The Countess of Chester Hospital is advising members of the public to stay safe during the predicted hazardous weather conditions.

Widespread snowfall is expected in most parts of the UK over the next few days.

The Countess has plans in place to deal with any potential issues that come as a result of severe weather conditions and are working closely with staff to keep the Trust site as safe as possible.

However, the Trust is keen to make sure members of the public stay safe and avoid unnecessary hazards during any snow and ice.

We would advise members of the public to stay indoors and safe during any hazardous weather. We would encourage you to only visit the hospital if it is absolutely necessary. Despite the best efforts of our staff to keep the site safe, the hospital grounds may become very hazardous and we would like to reduce the likelihood of injury as much as possible. We understand that members of the public may wish to visit relatives who are being treated here but safety is our number one priority at times like this and therefore we would not want anyone to come to unnecessary harm.

There is also plenty that local people can do at home to support their NHS at this time and to avoid an unnecessary trip to their local A&E Department.

We would strongly urge people to take extra care, especially if you are elderly and ideally stay indoors during any periods of snow and ice. Residential areas are usually the last places to be gritted so pavements, pathways and steps can be very icy and dangerous. If you need shopping, please ask someone to do it for you or take extra care if you must venture out and about.

NHS Direct which can be contacted on 0845 4647 and offers round-the-clock health information and advice. You can also visit the website at: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

What does 'dignity' mean to you? Tell us by clicking here and we will share your views with our staff, patients and visitors during our dignity awareness campaign.

The Countess of Chester Hospital will be promoting a range of activities from 1st February 2013 to support Dignity Action Day 2013.

As part of a day of action to promote Dignity in Care, the Countess of Chester Hospital will be promoting a range of activities in the Main Entrance of the hospital on Friday 1st February 2013 and then across the hospital throughout February as part of a wider campaign promoting dignity awareness. These activities will be of interest to patients, relatives, visitors or anyone else with an interest in dignified healthcare.

This year the Countess is working closely with Skills For Health. Skills for Health Academy North West, working in partnership with local Trusts and Further Education Colleges run Cadet Programmes aimed at young people aged 16 to 18 years. These programmes, offered in a range of occupational areas, provide local young people with the opportunity to study for nationally recognised qualifications whilst at the same time 'working' and learning alongside health professionals in an NHS environment.

Dignity Action Day is a national initiative led by the Dignity in Care Campaign and its key partners to bring staff and members of the public together to make a difference to those in care.

Alzheimer's Society will also be supporting the Trust's dignity campaign and there will be various opportunities for patients, members of the public and staff to contribute their thoughts around dignity. There will be a 'listening wall' positioned near to the main entrance where people will be able to post comments about their experience and general views on dignity in healthcare. There is also an online survey on the Trust's website (www.coch.nhs.uk) which asks people to give their views on dignity in care.

In addition, on Thursday 14th February 2013 the Cadets will display their work on the Dignity agenda at the Countess and will be launching the new Cadet Dignity Promise which highlights what Dignity means to them and how they will commit to treating all with dignity and respect.

Head of Nursing at the Countess, Sian Williams said: "Providing the best clinical outcomes and highest quality care in a safe, friendly environment where a patient's dignity is fully respected is one of our six key strategic objectives and dignity with care and compassion is a major focus within the Trust. With the changing health economy and the changing needs of patients for the future, dignity in care will continue to be a top priority for the Countess."

Sian added: "Sometimes the most important thing to do is to listen. We would like to use this next month to listen more closely to what our patients and public think about our service so we can continue to improve and get things right for each patient that comes through our doors."

Anybody can support dignity action day - to find out more log onto www.dignityincare.org.uk where resource packs full of ideas and useful information for staff and members of the public can be found.

What does dignity mean to our staff?

As part of Dignity Action Day, we asked our staff what dignity means to them. Here is what they said:

"Being treated with respect and kindness, as an individual."
-          Dee Appleton-Cairns, Deputy Director of Human Resources

"Treating everyone with the respect and care I would expect for myself and family. Remembering to put yourself in the shoes of others at all times."
-       Linda Williams, Radiology Services Manager

"Respecting the diverse needs of service users and their families. This should be reflected by all midwifery care being based on individual need in reaction to assessment and listening to information provided to all staff involved in midwifery care to ensure that families feel involved in the decision making process themselves."
-       Julie Fogarty, Head of Midwifery/Maternity Pathway Manager

"Valuing each other and showing it every day."
-       Ken Eccles, Head of Estates

"Treating everyone with respect and allowing them to make informed decisions about their care."
-       Alison Swanton, Rehabilitation and Discharge Pathway Manager Urgent Care Division

"Being listened to and treated with care and compassion, being acknowledged and not ignored, being involved in my care and decisions, and being spoken to and not over."
-       Sian Williams, Head of Nursing Urgent Care

"The right of everyone to be respected."
-       Mr Ian Harvey, Medical Director

"Treating someone in the way I would be expected to be treated. In other words speak to me as a person, care for me, listen to my worries and feelings, treat me with compassion and in discussion with me recognise my individual needs."
-       Carmel Healey, Pathway Manager / Head of Nursing Planned Care

"To treat the children and families that I care for with the respect and compassion that I would want to receive for myself and my own family as recipients of care."
-       Ravi Jayaram, Consultant Paediatrician

"Providing quality care that is individualised, respectful and involves the patient and their relatives. Care that is given to any of our patients needs to be provided in a safe environment, with the aim of maintaining the patients' privacy at all times. Dignity also means preserving the patients' self-confidence and well-being throughout their spell of care."
-       Karen Rees, Matron Cardiology

"To value a person as an individual and to treat them with the respect and consideration you would wish for yourself or your family."
-       Linda Fellowes, Divisional Director Planned Care

"People feeling safe and secure in an unfamiliar environment. Their views are listened to and they understand their care and treatment. No person should ever have their rights to express themselves suppressed in a way that makes them feel vulnerable."
-       Helen Wormald, Quality Improvement Facilitator

"To be able to listen and treat people with respect. Never discriminate or judge. Treat every person as an individual, to give them choice and make their own decision in life. To be non-judgemental regarding age, colour, gender, culture, religion or intellect. We all have the right to be treated as equals."
-       Tim Lynch, Director of Operational Services

"It means that I get treated in a way that makes me feel that I and people I care about matter."
-       Lesley Freeman, Acting Director of Nursing & Quality

"Dignity is respect for my privacy, attending to my needs confidentially.   Always hearing my voice and listening to what I say.  It is respectful of my body and mind and considering all of my needs in a thoughtful caring manner."
-       Cathy Lloyd, Deputy Ward Manager (48)

"Ensuring patients receive the respect and care they deserve, are treated as individuals and  have a voice that is heard."
-       Kathie Grimes, Senior Clinical Midwife

"To treat patients, carers and relatives with respect by ensuring their care and any requests are dealt with consideration and diligence."
-       Janet Simmonds, Lead Ophthalmic Specialist Nurse

"To me it is all about what I would want for me and mine."
-       Clare Edwards, Matron Elective Surgery

"Treating patients with respect."
-       Joanna Martin, Skin CNS

"Treating all patients as individuals and ensuring they are treated with respect and listen to their wishes."
-       Jayne Rose, Jubilee Day Surgery Centre

"Treating everyone as you would like to be treated yourself or how you would want your loved ones to be treated."
-       Jackie Phillips, Breast Care Nurse Specialist

"Mutual respect and consideration. Treat others as I would wish to be treated and to have others do the same. Maintaining people's beliefs."
-       Liz Gunsel, Ward Manager, Ward 52

"Treating others with respect and understanding."
-       Jane Brookes, Colposcopy

"To treat all patients as I would wish to be treated myself. Respecting individual beliefs and feelings. Maintaining privacy. Good communication."
-       Pam Williams, Vascular Nurse Specialist

Along with our other local health partners, we would like to give you some top tips for keeping warm and well during the winter.

Here is a useful information leaflet: Keep Warm Keep Well leaflet (2mb)

Here are some other useful tips...

• Make sure you claim all the financial support you can to help with heating bills. There are grants, benefits and advice available to make your heating more efficient. The free national "Home Heat" helpline offers access to grants for free home insulation, reduced tariffs from energy suppliers and advice on managing bills. Telephone 0800 336699 (9am-8pm, Monday-Friday and 10am-2pm Saturday,Minicom 0800 027 2122 or visit: www.homeheathelpline.org.uk
• Keep warm. By setting your heating to the right temperature (18-21 degrees centigrade or 64-70 degrees Fahrenheit), you can keep your home warm and your bills as low as possible.
• Food is a vital source of energy which helps keep your body warm. Try to make sure that you have hot meals and drinks regularly throughout the day.
• Get your flu jab if you are aged 65 years or over, pregnant, have certain medical conditions, live in a residential or nursing home or are the main carer for an older or disabled person.
• Look after yourself and check on older neighbours and relatives to make sure they are safe, warm and well. Wear layers of clothes and wear shoes with a grippy sole if you need to go outside. 
• Keep a mixture of salt and sand handy to put on steps or paths in icy weather.
• Have your heating and cooking appliances checked and make sure your smoke alarm is working. Carbon monoxide is a killer.

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has received outstanding feedback during a recent risk assessment, which places the Trust among the best performing hospitals in the country.

The Trust has spent the last 12 months preparing for an NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) assessment with the aim of achieving a Level 3 standard, which is the highest possible standard of patient safety risk assurance that a Trust can achieve. Only 1 in 5 NHS Trusts currently have the Level 3 standard which places the Countess among an elite group.

The NHSLA handles negligence claims made against NHS organisations and works to improve patient safety and risk management practices in the NHS. The NHSLA standards provide a framework within which to  support the delivery of quality improvements and patient care, organisational governance  and the safety of patients. Being a safe organisation is the linchpin of NHSLA compliance.

Trusts pay an annual contribution - which is similar to an insurance premium - with the amount payable being determined by the level of risk that each organisation is assessed to have. The lower the risk that a hospital poses, the cheaper they are to insure and the more assurance they can give to patients about their patient safety and risk management standards. Achieving Level 3 not only demonstrates the risk management assurances for the Countess but due to the reduced annual payment contributions to the NHSLA and significant cost saving for the Trust.

The Countess of Chester Hospital and Ellesmere Port Hospital's performance during the external assessment - which usually takes two days - in an unprecedented review it was completed in just one day by external assessors who awarded the Trust with a fantastic score of 49 out of 50 which very comfortably exceeded the pass score of 40 to achieve Level 3.  

Chief Executive, Tony Chambers commented: "This is a tremendous achievement which has been truly lived by the organisation. The assessors were incredibly impressed with the culture of the Trust. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our staff for their contribution to this assessment as everybody had a part to play with great success."

Seeking and acting on patient feedback is key to improving the quality of
healthcare services and putting patients at the centre of what we do.

From 1st April 2013, all patients in acute inpatient hospital wards and A&E departments across the country have been asked to take part in the 'Friends and Family Test'.

The test is being introduced to allow patients the opportunity to feed back their views of the care or treatment they have received here at the Countess of Chester Hospital in near real time. This will provide us with valuable intelligence about the quality of healthcare received in our Trust.

When patients leave hospital they will be invited to give their feedback by answering one simple question:

"How likely are you to recommend our ward/A&E department to friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment?"

Patients will also be asked follow-up questions to find out the reason for their answers, providing essential detail.

Director of Nursing & Quality, Alison Kelly, said: We will be able to use the feedback, alongside other information, to identify and tackle concerns at an early stage, improve the quality of care we provide, and celebrate our successes."

Results for whole providers and individual wards will be published on the NHS Choices website, allowing the public to compare hospital performance and make choices about their care.

For more information about the Friends & Family Test, please call 01244 362 116 or visit: www.coch.nhs.uk/feedback

This month marks the 10^th anniversary of the Cheshire & North Wales Human Milk Bank and to celebrate this special event the milk bank's regular supporter and fundraiser Ricky Tomlinson joined a large group of breast milk donors, committed fundraisers and mothers and babies who have received donor breast milk during the last ten years, to mark the occasion.

Human Milk Bank Manager, Lynda Coulter set up the milk bank ten years ago and it has been supporting mothers and babies ever since with the supply of donor breast milk to babies in neonatal units as an alternative to formula milk when the baby's mother is unable to feed naturally. Last year alone the milk bank pasteurised 1,300 litres of breast milk which had been donated from the bank's 190 donor mothers.

During the celebrations, Lynda said: "For mothers who have difficulty providing breast milk to their babies naturally, the human milk bank reduces the pressure on them in already difficult circumstances when their child has been born prematurely. The benefits of breast milk are immeasurable not only for premature babies but any babies being born in hospital who's mothers are not able to breastfeed straight away. I'd like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of our donor mums who have made the success of the milk bank possible over the last 10 years."

As well as being on hand to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the milk bank, TV star Ricky Tomlinson was also on hand to launch the milk bank's new DVD 'Using donor breast milk', which aims to raise awareness of the benefits of donor breast milk. The production of the DVD was made possible through the generosity of Craig and Barbara Newnes who wished to have a lasting tribute to their son Oliver, who was tragically taken from them at two years of age.

Lynda added: "We have never been short of donors in the milk bank and the level of supply is never an issue, we have plenty of milk to go around. Our main challenge has been assuring other neonatal units and medical professionals of the huge health benefits that donor breast milk offer as an alternative to formula milk. I hope that this DVD will raise awareness of the benefits and result in donor milk being made available more widely to babies and mothers across the country."

Ricky Tomlinson first became involved with the Cheshire & North Wales Human Milk Bank as a guest auctioneer for a fundraising ball. His support grew from there and among his many gestures of time and generosity he donated £200,000 in 2008 which enabled the milk bank to grow and develop.

During the celebrations, Ricky presented the milk bank's 1000^th donor, Sarah Wedgwood from Stoke-on-Trent, with a special gift, courtesy of Royal Crown Derby.

Taking about his involvement with the milk bank, Ricky commented: "You only have to look around this room today at all the babies to see how important the milk bank has been for many families and how important it will continue to be in the future. It's fantastic and I'm just happy to support it in whatever way I can."

For more information about the milk bank, please visit www.chestermilkbank.org.uk/ or call Lynda Coulter on 01244 366416. You can also email info@chestermilkbank.org.uk. To view the film 'Using donor breast milk' please visit www.youtube.com and search for the 'Chester Milk Bank' channel where you will find a number of clips from the film.

The Trust gives notice that it will hold elections to the Council of Governors of the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Click here to view the notice of election

Elections are to be held for the following positions:

6 Public Governors in the following constituencies:

Public: Chester and Rural Cheshire (3 vacancies)
Public: Ellesmere Port and Neston (1 vacancy)
Public: Flintshire (2 vacancies)

A nomination form to stand for election to these positions can be obtained from the Returning Officer at the address shown below.

All nomination papers should be received by the Returning Officer, Ciara Norris, at the address as detailed below, by 5pm on Tuesday 18th June 2013.

Electoral Reform Services Limited
The Election Centre
33 Clarendon Road
London. N8 0NW
Tel 0208 889 9203
ciara.norris@electoralreform.co.uk

Should any nominee wish to withdraw their nomination, they must put this in writing to the returning officer by 5pm on Friday 21st June 2013.

Ballot papers will be distributed to qualifying members on Monday 8th July 2013. Completed ballot papers must be received by the Independent Scrutineer by 5pm on Friday 26th July 2013.

The regulations governing this election can be obtained from Electoral Reform Services Ltd (address as above).

This week the Countess of Chester Hospital officially opened its new Integrated Stroke Unit to treat and care for acute stroke patients as well supporting their rehabilitation and discharge from hospital in a way that caters for their individual needs and wishes.

The Stroke Association were present at the opening ceremony along with members of the Trust's Executive Team, representatives from West Cheshire CCG as well as members of staff from the stroke unit itself.

The new 28 bedded stroke unit incorporates the rehabilitation service previously located at Ellesmere Port Hospital to allow the entire Stroke Service to function in one location at the Countess.

Director of  Nursing & Quality, Alison Kelly said: "This new unit has been established following an engagement and consultation process with patients, staff, members of the public and representatives from stroke related service providers. The resulting unit has been designed in response to patient needs and wishes which clearly stated that there is a desire for stroke patients to make a speedy transition from hospital and into their own homes where their rehabilitation can continue. We feel this fantastic new unit is well placed to satisfy these wishes."

The unit itself will be led by Stroke Physicians and supported by a team of specialist nursing and therapy staff. The Stroke Early Supported Discharge Team work alongside ward staff and continue the patients' recovery, once discharged.

Other developments on the unit to support this process include modifications and improvements to the ward environment and a new day room for patients. In addition, the unit will now work more closely with the Stroke Association to incorporate all stroke related aspects of care into the patient journey.

Alison added: "The new unit will not only improve the quality of service for stroke patients but it also supports our nursing teams and other staff to help provide a more focussed service."

The Countess of Chester Hospital has employed six new members of staff to improve care and comfort for patients and their families. The new members of staff are called Care and Comfort Assistants, as their role was developed to reflect the six fundamentals of care; Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage and Commitment. They are known within the Planned Care Division as the 'Countess 6'.

The role of the Care and Comfort Assistant is designed to provide 'care and comfort' to patients post operatively, in particular to the elderly and frail. To build confidence, achieve self-care and independence as soon as possible, leading to a safe and timely discharge. The team consists of Deborah Fogg, Brendan Morgan, Denise Bennion, Sophie Evans, Philip Holden and Donna Morton.

Linda Fellowes, Divisional Director for Planned Care, secured a sum of £100,000 from NHS North West to trial six Care and Comfort Assistants for 12 months within the division. There are currently six Care and Comfort Assistants allocated across the three elective care wards (52, 53 and 54).

Linda Fellowes commented: "When I visit the wards and speak to patients the common theme I hear is that the nursing care on the elective wards is excellent but the ward is very busy. Patients are reluctant to use their call bells unless it is urgent and they will wait to draw a nurses' attention if they need anything.

"I had an idea to introduce a non- nursing role that was purely there to add value to the patient experience by being available to spend time talking and helping patients, for example making sure they have everything they need. I feel that this will not only benefit patients and their families but will help reduce the time patients will spend on the ward and release clinical time for clinical duties."

The six assistants will follow a set of guidelines in line with the nursing '6 Cs' (Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage and Commitment) to ensure that patients receive the best possible care during their time on the ward. Supporting nursing staff on the ward, the Care and Comfort Assistants' main role is to spend quality time with patients, building relationships with them and their relatives.

Sandra Flynn, Nurse Consultant, has developed a training tool and is leading the evaluation of the project. Sandra is also providing the team with support and leadership.      

Carmel Healey, Head of Nursing and Pathway Manager for Planned Care, commented: "This role will support the nursing teams to ensure every contact with the patient matters and this in turn will improve the patient experience in an acute hospital setting. This is a new role so we value the feedback from our patients and nursing teams in terms of the benefits this role can add to a patient journey. Our initial responses clearly demonstrate the positive impact the 'Countess 6' are having in their daily contact with patients, as they are telling us that that their experience in hospital has been made easier in terms of their overall care and comfort."

The Countess of Chester Hospital's Maternity Unit recently underwent a review by UNICEF's Baby Friendly Initiative, scoring 45/45 points.

The Trust's Maternity Unit was externally audited by UNICEF UK as part of a three-stage assessment in October 2012 and were recently informed that they had achieved the Baby Friendly Initiative Award. Of the 32 hospitals in the North West only 10 are fully accredited with this prestigious award, putting the Countess among a select group of top performing Trusts.

The Baby Friendly Initiative is a worldwide programme of the World Health Organization and UNICEF. It was established in 1992 to encourage maternity units to implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and to practise in accordance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes.

The assessment reviewed the units Breastfeeding Policy, Staff Training, Antenatal Information, Care at Delivery, Postnatal Support and Follow up Support, amongst other areas.

Julie Fogarty, Head of Midwifery, said: "I am delighted as this is such a stringent assessment and to retain full accreditation is a great achievement."

The Baby Friendly Initiative works with the health care system to ensure a high standard of care for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers and babies. Support is provided for health care facilities that are seeking to implement recognised standards of best practice in the care of mothers and babies, an assessment and accreditation process recognises those that have achieved the required standard.

The Research & Innovation Department at the Countess of Chester Hospital has been selected by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) to be the first Trust nationally to undertake a research engagement project entitled "Research Matters".  

The Research and Innovation Department, who oversee the management of research and innovation within the Trust, began their work in 2008/09 and have since achieved considerable improvement and progress in integrating research into clinic service within the Trust. Sheila Williams, Research and Innovation Manager ensures Trust compliance with research governance and along with the Research and Innovation Team helps provide day to day support and guidance.

A key aim of the project is to promote a wider awareness of research and provide a platform to discuss and explore the benefits of research.  Sheila said: "We hope that by raising awareness we can increase recruitment to the clinical trials we undertake. The research we undertake directly improves patient care and, through research, patients have access to new and innovative treatments."

Among its many other responsibilities, the Research and Innovation Department advises and assists researchers undertaking research projects locally and nationally and gives support with the design and planning of projects. They also advise on ethics application and Trust research and innovation approval. All research projects, commercial and non-commercial, are registered on a Trust database and progress is monitored throughout the life of the project.

In June 2013, the department hosted a Research Awareness Week which included workshops, stands and presentations with the aim of engaging all stakeholders in research activity at the Countess. Sheila said: "The event proved to be a huge success and was extremely well attended".

The Research and Innovation Department at the Countess now want to recruit key stakeholders, patients and carers as well as staff groups to take part in the Research Forum to promote the work of the Research Team and to increase their engagement with the wider community. 

If you would like to join the Research Forum or have any questions regarding the work of the Research and Innovation Team at the Countess, please contact Sheila Williams, Research and Innovation Manager on 01244 365532 or email sheila.williams4@nhs.net.

The Countess of Chester Hospital's Celebration of Achievement Awards took place on Friday 12th July 2013 to reward staff for their efforts and commitment over the past year.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Chester - who kindly helped to sponsor the event - was the venue for a glittering night of congratulation and celebration for a wide variety of Trust staff.  Over 275 members of staff, along with colleagues, friends and family members joined in the celebrations.

The awards offered an opportunity for the Trust to acknowledge the hard work of individuals and teams who have made outstanding achievements. A high volume of nominations were received from departments, along with patients and the public, who wished to show their appreciation for the hard work of staff.

Among the winners were; Bill Bath who won the 'Volunteer of the Year Award', Pat Clare who won the Governor of the Year Award, Dr Sandra Flynn who won the Leonie Kenny Leadership Award and Susan Lee who won the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Chief Executive Tony Chambers said: "This was my first staff award evening at the Trust as the new Chief Executive and it was a very proud evening.  I am very committed to these awards and it was great to see so many members of staff enjoying themselves and celebrating their achievements among colleagues, friends and family.

"This event showcases the high level of commitment that is put in by staff all across the Trust, be it to improve their services for patients or to develop themselves. It was a great night of celebration and my congratulations go to all the winners and finalists."

Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 'Outstanding Team Achievement of the Year', which went to the Critical Care Unit.

Celebration of Achievement Awards - All the Winners

Govenor of the Year
Winner: Pat Clare

Volunteer of the Year
Winner: Bill Bath

Patient Choice Award for Outstanding Care
Winner: Ward 34 (led by Stephen Worrall) 

Outstanding Individual Achievment of the Year Award
Winner: Alan Dunn (Estates Department)

Outstanding Team Achievment of the Year Award
Winner: Critical Care Unit (led by Melanie Kynaston)

Lifetime Achievment Award
Winner: Susan Lee (Therapies)

Leonie Kenny Leadership Award
Winner: Dr Sandra Flynn

Coronation Street actor Ian Puleston-Davies - who plays Owen in the popular soap - visited the Countess of Chester Hospital this week to present the Trust with the prestigious UNICEF Baby Friendly Award.

The Countess of Chester Hospital's Maternity Unit recently underwent reassessment  by UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative , scoring 45/45 points.

The Trust's Maternity Unit was externally audited by UNICEF UK as part of a three-stage assessment in November 2010 and awarded  full Baby Friendly Accreditation.  Since the award staff have worked hard to maintain the high standards required and following reassessment in  April 2013  the unit was reaccredited with the Baby Friendly Award.  There are 32 hospitals in the North West, only 10 are fully accredited with this prestigious award, and only 5 have been re-accredited putting the Countess among a select group of top performing Trusts.

The Baby Friendly Initiative is a worldwide programme of the World Health Organization and UNICEF. It was established in 1992 to encourage maternity units to implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and to practise in accordance with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes.

Infant Feeding and Parent Education Co-ordinator, Janet Beech, said: "I am very proud of all the staff in this unit for their hard work and dedication. Each stage of the assessment must be passed before progressing to the next, which has relied on huge commitment from staff within the unit to support mothers and babies with the best practice standards for infant feeding."

She added: "Over the past 13 years we have implemented rigorous policies incorporating baby friendly best practice standards, ensuring that all health professionals who come in to contact with mothers and their babies have a good standard of training in breastfeeding management to fully support mothers and their families."

The assessment reviewed the units Breastfeeding Policy, Staff Training, Antenatal Information, Care at Delivery, Postnatal Support and Follow up Support, amongst other areas.

Julie Fogarty, Head of Midwifery, said: "I am delighted as this is such a stringent assessment and to retain full accreditation is a great achievement."

The Countess of Chester Hospital has been ranked among the best performing trusts in the first set of results published for the Friends & Family Test.

The Friends & Family Test was introduced across the country in April 2013 to give patients the opportunity to feedback about their experience within hospital trusts by saying whether or not they would recommend their ward or A&E department to friends and family.

After responses were assessed, each hospital was then given a score based on patient satisfaction levels - if every single patient said they would be 'extremely likely' to recommend the service the ward would receive a score of 100, if every single patient said they would be 'neither unlikely nor likely', 'unlikely' or 'extremely unlikely' to recommend the service, the trust receives a score of minus 100.

Based on 1,202 responses for June 2013 the Countess of Chester Hospital achieved a score of 77 for A&E which placed the Trust joint 12^th out of 144 trusts. The Trust scored 79 for inpatients, which placed the Trust joint 42^nd out of 170 Trust. For A&E the Countess was among the top 10% performing trusts for June and among the top 25% performing trusts for inpatients.

Acting Deputy Director of Nursing, Sian Williams said: "These results are great news for the Trust and evidence that we are trying to provide the best possible service to our patients. We are extremely committed to using patient experience to drive our performance and this is one of many ways we are doing this."

There has been some criticism from patient groups that the Friends & Family Test can be viewed as misleading, however the Countess has implemented it alongside other methods of gaining patient feedback. Sian added: "The Friends & Family Test is very much a tin-opener to more detailed patient feedback and we have recently introduced 24/7 real-time patient feedback across the Trust which gives even more insight to the patient experience. However, as a stand-alone method of feedback we are proud that at this early stage we are among the best performing Trusts for the Friends & Family Test and we aim to maintain that level of performance consistently over the coming months."

The Countess of Chester Hospital is using real-time patient feedback to help deliver continuous quality care to patients.

The recently published report by the  Medical Director of the NHS, Sir Bruce Keogh into the poor standard of care at 14 NHS Trusts, along with the Francis Report into Mid-Staffordshire, have drawn attention to the importance of listening to the views of patients in order to ensure that the expected standards of care are being delivered at all times.

We are pleased to report that the Countess of Chester Hospital is already using real-time patient feedback to monitor and improve the quality of care being delivered.

The Friends & Family Test is one patient feedback method introduced nationally across the NHS which involves all A&E and inpatients being asked a simple question as to whether or not they would recommend the Trust to their friends and family. Based on 1,202 responses for June 2013 the Countess of Chester Hospital achieved a score of 77/100 for A&E which placed the Trust among the top 10% performing trusts and among the top 25% performing trusts for inpatients with a score of 79/100.

Also, the Trust's patient bedside TV screens - provided by Hospicom - are now also being utilised across the hospital to gather real-time patient experience. This involves asking patients to provide feedback on their bedside TV screens anonymously. At the touch of a button a simple survey appears on the screen, asking patients about the quality of their experience while they are being treated on their ward. Each patient can respond to the survey as many times as they want as it is designed to monitor patient experiences in real-time, for example from one day to the next. 

This has been introduced to allow patients the opportunity to feed back their views of the care or treatment they are receiving at the Countess of Chester Hospital at the point of delivery, rather than after they have left the hospital which is when typical experience surveys are conducted. The results are live 24/7 and can be regularly accessed to monitor performance.

Alison Kelly, Director of Nursing & Quality, said: "Our objective is to ensure that patients are satisfied while they are here and that they have the opportunity to tell us if there is something wrong so we can do something about it straight away. Equally we also want to record positive feedback to highlight the good work we are doing and to allow patients to show their appreciation for the excellent care we are delivering."

Alison along with the heads of nursing, matrons, and ward managers will be monitoring performance on a daily basis to ensure that the Trust is providing an excellent standard of care to patients at all times. If any issues are raised they will appear on the live reports on a daily basis and will be dealt with immediately. This is also allowing timely feedback to be provided back to the clinical teams.

The Trust has also gone to great lengths to make this information available to patients, relatives, staff and members of the public by publishing the real-time results on their website. A 24/7 live link has been placed on the website which allows anyone to view the feedback whenever they wish. The feedback is also displayed in each ward area for patients, relatives and members of staff to see.

Alison commented: "Real-time patient feedback is very important but just as important is being transparent about what we are finding out about ourselves. This is the feedback our patients are giving us on a daily basis and is reflective of the quality of care being delivered. By making the information freely available to the public we are hopefully giving assurance that we are totally confident that we are delivering the best quality of care possible and are open to focussing on areas that may need improvement."

Gerald Smith, a patient at the Countess said: "I think these surveys are a great tool for helping to improve patient care. I can provide feedback comfortably and anonymously and it is reassuring to know that the results will be seen immediately."

To view the real-time patient feedback for the Countess of Chester Hospital visit: www.coch.nhs.uk/realtime.

A Specialist Trainee Orthodontist at the Countess of Chester Hospital has been awarded the William Houston gold medal for achieving the highest mark in the Orthodontic Membership examination at the Royal college of surgeons in Edinburgh.

Simon Watkinson is a qualified dentist working part time at the Countess of Chester Hospital and recently completed his three year additional specialist training to become a Specialist Orthodontist. At the end of the three years, trainees are required to take an exam with the Royal College of Surgeons called the 'Membership of Orthodontics' exam, which they have to pass to become a Registered Specialist Orthodontist.

Every year one trainee specialist is awarded the William Houston Gold Medal for achieving the highest mark in the exam that year. Simon achieved the gold medal this year out of approximately 70 trainee specialist orthodontists worldwide.

The William Houston Gold Medal is presented to the candidate achieving the most outstanding and commendable performance in the Membership of Orthodontics examinations of the Royal College of Surgeons.

Simon said: "I am completely honoured to achieve this award but not only do I see this as a personal achievement, I also see it as a reflection on the excellent training I have received at the Countess, particularly from Consultant Orthodontists, Colin Melrose and Steve Chadwick."

Simon is now embarking on a further two years training to become a Consultant Orthodontist.

Consultant Orthodontist, Colin Melrose commented: "This is an extremely prestigious achievement and highly regarded among Orthodontists. Simon has worked extremely hard and the gold medal is testament to his skills and ability as an Orthodontist and the Countess is lucky to have him."

Consultant Orthodontist, Stephen Chadwick added: "Simon has performed brilliantly to achieve this prize. I am confident he will continue to progress in his further training at the Dental School in the University of Manchester."

The Countess of Chester Hospital's Annual Members Meeting is taking place from 5pm on Tuesday 1^st October 2013 in the Education & Training Centre and all members of the public are invited to attend.

During the meeting there will be updates on topics such as quality, financial accounts, and service developments. There will also be time for you to speak with staff from across the Trust about the progress being made and to view display stands with details about a number of Trust services.

If there are aspects of the Trust that you would like to know more about or if you have any questions about how we are doing, this is the ideal opportunity to get those questions answered from members of staff at all levels within the organisation.

Chief Executive, Tony Chambers commented: "The Annual Members Meeting is a great way for the public and members of staff to learn more about the progress and improvements which have taken place over the last year within the Trust. It also offers the opportunity to hear the views of members of the public as well as staff members which can lead to an excellent exchange of views and knowledge to help with our decisions for the future."

The meeting will be held at the Countess of Chester Hospital's Education and Training Centre and will start at 5pm. All are welcome, so please come along to find out about the progress your hospital is making.

There is no need to register or book a place, just simply put the date in your diary and turn up on the day.

For further information about any aspect of the Annual Members Meeting, please contact claire.raggett@nhs.net or call 01244 365 816.

For people attending the event, there will be no charge for car parking.

A message to the public: Car parking in residential streets

Dear patients and visitors,

The Trust is receiving an increasing number of complaints from residents living in property close to the Countess of Chester Hospital regarding inappropriate parking of vehicles in their streets. There have also been some incidents of damage to property caused by vehicles.

Our staff have been asked to ensure they do not park their vehicles inconsiderately or inappropriately in the streets around the Countess. The Trust makes every effort to be a good neighbour and to promote the very best values and behaviors of our organisation.

It has been reported that some visitors and out-patients are also causing some parking issues and therefore we would kindly ask you to also ensure that you are parking your vehicles appropriately when visiting the hospital.

We are working with local councilors on initiatives to alleviate the problem.

Thank you for you co-operation and assistance with this matter.

Yours Sincerely,

Mark Brandreth
Director of Planning, Partnerships & Development

A new assessment measuring the standards of hospital environments has been conducted at the Countess of Chester Hospital and the Trust has been given a full clean bill of health.

The Patient-led Assessments of the Care Environment (PLACE) inspections assess privacy and dignity, food, cleanliness and general maintenance. It focuses entirely on the care environment within areas accessible to patients and the public.

It is seen as an invaluable resource in assessing a Trust's care environment and the high quality service given to patients.

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust scored well in all areas assessed, most notably for 'cleanliness' for which the Countess was awarded a score of 99.5% - among the top 20% of all organisations assessed - with an equally impressive score of 97.5% being achieved at the Trust's Ellesmere Port Hospital site. The assessment of food on the two sites was above the national average and both sites scored over 80% for privacy and dignity.

The Trust's Director of Nursing & Quality, Alison Kelly commented: "This assessment is an excellent achievement for the Trust and it demonstrates our commitment to providing a high quality environment for our patients. As well as the actual clinical care given to patients, the environment in which they receive it is equally important and the scores received in this assessment are testament to the hard work and dedication of our non-clinical services, in particular our Facilities team and Estates department."

The Countess of Chester Hospital is inviting members of the public to dedicate a light to a loved one at the annual Trees of Light ceremony which will also see their names being entered into a Book of Honour.

Memories and celebrations of loved ones will be lighting up the ceremony at the Trust's main entrance from 6pm on Friday 6^th December 2013. Anyone who has lost a close friend or relative, whether or not they were patients at the hospital, is invited to take part in the event, as are people who would simply like to celebrate the life of a loved one. There will also be a short lighting ceremony at Ellesmere Port Hospital on Monday 9^th December.

The Songsmiths Choir and the Chester Wind Band will be appearing at this year's event which will feature music, readings, and hot mince pies.

In addition, the Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Bob Rudd will be the event's guest of honour and will be switching the lights on. The ceremony will be led by the Trust's Chaplaincy Co-ordinator, Rev John Kingsley.  

Fundraising Manager, Janet Ratcliffe, said: "The Trees of Light is such a special appeal and gives people the chance to honour lost loved ones or to celebrate the life of a loved one. The fact that our event takes place near Christmas makes it an even more special occasion as it can be an emotional time for people."

Chaplaincy Co-ordinator, Reverend John Kingsley, said: "The proceeds of the Trees of Light annual appeal are used to improve the care and support to patients and relatives at the time of bereavement. This year we will be continuing to develop our bereavement care with the provision of a counselling service. We are extremely grateful for everyone's generosity which has made this work possible through the Trees of Light Appeal."

If you would like to enter an application to have a loved one's name included in the Book of Honour, please contact the Trust's Fundraising department on 01244 366240 or visit the Fundraising Office to complete an application form before Tuesday 26^th November. You can also visit www.coch.nhs.uk/fundraising for more information and to download an applications form.

The Songsmiths Choir

The Songsmiths are a group of mums, staff and their friends from St Werburgh's and St Columba's School in Hoole, Chester. They started singing for fun just over

5 years ago, rehearsing under the expert and very patient guidance of husband and wife musical geniuses Rick and Dawn Smith. As The Songsmiths have grown in number (from approximately 15 to almost 40), they have also grown in confidence and ability.

Chester Wind Band

We are pleased to again be supported by the Chester Wind Band. The Wind band was originally set up in 1989 by Peter McNulty, former Headteacher of Blacon High School and Edward Milner. Concerts are given to raise money for local charities and for the Band to expand their music library. Their repertoire is varied and all musical tastes are catered for.