Monthly archives: March 2021

Building works at Sandwell on Wednesday – please be mindful when accessing Education Centre and Trust HQ

As you may be aware The Trust is nearing completion of some building works at Sandwell which  will mean they will dismantling the crawler crane on Wednesday 10 March. This means that on Wednesday 10 March the crawler crane will be parked on site with its jib laid down meaning their could be obstructions when trying to enter and exit Trust HQ and the Education Centre.

Please see Crawler crane plan for further details.

Though we will have a team of banksmen present at all times who will control pedestrians from the accommodation block and alleyway by the Education Centre during lifts, must must remind colleagues to be vigilant when passing through this area of the Sandwell site.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Building works at Sandwell on Wednesday – please be mindful when accessing Education Centre and Trust HQ

As you may be aware The Trust is nearing completion of some building works at Sandwell which  will mean they will dismantling the crawler crane on Wednesday 10 March. This means that on Wednesday 10 March the crawler crane will be parked on site with its jib laid down meaning their could be obstructions when trying to enter and exit Trust HQ and the Education Centre.

Please see Crawler crane plan for further details.

Though we will have a team of banksmen present at all times who will control pedestrians from the accommodation block and alleyway by the Education Centre during lifts, must must remind colleagues to be vigilant when passing through this area of the Sandwell site.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Free rapid tests now available for Sandwell residents

New government guidance means adults in households with children can test themselves every three or four days.  Adults living with children at primary school, secondary school or college – or in a support bubble or childcare bubble with another household with school age children – are encouraged to use a rapid COVID-19 test at home.

Details are available at: www.sandwell.gov.uk/rapidhometests

Note: These rapid home tests are only for adults with school age children in their household and their bubbles. Schoolchildren will be tested in school as appropriate. 

Rapid testing is only for people with no COVID-19 symptoms. If you have a new continuous cough, high temperature or a loss or change in sense of taste or smell you should and book an NHS (PCR) test.

Boxes of tests can be collected from testing sites in Tipton, Smethwick and West Bromwich between 1.30pm and 7pm every day of the week, up to two boxes of rapid home tests per family or four for a large family. There is no need to book.  The test detects cases of Covid-19 in under 30 minutes – meaning positive cases and their whole household can isolate immediately.

Celebrating NHS Overseas Workers Day

Today (Friday 5 March) marks the date for the first ever Overseas NHS Workers Day. It presents an opportunity for celebrating the marvellous contributions of our international colleagues. Internationally trained doctors, nurses and countless other professions stood up for the NHS in its moment of greatest need. It is time that we give back and celebrate the true value and uniqueness that colleagues from overseas bring to our NHS.

NHS Overseas Workers Day is a recognition of the extraordinary contribution that people who have migrated to the UK and played an integral role in the UK’s fight against COVID-19. The Doctors’ Association UK with support from the Royal College of Nursing, Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association and Unison aim to recognise the incredible contribution these people make in all the roles they fulfil in the NHS.

Almost 200 different nationalities are represented within the NHS in England. The majority of staff are British, but as of January 2020, 169,000 (13.8 per cent) NHS staff report a non-British nationality, with Indian, Filipino and Irish representing the highest numbers. 67,000 members of staff are nationals of other EU countries.

Join us in thanking colleagues for their extraordinary contributions to the NHS in one of the most challenging years.

Walk in slots available for first dose of vaccine at Sheldon Block City Hospital

The Primary Care Network (PCN) vaccine hub at City has a limited number of walk in slots available today for colleagues to have their first dose of the COVID vaccine.

Note: Vaccines will be administered on a first come, first serve basis. The hub is open up to 6pm today (but is closed between 1 and 2pm). There is no need to book, but there may be a short wait before being vaccinated.

PDR training courses and uncomfortable conversations training courses

PDR training is for managers who have never done PDR training before and need to complete PDRs with colleagues. It is available to book via ESR and is completed via a WebEx online meeting. Colleagues will be sent a link to complete the training via email.

Uncomfortable conversations training is mandatory for accredited managers and also open to all managers or aspiring managers across the organisation. If you go to ESR you can book a space by searching for the word ‘Accredited’ and will be sent a link.

For more information please email richard.burnell@nhs.net.

Help to shape our estate with the next Engie user group

As we look towards our go-live date with Engie on 5 April, we’re pleased to outline some of the topics that will be on the agenda at the next user group in March:

• Small works/project works
• Planned preventive maintenance
• How to log a job on the portal
• Q&As

We caught up with Suzie Gray, Contract Performance Manager, who told us a little about the first user group.

“It was great to hold the first user group in February and engage the Trust and Engie in discussions regarding the new contract. The questions and comments from Trust attendants were insightful and have already sparked numerous introductions and meetings with various Engie staff members.”

Suzie added: “It was good to have Engie in attendance, to start to build relationships within the Trust. We aim to have each department represented and kept informed and involved through the user groups- please drop me an email if you’d like to attend on 24 March.”

You can contact Suzie by emailing suzanne.gray9@nhs.net.

COVID-19 Bulletin: Thursday 4 March

Numbers not statistics: This week (last week)

1. New: Know the facts about COVID-19 vaccines and fertility

With thanks to Birmingham Women’s Hospital for sharing with us.

While there are myths on social media that the vaccine can affect fertility, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that the vaccine affects fertility or the ability to carry a child to full term.

During the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine study, there were 23 study participants who became pregnant during their vaccine trial. There was one pregnancy loss, but this was in a participant who received the placebo, not the vaccine.

The antibodies produced against the COVID-19 spike protein following immunisation will not block syncitin-1 – the protein critical for the placenta to remain attached to the uterus. While the COVID-19 spike protein shares several amino acids in common with syncitin-1, it is significantly different enough for the antibodies not to recognise and block this critical placental binding protein. It should be also acknowledged that this vaccine is not a ‘live’ vaccine and there is no known risk associated with giving other non-live vaccines.

While there is no evidence that acute COVID-19 infections themselves cause infertility in the short- or long-term, there has been evidence that the acute viral infection can lead to orchitis, or inflammation of the testicles. This would not be unique to SARS-CoV-2, as other viruses such as mumps, hepatitis, and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) can cause acute inflammation, and later scarring, of the testicles.

Some pregnant women who have contracted COVID-19 have died and/or suffered fetal loss as a result of acute COVID-19 infections therefore pregnant women who are frontline health or social care workers, including carers in a residential home, can also discuss the option of vaccination. This is because the risk of exposure to COVID-19 may be higher, even if they have a lower risk of experiencing complications if they are otherwise well. The JCVI also now advises that there is no known risk in giving these vaccines to breastfeeding women.

Additional reading is available here.

If you have concerns about your own health and the COVID-19 vaccines please talk to our occupational health department.

2. New: A roadmap for re-opening our gym facilities

Colleagues have rightly raised questions about when the on-site gym facilities at Sandwell and City Hospitals will be reopening. You are aware that the Trust took the decision to temporarily close these due to the national lockdown restrictions and associated risk assessment.

We aim to reopen the gyms when it is safe to do so, in line with the national roadmap for exiting lockdown restrictions. This means that the earliest that we will look to open these facilities is 12 April. Until that point we will complete a further risk assessment to ensure that we can establish the right infection prevention and control measures to open these facilities safely. The same approach will be taken to review treatments at the Wellbeing Sanctuary.

If you need help and support with exercising away from work, or outside, there are a range of online resources which include details on how to lose weight, get active and quit smoking. These health and wellbeing apps can be accessed here.

The NHS also has information dedicated to exercise online including access to the NHS Fitness Studio where you can choose an activity to suit you such as aerobics or yoga. Or, perhaps you’d prefer to take up a challenge such as Couch to 5K?

We also have a wealth of information about health and wellbeing on Connect.

3. Reminder: Mr Khan, community leader, they all know me! Celebrities unite to support COVID-19 vaccination programme

One of Birmingham’s much loved sons – actor, writer and presenter Adil Ray – well known as Citizen Khan from the BBC sitcom where he plays the self-appointed leader and voice of Muslim Birmingham, has worked with fellow celebrities to produce a film dispelling some common myths around the COVID vaccine.

Recognising the volume of misinformation circulating about the vaccine, and worried that ignorance would discourage people to get vaccinated, Adil mobilised his colleagues to save lives by sharing their personal thoughts, experiences and beliefs about COVID in the following film.

He commented: “After taking part in the Stay At Home campaign last year, we felt that once again we had to do something to help.  Unfortunately we are now fighting another pandemic – misinformation, where communities who are ignored are preyed upon and voices that endanger lives are amplified.

“Whilst these communities must accept some responsibility too, and take the vaccine to save lives, we all must do what we can and come together to fight this deadly virus. We hope this video can help dispel some of the myths and offer some encouragement for everyone to take the vaccine.”

You can watch the film by clicking below:

4. Reminder: REACT now!

Mental wellbeing – you can’t see it, you can’t touch it but we all have mental health. It encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing.

One in four people will experience a mental health issue of some kind each year in England. Now, more than ever, we need to take steps to look after our mental wellbeing.

The last twelve months have impacted us all differently. To help support colleagues, the Trust is training more REACT Practitioners to support mental wellbeing. The training is a half day online course that can be completed using any type of tablet or laptop and it can be done from home. The equipment used does not need to be supplied by the Trust, personal devices are fine.

Here is a link with more information.

The following dates are available with spaces, with training sessions lasting from 9am through to 1:30pm

• 8, 12, 15, 16 and 22 March.

If you would like to become a REACT Practitioner, please ask your line manager to email Mandeep.gill11@nhs.net and provide your name, place of work and which course you would prefer to attend. Where courses are full you will be asked for another date.

Staff must be willing and able to provide support to colleagues within the Trust and it is not anticipated that this would take more than a maximum of one hour per week. We especially welcome staff to complete the training from the surgical services group and also any staff who work on wards and areas that have been particularly impacted by COVID. However, all colleagues may request a place.

Please note: This training is externally purchased by the Trust and failure to attend once booked may incur a financial penalty.

5. Reminder: Get in the loop with LAMP testing

Our roll out of LAMP (Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification) testing continues and from 1 March, we went live with the following areas:

• Anaesthetics
• Specialist Surgery
• Theatres
• Ophthalmology
• General Surgery

They joined:

• Admitted Care A and B
• Emergency Care
• Gynae and Gynae Oncology.

Colleagues from the following directorates should start to register for LAMP, as they will go live on Monday, 8 March:

• iCares
• Operations
• iBeds
• Maternity & Perinatal Medicine.

LAMP testing is a weekly test where you collect a saliva sample first thing in the morning (before you brush your teeth or have your breakfast). You collect your sample at home and as you come into work, you deposit your sample in to one of collection boxes in phlebotomy on our acute and community sites which are then sent off to the lab to be tested. LAMP test results are processed quicker than the usual PCR swab tests and notifications of both positive and negative results sent back to you via text message.

Instructions on how to perform the test can be accessed by clicking here.

If the result comes back positive you and your household will need to immediately isolate for 10 days and you will not require a PCR swab test to confirm the result. By Monday, 22 March, we will have testing available for all staff. You should continue with the lateral flow testing until you move to the LAMP testing programme.

If you have kit left over from your lateral flow tests please return these to your service area and we will arrange for left over testing kit to be collected. If you are at the end of your lateral flow test kit and not due to transition over before you run out of kit, please contact the community contact centre on 0121 507 2664 option 6.

You can read the Frequently Asked Questions by clicking here.

Did you know the law around organ donation has changed?

Alison Morris, specialist nurse for organ donation has this message for everyone about the law change and how you could help to save a life.

For more information please visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk.

Black Lives Matters Group newsletter

The Black Lives Matter Group was established by the Black Country and West Birmingham People Board with the objective to support leaders to use their role and privilege to take system changes, tackle systemic racism in organisations and take personal accountability for change.

Each month the group produce a newsletter covering the latest topics and news from the Sustainability Transformation Partnership.

You can check out the latest edition by clicking here