Latest news with #NWAFT
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Mental health patient treated with clozapine via virtual ward
An NHS hospital trust has said it could be the first in England to have treated a patient with an anti-psychotic medication while monitoring them mental health trust for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough said it treated the patient for schizophrenia with the drug were being monitored via a so-called virtual ward, where clinicians in the hospital keep track of the patient while they are at Dr Rajeev Krishnadas said the patient was "doing very well". The treatment was the result of a partnership between the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) - which oversees mental health services in the area - and the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT).Dr Krishnadas, from CPFT, said clozapine was "hugely under-prescribed" because it was usually difficult to monitor the patient after they had begun treatment."If this initial project continues to be a success, even more people will be able to access clozapine and get the help and support they need," he Deyo Okubadejo, clinical director for virtual wards at NWAFT, said: "This may also release some capacity for other patients who require urgent admission to a mental health ward from home or from an emergency department." Mixed success Virtual wards make use of video and other technology, such as wearable a patient receiving clozapine would need to stay in scheme was first trialled at Peterborough City Hospital in Health Foundation charity has pointed to the mixed success of virtual wards, with some areas struggling to access the right technology and one study finding that these "beds" could cost twice as much as a real hospital NHS describes psychosis as when people lose some contact with might involve seeing or hearing things that other people cannot see or hear – hallucinations - and believing things that are not actually true, known as delusions. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
North West Anglia NHS trust to cut costs and jobs to break even
Job losses are looming at an NHS trust as it looks to save £73.5m, documents have revealed. North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT) is also reducing the amount it spends on non-urgent latest annual plan has set out a 6.4% cost reduction in what is termed "elective activity".NWAFT's chief executive Hannah Coffey said: "We recognise the impact this may have, and we are committed to supporting staff members through these changes." The trust runs Peterborough City Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Hospital near Huntingdon and Stamford and Rutland Hospital - as well as community services at Doddington near March, the Princess of Wales Hospital in Ely - and North Cambridgeshire Hospital in Wisbech. "Elective activity" refers to planned, non-emergency healthcare services like surgery, outpatient appointments and diagnostic tests. The trust is seeking to break-even by the next financial year, according to the plan. It also "requires us to meet financial improvement targets of £73.5m" compared to the last financial would equate to more than 10% of its expenditure, according to the most recent published to NHS England, since 2018/19 non-clinical support costs have risen by 40%, or £1.85bn. Including pay and pensions, this figure rises to 56%.Ms Coffey confirmed that NHS providers were now expected to deliver a 50% reduction in the recent growth of their corporate costs before the end of December."We are agreeing a plan to deliver this requirement and are committed to doing so in an open and transparent way with our colleagues," she said. The number of job cuts planned by NWAFT is unclear and the trust did not provide a figure when asked. But the Annual Plan stated that it was planning a reduction in NHS infrastructure support staff, corporate and non-patient facing clinical stated there was a requirement to reduce infrastructure support staff by "50% of the growth between March 2020 and March 2025".BBC analysis of NHS workforce data suggests that could amount to about 124 posts within IT, estate and facilities management, and other roles. Food banks The trust is also looking to significantly reduce expenditure on bank and agency staff. One person, who described themselves as such a worker, told the BBC their shifts had been cut by 90% in some areas."Bank staff are so stressed with now having no money coming in, using food banks and worrying about bills and mortgages," they BBC has not been able to confirm these claims. Unison eastern regional organiser Rad Kerrigan said: "Across North West Anglia Hospitals, all staff are playing an important role in tackling waiting lists and providing quality care to patients. "The loss of more than 100 staff is bound to make that harder."The trust is taking a measured approach to the cuts, and trying hard to avoid redundancies, but vacancy freezes and other measures to reduce costs will still pile the pressure on frontline staff."The NHS needs real investment in staff to face up to the challenges ahead - job cuts simply aren't the way to go." Ms Coffey added: "Following successful recruitment drives in recent years, we have been able to reduce our vacancy rate across our hospitals. "This is helping us to meet the national requirement to reduce the use of bank and agency staff."In line with other NHS provider organisations, we are also required to reduce corporate cost growth by 50% since 2018/19. We are agreeing a plan to deliver this requirement and are committed to doing so in an open and transparent way with our colleagues. "We recognise the impact this may have, and we are committed to supporting staff members through these changes." Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Peterborough boxer death raises radiology concerns, coroner says
A coroner has said he is concerned there are not enough radiologists in England following the death of a 17-year-old amateur Hobbs died from an undiagnosed heart condition at Peterborough City Hospital on Boxing Day in an inquest, David Hemming said the urgency of his situation was "underappreciated" at a report, published last week, he pointed out that nothing was recorded "in the notes on assessment" of Christian's X-rays. "I have a concern over whether there are sufficient numbers of radiologists to cover the ever-increasing expansion of imaging as a key diagnostic tool," he listed 19 concerns he had relating to Christian's Hemming also wrote that he was concerned funding was not available to help increase awareness among healthcare staff of cardiogenic shock (CS).CS is a life-threatening condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to the brain. Christian Hobbs was a boarder at Rugby School in trained twice a week at the Heart of England Community Boxing Club in Hinckley, was amongst the "fittest" of men, according to his father who served for 10 years as an infantry officer in the Christmas Day he seemed well, but the following day, his grandfather - a retired consultant surgeon - noted that he had turned "morbidly white" and was "clammy".His grandfather could not find a radial pulse and measured a carotid pulse of parents took him to Peterborough City Hospital, arriving at 17:42 GMT, complaining of "chest tightness and vomiting".Just after 20:00 he went into cardiac arrest and CPR was started. At 23:45, with the family's consent, treatment stopped and he was pronounced dead.A post-mortem examination found he had arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, a rare condition which can cause the heart's walls to become weak. In his prevention of future deaths report, which followed the inquest that concluded in October, Mr Hemming said there had been a "number of instances in our coroner investigations" where there were issues surrounding radiology within the North West Anglia Foundation Trust (NWAFT).He also said: "The under appreciation by some staff of how critically unwell Christian was raises an issue on exchanges of information and team culture."Mr Heming highlighted reports by the Care Quality Commission in 2018 and 2019."There have now been a number of independent expert reviews in coronial investigations which have highlighted sub-optimal clinical care in fact-specific scenarios," he said."This is a concern and it is unclear as to whether there has been a deep dive audit [or] review to look at patterns [or] trends rather than simply looking at raw overall mortality data."He suggested there could be a lack of general awareness among parents of athletes regarding sudden cardiac death and how to spot red flag symptoms. A spokesperson from the NWAFT said it would review and respond to the report. The trust, alongside the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board and six national organisations, have until 2 June 2025 to provide details of action taken or proposed actions. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
08-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Cambridgeshire doctors honoured for pregnancy and baby loss care
Two doctors from the same NHS trust have been recognised for their work in supporting patients who have experienced baby loss and high-risk Rabia Zill-e-Huma and Lukasz Polanski from the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT) received separate honours in three national Zill-e-Huma, from Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, was recognised for providing exceptional care during the Covid-19 Dr Polanski, from Peterborough City Hospital, was honoured for his commitment, compassion, and contribution in supporting bereaved families. The two consultants were in competition with more than 100 other NHS trusts across the Majmudar, a maternity consultant at NWAFT, said: "The whole department and indeed the entire trust is so very proud of Dr Lukasz and Dr Rabia on their wonderful achievements and much deserved recognition for the excellent work they and their teams do in caring for, and supporting, so many patients who face anxious and difficult times." Dr Zill-e-Huma won a National Maternity Unit Marvels award having been nominated by a said she provided "supportive and excellent care" during a complex pregnancy that "resulted in a positive outcome".She was also named the East of England obstetrician of the year by the East of England Perinatal Maternity and Neonatal Care Polanski received special recognition at the Mariposa Awards. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
06-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Over-50s in Cambridgeshire urged to attend bowel cancer screening
A hospital trust in Cambridgeshire is urging people over the age of 50 to take advantage of a bowel cancer screening is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, and North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT) is promoting the importance of bowel health to visitors and patients at its hospitals in Peterborough and Research UK says bowel cancer is the fourth most common type, but Bowel Cancer UK says more than nine people in 10 can survive it when it is diagnosed teams at Peterborough City Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital are advising visitors about the screening process, explaining the symptoms of bowel cancer and offering information on screening kits. In addition, the trust is supporting a nationwide initiative which has seen the screening age for bowel cancer lowered to 50 in means everyone aged between 50 and 74 is eligible to receive an at-home easy to use testing kit as part of NHS England's screening programme. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
