Latest news

An A&E nurse who sprang into action when her neighbour had a heart attack at home, has been praised by his family after her quick-thinking actions saved his life.  

The UHDB Carers Colleague Network is delighted to be hosting its third Caring in the Community event - providing carers and those they care for with an opportunity to meet and network with other carers and supporting organisations from across the Midlands.

Sarah Gay, IT Security Team Leader at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB), has been recognised as one of the leading women in NHS cybersecurity – protecting patient data and keeping vital clinical systems safe – after winning the Women in Cyber Award, presented by the NHS Cyber Associates Network.

With many clinical systems and patient information now held digitally, cybersecurity is more important than ever to protect our patient's data, as well as support our hospitals to provide excellent care and operate effectively. Sarah has played an instrumental role in UHDB's robust cybersecurity, supporting clinical teams to have confidence in their access to safe data and digital systems - allowing them to provide better quality care for patients.

We write to share that Andrew Hall, Executive Chief Operating Officer (COO), is set to take up a new role as COO at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) later this year.

Women and birthing people who require urgent or emergency support during pregnancy will now be assessed and triaged using a best practice tool to improve patient safety and experience. 

If you will be collecting a prescription from Pride Pharmacy from the end of April onwards you will need to collect this from a new location. 

Two UHDB colleagues have been praised for their work which aims to teach and raise awareness of critical life-saving skills across Derbyshire's diverse communities - directly addressing health inequalities among ethnic minority and deprived community groups in the region.

Nichola Lightfoot and Nicole Abbott, Resuscitation and Simulation trainers at UHDB, have been working as part of a project to equip our communities with CPR skills, and other life-saving techniques, which can make a vital difference in an emergency.

NHS staff who have dedicated their careers to helping patients have been celebrated for their long service and commitment to caring for others.  

Staff across the Trust received awards for 25, 35 and 45 years' contribution to the NHS at ceremonies held at Royal Derby Hospital (RDH) and Queen's Hospital Burton (QHB) commending a combined 2,265 years of service.  

A mum who was carrying twins when doctors discovered a cancerous cyst is being reunited with the NHS staff who found the cancer and helped deliver her 'miracle' boys safely, and said their expertise, and her pregnancy saved her life.

A mother of four now has the 'family she always dreamed of' thanks to lifesaving care from maternity and neonatal staff at Royal Derby Hospital who cared for her twice during two complicated pregnancies - resulting in the team receiving three national awards this week.

Kristen Duffy found out she was pregnant in 2021, aged 40. Kristen and her husband, Mark, already had two children but were delighted to have the opportunity to grow their family.

Join us for our next free to attend Health and Information talk on Wednesday 2 April covering planning End of Life Care.

Researchers from the Pulvertaft Hand Centre at Royal Derby Hospital are leading the way in a pioneering national study to determine the most effective treatment for thumb base arthritis, a condition that affects millions of people across the UK.

Base of thumb osteoarthritis (BTOA) is a common and painful condition, affecting one in five people over the age of 40. The condition can make simple everyday tasks such as opening jars, turning keys, or even writing, extremely difficult. This can heavily impact the person's independence, work, and overall quality of life.

A patient who was cared for at UHDB after undergoing leg amputation, has thanked two 'exceptional' Physiotherapist colleagues who helped him walk again, saying they helped him 'find the light in a very dark place' and achieve what he thought was impossible.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) and Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts have seen early benefits for thousands of patients from new digital system Nervecentre.

A new state-of-the-art Community Diagnostic Centre which aims to deliver 97,000 tests a year has opened at Ilkeston Community hospital, to bring down waiting lists and give patients faster access to diagnostic testing and results, in a community hospital which is closer to home.

Governors play a vital part in supporting the direction and accountability of NHS Trusts. As representatives of the public, colleagues, and key stakeholders, governors have a commitment to ensure their voices are heard and considered in key decision-making processes and part of the continuous improvement of healthcare services.

UHDB Urology and Facilities departments worked collaboratively to improve Trust facilities and be more inclusive for male patients with incontinence, enabling UHDB to become the second hospital Trust in the UK to back 'Boys need Bins', a national campaign to support men who have had prostate cancer or surgery.

At University Hospitals Derby and Burton (UHDB), we recognise that good patient experience is a crucial part of delivering exceptional care and hearing from patients, their families and our communities is vital to understand what we do well and what we don't do so well. This feedback presents valuable opportunities for us to continually learn and improve how we do things and embody the 'always improving' culture that helps us deliver better patient care, experience, and outcomes.

Do you know any women or birthing people who would like to share their experiences at our maternity event taking place on 8 March from 10am - 12pm?

On Thursday 6 March 2025, UHDB colleagues will be hosting a focus group to allow patients and families to share their experiences of pain relief at our Emergency Department at Royal Derby Hospital.

The focus group invites patients, as well as their family and friends, to be involved in anew project aimed at improving pain relief in the department - directly reflecting on the discussions and feedback shared at the session.

A specialist nurse at Royal Derby Hospital who treated a patient before they sadly passed away, received recognition by their family for providing the compassionate care that allowed them to "pass away peacefully and with dignity".

Gill Cook, a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Upper Gastrointestinal (known as 'Upper GI') Oncology, first met the patient following their diagnosis of cancer. When the patient's condition deteriorated, she worked tirelessly to move him from A&E to Ward 303 - ensuring he had a private room so his family could be with him in his final moments. Gill stayed late into the evening and went above and beyond to provide additional support to the family, ensuring the patient’s comfort and dignity.

A research project at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital (FNCH) led by University of Plymouth, is looking for people who have Parkinson's Disease to improve their walking through Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES).

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) is part of an innovative national long-term research called the Generation study  looking at newborn babies' genomes to help improve testing, diagnosis and treatment for genetic conditions.

Parents with poorly babies who require neonatal support across University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) can now access regular updates on their mobile phone following the launch of BadgerNet, an electronic patient record system (EPR) that transforms how detailed information about neonatal babies is recorded and accessed.

Staff, families, and friends recently gathered to celebrate five years of compassionate care on Ward 2 at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital (FNCH) - a dedicated place to care for patients reaching the end of their lives.

Opened in January 2020, this 14-bed ward has supported over 3,000 patients on end-of-life care and their families, supporting them during the most challenging time. The ward plays a crucial role in the last stages of a patient's life - everyone has the right to a good death, one that is personalised to each patient and respects theirs and their family's wishes.

Nursing duo at Queen's Hospital Burton (QHB) are making UHDB a great place to learn by supporting students with essential hands-on experience in our busy Emergency department.

Sarah Edwards, MP for Tamworth, visited the new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) at Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital, to see the cutting-edge facility supporting local residents to get access to diagnostic tests quicker and closer to their home and community.