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Monthly archives: April 2024

Did you know this week is #GreenerAHP week?

 

This week is our opportunity as AHPs and AHP Support Workers to renew our efforts on Greener initiatives. This may be through changes in care delivery, refreshing our conscious reduction of waste, or changing behaviours such as how we travel to work.

The NHS was the first healthcare system in the world to set a target to be carbon net zero and we can all play our part in achieving this. As health professionals and care organisations we have a duty to deliver health care now and to ensure that the care we are giving is not playing a part in damaging our patient’s health. AHPs are well placed to play a role to play in getting to net zero while ensuring high quality care for all.

The actions we take to improve health and reduce ill-health and inequalities also benefit our planet. Common AHP interventions, like encouraging active travel, promoting healthy eating, and supporting good mental health are part of the solution to climate change.

What will you do for #GreenerAHP week?

In the approach to #GreenerAHP week we’ve already had fantastic pledges from some of our SWB AHP teams including:

  • Car sharing to reduce emissions
  • Use of thermal mugs rather than plastic cups for hot drinks
  • Making a conscious effort not to overuse plastic gloves/aprons and paper towels
  • Fully shutting down computers and turning off lights at the end of the shift
  • Cutting down on paper and reusing scrap when possible

To sustain some of these ideas and more, such as initiatives to recycle walking aids, we are looking for AHPs and AHP support workers to join our #GreenerAHP Forum which will meet monthly.

For more information please email saraholey@nhs.net.

Electrical works at Sandwell: Today from 10.30am – 2.30pm

 

Today (Monday 22 April) from 10.30am – 2.30pm, electricals works will be taking place at Sandwell site.

The specific locations impacted by the works are listed below:

  • SDEC
  • Accident and emergency majors
  • Data centre
  • CT scanner 1
  • Angio suite (x-ray)
  • Critical care primary Incomer and secondary incomer from main Lyndon switch room
  • Mortuary supply
  • Accident and emergency x-ray room, ground floor
  • Cardiology 1st floor

As part of the works, mains electrical supply will be synchronised and transferred onto generators for the duration of the maintenance activity however there is no planned break in electrical supply. Should a break in supply occur due to a fault condition, the mains electrical supply would be immediately restored meaning services will not be impacted. Should any issues arise during maintenance that would prevent mains electricity from being restored in a planned timescale, the tactical team will be informed, we will remain on generator supply until the matter is resolved and adhere to the Equans business continuity plan for loss of electrical supply.

For more information about the works or to report any issues, please contact the capacity team on ext. 4880.

NHS Fleet Solutions: Are you interested in a new vehicle?

 

NHS Fleet Solutions is the UK’s original and largest public sector salary sacrifice scheme, offering a brand-new car of your choice on a two or three-year lease. The scheme is available for all colleagues and offer an array of vehicles to sort all needs.

Benefits include:

  • A choice of zero/ultra-low emissions cars available from a wide range of major car brands
  • Insurance for up to five named drivers
  • Maintenance, road tax and breakdown cover included
  • No deposit, credit checks, no additional costs
  • Access to special offers

To check eligibility for the scheme, find out more, and get a quote visit www.nhsfleetsolutions.co.uk. To create an account, you will need to enter the ‘VPD’ number “381” where prompted.

For more information please see NHS Fleet Solutions explained.

a NHS Fleet Solutions digital webinar will be hosted on the following date should you want to find out more about the latest vehicles on offer:

 

‘Words of Farewell’ session

 

Our engagement and bereavement team will be hosting an ‘ Words of Farewell ‘ session on Thursday 9 May from 9am to 4pm in Conference Room, Sandwell Education Centre.

The event is to understand the importance of losing a loved one can be and we want to ensure that our staff understand what a ‘ good death ‘ is, so they can provide the best care to our patients.

The day will consist of:

  • Patient experience, personalisation of care and personal impact
  • Pre-bereavement care and chaplaincy
  • Role of the coroner’s office and mortuary service
  • Certificate office and medical examiners services

To register your interest to attend the session, please visit the link here.

Invitation to join our ARC Compassionate and Inclusive Leadership Programme

 

A warm welcome awaits you on our ARC Compassionate and Inclusive Leader programme which is based on research focused on working in the NHS by Professor Michael West.  We have a range of programmes for leaders and team members so something for everyone to help us move towards a more compassionate and inclusive culture for us all.

Please click this link, choose the dates that suit you best and book your place – Compassionate and Inclusive Leadership

Further details about the programme can be found here.

We look forward to seeing you there. If you’ve already been on it – please help us by encouraging others to attend.

For more information please contact learning and development by emailing swbh.landd@nhs.net or calling  0121 507 4974.

 

HCR are returning to SWB to continue detailed move planning

 

We are pleased to announce the return of HCR, renowned experts in healthcare relocations, to continue detailed move planning with our colleagues at SWB.

HCR’s expertise is invaluable as we plan our moves to Midland Met in October 2024. HCR will be visiting from Canada to be with us from 23 April – 2 May. During their visit, they will engage with move champions to review equipment transfer lists. It’s imperative that colleagues complete these lists with input from their teams and that they are available to attend meetings in person. There will be no online meetings as attendance is required to discuss the details.

While in the UK, HCR will meet with our patient transfer working groups for City, Sandwell, maternity and the neonatal unit. Patient transfer protocol leads will discuss specific protocol documents for patient move days.

All required attendees will have received a diary invite. If you cannot attend, please ensure you send an informed deputy to discuss your move needs.

As our move planning progresses, this visit is crucial for thorough preparation. The next onsite visit by HCR will be in June for patient mock moves, so we urge teams to make the most of their time with the team.

Whilst in the UK, HCR will meet with key stakeholders, including Restore Harrow and Green, our removal company, and West Midlands Ambulance Service. They will also collaborate closely with the Midland Critical Care Service, focusing on transporting critical care patients, including paediatrics and the neonatal unit.

If you have a meeting scheduled with HCR, please ensure you attend or send a representative. The HCR team has travelled over 3,600 miles to share their expertise with us, and it’s now crucial for colleagues to get into the detail of their plans and own their move to Midland Met.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your manager or email paulhazle@nhs.net and kellythompson1@nhs.net.

Unveiling our ambitious estate plans

 

In a candid discussion with Warren Grigg, the Director of Estates Development, the spotlight shifted from the much-talked-about Midland Metropolitan University Hospital to the equally important estate programme. Warren took us on a journey through the extensive works planned and underway, promising a future that seamlessly integrates cutting-edge facilities where we can deliver top-tier clinical services.

Sharing his insight, Warren said: “Amidst the hustle and bustle surrounding Midland Met we must turn our attention to the heartbeat of our healthcare infrastructure – our wider estate – the buildings where most of our outpatient and elective care will take place. The meticulously planned and strategic initiatives in progress that will carry the burden of ongoing care when patients are discharged from Midland Met or those being treated for long-term conditions.”

“Everything is planned in our estate strategy document. This comprehensive plan spans short, medium, and long-term objectives, strategically aligning with the evolving landscape of clinical services.”

Standing on the second floor of City Hospital in a building standing on land already sold to Homes England, he continued: “This seemingly routine transaction sets the stage for a grand shift, many of our colleagues will soon find themselves at Midland Met, Sandwell, or other locations within the City site. The relocation of crucial teams like fractures and imaging showcased the success of these bold moves in enhancing operational efficiency.

“Going forward there are plans that outline a series of strategic reconfigurations on both City and Sandwell sites. From the creation of a Pharmacy Hub to a soft FM Hub, each step underscores the team’s commitment to ensuring a seamless transition for those not moving to other sites.”

Leasowes and Rowley Regis continue to feature in our future plans, with the resurrection of the Halcyon at Leasowes to serve as a maternity services hub.

A significant investment of £12 million in Net Zero sustainability works at Sandwell. From cutting edge low-carbon heating technology to a facelift for the ward block, these works promise not just a modern appearance but also an environmentally conscious approach.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHjHwYj5dP8[/embed]

Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 19 April

 

Our Trust has “got a lot on”.  We face, like all trusts, the task of longer-term recovery from the COVID pandemic on staff wellbeing, access times for patients and the deterioration in mental and physical health of our population as living standards drop.  We serve two distinct populations in two “systems”, each with their own, different approach to investment in healthcare provision.  We are radically changing our care models and taking most of our staff through a significant change in the way they work and where they work, associated with the Midland Met development.  We also host two, multi-agency Place partnerships in Sandwell and Ladywood and Perry Barr and have strategic ambitions to increase local employment opportunities and introduce meaningful, locally led quality improvement to maintain our service effectiveness and efficiency in the future.

With all of this going on, it is easy to lose and forget the progress we are making on some of the #fundamentalsofcare.  Here are a few significant achievements we have all, together, delivered in recent times:

  • After years of not delivering the 62 day cancer standards set nationally, we are now meeting these sustainably and consistently
  • We have virtually eradicated the longest elective waits for surgery and are now delivering 10% more activity in outpatients and in our treatment rooms and theatres than we were in 2019
  • We are the only Trust in the Black Country, seeing its admissions of patients over 65 and from care homes, actually falling
  • We deliver more urgent community response contacts and care navigation centre contacts than anywhere else in the Black Country
  • We have seen a 10% improvement in performance against the four hour emergency access standard for patients who are not admitted, within two months
  • We have reduced our diagnostic waiting time patients waiting over 13 weeks, by 6,000 in the last few months
  • We are now rated “green” by NHSE for adherence to our infection control standards
  • We met our financial delivery targets last financial year, through enhanced workforce controls and are the lowest user of “off-framework” agency staff in the Black Country

There are many more, however I am sure you will agree that is quite a list.  We do, however, have one significant and immediate challenge which is materially harming our patient experience for those individuals requiring admission and materially harming our ability to safely occupy our new hospital.  That is our inpatient length of stay.  It has increased by nearly 20% since this time last year.

We are embarking on urgent and intensive work to reduce that length of stay.  Everyone can play a part in this.  Please ensure that you are doing everything you can in your own sphere of influence, to ensure that our patients spend the shortest possible time in hospital.

Finally, we have just over a week until the Q1 Pulse Survey closes – and our response rate is currently at 27 per cent, which is not quite where we need it to be as we go in search of our target of 45 per cent.

I must commend colleagues in Imaging and PCCT – who are leading the way with response rates – in fact, they are higher than corporate. Thank you to everyone in these groups, particularly leaders who are spending lots of time engaging with their teams. Iyou haven’t yet completed your survey, please do take five minutes to complete it. You can access it via the link – and you simply need to input your e-mail address to get access.

This is simply to authenticate you as a member of staff – it does not identify your answers.

Have a good weekend.
Richard

 

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week Webinar: 1 May

 

Join The Black Country Healthcare Maternal Mental Health Service and a number of speakers on Wednesday 1 May – 11am – 1.15pm for the Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week Webinar, to raise awareness surrounding mental health before, during and after pregnancy.

To sign up for the guest list – click the link to be notified with more details in the lead up to the event.

Bringing art and ‘Hope’ to Midland Met

 

When sculptor Jacob Chandler’s father was admitted to City Hospital during the pandemic for a heart attack, he was terrified that his father would not survive. But thanks to life-saving surgery by Dr. Leong Lee followed by excellent care from the critical care team, his father is fighting fit today. 

As a thank you to medics Jacob, best known for his iconic Commonwealth Games model of a bladed athlete, decided to create a unique sculpture called ‘Hope’ to honour the healthcare heroes who saved his father’s life.

Jacob’s inspiring artwork will be seen by all those who enter Midland Metropolitan University Hospital. It will stand as a symbol of gratitude for the tireless efforts of our remarkable colleagues who have dedicated their lives to saving others.

Jacob recently visited Midland Met to scope out the area where his newest sculpture will be installed. “The sculpture will be of a figure holding out her arm, referencing the image of the Lady with the Lamp, and with her head held high to face the fray,” Jacob said.

Looking at exactly where Hope will stand Jacob remarked: “This is the first time I’ve been back on site in two years and seeing where Hope will be displayed makes this project all the more real.

“I am delighted to be able to give a little back to support those brave medics who worked so heroically throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. So many of us continue to be indebted to them for their care and dedication.”

Enjoy this behind the scenes look at Jacob working on Hope.

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