Trust scores 'Excellent' in Annual Health Check

THE quality of services provided by Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust is 'Excellent', according to the Healthcare Commission ratings.

Jonathan Parry, Chief Executive said:- "This is fabulous news for both our patients and our staff.  There is no secret that we were disappointed with the rating last year, and to have gone from fair to excellent; an improvement of 2 ratings; within 1 year and to be in the top 3rd, is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff.  It confirms our determination to be amongst the best performers in the country in everything we do.  We are 1 of only 4 hospital trusts (out of a total of 29) in the North West to have shown this level of improvement.

This has been an excellent year for us, we won a Top 40 Hospital Award for the 7th year running, we have been awarded the highest possible rating for safety for our Maternity services to go with the one for Acute services we got a couple of years ago and we are still the best performing hospital in the North West with regards to MRSA Bacteraemia and Clostridium difficile.

What this means for our patients is that in all their dealings with the hospital - from the first outpatients appointment to discharge home - they can expect the very highest standard of service."

Good financial management goes hand in hand with good quality of services for our patients and we are therefore extremely pleased that we have shown an improvement in our rating for use of resources, which has been assessed as 'Fair'.  Having previously been in financial deficit we have responded well to this challenge and are now in financial surplus.  However, because of our previous deficit, a fair rating is the most we could have been awarded.

Within the assessment for Quality of Service, the Healthcare Commission examines a total of 66 targets and standards set by the Government and judge whether we have met them.  There was only one target or standard that we did not meet which involved the ability for patients who wished to do so to make their appointments online at a time that was convenient to them.  This is a problem that we have recognised and have been working to fix.

Merseyside youth make ‘noise’ to make a difference

YOUNG people from Merseyside who have used music to combat their personal difficulties will be showcasing their talent to raise money for charity on Thursday 23 October 2008 as part of CSV Make a Difference Day, the UK’s single biggest day of volunteering.

The event will take place at:- The New Picket, 61 Jordan Street, L1 0BW and will feature local acts The Bo Weevils, ORA, The Dockers, and Meiosis.

The performers are part of the Noise project, run by the Merseyside Youth Association which gives young people with education and emotional problems skills and confidence through music.

All the proceeds from the event will benefit Children in Need, and the entire event will be staffed by volunteers.

This concert is being organised by the Agents4Change campaign which is run by Community Service Volunteers (CSV) and supported by Tesco and v.  It aims to encourage more people aged 16 to 25 to take part in community events.

Jon Dean, Agents4Change Volunteer Coordinator, said:- “It’s great to see so many young people volunteering together to celebrate Noise, who have given scores of Liverpool’s teenagers self-belief, whilst raising money for Children in Need. Hopefully, this terrific night will have a huge impact. We want everyone who loves good music to come along.”

Tickets cost £3, with all proceeds going to Children in Need, and are available on:- 0151 794 0992, or by emailing then via:- liverpool@comcats.org.uk.

Alternatively all tickets can be bought on the door.

VOLUNTEER’S DEDICATION IS RECOGNISED WITH A PLACE ON AWARDS’ SHORTLIST

A DEDICATED Wirral volunteer has been short-listed for a national award for helping people in her community battle alcohol addiction.

Mum of 4 Jenny Allinson, 31, has spent the last year juggling family life with her volunteer work at the Woodchurch Community Alcohol Project, run by The Social Partnership.  She was nominated by the Woodchurch Neigbourhood Management Team, who initially funded the project, for a Neighbourhood Management National Award in the category of ‘community volunteer of the year’ and has made it through to the final.

The eventual winner will be hailed as the resident who has made the most significant contribution to the development or success of the Neighbourhood Management team or their local community.

A Woodchurch resident herself, Jenny knows many of the people who receive help from the community alcohol project, where she works one day a week, personally and feels she is well-placed to identify with their lives on the estate.  She said:- “I grew up on this estate and have lived here my whole life so I know many of the people who are involved with the project.  I’ve have done other volunteer work previously and run the local women’s group, but I’ve always been interested in working in the drug and alcohol sector and that’s what led me to become a volunteer for The Social Partnership.

This is such a worthwhile project and has improved the lives of dozens of local people.  I enjoy helping people and find the job very rewarding.  I’m delighted to have been short-listed for this award particularly as it’s a national award, and was happy even to be nominated.”

Majella Lanigan, manager of the Woodchurch Alchol Project:- “I’m delighted that Jenny’s hard-work and dedication to the project has been recognised.  She thoroughly deserves this accolade and we are very grateful to have her as a volunteer.”

The NANM Awards 2008 are a unique opportunity to recognise the exceptional efforts of those people and organisations working in partnership to improve life in neighbourhoods across the country.  The winners will be announced on 22 October 2008 at a ceremony in Nottingham. 

Since being set up in January 2007, the Woodchurch Community Alcohol Project has helped 159 adults by providing advice and counselling on alcohol and substance misuse.  It has provided them with much-needed support to overcome their addictions and put their lives back on track, with 71 decreasing their alcohol/drug intake and 45 becoming alcohol or drug free.

For more information about The Woodchurch Alcohol Project and its initiatives call 0151 678 0015 or call into the drop-in centre on Carr Bridge Road, Wirral.

Alternatively, for more information about The Social Partnership call:- 0151 258 1199 or log on to www.tsp.org.uk.