COVID-19 Bulletin: Friday 4 December
December 4, 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 find the details have been updated a great deal.
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.
In today’s COVID-19 bulletin
New
Updated
1. NEW: Roll up, roll up – read all about the PPE changes
We have now updated our guidance around Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which includes clarification around when and where you should be bare below the elbows.
Amber and red posters displaying the new guidance have been produced and will be rolled out next week. They will replace current posters on ward doors.
Key changes to the guidance include the following:
- Colleagues carrying out a single Aerosol Generated Procedure (AGP), for example intubation, extubation, tracheomtomy, suctioning or those having close contact with a patient, should wear a single use gown with full sleeves with a plastic apron over the gown. Please remove the gown after the task is completed.
- For sessional work within a VERY HIGH RISK area or an AGP area (for example D17), a sessional gown with rolled up sleeves (BARE BELOW THE ELBOWS) should be worn. Colleagues should wear a disposable plastic apron over the sessional use gown and change this in between patients. Please wash your hands and arms in between patients.
- Eye protection should be worn for sessional use in both Amber and High Risk areas.
This guidance is for ward areas only (not critical care) and for patient-facing clinical colleagues.
If you are visiting the ward from another area, a minimum requirement when entering the unit will be to wear a mask (please note: staff must follow their individual risk assessment for PPE).
The new guidance must be followed so as we maintain strong infection prevention and control measures across all our sites.
You are able to view the full guidance on PPE here.
These are the new posters – click to view as larger images:
2. Updated: New Christmas visiting arrangements are on the way
The Trust has continued to review the restrictions on visiting. Due to the Tier 3 position for Sandwell and Birmingham we are maintaining restricted visiting.
As a reminder, visiting is not permitted apart from for End of Life (EoL) patients, birthing partners, children and those who lack mental capacity. In certain circumstances exceptions can be made for patients who are in serious distress but this must be at the discretion of the ward manager and the named clinician.
We are expecting that we would be able to make different arrangements for the five days over Christmas (23 – 27 December) and will communicate this in due course