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Monthly archives: November 2022

16 days of action against domestic abuse: Rape and sexual violence

 

16 days (25 November – 10 December) of action against domestic abuse aims to raise awareness of abuse and signpost people to vital support services.

There is specialist advice and support available for those who have experienced rape, sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse. Black Country Women’s Aid offers Independent Sexual Violence Advocate (ISVA) services. Ask Marc is a Sandwell service for male victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence https://askmarc.org.uk/ . The West Midlands Sexual Assault Referral Centre (0800 970 0375) offers adults and children specialist medical care including sexual health and emergency contraception, practical help, counselling, support with making a report to the police and signposting to other specialist services.

For advice from Children’s Social Care, look for information from the service where the child lives:

Note: In an emergency dial 999 and ask for police

As a Trust we have an important role in supporting victims of domestic abuse. For information on domestic abuse, please look on the safeguarding area of Connect.

For advice we have Independent Domestic Violence Advocates based in A&E:

  • Sandwell (0121 507 3787, 07929 653 3014)
  • City (0121 507 4829, 07866 004 529)
  • Safeguarding Children 0121 507 2844
  • Adult Safeguarding 0121 507 2612.

Other useful links can also be found below:

Revised weekly pay dates for colleagues during festive period

 

Due to Christmas and New Year, some of the weekly pay dates will change during the festive period. Please see Christmas and New Year weekly pay information sheet.

Note: Colleagues who are paid monthly will be paid on Wednesday 21 December during the month of December. 

Levelling the field: Championing ethnic diversity in the NHS

 

Levelling the field is a two day international conference which aims to champion ethnic diversity in the NHS.

The event consists of two digital events which both run between 9am – 5pm aimed at all Trust colleagues:

  • 1 December: Empowering the International NHS workforce – maximising potential of the multi-cultural team with focus on developing high quality induction and support system
  • 2 December: Levelling the Field Conference – challenges of career progression with focus on differential attainment

To join either event or find out more, please click here.

TikTok stars sought for Kids campaign

 

Colleagues may be aware that the Trust launched our TiKTok channel @SWBHnhs a few months ago, and already we have been pleased to post and engage our communities with interesting and thought-provoking content. Our strategy is primarily to push public health messages, and we are launching a campaign to support colleagues in emergency medicine across our region by raising awareness of the importance of children getting their flu vaccine. Our campaign pursues a very simple premise “I don’t want to miss a minute of it…” where children (and their responsible adults) explain on camera (portrait video mode please) the reason they are so keen to get vaccinated because they don’t want to miss a minute of (something fun – Christmas, the football, their birthday, school holidays etc… the list is endless.)

Flu is a miserable party pooper which can steal the good times and leave us wretched and fed up while others go off and have fun. We want to share best practice and the message that we’re protected (from flu) and looking forward to…getting the biggest slice of cake…for once.

If you or your kids are up to take part in our campaign – and are happy to be featured on our TikTok channel, please film your video shots and send to swbh.comms@nhs.net via WeTransfer. If you struggling to send any clips across to the team, please call ext. 5303 and one of the communications team will be able to assist. We are starting to put our content out this week but depending on response from you the campaign will run whilst we have new faces. 😊

Planned Unity Downtime: Essential Unity upgrade taking place on Thursday 1 December from 1am to 8am

 

Colleagues are advised there is an essential upgrade taking place on Thursday 1 December affecting Unity which will result in Unity and all associated applications: PowerChart, FirstNet and Capman being unavailable from 1am through to 5am.

This will affect all colleagues working the night shift tonight (Wednesday 30 November).

This work is scheduled to begin at 1am and should be completed by 8am on Thursday 1 December. This activity will result in approximately 4 hours full Unity planned down time from 1am to 5am.

All clinical areas will need to revert to using Unity 724 downtime computers (this is the business continuity for Unity) to review patient related documentation and utilise 724 boxes (the supporting paperwork that is used during a downtime) and ensure they are fully stocked and available and staff know what to do with them.

[su_box title="Unity 724 Computers" box_color="#af0001"]All Unity 724 computers must be plugged in, switched on and operational to be able to receive updates to patient records. [/su_box]

Colleagues from Informatics will be touring all clinical areas to ensure that 724 machines are fully operational. Please ensure you have checked your 724 devices and alert IT as soon as possible if you  think your 724 machine is not fully operational.

[su_box title="Portering support during Unity downtime" box_color="#ff0708"]During the Unity upgrade period colleagues requesting portering support will need to call the portering office directly on the following extension: Sandwell Ext 2501 / City Ext 4291 [/su_box]

Should you have any further queries then please contact your line manager in the first instance or the IT Service desk on ext. 4050 or by contacting the Chat with the IT Service Desk.

16 days of action against domestic abuse

 

Adults are not the only victims of domestic abuse. One in five children are exposed to domestic abuse which can have devastating long term effects on children and young people. Children who witness domestic abuse may present as anxious and easily startled. They may display angry, distressed or withdrawn behaviours. They may have sleep difficulties, nightmares and bedwetting. They may be reluctant to go to school, have physical symptoms or experiment with risk taking behaviours.

The Hideout is a space created for children and young people to understand domestic abuse and how to access help http://thehideout.org.uk

Domestic abuse is a safeguarding issue as it places children at risk of harm. For safeguarding children concerns seek advice from the Safeguarding Team on 0121 507 2844. Information on safeguarding children procedures can be found here.

For advice from Children’s Social Care, look for information from the service where the child lives:

City gym to reopen 2 December

 

The gym at City will reopen on Friday 2 December. As some equipment is still in the process of being fixed, certain machines will be cordoned off as they are not safe to use.

We would like to also remind colleagues when you sign up for the gym membership, you agreed to adhere to a code of conduct. We ask all colleagues familiarise themselves with the gym rules. All colleagues deserve a clean, tidy, and welcoming environment as this is also important for wellbeing.

Want to join Sandwell or City Gym? New members should email jatinder.sekhon@nhs.net to complete your registration. The relevant forms can be found below

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Young people’s community arts and health project starting in 2023

 

Do you know of any young people aged between 16 – 24 who would take an interest in the young people’s community arts and health project starting in 2023?

Weekly sessions held will be held at Oldbury Library, Sandwell Council House, Freeth St, Oldbury B69 3DB from 10am – 1pm.

  • Wednesday 4 January
  • Wednesday 11 January
  • Wednesday 18 January
  • Wednesday 25 January

Course content will include:

  • Learn about the role of Arts and Health in the community
  • The key aspects of Event Management
  • How to be a Project Manager
  • How to research and design your own arts project
  • Meet and hear from industry experts
  • Visit arts venues and community projects
  • Develop a social media plan

For more information and to apply please email amy.martin31@nhs.net.

Heartbeat: Keys handed over to region’s first reablement centre

 

A new £14 million integrated reablement centre has been officially handed over to officials from Sandwell Council.

Richard Beeken, Chief Executive alongside Rashpal Bishop, Director of Adult Social Care for Sandwell Council and Councillor Suzanne Hartwell, cabinet member for adults, social care and health were at Harvest View, in Rowley Regis, which is the first of its kind in the region, for the event.

The centre, opening in November, has 80 bedrooms with state-of-the-art facilities providing nursing, care, and therapy to support people for up to six weeks, to get back on their feet after a hospital stay or prevent an avoidable admission to hospital. The unit will have a strong focus on ‘homefirst’ reablement and supporting individuals to live as independently as possible following a social care or health crisis and avoiding unnecessary placements for people in long term care facilities.

There are also facilities such as a physiotherapy facility, large communal areas and treatment rooms and the centre is designed to ensure accessibility throughout the building for people with limited mobility.

This integrated social care and health centre facility will provide much needed support to residents and will support the council’s wider regeneration vision to ensure that people live and age well within the borough.

Daren Fradgley, Chief Integration Officer added: “Harvest View represents another exciting opportunity to deliver integrated health and social care services across our system for the people of Sandwell, building on the positive work we have already started with Discharge To Assess (D2A). This is a very real example of how the health and care partners across the borough are working together for the benefit of the patient in a truly integrated way. We look forward to welcoming patients through the doors later this year.”

Heartbeat: Kindness gets kids on the road to recovery

 

In September 2020, children in BMEC were delighted as the department was gifted a mini-Tesla. The donation was from Tesla Owners UK to Your Trust Charity for paediatric patients to make their way to theatres for surgery.

Unfortunately, the steering wheel was damaged on site, and after many attempts to repair it or find a replacement part, the car became unusable.

James Morrissey, Theatre Manager, told us: “Our youngest patients enjoyed using the toy car to drive themselves to surgery. Surgery can be daunting, but somehow the car made it a more fun process, and they enjoyed driving it down to us. Seeing their little faces light up as they got into the car was a joy which is why we were all saddened when we could not organise a repair.

“Not long after joining the department, Kelly Papavarnava, Deputy Group Director of Nursing (Surgical Services), heard about our toy car and set about finding a replacement part with the help of her dad. Much to our amazement, Kelly was able to source a replacement steering wheel from America and got the car repaired.

“This act of kindness means that our youngest patients can now drive themselves down to us to have their surgery. It helps to change what might be a negative experience into a joyous experience for the children in our care. The team and I are all grateful for Kelly’s support. She is, in our opinion, the best example of someone that lives our values and goes above and beyond to enhance the patient experience.”

Kelly told us: “My inspiration was to support the team as they had worked hard to resolve this for the benefit of our paediatric patients. The use of the car is extremely positive and brings some laughter and joy to children at what can be a scary time for them and their parents.”

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