Strike action ends but hospitals remain under pressure, says Shropshire nursing chief

The latest strike action by junior doctors has ended, but pressure on our hospitals continues.

We have seen a drop in temperatures and icy conditions, which can lead to an increase in numbers of those visiting our emergency departments.

We are also seeing a rise in the number of cases of norovirus, which brings on diarrhoea and vomiting, and other respiratory illnesses such as Covid-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which can also cause further disruption in our hospitals.

The safety of our patients and colleagues is our top priority, so could we please ask people to think about which service best suits their health needs.

If you have a life-threatening emergency, our emergency departments are open 24 hours a day, so please continue to come forward as normal. You can also visit NHS 111 online or call 111 if you need urgent medical help or consider visiting your local Minor Injury Unit in Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Oswestry and Whitchurch.

For further information about Think Which Service, which aims to help you to know where to go to get the right advice, support and treatment for your health needs as quickly as possible, visit thinkwhichservice.co.uk

I would like to thank you and my colleagues for the support we received during the latest strike action by junior doctors.

Please look out for yourself and others who might struggle in the colder months by making sure that all your vaccinations are up to date if you are eligible, plan ahead to keep warm and well this winter, ensure you have enough food and medicine, and take simple measures to reduce draughts at home.

We are always looking for the next generation of healthcare workers and I am so delighted that the first T-level students have completed their first work placements at our Trust.

Feedback from my colleagues and the students has been positive. Thirty-two are studying T-levels in Adult Nursing with Telford and Shrewsbury Colleges and took up the placements at our Trust. T-levels are an alternative to A-levels and are more vocational.

By working in partnership with our local colleges, the students get the crucial learning that they need, it gives us the opportunity to work alongside them and they also get valuable experience.

The new qualification requires them to carry out 315 hours of clinical practice within an adult setting over two years.

All completed the two-week Health Care Support Worker (HCSW) Academy at their colleges, so they were prepared to join wards at both Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital.

We will be introducing midwifery T-level placements this month and Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) from September 2024.

For those who are interested in work experience, placements are available in a wide range of working environments, both clinical and non-clinical, some of which have patient contact and others which do not.

Work experience is a fantastic way to gain an insight into a particular career and is available to anyone considering a career in the NHS.

For more information about work experience at our Trust please visit our website: www.sath.nhs.uk/working-with-us/work-experience-opportunities/