Woking Diagnostic Hub

Plans are underway to develop a community diagnostic centre at Woking Community Hospital. At present, the closest diagnostic centres for Woking residents are in Guildford, Ashford or St Peter's Hospital. This development would provide residents with a local, vibrant and modern health facility, preventing the need for 30,000 hospital visits outside of Woking annually. This project is part of an NHS-wide expansion of diagnostic services and a wider community diagnostic hub programme across Surrey Heartlands. It aims to reduce waits and speed up treatment. Some diagnostic services are already offered at Woking Community Hospital, including x-ray, paediatric audiology, ophthalmology, dermatology, and ultrasound. Subject to planning permission, we aim to open the centre in late summer 2023. It will bring additional diagnostics, including computerised tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cardiac testing, respiratory testing, adult audiology, blood testing, bone density (dexa) scanning, as well as expanding the ultrasound capacity. These services will be housed in a new dedicated facility connected to the current hospital. The centre will be developed by the Trust, working in close collaboration with CSH Surrey, primary care and Alliance Medical Ltd. More details will be shared as the project progresses. In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments please contact either Andrea Abbott on andrea.abbott@nhs.net or Stephen Hepworth on Stephen.hepworth@nhs.net.

Remembrance Day 2022

To remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedom, we held Remembrance services outside the main entrances of St Peter's and Ashford Hospitals on Friday 11 November with two minutes silence observed across both sites at 11am and a bugler playing the Last Post and the Reveille at St Peter's. Veterans Andy Field, Chairman and Andrea Lewis, Chief Nurse, laid wreaths at the services. Andy was joined by reservists Dr Clarence Chikusu and Guardsman Jack Williams. Patients and staff were able to listen to the service on Radio Wey. To hear the service please click here. Reservist and Afghanistan veteran, Dr Clarence Chikusu, Consultant Physician, represented the Trust and laid a wreath at the Spelthorne Council Remembrance Service on Sunday 13 November at the Staines War Memorial.

Optivo Launch New Housing Development for Nurses and Key Workers
Staff at the Trust are to benefit from quality new homes as housing provider Optivo unveiled the first of 147 apartments at St Peter's hospital. On 1 November, Optivo hosted an event at the site to celebrate the completion of phase one of the multi-million pound development of 75 one, two and four-bedroom apartments for nurses and keyworkers.
The previous 1970s existing accommodation needed modernising and the second phase of 72 apartments is already underway and will be available in 2024. To read the full article, please click here. Photo: Paul Hackett, Chief Executive, Optivo; and Julie Smith, Chief Executive, Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Ashford and St Peter's are recognised by The Ministry of Defence for supporting the Armed Forces in the Workplace

The Ministry of Defence officially presented the Trust with a Gold Employer status under the Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) in acknowledgement of the value we place on supporting the Armed Forces in the workplace. The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme is for employers who have signed the Armed Forces Covenant. The ceremony took place aboard HMS Warrior, in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard attended by Andy Field, Chairman, Andrea Lewis, Chief Nurse and Clarence Chikusu, Consultant Physician. To read the full article, please click here. Photo shows the Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire Nigel Atkinson with Andy Field, Chairman, Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals and Lieutenant General James Swift, OBE, Chief of Defence People.

Staff Achievement Awards 2022

The 2022 Staff Awards were held in October at the historic and magnificent 700-hectare estate of Wentworth Golf Club, in Virginia Water. This year, there were two new categories; Innovation Award to recognise a project or QI that demonstrated improvement in a clinical or non-clinical service and the Looking After Our Team Award to acknowledge an individual who had gone above and beyond. Julie Smith, Chief Executive said, "The nominations and winners displayed how Team ASPH truly live and breathe their Trust values and we are proud to be part of such an amazing team. It was really special to see such a wide breadth of nominations ranging from non-clinical, housekeeping, portering, security and administrative staff to nurses, consultants and matrons, without you all we would not be able to provide the high quality care for our patients!"

Trust wins Healthcare Caterer of the Year at Foodservice Cateys Awards 2022

The Catering team were awarded Healthcare Caterer of the Year at the 2022 Foodservice Cateys Awards; the first NHS Trust to win this award. The Foodservice Cateys Awards, equivalent to the Oscars, celebrate and recognise the people working tirelessly to ensure their organisation delivers an exceptional service. The outstanding work of the team has also led to the Trust being selected as one of the first of 20 NHS catering exemplar sites and commended by Dame Prue Leith. To read the full article, please click here.

AHP Day 2022

Last month Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) came together and celebrated AHP Day with AHP colleagues from Surrey Heartlands and the North-West Surrey Alliance as well as our Chief Executive and former radiographer, Julie Smith and Divisional Associate Director of Operations, Rachael Straus. We were proud to have Suzanne Rastrick, Chief Allied Health Professionals Officer (CAHPO) for England join us on the day to deliver a virtual live address. Chief Nurse, Andrea Lewis, welcomed the AHPs to the event which showcased their patient care and service developments and included an overview of the Orthoptic Stroke Service, Podiatry within ASPH, and the AHP Strategy. Later in the day, the AHP Awards were held to recognise individuals and teams for their contributions and award categories included Equality and Diversity, Sustainability, and Student Placement star.

Ashford Hospital Opened New Wobble Room

Andy Field, Chairman, joined Dr Christina Hoskins, specialty and associate specialist Anaesthetist, Councillor Robert Evans from Surrey County Council, and colleagues at Ashford to take a first look at the dedicated space for staff. The Wobble Room is intended to provide a space for theatre staff to support one another; somewhere to debrief following difficult incidents; to have confidential conversations about the impact of their work and to link in with CareFirst Webinars and Schwartz Rounds and other Trust-wide Wellbeing offerings. Huge thanks to Surrey County Council's Cllr Robert Evans who generously funded the room from his Member's Community Allocation and those in the local community who kindly donated furniture for the room.

ITU Outdoor Space Opens at St Peter's

Colleagues from our Intensive Treatment Unit (ITU) recently celebrated the opening of a new garden at St Peter's. The team worked with the estates department to find a suitable space that they could make their own. They weeded on their days off, planted flowers and decorated the area. The ITU team received funding from the ASPH Charitable funds and the Staff Wellbeing fund. These funds were donated by families and friends of ITU patients, as well as donations from ITU staff and the community. The team now have a beautiful space to take a break and are enjoying this outdoor space.

Healing Arts Live Music Programme - Volunteers Needed!

We are looking for local residents who can play the piano or another instrument to perform. Healing Arts is an expanding, ambitious visual and performing arts programme for Ashford and St. Peter's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. We improve patient, visitor and staff experience and outcomes through the presence of art in all forms across the Trust. Including a live music programme delivering pilot music research programmes, live music in inpatient areas and scheduled performances from volunteers, including staff, local schools and colleges, as well as community volunteers. We believe and research shows that live music helps people feel relaxed and confident, and can relieve frustration, stress and isolation. A recent research study conducted by the University of Huddersfield and the University of Sussex in partnership with the charity Music in Hospitals showed that people who experience music, clinically, experience decreases in the level of anxiety, decreases in the level of stress the body experiences, and an increase in their wellbeing. Healing Arts which is funded by the ASPH Charity, has recently purchased a baby grand piano for the main entrance of St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey, where regular performances will take place. Starting at the end of November, talented members of Team ASPH, local schools and community volunteers will play short concerts for staff and patients to enjoy - more details about these will be shared ahead of the performances. If you or someone you know may be interested in performing regularly or as a one-off at St Peter's Hospital, or if you'd like any more information about the Healing Arts Programme please get in touch by emailing asp-tr.healingarts@nhs.net.