Monthly archives: June 2019
10 per cent discount at Superdrug for colleagues
Health and beauty retailer, Superdrug are now offering all Trust colleagues 10 per cent discount in all their high street stores up until 31 December. A valid NHS ID card will be required prior to purchasing any goods in store.
Note: The discount isn’t available online so you’ll have to head into one of the Superdrug stores to get 10 per cent off.
Heartbeat: Neurophysiology are future proof with phased out fax
Following on from Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock ordering the phasing out of fax machines in the NHS by April 2020, our neurophysiology department has taken the brave step in pulling the plug on their fax machine a year early.
The fax machine in neurophysiology was finally switched off on 31 March, however many colleagues were initially apprehensive explained Sally Walters, Lead Clinical Scientist: “The medical secretaries were the most apprehensive because they have to send reports to wards at the end of the working day and many wards don’t have NHS email addresses.”
However this changed when a secure email address for all inpatient investigations was set up allowing secretaries to send reports quickly and securely.
Sally added: “Before email they had to follow safe haven faxing procedures and call wards to check they had received the report. This was extremely time–consuming because staffing levels were reduced at these times and they had to wait a long time before the phone was answered.” The core reason for having a fax machine in neurophysiology was to receive referrals and send reports. This was historically for internal referrals and external referrals from GPs and other trusts across the region. But over the last two years, the department have developed a departmental email address and have been receiving and increase of referrals since.
In addition to this, working alongside the communications team, neurophysiology have developed electronic referrals for internal requests which are also submitted to the teams email address and the team have started manually uploading inpatient reports to CDA.
Sally believes there are numerous benefits to ditching the fax machine: “The majority of our processes have now become more secure, safer, faster and accurate since the switch off. Queries on referrals can now be addressed with a quicker response time because we can email back people directly. This has resulted in an increased output across the department which can only be an advantage for us.”
The Guidance on challenging smokers – colleague challenged by colleague
Senior leaders in the Trust will be actively encouraging people to stop smoking on our sites from the 5 of July.
Guidance has been produced to support anyone who is on the smoking ban rota. During your walkabout you will encourage people to stop smoking on our sites and give advice and support about the alternatives available. The public are generally very approachable, pleasant and compliant and this should be a great opportunity for you to get out and about and speak directly to your patients, visitors, contractors and even your colleagues. However you must take steps to ensure your safety and this guidance will help to keep safe.
Be sure to check out this short clip featuring a colleague being challenged by another colleague at the Trust.
Why going smokefree matters
With the smoking ban coming into effect on 5 July, we’ve asked colleagues, visitors and patients about why it matters.
Tracey Moore, Holistic and Beauty Therapist said: “My work focusses on helping colleagues achieve wellbeing, so I fully support the ban as it means we will not be breathing in secondhand smoke as we walk around the hospital sites.”
The Guidance on challenging smokers – patient challenged by colleague
Senior leaders in the Trust will be actively encouraging people to stop smoking on our sites from the 5 of July.
Guidance has been produced to support anyone who is on the smoking ban rota. During your walkabout you will encourage people to stop smoking on our sites and give advice and support about the alternatives available. The public are generally very approachable, pleasant and compliant and this should be a great opportunity for you to get out and about and speak directly to your patients, visitors, contractors and even your colleagues. However you must take steps to ensure your safety and this guidance will help to keep safe.
Be sure to check out this short clip featuring patient being challenged by a colleague.
Police Advice: Robberies on Harborne Walkway
West Midlands Police are advising colleagues to avoid or take extra precaution when travelling through the vicinity of the Harborne Walkway near the Edgbaston Reservoir.
There have been reports of a number of robberies in that area with cyclists in particular being targeted.
Colleagues are advised to:
- Avoid the area where possible
- Travel in groups
- Notify the police if you see anything suspicious
- Use the walkway during the daytime where possible
- In an emergency call 999
For more information on the alert, please contact the security team through the Ivor telephone system.
West Midlands Leadership Academy Compassion programme
Are you interested in a two day programme grounded in growing self-compassion, compassionate practice and the shift from hero to host leadership?
The West Midlands Leadership Academy Compassion programme is open to all levels of colleagues with the following groups of people most likely to benefit from it:
- Educators
- Practice development leads
- Organisational development professionals
- Positional leaders
- Equality, diversity and inclusion champions
For further details including cohort dates, please see West Midlands Leadership Academy information sheet.
For more information please contact nora.parsons@nhs.net.
Two weeks to go smokefree
To support the smooth implementation of going smokefree, colleagues are being invited to sign up to the smoking ban warden support rota. The rota runs between 5 -12 July, with one hour slots through the day from 7am to 8pm, across City, Sandwell, Rowley and Leasowes sites. Colleagues are asked to pick a slot where they will walk round their chosen site to support smoking wardens in advising anyone smoking or about to smoke that we are a no smoking site. T-shirts and badges are available for colleagues on the rota. To sign up please contact Director of Communications ruth.wilkin@nhs.net
Staffside Convenor and Unison branch secretary Chris Rickards has signed up for the rota, she explained why: “We are supporting the smoking ban as it will help people make healthier choices and improve wellbeing. The Trust has done a lot of work to assist people who want to give up smoking, and we hope that everyone supports this ban, and does their bit to show their support. Fresh air is wonderful to breathe in, and secondhand smoke is not, so we have to work together to make this important change across our Trust.”
Alcohol-based hand sanitiser – vehicle fires
We must remind all colleagues to the potential fire risk in vehicles, caused by alcohol-based hand sanitiser. We have received a number of reports of hand sanitiser being the cause of fires when left in vehicles in the hot weather the UK is currently experiencing. The alcohol hand sanitiser is becoming heated resulting in flammable vapours being released. These vapours are reaching their ‘flashpoint’ and then ignite in normal air conditions, setting fire to flammable components within the car.
We strongly advise removing all alcohol-based hand sanitiser products from vehicles when they are not occupied and advise against leaving hand sanitiser in unattended vehicles.
You should continue to use hand sanitiser as part of your hygiene routine where you cannot use soap and water.
Note: Please remember hand hygiene is one of the most effective methods to stop the spread of COVID-19 following indirect contact (picking up the virus up by touching contaminated surfaces and objects).
For more information please see Alcohol based hand sanitiser vehicle fires information sheet.
Heartbeat: Trust trains STAR carers to help patients stay at home
A unique training package has been devised for care workers by our iCares colleagues to help them recognise and treat a range of health conditions affecting patients in the community.
Clinical colleagues have worked with the STAR (Short Term Assessment Reablement) Service, over the past month to deliver the valuable sessions.
The STAR Service is run by Sandwell Borough Council and delivers care to patients who have recently been discharged or require home care to avoid hospital admission.
Training covers a range of conditions, such as dementia and neurological disorders as well as looking at functional activities such as balance. It has been put together and delivered by occupational therapists, physiotherapists and nurses all working for iCares.
Nurse, Theresa Chester, who is also the Primary Care Co–ordinator for iCares, said: “The training programme, funded by the Better Care Fund, provides training to all the STAR service workers. Our team, comprising of occupational therapists, physiotherapists and nurses, put together a training package specifically tailored for carers in the community.“From a therapies point of view it covered the physical side of things, whilst nurses delivered information on a range of health topics. This included pressure area, continence and skin care management, and how to recognise sepsis.”
The carers can support people with daily living tasks, such as washing themselves, dressing skills, meal preparation, mobility and allows them to remain in their own homes. It’s a short term service which is provided for six weeks.
Theresa added: “This training will allow the carers to have a more focused approach with the knowledge that the therapists and nurses have given them.”
Tian Sanderson, an assessor for the STAR Service, said: “I think the training is really good as it has helped me to understand how to recognise the signs and symptoms of illnesses that can affect our patients. It is very beneficial for our carers and ultimately will lead to better care for our patients.”
David Stevens, Executive Director of Adults Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, said: “This is a great project which shows the close working relationship between the council and our health partners to ensure residents are getting the best care and support possible.
“The Better Care Fund is helping us fund crucial projects and together we are working hard to keep people out of hospital and keeping the safe at home where possible.”
← Older items Newer items →