Governors’ update From guiding hospital visitors to providing pet therapy, Royal Free Charity volunteers find many ways to make a difference across the RFL. Now, the volunteer service is supporting the endoscopy team at CFH thanks to a new role designed to give patients extra support before and after their procedures. Anne Liddiard joined the department after more than a year volunteering elsewhere in the hospital. For patients waiting for an endoscopy, a procedure that uses a tube with a camera to look inside the body, a friendly face and someone to talk to can make a difficult moment feel that little bit easier. Anne said: “Waiting for the procedure is often a very worrying time for patients and distraction or someone to sit and listen to them is of great benefit.” After a career as a medical secretary, including at CFH, Anne wanted to stay involved with the NHS after retirement and support busy clinical teams. In the endoscopy unit, that support takes many forms, from helping staff with administrative tasks to chatting with patients before and after procedures. 10 11 Celebrating remarkable progress in cancer care Book your place at our Annual Members Meeting Give flu the cold shoulder this winter The power of kindness Janadean Mills-McDonald, senior nurse in CFH’s endoscopy unit, said: “Having Anne as a volunteer in endoscopy is invaluable.” One encounter has stayed with Anne. She spent time with a young woman experiencing mental health difficulties, listening as she shared her worries before treatment. “I was literally a shoulder to cry on,” she said. For anyone considering volunteering, her message is simple: “There is a role for everyone.” Royal Free Charity volunteers make a direct and meaningful contribution to patient experience. Visit royalfreecharity.org or pop into a charity office to find out more. More than 100 trust members heard how the RFL has transformed cancer services to become one of the best performing trusts in the country for waiting times, delivering faster diagnoses and treatment for patients when it matters most. At our latest Medicine for Members event, group director of cancer, Laura Morrison, interim lead cancer physician, Professor Joerg-Matthias Pollok, and group lead cancer nurse, Jemma O’Reilly, shared the story behind one of the trust’s most significant improvement journeys in recent years. Through the dedication, expertise and teamwork of colleagues, the trust has driven a major turnaround in cancer performance, improving access to care and helping more patients start treatment sooner. For patients, the results speak for themselves. More people are receiving cancer treatment within the national 62-day standard than a year ago, placing the trust among the top quartile of performers in England. Earlier diagnoses are also helping patients access treatment more quickly while reducing the stress and uncertainty that often accompany a cancer referral. These achievements have been recognised nationally, with the trust shortlisted for a prestigious HSJ Award for performance recovery. If you missed the event, you can watch a recording on our website. Join us for an evening of celebration, insight and conversation at our 2026 Annual Members Meeting on Wednesday 4 November from 6 to 7.30pm. This special event is your opportunity to hear about the difference our staff, volunteers and partners have made over the past year, discover how we are improving care for patients and communities, and find out what lies ahead for the RFL. On the evening you will be able to: • c elebrate some of the trust’s key achievements from the past year • h ear about the challenges we have faced and how we are responding to them • g ain insights into our operational and financial performance • e xplore interactive displays showcasing the breadth of services we provide • m eet governors, staff and fellow members of our local community • p ut your questions directly to our trust board during a live Q&A session Anyone can catch the flu and colder, drier days means the virus spreads more easily – protect yourself, your colleagues and our patients by getting vaccinated. All RFL staff can get their vaccine for free from October at one of our vaccine clinics. Our friendly vaccinators will be on hand across sites to administer the vaccine and help shield colleagues from flu. The vaccine works by using inactivated fragments of a flu virus to help your body produce the right antibodies to fight off a real infection – there’s no live strain involved, so you can’t get the flu from the vaccine. If you catch the virus after getting vaccinated, symptoms are often much milder and it can help you get back on your feet quicker, reducing the chances of passing it on to others. The virus changes every year, and so does the vaccine, to make sure you’re as protected as possible against the latest strains. It’s important to get your vaccine every year, and as early as possible, to help reduce flu cases and keep our services running smoothly. Search ‘flu vaccine’ on Freenet for details on your local vaccine clinic and how to book an appointment. Help shield your colleagues from flu Share your views: take part in our membership survey We are committed to improving how we engage with you and enhancing your experience as a RFL member. In previous years, we have surveyed our membership as a whole. This year we are taking a more tailored approach by introducing constituencyspecific surveys. This will help us better understand the needs, experiences and priorities of our staff, patient and public members. All trust members will have received the survey by email, and it will remain open until Friday 27 November. Please take a few minutes to complete it. This is your opportunity to tell us what we are doing well, where we can improve, and how we can better support and engage with our members in the future. Your feedback is invaluable and will help shape our membership programme going forward. Laura Morrison, group director of cancer Professor JoergMatthias Pollok, interim lead cancer physician Jemma O’Reilly, group lead cancer nurse
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