BOX
Your fortnightly bulletin for SaTH colleagues and events
Thank you from the Stronger Together team
Sara Biffen was joined by Ian Betts and Shelbey Fenton-Cook from the Improvement Hub to visit just a few of the departments at PRH that have been making great improvements and say a special thank you.
Keep an eye out for more walk rounds – our next one takes place at RSH on Tuesday 22 October.
The NHS Staff Survey 2024 is now open. Please do fill in your survey. We ask for 15 minutes of your time during your working day, to share your views, positive and constructive, to ensure that the changes we make now and in the future are informed by you.
Improvements made following your feedback last year
Spotlight on: Theatres
In 2023, the team’s Staff Survey scores improved greatly but also showed areas for improvement. The Theatres Management Team are working towards implementing a number of positive changes, linked to the team’s feedback.
Feedback showed that work was needed to improve the ‘We are working flexibly’ People Promise. The management team are working towards understanding the issues and trying to accommodate changes to allow a greater freedom for all colleagues.
The team also fed back that staff wellbeing needed to be prioritised due to the high volume of shifts needing to be covered at the last minute. The management team are aware that these pressures
Drop-in sessions
Come along and ask questions and find out more:
RSH:
are still existing due to current targets that exist within Theatres. Further conversations are taking place with the OD business partners to understand how these pressures are affecting health and wellbeing and how this can be improved.
Wednesday 23 October – Mytton Restaurant, 12-1pm
Monday 4 November – Exact location TBC, 12-1pm
Thursday 28 November – Mytton Restaurant, 12-1pm
PRH:
Wednesday 13 November – Women & Children’s Atrium, 12-1pm
Tuesday 26 November – Restaurant corridor, 12-1pm
If you need support to access or complete your survey, please contact sath.organisationaldevelopmentteam@nhs.net.
Prizes
We have some fantastic prizes available for individuals and teams who complete their survey including shopping vouchers, spa days, hotel stays and wellbeing hampers.
By completing your survey, you will be automatically put forward. The earlier you complete the survey, the more chance you stand of winning.
Ward 19 were the first winners of a wellbeing hamper. This was for teams with 10 or more responses to the survey.
Did you know the NHS Staff Survey...
is completely confidential What you say is kept anonymous
only takes 15 minutes to complete and can help make the NHS the workplace we all want it to be
is one of the biggest employee surveys in the world
is aligned to the People Promise This sets out, in the words of our NHS people, the things that would most improve our working experience
is used to better understand the experiences of our NHS people and to see where more change is needed is an official statistic, run independently to the highest standards of quality and accuracy
Complete the survey to have your say
AHP Day
On Monday we celebrated Allied Health Professionals Day.
It was a day to celebrate, recognise and honour these unsung heroes of healthcare.
AHPs play a pivotal role here at SaTH. They comprise of 14 distinct occupations: art therapists, dietitians, drama therapists, music therapists, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, osteopaths, paramedics, physiotherapists, podiatrists, prosthetists and orthotists, diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers, and speech and language therapists.
Thank you to our AHPs and all you do. To read about some of our amazing AHPs, visit the intranet
Time to book your flu jab
It is time to top up your immunity with an autumn annual flu vaccine to keep yourself and those you care for safe.
Flu vaccination is important because, while flu is unpleasant for most people, it can be very dangerous for some. You can have your flu vaccine at one of our dedicated walk-in flu clinics.
RSH:
• Friday 18 October, Mytton Restaurant (8.30am-4.30pm)
• Saturday 19 October, outside the chaplains’ office (3-8pm)
• Sunday 20 October, outside the chaplains’ office (3-8pm)
• Tuesday 22 October, Mytton Restaurant (8.30am-4.30pm)
• Wednesday 23 October, outside the Chaplains Office (4pm-8pm)
• Thursday 24 October, Mytton Restaurant (8.30am-4.30pm)
• Monday 28 October, Mytton Restaurant (8.30am-4.30pm)
PRH:
• Monday 21 October, Medical Escalation entrance area (8.30am-4.30pm)
• Friday 25 October, Medical Escalation entrance area (8.30am-4.30pm)
• Tuesday 29 October, Medical Escalation entrance area (8.30am-4.30pm)
Prior to your vaccination, you will need to fill out a flu vaccination record form. Please bring this with you to the clinic.
To arrange for a vaccinator to visit your department at a time that suits you, please email Karen Mann, Flu Co-ordinator on karen.mann2@ nhs.net
Please click here to read a colleague message from Hayley Flavell on the importance of the flu vaccination.
Play in Healthcare Week 2024
National Play in Healthcare Week was celebrated on the Children’s Ward at PRH this week.
The play specialists went all out to ensure the children and parents enjoyed exciting visits, arts, crafts and play activities. A huge thank you to everyone who organised this fantastic week of play.
We are delighted to announce the three finalists for the Shropshire Star Public Recognition Award, which is part of our upcoming Trust Celebratory Awards.
The Shropshire Star Public Recognition Award recognises teams or individuals who have made a remarkable contribution and show exceptional compassion and dedication in their role. Members of the public were asked to nominate their hospital heroes for the award and three finalists have been shortlisted. It is now over to the public to choose their winner.
Janice Llewellyn, Children’s Oncology and Haematology Nurse
“We, as a family, have been visiting the unit for 10 years. Janice has been our rock. She is simply the best specialist nurse ever. Once she was away visiting family and we had issues with medication delivery she sorted it out even though she was on annual leave. My girls adore her, as we all do as a family. Nothing is ever too much. COVID-19 was hard as we had to shield, but Janice and her team made coming to hospital very special. My girls used to look forward to their transfusions as it got them out the house and everything used to be set out for them from toys crafts everything they wanted.”
“Janice has been a massive support to our whole family for nearly 15 years. She goes above and beyond. Two of our boys rely on Janice for support and she is their support blanket in the medical world of haemophilia. She is on the end of the phone, even for the adults. We couldn’t have got through all the years of stress and panic without her. She has a great sense of humour, lots of banter which helps keep things normal. She is so passionate about her specialty and without her the unit wouldn’t be the same.”
Ward 24, Respiratory
“I have had four admissions since Easter with pneumonia and the staff on Ward 24, Respiratory are amazing and just put you at ease so you don’t worry. The staff genuinely love what they do. I know that if I have to go in again then my treatment will be given with as much care as any time before.”
“I am a palliative care patient with severe breathing problems. I am well known to the ward and each time I go in they go above and beyond despite being short-staffed. They go without breaks to ensure very poorly patients, like myself, are looked after. They always make the best of some very difficult situations whilst maintaining professional behaviour at all times.
They hold your hand and comfort you in very hard times when you are fighting for your breath thinking your time has come.”
“This ward has looked after me many times. The staff go above and beyond to help everyone, they have saved my life on a couple of occasions, and I cannot thank them enough. The health care assistants are fantastic and do everything in their power to make our stay as comfortable as possible, nothing is too much trouble for them. I can’t thank them enough for getting me through the most scary times. I will never forget it. I owe my life to them.”
The Lingen Davies Centre
“I am receiving cancer treatment at the unit and their care and compassion is second to none. They make a difficult day more bearable for me and so many others. The staff are all amazing and I can’t thank them enough for all they do. From the receptionist to the nurses and doctors,
they all have a part to play in the running of this wonderful unit. We are very blessed to have this treatment centre in our area. They are supportive to the family members too, realising that they also need support.”
Electric vans boost
The Estates Department and Medical Engineering Services (MES) now have three electric vans.
The vans take 4.5 hrs to charge and have a mileage range of between 195 to 210 miles. The electric vehicles are cheaper to run, reduce our CO2 emissions, reduce air pollution and improve air quality and are much kinder to the environment.
There is one van at Estates at RSH, one MES at RSH and another at MES at PRH.
Andy Thompson, Estates Operational Manager – Asbestos & Water and Michelle Parker, Estates Senior Management Secretary, are pictured with one of the vans.
“You said”
At the start of the summer we were asked whether it would be possible to install electric points for ambulances outside the Emergency Department (ED) at PRH, to reduce the hours of engine idling while they are waiting to offload patients.
The diesel emissions were “blowing close to the ED paediatric ward windows which is damaging to those in the area and to the environment.”
“We did”
We are pleased to advise that the charging points were installed during mid-September.
Coming to the rescue with the Warp-It Scheme
It is National Recycle Week and this year’s theme is ‘Rescue Me’ – the campaign focuses on rescuing recyclable items from heading to the rubbish bin.
This theme is close to our hearts with our Trust’s Warp-it Scheme for the reuse and recycling of unloved and unwanted office furniture and stationery.
It has now been expanded to PRH and we would encourage any of our colleagues who want to dispose of unwanted furniture and stationery to get in touch. Please leave items in situ until claimed.
Since its inception in 2015 our Warp-it scheme has grown from 50 members to 1,158 active staff members. More than 1,700 staff have participated over the lifetime of the project.
The Trust has saved £574,503, it has prevented 241 tonnes of Co2 entering the atmosphere and stopped an additional 90 tonnes of waste going to landfill.
Since April 2024, Warp-it has found new homes for more than 600 unwanted items, saved
£48,757 in having to buy new and stopped 10 tonnes of waste going to landfill.
It only takes a minute to register (https://www. warp-it.co.uk/company/sath) and another a minute to list an item. A bit like Ebay or Vinted.
You can also email sath.warpit@nhs.net. To find out the process for recycling items please follow this flow chart
You can even list items that you may not want in the future, giving staff members a chance to claim them in advance.
95% of items listed on Warp-it get claimed within the first 48 hours of being listed, including the unusual items. So don’t bin it - List It!
NowatPRHtoo!
Chest freezers donated to charity
Seven chest freezers from the Trust have been donated to charity after Alex Ford found a sustainable home for them.
Catering had a newly refurbished walk-in freezer and no longer required the freezers, so Alex started looking at the best way they could be used.
Alex, Sustainable Travel Plan Co-ordinator, asked whether the Trust could Warp-it or give them away to charity. A scrappage fee of £1,200 from the Trust’s recycling company was quoted as a last resort option.
Alex said: “Despite having a community of 1,150 Warp-it users, a chest freezer is low down on peoples wish-list, usually staff are after desks or operator chairs.”
He then contacted a social enterprise called CollectEco based in Bristol, which has over the last five years, supplied the Trust with over £100k worth of Free Office Furniture.
Collecteco’s mission is “Generating Social Impact and Carbon Reduction Through Donation Of Surplus Furniture, Equipment & Materials”.
It was discovered that food banks frequently ask for chest freezers and within a fortnight Collecteco had found a charity, Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia is a UK-registered charity that works to provide relief from poverty and hardship worldwide.
Collecteco said: “We have a foodbank that is over the moon about replacing their ancient freezers and adding a few more so they can feed more hungry mouths.”
Dental Trauma Working Group
The first meeting of the Shropshire Dental Trauma working group took place on Thursday 26 September hosted at SERII.
The group comprises dentists and dental specialist representatives from Shropshire Community Dental Services and its primary care paediatric support practice as well as from our own Oral & Maxillofacial Team and the Orthodontic department.
The aim of the working group is to improve outcomes of patients who experience dental trauma by strengthening communication,
SaTH Pride Network
breaking down barriers and enabling more efficient cross-service working. The working group is being supported to deliver these improvements by SaTH Improvement Hub.
Members of the SaTH PRIDE Network, together with friends and family, took part in Shrewsbury Pride weekend with a march on Saturday 28 September in Shrewsbury town centre. To join the network as one of our allies or member of the LGBT+ community, please email sath.edi@nhs.net.
In my shoes
‘They ought to spend a day in my shoes,’ is a phrase we often hear. What would it be like to spend a day in someone else’s shoes?
Here, we meet various characters from our hospital and learn what it is like to spend a day in their shoes. We learn something about them and something about their work-life balance.
This art installation is part of an ongoing exhibition, sponsored by the Chaplaincy Team, and is in the Mytton Restaurant, RSH. It is hoped that by telling someone’s story, we can learn a little more about the people we work alongside - as well as those we encounter. If you would like to be part of this exhibition, please contact the Chaplaincy Team on ext 3638 or at sath.chaplaincyteam@nhs.net.
Why not share your story and let us know what it’s like to spend a day in your shoes…
Success for SaTH leadership cohorts
Well done and thank you to colleagues who have invested in their personal and leadership development.
Some of the recent sessions have included DiSC Team Session with the Palliative Team and Situational Leadership Training with managers. New dates for all of programmes will be published soon for 2025, watch this space.
Villains Halloween Party & Dress Up for SaTH Charity Breast Cancer Fund
Our longtime supporter and Charity Ambassador, Sally, is running another Halloween party.
The theme this year is Villains Halloween Party & Dress Up, taking place on Friday 25 October, from 4-9pm at the Brooklands Hotel in Shrewsbury. The event is ticketed and if last year is anything to go by it will sell out quickly. The event will raise money for the Breast Cancer Fund of SaTH Charity as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Sally said: “We hope you will come and support us to help raise money for breast cancer which is a cause close to our hearts. Your support means the world and can really make a difference to local people with a diagnosis of Breast Cancer. Money raised funds vital equipment and training.
“There will be a disco, car, hot food, cakes, tombola and a raffle to keep you entertained. The animal family, toys, glitter bar, potion making, tattoos, & disco dome come at a small
extra cost. As always October is the perfect time to remind everyone to check your pumpkins.”
Tickets are £18 for Family (2 Adults/2 Children), £5 for an adult ticket and £5 for children over 2 years old. To purchase your ticket click here
Thank you to League of Friends
The League of Friends has been working in partnership with the hospital for nearly 60 years.
Legacy donations, fundraising and the profits from the shops at RSH all go towards funding additional equipment that can really make a difference to our patients.
The Emergency Department at RSH have received eight new recliner chairs for their fit to sit and paediatric areas. The chairs provide a much more comfortable seat for patients and also for parents who are waiting with their children in our paediatric areas.
The Therapy Team have also received some amazing new gym equipment – a new rowing machine, bike and recumbent bike. These have already been making a huge difference to patients recovering after joint replacements and other injuries.
Katey puts her best foot forward to raise money for charity
Katey Evans, Personalised Care Navigator, has recently completed a 74 mile walk across the north route of the Shropshire Way raising money for the charity, Shrewsbury Men’s Shed.
After volunteering with the group, she decided to raise money to help improve the lives and mental health of men. The Shrewsbury Men’s Shed is a vital resource for men of all ages to connect, talk and get involved in the many projects they run to support the community.
The Shrewsbury Men’s Shed work closely with our Personalised Care Team, providing a muchneeded space to hold the Shrewsbury Men Like Us support group for any man affected by cancer and the horticultural therapy course funded by Lingen Davies.
During the walk Katey faced some challenges due to rain and flooding but that didn’t stop her, making up any miles around the local area.
Katey said: “I’m really grateful for the support
and donations I have received. Thank you to everyone who has supported me”.
To date she has raised £1,400. If you would like to donate, please see her JustGiving page If you would like to support the charity, please visit their website or email community@ shrewsburymensshed.co.uk or call 07400 726910.
Walk across Wales
Amy Watkins from Newport walked 46 miles across Wales with the Rotary Across Wales Walk, from Machynlleth to Montgomery, on 22 June to raise money for the Neonatal Unit at PRH and raised over £700 for the unit.
Amy was inspired to undertake this challenge to raise money for the Neonatal Unit as her now nine-year-old daughter was on the unit for five and a half months, after being born at 26 weeks weighing just 1lb13 oz.
The experience of her daughter being treated on the unit left a mark, she felt like the nursing staff had become like family. Her daughter Millie was strong from the start and is now a healthy nineyear-old. Amy and her partner stayed in the parent flat, which is located on the unit, which was really important for them as they lived over an hour away.
Amy said of her fundraising: “I am raising money for the Neonatal Unit as a thank you for the amazing care our daughter Millie received during her time on the unit. Millie was born at 26 weeks and spent a long 19 weeks on the unit, so any amount I can raise to help the unit to continue to provide such fantastic care to sick and premature
babies and invaluable facilities such as the family rooms for parents to stay over and be close to their babies will be greatly appreciated.”
Lucy, Senior Sister on the Neonatal Unit who treated Millie nine years ago, said: “We are so grateful to Amy for undertaking this challenge for the unit.
As nurses we often remember patients who were on the ward for extended periods and Millie was on our unit for over five months. During that time, we built a strong relationship with the family, so it is so great to hear that Millie is thriving as a nineyear-old. Being a parent of a child on the Neonatal Unit is extremely stressful, fundraisers like this Amy raise much needed funds that will be used help us to improve our unit for the parents and relatives of our patients.”
Julia Clarke, Director of Public Participation, said: “We are so very grateful to Lucy for supporting the Neonatal Unit. The charity has recently funded refurbishments of all three neonatal family rooms making them less clinical and more home like recognising the benefit they offer. Support like this can only be provided with the efforts of fundraisers like Lucy”.
MES pass standard with flying colours
Congratulations to the Medical Engineering Services (MES) Team which has recently been awarded the ISO9001 ‘Quality Management Systems’ standard with flying colours, passing the external audit with zero findings identified.
The ISO9001 standard provides a globally recognised framework for ensuring consistent quality management. It helps the team improve efficiency, meet customer expectations, and standardise its practices which in turn reduces errors.
The recertification enhances MES credibility as it demonstrates its commitment to quality and continuous improvement, leading to higher customer satisfaction and trust. Certification is achieved via an annual audit conducted by an external assessor, to test the systems, documentation, asset management and general practices as an MES function.
Robert Anderson, Medical Device and Clinical Coordination Project Manager, said: “As the Quality Lead for MES, I would like to wholeheartedly thank the entire team for their efforts to support our quality management system, adhering to standardised practice and striving for continuous improvement.
“We are proud of our achievements and every member of the team is pivotal in our success, ensuring professionalism and commitment to support patient care and safety within the Trust and the community.”
Black History Month
Throughout October we are proud to join the nation in celebrating Black History Month.
The theme for 2024 is ‘Reclaiming Narratives’, a commitment to correcting historical inaccuracies and showcasing the untold success stories and the full complexity of black heritage.
As a Trust that serves a diverse community, we take this opportunity to celebrate the contributions of black people – past and present – who have shaped our society, our NHS and our local communities.
What to expect
Throughout October, we will share inspiring stories that have shaped our collective history. Also, keep an eye out for details on our Workforce Race Equality Network and upcoming events!
The next Race, Equality & Inclusion meeting is on Wednesday 23 October at 10.30am on MS Teams.
Research and Innovation £10,000 SaTH Charity Fund
Pitch your research ideas to secure funding
For an application form or for any enquiries, please conact
SaTH.Research@nhs.net
Occupational Therapy Week
6th Novemver 2024 3-4pm Join the conversation 'The importance of Occupation': A system discussion
As part of this years OT week celebrations we are inviting Occupational Therapists across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin to celebrate and share views on what occupation means in the context of occupational therapy. On joining the discussion, please consider three things RCOT has suggested members focus on as part of OT Week:
1. Talk about occupations, weave them into every conversation so that people understand what occupation means in the context of occupational therapy.
2. Own your superpower, occupations are at the core of occupational therapy. Make them the focus on everything you do.
3. Find out how to overcome barriers is something stopping you from talking about occupations?
4–10 November 2024
Colleague Notice Board
Health Literacy
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.
Staff Health Checks
For more information contact Jennifer Fry at Shrewsbury Health Library on ext. 1440 or Jennifer.fry4@nhs.net
STAFF LOTTERY
This month ’s winners
1st £500
Simon Pugh, Medical Engineering
2nd £250
Roweena Humphreys, Haematology Day Unit
2nd £250
Thomas Roker, Pathology Blood Sciences
3rd £100
Karen Richards, Pharmacy
3rd £100
Vanessa Ellison, Pathology (Phlebotomy)
3rd £100
Yvonne Draper, Medical Education
3rd £100
Jade Jones, Outpatients RSH
4th £50
Jade Jones, Outpatients RSH
4th £50
Adrian Houghton, Pharmacy Stores
4th £50
Callum Blundred, Medical Engineering
4th £50
Katherine Gough, A&E Reception
4th £50
Anne-Marie Fothergill, Pharmacy
12 cash prizes every month!
Payment will be deducted from your salary; winnings are paid into your salary the following month.
Why not join our 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 was a bit apprehensive about yet another move for the blood test service to William Farr house site. Having had my regular test I found that the facility and convenience was superb. Staff and volunteers as always very efficient and friendly. My thanks to all involved in the decision and planning! The dedicated parking was an added bonus that I hope can be retained.