Monthly archives: November 2024

Your City and Metropolitan Hospital Charity Badminton Competition

Are you an avid badminton player? Want to take part in Your City and Metropolitan Charity Badminton competition, well now is your chance.

The team are inviting everyone to help raise money for MMUH.

If you would like to take part and know more about the event, then please sign up using the form here

Deadline to register is Friday 22 November. All players are required to bring their own rackets.

The competition will take place on Saturday 23 November, 12.30pm – 4pm at Wednesbury Leisure Centre, High Bullen, Wednesday, WS10 7HP.

How temperature is maintained at MMUH

To make colleagues aware of the temperature controls in the building, we’ve created a video to show you how it is managed across the site and how this is maintained on the wards.

Warren Grigg, Director of Estates and Development shares everything we need to know, here.

Wards at Midland Met

One of the many benefits of our new hospital is that it will become the central hub for our acute care, bringing experts and teams together from both City and Sandwell Hospitals.

This useful map shows the new wards at Midland Met.

Security at City Hospital

Following the City Hospital move to Midland Met earlier this month, colleagues will be aware that some services remain on the Dudley Road site, whilst their new accommodation is completed. What this means is that there will be a period of temporary adjustment for some staff as they continue to provide their normal service in their usual environment. Unfortunately, due to the scale of services that have moved, leaving small numbers behind and the ongoing decommissioning work that is running in parallel, we are asking all staff to be extra vigilant about unauthorised access of our largely vacant estate.

We have increased security with the site patrolled 24 hours a day, and are working with an external security provider that specialise in securing vacant buildings.  We have a number of resources that can be deployed, including quick response mobile units and trained dog handlers. This is to protect our staff and buildings whilst we continue the process of moving out. Unfortunately, security have already had to remove unauthorised visitors from site and are adopting a zero-tolerance stance to those who deliberately flaunt trespassing laws. There is a greater safety concern to unauthorised tours of our estate, where in the event of an incident we have no way of knowing who might need rescuing from a dangerous situation. The basement in particular has many hazards to navigate including old plant and low ceilings. It is simply not an option to accommodate sightseeing in such an environment. The Trust press office has taken and declined a number of requests to visit and record images of what we have vacated, as we are not in a position to safely accommodate.

In order to ensure safety and support security we ask that colleagues do not contribute to the issue of unauthorised access by opening secured fenced off areas – we have seen this happen merely to provide staff short cuts – and be extra vigilant on tailgating when you move through staff only areas in the hospital. CCTV remains in place and where we identify offenders we will take action.

Scams warning as HMRC Self Assessment deadline looms

Concerned customers reported nearly 150,000 scam referrals to HMRC in the last year, as Self Assessment filers are warned to be alert to fraudsters.

With millions of people due to complete their Self Assessment tax return and pay any tax owed by 31 January 2025, fraudsters are targeting people with offers of tax refunds or demanding payment of tax to get hold of personal information and banking details. Around half of all scam reports (71,832) in the last year were fake tax rebate claims.

There has been a 16.7% increase in all scam referrals to HMRC – 144, 298 were received between November 2023 and October 2024, up from 123, 596 in the previous 12-month period.

If someone receives communication claiming to be from HMRC that asks for their personal information or is offering a tax rebate, check the advice on GOV.UK to help identify if it is scam activity.

HMRC will never leave voicemails threatening legal action or arrest, or ask for personal or financial information over text message – only fraudsters and criminals will do that.

Kelly Paterson, Chief Security Officer at HMRC, said: “With millions of people filing their Self Assessment return before January’s deadline, we’re warning everyone to be wary of emails promising tax refunds.

“Being vigilant helps you spot potential scams. And reporting anything suspicious helps us stop criminal activity and to protect you and others who could have received similar bogus communication.

“Our advice remains unchanged. Don’t rush into anything, take your time and check ‘HMRC scams advice’ on GOV.UK.”

HMRC will not contact you by email, text, or phone to announce a refund or ask you to request one. Anyone who is due a refund from HMRC can claim it via their online HMRC account or the free and secure HMRC app.

You can report any phishing attempts to HMRC by:

• forwarding emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk
• reporting tax scam phone calls to HMRC on UK
• forwarding suspicious texts claiming to be from HMRC to 60599

Do you know how to contact Child Bereavement UK?

Child Bereavement UK helps families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. We support children and young people (up to the age of 25) when someone important to them has died or is not expected to live, and parents and the wider family when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying.  We provide training to professionals in health and social care, education, and the voluntary and corporate sectors, equipping them to provide the best possible care to bereaved families.

Visit their website:  www.childbereavementuk.org

National Helpline: 0800 02 888 40

Birmingham office: birminghamsupport@childbereavementuk.org

Updated opitate guidelines

The toxicology department have updated their guidelines for patients who are dependent on opioids.

To review the new guideline click here. .

Catering to your needs – available food outlets at Midland Met

To cater to your needs, we’ve provided a run through of all the food outlets at Midland Met.

Throughout the day, you’ll have a range of options from levels 0 – 5, like our coffee shops serving Costa coffee and Greggs.

The opening times for each outlet are below:

• Greggs – Level 0 – Monday to Friday: 7am – 6pm, Saturdays: 8am to 6pm on, Sundays: 9am –  5pm.
• Costa Coffee – Level 0 – Monday to Friday: 7am – 6pm
• Costa Coffee – Level 2 A&E – Open daily: 7.30am – 9pm.
• Costa Coffee – Level 5 – Open daily: 8am – 8pm.
• M&S Food – Level 5 – Open daily: 7am – 8pm.
• Winter Garden Restaurant – Level 5 – Open daily: 7:30am – 7:30pm.

Simon Plant says goodbye to City Hospital

Simon Plant, Associate Head of Pharmacy, says goodbye to City Hospital.

Click here to watch his video from our final move day at City.

Breaking down barriers – Domestic Abuse Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Between Monday 25 November –  10 December there is 16 days of action against domestic abuse aims to raise awareness of abuse and signposting to vital support services. Together, we can make a difference.

As an NHS Trust we have an important role to consider the diversity of communities when supporting those experiencing domestic abuse and

Break down barriers people may face to disclosing, reporting or accessing support or domestic abuse.

Specific groups experience additional barriers to accessing support: disabled people, older adults, Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee backgrounds and LGBTQ+.

Barriers include but not limited to:

• Discrimination
• Social stigmas
• Isolation and shame
• Language barriers
• Immigration status can hinder some minority women’s ability to access support.
• Limited disabled spaces in refuges.

Disabled victims also experienced barriers in seeking help if their abuser was also their carer, and in accessing support for complex care needs.

Actions to consider:

• Listening to the victim/survivor and believing them. It is also crucial to allow the victim/survivor the chance to set their own terms on how they want to be supported.
• Ensure you can communicate in a way that meets the needs of the victim/survivor– for example, using interpreting including services for hard of hearing or deaf service users. Where possible (and safe to do so) give the options in writing.
• Ensure the victim/survivor have access to an independent service for British Sign Language (BSL) and other translation services.
• Tailor services to meet needs of LGBT+ survivors e.g. undertake routine monitoring, ask sexual orientation / gender identity rather than making assumptions.
• Support the victim/survivor understand their rights and feel empowered.
• Support and empower the victim/survivor and challenge discrimination, prejudices and racism.

For further information, advice and/or support, contact our internal teams:

The Trust’s Domestic Abuse policy has been updated and can be accessed:Domestic-Abuse-Policy-ORG095-SWBH.pdf

Hospital Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVA): email: swbh.MMUH.domestic-abuse@nhs.net

Tel: 07967843879 or 07866004529

Safeguarding Children/Maternity safeguarding:  Email:swbh.safeguardingchildren@nhs.net  Tele: 0121 507 2844.

Domestic Abuse Nurses/ Sandwell MASH Health, email:  swbh.mashnurses@nhs.net  0121 569 7223.

Safeguarding Adults email:   swb-tr.SWBH-Alert-AdultSafeguarding@nhs.net

Local domestic abuse services:

Black Country Women’s Aid Tel: 0121 553 0090

Home – Black Country Womens Aid

Birmingham LGBT Centre provide a range of support services for LGBT victims 0121 643 0821

email: hello@blgbt.org https://blgbt.org/ @birminghamlgbt

National:

Domestic abuse – Galop the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity – Galop – 0800 999 5428

Contact us – National Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0808 2000 247

Age UK Advice Line: Free national helpline for older people | Age UK 0800 678 1602

The Silver Line Helpline 0800 4 70 80 90

RNID – National hearing loss charity UK charity supporting deaf people and those with hearing loss and tinnitus – 0808 808 0123 or text 0780 0000 360

Domestic Abuse Information and Service Details – SignHealth sign-language based service for survivors of domestic abuse – 020 3947 2601 or Text ONLY 07800003421

RNIB | Homepage of the Royal National Institute of Blind People 03031239999

Home – Southall Black Sisters 020 8571 0800

About us | FORWARD Phone: +44 (0)208 960 4000, extension 1
Mobile: 07834 168 141