Monthly archives: June 2022

Maintenance affecting Unity (Capacity Management/Capman) 8 June, 8pm – 9pm

There will be an essential hardware maintenance to the Trust’s Unity Capacity Management servers today (Wednesday 8 June) 8pm – 9pm. The purpose is to add additional memory to ensure we continue offering a stable service.

Note: We are not expecting any impact and all related Capacity Management services should remain fully available as normal. 

Please be assured the activity will be closely monitored by Cerner and our IT Support teams who will ensure all services remain fully available.

Should you have any queries on this then please contact the IT helpdesk on ext. 4050 or 0121 507 4050 for home workers.

Next week is Clinical Audit Awareness Week

Did you know next week (13 – 17 June) is Clinical Audit Awareness Week (#CAAW22)?

The team will be hosting drop in sessions Monday – Thursday, 10am – 2pm at the following locations:

• Hallam restaurant foyer, Sandwell
• Library, City

Note: The team will also be at Rowley on Wednesday 15 June

Can’t get make any of the sessions? A series of free national ‘Learn at Lunch’ webinars are being run by National Quality Improvement including Clinical Audit Network (NQICAN) 12.30pm – 2pm everyday during CAAW22. These will cover the role of clinical audit in the following:

• Patient safety
• Patient advocates
• Influencing change
• Health inequalities
• Future-proofing healthcare

During these webinars, the winners of the national ‘audit heroes’ for each category will be announced where SWB have five colleagues who have been nominated – click here to find out more.

For more information about the week and get in touch with the team, please email swbh.auditteam-clineffec@nhs.net.

Enhancing the care delivered to patients approaching end of life

The palliative care team are leading a Trust-wide quality improvement project to enhance the care delivered to patients approaching the end of life. This is relevant to colleagues in all specialties and an opportunity to see excellence in care become the consistent norm for our patients, whoever they are and wherever they are looked after.

Be sure to check out this video featuring Paul Turner talking about his father and the end of life care he received.

Please visit the palliative care Connect page for a whole range of resources that will equip you to play your part.

IT maintenance at City and Sandwell affecting Wi-Fi: 8 June, 6am – 9 June, 7am

Please be aware an essential IT maintenance to the Trust’s Wi-Fi controllers is taking place from Wednesday 8 June, 6am – Thursday 9 June, 7am in preparation for the addition of a new Wi-Fi service Government Gateway.  This will be carried out over three mornings from 6.30am – 7am to limit impact to the affected wards and departments at Sandwell and City.

During this time, any colleagues that access computers/devices via a LAN network cable will be unaffected. 

For approximately 5 minutes each Wi-Fi access point will go off- line resulting in a brief loss of Wi-Fi, Internet connectivity, Unity and access of shared drives over Wi-Fi.

• If able to do so, please use an alternative device that connects via a LAN network ethernet cable.
• We would recommend that colleagues save any work before their pre-agreed timeslot.
• If you are required to record clinical care and unable to do so during this time then please revert to your BCP and utilise your 724 machine; or contact the duty manager via (City bleep 5401 and Sandwell bleep 6216) for guidance.
• Colleagues who are emergency bleep app users should revert to BCP and utilise a radio where possible; although the impact to Bleeps should be minimal.

Please be assured key leads have already been informed by Informatics with pre-agreed timeslots as per the Rollout Schedule detailed below to minimise impact.

The activity will be closely monitored throughout and at completion.

Please do call the IT service desk on ext. 4050 or 0121 507 4050 should you have any further queries.

Have you studied human factors or have an interest in human factors?

Human factors approach to patient safety starts with an understanding of the things that support or hinder the way people work.

Developing our culture of safety, by evolving attitudes and behaviours of how we learn from preventable incidents, requires us to apply that knowledge with human factors as standard through education and training.

With this in mind, we are looking for anyone at SWB that may have already studied human factors or are human factor coaches/trainers to contribute to developing our own education and training approach or if you have an interest in human factors and would like to contribute, please email marsha.jones3@nhs.net.

Did you know lateral flow testing twice a week is a Trust policy?

Lateral flow is now our main form of COVID testing for colleagues and you are required to complete two tests a week at home before arriving at work.

We all know how important testing is and as restrictions have eased, we must remember that as healthcare colleagues, there is still a chance that we will come in to contact with those suffering with COVID-19 and vulnerable patients – so it’s critically important that we continue to test and report.

Lateral flow testing kits can be ordered online. Colleagues can either have them delivered directly to their home address or alternatively collect from community locations.

Order your lateral flow kit online here: https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests.

All completed lateral flow tests must be reported on the Trust Lateral Flow Test reporting form which can be found by clicking here.

Note: To submit results, colleagues will be required to login with their NHSmail email and password.

Colleagues are reminded that any unused LAMP test bags and sample containers can be returned to the phlebotomy departments on each site

World Health Organisation (WHO) surgical safety checklist

The clinical effectiveness team are currently undertaking a project investigating the compliance with the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist and we would love to hear how your teams are using your checklists to help keep your patients safe.

• Does your specialty sit outside the surgery group, but conduct invasive procedures?
• If yes, do you currently use a paper-based checklist or an electronic checklist?

Please can you kindly send a copy of your checklist to Bahadur.dehar1@nhs.net. The team would be grateful for a response by Sunday 12 June.

Heartbeat: Hello my name is… James Severs

This month we extend a warm welcome to James Severs, who joins us as our Chief Allied Health Professional and Healthcare Scientist. We caught up with him to discover how he is settling in and how he came to be an allied health professional (AHP).

Speaking of his early career, James told us: “I studied paramedic science at Coventry University and registered as a paramedic, taking my first role in the beautiful city of Bath. Paramedics are one of 14 professions under the umbrella title of allied health professions. Many people are familiar with the traditional role of a paramedic, working on a frontline ambulance, responding to 999 calls and providing urgent and emergency care across their community. I’m a clinician at heart and continue to work a clinically a couple of days each month.

“Over the last few years, the role of the paramedic, like other AHPs and healthcare scientists (HCS) has evolved. There’s a real recognition that these professions have a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience which extends far beyond the traditional boundaries of each profession.

“Several career pathways are opening for AHPs and HCS professionals, from service management, roles in education and research, to professional leadership roles, such as the position I have now undertaken here at SWB.

“I worked as a paramedic officer until 2012, at which point I took my first hospital role as a resuscitation officer. Since then, I have held a few nursing and quality directorate roles, working across acute, community, mental health and learning disability trusts.

“Most recently, I worked as director of physical healthcare, responsible for bridging health inequality experienced by people with a diagnosis of mental health or learning disability. I’m passionate about improving access and equity of care to the people we serve, working collaboratively with patients, staff and partners to improve the health of our local population.”

So, what made James make the transition to SWB? He explained: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working in mental health and learning disability services. After seven years, it felt like the right time for a change.

“I was intrigued by the ambition of SWB to be the best integrated care organisation in the NHS. Many organisations have talked about becoming integrated, and SWB is working to make that a reality. A key part of this journey is raising the profile of our allied healthcare professionals and healthcare scientists across the organisation and beyond.”

Speaking of why his role is a vital addition to our services, James proudly told us: “My role is new to SWB. It will have overall professional accountability for providing professional leadership for AHPs and HCSs. Working with leaders across corporate and operational functions will ensure their voices are listened to and that their contribution is valued.”

James added: “I’m excited to join the Trust as we plan the formal launch of Fundamentals of Care. Our ambition to deliver the best quality care is dependent on every individual committing to do their part. Imagine a giant jigsaw and each colleague is a piece of the jigsaw – we all have part to make up the bigger picture

“I see this as a real opportunity for colleagues from different professions and departments, working in both patient and non-patient-facing roles, to learn how we all form part of the patient journey. I’m keen to learn about professions I have not previously worked alongside. AHP and HCS colleagues have so much to offer, and I am looking forward to championing our agenda.”

James enjoys hiking, live music, theatre and travelling outside of work. Be sure to give James a big warm SWB welcome if you see him on his travels.

Check out the latest edition of Heartbeat!

In the latest edition we celebrate our staff networks which were relaunched in May. Do take time to find out more about the networks and how you can get involved.

As you know our Strategy 2022 – 2027 was formally approved by the Board in February this year. In this issue we share more information about the 3Ps – Patients, People and Population and how you fit in. There will be opportunities for you to find out more at events being hosted in June.

Do you have a submission for Heartbeat? Email swbh.comms@nhs.net with your news, stories and achievements to feature in a future edition or call us on ext. 5303.

Did you know lateral flow testing twice a week is a Trust policy?

We have now moved our testing for COVID-19 away from LAMP testing and over to lateral flow testing. Colleagues must complete two tests a week at home before arriving at work.

We all know how important testing is and as restrictions have eased, we must remember that as healthcare colleagues, there is still a chance that we will come in to contact with those suffering with COVID-19 and vulnerable patients – so it’s critically important that we continue to test and report.

Lateral flow testing kits can be ordered online. Colleagues can either have them delivered directly to their home address or alternatively collect from community locations.

Order your lateral flow kit online here: https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests.

All completed lateral flow tests must be reported on the Trust Lateral Flow Test reporting form which can be found by clicking here.

Note: To submit results, colleagues will be required to login with their NHSmail email and password.

Colleagues are reminded that any unused LAMP test bags and sample containers can be returned to the phlebotomy departments on each site.