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Monthly archives: March 2020

Mandatory training – still time to be compliant with classroom sessions

 

Our organisation is aiming to be 95 per cent compliant with mandatory training by 31 March. If you know you are out of date then make time to visit ESR and complete your training.

There are some modules that will require you to attend classroom training in order to be compliant:

  • Safeguarding Level 3 Children – our records show that 61 colleagues still need to complete this training. Extra sessions are planned for March and April. Please book yourself on via ESR.
  • Safeguarding Level 3 Adults – there are 45 colleagues who are currently not compliant. There is a session on 23 March which still has places available – book on now.
  • Basic Life Support – can be completed with a cascade assessor (see who this is for your area on Connect). Alternatively, you can attend classroom sessions.

Classroom sessions can be booked via ESR. If you have any queries please contact the learning and development team swbh.landd@nhs.net

NNU cake sale at City: 10 March

 

In view of safe sleep week next week, (9-15 March) the neonatal unit will be hosting a bake sale on Tuesday 10 March, 11am-1pm in the neonatal reception area at City Hospital.

All money raised will go to Your Trust Charity but more specifically, the neonatal unit trust fund.

For more information please contact nicole.smith7@nhs.net.

Drug safety notice: Co-amoxiclav shortage

 

There is a manufacturer’s supply issue with co-amoxiclav 1.2g injections and 600mg injection. Supplies are expected to return by the end of March.

Please see Co-amoxiclav shortage information sheet for advice and actions needed to be taken.

For more information please contact the pharmacy department on ext. 5259.

 

Post-mortem consent training: 20 April

 

We’re hosting post-mortem consent training on Monday 20 April, 2pm-4pm at the parent education centre, City Hospital aimed at clinical colleagues. The training will also cover conducting hospital post-mortem consent forms with relatives.

Note: Anybody who needs to complete the training will need to register by contacting Jessica.arnold3@nhs.net. 

 

Assessing the impact of stammering on work among NHS colleagues

 

The occupational health service at Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust are assessing the impact of stammering on job performance, job satisfaction and quality of life at work among NHS workers who stammer. If you are someone who stammers we would be grateful if you could complete this short survey.

If you wish to complete the survey, please click here.

Medication safety update latest issue

 

The medicines safety team based within the pharmacy department will circulate important medicines related information and updates using the banner ‘Did you know?’ Content on current drug alerts, drug safety and prescribing advice will also be added to the pharmacy Connect page  https://connect2.swbh.nhs.uk/pharmacy/.

‘Did you know?’ is in the form of quick bites of information and is a tool to use amongst your local teams to share learning and awareness of key medicines issues.

For details see latest did you ward bulletin.

If you require any additional information or support with the topics, speak to your local pharmacy team or contact the medicines safety team swbh.mso@nhs.net.

Change of practice notice: Sildenafil and controlled drugs

 

Sildenafil:

We have recently reviewed the control measures of sildenafil and with immediate effect, the restrictions in place related to the safe custody and recording of sildenafil in a record book have been lifted.Stock currently held on wards can be relocated to a locked medicines cabinet or returned to pharmacy if no longer required as stock.

Note: The restrictions for use within the Formulary are still in force.

Please see Change of practice notice for Sildenafil sheet for full details and list of actions to be completed at local level.

Changes to transportation and recording of controlled drugs:

In line with the Trust controlled drugs policy, controlled drugs order books are controlled stationery and as such must only be delivered to pharmacy during opening hours and handed over at reception.

Note: Please do not send controlled drugs order books in Ppharmacy green or orange bags as these are unsealed and must not be left outside the department when pharmacy is closed.

Please see Changes to pharmacy procedures with controlled drugs sheet for details.

For more information please contact the pharmacy department on ext. 5259.

 

Health and wellbeing seeking volunteers

 

Do you have a skill that can support colleagues with their health and wellbeing? Are you an instructor of any physical activity or holistic therapy treatments that you would be willing to provide for Trust employees or anything else that you would be willing to share?

If you are interested or would like to discuss in more details, please contact jenny.wright9@nhs.net or call ext. 3848.

Heartbeat: City Hospital plays host to new regional Critical CARE Course

 

Last year a new critical care course accredited by the Intensive Care Society was hosted at City Hospital. It has been devised and developed by three intensivists within the West Midlands, including one of our consultants:

  • Dr Jonathan Hulme: Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine & Anaesthesia (Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust)
  • Dr Andy Burtenshaw: Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine & Anaesthesia (Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust)
  • Dr Laura Kocierz: Specialist Trainee in Intensive Care Medicine & Anaesthesia (West Midlands Deanery)

The Critical CARE Course is designed to reflect current and contemporary intensive care medicine practice within Europe and is delivered largely through facilitated small group learning. Whilst it is aimed at those less experienced in the specialty, it is also valuable for the wider multidisciplinary team and for more experienced colleagues in other specialties who wish to learn more about intensive care medicine.

Having made its debut at City Hospital this time, the course will be hosted by the Trust a further three times in 2020 and candidates from across the region will attend alongside our critical care clinicians.

It has been well received so far. Megan, a junior doctor who attended the course commented: “The format was great. The case studies reinforced the points made during the introductions of the workshops.” Another attendee, Nikita, also a junior doctor echoed these sentiments saying: “It’s useful for critical care and for forming a solid basis for other aspects of medicine.”

Speaking to Heartbeat, Dr Hulme told us: “The face-to-face part of the Critical CARE Course is one day long and is designed to make attendance easier and low cost for attendees and faculty alike. We provide all attendees with an extensive purpose-written manual. Produced with input from a wide range of colleagues from across the region it provides essential pre-course reading.”

Dr Hulme added: “Feedback about the course so far has been extremely good which we’re all pleased about and, to be honest, we’re somewhat relieved after the amount of time and effort from a lot of people to get this new initiative up and running. It was a special moment delivering the course at City Hospital and we look forward to hosting more sessions in 2020.”

In addition to the spread of the course through the West Midlands, other local deaneries are developing plans to adopt this course as core training for their own critical care and intermediate medical trainees.

Rebecca O’Dwyer, Joint Clinical Lead Critical Care said: “Having this course hosted at our Trust is a positive endorsement for critical care. It also provides an opportunity for colleagues from other specialties to collaborate and learn from each other, all with the same shared vision, to provide the best critical care to patients under what can often be difficult circumstances.”

Mobile and broadband enhancements for NHS colleagues

 

As you may have heard, many mobile data and broadband providers are supporting NHS frontline colleagues by keeping them connected using their personal devices and internet while they care for patients.

You can read more about the offers and eligibility criteria on the Personal Data and Broadband Enhancements for NHS Workers website.

If you feel you meet the criteria and would benefit from enhanced connectivity, please contact amir.ali1@nhs.net.

Note: For mobile offers, you’ll need to provide the following information:

  • name
  • network / broadband provider
  • mobile phone number
  • account holder name

Note: For broadband offers, you’ll need to provide the following information:

  • name
  • network / broadband provider
  • address
  • postcode
  • mobile phone number
  • account telephone
  • account holder name
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