Chief Executive’s Message – Friday 4 November
November 4, 2022
On a monthly basis I have the honour of chairing the urgent and emergency care (UEC) board on behalf of the Black Country system which I did this morning
I talk regularly here about the significant pressure that is being experienced across most of our health and social care services. It is no consolation, but the picture across the whole country is similar. It is encouraging, however, that performance across a number of measures relating to urgent and emergency care puts the Black Country system among the best in the region. It may not feel like it, but it is positive that the schemes that are in place to avoid admission, keep people at home and enable safe and timely discharge are getting more traction making a real contribution to improving patient care.
At the UEC Board meeting this morning we scrutinised each place’s winter plans to assess how robust the arrangements are to meet the expected need this winter. We know we are expecting a very challenging period and achievable plans are essential.
There are two significant factors that will affect our plans.
1.A bad bout of flu and / or COVID-19 circulating in the community and amongst staff
The best contribution you personally can make, beyond your own work contribution to patient care, is to get vaccinated. Clinics and pop-up vaccination centres are available and the team will even come out to your area of work if you and your colleagues are struggling to get to a clinic. COVID-19 is still around. In vulnerable people COVID-19 can still be extremely severe, even fatal. You have a duty to yourselves and to your patients to get the best protection. The COVID-19 vaccine we are predominantly offering you is proven to be effective against the Omicron variant and has far fewer side effects being reported. And, as you all know, flu is also very serious and can be a killer. It’s easy to get both your jabs either at the same time or on different occasions. But please don’t delay. We will all have a better winter if our vaccination rates are high. At present, we have a staff vaccination rate of between 22 and 30% only. This stark statistic serves as a reminder to us all that we can do better.
2. Industrial action
Many Unions are balloting members over industrial action related to pay. This is not exclusive to the NHS but is affecting many sectors across the country. I wholly recognise the very real impact the current cost of living is having on individuals and families and we are committed to doing all we can, within the resources available to us, to ease the burden. We are sharing those initiatives, such as discounted hot meals and discounted food and essentials shopping, over the coming days on Connect. Over the next fortnight our emergency preparedness will be stepped up to plan for safe patient care during periods of reduced staffing as a result of potential action.
My thanks as ever go to all of you for putting your commitment to our patients at the forefront. Wherever I go across the Trust, I see and hear about your determination to do the best job you can for our patients and our population, supporting your colleagues along the way.
And finally, my plea is to tell us how it really is. The staff survey is the best way of doing that. It is entirely confidential and available to everyone. Find the message in your emails or if you are stuck get in touch and we will help you access your survey. It makes all the difference to how we improve our organisation as a place to work so that you can feel happy and fulfilled in your role.
Thank you
Richard