COVID-19
The weeks ahead are expected to be extremely challenging for the NHS as it continues to respond to the latest wave in the pandemic. The estates profession will continue to play a key role in the response, both nationally and locally.
With this in mind we cannot lose sight of the importance of continuing to look out for each other and our teams more generally. This includes ensuring that all our colleagues have access to the emotional support when it is needed as well as having the opportunities to take annual leave which we do appreciate will be difficult in the current climate.
This also extends to ensuring that estates directors and their leads are able to assure themselves that all their staff - including porters, ancillary staff, and agency and contract workers – are following national infection prevention control guidance from Public Health England; and sharing regular reminders and advice on core information that all staff need to know, covering good hand hygiene, guidance on social distancing and COVID-19 safety in the workplace. It is vital to ensure that responsibility is taken locally for educating all staff, irrespective of whether or not they are providing support on an inhouse basis, or through an outsourced arrangement. Close working with local communications and infection control leads to ensure rapid and widespread message dissemination can help support this.
Operational Pressures
Oxygen
We need to ensure that the key messages as outlined by Simon Corben recently on 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 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.
Waste Management
The standard operating procedure for waste management has been updated and is now available from the NHS England and NHS Improvement website. 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 document has been cascaded directly to Directors of Estates and Waste Managers. Please review the document and take action as appropriate. The key message in this area is to ensure that all waste is appropriately segregated.
We will be hosting a national webinar on this issue on January 29, at 1pm. This will be led by Fiona Daly. Directors of Estates and Waste Leads at NHS Trusts will be included in the invitation for this. Any enquiries about this webinar should be sent to [email protected] and marked for the attention of Linda Hood.
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]
Secretary of State Hospital Food Review – Expert Panel
A separate post will follow soon to both HEFMA and IHEEM seeking applications for membership of the Expert Panel which will be established in the near future.
There are nine places on the panel: two chefs, two catering managers, two clinicians, two nurses and one dietary expert. The successful candidates will be from either a hospital catering or clinical background with a passion for ensuring that food served to patients, staff and visitors is nutritious, safe and presented in an appetising way.
Panel members will be required to dedicate four days per month to the project which will include meetings, visits, papers and workshops and will need to be flexible and adapt to fast moving and changing priorities and deadlines. The project will run for three years and is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the shaping of healthcare food services for the 21st century.
Thank You
Our thanks to all of the estates profession for all that you continue to do to maintain the NHS estate, facilitate patient care as well as supporting the response to the current pandemic. The service could not function without you.
Please email any questions or comments you have on any of these items to [email protected] or follow the links where provided.
