PPE still vital - reminder

It is reassuring to see that across Dorset and within our organisation the number of Covid-19 cases continues to remain at a low level. The current rate within Dorset is now similar to that prior to wave 2, in October.

The risk to staff and patients remains present however. The guidance for wearing PPE has not changed and it is still advised that patients are encouraged to wear surgical face masks and that staff keep to using PPE as set out for the procedures they are carrying out.

For all contact with patients, or if within two metres of the patient, eye protection is recommended alongside single use gloves and apron.

Summary highlights can be found here.

Vaccination programme closes

Thanks to all staff who supported our Covid-19 vaccination programme, which ends today.

More than 31,000 vaccinations have been given since December, helping to ensure our staff, colleagues, families and patients are protected.

A special thank you to the vaccination programme team, which comprises clinical and non-clinical staff from services and departments throughout the trust, for their incredible efforts to bring the vaccine to UHD staff, as well as those in partner organisations.

Behaviours in the work place

The next virtual Schwartz Round focusing on 'Behaviours in the Workplace - why the way we are with each other is so important', will take place on today (16 April) between 1-2pm. The round is open to all UHD staff and is a great chance to share experiences of good and bad working relationships and how it affects all aspects of our lives.

This will be a normal Teams meeting – not a live event. Everyone will be asked to mute themselves but they will be invited to put their hand up/unmute if they wish to contribute/participate. You can join on your computer or mobile by clicking here.

Unfortunately the meeting will be limited to 100 people so if staff can safely socially distance around a PC or laptop then more people will have access to the event.

Thanks to all who 'Asked Aly'

Thank you to all of those who attended the latest (and eventful!) 'Ask Aly' Teams forum on Wednesday. For those of you who could not attend click here to watch via Teams.

The next 'Ask Aly' forum will be on 20 May, 12-1pm. The link to the Teams event can be found here.

The Brief, April 2021 out now

Your April edition of The Brief is out now!

Included in this edition:

• an update on our hospitals from Debbie Fleming
• Covid-19 update, including a time to reflect, vaccines, and changes to our visiting restrictions
• transformation update – what's happening on site
• Ask Aly – your chance to ask questions to our chief medical officer
• your UHD workplace App – download it today!
• UHD noticeboard – save the date for upcoming events
• get involved in National Deaf Awareness Week
• Freedom to Speak Up training
• our new UHD charity

Click here to read it and please share the key messages with your colleagues.

POOLE: Canon Jane Lloyd funeral arrangements

Many colleagues will want to pay their respects to a much-loved colleague who has given 35 years of generous service to the trust. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we have to grieve in different ways at present.

From Monday 19 April there will be a memorial book and candles in the prayer space in the chapel at Poole Hospital for colleagues to write their tributes.

On Friday 23 April, 1.20 pm, Jane's funeral cortege will stop outside the hospital on Longfleet Road for a few moments where colleagues, socially distanced, will be able to pay their respects. The funeral cortege will continue onto St. Nicholas' Church in Corfe Mullen for a private family funeral service and later interment at Wimborne Cemetery.

On Friday 25 June, 2pm, there will be a memorial service for Canon Jane at St. Mary's RC Church, Wimborne Road, Poole, when it is hoped that by then pandemic restrictions will have be eased and all those who want to celebrate Jane's life can attend.

Do continue to keep Jane's family in your thoughts and prayers at this time.

- Rev. Declan McConville, lead chaplain

Share your views on the trust since merger

We're now six months on from merger and have achieved a lot during this time, not least rising to the challenge of the biggest pandemic in the history of the NHS. Lots of progress has been made and we will continue to transform our services as we move towards a planned site and emergency site in 2025/26.

Our short survey is for you to tell us how it feels working for UHD since the merger and to get your views on a range of topics, including our new vision and values, teams coming and working together, what transformation means to you, compassion towards patients and each other, and whether you feel able to lead change.

Your feedback will give us a snapshot of where we are now and will form the next stage of our culture plan. Our new Culture Champions for this year are also currently being recruited and will help shape the culture of our trust. This coming phase will be about staff recovery - health and wellbeing - and finding out how you want to be thanked, rewarded and recognised.

Please complete the survey by 30 April and share with your colleagues. We'd like to hear from as many staff from as wide a range of roles as possible.

Intravenous fluid prescription chart pilot

From 19 April a new fluid prescription chart will be piloting on AMU, Lulworth and B4 at Poole Hospital and AMU, Ward 14 and ESCU at RBH.

Changes include:

• A reduced rate fluid prescription for frail older adults/ patients with renal/ cardiac disease
• Height or weight based maintenance fluid prescribing
• Prescribing in conjunction with preceding 24 hours fluid balance
• Reduction of "free fluid prescribing" of 0.9% sodium chloride
• Support with electrolyte replacement in accordance with the trust guidelines

Please familiarise yourself with IV fluid prescribing guidance on the intranet under 'D' and 'Doctors information'.

POOLE: Radiology reports

Since the upgrade to the RIS system (Soliton), the radiology department at has had challenges with printing reports to send to clinicians. Many have been printed, however the format is incorrect, and in some cases illegible and many reports are duplicated or potentially not printed.

The radiology team has been working with IT and the RIS provider to resolve this and now Xerox is involved working on a resolution remotely. This is still not resolved and an engineer will be on site on Monday 19 April.

In the interim, all reports are available on EPR.

Health records reminder on confidentiality

Patient ID labels are being put onto the front cover of green plastic record folders. This practice must stop as it is a breach of confidentiality and also damages the folders which are recycled. The labels are extremely difficult to remove resulting in folders being wasted at a cost to the trust.

New information asset register launching 4 May

An information asset register (IAR) is a mandatory database which must be used by information asset owners (IAOs) and administrators (IAAs) to centrally record and manage details about information assets. The trust has a new IAR which is purpose-built and in-house designed, specifically created to meet our legal and regulatory needs whilst also simplifying the process for IAOs and IAAs. This new system will be available from 4 May.

To coincide with the roll-out of the new IAR, updated training will also be available for IAOs and IAAs, which will explain about information risk management​, the classification, identification and recording of information assets, and provide detailed descriptions about the IAO and IAA roles.

See the intranet for more details. If you have any queries, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

RBH: Works starting from Monday 19 April

From Monday 19 April for a period of eight weeks, works will begin to create the frailty same day emergency care (SDEC) unit within part of the old department of sexual health (DoSH) area. Please be aware that contractors will be moving around in this area during this time and there will be some noise. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Portable appliance testing of non-medical equipment

SSE is currently carrying out the two yearly portable appliance testing of non-medical equipment in-line with the trust's PAT policy.

Engineers from SSE will introduce themselves to departmental heads prior to commencement of works and to arrange access, some testing may be carried out of normal working hours in order to minimise any downtime to the department/trust.

Please can you ensure that any items that are normally locked away in draws and cupboards are left out for them to test and any confidential information is locked away. The engineers have been instructed to leave the area as they find it. Any items that fail the PAT will be marked accordingly, so please contact docket line on ext. x4287 or via the intranet for a repair to be carried out from the in-house maintenance team.

Your co-operation is greatly appreciated and should you have any quires or concerns please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call ext. x4291.

Free Hospedia TV this Saturday

Hospedia will be extending the free TV on all bedside terminals tomorrow (17 April) from 6am- 5.20pm, for access to channels 1-5, allowing all patients to watch the coverage of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's Funeral, which is planned mainly on BBC1 and ITV.

Skills and learning teacher apprenticeship

Are you in a teaching and education role where you provide training to staff in the classroom and in your workplace setting?

The level 5 skills and learning teacher apprenticeship is a foundation degree qualification and give you the skills to deliver effective training and inspire learners. The course will involve distance and online learning in monthly workshops and face-to-face meetings when possible. The course is suitable for staff in a teaching or educator role such as practice educators and trainers who meet the entry criteria.

For further information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

UHD staff case study reports published by the WHO

Public Health England is one of 11 European collaborating centres with the World Health Organisation (WHO) (nursing, midwifery and AHCP).

Rebecca Savage, trainee consultant midwife, holds a technical advisory role with the PHE collaborating centre. Alongside colleagues Heidi Croucher and Jillian Ireland, three local case studies have been published with work undertaken at UHD in the PHE WHO library highlighting the innovative work undertaken at UHD within public health and staff wellbeing.

The aim of the library is to provide a bank of knowledge for other trusts and countries to utilise whilst also highlighting the impact that allied HCPs have within the public health agenda. Rebecca is presenting at the Midlands Maternity and Midwifery Festival next week on the topic.

The three published case studies are:

• Smoking cessation support to family members wishing to quit smoking: improving the quit environment of the pregnant woman
• Guided Relaxation – delivered by Professional Midwifery Advocate for Maternity Staff during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Before and after self-assessed subjective unit of tension scores show efficacy.
• Maternal mental health training in rural Nepal

There have been over 100 publications from the St Mary's maternity unit over the past 10 years. Jillian Ireland supports colleagues to get published. The unit has links with Bournemouth University, with Professor Edwin van Teijlingen kindly running several 'writing for publication' workshops for the unit.

How to have difficult conversations: book now

Staff with line management responsibilities are invited to a leadership development session aimed at helping attendees develop techniques for managing difficult conversations.

The virtual programme, delivered by Practive, aims to support delegates to increase their confidence and skills in handling difficult conversations, tackling poor behaviour and supporting individual performance.

Sessions will take place on:

• Thursday 22 April, 1-5pm
• Wednesday 12 May, 9am-1pm
• Tuesday 25 May, 9am-1pm
• Thursday 3 June, 9am-1pm

For more information and to apply email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Free mental health training for staff

Free mental health training is available for staff here. Training takes less than one hour and you can stop and start as you please. You will receive a certificate of completion at the end.

The course will help you to learn how to support young people in a mental health crisis and talk to them about risk, and learn about practical advice and tips from young people with lived experience.

Staff who complete it can be entered into a £50 prize draw by emailing 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..

Job of the week

We are looking for a band 3 support secretary in women's health.

The post holder will:

• provide administrative and secretarial support to gynaecology and urogynaecology services. This includes consultants, specialist registrars and nurse specialists and other members of their teams
• provide a high level of customer care to patients, carers, professionals and all other agencies/GP surgeries when having interaction in the course of their duties, adopting approach of compassion, openness, respect, accountability and safety.

Click here to view the full job description and to apply.

To view and apply for all our internal and external vacancies click here.

UHD Charity: Last space for this year's London Marathon

The UHD Charity has one place left to run in this year's London Marathon on 3 October. And if you don't manage to grab yourself a place do not fear! The charity has free places available for this year's London Marathon virtual event also on 3 October. If you'd like to be considered for the final place or join the virtual marathon email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Places are limited and will be offered on a first come first served basis. Minimum sponsorship applies. All runners will receive an official London Marathon t-shirt and medal.

New Dorset Care Record facilitated training sessions available

We've set up a number of 30-minute training webinars in April and May for staff to complete our mandatory information sharing module. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your preferred date and time and we'll send you an invite. Details of dates can be found here.

NHS Supply Chain uniform consultation

There are over 30,000 different uniforms for staff across the NHS, costing nationally over £23,000,000 a year. Should uniforms be standardised by role which could help with patient safety and improve sustainability? Learn more about your uniforms and take part in their consultation here.

Free webinar for beginner cyclists

In support of our green travel plan, Cycling UK is offering UHD staff a free cycling webinar on Friday 30 April, 12-12:45pm, aimed at staff who haven't cycled to work before. The webinar covers:

• the benefits of cycling
• kit and equipment (e.g., different bike types, clothing, lights)
• fitting a bike for you
• locking your bike
• introduction to route planning
• the "ABCD" health check
• on-the-road basics

There is also a Q&A opportunity to ask your questions to Cycling UK instructors.

For more information and to register your place click here.

Care first webinars

Care first, our employee assistance programme, is putting on webinars this week and next. The themes are:

• Friday 16 April – Breaking bad habits
• Monday 19 April, 12-12.30pm – Care first awareness
• Tuesday 20 April, 12-12.30pm – How hobbies can help with your work/life balance
• Wednesday 21 April, 12-12.30pm – Healthy hydration
• Thursday 22 April, 12-12.30pm – Long Covid: What do we know so far?
• Friday 23 April, 12-12.30pm - The way weather can affect our mood and behaviour

Roadworks

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