News

• Our Annual Report for 2015/16 is out today!

  by User Not Found | Sep 15, 2016

  Our Annual Report 2015/16 has now been published - to read the full report click here.

  Highlights in 2015/16 included:
  

  • Rated ‘outstanding’ for ‘openness and honesty’ in a national league published by the Department of Health in March 2016;
  • Introducing our Grow Your Own programme to develop a flexible and sustainable workforce;
  • 97% of the 11,000 patients we surveyed stating they were likely to recommend our services to friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment (exceeding the national average);
  • Gaining the opportunity to provide additional high quality services having won contracts cross Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough;
  • Paying a vital role in the Luton system enabling significant numbers of patients with increasingly complex needs, to avoid hospital admissions or leave hospital earlier;
  • Achieving a modest surplus of £576,000, despite on-going financial constraints and ever-growing demands for our services, all of which will be ploughed back into improving services in the coming year;
  • Staff rating the Trust above average in 22 of the 32 areas assessed in the national staff survey compared to our peers.

   

   

• New lease of life for former Great Yarmouth social club

  by Phillipa Davies | Sep 08, 2016

  A former social club on the Northgate Hospital site in Great Yarmouth celebrated its transformation into a one stop shop for contraception and sexual health last Wednesday (31 August).

  Staff and colleagues from commissioning bodies and partner organisations gathered at the iCaSH Norfolk hub Breydon Clinic*, provided by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust (CCS NHS Trust), to celebrate the official opening.

  Before cutting the ribbon Councillor Malcom Bird, the Mayor of Great Yarmouth commended the staff for creating a modern, friendly and approachable environment for the people of Great Yarmouth and Norfolk.

  He said: “The team worked hard to achieve a smooth move and have taken the changes over the last 16 months of a new employer, new base and new ways of working, in their stride, despite things not always going as planned.

  “So here we are, celebrating our opening at Breydon and a team that is passionate for and committed to a service that continues to evolve.”

  On 1 March 2015, CCS NHS Trust brought together community and hospital sexual health services, under the name iCaSH Norfolk. The team moved services based at the Bure Clinic, Lowestoft Road, Gorleston on Sea and Kittywitches, King Street in Great Yarmouth to Breydon Clinic on the Northgate Hospital site on 24 March 2016.

  Further hubs in Norwich (1 April 2015) and King’s Lynn (3 August 2015) have brought services under one roof in a similar way over the last 16 months.
  
  Ellen Ballantyne, Service Manager, iCaSH Norfolk said: “It was great to have so many join us at our official opening. Everyone has settled in well to Breydon Clinic and the team have worked really hard to ensure patients receive high quality, specialist care, over the last 16 months. The new clinic provides improved accessibility for our patients in town centre premises.”
  
  By integrating the services in a number of one stop clinics people can have all their sexual health and contraceptive needs, met in one place by one clinician wherever possible.  

  Patients can contact 0300 300 30 30 for appointments and visit www.icash.nhs.uk for more information.

  *Breydon Clinic, Northgate Hospital, Northgate Street, Great Yarmouth, NR30 1BU. The clinic is at the corner of Eastcourt Road and Churchill Road.

• Neuropsychological experts celebrate 20 years

  by Phillipa Davies | Sep 07, 2016

  For the last 20 years experts in neuropsychological rehabilitation in Cambridgeshire have changed the lives of those living with acquired brain injury.

  The team will gather leaders in the field at a conference later this month, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Oliver Zangwill Centre (OZC) in Ely, provided by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.

  Donna Malley is an occupational therapist at the centre and will deliver a talk on managing fatigue after acquired brain injury. Donna’s expertise was recognised by BBC journalist David Robson in an article asking why ‘after injuries and neurological illnesses, people often face a mysterious, unimaginable exhaustion that can last for years’.

  She said: “Fatigue is a significant consequence of brain injury that needs attention. Even in clinical services that support people with brain injury, there’s a lack of understanding. People aren’t even being asked if they experience fatigue as a symptom.

  “I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to share information about fatigue, a complex, frequently misunderstood and ‘hidden’ consequence of brain injury. There are ways of managing it, which we can support someone to develop; ideally it needs to be an individualised approach.”

  The conference will take place in London on 22 September and will see six experts under the spotlight; four from OZC. The two overseas speakers joining the bill are Professor Luciano Fasotti, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at Radboud University, Nijmegen and Professor Lyn S. Turkstra, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

  Donna said: “I am really interested in the external speaker presentations on time pressure management (Prof Fasotti) and social cognition (Prof. Turkstra). These difficulties can have significant implications for people who wish to participate in social and vocational activity and their emotional wellbeing.

  “The conference is set to be a great opportunity to meet other delegates and share their experiences and is a fitting way to celebrate two decades of work at the OZC.”

  The Oliver Zangwill Centre is based at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Ely, Cambridgeshire. It provides high quality, evidence-based, neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation to adults with an acquired brain injury. Clients are supported to understand how brain injury has disrupted their life, sense of identity and participation in personally meaningful activities. With this understanding, clients begin to achieve new life goals and feel comfortable ‘in their own skin’. For more information visit www.ozc.nhs.uk/

• Breaking a sweat for workout at work 2016

  by User Not Found | Sep 06, 2016

  Physiotherapists put staff through their paces for the first workout at work 2016 event held at the Princess of Wales hospital in Ely recently.
  
  The session offered high and low impact options and was jointly hosted by the DynamicHealth  team from the Trust and colleagues from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust.
  
  Marie Welch, physiotherapist at DynamicHealth, led a Pilates session to end the event. She said: “This is our first workout at work event at the hospital and it was great to get a mix of NHS staff attend. Events like these are an opportunity to address the importance of regular movement at work, to increase productivity and efficiency, reduce risk of injury and to promote physical fitness in the work place.
  
  “It is something we hope to make a regular thing to help staff stat fit at work.”
  
  Traditionally workout at work was a set day, but this year, organisers the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, chose to give teams plenty of resources and three months to maximise the opportunity of multiple events.
  
  Those taking part could choose from a high intensity interval training (HIIT) class or a health walk, followed by pilates. There was also plenty of advice and helpful tips booklets on offer to take away on how to keep active during the day at work.
  
  The initiative was first launched by the CSP in 2011 and has proved a great way to promote physiotherapy to the general public.  

  

• Excellent treatment wins Trust award

  by Kirstie Flack | Sep 05, 2016

  
  
  Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust’s Dental HealthCare team, based in Huntingdon, were recently awarded the Trust’s Shine a Light award after receiving excellent feedback from the mother of one of their patients.
  
  The feedback read: “As soon as we arrived the lady on the reception desk was warm and welcoming. She gave my little boy colouring to play with and was very patient when he wanted to talk to her. She was also very patient when I realised I had forgotten all of my paperwork and this was no problem at all.
  
  “The dentists saw us immediately, which was much appreciated. The patience that both the dentist and the dental nurse showed us was touching. They immediately put us at ease and the speed and efficiency of the treatment was brilliant.
  
  “My son requires a referral to the hospital and the next available date was November. The team put every effort in to identifying an earlier appointment date at an alternative hospital and was very flexible in ensuring I could complete the paperwork.
  
  “They have done absolutely everything possible to help me and for this I am incredibly grateful. An experience that we had been dreading was perfectly pleasant and my son now asks when he can go back to see the dentist!”
  
  The “Shine a Light” scheme allows members of the public to nominate staff who have delivered a fantastic service and made a real difference to their lives. Trust staff are also encouraged to nominate their colleagues.
  
  On winning the team said: “We were very surprised but delighted to have won the latest Shine a Light award. We work hard as a team to make sure that our patients receive the best quality care.”
  
  Every month a member of staff or a team are selected from a list of nominations as the “Shine a Light” award winner. If you would like to nominate a member of staff or a team who has gone the extra mile for you, you can nominate online at www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk 
  
  (Photo: Matthew Winn, Chief Executive (back row left hand side) with the Huntingdon Dental HealthCare Team).

   

• Sweet Treats bring smiles to local Children’s Unit

  by Kirstie Flack | Aug 24, 2016

   

  The Children’s Unit at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, run by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, has received a donation of Ferrero Rocher treats.
  
  The St Ives Town Team, supported by the Town Council, recently performed an outdoor play “The Merrie Wives of St Ives” as part of the OuseFest Celebrations. Over 4,000 bars of chocolate wafer biscuits were donated by the Mayor of Stadtallendorf in Germany, which is twinned with St Ives, for a chocolate-eating competition scene in the play.
  
  Guests of Honour Christian Somogyi, Burgermeister of Stadtallendorf, and his wife Ilona Mönninger-Somogyi, travelled from Germany to hand-deliver the chocolates and Herr Somogyi even took part in the chocolate-eating contest!
  
  Town Mayor, Cllr Mrs Debbie Townsend said: “I sent a letter to Mayor Somogyi, asking if Ferrero Rocher would like to send some chocolate for the scene, in the hope of receiving a few items, but we were completely amazed when he said he would drive to St Ives, a 12-hour journey, with over 4,000 chocolate wafer biscuits!
  
  “With such a wonderful donation we had lots of treats left over and we decided to donate some to the Children’s Unit at Hinchingbrooke Hospital. We still have some left!”
  
  Sandie White, Holly Ward and Paediatric Outpatient Manager said: “A huge thank you to the Town Team and St Ives Town Council for their kind donation. This will bring a smile to the children and their parents whilst they visit the Children’s Unit.
  
  “We have a parent’s kitchen on the unit where they can help themselves to tea, coffee and biscuits without having to be too far away from their child. We do not have a budget for this and rely solely on donations from the families and the public to keep this kitchen stocked. These chocolate treats will certainly go down well with the parents as well as the children when we have our afternoon snacks.”
  
   

  Photos:  
  
  Captain Jack Sparrow (Cllr Ian Jackson), Town Mayor, Cllr Mrs Debbie Townsend, Sandie White, Holly Ward and Paediatric Outpatient Manager and Nathan Potter (14).
  
  Samantha and Alyssa Newland (5), Hannah Potter (8), Louise Potter (11), Town Mayor, Cllr Mrs Debbie Townsend, Captain Jack Sparrow (Cllr Ian Jackson) and Nathan Potter (14).

• Free Food and Fun Activities for local families

  by Kirstie Flack | Aug 24, 2016

   

  

   
  Children and families enjoyed free food and activities at Lakenham Primary School, Norwich, courtesy of Norse catering. Norse provides over 25,000 primary school meals every day in Norfolk and Suffolk.
  
  These weekly events over the course of the Summer holidays have been co-ordinated by Healthy Norwich. Community nursery nurses/practitioners from Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust took part in the project to improve outcomes for children and their families in Norwich.  Each week has been themed, with partner agencies involved and all invited families receiving a free meal and the opportunity to receive advice on a variety of topics.
  
  Lynn George, Nursery Nurse said: “We held a mini advice hub for adults to gain advice whilst their children ate and played outside and took part in fun physical activities. The hubs provided information on healthy eating including what to have in a healthy lunchbox, nutritional advice and also sun safety.
  
  “The event was a huge success with nearly 50 children and their families enjoying the fun activities.”

   

  (Photo left to right: Assistant Practitioners Tiffinie Gowing, Kayleigh Morton and Wendy Housden and Lynn George, Community Nursery Nurse.

• Local Children’s Group celebrates the “Big Latch On” event

  by Kirstie Flack | Aug 11, 2016

   

   

  Health Visitors and Nursery Nurses from Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust hosted a playtime session with the Children’s Centre, Wisbech celebrating the “Big Latch On” campaign. The session was held at Church Farm, Stow Bardolph near Downham Market.
  
  Elizabeth Kurleto-Slabber, Nursery Nurse, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust said: “Nine families came along to Church Farm, where they could talk to other families about their experiences and offer support and advice to each other. The children enjoyed the many attractions available at the Farm and especially the close encounters with the animals. Thank you to everyone who came along to share the experiences they have had.”
  
  The Global Big Latch On takes place in August where women gather together to breastfeed and offer peer support to each other. The Big Latch On aims to protect, promote and support breastfeeding families by:

   

  • providing support for communities to identify and grow opportunities to provide on-going breastfeeding support and promotion in local communities
  • raise awareness of breastfeeding support and knowledge available locally and globally
  • help communities positively support breastfeeding in public places
  • make breastfeeding as normal part of day-to-day life at a local community level
  • increase support for women who breastfeed
  • ensure communities have the resources to advocate for coordinated appropriate and accessible breastfeeding support services.

   

  Amy Burton, Edith’s mum said: ”Edith loved touching all the animals and running around the farm, a lovely day with lovely people” and Isaac’s mum Kimberley Holt said: “We have had a lovely day and I would not have thought to come along if it wasn’t for ‘Booby Club!”
  
  For more information about the “Big Latch On” Campaign please visit: http://biglatchon.org/  or come along and join the group at their weekly breastfeeding drop-in on a Monday from 12.30pm to 2.30pm at the Oasis Children’s Centre, St Michael’s Avenue, Wisbech PE13 3NR.
  
  Photos:

  Amy Burton with daughter Edith, petting the sheep at Church Farm
  Florence Ambrose stroking the rabbit at Church Farm
  Freddie Free and Kai Taraszka
  Baby Isaac with his dad Andrew Holt and mum Kimberley
  Elaine Hyde-Watson with her sons Jack and William
  Lisa Bishop and daughter Maisie
  Martha Short grooming the donkeys
  Elizabeth Kurleto-Slabber, Nursery and Nurse for Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and Laura Tucker, Senior Family Worker, Wisbech Children’s Centres.
  Families sharing their breastfeeding experiences with each other
  The “Ham” National!

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• £1,500 donation making children’s stay in hospital more comfortable

  by Kirstie Flack | Aug 04, 2016

   

  Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust’s charity ‘dreamdrops’ has received a donation of £1,500.
  
  Mr and Mrs Spicer, who run The King of the Belgians Public House, in Hartford, organised a four day fund-raising event in May and wanted the money to be used to help children locally.
  
  Anne-Marie Hamilton, Chairman for “dreamdrops” said: “We are extremely grateful for the kind donation received from Mr and Mrs Spicer. The money raised has been used to purchase special Dyson fans for Holly Ward.
  
  “This year has been extremely hot and the temperatures on the ward have exceeded 35ºc.  These high temperatures can often make the children feel worse, and the fans have been a real “life saver” for the patients, families and staff. We cannot thank Mr and Mrs Spicer enough for their generosity.”
  
  Money raised through ‘dreamdrops’ is used to provide additional items for the Special Care Baby Unit and Children’s Ward, as well as children who are cared for at home. For further information on how you can help raise funds for the charity please visit www.dreamdropschildrenscharity.org or email dreamdrops@ccs.nhs.uk.

• Brave children celebrate beads of courage 1st Anniversary

  by Kirstie Flack | Aug 01, 2016

   

  A group of children living with long term, life-limiting conditions and their families celebrated their courage in coping with often traumatic and painful treatments at a Beads of Courage 1^st Anniversary Tea Party on Friday.
  
  Mags Hirst, Play Specialist with Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust explained: “The Beads of Courage charity provides beads of various colours, shapes and sizes to recognise different procedures or treatment milestones. Usually presented to children undergoing treatment for cancer, we’re the only Trust in the country that has expanded the scheme to recognise the tremendous bravery and courage of children living with long term, life-limiting conditions such as heart conditions and complex disabilities.
  
  “Every bead or string of beads tells the child’s story or treatment journey.” Mags continued, “But more importantly they help children - some of whom have really complex conditions - to talk and share their thoughts, feelings and fears about their condition with families, friends and health professionals.”
  
  Mum, Lauren Best, is keen to raise awareness of the beads of courage saying: “Our little girl, Mya-Louise, aged 6½, passed away in June 2016 from liver failure. She was so courageous and the beads helped her deal with everything she went through and talk about her Mitochondria treatments with family and friends. We’ve had a lot of contact with many services over the years but the Cambridgeshire team was unique in offering the beads - every children’s service should offer them.”
  
  Sean, Mya’s 12 year old brother, who has his own set of ‘siblings’ beads’ added: “They helped me understand everything that Mya was going through and made it easier for us to talk about her illness.”
  
  Also benefitting from the beads of courage is Rebecca Harris. Constantly smiling Rebecca, aged 10, proudly says: “The beads help me reflect on everything I’ve been through over the last four years and feel brave about myself.”
  
  The beads are not only useful in the here and now. Talking about her one year old son, Sade Chambers explained: “The beads are a great initiative and will really help me explain when he’s older everything he’s been through and just how brave he has been.”
  
  The event took place at Milton Country Park and was an opportunity for children to show their strings of beads to friends, family and staff from Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, and enjoy a fantastic first anniversary cake baked by Children’s Community Nurse Jaimee Barker. 

  • Photograph 1:  Dad James Best, brother Sean, Mum Lauren with Mya-Louise’s beads of courage
  • Photograph 2:  Mya-Louise’s beads of courage
  • Photograph 3:   Mum Katherine Harris, Rebecca, sister Mollie and Children’s Community Nurse Katie Thompson
  • Photograph 4:  Sade Chambers one year old son and his beads of courage
  • Photograph 5:  Sade Chambers and son with his beads of courage
  • Photograph 6:  Jaimee Barker, Children’s Community Nurse with the 1st Anniversary cake she baked
  • Photograph 7:  the Cambridgeshire Children’s Community Nursing Team (extreme left:  Mags Hirst, Play Specialist)