University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust

👁It was all eyes on our Ophthalmology Team as they successfully delivered the fourth Coventry Ophthalmology Masterclass meeting. The event attracted 85 participants from across the country and is the only one of its kind delivered by an eye unit in the West Midlands. Speakers with national recognition gave insightful talks. Consultant colleagues Mr William, Mrs Mehta, Mr Manjunatha and a team of senior and postgraduate doctors contributed greatly and supported Consultant Ophthalmologist Atul Bansal as the founder and chair of the meeting. 💬Atul said: "The feedback has been outstanding, with 100 per cent of attendees rating the conference as brilliant to good. 98 per cent said they learned new things and 95 per cent found interactive discussion adequate. "I am privileged to continue to deliver this annual event successfully with the support of the team, and feel proud to be a part of Team UHCW." Professor Harpreet Ahluwalia, Clinical Lead for Ophthalmology, who chaired a session at the meeting, commented that it was an excellent meeting with great talks and a fantastic platform to showcase the department. ✨The conference was recognised by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and the Royal College of Optometrists for continuous professional development.

Today, colleagues across our Imaging departments celebrated World Radiography Day! 💙 The 8th November marks the discovery of x-radiation by William Roentgen in 1895. This morning, staff and students from our Radiology team took part in an educational workshop to discuss advances in digital plain film radiography and improving radiation safety. The day finished with a fun, competitive session from the Laughtercise team. A huge thank you to all of our Radiographers that play a pivotal role in patient care, diagnostics and treatments across both of our hospital sites.

Today has been #NationalCastingDay and Plaster Room Technician Kim Beck came up with a sparkling bonfire-themed display. Kim’s creation featured toasted marshmallows, hotdogs and toffee apples, all from using casting materials (which can be reused). She has been using her exhibit to educate patients and colleagues on the work that goes on within the department. National Casting Day is an initiative started in 2014 to promote the vital skills and services of plaster/cast rooms within the NHS.

To demonstrate our ongoing commitment to supporting the LGBTQIA community, we are proud to be flying the inclusion flag on our workforce building at University Hospital. 🌈The flag joins our NHS Rainbow Badge scheme and rainbow pedestrian crossing as a visible reminder that everyone who walks through our doors is valued and respected. “This strong visual statement is a testament to our deep, heartfelt commitment to supporting the LGBTQIA community,” explained Chief People Officer Donna Griffiths FCIPD. “It strengthens our promise to nurture an environment built on our core values of pride, respect and compassion.”💙

✨Twelve months of hard work has paid off for Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) and Surgical Care Practitioner (SCP) Jo Cruz, who has become one of the few SCPs in the UK to achieve the Advanced Practice NHS England (NHSE)/Health Education England (HEE) digital badge. Jo, who qualified as an Operating Department Practitioner in 2011, joined the Breast Team at UHCW in 2016, where she trained to become an SCP. After gaining her Masters in Surgical Care Practice in 2019, she became Lead SCP/ACP for the Breast Team. Following the ethos of 'better never stops', Jo recently undertook the NHSE/HEE supported e-portfolio route to gain the Advanced Practice digital badge. A year's worth of work saw Jo compile a portfolio of evidence and complete a critical narrative of her role to ensure her experience and qualifications demonstrate advanced practice. 💬Jo said: "This demonstrates my knowledge and skills over the four pillars of advanced practice within our Trust and work undertaken with other professional bodies, such as the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh. "I have been informed there are very few SCPs who have been awarded such status, so I feel proud that my efforts have been recognised." Congratulations Jo!💙

✨We were delighted to welcome two extra special guests – Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves – to University Hospital yesterday. During a visit to our Catheterization Lab, they were shown some of the amazing work taking place using innovative digital technology to deliver high quality care for patients who have had a stroke or suffer from heart valve disease. Sir Keir and Rachel then discussed the future of the NHS during a Question and Answer session with more than 50 staff. 💬Chief Executive Officer, Professor Andy Hardy, said: “Our Organisational Strategy, titled More than a Hospital, is very much aligned to the Government’s plans for the future of the NHS and I was extremely proud to share some of the ways we are leading the way in this regard.” 🔗Click the link to read the story in full:https://lnkd.in/ejHzxDyH

Hundreds of business leaders and technology experts from across the UK heard how UHCW NHS Trust is harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the patient experience when Professor Andy Hardy, our Chief Executive Officer, spoke at a major IBM event. Prof Hardy explained how an innovative project with the tech giant had helped to significantly reduce the number of missed appointments at University Hospital, Coventry. Using process mining techniques and IBM’s Watsonx AI platform, the Trust made simple changes to the timing of SMS messages sent to patients to remind them about their upcoming Outpatient appointments. Switching reminder texts from four days to 14 days before their appointment, the Trust was able to significantly reduce the number of patients who did not attend their appointment or cancelled at the last minute and then reallocate the slots to 700 other patients. This was one of the benefits of AI that Prof Hardy highlighted during a fireside chat with Kareem Yusuf, IBM’s Senior Vice President for Product Management & Growth, and Rahul Kalia, Managing Partner, UK and Ireland, IBM Consulting. Read more ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/dtsmKZTk

🌍World Menopause Day (Friday 18th October) serves as a vital platform to raise awareness and promote understanding of menopause. This day encourages open dialogue around the physical, emotional and psychological changes individuals may experience during this journey and aims to dispel myths and reduce stigma. With around 40 per cent of Trust staff going through the menopause, understanding and addressing the challenges they face during this time is crucial for creating an inclusive and supportive workplace. With this in mind, today marks the launch of the Menopause Hub - a one-stop shop of resources that colleagues can access at anytime, anywhere. 💻The Menopause Hub houses our newly launched Menopause Policy and Toolkit, helpful resources and support and explains how to complete the new e-learning module. Donna Griffiths, Chief People Officer, said: "We're proud to share our commitment to creating a menopause-friendly workplace and the steps we've taken to support our colleagues and raise awareness across the Trust. "Listening to colleagues who are a part of our network, we have created a Menopause Hub - a 'one-stop shop' for colleagues to access the Menopause Policy, e-learning module, Me and My Menopause tool and much more."💙

🎉Today we celebrated AHP Day with a special event for our AHP colleagues in the Lecture Theatre at University Hospital, Coventry. Attendees tuned in at 9.30am to watch Chief Allied Health Professions Officer at NHS England and NHS Improvement, Professor Suzanne Rastrick's, address to the nation. Throughout the day speakers from the faculty shared insights into research projects, career journeys, goals and experiences. A huge thank you to our AHP colleagues for your hard work and dedication!💙

Patients who have spent time in critical care are being sought to take part in ground-breaking research that aims to speed up their recovery. Each year, more than 140,000 people are discharged alive from critical care units in the UK and many have ongoing physical and psychological issues which last for many years. The new PHOENIX study, sponsored by UHCW and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is looking at the feasibility and cost effectiveness of providing structured, personalised physical rehabilitation and nutrition plans for patients who are recovering on a ward after leaving ICU. Read more ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/e8yDEV_d