8 Every day, healthcare support workers (HCSWs) are the quiet backbone of our hospitals, offering compassion, skill, and dedication to patients and colleagues alike. We spent some time with our HCSWs to learn more about those who go above and beyond in making a real difference in the lives of those they care for. Vandna Dicheva is a HCSW at BH, having joined the team there in 2023. Today she has been assigned to the ambulance handover area in ED, and as usual is working at pace making sure everyone coming through the door is getting the tests they need. Her grandparents died before she was born and she thinks this is why she might have been drawn to care for people, especially the elderly. “I like to know I’m helping people.” In May, Vandna found out she was joint winner of the HCSW of the year award at the RFL’s annual nursing, midwifery and HCSW awards. She was on holiday with her parents in India at the time. “Sadly I couldn’t make the event but it was lovely to be with my parents and see their shock and pride in my achievement,” she said. Vandna is keen to progress her career. She said: “The first few weeks in the job I found quite overwhelming but now I want to continue my training within the trust and will be looking for opportunities going forward.” Valentin Sario Jr has been a BH member of staff since 2008. Healthcare is a family affair for him, as his wife works on Quince ward, while he works on Walnut ward. “My passion has always been looking after people, and older people in particular,” he said. “I was a caregiver back home in the Philippines. When I moved here I was able to begin a vocational qualification where I learned so much about caring for the whole person, not just looking after their illness.” Valentin was the other joint winner of HCSW of the year, and says he was ‘speechless’ when he was announced as the winner. His advice to others – pursue an area of healthcare that interests you: “That way we are bringing our best selves to work and really helping our patients.” Lordia Gyamfi began her NHS career as a bank worker during the pandemic, and now works as a HCSW in the outpatient department at CFH. Part of her role involves supporting patients attending cancer clinics, often providing comfort during stressful times. “My favourite part is being a voice of reassurance,” she said. “You never know when someone will get good news, and sharing in their relief is the best feeling.” Lordia won the unsung contribution award, something she didn’t expect. “When they mentioned someone who marks colleagues’ birthdays and other celebrations, I thought it might be me – and it was amazing to hear my name.” With ambitions to become a nurse, Lordia credits the RFL for supporting her goals: “The trust really helps us with our ambitions and career plans.” The healthcare support workers at the heart of the RFL 9 Vandna Dicheva is often assigned to the ambulance handover area Lordia Gyamfi likes to reassure patients during stressful times The sleep and ventilation service team have dramatically improved access to treatment for patients Dream team helps patients gain faster access to life prolonging care A radical new approach to treating people with a sleep condition is dramatically improving waiting times for patients at the RFH. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a debilitating condition which causes airway blockages during sleep, disrupting breathing and preventing someone from entering deep sleep. Without treatment, people with OSA feel very tired during the day, even though some may think they’ve slept well. It leads to poor concentration and can cause serious mistakes at work. It also puts individuals at higher risk of developing other conditions, including heart disease, diabetes or a stroke. Once diagnosed with OSA, the treatment involves sleeping with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask, which delivers pressurised air to keep the airways open, allowing a good night’s sleep. As referrals surged from 600 in 2016 to nearly 4,500 last year, the RFH team recognised the need for a more efficient care model to reduce waiting times and improve patient outcomes. To address this, the team, led by Swapna Mandal, lead consultant for sleep and ventilation at the trust, decided a radical new approach was needed to help patients get the treatment they required. She said: “The demand for this service keeps going up – we are seeing at least 10% increases per year – so we had to do something a bit radical. “This is a condition which has been underdiagnosed and it’s so important for people with OSA to receive treatment to improve their quality of life. Correct treatment can also extend their lives by up to 20 years.” Patients referred to the service are triaged and those who are suitable undertake a sleep study at home. This involves a device which monitors their sleep and sends data to the clinical team, indicating whether the patient has OSA. We had to do something a bit radical “ “ Following diagnosis, patients are taught how to use the CPAP machine. These are no longer carried out via a one-to-one session. Instead, they benefit from large group teaching sessions held in a lecture theatre. These sessions have expanded dramatically – from 20 to as many as 140 participants – allowing the team to train and support many patients simultaneously. After the initial teaching session, members of the clinical team go around the room helping patients with their devices and answering questions. Early evidence shows that patients educated in this group setting are more likely to adhere to CPAP therapy, which is critical to improving their health and quality of life. “There are a very small number of patients who need one-to-one support and we identify those during the triage process,” Swapna said. “We’ve found that these sessions are effective for the vast majority of patients and the proportion of those who stick to their treatment is higher where they’ve attended as a group – so it’s been a real success.” Valentin Sario Jr works on Walnut Ward
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