Heartbeat December 2019

Joint working improves
paediatrics care
MEDICINE AND EMERGENCY
CARE
The children’s emergency
department at City Hospital
successfully transferred into their
new temporary home which will
mean a temporary reduction in the
cubicles and the space available to
treat young patients.
To support the children’s ED during the
decant period the paediatric assessment
unit (PAU) based on D19 has increased
its capacity to facilitate a timely transfer
from the children’s ED.
The PAU now has nine-bed spaces and
five chairs for children to be assessed
and treated. The length of stay on this
unit has been reduced to 18 hours
to reflect the nature of a PAU, and
in readiness for the new combined
Children’s ED/PAU. The staffing
establishment has been increased to
reflect the changes, and we are working
towards recruiting staff to meet this.
Cheryl Newton, Group Director of
Nursing Women and Child Health, said:
“The transition has gone well. Close
joint working will be needed to make
sure we can still offer the best care to
our children in the reduced space in ED.
The team created a leaflet providing
information to parents and carers about
ED and paediatrics team work closely to support safe and effective care
how their children will be cared for during
their stay on the PAU.”
The new paediatric PAU/ED unit is due to
open in April 2020. Cheryl added: “The new
unit will enable ED/PAU to work in a defined
space created for children and young people.
It will facilitate closer working and enable
faster response by paediatric trained medics
in emergencies.
“The unit will present the teams with
opportunities to develop and expand their
skills and will be staffed 24 hours on both
the ED/PAU areas. Currently, the children’s
ED area closes at 10pm.”
New FGM clinic is taking referrals
WOMEN AND CHILD HEALTH
Clinicians can now refer to a new
female genital mutilation (FGM)
clinic, run by our Trust.
Summerfield Women’s Clinic, based at
Summerfield Primary Care Centre, in
Winson Green, and is being led by FGM
Specialist Midwife, Alison Byrne.
Clinicians from our Trust and other
neighbouring healthcare organisations
can refer patients who will benefit from
treatment and care from Alison and her
team.
She said: “We’ve had several referrals
already which speaks volumes about the
service. It is a much-needed clinic and
Sarata Jabbi - FGM survivor
is perfectly placed in the heart of the West
Midlands. We will not only be expecting
patient referrals from our Trust but from
others across the Midlands.”
Heartbeat told last month, how FGM
survivor Sarata Jabbi had also praised the
opening of the clinic. “It will give so many
victims a safe and confidential way to seek
help” she previously said. “There are many
women from the Gambia, Somali, Eritrea
and other African countries that have
suffered and desperately need treatment as
a result of FGM.
“Summerfield Primary Care Centre is a
well-known venue and is easily accessible
for many women from the communities
where FGM is practised so I believe it will be
a well-used clinic.”
To refer a patient to the clinic, email
Alison at swbh.summerfieldfgm@nhs.
net.
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