Flu jabs still available and clinics extended to 17 December

Protect yourself against seasonal flu by having the flu jab this winter, available from our UHD drop-in clinics on our sites, as well as from trolley rounds at Poole and RBH.

Flu is present in our communities - it only takes five minutes to have your jab and protect yourself.

Full details of our drop in clinics are in the latest news on the intranet.

A message of thanks from our chief medical officer

Dr Alyson O'Donnell has recorded this message of thanks to all staff as we work together through our internal incident and through this period of sustained pressure on our hospitals.

She said: "We've found ourselves in another day of an internal major incident and not for the first time - we've been here in recent weeks too. I just want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all our staff who have yet again gone above and beyond. We know how tired you are so it's even more remarkable how you've been flexible to keep our patients safe across our hospitals, how you've supported each other and how you've really gone the extra mile. I am incredibly grateful and I know all my executive colleagues are too. Thank you again."

Infection prevention and control (IPC) no longer telephoning Covid-19 results

If you work in elective admissions and outpatients, please note the IPC team will no longer be telephoning Covid-19 results unless the patient is an inpatient or tested while an inpatient.

The responsibility for following up results will remain solely with the requestor or requesting department.

Click here for further information.

It's Purple Light Up Day!

#PurpleLightUp is a global movement that celebrates and draws attention to the 386 million disabled employees around the world.

Our UHD Pro Ability network is proud to support this event for our #TeamUHD employees who live and work with disabilities; hidden disabilities and underlying health conditions.

Today we will be listening to understand by raising awareness through stories, lived experiences and expert speakers. We want to create a safe culture for you to bring your whole selves to work – knowing you will be supported to be the best you can be, every day.

We are delighted to welcome two nationally recognised expert speakers at our Team events, which all are welcome to attend. The sessions will be recorded for you to catch up on too.

Dr Hannah Barnham Brown will be talking to us about 'Hidden Disabilities' from 1.30-2.30 pm - click here to join the meeting.

Dr Liz O'Riordan will be talking to us about 'Living and working through cancer' from 2.45-3.30pm - click here to join the meeting.

Keep an eye on our social media channels throughout the day for information, stories and experiences from our Pro Ability network.

Covid booster study success

A study we helped to run from our Dorset Research Hub at RBH has shown the effectiveness of Covid booster jabs.

A huge thank you to all those who were involved and to all our trial participants who continue to generously give their time to support this important research.

It's been a great opportunity to work with University Hospitals Southampton too, who led the study. You can read all about it here.

Learning from LERNS

The LERNs live Teams event which was postponed on Wednesday (30 November) has been rescheduled for next Wednesday (8 December) at 2pm.

Learning Event Report Notification (LERN) forms (previously known as Adverse Incident Reporting (AIRs) and Datix forms) are now in use across UHD.

Help us build on our open learning culture by completing a LERN form whenever something goes right or wrong and if you have a concern or a suggestion to improve the way we do things.

Find out more on the LERN forms page on the intranet.

Changes to December's pay day

Please note December's pay day will be on 23 December instead of the last working day of the month, meaning that there will be five weeks between our December and January pay day.

Always include your theatre tray unit number on Datix forms

Sterile services has been receiving Datix forms which do not include the unit number of the tray. The unit number is essential to identify who processed the tray and what equipment was used. Including the tray number on the forms will help us prevent issues with trays that could cause harm to patients or lead to cancellations or delays.

RBH: No daily acute kidney injury service or visiting nephrologist next week

Next week (6–10 December), there will be no daily acute kidney injury service or visiting nephrologist on site.

If you need urgent advice, phone the Prince of Wales Ward at Dorchester on 01305-255139 and ask for consultant on call.

RBH: Changes to recording tissue viability (TVN) clinical assessments

From 13 December all TVN clinical assessments and reviews will be recorded on EPR. This is due to the tissue viability teams across UHD moving to using one system across the whole trust.

Informatics change freeze over Christmas

The informatics department will be holding a change freeze over Christmas to ensure major changes aren't made to our key systems or infrastructure when we are running with fewer staff.

Between 13 December and 4 January only critical changes will be taking place.

White Christmas Dip for Macmillan Caring Locally

Do you want to do something truly special this Christmas Day to support Macmillan Caring Locally, and the Macmillan Unit at Christchurch Hospital?

After the break last year, we are delighted to announce the return of the much loved White Christmas Dip, the biggest charity Christmas dip on the south coast.

Join in with on Christmas Day at Boscombe Pier. You can come in your wetsuit, your swimming costume or in fancy dress!

To join the event register online at www.whitechristmasdip.co.uk.

Charity motorcycle ride for Macmillan Caring Locally

The Friends of the Kinson Riders are raising money for Macmillan Caring Locally on 12 December with a charity motorcycle ride.

The event is open to all motorcyclists, with a maximum of 125 riders for the ride.

The ride begins at the Halfway Inn in Wareham at 11.30am, finishing at the Kinson Conservative Club at 1pm.

The entry fee is £5 per bike, with all proceeds to be donated to the charity.

For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ext 3267.

Join our first UHD Revue meetings next week

Our first UHD revue show is coming in May 2022, taking a lighter look at life in the NHS in a show created by our teams for our teams.

If you would like to be on stage or behind the scenes the team would like to hear from you. No experience is necessary, everyone is welcome.

Find out more on Teams or in person from 6-7pm on the 6 December in the Poole Hospital lecture theatre and on 8 December in the RBH lecture theatre.

If you can't make the meeting or would like to know more, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 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..

Fraud warning – look out for emails from rhs.net

Our fraud team have let us know there have been cases of mandate fraud against an NHS supplier. Emails were received from fraudster imitating NHS staff using @rhs.net email addresses. This domain name has no link to the NHS.

Please remain vigilant when reading and responding to your emails, and if you receive one of these emails delete it and report to our IT team.

Your weekly wellbeing

This week on your wellbeing pages find the details for the Nurse Lifeline national listening service, join our Able Futures webinar to help you feel better over the festive season and stay up to date with all of our UHD wellbeing offers.