COVID-19 Bulletin: Saturday 25 April

April 25, 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!

Testing key workers and their household members if they have symptoms remains a vital part of managing the Pandemic. Appointment slots at the regional test centres (including the facility at Midland Met) are being booked up rapidly but more slots are opening up daily. Remember that our own testing continues at Sandwell, City and in the community for you and family members so call 0121 507 2664 option 5 to book.

1. Looking after your health and wellbeing

We have regularly shared the range of health and wellbeing support that is available to you that has been extended to help us all deal with the impact of the Pandemic on our mental wellbeing. You can see all of the help and advice here – some is specific to our Trust and other support listed is for all NHS workers. To pick out a few that might help:

• Meet up with someone for a virtual coffee. Email letsgettalking.nhs.net
• Are you feeling stressed? Look at these top 10 stress-relief tips.
• Do you need to talk to someone? Book a free confidential appointment with an accredited counsellor by calling 3306.
• Individual resilience coaching can help. Email burnell@nhs.net to see if this is for you
• Review the suite of wellbeing films and podcasts in our dedicated online library

One size does not fit all so speak up if there is something you need that is not currently available. You can email lawrencekelly@nhs.net – we want to hear from you.

2. Doing extra shifts: Our bank rate promise

Thank you to everyone who is doing additional shifts, over and above your normal hours supporting departments where staff are absent due to ill-health or self-isolation. We have increased some of our bank rates including the payment for nurse roles where five or more bank shifts are booked as follows:

• An increase of £4.50 per hour for all band 5 and band 6 nurses who book 5 shifts between 1^st April 2020 and 31^st May 2020
• An increase of £2 per hour for HCA’s who book 5 shifts between 1^st April 2020 and 31^st May 2020
• £2 per hour for all AHP shifts, until 31^st May, regardless of how many booked

These enhancements are allocated via the Bank Team. To book a shift contact the Trust Bank on 0121 507 3600.

3. Ramadan Mubarak: Trust guidance

Additional prayer facilities are available across the Trust in order to maintain social distancing and support colleagues who need to remain on their wards. The list of all facilities is here. Please use the tissue rolls on prayer mats and dispose of them after use. For help and advice contact the Muslim Liaison Group on swbh.mlg@nhs.net or the Trust’s Muslim Pastoral contact Kamruzzaman on 07956683674 / akm.kamruzzaman@nhs.net.

4. Proning patients: Recording on Unity coming soon

Proning patients with COVID-19 may reduce the need for a critical care admission. Our guidance on awake proning is here that covers length of time, positioning and the importance of consent. Next week we will be making a change to Unity so that proning can be recorded by using the Awake Prone Position (APP) PowerPlan. Once tested and implemented we will share the Quick Reference Guide (QRG).

Numbers not statistics: Today’s totals (Yesterday’s totals)