Monthly archives: April 2020

COVID-19 Staff Briefings: Wednesday 29 April

Our Chief Executive Toby Lewis will be hosting two one hour briefing sessions for colleagues to update on our May COVID-19 plans today.

Both sessions will be hosted online so you can login and join the session from your desktop, laptop or mobile phone whether you are on site or if you are working from home.

The sessions will have an opportunity for posted questions, as well as a run-through of current surge arrangements at the Trust.

Wednesday 29 April

12pm-1pm:

To join the session from your computer click on the following link: https://swbhnhsevents.webex.com/swbhnhsevents/onstage/g.php?MTID=e737794bbd8960311971d6c21547c1934

Event password is SWBCOVID

5pm-6pm:

To join the session from your computer click on the following link: https://swbhnhsevents.webex.com/swbhnhsevents/onstage/g.php?MTID=ea90ea4820b98b54bb0da756b6b0b8741

Event password is SWBCOVID

Please take the time to join us to learn more about our response to COVID-19 as well as using the opportunity to ask any questions you have.

If you have any questions about how you join the briefing, contact subtan.mahmood@nhs.net.

Sundström mask cleaning guide

The Sundström SR100 is a reusable half-face. The pre filter is not required. As it would get wet with our revised cleaning process, if you have a pre filter you must remove it from your respirator and discard.

In-between sessions

1. Whilst still wearing the mask on your face wipe over with clinell wipe
2. Remove gloves
3. Put on new gloves
4. Remove your mask
5. Clean inside the mask all crevices with clinell allow to dry for 60 Seconds
6. Wipe the mask with clean water and a paper towel and dry ( this removes any residue)
7. Wash hands

End of session

• Repeat actions as above
• Remove black cap and clean with clinell both sides
• Remove hepa filter and spray inlet both side of the filter with 70 per cent alcohol (Klericide spray)
• Spray the whole of the mask with a 70 per cent alcohol spray;
• Must be left out in an open space to dry on a paper towel

Note: Filters must be changed every 3 months. It is the responsibility of individual colleagues who must date their filters on first use of the mask.

For more information please see Sundstorm mask cleaning information sheet

COVID-19 Bulletin: Tuesday 28 April

This is our every single day bulletin. Please use this bulletin and cascade arrangements within care and corporate groups to guide your actions. Remember KINDNESS is our watchword in implementing our plans. In the rest of April and throughout May we are determined to reduce avoidable harm and death in the people we are taking care of.

Thank you to everyone who spared a minute and some time to think for the memorial silence at 11.00 a.m. today.  Everyone knows someone directly affected by the virus, and even though we are seeing absences and admissions fall, each loss is a tragedy.  We are conscious of colleagues on our staff currently still undergoing treatment both with us and elsewhere and want to take this opportunity to convey our thoughts and best wishes to them and their loved ones.

Numbers not statistics: Today’s totals (Yesterday’s totals)

1. Managing patient and family uncertainty

We now have a single information pack for patients to take away who are leaving our care after being tested positive for COVID-19, or with COVID-19 symptoms who are awaiting a test result. The pack describes how to manage symptoms such as breathlessness, guidance on isolation, managing stress and anxiety and who to contact for help. The guidance pack is available on our website and on Connect. Printed copies will be distributed this week to red and lilac wards.  Copies on our website will be available in all local languages.

2. Trying to bridge the gap – Your Special Day

Over the last few weeks, lots of teams have put forward or undertaken great ideas to narrow the communication gap between visitors who cannot come onto site and their loved ones, being looked after by us in our community or hospital settings.

One of those ideas kicks off Monday:  Patients who have a birthday whilst an inpatient in our wards will be unlikely to see their family and friends. From next week all patients with birthdays will receive a birthday card from the Trust to recognise their day.

The card will be given to the ward two days before the patient’s birthday so that they can be given out by the ward team – ideally by the person who has formed a close bond with that patient. For more information contact Claire Hubbard.  The card features one of many beautiful rainbow designs sent to us by local kids over the last few weeks.

3. Looking after your skin beneath PPE #welearn

We have continued to focus hard on this issue which is a big deal.  The Tissue Viability Team have produced helpful guidance for colleagues to protect and treat skin from damage beneath PPE.

It is now clear that we can see a major reduction in skin irritation when you wipe away the residue from Clinell wipes that are used to clean the re-usable face masks. Let’s do this and save your skin…

4.Care of the dying – managing possessions

We have set up new locations at City and Sandwell Hospitals for relatives to collect the belongings of their loved ones who have sadly passed away in our care.

This avoids relatives needing to enter clinical areas and ensures that belongings are kept safely and securely. The locations are open to receive patient belongings Monday – Friday between 8am and 4pm. Patient belongings must be recorded and placed in the correct property bags which must be labelled in line with the Standard Operating Procedure.

• Sandwell Hospital: Berridge Room (corner of the Courtyard next to Occupational Health)
• City Hospital: Anne Gibson Rooms (by staff shuttle bus stop)

The service will then make appointments for the next of kin or their nominated representative to collect the belongings.

5. Supporting Black and Minority Ethnic employees

The Board remains deeply and actively concerned by the national data showing such a disproportionate impact among BAME NHS staff from the virus.  The cause for that is unknown and enquiries nationally are being established.  The Trust accepts four recommendations from national professional bodies representing doctors born overseas – although of course we apply these arrangements to all our disciplines:

1. Redeployment of high risk employees, regardless of ethnic origin, based on the risk factors we issued in our guidance (this includes options to undertake outpatients and ward rounds remotely using technology)
2. Freely available testing for employees working with COVID-19 patients
3. A clear support and wellbeing model for employees and commitment to ensure that no-one feels bullied into working in unsafe conditions
4. Advice on Vitamin D deficiency as follows: ‘Whilst there have been some news reports about Vitamin D reducing the risk of coronavirus there is no established evidence that this is the case. However, colleagues may have reduced vitamin d levels from lack of sunlight as a result of lockdown restrictions so may want to consider as Vitamin D replacement or to address any underlying D3 deficiency.’

Personal protective equipment is always a feature of our bulletins.  Dr Mark Anderson’s two videos on the subject are both included below.

Pulse upgrade: Tonight, Tuesday 28 April

There is an upgrade of Pulse this evening (Tuesday 28 April) between 21:00 – 22:00.

For up to 15 minutes during the hour you may experience connectivity issues to Pulse, meaning you will not have access to internal systems or the shared drive.

If you experience any issues please call the IT help desk on ext. 4050.

Sun safety week

With the days getting longer and summer fast approaching it is vital we stay safe in the sun.

The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) is currently running a national campaign around skin cancer called sun awareness and to help generate awareness around sun safety, each day this week we will be myth busting everything around sun safety, giving hints of tips of how to stay safe in sun.

Our third myth is around sunscreen being waterproof. This is indeed a myth as waterproof sunscreen does not exist. Some sunscreen products can be water resistant for a limited number of hours however no sunscreen is waterproof. With this in mind, please remember to check if the sunscreen you are using is water resistant and if so, for how long.

 For more information around skin cancer and sun protection, please contact arutland@nhs.net.

Honouring those key workers who have died 

Across the country today (Tuesday 28 April) there will be a minute’s silence to acknowledge, remember and pay tribute to key workers who have lost their lives due to coronavirus.

Tuesday 28 April is International Worker’s Day, and that is why today has been chosen.  The silence will take place from 11am. If you wish to take part you are encouraged to do so.

COVID-19 Bulletin: Monday 27 April

This is our every single day bulletin. Please use this bulletin and cascade arrangements within care and corporate groups to guide your actions. Remember KINDNESS is our watchword in implementing our plans. In the rest of April and throughout May we are determined to reduce avoidable harm and death in the people we are taking care of.

We went live today with our Power-form in Unity for Proning. It is really important that we record the work being done, not just in Critical Care, but in our Assessment Units and Wards to deliver this intervention, which our clinical leadership considers potentially significant for outcomes. Both undertaking proning and the data input will take up your time and we have considered carefully the benefit to patients. Please enact this change immediately.

Numbers not statistics: Today’s totals (Yesterday’s totals)

1. Asymptomatic staff testing pilot – community focus

Over the next two days the Trust will be taking part in a national pilot to test asymptomatic staff, key workers and some patients.  If you work in one of our primary care, adult or paediatric teams in the community, you will be able to access testing at Little Lane.  We are also contacting staff affected by the failed tests we undertook in mid-March.  The booking arrangements are as below:

• Call 0121 507 2664 option 5 to book an appointment

Appointments might take slightly longer than in other situations because there is some data to be collected to undertake the study component.  The tests have to be undertaken by the end of Wednesday.

2. Lilac is still coming and so is asymptomatic patient testing – from tomorrow!

As mentioned in both Friday and Sunday’s bulletins, we are seeing falling volumes of query COVID-19 red admissions.  At the same time testing capacity and turnaround times are different now to what we had available in March and early April.  With this in mind we are making three key changes:

1. All inpatients admitted to the Trust’s care will be swabbed.  The test will typically take 24 hours to turnaround and so clinical judgement will still be the basis for Red stream or Blue stream admission.
2. Patients who test negative in the red stream will often then be transferred to a designated Lilac Ward.  This recognises that being in the red stream could increase the risk of a future test positive.  But the ward will be managed in line with our blue protocol for diagnostics, transport and PPE.  A clinical protocol will be issued to describe circumstances where clinical judgment will retain a patient in the red stream despite a negative test, because of high suspicion that the patient concerned has a false negative result.
3. With immediate effect blue stream patients who become symptomatic will not be transferred to a red ward, but will access the rapid turnaround assay test, and their ward for ongoing care will reflect that result.

The table sets out the approach that has been developed by the clinical leadership community. Click here to enlarge the table.

Lilac wards will open by Wednesday afternoon, and their location will be confirmed tomorrow.  There will be one at Rowley Regis (Westwood) and one at each of City and Sandwell.

3. Keeping talking at this confusing time

The national narrative about COVID-19 is in some flux.  Lockdown continues but may be eased in May.  Volumes of non-COVID 19 care provided in general practice and hospitals is falling.  There is a clear flattening of the curve of Covid-19 admissions.  But there is an unknown factor associated with easing home restrictions and anxiety that it will lead to less social distancing and recklessness around hand hygiene.

At the Trust too our plans are in transition.  Serenity is relocating back into its original location.  Cancer care remains off site.  We would expect by early May to re-start some elective surgery but to retain outpatients on a virtual basis.  Redeployment and brigading remains extant and is unlikely to change before the end of May.

That flux gives rise to questions and so Wednesday’s latest Chief Executive WebEx sessions are well timed.  The details of how to join are below…

Wednesday 29 April

12pm-1pm:

To join the session from your computer click on the following link: https://swbhnhsevents.webex.com/swbhnhsevents/onstage/g.php?MTID=e737794bbd8960311971d6c21547c1934

Event password is SWBCOVID

5pm-6pm:

To join the session from your computer click on the following link: https://swbhnhsevents.webex.com/swbhnhsevents/onstage/g.php?MTID=ea90ea4820b98b54bb0da756b6b0b8741

Event password is SWBCOVID

4. Sign up to plasma donations:  Science wins…

As part of the national research effort against coronavirus, the NHS Blood and Transplant Service are leading a programme to collect plasma donations from people who have recovered from COVID-19. Donations of plasma will be used as part of a treatment trial to establish whether COVID-19 convalescent plasma, that contains antibodies against the virus, benefits patients and at what point in their illness they should be treated.

We are contacting our many COVID-19 positive safely discharged patients.  But we have many staff who have also tested positive, recovered and returned to work.  We need your help!

If you have had a positive test for COVID-19 or have had symptoms you can help by registering to donate plasma at the Birmingham centre. Read more about the trial and how to donate here.

5. Honouring those key workers who have died

Across the country tomorrow there is to be a minute’s silence.  This is to acknowledge, remember and pay tribute to key workers who have lost their lives due to coronavirus.  The Trust, with fortune, has not yet lost a colleague, but all of us may know someone in public services who has passed away.  Across the NHS there is clearly a striking loss of colleagues from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, as yet unexplained.

Tuesday 28^th is International Worker’s Day, and that is why tomorrow has been chosen.  The silence will take place from 11.00 am and if you wish to take part that is entirely to be encouraged.  Take a moment silently and consider those lost so far.

You will be aware of publicity associated with local community concerns over the care of members of the Black and Minority Ethnic community.  Our Deputy Medical Director, Sarb Clare, has been discussing these concerns and her reflections are in this short film.

Heartbeat: Hello my name is… Liam Kennedy

This month we say hello to Liam Kennedy. As you’ll likely know, Liam isn’t new to our Trust; however, he has recently moved from being our deputy chief operating officer to become our chief operating officer (COO).

Having started his career as a science teacher, Liam joined the NHS nine years ago as part of the NHS graduate management training scheme. Reflecting on his decision to join this scheme, Liam remarked, “This was a defining career moment for me. I developed the skills to help me lead different functions and teams across several trusts. I have worked in project management, accounting and transformation positions, as well as a group manager in medicine, surgery and community services.”

Liam completed a six-month placement with Monitor; a regulatory body that was responsible for ensuring healthcare provision in NHS England was financially effective. As well as this, he has completed a management accounting qualification via the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and a PgCert in healthcare leadership and management.

You may be surprised to learn that Liam has not always worked in healthcare. Before joining the NHS, Liam had a varied career. Aside from being a teacher, he also worked as a celebrity account manager and revealed that Peter Andre was the most famous person he ever booked for an event.

Looking to the future as our COO, Liam has some key areas of interest he’ll be focusing on. “Digital implementation into the NHS is a passion of mine. So far, I’ve worked across the Unity project and introduced digital dictation. I’ll be working closely with teams to ensure we’re giving our clinical colleagues the tools they need to deliver the best patient care. Digital transformation will help us offer a more efficient and patient focused service.

“I’ll be looking at improving our urgent care standards and working with all directorates to ensure they have the data, skills and resources to deliver service improvements. As well as this, I’m keen to look at preventative measures to ensure we’re having early interactions with patients. We have lots of resources available to help them lead healthier lives.”

Outside of work Liam enjoys keeping fit. This year he had planned an Ironman triathlon in Copenhagen that involves swimming, running and doing a bike ride all in support of Your Trust Charity. Excited about taking on the challenge, he said, “It’s going to be a test of endurance. I’ve started my training and go swimming before work. I’m looking forward to doing something that will directly give back to our Trust.”

Important information regarding blood transfusions

Due to printer failure at Sandwell blood bank we cannot print the cross match (blue) forms on the Sandwell site.

Please see reminder of the correct checking procedure for the administration of blood components.

For more information please contact jayne.evans1@nhs.net or michelle.reeves1@nhs.net.

International year of the nurse and the midwife: Sam Beck

This year marks International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, a campaign by the World Health Organisation in honour of the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale.

Nurses and midwives play a vital role in providing health services in our workplace. They devote their lives to caring for mothers and children; giving lifesaving immunisations and health advice; looking after older people and generally meeting everyday essential health needs. They are often the first and only point of care in their communities. Throughout the year we will be highlighting some of our nurses, HCAs and midwives who are making a difference to our patients.

Today we feature Sam Beck, Matron.

Sam is an example of SWBH growing our own. She first joined our organisation as a student nurse in 2004, before joining the surgical day unit at Sandwell Hospital as a newly qualified nurse. She briefly worked at the sickle cell centre before returning to surgery.

Sam progressed to a band 6 role, before being offered a senior sister post in 2015, covering day surgery, pre-assessment and plastic surgery clinical nurse specialists. In October 2017 she was successful in obtaining a matron position.

Sam would go on to win the New Leader of the Year Award at the 2018 Star Awards.

Do you now a nurse, HCA or midwife who is gong above and beyond to deliver quality care? Contact the communications team swb-tr.SWBH-GM-Staff-Communications@nhs.net