News: Health hub set to fill Boots in Rotherham town centre

Rotherham Council is planning to introduce "Health on the High Street" in a bid to improve access to health services and increase footfall in the town centre.

The idea would also provide a long term use for a large retail unit that has been empty since 2022.

Creating a community hub for health provision as a way to reinvigorate town centres has been tried and tested across the country in areas such as Barnsley and Oldham.

In Rotherham, the council acquired the former Boots building in 2023 after the retailer closed as part of a 2020 acceleration of its Transformation Plan.

Close to the markets redevelopment, the proposal involves Abbey Pharmacy relocating from its current position in the first phase with the exploration of the development of a new health facility within the remainder of the building part of a second phase.

The idea was included in the initial £20m Long Term Plan for Towns (now The Plan for Neighbourhoods).

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A paper to Rotherham Council's cabinet explains: "Rotherham town centre is currently limited in its provision of health care services and the Council has been working in partnership with health service partners to consider how that provision may be increased. This project would see the first step in improving the provision of health services for the Town Centre and surrounding communities.

"In terms of phase 2, there have been no decisions on how the remainder of the building will be utilised, but it is envisaged that the building could be used by GPs, Health or Wellbeing operators. This is being reviewed and a feasibility study is being undertaken to deliver a connected and collaborative health provision in the Town Centre.

"The Council has been liaising with health providers over the last year. Providers recognise the benefit of a health provision in this location and are actively engaging with the feasibility process."

The government's Plan for Neighbourhoods exemplifies the approach taken in Barnsley. Evidence provided states that proximity to public transport has minimised missed appointments and has attracted an additional 55,000 visits to the town centre, supporting local businesses. It cites "improved health outcomes and economic growth, improving patient care and fostering a greater sense of community" amongst the positive outcomes of the facility.

With the £40m revamp of the markets underway, and as part of the lease, Rotherham Council would need to pay to relocate Abbey Pharmacy from Howard Street now, and potentially a second time, or work around them. Both options have been discounted due to the costs involved.

Following cabinet approval, the council will carry out feasability work and design development using money from the Pathfinder pot. In 2023, Rotherham Council was granted more flexibility over the £80m+ regeneration funding it has secured from the Government.

Potential costs for a Rotherham health hub have not been made public but council Health Select Commission papers show that the Phase One proposal to relocate the pharmacy is estimated to cost £1.3m with Phase Two estimated at £400,000 to work up plans.

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News: More pathways to work to be created in Rotherham

South Yorkshire is one of nine £125m backed "inactivity trailblazers" across the country to launch, with the aim of helping areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity as part of the Government's wider Plan for Change.

Backed by £18m, South Yorkshire plans a dedicated new service working with employers to hire those with health conditions, and a new “triage” system to make it quicker and easier to connect people to employment, health, and skills support.

This work will include preventing people falling out of work completely due to ill health through an NHS programme, working with people with conditions ranging from cardiovascular disease to diabetes. This could include arranging voluntary work as a stepping stone to paid employment or helping people receive the right treatment early so they can remain in a job.

Having been pioneered in Barnsley, the programme will now roll out to Rotherham and the rest of South Yorkshire. £8m is funding the NHS Accelerator programme.

The programmes build on the recommendations of the Pathways to Work Commission which was led by Barnsley Council in partnership with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA). The report highlighted that the proof-of-concept model could deliver direct Exchequer savings of up to four pounds for every one spent.

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Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall MP said: “For too long, whole areas of the UK have been written off and deprived of investment. We are turning the tide on this – as we believe in the potential of every single person across our country and that they deserve to benefit from the security and dignity that good work affords.

“This is why we’re investing £125m into nine local areas to get Britain back to health and back to work – with our new approach making it quicker and easier for people to access the support they need to stay in work if they have a health condition or return to work.

“South Yorkshire is the first to kick off their innovative plans – backed by £18 million – and we will be launching more areas in the coming weeks as we put more money in people’s pockets, boost living standards and Get Britain Working under our Plan for Change.”

South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, added: “We know that South Yorkshire’s industrial past has left a legacy of poor health and low skills that holds people back right across our communities; holding people back from accessing good work, making the most of their potential or living their fullest lives.

“That’s why we developed the pioneering Pathways to Work approach here in Barnsley, and why we’re now working with the Government to roll that programme out across the whole of South Yorkshire. From today people will receive tailored support, bringing together the health system, the skills and employment system, to truly help people back into decent work.

“I’m really pleased that South Yorkshire is now leading with the first inactivity trailblazer and NHS growth accelerator to launch in the UK, because it means we can help people more quickly and more effectively, and in a more tailored way. That’s not just the right thing to do for those people locked out of finding good work, it’s the right thing for our economy too, helping us to create the bigger and better economy we need and deserve here in our region.”

The trailblazer programmes, which have been designed largely by civil servants based in Sheffield working with Mayoral Combined Authorities, are part of the Government’s wider efforts to reach an 80 per cent employment rate, which includes a record £1 billion investment in helping disabled people and those with long-term health conditions who can work into work and an overhaul of Jobcentres to make sure they meet the needs of employers.

Through their new initiatives, South Yorkshire aims to reduce inactivity from 25.5% in 2023 to under 20% by the end of 2029 – equivalent to helping 40,000 people across the area.

It is hoped that South Yorkshire will also be named as one of eight youth trailblazer areas, backed by £45m from the government to ensure all 18–21-year-olds have access to education, training, and employment opportunities.

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News: More time to sign up to pioneering Working Win trial

People and businesses have more time to sign up to a research trial testing employment support for those with health problems who are struggling with work.

The aim of the trial is to assess the best type of support for those who are out of work, or struggling in their current job, due to a physical or mental health condition. So far, more than 2,700 people have signed up to take part in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw.

The innovative research trial, one of only two such projects in the UK, launched in May 2018, with the closing date for referrals originally set for March 2019. However, this has now been extended by six months, until the end of October, which gives volunteers more time to get involved.

Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority, said: "The extension is great news for the Working Win trial. It is important that we have as many people as possible signed up to take part, so that we can find out whether the new type of support being tested really is the most effective option.

"In this time of political uncertainty, it is particularly important that we have the best services in place to support people struggling with work. I fully support the NHS and Government departments who want to use the Working Win trial to find the best way to help people into good jobs, which in turn will benefit our region's economy."

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The trial has been commissioned by Sheffield city region (SCR) with funding from NHS England. South Yorkshire Housing Association are responsible for delivering the support to those who volunteer to take part.

Being a randomised control trial, it means that people who take part will be randomly placed into one of two research groups. One group will receive the service and the other group will be provided with detailed information about existing services in their area. It tests out how effective a new type of holistic support is for people who could stay in work, or get a job, if they just had the right sort of support for physical or mental problems.

Around 3,000 more people are still needed on the trial before the window closes in October.

Businesses in Rotherham can book a free consultation and workplace health check and employees can benefit from one-to-one coaching. The Working Win project can also deliver free mental health and physical health awareness training for employers and help employees to tap into Access to Work, a Government funding scheme that can pay for specialist equipment, transport solutions or on-the-job support.

Working Win website

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News: Rotherham NHS subsidiary talks halted

Rotherham Hospital bosses have shelved plans to form an NHS subsidiary company.

Rothbiz reported in October on consultants, Grant Thornton, being awarded a contract for support in setting up a Wholly Owned Subsidiary Business of The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust.

Under severe financial pressure, some NHS trusts in England are seeking to save money by creating wholly owned subsidiaries, also known as subcos, companies to deliver services, including facilities and estates. Unions have called the move, "backdoor privatisation" and warned that trusts use the subcos to employ staff without NHS terms and conditions.

NHS Improvement, the national regulator, ordered a temporary stop asking trusts to "pause any current plans to create new subsidiaries or change existing subsidiaries" adding that it will consult on a new regulatory approach in October and issue new guidance.

Having helped organise meetings between hospital staff, union representatives and the Trust's chief executive and chair to outline their concerns, local MP, John Healey says that the plans have now been shelved.

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John Healey, Wentworth and Dearne MP, said: "I welcome the decision by Rotherham NHS Foundation trust to call a halt to the proposals, it is sound sense for our hospital services and staff who work there.

"It's thanks to the hard work of NHS staff and unions who, together with MPs, have forced the hospital board to think again on the plans which had the potential to create a two-tier workforce.

"The fact that hospitals are even having to consider such complicated schemes to save money shows how stretched NHS finances have become."

Lynn Monk, branch secretary of UNISON Rotherham Health said: "The UNISON branch are very grateful for the support we received from John as well as the wider public of Rotherham in opposing the transfer of staff to the Wholly Owned Subsidiary.

"They realised that it would undermine the staff pay and pensions but importantly could have resulted in the wholesale transfer of many more staff out of the NHS, privatisation by the back door.

"UNISON members stood firm against it,‎ bolstered by the support from John and his colleagues."

Rotherham NHS Trust website

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News: Working Win recognised in NHS plan

More than 2,000 people are now taking part in the Sheffield City Region's (SCR) Working Win health-led research trial.

The aim of the trial is to assess the best type of support for those who are out of work, or struggling in their current job, due to a physical or mental health condition.

The innovative research trial, one of only two such projects in the UK, has also been credited in the NHS' Long-Term Plan, launched earlier this month.

Being a randomised control trial, it means that people who take part will be randomly placed into one of two research groups. One group will receive the service and the other group will be provided with detailed information about existing services in their area. It will test out how effective a new type of holistic support is for people who could stay in work, or get a job, if they just had the right sort of support for physical or mental problems.

Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority, said: "It's a great achievement to have reached this point in the Working Win trial. I'm very grateful to the 2,000 people who are giving their time for this important research, which simply couldn't take place without them.

"I hope that this trial, together with the NHS' commitment to focus on health and employment as part of their Long Term Plan, means that, nationally, we can find better solutions for people who want to work, but have so far been restricted by mental or physical health conditions.

"I'm also proud that Sheffield City Region is leading the way by pioneering this new kind of employment support. It's great to see that people in our region are the first to trial this innovative scheme, which is already making a difference to so many lives."

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Des Breen, Medical Director for the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System, added: "We know that one of the determinates for good mental and physical health is stable employment.

“The integrated care approach looks at all things which can contribute to a person becoming ill. The NHS Long Term Plan published earlier this month sets out a commitment to integrated care where, housing, education, employment and medical care are all looked at as a whole in order to tackle the underlying causes of ill health."

The Working Win trial is being delivered locally in partnership with South Yorkshire Housing Association, which has a wealth of experience in running employment support programmes.

Niall O'Reilly, Head of Work and Wellbeing of South Yorkshire Housing Association, said: "We're incredibly grateful to the 2,000 people across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw who've signed up to Working Win.

"They're helping us test an innovative new way of supporting people with health conditions to find and sustain good work, an approach that's compassionate, strengths-based and entirely voluntary.

"The feedback we've already received from participants is really encouraging. More than 90% of people describe our service as Good or Excellent.

"There's still an opportunity for 5,500 more people to take part."

Businesses in Rotherham can book a free consultation and workplace health check and employees can benefit from one-to-one coaching. The Working Win project can also deliver free mental health and physical health awareness training for employers and help employees to tap into Access to Work, a Government funding scheme that can pay for specialist equipment, transport solutions or on-the-job support.

Working Win website

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News: Find out more about Working Win

More than 2,000 people have been referred to Sheffield city region's pioneering Working Win health-led employment trial since it launched in May this year.

The aim of the trial is to assess the best type of support for those who are out of work, or struggling in their current job, due to a physical or mental health condition.

More than 50 people have found new jobs or returned to work since the trial started.

Local employers can find out how the project can help their business at a free event in Rotherham next month.

Being a randomised control trial, it means that people who take part will be randomly placed into one of two research groups. One group will receive the service and the other group will be provided with detailed information about existing services in their area. It will test out how effective a new type of holistic support is for people who could stay in work, or get a job, if they just had the right sort of support for physical or mental problems.

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Businesses in Rotherham can book a free consultation and workplace health check and employees can benefit from one-to-one coaching. The Working Win project can also deliver free mental health and physical health awareness training for employers and help employees to tap into Access to Work, a Government funding scheme that can pay for specialist equipment, transport solutions or on-the-job support.

An open employer learning event is taking place on the November 15 at the AMP Technology Centre in Rotherham.

Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority, said: "I'm proud that Working Win is leading the way in helping people find the right jobs, and receive the best support while they are in those jobs.

"And I would urge our businesses to take the free, individual, support that is on offer, so that we can all make South Yorkshire a place where people with physical and mental health problems are valued in the workplace.

"This is crucial not just on World Mental Health Day, but every day."

Working Win is funded by the Government's Work and Health Unit, and is being delivered in partnership with local NHS partners and South Yorkshire Housing Association.

Working Win website

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News: Rotherham NHS told to halt subsidiary talks

Local MP John Healey says any plans to form an NHS subsidiary company at Rotherham Hospital should be halted.

Under severe financial pressure, some NHS trusts in England are seeking to save money by creating wholly owned subsidiaries, also known as subcos, companies to deliver services, including facilities and estates. Unions have called the move, "backdoor privatisation" and warned that trusts use the subcos to employ staff without NHS terms and conditions.

Last month, NHS Improvement, the national regulator, ordered a temporary stop asking trusts to "pause any current plans to create new subsidiaries or change existing subsidiaries" adding that it will consult on a new regulatory approach in October and issue new guidance.

John Healey, MP for Wentworth and Dearne, said: "The Rotherham hospital board must now set aside any plans it has for setting up an NHS subsidiary company. Since the idea was first floated, I've voiced my concerns directly with the chairman and chief executive. It would create a two-tier workforce and smacks of a dodge to avoid paying VAT. So I welcome the NHS nationally calling a halt on these local hospital companies.

"It's a sign of just how stretched NHS finances have become that hospitals are reaching for ever more complicated schemes to try to save money."

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In May, The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, awarded a £192,000 contract to consultants, Grant Thornton for support in setting up a Wholly Owned Subsidiary Business of the Trust.

The tender documents stated: "We require a provider who has experience, preferably of working with NHS Foundation Trusts, in setting up subsidiary companies to create alternative vehicles for service delivery across a number of existing Trust services. We expect the provider to support in a project management capacity bringing knowledge and experience of similar situations to help ensure we are able to make a successful transition of services to the Wholly Owned Subsidiary meeting all legal, regulatory, financial and sound governance principles and requirements."

It is thought that the services being considered as part of the subsidiary discussions were essential core areas such as porters and domestic staff.

Over the summer, local unions submitted a petition signed by 1,438 individuals expressing their opposition to the establishment of a wholly owned subsidiary by the Trust.

The NHS Trust serves the health needs of the borough and delivers care at Rotherham Hospital, as well as community-based sites and directly in patients' homes. It employs over 4,000 staff with an annual turnover of over £215m.

The original plan for the budget in 2017/18 had been a deficit of £13.6m, which was reforecast with the Regulator in January 2018 to a deficit of £22.3m. The Trust has set a financial year end deficit for 2018/19 of £20.3m.

Rotherham NHS Trust website

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News: Former Rotherham school set to be demolished by Council

Rotherham Council is continuing with its plans to demolish a former infant school and won't be offering up the building for other uses.

The authority applied earlier this year for approvals for the method of demolition at Kimberworth Infant School.

The plans were approved but the issue has been raised with members and officers at recent Council meetings by residents who say that the community has not been consulted over the proposals.

The Kimberworth Road site was formerly a secondary school, but most recently has been used by the Council and NHS after a replacement school, Winterhill School, was constructed nearby. The £2.9m children's services centre, known as Kimberworth Place, was completed in 2011. Services include physiotherapy, mental health, a short break facility and Learning Disability Services.

Kimberworth Community Primary School is also on the site.

It was explained this week that the Council has not designated part of the site as surplus to requirements but has proposed demolition to reduce the costs and utilise the land. The Council still has plans for the land on which the building sits.

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Cllr. Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, explained: "This building hasn't been declared surplus and is not subject to the asset transfer rules. Because we are retaining the land it is still part of the estate."

Asset transfer principles and details have been established by the Council to enable the transfer of Council held land and property assets to the community in an efficient and sustainable way, for the benefit of the community as a whole. But it only applies to assets that have been deemed surplus.

Residents say that the building would make an ideal community hub.

Paul Woodcock, assistant director for Planning, Regeneration and Transportation at Rotherham Council, added: "If it is deemed surplus - the land, the building or both - then it would go through the procedure of proposed asset transfer, potential sale, consultation etc. Whilst the building is no longer required, mainly because of the dilapidation and its cost, the Council hasn't declared the site surplus so wish to retain that for its own use.

"The Council has taken the decision to demolish the building to then utilise the land."

In the short term the cleared site is set to be used as car parking. Longer term uses are not yet known. The local plan has the site earmarked for community use.

Kimberworth Comprehensive opened in 1914 as Kimberworth Road Higher Standard School. When Kimberworth Council Infant School, which opened 1880, closed in 1923, pupils transferred to Kimberworth Road School. Kimberworth St. Mark's Infant School, which opened 1888, moved to Kimberworth Road Council Infants School in 1913.

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News: Rotherham manufacturer plays a part in hospital appeal

The Rotherham Hospital and Community Charity is one step closer to introducing a fourth Purple Butterfly room at Rotherham Hospital thanks to a year of fundraising by employees at Toyoda Gosei.

The Templeborough company makes rubber weather-seals for car windows, doors and boots, and chose to raise money for the Charity's Purple Butterfly Appeal throughout 2017 following nominations from supervisor Mandy Roebuck.

Mandy sadly lost her 78-year-old father Graham in 2016 after he suffered a blood clot on his lung. He was able to spend quality time with his family in the Purple Butterfly room on the Fitzwilliam Ward before he passed away.

To say thank you for the care he received, Mandy inspired colleagues at Toyoda Gosei, an international manufacturer of rubber and plastic automotive parts based at Centurion Business Park, to organise fundraising events including a football tournament, bake sales, raffles as well as a festive jumper day. They raised £2,765.90.

Mandy, 46, of Herringthorpe, said: "My family and I were so grateful to be able to use the Purple Butterfly room when my dad died. He fell ill so quickly it was a godsend to have that space and privacy to be with him and start to come to terms with how poorly he was.

WI thought the Purple Butterfly room was brilliant. There was no time limits on when we could visit and as many relatives and friends as we could fit in were invited to say goodbye to my dad. It was really nice for me to have my family around me at such a difficult time.

"I've invested a lot of time, love and effort into fundraising because the cause is extra special to me. I made hampers for Valentine's Day, Easter, Christmas and summer barbecues. I also enjoyed running a "name the bear" competition was aptly named Violet in honour of the appeal.

"I'm really proud that we have raised so much money. Knowing we were doing our bit to help fund a fourth Purple Butterfly room at Rotherham Hospital really spurred us on."

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The Purple Butterfly Appeal raises money to fund Purple Butterfly rooms, which provide privacy, dignity, space and a home-from-home for patients, their families, friends and carers.

The £75,000 purpose-built rooms offer privacy and dignity to patients nearing the end of their lives, and their families. The money goes towards funding all the building works, specialist equipment and facilities for loved ones to stay plus a television, fridge, microwave and a kettle.

Gabby Atmarow, Chair of the Charitable Funds Committee at the hospital, said: "We have three Purple Butterfly rooms at Rotherham Hospital, located on Ward A2, Fitzwilliam Ward and the Labour Ward and I know a fourth room is very much needed for our patients and their families. But we are incredibly proud to be able to offer these rooms to our patients and their families because they really do provide the space and privacy families need when time is most precious.

"Thanks to Mandy and her colleagues at Toyoda Gosei we are now one step closer to raising the money we need for a fourth room. Every penny raised really does count and we hope they inspire other businesses and individuals in Rotherham to fundraise for us too."

Toyoda Gosei website
Rotherham NHS website

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News: Horbury named on £400m NHS framework

Rotherham construction group, Horbury, has been successful in bidding to be part of a framework agreement to provide hard services to NHS Shared Business Services (SBS) for a four year period.

The newly created subsidiary, Horbury Property Services, will provide fire door inspection and remedial, building fabric maintenance, flooring services, ironmongery, partitioning and re-lamping services. The framework will cover NHS facilities across the whole of England and Wales and is valued at around £400m.

This is the third recent framework agreement secured by Horbury Property Services, which was selected as part of an approved two year framework agreement with Leeds Beckett University to provide flooring services for its Headingley and city centre estates in Leeds and by Fusion 21, a national procurement organisation and social enterprise, for providing passive fire services.

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Richard Sutton, general manager at Horbury Property Services, said: "We're really pleased to have been successful in securing this latest framework agreement win with NHS SBS. This contract will see our team working across the UK to deliver high quality property maintenance services to the NHS as part maintaining the fabric of its buildings and ensuring compliance."

Mochamad Nurdyn, senior category manager at NHS SBS, added: "This is an important framework agreement and we are pleased to be contracting with a number of suppliers, including Horbury Property Services, to deliver maintenance services to meet NHS SBS' requirements."

NHS Shared Business Services is a joint venture company between the Department of Health (DoH) and the French IT services company Sopra Steria. It provides procurement functions to NHS trusts.

From its headquarters in the Moorgate area, the group combines a number of subsidiaries that specialise in areas including joinery, ceilings, dry lining and health and safety training.

Horbury Property Services, which has regional offices in London and South Wales together with the head office in Rotherham, provides a full range of services, which should be part of planned preventative maintenance programmes.

Horbury Property Services website

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News: Rotherham NHS Trust offers apprenticeship opportunities

The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust (TRFT) is celebrating the tenth anniversary of National Apprenticeship Week by encouraging people of all ages and at all levels to further their career by taking up an apprenticeship with the Trust.

The theme for this year's National Apprenticeship Week focuses on the "ladder of opportunity," and the progression routes of apprenticeships, from traineeships through to higher and degree-level apprenticeships.

Helen Thomas, head of learning, development and education at TRFT, said: "We are working alongside the National Apprenticeship Service to celebrate the fantastic role of our 30 apprentices. We currently employ them in clinical and support roles, both at Rotherham Hospital and in the community.

"Our apprentices really are an asset to the Trust. With support from the Government and the National Apprenticeship Service we are keen to increase the range of opportunities we offer people who are passionate about working for an ambitious and caring Trust like ours.

"Apprenticeships are not just ideal for young people looking for an alternative to attending college or university. They can be a great opportunity for people of any age looking for their next step on the career ladder."

One of the Trust's most successful apprenticeship relationships has seen therapy assistant apprentice Niamh Tideswell team up with Sara Basu, a clinical specialist in occupational therapy in the Stroke Team.

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Niamh, 19, of Wickersley, said: "I wanted to try an apprenticeship because I'm a practical person and like to learn on the job. My mum and dad are both nurses too so I was definitely leaning more towards an apprenticeship when I started to consider what I wanted to do after leaving college. After speaking to my parents about what they liked about nursing, I liked the idea of caring for people.

"It was so nerve-wracking at first because I'd never worked in a clinical area before. It was completely different to college or my part time job at Tesco. But my college tutor was really supportive, my parents encouraged me and the Stroke Team are really tight knit and helped me feel at ease. There’s always a member of the team to speak to about my workload or my coursework, which is great.

"The best part of being an apprentice here is that I feel really valued and appreciated. I'm given a proper workload and patients to work with. I've learnt so much and really enjoy working with stroke patients, seeing them progress and eventually go home. I also have opportunities to continue to develop my career and will be doing my Level 2 qualification next with the Trust and Rotherham College."

Niamh's manager Sara has worked at TRFT since June 2016. She said: "Having an apprentice has been a really positive experience for us because we enjoy passing on our skills and showing her she's a valued member of the team. I would definitely encourage other organisations to employ apprentices because it can be a great way of nurturing talent and retaining colleagues."

Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust website

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News: Meet the buyer event to help keep business local

Local businesses are being invited to a Rotherham procurement event this week to find out how they can grow through securing local contracts.

The morning event takes place on Wednesday February 15 at New York Stadium, bringing buyers together from business looking to build their local supply chains, as well as Rotherham Council and Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust.

Opening at 8am, the drop in session will carry on until 12 noon with exhibition stands from a selected a range of buyers from the public and private sector and at 10am will feature presentations and seminars from established buyers including leading procurement experts from the NHS Foundation Trust.

The "Meet the Buyer" event offers the chance to speak directly to some of the region's key purchasers and business decisions makers who are actively seeking suppliers of various goods and services.

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Cllr. Denise Lelliott, cabinet member for jobs and the local economy at Rotherham Council, said: "Meet the Buyer will provide a unique networking opportunity to share advice and guidance on how to win business in the NHS and other local businesses as well as the Council.

"As well as gathering top tips, attendees will gain an insight into how to use the tendering portals and meet the procurement teams from the Council and the NHS and other suppliers.

"The Council is committed to working with local businesses and this event fits with one of our core Council objectives; to extend opportunity, prosperity and planning for the future. We are aware that businesses across Rotherham are some of the most innovative in the country, and we want to work with them to help improve services for local people."

There is no need to register for the event, which is free to attend.

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News: Recruitment drive at Rotherham Urgent Care Centre

A recruitment drive is well underway at the new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre at Rotherham Hospital in preparation for its opening in July 2017.

The £12m centre is currently under construction by principal contractor, Kier Construction and the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust are aiming to attract registered nurses (adult and children's), practitioners, doctors and GPs.

Taking place on Saturday February 11 between 10am and 3pm, a recruitment event will give people the chance to speak to existing employees of the Emergency Department and the wider organisation, have a tour of the new Centre as well as finding out more about The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust and plans for the future.

Job adverts for all of the roles are being added to NHS jobs and there will also be the chance to apply at the event. Any nursing candidates will also have the opportunity to have their interview on the day too, which will significantly reduce the recruitment process.

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Mark Hill, Head of Nursing for Emergency Care at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, said: "It's a very exciting time to join the Trust with the new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre due to open in July as well as the wider plans for the future we have as an organisation. We always want to provide our patients with the highest quality care and the new centre will allow us to continue this in a fantastic environment.

"The recruitment event will give prospective employees a great insight into the organisation and in particular the new centre. There's already a great workforce at the Trust and in the Emergency Department who are dedicated to providing our patients with high quality care and we hope that we'll see lots of people at the event interested in becoming a part of our team."

Recommended reading: The business case for investing in emergency preparedness

When it opens, patients who currently walk into Accident & Emergency (A&E) at the hospital will access care through the urgent care centre. It is set to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It involves the closure of the Town Centre Walk in Centre on Greasborough Road and transfer of the GP out of hours service.

Staffed by highly skilled clinicians across the emergency department and primary care, the integration of skilled staff is expected to ensure that the most appropriate clinician will see the patient, reducing the need for handovers between staff and improving the patient flow. However the options proposed involve cutting the recurring costs for clinical staff from £5.5m to £4.6m. The Trust expects to be in a position to employ additional advanced care practitioners (ACPs) in place of middle grade doctors.

Urgent and Emergency Care Centre website

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News: Dearne Valley College student recognised for vocational excellence

A student from Dearne Valley College in Rotherham has been selected from thousands of nominations to win a prestigious award at the National BTEC Awards in London.

With its main campus in Manvers, Dearne Valley College specialises in vocational training and apprenticeships.

Bethany Pritchard, who is currently on a Level 3 Health & Social Care course, attended a reception at the House of Commons along with her college tutor and other guests, before being presented with her award at a glitzy, Hollywood-themed ceremony hosted by Radio 1 Presenter Gemma Cairney at the Royal Horticultural Halls.

Now in their sixth year, the BTEC Awards 2016 celebrate vocational excellence an are hosted by Pearson, the awarding body that owns BTEC qualifications. They recognise student success from each sector and featured a video message from Dragon's Den favourite, Peter Jones, performances from fellow BTEC students and inspirational speeches from award-winning entrepreneur, Zoe Jackson MBE and British adventurer, Ash Dykes.

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Bethany was nominated after overcoming a number of barriers in her personal life and displayed determination to succeed, leading to fantastic results and securing herself a coveted place on the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust Cadetship programme.

Alongside her studies, she has also dedicated much of her time since the age of 14 to volunteering for a local Dementia charity, who work closely with the NHS, caring for patients diagnosed with dementia under the age of 65 and their carers. She facilitates social gatherings, organises fundraising events and also promotes the work of the charity in the wider community to raise awareness.

Bethany now plans to pursue her ambitions of studying Mental Health Nursing at University whilst also establishing an independent charity with her father. They are in the early stages of developing an independent charity to facilitate social gatherings in the community for people diagnosed with dementia. They hope to offer people an outlet to acquire social and physical stimulation, appropriate to their level of need and invaluable respite time and peer support for carers.

Bethany (pictured, centre), said: "My journey on the BTEC course to date has given me a fantastic insight into my future career as a mental health professional. I'm a firm believer in hard work and striving to achieve to the best of my ability, and to be recognised for this on a national level is a huge honour for me; I will treasure it!"

Dearne valley College website

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News: Prince's Trust trainees gain work experience

Seven unemployed young people from Rotherham have gained hands-on experience of working in the NHS as part of a unique training programme.

The programme was arranged by charity The Prince's Trust and The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust (TRFT), to offer unemployed people aged 16-25 real, practical work experience, training and vocational knowledge.

The Prince's Trust is a youth charity that supports 13 to 30 year-olds who are unemployed and those struggling at school and at risk of exclusion.

The NHS Trust serves the health needs of the borough and delivers care at Rotherham Hospital, as well as community-based sites and directly in patients' homes. It employs over 4,000 staff with an annual turnover of over £215m.

Over the six week programme the young people demonstrated their ability to learn new skills and work as part of a team. They gained practical work experience alongside hospital domestics, porters and admin teams. In addition they received mandatory Trust training in areas such as information governance, infection prevention and control, conflict resolution, manual handling and in working with people with dementia.

The trainees were given the opportunity to improve their teamwork and communication skills, boost their confidence, build their interview skills and gain experience to share on their CV. Following the training, the individuals will receive a further six months of support, via The Prince's Trust, to help them find a job.

Claire Fretwell, head of learning and development at TRFT, said: "As a Trust we want to support the people of Rotherham who are not in either employment or any form of education or training, to get into work or to take up a development opportunity. I'm pleased that we have been able to help people in the local community to realise their potential by joining forces with organisations such as The Princes Trust."

Donna Jones, head of facilities services at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, was responsible for organising the opportunity for the Prince's Trust trainees to work alongside hospital facilities staff, who provided daily support and supervision. She said: "We were very happy to be able to lend our support to this fabulous charity by providing work placements.

"Those who have been part of our Trust and worked alongside our teams for the last six weeks have shown enthusiasm, maturity and an eagerness to learn new skills. I hope what they have learnt will help them in their future careers."

Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust website
Prince's Trust website

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News: Inditherm secure NHS neonatal contract

Rotherham-based Inditherm has secured an order for nine of its innovative LifeStart neonatal resuscitation units at a new Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Northumbria.

Manvers-based Inditherm has developed products using low voltage carbon polymer technology to provide heat. Its systems are used for patients undergoing operations which carry risk of inadvertent hypothermia and in neonatal wards.

Launched by Inditherm at the 2013 Arab Health exhibition, LifeStart facilitates the delaying of the clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord following childbirth by providing resuscitation at a newborn baby's bedside.

A significant amount of clinical research has highlighted the benefits of delayed cord clamping (DCC) for a newborn baby but traditional resuscitation units are not suitable for use at the delivery bedside, thus requiring the umbilical cord to be cut to allow the baby to be treated.

Designed with guidance from a team of obstetricians and paediatricians, Inditherm's system has a compact design enabling it to deliver all the required functions close enough to the mother to permit the umbilical cord to be left intact for the critical first few minutes.

The new Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH) in Cramlington, is set to open this month. Existing maternity services are being transferred from Wansbeck Hospital where senior clinical staff have already implemented the practice of delayed cord clamping wherever possible.

Following an evaluation of Inditherm's LifeStart system in the existing maternity unit, the team opted to equip all the high risk delivery rooms with new LifeStart systems, providing the best state-of-the-art facilities in this pioneering new specialist hospital.

DCC allows the new-born infant to continue to benefit from the continued supply of oxygenated placental blood until spontaneous breathing is established. This placental transfusion can account for 30% of the new-born's blood volume.

The National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) recently updated its evidence-based advice on the care of women and their babies during labour and immediately after the birth which backs the use of the Inditherm system.

Other UK and US hospitals have equipped some of their delivery rooms with LifeStart but the Northumbria hospital is the first in the world to equip with LifeStart on this scale. The £90m development is run by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and is the first purpose-built hospital of its kind in England.

Nick Bettles, chief executive at Inditherm, said: "In choosing LifeStart, NSECH are setting a new benchmark for maternity and neonatal care. We are very pleased that the trust recognises that resuscitation with the cord intact is now possible using the LifeStart system. We hope that as other centres see that LifeStart makes DCC practical for all patients, particularly those most at risk, they will follow the lead being set here.

"There is little doubt, given all the evidence of the benefits of delayed cord clamping, this gives the highest standard of care possible."

AIM-listed Inditherm is proposing the acquisition of Inspiration Healthcare Limited, a privately owned global medical device distribution company, allowing the medical business to grow with fewer constraints. The proposals are set to be approved at the company's general on June 23.

Inditherm website

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News: Care UK to end GP service at Rotherham walk in centre

The future of the £9.9m Rotherham Community Health Centre looks uncertain after bosses revealed that Care UK will end its provision of GP services next year.

The centre on Greasborough Road was developed by St Paul's Developments and built by Morgan Sindall. It opened in 2009 and provides GP and walk-in services and also provides modern and accessible facilities for most of the primary care services that were based at Doncaster Gate Hospital.

Proposals have recently been approved for a £12.2m Urgent Care Centre to be built at Rotherham Hospital, which involves the closure of the Town Centre Walk in Centre and transfer of the GP out of hours service to the hospital site. The NHS has now written to patients registered for GP services at Chantry Bridge Medical Centre, based in the same town centre building, to inform them that Care UK's service is due to end on September 30 2015.

A private company owned by private equity group, Bridgeport Capital, Care UK is a leading provider of health and social care services, working with local authorities and the NHS. It provides a range of NHS GP services including clinics, walk in centres and out of hours support.

Operated by Care UK, the Rotherham Community Health Centre sees around 4,000 patients a month and it was previously thought that a town centre GP surgery would remain on the site. An estimated 50% of current activity will transfer to the new emergency centre at Rotherham Hospital with Care UK set to continue as provider. All of the other NHS and community services are expected to remain on site, including family planning/sexual health services and clinics. Some other non‐acute provision could be relocated to the town centre.

Construction on the new facilities is set to begin in the spring of 2015 and it could start treating patients in April 2017. The current contract with Care UK for the Walk in Centre and GP Out of Hours provision expires in May 2016.

Options for the future of the GP practice at the Rotherham Community Health Centre have been explored. Currently, there are two options that are deemed viable - closing the GP service with patients registering at another practice, or procuring another provider of GP registered patient services from a site close to Chantry Bridge, until the Urgent Care Centre opens in Spring 2017. A branch surgery could be established at Chantry Bridge when the Walk in Centre closes.

The Rotherham Community Health Centre was acquired in a £14.1m deal in 2012 by a wholly owned subsidiary of Primary Health Properties, an AIM-listed company that specialises in the ownership of freehold or long leasehold interests in modern purpose-built healthcare facilities.

The 4,636 sq m property is wholly let to Rotherham Primary Care Trust (now called the The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust) and had 16 years remaining on the lease when the deal was secured. The building, on the former Bestobell Valves site next to Bailey House, was designed by JM Architects to follow the same curve shape as the adjacent Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation and a slanted wall has been shaped to look like the bow of a ship.

Care UK

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News: Kier selected for Rotherham Urgent Care Centre

Kier Construction has been selected as the principal supply chain partner for the £12.2m Urgent Care Centre that is set to be built at Rotherham Hospital.

The Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group, which buys in services from providers, has signed off the final business case for the project which secured planning permission earlier this year.

The proposals for a new NHS Urgent Care Centre in Rotherham involve the closure of the Town Centre Walk in Centre on Greasborough Road and transfer of the GP out of hours service to a new purpose built Urgent Care Centre on the Hospital site.

Patients who currently walk into Accident & Emergency (A&E) at the hospital will in future access care through the proposed urgent care centre. It is set to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This coincides with the increased use of the NHS 111 telephone number as a single point of access to care so that telephone triage will play a greater part in directing patients to urgent or GP care.

Earlier this month, the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, that serves the health needs of the borough and delivers care at Rotherham Hospital, reported that it is currently under extreme pressures with a high volume of patients attending A&E, a department that is currently operating at a £1.1m deficit. The current A&E department was built to accommodate 55,000 attendees each year but activity now exceeds 75,000 patients. One of the main drivers of the new urgent care centre is to reduce recurring costs by reducing admissions to A&E by five per day.

Plans were drawn up by Gilling Dod Architects, working with Kier Construction who where selected via the ProCure21+ National Framework, and the new integrated service will comprise a two storey development with an overall floor area of approximately 1,850 sq m, linked to the main hospital. The ground floor will provide clinical accommodation and the upper floor will provide office and staff supporting accommodation. The new extension has been designed to complement the hospital's existing main entrance that was redeveloped in 2011.

Staffed by highly skilled clinicians across the emergency department and primary care, the integration of skilled staff is expected to ensure that the most appropriate clinician will see the patient, reducing the need for handovers between staff and improving the patient flow. However the options proposed involve cutting the recurring costs for clinical staff from £5.5m to £4.6m. The Trust expects to be in a position to employ additional advanced care practitioners (ACPs) in place of middle grade doctors.

During consultation, concerns were raised by the council and members of the public regarding transport and parking issues at the hospital site. The proposals include a total of 122 car parking spaces, for use by staff, being provided on the former mental health site at the Eastern side of the hospital site, close to Moorgate Road. This is set to free up spaces in the main public car park.

The business case states: "While travel times and expense for patients will, on the whole, slightly increase as a result of relocating urgent care from a town centre location, but this is outweighed by the quality benefits that will result."

The existing £9.9m building operated by Care UK on the Greasborough Road site, which sees around 4,000 patients a month, will continue to offer a town centre GP surgery. An estimated 50% of current activity will transfer to the new emergency centre with Care UK set to continue as provider. All of the other NHS and community services are expected to remain on site, including family planning/sexual health services and clinics. Some other non‐acute provision could be relocated to the centre.

Construction on the new facilities is set to begin in the spring of 2015 and it could start treating patients in April 2017.

Adjacent to the Moorgate site, Kier Construction is also leading on the multimillion pound rebuild at Oakwood High School.

Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group website

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News: Rotherham NHS make appointments

18 new apprentices have been appointed at Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, the first success for a new partnership with Rotherham College of Arts & Technology (RCAT).

The apprenticeships aim to provide the skills and knowledge required to become competent in supporting health professionals – such as doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and healthcare scientists – to provide clinical healthcare.

Over 250 people of all ages applied for the roles of clinic health care assistant apprentices, of which 40 candidates from across South Yorkshire were invited to the assessment centre; which included a live simulation session of working with patients on the wards. The candidates were assessed in five different care associated areas and were marked out of five for each. The assessment concluded with a normal interview.

From the apprentice assessment centre, 18 stand-out candidates were selected and offered positions as apprentices. The apprentices will divide their time between classroom learning at Rotherham College, while benefiting from practical work experience with the NHS.

Apprentice, Kirsty Louise Bellamy, said: "I applied for university this year, but decided to follow an alternative route to get where I want to be. The apprenticeship scheme really appealed to me because it will provide me with the opportunity to gain unique work experience working for the NHS."

Charles Grayson, senior business consultant at Rotherham College, added: "We're delighted to be working in partnership with The Rotherham Foundation Trust to support our regions young talent into industry led apprenticeship training."

The apprenticeship appointments follow on from the foundation trust successfully recruiting for three key senior positions. Chris Holt, is the new chief operating officer, joining from Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. Simon Sheppard has been appointed as the new director of finance and Lynne Waters joins as executive director of Human Resources.

Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
RCAT website

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News: Inditherm looks abroad as NHS slowdown hits profits

Innovative Rotherham company, Inditherm, has reported a loss in the first half of the financial year with a significant fall in orders in the UK medical market.

Manvers-based Inditherm has developed products using low voltage carbon polymer technology to provide heat. Its systems are used for patients undergoing operations which carry risk of inadvertent hypothermia and in neonatal wards.

In the six months ended June 30 2014, the AIM-listed firm reported that revenue was similar to the same period in 2013 - £998k compared to £1m - but ultimately Inditherm posted a loss of £173k, compared to a profit of £4k in the same period last year.

Trading levels in the Medical business in the first half of 2014 were down 20% on the same period in 2013, without the previous year's benefit of large NHS orders and projects carried over from 2012.

Many forward thinking NHS Trusts in England have adopted the technology but financial pressures and uncertainties in the sector has slowed Inditherm's penetration.

Case studies show that Inditherm products can help prevent perioperative hypothermia and in turn reduce infection rates, use of blood products, recovery times and mortality. They also show that Trusts can make substantial cost savings whilst maintaining, or in some cases improving, patient care. The NHS in England alone could save an estimated £15m per annum if forced air warming was replaced by Inditherm's mattress for eligible procedures in most of the 3,030 operating theatres.

In a report to the stock exhnage, Inditherm said: "We have not enjoyed the benefit of the more substantial projects seen in 2013, including some delayed from 2012, and as a consequence our UK Medical orders fell significantly. UK Medical sales, excluding ATOM [Japanese incubator products sold by Inditherm], represented 41% of our Medical business (2013: 64%). This reflects continuing uncertainty in the NHS, particularly characterised by severe constraints on capital budgets, but with interest in our products sustained and prospects at a similar level to last year."

Last year, the firm decided to support the development of the export markets, with extra focus and direction applied towards territories with the greatest potential. With extra resources, encouraging sales growth has been seen in the Medical export business in the first half of 2014, up 30% on the same period last year. "This has been underpinned by stronger performance in the Asia-Pacific region, including start-up stocks for a partner in Japan who will promote our operating room products under their own brand. Our increased resources in this area are adding focus to our export activities; we have taken steps to start identifying partners for the Latin America markets and to look for ways to strengthen our presence where we have underperforming distribution channels."

Mark Abrahams, chairman of Inditherm, said: "Whilst the performance of the first half has been disappointing, albeit expected, we can now see a slowly improving trend in customer enquiries. Given the increased conversion times and the change in business mix towards export, it is likely that gross margins will remain at a healthy but lower level than last year. This will inevitably defer our ability to deliver profitable growth.

"Accordingly, we are stepping up our efforts to identify strategic options capable of accelerating our prospects of delivering shareholder value."

Inditherm website

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