COVID-19 Update 17

TRUST SOCIAL DISTANCING AND SERVICE UPDATE

Introduction

I hope that as many of you as possible have managed to have a break over the extended weekend. For those who have not and have been working hard to keep our services running and our patients safe - thank you.

Last night many of you will have watched the Prime Minister speak about the very gradual reduction of social distancing measures and I want to use this communication to be absolutely clear with how the Trust has interpreted this for how we run our services.

In summary and after discussion with the senior clinicians and leaders in the Trust, I can confirm the Trust will be making minimal, if any changes, to the way we are working in the first instance. More details are outlined below in order that we can be as clear as possible with staff and line managers across the Trust.

In the communication today I am only going to cover two key issues:

1. Service Update and Social Distancing at Combined Healthcare
2. Power Outage Planning

Jonathan O'Brien - Director of Operations and Deputy Chief Executive

Service Update and Social Distancing

Last night we saw the Prime Minister outline how the social distancing rules will be very gradually relaxed. The Prime Minister outlined some minor changes to enable some sectors return to work. As a Trust, we realise we must be very clear with staff about the measures we expect to continue and any changes, in order to avoid any confusion for staff or line managers. The bullet points below therefore reflect the position we have adopted in line with government guidance. These will remain in place until we advise otherwise:

1. If you can work from home we would ask you to continue to do so. To protect our staff and service users, we are not asking any staff who have not routinely been attending work in person to do so. To be clear, if you have been working from home, please continue to do so for the next three weeks. This protects you, your colleagues and our service users. We know it may be tempting to come into work – please only do so if absolutely necessary, it is safe to do so and please discuss this with your line manager in advance of any change to your arrangements.
2. No changes are being made to how we operate services at this time. Specifically, the service status list we previously circulated will remain unchanged until 1st June 2020. We will now start planning for how we might reopen or step up services that have changed, but there will be no changes until 1st June 2020. Again, these measures will remain in place to protect our staff and service users and we will only step back up individual services when detailed planning that assures us of safety has been completed.
3. Absences due to COVID-19 or other illnesses should continue to be reported through line managers and via HR, following the same procedures that have been put in place and are available online. Access to staff testing for suspected COVID-19 related absences will continue to be supported.
4. We will continue to test widely for COVID-19, including all admissions to our inpatient units at the time of admission. We will also continue to support our Care Homes by testing patients due to return to a placement 48 hours in advance of their discharge date.

I hope that this reassures staff that we are taking a cautious approach to any lifting of social distancing rules and most importantly, the safety of our staff and service users comes first. Should you have any questions in relation to the points above, you can pose this question to your line manager or to the incident control room directly via covid.questions@combined.nhs.uk.

Power Outage Planning

The mains isolation switch situated in the plant room at Harplands Hospital will shortly be replaced under managed conditions. The switch belongs to Western Power and it is their responsibility to maintain it.  This is something the Trust has done before and, whilst we wish to minimise disruption to services wherever possible, we also need to ensure our electrical supplies are delivered with maximum safety. 

The date of Wednesday 20th May has been provisionally agreed subject to final confirmation by Western Power. A working Group has been established and is meeting every 2 days to plan and review progress.

Western Power (WP) are completing their surveys, RAMS and programme and making detailed arrangements to provide all labour materials and plant to undertake the work.  They have ensured that a replacement switch is available and is in their possession

Serco are making arrangements for the provision of an additional ‘reserve back up’ emergency generator and will undertake enabling works and temporary works to facilitate access for all Western Power plant, equipment and personnel.

Combined's Estates Department have appointed a dedicated Project Manager for the duration of the programmed works and will oversee the processes providing a central point of contact for the project for trust management.  They will provide an emergency ‘A&T back-up generator’ at A&T just in case a power outage does occur.