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s ue
Is
24
News from Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust
Andrew’s
wish list
Living with prostate cancer
Spotlight
Palliative
care
Chilling out
Baby Kaleb gets
cooling treatment
Meet the
pharmacy
trouble-shooters
Golden Stethoscope
Dr James
Adams walks
away with
the prize
!
WINclub
medy
Co s
ticket
Welcome to issue 24 of Connect
Connect has been given a fresh new look for 2010 which we hope our readers will approve of.
As always, the magazine is jam-packed with patient stories, latest hospital news, behind-the-scenes features and all
your regular favourites like Golden Stethoscope and Getting to Know.
From this issue, we will also be publishing patient feedback (see back page).
mediamonitor
the latest SUHT news
First ceramic skull Emergency department
implant in UK team make Christmas
Consultant neurosurgeon Tony Belli has carried out a pioneering operation headlines
to replace part of a patient’s skull with a ceramic implant. The team at Southampton
PC Linda Butt underwent surgery after she was diagnosed with five brain General Hospital’s emergency
tumours and Mr Belli needed to remove part of her skull to get to them. department team made national
Linda is still receiving treatment headlines at Christmas with
for two tumours, but the their bid to prevent a raft of
ceramic implant means common festive injuries.
doctors can monitor them – Consultant Dr John Heyworth
a metal plate would have warned of the dangers of carving
Reproduced with kind permission of the Southern Daily Echo
blocked images. the Christmas turkey while drunk
It will also knit and elderly relatives choking on
together with the the traditional holiday meat.
remaining bone. “Every Christmas without fail, we see the same injuries caused by
Mr Belli said: “It is so preparing and cooking the Christmas dinner,” he said.
much like natural bone “People are likely to burn themselves on the oven or cut themselves as
in that if you fracture they carve the turkey – particularly if they have been drinking alcohol.”
it, it will heal over Eye casualty sister Emma Powditch urged caution when pulling presents
and, in time, the from under the tree to avoid scratches to the eyeball and popping
bone will grow into champagne corks near eyes, which can cause significant bruising and swelling
the ceramic and to eyelids after impact.
knit together.” Among the more unusual problems seen by Emma and her colleagues
over the years have been burns and swelling of the eyes cased by exploding
MediaMonitor MediaMonitor
This story was covered by The Sun, the Daily Mail, BBC South Today, BBC Radio
Christmas lights, zips caught on eyelids when trying on new clothes, and
Solent, BBC Hampshire Online. injuries from snowballs with hidden stones.
MediaMonitor MediaMonitor
This story was covered by the Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph, The Sun, BBC News
Secret agents
Online, the Daily Express, Marie Claire, The Scotsman, the Daily Echo, Galaxy FM,
Absolute Radio and BBC Radio Solent.
They are the taskforce set to ensure
the children’s wards are kept in tip-top
condition…child secret agents. A new army
of recruits, selected from young patients Top docs on
rescue mission
aged seven and above, are supplied with a
disposable camera, hi-tech voice-recording
pen, shades and a magnifying glass to carry
out their top-secret mission to keep up Southampton’s teaching hospitals supported the immediate response relief
hospital standards. They photograph and efforts in the earthquake-ravaged island of Haiti by releasing two doctors
note down anything of interest during their for deployment. Dr Nick Maskery, emergency department consultant, and
stay and report back on what is being done Dr Rob Dawes, specialist registrar in anaesthetics and intensive care, both
well or what needs improving. flew out to support search and rescue missions. Dr Maskery was involved
MediaMonitor MediaMonitor
with the high profile rescue of Sonia Fleury, reported in The Times, who was
This story was covered by Teletext, The Coast FM, Heart found nearly 100 hours after the earthquake struck.
FM and the Southern Daily Echo.
Tell Michelle…
We want to know what you think of your new-look Connect. Contact internal communications manager Michelle
Harris with your comments, along with any news or feature ideas for future issues. Feedback can be sent via:
Email: connect@suht.swest.nhs.uk
Post: Communications, Mailpoint 18, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road Southampton SO16 6YD
Telephone: 023 8079 4853
Website: www.suht.nhs.uk
2 CONNECT
ISSUE 24
Connect is produced by SUHT’s communications team. Printed on environmentally friendly paper.
Kaleb’s
a cool
customer
After making a traumatic entrance into the
world, baby Kaleb was given time to chill out.
The tot was among the first babies warned they might want to consider
at Princess Anne Hospital to receive getting their baby son christened in
a new hi-tech cooling treatment to hospital, in case he did not survive.
prevent brain damage. Doctors then decided to use a
As a SUHT employee, Larelle new treatment to cool Kaleb’s body
Jauncey, 19, from Shirley in temperature in a bid to prevent any
Southampton, knows the Princess brain damage that may have been
Anne better than most first-time caused when he was born.
mums – but she didn’t expect to Kaleb was attached to a cold
spend so much time there after giving body wrap and connected to a
birth to Kaleb. hi-tech cooling machine, which was
“
The first 48 hours of Kaleb’s life were critical This lack of oxygen sets off an
inflammatory response in the brain
Larelle’s mum, Martina Jauncey,
said: “It was a very difficult time for
and, at one point, he stopped breathing cells that can lead to serious illness, both families while Kaleb was in
or, in some cases, prove fatal. hospital, but the nurses were very
She said: “My pregnancy had been used to drop his body temperature It is believed that cooling the body good to us all.
fine, but I was nearly two weeks from the normal 37° to 33.5°. This of an at-risk baby within six hours “Everyone was surprised how well
overdue, so I came to Princess Anne hypothermia was maintained for of birth, in addition to standard Kaleb did and how quickly he got
Hospital to be induced. around 72 hours before he was intensive care treatment, gives the better.”
“Everything seemed to be going gradually warmed back to normal. brain time to recover by limiting Kaleb is now a happy, healthy
OK, but then there were problems Consultants Dr Robert Ironton inflammation and slowing the body’s baby, with no signs of his dramatic
with Kaleb’s blood pressure and I and Dr Vijay Baral lead the new energy needs. start in life, but will be regularly
had a very high temperature. As cooling treatment, which has been Dr Baral said: “Baby cooling is monitored for the first few years
soon as he was born they took him introduced following recent studies standard practice in many larger of his life.
away and started working on him, that suggest cooling a baby limits the hospitals across the world and we
then he was taken to neonatal severity of any brain injury. are delighted to now be able to For more information visit
intensive care.” If the blood supply between a provide this new service for babies in www.suht.nhs.uk and search
The first 48 hours of Kaleb’s life mother and baby becomes obstructed Southampton.” for ‘neonatal’
were critical and, at one point, he or cut – known as perinatal asphyxia
SUHT’s new baby-cooling treatment has featured in the News of the World and the
MediaMonitor MediaMonitor
stopped breathing. Larelle and her – the baby can become severely
Nursing Times, as well as on ITV Meridian.
boyfriend, Luke Wheeler, were deprived of oxygen.
Volunteer interpreters Foundation
Agnieszka Burtt is an admin support assistant – but over the past year has Trust update
helped many women and families during their pregnancies and births.
The hospital’s board of directors
Based at the Princess Anne Hospital, Using trained staff volunteers means If you are a member of staff who is has decided to postpone our bid to
she is one of 61 members of staff clinicians can access interpreters very fluent in another language and would like become a foundation trust.
at SUHT who have trained to be quickly. This is important in emergency to find out more about training to become As you will have read in previous
volunteer interpreters. situations, as volunteers are already on a volunteer interpreter, contact voluntary issues of Connect, the application
Nearly six years ago, Agnieszka site, so doctors do not have to wait for an services manager Kim Sutton on ext 6062. had been proceeding well and the
moved to Southampton from Poland, external translator to travel to the hospital. Trust was in a strong position to be
where she had been an English teacher. The in-house service provides crucial authorised from February 1.
Since completing her training course help for patients for whom English is not However the financial situation
in December 2008, Agnieszka has their first language. that developed in the local health
helped patients at appointments, births Often, these patients are anxious and economy made it impossible for the
and over the phone. confused, so just a few words from one board to be confident that we could
She said: “Even if families have been of the interpreters can help put them at • SUHT currently has 866 manage some of the risks associated
in the UK a long time and speak good ease – enabling clinical staff to treat the volunteers, including 66 with being a foundation trust.
English, medical vocabulary can cause patient more effectively. interpreter volunteers The application will now be
problems. Sometimes I only need to As well as being cheaper than • Between them, they speak resumed once the hospital and its
interpret a few words to help women external companies, saving the Trust 41 languages commissioners can agree plans that
understand procedures. money, the in-house interpretation • Languages range from Arabic will bring affordable volumes of
“I am very pleased that I can help service offers a more personal approach, to Urdu and everything in work to the hospital - probably not
our Polish patients. It can be a worrying providing face-to-face help rather than between for at least 12 months.
and stressful time, especially if you don’t being a voice on the end of the phone. • The number of call-outs for The Trust remains in healthy
understand everything you are being The Trust’s volunteer interpreters are in SUHT’s in-house interpreter financial balance and there is strong
told. I can help to explain everything and big demand and more recruits are needed service rose from 254 in 2005 support for the continued growth of
reassure them.” to help out with interpretation work. to 554 in 2009.81% to 84% our world-class specialist services.
CONNECT
ISSUE 24 3
spotlight
on services
Palliative care
Connect has been taking an in-depth look at SUHT’s end
of life care service.
Releasing nursing time
A project to free up nursing time at Countess Mountbatten
House has halved the number of patient falls.
The nurses have taken part in a However, there was some concern the patient status
Releasing Time to Care project, over the time taken for nurses to board, to enable staff
designed to improve the quality of respond to patient buzzers. The to see all information
patient care and the working lives of team felt that this was linked to the at a glance. They
staff. Already it has increased direct number of patient falls, which they introduced colour
patient care by 13% and led to a wanted to work to reduce. coding for the
52% reduction in falls. The project was divided consultants as well as
Sister Jennie Dacombe explained into modules, with two nurses additional physiotherapy and
the process to Connect: “The first championing each module. infection control information for each
thing we had to do was find out our The first change was to improve patient.
starting position, so that we could One of the biggest improvements hours of nursing time each year.
measure our improvement. was in the storage of equipment. By Jennie said: “The project is
“This was calculated by following rearranging cupboards, the length of ongoing and we look forward
the nurses with a stopwatch and time taken to find things was reduced to making more improvements.
timing all of the interruptions to from six minutes to six seconds. Everyone has got involved and made
their patient care. This included There is now a cupboard in each a difference and we have had visits
interruptions from other staff, bay, which is topped up with stock from our matron, Trust Board and
telephone calls and trying to find • Releasing Time to Care has after every shift. Every cupboard is divisional heads of nursing.
things around the ward.” been rolled out to 40 out of arranged in the same way, so that “It is great to see the reduction
The initial research found that 46 inpatient wards around the nurses know where to look for in falls as a result of the increased
44% of the nurses’ time was Trust items, no matter which bay they are patient contact time, and a survey
spent on patient care. A patient • Direct care time has increased working in. of staff showed that morale has
satisfaction survey at the same time from 39% to 53% Involving volunteers and improved too.”
gave some very positive results, with • Patient satisfaction has housekeepers in serving breakfast
100% of patients reporting that the increased from 96% to 100% made another major improvement. For more information visit
care they received was very good • Staff satisfaction has increased This has released the time of two www.suht.nhs.uk and search
or excellent. from 81% to 84% healthcare assistants, totalling 730 for ‘palliative’
4 CONNECT
ISSUE 24
Andrew’s
wish list
Andrew Middleton is a man on a mission.
The retired engineer was diagnosed enough to take the couple’s
with prostate cancer two years ago cocker spaniel, Ben, for a walk.
and had been doing well until his Once that has been accomplished,
condition forced him to cut short a he plans to get back to restoring
holiday in Spain. his pride and joy, a Porsche 911 – a
After treatment at Southampton project that has already taken him
General Hospital, he was able to 19 years.
return home but was readmitted a Third on the wish list is his
few months later when he suffered ultimate goal – to actually drive
acute renal failure. the car.
The life-threatening condition was In the meantime, he is a keen
“
I didn’t really know what to expect there
but it was more like a high-class hotel.
the start of a four-month hospital photographer and spends many
stay, which included two weeks in hours in his garden, capturing
intensive care. birds and insects on camera.
As his condition improved, he was Andrew speaks extremely
moved to Countess Mountbatten highly of the care he received at
House, SUHT’s hospice at West End, Countess Mountbatten House.
near Southampton, to recuperate. “I didn’t really know what to
Far from feeling sorry for himself, expect there but it was more like
Andrew set about a plan to get a high-class hotel. Being there was a
mobile again as quickly as possible. huge advantage for me,” he said.
Every day, he would walk around Being a vegetarian, Andrew was Andrew returned home in every need.
the hospice with either his frame or impressed with the personalised January. He and Anne have been “We are just overwhelmed,” said
sticks, relying on the nursing staff to meals that were prepared for him – amazed at all the equipment made Anne. “You hear so much bad news
keep count of his laps. not to mention the “tipple” that was available to them – everything from about the NHS, but we just cannot
Andrew also enjoyed the benefits offered before dinner. a bed, chairs and cushions to frames, speak highly enough of it.
of aromatherapy and physiotherapy Sadly, medications prevented him sticks and a wheelchair. “As a family, we would like to
during his stay. from being able to indulge, but he The couple also have a team of thank everyone who has shown such
Now back home in Woolston, said this was just one example of nurses, doctors and carers who are dedication and professional care to
Southampton, with wife Anne, his the personal touch offered by the ready and willing to call in at various Andrew over what has been a very
number one aim is to get strong Countess Mountbatten team. times of day to look after Andrew’s long and worrying time.”
Making the link Countess Mountbatten House
Every clinical area across Southampton’s university hospitals is
Countess Mountbatten House is a
encouraged to have at least one palliative care link nurse.
regional NHS palliative care service for
Known as spiritual, palliative and end of life (SPEL) nurses, they act as an
patients with advancing cancer.
advocate on the ward for patients and their families, as well as being a central
The hospice is set in gardens at West
resource for ward staff.
End, near Southampton.
SPEL nurses have responsibility for passing on their specialist knowledge to
This coordinated, interprofessional
colleagues as well as taking charge of palliative care issues in their own area.
hospice, community and hospital service
for those in the greater Southampton area
includes:
End of Life Care Month • More than 20 specialist palliative
March 2010 is End of Life Care Month across Southampton University care beds
Hospitals NHS Trust. • An award-winning specialist
Patients, relatives and staff will have a wide range of opportunities to learn more palliative care team in the
about palliative and end of life care, both at Southampton General Hospital and community
Countess Mountbatten House. • An enthusiastic specialist hospital
Details will be publicised soon or call Julie Francere on 023 8047 5564 to find out more. palliative care team
• A dedicated day care service
• An award-winning education team
• A research environment to improve
get Patients, carers, family members and bereaved relatives can
play an active part in the future of Countess Mountbatten
the care and support offered.
involved House and the palliative care service.
The newly formed Countess Mountbatten Patient
Partnership Forum welcomes feedback and ideas from The work of CMH is supported by the Countess Mountbatten Hospice Charity. For more
anyone who has used the service. information on their fundraising events and how you can get involved, contact Kat Linsley
Hood on 023 8047 5345 or email kat@cmhcharity.co.uk.
Telephone 023 8047 5581 to find out more.
CONNECT
ISSUE 24 5
getting
to know
Helen Staples procedure pack co-ordinator
“
Tell us a little bit about your background What’s the best book you’ve ever read?
I grew up in rural Staffordshire and at the seaside A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.
in Worthing, Sussex. I arrived in Southampton in 1965 to
start my nurse training. Favourite film?
My first year was spent living in what is now known Lawrence of Arabia (1962), a David Lean
as the old nurses’ home, under the watchful eye of the …the NHS won ‘Panavision’ epic with fabulous surround sound.
‘home warden’ (when a night out meant back by 10pm!).
During my student placement in theatre, I realised
me over and Hundreds in the cast and not a computerised image
to be seen.
that this was where I wanted to work once qualified. after 45 years
After living in the Channel Islands and 27 years What three items would you take with you on
of family life in Peterborough, combined with work I think I will a desert island?
in theatres and intensive care, I changed direction
and became an inaugural member of the Trust
stay! A king-size Hungarian goose down duvet, an unlimited
supply of Nestle condensed milk in tubes and a pair of
transformation team. scissors, as a ‘proper’ nurse should never leave home
Five years later I came full circle, returning to SGH at without!
the end of my career.
Who has inspired your career?
What does your role at SUHT involve? The team of learned theatre sisters who tutored me
When I arrived at SUHT six years ago, my job intensively when I joined the staff of Twin Theatres at
was a first for the Trust, and a rarity nationwide. Southampton General Hospital back in 1968. There was
I work with pack suppliers to maintain a consistent an infectious precision about the way they worked which
and cost effective supply of procedure packs to the many ensured high standards of patient care even without the
theatres and departments Trust wide. sophisticated equipment of today.
A theatre procedure pack is a customised product
consisting of a collection of consumable items regularly Why did you choose to work for the NHS?
used for a given procedure, packed in a sterile, theatre- Once I had qualified, private sector healthcare
ready presentation. was still in its infancy and not a very secure option at
I also work as a link nurse, liaising between my the time. I did give it a whirl and admired the business
clinical colleagues and our procurement colleagues, approach to healthcare. However, the NHS won me over
offering advice and researching product alternatives and after 45 years I think I will stay!
for out of stock items and new product trials,
while constantly supporting standardisation and
rationalisation of theatre consumables. next
issue
What do you get up to in your spare time?
Touring the UK and Europe with our trusty In the next issue of Connect, we’ll be putting Alastair
tent, long lazy days at our beach hut at Matthews, director of finance, in the hotseat. If you
Milford-on-Sea and furiously energetic would like to suggest a question, email it to
aquarobics sessions at the local pool. connect@suht.swest.nhs.uk by Friday 19 March.
Offside Three cheers for Toby
comedy Back in issue story of
featured the
6, we Toby has just celebrated his third birthday, so
his mum Lyndsay and dad Alastair contacted
Connect to tell us how he’s been getting on.
club Toby Dobson, who
After being born so early, Toby’s lungs did
not develop properly, and he still relies on an
was born three and a oxygen supply 24 hours a day.
WIN! half months early.
Tell us what you think about
Connect’s new look and you could
win a pair of tickets to
Toby also had some bleeding on his brain
when he was born, and has since been
diagnosed with cerebral palsy. This affects his
Southampton’s new comedy night, motor skills, and he is not able to sit or walk yet.
the Offside Comedy Club. Lyndsay said: “It is a miracle that Toby survived at all,
The Offside Comedy Club takes place at St Mary’s and he is getting stronger all the time – he can move
Stadium, Southampton. For more information visit himself across the floor to his favourite spot in front of the
www.offsidecomedy.com. television! He is also trying to talk now and has learnt how
To be in with a chance of winning, just email to click his tongue.”
connect@suht.swest.nhs.uk with your views on Toby eats pureed food, but last summer had a
Connect’s new look. gastrostomy tube fitted so that he can still be fed even when
The winner will be picked on 19 March 2010. he is unable to eat.
Congratulations to Arlene Brady from the emergency Lyndsay and Alastair have now set up a charity, Team
department, who won a bottle of champagne in issue Toby, to help fund some of the specialist equipment that
23’s reader survey prize draw. their son needs. So far they have raised more than £2,300
and have more events planned.
Lyndsay said: “He’s such a happy child and brings so
much to our lives despite his disabilities. We are so lucky
to have him and hope that his story inspires other parents
who are in the same situation.”
For more information about the charity visit www.teamtoby.co.uk
6 CONNECT
ISSUE 24
meet the
team
Pharmacy’s trouble-shooters
Tucked away in the pharmacy department is a team helping thousands Among the serious work, the
trouble-shooters are occasionally
of patients a year – usually without them knowing it. asked some very unusual
questions. Past ones have included:
Staff in the medicines information
centre, a specialist unit based at What is the dose of antibiotic for a
Southampton General Hospital, killer whale?
advise doctors, nurses and Can eating artist’s oil paints cause
pharmacists about treating patients mental illness?
with complex clinical needs.
The team helps identify which What oral contraceptives are
medicines have caused side effects, available in Bulgaria?
finds suitable treatments when the
A patient has eaten a whole tub
usual ones have failed, and advises
of E45 because she thought it was
doctors how to prescribe safely for
vanilla ice cream. Is this harmful?
patients who are already taking lots
of drugs. What treatments were available
Dr Simon Wills, who runs the unit, for angina in 1948?
said: “People phone us to ask literally
anything about medicines. as innovators in the UK, it’s nice to of unusual medicines in infants. A patient has just injected himself
“But most of our calls are about think that even in Europe there are Pharmacist Helen Jones enjoys with his dog’s insulin by mistake.
individual patients with a problem people who look to Southampton the variety. “Every day is different What should he do?
that has stumped other professionals, for leadership.” because every enquiry we receive is Is it safe to spray WD40 on the legs
and it’s good to be able to help. In fact, the unit’s fame goes different,” she said. to treat stiff knees?
“We don’t just cover this Trust – beyond Europe because the training “One minute I’ll be talking
to a GP, then a hospital nurse, Can my medication make me
then maybe writing a letter to allergic to eyebrow dye?
a consultant. And the variety of
I’ve been taking my wife’s
topics is huge – antibiotics, herbal contraceptives instead of my
medicines, painkillers, psychiatry migraine medicines for a month.
medicines – you name it. Will it do me any harm?
“People often phone because
they’ve exhausted all the other avenues I’m allergic to the main antidote to
for information so it’s good when we radiation poisoning. What should I
can help them solve a patient’s problem do if there’s a nuclear war?
The team’s training
– and we nearly always can.”
materials are used
across the world
we take calls from Oxford to the Isle materials they have developed
Golden Stethoscope
of Wight and from Weymouth to are now used by pharmacists in It’s official – Dr James Adams is a man with his
Portsmouth so it’s quite a big area. Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, finger on the pulse.
We even take calls from GPs and
NHS Direct.”
Malta and Uganda.
Members of the team have highly
WINNER! James, who works as a consultant physician
in medicine for older people, is the winner of this year’s
Angela Emerson, the team’s specialised clinical skills and are often Golden Stethoscope award, SUHT’s reality check to see if our
longest serving member, said: called upon for an expert opinion – consultants are living in the real world.
“We were recently asked to go to which means carefully weighing up He scored an impressive 8/10, correctly answering questions on
Germany to help them learn about the pros and cons of various courses everything from music and film to Formula 1 and pot noodles.
our role in Southampton because of action in difficult situations. The battle for the next Golden Stethoscope award will
they’d like to copy what we do here. Frequently, queries are about safe commence in our next issue. Who would you like to see facing the
“Although we’re well-known prescribing in pregnancy or the use 10-question challenge? Email connect@suht.swest.nhs.uk
CONNECT
ISSUE 24 7
talkback
The fundraising
connection
Call Southampton Hospital Charity on 023 8079 8881 or visit www.suht.nhs.uk/charity.
Alan’s ultimate Win £2,010
challenge in 2010 WIN
After life-saving brain surgery, Alan Charlesworth wanted to set 1st prize – £2,010 cash prize
himself the biggest challenge possible. 2nd prize – ‘Silver Lining’, a
beautiful handmade quilt
Dear Connect The 39-year-old from Southampton decided on Iron Man UK
2009 – a gruelling 140 mile race which includes a 2.4 mile swim, a 3rd prize – Canon Power Shot
Just over a year ago, we spent 112 mile bike ride and a 26.3 mile run. A470 digital camera
several weeks at Princess Anne Alan was treated in the Wessex Neurological Unit at Southampton
and Southampton General General Hospital after suffering a serious head injury five years ago. Winter Raffle tickets cost £1
hospitals, after our son Jozsef He underwent emergency neurosurgery to remove an extradural
was born ten weeks premature haematoma, a potentially life-threatening blood clot on the brain, The draw will take place on 22
on 11 December 2008. and has since made a full recovery. March 2010 (tickets on sale until
Through the hard work and Alan took part in Iron Man UK to support the unit that provided 16 March 2010)
dedication of the doctors and nurses such vital care for his recovery, raising £1,365 through sponsorship.
on the neonatal ward, he came He said: “It was the biggest challenge that I could think to set Tickets on sale at Southampton
home on 30 December. myself. When I came out of my accident, it really made me realise General Hospital:
Unfortunately, Jozsef contracted how precious life is, and I wanted to give something back.” • Southampton Hospital Charity
an infection and on 14 January 2009 Miranda Gardner, head injury nurse specialist, said: “Alan’s (Trust Management Offices,
his condition deteriorated rapidly fundraising was more than a marathon effort. We are enormously opposite the Emergency
and he was rushed to the General, grateful to him for raising such a substantial amount of money. Department)
to ward G1, where the doctors and “Considering the serious nature of his injury, Alan’s achievement in • Main hospital reception
nurses saved his life. Words cannot completing Iron Man UK is more than we could ever have hoped for. • Various wards and departments
express what we went through We shall be purchasing a special low-level bed with the money,
that night, but the team were to protect patients who are at risk of falling.”
tremendous. They kept us informed Alan has further ambitions to fundraise in the future, hinting
with everything that was happening
and tried their best to comfort and
that he hopes to compete in the half-Iron Man event, and is also
considering an accelerated freefall skydive.
Killimanjaro
reassure us at all times.
The next chapter involved the challenge
paediatric intensive care unit. The
PICU team are tasked with the most Support medical staff on Princess
difficult job imaginable and our hats Anne Hospital’s neonatal
go off to them all; they really are unit, in their Killimanjaro
something special. I would like to challenge in October 2010.
single out Gemma, who cared for our Visit www.justgiving.co.uk/
son with such care, dedication and pahneonatalchallenge to make a
sincerity. Without the support she donation today, or call 023 8079
gave us we would have undoubtedly 8881 to find out more.
cracked under the pressure.
After a short hop into ward G2,
where the staff allowed us to bond
with our son and learn how to feed
and bath him again, we finally took
him home on 28 January.
Jozsef is now a confident and
content one year old and we are just
so lucky to have him here. This was
Find out more... Sign up to Southampton Hospital Charity’s newsletter to receive
truly down to all the staff involved in
his care through Princess Anne and
i more news and fundraising information. Email charity@suht.swest.nhs.uk.
the General Hospital.
The hardest thing we thought we
may struggle with is the bonding
with a child who you lost (in theory)
to the hospitals and nurses for nearly SUHT Sudoku
challenge
two months, at such a vital and
vulnerable time. However, if truth
be known, we feel this experience
has made him the contented, placid
little boy he is – everyone says what a
Win a meal at the Old Delhi Eatery
pleasure he is when they meet him. Enter numbers from 1 to 9 into the blank squares, so that every row,
Thanks again for everyone’s every column and every 3x3 square has one of each digit.
support and help – your staff are Send your entry in the internal post to Connect, Mailpoint 18, to
truly remarkable people – Jozsef’s be in with a chance of winning a meal at the Old Delhi Eatery worth
guardian angels! up to £25. Entries close Friday 19 March.
Yours sincerely Congratulations to Simon Morris, from the residency department,
The Kovacs family – John, Lou who successfully completed Issue 23’s puzzle to scoop the prize.
and Jozsef www.olddelhi.co.uk
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