Whittington Health

We are honoured to be recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust. This accreditation is from the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), and acknowledges our pledge to veterans in our community and in our workplace. 👉Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eNgTtVtY

A couple of weeks ago Whittington Health hosted a two work experience students to learn about careers in the NHS. 💙 Jai and Sam worked at Whittington Health for two weeks. Here is what they had to say about their time with us: "We were placed in the Whittington Education Centre and shadowed colleagues in several different departments including security, research, communications, the emergency department and surgery teams just to name a few. The most challenging experience was having to help open the Education Centre at 7:30am on some days which meant we had to wake up at 5:40am! It was tough to get out of bed at such an early hour. However, it was a valuable experience that allowed us to train and demonstrate our work ethic. Surprisingly, while seeing the inner workings of the entire hospital was especially eye-opening and interesting what surprised us the most during our two weeks was that despite hearing otherwise, the hospital food was in fact delicious! When we think of the NHS most of us think of doctors, consultants and nurses however while working at Whittington Health we realised that the NHS is much, much more than this with a vast array of roles with something for everyone!"

Today is Black Leaders Awareness Day. A day created to introduce and celebrate our black leaders with stories and quotes from upcoming and current leaders. We spoke to Chinyama Okunuga, our Chief Operating Officer who said: "The importance of diversity at all levels is not lost on the NHS. So on a day when we celebrate black leaders, it's important to be reminded that representation matters. As a black leader, I hope I bring a diverse perspective to the trust decision-making process across the organisation. I have also found that my cultural background helps me to understand some cultural nuances of the staff and more importantly of the diverse patient population, which helps with improved communication, that leads to better experience for staff and better outcomes for patients. I hope that that by highlighting contributions and achievements of black leaders, others who look up to them as their role models will be inspired and empowered to set aspirations and high career goals" Earlier this year Chin had a conversation with Bernadette Thompson OBE, Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion about her career and what it is like being a leader and board member as a black woman. You can watch the conversation in full here: https://bit.ly/3LrFCVR We would like to hear the stories of our Black leaders across Whittington Health. Leaders don’t necessarily have to hold the title within their roles, but be someone of influence who are worth following. If you have any stories to share, or know of a colleague in the trust who might, contact the communications team on [email protected] with the email subject ‘Black Leaders Awareness Day’ or share them with us in the comments.

Thank you Elaine and the Michael Palin team for all you do! 💙

Congratulations to the winners of our Extra Mile awards for June: Eleni Christodoulou and Laura Dick. These awards celebrate our amazing staff who have been nominated by their colleagues for going the Extra Mile! The nominations for this month’s winners said: “Eleni goes above and beyond on a daily basis, … this month managed to pull together the estates and facilities day. Eleni selflessly imagined, created and managed the day, reaching out to suppliers for raffle prizes, arranging a Bake Off, organising lunch for the entire staff base (c400!), arranged an employee of the year competition and numerous tables of suppliers and partners discussing the work they do and the positive impact it has on patient care ... She even managed to arrange for Arsenal's mascot, the Gunnersaurus, to come in, who brought a smile to staff and visitors and cheered up the children's ward.” “Laura is an exceptional occupational therapist on the elderly care ward. She exemplifies excellence in her work, particularly in treating and assessing older adults with frailty and dementia. As a safeguarding champion, she consistently prioritises patient safety and well-being. Laura's approach is always patient-centred, reflecting her deep empathy and compassion. Her dedication to understanding and addressing the unique needs of each individual ensures that her patients receive the highest quality of care, fostering a supportive and respectful environment, to facilitate patient independence so they can be discharged home safely with adequate supports and aids.” Read more about Eleni and Laura: https://lnkd.in/gnAkhzVX

Our staff awards were one week ago today! 🏆💙 We thought we would share some of our favourite pictures from the night. Congratulations again to to all the winners. 🥳

We are hugely proud that our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is the first in London to receive Gold for our family friendly care by Bliss, the charity for babies born premature or sick. Having a baby admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is an anxious time for any family. However, parents of babies admitted to our NICU at Whittington Hospital in Archway, North London can be reassured that they and their baby’s care will be gold standard, following the accreditation of the unit by Bliss as part of its baby charter accreditation scheme. Grateful parents who benefited from the unit’s approach to care were Chloe and George, whose son Leo was born prematurely at 31 weeks and stayed on the NICU for 6 weeks. They said: “We want to thank everyone who played a part in Leo’s NICU journey. Whether they kept him company and spoke to him, fed and clothed him, examined him, and gave him his medications they helped our little Leo grow big and strong and we couldn’t have done any of it without them. “They helped us as first-time parents gain the confidence we needed, and both advised and reassured us in moments where we may have had doubts, fears or concerns.” Research has found that a family-integrated approach to care brings with it proven benefits to the baby, family and unit staff. Benefits for baby and family include improved long-term health outcomes, enhanced bonding, increased parental confidence increased breastfeeding rates and allows families to make positive memories even during a stressful and worrying period. Read more on our website: https://ow.ly/PAJg50SyJjI

We're on the lookout for a Band 8a Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist. Could you be the person we're searching for? 👉Find out more: https://ow.ly/NuWB50SwTV4 #NHSLondonJobs #NHSJobs

Our staff awards took place last Thursday and it was a truly memorable night. 28 judges across five panels had an incredibly difficult task narrowing an incredible 408 nominations down to 12 winners. 👉You can read about them here: https://ow.ly/WLNw50SxL6j

76 years on, it is the people who make the NHS 💙 #HappyBirthdayNHS 🎉