Latest news

The benefits of having a furry companion around are undeniable, and Ozzy, one of our Pets as Therapy (PAT) dogs, proves it every day.

This lovable, calm pooch has been visiting our hospital sites with his owner, Veronica 'Ronnie' Crawshaw, since October 2022 - spreading happiness and positivity among staff, patients, and visitors.

A six-year-old cockapoo, Ozzy brings smiles to many faces, visiting many different wards and departments to provide companionship, relaxation, and emotional support for patients and staff alike.

The team at Queen's Hospital Burton's (QHB) A&E department has become the first in the country and one of two centres in the world to gain accreditation for their use of an innovative emergency department triage system.

A physiotherapist who started out with a career in the Royal Marines has broken the mould by using his previous military experience to make a difference in healthcare.

David Williams grew up wanting to be in the Armed Forces but his journey took an unexpected turn and he forged a new career as a physiotherapist. Determined not to let his previous experience go to waste, David has worked hard to improve support for ex-military patients and colleagues in his role as Chair of the Armed Forces Network here at UHDB and has seen the network go from strength to strength.

An "exceptional and dedicated" teenager, who volunteered his time to help patients receiving end of life care at UHDB, has been given an award in recognition of his efforts.

Aymen Boud, who is 17-years-old, was handed the award after taking part in the NHS Cadets scheme, which saw him spend 36-weeks helping colleagues care for patients and their families on Ward 2 at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital in Derby.

Today, Wednesday 26 April, is National Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Day.

Cancer CNS workers are highly specialised, experienced nurses who play a vital role in the cancer workforce, using their training to build a sense of trust, honesty and openness with their patients in order to support them in the best possible way.

Here at UHDB, we have 60 CNS colleagues who are taking care of patients and their families who are living with cancer and undergoing treatment. We spoke to Kerry Pape, Lead Cancer Nurse Manager, about what their role involves and why it is important to shine a spotlight on these valued colleagues on National Cancer CNS Day:

On Tuesday 4 April, UHDB and the EMBRACE staff network proudly hoisted the new 'One World, One #TeamUHDB' flag at Royal Derby Hospital to celebrate and recognise the diversity of #TeamUHDB colleagues.

Colleagues from across departments came to watch the flag hoist as EMBRACE Network Lead Mwansa Mulenga, Chief Executive and executive sponsor for the EMBRACE network Stephen Posey and Chair Kathy McLean shared short speeches about the flag, the importance of diversity in our workforce, and our ongoing commitment to be an inclusive, welcoming organisation for all.

Univeristy Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) has partnered with the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) to provide patients with useful information regarding their care and ongoing treatment from the comfort of their homes.

From 7am on Tuesday 11 April 2023, some junior doctors across the NHS will take part in industrial action which is planned to last for 96 hours, concluding at 6.59am on Saturday 15 April 2023. We have put extensive plans in place to minimise the impact on our patients and communities. We will prioritise emergency, urgent and critical care but there will be disruption to some services.

Colleagues from across the Trust came together to celebrate the grand opening of the Queen's Hospital Education Centre (QHEC) after an extensive refurbishment programme today (28 March).

A team who offered "exemplary care and kindness" to a patient and his family during his final days, are the latest to be named Team UHDB in the Making a Difference Awards.

Colleagues on Ward 404 at Royal Derby Hospital were nominated by the family of Noel Bunting who was cared for on the ward between 28 December until 9 January after falling unwell.

A woman who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer after suffering from back pain and bloating has heaped praise on the 'fabulous cancer care' she received at Royal Derby Hospital after undergoing ultra-radical surgery to save her life.

Helen Hills put her symptoms down to 'age and over exercising' when she first started to feel unwell in 2020 but after seeing a doctor her worst fears were confirmed. Now she has shared her story to raise awareness of the disease for Ovarian Cancer month and said she cannot do enough to thank the team at Royal Derby Hospital who supported her through her difficult journey.

Last week UHDB hosted two student nurse recruitment events at Royal Derby Hospital and Queen's Hospital Burton with many student nurses in attendance, interested in finding out more about joining #TeamUHDB.

Members of the Pharmacy team at Royal Derby Hospital have been sharing what it is they enjoy most about their role as the team looks to expand and recruit more colleagues to their ranks.

Join us at our upcoming Health and Information Talk on Thursday 20 April to find out more about the amazing work that is taking place at our community hospitals and satellite sites that provide services to patients across Derbyshire and Staffordshire.

UHDB's Chief Pharmacist Clive Newman will retire at the end of the month, after an incredible 20 years working at the Trust.

Since completing his pre-registration pharmacy training in the late eighties, Clive has witnessed lots of change, including the development of dispensing robots, and was heavily involved in the roll out of Covid-19 treatments and vaccination at UHDB.

Trigger warning: the below story contains references to baby loss

An ACP who supported a colleague through a difficult loss has been hailed "a joy to work with" and "everything a leader should be."

Matthew Fowler, Advanced Clinical Practitioner in CTAU/Oncology at Royal Derby Hospital has been praised by his colleague Emily Parr, Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner, after offering unwavering support when she lost her unborn baby last year.

Today marks the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. To all of our Muslim colleagues and communities - we wish you a very happy Ramadan Mubarak!

Ramadan begins in the evening of Wednesday 22 March 2023, and lasts for 29 or 30 days, concluding with the celebration of Eid Al-Fitr, this year taking place on Friday 21 April 2023 - dependent on the sighting of the crescent moon.

A team at Royal Derby Hospital are on a fund-raising mission to buy a special piece of equipment that will "make a massive difference" to their patients.

Colleagues on the Combined Triage Assessment Unit (CTAU) will be joining forces to jump out of a plane for a skydive and jog their way to the finish line in a 10km run later this year.

A patient who was admitted to Ward 301 at Royal Derby Hospital praised the team for making him feel "safe and not alone" after he was admitted to the ward to receive end of life care. The patient, who will remain anonymous, wrote his letter that the team had made "an impossibly terrible situation bearable and easier, going well beyond their scope of duty".

The heart-warming feedback led to the Ward 301 team being awarded our latest Team UHDB Making a Difference Award, which was presented to them by Executive Chief Operating Officer, Sharon Martin, and members of the management team from our Cancer, Diagnostics and Clinical Support (CDCS) Division.

Monday 13 - Sunday 19 March is Healthcare Science Week 2023.

Healthcare Scientists (HCS) make an invaluable contribution to patient care at UHDB, covering a wide variety of different roles - primarily structured around four key disciplines: Physiological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Bioinformatics, and Medical Physics. However, Healthcare Scientists work in several fields beyond these, and their varied work is crucial to delivering effective patient care.

Calling all student nurses qualifying in September 2023. If you're wanting to find out more about #TeamUHDB, we are hosting two student nurse recruitment events this month.

From 7am on Monday 13 March 2023, some junior doctors across the NHS take part in industrial action which is planned to last for 72 hours, concluding at 6.59am on Thursday 16 March 2023.

Since September 2022, our Alcohol Care Teams (ACT) have been in place at Royal Derby Hospital, supporting patients who are alcohol dependant or who are at risk of alcohol-related harm.

Patients who are admitted to our hospital are asked a series of questions to understand their alcohol consumption levels. If we think their relationship with alcohol could benefit from our support, patients will be offered specialist treatment whilst in hospital to provide patients with the tools to manage their withdrawal from alcohol upon discharge.

National No Smoking Day takes place today, on Wednesday 8 March 2023.

There is never a bad time to give up smoking, but on this day, colleagues at UHDB urge all in our communities who have a tobacco addiction to consider quitting smoking, and accessing the support you might need to help you give up.

Covid-19 forced teams across UHDB to change the way they worked, but for one team based at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital, the changes have resulted in more than halving the amount of time patients wait to access their services.

The Dermatology Isotretinoin Team, which cares for patients with acne and supports them with the psychological and social impacts this has on their lives, has implemented a series of changes over the past 18 months. These changes include introducing virtual follow-up appointments and a home delivery service for prescriptions, which have improved the patient experience and noticeably reduced waiting times for patients.

Florence Nightingale Community Hospital's (FNCH) Ward 5 team has been praised for the "superb" feedback that has been received by colleagues and patients alike - despite welcoming its first patients less than 100 days ago.

A Clinical Nurse Specialist working in Occupational Health has been praised for the "indescribable" impact she had on a colleague which helped them to rediscover their passion for nursing.

Fiona Calladine, who is based at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital in Derby, has been working closely with Louise Rayner, a Registered Nurse in Occupational Health, to support her in settling into her new position in the team.

Louise lives with some long-term health conditions which have provided challenges for her during her career, but Fiona's compassionate leadership, invaluable support and mentoring have enabled Louise to fully settle into what she describes as her "dream role".

On Friday, 3 March, the third annual Overseas NHS Workers Day took place, and we were pleased to take the opportunity to express our thanks to UHDB's international colleagues and celebrate their contribution to our organisation and communities.

Executive Chief People Officer, Amanda Rawlings, was "delighted" to be able to celebrate our Overseas staff, saying: "Overseas NHS Workers Day may just be one moment for us to recognise the brilliance of our colleagues from around the globe, but every single day we rely upon their expertise, experience and exceptional standards.

Colleagues and patients alike have heaped praise on Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital's newest ward for the high standards of care provided after opening just 13 weeks ago. Philip Ward, which opened on 28 November 2022, was opened after just six weeks of planning and preparation work by the team.

UHDB are proud to be working with AccessAble to create a number of Detailed Access Guides to facilities, wards, and departments at our hospital sites.

These guides are full of facts, figures and photographs to help patients, visitors and staff plan their journeys to and around our hospitals - covering everything from parking facilities and hearing loops, to walking distances and accessible toilets.