Congratulations to our most recent ROSE award winner, care co-ordinator, Victoria Audis. Victoria was also the recipient of last month’s IRIS award – she's clearly appreciated by patients and colleagues! The person who nominated Victoria said: “Victoria has been the most supportive person throughout this difficult time of caring for my husband. She called me when I was struggling, and I was able to be honest with her. She gave me time and listened. She is brilliant at her job, and I have no hesitation in recommending her for this award. Thank you, Vicky, you made an unbearable situation bearable and when it was the time for hospice care you gently made this possible and continue to support me which I appreciate beyond words.”
Well done to the first of this month’s IRIS award winners, care co-ordinator, Jessica Roberts, who was nominated for the incredible support she provided to a 56-year-old patient who had suffered a stroke. The colleague who nominated her said: “Jess found an amazing day centre that provided pet therapy, entertainment, music therapy and state-of-the-art physio equipment. She then sourced specialist accommodation nearby and began the application process. Jess enabled supportive letters to be sent to support the patient’s application and now the patient has finally moved into her new apartment. The patient can also attend the stroke support centre twice a week for social input and stimulation and has links to local communities. This patient who once felt forgotten about and helpless has got her life back, and this is all thanks to the dedicated work of Jess. Well, done - you and your team are a credit to Amber Valley.”
Our next winners are Amber Ward, Lauren Bell, and Katherine Hall from our safeguarding team. The colleague who nominated them did so because of their care, kindness, compassion and support prior to and during the Think Family training.
"I dropped them an email two days prior to the training as I have a historical background of trauma exacerbated more recently by a family tragedy. This has left me with quite considerable aftereffects, and I just wanted to flag that I may have to have regular breaks from the content, depending on the level of triggering material or leave the session incomplete. My enquiry got sent to the facilitators of the training, Amber and Lauren, who contacted me separately and provided me with reassurance about taking breaks and telephone and email contacts. They also discussed all the content we would be covering. It was also escalated to Katherine who offered me a telephone call prior to the training and discussed other options if I didn't feel that I could complete it. They were amazing role models for how trauma-informed care should work and it's been a refreshing change to experience this. They definitely embody our values of getting the basics right, acting with compassion and respect and making a positive difference and I can only thank them and make you aware of the difference they made to me.”
On 8 May 2025 we marked the historic 80th anniversary of VE Day, with families and communities coming together to unite and celebrate 80 years since the end of World War II. Together, we honour the past and celebrate a future built on unity, hope, love and peace.
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week: The Derby and Derbyshire Suicide Prevention Programme are proud to release a new series of videos in which Ryan, Matt and Debbi share their lived experiences of suicide. Their stories underline the importance of all of us having a conversation with someone if we spot that they're struggling. Suicide prevention is everyone’s business, and we can all make a difference. We want to encourage all colleagues to watch this powerful four-minute montage of their experiences. You can find further resources and view the full series of videos on our new suicide prevention intranet page.
The Beat: Welcome to the first edition of The Beat, the new DCHS magazine from our staff networks. This issue features stories and updates from the disability and long term conditions, LGBTQIA+, EmbRACE and armed forces staff networks, celebrating diversity, inclusivity and community within DCHS. Read The Beat, and find out more about our staff networks on their dedicated webpage here.
Datix template now available on SystmOne: A Datix template is now available in all clinical trees on SystmOne. Please use this template to record whenever a Datix has been raised. Why does this matter?
- Avoid duplication: Check the template before raising a Datix to see if one has already been submitted
- Improve clarity: It helps all staff stay informed and ensures a clearer timeline for investigations
- Streamline documentation: You don't need to duplicate this information in the patient journal – simply complete the template.
Using the template supports better communication and safer, more efficient care. Thanks for helping reduce duplication and improve incident tracking. For further information or support, please contact: scott.goodwin2@nhs.net
How to update your email address and disability details on ESR: We want to encourage all teams to take five minutes to check their personal information on ESR is up-to-date, including their email address and any disability details. We frequently send essential updates out to colleagues by email, as well as details on the staff survey and The National Quarterly Pulse Survey, and we rely on these details being accurate for this purpose. To make this easier, we’ve put together this guide for colleagues to use. If someone in your team is not receiving all-staff emails, get in touch with the communications team: DCHST.communications@nhs.net.
Reporting non-patient-related abuse, discrimination, or sexual harassment incidents: We do not tolerate unwanted, harmful and/or inappropriate behaviours of any kind. We now have a new anonymous reporting tool, just click here.
New resource - top tips accessibility checklist: We’re excited to share a new resource to help support inclusive communication across our teams and services. This checklist covers key accessibility considerations for presentations and digital content, including text clarity, image descriptions, colour contrast, and more. This checklist helps ensure your content is accessible to as many people as possible. Read more here.
Inclusion and belonging conference: All colleagues are invited to a day of connection, learning and celebration at this year’s inclusion and belonging conference, proudly hosted by our staff networks. The conference takes place on Wednesday 11 June from 9am at the Post Mill Centre in South Normanton - book your place here.
New recycling arrangements explained: Our environmental manager, Sid Siddiqui, has shared some new instructions for recycling and waste disposal across the Trust, following new regulations that came into force in April. The main difference for us is that food waste must not be mixed with other waste. This is waste from the processing or preparation of food, including inedible food parts such as bones, eggshells, fruit and vegetable skins, tea bags and coffee grounds. All food waste should be placed into lined food caddies. Read more here, including a few FAQs. Any questions, please contact Sid: sid.siddiqui@nhs.net.
Introducing three new webinars to the Quality Conversations programme:
- Having brief Quality Conversations - Monday 9 June, 11.00 - 11.30am. Book your place here.
- Understanding neurodiversity and autism: deepening quality conversations - Wednesday 18 June, 1.15 - 3.15pm. Book your place here.
- Having brief conversations about smoking - Thursday 19 June, 12.00 - 12.30pm. Book your place here.
