Spring 2024 newsletter

Dear Members of the Patient and Carer Group,

I am sure like me you are longing for the warm Spring days to come soon- it has been a long wet and miserable Winter. I hope that we can all enjoy Spring and Summer when they finally arrive. This year more than ever we can see our students looking tired and ready to stop for the Easter holidays. However, this is a difficult time as final examinations loom with our medical students in April and our Masters in nursing student exams are imminent. The summer semester is always a busy time for all students end of year examinations.

Universities are struggling financially at the moment across the country and you will have seen the calls, discussions and debates about international students who pay more to support our institutions. While this helps, we need high caliber UK students. These are challenging times, post pandemic, for many sectors and I am particularly aware that as patients and carers you will see the gaps and issues within the NHS. Let’s hope for a resolution of the strikes and a happy motivated NHS workforce. Many thanks for all you do to ensure our students are the very best they can be and I hope to see you at our Spring social event.

Happy Easter

Professor Liz Anderson Chair
Pratibha Patel
Rachelle Maxwell Vice Chair

Introducing Professor David Wright

Head of The School of Healthcare The University of Leicester

 Whether ‘at home’ or in a ‘care home’ or a ‘healthcare setting’, David is passionate regarding the optimisation of the service user dynamic within the curriculum.

For those colleagues who have not, as yet, had the pleasure of meeting Prof David Wright, David oversees Research and Training and the Education of healthcare professionals, including; Midwives, Nurses, Operating department Practitioners, Physiotherapists, Radiographers and Pharmacists, within the School of Healthcare.

David is an enthusiastic educator, having won Chancellor awards for his teaching at two of his previous institutes. He has been responsible for setting up a number of new undergraduate and postgraduate courses, always working closely with employers and students to ensure that courses produce excellent and highly employable graduates. Prof David Wright has a mission to improve the healthcare and wellbeing of populations within the UK and internationally through both education and research. He is passionate regarding the critical importance of a Health Service underpinned by scientific research and the application of innovation through partnerships and engagement.

David explained that the opportunity to work within Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Bergen, evolved from a teaching link with Norway ”Norway doesn’t have a Pharmaceutical industry, students whom plan to study Pharmacy must engage with both the Healthcare industry and the Science of Medicine.”He went on to explain that Pharmacists are currently transitioning from being health scientists focus to healthcare professionals with a clinical and public health focus and his new pharmacy program at the University of Leicester embraces this change. Service users have been at the center of creating the new course and will work with pharmacy students throughout their four years so they leave being patient focused, recognising the value of listening to patients and placing their needs at the center of everything they do.

David’s research has traditionally been concerned with improving how medicines are prescribed and administered for older persons. Having undertaken his PhD working in care homes, as a clinical pharmacist, he learned two things; First, that he had not been given the knowledge and skills that he needed from his undergraduate years to enable him to effectively contribute to patient care and, second, that once doctors have written a prescription they often rely on the patient or their carer to ask for further help. This was more of a problem in care homes where residents relied on staff with frequently limited training in medicines, to ask for help on their behalf. He found that medicines were often started in care homes and not followed up on, meaning that residents remained on medicines which had n’t worked, were causing side effects or where the risks now outweighed the longer-term benefits. David’s research has shown that pharmacists, when given the time, will identify these things and work to make sure that residents get the most out of their medicines.

Over the years David has developed a particular interest in the administration of medicines to people with swallowing problems or ‘dysphagia’. Again, medicines are prescribed without realising that patients struggle to swallow them and then nurses and carers are faced with having to decide how best to administer them. What started David’s interest in the subject, was a survey he did with care home staff that found that nearly all of them reported frequently crushing medicines before giving them to residents. This can be dangerous and harmful and frequently is done because people aren’t aware of the different options available to them.

His research has resulted in the development of swallowingdifficulties.com, a website is designed to support patients, carers and practitioners to identify the best medication formulation for those with dysphagia. He has also created ‘Massive On-line’ Open courses on the Futurelearn platform regarding ’Medicines and dysphagia’, ‘Administering medicines in care homes’ and ‘The development and evaluation of Complex Interventions’. ‘Medicines and Dysphagia’ has been accessed and completed by over 40,000 learners across the globe. He has also created an interactive, free to access app ‘Pharmaquest’ to assist healthcare professionals enhance their knowledge of medicines.

With over 100 peer reviewed publications, David has attracted more than £8M in research income as principal investigator, and successfully supervised 15 PhD students to completion. David is responsible for chairing a number of National reviews in the field of pharmacy and developed three national guidelines for people coping with dysphagia. He has published 3 books and contributed to chapters in a number of other books.

David’s current research interest is the use of an individual’s DNA to help to select the best medicine for them. This is called Pharmacogenomics. The doses recommended for drugs are based on the ‘average’ person and therefore three quarters of the time they will be appropriate. We know that for over 60 commonly prescribed treatments an individual’s DNA can help to identify the quarter of patients where the drug or dose may not be the best for them. With DNA tests costing less than £30, this technology will soon be rolled out across the NHS providing it is shown to work and provide real value for money. David is hoping to be one of the first researchers to provide this evidence.

Recognising the value of the service user voice in all of his research, since moving to the University of Leicester in 2021, David has been working with Dr Chris Williams, from the School of Medicine, to create an umbrella patient network across the College of Life Sciences. He hopes that eventually with will include service users involved in teaching, so that anyone can choose where and when they want to engage with university life either through education or research.

Thank you, David, for making ‘a difference ‘and continuing to involve Patients and Carers, in the education of the future Healthcare workforce.

Introducing Naz Mistry

Naz has volunteered for the university over the last three years

My full name is Narendra Mistry, but most people call me Naz. My parents came to Leicester in the early sixties to work in the local shoe factories. I remember they didn’t speak or write English and they looked at the pictures on tins of food to work out what was in them! However, like many before and after them, they motivated and supported me with love and attention and I graduated with a degree in Psychology in the eighties. I was asked to deliver a talk in a college about the subject which sparked my interest in becoming a teacher. I taught Advanced level Psychology for many years and ended up becoming a Vice Principal for a large sixth form college. Following retirement I enjoy reading, playing the piano and volunteering for the University of Leicester (I have missed student interaction!). My wife and I are soon celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary by driving across the Rocky Mountains in Canada.

Naz represents patients and carers on the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Group (EDI)

The Equality Diversity and Inclusion Group is composed of healthcare professionals, students and patients/carers. We have met twice and intend on meeting every six weeks. The group has agreed its Terms of Reference and aims to undertake short-term projects with possible long-term impacts. This year we are planning on enriching the teaching of sickle cell anaemia, unpicking possible bias in bystander behaviour (i.e., the study of people’s reactions when they witness an emergency like a road accident) and analysing the characteristics of the patient/carer cohort. There is a wealth of experience in the group which is effectively harnessed by the Chair, Professor Kate Williams.

An outstanding contribution to teaching

Professor Jayne Marshall has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to teaching and inspiring colleagues in Higher Education.

Professor Jayne Marshall is one of a select band of just 55 new National Teaching Fellows (NTF), announced by Advance HE. The Foundation Professor of Midwifery pioneered the development of a four-year Master in

Science Midwifery with Leadership which prepares students to be future leaders of the midwifery profession, alongside building a faculty of midwifery academics. Recognised as a national and international academic leader, Professor Marshall has made substantial contributions to the development of midwifery education. She was recently appointed to the International Confederation of Midwives inaugural Regional Professional Committee (RPC)for the Europe region as an educator member and subsequently elected as the first Chair of the RPC.

Student Nursing Times Awards Shortlist

The Patient & Carer Group congratulates the students and staff from the Nursing Programme who have been shortlisted in four categories in this year’s Student Nursing Times Awards.

Details are as follows:

Mary Seacole Award for Outstanding Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion - Farha Hajat Student Nurse or Midwife of the Year: Clinical Research - Amber Fletcher and Jamie Percy- Roberts

Student Nurse of the Year: Mental Health - Amber Fletcher

Best Student Experience - University of Leicester: Buddy scheme and coaching

The ceremony is to be held in central London on 26 April 2024.

Good luck to all those who are shortlisted.

Interview with Patient & Carer Esi Acey Eghan

Esi has a passion for raising awareness regarding the rare disease SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA. Esi produced her book in 2022, titled: “First (&Last time?!) Mum My Sickle Cell Journey A true story”

1. How and when and why did you get involved with the Patient & Carer group?

   A midwifery lecturer at the University of Leicester, School of Healthcare, came across my book shortly after I published it in August 2022. She made contact with me, as she wondered if I would be interested in speaking with students about my sickle cell journey and becoming involved with the recruitment of student nurses. Given the simultaneous challenges experienced by both myself and my son, who was born with abnormalities, I thought it was a positive opportunity to get involved with the Patient & Carer group, where I continue to make a contribution and thoroughly enjoy being a part of the team.

2. What was the motivation behind your book?

   Recognising the fact that although sickle cell anaemia is the fastest growing genetic condition in the UK, it is still relatively unknown and unheard of. The complications that I myself have been faced with, were so painful, so intense and took so much from me, I felt I had no choice but to raise awareness of this silent condition that many across the UK are also faced with and secretly battling.

3. Any aims for the future?
   
   To continue to raise as much awareness as possible, remain positive and try to enjoy the many good things life has to offer.

Thank you Esi for joining the Patient & Carer group and we are looking forward to following your journey in subsequent newsletters.

Patient & Carers - Inclusion in recruitment, curriculum planning and assessment

Maxine Chapman is a lecturer in Midwifery and Deputy Co - Lead for the College of Life Sciences EDI committee. “I have always been passionate about advocating for inclusivity throughout my career.” Maxine believes in the inclusion of patient's and carers as a critical addition to recruitment, curriculum planning and assessment. She believes this to be “incredibly valuable in shaping the future workforce of the NHS.”

Maxine qualified midwife and nurse, and practised as a midwife for 15 years working with women and their families promoting and facilitating home-births and advocating for informed choice before moving into full time education in 2015.

The move into education enabled her to share her passion, knowledge and expertise and to inspire and nurture students to understand the art and privilege that is Midwifery practice. Maxine is passionate about delivering a high- quality student learning experience and ensures that her teaching is informed by evidence, contemporary research and innovative and pedagogical activities aimed at cultivating the ability of students to engage in critical discourse, contemporary research and make application of theory to practice at all levels of the programme.

Maxine Chapman celebrated by RMC for her work to make the midwifery curriculum equal for all, has championed equality, diversity and inclusion throughout her career. Her recent work in decolonising the content of the midwifery training course has been appreciated by her colleagues and recognised by the Royal College of Midwives (RMC). Maxine was presented with their Race Matters Unsung Hero Award at a ceremony in London.

8th - 24th March, 2024

“Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, and organisations with the opportunity to recognise the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual.” 

University of Leicester’s AccessAbility Centre offers support and advice for students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties as well as working with students who have sensory disabilities, mobility difficulties; mental health conditions and autism. They help students by providing study skills support and coordinating alternative exam arrangements.