Download - GP Update Summer 2010
Issue Number 5Summer 2010
GP
One of the great strengths of the city of Norwich is the high level ofscientific expertise available on the Research Park. Over the past18 months we have been developing a joint strategy with the
University of East Anglia to work collaboratively with theInstitute of Food Research, the John Innes Centre andthe new Genome Centre to attract high-quality clinicalacademics. So far we have appointed two outstandingleaders for this research initiative.Andrew Coats, former Dean of Sydney Medical Schooland an internationally known cardiologist and scientist,will develop the overall clinical research agenda. He will work closely withAlastair Watson, who joins us from Liverpool as Professor of TranslationalMedicine. Andrew’s expertise in gastroenterology should enable us to build upone of the premier gut and nutrition research facilities in the world.
We are now looking to make more appointments, especially in the fields ofmicrobiology, and to promote the locally and nationally important goals ofhealthy ageing.
Complementing this scientific activity – and hugely important to ongoingclinical research projects – we have spent nine months improving the ClinicalTrials Unit and we have now appointed a new Director of theUnit, Laurence Skillern, who is both medically-qualified and hasextensive experience of the pharmaceutical industry. The TrialsUnit is available for primary and secondary care clinicians whowish to engage in research involving patients and we hope thatit will now flourish.
Krishna Sethia, Medical Director,Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals
NHS Foundation Trust
AS YOU MAY be aware, the Microbiology
laboratory is moving to the Norwich
Research Park in August.
There will be no facility for patients or
individuals to drop off specimens or mail at
the new site. Instead, from9 August these
will need to be delivered to Pathology
Reception at NNUH for onward
transportation to Microbiology.
Time-sensitive fertility tests will be
available Monday to Thursday inclusive, with
samples being picked up and transported to
the new Microbiology Laboratory at around
2pm. It is therefore essential that seminal
fluids required for tests are produced
between 12 noon and 2pm to meet the
necessary two-hour window for testing.
Please note, it is vital that patients record
the date and time on the sample container and
request form to allow accurate interpretation
of the results.
Our User Manual will be updated with
these revised arrangements ready for the
move on 9 August.
The laboratory fax number, 01603 620190,
remains unchanged.
If you have any questions or queries
regarding the move please contact the
Laboratory Manager on 01603 611816 or
email [email protected].
Laboratorymedicine underthe spotlight
NEWS FROM
UpdateSTEPPING UP OUR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
THERE WAS a great deal of interest in our
laboratory open day in April, when GPs and
their colleagues were invited to come and
see recent developments in laboratory
medicine.
Pathology services are widely recognised
as being central to modern medicine, with
over 70 per cent of patient diagnoses based
on laboratory test results. The service plays
a key role in meeting waiting time targets,
including A&E turnaround times, oncology
services, clinics, theatres and requests
from GPs.
We have introduced a number of changes
to manage our ever increasing workload,
including automation to help speed up our
service. In the vast majority of cases, reports
are now returned electronically to requesters
before the start of the next working day,
allowing early decisions on patient
treatment and follow up.
For anyone who missed the open day and
would like another opportunity to see the
lab, please contact service manager Dianne
Gibson on 01603 286936 (email
[email protected]) to arrange a
convenient date.
Microbiology move will affect patients delivering samples
FOLLOWING the introduction of stroke
thrombolysis 24/7 last year we are
continuing to redesign our stroke and TIA
services to achieve a better service for
patients.
On weekdays high-risk TIA patients can
now be seen in clinic within a day of referral
– a new referral form designed to guide GPs
through the risk rating is available on
Knowledge Norfolk (http://nww.knowledge
norfolk.nhs.uk/cardiology.htm).
The new referral form should be faxed
immediately for all stroke patients as we aim
to see all high risk patients within 24 hours of
their contact with a GP, and all low risk
patients within seven days.
From mid July the ‘front door’ for stroke
will be A&E All suspected stroke patients
will be diverted to A&E, including GP
referrals, to ensure a direct pathway of care
to the stroke unit. For any suspected stroke
patient call 999.
If you would like to discuss a case with a
stroke specialist nurse we have a stroke alert
nurse available 24/7. They can be contacted
through hospital switchboard on ext: 6588.
THE WOMEN’S Health Physiotherapy
Team runs a telephone helpline for women
suffering pelvic girdle or lower back pain
during pregnancy.
Women can call the helpline direct for
advice or a prompt appointment, if
appropriate. Leaflets can be found on the
NNUH website and details of the service
can also be found on the Heron website.
The helpline number is 01603 287130
GP UPDATE SUMMER 2010KEY CONTACTS
Patients go walkabout on day of opNorfolk and Norwich UniversityHospitalColney LaneNorfolk NR4 7UYWebsite: www.nnuh.nhs.uk
On-call:For emergencies tel: 01603 286286 andask to be transferred to the appropriateon-call teams:• Surgical: SpR. (bleep 0080)• Medical: via the Emergency Assessment
Unit (EAU) on bleep 0002• Medicine for the Elderly: ext. 6509
There is also an on-call general (GI) andvascular consultant available via theswitchboard.
Norwich Community HospitalBowthorpe RoadNorwichNR2 3TUTel: 01603 776776(Also Breast Screening, Pain Management)
Norwich Central Family PlanningClinicGrove RoadNorwichNR1 3RHTel: 01603 287345
PharmacyMedicines information line: 01603287139
Pathology
Clinical Biochemistry andHaematology01603 286929 / 286932 / 286959
Microbiology01603 288587 / 288588
Knowledge Norfolk website:
http://nww.eastern.nhs.uk/scripts/index.a
sp?pid=73450&id=95975
GP UPDATEGP Update is edited by RebeccaPerry and produced by the NNUHCommunications teamRebecca will be on maternity leavefrom mid-August until March 2011.In her absence please contactkrishna.sethia @nnuh.nhs.uk withclinical issues or [email protected] with Trust matters.
HELPLINE IS A HITTHE CROMER Aural Care Service
(COTEX) is now up and running, offering
patients who have problems with ear wax,
foreign bodies in the ear canal or acute otitis
externa the chance to have their ears cleaned
by one of our trained nurses under clinician
supervision.
The service can be accessed via Choose
and Book or by fax using the proforma
available on the Knowledge website.
NEW TECHNIQUES in
pain relief, coupled with a
team approach, are helping
to get patients back on
their feet faster than ever
before.
“We decided to run a
pilot ‘enhanced recovery’
programme at NNUH and
the results from a study of 30 patients have
been very impressive,” says orthopaedic
surgeon Jim Wimhurst. “It seems that
targeted pain relief, plus early intervention
from physiotherapists and occupational
therapists, can have a very positive impact
on patients both physically and mentally.”
Of the first 30 patients surveyed, 100 per
cent agreed that their pain had been well
managed and 93 per cent were happy with
the speed of their recovery.
Although currently limited to hip and
knee replacements, the enhanced recovery
programme could potentially be extended to
shoulder surgery and bowel surgery.
The new techniques involve an injection
of local anaesthetic straight into the joint,
followed by a
“cocktail” of painkillers
taken orally. Previously, patients were
injected with an epidural into the spine
which meant they were numb from the waist
down.
Consultant anaesthetist Dr Lindsay
Barker says a series of small changes, rather
than one big change, have made the
difference for patients.
Denton ward sister Kay Marrison
commented: “With this new technique
patients are far less dependent and anxious
and it’s very clear that ‘mind over matter’
plays a very big part in their recovery.”
The average length of stay for a traditional
hip replacement was 7.5 days, compared to
3.6 days for the first 30 patients surveyed as
part of the pilot project.
Annie Bennet, from
Postwick, was
“delighted” to be up
and about within hours
of having a hip
replacement at NNUH
A WORD IN YOUR EAR
A&E will be ‘front door’ for suspected stroke