Why we can be proud (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Why we can be proud

Ref. 29016-32A £200m university campus in Swindon would be a world leader in life or death medical research, according to Bath University's vice chancellor.

Prof Glynis Breakwell told the Evening Advertiser that she wants the campus built next to the Great Western Hospital to work with the hospital. Prof Breakwell rates the university's pharmacy department as "number one in Europe."

She said: "Our plans are to develop world-class teaching and research in Swindon, but that will only be feasible if our lecturers, researchers, students and staff are able to work closely with the hospital. "While the debate continues as to whether the site should be built at Coate, the hospital already has facilities to be proud of, reports ALEX EMERY.

RADIOLOGY

Swindon's flagship hospital is ahead of the field when it comes to X-rays. The Great Western Hospital has a radiology department to be proud of, with waiting time figures among the best in the country.

On the ground floor next to the atrium, it is a high-tech facility kitted out with multi million-pound equipment.

It is here that photographs of a person's insides are taken.

And it is one of only a handful of radiology departments in the UK to use a Picture Archiving and Communication System, which has replaced the traditional method of using plastic film to look at patients' X-rays.

The computerised format means images are stored in the computer and are available within a minute for doctors to view.

There are no lost X-rays and the system will save the department £250,000 a year on film.

Clinical director of the department Dr Alf Troughton, 50, said: "Right from day one we had what we needed and it goes to show with the right equipment and enough space you can achieve the results you want."

Equipment includes a £350,000 nuclear medicine gamma camera, ultrasound scanners costing £100,000, a £200,000 direct digital room, and a £750,000 MRI scanner.

BABY HEARING AIDS

Swindon was one of the first sites in the country to implement universal neonatal screening, meaning every newborn baby is given a hearing test.

About three or four babies in Swindon are fitted with a hearing aid each year

If hearing loss is detected, further tests will be carried out to discover if it is permanent (sensorineural) or temporary (conductive, due to congestion in the outer or middle ear).

If a significant problem is discovered the baby is referred to the Ear Nose and Throat department at GWH and a repeat test is organised.

If a hearing aid is needed impressions are taken of the baby's ears.

Scott Richards, 39, paediatric lead audiologist for the department, said: "Hearing aids are difficult to fit because exact hearing levels at all frequencies and at all levels of sound for each ear are difficult to measure.

"Continued testing and monitoring are essential as more and more information can be obtained on the baby's hearing ability.

"When babies are very young they tend not to pull their hearing aids out as they are not so physically able to. As they get older there is a period when they will take them out and the parents have to put them back in repeatedly. Eventually the baby starts to appreciate what the aid gives them but this acceptance period can vary greatly."

It is hoped that by 2005 all areas in England will be testing all newborns at birth as the hearing screening program.

NURSE CONSULTANT

Chris Pearce, 49, is the only nurse consultant at GWH and has had her role since January last year.

She is one of only three nurse consultants in gynaecology in England and now boasts an impressive CV including 10 years as senior sister on the gynaecology ward and a Masters in Autonomous Health Care Practice.

Once they have achieved five years experience in a speciality and a Masters degree, nurses may perform roles formally undertaken by other profess- ionals such as doctors.

Chris said: "Half of the role is dedicated to clinical care with direct patient contact.

"For me this is based in gynaecology outpatients seeing women following surgery or requiring follow up.

"I also have a special interest in recurrent miscarriage."

The other half of the role is education, research, audit and nurse leadership.

"I teach at GWH, Oxford Brookes University and University of West of England. It is imperative that we continue to support and develop nurses for the future.

"My role is to improve patient care, improve waiting times for patients and flex and adapt the service to provide care which is focused on the patient and their needs."

The Government target was to have 1,000 nurse consultants in post by 2004 but due to the current shortage of suitably qualified nurses there are currently about 700.

She added: "I have always found working with people rewarding and interesting. This post allows me the freedom to improve care through changing current practice while still retaining patient contact."

CANCER RESEARCH

Cancer treatment trials have been taking place at the hospital in Swindon for two years.

GWH is currently trialling for cancers including breast, lung, colorectal, haematology (blood cancers), gynaecology and urology.

Those undertaken at the GWH are selected from a trial portfolio held by the National Cancer Research Network.

Michael Willson, cancer services manager, said: "In simple terms, new ways of administering treatments for cancer are trialled.

"This could include testing new treatments, looking at new combinations of existing treatments, or changing the way they are given to make them more effective, or to reduce side effects."

Mr Willson said the hospital did not have sensational stories about discovering new ways of treating cancer, but took part in long-term trials.

"It just doesn't work that way. Clinical trials can take up to ten years to complete."

Up until recently most hospitals would not have their own cancer trial centres.

"However, with the introduction of the National Cancer Research Network, most hospitals now have the option to bid for revenue to support the infrastructure of a clinical trials team.

WEBSITE

It may not be at the centre of life-saving operations but the trust's website provides invaluable information to patients, visitors and journalists alike.

Internet guru Rob Stewart, 43, oversees the day-to-day running of the pages, drawing on his background in Information Technology and website production.

In December alone the site received an average of 6,776 hits a day. Mr Stewart said: "We aim to make as much information about our trust and the services we offer available to our web visitors in a user friendly and accessible way.

"In addition to basic information, the site has a number of pages on what goes on in each department.

"We find that if a patient or their relatives call by telephone for information it is all too easy to forget to ask something the website allows people to seek information at their own pace."

INFECTION CONTROL

No matter how clean a hospital is there will always be sick people bringing with them more germs and infections.

A clever system at GWH aims to minimise the risks of spreading disease such as tuberculosis, MRSA and SARs, by means of varying air pressure.

Ruth Lockwood, 47, senior nurse infection control, explained how the rooms work.

"The air within some of the side rooms is under negative pressure," she said.

"When the doors to the side rooms are opened, the air from the corridors is sucked inwards reducing the risk of the infective organisms being transferred outside the rooms and into the main hospital environment. The air in the rooms is sucked into grilles in the en suite facility of each side room and extracted to the outside where it is diluted and at a height that will not pose a risk to the environment or public."

The rooms have been in operation since the GWH opened in December 2002.

They are used for patients with infective tuberculosis, patients heavily colonised with MRSA, and those with infections that are transmitted by the airborne route such as chicken pox, measles and SARS.

Ruth added: "It has been recommended by the chief medical officer that all hospitals provide such a facility."