Regular readers of the blog will recognise that I generally try to cover a wide range of information and share as much activity from across the Trust and wider health and social care system each week as I can.
I do this to be open and transparent, to let people know what is going on and to give an honest reflection of things we’re doing and priorities we’re focused on.
I also try to be as inclusive as possible and not leave anyone out if they have done something brilliant or overcome a challenge. It’s important to me to recognise ELHT is an ongoing team effort with each and every colleague contributing to our progress – and I want to ensure people feel recognised and valued for everything they are doing and dealing with.
This week I want to take a different approach and focus on some feedback I received from the family of a patient about his care which I think is so fundamental to the Trust that I am going to share it in full.
But before I do, I must touch on the Trust’s response to five days of industrial action which started last Friday and ended on Wednesday and included resident doctors who are part of the British Medical Association (BMA). I have said many times before I completely respect the right of colleagues to take industrial action and, again, the issue in hand is related to a dispute with the Government over pay rather than anything local at the Trust.
But it does impact on our ability to provide services as planned and, whilst we were successful in minimising the impact on scheduled appointments and procedures, I know that won’t count for much if it affected you. I am sorry and I hope it goes without saying that we will get you back in as soon as we can.
In the meantime, thank you to everyone across so many teams, settings and professional groups, who helped to hold the fort and minimise the impact over those five days. As ever it was an incredible team effort that was humbling to see. I know we all hope for a resolution to these issues as soon as possible.
I have received a letter from the NHS England Regional Director in the North West Louise Shephard providing her own thanks to colleagues. If you work in ELHT you can see it in full here.
I particularly agreed with the paragraph that says: “The detailed planning and preparation that you and your teams did prior to industrial action, and the sheer effort over the last few days to ensure you had thought through every risk and managed every eventuality, meant that we were able to continue to ensure that services were available for our patients throughout with minimal disruption to their care. We know many staff will have worked long hours in preparation and throughout the period of action and we are profoundly grateful to each and every one of you for that.”
This is a great segway into the feedback I mentioned earlier that I want to focus on. It arrived in the form of a letter, which I will publish in full below. It is the second time I have done this after initially sharing it with colleagues on the Trust Board. It sparked some reaction which I will cover later too. It is important to say that while I have anonymised it for the blog, the family proactively asked for their experience to be shared far and wide.
Now I know I am deliberately teasing you by not giving away whether this family’s experience was positive or something more challenging so let me address that and say the feedback starts with the excellent – perhaps unbeatable – salutation ‘Dear Superheroes…’ It relates to a patient who died at home in Rossendale in June and describes itself as a letter of commendation. I could not agree more.
“Dear Superheroes, This is a letter of commendation which we would appreciate being circulated to as many people as possible, both internally in the NHS and externally to the wider community. Negative stories are newsworthy items and it is rare good news is publicised. We wish this letter to be widely publicised.
“My husband went for a doctor’s appointment with Dr Khan at Hazel Valley Surgery in Haslingden in May. It was routine, but a limp and a couple of lumps had recently appeared. He was parachuted for an ultrasound scan which resulted in a very fast track NHS process through hospitals in Blackburn, Chorley, Burnley and Preston with a team of specialists from the Acute Oncology Team and Primary Oncology Team.
“All services were amazing, joined up, fast, efficient, caring and sensitive. Five-star service from every single person from Siggi the Health Care Assistant on the assessment ward at Royal Blackburn to the many doctors and consultants we saw.
“My husband wanted to die at home but [once he was discharged] deteriorated very quickly and passed away within four days. We did not have time to put in place the necessary care arrangements and were at a loss of what to do and how to cope. Then Jo and Hannah, the Specialist Palliative Care Practitioners arrived. Arrangements happened at lightning speed. They were closely followed by many 24 hour ‘on call’ District Nurses and finally the Hospice team, working in pairs with four visits a day. It was an operation masterminded by the palliative care team at East Lancashire Hospitals and was breath-takingly efficient and so much appreciated by me and the family who have rarely seen a doctor.
“We cannot thank you all enough for the kindness, the compassion and care that every single person demonstrated to help my husband pass peacefully away in just six short weeks since first visiting the doctor. We would like you to specifically mention:
- Hazel Valley Medical Practice in Haslingden that took the trouble to phone to review progress and send a sympathy card
- The diagnostic department at Rossendale Health Centre
- The team on the assessment ward at Royal Blackburn and specifically Health Care Assistant Siggi and Consultant Roger Clark
- The team of consultants in the CUP unit across the four hospitals and Ruth Layman at Royal Blackburn who is coordinator of so much
- The Advanced Palliative Care nurses Jo Fellowes and Hannah from East Lancashire Hospitals who were dynamite and made all home arrangements happen with speed, dignity and care
- The Rossendale and wider East Lancs teams of District Nurses for their daily calls and emergency night call outs
- Rossendale Hospice at Home support staff, in particular Rhian but all colleagues for their visits
“NHS you were impressive and we think you are the best in the world. You made my husband’s death dignified and peaceful, just as he wished. What else could we have ever wished for, apart from his life itself. “
I have shared recently how challenging life is in the NHS at the moment, with a mix of huge pressure and demand on services alongside the relentless push to reduce costs and make savings without reducing activity. There is no doubt the totality of this is impacting on colleagues and their morale.
And so to see how everyone across the many constituent parts of the wider NHS, health and social care system pulled together in this case – and no doubt many others – to help people is humbling and inspirational in equal measure.
When I shared it with the Board I received a reply from our Chairman Shazad Sarwar who said simply: “Wow! What amazing feedback. This is who we are and who we should be every day at East Lancashire Hospitals. Reading this makes all the challenges we are facing everyday worthwhile because we have the ability to give this level of care and support at the most difficult times for our patients and their loved ones. Please pass on the Boards thanks to all these colleagues - they are amazing.”
I won’t labour the point but this is why everyone at ELHT joined the NHS and we why continue to get out of bed every day, sometimes against what can feel like tough odds, knowing we can and will make a difference to the lives of our colleagues, our patients and their families in this way.
I was so proud to read this and share it so that everyone who is named in the letter can see it and be reminded just how brilliant they are.
But this is just one experience of one family and I know we have ‘Super Heroes’ everywhere, doing amazing things day in and day out and often with the standard response of ‘Oh I am just doing my job’.
I want to say you’re so much more than that and we see you, we value you and you’re appreciated beyond words.
I also want to say thank you to this family and everyone else who takes the time to write in and share their experiences at the Trust – both positive and more challenging – at a time when their own emotions are running high and there is so much to navigate in life.
To provide testimony is gracious and touching but more importantly a reminder of why we go on and if ever this was needed it is now. Thank you for the timely nudge back into a place where what we do and how we do it not only counts, but is everything.
Sometimes we all need that reminder and I hope I have provided that for you today.
Take care,
Martin