COVID Update 27 - Asymptomatic Staff Testing, Call for Staff and Updated Risk Assessments COVID-19 Update 27Asymptomatic Staff Testing, Call for Staff and Updated Risk AssessmentsIntroduction I hope that you are all looking after yourselves and each other in what is turning out to be an incredibly difficult second wave of COVID-19 for wider health and care services, but also Combined Healthcare in particular. Running our services at the present time continues to be incredibly challenging and I would like to thank you all sincerely for the hard work happening 24/7 across the Trust. There are some very important updates this week. The first is good news for all staff and I would ask that you read this in order to prepare for what we will be asking you to do from next week, in relation to regular staff testing that will start to be rolled out for Combined Healthcare from Monday 23rd November. The second item is a call to arms. At the present time the outbreaks of COVID-19 in our inpatient areas have meant that the number of staff required to self isolate is significant and more than ever is impacting on our ability to safely staff ward areas in spite of executing our business continuity plans. We urgently need clinical staff to undertake shifts in our inpatient areas and this is explained further below. Finally, we are focused, whatever the pressures, on keeping our staff as safe as possible during this time. There is updated information on staff risk assessments. Therefore there are three clear items today:
As ever, you can continue to ask questions relating this communication or to COVID-19 via email and the best way of contacting the Incident Control Room is via covid.questions@combined.nhs.uk – we continue to endeavour to answer within 24 hours of receiving an email. Jonathan Asymptomatic Staff Testing I would like to provide you with some information about the Innova SARS-CoV-2 Lateral Flow Test (LFT), which we are rolling out from next week to all patient facing staff and those who are working on site at any trust premises. Tests are voluntary, but staff should be strongly encouraged to take part to help keep their workplace safe for patients, visitors and all their colleagues. Boxes of 25 swab kits (the size of half a shoe box) will be dispatched to all inpatient and office sites at Harplands on Monday and all other Trust locations on Tuesday and Wednesday next week via the Estates Team. If you previously tested positive for COVID-19, you should not use the Lateral Flow Device kit for 90 days from the date of your positive test. We are asking staff to record their test results electronically via a secure, personal web based form, access via URL or QR code. This business card will be inserted to every box prior to delivery next week. The ICC will be required to return all records to NHSE/I via a weekly sit rep which will be automated via the staff record. You can find out more about the test via the Trust website by clicking here. We have also released an instructional video about the Test, featuring our own Rob Sillito and NHS England below. Call for staffing As you may be aware, the prevalence of COVID 19 in Stoke- on-Trent and Staffordshire is much more significant in this 2nd wave than experienced in the 1st wave earlier this year. We need to make you all aware of the current challenges and request to recruit as much wider Trust support as possible, without significantly compromising the delivery of our community services. Unfortunately, we are experiencing a major impact of this higher prevalence in our inpatient wards. We executed our emergency incident business contingency plans a few weeks ago and Staff have worked tirelessly to ensure we maintain safe levels of care and treatment. This is becoming increasingly challenging due to increased prevalence of COVID 19 in some of our inpatient wards and subsequent need for a high proportion of existing inpatient staff needing to self-isolate. We have exhausted bank, overtime and agency cover but are now in a worrying situation. As alluded to, we need additional clinical staff to work in our inpatient wards for a 2-week period and a maximum of 4 weeks in order to safely meet the needs of our patients. We are hopeful that with the implementation of staff lateral testing, we will be successful in managing this current crisis in this time period and are reaching out to anybody who is prepared to go the extra mile and put yourself forward to work (with immediate effect) in our inpatient areas. By approaching this situation in this way, we hope there will be enough voluntary support, without having to close services, as we know that this would have a far greater and longer-term impact on our communities and the patients we serve. We are looking for the voluntary support of any clinically facing staff member. We will be working closely with your service managers to ensure we can safely move you into the inpatient area, whilst ensuring your existing clinical duties remain covered within your existing team. So if you are a member of clinical staff, from any professional background and are willing to go that extra mile in this time of crisis, can you please liaise directly with your service manager. We seriously do need you more than ever and please be assured that you will receive dedicated support, induction and will not be expected to retain full responsibility for any area of care delivery, which you do not feel competent to deliver Updated risk assessment relating to pregnancy, home working, shielding and clinically extremely vulnerable staff Team Prevent have shared an updated COVID-19 individual health risk assessment here to take into account the latest updated government and NHS Employers guidance relating to pregnancy, home working, shielding and clinically extremely vulnerable staff. Our managers will use this new risk assessment for new starters in addition to the existing RCPsych risk assessment here. For existing staff, our managers will continue to use and update existing individual health risk assessments (Team Prevent and RCPsych), but ensure that this new content here is considered when your next risk assessment review takes place and as part of your regular ongoing risk assessment reviews. Your next risk assessment should take place with you if your circumstances now fall under the new criteria, your circumstances change or at your next monthly 121 / supervision session. Please contact your manager if you believe that your risk assessment needs to be reviewed, if your circumstances now fall under the new criteria, your circumstances have changed or if you are feeling anxious. If you need any additional support during this difficult time, you can access the Trust’s health and wellbeing services during COVID here and Staff Support and Counselling Services here. |