COVID-19 Bulletin: Friday 13 November

November 13, 2020

To keep up to date with the pace of change we will be sharing a bulletin on a daily basis. There’s a lot of change taking place at the moment so please make sure you catch up with the latest bulletins throughout the week, as even if some points seem familiar you may very well find the details have been updated a great deal.

During this second lockdown restrictions, we must ensure we look after ourselves and others within our community. Make sure you keep in touch with those you love and your neighbours. People may well be feeling anxious, lonely and scared at this time. Thank you for looking out for one another.

1. New message: Enhanced Bank rates

We would like to thank everyone who has undertaken additional bank shifts to help maintain the consistency of patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that you will continue to support our workforce needs through the winter period, whilst also ensuring that you get sufficient rest and recuperation after what has been a very testing year.

In recognition of the value of the Bank service the Trust has reviewed and increased the hourly pay rates for band 5 nurses and specialist nurses (working in ITU, neonates, theatres, ED and NIV). The new rates are as follows and will come into effect immediately:

There is no longer a requirement to book five shifts with the Bank to be entitled to an enhanced rate. If you would like to sign up to the Trust Bank there is a fast-track process in place. Call 0121 507 3600 or email swb-tr.trustbankrequest@nhs.net for a pack.

2. New message: Use purple bags for urgent swabs

Starting Monday 16 November, wards and departments will have access to purple bags which can be used to place urgent rapid samples.

The bags have been introduced to replace the urgent stickers. But don’t worry if you use the urgent stickers, your samples will still be processed.

One of the key issues experienced is swabs being sent for routine rather than rapid testing due to the correct labelling not being used. The introduction of purple bags will be clearer and easier for all to use and will also help the lab to identify any samples that need to be processed urgently thus improving turnaround times.

If you need these bags out of hours they can be collected from D18 at City Hospital and the Bryan Knight Suite at Sandwell. Please note that rapid swabs are not processed overnight but will be done the following working day.

In other news, we have now temporarily increased the availability of urgent and rapid PCR sampling to 158 tests per day for two weeks only until 29 November. Urgent respiratory PCR including COVID is also now increased to 30 tests per day.

We will be running a pilot in ED and AMU for the next two weeks when all patients who come through this route will receive a rapid test.

For further information see the test allocation table on Connect by clicking here.

If you have an urgent sample:

• Place the correctly labelled specimen into a clear specimen bag and seal.
• Place into the second larger clear zip locked specimen bag.
• Place this doubled bag specimen into a purple urgent COVID sample bag
• The purple urgent bag can now also be posted into the COVID drop off box.

Further information on processing samples can be found on Connect by clicking here.

3. New message: Waste disposal during COVID-19 – waste streams (clinical, offensive and domestic)  

The Trust is currently experiencing high volumes of waste that has not been segregated correctly and cardboard which has not been broken down.

This is having a major impact on collections and disposal of clinical and offensive waste in particular; not only within the Trust but also for our waste contractor.

Within the orange bags there is evidence of plastic bottles, packaging and general domestic items going into the incorrect waste stream. Cardboard is being left on the floor of cupboards and not broken down, and  is not only causing a health and safety issues but preventing staff accessing the bins to dispose of waste correctly.

Domestic waste including packaging and office waste should not be placed into Orange/tiger bags.

All cardboard boxes should be flattened and either placed into the domestic waste bins or in a cage to await collection.

Waste disposal should always follow the rules of segregation:

• Healthcare infectious clinical  (Orange bag)  this includes COVID waste
• Offensive (Tiger bag waste) healthcare non-infectious including PPE when not on a Red ward
• Domestic (Black bag waste and cardboard).

Failure to follow segregation will result in waste not being collected and disposed of correctly.

PPE in offices should go into black bag domestic waste.

Sharps bins should remain in the wards and departments until collected. Under no circumstances should these be placed into the waste cupboards or left outside of wards.

For further details regarding waste segregation, please see waste descriptions information sheet.

For more information please contact dawn.hall@nhs.net.

Disposal of Masks:

We must remind both clinical and non-clinical colleagues when leaving work it is essential that masks are disposed of safely when finished. In non-clinical areas they can be disposed of in a black bag waste bin. PPE disposal process in clinical areas remains unchanged. Remember to maintain frequent handwashing/ sanitising at all times. Please do not attempt to flush your used mask down the toilet as this will cause a blockage in the drainage system.

4. Updated message: Your health and wellbeing is important to us – have you visited the sanctuary yet?

Would you like to take 30-90 minutes to look after yourself? We very rarely take the time, so why not book now!

Have you heard about the Wellbeing Sanctuary?  

The sanctuary cares about you and it could be beneficial if you were to visit as it is place of calm for all colleagues.

Also, the Wellbeing Sanctuary gives you the chance to de-stress and relax in a confidential safe place.

The sanctuary has a variety of offerings including:

• Massage
• Chill out downtime over a tea/coffee and a biscuit
• A chat – a listening ear to hear anything you want to talk about in confidence
• Meditation
• Mindfulness
• Relaxation hypnotherapy
• Music therapy

Note: Social distancing measures are in place and PPE and sanitisation is provided on site.

To book please contact the wellbeing team on 0121 507 5886 to book your free session.

The sanctuary is only a 5 minute drive away from City Hospital and a 10 minute. drive away from Sandwell Hospital (Learning Works on Unett Street, Smethwick, B66 3SY) with free secured parking right outside.

For further details please see daily sanctuary information sheet.

Repeat message: Sweet treat scrubs amnesty next week at Sandwell Hospital

Next week we will be encouraging colleagues at Sandwell to ‘Scrub in’ and return scrubs that may have made their way in to their lockers or home. No questions will be asked, each and every staff member who returns scrubs will earn themselves a delicious chocolate bar.

Currently we do not have sufficient sets of scrubs to meet the increase in demand as many have been stored and stockpiled by individuals, contrary to Trust policy.

On the 17, 18 and 19 November a drop off point will be available in the main reception at Sandwell Hospital where returned scrubs can be deposited and once laundered will return back in to circulation.

The systematic supply and laundering of the scrubs is dependent on staff returning them at the end of their shift pattern, when people take scrubs home or store them in their lockers they remove them from our stock and deplete the numbers available for circulation, putting a strain on supplies and our ability to provide scrubs where they are required.

Please support us by taking scrubs to the drop off point at Sandwell Hospital main reception next week, and earn yourself a tasty treat for your journey home.

No Scrubs rules:

• No scrubs should be stockpiled in lockers – they must be laundered regularly on site
• No scrubs should be worn in undesignated areas
• No scrubs should be binned, they should be deposited in to the blue trollies situated on the links and in departmental areas
• No scrubs should be worn outside the hospital or while travelling to and from hospital or taken home for laundering. By doing so you are putting yourself, your family and the public at risk.

Remember, when the amnesty is over, managers and colleagues alike will be challenging colleagues they see arriving or leaving work in scrubs.