COVID-19 Bulletin: Friday 17 September

September 17, 2021

Numbers not statistics

1. New: Don’t switch off from LAMP

We start off with LAMP testing as we so often do. There is of course a very good reason for this as the weekly testing programme, available to all colleagues, allows you to get reliable results on COVID testing through a completely pain free and non-invasive test.

Recently we’ve seen a drop in numbers of tests, which in the last few weeks could be attributed  to school holidays but it’s unlikely to be just that and it’s a trend that’s been going on for some time now. If you’re back from some annual leave make sure you get back in the flow (not the lateral kind – well, at least in this instance) and do your weekly test. Especially as despite the reduction in the number of people doing their LAMP test the actual number of positive results being seen by BCP Labs has gone significantly UP over the last few months.

LAMP has caught 11 such positives so far in our Trust, so make sure you feel safe and confident. You may have even caught an article in our most recent edition of Heartbeat by Community Podiatrist, Khabiba Ghulam about this very subject:

“As I work with some of the most vulnerable members in the community I feel more safer and confident going into work knowing that I am frequently tested.

Khabiba Ghulam is encouraging colleagues to take part in the weekly saliva testing

“This test is a perfect fit around my busy schedule as I can complete it whenever I have time to do so and the results are received within 24 – 48 hours albeit that I have to ensure that I have not had any food or drink for at least an hour before I do the test. This has saved so much time for me as I no longer have to book and attend a COVID-19 test centre.”

Visit Connect to read Khabiba’s full article.

Start today!

You can register for LAMP testing and book in to a kit collection slot for the weekly test, which requires you to spit into a tube in the morning before you brush your teeth or an hour after you have eaten. When you arrive at work, you can deposit your sample into a red collection box. Many of these are positioned around our acute and community sites. And within 24-48 hours you will get a text message confidentially sent to you alerting you to your results. For a full list of drop off points and for details on how to register, click here.

During the last two weeks the phlebotomy team have approached colleagues at City ED to encourage the uptake of lamp testing. This approach will continue in the next few weeks at Sandwell ED.

This week’s LAMP data group breakdown

2. New: Managing our capacity to provide safe care: getting prepared

We have been seeing a steady increase in the number of patients being admitted into our care. This means we need to have plans in place and ready to expand our critical care beds when required.

The decision has been made to pause planned orthopaedic surgery for the next two weeks. All affected patients have been contacted and will have their procedures re-booked as soon as possible.

Theatre colleagues will therefore be released to support critical care as reservists starting from Monday. The arrangements will be closely monitored and reviewed as necessary.

3. New: Drug safety notice: Sarilumab – for intravenous administration in COVID-19 patients

Sarilumab is a human monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to interleukin-6 receptors and blocks the activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Sarilumab is typically given via the subcutaneous route, however for COVID-19 patients Sarilumab must be administered intravenously.

Note: Sarilumab is ONLY to be administered by nurses who are trained to administer monoclonal antibodies.

For further details please see the Sarilumab information sheet.

For more information please contact the pharmacy department on ext. 5263/3783.

4. Reminder: Allowances for visiting during COVID-19: Ensuring vulnerable patients are able to see loved ones

We’d like to remind colleagues that although visiting restrictions remain in place for most inpatients, there are exceptional circumstances where limited visiting is allowed, for example for young patients, those who lack mental capacity and patients who are at the end of their life.

For these patients it is really important – not least as an act of kindness – that we are able to safely facilitate limited visiting rather than adopt a blanket ban, so please if in doubt ask your group for advice.

There are also arrangements in place to allow limited visiting on postnatal wards, a partner to accompany scanning appointments and an additional birthing partner and paediatrics.

It is essential to note that even for these groups visiting is NOT ALLOWED by anyone who is self-isolating, regardless of the circumstances.

5. Reminder: Are you compliant with your FIT Testing?

One of the things we’ve learnt and tried to implement during this COVID-19 pandemic is that there is strength in flexibility. This is especially true when it comes to the use of PPE as whilst the Trust has been constant in making sure that there is PPE available the stock levels of specific types of masks in particular does fluctuate.

In short: The more you’re fit tested for, the more options you have.

Colleagues can access FIT testing by logging on to ESR and searching for ‘fit testing’ under ‘my learning’ and book an appointment to be fit tested.

• FIT testing is a mandatory role specific requirement
• FIT Testing is held in the Old Security Bungalow, City Hospital

You can find a step-by-step guide of how to book in ESR here.

6. Reminder: Consultation on mandatory vaccination for frontline health and care staff

A consultation was launched earlier this month on protecting patients by mandating vaccination for frontline health and social care staff in England. It seeks to consult on whether vaccination should be made a condition of deployment for frontline workers in health and care settings.

The government is seeking views on plans for staff in health and care settings in England to be required to have COVID-19 and flu vaccines to protect vulnerable people.

The six-week consultation is looking at whether requirements should apply for health and wider social care workers: those in contact with patients and people receiving care. It would mean only those who are fully vaccinated, unless medically exempt, could be deployed to deliver health and care services. The consultation will also seek views on whether flu vaccines should be a requirement for health and care workers.

For more information please click here

7. Reminder: Visit the Sanctuary

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

Our 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

Dr Michael Blaber, Wellbeing Lead for Junior Doctors is one colleague who recently attended the Sanctuary:

Dr Michael Blaber is encouraging colleagues to use the Sanctuary

“The staff were exceptionally friendly, though not at all intrusive. Colleagues were enjoying guided mindfulness and music therapy, learning de-stress techniques and benefiting from skilled listening and clinical supervision. Whether I wanted to offer my ‘expert analysis’ of the football or discuss the difficult situation I had just encountered on the ward, there was freedom to simply unwind… I highly recommend it to you.” 

You can read Dr Blaber’s full article on Connect.

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.

Additional support, if you need to talk to someone in confidence:

• Counsellors: The NHS direct counselling service: 0800 06 96 222 (7am – 11pm, 7 days a week).
• Bereavement support: 0300 303 4434 (8am – 8pm).
• Trouble sleeping: Click herefor help and guidance.
• Just need a confidence conversation?  Book a one to one at the wellbeing Sanctuary by calling 0121 507 5886.
• REACT practitioners: Talk to colleagues who have been trained to have a confidential conversation with you near to where you work. Emailwellbeinghub@nhs.net to find out who is your nearest REACT practitioner.
• SHOUT service: Text SHOUT to 85258 confidential TEXT support.
• Chaplaincy team: All our chaplaincy team are trained listeners and people who care for you. You can email causer@nhs.net or call either 0121 507 3552/4055 or 07972 572854 to get in touch with the team.