Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust raising awareness of research
We recently held a Health Research Awareness Week as part of our ongoing commitment to clinical research. The week was launched on Monday 20 May to coincide with International Clinical Trials Day.
Research is a vital tool for the NHS. As well as testing new medicines and treatments, research can be used to test ways to help people change their behaviour or lifestyle such as educational programmes or psychological therapy.
The research projects that we are involved in vary from tissue viability to prisons research, telehealth, weight management, stroke and mental health to name a few. Throughout the week teams visited Wetherby Health Centre, Meanwood Health Centre and Kirkstall Medical Centre to promote research to both patients and staff.
Our awareness week and the national campaign ‘it’s Ok to ask’ aims to address the issue that many patients are unaware that they can help improve the NHS by being involved in clinical research.
In a recent consumer poll, only 21% of patients and the public said that they would feel confident asking their doctor about research opportunities. In many cases doctors will approach patients about taking part research, but the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) also wants to give patients and carers the confidence to ask health care professionals about local research they may be eligible for.
Monday 20 May 2013
Sunday 12 May 2013
A great day to celebrate nurses!
Today, Sunday 12 May 2013 is International Nurses day.
NHS Careers and the Florence Nightingale Foundation encourage everyone in the nursing profession to celebrate nursing and the amazing work nurses do by engaging with their local communities and telling them about their pride in their profession.
International Nurses Day is always celebrated on 12 May - Florence Nightingale's birthday.
In Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust we have many nurses who undertake a variety of roles in communities across Leeds - from district nurses, to community matrons, children's nurses, school nurses, specialist nurses in our range of clinics to nurses who deliver palliative care to people who would like to spend their last days at home. Today provides an opportunity to say a very special thank you to all our nurses for their hard work, commitment and dedication - thank you.
Now we must find a day to celebrate the work of allied health professionals as we have lots of those too!
NHS Careers and the Florence Nightingale Foundation encourage everyone in the nursing profession to celebrate nursing and the amazing work nurses do by engaging with their local communities and telling them about their pride in their profession.
International Nurses Day is always celebrated on 12 May - Florence Nightingale's birthday.
In Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust we have many nurses who undertake a variety of roles in communities across Leeds - from district nurses, to community matrons, children's nurses, school nurses, specialist nurses in our range of clinics to nurses who deliver palliative care to people who would like to spend their last days at home. Today provides an opportunity to say a very special thank you to all our nurses for their hard work, commitment and dedication - thank you.
Now we must find a day to celebrate the work of allied health professionals as we have lots of those too!
Friday 10 May 2013
Staff get training to help those who stammer
Health care reception staff in health centres run by Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust have been trained to help support people who have a stammer who visit the health centre for appointments.
Over 70 reception staff have been trained as they are often the first to greet patients when they enter the health centre and this first conversation can be a challenge for someone who stammers.
The training was delivered by the speech and language therapy team at the Stammering Support Centre and adults who stammer. It aims to support frontline staff by raising their awareness and understanding of stammering whilst dispelling common misconceptions around the cause of stammering. It included real life experiences of people who stammer and provided simple tips and suggestions for reception staff.
The team at the Stammering Support Centre are currently rolling out this training to NHS Speech and Language staff and volunteers from across Yorkshire and the Humber to implement similar training at their organisations.
The term 'stammering' covers a wide range of behaviours. A person may repeat, prolong or get blocked on a certain sound, syllable, word or phrase. Speech may also be interrupted with silent blocks, where no sound is made at all. Negative thoughts and feelings associated with stammering can sometimes result in a person avoiding difficult words or challenging speaking situations and can have a real impact on a person’s self esteem.
Some of the tips from the training event were:
- Be patient as most people who have a stammer prefer to speak for themselves and find it frustrating when others try to finish words or sentences
- Try not to give advice such as “slow down” or “take a breath” although it can be helpful to reassure them that there is no rush
- Make eye contact to show you are listening
- Convey a relaxed and accepting attitude
- Avoid asking the speaker to repeat something they have struggled to say
- Everyone is an individual, some may be uncomfortable talking about their speech issues while others may welcome your respectful interest.
Over 70 reception staff have been trained as they are often the first to greet patients when they enter the health centre and this first conversation can be a challenge for someone who stammers.
The training was delivered by the speech and language therapy team at the Stammering Support Centre and adults who stammer. It aims to support frontline staff by raising their awareness and understanding of stammering whilst dispelling common misconceptions around the cause of stammering. It included real life experiences of people who stammer and provided simple tips and suggestions for reception staff.
The team at the Stammering Support Centre are currently rolling out this training to NHS Speech and Language staff and volunteers from across Yorkshire and the Humber to implement similar training at their organisations.
The term 'stammering' covers a wide range of behaviours. A person may repeat, prolong or get blocked on a certain sound, syllable, word or phrase. Speech may also be interrupted with silent blocks, where no sound is made at all. Negative thoughts and feelings associated with stammering can sometimes result in a person avoiding difficult words or challenging speaking situations and can have a real impact on a person’s self esteem.
Some of the tips from the training event were:
- Be patient as most people who have a stammer prefer to speak for themselves and find it frustrating when others try to finish words or sentences
- Try not to give advice such as “slow down” or “take a breath” although it can be helpful to reassure them that there is no rush
- Make eye contact to show you are listening
- Convey a relaxed and accepting attitude
- Avoid asking the speaker to repeat something they have struggled to say
- Everyone is an individual, some may be uncomfortable talking about their speech issues while others may welcome your respectful interest.
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