COVID-19 Bulletin: Tuesday 21 April

April 21, 2020

This is our once a night bulletin. Please use this bulletin and daily cascade arrangements within care and corporate groups to guide local action. Remember KINDNESS is our watchword in implementing our plans.  It is also our way of keeping in touch with shielders, home workers, part-timers and volunteers.  You are on the team.  Thank you!

Lots of colleagues continue to face skin damage worries arising from PPE.  We are working on a structured clinical solution to help you and have previously published best practice guidance.  If you do have ideas or workarounds that you think others could benefit from please do get in touch with Julie Booth and the infection control team. Our updated Sundstrom guidance is on Connect.

1. Supporting colleagues during Ramadan: Readiness check

This Thursday, 23rd April, marks the start of a month of prayer and fasting. Clearly this year will be different in key respects and our guidance is attached, along with a toolkit used in some other organisations to support making good local arrangements and personal choices.  A map of facilities is attached as well.  Team leaders are asked to explicitly discuss the approach being taken with their teams to make sure everyone feels supported to find solutions to their personal and professional obligations.

• Read the Ramadan guidance
• Read the toolkit
• See the facilities map

2. Food donations – stuff that’s not ok

As you know, we have been overwhelmed by support from the local community with donations of supplies and food. These are being distributed across the Trust – our hospital site and community services – and also among the vulnerable residents locally who may be struggling with lack of income or unable to go out due to self-isolation. Any donations of food must go through our single route to ensure that our catering service can assure the hygiene ratings of the suppliers and that the food is maintained at the right temperatures.

Please do not contact restaurants or suppliers directly to source food for your department. It is not fair on struggling businesses to provide large levels of donations at no cost when there is no need.

If suppliers contact you wanting to donate please direct them to Amanda.winwood@nhs.net

3. Getting scrubs laundered – we are here to help

Scrubs are now in use in key mandated departments and for non-uniformed staff in red areas. If that is not you, no matter what anyone else tells you, you do not have to wear scrubs to be safe. We have previously published guidance on laundering uniforms.

To prioritise the scrubs laundering please place these in the blue plastic bags as per the image below. Our in house team and external supplier Elis will ensure that these scrubs are laundered and delivered back for re-use. Do not take scrubs home!

4. We are still testing for COVID-19!

If you have the classic symptoms of coronavirus (fever, persistent cough) then you can get a test by calling 0121 507 2664 option 5 to book an appointment.  The test is also available to members of your family (including children) if you are self-isolating at home because of their symptoms.  Currently we do not have an asymptomatic test nor an antibody test.  If you are already isolating and past this stage we cannot test you but will expect you back at work at the end of your isolation period.  If you go off now to isolate, you are expected to come forward for a test in time.

The new regional drive- thru test centre opened last week at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital visitor car park which is currently for colleagues from transport companies, social care, the police and fire service, primary care, care homes and other key worker organisations. Staff swabbing still takes place at City Hospital and the Little Lane Car Park in Sandwell and we can test people at home too.

5. Getting paid – we are not trying to make it hard

We have had changed pay rates, changed rotas, changed places, and changed line managers.  That could create issues with getting paid.  We are working to make sure all worked time undertaken in March is paid correctly in April.  If you are mis-paid in April we will run an additional payment for you.  To be explicit:  We had changed pay rates on certain days in A&E for Trust staff, changed pay rates for bank GCA staff and for some bank nursing staff that month.  Those working the tactical management rota over weekends will be acknowledged.  Those working managers’  revised on/off shifts patterns will take time back.

We are finalising this week rotas from and for April to ensure payment for redeployed staff at the higher of their base and destination job.  Guidance was issued before the April bank holiday on setting staff up for payment, both generally and for that period.  Those required to work the bank holiday for urgent and emergency services will have their pay adjusted.  Staff above band 8a for that period are subject to a scrutiny review and will be paid after that process is concluded.

If you have any pay queries in the first instance, please contact the payroll team, or highlight those queries to swbh.tactical@nhs.net. We will log and address each one.

Numbers not statistics: An everyday feature of our bulletin (yesterday’s data..)