Stars over Swansea Bay

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For the first time, we present nominations from one organisation: Swansea Bay University Health Board. It’s great to focus on individuals and teams who are giving outstanding service during the pandemic. Congratulations Swansea Bay! To read the full story go to our ESTEEM gallery.

Anthony Jones, Macmillan occupational therapist, lives by the philosophy ‘turn fear into courage’. He and the team upskilled themselves in non-traditional OT roles and supported each other’s wellbeing – Anthony is a Wellbeing Champion.  They supported fast track discharges on noncancer wards and implemented fatigue management strategies for Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients.

Physiotherapist Clare Ford created the Morriston Hospital Staff Wellbeing Area, transforming the physio gym with pictures, poems, lighting, and donated refreshments and ran classes for physical and emotional wellbeing and relaxation. The room was a place of quiet peaceful refuge and  a courtyard was adapted for staff to use for fresh air and recreation.

Rebecca Saltmarsh and the Facing the Challenge Team work with children and young people with learning disabilities. With children unable to attend school and support services reduced, the behaviour became increasingly challenging, placing pressure on families. While some team members were redeployed, remaining members worked hard to meet the families’ needs by offering behavioural and emotional support.

Clare Rees, specialist biomedical scientist, has always been passionate about the well-being of colleagues but has excelled during the crisis. Clare has kept staff motivated, bringing in relaxation and exercise equipment from home, and organising fun raffles. She has regularly run ‘positivity circles’ encouraging staff to speak about positive things.

Susan Riley, cellular pathology health and safety manager, has ensured the safe preparation of positive Covid-19 samples and the safety of staff. She has implemented health and safety actions promptly, giving a sense of security by sourcing PPE or by social distancing enforcements. Sue has excelled, working over and above to assist the mortuary response.

Keith Owen and Mortuary Services met the challenge to develop capacity to manage the excess number of deaths. A small but highly skilled team of anatomical pathology technicians and support workers created temporary facilities and developed a volunteer workforce from the Histology Department and with volunteer drivers from the Mid and West Wales Fire Brigade.

Heidi Maggs and the Laboratory Medicine team, drivers, support workers, biomedical scientists, clinical scientists and consultants has worked tirelessly, processing Covid-19 positive samples and putting numerous measures in place to protect staff. The Sendaways and Logistics team supported the field hospital with the 10 couriers bolstered initially by volunteers from Laboratory Medicine, and later by furloughed Swansea Council staff.

Ruth Jones and Point of Care Testing team were responsible for training the entire Morriston Hospital theatre workforce to perform blood gases and glucose, placed extra blood gas analysers in Morriston and dealt with general requests from all sites to quickly upskill staff on blood gas, glucose and ketone. From the 17 March to 16 April, POCT trained 323 staff.

Nick Dorward and the Phlebotomy Services team, when depleted by shielding and sickness, was supported by medical students with phlebotomy experience. The team underwent additional health and safety training and were issued with further PPE, working with the infection control team and changing ways of working to keep the team and their patients as safe as possible.

‘Absolute star’ specialist podiatrist Rhian Ham has gone over and above to support the team remotely for the past 100 days. Rhian has twice daily posted links to wellbeing support and mindfulness exercises, the lynchpin in keeping team spirit up, and to recognise that “it’s okay to not feel okay”. Thanks to Rhian, they have shared experiences to become a stronger team.

Nutrition nurse specialists Catherine Morgan Edwards and Amy Griffiths showed exemplary leadership skills in supporting ward staff to correctly manage all types of enteral feeding tubes.  Their passionate efforts has kept patients out of hospital and reduced demand on emergency departments by inserting NG feeding tubes, working seven days to meet patient needs in the community.

Eleri Wright, lead dietitian, pulmonary rehabilitation team brought together therapists with extensive knowledge, skills and experience to develop a comprehensive self-help guide: Covid-19 Recovery: Therapy Information Pack, available online and as a booklet. The aim is to help patients as they return home with simple, practical steps they can take to aid their recovery.

If you would like to make a nomination, go to https://ahawards.co.uk/esteem/

 

 

 

 

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