Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust Staff, members and governors’ magazine // September / October 2025 Don’t let flu get the better of you and have your say in the staff survey
The K-FiT programme MDT team and support group members Claudette is recovering well Follow our X account @RoyalFreeNHS to see what our patients and staff are saying about us ‘Fantastic’ mood and food support group reaps positive results 3 to the September/October edition of our bi-monthly staff, members and governors’ magazine. It’s that time of year when we can see teams across the trust already gearing up for the winter months. Our emergency departments and urgent treatment centres see more than half a million patients each year, with winter being the busiest period. In this edition, we showcase teams already tackling waiting times across our hospitals on page 6. And ahead of winter, one simple step you can take to make sure you are as prepared as possible is to book your flu vaccine. It not only helps to protect yourself and your colleagues from the virus, but also our patients. Flu vaccinations are available to all staff from October. The annual NHS staff survey has also launched, offering an important opportunity for you to tell us how to make the RFL the best place to work. The more we hear from all of you, the bigger the difference we can make so please get involved and complete your survey. Find out more about flu vaccines and the staff survey on page 10. Our community diabetes team at North Mid features on page 5 for their work tackling health inequalities in Enfield. On page 4, you can also find out about the widespread impact of research as we look at BH projects involving newborn babies and elderly patients. Many of these stories highlight the power of innovative approaches and development across all areas of the trust in improving patient and staff experience. I want to thank all of you for your dedication to providing the very best care for our patients. A group of patients requiring a kidney transplant have praised a ‘fantastic’ weight loss support group at the RFH for helping them get one step closer to receiving the life-changing procedure. Some patients may be told they are unable to have an organ transplant or join the national transplant waiting list if they are overweight. The K-FiT programme supports patients with advanced kidney failure who are living with obesity to reach their target weight through regular clinic appointments with a multi-disciplinary team (MDT), which includes a consultant transplant surgeon, psychologist, dietitian, physiotherapist and renal pharmacist. Consultant transplant surgeon Ammar Al Midani explained: “Obesity can not only disqualify patients from receiving a kidney transplant, but it may also compromise long term outcomes after surgery.” The latest cohort of K-FiT patients also took part in the first ‘Mood and food’ support group alongside their regular appointments. “I had to start dialysis again earlier this year. The clinicians want to put me on the waiting list but I’m overweight and find it hard to lose weight,” she shared. “The programme has helped me cut down on my food a lot, and I’ve also received a weight loss injection from the pharmacists. I’m not able to go to the gym due to my blood pressure so I’ve taken up walking – I’ve managed to lose 20kg and keep the weight off for four months. “The support group helped me overcome my fear and become stronger. I feel like I can cope with this now.” Claudette Bailey was able to have a live-donor kidney transplantation after her daughter offered to donate her kidney. Ammar conducted the transplantation for Claudette and added: “The K-FiT programme enabled Claudette to undergo her procedure, achieve excellent kidney function and maintain her weight three months after her operation.” “I had such difficulty losing weight for the procedure at first, but it was really interesting speaking with the dietician, physiotherapist and psychologist,” Claudette said. “The weight loss support group was a great motivator. I used to pick at food all the time, but the group helped me control my diet and exercise. You meet different people at different stages of their journey. It’s fantastic.” After losing more than 24kgs, Claudette and her daughter successfully underwent the transplant procedure and are now looking forward to going away together to celebrate Claudette’s birthday. Hello and welcome The uniqueness of the group is something patients value and appreciate “ “ Peter Landstrom Group chief executive 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 Consultant health psychologist Sarah Afuwape led these peer support sessions. She said: “There aren’t many opportunities for patients to come together and talk in this way, particularly those undergoing kidney dialysis. The support group provides a chance for them to reflect on their journey and identify with others. The uniqueness of the group is something patients value and appreciate.” Dementia care assistant Flora Taki Dimitri was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2010 after her blood pressure began to rise. She said: “I was feeling dizzy and tired all the time, so I went to my GP and they told me something was wrong with my kidney. I was on peritoneal dialysis for four and a half years before I received a kidney transplant in 2016.” Flora’s transplanted kidney has now started to decline in function and she’s hoping to be re-enlisted on the national transplant waiting list to receive a new one.
5 4 Newborn babies and elderly patients have been at the forefront of research at BH in recent months. The CHARMER study has closed after enrolling 1,330 patients at BH aged from 65 to 103 on elderly care wards Juniper and Walnut. The study, which also took place at 24 hospitals with nearly 30,000 patients and is the largest of its kind, looked at whether elderly patients benefit from a reduction in the number of medicines they take. The study was led at BH by consultant geriatrician Clifford Lisk who is passionate about appropriate prescribing in older adults and teaches extensively on the subject. He said: “Us geriatricians look at our patients’ medications all the time but this study is trying to embed those working practices into anyone caring for an elderly patient. From getting an extensive list of medications, including nonprescription such as painkillers or even eye drops, we can build a complete picture to see if potentially the medications might even be causing harm.” DiVO is a maternity study which has been testing the standard of care ophthalmoscope for congenital cataract screening in newborns compared to a neocam. Natasha Ford, the senior research midwife who led on the study for BH, said it hadn’t been hard to recruit to the study as parents were reassured that they were getting both treatments, and it was non-invasive and nearly 900 babies had taken part. The standard care ophthalmoscope can sometimes provide an unclear result for babies from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds which can potentially lead to unnecessary referrals and worry for parents, or worse it could be missed entirely. By taking a picture, it delivers a better view of the pupil in black and white. Despite not finding a single cataract in the study group at BH, which wasn’t unexpected as the condition is very rare, it is hoped that once all the results are back from across the country, it will provide meaningful statistical analysis to work out whether the neocam should become the new standard of care. Natasha said it was exciting to work in maternity research. She said: “We even get patients approaching us to codesign studies to help services improve. It’s a fascinating area to be in.” Youngest and oldest patients contributing to research A big part of the role is debunking myths “ There is no doubt this study has brought medicine management to the fore “ “ “ Clifford Lisk, consultant geriatrician The community diabetes team out and about in Enfield To tackle disparities in diabetes care the Enfield community diabetes team at North Mid have teamed up with other community services and clinicians. As part of a project to reduce health inequalities, the team are helping people with type 2 diabetes to ‘live well’ through community outreach work and collaboration with primary care colleagues, the council and the local voluntary sector. And they are already seeing results, as fewer patients living with diabetes have visited ED since the project began in April last year. Diabetes specialist nurses (DSNs), dietitians and health and wellbeing coaches in the team visit community events and spaces such as libraries, supermarkets and places of worship to offer blood sugar screening, which helps identify those at risk of developing diabetes. Individuals whose screening test indicates they may have or are at risk of diabetes are then given advice about the long term condition. Closing the gap in diabetes care Health and wellbeing coach Sarah Azouri, who lives with diabetes herself, explained the importance of these one-to-one conversations: “We help people understand the risks, symptoms and causes of diabetes. A big part of the role is debunking myths or discussing cultural or familial beliefs that prevent them from getting help. I often get told by patients that they aren’t taking their prescribed medication because their family says it causes side effects or isn’t needed. “The more we break the stigma, the more trust we gain from different populations and the better their health outcomes are going to be.” Rebecca Crowe, diabetes dietitian, said: “A lot of patients can struggle with the amount of misinformation about diabetes. With our outreach work, we can take the time to explain things like safe portion-sizes so they can apply the learning to their everyday eating habits.” Once they have a better understanding of diabetes and how it can be treated, at-risk individuals are advised to Natasha Ford, senior research midwife, with the neocam device book a blood test with their GP surgery. The team can also help by contacting the surgery on their behalf. As well as outreach work, collaborating with local community services and some GP practices is key to the team’s project. Angelina Bulatova, DSN, said: “We meet with healthcare professionals, such as practice nurses, pharmacists and GPs in the community every month. We discuss patients with diabetes at risk of hospitalisation due to high glucose levels and identify the best treatment. We support these clinicians to care for patients in the community which reduces hospital admissions.” Over 70% of patients who are reviewed at these interventions have shown improved blood glucose levels after treatment. If more complex medical care is required, they are referred to the community diabetes clinic at North Mid. Nneka Agabi, DSN lead and manager of the service, said: “Respecting patients’ cultural backgrounds and their personal journey with diabetes is essential for fostering meaningful engagement. Projects like this shine a light on overlooked aspects of care and encourage innovative approaches to help patients who need it most. By addressing gaps in diabetes care, we can create a more inclusive, responsive, and effective service.” The next step for the project is to create more accessible content through educational videos that can be translated into different languages. “Although we were in the standard care cohort there is no doubt this study has brought medicine management to the fore and people are realising just how important it is, especially when you consider over half of patients who took part in the study had dementia. Results should be available within six months to a year’s time but we are already working much more closely with our pharmacy colleagues.” Clifford predicts the results will show the value of pharmacists taking a more active role at board rounds. “This is the kind of study that gets people’s attention and could have a profound effect on our practice. If we can get a grip on over prescribing this could be good news for everybody.”
6 7 Meet the teams with winter firmly in their sights Our emergency departments are facing pressure like never before. In this issue of Freepress we take a look at some of the innovative ways staff are tackling waiting times to ensure patients are seen by the right person at the right time in the right place. ‘One-stop shop’ frailty review BH treats one of the largest elderly populations in London. Now frail patients coming to BH via the emergency department (ED), or even referred by their GP, are being supported by a team determined to help them via a ‘one-stop shop’ approach. At the front door, patients are identified by ED staff and then sent for assessment by a team of frailty specialists, including consultant geriatricians, resident doctors working in elderly care, nurses and rapid emergency acute care treatment (REACT) therapists. Anyone aged 65 and over with a frailty score of 5 and above is referred to the frailty team for treatment. Emma Lewis, a consultant therapist for frailty, said: “The idea is this is a one-stop shop review of everything that’s important to this person at this point in time. Often there can be a lack of co-ordination and joined up care when it comes to elderly patients, but we bring it all together in lots of detail and make an action plan to get people to be as well as they can be, for as long as they can be, and to live with as good a quality of life as possible.” Claire King, consultant geriatrician, added: “We’re also trying to identify the acute cause of what the patient has come in with. The overall aim is to be able to support frail older patients to feel better after this multi-faceted intervention and assessment, so they are hopefully able to go back home or to their place of residence the same day. We can offer ongoing support from our Hospital at Home or community services. That link with the community is crucial.” Currently 65% of these patients are able to go home the same day. Of those, 20% are referred on to other admission avoidance services such as Hospital at Home. L-R: Kalpana Pandhare, ED staff nurse and Karen Archer, senior manager for North Mid ED Brooke Reeve and RFH ED matrons Members of the frailty team at BH Better flow A new digital front door will be coming to RFH shortly so walk-in patients can book themselves in. Depending on what they type in, they will be sent to ED, same day emergency care (SDEC) or see an on-site GP. Brooke Reeve, an operations manager at the RFH, said the digital service had been well received already at other trusts and shown to support better care coordination. In addition, on-site GP hours have been extended from 12.5 hours to 15 hours which is helping more patients get better access to the right level of care for them. Brooke said: “Going into winter reducing ambulance handover times, improving real time ED performance reporting and working with our system partners to reduce unnecessary admissions are just some of the other ways we will manage demand.” Pharmacy First New at North Mid this winter is Pharmacy First, a pilot scheme aimed at improving ED waiting times, reducing pressure on staff and getting patients the care they need in the right place. Patients who attend with minor ailments such as earache, sore throats, or urinary tract infections, are assessed by a ‘hello’ clinician and advised if a pharmacist would be able to provide advice. If the patient is happy to be referred, a digital referral is sent to a pharmacy local to the hospital, or local to them, using the Pharma Refer system. The system records the patient’s outcome from their visit, just in case they need to return to ED, and they can rejoin their original place in the queue. That link with the community is crucial “ “ Since the service started 18 months ago, unplanned readmission rate 30 days after review now stands at just 14%, which is the same as any other person over 65. This is a remarkable achievement, especially given the average age of the patients seen by the frailty team is 86. For patients who can’t go home, the in-depth assessment right at the start clearly pays off as they continue on their hospital journey. Their length of stay has been shown to be shorter than the average patient on an elderly care ward. The team are passionate about their work and see up to 100 patients each month. Claire said: “Having the time to really delve into quite a lot of complexity and do something about it is so rewarding and we get to do all this within a space of a few hours.” Currently there are four chairs available for patients who can sit but patients will also be seen in bed if necessary. In future the team would like to see a dedicated assessment space where they can see up to 12 patients over a longer timeframe and investment to grow the workforce and its nursing expertise. Emma said: “At the moment we see the oldest and the sickest patients but we could do so much more. We have an ageing population and Barnet has the most care homes of any borough in the country. There’s a huge amount of need.” Staff at the opening of the new emergency ambulatory care unit at North Mid On the first day the pilot launched eight referrals were made and the target is to refer between five and 10 patients a day. Training is continuing to take place so staff feel comfortable reassuring patients. Karen Archer, service manager for North Mid ED, said: “Going into winter we see a lot of patients with sore throats. Many of these patients can now be referred directly to their local pharmacy – it’s quicker for them and can help improve waiting times for patients needing emergency care.” Making an impact Another innovation at North Mid is the emergency ambulatory care unit (EACU). Running since May the unit has created additional capacity, adjacent to ED, to provide treatment for patients whose conditions are stable and non-complex, and which don’t require admission but are likely to take more than four hours due to ongoing treatment, observation and reviews. The calm space has 10 treatment chairs and 20 waiting room chairs, and is seeing approximately 80 patients on weekdays and 50 at weekends. Nick Vincent, general manager for ED, hot floor and care of the elderly, said: “These are patients who might need fluids or we are waiting on imaging reports or further investigations, so we know it’s going to take a bit longer to care for them. Patients have been very positive about the unit and staff love working here. We can already see it has made an appreciable difference by helping reduce the crowding in the main ED waiting room. “The unit is going from strength to strength, and we are aiming to provide a full 24-hour service in the coming weeks as we recruit more doctors using NHS urgent and emergency care improvement funding.”
8 Staff at the urgent treatment centre (UTC) at CFH have pulled together to improve their efficiency – and their hard work has seen them surpass waiting time targets. The team introduced a number of initiatives to help streamline the triage process for patients attending the UTC over the last few months, resulting in the average number of patients being triaged within 15 minutes of their arrival improving by 20%. They are now also managing to provide care for more than 80% of patients within two hours and more than 99% of patients within four hours. The UTC sees on average 159 patients a day and the team can often see more than 20 patients within the first hour. The Royal Free Charity (RFC) has earned two national seals of approval that show it’s delivering quality care and support when it matters most. The charity’s support hub has been accredited with the Advice Quality Standard (AQS), the UK’s quality mark for welfare advice. From housing to financial concerns, the hub’s advisers give patients guidance on problems that can affect recovery. The team’s work helps prevent avoidable homelessness and can reduce the risk of hospital readmission. Liz Fowler, support hub lead, said: “This accreditation means our clients can trust they’re receiving highquality advice from a service that’s accountable and completely focused on their needs.” For NHS staff, the AQS offers reassurance that the service enhances patient care; for the charity’s supporters, it’s proof that donations fund services that deliver value at a critical point in people’s lives. The volunteer team has also retained its Investing in Volunteers accreditation — the UK’s benchmark for volunteer management. The achievement reflects the charity’s commitment to training and valuing volunteers so they can make Charity services deliver to highest of standards Service manager Sobina Mangra said: “The first two hours of the day are crucial, because if our triage times don’t start on the right foot, it can impact the rest of the day. One of the changes we have made is to invest in more education for our triage nurses and provide new staff with one-to-one support from senior colleagues.” Debra Bassil has worked as a triage nurse for 40 years. She explained: “The training for new nurses is about helping staff ask appropriate questions and have the confidence to make a clinical judgement in a timely fashion – and I think that’s improved.” A ‘streaming’ nurse is now also based in the reception area to identify patients requiring urgent care as soon as possible, alongside a patient navigator who escalates any patients they are concerned about. Fatma Habib, clinical lead, said: “We’ve also been using our space more effectively. Before, if we had an a difference every day; offering a listening ear and bringing comfort to hospital wards, volunteers are part of the fabric of the NHS. Supreetha Skanda Moorthy, volunteer manager for BH, said: “We work incredibly hard each day alongside our volunteers to support patients and staff. Reaching this milestone together is something we can all feel proud of.” Jon Spiers, the charity’s chief executive, said: “These accreditations demonstrate that the Royal Free Charity is delivering services to the highest national standards, going beyond medicine to provide the emotional, practical and social support patients need to recover and thrive.” Urgent treatment centre team raise the bar for performance 9 One of the changes we have made is to invest in more education for our triage nurses “ “ The UTC team at CFH RFC volunteer and support hub teams Since welcoming our North Mid colleagues to the RFL group, we now have the opportunity to redefine who we are, what we stand for and how we work together. Hundreds of staff have been getting involved in shaping our new RFL values over the last few months – taking part in online workshops, running feedback sessions with their teams, jotting down thoughts on the digital whiteboard, and submitting ideas via a questionnaire. As the first phase of the project comes to a close, we want to say thank you to everyone who has contributed. You have shared your ideas, opinions and thoughts about what our new values should be – so what next? The ‘shaping our values’ project team will be working hard to collate your feedback over the next few weeks. Online sessions with those who were randomly selected to take part in the initial workshops will take place to make sure these ideas reflect what you said. The proposed values will then be shared with all staff, and you will then have another opportunity to let the project team know your thoughts. There will also be a chance to ‘test’ out the new values in different scenarios to bring them to life and ensure they will help guide us in our day-to-day work. Keep an eye out for further updates on Freenet. Next steps for our new RFL values infectious patient, or patients waiting for an ambulance transfer we would need to block rooms. Now we use bays in Zone C to see patients when a room is blocked off which frees up consultation space.” Creating a fully formed team has also been a key part of the UTC’s success. The team originally had two triage nurses during the day. Now, there are three triage nurses, one of whom undertakes the ‘streaming’ nurse position. Matron Tom Nettleton said: “Previously we’ve had a big reliance on agency staff but we now have a fully recruited team. We’re getting that consistency which enables people to work more efficiently. “We’ve been really focussed on making the UTC a place where staff want to work – where they can receive training and progression opportunities. Three of our triage nurses are training to become independent nurse practitioners in the next few months.” The smooth running of the service is also reflected in the team’s patient satisfaction average of 94%. “Morale in the team is much better,” Fatma Habib, clinical lead said. “We’ve received lots of praise from colleagues and patients. Reaching these targets has also allowed us to focus on other aspects of work, like team bonding. We’ve got a very good team.”
Governors’ update Get in touch: Our governors are elected to represent and listen to the views of staff, patients, and the public. If you would like to get in touch, please email rf-tr.governors@nhs.net. Getting your flu vaccine is the simplest way to protect yourself and others, and to help you enjoy the season’s special moments with family, friends, and colleagues. This year’s flu vaccination campaign begins at the RFL in October, offering all staff the chance to stay healthy this winter. Whether you’re looking forward to Christmas gatherings, pursuing hobbies, or attending events like concerts and weddings, the flu jab reduces your risk of illness and helps keep our services running smoothly. Julie Hamilton, group chief nurse, said: “I’m looking forward to spending quality time with my family in Ireland during half term, enjoying festive evenings out, and going to the pantomime in December. Getting the flu vaccine helps protect me and those around me so I can fully enjoy these moments. It is a simple step that keeps everyone, including our patients, safer and stronger.” 10 11 The results are in: congratulations to our new governors Menopause matters – catch up on our latest medicine for members’ event Register to attend our annual members’ meeting Your voice matters – have your say in this year’s staff survey Protect yourself from flu this winter The vaccine works by training the body’s immune system to recognise and fight flu viruses, similar to how a ‘fire drill’ prepares you for a real emergency. It is updated every year to cover the most common strains and is rigorously tested to ensure safety. Booking the flu vaccine is simple – search for ‘flu vaccine’ on Freenet for a link to available appointment slots at a time that suits you. On that page, you can also find accurate information about vaccines from trusted sources. Appointments take less than 10 minutes, so don’t delay – by getting vaccinated early, you give your immune system time to build protection before the flu virus becomes more widespread in colder weather. Make the flu jab part of your plan to stay healthy and safe this winter. A huge thank you to everybody who voted in the governor elections. We received 4,913 votes – 738 from patient members, 1,389 from public members and 2,786 from staff members. We are delighted to be welcoming 11 new governors to our council of governors. Joseph Adams, Stephen Cameron, Enitan Aghadiuno and Richard Helyer have been elected to the patient constituency. Jennifer Boateng, John Orr, Melike Koymen and David Hawley have been elected to the public constituency. Jasmin Mathew, Olaniyi Alajiki and Georgia Lucas have been elected to staff constituency. They will begin their terms on Wednesday 1 October – we will share more information about them in future editions of Freepress. Sneha Bedi, Natasha Leith-Smith and Suzanne Fine will be stepping down from the council at the end of September. A huge thank you to them for the contributions they have made. More than 70 patients, staff and members of the public came together for our latest medicine for members’ event, ‘Let’s talk menopause – supporting women’s health at every stage’. The event focused on a life phase that affects millions but is often overlooked. Watch the recording on our website. Consultant gynaecologist Sheila Radhakrishnan explained how our trust supports women through perimenopause and menopause. Teams work closely with patients to explore a full range of treatment options, all aimed at empowering women to make informed decisions about their care. Pelvic health physiotherapy clinical lead Ena Ankutse and clinical specialist dietitian Ruth Westwood explored how physical activity and nutrition play a key role in helping to manage common menopause symptoms. The evening concluded with an interactive Q&A session, where attendees had the chance to join the conversation and put their questions to our speakers including the latest research into perimenopause and menopause, how partners and families can offer meaningful support and other general advice. Join us at our annual members’ meeting to celebrate the incredible achievements of our staff over the past year. Hear about our operational and financial performance and view some of the incredible work from our teams on display. This will be a chance to speak with our staff, share your feedback and learn more about our services. The meeting will take place on Wednesday 26 November from 6.15 to 7.45pm at the RFH. Registration and networking will begin from 5.45pm and refreshments will be provided. To register, please email rf-tr.membership@nhs.net. Now’s your opportunity to feedback what it’s like to work at the RFL in this year’s NHS staff survey. The results of the survey help drive new initiatives and developments to improve staff experience and patient care at the trust. Every member of staff, including those working on the bank, has received an email with their survey link from IQVIA. The external provider makes sure your feedback is kept secure and remains completely anonymous. A record-breaking 57% of staff completed the 2024 survey and we want to hear from even more people this year. It will also be the first time colleagues at North Mid will be sharing feedback on working at the RFL. As a thank you to everyone who completes the survey, there will be the chance to win a selection of prizes for you or your department. You will need to select that you are happy to be contacted if you receive a prize – your feedback will remain anonymous. The survey takes around 15 minutes and can be completed during working hours. You can speak to your manager if you need to arrange time for this. If you need help completing the survey, please email helpline-qh@iqvia.com or call the IQVIA helpline on 0800 783 1775. More information is available at nhsstaffsurveys.com. Your voice matters. Don’t miss out on your chance to help shape the RFL – share your feedback in the NHS staff survey 2025. Sheila Radhakrishnan, consultant gynaecologist Ena Ankutse, pelvic health physiotherapy clinical lead Ruth Westwood, clinical specialist dietitian
12 60 seconds with… Cornelia Rowe-McKay Senior sister, CFH outpatients Tell me a bit about your role I’m the senior sister for the main outpatients department at Chase Farm Hospital. We provide care across various specialities such as rheumatology, ENT and the breast clinic. Nursing staff help get patients to the right appointments and with observations before seeing a doctor. I’m in less of a clinical role, leading the team. The job consists of managing nursing staff, making sure they have all the competencies required to help patients, ensuring a safe environment and mentoring the junior sisters. Some of the challenges are clinic delays, ensuring fairness and making sure patients and staff are safe and supported. What are you most proud of? In my career it would be how far I’ve come. I left college and wanted to be an occupational therapist, but quickly realised that it wasn’t for me. When I was on a placement on a ward I saw how great the nurses were, how quickly they dealt with an emergency. I started out as a healthcare assistant in a nursing home and then got a job as a nursing assistant at the Royal Free Hospital and was encouraged to do a nursing course. I was lucky enough to be seconded by the trust to do the training and I finished with a firstclass honours degree. I’m proud because most of my potential wasn’t seen by me, it was seen through the eyes of my managers or others working with me. Are there any things you’d do differently? I know the NHS is very stretched with patients often experiencing long waits for an initial appointment. There can also be communication and booking challenges. In addition patients can face transport and logistical issues which might make it difficult for them to attend. If I could change one thing in the outpatient department it would be to introduce a system where the patient can have more input in to whether they continue to require additional follow-up care and also whether that needs to be in person. That could help reduce unnecessary appointments as well as rates of non-attendance. We need to design the care we offer around the needs of our patients. How do you like to unwind? Spas! Relaxation. I go to quite a lot of spas with family and friends to unwind, and I also like music. I’m mum to a four-year-old, so I try to find some peace and quiet as it’s quite rare! Taking care of your wellbeing Every day, our staff go above and beyond to care for our patients. Please take the time to also look after your own wellbeing: • 24/7 helpline (out of hours) contact Care First on 0800 174319 (24/7) service) for emotional and psychological support or access online via carefirst-lifestyle.co.uk; login details can be found on Freenet • Contact the Samaritans (on 116 123), NHS Helpline (111) or your GP • Cost of living worries can have a huge impact on our mental health – visit our financial wellbeing page on Freenet • Visit Freenet for a range of resources, information and other wellbeing tips
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