HELLO and welcome to the latest Chief Executive’s blog.
Once again I would like to start with a massive thank you to all staff for everything you have been doing to support our patients at this extremely busy time for everyone.
This time last week I spoke about the roll out of the first Covid-19 Pfizer vaccines at the Trust and I am delighted to say that more than 1,000 people have now had their jabs already. By all accounts, there seems to be a huge demand for the jab – I know staff are particularly keen to take this up.
Clearly, we need to follow the national Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation guidance, which states that those over 80-years-old and care home workers, as well as NHS staff who are clinically extremely vulnerable, are the first to receive the vaccine.
This will expand as soon as possible so if you are given the opportunity to be vaccinated, I’d like to encourage you all to do so. The vaccine itself was tested on 43,000 people in the clinical trial phase, so anyone concerned about its safety can be reassured.
This week has also seen us roll out LAMP testing to all acute patient facing staff at BVH. This is a weekly saliva Covid test that we are helping to pilot and I urge all eligible staff to sign up to it and download the App that is needed to take part. It’s simple to download and the details are on the regular Covid staff bulletins. By taking the test you are helping to reduce the spread of the virus and keeping your patients and colleagues in our NHS family safe. We must do all that we can to reduce the spread, especially during our busy winter months.
Please make sure you get your flu vaccination as well. There is flu circulating now so it is important to get the vaccination to protect you and your family. It has also been widely shared that you need to have had your flu vaccine at least seven days in advance of getting the Covid vaccine, so if you haven’t yet rolled up a sleeve, now is the time to do so – so please get in touch with our Occupational Health team for details.
The vaccine is great news but we have to be realistic about how quickly it can be rolled out to all those who need it. For all of us at BTH, that means continuing to follow the measures that are in place to stop the spread of the virus. Hands, Face, Space will be with us for some time to come, that’s for sure. I know everyone is working under
enormous pressure but you continue to provide a tremendous level of care and I can’t thank you enough.
Have your say in national proposals for NHS legislative reforms
THIS week NHS England and NHS Improvement published a consultation document setting out proposals for legislative reform, opening up a discussion with the NHS and its partners about how Integrated Care Systems could be embedded in legislation or guidance.
The document sets out an intention for the continued development of partnership working in our neighbourhoods, Integrated Care Partnerships and across the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System. The proposals are in line with the best work which has been undertaken with local partners over the past few years – and confirms the collective efforts we are making across the ICS to improve the health and wellbeing of the whole population, improve outcomes and quality of services and work towards the financial sustainability of local services.
The report contains two options for the future system and introduces a consultation process on these between now and January 8th 2021. We need to await the outcome of this at a national level and that of government should they take forward the recommendations in a future Bill. A survey is available for patients, NHS staff and partners to share their views here: https://www.engage.england.nhs.uk/survey/building-a-strong-integrated-care-system/