News

• Sensory room boost from Building Society staff and customers

  by Kirstie Flack | Aug 01, 2016

   

  Kind-hearted customers of a Huntingdon building society have helped towards improving the experience of children in hospital.
  
  The Huntingdon branch of the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society chose Holly Ward at Hinchingbrooke Hospital as one of three local charities to support, with customers voting on how much to give each good cause. 
  
  Holly Ward, the children’s inpatient ward at Hinchingbrooke, operated by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, received £300 which will be going towards reintroducing a sensory room to the ward. 
  
  Michael Lee, customer advisor at the Huntingdon Norwich and Peterborough Building Society Branch, said: “We thought it would be good to support a local children’s charity and we’re pleased to help wherever we can. It’s great to know what the money is going towards.” 
  
  A sensory room is a specially designed room, often incorporating light and sound, which can help children relax or develop skills. 
  
  Elizabeth Webb, play specialist on Holly Ward, said: “Unfortunately our sensory room was damaged in a flood a number of years ago and we now need to raise £12,000 to renovate it. All children gain benefits from playing in the relaxed atmosphere of a sensory room, but they are particularly important for children with complex needs or disabilities. 
  
  “Thank you so much to the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society Staff and their customers for thinking of us.”
  
  You can find out more about Holly Ward’s fundraising for the sensory room and make a donation to the fund at: https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/holly-sensory-room?utm_id=107&utm_term=EN8qRPDD9
  
  Photo caption: 
  
  Michael Lee, Customer Advisor at the Huntingdon Norwich and Peterborough Building Society branch, present Elizabeth Webb, play specialist and Sandie White, Holly Ward and Paediatric Outpatients Manager with a donation for £300 towards the new sensory room.

• Fun, fruit and karate on offer at Anglia Square fun day

  by User Not Found | Jul 29, 2016

  Children and young people in North Norwich marked the start of the summer holidays with a day of fun activities at Anglia Square.

  The health visitors and school nurses of the Norfolk Healthy Child Programme hosted the event, at Anglia Square Shopping centre, as part of their “Building Community Capacity” work, which aims to encourage health visiting teams to work closely with the communities in which they work.

  The Healthy Living and Activity day included karate demonstrations from the local Black Belt Academy and a colourful makeover for the square by children armed with chalk – all fuelled by free fruit offered by the Healthy Child Programme team.

  While the children were getting active or caked in chalk – parents were able to pick up lots of healthy living information from the team and from Norfolk County Council, in attendance to promote this summer’s Change4Life campaign.  

  Artwork based on healthy living, produced by children attending local children’s centres and playgroups was also on display around the square.

  Mum Alexandra Hartley was visiting the square with husband Chris, their two children Amelia and Alfie and their niece Isabella and took part in the activities. She said: “This event is a great way to find out what’s going on, for example, I didn’t know just how much information is available on the Council website. It’s been really good and the children have enjoyed it.”

  Vanessa Ames, Health Visitor in the North City team, said: “It was a really fun day and it was a fantastic opportunity to chat with parents and their children about how they can make this summer their healthiest ever.  

  “This is a great way of our team getting out to meet the community we work in and we hope that everyone who came along had lots of fun – the fruit in particular proved popular with the children!”  

• Summer Celebrations at the Children’s Unit

  by Kirstie Flack | Jul 28, 2016

   

  Wednesday 27 July saw ‘dreamdrops’, the Huntingdonshire Children’s Charity, re-launch the Outdoor Activity Play area at the Children’s Unit Outpatients Department at Hinchingbrooke Hospital. 
  
  The play area was originally financed by the Evelyn Trust when the newly built Children’s Unit was opened in 2005 and, during the intervening years, it has provided hours of fun for young patients whilst they are waiting for their appointments. 
  
  Anne-Marie Hamilton, ‘dreamdrops’ Chairman said: “About 18 months ago, we realised that the outdoor play area was beginning to look a bit ‘tired’ and so decided to launch an appeal so that the Children’s Unit could invest in new toys and facilities.”
  
  Some of the guests at the relaunch included representatives from local businesses who had made significant contributions towards the refurbishment. These included Leanne Morgan from the St Neots branch of the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society who raised £400 to purchase new toys for the area, Mr and Mrs Cracknell who had supplied seaside- themed panels for the walls and a crocodile ‘seat’, and local builder, Mr Phil Lewis who had carried out the refurbishment work. 
  
  A lovely new chalet, which can double up as a Wendy House for the children to play in during the day, and in which toys can be stored overnight, has been erected by Beaver Sheds Ltd.
  
  The play area was formally re-opened by the Guest of Honour, Vivien Golding, ‘dreamdrops’ charity administrator, who is retiring after almost 12 years in the post. Over that time, thanks to her hard work and excellent organising ability, she has seen the charity develop and grow.  Whilst looking after the day to day running of the charity on behalf of the fund-raising committee.  Viv has made many new friends along the way, including donors, members of the nursing staff and also the young patients and their families who have benefited from the fund-raising activities of the charity.
  
  Anne-Marie Hamilton, Chairman said: “Viv has worked tirelessly for the charity, not only supporting the Committee, but giving many hours of her own time as a volunteer, as well as taking care of all the administration tasks that have come her way.
  
  “For supporters and medical staff alike, she has been the first point of contact with the charity, and it is thanks to her and the way she handles the enquiries, that ‘dreamdrops’ has matured and become well respected in Huntingdonshire.
  
  “Viv is retiring this week and to most of us, she is ‘dreamdrops’ and we didn’t want to see Viv leave without the many friends she had made over the years having the opportunity to say ‘thank you’ and to wish her a well-earned, long and happy retirement.”
  
  Services at the Children’s Unit are run by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and money raised through ‘dreamdrops’ is also 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.

• Compassion, Humour and Respect "Shines" through

  by Kirstie Flack | Jul 27, 2016

  Julie Hazell, Health Visitor, based in St Neot’s was recently awarded the Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust’s Shine a Light award after the wonderful feedback received from one of her families.

  Jo Smith, Huntingdon 0 -19 team manager said: “Julie received amazing feedback from a family she had worked exceptionally hard with to overcome negative experiences they had experienced in the past and she thoroughly deserves this month’s Shine a Light Award.”

  Emma Bail, said: “My daughter, Scarlett, was born in September 2013 with a diagnosis of Down Syndrome and heart condition AVSD.  Her little sister, Katie, was born earlier this year.  The last three years have been a roller coaster for our family, our beautiful girls amaze us every day, but we have also had some challenges such as Scarlett’s heart surgery last year.

  “Julie has supported my family through these early years with compassion, humour and enormous strength, always respecting that we wouldn't change either of our children for the world.

  “She has offered emotional support when I've needed it, always finding time despite her busy schedule to listen. Julie has offered practical support around the usual trials of becoming a new mum such as breastfeeding support. Julie’s practical and emotional support has been key to the success of my family over the past three years. We have thrived and we have enjoyed our children safe in the knowledge that, if needed, support is only a phone call away. I cannot thank Julie enough.”

  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 Julie said: “It was a lovely surprise to win this month’s Shine a Light award. Working as a health visitor is sometimes very challenging but I thoroughly enjoy working with our local families to be able to support them and always try to provide the best quality care that I can.

  “I feel very privileged to be allowed to be part of these families journey into parenthood and that we as health visitors are ideally placed to offer support and make a real difference to our families and the outcomes they can achieve. I have learnt so much through working with this particular family and appreciate all that they have shared with me in my role as their health visitor.”

  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 left to right: Matthew Winn, Chief Executive, Emma Bail with her daughter Scarlett and Julie Hazell, Health Visitor).

• Creative partnership brightens up NHS clinic

  by Phillipa Davies | Jul 11, 2016

  Graphic Design students from the College of West Anglia in Wisbech have brought creativity to a partnership project with a local NHS clinic.

  Parkside Clinic at North Cambs Hospital, run by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, will have a splash of colour, thanks to artwork created to share messages of safe sex.

  Kate Isley, lead nurse at Parkside Clinic, iCaSH Cambridgeshire said: “The clinic was lacking some personality because our walls were very bare and clinical. I have been very excited to see how the Wisbech students have taken on board our requests and produced some innovative work.

  “They have done an amazing job. I hope they have enjoyed doing this for us and in the search for ideas, have learned about sexually transmitted infections. Thank you.”

  The students are used to working on ‘live briefs’ from clients as part of their coursework. Just recently, one Wisbech student, Jake Howlett, had his graphics designs for a drug driving campaign picked to be used as part of a county-wide awareness campaign with the slogan 'drug driving can colour your senses'.

  Course Director, Jane Goodwin said: “Engagement with live briefs helps to put learning into context and offers invaluable experience in preparing our students for work. Our Graphic Design students never fail to impress their clients with their maturity, commitment and creativity and this project was no exception.”

  The students that created the winning designs visited the clinic to see their work on display. Sarah said: "It was an honour for my design to be picked and if it helps them to achieve what they wanted, I'm pleased."  Mikayla added: "This is the first time I've been involved with a live brief so I feel very proud to have my work selected." Kristi said: "It felt good to think that we were making some kind of difference."

  The team at iCaSH Cambridgeshire were so impressed with the artwork, that there are now plans to roll out the designs to clinics across the service.

  iCaSH (integrated Contraception and Sexual Health) provides all aspects of sexual health, including contraception, STI testing and treatment and HIV treatment and care from easily accessible locations across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk.

• Luton Integrated Working Update

  by User Not Found | Jun 24, 2016

  Please take five minutes to read about the fantastic work underway in Luton to promote independence and avoid unplanned hospital admissions in our latest integrated working newsletter.

   

• Local Children’s Group Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week

  by Kirstie Flack | Jun 22, 2016

  

   

  Health Visitors and Nursery Nurses from Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust hosted a joint celebration picnic with the Children’s Centre, Wisbech in aid of World Breastfeeding Week.
  
  National Breastfeeding Celebration Week, set by UNICEF and the Baby Friendly Initiative, runs from the 18^th to 27th June and the aim of the week is to provide an opportunity for mothers, breastfeeding supporters and health professionals to come together and share what works well to support breastfeeding in the local community, in order to create a more breastfeeding culture.
  
  At a national level the aim is to raise awareness of the health and wellbeing benefits of breastfeeding for mothers, their infants and the long term public health for everyone.
  
  Elizabeth Kurleto-Slabber, Nursery Nurse, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust said: “Thank you to everyone for your support and attending the event.  It was lovely to see so many people supporting and contributing to greater awareness of Breastfeeding in our community, I do hope that everyone enjoyed the day.”
  
  11 families enjoyed a picnic, a free raffle for every visitor, games and a sing a long session.
  
  For more information about Breastfeeding and the Baby Friendly Initiative please visit http://www.unicef.org.uk/BabyFrien.dly/News-and-Research/News/National-Breastfeeding-Celebration-Week-2016/ 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:

  • Children enjoying the celebration picnic / fun and games.
  • Abigail Trzpis and Amelie Pearce.
  • Elizabeth Kurleto-Slabber, Nursery Nurse and Donna Squires, Family Worker with the celebration cake.

• Our latest Stakeholder newsletter (Keeping in Touch) is now out

  by Kirstie Flack | Jun 15, 2016

  Whether you’re a commissioner, service user, partner or a member of staff, you’ll find plenty of fascinating news showing how our amazing services are making a difference to the lives of people across Cambridgeshire, Luton, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk.
  
  Click here to access the latest edition - June 2016​

  We hope that you enjoy reading about:
  
  

  • Ely volunteers celebration tea party
  • Luton children’s Market Place “Setting a new standard”
  • Language skills helping diabetic patients in Luton
  • Working with staff and families in Norfolk
  • Chathealth scheme launched in East Cambridgeshire and Fenland
  • Regional iCaSH moves and celebrations
  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Dental Healthcare service achieves 100% compliance
  • Trust rated outstanding for openness and honesty
  • and much more!

  If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this or future editions please let us know at ccscommunications@ccs.nhs.uk.

• Hard work, commitment and dedication wins Trust award

  by Kirstie Flack | Jun 10, 2016

   

  Kimberley Wright, Pat Weller, Vanessa Callaghan and Jo Oakey, the Cambridgeshire Dental HealthCare reception team, were recently awarded the Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust’s Shine a Light award after being nominated by one of their colleagues.
  
  Hazel Byatt, Minor Oral Surgery Service Administration Manager said: “These ladies manage an immensely busy and demanding reception desk whilst always having smiles on their faces.
  
  “The team deal with many patients in pain as well as those who are scared or vulnerable. They are always friendly, welcoming and have a cheery persona about them. Many patients are heard saying what a calm, efficient and welcoming reception desk the service has.
  
  “Patient facing and frontline staff are often the first contact a patient has with a service and these staff make me feel immensely proud and confident we are giving our patients the best experience and service we can offer.
  
  “The reception desk is a hive of activity, most days there are five clinics running which range from dental emergencies, minor oral surgery and community dental clinics. The dental clinics could not function without these amazing staff; they are irreplaceable to the service.”
  
  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: “As a team we feel very proud to be recognised for our achievements. We always strive to give the best service possible and enjoy being the first point of contact for our busy clinic. Our roles can be very challenging but rewarding.  We are always there to help and support each other and this is what makes our team a happy one.”
  
  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 left to right: Kimberley Wright, Pat Weller and Vanessa Callaghan with Matthew Winn, Chief Executive).

• Concert raises money for local Special Care Baby Unit

  by Kirstie Flack | Jun 06, 2016

   

  The Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), based at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, run by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust’s has received a donation of £650 from the Huntingdon Male Voice Choir.

  Musical Director, Peter Davies initiated a fundraising concert in gratitude and appreciation of the excellent care his daughter Nikki and granddaughter Ava received on the unit. Ava was born 7 weeks prematurely and stayed on the unit for four weeks.
  
  Peter said “Ava is now doing really well and we wanted to help raise funds to help provide things for the unit that they might not otherwise be able to do, for example to go towards special lighting units for incubators. We held the charity concert at St Mary’s Church, Huntingdon and thanks to the generosity of the audience and donors we raised £650 for SCBU to say thank you for the care Ava received from the staff here.”
  
  Peter Davies, presented the cheque to Sarah Hughes, Matron for Acute Children’s Services, at the Special Care Baby Unit based at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.
  
  Tracy James, Neonatal Unit Manager on SCBU said: “We really appreciate the fund raising efforts of the Huntingdon Male Voice Choir for the Special Care Baby Unit at Hinchingbrooke. The money raised will go towards improving our facilities for families.”
  
  (Photo: Dai Rees Huntingdon MVC Honorary Treasurer, Sarah Hughes, Matron for Acute Children’s Services, Nicola Doherty, daughter Ava and Peter Davies, Huntingdon Male Voice Choir musical director).