Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 7 September
September 7, 2018
The CQC Inspectors have visited medicine, BMEC and A&E so far and will return over coming weeks. Everyone has done a great job welcoming them and giving them information. Although I have had no formal feedback I know that they were very impressed by changes since 2017, and once again by our continued commitment. Talking to ward managers and others, it is clear that people are finding time to put across their own ideas and plans for change, as well as to be open about our challenges, especially the IT. I include the latest weekly scorecard (Informatics Data – 7 Sept) but the work that Dean Harris and others have done seems to have fixed the N3 connection, which does give us more stability. The infrastructure changes go into operation in October, and we all need them to succeed. A dress rehearsal for Unity takes place later this month, and some people still need to book in for training. Chase us before we chase you!
The inspectors were very impressed with our shift by shift professional checking process, and MDT working, resulting in improved communication and access to prompt specialist advice We have until Christmas to get everyone through basic life support training. Probably the most disappointing feedback so far is around incomplete checks on resus trolleys or unlocked trolleys or cupboards, especially overnight. That is everyone’s job to get right, so I know that team leaders will be doing some extra checks in coming days. Do get along to the focus groups if you can. Anyone can attend and you are very welcome to do so.
The storybook we presented to the Board on our improvement journey is worth a look alongside last week’s Purple heartbeat edition on outstanding organisations. It shows you what we think has changed. Take a look. Do you recognise that? What have we missed? The Board’s meeting was dominated by discussions on mortality, especially sepsis. It is clear we have much more we could do to consistently screen and respond to risks faced by our inpatients. Please discuss in your team meetings whether you are doing everything you could do, consistently, to avoid harm.
The sustainability garden party on Thursday at City was a big success. The Trust leads the way locally in much of the work we do, and I know that replacing plastic cutlery is something we have pledged to do next. There are lots of transport alternatives to car travel. Next year we will open new car parks at City and at Sandwell, but even that will mean a period with less car parking. Even a couple of days a week of alternative travel makes a difference to our environmental load, and to your health. Walking or cycling can help not only your physical but your mental health.
This weekend marks 300 days until our smoking ban goes into force Trust-wide: 5 July 2019. The ban will not be tokenistic but real, so please consider now how to support colleagues who smoke to quit. We have absolutely loads of resources to help. Consider too how you will manage patients who want to smoke, because we will not be supporting that either – NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) will be more widely available on our sites. The smoking shelters will be taken down, and as you know we will be policing the sites and preventing smoking. Vaping does have our support, so when you consider your options you might wish to think about how that could help you.
Finally, we also marked organ donation week, joining in with health services and campaign groups across the country to highlight the need for people to have a conversation with their families about their wishes for their organs. I have been struck by the story of one of our patients Mr Michael Willis, who is recovering remarkably after a double lung transplant under the care of our respiratory doctors and the team at Papworth. Mr Willis urged everyone, particularly those from a BAME background to consider donating their organs to ensure that there is the best chance of a suitable match. Without this, Mr Willis would not be alive today.
You can read more about Mr Michael Willis here and sign up to be an organ donor here https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/
Kam Dhami is acting Chief Executive this week, while Toby is on annual leave.