Chatterbox: 11 June 2021

11 June 2021

Inside this issue: Rebeccah in running for RCM presidency: Page 3 Pennies from Heaven: Page 5 Freedom to Speak Up: Page 7 Learning Disability Week: Page 9

VTE assessment: Page 15

Trust Awards go virtual Our first ever virtual Trust Annual Awards will be taking place on 9 July.

This is an exciting opportunity for you to celebrate the amazing achievements made by you and your colleagues over the last extraordinary year.

The awards wikll feature categories spanning how people are achieving our vision – to provide excellent care for our communities we serve – and living and breathing our new values – Partnering, Ambitious, Caring and Trusted.

The awards will highlight the incredible work and dedication made in our fight against COVID-19, and recognise the hard work made by our partners, including volunteers and fundraisers.

Nominations are now open. To find out more about the award categories and how to nominate please visit the Trust Annual Awards website here. Please note, nominations close on Tuesday 22 June.

Because the Awards will be virtual, each and every one of you will be able to attend and take part. The Awards will be live streamed so you will be able to watch from the comfort of your own home or at work through a link that will take you to the virtual event.

Please click here to register your interest and attendance so that we can ensure we send you regular updates, information and the link to watch on the night.

Categories: Pages 12 & 13

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Nutrition & Hydration Week To mark Nutrition & Hydration Week (14-20 June), a number of events are being held at both PRH and RSH next week.

yellow signs for specific patient advice.

On Wednesday – the Trust will take part in a global afternoon tea party to mark Nutrition and Hydration Week. Cakes are being supplied by our Catering team for patients on wards to have with their afternoon drink.

On Monday, the focus will be on MUST (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool) and mealtime Monday – Trust Food Safety Adviser Shelley Simpson will be walking around both hos- On Thirsty Thursday – our Quality teams will be pital sites to launch Protected Mealtime Badges walking around both sites with educational stands and will be available to discuss revised policy. and a little something for colleagues, as it’s not On Tuesday – Emily Davies, from the Speech just our patients that need looking after. and Language team, will focus on the refresh of Our Quality teams will continue their walkabouts the IDDSI terminology, thickener safety and our on Fluid balance Friday.

Rebeccah in running for RCM presidency Rebeccah Davies, Joint Staffside Chair and Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Workplace Representative, is down to the final three in the election to become the President Of the RCM. The President is the RCM’s ceremonial figurehead and one of the RCM’s two principal ambassadors. Voting is open to all RCM members via a unique email you will have received from a company called CES (please check your junk folder if you haven’t received it). Voting closes on 22 June, for more information, click here.

of Midwifery and qualification as a PMA. I became an RCM Workplace Representative in 2018 to represent colleagues in In her election address, need of support with change that Rebeccah says: “The Maternity had a negative impact in their Service is undergoing work environment. This transformation. Midwives and achieved a positive outcome and MSW’s are pivotal to its subsequently, the Shropshire successful implementation. 2020 RCM Branch committee -21 has presented challenge in developed. Since retiring which Midwives and MSW’s clinically as Delivery Suite have remained steadfast and Coordinator in July 2020 I was committed to mothers and elected as Joint Staffside Chair babies. and currently work collaboratively in developing fair “During my 30 years of Trust policy, attend JNCC and Midwifery experience, I have contribute to Steering Groups on undertaken several supporting roles, which include Supervision topical issues. I continue to contribute to the upskilling and

development of the role of the MSW. “In November 2019, I presented at the RCM Regional Activists Conference. It outlined our local campaign in how a very successful recruitment drive achieved the lead MSW membership in the country. It won the Pecha Kucha Award. In May 2020 on IDM, I received the national RCM Members’ Champion Award. This was a huge honour to gain such recognition.

“In the wake of the impact of the Interim Ockenden Report, I recognise the level of support which is needed to bring about positive change in practice and culture. My current role enables me to support members and influence positive change in a pro-active way.

“Understanding “how it actually is” enables me to ask the pertinent question with professional bravery and diplomacy. I lead by example with drive and passion, which I believe are essential attributes required to become President of the RCM.”

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Help raise money for SaTH Charity with Pennies from Heaven.

Carers’ Week Carers’ Week (7 – 13 June) is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. Many carers see themselves as a husband, wife, parent, child, brother, sister or friend of the cared for and do not recognise themselves as carers.

Becoming a carer can often start by helping a family member or friend however the support may increase to include washing and dressing, cooking, assistance with feeding, housework, taking medicines and physical or emotional support. The support they provide is estimated to save the UK Government £132 billion a year – close to the cost of a second NHS. The theme of Carers Week this year is ‘making caring visible and valued’. The Trust recognises the vital role carers have within our community. Their work is essential, not only in supporting those that they care for, but in supporting local health and social care services too.

You can support carers in our hospitals by:

 Identifying and recording unpaid carers in the admission booklet.  Referring them to the Carer’s Hospital Link Workers, who can help arrange a carers assessment (Shropshire - 01743 257897 or 01743 250577, Telford and Wrekin - 01952 240209).  Signposting to the website for information and advice.  Displaying the Carers Charter in your ward or department.  Attending ‘Unpaid Carers Awareness’ training sessions.

The Pennies from Heaven scheme invites you to round down your pay to the nearest pound and donate the remaining pennies to SaTH Charity. If your net pay was £1,202.33 then 33p would be donated to the charity.

The most you would donate in any pay period would be 99p.

Julia Clarke, Director of Corporate Services, said: “The Pennies from Heaven scheme is a really simple scheme where a few pennies a month can raise thousands of pounds each year.

SaTH Charity’s Small Things Make a Big Difference Fund is our nominated charity, as your pennies will support the small things that make a big difference to us all. I’m delighted that we can support our staff by offering you the opportunity to donate through the payroll.”

You can sign up for Pennies from Heaven at www.penniesfromheaven.co.uk /how-to-join/signup/ To find out more about the scheme and how it has benefitted many charities,visit www.penniesfromheaven.co.uk Or, for more information contact SaTH Charity (we.supportsath@nhs.net)

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Pictured is Theresa Harmer receiving her 25 Years Long Service Award.

Freedom to Speak Up Concerns Raised 21/22 YTD So far in 2021/22, 64 concerns have been raised through FTSU. This means that if numbers continue at this rate, there will be a 20% increase on concerns raised in 2020/21. This shows that people at SaTH care and want to find solutions to any issues that are affecting their ability to provide the best care for our patients and community. It also shows that FTSU is a trusted mechanism at SaTH for raising concerns.

FTSU Awareness Raising Sessions We have been attending team meetings to talk about and raise awareness of FTSU both in person and online. In the last couple of weeks we have been to Theatres (RSH), Ward 9, Ward 11, Phlebotomy RSH and PRH; Urology Operations Meeting, International Nurses Induction; Corporate Induction; Preceptorship; Senior Medical Leadership Team, Performance Team; Oswestry, Ludlow, Bridgnorth and Whitchurch maternity teams and we are continuing with the talks throughout the year. If you would like us to attend your team meetings we’d love to hear from you. Click here to find out how.

Learning Team Move Following concerns raised by staff about the service they were providing, the team were moved to another area benefiting both the service, colleagues and patients.

Uniform Staff member raised concerns about not having a uniform when working in a clinical area and felt it was necessary given the situation with COVID-19.

Colleagues progressed this by providing the option of wearing uniforms in this area assisting the safety of both patients and staff.

Equipment A concern was raised about the lack of working suction during an emergency intubation in the emergency department. This was resolved by the team working with ITU leads and it was identified that the suction mounts were too high on the wall; this was addressed to ensure safety and compliance

Theresa was present with the award by Julie O’Donoghue from the Cleanliness Team.

The Long Service Award is awarded to all staff who have worked in the NHS for over 25 or 40 years.

This does not have to be continuous service and is calculated by all NHS service not just service at SaTH. If you think you are eligible for the long service award, visit the intranet at https://intranet/hr/ Long_Service_Awards.asp to find out what to do next.

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Learning Disability Week is an annual event that aims to raise the awareness of learning disability across the UK.

You can help ensure patients with a learning disability receive equal access to good quality treatment by LEARNING about Learning Disabilities:

There are approximately 1.5 million people with a diagnosed learning disability in the UK; however, there are likely more people who are unaware or undiagnosed.

L – Look at the Patient Passport. This contains important information about the individual’s needs, which can help provide the correct care and treatment. You must also record a learning disability on Sema and in the patient notes.

A learning disability can cause difficulty in learning and may affect a person’s ability to read and communicate.

The theme of this year’s Learning Disability Week is art and creativity. Before the COVID19 pandemic, the Patient Experience Team partnered with Derwen College in Oswestry to promote the Treat Me Well campaign via Craftivism (craft activism).

Treat Me Well is a campaign run by Mencap that seeks to improve the way that the NHS treats patients with a learning disability in hospitals – this includes providing better communication, more time and clearer information.

At SaTH, it is important that colleagues listen to the patient and their carer, or family members, and use their hospital passport to identify what matters to the patient and if any reasonable adjustments are required.

The Acute Liaison Nurses are available to provide support. To make a referral, call 01952 457417 (PRH) or 01743 211210 (RSH).

To improve the patient experience of people with learning disabilities, the Trust has increased the amount of accessible information available.

A Learning Disabilities webpage has been developed and an easy-read patient information template has been designed to help staff develop easy read leaflets.

We also have a learning disability page on the intranet and a video to help raise awareness of the importance of patient passports which is also now shared as part of the Learning Disability training sessions. To book onto the training, visit the training diary (under patient experience).

E – Easy read. All written information must be available in an easy read format.

Easy Read leaflets can be accessed here.

Guidance on developing your own easy read information can be found on the patient information intranet page.

A – Acute liaison nurses can liaise and support patients with a learning disability, their carers and the staff looking after them. Anybody can refer to the Learning Disability Acute Liaison Team by calling 01743 211210 (RSH) or 01952 457417 (PRH).

R – Reasonable adjustments, such as longer appointments, should be made where appropriate, to support an individual’s additional care needs. You can find out what reasonable adjustments are needed by reading the Patient Passport.

N – Needs-based visiting. Patients who have a learning disability should be able to have someone with them while they are in hospital, if it is in their best interest.

I – Intranet page. Resources and further information can be found on the learning disabilities intranet page.

N – Nothing about me, without me.

Involve patients, and their carers, and keep them informed at every stage of their stay. This may reduce anxiety levels and also speed up the recovery process.

G – Gain further knowledge via training.

Information on training can be found here.

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Since July 2020, the mandatory use of masks and face coverings - vital in controlling the spread of COVID-19 - has made communication for anyone who is hard of hearing, a serious challenge.

The muffling of speech, combined with the inability to read lips, has had a profound impact on the one in five people in the county who are deaf or have hearing loss.

In response to this issue, and thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation for Staffordshire, Signal, a Shropshire -based charity that supports people who are Deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus, has launched its “Make Communication Clear” campaign, aimed at raising awareness of the challenges that are being faced by people who rely on lip reading, and recommending simple ways in which shops and services can adapt their communication to provide a more inclusive experience.

ensure a deaf aware service.

Included in the free pack is a colourful poster that helps staff to understand eight simple communication tips that will support them to deliver an inclusive customer service.

Also in the pack is a poster promoting the space as “Deaf Friendly” and explaining that, in accordance with Government Guidelines, deaf-aware staff will temporarily lower their mask to allow their lips to be read, if required.

Finally, there are a range of colourful badges, with positive messages about lip reading, that can be worn both by staff members and people with hearing loss.

Packs can be ordered for free by visiting www.signal.org.uk/covid19

Signal hopes when staff working in customer facing roles have a better understanding of the challenges faced by customers who are deaf or have hearing Signal is asking public places to loss, as well as an understanding join the campaign. It has of how small adaptations can produced a range of free make communication so much marketing materials that can be used and displayed, which will let easier, life for the one in five people who experience hearing deaf and hard of hearing people loss in our county, will be know that this is a welcoming, “Deaf Friendly” space, where staff significantly improved: now and beyond the pandemic. know how to adapt their communication methods to

Hearing loops are now available in the equipment library for wards to loan, to support hearing aid users.

Hearing loops are sound systems designed for people with hearing aids. They are essential in enabling hearing aid users to follow conversations, as they amplify speech over background noise.

With the requirement for staff and patients to wear masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to lip -read or see facial expression is not always possible. This has caused further difficulties with communication for both patients and staff who are deaf or hard of hearing.

52 hearing loops were installed in outpatient clinics and reception desks across both sites at the end of 2020. The remaining loops are now available in the equipment libraries at both sites for wards to loan. This will help to improve communication during a patient’s stay.

VTE assessment From now on, no patient will leave our AMUs or SAUs without a Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) assessment being completed and confirmed on VitalPAC.

VTE column to the AMU admission board at RSH. Patients were being missed before this concerted effort to capture all patients. We all need to check in with this system and remind our medical colleagues of the need to complete a VTE assessment as early as possible.”

This includes choosing the right treatment, prescribing and administering, as appropriate.

This now needs to be part of our routine patient care. Please make sure you are applying this standard.

Pictured is Dr Ismaeel, AMU Consultant, completing the online VTE assessment form.

When asked why completing the VTE assessment is important his response was straightforward: “Because it saves lives. If we miss one patient who needed a VTE is could be detrimental to patient care. It is part of our obligation as doctors and as a Trust to meet the 95%

Thank you all for your efforts.

Please sustain them so that this becomes routine practise.

Dr John Jones, Acting Medical Director completion target.”

Carol Griffiths, AMU Sister demonstrated to AMU Staff Nurse, Serena Price how they can see if a patient has had a VTE assessment and explained: “Today we added an additional

Take-away lockers now available

PAGES 18-23

At SaTH your wellbeing matters and that’s why we all need to take s wellbeing.

The COVID-19 crisis has affected us all, whether this is within our person Wednesdays. Each Wednesday we will be touching on a different topic ra You will be able to find useful tips, resources and we will also be arrangin Each Wednesday our staff wellbeing team will be walking round our two h support you and to promote the importance of looking after ourselves. Th are there to help you.

To find out more about the weekly activities, please look out for detail in t These sessions will be facilitated by Team Prevent and are available for a be sent a link for the session.

As part of Wellbeing Wednesday, we’ve created a Wellbeing Wheel which encourage all staff to work with a trusted colleague or line manager to co which you should review regularly. This booklet also outlines the support

some time to consider the factors which have an impact on our

nal life or at work. This is why this week we’ve launched Wellbeing anging from exercise, nutrition, sleep, financial advice and mindfulness. ng some online sessions. hospitals to speak to you, ask how you are feeling and what we can do to hey will be in their purple wellbeing t-shirts so do look out for them – they

PAGES 14-19

the weekly staff information bulletin and notifications from the staff app. all staff to attend. To book please email l.westcott@nhs.net and you will

h is intended to help you think about your wellbeing and lifestyle. We omplete the Wellbeing Wheel and to develop a Wellbeing Action Plan available from SaTH to help improve and enhance your wellbeing.

Staff Support

Staff Support

Viv Orme, Radiographer viv.orme@nhs.net

Peer-to-peer listeners

Maria Scenters, Library Assistant maria.scenters@nhs.net Erica Davies, Barista erica.davies@nhs.net Sally Roberts, Barista sally.roberts23@nhs.net

In many situations, having someone to talk to can lighten our load; when we are listened to this helps us to feel valued.

Therefore we have trained a group of staff from across the Trust as Peer to Peer (P2P) Volunteers to help support colleagues. P2P are trained to provide confidential, non-judgmental peer support, signposting to other internal contacts where appropriate. P2P listeners are trained in supportive listening skills but they won’t be acting as counsellors.

Elaine Evans, Nurse, TBC Caroline Callister, Workforce Assurance caroline.callister@nhs.net Nick Robinson, Leadership & OD Coordinator nick.robinson5@nhs.net Jeanette Barnes, Specialist Nurse jeanette.barnes3@nhs.net Petro Hryziuk, Champlain petro.hryziuh@nhs.net

Teresa Love, Nurse and Workforce Project Office, P2P Lead Teresa.love3@nhs.net

Megan Griffith, A&E Sister megan.griffith2@nhs.net

Charlotte Beirne, OD Practitioner, P2P Lead Charlotte.beirne@nhs.net

Kirsty Wagg, Specialist Nurse kirsty.wagg1@nhs.net

Mervyn Williams, Champlain mervyn.williams@nhs.net

Ella Collison, ITU Staff Nurse e.collison@nhs.net

Lynette Charles, Specialist Nurse lynette.charles@nhs.net

Angie Lunt, Recovery Staff Nurse angelamary.lunt@nhs.net

Jules Lock, EOL Volunteer juleslock@live.com

Sarah Thomas, Senior Corporate Education Advisor sarahthomas@nhs.net

Rachael Maskell, Corporate Education Assistant rachael.maskell@nhs.net

Nerys Cox, Pain Nurse Specialist nerys.cox@nhs.net

Steve Jenkins, Maxillofacial steve.jenkins2@nhs.net

Jules Lewis, End of Life Care Nurse Specialist jules.lewis@nhs.net

Karen Maguire, Theatre Nurse karen.maguire2@nhs.net

Lucy Stanley, HCA, A&E lucy.stanley3@nhs.net Nyree Porter, PA nyree.porter@nhs.net Rachel Hanmer, TCI Administrator Rachel.hanmer@nhs.net Adam Anderson-Woods, Library Assistant, adam.andersonwoods@nhs.net Samantha I'Anson, Corporate Educator s.i'anson@nhs.net

Julie Cheshire, Orthopaedic Technician julie.cheshire1@nhs.net Janet Flavell- Raybone, Nurse Practitioner, janet.flavellraybone@nhs.net Sarah Raynor, HCA, Ward 21, sarah.raynor2@nhs.net

1st prize: Rachel Bladen – Ward 16 2nd prize: Fiona Hand – Wrekin Antenatal Clinic; John Williams – IT 3rd prize: Maria Hutchinson – Emergency Department; Janine Wassell – Colposcopy Administrator

The final word...

I would like to say a very, very, very special thanks to each and everyone on Unit 22, Ward 4, for everything you have done for me.

Especially my friend, Toby.

And a very special thanks to Dr Gallacher and team for saving my life.

The NHS do a remarkable job and I can't thank everyone enough.