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Monthly archives: April 2024

Drug safety notice: Pabrinex (Vitamins B and C) Intravenous High Potency Solution for injection ampoules

 

There is currently a shortage of the following medications:

  • Parinex Intravenous ( IV) injection is out of stock in Pharmacy and no stock is available from suppliers, until at least September 2025.
  • Pabrinex (Vitamins B and C) Intramuscular (IM) High Potency Solution for injection
    ampoules have been discontinued.
  • There are no other licensed parenteral alternatives to Pabrinex® IV injections

Advice/alternative arrangements:

  • Ensure any Pabrinex IV is only being used within national clinical guidelines.
  • Thiamine 50mg and 100mg tablets remain available and should be used where clinically
    appropriate.
  • Solivito N powder for concentrate for solution for infusion vials cannot support an uplift in demand.
    Note that the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England are convening a clinical reference group of key stakeholders to develop and share additional guidance in due course.
    Additionally, they are working with importers/ suppliers to source alternative products including unlicensed thiamine injections, further information will be provided once available.

Actions:

  • All clinicians should urgently review any patients prescribed Pabrinex IV to ensure it is
    only being used within national clinical guidelines in terms of dose and length of course.
  • The aim should be to reduce the usage of Pabrinex IV and maintain stocks for essential use only.

For more information regarding please see Pabrinex (Vitamins B and C) Intravenous High Potency Solution for injection ampoules

For more information please contact the pharmacy department on ext. 5263/3783.

Fast Track Level 6 Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (Mary Seacole) now available

 

The University of Exeter is offering the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (Mary Seacole) starting September 2024

Follow the link above to the attached programme information. The programme is:

  • Delivered entirely online
  • Two-year fast-track programme starting September 2024
  • £22,000 funded through the Trust’s Apprenticeship Levy
  • Application through Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) or Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL). For more information on APEL and APCL, please see the programme entry requirements here.
  • Qualifications achieved:
    • IfATE Level 6 Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship
    • BSc (Hons) Responsible Business Management
    • CMI Chartered Manager status
    • Mary Seacole Certificate awarded by the NHS Leadership Academy

Exeter University will be hosting online information sessions which will provide the opportunity to find out more about the delivery and content of the programme, instructions on how to apply, and a chance to ask questions about the apprenticeship. Please register for the sessions via Eventbrite using the links below:

  • Thursday 16 May 2pm – 3pm
  • Tuesday 4 June, 12pm – 1pm

Applicants who have met the entry requirements are invited to complete the Expression of Interest form after the information session to receive an application pack.

If you have any questions about the programme, please do not hesitate to contact Caroline Pile at Exeter University C.M.J.Pile@exeter.ac.uk

Please register your interest also with Maxine Griffiths, Apprenticeship Lead at SWB Maxine.griffiths@nhs.net.  Please note study leave approval and support for you to go onto the programme will be needed from your line manager.

New Trust counselling provision now available

 

PAM Wellness Solutions Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free and confidential service providing employees with emotional support, practical information and structured counselling for issues affecting their social, physical, financial and general well-being.This service is now live for all Trust employees to access.

If you wish to access support, employees can contact PAM on 0800 882 4102 whereby your call will be answered by a qualified counsellor who will be a member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

The EAP helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

IT patching affecting multiple web portals: 7 May, 9pm overnight to 1am

 

Please be aware essential IT Patching will be taking place on Tuesday 7 May to ensure the Trust’s Web server remains stable. The work is being carried out by IT and is scheduled to begin at 9pm for approximately 4 hours and should be completed by 1am on Wednesday 8 May.

During this time, the following web portals will be intermittently unavailable for short periods affecting the following services:

  • 18wwAudits
  • ActiveServers
  • A&E Datacapture – this is the business continuity for FirstNet
  • BMEC Advice Line
  • ClinicalAuditAdmin
  • Default Web Site
  • DoctorsLeave
  • eBMStest
  • www_EDMonitor
  • equipAM
  • FTSU
  • HisCustServRota
  • icmmonitoring
  • ioshelp
  • ITWeb
  • Medical Examiners
  • PathResults
  • Pharmtrack
  • proxy
  • ReportsPortal
  • Rotawatch
  • SSNAP
  • Switchboard Emergency call log
  • TPRS
  • VIDS known as Discharge to Access – D2A

Note: This timeslot has been chosen as a quieter time operationally to minimise impact.

The activity will be closely monitored by our IT support teams.

As always, should you have any further queries please do contact the IT Service Desk on ext. 4050 or 0121 507 4050 or via Chat with the IT Service Desk.

ICS Briefing – April 2024

 

The virtual ICS briefing took place on Thursday 25 April 2024 and David Melbourne, Chief Executive of NHS Birmingham and Solihull, was joined by guest speakers from across the integrated care system. The briefing is available to view via YouTube.

The full set of presentation slides is available to view and download here.

If you have any queries or feedback, please contact the Birmingham and Solihull ICB via email at communications.bsolicb@nhs.net.

Caribbean Nurses and Midwives Association Conference, 8 June

 

The Caribbean Nurses and Midwives Association ( CNMA) conference will be in Birmingham on Saturday 8 June.

The theme this year is about: The future of the global workforce and will be located at Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Bristol Road South, Northfield, Birmingham, B31 2AP.

More information regarding the event will be communicated soon or you can contact info@cnmaassociation.co.uk 

 

Prioritising support for Black Country Midwives

 

Newly qualified Midwives working across the Black Country will now be given structured support for up to 18 months in their first role.

The Black Country Local Maternity and Neonatal System (BCLMNS) has been working to standardise this support period – known as Preceptorship – across Walsall, Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Dudley.

Previously, the length of time of Preceptorship offered varied across Walsall Manor, New Cross, Russells Hall and City Hospitals. It is now aligned across the Black Country and is set at 12-18 months.

Lucy Murcott, Workforce Lead for the BCLMNS, said this was a welcome move among staff  – signalling the Trusts’ commitment to retention and promoting the Black Country as a good place to work.

She said: “We want to do all we can to integrate our newly qualified Midwives into their organisations, helping them to settle with their teams and maximise the opportunities that exist to further their careers.

“This is an important period in their lives to help them grow in confidence and expand their skills as well as learn from good leaders and colleagues. We are pleased to have worked together to offer standardised Preceptorships across our Trusts, acting on staff feedback to make this change.

 

“We are proud of our committed and dedicated Midwives and recommend the Black Country as a supportive place to work.”

Safe and smooth moves with Health Care Relocations

 

As progress continues on the Midland Met teams across the Trust are stepping up their move planning, thanks to the support of Health Care Relocations.

Teams from across the Trust have met with Joe Hartnett and Cameron Goes from Health Care Relocations (HCR). This has involved insightful discussions around the imminent move plans, with the goal of providing a seamless and safe move.

Last Friday, HCR supported a meeting with the maternity and neonatal team. Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and Move Champion, Jenny Cadwallader-Hunt, explained what happened during the planning meeting and how beneficial the discussion was.

Jenny commented “We’ve had a brilliant session with HCR today on how we can move to the new hospital as smoothly and safely as possible, including the smaller details such as which equipment should be moved on which days. They’ve given us lots of hints and tips based on their previous work. The team is feeling really energised and we look forward to continuing with the move planning process.”

So far, HCR have conducted meetings with several departments across the Trust which have been helpful for both colleagues and HCR. The final sessions will take place this week.

Don’t forget to attend your meetings with HCR this week ahead of the move day, this October!

Unity maintenance: 2 May, 10.30pm – 2am

 

Please be aware essential Unity maintenance will be taking place on Thursday 2 May. The work is being carried out by our support vendor Oracle and is scheduled to begin at 10.30pm for approximately three hours and should be completed by 2am on Friday 3 May.

During this time Unity should remain fully available; however, Unity Reporting (PI Explorer)/Business Objects Reporting will be unavailable for up to three hours from 10.30pm.

As part of this activity, the Trust will not have any resilience in place for all Unity services if an unexpected issue were to occur and we go into unplanned Unity downtime. We would therefore recommend that all areas have their business continuity plans and 724 Unity downtime computers on standby during the above time.

The activity will be closely monitored by Oracle and IT support teams and will be supported by desk top alerts which will be issued from 9pm.

As always, should you have any further queries then please do contact the IT Service Desk on ext. 4050 or 0121 507 4050 or via Chat with the IT Service Desk.

 

Drug safety notice: Hyoscine Hydrobromide (Scopoderm) 1.5mg Patches

 

There have been reports that some supplies of Hyoscine Hydrobromide ( Scopoderm) 1.5mg patches are unavailable, which are suspected to return in January 2025. 

Hyoscine hydrobromide patches are licensed for the prevention of travel
sickness symptoms e.g., nausea, vomiting and vertigo and used off-label for
the management of hypersalivation and drying up respiratory secretions.

Advice / Alternative
Other hyoscine hydrobromide preparations

• Hyoscine hydrobromide (Kwells) 150microgram and 300microgram tablets
can be used off label. They are taken orally, sucked, or chewed.
• In patients with swallowing difficulties
1st choice: Consider giving by parenteral injection.
2nd choice: The tablets may be sucked if the patient is able, and absorbed
through the lining of the mouth, although the level of absorption may vary,
particularly in patients with little saliva.
3rd choice: The tablets can be dissolved in water for administration via
an enteral tube, but again, absorption may vary.
4th choice: The injection has been used enterally.

For further advice, please see the guidance here – Shortage of Hyoscine hydrobromide (Scopoderm) 1.5mg patches (2)

For more information please contact the pharmacy department on ext. 5263/3783.

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