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Monthly archives: January 2020

Latest edition of Sustainability Newsletter

 

The latest edition of the Sustainability Newsletter is now available. The main topics covered in this issue are the plastics pledge, environmental management recognition and Green Impact.

Have you completed our 2020 travel survey?

We have launched our annual staff travel survey to gather information on travel habits – https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SWBStaffTravelSurvey2020

It’s important that we encourage and support colleagues in moving towards more sustainable and active modes of travel, like car sharing, using public transport and low emission vehicles, walking and cycling.

Those that complete the survey will be entitled to a FREE day saver ticket for use on National Express buses (subject to availability).

For more information please contact francesca.silcocks@nhs.net

Pathology Users Survey 2020

 

The Black Country Pathology Services (BCPS) is conducting an online survey to understand the level of satisfaction that the laboratory service provides for its users. BCPS is in its infancy and prior to full service consolidation, we want to understand your perceptions of the service currently offered to you and to use the feedback we receive to shape the future service.

Please take the time to complete the 10 short questions in the user survey of your experience of the BCPS services by clicking on this link https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CLR88DV

The results will be used to produce a summary report which will be published on the BCPS website http://bcpathology.org.uk/index.htm

Heartbeat: Occupational Therapy Week – small change, big impact

 

iCares and social service occupational therapists joined forces to celebrate Occupational Therapy Week.

During Occupational Therapy Week, therapists across the country held thousands of events and activities throughout the UK to promote the profession within a wide variety of settings.

This year’s theme was ‘small change, big impact,’ with the aim being to celebrate and champion the impact of occupational therapy on services, people’s lives and the communities they live in.

“To celebrate the special occasion in Sandwell we hosted awareness stands at Sandwell Council House as well as Rowley Regis Hospital,” said Helen Bessant, Clinical Team Leader.

“Our occupational therapists were on hand to answer any questions people had and talk about the client group they work with. In addition to this our therapists spoke about the little changes that have the biggest effect.”

Deborah Eden, Occupational Therapist believes the joint collaboration of Sandwell iCares and social services occupational therapists was a fantastic way to generate awareness. She said: “The collaboration between the two sets of occupational therapists was gratifying to see as it showcased the great work all the therapists do in the local area.

“If by us recognising Occupational Therapy Week brings the profession to the forefront of people’s minds for that one week, it will have definitely have been worthwhile in my opinion.”

Free NHS health checks

 

Do you want to know your risk of heart disease?

The occupational health and wellbeing services, in conjunction with Everyone Health, are offering free NHS health checks which includes a measurement of height, weight, blood pressure, pulse and cholesterol as well as lifestyle questionnaires. The NHS health check aims to help you prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and dementia.

Appointments will last 30 minutes and must be booked in advance.

The health checks are available at both Sandwell and City. The next ones are:

  • 27 January
  • 17 February

Times: 10am – 2pm
Venue: Jayne Wright Holistic Therapy Room, Trinity House, Sandwell Hospital

  • 10 February
  • 24 February

Time: 10am -2pm
Venue: Room 1, Occupational Health, Sheldon Block, City Hospital

For booking appointments please contact Jatinder Sekhon/Emma Williams on 3306.

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Please note - you are eligible for a Free NHS health check if you can answer yes to all the below questions:

  • I am aged 40 – 74
  • I work within SWBH
  • I have not already had a health check to assess my heart disease risk in the last 5 years
  • I have not had a stroke or ‘mini’ stroke
  • I do not have angina or an irregular heartbeat
  • I have not had a heart attack or heart failure
  • I do not take medication for high cholesterol
  • I do not have familial hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol)
  • I do not have coronary heart disease (CHD)
  • I do not have atrial fibrillation
  • I do not have kidney disease
  • I do not have peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
  • I do not take medication for high blood pressure
  • I do not have diabetes
  • I am not receiving palliative care treatment

[/su_spoiler]

Big energy saving week

 

This week is big energy saving week which is a national campaign to help people cut their fuel bills and get all the financial support they are entitled to.

To find out more about how you can make savings at home please visit https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/our-campaigns/all-our-current-campaigns/besw/.

For everything sustainable please contact francesca.silcocks@nhs.net.

Domestic abuse awareness training

 

We are hosting domestic abuse awareness training for colleagues on 18 February at the Postgraduate centre, City Hospital, 10am – 3pm

For more information and to book your place, please email Amanda.millard@nhs.net.

Raise funds for Your Trust Charity and complete Birmingham Velo

 

Your Trust Charity are offering 14 places on this year’s Birmingham Velo on Sunday 21 June.

Starting in the heart of Birmingham City Centre, Vélo Birmingham & Midlands will take 18,000 riders of all abilities on a truly unforgettable journey through two iconic Midlands cities and the beautiful West Midlands countryside on closed roads.

Note: We ask you to commit to raising a minimum of £250 sponsorship for Your Trust Charity.

If you wish to take part, please contact amanda.winwood@nhs.net or call 0121 507 4847 by Monday 27 January.

New cohort starts Stepping Up programme

 

Our latest cohort of BME colleagues started the Stepping Programme last week. The first part of the programme was hosted at the Education Centre at Sandwell Hospital. The latest cohort is made of 39 clinical and non-clinical colleagues from across the Trust.

The programme is run by The NHS Leadership Academy and is aimed at band 5, 6 and 7 colleagues who self-define as being from black, asian or minority-ethnic backgrounds aims to develop senior leaders in the NHS who will lead effectively, creating and embedding organisational inclusive cultures whilst also looking to create a deeper level of understanding to help change take place.

Good luck to all the colleagues on the programme!

Your opinion matters: New vascular access device – the extended dwell cannula

 

A new vascular access device is set to be launched in the Trust and your opinion matters. Steady progress has been made in regards to the new extended dwell cannula. This new peripherally inserted vascular access device has an extended dwell time over standard cannulas. It’s intended use is for patients who are to receive long term intravenous therapies. It will negate the need for frequent re-cannulation of your patient, which will improve the patient experience, reduce infection risk, reduce the risk of extravasation and, help to preserve vessel health.

For the next phase we will be inviting colleagues to come and review three of the potential devices we are considering. Insertion and management of these devices will be nurse led, so this will be an excellent opportunity to get hands on with the devices, practice inserting, flushing, connecting infusions, and feed back to us your opinions.

These reviews will be taking on the below dates:

  • Monday 3 February, 9am – 2pm, D18 City Hospital
  • Wednesday 5 February, 9am – 2pm, Education Centre – room 12, Sandwell Hospital
  • Friday 7 February, 9am – 1pm, Education Centre – room 9, Sandwell Hospital

Vascular access device policy open to review – find it on the new intravenous therapies Connect page

The new vascular access device policy is available for review via the new intravenous therapies training hub Connect page:

https://connect2.swbh.nhs.uk/nursing-and-midwifery-clinical-education-team/intravenous-therapy/

Note: The new intravenous therapies training hub Connect page has been set up to allow colleagues access to the latest guidelines, information and texts regarding intravenous therapies and devices. It also gives instruction on how to book training and maintain competence in intravenous therapies including cannulation, venepuncture and intravenous fluid and medications administration.

For more information please contact peter.houghton@nhs.net.

TeamTalk this Wednesday

 

TeamTalk is our monthly Trust-wide team briefing system led by the Chief Executive with sessions taking place at Rowley Regis Hospital, Sandwell General Hospital and City Hospital.

TeamTalk takes place Wednesday 22 January with the first session starting at 11am at Rowley Regis Hospital followed by a 1pm session in the Education Centre at Sandwell Hospital and the Post Graduate Centre at City Hospital.

  • 11am – Committee Room, Rowley Regis Hospital
  • 1pm – Conference Room, Education Centre, Sandwell
  • 1pm – Wolfson Lecture Theatre, City Hospital

Please ensure your team and department managers attend one of the sessions.

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