Date: Wednesday 16 June 2021

Venue: Online

Time: 13:00-14:00

The ePrescribing masterclass series consists of a monthly webinar where NHS organisations can share their learning and experiences on digital transformation and enabling Trusts to follow in their footsteps as quickly and effectively as possible. The sessions are designed to accelerate digital transformation, reduce unwarranted variation, and deliver quality improvements in patient safety, clinical outcomes, and service user experience. It is also an opportunity for people to present at a national level.

Find out more and register here...

There is no doubt that the impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented, affecting almost every aspect of our lives. Some say the pandemic is the greatest test we have faced globally in over 70 years. 

But even when up against immense challenges, we have seen some fantastic innovations across our health and care system and beyond. Now we are beginning to return to some degree of normality, we have seen in the past that all too often we can slip back into old habits and ways of working. So how do we make the improvements really stick?

Over the last few months, local health and care leaders have been reflecting on the learning from COVID-19, and considering how we can embed the many positive changes that have arisen out of the pandemic. To mark National Learning at Work Week, we are sharing with you some useful information, fantastic stories and great opportunities that have come about as a result…

In order to understand what changes need to be adopted on a more permanent basis, health and care organisations have been capturing their learning in a number of different ways. See the link and document below to find more about some of the tools they used:

The RSA – How to create real, lasting change after COVID-19: www.thersa.org/blog/2020/04/change-covid19-response 

When the learning was shared, it reflected that when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Britain in March 2020, health and care staff responded flexibly and adaptably, swiftly putting into place new ways of working to provide care, whilst also limiting the spread of the virus. 

It was a time when people were united by one common aim – clinicians and frontline staff were empowered to make change, and to some extent, existing hierarchies, financial and governance restrictions were lifted. Staff worked in an agile way, quickly implementing developments in remote working and responding to guidance as it emerged.

There were shifts in services with the rollout of digital consultation, remote advice and guidance, self-monitoring, and acceleration of discharge to assess. There were also changes to how, when, and where we worked with a rapid enabling of remote working. See the document below for more information:

Much of the learning in North Cumbria reflected that which has emerged from national learning exercises. See the documents below to read more on national learning from COVID-19:

The challenge now is in making those positive changes stick. 

The evidence tells us that sustaining change will require strong leadership and changes in policies and procedures, as well as having the right resources in the right place. We all have a part to play. The Health Foundation have recognised that it will take the right attitudes and mind-sets from those who deliver services, and those who use them; the right regulatory frameworks and action on the part of the local organisations. See the document below for more information:

Organisations are now considering how they embed the positive changes so that they can be sustained and become ‘the way that we do things’ going forward.

Over the next couple of months, we will be sharing some of the positive changes that health and care services have put in place and are sustaining. We will also promote opportunities for you to develop your skills to help you adapt to new ways of working. Please see below for some of the things that are available to you now:

Learning from COVID-19 stories and resources:

• Remote Consultation in Out Patient Services, by Dr Denis Burke
• The Development of Students on Placement, by Linda Turner
• Microsoft Teams
• More coming soon!

Upcoming events:

Virtually LOC in the Lakes 2021: PAUSE. REFRESH. MOVE FORWARD │ 15th – 18th June 2021 │Online with Microsoft Teams │ This year’s conference brings you an entire week of online events designed to offer some practical tools and techniques to enhance your wellbeing, as well as support leaders and managers in revitalising their teams. 

Workshops include: 

• Resilience in the time of COVID-19
• How to have an effective wellbeing conversation
• Leadership Support Circle – Focusing on looking out for yourself
• You’re on mute (and other things we’ve learnt this year)
• Plus many more! 

Please see the brochure with the full list of sessions below:

Understanding and making the best from Microsoft Teams - more information coming soon!

Lunch & Learn with Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) - sharing the organisation's approach to capturing and embedding the learning from COVID-19 within mental health services. More information coming soon!

Leadership Support Circles - a series of short, themed online sessions based on 10 principles for leading compassionately during and after COVID-19. More information coming soon!

Teach it forward!

We would love to hear about the improvements that you have made as a result of COVID-19. Capture your story on the template available below and send it to us at info@theclic.org.uk 

Dr Paula Maisey

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW)

In this Learning from COVID-19 Improvement Story, we hear from Dr Paula Maisey, who describes the positive impact that daily debriefs on the Ruskin Unit had during the pandemic:

Why was change needed?

Between March and July 2020, the Ruskin Unit (Carleton Clinic, Carlisle) experienced a COVID-19 outbreak. This understandably led to high levels of anxiety and reported psychological distress amongst the staff team, and action was needed in order to help maintain wellbeing. Therefore, daily psychology-led debriefs were established to support staff, as well as problem solve any difficulties they were facing.  

What impact did it have?

The daily debriefs gave staff time to reflect on how they were feeling, and proved to be a useful way of helping them cope at an incredibly challenging time. Staff ultimately felt well supported, and as a result there was no increase in staff sickness due to stress/psychological difficulties at that time.

How will this be sustained?

Debriefs continue to be held on the Ruskin Unit by nursing staff, and should another COVID-19 outbreak occur, the psychology-led sessions would be reinstated immediately. 

Read the full detail – download the pdf story below:

Teach it forward!

We would love to hear about the improvements that you have made as a result of COVID-19. Capture your story on the template available below and send it to us at info@theclic.org.uk 

Learning Organisation Collaborative (LOC) Sixth International Festival #LOCintheLakes

15th – 18th June 2021 │ONLINE WITH MICROSOFT TEAMS*

Over the last 12 months, COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on every aspect of our lives. We have faced some immense challenges at work, but with the vaccine rollout now happening at pace, we can look forward with optimism to a time when we might see the return of some ‘normality’. 

We want to recognise the amazing care, compassion, and sheer dedication our health and care and volunteer staff have always, and continue to show. But we also recognise that caring for others means it is not always easy to care for ourselves.

So now is the time to focus on your wellbeing…

Virtually LOC in the Lakes 2021 will bring you an entire week of online events designed to offer some practical tools and techniques to enhance your wellbeing, as well as support leaders and managers in revitalising their teams.

The Launch – for leaders, managers and health and wellbeing advocates:

• Tuesday 15th June, 09:15am – 12:30pm │ Our launch event will feature inspirational keynote speakers, plus a choice of workshops packed with ideas for reinvigorating both you and your team. Find out more and book…

Workshops for all health and care staff and volunteers:

• Mindfulness Introductory Session with Ian Rigg │ Tuesday 15th June, 2:00pm – 3:30pm │ Join this workshop to find out more about mindfulness and experience some mindfulness practice
• Street Wisdom with Barbara Platt & Tamsin Graham │ Wednesday 16th June, 10:00am – 12:00pm OR Friday 18th June, 12:00pm – 2:00pm │ Go on a guided walking experience - the perfect antidote if you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed or just a little stuck
• SLEEP! Workshop with Caroline Pett │ Wednesday 16th June, 12:00pm – 1:00pm OR Thursday 17th June, 5:00pm – 6:00pm │ Gain an insight into the importance of sleep and the science behind it, with practical measures to improve both sleep and wellbeing
• Not another time management hack! Shining a light on the mystery of time management with Barbara Platt & Tamsin Graham │ Wednesday 16th June, 1:00pm – 2:30pm OR Friday 18th June, 3:00pm – 4:30pm │ Explore the fundamental skills of time management, which of these you might need to develop, and how you can do that successfully
• Resilience in the time of Covid with Nick Jackson │ Wednesday 16th June, 1:00 – 2:00pm │ Learn how to recognise the signs of stress, and get some practical tips on how to overcome them
• Preventing Pain and Injury in the Workplace with Dr Ross Armstrong │ Thursday 17th June, 10:00am – 11:00am │ Understand the effects of musculoskeletal pain and injury on working practice, and take steps to reduce the risk of pain and injury developing
• Mindful Pilates with Sally Plevin │ Tuesday 15th June, 1:00pm – 2:00pm OR Thursday 17th June 8:00am – 9:00am │ Support and nurture a sense of calm, presence and physical wellbeing with this physical movement class
• How to have an effective wellbeing conversation with Amy Davidson & Karen Kirk │ Thursday 17th June, 12:00pm – 1:30pm OR Friday 18th June, 9:30am – 11:00am │ Explore how to have an effective wellbeing conversation that doesn’t feel like just a tick box exercise – aimed at both those facilitating the process, and the individual having one
• Thinking differently about mental health with Dr Angela Kennedy │ Thursday 17th June, 2:00pm – 3:00pm │ Review traditional approaches to understanding and managing mental health and discover what we could do differently
• Tai Chi with Angela Pollard │ Thursday 17th June, 3:00pm – 4:00pm │ Find your inner peace with the ancient practice of Tai Chi and Chi Gung – suitable for all ages and abilities
• Wiser Mind with Rufus Harrington │ Tuesday 15th June, 3:30pm – 5:00pm │ Worries can paralyse and control us all, so why not join this workshop and learn some practical skills to better control your mind, take conscious control of your life and move forwards
• Culinary Medicine – Confidence in the kitchen. Embrace the adventure with Dr Reeta Karamchandani │ Friday 18th June, 4:00pm – 6:00pm │ Learn as you cook in the comfort of your kitchen, as we look to break some barriers to cooking at home
• You're on mute (and other things we've learnt this year) with Peter Skelhorn & Karen Gooding │ Thursday 17th June, 9:00am – 9:45am │ A workshop looking at what we've learnt over the last 12 months, with hints and tips to help bring some clarity with the new ways of working, brought to you by the Digital Training Team from North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC)

Workshops for leaders, managers and health and wellbeing advocates:

• Leadership Support Circle – Focusing on looking out for yourself with Sam Eggleston │ Wednesday 16th June, 10:00am – 11:15am │ Come together, share your experiences, and be heard with this themed session based on the 10 principles for leading compassionately during and after COVID-19
• Lifestyle Medicine – A transformed and sustainable health care system with Dr Reeta Karamchandani │ Tuesday 15th June, 4:00pm – 6:00pm │ Become empowered to stimulate a collaborative culture of health and wellness with this ‘Lifestyle Medicine’ workshop
• Culinary Medicine – Live and eat well for a healthier you with Dr Reeta Karamchandani │ Wednesday 16th June, 4:00pm – 6:00pm │ Be inspired and gain the information and practical skills needed to role model a collaborative culture of cooking more at home and using whole food, plant based ingredients

Let’s care for ourselves so we can care for others – let’s create happier, healthier workplaces.

*Don’t have access to a computer?

Download Microsoft Teams to your mobile FREE via the:

• Play Store for Android

• App Store for iOS

Downloads

LOC in The Lakes 2021 is jointly sponsored by the Academic Health Science Network North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC) and the Cumbria Learning and Improvement Collaborative (CLIC).