ICU nurse Victoria Sullivan shares her experience on the Today programme 

Supporting our staff during this difficult time is without a doubt one of the most important things we can do. It really hits home to me when I hear their experiences first-hand, and none more so than that of Victoria Sullivan, practice development sister in our Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

She spoke to the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, giving an insight into one of her toughest moments when she said: “My worst moment was breaking the news of a death of a relative over the phone. The screams I heard on the other end of that phone will honestly stay with me forever. Telling someone over the phone when all you can say is, ‘I’m really sorry’, while they’re crying their heart out is traumatising.”

You can listen to the programme online.

Victoria was talking to the Today programme following the publication of a King’s College report focusing on the impact the Covid-19 pandemic is having on the mental health of ICU staff. It found that over half are suffering from mental health problems. You can read more in our news story.

Second letter of thanks to the relatives of our hardworking staff

Stories like Victoria’s sadly are many, each as heart breaking as the next. Our staff have fought against every challenge this virus has thrown at us; they are anxious and exhausted yet they continue to amaze me every step of the way.

They could not do this without the support of their families and friends, and I am only too mindful of the stress and angst this places on them too. You may remember during the first lockdown, the Chair and I sent a letter to the families of our staff, to acknowledge our gratitude and go some small way to recognise the sacrifices they too have made.  

With the pressures of ever tighter restrictions and rapid transmission across our communities, it seems fitting that our gratitude is shown once again. Due to land on doorsteps any day, our Chair Mike Bell and I have sent a second letter of thanks. Nine months on from the first letter, whilst this highlights how tough things have been, it also offers some hope with mention of the Covid vaccination programme.

The full letter can be read on our website.

A thank you to our partners

Of course it is not just our staff and their families that I often have chance and reason to thank. I have mentioned on numerous occasions that this has, without a doubt, been a system-wide response and we could not have done it without our partner colleagues across our boroughs. It has been testament to what we can achieve for our patients when we work seamlessly together. Covid-19 will leave an indelible footprint in our minds….it will also leave behind the footprints that mark the way towards a truly integrated health and care system and I would like to thank everyone involved for their ongoing support. 

Super-stranded patients – beating the national target

Our recent success in reducing our numbers of super-stranded patients is a case in point.

Our Red2Green team have done a phenomenal job - working closely with our system partners they have reduced the number of patients in our beds for 21 days or more, from 199 to 98. As a result, on 4 January we achieved 10.6 per cent of super-stranded’ patients in our beds, beating the national target of 12 per cent. Well done and thank you to all involved.

Leading the way

Focusing in on other successes, Sas Banerjee, Consultant General, Laparoscopic and Colorectal Surgeon and Endoscopy and Joint Gastroenterology Lead at our Trust, has been appointed as Endoscopy Clinical Director for NHS London. Sas will be providing clinical leadership to endoscopy services in London, including chairing the London Endoscopy Clinical Leadership Group which sits alongside five integrated care systems for services in the capital. Ultimately Sas will help shape what the endoscopy world will look like in a post-Covid world and I wish him every success.

I’m also delighted Joan Saddler returns to our Board as a Non-Executive Director, a role she occupied for six years, until autumn last year. Joan was awarded an OBE for services to health and diversity in 2007 and is director of partnerships and equality at the NHS Confederation. Joan will play an integral role in ensuring we tackle the health inequalities Covid has exposed so harshly and in strengthening the work we do around equality, diversity and inclusion.

Launch of King George Vaccination Hub

And last but most definitely not least, in just seven days teams across the Trust, together with a plethora of contractors, have done a spectacular job of setting up a second hub at King George. It launches this week and once again, it’s been gratifying to be part of history.

I hope, as always, you have a good and productive week.

Best wishes.

Tony Chambers
Chief Executive