10,000 Voices: Improving the patient experience

Patient experience is recognised as a key element in the delivery of quality healthcare. In line with this, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is carrying out an extensive piece of work across all Health and Social Care Trusts (HSCTs), with the aim of introducing a more patient-focused approach to services and shaping future healthcare in Northern Ireland. This project, called '10,000 Voices', gives patients, as well as their families and carers, the opportunity to share their overall experience and highlight anything important, such as what they particularly liked or disliked about the experience. This leaflet gives participants the information they need before taking part in '10,000 Voices' and answers questions about confidentiality and information sharing.

Patient and Client Experience Annual Report 2012-2013

The Patient and Client Experience Annual Report 2012-13 demonstrates that although healthcare is often highly pressurised, all Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts are ensuring that patient experience remains a priority.The report provides an analysis of the patient and client monitoring including evidence-based statements from patients; highlights areas of good practice within each of the HSC Trusts and outlines areas where further improvements are required to enhance the experience of patients and clients.The comprehensive programme of work undertaken by the six HSC Trusts in conjunction with the HSC Board and PHA to support the implementation of the Patient Client Experience Standards demonstrates a commitment to learn and an assurance to act upon the experience of patients and clients locally and regionally.

Splenectomy patient leaflet

This leaflet is for patients who have no functioning spleen. It explains their condition and outlines some important information that patients with no functioning spleen need to know.�

Concurrent infection with dengue virus type-2 and DENV-3 in a patient from Ceará, Brazil

Dengue outbreaks have occurred in several regions in Brazil and cocirculating dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1), DENV-2, and DENV-3 have been frequently observed. Dual infection by DENV-2 and DENV-3 was identified by type-specific indirect immunofluorescence assay and confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in a patient in Ceará with a mild disease. This is the first documented case of simultaneous infection with DENV-2 and DENV-3 in Brazil. Sequencing confirmed DENV-2 and DENV-3 (South-East/American) genotype III and (SriLanka/India), genotype III respectively.

Hepatitis C - what now? Patient results factsheet (English and 6 translations)

Factsheet for patients who have tested positive for the hepatitis C virus.

Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism: A Key Patient Safety Priority

Prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is an important part of our strategy to improve patient safety.The Northern Ireland HSC Safety Forum established and facilitated a regional collaborative which developed a single VTE Risk Assessment Tool for N.Ireland.

What happens in the Emergency Department-A patient's guide

A guide for people who have self-harmed or may have mental health/emotional problems

Independent relations of left ventricular structure with the 24-hour urinary excretion of sodium and aldosterone.

Previous studies reported on the association of left ventricular mass index (LVMI) with urinary sodium or with circulating or urinary aldosterone. We investigated the independent associations of LVMI with the urinary excretion of both sodium and aldosterone. We randomly recruited 317 untreated subjects from a white population (45.1% women; mean age 48.2 years). Measurements included echocardiographic left ventricular (LV) properties, the 24-hour urinary excretion of sodium and aldosterone, plasma renin activity (PRA), and proximal (RNa(prox)) and distal (RNa(dist)) renal sodium reabsorption, assessed from the endogenous lithium clearance. In multivariable-adjusted models, we expressed changes in LVMI per 1-SD increase in the explanatory variables, while accounting for sex, age, systolic blood pressure, and the waist-to-hip ratio. LVMI increased independently with the urinary excretion of both sodium (+2.48 g/m(2); P=0.005) and aldosterone (+2.63 g/m(2); P=0.004). Higher sodium excretion was associated with increased mean wall thickness (MWT: +0.126 mm, P=0.054), but with no change in LV end-diastolic diameter (LVID: +0.12 mm, P=0.64). In contrast, higher aldosterone excretion was associated with higher LVID (+0.54 mm; P=0.017), but with no change in MWT (+0.070 mm; P=0.28). Higher RNa(dist) was associated with lower relative wall thickness (-0.81x10(-2), P=0.017), because of opposite trends in LVID (+0.33 mm; P=0.13) and MWT (-0.130 mm; P=0.040). LVMI was not associated with PRA or RNa(prox.) In conclusion, LVMI independently increased with both urinary sodium and aldosterone excretion. Increased MWT explained the association of LVMI with urinary sodium and increased LVID the association of LVMI with urinary aldosterone.

Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae/Carbapenemase Producing Organism (CPE/CPO) Patient Information leaflet

Information for patients and visitors on�Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae/Carbapenemase Producing Organism (CPE/CPO)

Anti-TNF Therapy in the Treatment of Psoriasis in a Patient with Acute-on-Chronic Pancreatitis.

Background: Psoriasis is accepted as a multisystemic disease with several important systemic manifestations. Thus, underlying comorbidities have to be taken into account in the choice of treatment. Objective: To explore the role of anti-TNF therapy in the treatment of psoriasis in a patient with acute-on-chronic pancreatitis. Methods: Here, we present the case of a 75-year-old patient with severe psoriasis also suffering from chronic alcohol-induced pancreatitis with recurrent acute flares. A recent life-threatening episode of acute pancreatitis and ischemic liver precluded the reintroduction of methotrexate. Cyclosporine was also excluded as it has been reported to induce acute pancreatitis. Thus, an anti-TNF treatment was initiated in close collaboration with a gastroenterologist. Results: A year after starting anti-TNF therapy the patient continues to show complete clinical remission of his psoriasis. No side effects, particularly no bacterial infections, were reported. No relapses of the patient's underlying chronic pancreatitis were observed throughout the entire treatment with regular clinical and laboratory monitoring, suggesting that chronic pancreatitis is not per se a contraindication for anti-TNF therapy. Conclusion: This case study opens the way for further questioning on the role of TNF in the pathogenesis of chronic and acute pancreatitis and the use of anti-TNF therapy in its treatment. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.