Harvey’s Lab Tour brings smiles and science together
Last month, young patient Tilly and her brother Jesse got a special behind-the-scenes look at the Pathology department at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, thanks to Harvey’s Lab Tours.
Led by Amber Haynes, Jo Gwilt, Sarah Gilbert, Emma Bentley and Vikki Whitehouse, the tour gave the family a chance to see what happens to blood and tissue samples once they leave the clinic. From looking at cells under the microscope to sending a toy penguin through the internal shoot system, the visit was packed with hands-on moments and plenty of smiles.
Amber said: “It was brilliant to show Tilly and her family what we do. Helping young patients understand their illness from a different angle can really make a difference. And meeting the people
behind the samples reminds us why our work matters.”
Tilly, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2020, saw how her Full Blood Count is calculated and got to view leukaemia cells under the microscope. Her mum Helen said the visit was not only informative but inspiring. Tilly is now thinking about a future career in healthcare.
Bec Kerrigan, Acting Lead Scientist in Pathology, said: “A big thank you to the staff members that showed Tilly and her family around.”
Harvey’s Lab Tours are a great example of how our teams go the extra mile to support patients and families. Thank you to everyone involved for making it happen.
NHS Staff Survey opens in a few short weeks
Jo Williams said: “The NHS Staff Survey, opening in just a few weeks, is a perfect place to share your views and ideas confidentially. Your opinions and insights are crucial in shaping the future of our organisation. By participating, you help ensure we create a workplace that meets your needs and fosters a positive, productive environment. Together, we can make a real difference and drive our organisation forward.”
Flu vaccination programme
The flu vaccination programme will be launching soon for all colleagues. If you are pregnant or about to become immunocompromised, you are eligible to receive your vaccination earlier.
Benefits of the flu vaccination include reducing your risk of serious complications, such as pneumonia (particularly in the later stages of pregnancy) and providing protection for your unborn baby, as infants born to vaccinated women are around 70% less likely to be admitted to hospital with flu during their first six months of life.
To arrange a vaccination in confidence at work,
Brave the Shave
On Monday 8 September at 2.30pm in Captain Tom’s Garden, RSH, Erika and Indika from RSH
Catering Team will be shaving their heads to raise funds for the SaTH Charities Dementia Appeal.
At some point, Dementia touches most people’s lives, and a hospital environment can be difficult for patients who have been admitted.
The monies raised for the Dementia Appeal helps to restock the activity boxes for patients, with items such as crayons, playing cards, dominoes and
Alternatively, you can access the flu vaccination through your GP or pharmacist.
Further details on vaccination dates for all other colleagues will be released shortly. Please help us to protect each other, our patients and your loved ones – flu can be serious, on average more than 11,000 people die each year from the flu.
The earlier you get the flu jab the better as it ensures you are covered before the virus starts to circulate.
comfort items like soft toys.
If you would like to donate, please click here or you can donate to the appeal on the day.
Brightening up Ward 19 with a splash of creativity
There’s a new addition to the Women’s & Children’s department at Princess Royal Hospital - and it’s already making a big impression.
Little Warrior, a vibrant piece of artwork created by local artist Bianca from Ecoluxe Decor, has been donated to the paediatric oncology ward. The piece was inspired by the strength and resilience of the children we care for and is designed to bring a moment of colour and comfort to families during their hospital stay.
The artwork has been sealed with acrylic glass to meet infection control standards and includes a QR code linking to a short video that shows the textures and colours up close - offering a sensory experience without needing to touch the piece. The donation was coordinated by Kerry Davies, Youth Worker on Ward 19, and has already been warmly received by staff and families.
Thank you to Bianca, Kerry and everyone involved in bringing this special piece to PRH.
Everyone Belongs Here
On Cultural Diversity Day, 21 May, NHS STW launched a new campaign to celebrate the diversity of our colleagues across the health and care system in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, and to champion respect, dignity and fairness.
As part of the campaign, we asked for volunteers to become ‘Everyone Belongs Here’ advocates, to feature in a special series of posters and social media posts.
To update you on our progress, we have had an incredible response and have been carrying out photoshoots at locations around the county over several weeks. Thank you to everyone who has been in touch to lend their support so far.
Keep a lookout for the launch of phase two of the campaign in September, just in time for Workplace Inclusion Week which begins on Monday 15 September.
In the meantime, why not become part of the
campaign yourself by downloading the Everyone Belongs Here Teams background.
The new Teams background can be downloaded and added to your collection, ready for use during equality diversity and inclusion awareness weeks and celebrations. Please stick to the parameters of the design and share something short and sweet about yourself, helping to positively highlight our diverse backgrounds and identities.
You can find the latest assets including the Teams background and e-mail footer, plus more information on the campaign here
We
A chance to see the task trainers we have in the Trust, meet the team, ask questions and find out how to book training.
Competitions!
Find
Healthcare Simulation Week 15 - 19 September 2025 th th at a glance
Monday
RSH & PRH
Afternoon Skills Roadshow: bringing HCSW to you!
Tuesday
Meet Stan (RSH) or Kenny (PRH) - our SimMan 3G/essential simulators. Meet the team, discover features, ask questions and find out how to book training.
To
RSH & PRH
Wednesday
RSH & PRH
Afternoon Skills Roadshow: bringing HCSW to you!
Thursday
RSH & PRH
Afternoon Skills Roadshow: bringing HCSW to you! Throughout the week
Collaboration on the Patient Engagement Portal (PEP) and NHS App
Our Digital Team has recruited a number of our volunteers to promote awareness of the Patient Engagement Portal (PEP) and encourage the download of the NHS App.
These volunteers have received tailored training and are now actively engaging with patients, offering guidance and answering questions about this system.
The PEP is an online platform that pushes information from our Patient Administration System (CareFlow) to the NHS App, such as digital letters and appointment information.
Over the coming weeks, you may notice volunteers speaking with patients in outpatient areas, discussing the benefits of PEP and highlighting the features of the NHS App. Their support plays a key role in ensuring patients feel confident and informed as more services become available digitally throughout the year.
We are encouraging all patients who haven’t already done so to download the NHS App. As we continue to expand the services available through PEP, the app will become an essential way for patients to manage appointments and connect with their care.
For more information about the Patient Engagement Portal (PEP), please see the intranet. If patients have any questions or concerns, please direct them to our dedicated PEP webpage
To learn more about the NHS App, please see here
Skills Roadshows
Visits
Catch the Bus Month – and catch a biscuit while you’re at it!
September is Catch the Bus Month, and we’re celebrating the success of our Park & Ride services at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital– now a regular part of the commute for lots of our colleagues.
It’s quick, reliable and easy – and it’s helping ease pressure on hospital parking too. Here’s what’s happening this month:
• Free biscuit alert!
Every time you redeem your loyalty card for a hot or cold drink in September, you’ll get a free snack biscuit as a thank you.
• Team Challenge
If you haven’t tried the bus yet, now’s the time. Chat with your team, hop on board, and send us your Park & Ride pics.
• Awareness stands
Come and say hello! We’ll be out and about so come and ask us anything about parking and the Park & Ride.
• RSH – Mytton Oak Restaurant 12noon-2pm on Thursday 11 September
• PRH - Apley Food Hub 12noon-2pm on Tuesday 16 September
• Park & Ride song
It’s fun, it’s catchy, and it’s made to be shared. Give it a listen and spread the word. Listen to the Park & Ride song here
Charity hike for Lingen Davies
This weekend, Masie Middle, who works in Theatres at RSH and her friend Camilla will be taking on Snowdon and Scafell pike.
The pair only discovered their love for hiking this year, so this is a huge personal challenge for them.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of friends, family, colleagues and supporters, they have already
raised over £700 - but would love to push that even further to support Lingen Davies.
If you would like to donate, click here.
National Inclusion Week 2025
National Inclusion Week takes place from 1521 September.
This year’s theme for National Inclusion Week is #NowIsTheTime. It’s a reminder that inclusion isn’t something to put off or leave to others - it’s something we all need to act on now.
We’re using this week to reflect on how far we’ve come with our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) agenda and our Trust Values. But more importantly, we’re looking at how we can keep building an inclusive culture - not just from the top down, but from the bottom up too.
Inclusion should be part of everything we do, from how we support each other as colleagues, to how we care for our patients and connect with our communities.
Now is the time to listen, learn and lead by example.
There will be plenty of activities taking place during the week – these will be published shortly on the intranet.
There will be food stalls visiting both RSH and PRH on the following dates:
September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month, due to immigration and changes to our population demographics we are looking after more patients with Sickle Cell Disease in the UK.
Sickle Cell Disease is a genetic disorder affecting red blood cells. Sickle Cells are crescent shaped like a farmer’s sickle rather than being a biconcave disk, as the red blood cells release their oxygen to the tissues the sickle haemoglobin forms strands that make the cell change shape.
Sickled cells are stiff and sticky, they can stick to the vessel walls causing an occlusion or blockage which is referred to as a Sickle Cell Crisis. In a crisis patients can present in severe pain, chronic anemia, fatigue, jaundice, and other serious complications.
In August the Paediatric Haematology Team at SaTH launched ACT NOW within our hospital. ACTNOW is a national initiative to improve the care for this group of patients. It has been codeveloped by clinicians, experts, people with sickle cell and their families, the ACT NOW approach supports a rapid and effective response to a sickle cell crisis in patients attending any hospital.
Please watch our video involving our colleagues and patients to understand more about Sickle Cell Disease and ACTNOW.
BSL course success
A British Sign Language course has recently been held at PRH from April to July 2025.
Colleagues from a range of professions enrolled and included Radiographers, Cancer Navigator, Frailty Team Therapist, Sonographer, ED Reception staff, Youth Worker, Midwives, Occupational Therapist, AAA Screening Officer, Biomedical Scientist, and a Ward Clerk.
Feedback from course members was extremely positive with all colleagues responding that they found the content relevant to their role, found the instructor effective, were satisfied with the quality of training, and would recommend to colleagues.
One candidate shared: “Ruth was an inspirational teacher. I was concerned going into the course that I may find it difficult to understand what was being taught, particularly with Ruth being deaf herself and me having absolutely no knowledge and experience of sign language. However, the course was amazing! Ruth was so patient and understanding and made the teaching engaging and enjoyable. I really looked forward to the session each week and could feel my confidence and understanding growing immensely week on week. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and would recommend it to all healthcare workers. Learning the basics of BSL is so useful and will help deaf or hard of hearing
World Book Lovers’ Day
To celebrate World Book Lovers’ Day on Tuesday 12 August, SaTH Libraries in partnership with SaTH Charity gave away 300 free books to staff both on and off-site.
We received some great feedback about the event and hope that everyone that received a book enjoyed it.
• “Lovely to receive a free book this morning thank you! I look forward to improving my mental health with ‘Mind Manual’”
• “Great opportunity to read a short story creating mindfulness. A great way to support staff health and wellbeing. Thank you”
• “Will help switch off at lunch. Thank you!”
• “Thank you so much for bringing us some joy”
service users feel more welcomed and included in their care at SaTH.”
In response to the positive feedback, further training has been arranged:
• Basic British Sign Language Awareness session, which run from 2pm to 4pm and will take place on the Wednesday 10 December 2025 at PRH, and the Wednesday 25 March 2026 at RSH.
• A second British Sign Language course is being held at RSH. The course will be over 10 weeks, with an exam at the end to become accredited at Level 1. The course will run from the Wednesday 24 September 2025 to Wednesday 3 December 2025.
Applicants need to be patient facing and have the support from their manager to enable them to attend the sessions.
To book a place on any of these sessions please contact the Patient Experience Team on sath. patientexperience@nhs.net or on extension 5126.
If you missed out on a free book, we have copies of each of the 6 quick reads titles available to borrow from both Health Libraries. To find out more or join the library visit our website www.library.sath.nhs. uk.
Thank you to SaTH Charity “Small Things Make a Big Difference” fund for making the book giveaway possible!
Health & Wellbeing: What’s on
• Gentle Yoga at SERII: Mondays at 5.15pm from 8 September for 13 weeks. Book here on a weekly basis, using your NHS email address
• Mental Health and Menopause: SERII, 18 September at 3.15pm book here
• Menopause Advocate Training: New dates added for September and October book here
• Weight Management and Support - Beyond Diet and Exercise: 18 September at SERII, book here
Financial Support Webinars provided by Affinity Connect, Financial Wellbeing and Retirement Specialists for the Public Sector:
Click on each course to read more and watch a promotional video. Courses are available to book here
• Your Pension and the Public Service Remedy: Friday 12 September 2025
• NHS Partial Retirement: Wednesday 17 September 2025
• Planning for Retirement: Friday 3 October 2025
• Effective Tax Planning for Higher Earners: Wednesday 15 October 2025
• Taking Control of your Finances: Thursday 6 November 2025
• Your Pension and the Public Service Remedy: Tuesday 18 November 2025
• Planning for Retirement: Monday 1 December 2025
If you have any questions, please contact the Health & Wellbeing Team on: sath.ahealthieryou@nhs.net
Active Challenge event
On Tursday 11 September, teams across the Public Sector will take part in the Active Challenge event.
Participants log their daily steps or time spent swimming, cycling, wheeling, walking or running, and we travel virtually around Europe, completing the 17,500km route in two weeks.
It’s free to enter and is an incentive to walk, cycle or run to work. Any extra activity you do, ie cycle to the shops or walking from and to the Park and Ride also counts.
If you have a Fitbit, you can synch your devices to the Challenge to record your journeys.
To register please sign up here. For more information, please email Alex Ford
A new chapter for SaTH Charity
SaTH Charity is excited to announce an important milestone in our journey: the transformation of their logo.
This change reflects our commitment to evolving alongside the needs of our community and enhancing our brand to better represent the values we hold dear.
Julia Clarke, Director of Public Participation said “As part of our five-year Charity Strategy launched earlier this year, it was agreed that we needed to refresh the charity brand and introduce a Charity mascot bear to sell to help raise funds for additional services and comforts for our patients. Rather than spending lots of money on a company to do this, we have invited staff and patients to help decide on a new logo and on the name for our bear.”
We have already heard that people liked the heart shape of our old logo, which represents SaTH (The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital) at the heart of our community, but people have said that the old logo was not very inclusive and not everyone knew what SaTH stood for.
We’re also thrilled to introduce our newest, cuddliest addition to the SaTH Charity family - an adorable teddy bear that needs a name. Soon to be available to purchase at the new Transforming PRH hub in the Princess Royal Hospital, and in the charity office at William Farr House. You can email sath.charity@nhs.net if you are interested in purchasing one of these adorable bears.
We’ve narrowed it down to five charming names, with an option to suggest a name of your own, and now we need your help to make the final decision.
Cast your vote, spread the word, and help us find the perfect logo and name for our little bear! You have until the 12 September 2025 to cast your vote.
Kindness hearts delivered to Hollinswood House
Keith Osmund-Smith, Chaplain, delivered a number of knitted hearts to the Renal Unit at Hollinswood House where they were received with some excitement.
The hearts were donated by an inveterate knitting acquaintance and there are many more where they came from. She is currently knitting more for the Women and Children’s department - without affecting those now available for PEOLC and the Renal units at both locations.
Pictured left to right: Fern Hughes, Renal Supportive Care Nurse Specialist, Keith OsmundSmith, Chaplain, Alisha Morgan, Renal Unit Ward Manager and Rachel Williamson, Social Care Coordinator.
Charity partnerships and staff dedication drive major advancements in Trust urology services
Patients at SaTH are now benefitting from significant improvements in Urology services, thanks to the combined support of local charities and the dedication of hospital staff.
The League of Friends of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital has generously donated nearly £245,000 over the past two years, playing a crucial role in transforming the care available for urology patients across both hospital sites.
The substantial investment has helped reduce waiting times, improve patient comfort and allow a greater number of operations to take place locally.
The League of Friends has funded a range of items including: A HoLEP Morcellator system and handpieces helping treat patients with enlarged prostates more effectively and comfortably; a Trilogy Lithoclast which enables urgent treatment of kidney stones even outside normal hours; a bladder scanner, cystoscopy chair and other essential tools that directly support patient care and diagnostics.
A new Urodynamics machine and PCNL Machine were jointly funded by League of Friends and SaTH Charity.
Consultant Mr Syed Ali Ehsanullah, Advanced Nurse Practitioner Susie Sutton and Project Manager Karen Jackman were among the
Blooming lovely
Don’t they look blooming lovely – the beautiful wildflowers at RSH. We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from staff about them.
urology team members who took their fundraising efforts to new heights, literally, by abseiling down the hospital ward block, raising over £2,000 towards the purchase of the new Urodynamics machine.
Naing Lynn, Consultant Urologist, said: “The PCNL machine used to remove complex kidney stones through a minimally invasive surgical technique has expanded the Trust’s ability to perform a wider range of procedures in-house, reducing the need for patient transfers and supporting better outcomes.
“The Urodynamics machine has been installed at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, allowing patients to be seen more quickly and closer to home. Urodynamics testing helps assess bladder and urethra function and is key in diagnosing complex urinary symptoms. The presence of this equipment on both hospital sites has significantly reduced waiting lists and improved access to care.”
Colleague Notice Board
To
We would like to invite you to our taster sessions in our
department, where you will gain an insight into the department and find out more about the training and job opportunities which exist You must be 16+ to apply
When: Saturday 1 November 2025 st Early Session: 09:30 to 11:30 Later Session: 12:00 to 14:00 Venue: Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
Booking is essential as places are limited For further information or to book a place please email: HannahBlackwell@nhs net
Colleague Notice Board
Learn British Sign Language
STAFF LOTTERY
This
month’s winners...
1st £600
Medheeha Ajmal, Surgical Assessment RSH 2nd £300
Emma Parker 2nd £300
Colette Bueno Smith, AMU 3rd £150
Fiona Boddy, Hospital at Night 3rd £150
Sherrie Nuarin, Children’s Outpatients 4th £100
Andrew Graham, Sterile Services 4th £100
Becky Wyld, A&E PRH 5th £75
Melissa Ellis, Haematology Lab PRH 5th £75
Louise Stevens, Library Services 6th £50
Lauren Dorsett, Patient Flow 6th £50
Alison Swaine, Respiratory 6th £50
Lucie Price, Renal Unit 6th £50
Samantha Russell, Ward 16
JOIN THE STAFF LOTTERY AND BE IN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN
13 CASH PRIZES EVERY MONTH!
Tickets only £1
Payment will be deducted from your salary; winnings are paid into your salary the following month.
Why join our staff lottery?50% of profits are given out in prizes and the other 50% is adding to our Small Changes Make a Big Difference Fund which is all spent on items for staff.
The SaTH Small Things Make a Big Difference Fund aims to improve the working environment and amenities for all employees.
Click here to download the T&C’s and enter the staff lottery
Thank you
I just thought I’d drop you a line because my wife had an operation at the Elective Hub at PRH last week and she says that everyone was brilliant from start to finish.
Although she couldn’t remember everyone’s names Shelby and Savannah were particularly good, and Shelby earned serious brownie points for providing my mother-in-law with a cup of tea in a proper mug!
