Monthly archives: October 2023
West Midlands Fire Service training
Do you know what patients/service users may be at risk of serious harm or death due to a fire? Do you know how to make a referral to West Midlands Fire Service for safe and well visits to ensure they are assessed, and risk is reduced? Do you know what products are available to those at risk to reduce the likelihood of serious harm or death from a fire?
With this mind, please consider booking onto the West Midlands Fire Service training so SWB can play a part in reducing the number of adults with care and support needs who have died or been seriously injured through fire in the West Midlands and Black Country.
Training session will take place via Microsoft Teams on the following dates:
Dates for training:
- Wednesday 29 November, 2pm to 3pm Via Microsoft Teams
To book onto a training session please email r.begum19@nhs.net.
Update: Mask wearing guidance
Following national guidance – the infection prevention and control team team have conducted a risk assessment regarding the re-introduction of mask wearing and the decision remains:
- Masks are only required in areas where there are outbreaks of respiratory infection and in A&E where the cause of respiratory infection is unknown.
- Colleagues can, however, choose to wear masks if they wish.
The risk assessment includes trigger points when masks may be introduced in future, should we need to, for example when we see increasing numbers of patients with COVID, and this decision will made by strategic command.
We will keep this under review and communicate any changes if we reach the trigger points and need to make any changes.
BHP webinar – Getting Started in Research: How to make it happen
Are you a Medical or Dental clinician with an interest in exploring how to get started in research?
If so, you are invited to an exciting free online event on Tuesday 28th November 2023 from 12am – 13.45 featuring talks from some senior leaders from across the Birmingham Health Partners group, with national and international reputations in research. There is also a talk from the Academy of Medical Sciences about grants and career development opportunities within AMS.
Other topics include:
- How to identify your research question
- How and where to find funding opportunities
- Perspectives from early career researchers at different career stages
This online event is hosted by Professor Kristien Boelaert, Director of the Birmingham NIHR Integrated Academic Training Programme.
To register for this free event please visit: https://forms.microsoft.com/e/u74zvm4QWx
Enquiries to: Tim Giles t.giles@bham.ac.uk or Charlotte Maybury at c.maybury@bham.ac.uk.
The full programme is attached.
The event is the first of a series of workshops and events as part of a recent award from Research England to enhance Research Culture and aim to make routes into academia and clinical research more transparent.
This event replaces the in-person event previously scheduled for 17th October 2023.
We look forward to welcoming you to the event.
Nutrition Teams MDT
The nutrition team MDT will now occur at 11am -12.30pm on Tuesday mornings via TEAMS. Please refer any patients that need to be discussed to swbh.acutenutritionnurses@nhs.net. Please could we ask for a proforma (provided by the acute nutrition team) and a member of the team to be present at the MDT.
Healthwatch Sandwell – Guided by You Report
Healthwatch Sandwell is the independent consumer champion for health and social care services in Sandwell. Our role is to champion the consumer interests of those using the services and to give local people an opportunity to speak out about their concerns.
Healthwatch Sandwell were commissioned by Sandwell Health and Care Partnership to undertake citizen and public engagement through a series of public workshops across the 6 towns of West Bromwich, Tipton, Oldbury, Smethwick,Rowley Regis and Wednesbury. As these were aimed at capturing local views and ideas for change, we called these events Guided by You.
Sandwell Health and Care Partnership is a partnership of health, social care, voluntary and
community organisations who are working together to improve people’s life choices and
health outcomes.They aim to work more closely together to support communities in Sandwell and reduce the widening gaps in health inequalities by not just focusing on health; but the wider determinants such as employment, education, lifestyle, housing and the local environment
To find out more click here.
National NHS Muslim Network – Launch of new Support Package
The NHS Muslim network request assistance in raising awareness of the new award winning Support Package.
The new Support Package includes:
- Talent development webinars
- Rapid talent development webinars
- Leadership development webinars
- Career development support
- Wellbeing webinars and support
- Speaking up support
- Allyship webinars
- Events
- Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr support 2024
- Our members meetings
- How to be a better Muslim series
- Islamic support
Click here to view new support package
Click here to be a member(as a Muslim colleague , ally or friend).
To find out more visit the website.
If you have any queries or would like to discuss this further, please email england.muslim1@nhs.net.
Still time to complete your staff survey – your voice matters
The 2023 staff survey is still open and you should have received your invitation to have your say.
By taking part in the survey, your views will be heard by not only SWB but by the region, and key decision makers nationally and used to inform policy and improvements around your priorities such as safety, wellbeing, working decisions and pay. By completing this survey once, your voice will be heard by numerous data users.
Please do take 15 minutes of your time to complete the survey when it arrives – for many of you this will be via e-mail, but for those who don’t have regular access to a computer (porters, ward services and catering) it will be delivered to your home address.
There are still six chances to win £50 worth vouchers for completing the staff survey. By giving just 15 minutes of your time you can help make SWB and the NHS the workplace we all want it to be.
Be sure to check out this blog from John Drew, Director of Staff Experience and Engagement at NHS England, explaining the power of the survey and why each of the voices of our NHS people matters.
The survey closes on Friday 24 November.
New Troponin Pathway: 24 October
As part of the pathway alignment work across the four partner Trusts that are served by the Black Country pathology services, SWB is changing the timing of Troponin today sampling for patients who present with acute chest pain, from less than an hour – three hours to less than an hour – one hour.
This change, which is based on a modification of the European Society of Cardiology Guidelines (2020), will aid in improving diagnostic speed and accuracy. Full details including how to request Troponins on Unity as part of the new pathway can be found in the accompanying algorithm.
For further details please see Troponin pathway information sheet.
Cancer hotline celebrates one year anniversary
Our cancer hotline service is celebrating its one year anniversary since its inception in 2022!
More than 30 per cent of callers accessing the cancer hotline in its first year have been referred on to further investigations.
Patients living in Sandwell and West Birmingham can contact the service, which is marking its first year anniversary this month, if they are suffering from the signs of cancer.
They are then triaged by specialist nurses and referred onto the two week wait cancer pathway if their symptoms indicate the disease.
Funded by the West Midlands Cancer Alliance, the service is a partnership between the Trust and the Black Country Integrated Care Board and is the first of its kind in the country.
Anyone who is worried can ring the advice line on 0121 507 3330, Monday to Friday, between 8am and 4pm.
Symptoms of cancer include unexplained weight loss, unusual swellings or lumps or changes in the breasts/ testicles, changes to a mole, blood in wee or poo, changes in bowel habits for more than six weeks, a hoarse voice for more than three weeks, difficulties in swallowing, vaginal bleeding after menopause or between periods.
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