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Canada's nurses want national hiring and retention strategy amid staffing 'crisis' widespread burnout

Logan Giesbrecht left his dream job as an emergency room nurse when the mental health strain of an understaffed department became unbearable, even before the pandemic's fourth wave hit and anti-vaccination protesters began gathering outside hospitals.

“The biggest frustration, and what I'm taking home from work, was basically doing the job of more than one nurse,” said Giesbrecht, who feared low staffing levels would risk patient safety.

He quit working at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, Canada, last April.

Representatives for nurses around the country are calling on the federal government to come up with a national plan to attract and retain nurses during a “crisis” they say needed action long before the uptick in cases from the Delta variant.

Statistics Canada released data this week from the second quarter of 2021 showing a steep rise in job vacancies for both registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses, which are part of a single category in its analysis.

Those professions had the largest increase in vacancies of all occupations over a two-year period, up by 10,400 to 22,400 - a hike of nearly 86 per cent, the agency said, adding nearly half of the vacancies had been open for 90 days or more, compared with 24 days across all occupations.

Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, said it's not uncommon for some registered nursing positions to be vacant for a couple of weeks, as workers switch jobs within a hospital or health region, but having vacancies unfilled for 90 days or longer is unsustainable.

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Source: CP24 News, 24 September 2021

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Tennessee Board of Nursing’s unjust decision to revoke nurse’s license

The US Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has expressed its shock that the Tennessee (TN) Board of Nursing has recently revoked RaDonda Vaught’s professional nursing license indefinitely, fining her $3,000, and stipulating that she pay up to $60,000 in prosecution costs.

RaDonda was involved in a fatal medication error after entering “ve” in an automated dispensing cabinet (ADC) search field, accidentally removing a vial of vecuronium instead of VERSED (midazolam) from the cabinet via override, and unknowingly administering the neuromuscular blocking agent to the patient.

While the Board accepted the state prosecutor’s recommendation to revoke RaDonda’s nursing license, ISMP doubts that the Board’s action was just, and believe that it has set patient safety back by 25 years.

On September 27, 2019, in a stark reversal of a 2018 decision to take no licensing action against the nurse, the TN Board of Nursing filed disciplinary action against RaDonda that focused on three violations:

  • Unprofessional conduct related to nursing practice and the five rights of medication administration
  • Abandoning or neglecting a patient requiring nursing care
  • Failure to maintain a record of interventions.

During the hearing, RaDonda was given an opportunity to testify and defend herself; however, she never shrank from admitting her mistake. According to her defense attorney, her acceptance of responsibility for the error was immediate, extraordinary, and continuing. However, RaDonda also testified that the error was made because of flawed procedures at the hospital, particularly the lack of timely communication between the pharmacy computer system and the ADC, which led to significant delays in accessing medications and the hospital’s permission to temporarily override the ADC to obtain prescribed medications that were not yet linked to the patient’s profile in the ADC.

Although many questions regarding RaDonda’s alleged failures and the event remain unanswered, the Board still voted unanimously to strip RaDonda of her nursing license and levy the full monetary penalties allowed, noting that there were just too many red flags that RaDonda “ignored” when administering the medication.

The ISMP has asked whether the Board’s action was fair and just in this situation? 

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Source: ISMP, 12 August 2021

 

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Abuse became ‘normal’ at Birmingham care home, finds watchdog

A care home in Birmingham has been heavily criticised by the care watchdog after it found physical and verbal abuse of residents with learning disabilities and autism had become “normal”.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said it had put urgent restrictions on Summerfield House, in Birmingham, to stop any more people being admitted there.

The home was looking after four residents with disabilities in August when CQC inspectors found a string of concerns. Records revealed episodes of physical, verbal and emotional abuse of the residents with staff making threats to cancel activities or threatening to call the police.

The CQC found staff were not able to recognise abuse, citing an example where inspectors saw a person being hit on the head by another person with no action being taken.

The watchdog’s report said abuse was happening between residents and staff.

Debbie Ivanova, CQC deputy chief inspector for people with a learning disability and autistic people, said: “Our latest inspection of Summerfield House found a truly unacceptable service with a poor culture where abuse and people being placed at harm had become normal, with no action taken to prevent incidents from happening or reoccurring."

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Source: The Independent, 28 September 2021

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‘Nightmare’ fuel shortages hit care of vulnerable patients

Community and mental health service providers have warned the ongoing fuel crisis and other traffic disruption is starting to impact the care of vulnerable patients.

Warnings about a HGV drivers shortage have prompted the panic-buying of fuel, with many petrol stations running out or heavily congested.

Julia Winkless, a senior social worker and approved mental health professional in Suffolk, told HSJ clinical visits had to be cancelled as people were unable to get to work. 

Ms Winkless said: “We work over a very rural area, none of these petrol stations where [staff] live have got any fuel and we don’t know when there is going to be deliveries. Today, there were four mental capacity assessments cancelled.”

There is also disruption to patient transport. A senior source at a West Midlands patient transport provider which often conveys people to mental health services told HSJ: “It’s been a bit of a nightmare in all honesty. We turned down a request this morning for a patient going to London because of the fuel and because of the [climate protesters disrupting motorways]… ultimately those patients are either at home and distressed carrying a big risk in the community or [accident and emergency] departments which [are not] the right settings.”

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Source: HSJ, 28 September 2021

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NHS Highland pays out millions to bullied staff

NHS Highland says it expects to pay £3.4m in settlements to current and former staff who have complained of bullying.

Whistleblowers exposed a "culture of bullying" at NHS Highland in 2018. 

A Scottish government-commissioned review suggested hundreds of health workers may have experienced inappropriate behaviour. So far 150 cases have been settled since the start of a "healing process", costing the health board more than £2m.

Whistleblower Brian Devlin told BBC Scotland the scale of settlements made so far was "heartening", but he added that he continued to have concerns about bullying at the health board.

A group of Highlands GPs first complained of a culture of bullying at NHS Highland in September 2018.

Staff said they had not felt valued, respected or supported in carrying out "very stressful work". Others told of not being listened to when raising matters regarding patient safety concerns and decisions being made "behind closed doors".

The review also said that "many described a culture of fear and of protecting the organisation when issues are raised".

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Source: BBC News, 28 September 2021

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Digital Clinical Safety Strategy a ‘vote of confidence’ in technology

One week ago NHSX published the first of its kind Digital Clinical Safety Strategy – but what do industry leaders  think of the framework?

The strategy aims to help the NHS provide a safer service when using digital technology, including through training and better use of data.

Speaking to Digital Health News, Natasha Phillips, CNIO and director of patient safety at NHSX, said there was a clear demand for training in digital clinical safety in the NHS and that frontline staff were “excited” about learning more on using technology to improve safety.

The strategy aims to set out a “clear vision” and recommendations on how to use digital to improve safety, as well as expanding staff access to digital safety.

Sarah Hanbridge, chair of the Digital Health chief nursing information officer (CNIO) Network, welcomed the strategy but warned not to “underestimate” organisational changes it will require.

“Patient safety is all our responsibilities, as nurses and AHP’s [allied health professionals] delivering safe care is at the heart of what we do every day, proactively taking steps to prevent avoidable harm,” she told Digital Health News. “The Digital Clinical Safety Strategy has been welcomed by our [Digital Health] CNIO Network, as we know the benefits of how digital technologies can enhance patient safety in delivering care."

Reaction from suppliers has followed a similar pattern, with a recognition that safety needs to be embedded in the heart of digital.

Dr Constantin Jabarin, chief clinical information officer (CCIO) at Allscripts, said the strategy was a “vote of confidence” for digital health tools.

“As a clinician who also works for a technology company, I see the Digital Clinical Safety Strategy as a vote of confidence for digital solutions, rather than an obstacle, for improving patient safety issues,” he told Digital Health News.

“As a clinical user I can’t stress how important it is to design systems with the user and the patient in mind to ensure they contribute towards safer clinical practice.”

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Source: Digital Health News, 24 September 2021

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‘The system is broken’: Patients told to sit on chairs outside A&E

Sick patients have been forced to wait outside a hospital A&E department on chairs and wrapped only in blankets while being treated by nurses in shocking photographs and videos captured by one worried relative.

The situation, at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, is a regular occurrence, workers have told The Independent.

Footage shared with The Independent by a concerned member of the public shows one patient being cannulated, where a needle and intravenous line is inserted into a vein, while another patient has a monitor attached to track their vital signs.

Patients waiting outside the A&E were said to be extremely sick, with some vomiting and complaining of worsening symptoms.

“It was like something out of a horror movie,” said Maria, who has asked for her surname not to be used. “The system is completely broken from the beginning to the end..."

Addenbrooke’s Hospital has been under severe pressure for months with patients queuing out the door earlier this year and patients waiting over 24 hours for a bed. One mental health patient was detained in the back of an ambulance for over 12 hours.

It is just one symptom of a nationwide summer crisis in the NHS, with the military called in to support ambulance services that have reported their busiest months ever. A&E units are also witnessing record levels of attendance.

Patients are being made to wait so regularly outside Addenbrooke’s A&E that heat lamps have been installed on the walls outside one entrance, used by non-Covid patients. The hospital has also built a marquee as a permanent space for waiting patients.

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Source: The Independent, 28 September 2021

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Hospitals in England can relax Covid rules to treat more patients

Hospitals in England have been given the green light to ease some of the Covid infection-control measures that have been in place during the pandemic.

The changes, recommended by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), are aimed at easing pressure on the NHS.

It says testing and isolating patients before planned operations can be dropped and hospitals can return to normal cleaning procedures.

Social distancing can also be reduced from 2m (6ft) to 1m in some areas.

UKHSA chief executive Dr Jenny Harries said the new recommendations would help local hospitals plan more elective care.

"This is a first step to help the NHS treat more patients more quickly, while ensuring their safety and balancing their different needs for care," she said.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: "As ever more people benefit from the protection of our phenomenal vaccination campaign, we can now safely begin to relieve some of the most stringent infection controls where they are no longer necessary, to benefit patients and ease the burden on hardworking NHS staff."

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Source: BBC News, 28 September 2021

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NHS backlog disproportionately affecting England’s most deprived

The NHS backlog is being disproportionately shouldered by people in poorer areas, according to new research, amid a stark warning that waiting lists are likely to “grow significantly” because millions of people did not seek help during the pandemic.

Waiting lists for routine treatments have grown by 50% in the most deprived parts of England, compared with nearly 35% in the most affluent areas. Those in deprived areas were also nearly twice as likely as those in the wealthiest to wait more than a year for treatment, according an analysis by the King’s Fund.

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, warned that the long waiting lists were in danger of leading to privatisation of the NHS.

“Waiting times have got so bad that you’ve got people taking out payday loans, sometimes even remortgaging their homes, because they cannot bear the pain, or the disruption to their lives, or fear they will lose their lives,” he said. “That is eroding the fundamental universal system that we created.”

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Source: The Guardian, 27 September 2021

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COVID-19 bereaved families group hopes PM will 'take us seriously' at meeting

The co-founder of a coronavirus bereaved families group has said he hopes Boris Johnson will "at long last... take us seriously" when he meets them at Number 10 today.

Matt Fowler said it is vital the prime minister understand the need to start a public inquiry as soon as possible.

Mr Johnson will meet members of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group today - more than a year after promising to meet people whose loved ones had died.

They will share how their family members caught the disease and died, and repeat calls for a public inquiry to get priority.

The group plans to raise issues with the PM such as the disproportionate effect of COVID on some ethnic groups, transmission of the disease on public transport and in the workplace, the impact of late lockdowns, and failures to learn from the first wave.

Boris Johnson previously said the inquiry would start in spring 2022.

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Source: Sky News, 28 September 2021

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NHS waits: More people feeling forced into private healthcare

"To be put in a position where you're basically begging off people, it's infuriating."

Last October, 12-year-old Hayden Kildea was diagnosed with severe scoliosis, a condition where the spine twists and curves to the side. Left untreated, it can become a dangerous and life-limiting condition.

The Kildeas, who live in Strabane, Northern Ireland, say they were told Hayden would need urgent surgery - but that because of the backlog caused by the pandemic, he would have to wait more than two years.

His mum Shauna found a clinic in Turkey that was able to carry out the operation immediately, but it would cost £50,000 - money the family didn't have. So in the summer, they turned to crowdfunding and campaigning to raise the money.

Millions of people across the UK are currently on NHS waiting lists - in Northern Ireland there are over 465,000 people, while in England, 5.6m are queuing for treatment.

Data shared with BBC Panorama shows that on average, waiting lists have grown by 50% in the most deprived parts of England since the start of the pandemic, compared with nearly 35% in the most affluent areas.

The research, conducted by the King's Fund, also shows that people on waiting lists in poorer areas are nearly twice as likely as those in wealthier areas to wait more than one year for treatment.

The Health and Social Care Board in Northern Ireland said patient demand continued "to exceed capacity across a range of specialties". It added: "As a result, even before the pandemic, the number of people waiting longer than the target waiting times was increasing."

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Source: BBC News, 27 September 2021

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Trusts struggle with growing backlog of uninvestigated incidents

The backlog of serious clinical incidents that need investigating is building up throughout the NHS, due to the impact of coronavirus and emergency service pressures.

Concerns have been raised by commissioners in some areas over the delays. Meanwhile, patients and families who have been harmed are waiting longer to see their cases resolved and the organisations involved are not learning the lessons taught by care failures as quickly as they should. 

Staff redeployment or absences due to COVID-19 are among the reasons why many investigations are being delayed. As result, trusts are attempting to recruit additional investigators to manage their backlogs.

Tina Ivanov, the trust’s director of quality governance, said: “Learning from serious incidents when they occur is an important part of our improvement culture.

“We are increasing the number of trained investigators at the trust and have brought in additional resource to help complete the outstanding investigations. The reasons for the increase in outstanding serious incidents include staff absences and clinical pressures.”

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Source: HSJ, 27 September 2021

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Fears over NHS plan to close all local ambulance stations in London

NHS bosses plan to shut every local ambulance station in London, prompting fears that patients could be harmed if 999 crews take longer to reach them, the Guardian can reveal.

The London ambulance service (LAS) has started a controversial programme to close all 68 ambulance stations and replace them with 18 new “ambulance deployment centres” or “hubs”.

A patient group has criticised the plan as “dangerous” and MPs are worried that having fewer ambulance stations around the capital could mean patients wait longer to get to hospital.

“This move to shut every ambulance station in London could cause significant harm to patients because of the delays that will take place in getting to them,” said Malcolm Alexander, the chair of the LAS Patients’ Forum, a non-statutory watchdog, and Hackney Healthwatch, a government-funded statutory body that scrutinises NHS services in the east London borough.

“We have come across many situations where people have suffered harm because ambulances have taken too long to get there. It looks like this is quite dangerous from the point of view of patient safety.”

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Source: The Guardian, 25 September 2021

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Milly Main: Criminal investigation over hospital deaths

Police have launched a criminal investigation into a number of deaths at a Glasgow hospital, including that of 10-year-old Milly Main. It comes as a separate public inquiry into the building of several Scottish hospitals is being held.

Milly's mother recently told the inquiry her child's death was "murder".

A review in May found an infection which contributed to Milly's death was probably caused by the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital environment.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has now instructed police to investigate the deaths of Milly, two other children and 73-year-old Gail Armstrong at the Glasgow campus. It is understood the probe could lead to criminal charges or a fatal accident inquiry.

A spokesperson said: "The investigation into the deaths is ongoing and the families will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments."

The Crown Office added that it was committed to supporting the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry and "contributing positively" to its work.

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Source: BBC News, 26 September 2021

 
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Labour launches bid to end NHS ‘culture of secrecy’ and improve safety following care scandals

Labour is to push for key changes to the government’s NHS reforms, with new laws on transparency in the NHS and a demand for safe staffing levels on hospital wards, following a series of scandals relating to failures in patient care.

Amendments to the government’s Health and Care Bill will also include plans for the investigation of stillbirths by medical examiners, and for limits on the power of the health secretary to interfere in investigations.

Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth believes the changes – which also include giving local NHS regions the ability to object to some spending limits if they consider them to pose a risk to patient safety – will attract the support of Conservative MPs.

In an exclusive interview with The Independent ahead of the Labour Party conference in Brighton, Mr Ashworth said it was vital that the NHS learned from mistakes and improved its record on safety, which he said could only be achieved through greater transparency.

“Patient safety has been forgotten in this bill. The patient voice has been ignored. Patients are like the ghosts in the machine,” he said.

“The bill is going through parliament, and we are putting down amendments to improve it as best we can. We want to put in the bill a framework to deliver greater patient safety, because after all, it should be the golden thread running through every aspect of healthcare delivery."

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Source: The Independent, 26 September 2021

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‘Horrendous’ patient death after staff mistake physical injuries for mental health condition

A patient died from a serious spinal injury after emergency staff incorrectly attributed his physical condition to his mental health issues, an inquest heard.

Robert Walaszkowski, who had been detained at a secure mental health unit run by North East London Foundation Trust in October 2019, suffered a serious injury after running into a door on the unit.

Staff from London Ambulance Service did not suspect a spinal injury and he was taken to the emergency department at Queen’s Hospital in Romford with a suspected head injury. An inquest heard he did not receive a spinal examination and imaging of the spine, despite this being required due to the nature of his injury and presentation.

He was discharged from A&E the following day, and was then placed on the floor of a private patient transport vehicle, to be transported back to the mental health unit, Goodmayes Hospital. He arrived at the hospital unresponsive. He never recovered consciousness and died of his injuries a month later.

An inquest jury has recorded a narrative conclusion and found that neglect contributed to Robert’s death.

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Source: HSJ, 24 September 2021

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TikTok video of IUD removal at home prompts warning from health authorities

A TikTok user who went viral with a video of herself removing her implanted birth control device has prompted calls among sexual health experts for better monitoring of social media platforms.

In a video which has gained over 178,000 likes, TikTok user Mikkie Gallagher is filmed performing a ‘DIY IUD removal’ wearing medical gloves, writing on top of the post: “A lot easier than I thought TBH,” and “Catch of the day: Mirena IUD, 2 inches”.

An intrauterine device (IUD) is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy and sometimes assist in relieving period pain. They usually need to be taken out every five to 10 years depending on the type. Women can choose when to have them removed.

Family Planning Victoria CEO, Claire Vissenga, said she found it very concerning that “DIY could pass as healthcare or professional assistance”.

“... it’s just a ridiculous thing to do. Removing an IUD potentially does physical damage, and could complicate contraception,” says Vissenga

Family Planning medical director, Kathleen McNamee, said 80% of DIY IUD removals failed, leading to GP or emergency visits.

“If the person dislodges the IUD in a failed attempt, it could no longer be effective as a contraceptive method and result in an unwanted pregnancy,” she said.

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Source: The Guardian, 24 September 2021

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Hospitals consider ‘risky’ dilution of ICU nursing ratios

NHS trusts in London are looking to dilute their intensive care nurse-to-patient ratios due to workforce shortages, according to a leading critical care nurse.

Nicki Credland, chair of the British Association of Critical Care Nurses, told HSJ’s Patient Safety Congress that trust leaders in London have discussed relaxing the ratios from one nurse per patient, to one nurse per 1.75 patients.

ICU staffing ratios have been intermittently diluted throughout the covid pandemic, but this has previously been used as a temporary measure.

Ms Credland, a keynote speaker at the event on Tuesday, suggested some trusts are now looking at a permanent shift away from one-to-one care. She added: “What we are seeing now is that certain trusts in the country are doing exactly what we were worried about."

“Starting to move away from those [guidelines for the provision of intensive care services] standards that we have, that protect both us as nurses but also protect the patient’s safety as well."

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Source: HSJ, 24 September 2021

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Return of the common cold: infections surge in UK as autumn arrives

The return of schools and the arrival of autumn means common colds and other respiratory infections are firmly on the rise, spreading coughs and sneezes, more severe illnesses, and prompting some to report their worst colds ever.

According to Public Health England, there is no particularly nasty new virus doing the rounds, but as cases rise, experts warn that people can expect more frequent infections and more serious symptoms now the UK is emerging from lockdown.

Common colds and other respiratory tract infections tend to ramp up in September when the schools go back and autumn arrives, but after 18 months of social distancing and mask wearing, many people are thought to have weaker immune defences to protect themselves against the onslaught of respiratory viruses.

With reduced immunity across the board, people may fall ill with viruses they would normally have fended off with little trouble, or develop co-infections that make them feel more poorly. This is particularly likely if the viruses that have been kept at bay by anti-Covid measures all bounce back at once.

“We don’t know what we’re going to see with common colds this season,” said Prof Ronald Eccles, former director of the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University. “We’re seeing this increase now, but the whole system has been knocked out of kilter by the fact that we’ve been socially distancing and wearing masks, and children have not had that immunity over the past year or so.”

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Source: The Guardian, 24 September 2021

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Mental health unit death raises coroner fears

A coroner has raised concerns about how a family was allowed to bring a restricted item that contributed to a man's death into a mental health unit.

Joshua Sahota, 25, died as a result of asphyxia and psychosis in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on 9 September 2019.

Suffolk coroner Nigel Parsley said Mr Sahota's relatives were not told the item they brought in when visiting was on a restricted list.

The NHS trust which runs the unit said it had improved its internal processes.

Mr Sahota, from Kennett in Cambridgeshire, was taken to the Wedgewood Unit on the West Suffolk Hospital site three weeks before his death as his mental health had declined. 

Insufficient staffing levels contributed to his death, an inquest jury at Suffolk Coroner's Court concluded.

Other factors included insufficient observations and one-to-one processes, no clear and concise risk assessments, being slow to develop a care plan and the absence of a documented crisis plan.

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Source: BBC News, 21 September 2021

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ICS leaders must have courage to put quality first, says CQC chief inspector

The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) outgoing chief inspector of hospitals has called on integrated care system leaders to be ‘courageous’ in putting quality first.

Speaking at the HSJ’s Patient Safety Congress, Ted Baker implored ICS leaders to not focus solely on financial and operational targets, although he also acknowledged “there is a lot of pressure to meet [those] targets”.

In his speech yesterday, he said: “It’s often taken really courageous leaders to put quality first ahead of financial targets and operational targets… You have to be courageous to do that and I think some of the leaders of the ICSs, they need to be that courageous.

“They need to focus on quality and safety within an [ICS] and not, if you like, go down the kind of NHS path of focusing on financial and operational targets.

“If we can do that, we can have a really transformative effect on integrated care across [the] system. I suppose that’s what I’m asking for: courage from all of us to tackle some of the cultural issues in the NHS."

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Source: HSJ, 22 September 2021

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Watchdog warns its powers will be weakened by Health and Care Bill reforms

The health service ombudsman has warned he will ‘be in no position to investigate’ the behaviour of another watchdog under the government’s health service reforms.

Rob Behrens, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, said plans to create a “closed safe space” for the information provided by clinicians to the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) will mean a reduction in his powers and he will not be able to hold HSIB to account.

Mr Behrens, speaking at HSJ’s Patient Safety Congress, said that although coroners would be able to access information gathered by HSIB investigations under the reforms, the ombudsman would not be able to access this “safe space” without the permission of the High Court.

The reforms would see HSIB become a new statutory independent organisation, the Health Service Safety Investigations Body, and prohibit the disclosure of “protected material” such as information or documents obtained during investigations.

However, this prohibition of disclosure would not apply to information required by coroners, ordered by the High Court or necessary to investigate an offence or address a “serious and continuing” safety risk to a patient or the public.

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Source: HSJ, 22 September 2021

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Major trust forced to restrict chemotherapy amid staff shortages

A major acute trust in the East Midlands has been forced to restrict how much chemotherapy it is able to offer due to staff shortages.

Nottingham University Hospitals Trust confirmed in a statement its chemotherapy service has been affected by long-term staff sickness and staff vacancies. 

A trust spokeswoman said: “We continue to provide chemotherapy to patients who benefit most from the treatment and the small number of patients affected have been contacted directly by their specialist cancer team and offered support.”

She added: “We are recruiting to posts as well as working with neighbouring NHS and private providers to ensure that any delays are minimal.”

The trust added all its patient care decisions adhered to national guidance aimed at helping chemotherapy centres categorise and prioritise treatments when these situations arise.

The Nottingham Post first reported the difficulties facing the trust, suggesting the restrictions would specifically affect palliative care patients who receive chemotherapy at NUH’s City Hospital site.

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Source: HSJ, 23 September 2021

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NHS Scotland's 'biggest crisis' in five charts

Scotland's Health Secretary Humza Yousaf says the NHS is facing the "biggest crisis" of its existence.

There's a shortage of beds, the demand for ambulances is soaring and waits in accident and emergency departments are getting longer.

On top of that, COVID-19 admissions have been rising fast as the number of infections in Scotland spiralled at the end of the summer.

BBC News share five charts illustrating the enormous pressures currently being felt by NHS Scotland.

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Source: BBC News, 23 September 2021

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Children’s NHS mental health referrals double in pandemic

Record numbers of children and young people are seeking access to NHS mental health services, figures show, as the devastating toll of the pandemic is revealed in a new analysis.

In just three months, nearly 200,000 young people have been referred to mental health services – almost double pre-pandemic levels, according to the report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Experts say the figures show the true scale of the impact of the last 18 months on children and young people across the country.

“These alarming figures reflect what I and many other frontline psychiatrists are seeing in our clinics on a daily basis,” said Dr Elaine Lockhart, the college’s child and adolescent faculty chair. “The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the nation’s mental health, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that children and young people are suffering terribly.”

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Source: The Guardian, 23 September 2021

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