Primary care latest updates

A special conference dedicated to baby and pregnancy loss, and how people have been supported through their experience, is taking place in October.

Baby Loss Awareness Week 2023 runs from Monday 9 October to Sunday 15 October and there will be a special in-person Baby Loss Awareness Conference, organised by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT), on Thursday 12 October from 9am to 3pm at Duston Community Centre, Pendle Rd, Northampton NN5 6DT.

The conference is open to health professionals and the public and will be hosted by the Maternal Loss Psychology Service (MLPS) – formerly known as the Maternal Mental Health Service.

The event will share more about the service, and what interventions are available for people experiencing mental health difficulties associated with baby/pregnancy loss. This includes anyone who is currently pregnant following previous baby/pregnancy loss, or who has lost a baby or pregnancy in the last 12 months.

Attendees will hear from health professionals from the service, and from people with lived experience of baby loss who have been supported by the service.

Dr Kirsty Harris, NHFT’s Specialist Perinatal Consultant Clinical Psychologist said: “We’re inviting all professionals who work with parents and families, who have experienced baby/pregnancy loss, and those who have been affected by, or interested in developing their understanding of this to come along to this event and find out what interventions are available for people experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties associated with baby loss.”

To attend the conference, please find the Eventbrite registration link here: https://tinyurl.com/4mura5ds

Read People invited to attend baby loss support conference…

The July 2023 edition of ICN Today, Integrated Care Northamptonshire's e-newsletter for health and care colleagues, stakeholders and the wider community, is now available to read online.

In this edition we look back on another busy month when, in the same week, we hosted our successful Virtual Wellbeing Festival (available to watch back on-demand now!) and celebrated the 75th birthday of the NHS across the county.

We bring you updates on our Recovering Independence Bed Unit which is now fully open at Turn Furlong, national awards success for our system-wide remote monitoring project, how you can apply the new ICN Digital Skills Academy, and the launch of the new Northamptonshire Anchor Organisations Network.

We also focus on your stories as we mark South Asian Heritage Month and National Co-production Week – while this month it's the turn of ICB Chief Medical Officer Matt Metcalfe to take on the Three in 60 Challenge!

Find all this and more in the July 2023 edition of ICN Today.

Do you want future editions emailed directly to your inbox?  Become an ICN Today subscriber .

Read July edition of ICN Today newsletter now published…

Integrated Care Northamptonshire (ICN) is hosting a series of information sessions for health and care colleagues to find out more about the new Digital Skills Academy.

Delivered in partnership with Multiverse and open to applications from anyone working in the NHS, health or social care in Northamptonshire, the ICN Digital Skills Academy will be launching this September.

Academy courses are provided free of charge and offer a unique opportunity for colleagues who work with data for at least five hours a week (on average) to develop and enhance their data and digital skills.

Online information sessions are being held on the following dates and are open to any colleague interested in joining the ICN Digital Skills Academy, as well as managers wanting to know more about supporting their teams to participate.

• Wednesday 26 July, 10.30am to 11.30am – Register on Eventbrite
• Tuesday 8 August, 2pm to 3pm – Register on Eventbrite
• Monday 14 August, 12pm to 1pm – Register on Eventbrite

By attending one of the information sessions, health and care colleagues can expect to find out more about:

• The ICN Digital Skills Academy, why improving digital and data skills is so important for our integrated care system, and the impact improving your digital and data skills can have on your role
• The ICN Digital Skills Academy courses open for applications:
  • Data Literacy
  • Data Fellowship
  • Advanced Data Fellowship
• The wider benefits of being part of the Multiverse community
• Next steps and how to apply for the programme, starting September 2023

We’re on a journey to build a data and digital-first integrated care system in Northamptonshire, and the involvement of our colleagues is critical.

If you have any questions, please contact matthew.hutton3@nhs.net

Frequently asked questions

Who are Multiverse?

• Multiverse provides qualifications and training to existing staff within organisations that is funded via the apprenticeship levy. This means you’ll receive training and coaching in data and digital and learn how to apply those skills in your current job. You’ll finish the programme with an accredited qualification and in-demand skills.
• All training and practice will take place during working hours, so please bear this in mind when thinking about applying. Applications processes will include engagement with line managers in relation to the commitment required (three hours of training per week). We will engage with line managers to help them understand the value of training and support available via apprenticeship, with no cost to local training budgets.

Who can apply?

• If you are involved in any aspect of patient or citizen outcomes (directly or indirectly) in Northamptonshire who wants to improve your digital and data skills and are contracted for at least 30 hours per week
• You work with data for at least five hours a week on average
• Come along to an information session to find out whether this opportunity will be relevant for you

Why are we launching this?

• Empower you by giving you critical data and digital skills you can use in your role, so we can achieve our strategic objectives together
• Provide you with learning pathways to advance your career within the Integrated Care Northamptonshire health and care system
• Indirectly and directly improve patient and citizen outcomes by improving data and digital skills right across ICN

What’s in it for me?

• Gain new digital and data skills to future-proof your career and become more productive with your time. You will achieve a formal qualification whilst continuing to flourish in your role. You’ll be supported by a Multiverse coach, a mentor and gain access to exclusive networking opportunities.

Read Find out more about the Integrated Care Northamptonshire Digital Skills Academy…

For the attention of all practice staff who use the Pathology Service at Kettering General Hospital:

Are you involved with requesting pathology tests or receiving pathology reports?  If so – please could you spare 5 minutes or less to complete this short survey to help us improve our service to you and your patients? 

Last year the team only received one respnse. It is important for the continued laboratory accreditation to seek and obtain feedback from users, to show that the team are providing a suitable service for patients.

All those who leave their contact details will be entered into a prize draw to win a homemade cake of their choice.

Simply click the link or scan the attached QR code:

Read Kettering General Hospital Pathology Laboratory - GP User Satisfaction Survey 2023…

The Integrated Care Northamptonshire Virtual Wellbeing Festival 2023 was a fantastic success and we would like to thank each and every one of our health and care colleagues for joining us and getting involved.

From Monday 3 to Friday 7 July, thousands of health and care colleagues from across our county visited the Virtual Wellbeing Festival website, dialled in to our inspiring live sessions, joined our superb range of recorded activity sessions and engaged with #VWBF23 on social media.

If you didn’t manage to join in during Festival week, every minute of wellbeing content is available for you to watch back on-demand any time you like!

To see what’s on offer you can enjoy a whistle-stop tour of the full Festival programme in under five minutes by watching our exclusive video highlights reel.

All of this is waiting for you right now at www.wellbeingfestival.live so come on over and check it out. If you see anything you particularly like, don’t forget to share with your colleagues and networks to make sure they don’t miss out.

Every Virtual Wellbeing Festival gives us an opportunity to learn so we’d also be grateful if you could take a few minutes to share your feedback about your own VWBF23 experience. Complete our online feedback form and you’ll be automatically entered into a free prize draw to win some great Virtual Wellbeing Festival goodies!

Thank you once again for being part of the Northamptonshire Virtual Wellbeing Festival.

Read Catch up on the highlights from another successful Virtual Wellbeing Festival…