CHATTER BOX Your fortnightly bulletin for SaTH colleagues and events Friday 27 October 2023
Wear Red Day 2023 Friday 20 October marked Wear Red Day, which is led by Show Racism The Red Card - the UK’s leading educational anti-racism charity. Thank you to those of you who showed your support for the campaign by wearing something red. SaTH’s vision is to create an inclusive, diverse environment that celebrates differences and encourages equal opportunities for everyone.
Speaking up A colleague recently contacted our Freedom To Speak Up (FTSU) Team after concerns about racism from a patient. They felt that there needed to be better processes in place to support colleagues facing discrimination. The FTSU Team listened to their experiences and frustrations, and as a result were able to help implement new processes which have made a really positive change.
If you experience or witness racism at SaTH, please report it. You can do this on Datix or you can speak to the Freedom To Speak Up (FTSU) Team. We are taking steps to respond to any instances of racism by making sure that all staff feel at ease raising concerns through the various routes available. You can learn more about Wear Red Day by visiting the website.
NHS Staff Survey 2023 is now open - find out more on page 6
Congratulations to our Trust Celebratory Awards finalists! We have had almost 500 amazing nominations for our Trust Celebratory Awards each telling a compelling story and highlighting the outstanding dedication and commitment of so many colleagues and their teams. Each one of them has brought into focus the truly wonderful work that happens in our organisation every day across a wide variety of services within our hospitals and the wider community. The very difficult process of shortlisting and judging has now
been concluded and we are delighted to announce our brilliant finalists. You can meet the finalists, and read why they’ve been nominated, here. The awards ceremony will be live streamed at 6pm on Thursday 16 November on TV screens at both hospital sites. Alternatively, you will be able to watch on your phone, laptop or on another electronic device. More details will be made available closer to the time.
Annual Recognition Week Annual Recognition Week will kick off with celebrations on Monday 6 November and will feature a number of events recognising and celebrating the fantastic contribution that colleagues, volunteers and partners make, supporting our patients, families and communities, whether in frontline teams, or working behind the scenes. The Long Service Afternoon Tea will celebrate colleagues that have recently celebrated 25- or 40-years’ service. Eligible colleagues should have received an invitation. If you haven’t received your invitation, please email sath.awards@nhs.net. Volunteers will be invited to a celebration event to celebrate key achievements, individual stories and give thanks for their generous and selfless contributions to the services we provide and communities we serve. The Learning and Development celebration will recognise those who have completed training and development and will feature keynote speakers with a focus on celebrating achievements, leadership, building psychological capability and self-care. It will also mark the official opening of the SaTH Education, Research & Innovation Institute (SERII). To sign up, click here. As part of our Recognition Week events, we are taking an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the contribution of our valued colleagues who are former or serving military personnel, and as part of our duty under the Armed Forces Covenant, to highlight the support and care that the Trust provides for those who serve or have served in the armed forces and their families in our community.
A Service of Remembrance will also take place on Friday 10 November at the Tom’s Gardens on both hospital sites. All colleagues are very welcome. Please gather at 10.50am for a two-minute silence at 11am. A short Service of Remembrance will follow with refreshments. On Monday 13 November we will be holding an Inclusion and Belonging event, which will celebrate diversity across the Trust through the sharing of staff stories, world foods, cultures, faiths and much more. More details will be announced soon.
Freedom to Speak Up Month 2023
As part of our Getting to Good journey, we are striving to create a better place to work and receive care, for everyone. To help us achieve this, it is crucial that we all feel able to speak up when we have worries or concerns, and that we are listened to. We have marked Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) Month throughout October and there is some really great work taking place in our organisation. We want to continue to bring about positive changes. We are making good progress, with more of you speaking up. Last year, 282 of you raised concerns and we’ve put some fantastic things in place to ensure we are listening and following up.
Kat Suffolk Kat was a student nurse in the Trauma and Orthopaedic Ward at RSH. Kat contacted the FTSU team with concerns about staffing levels. She feared that the presence of student nurses may have masked the low numbers. Kat said: “Sharing the issue with the FTSU team was really helpful. A meeting was immediately arranged with the matron to hear my concerns and to discuss what actions were being taken to resolve the staffing problems. FTSU gave a space for reflection and the whole process made me feel safe and valued. It’s easy to accept things as they are, but we shouldn’t accept levels of care that fall below the standards we want to give and that the patients deserve.” Throughout the process Kat felt listened to and supported by her management team and the FTSU team. The staffing numbers increased to support the whole team. Kat has since accepted a substantive post as a nurse in ITU and says this was directly connected to her feeling safe to raise her concerns.
Kat was so inspired by her experience with the FTSU team that she is now training to be a FTSU ambassador herself so she can support colleagues in raising any concerns or worries they have.
Steve Cox Steve, Portering Logistics Manager at PRH, was contacted by FTSU after concerns had been raised by colleagues about the allocation of bank shifts. The Portering department had been using a paper-based system for colleagues to apply for bank shifts. Porters felt that having to submit availability forms in advance restricted their ability to pick up extra shifts on an ad-hoc basis and this led to feelings of unfairness. It was decided to move towards an electronic based system. This idea was then discussed with the wider team so that everyone was given the opportunity to raise concerns or share any ideas that might improve the issue. The electronic system is now in place, meaning porters can book their bank shifts directly through the system. Porters are no longer restricted and can pick up shifts as they become available, leading to more autonomy overall. Steve said: “It was good to have an independent perspective, and it helped us, as managers, to provide a solution with guided feedback. It also brought an issue to our attention that we were not aware of. The team has embraced the change, and we have seen an increase in the uptake of bank shifts.” Please do continue to share your concerns. We are here to listen and follow up to create a better place to work and receive care, for everyone. You can find out more about FTSU here.
Generous donation to the Nutrition team Thanks to a generous donation from the Stephen Powell Cancer Fund, The Nutrition team has been able to purchase the Cortrak Enteral Access System. The fund was set up by Stephen Powell to help others when he was first diagnosed with GastroOesophageal cancer in 2012. The fund continued to raise money in his memory after he sadly lost his battle with the disease in 2014. The Cortrak Enteral Access System enables the bedside placement of nasojejunal feeding tubes. These are specialist tubes for the administration of medications, nutrition and hydration to the small bowel of patients who cannot tolerate feeding into
their stomachs due to vomiting. This system allows this without the need for a gastroscopy which can be uncomfortable for patients. Instead, it uses an electromagnetic sensing device to help guide the placement of the tube by displaying its path as the tip passes along its route to the jejunum. Referrals from either site for tube placement can be made via the Nutrition Team – sath. nutritionteam@nhs.net. Pictured left: Stephen Powell’s sister Julie with the Cortrak system. Pictured right: SR Miller demonstrating the view on the Cortrak screen.
The 7th Annual William Farr Memorial Lecture
Lifelong Learning and an Affair of the Heart Join us on this special evening to celebrate those in the NHS, the Military and our volunteers who treat our patients and teach today’s aspiring clinicians and leaders. Also hear about a ‘love affair’ which split the opinion of the people of Shrewsbury! Shawbury Military Wives Choir will be bringing the voices of the Military and NHS together. Come and join others in the ‘Court Room’ and spend an entertaining evening in the company of William Farr (Prof Derek Willis), Dr Webster (Dr Eardley), and others who attended the trial of Dr Webster in 1835 The event also includes:
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Presentation of the William Farr, Dr Webster and Military Medicine Awards
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Celebration of the contribution of our overseas NHS workforce & Volunteers
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Hear how Op Courage helps improve the mental health of veterans and NHS staff (Clinical psychologist Dr Whittall)
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Hear how Defence Medical Services are training the NHS leaders of the future in the NHS (Lt Col (Rtd.) Barclay, Defence Medical Leadership Programme)
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Free Curry buffet from 5:30pm
When: November 30th 1900 – 2100h; Food from 1730 Where: Shropshire Education and Conference Centre, Free Parking How to Book: Search William Farr on Eventbrite or scan QR Code
Have your say The NHS Staff Survey is open. Please be sure to put 15 minutes in your diary to give you dedicated time to complete it. There is work happening across our Trust as a direct result
of your feedback last year and we are working on several flagship areas including civility, respect and inclusion, flexible working, the appraisal process and supporting our leaders to support the cultural and leadership ambition for our Trust. For example, following last year’s feedback, Theatres successfully recruited around 35 new members of staff to help futureproof their workforce. Steve Turner, Theatres Manager, said: “Theatres, like other areas in the trust, has experienced difficult times in the wake of COVID-19. This impacted our workforce and many colleagues left us. Others within the team picked up shifts to cover the shortfall, but this led to them feeling ‘burnt out’. “To support improvement, we have successfully recruited approximately 35 new staff in the last 12 months. The changes we have made and continue to make will help to futureproof our workforce.
week with lots of training on the side. “I am really proud to work for the NHS. It’s like a massive support system and there are so many opportunities for people. Click here to see more of the fantastic improvements we are all making to create a better place to work and receive care, for everyone, following your feedback in last year’s NHS Staff Survey. Your link would have been emailed to you on Tuesday 26 September. This is a unique link to you, so it can’t be duplicated internally. You will receive regular reminders, with your link, from nhsstaffsurveys@iqvia.com. More information about the NHS Staff Survey 2023 is available here. -----------------------------------------------------------------
“My priority is the team. They allow us to care for patients. By engaging with staff and working together to make improvements we can develop a strong, happy workforce.” You also said you wanted more opportunities to learn, so we continue to support those with qualifications while working. At 17 years old, Caitlin is SaTH’s youngest apprentice. She joined us in April 2023 as an Apprentice Personal Assistant in the Surgical Services Management Team. She said: “I liked the idea of working and learning at the same time and came across this one on the NHS website. “It’s been a bit of a whirlwind in the short time I’ve been here, but I’m really enjoying it. I love learning new things and I am being given more to do each
Prizes available! We have some brilliant prizes available for individuals and teams who complete their survey including spa days, care for you days, £250 shopping vouchers and restaurant vouchers. By completing your survey, you will be automatically put forward. Congratulations to our winners so far: • Maria Mckenzie, Clerical & Administration Support for the MES department, has won a spa day • Anna Lloyd, Nurse Specialist and Team Coordinator, has won a Care for You Day • Pete Bowers, Assistant Chef, won a £250 high street shopping voucher • Leanan Gunter, Support Medical Secretary for Oncology, has won a Care for You Day
NHS Staff Survey update by division Percentage (%) of completed and submitted surveys Peer group average is 30% (11% for Bank staff)* Trust overall completion is 31% Total number of completed surveys: 2359
100
100
100
100
100
100
80
80
80
80
80
80
60
60
60
60
60
60
40
40
40
40
40
40
20
20
20
20
20
20
0
0
0
0
0
0
Target
15%
20% 32%
38%
22%
49%
Target
14%
Friends and family raise money for chemo day care unit
Last updated on 26.10.23 *as of last Friday 20 October
Michael Philippou, who received treatment at the Chemo Day Care Unit, sadly passed away in June. His family and friends wanted to thank the staff, who were absolutely lovely and looked after him so well. Neville Street and friends organised a sponsored bike ride and raised £1,769. A further £560 in cash donations received by his wife Sonia, brings the total to £2,329. Michael’s friends and family hope that the monies raised will help other patients going through treatment. They presented the cheque to the Chemo Day Care Unit on Monday 9 October, which would have been Michael’s 63rd birthday. Julia Clarke, Director of Public Participation, said: “We are grateful to Michael’s family and friends for raising money for the Chemo Day Care Unit, we know this money will make a difference to patients and is a wonderful legacy in memory of
Michael.” Pictured - Neville Street, Sonia Philippou and Georgia Page with the Chemo Day Care unit team.
Marika receives a Golden Ticket! Marika Graham has spent the last year with the Blood Sciences team at PRH. She is studying Biomedical Sciences at Coventry University. During her placement she successfully completed the IBMS Registration Portfolio which, when combined with her successful degree, means she can register with the HCPC and become a fully qualified Biomedical Scientist.
The team was so impressed with her commitment, demonstrating the trust values in her work and mastering the technical skills of working in the laboratory. It was decided that Marika would make an excellent addition to the Blood Sciences workforce. Marika was awarded a Golden Ticket guaranteeing her a job with the Blood Sciences team on graduation.
Are you interested in a career in the NHS or what’s going on at your local hospitals? We’d like to invite you to join one of our free November Academies: The Young People’s Academy: Thursday 2 November, 8.30am – 5pm. Designed for people aged 14-25, the Young People’s Academy includes discussion, presentations, videos, hospital food sampling and a skills session. https://bit.ly/2311YPA
The People’s Academy Thursday 23 November, 9am – 4.30pm . Our award winning People’s Academy has been updated and condensed into one day, covering everything from the Hospitals Transformation Programme to NHS careers.
https://bit.ly/SaTHPA Both these Academies are taking place at the SECC on the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital site. A full programme of People’s Academies and Young People’s Academies on both our hospital sites is being developed for 2024. To stay in touch and find out more, why not join us as a Community member: https://bit.ly/SaTHcm.
Breast Cancer Awareness fund cake sale The Breast Imaging Team at RSH held a cake sale to raise money for the SaTH Charity Breast Cancer Awareness fund. There were some fantastic cakes on offer and the team raised £227.
Family raise money for ITU garden Family of the much-loved, local butcher, William Dodd, are raising money in his memory for the ITU garden at RSH. William who was one of the longest serving stallholders in the Shrewsbury Market Hall, recently passed away after spending eleven weeks in the ITU department. He was a keen gardener, so in his memory the family want to improve the garden for patients who find themselves in hospital. Having already raised over £4,000, William’s family are undertaking two challenges to raise money for a gazebo and a wheelchair accessible bench for the garden. They are planning to swim the length of the channel on the 29 October at Bannatyne’s Shrewsbury. They will undertake a second challenge on 26 November where the family will climb Snowdon in memory of their dad and grandad. William’s daughter Claire Evans said: “Dad spent 11 weeks on ITU where he was treated with kindness, compassion, and dignity. The care he received was second to none. “The ITU staff tried their very best to take dad to the garden as much as they could.” Julia Clarke, Director of Public Participation,
said: “We are grateful for William Dodd’s family fundraising to improve the ITU garden, this kind donation will greatly improve the garden for other patients and their relatives.” Natalie, Therapy Assistant Practitioner for Critical Care said: “Having access to outdoor space will be so beneficial for our patients physical and mental health wellbeing. A huge thank you to William’s family for thinking of the unit and fundraising for the garden.” If you would like to donate to the fund you can find the link to the pages below: • •
Climb Snowdon JustGiving page Swim the length of the channel Go Fund Me
Colleague Notice Board
Short introduction to Medical Terminology This training session is an introduction to medical terminology for non-medical staff. It covers the components of medical terms, using prefixes and suffixes, and the Greek and Latin origins of medical words.
Thursday 16 November 2.30—3.30 Friday 19 January 10.30—11.30 Via Microsoft Teams
Book on LMS—search for ‘Short Introduction to Medical Terminology’ For more information contact Sarah Rochelle at Telford Health Library on ext. 4440 or sarah.rochelle@nhs.net
There is a New QR Code available to access ESR Login Page. Please review your Employee Self Service record and access your personal data including electronic payslips. The Employee Self Service pages on both the Intranet and Internet contain lots of useful support guides. We can also support you to gain access over the phone by calling ext.1165 or alternatively you can email sath.esr@nhs.net and we can give you a call back.
The Human Library The Human Library provides an opportunity to listen to a human book. Don’t judge a book by its cover, take an opportunity to attend a human library, listen and learn from people with lived experience as they share their story. The human books have a range of categories which may include Addiction, Ethnicity, Health, Disability, Gender, Religion, Sexuality, Victim/Survivor or Neurodiversity. However, like us all, each human story is intersectional, and unique, offering individual experiences. Thursday 3rd October 2023, 1:30pm to 3:30pm Thursday 30th November 2023, 1:30pm to 3:30pm Where: Via a Zoom link that will be sent nearer the date Book a place by emailing: sath.patientexperience@nhs.net or calling extension 2503 More information: SaTH Intranet - Human Library When:
‘I really enjoyed the experience, which was very different from other ‘teaching experiences’. I felt that learning from another person’s experience had a far greater impact.’ (feedback following the Human Library event in December 20022) Our Vision: To provide excellent care for the communities we serve
Join us for Human Library sessions. It is an interactive and different way of learning which can resonate, as people tend to remember conversations and learning through discussion, listening to a person describe experiences they have encountered and lived through. It is an opportunity for you or a member of your team to attend and take part in an inspiring way of learning about the EDI agenda and working with the rich and diverse individuals that we meet.
Colleague Notice Board The OWEN Model
WE NEED YOU!
for staff bereavement support at SaTH Bereavement and grief can impact all our lives at some time. The way we cope with grief and loss is unique and people will react in so many ways. There is no time scale to grief and support can be needed at many different times along that journey. NHS staff can be affected by personal grief and through their professional life. Staff who look after patients with long term conditions, will form friendships with those patients and the families. The loss of these patients can be very upsetting, and this must be factored into the care provided within a trust. The OWEN model was devised to provide staff with a safe space to talk about their loss. It is not counselling but can be used as a tool to support and signpost staff to other organisations they may wish to access. The model has been expanded to provide a bereavement café at regular intervals throughout the year. After initial 121 support, either by phone, MS Teams or face to face, staff are then invited to the cafés to interact with other staff who have accessed the programme. The cafés have been a great success and led to staff forming bonds which enable them to look out for each other.
O penness
Staff are given the time and space, to share their feelings about the death of a loved one or a patient they have cared for.
We are looking for Waste/Green Champions for each department across the Trust to assist with improving our waste management, recycling, segregation and cutting our carbon footprint. If you are keen to get involved in assisting colleagues, cutting costs for the Trust and improving our processes then please get in touch! To find out more and how you can get involved or put you name forward, please contact the Trust’s Waste and Energy Manager, Mark Leighton by email on mark.leighton3@nhs.net or phone on 07355010156
W ellbeing
The wellbeing of the staff is at the centre of the support we give. Signposting to other services is offered as appropriate. The needs of the staff will vary greatly.
E mpathy
Compassion, kindness and understanding, are at the centre of the model. The use of appropriate and kind language is key to everything we do.
N ew Beginnings
Recognise that grief can remain with us for the rest of our lives. Enabling staff to move forward with hope, whilst never forgetting the person who has died.
© Design Services The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, 2023 all rights reserved – please contact jules.lewis@nhs.net if you have any queries.
Shrewsbury and Telford
Health Libraries
Reflective Reading Sessions
Nursing & Midwifery Revalidation requirements are that: “you must have undertaken 35 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to your scope of practice as a nurse or midwife, in the three year period since your registration was last renewed or you joined the register.”
Library are holding reflective reading sessions on the dates below:
Session Dates and Times Thu 21 Sep 23
10.00 - 11.30
MS Teams
Mon 13 Nov 23
2.00 - 3.30
MS Teams
There is a crisis in adult literacy that directly impacts on
Tue 9 Jan 24
9.30 - 11.00
MS Teams
people’s health. In the UK 7.1 million adults read and write at
Wed 13 Mar 24
1.00 - 2.30
MS Teams
or below the level of a 9 year old and, critically,
Fri 31 May 24
3.00 - 4.30
MS Teams
43% of adults do not understand written health information.
Mon 7 Jul 2024
12.00 - 1.30
MS Teams
For more information go to: www.healthliteracymonth.org/hlm/hlm-home
How do the Revalidation Reflective Reading Sessions work: Prior to the session you will be sent an article to read and a small checklist of points to consider when reading, this will earn you 1.5 hours of CPD time. When you attend the session the article will be discussed in a small group, reflecting on points whilst working through the checklist, this will earn you another 1.5 hours of CPD time. The 3 hours of credited CPD time that you earn from these sessions can be used towards the 35 hours of CPD that you need to acquire to revalidate. During the sessions a checklist is used and the emphasis is upon what can be learned and taken away from the article. You will receive a certificate of participation and attendance.
To be led by Louise Stevens, Librarian. If you wish to attend one of the Revalidation Reflective Reading Sessions, choose from one of the dates and contact Louise Stevens l.stevens@nhs.net or call Ext: 4694
F F A ST RY E T T O L s winn Th i s mont h ’ 1st £400
er s
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.
ead & Neck
Sue Edwards, H
2nd £200
Why not join our lottery?
y&
nes, Oncolog Kelly-Anne Jo Haematology
2nd £200
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
Abi Haylett
3rd £100
esthetics &
erts, Ana Samantha Rob Theatres
3rd £100
herapies
Ella Webster, T
Thank you
I just wanted to say a massive thank you to the teams at PRH and RSH. My mum was very sick, and I had bought her back from Spain to live with us in Telford. I immediately took her to hospital on arrival in the UK and two weeks later, although she is still in hospital, she has made a remarkable recovery from a critical life-threatening illness. If it wasn’t for the teams at both hospitals who have cared for her, I would not be bringing her home. Thank you to all involved - you are all super stars.