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November 2009

New transplant technique will benefit local kidney patients Local kidney patients are being given new hope from a pioneering transplant technique, which allows surgeons to transplant a kidney from donor to recipient even if their blood types do not match. This new technique, which was performed by the transplant team at St George's Healthcare NHS Trust for the first time in September, is only available at a handful of trusts across the country and in Europe. 30 November 2009
Brand new kidney unit set to open its doors in Sutton A new dialysis centre will open in the centre of Sutton next month (December 8), so that local kidney (renal) patients will be able to get the treatment they need even closer to their homes. The new satellite centre in Grove Road, Sutton, will offer kidney patients from Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust the opportunity to use the centre to undergo haemodialysis. 26 November 2009
Children's surgery unit re-opens after major refurbishment The day surgery unit at Queen Mary's Hospital for Children - where children have minor operations like having their tonsils out or hernias repaired- has undergone a major £300,000 refurbishment. The unit, which is based at St Helier Hospital, has gone through a complete makeover, including new flooring, decorated walls and the installation of a custom-built reception area. 24 November 2009
Lung doctor joins campaign to raise awareness of deadly disease A doctor who specialises in treating people with lung problems is urging local people to be aware of the risks and symptoms of lung cancer, as he gets behind a national campaign to raise awareness of the disease this month. Dr Shakil Rahman, consultant in respiratory medicine for the Trust, is supporting lung cancer awareness month, which runs throughout November. 23 November 2009
Trust passes watchdog's unannounced inspection Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust has been declared fully compliant with the Care Quality Commission's 'Hygiene Code' following an unannounced inspection on 5 November. The code, part of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, lays down the law in setting out the actions NHS trusts must take to ensure patients are cared for in a clean environment, where the risks of healthcare acquired infections, like MRSA and C. difficile, are kept as low as possible. 18 November 2009
Full house for public meeting on Epsom Hospital Epsom Town Hall was full last Wednesday (11 November 2009) for a public meeting about proposals to invest millions of pounds at Epsom Hospital. The meeting was jointly organised by Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, NHS Surrey and Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust. 18 November 2009
Drop in assault figures is bittersweet news for Trust staff New figures show that the number of assaults against staff at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals has fallen over the last year. The data, which was published on Monday 16 November by the NHS Security Management Service, shows that there were 60 assaults against members of Trust staff for the financial year 2008/09, compared with 101 the previous year. 17 November 2009
War veteran who had heart attack at remembrance service thanks passers-by An 83-year-old war veteran who had a heart attack at a remembrance service in Epsom town centre has thanked the passers-by who saved his life, including a nurse from nearby Epsom Hospital. The memorial service outside Epsom Town Hall had only just begun last Wednesday (11 November) when Joseph Tarrant, who has served in the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, collapsed. 17 November 2009
Trust awash with clean instruments thanks to new machines The specialist unit that cleans and sterilises the medical instruments used in Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals is set to receive three new state-of-the-art washers, costing more than £180,000. The new washers, which clean the equipment used in any invasive procedure such as surgery or dentistry, are more efficient and are bigger than the current washers. 16 November 2009
Privacy and dignity rated highly as Trust unveils survey with a difference Patients at Epsom and St Helier hospitals are being offered a new way to tell hospital bosses exactly what they think - with more than 1,500 having already given their views. Thanks to 15 new portable computers called patient feedback trackers, inpatients in the two hospitals can give their views on a range of topics at the press of a button. 13 November 2009
The EOC celebrates another successful year The Elective Orthopaedic Centre (EOC), which is based at Epsom Hospital, marked another successful year recently, as it published its annual report for the 2008/09 financial year. The report gives an overview of the work of the EOC during the year, including a number of key achievements. 12 November 2009
Jimmy Tarbuck has surgeons in stitches during hospital visit British comedian, Jimmy Tarbuck OBE, popped in to Epsom Hospital last week (28 October) to present staff in the operating theatres with a brand new piece of equipment. Known as a camera stack, the machine is used in performing keyhole surgery. It cost £42,000 and was donated to the hospital by the Epsom Medical Equipment Fund. 10 November 2009
Hospitals continue to win the battle against healthcare acquired infections New figures published on Wednesday (4 November) show that cases of MRSA bacteraemia and C. difficile at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals are still falling. The latest data, published by the Health Protection Agency, shows that the Trust had three MRSA bacteraemia cases in September, bringing the total number from April to September to 16: an improvement on the same period in 2008, when that figure was 19. 09 November 2009
Trust Board agrees future shape In late 2008, the Trust announced plans to review the way it is shaped to see if there was a better way to structure and manage the hospitals. 06 November 2009
£180,000 birthing centre opens to first new arrivals The brand new state-of-the-art birthing centre at St Helier Hospital is now up and running, and is already receiving glowing reviews from new parents. The centre, which was built as part of the £2.8 million overhaul of the maternity unit, contains three birthing pools, specialist furniture, birthing balls and mood lighting that gently changes colour. 04 November 2009