L-R: Nuala Kelly, Anjali Dave and Elissa Myers David Nash Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube to see what our patients and staff are saying about us Uncovering patients’ missing chapter 3 to the July/August edition of our bi-monthly staff, members and governors’ magazine. Feeling at home in an organisation, especially one as large as the RFL, can sometimes be a little bit overwhelming. Having a voice and knowing your actions can make a difference is something which makes getting involved with our staff networks incredibly special. On page 4, you can read all about what the different networks have to offer. I urge you to reach out. I wasn’t working at the RFL when the clinical practice groups (CPGs) were introduced but every day I see them in action and the improvements and benefits they are realising for patients and staff. As we mark 10 years of CPGs, find out more on page 8 about how they have helped us improve services. The abdominal organ retrieval team at the RFH are an incredible group of staff who literally go the extra mile day in, day out to retrieve organs from across the country for our patients. Now we have become an assessment and recovery centre for livers and kidneys, we are also retrieving organs for use by patients in hospitals outside our trust as well. Read more about the extraordinary work of this team on page 6. The record-breaking temperatures we have experienced this summer have had a huge impact on our emergency departments and our wards. I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one of you as I know you have often faced a challenging environment at work. Thank you for your resilience and understanding. We are working hard to support you in the short and long term with cooling solutions. The last thing David Nash remembers before waking up in intensive care is sitting in his doctor’s surgery over a month before. David, 57, was in a coma for six weeks in BH’s intensive care unit (ICU) after experiencing a stroke followed by a cardiac arrest and full organ failure. Like many patients who are cared for in ICU, he’s unable to recall much about his time in hospital. Staff use a tried-and-tested method to help patients uncover their missing period of time: diaries. Principal ICU clinical psychologist Elissa Myers explained: “Patients who have been intubated or are on a ventilator often won’t remember what’s happened to them and delirium is very common – they can believe they’re in another country, under the sea or even being hurt. When they read the diaries of their time in hospital, it helps them make sense of their experience.” Nuala Kelly, ICU clinical practice educator, added: “Each day our nursing staff write a single entry with updates about the patient’s condition, tests they’ve had or progress they’ve made.” David, who owns a music industry publishing company, recalls: “I woke up in ICU and didn’t have a clue what had happened to me. I was able to return home at the start of November and began piecing things together with my family. That’s when I was given my diary. “When I first read it, it was really upsetting – I cried at the condition I had been in and what I had put my family through. I had died and it was shocking to hear what they had to do to resuscitate me. I was frightened I was never going to recover from what had happened to me – I can’t tell you how important it was to have this diary to lean on.” When David was discharged, he had to undergo physiotherapy to help him learn to walk again and speech therapy. He had the support of trainee clinical psychologist Anjali Dave, and his family, to adjust to his new reality. Anjali, who met regularly with David after he was discharged, said: “The diaries can be an overwhelming Hello and welcome Peter Landstrom Group chief executive Care with compassion Act with integrity Champion inclusion Deliver excellence “I cried at the condition I had been in “ Key to abbreviations: Barnet Hospital: BH Chase Farm Hospital: CFH North Middlesex University Hospital: North Mid Royal Free Hospital: RFH Royal Free London: RFL 2 document to receive, as patients often have to grasp how serious their condition was and the impact on their family like David did. We support them through this.” David commented: “The nurses are so busy in the hospital and on the wards that when I was told about the diary, I assumed they might have scribbled a couple of words and that would be the end of it. But that wasn’t the case at all – I felt so much emotion when I was reading my diary. Staff had put their heart and soul into every word they wrote. I feel my stay in ICU was a marathon, and the whole team was with me, every step of the way.” Encouraging family members to contribute to patient diaries has been a big focus for the ICU psychology team, who have seen a 30% increase in family involvement in recent months. “Contributing to the diaries can help families feel involved in their loved one’s recovery and reduce their own mental struggles,” Anjali explained. David, who starts a new physiotherapy programme at BH soon, said: “I still go through my diary now. It’s a privilege to read it and I can’t thank the team enough.”
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