North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

It’s Greener AHP week this week (Monday 31st March to Friday 4th April) and we are celebrating the fantastic work going on across NCIC 💚 Recycled prosthetics saved the equivalent Co2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) to driving for 2,000 miles NCIC’s Specialist Rehabilitation and Mobility Centre has been collaborating with STAND (formerly Legs4Africa) since 2019 recycle prosthetic legs and reduce health emissions. Iona Palmer-Smith, Clinical Lead Physiotherapist - Amputee Rehabilitation, said: “We have been working with STAND for around 6 years to donate used and unwanted prosthetic components and supplies. The prosthetics are repurposed to help individuals in need, reducing waste and helping those who need them. “We began working with STAND in 2019 and since then, it has been embedded into the service and has become business as usual. The process has also been streamlined over the years and has become more efficient, making sure we only send what can be used, maximising the use of the shipping space, reducing unnecessary shipping costs, and of course, the emissions that go with it.” In total, NCIC has contributed by saving 770 kg CO2e in collaboration with STAND, which is the equivalent of: - Driving about 3,200 km (2,000 miles) in an average petrol car. - Eating 100 kg (220 lbs) of beef, which is about 400 quarter-pound burgers. - Charging a smartphone 94,000 times. - Using a typical LED lightbulb for 70 years (if on for 5 hours/day). Iona has been the driver for the project and she will be collecting a Green AHP pin from Susan Rastrick, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer on 10 April as a reward for her outstanding contributions to sustainable healthcare. Iona added: “Being able to give these prosthetic limbs a second life is incredibly rewarding. Not only are we reducing waste and emissions, but we’re also helping people in Africa regain their mobility and independence.” NCIC’s contribution has grown year on year since we partnered with the charity, with a total number of 170 (510kg) prosthetics being sent since 2019. Well done to Iona and the team who have made this possible 👏

Our new Chief Operating Officer Imran Devji has just arrived and has been busy out and about meeting staff already.

The PCSM Research Hub has announced funding for Masters of Research at the University of Cumbria and Pre-doctoral Fellowships for NHS and University of Cumbria staff. The award includes full fee funding and protected research time, with studies beginning in September 2025. It’s supported by the University of Cumbria, the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine, Imperial College London and the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust. To find out more about these awards, how to apply and to join information sessions about these opportunities, visit: https://lnkd.in/eiyvWbJf

We have been making improvements to the infant feeding support and facilities available to women and families In addition to making infant feeding facilities available to patients and visitors at the Cumberland Hospital and West Cumberland Hospital, maternity services have also achieved stage 2 of the Baby Friendly Initiative. The Baby Friendly Initiative accreditation highlights how well maternity services support families with feeding and developing close and loving relationships so that all babies get the best possible start in life. Andrea Nicholson, Infant Feeding Lead and Lactation Consultant, NCIC led the effort to become accredited. She said: “We have been working through the stages of the accreditation process for some time and the effort from all team members has been amazing. It is a real joint effort and we could not have achieved this without the amazing support, enthusiasm and passion of our colleagues and senior leadership teams. “To be able to lead the team through this process has been an honour and I am looking forward to empowering more growth whilst striving to provide the best infant feeding care possible. “I am so proud of each and every staff member, everyone has worked so hard and have committed to make a real change which has helped us to transform the care for all babies, women and families. “We are now planning the next stage, but this will be an ongoing process which will continue long after our successful accreditation and is a welcome, positive change for our staff and families.” In our commitment to supporting patients, visitors and our own staff with their infant feeding journey, we have made special spaces available for women to breastfeed or pump while they are in the hospital.

I’m looking forward to speaking at the upcoming Healthcare Strategy Forum on the 28th, 29th, and 30th of April 2025, where we will be discussing innovative solutions to improve our organisations’ operational efficiencies and improve performance. I will be talking about my experience of the power of resilient and compassionate leadership in transforming staff well-being and patient care. In this interactive session, I will be exploring how essentialism, focusing on what truly matters, can create a culture where leaders support, inspire, and empower their teams. I will be doing this through real-world examples and dynamic discussion. Come and join us as we discover strategies to build resilience, foster compassion, and streamline processes without compromising care quality. I am truly excited to network, discuss, and strategise with my colleagues and peers in attendance at this great event. #HealthcareSF Ahmedia Georgia Seymour Vincent Pegrum Ellie Lewis Dan Smith North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

“I’ve met beautiful people, sometimes I wish I could bring them a bouquet of flowers every day.” This Friday is Overseas NHS Workers' Day and we are proudly celebrating the value that our overseas workers bring to North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust. The endoscopy unit at the Cumberland Infirmary is one of the teams to have benefitted from overseas educated nurses filling their vacancies. A group of six overseas educated nurses have fitted right in and love their new roles. Sheryl Noronya made the move from India around two years ago and explained the process they had been through to pass exams and leave family behind. They complete an exam called and Observed Structural Clinical Examination (OSCE) and undertook other clinical skills training. The Trust now has its own OSCE centre, but before that was in place, nurses were trained in groups in Crewe and then supported to find accommodation and settle in the community by our dedicated pastoral support co-ordinator, Beverley Bennett. The support we provide which includes guidance on registering for a GP and opening a bank account was awarded the NHS Pastoral Care Quality Award in August 2023. Also key to overseas educated nurses settling in the Trust, is the support they receive from the team they are placed in. It’s clear that the support the endoscopy nurses have had from Karen Prokas, endoscopy unit senior sister, and her team has made a huge difference to their experience on the unit. Taiwo Oluwasola came to Carlisle from Nigeria with her husband who is training to be a doctor. She said: “I look forward to coming to work every day. I’ve been here a year and learnt a lot. Karen is a very open person and she has supported me in every way. I’ve met beautiful people – amazing personalities. Sometimes I wish I could just bring a bouquet of flowers every day for them.” Apart from the cold weather, the nurses were full of praise for Carlisle, although Geethu Kurian also commented on some initial communication difficulties that she has now seemingly conquered. “Some of our English colleagues are trying to learn some of our language and some are making good progress.” Karen said: “They’re probably the most respectful people I’ve ever managed. When they first used to come when we walked into the room they’d stand up and bow to us and we’d say, guys, what you doing."

Last week we were pleased to welcome Dr Mary Docherty, Clinical and Strategic Director for the College Centre for Quality Improvement at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, to the Cumberland Infirmary. Dr Docherty was keen to visit NCIC after hearing about the great work that has been done to develop our mental health and learning disability strategy. She was introduced to a range of services by Professor Sam Dearman, Strategic Lead, and Dr Roger Cable, Clinical Lead for Mental Health and Learning Disability. Presentations on the Trust’s Health Psychology and Acquired Brain Injury Teams were given by Elspeth Desert, whilst Angela McAllister presented on our approach to the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty, and Mel Dickinson on how we support patients with Learning Disability and Autism. Dr Docherty also visited Elm C ward, where Admiral Nurses Moira Bray and Meena Sarangapani, together with ward sister Leanne Frame, highlighted innovations in dementia care. From color-coded water jugs to flexible daily routines and thoughtfully staggered visiting hours, the team is creating a patient-centered environment designed to cater to individual needs and reduce risks like falls. Dr Docherty thanked everyone for supporting her visit, saying: “You all have a great deal to be proud of. It was a privilege to be able to spend time and learn from the team about the services, the work, the vision you have for what good looks like and the different approaches and levers you are using to embed this into the fabric of the organisation. “That type of work can’t be done without real believers and also experts. It was the expertise I heard from that made me understand why your strategy is rightly confident about becoming recognised as a centre of excellence. It is always particularly enjoyable when experts don't think they are doing anything other than what they should be. “The standards you are setting yourselves and the expectations you have for the health and well being of your patients, their families and your staff were so clear. We wish you the very best in further implementing this work and look forward to hearing about its impact on outcomes.” Thank you to Dr Docherty for her visit and we look forward to working with the Royal College Centre for Quality Improvement as we develop the mental health and learning disability elements of our Q Care accreditation programme. 

🔎 Are you an experienced, talented, passionate, and forward thinking Nurse Endoscopist looking for your next challenge? We are looking for a Lead Nurse Endoscopist to join our busy and growing JAG accredited department! As our Lead Nurse Endoscopist, you will: ✅ Be experienced in working in endoscopy services ✅ Have a clinical management background ✅ Be an enthusiastic and inspirational leader ✅ Be a skilled communicator with a passion for patient care, education, and staff development 👉 Find out more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/eJsV6jmr

Our new chief operating officer, who will join NCIC at the end of March, is Imran Devji and we look forward to having him on board. Imran has a nursing background and a passion for excellence in operational leadership delivering clinically led services with quality at the core. An experienced Chief Operating Officer, Imran joins us from the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in Wales and he has held similar senior roles in East Sussex and Lancashire. Imran said: “I am really looking forward to joining the Trust’s journey. Everyone I have met has been so positive and I am pleased to be part of the team that will drive the Trust forward. My commitment as the COO and Board member is to work with colleagues as one team delivering outstanding connected care for Cumbria. We must achieve this in partnership with our local authorities, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board and our Great North Health Alliance. Colleague and wider patient engagement is critical as we improve services. “This is a big move and a long term commitment for my wife and I. We have connections in the area and already had an offer accepted on a house in Carlisle. I have arranged with my current employer to spend some time in Cumbria before my official start date so I hope to meet as many people as possible and to hit the ground running. Chief Executive Lyn Simpson said: “Imran really impressed us through the selection process. He will be a great addition to the Trust and we are all looking forward to making him feel welcome here in North Cumbria.”

Endoscopy at NCIC receives national accreditation! Our Endoscopy services at both Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumberland Hospital have achieved JAG accreditation, reflecting the high standard of care patients receive in north Cumbria. JAG accreditation is a national process that provides independent and impartial recognition that a service demonstrates high quality and consistent care. Debbie Gibson, Lead Nurse Endoscopist at NCIC, said: "This is great news for our Endoscopy service, and we are thrilled with the positive feedback we have received. It is fantastic that it has come in time for the grand opening of our new £15m Endoscopy Unit at Cumberland Infirmary in the Spring, which will bring the facilities there in line with those at West Cumberland Hospital, following its redevelopment in 2015. The new unit will mean we will be able to treat more patients, helping to reduce our waiting lists and improve timely diagnosis, particularly for cancers. The new unit and accreditation shows our commitment to providing the best possible care within Endoscopy for north Cumbria." Emily Dickson, General Manager, said: "The JAG accreditation is great news for our Endoscopy service, and we are thrilled with the positive feedback we have received. The JAG team highlighted the great culture within the department and the joint working between managers, nurses, doctors and admin teams. Achieving accreditation has required a lot of hard work, and I would like to thank everyone involved for their efforts and dedication." Accredited services submit evidence annually to demonstrate that they are continuing to meet the standards and have a 5-yearly on-site assessment carried out by the experienced JAG assessment team. More information about JAG accreditation can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eqeigm8u More information about the build of our new Endoscopy Unit at Cumberland Infirmary can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eQbBTizt