Lower ground floor: hygienic use of toilet facilities

I wrote to you just over a week ago with an offer of help and support in case you are feeling stressed or unwell at the moment. I particularly mentioned eating distress because we have noticed that there has been frequent soiling of the toilet facilities on your floor with vomitus, first before Christmas, but worse this term.

No one has asked for help so far, although of course that offer remains open and will remain open for the rest of the year. I have included a copy of my last letter with this one in case you misplaced it before.

The soiling of the toilet facilities, however, has become a greater problem. This must now stop immediately.

As well as vomitus in and around the toilet, we have seen toilets blocked with paper and sanitary products – and even a toilet brush. This is very unfair on other uses of those facilities, extremely unpleasant for the cleaners, and poses a hygiene risk, particularly in view of our recent outbreak of diarrhoea & vomiting. This can only be deliberate: sanitary products and toilet brushes do not put themselves into the toilets. And whilst all of us at Connaught Hall will do our utmost to help and support anyone who is experiencing mental or physical health challenges, we will not allow the continued deliberate soiling of toilet facilities.

Please follow this guidance:

1. Place any sanitary products for disposal in the bins provided. 
   Do not put them in the toilet.
   
2. Use the sanitizer spray provided and a small amount of toilet tissue to clean the toilet seat before use (if you wish to). 
   Do not put layer upon layer of tissue on the toilet seat, as this causes blockages when it is flushed away.
   
3. If you have an accident and soil the toilet seat or the area surrounding the toilet, please use the cleaning spay and some toilet tissue to wipe it up and then flush away the tissue. 
   Do not leave faeces or vomitus on the seat or around the toilet.
   
   Cleaning spray has now been provided, so there is no excuse for leaving a mess.
   
4. After you have flushed the toilet, use a brush if necessary to clean it. Do not use a brush while there is still tissue in the toilet bowl.
   
5. If you notice any soiling of the bathroom or toilet facilities, please report it immediately:

• Phone reception (extension 8200) and tell them what the problem is; and
• Send an email to suggestions@connaught-hall.org.uk so we can build up a record of exactly when this is happening. This should help us to track down the person responsible.
• If you have any suspicion of who might be responsible, please talk to me in confidence.

I hope this is clear. Allow me to stress again that if you are experiencing problems right now, we will do our best to help and support you. Provided there is not more soiling of the toilet facilities, there will be no disciplinary repercussions. If, however, this mess continues to be a problem, I will have no option but to pursue this as a disciplinary matter, for the sake of all the other residents on the lower ground floor.

As always, please contact me if you need any help, advice, or further explanation.

Toilet isolation lifted this morning

There have been no new reports of residents being unwell with diarrhoea and vomiting for over 36 hours.

This morning, as each toilet block is cleaned, the yellow triangle and green tick signs will be removed and all bathrooms will be back in normal use for everyone except:

• on the first floor, the single toilet next to room 128; and
• on the second floor, the single toilet next to room 228.

These two toilets will be for the exclusive use of people who have had any diarrhoea and/or vomiting within the last 48 hours.

If you have had diarrhoea and/or vomiting within the last 48 hours, we ask that you please only use one of these two toilets, until you have been free from symptoms for 48 hours.

We should be able to return these two toilets to normal use tomorrow or Wednesday, provided no one else becomes unwell.

Food poisoning investigation

The pattern of cases of diarrhoea & vomiting so far is more suggestive of person-to-person spread than of food poisoning, but we always conduct a full investigation into food safety whenever there is an outbreak of this type of illness in Hall.

The catering team will send food samples for analysis if there is any food left from Thursday night, which is when most people became unwell. 

It is also really helpful if anyone who is unwell sees their GP and has a stool sample sent for analysis. This is the only sure way to determine what the cause of this illness is.

Finally, we ask that everyone who has been affected completes this form and sends it to info.connaught@london.ac.uk or hands a printed copy to the Hall Manager on Monday morning:

connaught-hall.org.uk/documents/AllegedFoodPoisoningReport.doc

D&V: Fewer notifications in last 24 hours

Only two new notifications of people being unwell with diarrhoea and vomiting have come through in the last 24 hours. If there are no more notifications overnight tonight, we may be able to reduce the number of toilets reserved for sick people on Sunday morning.

It is extremely important that if you are unwell with diarrhoea and vomiting today - or if you have been in the last two days, but haven't told us yet - that you tell us by email. If we don't have accurate numbers and locations of those who are sick, we cannot make a proper assessment of when to relax the isolation precautions, and we cannot help you individually if we don't know you're unwell!

We need you to tell us by email: not in person, telephone, Facebook, or any other means. This helps us to keep an accurate log and ensures that everyone who needs to know does know in a timely manner. 

So if you are or have been unwell in the last two days, please send an email to both wardens.team@connaught-hall.org.uk and info.connaught@london.ac.uk. Please send an email even if you have already told a member of staff verbally or by some other means.

In your email, please mention:

• your name and room number;
• what are your symptoms? (e.g. diarrhoea, vomiting, fever?);
• when did your symptoms first start?;
• did you eat in the dining hall at Connaught Hall on Thursday night, and if so, what did you eat?
• do you need any practical help from us right now?

There is lots of information about this outbreak, and tips on how to look after yourself if you are diarrhoea and/or vomiting, at connaught-hall.org.uk/vomiting.html. 

Updates are being posted here on my blog. You can see them all at connaughthall.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/vomiting%20February%202014.

Getting food from the dining hall if you are unwell

If you are currently unwell with diarrhoea and/or vomiting, or have been within the last 48 hours, please try to limit the number of visitors you have and don't eat in the dining hall.

We have asked the kitchen to let your friends collect food for you over the weekend, and bring it to your room. Please get in touch with a friend and ask them to collect your meals for you.

If we stop the spread of this illness promptly now, it will be much easier to contain. We all have a part to play but isolating ourselves if we are sick, helping friends, and making sure we all wash our hands with soap and water frequently.

Handwashing

Washing your hands with soap & water is the most important thing you can do to prevent the spread of illnesses like flu and norovirus.

It is really important that you wash your hands with soap and water frequently, and ALWAYS:

• after using the bathroom;
• after coughing, sneezing, or vomiting;
• after contact with someone who is unwell;
• before eating or preparing food.

Full information about self-care and handwashing, etc, at http://www.connaught-hall.org.uk/vomiting.html.

Separate toilets for people with diarrhoea & vomiting

We now have 9 residents who have told us they are unwell with diarrhoea and/or vomiting. The true number is likely to be higher and some may have already contracted the illness but not developed symptoms yet.

To help prevent the spread of infection, s

ome bathrooms have been designated for the exclusive use of people who are unwell, and some for the exclusive use of people who have not been unwell for at least 48 hours. 

If you're unwell (or have been within 48 hours), only use bathrooms with a yellow triangle. 

If you are well (and haven't been unwell in the last 48 hours), only use bathrooms with a green tick.

And always... wash your hands!

Full information about self-care and handwashing, etc, at http://www.connaught-hall.org.uk/vomiting.html.

Have you been unwell in the last 24 hours?

We are aware of a number of cases of diarrhoea and vomiting in the Hall. It is vital that we establish how many people are affected, so we can put infection control precautions in place if necessary.

If you've been unwell with diarrhoea and/or vomiting in the last 24 hours, please email us ASAP at wardens.team@connaught-hall.org.uk and info.connaught@london.ac.uk. We need to know:

a) your name and room number;

b) what are your symptoms? (e.g. diarrhoea, vomiting, fever?);

c) when did your symptoms first start?;

d) did you eat in the dining hall at Connaught Hall on Thursday night, and if so, what did you eat?

e) do you need any practical help from us right now?

We will use your email to keep a list of everyone affected, and a member of staff will check that you're OK within 8 hours of receipt. If you need help more urgently, contact reception (extension 8200) and ask for the Duty Senior Member, available 24 hours a day over the weekend. If lots of people are affected, we may need to set up separate toilets for those who are ill, so as to avoid spreading their illness to others. We always notify our caterers of any outbreak of diarrhoeal illness in Hall, so they can commence an investigation into any possible allegations of food poisoning, although a viral illness such as Norovirus is more likely.

If you are ill with diarrhoea and vomiting, please visit your GP today if possible, tell them several residents have been unwell with the same symptoms, and ask if they will send a stool sample for you. This will help us work out which bug has caused people to be unwell, and maybe where ...it came from.

Remember to drink plenty of clear fluids, use paracetamol to relieve pain and/or fever, and let a friend know that you're unwell. Please observe strict hygiene in the bathrooms to avoid passing any bugs to others! There is more advice about self-treatment of diarrhoea and vomiting here: nhs.uk/Conditions/Diarrhoea/Pages/Treatment.aspx.

If you are not affected by any symptoms, please remember to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom or visiting anyone who is unwell. This will help ensure you don't catch anything.

I have put up more information on a dedicated page on our website: connaught-hall.org.uk/vomiting.html. 

Visit this link for blog updates on the situation: connaughthall.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/vomiting%20February%202014 

Lower ground floor: Looking after your wellbeing & welfare

We know that coming back to college after the Christmas break can be a really stressful time. Academic stress from exams and coursework deadlines, as well as the stress of making plans for accommodation next year, adds up and can take its toll on your personal welfare – sometimes in ways you couldn’t have predicted.

Recently, we have noticed frequent evidence of vomiting in the early evenings in the female toilets on your floor. We’re worried that someone might be feeling distressed and we want to help.

Here in Hall, the Senior Members and I are used to listening to residents’ worries and concerns. As Warden, as also in my other career as a medical doctor, I have many years’ experience of helping students like you deal with a whole array of issues, from self-harm and problems with food to relationship breakdown and revision problems. The Senior Members have all received mental health awareness training, including eating distress. We are here to listen, to understand, and to guide you to the best sources of help.

Conversations with us are confidential: the Senior Members might need to tell me about something if they’re worried, but we will only contact anyone outside the team if we consider that you are in immediate danger. So you really can come and talk to us about absolutely anything.

You can read about what we do and how we can help at www.connaught-hall.org.uk/pages/welfare/support.htmland there’s more about us in the Resident’s Handbook (http://handbook.connaught-hall.org.uk).

If you would like our help with something:

• email me for an appointment – warden@connaught-hall.org.uk (I have some time available on Sunday evening this week);
• come to an open office session – openoffice.connaught-hall.org.uk;
• text me (if you want to be anonymous) on 07 907 753 894;
• contact Joe, the Senior Member for your floor – joe.mason@connaught-hall.org.uk – or Vikki, if you would prefer to talk with a female Senior Member – vikki.easton@connaught-hall.org.uk; or
• ask reception to call the Duty Senior Member between 6pm and 9pm any evening (or overnight in a real emergency) – you don’t have to tell the security officer what the problem is; just say you really need to see the Duty Senior Member.

If you’re distressed about something but not ready or willing to speak with one of us yet, please consider checking out or calling one of these sources of external help:

Mental wellbeing

SAMARTIANS

Talk things through with a trained volunteer on the phone, by text, or at their Central London branch (9am-9pm): 46 Marshall Street, London W1F 9BFCentral London branch: www.cls.org.uk

08 457 90 90 90  -  www.samaritans.org.uk  -  Text: 07 725 90 90 90  -  jo@samaritans.org.uk

LONDON NIGHTLINE

Student volunteers offering telephone support

020 7631 0101  -  Skype: londonnightline  -  www.nightline.org.uk

THE MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION

www.mentalhealth.org.uk

MIND

Support, information, and lots of advice leaflets on their website

www.mind.org.uk  -  0300 123 3393

Eating distress & food problems

B-EAT

www.b-eat.co.uk

NATIONAL EATING DISORDERS ASSN

www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of us. We really do want to help.

Vomiting illness

We are aware of at least five cases of a vomiting illness in Hall in the past 36 hours. If you are or have been unwell this weekend with a fever, diarrhoea, and/or vomiting, please let us know at info.connaught@london.ac.uk and warden@connaught-hall.org.uk so we can gauge how many people are affected and whether outbreak control measures are required.

Meanwhile, please remember to wash your hands thoroughly with soap & water after using the bathroom. If you develop vomiting or diarrhoea, try not to mingle with others until 48 hours after your last bout of illness.

Further information will be posted at http://www.connaught-hall.org.uk/vomiting.html as soon as possible.