Help us share your festive cheer and charity events during December: Are you or your team planning any activities for Christmas or supporting a charity this festive season, either at work or in your own community? We’d love to hear what you’re doing and share your inspiring efforts across our social media channels this December. Our mailbox is open now and we can’t wait to hear from you. Whatever fun or charitable things you are doing to lift the winter gloom during December email us at dchst.communications@nhs.net.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities is tomorrow (Tuesday 3 December). This is a dedicated day - to celebrate the contributions of disabled people in the workplace – and is usually marked by colleagues wearing purple. We are encouraging colleagues to wear something purple tomorrow and share your photos with the Communications team to go out on our social media pages, or share yourselves using #PurpleLightUp.
Women across Derby and Derbyshire are being asked to give their views and help contribute towards improved health services: Joined Up Care Derbyshire is working in partnership with Community Action Derby and Links CVS to learn more about women’s health. They want to know:
- What women know about women’s health issues
- Women's experiences with health services around women's health
- How women prefer to access health services and get information
- How women prefer to communicate about their health issues and available health services.
The survey takes around five minutes to complete. Feedback from the survey will be collated into a report. You can learn more on their engagement platform. Complete the survey here.
We're now bra bank holders for Against Breast Cancer (ABC) - recycle your bras now! Donate your used, new or surplus bras to one of our new bra banks to help raise vital funds for research into secondary spread breast cancer. We know that many DCHS colleagues and family members have been affected by breast cancer, so we're proud to promote this scheme and raise money for such a worthy cause. All types of bras in a wearable condition will be gratefully received. If you'd like to help, we now have bra banks set up in reception areas at the following sites:
- Ilkeston Community Hospital
- Ripley Hospital
- St. Oswald's Hospital, Ashbourne.
Find out more about ABC here, and take a look at this poster for more details on the scheme.
Warm and welcoming spaces grant fund now open for applications: Community groups across Derbyshire are being invited to apply for funding to set up ‘warm and welcoming spaces’ to help local residents this winter, with the aim of providing support for local people through the winter months – offering a place to meet new people, to enjoy a hot drink, get information on local services and take part in activities. Derbyshire County Council is working with Derbyshire Voluntary Action to provide financial support to provide a warm welcome to residents around the county.
Grants of between £1,000 and £3,000 are available to eligible voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations and community-led groups to set up Warm and Welcoming Spaces for local communities. Find out more and apply here, the deadline for grant applications is Friday 31 January 2025.
Vote for your favourite photo! Please help us choose the artwork for Walton’s new diagnostic centre by voting for your favourite scenic image from six beautiful landscapes captured by the lens of Derbyshire photographer Scott Antcliffe. You can vote via an online form or in-person at Walton Hospital, more details here. Get your vote in before 5pm on Monday 9 December!
Flu and Covid-19 vaccinations – how to get yours: Pre-book or just drop-in to a DCHS or DHCFT clinic to receive your flu vaccination this year. All the booking details can be found here or you can view our list of available flu vaccination clinics for this week here. Any questions, please email the team at dchst.flu@nhs.net and they'll be in touch to assist you. As healthcare workers, we're all eligible for this year’s Covid-19 vaccination as well. You can book your winter Covid-19 vaccination online, via the NHS app or at a clinic here.
Working from home and want your flu and Covid-19 vaccination? If you can’t make it to one of our sites, you can also get your flu and Covid-19 vaccinations at a local pharmacy. You have until 20 December to book your vaccinations. To find your local clinic, click here for Covid or here for flu.
Could you put your artistic skills to work by designing next year’s flu sticker? The winning design will be brought to life for the campaign, and the winner will receive a prize. Create your design on an A4 sheet, but remember flu stickers are usually printed around 30mm, so keep any text and images simple and clear. The deadline has been extended, submit your entries to dchst.flu@nhs.net by Sunday 8 December. Good luck!
Used cars now available on our salary sacrifice lease scheme with GMP Drivercare: These vehicles are between one and three years old and being offered for re-leasing. The vehicles all come with up-to-date maintenance and have been fully inspected. A great benefit of these “pre-loved” vehicles is that the delivery time is from two to four weeks and can reduce the lease costs by up to 40% compared to new. You can see extensive photos of the interior and exterior of the vehicle, such as the engine, vehicle display with odometer reading, tyres and alloys, giving you transparency for the condition of the vehicle and any interesting features/options before proceeding.
This should help people who want to spend a bit less but still get a great car. The vehicles available are a mix of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles and some regular brands include Tesla, BMW and Kia to name a few. Take a look at our sustainability webpage for more information.
Understanding financial concerns - your experiences matter, come and take part in a confidential interview on this topic! This is your last chance to get involved before Thursday 12 December. This project aims to understand more about how financial concerns impact the health and wellbeing of NHS staff in Derby and Derbyshire. This will help organisations have a better understanding of how to support staff most effectively with financial concerns. Find full details on the project here. To get involved or ask any questions, please email helena.lee16@nhs.net.
Quality Improvement Community meetings are back! The next QI Community meeting is on Thursday 12 December, 12pm - 1:30pm. Everybody is welcome. This will be a time to connect as a community, hear about QI projects from throughout the Trust and network with your colleagues. View the agenda here, email dchst.cet@nhs.net for the meeting invitation.
Derbyshire Dialogue - GP Access, 1pm – 2pm on 11 December: Come along to the next Derbyshire Dialogue, taking place on MS Teams 11 December 1pm – 2pm. Please click here to book your place.
This session will cover how many GPs we have, how many appointments they offer, and why getting a GP appointment can sometimes be difficult. We will discuss how we are implementing the national plan to improve access to a GP, and what we are doing locally. There will be time for questions, and it will be presented by Clive Newman, Director of Primary Care for Derby and Derbyshire ICB.
If you wish to subscribe to Derbyshire Dialogue emails, please email ddicb.engagement@nhs.net with 'Subscribe to Derbyshire Dialogue' in the subject line.
Would you like to have better conversations with people about their mental health? Free training is available now for all JUCD staff and volunteers, and is specifically designed for non-mental health professionals. It will help you develop more confidence in everyday interactions. The sessions will cover:
- How to start conversations about wellbeing and mental health
- Helpful ways to respond when someone opens up to you
- Mental health conversation skills for your working life and life away from work.
“This session helped me to learn and understand how to notice when someone needs to talk, and how to have that conversation.”
Book your place here.
