COVID-19 Bulletin: Thursday 15 October 2020

October 16, 2020

Welcome to your Thursday edition of the COVID-19 bulletin. 2020 continues to fly by, but as time passes new developments continue and new challenges arise that we all need to meet head-on. Autumn is here and winter is not far away, along with all that brings. As always, kindness must remain our watchword in all that we do.

Below you will see new statistics which show data captured up to August 31 and figures from September 1 to the present day. This is so you are able to see how the situation is changing in relation to the first surge and as we are enter the next phase of the pandemic. Our contribution to Research and Development remains vital in supporting the fight against this virus. The data below shows the numbers of patients in clinical trials and the number of our Trust staff who have signed up to the SIREN study.

Numbers not statistics: Today’s totals – (last week’s)

1. ICU reservists team appeals process

Thank you to everyone who stepped forward and supported colleagues in Critical Care during the first surge in COVID-19 cases earlier in the year. We are now looking to welcome nursing and health care support colleagues from across the organisation into our newly formed ICU Reservist Team.

With cases of COVID-19 beginning to once again increase, we may need to increase the size of our ICU service significantly at short notice to cope with the additional clinical needs. To cope with this, we need people like you to make sure we do it quickly and safely.​

If selected to join the reservists but you do not wish to do so, an appeals process is in place. This process has been put in place to allow colleagues to raise a formal objection about the temporary redeployment. Where possible, the Trust will work with colleagues to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate their circumstances.

If you choose to log an appeal, colleagues will need to ensure they fit into the criteria and provide the necessary supporting evidence for an informed decision to be reached by HR.

The Trust will only be able to consider objections to temporary redeployment in line with the criteria set out below:

• Health conditions, pregnancy or other considerations covered by national exemption
• Protected disabilities under the Equality Act
• Formal caring responsibilities (as a registered carer) for someone identified as extremely vulnerable in line with government guidelines which could be evidentially and significantly adversely impacted by a temporary redeployment to alternative working arrangements or duties and which cannot be mitigated
• Other objections on exceptional grounds.

To find out more click here.

           2. Accessing PPE out of hours

Colleagues wanting to access PPE out of hours are able to do so by gaining access to the Bryan Knight Suite and D18 stock rooms via Security and the Clinical Nurse Practitioners team.

There is an ample supply so there shouldn’t be any shortages of PPE out of hours.

Wards are now responsible for stocking up their own workstations and dispensers.  Additional PPE is being sent out to make up for the removal of the PPE warden service.

As for all other PPE, the wards are topped up to their agreed requirements; if there are any specific examples of this not happening, if wards need to increase their stock levels or require replenishing more regularly, please let the PPE team know and they’ll top it up further. 

If wards are concerned that they are running low on their PPE stock, they can request an urgent top-up during office hours via:

• Sandwell – galsinh@nhs.net, rebecca.vanes@nhs.net, debra.chetwynd@nhs.net
• City – southall1@nhs.net, mark.shervington@nhs.net, jgraham9@nhs.net, earl-edward.ebanks@nhs.net

         3. Applications open for Test &Trace support payments

Both Sandwell Council and Birmingham City Council are now accepting applications for self-isolation support payments from people suffering financial hardship who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.

If you have been told to self-isolate on or after 28 September 2020, you’re under a legal obligation to do so, and could be eligible for a lump sum of £500 Test and Trace Support Payment if you meet all the required criteria. 

To be eligible for the Support Payment, people must be:

• Asked to self-isolate by NHS Test & Trace either because they have tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive
• Employed or self-employed
• Unable to work from home and will lose income as a result
• Currently receiving Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, income-based Employment & Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit.

Local authorities await further detailed government guidance about the scheme, which will run until 31 January 2021.

A discretionary payment from the council may be available for people who are not receiving any of the above benefits but who are on a low income and experiencing financial hardship because they have to self-isolate.

These changes came into effect on 28 September 2020, alongside the legal duty to self-isolate and backdated claims are allowed from people eligible before that date.

Applications for the grant can be made online via ‘My Sandwell’, on the council’s website.

For applications to Birmingham City Council, click here.

          4. SIREN study is pushing forward with new recruits

The SIREN study focuses on healthcare workers who have overcome COVID-19 or those who are in a patient-facing role – and new recruits include our very own Medical Director David Carruthers. 

SIREN (Sarscov2 Immunity & REinfection EvaluatioN) specifically looks into the impact of antibodies that fight the virus which causes COVID-19. The study is open to anyone working in a hospital building where there will be incidental contact.

Colleagues taking part in the study are asked to complete a registration questionnaire and provide an updated symptom review, nose and throat swabs, and blood samples regularly (usually once every two to four weeks) for up to 12 months.

This is so a full medical timeline of events can be captured showing how a person’s health is affected from before infection to being infected.

Whilst SIREN focuses on healthcare workers only, there are also many other R&D projects being undertaken by the Trust that the public can join. By taking part in research projects we help to speed up the fight against Coronavirus.

For information on the SIREN study and details on how to join click here.

For information on other COVID-19 studies currently ongoing within the Trust click here.

          5. New local restrictions explained

On Monday, the Government announced a new COVID alert system which will standardise local rules by introducing a three-tiered system – medium, high and very high.

Sandwell and Birmingham, along with Walsall, Wolverhampton and Solihull, have been placed in the high category.

So what does this mean for colleagues living in these areas?

On top of restrictions in alert level medium, the following also applies in the high category:

• You must not socialise with anybody outside of your household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
• You must not socialise in a group of more than 6 outside, including in a garden or other spaces like beaches or parks (other than where specific exemptions apply in law)
• Businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-secure manner, other than those that remain closed in law
• Certain businesses are required to ensure customers only consume food and drink while seated, and must close between 10pm and 5am
• Businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
• Schools, universities and places of worship remain open
• Weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees
• Exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors. These will only be permitted indoors if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with or share a support bubble with, or for youth or disability sport
• You can continue to travel to venues or amenities that are open, for work or to access education, but should look to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible.

You must:

• wear a face covering in those areas where this is mandated

You should continue to:

• Follow social distancing rules
• Work from home where you can effectively do so
• Walk or cycle where possible, or plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport.

For the full guidance on the new alert system and restrictions, click here.

            6. Staff swabbing and results process

Swabbing for symptomatic colleagues remains available through our drive-through at City Hospital and Little Lane car park at Sandwell Hospital.

If you have been experiencing symptoms, you must not come into work. Please book an appointment for a test by calling the community contact centre on 0121 507 2664 option 5, Monday to Friday, between 8am and 6pm. On weekends call 07816 992873. Please do not just turn up.

Test results will be available after 48 to 72 hours. If you have a positive result the occupational health team will call you to discuss your result, offer support and will work closely with infection prevention and control and your manager in situations where there is a significant breach in PPE in order to contact trace and manage the situation locally.

If your test result is negative then you will receive a text message and/or email to inform you of your result.

You can read the staff swabbing and results process by clicking here.