Archive for February, 2010
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
The new urgent care centre in Washwood Heath celebrated its 500th patient last month when Mohammad Ali walked through the doors to receive treatment.
Rather than taking him to A&E, the one year old, from Alum Rock, was brought to the centre by his mother when he complained of severe stomach pains. The toddler was quickly assessed by a nurse and given appropriate treatment.
To mark the occasion, Nurse Practitioner, Nick Green, presented mother and son with a basket of fruit.
Pat Meally, Centre Manager, said: “Our team of fully trained nurses are always on hand to help people. Since opening in December the centre has treated a range of minor injuries and illnesses, anything from sprained ankles to ear infections. We provide a valuable service to the local community, and have helped to reduce the pressure on local A&E departments.”
The Urgent Care Centre, based at Washwood Heath Health Centre on Clodeshall Road in Saltley, provides a walk in, no appointment service. The centre will see, treat and give advice for a wide range of minor illnesses and injuries, such as cuts, strains, sprains and other minor injuries and illnesses on site.
The centre is open 9am to 6.30pm every day except Thursday and Fridays, with plans to extend the opening times soon. People can also use the Urgent Care Centre in Warren Farm, which is based on Warren Farm Road, Kingstanding and is open 8.30am to 7.30pm every day.
Notes for editors
The Urgent Care Centre will see, treat and give advice for a wide range of minor illnesses and injuries, including:
- Tonsillitis / throat infections
- Chest infection
- Mild asthma
- Conjunctivitis/ eye problems
- Cough
- Abdominal pain
- Minor injury
- Burns and cuts
- Ear infection
- Emergency contraception
When to go to A&E;
If you are injured or seriously ill, you should go, or be taken, to A&E or call 999 in an emergency. This includes:
- loss of consciousness,
- pain that is not relieved by simple pain killers,
- acute confused state,
- persistent, severe chest pain, or
- Breathing difficulties.
NHS Birmingham East and North is one of 152 primary care trusts within the English NHS. As a PCT it is responsible for the wise investment of public money to ensure health improvement, access to health services and where appropriate the provision of health services to a local population of some 438,000 people, across 17 wards across north and east Birmingham.
In summary we organise and fund the delivery of health care with the involvement of local people, maximising health outcomes for every pound spent – this is often referred to as commissioning.
The trust’s website can be accessed at www.benpct.nhs.uk
Posted in General public, Health improvement, News, Patients and carers, Press and media, Press release, Uncategorized, Walk-in centres, Washwood Heath, Washwood Heath Urgent Care Centre, Who we are and what we do | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
Health commissioners are in the process of reviewing Personality Disorder Services (PDS) across the West Midlands to address the clinical needs of the population. This will include consideration of the role of therapeutic and democratic communities and how they might contribute towards meeting these needs.
Main House is a specialist unit based in Northfield, Birmingham which uses the democratic therapeutic community model as the framework for the delivery of services for people with personality disorder and severe and complex needs. It is a tier 4 service. On the 18th December 2009 formal consultation around the future options for Main House (including closure) was launched.
From a commissioning perspective, it is important to set Main House in the context of the development of services for people with a personality disorder. Whilst we value the work that has taken place at Main House, it must be stressed that Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are interested in the commissioning of appropriate personality disorder services for local people wherever they may be provided from rather than focusing on a particular building.
Following the publication of a number of commissioning policy documents to support the commissioning of Personality Disorder Services, a report was commissioned by West Midlands PCTs from the Ansell Group on tier 4 Personality Disorder Services (PDF), which highlighted a number of important emerging messages as follows:
- There is a clear need to improve the level of identification and understanding of the needs of people with a personality disorder by commissioners across the tiers
- There is a clear need for commissioners to better understand what they should be commissioning, which providers are able to provide what particular services, what services currently exist and how effective they are
- A clear recognition of what constitutes tier 4 services is required
- A need to decide the future of the Main House democratic therapeutic community model in a way that protects the talent and expertise of the clinical team while enhancing the opportunity to meet the needs of a wider and more diverse patient population.
The report also recognised that within tier 4 falls a group of patients which is small in number but very diverse in terms of their needs. In Birmingham, based on prevalence data, approximately three per every million populations would require a tier 4 service. These needs can frequently be so severe and complex that they are beyond the capacity/capability of local services to effectively and appropriately manage and therefore a range of responses and service designs are needed.
The commissioners are in the process of reviewing PD Services across the West Midlands to address the PD needs of the population. This will include consideration of how the therapeutic and democratic community model might contribute to the provision of these services. A comprehensive strategy for tier 4 is also being developed which will have relevance for commissioners wider than Birmingham and the West Midlands. The commissioners will also use the responses to the BSMHFT consultation to inform how personality disorder services could be developed further in the future.
In response to a formal request by the Birmingham Health Overview and Scrutiny, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust were asked to:
- Extend the formal consultation on the closure of Main House to the 17th March 2010
- Set out information to all stakeholders on the alternative Tier 4 Personality Disorder services available and related Tier 3 services.
This information is held in the supplementary information which also provides additional material to support this consultation process and enable a wider dialogue with the public, service users and stakeholders on the future provision of Tier 4 personality disorder services.
Have your say
Have your say on the formal consultation for the future options for the Main House service on the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation trust website or
Or contact:
Sarah Smith, Senior Communications Manager, B1, 50 Summer Hill Road, Ladywood, Birmingham, B1 3RB
As with any commissioning strategy, NHS Birmingham East and North primary care trust welcomes the views and comments of its stakeholders. If you wish to express any views on our approach, then please contact;
Patrick Nyarumbu, Senior PPI Manager, NHS Birmingham East and North, 4th Floor Waterlinks House, Aston, Birmingham, B7 4AA
Further information
Supplementary Information to inform stakeholders on the BSMHFT consultation on the future of Main House – Tier 4 Personality Disorder Service (PDF)
Tags: bsmhft, main house
Posted in Commissioning, Consultation, General public, How we make decisions, Mental health, News, The services we offer, What our priorities are and how we are doing, What we spend and how we spend it, Who we are and what we do | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
An innovative healthcare machine – which is no bigger than a radio alarm clock – has saved the life of a Birmingham patient only weeks after she had started to use it.
Carol Bradley, who lives in Erdington, has COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and recently became a member of Birmingham OwnHealth.
This service, run by NHS Birmingham East and North, offers regular support and advice service over the telephone to people like Carol who have long-term conditions, including diabetes, coronary heart disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, stroke or TIA (“mini stroke”) and chronic kidney disease, as well as COPD.
As part of her care package, Carol was offered Assistive Technology equipment, including a Genesis machine that allows her to take readings of her weight, pulse, oxygen level and blood pressure in her own home. Patients do this at certain times of the day to suit them, in response to questions asked out loud by the machine. If the readings give cause for concern, the patient’s Birmingham OwnHealth Care Manager alerts their Assertive Case Manager, who is based in the community. The Assertive Case Manager can go on the road to check up on that patient if necessary.
Sophie Byrne, Carol’s Assertive Case Manager, takes up the story: “Carol was known to have low oxygen levels and had been admitted to hospital many times due to her COPD, so I set her up on the Assistive Technology soon after our first assessment.
“Just two weeks later, the machine recorded that her oxygen levels were dangerously low. However, when I visited her other levels were normal and she was not short of breath, so she was reluctant to go to hospital.
“I persuaded her to go to hospital that day and as soon as she arrived, she was on NIV (non-invasive ventilation). Her family were called to the hospital by the doctors and informed that she may not survive.
“However, the following day they started reducing her treatment and she was sitting eating toast when I called. She was discharged a few days later and was able to enjoy Christmas at home with her family. I am sure that had she have fallen asleep with those oxygen levels she would have died, and believe the Assistive Technology saved her life.”
Carol added: “Without the Assistive Technology machine, without a doubt I wouldn’t be here today. I knew that I was dying.I would recommend the Assistive Technology to everyone; in fact, when I was in hospital I recommended it to the lady in bed next to me!
“I and my family would like to thank not only the Assistive Technology, but everyone who was involved, including all the staff that have contributed, such as the community team, Birmingham OwnHealth, the nurses in hospital, my physios and my consultant, Tim Fletcher.”
To find out if Birmingham OwnHealth or Assistive Technology can help you with your long-term condition, ask your GP or other health professional in east or north Birmingham or go to www.birminghamownhealth.co.uk.
Ends
Enquiries
An interview and photo/filming opportunity with Sophie Byrne and Carol Bradley is available. For more information, please contact Sarah Millard, Birmingham OwnHealth Communications and Engagement Manager, on 0121 380 0638.
Notes for editors
- Birmingham OwnHealth is a healthcare service for people with long term conditions in Birmingham. It provides one-to-one healthcare in several languages over the telephone by health professionals designated to each member.
- The service helps people with conditions such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic kidney disease, stroke/TIA (“mini-stroke”), high blood pressure or are aged over 65 and would like help with a range of health conditions to make positive changes to their health and lifestyles and learn how to manage their conditions better.
- Birmingham OwnHealth is a partnership of NHS Birmingham East and North, UK Pfizer Health Solutions and NHS Direct. Pfizer Health Solutions is a group within Pfizer Limited that operates independently of Pfizer’s medicines business.
- The Birmingham OwnHealth website can be accessed at www.birminghamownhealth.co.uk.
Tags: Assistive Technology
Posted in Birmingham OwnHealth, COPD, Case study, Commissioning, Community health services, Erdington, General public, Health improvement, Older people, Partnerships, Press release, The services we offer, Who we are and what we do | 1 Comment »
Friday, February 5th, 2010
NHS Birmingham East and North’s apprentices will be battling it out like the TV series ‘The Apprentice’ this week to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (1 -5 February).
The trust’s 14 apprentices will be split into teams and go head-to-head in a project based on current issues at the trust, which they will then have to present to a panel of judges, including the Chief Executive. The winning team will win high street vouchers and their ideas will be shared with staff.
Over the last four years, the trust has helped 116 local people complete apprenticeships, making it one of the largest employers of apprentices in the West Midlands. More than 50% of these have gone onto find paid employment in the region.
Kirsty Walker is a former apprentice who has gone on to find paid employment: “Before my apprenticeship I was stuck in a dead-end job. Now I have completed my apprenticeship, I have secured myself a career. I found my apprenticeship to be very enjoyable and was able to gain a qualification and earn money at the same time. I would highly recommend apprenticeships to anyone who is interested in further education, or simply looking to further their career.”
Ricky Manton-Leigh, Human Resources Manager and Regional Ambassador for Public Services Apprentices said: “Our apprenticeship scheme has been a huge success, benefitting both the apprentice and our staff. It is an excellent way or young people to gain work experience, learn practical skills and study for a qualification. I would like to congratulate all our apprentices for their achievements.”
Last year’s winner of ‘The Apprentice’ Yasmina Siadatan added: “My apprenticeship was certainly a bit different but I learnt a huge amount throughout what was an incredible experience. The apprenticeship scheme at NHS Birmingham East and North is a really worthwhile scheme for people to sign up to.”
NHS Birmingham East and North invites anyone aged 16 and over to apply for an apprenticeship, where you will be placed with a team for up to one year whilst working towards a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). You will also be entitled to a study allowance of up to £100 a week. For more information email amy.huckle@benpct.nhs.uk or visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk
Ends
Photo caption: Former apprentice Kirsty Walker with Human Resources Manager Ricky Manton-Leigh
Enquiries
For more information, please contact Niki McGrath, NHS Birmingham East and North External Communications Manager, on 0121 380 0620.
Notes for editors
National Apprenticeship Week is organised by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) to celebrate the talents and skills of apprentices. It will see apprentices, employers, providers and all those involved with Apprenticeship programmes come together to celebrate the value of Apprenticeships.
National and regional activities will take place and each day will have a different focus. For more information visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk
NHS Birmingham East and North is one of 152 primary care trusts within the English NHS. As a PCT it is responsible for the wise investment of public money to ensure health improvement, access to health services and where appropriate the provision of health services to a local population of some 438,000 people, across 17 wards across north and east Birmingham.
In summary we organise and fund the delivery of health care with the involvement of local people, maximising health outcomes for every pound spent – this is often referred to as commissioning.
Tags: apprentice
Posted in General public, Human resources, News, Press release, Trust staff and management, Who we are and what we do | No Comments »
Monday, February 1st, 2010
Nearly two-thirds of drinkers in West Midlands think only binge drinking harms their health
A new campaign backed by major health charities warns drinkers of the unseen health damage caused by regularly drinking more than the NHS advises.
The £6 million Government funded campaign shows the damage that is being done to drinkers’ organs while they are drinking in a pub or at home.
This was launched by Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron last week and is part of the cross-Government strategy to tackle the harms that alcohol causes.
The Department of Health has developed the campaign in association with Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and the Stroke Association to create the series of stark TV, press and outdoor adverts showing the harm that regularly drinking more than two drinks a day can cause. A website has also been launched, www.nhs.uk/drinking, featuring interactive tools to arm people with the information they need to make healthier choices.
A new YouGov poll launched to coincide with the campaign shows that nearly two-thirds (62%) of drinkers in the West Midlands misguidedly believe that alcohol only damages your health if you regularly get drunk or binge drink.
The survey of over 2,000 adults also found that, nationally, 83% of those who regularly drink more than the NHS recommended limits of 2-3 units a day for women (about two small glasses of wine) and 3-4 units a day for men (about two pints of lager) don’t think their drinking is putting their long-term health at risk.
With 10 million adults in England estimated to be drinking above the recommended limits, this is equivalent to around 8.3 million people potentially unaware of the damage their drinking could be causing.
Although 87% of West Midlands drinkers surveyed knew that drinking alcohol is related to liver disease, far fewer realised it is also linked with breast cancer (5%), throat cancer (30%), mouth cancer (28%), stroke (38%) and heart disease (63%), along with other serious conditions.
Scientific evidence shows:
- you could be three times more likely to have a stroke and three times more likely to get mouth cancer if you’re a man regularly drinking more than two pints of strong lager a day; and
- you are 50% more likely to get breast cancer and twice as likely to have high blood pressure, which could lead to a stroke or a heart attack, if you’re a woman regularly drinking two large glasses of wine or more a day.
Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron said:
“Many of us enjoy a drink – drinking sensibly isn’t a problem. But, if you’re regularly drinking more than the NHS recommended limits, you’re more likely to get cancer, have a stroke or have a heart attack.
“With alcohol misuse damaging so many people’s health and lives, the Government has teamed up with Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and the Stroke Association to produce this hard-hitting campaign. It’s important to show drinkers the unseen damage alcohol can do to your body.”
Andrea Docherty, NHS Birmingham East and North’s Consultant in Public Health added: “Just because you’re not going out binge drinking, don’t assume you are drinking safe levels. You may not think it’s much drinking a glass or two of wine every night – but it all adds up and can be the equivalent of a binge drinking night out.”
ENDS
Enquiries
For more information, please contact Niki McGrath, NHS Birmingham East and North External Communications Manager, on 0121 380 0620.
Notes to editors
1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2023 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 13th – 15th January 2010. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all English adults (aged 18+).
2. To help people check whether they are drinking within the recommended limits, the NHS recently launched a Drinks Tracker, available to download to your computer desktop, mobile phone or iPhone from www.nhs.uk/alcohol.
3. 10 million adults in England estimated to be regularly drinking above the recommended limits according to NHS Information Centre Statistics on Alcohol, 2008. Visit http://www.ic.nhs.uk/ for more information
4. Men regularly drinking more than two pints of strong lager a day are three times more likely to have a stroke and three times more likely to get mouth cancer Department of Health analysis of ‘Corrao,’ 1999
5. Women regularly drinking two large glasses of wine or more a day are more likely to get breast cancer and twice as likely to have high blood pressure, which could lead to a stroke or a heart attack. Department of Health analysis of ‘Corrao,’ 1999
6. Office of National Statistic figures show that over 9,000 people died of alcohol related causes in 2008. http://www.statistics.gov.uk
7. The World Health Organisation estimates that 20% of alcohol-related deaths are from cancer and 15% are from cardiovascular conditions such as heart disease and stroke, while 13% are from liver disease. (Rehm, J, Room, R et al 2004, ‘Alcohol’, Comparative quantification of health risks: Global and regional burden of disease due to selected major risk factors, WHO, Geneva, www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/cra/en/)
NHS Birmingham East and North is one of 152 primary care trusts within the English NHS. As a PCT it is responsible for the wise investment of public money to ensure health improvement, access to health services and where appropriate the provision of health services to a local population of some 438,000 people, across 17 wards across north and east Birmingham.
In summary we organise and fund the delivery of health care with the involvement of local people, maximising health outcomes for every pound spent – this is often referred to as commissioning.
Posted in Adults, Alcohol, General public, Health improvement, News, Press and media, Press release, The services we offer | No Comments »
Monday, February 1st, 2010
A special turf cutting ceremony held on Friday (22nd January) in Washwood Heath marks the start of work on NHS Birmingham East and North’s new health and wellbeing centre, which will open its doors in summer 2011.
Liam Byrne MP joined local councillors, staff and partners for a tour of the Washwood Heath Health Centre in Clodeshall Road, Saltley, where both the Oakleaf Medical Practice and the Washwood Heath Urgent Care Centre are based, before visiting the site further down the road and cutting the turf where the new £15m Washwood Heath Health and Wellbeing Centre will be built.
Both Oakleaf Medical Practice and the Urgent Care Centre will move to the new centre when it opens in summer 2011, along with a range of other services including health visiting, district nursing, physiotherapy and pain management. There will also be a pharmacy, community café and welfare and employment advice centre.
Liam Byrne said: “Today we celebrate the beginning of an exciting journey for the people of Washwood Heath. Bringing a GP practice, pharmacy, community café and advice centre under one roof will add heart and soul to the community. I’d like to thank everyone who has worked so hard over the last five years to make it happen.”
Paul Sabapathy CBE, Chairman for NHS Birmingham East and North said: “I am delighted to be celebrating the start of works on this great new centre and would like to thank everyone who has been involved in making this day possible.”
Richard Cutler, Development Director of Prime plc, added: “This is an important day for Washwood Heath. I think everyone is very proud of what has been achieved to date and we look forward to the new Washwood Heath Health and Wellbeing Centre opening its doors to patients in the near future.”
Ends
Photo caption (from left to right): Richard Cutler, Development Director of Prime; Dr Waheed, GP at Oakleaf Medical Practice; Richard Laing, Prime Group Chair; Liam Byrne MP; Paul Sabapathy, Chairman, NHS Birmingham East and North; Pat Meally, Manager, Washwood Heath Urgent Care Centre and Gavin Walters, One Creative Environments (Architects).
Enquiries
For more information, please contact Niki McGrath, NHS Birmingham East and North External Communications Manager, on 0121 380 0620.
Notes for editors
Oakleaf Medical Practice
The Oakleaf Medical Practice, based at Washwood Heath Health Centre, Clodeshall Road, Saltley, offers patients access to male and female GPs, a wide range of health clinics as well as extended opening hours including evening and weekend appointments. It is open from 8am to 8pm Mondays and Thursdays, 8am to 6.30pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 9am to 2pm on Saturdays.
Washwood Heath Urgent Care Centre
The Urgent Care Centre offers patients a walk-in confidential service for a range of minor illnesses and injuries, from rashes and earaches, to minor wounds and burns. They also provide emergency contraception. The centre is open 9am to 6.30pm every day except Thursday and Fridays, with plans to extend the opening times in the near future.
New Washwood Heath Health and Wellbeing Centre
The Washwood Heath Health and Wellbeing Centre will offer local residents a range health and wellbeing services when it opens in summer 2011, including a GP practice, urgent care centre, health visiting, district nursing, physiotherapy and pain management. In addition, there will also be a pharmacy, community café and welfare and employment advice centre. The £15m centre is a Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) partnership scheme between the NHS, Prime and the Community Health Partnership.
The centre is jointly funded by NHS Birmingham East and North, Heart of Birmingham, South Birmingham Primary Care Trust, Solihull Primary Care Trust (20%), 20% by the Community Health Partnership and 60% by Prime.
NHS Birmingham East and North
NHS Birmingham East and North is one of 152 primary care trusts within the English NHS. As a PCT it is responsible for the wise investment of public money to ensure health improvement, access to health services and where appropriate the provision of health services to a local population of some 438,000 people, across 17 wards across north and east Birmingham.
In summary we organise and fund the delivery of health care with the involvement of local people, maximising health outcomes for every pound spent – this is often referred to as commissioning.
The trust’s website can be accessed at www.benpct.nhs.uk
Posted in Business development, Community health services, Events, General public, Health Centres and facilities, Health improvement, News, Press and media, Press release, Service information, The services we offer, Walk-in centres, Washwood Heath, Washwood Heath Urgent Care Centre | No Comments »
