Monthly archives: March 2024

Working together to keep Black Country babies safe and well

Free training has been made available for people working and/or living in the Black Country to support the national Safer Sleep campaign run by the Lullaby Trust.

Safer Sleep Week runs until Sunday 17 March, supported by the Black Country Local Maternity and Neonatal System (BCLMNS) which is highlighting the training aimed at those who interact with children and families, both personally and professionally.

The training has been funded by The Black Country Child Death Overview Panel Strategic Partnership and so far 1,247 have signed up with sights set on encouraging more people who work in housing, emergency services, maintenance and mental health to come forward. It is suitable for anyone who works in health, education – including early years and nursery providers – social care, voluntary and community organisations, emergency services, housing officers and anyone who engages with families prior to or following the birth of a child.

Through the BCLMNS, Black Country Midwives, Maternity Support Workers and Neonatal Nurses are working to reduce the number of baby deaths in the region where unsafe sleeping habits have been identified.

The Lullaby Trust’s campaign raises awareness of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and the simple advice that can reduce the risk of this.

Babies’ airways are vulnerable, particularly in the first few months of life, so it is important that parents and carers are aware of this and the actions they can take to protect them. The simplest way to do this is by sleeping a baby on their back on a firm, flat surface with no padded or cushioned areas. This will help to keep their airways open and reduce the risk of suffocation and SIDS. A cot, Moses basket, bassinet, carry cot, or crib all fulfil these criteria.

Many baby products on the market are not suitable for babies to sleep in, even some which are designed for this purpose. The campaign aims to empower parents with the knowledge to make informed choices about their baby’s sleeping place and understand why some products are not suitable for baby sleep and how to identify and avoid them.

The Lullaby Trust wants parents to be confident about choosing a safer sleep space for their baby and to advise those in vulnerable or emergency situations what to do if they don’t have a cot or Moses basket.

Sally Roberts, LMNS Senior Responsible Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, said: “This is such an important campaign that the LMNS always gets behind – but its key messages and work to promote awareness extend far beyond this week-long focus.

“The training that has been funded through the Black Country CDOP is invaluable and I urge as many people as possible to take up the offer so we can do all we can together to keep our Black Country babies safe and well and better support our communities.”

To sign up, please register your interest using this link : https://forms.office.com/e/ge85D3LHLE If you have any questions, please contact the Black Country Child Death Overview Panel: bcicb.blackcountrycdop@nhs.net

HSJ Awards are now open for entries

Ramadan guidance from National NHS Muslim Network

National NHS Muslim Network would like to wish all their Muslim colleagues, allies, and friends a very happy Ramadan Mubarak!

For further information please visit the Ramadan and Eid Guidance 2024, which includes information about our NHS Ramadan Challenge and support offered by the National NHS Muslim Network during Ramadan and Eid.

Please also view our award-winning Support Package.

For more information view our website.

Samosa sale in aid of cancer services

The cancer services team will be hosting a samosa sale in the Courtyard area at Sandwell Hospital on Friday 15 March, from 12 pm – 1 pm.

All proceeds will go to the cancer services team.

Freedom to speak up drop-in clinical session

Please note the Freedom to Speak up drop-in session on Friday 15 March has been cancelled.

If you were planning to attend and require any advice or support please email: swbh.freedom-to-speak-up-guidance@nhs.net,  jamiljohnson@nhs.net or emma.barton1@nhs.net

Alternatively, please see the future dates for the sessions here 

National Cancer CNS Day – 15 March

The cancer services team will be hosting an information ‘drop-in session ‘ at the Main Reception, Sandwell on Friday 15 March.

If you would like to learn more about Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists and the role it play within the Cancer services team, then drop by from 10 am –  2pm

Reduced service within Acute Heart Failure team

Due to unforeseen staffing issues, the Acute Heart Failure Nurses are temporarily reducing their in-patient service.

There working hours will be Monday – Friday 8 am to 4 pm effective immediately.

All non-urgent referrals can still be sent at weekends via MPTL but will NOT be dealt with until the next working day. 

Any urgent out-of-hours heart failure referrals should be discussed with the cardiology on-call team.

If you have any questions regarding this change, please contact the team on

• Sandwell ext 5689
• City ext 3836

Ramadan: What is it?

Muslims around the world fast during daylight hours, meaning they abstain from eating, drinking  during the duration of their fast.

Aside from fasting, Muslims observing Ramadan also increase in spiritual devotional acts such as prayer, giving in charity and strengthening family ties. Muslims are encouraged to share their food with friends, family and neighbours and to reach out to those who may be fasting alone, to share their Ramadan experiences.

This year Ramadan will begin on Sunday 10 March / Monday 11 March and will last between 29 days to 30 days.

If you would like to find out more information about Ramadan, please visit our Chaplaincy stands within the main reception areas at City Hospital from 10 am – 12 pm and at Sadnwell Hospital from 1 pm – 3 pm on Friday 8 March.

Team Leader/Supervisor apprenticeships opportunities

Our SWB apprenticeship team attended a parliamentary celebration this week, at the House of Commons, on behalf of the Ladder Foundation to accompany Scott Shenton, who won the Black Country Ladder, Apprentice of the Year for Health Education and Care. Scott completed his Level 3 Team Leader/ Supervisor Apprenticeship.

Are you  new to team leading, have experience but no qualification? You could take a similar path to Scott in developing your career into management and understanding the role and responsibilities of building an effective team.

Click here to access the apprenticeship journey.

Want to find out more about apprenticeships at SWB? Why not join one of the apprenticeship information sessions via Microsoft Teams:

• Tuesday 12 March, 1pm – 2pm
• Thursday 14 March, 9am – 10am

If you wish to join one of the session, please call 0121 507 6425 or email swbh.apprenticeship@nhs.net to register your interest so that you can be provided with a Teams joining link.

Fundamentals of Care Rhythm of the Day launched

‘Fundamentals of Care’ is our flagship clinical improvement framework to improve the basic standards of care and ensure these are applied consistently across all areas of care.

Supported by the Clinical Change Managers ‘Hospital Standardisation’ is the Fundamentals of Care workstream that is driving this change, with the objective of ensuring the working ways of all clinical and medical staff is standardised across all areas to provide equitable, seamless best practice and care to our patients.

Inline with the Fundamentals of Care year one and following an audit undertaken in October 2023, the new Rhythm of the dAy/Ward and Board Round was launched on 5 March in three phases with a focus on personalisation and the following key principles:

• Minimum of 7 refreshments/snacks rounds
• 2 MDT board rounds – AM/PM
• 1 Ward round
• 4 Medication rounds
• 3 Supported Mealtimes incorporating ‘Making Mealtimes Matter’(no longer protected mealtimes)
• Patient inclusion/information sharing
• 3 Safety Huddles

Board Rounds will follow the principles of the SAFER Patient Flow Bundle 3 with a focus on a series of clinical prompts: e.g.

• Results Acknowledgement
• Discharge Dates
• Criteria to Reside
• Resuscitation/Sealing of Care
• VTE completion
• Consider Criteria Led Discharge

Phase 2: Monday 1 April – D5, 7, 15, 17, Priory 4, Maternity 1, 2

Phase 3: Monday 29 April – D11, 12, 27, 30, Priory 2, all Paediatric wards and Newton 5 ( AMSSU)

Clinical change managers – Dionne Mullings and Marc Ros Cisa will be leading and supporting the rollout of each phase and will be visible on your wards. Copies of the Rhythm of the day of the Posters will be available in all staff areas for information.

If you have any questions or queries, contact the clinical change managers on swbh.clinicalchangemanagers@nhs.net