You may recall a few months ago that James Thomas used the message to announce the relaunch of the Making Every Day Count programme. He described the sustained pressure we face with record (and increasing) numbers of patients attending the Emergency Department and requiring admission.
One of the things that sometimes strikes me as I walk around the hospitals is the way colleagues address each other according to their band. For most it’s not a conscious decision – more ‘learned’ language – but it’s likely we’ve all heard and experienced comments such as ...
I’ve taken over the message for this week and would like to talk about a really important event happening over the next five days - World Antibiotic Awareness Week. This event is dedicated to increasing awareness of global antibiotic resistance and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers, and policy makers, to avoid the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance- one of the biggest threats facing us today.
Coming into hospital can be a daunting time for many and some of us can react in an unexpected and uncharacteristic way. Some patients or visitors may not have the ability to hold back emotions in stressful situations. This can lead to unpredictable behaviours that can result in a violent or aggressive incident. We also recognise that some of the violence and aggression we experience can be due to patients having cognitive impairment.
Each week Suzanne Rankin, our Chief Executive, sends a message to staff about events at the hospitals, special achievements, and plans for the future.
We shall be adding them to this section as well as including them on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
From time to time, we shall ask other members of the Trust Board and clinical team to give their perspective on the week in our hospitals.
Suzanne was announced as the new Chief Executive in June 2014.
Suzanne began her nursing and management career with the Royal Navy, including deployment during the 1990 Gulf War; a spell as Senior Nursing Officer at NATO Headquarters in Lisbon; and Nursing Officer in charge of the 56-bed Trauma and Orthopaedic Unit at the former Royal Hospital Haslar in Gosport, Hampshire.