2020 has been a memorable year for us all in many ways. The pandemic has made its mark on individuals, healthcare and world history and has changed so much that we had taken for granted. However, 2020 has not just been about Covid-19. 2020 was named as the first International Year of the Nurse and Midwife by the World Health Organisation, in recognition of the 200^th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. It was intended as a celebration of the skills, expertise, commitment and contribution of nurses and midwives across the globe and as an acknowledgement that all of us have contact with nurses or nursing at some point in our lives.

Many aspects of nursing today would be unrecognisable to Florence Nightingale, although some of her precepts and the principles of basic nursing care remain paramount. This includes the skills, activities and interventions that ensure the comfort, dignity, safety and wellbeing of those we work with. What has changed is the technology, the diversity of specialities, the levels of specialisation and expertise and the range of environments where nurses are to be found. These include hospital, community, prisons, educational establishments, armed forces, research, policy making, and charitable organisations, to name but a few.

NTA 2020 Finalists

Thirty years ago, the Nursing Times launched their awards to celebrate achievements in nursing. The presentation ceremony is usually a glittering black-tie event, on an October evening at a smart London venue. It is an opportunity to relax, enjoy, celebrate and network with colleagues. The Nursing Times Awards for 2020 were as special as ever, although they looked somewhat different to preceding years. Judging was undertaken remotely and the presentation ceremony was virtual. Rather than starting with a reception and dinner, the Awards were introduced with a video that included the names of the qualified nurses that have died from Covid-19.

The poignant and moving acknowledgment of those who have given everything in the care of others was an appropriate start to the celebrations. They will be remembered, not just by their friends and families, but by all who have contributed or benefited so much from healthcare this year.

The awards are about the celebration of nurses and nursing across the spectrum of roles and healthcare. There are twenty-three diverse categories, from nurse leader of the year and lifetime achievement awards to the care of older people, enhancing patient dignity and many others. This year the team from Bladder & Bowel UK submitted two different projects for consideration. Work done with the group Positive About Down Syndrome, supporting toilet training for children during lockdown which was titled ‘Empowering parents via social media.’ This was entered into four categories: Children’s Services, Continence Promotion and Care, Learning Disabilities Nursing and Promoting Patient Self-Management. To the delight of both organisations, the project was a finalist in all four awards.

The second project, was entered into the Nursing Times Awards by Bladder & Bowel UK in conjunction with ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity. It was entered into two awards and was a finalist in the Children’s Services category but was the winner of the 2020 Continence Promotion and Care award.

The project, ‘Help at school – a partnership approach to providing guidance and practical support’, was culminated in the publication of national guidance to assist educational establishments to understand bladder and bowel issues experienced by children and young people, so that they would understand how best to support affected learners. The guidance document includes information about how children develop continence, how to promote bladder and bowel health, how to safeguard children’s wellbeing, the role of care plans, sample intimate care policies and a sample care plan as well as legislation relevant to the different countries of the UK and a glossary of terms.

The team at Bladder & Bowel UK are delighted that their work and that of ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity, has been recognised by the Nursing Times Awards in this way. The project developed as a result of numerous calls to the charities helplines from families and school staff struggling to understand issues and arrange support for children and young people with bladder and bowel issues in nurseries, schools and colleges. Research has demonstrated what the teams at Bladder & Bowel UK and ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity, already knew: that those with bladder and bowel health issues often experience anxiety about bullying, social isolation and stigma, as well as about disclosing their condition to teachers. It is hoped that this work will help reduce the negative consequences of having a bladder or bowel problem for children and young people.

‘Managing Bladder and Bowel Issues in Nurseries, Schools and Colleges Guidance for school leaders, proprietors, governors, staff and practitioners’ (October 2019) is available to download and print at: https://www.bbuk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Managing-Continence-Problems-in-Schools-2019.pdf. Other relevant documents including a word version of a sample care plan and intimate care policy that may be amended to reflect educational establishment or individuals needs are available at: https://www.bbuk.org.uk/schools-resources/

Bladder & Bowel UK have lots of information and resources on our website at www.bbuk.org.uk to support people of all ages with bladder and or bowel difficulties. These are all free to download and print.

Bladder & Bowel UK also have a confidential helpline staffed by children and adult nurses who are specialists in bladder and bowel care. You can contact them by email at bbuk@disabledliving.co.uk or by telephone on 0161 214 4591.

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Until we find a cure for cancer, we need to keep managing our expectations. We need to keep developing the patient pathway from the detection of cancers all the way through to treatment and aftercare – allowing people who have been diagnosed with cancer to live as comfortably as possible.

Bladder & Bowel UK are delighted to announce its new partnership with the Oncology Convention ahead of its exhibition on the 17th and 18th March.

What is the Oncology Convention?

The Oncology Convention welcomes thousands of the world’s leading oncology professionals for two unmissable days at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. The exhibition aims to show oncology experts throughout the industry the revolutionary new ways of studying and treating cancer. This is achieved by hosting a world-class CPD accredited seminar programme, interactive masterclasses and showcases by ground-breaking suppliers.

The programme plays host to over 100 seminars, held by a collection of industry-renowned oncology experts including the likes of Malcolm Wilson from the Colorectal & Peritoneal Oncology Centre who will be speaking on cytoreduction and HIPEC in the treatment of peritoneal disease from appendiceal and colorectal tumours; Dr Tony Dhillon from the University of Surrey and Royal Surrey County Hospital who is covering immunotherapy and colon cancer; and Dr Catherine Coyle from the Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on the non surgical oncologists view of prostate cancer.

Running alongside the seminars, there are 35 informative masterclasses delivered by Rutherford Cancer Centres, an organisation that works with international technology and clinical partners in order to be at the forefront of providing innovative cancer care. They are putting on several masterclasses, ranging from artificial intelligence and precision radiotherapy, to proton beam therapy and balloon spacers.

Please note, to guarantee your attendance to a masterclass you must pre book your place. Follow the link to the website and register your place now!

How is the Oncology Convention Revolutionary?

Another way the Oncology Convention seeks to show its visitors the revolutionary ways of studying and treating cancer is by hosting over 150 of the industry’s leading businesses, allowing them to showcase their ground-breaking products and services that are changing the face of oncological practices. Visitors can expect to see exhibitors such as the show’s headline sponsor, Philips, Rutherford Cancer Centres, Prostate Cancer UK, and HCA Healthcare.

One of the newest features of the Oncology Convention is the co-location with the Medical Imaging Convention and the AI and Machine Learning Convention. The AI and Machine Learning Convention is new for 2020 and is one of the UK’s most forward-thinking events dedicated to exhibiting technology that will shape the future of healthcare. It is an area of the floorplan that is dedicated entirely to the implementation of artificial intelligence and machine learning into everyday use in medical imaging and oncology. The AI and Machine Learning Convention also plays host to an effective seminar programme containing experts such as the University of Manchester’s Dr Sue Astley, Dr Minal Bakhai from NHS England, and Professor Claudia Pagliari from the University of Edinburgh.

In addition to this co-location with the medical conventions, the Oncology Convention is part of the medical pathway at MediWeek, the UK’s largest healthcare event. MediWeek consists of a total of 9 co-located exhibitions, all of which are accessible with your Oncology Convention ticket, including; the Medical Imaging Convention, the AI & Machine Learning Convention, the European Neuro Convention, the Dementia, Care and Nursing Home Expo, Home Care Expo, Care Tech Live, Smart Home Expo, and Naidex.

Tickets to attend the Oncology Convention are free. Make sure you register for your ticket by following the link to the website.

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