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Keep up to date with the latest news, research and activity in patient safety.

New data reveals trusts with biggest number of patients on waiting lists

New data published by NHS England has revealed the number of patients waiting at more than 18 months and 2 years.
Insights show the trusts waiting times were not particularly caused by the pandemic, but rather had a backlog since before the outbreak of Covid-19. 
Read full story.(paywalled)
Source: HSJ, 10 June 2021
Patient-Safety-Learning

Report finds ethnic minority staff face 'regular discrimination'

A new report published by Devon Clinical Commissioning Group, consultancy Nous reveals worrying examples of discrimination towards ethnic minority staff. 
It has been noted that attempts at progress and improving equality has had 'limited effectiveness' with ethnic minorities experiencing minimal resources to carry out their roles. 
Findings showed ethnic minorities faced barriers to appropriate care with staff experiencing "substantial inequalities".  
Read full story.(paywalled)
Source: HSJ, 10 June 2021
Patient-Safety-Learning

Hospitals told to change the way they identify patients ill from Covid-19 and those testing positive

The NHS has been advised to change the way they identify patients who are sick from coronavirus and those who test positive. 
Up until now, hospitals have recorded patients sick from the virus and those who tested positive together, whether they presented with symptoms or not. The new advice has been given with the hope that it will reduce the numbers of patients in hospital for the virus.
Read full story.
Source: The Independent, 9 June 2021
 
Patient-Safety-Learning

Warning issued for staff wearing PPE during warm weather

NHS hospitals have been advised to protect all staff wearing PPE during the warmer weather amid concerns the higher temperatures could increase the risk of heat stress. 
A letter from Public Health England sent across GP surgeries, pharmacies and hospitals, have recommended that staff wearing PPE should be given regular breaks and have a buddy system so that signs of heat stress can be spotted early on. 
The letter describes how PPE may need to be changed more frequently which may increase demand. 
Symptoms of heat stress are similar to heat exhaustion and the necessary actions should be taken to help avoid overheating. 
Read full story.
Source: The Independent, 10 June 2021
Patient-Safety-Learning

Royal College of Nursing demands better research on women's health

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has submitted evidence to a consultation run by the Department of Health and Social Care. 
The RCN has raised concerns that female patients are not listened to which results in delayed diagnosis and poor patient outcomes. 
It has also been suggested that there needs to be a bigger focus on designing services for women's needs and provide better support for women in the workplace, particularly in the healthcare sector. 
Read full story.
Source: RCN, 10 June 2021
Patient-Safety-Learning

Calls for urgent action to prevent learning disability deaths

An urgent call for action has been issued in order to help prevent learning disability deaths. 
Life expectancy among people with learning disabilities is at least 25 years less than the rest of the population. A report comparing data found that while life expectancy had increased, inequality was still an issue. 
Data findings have showed there was a higher incidence of death among those with learning disabilities during the pandemic, with April 2020 showing 59% of all deaths were due to the virus. 
Moreover, the pandemic has seen further access to healthcare inequalities, in one such instance the father of a man with Down's Syndrome was told by a doctor that should his son require the use of a ventilator, access would be denied. 
Read full story.
Source: BBC News, 12th June 2021
 
Patient-Safety-Learning

'Metabolically healthy' patients with obesity should still be given weight management advice

It has been recommended by UK researchers that patients, regardless of their metabolic rate, should be given weight management advice as people with obesity were still at risk of diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. 
A recent study found that regardless of your metabolic rate, it did not necessarily mean that the patient with obesity were healthy and that doctors should avoid using the term “metabolically healthy obesity” as it could be misleading. 
Read full story. 
Source: Nursing Times, 11 June 2021
 
Patient-Safety-Learning

New clinics set up for pregnant women and new mums with pelvic health issues

New NHS pelvic health clinics have been set up to help and support thousands of pregnant women and new mothers who are experiencing incontinence and other issues related to the pelvic floor. 
Women receiving care at 14 new pilot sites will be treated throughout their pregnancy. Among the treatment, women will learn how to perform pelvic floor exercises with a physiotherapist as well as receive advice on diet with continued support and monitoring throughout. 
Read full story.
Source: NHS England, 13 June 2021
Patient-Safety-Learning

Landmark rule change to allow more gay and bisexual men to donate blood

More gay and bisexual men will now be allowed to donate blood after rule change. 
The new rules which came into effect on World Blood Day mean that men who have sex with other men will now be able to donate blood without being asked about their sexual behaviours. 
Under the new rules, anyone who has had the same sexual partner for the past three months will be eligible to donate blood, but it will also be based on an individual case by case basis.
However, the rules state that anyone who has had anal sex or multiple partners, been exposed to an STI, used pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) within the last three months will not be eligible to donate. 
Read full story
Source: Evening Standard, 14 June 2021
Patient-Safety-Learning

Writer Wayne Brown welcomes new blood donation rule change

Oxford writer Wayne Brown describes how he tried donating blood in the middle of the pandemic last year but was turned away due to his same-sex marriage of 14 years. 
However, since the ban has been lifted, he has already booked his appointment to donate. 
Wayne Brown discusses how since the ban has been lifted, it may now mean more progress and positive changes are happening for gay men. 
Read full story.
Source: BBC News, 13 June 2021
Patient-Safety-Learning

Figures show 10,000 fewer people starting breast cancer treatment

It has been found there are 10,000 fewer patients starting treatment for breast cancer over the past year in England. 
Experts are advising patients to go to their GP if they notice anything unusual and not to wait to get screened or checked. 
Although breast cancer deaths were found to be at an all time low during the pandemic, experts are worried there may be more to the low figures than previously thought. 
Read full story.
Source: Sky News, 15 June 2021
Patient-Safety-Learning

New NHS long COVID service for children

NHS England are set to launch a new service for children suffering from long COVID.
Although data has suggested that children are less likely to suffer from severe disease, there have been an increasing number of reports of continued symptoms. 
The new service will consist of 15 new paediatric hubs with experts to treat young people and advise their families and carers or refer them to specialist services. 
The NHS has invested £100m in specialist services to help meet the needs of the possible hundreds of thousands who are expected to experience long COVID with symptoms ranging from breathing difficulties to fatigue.
Read full story.
Source: Sky News, 15 June 2021
Patient-Safety-Learning

New digital documentation system to be implemented across Wales

A new nursing digital documentation service is expected to roll out across Wales. 
Nurses will soon be able to use a mobile tablet to help perform their assessments in adult inpatient settings with the hope the new system will be more time efficient and improve accuracy. 
The project, led by NHS Wales and funded by the Welsh Government, will see nurses replacing paper documentation with digital ones. As part of the new digital implementation, a clinical nursing informatics lead is now employed in each health board. 
Hospitals in Hywel Dda University Health Board, followed by Swansea Bay University Health Board and Velindre University NHS Trust have been the first to adopt the new system. 
Read full story.
Source: Nursing Times, 14 June 2021
Patient-Safety-Learning

IT systems called to be changed after two suicides

After two cases where men took their own lives, coroners have called for changed to be made to GP IT systems. 
Coroner Emma Brown has raised concerns that a fault in the EMIS system can cause a GP to miss appointments due to consultation lists not being updated properly. The problem was reported in July 2020 and has still not been fixed. 
According to an inquest, one man who took his own life had been described as ' extremely anxious' after attending Accident and Emergency for a physical ailment and became very concerned about his health. Mr Pardeep Singh Plahe, an NHS pharmacist, was scheduled to have a telephone consultation, however, due a fault in the system, he was unable to have the call. It is believed that had he been able to have the call, he would still be alive today. 
Another case found that 21 year old Dyllon Milburn took his own life. He been found to be non-compliant with regards to taking his medication and the current EMIS system is not set up to remind patients to request and collect their repeat prescription, which may have helped encourage him to take his medication. Changes to the IT system could be set up to do this, but so far, no alerts have been set-up. 
A spokesperson for EMIS has said they acknowledge the coroners comments and will respond to them directly. The EMIS spokesperson believes the issue would also be best addressed through a practice’s standard safety medicine management process. 
Read full article. (paywalled).
Source: HSJ, 14 June 2021 
 
 
Patient-Safety-Learning

Safety concerns raised after junior doctors found seeing acute inpatients alone

A regulator has warned a trust to take immediate action after it was found junior doctors were seeing acute inpatients alone.
The warning comes after a serious safety concerns were raised when a doctor was stabbed by a patient. 
Health Education England has ordered Central and North West London Foundation Trust to ensure doctors are always accompanied by another member of staff with appropriate qualifications after safety concerns were raised regarding patient and staff.
Read full story. (Paywalled)
Source: HSJ, 15 June 2021
Patient-Safety-Learning

Rheumatology care disruptions related to Covid-19

It has been found that follow-up appointment cancellations have climbed to 60% during the height of the pandemic. 
People from older, ethnic and poorer backgrounds were the worst hit according to the data.
According to the report, the impact was only partially offset by the use of telehealth sessions. 
Read full story.
Source: Healio Rheumatology, June 10 2021
 
Patient-Safety-Learning
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