Monthly archives: December 2024

Do you know the importance of correct uniform?

This week we are focusing on Infection Prevention Control and the important part it plays to ensure that you, our staff, and our patients are safe and free of any unwanted germs.

One important aspect of IPC is ensuring that staff are bare below the elbows when they are interacting with a patient or are inpatient areas.

If you are a clinical staff member entering a ward, you must ensure you are bare below the elbows. That’s no rings, no watches, no gel nails, no excessive jewellery. Plain and simple wedding bands alongside religious bracelets can be worn. If you are someone who feels cold, it’s important that you only wear a base layer under your uniform, the sleeves must be rolled up. Cardigans and jumpers should not be worn

If you are a non-clinical colleague visiting the ward, Remember BBE – Bare below the Elbows!

Tems, from our IPC department, is here to tell you about the importance of wearing the correct uniform below.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zZKesABmZQ[/embedyt]

Albion visit our Midland Met Children’s wards!

To celebrate the first Christmas at Midland Met, West Bromwich Albion players have been spreading festive cheer, after visiting young patients on the Children’s Ward.

Footballers Jed Wallace, Alex Palmer, Torbjørn Heggem, Grady Diangana, Josh Maja, Callum Styles and Harry Whitwell surprised children and their families on their annual visit to the children’s wards at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust-run hospital for the first time.

They spent time speaking to patients and handing out an array of toys, kindly selected and funded by the club’s charity, The Albion Foundation.

Young Jaden, aged 10, was thrilled to receive some early Christmas gifts from the players. He said: “I met some of the players and it was lovely. They were very kind and gave me some presents. I love my new calendar because it’s signed by my favourite player.”

Juliette Odura-Boadu, whose 12-year-old son Joel also received some gifts said: “It was exciting to meet some football players. It’s nice that they have come in and it’s lovely just to see my son smiling.”

Captain Jed Wallace said: “It’s always something I enjoy doing as a player. Some of us lads have children, and you do wonder how people are doing over Christmas with their kids in hospital, so for us to come down and make a visit is nice.

“The new hospital is really spacious and the staff, as always, are super friendly.”

Patient mealtime provisions over the festive period

During the festive period, our catering team are working hard to ensure that all patients and their meals are catered for.

Those patients who are with us on Wednesday 25 December (Christmas Day) and are at MMUH, Rowley, City Health Campus and Birmingham Midland Eye Centre, will be able to order their meal via the menu on the iPad as normal from 2pm on Tuesday 24 December (Christmas Eve) until 7am on Wednesday 25 December.

Leasowes will be able to order their food from the iPad menu from Sunday 22 December until 8am on Monday 23 December for meals on Monday 23 December and on Christmas Day.

Then, from midnight on Monday 23 December until 8am on Wednesday 24 December (Christmas Eve) for Wednesday 25 December (Christmas Day) and Thursday 26 December (Boxing Day)

For other dates outside those times, please continue using the menu iPads as normal.

Ward issue will be delivered on Friday 27 December instead of Thursday 26 December, back-up ward issue stock will be held in the hub kitchens, which can be made available on request.

On Christmas Day, patients will have the choice of:

• At breakfast – a continental breakfast plus Ready Brek will be offered,
• Lunchtime – hot lunch service where normal patient menus including therapeutic diets will be offered with the addition of traditional Christmas Roast Turkey, Christmas pudding and brandy sauce.
• Dinner time – cold supper service consisting of soup, a selection of sandwiches, jacket potatoes and cold desserts plus therapeutic diets will be available.
• Snacks – additional snacks will be provided throughout the day.

On Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, patients will be offered the normal patient menu.

Are you working Christmas Day across our sites?

Our catering department is offering a free brunch from the Winter Garden Restaurant at MMUH. To claim your free brunch, please pop on down with your ID, no meal tickets are required,

Those staff working at City Health Campus and Rowley Regis Hospitals will have access to a free brunch, and local arrangements will be organised.

If you are unsure about any of these arrangements or would like to contact the catering team please call ext. 6374, 3463 or 4881.

Patient mealtime provisions during the festive period

During the festive period, our catering team are working hard to ensure that all patients and their meals are catered for. 

Those patients who are with us on Wednesday 25 December ( Christmas Day) and are at MMUH, Rowley, City Health Campus and Birmingham Midland Eye Centre, will be able to order their meal via the menu on the iPad as normal from 2pm on Tuesday 24 December ( Christmas Eve) until 7am on Wednesday 25 December. 

Leasowes will be able to order their food from the iPad menu from Sunday 22 December until 8 am on Monday 23rd December for meals on Monday 23 December and on Christmas Day.

Then, from midnight on Monday 23 December until 8 am on Wednesday 24 December (Christmas Eve) for  Wednesday 25 December (Christmas Day) and Thursday 26 December (Boxing Day)

For other dates outside those times, please continue using the menu iPads as normal.

Ward issue will be delivered on Friday 27 December instead of Thursday 26 December, back-up ward issue stock will be held in the hub kitchens, which can be made available on request.

On Christmas Day, patients will have the choice of:

•  At Breakfast – a continental breakfast plus Ready Brek will be offered,
• Lunchtime – hot lunch service where normal patient menus including therapeutic diets will be offered with the addition of traditional Christmas Roast Turkey, Christmas pudding and brandy sauce.
• Dinner time – cold supper service consisting of soup, a selection of sandwiches, jacket potatoes and cold desserts plus therapeutic diets will be available.
• Snacks – additional snacks will be provided throughout the day.

On Boxing day and New Year’s Day, patients will be offered the normal patient menu.

Important update regarding bank rates

As you will be aware, the Trust, and the wider NHS, is currently facing significant financial pressures, with a £44m financial improvement target.

As a result of this, we have made the difficult decision to lower the rates of pay for all bank shifts. From Monday 6 January 2025, shifts will be paid at mid-point and from Tuesday 1 April 2025, they will move to the bottom of the scale.

This isn’t a decision that has been made lightly, as we know that bank staff and indeed substantive colleagues picking up bank shifts, are vitally important to the successful running of our services, however it is a necessary step as we continue to try and improve our financial situation, and the commitment of the Black Country Provider Collaborative to move to consistent bank pay rates across the provider Trusts.

We will be reducing the rate of pay for all bank shifts to midpoint from Monday 6 January 2025 and to the bottom of the scale from Tuesday 1 April 2025. These pay points for levels 2-7 can be seen below. We have briefed staff side and trade union colleagues of these changes and the rationale.

Current rates:

From Monday 6 January 2025:

From Tuesday 1 April 2025:

Christmas Jumper Day – Thank you for taking part

A big thanks to everyone who took part in our Christmas Jumper Day last Friday.

It was lovely to see so many colleagues bringing the festive cheer to our sites and donating to Your City and Metropolitan Hospitals Charity.

With just nine days to go until the big day, take a look at our 12 Days of Christmas events to see what’s happening over the next few days.

Midland Met Christmas Carol Service

Today at Midland Met, we had a beautiful Christmas carol service. The service was full of your favourite Christmas hymns and a note to always ‘Shine Your Light’. Today, be a light to your neighbour and to those around us in the hospital.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7699wh5F0hs[/embedyt]

Farewell to City: Reflecting on a lifetime of memories with Paul Lilly

The closure of City Hospital in November 2024 prompted many colleagues to reflect on their experiences at the iconic Victorian hospital. The recurring themes focused on memories, friendships, and how this one hospital had played such a big part in so many lives.

Paul Lilly, Digital Lead Nurse, shares: “It all began in November 1990 when I embarked on my nursing career at the then Sandwell School of Nursing, now the Education Centre. I can still recall the lively classrooms, where chalkboard erasers flew as a teaching aid from tutors – usually aimed at me when my answers missed the mark. It was a time when nursing was evolving, and I had the distinction of being the only male nurse in my cohort, I’d like to think I was a rare sight in those days, but my pillar box red dreadlocks meant I never went unnoticed (it was the 90s).

“I was in good company as Jo Harvey was in my training group and one of my early mentors was the amazing Rose Butler (OBE), and of course my mother, Dorothy Lilly, who worked for many years within the Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy departments. She would just be passing by which translated into make sure he’s doing some work”.

“In 1994, after qualifying, I took my first steps into the professional world at the Midland Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Smethwick. Although the centre closed in 1995, my brief time there set me up for my return to City Hospital. I worked at the West Midlands Poisons Unit, where every day brought its share of surprises.

“Working alongside Julie Thompson, we handled cases for some exceptionally vulnerable people as well as experiencing some very ‘interesting’ cases and there was never a dull moment. One of my fondest memories of this time is skateboarding down corridors at night until the management decided it needed to stop, it was however a very effective mode of transport”.

2000 marked a pivotal moment in Paul’s career as he joined Critical Care at City Hospital. “This role spanned nearly two decades and was challenging and rewarding. I developed professionally, learned invaluable lessons and worked with extraordinary teams and individuals who constantly inspired me. After a brief departure, I returned in 2018, and in 2021, I moved into my current role as Digital Lead Nurse to contribute to the modernisation and innovation efforts of SWB, again supported by a fantastic team within Informatics. I have been blessed with exceptional and inspirational managers throughout my career.”

It wasn’t just the place that made City Hospital special – it was the people too. “Looking back, I think about all the fantastic people I’ve met over the years. Having supportive and funny colleagues made even the tough days more bearable. Some have become lifelong friends, and some are sadly no longer with us (but always present in spirit). I am grateful for their encouragement, support and special ‘nurse humour’… usually at my expense.”

Paul added: “City Hospital holds a special place in my heart. I have walked (and skateboarded) miles through its corridors and sometimes felt accompanied by the fabled Grey Lady. While I no longer walk those familiar halls and wards, a part of City Hospital will always remain with me.

“And if you hear a whirring wheel noise around the vacated site, it may just be a grey lady on a confiscated skateboard.”

Reporting connectivity issues with Freshwave

To ensure seamless mobile, 5G, and Wi-Fi connectivity for everyone, we’d like to remind you of the process for addressing any connectivity concerns.

If you experience mobile coverage issues at Midland Met, please:

• Report the issue to the IT Service Desk immediately. Please contact IT via teams or ext. 4050.
• Log issues only via the IT Service Desk rather than contacting individuals. This ensures your issue is properly tracked and resolved as quickly as possible.

It’s important to note that mobile signal issues can be fixed if they’re reported. Your cooperation in reporting connectivity concerns will help us to maintain a reliable service for everyone.