Monthly archives: December 2020

COVID-19 Bulletin: Monday 14 December

If a message is in the bulletin, then it means all colleagues need to know about it. It is your responsibility to read the bulletin every day and if you think of a way to improve the bulletin, please let us know by emailing swbh.comms@nhs.net.

All the messages that are published in the bulletin are signed off during our daily Trust tactical meeting, and you can find the latest information about our COVID response on Connect here. Please take the time to keep yourself updated and safe.

New message: Are you currently wearing an Alpha mask?

We expect to run out of Alpha masks within the next seven days but there are alternatives available. Colleagues are therefore advised to get fit tested for a half face silicone or Handanhy mask as a replacement.

To book yourself in for fit testing please call ext. 5050 and the team will book you into a slot at a site, date and time to suit you.

2. Repeat message: Remember to go with the (lateral) flow – input your results

Thank you to all of you who have submitted your lateral flow test results onto Connect so far. Lateral flow tests are designed to help to identify any asymptomatic COVID positive cases and helps ensure we are playing our part in keeping patients, fellow NHS workers and our families safe.

Thousands of frontline colleagues have received the self-testing home kits, however only a relatively small percentage of results have been submitted so far. Recording these results could help to save lives, so it’s really important that each time you use the test your results – positive or negative – are submitted.

You can upload your test results here via Connect, but only when you are on the Trust network.

The initial roll out of self-testing home kits for colleagues has now been completed. If you haven’t yet received a kit and work in a patient-facing area, please speak to your service lead and ask if they have included you in the submission that they have made for additional kits required.

Important information for managers distributing kits:

Please return your completed collected kits proforma to sandwell.adminhub@nhs.net along with the number of additional kits required.

3. Updated message: Are you wearing the correct PPE?

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 are now being displayed across the Trust.

Key changes to the guidance include the following:

Don’t forget: In both amber and high risk areas you must also wear eye protection for sessional use!

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.

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 including a document which explains the new policy on PPE.

These are the new posters – click to view as larger images.

Personal Christmas card from The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge- Royal Patrons NHS Charities Together

You may have seen in the news that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been undertaking a three-day festive journey of the UK, visiting care homes, hospitals and those who have gone above and beyond’ during COVID-19 pandemic to pay tribute to their efforts.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are also the Royal Patrons of NHS Charities Together, and they sent a personal Christmas card to all NHS staff. You can read this here.

Who’s in charge?: Campaign aims to reduce child harm danger

A video campaign has been launched by Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in response to increasing concerns that growing numbers of babies and children are at risk of serious harm because of the way some parents and carers consume alcohol at home.

In the four year period ending in March 2020, 35 babies in the West Midlands region (Birmingham, Black Country, Coventry, Warwickshire, Solihull, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Telford and Wrekin) died while sharing beds or sofas with adults who had consumed more than two units of alcohol (or used illegal drugs). Eight of these deaths were in Birmingham.

For further resources around the campaign including videos and information, please click here.

Star of the Week – Denise Fitzmaurice

Our Star of the Week this week is Denise Fitzmaurice, Community Liaison Nurse.

Denise does consistently excellent work with patients who have complex social and health needs. She goes over and above her duties so that the patients receive the correct support after discharge. She liaises with external agencies to ensure a smooth transition from hospital into the community.

Denise is always happy to help her colleagues with complex discharges, shares her expertise and utilises contacts in the community to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients. She supports some of our most vulnerable patients who leave our hospital sites.

Denise always shows professionalism in her conduct and always treats her colleagues and patients alike with the upmost respect.

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.

Heartbeat: Rachael Hebbert – by royal appointment!

Born at Sandwell General Hospital, Lead Advanced Nurse Practitioner for Your Health Partnership (YHP) PCN Rachael Hebbert is very excited and incredibly proud to have earned the distinction of being a Queen’s Nurse.

Speaking to Heartbeat, she explained: “Nursing is my passion, especially nursing for older people, which is the area I find most rewarding, and where I have focussed my career. However, there was a time once I saw my career path in teaching as I am a qualified teacher and enjoy passing on knowledge and skills. I used to have a part-time post teaching ‘A’ level health and social care at Halesowen College whilst also working as a Nurse Advisor to the Older Person in Worcestershire.

“I’m lucky that my nursing career has enabled me to pursue that dream in conjunction with my clinical role. I enjoy teaching student nurses and more junior colleagues and am currently teaching community pharmacists about the assessment of minor illness in my spare time.”

The path to becoming a Queen’s Nurse is open to individual nurses who have demonstrated a high level of commitment to patient care and nursing practice.

All nurses, health visitors and midwives with five years’ experience working in the community or primary care are eligible to apply. The application process includes a detailed description and explanation of how the nurse lives the values of the Queen’s Nurse Institute (QNI) and endeavours to develop quality nursing services for patients. Rachael received her accolade after demonstrating a high level of commitment to patient care and nursing practice. Nursing for 27 years and in YHP for six, Rachael leads the home visiting team for YHP where they substitute for a GP on home visits. She also leads on non-medical prescribing, end of life care, personalised care and is responsible for organising the multi-disciplinary team meetings within YHP. This award recognises her commitment to improving services and care for our patients in the community.

She continued: “Sadly COVID-19 has affected our service currently as we are able to see fewer patients face to face on home visits due to the risk that we pose to housebound vulnerable patients. However, video consulting is great to be able to assess patients virtually.

“I am very enthusiastic about personalised care and all that this entails and would like to develop services further to ensure that the patient is at the heart of everything we do. Above all else, I wish to continue with a clinical, patient-facing aspect to my work. Joining the Trust with YHP has presented many more exciting opportunities for the development of clinical roles. The opportunities especially for nurses are boundless particularly in terms of advanced practice.”

Rachael is keen to keep it in the family as her husband she describes as “an exceptional man who is also an advanced nurse practitioner in the organisation.”

Proud mum to two grown-up daughters, one of whom is a community psychiatric nurse and the other is in the Army; Rachael is excitedly awaiting the birth of her first grandson due in March 2021.

Rachael’s one regret on receiving her award now is that her mom didn’t get to see it. “I’m a little sad that my Mom, who passed away five years ago, was not around to see it – she would have been chuffed to bits!”

Support the Trust cancer fund and be in with a chance of winning a pair of diamond earrings

The living with and beyond cancer team are holding a virtual raffle to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support and the Your Trust Charity.

The team are raffling off a beautiful pair of handmade yellow and white gold, diamond and emerald earrings, worth a staggering £765!

If you wish to bid on these earrings please click here.

Note: When donating please enter your name and the last 4 digits of your mobile number in the ‘Your Message’ box. Also please do not hide your donation amount as it is the only way we know how many tickets to allocate to you. Please follow these simple instructions so that we are able to allocate tickets fairly.

For more information please email alison.pease@nhs.net.

Access to mental health and wellbeing services during COVID-19

Are you worried, anxious or feeling isolated because of COVID-19? Healthwatch Sandwell want to hear from you.

They want to find out:

How COVID-19 has affected your mental health?
How mental health and well-being services have been affected?
What have you done to cope during COVID-19?

Healthwatch are planning on collating this information by telephone, zoom and an online survey which can be accessed here.

If you are interested in taking part please email anita.andrews@healthwatchsandwell.co.uk or call 07885 214421.

COVID-19 Bulletin: Friday 11 December

1. New: Swabbing update for patients in red areas

We know that the evidence for the duration of viral shedding varies in severely unwell and immunosuppressed individuals, and that this patient group can continue to shed viable virus for longer with a real risk of cross transmission. Hence it is important that we minimise the movement of patients out of red areas unless clinically necessary.

Before moving patients who are persistently or intermittently COVID positive, please discuss plans to move the patient to an amber ward with infection control or microbiology so they can advise on any potential risk. If a patient develops new COVID-19 symptoms after a 90 day period, they should be treated as a re-infection and must be isolated and tested again. If the patient is improving (Afebrile for two days and Improved respiratory symptoms) but unable to go home for other medical or social reasons then they could stay on the red ward.

After 14 days following a positive COVID-19 test, and with complete resolution of symptoms, if the patient needs to be transferred to an amber ward for a longer stay in hospital due to rehab (stroke and neuro pathways) the patient would need two negative swab results 24 hrs apart or one negative lower respiratory sample e.g. sputum, to be considered an acceptable risk to stepdown to an amber ward.

If repeat testing remains positive after 14 days, the patient should routinely be tested after a further seven days if they remain in hospital.

2. New: This Friday, think fit testing

Colleagues who have been using Alpha Solway masks need to take action to get fit tested for replacement masks, as you will know from previous bulletins that stocks of the Solway masks are running low. We have a high level of availability of the very similar Handanhy HY9632 mask which we anticipate will be a suitable replacement. If you have yet to be fit tested for this mask or for the half face silicone respirators that are also in use, please see the fit testing team at City or Sandwell as soon as you are able.

3. New: Sandwell Council COVID-19 grant scheme launched

A total of £1.4 million has been made available to Sandwell Council by the government to help those most affected by COVID-19. The grant is available for families living in Sandwell – to buy food or help pay household energy and water bills – as well as other essentials like warm clothing, toiletries, sanitary products, blankets and sometimes towards other essential household equipment.

Applications for the grant can be made online at www.sandwell.gov.uk/wintergrant or those with no access to internet can call 0121 569 2266 to apply. The grant is available throughout the winter until March and households can apply a maximum of twice during that period.

4. New: A welcome break for colleagues

Many staff will be working over the Christmas period caring for our patients. We know it can be a stressful time so it is important that you take a break. The Trust has expanded the Wellbeing Sanctuary onto both City and Sandwell sites, in a bid to offer more colleagues the opportunity to take a break away from wards and clinical areas. These new spaces are open to all colleagues, and provide a place to chill out, relax, unwind and recharge your batteries from 21 – 24 December and 29 – 31 December from 8am to 4pm week days.

The wellbeing rooms are located at:

Conference Room at Sandwell Education Centre
The Dining Room at Post Graduate Centre City

Free refreshments including tea and coffee and individually wrapped biscuits and snacks will be provided. Relaxing background music will be playing to help colleagues switch off, enjoy the moment, and get the most from their break. On using the rooms you’ll be expected to adhere to current IPC rules including social distancing, using hand sanitiser and wearing face masks appropriately.

5. Reminder: A charge on Discharges

We continue as a Trust to manage our inpatient numbers to a high standard, and a big thank you to all those that have been instrumental in that. A good example of that could be seen in our weekly stats in Thursday’s bulletin where our number of discharges has increased in response to the increased number of cases.

It is important we continue to keep up this excellent work, making sure our beds are filled with those that need it and that those that are able to recover from home are able to do so.

As such we offer a reminder that you can find all the latest COVID-19 Clinical Guidance, such as the Discharge from Acute Hospital pathway, within the Coronavirus section on Connect.

6. Reminder: Remember to go with the (lateral) flow

You can upload your test results here via Connect, but only when you are on the Trust network.

Please note: Connect has been experiencing some difficulties over the last few days, so please try again later if the site is unavailable.

Important information for managers distributing kits:
Please return your completed collected kits proforma to sandwell.adminhub@nhs.net along with the number of additional kits required.

7. See Also: Royal mail: Message to all NHS staff

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are also the Royal Patrons of NHS Charities Together, and they sent a personal Christmas card to all NHS staff earlier today. You can read this here

Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 11 December

Dinah McLannahan, Chief Finance Officer

Hi Everyone – I am back for one week only as David is taking a couple of days of well-earned annual leave. On that topic, it is really important that if at all possible, you take your annual leave entitlement this year. If you are genuinely unable to do this despite you and your line manager’s best efforts, you are able to carry some forward in to next year. Please ensure your taken and booked leave for 2021 is agreed with your line manager and on ESR by the end of December, for those of you whose leave year runs April to April. People with different leave years must also have the conversation about remaining annual leave. We will then review the Trust wide position and determine the management of the leave we are planning to carry forward in to next year.

It has been a wonderful privilege to act as CEO for short periods this year. However a feature of this experience unfortunately has been patients who complain directly to the CEO about their care and/or experience. There are of course many compliments and positive experiences about our services, but I have found that when we fall short of expectations, it is almost always lack of, or poor communication that is the root cause of the complaint. Obviously our time is not free but it is money well spent to spend your time ensuring effective communication to our patients and their families and carers about their care. Effective communication is so valuable to our patients and their families to put their minds at rest, particularly at the current time when visiting is restricted.

Whilst visiting is currently restricted, we do hope to lift restrictions slightly between 23^rd and 27^th December, subject to a review of the situation nearer the time. Details of this have been shared via the Covid bulletin.

Well done to all concerned for the level of discharges we have achieved this week – there has been a marked improvement – keep it up! Also, thank you well done to everyone involved in the decant of City ITU out of the main unit to D16. They moved back in yesterday, without incident, after a deep clean. Thank you for keeping services going during this disruption, especially when we are so busy.

On the theme of safe patient discharges, it is apt that this week’s Star of the Week goes to Community Liaison Nurse Denise Fitzmaurice. Denise was nominated for her excellent work with patients who have complex health and social care needs. She goes over and above her duties so that patients receive the correct support after discharge, liaising with external agencies to ensure a smooth transition from hospital into the community. She uses her expertise to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients. Congratulations and well done, Denise!

Two weeks ago we had our inaugural virtual star awards (tears of pride 5 minutes in from me!) and this week, many of the star award winners will have received their certificates, prizes and trophies which is a fantastic culmination of our celebration of everything that is great about our trust. I hope you have found the time to congratulate your colleagues who were shortlisted and those who came out top on the day. There has been so much excellent practice highlighted through this awards scheme as well as in the QIHD poster competition that I have had the privilege of judging. I spent a most enjoyable few hours on Wednesday going through the entries; the pride in learning and improvement, on quality and improved outcomes, was absolutely fantastic.

Thank you to the gynaecology team who have been collecting goods since September to support women and families in refuges across the Black Country this Christmas. Black Country Women’s Aid are delighted with the donations and are a key partner and friend of the Trust, working together on many initiatives including the IDVAs (Independent Domestic Violence Advisors) in ED, originally funded through Your Trust Charity. The generosity of the gynaecology team, their friends and family is truly remarkable and will help bring some Christmas cheer for those who are in extremely difficult circumstances, having fled from domestic abuse or modern slavery, cases of which have risen during the pandemic.

Santa’s elves are busy getting together items to help our patients this Christmas including gifts for those who are being visited at home or are having to stay in hospital over Christmas Day. We will be celebrating Christmas safely this year with limited decorations across the Trust. Thank you to the many colleagues who joined in Christmas Jumper Day today to raise funds for Your Trust Charity. You can still wear your festive apparel throughout the Christmas period and donate your £2 by texting YTCJUMPERDAY to 70085.

This week has been a pivotal moment for the NHS as the first patients and some staff received the recently approved Covid-19 vaccine. The roll-out of vaccines is taking place nationwide on a phased basis, beginning with hospital hubs. The first wave of hospital hubs has included Walsall Manor as the only hospital in Birmingham and the Black Country. We are not yet aware when our Trust will receive the vaccine but we are carrying on with our planning so that we can respond quickly. We will be notified a few days ahead of the vaccines arriving. Patients who are over 80 years old, care home workers and health care workers who are at high risk are the first groups of people to be vaccinated from these hospital hubs. Your Health Partnership are likely to start patient vaccinations next week and we look forward to congratulating them for being the first teams within the Trust to begin this vital programme.

New Artifical Intelligence research in imaging – important information for all clinicians referring patients to imaging

The Trust has entered into a partnership with IBM Watson to carry out some research into the use of Artificial Intelligence in Imaging. The Trust is a leader in this field, and the research will be important in shaping the use of AI within the Trust going forwards. The research begins on 14 December and it is important that all patients are informed that their X-ray and CT images will be used for this purpose. Please ensure that patients are informed of the research and given the opportunity to opt-out. The information sheet below should be shared with them with information on the study and how they can opt-out.

Attachment C_Participant Information Sheet_V5

The current research is reviewing:

Chest X-Ray:

Pneumothorax
Rib Fracture

Chest CT:

Pulmonary Embolism
Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm
Lung Nodule
Emphysema

Abdominal CT:

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Liver Lesions

More information can be found in the IBM clinicians notes

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Monthly archives: December 2020

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