A Southport teacher has overcome a severe shoulder injury to scoop three gold medals after having received specialist surgery from a professor at Ormskirk Hospital. It was about five years ago - when Michael Aspinall turned 40 - that he first started feeling the twinges in his right shoulder. A primary school deputy head and PE teacher at Queen's Drive Primary School in Fulwood in Preston, he puts his talents to good use teaching the next generation. His full potential was never reached because as a teenager he participated in gymnastics to a high standard, but his academic studies to become a primary school teacher took priority. Read more ... www.southportandormskirk.nhs.uk/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=666

Our children's health team is holding a charity ball (dinner and dance with live band!) at Hurlston Hall to raise funds for all the educational work that they do with families. It's on Friday 9th March. Tickets available from judy.kirkham@nhs.net, or speak to any member of the Paediatric team. If you can help with prizes for the raffle, she would also be delighted to hear from you.

We continue to experience difficulty with incoming calls to Ormskirk hospital numbers. This is an issue external to the Trust which engineers are working to fix. Pls call switchboard on 01695 577 111 if your call is urgent.

Direct dial numbers to Southport and Ormskirk hospitals are out of action. @VodafoneUK is investigating the cause. Please call switchboard in the meantime on 01704 547471 to reach the service you need.. Our apologies for the inconvenience. We hope to have this fixed as soon as possible.

Southport hospital is extremely busy and we are asking our nursing staff if they available to work extra shifts (lates, twilight, night shifts). Cover is required immediately and over the weekend. Please call 01704 547471 and ask for x3800 if you’re available. Good rates of pay available.

PATIENT APPOINTMENTS There has been significant media coverage of a national announcement about the rescheduling of planned operations and follow-up outpatients appointments to enable hospitals to focus on emergency cases. - We are reviewing our surgical lists and outpatient appointments - There is no need for you to call the hospital to check. If we reschedule an operation or outpatient appointment then we always contact the patient/their family directly - Therefore if you have not heard from us then please attend as planned for your procedure, as indicated. If you have any further queries about your appointment then please contact the number on your letter - We will be keeping the situation under review, but we will always contact patients/their families directly if any operation or appointment needs to be rescheduled so that our staff can deal with the large number of emergency cases we are currently seeing. - Urgent medical cases and cancer treatment are NOT affected. Please attend as planned

Southport and Ormskirk hospital are extremely busy and we are asking any of our nursing staff available for a shift-twilight /night shift for tonight or tomorrow to make contact via ext. 3800. Good rates available.