The 2013-14 NHS Standard  Contract Service Conditions require the Trust to publish its approved prescribing medicines formulary.  The Formulary is a list of medicines approved by the Joint Formulary Committee of the Trust and reflects all relevant NICE appraisals.

Click on the link below to open the Medicines Formulary document

Joint formulary V4final

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital food gets the celebrity treatment; James Martin, TV chef, famous for Saturday Kitchen, is on a mission to transform NHS hospital food. James helps the hospital in delivering quality and nutrition to patients, staff and visitors.

In October 2009, a fire starting in the main kitchens unfortunately burned down the catering facilities and restaurant at The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham. Thankfully no-one was injured but it meant the hospital had to make some difficult decisions very quickly. The staff were adamant not to take the easy option and order ‘cooked-chilled’ meals; therefore our chefs worked relentlessly in portacabins for 18 months. The impact from the fire was wide and varied but the catering staff managed to keep freshly prepared meals on the menu for our patients and staff.

A brand new kitchen was installed in 2011, but staff morale was low. The chefs had got used to working from temporary cabins so when they got the new kitchen, they didn’t know how to make use of the fantastic new facilities to its full benefit. The desire to improve was there but the passion had turned into frustration.

BBC 1 approached the ROH and told us they were embarking on series 2 of ‘Operation Hospital Food’ following a successful first series in 2011. On reflection the hospital couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to be a part of this nationwide campaign to improve hospital food and provide patients with quality and nutritionally balanced meals, aiding post-op recovery. James Martin was on a mission to do what Jamie Oliver did with schools, but with NHS hospitals and The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham wanted to join in. Backed by HRH Prince of Wales, James Martin recruited his TV chef friends to take on many of the challenges met by the NHS.

Having James’ expertise and support, in the kitchen, has been invaluable. Over the past 6 months with James’ help the hospital now has a refreshed menu and a new salad/baguette bar in the on-site restaurant as well as this efficiency and food waste has been significantly changed. Budgeting, as in all organisations and hospitals, is always very tricky to balance; James showed the team how to buy in fresh, locally sourced produces to support local farming but keep costs down without compromising on quality. James was able to come in and see the issues NHS Hospitals face and steer the Birmingham hospital in the right direction. With constant fears of having to use aeroplane style ‘cooked-chilled’ meals, being a part of ‘Operation Hospital Food’ gave this Trust a real chance to improve the catering facilities for its patients who need healthy nutritional meals as part of their recovery. The Catering staff have a new revived passion for their job and now realise they are too just as important as the doctors and nurses when it comes to ensuring patients get the best care.

Emma Bridge, Head of Facilities, said “the basic ingredients were there, skill staffed, fantastic facilities and passion; James’ expertise was needed to pull it together”.

Although staff were really apprehensive about being a part of a BBC 1 TV show the team really stepped up to the challenges and pushed their comfort levels to achieve some fantastic results. Since the opening of the hospitals new restaurant, Café Royale, in June 2012, the restaurant now serves freshly prepared, homemade soup with locally sourced seasonal vegetables, some of which are James’ recipes. The chefs have also let their creative juices flow and have revised the menu for the restaurant which will change seasonally. The programme, due to be start on 25 February, is only the beginning but our chefs are now breaming with confidence with the newly found sparkle in their work which can only keep getting better.

James Martin commented, “I have had a fantastic time at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital.  There were highs and lows but each time I visited the hospital I saw an improvement in the team. They all put in a huge amount of work and have seen the benefits first hand. They have hit their budgets and have seen a massive reduction in food waste.

The catering team did an amazing job. It was an absolute privilege to work with them all”.

Operation Hospital Food with James Martin, will be aired on BBC 1 from 25^th Feb – 1^st March at 9.15am.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 Inside 2012 Christmas Edition:

Housekeepers get Practitioners Lincences

What our patients say about the ROH

The positive side of Oncology

A foot in the door – Our new improved Podiatry service

Child’s Special Christmas Gift

(please click on the title above to download and view the newsletter)

On the 31st October 2012, over 1000 nursing professionals gathered in London at the most prestigious nursing awards ceremony to hear the winners of the Nursing Times Awards. The ceremony was both “moving and inspirational” to witness, and highlighted the tremendous work and dedication given by nurses from all over the country. The ceremony was held at London’s Hilton Hotel on Park Lane and was beautifully presented with all of the entries in black tie dress.

          We at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital are delighted to announce that out of 848 entries and 132 finalists the ROH received the silver medal and came second overall. All of the staff at the hospital are honoured to claim such a commendable and prestigious award for all of their hard and consistent work with patients. The hospital will receive its certificate on the 5th of November and see this award as a small appreciation for all we do and a tribute to all of the success we have with patients.

We recently made it to the finals of The HSJ Efficiency Awards for two categories, and are proud to be recognised as finalists for both. The annual awards organized by HSJ (Health Service Journal) are set up to champion innovative efficiency and on 25 September the ROH staff were amongst 800 other health care professionals to find out the winners. Teams at the ROH work relentlessly to find ways to improve patient care directly and indirectly and over the last 12 months the Trust felt these two teams deserved the extra recognition.

Our Visual Stimulation Scheme, in the Program Management Office (PMO), was entered for the Efficiency in Financial Services category, and our Bone Infection Unit (BIU) was shortlisted into the Efficiency in Clinical Support Services category. The ROH was delighted to have made it to the finals and although we didn’t win the top spot being recognised as an institute for delivering tangible improvements in healthcare efficiency and cost savings, whilst maintaining the highest level of patient care, is commendable for us.

The Trust would like to thank the hard work and commitment by its staff who make opportunities like this possible and there’s always next year!

This months edition: -

Opening of our new ROH restaurant Cafe Royale

Date for your diary – The ROH annual Christmas Carol Service

Find out what more about our Patient & Carer’s Council

ROH welcome two new consultants

We preparing to host the FRCS exams 

Click on the title above to dowload your copy.

Due to unforseen circumstances the Carol Service will not be taking place this year. The ROH apologise to those who were looking forward to the event but the Trust is already planning for 2013, which no doubt will be as enjoyable and entertaining as the last few years have been.

For more information about this event please email communications.roh@nhs.net

A total of 3047 letters and questionnaires were sent out to patients with metal-on-metal hip replacements and resurfacings at the end of March 2012.

Thank you to all our patients who have completed and returned their questionnaire to the ROH.

To date 1726 patients have returned the questionnaires and out of this cohort 503 patients have been identified as requiring further investigations blood tests and x-rays. A total of 411 have already attended for their appointment.

The remaining 92 patients have now been booked appointments before the end of August.

Unfortunately, the results of tests are taking longer than expected to be returned to the hospital and can take up to 8 weeks to be received and reviewed. 

Currently results have been received back for 220 patients and 18 patients have required further investigations either an MRI scan or an ultrasound scan.

If any patient who received a questionnaire has not yet returned it please could you do so as soon as possible using the pre-paid envelope we sent. If you need a new copy of the questionnaire please contact your Consultants secretary.

We will be contacting other patients shortly with a questionnaire and if you receive one please do send it back to us as soon as you can so that we can ensure your health interests are protected.

If you have been a hip patient at ROH and think you may have had a metal-on-metal implant but have not been contacted, or have any further questions please contact Mrs Lesley Brash Advanced Nurse Practitioner on 0121 685 4000 or your Consultant’s secretary.

For more information on metal on metal implants and the potential problems they cause, please click here  

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, renowned for its specialist spinal unit, worked closely with Medtronic who developed the device, invented by Professor Richard McCarthy, Orthopaedic Surgeon at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. The SHILLA^TM system received CE (Conformité Européenne) marking, during the Spine Week Congress in Amsterdam earlier this year. The certification means the system is now commercially available in Europe as a treatment option for young children with early onset scoliosis.

This new treatment, made possible by the SHILLA^TM Growth Guidance System, is Medtronic’s first growth-guided instrumentation specifically designed for the growing child. It allows natural growth and deformity correction of the spine, helping to minimise the number of surgical intervention. On average, surgical treatments for scoliosis requires the patient to undergo repeated surgery every 6 – 9 months to lengthen the devices implanted into the spine. Using the SHILLA™ device as a solution to treating scoliosis will minimise the number of surgeries required; as it is based on a growth guidance system that extends as the child matures.

Mr David Marks, one of the spinal specialists to perform the surgery, has been an Orthopaedic Consultant at The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham since 1995. He said “I delivered the presentation on the SHILLA™ device at the Spine Week Congress earlier this year and was pleased that the device was given a European Certification of approval. This development means I can offer a new method of treatment to my patients and the new technique gives me control to guide the growth of the curved spine in young children without having to surgically intervene every 6-9 months”.

The SHILLA^TM Growth Guidance System is indicated for correction and maintenance of spinal deformities associated with patients with severe, progressive, life-threatening, early-onset scoliosis. The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital is excited about the new treatment as it will minimise the number of surgeries young children need to endure. The hospital is at the forefront of orthopaedic research and development and welcomes new innovative ways to improve outcomes for its patients.