Everything posted by Claire Cox
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COVID-19: analysing the impact of coronavirus on doctors (latest survey results 13 August)
Content ArticleThe BMA sent out its first survey at the beginning of April. The most recent survey closed on 13 August and nearly 4,000 doctors took part. The 13 August 2020 results found: 60% of doctors said they were not very, or not at all, confident in their local health economy managing demand as normal NHS services resume. Half of doctors said they were not very, or not at all, confident in being able to manage a second wave of COVID-19. 26% of doctors said that in the last two weeks non-Covid demand had increased to pre-pandemic levels, with 17% saying that demand is now even higher than it was before.
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RESTORE 2: a physical deterioration and escalation tool for care/nursing homes
Content ArticleRESTORE2 TM is a physical deterioration and escalation tool for care/nursing homes. It is designed to support homes and health professionals to: recognise when a resident may be deteriorating or at risk of physical deterioration act appropriately according to the resident’s care plan to protect and manage the resident obtain a complete set of physical observations to inform escalation and conversations with health professionals speak with the most appropriate health professional in a timely way to get the right support provide a concise escalation history to health professionals to support their professional decision making. Here you can find all the official resources to accompany the initiative.
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Understanding organisational culture for healthcare quality improvement (November 2018)
Content ArticleIn this article, published by the BMJ, Professor Russell Mannion and Professor Huw Davies explore how notions of culture relate to service performance, quality, safety and improvement.
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Safety, experience, or both?
Content ArticleIs safety and a good experience two separate issues? This blog by Florence Wilcock, consultant obstetrician, discusses this issue.
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The role of psychological safety in diversity and inclusion (June 2020)
Content ArticleImagine a diverse workplace in which all employees felt a genuine sense of inclusion and belonging. It’s unlikely you work in such an organisation today. But it’s clear that every organisation, public and private sector alike, is increasingly aware of the need to get to work on making this a reality. This article, written by Amy Edmondson and published in Psychology Today, recognises that a diverse workforce and psychological safety go hand in hand for a safer workplace.
- SBAR handovers
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Transfers of Care Around Medicines (TCAM)
Content ArticleWhen some patients leave hospital they can need extra support taking their prescribed medicines. This may be because their medicines have changed or they need a bit of help taking their medicines safely and effectively. The transfer of care process is associated with an increased risk of adverse effects. 30-70% of patients experience unintentional changes to their treatment or an error is made because of a miscommunication.
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e-PAIN: e-Learning on pain management
Content Articlee-PAIN is the place to start for anyone working in the NHS who wishes to better understand and manage pain. e-PAIN is a multidisciplinary programme based on the International Association for the Study of Pain's recommended multidisciplinary curriculum for healthcare professionals learning about pain management. Registration to the programme is free to all NHS staff members, those with OpenAthens accounts and students.
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Safety checklist: Interventional pain procedures under local anaesthesia or sedation
Content ArticleThis info-graphic by the Faculty of Pain Medicine is a safety checklist for Interventional Pain Procedures under local anaesthesia or sedation. This has been adapted from the World Health Organization surgical checklist.
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Quality and safety in the time of coronavirus: design better, learn faster (2 June 2020)
Content ArticleThe COVID-19 pandemic has required health systems to change much faster than normal. Many staff have experienced training in quality improvement and patient safety methods which can be used to support the design of new systems and to accelerate learning about new and adapted practices. This article, published in the International Journal for Quality in Health Care, sets out the principles of quality improvement and patient safety science, applying them in a selection of approaches, methods and tools, which may be useful in crisis situations such as the current pandemic. The article also makes reference to several resources which may be of use to those keen to advance their knowledge.
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Opioids Aware: A resource for patients and healthcare professionals to support prescribing of opioid medicines for pain
Content ArticleGood practice in prescribing opioid medicines for pain should reflect fundamental principles in prescribing generally. The decision to prescribe is underpinned by applying best professional practice; understanding the condition, the patient and their context and understanding the clinical use of the drug. Initiating, tapering or stopping opioid medicines should be managed in agreement with the patient and all members of their healthcare team.
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Mental health and emerging from COVID-19: A video for staff and managers
Content ArticlePsychotherapist, Donna Butler from Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, talks through the mental and emotional challenges during and post-COVID-19. Recommended viewing for staff and managers.
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Medication safety: go beyond the basics
Content ArticleFor any nurse working in a direct care setting, preparing medications and administering them to patients is part of the daily routine. Mistakes can happen at any point in the process. Administration errors are one of the most serious and most common mistakes made by nurses. The result may lengthen a hospital stay, increase costs, or have life and death implications for the patient. So, what can you do to safely administer medications? This blog gives some tips on good practice.
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Infographics for PPE
Community PostThis graphic artist has made a comic strip to help inform children attending hospital. https://www.katiechappell.com/blog/2020/4/4/an-nhs-comic-strip-poster-to-make-ppe-less-scary-for-children
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Infographics for PPE
Community PostStaff working in the children’s Panda Unit at Salford Royal have come up with an innovative way to reassure young patients during the pandemic
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Guidance on competencies for paediatric pain medicine (March 2020)
Content ArticleSafe and effective pharmacological management of acute and procedural pain in neonates, infants and early childhood requires understanding of age-related changes in both the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of analgesics. Evidence based clinical practice guidelines incorporate both pharmacological and non-pharmacological techniques that can have complementary roles in acute pain management. The knowledge, skills, and attitudes of paediatric pain physicians must be appropriate to the developmental stage and clinical state of the patient and also encompass the role of parents and/or carers.
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Infographics for PPE
Community PostImagine you are a five year old in hospital. It must be scary already.....then there is the issue of PPE. Staff wearing masks and behind screens ,must be terrifying. Here we have some great ways to ease some of that fear.
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RCPCH: Research and quality improvement during COVID-19 (May 2020)
Content ArticleProf Nick Bishop, VP for Science and Research at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), outlines some of the key developments in the College's Research and Quality Improvement Division, recognising ongoing work despite the disruptions to members' schedules. He also discusses research on the effects of COVID-19 on child health and well-being.
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Reasonable adjustments and designing services for patients and people with learning disabilities
Content ArticleCaring for people with learning disabilities in an acute hospital setting can be challenging, especially if that patient has transitioned from children’s services to adult services. The experience in children’s acute care differs to adult acute care; this difference in processes of care can cause great anxiety for the patient and their family and carers. The reasonable adjustments that were perhaps made and sustained in children’s services may now not exist. The purpose of this blog is to demonstrate the importance for services to be designed around patients’ needs with patients, families and carers. If we get this right, the quality of care given will be improved, patient satisfaction increases and, in turn, a reduction in patient harm. It is important to note that designing services around patients is not exclusive to learning disabilities; designing services with ALL patients at the centre with their involvement is crucial for trusts to provide safe care.
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Learning disabilities: making reasonable adjustments in hospital
Content ArticleReasonable adjustments to the care of people with learning disabilities who receive hospital care are beneficial for all involved. This article, published in the Nursing Times, uses two case studies to demonstrate their benefits. Author, Linda Phillips, is a learning disability health liaison nurse at Hywel Dda University Health Board.
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Psychological first aid in emergencies training for frontline staff and volunteers
Content ArticleFrontline staff and volunteers at the forefront of the national coronavirus response across England will be able to access a new Psychological First Aid (PFA) training course, the Minister for Mental Health Nadine Dorries announced, 15 June 2020. The free online course available through Future Learn enables responders to develop their skills and confidence in providing key psychological support to people affected by coronavirus, including on issues such as job worries, bereavement or isolation as they carry out their vital work as part of the ongoing coronavirus response. It will also help to develop understanding of how emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic can affect us all, how to recognise people who may be at increased risk of distress, and how to offer practical and emotional support. It follows a globally recommended model for supporting people during emergencies, tailored to the specific challenges of coronavirus (COVID-19)
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Hospital VIP scheme, learning disability acute hospital liaison service, Pinderfields Wakefield
Content ArticleThe VIP scheme is supported by the learning disability liaison team in the acute hospital to improve health outcomes. The scheme promotes reasonable adjustments, person centred surgical care pathways, accessible information and decision making care plans to support those who may lack the capacity to make health decisions. It also includes VIP champions and promotes evidence based training. The scheme is supported by the Wakefield Patient Experience Group, made up of people who have a learning disability. The VIP scheme has improved health outcomes of patients with learning disabilities at Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals Trust. The scheme, all though multi-faceted, has one common aim; achieving equality for patients with a learning disability.
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Admission to a hospital ward: learning disabilities version (short film)
Content ArticleAn informational video for people being admitted to a ward at the Royal Derby Hospital, designed for our patients with learning disabilities.
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The learning disability improvement standards for NHS trusts (June 2018)
Content ArticlePeople with learning disabilities, autism or both and their families and carers should be able to expect high quality care across all services provided by the NHS. They should receive treatment, care and support that are safe and personalised and have the same access to services and outcomes as their non-disabled peers. But we know some people with learning disabilities, autism or both encounter difficulties when accessing NHS services and can have much poorer experiences than the general population. Several inquiries and investigations have found that some NHS trusts and foundation trusts are failing to adequately respect and protect people’s rights, with devastating consequences for them and their families. Also, skills deficits in the NHS workforce mean people’s needs are sometimes misunderstood or responded to inappropriately. As a result of these failings, people with learning disabilities, autism or both are at risk of preventable, premature death and a grossly impoverished quality of life. With system partners, NHS Improvement, have developed four standards that trusts need to meet; doing so identifies them as delivering high quality services for people with learning disabilities, autism or both. These standards are supplemented by improvement measures or actions that trusts are expected to take to make sure they meet the standards and deliver the outcomes that people with learning disabilities, autism or both and their families expect and deserve. These
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CIEHF: The Human Connection I and II
Content ArticleThe Human Connection is a comprehensive set of clear and resonant stories that illustrate the impact of ergonomics and human factors, produced by the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF). The 60-page document is intended to be of value to a wide range of audiences, including government, policy makers, industry, third sector groups, educators, research funders, regulatory bodies and collaborators. The case studies, available here as the complete set or individually, have been written to increase understanding of the complexity, range and value of the discipline of ergonomics and human factors.