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COVID-19 Bulletin: Thursday 20 January

January 20, 2022

Numbers not statistics: This week (last week)

Colleagues who have received COVID-19 1st Vac. Colleagues who have received COVID-19 2nd Vac. Colleagues who have received COVID-19 booster Vac. Current number of confirmed COVID-19 inpatients COVID-19 inpatients not vaccinated against COVID-19 Patients who have died from COVID-19
84.94%
(84.94%)
80.33%
(80.33%)
38.5%*
(38.61%)
165
(193)
41.82%
(28.5%)
1,440
(1,425)


* Note: Percentages may decrease due to changes in the number of inpatients, as well as in the number of staff members (starters and leavers). 

 

  1. New: Revised guidance for self-isolation of NHS staff

Following an advisory letter from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) our isolation guidance has now been updated.

In summary, all staff who test positive will be able to leave self-isolation and return to work, if they test negative via a lateral flow device (LFD) on days 5 and 6 after the date of their initial positive test, providing they are medically fit. The negative lateral flow tests on days 5 and 6 must be taken 24 hours apart.

Following this, and to mitigate any potential increased risk of transmission, all staff must then continue to test daily up to and including day 10 after their initial positive test and stop at day 10 if they are asymptomatic and not had any further positive LFD tests.

The Trust guidance can be found in full here.

 

Ordering Lateral Flow Devices

Colleagues can once again access LFDs via the gov.uk portal and we are encouraging staff to order a supply to enable testing via lateral flow as part of the requirement to end isolation.

  1. New: Face masks and moving away from Plan B

As you know, the Government are making moves to take the country back away from its ‘Plan B’ and returning it to its pre-Omicron state – ‘Plan A’.  This includes the relaxation of various rules relating to face masks in public places.

Please note that face masks are still mandatory within healthcare settings and in our organisation from next week. NHS guidelines have not changed on this matter, and so we will continue to maintain this across our organisation to keep both patients and staff safe.

  1. New: Clearing up cleaning

There has been some confusion on what the cleaning requirements are during COVID when cleaning bed spaces and wards of COVID-19 positive patients.

Below is the table put together in an earlier wave to remind everyone of current requirements.

There is an expectation that all bed spaces are cleaned post discharge ready for the next patient, this has always been in place and should be as per the guidance above.

  1. Update: City wellbeing hub and massage service – change of venue

 The City Hospital wellbeing hub has now relocated to above Arches, 1st Floor, Corridor A (old physiotherapy corridor), Room B002/F/049.

Focusing on ensuring that colleagues have a good day every day, the new hubs aim to help improve mental health, relieve stress, build resilience and restore balance.

Recognising that colleagues need to be able to access services easily, the new hubs will provide much needed Health and Wellbeing for colleagues closer to their work base.Services in the new wellbeing hubs include:

  • Confidential chat – an opportunity for colleagues to offload and talk about anything which is troubling them
  • Meditation
  • Relaxation POD (massage chair)
  • Back, Hips, Leg Massager

The wellbeing hub is completely confidential. All services and treatments are free of charge for Trust colleagues and delivered by trained wellbeing coaches.

The wellbeing hubs will be a regular service weekly across all the sites listed below between 8am – 4pm:

  • Mondays – Jayne Wright Therapy Room, Trinity House, Sandwell
  • Wednesdays – Rowley Regis Hospital – Therapy room Archer, 1st floor, Rowley Regis Hospital
  • Fridays – Wellbeing Hub, above Arches, 1st Floor, Corridor A (old physiotherapy corridor) Room B002/F/049 situated to the right of the corridor, City Hospital
  • Monday – Friday – The Sanctuary, Unett Street, Smethwick B66 3SY

If you would like to register your interest and book in to one of the sessions contact the wellbeing team on 0121 507 5886 or 0121 507 3854. Alternatively, you can email Jatinder.sekhon@nhs.net.

 

  1. Reminder: Time is ticking to get your first jab

Legislation about mandatory vaccination for NHS staff means that individuals undertaking CQC regulated activities in England must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than 1 April 2022 to protect patients and other colleagues. This means that unvaccinated individuals need to have had their first dose by 3 February 2022, in order to have received their second dose by the 1 April 2022 deadline.

Vaccination is a condition of deployment. If you have received a letter stating that the Trust does not have a record of your vaccination status then you must contact the workforce hub.

Questions and answers sesssion – Join a COVID-19 vaccination Q&A session

Raise your vaccination questions at a vaccination Q&A session hosted by a panel of senior clinical leaders. This will also be a safe space for colleagues to have an opportunity to understand and ask questions about the potential impact of the new legislation, Vaccination as Condition of Deployment (VCOD) which has been enacted as of Thursday 6 January 2022. Session dates and times are below:

 

Date Time Joining instructions
Monday 24 January 1pm – 2pm Click here to join
Thursday 27 January 3pm – 4pm Click here to join
Friday 28 January 11.30am – 12.30pm Click here to join

6.    Reminder: Don’t forget to test regularly

As you know, it is mandatory for all staff to undertake regular testing. Colleagues attending site more than once a week are expected to sign up to our LAMP testing programme and bring in a LAMP sample once a week. This is our preferred regular testing programme for all staff with no symptoms because of the accuracy of the test. To register for LAMP please call 0121 507 2664 (Monday- Friday, 8am-6pm) and select option 6 to register and book a kit collection slot.

If you are not registered for LAMP you must do a lateral flow test twice a week. This is the national requirement and all staff must comply. These are available to order online or to collect from a range of services in the community. LFT results should be reported to the national website whatever the result.

Here is a reminder on how to carry out your LAMP test:

The latest LAMP data by group is below: