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COVID-19 bulletin: Saturday 28 March

March 28, 2020

The Trust is now publishing a daily bulletin. This will take all guidance and information and tell you which changes we are implementing when and how. Please use this bulletin and daily cascade arrangements within clinical groups to guide local action. Remember KINDNESS is our watchword in implementing these changes.

The Trust is back undertaking some staff swabbing, using new laboratory provision – as part of a national pilot!  We start tomorrow working with Black Country peers.  The Contact Centre will be operational from Monday for bookings.  We are contacted isolating colleagues who are eligible.  We are determined to do everything we can to support our teams.

  1. The role of our wards is changing but all of us depend on our Emergency Departments

Since mid-week last week, our Emergency Departments are seeing rises again in arrivals. And the proportion of patients arriving with a strong suspicion of Covid-19 is growing hugely. Staff sickness and isolation rates are high in this very high intensity environment.  It is really important that we support colleagues working in ED.  Just because everyone else’s work is changing with moves of wards, and moves of staff, we should not assume that everything is as before in A&E. If you have any capacity to transfer some of your HCA or nursing shifts into our EDs, please contact either of the matrons (Annabel Botttrill and Antoinette Cummings).

A lot of our communication has focused on Red and Blue wards (and now red and blue lifts…). Which wards are which is kept up to date on the Connect front page, and is also visible outside the ward. But it is also important that you are aware that wards are changing role too.  Newton 1 and D16 are going to open as critical care units for example.  Surgical patients are being cared for alongside medical patients on Priory 5.  This will continue to change day-by-day over the next week. D25 at City is no longer our Blue acute medical ward.  D30 is opening for that purpose. D11, D25, D26 and D28 are all Red Covid wards.

2. The Trust is now implementing surgical face masks in ‘blue’ areas  

From this evening, and as indicated in Covid Update 7 @SWBHnhs issued last night by Toby Lewis, we are revising our PPE guidance.  At this stage all other guidance remains as was but we are implementing surgical face mask access for patient contact that cannot be socially distanced.  This includes community contacts, including midwifery, district nursing, and other provision.  In blue wards, we cannot guarantee that distance, because patients move around (which is positive for them).  So we have decided to advise blue areas to use masks.  National guidance does continue to evolve.  Please rely on this bulletin for what we are adopting locally.

Face masks have always been our guidance in areas where no prior assessment has been possible, such as our Malling Primary Care service, in community settings, and across emergency departments and assessment units.  That remains our advice.

3. Please consider our hotels, and if you do we will pay for your taxi travel

Nearly 100 colleagues have now relocated to hotels.  Please consider, given the work ahead, and the needs of those you live with, whether you should join themShould relocating then make travel to work impossible, because you do not have a car, we will pay for taxis if organised through our partner, details below.

Staff routinely using taxis for other reasons, will get a discount on the cost.

We have agreed an arrangement with a taxi firm called OLA. This is a similar service to Uber and operates from a mobile device app that can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. If you register with your NHS email address, after verification, you will be eligible for a 50% NHS discount on journeys booked to and from Trust sites (please note the discount is only for travel to and from work).

4. Food for employees on site

Most supermarkets and many online stores now have dedicated care worker slots for colleagues like our social workers, ambulance partners and NHS teams. We will set up next week a small essentials shop on site to help especially those working difficult shifts patterns.

From 7pm each night from tomorrow chilled ready meals will be available at the following points for staff working long shifts with no access to catering or time to hit the shops.  Supply is limited to one meal per person per visit!

Sandwell Hospital: Main reception, Lyndon 5, Pharmacy link

City Hospital: City A&E x-ray area and near the prayer rooms, first floor near AMU2

Rowley Regis: Opens Tuesday!

These meals have been donated from companies in our community – Prestige Suite, Yule Love Food and Sabir Spice Time. All of our options apply equally to ward service officers, ward clerks, doctors in training, HCAs, nurses, pharmacists etc. etc.  You are all essential.

5. Uniforms and scrubs

Our last update on scrubs reminded you the areas were this is compulsory and those where it is recommended.  Currently our supply does not match demand and so we are asking only those who truly need scrubs to choose them,  For most colleagues your uniform is the right choice.  It is important we are clear the cleaning arrangements for that uniform. They are as follows:

Uniforms and clothing worn at work should be washed at the hottest temperature suitable for the fabric. A wash of 10 minutes at 60°C removed almost all micro-organisms. Washing with detergent at lower temperatures – down to 30°C – eliminates MRSA and most other micro- organisms. The type of washing powder used e.g. biological or non-biological is not important. Do not overload the washing machine. Overloading the machine will reduce wash efficiency. Heavily soiled uniforms should be washed separately. Separate washing will eliminate any possible cross-contamination from high levels of soiling and enable the uniform to be washed at the highest recommended temperature. Uniforms should be dried quickly or tumble dried, and ironed. Attention should be paid to the seams of the garment when ironing as this is where bacteria may be harbouring. Once uniforms are laundered and ironed, they should be stored flat in a clean plastic bag to minimise the risks of contamination with dust, other contaminants, or by household pets

You may be able to claim tax relief in respect of laundry costs by writing to the local Inland Revenue office with your NI number and details of the cost.