The Urgent Treatment Centre, located at Wycombe Hospital, was officially opened by Mayor of High Wycombe Cllr Sarfaraz Khan Raja last week. The opening ceremony was held on Thursday evening (6 December) with guests invited to hear more about the service and take a tour.

BHT supports its EU staff and recognises their contribution to the delivery of safe and compassionate care to patients across Buckinghamshire.

In an article published in the national publication ‘Nursing Times’ last week, Buckinghamshire Healthcare Trust’s Deputy Chief Nurse, Edmund Tabay explained how he was ‘taught from a very early age how to be resilient’. This is a trait that has stood him in good stead while building his nursing career to become the highest-ranking Filipino nurse in the UK.

Over the years we have made changes to our department to improve the care we give our patients. There are various ways we seek feedback to look at the impact of these. However, none are more valuable than the thoughts and ideas of our patients, the people that we are here to care for. This event is an opportunity for you to hear our journey as an Emergency Department but more importantly, a chance to tell us what you think.

atients in Buckinghamshire are set to benefit from safer and more convenient prescriptions thanks to more than £1.6 million in the initial roll-out of funding for state-of-art technology. The Health Minister Stephen Hammond announced the trusts due to receive a share of £78million national funding to support the increased use of electronic prescribing and medicines administration (ePMA).

At 7.30pm, Tuesday 4 December 2018 our friends and partners in Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio (SMHR) celebrated exactly 40 years on air. To mark the occasion volunteers at the station (past and present) got together for a celebration with SMHR patron Ken Bruce, voice of the X Factor Peter Dickson and local celebrity Tony Hadley.

A red bag packed with key medical information and personal belongings will accompany care home residents who are transferred to hospital by ambulance and will return to the care home with them once they are well enough to go home. The Red Bag scheme was launched across Buckinghamshire in November 2018, as a collaboration between the Trust, Bucks County Council and Bucks NHS Clinical Commissioning Group it has been funded by Buckinghamshire Integrated Care System (ICS).

Make sure you stock up on any medicines you need in advance of Christmas. Find out the opening times of local pharmacies over the Christmas 2018-2019 holiday period.

As part of the NHS five-year forward view, NHS Trusts have been working towards meeting a set of national clinical standards seven days a week. Since 2016, we have undertaken twice yearly self–assessment surveys the latest of which was undertaken in April-May 2018. Once again, the survey showed that we achieved outstanding results, consistently meeting the four priority clinical standards and recognised as one of the Trusts achieving the highest levels of compliance in the country.

Ruth Peachment, an Occupational Therapy Clinical Specialist in the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, is one of only two judges from the UK forming part of the international panel of assessors for the Toyota Mobility Challenge. The judging takes place this week, 28-30 November 2018, with finalists announced in January 2019.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust staff celebrated local healthcare heroes at the annual staff awards on Friday 16 November. The ceremony was held at the Gateway in Aylesbury, with live music and a catwalk for the winners to strut their stuff down. Individuals and teams were recognised for going the extra mile in delivering safe and compassionate care for patients both in hospitals and across local communities.

Around the world, 15 million babies are born prematurely, that’s one in ten babies being born premature every year and one million of these will not survive. Sadly, prematurity is the leading cause of death in children under five.

Are you pregnant or have you given birth in Buckinghamshire in the last two years? At Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust we want to deliver maternity care that gives you choices and is personalised to your needs. Come along to one of our workshops to tell us about your experiences

Norovirus, also known as the ‘winter vomiting bug’, is commonplace within the community at this time of year and is currently circulating. Please follow our advice to help stop the spread of this bug.

On World Sight Day the Trust ophthalmology department hosted a workshop on Age-related Macular Degeneration. The workshop considered how we can design local services which continue to be resilient, responsive and patient-centred as the number of people with age-related macular degeneration – a common eye condition which causes vision loss - increases.

The work of teams from the National Spinal Injuries Centre has been well-represented over the last month with teams showcasing their expertise and sharing knowledge with peers in Australia and in Europe.

Research and innovation team won 4 awards and 1 highly commended at the Thames Valley and South Midlands Clinical Research Network Awards

A landmark new report published today by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) - National Mortality Case Record Review (NMCRR): Annual report 2018 - reveals how hospitals and trusts, including Buckinghamshire Healthcare Trust, are using a standardised review approach to learn from adult acute deaths and improve patient care.

Five alpacas from Buckinghamshire animal therapy charity Animal Antiks paid a visit to Florence Nightingale Hospice last week, delighting patients attending day hospice and staying in the inpatient unit.

Bucks HSC Ventures is a virtual health and social care innovation programme hosted by Buckinghamshire New University. The programme is accepting applications up until 5th October for its first round of support for people or organisations with proposals.

Great to hear the news announced today by the team at Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio (SMHR) that Ken Bruce, broadcaster on BBC Radio 2, is to become patron of the hospital radio station.

On Sunday 9 September Horatio's Garden Charity invited a group of special guests to joined with patients and staff to officially celebrate the completion of the Horatio’s Garden project at the National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Are you pregnant or have you given birth in Buckinghamshire in the last year? If so we want to hear from you. Every woman, every pregnancy, every baby and every family is different. Please take a few minutes to complete our short survey. Your answers will help shape the future of maternity services in Buckinghamshire!

A list of local pharmacy opening times over the August 2018 bank holiday weekend plus advice on the different services available if in need of urgent care.

The deadline for nominations for this year’s staff awards is fast approaching - 24 August 2018. So, if you haven’t already done so, please make sure you celebrate the people you think are BHT superstars by nominating them for one of our annual staff awards.

Showing appreciation to our 450 volunteers for all the work they do by hosting thank you parties at Amhersham, Wycombe and Stoke Mandeville hospitals.

1-7 August is World Breastfeeding Week with the theme ‘Breastfeeding is the foundation of lifelong good health for babies and mothers’. Find out more about the support we provide for all new mums on their breastfeeding journey.

On Saturday 28 July 2018 the Trust held its first ever open day. The event took place in and around the education centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Members of the public were invited to come along to learn more about healthcare in Buckinghamshire. Staff from the Trust, along with key healthcare partners from across the county, including colleagues from the police, fire and ambulance services, showcased their services and were on hand to discuss their work.

Congratulations to our CARE award winners from May and June 2018. The Trust monthly CARE awards recognise individuals and teams who go to extraordinary lengths to deliver the Trust’s values. Members of staff can be nominated by the community they care for or by colleagues and peers and awards are made in four categories that align with Trust values.

The Trust and the Buckinghamshire CCG are celebrating the NHS’s 70th birthday by inviting the public, staff, friends and family to an open day festival and joint annual general meeting (AGM) at Stoke Mandeville Hospital on Saturday 28 July 11am-3pm. The open day will enable people to go behind the scenes at the hospital and enjoy live entertainment, food and free fun activities for the whole family.

I was born in 1964 with an extremely rare congenital abnormality of my left hand and arm which meant that when I was 18 months I was admitted to Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Buckinghamshire to have two fingers amputated and the start of what was to be a journey of surgery and hospital stays that would last until I was 16 years old.

Forecasters tell us that temperatures in Buckinghamshire will become very warm this weekend and will rise even further next week. Please make sure you take care of yourself and keep an eye out for those whose health may suffer in hot weather.

Forecasters tell us that temperatures in Buckinghamshire will become very warm this weekend and will rise even further next week. Please make sure you take care of yourself and keep an eye out for those whose health may suffer in hot weather.

Forecasters tell us that temperatures in Buckinghamshire will become very warm this weekend and will rise even further next week. Please make sure you take care of yourself and keep an eye out for those whose health may suffer in hot weather.

Forecasters tell us that temperatures in Buckinghamshire will become very warm this weekend and will rise even further next week. Please make sure you take care of yourself and keep an eye out for those whose health may suffer in hot weather.

Congratulations to Ghazala Yasin who will be flying the flag for BHT at the NHS70 Windrush Awards ceremony on Tuesday 12 June.

Congratulations to Ghazala Yasin who will be flying the flag for BHT at the NHS70 Windrush Awards ceremony on Tuesday 12 June.

This year Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is celebrating the NHS’s 70th birthday and the many advances in healthcare since 1948. This includes significant strides in the treatment of spinal cord injury, and as part of the celebrations the Trust is holding an open day on Thursday 14 June from 4-7pm at Stoke Mandeville Hospital’s world-renowned National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC). This landmark year also coincides with the 70th anniversary of the first Stoke Mandeville Games, recognised as the moment the Paralympic movement was born.

The Cardiology team at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust successfully performed the trust’s very first His Lead implant. This was carried out in the newly built catheter laboratory at Wycombe Hospital on Wednesday 30 May.

An innovative community hubs pilot project launched by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has recently reached its one year milestone, with evidence showing some initial successes in bringing more care closer to people’s homes and making better use of local sites to cater to local people’s healthcare needs.

Following a competitive application and interview process, Dr Raha West, specialty doctor in anaesthetic and intensive care at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, has been successfully appointed as a research fellow for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network (CRN): Thames Valley and South Midlands (TV&SM).

Congratulations to Debbie Lawson, one of our senior nurses working in A&E at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, on reaching the final of a national poetry competition.

Encouraging patients to wear their own clothes while in hospital, rather than staying in their pyjamas or nighties all day, makes them feel better, enhances their dignity and often reduces the amount of time they stay in hospital. That’s why the Trust is launching our “Get up, Get dressed, Get moving campaign” across all our inpatient hospitals.

Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio (SMHR) will be celebrating local radio day on Friday 25 May by broadcasting live from the Spinal Café at the National Spinal Injuries Centre from 8am to 6pm.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust communications team are celebrating after being shortlisted for three categories in the Public Sector Communications Awards for the work carried out on the community hubs.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is the first in the country to appoint a humanist in the role of lead chaplain, providing emotional and spiritual support to patients, families and staff.

Our Macmillan Cancer Support team would like your help to shape a new nutrition service. The team will be hosting two informal sessions, which aims to provide accurate information and advice on all aspects of nutrition and cancer prevention, so join the team and share your views and ideas. By participating in the sessions you will help the team in their goal to create a nutrition programme that meets the needs of local people affected by breast cancer.

The Muslim period of Ramadan officially begins tonight at sunset and lasts for 29 to 30 days. If you are fasting during this time please take extra care during hot weather and follow all available advice. Please read our 10 top tips for healthy fasting during Ramadan

A team from Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and the Florence Nightingale Hospice is going to try the impossible and get people of all ages and circumstances across the region talking about death. They have issued an open invitation to a series of death cafés to be hosted across the county and just over the border this month, as part of the nationwide annual Dying Matters Awareness Week.

Today, Monday 14 May, is the UK’s first National operating department practitioner day. To celebrate the day, our operating department practitioners (ODPs) working in Wycombe theatres would like to share with you some of their stories about how and why they joined the profession and the exciting opportunities that they are involved in.

The Trust is proud to announce its first ever Hand Symposium on Wednesday 16 May. The day will bring together hand surgeons, therapists, trainees and nurses from the Trust and from across the region, including special guests from further afield. It will provide a great opportunity to share best practice, learn about innovative approaches and network with peers.

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Adedayo Olowosale, a server and systems engineer in the Trust’s IT team, won the Community Engagement category in this year’s Buckinghamshire County Council's Dignity and Respect Awards. The ceremony took place on Wednesday 2 May.

We have updated our notice of fair processing to take account of the changes in data protection law. the document is available to read on our website.

National breast screening programme: Some women aged between 70 and 79 who did not receive an invitation for a final screen are being offered one now

St Francis ward at Stoke Mandeville Hospital was presented with two new wheelchairs last week (11 April), thanks to the generosity of Cyclone Mobility.

The winners of January and February’s monthly CARE awards were invited to the public board meeting on Wednesday 28 March to receive their awards. The award winners were presented with a certificate from chief executive Neil Macdonald who thanked them for their hard work and for demonstrating the Trust’s CARE values.

A list of the opening times for local pharmacies across Buckinghamshire over the Easter 2018 holiday period.

Trust chair Hattie Llewelyn-Davies has won at the 2018 Non-executive Director Awards in the Not-for-Profit/Public Service Organisation category.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s outgoing CEO Neil Dardis has this week been named in the Health Service Journal’s annual ranking of NHS provider chief executives.

Our accident and emergency service is extremely busy today. Please make use of the range of alternative options available for non-emergency situations to ensure you get the appropriate care you need and save yourself an unnecessary trip to A&E.

Trust chair Hattie Llewelyn-Davies has been shortlisted in the 2018 Non-executive Director Awards in the Not-for-Profit/Public Service Organisation category.

We, along with other healthcare providers in the country, are experiencing challenges due to the severe winter conditions. As a result of further snowfall forecast in Buckinghamshire for tomorrow we may have to postpone some planned operations or outpatient appointments.

The forecast for the rest of this week in Buckinghamshire is for cold, freezing weather with a chance of snow. Please take care of yourself and those around you by taking precautions when out and about in freezing weather and by keeping warm and well at home.

The Trust has been made aware that Whielden Street in Amersham, the road that leads to the hospital site, will be closed overnight between Market Square and the A404 from 7pm until 6am from Monday to Thursday 19-22 February 2018 and again on Monday 26 February. The road closure will be in operation between 7pm and 6am on each working night. Outside of these times the road closure will be lifted and the site open to traffic as normal.

We are delighted to announce that Neil Macdonald has been appointed as interim chief executive at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. He will start his new role on 19 March 2018.

The National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) at Stoke Mandeville Hospital was founded on 1 February 1944. To mark the occasion this year, a display of information boards was arranged in the NSIC foyer celebrating the early service, current provision and developments for the future – such as the innovative upper limb research studio and the completion of Horatio’s garden.

The forecast for the rest of this week in the Chilterns is for cold weather with a possible chance of snow. Please take care of yourself and those around you by taking care when out and about in icy conditions and by keeping warm at home.

Our local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) together with Macmillan is running a survey on cancer services across Buckinghamshire: ‘Living with and beyond cancer’. If you have been affected by cancer and have experience of cancer related services please take a few moments to provide your feedback.

If you know someone at the Trust who deserves recognition for the care they provide and for promoting dignity, respect and wellbeing, why not nominate them for one of this year’s Dignity in Care Awards?

Historic England this week announced Stoke Mandeville Hospital, part of the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, as one of its top 100 places which bring England's extraordinary history to life.

Stoke Mandeville Hospital has been selected by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson as one of the top ten places in England of significance from a sporting perspective. It was selected as it is the birthplace of what has become the Paralympics.

We are inviting people in our local communities to attend a new series of engagement sessions in January and February to help us understand what you want from healthcare closer to home. If you would like to find out more and help to shape the future of care closer to home in Buckinghamshire then register to attend one of our forthcoming events.

Come and join us for our Open Day on Saturday 13 January. Thinking about a career in nursing? Due to qualify in 2018 or newly qualified? Returning to practice? Looking to develop your nursing knowledge? All are welcome at our open day. Please come along and see us between 10am-3pm in Mandeville Wing foyer at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Please don’t come into A&E at Stoke Mandeville if you’ve got flu or are suffering with common winter illnesses, such as chest infections, coughs and colds, diarrhoea or vomiting. Find out advice about the best treatment.

Public Health England has awarded Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust the contract to continue delivering a school-based immunisations service, after the service was put out to tender late last year. The Trust’s successful bid means the current dedicated team can continue to offer immunisations, including the flu and meningitis vaccines, to children in the 220 primary schools and 70 secondary schools, including private schools, in Buckinghamshire.

Following national guidance issued by NHS England, we have taken the decision to redeploy some staff to care for those with the most urgent medical conditions which unfortunately means having to cancel some planned operations and outpatient clinics.

A link to view the opening times of local pharmacies over the Christmas 2017-2018 holiday period.

We’ve had lots of special visitors to the Trust over the last couple of weeks, including the big man in red himself Santa!

Earlier this month Terry Read visited ward 4 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital to unveil a new bladder scanner donated in memory of his wife Karen.

Scannappeal has celebrated the completion of its Cancer Fighting Fund, in support of the endoscopy department based at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. In an evening reception held at the hospital on 8 December with specially invited guests, William Baxter CBE, chairman of Scannappeal’s Board of Trustees, shared his heartfelt thanks for the “tremendous” fundraising effort, which had “made a huge difference” to the endoscopy department.

The forecast for the rest of this week in Buckinghamshire is for cold, freezing weather and more snow today. Please take care of yourself and those around you by taking precautions when out and about in freezing weather and by keeping warm and well at home.

You can treat minor winter illnesses such as colds and coughs, sore throats, and upset stomachs easily at home with medicines, which you can easily buy at low cost from your local pharmacy.

Christmas came early to High Wycombe on Friday when the family nurse partnership (FNP) Buckinghamshire held its annual review and celebration. Dozens of young families and the FNP team, enjoyed a festive lunch and entertainment at The Hub in High Wycombe – and there was even a visit from Father Christmas.

Neil Dardis, chief executive of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, has today announced that he will be leaving the Trust in the new year to take up the position of chief executive at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Christmas has come early to the ophthalmology department at Stoke Mandeville Hospital with the long awaited arrival of an Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO). Ellie Richmond is based full time at Stoke Mandeville but will also be supporting Amersham and Wycombe hospitals.

Fifty RAF cadets in training at RAF Halton came to Stoke Mandeville Hospital on Saturday 18 November to volunteer as part of their course. The team, who arranged their volunteering after contacting BHT Charitable Fund, helped to lay more than 11 tonnes of gravel to fill pot holes in car parks. They also cleared a huge area of rubbish behind the education wing and cleaned up pavements, parking spaces and walkways from weeds and moss.

Our accident and emergency service is extremely busy today. Please make use of the range of alternative options available for non-emergency situations to ensure you get the appropriate care you need and save yourself an unnecessary trip to A&E.

The head of midwifery at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Heidi Beddall, is advising pregnant women to go to sleep on their side, in light of the results of a recent study the Trust was involved in.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust staff celebrated local healthcare superstars at the annual staff awards on Friday 10 November. In a ceremony, held at the Gateway in Aylesbury, individuals and teams were recognised for going above and beyond in delivering safe and compassionate care for patients both in hospitals and in community settings.

IScannappeal has celebrated the end of its four-year campaign to raise £500,000 to fund state-of-the-art digital and 3D breast cancer screening equipment for Wycombe Hospital.

If you have a long-term health condition like: COPD; bronchitis, emphysema; diabetes; heart, kidney or liver disease or have suffered a stroke, flu on top of health conditions like these can develop into something more serious. Don’t put off getting the flu vaccination. It’s free because you need it.

The ophthalmology department at Buckingham Hospital is extremely grateful to the Buckingham Hospital League of Friends for their very generous donation of a new Humphrey Visual Field Analyser.

Come and join us for our Open Day on Saturday 4 November. Whether you wish to find out more about the services the Trust provide, or you would be interested in working with us, please come along and see us between 10am-3pm in Mandeville Wing foyer at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

On Tuesday 17 October Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, visited the Trust.

To mark their 25th anniversary, the Community Head Injury Service (CHIS) held an open event on Monday 16 October for professionals working in brain injury.

For the very first time, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has taken part in the global wave of light campaign as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week, which takes place 9-15 October each year. The Trust hosted a special memorial service at 3pm on 15 October at Union Baptist Church in High Wycombe, where a candle was lit for each baby lost. Everyone was welcome to come along. In addition, The Trust joined forces with Waddesdon Manor to raise awareness of the issues surrounding pregnancy and baby loss in the UK, with the manor lighting up its main façade at 7pm on Sunday 15 October.

Welcome to the first edition of our newsletter to keep you informed about work to deliver better, safer and more joined up health and social care services for communities across Buckinghamshire. As you may know, earlier this year Buckinghamshire was announced as one of the first eight emerging Accountable Care Systems around the country. Our local health and care organisations have a long track record of successful partnership working, so this is a natural next step for us and will enable us to go further, faster in improving services.

Following life-saving treatment after suffering a heart attack 5 years ago Stuart Wilson from Seido Karate UK was determined to do something to say thank you to the team at Wycombe Hospital and to show his appreciation of their care. Restored to full health Stuart turned to his love of karate organising and participating in a sponsored ‘kumite’ morning in September, from which he raised over £1,900.

Patients at Stoke Mandeville Hospital’s children’s ward welcomed two special visitors this week when Captain Geeky and Captain Clownio popped by to say hello. The dynamic duo, superheroes from Planet Starlight who bring fun and positivity to children in hospitals and hospices around the UK, visited the children on Tuesday 3 October.

Wednesday 18 October is National Burns Awareness Day 2017 and Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust will be holding an event outside Stoke Mandeville Hospital to answer questions and offer help and advice about burns and how to prevent them as well as offering advice on what to do if you suffer a burn.

Members of our BHT team who have received a CARE award over the summer.

Stoptober, the 28-day stop smoking campaign from Public Health England started on 1 October and runs throughout the month. The aim is to encourage and support smokers to quit smoking for good. This is the sixth year of the national campaign and is the now the biggest yearly mass quit attempt in the country, based on research that if you can stop smoking for 28-days, you are five times more likely to stay smokefree for good.

The paediatric outpatients department at Wycombe Hospital has received a facelift thanks to volunteers from Dulux and the paediatric team.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us at our health and information fair on 21 September 2017 and who attended our annual general meeting held on the same evening. It was great to be able to welcome members of the local community, partners and staff to an event showcasing Trust achievements and setting out our vision for the future

We wanted to share some lovely feedback we have received from a mum who recently gave birth at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Around 100 visitors were welcomed to the Thame community hub open day held on Wednesday 13 September. The day was an opportunity for people to come and visit the hub, ask questions and find out more about community and assessment services.

Ducks that have been being decorated to help raise funds for the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital will be on display before our AGM on Thursday 21 September.

As part of this year’s Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s Annual General Meeting there will also be a health fair. Residents will be able to meet with health and wellbeing specialists during a special fair organised for before the AGM at Stoke Mandeville Hospital on Thursday 21 September.

The Cancer Care and Haematology Fund (CCHF) which supports the Cancer Care and Haematology Unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital is set to receive £25,000 from Buckinghamshire Freemasons. The charity was one of six to be nominated by Freemasons in Buckinghamshire, with local people voting to decide the level of their award. CCHF will receive the maximum amount possible, £25,000.

There’s been a lot going on since we launched the start of our community hubs pilot in April at Marlow and Thame. New services, voluntary organisations and outpatient clinics are coming on board each month and the number of patients being seen continues to grow.

We recently received a fantastic thank you message for our maternity services at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and out in the community. Our patient came in with a fear of induction but was pleasantly surprised by how hard the team worked to enable her to have a birth experience she could happily say was an “enjoyable one”.

Thame Community Hospital is opening its doors to the public for an open day to enable people to find more about community hubs. The Trust is currently piloting new ways of providing care to people in the community, making it easier to get the right support at the right time. The open day takes place at the hospital in East Street on Wednesday 13 September from 2-4.30pm.

Victoria Robinson, one of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s district nursing team, has received the Queen’s Nurse title - a highly regarded award for services to community nursing.

Our Trust Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) team is very proud of their client advisory board member Codi. This week the team is especially proud as Codi has made made her blogging debut on the national FNP website.

Teresa Blease, one of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s wonderful district nursing team, has received the Queen’s Nurse title - a highly regarded award for services to community nursing.

A family from High Wycombe has donated specialist equipment to Stoke Mandeville Hospital’s labour ward in memory of their son, Charlie.

The National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) at Stoke Mandeville Hospital is holding an open day on Thursday 14 September from 4-7pm for people looking for a new career, or who want to find out more about what the centre does.

The annual staff awards are not only for clinical staff. The Support Services Ambassador Award, sponsored by Sodexo Healthcare, will be awarded to an individual or a team working within a non-clinical support service to the Trust. This would apply to Trust or contract employees, receptionists, administration and all other support functions within the Trust.

Building work has started on Horatio's Garden at the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

We are delighted to announce that Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has successfully bid for an additional £4.2m. The money will be used to improve accident and emergency services at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, creating a more modern and comfortable environment as well as different treatment zones to ensure patients receive the right care as quickly as possible. The £4.2m investment was announced by the Department of Health on the 19 July 2017, as one of 25 schemes to be awarded funding, and is in addition to the £1 million the Chancellor announced that the Trust would be receiving in the Spring Budget.

Last year more than 200 entries were received for the annual staff awards which celebrate the achievements and commitment of individuals and teams who work for the Trust. So what does it mean to those who won an award? Olivia Sklenar, physiotherapist sports therapist, won the CARE award for Respect. She said: “It was a total surprise to be nominated for the award, let alone to win it. I had such a fantastic evening talking to individuals in a variety of departments and learning more about the incredible work happening across the Trust.”

Our monthly CARE awards recognise individuals and teams who go to extraordinary lengths to deliver the Trust’s values. Winners of the May CARE awards received awards at Wednesday's public board meeting. Raquel Bheekharry, Gina Castilo and Dave Morgan were presented with certificates from chief executive Neil Dardis and thanked for their hard work. Kay Zaziemski, representing the site team winners from February 2017, also attended the ceremony.

It is with great sadness we have to inform you that former Florence Nightingale Hospice matron Karen Henderson died unexpectedly, but peacefully, on Thursday 13 July.

The money raised for the Trust’s charitable fund from this year’s London Marathon runners has now been counted and an amazing total of £5,973.80 has been achieved.

These annual awards recognise and celebrate the achievements and commitment of all staff groups, volunteers and contractors in a wide range of categories which focus on embedding our values and behaviours.

We are looking for nurses to join our team. Want to find out more? Come to Stoke Mandeville Hospital 5-7pm Wednesday 19 July.

The hospital In-Reach Palliative Care service is celebrating after it was announced this week that it has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2017 Macmillan Excellence Awards.

Around 100 visitors were welcomed to the Marlow community hubs open day held on Thursday 6 July. The day was an opportunity for people to come and visit the hub, ask questions and find out more about community and assessment services.

Marlow Hospital is opening its doors to the public for an open day on 6 July 2017 to enable people to find more about community hubs.

The Stroke Research Team at Wycombe Hospital has been chosen as a winner for the 2017 NIHR Clinical Research Network Thames Valley and South Midlands Thames Valley Health Research Awards.

With temperatures forecast to rise to 30 degrees and higher this week make sure you take care of yourself and keep an eye out for those whose health may suffer in hot weather.

Trust chief executive Neil Dardis shares his delight at the news that Buckinghamshire has been designated as one of eight Accountable Care Systems in the country by NHS England.

The Cancer Care and Haematology Fund (CCHF) at Stoke Mandeville Hospital needs your votes to receive up to £25,000 from Buckinghamshire Freemasons.

The NSIC picked up three awards at this year’s Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) Rebuilding Lives Awards held on 6 June at Williams F1 Conference Centre in Didcot, Oxfordshire, to recognise an array of inspiring people within the spinal cord injured community.

Wycombe Hospital’s Stroke Unit has maintained its’ A grade in the latest Royal College of Physicians’ Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) audit.

Winners of the recent CARE awards received awards at the public board meeting for demonstrating the Trust’s CARE values. Staff members Natasha Hamilton, Amanda Sillitoe, Elaine Sherry, Dr Anitha Naidoo, Felcia Rusu and Kris Butterworth were presented with a certificate from chief executive Neil Dardis and thanked for their hard work.

Trust senior cardiac research nurse, Nicola Bowers, has written an article that has been published in the British Journal of Cardiac Nursing June 2017 edition. In the article Nicola writes about her strategy and achievements in establishing a clinical research team at Wycombe Hospital.

The Cancer Care and Haematology Unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital is delighted to have been re-accredited with the Macmillan Quality Environment Mark (MQEM). This is the second consecutive time the unit has achieved the MQEM which is re-assessed every three years.

Ten staff and patients from the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) at Stoke Mandeville Hospital have been shortlisted for awards at the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) Rebuilding Lives Awards which take place on 6 June. The awards recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals and groups in the spinal cord injured community, who inspire others through their work or hobbies or during their rehabilitation.

Following the terrorist incident in Manchester on Monday evening, the UK Government has raised the UK Threat Level to CRITICAL. The Trust is taking the necessary steps to respond to the increased threat level and is working with partners to review our local security arrangements. We will continue to deliver our services to patients across our sites as usual.

The Trust Community Head Injury Service (CHIS) celebrates its 25th anniversary this month. On Saturday 13 May staff, clients and friends of CHIS took part in a 25 furlong walk followed by afternoon tea to mark the occasion. The service also held an awards ceremony to recognise people and companies who have provided exceptional support to clients of the service both within the last 12 months and over the course of its 25 year history.

The Trust is proud to congratulate healthcare assistant Jonathan Algar, who has just won the Health Care category of this year's Buckinghamshire County Council’s Dignity and Respect awards.

Nursing staff at the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) at Stoke Mandeville Hospital celebrated giving a combined total of 1,264 years of service to the unit at a special ceremony held on 12 May, International Nurses Day

Wycombe Hospital play specialist Nicola Ruff is heading to Las Vegas after winning an international scholarship to attend the Child Life Professionals annual conference. This is the first time in the 35 year history of the event the award has been won by a UK based play specialist.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has been ranked as one of the UK's top hospitals by health intelligence specialists CHKS.

From the 20 May, a number of new rules will come into effect that will change the way cigarettes and tobacco products are presented and sold in the UK. These changes are part of the standardised ‘plain’ packaging laws coming in this month.

The 7th European Spinal Psychologists Association Conference (ESPA) was held at Stoke Mandeville's National Spinal Injuries Centre.

We are currently looking for newly qualified and experienced band 5 and 6 staff nurses and ODPs to join our scrub, anaesthetics and recovery teams at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.

Stoke Mandeville Hospital will receive a funding boost of £1m to ease pressure on the A&E department this winter.

Patients at the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) at Stoke Mandeville Hospital are set to benefit from a pioneering new scheme which will see dogs used to aid their rehabilitation.

As you look forward to Easter and the May bank holiday, we would like to remind you to stock up on any medication you may need as there may be changes to the opening hours of pharmacies.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is leading the way when it comes to the use of anticoagulation drugs.

Sixth form students visited Amersham Hospital to learn about the practical aspects of caring for a range of patients.

NSIC has received several calls following a recent Daily Mail article about the possible link between the Oxybutynin, an anti incontinence drug and dementia. We therefore thought it helpful to offer some further guidance to patients who may be concerned by these news reports.

The winners of January and February’s monthly CARE awards were invited to the public board meeting to receive their awards.

A new award from the Royal College of Anaethetists was launched for their 25th Anniversary year to celebrate excellent training in anaesthesia, critical care and pain medicine. The Trust is extremely proud to report that all three winners for the region come from our own Trust.

The Trust’s paediatric decision unit (PDU) that assesses children and young people who come into the A&E department at Stoke Mandeville Hospital has recently been transformed to offer a much improved patient experience and a more efficient and comfortable working environment for staff.

The cardiology team at Buckinghamshire NHS Trust and children from Wycombe Hospital Day Nursery gathered at Wycombe hospital yesterday to help launch Scannappeal’s scrub run.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is leading the way when it comes to the use of anticoagulation drugs. A new NOAC (new oral anticoagulant) service was commissioned by the local GP practices to ensure the most appropriate medicine was prescribed for stroke risk reduction.

Kate Bulbeck, lead nurse for children’s services explains some of the work going on at the Trust to involve young people in their health care.

People with aphasia following a stroke can experience isolation as a result of their communication difficulties, and have little opportunity to share ideas and interests. An initiative to recruit and train volunteer conversation partners provides a vital service that’s designed to help create conversation opportunities for these clients.

Consultant paediatric ophthalmologist Larry Benjamin has been shortlisted to win a coveted humanitarian honor at a prestigious award ceremony later this month. Larry has been nominated for his work over 13 years with global blindness prevention charity Orbis. He is joined by three other deserving finalists in the ‘humanitarian award’ category at the Bond International Development Awards 2017.

The first step to giving up smoking is to choose a date, so why not choose this Wednesday (March 8) – No Smoking Day – to quit?

A new service launched by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust will help more people get the care they need closer to home.

A new innovation centre in Buckinghamshire is on track to open later this year following a successful bid for funds. Buckinghamshire Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership agreed to provide £1.3m in capital funds to the Buckinghamshire Life Sciences Innovation Centre.

A donation in memory of a well-loved colleague who died after being involved in a tragic fire has been made to the burns unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Friends and colleagues of Elsa Albu raised more than £4,000 in her name after her death in November 2015.

The Multidisciplinary Day Assessment Unit (MuDAS) and Drake Day Unit have both relocated to level 6 at Wycombe Hospital. Opening times for both remain the same (9am-5pm, Monday to Friday) and signage to the new area is on display.

The 2016 Children and Young People’s Survey is part of the NHS Patient Survey Programme run by the Care Quality Commission. Between February and March 2017 questionnaires will be sent out to a sample of children and parents who attended the Trust’s Paediatric Department during November and December 2016. If you receive a survey please fill it in and return as instructed. The feedback that the CQC passes on to our Trust will help to inform decisions we take about the best way to improve our services.

The children’s ward at Stoke Mandeville Hospital was transformed to a ballet stage when the principal dancers from the English Youth Ballet (EYB) put on a performance for patients and their parents.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust welcomes report into improving standards of care.

Cardiology event raises £337 for Scannappeal.

Dozens of teddy bears have been donated to children at Stoke Mandeville Hospital from the Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) charity.

The forecast for the rest of this week in Buckinghamshire for cold, freezing weather with a chance of snow. Please take care of yourself and those around you by taking precautions when out and about in freezing weather and by keeping warm and well at home.

Staff that have worked for the NHS for 20 years or more were honoured at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s long service awards.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s chief executive Neil Dardis was given some insight into life as person living with frailty on Thursday 2 February through the use of the new frailty simulation kit.

The latest winners of our CARE awards were invited to the January public board meeting to receive their awards for demonstrating the Trust’s CARE values.

The Trust’s vision for the next three to five years is to bring health, care and the voluntary sector closer together to support people’s health and wellbeing in their own communities. As part of this work, we embarked on a six month pilot project last year to transfer the resources which would have been used to maintain Ward 5B at Wycombe Hospital into packages of care to support people to get well in the safety and comfort of their own homes.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is supporting European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week which runs until January 30. The week aims to raise awareness of the importance of cervical screening and its role in preventing cancer, as well as encouraging women to go for their screening test when invited.

A glass installation for the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) has been officially unveiled at the centre in Stoke Mandeville Hospital. The installation, entitled Day by Day, creates a bright and welcoming atmosphere in the entrance to the NSIC.

More than 100 delegates attended the first Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trusts’ Chief Nurse’s Annual Nursing and Midwifery Conference.

Do you need a challenge for 2017? Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust have two spare spaces on their team for this year's Virgin London Marathon.

Due to an exceptionally high surge in attendances at our A&E department, we are urging people to stay away from A&E unless it is a genuine emergency.

With the new year just around the corner, people are being encouraged to give up alcohol for January.

Don’t forget you can listen to Stoke Mandeville Hospital radio online and via a free app, plus via speaker systems around the hospital. The station will broadcast 24/7 throughout the holiday period as usual.

Don’t forget you can listen to Stoke Mandeville Hospital radio online and via a free app, plus via speaker systems around the hospital. The station will broadcast 24/7 throughout the holiday period as usual.

The National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital today played host to BBC Radio 5 Live. Presenter Adrian Chiles and the programme production team took over the spinal gym to hear stories from patients and learn about the work of the team.

The Trust joined more than 1,700 people on Wednesday 23 November to celebrate the best in healthcare at the 35th Health Service Journal awards in London.

Tea party held to mark 25 years of cancer care suite at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Starlight Children’s Foundation bought a large dose of festive fun and laughter to patients in the Children’s Ward at Wycombe Hospital when the pop-up pantomime visited on 22 November.

The fifth National HIV Testing Week takes place until 25 November and is a great opportunity to get tested and encourage others to test for HIV.

To mark the World Antibiotic Awareness Week - which takes place from 14-20 November - a special leaflet telling patients the facts about antibiotics has been produced.

Staff and volunteers honoured at the Trust's 12th annual staff awards event at the Gateway in Aylesbury on Friday 11 November.

Doctors are being invited to a unique opportunity to experience hands-on training in emergency/critical care ultrasound at a dynamic and engaging course led by our team of experienced ultrasound trainers based at the emergency department at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

One of the torches used at the Rio Paralympics this year has been donated to the national spinal injuries centre (NSIC) at Stoke Mandeville Hospital; the birthplace of the games itself.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is delighted to announce the appointment of Neil Macdonald as substantive chief operating officer.

The Trust is celebrating two wins at the Thames Valley Health Research Awards, held on Wednesday 12 October at Oxford University.

Novartis supports Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust to create a new one-stop clinic for patients with wet age-related macular degeneration

A big thank you to everyone who visited the Trust's health and information fair and attended the annual general meeting last night. It was great to be able welcome so many members of the local community, partners and staff to an event showcasing Trust achievements and setting out our vision for the future.

Stoptober, the 28-day stop smoking campaign from Public Health England starts on the 1 October and runs throughout the month. The aim is to encourage and support smokers across the UK to quit smoking for good.

Residents in the county will have the opportunity to meet and discuss with a range of health and wellbeing specialists at a major event organised by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust on September 29 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

As the Paralympics gets underway in Rio, the world famous national spinal injuries centre (NSIC), based at Stoke Mandeville Hospital will be cheering on the array of athletes who were once patients at the unit.

On 1 September 2016, carotid endarterectomy surgery will move from Wycombe Hospital to the John Radcliffe Hospital.

We hope you enjoy the bank holiday weekend and stay well and healthy. However, if you do need medical help please consider all of the healthcare options available to you before coming to A&E, including NHS 111 the minor injuries and illness unit at Wycombe Hospital, GP out of hours service or your local pharmacist.

Has an individual or team working for our Trust gone above and beyond to help you in one of our hospitals, clinics or in the community?

Some of Roald Dahl’s most famous characters now greet children as they come for eye treatment at Stoke Mandeville Hospital’s Ophthalmology Department, thanks to a fabulous act of generosity from the writer's world famous illustrator, Quentin Blake.

We are delighted to announce that Neil Dardis has been appointed as Chief Executive at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust following an extensive search and recruitment process with a strong field of potential candidates.

With temperatures forecast to rise to 30 degrees and higher this week make sure you take care of yourself and keep an eye out for those whose health may suffer in hot weather

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has taken a number of measures in order to maintain a safe and high standard of care and choice for expectant mothers as a result of an unanticipated number of midwife vacancies across its maternity services. Following a thorough staffing review and risk assessment by the Trust’s women and children’s division, it is therefore planned that, from 25 July to 31 October, all women who had been considering giving birth at Wycombe Birth Centre at Wycombe Hospital – currently around 20 a month - will be offered other alternatives.

The Trust was extremely proud to be featured today in the first episode of a BBC series called Matron, Medicine, and Me: 70 Years of the NHS. TV star Lucy Alexander (of Homes Under the Hammer fame) was filmed returning to St Francis ward at the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital to be reunited with sister Sara O'Shea and physiotherapist Kirsten Hart, who both helped support her daughter Kitty after she was struck down with transverse mylitis more than five years ago.

Wycombe Hospital’s cardiac and stroke services are going from strength to strength in keeping with the Trust’s vision to put the hospital on the map as one of the leading centres in the country for cutting edge quality care for heart and stroke patients.

Health care and social work students at Oxford Brookes University have recognised staff at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital as part of this year’s Placement of the Year Awards.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is delighted to announce the appointment of new finance director, James Drury, who will join the Trust in September 2016.

Carers, relatives and friends of hospital patients will have the chance to spend more time with their loved ones. Following feedback from patients and visitors we are introducing extended visiting hours in hospitals from 11.00am to 8.00pm.

Congratulations to Frances Kent on receiving her Queen’s Nurse award. Frances, who is the Trust’s Clinical Nurse Specialist Lead for the Community Equipment Service, was awarded the title of Queen’s Nurse in May.

A host of special guests attended a ceremony to mark the official opening of the fantastic new extension at the Florence Nightingale Day Hospice.

Do you have cancer or are you the friend, relative or carer of someone who does? Then don’t miss out on your chance to speak to our experts on 22 June at the Gateway in Aylesbury. Places are limited so book now to avoid disappointment.

The Trust’s pioneering nurse Ghazala Yasin, one of the only nurse angiographers in the UK, has been selected from contenders from around the world to be a finalist in a prestigious international award.

Jumbo the Chihuahua, accompanied by his owner and Pets As Therapy (PAT) volunteer Maralyn Jenkins, visited patients at Wycombe Hospital children’s ward today giving the children a chance to play with Jumbo and cuddle him while waiting for treatment or recovering after surgery.

Information stands at Wycombe and Stoke Mandeville on Friday 20 May 2016 to promote our clinical research as part of International Clinical Trials Day 2016.

A new approach to improve emergency access to rheumatology clinics for patients living with stable rheumatoid arthritis is now available, provided patients have the agreement of their consultant.

The Trust has embarked on an ambitious programme to bring care closer to the community and support patients to recover in the dignity and comfort of their own homes. This includes the launch of a plan to invest almost £1m which would previously have been spent on maintaining people unnecessarily in hospital into our community services.

Congratulations to Luke Delahunty from the Trust’s NSIC team who yesterday represented Team GB at the Invictus Games 2016. Luke put his heart into competing in two events in just one day finishing in 7th place in the men’s hand bike time trial and later coming joint 6th in the men’s indoor rowing event – but it was his passion for life that won the hearts of all those following him at the games.

At the Trust we believe providing good end of life care is everyone’s business. To raise awareness of the importance of having a conversation about death and dying we are running a series of awareness sessions across our sites as part of Dying Matters week.

The Trust is supporting the World Health Organisation (WHO) campaign today with events around our hospital sites to raise awareness with patients and visitors and to remind all staff of the importance of good hand hygiene.

Congratulations to Luke Delahunty, the Trust’s National Spinal Injury Centre (NSIC) patient education co-ordinator, who’s been selected as a member of the squad for this year’s Invictus Games taking place in Orlando from 8-12 May.

Congratulations to our Aylesbury Adult Community Healthcare Team (ACHT), runners up in the Bucks County Council Dignity and Respect Awards 2016.

Starlight Children's Foundation brought a big dose of sunshine to the children’s ward at Wycombe Hospital, when its amazing Storytellers Tour paid a visit last week.

BMA junior doctors have planned a complete withdrawal of labour between the hours of 8.00am & 5.00pm on Tues April 26 and Weds April 27. All urgent and emergency services, including A&E, cardiac and stroke, critical care and maternity services, at our hospitals will continue to function throughout the period of industrial action.

The founder of the National Spinal Injuries Centre and the driving force behind the modern day Paralympics, Professor Sir Ludwig “Poppa” Guttmann, was once again celebrated last week as a delegation from his home town of Toszek in Poland visited to see where it all began.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is delighted to announce that the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) has won the 2016 Inter Spinal Unit Games.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has planned further 48-hour emergency care-only industrial action, starting Wednesday, April 6. Plans are in place to ensure we maintain safe and compassionate care for all our patients.

Young inspectors visited the children's ward at Wycombe Hospital to assess the ward from a young adult’s point of view.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is to hold a series of public sessions to explore with patients, carers and local communities how the NHS can develop healthcare hubs that will better meet and support people’s needs.