Membership Matters

York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

November 2022

Trust marks recruitment of 50,000 patients for research

Research led by York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has delivered and hosted over 1000 studies, and the Trust recently celebrated the recruitment of 50,000 patients with a research conference.

Collaborations with organisations such as the University of York, York St John University, Hull York Medical School, and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust have led to many studies, including trialling a new Covid-19 vaccine. The Trust also performed the first in many studies on the novel Leishmaniasis vaccine and is currently leading the way by researching a new vaccine treatment to protect babies against a common and potentially dangerous winter Respiratory Syncytical Virus.

Lydia Harris, the Trust’s Head of Research and Development said: “We are really proud of our research achievements, this is a real milestone for us and we would like to thank all the staff and patients who have been involved in delivering, supporting and facilitating our research over the years.

To find out more about patient and public research opportunities at the Trust please email [email protected]

Welcome to our new Medical Director, Karen Stone

This month the Trust welcomes new Medical Director, Karen Stone, who will be responsible for the appointment, development, and professional leadership of medical and dental staff.

After graduating from Birmingham University in 1990 with a medical degree, Karen worked in posts in paediatrics in Birmingham, London, and Yorkshire. She was appointed to a consultant paediatric post with an interest in emergency paediatrics at Pontefract General Infirmary in 2001 after obtaining her Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training.

Her career at Pontefract, which became part of the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust, saw her develop into an accomplished medical leader. In 2014, Karen became their Medical Director, a post that she has left to join us.

Karen is passionate about multi-professional education and comes to the Trust with a wealth of experience in medical leadership, quality improvement, patient safety, and clinical reconfiguration.

In welcoming Karen, we say goodbye to Jim Taylor, who has been with our Trust for over 20 years and retires at the end of November. Jim has made a significant contribution during his time with us, both as a surgeon and in a range of clinical leadership roles.

New approach to quality improvement

A new approach to quality improvement is helping colleagues get creative and make improvements to their work area, from the ground up.

Phil Dickinson, Associate Medical Director, has been appointed to lead on clinical quality improvement (QI) for the Trust, working alongside Kerry Blewitt and the Improvement Team.

Phil explained: “Ground up quality improvement recognises that improvement is often best delivered by those closest to the issue.

“Our ambition as a Trust is to encourage all staff to feel engaged, enabled, and empowered to start and deliver quality improvement projects in their own areas. This is done by working to a principle where staff can ask how they make the experience of care better and improve their own working experience.

“This approach is the same as seen in other organisations and builds on previous work around quality councils already established in some departments.

“Earlier this month, staff attended a quality improvement and redesign training course to support an increase in the volume of improvement work.”

Amanda Vipond, Consultant Anaesthetist and Care Group Director, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the QSIR course and I am getting stuck into my big improvement project using some of the tools I have learnt. I value the peer support I have from the course and know when I come up against difficulties who and where to go for support.”

Carbon reduction work begins

The work to improve energy use and sustainability at York and Bridlington hospitals has begun, following the grants awarded to the Trust earlier this year from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Work to clad the outside of the main ward block and replace windows at York Hospital is well underway. Jane Money, Head of Sustainability, explained: “The programme will reduce heat loss in winter and protect against direct heat gain from the sun in summer as well as reducing the carbon emissions associated with wasted energy consumption.

“Other measures such as pipework insulation and the installation of low carbon air source heat pump heating systems on the roof of this ward block will result in a total carbon saving of around eight percent for York Hospital.”

At Bridlington Hospital, work to replace a twenty year old boiler with low carbon air source heat pumps has begun. The project also includes installing a mini solar farm at one end of the hospital, together with solar panels to the roof, insulation to pipework, and replacing some motors with higher efficiency models.

Jane continued: “The funding is set to make the site a shining example of sustainability, achieving more than 80 percent carbon emissions. The project will be delivered and operational before the summer of 2023.”

Get involved

Public Council of Governors meetings

These meetings are held throughout the year and give you the chance to see first-hand the workings of the Council of Governors speaking up and representing the views of their constituents.

Public Board of Directors meetings

These are held every other month and give you the opportunity to observe the Board of Directors on how decisions are made and what the challenges are of managing a NHS Trust.

Details for both meetings are available on our website. Everybody is welcome.

Star Award finalists

All our staff and volunteers deserve recognition - but there are many that go above and beyond the call of duty to make the Trust a better service - with hard work, exciting new ideas and simply by putting patients first. Click here to read why they were nominated and learn how they made a difference. If you would like to nominate someone for a Star Award complete the online form.

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