Hospitals launch pioneering digital tool to improve alcohol withdrawal care
Clinical, digital and nursing teams at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) have created an electronic alcohol withdrawal assessment, enabling them to better identify patients in need of support.
UHD is believed to be the only Trust in the country to have an electronic CIWA - the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for alcohol.
Nursing teams use the digital assessment to identify patients who may be at risk of alcohol withdrawal when they first come on to the ward. Once identified, UHD’s specialist addiction team can then support nursing colleagues and remotely monitor patients on the CIWA pathway, intervening quickly if required.
After two years of development, testing and refinement, the assessment was officially launched in July. Within the first two weeks, more than 100 patients across Poole and the Royal Bournemouth Hospital were identified as being at risk of alcohol withdrawal and were started on the electronic CIWA pathway.
Lucie Chetwynd, Lead Specialist Addiction Nurse, said: “If not managed properly, alcohol withdrawal can have very serious consequences for patients. Having a digital solution to this important assessment means we can act quickly if medication is overdue, for example, or intervene where necessary.
“It’s having a big impact already and has also raised awareness around addictions in general.”
Helen Turner, Clinical Digital Nurse, added: “The eform is easier to audit and speeds up the whole process. We’ve had really positive feedback from our nurses on the wards and this now paves the way forward for other assessments for other teams.
“This is a great example of collaboration and how clinical, digital and nursing teams work together to make a difference to patients.”
The Royal Bournemouth Hospital is benefitting from an exciting new artwork at the BEACH Building, unveiled on Wednesday 29 July.
University Hospitals Dorset and the hospitals’ Charity commissioned south coast studio, Orakel Workshop, for the project following a public vote and detailed selection process by local community and NHS staff.
Led by site-specific artist and designer Jac Seifert, the artwork adds a sense of calm and creativity to the exterior of the BEACH Building, a six-storey unit housing emergency services, critical care, maternity and children’s units set on the Royal Bournemouth Hospital site.
Jac is known for creating vibrant designs inspired by people and places, and this piece ‘From the tide to the trees’, celebrates nature and local beauty spots from across the area served by University Hospital Dorset, all nominated by NHS staff and local people. Applied to the east wall, the artwork serves as a welcoming focus point for the BEACH Building’s entrance while providing a peaceful environment for patients, staff and visitors.
Jac Seifert, Orakel Workshop said: “I am very grateful for the opportunity to have worked on this exciting project. I really enjoyed exploring the diverse natural landscapes of South East Dorset and what these extraordinary coastal and forest locations mean to the people who live here and I hope that the artwork reflects people's connection to the areas' beauty and colour.”
Debbie Anderson, Charity Director for University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity, said: “University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity is committed to providing a welcoming uplifting environment for patients, visitors and staff using a varied and stimulating arts programme. Funding from the charity goes above and beyond NHS core funding to deliver improved patient and staff outcomes. We hope that funding this flagship art installation will be a catalyst for donors to support further pieces of art throughout our hospital sites.”
The project is part of a broader arts strategy across the Royal Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch hospitals to include initiatives with regional artists, schools, colleges and universities. There will also be opportunities for patients and staff to participate in visual art, music and dance activities, which have been proven to support wellbeing and reduce recovery time.
Laura Joy, University Hospitals Dorset’s Arts Manager, added: “We have been incredibly lucky to have Jac co-create this public artwork with NHS staff, local cultural and heritage professionals, and wider community members. Art has the power to transform spaces and lift spirits. Jac has added a burst of colour and creativity to the BEACH Building. It’s the perfect way to paint a picture of hope for our community, and for the future of our hospitals.”
National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day
It's National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day!
Today, we will be celebrating all our Estates and Facilities teams that support patient, staff and visitor care, as well as ensuring the safety of everyone on site at UHD. Keep an eye on our social media platforms as we show you the different teams that help keep UHD running and operational.
The work of our Estates and Facilities teams is often going on behind the scenes, but they are the foundational support system to the NHS. From the catering service providing thousands of meals, to our security teams ensuring the safety of everyone on site, all are vital in the smooth running of the UHD.
Head of Operations at UHD, Stuart Willes, has stated how “we are proud and want to recognise and celebrate the dedication of staff in these key service professions. Their tireless work ensures that our hospitals are safe and welcoming, while enabling our clinical teams to deliver the best possible care to our patients through the essential support services they provide.”
To begin the recognition, we will be looking at our Estates Management team, who keep our hospitals running, ensuring all sites are safe, compliant, and operational. They handle general building maintenance, development projects, and environmental sustainability, such as driving the ‘Green UHD’ plan to reduce carbon emissions.
They oversee major renovations and maintenance work, while enforcing health and safety standards, as well as Infection Prevention & Control guidelines, during their essential construction work.
Thank you, Estates Management team, for your resilience and endless hard work!
Catering services:
As part of National Healthcare Estates and Facilities day, we are celebrating our CateringTeam!
The Catering service team manages food operations across all our hospital sites, ensuing patients, staff and visitors are fed and looked after. They supply patients on wards with hot, nutritious meals, as well as providing light snacks to keep patients fed and looked after outside of standard mealtimes.
They are also incredibly accommodating in catering for special dietary, allergy, religious, and medical requirements for everyone on site. Moreover, they not only make and serve the food, but they also deliver it to patients on wards and provide them with other snacks and drinks when asked.
“We recognise and appreciate their dedication, determination and resilience that goes into playing their vital role in supporting patient care across the UHD,” Stuart Willes, Head of Operations at UHD has stated. Without their endless work and support, recovery time would be much longer and UHD couldn’t function without them.
Thank you, Catering Team, for everything you do for the UHD!
Housekeeping:
National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day is an opportunity for us as a Trust to celebrate and recognise the fundamental work of all our E&F teams and services do for UHD and its staff, patients and visitors.
Our Housekeeping Team helps maintain a clean, safe and comfortable environment for everyone on our sites. They are able to enforce Infection Prevention through their high cleaning standards, not only on wards, but every section of every hospital in the UHD. This means our patients can feel safe and comfortable while spending time in our facility.
“Their commitment, often going on behind the scenes, is fundamental in creating secure and trustworthy environments and is felt by every patient,” Stuart Willes, Head of Operations at UHD has described.
Thank you, Housekeeping team, for your vital contribution to the UHD!
Porters and Security:
We’re celebrating our teams and services for National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day!
Our Porters team ensure that patients and visitors get to where they are going and know how to navigate our sites, and our Security team make sure everyone on our sites is safe and feels protected.
Our Porters help in transporting and moving patients between wards and departments, always making sure they are looked after, know what is going on and have someone with them for support. They also help in transporting essential medical equipment, furniture and supplies, always assisting colleagues in their time of need. They help connect departments together and keep hospitals moving.
Our Security team can be found patrolling our sites across UHD, ensuring everyone feels safe when moving around the buildings. They also respond quickly and efficiently to any emergency that becomes known to them, and we as a Trust are so thankful to have round the clock peace of mind.
Stuart Willes, Head of Operations at UHD describes how “they all play an instrumental role in keeping our patients and staff safe and supported.”
Thank you, Porters and Security teams, for your constant care and support!
Post Room & Linen Services:
We have so many brilliant teams who form the backbone for the UHD, and we are proud to be celebrating them as part of National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day!
Our Post Room team handles the mail and documents throughout the hospital, ensuring they are delivered quickly and effectively. Moreover, our Linen Services team ensures clean bedding and textiles are always available to staff and patients, making sure health and safety guidelines are always met.
By managing all the mail and documents to well, the Post Room team keep departments connected and keep communication flowing. This means staff can be kept up to date and deliver the best care to our patients.
The Linen Services team efficiently keep on top of stock levels, collect used linen and distribute clean sheets, pillowcases, towels, and uniforms. They are then able to maintain hygiene standards and ensure every patient gets the best possible care and feels comfortable when in our care.
“Their work underpins everything that we do, providing the foundations that enable our hospitals to function 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” describes Stuart Willes, Head of Operations at UHD.
Thank you, Post Room and Linen Services teams, for all your hard work!
Inventory Management:
To wrap up our National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day, we are celebrating our Inventory Management team!
Our Inventory Management team makes sure wards and departments have the supplies they need to provide the best patient care. By monitoring inventory levels, they can effectively restock wards and clinical areas and therefore reduce waste and prevent shortages.
They support every ward in the hospital, ensuring care never stops and keeps healthcare moving. They make care possible.
All these teams are essential in smooth running of the UHD, and we are so thankful to every team for their hard work and endless support. “Together, these teams play a crucial role in supporting UHD, working behind the scenes and on the front line to support patients, visitors and staff every day,” Stuart Willes, Head of Operations at UHD has stated.
Thank you for following along for National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day!
Lab tours for young patients launch at Poole Hospital
11-year old Ollie has become the first child to take part in a Harvey's Lab Tour at Poole Hospital.
The tours are a national initiative from the Institute of Biomedical Scientists, named after a young patient who sought to know more about his hospital treatment. They aim to help children understand the role of biomedical science in their diagnosis and treatment through lab visits and interactive resources.
The team, led by senior biomedical scientist, Stephanie Brolan, welcomed Ollie along with his mum and dad for a visit to Poole’s Pathology Department in July.
Ollie with his mum and dad, and members of Poole's Pathology Team
Ollie’s mum, Hannah, said: “Ollie regularly visits Poole Hospital for blood tests following his liver transplant, which will have taken place 10 years ago this August, at Kings College Hospital.
"The team was able to answer all questions Ollie had prepared, and he really enjoyed the ‘hands on’ parts of the tour such as spinning bloods, testing for acid or alkaloid levels, using the microscope and seeing the different blood groups."
"Hopefully this experience will help him overcome his fears in the future, and the opportunity for these tours will be great for other young patients."
Stephanie said: “It was wonderful to welcome Ollie to Poole, giving us a unique chance to bring patient interactions into the laboratory.
He was able to see how samples arrive within the laboratory and how they are checked for suitability before visiting biochemistry, haematology and blood transfusions. We focused on areas within the laboratory that would have been used when we were caring for Ollie."
"The team and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and want to build on this success so more children can feel connected to their healthcare journey."
Industrial action suspended
Please note, the industrial action by resident doctors planned for 15-19 June has been suspended.
If your appointment was postponed in the run up to the planned action, we will be in touch with you.
We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.
