Today’s update includes:
- Ward reconfigurations
- Risk Assessments and Reviews for ALL STAFF
- NHS COVID App – Staff guidance
- Test and Trace app – exposure notifications
It has been an incredibly busy weekend across the Trust with both Covid and non-Covid activity increasing at pace.
It is vital that all staff follow the guidance, stay safe and look after yourselves.
Your patients and colleagues not to mention your families and loved ones need you to be safe and well this winter so please remember:
- Wash and sanitise your hands regularly
- Wear a face mask
- Stay at least 2m apart
If you have any of the following symptoms you must immediately self-isolate and contact your line manager. DO NOT come to work
- New/persistent cough
- A high temperature (37.8C or higher)
- Loss of taste and/or smell
And please have your flu jab, we’ve come this far don’t let flu beat us now! Find out how here
Talking of flu……check this out, have your jab NOW and be in with a chance of winning £500 J
Ward reconfigurations:
As we continue to admit an increasing number of Covid positive patients it is necessary to reconfigure some wards.
We will keep you updated on these changes as and when they happen.
Latest wards changes are below:
| 2A | Covid cohort ward |
Risk Assessments and Reviews for ALL STAFF
As we continue to care for an increasing number of Covid positive patients it is essential that all staff have completed risk assessments and that they are up to date.
If you have not yet completed a risk assessment please do so immediately.
If since completing your risk assessment any of the following has changed please review your risk assessment immediately.
- The environment you work in has changed eg. the level of risk in your area of work may have recently changed.
- Your health circumstances have changed
- You are now pregnant (and weren’t pregnant when you first completed your risk assessment)
When completing/reviewing your risk assessment you will be asked to comment on the stability of any underlying health condition and if you are pregnant, to provide your expected week of childbirth so that we can identify when you will reach week 28 of your pregnancy.
Once the forms have been re-submitted, they will be reviewed appropriately.
As a reminder the link to the new eForm is located here StHK COVID-19 Guidance – Staff Risk Assessment (password STHKcovid19)
If you need help accessing your last risk assessment, please contact Carl Walsh Carl.Walsh@sthk.nhs.uk
Any queries can be discussed with your manager or your HR Team.
NHS COVID App – Staff guidance
Healthcare workers are encouraged to use the NHS Covid-19 app to help reduce the spread of transmission.
However, healthcare workers should pause contact tracing on the NHS COVID-19 app while they are working in healthcare buildings, including hospitals and GP surgeries.
In most of these situations, you’re already protected, so it is highly unlikely that you would catch the virus.
Healthcare workers can still use some of the apps functionality whilst the app contact tracing feature is paused i.e. checking in to canteens/retail outlets
How do you pause contact tracing in the app?
To pause contact tracing within the app move the contact tracing toggle on the home screen. You can see this toggle at the bottom of the app screenshot below:
Checking in to Costa Coffee/Spice of Life
PLEASE NOTE: Pausing contact tracing does not affect your ability to use the app to check in to restaurants/retail outlets
- All staff who are eating/drinking inside Spice Of Life /Costa Coffee are required to scan the QR code / provide their details.
- Staff who are taking food/drink out do not need to check in
Test and Trace app – exposure notifications
A number of people have reported receiving messages through the Test and Trace app about ‘possible covid-19 exposure’.
Please be aware, that unless the app specifically states that you should self-isolate, then you do not need to take any further action other than to continue to follow the local guidance.
Apple and Google devices have been receiving test messages from the system that when opened disappear from the app.
These are just test messages, any official messages from the Test and Trace Service will not disappear and will remain in the app when you open it.
If you are confirmed to have been exposed to covid-19, the message will inform you to self-isolate immediately and give further instructions of actions you must take.
If you receive the official self-isolation message you must inform your line manager immediately.