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Content ArticleThis open letter from the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) raises concerns about unnecessary full or part-day closures of community pharmacies throughout the UK by some large multiple pharmacy operators. The letter states that these operators are telling patients and the government that they have been unable to find pharmacists, citing an alleged national pharmacist shortage. However, the PDA's members report that this is not the case, and the letter draws attention to closures being planned four weeks in advance, and to locum pharmacists having agreed rates of pay reduced at the last minute. The PDA highlights the risk to patient safety caused by these closures, and calls for more regulatory action to be taken by the government and other regulators. The letter is addressed to: Government Health Secretaries of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales Chief Executives of the National Health Service in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales NHS Chief Pharmaceutical Officers for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales Chief Executive of General Pharmaceutical Council and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.
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Content ArticleThe National Infusion and Vascular Access Society (NIVAS) is a multidisciplinary organisation made up of healthcare professionals with a special interest in vascular access and IV therapy. This white paper by NIVAS lays out evidence that having a nursing-led vascular access team in every hospital in the UK will improve patient safety, reduce workload pressures for other staff, and save the NHS money. Vascular access involves the use of devices such as catheters to deliver or remove fluids, blood or medication from a patient’s bloodstream. The paper examines the arguments advocating for Vascular Access Services Team (VAST) across the NHS, acknowledging the current pressures of restarting the NHS following the pandemic and the roadmap to reduce the elective waiting lists. It also outlines how integrating a standardised model of VAST into the healthcare systems of the NHS will benefit patients, the new Integrated Care Systems (ICS) and the wider objectives of the NHS.
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GP Patient Survey 2022
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in GP and primary care
The GP Patient Survey (GPPS) is an England-wide survey of patients aged 16+. It provides GP practice-level data about patients’ experiences of general practice. -
Content ArticleIn this presentation Paula Goss, the founding member of Rectopexy Mesh Victims and Support, shares her experience of having a mesh implant. She describes the absence of informed consent during the procedure and the pain and complications she experienced following her surgery. This was shared at a Bristol Biomedical Research Centre workshop aimed at improving shared decision making for surgical innovation.
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Content ArticleAn increasing number of healthcare artificial intelligence (AI) applications are in development or already in use, but the safety impact of using AI in healthcare is largely unknown. This qualitative study in the journal Safety Science aimed to explore how different stakeholders (patients, hospital staff, technology developers and regulators) think about safety and the safety assurance of healthcare AI. Through a series of interviews, the authors assessed stakeholder perceptions of an AI-based infusion pump in the intensive care unit. Participants expressed perceptions about: the potential impact of healthcare AI requirements for human-AI interaction safety assurance practices and regulatory frameworks for AI and the gaps that exist how incidents involving AI should be managed. The authors concluded that there is currently a technology-centric focus on AI safety, and a wider systems approach is needed. They also identified a need for greater awareness of existing standards and best practice among technology developers.
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PRSB Diabetes standards (July 2022)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Diabetes
People with diabetes are increasingly using medical devices to help manage their condition, including devices for monitoring glucose and delivering insulin. However, healthcare professionals are finding that they cannot always access up to date information about a person with diabetes and the data from their medical devices. This makes it harder to provide the best advice and support. The Professional Record Standards Body (PRSB) was commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement to produce two standards for sharing diabetes information between people and professionals across all care settings, including self management data from digital apps and medical devices (for example, continuous glucose monitors). The Diabetes Information Record Standard which defines the information needed to support a person’s diabetes management. It includes information that could be recorded by health and care professionals or the person themselves that is relevant to the diabetes care of the person and should be shared between different care providers. The Diabetes Self-Management Standard which defines information that could be recorded by the person (or their carer) at home (either using digital apps or medical devices) and shared with health and care professionals. -
Content ArticleRates of blood testing in primary care are rising. Communicating blood test results generates significant workload for patients, GPs, and practice staff. This study from Watson et al. explored GPs’ and patients’ experience of systems of blood test communication. The study found that methods of test result communication varied between doctors and were based on habits, unwritten heuristics, and personal preferences rather than protocols. Doctors expected patients to know how to access their test results. In contrast, patients were often uncertain and used guesswork to decide when and how to access their tests. Patients and doctors generally assumed that the other party would make contact, with potential implications for patient safety. Text messaging and online methods of communication have benefits, but were perceived by some patients as ‘flippant’ or ‘confusing’. Delays and difficulties obtaining and interpreting test results can lead to anxiety and frustration for patients and has important implications for patient-centred care and patient safety.
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Content ArticleThis blog by doctors Clare Rayner and Amali Lokugamage argues that Long Covid rehabilitation needs a wider focus that goes beyond a purely biomedical paradigm to include complementary therapies and methods. The authors—who have both lived with Long Covid for more than two years—argue that although patients were the first to raise concerns about Long Covid, describe its symptoms and patterns and even research the condition, their narratives and voices are not being included in approaches to treatment. While the biomedical evidence surrounding Long Covid is currently limited, they highlight that there is much valuable lived-experience to be found in patient support and campaign groups, and that patients' knowledge should be drawn on to shape policy and guidance about the condition.
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Breastfeeding Friend tool from Start for Life
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Maternity
The Breastfeeding Friend, a digital tool from Start for Life, has lots of useful information and advice on breastfeeding. And because it's a digital tool, it's available whenever you need it 24 / 7. All the information provided is NHS-approved and based on questions asked by thousands of new mums. Whether you're experiencing breastfeeding difficulties, you've got sore nipples, or you want to know about vitamins and what you should include in your diet – if it's a breastfeeding related question, the Breastfeeding Friend is ready to help you. -
Content ArticleDr Harsha Master, Dr Ashish Chaudhry, Dr Nicholas Gall, Dr Louise Newson, Dr Sarah Glynne, and Dr Paul Glynne present their experiences of diagnosing, managing, and referring patients with long COVID and associated conditions. Read this article to learn more about: the definition, prevalence, and symptoms of long COVID exclusion of alternative diagnoses, and identification of red-flag symptoms the authors’ experiences of managing long COVID and its complications.
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Content ArticleThis white paper from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) describes a framework to guide health care organisations in their efforts to provide safe, equitable, person-centred telemedicine. The framework includes six elements to consider: access, privacy, diagnostic accuracy, communication, psychological and emotional safety, and human factors and system design.
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Content ArticleBullying, discrimination and harassment between healthcare workers can have an impact on how well individuals do their job, and may therefore lead to an increase in medical errors, adverse events and medical complications. This systematic review in BMJ Quality & Safety aimed to summarise current evidence about the impact on clinical performance and patient outcomes of unacceptable behaviour between healthcare workers.
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Content ArticleIn this video, Michal Seres, who lives with Crohn's disease, talks about his experience of living with an ostomy bag and how he came to develop his own tools to help manage his treatment. Michael established 11 Health, a company which aims to create a collaborative community of patients, healthcare professionals and researchers to develop digital health solutions for patients with chronic illness. Michael talks about the importance of including patients in developing devices and treatments, and how positive, supportive relationships foster collaboration.
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HealthWatch - How can you find an NHS dentist? (6 May 2022)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Dentist
Growing numbers of people are reporting being unable to make an appointment with an NHS dentist. This article by HealthWatch offers advice on how to find an NHS dentist and what to do if you can't find a dentist accepting new patients. It provides information on what to do in a dental emergency and about the cost of NHS dentistry. -
Content ArticleInadequate medication adherence is a widespread problem that contributes to increased chronic disease complications and healthcare expenditures. Packaging interventions using pill boxes and blister packs have been widely recommended to address the medication adherence issue. This meta-analysis review from Conn et al. determined the overall effect of packaging interventions on medication adherence and health outcomes. In addition, the authors tested whether effects vary depending on intervention, sample, and design characteristics. Overall, meta-analysis findings support the use of packaging interventions to effectively increase medication adherence.
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Content ArticleMedicines reconciliation is the process of accurately listing a person’s medicines. This could be when they're admitted into a service or when their treatment changes.
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Content ArticleA new multinational survey, on more than 1,300 patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals in 10 countries, shines a needed light on the misunderstood realities, unseen burden and care challenges of sickle cell disease. The Sickle Cell Health Awareness, Perspectives and Experiences (SHAPE) survey, one of the largest global burden of disease surveys conducted in sickle cell disease, identified long-term health complications of sickle cell disease as a key concern among 1,300 patients and healthcare professionals surveyed from 10 countries The survey also revealed that sickle cell disease patients' caregivers face profound physical, psychosocial, and economic burdens resulting from taking care of people living with the disease. The findings of the survey were presented during a poster presentation at the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2022 Hybrid Congress. “Sickle cell disease is a lifelong condition that causes damage in the body and has a profound impact on the quality of life of those who suffer from it and their caregivers. The SHAPE survey is important because it illustrates how vital it is that we understand our patients’ needs, and it suggests what we within the medical community can do to help change perspectives, increase education and awareness, and improve care,” said Dr. Baba Inusa, professor and consultant of paediatric haematology, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London and chair of the National Haemoglobinopathy Panel in England. “These results are a wake-up call, and I believe that the actions that follow can enable us to help drive a better dialogue and improved conversations around the management and care of this long-neglected and devastating disease.”
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Content ArticleEvery year, thousands of emergency department (ED) visits result in patients being discharged with oral antibiotic prescriptions. Published studies that assess the appropriateness of these antibiotic regimens are limited. The purpose of this study from Bauman et al. was to examine the appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions written for patients discharged from a community hospital’s ED. A total of 76% of the prescribed antibiotics were appropriate, 16% were inappropriate, and the remaining 8% were not assessable. Duration was the most common reason for a regimen to not be optimal. The most frequently inappropriately prescribed antibiotics included cephalexin (but it is noted cephalexin was included in almost half of the antibiotic regimens in this study), clindamycin, and azithromycin. Infections that were most frequently treated inappropriately were skin and soft tissue infections, dental infections, and sinusitis.
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Content Article
Waiting Lists Tracker
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Suggest a useful website
Get information on waiting times for treatment at NHS Trusts in England. This data is sourced from NHS England, and is published two months in arrears. Please note that some data may not be available. This could be because a) the Trust does not provide treatment for the selected condition, b) data has not been submitted, or c) some services (e.g. mental health) are not covered in the source data. -
Content ArticleThis tool is easy to use and will help you better understand your own risks and benefits of having hip or knee joint replacement surgery. It has been designed using the National Joint Registry (NJR) information from people just like you who have chosen to have their procedure outcome details recorded on the registry. You may wish to take a printout of your results to use in your medical consultation.
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Content Article
Patients “taking back control” (BMJ, 13 May 2022)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Patient-centred care
BMJ opinion piece from BMJ Chair Richard Smith. -
Content ArticleUnequal distribution of Covid-19 antivirals means patients are buying pills online that may not be safe when taken without medical supervision, Gabriel G Plata reports in this BMJ investigation.
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Content ArticleThis study, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, examines national policies of complaint handling in English hospitals, how they are understood by those responsible for enacting them, and explores if there are any discrepancies between policies-as-intended and their reality in local practice.
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Content ArticleiSupport are an international group of health professionals, academics, young people, parents, child rights specialists, psychologists and youth workers who are all passionate about the health and wellbeing of children, especially when they interact with healthcare services. The group is made up of over 50 members from around the world. iSupport have been working together throughout 2021 to develop standards for children and young people (aged 0-18 years) undergoing clinical procedures, based on internationally agreed children’s rights set out by the UNCRC (1989). The standards aim to ensure that the short and long-term physical, emotional and psychological well-being of children and young people are of central importance in any decision-making for procedures or procedural practice. The standards have been developed through ongoing and extensive consultation within the collaborative group and with established youth and parent forums. iSupport have also sought wider feedback, input and consensus through an international online survey.
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Content ArticleFollowing the the COVID-19 virus, a new condition known as Long Covid has emerged. Find out what people told Healthwatch about their experiences of getting treatment for this new condition. Healthwatch looked at a sample of 122 people’s experiences, shared with them between September 2020 and March 2022, to explore what it is like for people seeking help with symptoms of Long Covid.
