Our vascular nurse specialist Kate Humphries, pictured right, was on the winners’ podium at recent health awards for providing care for homeless people with leg ulcers.

Kate, who has been at CHFT for four years, and is our only vascular nurse specialist, collected the Hilda Knowles award with Leeds Teaching Hospital colleague Julie Thackray.

The award is presented in recognition of excellent work in improving patient care.  Kate and Julie won it for providing an outstanding service for homeless men – many of whom have been IV drug users – in St George’s Crypt in Leeds.

Wound assessment is high on the national agenda having been added as a new national CQUIN indicator.  Julie had identified in Leeds that often this group of patients were not assessing primary care due to their hectic lifestyles, and also fear of being judged. This meant that they would assess secondary care in a state of emergency requiring lengthy and costly hospital stays. She knew that this could be avoided if the right care, right place at the right time. (NHS right care is an NHS England supported programme)

Kate said: " When she told me about it, I was very excited and asked if I could come on board. We had sourced a room at St George’s Crypt and they were eager for our help. We asked lots of different wound care companies to donate dressings, and we have an abundance."

They won £1500 to spend on the project and it involved presenting their project to the family of Hilda Knowles and tell them how we would spend the money. They plan to buy a proper treatment couch, some storage and an appropriate filing system. 

Kate added: " We have been working  to get a business case together to get this commissioned in Leeds, as it is a massive money saver in the long run, as well as providing homeless people with the care they deserve."

She says her involvement was to set up a service and prove it worked  with the aim of developing a similar service in Huddersfield and Calderdale.

One client we have treated wrote us a lovely letter, which shows clearly the impact we have had.

I’ve had bad leg ulcers for ages. I am in a wheelchair. It’s great how Jules and Katie treat people with no judgement whatsoever no matter what you are like. It’s a better atmosphere here (at the Crypt) as I am seen not in a room with lots of people being judged- I’ve kept appointments here and my legs are much better – I didn’t think they would be able to do anything but nothing is too much trouble – I’ve got hope. I have been out of my chair and using a walking frame – something I didn’t think I would do.

I think being treated with kindness has made a massive difference to how I feel about myself. It’s so much more than just getting my legs dressed and I am grateful for how they give up their time to help people like me.