Chatterbox: 4 September 2020

4 September 2020

Cancer programme in the running for national award An innovative scheme designed to transform the lives of people living with cancer, has been shortlisted for a national award.

The Living With and Beyond Cancer Programme, which was developed in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, has been shortlisted in the 2020 Nursing Times Awards.

The Programme aims to enable and empower patients to recover as fully as possible and to live well with cancer throughout their treatment and beyond. pandemic, when these sessions have not been able to happen, In collaboration with patients, the team has set up virtual SaTH developed new and innovative tools to promote self- ‘coffee and catch-up’ sessions. care and self-management to As an alternative to the support recovery. It aims to community events, ‘Living Well’ improve patient experience by videos have also been created ensuring patients have to ensure all patients have information to help them access to concise, accurate manage their recovery. information along with peer support and education.

The team developed a ‘My Passport to Living Well’ “Patients and families can document to act as a handheld choose when to watch them, record which patients can use to how often, what to do next and assess their own needs and be get inspiration for safe selfsignposted to resources to management. support them.

When developing the videos, The team also developed ‘Living the team asked other hospitals Well with Cancer’ events to in the region to collaborate, bring care closer to patients. increasing the scope of the During the coronavirus impact from 30,000 people

locally to over 100,000 regionally.

Jessica Greenwood, Lead Cancer Nurse, (pictured) said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted in the Nursing Times Awards. This has been a fantastic collaborative effort.

“Our work has benefits for patients, family members, carers, cancer teams and other healthcare professionals.

“The programme promotes wellbeing and ensures consistent high quality care and information is provided to everyone.”

Nursing Times editor, Steve Ford said: “The challenge of tackling COVID-19, coming as it has during the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, has showcased the great work and innovation of nurses in every setting across the UK. “The Nursing Times Awards provides us with a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the profession’s exceptional achievements in a very difficult year, and I look forward to announcing the winners.”

The winners will be announced on 14 October at an event due to take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Entries open for National Apprenticeship Awards The National Apprenticeship Awards 2020 are now open for entries.

The Awards are a fantastic opportunity to showcase apprentices, employers and champions who have gone above and beyond, in spite of the challenges of COVID-19.

the Year  Rising Star of the Year

 Macro Employer of the Year

 Apprenticeship Champion of the Year.

Two webinars explain the awards  Recruitment Excellence (an process, including hints and tips on organisation that has recruited a completing applications. They can diverse and high quality be found here: apprenticeship workforce).

Entries are open until 25 Employer and Rising Star webinar September and this year’s winners Apprentice of the Year and Apprentice and Apprenticeship will be recognised via virtual Apprenticeship Champion Champion webinar ceremonies. All entries for the free categories: awards must be made via Regional ceremonies will be online  Intermediate Apprentice of the appawards.co.uk between 2-6 November, with the Year national ceremony taking place There are nine categories in online on 25 November.  Advanced Apprentice of the Employer of the Year: Year To find out more about the  SME Employer of the Year  Higher or Degree Apprentice of National Apprenticeship Awards  Large Employer of the Year 2020 visit: appawards.co.uk

Disabled staff survey runs until 18 September There have been over 3,700 responses so far to the survey (hosted by NHS Employers) looking at lived experiences of Disabled colleagues during COVID-19. The survey is open until 18 September. We have been overwhelmed with the offers to help with the development of case studies and have received nearly 200 emails. We

are working with NHS Employers and are considering the best way to harness these offers and gather invaluable stories and features. We will be analysing the data once the survey closes, and will be producing a report and other materials that support the key themes highlighted by the analysis.

Research Team landmark walk for SaTH Charity A team which has contributed to the UK’s efforts to find effective treatment for coronavirus is to undertake a 10 mile walk to one of the ‘modern wonders of Wales’ to raise money for SaTH Charity.

The Research and Innovation Team will be walking from Llangollen to the iconic Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

The team was recently in the headlines for its role in the trial of the steroid dexamethasone, which has been shown to reduce deaths amongst patients with severe respiratory complications caused by coronavirus.

www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/kelly-hard1

“Not only do we conduct our own research but we contribute to lots of nationally funded Kelly Hard, Research and projects. We have been offering Innovation Manager at SaTH, our patients the opportunity to said: “The Research and Innovation Team is dedicated to participate in the COVID-19 research that is helping to find a The team has also enrolled delivering research projects treatment. hundreds of patients into clinical which meet the needs of our trials to learn more about the community and the people we “We will be participating in virus. serve. national vaccine studies along with antibody testing for COVIDOn 26 September, around 15 “We conduct research in areas 19. members of the team will set off such as oncology, stroke, from Llangollen to cover the diabetes, cardiology, “We are passionate about tricky route to Pontcysyllte and gastroenterology, reproductive changing and improving the back. health, neurology, and options available to our paediatrics to name but a few. community through research, so The money they raise will go please contribute to our back to their department to “Money raised will be invested JustGiving page and give continue to fund their vital into research at the Trust to something back to help answer research work. provide more patients with the the unknowns about those opportunity to contribute.

To sponsor the team, visit health conditions.”

Daredevil Debbie’s at it again!

Nurse Debbie Snooke has signed up for her second charity skydive, after enjoying the first one so much!

last year was brilliant - it was so environment, much more exciting than I instead of in imagined it would be. the medical surroundings “I said then that I enjoyed it so of an acute Debbie will be raising money for much that I would do it again SaTH Charity’s end of life care around my birthday in July, but clinical ward.

Swan Fund when she takes part obviously the coronavirus Money from the fund has also in the tandem skydive on 26 pandemic put those plans on been used to purchase the September. hold. Now that things are XCcube system, which allows starting to open up again, I will the dignified transportation of a Debbie, End of Life Care be jumping at the end of the deceased person to the Swan Specialist Nurse, will be jumping month.”

Bereavement Suite; vouchers at Tilstock near Whitchurch, for relatives; coping with grief which was the scene of her first You can donate to Debbie’s leaflets; Swan Bags and tandem jump last year. fundraiser at contents for unexpected deaths The money raised will be used www.justgiving.com/ and so much more. fundraising/debbie-snooke to further improve the facilities available for patients receiving The Swan Fund has raised over The fund is also supported by The League of Friends of the end of life care, and to allow the £55,000 since it was set up in RSH and the Friends of PRH End of Life Care team to 2015, allowing SaTH to open provide additional comfort Swan Rooms at PRH and RSH. through Swan Memory Boxes, resources for the loved ones of Swan Rooms enable families to which can be used by relatives spend time with their loved ones and loved ones to keep special our patients. items. in a homely and relaxed Debbie said: “The experience

Dramatic fall in single-use plastics The use of single-use plastic at SaTH has fallen by 47% in the last 12 months.

Latest figures revealed 881,400 fewer plastic cups were ordered compared to last year. In 2019, our Catering Department signed up to the ‘NHS Plastics Pledge’, as part of NHS England’s national initiative to reduce waste.

We have already removed single-

use plastic straws, cutlery and polystyrene takeaway containers from onsite catering outlets, replacing them with recyclable materials such as paper straws, corn starch cutlery and compostable takeaway containers. We are also rolling out china cups on wards, where clinically appropriate.

Trish Purfit, Senior Catering Manager, said: “We have been

working hard to reduce the amount of plastic waste at our hospitals. Ordering 881,400 fewer plastic cups is just the start.”

Julia Clarke, Director of Corporate Services, added: “It’s great to see the commitment from the Catering team is having a positive impact on decreasing the amount of single-use plastic in our hospitals.”

Find out how to enter the SaTH Charity lottery HERE.