A time to remember 

On Friday 11 November, we will be holding remembrance events at the new flag pole at Poole outside the Dolphin Restaurant, by the lake at RBH, and by the war memorial boards at Christchurch Hospital.  

Join in person or tune in via our social media channels. We'll be streaming the Poole service live on our UHD Twitter, the RBH service on Facebook and the Christchurch service on Instagram. 

You can download your order of service here. 

Dorset Trusts are commended at QiC awards

The ComPASSION team, made up of the UHD diabetes team and Dorset eating disorders team from Dorset Healthcare has been awarded a commended in the Diabetes Collaborative of the Year finals of the Quality in Care Diabetes awards 2022.

The team ran a pilot scheme supporting people with type 1 diabetes and an eating disorder. They developed an integrated mental health and physical health approach to this really complex condition and were able to demonstrate significant improvements in both in physical parameters of diabetes and psychological and emotional markers.

Dr Helen Partridge, consultant in diabetes at UHD, said “We were delighted to have been recognised for the work we put into this. Working in collaboration with our mental health care team colleagues was a real opportunity to explore innovative ways of supporting people with type 1 diabetes and disordered eating. We know how much the emotion and psychology can influence the ability to manage diabetes and when working together this is a model of how we can adopt a much more holistic approach. It should be a model going forward for many health conditions and we were honoured to have attended and for the effort of the whole collaborative team to be celebrated.

 “It was also humbling to see how much fantastic work is being explored in the diabetes world across the whole UK. There was some stiff competition.”

Claire Pinder, Dietitian for the Dorset All Age Eating Disorders Service part of Dorset HealthCare, said “Working with patients who are affected by both type 1 diabetes and an eating disorder has enabled us to meet the specific needs of this patient group. It has improved their health outcomes and quality of life through providing high quality, joined up care. It is great to have this work recognised, and particularly to have the benefits to patient care of collaborative working highlighted.”

 Judges' comments: "The ComPASSION project was run brilliantly. It showed how vitally important dealing with eating disorders is, collaborating with an eating disorder patient organisation to ensure wider awareness. A great project, really nicely executed."

Give the gift of play

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity has launched an appeal to raise £75,000 for new playground equipment at Poole Hospital’s child development centre (CDC), accessed by over 2,000 children each year with neurodevelopmental conditions.

The CDC offers a multi professional approach to the assessment and treatment of pre-school children with a variety of developmental needs within Poole, Bournemouth and beyond. The team offer a family focused service that provides a safe and child friendly environment and developmental play specialists work with families to plan and deliver care which will enable their children to fulfil their potential.

The centre also hosts school aged clinics for children with possible neurodevelopmental conditions, including, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, learning disability and sensory integration difficulties.

Integral to the centre is the outdoor play area which supports in the assessment of conditions, additional therapy and provides an area for children to play while waiting, giving them the freedom to exercise and have space to explore while undergoing parts of a diagnostic assessment.

Caroline Fawcett, lead health play specialist at University Hospitals Dorset, said: “The replacement of this equipment will make a huge difference to the children who access the facility for diagnosis, therapy, assessment and play; giving the gift of play to many children in our community.”

The area is not only used by children accessing the centre - the health play specialist team also bring long stay inpatients to the outdoor play area, some of whom need wheelchair or supported mobility access, so the additional accessibility and sensory inclusion features planned will increase the number of children and young people who will greatly benefit from this area.

If you are interested in making a donation or raising funds to support the CDC playground appeal, please visit www.uhdcharity.org/current-projects/childrens-playground/ or contact the University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity office on 0800 019 4060/8449.

Consultant's double honour of excellence

A consultant in clinical neurophysiology at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) has received two accolades of excellence in his field.

 Professor Jonathan Cole, consultant in clinical neurophysiology, has been elected President of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology, only the third British physician to be so honoured since 1947.

He was also awarded the British Society of Clinical Neurophysiology's highest award, the Grey-Walter Medal, for 'outstanding service.' He is the eighth recipient of this in over 40 years.

Professor Cole has worked at Poole since 1990 diagnosing nerve and muscle disease and assessing brain function. He is also a Professor at Bournemouth University, and has published over 120 peer reviewed papers.

Speaking about his honours, Professor Cole said: “It was still a surprise to be approached about becoming IFCN president. I take some quiet pride in the achievement and in showing what is possible from our small patch here in Dorset. To receive any award from your peers is especially gratifying, so I felt hugely honoured to be awarded the Grey Walter Medal by the British Society.” 

Professor Cole, together with his wife, receives the Grey-Walter medal