Explore every episode of the podcast The Hillingdon Hospitals' Podcast

Hillingdon Hospitals' latest podcast episode spotlights the Trust's innovative approach to admission avoidance, featuring insights from Duncan Alston, geriatrician, and Usman Ahmed, consultant in acute and general medicine.

The discussion centered on recent efforts to reduce unnecessary hospital stays by optimising outpatient and rapid access care. Duncan shared findings from a recent audit, which revealed that nearly half of admitted patients could have been managed as outpatients. This has driven a strategic shift toward providing more care outside the traditional inpatient setting.

There are three main criteria for hospital admission: physiological instability, specific treatment needs such as oxygen therapy, and significant social or mobility challenges. Patients who do not meet these criteria are now being offered safer and faster outpatient alternatives, reflecting a commitment to both patient well-being and hospital efficiency.

Usman highlighted the success of the Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) clinic, which now sees up to 70 patients daily. This service has significantly reduced pressure on the emergency department (ED), contributing to Hillingdon’s recognition as one of London’s best-performing EDs. The conversation also covered the hospital’s rollout of virtual wards, which use remote monitoring technology to track patients’ health at home across a range of specialties, including general medicine, diabetes, cardiology, respiratory, and paediatrics.

To support these initiatives, staff can now access detailed referral pathways and criteria through the Eolas app (available on the trust website in the applications page, or available to download from the app store and sign in using your NHS login), streamlining the process for admission avoidance and ensuring patients receive the most appropriate care in the right setting.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

New Stop Smoking Clinic

Elaine Hotson, health and wellbeing lead, talk to Sue, our tobacco dependence lead. They discuss our service for staff to give up smoking, and the new Staff Stop Smoking Clinic.

The clinic is running from September 17th on Wednesdays 2-4pm, Location : 1st floor FFP3 hub room - by Theatres entrance ( first floor off the tower block stairs and past the lifts ), Hillingdon hospital

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Listen to the next podcast episode of Radio Hillingdon's In Conversation series - Molly Arbuthnott, the volunteer storyteller on the Bumblebee Ward at Hillingdon Hospital.  

Molly volunteers her time to meet the children staying on the ward, and to share her love of books by reading them stories. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We have started using digital consent for procedures in our hospitals, using a system called Concentric. Concentric is a clinically-led application, with a proven track record, that seamlessly integrates with other digital systems to provide the patient and the Trust with an online record of consent.

In this podcast we hear from Paula Galea, Consultant Obstetrician and Trust Digital Lead for Consent, about the new process for patient consent.

Patients can be confident that they have been given all the necessary information they need, in advance of their treatment. The consent can then be shared to their NHS app and on the NHS patient care systems for complete clarity.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

In this podcast, Heraldas Gaspariunas, Co-founder and COO at Reneural, is joined by Dr Gabriella Spinelli, Reader in Healthcare Design and Innovation at the Brunel Design School, part of the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences at Brunel University of London and Director of RADIANT CERSI, a centre for regulatory science and innovation in digital health and healthcare AI.

The conversation focuses on a new collaboration between Reneural, The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Brunel University London, supported by NHS England through the New Hospital Programme. Together, the partners are developing a clinician dashboard that works alongside Reneural’s virtual reality rehabilitation platform. The goal is to support occupational therapists and physiotherapists in delivering more effective remote care for stroke survivors.

Gabriella shares her insights on the importance of academic research in shaping digital health solutions and the value of collaboration between universities, the NHS, and industry. The discussion also touches on how projects like this can support faster adoption of innovation within the NHS and improve patient outcomes through thoughtful, research-driven design.

This episode highlights the potential of partnerships to bring meaningful change to stroke care and digital health across the system.

Speakers:

• Heraldas Gaspariunas, Co-founder and COO at Reneural
• Dr Gabriella Spinelli, Reader in Healthcare Design and Innovation, Brunel University of London

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We will be hosting Learning at Work Week from Monday 12-Friday 16 May, in this podcast we talk about what the week means and the events we are holding.

This national campaign champions lifelong learning and is an ideal opportunity for you to find out more about the various learning and development opportunities available in the Trust for you and your team.

This year's national theme, "Get Connected," underscores the importance of fostering connections to enhance our  learning  experiences.​

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We are working in collaboration with Reneural and Brunel University to develop an innovative tool for stroke rehabilitation. With funding from the New Hospital Programme, we are undertaking a pivotal initiative aiming to transform stroke rehabilitation through a clinician dashboard that enhances remote interaction, treatment, and monitoring for stroke survivors. 

This project directly supports occupational therapists and physiotherapists by providing a digital platform integrated with Reneural’s Virtual Reality rehabilitation system. 

Victor Harabari (CEO of Reneural) discusses the project and the development.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Debora Lopez, project manager, talks about our move to a new learning hub. We will soon be moving to a new Learner Management System called LearningHub. This system will be rolled out across the Acute Provider Collaborative, providing a more efficient and user-friendly training tool for staff.

The LearningHub will hold all your mandatory and essential training (your training record will be moved from iDevelop). Staff can access all learning materials, book face-to-face training, and interact with guides and videos, all in one place, as well as viewing better insights into staff learning and development, enabling more targeted support for training.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Nasser Arif, our cyber security manager, shares best practices around cyber security, including key considerations for NHS organisations in their approach to cyber security. There is extensive work in our Cyber Team, which constantly assesses cyber security maturity, good cyber security practice, and how to support staff in staying safe online.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Launching on Thursday 20 March (International Day of Happiness), a new recognition scheme called 'Hillingdon Hearts' will be an easy way for staff to send a message of gratitude to a colleague. Everyone will get five hearts a month to give away, and when someone gets five hearts they will be invited to a recognition breakfast with the CEO, Lesley Watts.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Sarah Burton, chief nurse, and Toko Kadhani, head of infection, prevention and control, discuss the increase in norovirus in our hospitals and how we can all help to prevent the spread.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Kavita Goreeba (Chair for our Women's Network) and Rana Erteza (Deputy Chair for our Women’s Network) chat in this podcast about this year's International Women’s Day, what it means to our staff, and how we are celebrating it in the Trust.

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. This year's theme is 'Accelerate Action' - calls for action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind.
 
 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Cynthia Oji, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead in the Trust discusses our staff networks in the Trust. Our mission is to make our workplace as inclusive as possible, as well as being a place where staff can meet like-minded colleagues.

Cynthia explains why we have staff networks, how people can get involved, as well as some leadership roles that we're looking for in the LGBTQ+ Network and the Multicultural Network.

Want to start a new network? listen on to find out more about that too! as well as some network events coming up.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Join Loretta Achiekwelu, operations programme manager from Hillingdon Hospitals Trust, in the podcast where she chats about health inequalities.

The NHS has recognised that certain groups of people experience poorer health outcomes or face barriers to accessing services compared to others. Tackling these inequalities involves addressing the root causes of these disparities and ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background, has fair and equitable access to high-quality care.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

This February, we are holding our Freedom to Speak Up Month, during which we have a number of events. Our Freedom to Speak Up service runs throughout the year, allowing staff to raise any concern in a number of ways, including anonymously should you wish. Your concerns will be listened to confidentially; investigated in line with good practice and will receive timely feedback on actions, progress and outcomes. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Natasha Rashid, corporate applications analyst, talks us through a new co-pilot trial in our Hillingdon Hospitals and London North West Hospitals Trust. With 950 users across the Trusts, the project is testing how corporate staff can use co-pilot AI to assist them in daily tasks and the possible future utilisation of this software into working life. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Noel Burkett, our director of transformation, improvement and programme management, recently attended a meeting at the House of Commons hosted by Anne Dixon MP (Lab, Shipley) on the subject of ‘Unlocking the Power of Volunteering’.

At this event, our Trust received special recognition for work we have done with the Hillingdon-based care partnership, H4All, on a scheme for checking in on people waiting for ophthalmology appointments - with the aim of reducing DNA rates (the rates of patients that Do Not Attend).

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Our topic today is part of our wellbeing podcast series, where we dive into meaningful conversations and tackle topics that impact our daily lives. 

Elaine Hotson, our Trust Health and Wellbeing Lead, discusses Blue Monday, often considered the most depressing day of the year. Falling on the third Monday of January, Blue Monday is said to combine post-holiday blues, the cold weather, and financial stress with waning New Year's resolutions. But is it just a marketing myth? or is there some truth behind it?  Let’s face it, the first few days of January never really feel like a new start. Many of us are just getting over the festive fog, counting down to our next payday.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

In the podcast edition, Toko Kadhani, head of nursing for infection prevention and control, tells us how best to stay safe from norovirus, C.diff and respiratory infections, both in hospital and in the community. 

With increased infection rates to previous years, it's important for both staff and the public to stay vigilant and follow the guidelines to preventing the spread of infection.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Christmas can be a time of joy, but it can also, for many, feel like a time of anxiety and even solitude. It's easy to feel stress at a time of financial strain, more prevalent illness and NHS winter pressures at work. Our lead for health and wellbeing, Elaine Hotson, talks us through the support that is available to everyone over the festive period.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

A conversation between Patricia Wright, CEO, and Phil Spivey, chief people officer, discussing our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in initiatives, what we are offering, our EDI action plan, and the importance of staff networks for the Trust.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Elaine Hotson, Health and Wellbeing Lead, talks to Mo Holas about the Staff Survey and the impact that your responses can make. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Patricia Wright, CEO, and Matthew Swindells, chair in common, discuss our Well-Led  programme in this podcast edition.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

In this episode Elaine Hotson, health and wellbeing lead, talks to Dr Phil Pocock – Clinical Psychologist at CNWL Psychology Service and Dr Chloe Schneider - Clinical Lead at Keeping Well North West London.

They talk about their roles, what support they offer our staff, how staff can access that support.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

In this podcast we talk to Shveta Kajal, consultant anaesthetist, and Ritu Gupta, consultant anaestetist and director of medical education. They are discussing their roles and their team, with details of a new course that they have created for staff: Use of ultrasound and nerve blockade. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

SAS Week: Interview with Dr. Immad Qureshi, Chair of EMSAS at the Royal College of Emergency Medicine

In this podcast, Dr Agnes Ngassa, associate specialist in the Emergency Department at Hillingdon Hospital talks to Dr Immad Qureshi, EMSAS Chair at the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.

They have a conversation about Specialty & Associate Specialist (SAS), what it is, its importance, career paths, challenges and professional development.

This podcast is part of the Specialty and Associate Specialist (SAS) Week celebration activities on 14 - 18 October, discussing various issues relating SAS doctors. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

This podcast is part of the Specialty and Associate Specialist (SAS) Week celebration activities on 14 - 18 October, discussing various issues relating SAS doctors. 

In this podcast Dr Agnes Ngassa, A&E Associate Specialist interviews Dr Athalyn Tizon A&E speciality doctor, about this topic: Why be a Specialty & Associate Specialist (SAS) doctor?

The topics are:

• Why pursue a career as an SAS doctor in A&E? 
• Key challenges faced as an SAS doctor and how to manage them while maintaining patient care standards
• As BMA doctor representative from Hillingdon Hospital
• Advice to junior doctors considering the SAS route, particularly A&E

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

On World Mental Health Day, let’s all come together to talk about mental health and show everyone that mental health matters. Talking about our mental health can help us cope better with life’s ups and downs. 

In this episode Elaine Hotson, health and wellbeing lead, talks to Phil Spivey, chief people officer, about supporting our staff with their mental health.

World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on 10 October. This year’s theme is workplace mental health. The theme highlights the importance of addressing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, for the benefit of people, organisations, and communities. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We also have a special edition podcast for you, with Phil Spivey (chief people officer), Paula Lewis (Freedom to Speak Up Guardian), and Elaine Hotson, health and wellbeing lead. 

They are discussing what Black History Month is about, plus the events we have for the month of October. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Martha’s Rule is being implemented to give patients, families, carers and staff round-the-clock access to a rapid review from a separate care team if they are worried about a person’s condition.

Jide Menakaya, consultant paediatrician, talks to Jessamie Hockings about the project. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

National Inclusion Week events (23-27 Sept)

National Inclusion Week is a significant time for organisations across the UK to focus on creating inclusive workplaces where everyone feels they belong. This year’s theme is “Impact Matters”, which emphasises the importance of the actions we take and the difference they make at our Trust in fostering an inclusive environment and aligns perfectly with our ongoing work in EDI too. 

We have lots of events lined up during the week to highlight the important work being done around equality, diversity and inclusion, and how you can get involved. Everyone is welcome, we hope to see you at the events, and look forward to listening and learning from our staff.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Kavita Goreeba, antenatal lead midwife talk about the upcoming joint Women's Network and Macmillian event on 26 September (12 - 2pm) in the Education Centre. 

Guest speakers are Fiona Hussey (Mcmillian Support Manager, Phil Pocock (Clinical Psychologist and Elaine Hotson (Health and Wellbeing).

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We celebrated a wonderful evening of staff awards, with winners announced in an exciting ceremony. Listen online for the winners, hearing from the staff who nominated them.  

There were nearly 300 nominations for our awards, over eight different categories – a record number. This reflects the amazing work that our staff do every day. Five of the categories reflect the core CARES values that our staff live by every day. Staff could also be nominated for a CEO’s Award for Dedication and Achievement, or a Board Award. This year there is also an additional ‘Public Nomination Award’ to reflect the praise and appreciation we receive from the community we serve. 

This year's award categories this year are:

• CARES Award: Communication
• CARES Award: Attitude
• CARES Award: Responsibility
• CARES Award: Equity
• CARES Award: Safety
• CEO’s Award for Dedication and Achievement - to recognise outstanding contributions made by a member of staff who has served more than 15 years in the Trust
• Board Award - for people or a team exemplifying ‘I am the Change’, innovation or who have introduced new initiatives to the workplace.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We are proud of the care our staff and services provide. In order to continue providing excellent care, we want to celebrate and recognise the things our staff do well. 

We have our Staff Awards evening coming up on 5 September, where will be celebrating the staff who have won an award in one of eight categories – Communications, Attitude, Responsibility, Equity and Safety. As well as a CEO’s Award, Board Award and a new Public Nomination Award where staff were nominated by a member of the public. 

But there are other ways to celebrate staff, both from staff and patients, listen to find out more.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

In this week's episode we talk about how the recent riots that took place across the UK have impacted colleagues, how the Trust can provide support, what 'zero tolerance' means in practice, and what to do if you ever experience any form of abuse in the workplace. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

In this week's episode we speak to doctors Sabrina Waheed and Anna Burford about trialling self-rostering, and whether giving doctors greater control over their shifts can help with work life balance, morale, and wellbeing. 

Tune in to find out more. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Talking to us in this podcast are Tara Peaks, lead nurse for resuscitation, and Laura Wilkins, resuscitation officer in Tara's team. The Resuscitation Team has recently reported on an improvement in the resuscitation outcomes in the trust, and Tara and Laura talk about the team and about this improvement.

The team has recently produced a report to the Resuscitation Committee as part of National Cardiac Arrest Audit, and explain how this was done and plans for the future.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

In this week's special episode, we talk to Duncan Alston, consultant geriatrician, about Parkinson's Dementia and his work to try and improve the conversations we have with patients about the condition. 

Around half of people who have Parkinson's for over ten years will develop Dementia, but the cognitive aspect of this disease is not commonly discussed. In this episode we discuss what is being done to change that, pioneering work that can confirm or rule out an Alzheimer's diagnosis through lumbar puncture, and promising new drugs that are currently being assessed for use in the NHS. 

Tune in to find out more. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

What does a clinical health psychologist actually do? It's a good question and one not many people will have the correct answer to.

On this podcast, we catch up with Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Head of Clinical Health Psychology at Hillingdon Hospital, Dr Alex King, to talk about his role at the Trust.

Alex provides a fascinating insight into his profession and the work he and his team do with patients.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We speak to deputy chief nurse Graeme Wright about the Trust's work to become Veteran-Aware and what it means for patients and staff.

He also explains the significance of the Armed Forces Covenant, which the Trust signed earlier this year, the various stages of accreditation to becoming a Veteran-Aware organisation, and what staff and patients need to know about the project.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We sat down with Elaine Hotson, the Trust's Health and Wellbeing Lead, to talk about plans for this year's Staff Awards and how you can help make sure our excellent staff are recognised.  

Tune in to find out more about the awards categories, what our judges are looking for, and how you can get involved. Nominations are open until 12 July. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We catch up with famous gardener and landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith to talk about the new Jubilee Rehabilitation Garden at Hillingdon Hospital.

Tom has overseen the project alongside colleague Max Harriman to transform the space next to the Jubilee Building and provide an oasis of calm for patients undergoing rehab.

On the podcast he talks about he got involved in designing the garden, what it represents, the importance of having green spaces and what he hopes patients will take away from visiting it.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

Behind every operating theatre department door are a skilled group: Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs).

From preparing the operating room to assisting anaesthetists in intubation, airway maintenance and ensuring the patient’s wellbeing, ODPs are critically important members of the surgical team.  

To find out more about what it's like to work as an ODP, we caught up with Teresa Honour and Anna Lai-Tan to talk about their experiences, perceptions of the role, daily routines and why ODPs earned the nickname 'the SAS of the NHS' during Covid.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

It's almost time for Estates and Facilities Day 2024 so in the build-up to the event, we catch up with Steve Wedgwood, our Director of Operational Estates and Facilities, to talk about what people can expect from the day.

Steve also talks about his near 500 strong team, why they are known as 'the backbone of the NHS' and the leadership team recently winning a Team of the Year Award.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

In this special episode, Adam Tocock, library services manager, speaks to Louise Cave about the chapter she authored for 'Harnessing Digital Technology and Data for Nursing Practice'.

They explore how collective leadership can drive positive change and ensure everyone plays a role in shaping the future of digital technology in healthcare. 

They also talk about her approach to writing the chapter and a new project she working on , which explores the potential role of emerging technologies like AI.  

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We're joined by the Trust's Head of Therapies Alex Porter to find out more about what his role entails and the services Therapies offer for patients and staff.

Alex also talks about what the department has done following last year's staff survey, as well as explaining some of the new measures being implemented as a result of the feedback. 

Interested in taking part in a future podcast and showcasing your work? Get involved by emailing thh-tr.communications@nhs.net

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

As part of Palliative Care and Grief Awareness Month at the Trust, we catch up with Mortuary Services Manager Joanna Balchin and Bereavement Office Manager Larry Quinn.

They discuss what the process of care after death looks like at the Trust, the support they provide to patients and families, managing emotions and expectations, the pressures of their jobs and plenty more.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We catch up with clinical psychologist Phil Pocock and Elaine Hotson, the Trust's health, well-being and engagement lead, to talk about mental health in line with Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19 May).

Topics up for discussion include common misconceptions, why being open and honest is so important, this year's theme for the Week which is movement, services for teams and wider groups, plus plenty more.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

In this week's episode, Adam Tocock, our Trust's library services manager is joined by Phil Perks,  regional manager for BMJ, and Ross Whistler, head of learning and assessment products, for a chat about BMJ learning and what it has to offer for Trust staff. 

Tune in to hear more about some of the key features of BMJ  Learning, how it can help staff prepare for assessments, and how Trust staff can access it for free. 

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.

We catch up with Godfrey Sahayadass to learn more about Microsoft 365 and the new apps which are now available to Hillingdon Hospital staff.

Godfrey, who is the Corporate Applications Service Manager, discusses a range of apps and tools, including Lists, Planner, Power Apps, Power Automate and Power Autoagents, with the aim of increasing productivity and efficiency.

For all the latest Trust news and information check out our website - www.thh.nhs.uk.