Heartbeat October 2019

Pulse
News in brief from around our organisation
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Wellbeing hampers boost
morale on wards
Our paediatric units across the
organisation have introduced
wellbeing hampers to help support
colleagues during the more
demanding times of their shifts.
The hampers which are now in place
at both paediatric units at City and
Sandwell contain a variety of treats and
confectionery from breakfast cereals and
soups to tights and toiletries.
When patients are pouring through the
doors it’s sometimes easy to forget to look
after yourself. The new hampers provide a
little treasure chest of treats waiting in the
wings should someone need something to
energise themselves.
Though very much a team effort, Joanne
Wright, ward manager on Lyndon
One ward has played a massive role in
implementing the wellbeing baskets
across the Trust. She said: “There are
occasions where staff are very busy and
will go the extra mile often sacrificing
their own comfort. Whether it be
something small like a snag in your tights
or being at work and having something to
tie your hair with, the wellbeing baskets
can easily compensate for such things.”
The wellbeing baskets are self-sufficient
in the sense that when a colleague takes
an item, they then replace it ready for the
Lyndon One ward with their basket of goodies and treats. L-R: Kayleigh Dickens, Sister; Suneeta
Singh, HCA and Joanne Wright, Ward Manager
next person. This means that everything
is readily available and stocked up with all
the essentials.
There has been lots of positive feedback
about the hampers with clinical colleagues
across the Trust praising the innovative
idea.
“The baskets are a simple but effective
idea and make perfect sense,” Cheryl
Newton, Director of Nursing told
Heartbeat. “I think going forward; they
could potentially be introduced across
many other areas within the hospital so
that should there ever be someone in
need, it’s only a hamper away.”
She added: “I have to also say a big
thanks to all ward managers including
Joanne Wright for having the perseverance
in introducing the hampers. Without their
initial kindness, none of this would have
been possible.”
A trip down memory lane for
Maureen and Monica
It was a trip down memory lane for two
former nurses who returned to City
Hospital 60 years after they completed
their training.
Maureen Jones and Monica Beirne,
aged 81, visited the site to mark their
anniversary and were greeted by Research
Nurse, Jenny Porter, who has a keen
interest in the history of the site.
She took them on a tour which ended
with a small tea party in the chapel, where
they all shared their favourite memories.
Monica said: “It all seems different now.
The corridors were so plain before and
there was the smell of Lysol everywhere.
“And of course the nurses’ home is now
(Left to right) Glenys Welch with Monica
Beirne, Maureen Jones and Jenny Porter
derelict, but it’s where we spent our three
years. My husband Tom would visit and
he’d always miss the last bus home so had
to walk the nine miles back to Dudley.
“He had to make sure he left before
curfew though at 10pm as the matron
would come round with her little dog
trying to sniff out anyone who wasn’t
supposed to be there.
“She also used to let the dog onto
the wards - there certainly wasn’t any
infection control procedures back then!”
Both Maureen and Monica carried out
their training between 1956 and 1959
before they both left to work at other NHS
trusts.
Jenny added: “It was wonderful to meet
Maureen and Monica for the first time
and hear about their time here. It may
have been brief but it certainly made a
lasting impression on them. They were
keen to return and take a look around
some of their ‘old haunts’ and it was a
pleasure to be able to do this.”
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