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Patient Safety Learning

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Everything posted by Patient Safety Learning

  1. News Article
    Hundreds of healthcare professionals in Zimbabwe have refused to work without protective equipment, beginning strike action in a standoff with the government as the nation begins to see its first impacts of coronavirus. With the risk of an outbreak increasing day by day, industry chiefs in the country have warned doctors face inadequate supplies of gloves, masks and gowns. The president of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, Tawanda Zvakada, said doctors would return to the frontlines of the battle against the virus when adequate protection was provided. "Right now we are exposed and no one seems to care," he said, adding that doctors have inadequate stocks of gloves, masks and gowns. Read full story Source: Independent, 26 March 2020
  2. Content Article
    Blog series from Claire, a critical care outreach nurse, reflecting her experiences, thoughts and fears during the coronavirus pandemic.
  3. Content Article
    “Sunshine” policy, aimed at making financial ties between health professionals and industry publicly transparent, has gone global. Given that transparency is not the sole means of managing conflict of interest, and is unlikely to be effective on its own, it is important to understand why disclosure has emerged as a predominant public policy solution, and what the effects of this focus on transparency might be.
  4. News Article
    A woman with brain cancer has been told her chemotherapy has stopped because of the coronavirus outbreak. Nancy Carter-Bradley, 44, from Hampshire, said the health secretary should ring-fence cancer treatment. She said her treatment at a London hospital had paused as it was at full capacity and oncologists were helping with the response to coronavirus. Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said it was "exploring use of private healthcare facilities". Mrs Carter-Bradley, from Penwood, said she had been dealing with "unbelievable stress" since she was informed her chemotherapy at Charing Cross Hospital for stage three brain cancer would be paused. Read full story Source: BBC News, 26 March 2020
  5. News Article
    GPs are demanding "urgent clarification" from the government on whether they should now wear protective equipment to examine all patients. Family doctors now wear it if they see a patient with suspected coronavirus. But the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock to ask if GPs should wear it for all face-to-face consultations. It says patients with the virus but no symptoms could still infect staff. The BBC understands GPs in some surgeries have decided to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) for all face-to-face consultations, but this is not currently recommended by Public Health England. In the letter, Prof Martin Marshall, chairman of the RCGP, wrote: "GPs across the country have never been more concerned, not just for the safety of themselves and their teams, but for patients too. They are unsure as to whether they have enough supplies [of PPE], either now, or as the crisis deepens". "They are not confident that the current guidance provides the necessary clarity about whether GPs are using the right type of equipment, at the right times," he said. Read full story Source: BBC News, 26 March 2020
  6. News Article
    Criticism is mounting in Sweden of the government’s approach to Covid-19, with academics warning that its strategy of building broad immunity while protecting at-risk groups – similar to that initially adopted by the UK – amounted to “Russian roulette” and could end in disaster. The prime minister, Stefan Löfven, on Sunday night called on all Swedes to accept individual responsibility in stopping the rapid spread of the virus as the number of patients in intensive care in Stockholm continued to rise sharply. Read full story Source: 23 March 2020, The Guardian
  7. News Article
    As the world writhes in the grip of Covid-19, the epidemic has revealed something majestic and inspiring: millions of health care workers running to where they are needed, on duty, sometimes risking their own lives. In his article in the New York Times, Don Berwick says he has never before seen such an extensive, voluntary outpouring of medical help at such a global scale. Millions of health care workers are running to where they are needed, sometimes risking their lives. Intensive care doctors in Seattle connect with intensive care doctors in Wuhan to gather specific intelligence on what the Chinese have learned: details of diagnostic strategies, the physiology of the disease, approaches to managing lung failure, and more. City by city, hospitals mobilise creatively to get ready for the possible deluge: bring in retired staff members, train nurses and doctors in real time, share data on supplies around the region, set up special isolation units and scale up capacity by a factor of 100 or 1000. "We are witnessing professionalism in its highest form, skilled people putting the interests of those they serve above their own interests." Read full article Source: New York Times, 23 March 2020
  8. Content Article
    In her blog, Carolyn looks at the emotional impact the current coronavirus pandemic is having and why we need empathy for each other. Whether we are nurses, doctors, managers, receptionists, patients, we have the power to make someone else’s day a little worse, or a little better. Let's look after one another.
  9. News Article
    The Financial Times tracks the countries affected, the number of deaths and the economic impact of the coronavirus. Read full story Source: Financial Times, 25 March 2020
  10. Content Article
    It’s easier to recognise someone’s physical wellbeing than their emotional wellbeing. We also find it much easier to engage in conversations about physical health, but often find talking about emotional wellbeing to be more of a challenge. The implications of decreased emotional wellbeing are detrimental as it can contribute to mental health and stress concerns, it is important to ensure good staff wellbeing by encouraging conversation in the workplace. 
  11. Content Article
    In this paper published in JAMA Network Open, Lai et al., looked at what factors are associated with mental health outcomes among healthcare workers in China who are treating patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In this cross-sectional study of 1257 healthcare workers in 34 hospitals equipped with fever clinics or wards for patients with COVID-19 in multiple regions of China, a considerable proportion of them reported experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia and distress. These findings suggest that, among Chinese healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19, women, nurses, those in Wuhan, and front-line health care workers have a high risk of developing unfavourable mental health outcomes and may need psychological support or interventions.
  12. Content Article
    This study by Hall et al. looked at whether there is an association between healthcare professionals’ wellbeing and burnout, with patient safety. The authors found that poor wellbeing and moderate to high levels of burnout are associated, in the majority of studies reviewed, with poor patient safety outcomes such as medical errors, however the lack of prospective studies reduces the ability to determine causality. Further prospective studies, research in primary care, conducted within the UK, and a clearer definition of healthcare staff wellbeing are needed.
  13. Content Article
    Although leaders might say they value inquisitive minds, in reality most stifle curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency. Harvard Business School’s Francesca Gino elaborates on the benefits of and common barriers to curiosity in the workplace and offers five strategies for bolstering it.
  14. News Article
    If there is a public inquiry over the handling of the coronavirus, the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) to front-line staff could be a major theme. The government has been put under major pressure by staff over the past four days because of delays to the delivery of vital equipment. This left them at risk as they dealt with a flood of covid-19 cases described as “all-consuming” by one hospital chief executive (while another major trust declared a critical incident). The last two weeks have prompted a mammoth effort from local and national procurement teams to make sure clinicians have the PPE they need. But, sadly, the bigger picture was what the Health Care Supply Association called a “system” failure (although it did not blame staff). Numerous trusts, some of them very large, have turned to alternative suppliers to source this vital kit, in some cases spending hundreds of thousands of pounds. The situation has apparently been so dire in recent days that, over the weekend, the HCSA asked DIY shops to donate their PPE to local trusts. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 24 March 2020
  15. News Article
    Protection for staff, clean covid-negative wards, and enforcing social isolation are the three take home messages from Italy’s fight against COVID-19, according to rapid findings shared exclusively with HSJ. By 6 March 2020, Italy had recorded 4,636 cases and 197 deaths attributable to COVID-19. On 20 March, two weeks later, the UK announced 3,983 cases and 177 deaths due to the novel coronavirus. Models put us two weeks behind Italy and on the same trajectory. PanSurg.org, an international collaborative created at Imperial College London, organised a series of webinars to rapidly share experiences and learning around the pandemic amongst the global healthcare community. Nearly 1,000 healthcare professionals from around the world took part in these events, and several important messages emerged. 1) Protect your staff: full PPE (including, FFP3 masks) for COVID-19 suspected or COVID-19 positive areas. This is both for them and to keep your workforce numbers intact. 2) Treat everyone as if they could haveCOVID-19, as they may do and “fear the covid negative ward”. 3) Enforce social isolation and contact tracing and place a significant focus on testing. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 25 March 2020
  16. News Article
    GP practices should review 1.5 million patients identified by NHS England as the most vulnerable to the coronavirus. NHS England will send a standard letter to these patients asking them to stay at home at all times and avoid any face-to-face contact for at least 12 weeks. GPs will be able to access a report on which patients will be contacted with specific advice, with NHS England directing GPs to review the list and provide additional support to patients. The patients, who are at ‘the highest risk of severe illness that would require hospitalisation from coronavirus’, include those who have had an organ transplant; people with specific cancers; people with severe respiratory conditions; people with rare diseases; people on immunosuppression therapies; and pregnant women with significant heart disease. In a letter to GPs, NHS England said: "We ask that you review this report for accuracy and, where any of these patients have dementia, a learning disability or autism, that you provide appropriate additional support to them to ensure they continue receiving access to care." Read full story Source: Management in Practice, 24 March 2020
  17. Content Article
    The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is an organisation that inspects and regulates health and social care services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. About seven million people who used NHS services in the past five years had concerns about their treatment but had never raised them, according to the Care Quality Commission. Of these, over half (58%) expressed regret about not doing so. However, when people did raise a concern or complaint, the majority (66%) found their issue was resolved quickly, it helped the service to improve and they were happy with the outcome.  The Patients Association is here to help and can pass on the information you provide to the CQC. Whether this is a positive example of great health or social care you've received, or of a troubling experience you or your family have had. 
  18. Content Article
    A blog series from David A Mundy on mental health topics.
  19. News Article
    Currently we have a frightening, deadly viral pandemic, but there will another plague, one we are not hearing nearly enough about from our leaders, which will arrive in a wave just behind it, reports Paul Daley in the Guardian. There will be a pandemic of severe depression and anxiety that will sweep over the world as the unemployment rate pushes into previously unseen digits, families who’d prefer to be socially distant are thrust together and young people are denied the certainty and structure of school. We will need to support – medically, financially, emotionally and psychiatrically – those who are going to do it hardest. Psychiatric support services will need to be dramatically bolstered to fight this mental health pandemic Read full story Source: The Guardian, 24 March 2020
  20. News Article
    Details of a massive ramp-up in intensive care beds have been circulated to NHS bosses in London, amid concerns from national leaders that they are four days away from full capacity. In a call with local leaders, the NHS’ national director for mental health, Claire Murdoch, spoke about the intense pressures facing the acute system due to the coronavirus outbreak. According to several people on the call, she said London “runs out of [ICU] beds in four days” if urgent action is not taken. She also warned the need for intensive care beds will now double every three days, the sources said. The capital’s hospitals are frantically planning to try to quadruple their “surge capacity” in intensive care over the next fortnight, from around 1,000 surge beds over the weekend just passed, to more than 4,000 in two weeks’ time. Read full story Source: HSJ, 24 March 2020
  21. News Article
    Medical students who are employed in the NHS as part of efforts to swell staff numbers to tackle covid-19 should not be expected to “step up” and act outside of their competency, says the BMA in new guidance. This is the first set of guidance released by the BMA specifically for medical students, who have had placements and exams cancelled and are uncertain about how they might be employed in the NHS in the current crisis. It says that any employment should be voluntary and within the competency of the student, who should have adequate access to personal protective equipment. The BMA refers to General Medical Council guidance that states that plans are not currently in place to move provisional registration forward from the normal August date. It warns that there are concerns around the boundaries of practice and the level of supervision that students who take on roles in the NHS would have, which could lead to unsafe working practices. The BMA is in talks to negotiate a safe national contract for such roles. Read full story Source: BMJ, 24 March 2020
  22. News Article
    The government has bought 3.5 million coronavirus antibody tests — with more widespread testing of NHS workers coming “online soon”, the health secretary has said. Matt Hancock also told a press conference this evening that a new testing facility had been opened in Milton Keynes as the government aims to “ramp up” the number of antibody tests — which will determine whether people have had the virus and can therefore return to work. Mr Hancock also said the government had shipped 7.5 million pieces of personal protective equipment over the last 24 hours, following major shortages, and confirmed the conversion of east London’s Excel centre into a huge temporary hospital facility, with between 500 to 4,000 beds. Read full story Source: HSJ, 24 March 2020
  23. Content Article
    The Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA) is a collaboration of National Health Service trusts, charities, businesses and individuals who are all committed to suicide prevention in the UK and beyond. 
  24. News Article
    A GP has criticised the practice of giving doctors surgical masks with expiry dates that have passed. Dr Kate Jack said doctors felt "like cannon fodder" after discovering the paper masks had expired in 2016. A box delivered to her Nottingham surgery had a 2021 label placed over the original date of 2016. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said equipment underwent "stringent tests" and was given a "new shelf-life" where appropriate. "I don't feel protected at the moment," said Dr Jack, a GP of 22 years. "They are really not designed for prevention of infection and are practically useless." Read full story Source: BBC News, 25 March 2020
  25. Content Article
    The aim of this study from Björklund et al. was to describe factors that contribute to the occurrence of workplace bullying, that enable it to continue and the coping strategies managers use when they are bullied.  They found that several factors could be linked to the bullying: being new in the managerial position; lack of clarity about roles and expectations; taking over a work group with ongoing conflicts; reorganisations. The bullying usually lasted for quite some time. Factors that allowed the bullying to continue were passive bystanders and the bullies receiving support from higher management. The managers in this study adopted a variety of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies. However, in the end most chose to leave the organisation.
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