Monthly archives: July 2020

Updates for SNOMED CT and the UK ED Subset terminology libraries in Unity

We recently updated SNOMED CT and the UK ED Subset terminology libraries in Unity.

This ensures that the latest terms for diagnosis, problems and inpatient procedures are available to clinicians and brings the diagnoses available to users in our emergency departments up to date with the latest diagnoses that can be reported nationally via the Emergency Care Data Set (ECDS).

Now updates are in place, please check your PERSONAL favourites folders as if a term you have chosen is no longer in the SNOMED CT or ED Subset libraries, it will disappear from your favourites folder automatically and you will need to replace it with the current term – the process for updating favourites folders is shown in Unity Quick Reference Guide FC04, available on Connect and via Unity eCoach.

Summer childcare during the school holidays

A number of local organisations have confirmed that they will be operating holiday play clubs on a limited basis for children up to 11 years old. Colleagues wishing to access their facilities should make contact with them directly as soon as possible as places are limited.

Note: As part of their risk assessment arrangements parents may be required to provide details of schools/childcare facilities children have attended during the COVID-19 pandemic to enable them to comply with current public health guidance and maintain consistent child groups or bubbles.

You can access details of child care facilities in the local area by clicking here.

Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 17 July

I am really pleased to announce that a new interim chief nurse is joining us on Monday. Kathy French has worked in a number of acute Trusts for several years and most recently as Director of Nursing, AHPs and Psychologists at the Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. She joins Sarah Carr-Cave, the new deputy chief nurse who started last week. I am sure you will all welcome Kathy and Sarah to the organisation as they get to know the SWB family.

Last weekend the COVID-19 testing facility in the car park of the Midland Met offices relocated and we are grateful for the part that we have been able to play in providing space for one of the regional testing sites. The relocation is due to our need to use and expand the car park once more as we have hundreds more people scheduled to join the construction site team, progressing the works on our new hospital. Balfour Beatty are leading the way in the construction industry in terms of adapting practice in light of COVID-19 and have created new welfare facilities for staff within the Midland Met building itself that allows for safe, socially distanced handwashing, dining facilities and changing areas as the building programme expands. It is great to see their enthusiasm to keep going and not lose time on the build programme, as well as the effective ways they are supporting their staff to ensure safety.

I want to congratulate the surgical team for their recent successful recruitment activities that have seen a good number of job offers that will fill vacancies and help the teams to be fully staffed. The medicine and emergency care group have a series of planned recruitment activities throughout July where they are focusing on nurse recruitment and what we can offer for new starters. The Midland Metropolitan University Hospital is one part of a compelling story for our organisation, along with our commitment to personal development and career progression, with opportunities for people from a range of diverse backgrounds supporting the vibrant communities in Birmingham and Sandwell.

Investment in careers and personal development is a key attribute of our Trusts that helps people stay, as well as being a big draw for new starters. This, combined with the opportunities that MMUH brings, puts us in a unique place across the country to attract and retain talented staff to grow their careers here. Our star of the week, Anita Kaur, is a great example of one of the new career pathways. Anita is a nurse associate and was nominated for her outstanding work supporting patients with diabetes in the community and providing education and training to staff so that these patients can be safely managed at home, avoiding a trip to hospital. Congratulations, Anita. I know that Anita was overwhelmed to receive this award but was at pains to stress that her whole team have supported her along with a great manager.

Our staff BME network met this week and I heard from those who attended about the opportunities it offered for people to tell their stories and share experiences of working within our organisation both during and prior to the pandemic. I am grateful to members of the network for their support in our revised risk assessment process, their helpful challenge and help in giving a voice to people from all ethnic backgrounds. I am sorry that people have not always experienced equality of opportunity in the past and hope that some of the initiatives we have in place can continue to expand to support people’s career development, enabling us to have better representation at senior levels within the Trust. The network’s ideas, enthusiasm and support are greatly welcomed and thank you to Donna, Mark and the team for leading the way in this important agenda.

The individual risk assessments for COVID-19 remain vital so please make sure that you complete the short form that is now available online here. The assessment is mandatory so you can expect someone to be in touch with you if your form has not been completed and returned. These assessments are to ensure you have the right protection in place as you work here and to keep you and your colleagues safe. If you do have queries about it then feel free to talk to Dr Masood Aga who can help.

You will have seen in the COVID-19 weekly bulletin that the number of patients who are testing positive for COVID-19 is low, in line with low numbers coming into the emergency department. This must not allow us to become complacent. The situation in Leicester and other areas of concern across the country should be a reminder to all of us of the importance of maintaining good infection control practices, social distancing, handwashing and wearing masks in our clinical buildings. As you have so brilliantly stepped up to manage our response to this pandemic, let’s make sure we stay alert to continue to reduce the risk of transmission in our local areas and within our Trust.

David Carruthers, Acting Chief Executive

SCAT centre and Medical Infusion Suite on the move at City

SCAT centre: 

The SCAT centre will be moving to D19 from Monday 20 July. The telephone number (ext. 6040) will remain the same. Note: There will be no pain management on Monday 20 July so patients should visit ED should they need this service. 

Medical Infusion Suite: 

The Medical Infusion Suite (MIS) at City has now moved from the BTC to D42.

Tusker car benefit scheme

Tusker are offering a variety of discounts on their car benefit schemes. There are huge savings with  0 per cent benefit in kind this tax year for all electric vehicles. All of our cars are actually carbon neutral though, so they’re great for the environment, because we’ll offset the tailpipe emissions of your car against a verified carbon standard offsetting project, ensuring our impact on the environment is minimal. We’ve offset over 200,000 tonnes of carbon and planted thousands of trees over the last 10 years!

A Tusker car includes:

• No initial upfront payment or credit checks
• Exclusive manufacturer discounts
• Routine service and maintenance
• Replacement tyres
• Fully comprehensive motor insurance including business travel
• Annual road tax

For further details call 0333 400 7431 or email EET@tuskerdirect.com.

For more information regarding staff benefits please contact amir.ali1@nhs.net.

Heartbeat: TV fame beckons for midwives

Midwives from our Trust received national recognition when they appeared on the BBC’s The One Show which took a detailed look at how they have been hosting maternity clinics at football clubs. Presenter Adrian Chiles and lifelong Baggies fan, headed to The Hawthorns, the home of West Bromwich Albion where some of the sessions for pregnant women and new mums are taking place and interviewed colleagues.

In April’s Heartbeat we shared how the maternity team, led by Louise Wilde, Deputy Director of Midwifery and Community Matron, Cathy Brown set up the clinics at Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion football clubs. Following national media coverage on the story, The One Show producers contacted the Trust to set up an in-depth look at the new venue for care.

The clinics were set up to alleviate anxiety in some women who didn’t want to come into a hospital setting during the coronavirus pandemic. Louise said: “It was a great experience which showcased how our Trust is truly leading the way when it comes to adapting to this very unusual situation that we find ourselves in.

“By moving these clinics to the football clubs we were thinking outside of the box, and I understand other Trusts are now following in our footsteps. Adrian Chiles was very passionate about what we are doing, and he was impressed with the setup – especially as it is his beloved Albion being used as one of the venues.”

After his visit the presenter wrote about his experience in The Guardian: “I left home this week to make a short film for The One Show.

The film I left lockdown to make this week was all about keyworkers – midwives and nurses with Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.

“Early on in the COVID-19 outbreak, the Trust was concerned that new and expectant mothers were increasingly reluctant to visit clinics and hospitals for check-ups. The call went out for help. West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa football clubs put their hands up, and so it is that the executive boxes at the Hawthorns and Villa Park are ringing incongruously with the sound of babies crying. I’ve been watching West Brom at this ground every other weekend since April 1974, and I’ve heard all manner of wailing and gnashing of teeth there in that time, but never babies crying.

“I was beyond delighted to meet a four day- old boy named Albie, after the club his dad supports and, with awesome serendipity, where Albie was presented for his first post-natal check-up. Babies of supporters of rival teams are also welcome, I should point out.”

Friends and family postcards

Wards and departments are asked to forward all friends and family postcards that were completed prior to lockdown to Shila Patel, Bryan Knight Suite, Sandwell Hospital.

Note: Please dispose of any current postcards you have in stock as there are now revised questions in place and new postcards will be available once the restrictions have been lifted.

For more information please email shila.patel@nhs.net.

H Drive upgrade: Please restart your machine

Our informatics team have implemented an new security update change to the H Drive. In order for this change to take effect on your machine and the H Drive to be fully accessible, please ensure you restart your machine as this will allow your documents and folders to be re-synchronised.

If you are experiencing any issues with your machine including access to the H Drive please contact the informatics team on ext. 4050.

Heartbeat: Sprinkling kindness during COVID-19 one goody bag at a time

One of the reoccurring themes to come out of the tragedy and chaos that has been left by COVID-19 has been that of kindness. Time and again, we have heard stories about those who have gone above and beyond to show kindness and compassion to our hardworking frontline colleagues. One such person is our very own apprentice, Phebe Thompson.

Speaking to Heartbeat, she explained: “Since this pandemic started I saw hospitals being sent a lot of things from food and drink parcels to goody bags and care packages. As I work within the Trust, I wanted to do something to give back and help my colleagues who have been working so incredibly hard.

“My mom raised money for the goody bags through friends and family donating money. We were overwhelmed with the amount of money that we received, it was a lot more than we first thought we would raise. With the funds, we managed to put together goody bags for McCarthy, Eliza Tinsley and Henderson wards at Rowley Regis Hospital. I’m pleased that with the support of our family and friends we’ve been able to do a kind deed.”

Speaking of her motivation behind joining the apprenticeship programme, Phebe shared how a personal experience led her to this career. “One of the main reasons I came into this job role was because I previously cared for my grandad who at the time was terminally ill. I joined the apprenticeship programme when I realised I wanted a career in the NHS.

“I thought this would be the best option for me as I’m able to learn on the job, gain new skills whilst developing my practical and theoretical knowledge. I aim to complete the nursing associate scheme and to further develop my career from there.”

Unity tip of the week: Use Dexamethasone power plan to prescribe Dexamethasone for patients with COVID-19 as per the recovery trial

This week’s tip of the week comes from Steven Shanu, Pharmacist and Jon Hulme Consultant Anaesthetist:

“Use the Dexamethasone power plan to prescribe Dexamethasone for patients with COVID-19 as per the RECOVERY trial.”

We are encouraging colleagues at all levels across the Trust to suggest any quick wins or top tips they have for using Unity in their ward, area or department.

All suggestions are welcome so please get in touch! The best suggestions will be featured in our Unity Tip of the Week every Wednesday on Connect.

If you have a tip of the week please send it to swbh.unitytips@nhs.net.