University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

08/12/2025

Please be aware that tonight (Monday 8 December), our telephone lines will be unavailable from 10pm until 11.30pm.

This is to allow for improvements to be made to our telephone services. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

08/12/2025

🎄 Day 4 of 🎄

Our 12 Days of UHS continues as we reflect on Volunteers Week back in June, when we shared Cath’s story.

After losing her husband Phil, Cath deeply missed the daily connection with the UHS teams who had cared for them both for nearly a decade.

Driven by an overwhelming need to give something back, she began volunteering on D6 and the Respiratory High Dependency Unit—finding purpose and a way through her grief.

Earlier this year Cath left behind a 40-year teaching career to join UHS as a healthcare support worker on D6.

Thank you Cath for making a difference for our patients 👏

04/12/2025

A trial at UHS piloted video calls between paramedics and specialist nurses to assess stroke patients on the way to hospital.

This led to faster scans, quicker treatment and better chances of recovery.

Find out more 👇

In stroke care, every minute counts. 🚑👩‍💻

“For every half an hour you delay treatments in this setting, patients have a 10% less likely chance of returning to independent living,” explains Dr Richard Marigold.

A trial at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust piloted video calls to assess patients in the ambulance.

The latest findings, presented at the UK Stroke Forum, show this led to faster scans, quicker treatment and better chances of recovery.

The virtual assessments are now used routinely at UHS. The team next aim to roll-out the technology across the region so more hospitals can realise the benefits.

“This is an incredibly exciting project that has the potential to revolutionise acute stroke care,” said Dr Marigold.

03/12/2025

Could a new vaccine offer fresh hope for controlling whooping cough? 💙

Vaccines for whooping cough are already part of routine childhood immunisations in the UK. However they don’t provide lifelong protection. They also don’t stop people from carrying and spreading the bacteria.

Reports show whooping cough numbers have been at their worst in the UK for 30 years.

A new vaccine, called BPZE1, was tested at our hospital’s NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility and results suggest it could offer better protection.

The trial was supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and delivered in partnership with the University of Southampton and University of Oxford.

Study lead Professor Robert Read says the research “could represent a big step forward in stopping the spread of the disease”.

A clinical trial at University Hospital Southampton has shown a new vaccine could offer better protection against whooping cough.

03/12/2025

🎄 Day 2 of 🎄

Our 12 Days of UHS continues as we celebrate a UK-first!

At the start of the year our incredible cardiac team successfully implanted the first ACURATE Prime TAVI prosthesis in the UK. This is a new type of aortic valve system and a groundbreaking advancement in heart care.

TAVI (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) is a minimally invasive procedure that replaces a narrowed aortic valve, offering hope to patients who aren’t suited for open-heart surgery.

With well over 1,000 TAVI procedures performed at UHS, we’re proud to lead the way in adopting the latest innovations that make a difference for patients.

Stay tuned for Day 3 later this week.

01/12/2025

🎄 Day 1 of 🎄

Today we start our 12 Days of UHS, spreading some festive cheer by reflecting on just some of the ways we’ve made a difference to our patients and community in 2025.

Earlier this year we shared the inspiring story of 13-year-old Aliza Rae, who was treated at Southampton Children’s Hospital after a freak horse-riding accident left her with a serious spinal injury.

Despite being told she might never walk again, Aliza Rae amazed everyone by taking her first steps just eight weeks after surgery—and later walked out of hospital unaided.

“I remember being told I might never walk again, but I had this amazing team, my ‘dream team’, and they never gave up on me,” said Aliza Rae.

“They became like friends, not just doctors and physios. They helped me believe in myself.”

We wish Aliza Rae all the best as she continues her recovery 💙

Check back later this week to discover another way our UHS teams are making a difference this festive season.

28/11/2025

As Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Month comes to a close, our integrated COPD team have been out talking to our community.

They've been engaging about the work they do in reducing hospital readmissions, supporting safe discharges and empowering patients with self-management education.

27/11/2025

Flu season is here, and if you are eligible then getting vaccinated is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself against flu and help reduce pressure on our services 💉

In this video we’re busting the biggest myths about the flu vaccine and sharing the real facts you need to have the jab and stay Winter Well.

❌ Myth: “The flu vaccine will give me the flu”
✔️ Fact: You can’t get flu from the flu jab. The adult vaccine doesn’t contain live viruses. It is possible you could come into contact with a circulating virus around the time you get your vaccine.

❌ Myth: “I’m healthy, I don’t need the vaccine”
✔️ Fact: Being healthy doesn’t stop you from catching
or spreading flu. It is impossible to completely eliminate exposure to diseases, no matter what you eat or how active your lifestyle is, because it is impossible to live completely isolated from society. Vaccines train our body to fight off diseases.

❌ Myth: “I had the vaccine and still got the flu, so it doesn’t work”
✔️ Fact: Being vaccinated improves the chance of being protected from the flu. It can reduce the severity of symptoms and the chance of spreading the virus.

Get the flu jab to protect yourself and your loved ones.

27/11/2025

We’re proud to be part of a new trial exploring whether vitamin B1 can reduce delirium in intensive care.

Find out more 👇

Reducing the chances of delirium in intensive care 🏥

A new £2.7m clinical trial, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, will see if giving certain patients vitamin B1 can prevent and treat delirium.

Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) can often experience delirium. This causes hallucinations and can make patients very scared and confused.

Previously, researchers have suggested delirium is due to brain cells being unable to use energy properly. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is essential for cells to break down sugar, so it could help prevent and treat delirium.

The study is one of the first of its kind to be led by a UK pharmacist. A total of 520 patients will take part at 20 NHS ICUs across the UK. It is a collaboration between University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, University of Southampton, the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre and ICNARC 🤝

🔗 https://research.uhs.nhs.uk/news/vitamin-b1-boost-for-intensive-care-patients-in-trial-to-prevent-and-treat-delirium

25/11/2025

Congratulations to David Strickland, who has been nominated in the Supervisor of the Year category at next month’s Cleaning Excellence Awards 👏

David is employed by our partners Serco and oversees several areas across Southampton General Hospital.

For the past 11 years he’s been making a huge difference—allocating duties, supporting his team on the wards and training staff to keep everything spotless.

“We take pride in ensuring everywhere is clean, we want to give patients the best service possible,” says David

“I was shocked to be nominated. We’ve had thank you cards and emails, but to be nominated for an award is just something different.”

We wish David all the best for the big night.

24/11/2025

November is Men’s Health Awareness Month – a time to shine a light on men’s physical and mental wellbeing.

It’s also Movember, a global campaign encouraging men to talk openly about their health and take action.

Small steps make a big difference — whether you’re checking in on a friend, supporting family, or focusing on your own health.

Men can take these steps to look after their health:
🔍 Do regular self-checks for testicular and prostate health.
📅 Book routine health screenings and GP visits. Men aged 40–74 can get a free NHS Health Check for heart disease, diabetes, and more. Book now through your GP.
🩺 Notice changes in your body and talk to a doctor if something feels wrong.

21/11/2025

We kicked off Disability History Month today by raising the flag outside our main entrance.

Our Long-term illness and disability group staff network, chaired by Katie Hammond, were joined by CEO David French, acting chief nursing officer Natasha Watts and the organisational development team to celebrate inclusion, diversity and belonging across UHS.

Disability History Month is a nationwide event that shines a light on the histories, identities and rights of disabled people.