Part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
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The newsletter for Trust members with an interest in heart and lung care
May 2021
A new electronic health record system is set to transform patient care
Epic, a new electronic health record system (EHR), is set to transform the way care is delivered at our hospitals and empower patients to get more involved in decisions about their health. It will replace many of the systems currently in use with a single, Trust-wide, integrated system.
The overarching project to design the new EHR has been named the ‘Apollo Programme’ to reflect the level of ambition. Apollo will bring together all core patient information across the whole of Guy’s and St Thomas’, including Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, and will also be implemented at King’s College Hospital.
A critical feature of Epic is that it can be tailored to individual needs. Over the next two years of scoping, building and testing, a team will work together to design the system. The programme will not only deliver Epic but will also help to improve and implement other new technologies, such as speech recognition and intuitive reporting solutions. Read more about this project here.
Join our Apollo patient panel:
help us shape the future
We will continue to involve patients throughout the programme and will be forming an Apollo patient panel. We invite patients (including members) to register their interest in joining this panel by filling out the form found here.
For all other enquiries please contact [email protected]
Work begins to renovate Harefield cath lab
A refurbishment project has begun at Harefield to renovate cath lab 5, thanks to the support of Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity’s Lifeline Lab Appeal.
The lab will be made bigger, featuring an equipment room to store advanced Siemens scanners, and a control room for new IT software. With 5,500 procedures performed in Harefield’s cath labs each year, the refurbishment benefits include more space, easier accessibility and improved infection control.
Expected to be completed in September 2021, teams across the hospital are involved with the project, including estates, infection prevention and control, patient experience and arts.
Mark Bowers, divisional intervention lead for Harefield’s cath labs and theatres, said: “The state-of-the-art equipment will enable us to complete a wider range of examinations than we could with the old lab, essentially future-proofing ourselves against new procedures that could arise over the next five to 10 years.”
Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals team lead Heathrow Mass Vaccination Centre to success
Staff from Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals have teamed up with NHS colleagues from Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust to open the Heathrow Mass Vaccination Centre.
Open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm, the Centre has the capacity to vaccinate 5,000 people every day – around 35,000 people a week.
Samantha Cliffe, lead nurse for cardiac nuclear medicine, is one of eleven members of staff from Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals who have been deployed to the Centre. Samantha said: “It’s one of the most exciting projects I’ve been involved in and I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum now. This end – the vaccine – is the polar opposite to the one in critical care. It offers our patients and their families hope and a brighter future ahead.
“There have been emotional moments because the vaccine means so much to
people – it means they can start to really think about hugging loved ones they
have dearly missed and yet it’s a sad reminder of what they have missed out on
or lost. The feeling of hope at Heathrow is tangible and exciting. The
atmosphere is vibrant and everyone is really happy. We have even received some
wonderful artwork from local schools, which brings a big smile to staff and
members of the public.” Read the full article here.
NEW introductory event
Help us improve care for patients with heart and lung disease
As part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals continue to work together with our colleagues, including at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, and our partners King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, to develop plans to revolutionise heart and lung services for patients.
How to get involved
We are holding a series of online workshops from May to June 2021 to hear the views of patients, their carers and families on heart and lung care.
Introductory event
Thursday, 13 May
6.30-8pm
An online event where we will talk about the work of the partnership, our proposal for heart and lung care and how you can take part.
Click here to register for this online event
See the events section for further details about this event and future workshops.
New Charity-backed venture funds first crop of research projects
Myocardial disease, bronchiectasis and improving catheter ablations are just some of the themes that have successfully secured funding from a new scheme supported by the Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity.
The Research Management Fund, administered by the Research Management Committee (RMC), has been established to help pump prime Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals based research infrastructure and project grants that strive to tackle heart and lung disease.
The response from our teams to the launch of this scheme was extremely positive. Both RMC and the independent panel of expert and lay reviewers were pleased to see the breadth and quality of proposals received. 23 applications were submitted for consideration, of which 5 were awarded.
Gill Raikes, who was CEO of the Charity when the scheme was created and has recently retired, said;
“Funding these vital and ground-breaking research programmes is a very exciting project for the Charity."
Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals celebrated as a centre of excellence
Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals have been awarded with ‘Centre of Excellence’ status and Dr Shouvik Haldar, consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist at Harefield Hospital, has been recognised as a pioneer in the management of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), by international charity Arrhythmia Alliance.
The Heart Rhythm Centre at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals is one of the largest facilities of its kind in the UK. Experts at the Centre provide highly specialised care for patients with arrhythmias – problems with the rhythm of the heartbeat. SVT is a type of arrhythmia where the heart suddenly beats very fast and abruptly slows down again.
Trudie Lobban, founder and CEO of Arrhythmia Alliance, said: “With our new Centres of Excellence programme, we are delighted to recognise experts in the field of arrythmias and in particular SVT. Dr Shouvik Haldar has demonstrated best practice and Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals have been recognised by the Arrythmia Alliance international panel of medical experts as a Centre of Excellence. We hope that others will learn from the service at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals and be able to offer similar excellent practice to people with SVT to improve outcomes for this group of individuals.”
Read the full article here.
Clinical engineering department receive internationally recognised accreditation
Staff in the clinical engineering department are celebrating after achieving the ISO 9001 standard, an internationally recognised accreditation that demonstrates continual commitment to provide quality products and services.
Tracey Yarker, clinical technology director, said securing the accreditation was the result of a great team effort. She commented:
“A tremendous amount of work went into getting ISO 9001. We underwent an intense inspection in early February that concluded a long process – teams in both hospitals came together to produce very detailed reports to make sure we had everything in place for the ISO inspectors. Huge credit is due to everyone in the technical support teams and from others in clinical engineering for making this a priority during what was already a very stressful and busy time.”
As specialist hospitals, our patients’ needs are unique, and so is the clinical engineering and technical support we provide. Not only does our clinical engineering department provide support for a wide range of medical equipment, the department also undertakes the design, development and modification of many bespoke medical devices; for example, making adaptations to machinery like ventilators.
Tracey added: “Receiving the certificate was a very proud moment. Some of the words from the inspector really stood out and – I would say – epitomises what we are, and how we work.”
Allergy Awareness Week: a blog with Dr Isabel Skypala
Allergies, when the body responds abnormally to a particular food or substance, affect more than one in four people in the UK, both adults and children.
In her blog to mark Allergy Awareness Week 2021, Dr Isabel Skypala, consultant dietitian and clinical lead for food allergy at Royal Brompton and Harefield, answers some key questions surrounding allergies: what are they and why do people develop them? What is the difference between food allergies and food intolerances? Can an allergy ever appear or disappear in adulthood?
Get the answers to these – and other – questions here.
Royal Brompton exhibition recognises remarkable critical care teams
Royal Brompton’s adult intensive care unit (AICU) and rb&hArts, in collaboration with design agency No More Heroes, have launched an exhibition called ‘Retracing Intensive Care’, commemorating the remarkable contribution made by critical care staff, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The exhibition provides a creative and poignant insight into life on the frontline, featuring photographs taken by members of staff over the past year, personal stories, and key facts and figures about the impact of the pandemic on the team, and hospital.
It will run from April to June 2021 and is located in the Sydney Street building, with displays in reception, the café and third floor.
The stories featured in the exhibition were captured at a special workshop where rb&hArts and artists from No More Heroes worked with the AICU team to reveal the stories behind the images they had captured. Using white ink pens, staff wrote personal commentaries on the photographs overlaid with tracing paper, evoking the idea of an invisible emotional layer. This creative method helped expose the thoughts, feelings, opinions and emotions of the people and situations depicted in the photographs.
The exhibition illustrates the astonishing dedication shown by staff to patient care; at the height of the pandemic, AICU trebled its bed capacity from 18 to 56, and as one of five adult ECMO centres in the UK, staff looked after 27 patients on ECMO at any one time – the highest in one centre across the UK. The team also achieved an incredible survival rate for ECMO patients, one of the best in the country.
The exhibition was the idea of Lorraine Campbell, Royal Brompton lead nurse and associate hospital director. She said: “The exhibition is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our AICU staff throughout the pandemic. I am so pleased it’s all come together; What started as a simple desire to acknowledge the exceptional AICU nursing team has grown organically into something thought-provoking and inspirational in equal measure.”
MEMBER EVENTS
Help us transform heart and lung care
Introductory workshop
Thursday, 13 May
6:30pm – 8.00pm
Online
To register, please click here.
The main purpose of the event is to give information about the partnership between Royal Brompton and Harefield and Kings Health Partners and its work, give an opportunity for participants to ask questions, and introduce the engagement events for patients and families. We would like to hear the views of heart and lung patients receiving care at Guy's and St Thomas', Evelina London, Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals or King's College Hospital, and their families.
This event is the first in a series of events and is open to adult and young patients with a heart or lung condition, their carers and families, and others with an interest in heart and lung care provided by the partnership.
Creative theatre and arts workshops for Children and Young People with a heart or lung condition
- Children aged 7-10: every Saturday, 15 May – 19 June
- Children & young people aged 11-16: every Wednesday, 12 May – 23 June
- Young people aged 17-25: every Tuesday, 11 May– 22 June
Workshops for Parents and carers of heart and lung patients
- Five workshops between Monday 17 May and Monday 7 June
Workshops for adult patients receiving care for congenital heart disease
- Tuesday, 25 May, 6.30-8pm
- Tuesday, 8 June, 12.30 – 2pm
To find out more about the partnership and how to register for these events click here.
The role of genetic testing in diagnosing health conditions
Thursday, 3 June
10.30am - 11.30am
Online- MS Teams
To register, please click here.
Join Dr Deborah Morris-Rosendahl, consultant clinical scientist and head of the Clinical Genetics and Genomics Laboratory, as she talks about the significant role genetic testing plays in diagnosing suspected inherited cardiac and respiratory conditions. As she and her team celebrate the milestone achievement of analysing 10,000 samples of DNA, Dr Morris-Rosendahl will also share how genetic testing has enabled clinical teams across Royal Brompton and Harefield to diagnose conditions such as cystic fibrosis and inherited arrthymias at an early stage, when treatment can be more effective.
TriBeats Music Mash Up for 13 – 25 years olds
Sunday, 16th May
1.30-5pm
Online- Zoom
To register, please click here
An event to mark the musical achievements of young people in three West London boroughs, TriBeats Music Mash Up will bring together groups of 13-25 year olds from the Tri-borough Music Hub Youth Voice Council and Royal Brompton and Harefield’s Vocal Beats, who will take part in a special songwriting and music sharing workshop. The workshop aims to celebrate the work of children and young people in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and City of Westminster. It is also a great opportunity for new members to get involved, try something new, relax and have fun!
Events recordings:
In case you missed any of our recent events you can catch up on the
recordings here.
Here ar the latest event recordings added:
What a 'hybrid' model means for the future of patient care
The development of further home monitoring and increased capability of home testing are examples of innovations that have resulted in reducing the number of trips patients have had to make to our hospitals. This event heard from those at the centre of these developments, to help members better understand these changes and to share what other innovations are on the horizon.
You can watch a recording of the event here.
Sarcoidosis patient day
The first ever Sarcoidosis Patient Day took place on 1 April, hosted jointly by Royal Brompton Hospital and SarcoidosisUK. A virtual event, it was created specifically for sarcoidosis patients, with patient-centred sessions led by leading specialists.
You can watch a recording of the event here.
Be inspired, get involved
We looked back over the past year to highlight some of the great work that our hospital staff, volunteers and supporters managed to achieve during a particularly challenging time. From art classes, singing and tree planting, to research, working groups and charitable activities, speakers shared how people have joined together to help make a difference, and how you can, too.
Watch a recording of the event here.
Updates and events hosted by the charities supporting our hospitals
The Brompton Fountain
Workshops exploring the realities of growing up disabled in modern day UK
Wednesday, 2 June (first in a series)
6 - 8pm
Online
To register, please click here
Many young people growing up with lung and heart conditions face similar experiences as each other, but rarely get the chance to discuss them openly, honestly, and with peer support. This series will introduce you to a group of like-minded people who are exploring what it means to advocate for your own health as a young person. We want to explore an identity which includes disability and chronic illness in an accepting, self-empowering way.
Each workshop will include the chance to share your own thoughts and experiences.
Run by the RBH Paediatric Network and The Brompton Fountain Charity, Brompton families webinar- Covid-19 update
Thursday, 3 June
7 – 8pm
Online
To learn more and to register, please click here.
Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity
We are delighted to welcome Richard Bowyer who is taking over as chief executive from Gill Raikes. Richard joins us from Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, where he was director of marketing and public fundraising. Before that he was head of global brand strategy for BT, where he created the marketing strategy for BT’s London 2012 sponsorship.
Richard said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity at a time when the NHS has never been more needed, and the support of its charities has never been more vital. Under Gill’s leadership the team have built a thriving charity and I am looking forward to working with them on the next stage of their journey.”
We have moved our annual raffle to spring and are holding it entirely online. You can buy a ticket for £2 to be in with the chance of winning one of our fabulous prizes, including a £1,000 Amazon voucher, a £500 John Lewis voucher, a £250 Amazon voucher, a mixed case of wine from Bodegas San Esteban in Rioja, Spain and many more.
Find out more and purchase a ticket on our website.
Spring may have ushered in some changes at the charity, but we remain committed to fundraising for the hard-working staff at our two incredible hospitals. You can find out more and donate to our Covid-19 Relief Fund here.
Have your say- vote for your governor
Members can still vote in the Council of Governors election. Online voting opened on 22 April and closes on 18 May.
An email reminder with your personalised ballot was sent to you from [email protected] on 4 May.
Our governors play a very important role in helping to improve our health services. They’re the eyes and ears of our public, patients and staff, representing their interests and giving advice and support to our board in the management of the Trust.
Elected governors will represent the newly merged Trust. Seats being elected this month comprise three patient governors, one carer and two staff governors.
If you would like to find out more, click here.
NEW Membership benefit
We're excited to share the news that you will be receiving a copy of GiST, the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust magazine. A copy will be posted to you later this month. This is one of the additional member benefits following the merger with Guy's and St Thomas'. As noted, we will continue to send you communication and host events specific to Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals while offering new benefits to you.
If you have any questions or want to share your feedback about Trust membership, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Contact Nancy Dickinson at [email protected].
To unsubscribe from receiving emails, please click here.
