Monthly archives: October 2018

Guidance on how to prevent stroke in atrial fibrillation patients – 15 November

Professor Gregory YH Lip and Dr Deirdre Lane, leading experts in atrial fibrillation will be offering important guidance on how to prevent stroke in atrial fibrillation patients and manage anticoagulation treatment at Sandwell Hospital, Education Centre on Thursday 15 November from 12.30pm-1.30pm.

Note: The sessions will cover the Trust guidelines on the management of  atrial fibrillation and oral anticoagulation and is essential for anyone managing patients with atrial fibrillation.

For more information please contact louise.tomkins@nhs.net.

Investigating Incidents Complaints and Claims training at Sandwell – 28 November

The Investigating Incidents Complaints and Claims training will be available at Sandwell Hospital on Wednesday 28 November.

The training will take place at the Education Centre, Sandwell Hospital from 9am-11am.

Anybody who wishes to complete the training should book on via ESR.

For more information please contact karen.morsley@nhs.net

Tracey’s essential holistic and beauty therapy – special offers

Tracey’s essential holistic and beauty therapy have a variety of treatments available throughout October for both men and women.

These include:

• Mini facial which includes: cleanse, exfoliant, massage, tone, moisturise (30 minutes) – £10
• Aromatherapy shoulder and neck massage (20 minutes) – £10
• Reflexology treatment (30 minutes) – £20

Tracey also has some winter warmer offers throughout November and December:

• Aromatherapy back massage using essential oils, cinnamon, clove, orange (40 minutes) – £20
• Hot stone back massage using a blend of essential oils (30 minutes) £20

For booking and information please contact call 07716 811038 or email tracey.moore7@btinternet.com.

Heartbeat: Rev Ann Stevenson retires after 26 and half years

One of the most beloved chaplains in our organisation, Rev Ann Stevenson, waved her goodbye after spending more than two decades working for the NHS.

Ann’s retirement thanksgiving service took place in September at City Hospital. The event was well attended, as nearly 100 people, including patients, relatives, and colleagues came along to say goodbye to Ann.

The poignant service was led by Rev Mary Causer.

Ann said: “I would like to say thank you to those who came to the service and joined me to thank God for his blessing, for he gave me the strength and spirit to help so many people during their most difficult time at hospital.

“I love my SWBH family and it has been such an incredible privilege to be working here. I’m sad about leaving, but of course things have to come to an end.

“I’ve had such a fantastic time working at our organisation. I have met so many wonderful people, colleagues and patients, who left a mark in my heart. I’m truly blessed.”

Patient Andrea Kerr, who came along to the event, said: “I have been in and out of the hospital for so many years and Ann has always been there for me.

“She is my true friend. She always visited me and lent me her shoulder whenever I needed one to cry on. I will really miss her.”

Ann, aged 66, started her early career as a missionary in the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico and came back to the UK to study in the Birmingham Bible Institute in 1987, with the intention of returning to the mission field after her three years of study ended. However, when she came to the hospital on placement in her third year of study, it was suggested she apply for the chaplain post and she has stayed with the organisation ever since.

Her future plans include focusing on indulging in her favourite hobby – glass fusing – at home and working as a minister at the Crosspoint Church.

Heartbeat: Baby loss awareness event at Birmingham Treatment Centre

Our bereavement support midwifes hosted a special event to raise the profile of baby loss awareness week, which took place earlier this month.

Every year, thousands of people in the UK are affected by the death of a baby or experience pregnancy loss. This week aims to recognise the detrimental impact that the loss of a baby can have on a family.

The event was hosted at Birmingham Treatment Centre where a cake sale was held to raise money for the bereavement fund of your Trust Charity which supports our bereaved families.

Specialist Midwife for Bereavement Support, Mary Molloy said “We and our dedicated colleagues are very passionate about providing individual care and support to bereaved families at the most devastating time of their life.

“We cannot take their pain away but the support and guidance can help the families to create special memories that will last a life time.”

The Mayor of Sandwell, Councillor Joy Edis joined representatives from SANDS and Lili Mae Foundation at the event.

Midwife, Ann Minto said: “We’re honoured the Mayor of Sandwell, Councillor Joy Edis has selected our bereavement services and the neonatal unit as her chosen charity of the year and we’re delighted to have welcomed her to our event for baby loss awareness week.”

Star Awards – Prize for Innovation and Award for Equality and Diversity Champion

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 Prize for Innovation was awarded to Infant Feeding Coordinator, Louise Thompson and the award for Equality and Diversity Champion was won by Assistant Primary Care Liaison Manager, Donna Mighty.

Louise qualified as a learning disability nurse in 2000, before doing a child branch conversion course in 2004 and taking up a post on the neonatal unit at City Hospital in 2005. Louise had children of her own in 2007 and 2009 and her experience of breastfeeding inspired her to become infant feeding lead in 2010 and then full time infant feeding coordinator in 2015.

When women know how to get off to a good start with feeding and know where to get reliable support they are more likely to achieve their feeding goals.  Louise has tried to identify areas for improvement by listening to mothers and staff and creating resources and training that meet everyone’s needs.

Donna joined the NHS in 2008, working in as an admin manager within another acute trust, before taking on the role of assistant patient administration manager with responsibility for medical records.

After two years away, Donna re-joined the NHS in 2015, working in the primary care contracts team at Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG before joining us in 2016.

Check out the videos below to find out why Louise and Donna were recognised for their outstanding commitment.

Star Awards – Fundraiser of the Year and Excellence in Education

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 Fundraiser of the Year was awarded to the Stroke and Neurology Therapy Team and the Excellence in Education award was won by Bishwajeet Elangbam, Consultant in A&E Medicine.

The Stroke and Neurology Therapy Team are an integrated physiotherapy and occupational therapy team working across hyper acute, acute, inpatient rehabilitation and early supported discharge in Stroke and Neurology.

The team raised £1,433 to buy a specialist therapy bike, allowing patients with very limited mobility to exercise their legs, arms and brains, as well as improve their general fitness.

The team organised a number of craft and bake sales and involved the patients in the making of the goods to sell and five of the team took on a sponsored bike ride around London.

Bishwajeet joined our organisation as a consultant in A&E Medicine in April 2017 and took on the role of developing our middle grades doctors. He has organised many robust educational activities as part of the monthly teaching programme, including; bedside clinical teaching, Fellowship of the College of Emergency Medicine (FRCEM) exam preparation and weekly simulation sessions.

Some of the highlights include a workshop on resuscitative thoracotomy and resuscitative hysterotomy, which are possibly one of the first to be delivered at departmental teaching sessions.

The teaching programme has resulted in many of our doctors passing part or all of the FRCEM examination, which is one of the best results in the region.

Check out the videos below to find out why the Stroke and Neurology Therapy Team and Bishwajeet were recognised for their outstanding commitment.

BME Staff Network meeting – 18 October

The next meeting of the BME staff network will take place on Thursday 18 October, 2pm-4pm in the Anne Gibson Room at City Hospital.

The meeting is open to all colleagues.

Our guest speaker will be Garry Stewart, Director of Recognize Black Heritage & Culture www.recognizeonline.com

For more information please contact d.mighty@nhs.net.

Star Awards – Digital Leader of the Year and Volunteer of the Year 2018

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 Digital Leader of the Year was awarded to Informatics Nurse, Dominic LeGros and Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Janet Dearne.

Dom qualified as a nurse in 1998 at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow and started working in the emergency department. He joined our organisation in 2001 as an E grade senior staff nurse on the West Midlands Poisons Unit where he worked until 2004. He then moved to Selly Oak Hospital to return to emergency nursing. He re-joined us in 2008 at City emergency department, where he trained as an emergency nurse practitioner and qualified as an independent prescriber.

In January this year, Dom took the opportunity to combine a life-long interest in technology with a passion for delivering quality care, when he joined the Unity team as an informatics nurse.

Janet’s volunteering role at our organisation spans nearly 40 years, after she joined the Sandwell League of Friends shop in the early 1980s.

Four years later, she was elected onto the committee, a position she held until 1995 when she became vice-chair. She was appointed as chair in 2005 and has spent 13 years in that position, stepping down earlier this year.

Over the last 13 years, the League of Friends have donated a range of equipment to the value of almost £500,000, benefiting everyone who has been cared for by our organisation.

Although she has stepped down from her role as chair, Janet continues to volunteer in the shop each Tuesday.

Check out the videos below to find out why Dom and Janet were recognised for their outstanding commitment.

Heartbeat: VIP visitor celebrates Black History Month and exhibition with colleagues

The Mayor of Sandwell joined the celebrations to mark the launch of a poignant photo exhibition which captures some of the West Midlands’ Windrush generation nurses.

Councillor Joy Edis attended the event at the Education Centre, Sandwell Hospital, where the pictures of 25 members of staff – past and present – were displayed throughout October.

The exhibition has been organised to coincide with Black History Month, which is also being celebrated by our organisation.

Councillor Edis, who worked at Sandwell Hospital as a domestic supervisor before retiring in 2012, said: “I think the exhibition is fabulous – it’s great to think how the Windrush generation helped to build our country and the NHS after the Second World War.

“I even recognise one of the members of staff featured in the photographs.”

Janice Barrett, aged 40, works as a senior sister in A&E and was photographed for the exhibition.

“I feel quite privileged to have been asked to take part in this exhibition,” she said. “I have directly benefited from what the Windrush generation have done, and I truly recognise that.

“They opened up opportunities for me working in this country and I appreciate that.”

Janice’s picture is on the stairway within the Education Centre, next to other colleagues.

She added: “It is quite strange seeing my photograph up there.”

Donna Mighty, Co-Chair of the BME Staff Network, has helped to organise the event and the exhibition.

She said: “It was a really successful event, with many of those featured in the photographs coming along.

“We were very grateful that the Mayor of Sandwell Councillor Joy Edis also attended, showing her support for the Trust and our BME colleagues, but also recognising what the Windrush generation have done for the NHS.”