Below are this week’s key messages from the national NHS Estates Team. Please email any questions or comments you have on any of these items to [email protected] or follow the links where provided.
COVID-19: National Vaccination Programme
We can see from reports in the media the excellent progress which continues to be made with the COVID-19 National Vaccination Programme. As we have noted previously, it is important for the estates community to remain safe as we continue the battle against the pandemic.
With this in mind, Prerana Issar, Chief People Officer at NHS England and NHS Improvement, met with a group of individuals from the estates community who were also from a BAME background. This was a positive meeting aimed at seeing how we can work together to ensure we remain safe and informed about COVID-19 and the vaccination programme. The estates profession works hard to ensure that patients remain safe. We must not lose sight of the need to ensure that we all remain safe.
There is a wealth of material which is centrally available in relation to the vaccination programme. We are developing this into a specific pack which we can make available via the HEFMA and IHEEM channels. This will be available soon.
LSE Students: Food and Behaviour Change Project
As part of the net zero drive around food and drink the national NHS Estates Team is linking with a team from the London School of Economics which is working with the NHS to help achieve its net zero commitment. We are specifically looking into the issue of food plate waste within hospitals, and how the NHS can reduce the amount of food wasted.
In order to understand the variations and dynamics within hospitals we are looking to engage with a range of NHS Trusts to gain insights, best practice and identify the key areas for change. NHS Trusts which are interested taking part should e-mail [email protected] marked for the attention of Phil Shelley who will then follow up.
NHS England and NHS Improvement – Estates Team Questionnaire
We appreciate the responses by those local estates teams which completed the questionnaire. However, we know that NHS estates teams have been considerably busier than usual for obvious reasons and might not have had time to complete the questionnaire ahead of the deadline.
For those estates teams and members of the profession who would still like to complete the questionnaire, it will remain open until close on Friday 19 February and can be accessed via the following link:
It would be really helpful to us if as many estates teams as possible take a few minutes to complete and return the survey. We will review the responses after the survey closes and will provide feedback and proposed actions.
Operational Pressures
These remain as previously reported and are outlined below.
Waste Management
The standard operating procedure for waste management was updated and published by NHS England and NHS Improvement on January 18, 2021. This document has been updated to reflect the National Vaccination Programme which is now well underway.
The document can be accessed from the following link:
The key message in this area is to ensure that all waste is appropriately segregated. Further messaging on this issue is expected to be shared via the NHS England and NHS Improvement Health and Care Leaders Update bulletin.
It is also worth being aware of all NHS Trusts completing the daily waste management survey. The requirement for this has been reduced from seven days a week to five days a week. It is really important for all NHS Trusts to routinely complete and submit this information. This is critical to us as it enables the national NHS Estates Team to provide system wide assurances to both the DHSC and Civil Contingencies Secretariat. The information also enables the team to help and support much earlier in the process as appropriate. Any queries about the daily waste management survey should be sent to [email protected]
Oxygen
We need to ensure that the key messages recently shared on the Collaboration Hub regarding the management of oxygen services continue to be enacted by estates teams locally. This will help to manage the current pressures and as ever the members of the National Oxygen Team will be on hand to advise and support as necessary.
Our thanks to estates teams for their help and support in this area which is now helping to make a difference.
Scrubs
Support is still needed to ensure that scrubs are not being hoarded and are returned to the laundry system in a timely manner. It is also important to ensure that scrubs are not disposed of either and that they are returned for laundering. This situation has become more challenging over the past week. We are now seeing genuine issues and problems in the laundry system. Any help and support which estates teams can provide here will be greatly appreciated.
NHS England and NHS Improvement National Estates Team: Collaboration Hub
The Collaboration Hub is a protected space for local NHS estates teams to access key information as well as to collaborate and to share ideas and successes. Access to the Collaboration Hub for individuals from local NHS estates teams can be arranged by e-mailing [email protected]
Thank You
Our thanks to all estates and facilities staff for all that you continue to do to maintain the NHS services and facilitate patient care, as well as supporting the response to the current pandemic. The service could not function without you.
