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Getting to know SWB

November 22, 2024

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Building a world-class healthcare facility is no easy feat. Opening a new hospital takes strategic vision, meticulous planning and expert execution. It takes architects, engineers, medical professionals along with countless trades to design, develop and open a hospital, or as in our case, move facilities from two other sites to our new flagship hospital, the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH). To help you understand where services are going to be delivered once Midland Met opens in October 2024, take a look at how we'll use our estate below or online here. This is a high level overview of what is at each site and it is not an exhaustive list. For a detailed list of services split by each site, click here.

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Services across our SWB Estate

November 22, 2024

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With the recent changes following the move to Midland Met, please familiarise yourself with the services offered at each site. This is a high level overview of what is at each site and it is not an exhaustive list. For a detailed list of services split by each site, click here. At City Health Campus, the following services remain operational:

• The Sheldon Block, which houses community medicine, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Dermatology, and Musculoskeletal Services.
• Birmingham Treatment Centre
• Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre.

Take a look at this video to find out more about what is staying at City, now named City Health Campus. At Sandwell Health Campus, the following services remain in place:

• The Urgent Treatment Centre
• Lyndon Primary Care Centre
• Clinical Research Facility

These wards are now located at Midland Met. Please take a moment to familiarise yourself with what is at each site. If patients need assistance, please direct them to the correct location, i.e., City or Sandwell Health Campus or Midland Met.  

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Friday 22 November – Message from Mel Roberts

November 22, 2024

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Dear colleagues, This week I’m writing the Friday message, as Richard takes some well-deserved annual leave. So, whilst he isn’t here – can I take this opportunity to remind you that you are welcome to leave messages for Richard for his forthcoming departure as our Chief Executive. You can submit them here. Further details of plans for Richard’s departure will be communicated soon. I would like to start with my reflections on Midland Met. Our Sandwell site moved back in October, with the rest of our City colleagues moving a couple of weeks ago,  and although there have been some teething issues, I feel like the quality of care we are offering to our patients is of a high standard. I have spoken with lots of colleagues, both clinical and non-clinical, who are enjoying their new working environments which only impacts our patient care in a positive way. How staff feel impacts the care they give, so with positivity on a high, this means our patient outcomes are better. Yes, there are signage and navigation issues, but we are working on this on a daily and weekly basis to ensure these are put right. We will also be updating you next week on our approach to agile working, which I know has not been an easy transition. Thank you for your patience on this, and please continue to ensure you are being kind and considerate when using these shared workspaces. Speaking of staff morale, I must make one final push for the NHS Staff Survey with it closing in a matter of days. We know many of you may have survey fatigue, and it may feel like we are always asking you to complete a survey, but we can’t make improvements and make your working life better if we don’t know what will help. The survey closes next Friday, and our current response rate is only 30 per cent – meaning there are lots of you who haven’t yet told us your thoughts and feelings, and these can be both positive and negative. We want to hear it all so we can improve As a reminder, because of the last NHS Staff Survey, we implemented the following changes at SWB – there have also been many local improvements – please discuss these with your line manager if you are unsure of what they are.

• Improved Health and Wellbeing programme: Introduced Mental Health First Aid, Employee Assistance Programme and Learning and Organisation Development Prospectus
• Introduced compassionate ARC leadership programme to improve leadership and team work at SWB
• Implemented our EDI delivery priorities
• Established our People Engagement Teams

The survey has been sent to you via e-mail and these useful steps should help you locate it. Please be assured it is confidential as I know many of you have those concerns. It will only take 10 minutes of your time, so please do try to complete it next week.

1. Log into to NHS Mail
2. Search “Staff Survey 2024” or picker_surveys@picker.org
3. Open the email relating to “Staff Survey 2024”
4. Click the link in the email to complete the survey

As you may have seen our communications in recent week, the Trust will be launching GoodShape on Monday 11 December. Anyone unfamiliar with GoodShape, it’s our new sickness absence management system which will be implemented across the organisation. Next week, to support line managers with getting to grips with the system, we have arranged some training sessions via Microsoft Teams. Please attend one of these sessions as it is vital you know how to use this platform, especially if you have line manager responsibilities. Please click here for details about the sessions and to join. Look out for more information in the coming weeks about GoodShape and how it will benefit you and support your wellbeing. I end my message with talking about Christmas – and I make no apologies for it only being November! I know how much you all love getting in the festive spirit, and it almost feels extra special this year with our beautiful new building. We have some exciting things in the pipeline (including a Christmas light switch on) but could I just ask that you curtail your excitement for just another week and don’t put up any decorations just yet. We will be providing departments with decorations, but just have a few details we need to sort – we will put out some very festive messaging next week – so please just bear with us for a few more days before we really get into the SWB festive spirit. Finally - thank you to all of you for your ongoing support, without your hard work and dedication, Midland Met, and our Health Campuses (more on those in next week’s Friday message) would not be what it is. We have some wonderful people in this organisation, and I am incredibly proud to be your chief nursing officer. Have a wonderful weekend. Mel

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Join Richard for a cuppa…

November 22, 2024

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Richard Beeken, Chief Executive, is making regular trips to our catering facilities and welcomes any colleague to join him for a chat. This can be simply to say ‘hello’ or to raise any issues, whether they are good or not so good, over a cup of coffee or two. Every week, Richard will be in one of the on-site coffee shops/canteens and is looking forward to chatting to colleagues from any team or service. If you can’t make Richard’s breakfast time, don’t worry – just drop him a line on r.beeken@nhs.net and he would be pleased to hear from you. Please see below for Richard's next session:

Date	Venue	Time
Thursday 5 December	BTC Costa, City	9am - 10am

 

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How temperature is maintained at MMUH

November 22, 2024

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To make colleagues aware of the temperature controls in the building, we’ve created a video to show you how it is managed across the site and how this is maintained on the wards. Warren Grigg, Director of Estates and Development Management of Change, shares everything we need to know, here.

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SWB Disability History Awareness event – 2 December

November 22, 2024

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Join us for the first event Disability History event on Monday 2 December inside the conference room at Sandwell Education Centre from 1pm -3pm. If you would like to know anymore information please contact the Disability and Long-Standing Condition Network Chair via email siobhan.whitehouse@nhs.net

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