9th December 2021 

Kindly supported by:

Session Title 'OPAT from a Pharmacist’s Perspective

Speakers Pam Kang and Hurneet Sandhu 

Pam Kang; Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist – The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

I have been a Pharmacist for 19 years and have worked with Medicines Information, Formulary, Elderly Care and Trauma & Orthopaedic Teams.  I currently support the Trust Antimicrobial Stewardship Team to ensure the antimicrobial guidelines are reviewed regularly and are up to date, and produce antimicrobial usage reports to ensure that the Trust has an understanding of usage trends which helps inform education and guideline review.  I also support the OPAT Team to ensure patients are discharged on the most appropriate treatments and that they are monitored closely to ensure treatments are adjusted if required and ensure that medication supplies are maintained during their time with the OPAT service.

Hurneet Sandhu : Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist – The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

I have been a pharmacist for the past 5 years and worked in both acute and tertiary hospitals. I am responsible for ensuring prescriptions that are prescribed by clinicians are clinically safe and appropriate for the patient. Recently I have moved over to the antimicrobial stewardship role and I work alongside microbiologists to ensure antimicrobial guidelines are up to date and appropriate. Reviewing patients on our weekly ward rounds who are clinically improving or deteriorating whilst on antimicrobials and discussing appropriate treatment options which includes switching to oral treatment, advising on course lengths with the parent teams.

Session Title 'Challenges in delivery of IV therapy in community'

Speaker Ruth Wynn

Citywide Matron for the MCR IV Teams

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. 

Ruth set up the community IV service in central Manchester in 2013. It has now become a city-wide service covering the whole of the MFT community footprint including Trafford community services enabling patients to stay out of hospital while having IV or subcutaneous treatments. 

Although there have been many challenges along the way these have been overcome with the training of some of the nurses in the use of ultrasound and insertion of PICC and midlines. PICC’s are inserted by the team in the hospital setting to prevent delays in discharges with midlines inserted in patient’s homes or in community clinics to prevent unnecessary hospital attendance.

Patient love the service provided and during the global pandemic it become more apparent just why more treatments and care should be given in the community setting. 

27th January 2022 

Theme: Patient centred VAD management

Kindly supported by: 

Speaker: Helen Harker

Session Title: VAD Passport – Strategy to Improve Patient Outcomes’  

Senior Nurse IV Access

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Helen has worked within the specialities of Oncology, Haematology, Palliative Care, Chemotherapy and IV Access. In 2001, she joined one of the first UK nurse-led procedure teams, at a tertiary centre.  Helen, in 2007, established and now co-ordinates a nurse-led IV Access Service, at a university teaching hospital.  Subsequently, she has inserted >1,000 tunnelled central venous catheters, >2,000 peripherally inserted central venous catheters, achieving competencies in fluoroscopy, ultrasound and ECG guided placement.  

Helen has delivered IV Access related lectures, presentations and webinars in; the UK, Serbia, Russia, Switzerland, Croatia, Hungary, Israel, Poland, Italy and South America.  Whilst visiting Russia, she was invited to contribute in the development of their National guidelines.  All of these opportunities were excellent learning encounters.

Speaker: Lisa Mercer

Session Title:When 2 Worlds Collide!

Vascular Co-ordinator LiVES Unit, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Trust 

RN  DipHE. Vascular Co-ordinator LiVES Unit, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Trust

Lone parent of two teenage children

My professional experience includes working within the departments of Accident and Emergency, Clinical Skills Education and Vascular Surgery.  Currently I am responsible for coordinating the elective and emergency surgical program, for the region of Merseyside.

In addition, I live with an Implantable Port.  

I have been invited to share my experiences with you. I plan to deliver an honest account of living with an Implantable Port and the subsequent impact upon my personal and professional life.  I will impart information that ‘the expert health professionals’ do not focus on!

8th March 2022 

Theme: Improving Practice and Implementing Change

kindly supported by: Tristell 

Speaker: Melanie Hudson

Session Title: Burkholderia contaminants: finding the source and making the change

Infection Prevention and Control Nurse,

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Melanie started her Nurse training at St James Hospital Leeds in 1979. Once qualified she worked on surgical wards and was involved in teaching the staff and students on her ward. In 1989 she worked in theatres for 20 years as a Senior Scrub Nurse, whilst there she continued to enjoy teaching students the importance of infection control and implemented a change in practice by introducing hand Gels into the theatres and theatre corridors. From 2009, Melanie worked in the Plastic Dressing Clinic. Whilst there she took on the role of Infection Control Link Nurse and Completed the IPC Infection Prevention course, during which she implemented a change in practice, from using Antiseptic Betadine to Chloraprep to minimise the infection risk during minor procedures in her Clinic.

In 2018 she joined the Infection prevention & Control team as an Infection Prevention Nurse Specialist.

Melanie is delighted to be a member of the Infection Prevention Society, to be chosen as 2021 Best Presentation Winner at the IPS Conference, and to be asked to present at the IPS IV Forum 2022.

Speaker: Emily Smith

Session Title:  Ultrasound guided cannulation for difficult IV access patients; it's value, impact and potential

IVascular Access Lead Nurse,

Aintree IV Team

Emily Smith is the lead nurse of an award winning nurse-led IV Team at Aintree Hospital, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS FT. The service provides insertion and management of vascular access devices, including robust surveillance and timely troubleshooting for both inpatients and outpatients. 

She is committed to supporting the education and training of healthcare professionals, patients and carers in the care and maintenance of vascular access devices, and sharing her experiences with colleagues.  She is passionate about pushing the boundaries of vascular access in a cohort of patients whose needs are ever-changing, and exploring new technologies and ways of working to provide the best care possible.  Her biggest professional accomplishment is winning a Nursing Times award in 2021 for successful implementation of ultrasound guided cannulation into routine service provision. This includes the use of a longer length device, that extends dwell times, but also demonstrates low complications rates in patients with difficult IV access.