Monthly archives: August 2024

Would you like to take part in the upcoming randomised coffee chat?

Would you like to take part in the upcoming randomised coffee chat? Wake up Wednesdays are back. This is a chance to meet and chat with another member of staff about projects, new developments, or sharing best practices.

The chat can be virtual or in person, whichever you prefer.

RCC’s help us connect with colleagues, learn from and about each other. It’s free, easy and informal.

Register your interest by emailing  swbh.welearnrandomisedcoffeechat@nhs.net by Friday 16 August at 5pm with your name, job title, department and location.

Job of the Week – Departmental Secretary to the EPRR Team, Band 4

Are you ready to expand your secretarial skills to support the Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response Team to deliver the EPRR work plan, by providing secretarial support/duties required to support the team and Trust in its transition to the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital and beyond.

An exciting 6 month secondment opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated individual to join the Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) Team at SWB until 31 March 2025.  We are looking for an enthusiastic and reliable individual to support the organisation to improve their Business Continuity Plans and response to incidents.

The post is ideal for an ambitious individual with strong administration and organisational skills. The ideal candidate will be well organised and have a systematic approach, with the ability to use their own initiative, work unsupervised to prioritise workloads and escalate as appropriate. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work with multiple stakeholders is essential.

Please see job description and person specification.

If you have secretary and admin experience, have initiative and an understanding of Emergency Planning and would like to be considered for this role, please review this role and apply via the following link here to complete an application form.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 25 August at 11.59pm.

Sophie Whiles takes gold in this month’s ARC Star Award

We are delighted to announce that our August’s winner of ARC Star Award – Sophie Whiles who has recently showed real commitment to delivering compassionate care to her patients.

Colleagues across the organisation were nominated for the award which reflects our Trust Values – Ambition, Respect and Compassion, but it was the Occupational Therapist, who stood out to the judges.

She was presented with a certificate, badge and £30 voucher by Deputy Chair Lesley Writtle who said: “Sophie went above and beyond to ensure a palliative patient and her family had everything they needed whilst in our care”.

The recipient of the newly established ARC Star Award is someone who consistently lives our values throughout their everyday life and will go above and beyond to make a difference within their team and towards their patients.

Watch Lesley surprise Sophie with her award, in the video below

Rebecca Lamb, Senior Physiotherapist and Trauma and Orthopaedic Therapy Service Lead who added: “During her time of assisting the Trauma and Orthopaedic therapy team, Sophie was recently involved with a patient on the ward who had hip surgery and was diagnosed with cancer with a prognosis of 6+months. Sophie developed a wonderful rapport with the patient and her family on the ward.”

“Co-incidentally the patients’ health deteriorated over a short space of time and it was deemed that her life expectancy would be days/weeks rather than months. In the following days Sophie came to assist the T&O therapy team and was surprised that the patient was still in hospital because the plan had always been for her to return home.  Sophie offered immense support to the family on the ward who were incredibly grateful for the support offered to them as a family.”

“Unfortunately, the family had not been issued with a memory box on the ward. Sophie identified this and endeavoured to source one for the family. The memory boxes were locked up in the palliative care office and, therefore, not accessible.  Sophie did not give up and liaised with ITU to see if they had anything to replace it.  The memory boxes available were just for babies however Sophie was determined to sort something out for the family as promised.

“She took all the irrelevant items out that were child-specific and was able to collect a fingerprinting kit along with other memory items.  Sophie very kindly took fingerprints and handprints of the patient after her passing to give to the family. The family were most grateful for the time and effort that Sophie had gone to ensure that they had something to take away with them.”

Lesley added: “Reading Sophie’s nomination was a joy to read – during a time of difficulty for the patient, Sophie really went above and beyond and showed a real commitment to ensuring the patient and her family were well cared for. I am always delighted to be asked to present the ARC Star Awards – our people are our greatest asset and this is a great opportunity for colleagues to be recognised for the difference they make to our patients, people and the population of Sandwell and West Birmingham.”

Do you know someone who could be our next ARC Star? Nominate them now by going to the link here.

Operational readiness update

We have now completed 63.3 per cent of our operational readiness checklist. We are continuing to make progress, but please ensure you are regularly reviewing progress for your service.

Actions which need to be completed by the end of August are:

• Confirm the receipt of the new telephone number for your department.
• Confirm your understanding of the activity reduction plan that is in place for the pre move, move and post move periods.
• Confirm that the drug storage and dispensing model is understood by the relevant local manager.

As we continue to Get Set for Midland Met, it is important to attend our bi-weekly line manager briefings if you have line management responsibility. If you are not currently receiving the invites, but think you should, please e-mail swbh.comms@nhs.net

The next meeting is on Monday, 19 August, 12pm-1pm. Click here to join the meeting.

For all other colleagues, the next Midland Met Matters takes place, Thursday 29 August, 2pm – 3pm. Click here to join the meeting.

Toxic chemical spillage – Pleck, Walsall

There has been a toxic chemical spillage in Pleck, Walsall.

This spillage, which was discovered yesterday (12 August) has gone directly into a stretch of the canal from Spinks Bridge, Walsall down to Birchills Street Bridge.

There is a potential serious risk to health if you or your pets are exposed (direct physical contact with the water) in the affected stretch of the canal.

Access to the area of the canal in the immediate area is being closed and the affected stretch of the canal has been contained to reduce the harm to wildlife and the wider waterway.

Public are being asked to avoid the canal and its towpaths in the affected area.

Anyone who has been exposed (direct physical contact) along the affected stretch of canal water and is feeling unwell, should seek health advice via 111 or 999 in an emergency.

Financial Improvement Programme: PTL flagging system to boost theatre efficiency

As part of our ongoing financial improvement programme, we will be bringing you regular updates on our progress and focus features on different areas of work.

Through the Theatre efficiency and productivity workstream, a new flagging system has been introduced within the Trusts’ Patient Tracking List (PTL) to identify pre-assessed patients. The flagging system aims to boost the booking process for surgeries. This feature allows the booking team to quickly identify patients that have been pre-assessed and are ‘fit to proceed’ for surgery.  It will help avoid late or last minute cancellations with a like-for-like or similar substitution. This will result in improved theatre productivity, as it will allow more patients, and the right ones, to be booked in for their surgery. In turn, this will increase patient throughput, avoiding lost surgical time and improving patient experience. Ultimately, this will lead to income generation, contributing to the £44million target for this financial year.

We would like to thank The Performance and Insight Team and Mark Whitehouse, Head of Patient Access, along with the Pre-Assessment Task and Finish Group, for all of their efforts in developing this impactful solution. This is another example of how a small change can make a big difference.

Remember: Your idea could be the next thing that makes a real difference – submit them here or contact swbh.recoverypmo@nhs.net.

What I’m looking forward to about moving to MMUH – with Midwife, Emily

As the move to Midland Met gets closer, we’re continuing to share the many reasons why colleagues are looking forward to moving into our new hospital. Midland Met offers an incredible opportunity for our maternity patients in the new, state-of-the-art Serenity unit.

Midwife, Emily, tells us why she’s excited for the move, here.

Reducing queries on TTOs: Pharmacy training video

Roughly 25 per cenr of TTOs have queries on them and require Pharmacy to go back to the doctors to address.

In attempt to support the MMUH bed fit by reducing the length of stay for our patients through reducing TTO queries, the Pharmacy team have created the training video below:

Drug Safety Notice: Desmopressin 4 micrograms/1ml solution – supply shortage

Problem

Desmopressin (DDAVP® ) 4 micrograms/1ml solution for injection ampoules are out of stock from early August until w/c 16 September.

Advice and alternative

• Pharmacy will review current stockholding to identify if there is sufficient stock to cover the out of stock period.
• Unlicensed imports of desmopressin 4 micrograms/1ml solution for injection ampoules may be available.
• If the above option is not considered appropriate or cannot be sourced in time, advice should be sought from specialists on alternative management options.

For supporting information and key resources – please see full notice here.

Join the hospital festive concert

Your Trust Charity and the Chaplaincy team are inviting colleagues to join the charity in creating a special festive concert by staff to celebrate the opening of MMUH.

If you enjoy singing and would like to join the choir; can play an instrument as accompaniment or as part of an ensemble; or have the skills of a choral conductor or music arranger, please do get in touch with Sandra Taylor, Senior Arts Manager. You can get in touch by emailing sandra.taylor55@nhs.net to express your interest by Monday 9 September.

There will be a series of up to six rehearsals between October to November. All dates/times to be confirmed once we have ascertained the level of interest.