Dear colleague,

This week we became the first in England to use the latest technology for treating brain aneurysms, which are a weakness in the wall of a blood vessel in the brain. If they rupture, it can lead to complications and even death in severe cases.

Our Interventional Radiology team carried out what’s known as coil embolization using a Nautilus device. It’s a minimally invasive, x-ray guided procedure that treats the aneurysm by using coils placed inside to block blood flow to the area to stop it from rupturing.

Tufail Pantakar, our lead consultant interventional neuroradiologist, who carried out the procedure, said: “This new device is safer for patients, and allows us to carry out shorter, more efficient procedures with minimal recovery time. Every aneurysm is different and some need to be treated differently to others. This adds another option, allowing us to innovate and ensure we can choose the best treatment for each patient.”

Well done to Tufail and the team, this is great news for our patients. 

It’s always motivating for our staff to be recognised for their achievements and I’m proud that several of our colleagues and teams have been shortlisted for a range of awards . 

Our efforts to be an equal, diverse and inclusive employer has been recognised in the Diverse Company category at the National Diversity Awards. Our former Chief Nurse Kathryn Halford has also been shortlisted in the Lifetime Achiever category for her work to promote inclusion.

Our use of virtual simulation and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve safety for patients undergoing a mechanical thrombectomy has been shortlisted in the HSJ Patient Safety Awards. 

Mechanical thrombectomy is an image-guided procedure to remove blood clots from the brain and our Anaesthetic team has been using SafetySIGHT, an innovative training tool, to upskill staff and reduce avoidable harm. It uses virtual simulation and AI to create a hybrid theatre environment, allowing staff to learn about potential hazards and human factors in a training environment, making it safer for patients when doing it for real.

And two of our colleagues have been shortlisted in the Black Healthcare Awards. Professor Gideon Mlawa, Director of Medical Education, who has worked to improve healthcare systems in countries across Africa including Tanzania and Zanzibar, is up for Consultant of the Year, and Abiola Jinadu, our Director Midwifery, as Midwife of the Year.

Good luck to everyone!

Best wishes,

Matthew Trainer

Chief Executive