Improving Together - November 2019

Improving Together

Improving Together Issue #8 - November 2019

HOSPITALS TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME LAUNCHED

iNCREASED FUNDING TO EASE WINTER PRESSURES

SaTH RECIEVES THE HIGHEST GRADE FOR INFECTION CONTROL

Our Quality Improvement journey to delivering great care Caring | Well-Led | Responsive | Effective | Safer

T AS A RESULRVE Y OF S TAFF SUACK FEEDB

1 | Improving Together

Hospitals transformation moves into next phase

Back row L-R: Andrew Tapp, HTP Medical Director; Laura Sheldon, PA to Programme Director; Robin Long, Clinical Project Manager; Wendy Southall, Clinical Programme Manager; Sharon Stuart, Project Manager; Adam Ellis-Morgan, Estates Lead for HTP; Gwyneth Kidd, Programme Manager; Tom Jones, Clinical Programme Manager. Front row L-R: Louise Jones, Clinical Programme Lead; Neil Nisbet, Programme Director; Sophie Rawlings, Communications and Engagement Specialist; Louise Clayton, Project Support Officer.

The team behind the programme to transform hospital services for the people of Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales has been relaunched as the project enters its next phase.

The Hospitals Transformation Programme – HTP – replaces the Sustainable Services Programme – to better reflect and represent the work that is taking place within SaTH. The HTP will be responsible for implementing the reconfiguration of services at PRH and RSH which were designed as part of the NHS Future Fit programme. SaTH’s former Finance Director, Neil Nisbet, has taken up a new role as HTP Programme Director. Mr Andrew Tapp, Care Group Medical Director for Women and Children’s and Support Services, has been appointed as the Programme’s Medical Director.

Last month, Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, accepted advice from an independent panel of experts that the reconfiguration should be allowed to go ahead.

The Independent Reconfiguration Panel visited the county to speak to our clinicians, and those who have objected to the plans, and were unanimous in their recommendation that the work should go ahead without further delay.

In its advice, the independent panel said: “The opportunity to visit the services and test the evidence with those involved locally served to reinforce the written evidence about the case for change.

“Even if the ever-present problems of recruiting clinical staff to achieve safe rotas were resolved, the current model of emergency services provided through the two hospitals compromises safety and quality.

SaTH has now submitted its Strategic Outline Case (SOC) to NHS England and NHS Improvement, which details the Trust’s plans to address the significant challenges to the safety and sustainability of patient services, specifically in Emergency and Critical Care. PRH will become a dedicated Planned Care site and RSH will become a specialist Emergency Care site. Both hospitals will have a 24-hour urgent care facility. This will allow specialist doctors to treat the most serious cases at the Emergency Care site, which is safer and will provide better results for patients and reduce the amount of time people have to stay in hospital.

You may have heard the term A&E Local; we are working with NHS England and NHS Improvement on an enhanced model which will ensure as much clinically appropriate care as possible is delivered at Princess Royal Hospital. We will continue to work with our stakeholders, including commissioners and the ambulance services, to look at how this can be implemented locally.

The development of the Outline Business Case (OBC) is now under way. This will include more detail and analysis and will aid the creation of the Full Business Case (FBC) which will include the final proposals.

We acknowledge and recognises the impact these changes will have on staff, patients and the public and are committed to working hard to understand and mitigate this impact where possible.

Later this month, the Hospitals Transformation Team will be engaging with various specialities through Task and Finish Groups as well as meeting with staff groups, the People’s Academy and attending Care Group meetings to keep colleagues up-to-date on the programme.

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Winter planning MLU to move alongside Consultant Led Unit Women choosing to give birth at the Wrekin Midwife Led Unit (MLU) in Telford will move into state-of-the-art new facilities located next to Consultant-led facilities in the New Year.

The move will also allow SaTH to create additional beds to ease pressure over the winter months.

Wrekin MLU will move into a purpose-built modular building which will be located next to the Shropshire Women and Children’s Centre at PRH. The area freed up by the move will be used to create a ward which will cater for acute medical patients, creating more space at PRH over the winter period.

Example of NHS modular ward

The relocated MLU will include a birthing pool and ensuite bathrooms. It is being designed with the leadership team from the Women and Children’s Care Group.

The new unit is being provided by a specialist company that has worked with NHS organisations across the country, including the Royal Derby and Milton Keynes University hospitals.

The moves have been made possible after £4 million of capital funding was secured from the Department of Health.

Paula Clark, Chief Executive at SaTH, said: “We are delighted to have secured this funding to improve facilities for mums using our MLU in Telford and to increase our bed space for the winter.

“I know that, to some people, the term ‘modular building’ conjures up images of the old demountable classrooms we had at school, but these modern facilities are about as far removed from that as you can imagine.

They are purpose-built with state-of-the-art facilities and look fantastic.”

The new MLU is also expected to open in the New Year.

Example of NHS modular ward

Therapy-led ward to open at RSH A ward designed to shorten the length of stay for patients at RSH is set to open this winter. The 13-bed, therapy-led ward, with an adjoining discharge lounge, will open in the Copthorne Building at RSH in the New Year and will help to free up acute beds over the winter months.

SaTH has secured £1.6 million as part of a £184 million package announced in October.

The money will be used to complete fire safety works at the Copthorne Building to bring it up to modern standards, allowing the ward to open.

Kath Preece, Head of Nursing for Scheduled Care at SaTH, said: “The ward is designed for patients who are coming towards the end of their treatment and therefore need less care, but are not yet ready to be discharged as they still need the input of a therapist.

“By providing that level of support on a specialist ward, we hope to be able to shorten the length of stay for the patient. That is obviously better for the patient, and will also allow us to free up more acute beds as we deal with the additional demand that we expect over the winter months.”

3 | Improving Together

IMPROVEMENTS IN MATERNITY 2019

Individual lone worker devices for all lone workers on the way

Homebirth team on the way

Improved safety through access to lone worker devices for all community midwives

Improved process for reviewing incidents, identifying learning and feeding back to front line staff via weekly Obstetric Risk Meeting

Future of Maternity Services workshops held off-site (Maternity Vision)

Improved attendance at Mandatory training

Introduction of a comprehensive training package in Electro Fetal Monitoring with >90% attendance

Provision of lockable trolleys to ensure safe and confidential storage of patients notes

Introduction of unannounced fresh eyes at Delivery Suite handover to assure quality, MDT representation and inclusion.

Achieved CNST resolution

PPH trolley on Postnatal Ward

Improved communication through weekly newsletter Friday Focus

Suggestion box for staff

Maternity Vision aligned with Trust and National Vision

Appointment of Safety Champions

3 Freedom to Speak Up Guardians and 24 Freedom to Speak Up Advocates

Team working to reduce our number of term babies being admitted to their Neonatal Unit.

Labour Ward Forum

Daily Management Huddle

3 minute brief providing learning from incidents published weekly Diamond Exemplar awarded to Delivery Suite and Postnatal Ward

Baby Buddy App Managers stress management training

Appointment of 2 Mental health Champions within Womens and Childrens and 23 Trust Wide.

Increased Midwife sonographers hours by 2 WTE to meet with Ultrasound screening requirements of Saving Babies Lives.

Improved response rate to patient feedback (family and friends) with consistently high levels of recommendation

Introduction of Sepsis trolleys

Improving Together | 4

New mobile phones for every community midwife

Provision of new community midwife grab bags with agreed standardized equipment

Introduction of knitted red hats to identify babies who require closer observation

Introduction of hourly CTG Fresh Eyes on Delivery Suite

Carbon Monoxide monitoring now offered at each antenatal contact

Brand New Perinatal Mental Health Team

Continuity of Carer Rollout

Improved communication through the introduction of SBAR stickers

2 new Consultants recruited to Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Complaints training for Managers

Knitted red single use blankets for babies requiring close observation to reduce the risk of heat loss

White knitted single use blankets for all babies during transfer to reduce risk of heat loss

Monthly Quality Improvement and Information Posters in all areas

Quality Information Boards for Patients

Introduction of daily Safety Huddle for all staff

Increased support for the Public Health Team with addition of Band 5 midwife

Regular Genba and

Improved Engagement and Communication both ways from ward to board through appointment of 11 Engagement Champions within Women’s and Children’s and over 100 Trust wide

Production Boards in all areas

New Maternity Risk Management Strategy

Improved Health and Well Being support for staff

More robust process to ensure all women are reviewed in the appropriate place ,by the appropriate staff grade and escalated in a timely manner

Maternity Movement bracelets to increase awareness of fetal movements

Quality Walks to provide support to staff and see first hand that improvements are working well

Recruitment of 29 WTE midwives to meet with Birthrate Plus requirements. 22 new Band 5 preceptees and a further 7 Band 6 midwives

Increased support for Guidelines Midwife with additional Band 6 midwife

Increased staffing in Triage and Postnatal wards

On target for Saving babies Lives v 2 March 2020

More complaints being addressed within the agreed timescale

Increased support for Education Midwife with additional band 6 Clinical Practice Educator role

Installation of telephones next to ward resuscitaires

Introduction of Staff SATH App including access to NHS email

New handover process on Delivery Suite and all high risk women within Maternity are reviewed on twice daily board / ward round

5 | Improving Together 2 | Improving Together

SaTH develops national programme for detection and treatment of unwell newborn babies

CQC inspection

SaTH has developed a programme to support teams treating unexpectedly unwell newborn babies in community settings.

The Midwifery Identification, Stabilisation and Transfer of the Sick Newborn (MIST) programme is aimed at midwifery and ambulance colleagues to support treatment for newborn babies who are, or have the potential to become, unwell following delivery. It’s designed to equip teams with knowledge required to extend care beyond the first minutes after birth, up to handover to the neonatal team.

The programme was made possible after SaTH secured funding from Health Education England. Wendy Tyler, Consultant Neonatologist at SaTH and project lead for MIST, said: “We are delighted to have been able to develop this important e-learning programme using our local MIST practical course materials, with support from HEE and colleagues at The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

“The e-learning has been written by a multidisciplinary team from SaTH with myself and Dr Alan Fenton from Newcastle, a Consultant Neonatologist with experience in out-of-hospital care. The money could

have been used for learning that only benefitted SaTH, but we wanted to develop a nationally-available programme which would have a wider-reaching impact.”

The programme consists of four sessions. It is expected that by completing all four, healthcare professionals will be able to: • Recognise normal and abnormal infant colour (anaemia and cyanosis) • Recognise normal and abnormal feeding patterns and abdominal signs • Support an infant born unexpectedly preterm • Support a baby born in an unexpectedly poor condition.

Wendy said: “Simply put, paramedics, midwives and maternity support workers can access this programme and use it to identify simple techniques which could save a baby’s life.”

For more information visit: https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/midwiferyidentification-stabilisation-and-transfer-of-the-sick-newborn

Improving Together | 6

Changes to our Executive and Senior Leadership Team Rhia Boyode has been confirmed as SaTH’s new Interim Workforce Director until spring 2020.The Trust also welcomes four new Associate Workforce Directors to the team: Harish Kauldhar, Simon Balderstone, Victoria Ward and Lisa King.

Bev Tabernacle of themes: Develop a high performing culture, Rhia and her team will be focused on implementing the new People Strategy whichDirector has five key Transformation and Strategy

attract talent with a strong employer brand, develop excellent education and learning opportunities for all, create an exceptional people experience and deliver HR operational excellence within the Workforce Directorate function.

These themes are underpinned by our commitment to inclusion and investing in the health and wellbeing of our people to ensure everyone has a positive experience of learning, developing and working at SaTH.

Rhia Boyode Interim Workforce Director

The Trust has also strengthened its Women and Children’s Care Group with the appointment of Janine McDonnell as its new Care Group Director and Nicola Wenlock as Head of Midwifery.

Passionate about providing excellent care for women and their families, Janine and Nicola both have an extensive background working in the NHS. Janine, who took up her new role this month, was previously the Centre Manager for Patient Access, Outpatients, Theatres and Critical care at PRH. Nicola, who is joining us in mid-December, began her NHS career in 1989 as a student nurse and is currently the Divisional Director of Midwifery, Gynaecology and Sexual Health with Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust.

Janine McDonnell Care Group Director

Under Nicola’s leadership, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’ maternity department went from a CQC rating of Inadequate to Requires Improvement to Good in just 21 months.

Kirsty Walker has been appointed as the Trust’s Chief Communications Officer and is responsible for all communications and community engagement.The Trust has also secured a couple of secondments to assist us as we move forward with various projects and improvements.

Nicola Wenlock

Head of Midwifery Angie Wallace will be joining us from Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust as Interim Deputy Chief Operating Officer to work alongside Sara Biffen in supporting Chief Operating Officer Nigel Lee in operational delivery. Angie comes with a wealth of Senior Director experience in Community Services and in Scheduled Care within acute trusts and we look forward to her joining us on the 3 January for 12 months.

And Rebecca Gallimore has joined us as interim Associate Director of IT. She’s being seconded to us until the spring from University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) to lead the implementation of the new ED system which is due to go live in February/March, and to help us shape our IT strategy.

Kirsty Walker

Chief Communications Officer

7 | Improving Together

SaTH has launched a new rainbow badge for staff to demonstrate that they are aware of the issues that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT+) people can face when accessing healthcare.

The badge aims to make a positive difference by promoting a message of inclusion. It is intended to be a simple visual symbol identifying its wearer as someone who an LGBT+ person can feel comfortable talking to about issues relating to sexuality or gender identity.

Mary Beales, Head of Education at SaTH, said: “We are committed to providing an environment in our hospitals that is open, tolerant and inclusive for our LGBT+ staff, patients and volunteers, reducing barriers and inequalities thereby improving the care we provide.

“A recent Stonewall survey estimates that one in five LGBT+ people are not out to any healthcare professional about their sexual orientation when seeking general medical care, and one in seven LGBT+ people have avoided treatment for fear of discrimination.

“By choosing to wear the NHS Rainbow Badge, staff are sending a message that people can approach and talk to them. That doesn’t mean we will have the answers to their issues and concerns, but shows that we’re there to listen and will know how to signpost to the nearest support.”

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9 | Improving Together

Small Things Makes a Big Difference The Small Things Make a Big Difference Fund panel met this month discuss the most recent

Learning from Excellence Learning from Excellence Awards were introduced on our ITU Departments as an alternative to learning when things go wrong.

Learning from when things go wrong is, of course, incredibly important, but so is learning from colleagues in other departments who are perhaps doing something that could allow you to provide better patient care.

bids made. Money in the Fund can be bid on by all members of staff to improve your working environment.

The panel awarded money for the

You can also nominate a colleague from anywhere across the Trust by completing a form from ITU, on both sites, and posting it through their Golden Letter Box. Alternatively, complete a form on the intranet via Clinical Services and Scheduled Care Safety.

following:

• A fridge freezer for House 4 at PRH • MP3 players for the Radiography Team at RSH • Fleece jackets and hoodies for Stores staff working outside • A separate Charitable Funds pot to buy bladed fans for Ward 24 and bravery stickers for ED The panel, which is always chaired by an Executive, has four core members who are joined by Staff Engagement Champion’s To bid for funding from the Small Things Makes a Big Difference Fund, please visit http://intranet/Charity/lottery.asp All bids need to demonstrate how the funding will improve the working

Pictured, from left, Carol and Mike, ITU Ward Clerk and Housekeeper, were nominated for going

conditions of staff. The final panel date this

above and beyond to help the team and their colleagues; Sister Sarah Kennerley nominated for

year is on 10 December.

exceptional teamwork and management of a difficult situation; ITU Ward Manager Jane Davies received two nomination for the support and compassion she gives to her team; Jade Jones was nominated for her excellent teamwork and initiative.

Learning from complaints Complaint: Patient attended for surgery but was not on the list Cause: Patient had been offered last-minute cancellation but this had not been properly recorded Action taken: Booking staff reminded to ensure that all actions are fully completed when dating patients

Complaint: Excessive glue ran down patient’s face when wound was being glued Cause: Glue was dispensed too quickly Action taken: Department reviewing whether there are alternative products or techniques

Complaint: Patient given a mug instead of a beaker Cause: Staff felt patient could manage a mug and did not take into account personal preference Action taken: Discussion with staff about of communication boards to ensure patient preference is clearly communicated

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Orthotics department moves to improved location The Orthotics department at RSH has moved to a new location, to improve care for patients.

The Orthotics clinics were previously held in the Fracture and Orthopaedic Clinic in the Outpatients department at RSH. However, they have now moved permanently to the Mytton Oak House at the hospital.

The relocation is to provide more suitable clinical facilities for the staff and patients. Orthotics helps to treat and rehabilitate patients by providing devices to aid movement, correct deformity and relieve discomfort.

Jane Dewsbury, Principal Orthotist at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RJAH), which runs Orthotics at RSH, said the new facilities were already making a difference to patients and staff.

She said: “It’s a larger space than our previous location, so we’ve got plenty of room to store our equipment safely, as well as a bigger clinic room, which is handy for our patients.

“I’d also like to thank our colleagues at SaTH for helping make the relocation happen. It’s already making a huge difference to our patients and staff.”

Sara Biffen, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at SaTH, said: “Having these facilities in a purpose built area will lead to a much greater experience for our patients, and we are delighted to be working with RJAH.”

Excellent feedback from SaTH’s Pathology User Survey The 2019 Pathology User Survey was completed by 71 people and highlighted areas of excellence and areas that require improvement.

Positive Feedback 98% of respondents rated SaTH’s Pathology service as good or excellent 94% responders rated SaTH’s laboratory test repertoire as good or excellent 93% responders rated SaTH’s laboratory report content/layout as good or excellent

Comments “Very good and efficient service” “Thank you for providing such a quality service”

“Excellent Phlebotomy drop in service”

Shrewsbury MLU relocated Outpatient services at Shrewsbury MLU are also now provided from Mytton Oak House, RSH. Services provided at Shrewsbury MLU include the Early Pregnancy Assessment Service (EPAS), antenatal and scanning. Inpatient services – births and postnatal care – at Shrewsbury MLU remain temporarily suspended.

The move allow works currently under way in the Copthorne Building, which houses the MLU, to continue. Mums-to-be who are affected have been informed.

Anthea Gregory-Page, Deputy Head of Midwifery at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust which runs the MLU, said: “Any mums-to-be affected by the change, and who have any questions, can contact their midwife.”

As a result of feedback Staff said they were unable to request a blood test for the monitoring of Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) within 18 hours of a sample, so the team has updated Review and can now request TPN bloods at any point.

Staff requested inter-departmental education, so for National Pathology Week the laboratories at both RSH and PRH offered one-hour sessions for staff to look around the labs.

Staff felt improvements could be made in the turnaround time of Antibiotic Assay Samples, so work is underway between Microbiology and Clinical Biochemistry to address any issues in an attempt to improve turnaround times.

11 | Improving Together

Following feedback from our Engagement Champions Our Engagement Champions continue to make suggestions on how to improve SaTH as place to work and receive treatment.

Having already used their influence to remove the practice of charging staff for criminal background checks, increase the Trust’s Health and Wellbeing offer and played an instrumental part in the launch of MySaTH – our successful staff app – they have now: • Suggested that nursing staff stop being moved on the day to cover shortages, and this practice is replaced with a scheduled rotation. They have told the Trust’s senior leadership team that this option would be better received by nurses, and as a result of the feedback it is now being explored as a possibility.

Additional improvements as a result of their feedback includes: • More parking spaces are being created at both site by stoning over grass areas and potholes are being repaired, while further secure cycle shelters are going to be purchased.

• Hot meals for staff working on Christmas Day to be provided free of charge.

• Julia Clarke, Director of Corporate Governance, who heads up the Engagement Champion role, led engagements sessions at Pharmacy RSH, Women & Children’s and will be going to Pharmacy PRH. These were arranged by the Champions.

Julia said: “We have just over 120 Engagement Champions across all areas of our organisation and in a short period of time they have helped make a really positive difference.”

Bank Nurse pay increase

AS A RES OF S TAF F SUURLT V F E E DB AC K E Y

The hourly rate paid to Bank Nurses working in a number of clinical areas increased as of Sunday 10 November – as a response to staff feedback.

On top of the Working Time Directive 12.07% uplift currently received, Bank Nurses taking up shifts in A&E and Intensive Care, as well anyone opting for shifts on wards and departments highlighted as areas of concern for staffing, are now given an additional 12.93% extra per hour.

This is an uplift of 25% above Agenda For Change rates for every shift, and is the comparable to the highest rate provided by any other local Trust.

Barbara Beal, Interim Director of Nursing at SaTH, said: “The decision to approve this enhancement comes as a result of direct feedback from our teams on the frontline. Together we hope to see the following benefits: • • • • •

Increase quality to patients within our care Potential improvements to skill mix.

Increase Bank fill rates Attract nurses from local areas to join our Bank Reduce costs by removing Tier 4 and 5 agency staff.

“Our workforce challenges at SaTH are no secret.

Due to us not having as many substantive nurses as we would like, we are experiencing significant challenges with the retention of staff due to the constant requirement to move staff from their usual place of work to more vulnerable areas. By enhancing our Bank offer we hope in time to address some of these issues.”

It has also been agreed to create a Bank Pool of nurses that can be directed to ‘hot spots’ each day.

This new pool of Bank nurses – eight at RSH and eight at PRH – will cover areas with short notice issues, such as sickness.

Rhia Boyode, Workforce Director at SaTH, said: “The views of our staff play a key role in our recruitment and retention strategy. We have listened to their feedback and are hopeful that the introduction of these schemes will encourage staff to work in the areas where there is a greater number of shifts to be filled.”

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News in Brief Pet Passport launched to improve End of Life Care An innovative new ‘passport’ which enables patients who are at end of life to spend precious time with their pets has been launched.

The Pet Passport scheme enables friends and relatives to bring in pets to visit their owners who are patients receiving end of life care at RSH and PRH.

New 2am safety huddle being trialled

The scanner and bed bay are part of a £7 million investment in the Radiology department across SaTH.

A new 2am safety huddle is being trialled in Unscheduled Care.

The 10-minute safety huddle will involve agreed actions, be informed by visual feedback of data and provide the opportunity to celebrate success in reducing harm.

The new safety huddles have been introduced by SaTH’s Hospital at Night Team.

Freedom to Speak Up Month October was Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) Month, which marked a busy few weeks for our team of FTSU Guardian and Advocates at SaTH:

Reducing clutter

Fraud awareness SaTH has a dedicated team of Counter Fraud Specialists who are responsible for investigating all allegations of fraud and corruption against the Trust, and during November they held fraud awareness stands across both sites as well as giving presentations of real-life examples and information on what to do if someone suspect fraud will also be given to staff during the week.

The NHS Counter Fraud Authority estimates that fraud costs the NHS approximately £1.27 billion a year – that is equivalent to over 56,000 junior doctors or over 40,000 staff nurses.

• Helene Donnelly OBE, Ambassador for FTSU and part of our regional FTSU Our Transforming Care team arranged a series of Network came to SaTH to deliver a training 5S events recently to reduce the amount of session clutter in our hospitals, while also finding ‘new homes’ for many pieces of equipment.

• Lead FTSU Guardian, Kate Adney, was There are five different steps within 5S - but during these events the team focussed on the first step: Sorting the unnecessary from the necessary.

The team enabled staff from ward and departments to ‘sort’ the unnecessary from the necessary so unwanted items could be disposed of or sent to another part of the Trust.

During the events, thousands of pounds worth of ward stock and equipment was re-distributed using the WarpIt.

• The FTSU Team hosted a number of events throughout the month, including: Drop-in sessions for Junior Doctors, round the kitchen table events and presentations at induction sessions for Doctors and Nurses.

• FTSU comment boxes have been implemented around our hospitals for staff to leave confidential feedback about any concerns they may have. Feedback will be collated and shared soon.

• We expanded our network of FTSU Advocates to more than 40 members of staff.

Patient-led assessments

• We handed out FTSU kits to all of our Advocates to promote the work we do.

These include FTSU branded bags, badges, travel coffee mugs, pens and information on how to raise a concern.

PLACE (Patient-Led Assessments of the Care Environment) assessments took place at both of our hospitals recently.

The assessments give patient representatives the opportunity to review how the environment supports the provision of care. The visits were unannounced and assessor said they met staff within wards, clinics and departments throughout the Trust that were welcoming and accommodating, and it was evident in a number of areas the pride that staff had for their work environment.

interviewed by BBC Radio Shropshire and coverage of SaTH’s FTSU network also appeared in the Shropshire Star

New CT scanner installed A new CT scanner has arrived at PRH. Alongside the new scanner is a three-bedded bay, which includes a cannulation bed, for patients waiting for a CT scan.

13 | Improving Together

A 24-hour flu ‘Jabathon’ was be held at SaTH during November for staff to be vaccinated to protect the Jabathon which will started at 9.30am on Wednesday 13 November and run until 9.30am on Thursday

SaTH launched its flu campaign at the beginning of October with a music theme - Don’t Let Flu Become The No.1 Hit This Winter - and the hashtag # colleagues at static flu clinics and during walkabouts for those staff who are unable to leave their work areas. More than half of all frontline healthca Bistro coffee shops as a thank you.

L L I W E W #

24 h

JABAT

WED 13-14 N

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emselves, their patients and their colleagues this winter. Hundreds of staff were vaccinated during the y 14 November at both PRH and RSH.

#WeWillRockFlu. As part of the campaign, teams of peer vaccinators – nicknamed Flu DJs (Designated Jabbers) – have been immunising their are staff that work across the Trust have had their jabs. Staff who receive their jab are also being gifted a £3 voucher to spend in the Trust’s Caffé

ROCK FLU

hour

THON

NOVEMBER

Improving Together

Spotlight on...

SaTH has received the highest grade for infection control following a recent inspection by NHS regulators.

The Trust improved its position to ‘Infection Prevention Level Green’ - the highest of three assessment gradings - after a visit from NHS England & NHS Improvement (NHSE/I) in October.

Dr Debra Adams, NHSE/I’s Head of Infection Prevention and Control for Midlands and East, visited clinical areas PRH and RSH and inspected medical and surgical wards, and the emergency departments.

Dr Adams noted that: “The visit demonstrated a continued focus and energy on infection prevention. This was identified both during the meetings and the clinical visits to the six clinical areas across the two sites.

“There is improved engagement with staff across the organisation. Confirm and challenge meetings have been set up and have proven beneficial.

“The Trust has been assessed as Green on the NHSE/I internal escalation matrix.”

Janette Pritchard, Lead Nurse for Infection Prevention and Control at SaTH, said: “We are proud to achieve the green rating from our regulators. This result is evidence that infection prevention procedures are in place and demonstrates the considerable commitment all staff have in working towards protecting patients, visitors and colleagues from avoidable infection.

“We’ve worked really hard with the ward teams, matrons and head of nursing to put infection control at the top of the agenda. We’ve improved surveillance and have regular assurance audits to help wards understand where they could improve. They’ve all been brilliant on taking ownership of infection control on a daily basis.”

Barbara Beal, Director of Nursing, Quality and Midwifery at SaTH, said: “This feedback from the visit is as a result of trust-wide effort and dedication to promote good infection prevention practice. I’d like to share my thanks to all those who have contributed to this result.”

Contact Us: Please send your feedback and story ideas to: sath.communications@nhs.net

T AS A RESULRVE Y SU FF TA S F O FEEDBACK