Supporting patients, staff and services - revised UHD full capacity protocol is active

As we continue to see extremely busy hospitals, emergency departments (EDs) and assessment areas, delays in admitting patients and ambulance handovers are impacting our ability to provide safe, effective care to our patients.

The revised UHD full capacity protocol is now active and provides a means to relieve pressure on inpatient beds by allowing some patients who require admission to move into our hospitals from our EDs and assessment units at the same time as ward discharges are progressing. This may mean that patients requiring an inpatient bed will arrive on the ward before the identified bed is unoccupied.

As far as possible and at all operational pressures escalation level (OPEL) stages, the standard practice of transferring suitable patients to a discharge lounge should be followed. The full capacity protocol is available when a discharge lounge is not suitable or available, for example at weekends, is full, or when a discharge is imminent.

Each ward has an area identified set out in the protocol for patients needing an inpatient stay to be brought from our EDs to 'sit out', or boarded, for a short period of time prior to the identified bed becoming free. Each patient identified as suitable for sitting out will be individually risk assessed, and monitored during this period.

The protocol will only be triggered when full capacity - as we are currently experiencing - is declared, and its implementation will be supported and monitored by matrons, group directors and heads of nursing, senior clinicians and clinical site teams.

Getting patients ready to leave hospital - updated guidance

From Monday (25 April), the process for supporting patients to leave hospital in Dorset has changed. This follows an update to national guidance and measures that were put in place to support the Covid-19 pandemic. This information supersedes any previous guidance.

Catch up on Ask Aly

If you missed Ask Aly, your regular chance to hear the latest updates on a range of UHD topics and put your questions straight to our chief medical officer, Professor Alyson O'Donnell, you can view a recording of the session here.

Attendees heard updates on the pressures on our hospitals, Covid restrictions and a number of QI initiatives, and answered questions around car parking, wellbeing, vaccinations, reusable facemasks, staff wellbeing, smoking and the availability of period products for staff in our hospitals. Thanks to all those who attended.

Save the date for the next session: Thursday 26 May, 1pm, via Teams.

The countdown is on to update your car parking

The reintroduction for parking charges has been delayed by a month with the first payment now being taken in May.

Following the reintroduction of car parking charges for staff, it is important that your assignment number and banding details are up-to-date to ensure that you are charged the correct amount.

To update your records, please click on the link below.

Click here to update.

Please ensure you have completed this form by 29 April

Microsoft Office 2010 support ending

Support for Microsoft Office 2010 ended in October 2020. From 1 May, the Outlook 2010 app will no longer be able to connect to Exchange Online so emails within the Outlook 2010 app will stop working. Staff who are affected by the changes will have received emails directly from the IT team. MS Office will still be available to use online.

Outlook Web can be accessed via the staff intranet or clicking this link. Contact the IT service desk if you have any questions.

POOLE: Changes in the way clinic letters appear in eCaMIS

In the single UHD PAS, Poole eCSS letters that are typed into eCaMIS will now show in the tree and Activity Summary in the RBH format, ie the template name of the letter. Poole's eCSS letter templates will be at a specialty level to allow this. For example:

• Old Poole format: ecss Feed : Clinic Additional Letter – NEUROLOGY - (RAP) – 19/05/2022
• New Poole format: RBCH - Document - Neurology Clinic Letter - UHD - 19-May-2022
• Old Poole format: ecss Feed : Clinic Letter – GASTROENTEROLOGY - (NMS) – 09/06/2022
• New Poole format: RBCH - Document - Gastroenterology Clinic Letter - UHD - 09-Jun-2022

In time, the document type form 'RBCH – Document' will change to simply 'Document'.

There are no changes in the way RBH originated letters are displayed.

Share your views to support our LGBTQ+ community

There is still time to complete our rainbow badge staff survey to share your views and experiences working at this trust so we can create a better and more inclusive healthcare setting for all LGBT+ colleagues and patients.

We are one of 150 trusts enrolled in the rainbow badge scheme. The first phase of the rainbow badge scheme allowed us to pledge our support to combat key barriers to healthcare for LGBT people and in this second phase we will be assessed and accredited for our commitment to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Whether or not you are a member of the LGBT+ community, please fill out this anonymous 5-minute survey.

POOLE: reduced medical photography cover next week

There will be no medical photographer on site next week (25-26 April). A standby camera will be available for appropriate use, provided by the equipment library.

New guidance on choosing the right type of outpatient clinic available

Deciding how to consult with your secondary care patients is a critical part of clinical practice.

Many clinicians and patients have embraced remote consulting options. Others have been more hesitant.

The resource is designed to help you reflect on different approaches and to support a conversation with your patients so you can make an informed choice together. Read the quick and full guides in the outpatients section of the UHD intranet

One size doesn't fit all, so your decision should always be based on your speciality, clinical need and patient choice.

Video consultation training offer for clinicians from NHS England

Do you need to improve your confidence and skills with video consultations? Maximising video consultations as a positive alternative to face to face benefits you, and our patients by saving time, reduces stress and saves the environment. Learn more here.

Jobs for newly qualified nurses at UHD

Nurses due to qualify in September 2022 can apply to join us for a newly qualified recruitment event on 21 May.

The event, held in the education centre at RBH, will include interviews and job offers for roles across our hospitals and will be an opportunity to find out what it's like to work with our teams.

If you know anyone who may be interested in joining us and develop their career at UHD, applications to join us on the day are open until 7 May.

Prospective attendees will need to make an application for a nursing role at UHD here. The application will then be reviewed and our recruitment team will be in touch about the event.

Our staff lottery needs you

The UHD staff lottery committee is looking for new members. As a member of the committee, you will take part in monthly draws, and help to oversee the annual bidding process, where teams across UHD can bid for money to improve their team and department wellbeing.

This is a fantastic opportunity to meet regularly with colleagues and help bring a smile to the faces of our monthly winners and be involved in the annual initiative designed specifically to benefit our staff.

For more information on the lottery see the intranet. If you are interested in joining the committee, please email 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..

Get your tickets for our 2022 Revue - Pandemonium

Staff are working hard rehearsing for our staff production of 'Pandemonium'. The show is by our staff, for our staff, and will be an evening of comedy, songs and fun. This is a great opportunity for us all to come together with our colleagues, take a lighter look at life in the NHS and support our UHD Charity through ticket sales.

You can watch the show on 25 and 26 May at Talbot Heath School in the STEAM hub auditorium. Doors will open at 7pm, with the show starting at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £10 (plus booking fee) and include an interval drink during the show. You can buy tickets here.

Take a moment for yourself

During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. Throughout the week there are three times when you are welcome to come to the RBH prayer space or join us on Teams for mindfulness and for meditation.

Monday 1pm click here

Tuesday 12.30pm click here

Wednesday 2pm click here

POOLE: Purbeck Rise-s again

Purbeck Rise café in Poole will reopen next Monday (25 April) with new opening hours 8am-3pm. The café will serve Lavazza coffee and selection of new toasties and Panini's, as well as new breakfast products. We are really looking forward to welcoming colleagues after a long break.

Dr David Shepherd - memorial service

The memorial service for Dr David Shepherd, an inspirational interventional radiologist at RBH for over 30 years, is this Sunday (24 April) 2pm at Canford School assembly hall, close to the visitors car park.

David retired in 2009, and was a much valued colleague and expert in his field.

David was held in high regard by all those fortunate to have met him, both professionally and socially. His enthusiasm, humour and sheer hard work have resulted in the success of our radiology department today. The family welcome everyone who would like to come together to celebrate his life. The family has asked that attendees avoid wearing black.

RBH: ID badge office closed

Due to staff unavailability the ID badge office in Bournemouth will be closed from today (22 April) until Tuesday (26 April). The office will re-open on Wednesday (27 April) at the normal opening time of 10am.

POOLE: Thank you to Susan Marshall

Healthcare support worker educator Susan Marshall is retiring at the end of this month. Susan has dedicated 36 years of care and education to healthcare support workers at Poole. Sue has been a prominent figure within the bands 2-4 team and we wish her all the best in her retirement.

If you would like to come and wish Sue a happy retirement, the team is holding a lunch on 29 April at 12.30-1.30pm. This will be based in the BEAT team office (3rd Floor, education centre.

View your P60 online

P60s will only be available online via ESR employee self-service. If you need login detail please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Our Payroll provider will not be able to print P60's.

Continuing to make a difference with Covid

Take part in a new clinical trial conducted by Moderna is evaluating investigational booster vaccines. If you received your second or third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least 90 days ago, you could be part of research that may help protect against the COVID-19 Omicron variant and other variants. Find out more here.

Half price entry for Ride London 2022

Sign up today to cycle for #TeamUHD at Ride London 2022 and raise money for your hospitals while taking on an epic 100 mile challenge!

Closing date for entries is 29 April so apply today to make sure you don't miss out on this unique opportunity to see London in a completely different way!

Entry is now half price at just £50 and you'll receive the full support of our team to help you achieve your fundraising target including motivational meet ups, a fundraising pack and your very own free charity cycling jersey.

Register here.

Tickets for UHD staff from the Regent Centre, Christchurch

Written by ABBA songwriters and Tim Rice, 'Chess' the musical is a complex rock opera played around the world. Our friends at the Regent Centre has offered us 2-4-1 tickers for NHS staff for 27 and 28 April. Book online here and enter the code 241OFFER in the promo code box at checkout.