Stephen Twist, Governor, County Durham & Darlington NHS Trust

10/09/2025

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02851-w

The first six months after an organ transplant are the riskiest for recipients.

09/09/2025

1 January 2025 to 31 August 2025 - 81 posts covering patient concerns and feedback, training, organ donation, medical developments and CDDFT news. Who ever said that the life of a Trust governor for Darlington could be dull?! Now there remains the next question: should I put myself forward for another three years of volunteering?

09/09/2025

CDDFT: 4th multi-service Trust, in segment 3, with a score of 2.34, ranking 66th out of 134 Trusts in the NHS League Table for England. Reminds me of my school report- 'could do better'! But, nevertheless, well done!

09/09/2025

"I support organ donation because I believe in giving what I would hope to receive."

"If myself or someone in my family ever needed an organ to survive, we would gratefully accept without hesitation."

"That is why in an unimaginable event that we are in a position to donate, I believe we should do so without a second thought. Its an act of compassion, fairness and humanity."

29/08/2025

Trusts are to be required to self-assess. It sounds like a short cut until you read the assessment structure - then you realise that most stones will be upturned!

NHS England » Assessing provider capability: guidance for NHS trust boards

24/08/2025

A most moving account from Robin of a most unhappy and unsatisfactory experience, compounded by a complete lack of communication from the Trust

19/08/2025

12/08/2025

Did you know the NHS app has been improved to allow patients to see information about their clinical condition, including some test results such as blood tests and scans.

Ken Anderson, University Hospitals Tees group chief information technology officer, commented: “The NHS app is very secure and no one else can view your personal information. It’s one of the most cyber-secure apps available.

“When you log on to view your results, you’ll see a warning message saying your health record may contain sensitive information. This gives you a chance to make sure no one nearby can see your screen.

“With many tests being carried out by hospitals on behalf of our GP colleagues, including at the new Tees Valley Community Diagnostic Centre, we fully support this move to add even more value to the NHS app.”

A GP will always review results from a test before uploading to the patient’s health record. If results are sensitive or contain potentially upsetting news, the GP will try to speak to the patient before uploading onto their health record.

Lucy Falcus, medical director for Hartlepool and Stockton Health, said: "Patients being able to see their test results as soon as they are available is a great step towards helping patients understand and be more proactive in managing their health. The NHS app allows them to do this really easily."

As well as test results, patients can view information about their allergies, medicines, vaccinations and NHS consultations and other events.

To download the free app: www.nhs.uk/nhs-app.

12/08/2025

🩸 Introducing My Transfusion – the UK’s first blood transfusion information app for patients 📱

Whether you're receiving a transfusion or supporting someone who is, the My Transfusion app is here to help.

✅ Learn about the transfusion journey
✅ Understand risks, benefits & alternatives
✅ Based on national guidelines
✅ Co-created with patients & professionals
✅ Make informed choices with confidence

🔍 Search ‘My Transfusion’ on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
📲 Or simply scan the QR code on the graphic to download.

Empowering patients with the information they need – every step of the way.

11/08/2025

Our Chief Executive Birju Bartoli was recently interviewed by Eleanor Hayward, Health Editor at The Times. The piece focused around how Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust achieves success, through prioritising the health and wellbeing of staff, as well as patients. “When we talk about looking after our own, we absolutely mean it,” explains Dr Birju Bartoli. “We all live on the patch. You have generations of the same family who work here — grandparents, mothers, sons.”

It highlights how our staff follow a mantra that “patients’ time is precious”, and it’s evident from the moment someone turns up at A&E. Some 150 patients per day walk through the front door at the emergency care hospital in Cramlington. But a unique “streaming” system — a form of triaging — means only about one in three end up seated in the A&E waiting room.

Patients are assessed straight away by an emergency specialist in the hospital foyer, who — wherever possible — books them in for treatment elsewhere. This might mean going straight to an operating theatre to have their appendix removed, or being booked for an x-ray for a sprained ankle at an urgent treatment centre. Others are directed back home, or to their GP or pharmacy, after being reassured nothing is seriously wrong.

“We have had people at the front door with a cut finger where we say — ‘you need to go to a pharmacy and buy a plaster’,” said Dr Sameer Sasidharan, an A&E consultant, stressing that it is understandable why worried people come as “A&E is the only place that is open 24/7”.

This is the first A&E department in the country to link up directly with community services, aiming to ensure people “don’t bounce around in the system” between GPs and hospitals.

Dr Julian Coffey, head of urgent care at Northumbria, explained: “It is about getting patients to the right place as quickly as possible,” so they do not face delays or have unnecessary [and expensive] tests. One classic example is chest pain. “It is very common and the first worry of everyone is that it could be a heart attack, so they come to A&E,” Coffey said. “However, we send home the vast majority. Often it is anxiety or stress, or they’ve pulled a muscle. If the patient can be told really rapidly that they’re OK, that is so valuable for them.”

If you are subscribed, you can read the full article on The Times website.

11/08/2025

💻 Chairman Visits Health Informatics at Darlington Memorial Hospital 💻

Our Chairman recently visited the Health Informatics department at Darlington Memorial Hospital (DMH), hosted by Farouq Din, Chief Information Officer, and Craig Robinson, Head of IT.

During the visit, he met with colleagues Peter Young (Network Specialist), Emmanuel Omage (Technical Support Officer), and Steve Sinclair (ICT New Works Manager). He was especially interested in our cyber security measures, data centre operations, and network monitoring, which were explained in detail by Peter.

The team also showcased some of our key digital projects – including the migration to Windows 11 and Office 365 – which will strengthen security, improve collaboration, and modernise the way we work.

Touring the DMH Data Centre, the Chairman recognised its vital role in keeping our Trust running securely and efficiently, and he thanked the team for their dedication and expertise. 💙

07/08/2025

19 August 2025, 1000-1400 hrs, Hangar 63, Urlay Nook

You're invited to the grand opening of our coffee house, Hangar 63🎉

We're thrilled to announce the official opening date of our big passion project, and we'd love for you to join us on August 19th between 10am and 2pm at our HQ in Urlay Nook to mark the occasion with us💌

After months of planning, passion, and plenty of coffee, we're so excited to open our doors and welcome you into a space designed for relaxing catch-ups, delicious drinks, and a touch of aviation charm ☕️

Swing by to enjoy a cuppa, sample some tasty treats, browse our hand-picked selection of gifts, and maybe even catch a glimpse of our helicopter 🚁

We've poured our hearts into creating a cosy spot for our community, and we can't wait for you to see it 💚

Let us know if you can make it: https://fb.me/e/3mwxv0n5o