Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement

Focus on Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement
Summary of 9th February 2015

The Education Centre at St. Mary’s Hospital was packed for the latest Medicine for Members session which focused on orthopaedics and joint replacement.    Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Jonathan Gardiner spoke about the types of joint replacement undertaken at St. Mary’s and the quality of care.    Orthopaedic Nurse specialist Dr Claire-Louise Sandell spoke about the nursing support available and how patients can make a faster recovery from surgery by following the programme outlined in the Trust’s hip and knee school (see opposite). 

Trust Chairman, Danny Fisher; Chief Executive Officer Karen Baker; Executive Director of Nursing and Workforce Alan Sheward and Company Secretary Mark Price were all present for an interesting and varied question and answer session from the 80 Members present.

 The range of questions included nurse to patient ratios, use of agency nurses and recruitment of doctors and separately nurses from the Philippines; the recording of patient details, waits in the Emergency Department, introduction of the ‘Patient Passport’, the increase in paperwork and how computers can help.

Company Secretary Mark Price reported that membership currently stands at 4,700.  Although the Trust’s presence at events had been scaled back over the winter, representatives were still visiting Island schools and groups with the aim of recruiting more members to ensure that the membership was representative of the Island’s population.