discovered a
new career path.”
The first of the trainees have now
completed their 26-week contract.
Andrew Mushet, who has worked
within the HR division at Law House,
said: “I have received a lot of new
skills through professional clerical
training and met a lot of new people.
This has really improved my
communication skills and confidence.”
Another of the trainees, Deborah
Graham, has been working within
health records at Hairmyres Hospital.
She has secured permanent
employment with NHS Lanarkshire.
She is now looking forward to
starting her new position within
Blantyre Health Centre.
NHS Lanarkshire is now beginning
phase two of the Future Jobs Fund.
Due to the success of the initiative,
some managers have taken on
additional trainees and other
departments are preparing to
commence the process and take on
their first trainees.
To find out more, contact Sarah
on 01698 3777762 or email
[email protected]
New e-learning resource
will allow staff to complete
mandatory training online
A HOST of training opportunities
will soon be available at your
fingertips courtesy of a new
e-learning system.
The online LearnPro training
application will be launched in
September and is available to all
NHS Lanarkshire staff.
The first course will be module
one in Prevention and Management
of Violence and Aggression
(PaMOVA), which is mandatory for
all staff and must be repeated every
three years.
In addition, a wide variety of
e-learning training programmes will
be available via LearnPro soon.
Jan Shand, NHS Lanarkshire
manager for PaMOVA, said: “We
received funding from the Healthy
Working Lives Challenges Fund to
develop e-learning for the preventions and management of violence
and aggression.
“After researching the available
resources, we concluded that the
LearnPro system fitted our needs.
“LearnPro has added bonuses. It
offers e-learning training on a huge
range of other mandatory topics
To use the LearnPro system,
follow these steps:
q Visit the LearnPro website at
https://nhs.learnprouk.com
q Register on the system (you
will need your payroll number).
q Access the training modules
you wish to undertake or which
have been allocated to you.
q Once you have completed
the learning module you will do
an assessment to ensure you
have gained the relevant
knowledge required (you can
re-sit the assessment but the
questions will change).
which will be made available in due
course.
“LearnPro will enable us to
provide refresher PaMOVA training
to existing staff through an
online system.
“It will help maximise everybody’s
safety by helping in the prevention
and management of violence and
aggression.”
NHS Lanarkshire’s LearnPro
project team – Jan, Agnes Robb,
training manager, and Jackie
Fitzpatrick, administration manager
for organisational development –
will be working closely with the
other Scottish health boards that
already use the system to determine
which existing training courses can
be amended for use in Lanarkshire.
Agnes said: “The system has
numerous benefits. It is available to
all staff, it can be accessed from the
office or from home, it is an alternative mode of learning to face-toface training, and people can do the
course at their own pace.
“People can build up their own
learning plan and it can be specifically tailored to their role and to
their personal development plan.
“You can also select training in
areas that may not necessarily be
vital in your role but that you have
an interest in.
“And there’s the added bonus that
it reduces the time and cost spent
on staff travelling to and from
training courses.”
For more details on the LearnPro
system, contact Jackie on 01698
377794 or email jackie.fitzpatrick@
lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk or Jan on
01236 707198 or jan.shand@lanarkshire.
scot.nhs.uk or call Agnes on 01698 377790
or email her at agnes.robb@
lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
6 thePulse GENERAL NEWS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
BEYOND BOOKS
There’s a huge range of useful resources at NHS Lanarkshire’s libraries
A FANTASTIC range of services and
resources – including books,
jour nals, DVDs and training
materials – are readily available at
NHS Lanarkshire’s libraries.
Our libraries provide much more
than just an extensive range of publications and research materials for
medical staff in hospitals.
Amanda Minns, library services
manager, said: “The librar y
service has changed enormously in
recent years.
“From the old, traditional ‘Drs
libraries’ the libraries now offer a
dynamic, modern service which is
available to all staff, whether they
work in the community, in hospitals
or in an administration role.
“You don’t have to physically
enter a library to use our services,
you can book and order resources
online which can be delivered to
your work address, and journal
articles and resources can be sent
electronically.”
The professional library team can
provide a variety of training courses,
health props for events, DVDs, and
leaflets. They can also develop
information packs on request, order
required books and materials, and
help with the development of new
policies and strategies.
All staff can benefit from the
services available.
Amanda said: “Our literature
search, for example, is free. If you
wish to look into a particular area
of patient care, legislation or health
issue, we will go away, check
through all the available resources
and research and provide an electronic list of the most relevant
SEARCHERS: Your library
assistants: from left, Ruth
Ross, Wishaw Library,
Karen Watson,
Hairmyres Library, and
Maureen Graham, Health
Promotion Library
q The library service has libraries
scattered throughout Lanarkshire,
in each of the acute hospitals and
at Law House.
q The library service has access to
more than 25,000 books on all
areas of medicine and health, as
well as topics such as management,
leadership, IT and aspects of HR such
as interviewing and recruitment.
q The library service also has
access to more than 100 journal
titles, videos, DVDs, courier
boards, models and is the central
distribution point for health leaflets
in Lanarkshire.
Amanda said: “I want to persuade
all NHS Lanarkshire staff the library
service is there for them and can
help in a wide variety of ways.
“We’re happy to come out to your
location and speak with teams about
the services we offer.
“We want to raise people’s
expectations of their library service.
Contact us to find out what we can
do for you.”
research and publications with
hyperlinks to relevant free information.
“Library staff have professional
skills in this work and can ensure
you get the most accurate and
relevant infor mation quickly
and easily.
“Why spend your own time doing
this when a quick call will let us do the
work for you and allow you to concentrate on your own areas of expertise
and help improve patient services.”
The library team can also help
provide resources for health events
and teaching materials for staff,
teachers and local community groups.
Amanda said: “We have a wide
range of resources which can be
used by staff and the general public,
such as schools and businesses, for
health promotion purposes.
“We have a variety of displays
which can be used to demonstrate
various health issues, including a
smoker’s lung and beer goggles to
demonstrate the dangers of smoking
and alcohol.”
The service can also provide staff
with a variety of training courses,
including an overview of the library
services and Scottish Health Libraries
Catalogue (Shelcat) database, doing
research and using medical databases. There is also a variety of
courses for administrative staff.
For more information on the library
services available, including the
Shelcat database, which allows you to
view available resources at other
libraries, visit the service’s page on
FirstPort or call Wishaw Library on 01698
366316; Hairmyres Library on 01355
585487 or the Health Promotion Library
at Law House on 01698 377600.
Get a new computer tax free
Shows to shift
attitudes
LANARKSHIRE will once again
be hosting a number of exciting
events as part of the annual
Scottish Mental Health Arts and
Film Festival.
The Scottish Mental Health Arts
and Film Festival, which will take
place from 1 to 24 October, aims to
transform social attitudes towards
mental health.
Now in its fourth year, the festival
has become one of Scotland’s most
significant cultural events.
Avril Thomson, NHS Lanarkshire
senior health promotion officer, said:
Did you know?
“The multi-arts festival aims to
promote positive mental health in
the context of equality and social
justice, explore the relationship
between the mind and creativity,
and create a dialogue with the
public, the media and the arts about
what mental health means to us all.”
For further information on the festival events in Lanarkshire,
visit the festival website www.mhfestival.com or the Lanarkshire
festival website www.lanarkshirementalhealth.org.uk/promoting-well-being/
mental_health_festival/ You can also contact Avril on 01698
377626, or email [email protected]
AS an NHS Lanarkshire employee you
have the chance to join a fantastic
scheme which allows staff to enjoy a
high-specification, brand new
computer at home using a tax-efficient salary sacrifice arrangement.
Staff who took part in the 2007
scheme can take part again.
Brochures will be sent to all eligible
staff. If you do not want to receive
the brochure please inform payroll.
Payment for your computer is
made over 36 months out of your
gross pay, making savings on tax
and national insurance.
Benefits of the scheme include:
q Convenient, affordable, fixed
reduction to your salary
q Get a brand new, high-specification notebook or desktop
computer from HP or Apple
q Save on tax and national
insurance
q Significant savings off manu
facturer’s RRP
q No credit checks or deposits
q Computer packages include
a comprehensive 36-month manufacturer’s warranty, plus internet
security with 36 month updates on
HP packages
q Free delivery to your home at your
convenience
q Prices start from approximately
£14 per month.
The scheme order window will
open mid-September until midOctober 2010, so look out for the
brochure which will be delivered to
your home. You can place your order
either online or over the phone.
Road shows are being held at
various locations during the order
period, with computer equipment on
display. Members of the home
computing team will be on hand to
answer questions about the
computers or the scheme itself.
Further information detailing the
computer packages and costs
involved will be available to all eligible
employees. For more details, call
08444 821860 or go online at
www.lets-connect.com/nhslan
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
GENERAL NEWS
Support team
lays out its stall
It’s vital for staff to report all aggressive acts
RAISING awareness of the vital
work carers do was the aim of NHS
Lanarkshire’s Carer Support Team
(CST) during Carers Week 2010.
The CST held information stalls
throughout Lanarkshire to
provide information and advice
for carers and to highlight how
important they are to healthcare.
The aims of the CST include:
q Raising awareness of carers
q Providing information to carers
q Helping identify hidden carers
q Referring carers to relevant
support groups
q Developing good links between
hospitals, GP surgeries and
primary care services to avoid
carers slipping through the net.
The team has a carers’
co-ordinator at each of the
three acute hospitals, one
covering each primary care area
for north and south Lanarkshire.
Carers can be any age with, for
example, children at school who
are looking after older siblings or
their parents, and their needs can
different to older carers, which is
why CST now has a co-ordinator
for young carers in both north
and south Lanarkshire.
If you wish to discuss a carer
issue or are looking for more
details on the support available for
carers, the contacts are:
q Hairmyres email elaine.
[email protected]
or call 01355 585522
q Monklands email lesley.callan@
lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk or call
01236 748748
q Wishaw email elizabeth.
[email protected].
uk or call 01698 36118
q North Lanarkshire Primary
Care email marion.mcparland@
lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk or call
01698 404055 or 07788 646295
q South Lanarkshire Primary
Care email [email protected] or
call 01698 285 163
q North Lanarkshire Young
Carers email Alison Smith,
[email protected] or call
01698 258801
q South Lanarkshire Young
Carers email Barbara McAuley,
youngcarerservice@southlanarks
hire.gov.uk, or 01698 455455
SPEAK UP: better information on incidents
can help prevent future trauma to other staff
ON THE RECORD
VIOLENT and aggressive acts by
patients against staff are a real
concern and must be recorded
correctly to allow the appropriate
action to be taken to reduce the risks.
Judy Allison, NHS Lanarkshire’s
risk manager, said: “The DATIX
system is well used by frontline NHS
Lanarkshire staff to record a variety
of incidents which affect staff,
patients and visitors.
“As a result we now have better
information on incidents and on
trends, with this shared across NHS
Lanarkshire.
“As part of the review of incident
trends it is clear that violence and
aggression is a real concern to staff.
“However, occasionally this type
of incident can be wrongly recorded,
which can lead to the impression of
more violence and aggression
towards patients rather than
violence by patients towards staff.”
Any incidence of a violent and
aggressive act by a patient which is
directed towards a member of staff
should be recorded as a ‘Nonclinical employee’ incident type as
the incident affected a staff member.
It is important to still record the
patient details as this is can be a key
element of what occurred, so their
details should be recorded in the
‘Contact’ section of the form.
Any search using the patient’s
name will produce any incident of
any type in which they were involved.
An example of this type of incident
might be: “Patient A became verbally
and physically aggressive towards
staff for no apparent reason. Kicked
and attempted to hit member of staff.”
A violent and aggressive incident
by one patient towards another
might be: “Patient A threatened a
fellow patient, Patient B, using
verbal abuse and attempted to kick
fellow patient.”
This would be recorded as a
‘Non-clinical patient’ incident as
there was violence or aggression
towards a patient, with Patient B’s
name recorded on the form and
Patient A, recorded as contact.
For more information, contact Judy
on 01698 245104 or email judy.allison
@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk or visit the risk
management website on FirstPort.
thePulse
7
Get policies
all in the
one place
FINDING policies and developing
new ones is proving to be a
whole lot easier thanks to the
new Corporate Policies Site.
Since its launch in June there
have been more than 7000 “hits”
on the site – indicating how often
staff are using the new system.
Carol McGhee, corporate risk
manager, has been delighted with
the early success of the site and
says it will continue to improve.
She said: “The Corporate
Policies Site means staff will be
able to find policies quickly and
easily in one place.
“As policies continue to be
transferred to the site, and as staff
let us know of any policies they
can’t find, it will improve further.”
Carol added: “I’d like to thank
everyone involved in the Short Life
Working Corporate Policies project
group for all their hard work.
“I’d also like to ask for
everyone’s support in continuing
to contact me if they cannot find a
policy they are looking for.”
The new Corporate Policies Site
helps prevent issues such as
policies being produced in
different formats, difficulties in
finding policies and identifying
what group is responsible for
endorsing the policy.
There is also a policy on
developing policies available on
the system, designed to be used
electronically with hyperlinks, and
an electronic policy template for
the development of all policies.
However, the site is currently
limited to policies only. Procedures,
guidelines and protocols will not
be uploaded to the site at this time.
Monitoring of the site will
begin in November with some
staff being asked to complete a
questionnaire.The findings will
be published in a future edition
of The Pulse.
If you cannot find a specific
policy, contact Carol on 01698
258785. Access the system on FirstPort.
New website to help tackle substance misuse
LANARKSHIRE’S Alcohol and Drug
Partnership (ADP) has launched a
new website to make it easy to find
local support and advice.
The new site at www.lanarkshireadp.org includes specific
sections with advice for the public,
families, carers and young people.
It has general information relevant
to everyone, as well as advice
targeted specifically to people with
a substance misuse problem.
There is also a section on the new
site for drug and alcohol professionals with information about the
latest research, training opportu-
nities and links to key national and
local publications, such as the
Lanarkshire ADP strategy and
delivery plan.
The website’s improved look and
navigation make it more user
friendly and easier for people to find
what they are looking for.
One new feature is a service finder
that allows users of the website to
search for drug, alcohol or suicide
prevention services close to their
postcode or town.
Val Tallon, Lanarkshire ADP coordinator, said: “The new website
has a strong focus on the services
and support that is available locally
in Lanarkshire, but it also signposts
users to other relevant websites
and organisations that can offer help
and information.”
Chair of Lanarkshire ADP Colin
Sloey, who is director of North
Lanarkshire Community Health
Partnership with NHS Lanarkshire,
said: “The new website is a fantastic
resource for anyone with questions
about alcohol or drugs, whether
they are looking for some straightforward advice or want to know how
to access one of Lanarkshire’s
specialist services.
“Problematic drug and alcohol
misuse can have a detrimental effect
on lives of both users and their
families. But it is important to
remember that there is excellent
support and help available to give
people the opportunity to recover.
The kind of high-quality information
available through this website
has an important role to play in
that process.”
Lanarkshire ADP is a strategic partnership between NHS Lanarkshire,
North Lanarkshire Council, Scottish
Prison Service, South Lanarkshire
Council, Strathclyde Police, the Crown
Office and Procurator Fiscal Service,
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue and the
voluntary sector. Its aim is to coordinate actions around alcohol and
drug problems in Lanarkshire.
8 thePulse GENERAL NEWS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
FUNDRAISING FUN
Great care inspired Allison to
raise funds for cancer charity
CUMBERNAULD nurse and mum of
two Allison Hernandez has thanked
her NHS Lanarkshire colleagues for
the care they provided during her
breast cancer treatment.
And the 46-year-old, who works as
a treatment room co-ordinator
at Central Health Centre, said
their care and compassion
inspired her to raise £4700 for
cancer research.
Allison, who was diagnosed last
October after finding an unusual
lump, is now thankfully on the road
to recovery.
The former Monklands Hospital
accident and emergency nurse said:
“The treatment and care I received
at Monklands, Wishaw and the
Beatson was absolutely fantastic.
“When you think about how
much these treatments would cost
it must be phenomenal so that’s
when you start to appreciate how
good the NHS is.
“I wanted to do something in
recognition of the care I received
and to do something to help in the
fight against cancer.”
Allison continued: “After finishing
the radiotherapy treatment my
doctor told me the cancer was
now gone and I felt great.
“I decided to do the Race
for Life in Glasgow on
6 June.
“I also arranged a charity
night at Dullatur Golf Club,
with my son Carlos’ band, The
Replay, providing the entertainment and we managed to
raise £4700.”
Allison, who is married to Jose,
and has two sons Carlos, 14, and
Antonio, eight, revealed that her
illness had been a complete shock
to them all.
She said: “There had been no sign
that anything was badly wrong. I’m
never off work but I’d had a cough
TOP TOTAL: Allison
(left) gives cheque
to Dorothy Rodger
of Cancer Research
which I couldn’t get rid of and
thought it must be a chest infection.
“My chest was sore from coughing
and when I touched my chest I felt
a strange lump.
“I didn’t really think anything of
it but it grew to about the size of a
golf ball and I made an appointment
with my GP the following week who
referred me to the hospital that day.
“I was seen at Monklands Hospital
within a week and got a series of
tests done which confirmed I had
breast cancer.
“It was difficult to accept. One
day I had been a health service
provider and the next I was a
patient. You don’t think about
the level of care you get in the
NHS, all you hear are the
negative stories, but when
you actually have to rely on
the health service you really
appreciate it.
“I had all my tests done in
one day. Then I had breast
surger y in Monklands in
Express yourself with knitting
AN appeal has gone out to
Lanarkshire women to help with a
breastfeeding knitting initiative.
The Lanarkshire Breastfeeding
Initiative (LBI) has organised a
knitted bosom project and has asked
women to knit a breast to be used
by breastfeeding support workers,
midwives and community mothers to
give instructions on hand expression
to new mothers.
Individual women as well as
groups of women in local community
groups have taken up the challenge
with gusto, knitting more than one
hundred bosoms.
LBI volunteer Adele McVay came up
with the idea. She said: “Hand
expression is a handy skill for any
mum who breastfeeds. It’s easy to do
and these knitted bosoms allow us to
show new mums the best technique.”
She continued: “The project has
also helped us promote the benefits
of breastfeeding as many of the
women who have taken part in the
knitting – such as mothers and
grandmothers – end up discussing
the issue with their own children and
grandchildren.”
Babies who are breastfed are less
likely to suffer from gastro-intestinal
infections, chest infections, urine
infections, ear infections, asthma,
eczema, diabetes in childhood and
obesity. Mothers also benefit by
having a lower risk of ovarian cancer,
breast cancer and hip fracture.
To participate in the project, visit
www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk/
Services/Breastfeeding/LBI/
Pages/default.aspx or call the LBI
on 01698 377655.
IN STITCHES: (from left) Rose Fish,
Joanne Leonard with baby Natalie,
Jacqueline Semple with baby Taylor,
Helen McGurk with baby Daniel, Ann
Grace Donnachie with baby Gabriella,
and Anna Scott
November to remove the cancer,
I then started my chemotherapy
treatment at Wishaw from
December until April and I received
radiotherapy treatment at the
Beatson in May.
“It was just incredible and I want
to thank all the consultants, doctors
and nurses who cared for me.”
Rhona Roberton, general manager
of cancer services, said: “It is really
good to hear that Allison is recovering well after her treatments.
“As a nurse herself, Allison will
realise the importance for staff to
receive positive feedback from their
patients and so it is very pleasing
that she was happy with the care
she received.
“Her story is also a good example
to people in Lanarkshire to contact
their GP quickly if they notice an
unusual lump or growth.
“Early diagnosis of breast cancer
means treatment can be started
quickly and increases the chances of
the treatment being successful.”
Lab option
examined
FOLLOWING the August meeting of
the Laboratory Medicine Services
Review (LMSR) Project Board, further
work will be undertaken on Option C –
one main laboratory on the Wishaw
site with two core laboratories on the
Monklands and Hairmyres sites.
Detailed planning will also consider
a single site for pathology on the
Monklands site.
Option C offers:
q potential for greater automation of
sample handling
q more senior staff focused on one site
q opportunity to rationalise nonurgent GP services as recommended
in the Healthcare Commission
document – Getting Results
q greater ‘single system working’
q opportunity to have a modern
pathology laboratory on the
Monklands site
q release of non-recurring funding.
Much more detailed work will have
to be undertaken before a final
recommendation can be made. This
will include a technical feasibility
study of the accommodation,
workforce planning, specimen
transportation, information systems,
and analyser capacity. The project
board will not be in a position to make
a clear recommendation until this
work is taken further.
A series of staff engagement
meetings will also take place in
September to brief staff on the work
to date and potential implications for
the future of the laboratory service
in Lanarkshire.
If Option C proves to be not viable
Option B will be revisited.
The project board aims to make a
final recommendation in the autumn.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
GENERAL NEWS
Training
comes up
trumps
thePulse
9
New policy on
resuscitation
NEW state-of-the-art medical training
facilities at Kirklands Hospital are
HANDS ON: New doctors
helping to ensure NHS Lanarkshire’s
brushed on their skills at a
staff continue to provide the best
recent session at the new
possible patient care.
state-of-the-art facilities
Catie Paton, acting clinical skills
at the Medical Education
development specialist, is excited
Training Centre
by the opportunities the new
Medical Education Training Centre
will provide.
She said: “This is a fantastic facility Lanarkshire in the late autumn or
spring, in attending one of
which will ensure both
two intensive full-day
medical students and staff
sessions.
benefit from being able to
And the centre
learn new skills or
resonated with
refresh existing ones
all the beeps
in a controlled,
NHS and bustle of a
simulated clinical
y
b
d
e
d
n
fu
was
busy day onenvironment.”
The centre
w
call, helping
R e c e n t l y, N H S
and Glasgo
e
ir
h
s
rk
a
n
La
on
the new intake
Lanarkshire’s soon
in associati
prepare for the
to be foundation
University
n
o
ducati
real thing.
year one (FY1)
with NHS E
Catie said: “The
doctors brushed
d
n
a
tl
o
c
for S
clinical scenarios
up on their management
focus on the acutely ill
of medical emergencies in a
medical patient with condifull-day simulation programme in
tions such as acute coronary
the centre.
The 70 medics in waiting who syndrome and anaphylaxis.
“The workshops and clinical
took up their first doctor posts in
August, were joined by a further 60 scenarios reviewed key clinical skills
colleagues who will be moving to required of an FY1 doctor and were
Did you
know?
facilitated by clinical staff.”
Another recent session at the
centre was aimed at anaesthetic
trainees and forms the initial part of
a comprehensive programme of
airway management.
This was facilitated by consultant
anaesthetists from across
Lanarkshire.
In addition to enabling skill and
competency-based clinical training
to be provided for medics and
medical students, it can also provide
a range of associated non-clinical
skills training.
The centre also has a lecture
theatre and meeting rooms can be
booked by all NHS Lanarkshire staff.
For more information, contact Catie
on 01698 855610 or email catherine.
[email protected]
ON 1 October NHS Lanarkshire will
launch a new policy governing
cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
This is the first national policy
governing this area and it is hoped it
will clear up any misunderstandings
surrounding this important part of
patient care.
While there are no major changes
to our existing Do Not Attempt
Resuscitation policy, this new one
will provide clarification on what Do
Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary
Resuscitation (DNACPR) actually
involves and, perhaps more
importantly, what it does not involve.
The policy also includes a new
patient, relatives and carers
information booklet.
William Lannigan, acting lead
resuscitation and clinical skills
facilitator, said: “Perhaps the most
important fact of the new policy is
the ethos of one form, one patient,
total care. Staff should be aware
that any DNACPR form will be
invalid unless all parts are fully
completed.”
An important fact of this form is
that on discharge it can be sent
home with the patient and stored in
their life pod which is currently
used to store important information
about the patient’s care.
The policy will be rolled out
simultaneously at all three acute
sites on the “go live” date of
1 October.
Drop in sessions will be held in
the lecture theatres on each site to
provide more information.
Although there will be no paper
copies of the policy it can be
accessed via the Policy site on
FirstPort and a short video of
frequently asked questions will
also be available in the medical
education and practice development
sites on FirstPort.
It is hoped this information will
be used as part of the daily safety
brief within the clinical areas and
that each member of staff will make
themselves aware of the new policy.
For further information, contact
William Lannigan on 01236
713413 or william.lannigan@
lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
Alternatively, contact your local
resuscitation training officer.
VITAL ORGANS
Talk about important transplant decisions
TRANSPLANTS save lives and
organ donation must be a key
consideration during end of life
care, says Susan Hannah.
The specialist nurse in organ
donation is aiming to raise
awareness of how staff can help
ensure patients’ end of life wishes
are met.
And Susan can also provide
advice on speaking with patients
and their loved ones about organ
and tissue donation.
Susan said: “Although 90 per
cent of people support organ
donation, only 27 per cent of us
have actually joined the register so
even if someone has not registered
there’s a good chance they’ve
spoken to their loved ones about
their wishes.
“It’s important to speak to
families about your patient’s
wishes, whether or not they have
registered, but you need to do this
in the right way and be sensitive to
their situation.”
Susan continued: “Before
speaking to the family you should
have checked the patient’s status
on the organ donation register by
calling 01179 757575.
Most families
tend not to
raise the issue
of organ donation”
“If you have not received an
organ donation awareness session
or received the organ donation
resource pack you should also
contact myself or the on call nurse
specialist in organ donation.”
When someone has joined the
organ donation register their end
of life choices are protected by law
through the Human Tissue
(Scotland) Act 2006.
Susan said: “Most families tend
not raise the issue of organ or
tissue donation with healthcare
professionals, so it is up to us to
speak with them.
“Even if a patient has signed up
to the register it is important to let
their families know and to advise
them that we must strive to ensure
their wishes are met.”
NHS L anarkshire’s Organ
Donation Committee aims to help
raise awareness of the importance
of transplants for saving lives.
It is also encourages all staff to
sign up to the organ donation
register (www.uktransplant.org.uk).
Susan said: “The donation
committee’s ambition is to achieve
a 100 per cent identification and
referral rate – not just in the
intensive care units but in the
emergency departments and wards
as well, ensuring organ and tissue
donation becomes a routine part of
end of life care.”
If a family approach you about
organ donation contact the on call
specialist nurse in organ donation
on 07659 594979.
Susan will be holding awareness
raising and training presentations
which include how to approach
patients and their families to
discuss donation as an appropriate end of life choice.
For more information call Susan
on 07590 352026 or email
[email protected]
For information on a patient’s organ
donation status, call 01179 757575.
If a family approach you about organ
donation, contact the specialist nurse in
organ donation on 07659 594979.
SUSAN HANNAH: ‘Strive to
ensure wishes are met’
10 thePulse ANNUAL REVIEW
ANNUAL REVIEW
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
thePulse 11
ALWAYS MOVING FORWARD
This year’s annual review
showed it’s been a year of
achieving targets
AT the annual review, Health
Secretary Nicola Sturgeon heard that
2009/10 had been another year of
sound progress for NHS Lanarkshire.
Particular highlights included:
q Achieving our health improvement
targets in dental registration, suicide
prevention training, alcohol brief
interventions, smoking cessation
and inequalities health checks
q The proportion of children aged
three to five who are registered with
an NHS dentist has further improved
and was 85.6 per cent, exceeding the
80 per cent target due by March 2011
q Achieving our target for reduction
of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia with 164 identifications. Our
C difficile rate is also less than target
at 0.56 for the quarter to April 2010
q Sickness absence rate among staff
has further improved to 3.98 per
cent, against a target of 4 per cent
q Ongoing implementation of the
Scottish Patient Safety Programme
and robust progress in all workstreams
q Achieving all access targets for
cancer, for outpatient appointments,
for inpatient and day case
treatment and for key diagnostic tests
q Achieving our target for 48-hour
access to GP/Primary care team
appointments
q Achieving financial balance and
our target for efficiency savings
q The new national patient satisfaction survey for 48-hour access to
primary care shows NHS Lanarkshire
achieved 93.1 per cent against a plan
of 90 per cent at April 2010
q We achieved more than 95 per
cent compliance with the 62-day
cancer target, and 99 per cent
against the 31-day target.
q As at March 2010, no patients
were waiting:
q More than 12 weeks for a first
outpatient appointment
q More than nine weeks for an
in-patient or day case treatment
q More than four weeks for a key
diagnostic test.
q We sustained 98 per cent
compliance with the target of four
hours maximum waiting in A&E.
PRIOR to chairing the annual review,
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon
visited Wishaw General’s refurbished
neonatal unit to see the new facilities
and meet staff and new arrivals.
Ms Sturgeon met the first baby
born in the newly reopened facility
following its £1 million
refurbishment and redesign.
The expanded neonatal unit
provides 29 cots: eight intensive care,
Fewer sick staff with EASY
More details are available at
www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk
Shortest cancer waiting times
ANOTHER success highlighted in the
annual review was our performance
in cancer treatment targets.
In October 2008, the Scottish
Government announced it would:
q Extend the 62-day urgent referral
to treatment target to include
patients who have been identified
through a cancer screening
programme and all patients referred
with an urgent suspicion of cancer
q Introduce a new 31-day target for
all patients diagnosed with cancer
from decision to treat to treatment
NOW WE ARE TWO: (from
left) EASY call handlers
Tricia Mooney, Terri
Massey, and Elaine
Wotherspoon with call
centre supervisor Marie
McNaughton. EASY’s
other call handler Mary
Richmond is not pictured
q Each health board has a target
with 95 per cent of all eligible
patients being treated within
31 or 62 days
q From the figures for quarter one
(January-March 2010) NHS
Lanarkshire’s performance against
the 62-day target was 98.1 per cent,
which is the highest percentage for
the five West of Scotland NHS boards.
Of all the mainland NHS boards,
NHS Lanarkshire had the lowest
maximum wait in days from referral
to treatment at 64 days.
Recording progress, shaping the future…
NHS Lanarkshire had the chance to high- Secretary and members of the public. An
light the progress made in the last year extensive range of activity has been underwhen Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon taken across Lanarkshire aimed at
visited to chair the annual review improving the quality of patient care and
patient safety for all our patients.
in August.
“Significant progress has been
NHS Lanarkshire chief executive
made, supported by a range
Tim Davison said: “We were delighted to
of initiatives such as the
have the opportunity to highlight
patient safety programme
the progress we made last year and
and the Lean programme.
to share this with the Cabinet
targets
All
by all of us. It should always strive to give
quality care to every patient, every time.
“Health boards deserve credit for their
many successes, and should take the
opportunity to learn where improvements
can be made and make changes.
“That’s why it is so important we hold
them to account in public so people can
listen, ask questions and help shape the
future of our NHS.”
!
achieved
More cots for ill and early babies
11 high dependency care and 10 special
care – an increase of seven cots.
Wishaw General’s neonatal unit
provides comprehensive care for
critically ill term and premature
babies in Lanarkshire, including
intensive care, high dependency,
“Due to the dedication and commitment
from our staff we have met all our targets
in regard to patient waiting times and
healthcare associated infections and we
have achieved in-year financial balance.
“Our investment in healthcare facilities
has also continued apace and we look
forward to many of these developments
completing this year.”
Ms Sturgeon said: “Our NHS is cherished
special care and outpatient
consultation.
The unit is a regional level three
facility, the highest level for a UK
neonatal unit – meaning it provides
the full range of neonatal care, with
the exception of surgical services.
In 2009, the Wishaw Neonatal
Unit provided the following care:
q total admissions: 894 babies
q 170 babies born in the unit at less
than 34 weeks gestation
q 105 babies born under 2.5kg – of
these, 65 weighed less than 1.5kg
q 100 babies treated for ventilation
q 139 babies treated with CPAP
(Continuation Positive Airways
Pressure) machines which provide
additional respiratory support –
using masks to put air into a baby’s
lungs rather than using a tube.
Launch of support group for
parents at the Neonatal Unit:
see page 13.
NHS Lanarkshire is continuing to
reduce rates of Staphylococcus
aureus bacteraemia (SAB) since
meeting its 2010/11 target.
SAB cases, which includes MRSA
and MSSA, totalled 164 for the year
ending March 2010 which met the
Scottish Government HEAT target of
a 35 per cent reduction.
NHS Lanarkshire is now working
towards a further 15 per cent
reduction of SAB to meet the HEAT
target for 2010/11.
NHS Lanarkshire’s EASY Service
reached its second birthday this
year with plenty to celebrate.
When EASY (Early Access to
Support for You) started, NHS
Lanarkshire’s sickness absence was
peaking at 6.75 percent.
NHS Lanarkshire had the highest
annual sickness absence rate
among large mainland health
boards at the time.
As a result of a range of measures
including the EASY Service, absence
rates have fallen beneath 4 per cent
since April this year.
Every 1 per cent drop in sickness
absence equates to 120 staff back at
work and increasing patient care
delivery. There has also been a
reduction in bank staff and
overtime costs.
Moyra Anderson, EASY
co-ordinator, said: “EASY celebrated
its second birthday in May and we
want to take the opportunity to thank
all staff within NHS Lanarkshire who
have made the service so successful.
“The EASY family includes call
handlers, case managers,
occupational health advisers and
physicians, physiotherapists,
occupational therapists and health
and safety advisers.
“We work closely with our
Human Resources colleagues
and local managers throughout
NHS Lanarkshire.”
EASY is able to provide fast
access, where appropriate, to a wide
range of support for staff who are
absent from work including:
q Occupational health advice and
assessment
q Physiotherapy advice and
treatment
q Psychological advice and
counselling
q Workplace modification
q Return to work information
q Health and safety advice.
If you have been absent in the
past two years, EASY may have
contacted you to find out what you
think of the service.
Another reduction in MRSA rates
NHS Lanarkshire medical
director Alison Graham said:
“Meeting the target is an excellent
achievement and is the result of a
lot of hard work by staff across
N H S L a n a r k s h i r e . Ta c k l i n g
healthcare associated infections
such as MRSA remains a key priority
for NHS Lanarkshire and we are
continuing to develop new initiatives
to further reduce the rate of
infection in our hospitals.”
NHS Lanarkshire has used a wide
range of initiatives and approaches
to drive down rates of SAB. This has
included testing the national SAB
investigation Tool, key elements of
which will be included in an
enhanced surveillance and
improvement approach.
In addition, infection control
nurses and clinical skills facilitators
have demonstrated optimum blood
culture techniques to West of
When contacted, 91 per cent of
staff rated their EASY member of
staff positively, 77 per cent rated the
help they received from EASY as
satisfactory, 76 per cent rated NHS
Lanarkshire more positively as a
result of EASY and 78 per cent rated
EASY positively overall.
Managers are also asked for
feedback with 80 per cent rating EASY
helpful in dealing with an episode of
sickness absence, 76 per cent felt
EASY helped a staff member to return
to work more quickly, 85 per cent felt
involved during their staff member’s
absence, 95 per cent rated the quality
of their contact with an EASY member
of staff positively and 86 per cent
rated EASY positively overall.
Moyra said: “We want EASY to
continue to be successful. To do this,
we rely on managers reporting any
staff member who has gone off sick
at the earliest opportunity.
“This allows us to support staff
as soon as possible. Many thanks
again to everyone.”
Scotland foundation year one
(FY1) doctors.
NHS Lanarkshire introduced the
MRSA Screening Programme about
six months ago in all three acute
hospitals with compliance for the
elective element of the programme
generally greater than 80 per cent.
Work is under way to look at how
well the programme is embedded
into operational activity to improve
the quality and delivery of screening
where possible.
12 thePulse LOCAL/DISTRICT/PARTNERSHIP
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
HAPPY RETURNS
Patients and staff celebrate drop-in centre’s anniversary
THE Kilbryde Hospice Drop-in
Centre recently celebrated its second
anniversary.
Patients and staff marked the
happy occasion with a lunch at the
centre – which is located in the Red
Deer Centre in Alberta Avenue in
East Kilbride.
Christine Haig, Macmillan clinical
nurse specialist at Kilbryde Hospice,
said: “The centre has had a successful
first two years and continues to go
from strength to strength.
“People are becoming more aware
of the services we offer and we hope
that will continue.
“It was nice to be able to
celebrate with our friends who
use the hospice.”
The hospice offers ongoing
support, complementary therapies
and counselling to people who are
affected by long-term conditions
such as cancer, multiple sclerosis,
motor neurone, pulmonary disease
or Parkinson’s disease.
It has also recently extended its
programme to include a quiz
afternoon, weekly walking group,
Tai Chi, group relaxation and a class
on managing stress.
Later in the year there will also be
a six-week New Perspective Course
for people living with cancer.
Joyce Law, 75, from Greenhills in
East Kilbride, was diagnosed with
lung cancer in 2007, and has attended
the hospice regularly since it opened.
She said: “It’s a wonderful place
and I’d be lost without it.
“If I’m experiencing any pain there
is a therapist who I can see, or I can
receive free pampering sessions,
which are a nice boost.
“But the company at the hospice
is a big thing for me as well.
“We don’t just talk about our
illnesses, but you know that if you
want to speak to someone, there’s
plenty of people who will listen and
know what you’re going through.”
JUBILATION: Staff and patients
celebrate the Kilbryde Hospice
Drop-in Centre’s second birthday.
For more information on the
Kilbryde Hospice, call 01355 593484.
Woodwork aids
mental health
A towering
achievement
TWO Wishaw General staff and their
husbands climbed Ben Nevis to raise
more than £1000 for the hospital’s
respiratory ward.
Tracy MacFarlane and husband
Ricky – along with Tammy Hunter
and husband Gordon – completed
the climb in June.
The medical records colleagues
decided to do the climb in memory of
Tracy’s gran, Margaret Russell and
Tammy’s gran, Margaret Goodwin,
who both died from chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease.
Tracy said: “We wanted to do
something to thank the ward for the
fantastic care they provided our grans.
“We’d never climbed before and
could hardly walk the next day but it
was worth it to raise so much money.”
Tammy added: “We raised the
money in the hospital, the health
centre and in the community and my
husband Gordon raised money at his
work at Tuffnells Parcels.
“We didn’t expect to get so much
and wish to thank everyone who
supported us.”
Margaret Douglas, senior charge
nurse in ward seven, said: “This
donation is much appreciated and
we’d like to thank the girls and their
husbands for their great efforts.”
SHOW A LEG: Alan Lawrie (left) and
Harry Stevenson at the event with some
of the young carers looking on.
No pain, no gain for carers
SOUTH Lanarkshire Young Carers
Forum hit on a novel way to raise
funds – a sponsored leg wax.
And the volunteers who
underwent the waxing at council
headquarters in Hamilton were
South Lanarkshire Council’s
Executive Director of Social Work
Harry Stevenson and Alan Lawrie,
Director of South Lanarkshire
Community Health Partnership.
A total of £1045.91 was raised.
South Lanarkshire Young Carers
Forum represents the views and
interests of young carers across South
Lanarkshire. Young carers are those
aged eight-18 who have a caring role
for someone in their family.
That person could be a parent,
grandparent or sibling and might
have a disability, a medical condition
or experience mental health or
substance misuse problems.
The Young Carers Forum seeks to
raise awareness of the needs of
young carers, inform and improve
the provision of services and ensure
that the needs of young carers
across South Lanarkshire are met.
The Young Carers Forum is a
registered charity and its committee
meets every month.
More information on the Young
Carers Services is available by
calling 01698 455455 or 01698 454564.
A WOODWORK group in Airdrie is not
only producing high-quality furniture
– it is also helping to promote good
mental health.
The Airdrie Craft Group, which has
been running for more than 35 years,
is also proving to be beneficial to
people aged over 65 years with
mental health problems or dementia.
Jackie Swan, an occupational
therapist for NHS Lanarkshire who
works with these patients, said:
“I started taking a group to the
woodwork group last year and it
has been fantastic.
“The people that accompany me
take great pleasure from attending as
it is not exclusively for people with
mental health problems and so there
is no stigma attached.
“It’s a great place for them to go to as
they get to meet other people and do
something constructive with their time.”
The Airdrie Craft Group is held on
a Monday to Thursday from 9.30am
to noon, and on Wednesdays from 7pm
to 9pm, in the Chapelside Centre,
Waddell Street, Airdrie.
Run by volunteers, membership is £2 a
year with an additional £2 weekly fee.
For more information, call 01236 638530.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
In brief…
Nursery grateful
for donations
KIDS at Kirktonholme Nursery at
Wishaw General are enjoying
new toys and outdoor equipment
courtesy of donations of old
clothing from hospital staff,
visitors and patients.
The nursery is raising around
£70 every month thanks to
people putting their old clothing
and textiles in the “Ragbag” box
outside the main entrance.
And the kids and staff at the
nursery have said a big thank you
to everyone who has helped.
Nursery manager Janet
Alexander, said: “I’d like to thank
everyone who has donated their
unwanted clothes and textiles by
putting them in the Ragbag box.
“It’s only taking about a month
for us to fill the box and everytime
we do we receive around £70
which allows us to buy more toys,
resources and outdoor equipment
for the children.
“Thanks to everyone who has
used the box and please keep the
donations coming.”
For more details about
Kirktonholme Nursery, which
is privately run, call Janet on
01698 366 917 or email
[email protected]
A big boost for
Little Haven
WISHAW General’s Sharon
Hughes handed over a cheque
for £1700 to the Little Haven
charity recently.
The quality co-ordinator, from
Wishaw’s Labs, held a charity
night in aid of the Little Haven,
which supports people affected
by life-limiting illnesses.
And the fantastic amount she
raised is being matched by BOC –
the gas supplier.
LOCAL/DISTRICT/PARTNERSHIP
thePulse 13
Landlord raises the bar
LITTLE Mia Wallace and mum
Jodene handed over a cheque
for £2400 to Wishaw General’s
Neonatal unit courtesy of the
generosity of the Horseshoe Bar
in Motherwell.
Customers and staff at the pub –
who are friends with the Wallace
family – had helped raise the
money with a sponsored walk and
charity night to thank the
hospital staff who treated Mia and
her twin Jorja, who were born 10
weeks premature.
Sadly Jorja did not survive but
Mia, who was treated in the unit at
Wishaw for six weeks, is now
doing well and her mum was
happy to be able to hand over the
cheque to thank hospital staff.
Jodene, from Motherwell, said:
“The twins had been diagnosed
with twin-to-twin transfusion
syndrome – when both twins are
sharing a single placenta.
“Jorja was moved to Yorkhill
Children’s Hospital but passed
away after five weeks.
“Thankfully Mia is now doing
well and is really thriving.
“Staff at both hospitals were
great. Everyone in the Wishaw unit
was lovely and couldn’t have done
enough for me – the care they
provided was very personal.
“I wanted to help raise the
money to thank the staff and I can’t
WRVS work
recognised
by Udston
BEST BAR NONE: Horseshoe owner
Bernadette McCully, left, and Avril
McManus hold the cheque from Jodene
Wallace, pictured with Mia on the right
thank everyone involved in the
Horseshoe Bar enough who took
part in these events.”
Avril McManus, neonatal midwife
at Wishaw General, said: “On
behalf of the unit, I’d like to thank
Jodene, her family and everyone at
the Horseshoe Bar for this
tremendous donation.
“All donations like these are
very gratefully received and are
used to buy the little extras for the
benefit of babies, parents and their
families in the unit.”
UDSTON Hospital staff and
patients thanked the WRVS
volunteers who last year donated
around £10,000.
Graham Paul, senior charge
nurse on the Clyde Ward at
Udston, said: “On behalf of
everyone at Udston I’d like to
thank the WRVS volunteers,
not just for giving up their time
to run the tearoom, which is a
great facility for staff, patients
and visitors, but for the
tremendous donation.
“This money has allowed the
wards to buy many extra items
for the benefit of patients.
“My own ward was able to
purchase a 50-inch plasma screen
TV and was also paid for an
extension to our patio area and a
large picnic bench – all of which
is of great value to the patients.”
MUM’S THE WARD
Premature
babies’ parents
given support
A NEW group has been set up to
provide support for family members
of babies in the Wishaw General
neonatal unit.
Established by a group of parents
whose babies were cared for in the
unit, the Wishaw General Hospital
Neonatal Support Group will also
organise fundraising events.
Angela McCarthy, mum of Eloise
– the first baby to be born in the
newly refurbished unit – said: “We’ve
set up this group to provide support
and advice to parents and families
who are going through a very
stressful period in their lives.
“We will also fundraise for the unit,
to help with the extras that make
things more comfortable for families.”
The new group is affiliated with
Bliss – the charity for babies born
too soon, too sick and too small.
Meetings will take place each
month initially in the quiet room at
Wishaw General.
The group has already raised
BOUNCING BABY:
Angela McCarthy and
daughter Eloise meets
Nicola Sturgeon
nearly £2000 through clothing
collections, a Push for Bliss event,
and a Family Fun Day.
They are now looking for your help
to support their future fundraising
events with money being used to
transform the family sitting area in the
unit to a more homely environment,
establish the support network and
create a Welcome to the Unit DVD.
Future events include:
q Clothes collections – drop off your
Newcastle Metro Centre on Sunday
21 November.
bags of unwanted clothes at the
Parentcraft room in Wishaw General
on either Monday 20 September or
Friday 3 December.
q A Race Night and Disco, on
Friday 8 October at Airdrie
Workman’s Club.
q Christmas shopping trip to
For more information on the group
visit www.bliss.org.uk and look
under Wishaw Support Group or contact
Angela on 01698 27536, angela.mitchell.
[email protected] or Lorna on 01236
602974 or [email protected]
14 thePulse LOCAL/DISTRICT/PARTNERSHIP
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
HELP ON DEMENTIA
THE National Dementia Strategy
was launched by the Scottish
Government in June.
This strategy aims to cut the
estimated £1.7 billion annual
MEMBERS of the East Kilbride
cost of dementia to the Scottish
Memory Support Group enjoyed a
economy, while equipping the
summer outing to Rosslyn Chapel
nation to cope with an expected
in Midlothian in August.
doubling of the number of
The group, now in its fifth year,
people affected within the next
is for people over 65 who have a
25 years.
diagnosis of dementia, and is facilTo help raise awareness of
itated by the East Kilbride
dementia, NHS Lanarkshire
Community Mental
has produced ‘Top Tips
Health Team for Older
in Caring for People
People (CMHTOP)
with Dementia’ – tip
and Alzheimer
cards for staff and
Scotland.
posters for all
L o r n a
clinical areas.
McCallum,
About
71,000
Scots
currently
Joan James,
C M H T O P
divisional nurse
have one of the illnesses (such charge
nurse,
director for
who is involved
as
Alzheimer’s
disease)
acute, said:
in running the
“Caring for people
collectively classed as
group, said: “The
with dementia
trip was funded
dementia
is skilled and
by Alzheimer Scotland
complex, requiring
and ever yone had a
awareness and understanding
great time.
of the specific difficulties faced.
“The club has now been going for
“NHS Lanarkshire wishes to
five years and is for people diagensure that all staff have the
nosed with dementia who are still it’s an informal meeting and chance
necessary knowledge to provide
independent and need only minimal for people to make friends and enjoy
this care, regardless of their
support.
themselves, we also bring in relevant
clinical specialty or professional
“We meet once a month in the speakers to provide advice on
background.”
Murray Owen Centre and although relevant subjects. The peer support
The tip cards are full of useful
advice for staff in dealing
with people with dementia,
including:
q Recognising the reason for
confusion
q Helping to orientate a person
q Communicating better
q Managing difficult behaviours
q Nutritional and sensory needs.
If you suspect someone is
suffering from dementia you
can call the mental health liaison
service at each of the three acute
sites for specialist advice.
Underpinned throughout the
strategy is the recognition that
people with dementia and their
carers have the right to participation, accountability, nondiscrimination and equality,
empowerment and legality. This
SENIOR VIPS: Sasna Pallis, left, is pictured with some of the
draws on the Charter of Rights
members of the Silver Seniors Activity Club at the launch of
produced by the Scottish
the action plan. Photo taken by Ewen Meldrum, NHS Lothian
Parliament’s Cross Party Group
on Dementia.
Outing proved a hit with members of unique support group
Did you
know?
DAYTRIPPERS: Maureen Cossar, CMHTOP
deputy charge nurse, centre, and Arlene
Crockett from Alzheimer Scotland (right)
they gain from meeting other people
with similar difficulties as themselves is very beneficial. There’s no
other group like it in Lanarkshire for
people with dementia.”
For more information on the
Memory Support Group, call
Lorna on 01355 576529 or email
Lorna.McCallum@lanarkshire.
scot.nhs.uk
Plan maps out early support for silver seniors
MEMBERS of Lanarkshire’s Silver
Seniors Activity Group and
occupational therapist Pasna Salis
were invited to the national launch
of the new action plan for
allied health professionals (AHP)
in mental health.
Public Health Minister
Shona Robison launched the new
document, “Realising Potential” at
The Hub in Edinburgh.
This document sets out a
three year plan with recommendations for NHS boards to target
five areas:
q Early intervention and
timely access for service users
and carers
q Supported self-management
and recovery
q Promoting physical health
and mental wellbeing
q Designing and delivering
psychological interventions
q Integrating vocational rehabilitation in mental health.
The Silver Seniors group is
featured as a good AHP practice
example in this document and the
attached DVD.
The group has been recognised
as an AHP practice which has
supported transfor mational
change to older adults’ lives.
For more details on this
document, please visit
www.scotland.gov.uk
Conference attracts the top experts
A CONFERENCE on epilepsy and
learning disabilities in Wishaw General
attracted leading UK experts.
The event, called “It’s a seizure
Doc, but not as we know it”, focused
on learning disability, epilepsy
and behaviour.
Jen Irvine, epilepsy nurse
practitioner, who is based at the
Learning Disabilities Service, Kirklands
Hospital, said: “More than 90 delegates
attended – including consultants,
psychiatrists, community learning
disability staff, consultant
paediatricians, allied health
professionals, student nurses, and longterm condition and mental health staff.
“Feedback from questionnaires was
extremely positive and most delegates
enjoyed the variety of informative
presentations with the opportunity to
ask questions being beneficial.”
Speakers included Professor Mike
Kerr, from the Welsh Centre for Learning
Disabilities at Cardiff University, and
Dr John Tomie, geneticist, from Yorkhill
Hospital. From the Scottish Epilepsy
Centre were Dr Rod Duncan, consultant
neurologist, and Joanne Hill, epilepsy
specialist nurse.
LEADING LIGHTS: Speakers and participants from the conference
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
LOCAL/DISTRICT/PARTNERSHIP
HEAT IS ON
FOR eKSF
thePulse 15
Media Watch
Target on track for electronic reviews
NHS Lanarkshire is well under
way to achieving its HEAT target
on eKSF.
Figures at the end of August
show that nearly 60 per cent of
staff have already had their
review completed.
The target is for all staff to have
a KSF-based review carried out
and a summary of this recorded
on the electronic KSF system
(eKSF) by the end of March 2011.
Kenny Small, director of
organisational development and
human resources, said: “I am
very pleased that we’re on track
to achieve this target.
“This is due to a lot of hard
work over the past four years and
I am delighted that staff have
once again risen to the challenge.
“Embedding the KSF process
within the organisation will be of
great benefit to staff and also the
service we provide to the public.
“We still have a hill to climb to
reach the 100 per cent target
and I would ask all managers to
ensure they have a local plan in
place to facilitate this”
Isabel Doris, KSF project
manager, (pictured) explained
that a lot is being done to help
staff meet the target.
She said: “We have trained
more than 9000 managers,
reviewers and staff on how to use
the eKSF system.
“This programme of training
ended in September and we are
now directing our support to
things such as one-to-one coaching
and a range of surgery days.
“There is also a network of
local experts on hand within local
departments to offer support on
using the eKSF system.
“All people have to do is go
onto FirstPort to see who their
local expert is.”
If you need e-KSF support, you
can speak to your manager/
reviewer who will be able to support
you or go onto FirstPort where a
number of guides are available.
You can also contact the KSF team,
at [email protected].
nhs.uk or on 01698 377855.
r
o
f
n
e
p
o
e
r
t
n
e
c
m
Gazette
4
k
r
a
n
£1
a
L
d
n
arluke a
C
s
s
e
n
busi
Health secretary
gives thumbs up
to improved unit
STV
Evening Times, Herald,
e The
Wishaw Press and STV were
among the media that covered NHS
Lanarkshire’s annual review and the visit
of Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon to
Wishaw General’s newly refurbished
neonatal unit.
opening of the new Carluke
e The
Health Centre was celebrated in the
local press with the Carluke and Lanark
Gazette covering the story
Campaign
puts boot
into violence
East Kilbride Ne
ws
emphasise that violent and
aggressive behaviour towards NHS
staff is unacceptable, were highlighted in
the East Kilbride News, Evening Times
and Hamilton Advertiser.
special dedicated room to
e Aencourage
more mums to breastfeed
was set up at the Bellshill Community
Clinic. Details of the new facility were
promoted by the Bellshill Speaker and
the Motherwell Times.
opening of the new Glencairn
Lanarkshire and Kilbryde
e The
e NHS
facility at Coathill Hospital for
Hospice Appeal signed an
adults with complex mental health needs
was highlighted in the Airdrie and
Coatbridge Advertiser.
staff in the coronary care unit
e The
(CCU) and ward four at Wishaw
DEDICATED: Director of the North CHP Colin
Sloey attended the stakeholder event to
praise the efforts of the Keep Well team
They’ve done very well
KEEP Well in Lanarkshire held a
stakeholder event to thank its
operational staff for their
dedication to the programme.
The event included the
initiative’s partners such as GPs
and local authorities as well as
representatives from the voluntary
sector, the Scottish Government
and Health Scotland.
Keep Well gives patients access
to a range of services such as
counterweight programmes and
smoking cessation services to help
them embrace healthier lifestyles.
Jill Madden, lead nurse for the
Keep Well project, said: “We
brought people together to allow
them to see the difference they
are making.
“One of the most positive
cases related to a man who was
referred from Keep Well with
alcohol problems which were
affecting his social and work life.
“The additional support offered
by the case management service
helped him reduce his drinking,
resume employment and take up
activities he used to enjoy like
going to the gym.
“It shows that Keep Well is
making a difference both medically
and psychologically and the joined
up approach means patients are
getting a seamless service.”
General were praised by J Clark, from
Shotts, in the letters’ page of the Wishaw
Press for their “excellent care and
attention” they provided and for their
“boundless dedication”.
posters being displayed across
e New
NHS Lanarkshire premises, which
agreement to work together to provide
new palliative care services for terminal
illness sufferers in East Kilbride. This
announcement was covered in the East
Kilbride News.
including the Hamilton
e Newspapers
Advertiser, Evening Times, and
East Kilbride News highlighted the
grandparent session being held at
Wishaw General Hospital for new
grandparents wishing to find out how
they can best support their families
following the arrival of a new baby.
SHARE YOUR STORIES
q Has a patient or visitor gone out of their way to praise you?
q Is there a new service in your department you are proud of?
Contact the communications department on 01698 245069/245077 and help us
reflect the good news stories that happen within NHS Lanarkshire every day.
16 thePulse PEOPLE
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
People
Tom Bows out
after 20 years
TOM Bow retired from his post as
deputy section manager for medical
physics at Wishaw General in
August after 30 years in the NHS.
Having begun his NHS career
with the medical physics
department in Glasgow, Tom
soon moved to Lanarkshire.
He worked initially at Monklands
and then Bellshill Maternity
Hospital, where he developed his
knowledge of maternity and
neonatal services.
To Tom’s credit, medical physics in
Bellshill was the first dedicated
maternity unit in Scotland to achieve
the ISO 9001:2000 registration.
Following about 20 years of
service, Bellshill Maternity closed
and Tom moved into the new
Wishaw Hospital where he
continued to pursue his interest in
maternity.
Tom Hutchinson, head of medical
physics, pictured below right,
thanked Tom, for all his efforts and
wished him well in his retirement.
Colleagues and friends of Tom
marked the occasion by presenting
him with a cheque and flowers.
Absolute asset will be
Farewells said
at Park lunch
AFTER 43 years in the NHS – 30 of
them in Lanarkshire – consultant
clinical scientist/clinical director in
laboratories Eric Carlyle retired in July.
Eric, pictured left, began work as the
top grade biochemist for Law Hospital
in 1980 after training in Glasgow.
He took over as clinical director for
the laboratories in 1993 and oversaw
many developments in his time.
His notable achievements include
involvement in the design of the new
laboratories at Wishaw and the
provision of crucial strategic vision,
leadership and operational expertise to
bring the three laboratory sites and all
the 12 individual departments together
to form a sound basis for the future of
NHS Lanarkshire laboratories.
Eric was joined by friends, colleagues
and family for a dinner at Dalziel Park.
At a presentation lunch in his
honour, his NHS Lanarkshire friends
and colleagues presented Eric,
pictured with his colleague Dr Ian
Gunn, with a generous cheque.
Dr Janet Tillman, Eric’s deputy
clinical director, said: “Eric will be
greatly missed by his colleagues and I
am sure all of us wish him good
health and great happiness in his
retirement.”
Singing Mary’s praises
STAFF at Coatbridge Health
Centre crammed into the staff
room to say farewell to one of
their colleagues.
Mary Gillooly retired from the
health service after serving some
44 years as an enrolled nurse in
the community.
The Airdrie woman started her
nurse training in September 1966
and worked in various specialties
before becoming a community
nurse in 1991.
Colleague Janice
McDonagh said:
“Mary delivered care in a
refreshingly enthusiastic, respectful
and compassionate manner all her
working life.
“She was a very valuable
member of the team and we all
wish her a long, healthy and happy
retirement.”
Fellow colleague Evelyn Ryan
gave an indication of how Mary
may spend her retirement, saying:
“Mary loves a good night out, has a
fine singing voice and is light on her
feet when it comes to dancing.”
Mary says she plans
to spend more time
enjoying life with her
husband Pat, sons
Patrick and John,
daughter Gayle and her
three grandkids.
Mary,
centre,
pictured
with Janice
and Evelyn
Ace plans
for Catriona
FAREWELL:
Catherine,
pictured
with
flowers,
and her
friends and
colleagues
at Lanark
Health
Centre
Chapman knocks off
LANARK Health Centre bid farewell to
Catherine Chapman who retired after
17 years with NHS Lanarkshire’s
Clydesdale locality.
The speech and language therapy
(SLT) clinical co-ordinator is now
looking forward to enjoying more
holidays with husband Graeme and
spending time learning to paint.
Catherine, from Lanark, said: “I’ll
miss my friends here, but I love
holidays and look forward to having
more of them hopefully.
“The Clydesdale team has been very
supportive here and I wish them well.”
Catherine worked as a speech and
language therapist, working with
adults and children within NHS
Lanarkshire’s community clinics since
graduating in 1993.
Her last post, as clinical co-ordinator
within Clydesdale, allowed her to
develop her leadership skills, and to
co-ordinate the SLT team in Clydesdale.
Alison Downie, SLT team leader,
said: “We wish Catherine all the best
in her retirement. Her sense of fun,
and her depth of knowledge will be
greatly missed by everyone in the
Clydesdale team.”
CATRIONA Edwards hopes to
lower her golf handicap having
retired from Wishaw General.
The outpatient receptionist
worked with NHS Lanarkshire for
14 years, having first joined as a
clerical officer at Law Hospital.
She moved to Wishaw General
when it opened in May 2001,
working initially in the medical
records department and then, in
2002, moved to her final position
in the outpatient reception.
Liz Moffat, assistant health
records manager, said: “We all
thank Catriona for her valued
years of service.”
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
PEOPLE
thePulse 17
People
missed by all
CLINICAL support worker Janey
Raeside (pictured centre,
standing) retired from her position
at Wishaw General recently after
35 years’ service.
Having started her career in
Ward Two at Law Hospital, she
had moved to Ward Four, Day
Surgery/Endoscopy and finally to
the Wishaw Day Surgery/
Endoscopy unit.
Senior charge nurse Karen
McLelland, said: “Jane has been an
absolute asset to the unit and will
be missed immensely by all of her
colleagues. We wish her the very
best of health and happiness in
her retirement.”
Margaret’s 40 not out
JOHN Mitchell, the chairperson of
South Lanarkshire Public
Partnership Forum (PPF), is retiring
from his position after serving as a
PPF representative since its inception
in 2006.
John, a retired civil servant from
East Kilbride, has devoted years of
unpaid service acting as a link
between the local community and
NHS Lanarkshire.
John was instrumental in the
establishment of the PPF.
Alan Lawrie, NHS Lanarkshire
director of South Lanarkshire CHP,
said: “Over that last four years, John
has provided an invaluable service
and insight in how NHS Lanarkshire
consults with and takes forward
proposals to the people of East
Kilbride and South Lanarkshire.
“He has devoted many hours and
attended countless meetings to ensure
the thoughts of the local communities
he serves are heard on all health and
social care issues.
“His commitment to the community
is nothing short of astonishing. He
will be a great loss to the South
Lanarkshire PPF.”
John plans to continue playing
bowls twice a week and having the
A great loss to South
Lanarkshire PPF
From left – Irene Miller, Chair of Clydesdale PPF, John Mitchell and Alan Lawrie
occasional game of golf. In addition
he is the secretary of the East
Kilbride retired professional and
business men’s club and a member of
Maggie will be missed
the Kilbryde Burns Club. John also
has seven grandchildren, six of
whom live within walking distance of
where he lives, to keep him busy.
MAGGIE Graham will be sadly
missed by her colleagues at the
Alison Lea Heath Centre following
her retirement.
The public health nurse,
pictured with her friends and
colleagues, had worked for 15
years in East Kilbride, but had a
long and varied NHS career
spanning most of the country over
a period of almost 40 years.
Maggie’s colleague, Helen
Phillips, said: “Maggie was
working in East Kilbride for a long
time and will be sadly missed by
all her public health and Alison
Lea colleagues.
“We wish her well in her
retirement and hope she’ll enjoy
doing more travelling, cooking and
entertaining and walking with her
new dog Alfie.”
Maggie had started her NHS
career at the recovery unit in
Southampton General in 1972
before arriving in East Kilbride
in 1994.
Happy retirement wishes for Eileen
CONGRATULATIONS to Margaret
Young after she passed the magic 40
years’ service mark with the NHS.
The payroll officer, based within the
payroll department at Monklands
Hospital, began her career in 1970 at
the Victoria Infirmary pay department.
However, Margaret did not expect to
be staying beyond her first pay packet.
She said: “I was 18 when I joined
the NHS and I only viewed it as a
short-term thing. I was only going to
stay for a month to get a full wage!”
Although Margaret has stayed in the
payroll area throughout her career, she
has worked in a variety of locations.
When the Greater Glasgow
Health Board centralised its pay
departments she move to Ingram
Street, then another reorganisation in
1985 saw her move to the Old Nurses’
Home, at Stobhill Hospital.
From 1994, she worked for the Care
of the Elderly Trust at Dalian House
until she moved to Lanarkshire Primary
Care at Strathclyde Hospital in 2001.
On 1 July 2002 she joined the Primary
Care Division and moved to the NHS
Lanarkshire payroll department in the
Corporate Services Building, Airdrie.
Margaret is pictured with colleagues
who helped her mark the milestone.
EILEEN Holloway recently retired
from Monklands Hospital following
more than 30 years’ service.
She had started her career in
Lanarkshire as an audio typist in the
Alexander Hospital, Coatbridge.
Following the move to Monklands
Hospital, Eileen was appointed as a
secretary in the ear, nose and throat
(ENT) department.
Friends and colleagues gathered to
wish Eileen a fond farewell and a
long and happy retirement.
Swee Keong Kang, consultant ENT
surgeon, said: “Eileen will be greatly
missed by patients and staff in the
ENT department.”
18 thePulse COMPETITIONS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
JACKIE TAKES
THE BISCUIT
In brief…
Cash in on your
childcare costs
Public health nurse wins our £100 Rita Rusk pampering prize
DOES your child attend a crèche,
nursery, childminder or after
school club?
If so, did you know you could
be saving as much as £2390 on
childcare costs every year?
The Childcare Scheme – run by
Your Staff Benefits – can help
make your childcare costs more
affordable.
Childcare vouchers are a
simple, straightforward way to
pay for quality childcare.
That’s because you don’t pay
tax or National Insurance on
childcare vouchers to the value of
£55 a week – so working parents
can save as much as £1,196 a year
– double, if both parents sign up
for a childcare voucher scheme.
Our childcare voucher scheme
is easy to use and you can find
information on your website at
www.yourstaffbenefits.co.uk
JACKIE Gray will enjoy a pampering
session worth more than £100 at
Rita Rusk International salon in
Hamilton.
The public health nurse, who is
based at the Health Institute in
Larkhall, is the winner of the competition in the last Pulse.
She correctly answered that the
Hamilton branch of Rita Rusk is on
Bothwell Road.
Now, Jackie will be treated to a cut
and blow-dry, manicure and microdermabrasion treatment.
The Rita Rusk International salon
in Hamilton introduces a bold and
innovative approach to health
and beauty.
Monitors are mounted throughout
the salon, allowing clients to keep
up to date with the latest styles by
watching fashion television.
They can also use the salon’s IT
capabilities to keep abreast of up-tothe-minute news, or access Reuters
to monitor the shifting markets.
Clients receiving colour treatments, for example, can plug in their
laptops, catch up on their e-mails or
even get through some work during
their time in the salon.
If you would like to find out
more information, contact
Eleanor our childcare voucher expert
on 0131 537 3627 or email eleanor.
[email protected]
A tumbling glass-encased waterfall
at the reception area promotes
relaxation, while the upper floor has
a fully refurbished men’s salon and
beauty salon.
The Hamilton Rita Rusk
International Salon is also the first
in the UK to have high pressure
collagen bed.
Male clients can opt to use the
salon’s exclusive men-only hairdressing area.
As well as two beauty rooms
where clients can receive all kinds
of treatments, from facials to
reflexology, the upper floor boasts
an internet café where they can surf
the net, or meet friends for a salad,
fruit or vegetable juice, or a glass
of wine.
The Hamilton salon is located at
25 Bothwell Road, Hamilton, call
01698 540777.
To find out more about Rita Rusk
International, visit the website at
www.ritaruskinternational.co.uk
Pulse Sudoku
Win a meal for two at Malmaison
Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain
one of each digit. So must every column, and every 3x3 square.
Get the solution on FirstPort.
ONE lucky Pulse reader could be
dining in style with a meal for two
at the Malmaison Brasserie in
Glasgow.
The brasserie in the vaulted
basement is loaded with charm.
Imagine divinely tasty,
beautifully presented cuisine
prepared with incredible local
ingredients, served up with a
genuine excitement.
Malmaison is just one of the
many companies offering NHS staff
discount as part of the NHS staff
benefits programme.
Malmaison offers NHS staff an
amazing 25 per cent discount on
food bills.
To access your discount at the
brasserie, simply book your table in
advance and tell them you are with
the NHS. All you need to do then is
show your NHS staff ID and receive
25 per cent off your food bill.
Malmaison is also offering staff a
fantastic 20 per cent off packages
for weddings taking place between
January to March 2011 or 2012.
For a chance to win, take a look at
the promotional Malmaison advert
on the NHS staff benefits website,
8
5
6
1
6
7
7
3
5
8
8
4
6
2
6
1
2
3
9
8
5
2
4
1
7
7
5
9
3
4
8
or on the Malmaison website
(www.malmaison-glasgow.com)
and answer the following question:
What was the
building used
for before it
became the
Malmaison?
Send your answers to Martin
Stirling on martin.stirling@
lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk with a
daytime telephone number.
Alternatively, post your answer to
Martin Stirling, Strathclyde Hospital,
Airbles Road, Motherwell ML1 3BW,
with “Malmaison competition” in the
subject, your name, work location
and contact phone number.
Closing date for entries is Friday
8 October.
To find out more about Malmaison
and other great discounts on offer,
visit www.nhsstaffbenefits.co.uk
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
TRAINING
A TOTAL of 57 NHS Lanarkshire
colleagues were congratulated
at an awards ceremony after
successfully completing health
qualifications.
The Nurses, Midwives and Allied
Health Professionals (NMAHP)
Support Worker development
team, of the NMAHP Practice
Development Centre, held its SVQ
(Scottish Vocational Qualifications)
Award Ceremony in June, under the
leadership of Jacqui Brown.
Fifty-two NMAHP clinical support
workers received their level two and
three SVQs.
In addition, five supervisors from
NHSScotland Linen Services
received their A1 Assessor Award.
Paul Wilson, executive director
for NMAHPs, and Marie Cerinus,
director of NMAHPs Practice
Development, attended the awards
ceremony at the Ronald Miller
Suite, Wishaw General.
thePulse 19
Qualifications come in 57 varieties
SIXTEEN LEARN THE LINGO
SIXTEEN NHS Lanarkshire administration staff are now up to speed
with some complex medical terminology after passing a six-week
training programme.
The health board colleagues were
rewarded at a ceremony in Wishaw
General following completion of the
medical terminology course, run in
conjunction with Coatbridge College.
Latest graduates of the course are:
q Carol Burton, administration
officer, occupational therapy,
Monklands Hospital
q Adelle Elliot, ward clerkess,
Hairmyres Hospital
q Christine Farr, patient scheduler,
ophthalmology, Hairmyres
Hospital
q Laura Gilchrist, clerical officer,
medical records, Monklands
Hospital
q Pauline Gorman, clerical officer,
Public Health, Adam Avenue Clinic
q Rosemary Hoey, audio typist,
clinical labs, Wishaw General
q Mary Matthews, audio typist,
pathology, Wishaw General
q Christine McCusker, medical
secretary, Adam Avenue Clinic
q Pamela McFarlane, admin
assistant, Lanark Health Centre
q Allison McLean, clerical officer,
Dalziel Day Hospice
q Karen McMahon, clerical
officer, out patient department,
Wishaw General
q Sandra Morrison, personal
secretary, Cleland Hospital
q Sue Noble, medical secretary,
integrated addiction service,
Cumbernauld
q Nicola Pollock, clerical officer,
Lanark Health Centre
q Ruth Ross, library assistant,
Wishaw General
q Karen Watson, library assistant,
Hairmyres Hospital.
Training Planner
ORGANISATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
q Training schedules,
nomination forms and more
information is available on the
Training and Development
homepage on FirstPort or
at http://firstport/sites/
odandtraining/trainingand
development/default.aspx
If you have any other enquires,
please contact the training
co-ordinators:
Sue Devine (Law House)
01698 377807
sue.devine@lanarkshire.
scot.nhs.uk
Linda Firstbrook (Hairmyres)
01355 585485
linda.firstbrook@
lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
Lorna Galloway (Wishaw
General) 01698 366765
lorna.galloway@
lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
MEDICAL EDUCATION
q For queries, contact training
co-ordinators on 01698 366521
or Meded@lanarkshire.
scot.nhs.uk
Training co-ordinators will
contact new consultants
direct regarding the
Consultant Induction and
Professional Development
programme.
To book any other senior
courses, use the booking
system which is available on
the MEDED website
www.medednhsl.com
PRACTICE DEVELOPMENT
Contacts:
Rita Cloughley 01698 366581
Morag Downie 01698 366575
Anne Halavage
01698 366582
Natalie Snodgrass
01698 366590
JULY-DECEMBER
q Launch of Education
Programme
This six-month programme of
courses is open to all NHS
Lanarkshire Nurses, Midwives,
AHPs and their support
workers.
For more information on the
different courses and dates
available, log on to the PDC
website. Visit
www.lanpdc.scot.nhs.uk
LIBRARIES
Contacts: Amanda Minns
(Hairmyres) 01355 585488/7
Lisa McLaren (Wishaw
General) 01698 366316
Paul Herbert (Monklands)
01236 712005
Carol Hallesy (Law House)
01698 377600/01
Grant Donaghy (NHS
Lanarkshire HQ)
01698 281313
q Classes are available in:
The Knowledge Network
RefWorks
Ovid Medline
Ebsco CINAHL
Cochrane Library
Contact your local library for
dates and availability.
HEALTH & SAFETY
q For training schedules and
nomination forms access as
follows: Firstport/Staff
Support Services/Occ Health
SALUS/Downloads
For more information, contact:
Sandra Sweeney 01236 707721
or email sandra.sweeney@
lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
MOVING & HANDLING
q For training schedules
and nomination forms
access as follows:
Firstport/Staff Support
Services/Occ Health
SALUS/Downloads
For more information,
contact: Sandra Sweeney 01236
707721 or email
sandra.sweeney@
lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
PaMoVA
(Prevention and Management
of Violence and Aggression)
q It is essential for all staff in
the Health Service to take care
of their personal safety and be
aware of the safety of others.
To reduce the risk of being a
victim of aggression or violent
behaviour, NHS Lanarkshire
provides PaMoVA training for
all staff.
Contact PaMoVA advisors on
01236 707198.
20 thePulse ACHIEVEMENTS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
DREAMS REALLY
DO COME TRUE
Helen became SuBo for a day
NHS Lanarkshire has its very
own Susan Boyle in the shape of
Salus case manager Helen Lawrie
– who performed live as “SuBo” on
Real Radio.
Helen, from Wishaw, was
competing in the radio station’s T
Factor competition in August.
And she performed the song
which made SuBo famous – I
Dreamed a Dream – live on air and
in costume.
Helen, 41, said: “I’ve always
liked performing and I love Susan
Boyle so the chance to do a tribute
to her live on radio was one I
couldn’t miss.”
Helen, who lives with her 17year-old son Lewis, has also done
stand-up comedy and written
comedy scripts for the BBC.
She said: “I used to do stand-up
comedy and was in the Glasgow
Comedy Festival. I’ve also written
for the BBC and got paid for a joke
that Craig Hill used on his show.
“I’m now hoping to do more
tribute nights as Susan Boyle and
some stand-up.
“My job is quite a serious one,
trying to help people who have
long-term illnesses, so it’s nice to
have an outlet and it keeps me
grounded and sane.”
Helen’s son Lewis is set to start
a degree in Anthropology and
Social Sciences at Glasgow
University after achieving an
incredible nine highers.
She joked: “My hobby doesn’t
seem to have affected Lewis too
much and he did brilliantly in his
exams. He is about to start a
course studying people though, so
maybe that says something!”
Helen’s abilities within the workplace are also recognised and she
has been nominated for the Case
Management Society of the UK
(CMSUK) Case Manager of the
Year Award.
I love Susan
Boyle so the
chance to do
a tribute to her on
live radio was one
I couldn’t miss”
RADIO GA-GA: Helen is pictured with
Real Radio presenters Ewen Cameron,
Alan Rough and Cat Harvey
Andrew’s students are going
for gold – Olympic gold!
HANDY ANDY: Andrew
with Kieran Campbell
who he coached at the
International Children’s
Games in Bahrain
ANDREW Campbell is not only a
valued NHS Lanarkshire employee –
he is also an international coach and
former Scottish and British star in
taekwondo.
Based at Coathill Hospital, Andrew
works as a Prevention and
Management of Violence and
Aggression (PaMoVA) tutor.
And his skills in preventing and
managing aggression came in handy
in his role as the coach of athletes
competing in taekwondo in the
International Children’s Games in
Manama, Bahrain.
Andrew said: “The whole
experience was outstanding. There
were 1600 competitors and we made
lots of new friends.
“There were two athletes
competing in taekwondo, Kieran
Campbell and Aaron McAllister, who
had been selected after sparring
at the club I run.
“They are both 15 and really
committed to winning, but it was
tough going training in temperatures
rising to 50 degrees Celsius.
“Both Kieran and Aaron made it to
the semi-finals in their respective
under-55 kilogram and under-51
kilogram categories, where they lost
to China and Thailand respectively.”
Andrew has been training in
taekwondo since 1980 and
represented Scotland at junior and
senior level around the world, and
also represented Great Britain.
He is now a fourth dan master in the
sport and has been coaching national
team players since 2001, with many of
his students now in the current Great
Britain team and aiming to be selected
for the London Olympics in 2012.
Andrew is encouraging his NHS
Lanarkshire colleagues to try the
sport to improve their fitness.
He said: “The health benefits of
taekwondo are that it is a total
fitness package and cardio workout,
involving lots of leg work and
stamina exercises.
“It promotes stretching and
flexibility as well as self confidence,
and gives each student goals.”
Andrew is also currently in the
process of opening a non-commercial
martial art studio at the Kirkwood
Sports Barn in partnership with
North Lanarkshire Leisure, which will
offer free classes to under fives.
He also runs children’s and adults’
classes with very low rates.
For more information, contact
[email protected]