Care and leadership at Mersey Hospital recognised at awards

4 teams at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust have been recognised for making a difference to both patients and staff in the North West.  The Trust's Academic Palliative Care Unit, Roald Dahl Centre, nuclear medicine department and sepsis improvement team have been shortlisted across four separate categories in the 2016 NHS North West Leadership Academy Awards, recognising exceptional patient experience, great leadership, living the NHS values and outstanding teamwork. The awards celebrate the fantastic work that is going on across the North West and showcase its leaders' and teams' hard work, perseverance and the positive impact they have. Deborah Murphy, end of life lead, was nominated and shortlisted in the category of:- 'Excellence in Patient Experience.'  Deborah, who recently helped to launch the Trust's unique Academic Palliative Care Unit, said:- "Being shortlisted for this award is a reflection of the high priority our Trust places on palliative and end of life care and the hard work and dedication of everyone in our team. It's also a reflection of the people who matter most to us; our patients and their families who helped us to design, shape and deliver our service."

Professor Cheng Toh, consultant haematologist, and his team at the Roald Dahl Centre were shortlisted in the category of 'Team Outstanding Achievement – Clinical.'

Professor Toh said:- "We are delighted to have been shortlisted. We have developed a very comprehensive care service for patients with blood disorders. Roald Dahl was a much loved character; it's important for us that our service is much loved by our patients."

Professor Sobhan Vinjamuri, lead consultant in Nuclear Medicine, was shortlisted in the category of 'NHS – Living the Values.' He said:- "We have a highly skilled team at the Royal who are able to provide treatments and procedures that no other Trust, in the country, has been able to provide. Shortlisting is a very clear of recognition of the contribution of my team."

Dr Emmanuel Nsutebu, consultant in infectious diseases, was shortlisted in the category of 'Emerging Leader' for his work in improving sepsis care. Dr Nsutebu added:- "It's a real honour and a surprise to be shortlisted for this award. It's down to the hard work of my team. I mainly acted as a facilitator, making it easier for the people I work with to do their work in improving sepsis care as best as they can."

Hours changing at West Lancashire NHS Walk In Centres.

THE opening hours of West Lancashire Health Centre and Skelmersdale Walk In Centre will change, from Monday, 5 December 2016.  West Lancashire Health Centre, which is at Ormskirk Hospital, will continue to open at 8am every day, but the last booking to see a nurse will now be 7.30pm, instead of 9pm.  Skelmersdale Walk In Centre, at The Concourse, will open an hour later, at 8am, with the last booking to see a nurse changing to 7.30pm, instead of 9pm, Monday to Friday. Weekend opening times of 9am to 5pm remain the same.

Interim Chief Executive Iain McInnes said:- "Through a combination of sickness and vacant posts we are unable to fill, the Trust has experienced a severe shortage of appropriate clinical staff at both Walk In Centres. We have had no alternative but to adapt the opening hours to fit the staff we have available and maintain a safe service for patients. We will, however, keep staffing under regular review. Only a very small number of patients choose to use these services in the late evening but I want to apologise to anyone who is inconvenienced."

Anyone who thinks they need medical help outside the walk In Centre opening hours should examine their options.  When you need medical help or advice fast, but it is not a 999 emergency, call the NHS:- 111 service.

NHS:- 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and calls are free from mobiles and landlines.

For more information please visit:- ExamineYourOptions.Info.