Affinity Healthcare

Middleton St George Hospital is pleased to announce that it will one of a number of agreed venues for the delivery of the IHM Managing Complaints for Service Improvement programme; the first programme due to commence Spring 2008.

In 2007, the Healthcare Commission reported in its Spotlight on Complaints that there had been around 100,000 written complaints made, the majority being handled professionally but with a lack of consistency regarding patient experience. It was identified that complaints often remain unresolved due in part to an absence of investigative skills among staff.

The IHM response to this essential area of practice improvement is to support Complaints Managers through the development and supply of relevant learning to enable them to maximise organisational learning and service improvement through Complaints Management mechanisms and to offer them Associate Membership of IHM whilst they study. This has resulted in the support of local conferences, to hear the voice of Complaints Managers, and in the promotion of the Managing Complaints for Service Improvement programme and associated Milestones programmes. The IHM is keeping the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Healthcare Commission closely involved in its developments.

The programme is spread across 8 - 9 months requiring attendance for one day per month (with month 2 requiring attendance on 2 consecutive days). This programme has been designed to increase the competence and effectiveness of staff that manage complaints by using Enquiry and Work Based Learning. It is the only accredited qualification available and will be accredited by Middlesex University at level 6 (degree); with participants being awarded 20 credits on successful completion of assessments and minimum attendance of 75%.

The total programme cost is £800 inclusive

More detailed information on the programme can be viewed on the IHM website -http://www.ihm.org.uk/professional-development-learning/programmes/mcfsi .

Enquiries regarding enrolment on the Middleton St George Hospital Programme should be addressed to Dave Parkes, Quality Officer on 01325 333192 Extn 1961 or via email dparkes@affinityhealth.co.uk.

Did you ever work for Cheadle Royal Hospital or Cheadle Royal Industries in the 1980’s or 1990’s and pay into the Hospitals final salary pension scheme?

If this is the case and you have not been in contact with the Hospital or with Cheadle Royal Industries for a long time you could be entitled to a benefit from the Cheadle Royal Hospital Pension Fund (the “Fund”). The Fund commenced wind up with effect from 15th September 2005. Both the Hospital and trustees of the Fund are trying to contact all members of the Fund who have not yet been contacted about the winding-up.

If you believe you have any interest, claim or entitlement in the Fund please write and provide documentary evidence of your membership, interest, claim or entitlement to:

The Trustees of the Cheadle Royal Hospital Pension Fund,
c/o Kevin Stempien,
Mercer Ltd,
52 Westgate House,
Westgate,
Chichester,
PO19 3HF

or telephone: 01243 522565

Addicted To Asda - Help Information

Following on from Channel 5 program Beat It - Addicted To Asda - Head of Psychology John McGovern offers the following links for help and support.

Help For Compulsive Shoppers

New Unit - Adolescent Low Secure Picu - opening Spring 2007

We are opening a new adolescent low secure PICU in Spring this year to compliment our existing open service for young people. We will integrate our open and secure settings within one over-arching Young People's service. Our consultants and multi-disciplinary team will work across both services, facilitating seamless planning and delivery of care to young people when they move between units.

We have a number of oppurtunities within this new service. Please visit the jobs section of this website for more details.

Affinity Healthcare supports National Men's Health Week - Men and mental well being

The Men's Health Forum's annual campaign "National Men's Health Week" takes place between 12th and 18th June. The theme for this year will be men and mental wellbeing.

Cheadle Royal Hospital will be supporting the event and will be in Merseyway Shopping centre on Friday 16th June to raise awareness and focus on particular health issues that can be tackled by highlighting and encouraging good practice in a variety of settings such as the workplace and the community.

Areas to be highlighted will include:

Mental well being
Diet and nutrition
Sexual Health
Stress
Physical health

Staff will be available for advice and guidance on all health issues facing men.

Developments for Middleton St George Hospital

Affinity Healthcare have announced plans for a new mental health service dedicated to females at Middleton St George Hospital site

The service comprises an 11 bedded psychiatric intensive care unit for women with complex needs and a 15 bedded low secure rehabilitation ward for onward therapeutic rehabilitation and recovery. This service will complement the existing male intensive care, low secure and continuing care rehabilitation services on the hospital campus.

Building is well underway and it is envisaged that the service will open at the end of 2006.

Affinity supporting charities

Affinity Healthcare employees have helped raise over £3,000 for a number of charities over the past six months.

Charities that have benefited from fundraising events have included Children's charity SPARKS, Sport Relief, Breast Cancer UK and Children in Need.

Employees across both sites showed their support for October's Think Pink day in aid of Cancer Research UK. Staff were encouraged to sport a pink item of clothing and raffles, quizzes and other events took place.

Recently employees and patients at Middleton St George help raise over pound;700 for Children in Need, with an auction, competitions, raffles and quizzes. One brave employee even shaved off her locks in aid of charity.

Affinity Healthcare employees vow to continue their support for charity and aim to raise even more funds in the next six months.

NAPICU Conference ‘Why are Women Special’ Gender-Specific Psychiatric Intensive Care Services

Wednesday 16th May 2007 Ballroom - Cheadle Royal Hospital 10am - 4pm

Programme

9.30am – 10.00am	Registration
10.00am	Welcome and Chair’ Opening Remarks
	Chairman - Dr Mark Spurrell, Medical Director of Cheadle Royal Hospital
10.15am – 10.30am	Damien Brennan Subject to be included
10.30am – 11.00am	Pankhurst – Female PICU
	‘The First 100 Patients’
	Dr Ben Green Consultant Psychiatrist Cheadle Royal Hospital
11.00am – 11.30am	Coffee
11.30am – 1.00pm	Case Study Presentations and Panel Discussion
	Case Study 1 - Kristof Seaton – Pharmacist
	Case Study 2 - John McGovern Head of Psychology, Cheadle Royal Hospital
	Case Study 3 – tbc MRI team
1.00pm – 2.00pm	Lunch
2.00pm – 2.15pm	2007 NAPICU Annual conference, David Ridgers title?
2.15pm – 3.00pm	Debate
	‘Gender-Specific PICU Services
	Evidence-Based or Fashionable Concept’
	For - Debbie Turner Cheadle Royal Hospital Matty Byrne Merseycare Against – Dave McCluskey Wythenshawe Hospital PICU Ward Manager
3.00pm	Summary and Closing Remarks
	Chairman – Dr Mark Spurrell
3.30pm	Close

Health Outcomes and Commissioning Services Conference & Workshop - 13th June

Cheadle Royal Hospital hosts a one day conference and workshop on Health Outcomes and Commissioning Services.

11.00am on Wednesday 13th June 2007 at Cheadle Royal Hospital, Cheadle.

For full Conference Programme details and fees please contact Kirsty Rootes on 0161 495 4946 krootes@affinityhealth.co.uk.