Monthly archives: August 2021

It’s World Breastfeeding Week

In the UK 80 per cent of people who breastfeed stop before they want to. We want to support all women and birthing people to make informed feeding choices and reach their feeding goals. Women are more likely to reach their feeding goals if they have the right support.

All colleagues in our maternity department are trained to provide feeding support. The infant feeding team can provide extra support to manage challenges and concerns before and after a baby is born and if things don’t go to plan with feeding, the team are available for support. The team can be contacted by calling 07816 061633.

Be sure to check out this short video which looks at different ways in which mums are able to breastfeed comfortably. The film has been created by the Infant Feeding team at the Trust.

Birmingham Pride 2021 – join in us to march alongside the largest NHS group in the parade

Birmingham pride is one of the most important LGBT+ festivals in the UK. Pride aims to play a leading role in building a community where all people are free to live without fear or prejudice. Birmingham Pride strives for equality for all as part of an evolving global pride movement. This year’s theme is ‘Stronger Together’ demonstrating a commitment to stand in unity with all members of the LGBTQ+ community fighting and campaigning against any form of transphobia, biphobia, homophobia and hate.

We are proud to be marching with 13 other NHS Trusts and CCGs from the region, making this the largest NHS group to take part to date.

Our LGBT+ staff network welcomes all colleagues to march in the parade on Saturday 25 September, assuming COVID-19 guidelines at the time permit this. All staff are able to bring someone with you and we will provide all staff and their plus one with an NHS t-shirt to wear on the day. If you would like to join us please contact andrew.churm@nhs.net. All colleagues wishing to join in must notify Andy Churm no later than Monday 26 July.

Pride planning meetings will be taking place over WebEx on the below dates, all current LBTQ+ network members will be sent an invite but if you would like to join in please pop the dates in your diary and contact Andy Churm.

• Thursday 12 August, 1.30pm – 3pm
• Thursday 9 September, 2pm – 3pm
• Thursday 23 September,  2pm – 3pm

If you have any questions regarding the LGBTQ+ Staff Network or the Pride Parade, please email andrew.churm@nhs.net.

Heartbeat: Safety huddles are platform to share concerns

Daily safety huddles are encouraging colleagues to work collectively to provide solutions to issues related to harm in the women’s and child health group.

The group have largely led the way in adopting safety huddles with gynaecology and paediatrics being among the early adopters since November last year.

Tracy Weston, Matron for Gynae/Gynaeoncology told us: “We have really embraced the daily huddles on D21 and D25; which we plan around our service needs. For example, on D25 we host huddles twice a day at 7.30am and 8pm respectively, to ensure that the safety elements are briefed at the start and end of each shift. It is a completely multidisciplinary team approach which sees us share any concerns and work up solutions collectively.”

In paediatrics, daily safety huddles are in full swing and are supported by weekly 30min huddles when the multidisciplinary team review progress and outcomes.

Once the identified outcome is achieved, the multidisciplinary team agree the next safety element to work on. Since the launch of the weekly huddles in May, Lyndon Ground, Lyndon 1 and CECU have made significant improvements on their identified safety element i.e. total head circumference measured within 24 hrs of admission against total admissions for patients under two years of age.

Dr Meena Bandhakavi, Consultant Paediatrician and Governance Lead for Paediatrics, has been proactively encouraging all multidisciplinary teams in the directorate to utilise the safety huddles dashboard which generates data from Unity. She told Heartbeat: “The data is displayed in a user-friendly way which helps colleagues to understand how they are doing. We are also working with the performance and insight department (which develops the dashboard), to continuously improve the data quality.”

Bren Taylor, Acute Paediatric Matron is delighted with her team’s achievements, she said: “I am delighted with what we have been able to achieve so far. I am now keen on exploring the feasibility of having a single platform with access to all the essential data which I believe would further benefit improvements on safety and quality.”

Maternity has also embarked on the safety huddle journey. The team on the delivery suite have joined forces with regional partners to host a daily huddle (in addition to their own) – focused on regional capacity. Meanwhile, delivery suite along with M1, M2, neonatal and serenity are taking an integrated approach to running their huddles, ensuring any issues raised are aligned to service delivery, quality, safety and effectiveness.

Macmillian Upper GI/HPB Clinical Nurse Specialist team shortlisted for Innovation Excellence Award

Our Macmillian Upper GI / HPB Clinical Nurse Specialist team, who are part of our wider cancer services team have successfully been shortlisted for the 2021 Macmillan Professionals Excellence Awards.

The prestigious awards recognise and celebrate the work of truly exceptional Macmillan professionals and teams who have gone above and beyond expectations to do whatever it takes to support people living with cancer. Our Macmillian Upper GI/HPB Clinical Nurse Specialist team specifically are one of nine teams to be shortlisted for the Innovation Excellence Award, a nationally recognised award.

The team are shortlisted for implementing a structured cancer clinic which allowed them to shorten referral pathways meaning that patients were able to get a cancer diagnosis within 28 days which is the national standard.

Huge congratulations to the whole team for being shortlisted and fingers crossed for the award! Winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held in November.

It’s World Breastfeeding Week

In the UK 80 per cent of people who breastfeed stop before they want to. We want to support all women and birthing people to make informed feeding choices and reach their feeding goals. Women are more likely to reach their feeding goals if they have the right support.

All colleagues in our maternity department are trained to provide feeding support. The infant feeding team can provide extra support to manage challenges and concerns before and after a baby is born and if things don’t go to plan with feeding, the team are available for support. The team can be contacted by calling 07816 061633.

Be sure to check out this short video showing new parents how to wash breast pump equipment whilst their baby is being treated on the Neonatal Unit at City Hospital, Birmingham. It is a step by step guide delivered by the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator Louise Thompson.

Your chance to share your feedback as ENGIE reach four month milestone

It’s been almost five months since we began working with ENGIE.

ENGIE are keen to hear your feedback on how the service has performed and are asking colleagues to complete a short survey.

The survey seeks to understand the following:

• How efficient the ENGIE helpdesk is. For example, do you get a prompt response to answering phone calls?
• ENGIE engineers and sub-contractors – detail around the conduct and standard of work
• Management of the contract and the response if you’ve escalated an issue
• Overall customer satisfaction.

You can complete the survey by clicking here.

The closing date for this survey is Friday 13 August.

For more information please contact suzanne.gray9@nhs.net.

It’s World Breastfeeding Week?

In the UK 80 per cent of people who breastfeed stop before they want to. We want to support all women and birthing people to make informed feeding choices and reach their feeding goals. Women are more likely to reach their feeding goals if they have the right support.

All colleagues in our maternity department are trained to provide feeding support. The infant feeding team can provide extra support to manage challenges and concerns before and after a baby is born and if things don’t go to plan with feeding, the team are available for support. The team can be contacted by calling 07816 061633.

Be sure to check out this short video showing new parents how to clean and use a Calypso Breast Pump.

Opportunity to pay respects to Stacey Caffrey

Friends and colleagues are invited to pay their respects to our colleague Stacey Caffrey (AMU Sister) as her funeral cortege passes through City Hospital this Wednesday (4 August) and stops briefly between 12.45pm – 1pm. The hearse will stop opposite the double doors at the main entrance of the hospital (entrance to Arches Costa Coffee) for a few minutes for people to pay their respects.

Note: If you are planning to attend, please ensure you follow Trust social distancing rules.

Job of the Week: Lead Freedom to Speak Up Guardian

We are seeking to recruit a Lead Freedom to Speak Up Guardian (Band 8A, 37.5 hours per week, permanent) to enable us to grow and continue to build upon our speak up culture.

Working alongside our existing Freedom to Speak Up Guardians the role will be key in fostering a positive culture of speaking up, ensuring barriers to speaking up are addressed and issues raised are used as opportunities for learning and continuous improvement. You will also provide leadership, guidance and authenticity within a Trust that wants to transform its speak up culture.

If you are interested in this opportunity and would like an initial discussion about the role then please contact Frieza Mahmood, Chief People Officer, via Rebecca Bates, Executive Assistant rebecca.bates6@nhs.net.

For further details about the role specifically, please click here.

Applications close on Sunday 15 August, 5pm and we would expect to undertake interviews during week commencing Monday 6 September.

Did you know it’s South Asian Heritage Month?

South Asian Heritage Month aims to raise the profile of British South Asian heritage and history in the UK through education, arts, culture and commemoration, with the goal of helping people to better understand the diversity of present-day Britain and improve social cohesion across the country.

South Asian influences can be found everywhere in Britain, from our food and clothes to our music and even our words. The streets of our towns and cities are rich with the colours, sights and sounds of proud South Asian identity. Its culture permeates all parts of British life and adds to the diversity of the nation.

To celebrate the awareness month, click here to access a variety of online events all which are free to join.