Welcome
Hello and a warm welcome to the October edition of Inside St John’s.
Staff flu vaccinations
The flu season is now upon us and all health and social care employees are entitled to a free seasonal flu jab. We would encourage you to be prepared and protect yourself sooner rather than later – the earlier you get your vaccination the better.
Details of flu clinics can be found on the staff intranet or you can contact your local area lead for a flu jab in your workplace. Clinics are constantly being updated and further times and venues are being added. Please check regularly to find a clinic near you.
Getting vaccinated is the best way toprotectpatients, the community,yourself and your familyfrom this potentially serious, preventable disease.
HEI Report
We welcomed the report from the Health Environment Inspectorate following their inspection in August and we are pleased that many areas were singled out for individual praise, including the cleanliness of the
generalhospital,goodsharps management and hand hygiene practices.
We recognise there are things that can be improved and these are being addressed as a matter of urgency. Meanwhile all staff can assist the safety of patients by maintaining good hand hygiene at all times.
The full report can be read here.
Critical Care decant
The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) will be decanting to the former Burns Unit on 12 January 2015 for a three to four month period in order to accommodate the refurbishment of the ICU.
Good Food Challenge
Top NHS chefs Steven Cowan, Sara Jane Mathieson and Steven Rae from
St Johnshave been crowned as winners of the first ever NHS Good Food Challenge catering competition.
Congratulations to all the team and the whole of the St Johns kitchen staff. Judges were looking for healthy meals, using fresh local ingredients, which could be made and delivered in the hospital environment and they were extremely impressed by Lothian’s menu.
Chefs from NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Grampian and Lothian took part in the final
of this new competition organised by National Services Scotland.
Celebrating Success Awards
The winner's of the Celebrating Success Awards 2014 were announced at a sparkling awards ceremony on Friday 24 October.
Special congratulations to the REACT team based at SJH who won Team of the Year.
Find the full list of finalistshere.
Pensions
New pension arrangements are to be introduced for public sector pension schemes from April 2015. Information on the changes can be found at the SPPA websitehere.
Ebola Virus Disease
For reliable sources of information on the Ebola Virus Disease, please visit the staff intranet.
West Lothian Macmillan Advice Team
The West Lothian Macmillan Advice Team is a service provided by West Lothian Council Advice Shop supported by, and working in collaboration with Macmillan Cancer Support. It provides information and advice about welfare benefits and other financial entitlements to help people living in West Lothian to cope with the cost of living with cancer. Where beneficial the service will also introduce clients to other agencies that can offer more specialist help and advice.
For patients attending St John’s hospital, there is a Weekly Benefit Session in Macmillan Day Centre. This is run by appointment only, to book call:
01506 523531 or drop in anytime to:
Advice Shop, Bathgate Partnership Centre, Lindsay House where daily sessions run Monday – Thursday 8.30am – 5pm and Friday 8.30am – 4pm.
Head and Neck Cancer Nurse Specialists
Head and Neck Cancer Nurse Specialists for NHS Lothian work closely as a team. They are based within the Regional Head and Neck Surgical site, SJH, and at Edinburgh Cancer Centre at the Western General.
Theyoffer specialist knowledge & expert clinical skills to patients and staff as well
as education, audit and research and multidisciplinary working.
The nurses developed an on line module on Learn Pro, to provide an education package, which is easily accessible. The module has been highly evaluated and is currently being used as a resource by most of NHS Scotland. Macmillan Cancer Support has shown an interest and is soon to add the module to their on line Learnzone site.
They are often asked to present at Scottish Conferences. Recently at a Macmillan Professionals Study Day in Glasgow and Delivering Better Care for NHS Lothian where they presented a Digital Story of a Patients Journey.
Their close working relationship with patients and families has recently been recognised
by an invite to their oldest patients 100th Birthday Party.
PVG Scheme
The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) legislation replaced the disclosure arrangements for people who work with vulnerable groups. It helps to ensure that people who have a known history of harmful or abusive behaviour are unable to work with children and protected adults.
After October 2015 it will be illegal for anyone who is involved in regulated work not to be on the PVG Scheme. NHS Lothian needs to have everyone in regulated work on the Scheme by July 2015.
If you have not already completed a PVG form and think you qualify then contact your line manager in the first instance to discuss further or go to HR Online for more information at: (
If you have any question on the PVG retrospective exercise please e-mail the team: