King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

🎉 Celebrating robotic-assisted surgery at King’s!   Thanks to King's College Hospital Charity, funding for a new Da Vinci robot has enabled us to perform over 236 robotic operations, helping patients recover faster.   Robotic-assisted surgery has transformed how patients receive care, from experiencing less pain to enjoying shorter recovery times and reduced hospital stays. But it’s not just patients who reap the rewards; surgeons also gain better visualisation and precision during procedures.   We spoke to Amyn Haji, Clinical Lead of Robotic Surgery and Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, who said: "It has been a fantastic first year for our robotic surgical programme at King’s, and I am delighted, especially for our patients who are now able to recover and go home much sooner. I couldn’t be prouder and more grateful to everyone involved and to King’s College Hospital Charity in particular, without whose support it would not have been possible. This is an exciting start for robotic surgery at King’s, and I look forward to all that we will continue to achieve." Iona Joy, Director of Grants and Insight, King’s College Hospital Charity added: “The surgical robot is a testament to what we can achieve together. By raising money for King’s College Hospital Charity, no matter how big or small your donation may be, you’re helping to bring this transformative technology to life. We simply couldn’t do it without you, and we are deeply grateful for your support.”   Read more on our website: https://bit.ly/3UPiZjt   #TeamKings

🎉 Today (8 May) is National Day for Staff Networks, and to mark the occasion, we celebrated the Trust's staff networks at a special staff network recognition event.   The theme for this year's National Day for Staff Networks is 'Raising the bar', and our event aimed to promote inclusivity and recognition within the organisation. Bernadette Thompson, Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at King's, opened the event before Professor Clive Kay, Chief Executive, acknowledged the dedication and commitment of all members of staff involved with the staff networks at King's. All of the Trust’s staff networks outlined their priorities for the new year before a video presentation by Cherron Inko-Tariah, Founder of the National Employee Network Day, was played which set the understanding of the theme and explained the significance of staff networks in providing inclusivity at the Trust.   Jane Bailey, Acting Chair of King's, and Simon Friend, Non-executive Director at the Trust, brought the event to a close before members of our staff networks took part in a ceremonial cutting of a cake, symbolising unity amongst staff. #TeamKings

💙 Sunday 5 May was #InternationalDayoftheMidwife and we celebrated our brilliant #midwives, who’ve helped deliver 7421 babies since April 2023 at King's.   We are proud to share quotes from our midwives, who spoke about their love for midwifery. First, we met Isabella Clarke, Senior Midwife and Labour Ward Co-ordinator at King’s. Isabella said: "I grew up just always knowing I wanted to be a Midwife. I’ve been in the role for five years now and it is a fulfilling, rewarding and unique job. It’s a privilege to care for families at such a special time in their lives!"   Next, we met Hanat Salau, a Midwife at King’s. Hanat has been a midwife for 25 years. She said: “I joined King's on 25 June 2018. I like working at King’s because I feel privileged to look after my local community. My role is very special because I care for women and their families, and it’s something I have always enjoyed. Being part of people’s lives as such a special time is unique.”   Hanat continued to share her special moments as a midwife, she said: “I have been privileged to care for women and families with various medical needs. My special moment has been caring for surrogate mothers, which was life-changing for me. Working during the pandemic was also special; being there for families at such a difficult and challenging time for everyone was amazing.” And she concluded by saying: “I have been a midwife for over 24 years, I conduct four clinics and I see on average 40 women per week. Every family I interact with is different and special, sometimes women will say ‘I am sure you have heard this before’ but, my answer is always ‘Never in the context you have put it’.”   Happy International Day of the Midwife to all #midwives at #TeamKings and the #NHS.   #IDM2024 #TeamKings

We're excited to continue with our #BrilliantPeople series, which celebrates some of the many and varied roles held by staff at King’s, including healthcare professionals and non-clinical staff. Today, we're delving into one of the diverse roles with Jessica Kelly, an #Ocularist at King's College Hospital. In the video, Jessica said: “I’ve been working as an ocularist at King’s for eight months and I did a year’s training here before that. I make artificial eyes for people who have either lost their eye or lost eyesight due to trauma, eye disease or another medical condition. “I like helping people and I’m quite creative. I enjoy the painting of the eyes and it’s just a really lovely and fulfilling role. “The best part of the job for me is when I fit the prosthesis because I see how much of a difference I’ve made to somebody. I find it very rewarding and really fulfilling.” #TeamKings #NHS

We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Sir David Behan as our new Chair.   David is currently a Non-Executive Director on NHS England’s Board, where his term ends this summer. He was previously Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission between 2012 and 2018. He also Chaired the Board of Health Education England from 2018-2023.   David also worked for over 25 years in local Government, including as Director of Social Services in three Local Authorities. He also previously held the role of Director General for Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships at the Department of Health.   Sir David said: “I am really excited to be joining the Trust Board at King’s later this year. King’s is an organisation with huge potential, and I know how important the services they provide are to local people across south east London, and further afield.   “I am looking forward to working with the whole Trust Board, Governors, the wider leadership team, and the staff who make King’s a special place to work, and to receive care.”   David will take up his role at the Trust later this year. Read more on our website: https://bit.ly/3UmjOAe   #TeamKings 

Well done to our brilliant endoscopy service at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH)!   The team has been recognised by the 2024 Health Tech News (HTN) awards for their work to see patients as quickly as possible and was awarded runner up for Excellence in Digital Pathways.   The commendation recognises the team’s work to roll out a new reminder service for patients, which has helped reduce waiting times for colonoscopy procedures. This involves a series of text messages sent to patients, reminding them of their upcoming appointment and the pre-procedure bowel preparation instructions.   At the PRUH, around 8,500 colonoscopy procedures are carried out every year. That's equivalent to more than 23 procedures every day.   Dr Mayur Kumar, Consultant Gastroenterologist at the PRUH, said: “Each appointment slot we have is now being utilised effectively at our hospitals. This new system also means that our patients feel fully informed and well-prepared when arriving for their colonoscopy, which has brought down the number of pre-assessment appointments needed by patients. Many more patients are happier and healthier as a result, making the entire patient journey much smoother. Moving away from a paper-based process is also an easy and straightforward way to reduce our environmental impact, cutting down on carbon emissions.“   Find out more here: https://bit.ly/3UgtTyE #TeamKings

We were pleased to welcome Mitra Bakhtiari to King’s earlier this month as our new Director of Midwifery and Gynaecology Nursing. Mitra joined us from West Hertfordshire NHS Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, where she was Director of Midwifery & Gynaecology Nursing/Deputy Chief Nurse. Mitra is a registered nurse and a midwife with over 25 years of experience working in a variety of clinical, quality improvement and leadership roles, mainly in inner London NHS Trusts. In 2015, Mitra was granted the prestigious Florence Nightingale Leadership scholarship, during which she completed a series of leadership programs at Harvard Business School and Disney Institute. Mitra has a special interest in genomics, and has trained as a specialist nurse in providing genetic counselling. #TeamKings

Congratulations to three members of the King's Bereavement team on being recognised at this year's Mariposa Trust Charity Gala Ball on Saturday 16 March at the Landmark Hotel in London.   Christina Axton, Neonatal and Paediatric Bereavement Clinical Nurse Specialist Cross-site, won the special recognition award in the Archie Bereavement Professional of the Year Award and Sara Hunt, Bereavement Midwife at the Princess Royal University Hospital, won the special recognition in the Bereavement Midwife of the Year category.   Annemarie Sworak, Paediatric Bereavement Clinical Nurse Specialist, was also shortlisted in the Archie Bereavement Professional of the Year Award.   The Mariposa Trust (also known as Saying Goodbye) is a national charity that supports people that have been affected by the loss of a baby, whether during pregnancy, at birth or in infancy. In 2018, the charity launched the Mariposa Awards which recognises medical professionals and others making a difference in the lives of people who have experienced baby loss.   Christina, Sara and Annemarie were all nominated by families they cared for. The nominations were reviewed by top professionals, charity ambassadors and other bereaved parents before being shortlisted.   Christina said of her award: "The work of the Mariposa Trust is well-known internationally, so I feel exceptionally honoured to have received this award.   "My role at King's is to me a vocation, having the opportunity to stand alongside all those families whose lives are devastated by the loss of a baby/child is a privilege. The pain and loss is like no other, and for many it is unimaginable, so for me to be able to offer comfort or enable families to make memories is truly precious."   Sara Hunt added: "Being recognised this way is a real honour. I am extremely proud of the work that we do, as a team, at King's to support our bereaved families. I really do love what I do, it is my absolute passion and I genuinely care for and form lasting relationships with our bereaved families.    "To try and bring a little comfort to those experiencing the devastating loss of a child is so important to me. It is an absolute privilege to be one of the lucky few who get to meet those precious little ones and I will never take that for granted."   Annemarie said of being shortlisted for the Archie Bereavement Professional Award: "I am humbled to be nominated for this award. I am amazed that a family going through the worst time in their life could even contemplate nominated me for this award."   Read more on our website: http://bit.ly/3PHxcfj   Congratulations and well done to Christina, Sara and Annemarie!   #TeamKings  

Today is #NationalSupportedInternshipDay.    At King's, we're proud of our Partnership with colleges across Lambeth and Bromley and their local councils, and charity DFN Project SEARCH to deliver a supported employment internship programme to young adults with learning disabilities and/or autism.   Throughout their journey at King's, they engage in work placements across various clinical and non-clinical departments at the hospital, gaining invaluable experience and skills.   To mark #NationalSupportedInternshipDay this week (25 March), our interns attended a Parliamentary Reception celebration on the Terrace Pavilion in the House of Commons, and met Project SEARCH interns from other organisations. We spoke with two interns to find out what they enjoy most about interning at King's.   Erica, an intern at the Princess Royal University Hospital, said: "The most enjoyable parts of Project SEARCH are meeting new friends, trying new things, discovering more about myself and who I am, and challenging myself. Also, having amazing job coaches and a teacher who sees you for who you are, not for your disability. They see beyond your disability."   Andre, an intern at King's College Hospital, said: "I think that the most enjoyable part of Project SEARCH is learning how to get ready for the job world.”   Huge thank you to our interns for your hard work and dedication!   #TeamKings

Huge congrats to our King’s Endometriosis service, who have been once again reaccredited by The British Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE), as an Endometriosis Centre, recognising our team’s outstanding care, innovative working and commitment to research! Endometriosis is a debilitating inflammatory condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. The King’s Endometriosis service, based at King’s College Hospital and the Princess Royal University Hospital was commended for its work including providing treatment through the use of the latest robotic surgery techniques. Mr Nitish Narvekar, Clinical Director for Gynaecology, said: “The entire team is delighted to have secured this prestigious reaccreditation for the service. We are all passionate about our work, and doing everything possible to ensure patients get the diagnosis they need, as well as the treatments that can improve their quality of life immeasurably. “We are particularly proud of the benefits that come with the state-of-the-art robotic surgery – there are obvious benefits for patients, but it also offers our surgeons a greater level of comfort when carrying out long complex surgery, improving their working lives and reducing the chances of fatigue.” Read about how the team support patients through a one-stop gynaecology clinic, robotic surgery and more, on our website: https://bit.ly/3xbfMBz #TeamKings #EndometriosisAwarenessMonth #Endometriosis