Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Posts from NNUH The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) was formally opened by the Queen in 2004 and opened to its first patients in late 2001.
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The university hospital replaced the old Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, founded in 1771, and the West Norwich Hospital (now the Norwich Community Hospital). The page is managed and monitored by the Trust. Any defamatory, abusive posts or statements contravening the Trust's social media policy will be removed from the page at the discretion of The Trust.

The planned strike action of resident doctors that was due to take place from tomorrow (Monday 15 June) until Friday 19 ...
14/06/2026

The planned strike action of resident doctors that was due to take place from tomorrow (Monday 15 June) until Friday 19 June has been cancelled.

We are now working to resume normal service as soon as possible.

Please continue to attend any appointments you have scheduled over this week as usual, and thank you for your patience.

14/06/2026

The resident doctors' strike that was due to start on Monday has now been called off.

Please continue to attend any appointments as planned and access NHS services as normal if you need them.

A new Spinal Assessment Service (SAS) has improved patient care and drastically reduced waiting lists from more than 52 ...
12/06/2026

A new Spinal Assessment Service (SAS) has improved patient care and drastically reduced waiting lists from more than 52 weeks to 6 weeks in its first year.

A new advanced-practice-led triage model was introduced for adults waiting to see a spinal consultant. The new way of working puts Advanced Practice Physiotherapists (APP) at the front of the pathway. Consultant Physiotherapist Luke Hills, alongside colleagues Andy Lincoln and Laura Butler, now assess all new referrals, order and interpret MRI scans, and direct patients to the most appropriate care.

Luke said: “Before the service launched, all referrals were automatically allocated to consultant surgeons, creating long waits and inefficiencies. Many patients didn’t need surgery and were ultimately redirected or discharged after having had to wait a year for that decision to be made.

“We are now the gatekeepers. We see new patients that come in and if surgery isn’t the best route for them, we signpost them to the speciality that is most likely to be able to help them. This ensures patients receive the right care sooner, while freeing up surgeons to focus on complex cases and theatre time.”

The improvement has been a team effort and has been made possible by weekly multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings which bring together spinal surgeons, pain consultants and the advanced practice physiotherapy team.

The new collaborative working has also led to changes and shorter waiting times elsewhere in the hospital. The APP team are now also joining paediatric scoliosis MDT meetings and clinics with Leanne Ingham and Charlotte El-Labany, scoliosis specialist nurses. Plus, a new pathway is being introduced for non-emergency spinal patients who come in via the Emergency Department to be referred directly to the spinal assessment service rather than being admitted or referred to consultant clinics.

The team’s work has already attracted national attention from the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme which has shared the success as a case study for other NHS Trusts, highlighting the speed and scale of improvement.

Luke added: “This has been a team effort, but the project just wouldn’t have happened without Tom Marjoram’s vision and persistence so on behalf of the whole team I’d like to personally thank him for his fantastic leadership.”
The SAS team is now sharing learning with other specialties and Trusts. Early discussions are underway about whether similar advanced practice models could help reduce waiting times in other pathways.

Tom Marjoram, Service Director for Orthopaedics and Spine, said: “This project has really transformed the spine service for the better. The team work exceptionally hard and are very cohesive. Bringing in the pain management team not only allows us to make the right decisions but has bought the spine and pain services closer together with opportunities for mutual aid developing as an additional benefit. I’m very proud of what the team have been able to achieve in such a short space of time and look forward to working with them their future developments.”

Our Blood Transfusion service issues thousands of units every year who are supported by a team of volunteers from Norfol...
12/06/2026

Our Blood Transfusion service issues thousands of units every year who are supported by a team of volunteers from Norfolk Blood Bikes who give up their time all year round, and in all weathers, to help save lives across the region
The team received a special visit from the Prince of Wales yesterday afternoon who unveiled a new car.
Prince William dropped by to meet the Norfolk Blood Bikes volunteers and our blood transfusion team to collect units of blood destinated for the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA).
The prince, a former pilot for EAAA, was invited to shadow the charity and unveil their newly named Prince William car at NNUH after Norfolk Blood Bikes recently expanded its fleet, thanks to private funding from The Prince and Princess of Wales.
The charity has seven cars and fifteen motorcycles that covered 55,375 miles last year serving the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals, Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn, James Paget University Hospital and wider community in Norfolk delivering urgent blood and blood products, medical samples and equipment between hospitals. They also work with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at NNUH to collect and deliver donated breast milk.
The prince met with Sandy Gourlay, Norfolk Blood Bikes Chairman and other blood bike volunteers on 11 June followed by Eleanor Byworth, Network Blood Transfusion Manager, Tracey McConnell, Deputy Network Transfusion Manager, Consultant Haematologist Suzanne Docherty and Biomedical Scientists Sandy Ellis and Carla Lima Vaz Quaresma.
The Blood Transfusion service at NNUH handles more than 23,000 units of red blood cells, frozen plasma and platelets every year and the blood bikers deliver 1,460 units of blood a year to EAAA to help save lives across the region.
Blood Bikes
Anglian Air Ambulance Charity

Our Palliative Care team are looking for volunteers to assist our new Memory Maker who supports end-of-life patients and...
11/06/2026

Our Palliative Care team are looking for volunteers to assist our new Memory Maker who supports end-of-life patients and their relatives.

Memory Maker Alex Watson is looking for volunteers who could help make end-of-life patients' rooms a little cosier and more comfortable with gentle additions such as soft lighting, music and pretty blankets. The role will also involve maintaining the stock for this and our leaflets. If you feel comfortable supporting end-of-life patients and their families face to face, in a sensitive gentle role such as this, please contact [email protected] with the subject “Pink Poppy Volunteers”.

If you'd prefer to help us from home, we're also looking for creative types to make blankets and our new Bereavement Bags. These will be given to patients' families to take their loved ones' belongings home in after they've passed away. To volunteer please contact [email protected] with subject line “Bereavement Bags".

On 5 June, a team of nine colleagues from across our Trust took part in the 2026 Business Games at UEA Sportspark.The an...
11/06/2026

On 5 June, a team of nine colleagues from across our Trust took part in the 2026 Business Games at UEA Sportspark.

The annual event brings together local businesses and organisations from across Norfolk to celebrate teamwork, wellbeing and friendly competition.

This year’s Games welcomed more than 300 participants across 31 teams, with around 50 hours of sport and activity across 10 events. Activities ranged from gymnastics and archery to pickleball, relay races and a variety of inclusive team challenges.

Alongside the sporting events, participants also took part in a Charity Challenge, raising over £100 for Able2B and Special Olympics Norfolk.

Rebecca Semmence, Health and Wellbeing Coordinator, said: “It was fantastic to take part in the UEA Business Games for the third time. The event was a great opportunity to bring colleagues together, encourage teamwork and promote physical activity in a fun and engaging way. There was a real sense of enthusiasm throughout the day, and fun was had by all. One of the highlights for me was trying pickleball. It was great to have the opportunity to try something new and experience some of the many activities that UEA has to offer. The event showcased the excellent facilities available on our doorstep.”

Ruth Terry, Named Professional for Safeguarding Adults and MCA Lead, who was also one of the participants, said: “The day was great fun! A chance to play games from my younger days and to try new activities. It was very well organised with a lovely atmosphere. Also enjoyed getting to know colleagues from across the hospital.”

Premier Education were crowned winners of the event, while the Sportsmanship Award was awarded to the Probation Service.

Today's is for our Children's Day Unit!Say thanks or share your experiences in our Trust by filling out our Friends an...
11/06/2026

Today's is for our Children's Day Unit!

Say thanks or share your experiences in our Trust by filling out our Friends and Family Test: https://orlo.uk/mGLZz

Rebecca Rayner, Clinical Lead Physiotherapist in Neurosciences, has been awarded a NIHR Doctoral Fellowship.Starting at ...
10/06/2026

Rebecca Rayner, Clinical Lead Physiotherapist in Neurosciences, has been awarded a NIHR Doctoral Fellowship.

Starting at UEA in September 2026, the four-year fellowship will explore sitting balance treatments for people who are unable to sit independently after a stroke.

Rebecca said: “This is an important topic to explore. Not being able to sit up independently after a stroke limits people's ability to complete many daily life tasks and can really affect recovery. Investigating this topic with people who have experienced it and their relatives is an excellent opportunity to develop and co-design an intervention that will help many people who tend to be under-researched due to more severe challenges after their stroke.”

She will complete her PhD at the University of East Anglia with Dr Nicola Hancock as her primary supervisor and Professor Wendy Hardeman as her co-supervisor, both from the School of Health Sciences.

Nicola said: “I have been delighted to support Becky during her pre-Doctoral Pathway as she developed this programme of work, and Prof Hardeman and I are very pleased to see her achieve the Fellowship Award. We look forward to welcoming Becky to our PGR student body and supervising her ongoing studies in the School of Health Sciences.”

Professor Lisa Kidd, from Glasgow Caledonian University, will complete her supervisory team.

Celia Whitehouse, Therapeutic Services Research Lead, said: “The Therapies team is absolutely delighted that Becky has successfully gained a NIHR Doctoral Fellowship Award. Her doctoral research will drive forward impactful work that will improve the care and recovery of stroke patients. Clinical academic careers supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) are pivotal to our success in developing and delivering evidence-based care.”

The Patient Experience team is hosting an event aimed at showcasing the care and support available for carers in Norfolk...
10/06/2026

The Patient Experience team is hosting an event aimed at showcasing the care and support available for carers in Norfolk & Waveney.

The event will run from 9:30 am to 2:00pm on Friday 12 June at the Priscilla Bacon Lodge, Century Place, Colney, Norwich, NR4 7YA.

The event is open to all carers to learn about the resources that can assist them while they are looking after their loved ones.

Jody Chapman, Equalities Officer, said: “It’s a morning that anyone can attend and learn about the organisations and services that we partner with, or to just grab a coffee and a chat about what support we can give them.

“It can often be the case that people find themselves suddenly becoming a carer for someone else. Often many carers do not realise that they even count as carers in the first place.

“This is the perfect event for people to learn what help is available for them and their loved ones.”

This coffee morning will feature stands from:
• NNUH End of Life care
• NNUH Dementia team
• NNUH Trips and Falls tea,
• Carers Voice
• NNUH Research team
• NNUH Specialist Palliative Care team
• Big C Cancer Charity
• Healthwatch
• CORA

Congratulations to the NNUH teams shortlisted for four Health Service Journal (HSJ) Patient Safety Awards.Our Sleep Serv...
10/06/2026

Congratulations to the NNUH teams shortlisted for four Health Service Journal (HSJ) Patient Safety Awards.

Our Sleep Service has been recognised in two categories of the annual awards - Early-Stage Patient Safety Innovation of the Year and Patient Safety Pilot Project of the Year.

The department has been shortlisted for its Sleep Well Sooner programme after redesigning and transforming how patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) move from diagnosis to treatment. Developed to address long delays and fragmented outpatient pathways, the service replaced traditional clinics with a group-based “super clinic” model delivering education, rapid review and same-day CPAP initiation. Within 12 months, the waiting list reduced by 47%, with a marked reduction in long waiters.

We’ve also been shortlisted in the Surgical Care Safety Initiative of the Year category for Interventional Radiology’s Local Anaesthetic Pre-Operative Assessment Pathway.

Our Maternity and Gastroenterology teams have been shortlisted in the Maternity, Midwifery and Neonatal Safety Initiative of the Year for their combined multi-disciplinary Pregnancy and Inflammatory Bowel Disease clinic. This follows their success in the Green Nursing Challenge earlier this year after bringing together nursing, midwifery, obstetric and gastroenterology specialists in a single streamlined MDT service, aiming to make pregnancy simpler and more supportive for women with complex IBD needs.

Judging will take place over the summer with the annual awards happening on 29 September at the Patient Safety Congress.

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Colney Lane
Norwich
NR47UY

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+441603286286

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