Updated SOP for outpatient clinic amendments

We have brought together our standard operating procedure for outpatient clinic amendments and you can now request the following via the IT self-service portal:

• requests for clinic cancellations
• clinic template changes
• new clinic templates
• ad hoc clinics

Outpatients will continue to provide support for a number of clinic amendments. See the latest news on the intranet for full details.

Please note

• Requests for clinic template amendments will be actioned within 13 weeks from date of receipt. The clinic cancellation team will advise of the start date.
• To allow time for nurse cover to be organised and to notify patients, at least seven days are required for additional clinics, reinstating of clinics and requesting additional slots (unless the clinic is for fast tracks).

For queries during the transitional period, please contact Lesley Murray and Bobbie Shaw.

Boost your immunity and book winter Covid-19 and flu clinics

Thanks to all those who have already booked their Covid-19 booster vaccination, which is being offered alongside the flu vaccination to provide staff with the most protection possible this winter.

The staff winter resilience clinics will operate at weekends, alternating between Poole (from 2-3 October) and Royal Bournemouth (9-10 Oct, etc), to minimise their impact on our normal operations. Clinics are scheduled to end on 5 December.

To help you, we've prepared a useful FAQ covering many of the questions you may have about the Covid-19 booster, and the flu vaccine, available on the intranet. If you have any feedback on the FAQ please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

You must leave at least six months between your second Covid-19 jab and the booster – please do not try to book if this is not the case.

You can use the NHS Covid Pass section of the NHS App to find out when you had your last Covid-19 vaccination.

Book your appointment here.

If you experience any problems with the booking process, or need to change your appointment, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

October is newly qualified month

We have more than 100 newly qualified nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, theatre practitioners, dieticians, speech and language therapists, pharmacists, healthcare scientists, radiographers and more starting across UHD next month.

These newly qualified professionals have had a difficult period of training during the pandemic and are facing the start of their careers going into winter pressures.

Please look out for them, be kind and welcoming, and offer your experience and support wherever you can.

For all questions related to the induction and preceptorship, contact Paula Field on ext. 8771.

RBCH: No hospital palliative care team (HPCT) cover this weekend

Due to unforeseen circumstances there will be no hospital palliative care cover this weekend (25 and 26 September).

For urgent concerns, 24hour advice is available from the Macmillan Unit. Please call ext. 5470 option 1 between the hours of 8am-5pm and option 3 between the hours of 5pm-8am.

For non-urgent queries, please leave a message on ext 6021 (HPCT) and a staff member will pick these up on Monday 27 September.

Our apologies for any inconvenience.

POOLE: Limited staffing in adult speech and language therapy (SALT) inpatient service

There will be a reduced SALT inpatient service over the next few weeks.

This will mean extended referral to response time, and patients being reviewed less often. If a patient with an unsafe swallow is placed nil by mouth (NBM) and is waiting for a SALT assessment, ensure alternative routes for hydration, medication and nutrition have been considered.

Refer patients via EPR as usual, giving as much clinical information as possible to help us to prioritise - only phone the department if you have an urgent query or concern.

We will continue to prioritise patients who are NBM without feasible alternative hydration/nutrition and those who are genuinely discharge dependent, so please make this clear in the referral. Please see the adult speech and language therapy pages on the Poole intranet for more information.

POOLE: North entrance temporary closure Monday and Tuesday night

Next Monday and Tuesday evening from 6pm-6am the doors at the north entrance are due to be replaced, resulting in the temporary closure of the entrance.

Staff and visitors will need to use the (south) main entrance for access to the hospital, and access for patients to ED will be as normal. There will be additional staff posted near the north entrance to escort any patients who need access to the urgent treatment centre.

If you require any additional information or guidance contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. from estates or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., security manager.

Thank for your co-operation during these essential works.

POOLE: Old intranet to be removed

The server that the old Poole intranet, which was used prior to the current Poole intranet is being removed on 1 December.

The majority of the content has been moved across to the current Poole intranet, however a few of you may still use a few sections and documents hosted on the old page.

Please be aware that following 1 December you will no longer be able to accsess any of these pages permanently. If you still need files to be transferred to the new Poole intranet please contact the web team who will be able to assist you.

Complete governance for our updated non-medical prescribing (NMP) policy

The NMP group has recently updated its NMP policy and this has now been adopted across the trust.

The updated policy includes governance requirements to support you in your prescribing, promote refection and ensure best practice. If you are a NMP you must complete the requirements and submit your declaration of competency annually to remain on our register.

If you are a newly qualified NMP and you have only been on the UHD register for six months you do not need to complete the governance this year, however you should take a look at the intranet page and familiarise yourself with the requirements ready for next year.

If you have not yet submitted your declaration it must be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by no later than 29 October 2021.

Check the Non-Medical Prescribers pages on the intranet (under N on the A-Z) for the policy and governance documentation and a guidance video.

The governance includes an audit, a piece of reflection and a discussion with a fellow NMP about your practice which can be completed at your appraisal if your appraiser is a NMP. Once completed you can submit the declaration of competency form.

Failure to do so, without good reason and approval from myself as the NMP lead or the deputy leads in my absence, will lead to you being removed from the UHD register, your prescribing rights being suspended, and your line manager being informed. You will be unable to prescribe again until the governance requirements were satisfied.

NMPs should also be aware that the NMP lead could ask to review your governance documentation at any time for verification and audit purposes. They will automatically review documentation of anyone who submits their declaration last or fails to submit after a period of suspension from the register.

Hazel Allen, NMP lead for UHD, said: "This process is not meant to be onerous and I hope those NMP's working at RBH who have completed the governance arrangements last year found it a positive and worthwhile process. As a NMP myself I certainly did, and I particularly enjoyed discussing my practice with a fellow NMP.

"We are here to support you should you have any queries or problems, so good luck and I recommend you make a start as soon as possible."

Get half price bus travel by testing a new app for BCP

We have been invited to test the new 'Getting About' multi operator bus ticketing app, which is being trialled by BCP council, Morebus and Yellow Buses.

If you use both the Morebus and Yellow Buses services and have a smartphone you can apply. In return, you will receive half-price travel for the duration of the trial and a £10 gift voucher. Please note if you already hold a Morebus multi-trip ticket it cannot be frozen during the trial.

The number of available spaces on this trial is limited to 80. You can read the terms and conditions and find out more here and if you have any questions please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Putting nutrition wheels in motion

Find out how the new interactive nutrition wheel tool is helping to detect malnutrition at an early stage in older people on Tuesday (28 September) at 1pm.

Jane Murphy, professor in nutrition and registered dietitian from Bournemouth University, will be discussing 'Nutrition wheels in motion: an interactive tool to detect malnutrition at an early stage in older people, with signposting to support' at the next meeting of the Dorset ICS Innovation Hub Programme Group.

If you are interested in learning more from Jane and the team, you can join the Teams event here or for more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Test your knowledge to celebrate Acute Medicine Awareness Week

Today is the final day of Acute Medicine Awareness Week, so why not test your knowledge with a short quiz on acute medicine. Entrants with the highest number of correct answers will be entered into a draw to win a voucher for Costa coffee.

If you have any questions about acute medicine or are interested in the specialty, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Chat to our chief medical officer next week

The next 'Ask Aly' event with our chief medical officer, Dr Alyson O'Donnell, takes place on Thursday 30 September from 1pm.

It's a great, informal opportunity to ask questions and raise any issues. The link to the Teams event can be found here and you can send your questions in advance to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

RBCH: Engineers on site

Engineers from cold service will be on site from Monday 4 October for approximately three weeks, carrying out the routine maintenance inspections and cleaning on refrigerators, freezers, cold rooms and ceiling and wall mounted air conditioning units.

The engineers will contact department heads before commencing work in their areas, please ensure they have access to all units held within your departments and if you are experiencing any problems do let them know.

If you have any problems during their visit contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on ext. 4291.

Find out more about level seven senior leaders apprenticeship

On Wednesday 6 October, 1.30-2.30pm, you can attend a virtual event provided by Solent University. Expert academics and the apprenticeship team will walk you through the programme and its benefits for your progression and will be available for any questions.

This is the newly refreshed programme following the new apprenticeship standard, but with retained MBA underpinning, meaning you could achieve your master's degree with your apprenticeship achievement.

If you would like to attend, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Wellbeing Weekly

Don't forget to check out all our wellbeing offers on the intranet. This week, sign up for our Care First meetings, book in for a virtual health MOT and join up to a four week posture course.