Last updated on January 4th, 2022 at 03:33 pm
As the world opens up (outside of healthcare settings), the infection rating continues to rise and as a result we are seeing an increase in Covid positive admissions.
Please remember to check the Staff Covid Website (password STHKcovid19) for all the latest Covid related guidance and information.
In today’s update:
- Safety Measures – PPE, social distancing, visiting
- Self-isolation procedures for NHS staff
- Changing facilities
SAFETY MEASURES – PPE, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND VISITING RESTRICTIONS
COVID-19 remains a real and present danger and we must continue to protect everyone.
It is Trust policy that ALL staff MUST wear the appropriate PPE in ALL clinical and non-clinical settings. Any breach in Trust policy may result in disciplinary action
Staff Safety Measures for ALL staff
- It is critical that staff continue to wear the correct PPE in ALL clinical and non-clinical settings, including office areas, and when transferring patients within and outside of the hospitals.
- Surgical face masks (covering noses and mouths) MUST be worn in all public areas and in any area where social distancing is not possible.
- Continue to stay 2m apart
- Continue to wash/sanitise hands frequently, especially when entering sites and clinical areas/wards
- Continue to work from home where possible
- Continue to meet virtually on Microsoft Teams, with face-to-face meetings only taking place where it is possible to maintain social distance between participants
- Continue to change into uniform when you arrive at work and change before leaving to go home (see changing facilities below). Where it is not possible to change at work, which may include those staff who do not have access to changing facilities or those that work in community, clinical uniform must be covered and staff should return directly to their home following completion of their shift changing out of their uniform, before entering a public area
- Continue to keep your working area clean and wipe shared equipment down at least twice a day
- Continue to avoid car sharing when travelling to and from work
Patient Safety Measures
Patients are required to:
- Continue to wear fluid resistant face masks
- Continue to wash/sanitise hands frequently
- Continue to maintain 2m social distancing
Visiting Restrictions
Hospital visiting remains suspended except for patients receiving end of life care, visiting for patients with mental health issues such as dementia or other disabilities, maternity visiting and visiting children.
SELF-ISOLATION PROCEDURES FOR NHS STAFF
You will have seen recent media coverage regarding NHS staff and the need to self-isolate. Please see below update.
NHS Test and Trace – if a member of staff is contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service (via phone/email/email) to inform them that they have been in close contact with a known COVID-19 case, then a risk assessment will be undertaken to assess whether the staff member needs to isolate. The staff member should immediately inform their line manager and provide evidence of the notification from NHS Test and Trace. The line manager MUST complete a self-isolation form (password: STHKcovid19) and refer the staff member to the Self-isolation Team who will then complete the risk assessment and inform the staff member and line manager if they can return to work with the correct safety measures in place.
NHS COVID-19 app – If a staff member is ‘pinged’ by the NHS COVID-19 app and advised that they may have been in contact with a known COVID-19 case, then a risk assessment will be undertaken to assess whether the staff member needs to isolate.
The staff member should immediately inform their line manager and provide evidence of the ‘ping’ notification. The line manager MUST complete a self-isolation from (password: STHKcovid19) to refer the staff member to the Self-isolation Team who will then complete the risk assessment and inform the staff member and line manager if they can return to work with the correct safety measures in place.
CHANGING FACILITIES
Changing room facilities are available for staff to use in a number of locations embedded within wards and departments at Whiston, St Helens and Newton hospitals.
This is to enable ALL staff to change before and after their shift.
Whiston Hospital
There are a number of changing rooms throughout the site (see below table)
St Helens
There are a number of changing rooms throughout the site (see below table)
Newton
The changing facility can be found on the first floor.
Please see list of changing facilities:
| Whiston Hospital |
| Lower Ground 1 |
| A&E Obs |
| X-Ray |
| Level 1 |
| Ward 1A |
| Cardio Diagnostics |
| Cardio respiratory |
| Ward 1E |
| Sanctuary |
| Level 2 |
| Ward 2A |
| Ward 2B |
| Ward 2D |
| Delivery Theatres |
| Children’s OPD |
| Doctors Mess |
| Level 3 |
| Ward 3A |
| Ward 3Alpha |
| Ward 3D |
| BEP / Buchanan |
| Level 4 |
| Ward 4A |
| Ward 4B |
| Ward 4D |
| Ward 4E/ ICU |
| Level 5 |
| Ward 5A (ward is currently undergoing building works, but changing room is still accessible before entering the ward area) |
| Ward 5D |
| St Helens Hospital |
| Lower Ground Floor |
| OPD |
| Rehabilitation |
| ENT |
| FM Hub |
| Haematology |
| Ground Floor |
| Pathology |
| Cardio Respiratory |
| Radiology |
| First Floor |
| Orthodontics |
| Sanderson Suite |
| Endoscopy |
| Ophthalmology |
| Newton Hospital |
| First Floor |
| Admin Area |