Nightingale News | 20.05.20

I would like to begin with a quick update on our leadership team. Steph Gibson, our Chief Operating Officer, has played a really important role in setting up our hospital from scratch and getting us ready to receive patients in just two weeks. She will be leaving us at the end of the week to resume her interrupted retirement. On behalf of our hospital and our patients I would like to thank Steph for her leadership and commitment over the last two months, and wish her all the best for a happy retirement. From next week, the operations team will move into our nursing structure.

Juliette Cosgrove, our Chief Nurse, has also been appointed as our Deputy Chief Executive. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Juliette and our wider Executive Team to lead our hospital and support our team to continue to provide the best possible patient care.

Last week I explained how hospitals across the North West were completing their plans for increasing their non-Covid related services as we move into Phase Two of the pandemic response. Nightingale North West has played a really important role in supporting the North West health system at this critical stage; to provide additional capacity for patients who no longer need to be in critical care. Over the coming weeks we will have a clearer picture of what our ongoing role will be. In the meantime, our priorities are; to continue to provide excellent care for our patients, to review and refine our systems and processes; remembering that our hospital is still just over a month old, and ensuring we have the workforce in place ready to provide additional capacity as needed.

This does mean that some colleagues are currently on standby for an expected increase in patient numbers. We appreciate colleague’s patience and understanding during this period of uncertainty. Our hospital has been created in extraordinary times – and it is essential that we are be able to respond and flex to meet the needs of the North West health service. Our hospital needs to be prepared to care for an increase in number of patients at any time. That means we need to have a workforce who are prepared and trained to work in this unusual setting; and ready to mobilise.

The hospital couldn’t do its job without these key preparations and we are grateful for every member of our team for stepping forward and supporting Nightingale North West .

Good progress has been made in developing an action plan to ensure we maintain a safe working environment at our hospital – following the recent publication of Government guidance. We have a task and finish group in place and a review will be undertaken of all teams on site – to ensure we are limiting on site numbers as much as possible. For staff whose jobs require them to be onsite we’ll be putting in place additional measures to protect you and will continue to keep you updated.

Lastly, this week is Mental Health Awareness Week. Now, more than ever, it is really important that we all take the time to look after our mental wellbeing – and support one another. We have support and resources in place to help you – please visit the staff hub for more information. The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is kindness. So this week we have been asking colleagues to share their messages of kindness on our #KindnessMatters wall (opposite reception). Please take a minute to add your message this week – and help us make sure we are continuing to be kind to one another.

Best wishes,

Professor Michael McCourt
Chief Executive

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 and this year’s theme is all about kindness. We are celebrating  by encouraging kindness across the hospital, which means being kind to yourself and others. Remember we are living in unusual times through a pandemic, and how we choose to navigate through this time and look after ourselves is fine. Research shows that being kind to others can benefit our own mental health and reduce stress levels.

Remember to share a kind act or words of kindness with colleagues and loved ones. You will even find the kindness wall in the staff foyer at the hospital site to help you share your message. And don’t forget to tweet #MHAW2020 @NightingaleNW and tell us your story.

AND now more than ever #EveryMindMatters – it’s essential to take care of your mind as well as your body. Access simple tips and create your own Mind Plan to start taking better care of your mental wellbeing at http://everymindmatters.co.uk.

Change Please is an award-winning coffee company that supports people out of homelessness through Life Changing Coffee. They are currently on site providing coffee for our team. When you next take your break and fancy a coffee, pop and see them by the main reception. If you are able to make a donation to the project, click here.

As the NHS meets the challenge of Covid-19, businesses and individuals from all over the country are keen to show their appreciation for our work by donating goods and services to staff and patients. It is important we keep track of any donations, and that we work with donors to make sure their gifts are suitable. If you receive a donation offer please can we ask that you pass this on to Sheni Ravji-Smith, Organisational Development and Wellbeing, and Jo Wright, Director of Estates and Facilities, so that they can co-ordinate how we receive this.

Manchester Foundation Trust are currently running a survey looking at recovery from work in frontline clinical staff, and will help inform organisations about hwo to best organise working patterns and recovery time in future crises. You can take part in this if you are a doctor or nurse at the hospital, and this will take around five minutes to complete. To access the survey please click here.

Last Thursday we hosted a socially distanced and inclusive Ramadan Iftar Dinner in the staff canteen. The celebration was sponsored by Sanam Restaurant in Longsight and brought together all of our colleagues who were fasting as part Ramadan, as well as those who took part in the Fast for a Day campaign to raise money for charity. We recognise that this year’s Ramadan celebrations look very different to normal and that some of you may be finding your fasting challenging and want to thank you again for all of your hard work. We hope you all enjoyed the event and wish you all a lovely Eid Mubarak!

As part of our emerging staff recognition programme, we have drafted letters to thank those children in your lives who are helping you do your job, and have recently created a new letter for loved ones too. The letters say a big thank you to them and that we understand how the hard work, long hours and pressures you are dealing with are having an impact on them too. You can find out more information on the Staff Hub.

Colleagues are asked only to take the scrubs they need for their shift at any one time. We have stock in all sizes and will continue to replenish them as and when is needed.

The Staff Hub includes helpful information about the facilities on site, staff offers, how to access accommodation, useful information and contacts as well as previous copies of this newsletter. Please email [email protected] if there is important information you would like to see on the hub.