Japanese learn about healthcare in Newham

The Japanese delegation who visited Newham University Hospital

Kay Atwal, Chief Reporter Sunday, October 28, 2012
2:00 PM

Staff at Newham University Hopsital hosted a visit from Japanese medical professionals keen on learning about healthcare in the UK.

Some 20 officials representing a national health federation, Ja-Zenkouren, saw four specific areas at the Plaistow hospital in a visit led by Dr Charlotte Pratt. They included:

• The Emergency Care/Urgent Care units. The Unit’s medical lead Dr Bill Coode explained how the unit has met the challenge of dealing with 120,199 attendances each year, by developing a Rapid Assessment and Treatment team to fast track cases.

Dr Coode told the group that with this new team in place, delays in patient waiting times have reduced significantly. Since 2011 when the team was established, there have been several improvements in service with the time patients have to wait to be seen by a specialist being reduced from 2.5 hours to 1.75 hours.

• Stroke rehabilitation and orthogeriatric units. Dr Pratt took the tour group to the Stroke Unit on Heather Ward and the Orthogeriatric Unit on Tayberry Ward. Memory services in Newham are cited as an example of best practice by the government and are a valuable aid to the recovery of patients admitted as emergencies, particularly patients with dual diagnosis of dementia with broken hips.

• Maternity Unit. The group then toured the newly refurbished maternity unit with its brightly coloured ten bedded ‘home from home’ birth centre. The unit has pool facilities in every room, giving women the opportunity to use hydrotherapy for pain relief and have a water birth.

• The Gateway Surgical Centre. Matron Hayley Terry gave an overview of the elective surgical areas, with its three theatres.

Sara Lightowlers, NUH Medical Director, said: “We are very proud of the improvements we have made here at Newham. We are constantly seeking to find new ways to improve our service and facilities. We are delighted that medical professionals around the world are interested to see how we are managing to improve outcomes for all our patients.”