Monthly archives: December 2020
Heartbeat: Lockdown smiles for shielding children – thanks to school nurses
Lockdown has been difficult for many families, but one team has been helping directly with youngsters who have been shielding.
The Sandwell school nursing team were approached by Sandwell Council at the beginning of the pandemic, as the country shut down, to discuss support for shielding families. And there were a variety of ways they were able to help, as Heidi Ferrier-Hixon, Team Leader, explained: “There were many families which were shielding due to having a child in the household that was considered vulnerable.
“As a service, we were able to offer support in various ways including a weekly telephone call to the family, requesting the delivery of a food parcel if needed, and educational materials for those children who needed more. Beyond that, we offered a listening ear emotionally but hadn’t been outside the house for several weeks. We found that the prospect of speaking to a nurse seemed exciting to them.”
“We contacted 228 families from May to September, and the support has been well received. Being able to speak to someone weekly whilst they have been unable to leave the family home has been helpful to a lot of families.
“One young girl identified in a weekly contact that it was her birthday the following week and was upset that she would not see family and friends. Her wish was to get a birthday card, so the nurse arranged to send one to her. Afterwards, the nurse received photos of a happy and excited young lady and a big thank you, having received her card.
“During lockdown, it was the little things that made a difference and all the staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that shielding families had what they needed from an essential point of view, but where also possible and able they have provided smiles.”
COVID-19 Bulletin: Monday 7 December
Tomorrow is being hailed as a pivotal day for the NHS, as 50 NHS hospital hubs commence the task of vaccinating the vulnerable, in a move seen by many as the beginning of the end of the pandemic.
You can read more about this below, and if you have any questions please let us know by email swbh.comms@nhs.net. It is inevitable as we move through the next couple of months that there will changes and news you need to know, so please make sure you keep up to date with everything that is going on by reading this bulletin. We will only add reminders or update items if we need you to focus on that area, to ensure we are all working together to beat COVID.
Thank you for caring for our patients and each other.
1. New: ICU on the move
City Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has temporarily moved out of their regular home in order to facilitate deep cleaning.
Owing to a policy change by the regional transfer service preventing transfer of CPAP / NIV COVID patients to other ICUs within our Network, they will for now be based out of ward D16 and operating a somewhat reduced capacity until the cleaning is complete. A satellite Level 2 ICU area in D17 is also being utilised.
The cleaning is due to be completed tomorrow afternoon, allowing time for new monitors to be installed before patients are transferred back into ICU later this week.
2. New: Update on Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
Colleagues will have seen national media coverage about the first approved COVID vaccine as it starts to be rolled out across the UK. As you know the vaccine has been approved in the UK as effective and safe and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust was announced as the first site in the Black Country and West Birmingham to start administering the vaccination. The order in which people will receive the vaccine is decided by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and they have advised that age is the single greatest risk of mortality from COVID-19. Patients aged 80 and above who are already attending hospital as an outpatient, and those who are being discharged home after a hospital stay, will be among the first to be vaccinated.
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust will start to work with care home providers to book their staff in to vaccination clinics. Appointments not used for these groups will be used for healthcare workers who are at highest risk of serious illness from COVID. All those vaccinated will need a booster jab 21 days later. As you may have seen on the news, the Pfizer vaccine is extremely fragile. The vaccine can only be transported in sub-zero temperatures which will mean for now it can only be delivered from designated Hospital Hubs and this will impact on the initial availability of the vaccine, especially in the first few weeks/months. You will be contacted when you are able to be vaccinated, so there is nothing for you to do at this point. We expect additional vaccination hub sites to be announced in coming days.
3. New: Don’t worry, Santa Claus is still coming to town
Rest assured Christmas at SWB is not cancelled and we have arrangements in place to ensure that we celebrate safely this year.
Safe decorations this Christmas
Due to infection prevention and control, the traditional Christmas decorations we all enjoy each year cannot be put up as there are difficulties with cleaning them. However, we will be providing areas with laminated Christmas posters that are able to be cleaned. We will also provide PAT tested festive light projectors to bring seasonal cheer to some areas.
Please do not:
- Bring in your own decorations
- Put any decorations up that are not laminated or cleanable
Please do:
- Restrict touching of posters or projectors other than for cleaning or moving only.
Christmas visiting
We are expecting to relax our visiting restrictions between 23 and 27 December, in line with government easing of restrictions over Christmas. However, this will depend on community cases and hospital COVID cases. Our visiting arrangements over Christmas will therefore be published nearer the time.
Christmas food
You must not share any food with colleagues due to the risks of spreading infections. As always, good hand hygiene should be maintained before and after eating. You must ensure social distancing in staff areas during breaks. A free takeaway Christmas brunch will be available for staff working on Christmas Day at our retail outlets. Please check Connect here for more detail on opening hours and how to claim.
Christmas services
Whilst religious services are normally a big part of the Trust’s Chaplaincy over the festive period, like every other service they are restricted this year by Coronavirus, lockdown and the guidelines currently in place to keep us all safe. However, there will be a Christmas service, performed by our chaplain Rev Mary Causer.
Like so many gatherings it will be going virtual; with the service being broadcast on the Trust’s YouTube channel and on the Chaplaincy service’s Facebook page on Christmas Day with an expected live time of 9am. After which the video will be available on demand. Please keep an eye out through your regular Trust daily bulletins for further updates nearer to the time.
Christmas Jumper Day
If you’re looking to get into the Christmas spirit by wearing something festive, colleagues around the Trust can do so, and raise some money for Your Trust Charity by celebrating Christmas Jumper Day on December 11.
The ‘rules’ have been slightly expanded for 2020. For clinical areas, you may wear your own appropriate Christmas clothing such as festive scrubs tops/t-shirts provided that you can keep bare below the elbows (BBE) and that there is nothing embellished that can fall off and is in line with the uniform policy. Scrubs tops/t-shirts must be laundered at 60 degrees C and should be worn with uniform / scrubs trousers. You must ensure you wear PPE as usual in clinical areas.
Non-clinical areas are permitted to wear festive clothing (stud earrings, hair scrunchies, socks and ties – as well as jumpers) providing IPC guidelines can be followed.
All areas should consider how they can take part in Christmas Jumper Day and raise funds for Your Trust Charity. Text YTCJUMPERDAY to 70085 to donate your £2 and don’t forget to send your festive pics – with proper social distancing – in to swbh.comms@nhs.net. And, if you’ve got a taste for the season of goodwill and wish to wear your festive favourite top from 20 December through to 2 January, then please feel free. During this time you may also wish to play some seasonal Christmas music, but please be aware of the volume, lest we disturb patients trying to rest.
16 days of action against domestic abuse
16 days of action against domestic abuse aims to raise awareness of abuse and sign post people across the borough to vital support services. The decision to make the 16 days between 25 November – 10 December was so that three other major events could be recognised: International Human Rights Defenders Day (29 November), World Aids Day (1 December) and the anniversary of the Montreal École Polytechnique Massacre (6 December). This is so that the connection between human rights and domestic abuse could be highlighted.
Rape and sexual violence:
The West Midlands Sexual Assault Referral Centre offers adults and children specialist medical care including sexual health and emergency contraception, practical help, free counselling for you, family/friends, information about making a report to the police and signposting to other specialist services. You can contact the service on 0800 970 0375.
The West Midlands Children’s and Young Person’s Service (CYPS) is provided by Mountain Healthcare Ltd and is aimed at anyone aged 17 and under who has experienced sexual violence or sexual abuse either recently or in the past. CYPS can be contacted by calling 0808 196 2340.
Note: In an emergency you should always call 999.
For more information please email n.reid-lyon@nhs.net.
Heartbeat: Carrie on learning
Carrie Goodship is a Band 7 Superintendent Radiographer and Reporting Radiographer within the imaging department. She qualified as a radiographer in 1996 and in 2001 she moved to Sandwell Hospital as a senior radiographer. Since then she has become a superintendent radiographer. Carrie also works within CT and interventional radiology and has experience in cardiac imaging and mammography.
Recently she completed a PG Cert in Image Reporting (Axial) at Derby University. We caught up with her to find out more about how the course will benefit her and the department overall.
Speaking to Heartbeat, she said: “The course took a year to complete, and it was a brand new course at the university, so I was in the very first cohort excitingly. I had already previously completed the PG Cert in Image Reporting (Appendicular) several years ago and, had already extended my role, so this was the next natural step in my career.
“I took a lot away from the course, and I’m looking forward to sharing these learnings within my area. Being able to support the internal radiographer and radiologist reporting team will facilitate a faster reporting turnaround time ultimately leading to faster diagnosis and treatment for our patients. In addition, my ability to report plain film studies will enable the radiologists to concentrate on other reporting within imaging such as CT and MRI and performing specialist examinations with interventional radiology and ultrasound.”
Carrie undertook the course alongside her day to day role, and that kept her extremely busy over the past 12 months. Looking back she recalls: “At times it was hard, managing my time between working shifts, writing essays and reflections required by the course as well as revision. It was all worth it in the end though and, I’m pleased I’ve invested my time in this additional learning. In the future, there is another module I would like to complete that focuses on the chest and abdomen. It would mean I could then report on all areas of the body which I’d like to be able to do.”
Carrie isn’t the only radiographer within her area to have completed extra learning. She explained: “The department hopes to maintain a rolling training system in reporting so that a radiographer is qualified each year. There are two radiographers currently studying reporting courses. This will ensure a multi-skilled workforce and an efficient service.
Air mattress and pumps from all red ward areas
There will be no further collection of airflow mattresses and pumps from red wards for the foreseeable future. They need to be cleaned (please see local guidelines for PPE use) and stored on your wards for reuse.
Please carry out the following for all airflow mattresses and pumps that have been used by any patient:
- Leave mattress inflated to facilitate easier cleaning
- Thoroughly wipe down each mattress and pump and cable with Chlor clean
- Ensure all surface areas are cleaned on the mattress (top, underneath, sides)
- Leave to dry
- When dry – Place in separate clear bags and secure with cable tie
- Store in suitable place on your ward for re-use
Faulty mattresses and pumps:
- Follow the above cleaning (please see local guidelines for PPE use)
- Place in separate clear bags and secure with cable tie
- Complete ‘The Declaration of Contamination Status’ forms fully for each item
- Place the form and item in a second clear bag
- Secure with a cable tie
- Label item for collection
- Contact the tissue viability team who will collect and leave a replacement in the ward store.
If you require any further mattresses, need extra bags or decontamination forms or have any queries, please contact the tissue viability team on ext. 3278.
Heartbeat: Eye can see clearly now!
Since the onset of COVID-19, the kindness and generosity of our local community to help see us through this pandemic safely has been unparalleled. We’ve seen many examples of people, community groups and organisations stepping forward to offer their support. One such example comes from Turves Green Boys’ School (TGBS).
The initiative led by Mr Fergus, Assistant Head Teacher involved students from the school stepping forward to support Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre (BMEC). Mr Fergus said: “When the lockdown of schools took place in March 2020, I found that due to the limited number of children being educated on the school premises, that I had time on my hands to do something positive for the community.”
The face shields project was initially funded by the school and set out to provide much needed PPE to ophthalmologists and eye care practitioners. Mr Fergus, who has a strong passion for technology, produced the first 50 face shields with his 3D printer for colleagues at BMEC.
“I approached Mr Inglis, Head of Turves Green Boys’ School and asked him whether the school would provide the funding for me to produce face visors for medical or care institutions that needed them. He instantly agreed and gave me a budget which allowed me to purchase all the materials to start production.”
Later on, in collaboration with Aston University and the team led by Dr Antonio Fratini, Head of Biomedical Engineering, the production of face shields was increased to take advantage of their 3D printer facility. Dr Fratini remarked: “This is our small contribution to the community and a thank you to professionals on the front line. A particular mention must go to our technical support, Mr Shammi Adatia, for his efforts in sourcing materials and producing the visors in these difficult times.”
Recently, TGB School and Aston University delivered the first batch of the face shields that will help the staff during clinics. The face shields donated by the joint academic forces will be used by nursing, optometry and other ophthalmic allied healthcare professions, as well as BMEC medical staff working on the wards, clinics and emergency department.
COVID-19 Bulletin: Friday 4 December
To keep up to date with the pace of change we will be sharing a bulletin on a daily basis. There’s a lot of change taking place at the moment so please make sure you catch up with the latest bulletins throughout the week, as even if some points seem familiar you may find the details have been updated a great deal.
We must ensure we look after ourselves and others within our community. Make sure you keep in touch with those you love and your neighbours. People may well be feeling anxious, lonely and scared at this time.
Thank you for looking out for one another.
In today’s COVID-19 bulletin
New
Updated
1. NEW: Roll up, roll up – read all about the PPE changes
We have now updated our guidance around Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which includes clarification around when and where you should be bare below the elbows.
Amber and red posters displaying the new guidance have been produced and will be rolled out next week. They will replace current posters on ward doors.
Key changes to the guidance include the following:
- Colleagues carrying out a single Aerosol Generated Procedure (AGP), for example intubation, extubation, tracheomtomy, suctioning or those having close contact with a patient, should wear a single use gown with full sleeves with a plastic apron over the gown. Please remove the gown after the task is completed.
- For sessional work within a VERY HIGH RISK area or an AGP area (for example D17), a sessional gown with rolled up sleeves (BARE BELOW THE ELBOWS) should be worn. Colleagues should wear a disposable plastic apron over the sessional use gown and change this in between patients. Please wash your hands and arms in between patients.
- Eye protection should be worn for sessional use in both Amber and High Risk areas.
This guidance is for ward areas only (not critical care) and for patient-facing clinical colleagues.
If you are visiting the ward from another area, a minimum requirement when entering the unit will be to wear a mask (please note: staff must follow their individual risk assessment for PPE).
The new guidance must be followed so as we maintain strong infection prevention and control measures across all our sites.
You are able to view the full guidance on PPE here.
These are the new posters – click to view as larger images:
2. Updated: New Christmas visiting arrangements are on the way
The Trust has continued to review the restrictions on visiting. Due to the Tier 3 position for Sandwell and Birmingham we are maintaining restricted visiting.
As a reminder, visiting is not permitted apart from for End of Life (EoL) patients, birthing partners, children and those who lack mental capacity. In certain circumstances exceptions can be made for patients who are in serious distress but this must be at the discretion of the ward manager and the named clinician.
We are expecting that we would be able to make different arrangements for the five days over Christmas (23 – 27 December) and will communicate this in due course
Star of the Week – Jayne Redfren
Our Star of the Week this week is Jayne Redfern, Service Manager.
When her co-worker for running the medicine rota went on maternity leave, Jayne stepped in and has been working round the clock to ensure as many slots as possible are filled in the medical rota.
Jayne’s resilience has been nothing but outstanding. Congratulations Jayne!
Do you know someone in your team that has gone above and beyond the call of duty? Why not put them forward for Star of the Week by clicking here.
Dr Nick’s fourth #Dance4Wellbeing – send us your photos and videos
As you may have seen last month, Dr. Nick Makwana led you through the third in a series of #Dance4Wellbeing routines to help you get up and go. The routine was based on Bollywood track, Chammak Challo.
For December, Nick has come in with a special Christmas routine and is joined by a couple of his colleagues for this routine!
You can see the fantastic moves by clicking on the video below.
We’re encouraging both clinical and non-clinical colleagues from across the Trust to send us their photos and video clips of their fantastic moves to swbh.comms@nhs.net.
For more information please contact Johnny.shah@nhs.net.
Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 4 December
This week has seen the exciting announcement that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the Pfizer/BionTech Covid-19 vaccine. We are hearing more each day about the characteristics of the vaccine and the prioritisation phases. We are expecting and planning for a staff vaccination programme and we will keep you informed of how the roll-out of that programme will work and when we might be able to begin staff vaccinations.
There is also good news that Covid-19 cases in the community are indeed reducing, having come down over the last week, likely as a result of the latest lockdown. I know that tier 3 brings its own challenges for us, personally and at work, but it should mean that cases locally remain on the downward track. You will have seen in the Covid-19 bulletin that the numbers of inpatient admissions in hospital has not reduced which has maintained the additional pressure on many of our wards and critical care services. This is not easy and I know just how hard many of you are working, and struggling to keep going. We will be publishing some rules about annual leave in coming days but my main message on leave is that we really want you to take a break and take some time off where and when you can. Holiday planning has been disrupted but we all need rest and time off so that we can continue through the next phase. Please talk to your team and your manager about what can be accommodated in terms of time away from the Trust, using your annual leave allocation. Arrangements for outstanding annual leave will be available shortly.
Thank you to everyone who has embraced the new rapid lateral flow testing. Thousands of you have received a testing kit and are diligently taking a test every few days. My plea is that you record your test results through the form on Connect. We need to know the negative as well as the positive results. This helps us to identify the level of the virus among our workforce and means that people can self-isolate early with a positive result even when there are no symptoms.
I am pleased to say that, although Covid-19 featured in the Trust Board’s discussions during the meeting this week, it wasn’t the sole focus and we talked about some really important initiatives in relation to inclusion and diversity. Dr Sarb Clare talked passionately about the need for the Trust to address gender balance within our organisation, particularly among senior leadership roles. Dr Clare has been a driving force behind some key initiatives within the Trust including the women’s clinician network, workshops and conferences, and the empowerment awards earlier in the year. The Board supported the need for increased investment to enable us to fulfil our equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) commitments. We recognise the work of the staff networks and also the need for those groups to have additional support and commitment from the Trust. I am pleased that we can progress this agenda and welcome the involvement from people right across our workforce who have shaped the EDI action plan. The Trust Board recognised the progress that has been made and also the ambitious plan that has been set out.
The Board also discussed the opportunities to collaborate more closely with our partner Trusts in the Black Country. We will continue to consider which clinical services could benefit from a more joined up approach, but we are clear that our focus is on delivering the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital and supporting the developing integrated care places in Sandwell and Ladywood & Perry Barr.
We have once more picked up the weekly meetings preparing for the UK to leave the European Union as there remains no update on a trade deal. We will begin to share Brexit information through our communications bulletins in coming days. At present we are not expecting disruption in areas such as research trials, medicines and other supplies but we are required to assure ourselves that our arrangements will be unaffected, or we have a contingency plan in place. The role that EU nationals fulfil in our Trust and in the wider NHS is essential and greatly valued. We will be writing shortly to all staff with an EU nationality recorded in ESR to advise them of the need to apply for settled or pre-settled status before 30 June 2021. This means that you can continue to live and work here and your employment with the Trust remains in place. You are a vital part of our SWB family so thank you for your ongoing support and commitment.
Jayne Redfern, Service Manager is this week’s Star of the Week. When her co-worker for running the medicine rota went on maternity leave, Jayne stepped in and has been working round the clock to ensure as many slots as possible are filled in the medical rota. Her resilience has been outstanding. Congratulations Jayne.
Christmas is not cancelled at SWB. Next week we will share some guidance on how we can decorate and celebrate safely. It will be different to previous years but I know that the Christmas spirit will shine through as we continue caring for our patients.
David Carruthers
Acting Chief Executive
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