This week, I would like to welcome our new junior doctors as they settle into their roles during August.
Some of them have already spent a week shadowing in our clinical departments before they officially start in their roles.
Lectures, practical training sessions and peer-to-peer teaching are part of the induction process, as well as social events to help new and existing trainees to get to know each other.
Many of our Educational Leads deliver speciality induction programmes too, which ensures that trainees are well-equipped to start work in their department.
A huge amount of work takes place behind the scenes to welcome junior doctors into our Trust, with multiple departments involved in the process, and I thank them for all their efforts.
Last Monday also saw the launch of a brand-new Healthy Pregnancy Support Service (HPSS) for women using our maternity care services. This dedicated team will be able to support with quitting smoking, ensuring they have a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and accessing their vaccinations during pregnancy.
HPSS helps pregnant women understand the health benefits of quitting smoking for their baby and themselves. It can offer one-to-one support with an assigned practitioner, a friendly non-judgmental service and tailored professional advice.
Women with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 and above are at greater risk of a variety of pregnancy-related complications and complications in labour. This service can give you advice and support about healthy weight gain and lifestyle choices in pregnancy.
Support offered to mums-to-be includes six face-to-face sessions with a healthy lifestyle advisor, offered in the comfort of your own home; the opportunity to create a food diary and look at possible healthier alternatives or different food options specifically suited to your needs and lifestyle.
If you would like any help with healthy eating, physical activity, or quitting smoking through pregnancy then your midwife will arrange for a referral to our HPSS at your booking appointment.The team can also be contacted on 01952 565732.
Our hospitals are extremely busy and services remain under pressure, so if you are thinking about attending A&E please consider whether our emergency department is the right place to go for the care you need.
A&E is for genuinely life-threatening emergencies – for example chest pains or severe bleeding or burns. If you have a life-threatening illness or injury please continue to dial 999.
But if your condition is not life-threatening, please think of the different treatment options available and visit your local pharmacy or NHS 111 online which will advise you where to go for advice or treatment. More details are available are on our website www.sath.nhs.uk
Applications are still open to be part of Speciality Patient Experience Group at the Trust and help shape our future services. We would love to hear from those patients and carers who have accessed services within the Trust during 2021/2022.
If this sounds like you this is an exciting opportunity to become part of Speciality Patient Experience groups at our Trust and share with us their valuable insight and perspective. The areas covered include medicine, emergency, surgery, women’s health, maternity, and children and young people, support services and corporate services.
Representatives of these groups will work with our services across the specialities to represent the voice of hospital patients.
For more information on the role and recruitment process please email sath.patientexperience@nhs.net or contact 01743 261000 ext 3032.