Monthly archives: October 2024

October is Black History Month

Black History Month began as an effort by Carter G.Woodson to recognise the valuable contribution made by people of African origin and was formally adopted into the UK in 1987.

People from African and Caribbean backgrounds have been a fundamental part of British history for centuries, however, many believe their value and contribution to society is often overlooked, ignored or distorted. With this in mind, the awareness month aims to recognise and celebrate black history.

Black History Month event at City: Unison will be commemorating Black History Month one last time before staff move to MMUH by hosting a special event at City in the Postgraduate Centre dining room on Friday 25 October, 10am – 4pm with food served from 12pm. For more information please email jodie.brown9@nhs.net or raydownie@nhs.net.

Exploring black history through the BBC: The BBC have put together a fantastic library of free programmes and resources exploring black history and culture which can accessed by clicking here.

Exciting films from cutting-edge black filmmakers: Channel 4 have a library of innovative and engaging short film pieces from upcoming black filmmakers which can be accessed by clicking here.

Take a look through time: Celebrating Black Cinema with Naomie Harris on Sky, also available on Now TV (This may require a subscription). A brilliant rendition of the best black films, both classic and modern with Naomie’s invited famous faces. Click here to access.

Get moving to: The Evolution of Black British Music on Netflix (This may require a subscription). Delve into the best tracks spanning the eras and the takeover of black sounds into mainstream British music by clicking here.

University of Birmingham events: the University will be celebrating the culture and histories of our Black communities with a comprehensive programme of events throughout the month which you can access by clicking here.

Other events across Birmingham: There are a variety of other Black History Month events taking place across Birmingham and the surrounding areas. For a comprehensive list please click here.

Online events around Black History Month: The Black History Month website has an array of digital events – should anyone be interesting in attending, please click here.

Interesting read: Mollie Hunte (1932-2015) was an essential part of the Black parent’s movement and the education movement in the UK during the 1960s onwards. Mollie was a vocal advocate for the betterment of young black children and their families and viewed education as a necessity and encouraged higher academic attainment for the black community where she worked. To read the full story, click here.

World Menopause Day: 18 October

Friday 18 October marks World Menopause Day and here at the Trust we have a range of resources to help you manage your menopause symptoms, as well as tips on start the conversation with those who experience the Menopause and how you can support them.

Menopause is defined as a biological stage in life that occurs when hormones change and eventually menstruation stops. Usually, it is defined as having occurred when someone has not had a period for 12 consecutive months (for those reaching Menopause naturally).

Menopause usually occurs between the ages of 45-55. The average Menopause age in the UK is 51, however it can be earlier naturally or due to surgery, illness or other reasons.

To learn more about the Menopause, you can access the guide here

Alongside a fact sheet – Menopause-Self-Care-Factsheet.pdf (swbh.nhs.uk)

Menopause policy can be accessed here 

We are pleased to have staff across the organisation who are specially trained to support those going through the Menopause.

Your Menopause champions are:

For line managers:

As a line manager, we have created a guide to help you to talk to members of your team who may be going through the Menopause and the support that is available to them. To access this guide click here – Line-Manager-Guide-Supporting-Colleagues-through-Menopause.pdf (swbh.nhs.uk)

If a member of your team is off sick and you need guidance to record their sickness on ESR, click here – Recording-Menopause-Related-Sickness-Absence.pdf (swbh.nhs.uk)

Online training:

To help improve awareness of Menopause, NHS England have developed a 30-minute Menopause awareness e-learning session.

This is available to all colleagues. It gives an overview of what the Menopause is, the common symptoms associated with it, and scenarios which will help our people better understand the ways in which they can support themselves and each other.

Whether you are a person going through the Menopause, or if you are looking for information to help you support a colleague, employee, friend or relative who is experiencing symptoms of the Menopause, this session may help you.

Training is accessible via the NHSE Learning Hub or via ESR. More information is available here:

Menopause Awareness– elearning for healthcare (e-lfh.org.uk)

Unity clinical systems and processes affected by clock change: 27 October, 12.45am BST to 1.30am GMT

Clocks are set to go back this month on Sunday 27 October, please be assured Unity will remain fully available and electronic orders and results will continue to flow. 

However, please be aware that colleagues may see the following message if a clinical action was scheduled to take place between 1am to 1.59am on Sunday 27 October, highlighting an inconsistency in times.

Ambiguous time message

This dialog could appear for some users after the time change occurs. Please note this is not an error and perfectly normal.

If a clinical action is scheduled to occur during the duplicate hour (from 1am to 1.59am) a user could potentially get this popup.

Select “Daylight” if the action is to take place in the FIRST 1.00 to 1.59 hour

Select “Standard” if the action is to take place in the SECOND 1.00 to 1.59 hour

Please be assured the activity will be closely monitored at all times.

Should you have any further queries then please contact your line manager in the first instance or the IT Service Desk on ext. 4050 or by contacting the Chat with the IT Service Desk.

Black Country Provider Collaborative Clinical Summit: 29 November

Work across the Black Country Provider Collaboration is happening at pace and there is plenty of fantastic work going on.

To hear all about the latest projects and updates please come along to the next clinical summit on Friday 29 November, West Bromwich Albion Football Club (The Hawthorns, Halfords Lane, West Bromwich, B71 4LF), 9.30am – 4pm.

The purpose of the summits is to bring clinicians and operational managers from across all four organisations together to drive the programme forward.

Registration is free, on a first come first serve basis, with priority given to clinical network members.

To register click here.

The registration will close on Wednesday 20 November. Itinerary and further details will be shared closer to the meeting date.

For any further enquires please contact ellie.hadlington@nhs.net

Storing your departments physical documents ahead of your move to MMUH or another site

With staff moving to MMUH or moving to other sites, we have had a number of issues raised regarding paper documentation and where these should be stored or destroyed.

With this in mind we have put together guidance for Trust colleagues who are moving.

The guidance covers topics such as:

• Leavers files
• Personal files for current staff
• Patient records
• Storage of documents for those working on retained estate and agile working

You can access the guidance by clicking here.

If you have any specific queries regarding storing your physical documents, please email nick.bellis@nhs.net, lynn.keightley@nhs.net or laura.bennett59@nhs.net

Wave of Light – Baby Loss Awareness Week

The Trust Maternity Bereavement team came together yesterday to mark the Wave of Light event for Baby Loss Awareness Week 2024.

Held in the Birmingham Treatment Centre at City hospital – Vicky Weaver, Sadaf Ahmed and Maria Webb were able to offer words of support, comfort and honour the babies we have lost.

The team also offered refreshments, read out poems and had a little chat to support our families who have suffered a pregnancy loss, miscarriage or lost a baby too soon.

Another special event took place this week, as it was the final time we lit up City hospital’s Maternity unit in remembrance of all the babies we have so sadly lost.

Blood Gas Analyser Training – MMUH

Trainers will be back at MMUH on the 6 – 7 November for the Maternity move and then 10 – 12 November for the City Move.

Please contact Point of Care Testing for any training requests or for further information on 0121 507 5352 or email swb-tr.swbh-poct@nhs.net

Have you downloaded the Optispace app?

There is now an Optispace room booking app that you can download onto your smartphone device – simply search Gingco Share in your app store.  If you have a work issued iPhone, you can download this from Meraki MDM. If you have a Samsung work phone – you can download it from the Google Playstore.

Once you have downloaded the app use the instructions below to link the accounts. You must have your app and the browser version open at the same time.

what you need to do:

• Click on the pen icon in the top right corner of the app.
• Then click on the “QR-Code-Symbol” in the top right corner.
• Have your profile details open in the browser and then scan the QR-code from the profile with the app. The instructions are at the bottom of your settings

Changes to cryoglobulin collection service

Clinical Biochemistry at Black Country Pathology Services have an update regarding the current cryoglobulin sample collection service arrangements. Please note that all sample collections for cryoglobulins MUST be pre-arranged with the laboratory. Samples must be collected into pre-warmed tubes provided by the laboratory, kept at 37°C at all times, and transported to the laboratory immediately by a member of the laboratory staff

• Sandwell: The service will continue as currently. Please contact the laboratory to organise sample collection on ext. 3242. Sample collections are carried out Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm.
• City: The current service will cease on Friday 18 October (affecting both outpatient and inpatient collections). Note: There will be no service for collecting cryoglobulins from outpatients at City site going forward (due to there being no laboratory sited there) and all outpatient cryoglobulin collections will need to be arranged with, and take place at, the Sandwell site. For collection up to and including Friday 18 October, please contact the City laboratory to organise sample collection on ext. Sample collections are carried out Monday – Friday, 9am – 1pm.
• MMUH – There will temporarily be no cryoglobulin collection service for inpatients at MMUH until the equipment is transferred over from City site. Full details of the new service at MMUH will be communicated prior to completion of the City by Sunday 10 November.

If you have any clinical concerns regarding the above arrangements, please contact rwh-tr.bcps.proteinslab@nhs.net.

Ordering acid-containers for 24-hour urine collections for 5HIAA

To order an acid-container for collection of a 24-hour urine for 5HIAA, please contact the Sandwell Pathology reception on ext. 3242.

Note: acid-containers must not be stored in non-laboratory areas without first obtaining appropriate health and safety assessment and approval from the Trust.

Agile working spaces: We are listening

Thank you for all the hard work that you are doing to help your colleagues, and our patients settle into Midland Met.

Having completed six months’ worth of activation in six weeks, we anticipated teething problems in some areas.

One we are having lots of feedback and questions on, is agile working, and the use of desk and meeting room space across the building.

We are hearing and listening to your feedback and are currently undertaking a review of how these spaces will work going forwards.

Please bear with us and we will communicate any changes as soon as possible.

For now, please remember that the desk spaces are for admin work only – they are a quiet space for colleagues to concentrate and work effectively.

They are not for:

• MDT meetings
• Socialising
• Lunch breaks or rest periods

Thank you for your understanding.