COVID-19 Bulletin: Tuesday 26 May

This is our

Are you worried about spreading infection?  I am.  That’s because I use Spring Hill Tesco at the bottom of the Dudley Road.  So do a number of Trust staff.  Some of that number go in scrubs.  Others in uncovered uniform.  The Trust is now contacting the store to ask them to refuse entry to anyone attending their shop in this manner.  Huge thanks to staff who have challenged colleagues using the store in the wrong clothes.  Now is definitely the time to keep up our guard on infection control practices.  It is both risky to you, risky to others, and a terrible image for our work to have these breaches.  At a time when we want to save lives by making sure people seek our care, and to do that we need their confidence that we are taking every precaution.  Seeing our badge on display in the food aisle does not cut it.  Let’s up our game… thank you.

1.           PPE – please use it appropriately

We are experiencing some increased demand for particular items of enhanced PPE due to use in areas where it is not necessary to have enhanced protection. This is leading to a shortage in areas where the enhanced PPE is essential to protect staff.

Colleagues are advised to follow the rules for the wearing of appropriate PPE in different locations. Posters have been created and are displayed at the entrance to every ward area to help you understand what you should wear and when you should wear it. There are three categories of ward, red for COVID-19 patients, blue for non COVID-19 patients and lilac for areas where some COVID-19+ve patients are nursed separately within a blue ward. To see the posters please click here.

2.           GPs using mobile service to monitor at risk patients

Your Health Partnership Primary Care Network (the newest division in the Trust) has been monitoring at risk patients, using a mobile oximetry service to aid remote decision making for patients with COVID-19 symptoms. It is used once a patient has been assessed by telephone or video consultation, when knowing their oxygen saturation helps with the decision to come to hospital or stay at home with active follow up.

Health Care Assistants deliver the oximeter to the patient’s residence, and ensure both handover and collection are completed in a non-contact manner. The patient speaks to a GP while measuring their sats and heart rate. The monitor is then cleaned. With access to a shared community ‘red site’ where patients with possible or confirmed COVID-19 can be seen and assessed face-to-face, patients are appropriately cared for, enabling earlier intervention if they deteriorate. For more information please contact Dottie Tipton, Primary Care Liaison Manager by email on dottie.tipton@nhs.net

3.   Shielded Patient List – updates for patients

NHS Digital has created a template letter for use when writing to patients following the original notification they will have received early in the pandemic to advise they may be at high risk of complications with COVID-19. The new letter template advises that on reviewing their medical record, they are currently not judged to be at increased risk, and the Government is no longer advising them to “shield”.

The template letter does not come with a request to reassess patients shielding but in case there are instances where shielding is not felt to be needed now then this may well help in communication with the patient. Shielding is an area of ongoing review by government in their recovery plan so more information will be coming out on this. To read the letter please click here.

4.           Patient information resources available to colleagues

Health Education England’s national Library and Knowledge Services team has collated trusted, accessible online patient information resources on COVID-19 for all frontline staff across health and social care, and the voluntary sector, who work directly with the patients, clients, and families.

You will find information in accessible formats (Easy Reads, British Sign Language, etc.) including for children and families, and for older people (including people with dementia) at https://library.nhs.uk/coronavirus-resources/ Foreign language information can be accessed via the SWBH website. Click here to see those available.

5.      Make sure you also look after your health and wellbeing

Everyone has had to embrace the ‘new normal’ and shift patterns changing has of course been a part of that. Working for long periods or taking on night shifts in particular can have an impact on your health and wellbeing. The most recent film on the topic from our clinical teams tackles the subject directly, offering guidance and tips on keeping well. The full range of support films is available on the video and podcast library.