Heartbeat January 2019
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<strong>January</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />
Sandwell and West Birmingham<br />
NHS Trust<br />
The pulse of community health, Leasowes, Rowley Regis, City and Sandwell Hospitals Issue 112<br />
Integrated care a step closer with<br />
new GP practice partnershipspage 3<br />
L-R: Primary Care Liaison Manager, Dottie Tipton; GP, Dr Imran Zaman; GP, Dr James Gwilt and Group Director of<br />
Operations for Primary Care, Communities and Therapies, Melanie Roberts<br />
6 months to<br />
Get set for winter<br />
Your <strong>2019</strong> guide<br />
Unity Dress<br />
smokefree<br />
- are you<br />
to health and<br />
Rehearsal: All you<br />
prepared?<br />
wellbeing<br />
need to know -<br />
page 4<br />
page 6<br />
page 8 - 9<br />
page page 14-15
FROM THE CHAIR<br />
HELLO Welcome to <strong>2019</strong><br />
Welcome to the first <strong>Heartbeat</strong><br />
of <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
In this month’s edition there are two<br />
double page spreads for you – pages<br />
eight and nine focus on all things<br />
health and wellbeing, whilst pages 14<br />
and 15 have important information<br />
about the forthcoming dress rehearsal<br />
of Unity.<br />
Elsewhere our NHS Hero is Lead<br />
Chaplain, Mary Causer and the shout<br />
outs can be found on page 12.<br />
Contact us<br />
Communications Team<br />
Ext 5303<br />
swbh.comms@nhs.net<br />
Communications Department<br />
Ground Floor, Trinity House<br />
Sandwell Hospital<br />
Published by<br />
Communications Team<br />
Sandwell and West Birmingham<br />
Hospitals NHS Trust<br />
Designed by<br />
Medical Illustration,<br />
Graphics Team<br />
Sandwell and West Birmingham<br />
Hospitals NHS Trust<br />
Submit an idea<br />
If you’d like to submit an idea<br />
for an article, contact the<br />
communications team<br />
Ext 5303<br />
swbh.comms@nhs.net<br />
Stay updated<br />
We send out a Communications<br />
Bulletin via email every day and you<br />
can now read <strong>Heartbeat</strong> articles<br />
throughout the month on Connect.<br />
Don't forget you can follow us on:<br />
Stepping into a new year often<br />
brings a feeling of mixed emotions<br />
- excitement at what is to come,<br />
nervousness about some of the<br />
unknowns and an opportunity to<br />
reflect on all that has taken place<br />
over the past 12 months. Such a lot<br />
has been achieved at our Trust for<br />
patients and their families. I have<br />
been really encouraged to visit<br />
many colleagues and patients in our<br />
services throughout the year. I can<br />
see the commitment to providing<br />
first class care and the determination<br />
to make sure we do all we can for<br />
those we care for.<br />
Looking ahead we are committed to<br />
striding forwards with our plans for<br />
greater integration – joining up services<br />
around the needs of patients, even<br />
when these are services run by other<br />
organisations. I am delighted with the<br />
news that we will be running some<br />
GP practices in partnership with GP<br />
colleagues, bringing that integration<br />
ever closer for our patients. A new<br />
GP practice is in the planning for the<br />
Sandwell site too – another example of<br />
linking up acute and primary care into<br />
seamless services.<br />
Our digital journey will continue afresh<br />
with plans to bring Unity on stream and<br />
our quality plan delivery will improve<br />
the outcomes of care for patients as we<br />
tackle sepsis and cut avoidable mortality.<br />
We expect to see a published report<br />
from the Care Quality Commission<br />
this month or early next month and it<br />
will be important to ensure that our<br />
improvement plan is delivered in full,<br />
alongside our other priorities.<br />
Enhanced experience will remain at the<br />
forefront and some of the stories you<br />
can read in this edition of <strong>Heartbeat</strong><br />
are testament to that. The new virtual<br />
animals (see page 7) will support<br />
patients with dementia, along with a<br />
range of pets coming in to entertain<br />
patients and visitors, more volunteers in<br />
and around our services, with students<br />
from local schools supporting and<br />
learning with us.<br />
And learning well will become a huge<br />
feature for us over the next 12 months<br />
– making sure we learn collectively from<br />
our mistakes as well as our areas of<br />
excellence. Our Trust Board meeting this<br />
month heard from Siten Roy, our Group<br />
Director for Surgical Services, about a<br />
recent ‘never event’ where the patient,<br />
although not harmed, was left with a<br />
guide wire in situ. It is the learning from<br />
events like this that should never happen<br />
that we absolutely must get right this<br />
year. Our welearn poster competition,<br />
the shortlist of which was featured<br />
in <strong>Heartbeat</strong> last month, was the<br />
springboard to our learning programme<br />
that will bring together the best of what<br />
we do round here as well as a robust<br />
approach to learning when things that<br />
go wrong. Our culture of openness and<br />
transparency, plus our protected time for<br />
quality improvement puts us in the best<br />
position to excel in this vital area.<br />
With best wishes for <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
Richard Samuda – Trust Chairman<br />
Chairman, Richard Samuda
Collaboration with local GP<br />
partnerships announced<br />
As Chief Executive, Toby Lewis<br />
announced in his Friday message earlier<br />
this month, we have been successful in<br />
a bid to secure an Alternative Provider<br />
Medical Services (APMS) contract to run<br />
GP services in our area in collaboration<br />
with local GP partnerships.<br />
Toby explained: “Our Trust believes in<br />
partnership and in diversity. So we will<br />
work at scale with primary care in our<br />
networks and alliances across Ladywood,<br />
Perry Barr and Sandwell. And we<br />
will continue to create deep working<br />
relationships with valued GP colleagues<br />
through mechanisms like these APMS<br />
contracts. The new arrangements are a<br />
chance to do, to learn and to build trust.<br />
We want to move fast to provide the very<br />
best long term conditions care for children<br />
and for adults that redefine traditional<br />
home and hospital boundaries.”<br />
The contract takes effect on 1 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
We’re working with two partners – Your<br />
Health Partnership across Sandwell and<br />
Broadway Health Centre in Birmingham<br />
– to deliver primary care services to<br />
approximately 16,000 patients from Great<br />
Bridge Health Centre, Parsonage Street and<br />
Summerfield GP Practice.<br />
Dr Simon Mitchell, Executive Partner<br />
at Your Health Partnership said: “Your<br />
Health Partnership is delighted to have the<br />
opportunity to work with the hospital Trust<br />
to deliver primary care services in West<br />
Bromwich. We have a well-established<br />
relationship with the Trust and believe the<br />
opportunity to work together in this way<br />
will create lots of exciting new ways to<br />
improve the health of the patients whilst<br />
continuing to deliver great quality general<br />
practice.”<br />
This new contract offers the potential to<br />
shape primary healthcare provision locally.<br />
Working with our partners, we’ll embrace<br />
the opportunity to work differently which<br />
may see some patients having their care<br />
delivered by consultants in a primary care<br />
setting, and seeing increased consultant-led<br />
clinics opening closer to home, at their GP<br />
surgery.<br />
For many patients, they will see the benefit<br />
of having almost all their NHS services (with<br />
the exception of mental health) delivered<br />
by one organisation that includes, primary<br />
care, acute and community services. The<br />
opportunity to build a meaningful data set<br />
for the patients registered with the health<br />
centres, will give insight into whether new<br />
ways of working improve health outcomes.<br />
Dr Imran Zaman, GP at Broadway<br />
Healthcare Centre, said: “I am a firm<br />
believer that healthcare should be delivered<br />
as a whole and that’s why I’m very excited<br />
with this opportunity as it will deliver the<br />
CORPORATE AND GENERAL<br />
NEWS<br />
integrated care model that we have<br />
always been talking about.<br />
“I’m thankful to everyone who<br />
has been involved in making this<br />
partnership happen. Over the next<br />
couple of months and indeed in years to<br />
come, I hope that patients and staff will<br />
see the difference that this opportunity<br />
brings.”<br />
Dr Manir Aslam, GP at Broadway<br />
Healthcare Centre, added: “We’ve<br />
been really fortunate to collaborate with<br />
the Trust to deliver this truly integrated<br />
care model.<br />
“This partnership has tremendous<br />
benefits for patients and means that<br />
there will be joined-up services, where<br />
treatment plans will be designed by<br />
generalists from primary care, specialists<br />
from the Trust and our patients.<br />
“We will definitely see a more seamless<br />
pathway for patients so they can be<br />
seen quicker and treated more<br />
effectively. From my point of view, this<br />
partnership shows the true meaning of<br />
integration and that’s the future of our<br />
healthcare service.”<br />
L-R: GPs, Dr Manir Aslam and Dr Imran Zaman are excited about the new partnership<br />
3
Smokefree countdown continues<br />
CORPORATE AND GENERAL<br />
NEWS<br />
From 5 July <strong>2019</strong>, our sites will<br />
become free from tobacco smoke.<br />
This commitment was made by<br />
the Trust Board on the NHS’s 70 th<br />
birthday last year. The “200 days to<br />
go” countdown to smoke free sites<br />
was marked on 17 December with<br />
messages to colleagues, patients and<br />
families that now is the time to quit<br />
and make the most of the support<br />
on offer with time to spare before<br />
the ban.<br />
Last month we launched a survey to<br />
smokers and others, inviting them<br />
to share their views and suggestions<br />
for how this transition could be best<br />
managed. Almost 200 people have<br />
responded to date with 92 per cent<br />
indicating that they are aware of the<br />
forthcoming smoking ban.<br />
Smokers who responded were<br />
supportive of free nicotine replacement<br />
therapy and initiatives to swap cigarettes<br />
for alternative material including vaping<br />
products and 70 per cent of people<br />
said they had tried to stop or cut down<br />
previously. Some people felt the ban<br />
would have no impact on their own<br />
smoking habits whereas others stated it<br />
would encourage them to quit.<br />
You can still share your views by<br />
completing our short online survey at<br />
surveymonkey.co.uk/r/JMXNK8R<br />
There has been overwhelming support<br />
Phil Sterling, Emergency Planning Officer, is<br />
now vaping at work instead of smoking to<br />
prepare for the ban<br />
for the ban within our organisation and in<br />
the local community.<br />
Local GP, Dr Imran Zaman said: “I’ve just<br />
heard about the Trust’s 200 days to go<br />
smoke-free initiative and I think it’s a<br />
fantastic idea. As GPs we often see patients<br />
who are suffering from smoke-related<br />
conditions, from lung cancer to COPD and<br />
so I fully endorse and get behind this.”<br />
Our Emergency Planning Officer, Phil<br />
Stirling is a smoker, but he now vapes at<br />
work rather than smoking cigarettes in<br />
preparation for the ban. He told <strong>Heartbeat</strong>:<br />
“I decided to take up vaping rather than<br />
smoking. I’ve smoked since I was 17 years<br />
old, but I only smoke at the weekend now.<br />
To be honest it’s not pleasant to use the<br />
smoking shelters to vape as you do pick up<br />
the smell of smoke even from just spending<br />
a couple of minutes there. That will be a big<br />
change once the ban comes in, as although<br />
there will be fewer shelters, they will be for<br />
vaping only.”<br />
Kiran Mann, Sister on OPAU is in support<br />
of the ban. She said: “I think the Trust<br />
going smoke free is a brilliant idea. I think<br />
it will encourage people to stop smoking<br />
because there are no designated smoking<br />
areas, so they will have to go further out.<br />
I think it will encourage people who want<br />
to quit altogether…hopefully it will be a<br />
great success.”<br />
Respiratory Consultant, Dr Arvind<br />
Rajasekaran said: “Lung cancer is the<br />
largest cause of cancer- related deaths in<br />
the UK and lung cancer is principally caused<br />
by smoking cigarettes. The decision to go<br />
smoke free will be part of a wider action to<br />
increase awareness of the harmful effects of<br />
smoking and also our efforts to help people<br />
to give us this habit.”<br />
Dr Manir Aslam is a GP at Broadway Health<br />
Centre. He said: “People don’t expect<br />
to go to hospital and work in a smoky<br />
environment so if you’re thinking about<br />
giving up, now is your chance.”<br />
There is lots of help on offer for<br />
smokers who want to cut down and<br />
quit. Visit Connect for the latest<br />
information and contact the health and<br />
wellbeing service for details of clinics<br />
at Rowley Regis, City and Sandwell<br />
Hospitals with new sessions on<br />
Saturdays.<br />
6 months until we go<br />
smokefree<br />
<strong>2019</strong><br />
5<br />
JULY<br />
For information on stopping smoking please<br />
contact occupational health on extension 3306.<br />
#SWBHSmokeFree<br />
4
Apprentices reach new heights<br />
At the end of 2018, we hosted our<br />
apprenticeship achievements ceremony,<br />
which celebrate the successes of our<br />
apprentices. The celebration also<br />
marked our organisation meeting the<br />
government apprenticeship target<br />
of 2.3 per cent (equivalent to 161<br />
people) of our workforce being on an<br />
apprenticeship programme.<br />
The special event, which was hosted in the<br />
Education Centre at Sandwell Hospital, saw<br />
over 35 apprentices and their closest friends<br />
and family members come together to<br />
celebrate their success.<br />
Guests were welcomed by Bethan Downing,<br />
Deputy Director, Organisation Development<br />
and Learning and then apprentices were<br />
presented with certificates of achievement<br />
by Maxine Griffiths, Widening Participation<br />
Manager. The event was then topped off<br />
with refreshments for all to enjoy.<br />
Maxine believes all the apprentices should<br />
be proud of what they have achieved. She<br />
said: “All the apprentices have done really<br />
well to get their level 2s and 3s, whether<br />
that is in Business Administration, Health<br />
and Social Care or Customer Service.<br />
Over 35 apprentices celebrated their success<br />
at an awards ceremony at the end of last year<br />
“It can be difficult to manage the time<br />
to study whilst working but they have all<br />
proved that hard work can pay off if you<br />
put your mind to it.”<br />
Bethan echoes these thoughts and said:<br />
“I would like to say congratulations to<br />
everyone who was successful in completing<br />
an apprenticeship in 2018.<br />
“I would also like to congratulate the<br />
team on meeting attaining over 2 per cent<br />
regarding the government apprenticeship<br />
target.”<br />
One of the apprentices who received an<br />
award was Cody Pearsall, who has recently<br />
been appointed as a HCA on Lyndon 1.<br />
She said: “I really enjoyed my apprenticeship<br />
CORPORATE AND GENERAL<br />
NEWS<br />
and I felt like I learned lots. I worked on<br />
Lyndon 1 during my studying, so I was<br />
delighted when they took me on as a<br />
qualified health care assistant and I am<br />
really enjoying my new role.<br />
“I hope that in the future I can continue<br />
to progress.”<br />
Cody Pearsall completed her health and<br />
social care level 2 and has recently been<br />
appointed as a HCA on Lyndon 1<br />
Nursing career escalator: The fast<br />
track to success<br />
Over 40 band five nurses, who<br />
scored 4A or 4B in their PDR, have<br />
been selected to join our nursing<br />
career escalator programme.<br />
This programme is the first of its kind,<br />
both locally and nationally, and is designed<br />
to support, retain and develop talented<br />
colleagues, whether they want to develop<br />
their skills within a clinical role or aspire to<br />
move into a management position.<br />
The programme will see successful<br />
applicants embark on an exciting learning<br />
journey of local and national training<br />
programmes, such as single improvement<br />
methodology, developing personal resilience<br />
and emotional intelligence.<br />
<strong>Heartbeat</strong> spoke to Head of Education for<br />
Nursing and Midwifery, Helen Cope to find<br />
out more.<br />
“The nursing career escalator programme<br />
is spearheading the introduction of<br />
development opportunities for colleagues,”<br />
said Helen.<br />
“It offers participants bespoke development<br />
opportunities which are tailored to their<br />
individual needs and aspirations – whether<br />
that be clinical or developing their<br />
managerial skills.<br />
“Participants also have opportunities to<br />
shadow clinicians, develop clinical skills<br />
and knowledge, as well as undertaking the<br />
accredited manager courses.<br />
“All of the participants will also develop<br />
a competency portfolio throughout the<br />
programme detailing, documenting<br />
and demonstrating their progress and<br />
development within the programme.”<br />
One of the first people to receive their<br />
invitation was Staff Nurse, Sam Metcalf<br />
who has worked at our organisation for<br />
over 18 years and she told <strong>Heartbeat</strong> of her<br />
delight at being selected.<br />
“Following my PDR my manager recognised<br />
that I am keen to learn, develop and<br />
progress and when I was scored so<br />
highly, they spoke to me about the career<br />
escalator programme which I applied for<br />
and I was delighted when I found out I had<br />
been selected.”<br />
If you would like to find out more about the<br />
opportunities to develop through a career<br />
escalator programme, contact Chief Nurse,<br />
Paula Gardner or Head of Education for<br />
Nursing and Midwifery, Helen Cope.<br />
Staff Nurse, Sam Metcalf graciously accepts<br />
her invitation to join the career escalator<br />
programme from Chief Nurse, Paula Gardner<br />
5
Local MP meets the Midland Met<br />
workers back on site<br />
CORPORATE AND GENERAL<br />
NEWS<br />
John Spellar, MP for Warley took<br />
time out of his busy schedule to drop<br />
in on Midland Met in December to<br />
see for himself how the building<br />
is shaping up following the<br />
recommencement of work on site.<br />
The visit came ahead of our organisation<br />
beginning the process of tendering for a<br />
contractor to complete the construction<br />
of the new emergency hospital. Building<br />
giant Balfour Beatty started work last<br />
month on the interim repair, making<br />
good the parts of the building that were<br />
left open to the elements since work<br />
stopped in <strong>January</strong> 2018.<br />
L-R: Dalvir Bains, Jim Cole, Robert Wood, John<br />
Spellar, Rumena Sufian, Colin Melvin and Chief<br />
Executive, Toby Lewis<br />
Chief Executive Toby Lewis said: “We are<br />
pleased that Midland Met’s local MP, Mr John<br />
Spellar, took time out to visit the site and see<br />
the cranes in action once again.<br />
“He has been very supportive of our efforts<br />
to ensure we have the funding in place and<br />
the right construction arrangements to finish<br />
the hospital, as an essential acute hospital<br />
which will transform the health and<br />
wellbeing of the local population, and bring<br />
investment and regeneration opportunities<br />
to the nearby area.”<br />
Mr Spellar commented: “I am delighted to<br />
see work starting again on the site of this<br />
long awaited and much needed project.<br />
Toby Lewis and his team have worked<br />
tirelessly to bring this about. The people<br />
of Sandwell and West Birmingham have<br />
waited too long for this hospital and I have<br />
urged the management and Government to<br />
get this completed as soon as possible.”<br />
During the visit Mr Spellar met with Trust<br />
Advisor, Dave Hollywood, along with<br />
Colin Melvin, Forklift Driver, Dalvir Bains,<br />
Gateman and Traffic Marshall, Jim Cole,<br />
Labourer, Robert Wood, Carpenter, Andy<br />
Fage, Project Manager and Rumena Sufian,<br />
Project Support Officer.<br />
Winter ready: The snow must go on<br />
When it comes to being prepared<br />
for winter in the NHS, it goes well<br />
beyond making sure you have a pair<br />
of gloves and a scarf at the ready.<br />
Even when the country seems to<br />
grind to a halt when the white stuff<br />
hits, for those in the NHS – the show<br />
must go on - as our hospitals are full<br />
of patients who rely on us.<br />
Last year brought us unprecedented<br />
snow and cold weather as the ‘Beast<br />
from the East,’ visited Sandwell and<br />
West Birmingham. As an organisation,<br />
it was business as usual and our<br />
preparation shone through.<br />
Business continuity plans came into<br />
play and tactical command centres<br />
were established. Colleagues in estates<br />
worked tirelessly to keep boilers heating<br />
the hospital and the surrounding<br />
areas were safe for both colleagues<br />
and visitors. We heard many stories of<br />
colleagues coming together to get to<br />
work safely, with many leaving the car at<br />
home and heading in on foot.<br />
This year, we are taking the same<br />
approach and are asking colleagues<br />
to plan ahead and consider every<br />
eventuality, so that should there be a<br />
sudden snow shower or ice on the road,<br />
we are still able to get to work and<br />
provide our patients with care we pride<br />
ourselves on.<br />
Last year Critical Care Sisters, Amy-Jo Allen and<br />
Rhea Conn embarked on a 90 minute walk<br />
to ensure they could care for patients at City<br />
Hospital<br />
To find out more about the winter<br />
preparedness plans and expectations,<br />
<strong>Heartbeat</strong> caught up with Chief Operating<br />
Officer, Rachel Barlow to find out more.<br />
“We all have a duty of care to plan and<br />
prepare for every eventuality to ensure we can<br />
continue delivering safe and effective care,”<br />
said Rachel.<br />
“We are asking colleagues to ensure that they<br />
are prepared and to ensure they are able to<br />
make it to their place of work – should we<br />
experience similar weather to last year.<br />
“During winter we all need to support each<br />
other. We can’t safely deliver care without<br />
being staffed appropriately.<br />
“Whilst I understand that bitterly cold<br />
weather can make it difficult to get to<br />
work, with a little planning and foresight, it<br />
is often possible to arrive and leave safely,<br />
as was proven last year by many dedicated<br />
colleagues.”<br />
Top tips for winter preparedness<br />
• Don’t be reliant on your car to get to<br />
work, ensure you have alternative<br />
transport available, (train, metro, bus).<br />
• If you have childcare responsibilities,<br />
ensure you have a friend or family<br />
member to support should schools /<br />
nurseries close.<br />
• Keep up to date with the weather -<br />
cold weather reports are published in<br />
the daily bulletin and on myConnect,<br />
as well as weather reports on apps / tv<br />
and radio.<br />
• If you drive, ensure your car is suitably<br />
equipped and serviced to handle winter<br />
weather safely.<br />
• If you need to find alternative routes<br />
to work using public transport that<br />
you are unfamiliar with, use https://<br />
www.networkwestmidlands.com/ or<br />
apps on your phone such as ‘City<br />
Mapper’ to navigate your way to work.<br />
If you are unable to make it to work,<br />
you must inform your line manager<br />
at the earliest available opportunity.<br />
Guidance on the reporting protocol can<br />
be found on Connect.<br />
6
Robot has seal of approval from<br />
chief nurse<br />
Meet PARO – the furry robotic seal<br />
that will be used as a therapeutic<br />
intervention for people with dementia<br />
and learning disabilities on our wards.<br />
The fluffy robot uses artificial intelligence<br />
(AI) technology to learn from its<br />
surroundings and responds to its name.<br />
It likes to be petted and even wags its tail<br />
afterwards to show appreciation.<br />
The seal contains sensors that allow<br />
it to perceive what is happening in its<br />
surroundings, to recognise light and to<br />
know where a voice is coming from. It<br />
looks at the person talking to it and makes<br />
whining noises.<br />
The robot has been in use since 2003<br />
in more than 30 countries, including<br />
Japan, Denmark and the United States<br />
and research has shown that the seal<br />
lessens stress and anxiety, promotes social<br />
interaction, facilitates emotional expression,<br />
and improves mood and speech fluency.<br />
Paula Gardner, Chief Nurse, said: “The seals<br />
were used at a previous organisation<br />
I worked at and I thought they were<br />
brilliant, hence why I was keen on<br />
introducing them here.<br />
“We regularly hold pet therapy sessions<br />
which demonstrate that interaction with<br />
real animals improves the mood of our<br />
patients and motivates them.<br />
“The sessions with Pets as Therapy are held<br />
on a weekly basis in a day room on Newton<br />
4 ward and are very popular. However, the<br />
PARO seals can be taken to the bedside of<br />
our patients which takes away any issues<br />
regarding infection control.”<br />
Tests carried out have found that the seal<br />
can be safely used. The robot was used over<br />
a nine month period on a 10-bed dementia<br />
ward, where hygiene and cleaning tests<br />
were carried out.<br />
Lead researcher, Dr Penny Dodds said: “We<br />
have demonstrated that, under controlled<br />
conditions, PARO was safe within the<br />
hospital setting for an acute care dementia<br />
unit.”<br />
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NEWS<br />
PARO was invented by Professor Takanori<br />
Shibata from Japan. He has previously<br />
said of his creation: “I set out to find a<br />
way to use technology as an alternative<br />
drug-free therapy to ease the suffering<br />
of patients with dementia.<br />
“The health challenges faced by older<br />
people are enormous and growing<br />
but technology is changing just as<br />
quickly. We’ve proved that this is<br />
possible, and that AI has huge potential<br />
for the future.”<br />
To find out more about the PARO Seal<br />
and how it can be used on your ward,<br />
contact Stephen.keates@nhs.net.<br />
BME and LGBT staff networks name<br />
new chairs<br />
<strong>2019</strong> will bring leadership changes for<br />
the BME and LGBT staff networks, as<br />
both groups have recently appointed<br />
new leadership teams.<br />
Charge Nurse, David Powell has been<br />
elected as chair of the LGBT network, with<br />
Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Stuart<br />
Young as vice-chair, whilst Assistant Primary<br />
Care Liaison Manager, Donna Mighty and<br />
Senior IT Support Officer, Mark Haynes have<br />
been elected as chair and vice-chair of the<br />
BME network.<br />
<strong>Heartbeat</strong> caught up with the newly<br />
appointed chairs and vice chairs to find out<br />
how they felt about their recent election.<br />
“I am delighted to be elected as chair of the<br />
BME staff network,” said Donna.<br />
“Thank you to everyone who took the<br />
time to cast their vote. I will build upon the<br />
fantastic work already started and play my<br />
part in making a positive difference within<br />
our workplace and creating equity for all.”<br />
Mark said: “I would like to express<br />
L-R: Deputy Chief Nurse, Paul Hooton; Chief<br />
Nurse, Paula Gardner and Associate Chief<br />
Nurse, Debbie Talbot with the PARO Seal<br />
heartfelt thanks to you all for your support,<br />
encouragement and confidence in electing<br />
me as vice chair of our BME staff network.<br />
“Congratulations to my fellow elected;<br />
Donna Mighty, David Powell and Stuart<br />
Young. I look forward to working with you<br />
as a team to advance issues of importance.”<br />
David added: “Thank you for electing me to<br />
be chair of the LGBT network. I am looking<br />
forward to taking forward the amazing<br />
work this Trust has done in supporting<br />
colleagues to be able to have a voice.<br />
“It is important to me to be able to support<br />
and work alongside colleagues and to<br />
share the experiences I have had during my<br />
nursing career.”<br />
Stuart concluded: “I am delighted to be<br />
able to support Dave in his term as chair of<br />
the LGBT staff network.<br />
“In the last two years we have made a real<br />
difference to colleagues and patients and I<br />
am looking forward to helping the network<br />
and allies continue this important work.”<br />
The PARO seal<br />
Staff network meeting dates for <strong>2019</strong><br />
BME Network<br />
13/02/<strong>2019</strong><br />
14:00 – 16:00<br />
Sandwell Education<br />
Centre - Room 15<br />
10/04/<strong>2019</strong><br />
13:00 – 15:00<br />
Anne Gibson Board<br />
Room – City Hospital<br />
19/06/<strong>2019</strong><br />
14:00 – 16:00<br />
Sandwell Education<br />
Centre - Room 9<br />
28/08/<strong>2019</strong><br />
14:00 – 16:00<br />
Anne Gibson Board<br />
Room – City Hospital<br />
16/10/<strong>2019</strong><br />
14:00 – 16:00<br />
Sandwell Education<br />
Centre - Room 15<br />
LGBT Network<br />
14/02/<strong>2019</strong><br />
10:00 – 12:00<br />
Sandwell Education<br />
Centre - Room 15<br />
11/04/<strong>2019</strong><br />
14:00 – 16:00<br />
City Hospital - Anne<br />
Gibson Committee<br />
Room<br />
20/06/<strong>2019</strong><br />
10:00 – 12:00<br />
SGH Education Centre -<br />
Room 9<br />
29/08/<strong>2019</strong><br />
14:00 – 16:00<br />
City Hospital - Anne<br />
Gibson Committee<br />
Room<br />
17/10/<strong>2019</strong><br />
10:00 – 12:00<br />
Sandwell Education<br />
Centre - Room 15<br />
7
Your <strong>2019</strong> guide from the health and<br />
wellbeing and SWBH benefits team<br />
NHS Health Checks<br />
Are you aged between 40 and 74<br />
and have no health problems such as<br />
angina, diabetes or kidney disease?<br />
Did you know you can get a free NHS<br />
health check at work?<br />
The occupational health and wellbeing<br />
services, in conjunction with Everyone<br />
Health, are offer the checks which<br />
includes a measurement of height,<br />
weight, blood pressure, pulse<br />
and cholesterol as well as lifestyle<br />
questionnaires. The NHS Health Check<br />
aims to help you prevent heart disease,<br />
stroke, diabetes, kidney disease<br />
and dementia.<br />
Checks take place every week and<br />
alternate between Sandwell and City<br />
Hospitals.<br />
Forthcoming dates are as follows:<br />
5 February and 19 February<br />
Jayne Wright Holistic Therapy Room,<br />
Trinity House, Sandwell Hospital<br />
10am – 3.30pm<br />
12 February and 26 February<br />
Room 1, Occupational Health, Sheldon<br />
Block, City Hospital<br />
10am – 3.30pm<br />
To check your eligibility or to book<br />
an appointment please contact<br />
Jatinder Sekhon or Emma Williams<br />
on ext 3306.<br />
Get your hospital<br />
appointments on<br />
time through early<br />
intervention referral<br />
Colleagues undergoing treatment within<br />
our hospitals can get seen earlier by our<br />
own specialists via the early intervention<br />
referral scheme.<br />
This service is available to all colleagues<br />
with a referral from a GP. Director of<br />
People and Organisation Development,<br />
Raffaela Goodby said: “We are aware that<br />
some colleagues have to wait a long time<br />
for services such as scans and diagnostic<br />
treatment. This often stops them from<br />
returning to work and sometimes they are<br />
off without a diagnosis.<br />
“Early intervention referral allows<br />
colleagues to take advantage of last minute<br />
cancellations enabling them to return to<br />
work sooner. This is a fantastic scheme<br />
which gives colleagues the opportunity to<br />
be seen by our teams of clinical experts.<br />
To find out more contact the<br />
occupational health team on ext 3306<br />
Free yoga classes at<br />
City Hospital<br />
The yoga classes were very popular<br />
throughout last year giving many<br />
colleagues the benefits of relaxation<br />
and wellbeing and we are delighted<br />
that they will be continuing in <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
Classes take place in Millers Restaurant<br />
at City Hospital at the following times:<br />
Monday 12.30pm − 1.15pm<br />
4, 18 and 25 February<br />
11, 18 and 25 March<br />
Monday 4.45pm – 5.45pm<br />
4, 18 and 25 February<br />
4, 11, 18 and 25 March<br />
Thursday 12.15pm – 1pm<br />
7, 14, 21 and 28<br />
February<br />
7, 14, 21 and 28 March<br />
To book a place<br />
please contact<br />
Jatinder Sekhon on<br />
ext 3306.<br />
Health and<br />
wellbeing courses<br />
Workplace stress management<br />
Tuesday 26 March<br />
The Berridge Room, Sandwell Hospital<br />
10am – 1pm<br />
Experiencing grief and loss<br />
Tuesday 19 February<br />
The Berridge Room, Sandwell Hospital<br />
10am – 1pm<br />
Sleep hygiene and relaxation<br />
techniques seminar<br />
Problems sleeping? Do you want to be<br />
able to sleep better and feel better for<br />
getting a good night’s sleep?<br />
Thursday 9 March<br />
Anne Gibson Committee Room,<br />
City Hospital<br />
1.30pm – 4.30pm<br />
Assertiveness/confidence/resilience<br />
training<br />
Tuesday 12 March<br />
The Berridge Room, Sandwell Hospital<br />
10am – 1pm<br />
Mental health training for<br />
managers<br />
Wednesday 13 February<br />
The Berridge Room, Sandwell Hospital<br />
10am – 1pm<br />
Introduction to Mindfulness<br />
Does it every feel like your mind is<br />
constantly full of worries of the future,<br />
or concerns of the past?<br />
Tuesday 5 February<br />
The Berridge Room, Sandwell Hospital<br />
10am – 1pm<br />
Wednesday 20 March<br />
Anne Gibson Board Room, City Hospital<br />
10am – 1pm<br />
To book a place on any of the<br />
above course please contact Emma<br />
Williams or Jatinder Sekhon on<br />
extension 3306 (option 4)<br />
8
Get active at the FREE<br />
Sandwell Gym<br />
If your New Year’s resolution is to get<br />
active and fit, then Sandwell gym is the<br />
place<br />
for you.<br />
Located on the ground floor of Trinity<br />
House, Sandwell gym is free to all<br />
colleagues and is open 24 hours a day<br />
seven days a week.<br />
Health and Wellbeing Manager, Jenny<br />
Wright said: “The gym at Sandwell is<br />
a really great benefit for colleagues.<br />
All you need to do in order to join is<br />
contact the occupational health team<br />
to book an induction. You can work<br />
out when it suits you and there are<br />
shower facilities right nearby.”<br />
For more information please call<br />
ext 3306.<br />
Self-refer for<br />
physiotherapy<br />
Are you suffering with a<br />
musculoskeletal problem? You don’t<br />
need to suffer in silence – use our selfreferral<br />
system for physiotherapy.<br />
Skin Cancer Support Clinical Nurse<br />
Specialist, Anne Rutland did and<br />
it made a real difference for her –<br />
she spoke to <strong>Heartbeat</strong> about her<br />
experience.<br />
“I fell down the stairs and had grabbed<br />
the banister to stop myself from falling<br />
– this caused an impingement injury<br />
which is the inflammation of tendons in<br />
the collar bone.”<br />
Anne takes part in archery<br />
competitively, so the injury caused her<br />
some problems with this.<br />
“I couldn’t lift up my arm past a certain<br />
point, so some everyday tasks were<br />
getting difficult and I was struggling<br />
with my archery.<br />
“I found out about the self-referral and<br />
decided to give it a go. It was really<br />
easy to get an appointment and the<br />
physio I saw was brilliant. After a full<br />
assessment, they found that the warm<br />
up I did before I took part in archery<br />
antagonised the injury, rather than<br />
helping. After attending the shoulder<br />
clinic once a week (for six weeks) at<br />
City Hospital, where we did a range<br />
of exercises to build up the strength,<br />
I felt much better and continued the<br />
exercises at home.<br />
“I have since returned to archery<br />
and have represented Worcestershire<br />
County and England and couldn’t be<br />
more grateful to the physios.”<br />
To make a referral please call<br />
0121 507 2664 (option 3) – ask for<br />
staff physio. For urgent referrals<br />
please call 07855 125495 (Mon – Fri<br />
8am – 4pm).<br />
Get more for your money<br />
in this year’s sales<br />
Don’t forget that you can save a little<br />
money while you shop till you drop in<br />
the sales by using your exclusive SWBH<br />
Benefits discounts. If you use one of<br />
our reloadable gift cards, you can make<br />
savings of up to 20 per cent on top of<br />
any in-store discounts!<br />
• Debenhams – 10% off<br />
• Boots – 10% off<br />
• House of Fraser – 10% off<br />
Reloadable cards offer instant spending<br />
power and great discounts at a range<br />
of high street retailers. You can choose<br />
from a wide range of cards, saving you<br />
money on the high street.<br />
To order a reloadable card, sign<br />
up to SWBH Benefits online at<br />
swbhbenefits.co.uk and you’ll be<br />
given access to the full range of staff<br />
benefits.<br />
Get debt free in <strong>2019</strong> with Neyber<br />
Neyber are here to help improve your<br />
finances so you can do more of what<br />
you love. When you sign up to SWBH<br />
Benefits, you gain access to Neyber’s<br />
Financial Wellbeing Hub where you<br />
can build your financial knowledge and<br />
confidence. In addition, you’ll also be<br />
able to access affordable loans you can<br />
repay directly<br />
from your salary.<br />
To find out more and access the<br />
Neyber wellbeing hub, please visit<br />
swbhbenefits.co.uk and click on the<br />
health and wellbeing tile and then<br />
fairer finance.<br />
9
Coaching and mentoring: Supporting<br />
colleagues to develop<br />
CORPORATE AND GENERAL<br />
NEWS<br />
In today’s fast paced working<br />
environment every organisation<br />
needs a robust coaching and<br />
mentoring programme to help<br />
aspirational colleagues to develop<br />
and mature and we are no different.<br />
In September, we embarked on a<br />
brand new programme, supporting<br />
managers to develop the skills<br />
and knowledge to have ‘coaching<br />
conversations’ with their team.<br />
To find out more about how the<br />
coaching and mentoring programme<br />
is progressing, <strong>Heartbeat</strong> caught up<br />
with Learning and Development<br />
Manager, Nora Parsons, Trainer, Richard<br />
Burnell and coaching student Matron,<br />
Justine Irish.<br />
Nora said: “The first stage of our<br />
coaching and mentoring programme<br />
launched in September and over the<br />
past few months we’ve already seen 17<br />
managers join the programme which will<br />
continue until March.<br />
“Following this, we launch stage<br />
two, which will give colleagues the<br />
opportunity to gain accredited coaching<br />
and mentoring skills which we hope<br />
will enable the knowledge we share<br />
Some of the colleagues who are on the<br />
coaching and mentoring programme<br />
to become available to a much larger<br />
audience.”<br />
Richard Burnell is delivering the coaching<br />
and mentoring sessions. He added:<br />
“Coaching is a tool that all managers need<br />
to have at their disposal in order to get the<br />
best out of their teams.<br />
“It is all about listening to individuals<br />
and allowing them to develop their own<br />
solutions to problems, helping them<br />
to grow personally and professionally.<br />
“Our coaching skills course gives an<br />
understanding of the coaching process and<br />
looks at practical skills that can be taken<br />
away from the classroom and implemented<br />
in the work place.”<br />
One of the first people to embark on their<br />
coaching and mentoring journey was<br />
Community Matron, Justine Irish who<br />
shared her insight into the course.<br />
“I joined the coaching and mentoring<br />
programme to get some support to<br />
build my resilience within a challenging<br />
environment,” explained Justine.<br />
“Initially, I was very much led by the<br />
routine of switching my phone on and<br />
seeing where I was needed the most as<br />
opposed to feeling empowered to take<br />
responsibility for setting my own goals and<br />
them in turn becoming larger team goals.<br />
“I’ve developed in leaps and bounds<br />
with the techniques I’ve been taught and<br />
they’re helping me develop not only in a<br />
professional capacity but also personally<br />
and I can confidently say since having<br />
coaching I am much more in control of<br />
my working week and feel I have a clear<br />
plan for achieving goals within my teams.<br />
I also feel being able to use the skills<br />
with others has made me a much more<br />
appreciative listener, helping to set realistic<br />
goals for my colleagues and empowering<br />
them to take responsibility too.<br />
“You have nothing to lose when it comes<br />
to coaching and mentoring, at first I<br />
was sceptical, but now I’m thankfully for<br />
taking the leap and enrolling. The course<br />
is free, but I would I would happily have<br />
paid for my coaching.”<br />
For more information on coaching<br />
and mentoring, contact learning and<br />
development on extension 4794.<br />
Stay well this winter: Follow the 5<br />
moments for hand hygiene<br />
Winter doesn’t just bring with it cold<br />
weather and dark nights, it’s also a<br />
time when some of the most prevalent<br />
illnesses and ailments return to<br />
hospitals around the country and it’s<br />
our job to not only protect ourselves,<br />
but also our patients.<br />
Although we achieved herd immunity (80<br />
per cent of colleagues vaccinated against<br />
flu), we still need to take precautions to<br />
limit the spread of any infections. One<br />
of the best ways to protect both yourself<br />
and our patients is by following the basic<br />
principles of hand hygiene.<br />
Whilst many people think that a quick spray<br />
of alcohol hand gel is sufficient to sanitise<br />
your hands as you go on or off the wards –<br />
these are designed to be used in additional<br />
to traditional handwashing with soap and<br />
water. This is key to stopping the spread on<br />
infections, especially during winter.<br />
The ’5 Moments for Hand Hygiene’ is a<br />
World Health Organisation (WHO) initiative<br />
encouraging everyone who provides care to<br />
consider the risk of transmission of infection<br />
from health care workers’ hands.<br />
You should wash your hands in the<br />
5 moments below:<br />
1. Before touching a patient<br />
2. Before clean/aseptic procedures<br />
3. After body fluid exposure/risk<br />
4. After touching a patient<br />
5. After touching patient surroundings<br />
For more information on infection<br />
prevention and control, contact the<br />
team on extension 5900 or visit the IPC<br />
page on Connect.<br />
The 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene is a simple<br />
way to remember the five crucial moments for<br />
hand hygiene in patient care<br />
10
NHS Hero: Lead Chaplain,<br />
Mary Causer<br />
Our organisation is full of remarkable,<br />
motivated people, who give a lot to the<br />
communities we serve. Since 2014, we<br />
have been recognising our quiet heroes<br />
who come from a wide variety of<br />
backgrounds, and do a wide variety of<br />
jobs across our organisation. Each week<br />
we shine a spotlight on one of those<br />
heroes, and following an interview by<br />
our press office the Sandwell Chronicle<br />
publishes these inspirational stories.<br />
In <strong>Heartbeat</strong> this month, we feature our<br />
new Lead Chaplain, Mary Causer, who has<br />
taken over the position from Ann Stevens<br />
who retired in October.<br />
It was one of the most poignant moments<br />
that Rev Mary Causer has faced during her<br />
time working within the NHS.<br />
As a new chaplain, she was asked to marry<br />
an end-of-life care patient to his long- term<br />
girlfriend at City Hospital, Birmingham.<br />
“I had just started working at the Trust and<br />
was asked to marry a beautiful couple,”<br />
explained mum-of-one Mary, aged 51.<br />
“The patient very ill but wanted to carry out<br />
this one final act with his partner.<br />
“It was a sacred moment that was an<br />
important part of the process for him and<br />
his wife because they had been together for<br />
a while.”<br />
Mary, who has worked for our organisation<br />
Lead Chaplain, Mary Causer<br />
for over two years, added: “I had to organise<br />
the legal side of the marriage, and also be<br />
the emotional support - which was all a<br />
new experience to me. The ward team were<br />
amazing throughout and helped to decorate<br />
his room where we held the ceremony.<br />
“The patient sadly passed away soon<br />
afterwards, but I have kept in touch with his<br />
wife and she is very grateful that she was<br />
able to say her vows to her husband and it<br />
be witnessed by her family and friends.”<br />
Working within the NHS is certainly a big<br />
change from Mary’s previous job.<br />
She recalled: “I had come from working as<br />
a chaplain in a category A prison, so there<br />
was a big difference in the type of people I<br />
was working with.<br />
“But I really enjoy being here. My hope is<br />
that wherever I am across the Trust, I can<br />
make someone smile. I like making people<br />
Paul leads the charge on<br />
Fizz-Free February<br />
CORPORATE AND GENERAL<br />
NEWS<br />
laugh, but it’s also about being<br />
in the right place at the right time for<br />
those people who need more direct<br />
spiritual input.<br />
“The chaplaincy is incredibly important<br />
and I see that my congregation isn’t a<br />
church, but a whole Trust.<br />
“There is no typical day for me because<br />
we offer a bespoke service for patients,<br />
their families and colleagues and I offer<br />
faith to those who are seeking it.”<br />
Mary decided to become a chaplain<br />
after studying theology at college. She<br />
had been invited to sing at a prison and<br />
during this she saw how the chaplain<br />
worked and it appealed to her.<br />
She said: “I didn’t really know what I<br />
wanted to do whilst I was at college,<br />
but singing at the prison helped me to<br />
come to a decision and I haven’t looked<br />
back since.”<br />
In her spare time Mary likes watching<br />
murder mysteries and also sprucing up<br />
her garden. So who is Mary’s hero? “It<br />
has to be Emmeline Pankhurst – she had<br />
no fear and she had a conscience that<br />
she lived out, making changes not just<br />
for England but across the world.”<br />
At the start of next month our deputy<br />
chief nurse will be spearheading our<br />
involvement in Fizz Free February – a<br />
campaign to get young people to<br />
reduce or cut out their intake of fizzy<br />
drinks, many of which have extremely<br />
high sugar content.<br />
The campaign is being run by a number<br />
of local authorities across the country,<br />
including Sandwell, and has the full<br />
support of local MP Tom Watson who lost a<br />
dramatic amount of weight in 2018.<br />
Our Deputy Chief Nurse, Paul Hooton,<br />
has committed our support to this vital<br />
campaign and throughout the month, he<br />
will be working alongside our children’s<br />
services to get this important message out<br />
to school-aged young people.<br />
Paul said: “I was privileged to meet Tom<br />
Watson recently who talked about his<br />
very inspirational health journey. We may<br />
not realise it, but fizzy drinks make up an<br />
average of 29 per cent of daily sugar intake.<br />
If you drink a can of coke every day for a<br />
month you will eat the equivalent of a bag<br />
of sugar. Fizzy drinks are also the largest<br />
single source of sugar for children aged<br />
eleven to eighteen. So if we’re going to get<br />
serious about childhood obesity, it starts<br />
with fizzy pop.”<br />
Deputy Chief Nurse, Paul Hooton is leading<br />
the Fizz-Free February campaign<br />
The hard truth about soft drinks:<br />
• You can save £438 a year if you<br />
stopped drinking one bottle of soft<br />
drink, per day for a year<br />
• Drinking just one 330ml can of fizzy<br />
drink a day could add up to over a<br />
stone weight gain per year<br />
• 79 per cent of fizzy drinks contain 6<br />
or more teaspoons of sugar per can<br />
(330ml)<br />
• Tooth decay is the leading cause for<br />
hospitalisation among 5-9 year olds<br />
in the UK, with 26,000 children<br />
being hospitalised each year due to<br />
tooth decay – in other words, 500<br />
each week<br />
11
Friends and family test – help us to<br />
improve the patient journey<br />
CORPORATE AND GENERAL<br />
NEWS<br />
Our friends and family test (FFT) has<br />
been in place at our organisation<br />
since 2013, in an effort to improve<br />
patient experience at our hospitals.<br />
FFT was introduced by NHS England<br />
and was rolled out across the<br />
majority of NHS funded services in<br />
England.<br />
The test gives all patients the opportunity<br />
to give anonymous feedback on the<br />
care and treatment they have received<br />
and allows us to continually improve the<br />
services we provide.<br />
Patients are asked one simple question:<br />
‘How likely are you to recommend<br />
our ward/service to your friends and<br />
family if they needed similar care or<br />
treatment?’<br />
They can rank their answer from<br />
‘extremely likely’ to ‘extremely unlikely’<br />
and can also make a comment to explain<br />
their ranking and tell us more about<br />
their experience.<br />
In September last year we expanded the<br />
methods of how patients can complete<br />
the FFT, which now includes via SMS text<br />
messages and interactive voice messages,<br />
which has seen a steady increase in<br />
response rates.<br />
Patient Experience Project Facilitator, Shila<br />
Patel explained more about the importance<br />
of the FFT.<br />
“Since the introduction of the FFT, we have<br />
been able to make a number of changes<br />
which have improved our environment for<br />
patients,” said Shila.<br />
“These changes have included things such<br />
as; introducing sleep packs for patients at<br />
night, using soft closing bins to reduce noise,<br />
better quality meals, cutlery and crockery<br />
and an improvement in communication<br />
between patients and colleagues.”<br />
As well as the digital methods of<br />
completing the test, there are paper FFT<br />
postcards in all areas and completed ones<br />
should be returned to Shila to enable<br />
feedback to be collated and acted upon.<br />
“Feedback needs to be seen by colleagues<br />
providing the care in as near to real time as<br />
possible,” said Shila.<br />
“So please ensure you are returning<br />
the postcards as soon as possible, that<br />
way we can identify opportunities to<br />
make improvements that will really benefit<br />
our patients.”<br />
Should you require further information<br />
or additional FFT postcards for your<br />
area, please contact shila.patel@nhs.net<br />
or call extension 5188.<br />
Patient Experience Project Facilitator, Shila<br />
Patel leads the friends and family test<br />
Shout out has been a regular feature<br />
in <strong>Heartbeat</strong> for over a year now and it<br />
is fantastic to see colleagues regularly<br />
taking the time to give positive<br />
feedback to each other.<br />
We regularly receive positive feedback<br />
from our patients too, and this month<br />
we wanted to share some of those heartwarming<br />
messages which have been sent<br />
via our website and social media platforms.<br />
To: Claire Studdards<br />
Claire is a fantastic therapy assistant<br />
practitioner in our rapid response<br />
therapy team. She treats each of her<br />
patients holistically and takes a person<br />
centred approach to her problem solving<br />
and discharge planning. Thank you for<br />
going the extra mile to explore whether<br />
we could facilitate the discharge of a<br />
complex patient. You are a credit to the<br />
team!<br />
From: Suzanne Miles<br />
To: Jayde Hough<br />
Jayde makes an amazing assistant<br />
practitioner and puts her everything<br />
into her role. She is supportive, friendly,<br />
caring and always goes above and<br />
beyond for the service users she sees on<br />
a day to day basis. She never fails to put<br />
a smile on her colleagues’ faces even at<br />
the hardest of times. Three cheers for<br />
Jayde!<br />
From: Sarah Crump<br />
To: Cardiology Nursing Team<br />
Just a big thank you for their hard work<br />
and commitment over the Christmas<br />
period and New Year. It has been<br />
tough with sicker patients and added<br />
pressures. Teamwork makes the dream<br />
work – thank you.<br />
From: Laura Taylor<br />
To: Claire Wilson<br />
Claire has helped me with several<br />
tasks recently. Her support is very<br />
much appreciated. Claire has a sunny<br />
disposition and always finds time to<br />
help. Thank you Claire.<br />
From: Donna Mighty<br />
To: Amanda Healy<br />
Mandy is consistently kind, efficient, and<br />
good humoured. She always speaks with<br />
empathy and compassion, and helps the<br />
antenatal day assessment unity to run<br />
smoothly.<br />
From: Roisin Bailey<br />
To: Geraldine Attwood<br />
Active participation in multi-disciplinary<br />
ream, Gerry plays an integral part in<br />
facilitating fast turnaround for TTOs on<br />
Lyndon 5 – thank you.<br />
From: Vikki Howard<br />
To: Bridget Beaden and Mark Anderson<br />
Thank you to Bridget and Mark, for<br />
helping me sort out a patient referral. A<br />
GP practice reached out to the primary<br />
care liaison team as they had a patient<br />
join the practice who had already<br />
started cancer treatment in another<br />
area. The GP found it difficult using<br />
usual referral routes to get the patient<br />
into a pathway mid-point. Mark and<br />
Bridget helped us solve the problem<br />
quickly so the patient could continue<br />
treatment in a timely way.<br />
From: Dottie Tipton<br />
12
Lifeline support for addiction<br />
victims' families<br />
A new support group at City Hospital<br />
has been praised for its effort to help<br />
families and friends cope with their<br />
loved ones’ addictions.<br />
The support group, which started two<br />
months ago, is being run by two volunteers<br />
Dave and Tina James with support from our<br />
alcohol team.<br />
Dave explained: “We are both qualified<br />
facilitators and we aim to provide a safe<br />
environment in which people can feel<br />
confident to speak about their concerns and<br />
receive the support they need.<br />
“We’ve actually been through this journey<br />
ourselves as a family member used to have<br />
a serious drug dependency. Therefore, we<br />
absolutely understand how challenging it is<br />
for families and friends when trying to help<br />
their loved ones.<br />
“At our sessions, we provide confidential<br />
support for friends and family members of<br />
individuals whose alcohol use has become<br />
problematic, in order for them to feel more<br />
confident in dealing with situations. They<br />
will learn helpful tools and different ways of<br />
dealing with the problems caused by their<br />
loved ones’ alcohol misuse, such as better<br />
communication, how to cope with conflict,<br />
boundaries and supporting change.<br />
“There are many support groups for<br />
people with addictive behaviour, but not<br />
Tina and Dave James have introduced a new<br />
support group for families and friends of<br />
people with addictions<br />
many for friends and families. In the UK,<br />
it is estimated that several million families<br />
are directly affected by substance use and<br />
addictions. They also need help because<br />
addictive behaviour affects families’<br />
finances, physical health and psychological<br />
wellbeing.<br />
“On average, we see five to six people per<br />
session and hope to see more so we can<br />
support them all.”<br />
Peter Marple, Alcohol Practitioner said:<br />
“The idea of bringing this support group to<br />
our organisation started when I met Dave<br />
at an event. After learning about what<br />
they had been doing and attending a few<br />
sessions myself, I felt that this group would<br />
be greatly beneficial to families and friends<br />
who need support during a difficult time.<br />
CORPORATE AND GENERAL<br />
NEWS<br />
“When I learned that the group were<br />
looking for a new venue to run their<br />
sessions, I spoke to Arlene Copland<br />
(Alcohol Lead Nurse), about hosting the<br />
group at one of our hospitals. Arlene<br />
was excited about the idea and gave it<br />
her full support.<br />
“We are now able to meet at City<br />
Hospital twice a month. During the<br />
sessions, if people have medical<br />
questions, I can step in and answer<br />
them.”<br />
Dave, who is a full-time engineer, added:<br />
“We’re so grateful for the Trust’s support<br />
in giving us a place to run the evening<br />
sessions. It makes a huge difference to<br />
the people that we are helping.”<br />
The group meets every first and third<br />
Wednesday, between 6 – 7.30pm, in the<br />
diabetes seminar room on the first floor.<br />
Everyone is welcome and no booking is<br />
required.<br />
If you would like more<br />
information about the group, you<br />
can contact Peter via email at<br />
peter.marple@nhs.net and Dave at<br />
dave.smartff@protonmail.com.<br />
Hit the road for Your Trust Charity<br />
Is your New Year's resolution to get fit?<br />
Are you looking for a challenge? Do<br />
you want to make a difference? Why<br />
not combine these and sign up for the<br />
<strong>2019</strong> Birmingham and Midlands Velo?<br />
The 100 mile closed bike ride will take place<br />
on Sunday 12 May – general entries have<br />
sold out, but Your Trust Charity have a<br />
number of spaces available.<br />
The ride starts in Birmingham City Centre<br />
and will take riders through Solihull,<br />
Warwickshire, Dudley and Sandwell, before<br />
finishing up in Coventry.<br />
This is an opportunity for both seasoned<br />
and new riders to get in the saddle and<br />
raise vital funds for Your Trust Charity. The<br />
cost to take part is £40 and you should raise<br />
a minimum of £300 sponsorship.<br />
For more information or to book<br />
your place contact Amanda on<br />
amanda.winwood@nhs.net or call<br />
0121 507 4847.<br />
Dr Roger Stedman, Consultant in Anaesthetics<br />
and Critical Care Medicine took on the Velo<br />
in 2017<br />
The <strong>2019</strong> Velo will take riders through some<br />
stunning countryside and panoramic views<br />
YOUR TRUST CHARITY<br />
@SWBHCharity To donate<br />
to the Your Trust Charity text<br />
“SWBH16 £5” to 70070<br />
13
Full dress rehearsal at a glance<br />
THREE<br />
DAYS<br />
150<br />
COLLEAGUES<br />
26<br />
CLINICAL<br />
AREAS<br />
PATIENT<br />
DIAGNOSES<br />
AND PROBLEMS<br />
RECORDED<br />
RECORD PATIENT<br />
ASSESSMENTS<br />
ELECTRONICALLY<br />
PROBLEMS<br />
RECORDED VIA<br />
SERVICE TEAMS<br />
AND HELPDESK<br />
PRESCRIBE<br />
MEDICATION<br />
ELECTRONICALLY<br />
REQUEST<br />
ORDERS<br />
ELECTRONICALLY<br />
MEDICATION<br />
ADMINISTERED<br />
AS PRESCRIBED<br />
RECORD<br />
PATIENT<br />
ALLERGY<br />
STATUS<br />
14
Journey to deliver a successful<br />
full dress rehearsal of Unity<br />
gathers steam<br />
As you pick up your latest edition<br />
of <strong>Heartbeat</strong>, there are fewer than<br />
three weeks left before the full<br />
dress rehearsal of Unity starts on<br />
Monday 11 February.<br />
11<br />
FULL DRESS REHEARSAL<br />
STARTS MONDAY 11<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2019</strong><br />
A number of colleagues have<br />
been working hard behind the<br />
scenes to ensure we are able to<br />
fully test Unity in a business as<br />
usual context during the dress<br />
rehearsal.<br />
What has happened so far?<br />
Clinicians taking part in the<br />
full dress rehearsal have<br />
now completed transcription<br />
workshops. 154 colleagues<br />
will support the dress rehearsal<br />
across 26 clinical areas.<br />
22 <strong>January</strong> saw colleagues<br />
from across all sites gather<br />
for a clinical engagement<br />
event. Participants heard the<br />
experiences of going live from<br />
colleagues at West Suffolk NHS<br />
Foundation Trust and from<br />
Calderdale and Huddersfield<br />
Foundation Trust. They also had<br />
the opportunity to work through<br />
a patient pathway using Unity.<br />
What is still to happen<br />
before dress rehearsal?<br />
All users of Unity are to be<br />
trained by Thursday 31 <strong>January</strong>.<br />
Further information is available<br />
on Connect.<br />
A new e-learning package<br />
for Unity training will become<br />
available in March.<br />
The roll out of devices for dress<br />
rehearsal and eventual go-live<br />
is scheduled to be completed in<br />
time for the full dress rehearsal<br />
and subsequent go-live.<br />
In February, digital champions<br />
will undertake specialised<br />
training to support the dress<br />
rehearsal and eventual go-live.<br />
Unity dress rehearsal –<br />
what you need to know<br />
Full dress rehearsal is a complete<br />
run through of all activities that<br />
will take place when we go live<br />
with Unity. It is used to identify<br />
issues and drive out risk before<br />
the go-live of the new electronic<br />
patient record.<br />
Starting Monday 11 February,<br />
patients in identified clinical<br />
areas for example ED, clinics<br />
and wards will be seen as<br />
normal. Colleagues on the<br />
normal shift will work in parallel<br />
with colleagues who will be<br />
replicating the processing of<br />
patients on Unity.<br />
Liam Kennedy, Deputy Chief<br />
Operating Officer said: “There<br />
are 26 clinical areas taking part<br />
in the dress rehearsal. Within<br />
those areas, all the patients will<br />
be followed throughout their<br />
journey to ensure all processes<br />
on Unity are working.<br />
“During the rehearsal, colleagues<br />
will be able to use the newly<br />
installed equipment, including;<br />
bar code scanners, label printers,<br />
computers on wheels and<br />
scanners. We will be monitoring<br />
reports, problem resolution and<br />
end user experience, all of which<br />
will contribute to the supporting<br />
evidence that the executive team<br />
will review prior to making their<br />
in the decision on when go live<br />
will occur.”<br />
15
Cash boost transforms cancer care<br />
for our patients<br />
MEDICINE AND EMERGENCY<br />
CARE<br />
More than half a million pounds will<br />
be pumped into improving cancer<br />
services for our patients.<br />
Our organisation and Sandwell and West<br />
Birmingham Clinical Commissioning<br />
Group (CCG) are thrilled to have secured<br />
£543,000 funding from Macmillan<br />
Cancer Care. The money will help to<br />
transform services for people living with<br />
and beyond cancer across Sandwell and<br />
West Birmingham. We are one of only<br />
a few areas in the country to secure this<br />
level of investment.<br />
The funding will be used to implement<br />
the Macmillan’s recovery package<br />
across the cancer healthcare community.<br />
It is a model of care that puts greater<br />
emphasis on identifying people’s<br />
health and wellbeing needs and finding<br />
ways to address them through the<br />
provision of person-centred care, with<br />
patients empowered to self-manage<br />
where possible.<br />
Cancer Services Manager, Jenny<br />
Donovan is putting a team together,<br />
which will consist of five roles, including<br />
a manager, cancer support worker,<br />
admin support officer, practitioner and<br />
facilitator who will be based in primary<br />
care.<br />
Figures for the West Midlands show the<br />
number of people living longer than<br />
20 years with cancer was 159,700 in<br />
2010 and will increase by 50 per cent<br />
to 310,300 by 2030. However, mortality<br />
rates for cancer locally are higher than<br />
many areas of the UK.<br />
This is an exciting opportunity to<br />
make a real impact on how people<br />
are supported in the future. This new<br />
initiative will deliver a more consistent<br />
and effective service with improved<br />
access to support for those living with<br />
and beyond cancer.<br />
Dr Diana Webb, Lead Cancer Clinician<br />
said: “This is an important step for us in<br />
driving forward our plans to make sure<br />
that anyone attending our hospitals<br />
for cancer care receives the best<br />
possible outcomes.<br />
“We have a dedicated and experienced<br />
cancer workforce here, who are<br />
consistently striving for excellence<br />
in cancer care delivery and ensuring<br />
patients and their carers have the best<br />
possible experience.<br />
Jenny Donovan, who is putting together the Living with and Beyond Cancer team, which is funded<br />
by MacMillan Cancer Care<br />
“Already performing consistently on our<br />
cancer waiting times, we are currently<br />
working on plans to deliver optimal cancer<br />
pathways to ensure patients receive a faster<br />
diagnosis less than a month after their GP<br />
referral where cancer is suspected by 2020.<br />
“This new additional funding will see us<br />
continue our close working relationship with<br />
Macmillan, SWB CCG, Cancer Research<br />
UK and our primary care colleagues to<br />
ensure that a personalised, patient-centred<br />
approach remains at the heart of our care.<br />
“By embedding the Macmillan recovery<br />
package alongside our clinical care<br />
pathways, our patients will benefit from<br />
holistic needs assessment and care planning<br />
and have access to health and wellbeing<br />
events which will promote independence<br />
and healthy lifestyles.<br />
“Patient treatment summaries and GPled<br />
cancer care reviews will see improved<br />
communication and understanding between<br />
our primary care and acute specialist<br />
care colleagues, and new approaches to<br />
personalised cancer follow-up will see<br />
patients empowered in their recovery after<br />
treatment, and beyond.”<br />
Dr Nick Harding, Chair at NHS Sandwell<br />
and West Birmingham CCG, added: “We<br />
are delighted to secure this vital funding to<br />
help improve the experience of people living<br />
with and beyond cancer in Sandwell and<br />
West Birmingham.<br />
“The impact of cancer doesn't suddenly<br />
stop when treatment is over and we are<br />
committed to transforming services so<br />
that our patients benefit from high quality<br />
cancer care that supports them in their<br />
long-term recovery.<br />
“Our aim is to ensure that everyone receives<br />
the personalised care and support they<br />
need, when they need it, to live a happy<br />
and healthy life.<br />
“This important programme builds on<br />
our strong track record of making a step<br />
change in health through partnership<br />
and innovation.<br />
“Working in partnership with local GP<br />
practices and the Trust, we have already<br />
delivered pioneering initiatives such as the<br />
Primary Care Commissioning Framework<br />
(PCCF) scheme.<br />
“This has helped to save the lives of people<br />
with diabetes, reduce the number of strokes<br />
in Sandwell and West Birmingham by<br />
identifying over 1,000 people with atrial<br />
fibrillation (AF) and increased the number of<br />
people undertaking cancer screening.”<br />
16
Leading professor joins AMU team<br />
for pioneering research<br />
This year promises to bring a wealth<br />
of exciting opportunities to the acute<br />
medicine unit (AMU) as they welcome<br />
Professor Dan Lasserson to the team,<br />
whose aim is to help bring their<br />
research ambition to life.<br />
Professor Dan Lasserson, Chair of<br />
Ambulatory Care at the University of<br />
Birmingham, has joined the AMU team<br />
as an honorary consultant in ambulatory<br />
medicine.<br />
Speaking about his new role, he said: “I’m<br />
delighted to join the organisation and<br />
excited to work with the team.<br />
“I will be working closely with Dr Sarb Clare<br />
to build up academic activities in acute<br />
medicine and contribute to innovations in<br />
acute care models. My particular interest is<br />
in acute ambulatory care, and in supporting<br />
more acute medical care to be undertaken<br />
in community settings, using point of care<br />
technology. This organisation is one of the<br />
leading trusts in the West Midlands for the<br />
use of point of care echo and ultrasound<br />
The single point of access (SPA)<br />
service is to expand and become a<br />
seven-day operation following its<br />
success. The initiative, which was<br />
launched in November, has seen a<br />
total of 1,210 patients sent to the<br />
right clinical area.<br />
Colleagues attending a quality<br />
improvement half day dedicated to the<br />
service, heard about how the system<br />
works for paediatrics, surgery, medicine<br />
and gynaecology.<br />
It was also revealed how it would be<br />
rolled out across the organisation to<br />
other specialties.<br />
Dr Nuhu Usman said: “Our next phase<br />
is to expand the programme so that SPA<br />
can be available seven days a week and<br />
incorporate hot clinics into the project.<br />
This means that we will be able to book<br />
patients to see specialists at the earliest<br />
convenience, so that they can be seen<br />
by the right team and given the right<br />
treatment in the first place.<br />
“Today has been successful as we<br />
have a very good mix of attendees,<br />
including colleagues from AMU, surgery,<br />
Honorary Consultant in Ambulatory Medicine,<br />
Professor Daniel Lasserson has recently joined<br />
the AMU team<br />
and so is the natural partner for acute care<br />
innovators and researchers.”<br />
Dr Clare, Acute Medicine Consultant and<br />
Deputy Medical Director, added: “We are<br />
Seven day expansion for new<br />
SPA service<br />
Dr Nuhu Usman; Mr Ugo Otite, Consultant<br />
Urologist; Aliya Kaaba from the improvement<br />
team and local GP, Dr Tarig<br />
paediatrics, medicine, GPs, and the clinical<br />
commissioning group.”<br />
Hannah Ship, Commissioning Manager<br />
from Sandwell and West Birmingham<br />
CCG has been part of the project since its<br />
launch and has been working closely with<br />
the team and GPs to ensure this project’s<br />
success.<br />
She said at the event: “It’s good to be at the<br />
event today and meet our partners as well<br />
as teams at SWBH.<br />
“The performance has been very positive<br />
MEDICINE AND EMERGENCY<br />
CARE<br />
privileged to have Dan join our team. His<br />
knowledge and skills will help us carry<br />
out extensive research in ambulatory<br />
care, so that we can develop a new way<br />
of working, which will hopefully enable<br />
us to see patients more quickly and more<br />
importantly enable prompt diagnosis and<br />
treatments.<br />
“Our vision is to bring ambulatory<br />
care to the community and upskill our<br />
partners, such as GPs and paramedics, so<br />
they can carry out ultrasounds and point<br />
of care diagnostics to examine and treat<br />
patients more quickly. With Professor<br />
Lasserson’s help, I truly believe that we<br />
will achieve that ambition.<br />
“In May we will also welcome our first<br />
research fellow in acute medicine to<br />
support us in delivering our research<br />
projects.”<br />
and the CCG is very pleased with the<br />
progress. The project has our strong<br />
support as we can see the benefits for<br />
patients.<br />
“Our role is to ensure that it works well<br />
between primary care and secondary<br />
care.<br />
We also encourage GPs to start<br />
changing the way they work so they can<br />
use SPA more effectively.<br />
“Our experience of working with SPA<br />
team has been very positive as they<br />
always keep us informed and engaged<br />
throughout the project. We look forward<br />
to continuing working with them in the<br />
next phase.”<br />
Janice Barrett, Clinical Lead for SPA,<br />
added: “The outcome from the event<br />
was very positive. It was a great<br />
opportunity to receive feedback from the<br />
teams and will help us to improve the<br />
service further.<br />
“We’re glad that SPA has made a huge<br />
difference to patients and helped reduce<br />
the pressure for many service. I would<br />
like to take this opportunity to thank<br />
everyone involved.”<br />
17
Weekly hep C clinic in the heart of<br />
our community<br />
MEDICINE AND EMERGENCY<br />
CARE<br />
A new hepatitis C clinic which aims<br />
to help patients receive treatment<br />
quicker and closer to their home has<br />
officially opened in Smethwick.<br />
The much-needed service allows patients<br />
to be seen and treated by specialists<br />
from our organisation at the Alberta<br />
Building, run by Cranstoun Sandwell.<br />
Hepatitis C is a virus that can infect the<br />
liver and if left untreated, can sometimes<br />
cause serious and potentially lifethreatening<br />
damage to the organ.<br />
Dr Saket Singhal, Consultant<br />
Gastroenterologist, welcomed the<br />
opening. He said: “We are delighted to<br />
work with Cranstoun Sandwell to deliver<br />
this service.<br />
“This community-based service will give<br />
patients easier access to treatment,<br />
instead of having to travel to hospital.<br />
We know that a group of our patients,<br />
who are alcohol and drug dependent,<br />
have been reluctant to come to<br />
hospital for a number of reasons. By<br />
working with Cranstoun Sandwell, an<br />
L-R: Clare Smith, Liver Nurse Specialist; Zoe Buczko, Clinical Lead at Cranstoun Sandwell; Dr Saket<br />
Singhal, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Arron Own, Borough Manager at Cranstoun Sandwell<br />
organisation that is already helping patients<br />
with these issues, we hope to deliver better<br />
care.<br />
“We plan to visit the centre once a week and<br />
aim to treat 50 to 60 patients every year.”<br />
Arron Owen, Borough Manager at<br />
Cranstoun Sandwell, added: “We offer<br />
blood - borne virus testing to all our<br />
patients and have an on-site clinic, which<br />
will make accessing vital treatment for<br />
hepatitis C much easier.<br />
“Our staff are excited about this<br />
development and are looking forward to<br />
not only improving our knowledge of this<br />
virus but also being able to offer patients<br />
the treatment more efficiently.<br />
“We hope this local initiative will contribute<br />
to the World Health Organisation’s strategy<br />
to eliminate viral hepatitis as a major public<br />
health threat by 2030.”<br />
It is estimated around 215,000 people in<br />
the UK have hepatitis C. Most infections<br />
occur in people who inject drugs or have<br />
injected them in the past. As hepatitis C<br />
often doesn’t have noticeable symptoms,<br />
the only way to know for certain if someone<br />
has the virus is for them to be tested.<br />
For more information about the service,<br />
please contact Cranstoun Sandwell on<br />
0121 553 1333.<br />
The best pregnancy for mums-to-be<br />
WOMEN AND CHILD HEALTH<br />
The maternity team is encouraging<br />
pregnant women to use a mobile<br />
application to access information about<br />
their pregnancy more quickly.<br />
The UK Maternity Portal is an application for<br />
smartphones, tablets and PCs, which allows<br />
women and their GPs real time access to<br />
maternity records.<br />
The portal, which has a direct link to our<br />
organisation’s maternity health records,<br />
provides women instant information,<br />
including their blood pressure results, their<br />
babies’ development and when their next<br />
appointment is.<br />
Joanne Bryer, Midwife, explained: “We have<br />
found the app to be really popular – over<br />
2,000 people have used it so far.<br />
“This app not only provides women with<br />
all the necessary information about their<br />
The UK Maternity Portal allows mums-to-be instant access to information about their pregnancy<br />
health records, it also gives them links to<br />
online patient leaflets and useful literature<br />
about pregnancy and looking after newborn<br />
babies.<br />
“Women can also update where they would<br />
like to give birth. The information will help<br />
their midwives plan ahead for their delivery.<br />
“GPs also have the access to the records in<br />
real time, which means they can keep up-todate<br />
with their patients’ health.<br />
“We believe this app is very useful for mumsto-be,<br />
midwives, and GPs.”<br />
Women who have been referred to City<br />
Hospital are encouraged to ask their<br />
midwives about the app. They will be given a<br />
secure username and password so they may<br />
only access their own data.<br />
18
New consultant midwife appointed<br />
WOMEN AND CHILD HEALTH<br />
Lydia Nestor has been appointed as our new consultant midwife<br />
Lydia Nestor, a long standing member of<br />
the maternity team has been named as<br />
our new consultant midwife.<br />
Lydia actually trained as a nurse at Sandwell<br />
Hospital, where she worked for six months<br />
after qualifying, before realising that her<br />
heart was set on becoming a midwife.<br />
18 months of training followed before she<br />
qualified as a midwife. Her first post was<br />
a rotational role at New Cross Hospital in<br />
Wolverhampton, before she returned to<br />
Sandwell Hospital (where our maternity<br />
services were based then) in 1986.<br />
“I have been here ever since,” laughed Lydia<br />
when <strong>Heartbeat</strong> caught up with her to find<br />
out more about her new role.<br />
“Throughout my time here I have had the<br />
opportunity to work within integrated teams,<br />
both in hospital and in the community and<br />
I was able to gain an appreciation for a<br />
woman’s care as part of their family unit<br />
and seeing the impact of care quality on the<br />
family for many years to come.”<br />
Lydia was appointed as a midwifery manager<br />
in early 2000 and has been given various<br />
opportunities to learn and develop which<br />
she says have helped her on her journey to<br />
becoming our new Consultant Midwife.<br />
“My experience in a number of leadership<br />
roles has been strengthened by the<br />
leadership programmes supported by the<br />
organisation’s learning and development<br />
department. This has really helped me to<br />
further my understanding of links between<br />
good leadership, team effectiveness and the<br />
delivery of high quality compassionate care.”<br />
One of the main functions for the consultant<br />
midwife role is acting as an expert reference<br />
point for midwives and the multi-disciplinary<br />
teams, aiming to improve outcomes and<br />
patient experience. It requires keeping the<br />
woman as the focus of her care and to<br />
normalise their experience of maternity care<br />
wherever possible.<br />
Lydia explained more: “For many women,<br />
maternity care and birth is a normal process,<br />
but due to our complex demographic area,<br />
this is not the case for all of our patients.<br />
“Our service provides a range of specialist<br />
obstetric consultant clinics that care for<br />
women in pregnancy with conditions such as<br />
hypertension, diabetes, mental ill-health, and<br />
other medical conditions.”<br />
Lydia runs a weekly psychological<br />
wellbeing clinic for ladies that require<br />
additional care, planning and those are<br />
experiencing anxiety due to a variety of<br />
sources.<br />
“The women who attend the clinic are<br />
fearful of the maternity process and<br />
particularly of giving birth, said Lydia.”<br />
“At their appointment I try and<br />
understand what has happened and<br />
we talk through the options for birth,<br />
including pain relief and place of birth.<br />
“Some of the ladies feel better able to<br />
cope after one appointment, but others<br />
need more and some leave with an<br />
open appointment to return if they need<br />
to. I have also set up some telephone<br />
consultation clinics for women that I have<br />
already met, which will save their travel<br />
time or time out of work etc.<br />
“I also see women postnatally, so we<br />
can debrief on their experience, which<br />
reduces the chance of them developing<br />
postnatal depression or trauma symptoms<br />
and helps to keeps them psychologically<br />
well as they move on with their family<br />
life. For some, this forms planning for<br />
their next birth.”<br />
Aside from the clinics and work with<br />
individual patients, Lydia will play a vital<br />
role in shaping the future of maternity<br />
care across the region as we implement<br />
the recommendations from Better Births,<br />
the maternity five year forward view.<br />
A key priority for this work is reorganising<br />
teams to provide improved<br />
continuity of carer. Another key priority is<br />
to set up a Maternity Voices partnership,<br />
a local group which will consist of women<br />
and their families, commissioners and<br />
providers working together to review and<br />
contribute to the development of local<br />
maternity care.<br />
It is clear from talking to Lydia that she<br />
has a genuine passion and excitement for<br />
her new role. As an internal candidate<br />
for the role, Lydia was able to spend<br />
time shadowing Kathryn Gutteridge (our<br />
previous consultant midwife who retired<br />
last year) at a number of clinics to ensure<br />
continuity of this valuable service.<br />
“Kathryn passed the baton on so to<br />
speak,” said Lydia.<br />
“I am really looking forward to carrying<br />
on her work and to being able to make a<br />
different to patients and their families of<br />
Sandwell and West Birmingham.”<br />
19
Maternity lead the way on<br />
VTE assessments<br />
WOMEN AND CHILD HEALTH<br />
Our maternity service has been<br />
making fantastic progress with venous<br />
thromboembolism (VTE) assessments<br />
culminating in the organisation<br />
collectively achieving a 95 per cent<br />
threshold in December.<br />
VTE is a condition in which a blood clot<br />
forms, most often in the deep veins of<br />
the leg, groin or arm (known as deep vein<br />
thrombosis) and travels in the circulation,<br />
lodging in the lungs (known as pulmonary<br />
embolism,). Pulmonary embolism is one of<br />
the most common direct causes of maternal<br />
death in the UK. Together, these are known<br />
as VTE which is a dangerous and potentially<br />
life threatening medical condition if not<br />
detected or treated.<br />
National reports from the confidential<br />
enquiries into maternal deaths have<br />
highlighted past failures in recognising<br />
risk factors for VTE and using adequate<br />
prophylaxis, particularly as the population<br />
Heralding the new 'bugle'<br />
for theatres<br />
SURGICAL SERVICES<br />
In October 2018, our three theatre sites<br />
(BMEC, City Hospital and Sandwell<br />
Hospital) merged and the matrons on<br />
each site were faced with the challenge<br />
of how to communicate effectively to<br />
a large group of staff across different<br />
locations.<br />
They came up with the idea of the ‘Theatre<br />
Bugle’ – a monthly newsletter which is<br />
available for colleagues to read across all the<br />
theatre rest areas.<br />
<strong>Heartbeat</strong> spoke to Theatre Matrons, Louisa<br />
Adams (Sandwell), Martin Beard (City) and<br />
Les Hodgkinson (BMEC) to find out more.<br />
“One of the first challenges we faced when<br />
we merged was how to communicate<br />
consistently with colleaues across the<br />
different sites,” said Louisa.<br />
“We introduced the Theatre Bugle at the<br />
end of October and it has gone down really<br />
well with the team.”<br />
Claire Cushing, Ward Manager on M2<br />
of childbearing women has become more<br />
complex.<br />
Pregnancy is associated with a tenfold<br />
increase in VTE, with the immediate<br />
postnatal period being the time where the<br />
risk is at its highest. Therefore all pregnant<br />
women who are admitted require VTE<br />
assessment to be performed within 24<br />
hours of admission so any additional<br />
risks can be highlighted and ensure<br />
the appropriate care is planned and<br />
implemented.<br />
Improving communications in theatres are (l-r)<br />
Matrons, Martin Beard, Les Hodgkinson and<br />
Louisa Adams<br />
Martin added: “We use it to deliver<br />
information to colleagues on a variety of<br />
subjects, ranging from policy reminders<br />
to cancellation processes and staff survey<br />
reminders. We also share the latest Unity<br />
information so they are aware the training<br />
requirements.”<br />
“We share good news as well,” said Les.<br />
“Achievements across the three sites are<br />
included to inspire other theatre areas to<br />
Claire Cushing, M2 Ward Manager<br />
appreciates the importance of VTE<br />
assessments in caring appropriately for<br />
our pregnant women and new mothers.<br />
She said: “It is crucial that we achieve<br />
100 per cent compliance so that we can<br />
ensure all women have had the relevant<br />
risk assessment performed and the<br />
required treatment provided, if needed.<br />
“When it was announced we had<br />
reached 95 per cent in December I was<br />
delighted but we must make sure we<br />
continue and strive to achieve 100 per<br />
cent throughout <strong>2019</strong>.”<br />
She added: “There have been a few<br />
changes in the process of performing<br />
VTE with the system we use in maternity,<br />
therefore effective communication has<br />
been required to ensure all colleagues<br />
feel confident in performing VTE<br />
assessments.<br />
“Additional training has been provided<br />
to ensure our multi-disciplinary team<br />
are all working to the same standard to<br />
achieve our current VTE percentage.”<br />
implement good practice.”<br />
The Bugle also shares information on key<br />
performance indicators (KPIs) and important<br />
information for the team such as PDR<br />
compliance, training, audit information and<br />
incident reporting and colleagues are finding<br />
it useful.<br />
Louise Horton, Theatre Manager for BMEC<br />
said: “It is a very good mechanism for<br />
relaying information. It gives us an overview<br />
of what’s happening across all sites and<br />
makes us feel less isolated.<br />
Lisa Lewin, Senior Theatre Practitioner at<br />
Sandwell commented: “It’s good to know<br />
what is going on in the other theatres and to<br />
keep up to date with current vacancies and<br />
how we are doing with our KPIs.”<br />
Balbir Kaur, Theatre Manager at City Hospital<br />
added: “It is concise and to the point. It<br />
is easy to pick it up during a break and<br />
quickly find out information from across the<br />
different sites.”<br />
Louisa concluded: “The matron group hopes<br />
that the Theatre Bugle will continue to bring<br />
the theatre department together by sharing<br />
key information and good new stories.”<br />
20
Audiology share new ways to<br />
respond to patient views<br />
SURGICAL SERVICES<br />
Colleagues in audiology have been working to improve their engagement with patients<br />
Two years ago colleagues in audiology<br />
decided it was time to review and<br />
refresh how they went about engaging<br />
with and involving patients in service<br />
development. Thus began their journey<br />
to moving their age old paper feedback<br />
forms in to the digital forms they are<br />
now.<br />
Recognising that paper feedback forms<br />
were time consuming (both for patients<br />
and colleagues processing them), heavily<br />
biased due to patients completing them in<br />
clinic and limited in their response rates,<br />
the department began to look for a more<br />
modern solution.<br />
To find out more about their journey,<br />
<strong>Heartbeat</strong> caught up with Audiologist,<br />
Fiona Bowen, she said: “We knew for a<br />
while that we needed a better solution, the<br />
paper forms we had used long since passed<br />
their usefulness and before long we found<br />
Smart Surveys.<br />
“Now, using the new survey system, we’re<br />
able to sample 100 patients each and every<br />
month by sending them a text message<br />
link to a feedback survey that they can<br />
complete. Because the patients get the<br />
link on their phone, they can complete<br />
and return it quickly and easily, the<br />
responses are open and honest and<br />
there is no bias.<br />
“Each quarter, we download the data<br />
and analyse the results and since we<br />
began using this system we have seen<br />
our response rates rise, as well an<br />
increase in suggestions and comments<br />
for service improvements.”<br />
Noting the one caveat to the system,<br />
being that patients need to have a<br />
smartphone, the department also offers<br />
a range of manual feedback solutions,<br />
with ‘sad and glad’ boards available<br />
in the department, where patients<br />
can indicate what made them sad or<br />
glad about their experience as well as<br />
traditional comment cards.<br />
Looking to the future, the department<br />
will be aiming to roll out tailored digital<br />
surveys to each service area within<br />
audiology including paediatrics and<br />
specialist services.<br />
To find out more, contact Fiona<br />
Bowen on Fiona.york@nhs.net<br />
Eye spy new wheelchairs in BMEC<br />
Kind hearted local charity, Aashiana<br />
have donated brand new wheelchairs<br />
to the Birmingham and Midland Eye<br />
Centre (BMEC) emergency department,<br />
which will make a real difference to<br />
patients.<br />
Many people who arrive at BMEC have<br />
reduced mobility and can be distressed due<br />
to their eye conditions, so getting around<br />
the centre can be a challenge, especially<br />
as BMEC is the second largest facility of<br />
its kind in Europe. The fully adjustable<br />
wheelchairs will support some of our most<br />
vulnerable patients to be able to navigate<br />
around the centre with ease.<br />
Carlene Oliver, Manager BMEC ED is<br />
thankful for the donation and said: “I<br />
would like to say a massive thank you<br />
to Ashok Puri and Aashiana for their<br />
generosity.<br />
Carlene Oliver, Manager BMEC ED (centre)<br />
with members of Aashiana charity<br />
“The wheelchairs they have donated will<br />
allow us to easily transport patients with<br />
reduced mobility to various departments<br />
within BMEC and those patients who<br />
require admission to the eye ward. This<br />
in turn will ultimately improve patients’<br />
journey and their experience when they<br />
come to our facility.<br />
Aashiana are a Cradley Heath based<br />
charity formed of friends and families<br />
which aim to support the local<br />
community in any way they can.<br />
Ashok Puri, Chairman said: “We feel<br />
very proud to be able to support the<br />
hospital by offering wheelchairs. If by us<br />
doing so helps even one person in the<br />
hospital, it will have been worthwhile.<br />
“One of our main objectives as a charity<br />
is to offer a helping hand to the elderly<br />
and certainly believe donating these<br />
wheelchairs is a step towards that.”<br />
21
Friends' donation gets<br />
patients moving<br />
PRIMARY CARE, COMMUNITIES<br />
AND THERAPIES<br />
An £18,000 donation from the<br />
League of Friends at City and<br />
Sandwell Hospitals is helping to<br />
get patients on our community<br />
wards moving more. The money<br />
has been used to purchase three<br />
Thera-Trainers – specially adapted<br />
bikes which allow patients to exercise<br />
their legs or upper body from a chair<br />
or wheelchair.<br />
<strong>Heartbeat</strong> spoke to Advanced<br />
Physiotherapist, Matthew Craven to<br />
find out how the bikes are making a<br />
difference to patients.<br />
“A few months ago we had a Thera-<br />
Trainer on loan from a company,”<br />
said Matthew.<br />
“We audited its use and found that<br />
we were using it with several patients<br />
everyday so I decided to put in an<br />
application for funding from the League<br />
of Friends.<br />
“Thankfully it was accepted and Sandwell<br />
Hospital League of Friends funded<br />
two Thera-Trainers, one for Leasowes<br />
Intermediate Care Centre and Henderson<br />
Unit at Rowley Regis Hospital whilst City<br />
Hospital League of Friends provided the<br />
funding for the machine on D47.<br />
“The patients we work with are<br />
medically fit for discharge from hospital,<br />
but they often require assistance with<br />
their mobility to help them with their<br />
walking or recover their ability to do<br />
daily activities.”<br />
Matthew helps Eilieen set-up the thera-trainer for her therapy session<br />
L-R: Pam Emerson, League of Friends Volunteer; Judith Whalley, Chair of City Hospital League of<br />
Friends; Matthew Craven, Advanced Physiotherapist and patient Eilieen Wood<br />
Often the patients that Matthew and the<br />
intermediate care physiotherapists work<br />
with are in their 80s and 90s, so using<br />
conventional equipment for their therapy is<br />
not normally possible.<br />
Matthew explained: “In most circumstances,<br />
we couldn’t ask an 85 year old patient to<br />
climb onto a traditional exercise bike, but<br />
the beauty of the Thera-Trainer is that there<br />
is no climbing required at all. You can simply<br />
wheel a wheelchair in or transfer the patient<br />
to a normal chair if they are able and they<br />
can use the trainer to cycle with their legs<br />
or their hands – or both if they are feeling<br />
particularly energetic!”<br />
Patients can spend between 10 and 30<br />
minutes on the Thera-Trainer, depending<br />
on their level of tolerance, but Matthew<br />
said they have definitely seen an increase<br />
in the patients’ motivation for their therapy<br />
sessions since the trainers were delivered.<br />
“Previously, we would be asking patients to<br />
do exercises such as 10 leg raises or 10 arm<br />
raises, which could become fairly boring for<br />
them, especially when they have a therapy<br />
session every day.<br />
“But the Thera-Trainers have screens on<br />
which allow them to play little games whilst<br />
they are exercising. They can pedal to move a<br />
car around a track and it also tells them how<br />
fast or how far they are going – it is much<br />
more motivating for them.<br />
“They find it really enjoyable and we are<br />
finding that more patients are wanting to<br />
use the trainers outside of their therapy<br />
session which is fantastic. The more exercise<br />
they are doing – the quicker their recovery<br />
will be.”<br />
Ernest Loynes, aged 91, has really enjoyed<br />
using the bike: “It’s fantastic - I never<br />
thought I would ride a bike again at my age,<br />
but I can work up a sweat without worrying<br />
about falling off.”<br />
Matthew is full of praise for the League of<br />
Friends: “I can’t say how grateful we are<br />
to the League of Friends at both City and<br />
Sandwell Hospitals.<br />
“The money they donated for us to be able<br />
to purchase the Thera-Trainers has made<br />
such a difference to our patients already and<br />
I know the equipment will continue to help<br />
us to provide a better level of therapy and<br />
get patients back to their families sooner.”<br />
22
Speech & language therapists introduce<br />
new guidelines for safer swallowing<br />
A new international framework to<br />
describe modified foods and fluids<br />
for those with dysphagia (swallowing<br />
difficulties) has been introduced.<br />
The International Dysphagia Diet<br />
Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI)<br />
will replace the current UK national<br />
descriptors.<br />
<strong>Heartbeat</strong> spoke to Speech and Language<br />
Therapist, Briony Storey to find out more<br />
about the new framework and how it will<br />
impact on colleagues and patients.<br />
“The intention of the IDDSI framework is to<br />
improve patient safety,” said Briony.<br />
“Standardised descriptors and testing<br />
methods will allow modified fluid and diet<br />
consistencies to be easily replicated between<br />
community, home and hospital.<br />
“The previous three stages (syrup, custard,<br />
pudding) of thickened fluids will change<br />
to four IDDSI levels. In line with this, the<br />
product and packaging will also change<br />
to reflect the new levels and make it easier<br />
to use.”<br />
The new frame work is approved by the<br />
The new IDDSI continuum has eight levels<br />
(0-7) and is coded with labels, numbers and<br />
colours<br />
Royal College of Speech and Language<br />
Therapists and their aim is for all UK<br />
manufactures and healthcare settings to be<br />
fully compliant with the IDDSI framework by<br />
April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
The speech and language therapy<br />
department are working closely with many<br />
departments across the organisation to<br />
implement the changes safely and effectively.<br />
Briony explained further: “We have been<br />
PRIMARY CARE, COMMUNITIES<br />
AND THERAPIES<br />
working with nutrition and dietetics,<br />
catering, IT and communications to<br />
prepare for the change. We will also be<br />
holding training sessions and workshops<br />
on priority wards which will demonstrate<br />
the new levels. We will be working closely<br />
with nursing colleagues to ensure the safe<br />
implementation of the changes.<br />
“Oral nutritional supplements will also<br />
meet IDDSI guidelines and these will be<br />
introduced into the Trust early this year.”<br />
More information about the<br />
changes will appear on Connect<br />
and in the communications bulletin,<br />
so please keep your eye out for<br />
this information. If you have any<br />
questions, you can contact the speech<br />
and language therapy department on<br />
0121 507 4486 (option 2) and you can<br />
also follow them on Twitter<br />
(@swbh_slt) where they will be<br />
posting regular updates.<br />
‘WeAllGetInvolved’ drives improvement<br />
in nuclear medicine & radiopharmacy<br />
Medical imaging is a complex but<br />
important part of any hospital and it’s<br />
no different here. Nuclear medicine uses<br />
radioactive radiopharmaceuticals to<br />
create images of how different organs<br />
function in the body to help diagnose<br />
medical conditions and the process<br />
involves many colleagues, including<br />
radiopharmacists, physicists and<br />
technologists.<br />
When so many different roles are working<br />
together, good communication and<br />
teamwork is essential and it was this<br />
communication strategy that was the topic<br />
of the poster that Bill Thomson, Consultant<br />
Physicist and Clinical Director submitted for<br />
the welearn poster competition.<br />
The ‘WeAllGetInvolved’ communication<br />
strategy has seven stages; WeThink,<br />
WeWrite, WeMeet, WeDiscuss, WePlan,<br />
WeEmail and WeChat - <strong>Heartbeat</strong> caught up<br />
with Bill to find out more.<br />
He said: “All the team are encouraged<br />
to come up with new ideas on how to<br />
enhance the existing service. They are<br />
then given freedom to share their ideas<br />
on a whiteboard, deliberately positioned<br />
The nuclear medicine and radiopharmacy<br />
team all play a part in driving service<br />
improvement<br />
in our staff room, for discussion at our<br />
QIHD meeting. This simple concept of the<br />
whiteboard drives our meeting agenda. So<br />
all colleagues are directly involved in setting<br />
the discussion points for our meetings.<br />
“We meet and discuss the ideas at our local<br />
QIHD. Following on from these discussions<br />
we put together action plans on how we<br />
were going to take forward ideas we all<br />
thought were beneficial, usually through a<br />
small team.”<br />
Bill and his directorate have already been<br />
able to make many improvements through<br />
this scheme.<br />
IMAGING<br />
“We’ve been able to achieve a lot as a<br />
result of getting everyone involved and<br />
feeling that they are directly able to make<br />
a difference.<br />
“This has included introducing an<br />
automatic text messaging reminder<br />
service for outpatients to reduce DNA<br />
rates, developing an inventory of<br />
equipment that can be easily transferred<br />
to Midland Met when we move,<br />
standardising image protocols across<br />
the three gamma camera systems and<br />
researching a new meal recipe choice and<br />
normal range for gastric emptying which<br />
could become a UK standard procedure<br />
going forward.<br />
“These changes made within the<br />
directorate have also helped contribute<br />
towards positive scores on latest ‘Your<br />
Voice’ survey with a 68 per cent response<br />
rate, 90 per cent involvement and 80 per<br />
cent motivation. All from a simple white<br />
board!”<br />
23
Pulse<br />
News in brief from around our organisation<br />
If you have a story you would like to appear<br />
on the Pulse page, please email a photo and a<br />
short explanation to emily.smith46@nhs.net<br />
Vy waves goodbye<br />
Senior External Communications Officer,<br />
Vy Tran has waved goodbye to SWBH this<br />
month after four years working within our<br />
communications team.<br />
She is a familiar face to many – and<br />
her smile and cheerful personality will<br />
definitely be missed.<br />
Good luck in your new job Vy.<br />
Millicent gets a letter from<br />
the Queen<br />
Beaming inpatient Millicent Ferguson<br />
was delighted to receive a card from<br />
the Queen to congratulate her and her<br />
husband Edgar on their Diamond Wedding<br />
anniversary.<br />
Millicent came to Sandwell Hospital<br />
on Christmas Eve after suffering from<br />
breathing problems. After excellent care<br />
from our nursing staff, she was discharged<br />
on 28 December (the day of her<br />
anniversary) and was able to celebrate the<br />
occasion with her family in the comfort of<br />
her own home.<br />
She said: “It was fabulous to receive the<br />
card from the Queen. It really perked me<br />
up, although I have experienced really<br />
good care here and everyone has looked<br />
after me well.”<br />
Jane ditches the cigarettes<br />
Congratulations to Jane Ashmore, Ward<br />
Clerk at Leasowes who has now been<br />
smokefree for nine weeks.<br />
Jane, who smoked between 15 and 20<br />
cigarettes a day for over 15 years, visited<br />
her GP and started a smoking cessation<br />
programme. She now has an inhalator<br />
and nicotine patches and is enjoying her<br />
smokefree life.<br />
“My father was astonished,” said Jane.<br />
“My family never thought I could do it –<br />
but I have!<br />
“I feel really good and I have a lot more<br />
energy.”<br />
Jane believes that she is saving around<br />
£250 each month from not buying<br />
cigarettes, which she plans on using<br />
towards a holiday.<br />
Senior External Communications Officer, Vy<br />
Tran is moving to join Helpforce – a charity<br />
that recruits volunteers for the NHS<br />
Millicent Ferguson was delighted to<br />
show colleagues on Priory 4 her letter<br />
from the Queen<br />
Well done Jane – you are an inspiration to<br />
others looking to quit.<br />
If you are looking to follow in<br />
Jane’s shoes, there is lots of support<br />
available for you from occupational<br />
health – contact them on extension<br />
3306.<br />
Ward Clerk, Jane Ashmore has been smoke<br />
free for nine weeks<br />
Do you want to join the<br />
disability and long term<br />
conditions staff network?<br />
The disability and long term conditions<br />
staff network are looking for new<br />
members to join their group. Meetings<br />
take place every two months and are open<br />
to anyone who would like to attend –<br />
with or without a disability or long term<br />
conditions.<br />
The meetings (which always involve food!)<br />
are an opportunity to talk to like-minded<br />
people and help the Trust to shape its<br />
strategy for managing diversity and<br />
inclusion.<br />
Anyone who would like to be kept<br />
informed or contribute to the group<br />
without formally attending meetings<br />
is welcome to contact richard.<br />
burnell@nhs.net and can be added<br />
to the mailing list.<br />
<strong>2019</strong> meeting dates<br />
• 15 February<br />
Room 15 Education Centre<br />
Sandwell Hospital<br />
• 12 April<br />
Anne Gibson Board Room<br />
City Hospital<br />
• 21 June<br />
Room 9 Education Centre<br />
Sandwell Hospital<br />
• 30 August<br />
Anne Gibson Board Room<br />
City Hospital<br />
• 18 October<br />
Room 15 Education Centre<br />
Sandwell Hospital<br />
Members of the disability long term<br />
conditions staff staff network<br />
24
Emma Archer Associate Head of Pharmacy<br />
Operations, Business and Projects<br />
It’s not only a ‘hello’ this month, but also<br />
‘welcome back’ to Emma Archer, who<br />
has joined as our new associate head<br />
of pharmacy operations, business and<br />
projects.<br />
Emma trained as a pharmacy technician<br />
following two years training at the General<br />
Hospital Birmingham. She had a short stint<br />
at George Elliot Hospital, before arriving<br />
at Sandwell Hospital (pre the Trust merge)<br />
where she enjoyed seven years working in<br />
dispensary, aseptics and ward based services.<br />
Emma moved to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital<br />
Birmingham as dispensary manager, where<br />
she stayed for 13 years.<br />
“During this time, my role progressed to<br />
encompass Selly Oak dispensaries and crosssite<br />
ward based services,” explained Emma.<br />
“I was appointed to the role of associate<br />
director of pharmacy by my then boss, Dr<br />
Keith Ridge CBE, who is now the chief<br />
pharmacist for the UK.”<br />
In 2013, Emma moved to Birmingham<br />
Children’s Hospital for a better work/life<br />
balance as she looked to start a family.<br />
“My husband and I have twin boys who are<br />
now four and will be starting school this<br />
year,” said Emma.<br />
“After working part-time managing the<br />
pharmacy homecare team, I felt it was the<br />
right time to step back into full-time work<br />
and I was delighted when the opportunity to<br />
return to Sandwell Hospital came up.”<br />
Emma’s role as associate head of pharmacy<br />
operations, business and projects means she is<br />
responsible for dispensaries, procurement and<br />
distribution cross-site.<br />
She said: “I will be working with Pun (Sharma,<br />
Chief Pharmacist) to lead new projects<br />
which include the outsourcing of outpatient<br />
dispensing and the further roll out of Pyxis<br />
medicine cabinets across the organisation.<br />
There will also be a lot of work to prepare the<br />
service for the move to Midland Met.”<br />
So what is Emma most looking forward to<br />
about her new role?<br />
“I was happy working at Sandwell before<br />
and I already feel I have returned to a friendly,<br />
positive organisation,” smiled Emma.<br />
“I am looking forward to using the<br />
knowledge and skills gained through my time<br />
working in hospital pharmacy to improve<br />
services and support colleagues in their<br />
development.<br />
“It’s an exciting time to join the team with<br />
Midland Met on the horizon.”<br />
Emma Archer, Associate Head of Pharmacy<br />
Operations, Business and Projects joined us<br />
this month<br />
Wave goodbye to…<br />
Jean Bennington<br />
Senior Receptionist<br />
A senior receptionist in our<br />
occupational health department retired<br />
at the end of last year after 22 years at<br />
our organisation.<br />
Jean Bennington joined as a phlebotomist<br />
in 1997, a role which she enjoyed, however<br />
when staff reductions were made in the<br />
department, Jean decided to try and use<br />
her administrative skills and qualifications<br />
elsewhere.<br />
“I spent some time working in the<br />
recruitment department,” said Jean.<br />
“And in 2000 I joined occupational health<br />
as a senior receptionist. I have very much<br />
enjoyed the last 18 years with the team and<br />
the wide variety of the work I have been<br />
involved in.<br />
“I can remember when appointments were<br />
handwritten into the paper diary, which<br />
seems a world away from the impressive<br />
paper light system we have now.”<br />
Jean also played a major part in the<br />
development of the pioneering Sandwell<br />
occupational health computer system,<br />
which has now been developed into the<br />
‘Cohort’ computer system – the number<br />
one occupational health computer system<br />
used around the world.<br />
So what will Jean miss most about her<br />
working life?<br />
“The people,” she said without hesitation.<br />
“Not only my wonderful colleagues, but the<br />
rest of the staff who are our patients. I have<br />
always enjoyed helping people and will miss<br />
the satisfaction that this brings.”<br />
Tracy Lees, Nurse Manager said: “Jean is a<br />
larger than life personality, hardworking, full<br />
of zest, creativity, new ideas and enthusiasm<br />
to change and improve the way we do<br />
things in occupational health. She will be<br />
greatly missed.”<br />
Jean plans to spend her retirement by<br />
going on regular holidays with her husband<br />
– but she has already told him that she<br />
can’t go away in October…as she will be<br />
returning on the bank to help with the<br />
<strong>2019</strong> flu campaign!<br />
Senior Receptionist, Jean Bennington with her colleagues from occupational health at her<br />
retirement party<br />
25
Letters, of less than 200 words please, can be sent to the Communications Department,<br />
Trust Headquarters, Sandwell Hospital or by email to swb-tr.SWBH-GM-<strong>Heartbeat</strong>@nhs.net<br />
YOUR RIGHT TO BE HEARD<br />
26<br />
Why is Leasowes forgotten?<br />
Dear <strong>Heartbeat</strong>,<br />
Just over 3 years ago I wrote a letter to<br />
you regarding the shuttle bus stopping<br />
at Leasowes to pick up staff when they<br />
need to go training.<br />
I did get a reply from Toby Lewis<br />
promising to look into this matter.<br />
Christmas of that year he came to<br />
Leasowes to wish us a merry Christmas,<br />
he saw me and said Neil I'm like a dog<br />
with a bone regarding the issue (he may<br />
have meant a dinosaur bone) to this day<br />
there has been nothing done about this<br />
matter.<br />
We at Leasowes feel that when it suits<br />
we are part of the trust, but when things<br />
are needed we are isolated and excluded<br />
which is frustrating us hugely.<br />
I look forward to hearing from you.<br />
Many Thanks<br />
Neil Smallman<br />
HCA at Leasowes<br />
Neil,<br />
Thanks for your letter and I well<br />
remember the conversation. At the<br />
time I looked into this and the time<br />
loss from diversion for occasional use<br />
was going to be problematic. The<br />
bus usually proceeds down to the<br />
roundabout by Warley Superstore,<br />
but in traffic diverts and misses that<br />
leg of the journey. What we could<br />
do is either have a dial-up divert<br />
when there is a user at Leasowes, or<br />
a limited run each day to help travel<br />
between sites.<br />
In addition, as part of the car park<br />
proposals we are looking at staff<br />
transit from major railway stations,<br />
and if getting to work is the main<br />
Leasowes need then that might be<br />
better.<br />
I am sorry you feel the site is not<br />
properly part of our Trust. I don’t<br />
feel that it is but once we have<br />
sorted out the IT in your site, and<br />
therefore communication reaches<br />
you more easily, I hope that the<br />
feeling you have will change.<br />
I was on the site just before<br />
Christmas, and although you did<br />
not win the Christmas decorating<br />
contest, I was really struck by the<br />
continued positive feel that you and the<br />
team have engendered for patients.<br />
Best wishes,<br />
Toby Lewis<br />
Chief Executive<br />
A waste of time and money?<br />
Dear <strong>Heartbeat</strong>,<br />
Can I ask why are patients are sent letters to<br />
make appointment then when they phone<br />
up to make the appointment to be told<br />
sorry the dairy is not open now we will send<br />
you out an appointment when the dairy is<br />
open, this defeats the objective of making<br />
appointment when it is convenient for both<br />
parties this has happened to my wife and<br />
myself over the last 6 months by different<br />
clinics.<br />
This has got to be a waste of time and<br />
money surly it would be better to send out<br />
the letters when the diary is open to take<br />
bookings.<br />
Thanks,<br />
Anon<br />
Dear Colleague,<br />
Thanks for the letter.<br />
At our Trust we run a partial booking<br />
system that aims to give patients more<br />
choice of the appointment date and<br />
time, allowing them to agree this<br />
nearer the time that the appointment<br />
is needed rather than several months in<br />
advance.<br />
The contact centre sends out letters to<br />
patients inviting them to ring to book<br />
their appointment if they are due to be<br />
seen within the next six weeks. Our aim<br />
is that all patients can get booked into<br />
one of those slots at the time of their<br />
choosing but this is not always possible.<br />
I am sorry that this appears to be the<br />
case for you and your wife and I am<br />
very happy to look into this for you if<br />
you contact me directly.<br />
We are constantly looking into ways<br />
to improve our booking arrangements<br />
by matching up the available slots with<br />
the numbers we invite to make an<br />
appointment.<br />
Kind regards,<br />
Liam Kennedy<br />
Deputy Chief Operating Officer<br />
How do we claim for EU<br />
settlement?<br />
Dear Toby,<br />
With great interest I read your recent<br />
message regarding the EU nationals in the<br />
trust. I am one of them.<br />
Me and my colleagues from the EU are<br />
happy to hear that the trust made the<br />
decision to pay / reimburse the £65 fee.<br />
However, it doesn't state how we have to<br />
claim it.<br />
We would appreciate if you or HR could<br />
advise how to the claim the fee.<br />
I am looking forward to hear from you.<br />
Kind regards,<br />
Anon<br />
Dear Colleague,<br />
Thank you for your letter.<br />
It was an easy decision for the Board to<br />
make to fund EU settlement claims; we<br />
want you to stay with us to continue<br />
to work to build a diverse care system,<br />
which reflects the rich mix of long<br />
standing and new residents in both<br />
Sandwell and Western Birmingham.<br />
You will need to apply via the<br />
government website (www.gov.uk/<br />
settled-status-eu-citizens- families)<br />
and then claim back your settlement<br />
application costs.<br />
You will then need to follow this<br />
process:<br />
• Once you have gained settlement<br />
status/pre-settlement status will<br />
need to validate your claim. This<br />
will be done by you providing the<br />
relevant document to the<br />
recruitment team.<br />
• Claim your frees back via the Easy<br />
Expenses system – if you do not<br />
have an account you will need to<br />
set this up on Connect – it is quick<br />
and simple to do so.<br />
• Once validated, you will then be<br />
able to submit your claim which will<br />
need to be approved by your<br />
manager.<br />
If you need further guidance please do<br />
contact the HR team.<br />
Kind regards,<br />
Toby Lewis<br />
Chief Executive
Toby writes about…<br />
employment and learning<br />
TobyLewis_SWBH<br />
TOBY’S LAST WORD<br />
One of the proudest moments of my time<br />
as your chief executive has been involving<br />
myself, just a little, in the work we do to try<br />
and create employment opportunities locally.<br />
That endeavour is what this column is about.<br />
But starting at the beginning, what matters<br />
to improving health?<br />
What you do, what we do with partner GPs<br />
like Manir, Imran and James (who feature<br />
in <strong>Heartbeat</strong> this month) what is done by<br />
our colleagues in RAID, the Oak Suite and<br />
CAMHS is hugely important. But if we want<br />
to change the health outcomes and the<br />
wellbeing of families and communities, we<br />
know that healthcare is at best a third of the<br />
programme. The other two parts are housing<br />
and employment. Together they provide the<br />
security to live and the basis for fulfilment.<br />
That belief in housing, employment and care<br />
as a three part mission is what animates our<br />
local Healthy Lives Partnership. And what<br />
drives the priorities that we are trying to set<br />
alongside primary care network colleagues<br />
in the local system. The NHS Long Term Plan<br />
is an important and interesting document.<br />
We all know it needs a social care green<br />
paper and an NHS workforce plan to make<br />
it truly credible, but to change outcomes,<br />
we need to tackle housing poverty and<br />
income inequality. The plan is not as brave<br />
as it could be in that respect.<br />
So we have our now longstanding projects<br />
focused on homeless young people and<br />
care leavers, which work to create dedicated<br />
apprenticeships to support those most at<br />
risk of falling through a social safety net.<br />
I want to thank line managers who have<br />
worked to support these young people, as<br />
well as our Learning Works and learning and<br />
development teams. We continue to see<br />
those projects thrive, and we are investing<br />
more right now to expand them further. We<br />
have next step options around employment<br />
access projects for ex-service people, often at<br />
risk of homelessness and exclusion, projects<br />
for those who have had mental health<br />
issues, or still have mental health issues, and<br />
work too to ease a path to employment for<br />
local people with learning disabilities (led by<br />
colleagues in our theatre teams). Every step<br />
we take in these projects changes the cost<br />
to the health service of those we assist, and<br />
may too impact on the health and wellbeing<br />
of their loved ones and dependents. The<br />
cost of social exclusion and of poverty<br />
is one paid over the long term, and<br />
which we want to tackle with up-front<br />
investment.<br />
In terms of housing, our current focus is on<br />
the Infirmary Wharf development which<br />
will take shape at City Hospital when we<br />
move out, and provide over 800 homes for<br />
local people. Meanwhile, whilst the Hallam<br />
building at Sandwell is doing a job for us<br />
accommodating many colleagues, after<br />
2023 we want it to be replaced by a housing<br />
project and are working with partners to<br />
secure that deal, which could add another<br />
100 or more dwellings to the local area.<br />
Across the country you can see NHS land<br />
laid idle, for want of the vision to turn it into<br />
homes that are needed. Around Midland<br />
Met we are leading work to create the<br />
development vision which will see not<br />
only key worker housing, but a thriving<br />
community with economic activity<br />
established. This is our business, because<br />
health depends on it. We are not just a<br />
disease service.<br />
In 2018 we were one of only two Trusts<br />
in the Midlands to achieve the whole 2.3<br />
per cent apprenticeship target set by the<br />
Government. That is a massive tribute<br />
to work by first line managers across<br />
our organisation. It means over 160<br />
apprentices in our midst. 13 colleagues<br />
are our first to achieve the healthcare<br />
support worker apprenticeship standard,<br />
and three gained distinctions in their studies.<br />
Right now we have 25 colleagues on the<br />
new team leader apprenticeship programme<br />
at level 3. And later this year our first nurse<br />
apprentice roles will graduate, and we are<br />
working hard to be ready for the same<br />
programme in midwifery.<br />
What lies behind that drive is a desire to<br />
help shape careers not simply to recruit<br />
to jobs. Last spring we tried to launch our<br />
nurse escalator project. It relaunches this<br />
month. Later this winter, we will kick off<br />
work to formally create an escalator from<br />
band 2 to band 3 for HCAs. If you have not<br />
already joined up the dots we will have a<br />
programme from band 2 to 3, via the new<br />
band 4 role, and then one from band 5<br />
to 6. We want to help high potential<br />
people locally to move into registered<br />
roles, and to progress their studies<br />
and their ambition as far as they<br />
want to go. Just as our director of<br />
therapies started many years ago in an<br />
apprentice role, there is no reason that a<br />
future chief nurse could not start work<br />
here as a HCA. To do that of course we<br />
need to make some changes to how we<br />
budget and manage jobs. That is why our<br />
PDR changes were so important, and we<br />
redo all our appraisals between April and<br />
June <strong>2019</strong>. That process spots the high<br />
potential colleagues in our midst and<br />
looks to speed up their careers and match<br />
their ambition: Assuming of course you<br />
have done your mandatory training (see<br />
the letter with your payslip in <strong>January</strong>).<br />
If you are reading this and want to<br />
know more about the opportunities,<br />
talk to your line manager, get in touch<br />
with Bethan Downing, or contact me<br />
direct. The only ring-fenced protected<br />
budget in our Trust is the training<br />
budget and it will expand yet<br />
again in <strong>2019</strong>-20. Our commitment to<br />
employment and to creating rewarding<br />
careers based in learning is one of<br />
the things that is distinctive about our<br />
organisation, one of the opportunities<br />
we will share as new partners like our<br />
GP colleagues join the SWBH family,<br />
and something that is a basis for asking<br />
people to work with and for us.<br />
Learning though is not just about careers<br />
or employment. It is also about how we<br />
share knowledge inside the Trust. Right<br />
now we are consulting on the welearn<br />
programme, which will be a big part of<br />
our <strong>2019</strong> efforts to share glimpses of<br />
brilliance from across the organisation<br />
and to make sure that we learn lessons<br />
when things nearly or do go wrong.<br />
Make sure in your February face to face<br />
team meeting you put forward your<br />
response to the TeamTalk topic and have<br />
your voice heard. If in February there is no<br />
team meeting where you work, do let me<br />
know, or contact Ruth Wilkin, and we will<br />
help you to have one!<br />
27
Events Diary February <strong>2019</strong><br />
EVENT DATE TIME VENUE<br />
Public Trust Board 7 9.30am–12.30pm Anne Gibson Board Room, City Hospital<br />
QIHD 14 PM session Trust wide<br />
Clinical Leadership Executive 26 2pm – 5pm Anne Gibson Board Room, City Hospital<br />
SWB TeamTalk 27<br />
11am<br />
1pm<br />
1pm<br />
Committee Room, Rowley Regis Hospital<br />
Education Centre, Sandwell Hospital<br />
Hayward Lecture, City Hospital<br />
Introduction to mindfulness 5 10am – 1pm The Berridge Room, Sandwell Hospital<br />
Experiencing grief and loss 19 10am – 1pm The Berridge Room, Sandwell Hospital<br />
Mental health training for managers 13 10am – 1pm The Berridge Room, Sandwell Hospital<br />
Suicide awareness 27 10am – 1pm The Berridge Room, Sandwell Hospital<br />
*to book any of the health and wellbeing courses, please contact Jatinder Sekhon or Emma Williams on extension 3306 option 4.<br />
<strong>2019</strong> QIHD Dates<br />
MONTH DATE TIME<br />
February 14 PM<br />
March 15 AM<br />
April 18 PM<br />
May 15 PM<br />
June 14 AM<br />
July 9 PM<br />
MONTH DATE TIME<br />
August<br />
No QIHD<br />
September 3 PM<br />
October 10 AM<br />
November 14 PM<br />
December<br />
No QIHD<br />
December 2018 staff lottery results<br />
1st £197.75<br />
Rachael Gallagher<br />
2nd £118.65<br />
Caroline Hansford<br />
3rd £79.10<br />
Laura Roberts<br />
Don’t forget that Your Trust Charity lottery costs just £1 a month and anyone<br />
who works for the Trust can join. Payment is deducted from your wages each<br />
month. To take part email amanda.winwood@nhs.net.<br />
Take a break: in this month's <strong>Heartbeat</strong><br />
Name: ___________________________________________<br />
Can you match the question with the right answer? E-mail your answers to swbh.comms@nhs.net<br />
and all correct answers will be put into a draw to win vouchers - good luck!<br />
In this month's <strong>Heartbeat</strong><br />
1. How many month's until we go smokefree? A. Donna Mighty<br />
2. Where do Dsr Imran Zaman and Manir Aslam work? B. Broadway Healthcare Centre<br />
3. What animal will be helping our dementia patients? C. Six<br />
4. Who is the new chair of the BME network? D. Lydia Nestor<br />
5. When will the full dress rehersal of Unity start? E. 11 February<br />
6. Who is our new consultant midwife? F. Maternity<br />
7. Which department is leading the way with VTE assesments? G. Seal<br />
8. How many weeks has Jane Ashmore been smoke free? H. Nine<br />
Date: ___________________