Heartbeat: Rainbow brigades provide a kaleidoscope of vital assistance

May 29, 2020

If you were to mention rainbows at present you might end up having a conversation about some of the many wonderful drawings, paintings and other pieces of art visible in the windows of homes across the region. However, rainbows are also connected to the newly created COVID-19 brigades.

Back in April, our organisation asked volunteers to join our brigades. Three days later following the release of updated working from home guidance, colleagues were asked to consider whether their role was needed full time during the next ten weeks of the pandemic. Of those not needed full time, volunteers were then sought to take up temporary redeployment into key support functions.

Red – clinical administration

This includes, along with purple, colleagues shielding and working from home.*

This brigade supports ward teams and emergency care services with clinical administration duties. This also involves keeping in touch with patients whose care has been delayed or deferred by the focus on COVID-19.

Yellow – PPE wardens

This brigade has two key roles. Firstly, making sure that everyone has the right PPE and wears it as required. Secondly, this brigade will be supporting areas as runners to ensure that teams stay in PPE in their affected departments.

Green – Cleaning

This focuses on communal areas, door handles and other risk touchpoints. Most of the work will not be in clinical areas.

Blue – Portering and transport

Colleagues work within portering supporting the existing experienced teams. Some individuals might also be involved in driving duties.

Purple – Specialist projects

This involves an evolving series of pieces of work including projects on wellbeing, isolation and the recovery programme.