COVID-19 Update 8Looking after ourselvesThis week we will start to see how the delivery of our services will be different for the foreseeable future. Our new default position for providing our services will be that where possible and appropriate to do so, staff should work remotely. Naturally, as we work in health care, face to face patient contact is still required, but this will now be significantly reduced as we start to use remote means to deliver care. To assist with this, the Trust has today taken delivery of 150 new laptops and has 60 mobile phones on order. Should you wish to discuss the equipment you need to be able to work from home, please do this through your line manager and up to the Service Managers and Associate Directors in the Trust. A large number of our staff are already able to work remotely, but we will be increasing this ability over the next week in terms of the equipment available and training in the use of software such as Microsoft Teams. Today I need to update you on the following information:
Jonathan O'Brien - Director of Operations and Deputy Chief Executive Uniforms/Workwear and Covid-19 Please see below for important actions to take.
Personal Protective Equipment The Trust has taken delivery of significant amounts of PPE over the weekend and I can confirm that there is no shortage of PPE for our services. Our stocks include aprons, face masks, visors, gloves and hand sanitising liquid. We have distributed boxes to a host of satellite sites for all teams to access should they need to see patients face-to-face who show symptoms of the virus. The intranet site continues to contain guidance on when to use PPE and the Infection Prevention and Control Team remains available for advice if staff are unsure. The locations of PPE have been circulated on a number of occasions. We will be ensuring these boxes remain fully stocked. To reiterate, there is no shortage of PPE in the Trust and there will not be but we will ask staff to only use PPE where evidence indicates it is necessary and we are following government and PHE guidance on this. The locations are:
PPE is available as required at the Royal Stoke Hospital should it be required at that location. Consultants on call Dr’s Okolo and Adeyemo have provided an update for me on medical staffing rotas.
Working from home and working out of hours We continue to do all we can to support staff working from home. New guidance is available on CAT, covering such topics as
Lone working arrangements should be confirmed within teams. The Trust Lone Working SOP has information which can be used to develop such arrangements. During periods of home working, line managers will maintain contact with staff to ensure their wellbeing and provide an opportunity to discuss any concerns / questions. At the current time we are expected to report on all sickness as well as Covid-19 related absence centrally on a daily basis. Whilst we are receiving a large number of reporting forms for Covid-19 related absence, it appears from queries that some longer term sickness absence or none Covid-19 related sickness have not been centrally reported. Please could you use the reporting form here and ensure ALL current absence is reported centrally to workforceinformationesr@combined.nhs.uk regardless of when the sickness absence started and the reasons for this. If you have any queries regarding absence at all, please contact one of the HR Team: Arrangements for staff counselling serviceAs you will know, we are proud to have one of the best staff counselling services anywhere in the NHS. Obviously, the current situation will require changes to how they deliver support, particularly not offering at present face to face counselling. We also want to be able to provide Psychological First Aid And CISM support to our staff in these challenging times. The Staff Support & Counselling Service is therefore moving to provide these services via a telephone service for the coming period. They can be contacted on the number below for confidential counselling support: 0300 124 0104 The service will also be offering a support line between 10.00 am – 1.00 pm if you wanted to speak direct to a counsellor as follows. 23rd March 2020 - Monday The service have also produced a really helpful summary of some coping and fostering resources to cope with Coronavirus. You can download this from CAT or by clicking here
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