Monthly archives: July 2019

VitalPAC update: Hypercapnia scale

In preparation for Unity, VitalPAC has been upgraded and now has a hypercapnia scale.

Note: If you wish for the hypercapnia scale to be used for your patients you need to clearly indicate in the notes for this to happen.

If the decision has been made for the hypercapnia scale to be used you will need to change the scale in VitalPAC.

The below sheet will show you how to do this.

VitalPAC scale 2 teaching sheet

Occupational health cohort upgrade complete

The occupational health and wellbeing service have upgraded their cohort computer system meaning manager can once again access the programme.

No further training is needed for managers in using the new system as it works in exactly the same way as before but it will offer much improved access for occupational health.

A managers training video can be found at https://youtu.be/KdmOVzmH00o.

Note: Since the update to version Cohort Version 10, manager may need to put “SDG_” before their username when logging in to access the system (e.g. SDG_SNiblett).  

For more information please call occupational health on ext. 3306.

NHS supply chain product code changes

We have been advised by NHS supply chain that there are number of order code changes.

All appropriate wards and departments may have already received an initial supply of the new products, or they will be delivered to you this week. Representatives from the supplier GB UK will be visiting areas over the coming week to undertake training and make you aware of the new products.

Note: These products are single patient use, so can stay with the patient for continued use whilst they are in hospital but they should be disposed of once a patient is discharged.

All materially managed wards and departments will automatically receive further stock (if required) but all other areas will need to place orders via NHSSC using the codes above. Please allow a few extra days as the items are blue diamond and may take up to five days to be delivered.

For more information please contact the procurement team on ext. 4938.

Healthwatch Sandwell survey: Support for carers survey

Healthwatch Sandwell are carrying out a survey to help to influence the commissioning of support services for adult carers residing in Sandwell. The project uses a survey to ask questions of carers about their experiences and needs.

You can complete this survey by clicking the link below:

https://engagingcommunities.researchfeedback.net/s.asp?k=156293042806

For more information please call 0121 569 7210 or email info@healthwatchsandwell.co.uk.

Overseeing operational readiness and business change

As Business Change Manger for the Unity programme, I would like to share my experience and some of the activities you should expect to see over the coming weeks as …

Microgrants – small ideas that make a big difference

Colleagues across the Trust now have the opportunity to opt in to a regular giving scheme which allows them to donate money to Your Trust Charity and in doing so, these donors will be granted voting rights and supported to decide where vital funds go.

The idea is to revolutionise fundraising at our Trust, opening up opportunities for colleagues to play a principal role in deciding where funding is shared.

Sign up to the microgrants programme for only £2 per month and see your ideas put in place to help enhance the experience of all people using our services, including colleagues patients and their families.

For more information about the programme, please visit the microgrants page on connect or call 0121 507 5196.

Heartbeat: Becky brings new perspective to clinical lead role

Clinical lead roles have traditionally been occupied by consultants but Becky O’Dwyer is a notable exception. An experienced lead nurse within critical care, and deputy group director of nursing for surgical services, Becky applied to become joint clinical lead earlier this year. She was successful at interview and has been overseeing critical care together with her longstanding colleague Dr Nick Sherwood since April.

“Historically we had one medical consultant as the clinical lead for critical care. Then, four or five years ago, me and my colleague John Bleasdale decided that we would do it jointly. That was the first time that it had happened and it worked well because we’re quite complementary personalities,” explains Nick.

“John stepped down six months ago and for a short period of time I was trying to manage it on my own in the time I had available. Winter was a very busy and difficult time to lead the service.”

Although critical care performed well enough to be rated outstanding by the CQC, Nick knew that he needed some help and Becky stepped in to support him. They had first met back in 1993, when working together at North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary.

“I came here in 1996 as a band 6 junior sister from Stoke. That’s where I’d met Nick when he was a registrar. I have had many roles within the service. I did practice development for a short time. I was promoted to senior sister and then in 2000 I set up our critical care outreach team and became the lead for it,” says Becky.

“I was the critical care regional chair for outreach. I contributed to papers written for the Department of Health, especially in relation to service configuration and process. I have been   invited to lecture nationally and internationally on our service design.

“In 2012, due to organisation change, I was moved into the unit manager post at City Hospital. I later became the lead nurse for the service with the additional responsibility of undertaking the role of general manger for critical care.”

Although managing a service like critical care can be physically and emotionally demanding, Becky has enjoyed it so far. ‘I haven’t handed in my notice as yet!’ she laughs. Nick is pleased with the new arrangement and believes that it’s something other areas should consider implementing.

“Certainly some of the skills that I lack, I know that Becky has in abundance, and vice versa. Hopefully it will dovetail really well,” he says. “The feedback from the clinical teams has been overwhelmingly positive, even though we were a little unsure as to how it would be received by the MDT.

“I’m sure that it will work really well and be very successful. It’s a model that will hopefully be adopted in other parts of the organisation. There’s no reason why a clinical service has to be led by a doctor – none whatsoever. It further promotes what we do really well; we work as a multidisciplinary team.”

One of the major benefits is that Becky’s background brings a different perspective to the role. Also, unlike Nick, who sometimes has to work elsewhere, she’s permanently based within critical care, ensuring that colleagues always have access to a clinical lead. Together they hope to keep improving the service in preparation for the Midland Metropolitan Hospital.

Heartbeat: BadgerNet to welcome into world new maternity records

Following approval from LMS (Local Maternity Systems) Trusts a change to BadgerNet Maternity’s system has introduced a single pregnancy record. Three Black Country trusts have agreed to make changes to the current system to allow ‘seamless’ maternity care to be implemented across Black Country BadgerNet trusts.

Under the current system when transfers occur between trusts during pregnancy and postnatal care, colleagues only have access to the documented care provided by the previous responsible trust in a read-only format. Forcing staff to re-input the existing record into the new one and often leading to a mother having to repeat previously given information.

It is hoped that the new read-write format BadgerNet Single Pregnancy Record will result not only in reducing time lost through duplication but also mean a reduction of clinical risk through the sharing of appropriate data. The move is joined by an ongoing push to promote PHRs (Personal Health Records) allowing parents access to a digital copy of pregnancy notes.

The LMS Shared Maternity Record Project’s Interim Project Manager, Griff Evans explained:  “Across the Black Country, thousands of women will have their maternity care provided by more than one trust; where they do this, women frequently find themselves repeating information previously provided to staff at the new trust. Enabling maternity staff to see this information in a single read-write record will free up between around 3,000 hours of clinical time per annum; it will also mean that women spend around 3,000 fewer hours providing this information.

“The move towards digital PHRs will enable trusts to look at replacing elements of their paper records with digital, reducing costs but also giving the woman access to her maternity records beyond the duration of her pregnancy, in a secure digital format.”

Future discussions will looks to see how data can be shared with trusts not using BadgerNet.

DOLS and MCA training scheduled for 24 July cancelled

The two Deprivation of Liberty safeguards and Mental Capacity Act training sessions for band 5s and above at Sandwell and City scheduled for 24 July have been cancelled.

For more information please call ext. 2751.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Unity Question Time event well-received

Last Tuesday, several of our senior medial colleagues attended an event where they were able to put their questions directly to the Unity project team and also hear more about going live with Unity in September.

The evening started with presentations about IT infrastructure, readiness, the clinical safety case for Unity and the cutover plan. This was followed by a question and answer session covering a variety of different topics. A summary of what was said will be published on Connect soon.

Doctors from many different specialties attended and there was some positive feedback about how the event went.

Richard Murrin, Consultant Haematologist, said: “I found the event reassuring overall. In particular, I was impressed by the clear sequence of how cutover is to be scheduled over September 21, 22 and 23. The responses to points and concerns raised via e-mails regarding Unity was a very helpful exercise and I was also pleased that there was sufficient opportunity for all attendees to ask additional questions from the floor.”

Derek Connolly, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, said: “Changing IT system is likely to be the biggest change in my long career other than moving to MMH. Clearly we all have trepidations about change but the Unity team have reassured me that all that can be done is being done to minimise the risk to our patients. “

Thanks to all who came along and contributed to the discussion. Although this event was specifically aimed at senior doctors, we will be making the key information, including presentation slides, available via Connect.