News

One of The Walton Centre’s Pain Medicine consultants’ Dr Andreas Goebel has recently attained a professorship with the University of Liverpool, after demonstrating substantial progress in research into causes and new treatments for chronic primary pain.

Professor Goebel’s research includes developing an understanding the role of the adaptive immune system in causing severe, seemingly unexplained, chronic pain, focusing on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS).

He said: “I’m delighted I have been awarded this position. I am passionate about furthering our knowledge of chronic pain, how it’s caused, and how it can be treated. I am confident that we are getting closer to finding answers which will enable us to care for patients with severe chronic pain more effectively.

“I hypothesised that patients with CRPS and FMS had a special dysfunction (called ‘autoimmunity’) of their immune systems that was interfering with the nervous system. By confirming this hypothesis, our results have opened doors to new, potentially groundbreaking diagnostic and treatment technologies. We may also be able to catch some of these conditions earlier, and potentially even prevent them from developing.”

Professor Goebel has been a Senior Lecturer and Reader at the University of Liverpool since 2008. He also sees patients as part of The Walton Centre’s pain service, one of the largest in the UK.

Dr Andy Nicolson, The Walton Centre’s Medical Director and Deputy Chief Executive, said: “It’s always a proud moment to see one of our consultants attain a professorship – an incredible academic achievement. The work that Andreas is doing in pain research is exciting. If his research leads clinicians to better treatments and be involved more in diagnostic work, then it will be an advancement for not just The Walton Centre, but clinicians from across the country, and the world!”   

 

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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 Dr Goebel becomes Professor of Pain Medicine at the Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences…

Alun and Clare Evans were doing some last-minute Christmas shopping and visiting friends, when they got a phone call telling them their 18-year-old son Tudur had been in a bad car accident. Rushing to the scene near their home in Corwen North Wales, they got there in time to see Tudur briefly before he was lifted into the air ambulance. He was taken to The Walton Centre, which is part of the Major Trauma Centre in Liverpool, for emergency care.

Alun said: “When we got there, it was clear Tudur’s car had hit a tree. He was being looked after by the medics and had been sedated, and he had had a big knock to the head. This happened the day before Christmas Eve, so it was quite a shock, and a very different Christmas to what we imagined.”

When Tudur arrived at The Walton Centre, clinicians immediately put him in an induced coma, to give his body a chance to settle while they reviewed and monitored his brain injuries, which included bleeds and swelling, causing pressure on his brain. Tudur was very closely monitored in case an emergency operation was needed, especially in the first 24 hours.

Alun continued: “He was ventilated and the doctors on ITU told us that he had experienced a subarachnoid haemorrhage, three intracerebral bleeds and bruising to the brain where his head had hit the car on impact with the tree. After a few days they tried reducing sedation, but this increased the pressure on his brain, which they measured with a pressure monitoring device that was fitted in his head.

“On day eight, as the ITU team weaned him off sedation, Tudur’s mum Clare was holding his hand, trying to stop him pulling his cannulas out. He got hold of her wedding ring with finger and thumb and started spinning it anti-clockwise up her finger until it spun no more and then pulled it off her finger as you would removing a nut off a bolt. He did this twice. This was the most hope we’d had since the accident as this was very relevant to him as a mechanic and made us realise that he was still with us.”

New Year’s Day, Tudur was taken off the ventilator and breathing unaided. Even though he looked groggy and not fully awake, Alun could tell that he recognised his mum and dad.

Tudur was moved to Sherrington Ward to recover further and went from strength to strength until, remarkably, being well enough to go home just a few weeks after staying in ITU.

Tudur said: “I was getting restless in the last week of being at The Walton Centre, but I understand now that they wanted to make absolutely sure I was ok before letting me go home. The week before I had been confusing dreams and reality, thinking I was in a petrol station waiting to get picked up, getting really frustrated that I wasn’t able to leave yet. But I appreciate now that I felt like this because of the head injury.”

Once home and around his friends and family, Tudur continued getting stronger and was back to work full time by mid-February, extraordinarily less than two months after the initial accident.

Tudur said: “I feel incredibly lucky because I know this isn’t the outcome for everyone who has injuries like this. All I have is a black spot in my memory for the time of the accident and the days afterwards, and for that I am truly grateful for all the care provided to me by all of the emergency services, The Walton Centre and its’ hardworking teams.”

 

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Photo, L-R: Brother Gwyndaf Evans and his fiancé Gwenno, Mum Clare and Dad Alun Evans, and Tudur Evans before the accident. 

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 18-year-old Tudur makes extraordinary recovery from traumatic brain injury after car accident…

Congratulations to Dr Antonella Macerollo who has been appointed to the North West CRN Advanced Research Scholars Programme. This programme is aimed at equipping tomorrow's clinical research leaders with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to become the Principal and Chief Investigators of the future.

The Walton Centre has a proud tradition of delivering high-quality clinical neuroscience research, in collaboration with our local universities and commercial partners, to improve patient outcomes and experiences. As one of our five strategic ambitions in our three-year Trust strategy, it is a key area of focus for us, particularly attracting and developing highly skilled and motivated people, who want to support our research and innovation ambitions.

Well done Dr Macerollo for this achievement!

 

Read Neurologist appointed to leading research programme…

This International Women’s Day, I’ve been able to reflect on a number of things, particularly being a woman in the NHS. I started my career as a student nurse in July 1992 I qualified in 1995, I was strong and driven and wanted to influence to improve patient care. I have never strayed far from my clinical nursing roots and recently worked a shift on Cairns Ward. This ward specialises in neuro-oncology and hydrocephalus, where patients can often have complex needs and require high levels of support. It was familiar and new all at the same time. Familiar in the sense of working with patients and delivering care as per their individual needs, but new with regards to the larger digital element of the job. It’s amazing to see innovative systems being utilised to manage patient care, staffing requirements and even patients making food choices through tablet computers. This change only enhances the ever-present outstanding care that I saw while I was there. I hope to be invited to shadow more shifts where possible in other areas of the hospital, to see more of the high-quality services being delivered to patients first-hand.

Closer to home and my role as CEO, I’m pleased that our Trust Board is well represented by leading women, lending their respective skillsets to the hospital. Half of our Executive Team is female, which is unusual in comparison to other organisations. It is incredibly important to be represented on all levels of the Trust, and I believe we are a modern organisation, making headway and enhancing opportunities for women.   

It is well recognised that it’s harder for women to progress in their careers, promotion is harder and if I use my own personal experience, I have also had three children, which means three periods of maternity leave and some working part time. This can be a challenge when trying to progress. However, I truly believe women can have both – a happy family and a career. I want to inspire and support women at The Walton Centre to do this. Women shouldn’t have to work or fight harder to progress. As CEO of The Walton centre, I strive every day to support staff, through flexible working, development opportunities and speaking up for fairness and equality. But I especially want to support our strong women, who have the potential to be the leaders of the future.

Looking at all the brilliant women who work here at The Walton Centre, I am inspired. They work tirelessly to ensure services are available to our patients, and that they experience the very best treatment. I want Walton Women to feel empowered when coming to work, and to know that they are strong and valued for their hard work.

 

Read International Women's Day 2023 - CEO Blog…

Lighting firm Circada kickstarts its’ campaign to change people’s relationships with their natural body clock with the launch of the inaugural pilot at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool – the first Trust in the UK to take part.

Following the installation of the Circadian lighting system into part of the intensive therapy unit (ITU) at the hospital, a 3-month pilot will be undertaken. It is hoped that the lighting will benefit patients and staff, and potentially improve patient flow by reducing the time spent in ITU.

The pilot is part of the Trust’s innovation agenda, and if the feasibility trial is successful, the lighting could be rolled out more widely across the ITU and other patient areas.

Circada’s lighting technology works by changing the colour of the lighting throughout the day to match the daily and seasonal pattern of the sun, with superior and tailored light matched to our biological needs throughout. 

Commenting on the pilot, Circada founder Sam Lewtas said: “We hope our lighting restores some balance to patients and staff in this stressful environment. I’m excited to show the potential of our concept here, and ultimately more widely the ability to improve health and wellbeing.”

On the introduction of the lighting pilot, Oonagh Doherty, ITU Matron at The Walton Centre, said minimising delirium in patients is an important factor in their recovery: “Delirium can be a big issue for the patients, especially head injured patients. Ensuring they have adequate sleep and rest is key and resetting their body clock is important for this to happen – which this innovative lighting system may help to achieve! If this pilot is successful, it may reduce the length of patient stays on ITU, therefore improving their experience and rehabilitation journey. I’m also keen to see how it helps our staff’s health and wellbeing too.”

Misalignment of the body clock, for which daily light exposure is largely responsible, has been shown to have a negative impact across many areas of human health. By retuning the light with the sun’s rhythm, we aim to demonstrate here, and in other pilots across offices, residential and hospitality industries, how the Circada solution can bring positive health and wellbeing benefits to people across society.

If you’d like to find out more, or enquire about hosting a pilot yourself, please visit: circada.life/

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Circada

·        Circada aims to reconnect people with nature, bringing the outside in through its innovative lighting system matching the daily and seasonal patterns of the sun. It is developing lighting controls that can be used with existing tuneable white light fixtures that is straightforward to retrofit and quick to install, with no need for commissioning while being exceptionally easy to use.

·        Circada further offers an end-to-end system including luminaires optimised for the human body clock, providing illumination spectrally akin to sunlight.

·        For more information, contact Ben Morling ben@highrisecommunications.co.uk / 07871731114.

The Walton Centre 

·        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 is rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its initial rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016 and on the 19 August 2019 following inspections held in March and April 2019.

·        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 Lighting innovators Circada launch first pilot at Trust to improve staff and patient wellbeing…

In April 2022, James from Warrington was struggling down his own garden path to get his neighbours attention, so they could call him an ambulance. James was suffering from a Stroke, which was caused by a massive bleed on the brain. 

James was stabilised in Whiston Hospital and then immediately transferred to The Walton Centre for lifesaving surgery and treatment. After spending weeks in intensive care, James woke up and found that he could only blink and use his big toe to communicate. 

He said: “When I woke up I knew I had been through something lifechanging. For two months I was unable to communicate much at all, but Annie, one of the Speech and Language Therapists, assessed me and found I could do basic communication [using a switch and an alphabet chart]. Working with the amazing team I was able to tell my wife I love her. It was a very emotional time.”  

Working with Annie Newcomen on his rehabilitation journey, James was able to communicate more and more using specialist methods, and finally have visitors.  

For a large part of James’ rehabilitation, he had a tracheostomy (a tube inserted into the windpipe to help him breathe), which unsettled his young children and became difficult to explain. 

James continued: “The kids would come and visit and be upset about all the different tubes and things I had attached to my body. The tracheostomy in my neck was particularly distressing for them and I couldn’t tell them properly that I was ok and it was actually helping. My Speech and Language Therapists, saw this and leapt into action!” 

Speech and Language Therapist Charlotte Lawrence and Therapy Assistant Emma Cottier saw there was a way to support James and his young family – with a teddy bear.  

Charlotte said: “The team had been discussing ways that we could facilitate James’ children coming into the hospital, to support his rehabilitation and make it a less scary experience for them. Emma’s daughter very generously donated one of her teddy bears to the ward. We gave the teddy bear a tracheostomy, similar to that of James’. We also provided James’ wife Claire with some information resources put together by our Rehab Network Parenting Group, so she could sit down and work through these with their children at home.” 

James said: “The tracheostomy ted was a gamechanger. My daughters were less anxious about it because they’d played with the teddy and talked about it with my wife. It meant that we could have proper visits and I could enjoy their company without having to answer loads of questions about it. I was finally able to get some hugs!

“The team at The Walton Centre are amazing. They could see we were struggling as a family and exceeded expectations by creating Tracheostomy Ted and the resources. I honestly think it helped with my rehabilitation too, because it was one less thing to worry about. I can’t thank them enough.” 

Once James’ children felt more confident in coming onto the ward, the multidisciplinary team arranged therapy sessions involving James’ children. The sessions included games and activities that encouraged interaction and play, whilst being tailored to James’ therapy goals. 

The Gilbert family were the first to use Tracheostomy Ted, and as part of the Rehab Network Parenting Group, Charlotte and Emma are working with The Walton Centre Charity to create more resources to help young family members understand brain injury, and be included in the rehabilitation journey. 

 

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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 Tracheostomy Ted helps young visitors understand rehabilitation…

Six years ago, Clare Wilson experienced a serious bleed on the brain while she was living near Chester. Clare was rushed to The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust for lifesaving surgery where a coil, which stops the bleeding, was implanted into her brain. Since her first visit, Clare has had several treatments and surgeries to maintain her health.

Ahead of a more complicated surgery here at The Walton Centre, Clare wanted to take on a monumental challenge to raise money for The Walton Centre Charity.

She said: “Honestly, I owe them my life, I couldn’t have paid for a better service. Every time I’ve had to come in for surgery the hospital has been exemplary in their care for me. Initially I spent a lot of time on Dott Ward and the staff were so attentive and supportive. So to thank them properly I just had to do something to raise some money for The Walton Centre Charity.”

An avid runner, Clare decided to set the challenge of doing the equivalent of a triathlon every day for 30 days – with help from her colleagues at Co-Op.

Clare said: “Looking back now I realise it was quite a big challenge! But I knew I had amazing people around me to get stuck in and help. I also wanted to aim high with the fundraising target and set £20,000. Thank goodness we kept a spreadsheet to keep track of everyone’s progress!”

Collectively, Clare and her team ran 5km, swam half a mile and cycled 20km each day for the month of November 2022.

Clare continued: “I couldn’t believe the outpouring of support I received. It really inspired friends, family and complete strangers to donate to our cause. Altogether we raised over £25,000 for The Walton Centre Charity and I couldn’t be happier. Times are hard and it feels amazing to be able to give support back to the hospital like this, and I’m so proud of my colleagues who stepped up and took part in the challenge. We’re looking forward to supporting the charity more in the future!”

Clare’s amazing donation will go towards supporting patients receiving treatment and rehabilitation here.

Anne Hodgson, Community Fundraiser, The Walton Centre Charity, said: “I’m blown away by the fundraising Clare and her team have done for us. This incredible achievement means that unwell patients will have an enhanced level of rehabilitation when they need it most. I will be forever grateful to Clare and her colleagues for the difference this will make to patients.”

If you want to get involved in our charity and fundraise for The Walton Centre, go to www.thewaltoncentrecharity.org.

 

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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 Clare triumphs with over £25,000 raised in triathlon challenge for The Walton Centre Charity…

Congratulations to all our winners and nominees of our annual staff awards, held yesterday, Thursday 12 January.

Chief Executive Jan Ross and Chairman Max Steinberg CBE were joined by two Liverpool sporting legends Alan Stubbs and Tony Bellew to present the awards.

Jan said “I was incredibly proud presenting these special awards and delighted to see so many nominees take time out of their day to attend. We received more than 100 nominations, which is testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff demonstrated every single day.”

Huge congratulations to all of our nominees and our 2022 award winners:

·         Above and Beyond: Clinical Award – Terri Park, Sister, Chavasse Ward

·         Above and Beyond: Non-Clinical Award – Rachael Chadwick, Patient Support Assistant

·         Best Contribution to Learning – Neurovascular Multidisciplinary Team

·         Research and Innovation – Dr Heike Arndt, Registrar

·         Improving Patient and Family Experience Overall Winner – Neuro-oncology Multidisciplinary Team

·         Improving Patient and Family Experience Highly Commended – Stacy McGuinness, Physiotherapy Assistant

·         Employee of the Year – Abbie Birch, Staff Nurse, Cairns Ward

·         Good Catch of the Year - Emma Howard, Occupational Therapy Assistant; Stacy McGuinness, Physiotherapy Assistant; Rosie Lawson, Clerical Officer, Neurology; Jenny Gossage, Ward Manager

·         Team of the Year Overall Winner – Theatres

·         Team of the Year Highly Commended – Chavasse Ward

·         Patients' Choice – Jake Jackson, Healthcare Assistant, Lipton Ward

·         Chief Executive’s Lifetime Achievement Award Overall Winner – Judith Dennis, Medical Education Officer

·         Chief Executive's Lifetime Achievement Award Highly Commended – Julie Riley, Deputy Director of Strategy

 

Read Celebrating our amazing staff…