Sue Kenny, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Arrowe Park Hospital, RCN Cheshire West branch:
When it became apparent that ways of working would have to be dramatically changed, Sue asked for all meetings with staff-side and HR to be done remotely rather than face-to-face. She requested regular strategic updates from the Senior Management Team and circulated numerous RCN posters focusing on self-care and skin care. Sue liaised with the occupational health consultant regarding concerns over the impact PPE can have on skin health and the Trust subsequently agreed to support the provision of barrier creams for staff.
Sue has also ensured that senior management and HR are aware of the RCN position around BAME, PPE, sickness recording. Shechallenged the Trust around guidance for staff who were more than 26 weeks pregnant, around CPR and PPE, around night staff being transferred from non-COVID to COVID wards when they hadn’t been fit tested and also the lack of fit testing for all staff. Sue has also taken part in a meeting with her local MP to update him on the pressures the nursing workforce in his constituency are facing on a daily basis.
Maggy Heaton, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Blackpool Victoria Hospital, RCN Lancashire West branch:
When the realities of nursing through a pandemic hit, Maggy could see that the hospital was struggling to supply enough scrubs keep the workforce safe. She liaised with the Director of Nursing and Director of Operations and set up a JustGiving page to raise money to buy fabric to make scrubs for our NHS. She managed to secure the services of 150 local volunteer sewers to make this essential and much needed protection and, to date, they have produced over 1,500 sets of scrubs and 900 scrub caps, supported by financial donations from Blue Skies, the Blackpool Teaching Hospital Charity.
Carmel O’Boyle, St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Helen O’Boyle, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, RCN Greater Liverpool and Knowsley branch:
Rather than resign themselves to a Congress-sized hole in their schedules after the RCN's flagship annual event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Carmel and Helen decided to create their own virtual Congress, hosting a week-long series of events including pay discussions, open mic nights, coffee mornings, and a series of video chats with staff, students, reps and members.
