News

The Walton Centre has been recognised by Muscular Dystrophy UK for providing outstanding care for people with muscle-wasting conditions.

The specialist neuroscience Trust was awarded Centre of Clinical Excellence status by the charity, alongside 16 other centres across the UK. The award recognises excellence across a range of criteria, including the care received by patients, and helps to drive up the standards of clinical support for people with muscle-wasting conditions.

Neuromuscular Service Lead Dr James Holt and Consultant Neurologist Charlotte Dougan said: “The team are delighted to receive recognition of excellence for the comprehensive Neuromuscular Service, which includes our pioneering multidisciplinary neuromuscular clinics.

“The service is a well-established, comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic service with a range of subspecialist interests in peripheral nerve, muscle & neuromuscular junction disorders. We are hoping to grow with a number of projects to increase research and the benefits to patients. This award will galvanise the team to keep striving for excellence!”

Director of Campaigns, Care and Support at Muscular Dystrophy UK Rob Burley said: “We would like to congratulate The Walton Centre, which has deservedly been awarded Centre of Clinical Excellence status.

“The Trust provides a comprehensive service for people with muscle-wasting conditions and promotes best practice, ensuring patients have access to the best possible healthcare near where they live. Improved clinical care means faster access to treatments and potential cures.

“As the leading charity improving standards in muscle centres, we want to make sure everyone living with a muscle-wasting condition gets excellent care. We will continue to work withThe Walton Centre and other centres to ensure this ambition is realised.”

In the UK, 70,000 people have a rare or ultra-rare muscle-wasting condition. With just over one in every 1,000 people affected, many health professionals may never come across anyone with a muscle-wasting condition or know much about them.

The Centres of Excellence awards review began in 2012 and takes place every three years. It involves a rigorous assessment of services by experts, with a panel of health professionals and patient representatives developing the criteria for the awards. Patients’ views were also gathered as part of the review process. 

 

Read The Walton Centre has been awarded Centre of Clinical Excellence status by Muscular Dystrophy UK…

Professionals from a number of different backgrounds gathered at The Walton Centre today to celebrate five years of the Cheshire and Merseyside Rehabilitation Network (CMRN).

The Walton Centre, which hosts the network, held a showcase event this week to highlight the different aspects of the network. A number of activities took place on the day, including a market place showcasing the network, presentations from recovering patients and interactive sessions.

The CMRN was set up five years ago after it was recognised that by improving the trauma pathway in the region, a new pathway for patients with complex rehabilitation need was needed.

A number of specialities are involved in the network, from a range of therapists to hyper acute nursing staff. The CMRN is the first of its kind in England, providing a coordinated pathway of care from hospital to community, which can be accessed by patients at any point in their rehabilitation journey. The network is dedicated to specialist rehabilitation based on need, not diagnosis, following traumatic injury or illness.

During the event patients and staff with experience of the network shared stories and learning about how much the network has changed since it began. There were also interactive sessions, where visitors could experience activities such as art and animal-assisted therapy – both widely used in the network. 

Network Manager Alison Price said: “It’s been fantastic to celebrate the network in this way! Everyone attending took something away from the event – be it an amazing patient story or a way of working that can be applied to their work within the network.

“The network is all about helping patients get the right treatment, rehabilitation and ultimately as much independence as possible to live as close to normal lives as possible. Here’s to another five years!”

David Holt from St Helens told visitors his story in a presentation at the beginning of the day. He contracted Guillian-Barré Syndrome in January 2018. He said: “It’s [the network] very good. They’ve done everything they can to help me. They’ve worked together to get me back on the road to normality.

“It would’ve been a lot harder without them! I don’t know where I would’ve gone or what to do.”

For more information about the Cheshire and Merseyside Rehabilitation Network, go to https://www.cmrehabnetwork.nhs.uk/.

 

Read The Cheshire and Merseyside Rehabilitation Network celebrates five year anniversary…

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust excelled once again in the latest Patient-led Assessment of Care Environment (PLACE) inspection.

PLACE is a system for assessing the quality of a patient environment. Members of the public are invited into patient and visitor areas to put the hospital through its paces. PLACE assessments look at:

·         privacy and dignity

·         food

·         cleanliness

·         general building maintenance

·         how well the needs of patients with dementia are met

·         how well the needs of patients with a disability are met 

The Walton Centre’s average across the six main domains of the assessment was 96.23% which made it the third highest performing specialist Trust in the country and gave it a ranking of 15^th out of all NHS Trusts across England.

Its results were over 7% higher than the national average.

Lisa Salter, Director of Nursing was delighted with the results. She said: “Year on year we consistently achieve outstanding results in our PLACE assessments and this is absolutely fantastic news for our patients who know they can expect the very best from us.

“The Walton Centre has achieved incredibly high marks over the past five PLACE assessments. It’s testament to the hard work of staff who work incredibly hard to ensure patients and their families receive the best care and have the best experiences when visiting our hospital.”

The hospital works closely with catering contractor ISS to ensure the food served at the hospital is consistently high quality. The service provides hundreds of different meal choices and makes hot food available at any time of the day for patients.

ISS General Manager James Gibney said: “ISS works shoulder to shoulder with The Walton Centre and it couldn’t be a better partnership. The scores are proof of this. It’s an incredible set of scores and a fantastic national position which I think everyone here can be truly proud of.”

To ensure the test is as impartial as it can be, members of the public who take part in the assessment fill out confidential questionnaires.   

The PLACE assessments are managed nationally by NHS Digital Workforce & Estates.

 

Read Top marks for The Walton Centre in latest government food & hygiene ratings…

The Walton Centre is up for an award from the Nursing Times Workforce Summit Awards, for work on staff retention and satisfaction.

The specialist neurosciences Trust is shortlisted in the ‘Best place to work for employee satisfaction’. The Trust was highlighted for reducing staff turnover to 12%, meaning less nurses are leaving to work at other hospitals. This work has also reduced the pressure on nursing teams and boosted morale on wards and clinical areas.

The Nursing Times Workforce Awards recognise and reward the excellent work that is being done by employers to support the nursing and midwifery workforce. Co-located with the Workforce Summit, this one-day event will stimulate discussion, inspire and reward organisations for excellence in supporting the future of the health and care workforce.

Director of Nursing and Governance Lisa Salter said: “I’m delighted that The Walton Centre has been shortlisted; it’s a fantastic achievement in itself! We’ve worked hard to improve retention and opportunities for nursing staff over the last year, so to be recognised in this way is encouraging.”

The nomination also mentions the positive outcomes of new ways the Trust has developed of working and giving staff the opportunity to extend their skills in a specialist environment. As a result of these efforts, all nursing vacancies have been filled to date, sickness rates have decreased and staff retention has increased significantly.

The Trust is up against the likes of University College London Hospitals FT and projects from Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership Trust. The winners will be announced on 4 October at a ceremony at the Grange Tower Bridge Hotel in London.

A full list of awards and finalists can be found at: https://workforce.nursingtimes.net

Read Walton staff nominated for ‘Best Place to Work’ in Nursing Times Awards…

New figures reveal there were 22 lifesaving organ donors at The Walton Centre last year, helping the UK reach its highest ever number of donors.(1)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and The Walton Centre have released the figures to mark the publication of the annual Transplant Activity Report today (Monday, July 9). The new figures show The Walton Centre has some of the highest donor numbers in England.

The report reveals there is growing support for organ donation around the country. Nationally, there was a record number of organ donors, with 1574 people saving lives through deceased organ donation over the last year.

A decade ago, there were nine donors at the Trust, showing a sharp increase in support from local families.

However the overall national shortage of donors remains and there is an urgent need for more people to support donation. Around three people still die every day in need of a donated organ but many people have never told their relatives they want to save lives.

Medical Director of The Walton Centre Andrew Nicolson said: “Organ donation is a lifesaver in many cases across the UK. The increase shows that more people are talking to their loved ones about their wishes, and families are listening to them, which is an important step. It’s a testament to the team at The Walton Centre and staff across the wider NHS, who are working with families to support donation and give the gift of life to other people and their families.”                                                         

Sally Johnson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to The Walton Centre and all the brave and generous families who agreed to donate their loves one’s organs for lifesaving transplants.

“Organ donation is the only hope for many desperately ill people. We know many families feel a sense of pride and comfort from their decision to save lives through organ donation. We want more people to have that opportunity to save lives.”

There are currently over 915,000 people from Cheshire and Merseyside on the NHS Organ Donor Register, and over 2.5 million in the North West.(2)

Tell your family you want to save lives through organ donation and join the NHS Organ Donor Register at www.organdonation.nhs.uk

Read The Walton Centre named one of the top organ donation centres in the country…

The anaesthetic department at the Walton Centre has received the Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA)from the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) at a ceremony on 1 February.

ACSA is the RCoA’s peer-reviewed scheme which promotes quality improvement and the highest standards of anaesthetic service. To receive accreditation, departments demonstrated a high standard in areas such as patient experience, patient safety and clinical leadership.

The Walton Centre’s anaesthetic department is the eighth in the North of England and the seventeenth in the UK to receive the prestigious accreditation.

Dr Sandeep Lakhani, Clinical Director of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, the Walton Centre, said: 

“Engaging with the ACSA process unified the whole department in working towards a common goal of ensuring high quality and safe service delivery for our patients. Like a domino effect, it also influenced our theatre staff and specialist nurses to evaluate their practice and ensure the highest standards of care.

“We were really impressed with the thorough but friendly nature of the ACSA review process and are immensely proud to have achieved ACSA accreditation.”

Dr Liam Brennan, President of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, said: “Patient safety is at the heart of ACSA, and the achievement and maintenance of ACSA’s robust standards encourage departments to constantly improve the care they provide. I would like to personally congratulate the anaesthetists at the Walton Centre for their commitment to providing the best possible care for their patients.”

 

Read The Walton Centre receives ACSA accreditation…

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, the UK’s only hospital to specialise in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services, has been awarded the coveted Investors in People Gold accreditation for the second time in a row.

Investors in People is the international standard for people management, testing organisations against a rigorous framework for best practice in the workplace. The Liverpool Trust is the first NHS organisation in the North of England to earn the IIP Gold accolade with the latest version of the standard.

Director of Workforce Mike Gibney said: “This success was only made possible thanks to the hard work of staff across the hospital. We want The Walton Centre to be a fantastic place to work, and I think this reflects what we’ve achieved so far.

“This is a superb achievement that reflects the dedication of teams across the organisation, and the supportive friendly culture that we’ve created. Not only does this make The Walton Centre a great place to work, but it also contributes to making a safe and caring environment for our patients to be treated in.”

The detailed report from the assessors described staff in all job roles being motivated to deliver the highest standards and that they are driven by the hospital’s values: pride, dignity, respect, caring and openness.

Comments from staff interviewed for the assessment included: “I am so happy here – I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else” and “because it’s so well organised you have a lot more time to interact with patients”.

Paul Devoy, Head of Investors in People, said: “We’d like to congratulate The Walton Centre - Investors in People Gold accreditation is the sign of a great employer, an outperforming place to work and a clear commitment to success. The hospital should be extremely proud of their achievement.”

 

Read The Walton Centre achieves second gold award from Investors in People…

The Walton Centre - Liverpool’s specialist brain and spine hospital - is the first specialist NHS trust in the country to be rated as outstanding without any areas deemed as needing improvement.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust received the top rating following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission earlier this year.

In examining trusts, inspectors ask five key questions: is the trust safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

The Walton Centre is one of only nine trusts in England to receive an overall ‘outstanding’ mark and is only the second specialist NHS trust nationally to be given this rating. Both trusts are in Liverpool. Liverpool’s Heart and Chest Hospital also received an outstanding rating from the independent health and social care regulator.

The result follows on from a number of significant achievements. The hospital, dedicated to providing neurosurgery and care for patients with neurology, pain and spinal conditions, is already in the Nursing Times’ top 10 for nursing care.

It also ranks as one of the top 10 places to work in the NHS by the Health Service Journal and was named as an exemplar in Health and Wellbeing for the rest of the NHS and an NHS vanguard site after it put forward a bid to pioneer a new way of working that will benefit patients.

The Walton Centre, which provides a neuroscience service for the whole of the region, also has Investors in People Gold status – a quality kite mark which reflects the Trust’s commitment to its workforce and their development.

Inspectors who visited the specialist brain and spine hospital earlier this year saw several areas of outstanding practice, including its work in research, radiology, critical care and rehabilitation.

Chief Executive of The Walton Centre Chris Harrop said: “This is a fantastic result which tells patients that when they come to The Walton Centre they are getting the very best possible care.

“It’s simply astounding what we have achieved together recently. We are in the Nursing Times’ top 10 for nursing care. We also hold Investors in People Gold because of our commitment to our staff. We are leading the way in several areas of care including trauma, rehabilitation and the management of complex pain.

“I am overwhelmed by the commitment our staff give so willingly to help patients and pioneer new ways of working so that patients can access the best care, the best treatments and have the best possible outcome. They deserve this recognition.

“We work as a team at The Walton Centre and this outstanding rating is the result of a joint effort. Everybody has played their part; staff, volunteers, governors, partners, commissioners, our wider Walton Centre family in our satellite clinics and the patients themselves who guide us in what we do.

“This is great news for The Walton Centre and also for Cheshire and Merseyside as a whole and our patients in north Wales. This result not only reflects the care we deliver but it is broader than that, it reflects the way we provide care, commission services and work with other trusts. An outstanding rating is acknowledgment that we are providing the best care to patients in Liverpool and beyond but also that we are part of a successful wider health system that is working together for patients.”

Consultant Neurosurgeon at the hospital Paul May, who last month became the President of the Society of British Neuro Surgeons, added: “The Walton Centre is an outstanding trust. This Trust has a history of delivering the best care and this is further evidence that we are getting it right for patients. We are not only known locally for being a centre of excellence but have a national and international reputation for being the best at what we do. And this, as always, is driven by our desire to deliver the best outcomes for patients.”

The CQC published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.

A team of more than 30 CQC inspectors, made up of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals, visited to inspect the services provided by the Trust.

The CQC also sought the views of patients who had used the services, external partners and examined data to develop a detailed understanding of the culture, leadership and the quality of care delivered.

The report highlighted several areas of outstanding practice:

Rehabilitation: The Walton Centre was praised for the way it involves families and patients in their care. Inspectors highlighted a garden area at the hospital which families use and garden with patients going through rehabilitation. The Walton Centre’s networked approach to rehabilitation was also said to be an example of outstanding practice. The hub and spoke model that sees the specialist hospital work with district general hospitals and community units allows the patient to be cared for in the most appropriate setting and speeds up the rehabilitation process.

Research:The Trust has received a Certificate of Recognition Excellence for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) for work in promoting the benefits of clinical research, and encouraging recruitment of patients into clinical trials. In 2014 to 2015, the trust increased their proportion of NIHR studies from 39 to 56 studies compared to the previous year which was more than any other trust in the region.

Diagnostics: The Walton Centre has a ‘claustrophobia clinic’ for patients who need an MRI scan but cannot go through a conventional scanner because of their fear of confined spaces. Patients use a scanner with a wider bore hole and are given one-to-one support from the radiographer who talks them through the process.

Critical Care: The Critical Care team was highlighted for using an electronic system which identifies the need for appropriate risk assessments to be undertaken for patients. This ensures that patients are assessed in a timely manner by providing a visual aid to staff via a television screen in the main area of the unit.

Walton Willow: The Trust was highlighted for introducing a memorial tree called The Walton Willow. A Gift of Life Commemoration event takes place annually so families can remember patients who donated organs by placing a leaf, bearing their name, on the tree.

Home from Home: The Walton Centre has developed a ‘Home from Home’ facility so families who live far afield can be close to loved ones. The accommodation, which inspectors said was of a high standard, is paid for and supported by The Walton Centre Charity.

Multi-disciplinary working: Inspectors commented that there was a well-established multidisciplinary team approach that was seen as integral to the critical care service. There were regular meetings through the day with staff from other departments, internally and externally.

Theatres: An interactive theatre live tracking system (TIMS) was another area of outstanding practice, highlighted by inspectors as an innovative system which allowed live tracking of patients through their theatre journey and consultants to book their own patients on to theatre lists while in clinic.

Vanguard site: The trust was highlighted for being an NHS vanguard. The Walton Centre is pioneering new ways of caring for patients that will lead to more people with long term neurology conditions being able to access a wider remit of services outside of the main hospital site, closer to home.

Key findings from the CQC report

·         There were many examples where staff had ‘gone the extra mile’ to support patient’s individual needs showing determination and creativity to overcome difficulties when delivering care.

·         Patients received compassionate care and their privacy and dignity were maintained.

·         Patients told us that staff were caring, kind and respected their wishes. We saw staff interactions with people that were person-centred.

·         All areas we inspected were visibly clean and well organised. The trust was rated as the overall top acute trust in England in relation to the patient-led assessments of the care environment (PLACE) in 2015. The trust scored 99% for cleanliness and 98% for condition, appearance and maintenance.

·         Medical treatment was delivered by skilled and committed medical staff.

·         NHS Friends and Family Test (NHS FFT) results showed that the trust consistently scored above 95%, which was better than the England average, indicating that most patients were positive about recommending the trust to their friends and family.

·         There was a positive culture throughout the trust. Staff were proud to work for the trust and proud of the services they provided. 

The full report is available on the CQC's website.

Summary of The Walton Centre's achievements

Health Service Journal (HSJ) Best Places to Work 2015: The Walton Centre was among the top 10 NHS employers

·         Investors in People (IIP) Gold Award for People Management

·         Investors in People (IIP) Health and Wellbeing Award

·         The Nursing Times 2015: top ten hospitals nationally for overall nursing care

·         HSJ Awards 2015: winner Specialised Service Redesign (Cheshire and Merseyside Specialist Rehabilitation Network)

·         HSJ Awards 2015: shortlisted Provider Trust of the Year

·         Transitional Care Empowerment Programme Award 2015: Epilepsy Team

·         Navajo Merseyside & Cheshire LGBT Charter Mark

·         Encephalitis Society Exceptional Service Award 2015: Chavasse Ward

·         Havelock Award 2014: Finance department

·         Building Better Healthcare Award 2015 ‘Best Sustainable Development’: Sid Watkins Building

·         Healthcare Estates Award 2015 ‘Project of the Year’: Sid Watkins Building

·         NHS Learning from Mistakes League Table (for openness and transparency): Outstanding

 

Read CQC rates The Walton Centre as Outstanding…