Hello everyone, welcome to this week’s blog.
The ‘Big Butt Clean Up’ took place yesterday with staff and visitors volunteering their time to pick up cigarette butts at the Royal Blackburn. Cigarette butts on the floor can signal to smokers that it is okay to smoke in that area which is not the case. All our hospitals and community facilities are completely smoke free and we want to promote a clean and healthy environment for our patient’s recovery. Staff, visitors and patients are not permitted to smoke on any ELHT site. Support to quit smoking is available from the smoke free team smokefreeservice@elht.nhs.uk
You may have noticed on our social media page that one of our patients has received a personal message from a certain A-list celebrity! Sir Cliff Richard sent the message to one of his biggest fans who is receiving care on our wards - I hear she even has a life size cardboard cut-out of him by her bed. Well done to Staff Nurse, Lucy Morris and HCA, Lucy Mason who sent out the plea on Facebook and made our patient’s dreams come true. You can hear Sir Cliff’s message here.
Another couple of ELHT staff who recently went above and beyond to help a patient are Patient Services Assistants’ Tracey Dennett and John Tucker. Thanks to their courage and quick thinking when dealing with an incident involving a patient – a situation neither is trained to deal with – a life was saved and a tragedy prevented. Well done John and Tracey.
There is currently an urgent appeal for blood types O neg and B neg after an increase in demand and a drop off in donations over the bank holiday. Stocks of these groups could fall below two days! So, NHS Blood and Transplant is asking anyone who knows they have these blood types but may have not donated before to give blood now. You can find out where to donate here https://my.blood.co.uk/
We’re two weeks into Ramadan, a time of year to show sensitivity and considerate behaviour around colleagues and patients taking part. Trust charity ELHT&Me is showing its support by starting a fundraising campaign for a much-needed makeover of the multi-faith facilities at Burnley General Teaching Hospital. For many, the Spiritual Care Centre offers a place of comfort and strength for those who are going through a difficult time. By enhancing the environment we can ensure that staff, patients and families have a calming and peaceful place to reflect.
And finally, a reminder that the best place to find out the latest news from ELHT as soon as it happens is on our Facebook and Twitter social media channels. This week our Facebook has reached 8,000 Page ‘Likes’ and our Twitter account is just 13 ‘followers’ away from reaching the 5,000 milestone.