Monthly archives: August 2020

Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 7 August

Our monthly Trust Board meeting took place yesterday and we heard from a surgical patient who was recently cared for at our Trust. She described her experiences and had overwhelming praise for everyone she came into contact with. Unfortunately her pathway to get the treatment she needed was not straightforward. There were some missed opportunities in the preceding months to get her to the right place for the diagnostic tests and subsequent surgery. This is being picked up with the medical and surgical teams as well as the ambulance service. Despite these experiences, our patient was extremely satisfied with her overall experience. She told us that everyone was kind and couldn’t do enough for her, staff were always available to say hello and ask if she was ok. In my message of a fortnight ago, I reflected on the big impact that small acts of kindness make. This was clearly apparent in the story we heard and worth our own considerations as we go through our daily lives. The care pathway for this patient was far from ideal but the kindness she was shown made the overall experience positive.

The wider health system is looking at some changes with the four clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the Black Country carrying out an engagement exercise with stakeholders and the public to inform a decision on whether they should merge. This would create a single CCG for the Black Country and the west of Birmingham and we have been invited to share our views on this proposal. We continue to work closely with our provider colleagues in the Black Country and West Birmingham STP particularly now, as we collaborate to restore our health care services post-surge. There is much we can do together that will provide better services for our patients enabling them to get faster access to treatment, than if we were to “go it alone”. Being a good partner has long been a strength of our Trust and the joint working in our two “places”, Sandwell and Ladywood & Perry Barr is seeing strong collaboration around delivering improved health outcomes for residents.  Midland Met is at the heart of the model of acute care for Sandwell and West Birmingham patients and over the next few weeks clinical teams will take part in workshops reviewing the MMUH clinical pathways as part of our readiness to move to the new hospital which remains on track to open in 2022.

You’ll see one of the images above was taken after my cycle to work this week. I purchased an e-bike at the start of the year and have been enjoying using it in recent months particularly during the summer weather. The benefits are not just to my physical health – exercise definitely supports my mental wellbeing too. We have been focussing a lot on mental wellbeing during the pandemic with extensive resources on offer as listed on Connect and at the Sanctuary. But I am also pleased that we are now turning to physical activity and nutrition as part of that package of support for people. The launch of our “Why Weight?” campaign is on 14 August where you can log on to a virtual event to talk you through what’s on offer. As well as access to wellbeing coaches, apps to track your body fat composition and team challenge events, you can register to be one of the folk taking part in a free three month trial of an e-bike, kindly donated by our friends at Ebike Brum. You don’t just have to cycle to work to take part, (although with the forthcoming car parking restrictions and return of parking payments you may prefer this option), you can enjoy the ebike benefits in your leisure time too. Find out more about how you can sign up here.

COVID-19 cases in Sandwell continue to be closely monitored, and as yet, we are not seeing a rise in inpatients admitted with the virus. I want to pay tribute again to our community outbreak team, commissioned by Sandwell Public Health who provide fast access to tests where outbreaks are suspected. A walk-in test facility has also opened up for the general public in West Bromwich, and of course, our key worker and family member testing continues at Sandwell, City and in the community. Echoing Lisa McNally, the Director of Public Health for Sandwell, I want to reiterate the importance of not being complacent. We want to avoid a local lockdown and that means all of us playing our part whilst at work and out in the community. I know this has been a persistent theme in these Friday messages and in our weekly COVID bulletins but don’t let the repetitious nature of these messages undervalue their importance. We will continue to urge you to keep a safe, social distance, comply with PPE requirements and do regular and thorough handwashing. Thank you for what you do that sets an example to people in the community.

Finally, congratulations to our double winners this week of the Star of the Week award. This was presented to Lucy Kynaston and Joanne Bradley, both assistant practitioners in Imaging, who have been invaluable during the pandemic surge. Their colleagues nominated them for their flexibility in covering shifts, being pro-active in using Capman and Unity and training others in how to use them, and for meeting the department’s key performance indicators. Well done – you are hugely valued by your team.

David Carruthers, Acting Chief Executive

NHS BT seeks plasma donations from COVID recoverees

NHS Blood and Transplant have launched a call for people, and particularly those of Asian descent, to consider donating blood for both study and transfusion.

NHS BT, the NHS organisation specifically for blood donation, are working to secure donations of  from people have recovered from the virus as their antibody-rich blood plasma can be transfused into people who are still ill and benefit them. The request for Asian individuals in particular to come forward stems from Asian people have much higher antibody levels, which means they are even more likely to be able to save lives. NHS BT have issued the following message:

Asian people who recover from coronavirus have high antibody levels. This means their plasma can save the lives of other people. Coronavirus is attacking the Asian population more than the wider community, so there is a great need for donors. Asian people have made up a significant proportion of donors so far. Plasma donation is safe and easy. Your body quickly replaces the plasma and antibodies.

To find out more about donating plasma to help save a life, visit http://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/.

Heartbeat: Queen’s Nurse Susan Knight – By royal appointment!

Being recognised as a Queen’s Nurse is one of the most prestigious accolades anyone can receive in the nursing profession. It is awarded to nurses who demonstrate the highest level of commitment to patient care and nursing practice. Earlier this month, this coveted title was bestowed upon Susan Knight, Practice Education Lead.

It all began back in 1982 when Susan embarked on her nursing career. She told us: “I started my training in May 1982, and this marks my 38th year in nursing. District nursing wasn’t a field I had any prior knowledge of or had considered, but the placement I had with the district nurses had the ‘wow’ factor. I knew from the outset that this was going to be the path I would pursue. I felt the impact district nurses had on the lives of patients, their families and carers. The skill demonstrated in holistic care and flexibility, the way they worked to meet the patient needs seemingly with ease was inspirational. I knew without hesitation I had to become a district nurse.”

Susan went on to work as a community practice teacher for 10 years, teaching and inspiring future district nurses. In that time, she continued to further her education so that she could keep up to date with the latest developments. “I completed a BA (Hons) degree via the Open University. I then trained as a health visitor. It gave me the invaluable experience of working as a specialist public health professional. I extended my role by working as a contraceptive nurse specialist, a role that I still undertake. During my health visiting years, I held the position of an executive committee member for children and maternity services, and I was a nurse representative on the Trust board.”

Over the years, Susan’s career has continued to evolve as she has taken on different roles and responsibilities. This has been underpinned by her thirst for learning. “With my passion for training and education, I later transferred to a professional development unit. I went on to complete a Master of Science degree in Health Studies and a PGCE. My desire has always been to develop myself and learn, so in turn, I can develop others to uphold the principles that are central to being a nurse.”

In October 2019, Susan became practice education lead for district nursing. The purpose of this position is to enhance the district nursing service. “I’m responsible for ensuring the provision of high quality multi-professional learning environments within the community. My role focuses on enhancing nursing practice in terms of education and morale, as well as improving health outcomes to help prevent hospital admissions and enrich patient experiences.”

Another key aspect of Susan’s career has been supporting district nurse students. She is a key stakeholder in respect of the university curriculum including the revalidation of the specialist practitioner programme and was invited to the last graduation ceremony as a VIP procession member. In November 2019, she was invited by a previous student to attend the London Royal College of Nursing round table event.

Returning more recently to district nursing and leading a team, Susan put herself forward to join the ranks of the Queen’s Nurses and backed by her manager, senior lecturer at Wolverhampton University and a fellow Queen’s Nurse, sent in her application. “Working in this setting reinstated what I already knew, that district nurses are extremely passionate about their work, and it’s so inspiring to be part of such a culture.

“My team received two great acknowledgements in 2019 that we were so proud of. Michelle Melo, Deputy Director of Workforce Development and National Clinical Lead for Personalised Care from NHS England undertook a day shadowing the team. She highly commended our work stating her visit had demonstrated a high standard of personalised care, excellent relationships with the GPs and integrated care to improve patients’ experiences.

“At the 2019 Star Awards, our team won the local primary care award. No district nurse team had ever won this award before, and we were overwhelmed. Receiving these types of recognition gave me the confidence and inspiration to apply for the honorary title of Queen’s Nurse.”

Now that Susan is officially a Queen’s Nurse, she looks forward to attending annual meetings and developmental learning and leadership programmes. “I feel privileged to be part of a community nursing organisation that has the same values and passion for the profession as I do, this truly is the pinnacle of my career.”

Colleagues have been quick to praise Susan’s achievement. Line Manager, Louise Johnson, commented: “This is excellent news and very well deserved,” whilst another colleague said: “I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving, you are such an inspiration.”

SIREN calls for additional R&D participants

You will have seen mention of the SIREN study in briefings in the last couple of weeks. The study is now open and we are ready for staff to register to take part. You can read more information about the study in the participant information sheet and register to your interest here.

Registering an interest is not committing to taking part, a member of the research team will talk to you about what it involves and if you want to be involved you will complete an online consent form. One of the research team will get back to you to arrange an appointment to discuss the study and take your first samples. These can be taken at City in the BTC or at Sandwell in the Clinical Research Facility. You can choose which suits you best.

The study is open to all workers in a clinical setting where patients are present, so if this applies to you and you think that you may be interested, please register your interest. This important study aims to answer the question of whether having COVID-19 confers immunity from you getting it a second time and you will have regular swab and antibody tests.

The PRINCIPLE study is open to recruitment too. This study is recruiting people with symptoms of COVID-19 and who are over 65 or, alternatively, over 50 with a number of pre-existing conditions. Dr Abdul Tabassum is principal investigator for the study for staff who are registered at Your Health Partnership. The study has now extended to allow self-registration via the website, so you do not need to be registered at a practice that has the study open. The study is looking to see if treatment can reduce the severity and longevity of symptoms. The treatment in the study may change as new evidence becomes available and the current treatment being studied is Azithromycin.

The Trust continues to have an extensive portfolio of research open and recruiting. There is an increase in the number of requests to carry out small scale research, which R&D fully support. Please do make contact with Gina Dutton, Head of Research and Development, early in your study development so that guidance can be provided on applying for permission before you start.

Incident investigation training: 10 August

The patient safety team have developed advanced incident investigation training, in particular for investigating moderate and serious incidents (SI). This first training will take place on Monday 10 August, 10am – 4pm in the Education Centre, Conference Room. The team are looking for colleagues who will become SI leads with the expectation that they will help investigate at least two SIs per year.

The ideal person to be an SI lead will need to be:

• Interested in patient safety
• Senior clinician/manager/nurse
• Pro-active investigator
• Able to lead a investigation team
• Ability to support the collection of statements and interview colleagues

There are still places available for the August training session. Alternatively, the second training session will take place on Tuesday 29 September at 11am-5pm in the Education Centre, Conference Room. 

Note: Social distancing rules will be in place for all of the above occasions. 

 If you are interested in this training on either dates please email: sindeepchatha@nhs.net to reserve a space.

COVID-19 Bulletin: Wednesday 5 August

This is our weekly bulletin and will be issued every Wednesday. Please use this bulletin and cascade arrangements within care and corporate groups to guide your actions. We are determined to reduce avoidable harm and death in the people we are taking care of. Kindness remains the guiding principle of all the actions in our work to tackle the virus – kindness in how we look after patients, visitors, and one another.

Numbers not statistics: Today’s totals (last week’s data)

1. Our biggest enemy now is complacency

Whilst we all want to return to pre-COVID normality, it is also clear we are far from achieving that goal. You are no doubt aware of the evolving situation at home and abroad with Coronavirus outbreaks, and the continued concern within the Sandwell region in particular.  It is vital we continue to abide by social distancing measures, washing and sanitising our hands thoroughly, wearing PPE (and doing so correctly) in the workplace and masks outside of it where required. This protects you, our patients and the public at large.

Studies have shown that nurses and doctors are the most trusted by the public. Please make sure that the message about COVID-19 and the importance of these measures are clear to friends, family and those you know within your communities. It is easy to be complacent with death rates down, but complacency is exactly what will cause further rises and we must combat it where we can.

2. PPE Hubs at City Hospital and SGH soon to close

The PPE distribution hubs have been experiencing significantly reduced activity over recent weeks and the decision has now been taken to return to normal distribution led by the procurement team. This will occur from 14 August.

A continued daily delivery of PPE will continue for those areas already receiving such. Any new areas requiring a daily delivery can email the Procurement Team and this can be set up as required. Please email Lisa.Southall1@nhs.net.

An additional ‘adhoc’ delivery service will also be established with the Procurement Team.

For Sandwell please email swbh.ppe-bryanknight@nhs.net
For City please email swbh.ppe-d18@nhs.net

3. Safe and secure parking at our Trust

Earlier this year our Trust raised the barriers to its car parks and suspended car parking charges for staff, patients and visitors in response to government guidance and risks associated with COVID-19. Unfortunately this has seen an increase in both inconsiderate parking and security incidents in our car parks. As our hospital service get back to normality there is a need to ensure the safety and security of all. So the barriers will return from 15 August 2020.

Parking remains free until further notice, however staff with valid parking permits must only park on designated bays on staff car parks. Visitor spaces are for our patients and visitors to use. Staff who park at New Square are asked to resume doing so.

Much like the one at City, a new afternoon car park for staff working late shifts opens at Sandwell on 15 August. Parking is allowed between 11.30am and 8am (the next day) only. Vehicles must have left by 8am – vehicles parked outside of these hours may incur a £50 parking charge.

4. Staff who are shielding

Staff members who are currently shielding at home will all be contacted to consider how and when they are able to return to their substantive roles. This will be based on the individual risk assessments that are carried out along with consideration of their role and whether an area with lower risk is possible for them to work in. Alternatively it may be possible to return to work with certain adjustments such as enhanced PPE. If you are currently shielding please ensure you have a conversation with your line manager who can talk to you about your individual health risk assessment and the options that we can support you with to enable you to continue working.

Additionally you can still use the risk assessment calculator to help if you have concerns. For more information please call 0121 507 3306 or email swbh.riskassessmentoh@nhs.net.

5. SIREN calls for additional R&D participants

You will have seen mention of the SIREN study in briefings in the last couple of weeks. The study is now open and we are ready for staff to register to take part. You can read more information about the study in the participant information sheet and register to your interest here.

Registering an interest is not committing to taking part, a member of the research team will talk to you about what it involves and if you want to be involved you will complete an online consent form. One of the research team will get back to you to arrange an appointment to discuss the study and take your first samples. These can be taken at City in the BTC or at Sandwell in the Clinical Research Facility. You can choose which suits you best.

The study is open to all workers in a clinical setting where patients are present, so if this applies to you and you think that you may be interested, please register your interest. This important study aims to answer the question of whether having COVID-19 confers immunity from you getting it a second time and you will have regular swab and antibody tests.

The PRINCIPLE study is open to recruitment too. This study is recruiting people with symptoms of COVID-19 and who are over 65 or, alternatively, over 50 with a number of pre-existing conditions. Dr Abdul Tabassum is principal investigator for the study for staff who are registered at Your Health Partnership. The study has now extended to allow self-registration via the website, so you do not need to be registered at a practice that has the study open. The study is looking to see if treatment can reduce the severity and longevity of symptoms. The treatment in the study may change as new evidence becomes available and the current treatment being studied is Azithromycin.

The Trust continues to have an extensive portfolio of research open and recruiting. There is an increase in the number of requests to carry out small scale research, which R&D fully support. Please do make contact with Gina Dutton, Head of Research and Development, early in your study development so that guidance can be provided on applying for permission before you start.

6. Advice to patients before surgery

The Trust is producing a leaflet for patients setting out guidance on what is required before attending for a planned procedure. This is based on the NICE guidance that was recently published. We will be expecting patients to maintain strict social distancing for 14 days prior to their procedure. They will need a swab taken three days before surgery and then will need to self-isolate from that date prior to coming into to hospital. The patient information that will be produced in leaflet form can be found here.

If you have any queries about these arrangements please raise them through your link on the Tactical COVID-19 group.

7. Updated guidance on returning from Spain

If you are returning from Spain and you were there prior to the government’s revised announcement on quarantine requirements make sure you discuss your return with your manager before coming back to site. You should follow the national guidelines and self-isolate for 14 days. You will need to discuss work that you can do from home with your manager.

Non-essential travel to Spain is now not advised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and any travel insurance is unlikely to cover you. Travel to Spain is therefore not recommended.

You must discuss this with your line manager before you travel as it may not be possible for your service area to allow you to self-isolate for 14 days on your return. If you are unable to work from home for this 14 day period you may need to use this 14 day period of self-isolation as either annual leave or unpaid leave. There are clearly exceptional circumstances that will need individual consideration which is why it is important to talk to your line manager prior to travelling.

8. Do you know when and how often you should be swabbing patients in Red, Blue and Lilac wards?

It is vital that inpatients are not only placed in the right care environment (Red, Lilac, Blue ward) but also that swabbing is carried out appropriately and effectively in each environment.

Remember:

Red wards are for COVID-19 patients, Blue wards for non COVID-19 patients and Lilac wards are areas where patients have been swabbed and are negative for COVID-19 but have had contact with COVID-19 positive patients.

1. Every patient MUST be swabbed on admission.
2. Patients on Lilac wards MUST be swabbed every 3 days.
3. Patients on Blue wards MUST be swabbed every 5 days.

Follow the Trust’s pathway here.

Guidance for those being treated at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre and surgical patients is as follows for patients undergoing the following procedures:

1. Emergency life/sight threatening then proceed as high risk – result unknown, screening in place
2. Elective  (Aerosol Generating Procedure – AGP) – swab required
3. Any AGP process – full PPE must be worn
4. Local (i.e. injections/eye/joint) – no swab required but screening should be undertaken and patients risk assessed and determined safe to proceed.

Alongside swabbing at the right time, it’s critical that swabbing is carried out using the right swabbing kit and collected in the right manner.

Black swabs are only for urgent testing in pre-agreed areas (red ED, red AMU and symptomatic patients on wards). White\Green\Yellow swab kits should be used for all other admissions and for routine testing in blue and lilac areas.

Guidance on how to collect samples is available in the linked document.

COVID-19 Patient Swabbing Guidance

Where swabs are taken, colleagues must ensure that they are hand delivered to the pathology departments as soon as possible so that they can be tested and reported without delay. Samples must not be left on wards for extended periods of time as this significantly delays the time taken to report results and ultimately puts patients and colleagues at risk.

Triple bagging swab samples for safety

Remember when you are bagging your swab sample, you must ensure the red topped bottle is first put in a clear specimen bag, this should then be placed in a clear zip lock bag and finally packaged in a blue specimen bag alongside any paperwork.

 9. Mental Wellbeing – It’s good to talk…

The Trust has launched its Level 1 mental wellbeing training which focuses on supporting colleagues through the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic recovery. Part of the wellbeing support plan is the provision of training for all line managers, plus any volunteer colleagues, to have initial conversations with colleagues and, where appropriate, open the door to further services that may help. This is the Level 1 supervisor training which is in the form of e-learning material. Please follow the attached information on how to access the course.

e-Learning Registration – Level 1 Mental Wellbeing Supervisor Training

A range of other mental health support is on offer that can be seen on our Connect Wellbeing pages. The recharge booth returns tomorrow (Thursday 6 August 2020) with a story on isolation and working from home. To join please email swbh.rechargebooth@nhs.net. A WebEx invite will be sent to your outlook diary, and you will simply need to click on the ‘join’ button to enter.

Heartbeat: Whether you’re 9, 19 or 91, the new HEE COVID-19 library is for you

To battle the COVID-19; pandemic knowledge is our most valuable tool, the more we know about it, the more medical colleagues around the globe will be able to hunt down the clues that will enable the virus to be combated and, hopefully, eventually eradicated. But knowledge in our hands is only part of the solution – there also needs to be an understanding in patients and the public as to the nature of the disease. Why what is being done (in terms of social distancing) needs to be done, and of course, the risks involved to all, in particular, those from vulnerable groups

For patients and the general public, a lot of information about COVID-19 can be found on both the NHS website and GOV.UK. As well as updates relating to services, our organisation provides information on our website and social media channels about the pandemic. There are several resources on the Health Education England (HEE) website too.

HEE has produced a library of high quality COVID-19 patient information specifically for vulnerable groups. These resources are available in many different formats appropriate to those groups and are designed to be as accessible as possible. With easy read options, support for sign language, Makaton, a picture library for those that struggle to communicate, videos, and podcasts. There is a grouping specifically for the risks older people face, with links to guides and support from charities, such as Age UK and Carers UK, as well as specialist items produced by the likes of BBC Sounds.

For children and young people all the changes that have been going on in the world around them must be very confusing – how do you explain a pandemic to the very young? To help them better understand the virus, they too have a section which even includes pdf files of illustrated children’s stories that tackles the topic head-on.

“It is very easy to misunderstand the needs to the lockdown and the consequences of COVID-19,” an HEE representative told Heartbeat. “As a result, HEE’s library and knowledge services team has worked to develop this new web portal. It collates information about COVID-19, as well as valuable insights from external companies, charities and agencies that can be a benefit to both patients and the public. This library enables frontline health and care staff who directly work with patients, clients, and families to find, share and use reliable COVID-19 information.”

Heatwave plan: Prepare for high temperatures including when wearing PPE

We’re expecting high temperatures for the rest of this week as well the weekend which are likely to trigger heatwave plans. In order to ensure we’re prepared and our patients are kept safe it is essential that all managers ensure that all actions for levels 1 and 2 are being carried out.

Please ensure you’ve read and understood the Trust’s Severe Weather Plan.

Any issues should be escalated to the site senior capacity managers or the CNPs after 7pm.

Factors which increase an individual’s risk during a heatwave include:

• Chronic and severe illness, including heart conditions, diabetes, respiratory or renal insufficiency, Parkinson’s disease or severe mental illness.
• Medications that potentially affect renal function, the body’s ability to sweat, thermoregulation or electrolyte balance can make this group more vulnerable to the effects of heat
• Inability to adapt behaviour to keep cool: having Alzheimer’s, a disability, being bed bound, babies and the very young

Actions to be taken include the following:

• Minimise heat increase by drawing blinds or curtains
• Where possible switch off anything connected to the power system and likely to produce heat e.g. computers, printers, additional lighting
• Maintain hydration in patients by offering additional drinks
• Do not use fans. Using fans can disperse airborne particles which could increase the spread of COVID-19. Fans cannot be properly cleaned to meet our infection control standards which could result in the increased risk of transmission of any microorganisms.

Ensure that discharge planning takes into account the temperature of the accommodation and level of daily care during the heatwave period.

Personal protective equipment and heat: risk of heat stress

Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) in warm/hot environments increases the risk of heat stress. This occurs when the body is unable to cool itself enough to maintain a healthy temperature. Heat stress can cause heat exhaustion and lead to heat stroke if the person is
unable to cool down.

Colleagues working in warm/hot conditions wearing PPE should follow the below advice:

• Take regular breaks, find somewhere cool if you can.
• Make sure you are hydrated (checking your urine is an easy way of keeping an eye on your hydration levels – dark or strong-smelling urine is a sign that you should drink more fluids).
• Be aware of the signs and symptoms of heat stress and dehydration (thirst, dry mouth, dark or strong-smelling urine, urinating infrequently or in small amounts, inability to concentrate, muscle cramps, fainting). Don’t wait until you start to feel unwell before you take a break.
• Use a buddy system with your team to look out for the signs of heat stress (e.g. confusion, looking pale or clammy, fast breathing) in each other.
• Between shifts, try to stay cool as this will give your body a chance to recover.

For more information please see personal protective equipment and heat – risk of heat stress guidance.

Unity tip of the week: Use Home Medications in ED Clinical Notes on FirstNet when giving out pre-packs for medication

This week’s tip of the week comes from Amy Roberts and Kirsty Best, Emergency Department Nurses.

“Use Home Medications in ED Clinical Notes on FirstNet when giving out pre-packs for medication” 

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.

Heartbeat: Sepsis is still our number one quality priority

The impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented as teams have had to constantly adapt to the ever-changing environment. While responding to the pandemic, clinical teams have also been ensuring we continue to reduce the number of avoidable deaths which includes keeping on top of our number one quality priority – sepsis.

Medical Director, Dr David Carruthers has been the driving force behind implementing our quality plan and he spoke to Heartbeat about how our organisation has been identifying and treating sepsis during the pandemic.

He said: “Screening has remained stable during the pandemic, so well done to the teams for that with so many changes occurring.

“Sepsis screenings are being done for 90 – 95 per cent of patients who require the screening to be undertaken. On average, there are about 700 patients who need screening each week of which one out of six are screen positive and require review for confirmation of sepsis and institution of the sepsis 6. Current data shows that 80 per cent of those who screen positive subsequently receive antibiotics. However, only 50 per cent get the antibiotic within an hour, so we are working with teams to ensure this improves.”

David explained that our target is 100 per cent screening compliance which is being achieved in some areas but not all.

“Colleagues need to recognise when a patient is deteriorating using a NEWS2 score of five or greater to undertake sepsis screening, but be alert prior to this stage of patients becoming increasingly unwell for early intervention.

“Team working between medical and nursing staff is key here to get clinical reviews undertaken when indicated. We are looking to spread the best practice of those wards that achieve near 100 per cent compliance with wards that need improvement. This would be for checks but also timely treatment compliance.

“We are continuing to work with those clinical areas that are not consistently at 100 per cent for screening and are asking each ward area to identify where changes will allow all components of the sepsis 6 to be undertaken within an hour, especially the administration of antibiotics. We know this is one of the key components of improving patient outcomes from sepsis.

“The overriding message to all colleagues is to take the time to follow the screening protocol. Caring for patients is key, but the only way we can ensure that all patients are being appropriately screened is by following the protocol to save lives.”

Colleagues who are unsure of the sepsis screening processes are encouraged to speak to their ward matrons or contact the deteriorating patients and resus team on ext. 5908.