Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 25 February
February 25, 2022
Hello to you all – towards the end of a week where I think that we can really start to see the daylight hours getting longer – I hope you find this as uplifting as I do!
More good news in that this week we can celebrate a truly remarkable achievement in our Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Unit as our clinical team were among the first in the country to give a brand new treatment to patients. This new drug, Crizanlizumab, was given on Wednesday in our SC&T unit which is one of 10 dedicated specialist centres nationwide. The drug, which is given as a monthly infusion, will reduce episodes of severe pain (crises) by 40% in those with sickle cell disease and was recently approved for use in the NHS.
I was so proud to hear about this on the national radio and then to see the national news coverage on the work our unit has done, and to hear what a positive impact this treatment will be from one of the patients treated yesterday. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this life-changing innovation for our patients and their families.
We have been considering our response to the government announcement on ending of all COVID-19 restrictions. We received some NHS guidance yesterday that reinforced our own Trust decisions which is to remain with our existing arrangements and to take a phased approach to easing our COVID-19 restrictions. We have started that with the stepping down of FFP3 masks for general care of amber patients. Next week we will introduce booked visiting on our amber wards with evidence of a negative lateral flow test, and enable face to face meetings to take place once more on our sites. As we have done throughout the pandemic, we continue to take a considered approach to COVID-19, based on risk assessments of COVID-19 cases in the community, in our hospitals and any outbreaks.
For avoidance of doubt, all NHS colleagues must continue to stay away from work if you test positive for COVID-19, with the possibility of a return on day six if you have had two negative lateral flow device test results on days five and six.
We also still expect all our staff to test regularly to avoid transmission of infection for people who are asymptomatic. Before the end of March we can expect to receive information on the forward testing programme for NHS staff in light of the planned introduction of charging for COVID-19 tests for the general population. Please continue to test regularly to keep yourselves and others safe.
We know that COVID-19 has not disappeared and learning to live with COVID-19 is our next challenge. The pandemic has affected each and every one of us. As restrictions are eased you may be thinking that you need to reflect and recharge. The first thing you can do in relation to this is ensure, if you’re a line manager, that your team members have a plan to take all of their annual leave entitlement; we have a duty of care to eachother to ensure our well being is prioritised. Also as individuals please do ensure you prioritise your own time off and make it happen! We would like all colleagues to have taken their annual leave entitlement and be up to date by the end of March 2023, so if you’ve got some leave left to take in this financial year, please agree to carry over leave in to the next financial year if you can’t take it by the 31st March 2022, or when your leave year ends if it is different. This week we launched a scheme for the Trust to buy back some of your annual leave – as long as you have taken a minimum amount, and our preference is of course that you carry forward any annual leave not taken this year, and plan to take adequate rest! Details have been issued on comms bulletins this week and can be found on Connect by clicking here.
So many teams have taken advantage of the recovery funding to have some team time out and it has been wonderful to hear how much you have all enjoyed it. If your team hasn’t had your event yet – you have until the 31st March to get your form approved – the link to the application form is here and when it is complete please send it to swbh.recovery@nhs.net for approval and assistance with getting your event planned and paid for.
Richard did quite an extensive update on well-being in his message a few weeks ago, and details are available on Connect; please familiarise yourselves with all the Trust has to offer by way of support for your own health and wellbeing. We continue to put our people first so do let me know personally if there is something you need that we are not currently providing. We will consider all of your suggestions and see what we can do to best support you.
Thank you for all you do for us, may you be proud of the work you do, the person you are, and the difference you make.
Dinah McLannahan, Chief Finance Officer
Richard Beeken is away