Today’s staff update is below:
- Risk assessment and PPE use in sub-clinical areas
- Emergency Department access
- New STHK staff engagement app
- NHS People Pulse survey
- NHS Covid Heroes
RISK ASSESMENT AND PPE USE IN SUB-CLINICAL AREAS
Where staff need to meet in sub-clinical areas e.g. for handover and MDT meetings, in rooms with no direct patient contact that are within a clinical ward or department, the room must be assessed and the maximum occupancy based on 2M social distancing marked on the door.
Where it is not possible to conduct usual business and remain socially distanced i.e. more people have to be in the room, managers are able to complete the following risk assessment (this needs to be done for each individual room):
https://covid.sthk.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/RA-for-sub-clinical-areas-test-and-trace-v-2.doc (password: STHKcovid19)
Where the risk is calculated as low staff can use these rooms with the same precautions as used in other non-clinical areas that cannot be made fully COVID Secure through social distancing measures alone i.e. staff need to wear surgical face masks, clean their hands on entering and leaving and clean touchpoints and workstations.
If the risk assessment indicates that the risk of COVID transmissions is high risk with these precautions the rooms can only be occupied with staff wearing full PPE; surgical face mask, gloves, apron and eye protection, if there are more staff than social distancing will allow.
Please could all managers of clinical services review the rooms in their areas which fall into this sub-clinical category and undertake the risk assessment based on how the room is used.
This will clarify to staff the level of PPE that needs to be worn if social distancing cannot be maintained.
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT ACCESS
Staff are reminded that the Emergency Department is a clinical area, and under NO circumstance should they use the department as a cut-through to enter or leave the building.
We are still admitting patients with Covid-19 symptoms and treating seriously ill patients that require an environment where their privacy and dignity is respected at all times.
Staff should use the Paediatric entrance to leave and enter the building.
THE NEW STHK STAFF ENGAGEMENT APP IS NOW LIVE
The new STHK Staff Engagement App has been launched today. The App is intended for you to use alongside other sources of information, including the staff Covid website, staff intranet and global emails, to support you to remain engaged and in touch with the Trust.
It offers a source of streamlined, relevant information effectively putting the Trust in your pocket, whether you’re working on site or remotely.
We hope you will all take advantage of your STHK Engagement App by visiting your app store and searching for HealthZone UK to download.
For more information please visit the staff Covid website: https://covid.sthk.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/STHK-Staff-Engagement-App.pdf (password: STHKcovid19)
For help downloading the App, click here: https://covid.sthk.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/STHK-Staff-Engagement-App-How-to-install-guide-v2.pdf (password: STHKcovid19) or visit the staff intranet under the staff engagement section.
NHS PEOPLE PULSE SURVEY
The NHS People Pulse is a national online survey, developed in partnership with NHS England and NHS Improvement. Results will provide a national, regional and local view of employee experience and wellbeing.
The survey takes only 5 minutes to complete and is anonymous and voluntary. The feedback will inform local and national changes that improve the experiences of our staff and patients.
NHS People Pulse will run until 31 January 2021, with a new survey cycle taking place every two weeks.
Please visit: https://covid.sthk.nhs.uk/nhs-people-pulse (password: STHKcovid19) for further details or https://www.nhspeoplepulse.com to take part.
NHS COVID HEROES
During the pandemic, the Pre-operative Team have provided a ‘One Stop Service’ reducing the number of times patients attended the hospital by combining their OPD appointment and pre op assessment.
Bloods were taken in the department, pre-op swabs performed to test for covid-19 and reassurance provided to ensure patients were confident about the safety of their operation going ahead. This included many of the patients attending the Regional Cancer Hub for surgery from other areas. It has meant a change in service hours, extending to the evening and weekends to support those patients requiring urgent operations. Well done team Pre Op
