Chatterbox: 31 July 2020

31 July 2020

This week, we welcomed our new first year foundation doctors, who will be shadowing in the departments where they will be working, and attending various inductions. All other grades of doctors will change over on 5 August. We’re sure you will make them all feel very welcome.

Huge increase in charity donations as public recognise YOUR hard work

200,000 thank yous Almost £223,000  26 two-way radios to improve has been raised by staff communication when SaTH Charity in the working in PPE areas. last three months— almost double the  Dementia sensory trolleys supporting patients who are amount raised over struggling with COVID-19 the same period last year. related stress.

In a report to this week’s Trust  40+ portable hearing loops Board Louise Barnett, Chief for use across the Trust to Executive, said the figure reduce the impact for the represents the huge support the hard of hearing of sneeze Trust has received from local screens and staff wearing people, local businesses and face coverings. national support from NHS Charities Together.

Other funds were used for: Items recently purchased by NHS Charities Together funds include:  16 seating units to support staff taking a quality break outside in the fresh air.

 Cancer examination trolleys to the value of £33,264 to provide improved patient comfort and support staff to provide treatment in an improved setting.

 Test equipment for Audiology and supporting IT equipment purchased at a cost of £25,548. This supports an Audiologist to understand dizziness and balance issues a patient might be experiencing.

Further planned expenditure from NHS Charities Together includes a nurse-led physiological support programme and a COVID-19 Hamar Centre-based counselling service to support patients and staff.

The Trust is also putting forward a £50,000 bid focusing on the impact of COVID on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff and patients.

Fundraisers—See Page 5

News in Brief...News in Brief...News in Brief...News in Brief...

We are currently reviewing the name of the Chapels to ensure that this provides an accurate reflection on the space which is available.

Colleagues in the NHS England/NHS Improvement People Team, working in partnership with NHS Practitioner Health, have launched virtual staff common rooms for NHS colleagues from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.

The input of both the local community and staff working within the Trust is important to ensure that the name used is the most appropriate.

Open to anyone, although specifically catering to the needs of our NHS staff from BAME communities, the common rooms are a safe and supportive environment.

Please take the time to fill in this short survey to submit your views: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ SaTHChaplaincySurvey

Discussion in the room is guided by the participants, with the focus on present and future coping and support.

The rooms are hosted by an experienced and approved practitioner.

To register, visit the online events calendar at www.events.england.nhs.uk

Let us know your thoughts for three chances to win a £50 Amazon voucher Please take three minutes to answer this brief survey regarding your experience with the Vivup Cycle to Work staff benefit for three chances to win a £50 Amazon voucher.

Even if you didn’t use or were not aware of this staff benefit, we really value your feedback.

Enter the survey here.

Terms and conditions can be found here.

A welcome from the new Onboarding Team Leading the Onboarding Team is Hannah Yates, who will be supporting the new starter process for all senior positions within the Trust. Supporting Hannah is Beth Williams, our Onboarding Specialist who will be focusing on our Staff Nurses as we know this is an area which needs some support in regards to retention. We also have the support of three Onboarding Advisors; Alex Graham, Samaria Simmons and Katie Shaw.

We are excited to announce SaTH’s new service of The Onboarding Team.

Who we are

Hannah, Beth and Alex have all moved from the Recruitment Team, so already have extensive knowledge of the Trust and some exciting ideas on what we can do to help retain our Staff. Both Samaria and Katie are new to SaTH and bring with them plenty of enthusiasm for our new team!

Our team has been established to engage with Any questions? Email sath.onboarding@nhs.net new starters joining the Trust, providing them with or call 01743 261000, Ext 6844 / 6846 a positive experience. We want to make the best possible first impression and maintain a level of support for them.

We understand that first impressions count and by ensuring that we create the best one possible, it will be a positive start to the new employee’s journey.

We also understand retention is a key aspect of our Trust, which requires more focus. We aim to look at reasons behind an employee leaving through ‘leavers’ conversations’. By working collaboratively with other teams, we hope to implement changes to increase our retention.

Courtyard’s facelift a hit

New Starter Process We are aiming to offer new starters a dynamic and streamlined service during their initial few months with the Trust.

We will be actively working with recruiting managers to ensure that new starters have everything they need for their first day, and then keeping in regular contact over the first six months, with view to extend this in the future.

Staff Retention As a team, we will have a strong focus on staff retention. We are holding regular conversations with leavers to try and understand the key reasons they no longer wish to work within the Trust. Our intention is to address these issues and, in turn, improve the overall experience for our staff within the Trust.

A courtyard at the Princess Royal Hospital has been given a facelift thanks to Estates volunteer Graham Moore.

Great work, Graham!

Apprenticeships are up and running again!

The Government has launched incentives to help recruit apprentices. To find out about these and more:

Telford College & the SATH Workforce Transformation Team would like to invite you along to a virtual meeting through MS Teams taking place on: Wednesday 19 August at 2pm.

Come along and we will highlight the following:      

Benefits of hiring an apprentice in your department New apprenticeship qualifications and how this has changed recently, e.g. Business Administration level 2 is no longer available, what is on offer as an alternative?

New Government incentives available for employing an Apprentice Talent pool of school and college leavers and 19+ The Apprentice Recruitment process Using Apprenticeship qualifications for upskilling existing staff An opportunity to ask questions.

To join us and reserve your place e-mail: Beckie.Bosworth@telfordcollege.ac.uk An MS Teams invite will then be sent directly to you.

Apprenticeship Programmes offered includes:     

Business & Administration – Level 3, 4 Customer Care – Level 2, 3 Healthcare Support – Level 2, 3 Management – Level 3, 5 Human Resources – Level 3, 5 Plus others….

Sweet fundraising effort by Isla and Fay On your marks, get set, bake! Twelve-yearold best friends Isla Linney and Fay Bradley have raised over £200 for SaTH Charity, by holding a local bake sale.

There were no soggy bottoms for Isla and Fay, from Meole Village, Shrewsbury, who put their baking skills to good use by making a selection of cakes, sweets and tray bakes to sell in their community - and donating the proceeds to SaTH’s Living Well with Dementia appeal.

After spending the weekend in the kitchen, Isla and Fay had a queue down the street ready to buy their tasty treats. The youngsters offered classic lemon drizzle, Victoria sponge and brownies, muffins, chocolate chip cookies, M&M pizza, rock buns and chocolate Smarties cake.

The girls sold out in two hours and raised £272.60 in generous donations.

something so thoughtful for the community and the NHS. “We received so many lovely comments and words of encouragement for the girls. And lots of very generous donations from the residents of Meole Village. The final total raised shocked us all - especially since baking is not something they do often.”

Claire Linney, Isla’s mum, said: “We were so proud of them both for their choice of charity. It’s Isla and Fay are pictured with pictured with wonderful to see two youngsters doing Karen Breese, Lead Dementia Nurse.

Virtual run to be held in memory of daughter A Market Drayton woman is holding a virtual run this weekend to raise money for the Maternity Bereavement Suite at PRH. The 90 miles in 90 days event has been organised by Victoria Vespa, in memory of her daughter Luna-Seren, who died in January.

bereavement midwife with the idea of wanting to raise funds to give the bereavement suite at PRH a full makeover.

unfortunately say their goodbyes.

“Now, I understand how lucky we are to have this facility, as some hospitals dont have one.

But it is so, so important.

“Those dearest to us were able to come and meet Luna and we had the privacy to be with our loved ones, away from the busy atmosphere of the hospital.”

“The suite provides a private space for parents who have From 1 August, participants are experienced the tragedy of a asked to run a total of 90 miles stillbirth or the loss of their baby over the 90-day period. post-birth, where they can begin There is a £5 entry fee and then to grieve the loss of their baby. runners raise their own “It is safe space for families to sponsorship on top. see the baby, and for them to make some memories, and Victoria said: “I contacted our

“Having this space meant so much to us as a family.

For more information, or to signup, email lunaserenslegacy@gmail.com or visit fb.me/lunaserenvespa To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/victoria-vespa-2

LGBT+ group SAND (Safe Aging, No Discrimination) is to hold a special screening of the film Gen Silent with Producer Joseph Applebaum and Director Stu Maddux.

Made in the US, Gen Silent premiered in the UK in Shropshire in February 2012 and was the catalyst to bring people together locally into an organisation now known as

SAND, which last year secured lottery funding to progress a Campaign to EMBRACE A Culture of Inclusion across Shropshire Telford & Wrekin. It’s supporters include Great British Bake Off host Sandi Toksvig.

only been screened in Shropshire twice, although SAND has shown the impactful four-minute trailer at every training session delivered and at many events.

The full length version of the film, which looks at the struggles facing older members of the LGBT+ community has

To book tickets for this online screening, which will take place on 13 August at 11.30am, click here.

Bomere Heath Cricket Club in Shrewsbury is hosting an outdoor cinema screening of hit film The Greatest Showman—and offing a great discount for NHS staff.

The film will be followed by a 30 minute Q&A.

keyworker. You can buy as many as you like at this price as long as you are a key worker yourself.

The Facebook event page for the screening can The event will take place on Saturday 29 August be found by clicking here and tickets are from 4pm, with the film due to be screened available by clicking here. around 8pm.

The bar will be open, but visitors can also take Normal ticket prices are £15 for adults and £10 their own food and drink. Picnic hampers from for children, but NHS staff can get tickets for just Battlefield 1403 are also available to pre-order £10. Tickets are on sale now and the discount and collect on the night. More information can be can be obtained by using the Voucher Code: found here.

Are you in the SaTH Charity Lottery?

The July winners for SaTH Charity Lottery are Jessica Greenwood (Cancer Services), Samantha L’Anson (Corporate Education), David Howse (Ward 19) and Maggie Davison (Cellular Pathology).

Congratulations to the four winners—and for everyone else make sure you are in with a chance of winning August by downloading a lottery entry form here.

Alternatively, you can collect/request a form from the SaTH Charity office. Completed forms should be returned to sath.charity@nhs.net or the SaTH Charity Office (Suite 2, Stretton House, RSH).

A prize pool will be created by the monthly contributions to the lottery. The greater the number of players, the bigger the cash prizes and funds raised for staff benefit.

The prize pool will be split so approximately 50% will go on prizes: 

1st prize = 20% of the entry money



2 x 2nd prizes = 10% of the entry money



2 x 3rd prizes = 5% of the entry money

The remaining 50% of the money will go into the Small Things Makes a Big Difference Fund.

There may be a one-off “super draw” every year with larger cash prizes. This will replace one of Providing entries are made by the end of a the monthly draws and will be publicised in calendar month, deductions will be made from the subsequent month’s payroll, and you will be advance of the draw date. entered into the following month’s draw.

The draw will take place on the second Tickets cost £1 and a maximum of 5 tickets can Wednesday of each month. The winners will be announced in Chatterbox that week. be purchased. Payment will be deducted from your salary (a minimum of £1 per month to a The Staff Lottery is open to all staff working at maximum of £5 per month). It is the SaTH who have regular contracted hours and responsibility of each employee to check that are on the Trust’s payroll. deductions are accurate.

New staff lockers More than 300 new staff lockers are now available for colleagues at RSH and PRH thanks to our Small Things Make a Big Difference fund.

It follows requests for more storage space from most departments following changes to uniform best practice. As staff are asked not to travel to and from work in their uniform, many were left with nowhere to store their personal belongings.

An equal amount of staff lockers will be installed across both sites next month. Available in threedoor, four-door and six-door units.

The new lockers have been subsidised by the Small Things Make a Big Difference Fund, which is supported by the staff lottery and managed for the benefit of staff by Julia Clarke,

Director of Corporate Services.

Julia said: “Additional lockers were one of the biggest requests from staff over the last few months. And this is exactly the reason the fund was set up, so we can help make a big difference to their working lives with something small.�

Departments can make requests for new lockers by speaking directly to Andrew James andrew.james8@nhs.net or by calling 01743 261446.

The size required and location needs to be specified and agreed in advance. Those with no current storage space will be prioritised.

Information on how to apply for funding through the Small Things Make a Big Difference fund is available here.