Monthly archives: September 2020

Discount available at Sandwell pharmacy for Trust colleagues

The Sandwell Pharmacy (located at 85 Church Vale, B71 4DH, less than 400 metres away from the main Sandwell hospital) are offering a variety of discounts and perks to Trust colleagues:

• Up to 15 per cent NHS colleague discounts on most items on presentation of NHS card.
• Contactless, free prescription collection and free delivery service across Sandwell. Prescriptions, and purchased pharmacy goods can be delivered to Sandwell Hospital site for colleagues, supporting colleagues on differing shift patterns.
• Repeat medication management and text alert service when medication is ready
• Range of private tests available, e.g. allergy, amino acid profile and various others, in conjunction with established UK laboratories.

The pharmacy is open 7 days a week 8.30am – 7.30pm (Monday – Saturday) and 10am – 4pm on Sunday.

For more information please call 0121 588 7678.

Reminder: Please remember to park in the multi storey from Monday if you park at New Square

If you park at New Square, from Monday 21 September you must park in the multi storey car park rather than surface car parks by Primark.

Failure to do do could result in a fine from New Square which the Trust has no control over and will not be able to rescind for any colleagues.

Thank you for your continued co-operation.

Heartbeat: Trust to plan path to new online presence

When it comes to building the future of our healthcare services we are tackling multiple challenges head-on. There is the matter of recruitment, which you can read about elsewhere in this month’s edition of Heartbeat. Infrastructure and team changes continue as we continually re-evaluate our services based on not just the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, but also from feedback received from both patients and clinicians.

The Midland Metropolitan University Hospital is, of course, the symbol by which we will define the future of our services, and this will have a knock-on effect in several other areas regarding how we present ourselves as a healthcare Trust and how we communicate with patients. This includes our online presence, such as social media.

One element of the Trust’s branding that has for some time been requiring an overhaul is our main website, the current version of which has been in operation for some considerable time. While it is still operational and kept up to date by the Communications team, it is beginning to show the strain, both in look and functionality.

“Our current site has been in operation for approximately eight years, and in that time a lot of the technology behind it has changed,” explains External Communications Manager, Anuji Evans.

“However, a lot of the structure of both the SWB site and the Birmingham Midland Eye Centre’s subsite – which is a clone, albeit a loose one of SWB – has not changed. It is very rigid in design and difficult for us to change in terms of the overall look. There are also a lot of specialised working parts behind the scenes that are pretty dated. Problems that just refreshing the look won’t solve.”

“With Midland Met moving closer, the Trust has come to an agreement that it is not the only ‘new build’ that needs focusing on. We’re now looking into what needs to be done to get a whole new website developed from the ground up that will better suit the needs of staff, patients and visitors and also reflect where we are going as an organisation. We, like you, want it to not just look better and work better but provide a suitable platform for all of our departments to showcase what they can do, how they can help and be proper knowledge bases for your specialities.”

Plans are currently in very early stages, and we will have more information about the developments in future Heartbeats. In the meantime regular updates of the current website will continue to take place; the External Communications team invites department leaders to take quarterly evaluations of the publicly displayed information in their sections and contact the communications team with any needed text updates.

Online Grand Round: 1 October

We will be hosting online grand rounds on Thursday 1 October, 12.30pm – 1.30pm via WebEx which will be chaired by Dr David Nicholl. Other speaks will also include Dr Sarb Clare and Dr Nick Sherwood.

If you wish to join this WebEx event please email swbh.welearngrandrounds@nhs.net who will provide you with joining instructions.

Heartbeat: Musarrat Allie crowned ophthalmic imaging poster award winner

Musarrat Allie is a Senior Medical Technical Officer who has worked within the visual function department at Birmingham Midland Eye Centre for the past 30 years. Musarrat originally qualified in pharmacy and began her career within retail pharmacy, where she worked for several years before taking a break to bring up her family.

Musarrat joined Dudley Road Hospital pharmacy in 1985, and after five successful years joined the visual function department. Whilst Musarrat had no prior electrophysiology experience, she was encouraged to apply for the role and to her amazement, was successful and has never looked back! It has been her home away from home ever since.

The visual function department is unique in that it is the only department within the whole of the UK that conducts colour tests, electrophysiology, ultrabiomicroscopy, ultrasound and visual fields within the same department.

Fast forward to October 2019, and Musarrat and her colleague Bianca Carrion attended an International Imaging Conference in Paris. Both were encouraged by their clinical lead (Dr Peter Good) to attend the course and present their posters.

Musarrat’s poster was titled ‘Investigation of Anterior Segment Dysgenesis (ASD) using Ultrasound Biomicroscopy (UBM)’. It went on to be crowned as the ophthalmic imaging best poster award winner at the conference – which was host to professionals from all over the world who had entered posters for consideration for this award.

Musarrat was thrilled to have her poster win the award. She commented: “ASD is a spectrum of disorders associated with glaucomatous optic neuropathy. In children and very young adults, ASD manifests as abnormalities of the cornea, lens and iris – resulting in drainage angle defects which often require surgical intervention

She added: “I love the work that I do and winning this accolade is something I am incredibly proud of.”

Well done Musarrat from everyone at SWB

Stoptober – will you break up with smoking for good this October?

October is the month often associated with quitting smoking for good. Apart from the health benefits there is also the bonus of boosting your finances too.

Heartbeat is on the lookout for anyone that is going to be giving up smoking this October or someone that successful made the break with the help of Stoptober. If that sounds like you, please email swbh.comms@nhs.net.

COVID-19 Bulletin: Wednesday 16 September

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. Rule of six now in effect nationally

New laws prohibiting social gatherings of more than six people came into effect on Monday 14 September as the Government calls on the public to remain vigilant in the fight against coronavirus.

The new “rule of six” simplifies and strengthens the rules on social gatherings, making them easier to understand and easier for the police to enforce.

It means that – apart from a set of limited exemptions including work and education – any social gatherings of more than six people will be against the law.

Police will be able to disperse any such gatherings and fine individuals involved £100, doubling up to a maximum of £3,200.

Visit the Government website for more information and watch the animation video.

New coronavirus restrictions in Sandwell, Birmingham and Solihull

In addition to the ‘rule of six’, there are further restrictions in Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull.

Residents in these areas are no longer able to mix with people they don’t live with, in their homes or gardens. Your household is defined as the people you live with and any support bubble.

Households that have formed a support bubble with another single adult household behave as if everyone lives in the same house.

These new restrictions have come into effect for Birmingham, Sandwell, and Solihull to reduce the coronavirus rates of infection which is rising fast. Click here to access a full FAQ and for more information.

2. When and where should I be wearing my face mask?

Following the recent restrictions nationally and regionally as well as a sharp increase in COVID-19 infection rates, we want to remind colleagues when and where they should wear their face masks.

• Non-clinical office buildings – colleagues should maintain social distancing and handwashing. There is no requirement to wear masks, however you may wear your own face covering if you choose. However, where 2m social distancing cannot be maintained consistently, you must wear a face mask.
• Clinical areas including wards, clinic rooms and imaging  – wear PPE as currently advised (Fluid-resistant surgical mask (FRSM), disposable gloves and apron in all clinical areas with visor/FFP3 for close clinical care/AGP).
• If you are attending a meeting or huddle where social distancing cannot be maintained consistently, face masks should be worn.

See our overview here.

3. Support with childcare in the event of school closures

Following the increase in COVID-19 cases and the introduction local restrictions it is recognised that some colleagues will experience a breakdown in their normal childcare arrangements. Childcare arrangements could break down as a result of extended family or friends no longer being able to provide childcare for children, the temporary closure of schools or school bubbles being required to isolate following a suspected COVID -19 case.

Colleagues who cannot attend work (including on-call activity) because of the breakdown of their normal childcare arrangements may have the first day off to make alternative arrangements. This one day of absence will be classed as carer’s leave.

Managers are requested to be flexible to support staff and consider alternative shift patterns/allow colleagues to make up time to enable them to remain at work.

In the event that a colleague is unable to attend work and options to work alternative shift patterns have been exhausted, staff may take parental leave or annual leave/accrued time in lieu.  Consideration will also need to be made if work can be undertaken at home.

Test and Trace Guidance Reminder

1. If staff member’s child is symptomatic of COVID-19 or tests positive (they could be asymptomatic) then the staff member and other household contacts will need to self-isolate for 14 days.
2. If the child is a contact of a suspected or positive COVID-19 person, then the child will need to self-isolate for 14 days, but the parents or close contacts of the child do not need to self-isolate and can attend work.
3. The staff member must remember to adhere to social distancing and PPE whilst at work.

This advice should be followed regardless of the results of any SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing and previous COVID PCR positive result. A positive antibody result signifies previous exposure, but it is currently unknown whether this correlates with immunity, including protection against future infections.

4. Our colleague and family swabbing service is still available

Swabbing for symptomatic colleagues and their household member/s remains available through our drive through at City Hospital and Little Lane car park at Sandwell Hospital, with capacity for 75 swabs on each site per day.

If you have been experiencing symptoms you can book an appointment for a test by calling the community contact centre on 0121507 2664 option 5 Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm weekends call 07816992873. Please do not just turn up!

Note: Family member testing is only open to symptomatic household members. 

Test results will be available after 48 hours when the team will call you to give you individual results and those of your family member as appropriate.

5. Limited accommodation available, part of protecting you and others

Limited hotel rooms are available to support colleagues who may be exposed to COVID-19 from people in their households. The accommodation can be used to support you whilst your family access tests and enable you to be able to stay at work, as we now see an increase in COVID-19 cases.

We have accommodation available at

• Mercure Hotel, West Bromwich and
• Holiday Inn Hotel, Snow Hill, Birmingham

You can access a hotel easily by emailing swbh.hotel-booking@nhs.net.

6. Routine swabbing: A ‘how to’ guide

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:

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

Follow the Trust’s pathway here.

How a swab is collected is also extremely important. The team has produced a quick ‘how to’ video that shows you how to collect and package a PCR swab for Coronavirus.

Click below to watch the short film:

7. New fast test for respiratory viruses including COVID now available

To add to our existing swabbing processes, microbiology has now gone live with multiplex respiratory panel PCR. This is a rapid PCR with a turnaround time (TAT) of 2 hours (testing is done at the City lab therefore the TAT will be 2 hours at time of receipt).

The PCR can test 14 other respiratory viruses (see table below) and atypical pathogens. The current allocation is 20 tests per day:

• ITU – 6 tests per day
• Paediatrics – 6 tests per day
• Haematology – 4 tests per day
• There will be 3 tests per day for patients who develop new or worsening of symptoms in blue/lilac streams. Please use a rapid swab for these patients.
• One test is reserved for a staff member where clinically indicated.

The test should be only be used for clinical reasons and NOT for triage  or discharge purposes.

Routine black dry or red swab can be used for testing.

• The order name is Rapid Respiratory PCR
• The results line in Unity will be called Respiratory PCR including COVID
• We will continue to separately test COVID, Flu and RSV as routine.

Timing of the Rapid service  

• Week days 8am to 8pm (though the lab is open till 10pm, last swab will processed at 8pm)
• Weekends 9am to 3pm (though the lab is open till 5pm , last swab will processed at 3pm)

Approval/authorisation of test

During the week, email the list of patients requiring a test to swb-tr.SWBH-GM-micromedics@nhs.net. At the weekend you can contact the on-call consultant microbiologist for approval.

Note: 16 Cepheid Rapid PCR is still available (current allocation – 10 for red stream pathway, 1 for  patient who develops new or worsening of symptoms patient on blue/lilac streams and 5 for gynaeoncology).

8. Rediroom trial to start this week

We will be trialling our new Rediroom’s this week (from today Wednesday 16 September). The Redirooms are temporary, single-patient isolation rooms designed to assist in isolating infectious patients under contact or droplet precautions. The coverings for the Rediroom are disposable and can be used for up two weeks meaning they can be used in a variety of different settings.

We will be trialling the Redirooms on critical care at Sandwell this week and if successful, the trial will be extended to medicine.

If you wish to find out more about Redirooms, please click here.

9. Saying your prayers safely

New social distancing and infection control measures have been put into place which will ensure the safety of those colleagues who wish to use the chapel and prayer rooms. Jummah (Friday) Prayers (have resumed) will resume this week in the chapels at Sandwell and the Birmingham Treatment Centre, with three time slots 1.15pm, 1.30pm and 1.45pm. Prayer times are staggered so that there are only a maximum number of people using the room at any one time.

At Sandwell 11 people will be allowed in at each time slot, whilst at City, 10 worshippers will be able to use the prayer room during each time slot. Volunteers will hand out face masks, and distribute hand sanitiser and a paper prayer mat to each individual using the facilities. Once the slot has ended, worshippers will be able to dispose of their paper prayer mat. Please note, there may be a wait due to the number of people wishing to use the space.

Christian services will resume shortly and more details about this will follow later this month. The Chapels at both sites remain open for individual worship and both rooms are set out to reflect social distancing measures.

The chaplaincy has continued to provide a service throughout the pandemic and every Sunday they light candles for colleagues and patients. If you would like a candle lit for a loved one who has passed away or is sick, please contact Mary Causer, Lead Chaplain, via email at mary.causer@nhs.net or call her on ext. 3552.

10. Are you looking after you?

Looking after your mental health and wellbeing is paramount to a healthy lifestyle both inside and outside of work and is especially more important during the current pandemic. Be sure to take advantage of the wellbeing services on offer.

Pause and join in with mindful yoga:

A new addition to the wellbeing podcast library this week is a yoga video series “Mindful Yoga with Chris”.

Take time to pause and join in the free online sessions.

There are multiple benefits of yoga both mentally and physically as it may help reduce stress and improve relaxation levels.

For a full list of wellbeing services on offer visit Connect.

LGBT Staff Network Vice Chair

Are you a colleague who self-defines as being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender? Could you be the Vice Chair of the LGBT Staff Network?

This is a dynamic role that can help influence the work and policies of the organisation and can help colleagues have a real voice in leading change, you will be a spokesperson for your network and work with colleagues from across the Trust to work in partnership to deliver our staff pledges and lead events and actions to improve the experience of our LGBT colleagues.

Note: You will need to supply a brief statement as to why you wish to stand and provide a current head shot photograph.

Should you wish to be involved please email the LGBT mail inbox swbh.lgbt@nhs.net and declare your interest by Wednesday 30 September.

Unity tip of the week: Always use Assessments/Fluid Balance to record lying and standing blood pressure NOT free-text

This week’s tip of the week comes from Lesley McDonagh, Clinical Lead Nurse Tissue Viability and Falls.

“Always use Assessments/Fluid Balance to record lying and standing blood pressure NOT free-text. Lying and Standing BP can be requested in Requests/Care Plans, which will task Care Compass.”

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.

Accessing your Total Reward Statement online

You are now able to access your statement online using the Total Reward Statement portal and ESR Employee Self-Service.

Total Reward Statements (TRS) provide you with a better understanding of the benefits you have or may have access to as an employee of the NHS.

Your TRS will provide personalised information about the value of your employment package and include details about your remuneration and the benefits provided locally by your employer.

For members of the NHS Pension Scheme your TRS may also include an annual pension benefit statement.

For more information please contact deso.kaur@nhs.net.