Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 29 November
November 29, 2019
Four deadlines passed and one to go! Two if you include Midland Met, read on…
So, today marks the close of the national staff survey. Thanks to everyone who has responded to it across the organisation. I am fairly sure we have managed our largest ever return; special thanks to those who kindly responded to my email and gave ten minutes to give their feedback. This week also saw both our multi storey car park planning applications formally lodged for decision. Our funding is in place so I am optimistic that early in the New Year we will get building and will bring to an end by 2021 the current miseries. That said, I should emphasise that you can buy car park tickets that let you use other transport part of the week, and that we offer subsidy for public transport.
Obviously this week was also the close of voter registration. I hope you have! Our NHS remains a major issue in policy and funding debate and it must be right that we all play our part in choosing MPs, and influencing the next government. We continue to be typically just ahead of national policy announcements, and look forward too, to some definitive coherence on long term care funding for older adults. Sandwell Council are funding additional facilities near Rowley Regis in the years ahead, and we continue to talk to partners about land at Leasowes and at City which could be made available for the right kind of assisted living programmes. For this winter we have secured funding to expand our health team inreach model into more Care Homes in Sandwell, which is great news, as we work to try and avoid admission where we can.
Finally, yesterday was the close of voting for our coveted £5,000 welearn QIHD poster contest. You can see the entries on the fantastic video display kiosks in Rowley reception, Hallam Restaurant, and City (Arches and BTC). We had around 80 entries and the standard is really high. So the judging panel has a tough job, with the results being decided next Thursday at our Trust’s Board meeting in the Education Centre at Sandwell. About half of our Board meetings each year are on one of our sites, the others are in community venues like schools, places of worship, or the Chamber of Commerce. They always take place on the first Thursday of the month. You are always welcome to come and listen: Our community midwifery team go one better next week with their presentation to the Board about how they want to work to deliver a better service and help tackle poor outcomes across the West Midlands.
Flu vaccination is the deadline that is not yet past. I wish it was, because we wanted to end November with more than 5,000 employees vaccinated. More to do, and I am grateful to Tracey and Bethan, to our peer vaccinators, and group teams and line managers for sticking with this. The vaccine is effective and it is safe. It is not mandatory, but as carers and people interested in science I very much hope you have thought through your options, and if you want a vaccination we will get one to you. One option will be to join us in next week’s Jab-A-Thons. Aping the success of Dr. Makwana’s recent dance marathon, Chief Nurse Paula Garner and colleagues will be in Sandwell reception on Monday the 2nd and City through Friday the 6th undertaking mass flu vaccination. If you need your jab, that is one way to do it. Dancing is not required. A commitment to patient safety is.
While I am mentioning fundraising efforts, Nick’s £7,000 is being chased hard by our annual cycle riders, led by Ian Hawthorn. The running total from this year’s cycle ride has raised £4,057.25 (which includes gift aid). If you still want to donate the page is open for another 2 weeks, then it closes down. https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/SWBNHSCycleGroup2019
Today we did also sign another agreement on the Midland Met. Not the big one quite yet. This one sets out the heads of terms to get a contract signed over the next few days and get Balfour Beatty back working on site this side of Christmas. I know this feels sometimes like mañana but I will let you know when we do finally get it signed, bring two years of hurt and hard work to a pause, and we will start 2020 on a surer footing to move in in 2022. Three more Christmases to go; so definitely worth upgrading your decorations with our £50 per team offer and entering this year decorations contest which we are judging on Friday 20 December – details all over Heartbeat which comes out next week.
Next Wednesday (4 December) is our (first) annual Carol Concert. You can’t have missed the posters! Amanda Winwood tells me there are yet seats or pews that can squeeze folk in for 6pm. So look here https://ytccarolconcert2019.eventbrite.co.uk for how to secure your place, have a great sing, some fellowship, and raise money for Your Trust Charity at the same time.