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News Article
Coronavirus spread has ‘kicked NHS forward in adopting digital solutions’
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The rapid spread of coronavirus has given the NHS a “kick forward” in the need to accelerate technology and ensure staff are digitally prepared, a GP has said. Neil Paul, a Digital Health columnist and GP in Ashfields, said the need to reduce face-to-face appointments to prevent the potential transmission of Covid-19 has forced the NHS, particularly in primary care, to adopt already available technologies. He said practices “still in the stone ages” and “technophobes” were less prepared for the current situation, but that it would force them to move into the digital age. “It’s absolutely made my surgery go ‘right, how do we do online consults’. I think it actually has given people a real kick forward,” he told Digital Health News. “I think in six months’ time my surgery might be very different in that actually we will be doing a lot of online and telephone consults where previously we may have been a bit reluctant." GP practices across the country have been advised to assess patients online or via telephone and video appointments to mitigate the potential spread of coronavirus. In a letter to GPs last week, NHS England urged Britain’s 7,000 GP surgeries to reduce face-to-face appoints for patients displaying symptoms of Covid-19. The preemptive move means millions of patients will now be triaged online, via telephone or video and contacted via text messaging services. Read full story Source: Digital Health News, 13 March 2020 -
News ArticleRegional NHS leaders in England have been ordered to immediately organise a primary care management service to care for covid-19 patients who “do not require immediate admission” to hospital. In a letter sent on 8 March, seen by The BMJ, NHS England and NHS Improvement’s strategic incident director for coronavirus, Keith Willett, has ordered regional primary care and public health directors to set up a 24 hour, seven day a week service to manage patients in the community. This service should be delivered by an out-of-hours provider, and every part of England must be covered by Tuesday 10 March, the letter said. The service will be used to manage patients who are deemed well enough to be isolated at home, with active monitoring for people who are at high risk of developing severe illness, and advice to those not deemed high risk on what to do if their illness deteriorates. The letter advises that patients “remain in isolation until 5 days after resolution of symptoms, unless [they are a] healthcare worker or work with high risk groups, in which case require one negative sample 5 days after resolution of symptoms before return to work.” People with mild illness and not in a high risk group will be told to isolate themselves at home and will be given health advice on how to identify deterioration. All patients managed at home will be given a phone number to call if they feel more unwell. The letter said that the community service should be provided by a nurse and GP team and that all clinical information should be recorded and transferred to the patient’s general practice. Providers must also provide regular situation reports, including confirmed numbers of patients cared for under the service, numbers of patients who deteriorate, and numbers of patients admitted to and discharged from the service. Read full story Source: BMJ, 9 March 2020
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Content ArticleThese documents are for bereaved families and aim to explain what happens after a bereavement. They include information about how to comment on the care a loved one received and what happens if a death will be looked into by a coroner.
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Content ArticleThis article from Healthwatch outlines the communications patients should expect from their healthcare provider while they are waiting for treatment. It also describes how healthcare staff should involve patients in shared decision-making about their care and communicate clearly, personally and transparently.
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Content ArticleIn this article, Robert Greene, Founder and President of HungerNdThirst Foundation, explains why patient advocacy is a vital aspect during the entire clinical trial process. He discusses how a patient advocates help patients communicate with their healthcare providers in order to make an informed decision about their health care, the positives and negatives of participating in clinical trials and how building trust and collaboration between patients, patient advocates, other stakeholders, and clinical trial professionals is important.
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Content ArticleThis article describes the importance of an advocate that provide independent support in health and care. An advocate can provide practical advice whilst also ensuring all the rules are being followed and help navigate a patient through the healthcare system. The article also explains how to find an advocate and the different types of support available.
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Content Article
The power of a health care advocate
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Patient safety in health and care
This article from the John Hopkins explains the importance of a good healthcare advocate, particularly for older adults who may have more health issues to discuss. When choosing the right healthcare advocate, they should be calm, supportive and assertive and can be a family member, spouse, relative or friend. This article suggests several ways in which to select the right person and lists resources to explore on how best to choose an advocate. -
Content ArticleThis charter published by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare describes the rights that consumers, or someone they care for, can expect when receiving health care. These rights apply to all people in all places where healthcare is provided in Australia. This includes public and private hospitals, day procedure services, general practice and other community health services. Topics covered include access, safety, respect, partnership, information, privacy and feedback.
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Content ArticleThis audit of the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP), published by JBara Innovation, looked at how to engage clinicians and clinical teams to learn from evidence, be accountable, and to act to improve quality as a result. It explores how those who lead data collection programmes can deliver their findings to drive action, and to lead and promote change. The attachment includes a series of quotes from various groups, including a HQIP Advisory Group member, a National Clinical Audit lead and consumers, surrounding quality improvement in the NHS.
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EventThis conference focuses on prehabilitation – Principles and practice, and will provide a practical guide to delivering an effective prehabilitation programme, ensuring patients are fit and optimised for surgery/treatment. This is even more important in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns which have had a negative effect on many individual’s health and fitness levels, and currently high waiting lists could be used as preparation time to ensure the best outcomes. The conference will look at preoperative/pre treatment optimisation of patients fitness and wellbeing through exercise, nutrition and psychological support. This conference will enable you to: Network with colleagues who are working to deliver effective prehabilitation for surgery/treatment. Reflect on a patient lived experience to understand how to engage patients in prehab programmes. Learn from outstanding practice in implementing a prehabilitation programme. Embed virtual prehabilitation into your programme during and beyond Covid-19. Demonstrate a business case for prehabilitation and ensure prehab services continue through and beyond the pandemic. Reflect on national developments and learning. Improve the way we support patients to prepare themselves, physically and emotionally for surgery/treatment. Develop your skills in Behaviour Change and Motivational Interviewing.. Embed virtual prehabilitation into your programme during and beyond Covid-19. Learn from case studies. Understand how you can improve emotional and psychological support. Explore the role of prehabilitation in older people. Work with patients to improve nutrition. Ensure you are up to date with the latest evidence. Self assess and reflect on your own practice. Supports CPD professional development and acts as revalidation evidence. This course provides 5 Hrs training for CPD subject to peer group approval for revalidation purposes. Register
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Community Post
Birth with no cutting or tearing; decreasing avoidable harm in childbirth to both baby and mum
Dr Zenko Bilas posted a topic in Maternity
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We should all strive to keep antibiotics working for our NHS surgeons and future generations, by decreasing antibiotic use in medicine. It is mums themselves who could dramatically decrease antibiotic use, in the only medical specialty where this is possible - in obstetrics - by keeping skin intact; by being informed of the 10cm diameter that 'Aniball' and 'Epi-no Delphine Plus' birth facilitating devices, the mechanical version of Antenatal Perineal Massage, achieve by skin expansion (much like by 'earlobe skin expanders') prior to birth, for back of baby's head. This enables a normal birth for many more babies by shortening birth, with no cutting (episiotomies) or tearing, and much fewer Caesarean sections, as each Caesarean section requires antibiotics to be injected into mum, to kill any bacteria, which might have invaded a skin cell, from being implanted with that skin cell, deep into the wall of the uterus, by the surgeon's knife. There are around 750,000 births in the UK alone and three-quarters of mums are damaged during birth and at risk of developing infection; so a dramatic decrease in antibiotic use is possible. Empowering mums with knowledge; that both the skin and the coats of the pelvic floor muscles, which form the floor of the lower tummy, can be stretched painlessly, in preparation of birth, from the 26th week of pregnancy, so a gentler, kinder birth for both baby and mum becomes possible by decreasing risky obstetric interventions. Muscle can be stretched to 3 times its original length, if stretched painlessly over 6 or more occasions, and still retains its ability to recoil back, contracting to its original length. So there is no damage to mum. Baby's delicate head is not used to achieve this 'birth canal widening', because Antenatal Perineal Massage or Aniball or Epi-no Delphine Plus have already achieved this prior to the start of birth. In birth this stretching is rushed within the last 2 hours of birth, with risk of avulsion of pelvic floor muscle fibres from the pubic bone and risk of skin tearing or the need for episiotomy. The overlying skin will likewise stretch without tearing if done over 6 or more occasions. The maximal opening in the outlet or lower part of the pelvis is 10cm diameter, so 10cm diameter is the goal of the birth aiding devices and 'Antenatal Perineal Massage' or 'Birth Canal Widening' - opening doors for baby maximally. The mother reviews on 'Aniball' and 'Epi-no Delphine Plus' are impressive: Wanda Klaman, a first time mum, gives birth at nearly 42 weeks to a 4.4kg baby, with no need for episiotomy or forceps; Sophie of London, avoids episiotomy, when forceps are used to aid delivery for her baby who lays across her tummy - transverse lay, because the skin at this opening is so stretchy thanks to the birth facilitating devices. Cochrane Collaborate Report on Antenatal Massage https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23633325/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7450045/Fears-infections-pandemic-grow-NINETEEN-new-superbugs-discovered-UK.html https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mistakes-maternity-wards-setting-nhs-22702909- Posted
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Content ArticleThe Maternity Survey 2022, run by Ipsos on behalf of the Care Quality Commission, looked at the experiences of women and other pregnant people who had a live birth in early 2022. In this article Anita Jefferson from Ipsos looks at the results of this and considers what they tell us about experiences of maternity services.
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Content ArticleWhole-body bathing or showering with a skin antiseptic to prevent surgical site infections (SSI) is a usual practice before surgery in settings where it is affordable. The aim is to make the skin as clean as possible by removing transient flora and some resident flora. Several organisations have issued recommendations regarding preoperative bathing. The care bundles proposed by the United Kingdom (UK) High impact intervention initiative and Health Protection Scotland recommend bathing with soap prior to surgery. The Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland recommends bathing on the day of surgery or before the procedure with soap . The USA Institute of Healthcare Improvement bundle for hip and knee arthroplasty recommends preoperative bathing with CHG soap. Finally, the UK-based National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommend bathing to reduce the microbial load, but not necessarily SSI. In addition, NICE states that the use of antiseptics is inconclusive in preventing SSI and that soap should be used. The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of preoperative bathing or showering with antiseptic compared to plain soap and to determine if these agents should be recommended for surgical patients to prevent SSI.
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Content Article
The Family Oops and Burns First Aid eBook
Kristina Stiles posted an article in Recommended books and literature
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'The Family Oops and Burns First Aid' is a free children's book written by Kristina Stiles, beautifully illustrated by Jill Latter, created to support children and their families learning about burns prevention and first aid principles together. The book describes an accident prone family who are not burns aware, who have to go to school to learn about burn safety and first aid principles within the home. The book is aimed at KS1 children and their families, and is available as hard copy book by request from Children's Burns Trust and also as an audio/video book via YouTube. -
News Article
NHS 24 warns of call delays over high festive demand
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
NHS 24 is urging people to treat common illness at home as it faces its busiest period over the festive season. Helpline bosses have warned that it will take longer to answer calls as the service faces staffing pressures and increased demand caused by Covid. It expects 170,000 calls over Christmas and New year - including two four-day weekends with GP surgeries closed. The public have been advised to use the NHS Inform website to check symptoms before phoning NHS 24. Janice Houston, NHS 24 associate director of operations and nursing, said the spread of Omicron had left the service "missing key staff" with people required to self-isolate. "This year is exceptional and particularly busy," she said. "We plan within an inch of our life for our busiest period, so I would just ask the public to be patient with us. "We need to re-plan depending on who can't come to work from self-isolating. It might take a bit longer to answer the phone, but you will always get good care." Read full story Source: BBC News, 24 December 2021 -
News Article
Mothers and babies at risk as vital health services in England stay shut
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Mothers and babies are being put at risk as vital health checks and support services remain shut months after lockdown was lifted, health professionals and charities have warned. Face-to-face services for new families stopped when lockdown began in March last year and have not come back in many parts of the country. Now experts fear the spread of the Omicron variant and the reintroduction of some restrictions means the reopening will be delayed further. Missing services include drop-in baby-weighing clinics, tongue-tie clinics, face-to-face breastfeeding support and council-run baby classes and playgroups. Experts have accused the government of failing to prioritise the needs of a generation of babies and their parents, with cost-cutting and a shortage of midwives and health visitors blamed for the closures. Health visitor drop-in clinics are “no longer running” in nearly a third of areas, and around 28% of newborn checks are being carried out via phone or video call, according to the No One Wants to See My Baby report by charities the Parent-Infant Foundation, Home-Start UK and Best Beginnings. The Institute of Health Visiting said different interpretations of government guidance meant some areas had brought back full services while others had not, creating a “postcode lottery of support for families”. It questioned official advice that routine checks could continue to be done via video and telephone calls, warning there was no evidence these were “safe or effective”. Executive director Alison Morton said: “Alongside the concerns of parents, there is a growing body of evidence that childhood conditions and disabilities are being missed, and vulnerable babies and young children are being harmed, as they are invisible to services when these assessments are not completed face to face.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 12 December 2021 -
News Article
Covid inquiry must look at NHS 111 ‘mishandling’, bereaved families say
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The inquiry into the government’s handling of the Covid pandemic should look at the “mishandling” of the NHS 111 service, families bereaved during the crisis have said. In a scathing report, the COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group said the service was inappropriately used to “alleviate the burden on the NHS” with “horrific” consequences. The report, based on a survey of families, said many believed that the service “failed to recognise how seriously ill their relatives were and direct them to appropriate care”. They argue that the service was also quickly “swamped” during the first wave despite the addition of 700 new call handlers, many of who were making life or death decisions with just 10 weeks training. The phone line is one of a number of areas the groups want the government’s inquiry to cover. Other areas include No 10’s level of pandemic preparedness, particularly PPE shortages, as well as an investigation into the disproportionate impact on ethnic minority groups and those with disabilities. Read full story Source: The Independent, 30 November 2021 -
News ArticleFailings by NHS 111 contributed to the death of an autistic teenager, a coroner has ruled. Hannah Royle, 16, suffered a cardiac arrest as she was driven to hospital by her parents after a 111 algorithm failed to notice she was seriously ill. A coroner said her death had exposed a risk people were being misled about the capability of the system and its staff. An NHS spokesperson said it would act on the findings and learnings "where necessary". Hannah's father Jeff Royle said he regretted dialling 111 and wished he had taken his daughter straight to hospital. "I feel so dreadful, that I have let her down and she has been let down by the NHS," he said. Read full story Source: BBC News, 20 October 2021
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News ArticleThe NHS 111 service has permanently stopped nurses and other healthcare professionals in a clinical division handling calls with people suspected of having COVID-19 after an audit of recorded calls found more than 60% were not safe. The audit was triggered in July after many of the medical professionals recruited to work in that clinical division of the 111 service sounded the alarm, saying they did not feel “properly skilled and competent” to fulfil such a critical role. An investigation was launched into several individual cases after the initial review found that assurances could not be given “in regard to the safety of these calls”, according to an email, seen by the Guardian, from the clinical assurance director of the National Covid-19 Pandemic Response Service. In a further email on 14 August, she told staff that after listening to a “significant number” of calls “so far over 60% … have not passed the criteria demonstrating a safe call”. A number of “clinical incidents” were being investigated, she said, because some calls “may have resulted in harm”. One case had been “escalated as a serious untoward incident with potential harm to the patient”. NHS England declined to answer questions about any aspect of these apparent safety failings, saying it was the responsibility of the South Central ambulance service (SCAS), which set up a section of NHS 111 called the Covid-19 Clinical Assessment Service (CCAS). Read full story Source: The Guardian, 1 October 2020
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News ArticleHundreds of people believe the 111 helpline failed their relatives. Now the Guardian reports that they are demanding a full inquiry into the service. When the coronavirus outbreak hit in March, the NHS feared hospitals could be overwhelmed and so patients with suspected symptoms were directed to call the designated 111 helpline. Call volumes were massive and waiting times were often over an hour. The Guardian’s David Conn has spent months talking to bereaved relatives about that difficult time and during his conversations he found many were deeply unhappy about the service they felt had been provided by the 111 helpline. Lena Vincent’s partner Patrick McManus died from the virus in April following a short period in hospital. He had called 111 three times and had not been advised to seek further medical help. Lena tells Anushka she wants to know who is accountable for the service. Listen to the podcast Source: The Guardian, 28 September 2020
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News Article
Outrage at chronic fatigue syndrome advice update pause
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
With just hours left to go, a health watchdog has paused a final update to ME treatment guidance due to disagreement on some of it's contents. Charities have expressed their anger over this decision as NICE says it needs more discussions with patient groups and professionals so that the advice is supported. Although it is not yet clear when the guidance will be published, the advice on CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) has been changed as it was only helping with anxiety around the condition rather than the illness itself, with NICE acknowledging the controversy over the best treatment has served only to alienate many people with the condition. "We were extremely concerned that the final guidelines proposed by NICE may not have taken into consideration the extensive comments we made to the draft version, particularly in relation to treatments we know to have significantly benefited many patients." Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians, has said. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 17 August 2021 -
Content ArticleDepression is one of the most common mental health issues and GPs often diagnose and treat patients with the condition. In this blog, Dr Ed Beveridge offers his top tips for the assessment, management and treatment of adults with depression in primary care. It provides information on: assessing and screening people with depression for underlying conditions. pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment options. when to refer to secondary care or seek specialist advice.
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Content ArticleNewly qualified nurses often fear making or identifying a clinical error so it is vital to know how best to prevent errors and manage them when they have occurred. This Nursing Times article looks at the most common clinical errors that are made, explains where to find the policies and procedures that should be followed, and highlights tips and tools that can be used to help rectify the issue or prevent it from happening in the first place.
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Content ArticleNHS Education for Scotland has developed a TURAS Learn page to support student pharmacists in Scotland.
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Content ArticleIn January 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of a new coronavirus disease to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. WHO stated there is a high risk of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spreading to other countries around the world. In March 2020, WHO made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterised as a pandemic. WHO and public health authorities around the world are acting to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. However, this time of crisis is generating stress in the population. These mental health considerations were developed by the WHO’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Use as messages targeting different groups to support for mental and psychosocial well-being during COVID-19 outbreak.
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