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Medicine

One patient every four minutes - A&E units mark busiest ever year The A&E departments at Epsom and St Helier hospitals were busier than ever during 2011-12, with over 137,000 patients seen and treated during the year - that's an average of 374 patients every single day. 3,497 extra patients attended the two A&Es during the year, which is 2.6% more than 2010-11, when 133,597 were treated. 17 April 2012
Cheque mate! Family donate £2,000 to children's hospital The grateful family of a teenager who receives treatment at Queen Mary's Hospital for Children presented a cheque worth £2,000 to the hospital today (23 March). 23 March 2012
Senior doctor welcomes online asthma test The most senior respiratory (breathing) doctor at Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals has added her backing to a new online test which helps asthma sufferers to manage their condition and avoid asthma attacks. 15 March 2012
St Helier Hospital celebrates £5.5 million cash boost The urgent care centre at St Helier Hospital (which treats patients who do not need emergency, life-saving treatment) has been awarded a huge £5.5 million cash injection to help expand the service it offers. 06 March 2012
Help young hearts run free with fundraising quest A consultant at Epsom Hospital has joined forces with the Epsom Medical Equipment Fund to raise £50,000 for a new piece of equipment that will help to treat children with serious heart problems. 10 February 2012
Epsom experts invent new equipment to mend broken bones A senior orthopaedic technician (who helps to set and plaster broken bones) at Epsom Hospital has developed a new piece of equipment that helps to treat patients with fractured wrists. 08 February 2012
Everybody needs good neighbours especially when it's cold One of the most senior doctors at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals is calling on local people to think of their neighbours during the current cold weather. 03 February 2012
Easy to swallow - new cameras arrive at Epsom Hospital Doctors at Epsom Hospital are using a brand new technique to work out what's wrong with patients who have problems with their digestive system: they get them to swallow a video camera! 13 January 2012
£760,000 stroke-busting service sees first patients at Epsom A new service to provide stroke victims with life-saving, blood clot-busting medication is now seeing its first patients at Epsom Hospital. As part of a huge £760,000 investment into our specialist stroke service, the team are now offering thrombolysis treatment to suitable patients. 06 January 2012
Top nurse says learn to save a life The most senior nurse at Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals is backing a new national campaign to help people who don't know what to do if someone suffers a heart attack. Pippa Hart, Director of Nursing at the hospitals, is supporting the British Heart Foundation's new 'Hard and Fast' campaign promoting hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 05 January 2012
Your chance to find out more about life-saving treatment Local people, are being invited to find out more about how patients who need emergency, life-saving care following a serious injury are treated across south west London and Surrey. On 19 December 2011, a special event at St Helier Hospital aims to give people a real insight into the work of the hospital's busy A&E department. 12 December 2011
New emergency care unit gets VIP opening Local VIPs, hospital doctors, nurses and other staff gathered today (8 December 2011) for the official opening of Epsom Hospital's new acute medical unit (AMU). The AMU, which was launched in October following an investment of more than £742,000 across both Epsom and St Helier, plays an essential role in the hospital. 08 December 2011
Running for healthy hearts Between them, a sporting couple have run a marathon and a half to raise money for the Cardiac Rehab Centre at Epsom Hospital (where patients with heart conditions are helped to get back on their feet and return to fitness). 24 November 2011
St Hel's Belles smash fundraising goal on Chatsworth House hike Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals' very own St Hel's Belles made a triumphant return from their sponsored fifteen-mile Chatsworth House hike, having raised more than double their target for the British Heart Foundation. 28 October 2011
Reducing the time patients spend in our hospitals unnecessarily In September, we announced a £742,000 investment into emergency care at Epsom and St Helier hospitals funds that have allowed us to make some significant improvements to the way that we treat and discharge our patients. 21 October 2011
Massive £742,000 cash boost for emergency care The care given to patients admitted to Epsom and St Helier hospitals in a life-threatening or emergency situation is set to even further improve, thanks to an investment of more than £740,000. The significant cash boost will fund an additional team of six senior doctors across both sites, who will assess seriously ill or injured patients as soon as they are admitted to hospital. 22 September 2011
New stroke consultants start work at Epsom The Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of two new stroke consultants based at Epsom Hospital who will bolster the service provided to the people of Epsom and surrounding areas. Dr Brendan Affley and Dr Ratneshwari Jha's appointments form part of a £760,000 investment announced by the Trust Board last year to improve stroke services at the hospital. 05 September 2011
St Helier Hospital unveils brand new urgent care centre Patients attending the emergency department (A&E) at St Helier Hospital last week were among the first to have the chance to be treated in a brand new 'urgent care centre'. The centre, which forms part of the emergency department, opened on 1 August 2011, and provides care for patients who do not need emergency, life-saving treatment. 16 August 2011
Epsom's stroke service receives new monitoring equipment The former Chief Executive of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, David Smith, made a return visit to Britten Ward at Epsom Hospital last week (28 June 2011) to present Welch Allyn Patient Monitoring Equipment, worth £40,000 and purchased by Epsom Medical Equipment Fund. 08 July 2011
St Hel's Belles! Cardiac team get ready for sponsored walk Idyllic Chatsworth House, located in the heart of the Peak District, is in for a shock this September. That's because 'St Hel's Belles' - a team of cardiac nurses and support staff from the Trust's cardiology unit - will descend on the estate to raise money for the British Heart Foundation with a sponsored, tutu-clad fifteen-mile hike. 01 July 2011
Nurse of steel takes on Ironman A nurse from the children's A&E department at St Helier Hospital is to take part in an 'Ironman' triathlon - an event that will see her swim for 2.4 miles, cycle for 112 miles and run a full marathon - all in less than 17 hours. Hannah Fisher, a senior staff nurse who lives in Raynes Park, will be taking on the challenge to raise funds for anti-malaria charity, Malaria No More, after she spent time volunteering with malaria sufferers in Ghana last year. 15 June 2011
Be on guard in the garden! Watch out for accidents this summer With the weather fast improving and evenings getting longer it's no surprise that many of us will be enjoying the opportunity to do a spot of gardening but did you know the potential dangers involved? 26 April 2011
'Put a full stop to measles spots' says senior doctor A specialist doctor from the children's A&E department at St Helier Hospital is calling for all local parents to have their children vaccinated against measles. Following reports of measles outbreaks in Europe earlier this week, experts across the country have been encouraging parents to have their children vaccinated before going on holiday. 15 April 2011
Concern for the young as skin cancer rates triple Young people living in Sutton, Merton and Surrey are being urged to take precautions in the sun, as alarming figures show a tripling of skin cancer rates among 15 - 34 year olds in Britain. 12 April 2011
'Keep on running' - new treadmills arrive at specialist heart centre Two brand new treadmills at Epsom Hospital are helping patients with heart conditions to get back on their feet and return to fitness. 01 April 2011
Fingers on the pulse thanks to new ECG Patients, staff, visitors and volunteers celebrated the arrival of new electrocardiograph (ECG) machine to the dedicated stroke unit, Britten ward, at Epsom Hospital in March. 31 March 2011
'Be aware of TB' urges specialist doctor A breathing and lung specialist at Epsom and St Helier hospitals is urging local people to be vigilant against tuberculosis (TB) after new figures show that the disease is more common in London and urban areas. 09 March 2011
Hospitals launch life-saving training for hostile environments Epsom and St Helier hospitals are launching the UK's first ever A&E (accident and emergency) based training course for people preparing to travel to conflicts and hostile environments around the world. From this summer, international journalists, business travellers, and those working for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will receive expert tuition from doctors and nurses in the hospitals' busy A&E departments. 08 March 2011
Hospital mental health team named as 'excellent' The team of doctors and nurses who help to support people with mental health issues while they are patients at St Helier Hospital has been given the highest possible rating in a national accreditation scheme. The liaison psychiatry service helps and treats patients with a wide range of issues, including dementia, alcohol and drug addiction, depression and anxiety. 21 December 2010
Helping children hear in Sri Lanka Doctors and audiologists (hearing specialists) who work at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust have donated 55 hearing aids to a charity to help deaf children in Sri Lanka. 26 November 2010
'If you want to use us, don't abuse us' - hospital staff see rise in assaults New figures show that the number of physical assaults and incidents of violence and aggression against staff at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals increased last year. 01 November 2010
Don't let explosive fun get out of hand The A&E teams at Epsom and St Helier hospitals are urging local residents to take extra care with fireworks this Guy Fawkes' night. Around this time every year, the Trust sees an increase in the number of people attending its A&E departments as a direct result of accidents caused by fireworks and bonfires, including children who are injured by sparklers. 26 October 2010
Alcohol related illnesses and injuries continue to soar Disturbing new figures show that the number of people admitted to Epsom and St Helier hospitals with alcohol related illnesses and injuries in the past seven years has increased by almost 145 per cent. Whether people require long-term medical treatment for chronic liver failure, or need hospital treatment in Accident & Emergency (A&E) after a drunken fall, the figures show that in 2009-10, 575 people were admitted to the hospitals because of drinking alcohol, compared to 234 in 2002-03. 05 October 2010
Epsom Hospital stroke unit receives 'life saving' £760,000 investment A £760,000 cash injection has been made into funding extra doctors, nurses and clinics on the stroke ward at Epsom Hospital an investment that will help to save lives and improve the time it takes patients to recover from a stroke. 17 September 2010
Expert urges young people to be prepared A leading doctor at Epsom and St Helier hospitals is urging local young people to take up first aid courses, after new figures show that the majority of children aged 11 - 16 have had to cope with an emergency situation. 14 September 2010
Children with asthma urged to take extra care Doctors at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals are urging local children and young people with asthma to take extra care over the coming month, as admissions to hospitals because of the condition jump significantly in September. In September of last year, 37 children were admitted to the Trust's hospitals because of asthma - a considerable increase from just seven in August. 08 September 2010
Heart unit has recipe for success It's not every day you find nurses whose job it is to care for patients who have heart problems encouraging people to eat cakes. But that's exactly what happened when Sister Mary Gray and healthcare assistant Helen Shirley - both based on the coronary care unit at Epsom Hospital - organised a massive cake-baking event earlier this year. 17 May 2010
A friend indeed ward receives generous £20,000 donation A ward dedicated to caring for elderly patients at St Helier Hospital has received an anonymous £20,000 donation from a friend of a couple who were treated there. 07 May 2010
Doctors on call ... in Nepal Two doctors from Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust have returned from the trip of a lifetime, where they offered people living in remote villages of Nepal some much needed healthcare. In rural Nepal, people who need medical treatment have to walk to the nearest road and then drive to the hospital. 27 April 2010
'Be the difference' - Trust supports campaign encouraging first aid training The top nurse at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals is supporting a new campaign from St John's Ambulance, which encourages more people to get first aid training. 19 April 2010
Pressure to drink could be all in the mind Experts at Epsom and St Helier hospitals are encouraging local people to think twice about having 'one last drink', as new figures from the Department of Health show that peer pressure to binge drink could all be in our minds. A YouGov poll of more than 2,000 adults suggests that 22% of people blame peer pressure when they drink more than they planned to, while 39% feel the need to make up an excuse or lie to justify refusing a drink. 22 March 2010
Be fab and forty with a MidLifeCheck Keeping healthy as you get older isn't always as easy as it seems, which is why one of the top doctors at St Helier, Sutton and Epsom hospitals is supporting a new NHS service to help adults over 40 improve their quality of life. 15 March 2010
Trust gears up for Dignity Action Day As part of its commitment to ensuring all patients are treated with the utmost dignity and privacy, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust will be marking the first ever national Dignity Action Day later this month. Dignity Action Day, which will be held on Thursday 25 February, has been organised by the Department of Health to raise awareness about the importance of dignity in healthcare. 16 February 2010
Have a healthy heart this Valentine's During February, as shops line their shelves with love hearts, chocolates and red roses, it's hard not to think about matters of the heart. But experts at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals are encouraging people to think about their hearts in a different way this Valentine's Day, and to make sure your heart is a healthy one. 09 February 2010
'Choose Well' and get the right care from the right service at the right time Doctors at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals are urging local people to get the right treatment if they fall ill or hurt themselves this winter. 31 December 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
New initiative to support prisoners with hepatitis Inmates with hepatitis C at High Down and Downview prisons are benefiting from a new scheme launched by Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust. The initiative, which involves a doctor and nurse from the Trust visiting the prisons, helps ensure inmates with the illness get treated quickly and saves them from having to be brought into hospital. 08 October 2009
Let's hear it for audiology Patients with hearing difficulties at Epsom and St Helier hospitals are now waiting just ten weeks for a hearing aid, compared to an average wait of two years at the beginning of 2008. 25 September 2009
Trust doctor gives Surrey cricketers clean bill of skin health This summer may not have turned out to be the scorcher we were expecting, but for the players of Surrey County Cricket Club, protecting themselves against the sun's harmful rays was still a priority. That's why Chris Harland, consultant dermatologist for Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, paid the team a visit at the famous Oval cricket ground to test them for signs of skin cancer. 17 September 2009
Hospital staff conquer highest mountain in Ireland Not many people would like to spend their summer holidays hiking up a mountain with their workmates, but that's exactly what staff from Epsom Hospital have done for the past three years. After completing the three peaks challenge last year and climbing to Everest base camp the previous year, this summer the intrepid team of five accident and emergency (A&E) staff members climbed the tallest mountain in the Emerald isle. 04 September 2009
Family ties reach across warzone A nurse from Epsom Hospital is set to join her son in the Afghanistan warzone when she begins an operational tour with the Territorial Army (TA) in October. Elaine Howlin, a nurse in the clinical assessment unit (CAU) at Epsom Hospital and a medic for the TA, will be posted in the main hospital in Camp Bastion - just 50 miles away from where her son, Martin is fighting on the front line. 01 September 2009
Unit unveils work that helps to eliminate mixed sex accommodation £1.1 million in funding was secured earlier this year to undertake a number of projects to improve the privacy and dignity experienced by patients at Epsom and St Helier hospitals. Most of these projects are now completed, with one of the improved areas already showing off their new facilities. 01 September 2009
Hospital's heart team welcomes surprise donation An unexpected donation of £14,500 has been given to the cardiology department at Epsom Hospital by a local charity. 28 April 2009
Six figure sum helps to mend broken hearts The St Helier Hospital League of Friends has made a donation of more than £215,000 to the hospital's renal and cardiology departments, helping to fund new equipment, including a reverse osmosis machine worth £45,000. 03 February 2009
Trust scores high marks in health watchdog's A&E survey Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust is within the top 20% of trusts across London for patient satisfaction in its Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments, according to a survey released today (14 January 2009) by the health watchdog, the Healthcare Commission. 15 January 2009
Doctors make A&E plea Doctors at Epsom and St Helier hospitals are calling on local people to only visit its A&E departments if they have a genuine emergency or accident, because of intense pressure on its services. 11 December 2008
Headphone advice goes in one ear and out the other The audiology departments at Epsom and St Helier hospitals are advising people to listen carefully to their new MP3 players, including iPods, this Christmas. 10 December 2008
Four legged friends help out in ward The Clinical Assessment Unit at St Helier Hospital has drafted in six new four legged friends to help make life more comfortable for patients with minor injuries who don't need a bed. 04 December 2008
St Helier Hospital A&E treats patients following chemical incident At approximately 1.30pm today (20 November 2008), six adults were admitted to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department at St Helier Hospital following a chemical spillage at a school in Wallington. 01 December 2008
Leading dietitian scoops national recognition A leading dietitian based at Epsom General Hospital has been crowned 'Dietitian of the Year' by a national charity. Kristina Zaremba who has been working in the field for the past 28 years, said she was delighted with the accolade, awarded to her by Coeliac UK. 01 December 2008
Friends donate £20,000 scanner to protect patients from DVT A state of the art portable scanner used to help detect Deep Vein Thrombolysis (DVT) and a range of other conditions has been donated to the Clinical Assessment Unit (CAU) at St Helier Hospital. The CAU is used to assess patients with emergency conditions before they are then either discharged or referred to a specialist ward for treatment. 01 December 2008
Top doctor warns local people to be SMART in the sun Local skin experts at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust and Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust are encouraging people to be SMART in the sun this year. 04 December 2008
Thrombolysis pilot spares local man from disability A pilot scheme which has seen changes in the way stroke patients are treated across south west London has already spared a man from permanent disability and a prolonged length of stay in hospital, say doctors at St Helier Hospital. 04 December 2008

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