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COVID-19 Bulletin: Wednesday 20 May

May 20, 2020

This is our seven days a week bulletin. Please use this bulletin and cascade arrangements within care and corporate groups to guide your actions. Throughout May 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.

 Mental wellbeing has been a consistent feature of the work we are doing to manage wisely during the pandemic and after it. This bulletin includes another part of our offer. Please consider taking it up. None of us have faced this situation before. It is unpredictable how we will feel, react and make sense of what is happening. This is another tool you can use to support yourself. It is anonymous and will be with us beyond COVID-19. The process for rolling out stress risk assessments is being finalised as well – but the Thrive App is a tool to help with your wellbeing. Even if you rarely use it you have not lost anything if you download it now…

Numbers not statistics: Today’s totals (Yesterday’s totals)

Number of our patients confirmed with COVID-19 during the pandemic Number of positive COVID-19 patients who have been discharged during the pandemic Number of patients who have died in our hospitals who tested positive for COVID-19 during the pandemic Number of patients entered by the Trust into a COVID-19 research trial to date Number of COVID-19 positive patients who are inpatients with us today Number of our staff absent due to ill-health or isolation today
1213

(1204)

 793

(785)

 340

(338)

 120

(118)

 80

(80)

 555

(568)
  1. Research “proud” on International Clinical Trials Day

Today is International Clinical Trials Day – and research has proved itself to be more important than ever during the COVID-19  pandemic.

The recruitment figures that are published each day show our work with the clinical teams in approaching patients to studies where patient consent is required. This is just the tip of the iceberg, we are currently reporting data on all of our patients who were/have been admitted and had a positive diagnosis of COVID-19.

Our portfolio of COVID-19 research continues to expand and we will be opening a study for ambulatory patients who attend the emergency department shortly. To find out which studies are open please visit the R&D Connect page.

The NIHR has a short FutureLearn course which explains why research is important and how we go about doing it. You can register here for the course.

In previous years on International Clinical Trials Day you would have seen the research team in the foyer, out and about, discussing the importance of research with patients and colleagues. This year has been a much quieter affair and our only displays have been on social media. Please help to spread the message by using #BePartofResearch, @NIHRresearch, @NIHRtakepart and @SWBH_RandD.

You can contact Gina Dutton or Dr Derek Connolly if you want to get involved in research.

  1. Important information about travelling on public transport

There is now guidance from Transport for West Midlands (TFWM) on how to travel safely to and from work when using public transport. It is advised that you only use buses, trains and trams if you have no other alternative. Walk, cycle or drive if you can.

Services are operating across the region, but those using the facilities are urged to stay apart from other passengers, wear a face covering, and leave a sensible gap between you and the person in front.

Where possible, use contactless payments, and limit the surfaces you touch on board. For more guidance on social distancing when using public transport, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43sw-WSfpGg. TFWM has also enhanced cleaning regimes on all vehicles. For more information visit wmnetwork.co.uk

3.Thrive by using our new mental wellbeing app

The mental health and wellbeing of colleagues is important and we want to ensure that everyone is able to get help when they need it.

As a result colleagues have exclusive access to the Thrive: Mental Wellbeing  app, which is there for the prevention, screening and management of anxiety, depression and stress.

The app tackles common stressors such as sleep, bereavements, work issues and more. It also signposts to external support services – with users able to seek immediate help directly from the app.

To find out more about how Thrive can help you, and how to access it, click here.

You can also access the full range of health and wellbeing support on Connect.

  1. It is important that all of us take annual leave

There is no annual leave ban in place at the Trust so everyone’s encouraged to take a break. Please have a think about your leave plans for July, August and September and try and confirm them with your line manager.

We want to put in place security of service supply so that patients who have been waiting for some time are able to be booked in for care. Numbers may not be huge but it is important any bookings we make are honoured. In July we will publish guidance on spreading leave over the period to March 2022. So we are encouraging everyone to make plans now for the summer. That helps your wellbeing and ensures we do right by our patients.

5. Patient swabbing pathway

Every admitted patient must be swabbed.

Over 790 of our patients who were COVID+ have now been discharged in to the community to recover and recuperate in the surroundings of their own home.

To ensure that we are able to safely admit patients and have a plan on their route through our hospitals and services we have devised the attached Patient Swabbing Pathway to illustrate the points at which patients will be swabbed and how they will be supported through our services. Patient Swabbing Pathway