Updated guidance on face-to-face meetings

The guidance around staff meetings, both on and off site, has been updated to reflect the latest advice from the Government.

Organisers should carefully consider whether any staff may be disadvantaged by the re-introduction of face-to-face meetings.

Larger meetings like departmental meetings or away days should only take place if they are considered essential, and cannot be postponed or held in another way, e.g. on Microsoft Teams. If a meeting must take place, on or off site, it must be compliant with the UHD Covid-19 risk assessment for the facility. For external events, a UHD risk assessment must be carried out prior to use, which must be signed off by the director for infection prevention and control, Prof Paula Shobbrook, or her nominated deputy.

Good infection prevention and control practices, including the wearing of masks, social distancing and hand hygiene, must continue to be observed.

The full guidance can be read here.

The right PPE is vital

Whilst the rules on Covid restrictions outside our hospitals have changed, we need to maintain our focus on what happens within them.

PPE, and importantly, the right PPE, is still required. Guidance on the PPE needed in high, medium or low risk areas can be found on the infection control section of the covid-19 intranet pages. Use this assessment tool if you are unsure of the pathway your patient should be on.

In line with NHS guidance, we continue to ask staff and visitors to wear face coverings to help protect themselves, our patients and our colleagues. Social distancing and visitor restrictions will also remain in place for the time being.

Thank you.

Reminder: Major developments ahead for this weekend

Don't forget that more developments around UHD begin today with a temporary road closure at the Poole Hospital and new site access arrangements at RBH from Monday.

• RBH - the main entrance will be closed from 2 August. Please use the updated map to find the nearest alternative entrance, and you can find details of the relocation of key offices here.
• Poole - Longfleet Road will be closed outside the hospital over the weekend as a new 50m tower crane is installed on-site. The closure is scheduled to begin at midday on Friday (30 July) and be completed on Sunday (1 August). The closure has been coordinated with BCP Council's highways department with access for ambulances and pedestrians maintained. Find out more here.

We apologise for any disruption caused by these essential changes and we are doing everything we can to make sure that any inconvenience is kept to a minimum.

Share your views on rewards and recognition

Our culture champions team is running a short four-question survey to gather your views on reward and recognition at UHD. We would like to hear from as many staff as possible so that all of our views can help to shape the way that UHD says thank you and recognises hard work across the trust.

Click here to fill out the survey and if you have any questions then do get in touch with the OD team via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

RBH: New e-form for older people's same day emergency care clinic (SDEC)

The SDEC team is pleased to announce the release of their new clinic referral e-form. This form replaces the older persons ambulatory care (OPAC) clinic referral which has now been removed for the e-forms portal.

The SDEC referral can be found on the e-portal which can be accessed by clicking the tree symbol on trust PCs or in the bookmarks list – the e-portal is only compatible with Google Chrome.

Every effort has been made to transfer permissions however if you experience difficulty accessing the new form contact the IT service desk on ext 4222 or raise a service request via the IT self-service portal.

Fond farewell and thank you for Andrea and Geoffrey

Colleagues have given heartfelt message of thanks to Andrea Moxham and Geoffrey Walker as they retire today

Andrea, matron for oncology and palliative care, has worked in the department for 20 years. Andrea began her career at Poole as the upper GI CNS, setting up this service with the late Shorland Hosking. She became matron for oncology and palliative care ten years ago.

Andrea has been a huge support to her teams, particularly throughout the pandemic.

We will miss her and wish her well in her retirement.

The matrons would also like to wish Andrea a very happy retirement after over 20 years at Poole Hospital. As matron for oncology and palliative care Andrea is passionate about these services, the teams and most importantly the experience and care provided to patients in their time of need, and this passion has clearly been instilled in her team.

Andrea has been the matriarch of the matron team, she always taking the time to ensure that everyone's voice is heard, unafraid to be the advocate for all. Andrea has a sixth sense of knowing when something is not right or you don't feel yourself, and always reaches out to offer support or advice.

"Often when you think you're at the end of something, you're at the beginning of something else." – Fred Rogers

Andrea you should be so proud of what you have accomplished, we wish you all the very best, you will be greatly missed.

Geoffrey, matron for specialist services and ambulatory care, has dedicated 36 years to nursing in the NHS, 31 of those years at Poole Hospital. He has been a matron for the whole of the medical care group and was one of the first modern matrons introduced 16 years ago.

Geoffrey has always been the face and voice of Poole, if anyone was uncertain of what to do they would usually seek advice from Geoffrey.

Geoffrey has been such a passionate advocate for the nursing profession and patient experience and has said on many occasions "nursing is in my blood". He has dedicated his time to future nurses by providing mentoring opportunities - many people can remember the induction or study day they attended where Geoffrey spoke and inspired them.

Geoffrey would always have a quote or idiom that was so relevant to any situation, one that is quite relevant for now is: "to make a difference in someone's life you don't have to be brilliant, rich, beautiful or perfect. You just have to care" - Mandy Hale

Geoffrey you have made a difference, we all wish you the very best for your future and we know that whatever path it takes you it will be exciting for everyone involved.

TempRe – one service for all medical, allied health professions and healthcare scientist agency bookings

As part of bringing together our systems, we will be centralising the process of all bookings to single direct engagement (DE) platform - TempRe.

UHD is launching the platform on 9 August. Training will be provided by our partners Liaison Group who will make contact with identified stakeholders.

If you are a DE user and have not been contacted please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Providing assurance of good quality care across your ward or department

The peer review/ quality audit tool has been refreshed for all clinical areas and is ready for launch for phase one across UHD in August.

All wards and departments will be able to use the tool to provide assurance of good care and form evidence as part of our wider internal quality agenda.

Speak to your matrons and department leads for information about how you will be using the peer review/quality audit tool in your areas.

The audit tool uses Formic and is aligned with the five key CQC domains: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. There are subtopics within each domain and the audit can be undertaken in stages.

Findings from the audits will help to form discussions within your care groups, directorates and specialties about areas of good practice and learning, and areas of development. During phase two in the second half of the year, the quality governance team will work closely with the care groups to identify specialist areas requiring a more bespoke approach. We aim to help to design and create bespoke tools for areas such as children, maternity, theatres and outpatients.

Search 'quality governance' on the intranet for the link to the audit tool.

Are you using the right form to log employee changes?

If you are a manager it is important that you use the correct form or system to log employee changes for these to be processed correctly and promptly. Please check the HR pages of the RBCH intranet to view the guide.

If you have any questions please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for Bournemouth and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for Poole.

Catch up on our latest health talk: 'Understanding sudden cardiac arrest – why does it happen?'

Click here to watch our latest Understanding Health talk with Dr Chris Critoph, consultant cardiologist.

This talk is free for all to view, so do share with family and friends who may be interested too.

Walk for Wards 2021: One month to go!

It's not too late to sign up and take part in our first mass participant event as UHD charity.

Join us in the grounds of Somerley House on (Saturday) 4 September and walk a route of 3km, 5km or 10km whilst raising funds to support a ward or department close to your heart.

Adults can sign up for £10 and children under 16 go free. All participants will also receive a free lunch provided by Rapid Relief. Sign up today at UHDcharity.org

Have your say on our Stonewall membership

Each year the trust reviews our membership to the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. It's due for renewal in September and the LGBTQ+ network leads are seeking your views on how important the membership is to you.

Our patient experience team is also supporting us by reaching out to patients for their opinions.

Click here to take the anonymous survey.

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any further questions.

Volunteer to fight Covid-19

The AZD2816 variant booster study is due to start recruiting from Tue 3 to Fri 6 August at the Dorset Research Hub at Bournemouth Hospital.

You may be eligible if you are over 30 years old and have received two doses of either the Astra Zeneca vaccine or a mRNA vaccine such as the Pfizer vaccine.

If you are interested in finding out more please visit https://www.c19vaccinestudy.com/ to register your interest or call the Research Hub on ext 6686.

Help develop comprehensive support for future internationally-recruited nurses

The NHS England and Improvement Nursing Workforce team has launched its internationally-educated nurse experience survey.

The survey seeks to better understand international nurses' experiences of arriving from overseas and integration into life in England and the NHS.If you are an internationally recruited nurse and have been recruited within the last two years please take part.

Findings will be used to help inform the work of the nursing workforce team and help trusts support future internationally recruited nurses.

The survey closes on Monday 9 August. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

New NHS England chief executive appointed

Amanda Pritchard has been appointed as NHS England's first female chief executive, and replaces Simon Stevens.

She takes up the role on Sunday (1 August) and will be responsible for an annual budget of more than £130 billion.

Weekly Wellbeing Offers

Sign up for Care First sessions, learn more about our woodland walks and register your interest for our childlessness listening event.

Please check the intranet A-Z under W for the wellbeing pages.