Monthly archives: October 2018

Heartbeat: Library service joined forces with partners to raise awareness of World Mental Health Day

Our library service team worked in partnership with local organisations to mark World Mental Health Day by hosting a joint event to raise awareness.

Preeti Puligari, Library and Knowledge Service Manager and Nicola Ager, Service Development Librarian, visited Oldbury Library on Wednesday 10 October, where they showcased the help available to sufferers of mental health conditions.

The team, along with Sandwell Public Libraries and the Black Country Partnership NHS foundation Trust (BCPFT), organised drop-in sessions to show visitors how to look for reliable information and be aware of how to access the right help.

The event was part of a national campaign, organised by Public Health England.

Preeti said: “We were delighted to be working with Sandwell Public Libraries and BCPFT to run this much-needed event.

“Mental health is such an important aspect of wellbeing. By working with our partners, we hope that more people will be aware of mental health issues and seek the right help

“As well as hosting drop-in sessions on the day, visitors had the opportunity to learn how to access evidence-based websites, such as Patient UK and the NHS website. Kaleidoscope Plus, one of our partners, was also at the event talking to the public about stress and how to deal with it.”

There were also interactive workshops where two mental health experts from BCPFT, offered advice on how to cope with depression.

Jean Fenn, Oldbury Town Library Manager, added: “We were pleased to work in partnership with Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust to organise this great event. It has been such a great collaboration and we look forward to working with the Trust in the future to make a positive difference to our local community.”

Chief Executive, Toby Lewis, came along to show his support. He praised the event and vowed to make sure mental health is not treated as a stigma. He said: “Mental health is so important. Lots of our staff, lots of our patients and lots of us in our lives will have issues with mental health.

“We want to make sure that this is not a stigma and we want to make sure we can talk about it and we can get the right kind of support targeted at people.

“This is all about joining up connections across our community on World Mental Health Day, but also every day of the year.”

Active Health Club membership offer

The Active Health Club based at City Hospital are currently offering a 4 month membership for only £60.

Other membership options available include:

• Monthly membership: £19.50 via Direct Debit

For more information please contact Sarah Clifford on ext. 5008 or alternatively contact her at s.clifford1@nhs.net.

Few places remain – Senior Healthcare Support Worker level 3 Apprenticeship course

There are still a few places available for the Senior Healthcare Support Worker level 3 Apprenticeship Course which starts on Thursday 25 October.

For more information apprenticeships, please contact libby.marshall@nhs.net

Pharmacy Notice – Imported Compound Sodium Lactate Solution (Hartmann’s Solution) from Spain

As previously highlighted, there has been a supply problem with Compound Sodium Lactate Solution (Hartmann’s Solution).

The MHRA has given approval for Baxter to import this product from Baxter’s manufacturing facility in Spain, to help Baxter build reserves of IV fluids, awareness poster attached.

• Hartmanns all user notice
• Hartmanns Poster

The manufacturing, the material of the bag and the electrolyte composition of the imported product is the same as the UK approved product. The only difference is the label on the bag. The bags are fully compatible with Baxter IV sets marketed in the UK. The imported product is classified as licensed.

Actions required – points of difference from the UK licensed product.

1. Prominently labelled as Ringer Lactate, with “Compound sodium lactate – Hartmann’s solution” in smaller letters.
2. Baxter has confirmed that the formulation of this product is identical to the UK licensed Hartmann’s solution.
3. The imported product is readily available.

If you have any further questions please contact your ward pharmacist, or the Medicines Information Department on ext. 5259.

Disruption to traffic on Hallam Street and adjoining roads

Further to previous messages, Cadent Gas Limited are carrying out essential gas work on Hallam Street that is planned to last approximately 39 weeks.

3-way temporary traffic lights will be placed on Hallam Street and the main entrance of Sandwell General Hospital

Note: Existing bus stops in or near the works area on Hallam Street will be closed and the pedestrian crossing on Hallam Street will be suspended during this phase of works. There will be no temporary bus stops placed during this phase, please use nearest open bus stops.

Cadent Gas Limited apologise for any inconvenience this will cause.

It’s national speak up month – do you know how to raise a concern?

We are supporting national speak up month a national campaign by the National Guardian’s Office, which calls on NHS organisations to increase awareness of how colleagues can raise concerns at work. NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens has also shown his support for the campaign with a message shared on Twitter. Check the hashtag #speakuptome to get a flavour for all the activity.

Thank you to everyone who took part in our Speak Up days in May and September this year. Whatever your role is in the Trust, there are many ways for you to raise a concern.

You can:

• Contact one of our Freedom to Speak Up Guardians
• Speak to your manager
• Contact Trust specialists responsible for risk management and safeguarding
• Contact the Trade unions
• Report an incident on the Safeguard System on Connect
• Look at the whistleblowing policy on Connect
• Call Safecall – our independent whistleblowing line on 0800 915 1571
• Write a letter to be included in Heartbeat’s Your Right to be Heard

Find out more on the ways to raise a concern here.

Change of telephone and fax numbers for Soho GP practices

The following GP practices, based at Soho Primary Care Centre, 247-251 Soho Road, Birmingham B21 9RY have changed their telephone and fax numbers with immediate effect.

Please see new contact details below:

May the four be with you: Week 4 of the Flu campaign

We are now into the fourth week of our annual flu campaign and the good news is that we have reached 52  per cent on our jab-o-meter.

The bad news is that some of our colleagues have not yet had their vaccination and now only have two weeks in which to do so.

Flu can spread very quickly, without you even knowing. It is estimated that up to 70 per cent of flu cases have no symptoms, but are spreading the virus to others. Take a few minutes to watch our short animated film, which shows how you could be spreading flu to your family and loved ones, your colleagues and your patients.

The FluMobile is going on its first journey of this year’s campaign today and will be visiting the following locations this week:

Today (22 October) the FluMobile will be in the following locations:

11.30am – Yewtree Living Centre, Walsall – on site for 30 minutes

2.00pm – Rowley Regis Hospital – on site for 60 minutes

10am–12pm – drop in clinic at in the Procurement and Supplies meeting room, City Hospital. Please complete the form below and bring it with you to the clinic.

SWBH-Influenza-Immunisation-Questionnaire

Wednesday 24 October, the FluMobile will be in the following locations:

9.20am – Victoria Health Centre, Smethwick – on site for 25 minutes

1.30pm – The Lyng Health Centre, West Bromwich – on site for 20 minutes

Please note that these are approximate times of arrival.

No appointment is necessary, just drop in when the FluMobile is at your base – you must show your Trust ID card to be eligible for your vaccination.

Note: The flu vaccine does not contain any pork or meat product or derivatives. However, there are traces of egg in the vaccine.

Heartbeat: Your Trust Charity seeking volunteers for Christmas charity single

Your Trust Charity will producing their debut charity Christmas Single ‘O Holy Night’ in partnership with Bristnall Hall Academy all in an effort to raise vital funds for the charity.

Currently we have over 30 colleagues both clinical and non-clinical from across the organisation that will be on the record however the Charity is still appealing for more singers.

Amanda Winwood, Fundraising Manager at Your Trust Charity is spearheading recruitment for the Christmas charity single and is encouraging all to join in the fun.

She said: “I’m urging everybody to get involved with our charity single, ‘O Holy Night’ as it will be a fantastic way to raise funds for the charity whilst getting in the Christmas spirit.

“You don’t have to the greatest singer, just available for recordings at the Bristnall Hall Academy on the afternoon of 6 November.”

Recordings will take place on Tuesday 6 November from 2pm in the main hall at Bristnall Hall Academy, Bristnall Hall Lane, Oldbury B68 9PA.

If you would like to be involved, for more information and official lyrics for single, please contact amanda.winwood@nhs.net as soon as possible so numbers can be confirmed prior to the recording session.

Star Awards – Learner of the Year and Distinguished Service Award

Our annual Star Awards took place on Friday 12 October, with over 350 colleagues in attendance. It was a fantastic evening, celebrating everything that is good about our organisation.

This year’s Learner of the Year was awarded to Stephanie Craig, Orthopaedic Practitioner and the Distinguished Service Award was won by Ann Stevenson, Lead Chaplain.

Stephanie joined us as an apprentice in the plaster room in 2012. On completion of her apprenticeship she became a trainee orthopaedic practitioner for four years, and was then presented with the opportunity to enrol on the world renowned British Association of Orthopaedic Practitioners casting course.

The course involved a five week intense mixture of theory and practical skills that took place at Stanmore Hospital, followed by an examination and a practical session.

Steph finished top of the class and is the first person in our organisation to hold this qualification. Steph has bought her knowledge back and she is now working to develop a more child friendly environment both within the plaster room and the wider fracture clinic.

Ann’s first taste of chaplaincy in the NHS came as a student on a placement from theological college. On visiting her first patient, Ann had a sense that this was indeed the place that she was meant to be.

She has worked for our organisation for over 26 years and has been honoured to have provided spiritual care, love and friendship to so many during this time and it has been returned in so many ways.