Monthly archives: November 2018

New pressure ulcer categorising tool is going live!

On 1 December the new Pressure Ulcer Categorising tool will go live.

The new categories required for accurately categorising pressure ulcers are now incorporated into the Safeguard Incident reporting system. These are recommendations from NHS Improvements and have been implemented throughout NHS England.

The tissue viability team are endeavouring to get to all wards to cascade the training to ward colleagues.

Here is the plan for the forthcoming week:

• Monday 3 December – Sandwell ward training
• Tuesday 4 December – roadshow at City- D18 and City ward training
• Wednesday 5 December – roadshow at Sandwell Reception, ward training at Leasowes and Rowley.
• Thursday 6 December – Sandwell ward training
• Friday 7 December – City ward training

Note: All clinical colleagues are encouraged to access a training session to ensure they are aware of the changes.

If you are having any team meetings and would like a member of the tissue viability team to attend to give the pressure ulcer training, please call ext. 3278.

SWBH discounts available throughout December

We’re offering additional discounts just in time for Christmas through the Hapi platform in December.

For more information regarding staff benefits we offer across the Trust, please contact amir.ali1@nhs.net.

Arrangement for accessing Co-trimoxazole 480 mg in 5ml injection

Due to current issues with the supply of co-trimoxazole injection the pharmacy team will be collecting the co-trimoxazole injection from the wards and retaining it in the pharmacy department.

Supplies of co-trimoxazole will continue to be held in the emergency cupboards at both sites as well as the Emergency departments, Critical Care Units and Acute Medical Units on both sites.

The situation is likely to continue until the end of December.

Please read more information here:

Co trimoxazole memo November 2018

For more information please call ext. 5259.

Your last chance to £50 and get your voice heard – complete your staff survey today

Today is your last chance to win £50 and get your voice heard by simply completing your staff survey.

If you are part of a sample of 1,250 colleagues that have been approached for feedback either by email or in the post, you now have until Friday to have your say. If you have received an invitation, please take part as the results help us to understand how we are performing compared to similar organisations. If you complete the survey you will be automatically put into a draw which will see three lucky people win shopping vouchers worth £50 each.

Responses are strictly confidential – no one from the Trust will see your completed survey or be able to identify individual responses.

Sepsis is our number one quality priority: Day 30 of our campaign

Message on behalf of Group Director of Nursing – Surgical Services

Post-operative sepsis is a  common complication after surgery mainly due to the vulnerability of the patient to infections such as UTIs, wound infection and pneumonia . The last decade has seen a rise in post -operative sepsis and  studies in the US have indicated that surgical patients account for 30 per cent of overall  patients with sepsis. Sepsis has been associated with increased post discharge mortality up to 1 year after hospital discharge. The risks are particularly high in patients admitted:

• Over the age of 60 year
• As an emergency
• With co- morbid disease
• Intra- abdominal infection

Although the incidence of sepsis is increasing, mortality is falling. This improvement work-stream implemented across the Trust which focuses on sepsis as our number one quality plan priority builds on national work to improve early recognition and  screening  and timely treatment.  Over the last few months we have taken on the challenge across the surgical group to ensure all our staff and teams are sepsis aware and engaging with this important “patient first” campaign.

Unity devices update

The Unity project team would like to thank everyone who attended the devices open day, that was held at City Hospital on Monday 26 November. Nearly 50 colleagues stopped by during the day to meet with our suppliers and give us their views; which will be taken into consideration when purchasing devices in future.

Additionally, from Monday a programme of work will recommence  to complete the rollout devices to clinical services across the Trust, which will be used when Unity is launched.

The informatics team will be delivering equipment such computers, printers and other devices and will endeavour to keep any disturbance to a minimum, we ask that you bear with them while this essential piece of work takes place and hope that having the equipment deployed does not cause you any significant disruption to service.

For further information please email swbh.trustindigital@nhs.net

Cycle2work scheme – last day to sign up

The cycle2work scheme is available to all colleagues.

The scheme is tax efficient which gives you savings on brand new bicycles with easy reductions through payroll.

To Sign up visit www.cycle2work.info and register with the employer code “SANDWELLC2W”

This offer expires on 30 November.

For more information please call 0345 504 6444.

Five easy steps to getting your bike:

1. Register for your username and password at www.cycle2work.info using the employer code above.
2. Visit Halfords to find out how much you want to spend (letter of collection amount) or call 0345 504 6444 for more information on the brands available.
3. Log in using your username and password and click Apply now.  Input your letter of collection amount and click Submit.
4. You will receive an email with your Hire Agreement. Follow the instructions to sign this electronically.  It will then automatically be sent for approval.
5. Once your application has been approved you will receive your letter of collection by email so you can go and collect your new bike!

Note: If you would like a model not in the Halfords range contact the cycle2work helpline on 0345 504 6444.

New pressure ulcer categorising tool goes live on 1 December

The new recommendations from NHS Improvement are designed to support a more consistent approach to the definition and measurement of pressure ulcers at both local and national levels across all trusts.

These new recommendations will be implemented within our trust from 1 December.

Over the past two weeks members of the tissue viability team have been visiting wards across all sites to give training on the new pressure ulcer categorising tool.

If you have missed the team, they’re still visiting wards. If you would like to arrange an appointment for the team to come to your ward at a specific date and time, please contact the tissue viability team on ext. 3278.

Sepsis is our number one quality priority: Day 29 of our campaign

Message on behalf of Isabelle Zuchelkowski, Acute Medicine Doctor

The sepsis we see has almost always been screened and identified in ED – our job then becomes management. It is crucial that we chase results of investigations, dig into the patient’s history, and tailor the treatment appropriately.

Beyond the obvious:

• Take another blood culture sample – the more the better
• Review regular medications: continue, alter or pause as appropriate
• Don’t forget that paracetamol can mask fevers
• Look at recent microbiology culture & sensitivity results
• Question the nature of any allergies – mild allergy doesn’t necessarily prohibit future use
• Think: Do any of the investigation results suggest something other than infection?

Number one task for choir

A Black Country choir made up of healthcare professionals and schoolchildren are hoping to knock the X Factor winner or Elton John off the top spot this Christmas as they release a charity single.

Staff from Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, Councillor Carol Goult and staff and students Bristnall Hall Academy, in Oldbury – collectively known as the Heartbeats Choir – are releasing their charity single O Holy Night.

Proceeds will go to Your Trust, the charity run by SWBH who look after Sandwell, City and Rowley Regis Hospitals. The single is now available for download on all major music sites including iTunes.

he idea was conceived by Amanda Winwood, Fundraising Manager at Your Trust Charity and record producer James Callaghan has worked on producing the single.

Amanda said: “We are so excited about the release of our single O Holy Night. We performed it for the first time today to an audience and we received a great reception.
“Simon Cowell even turned up and gave it the thumbs up.

“I want to thank everyone involved in the project which includes the staff and students from Bristnall Hall Academy, the local Police Community Safety Officers, and our NHS colleagues.

“It’s a heart-warming song which we are releasing at a joyous time for a very worthy cause.

“Every penny raised through sales of this single will go straight towards helping our charity enhance the patient experience our Trust is known for.

“I’m asking everybody to support us, you can download the single for 99p or buy one of our limited edition CDs for £5.”

James, who works as sound designer for the BBC show Doctor Who, added: “As a former pupil of Bristnall Hall it was an honour to take on the challenge of composing an arrangement for this classic Christmas song.

“Working with Your Trust Charity and the school is both rewarding and uplifting. I hope the single can raise some funds to help the local community. Making people’s lives more comfortable by providing good patient care is a cause I feel passionately about and with the help of the school we can all do our part.”

Vince Green, Principal at the school, said: “This is an amazing initiative from Your Trust Charity raising funds for such a very worthy cause. Students and staff at Bristnall Hall Academy were honoured to be invited to host the recording and sing with staff from the Trust who kindly committed their time and talent to the single. It will be great to see this charity single being well supported by people from our community and beyond.”

To download the single go to your music provider such as Apple Music, iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, Spotify and search The Heartbeats Choir. Or you can pick up your limited edition CD by contactingAmanda.winwood@nhs.net.