*Auditions for this role take place twice a year in February and July/August. You are welcome to apply at any time, but depending on when you submit your application, you could experience a wait of up to 5 months to be offered an audition slot.*

Purpose 

To enhance the experience of all members of the hospital community by providing background music for their enjoyment.

Commitment level

A minimum of 6 sessions per calendar year, within pre-booked slots

Summary of duties

•    To play the piano, or other musical instrument, in the designated space within the Brunel building atrium
•    To interact with members of the hospital community in a polite, inclusive and professional manner
•    Be an ambassador for North Bristol NHS Trust – in particular, supporting the work of the Fresh Arts programme and Southmead Hospital Charity
•    Report any defects/issues with the piano/equipment

Skills, experience, attitudes, and qualities needed

Essential

•    Excellent musician, sensitive to the needs of a very diverse (and at times vulnerable) audience 
•    Positive attitude to providing appropriate background music within a busy public space and place of work
•    Ability to take clear direction
•    Willingness to undertake all mandatory training and follow instructions given by the Music Manager
•    Friendly and personable manner
•    Shows empathy, patience, respect for, and consideration of others
•    Excellent listening and communication skills

Desirable

•    Ability and willingness to play diverse requests by ear (this is not essential)

Training and information provided

•    Volunteer orientation and induction within the hospital
•    Induction and mandatory training for all North Bristol NHS Trust Fresh Arts Volunteer Musicians 
•    Ongoing volunteer updates and useful information

Challenges of the position

NBT values the role of music and the arts in supporting, enhancing and facilitating positive healthcare outcomes; however, the Brunel building atrium is primarily a place of work and public building, not a concert hall. All musical activity undertaken by volunteers within this space must be delivered with due consideration to all users of the building.

Coming into hospital can be an anxious time for patients and their relatives. It is important that the volunteer musician remains calm and listens politely to feedback. Our training provides support and guidance on how to approach challenging situations

Boundaries of the position

Volunteering within the NHS has clear boundaries to ensure that we are keeping our patients and volunteers safe. You will be provided with further details upon successful recruitment 

Reimbursement of expenses

Travel expenses to and from the hospital can be reimbursed

Benefits of volunteering

•    Gain practical experience in delivering music in healthcare settings (especially useful for those with an interest in careers in musical performance/music therapy/community music) and receive invitations to perform at special events
•    Contribute to the wellbeing of the hospital community and help create a welcoming environment
•    Learn about working within a healthcare environment (especially useful for those with an interest in careers in health services)
•    References can be provided on completion of three months volunteering, providing a minimum of 12 sessions have been completed during this time
•    Make new friends and meet other musicians
•    Awards in recognition of volunteering contribution

Recruitment information

You will need to complete an application form, pass an audition, complete mandatory training and sign the volunteer pianist’s code of conduct before commencing activity in the role of volunteer pianist

Contact

If you would like further information about this role please contact the Music Manager at: piano@nbt.nhs.uk 

How to apply

If you would like to apply for this volunteer opportunity, please click the link below to be taken to the application portal, where you will be able to apply online: 

Current Vacancies | North Bristol NHS Trust - Fresh Arts Volunteer Musician

If you would like an alternative method to apply, such as a paper application form, please get in touch with us directly on: 

Telephone Number: 0117 414 0110

Email: Volunteer.services@nbt.nhs.uk

Postal Address: Volunteer Services, North Bristol NHS Trust, Brunel building, Level 1, Gate 18, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB

​This page provides information for patients with any of the following:

• Fractured (broken) ribs
• Fractured sternum (breastbone)
• Chest wall bruising

Injuries of the chest wall can be very painful. Due to movement of the chest wall, deep breathing and coughing will be painful, but it is important to breathe and cough normally. Chest wall injuries often take several weeks to get better. As a rough guide, a patient with one broken/bruised rib can expect to be in pain for three weeks and to be in discomfort for several more weeks and even longer if more than one rib is involved. It may be helpful to sleep sitting upright for the first few nights.

There is no specific treatment for broken ribs and it is not always necessary to X-ray the chest, as the treatment for a broken rib is the same as that for a bruised chest. This is to take painkillers and follow the guidelines below.

The main complication is stagnation of the normal chest secretions leading to chest infection. The risk is greater in smokers and people with chest disease.

To prevent infection, you must:

• Do regular deep breathing exercises: 10 very deep breaths every hour.
• If you feel the need to cough, it is vital that you do cough to remove phlegm. You should not suppress it, despite the pain. It will be more comfortable to cough if you support the painful area with a pillow or, after a few days, your hand.
• Do take regular painkilling tablets, either as prescribed or as bought over the counter (e.g. aspirin or paracetamol). This will make it easier to cough and breathe deeply. Do not take cough linctus.

See your General Practitioner (GP) if:

• You become short of breath.
• You start to cough up green, yellow or blood-stained sputum (phlegm).
• You become unwell with a temperature.

This page gives guidance only. If you have any queries or your symptoms worsen, please contact your GP surgery or the Emergency Department.

If you are unsure of anything, please do not hesitate to phone us. A nurse is always available to give advice and will be happy to help.

© North Bristol NHS Trust. This edition published April 2024. Review due April 2027. NBT002256.

How to care for your wound to aid wound healing

Glue

• A special wound glue has been used. It is designed to hold the wound edges together until it has healed.
• The glue will need to stay on long enough for this to take place (at least five days).
• The glue will come off on its own. Do not pick or encourage the glue off. Too early a removal will increase the risk of scarring and may introduce infection.
• Avoid washing the area. However, water splashing onto the wound after treatment will not affect the glue.
• Do not put any dressing on the wound. Never use an Elastoplast on the glue as this will make it sweat and the edges will not hold together.
• Do not use any antiseptic creams over the glue.

Staples

• Your wound has been closed using special steel wound staples. They are designed to hold the wound together until the wound has healed.
• You will need to make an appointment with the practice nurse at your GP’s surgery to have the staples removed in 5-7 days or as advised by the health care practitioner who put them in for you.
• We will provide you with a staple remover that you will need to take with you. It is a painless procedure.
• You may both shower and wash your hair with staples in. If using a hair dryer it is advised to have it on a cool setting.
• The staples are designed to stand up proud from the skin and this may, if you are not careful, catch in a comb or brush.

Suture (stitches)

• If your wound has been closed using stitches, you will need to make an appointment with the practice nurse at your GP’s surgery for them to be removed. Your clinician in ED will advise you on the number of stitches to be removed and how many days before they need to be taken out.
• Stitches on the face may not be dressed. Apply clean Vaseline to the wound twice a day, but not last thing at night as it will rub off on your bedclothes.
• If Steristrips have been used you can remove these yourself after seven days by gently moistening the wound and paper strips with warm water.
• Avoid touching the wound or getting it wet as this will encourage infections.
• If a plastic finger stall is needed for hygiene purposes, only use for short periods due to them increasing moisture around the wound site.

General wound care advice

Wound infections are always a possibility after an accident.

Please contact your GP if your wound develops any of the following:

• Increased redness, pain, swelling or heat around the wound.
• An offensive smell.
• A thick creamy discharge. However, it is normal for there to be a clear straw coloured fluid weeping from the wound in the first 36 hours.
• Fever.

If you get any of the above, please go and see your GP or return to the Emergency Department.

Tetanus

We will only give you a tetanus injection if you have the type of wound that is shown to be likely to be infected by tetanus or you have not had the full recommended course of immunisation during your lifetime.

© North Bristol NHS Trust. This edition published April 2024. Review due April 2027. NBT002253.

Nutrition

Under this section, you can find out more information around how a dietitian can help with Nutrition and about Dietetic clinics

How can a dietitian help me?

Dietitians are ‘qualified and regulated health professionals that assess, diagnose, and treat dietary and nutritional problems at an individual and wider public health level’.

‘Dietitian’ is a protected title and they are the only legally recognised health professionals who advise on nutrition and dietary intake.

Dietitians translate nutritional science into understandable and practical information tailored to each patient.

We provide personalised and tailored advice for patients with and after a cancer diagnosis which might include

• Concerns about weight loss.
• Issues with your gastrointestinal system e.g. bowel habits.
• Eating well for the future.

Dietetic clinics

Dietetic clinics are run throughout the week to support individuals with nutritional concerns following a cancer diagnosis. This service offers the opportunity for people to self-refer, or to be referred by a professional for 1:1 nutritional advice from a HCPC registered Oncology (Cancer) Specialist Dietitian.

Referrals are accepted at any time following a cancer diagnosis, however, if we are unable to support your nutritional needs, in some cases, your GP may be able to direct you to another dietetic service in your area.

At present, we are able to support individuals with the following nutritional concerns:

• Coping with a poor appetite, or unintentional weight loss.
• Urgent nutritional support for cancer/treatment-related side-effects.
• Altered texture diets due to swallowing difficulty.
• Making dietary changes as a result of cancers affecting the digestive tract.
• Managing weight following completion of cancer treatment – acceptance criteria will apply.
• Eating well to support your health in the future.

We are not currently excepting patients with a diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal malignancy. Please contact your GP for referral to a local dietetic service. 

A variety of support options are available including; face-to-face appointments (if safe and appropriate to do so), video calls, and telephone support. Self-referral forms are available from the NGS Macmillan Wellbeing Centre or the self-referral is available online.

Exercise

A daily brisk walk can give your body a boost, lift your mood and make everyday activities easier. Try the NHS tools, tips and special offers to move more every day.

Penny Brohn Provides a range of resources. Ranging from exercise guides and lists of local charities to cookery demonstrations and relaxations. 

Online help and local community support to help manage your symptoms.

Get U Better App for musculoskeletal injuries

A free app containing advice, exercises and support to help manage common musculoskeletal injuries. Register for the service here and then download the app to your smartphone.

Local support services for musculoskeletal injuries

Download this Musculoskeletal (MSK) self-help information directory with information on local services that aim to support you to reduce pain and improve functionality.

Advice from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy has advice, guidance and exercises to help manage your pain.

Living well with rheumatology conditions

This directory has useful information and resources for patients with rheumatology conditions.

Information on pelvic, obstetric & gynaecological physiotherapy

These webpages have health advice for patients who need pelvic, obstetric & gynaecological physiotherapy.

The Bladder & Bowel Community

The Bladder & Bowel Community help support the millions of people in the UK who are living with conditions that affect their bladder or bowel.

Mental Health resources

Looking after your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Here is a directory of local mental health services.

Mrs Dominika Kruszynska

I am a Research Administrator at Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit. I completed my degree from Catholic University of Lublin in 2007 and joined BSLTRU at Southmead Hospital in 2022.  I support the team to ensure studies are successfully initiated in a timely manner, recruit to time and target and are organised, managed and delivered to a high standard.

Please provide a PDF copy of the latest report from the VNS generator and complete the referral form below. Send both the documents to either Samantha Travis: Samantha.Travis@nbt.nhs.uk or Geraldine Watson: Geraldine.Watson@nbt.nhs.uk

What is epilepsy?

Our brain is a maze of very complex circuits: each cell uses actual electricity to release small molecules for communication!

A seizure happens when either the electrical or the chemical communication is disrupted.

When the abnormal activity happens in the brain as a whole, the epilepsy is called generalised, but if it starts in a specific part of the brain it is called focal.

How we can help

In most cases, medications succeed in controlling seizures.

Some people continue to have seizures despite the standard treatments (Drug-resistant Epilepsy, DRE). In these cases, we can often identify the problem by running an in-depth evaluation with complex investigations and tests. Eventually, we would be able to offer a personalised treatment, which may include surgery.

The aim is to get the seizures mitigated, controlled or even make them disappear.

What do we do for understanding your type of epilepsy?

After your referral is checked and accepted, you will get to know your neurologist with an initial visit with clinical examination and assessment of seizures features.

• Initial tests include high resolution imaging and video EEG. Neuropsychology and Neuropsychiatry assessments may also happen at this stage.
• If the source of epilepsy cannot be found with these preliminary investigations, CT PET / SPECT / MEG / ESI analysis may be required.
• If the full picture is still unclear, further clarification can come from the implantation of depth electrodes (stereo-EEG +/- Radio-Frequency-Thermo-Coagulation)

The diagnostic process may be lengthy, and may require multiple visits or hospital admissions. We try to arrange as many of the test together as possible to prevent multiple journeys.

Epilepsy Action - Epileptic seizures explained https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/seizures-explained

Epilepsy Action https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/

Epilepsy Society https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/

Young Epilepsy https://www.youngepilepsy.org.uk/

Epilepsy and Pregnancy https://www.epilepsyandpregnancy.co.uk/

Epilepsy Foundation https://www.epilepsy.com/