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Today Blue Stream Academy's Healthcare & Lifestyle Magazine Spring 2021 | Issue 9

PTSD in NHS Staff is Nothing New

COVID-19 Vaccination Myths DEBUNKED

We look at the most common vaccination myths.

We hear from MQ: Mental Health Research about their recent study into PTSD in frontline workers.

Look Who’s Talking

Encouraging Positive Conversations About Vaccination Dr Tonia Thomas Oxford Vaccine Group

BSA Today Issue 9 Front Cover

BSA Today is the exciting Healthcare & Lifestyle magazine from Blue Stream Academy - the UK’s leading provider of online training for GP Practices, Nursing & Care Homes, Hospices and Urgent Care Centres. Our mission is to standardise healthcare training to ensure consistent delivery of quality care through better staff education, learning and development. Providing over 100 hours of eLearning, Blue Stream Academy’s suite of interactive training modules is easy to use, cost-effective and in line with CQC guidelines – our modules are also CPD certified. If you have any comments, suggestions or ideas for future articles, please contact our editor, Brady Braddock, by email: brady@bluestreamacademy.com Alternatively, you can write to us, phone us, or visit our website: Blue Stream Academy Suites 11, 12 & 16 Riverside Business Centre Foundry Lane Milford Derbyshire DE56 0RN 01773 822549 www.bluestreamacademy.com The views and opinions expressed within this publication are that of the original authors of the relevant content and do not necessarily reflect the official views and opinions of Blue Stream Academy Ltd. © 2021 Blue Stream Academy

Would you like to join our Subscribers’ Club and be the first to receive future issues and hear about exclusive offers and competitions? If so, you can join today at www.bluestreamacademy.com/home/subscribe. Alternatively, you can phone us on 01773 822549 or drop us an email at bsatoday@bluestreamacademy.com

BSA Today | Issue 9

In this issue From the Editor's Desk...

ust over a year ago, NHS procedure changed almost overnight when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global public health emergency. The UK government issued a clear and concise message – stay home, protect the NHS, save lives. As the country locked down, it felt as though the world we knew had changed forever – and not for the better. Then came a light at the end of the tunnel with the big announcement about the COVID-19 vaccine last December, which was followed by the most urgent vaccination drive in the history of modern medicine. With such drastic changes in the delivery of routine care, there surfaced an unprecedented need for information and guidance. At Blue Stream Academy, part of our core ethos maintains that training should be much more than a box-ticking exercise. Our unified mission throughout the pandemic has been to support health and social care professionals by providing training, resources and guidance. While thousands of people were busy completing our free-toall COVID-19 Staff Support Toolkit, we were working hard to develop another new resource to support frontline workers. The Blue Stream COVID-19 Vaccinator Passport has been developed for eligible health and social care professionals applying to participate in the UK’s COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Making good on our promise to give healthcare a voice, BSA Today is back with our Spring issue packed with even more exclusive content. In Look Who’s Talking, Dr Tonia Thomas talks about the vaccination drive and encourages supportive conversations about the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. We catch up with MQ: Mental Health Research and discover their recent study of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in emergency workers and hear how they are trying to prevent problems from occurring in the first place. We talk cyber security and data protection with two of Blue Stream’s newest recruits guided by the watchful eye of Stuart Walsh, our Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). In our wellness section you’re in for a treat with our coffee-break workouts to help you stay mentally and physically active. Plus, we take a closer look at our recently released Awareness of Visual Impairments in Older People and Foot Care modules in @BlueStreamNews and catch up with #TeamBSA to find out what the future has in store. On behalf of all the team at Blue Stream Academy, thank you for trusting us with your training, and we hope you enjoy reading!

With new training always in development, we are a hub of information and our magazine is a vehicle of sorts to deliver this message to our readers.

Brady

Brady Braddock BSA Today Editor

Expert Panel

Our Team

Meet the experts who have contributed their information and insight to this issue of BSA Today.

EDITORIAL

Dr Tonia Thomas Vaccine Knowledge Project Manager at Oxford Vaccine Group

Brady Braddock | Editor Sian Ratcliffe | HR

Lewis Cowlishaw | Content Development

Dr Thomas undertakes quantitative and qualitative research to understand vaccine attitudes and to identify the most effective communication tools for vaccination campaigns.

Stuart Walsh | Information Security

Dr Jennifer Wild Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University

Courteney Barlow-Ferguson | Graphic Designer

Dr Wild conducts studies into the mental health of emergency workers with the goal of finding a way to prevent these conditions from developing.

www.bluestreamacademy.com

Keely Jennings | Content Development ART & DESIGN

Craig Goodall | Creative Services COMMUNICATIONS

Abi Bowler | Marketing & Media

Cover Stories 20

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in NHS Staff is Nothing New

Mental health is fragile, and health and care professionals involved in the response to COVID-19 are currently among those most at risk. We hear from MQ: Mental Health Research about their recent study of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in frontline workers.

06 All Things Blue Stream 06

Eye on Healthcare

Blue Stream Academy: Supporting the Frontline

Keep up to date with the latest news from across health and care in our NEW feature written by the people in the know – from university professors to frontline health and social care professionals with a passion for reporting the issues that matter most.

Vaccination Myths Debunked

We take a look at the most common vaccination myths circulating on social media, why they’re affecting uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines, and how they’ve been debunked.

We give readers an exclusive overview of our brand new Blue Stream COVID-19 Vaccinator Passport and a recap of our game-changing COVID-19 Staff Support Toolkit designed to provide information and guidance fast.

20 04

Ask Abi & #TeamBSA

Our agony aunt Abi takes on a workplace challenge that many of us can relate to – maintaining employee wellbeing and happiness during difficult times at work. Plus, we catch up with the latest news and events from #TeamBSA.

@BlueStreamNews

Keep up to date with our latest in-house news, developments and module releases. In this issue we reveal more about our eagerly anticipated Awareness of Visual Impairments in Older People and Foot Care modules.

Data Watch

Working from home during COVID-19 creates a new set of challenges for data protection. Our Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Stuart Walsh puts two of Blue Stream Academy’s newest IT recruits through their paces as we look at different ways to ensure that your information is secure.

10 Lifestyle & Wellness 27

5 Coffee Break Workouts to Keep Your Body Moving!

With gyms closed and Lockdown 3.0 in full effect, finding ways to keep fit and healthy is a must for your physical and mental wellbeing. Try these five exercises during a quick break to loosen up those limbs!

19 Look Who’s Talking

Encouraging Positive Conversations About Vaccination

Dr Tonia Thomas, Vaccine Knowledge Project Manager at Oxford Vaccine Group, talks to BSA Today about how vaccination misinformation often targets common areas of insecurity and what can be done to encourage a more positive outlook. Tonia is a science communication expert with a background in pharmacology and physiology, specialising in vaccine communication. This role involves undertaking qualitative and quantitative research to understand attitudes to vaccination and clinical trials, and leading academic communication for the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trials. www.bluestreamacademy.com

Lockdown and Dementia: For Some, COVID-19 Has Created an Isolated, Confusing But Calmer World

he approximately 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK have been badly affected by COVID-19. Many live in care homes, which have arguably been hit hardest by the pandemic, experiencing a heavy death toll during the first wave. The pandemic has also caused significant global disruption, affecting people’s daily lives, mental health and wellbeing. The estimated two-thirds of people with dementia who live in the community may be particularly vulnerable to the effects

of this disruption, and face distinct challenges when transitioning out of lockdown. I have conducted research with Professor Pam Briggs at Northumbria University to examine how COVID-19 has impacted these individuals. We interviewed people with early- to middle-stage dementia about their experiences of the pandemic, conducting these between June and July 2020, as lockdown restrictions first started to ease in the UK. Here’s what we discovered.

Lockdown’s negative effects People with dementia felt their symptoms deteriorate during lockdown, reporting changes in speech, memory, concentration and balance. This mirrors the findings of a survey conducted by the Alzheimer’s Society of people with dementia and their carers, in which 82% of people reported an increase in symptoms among people with dementia. The people we interviewed attributed these changes to a lack of cognitive stimulation and loss of routine. They were no longer able to take part in activities they found stimulating or meaningful, such as tending to allotments, attending support groups or walking groups.

Instead, they were limited to more mundane tasks, which appeared to negatively affect their dementia and self-worth. People with dementia also had limited access to their usual support networks, including friends, family and others with dementia. Consequently, participants reported feeling lonely or socially isolated, and some experienced symptoms of depression. We found that these factors then impacted participants’ confidence to participate in a post-lockdown society. For example, one person said:

“

Getting my confidence back is going to be a challenge. I’ve been put in a situation where I’m isolated and don’t really have anything to do with anybody else for the last few months. So I think actually getting back to normality seems as big of a step as going into lockdown. In a 2010 study, researchers found that familiarity with the outdoors was key for enabling people with dementia to spend time outside. Yet for people with dementia, the outside world has become increasingly unfamiliar.

But it wasn’t all bad We found there were also unexpected, positive consequences of lockdown for some people with dementia. They reported feeling safe and secure in their “lockdown bubble”, which provided a break from the loudness and busyness of everyday life. Others said lockdown provided them with a safe space to learn new skills or return to past hobbies such as crafting, gardening or photography. Lockdown provided opportunities for achievement for some people, where they did not fear failure. One person said:

Author Catherine Talbot Lecturer in Psychology at Bournemouth University Catherine Talbot’s research was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) grant EP/M023001/1.

The original article can be found at: https://theconversation.com/lockdownand-dementia-for-some-covid-19-hascreated-an-isolated-confusing-butcalmer-world-153065

“

I haven’t had to go out of my way. I haven’t had to stress about things. I haven’t had to fail, which has been a massive part of my life the last few years. Clearly, we must work towards creating a more inclusive society, in which people with dementia feel empowered to pursue achievement and engage in activities they find meaningful. Continued on Page 08

They may find different shop layouts disorientating, signs and floor markings confusing, and people in masks unsettling or difficult to understand. The people we interviewed expressed concerns about their ability to follow safety procedures and were often worried about how others would react if they did something wrong. One person said:

“

People aren’t considering the problems that people with dementia might have remembering the rules. I think that’s stopping a lot of people going out; it’s certainly stopping me. www.bluestreamacademy.com

Lots of public spaces are using new layouts and signage to keep people distant, which can be hard to understand and follow.

Lockdown has created a buffer against the stresses of the everyday world.

Continued from Page 07

Our research showed there was a tension between the outside world being a source of anxiety and the home environment being a safe space for people with dementia. This tension caused some people to feel anxious and reluctant to venture into the outside world post lockdown. Exiting lockdown this time It is essential that people with dementia are supported by carers, services, organisations, the government and wider society when transitioning out of lockdown. Unfortunately, we found that people with dementia felt “forgotten” and “abandoned” by society during the pandemic and felt there was a lack of support when exiting the first lockdown. At a personal level, it is important to remember that people with dementia may face difficulties remembering the rules – they may not be able to wear

a mask or understand why they need to wear one. In somewhere like a supermarket, they may find it difficult to follow signage. Remember to treat these people with patience, kindness and compassion. At a wider level, it is vital that dementia-friendly practices adopted by many stores before the pandemic – such as clear signage, slow shopping lanes and staff who are visible and trained to support customers with dementia – are not abandoned. Guidance should be communicated clearly, concisely and in a variety of accessible formats. Importantly, people with dementia should be consulted to develop responses that promote their wellbeing and social inclusion

The Alzheimer’s Society has advice for supporting a person with dementia at home during the pandemic. If you need dementia support and advice, you can speak to the Alzheimer’s Society on its Dementia Connect support line – 0333 150 3456. The Alzheimer’s Society also offers online support. If you are a carer for a person with dementia, Carers UK offers help and advice.

COVID-19

Vaccinator Passport

Blue Stream Academy is pleased to announce the release of our COVID-19 Vaccinator Passport, available now on our GP, Nursing & Care Home, Hospice and Urgent & Tailored Care eLearning Suites.

About the Vaccinator Passport

The Blue Stream COVID-19 Vaccinator Passport has been developed for eligible health and care professionals applying to participate in the facilitation of the UK’s COVID-19 vaccination programme. Our Vaccinator Passport checklist has been designed in line with Public Health England’s vaccinator compliance standards, thus ensuring a direct route to vaccinator status through a digital portal and specific checklist. Each individual will receive a Blue Stream COVID-19 Vaccinator Passport certificate upon completion. This is recognised by health and care providers throughout the UK and certified by the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Service. For more information or to register for access, get in touch with us on: 01773 822549 or info@bluestreamacademy.com

The cost to register for this training is £9.99 + VAT per trainee. With every purchase, £4.99 will be donated and divided between the following charities which have been supporting those who have been hugely affected by COVID-19: • Hospice UK • Shelter

• FareShare • Mind

• Age UK • RSPCA

Vaccination Myths

Debunked

“There’s no way I’m getting the Covid vaccine!” posts Eliza on Facebook, “It has only taken a few months to develop. There’s no way it’s safe, we don’t know what’s in it! I’m not putting that rubbish in my body.” This despite her being a heavy smoker. “I’ve heard they’ve put microchips in it to track our every move with 5G!” comments Eddie, using his iPhone. I’m sure many of you have seen or heard these types of comments, and the way misinformation is shared online can be dangerous and potentially very harmful. Article | Courteney Barlow-Ferguson

lack, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups are the most affected by the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. Outlandish claims have been made, such as cows’ blood and gelatine being ingredients in the vaccine. This has led to concerns about vaccine uptake, with a poll commissioned by the Royal Society of Public Health last month suggesting that only 57% of people in BAME groups would be happy to have the COVID-19 vaccine, compared with 79% of white people.[1]

To help combat this, Citizen Khan creator Adil Ray co-ordinated a video starring British Asian celebrities including comedian Romesh Ranganathan, actor Meera Syal, cricketer Moeen Ali and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan – urging people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. [2] Imam Qari Asim, chair of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board and leader of the initiative to get imams and mosques to address challenges said: “As an imam, my message is simple – do not trust ‘fake news’, verify before you amplify”.[3] Dr Manir Aslam, GP Director at Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group, spoke out against vaccine myths at a meeting of the COVID-19 Outbreak Engagement Board. He said:

“There are three messages that are really odd. One was that there was some kind of cows’ product, cows’ blood product in the vaccine – that was targeted at the Hindu community, there is gelatine in the vaccine, targeted at Muslim communities, and that there are chips in the vaccine, which is as bizarre as it sounds. People are believing these messages. None of those things are true and the more bizarre is definitely not true – but there is no gelatine, no cows’ blood. The more we can give the correct information the better.”[4] With that, here are the most common vaccination myths - debunked.[5], [6], [7] 10

THE FACTS These claims have caused particular concern in religious communities. No animal products were used in the manufacture of the currently available COVID-19 vaccines and they do not contain components of animal origin. The British Islamic Medical Association has recommended at-risk individuals within the Muslim community get vaccinated.

MYTH

THE FACTS Vaccines do not contain any chips or trackers for surveillance. Independent authorities across the globe that have approved the vaccine have not found any microchips. Plus, the needle used to administer the vaccine is far too small for microchips to pass through!

1. Unknown. (2020). New poll finds BAME groups less likely to want COVID vaccine. Available: https://www.rsph.org.uk/about-us/news/new-poll-findsbame-groups-less-likely-to-want-covid-vaccine.html. (accessed January 2021) 2. Unknown. (2021). Adil Ray, Moeen Ali and Meera Syal among BAME celebrities to lambast vaccine misinformation – video. Available: https://www. theguardian.com/world/video/2021/jan/25/adil-ray-moeen-ali-meera-syal-bame-celebrities-lambast-vaccine-misinformation-video (accessed January 2021) 3. Ali, T and Probert, S. (2021). Imam says get vaccine and ‘do not trust fake news’ during minister visit to city mosque. Available: https://www. birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news/imam-says-vaccine-do-not-19687398. (accessed January 2021) 4. Cardwell, M. (2021). ‘None of those things are true’ - health expert dispels weird Covid vaccine myths. Available: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/ news/midlands-news/none-those-things-true-health-19713772. (accessed January 2021) 5. Unknown. (Unknwon). COVID-19 Vaccine Hub – Myths. Available: https://britishima.org/operation-vaccination/hub/covidmyths/. (accessed January 2021) 6. Unknown. (2020). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: Mythbusters. Available: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novelcoronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters. (accessed January 2021) 7. Unknown. (2020). Coronavirus: Outcry after Trump suggests injecting disinfectant as treatment. Available: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-uscanada-52407177.fimmu.2018.03160/full. (accessed January 2021)

THE FACTS There is no current evidence to suggest that the vaccine will affect fertility. The way it works encourages the body to create copies of the spike protein found on the coronavirus’s surface, which teaches the body’s immune system to fight the virus that has that specific spike protein on it. During the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine trials, 23 women volunteers became pregnant. The only one who suffered a pregnancy loss had not received the vaccine, but a placebo.

THE FACTS The speed of the approval was due to cutting red tape, rather than cutting corners. The scientific collaboration and funding that supported the development of the COVID-19 vaccines was unprecedented. This global effort has allowed scientists to work at record speed, and complete years of work in months.

THE FACTS The COVID-19 vaccine cannot change your DNA. Some vaccines use mRNA technology, which teaches our cells to make a protein that triggers a protective immune response. The mRNA is broken down soon after it enters the body. It never enters the nucleus of the cell, where our DNA is kept. www.bluestreamacademy.com

THE FACTS Viruses cannot travel on radio waves or through mobile networks. This myth started because the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan coincided with 5G being rolled out in the province, but the virus has also spread in many countries that don’t have 5G mobile networks. COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. People can also become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching their eyes, mouth or nose.

THE FACTS Spraying or injecting yourself with bleach or other disinfectants (such as methanol or ethanol) or drinking these substances does not prevent or cure COVID-19, but are extremely dangerous. These substances can poison you, damage your skin and eyes, lead to disability or even kill you. They will not kill the virus in your body, but they will cause serious harm to your internal organs. Only use these substances to disinfect objects and surfaces, especially those you touch regularly, such as the kettle and light switches. 11

Blue Stream Academy: Supporting the Frontline

Lewis Cowlishaw Content Development Manager at Blue Stream Academy Lewis Cowlishaw is the Content Development Manager at Blue Stream Academy and oversees the research, writing and development of our eLearning content while liaising with subject matter experts from across the UK.

“Our enthusiastic in-house development team ensure we stay on top of the latest developments” says Lewis, “The key to success at BSA is about being on the pulse of the healthcare sector, having a devoted following of passionate users certainly helps!”

COVID-19 is the single biggest public health emergency in the history of the NHS. The response of health and care workers who have come forward to help – the tens of thousands of former staff and students, and the hundreds of thousands of volunteers – has been nothing short of inspirational.

he NHS was the first health system in the world to begin rolling out a clinically approved, safe and effective vaccine, and is now working hard to vaccinate those who will benefit most in hundreds of hospitals, local services and care homes across the country. Larger vaccination centres are also standing by, ready to use when supplies allow. We are all grateful to the tens of thousands of people who have applied and trained for a vaccination role. Although there are now enough vaccinators to deliver the number of doses available to the NHS, this will continue to be a huge task. To ensure that we can continue to vaccinate millions of people as quickly as possible – while keeping other vital services going – the NHS

is still recruiting for thousands of paid and volunteer roles. With scientists across the globe working hard to create and deliver these effective vaccines, it is essential that your staff are trained to administer the vaccine to as many eligible groups as possible. As the UK’s first lockdown was announced in Spring 2020, organisations struggled to get to grips with the new legislation, as the landscape seemed to be shifting from day to day. There was a clear need for up-to-date and relevant information in a single platform that users know and trust. To meet that need, our in-house development team began to build a range of resources to support health and social care professionals.

Our COVID-19 Staff Support Toolkit was launched in March last year and is now used by thousands of professionals throughout the UK to provide up-to-date organisational guidance through a single point of access.

once again be a need to distil information into one manageable resource. With that in mind, we developed, tested and released our COVID-19 Vaccination Training module in December 2020, and it quickly grew into the

NEW Blue Stream COVID-19 Vaccinator Passport. Continued on Page 14

With no more second-guessing required, organisations could finally breathe a sigh of relief. If they needed to find out anything about COVID-19 that might affect their healthcare business, the COVID-19 Staff Support Toolkit was there to help. As rumours about the development of vaccines grew louder, it seemed as if the end could be in sight. With rival companies competing for the top spot, the mainstream media fuelled speculation about the origins, costefficiency and overall effectiveness of these vaccines. It became clear that politics around the world was changing the narrative. As the names Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Moderna, Novavax, Sputnik and CoronaVac became commonly used in the media, it was clear that there would www.bluestreamacademy.com

Continued from Page 13

The Blue Stream COVID-19 Vaccinator Passport helps to train vaccinators to administer the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines safely and effectively in line with the guidelines set out by Public Health England. It contains all the training and information required for the COVID-19 vaccination programme, as well as the following vaccination-specific modules:

The response from our customers has been amazing, and thousands of trainees have used the passport on their journey to becoming a COVID-19 certified vaccinator.

“

• Core Knowledge for Vaccinators • Legal Aspects of Vaccination • Vaccine Storage • Vaccine Administration • COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) • COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca.

…excellent module – much more practical than other providers– thanks! We’re offering both resources to our existing customers free of charge, so if you or a member of your team requires this training, get in touch with us today! If this is the first you’ve read about these new resources, stay in the know! Be sure to sign up to our mailing list and Subscribers’ Club to be first to hear about any new developments in 2021 – we’re sure to have a few! For more information or to subscribe today, get in touch on bsatoday@bluestreamacademy. com

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Look Who’s Talking:

Encouraging Positive Conversations About Vaccination Dr Tonia Thomas, Vaccine Knowledge Project Manager at Oxford Vaccine Group, talks to BSA Today about how vaccination misinformation often targets common areas of insecurity and what can be done to encourage a more positive outlook.

O Dr Tonia Thomas

Vaccine Knowledge Project Manager at Oxford Vaccine Group Dr Tonia Thomas is a science communication expert with a background in pharmacology and physiology. Since 2019, Tonia has specialised in vaccine communication as Vaccine Knowledge and Public Engagement Manager for Oxford Vaccine Group. This role involves undertaking qualitative and quantitative research to understand attitudes to vaccination and clinical trials, and leading academic communication for the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trials.

www.bluestreamacademy.com

ne of the challenges of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is the coinciding ‘infodemic’, defined by the World Health Organization as an abundance of information, both online and offline.[1] While technology allows us to share important public health messages quickly and effectively, it also allows misinformation to spread on an uncontrollable scale. At its most dangerous, misinformation about medical interventions has cost lives, with global reports of incidents involving alcohol and bleach intoxication and people refusing treatment for COVID-19. An area that is often a key focus for misinformation campaigns is the anti-vaccine narrative. While vaccine opposition has existed for as long as vaccination itself, modern communication tools, such as social media, have propelled the

sentiment into the hands of many more people. This increase in antivaccination content circulating online has led to concerns about vaccine acceptance within the wider population. Considerable media reports have speculated about the issue and its potential to jeopardise vaccination campaigns. However, it is often difficult to translate reports into our local communities and areas, and we must consider the challenges for individual contexts. When discussing vaccine acceptance, it is important to remember that vaccine hesitancy forms a continuum.[2] The number of people who refuse all vaccines is very low (approximately 1–2% in the UK),[3] but there is a larger proportion of people who fall into the ‘vaccine-hesitant’ group. Continued on Page 16

Continued from Page 15

The reasons for refusing or hesitating about some vaccines are extremely varied, and while some stem from misinformation circulating online, many arise from broader influences. There are also specific concerns from particular groups, such as vaccines containing animal products that are banned in some religions. Without a clear understanding of what underlies an individual’s hesitancy, it is impossible to have a constructive conversation on the topic. But these complexities should not deter our efforts.

places health and social care professionals in a strong position to have encouraging conversations about vaccines. Reasons for being hesitant about vaccination can vary greatly depending on the vaccine. Common concerns include:[3] • vaccine safety • side effects • need for vaccination with low disease incidence • vaccine effectiveness • vaccine ingredients • preference for natural prevention strategies • long-term effects such as myths about autism or infertility • speed of development (for the COVID-19 vaccines). With the recent rise in access to information online, and the switch in trust to ‘new power’ sources such as influencers and peers, it would be imprudent to assume these concerns are founded in a lack of research. Many individuals will have read extensively about these areas online, but they may be unfamiliar with how to ensure their sources are accurate and reliable.

Many of the concerns about vaccination centre around autonomy, as vaccines are one of the few medical interventions given to healthy adults and children to protect the population as well as the individual. Taking an interest in one’s own medical treatment is expected, and it’s important to encourage people to ask questions, with the role of health professionals being to support informed decisions. This can sometimes be lost in media coverage, which often focuses on scientific and medical information about vaccines and categorises those who have questions and concerns as ‘anti-vaxxers’. This polarisation is unhelpful and forms a barrier to positive conversations. Health and social care professionals continue to be the most trusted source of advice about vaccinations, with 93% of parents surveyed by Public Health England agreeing with this statement.[4] Evidence shows that effective interactions with parents can positively influence vaccine decisions. A study found the main reason that parents changed their mind about getting a vaccination was “information or assurances from a health provider”.[5] This, alongside their experience and familiarity with local communities, 16

Misinformation often targets common areas of insecurity, such as fertility and disability, to trigger an emotional response, which is more difficult to overcome than a knowledge gap. This is why it is essential to empathise with an individual’s concerns and to uncover the true reason for their hesitance. Given the inherent complexities of this area, studies have examined the most effective communication strategies to support informed decisions about vaccination. Motivational interviewing techniques have been used to identify helpful strategies (Table 1).[6]

Table 1. Helpful and unhelpful strategies; motivational interviewing recommends a ‘guiding style’. Unhelpful

Helpful

Directing style – “this is what you should do”

Guiding style – “may I help you?”

Righting reflex – using information and persuasion to achieve change

Care with body language

Missing cues

Eliciting concerns

Using jargon

Asking permission to discuss

Discrediting information source

Acknowledging/listening/ empathising

Overstating vaccine safety

Determining readiness to change

Confrontation

Informing about benefits and risks Giving or signposting to appropriate resources

In a clinical study, Leask et al. provides a framework for health and social care professionals that focuses on establishing rapport, encouraging questions and concerns, avoiding excessive persuasion and using good information sources, such as the University of Oxford’s Vaccine Knowledge Project.[7] This framework is summarised in Table 2.[3], [7] Table 2. Communicating about vaccines: a framework for health and social care professionals. The overall aim is to gain the parents’ trust Ask questions to gain greater insight into the main concerns and listen to them. Avoid giving a fact-filled lecture, simply giving more information is not effective. Focus on the concerns raised and provide a limited number of main points in response, expressed simply. Focus on the risk of the diseases. The public have little experience of diseases, and even with COVID-19, many people won’t have personal experience of the disease.

Evidence suggests that restating a myth serves to reinforce it. Instead identify a myth as being false and focus on the facts. Acknowledge that we all want the best for our patients. Do not belittle patients’ concerns. If asked whether you have been vaccinated, it is important to confirm if you have. www.bluestreamacademy.com

This framework provides a useful reminder that focusing on the patient is key. Putting aside any preconceptions about why people may be hesitant about vaccines and retaining empathy for the individual concerns expressed are essential for effective interactions. Although a single interaction may not be enough to overcome a person’s concerns about vaccination, keeping the door open for them or booking a follow-up call can lead to vaccine acceptance later down the line. Continued on Page 18

Continued from Page 17

The strategies outlined above align with those suggested by psychologists for conversations with people who believe in conspiracy theories. There is extensive research in this area, as the number of people looking for alternative explanations about the pandemic and other global challenges is increasing. People often believe misinformation and conspiracy theories because they are anxious about the reality of their circumstances or world events, such as politics and health. Misinformation uses simple and emotional narratives, which are easier to digest than complex (and often uncertain) scientific information. Conversations with a friend or relative who believes misinformation theories should be approached with empathy rather than ridicule, regardless of how bizarre the theories appear. As with the vaccine conversations above, the first step is to listen to the individual concerns in a respectful manner, without being dismissive. It can be helpful to educate people on how to question and challenge the information they read online. The sceptical approach that is being applied to mainstream beliefs can be applied to all material, which encourages conversations around the plausibility of the theories. Another method is to challenge the source of information and the tactics being used to convince people: • Could the source have an ulterior motive, such as a financial or reputational incentive? • Is the information presented in an unusual way, perhaps with lots of capital letters or exclamation marks? • Is the person posing as an expert linked to a university or health organisation? Many of these questions can be answered by searching reputable websites, such as those of universities and health institutions, where reliable information can be found.

There are also fact-checking websites, such as Full Fact and Snopes, which debunk common misinformation circulating online. These conversations are likely to be challenging and sometimes awkward but encouraging friends and family to be savvy when browsing online can have an impact, even if it takes many conversations. When considering these challenges with vaccination and misinformation, it’s important to remember that vaccine uptake is generally high in the UK. Although acceptance is lower in some areas and communities, evidence suggests that most people do support vaccination. The largest UK survey of beliefs about vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic showed that 80% of people would take a COVID-19 vaccine, with the most supportive being those over 70, the age group at highest risk of severe disease. An additional 14% were unsure, with only 6% saying they would not take a vaccine.[8] A global survey on vaccine confidence also reported increased confidence between 2015 and 2019 in some European countries, including the UK.[9] One reason often cited for low vaccine uptake is complacency, due to low disease prevalence. This belief has fluctuated historically, with confidence rising following disease outbreaks and higher vaccine confidence in countries with high disease rates. On this basis, we would expect to see increased vaccine confidence following the current pandemic. Evidence of reduced virus transmission in Israel following a successful start to their vaccination programme has been widely reported, with the hope of boosting confidence in this effective public health tool. There are many reasons to be hopeful, and with these communication strategies we are cautiously confident that vaccine acceptance will not be the limiting factor in controlling the pandemic

1. Who.int. (2021). Managing the COVID-19 Infodemic: Promoting Healthy Behaviours and Mitigating the Harm from Misinformation and Disinformation. https://www.who.int/news/item/23-09-2020-managing-the-covid19-infodemic-promoting-healthy-behaviours-and-mitigating-the-harm-from-misinformation-anddisinformation (Last accessed February 2021) 2. Butler R. (2017). Vaccine Hesitancy, Acceptance, and Demand. In: Vesikari T. and Van Damme P. (eds) Paediatric Vaccines and Vaccinations. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59952-6_4 3. Bedford H. and Elliman D. (2019). Fifteen-minute Consultation: Vaccine-hesitant Parents. Archives of Disease in Childhood – Education & Practice Edition, 105(4), 194–9. 4. GOV.UK. (2021). PHE Offers Support to UK Vaccine Heroes. www.gov.uk/government/news/phe-offers-supportto-uk-vaccine-heroes (Last accessed February 2021) 5. Gust D., Darling N., Kennedy A. and Schwartz B. (2008). Parents With Doubts About Vaccines: Which Vaccines and Reasons Why. Pediatrics, 122(4), 718–25. 6. Rollnick S., Butler C., Kinnersley P., Gregory J. and Mash B. (2010). Motivational Interviewing. BMJ, 340, c1900. 7. Leask J., Kinnersley P., Jackson C., Cheater F., Bedford H. and Rowles G. (2012). Communicating With Parents About Vaccination: A Framework for Health Professionals. BMC Pediatrics, 12(1). https://bmcpediatr. biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2431-12-154 (Last accessed February 2021) 8. Sethi S., Kumar A., Shaikh M., Hall C., Kirk J., Moss P., Brookes M. and Basu S. (2020). The Uptake Study: Insights and Beliefs of the UK Population on Vaccines During the COVID-19 Pandemic. SSRN Electronic Journal. 9. de Figueiredo A., Simas C., Karafillakis E., Paterson P. and Larson H. (2020). Mapping Global Trends in Vaccine Confidence and Investigating Barriers to Vaccine Uptake: A Large-scale Retrospective Temporal Modelling Study. The Lancet, 396(10255), 898–908.

Our Look Who’s Talking feature is the perfect platform to have your say about the topics that matter most in health and social care. If you would like to get involved and chat to us, please get in touch at bsatoday@bluestreamacademy.com

What is an

Infodemic? Defined by WHO: An infodemic is an overabundance of information, both online and offline. It includes deliberate attempts to disseminate wrong information to undermine the public health response and advance alternative agendas of groups or individuals. Mis-and-disinformation can be harmful to people’s physical and mental health; increase stigmatisation; threaten precious health gains; and lead to poor observance of public health measures, thus reducing their effectiveness and endangering countries’ ability to stop the pandemic. Misinformation costs lives. Without the appropriate trust and correct information, diagnostic tests go unused, immunisation campaigns (or campaigns to promote effective vaccines) will not meet their targets, and the virus will continue to thrive.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in NHS Staff is Nothing New Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, carers and emergency service staff already had disproportionately high rates of mental health conditions including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

eople who work in the emergency services and healthcare were three times more likely to have PTSD or a major depressive disorder (MDD) than the general population. These mental illnesses are also linked to physical health, so conditions such as heart disease are also disproportionately higher among the very people our society relies on most. In 2017, researcher Dr Jennifer Wild from the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University began a major study into the mental health of emergency workers, with the goal of finding a way to prevent these conditions from developing. Before her research with MQ, Dr Wild had worked predominantly with paramedics. She had discovered two key factors that increased the likelihood of becoming ill. The first was known as ‘rumination’: the habit of dwelling on negative experiences.

Dr Jennifer Wild, Reseacher

Paramedics who dwelled on such experiences were more likely to develop PTSD. The second was how they thought about their own resilience. If paramedics thought negatively about their resilience, they were more likely to develop depression. On the basis of this research, Dr Wild and her team devised a tool to help prevent major mental health conditions, such as PTSD and MDD, from developing in paramedics. She is now evaluating this intervention in a vast MQ-funded study across 14 sites nationwide with 570 volunteers taking part.

“

These people dedicate their lives to keeping others safe. But many find their own mental health suffers as a result. This project could help thousands of emergency workers prepare for the inevitable challenges of their jobs.

- Dr Jennifer Wild

However, in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the research was impacted because many of the study volunteers were redeployed. The Oxford team had to adapt quickly and took the opportunity to expand their field of study to encompass the impact that the pandemic was having on the mental health of healthcare workers in hospitals. “The pandemic has intensified working conditions in hospitals and our healthcare staff are stretched.” said Jennifer. “Our intervention is evidence-based, easy to access and targets the risk factors that increase PTSD and depression in this group. One of the paramedics we’ve worked with said the following about our intervention:”

MQ: Mental Health Research Up to one in four of us experience mental illness every year, yet our knowledge about the causes and the conditions is nowhere near where it needs to be. Far less money is invested into mental health research than other physical health conditions. MQ, the leading mental health research charity, refuses to accept this as a status quo. MQ invests in cutting edge scientific research into the causes and treatments of mental health conditions so that we can better understand them, and one day even prevent them. To find out more about MQ, and to find out how you can get involved and support their work, just visit www.mqmentalhealth.org

“Work-related stress has been at an all-time high for me and my peers due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately though, my weekly calls with my well-being coach have mitigated that stress significantly. For this, I am eternally grateful. I feel very lucky to have had all of this support.” MQ recently called on the UK government to prioritise funding for mental health research as part of their COVID response. CEO Lea Milligan said: “It is only through research that we can fully understand the current situation and make informed decisions about what to do about it. The impact that the pandemic is having on the mental health of the most vulnerable people is not www.bluestreamacademy.com

Image credit: chrisdorney - stock.adobe.com

yet known and cannot be without investment into research. That is why we are calling on the UK government to prioritise research into mental health at this pivotal moment in time.

To find out more about Dr Wild’s research, and the many other research projects that MQ supports, visit www.mqmentalhealth.org

Data Watch In my role as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Blue Stream Academy, I provide an article for each issue of BSA Today because we strongly believe that promoting better information security practices improves the threat landscape for all organisations that work alongside us. Article | Stuart Walsh, Chief Information Security Officer

iven our growth as a company, increasing regulation within the healthcare industry and the ever evolving cyber threats that we all face. I am pleased to introduce Hassan and Sarah, our new IT Infrastructure Technician apprentices – here to help reinforce our information security posture. I assigned each of them an article based on a fundamental component of information security risk management: what makes a secure password and the principle of least privilege. Here is what they had to say.

The Principles of Least Privilege

Hassan Ali

Infrastructure Technician Apprentice at Blue Stream Academy

My name is Hassan and I am an Infrastructure Technician Apprentice here at Blue Stream Academy. I chose to do an apprenticeship as I believe it is the best way to learn as you are not only gaining a qualification, but you actually get to apply the skills you learn, as you learn, in a real-life work place. In my spare time I enjoy all kinds of sports, especially combat sports such as boxing and karate in which I have a blackbelt. I also enjoy camping and gaming, as well as planning big events. 1. Wikipedia. (2021). Principle of Least Privilege. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_least_privilege (Last accessed February 2021) 2. CyberArk (no date). The Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP). https://www.cyberark.com/what-is/least-privilege (Last accessed February 2021) 3. Lord N. (2020). What is the Principle of Least Privilege (POLP)? A Best Practice for Information Security and Compliance. https://digitalguardian.com/blog/what-principle-least-privilege-polp-best-practice-informationsecurity-and-compliance (Last accessed February 2021) 4. Rosencrance L. (no date). Principle of Least Privilege (POLP). https://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/ principle-of-least-privilege-POLP (Last accessed February 2021)

The ‘principle of least privilege’ (also known as the principle of minimal privilege or the principle of least authority) is the idea that anyone working with information technology should have only the required access for their role, and nothing more.[1]

As an extreme example, it is unlikely that a receptionist would need access to Active Directory or web development tools. Giving those rights to someone in such a role may increase risk to the company. The principle of least privilege is widely considered to be one of the foundations of best practice in information security. It is a fundamental step in protecting privileged access to high-value data and assets. To enforce the principle effectively, you need to centrally secure and govern privileged credentials, and introduce flexible controls that can balance information security

and compliance obligations with operational and end-user requirements.[2] For these reasons, many organisations have policies and procedures in place to ensure that such restrictions are applied; this reduces the potential for threat actors to gain access to critical systems and sensitive data. However, it isn’t enough to simply establish policies and procedures; the privileges provided to users must be regularly monitored and evaluated if, for example, there are changes in roles, new systems are implemented or there are significant periods of absence, among other situations. Benefits of the principle of least privilege include: • • • •

Better system stability Better system security Ease of deployment Increased likelihood of successful auditing • More efficient and productive end users.[3]

’ ch n at tio W ec a ot e ! at Pr rc ‘D a u g at so in D re uc y’s PR od a D tr od G In A T nd a BS the information they needed in an accessible format. This process happens via an API. Ease of deployment The term ‘ease of deployment’ refers to the fact that having minimal access privileges can mean that devices, applications or software used within an organisation’s computer system are easier to set up and configure. End user An end user is an individual within the organisation who uses, for example, any available device, platform or software.

How to implement the principle of least privilege: • Establish baseline privilege levels for different job roles • Separate administrative accounts from user accounts • Undertake regular user access audits • Restrict higher-level privileges to the times when they are actually required • Segment systems and networks to broadly separate users and processes on the basis of different levels of trust, needs and privilege sets • Ensure that users can be traced and have accountability • Implement one-time-use credentials • Replace hard-coded credentials with APIs (Application Programming Interface) • Limit membership of ‘superuser’ roles to the lowest number of people necessary • Analyse and report on access to all privileged accounts.[4] Continued on Page 24 www.bluestreamacademy.com

Glossary of Terms Used Active Directory Active Directory (AD) is a directory service that runs on Microsoft Windows Server. It makes sure each user is who they claim to be (authentication) and only allows them to access the data that they are allowed to use (authorisation). APIs An application programming interface (API) is used to allow applications (apps) to connect with each other. For example, when someone uses an app on their mobile phone, the app connects to the internet and data is sent to a server. A ‘server’ is a computer or system which provides resources, services, data or programs to other computers – which are known as ‘clients’ – over a network. The server receives this data and, once it has interpreted it and carried out the required actions, it sends it back to the phone. The phone app can then decipher the data and provide the user with

Hard-coded credentials Hard-coding credentials involves embedding authentication data, for example, user IDs and passwords, directly into a program’s source code. One-time-use credentials A one-time-use credential is a password that is valid for just one login session or transaction that is carried out on a computer system or other digital device. Privileged access The term ‘privileged access’ is used to assign special access or capabilities which exceed those of a standard user of a computer system. Privileged access enables organisations to secure their infrastructure – a term which covers all elements required to operate and manage the organisation’s IT, including the hardware, software, network resources, an operating system and data storage – and applications. It also assists in maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive data and the key elements of the infrastructure. Privileged credentials Privileged credentials – which can also be called ‘privileged passwords’ – provide users with increased or improved access and permissions across an organisation’s systems, applications and accounts.

Continued from Page 23

What Makes a Secure Password?

Over the last couple of decades, there has been a massive increase in authentication methods that are used as alternatives to passwords; in fact, back in 2004, founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates famously predicted the demise of the traditional password because it could no longer “meet the challenge of keeping critical information secure”.[1] However, this has not turned out to be the case. Since Gates made his prediction, the number of people using passwords has actually risen.[2]

Sarah Jackson

Infrastructure Technician Apprentice at Blue Stream Academy

My name is Sarah and I have just started as a Technical Infrastructure Apprentice at Blue Stream Academy. I chose to progress my career through an apprenticeship as I thought it best suited how I learn. I like how you get to put what you are learning to test in the job and get a real experience of what it is like working as an Infrastructure Technician. In my time away from work I enjoy keeping active and going on long walks with my family and my dog. 1. Kotadia M. (2004). Gates Predicts Death of the Password. www.cnet.com/news/gates-predicts-death-of-thepassword (Last accessed February 2021) 2. National Cyber Security Centre. (no date). Password Policy: Updating Your Approach. https://www.ncsc.gov. uk/collection/passwords/updating-your-approach (Last accessed February 2021) 3. National Cyber Security Centre. (no date). https://www.ncsc.gov.uk (Last accessed February 2021)

When passwords are used, the requirements for creating them are continually increasing in complexity; this can have a negative effect, with many people resorting to less secure methods to manage the ever-growing number of passwords they use.

must never be obvious, so never use anything generic or common, such as ‘01234’, ‘QWERTY’ or ‘PASSWORD’. Another thing to consider is that a strong password should never contain personal information, such the names and birthdays of you, your relatives or your pets. Threat actors can easily retrieve this information through social media, social engineering or other methods. Somewhat understandably, many people resent the requirement to create new passwords. Incorporating upper and lower case, numbers and symbols can be frustrating – especially when there is no given standard – and people believe that they will have difficulty remembering any more passwords than they already have.

The most obvious examples of this are writing passwords down and using the same password across multiple systems, websites or applications. Attackers are aware of these coping strategies and are exploiting users all the time.

A solution for many can be to create passphrases rather than passwords. Passphrases incorporate a random collection of common words, which makes them easier to remember and more difficult to crack; however, you should still never use the same passphrase across multiple systems, websites or applications.

When creating a new password, it’s important to know how to make it strong and secure. Firstly, the longer the password generated, the stronger it is likely to be.

A password manager can also be useful, as this provides a secure place to store all your passwords so you can use them easily and effectively when required.

Many systems recommend using at least 12 characters, but you should try to make it even longer if you can. Secondly, an effective password

There’s no need to memorise each password – or worse still, use one of the insecure methods mentioned above.

Finally, you should never give your passwords to anyone else. Even if you believe that you are sending a password to someone you trust completely, the text message or email containing it could always be intercepted.[3]

Glossary of Terms Used

Privilege sets Privilege sets specify the levels of access to a database that are available to a user – this could include which elements they can view and whether actions such as printing are permittable. Social engineering In the context of information security, the term ‘social engineering’ describes the use of deception to influence or manipulate individuals into revealing confidential or personal information. Once obtained via dishonest means, this information may then be used for fraudulent or illegal purposes. Superuser A ‘superuser account’ is one that is highly privileged and is usually related to the administration of a system by suitably qualified specialist employees. Such users may be granted almost unlimited privileges or, in effect, are given ‘ownership’ of an organisation’s computer system. Threat actor A threat actor – sometimes referred to as a malicious actor – can refer to a person or entity that is responsible for an event or action that impacts, or can potentially impact, the safety or security of another entity. The term threat actor is often used to describe individuals and groups that carry out malicious acts against organisations which can be of any size or from any sector. www.bluestreamacademy.com

BSA LiveChat:

We’re Here to Help! Here at Blue Stream Academy HQ, we pride ourselves on exceptional customer support that is hosted in-house by our friendly team of system specialists. Each year, our LiveChat team handles around 25,000 queries, resolving 95% of these within 24 hours. Throughout the year, members of the team have gone above and beyond to support health and social care professionals across the UK. We understand that any issues need to be sorted quickly and easily, and sometimes you might not want to call us at the office. So, if you ever get stuck, be sure to visit our website and speak with one of our team, who will be more than happy to assist. Below are just a few of the kind comments left by people who used our LiveChat service in 2020.

From all at Team BSA, thank you to all of the health and social care professionals who have been working so hard, day and night, throughout 2020!

“

Brilliant, so good to get a real person responding and so quick too.

“

Sorted perfectly with zero fuss!

“

Supportive and amazing! It was very quick and was a simple solution.

“

As always issue solved in no time. Many thanks!

“

Very helpful and sorted out my query in double quick time, allowing me to get back to eLearning.

“

Simple, quick and straight to the point!

“

Brilliant. I’ll use it again if I need to because it was really easy to do, and the person I spoke to was so helpful.

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Brilliant service 10 out of 10.

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Really helpful and able to answer all my queries with very quick responses.

Our LiveChat service is available Monday Friday between 9:00 - 17:30 www.bluestreamacademy.com

5 Coffee Break Workouts to Keep Your Body Moving! Whether you’re working at home or in the office, it’s important to keep your body moving – but it’s often easier said than done, especially if you’re working at a desk all day. Here are five quick exercises you can do during your coffee break to loosen up those limbs! Article | Sian Ratcliffe, HR Manager

Arm Pulses

This little move is designed to stretch your shoulders and work on your triceps – perfect if you’ve been hunched over a laptop all day. Standing up straight, with your arms by your sides and your palms facing backwards, pulse your arms backwards for 20–30 seconds, keeping them as straight as possible.

Chair Squats

This is a super-quick move to get your blood pumping – it only takes around 20 seconds. Stand in front of your chair so you are facing away from it, then slowly lower yourself until you’re almost seated, and raise yourself back up. Make sure you keep your feet shoulder-width apart, with most of your weight through your heels.

Calf Raises

Stretch out those legs with a few rounds of calf raises. Stand behind your chair, using it as a support. Raise your heels off the floor until you’re standing on tiptoe, then lower them back to the floor. Try to do three rounds of 10 raises.

Seated Leg Raises

You don’t even have to stand up for this one! Sitting upright in your chair, lift and straighten your left leg until it is parallel to the floor and hold it for 10 seconds. Slowly lower your leg and repeat the move with your right. For a really good burn, raise each leg 10–15 times.

Chest Stretch

After your coffee-break workout, it’s important to stretch – and one of our favourites is the chest stretch. Simply clasp your hands together behind your lower back, push the chest outwards and raise your chin. Hold this stretch for while you take three deep breaths.

www.bluestreamacademy.com

Ask Abi...

Blue Stream Academy team member, Abi, is here to answer your questions and give advice to our readers. If you have a question or problem and would like some advice, please feel free to contact Abi via email at bsatoday@bluestreamacademy.com.

Dear Abi,

I currently have a mixed workforce with some employees working from home and others working onsite. I am concerned that employee wellbeing may be taking a hit, and am unsure how to boost this across both teams? As an organisation, we have been extremely busy and our staff have been stretched due to this, however I’d like to show our appreciation for their hard work and hopefully boost their job satisfaction. Can you offer any advice? Thanks, Anon.

Dear Reader, Thanks for getting in touch with this!

It sounds like your team would appreciate some wellbeing tips and reminders on selfcare, these could be sent via email on a regular basis for your team to pick up at work or in their own time? I would also suggest looking into an online EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) for staff members to access at any time if they need it. EAPs are employer-paid schemes that are designed to help your employees with personal problems that may have an impact on their work performance, health and wellbeing. There are a range of really great platforms out there that offer a range of advice and support. I hope this helps!

Abi

Stay safe,

#TeamBSA

s the end of winter nears and we begin looking forward to longer, warmer days, we’ve been reflecting on the past few months at Blue Stream Academy. To check in with each other and form a social safety net our weekly quizzes are back. We have added virtual treasure hunts through Google Earth and even stay-at-home scavenger hunts to keep things exciting.

With our in-person charity work coming to a halt, we’ve been looking for new and exciting ways to get involved virtually and from afar. If you have any suggestions about how we could contribute, please let us know by sending an email to bsatoday@bluestreamacademy.com

Meet Our Apprentices!

We’ve been taking the time to learn more about our colleagues in different departments, with our CEO setting out weekly challenges (such as what is our favourite book or film) and judging each week’s entries. This has been a great way to learn more about each other’s talents, interests, pets and sense of humour – we might even share a few fun facts in the next issue! From 8 to 12 February we celebrated #NationalApprenticeshipWeek by introducing Hassan and Sarah – our Level 3 Infrastructure Technician Apprentices – and Beth, our Level 3 Software Development Technician Apprentice to our customers and colleagues.

Beth Jones

Level 3 Software Development Technician

Within just a few months our apprentices have settled in to become valuable members of the team, and we’re so excited to see them progress within the organisation. Sarah Jackson

Level 3 Infrastructure Technician

Hassan Ali

Level 3 Infrastructure Technician

@BlueStreamNews

s the leading provider of CPD-certified eLearning for health and care professionals throughout the UK, we are proud to announce two of our latest modules: Foot Care and Awareness of Visual Impairments in Older People.

Foot Care

This module has been designed for all health and care professionals who may need to provide essential foot care to service users as part of their daily work. It explores the importance of: • good personal foot care • practices you need to follow when

providing essential foot care

• the benefits of looking after a

service user’s feet.

Other areas covered in the module include: • an overview of the structure of the

human foot and skin to help trainees understand common foot problems and what might cause them

• information on age-related and high-risk foot

problems, including how these should be cared for

• the importance of blood flow to the feet and daily

foot exercises that everyone should be encouraged to do – especially those who may be sitting or lying for long periods.

Awareness of Visual Impairments in Older People This module covers:

• the statistics and prevalence of visual impairments in

older people

• common causes of visual impairments, including

age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts and refractive errors

• how to identify visual impairments in older people, and

related information on assessment processes and care plans

• information on health and safety, including the risk

of slips, trips and falls, and how to identify and resolve hazards

• how to provide support, including communication,

equipment options, help with everyday tasks, and guiding a person with a visual impairment. www.bluestreamacademy.com

If you would like assistance while adding these modules, or working around the system, our team are always on hand and happy to help at info@bluestreamacademy.com, or on 01773 822549. Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@BlueStreamNews) to get our updates and module announcements as soon as they happen! 29

Introducing

The New Blue StreamNet Platform Training and Management Solutions at Your Fingertips

Over the years, as the healthcare landscape has changed and organisations have needed to adapt, many new challenges have arisen for managers, their organisations and the staff who power them. At Blue Stream Academy, we have listened carefully to our customers to ensure that the system we provide contains the features that are needed.

Our aim has always been to improve user experience, reduce wasted time and be as economical as possible. We have now developed Blue StreamNet to help streamline an organisation’s business needs into one easy-to-use platform. It couldn’t be easier!

Blue Stream eLearning

Blue Hub MIS

Blue People HR System

Blue Recruit Recruitment System

Blue Books Bookkeeping

Blue Check DBS Checking System

Blue Pay Payroll System

Blue Connect Video Conferencing

Our team is on hand to discuss the different ways that we can support your organisation and transform your daily processes. Please get in touch by emailing info@bluestreamacademy.com to find out more about our effective, efficient and easy-to-use new platform.