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An innovative camera system is being rolled out in The Walton Centre’s Hyper Acute Rehabilitation Unit to enhance monitoring of our most vulnerable patients.

The closed-circuit camera system, installed in Lipton Ward, our Hyperacute Rehab Unit, will enable clinical staff to monitor up to four patients at a time. A member of staff will monitor the viewscreen in a discreet location on the ward, and a Healthcare Assistant will act as a responder to any patients needing assistance.

Lipton Ward Manager Jade Gerrard said: “Depending on the number of complex patients we have on the ward and due to the layout of the ward, each patient may require a dedicated member of staff in order to be cared for safely, which can be considered intrusive for the patients and put pressure on staffing resources. Being able to monitor a higher ratio of patients via this camera system means providing the best care possible by maintaining patient safety while using resources appropriately.”

The system will be used to monitor patients who are vulnerable to falls, display confusion, in some cases delirium and may have devices in-situ that require close monitoring. Patients, or next of kin if the patient doesn’t have capacity, will consent to having a camera at their bedside, before any monitoring. Images of patients are streamed live and not stored, so no recording takes place. Introduction of this patient safety system is part of a raft of innovative projects aimed at improving efficiency whilst maintaining patient safety, in line with The Walton Centre’s three-year strategy.   

Divisional Nurse Director of Neurology and Rehabilitation Sarah Flynn said: “Being able to introduce this video monitoring system means that a tailored level of care, specific to the individual, can be offered to all inpatients on Lipton Ward. It allows us to observe patients within visual range, maintaining patient safety monitoring in a less intrusive way, whilst utilising staffing resources effectively and efficiently. It means staff who were otherwise only able to observe one patient due to ward layout or patient location can now do so with several patients at once whilst maintaining an adequate response to patient needs. We’ve created a robust operational procedure whereby staff rotate monitoring duties every hour, which helps to ensure that the quality of patient monitoring remains high.

“The world of healthcare is really picking up the pace when it comes to new technologies and innovations. We’ve already trialled this kind of system on our Complex Rehabilitation Unit, with a resoundingly positive result. The Walton Centre is committed to adapting to an everchanging ward-environment and continuing to deliver outstanding care to our patients. Our staff work hard for patients, and sometimes that means smarter too.”

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Notes to editors

Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.

For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

 

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611

Read Innovative video system ensures vulnerable patients receive outstanding care…

A patient from The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust has pulled a nine tonne lorry 20 metres to raise thousands of pounds for the hospital’s charity.

Lucy Hewson, 36, from St Helens has been battling Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) for nine years. IIH is a build-up of pressure around the brain, which can cause symptoms like vision changes and severe headaches and migraines. In some cases the pressure can cause permanent damage to eyesight and mobility.

August 2022 Lucy had an urgent referral to the specialist neurosciences hospital after her eyesight began to deteriorate. Clinicians recommended a stent to ease the pressure in her skull, which has allowed Lucy to go from strength to strength – and pull a truck across her gym’s local car park for charity!

Lucy said: “It’s been a rollercoaster over the near decade of battling IIH. I run a haulage company, so being able to drive is incredibly important for me and my livelihood. When I moved to St Helens a few years ago I got ill and was referred to The Walton Centre via Whiston. I felt so lucky. My clinicians found narrow veins, which were contributing to the IIH and from there could treat me appropriately.

“Since having the stent fitted I’ve slowly but surely got back to normal. It’s thanks to the phenomenal treatment that I’m able to keep working and be physically active. It was to that end that I wanted to do something to give back to The Walton Centre.”

In her spare time, Lucy goes to the gym and is training to take part in a strongman competition over the summer holidays.

Lucy continued: “I wanted to do the truck pull to fundraise for the charity last year, but my neurologist said that too much pressure at that point could have really damaged my eyesight. So I followed the recovery plan and they gave me a clean bill of health at the beginning of July. It was amazing to see all the support come in for the challenge. So far I’ve raised nearly £3,000!

“I won’t let IIH define me. I’ve had dark days with it, but I won’t let it rule me life.”

If you want to support Lucy’s fundraiser, head to: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/hewsononthepull

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Notes to editors

Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.

For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611

 

Read Walton Centre patient defies odds with truck pull in aid of hospital charity…

New figures out today reveal that there were 19 patients who donated their organs after death at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust last year, helping save or improve the lives of 4,532 people desperately in need of a transplant across the UK.

NHS Blood and Transplant and The Walton Centre have released the figures to mark the publication of the annual Organ Donation and Transplantation Activity Report showing that the Trust was one of the top 20 donor hospitals in the UK last year.

The annual report shows deceased organ donation in the UK increased by 2% last year thanks to the continuing recovery of organ donation and transplant activity following the Covid-19 pandemic. 1,429 people in total donated their organs after death last year, including 19 at the specialist neurosciences hospital.

Despite this, the number of people being listed for a transplant has increased, due to most being suspended during the height of the pandemic and, subsequently, others needing a transplant being added to the list. There are more than 7,000 people on the active waiting list and a further 3,822 temporarily suspended.

Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation at The Walton Centre Catherine Ellis said: “As a team, we work hard with Intensive Care staff and wider hospital to make sure organ donation is a key consideration. The nature of some of the patients we receive at The Walton Centre means that we can work closely with relatives and friends to carry out their loved one’s wishes, putting them at the heart of this often lifechanging process. I’m proud of everyone involved here, it’s a team effort and that’s reflected in the latest report.

“Please register your organ donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. If your family are aware of your end-of-life decisions, they are much more likely to honour that decision and make organ donation a possibility.”

The specialist Trust cared for 19 patients who went on to be organ donors, 16 donated multiple organs, including four hearts. 

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Over 50,000 people are alive in the UK today thanks to the life-saving gift of organ donation. But this wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our incredible donors and their families who have given their support for donation at what is often the most difficult of times.

“We know that most people support organ donation in principle, and we have seen a steady increase in the number of people confirming their support for organ donation via the NHS Organ Donor Register.
“However, we still need families to support their loved one’s decision and agree to donation when approached, which we know is most likely when they know that’s what they wanted.
“We urge everyone who supports organ donation to confirm their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. It is a simple action which only takes two minutes; but can ultimately save lives.”

Find out more and register your decision by visiting NHS Organ Donor Register at www.organdonation.nhs.uk and share your decision with your family.

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Photo attached: The North West Organ Donation Services Team, Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation at The Walton Centre, second from right.

·         Notes to editors

·         Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net

·         Contact the NHS Blood and Transplant press office on 01923 367600 or pressoffice@nhsbt.nhs.uk

·         To find out more about organ donation, the law change, or to opt in or out, visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call the dedicated advice line on 0300 303 2094

·         The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.

For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611

 

·         NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is a joint England and Wales Special Health Authority. Its remit includes the provision of a reliable, efficient supply of blood and associated services to the NHS in England. It is also the organ donor organisation for the whole of the UK and is responsible for matching and allocating donated organs.

 

Read Families continue save and improve lives through deceased organ donation at The Walton Centre…

NHS Trusts across the North West are working together to improve the process for people diagnosed and treated for a brain tumour following a visit to A&E.

Staff at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust and Whiston Hospital in Prescot identified gaps in treatment for patients who attend A&E and receive a potential or confirmed diagnosis of brain tumour.

Most brain tumour patients first present with symptoms at an A&E and there are often delays in obtaining appropriate imaging necessitating inpatient stays.

The neuro-oncology team at The Walton Centre and the Acute Oncology Nursing Team at Whiston Hospital in Prescot developed an improved pathway for patients at St Helens and Knowsley NHS Foundation Trust to receive the most appropriate treatment and/or support as quickly as possible.

After a successful pilot, the team at The Walton Centre is looking to embed the pathway and has since rolled it out at Warrington Hospital and Arrowe Park Hospital and are speaking to other hospitals in the region as well as national groups.

Mr Andy Brodbelt, Consultant Neurosurgeon and the lead for neuro-oncology at The Walton Centre, said, “Patients diagnosed with a brain tumour in an A&E are often admitted for further tests, which can sometimes take some time, delaying their review at The Walton Centre. Each hospital works differently, and it is important that effective communication occurs within each hospital before patients are seen in our specialist centre.

“Working with colleagues at Whiston Hospital A&E, we advised on the optimal and immediate pathway for diagnosis of a brain tumour. This can include early MRI, the need for CT scanning and commencement of appropriate medication.

“This should put patients in a much better position ahead of their first appointment at the specialist centre and will hopefully lead to much better outcomes.”

Mr Brodbelt said collaboration was key to the successful pilot and it was now encouraging to be able to roll out across the region. 

“We want to ensure that all patients diagnosed with a brain tumour across Cheshire and Merseyside have a clear initial management, rapid access to the appropriate imaging in their local Trust preferably as an outpatient, leading to a complete referral and review expedited at The Walton Centre. Working with busy colleagues across the region’s A&Es, we hope to be able to offer our expertise and specialist knowledge at The Walton Centre to provide a way forward.”

 

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Pictured, from left: Divisional Manager for Neurosurgery, Sam Holman, Consultant Neurosurgeon Mr Andrew Brodbelt and Nurse Specialist Emma Wilby 

Notes to editors

Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.

For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

 

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611

 

Read Brain tumour patients benefit from improved NHS collaborations…

Liverpool Philharmonic and The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust are pleased to launch a new partnership supported by The Walton Centre Charity and the Foyle Foundation. The organisations will work together using music to improve the health and wellbeing of patients with neurological and neurosurgical conditions, their families and carers, as well as staff at The Walton Centre. The partnership will deliver music-making activities across The Walton Centre, including participatory sessions on wards and performances in staff areas.

The Walton Centre becomes the fourth NHS Trust in Liverpool Philharmonic's Music and Health programme. They join original partners, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust and Improving Me, a consortium of 27 NHS organisations across Cheshire and Merseyside supporting women's health and maternity services.

Liverpool Philharmonic’s Music and Health programme uses a person-centred approach to music to benefit wellbeing, build connections and boost confidence. It has been running since 2008 and will celebrate its 15^th Anniversary in October 2023. Since the programme began, it has worked with over 17,000 people using music to support wellbeing, mood and build confidence.  The work is delivered by a team of 10 highly experienced musicians, and over 25 visiting musicians from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.  

Peter Garden, Executive Director – Performance and Learning at Liverpool Philharmonic, said: “It is fantastic that NHS Trusts in the region are increasingly recognising the positive impact music and professional musicians can have on people’s health and wellbeing, and enhancing health services. We welcome The Walton Centre to our Music and Health programme and are grateful for their commitment to this new partnership.”

Jan Ross, Chief Executive at The Walton Centre said, ‘I am delighted that we have been able to support this partnership with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. The lift that the music performances will be able to give to our patients and staff will be of immense benefit to both their physical and mental wellbeing. I am really looking forward to hearing them around the hospital.”

 

Read Liverpool Philharmonic announces partnership with The Walton Centre…

Professor Tony Marson, Consultant Neurologist and Professor of Neurology at the University of Liverpool, has been selected to join a fellowship of outstanding biomedical and health researchers.

The Academy of Medical Sciences has elected 59 influential scientists to its respected Fellowship, it has been announced today (Thursday 18 May).

Professor Marson has been selected into the Academy in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the advancement of biomedical and health science, specifically his work on improving the treatment of epilepsy in the UK and worldwide.

Fellows are drawn from institutions across the UK and their breadth of expertise ranges from molecular imaging to biostatistics to public health policy. They join a prestigious Fellowship of 1,400 esteemed researchers who are central to the Academy’s work. This includes providing career support to the next generation of researchers and contributing to the Academy’s influential policy work to improve health in the UK and globally.

Professor Tony Marson said: “I’m honoured to have been invited to join this highly respected Fellowship. It is a privilege to be part of this open and progressive group of academics with a shared commitment to improving the health of people in the UK and globally. I look forward to sharing my expertise and expanding the University’s network to support its research goals.”

Professor Dame Anne Johnson PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences said: “These new Fellows are pioneering biomedical research and driving life-saving improvements in healthcare, from understanding the spread of infectious diseases to developing mental health interventions. It’s a pleasure to recognise and celebrate their exceptional talent by welcoming them to the Fellowship.

“This year, we are celebrating our 25th anniversary. The Fellowship is our greatest asset, and their broad expertise and dynamic ability has shaped the Academy to become the influential, expert voice of health. As we look to the future, the collective wisdom our new Fellows bring will be pivotal in achieving our mission to create an open and progressive research sector to improve the health of people everywhere.”

Read more about the Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship and for a full list of all this year’s fellows.

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Notes to editors

Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.

For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611

 

Read Consultant Neurologist Professor elected into the Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship…

I sit writing this guest editorial in a seaside cafe in Portrush, Northern Ireland, with National ODP Day on the horizon. Very much like the crisp spring sun shining off the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean, I have become quite reflective on my career as an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) and how far this once hidden profession has evolved over the years.

You see, dear reader, it was not always supposed to be this way. When I left school, I had been accepted onto a Degree in English Literature and Politics and had decided to take a gap year before venturing into higher education. My plan was simple, continue working at the Go-Kart Track on New Brighton Promenade, and sing in the distinctly average cover band that had been part of my life throughout sixth form. This all changed one Sunday morning when my mother, a theatre matron at a local district general, announced that she had ‘got’ me a job in theatre as a Health Care Assistant (HCA). My protest, I as you would expect, fell on deaf ears and a week later I began my career in the operating theatre. The first case I ever experienced was an amputation of a big toe, once the amputation was complete, the surgeon accidentally dropped the big toe on the floor while passing it to the scrub practitioner. In my eagerness to impress, I picked up the aforementioned toe, and before anyone could stop me, I very politely placed it onto the instrument trolley. The theatre fell silent, and realising my mistake, I began to apologise only for the scrub practitioner to let out a little chuckle and with a knowing wink said ‘We’ve all been there’ (thank you, Lynn Doyle).

It was during this time, as a HCA in theatre, that I began to fall in love with the role of the ODP, a practitioner who could work in all areas of the operating theatre and across multiple areas of the hospital as a whole. Fast forward four years, and I had qualified as an ODP, cutting my teeth in Cardio-thoracic before finding my home in Neuro at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, where I am now the Clinical Lead for Education, Risk and Governance. It is amazing to think that when compared to nursing, midwifery etc, that the role of the ODP is still very much in its infancy.

From its debated genesis as the assistance to the barber surgeons of Victorian Britain, to its long overdue recognition in the 1971 Lewin Report and the current day, where practitioners are now studying at master’s level and taking on extended roles across all aspects of the operating theatre and beyond. Even our title has changed multiple times as we slowly made our way to be recognised professionals; Operating Theatre Technicians became Operating Department Assistants and, finally, we became Operating Department Practitioners identifying the role was a profession in its own right.

So, as the sun begins to set across the North Coast of County Antrim, I ask myself, do I regret not pursing a Degree in English Literature and Politics, and a potential career as an international rock star? Not a jot! My career as an ODP has allowed me to work with incredible people and practitioners, care for patients in both good and bad times, and experience specialties that have both challenged and inspired. As we approach National ODP Day, I ask that we all raise a glass to these theatre Jedi, these multi skilled ninjas and look forward to the further evolution of a profession that is only just getting started.

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Notes to editors

Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.

For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611

 

Read Raising a glass to theatre Jedi: Recognising National ODP Day 2023…