Monthly archives: January 2024

Your Trust Charity Events 2024

Are you looking for a thrilling challenge – all in aid of raising money for Your Trust Charity, the official charity of SWB. We have a range of fabulous events coming up such as the Great Birmingham Run, Three Peaks Challenge and the Barcelona Marathon you can take part in.

Click here and then click on the ‘Events’ tab for the full list and help us to enhance the experiences of our patients, their families and our staff.

All events can be purchased securely through our site.

If you have any questions at all please email us at trustcharity@nhs.net.

Aquatics and Swimming programme now available for all health and social care staff

The Aquatic Activity and Swimming for Health elearning programme is now universally available for everyone to access within health and social care settings.

Previously it was just available for colleagues with an NHS email address but, thanks to an upgrade in functionality, it can now be accessed by all.

The resource, developed in partnership with Swim England, Aquatic Therapy Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (ATACP) and the University of Nottingham, raises awareness of the benefits of aquatic activity on health and wellbeing and will enhance learners’ confidence in identifying patients who would benefit most.

It covers the following topics:

• Helping people navigate their way to swimming and aquatic activity
• What happens to the body in water?
• Adaptive effects of aquatic exercise
• Who can exercise in water?
• Exploring aquatic activities

It is aimed at GPs, physiotherapists and those who influence an individual’s decision to be active, such as social prescribers and leisure professionals.

For more information and to access the programme, please visit the Aquatic Activity and Swimming for Health programme page.

Learners are also encouraged to complete the evaluation survey at the end of the training to help improve this programme for future learners.

COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations available

If you are after your COVID-19 and Flu vaccination our team is onsite across sites this week.

Note: However, due to the shortage of COVID-19 vaccinations, please contact the team ahead to secure your spot.

Vaccination team: 07977 687586

Cold weather alert: Level 3 – cold weather action

There is a 90 per cent probability of severe cold weather and icy conditions throughout the rest of this week and into the weekend. Please refer to the Trust’s severe weather plan for appropriate preventive action.

This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services. Please refer to the national Cold Weather Plan and your departmental emergency plan for appropriate preventive action.

All areas should have business continuity plans agreed with their staff for cold weather, ice and snow. These should include:

• Working with colleagues regarding their ability to report for work if transport systems are affected
• Agreeing working arrangements for severe weather in advance, including potentially the need for staff to stay overnight

Colleagues are expected to make every reasonable effort to attend work (including using public transport when they wouldn’t normally) providing it is safe to do so.

• If not able to reach their normal base, to attend an alternative base if that is easier to reach.
• To work from home (if applicable and agreed with their manager)
• Colleagues unable to attend work or work from home, to notify their managers ASAP and required to either take the day as annual leave or time in lieu (to be agreed locally).
• Colleagues who are able to walk in but are not rostered to work may be asked to support their work area.  This is not mandatory and will be based on mutual agreement and rescheduling of work duties

Please ensure that all staff contact details are up to date and that you have a plan in place so that you are aware of any issues at departmental level.

The PHE cold weather plan can be accessed by clicking here. 

Measles webinar for nursing staff – Friday 26 January

A webinar aimed at all nursing staff in Birmingham and Solihull is being held on Friday 26 January, 2pm to 2.30pm.

The thirty minute webinar, held on MS Teams, will be hosted by Lisa Stalley-Green, Chief Nursing Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board, who will be in conversation with Olga Leach-Walters, Specialist nurse practitioner.

Please follow the link to join the webinar: Click here to join the meeting

You can also download a reminder to add to your calendar.

Colleagues will hear about some of the recent work of Chief Nursing Officers from organisations across our health and care system, they’ll be a discussion about anti-racist practice and you’ll have the opportunity to ask any questions you might have.

It is intended that this webinar will be the first in a series of opportunities to connect nursing colleagues across Birmingham and Solihull throughout 2024.

If you have any queries, please contact the Communications team at NHS Birmingham and Solihull via email: communications.bsolicb@nhs.net

Nurses’ experiences of working during the pandemic research study

Patience Domingos, projects and research associate is conducting a study around the COVID-19 pandemic and the experiences of nurses and nursing associates as part of her doctoral degree.

All registered nurses from bands 5-8 working in various specialties, as well as nursing associates from around the organisation can take part. This information will aid in the establishment of a theory-informed model of best practice and contribute to the advancement of a model of support for nurses’ physical and mental well-being during and after pandemics within SWB in the future.

If you would like to participate, please read the Participant Information Sheet (PIS) and complete the Nurses’ experiences of working during the pandemic form.

For more information, please email patience.domingos@nhs.net.

Do you know the symptoms of measles?

Did you know there has been a rise in measles cases this year? Measles is highly contagious and 90 per cent of unvaccinated people will catch measles if exposed to it.

Do you know the symptoms of measles?

These include:

• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Red sore watery eyes
• High temperature
• Non-itch brown/red rash
• Small white spots inside cheeks

Any suspected cases of measles should be reported to the infection prevention and control team on ext. 5900.

Be sure to check out this short video featuring Hayley Cresswell, Matron talking about the symptoms of measles.

Measles vaccination: With the increase in measles cases across the UK and across the West Midlands area we want to remind colleagues they can get a measles vaccination by calling occupational health on ext. 3306 or emailing  swbh.ohreferrals@nhs.net.

Note: Measles is a notifiable disease and all suspected cases should be reported urgently (by phone) to your local UKHSA Health Protection Team.

Do you know the facts around measles?

Did you know there has been a rise in measles cases this year? Measles is highly contagious and 90 per cent of unvaccinated people will catch measles if exposed to it.

Any suspected cases of measles should be reported to the infection prevention and control team on ext. 5900.

Do you know the facts around measles? Measles can start with cold like symptoms. also a rash  will not show in children until a child has been infectious for up to four days. Symptoms of measles appear seven to 10 days after the first contact with the virus.

Measles can cause:

• Pneumonia
• Meningitis
• Blindness
• Seizures

Be sure to check out this short video featuring Hayley Cresswell, talking about the facts around measles.

Measles vaccination: With the increase in measles cases across the UK and across the West Midlands area we want to remind colleagues they can get a measles vaccination by calling occupational health on ext. 3306 or emailing  swbh.ohreferrals@nhs.net.

Note: Measles is a notifiable disease and all suspected cases should be reported urgently (by phone) to your local UKHSA Health Protection Team.

Did you know measles during pregnancy can harm your baby?

Did you know there has been a rise in measles cases this year? Measles is highly contagious and 90 per cent of unvaccinated people will catch measles if exposed to it.

Any suspected cases of measles should be reported to the infection prevention and control team on ext. 5900.

Be sure to check out this short video featuring Herpal Mann, Consultant Midwife talking about how measles can harm a baby during pregnancy.

Measles vaccination: With the increase in measles cases across the UK and across the West Midlands area we want to remind colleagues they can get a measles vaccination by calling occupational health on ext. 3306 or emailing   swbh.ohreferrals@nhs.net.

Note: Measles is a notifiable disease and all suspected cases should be reported urgently (by phone) to your local UKHSA Health Protection Team.

Alcohol Specialist Nurse secondment application closes 31 January

The band 6 Alcohol Specialist nurse will be an integral member of the Alcohol Care Team which provides care and treatment for patients with alcohol misuse issues. The role will work as an autonomous practitioner in the assessment, implementation and evaluation of patient care for those who present with alcohol misuse and alcohol related injuries.

Note: This role is a 12 month maternity leave cover secondment.

The closing date for all applications is Wednesday 31 January

To apply and find out more click here.