In-Touch with Plymouth Hospitals NHS TrustWe have been workinghard to ensure we are asprepared as possible forthe winter months ahead.

On an average day, we seeand treat 250 patients inDerriford Hospital’sEmergency Department.

We have achieved our access targetsfor the second quarter this year andachieved over 97% against the 4-hourtarget for October. In recent weeks ourTrust’s performance against this targethas been exceptional and this has beenacknowledged by NHS England andthe Trust Development Authority.

As we head into winter, we are in astronger position than previously because:

We expect over winter to need 50 moremedical beds to support the increasedneed of our patients and have beenputting plans in place to provide these.

Following feedback from our experts inemergency care, we have been workingto develop a short stay unit. By 6thDecember, 20 short stay beds will beopen on Marlborough Ward at DerrifordHospital.The ward will provide targetedcare for medical patients requiring a stayin hospital of less than 72 hours. Patientswill receive the care they need fasterallowing them to be discharged fromhospital sooner.

The short stay beds will be supportedby the diabetes and endocrinology teamwho will provide ward rounds seven daysa week. The ward will be run by a nursingteam led by Cath Allen. Therapies will beprovided seven days a week, with eachpatient screened every morning.

We are also working hard to embedthe “Plan for Every Patient”, a tool usedbetween in-hospital professionals andexternal agencies to ensure we give theright care at the right time to patients.

In addition to these in-hospital changeswe have been working to improve ourpartnership working so we can supportpeople going back in to their own homesas soon as they feel ready, with the rightcare being provided to support them.

Gettingready for

winter

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Outlook with Chief Executive Ann James

Our open day, when the hospital wasbuzzing with people and pride, felt likeanother turning point for our Trust. It wasour commitment to being transparent andengage with our patients and thecommunity brought to life.

We are moving in the right direction. Forexample, we are meeting the NationalCancer Standards, the 4-hour target andrecruiting more nurses.

August saw the re-inspection of ourtheatres and the lifting of the warningnotice that was applied back in April. Theinspectors came and were satisfied withwhat they saw. There is still much work tobe done to improve in our theatres, but agood start has been made.

Our work to embed listening to patientsand acting on their feedback is nowunderway, with a patient representative,shadow Governor Vera Mitchell chairingour Patient Experience Committee.

We have the right leaders in place and thestructure of Care Groups and ServiceLines is now providing clinical leadershipat the right level and many staff tell me itfeels like there is a better grip on thingsnow, all the way through the organisation.

We have been working hard on preparingfor winter so that we can provide safe,good care to our patients withoutcompromising the wellbeing of our staff.

This is not to say that it won’t be hard attimes. It will, but we are trying to getourselves in the best possible position.Financially, times are hard and even withmaking savings in the order of £24m, wehave forecast a £13m deficit. This is notguaranteed and we are taking additionalsteps, such as applying tighter controls onfilling vacancies and non-pay spendingand stopping new spending unlessabsolutely critical. This may feel tough butit’s necessary and there is a process inplace to review spending decisions.

Our priorities are to:

Maintain safety and quality over winter•Keep listening and learning and being transparent •Deliver this year’s financial plan & restore balance over coming years•Embed the Care Group and Service Line framework into all that we do•

More than half of ourstaff who have contactwith patients have hadtheir flu vaccinations.

That’s 10% better thanlast year already andwe keep jabbing in abid to encourage staffto protect themselvesand their patients.

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Visitorsflock toOpen DayWe opened our doors, forthe first time in a decadeon Saturday 28September. More than 70activities were on offeracross 14 different areasof the hospital.

These included:A blue light area•where police and ambulancecolleagues were present with vehicles A marquee erected outside the front of•the hospital which housed displaysand standsTeddy bear’s hospital, plastercasting,•life-size operation game and muchmore fun besides in Children’sTheatresCareers fair•A fun research trial using chocolate•Dementia affects 1 in 20 people over•65 and our dementia care leads wereon hand to demonstrate how wesupport themVisitors tried their hand at taking blood•with our model arm and learned more

about diagnostics with our PathologyteamVisitors got the chance to look inside•their own earand find out the real ageof their body with the dietetics team aspart of the activities on offer from ourallied health professionalsMeet the military – some of our 200•military staff were on hand with fakewounds, history of the nursing service,and a Care Under Fire demonstrationLove your liver? Visitors could find out•how healthy theirs isComfortably numb: our anaesthetists•were on hand to help visitors find theirnerves using ultrasound… and muchmore

We estimate that 2,000 visitorsattended the day. The formalfeedback forms returned byvisitos showed that

71% rated the event as•excellent and 28% as good23% said the event was•excellent and could not beimproved.

We hope to make this a regularevent held every two years andwill hold our next Open Day in2015.

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This newsletter is designed to update our Members of Parliament and is brought to you by thePress and Communications Team at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust. If you have questions,comments or concerns call the Chief Executive’s Office on 01752 439084.

Our Executive Director TeamWe are committed to leading a hospital Trust in which the best, high quality andcompassionate care is delivered to patients. We will do this through listening,

learning and improving all of the time.

Ann JamesChief Executive

Joe TeapeDirector of Finance

Dr Phil HughesMedical Director

Greg DixDirector of Nursing

Lee BudgeDirector of Governance

Hein SchefferDirector of HR

Kevin BaberChief Operating Officer

Find us at www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk and follow us on

@PHNT_NHSPlymouthHospitalsNHSTrust