July 2023
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| Community Day 15th July |
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The Trust plans are well underway for the second ASPH community open day and we are starting to get excited about the day. There will be lots of interactive and informative stands and tours, as well as emergency vehicles and other partner and community stands.
Please be aware that due to the current demand on staff and the looming school holidays, the Trust has decided to postpone the Ashford event to focus on St Peter's, with plans to reschedule a community open day at Ashford later in the autumn. To register your interest in attending please click here and please do share the link with friends and families. To read the full article please click here. |
| Caroline Warner Joins the Trust as New Chair | |
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The Trust is delighted to announce Caroline Warner's appointment as the new Chair of Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals from Monday 4 September 2023.
Caroline has a well-established portfolio of Chair and Non-Executive Director roles in public service organisations. |
| With over 25 years of multi-sector professional experience, Caroline offers a specialist understanding of strategy, transformation planning, citizen advocacy and behaviour change. Caroline will take up her new role from outgoing Chair Andy Field, who has led the Trust for the past six years and who will be continuing as Chair of our healthcare partner CSH Surrey. To read the full article, please click here. |
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| Noah Performs at St Peter's | |
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Noah recently performed for staff, patients and visitors on the baby grand piano in the main entrance of St Peter's Hospital. This was a small thank you for all the care his grandmother received in May ward. His performance has been described by our staff and patients as truly amazing. The piano was funded by the ASPH Charity as part of the Trust's Healing Arts programme. To read the full article, please click here. |
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| Dementia Team Join NHS 75 Birthday | |
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The Dementia team have joined our NHS 75 Birthday campaign to fundraise for ASPH Charity! During the month of June Kelly, Sam, Clare, Jane and Kamla, also known as the Sole Sisters Team, have been running / walking 75 miles each (375 miles as a team) to raise much needed funds for the Senior Adult Medical Services department at the Trust. The SAMs Team care for patients including older patients with Parkinson's Disease, falls patients and in particular patients living with Dementia. Approx. 2,400 Dementia patients are seen on the wards each year. To make a donation, please click here. |
| Click here to read more about the NHS 75 fund raising campaign. | |
| Junior Doctor Industrial Action | |
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Junior doctors took industrial action from Wednesday 14 June until Saturday 17 June. Throughout the week colleagues continued to provide urgent and emergency care for patients above the 70% four hour standard and complex discharges remained high, which was an incredible achievement.
As with previous industrial action, non-urgent elective inpatient surgery and some outpatient activity was re-scheduled and when Ashford hospital closed at night, teams moved across to support colleagues at St Peter's. GP and dental practices remained open during this time. |
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| ASPH in Bloom Garden Competition | |
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There is much evidence showing the value to our mental and physical wellbeing of getting outdoors and with nature. At the start of the year several teams applied for funding from the ASPH Charity to build on our wonderful Estates team's work to maintain and enhance our outdoor spaces and areas for the benefit of staff and visitors.
The ITU / Critical Care team are developing the space outside the back of ITU with a grow-your-own theme, using pallets and sustainable recycled materials. Named "Wild End", they have dug, weeded and planted bee and butterfly friendly plants alongside wild plant ground cover. Having installed a bee and bug house, a bird box, bird bath and feeders, they have also planted sunflower seeds in memory of a patient whose family donated them for the team's garden. | |
| The HR team at Ashford Hospital have come in on their days off and developed the waste space outside the Cedar Unit into both a growing zone building raised beds and creating a seating area for people to enjoy. |
| The Management offices team at St Peter's have transformed the concrete planters along the path/road above the bus stop. Big thank you to the Surrey Choices team who helped to paint the planters and clear out the old soil. They have now been planted up with dry-tolerant herbs, so when people walk by along the path, not only will it be pretty, but you can brush your hand along to get the wonderful smells of lavender, rosemary, marjoram and others too. |
| Samsung Volunteers at St Peter's | |
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For two weeks in June, around 100 Samsung volunteers helped in the Multifaith Garden, EduKitchen garden and both playgrounds in ASH and Oak wards. They cleaned, tidied, weeded and planted some colourful flowers and evergreen shrubs. They also sanded and painted benches, tables and pergolas for calming and beach-hut feel to the gardens in the summer months. |
| Congratulations to Kerry Eastwood | |
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Kerry from the First steps Nursery team recently received the Outstanding Apprenticeship award, in recognition of completing the level 3 Early years Educator apprenticeship programme. On 14 June Kerry was invited to Brooklands College to receive her award and join the celebrations of the Brooklands college of Outstanding Student Awards 2023. Kerry has worked extremely hard, despite some challenges on her Apprenticeship Journey. This award could not have gone to a more dedicated and deserving member of the team. Photo: L to R: Brooklands college assessor Karen Purvis, Kerry Eastwood and Brooklands College Principal Christine Ricketts |
| Sterile Services - Excellent Feedback Once Again | |
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In June, Sterile Services received excellent feedback from the external auditor (SGS UK) for the Trust Decontamination Service. Sterile Services (SSD) decontaminate and reprocess hundreds of flexible endoscopes and surgical instruments used in theatres, outpatients, maternity, radiology, women's health and many other departments across the Trust and also for external partner organisations. Safety of the patient is foremost in every part of the process and the Trust have once again successfully achieved certification to the UK decontamination standards set out by the MHRA. |
| Thanks and well done goes to SSD and our Estates and Housekeeping teams who provide crucial support to this department every day. | |
| Over £1,000 Donation for St Peter's Children's Wards |
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Charlotte Michael and Emma Ross from Footprints Day Nursery recently visited St Peter's Hospital to present the Trust with a cheque for £1,084 for our paediatric wards to refresh their garden and outdoor space. Charlotte was a patient at St Peter's and several other local hospitals when she was three years old and diagnosed with a rare children's cancer, Wilm's Tumour. After completing her treatment and being given the all-clear, Charlotte and her family donated and officially opened the garden and outdoor space for our young patients to enjoy. She recently returned to the hospital and saw that the children's wards garden and outdoor space needed a bit of attention so created a GoFundMe to raise money to improve the garden and outdoor space and improve the hospital environment for our young patients. Click here to read the full article. |
| Dietitians Week | |
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Dietitians Week 5 - 9 June was celebrated by introducing the upcoming launch of the new "Making Mealtimes Matter" policy for ensuring adequate nutrition and support for patients at meal times. Ward dietitians brought a copy of the policy and posters to each of the wards! Throughout the week they promoted the changes coming very soon to improve mealtimes for patients and staff across the trust with a range of activities. |
| Carers Week |
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In June the Trust joined the annual Carers Week campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don't think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support. To read the newsletter, click here. |
| "SLEEPY Eyes" Launch |
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St Peter's is rolling out the "SLEEPY Eyes" care bundle to aid inpatient recuperation and recovery. This followed patient feedback around noise at night on the inpatient wards. The SLEEPY Eyes project was piloted on Maple ward where staff and patient movements were observed, and patients were encouraged to feedback through a questionnaire. Following this process, a care package for our patients was developed to encourage a restful night's sleep. To read the full article, please click here. |
| Armed Forces Week |
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Armed Forces Week was a chance to show support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community: from serving troops to service families, veterans and cadets. This was an opportunity to thank our serving Armed Forces, Veterans, Reservists, Cadets and their families for everything they do. Reserves Day took place on Wednesday 21 June to recognise our Reserve Forces who balance civilian life with a military career.
The Trust hosted a breakfast for our colleagues and guests on Friday 23 June at 10am - 11am in the Edu Kitchen at St Peter's to celebrate Armed Forces Week and Reserves Day. On the last Friday of the month at 10am we host an Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club in the Edu Kitchen at St Peter's, which is open to anyone who has ever served or are serving in the Armed Forces. If you are interested, please email: asp-tr.breakfastclub@nhs.net |
| Chief Nurse Joins NHS South East England Regional Team | |
| Andrea Lewis, Chief Nurse, will be joining the NHS South East regional team as Chief Nursing Officer on a 12-month secondment from July. This is a fantastic opportunity for her. Huge thanks to Andrea for her leadership, hard work and dedication as Chief Nurse, she will be greatly missed by all. Andrea will be joining initially on a phased basis and Ellen Bull, Deputy Chief Nurse, will be acting up into the role of Chief Nurse. |