May 2023: A Message From Maddy

Our healthcare specialists are second to none

I’m constantly impressed by the work of our Nimbuscare teams and the partners who work with us. We have some amazing individuals and they all deserve a mention, but I’d just like to say a huge personal thanks to two people whose specialist work has excelled this year.

Firstly, thank you to Dr Rebecca Brown who set up and led the Children’s Ambulatory Treatment (CAT) Hub over the last two winters, in partnership with our hospital and community healthcare colleagues (pictured).

Her drive and passion to improve the care for babies and children in the York area has made a difference to many of our pa?ents and their families. She has also spread the word to other regional and national NHS organisations and our CAT Hub has been replicated in other areas, including Bradford and Leeds.

As we approach the summer months and winter illnesses subside, we are pausing this seasonal service. It has successfully reduced the number of unnecessary aRendances in the Emergency Department at York Hospital with initial data showing a 35% fall in patients going to the Emergency Department. It has also improved parent’s knowledge and confidence in caring for their child, by providing advice and support from experts. This work has also helped share learning and good practice by professionals from both primary and secondary care working together at one hub. You can read more about our CAT Hub work here.

We are also indebted to the work of Advanced Nurse Practitioner Paul Mackay (pictured), whose incredible background in refugee health and looking aMer the most vulnerable in our society, has benefited us here in York.

When Paul heard about the arrival of more than 400 asylum seekers to York, speaking more than 15 different languages, he gave up a permanent post to come and help as part of Nimbuscare’s team.

The project in York to support refugees and asylum seekers with healthcare started in December 2022 and Paul is part of the Nimbuscare team that runs the service. I want to thank him and his team for all their amazing work. You can read more about this here.

As we pause some seasonal services, we con?nue to open others and explore a number of new service models too. I’m delighted that our new Wound Care clinics have now commenced at Acomb Garth Community Care Centre. This is an exciting joint venture between our hospital and community teams and primary care. It will provide a holistic approach to the management of lower limb care, with the pa?ent at the heart of the programme and aims speed up diagnosis and treatment of wounds.

We are also making good progress on the development of diagnostic services which will have a huge impact on waiting times. I hope to have more to share on this very soon.

And, as our heart failure service pauses, we are exploring other joined up care pathways, focusing on patient’s heart health. I hope to have more to say about our new heart health clinics in the near future.