In today’s update:
- Silver command email stepped down
- Management of patients admitted to hospital
- Revised visiting for patients at end of life
- Annual Leave 2019/20
New Volunteer Response Team - Spice of Life restaurants – social distancing measures
- Staff bike loan scheme
- #HiddenHospitalHeroes
Silver Command
The email address to escalate issues to Silver Command has also now been stepped down, if you have any operational issues that cannot be resolved at local level, please call the Bronze Command number 0151 676 5530 and these will be escalated to Silver.
Silver Command meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Issues raised at the Silver Command meeting will then be reviewed and decisions made on an appropriate course of action.
If an issue has a wider impact on the Trust’s operational processes or strategy, then this is escalated to Gold Command for further discussion.
Management of patients admitted to hospital
Testing of asymptomatic patients for COVID-19:
As of 27 April 2020, all patients requiring inpatient admission (i.e. at least admission overnight) require testing for COVID-19 regardless of symptoms or clinical features of COVID-19.
Therefore, even if the patient does not fulfil the case definition, send samples for COVID-19 testing, in addition to usual investigations appropriate to the patient’s clinical condition.
The test must be carried out without delay at the point where decision to admit is made.
For asymptomatic patients, COVID-19 test can be requested on Medway (under test name COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus PCR and on the ‘Test required’ drop down, select ‘Asymptomatic admission screen’).
Note the Medway request form and specimen must be accompanied by a completed form E28.
Patients who are tested on admission but do not have clinical features of COVID-19 do NOT need isolation in side rooms (unless they also have another reason to require this e.g. another infectious disease requiring isolation precautions or infection alert such as MRSA/VRE/CPE).
Pre-existing inpatients do not need testing for COVID-19 unless they have relevant clinical features.
Patients with symptoms/signs of COVID-19:
The case definition(updated regularly) now includes any patient requiring admission to hospital with clinical/radiological evidence of pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome or influenza like illness (or develop these after admission).
If a patient fulfils criteria for a possible case, do the following immediately:
- Isolate patient in a single room with respiratory precautions (if no side room is available, patient can be cared for in a bay).
- Minimise number of staff entering the room.
- Wear the appropriate PPE: Click here to see a summary of PPE to be worn
- Send samples for testing, in addition to usual investigations appropriate to the patient’s clinical condition, as per GOV.UK guidance. COVID-19 test can be requested on Medway (under the test name COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus PCR and on the ‘Test required’ drop down, select ‘SYMPTOMATIC patient test’. Note that the Medway request form and specimen must be accompanied by a completed form E28.
Rapid COVID-19 tests (performed at the Whiston Microbiology Laboratory) are now available for:
1. Patients that are to be discharged to care homes.
2. Pre-operative patients having urgent elective surgery for cancer.
These can be requested on Medway under COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus PCR.
There is now a drop down box to select the test required as shown below;
Use SYMPTOMATIC patient test to request a test for any patient (new admission or existing inpatient) with clinical features of COVID-19.
Use Asymptomatic admission screen to request an admission screen for COVID-19 on any patient who requires at least overnight admission to the Trust who has no clinical features of COVID-19.
Use Clearance swab to request a rapid test for patients prior to discharge to care home.
Use Pre-op cancer swab to request a rapid test for patients prior to urgent elective cancer surgery.
Use Elective pre-op screen (non-cancer) to request a routine test (i.e. not a rapid test) for patients screened at pre-op in advance of their elective admission for surgery/other procedure.
Note that current availability of rapid tests is strictly limited (approximately 20 in total per day) hence these MUST only be used as stated above:
Any exceptions MUST be discussed with a Medical Microbiologist on a case by case basis before the test is requested.
Please note guidance related to COVID-19 is updated regularly hence always refer to the most up to date version of the guidance online at https://covid.sthk.nhs.uk/
isolation precautions
Isolation precautions can be discontinued 14 days after the date of the positive test (not date of onset of symptoms) if there has been:
- clinical improvement with at least some respiratory recovery
- absence of fever (> 37.8°C) for 48 hours
- no underlying severe immunosuppression
If patient has severe immunosuppression or has received intensive care during the current admission, isolation precautions must be continued until complete resolution of symptoms or a repeat test for COVID-19, taken more than 14 days after the last positive test, is negative.
In such patients, if the patient is found to be still positive on repeat testing, and they remain as an inpatient, isolation precautions should be continued and the patient retested every 7 days until a negative result is obtained before isolation precautions can be discontinued.
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REVISED VISITING FOR PATIENTS AT END OF LIFE
Revised guidance for visiting has been released for patients at the end of life.
It is now possible to allow a second additional visitor (including a child or faith leader) where social distancing can be maintained. No visitors should have symptoms of coronavirus (new continuous cough or high temperature).
All visits should be agreed in advance with the ward staff.
More can be found here: https://covid.sthk.nhs.uk/visiting-guidance/ (password: STHKcovid19)
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ANNUAL LEAVE 2019 / 2020
Staff may have excess leave at the end of the last financial year (2019/20) which they may now prefer to have this paid rather than take during 2020/21 or 2021/22.
Check out your options for the management of annual leave during the Covid19 situation on the Staff Covid Website (password STHKcovid19)
Unused annual leave that is not related to Covid -19 will follow the Trusts usual policies for carry forward. This includes Maternity leave or Long Term Sick leave reasons. All none covid19 related requests for carry forward should also be discussed with your line manager – you cannot be paid for this. Managers have to report all requests to payroll BEFORE 31 May 2020. Please ensure that you discuss your requirements with your manager as soon as possible to ensure that they understand your requirements.
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**NEW** VOLUNTEER RESPONSE TEAM
The Volunteer Response Team at Whiston Hospital are waiting for your call!
Staff will be able to telephone volunteers and ask for their help in real time. They can run an errand, pack a patient’s belongings so they are ready for discharge, deliver smaller items or collect medications.
The service runs from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
To contact the Volunteer Responders direct tel: 07876 007 077 or 07880 005 210
If you would like to know more information about this service, please contact the Volunteer Department on 0151 676 5484 or 0151 290 4531.
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SPICE OF LIFE RESTAURANTS – SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES
Following government guidance, the Spice Of Life restaurants will be working to maintain the safety of its customers and staff.
These measure will include:
- Hand sanitising stations at entry points
- Floor markings to encourage social distancing
- All food items in the chillers will be pre-packaged e.g. fruit and salads
- Screens at the tills
- Social distancing at service counters
- Seating arranged to ensure social distancing – only two people at any table. Do not move seats in order to sit together in groups or you will be asked to move or possibly leave.
- Continuing to only take card payments
Staff and visitors are requested to observe the new “safe” protocols” for their own protection and the safety of staff.
If they are not observed more stringent measures would have to be introduced, such as:
- One way systems
- One customer in – one out
- Monitoring of seated area to ensure social distancing observed
- Potentially move to take out food only
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STAFF BIKE LOAN SCHEME
Staff interested in loaning a bicycle to get them to and from work, can now sign up with St Helens Pedal Power on Facebook and take delivery for FREE!
Log onto Facebook and search for: https://m.facebook.com/StHelensPedalPower/
Why not get your cycle on while the weather is good and the roads are quite!
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#HiddenHospitalHeroes
Today’s big shout out goes to the lovely Claire Simmo, WS Hospital’s Charity Fundraiser.
Claire has worked non-stop to manage and distribute donations across all our sites. She’s shopped for goodies to help keep everyone going, stocked our grab and go stations and ensured patients receive treats too.
She’s also made sure every person, company and sponsor has been thanked with handwritten cards and letters to show our appreciation.
Claire’s fantastic work has really helped to raise the profile of our hospitals’ charity and thanks to her heroic efforts we’ve gained hundreds of new supporters from across our communities.
Thank you Claire for caring for the people who care, you have helped make the past few months brighter for us all.
