230406 - Chatterbox

Easter is just around the corner and we’re certainly getting into the spirit of things at SaTH.

Whilst it isn’t a substitute for being home with friends and

family, we can at least bring a little bit of Easter spirit to those who are in hospital or working.

As always, the Children’s Ward has been supported with generous donations of eggs and

range of activities, including Easter bonnet making.

For details about Easter services, please see Page 7.

6 April 2023

Getting in the mould for pottery art workshop

More than 20 of our colleagues were hands on at the latest Healthcare Artclub - a pottery workshop.

The event held at RSH canteen, supported by SaTH Charity, was

said to have been ‘amazing’.

One of the organisers of the art club Dr Pamela Sturges, said:

'We are very grateful for the support of SaTH Charity who have continued to support us month

after month with supplying the resources we need and refreshments for all that attend. Without them we would be out of pocket and it's crucial to have these free sessions to bring staff together'.

Closing celebration for six colleagues on

Ethnic Minority Leadership Programme

completed the GALVANISE

Ethnic Minority Leadership Programme—a six-month pilot scheme and are pictured at their closing celebration.

They are from clinical and nonclinical backgrounds and were paired up with our senior leaders as well as ethnic minority personal mentors who are healthcare leaders from the NHS

Leadership Academy's Ready Now programme.

The programme offered practical awareness of leadership realities, encouraged development of personal insights through strength analysis and allowed space for critical discussion through action learning groups. Reflective practices were also included in the programme.

The programme aims to promote representative leadership at all levels within the organisation and was chosen to be presented at the Levelling the Field 2022 international conference.

The 2023/24 programme will be starting in September. For more information, please see details on the left hand page or @GALVANISESath

Chemical suit training for ED medical staff

Our Emergency Planning Team recently trained our medical workforce in chemical suit training and major incident processes. Dr Grace O’Connell, ACP Amie Jones and Dr Aymen Yasin, all A&E staff, are pictured taking part in the training. It is part of NHSE Core standards and training needs to take place to ensure we have staff trained to provide care to self presenting patients at any time, who may have been involved in a Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear incident.

On track for updates on cycling

Thefts of bicycles

Please note that three cycles have been stolen in the last month, but not from the staff secure shelters

Just as a reminder the RSH has four secure cycle shelters and the PRH has two secure cycle shelters.

If you or a colleague would like access to these cycle shelters, please email sath.greenertravels@nhs.net with the following details:

• Type of bike i.e. hybrid, commuter, racer, mountain, folding, ebike, colour and brand.

• Where you intend cycling from postcode or district (Gains park / Hadley)

• Contact details i.e. Department,

email (prefer NHS) and internal phone number.

• RSH or PRH?

Dr Bike - change of date

Due to the Easter holidays, Dr Bike will now be held on Tuesday 18 April 8am – midday at the RSH site.

Join the NHS1000 miles challenge

Looking for an exciting challenge or an innovative New Year’s resolution? Why not join the NHS 1,000mile challenge and commit to walk, run, swim or cycle 1,000 miles this year?

The NHS’s 75th birthday will take place on 5 July 2023 and people

across the country are being asked to join the NHS1000 mile challenge to mark the occasion.

Those taking part are encouraged to walk, run, swim or cycle (or a combination) a distance of 1,000 miles in the year. That’s an average of 2.74 miles per day.

Participants are asked to keep a record of their weekly miles.

It’s completely free to take part, but participants might want to get sponsored.

Track your miles through this dedicated spreadsheet or join the Strava group

Easter is nearly upon us and for many of our patients, visitors and colleagues it is a really meaningful time of year.

For Christians, it is the most important festival in the calendar as it commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is a time of thoughtful reflection, but also one of celebration.

The Easter message is all about renewal, so as we transition from winter into the brightness of spring, we hope you can take the opportunity to rest and recharge. It is perhaps a timely reminder of our wonderful chaplaincy team,

who are on hand to offer you support and guidance all year round.

Remember, you do not have to be religious to ask for help from a chaplain – they are inclusive to all faiths and none.

On Easter Sunday there will be services taking place at 10.30am in both of our hospital chapels. For those unable to attend, our chaplains have kindly provided links to local services that will be livestreamed on the day.

The Dawley Baptist Church service can be viewed by

clicking here and the Telford Minster service can be viewed here.

Father Jonathan will also be available to hear confessions between 7.30-8.30am on Good Friday (7 April) in the chapel at RSH.

Some colleagues will be enjoying time off with family and friends this weekend, but for many others it is business as usual. Please spare a thought for colleagues who will be hard at work this bank holiday caring for our communities!

Patient’s Christmas tree exhibition raises £500

A cheque for £500 was presented to the Chemotherapy Day Centre by patient Delma Thomas who raised the money through an Open House Exhibition over Christmas showing 600 Christmas trees in her home.

Long service award for Penny

Penny Hall, a Cancer Pathway Co-ordinator for the Cancer Services Department, has celebrated 25 years working at SaTH. She joined the Trust in March 1998 as a Radiotherapy Receptionist and moved on to become a Cancer Pathway Co-ordinator for the Cancer Services Department in May 2006.

She works in this role to this current day.

She has covered a range of different cancer specialities over the years but more recently she has been covering Skin Cancer.

She attends the MDT meetings and tracks and monitors our pa-

tients to ensure they are receiving a high standard of care.

Jessica Greenwood, Head of Cancer Services, says “I’d like to thank Penny for her 25 years dedication to the Trust and to her role in Cancer Services. She is a valued member of the team and a great support to the clinical team she supports, in her role in Cancer Services.

“She is helpful, hardworking, bubbly and always has patient care and wellbeing at the forefront of her work. Penny is well deserving of her 25 year Long Service Award.”

New bank incentive scheme for colleagues

From 16 April 2023, the Trust will be introducing a new bank incentive scheme for all non-medical colleagues.

This new scheme will replace the enhanced bank rates that are currently in place across most clinical areas.

The purpose of this scheme is to reward nonmedical colleagues who work bank shifts each month. The scheme is being introduced to help the Trust reduce its reliance on agency staff and to encourage more of us to share in the benefits of working bank shifts.

We know the quality of care and patient experience is better when it is provided by our colleagues, and we want to ensure you are still financially rewarded for your hard work and dedication.

Colleagues will be eligible to receive a £200 incentive payment if they meet the minimum

required bank hours worked in each calendar month based on their current WTE. The table on our intranet sets out the bank hours needed to be accumulated in a calendar month.

Colleagues who hold a weekly bank position will have the £200 payment added to their next weekly pay after the end of each calendar month. Colleagues who hold a monthly bank position will have the £200 payment added to their next month’s pay.

Anyone can join the Trust bank with approval from their manager. We would encourage you to contact your line manager to complete the necessary ESR change of position form.

There will be further communications on this scheme through all the Trust’s communication channels. A Q&A is also available on the intranet here.

Meet Ashia Miah, Chaplain

Ashia Miah, Chaplain, talks to us about her role at the Trust and tells us what Ramadan means to her.

Tell us a bit about you?

I was born in Bangladesh but came to Birmingham when I was four years old and moved to Telford in 1996. In 2001, I graduated with a degree in BSc Hons in Medicinal Biochemistry at Wolverhampton University. I have always loved helping others, especially when they are in distress and challenging situations. I’m involved in various community projects to meet the religious, spiritual, mental and physical needs, so outside of my role as chaplain I keep really busy with those. I created the Shropshire and Telford United Women’s Association in 2006, I am a member of the NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Equality and Involvement Committee and I’m also a group facilitator for Victim Support. To help me juggle all these demands, I have a fantastic team at home to keep me going. I am a mother to four lovely daughters and a wife to a supportive husband.

Tell us about your role as a chaplain

The role of a chaplain is a very special one. A patient’s physical needs are met by our clinical colleagues, and I like to think that we help to meet their spiritual and religious needs. Often a chaplain can be viewed as someone that only supports patients, but we do so much more than that. We also support hospital visitors, volunteers and staff. The wellbeing of our colleagues is paramount and it’s something I’m very passionate about. I am a Muslim chaplain, but my role is to support everyone regardless of their beliefs. I love being a chaplain – I truly feel like God has chosen me to do this.

What role does your faith play in your life?

My faith is so important to me and it is not just a religion, it’s a way of life. As a Muslim I want to keep growing closer to God (known as Taqwa) and this is achieved by doing good deeds. My faith determines my actions, but it isn’t limited to my encounters with people. It extends to how I treat all creatures, my community and the environment too.

How would you explain Ramadan?

Ramadan is the nineth month of the Islamic calendar and most people know it to be about fasting. Fasting is a commandment in the Quran (2:183); it is one of the five pillars in Islam, and so Ramadan is very important for Muslims. However, it’s much broader than just abstaining from food and drink. Ramadan is a time of reflection, so we look at our character, sharpen our focus on what is good, and try to become as pious as possible. There are so many benefits of fasting, but ultimately, it’s about selfimprovement and spending more time with God.

What does your daily routine look like during Ramadan?

Every year I want to make this Ramadan better than the last! During Ramadan I will pray more, read the Quran more and give more to local and international causes. My daily routine changes slightly when I am fasting, as I endeavour to make the most of my non-fasting hours by making time for worship during the night. For someone who values their sleep, this can be quite challenging, but somehow I pull through.

How do you stay motivated and consistent throughout Ramadan?

I stay motivated by looking forward to the next task - whether that be a prayer, reading or worship. I like to set clear goals for myself and for me it’s always about quality over quantity. For me I prefer to do small things well, rather than overwhelm myself with doing too much. As a Muslim community we are very good at supporting each other. Over the years I have been able to train my body for fasting.

What can other people do to help Muslims during Ramadan?

Be aware that our moods might be different during Ramadan, so please be patient and compassionate with us. It is great when managers are mindful of our workload/hours and offer us more flexibility during this time. Please don’t be afraid to ask someone how you can support them – the needs will be different from person to person.

Is there a particular Ramadan that stands out for you?

Ramadan 2020 will always hold a special place in my heart because I spent it with my mum before she passed. I always want every Ramadan to be more fruitful than the last, and this year is no exception.

Your wellbeing matters

Thank you for your phenomenal efforts in continuing to keep our patients safe and looking after each other.

The impact on mental health and wellbeing must not be underestimated and it is really important that we look out for each other, and take proactive and supportive actions to support everyone’s mental health and wellbeing.

We want to ensure that our people are provided with the correct support and an environment that enables and encourages each of us to lead healthy lives and make choices to support our wellbeing.

There are many resources available to you to help with your health and wellbeing and for you to be able to raise concerns with confidence if necessary.

Details on our wellbeing packages are available on our intranet here. This includes physical, mental, financial and emotional support. Please know that this support is available to everyone

• It’s so important that everyone takes time for fresh air and exercise, stays hydrated and has the opportunity to rest.

• Care First can offer you counselling support that can be accessed 24/7. Please call 0800 174319 or click here for more information.

• The Trust has 91 trained Mental Health First Aiders within the organisation. Mental Health First Aiders are trained volunteers ready to offer staff an empathic listening ear, initial inthe-moment support and to signpost as appropriate using their knowledge of mental health and wellbeing, and the Trust’s wellbeing pathways. Though not acting as counsellors or therapists, they can offer initial brief, one-off listening support to staff in their areas. Please check with your manager who the MHF Aiders are in your area. Click here for more information.

• 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. More information can be found here

• We have a number of network groups (the Disability, Ability & Wellbeing Network, the Race Equality & Inclusion Network and the Hospital Pride Network) who support our aims to improve our culture and I would encourage anyone who is interested in joining to click here to find out further information.

For a full list of other support available to you, including counselling, online support and free wellbeing apps, please click here

Please contact our Wellbeing Team at sath.ahealthieryou@nhs.net and they will be able to signpost you to the most appropriate help and support.

Notice Board

Notice Board

Staff Support

1st - £400 - Donna Wilkinson, Endoscopy

2nd - £200 - Bibin Govindan Gopal, Catering

2nd - £200 - Janine Wassell, Leadership Academy Coordinator

3rd - £100 - Kellyanne Bilton, Information Governance Support Officer

3rd - Abigail Lloyd, Endoscopy

The final word...

I am a regular outpatient at the Urgent Eye Unitthey are treating me for an ongoing condition.

I would just like to say that the unit is, in my opinion, the most efficient healthcare department I have encountered.

The staff are helpful, friendly and professional. I always get seen within minutes of my appointment time and, without fail, get the best treatment for my condition.