Hi everyone, welcome to my blog this week.
It’s been another busy week with ELHT in the spotlight! There’s been plenty of media coverage showcasing the fantastic work of our staff, who have been featured on BBC Radio Lancashire, BBC North West Tonight and ITV News, and Channel 4’s “Food Unwrapped Investigates”.
Huge thanks to everyone who took part in the programmes particularly the Critical Care staff and Catering staff. I’d also like to acknowledge our Communications Team’s role in facilitating the filming, supporting both our staff and patients who took part and chaperoning the media crew. It’s important for us to show the public what life is like inside our hospitals, particularly in these current circumstances. I’m proud of what you are all doing and I’m pleased we’ve had the opportunity to show your hard work to a wider audience.
The news items carried important messages around what is happening inside our hospital – the difficulties equally felt by staff and patients. However, the really important messages – even more so now we have entered national restrictions – are around what is ‘circulating’ in our communities. Cancer, heart attacks and accidents are still happening, we cannot stop them, it is beyond our control. But what we can do is reduce the prevalence of the virus in our communities by us all following the guidance, being personally responsible for wearing a mask, cleaning our hands and making space when we are around others. This will mean fewer people will be admitted with the virus, freeing up beds, staff and resources to continue to provide all the other services we want and must provide, to save lives and keep people in good health. Please help us to help you! And if you’re not sure about what the restrictions are, or you need more information, you can find details here.
And, one key thing to remember is that medical reasons are an exception to the ‘Stay at Home’ guidance. You can leave home for any medical reason, including getting a COVID-19 test, attending appointments and in emergencies. With this in mind, please seek the care you need, when you need it. Ensure you attend your scheduled appointments, and use the resources available to help you get the care you need – the NHS 111 service, the NHS.uk website, your GP, your local pharmacy. NHS services are still ‘open for business’ – we’re here for you!
This week was Medicine's Safety Week, and we have been promoting the work of our Pharmacy Team, who use a ‘yellow card reporting system’ to monitor side effects and adverse drug reactions. Using this system helps future patients by identifying adverse drug reactions, and provides an early warning for medicine safety concerns or incidents. Well done to our Pharmacy colleagues for this great work.
With everyone working extremely hard, and the new restrictions in place, it’s even more important to take care of your mental and physical health. Take time out to relax and recharge, and utilise the tools available to support your mental wellbeing. There’s the Better Health ‘Every Mind Matters’ campaign, and there’s also a range of mindfulness videos available on YouTube, developed by Janet Gray, ELHT’s Mindfulness Teacher, I would urge you to talk about how you’re feeling and reach out for support. Remember, I am extremely grateful for your hard work and commitment and I care about you and your wellbeing.
To all those working over the weekend, thank you, and please make sure you take your regular breaks. I wish you all a safe and peaceful weekend.
Until next time,
Kevin.