COVID-19 Bulletin: Wednesday 10 June

June 10, 2020

This is our weekly bulletin and will be issued every Wednesday. Please use this bulletin and cascade arrangements within care and corporate groups to guide your actions. Throughout June we are determined to reduce avoidable harm and death in the people we are taking care of. Kindness remains the guiding principle of all the actions in our work to tackle the virus – kindness in how we look after patients, visitors, and one another.

Numbers not statistics: Today’s totals (Friday 5 June’s totals)

1. Visiting inpatients – current restrictions remain

We have decided to keep our current visiting restrictions in place up to the end of June before making any changes. We are taking a cautionary approach to ensure that we can continue to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19. As a reminder, visiting inpatients is only permitted for one person at a time for patients who are at end of life and those with limited mental capacity, one parent/guardian of a child and birthing partners in maternity.

Please continue to encourage the use of mobile devices/tablets for families to keep in touch with their loved ones. We recognise the challenges that are faced by colleagues whilst implementing these restrictions and we want to thank everyone for their support in enforcing the current visiting arrangements.

2. Patient Pathway – When to test, transfer and treat in Red, Blue and Lilac

It is vital that our inpatients are placed in the right care environments (Red, Blue or Lilac wards/bays) and swabbed appropriately. Please ensure you read the linked Patient Swabbing Pathway which illustrates the points at which patients must be swabbed and how they will be supported through our services.

For the most up-to-date pathway, click here.

Remember:

• Any negative patient from a Red area MUST be moved to Lilac asap unless there is strong clinical presentation of COVID-19.
• Patients on Lilac wards MUST be swabbed every 3 days.
• Patients on Blue wards MUST be swabbed every 5 days.

For all patients who require a re-admission into hospital and re-attend via ED please follow the guidance below:

• All patients to be swabbed on admission to hospital regardless of when last swabbed.
• If a patient presents with COVID-19 symptoms but has had a negative swab, they are to be treated in the Red stream.
• If a patient presents and has a positive swab in the past 14 days – they are to be treated in the Red stream.

It is important the policy is applied as outlined in the pathway. That may vary from historic practice but it must be our standard approach.

3. Guidance on when and where to wear masks

We have reviewed our approach to mask wearing in different areas of the Trust, following recent government guidelines. Our local arrangements are:

• Non-clinical office buildings – colleagues should maintain social distancing and handwashing. There is no requirement to wear masks, however you may wear your own face covering if you choose.
• Clinical areas including wards, clinic rooms and imaging  – wear PPE as currently advised (Fluid-resistant surgical mask, disposable gloves and apron in all clinical areas with visor/FFP3 for close clinical care/AGP).
• Communal areas in clinical buildings e.g. main entrances and corridors – ensure social distancing, there is no requirement to wear a mask unless it is not possible to be socially distanced. In this case then FRSMs should be worn.

See our one page overview here.

4. NHS Test and Trace: What to do if you are contacted

The new NHS Test and Trace service has been in place for over and week and they are getting in touch with people who have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, under the following circumstances:

• Directly through physical contact, or be in such a position that you are in close proximity with a positive patient’s coughs/exhalations.
• Or, by proximity through extended closer contact.

If you are contacted by NHS Test and Trace or our own occupational health team who are doing contact tracing of cases within the Trust (e.g. a staff member with a COVID-19 positive swab result) you will be asked about your contact with others including whether there has been any breach of PPE during your contact with +COVID-19 patients. If contact has been identified you should:

• Book a COVID-19 swab test by calling 0121 507 2664 option 5.
• Review whether you have had contact with anyone not socially distanced or there has been a PPE breach in your working environment.
• Not attend work until you have the results of your test and are confirmed negative.
• Email the HR advice email address to advise that you are self-isolating and confirm that a swab has been booked – hradvice-for-covid-19@nhs.net.

Read more here.

5. Reflect and decompress this Thursday at the Recharge Booth

The Recharge Booth is a ‘virtual’ space that allows you to come together with others, reflect, recharge, decompress, and join a safe and confidential discussion. Hosted by Richard Burnell every Thursday at 2pm, the booth will be sharing stories from different colleagues over a 20-30 minute session.

This week the Recharge Booth will be focusing on the following story:

“I didn’t come into healthcare to be a hero. I came to try and make a difference and to help people. I am uncomfortable with people making us heroes and glorifying what we do. I don’t understand why I don’t like it, part of me thinks it’s because I feel the public have stood back and ignored the issues the NHS faced across the last few years and suddenly claim to love it; it feels a bit ‘two faced.’ Another part of me wonders why I can’t just appreciate the public realising the importance of the work we do and feel hopeful that things will change after this. It’s a strange feeling and one that I feel bad about having.”  

For more information please contact Richard Burnell on 07747 144874 or Claire Hubbard on 07866 004575.  Alternatively if you would like to be part of the Recharge Booth, drop an email to  swbh.rechargebooth@nhs.net.  A WebEx invite will be sent to your outlook diary, and you will simply need to click on the ‘join’ button to enter.

6. Mental wellbeing training

The Trust has launched its Level 1 mental wellbeing training which focuses on supporting colleagues through the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic recovery. Part of the wellbeing support plan is the provision of training for all line managers, plus any volunteer colleagues, to have initial conversations with colleagues and, where appropriate, open the door to further services that may help. This is the Level 1 supervisor training which is in the form of e-learning material. Please follow the attached information on how to access the course.

e-Learning Registration – Level 1 Mental Wellbeing Supervisor Training

7.Antibody testing – make sure you book your test

Antibody testing is now available for ALL colleagues so make sure you book your appointment now. It’s a simple test which is to find out whether you have previously had Coronavirus and may have some degree of immunity.

From 22 June we will open up our services to partners from care homes, schools and social care – because we are one system. So grab your test chance now and make that call. Over 4,700 colleagues have been tested so far!

To book an appointment call 0121 507 6104 option 2. You can find out more in this questions and answers document. For more information please click here.