COVID-19 Update 15
Testing and PPE Update
Introduction
I hope this week finds you well and that you are looking after yourselves and your loved ones. It is over five weeks now since we have been working in new arrangements and, as we learn more and get up-to-date guidance on all things COVID-19, we are updating our processes and procedures. It is therefore really important that you stay up to date with the latest information we are sending out. I’d encourage you to review the information below and check the intranet to see if there is guidance that is applicable to your area of work. I would hazard a guess that for all clinical staff, there will be at least one element of the below guidance which is applicable to your practice.
Today I want to update you on the following:
- Patient Admission Testing – Important!
- Learning Disability Easy Read Documents
- IPC Back to Basics & COVID-19 PPE Reminder
- Staff Testing Update
- CPR in COVID Confirmed or Suspected Patients
- Student Nurse Recruitment
Jonathan O'Brien - Director of Operations and Deputy Chief Executive
Patient Admission Testing - Important!
Over the weekend, we have had refreshed guidance on testing of new admissions to inpatient facilities. From Monday 27 April 2020, the Trust will be moving to a position to test ALL patients who are being admitted to an inpatient setting. For Harplands, this is being coordinated via the silver control room, where swabs can be accessed. We will also test patients being admitted to any satellite inpatient units in the community.
If you have any queries relating to this, please contact the control room at Harplands Hospital or the Site Manager. Please find the flow chart for admission testing by clicking here.
Learning Disability Easy Read Documents
We have made available via a dedicated section on our website a selection of easy read documents that are predominately used in learning disability services related to COVID-19. However, these documents may be of use to clients, carers and family members who may find benefit in simpler information with the assistance of pictorial communication.
If any further information is required or you need to speak to a team member in LD about these, please call 0300 123 1152 or contact Jackie Shapland or Rosie Zacune from the Health Facilitation Team via Teams or email Jacqueline.Shapland@combined.nhs.uk.
Staff Testing
We now have staff testing widely available for all members of staff who become symptomatic. In instances where a member of staff needs to self-isolate due to a family member having symptoms, we can extend the testing offer to the whole household.
Please remember that the test only tells us if you currently have COVID-19. It does not tell us if you have had it in the past.
It is very important that when you become symptomatic or need to self-isolate, you report this to your line manager as soon as you possibly can. We can arrange for you to be tested even if you are not due to work for several days. Line managers will automatically report this through HR and a list of potential staff for testing is processed every day, seven days a week.
IPC Back to Basics & COVID-19 PPE Reminder
Our IPC team has produced a back to basics poster for clinical areas which can be found here.
We continue to have ample stocks of PPE and I would like to remind staff about the situations in which it can be used. The Trust’s guidance, which is adapted and compliant with Public Health England (PHE) guidance, can be found here. Please use this as a reference for using PPE for patient interactions in your role.
CPR in COVID confirmed or Positive Patients
We have produced clear guidance on the process for PPE when needing to perform CPR. The process can be found here. All Resus Trolleys have been stocked with the appropriate level of PPE to allow staff to follow this guidance. Please be reminded not to remove PPE from Resus Trolleys. PPE is available in all inpatient wards and locations for use when needed for normal use.
Student Nurse Recruitment
I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the Practice Education Team. Over the last three weeks, they have been exceptionally busy and we are now seeing the value of their tremendous efforts. They have worked closely with our HR and Recruitment Teams and local Universities to ensure the safe and very speedy recruitment of over 28 Associate Nurses into our Acute and Urgent Care and Specialist Directorates. Over the next few weeks, their efforts will continue and we anticipate even more staff arriving on our wards, adequately trained, inducted and ready for frontline duties.
As with many teams, they have undertaken the majority of this work remotely, which again is remarkable in itself. There has been considerable behind the scenes efforts to negotiate terms and conditions to produce remote and bespoke training packs for student nurses who will be coming into extended placements on a non-supernumerary basis. They have also been instrumental in facilitating safe induction and supervision processes. A huge thank you goes out to Rachel Bloor and her team.
