Welcome to your latest members’ newsletter

This week included a special night for us when we celebrated our Frimley Health Staff Awards. Our amazing staff frequently go above and beyond in their efforts to support patients and each other. So Wednesday night’s event at Windsor Racecourse was a chance for us to celebrate and to thank them for what they do.

It really was a privilege to be at the event and to take part in presenting 10 different awards to clinical and non-clinical individuals and teams. You can see all the nominees and the winners of each category here.

It was my special pleasure to be able to present the Chair’s Award for 2024 to Lina Batirashvili, outpatients senior sister at King Edward VII Hospital in Windsor. Choosing one person for this award was a difficult task, but Lina’s leadership, combined with her ability to drive measurable improvements, set her apart from an impressive list of finalists.

Being able to show our appreciation to colleagues is really important and part of what makes Frimley Health a great place to work. We know that it is not easy for our teams as they strive to meet the considerable challenges facing our NHS, but they remain fully focused on better care and reducing waiting times for our patients, and improving the health of our communities.

I am really pleased that see so many of you joined our latest online Health Event earlier this month and I am very grateful to our Deputy Chair Mike Baxter for hosting, as I was not able to attend. It included an excellent presentation by respiratory consultant Dr Gareth Roberts and advanced clinical practitioner Sally Bustin on the subject of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. I am very much looking forward to next year’s programme which starts in January on the subject of stroke services, where we have seen a lot of positive developments recently.

There will be one more newsletter after this before Christmas so may I take the chance to remind everyone to take care over winter, have your vaccines if you are eligible, make sure you have any medications you need, and know where to go if you do need extra help.

Thank you again for your ongoing support.

Best wishes

Bryan

Bryan Ingleby
Chair
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

BBC Presenter Jennie Gow opens new stroke rehab unit

A new million-pound stroke rehab unit in Frimley Park Hospital has been officially opened by BBC F1 presenter and Surrey resident, Jennie Gow. Funded by Frimley Health Charity and more than 1600 donors, the rehab unit is part of a new extension to the hospital, with dedicated rooms for speech therapy and psychological assessments and a specially-designed rehab garden to help patients with their physical recovery.

Jennie Gow was just 45 when she had a stroke in December 2022, caused by a blood clot which damaged the part of her brain associated with speech. She was brought to Frimley Park by ambulance and later transferred to St George’s Hospital in Tooting for emergency treatment.

Jennie has spoken openly about her long and challenging journey to recovery, and her steadfast determination to regain her speech and return to the job she loves.
Speaking at the event, Jennie said: “I’m delighted to open this new rehab unit and garden which will provide a valuable and peaceful space for patients and their families and friends. The stroke unit played a massive part for me in setting the foundations to have a good recovery".

Patients rate Heatherwood Hospital best elective care centre in the country

Heatherwood Hospital was given the best rating in England by patients in the latest National NHS Adult Inpatient Survey. Patients who took part in the annual NHS survey gave the Ascot hospital the highest average score in the country for overall patient experience.

The annual NHS survey, published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as part of a national programme to improve patients’ experiences while in hospital, looked at the experience of 63,573 patients across 131 NHS trusts who stayed at least one night in hospital during November 2023.

The results were published in the full national benchmarking report earlier this autumn, with the data shown at both NHS trust and individual hospital site level. The average score of Heatherwood patients asked to rate their overall experience was 9.7 out of 10, the best of any individual hospital included in the survey.

Angela Lawes, Managing Director Heatherwood Elective Centre said: “We are very proud tor Heatherwood to be ranked number one out of all the inpatient NHS hospital sites covered by the survey data. The survey provided a wealth of information, including some areas for improvement which we’ll be working to address, The many positive responses are testament to the commitment of the Heatherwood team and reflect the ethos of all of our dedicated Frimley Health staff, who work extremely hard to provide excellent care to our patients.”

Get faster test results with MyFrimleyHealth Record

Did you know that you can get your hospital test results sooner with MyFrimleyHealth Record? The results of blood tests and other lab investigations, as well as scans, are released via the online patient portal and can be viewed using the MyFrimleyHealth Record app or website.

It means you don’t have to wait for a letter in the post or a call with your care team or GP surgery, giving you peace of mind sooner. – or enabling you to start thinking about the next steps in your care sooner.

MyFrimleyHealth Record makes it easy for you to manage all aspects of your care at Frimley Health. You can view your medications, manage appointments, attend video consultations and message your care team while you’re at home or on the go. To register, download the app to your IOS or Android device or use the secure website.

Already using the app? Please tell us what you think about it.

You may have seen our recent survey seeking your feedback about MyFrimleyHealth Record. The response has been fantastic, with feedback painting a very clear picture of your engagement with the app.

We are still keen to hear from more people about their views about and experiences with MyFrimleyHealth Record – whether you have downloaded the app and use it all the time or have decided against using it.

Your views matter – positive and negative experiences are equally valid and will help us to improve. Please complete the survey.

A focus on COPD at final Members event of the year

There was a high turnout at last week’s Health Event with more than 120 people attending to hear more about COPD and the services we offer in our hospitals and the local community.

Respiratory consultant, Dr Gareth Roberts, and Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Sally Bustin, gave an informative talk on the importance of lung health and the Trust’s holistic approach to helping patients with COPD.

The presentation covered everything from the causes and symptoms, to diagnosis, options for treatment and living with COPD. If you missed out, you can watch a recording of the event. The next Health Event will be held on January 14 2025 with one of our leading stroke consultants talking about FASTer management of strokes. More details will follow in next month’s newsletter.

Golden Christmas Appeal

Frimley Health Charity’s annual Golden Christmas Appeal is back and better than ever this year. For 2024 the charity is making sure it spreads joy and light throughout our hospitals for both patients and hardworking staff.

Patients waking up in our wards on the big day will receive Christmas presents to open, and staff working on Christmas Day and Boxing Day will be provided with delicious hot meals as a way of saying thank you for all their continued hard work. The charity will also be supplying festive hampers full of treats for every department across the Trust to enjoy together.

If you would like to help us spread joy and light this Christmas, please support our appeal by donating.

Jingle Jog 2024

It’s time to get into the Christmas spirit and take part in our fantastically festive Jingle Jog 2024. Come and join us for the festive 5K and 1K Fun Run around Frimley Green and Frimley Lodge Park. Fancy dress is highly-encouraged and you’ll be accompanied by the jingling sounds of a thousand bells!

The bespoke, multi-terrain course features a few festive surprises and our charity event village will be filled with a lovely range of activities and stalls, including delicious caterers and face painters – there really is something for everyone! Sign up. 

Think Pharmacy First this winter

Your local pharmacy offers more than just prescriptions. The range of clinical services offered by community pharmacies has expanded significantly in recent years to provide faster, more accessible care for certain conditions.

Alongside traditional services like dispensing prescription medications and advice on managing long-term conditions, new services have been introduced to improve access to care. This includes treatment for seven common conditions, under the Pharmacy First scheme, without the need to see a GP, as well as blood pressure checks and access to oral contraception.

The seven conditions covered by Pharmacy First are:

• Sore throat (for ages 5 and up)
• Infected insect bites (for ages 1 and up)
• Earaches in children (ages 1 to 17)
• Sinusitis (for ages 12 and over)
• Impetigo (for ages 1 and up)
• Shingles (for adults aged 18 and over)
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women aged 16 to 64

When you visit your local pharmacy for one of these conditions, you'll receive a private consultation with clinical advice and treatment, including prescription-only medicines such as antibiotics. Pharmacists will also refer you to a doctor or another healthcare professional if your condition requires further investigation.