Welcome to issue four of Connect magazine

We are delighted to announce the latest edition of UHS magazine ‘Connect’, which includes news, stories and case studies from across the Trust over the past 12 months.

Chief executive David French introduces the magazine and talks about successes throughout the year in patient care, innovation, service developments and even some UK and global firsts.

Our front cover features a visit from HRH The Princess Royal to mark 42 years since opening the Princess Anne Hospital.

Her Royal Highness toured the wards, met new parents and spoke with staff before unveiling a plaque and planting a tree to commemorate the occasion – read more on pages 28 and 29.

This edition has a strong focus on Southampton Children’s Hospital which has dominated the headlines for its pioneering work.

Read about Billy Twitchen, a young boy who survived against the odds having overcome a liver transplant and cancer all before the age of three (page 11 and 13), as well as teenager Warrick Allon.

Warrick survived a rare brain aneurysm but was left unable to walk, talk or eat but, thanks to our team of experts, is now doing well and has returned to school.

Also covered is the £1.5m refurbishment of our paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) which includes the addition of five new state-of-the-art isolation cubicles – find out more on pages 26 and 27.

There is also news on the Trust’s pledge to become a smoke-free site by April 2024 and how this will be achieved with alterations to the hospital estate, the expansion of smoking cessations aids and investment in support services. More on pages 40 and 41.

Further highlights include news from Southampton Hospitals Charity (pages 37 and 39), clinical research (pages 46 and 47) and digital innovation (page 48), as well as how to get involved in the hospital and help shape the future of our services by becoming a UHS member (page 49).

We hope this gives you a flavour of the amazing work that goes on at the Trust every day.

You will see the printed editions roll out across the hospital over the next week – these are fully recyclable using FSC grade paper – and the digital version can be accessed here https://myebook.com/SmilePublications/southampton/4893/

Please do get in touch if you have a story to share or would like to suggest any news or features in future editions. Email connect@uhs.nhs.uk.