Welcome to this week’s edition of My Download – your go-to round-up of all the latest news and updates. Got something to share with colleagues? Send it our way by 5pm on Thursday: dchst.communications@nhs.net.

2025 NHS Staff Survey: This year’s NHS Staff Survey is off to an incredible start with an organisational response of 35.7%. We are currently the top community trust on Picker for both our national staff survey and bank staff survey results - thank you to everyone who’s contributed so far! The survey provides an important opportunity for each of us to share our experiences, insights and thoughts on how we can continue to improve as an organisation and employer. Don't forget, you can use your protected time to share your thoughts - we all have a voice that counts! If you experience any issues completing your survey, please let Simon Rose know.

Staff Survey - drop-in sessions: A member of our EDI team will be available on MS Teams every Wednesday from 12:30pm – 1:30pm for you to drop in for a chat (even if you only have five minutes!). This opportunity is open to all staff across the organisation to access support in completing the national Staff Survey!

Don’t let the flu catch you – drop-in to a flu clinic this week: Our flu team are running clinics across several of our sites this week for staff to access. Locations of this week’s flu clinics include Walton Hospital, Ilkeston Community Hospital, Ripley Hospital and Cavendish Hospital. The vaccine is safe, effective and quick to get - it reduces your risk and helps maintain services during winter pressures.

Find your nearest clinic and book online here for your flu vaccination here (you’ll need to be on-site/connected to the VPN), or please feel free to drop-in to any of these flu clinics at any time. Any questions, please email the team at dchst.flu@nhs.net.

National Speak Up Week: Today is the start of Speak Up Week, with the focus on the importance of ‘Following Up in Action’, where managers can turn listening into lasting change. It takes courage to speak up and following up on what we hear helps to create the improvements workers need and deserve. Support us to promote the message of 'Speak Up, Listen Up, Follow Up' by joining us in Wear Green Wednesday this week on 15 October.

Baby Loss Awareness Week: Baby Loss Awareness Week is an opportunity to bring us together as a community and give anyone touched by pregnancy and baby loss a safe and supportive space to share their experiences and feel that they are not alone.

For further information or support, please click here.

October is International Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month: The goal is to raise awareness of AAC and to inform the public about the many different ways in which people communicate using support.

AAC includes all forms of communication that support or replace spoken language. It can be paper-based, such as symbol-based communication books and communication boards, or electronic, such as apps on a tablet or dedicated devices. AAC matters because it gives people the ability to express themselves, connect with others and participate more fully in daily life. It supports children and adults with a range of physical disabilities or communication challenges, including autism, cerebral palsy, motor neurone disease (MND/ALS) and stroke or brain injury. If you would like to learn more about AAC, contact sofia.nuttall@nhs.net.

Warm Home Discount scam awareness: Please be aware for your vulnerable patients, family and friends that households receiving the Warm Home Discount do not need to apply for it. They should not respond to any texts, emails or phone calls asking them to make applications or provide their details. The discount is applied automatically.

Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults Board has issued a warning following an increase in fraudulent activity targeting individuals about the Warm Home Discount scheme which has launched this month in time for the colder months: There is no need for individuals in England and Wales to apply for the scheme and the UK Government will not contact individuals regarding the Warm Home Discount. Find out more here.

Remembrance day with the Armed Forces Network: On Tuesday 11 November we will be gathering at the National Memorial Arboretum, Croxall Road, Alrewas, Staffordshire, DE13 7AR. Everyone is welcome to join. Click here for more.

Wear Red Day: Wear Red Day is coming up on Friday 17 October in partnership with 'Show Racism the Red Card.' We encourage staff and teams to wear red to show support and solidarity. You can also use this MS teams background to show your support.

Admin forum next meeting - Wednesday 22 October 10.30am-11.30am: Hazel Lea would like to welcome our admin colleagues to attend the next admin forum on 22 October. You can use this link to join the meeting. Last month’s forum saw 100 admin attendees – if you missed it, or wish to see a re-cap, click here to view the summary.

Staff Stories - “I wasn’t expecting that!”. Join the next virtual Schwartz Round on Tuesday 18 November from 12pm via MS Teams: Do you have a tale of the unexpected? Funny, sad, heart-warming etc? Anything goes at a Schwartz Round. If you have a story to tell, we would love to hear from you. Contact the team at dchst.schwartzrounds@nhs.net. A virtual Schwartz Round aims to promote connection, compassion and reflection. They last for an hour and all you need to do is turn up and listen. It even counts as one hour of CPD and clinical supervision. To register please click here.

NHS England Oliver McGowan mandatory training: Here are the links to tier 1 part 2 of the NHS England Oliver McGowan mandatory training in learning disabilities and autism. The webinars last for 60 minutes and you must complete the full session for compliance to be recorded. Staff can book via a link to NCORE on ESR and on the ESR portal page.

Applications are now open for the Sexual Health 2026 Community Action Fund: Do you know a local group with a great idea to improve sexual health in their community?
Applications are now open for the 2026 Community Action Fund, helping local organisations promote healthier sexual health behaviours, especially among people most at risk of poor outcomes.

This year’s priorities:

Raising awareness of sexual health and STI screening
Improving access to screening and supplies
Reaching and engaging hard-to-reach communities in new and creative ways.

Funding available:

Tier One – microgrant of £500 - for direct delivery of screening (25+ screens in 12 months). Free training is provided.
Tier Two – project grant of up to £2,500) - for community-led projects that promote sexual health and wellbeing. Includes training and support, with flexibility to design creative outreach.

Who can apply?

Youth clubs, faith groups, cultural organisations, charities - and any local group passionate about improving sexual health in their community. Applications close Monday 12 January 2026, so please spread the word across your networks and community contacts. To find out more or request an application pack, email: dchst.yoursexualhealthmatters@nhs.net

Walton’s diagnostic facilities given £7.5m boost: The recently opened £5.2 million Community Diagnostic Centre (phase 1) at Walton Hospital has been granted an additional £7.5 million to enhance imaging facilities still further – just weeks after first opening its doors! Work on phase 2 is already underway, with this additional investment from NHS England being used to upgrade facilities for MRI and CT scanning. You can read more here.

Autumn energy-saving tips: With autumn upon us it’s a good time to focus some mental energy on top tips for better energy efficiency. We’ve come up with a list of 8 simple but effective ways to save energy and money. These are easy steps we can all take to help keep the lid on our energy costs and lighten the financial strain on us as we work hard to reduce our spending within DCHS. And you can adopt them at home too. From supplies to electricity, heating and water... what we save on resources means more money for patient care. Collectively our small, everyday actions can lead to big savings and boost our resilience. Got a smart energy-saving idea? Email it to dchst.communications@nhs.net – your tip could inspire change across DCHS.

Tip 2: Chilly mornings make it tempting to leave things running, but powering down is one of the simplest ways to save. Every small action helps. Tip of the week: Shut down computers and monitors – don’t just leave them on standby. One monitor left on can cost £10 a year. Across the Trust, that adds up to thousands. Power down, save more.

Quality Conversations sessions: Click here to view and join the latest sessions.

AHPs Day: Tomorrow (14 October) is AHPs Day, a national celebration of the vital contribution of allied health professionals – the third largest clinical workforce in the NHS.

The day focuses on connection, collaboration and recognition, showcasing AHPs’ impact on patient care and public health. Many of our AHP colleagues will be attending the Joined Up Care Derbyshire (JUCD) conference on Wednesday to explore the evolving and vital role of AHPs in healthcare. Thank you to all our AHPs for the difference you make every day. Find out more here. And don’t forget to send us your AHP photos to share on social media: dchst.communications@nhs.net.

End of life care training: Click here to see more information on how to take this training, hosted by Ashgate Hospice.

Mary Seacole local programme Derbyshire – upcoming awareness sessions: We have arranged the following awareness sessions for potential applicants, see the below for the links to book a place to attend.

Thursday 23 October - 9.00am-9.45am, Online here
Thursday 13 November 2025 - 1.00pm-1.45pm, Online here.

Cycle to Work – gear up for winter offer: As the colder months roll in, now’s the perfect time to keep commuting confidently and cost-effectively. Between now and 1 December, all employees who apply for Cycle2Work will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 Halfords gift voucher — ideal for getting the winter cycling essentials you need. For more details click here.

University training dates (practice supervisor / practice assessor): Four universities are collaborating to provide training dates via MS Teams, for nurses who need preparation or updating for the practice supervisor or practice assessor role.

Staff are welcome to attend the session that suits them best. Click here for all the dates. Please note the University of Nottingham session on 8 December 2025 has replaced the 10 December session.

Mental health, learning disabilities and autism delivery board: See here for the latest update.

Training at Ashgate Hospice: The next 'verification of expected adult death' training will be held on 11 December and syringe driver training is on 12 January. Please see the posters here and here for more info.

This week’s leaders' and managers' update includes:

A2B alumni event
World Mental Health Day
Speak Up Week
Incident manager’s initial review and investigation training
How to be an inclusive leader
Management and leadership induction.

Read more in the latest update here or contact the leadership development team with any queries.

Click here for the new Autumn wellbeing timetable for 2025.

Update from your wellbeing team: Take a look at the wellbeing team's latest update here. To find out more about the diverse range of wellbeing support available visit the website or contact the team: dchst.yourwellbeingteam@nhs.net.

Jobs at DCHS: Check out all the latest vacancies here.

Congratulations to Andrew Shaw, advanced therapy support worker, based in the Amber Valley core team, who has recently completed his AHP support worker higher development award. Andrew dedicated himself for over six months juggling his full-time job to complete the course where he extended his knowledge of leadership, coaching and service development.

Congratulations to the following teams on achieving their Quality Always Gold achievement via Earned Autonomy self-assessment process:

Swadlincote MSK/OP Therapy (Tuesday 30 September)
ARCH MSK/OP Therapy (Tuesday 30 September)
Community Access Point (Wednesday 8 October)
Dementia Palliative Care (Thursday 9 October)

Congratulations to you all.

Well done to Emily Winterton, who works with us as a health visitor, on being a recent runner-up in our ROSE awards!

Emily's nomination said: “Emily has been amazing for me and my son she has always been kind, informative and supportive throughout our time with her. She is very trustworthy, and I feel so comfortable in her presence and puts me at ease when I have worries and builds me up when I doubt myself. I will never forget her and her kindness.”

Well done on this fantastic achievement Emily.

#TeamDCHS

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