Monthly archives: April 2021
Health Service Heroes discount booklet
There are variety of discount available to all Trust through the Health Service Heroes discount booklet. To check out all the latest discounts please click here.
For information about all our staff benefits, please contact amir.ali1@nhs.net or call ext. 6148.
Arches Costa Coffee closure: 21 April
Arches Costa Coffee retail unit at City Hospital will be closed from 2pm – 5pm on Wednesday 21 April so essential maintenance works can be completed. The nearest retail unit to Arches is Coffee Culture on the main spine which is open from 7.30am – 6pm. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
JCVI announcement regarding COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy
There is now further robust evidence of the safety of vaccines particularly mRNA based vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna in pregnant women. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has updated its guidance on COVID to recommend that vaccination should be offered to all pregnant women in the eligible groups.
The JCVI states: “There have been no specific safety concerns identified with any brand of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines in relation to pregnancy. Real-world data from the United States shows that around 90,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated, mainly with mRNA vaccines including Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, without any safety concerns being raised.”
In the light of this recommendation and the acknowledgement that vaccination is highly desirable to prevent COVID infection in this at risk group, the trust vaccination hub at Sandwell is able to offer a limited number of Pfizer vaccine slots to pregnant colleagues during the next week. Following which Pfizer vaccine supply will pause. Contact the booking team on 0121 507 4112 to make an appointment.
Additionally, colleagues who are pregnant, breast feeding or planning pregnancy and had their first dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID Vaccine already, can continue to access their 2nd dose of the vaccine via the Tipton hub without any changes.
Recall notice: Gloveon paloma examination gloves
We have received a recall notice for Gloveon paloma examination gloves ( NPC: GVNI0174, 0175, 0176). A small number of these gloves were received at the City site and some have been distributed. Our records show that 25,000 of these gloves were delivered and there are presently 13,000 left in stores.
It is not possible for us to know where exactly the gloves have been distributed to, but the materials management team will check in wards as they undertake their daily deliveries and will quarantine any they come across. Likewise the remaining stock in stores will be quarantined.
All wards, areas and departments are encouraged to look out for these gloves and contact lisa.southall1@nhs.net or call ext. 4938 should they find any and collection will be arranged.
Swabbing pathway update
Colleagues should note that patients no longer require a swab ahead of transfer to a PCCT bed, but will continue the swabbing routine already in place.
Star of the Week – Jacqueline Deeming
Our Star of the Week this week is Jacqueline Deeming, Senior Ward Service Officer.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, Jacqueline has always supported the ward service officers giving them latest advice helping them through challenging times. Even though she has had her own difficulties and duties to manage, she has always given any support them team have needed especially to her colleagues who work on the weekends.
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.
Better value, quality care programme
We have launched our Better Value, Quality Care programme to identify ways that contribute to better outcomes for our patients and the health and wellbeing of staff while reducing the amount of money the Trust currently uses to provide these services. More efficient processes and reducing unnecessary waste can occur while maintaining or improving the high standards of care we currently provide. For the financial year 2021- 22 our aim is to deliver productivity and efficiency savings of £13.2m from across the whole organisation in order to reinvest in delivering high quality patient care and patient experience whilst supporting our move into MMUH during 2022.
We know that you are best placed to understand how to improve your area of work, your team or your service. You can see what changes are required and you are best placed to come up with solutions to change them.
So we want to hear from you! As part of this programme we want you to share your own ideas to deliver improvements, reduce waste and be more effective in how we use our financial resources. All you have to do is send your idea to swbh.my-good-idea@nhs.net. Within your service or elsewhere, no idea is too big or too small. As the saying goes, every little bit counts…..
So, get your thinking caps on, or just spend 5 minutes describing something you have possibly always wanted to do or see at the Trust, but thought could never happen. Now is your chance to put your ideas forward. Every suggestion will be acknowledged within 24 hours and you will receive a response advising you of the next steps to progress your good idea or the amount your good idea has saved.
Every month in Heartbeat and on Connect we will be showcasing and celebrating examples of colleague ideas that bring better value, quality care to what we do.
Braun 50ml Luer Lock Syringes – please check before use
We must advise colleagues to please check their stock of Braun Luer Lock Syringes before use. Our critical care department at Sandwell have found some syringes are missing the graduations on the side, or the markings are faded and unreadable.
Lot number affected: 20K 0782001
If you have any of the affected syringes, please ensure you remove them and please call the following to arrange their return:
- Lisa Southall ext. 4938 (City)
- Mark Shervington ext. 4937 (City)
- Jackie Graham ext. 4937 (City)
- Earl Ebanks ext. 4699 (City)
- Gurprit Galsinh ext. 2824 (Sandwell)
- Rebecca Vanes ext. 2689 (Sandwell)
- Debra Chetwynd ext. 2823 (Sandwell)
Don’t miss out on your second Pfizer dose
Colleagues are reminded to please ensure you remember to attend the vaccination centre on your booked date for your second vaccination dose. If you are not able to make your booked vaccination date, you can rearrange your appointment by calling the vaccination call centre on 0121 507 4112, but you are advised not to go beyond 12 weeks after your first jab. The Sandwell Hospital hub will be closing at the end of April so please act now if you need to rearrange your appointment.
Not too late to get your first dose
Tipton Sports Academy, Wednesbury Road, is available as a destination for you to get your first dose of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine with the hub running Monday to Sunday, 8am to 7pm. Book your slot via the national booking website.
Are you aged under 30?
For under 30s, where Astra-Zeneca is currently not advised, first dose of Pfizer will be available at the Sandwell Hospital hub, until the of end April, while stocks last! Call the booking team for appointments from Monday 19 April on 0121 507 4112.
Emergency Department iPM messaging now restored
Emergency department iPM messaging has now been successfully restored. Teams can now revert back to business as usual.
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