Heartbeat January 2019

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Local MP meets the Midland Met workers back on site CORPORATE AND GENERAL NEWS John Spellar, MP for Warley took time out of his busy schedule to drop in on Midland Met in December to see for himself how the building is shaping up following the recommencement of work on site. The visit came ahead of our organisation beginning the process of tendering for a contractor to complete the construction of the new emergency hospital. Building giant Balfour Beatty started work last month on the interim repair, making good the parts of the building that were left open to the elements since work stopped in January 2018. L-R: Dalvir Bains, Jim Cole, Robert Wood, John Spellar, Rumena Sufian, Colin Melvin and Chief Executive, Toby Lewis Chief Executive Toby Lewis said: “We are pleased that Midland Met’s local MP, Mr John Spellar, took time out to visit the site and see the cranes in action once again. “He has been very supportive of our efforts to ensure we have the funding in place and the right construction arrangements to finish the hospital, as an essential acute hospital which will transform the health and wellbeing of the local population, and bring investment and regeneration opportunities to the nearby area.” Mr Spellar commented: “I am delighted to see work starting again on the site of this long awaited and much needed project. Toby Lewis and his team have worked tirelessly to bring this about. The people of Sandwell and West Birmingham have waited too long for this hospital and I have urged the management and Government to get this completed as soon as possible.” During the visit Mr Spellar met with Trust Advisor, Dave Hollywood, along with Colin Melvin, Forklift Driver, Dalvir Bains, Gateman and Traffic Marshall, Jim Cole, Labourer, Robert Wood, Carpenter, Andy Fage, Project Manager and Rumena Sufian, Project Support Officer. Winter ready: The snow must go on When it comes to being prepared for winter in the NHS, it goes well beyond making sure you have a pair of gloves and a scarf at the ready. Even when the country seems to grind to a halt when the white stuff hits, for those in the NHS – the show must go on - as our hospitals are full of patients who rely on us. Last year brought us unprecedented snow and cold weather as the ‘Beast from the East,’ visited Sandwell and West Birmingham. As an organisation, it was business as usual and our preparation shone through. Business continuity plans came into play and tactical command centres were established. Colleagues in estates worked tirelessly to keep boilers heating the hospital and the surrounding areas were safe for both colleagues and visitors. We heard many stories of colleagues coming together to get to work safely, with many leaving the car at home and heading in on foot. This year, we are taking the same approach and are asking colleagues to plan ahead and consider every eventuality, so that should there be a sudden snow shower or ice on the road, we are still able to get to work and provide our patients with care we pride ourselves on. Last year Critical Care Sisters, Amy-Jo Allen and Rhea Conn embarked on a 90 minute walk to ensure they could care for patients at City Hospital To find out more about the winter preparedness plans and expectations, Heartbeat caught up with Chief Operating Officer, Rachel Barlow to find out more. “We all have a duty of care to plan and prepare for every eventuality to ensure we can continue delivering safe and effective care,” said Rachel. “We are asking colleagues to ensure that they are prepared and to ensure they are able to make it to their place of work – should we experience similar weather to last year. “During winter we all need to support each other. We can’t safely deliver care without being staffed appropriately. “Whilst I understand that bitterly cold weather can make it difficult to get to work, with a little planning and foresight, it is often possible to arrive and leave safely, as was proven last year by many dedicated colleagues.” Top tips for winter preparedness • Don’t be reliant on your car to get to work, ensure you have alternative transport available, (train, metro, bus). • If you have childcare responsibilities, ensure you have a friend or family member to support should schools / nurseries close. • Keep up to date with the weather - cold weather reports are published in the daily bulletin and on myConnect, as well as weather reports on apps / tv and radio. • If you drive, ensure your car is suitably equipped and serviced to handle winter weather safely. • If you need to find alternative routes to work using public transport that you are unfamiliar with, use https:// www.networkwestmidlands.com/ or apps on your phone such as ‘City Mapper’ to navigate your way to work. If you are unable to make it to work, you must inform your line manager at the earliest available opportunity. Guidance on the reporting protocol can be found on Connect. 6
Robot has seal of approval from chief nurse Meet PARO – the furry robotic seal that will be used as a therapeutic intervention for people with dementia and learning disabilities on our wards. The fluffy robot uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to learn from its surroundings and responds to its name. It likes to be petted and even wags its tail afterwards to show appreciation. The seal contains sensors that allow it to perceive what is happening in its surroundings, to recognise light and to know where a voice is coming from. It looks at the person talking to it and makes whining noises. The robot has been in use since 2003 in more than 30 countries, including Japan, Denmark and the United States and research has shown that the seal lessens stress and anxiety, promotes social interaction, facilitates emotional expression, and improves mood and speech fluency. Paula Gardner, Chief Nurse, said: “The seals were used at a previous organisation I worked at and I thought they were brilliant, hence why I was keen on introducing them here. “We regularly hold pet therapy sessions which demonstrate that interaction with real animals improves the mood of our patients and motivates them. “The sessions with Pets as Therapy are held on a weekly basis in a day room on Newton 4 ward and are very popular. However, the PARO seals can be taken to the bedside of our patients which takes away any issues regarding infection control.” Tests carried out have found that the seal can be safely used. The robot was used over a nine month period on a 10-bed dementia ward, where hygiene and cleaning tests were carried out. Lead researcher, Dr Penny Dodds said: “We have demonstrated that, under controlled conditions, PARO was safe within the hospital setting for an acute care dementia unit.” CORPORATE AND GENERAL NEWS PARO was invented by Professor Takanori Shibata from Japan. He has previously said of his creation: “I set out to find a way to use technology as an alternative drug-free therapy to ease the suffering of patients with dementia. “The health challenges faced by older people are enormous and growing but technology is changing just as quickly. We’ve proved that this is possible, and that AI has huge potential for the future.” To find out more about the PARO Seal and how it can be used on your ward, contact Stephen.keates@nhs.net. BME and LGBT staff networks name new chairs 2019 will bring leadership changes for the BME and LGBT staff networks, as both groups have recently appointed new leadership teams. Charge Nurse, David Powell has been elected as chair of the LGBT network, with Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Stuart Young as vice-chair, whilst Assistant Primary Care Liaison Manager, Donna Mighty and Senior IT Support Officer, Mark Haynes have been elected as chair and vice-chair of the BME network. Heartbeat caught up with the newly appointed chairs and vice chairs to find out how they felt about their recent election. “I am delighted to be elected as chair of the BME staff network,” said Donna. “Thank you to everyone who took the time to cast their vote. I will build upon the fantastic work already started and play my part in making a positive difference within our workplace and creating equity for all.” Mark said: “I would like to express L-R: Deputy Chief Nurse, Paul Hooton; Chief Nurse, Paula Gardner and Associate Chief Nurse, Debbie Talbot with the PARO Seal heartfelt thanks to you all for your support, encouragement and confidence in electing me as vice chair of our BME staff network. “Congratulations to my fellow elected; Donna Mighty, David Powell and Stuart Young. I look forward to working with you as a team to advance issues of importance.” David added: “Thank you for electing me to be chair of the LGBT network. I am looking forward to taking forward the amazing work this Trust has done in supporting colleagues to be able to have a voice. “It is important to me to be able to support and work alongside colleagues and to share the experiences I have had during my nursing career.” Stuart concluded: “I am delighted to be able to support Dave in his term as chair of the LGBT staff network. “In the last two years we have made a real difference to colleagues and patients and I am looking forward to helping the network and allies continue this important work.” The PARO seal Staff network meeting dates for 2019 BME Network 13/02/2019 14:00 – 16:00 Sandwell Education Centre - Room 15 10/04/2019 13:00 – 15:00 Anne Gibson Board Room – City Hospital 19/06/2019 14:00 – 16:00 Sandwell Education Centre - Room 9 28/08/2019 14:00 – 16:00 Anne Gibson Board Room – City Hospital 16/10/2019 14:00 – 16:00 Sandwell Education Centre - Room 15 LGBT Network 14/02/2019 10:00 – 12:00 Sandwell Education Centre - Room 15 11/04/2019 14:00 – 16:00 City Hospital - Anne Gibson Committee Room 20/06/2019 10:00 – 12:00 SGH Education Centre - Room 9 29/08/2019 14:00 – 16:00 City Hospital - Anne Gibson Committee Room 17/10/2019 10:00 – 12:00 Sandwell Education Centre - Room 15 7
Page 1 and 2: January 2019 Sandwell and West Birm
Page 3 and 4: Collaboration with local GP partner
Page 5: Apprentices reach new heights At th
Page 9 and 10: Get active at the FREE Sandwell Gym
Page 11 and 12: NHS Hero: Lead Chaplain, Mary Cause
Page 13 and 14: Lifeline support for addiction vict
Page 15 and 16: Journey to deliver a successful ful
Page 17 and 18: Leading professor joins AMU team fo
Page 19 and 20: New consultant midwife appointed WO
Page 21 and 22: Audiology share new ways to respond
Page 23 and 24: Speech & language therapists introd
Page 25 and 26: Emma Archer Associate Head of Pharm
Page 27 and 28: Toby writes about… employment and

Heartbeat January 2019

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