Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

Top flu vaccination rates for pregnant women

Stockport is best in the country, for the sixth year in a row, for protecting pregnant woman against the flu virus.

Hospital and community midwives, working together with local GPs and the council’s public health team, vaccinated 65% of pregnant women in Stockport, around 2,200 women out of 3,400. This figure is 20% higher than the national average of 45%. Pregnant women are at greater risk of contracting infections because their immune system is compromised by being pregnant. They also have a higher chance of developing complications if they get flu, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy, which could include bronchitis or pneumonia.

The advice is therefore to get the flu vaccination every winter, which they can receive from the midwife team for free. Studies have shown that the flu vaccine is safe during any stage of pregnancy, from the beginning through to delivery.

Stockport has also had nationally applauded results in vaccinating other important groups, such as the over 65s, and carers. Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, which runs hospital and community NHS services in the area, was also very successful in ensuring their staff were vaccinated against flu. By the end of February, it had 12^th best score in the country out of 259; 80% of staff were vaccinated, against a national average of 63%.

Julie Estcourt, Head of Midwifery at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, said, “This is good news for the pregnant mums of Stockport. Flu is a threat for both a pregnant mother and her baby, and getting the vaccination is the best way to protect them. The vaccine doesn`t carry risks for either mum or baby. Women who have had the flu vaccine while pregnant also pass some protection on to their babies, which lasts for the first few months of their lives.”        

 

Last updated on 07 April 2017.

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New alert system helps boost kidney treatment

A computer alert system is helping healthcare teams provide faster and better care for acute kidney injury patients at Stepping Hill Hospital.

The IT alert system, the only one of its kind in Greater Manchester, will help save local lives by ensuring patients get specialist care and treatment as soon as they arrive at hospital to prevent them from developing chronic kidney disease.

It is estimated that one in five patients taken into hospital for an emergency will be suffering from an acute kidney injury, a sudden reduction in a person’s
kidney function. In the UK around 100,000 deaths each year are associated with acute kidney injuries, and up to 30% of these could be prevented if a patient is given the right treatment.

Wendy Oakes joined Stepping Hill Hospital in March 2016, working as a specialist nurse for acute kidney injury. She is working with Dr Karl Bonnici, clinical director for acute medicine to raise awareness about the condition with staff and provide new care plans and guidance for these patients.

When a patient comes to the A&E department, a blood test is taken which determines whether a patient has an acute kidney injury. When the doctor or nurse updates the patient’s electronic record the IT system then sends an immediate colour-coded alert about the patient to the computer screens where doctors and nurses first view lists of patients. This information is particularly useful in the fast-moving environment of A&E, acute medical and surgical assessment units.

The alert system helps highlight the diagnosis of acute kidney injury. Earlier recognition and timely intervention is fundamental in reducing the possible complications associated with acute kidney injury.

Since the system and care plan was introduced six months ago, very strong improvements have been made in the care patients receive. For patients with the
most severe acute kidney injuries, 40% more acute kidney injury patients have received an initial urine test and a kidney scan within the first 24 hours. There has also been a 10% improvement in stopping earlier any medication which may be harmful to these patients. A full critical care evaluation has also been carried out within 12 hours on 30% more acute kidney injury patients.

Wendy Oakes said “The prevention and management of acute kidney injury is not rocket science. It’s about getting the basics right, especially in the first 24 hours. The new alert system, together with the new care plan, will really help ensure patients get the treatment they need as soon as they possibly can. If we continue to improve the care we deliver, over the long term this will have a positive effect on patient outcomes, and in some cases save lives.”

Last updated on 13 February 2017.

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Safe for bowel cancer treatment

Recent statistics confirm that Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport is delivering some of the most successful and safest bowel cancer treatment in the country.

The National Bowel Cancer Audit, which is published nationally, shows high survival rates for bowel cancer patients who undergo surgery and treatment at Stepping Hill Hospital.

The 90 day mortality figures for patients treated by Stepping Hill is 1.9%, well below the national average of 3.6%, and among the top ratings in the country. The two year mortality figure is 13.8%; again much lower than the national average and the lowest rating in the north west.

The audit follows a NHS England report, in October 2016, which ranked Stockport as the 7^th best area in England for cancer treatment in terms of prompt diagnosis and treatment, one-year survival rates and the overall patient experience. It also follows 100% satisfaction rates for the hospital’s cancer outpatient services in the Friends and Family Test.

Despite moves to increase the early diagnosis of bowel cancer about 30% of patients have to have treatment as an emergency. The recent National Emergency Laparotomy Audit (NELA) audit looking at emergency surgery showed that Stepping Hill was in the top 10 for safety in the country and second only to Bristol University for large units.

Bowel cancer is the most common cancer in non-smokers and second most common cause of death from cancer. Over 40,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year, that’s around 110 people every day. 

Stepping Hill treats around 200 bowel cancer patients each year, with cases being similar to other hospitals in terms of complexity and risk. It has a specialist bowel cancer team which includes surgeons, oncologists, cancer nurses and stoma therapists, as well as state-of–the-art critical care facilities. This ensures each patient has the highest quality advice, support and care throughout their time with the hospital.

Ed Clark, a consultant surgeon at Stepping Hill Hospital, who specialises in bowel cancer, said, “Surgery is the main curative treatment for bowel cancer and we are delighted that this independent audit confirms the high quality and safety of our care.

“The whole team is constantly striving to improve our care and results as well as staying up to date with the latest technology. Over the last few years we were the first in Manchester to introduce new techniques for both advanced and early rectal cancer.

For patients to know how safe it is for them to come to this hospital is a huge message and it's a great tribute to the team here. Our results are constantly improving thanks to the multi-disciplinary team work and improved post-operative care. Having cancer surgery is always a stressful experience, but patients at Stepping Hill can be assured that they are in the very best hands.”

 

Last updated on 27 January 2017.

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