London 2 Brighton 100km Continuous

Where do I begin..

I trained as hard as I could for this from walking and attending the gym whilst fitting in a full time job and caring for my Mum and her many appointments over the last six months. Getting my foot combo right, and trialing the ‘Hydrate’ pre-event.

It goes to show you that it can ALL go out the window on challenge day. The day arrived for Ultra Challenges – 100km London to Brighton.

I set out from Richmond with my best friend Carl, we settled into a good pace. We met and chatted along the way with some old and ‘new’ friends.

We ensured we aired our feet and ate and drank at all the rest stops. Rest stop one I went to say hi to Ollie and Rachel part of the Trailmed medical team at all Ultra events.

At rest stop 2 we ate lunch with Amie and Barry, chatted with Astrid and Nina and Nina sorted out our water for us. We skipped (not quite) into rest stop 3 and Richard tended to our every need with regards to fruit, although we did not uphold our side by untangling the glow sticks!

We set out from Henhaw Farm around 19.00 and Amie and Barry were gonna catch us up!
That was an understatement; ‘Atomic Amie’ powered past and just kept going, she was clearly on a mission or needed a pee! She was soon out of sight, Carl and I plodded along at our steady pace. A few km’s round the corner was Amie on the ground looking very hot and with Barry looking very worried. All was good to be fair just a little hot and overheated, as you would expect walking at 10 mph up hills in a coat. As Carl and I left, Amie promised not to catch up again until Tulley’s.

Well at about 49km I started to feel really sick, which at times progressed to dry retching; I forced myself to suck sugary sweets and alternate between water, energy drink and sips of Lucozade. Carl took my bag and insisted on carrying it into Tulley’s. It slowed our pace drastically and sure enough Amie and Barry passed us again on the way to Tulley’s.

The section along the main road seemed to go on forever, as did the walk up the drive.

I made it into Tulley’s and can actually only remember initially seeing Ali and a tall pair of glow sticks dangling; this person was later identified as Daryl. I felt so rough; I collected my bag and went to the changing area, lovely Rita also from Trailmed came bouncing over to say hi, all I could manage to grunt was not now I need to change. I sat in the corner of the changing tent, if I had stood I think I would have fallen over. After unpacking my bags all over the floor, the systematic approach pre event completely out the window I then decided I needed a pee so crammed everything back in my bags and then dumped these outside the changing tent and took the clean clothes into the loo. Didn’t think I was ever gonna stop peeing (TMI – soz) at least I knew I wasn’t dehydrated. Got changed went to collect my bags and they had gone!

Went to Carl in the food tent, and asked if he had my bags, nope he hadn’t got them. Suzannah, Jo and Carl went to look for them, where did they find them? Where I had left them, outside the changing tent – this just shows how lousy I felt.

Suzannah, Jo, Daryl were all great offering to get me what I needed. I settled on a can of Sprite and started to sip it, knowing what I had to do next.

Part of being a team is about being honest when you feel ill and knowing when to say to your team mate ‘I need to stop here’. I knew how important it was to Carl to carry on and how he would have hated leaving me there. But it had to be done, he finished his food, re-filled his water and loaded his bag with fruit, before heading over for a massage.

While he queued for a massage I laid down with my kit in the medical tent. My back had niggled a bit, but I hadn’t taken any Paracetamol for fear of it making me sick whilst walking. I took them then and settled down while he waited. I had spoken to Matt before about how lousy I felt and he was going to leave his phone on to collect me if needed. I tried to call twice before Carl left but there was no answer.
Once Carl had had his massage done he came and said bye and we left it that Matt would collect me and we would meet at the end in Brighton. Unable to get hold of Matt on two more attempts (it was 01.45 ish) and knowing Carl had left I decided I was going to try and eat and get back out there!

Spaghetti and Parmesan cheese eaten I decanted my bag of all the rubbish I had rammed into it and took out some other stuff I decided I didn’t need. Richard helped by filling my water bottles and by just after 02.30 I and off with Linda, Kim and four others with the lovely Richard. I actually felt really good, able to start and keep a good pace. We then came to the area in the woods and so I walked a bit with Walker Sean and then we trotted on to 61km where I sent a pic to Carl updating him – his answer – ‘I thought you might have carried on 😆 🤣 yay.. x’.

Then after 62km it was like I had walked into a wall, Linda and I found a wall to sit on and I just wanted to sleep, Kim joined us for a while. Sean Jones stopped and chatted to us, and I should have maybe moved my butt then, but the legs didn’t seem to want to work and then the mind games began.

Sitting on the wall, trying to muster the energy for my legs to move!

Linda and Kim pushed on and I sat there trying to get the get up and go back, willing my legs to work. Jane (TM) stopped and listened to the drivel I was talking by now and walked with me till I literally couldn’t walk anymore I felt I was falling asleep. She arranged for me to be picked up and I even nodded off in the back of the car on an 8 minute journey!

I waited at Ardingly till the shuttle at 8.30 with Linda and Kim who had both walked into the 67km rest stop and decided enough was enough, never an easy decision. Spoke to Luke and Charlotte in medical and then waited around to board the shuttle – what an experience that ride was!
Arriving at Brighton I tried to sneak in behind the catering van and was spotted by cheer squad loud cheers from friends, made it a lovely welcome and seeing Liza and Kevin was lovely but bittersweet, I had planned to arrive with my best friend and walk across a finish line.

I had a power nap and spoke with Carl, he was doing so well. I still couldn’t really face food or drink, the polar opposite from a normal challenge. Sat chatting to friends, Matt and Bailey on their way; one last call to Carl to see where he was… ‘Just walking up to the finish line now!’
I have never run so fast as I had wanted to walk out to meet him. I did walk onto the track, but nearly walked past him. We crossed the finish line together as team #DoubleTrouble I am so proud of what he achieved and so proud to call him my best friend.

My best friend, so so proud of him for achieving what he did #DoubleTrouble

What made the weekend special as well was Liza and Kevin spending a weekend away in Brighton; they had intended to surprise me at the finish line, but after Mum being unwell at the beginning of the week and a few pants shifts at work they decided to tell me to cheer me up and encourage me for the weekend.

I am gutted I didn’t finish the full 100km, gutted my son never got to hold up the banner he made (never had a banner made for me before)but that is all.

I am thankful I smashed my 2018 timings, thankful I have come away with 2 small un-burst blisters, thankful for having Carl in my life as a best friend, thankful for all the amazing supportive friends in the AC family, thankful for having a best mate in Liza and Kevin checking in on me and being prepared to drive to Tulley’s to see me at 1am, thankful for having a supportive Mum, daughter and son, but most of all having the love and support of my husband Matt to take on all these crazy distances.

He must be as mad as me to put up with me doing the challenges!

RCN South East Regional Board update – March 2022

The South East regional board meets three times a year. There are two parts to the meetings a confidential session and an open session. All members of the South East region are able to observe the open session by emailing your request to catherine.trevena@rcn.org.uk, this way she can notify you of the date, time and at present send you the Microsoft teams link to enable joining. You can find more detailed information about the regional board and the members here as well as the dates of the meetings and ‘Coffee & Chat’ sessions.

The Board met on the 10th February for both the confidential and open meetings. It was nice to see some of the South East membership attend the open meeting. I have listed some key points from our open meeting below that I felt may be of interest to the South East regional membership.

The South East Board are running a session entitled “How to develop a thriving branch” from 9am – 12pm on Friday 11^th March. Branch members of all levels of experience are welcome. If you don’t already have the link in your diary, please email regionaladmin.croydon@rcn.org.uk

We discussed the importance of recording safe staffing incidents on Datix, and continuing to shine a light on this issue and encouraging people to ask for safe staffing data at JSCCs.

Jersey NRNs being guaranteed jobs in nursing is impacting the skills mix, and some of these NRNs are considering leaving nursing within their first year. A more widespread concern is that staff who have only worked during a pandemic may not be aware that practices which were considered safe during Covid are very different in other times, and these staff need support in terms of safe staffing. We talked about preceptorship for NRNs and NSWs. The South East Board will continue to discuss this matter and how we can best support our members.

On Wednesday 16th February, the board hosted it’s first of six ‘Coffee & Chat’ sessions. This was well attended by a mix of Board, Staff and regional members. It was really lovely to speak with both familiar and new members and hear about their nursing journey and the diverse roles that are available in nursing. The next ‘Coffee & Chat’ is on Wednesday 27th April, from 18.00-19.00 it would be lovely to see members of the South East region join us.

We need to hear your voice, your frustrations and your ideas for how you want to work collaboratively with the South East region to ensure that the regional picture is heard round the national table.

If you would like to contact me directly you can do so by email ali.upton@reps.rcn.org.uk

Representatives & The South East Region

Welcome to my third blog about the South-East region and how you can become more involved if you would like to. You can read my previous blog to hear how important it is for the regional board to connect with you the membership of the South East region.

This blog is going to focus on the representative role and how it can not only enhance your personal and professional development, but also provide a cohesive relationship between you, the membership and your employer.

I have discussed the student nurse role and how to become more active in another of my blogs along with the Nursing Support Workers and how both these important membership categories are vital to the regional picture.

There are three accredited representative roles within The RCN. Reps are vital links between the RCN and the membership. They are visual in the workplace, helping to influence policies, assist members and shape our profession.

For all accredited representative roles, full training will be given by the regional learning and development facilitators; you will have the support of a regional officer and regular supervision with them to support you throughout your role.

Steward – As a Steward you will be trained fully in workplace law which will enable you to support, advise and represent RCN members in the workplace. You will be able to influence and build positive employment relations with employers and other unions. Follow the hyperlink to find out more.

Safety Representative – As a Safety Representative you will be trained fully in Health & Safety Law which will enable you to represent the Health, Safety & Well-being of RCN members in the workplace. You will be able to influence an ensure a safe and healthy working environment is a priority to organisations and employers.

Learning Representative – As a Learning Representative you will be trained fully to enable you to support members in the workplace to meet their continuing professional development requirements. You will be able to work closely with employers and local branches to organise learning events and workshops.

All RCN Representative roles are accessible to both Registered Nurses and Nursing Support Workers; if you would like to discuss the roles please complete the expression of interest form here.

Within the South East region we have opportunities for members that wish to become more active but do not have the time to commit to an accredited representative role. If you would like to find out more you can contact the Croydon or Newbury office for more information.

If you would like to contact me directly you can do so by email ali.upton@reps.rcn.org.uk

Nursing Support Worker Membership & the South East Region

Hello, and welcome to the second blog discussing the South-East region membership and how as a region we are stronger together.

This blog is about the Nursing Support Worker membership. This membership encompasses the roles of HCA’s, Aps NAs and TNAs. Like other membership categories, you have full access to workplace representation, a helpline 365 days a year, member discounts and your own professional development landing page on the website.

The Nursing Support Worker workforce encompasses many different job titles and roles; they are an intrinsic member of the workforce that stretches across all nursing teams from children to adults, community to acute and all aspects of both physical and mental health.

The RCN has a dedicated page for learning resources to help support nursing support workers. As part of your professional development, you can access the First Steps learning resource. This resource is mapped to the National Occupational Standards.

In 2020 ‘Nursing Support Workers’ day was launched. On this day, we celebrate the vital contribution that the Nursing Support Workers make to patient care across the UK.

Nursing Support Workers from each region and country have representation on the RCN UK Nursing Support Workers Committee.

The South East region NSW committee seat is vacant at present. If you would like to find out more about the role, you can read the Terms of Reference here or contact the regional office at Croydon or Newbury

If you would like to contact me directly you can do so by email ali.upton@reps.rcn.org.uk

Student Membership & The South East Region

Hello, and welcome to the first of several blogs discussing the South East region membership and how as a region we are stronger together.

This blog is about the Student membership, as a student you can bring your voice to the regional table as well as enhancing the diversity of the regional branches. In my previous blog about RCN South East Regional Board I explained about how the region is broken down into branches, find information about where your local branch is.

Student membership is £10.00 per year, working out at about 84p per month. Membership will support you through your student journey giving you access to Europe’s largest nursing library and e-library, support during placements and advice. Student membership also provides you with employment support and representation if you are working as a Nursing Support Worker whilst studying.

As a student member, you can become more actively involved in The RCN, this can be done by attending your local branch, becoming a Student Ambassador or standing in elections to represent the student membership.

In 2018 the student led campaign #FundOurFuture was started. The campaign started following the withdrawal of student funding in 2016; this saw the decline of people choosing to study nursing in England. Through tireless campaigning and pressure from the students in 2020 the government confirmed that from September 2020, all nursing students in England will receive at least £5,000 a year to help with living costs. This is a good start, the campaign continues, can you get involved?

Within the South East region we are really fortunate to have a great team of Student Ambassadors. Student Ambassadors play a vital role in connecting with the student membership to make positive changes within the nursing profession. Collectively they made this short film #WhatsMyWorth. As a Student Ambassador you will play a key role in engaging with your nursing peers.

However, we always have room for more. If you are interested in becoming a Student Ambassador we would like to hear from you.

We are fortunate in the South East region to have two very active student members.

Cyzel Gomez is the student representing you for the South East on the RCN Students Committee . You can contact her via Twitter or her RCN email

The second student from the South East to represent you is Alisha Brown . Alisha is newly elected to the Trade Union committee and represent students nationally across the UK. You can contact her via Twitter or her RCN email

You can follow the South East Student Ambassadors on Twitter here.

The South East regional board is passionate about connecting with the regional membership and that includes the student voice. As a member of the South East region you are welcome to come and observe the open board meetings and attend the bi-monthly coffee and chats. We want to hear the student voice at these events and, look forwards to welcoming you. Information about the board, including the meeting dates can be found here.

If you would like to contact me directly you can do so by email ali.upton@reps.rcn.org.uk

RCN South East Regional Board

Hello, my name is Ali Upton and I am the new chair of the RCN South East regional board.

I work full time within the Emergency Department as an Emergency Nurse Practitioner, am an accredited RCN Safety Representative and Chair of the RCN UK Safety Representatives committee.

The South East regional board meets three times a year. There are two parts to the meetings a confidential session and an open session. All members of the South East region are able to observe the open session by emailing your request to catherine.trevena@rcn.org.uk, this way she can notify you of the date, time and at present send you the Microsoft teams link to enable joining. You can find more detailed information about the regional board and the members here https://www.rcn.org.uk/southeast/about/regional-board

The South East region represents nurses, health care assistants, associate practitioners nursing students and midwives across Jersey, Guernsey, Brighton and Hove, East and West Sussex, East and West Kent, Medway, Surrey, Oxford, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Milton Keynes, Southampton, Ise of Wight and Portsmouth.

These areas of the South East region all have branches which work across the NHS, independent and social care sectors. Within these branches is an elected executive committee consisting of a chair, treasurer and secretary there are six branch executive positions and each individual branch utilises the remaining three roles in different ways. The branches are there and provide an opportunity for members to participate, shape and influence the work of the RCN. They can provide peer support and run educational programmes that can be utilised for revalidation. Any member of the South East region can attend these branch events and any member can become more involved in the branch by standing for elected positions at the annual branch AGM’s. Details of the branches can be found here

https://www.rcn.org.uk/southeast/get-involved/branches

The branches are a key conduit to get the voices of you, the members to the regional board to inform us of the concerns that you have and how you would like us to work with you for the benefit of the regional membership.

As a board we are keen to raise the communication channels between the board, branches and the membership. Each branch has a board link member; if you are unsure of yours please contact Cat Trevena on the email link above and she will be able to let you know yours.

Like you, board members have substantive roles and family commitments. Due to the large geographical reach of the region, it may not always be possible for them to make each of your branch meetings, but they all have a contact email that you can reach them on to raise concerns or to ask for clarification on a board or council matter.

The last two years have seen nursing and healthcare continue to deal with unsustainable pressures and the insulting pay award. Over the coming weeks we will be keeping you up to date and informed of the next steps The RCN will be taking. Please ensure your contact details and email addresses are up to date.

We need to hear your voice, your frustrations and your ideas for how you want to work collaboratively with the South East region to ensure that the regional picture is heard round the national table.

If you would like to contact me directly you can do so by email ali.upton@reps.rcn.org.uk

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is picture1.png — Ali Upton – South East Region Board Chair

RCN UK Safety Representatives Committee.

As 2020 comes to a close, the year has been very busy for the Safety Representatives committee.

I wished to take this opportunity to thank each and every committee member for their commitment to the committee and the workplan that guides the direction of the work we do.

Only meeting face to face in February that has not stopped the Health & Safety issues of the membership in the Countries and Regions being forefront in each representative on the committees minds.

I started the year as Vice Chair of the committee, with Denise McLaughlin representing Northern region as the Chair. It was an honour and a privilege to work alongside her and support her in the direction that she grew the committee; an inclusive, cohesive committee with every voice around the table having an equal value.

In October, with Denise changing direction in her career I stood for and was successful in being appointed Chair unopposed, with Elspeth Caithness – Scotland as Vice Chair.

2020 has bought it’s share of challenges not only for the committee but for each individual committee member be it workplace or personal challenges; we have rallied around and provided support and ensured the workplan has been a top priority, reviewing it at each meeting and ensuring the Covid-19 advice for members remains current.

We have received fantastic support and advice from Kim Sunley the ERD lead for Health & Safety within The RCN.

Michael Oyeleye – Eastern region, Neil Thompson – East Midlands, Ian Norris – London and myself, Ali Upton – South East are joined by Mitzi Wilson taking up a part term from September – West Midlands.

As we begin 2021 as a committee we welcome our newly elected members for the coming term commencing 1st January 2021. Elspeth Caithness – Scotland, Beverly Jones – South West, Helen Williams – Wales, Naomi Davis – North West, Andrew Tumilson – Northern Ireland.

We still have vacancies for Yorkshire & Humber and Northern region.

Lastly to Lesley Pallet – South West, Billy Nichols – Wales, Deborah Hammill – Yorkshire & Humber, Anne Campbell – Northern Ireland and Catherine Leach – North West regions. As they all come to the end of their respective terms on the committee, I would like to thank them all for their hard work, diligence and contributions they have made to ensure the Health & Safety of the RCN membership remains a high priority.

I don’t feel very jolly, so don’t ask me to ‘cheer up’!

Over the past few weeks I have been aware I have been withdrawing into myself.

I am in no way about to go back to the burnout state I found myself in earlier this year following ‘wave one’ of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the four months that I had away from work to recover, I worked hard to ensure I found time for myself. Time to walk – over 1,700 km in fact which aided my mental health and helped me to gain fitness, read or even just to be alone with my thoughts. I tried to ensure I did activities that made me focus on just me. Was that selfish, I don’t believe so; it was what I needed to do to ensure I recovered, to ensure I bought balance back to my life. I found a calmness in sewing and proceeded to make over 700 facemasks.

I was therefore off work when the UK ‘went back to normal’ shops, hairdressers, cinemas and bars opened. The UK seemed to go back to living as if there was no virus, people moaning about lockdown, moaning they couldn’t go clothes shopping, moaning about travelling abroad to go on holiday.

I was thankful I could sit in my mothers front room and see her. I visited weekly to do her shopping from the start of the pandemic. Between March and the end of June I would stand outside in her back garden, petrified if I ventured inside I could potentially pass the virus on. When I had been off work for a month I finally ventured inside, touching hardly anything, hand sanitising all the time; sitting 3 metres away from her and ensuring no physical contact, not even a hug.

When I went back to work in September, I made the decision to continue to go indoors but wear a surgical mask the whole time I was there, maintain 3 metres distance and maintain no physical contact and not have a drink or eat the whole time there.

Today I have made the toughest decision to go back to talking through the window, while I stand in the back garden. Mum can’t have her groceries delivered as she is unable to reach down to the drive to pick it up from where it is dropped. So she is reliant on me to bring her her weekly shopping. Her kitchen will return to being used as a delivery pod, where I can pass her shopping into whilst the connecting door to her dining room is closed – I will be wearing a mask to do this and sanitising my hands. She can then unpack her shopping and sit at her dining room table which is 2 metres from the window, where I will then stand outside.

But the continual fear does not stop there. When at home I am constantly concerned that I will ‘bring’ the virus home to my family. I am unable to stay away from home to reduce the risk due to caring responsibilities, so I carry this constant worry with me. It niggles at me all the time, I can’t talk it over with anyone as they don’t fully ‘get it’. Only people in the same situation will fully understand.

I have lost count of the colleagues that have died as a result of Covid-19, or the colleagues in the first wave I assessed who were so terribly unwell, some of whom are still suffering from Long Covid-19 symptoms now, and will continue to feel the effects for many months if not years to come.

My workplace were quick in distributing the Lateral Flow Tests twice weekly for staff to carry out at home – does that make me feel more secure. The answer is no it does not; every Tuesday & Saturday as I prepare to perform the test I get palpitations about what the result will be, whether it will be accurate or worst still what if it is positive; especially if I have recently been with Mum.

I had the Pfizer vaccine on the 10th December, did that make me feel any better? The answer again is no, the vaccine cannot ease the psychological effects that I deal with on a daily basis, because the concerns and worries I have do not disappear from one vaccine.

I have also lost track of how many people I have deleted from Facebook as their priorities seem to be to class Covid-19 as a hoax, as a means of being controlled by the Government, of being dictated to and not allowed to have ‘fun’. My family and I had fun over the summer, visiting places outside, walking along seafronts and generally staying away from people. We went away in October to a Covid-secure cottage in the middle of nowhere for a change of scenery. Even though I had friends down in that part of the country I didn’t arrange to meet up; we kept within our family unit and socially distanced from people when we were out.

As confirmed cases today rise to above 53,000 and I hear that where I work is preparing to enter Phase 3 (this means the majority of cases presenting to ED are Covid-19 cases). This means the role I do I will be re-deployed to another area within the ED, my role may change slightly. It will mean me witnessing people separated from their families at a time they need them around the most. I like many of my colleagues will endeavour to ensure that no one feels abandoned and alone; but I cannot comfort the relatives that have to leave their family member at the door, unsure if they will see them again. I will walk into work at the start of every shift like many of my colleagues wondering if today I may contract Covid-19, or if I will be faced seeing one of my colleagues names on the inpatient screen.

I have been told I am lucky to still have a job, that I ‘chose’ to be a nurse so therefore I need to ‘get on with it’! When using my NHS ID to go to the front of the queue in the first wave I was shouted at and told I was a ‘disease spreader’, needless to say I haven’t done that again! I spend one of my days off shopping, usually up to two hours in the supermarket getting our food shopping and my mothers. Thankfully the shelves are well stocked now and we do not have to queue around the car park for nearly an hour. However, they are full of people who don’t seem to possess the common sense of social distancing.

I did choose to be a nurse, and I am proud of that choice I made 34 years ago. I am bloody good at what I do, and don’t deserve to be vilified for making that career choice. However, I never thought that doing the job I love would affect me in the ways it has this year. Nor did I ever believe it would impact on my family as much as it has.

When once I would have brushed off comments or things not being done, now I snap; I hear myself being short tempered and hate myself for it. I snap at my Mum and instantly regret it, as I know she is anxious and worried. I snap at my husband and kids and then regret it as I know they have their own worries and insecurities. I feel bad for snapping at people but I can’t help it, I don’t possess the capacity anymore to be ‘nice’ outside of work. I don’t have the energy to rush around on my days off, tidying the house, pottering doing DIY, or even catching up on crafts.

If I am honest I want to be alone, I want to shut myself away and just come out to go to work and do my job. I, like many of my colleagues want this pandemic to be over, but it being over scares me just as much as it will then be years afterwards colleagues will be experiencing the effects from both Long Covid-19 and PTSD.

So forgive me if I don’t contact you, or have nothing to say except one word answers if you contact me, but my mind is whirling with all of the above. It doesn’t mean I don’t care or you have done something wrong. It just means I am reaching capacity and need to filter what I take on board and what I need to let go for another time – believe me that is hard enough as it is.

As for the doubters, the people on my ‘friends’ lists that believe that this is a hoax, please save me the job and remove yourself.

THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY ANYTIME SOON, SO PLEASE REMEMBER

HANDS, FACE, SPACE – BUT BETTER STILL, STAY AT HOME

Do you know about Fit Test and Fit Check?

What is a Fit Test?

According to the Health & Safety executive a ‘fit test’ tests the seal between the face piece and your face. This is a regulatory requirement. It is to ensure that the face piece forms an adequate seal with the users face to provide the intended protection.

What is a Fit Check?

Fit checking is not a regulatory requirement, but a check that should be carried out by the wearer of the face piece each time they put it on. This is not a formal requirement like fit testing, a fit check is good practice.

** When there is a change in the model of mask being used, then there needs to be a new fit test carried out before they are used**

Who carries out fit testing?

Fit testing should be conducted by a competent person. Competence can be demonstrated by accreditation under the Fit2Fit RPE Fit Test Providers Accreditation Scheme.

This scheme in not compulsory and employers can take other action that complies with law.

Fit Test report.

HSE guidance requires a fit test report/certificate to be made available to the employee.

Collective reports should be available to Safety Representatives as per HSE Guidance on Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) fit testing (2019).

Issues with Fit Testing

Capacity

If equipment to undertake fit testing is not being made available.
Multiple brands of masks supplied, an overstretched workforce with multiple Fit Tests applying additional pressures.
Employers relying on Fit Checks rather than Fit Tests

Design

Staff failing Fit Tests due to the design and suitability of the different brands supplied. Some brands are not suitable for smaller petite faces.
Employers have a duty to provide a Face Piece that fits these particular members of staff

Competency

Issues with training trainers
The efficiency of the process
Some organisations use external contractors to Fit Test – what assurances do they provide?

Failures

Facial hair impedes the seal
Quality of the testing can be an issue if the person being tested suffers from a loss of taste or if they are fasting for religious purposes.

REPEAT IF

There is weight loss or gain
Substantial dental work – change of jaw shape/swelling
Facial changes (scars, moles, aging) around the seal area
Facial piercings
Change in equipment

Useful Links:

www.rcn.org.uk/magazines/bulletin/2020/june/fit-test-vs-fit-check-covid-19

https://www.hse.gov.uk/respiratory-protective-equipment/fit-testing-basics.htm

https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/ppe-face-masks/face-mask-ppe-rpe.htm

What should you do if you are concerned the above is not happening?

The RCN views the lack of Fit Testing unacceptable
Staff at risk from exposure to Covid-19 in the workplace as a result of poorly fitting masks is avoidable and indefensible
As a member if you find the processes mentioned above are not happening you should complete an organisation incident report (Datix) and contact RCN Direct 0345 772 6100

Shattered glass doesn’t always break!

What holds a shattered glass together? What keeps those tiny pieces all connected, until that tiny tap sends them falling to the ground?

That’s how I have felt these last few months, like a piece of shattered glass was my exterior, looking through the fragments to the outside world one tap and it would all fall apart. I have gone through the motions, putting one foot in front of the other until one day blends into the next. Crying in corners, hoping tomorrow would be different. Why?because that’s who I am.

This year has seen a turmoil of emotions for all my family, we don’t have a large extended family. There is my Mum, Husband, Daughter, Son and my brother and his family; that’s it, no big extended family to provide support both emotionally and in the physical sense. I rely on my friends, those people who I have always been there for.

It seems to come naturally to me to put others first, to use intuition when I sense something isn’t quite right. They may have been silent for a few days, not posting as much on social media. That’s when I used to notice, to send the messages so that they know I am thinking of them and that even if they don’t want to or can’t answer they know I am there.

Those empty words that then when they are in a positive place ‘I’m always here for you, you just have to message’. Why do I have to make the first move?

So in my darkest of weeks/months I have come to realise that friendship for some is not the two way perspective I had always envisaged, it is clearly a ‘just in case they need someone’. When people say ‘I’m here for you’ I question that now and don’t really believe it, I have been proved that really they are just four words that roll off the tongue so easily with little meaning behind them.

I have friends, I know that (well I think I do lol) they are spread widely across the UK, the ones that pick up the sadness in my posts or statuses and private message me checking I am okay, I thank you. You have all helped to keep the shattered pieces close together so they don’t fall apart.

Many will feel this is bitterness or attention seeking, it isn’t meant to be it is actually a celebration of how far I have come. I felt like a piece of shattered piece of glass, that would break and fall apart so easily. I have learnt that the only person I can count on in my life is me. I have a family that counts on me too so even more important that I don’t break!

So what next?

Well I don’t need a dustpan and brush to pick up the pieces, I held them together somehow and I have come through. I have learnt I am not dependant on anyone, I can’t afford to be anymore. I won’t go back to sitting there hoping someone would message, if people message me they do, if they don’t then so be it I will not chase.

I am stronger than I believed I was; I may still be shattered, but I won’t be broken!