As a healthcare provider, we are nothing without our people. This month we share more examples of listening to our colleagues and also celebrate some of our UHP team. Our Board leaders heard about the experience of one international doctor and what has helped him work in the NHS. Research is a really important part of patient care and we demonstrate how we’re leading the way with research trials in the south west. We continue to improve care for patients arriving as emergencies and waiting for a suspected cancer result but there’s still more work to do.
In March’s Board to Ward we share three highlights to demonstrate progress, decisions made and share in a transparent way some key developments and learning.
All about our people
Leading the way with research
Improving care for patients
All about our people
Listening to our colleagues
We have many International Medical Graduates and as our Chairman James Brent today said; “It is difficult to imagine our hospitals and services running without the work of our international medics, Physicians Associates and so forth. We value their contribution and that of all colleagues.”
James was talking after one of our International Medical Graduates, Shawn Britto, came to talk to the Board leaders about his experience of joining the NHS here in Plymouth. Shawn arrived from Prague in 2021 and it was his first job as a doctor in the UK. Shawn shared with the Board leaders his story:
“When I first arrived here it was a huge challenge, I had no prior experience, I was in a new hospital, in a new city, in a new country. Things like setting up a bank account in a new country are complex. My experience over the last 3 or 4 years has been amazing, working at UHP, the training I have had, the clinical skills I have developed. But I know it is not the same for all my international colleagues.”
Shawn described how he had two months of intense support and regular teaching which made such a difference. “It included shadowing, basic things like how to use the bleep system, request bloods, it was intense but gave me the confidence to work here. That shadowing and intensive supportive period at the start really helped me get up to speed with the hospital and move on and progress in the way I have.”
Shawn has gone on to be the International Medical Graduate rep for General Internal Medicine, where he works and supports other international doctors. Our Board leaders talked about how we can better systematically support international staff.
Celebrating our colleagues
**Dr Jo receives her ViP award surrounded by colleagues
Jo given ViP Award**
Our Interim Chief Executive Mark Hackett was absolutely delighted to present a Values Into Practice (VIP) Award this month to Dr Jo Page, Consultant Gynaecologist. Jo was nominated by one of her patients and was described as ‘outstanding’ for the care she had shown throughout the patient’s journey through surgery. Our ViP awards are a way of recognising colleagues who really live our values, particularly Putting People First, in the difference they make to patients, colleagues or both.
Healthcare Science Week
Healthcare Science Week was held between 10th and 16th March 2025, providing an opportunity to celebrate and promote the invaluable contributions of Healthcare Scientists within the NHS. These highly skilled professionals play a crucial role in diagnosing, preventing, and treating disease, ultimately safeguarding the health of our population. Spanning over 50 diverse scientific specialisms, Healthcare Scientists bring expertise from fields such as Clinical Engineering, Pathology, and Medical Physics, among many others. To raise awareness of their vital work, teams hosted stands across the hospital throughout the week, allowing staff and visitors to learn more and engage with these incredible professionals.
Ever wondered what happens to a blood sample after it's taken? In celebration of Healthcare Science Week, here’s a sneak peek from Healthcare Scientists in Pathology into the journey of a blood sample once it reaches the hospital laboratory. Video shows the process of a blood sample traveling through the testing process
The Outstanding Foundation Educational Supervisor 2023/24 award is designed to recognise the quality of educational supervision in each hospital Trust. We’re delighted to announce that NHS England have issued the following awards:
o The Outstanding Foundation Educational Supervisor of the Year 2023/24 to Dr Hannah Hunter, Consultant Haematologist.
o Special recommendation for excellence in educational supervision 2023/24 to Mr Matthew Bowles, Consultant HPB, Sarcoma and General Surgeon and Miss Esther McLarty, Consultant Urological Surgeon
Leading the way with research
Patient participation in research studies is a vital part of healthcare development. It can help to provide new treatments, diagnostic aids or services which could later be adopted across the NHS to improve patient care.
Our overall recruitment to NIHR clinical trials as of 11 March totals 33,374 patients. This currently ranks UHP in 1st place for our NIHR regional reporting metrics (SWP) and in 2nd place nationally. The only research organisation in England currently outperforming UHP is Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust at 38,674.
Commercial performance (clinical trials funded via a commercial contract ). Recruitment as of the 11 March is 317 now placing UHP in 1st place for the SWP with higher commercial recruitment than all other SWP hospitals.
Non-Commercial performance (academic NIHR clinical trials). Recruitment as of the 11 March is 33,057. Recruitment has been successful this year largely due to a Stroke AI trial which aims to predict future stroke probability using artificial intelligence.
We have 177 NIHR clinical trials currently recruiting patients (highest number of all hospitals in the SWP )
We have 371 clinical trials in the follow (non-recruiting phase)
We have 86 clinical trials currently in the set-up phase
An example of how we are investing in research is the cutting-edge computing power for clinical research
Improving our services
In 2024/25 we are currently the most rapidly improved trust in England against the 4 hour waiting time target and have significantly reduced ambulance handover delays. We have achieved our £56m cost improvement programme - another milestone which we have secured, a historic first. We continue to improve care for patients arriving as emergencies, despite the number of people attending increasing by 6%. These are some of the improvements we have made and are making:
Staff get ready to cut the ribbon for the new Oncology SDEC Unit
Staff get ready to cut the ribbon for the new Oncology SDEC Unit
In March 2025 the Trust’s Oncology Same Day Emergency Clinic (SDEC) opened, located on Level 3 near the Mustard Tree. The ribbon was cut by Sian Dennison, who has recently retired as Head of Nursing (Cancer). The clinic, which will initially run for six months, will expand the service from Brent ward and increase capacity to care for those requiring urgent care, reducing the number of patients who need to attend the Emergency Department and reducing their overall length of stay. A hot clinic will follow shortly for community referrals to avoid admissions.
In March 2025 the Trust’s Oncology Same Day Emergency Clinic (SDEC) opened, located on Level 3 near the Mustard Tree. The ribbon was cut by Sian Dennison, who has recently retired as Head of Nursing (Cancer). The clinic, which will initially run for six months, will expand the service from Brent ward and increase capacity to care for those requiring urgent care, reducing the number of patients who need to attend the Emergency Department and reducing their overall length of stay. A hot clinic will follow shortly for community referrals to avoid admissions.
The community frailty virtual wards will expand to 86 places in March 2025 and 124 in April 2025 as recruitment to the service finalises meaning more patients can be cared for in their own home.
A rapid trial of ensuring we use the Medical Recovery Unit (MRU) effectively is underway and is showing signs of success.
We are looking to improve seven day service offers, improved use of Same Day Emergency Care, and better use of community services, which will offer massive potential now we have established our single point of access for community referral to services.
We have improved patient discharge with an increase in our discharges before 12pm at 23% from 19%, the highest we have seen. But there is more work to do on improving consistency of discharge planning for patients.
We are also making improvements for patients with suspected cancer and those needing planned procedures and appointments.
Nearly 9 out of every 10 patients with a suspected cancer diagnosis receive a result within 28-days.
The number of patients waiting over 78-weeks for treatment has continued to improve but we still have 23 patients waiting at the end of February 2025 and are forecasting 12 at the end of March 2025. We want it to be zero.
Every month our Board leaders meet in public.
Find out who makes up our Board at University Hospitals Plymouth and view our board meeting dates, venue details and papers