Monthly archives: September 2022
Upcoming Youth Volunteering Champions projects
Do you know of any 16-18 year olds who are interested in radio, podcasting and other forms of media?
As part of the Youth Volunteering Champions project we currently have eight spaces available on a four week long media course in partnership with Aston Villa Foundation. Applicants would be required to complete two hours of training a week for one month at Aston Villa, after which they would be presented with a qualification certificate.
Prefer Arts? Why not join our Community Arts and Health Interns programme: This project is aimed is for 18 – 24 year olds (can include 16/17 year olds), who would like to get hands on training experience working alongside a senior creative producer supporting the delivery of our current Arts in Health projects.
From researching, producing, and supporting the delivery, to dreaming up their own projects, the interns will have the opportunity to help shape MMUH’s provision for young and emerging creatives with a strong emphasis upon cross-artform activities, social media, individual progression, diversity, and access.
Want to get hands on supporting people? West Bromwich African Caribbean Resource Centre (WBACRC) offer daily activities for the elderly in the African Caribbean community. This resource centre is offering opportunities for young people to join in the activities and work alongside staff, assisting where needed. The applicant would have the opportunity to learn about preparation of meals and food hygiene alongside getting hands on customer service and administration skills too.
Want to get clinical experience? Join our cardiac rehabilitation placement: The cardiac rehabilitation team are offering the opportunity for two students to be placed with them to give peer support and to observe classes. This will suit any students that are interested in cardiology or sports science.
Note: A small incentive of up to £10 a day for a maximum period of three days is available to interns to help cover some expenses. This can only be paid on proof of receipts and sign off of attendance.
To apply and find out more about any of these projects, please contact our volunteer service on 0121 507 4855 or email swbh.volunteer@nhs.net.
Birmingham Pride this Saturday at 12pm
Colleagues are invited to show support for our LGBTQ+ colleagues, patients and the community by attending Birmingham Pride, this Saturday 24 September. The event kicks off at 12pm in Centenary Square.
Further information on the events taking place over the weekend is available on the Birmingham Pride website.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Flojac training – new device for supporting patients who have fallen
Colleagues are invited to complete the flojac training prior to the equipment being allocated to their ward or area.
Please see training date below:
- Wednesday 28 September, 1pm – 3pm, Education Centre, Sandwell
For more information please email Karen.morsley@nhs.net.
This week is National Eye Health Week 2022
This week is National Eye Health Week which means there is a national campaign to get the message out that to ensure the good health of your eyes you should have an eye sight test once every two years, regardless of whether you wear glasses or not.
Two million people in the UK are living with sight loss which is severe enough to have a significant impact on their daily lives. Half of this sight loss is avoidable, yet millions of people are at risk of sight loss by failing to take care of their eyes.
Note: In an emergency regarding your eyes you should always call 999, visit your nearest A&E department or BMEC.
Seated acupressure massage sessions available at City
Are you thinking of relaxing and unwinding after a long week? A seated acupressure massage session is just one of the ways to destress and is available to all colleagues across the Trust.
The City Hospital wellbeing hub has relocated above Arches, 1st Floor, Corridor A (old physiotherapy corridor), Room B002/F/049.
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:
- Every Tuesday, 10am – 3.30pm
- Every Wednesday, 10am – 3.30pm
- Every Thursday, 10am – 5pm
Heartbeat: Theatres setting the benchmark at Midland Met
The stage is set – spring 2024 is when Midland Met will open its doors to patients. It’s full steam ahead for SWB as we all work collaboratively to ensure we have everything in place ahead of our move to the largest acute care facility within our organisation.
With our revised construction programme now agreed upon, we’ve wasted no time continuing with our transformation plans that go beyond Midland Met. It is a new chapter for SWB and all of us. The changes will be far reaching, and our focus is on areas such as our acute care model, primary care integration and developing a new learning campus onsite at Midland Met.
With so much to look forward to, teams are now reviewing their plans, refining and amending them so that our services are as good as they can be when we welcome patients into our new hospital. On a recent benchmark room tour, the theatres team did just that as they visited the site to check on the progress of their area and to identify any changes that may be needed before they make the big move to Midland Met.
After a thorough walkthrough of the space where they saw some of the equipment in their area, Vishal Paringe, Clinical Director Theatres, told us: “Our visit was an excellent opportunity to see how our area looks while it’s under construction. We are excited to see the hospital open and the positive difference it will make in terms of the enhanced care we can deliver for our local communities.”
He added: “The team have been working on their plans for our move to Midland Met, and we are in a good place. Now that we have an opening date, it will motivate colleagues even more as they know when we’ll move into our new home.”
Kelly Papavarnava, Deputy Group Director for Nursing (Surgical Services), revealed: “We visited the site as a team to see our area in theatres and what it will look like when ready. These visits are helpful to us as we can see how our services need to work in the area, and we can recommend any potential changes we’d like to make so that our services are as effective as they can be for patients and staff.”
Adrian Bradbury, Theatres Manager, remarked: “Today we’ve had the opportunity to visit the theatres area, and it looks fabulous so far. We can see one or two things that may need to be changed but so far, so good.”
The team found that their area is taking shape well and that work has been completed to a high standard. Balbir Kaur, Matron, told us: “The visit gave us some context of where everything will be from a clinical point of view. It was such a contrast from last time we were there – the paint and flooring has made a big difference.
“Visiting our department has enabled us to visualise and highlight areas that will require a different care model compared to what we use now. We have been working on the standardisation of our practices and reviewing pathways at different sites, reviewing equipment, setting up working groups and having regular meetings with colleagues to keep the momentum going.”
Naran Vekaria, Balfour Beatty Construction Manager accompanied the group on their benchmark tour and told us: “I’m involved with getting the different wards and clinical areas ready throughout the building. Today the team looked at their area, and we have had some positive feedback.”
Hospital young people’s forum: 18 October
Do you know anyone aged 13-21, who has an interest in health and wants to know more about our hospitals and community services? If so, the hospital young people’s forum could be for them!
We are hosting an engagement event at Sandwell Education Centre on Tuesday 18 October from 6pm – 7.30pm.
To find out more and book your place email swbh.engagement@nhs.net or call 0121 507 2671.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – period of mourning
Along with all other NHS organisations we are currently observing a national period of mourning. During the mourning period, our regular communications will be limited to essential information for staff and patients as a sign of respect – this includes the pausing of external events and celebrations. Our services should continue with minimal disruption to ensure patient care continues. If you have a query about an activity you are running please contact swbh.comms@nhs.net.
The State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
The State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will take place on Monday 19 September.
There will be national moments of reflection as follows:
- Sunday 18 September – 8pm for one minute
- Monday 19 September – 11:55am for two minutes
Colleagues who are working during this period are encouraged to observe these moments of reflection in your workplace, allowing patients and other colleagues to participate where it is safe and practical to do so.
While many will be marking the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II privately, for those who wish to come together at this time we have made arrangements for the State Funeral to be shown in the Conference Room at Sandwell Education Centre and the Dining Room at the Post Graduate Centre. The buildings will be open to staff from 10.30am.
Where there are bedside patient entertainment screens, we understand that these will become free to use from Sunday 18 September through to Monday 19 September to allow patients to pay their respects.
Trust devices that are not being used for patient care, can be used to access the State Funeral online.
The State Funeral will also be shown on large screens at
- Centenary Square, Birmingham and
- Dartmouth Park, West Bromwich
Monday 19 September: Trust arrangements
In light of the nationally announced public holiday for 19 September, the date of the State Funeral for Queen Elizabeth II, the Trust is mindful that patients and many staff will want the opportunity to pay their respects.
This means that we have rescheduled planned, non-urgent primary care appointments, outpatient appointments and planned procedures. We will be maintaining the services we would normally be running on a bank holiday that includes our inpatient wards and all urgent and emergency care services including emergency theatre lists. We are also aiming to continue with planned cancer procedures for those on a two week wait (2ww) pathway providing we have safe staffing in place.
Staff who are scheduled to work on Monday 19 September, whose services are still operational, should continue to work and normal bank holiday rules will apply. Colleagues have worked through bank holiday rotas to ensure safe services including on call arrangements. Staff whose services will not be operational on Monday 19 September are not required to work on that day.
Book of condolences and chaplaincy support
Our chaplaincy team have made two books of condolences available for colleagues to sign at the chapels at City and Sandwell. The books will move to Leasowes and Rowley on Thursday (15 September). Colleagues are warmly invited to contribute to these. An online book of condolences is also available at https://www.royal.uk/
In the video below, Mary Causer, Lead Chaplain talks about how colleagues can leave a message of condolence should they wish to do so.
The chaplaincy team are also available for a chat and you are welcome to light a candle in any of our chapels.
- City chapel can be reached on ext.4055 and Sandwell chapel can be contacted on ext. 3552.
- City Chapel/Prayer Room is located opposite Ward D20 & D11
- Sandwell Chapel/Prayer Room is located on 2nd floor.
Support for colleagues
The chaplaincy team are available for a chat and you are welcome to light a candle in any of our chapels.
- City chapel can be reached on ext.4055 and Sandwell chapel can be contacted on ext. 3552.
- City Chapel/Prayer Room is located opposite Ward D20 & D11
- Sandwell Chapel/Prayer Room is located on 2nd floor.
As well as support provided by our chaplaincy team, at this time of national grief, we would like to remind you of the support available to colleagues if you would like to talk to someone in confidence. You can contact occupational health on 0121 507 3306 option 4 and the team will make arrangements for a confidential chat.
Additional support is also available via the Black Country and West Birmingham mental health and wellbeing hub. You can access support by visiting the BCHFT website. Alternatively, you can email bchft.hub@nhs.net or call 0121 8031444
Laying flowers
For those colleagues who wish to lay flowers you can do so at Sandwell Council House or Birmingham Cathedral.
Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 16 September
Firstly, thank you to everyone who is working this weekend and on Monday that has been designated a Bank Holiday. In the NHS the work to care for patients comes first and all our usual urgent and emergency care services remain open so that patients who need immediate care can be looked after. We are running some emergency theatre lists and of course, our essential community services and inpatient ward activity remains. Thank you for your dedication to our patients during this time.
For those of you who are working I wanted to bring to your attention some key moments over the weekend.
At 8pm on Sunday a national moment of reflection has been announced. I would like to encourage you to participate in this minute of silence wherever you are and if it is safe and practical to do so. Many patients and staff will want to join in and show their respects.
On Monday 19 September the State Funeral will be broadcast online and on TV channels. If you are working at Sandwell and City and are able to leave your area of work you are welcome to attend the Postgraduate Centre at City (Dining Room) and the Education Centre at Sandwell (Conference Room) where the funeral will be shown. The buildings will be open from 10.30am and the funeral begins at 11am.
We are aware that bedside TVs that are in place in some ward areas are allowing free access to watch the funeral. Other devices that are not being used for patient care can also be used during the period of the funeral to watch it online. At the end of the funeral at 11.55am the Last Post will be played and a two minute silence will follow this.
Our chapels remain open for any colleague or patients to visit and our books of condolence are also available (now at Leasowes and Rowley Regis Hospital until Tuesday 20 September). You can also sign the national online book here.
Thank you for the respectful way you are going about your daily work and continuing to provide outstanding care to patients and families.
The loss of a very public figure can often bring feelings of personal grief and loss so please look after yourselves and each other. Our health and wellbeing support services for colleagues are here to help if you need a confidential conversation, as well as the Black Country hub, run by the Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
I hope that this weekend you can take some time for some personal reflection as we progress through this period of national mourning.
Dinah Mclannahan, Chief Finance Officer
Richard Beeken is away
Pharmacy opening hours on Monday 19 September
Due to the bank holiday, our pharmacy department will only be open 10am – 3pm at City and will be closed at Sandwell.
City dispensary will process requests for both sites, which will be transferred cross site as per current weekend procedures.
All ward teams are strongly encouraged to assess patient needs and order any inpatient and/or controlled drugs needed to cover the bank holiday period.
Note: Any queries outside of the hours stated above should be routed through the on call pharmacist via switchboard
← Older items Newer items →