COVID-19 Bulletin: Monday 4 January

January 4, 2021

1. New message: First week of vaccination campaign heralded a success

Following a remarkable team effort to pull together a process to deliver our vaccination campaign, we are delighted to advise that we have ensured every vaccination found an arm, thereby securing a 100 per cent success record for our first week. Thank you to every colleague who has contributed to this outstanding start of our campaign to deliver the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and to colleagues who attended their appointment to receive their jab.

Today we started to vaccinate vulnerable patients aged 80 and above. Pictured is 81 year old Ivy Mclean from Sandwell who was one of our first patients to have had the COVID vaccination earlier this afternoon with Hayley Griffiths, Clinical Education Sister who administered the vaccine.

2. New message: One mask per face please!

Colleagues on City site have been reporting that they are having difficulty in finding a surgical face mask at the PPE entrances along the ground floor corridor, when they enter from staff only entrances. This is due to people taking more than one mask, or even in some cases taking a whole box – leaving none for colleagues who come along after them. Obviously this is not acceptable, so we would remind colleagues to respect the rules, and save us the bother of checking CCTV to identify culprits.

The PPE stations are manned from 9am through to 7pm, where previously they had been manned from 7am. Every night the PPE stock is replenished, and extra supplies left in cupboards in every unit. Hence there is no excuse not to wear a mask on entry to City hospital. We will be reviewing how this works over the next few days and do not expect to see anyone disregarding this important IPC measure to guard against transmission of the virus.

3. Updated message: COVID-19 discharge pack revised

The discharge pack for patients has been revised, and is now available to order from medical illustration. It contains guidance including how to manage symptoms and staying safe at home. Before discharging your patients, please ensure you explain the contents of the leaflet and ensure they have a copy to take home as part of the discharge process.

You can order copies by emailing medical illustration on swb-tr.SWBH-GM-MIorders@nhs.net quoting reference code ML6293. Please destroy any printed copies of the previous version that you have to ensure you do not inadvertently use the wrong version.

Note: Please ensure you include the information requested below when contacting Medical Illustration regarding a print order.

4. Updated message: Desperately seeking scrubs

This is no mid 80s film script – this is a plea to the heart of our organisation. Despite repeated reminders we continue to be in a desperate situation regarding the lack of scrubs, even though we have once again invested in a bulk order of new scrubs to replace those that have been taken without authority. Unbelievably they too have vanished leaving us in a vulnerable position when trying to maintain our service. It is not only essential, but a matter of respect for others that colleagues abide by the rules and return the scrubs they have worn. This is not optional but a matter of urgency, as we do not have sufficient sets of scrubs to meet the increase in demand as many have disappeared, been worn or taken home, contrary to Trust policy.

All used scrubs must be placed in the blue trollies situated on the links and in departmental areas so they can be laundered and put back in to circulation.

Harsher penalties will be introduced should you not return scrubs. You will be challenged if caught in person or on camera arriving in or leaving the hospital in scrubs. There is no special circumstance that allows ANY colleague to disregard this rule.  

No scrubs rules:

• No scrubs should be stockpiled in lockers – they must be laundered regularly on site
• 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.

5. Repeat message: Need a rapid swab? Please use the blue bags for now

We are almost out of purple bags, so as a temporary measure, colleagues who need urgent COVID tests to be processed are being asked to use the blue bags along with the urgent stickers.

It is the responsibility of wards to ensure that they have adequate stock of COVID-19 swabs and sample bags for the weekends and out of hours. If you need these bags out of hours they can be collected from D18 at City Hospital and the Bryan Knight Suite at Sandwell. The labs are open until 10pm Monday to Friday meaning if you submit samples up to 8pm they will be processed the same day, however they are only open to 5pm at the week-end and there is no overnight service so rapid swabs are not processed overnight but will be done the following working day.

Urgent samples: Please ensure that the ‘Urgent 2 Hour TAT’ sticker is attached to the outer blue transport bag and is hand delivered to pathology reception.