Dear Colleague
Welcome to the October edition of your UHSussex staff newsletter.
It's been another challenging month at UHSussex due to pandemic pressures, high demand for our services and tackling waiting lists. Thank you for all you are doing and don't forget to check all the health and wellbeing support available to staff whenever you need it. This includes virtual wellbeing webinars running through to December and the return of in-person Schwartz Rounds.
So please grab a coffee and take a look through the highlights below to get up to speed. You can also share your news with us for future editions.
Thank you,
Communications
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Stunning Wellbeing Garden gifted as a 'thank you' to staff |
Colleagues at St Richard’s have been gifted a beautiful and tranquil ‘Wellbeing Garden’, designed by Chichester-based Andy Stedman, as a thank you for all our hard work during the pandemic.
The award-winning landscape and garden design studio, Andy Stedman Design, was originally approached by Love Your Hospital last year, the charity of St Richard’s, Worthing and Southlands hospitals, to create garden designs for the hospital.
However, when external funding to build the garden was unable to be secured, Andy was inspired to create the garden, worth over £200,000, to be built almost entirely for free, through generous donations of time, expertise, goods and services from local businesses.
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Black History Month Highlights
Throughout October, we have been celebrating Black History Month with a brilliant programme of virtual and in-person events and initiatives.
Organised by our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff network (SOAR) in collaboration with the Inclusion team, we were encouraged to consider what we are “proud to be” which was the national theme this year.
The finale event took place this week with British-Nigerian historian, author and BAFTA winning film-maker Professor David Olusoga, who discussed the power and evolution of Black history. You can watch it back via MS Teams before the end of the month.
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Leaving on a high with Black History Month award
Our Head of Inclusion, Babs Harris, has won a 'Black History Month Gratitude Award' by the Sussex Heath and Care Partnership for her work and dedication to diversity. It’s particularly timely as Babs retires next month following 26 years at the Trust.
Chief Executive Marianne Griffiths said:
"Babs has been a huge asset to the Trust, and her passion and knowledge has really helped us to develop our approach to inclusion and diversity.
In particular, her leadership to support staff from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds during COVID has been invaluable. She will be greatly missed, and we wish her a restful few months before she embarks on her next adventure."
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UHSussex apprentice wins award for Covid care |
Meghann Creffield recently won the 'Outstanding Contribution by an Apprentice to an Employer' prize at the Brighton & Hove Apprenticeships Awards. She was nominated by the Royal Sussex County Hospital pathology department where she works, for the work she did that had a direct impact on the treatment of patients with Covid-19.
She has now been nominated for the National Apprenticeship Awards at the end of the month.
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Consultant awarded prestigious scholarship in USA |
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A consultant from UHSussex has swapped Brighton for Boston after receiving a scholarship for a research sabbatical at Harvard University in the United States for a year.
Yusrah Shweikh moved out to Massachusetts in August after being awarded a Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award, one of the most prestigious programmes in the world.
She was selected to work with collaborators at Harvard University and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital on enhancing glaucoma risk prediction using genetic analysis and machine learning.
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Glen shortlisted for ‘Company Secretary of the Year’ |
UHSussex Company Secretary Glen Palethorpe has been shortlisted for ‘Company Secretary of the Year’ with the Chartered Governance Institute for UK and Ireland.
Glen was nominated by team member, Tanya Humphrys, who said: “Throughout the merger process, Glen played a key part ensuring that all legal and regulatory aspects of the process were managed proficiently, supporting the process of the merger from start to finish. Glen has a wide range of responsibilities across the Trust and has developed strong working relationships with his colleagues and the Board.”
Tanya's nomination was endorsed by Commercial Director Alison Ingoe and Chairman Alan McCarthy. Alan said: “The governance processes we have been through during the last three years have been hugely complicated and much of this during a period of unprecedented challenge in the NHS.
“Glen has been a central character in the work and has the full confidence and trust of the Board who are all very grateful for the fact that he keeps us “safe” during turbulent times.”
Glen said: “I was thrilled to find out I was nominated and then shortlisted for this award, especially as this is open to all organisations private and public sector, large and small. Whilst the award is for Company Secretary of the Year, my nomination was only possible due to the work of the team and their dedication and the underpinning values of the Trust that support good governance."
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Volunteer team recognised as 'Helpforce Champions' |
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Congratulations to the UHSussex voluntary services team at Worthing and Southlands which has been shortlisted for awards in the national 'Helpforce Champions Awards 2021'.
Volunteer Manager Sarah Kahn has been shortlisted for ‘Volunteer Leader of the Year', for her care and compassion, leading on care calls to isolated volunteers and doorstep visits to some of our more vulnerable volunteers.
The whole Voluntary Services team has been nominated for 'Innovation in Volunteering', for the Big Hospital Experiment with young adults.
And Worthing Hospital volunteer Keith Stainer has been shortlisted for ‘Volunteer of the Year’, thanks to his contributions during the pandemic, supporting patients, taking patients items to wards, providing a listening ear to people coming in, and dropping off items for their relatives and delivering care packages to staff.
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Improving care for the Armed Forces community |
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UHSussex has been named a Veteran Aware Trust in recognition of its commitment to improving NHS care for veterans, reservists, members of the Armed Forces and their families.
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Critical care colleagues swap scrubs for aprons |
Critical care colleagues at the Royal Sussex County Hospital have swapped their scrubs for aprons for the second year running as they took part in the 'ICU Bake off 2021'. The competition is open to the whole multidisciplinary team and judged by Angie Mitchell, critical care sister.
Congratulations to this year's star baker sister Helen Tingey who was crowned the winner just this week. Helen baked a chocolate chip caramel sponge sandwiched together with vanilla buttercream, chunks of cookie dough and decorated with chocolate ganache.
Angie said: "I am the chief judge, but all the staff complete feedback slips that are gathered together at the end. There are prizes for the top entries, and everyone gets a certificate and ‘bake off spoon’ for entering. It’s the second year we have run the competition and last year we had 45 entries. The staff room transforms into the bake-off tent with bunting. It’s a great event that everyone loves. It’s great to share the delicious entries and great for team building."
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Fond farewell to Janet after 40 years at Royal Alex |
“It doesn’t feel like 40 years is coming to an end yet. But I guess it will do. But it feels like the right choice and it is the right choice. And it feels like the right time to end a career that I have loved and has been really, really important to me.”
These are the words from paediatric nurse Janet Lee, who just finished her last shift at the Royal Alexandra, four decades after she first came to Brighton as a student nurse.
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Also this month
Click on images for more information
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Garden-themed makeover brightens up parents room at St Richard’s |
A parent’s room at St Richard’s Hospital has received a charity-funded makeover with a tranquil garden-themed wall mural taking centre stage.
The room, which is situated on the children’s ward, is a space for parents to take time out by providing a self-catering facility to make a hot drink and meal or take a shower.
When the room was closed during the pandemic, ward play specialists, Kerry Brunnen and Shelly Hill, saw a perfect opportunity to give the space a much-needed revamp.
Kerry said, “When parents have a poorly child staying with us on the ward, they often don’t look after themselves properly. They’ll sit bedside for hours on end, skip meals or won’t want to trouble a member of staff for a drink to stay hydrated.
This room is equipped with a kitchen, seating, TV and a shower room so they can step away from the ward environment and take back some ‘me time’. We felt a makeover would create a space that felt much more relaxing and restful.”
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Santa Bus returns, raising funds for BSUH Charity |
Brighton & Hove Buses’ Santa Bus is back! The festive bus will once again visit over 200 streets in Brighton & Hove in the run-up to Christmas, to spread festive joy and raise money for local charities.
This year, BSUH Charity has been selected as one of the twelve charities that will jointly benefit from the fundraising efforts. From the end of November, Brighton and Hove locals will be able to spot Santa and his elves waving from the bus, which is decked out with fairy lights and playing Christmas music.
The team are hoping to raise as much money as possible, and BSUH Charity are inviting the local community to get behind the festive fun! Donations will be collected online and through local businesses this year, rather than the usual door-to-door collections, due to Covid-19 safety measures.
The team are particularly keen to hear from local businesses that might like to become a Santa Bus collection point. It’s quick and easy to set up. Every participating organisation will receive a collection bucket and poster, and appear on the bus company's Santa Bus map on the website.
The BSUH Charity team will be travelling on the top deck of the bus for one special evening, so be sure to give them a wave! You can find out more information, and details of when the bus will be visiting your area - on the BSUH Charity website.
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Have you had your Covid and flu vaccinations yet? |
For full information about the winter vaccination programme, including hub locations, frequently asked questions and answers and full booking instructions, visit nww.uhsussex.nhs.uk/covid19booster.
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Job opportunities in Patient First Kaizen Office |
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'Out of my depth' Schwartz Rounds in-person sessions |
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The next all staff briefing is on Thursday 11 November |
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