Monthly archives: January 2018

2018 Sepsis Actions…Speaks louder than words

Screening and treating sepsis

1. NEWS >5 = screen for sepsis by completing the Sepsis Action Tool.
2. If positive Red flag Sepsis = Sepsis 6 in 1Hr.
3. If negative re-screen 12 hours later if NEWS remains >5.

For more information log on the Sepsis Connect Page https://connect2.swbh.nhs.uk/deteriorating-patient-resuscitation-team/sepsis/ or contact the deteriorating patient & resuscitation team.

Want to win some West Bromwich Albion FC merchandise?

Be in with a chance to win one of the signed West Bromwich Albion FC merchandise items:- Signed football (with certificate of authenticity), calendar (2 available), 2018 annual, pennant and child’s crest ringer t-shirt (2 available) kindly donated to us on 19 December 2017 by The Albion Foundation:

Step 1: Make a minimum donation of £5.00 (or the equivalent value in other currencies) to be placed in the draw (note that gift aid cannot be claimed on these donations).  

Step 2: Once you have made your donation tick the box to opt in to communications with Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust Charity to make sure the charity can contact you if you are the winner.

Step 3: If you do not tick the box Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust Charity will be unable to contact you and in this instance please contact (trustcharity@nhs.net ) to inform them.

The winner will be announced on Friday 2 February 2018 by live video stream

All funds raised from this special raffle will go towards a Bristol Maid height adjustable baby bath.  The bath will allow parents to undertake a normal daily routine whilst their baby is being treated on Lyndon 1 ward at Sandwell Hospital.

By supporting the charity entering this prize draw you will not only have the chance to win amazing prizes but you will also be helping to make a difference to our patients.

Good luck to everyone who bids and thank you!

Donate through JustGiving 

iCM errors

Apologies to users who are currently experiencing issues with iCM showing errors. The informatics team are aware of the issue and are currently working on solution. A resolution will be made available early next week.

Forward thinking leadership programme

Programme overview
A practical approach to development which explores individual, team and organisational values and behaviours. It will provide participants with practical resources to apply in their working environments which will enable an inclusive culture to flourish.
Inclusion (defined as a sense of belonging; feeling respected; valued for who you are; feeling a level of supportive energy and commitment from others so that you can do your best” (Miller and Katz).
There are 3 cohorts available for 2017/18 the full programme consists of a variety of modules which comprise of: values discovery, inclusion and unconscious bias, coaching, maximising potential and improvement. Under the umbrella of Forward Thinking Leadership there is a portfolio of work underway which also supports increasing our associates to deliver programmes locally. The modules can be delivered as stand-alone initiatives for example the inclusion and unconscious bias module has been delivered as part of organisational induction programmes and awareness raising sessions.
How will the programme help me?
Forward Thinking Leadership is a practical approach to development which explores individual, team and organisational values and behaviours. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of themselves, their impact on others, tools to engage individuals and teams through a coaching approach, how to give effective feedback in four simple steps, how to identify and nurture individuals, tools to develop succession plans and techniques to support improvement and change plus much more.

In a nutshell, the programme will provide participants with practical resources to apply in their working environments which will enable an inclusive culture to flourish.

Target audience
Leaders exist within each of us; the Forward Thinking Leadership intervention is aimed at all staff. Through the approach that is being taken with this work we are attempting to break down traditional hierarchical and AfC banding barriers to how individuals access interventions. In doing this it is hoped that there will be a richer more diverse cross generational learning, self-awareness and personal growth which will be of benefit for both the individual and the organisation. Ultimately the intervention has been designed to create the culture shift that is required in the NHS today to deliver better care for patients.

At its core, the Forward Thinking Leadership initiative encompasses the following: values discovery, inclusion and unconscious bias, coaching, maximising potential and improvement.

Selection Criteria
All applications will be reviewed after the closing dates that are listed below, against the following criteria:
Stage 1 – Quality criteria (eligible org, Org Sponsor & Line manager agreement of attendance/study leave, agreement with cancellations & DNA Policy and alumni agreement)
Stage 2 – Priority to trusts requiring additional support
Stage 3 – Fair share by LWAB/STP region
Stage 4 – Fair share by organisational size

Cost
The programme is offered at no direct cost to West Midlands NHS staff, as places are funded by Health Education England, working across West Midlands. Failure to attend any of the dates may result in your organisation having to pay back the cost, which falls in line with our ‘Cancellation and Non-attendance Policy’.

Programme Duration & Commitment
There are 2 cohorts available for 2018, each consisting of 6 days over a 6 month period, you are required to attend all 6 days.

This programme is open to all staff working in a health care setting. In addition to the workshop dates, you will be required to:
Maintain a reflective journal and demonstrate how you have started to utilise course content, tools and templates practically.
Complete a Healthcare Leadership Model self-assessment.
Undertake an inclusion based improvement project back in your work place.
Have continued support from your organisational sponsor for the duration of the programme.

For more information on dates and venues please click here.

To download an application form please click here.

It’s not too late to get your flu jab – free drop in clinic tomorrow

It has been well documented in the media recently that flu cases and hospital admissions are on the rise.

The latest Public health England (PHE) statistics published on Thursday 11 January show that over the last week there has been a 78 per cent increase in the GP consultation rate with flu like illness, a 50 per cent increase in the flu hospitalisation rate, and a 65 percent increase in the flu intensive care admission rate.

Over 75 per cent of our frontline colleagues have had their flu vaccine, but if you have not yet had yours, it is not too late to protect yourself, colleagues and patients.

Occupational health are holding a drop in clinic tomorrow (Thursday 17 January)

• City Hospital – Thursday 18 January – 7.30am – 12.30pm – baby feeding room, ground floor, main spine.

The Hospital at Night team can also be contacted if you want to receive your Flu vaccination overnight.

Please call extension 3306 for more information or to arrange an appointment.

NEST pension contributions will be increasing from April 2018

The minimum amount paid into your workplace pension NEST, both by you and the employer is going to increase. This is a nationwide change, involving millions of people and their employers across the country. Changes will take place in April 2018, and again in April 2019.

The table below shows what the contributions are, and the dates they will rise.

Parking at City Hospital

Will all colleagues please note that the spaces to the right of the Arden House exit barrier are for use only by Ascot Clinic patients and are signed as such. This area is being monitored following several complaints from patients Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) will be issued to cars parked in this area who are not visiting Ascot Clinic.

Likewise, there are other areas around our sites which are signposted for certain patient or colleague groups e.g on call consultants, community midwives, electric vehicle charging points, etc.

Please obey all signage to avoid receiving a PCN.

Recruiting male volunteers for a gastric emptying study

Nuclear Medicine are seeking healthy volunteers who are willing to eat cooked meals and undergo scanning to be part of a research study. The study will be conducted on site within the Nuclear Medicine department at City hospital and will take approximately 3 hours. You will need to attend on two separate occasions. The results of the study will allow us to optimise our current procedure and will benefit future patients.

Do you meet the following criteria?

• Male (Sufficient number of female participants have been recruited)
• You are between 18 – 70 years old
• You have no history of gastric problems or diabetes
• Your dietary requirements permit you to eat eggs and porridge

If you meet the above criteria and are interested in getting involved, contact the Chief Investigator (Shaz) on 0121 507 4404 (or email at s.hansrod@nhs.net) to request further information.

There will be a £50 payment for your participation.

Want to quit smoking?

Colleagues wanting to kick the habit can now access free smoking cessation services during working hours. This has been agreed to allow employees to get support to quit smoking, to improve their own health and  it is intended for the new hospital site to be a total ‘no smoking organisation’ .

The organisation is giving colleagues the opportunity to access a 12-week smoking cessation programme at the City, Sandwell and Community.

A dedicated one-to-one personal advisor is available for up to 12 weeks to support employees trying to stop smoking. Free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) products will also be available as part of the support service.

Clinics can be accessed via a telephone, appointment booking system and appointments during working hours must be agreed by line managers.  The initial booking session takes 45 minutes, thereafter appointments take 20-30 minutes.

It is recommended that a weekly support session is attended for the first four to six weeks. Then from seven to 12 weeks, sessions can decrease to once a fortnight for most individuals.

Health and Wellbeing Manager, Jenny Wright said: “The free and confidential service is run by external providers and is available during working hours.

“We have had a number of people on the programme who have successfully quit and we are now hoping that more staff will use the stop smoking services.”

Clinics are held at:

Sandwell & City Hospital Occupational Health Department (by appointment only) with 0800 1583535/ 0121 663 0007 ext. 232

Sandwell Clinic Monday 8.30am – 12.30pm

City Clinic Tuesday, 9.30-1.30pm

Colleagues must contact occupational health for a voucher in order to register for the service. The providers of services will provide appointment cards, with a signature, to evidence the appointment time and date.

To register contact; Jatinder on extension 3306 OPT 4 or e-mail jatinder.sekhon@nhs.net

Supporting clinical teams – additional staffing rota

Firstly, thank you for all your hard work and dedication as we deal with the increasing demand on our services. We are certainly experiencing our share of the pressure seen elsewhere across the rest of the NHS. I have great respect for our colleagues who are working so hard and many going the extra mile.

Looking ahead to the next few weeks as part of our emergency staffing plans, we are putting in place an additional nursing rota to support wards and services that are under pressure that includes colleagues from corporate nursing, the transformation team and clinical nurse specialists who can reschedule non-urgent clinics. This rota will be coordinated through the Chief Nurse, Elaine Newell’s office, deploying staff from today (15 January) into clinical areas. If there is anyone else that feels they have the skills to contribute to this rota  over the next 4 weeks please contact Paul Hooton, Deputy Chief Nurse.

We are reviewing additional consultant support into medicine from surgery and primary care, community and therapy clinical groups as well as locum staff, to support the expanded medical bed base and admission avoidance schemes. The support arrangements will be communicated locally next week.

Best wishes

Elaine Newell, David Carruthers and Rachel Barlow

Chief Nurse, Medical Director and Chief Operating Officer.