Chatterbox 22 May 2020

22 May 2020

A light in the darkness Last week it was PRH—this time it was RSH’s turn to be lit up in a spectacular tribute to the work you are doing in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

As the nation once again took to their doorsteps in the Thursday tradition of clapping for carers and other key workers, the Ward Block at Shrewsbury was illuminated with a simple message: NHS—thank you.

The light up was carried out by the company Betalite, who last week did the same at PRH. In a post on its Facebook page, Betalite said: “Tonight we went over to Shrewsbury Royal Hospital and did an amazing light show.

week.

“Nurses and staff continued to pour out after this show to get Elaine Griffiths from Shrewsbury and Neville Peate from St photos. It is really humbling to all of us at Betalite how this small Martins organised and took part in a procession, with the trucks act can mean so much to you all.” all displaying messages of thanks to NHS staff.

In a further reversal, last night a parade of vintage trucks did a Elaine’s daughter, Chloe Pugh, works on the Acute Medical Unit lap around the Telford site, just as they had done at RSH last at RSH.

More pictures: See page 2

Thank yous by the truck load

With her wedding day cancelled due to coronavirus, Cara’s colleagues pull out all the stops!

Members of our Cancer Services Team organised a surprise wedding lunch for a colleague who was due to get married on Wednesday.

Cara Pallen-Williams, Cancer Pathway Co-ordinator at RSH, was due to marry her fiancé of four years, Pete Richardson, on Wednesday 21 May, but the celebrations being postponed due to coronavirus her surprised her with a socially distanced gathering in the garden to the rear of Mytton Oak House.

Cara, who will instead marry Pete on 9 September at The Barns in Alverley, said: “I had absolutely no idea what my colleagues had planned. I nearly cried!

“It was a good job Pete was there to make a speech as I couldn’t have. It was such a special thing for everyone to have done for us.”

Cara’s colleagues transformed

one of the garden sheds into a ‘wedding venue’ by adorning it with bunting, lights and personalised decorations.

Cara added: “About 20 people joined the celebrations and everyone was really careful to ensure strict social distancing guidelines were adhered to.

Between them they all helped to pull off the most amazing surprise. They even made me a wedding cake from a pork pies knowing I prefer savoury over sweet.

“It was the perfect Shed-ding Day!”

PRH in cake—and giant version to be created!

Telford & Wrekin Council launched the first ever Telford NHS bake off competition with the aim of inspiring bakers in the borough and raising money for the Mayors charity, the YMCA. The competition required bakers to either design a cake or bake a cake with the Mayor judging entries.

The competition was launched virtually across their social media channels, however the cakes were real! With more than 100 entries to choose from the Mayor had his work cut out for him.

The winning cake was this fantastic replica of PRH made by Rachel Rouse,

which will be made into a giant version at the PRH once things are back to by a local business and presented to staff normal to thank them for their efforts.

Kate’s knitting ‘Thank You Bears’ for hospital staff with children Staff member Kate Ballinger is making ‘Thank You Bears’ for frontline colleagues with young families – and is appealing for the public to help too.

knitters and have a yarn stash to rival any of them, so I had plenty of materials here. The only thing I have had to buy in was some scrub coloured yarn and some extra stuffing, so when the scrub coloured yarn runs out, future bears may be in neon pink!”

“If we have any left when things start to return to normal, we will be able to donate Kate, SaTH’s Community Engagement them to the Facilitator and keen knitter, is creating Children’s Ward the little bears, which are wearing a set and sell them at of scrubs and a face mask, for staff at Kate (pictured) added: “The communities engagement both our hospitals as a thank you. across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and events next year mid Wales have supported SaTH with Kate said: “I have been making teddy to raise additional many knitting projects over the years. bears for my grandchildren for about six funds for SaTH These include Twiddlemuffs and blankets years and I wanted to be able to do Charity.” for dementia patients, red hats for something for our frontline staff. When I newborn babies and more recently If you would like to get involved, there saw the pattern for the teddy bears, I knitted hearts, and face mask bands. are links to the teddy bear patterns on decided the opportunity to create little the SaTH Charity pages of the website characters for colleagues across the Trust “So I have put an appeal out on social here www.sath.nhs.uk/about-us/ was too good to pass up.” media in April to see if anyone fancied charity/help/ and they can also be joining in with knitting the teddies. We It takes Kate a week to make each bear, found here and here. have over 6,000 staff members at the and so far she has made six of them for Trust and many of them have children or Anyone who would like to donate their key workers at RSH and PRH. grandchildren who would love a bear. own ‘Thank You’ bears for key workers, She said: “I come from a family of please contact we.supportsath@nhs.net

Memory stones to go in hospital gardens Beautifully painted stones are to be laid in gardens at RSH and PRH as a lasting memory of those who have died due to COVID-19.

The memory stones, which have been donated to the End of Life Care (EOLC) team at SaTH, will be placed in the Queen Mother’s Garden at RSH, and the garden near the Paul Brown Building at PRH. Debbie Snooke, EOLC Specialist Nurse, said: “The memory stones were originally

introduced as part of the children’s bereavement bags. It was then suggested

by Jules Lewis, our EOLC Facilitator, that we place a memory stone for every life lost due to COVID-19 in a hospital garden.

“I have two very special friends who have very kindly donated lots of beautiful memory stones which they have hand painted and varnished for us. It has been agreed by SaTH that we will be allowed to place them in the gardens at SaTH.” Jules said: “Last week was Dying Matters Week when we encouraged conversation about death and dying – and also find ways to help families at the hardest of times. their families.”

“These memory stones will be laid as a poignant reminder of those who have died during this pandemic and will hopefully help bring some comfort to

More donations William Watkins, Managing Director of Radnor Hills Mineral Water Company, approached SaTH Charity to see if our staff would benefit from a donation of bottled water. We said yes and the donation is already having a positive impact on the wellbeing of our colleagues. *** Control Techniques in Newtown, Powys, have sent us a quality PPE equipment from their stocks for our use during the pandemic. *** Professional Beauty Systems contacted SaTH Charity with an offer of 750 specialist hand creams to help staff who are battling with dry chapped hands from excessive washing and utilising hand sanitiser. We of course said yes, and are very grateful!

Julia Clarke, Director of Corporate Services at SaTH, said: “This is a touching way to remember those who have sadly lost their lives during this pandemic.”

Health food shop Holland & Barrett have donated 30 goody bags to staff at PRH. The gift bags were given to the Women and Children’s Centre at PRH to be divided between staff. Each bag contained around 10 items, including hand cream, face moisturiser, vitamins, hand gels and snacks from the UK’s leading health retailer.

The goody bags were then split up to enable as many key workers at possible to benefit from the generous freebies.

Student Nurses brave the shave and raise over £800 Two Student Nurses are now donning a new look after being sponsored to shave their hair off.

Shrewsbury lads Harry George, 22, and Daniel Gilbert, 26, have raised more than £800 for SaTH Charity.

Andrew James, from SaTH Charity, said: “This is such a wonderful donation from Holland & Barrett. And it was great to be able to divide the bags up to ensure as many staff as possible received some of the goodies. We’d like to express our gratitude to Holland & Barrett from all at SaTH.”

They said: “As students who have worked in a number of different departments at the Trust during our work placements we have seen first-hand the day-to-day pressures everybody faces. Despite these pressures, we have also seen the dedication and compassion that is shown to patients and their loved ones.”

 The reception team at PRH Women & Children’s Centre are pictured receiving the goody bags.

To donate please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/harry-george2

Do you have a story for us?

Email sath.commsteam@nhs.net

Book onto a training course today!

To access MCA/DoLS training please click on the intranet’s training diary and select the category: Mental Capacity, then MCA/DoLS training to book the session for yourself and department.

The training dates available to book are:  27 May, 10am to 12 noon and 1pm to 3pm at RSH, SECC  28 May, 10am to 12 noon and 1pm to 3pm at RSH, SECC  2 June, 1pm to 3pm at RSH. SECC  3 June, 1pm to 3pm at RSH, SECC  9 June, 10.30am to 12.30pm at RSH, SECC  10 June, 10am to 12 noon and 1pm to 3pm at RSH, SECC  18 June, 10 to 12noon and 1pm to 3pm at RSH, SECC  22 June, 10am to 12noon and 1pm to 3pm at PRH, Education Centre  23 June, 10.30am to and 12.30pm 1pm to 3pm at RSH, SECC Level 3 Adult Safeguarding is also available on the training diary. Just select the category ‘Safeguarding’ followed by ‘Safeguarding Adult Level 3 training’ to book the session for yourself and department.

The available dates are:  29 June, 9.30am to 3.30pm at RSH, SECC  1 July, 9.30am to 3.30pm, at RSH, SECC  6 July, 9.30am to 3.30pm at RSH, SECC

 Tesco in Madeley had a collection from their staff and customers and raised £200 for SaTH Charity.

Comfort Pebbles with messages from family and friends to be given to patients Comfort Pebbles are to be delivered to patients at SaTH, featuring messages from their family and friends.

brief personalised message, by a group of pebble artists known as ‘Rockers’. The pebbles are then varnished to ensure that they can be cleaned in line with infection The palm-sized painted pebbles featuring control guidance. personalised messages will be given to patients being cared for at RSH and PRH. The Rockers have kindly donated a supply of wonderfully-designed pebbles to Visiting restrictions remain in place at SaTH. both hospitals due to COVID-19 and have meant that some patients and their loved Ruth Smith, Lead for Patient Experience ones are unable to see each other, so the at SaTH, said: “Visiting restrictions during Comfort Pebbles are another means for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic them to keep in touch. has led to many patients and the people important to them being separated.

The Comfort Pebbles 2020 scheme was developed by Love on the Rocks UK, “We hope to provide some comfort to Keech Hospice Care and the Hospice UK patients in hospital by giving them a Team – and the initiative has now decorated pebble containing a launched in RSH and PRH. personalised message from someone important to them. The pebble can be Each pebble has been uniquely designed held and used as a way to keep close to and painted, with one side left blank for a loved ones during this time, where we

are asked to remain socially-distant.

“We are lucky enough to have received enough pebbles to launch the initiative in our hospitals. Along with a small number of them set aside to be given to staff members to say thank you for their continued support and commitment during the pandemic.

“We were one of the first Trust’s to get involved with Comfort Pebbles 2020 and it’s great to see other Trusts joining in too to spread messages of love to patients missing their families whilst in hospital.

We would like to thank the Rockers who have generously painted and donated the pebbles to SaTH.” If you would like to send a Comfort Pebble to a patient at RSH or PRH, please visit the SaTH website: www.sath.nhs.uk