Thank you for your continued hard work we appreciate all your efforts at this challenging time.
Please remember the staff intranet is the place to find the latest Covid related information. National guidance for healthcare workers can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/wuhan-novel-coronavirus
Covid Cabinet continues to meet daily at 10.30am today’s updates are below:
Covid Helpline
The Trust’s new helpline to further support staff, patients and their families during these times launched this morning.
If you have any Covid related questions please call the helpline, details below:
Palliative Care
The Palliative Care Team have increased weekend cover and are in the process of extending the working day.
Staff are encouraged to ring for advice:
General Enquiries: 0151 290 4266
Triage: 07917 828209
24 hour advice line: 0844 225 0677
Patient Discharges Medway
From 1st April (tomorrow) patients requiring social, nursing or intermediate care support for discharge will be managed using the discharge pro forma on Medway (known as section 2) Once referred all discharges for all boroughs will be processed by Contact Cares. Clinical teams will receive further information at ward level.
Staff Welfare
To support colleagues during this time all staff have access to 24/7 online or telephone confidential counselling from INSIGHT https://www.insighthealthcare.org/ or telephone 0300 131 2067
The Trust’s Clinical psychology Department has compiled some bespoke advice for staff to help them cope during this time please click here for their advice leaflet.
Additionally NHS Employers have information for staff wellbeing available here https://www.nhsemployers.org/covid19/health-safety-and-wellbeing
On Call rooms
Please can all keys for rooms currently managed by specialties be returned. Changes to the on call rotas impacting on the need for accommodation should be notified to: Charlotte Riddler ext 1379 email: accommodation@sthk.nhs.uk
Uniform
Where possible all staff should travel to and from work in their own clothes and change into uniform at work (dependent on the availability of changing facilities)
Where changing facilities are available, uniforms should be:
- removed prior to leaving the hospital
- transported in a separate plastic bag to be disposed of
- Laundered at home.
Hospital uniform must not be worn outside the hospital premises unless the tunic/dress/polo shirt is completely covered by a coat or outer garment and is fully fastened. No medical equipment e.g. stethoscopes, should be visible on staff outside the hospital premises. This includes the journey to and from work and during all seasons.
All staff undertaking work in community settings should wear hospital uniform when on duty, unless otherwise agreed.
Staff wearing uniform on leaving work must change immediately when they get home.
Trust laundry policy: Launder daily on a separate wash at the highest temperature available on a domestic washing machine (minimum 60˚C). DO NOT add domestic clothing/other items to the load.
Cleaning re-useable goggles
Where possible re-useable goggles should be kept for a named staff member and identified as such.
- The eye protection should be cleaned after use with Chlorclean, 1000 parts per million chlorine or Sanicloth-chlor wipes, 2 minutes contact time (picture below) then rinsed with plain cold water and allow to dry
#NHSCovidHeroes
Today’s heroes are the amazing staff on Wards 2B & 2C.
We couldn’t be more proud of this fantastic team who are working around the clock every day to deliver care for our patients in the most challenging of situations. Well done and thank you J
