Recognition and recovery – be part of our story

How should we formally thank, reward and recognise you when you have demonstrated our values and gone above and beyond in your roles? And how can we best support our colleagues as we and our hospitals move on from the Covid-19 pandemic?

Culture champions have already played a key role in identifying the trust's new values. Now we're looking for new members to help find answers to questions about recognition and recovery as we write the next chapter of Team UHD's story.

You will be supported by the organisational development team and your culture champion colleagues, and be offered the opportunity to develop new skills and competencies to support your role. Applications are invited from staff in any role and from any background – we want to ensure our champions are representative of Team UHD.

You can find out more about the role and download the application form here. The closing date for applications is 16 April. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the role further, please contact the organisational development team on ext. 4438, or via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity launches today

Today marks an historic milestone as Poole Hospital Charity and Bournemouth Hospital Charity come together to create University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity.

As part of the celebrations, the charity team and senior leaders are giving away goodies including pin badges at the entrance of each hospital at key points during the day.

The events are designed to thank staff and the public for their support and to showcase the new branding - which includes refreshed logos for Bournemouth Hospital Charity, Poole Hospital Charity and Christchurch Hospital Charity.

The charity has received messages of support from health charity partners as well as good wishes from colleagues and supporters including AFC Bournemouth legend, Steve Fletcher - you can watch the video on the new UHDC website (www.UHDCharity.org) or here.

Happy birthday, University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity!

Ask Aly...

The next 'Ask Aly' event with our chief medical officer, Dr Alyson O'Donnell, will be 15 April, 12.30-1.30pm. It's a great opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns and share your views.

You can join the meeting here and if you'd like to send any questions in an advance, pop them through to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we can ask on your behalf.

All staff briefing

The next all staff briefing will take place on Wednesday 21 April, 1.30-2.30pm. David Moss, our chairman, and Debbie Fleming, our chief executive, as well as fellow executives will provide the latest on managing the Covid-19 pandemic, an operational update and future development plans. The Teams link to the session will be shared shortly.

The meetings are a great opportunity to ask the questions that matter to you. You can either ask them in person at one of the briefings or, if you prefer, you can send your questions in advance to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will make sure you get an answer.

Annual leave carry over/sell back process update

Carry over and sell back requests have been collated and as we move into April we will adjust ESR and Health Roster centrally with these adjustments.

If you are based at Poole Hospital we will be starting to look at the 21/22 entitlements in ESR and correct if required.

As April is a very busy month for payroll due to the tax year end and the consolidation of the payrolls into one, we will be paying any sell back requests in the May payroll.

RBH: Incidents at the Eye Unit and Jigsaw Unit entrance (new west entrance)

There have unfortunately been several reports of incidents involving cyclists, scooters and mopeds using the pavement outside the temporary entrance to the hospital as a short cut to reach the cycle shelters and parking. This has resulted in a number of near miss incidents where pedestrians, both staff and patients, have nearly been knocked over.

Please can cyclists, scooter users and moped riders either continue to the shelters on the road or dismount if using the pavement route for the health and safety of our patients, visitors and colleagues.

Changes to the IT skills learning portal

The IT skills pathway learning portal is now called the Digital Learning Solutions Portal (DLS). If you are registered to use this, you do not need to do anything, just carry on using the same login details.

DLS provides access to training assessment products covering various levels of Microsoft Office platforms, as well as courses on social media including Twitter and LinkedIn. If you would like to access this training, please click here, scroll down the page and click on 'Learning Portal'. Click on the 'register' button and follow the instructions.

From 12 April, there will be a new look to the learning portal. Click here to view the quick guide.

RBCH: Stoma care service Easter hours

The stoma care service will be shut over the Easter bank holiday weekend. Please ensure you have referred patients and checked equipment by 12noon today (1 April).

RBCH: AKI nurse outreach service changes

The AKI nurse outreach service will be temporarily unavailable until 1 June.

• For general advice please see the renal intranet page.
• For patient follow up after discharge please forward the eIDF to Dorset County Hospital (DCH) for the attention of nephrologists.
• For urgent patient telephone advice or transfer, contact DCH's Prince of Wales ward on 01305 255139 and ask to speak to the on call consultant.

New Carestream link in EPR

There is a new link to Carestream in EPR which is now live. No training is required. The feature allows you to make images larger by clicking on the pin at the side of the tabs.

Patients and staff observing Ramadan

Ramadan will take place from 12 April. Below are some documents to support teams with members of staff who will be observing Ramadan and for those caring for patients who will also be observing Ramadan.

• Ramadan fact sheet
• Ramadan prayer timetable
• Ramadan newsletter

Keeping cars safe while at work

Be vigilant against car crimes while at work and remember to leave your car:

1. Locked - a simple mistake that can prove calamitous: 44% of cars are broken into via an unlocked door.
2. Lit - 80% of car crime occurs during the evening or at night. Parking near streetlamps or in a busy area can deter thieves.
3. Empty (or with no items on show) - owners often forget that personal belongings within the car are at as much risk of being stolen as the car itself.

For more information about keeping your car safe in trust parking areas, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

RBH: New products from BBraun

RBH will shortly be introducing several new products from BBraun. From mid-April new infusion sets will be put into circulation, and from early May needle-free devices will be introduced.

Click here to see more information on the new products and for contact details

NHS Pensions – McCloud judgement

In 2015 the government made changes to reform the majority of public service pension schemes. These reforms did not apply to members within 10 years of their normal pension age on the 31 March 2012, who remained in their legacy schemes with 'transitional protection'. The Court of Appeal later found this to be discriminatory against younger members in the judicial and fire fighters' schemes – the government accepted that this discrimination existed in all schemes where transitional protection was introduced.

This will involve removing the transitional protections so that all staff join the 2015 Scheme at the same time on 1 April 2022.

Who does this affect?

Employees who joined the scheme on or before 31 March 2012 and who were still members of the scheme on 1 April 2015 will be affected by the changes. This will include current employees as well as staff who have already retired or no longer work for the NHS. Those who joined the scheme on after 1 April 2012 will not be affected.

You don't need to do anything now, you will not need to make this decision until you take your benefits from the scheme at retirement. At that time, scheme members will receive information from NHS Pensions about the value of their benefits in both schemes in order to make an informed choice.

You can find further information with FAQs here, an article from NHS Pension here or details on NHS Employers here.

No further information is available at this time.

Care First webinars

Care First, our employee assistance programme, is putting on webinars this week and next. They run from 12-12.30pm and the themes are:

• Thursday 1 April – Managing pressure
• Tuesday 6 April– How Care first can support you
• Wednesday 7 April – Coping with uncertainty during the pandemic
• Thursday 8 April – Social media, technology and young people
• Friday 9 April – Tips for managers and leaders during the Covid-19 pandemic
• Monday 12 April – How Care first can support you
• Tuesday 13 April – Financial wellbeing
• Wednesday 14 April – Summer wellbeing
• Thursday 15 April – Fraud and mental health
• Friday 16 April – Breaking bad habits

Roadworks

Click here for a list of the current roadworks taking place.