Monthly archives: October 2021

Star of the Week: Vicky Clifton

Our Star of the Week this week is Vicky Clifton, Improvement Project Manager.

Vicky has been recognised for her hard work in supporting the rollout of the SurgiNet module in Unity which replaced the IT theatres system ORMIS.

Vicky, has project managed the implementation of SurgiNet across our theatres at our Sandwell and City sites ensuring clinical colleagues have been ready for go live which has overall been hugely successful over the past fortnight. Any issues which have occurred no matter the scale, Vicky has played her part in helping resolve them in a timely manner. Without SurgiNet, theatres would depend on manual processes which ultimately have a risk associated with manual error. Data retrieval would also remain problematic as the old system ORMIS is difficult to report from.

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.

Black History Month celebrations awards – send in your nominations to recognise colleagues

Healthier Futures will be hosting a special event celebrating Black History Month and rewarding and recognising the achievements of Black Caribbean/Black African frontline heroes and their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nominations are required for:

• Black African / Black Caribbean frontline hero (Above and Beyond during COVID-19 Award) – Doctor/Clinician/Nurse /AHP
• Black African / Black Caribbean Leadership Award during COVID-19
• International Nurse of the Year Award
• BAME Network of the Year

Please send your submissions by Friday 15 October, 5pm to swbh.comms@nhs.net. You can access the nominations form by clicking here.

Winners will be announced at an event on Friday 29 October at Edgbaston Park Hotel, 6.30pm – 11pm. There are a maximum of 20 places available per Trust. If you would like to attend please email swbh.comms@nhs.net.

For further details please see Black History Month event poster.

World Menopause Day: 18th October – menopause support programme

In the Trust’s continued effort to support health and wellbeing, we will be gradually increasing the range of resources available to our colleagues over the coming weeks and months.

All managers are particularly encouraged to take part in the sessions to help them understand menopause and how to support staff members who are going through the change.

As part of this effort, in partnership with our STP organisations a series of sessions on menopause are now available to colleagues who may wish to access these for widening their knowledge on a personal level. You can access the information and find out more by clicking here.

Details of the next two session are listed below:

• 21 and 27 October –  menopause in the workplace: How an environment of acceptance and openness about menopause can help to create an improved culture change. Hear about how seeking the right support can help to increase productivity in the workplace.
• 18 and 24 November – is it just hormones? Explore the major factors contributing to strained personal and working relationships. Discuss the direct and indirect impact of hormonal changes and how this may present.

Please also see the menopause guide regarding menopause by clicking here.

Missed the last session? You can check it out by watching the video below.

Understanding the mental health needs of the deaf community: 12 October

At this event, the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will be exploring the barriers to accessing healthcare, including the challenges faced through the pandemic and explore what services can do to increase their accessibility for deaf individuals.

The event will be hosted digitally and will start at 10am on Tuesday 12 October.

To register for this event and find out more, please click here.

Midlands Leadership Academy: Black History Month events

Midlands Leadership Academy are hosting an array of Black History Month Events throughout October:

• Actions and interventions that better support and improve the lives of Black colleagues
• Leadership that makes a difference
• Lived experience of Black colleagues and the Impact of Allyship – Midlands Leadership Academy
• Midlands Celebrate Black History Month conference 2021

For further details including how to attend these digital events, please email gurwinder.singh@nhs.net.

Heartbeat: Therapists making a difference in safety huddles

Therapy is an integral part of the safety huddles, making an equal multidisciplinary team contribution as all the other disciplines.

Sophie Whiles, Occupational Therapist (medicine therapy team) told us that safety huddles strengthen the integrated working partnership across all disciplines and provide a platform for her to voice her thoughts. She said: “Safety huddles enable a series of improvements in patient safety via team effort. For example, undertaking proactive medical equipment maintenance; which reduces a significant volume of unnecessary downtime of clinicians, so they can see more patients, provide better care and compliment patient flow. The proactive medical equipment maintenance is likely to provide a positive financial impact to the Trust as well.”

Also from medicine therapy, Team Lead, Hannah Craven-Jenns added: “Our team members cover multiple wards so we are not as visible on one single ward as we would like to be. Safety huddles really help us to be integrated into individual wards, to be part of the team and to work as one team. Through safety huddles, we can bring up essential information in a more structured manner such as patient safety details and other information such as staffing levels. These ‘heads-ups’ (proactive communications) help all of us to be more supportive of each other.”

Sophie Baggott, Clinical Lead for Acute Paediatric Physiotherapy Service agreed entirely that safety huddles are an effective platform to raise any concerns. She said: “Safety huddles are a great opportunity to brief everybody at the same time, and demonstrate a multi-professional integrated approach. We are also involved in the weekly huddles where Lyndon Ground, Priory Ground, Lyndon 1 and CECU get together to work on various quality improvement projects.”

Sophia Parsons, Team Lead for Intermediate Care primarily working with iBeds, told us: “Safety huddles have brought the teams together. They are very informative which helps all disciplines to provide a higher standard of safety to our patients and initiate continuous improvement. We also provide enablement training to iBeds colleagues. We were delighted to discover that anyone who attends the weekly iBeds huddles is treated to tea and a biscuit!”

RBS support alcoholics anonymous

SWB would like to say a huge thank you to the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) who have kindly donated iPads to out alcohol care team so they can better support our patients who use are use the digital alcoholics anonymous service.

Alcoholics anonymous is an international fellowship dedicated to supporting individuals towards sobriety. Patients will also be able to use the iPads as part of their pre detox appointments with the alcohol care team to further support them in their recovery.

Thank you RBS!

COVID-19 Bulletin: Friday 8 October

Numbers not statistics: This week (last week)

1. New: Our chief nurse has had her flu jab and COVID-19 booster – get yours too!

With the winter months fast approaching, it’s more important now than ever to protect yourself against flu and COVID.

Both vaccines are safe to have together and are now available for co-administration in our onsite vaccination hubs. Our Chief Nurse, Mel Roberts had both jabs on Wednesday – administered 15 minutes apart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnTsO4a_Qic

Should you not wish to have both vaccines at the same time this can also be accommodated by booking two separate appointments. COVID-19 boosters will be Pfizer booster vaccines and those eligible include those who have had their second COVID-19 vaccine (including Pfizer or Astra Zeneca) and have no contraindications to the Pfizer vaccination.

Please be aware that there must be at least six months (180 days) between your second dose and booster dose of your COVID-19 vaccination. If you are receiving both jabs they will be issued 15 minutes apart.

Do you have a question? Click here to read the FAQ document.

Note: Peer vaccinators will also be visiting clinical areas to administer flu jabs but due to infection control procedures in place this provision may be limited.

The flu jab and COVID-19 booster is available to all SWB colleagues including students and temporary staff. Flu jabs are only available for Trust employees and you will need your NHS number to register for your vaccines. To find your NHS number, click here.

Receiving your COVID booster/flu jab elsewhere?

If you receive your COVID booster and/or flu vaccination elsewhere please ensure to have your place of work recorded as Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust on the system at the time of vaccination. This will help keep your occupational health records updated and avoid any further chasing for having the jabs.

Remember you can still get your first COVID jab: City Hospital vaccination hub in Sheldon Block is open for those 18 or older who would like their first jab. The hub is open daily for both walk-ins and bookings via the national booking website.

Boost your immunity this winter – get your flu jab and COVID-19 booster.

2. New: Third primary vaccination to immunosuppressed patients

This week clinical leads were alerted to the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation guidance to vaccinate immunosuppressed individuals with a third primary dose. This will overlap with patients who will be invited for their booster dose.

The difference is that the third primary dose is any time after eight weeks of the second dose, whereas the booster is six months after. Therefore we need to advise our immunosuppressed patients of the opportunity for them to have a third dose potentially earlier than their booster is due. Hence the predicted overlap.

This task will need combined medical, nursing, administration and operational teamwork to deliver. For now as a matter of relative urgency it is asked that colleagues review their shielding list, looking against the needed criteria in your specialty areas and adding any additional patients who meet the criteria, removing those who do not. This should be done by Wednesday 13 October.

For further information please speak to your clinical lead who has been sent more information if specific action is needed.

3. Reminder: Antibody treatment for COVID patients

As we learn more about COVID-19, treatments for the virus continue to develop.

One new drug which will soon be available to inpatients is Ronapreve, a neutralising monoclonal antibody treatment. Monoclonal antibodies are like the antibodies your body makes to fight viruses and other bugs, but are made in the labs of pharmaceutical companies. They are designed to target the coronavirus spike protein.

A webinar took place last week which explained more about the treatment rationale, pathways and prescribing information.

Panel members on the webinar included colleagues from the Medical Director’s office, Pharmacy and the Clinical Advisory Group.

In case you missed it: To learn more about the treatment you can watch the webinar below.

https://youtu.be/WzQyqc1-lX8

See below for treatment pathway and add on request process:

• Blood Sciences – Add on process v2.0
  
• Neutralising Monoclonal Antibody (nMAB) (Casirivimab and Imdevimab) Ronapreve Pathway V4

If you wish to review the evidence that has informed this treatment please see RECOVERY Trial – Antibody Based Therapy Outcomes.

4. Reminder: Complacency kills – don’t drop your guard

After months donning masks, washing hands and keeping two metres away from everyone, the almost relentless focus on infection control can become exhausting but the fact remains that whilst the national lockdowns have subsided and face masks rules relaxed, there still remains a very real risk of catching COVID-19 or passing it on to your patients, colleagues and loved ones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6ZSUumiMdk

Colleagues should ensure they stick to the infection control practices that we have established, respectfully challenge colleagues and patients who fail to adhere to them and keep themselves and those around them safe.

Seven rules of Infection Control:

1. Hand Hygiene: Make sure you take the time to practice good hand hygiene, this means make sure your sleeves are rolled up, rings and watches off and you take the time to carefully wash your hands.
2. Wear your face masks: It’s critical to ensure that when you are in shared areas and in clinical spaces you wear your face masks and ensure you take the time to put them on properly, ensuring a good seal around the masks.
3. Bare below the elbows: Good hand hygiene and safe care can only be achieved by being bare below the elbows. This means that you must not wear watches or bracelets or jewellery that interferes with your ability to effectively wash your hands. This also includes removing ties, and accessories that pose a cross contamination risk moving from patient to patient. Please remember lanyards should not be worn.
4. Right PPE in the right environment: Make sure you take the time to wear the right PPE suitable for the task you are undertaking.
5. Test yourself for COVID-19 regularly: Weekly testing for COVID-19 is available for all staff which involves a painless saliva sample being submitted. This can provide you with proof and assurance that you are COVID-19 free and proof that your infection control practices are successfully keeping you safe from harm.
6. Regular patient swabbing is critical to providing the right care: It’s important that colleagues involved in the delivery of clinical care take the time to understand the swabbing pathways in use. These documents describe in details the schedules of swabbing that should apply to each patient depending on their circumstances. Swabbing ensures we are able to provide the right care to patients as well as ensuring that we are able to protect colleagues and patients around them.
7. Clean equipment is key to being able to provide safe and effective care: Follow the rules of the Use it, Clean It, Store it programme to continue providing safe care to our patients.

5. Reminder: Use it, clean it, store it

The regular cleaning of shared patient equipment is key to reducing the risk of cross infection between patients and staff. Patient and staff equipment can harbour potentially harmful bacteria that is unseen to the naked eye.

By performing regular cleaning of equipment and using the green ‘I am clean’ labels  this will help to give both patients and our staff, confidence that equipment is clean and ready for use!

https://vimeo.com/589809526/f4ddeb5a98

Remember that you need to clean patient equipment after every use and between each patient. Please do not put a sticker on any equipment that has not been cleaned.

To keep equipment fully charged or to help to keep your ward or area neat and tidy, once you have cleaned, store it in the appropriate place.

So the next time you use a work station on wheels or a dinamap… clean it and store it….use it clean it store it!

Instructional videos on how to ‘Use, clean and store’ equipment is available on the following link:

• UCS – WoW
• UCS – Commode
• UCS – Patient Hoist
• UCS – Dinamap Blood Pressure Machine
• UCS – Blood Glucose Monitoring Box

6. Reminder: Masks: If you’re in, they’re on

It’s still important to remember COVID-19 hasn’t left us. Whilst we all wish to return to pre-COVID times, we must not lower our guard, we must stay cautious.  As such, our current arrangements for colleagues, patients and visitors at the Trust continue.

Colleagues, patients and visitors are expected to continue to follow social distancing rules on site as well as using face masks and other personal protection equipment.  For colleagues, the wearing of a mask is important and this is the case regardless of whether you are in within the main spine of the hospital, an outlying building or an administrative office. If you’re in a shared space you must wear one.

Fighting COVID-19 is a team effort, it needs the cooperation of everyone at our Trust to ensure we keep the virus at bay, keeping us safe and well and ensuring we are able to continue safely caring for our patients.

7. Reminder: How to safely package your saliva test

Many of you have signed up to the weekly saliva (LAMP) testing programme – which is a speedy and accurate way of determining whether you have COVID-19.

You can book a kit collection slot for the weekly test which simply requires you to spit into a tube in the morning before you brush your teeth. If you forget to take your saliva sample on waking you can do it later in the morning but you must ensure that nothing is consumed for at least one hour before.

When you arrive at work, you can deposit your sample into a red collection box. Many of these are positioned around our acute and community sites.

Here’s a pictorial guide on how to package your swab:

Uptake of the weekly saliva test is monitored to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect our patients, the public and each other.

 You can also watch a video on how to do your saliva test here. 

The latest data by group is below:

8. Reminder: Visit the Sanctuary

Would you like to take 30-90 minutes to look after yourself? We very rarely take the time, so why not book now!

Our Wellbeing Sanctuary gives you the chance to de-stress and relax in a confidential safe place.

The sanctuary has a variety of offerings including:

• Massage
• Chill out downtime over a tea/coffee and a biscuit
• A chat – a listening ear to hear anything you want to talk about in confidence
• Meditation
• Mindfulness
• Relaxation hypnotherapy
• Music therapy

Dr Michael Blaber, Wellbeing Lead for Junior Doctors is one colleague who recently attended the Sanctuary:

“The staff were exceptionally friendly, though not at all intrusive. Colleagues were enjoying guided mindfulness and music therapy, learning de-stress techniques and benefiting from skilled listening and clinical supervision. Whether I wanted to offer my ‘expert analysis’ of the football or discuss the difficult situation I had just encountered on the ward, there was freedom to simply unwind… I highly recommend it to you.” 

You can read Dr Blaber’s full article on Connect.

Dr Michael Blaber is encouraging colleagues to use the Sanctuary
Note: Social distancing measures are in place and PPE and sanitisation is provided on site.

To book please contact the wellbeing team on 0121 507 5886 to book your free session.

The Sanctuary is only a five minute drive away from City Hospital and a 10 minute drive away from Sandwell Hospital (Learning Works on Unett Street, Smethwick, B66 3SY) with free secured parking right outside.

For further details please see daily Sanctuary information sheet.

Additional support, if you need to talk to someone in confidence:

• Counsellors: The NHS direct counselling service: 0800 06 96 222 (7am – 11pm, seven days a week).
• Bereavement support: 0300 303 4434 (8am – 8pm).
• Trouble sleeping: Click herefor help and guidance.
• Just need a confidence conversation?  Book a one to one at the wellbeing Sanctuary by calling 0121 507 5886.
• REACT practitioners: Talk to colleagues who have been trained to have a confidential conversation with you near to where you work. Emailwellbeinghub@nhs.net to find out who is your nearest REACT practitioner.
• SHOUT service: Text SHOUT to 85258 confidential TEXT support.
• Chaplaincy team: All our chaplaincy team are trained listeners and people who care for you. You can email causer@nhs.net or call either 0121 507 3552/4055 or 07972 572854 to get in touch with the team.

COVID-19 Bulletin: Friday 1 October

Numbers not statistics: This week (last week)

1. New: Antibody treatment for COVID patients

As we learn more about COVID-19, treatments for the virus continue to develop.

One new drug which will soon be available to inpatients is Ronapreve, a neutralising monoclonal antibody treatment. Monoclonal antibodies are like the antibodies your body makes to fight viruses and other bugs, but are made in the labs of pharmaceutical companies. They are designed to target the coronavirus spike protein.

A webinar took place on Wednesday which explained more about the treatment rationale, pathways and prescribing information.

Panel members on the webinar included colleagues from the Medical Director’s office, Pharmacy and the Clinical Advisory Group.

In case you missed it: To learn more about the treatment you can watch the webinar below.

See below for treatment pathway and add on request process:

• Blood Sciences – Add on process v2.0
• Neutralising Monoclonal Antibody (nMAB) (Casirivimab and Imdevimab) Ronapreve Pathway V4

If you wish to review the evidence that has informed this treatment please see RECOVERY Trial – Antibody Based Therapy Outcomes 

2. Updated: Boost your immunity this winter – flu jabs and COVID-19 boosters now available for colleagues

With the winter months fast approaching, it’s more important now than ever to protect yourself against flu and COVID.

Some of you may have already received text messages from your local primary care inviting you to book your COVID booster. Please be assured that flu jabs and COVID booster doses are now available to all colleagues.

Both vaccines are safe to have together and will be available for co-administration in our onsite vaccination hubs. Should you not wish to have both vaccines at the same time this can also be accommodated by booking two separate appointments. COVID-19 boosters will be Pfizer booster vaccines and those eligible include those who have had their second COVID-19 vaccine (including Pfizer or Astra Zeneca) and have no contraindications to the Pfizer vaccination.

Do you have a question? Click here to read the FAQ document.

Book your jab:

You can book your jab at one of our vaccination clinics. Clinics will be operating at City Vaccination Hub (Sheldon Block) and Sandwell Education Centre. An easy self-booking system is in place: Click here for the online booking system to register for your jab – all available time slots will be listed here.

Note: Peer vaccinators will also be visiting clinical areas to administer flu jabs but due to infection control procedures in place this provision may be limited.

The flu jab and COVID-19 booster is available to all SWB colleagues including students and temporary staff. Flu jabs are only available for Trust employees and you will need your NHS number to register for your vaccines. To find your NHS number, click here.

Receiving your COVID booster/flu jab elsewhere?

If you receive your COVID booster and/or flu vaccination elsewhere please ensure to have your place of work recorded as Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust on the system at the time of vaccination. This will help keep your occupational health records updated and avoid any further chasing for having the jabs.

Remember you can still get your first COVID jab: City Hospital vaccination hub in Sheldon Block is open for those 18 or older who would like their first jab. The hub is open daily for both walk-ins and bookings via the national booking website. If you are pregnant you can also receive your COVID-19 vaccination at clinics which are being held within our antenatal department at City Hospital every Tuesday and Friday, 1pm – 6pm.

If you have any other questions please contact occupational health on 0121 507 3306.

Boost your immunity this winter – get your flu jab and COVID-19 booster.

3. Reminder: Support available to help with stress and anxiety

Managing your stress and psychological health at this time is as important as your physical health. That’s why we offer a number of ways in which we can support you when it comes to your health and wellbeing.  

The Wellbeing Hubs, which are now available at Sandwell, City and Rowley Regis, are one of our newest ways of offering help with stress and anxiety.

Focusing on ensuring that colleagues have a good day every day, the new hubs aim to help improve mental health, relieve stress, build resilience and restore balance.

Recognising that colleagues need to be able to access services easily, the new hubs are set to provide much needed health and wellbeing for colleagues closer to their work base.

Services in the new wellbeing hubs include:

• Confidential chat – an opportunity for colleagues to offload and talk about anything which is troubling them
• Meditation
• Relaxation POD (massage chair)

The wellbeing hub is completely confidential, all services and treatments are free of charge for colleagues and delivered by trained wellbeing coaches.

The wellbeing hubs are open every week across all the sites listed below between 8am – 4pm:

• Mondays in the Jayne Wright Therapy Room, Trinity House, Sandwell
• Wednesdays in the therapy room Archer, 1^stfloor, Rowley Regis Hospital
• Fridays in the therapy room, City Gym

To book a session contact the wellbeing team on 0121 507 5886 or 0121 507 3854.

Meanwhile, if you are looking at other ways to destress, then way not try a seated acupressure massage session at The Sanctuary, which is available to all colleagues at the Trust.

Reset your mind and body with a chair massage and help:

• Relieve back, neck and shoulder pain
• Improve your mood
• Reduce your stress and anxiety
• Lift your energy
• Increase your circulation

Note: A full consultation is completed with a therapist prior to the session and the massage is carried out safely over your own clothing. Social distancing measures are in place and PPE and sanitisation is provided on site. 

Available dates:

• Mondays and Tuesdays, between 10am – 3.30pm
• Thursdays, 10am – 5pm

The Sanctuary is based at the Learning Works on Unett Street, Smethwick, B66 3SY. To book please call 0121 507 5886/3854.

For more information about what health and wellbeing support is on available, please click here.

4. Reminder: Join the saliva testing programme to protect your patients and loved ones

Did you know saliva testing (known as LAMP – Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification) is a speedy and less invasive way of detecting COVID-19?

You can book a kit collection slot for the weekly test, which requires you to spit into a tube in the morning before you brush your teeth or an hour after you have eaten.

When you arrive at work, you can deposit your sample into a red collection box. Many of these are positioned around our acute and community sites.

For a full list of drop-off points and to find out how to register and collect your kit, click here.

If you are still unsure how to complete your LAMP test, be sure to check out the step-by-step guide in the video below.

Uptake of the weekly saliva test is monitored to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect our patients, the public and each other.

The latest data by group is below:

5. Reminder: Drug safety notice: Sarilumab – for intravenous administration in COVID-19 patients  

Sarilumab is a human monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to interleukin-6 receptors and blocks the activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Sarilumab is typically given via the subcutaneous route, however for COVID-19 patients Sarilumab must be administered intravenously.

Note: Sarilumab is ONLY to be administered by nurses who are trained to administer monoclonal antibodies.

For further details please see the Sarilumab information sheet.

For more information please contact the pharmacy department on ext. 5263/3783.

SWB technology benefit virtual roadshow: 9 November

Let’s Connect, the organisation who provide SWB colleagues with the latest technology benefits will be hosting a virtual roadshow on Tuesday 9 November from 1pm just in time for Christmas!

Note: The roadshow will last no longer than 30 minutes.

Come along to this informative webinar and find out:

•    Benefits of the scheme
•    Products and brands available
•    How to order
•    Plus, opportunity to ask questions.

If you wish to attend please click here to access the roadshow.

Can’t make it on 9 November? Not to worry – the virtual event will be available on Connect after Tuesday 9 November.

To find out more about technology benefits or place any orders please click here.