Hello everyone, welcome to my blog for this week.
There are many themed weeks and days which are designed to give us the opportunity to celebrate, highlight or remember a particular cause. Some are serious – World AIDS Day for example – while some are more about fun – International Talk Like a Pirate Day!! Anyway, this week (14-20 May) has been Dying Matters Awareness Week. Certainly, this would fall into the serious category but I feel a little saddened that we need an awareness week for this to be on the agenda. For me, dying really does matter, and I’m glad to support any initiative which normalises talking about, and preparing oneself for, death and bereavement. The Dying Matters Coalition was set up to facilitate a shift in society where death and bereavement are seen and accepted as a natural part of life, with the ultimate goal that you, or your loved one have a ‘good death’ where you die as you might have wished. This is so important, and I am glad for and grateful to, the many staff in our hospitals and community services who make a real difference to patients, carers and loved ones at this particularly difficult time.
Sunday is International Clinical Trials Day, an event all ELHT research staff celebrate with pride. There’s a huge amount of research taking place at the Trust – in the last 12 months alone we’ve had 90 clinical research studies running involving more than 1,400 patients. There are current research studies for surgery, cancer, women and children, diabetes, stroke and more. Research is, of course, vital in the ongoing improvement and development of services and treatments, benefitting countless people. And the opportunity to take part in clinical research can benefit participants themselves – “we had a positive experience and we know that all these things they learn from babies like Archie will add up to help future generations” - was how one mum described being involved in a research study. To celebrate #ICTD18, we’ve published two podcasts featuring women’s health research midwife Bev Hammond who takes us on ‘a day of the life of a research midwife’. Take a listen.
We are currently in the month of Ramadan and as well as extending my best wishes to our Muslim colleagues, patients and community – Ramadan Mubarak! – I hope you will join me is showing some understanding as well. Ramadan is a physically difficult challenge, especially when the days are long, like now. I have utmost respect for everybody who observes the fast, but particularly so for our practising staff, who continue to provide great care and service while they are fasting. Many of us will be showing our support for colleagues by taking part in a one day fast on Wednesday 23 May. Please contact Suzanne.Lang@elht.nhs.uk if you would like to take part.
I am beginning to get excited at the prospect of a CQC Inspection, which we are expecting some time this year. Although we don’t know yet exactly when it will be, we are already planning for it so we can present the CQC inspectors with a true and impressive picture of who we are. As you know, I have always said that the CQC Inspection process is our chance to shine; to show just how good we are; demonstrate that we know where we could be better; and what we are doing to address those areas to improve even further. I do hope you feel the same as me and will grasp the opportunity to really sparkle. In the coming weeks, I am sure we will all be discussing the inspection in much greater detail and we really welcome your input, ideas and enthusiasm.
Finally, in case you are wondering and desperate to know, it’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day in September. (And I just might).