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News Article
Female doctors launch campaign against harassment in UK healthcare
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Female doctors have launched an online campaign that they say exposes shocking gender-based discrimination, harassment and sexual assault in healthcare. Surviving in Scrubs is an issue for all healthcare workers, say the campaign’s founders, Becky Cox and Chelcie Jewitt, who are encouraging women to share stories of harassment and abuse to “push for change and to reach the people in power”. The campaign has called for the General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates doctors, to explicitly denounce sexist and misogynistic behaviour towards female colleagues and “treat them with respect”. More than 40 stories have been shared on the campaign’s website, ranging from sexual harassment by patients to inappropriate remarks and sexual advances from supervisors. The campaign is bolstered by evidence that shows 91% of female respondents had experienced sexism at work within the past two years. The findings are a result of nearly 2,500 surveyed doctors working in the NHS – the majority of whom were women – published in a 2021 report by the British Medical Association (BMA). Read full story Source: The Guardian, 11 July 2022 -
Content Article
Surviving in Scrubs campaign
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Staff safety
Sexism, sexual harassment, and sexual assault are commonplace in the healthcare workforce. Too many healthcare staff have witnessed or been subject to it… the female med student asked to stay late lone working with a senior male doctor, being looked over for opportunities at work, unwelcome touching at conferences, comments on your looks… the list goes on. A 2021 survey from the BMA reported 91% of women doctors had experienced sexism in the last 2 years and 47% felt they had been treated less favourably due to their gender. Over half of the women (56%) said that they had received unwanted verbal comments relating to their gender and 31% said that they had experienced unwanted physical conduct. Despite these statistics these issues remain endemic in healthcare. The Surviving in Scrubs campaign, created by Dr Becky Cox and Dr Chelcie Jewitt, aims to tackle this problem, giving a voice to women and non-binary survivors in healthcare to raise awareness and end sexism, sexual harassment, and sexual assault in healthcare. You can share your story through the Submit Your Story page anonymously and the story will be published on the Your Stories page. This will create a narrative of shared experiences that cannot be ignored. -
Content ArticleDuring COVID-19, clinical teams faced disruption, having to respond to challenging circumstances and high uncertainty, whilst providing quality care to patients. We know that staff psychological wellbeing affects team effectiveness and patient experience and resilience is fostered by connections between (not just within) individuals. New collaborations between clinical, service improvement and psychology teams recognised the value of introducing the psychologically-informed ‘Start Well>End Well’ team procedure into routine team processes. This evidence-based approach consists of 1) an enhanced safety briefing, 2) peer-to-peer debrief guidance and signposting for trauma-focused support, and 3) team check-out. Initially launched as a general procedure across all wards with variable uptake, a more tailored co-design and coaching approach was then piloted on 2 neurology wards over 3 PDSA cycles. Formative evaluation (focus groups and written feedback) demonstrated staff felt “cared for” whilst achieving “positive impact” through improved ways of working within new teams.
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News Article
CQC criticises outstanding-rated trust for ‘unsafe’ staffing
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
An ‘outstanding’ rated mental health trust has been criticised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for ‘unsafe’ levels of staffing and inadequate monitoring of vulnerable patients. The CQC said an inpatient ward for adults with learning disabilities and autism run by Cumbria Northumberland Tyne and Wear Foundation Trust “wasn’t delivering safe care”, and some staff were “feeling unsafe due to continued short staffing”, following an unannounced inspection in February. The inspection into Rose Lodge, a 10-bed unit in South Tyneside, took place after the CQC received concerns about the service. Inspectors highlighted a high use of agency staff, with some shifts “falling below safe staffing levels”, which meant regular monitoring of patients with significant physical health issues “was not always taking place”. They said the trust had “implemented a robust action plan” following the inspection. The CQC did not issue a rating. The trust’s overall rating for wards for people with a learning disability remains as “good”, and its overall rating remains “outstanding”. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 8 July 2022 -
Content ArticlePsychological safety is a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. More than 20 years of research demonstrates that organisations with higher levels of psychological safety perform better on almost any metric or key performance indicator (KPI) in comparison to organisations that have low psychological safety. However, achieving psychological safety is a challenge in the complex, ever-evolving health and care systems in which we operate. In this guide, Professor Amy C. Edmondson shares insights that emerged from exploring the experience of differing Integrated Care Systems; a range of case studies, and a wealth of tools and resources. This guide is not a 'how to' for how to create psychological safety; it is more of a reflection on the opportunities and challenges in our health and care system, and how you might seek to work with them.
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News Article
JCVI chief calls for mandatory masks in hospitals amid Covid surge
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
It would be “sensible” for hospitals to reintroduce mandatory mask-wearing, the chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has said, as several trusts in England and Wales announced the move. When NHS rules on wearing masks in England were dropped on 10 June, local health bodies were given the power to draft their own policies. Their guidance, however, is no longer legally enforceable. Figures from NHS England show there were about 10,658 patients hospitalised with coronavirus on Monday. Infections have doubled in a fortnight across England – with about 1,000 patients being admitted with the virus each day. Prof Andrew Pollard, who is also the director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, which developed the AstraZeneca jab, said there were an “extraordinary” number of cases at the moment. “I certainly know more people now who have had Covid than at any time in the past,” he told the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “Because there’s so much in the community, anything we can do in our hospitals to reduce the potential outbreaks make sense and so the mandatory mask wearing in hospitals is very sensible policy,” he added. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 5 July 2022 -
News Article
Government set to cut enhanced sick pay for NHS staff off work with Covid
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The government is to cut special sick pay for NHS staff off work with Covid from next week – even as cases soar – The Independent has learnt. The Department of Health and Social Care is set to announce an end to the enhanced pay arrangements provided during the pandemic, meaning that staff who go off sick with either Covid or Long Covid will be subject to normal sick-pay rules. In response to the pandemic, the government announced special arrangements for staff to be paid if they were isolating because of Covid, and to receive a full 12 months’ pay if they were suffering from Long Covid. Arrangements will now revert to the normal NHS sick-pay rules, which give workers six months’ full pay and six months’ half pay. A senior healthcare source said: “They have agreed to end the arrangement for new people from next week, and then have an implementation period where people who are currently off on this sort of scheme revert back to normal sick-pay entitlement from September.” The Royal College of Nursing’s director for England, Patricia Marquis, speaking about the cut in sick pay, said: “This decision is hugely disappointing, given that Covid-19 clearly hasn’t gone away, and nursing staff continue to be disproportionately affected by the virus as they face a higher risk of exposure." Read full story Source: The Independent, 2 July 2022 -
Content ArticleThis blog by the charity Picker explores concerns about the safety of staffing levels in the NHS, highlighted by the 2021 NHS Staff Survey. It talks about the potential impact of a recent drop in staff morale. The blog draws out these key findings from the survey: The proportion of staff who felt unwell as a result of work-related stress in the last 12 months rose to 46% – almost half. This was an increase of nearly 3% from the 2020 figure (44%) and continued a trend: the figure has risen each year since 2017, when 38% of staff reported work-related stress. Almost one-in-three staff members say they “often think about leaving” their organisation – an increase of 4% points vs the 26% recorded in 2020. And one-in-six (16%) say they will leave their organisation “as soon as I can find another job” – a 2% point increase from 2020. Only 52% of NHS staff say that they look forward to going to work – a decline of more than 6% points from 58% in 2020. New questions in the survey suggest that many staff are experiencing burnout. Overall, more than a third of staff (34%) said that they ‘always’ or ‘often’ “feel burnt out because of [their] work”. The proportion was even higher for staff in patient facing roles (for example, 41% of registered nurses and midwives) and especially for ambulance personnel (51%).
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News Article
Hospitals bring back masks on wards just weeks after rules relaxed
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Hospitals are bringing back requirements for masks on wards just weeks after rules were relaxed as Covid rates spike, The Independent can reveal. Experts have warned of a surge in cases, believed to be the fifth wave, with one in 40 people in the UK testing positive for the virus. Meanwhile, latest NHS data shows more than 8,000 Covid-positive patients on wards following a warning of a “deleterious” impact on hospital waiting times. In response, three major hospital trusts have told staff they must wear masks, with warnings more must follow if the NHS is to handle another wave of Covid. Dr Tim Cooksley, president of the Society for Acute Medicine told The Independent: “Over the past 2 years Covid has highlighted and exacerbated what was an already growing crisis. “High staff absence levels, burn-out and low morale have dominated staff landscapes during this time and continue to do so. Future waves and potentially large numbers of upcoming flu cases will only serve to deepen these problems making the hopes of patients, clinicians and politicians alike of elective recovery seem somewhat fanciful." Read full story Source: The Independent, 29 June 2022 -
Content ArticleReducing stress is an organisational imperative since workplace pressures continue to be one of the main causes of short and long-term absence. According to research undertaken by CIPD based on responses from 804 organisations, 79% of respondents report some stress-related absence in their organisation over the last year. Healthcare settings have an even higher rate of absence due to stress, yet there is reason to be optimistic that this could start to change when a new policy from NHS England is implemented, which recommends the use of After Action Review (AAR). In this blog, Judy Walker explains how AARs can play a key role in reducing stress for those who have been involved in clinical incidents.
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Content ArticleThe Quality Network for Inpatient Working Age Mental Health Services (QNWA) based within the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Centre for Quality Improvement are pleased to announce the publication of their 8th edition standards. Since the publication of the first edition standards in 2006, the Network has grown to include over 140 members from the NHS and private sector. This new edition of standards aims to reflect the changes in working practices and legislation over the last two years in addition to placing greater emphasis on equality, diversity and inclusion as well as sustainability in inpatient mental health services. The eighth edition standards have been drawn from key documents and expert consensus and have been subject to extensive consultation with professional groups involved in the provision of inpatient mental health services, and with people and carers who have used services in the past.
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Content ArticleThis improvement tool is designed to help NHS organisations identify strengths their leadership team and organisation, and any gaps that need work, in seeking to create an environment where people feel safe to speak up with confidence. It should be used alongside Freedom to speak up: A guide for leaders in the NHS and organisations delivering NHS services, which provides full information about the areas addressed in the statements, as well as recommendations for further reading.
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Content ArticleThis guide provides ideas for how an organisation can adhere to the NHS principles for leaders and managers in seeking to create an environment where people feel safe to speak up with confidence. This guide is designed to be used by any senior team, owner or board in any organisation that delivers NHS commissioned services. This includes all aspects of primary care; secondary care; and independent providers.
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Content ArticleThis study in BMC Health Services Research aimed to evaluate the impact of an Internet of Things intervention in a hospital unit. The Internet of Things refers to a network of physical objects that are connected by sensors, software and other technologies in order to transfer data and interact with one another. This study demonstrates the effects of smart technologies on patient falls, hand hygiene compliance rate and staff experiences. The authors reported some positive changes that were also reflected in interviews with staff. They identified behavioural and environmental issues as being particularly important to ensure the success of Internet of Things innovations in a hospital setting.
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Content Article
In a series of blogs, Gina Winter-Bates, Associate Nurse Director Quality and Safety at Solent NHS Trust, shares her experience of implementing Safety Chats. In this final blog of the series, Gina shares the next steps for Safety Chats in her Trust and how they will be building more ways of supporting staff to discuss safety, to seek advice and support, and to receive clear assistance when things have gone wrong. -
Content Article
BMA: Racism in medicine (15 June 2022)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Culture
This report presents the findings of the British Medical Association (BMA) racism in medicine survey, which ran from October to December 2021. The survey sought to gather evidence of the racism experienced by doctors and medical students working in the NHS, and the impact of these experiences on their working lives and their career opportunities. All doctors and medical students in the UK, from all ethnic backgrounds, were invited to participate. The survey received 2030 responses in total, making it one of the largest of its kind. It found a concerning level of racism in the medical profession, stemming from fellow doctors, other NHS staff, and patients. These experiences of racism present in a variety of forms in the institutions and structures of the medical profession- Posted
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News Article
Paramedics are ‘leaving in droves’ as ambulance callouts almost double
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The number of calls for an ambulance in England have almost doubled since 2010, with warnings of record pressures on the NHS that are seeing A&E patients stuck in corridors and many paramedics quitting the job. Ambulance calls have risen by 10 times more than the number of ambulance workers, according to a new analysis of NHS data carried out by the GMB union. An increase in people seeking emergency treatment, GPs unable to cope with demand and cuts to preventive care are all being blamed for the figures. While the figures represent all calls for an ambulance, some of which go unanswered and do not lead to a vehicle being sent, they reveal the increasing pressures that have led to claims that patient safety is being put at risk by ambulance waiting times. There has been a significant increase in the number of the most serious safety incidents logged by paramedics in England over the past year. Paul, a paramedic and GMB deputy branch secretary, said he had recently seen a crew waiting almost 10 hours between arriving at hospital and transferring a patient to hospital care. “They arrived at the hospital at 20.31,” he said. “They then cleared from the hospital at 05.48 in the morning. The impact of the lack of resources is affecting the ambulance service. “We are also seeing people become aggressive to the ambulance crew, because they’ve waited hours upon hours in an ambulance." Read full story Source: The Guardian, 12 June 2022 -
Content ArticleThis report outlines the results of a survey of 10,000 nursing staff in the UK carried out by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). The survey highlighted stark differences in career progression and treatment in the workplace between White nurses and those from a mixed ethnic background, and Black and Asian nurses. In the 35-44 age group, 66% of White and 64% of respondents from mixed ethnic backgrounds said they’d been promoted. This dropped to just 38% of Asian and 35% of Black respondents. Black respondents working in both hospital (39%) and community (32%) settings are more likely to report having experienced physical abuse than respondents of other ethnic backgrounds. In response to these findings, the RCN is calling on the UK Government to reform human rights law to help tackle workplace racism, including introducing a legal requirement to eliminate disparities in recruitment, retention and career progression. They also want employers to have greater responsibility to protect minority ethnic groups from racism in all its forms.
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News Article
US healthcare workers sound alarm on staffing shortage
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Concerned healthcare workers in Illinois and Indiana are calling on The Joint Commission to add a safe staffing standard to its accreditation process. Yolanda Stewart, a patient care technician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, once injured her back so badly on the job that she couldn’t work for six months. But when she talks about that time, she doesn’t mention her own pain. Instead, she talks about the patient she’d been trying to help, recalling his extreme discomfort. Because the unit was short-staffed, Stewart lifted and turned the patient on her own. The move helped the patient but cost Stewart. Many healthcare workers have similar stories, she says, adding, “Working short-staffed is a safety issue for workers and patients.” In fact, reports show that lack of staff in hospitals leads to higher patient infection and death rates. Covid-19 has greatly worsened the healthcare staffing shortage, with 1 in 5 hospital employees — from environmental services workers to nurses — leaving the field. Hospitals have grappled with staffing issues since before the pandemic, but Covid-19 highlighted the challenges — and exacerbated them. Now, concerned healthcare workers throughout Illinois and Indiana are sounding the alarm. They’re calling on The Joint Commission — the third-party agency that accredits 22,000 US healthcare organisations — to add a safe staffing standard to its accreditation process, similar to student-to-teacher ratio requirements that many states have. “We have all kinds of rules to make sure that hospitals are safe: We make sure that healthcare workers wash their hands before procedures, that they wear gloves and protective equipment, that bed sheets are changed between patients. Yet there are no statewide regulations about hospital staffing levels,” said Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Illinois President Greg Kelley at a demonstration in early June. Read full story Source: Chicago Health, 8 June 2022 -
Content Article
How healthcare employers can alleviate staff burnout using technology
Anonymous posted an article in Staff safety
In this blog, Hannah Wilkinson, Head of People & Culture at Radar Healthcare, describes five ways health tech companies can alleviate burnout across the workforce, following recently reported news that as many as 400 staff are leaving the NHS each week due to the effects of stress. -
News ArticlePharmacists say physical and verbal abuse against them has become unacceptably common and many now feel unsafe when at work. Police forces say they are being called out to handle pharmacy-based crimes. The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) says there have been reports of a stabbing and physical attacks in pharmacies around the UK and that more needs to be done to enforce the NHS's zero tolerance policy on worker abuse.. Pharmacist Conor McAreavey was stabbed in the hand with a knife at his pharmacy in Belfast in March. He told the BBC he was "very lucky" not to have suffered tendon damage. Glasgow pharmacist Chand Kausar was threatened with a knife by an agitated patient, who - after demanding non-prescribed medication - produced a six-inch knife and cornered her against a wall. "I just froze," explains Ms Kausar. "My hands were above my head and I could hear all the noise around me, but I actually felt very calm. In my head all was quiet. I remember thinking it was like a movie scene. I'd never seen a knife like that, and I never imagined I'd have one held to my throat." The PDA launched an online survey in April 2022 and nearly 550 community pharmacists, mostly staff working in England, have responded so far. Some 468 of them - 85% - say they, or someone they work with, experienced verbal or racial abuse in the previous month while at work. One respondent said: "I feel terrified going to work every single day, and yet management are ignoring the issue." Read full story Source: BBC News, 6 June 2022
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News Article
USA: Job burnout threatens health care workforce
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The U.S. is facing high levels of burnout among health care workers, which could lead to serious shortcomings in patient care, a new report from the U.S. Surgeon General has found. Burnout among health care workers was a serious problem even before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the stress caused by the ongoing pandemic has made things much worse, said Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. “The pandemic has accelerated the mental health and burnout crisis that is now affecting not only health workers, but the communities they serve,” Murthy said. “Already, Americans are feeling the impact of staffing shortages across the health system in hospitals, primary care clinics, and public health departments. As the burnout and mental health crisis among health workers worsens, this will affect the public’s ability to get routine preventive care, emergency care, and medical procedures. It will make it harder for our nation to ensure we are ready for the next public health emergency. Health disparities will worsen as those who have always been marginalized suffer more in a world where care is scarce. Costs will continue to rise.” The report calls for several steps to address the burdens on health care workers. These include: Protecting the health, safety, and well-being of all health workers by ensuring they have proper equipment, training, and are protected against workplace violence. Eliminating punitive policies for seeking mental health and substance abuse care. Reducing administrative and documentation burdens and improving health information technology and payment models. Prioritising health worker well-being on an organizational level—this includes providing competitive wages, paid sick and family leave, rest breaks, educational debt support, and other steps to ease the burden on health workers. Read full story Source: BenefitsPro, 6 June 2022 -
Content ArticleThe realities of our healthcare system are driving many health workers to burnout. They are at an increased risk for mental health challenges and choosing to leave the health workforce early. They work in distressing environments that strain their physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. This will make it harder for patients to get care when they need it. The USA is facing high levels of burnout among health care workers, which could lead to serious shortcomings in patient care, a new report from the U.S. Surgeon General has found.
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Content ArticleEarly in the pandemic, neither the NHS’s clinical or ancillary staff nor social care workers were adequately protected from the risks of catching covid-19 in the course of their work. In the UK alone, hundreds of infected workers have died, thousands have been admitted to hospital, and tens of thousands have experienced long term effects, How do we improve staff protection next time? Here’s David Oliver's manifesto.
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News Article
Sleep-deprived medical staff ‘pose same danger on roads as drunk drivers’
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
About half of all hospital doctors and nurses have had accidents or experienced near misses while driving home after a night shift. The risks they pose to themselves and other road users have been calculated as the same as those posed by drivers who are over the legal alcohol limit, delegates at a European medical conference were told last week. As a result, health experts have called for doctors and nurses to be allowed to take 20-minute power naps during night shifts. This would make their journeys home safer and would also help to protect patients from mistakes they might make through tiredness when administering drugs or other treatments. “When fatigue sets in, we in the medical and nursing team are less empathetic with patients and colleagues, vigilance becomes more variable, and logical reasoning is affected, making it hard for us to calculate, for example, the correct dose of drugs a patient might need,” consultant anaesthetist Nancy Redfern of Newcastle hospital said last week. “We find it hard to think flexibly, or to retain new information, which makes it difficult to manage quickly changing emergency situations. Our mood gets worse, so our teamwork suffers. Hence, everything that makes us and our patients safe is affected.” Research found that workers who drive home after a 12-hour shift are twice as likely to have a crash as those working eight-hour shifts. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 4 June 2022
