Policy News - 11 April 2023

The following policies have recently been ratified by the Trust’s Policy Committee.   Please take the time to review those which may be relevant to your role.  

Internet Acceptable Use Policy

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust) is connected to the internet in order to access national and international services and resources; modern business conduct would be impossible without such access.  However, being an unregulated space, the Trust must put in place controls to ensure the security and availability of this vital resource and safeguard the services that operate across it that are vital to the Trust’s continued performance and to ensure appropriate use.

This policy has been developed to cover specific risks associated with use of Internet services and in particular access to the World Wide Web.  This policy provides a framework for what the Trust considers to be acceptable use of the internet whilst conducting Trust business and / or accessing the internet from Trust owned devices, unacceptable use and best practice for ensuring security and confidentiality.   

This policy is not exclusive and should be read in conjunction with other guidance and policies relating to access to and use of information.  Specifically, staff must at all times be aware of the information governance issues and observe the principles that underpin the protection of confidential data. All staff accessing the Internet via a Trust device must ensure that they do so appropriately and in compliance with this policy.

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Nutrition and Hydration Policy

Meeting the nutritional requirements of patients throughout our hospitals is an integral part of effective healthcare and the provision of appropriate food and fluids to meet their needs is essential to maximise individual health outcomes.

The purpose of the policy is to outline the processes and prerequisites involved in optimising the nutrition and hydration of patients during their hospital stay and in the provision of food and beverages on the Trust sites.

The review of this policy has enabled updates to the made in line with national guidance and the inclusion of:-

• The addition of roles and responsibilities of the Nutrition and Hydration Steering Group.
• Inclusion of a list of appropriate equipment to be used for measuring height and weight and calculating BMI.
• Updated information on Fluid Monitoring requirements                           

This policy applies to clinical staff including locums, agency and staff on honorary contracts and those staff with roles relating to patient care working across inpatient services.

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