Monthly archives: January 2022

Heartbeat: ITU sister marries after wedding delayed five times due to pandemic

It was a case of fifth time lucky for Critical Care Sister, Kate Mandiratta – who finally said “I do” to her fiancé in 2021.

The 34-year-old married GP Mohit finally after postponing their big day five times due to the pandemic.

The pair, who first met at Sandwell Hospital, when Dr Mandiratta was a junior doctor and Kate was working as a nurse in ITU, tied the knot with their family and friends around them on 18 August.

Kate said: “I kept thinking something was going to happen that would mean putting it off again. But finally on the morning of the wedding I believed it was going to happen. I was so excited and it went so well. We had everyone there who we love and it was perfect.”

The couple had originally planned to marry on 26 March 2020, but three days before, the country went into lockdown, putting a brake on their plans.

When it was reorganised to September the same year, the couple were hopeful. But as the pandemic continued to grip the world, it became obvious they wouldn’t be able to go ahead with their big day.

It was moved to 24 March 2021, but restrictions on numbers meant that they wouldn’t have loved ones there with them to celebrate. They settled on 6 June but again, the regulations around the number of wedding guests attending and other factors, meant they postponed it again.

“It was just one thing after another so when we got to 18 August 2021 we were so relieved for it to finally go ahead,” said Kate.

They wed at Shustocke Barn in Coleshill, with their family and friends around them – and amazingly most of the suppliers who had originally been booked for the first date.

Kate recalled: “Everyone has been really amazing throughout and on the day there was such a lovely atmosphere. I remember whilst I was getting ready thinking it was finally happening. I couldn’t wait to get down the aisle to see Mohit. It was such a fantastic day in the end – worth the wait!”

Start 2022 the right way – get protected, get boosted

Make sure you start the New Year right by getting protected against COVID-19 and flu. More than three quarters of eligible adults have now received the lifesaving COVID-19 booster. That’s over 28 million people, making this the biggest and most successful vaccination drive in NHS history!

Those who are yet to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations or boosters are strongly urged to do so as soon as possible – simply pop in to one of the walk-in clinics, and remember to get your flu vaccination at the same time!

Our vaccination centres are open seven days a week, here are the upcoming opening hours

Dates	*Tipton Sports Academy Vaccination Centre (walk-ins)**	*City, Sheldon Block (walk-ins)**	*Sandwell, Berridge Suite (walk-ins)**
10 January onwards	8am – 7pm (*6pm)	8am – 7pm (*6pm)	8am – 7pm (*6pm)

Note: You can also book a vaccine on the national booking website.

Here’s a short animated video of exactly what happens when you go for your jab.

Not had your flu jab? Get even more protected as you start the New Year. It’s safe to have the COVID-19 booster and the flu jab at the same time, just ask your vaccinator.

Have questions about getting the jab?

We will be holding some question and answer sessions where you can ask our panellists of senior clinical leaders about the vaccinations and how they protect us from serious disease.

Join in and ask your colleagues to come along too. Session dates and times are below

Date	Time	Joining instructions
Monday 24 January	1pm – 2pm	Click here to join
Thursday 27 January	3pm – 4pm	Click here to join
Friday 28 January	11.30am – 12.30pm	Click here to join

Old style parking permits to expire on 28 February – get your new permit today

Are you still using your old style parking permit (which has the SWB logo on it)? If so, please note that these permits will be deactivated on Monday 28 February and will no longer give you access to our sites. Please ensure that you apply for, and collect, your new Q-Park permit as soon as possible, if you haven’t already done so. Details of how to apply can be found here How to apply for you parking permit.

Q-Park have commenced installation of the new car park barrier equipment at City with the works expected to take four weeks to complete.

Need to collect your parking permit? New Q-Park barrier parking permit cards are now available to collect for all those who have applied online.

Before coming to collect your permit please ensure you have applied online and have allowed five working days for processing. You will receive a confirmation email once your application has been accepted.

Please ensure you bring a form of ID with you to collect as barrier cards can only be given directly to the applicant. Q-Park will also take in your current NHS barrier card so there is no confusion about which one to use. Q-Park have allocated times for collection at each site seven days a week to ensure they have the resource available to assist.

Note: You cannot collect your permit outside of the hours below. If you do try to collect outside of these hours you will be asked to return at the correct collection times. *Collection times may differ during bank holidays.

Collection point	Day of the Week	Collection Times
City temporary Q-Park lodge in energy centre (opposite eye centre car park)	Monday – Friday	6am – 8am, 12pm – 1pm and 6pm – 8.30pm
City temporary Q-Park lodge in energy centre (opposite eye centre car park)	Saturday – Sunday	6am – 9am and 6pm – 8.30pm
Sandwell Hallam Restaurant, room on the right side as you walk in (old fit test room)	Monday – Friday	10am – 1pm and 6pm – 8pm
Sandwell Hallam Restaurant, room on the right side as you walk in (old fit test room	Saturday – Sunday	11am – 2pm and 6pm – 8pm
Rowley main reception	Monday – Friday	8am – 4pm

Your barrier card will only be available from your primary site which you have stated in your application. For more information please email sandwell@q-park.com.

Colleagues who park at New Square: Though colleagues who park at New Square may have collected their parking permits, they should continue to park at New Square until the new Sandwell multi-storey car park opens.

Are you a cleaning champion?

The Cleaning for Confidence campaign, led by the Midlands’ Nursing and Workforce team, helps to stop the spread of COVID-19 by encouraging colleagues to become cleaning champions with a 20-minute e-learning programme designed to further their knowledge of good cleaning practice.

Keeping NHS premises safe and clean for our patients is a key and shared commitment, and this has never been more important than now. A clean workplace is our first and best defence in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and other infections. Tackling nosocomial (heathcare associated) infections is vital to ensure that the NHS remains safe and efficient. Every person within the NHS family has a part to play in maintaining that commitment to keeping people safe.

You can access the Cleaning for Confidence e-learning programme by clicking here. It has been developed by NHS England and NHS Improvement’s Midlands Region team, drawing on staff experiences and supported by Health Education England.

This 20-minute programme promotes further knowledge of good cleaning practice and the personal precautions needed to ensure the risk of environmental transmission both for patients and staff is reduced. This aims to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and, as always, reinforcing other behaviours that can help minimise the outbreak of other infections.

Jabby New Year!

Our vaccination centres are open seven days a week, here are the upcoming opening hours.

Dates	*Tipton Sports Academy Vaccination Centre (walk-ins)**	*City, Sheldon Block (walk-ins)**	*Sandwell, Berridge Suite (walk-ins)**
10 January onwards	8am – 7pm (*6pm)	8am – 7pm (*6pm)	8am – 7pm (*6pm)

Note: You can also book a vaccine on the national booking website.

Be sure to also check out this short video from Dr Arvind Rajasekaran, Consultant Respiratory Physician as he answers some FAQs on the COVID-19 vaccinations and booster jab.

Not had your flu jab? Get even more protected as you start the New Year. It’s safe to have the COVID-19 booster and the flu jab at the same time, just ask your vaccinator.

Have questions about getting the jab?

We will be holding some question and answer sessions where you can ask our panellists of senior clinical leaders about the vaccinations and how they protect us from serious disease.

Join in and ask your colleagues to come along too. Session dates and times are below.

Date	Time	Joining instructions
Monday 24 January	1pm – 2pm	Click here to join
Thursday 27 January	3pm – 4pm	Click here to join
Friday 28 January	11.30am – 12.30pm	Click here to join

Star of the Week: Mobeen Nawaz

Our Star of the Week this week is Mobeen Nawaz, Lead Pharmacist – Ophthalmology.

Mobeen has specifically been recognised for making great strides in supporting the management and compliance of request for high cost drugs from a pharmacy perspective and working with the consultant team to make this happen. Using his positivity, Mobeen has played a fantastic role in encouraging consultant teams and others to get on board.

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.

Vaccination and the impact on employment webinar: 14 January

A digital webinar which is being facilitated by the Midlands Region Lead is taking place on Friday 14 January, 5pm – 6.30pm to provide a safe space for colleagues to have an opportunity to understand and ask questions about the potential impact of the new legislation, Vaccination as Condition of Deployment (VCOD) which has been enacted as of Thursday 6 January 2022.

The webinar will also feature keynote speakers who will explain how the vaccine works and how to get vaccinated. Please see Midlands Region Lead information sheet for the further details including details of all the speakers.

If you wish to join this webinar please click here.

COVID-19 Bulletin: Friday 7 January

Numbers not statistics: This week (last week).

Colleagues who have received COVID-19 1^st Vac.	Colleagues who have received COVID-19 2^nd Vac.	Colleagues who have received COVID-19 booster Vac.	Current number of confirmed COVID-19 inpatients	COVID-19 inpatients not vaccinated against COVID-19	Total number of our patients who have died from COVID-19
84.04% (84.67%)	79.64% (80.07%)	32.06% (39.22%)	186 (81)	34.41% (53.09%)	1,416 (1,402)

(Note: Percentages may decrease due to changes in the number of inpatients and in the number of staff members (starters and leavers).

* Figure dropped due to data clean

1. New: Revised PPE Guidance: Important update

We have carried out a further risk assessment in relation to PPE usage in our clinical areas. This has taken into account the following:

Current high volume of infection rates in the community
The corresponding high number of COVID-19 admissions
Some cases where patients on amber non-COVID wards have subsequently had a positive COVID PCR swab test after initial negative test
Increasing outbreaks in our ward areas
The ventilation in our ward areas (although new HEPA filters in Sandwell are helping with this).

The outcome of that risk assessment has led to a decision to increase the required level of PPE in these inpatient environments for some staff. This is above and beyond the current national guidelines. This is under constant review and may well change if the regular review of the risk assessment indicates that the risk is lowered.

For all inpatient areas where there is direct patient contact (in red and amber wards), staff should wear as a minimum:

A silicone mask/FFP3 mask – these can be sessional use. Single use gloves and aprons (please ensure you have been fit tested for an FFP3 mask before use). Visors may be necessary in some clinical circumstances as per risk assessment for each individual patient.
You should wear a fluid-resistant surgical face mask if you do not have direct patient contact. Non-direct patient contact includes walking on a ward area, pharmacists, clerical staff, estates and facilities staff. Disposable gloves/aprons should be worn for contact with patients/immediate environment. Porters who are transferring patients should wear FFP3/silicone face mask when transferring patients to red and amber wards.
If you are visiting the ward from another area, a minimum requirement when entering the unit will be to wear a fluid resistant surgical face mask.

Please note: staff must follow their individual risk assessment for PPE. Occasionally this will recommend a higher level of protection depending on your individual assessment.

For all outpatients and community staff inclusive of health visitors/school nurses/GP practices, for staff visiting care home facilities, patients and families homes, surgical face masks should be worn as a minimum with a disposable apron and gloves for direct patient care. Follow your individual risk assessment to see if you need a higher level of PPE.
If clinical intervention is required, a clinical risk assessment should be undertaken prior to the contact to establish whether there is a requirement for a higher level of PPE. For example, if a patient with a known respiratory condition has a persistent cough (not COVID related), an FFP3 and a visor should be worn in the event that the contact is essential and cannot be delayed.
Porters and facilities staff on wards can continue to wear a surgical face mask. However, if they are in direct patient contact, they will then need to follow the guidelines outlined above for inpatient staff.
Fluid resistant surgical face masks may be worn in rest areas and managers are urged to ensure colleagues have regular hydration breaks. If you have any questions, please speak to your line manager or infection control on ext. 5900 or email swb-tr.SWBH-Team-InfectionControl@nhs.net.

You should be fit-tested for the current masks we have in stock but if you aren’t please make sure you do so as a priority. FFP3 masks can be obtained through usual arrangements by ordering from Stores. Fit testing continues at City Hospital, details of how to book are on Connect.

2. New: COVID-19 vaccination regulation: Get your first dose by Thursday 3 February

You will be aware that the Government are introducing COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment for all frontline health and social care workers. As a result, health and social care providers in England will be required to ensure workers are fully vaccinated (with dose 1 and 2) against COVID-19, unless they are exempt, under plans announced by the Health and Social Care Secretary.

It is expected that staff will be fully vaccinated by 1 April. This means that you will need to have had the first dose by 3 February at the very latest and the second by 31 March, unless you are clinically exempt.

Please note that at present, the regulations do not require evidence of boosters, although we continue to encourage you to take up the booster vaccination offer.

If you are in a role that requires you to be fully vaccinated, then you will not legally be able to undertake this role if you have not received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccines by 1 April.

We are working closely with key stakeholders to ensure that colleagues are communicated with on the above regulations. We will be writing to all staff for whom we do not have confirmation of their vaccination status.

We understand that colleagues may have queries in relation to the vaccine and would like to discuss your concerns in more detail. For any queries on vaccines such as suitability, effectiveness, any concerns about side effects, please contact occupational health on swbh.occyhealthcovidvaccine@nhs.net or telephone 0121 507 3306.

3. Updated: Testing and isolation for NHS staff

Recent government guidance has changed the arrangements for testing and isolation allowing some staff to return to work after being COVID-19 positive if they are well and have two consecutive negative lateral flow results from day 6.

The guidance on PCR testing for NHS staff has not changed despite the changes for the wider population. This is to protect patients within our care and other colleagues.

The staff isolation and when to come back to work information sheet is important as it includes information on what to do if you or one of your team members tests positive for COVID-19, or is in contact with a COVID-19 case. It also includes information on when PCR tests should be accessed, or faster turnaround tests of which there is a limited supply, and the definition of a “contact”.

As a summary:

If you have COVID-19 symptoms and have a negative lateral flow test result , we still require you to have a PCR test with a negative result in order to come into work.
If you have no symptoms but are a contact of a positive COVID-19 case but have tested negative on a lateral flow test, we still require you to have a PCR test with a negative result in order to come into work.
PCR tests can be booked at Little Lane carpark, Sandwell Hospital, by calling the Contact Centre on 0121 507 2664 – option 6.

Please read the staff isolation and when to come back to work information sheet and share with your colleagues.

4. Updated: Unplanned admissions pathway

Colleagues are advised to review the unplanned admissions pathway which has now been updated.

You are alerted to:

A change to the re-screening of positive patients on admission in the emergency department. If a patient has previously tested positive for COVID-19, they no longer need to be re-screened for 90 days from the first positive result. However, these patients may require retesting if they have new COVID symptoms.
Patients who attend ED and who have had covid within the last 90 days and are asymptomatic need to go through the medium risk stream.

To review the pathway please click here.

5. Updated: Resource pack for managers – new guidance on employee wellbeing support

The COVID-19 Resource Pack for Managers has been updated. So what’s new?

Section 8: Employee Well-Being Support

New guidance added:

Supporting staff suffering domestic abuse or violence
Bereavement Practices – Understanding different bereavement practices & how our colleagues may experience grief.

If you are a manager, you must familiarise yourself with the COVID-19 Resource Pack for Managers as it is reviewed on a regular basis – see the latest version on Connect.

6. Reminder: Recording COVID absence in ESR

The guidance showing how you can record COVID related absences on ESR has now been updated and can be accessed by clicking here.

Note: Managers are reminded that they should not record an absence if the colleague is working from home and they must ensure that if a colleague is absent due to COVID that this is entered in the related reason field in ESR (see guidance for further information).

For more information please email s.sutton2@nhs.net.

7. Reminder: New treatment for COVID-19 patients

You may be aware we were administering Ronapreve, a neutralising monoclonal antibody (nMABs), which is a new type of COVID-19 treatment, usually given intravenously.

However, Ronapreve is not effective against Omicron which is currently the predominant COVID variant in patients admitted to hospital. Therefore it should no longer be prescribed to any patient.

We now are administering another nMABs therapy which is effective against Omicron, called Sotrivumab (Xevudy), which is specifically for patients with hospital-acquired COVID-19, who are aged 12 and above and weigh more than 40kg.

This drug can also be offered to high risk patients in the community, within five days of a positive PCR test. If you are in contact with eligible patients please ask them to call 111 or contact their GP. They will be referred to the newly formed COVID Medicine Delivery Unit (CMDU) based at City Hospital where the drug is being administered.

What are Neutralising Monoclonal Antibodies (nMABs)?

Monoclonal antibodies work just like the antibodies your body makes to fight viruses and other bugs, but are special because they are made in the labs of pharmaceutical companies. They are designed to target the coronavirus spike protein which sits on the outside of the virus and which the virus uses as a key to get into cells in the body.

Eligibility Criteria

PCR positive COVID-19 test result received within last 72 hours.
AND onset of symptoms within last seven days.
AND a member of a highest risk group
aged >12 years and >40kg

The high-risk group include patients with downs syndrome, sickle cell disease, solid cancer, haematological malignancy, severe renal and liver disease, decompensated liver disease, those on significant immunosuppression, primary immune deficiencies.

Further details about the new treatment can be found in the following guidance document: COVID Medicine Delivery Unit (Word)

Please continue to use the pathways in place for hospitalised patients as described in the following links:

8. Reminder: Start 2022 safely – get protected, get boosted

Make sure you start the New Year right by getting the most protection possible against COVID-19. More than three quarters of eligible adults have now received the lifesaving booster. That’s over 28 million people, making this the biggest and most successful vaccination drive in NHS history!

Those who are yet to receive their booster, or the first and second COVID-19 vaccinations, are strongly urged to do so as soon as possible.

Our vaccination centres are open seven days a week, here are the upcoming opening hours.

Dates	*Tipton Sports Academy Vaccination Centre (walk-ins)**	*City, Sheldon Block (walk-ins)**	*Sandwell, Berridge Suite (walk-ins)**
7 January	8am – 9pm (*8pm)	8am – 8pm (*7pm)	8am – 7pm (*6pm)
8 January onwards	8am – 7pm (*6pm)	8am – 7pm (*6pm)	8am – 7pm (*6pm)

Note: You can also book a vaccine on the national booking website.

Here’s a short animated video of exactly what happens when you go for your jab.

Not had your flu jab? Get even more protected as you start the New Year. It’s safe to have the COVID-19 booster and the flu jab at the same time, just ask your vaccinator.

Have questions about getting the jab?

We will be holding some question and answer sessions where you can ask our panellists of senior clinical leaders about the vaccinations and how they protect us from serious disease.

Join in and ask your colleagues to come along too. Session dates and times are below:

Date	Time	Joining instructions
Monday 24 January	1pm – 2pm	Click here to join
Thursday 27 January	3pm – 4pm	Click here to join
Friday 28 January	11.30am – 12.30pm	Click here to join

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

All colleagues must do a weekly LAMP test. If you are not registered for LAMP you must do a lateral flow test twice a week. This is the national requirement and all staff must comply. With this in mind, please ensure you have adequate stock levels. Need to order lateral flow tests kits? Click here to order.

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.

You can find drop off points and more information by clicking 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:

Even if you are vaccinated it is vital that you register and carry out the weekly tests as they will help identify if you’re asymptomatic. Your saliva sample is ONLY used to test for COVID and is disposed of after testing.

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:

10. Reminder: Looking after your mental health

It’s more important than ever that we look after ourselves, stay connected, and keep the conversation going about how we are feeling and how these circumstances are affecting us.

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHFT) has set up a Black Country and West Birmingham Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub, to provide an entry point into mental health talking therapies and support for colleagues across the Black Country and West Birmingham Integrated Care System (ICS).

Qualified mental health professionals offer priority pathways to confidential telephone, video, or face-to-face support tailored to individual needs, provided by local mental health teams and support services close to home.

Don’t suffer in silence: If you are feeling overwhelmed or need someone to talk to. If you feel that you would benefit from this support, you can self-refer by visiting the BCHFT website. Alternatively, you can email bchft.hub@nhs.net or call 0121 8031444.

Note: This is not a crisis service. If you require urgent mental health support, please call Rethink’s 24/7 mental health helpline on 0800 0086516 or visit BCHFT’s help in a crisis page for a range of options. You can find out more about the 24/7 mental health helpline here

Testing and isolation for NHS staff

The guidance on PCR testing for NHS staff has not changed despite the changes for the wider population. This is to protect patients within our care and other colleagues.

As a summary:

If you have COVID-19 symptoms and have a negative lateral flow test result , we still require you to have a PCR test with a negative result in order to come into work.
If you have no symptoms but are a contact of a positive COVID-19 case but have tested negative on a lateral flow test, we still require you to have a PCR test with a negative result in order to come into work.
PCR tests can be booked at Little Lane carpark, Sandwell Hospital, by calling the Contact Centre on 0121 507 2664 – option 6.

Please read the staff isolation and when to come back to work information sheet and share with your colleagues

Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 7 January

In this week’s Friday message I reflect on the huge national publicity surrounding Trusts who have declared a “Critical Incident” in response to the combined triple whammy of staff absences, COVID admission pressures and winter/urgent care pressures and demand. I have chosen to write about this because of the media scrutiny of this both nationally and locally, but also because I know some colleagues in our Trust have been asking why we haven’t declared such an incident ourselves this week.

Firstly, let me share with you the definitions of business continuity, critical and major incidents taken directly from the national, NHS guidance on emergency planning and resilience:

6.5.1 Business Continuity Incident A business continuity incident is an event or occurrence that disrupts, or might disrupt, an organisation’s normal service delivery, below acceptable predefined levels, where special arrangements are required to be implemented until services can return to an acceptable level. (This could be a surge in demand requiring resources to be temporarily redeployed)

6.5.2 Critical Incident A critical incident is any localised incident where the level of disruption results in the organisation temporarily or permanently losing its ability to deliver critical services, patients may have been harmed or the environment is not safe requiring special measures and support from other agencies, to restore normal operating functions.

6.5.3 Major Incident A major incident is any occurrence that presents serious threat to the health of the community or causes such numbers or types of casualties, as to require special arrangements to be implemented.

You will notice the subtle but important differences between these definitions. These do need taking into account before we declare any such incident within these categories because of the media scrutiny it receives and because, in governance terms, one cannot play fast and loose with expectations of both regulators and other organisations, whose mutual aid is required under a Major Incident or a Critical Incident scenario.

Whilst I know and accept that our COVID-19 inpatient levels are now over 20% of our bed base and while our staffing absences are at 13%, some of the highest in the NHS at present, nevertheless, they have not yet taken us to the point where we have temporarily lost our ability to provide core services or where mutual aid from other organisations is required. Yes, we are providing sub-optimal services at present for our patients and this causes many of you, if not all of us, distress. However, there are still other levers we can and will pull as a leadership team, around service suspension and staff redeployment yet, before we are in a genuine position of needing to declare such an incident. Moreover, the declaration of a Critical Incident implies that you are isolated as a Trust in experiencing the challenge and can secure the mutual aid of other Trusts locally to get you out of the hole. I need to be blunt with colleagues here – other, local Trusts are in just as much trouble as we are and cannot offer that support.

I hope this brief piece, no matter how sobering it may be to read, assists you in understanding this situation a little more.

Thank you for your continued efforts to keep our patients, and each other, safe.

Richard

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Monthly archives: January 2022

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