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COVID-19 Bulletin: Wednesday 26 August

August 26, 2020

This is our weekly bulletin and will be issued every Wednesday. Please use this bulletin and cascade arrangements within care and corporate groups to guide your actions. We are determined to reduce avoidable harm and death in the people we are taking care of. Kindness remains the guiding principle of all the actions in our work to tackle the virus – kindness in how we look after patients, visitors, and one another.

Numbers not statistics: Today’s totals (last week’s data)

Number of our patients confirmed with COVID-19 during the pandemic Number of positive COVID-19 patients who have been discharged during the pandemic Number of patients who have died in our hospitals who tested positive for COVID-19 during the pandemic Number of participants entered by the Trust into a COVID-19 research trial to date Number of COVID-19 positive patients who are inpatients with us today Number of people who have had antibody tests including partner agency staff Number of our staff absent due to ill-health or isolation today
1402
(1393)		 1001
(991)		 390
(390)		 222
(197)		 11
(12)		 12,495
(12,452)		 398
(423)

1. The ending of lending

At the beginning of the pandemic, much of the Trust’s medical equipment was moved to support our response, particularly patient and vital signs monitors as well as ECG recorders. Some equipment remains in different areas and significantly hinders our recovery plans if it is not returned.

Please check your ward or department for any equipment that has been borrowed from elsewhere and, if it is no longer required, ensure it is suitably cleaned and returned to medical engineering with a completed decontamination certificate. The team will then check the items and ensure they are returned to their original locations.

The Trust has received a small quantity of centrally provided loan equipment. It would be very useful to ensure that areas still dependent upon borrowed equipment swap across to this as soon as it is realistic to do so. This will release the original equipment for return to its normal location. If for any reason, loaned equipment cannot be returned, please contact Lawrence Barker at lawrence.barker@nhs.net for a further discussion.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

2. The changing face of masks

We currently have about 2-3 weeks supply of Alpha mask stock, and continue to chase the supplier for further deliveries. 1863 stocks are reducing and the centre has confirmed there will be no further deliveries of those, so wherever possible the 1863+ mask should be used as an alternative.

It is not an immediate concern but all staff still regularly wearing FFP3 masks should book a fit test on 5050 for a silicone reusable mask. You can then keep this mask as your own, and clean it regularly.

Fit testing will continue through September, Monday to Friday 8am-4pm. If you have any specific issues please contact Dinah McLannahan – dinah.mclannahan@nhs.net.

3. Getting scrubs laundered – we are here to help

We have previously published guidance on laundering, however there has been an unusually low number of scrubs being laundered across our sites recently. Please do not take scrubs home, instead put them in the correct bags for laundering.

4. New guidance regarding joint injections

 

Joint steroid injections done in consultation/procedure rooms as a day procedure no longer require COVID swabbing 72 hrs prior to the procedure. This is a change to our Trust policy and follows national guidelines.

A COVID screening questionnaire must be completed 48 to 72 hrs in advance via telephone interview and also on the day of the procedure.

Patients should be advised to follow comprehensive social-distancing and hand-hygiene measures for 14 days and self-isolate for 3 days prior to the procedure.

Patients should wear the surgical mask (FRSM) on the day of procedure and the clinician must  wear appropriate PPE for the procedure.

There should also be enhanced cleaning of the procedure room including touch points in between patients.

5. Your health and wellbeing

Your health and wellbeing is paramount to us. The COVID-19 pandemic will take a toll on colleagues both mentally and physically. With this in mind we are encouraging all colleagues to download our mental wellbeing app, ‘Thrive.’ The Trust have partnered with Thrive to give you exclusive access to an award winning mental health and wellbeing app that can help with managing depression, anxiety and stress. The app tackles common stressors such as sleep, bereavements, work issues and more. It also signposts to external support services – with users able to seek immediate help directly from the app. To access the service:

  1. Go to https://swb.thrive.uk.com/ to create an account and claim your free access to Thrive.
  2. Visit the Google Play or App Store and search and download the Thrive: Mental Wellbeing app.
  3. Log in using the email and password you created your account with and enjoy using the app.

Recharge Booth continues this Thursday:

The Recharge Booth is a ‘virtual’ space that allows you to come together with others, reflect, recharge, decompress, and join a safe and confidential discussion. Hosted by Richard Burnell, it runs every Thursday at 2pm, sharing stories from different colleagues over a 20-30 minute session.

For more information please contact Richard Burnell on 07747 144874 or Angharad MacGregor on 07976 322893. Alternatively if you would like to be part of the Recharge Booth, drop an email to swbh.rechargebooth@nhs.net. A WebEx invite will be sent to your outlook diary, and you will simply need to click on the ‘join’ button to enter.