Updates
Update, 3 April
Published: 03 April 2020
Updated PPE guidance
The latest Trust guidelines around PPE requirements are available here:
A summary of the changes is also available in the "Downloads" section.
This guidance has been updated to reflect the evolution of the pandemic and the changing level of risk of healthcare exposure to COVID-19 in the UK.
Key principles for staff to be aware of are:
- staff must change gloves/aprons between patients
- staff must decontaminate their hands between patients
- remember to avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes
- COVID-19 is spread predominantly by respiratory droplets, hence surgical masks are appropriate for routine care
- surgical masks are to be worn by patients with possible or confirmed COVID-19 if tolerated, provided this does not compromise care
- the following are NOT aerosol-generating procedures:
- administration of pressurised humidified oxygen
- administration of medication via nebulisation
Free bus and tram travel
NHS staff will now be able to get free travel on all buses and trams in the West Midlands.
Local bus operators and West Midlands Metro have joined together to allow anyone working in our hospitals and frontline medical facilities to travel for free during the outbreak – simply by showing their NHS pass.
Rail travel timetable changes
From Monday 6 April, rail timetables will be reduced further as passenger numbers continue to fall.
New timetables are available at the link below:
Sending COVID-19 samples
New guidance has been issued for sending COVID-19 samples to the PHE Public Health Laboratory at Heartlands Hospital.
You can view the guidance in the "Downloads" section.
VPN access for home working
The IT team is working hard to upgrade VPN access for home working. Several upgrades have already been put in place including new capacity through Citrix.
Further improvements will include more user licences and infrastructure upgrades. These will come online early next week.
Cyber security during COVID-19
Cyber criminals will always exploit an emergency and COVID-19 is no different with scams and cases of cyber security breaches happening around the world.
Some good practices will help protect the Trust and the NHS; technology alone cannot do this.
First and foremost it’s with the Trust’s staff to help avoid any damage from cyber crime and one of the main things we can do is look out for phishing emails - emails that want you to do something that could lead to you downloading computer viruses to your computer and the Trust’s network.
Some tell-tale signs of a phishing mail are, an unusual external source, it has an attachment for you to do something with, it has an urgency, spreading fear, it’s intimidating, require you to bypass policies, it’s in a strange format, possibly badly worded and may be using the current COVID-19 crisis as a lever for you to do something (even acts of kindness). Emails like this are to be treated with suspicion and are best deleted, unless the source is trusted and can be verified.
If you are currently on the Trust network, you can refresh yourself on how to spot and deal with spam/phishing emails on the intranet:
Working at home and use of your home network and computers
- Ensure all Windows, MacOS and application software is up to date and that they receive regular security updates.
- Make sure you have changed the default administrator account password on your home hub/router and that you have used a strong password/passphrase for that account (and have kept it safe for future use). Each Internet service provider gives advice on how to make this change.
- Don’t use your UHB password for your other personal accounts elsewhere (and always use different strong password/passphrase for each of your personal
- accounts).
- UHB equipment and user accounts are not for family and friends to use.
- Physical security of the computer equipment is important. Lock it away, out of sight when not in use.
- If you suspect that you have been a victim of a phishing attack, scam or any other cyber-crime, then contact the IT department via the Service Desk.
- With the increased use of video conferencing systems, remember your conference call etiquette. Prepare your equipment ready for the call, mute when you’re not talking, lock your screen if you pop away for a few moments and cover your camera when not in use.
- Trust policies still apply in the homeworking setting, especially with regards to accessing the Internet from a Trust device.
Supportive and Palliative care team
Please be aware that the Supportive and Palliative care team is available to offer support and guidance 08:00–16:00, seven days a week.
You can contact the team by phone:
Tel: 0121 371 4548.