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Showing results for tags 'Staff support'.
Found 859 results
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News Article
Waiting times focus ‘overshadows misconduct’, finds NHSE review
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Ambulance trusts have often prioritised capacity and response times over dealing with cases of misconduct, a review of culture in the sector for NHS England has found. The review says ambulance trusts need to “establish clear standards and procedures to address misconduct”. The work was carried out by Siobhan Melia, who is Sussex Community Healthcare Trust CEO, and was seconded to be South East Coast Ambulance Service Foundation Trust interim chief from summer 2022 to spring last year. Her report says bullying and harassment – including sexual harassment – are “deeply rooted” in ambulance trusts, and made worse by organisational and psychological barriers, with inconsistencies in holding offenders to account and a failure to tackle repeat offenders. She says “cultural assessments” of three trusts by NHSE had found “competing pressures often lead to poor behaviours, with capacity prioritisation overshadowing misconduct management”, adding: “Staff shortages and limited opportunities for development mean that any work beyond direct clinical care is seen as a luxury or is rushed. “Despite this, there is a clear link between positive organisational culture and improved patient outcomes. However, trusts often focus on meeting response time standards for urgent calls, whilst sidelining training, professional development, and research.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 15 February 2024 -
Content ArticleThe National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) awarded researchers from The Open University (OU), Manchester Metropolitan University, the Universities of Oxford, Glasgow and Edinburgh more than £141,000 to expand their world-first study of witnesses’ experience of giving evidence during health and social care workers’ professional conduct hearings. The project, Witness to harm, holding to account: Improving patient, family and colleague witnesses’ experiences of Fitness to Practise proceedings, mainly focuses on cases where there are allegations of harm. This focus should help regulators and employers identify potential improvements to support witnesses whose role in giving evidence is crucial to a fair hearing.
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Content Article
To coach or not to coach? Part 2 – by Dawn Stott
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Good practice
In a new series of blogs, Dawn Stott, Business Consultant and former CEO of the Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP), discusses how coaching and developing teams can support patient safety and its outcomes. In part one, Dawn looked at the strategies and coaching methodologies that can be used to develop individuals and to support patient safety. In part two, Dawn looks at how coaching can improve individuals, and discusses the indicators of improvement, prosocial behaviours and the importance of good communication to improve culture and, ultimately, patient safety. -
Content ArticleThere are many unheard and under-acknowledged voices and perspectives in the health and social care workforce, and they usually belong to those in the most junior, poorest-paid and precarious roles. All these voices deserve more attention than they get, but those of newly qualified and registered nurses and midwives are especially important given the current retention crisis in both professions. Since spring 2023, the King's Fund have been working with 22 newly qualified - newly registered if they trained internationally – nurses and midwives on a project called Follow Your Compassion. A documentary record of the everyday working lives of these nurses and midwives across a variety of settings across the UK health and care system, the project is a companion piece to The Courage of Compassion (2020), a report by The King’s Fund and RCN Foundation which described the core workplace needs of nurses and midwives, and what must be done to meet them.
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Content ArticleThe Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 'Let's remove it' hub is a platform to tackle bullying and undermining across the surgical workforce.
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Content ArticleA common theme of recent international inquiries is that well intentioned investigations often make things worse. Harm is compounded when we fail to listen, validate and respond to the rights and needs of all the people involved. When lengthy processes do not result in meaningful action, suffering can be exacerbated and result in further damage to wellbeing, relationships, and trust. At its worst, compounded harm produces undesirable outcomes such as a community believing an essential service is unsafe, or a clinician leaving their profession. In considering how best to respond, it is important to remember that health systems are comprised of people and relationships, as well as rules and processes. Once we think about safety as a human and relational approach, rather than one that only seeks to lessen risk and enforce regulation, we can consider how to best proceed. Whether an act is intentional or not, a dignifying approach involves working together to repair the harm involved. Restorative responses are ideal for this purpose, as Jo Wailling, Co-chair of the National Collaborative for Restorative Initiatives in Health Aotearoa New Zealand, explains in this blog on the Patient Safety Commissioner website.
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News ArticleA nurse whistleblower has described her eight years of hell as she fights the NHS over its failure to properly investigate claims she was sexually harassed by a colleague. Michelle Russell, who has 30 years of experience, first raised allegations of sexual harassment by a male nurse to managers at the mental health unit where she worked in London in 2015. Years of battling her case saw the trust’s initial investigation condemned as “catastrophically flawed” while the nursing watchdog, the Nursing Midwifery Council, has apologised for taking so long to review her complaint and has referred itself to its own regulator over the matter. With the case still unresolved, Ms Russell will see her career in the NHS end this week after she was not offered any further contract work. Speaking to The Independent she said: “If I’m going to lose my job, I want other nurses to know that this is what happens when you raise a concern. I want the public to know this is what happens to us in the NHS when we are trying to protect the public. “I have an unblemished career. They’re crying out for nurses. I’ve dedicated my life to the NHS. I haven’t done anything wrong.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 6 February 2024
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Content Article
To coach or not to coach? Part 1 – by Dawn Stott
Dawn Stott posted an article in Good practice
In a new series of blogs for the hub, Dawn Stott, Business Consultant and former CEO of the Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP), discusses how coaching and developing teams can support patient safety and its outcomes. In part one, Dawn looks at strategies and coaching methodologies that can be used to develop individuals to be the best they can be. We all develop at different rates; having an external view point that supports your progress is something to grab with both hands. It is not about about how good you are right now; it is about how good you can be. -
News Article
NHS trust ‘abandoned’ budding paramedic who took her own life
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Rebecca McLellan, a trainee paramedic, pursuing the job she had dreamed of as a child, took her own life at the age of 24. Amid the devastation felt by her loved ones, serious questions have now emerged about the standard of care she received at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT). In notes recorded before her death last November, McLellan said that Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) had “abandoned” her in a time of need. An internal investigation has now been launched by the mental health trust, which has been dogged by safety concerns for more than a decade. Relatives of McLellan, who lived in Ipswich, Suffolk, and was being treated for bipolar disorder, are among hundreds of bereaved families who believe their loved ones were failed under the care of the trust. Her mother, Natalie McLellan, 48, said it was clear that some of her daughter’s feelings of helplessness in her final months were “shaped by their inadequacy”. “She was somebody that had it all,” said Natalie. “She had a supportive family, she had a nice flat, she had a nice car, she was doing exactly what she wanted to do in life. She had a voice, she was able to speak and advocate for herself as a medical professional. If she can’t get help, what the hell hope is there for anybody else? Recent months have seen calls for a public inquiry and criminal investigation into NSFT after bosses last year admitted to losing count of the number of patients that had died on its books. Campaigners describe the mismanagement of mortality figures as “the biggest deaths crisis in the history of the NHS”. The Times has spoken to trust staff, bereaved relatives and MPs who say that despite repeated promises of improved care the trust’s overstretched services remain unsafe and require urgent reform. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 26 January 2024 -
Content ArticleIn 2023, the Royal College of Surgeons of England surveyed the UK surgical workforce to identify the key challenges facing surgical teams and to inform workforce planning. Respondents included consultants, surgeons in training, Specialist, Associate Specialist and Specialty (SAS) surgeons, Locally Employed Doctors in surgery (LEDs) and members of the extended surgical team (EST). Advancing the Surgical Workforce reveals a number of interesting insights and paints a picture of a surgical workforce working long hours and in stressful environments. Too many staff are trying to navigate a system which frustrates the delivery of surgical services rather than enabling them. Surgical trainees in particular are increasingly being affected by these pressures.
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Content ArticleSickness absence in the English NHS in 2022 was 5.6% – higher than the 4.3% rate three years earlier pre-covid, and totalling some 27 million days sickness absence. Moreover, 54.5% of staff reported they had gone into work in the previous three months despite not feeling well enough to perform their duties. This is a challenge for staff, managers, employers and occupational health services. Sickness absence measured and reported accurately can help identify trends that may assist with both understanding individual causes and preventing or mitigating sickness absence patterns by addressing their root causes. The NHS, along with many other public sector organisations, however, relies on a system of sickness absence measurement called the “Bradford Factor” which some suggest is counterproductive, without research underpinning and needs to be replaced. The Bradford Factor is a system which creates individual level, “trigger points” at which line managers consider investigation which may lead to disciplinary action to supposedly prompt improved attendance and referral to occupational health. The NHS’s over reliance on the Bradford Factor is potentially discriminatory and highlights the urgent need for a shift in how the service manages sickness absence, writes Roger Klein in this HSJ article.
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Content ArticleIn the intricate world of healthcare, where patient safety is paramount, the ability to speak up is a crucial component of a culture of safety. However, the complexities surrounding voicing concerns or challenging the status quo in a healthcare environment can be extremely daunting. Speaking up to those who are respected, who are perceived as more powerful or more influential is not easy. Even asking questions, let alone questioning others can create tension or even risk relationships. We are too often silenced by others or are purposefully silent ourselves because it is the easier thing to do. In this blog, Suzette Woodward discusses the barriers to speaking up and what we can do.
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Content ArticleNorthumbria University is exploring the experiences of NHS Trusts taking steps to move towards a Restorative Just Culture to develop and share an informative ‘how to’ guide. They would like to hear your views if you are you an NHS Trust who has attended the Northumbria University and Mersey Care NHS FT programme: Principles and Practices of Restorative Just Culture and have implemented, or attempted to implement, restorative just culture. It will take approximately 45 minutes of your time to take part in an online interview/focus group. If you are interested in participating or have any questions please contact bl.rjc@northumbria.ac.uk. Download the attachment below for more information.
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Content Article
Are you having to bite off more than you can chew? A blog by Sally Howard
Sally Howard posted an article in Culture
The current challenges in the NHS are leading to staff burnout and staff leaving their jobs. In a new blog, hub topic lead Sally Howard asks us to take a few minutes out of our day to day work to reflect and re-calibrate. -
Content ArticleThis project aimed at understanding and tackling the barriers to sufficient hydration, breaks and refreshment facilities for NHS staff. Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was keen to introduce the Royal College of Nursing's (RCN) rest, rehydrate and refuel initiative, and did so through a project led by one of the chief nurse clinical fellows. First, staff were surveyed to understand the current situation and any barriers they may face. This was followed by a trial on two pilot wards, before roll our of a trust-wide campaign.
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Content ArticlePlans to increase their number in England to plug workforce gaps have been criticised – but their work is valued by hospital colleagues. Sammy Chan is very proud to be a physician associate, despite the controversies. “I find it particularly rewarding because I get to build relationships with patients,” she said. Chan works in respiratory medicine, mainly in outpatients. As well as more routine monitoring of patients and booking scans, she has been trained to perform chest drains and to insert pleural catheters. “While it’s quite emotionally challenging, it’s nice to be a constant presence on their journey,” she said. Chan is one of 40 physician associates employed at the Royal Berkshire foundation trust in Reading. Introduced nearly two decades ago, physician associates have some medical training but are not doctors. They can take medical histories, carry out physical examinations and help develop treatment plans – but cannot prescribe medicine or order X-rays. The NHS aims to increase the number of physician associates working in England from about 4,000 to 10,000 to help plug widespread gaps in the workforce.
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Content ArticleThe framework has been produced to guide organisations providing residential or supported living accommodation to adults with a learning disability who may have been impacted by a trauma history. Whilst it can be difficult to assess the impact of trauma for many people with a learning disability, particularly those with a more severe/profound learning disability, it is important to recognise the possibility of the impact of psychological trauma. Providing care practices that are trauma informed, person-centred and growth promoting are less likely to be re-traumatizing for those already exposed to trauma.
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Content ArticleAfter an extreme traumatic event there are things that you can do to help yourself, and your colleagues, to move on. Fiona Day, medical and public health leadership coach and chartered coaching psychologist, Stacey Killick, consultant paediatrician at Glan Clwyd Hospital, and Lucy Easthope, professor in practice at Durham University’s Institute of Hazard, Risk, and Resilience and adviser on disaster recovery give their tips in this BMJ article.
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EventThis Hospital at Night Summit focuses on out of hours care in hospitals delivering high quality safe care at night and supporting the wellbeing of those working at night. Through national updates, networking opportunities and case studies this conference provides a practical guide to delivering a high-quality hospital at night service and transforming out of hours services and roles to improve patient safety. The 2024 conference will focus on developing an effective Hospital at Night service and focus on the practicalities of supporting staff at night, improving wellbeing, and fighting fatigue. For further information and to book your place visit https://www.healthcareconferencesuk.co.uk/virtual-online-courses/hospital-at-night-summit or email aman@hc-uk.org.uk hub members receive a 20% discount code. Email info@pslhub.org for discount code. Follow on Twitter @HCUK_Clare #HospitalAtNight
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Content ArticleThis report is divided into two sections. The first section is contextual and reviews literature, both national and international, that provides insights into the experiences of Black and Ethnic Minority (referred to in this report as BME) and internationally recruited nurse (IRNs). The second section focuses specifically on the literature related to health and social care regulatory bodies within the UK, and the reporting of professionals in relation to fitness to practise.
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Content Article
#StayAndThrive podcast (10 May 2023)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Workforce and resources
in this podcast, Mark Doblas, lead clinical practice facilitator at Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and Ruby Faruqi, Stay and Thrive matron at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust, share their first-hand experience of being international recruits to the NHS. They talk about how the #StayAndThrive programme has enabled them to support international recruits in their respective organisations. Simon Littlefield, director of nursing and integrated care at St. Georges, Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust (GESH) explores the role of leaders in setting a culture that welcomes new international recruits. -
Content ArticleThere are around 1.3 billion people in the world with a disability, but in many settings, the understanding of reasonable adjustments among healthcare workers is inadequate to provide the same quality of care for people with disabilities as individuals without disabilities. Inclusive healthcare requires improvements in accessibility and training for healthcare professionals. Some progress is being made and medical education in some countries now includes disability, human rights and reasonable adjustments in education and training. This Lancet article outlines global examples of attempts to improve healthcare workers' understanding of disabilities and inclusion.
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Content ArticleThe Parkinson’s Excellence Network has launched three new practical guides to support UK health professionals to deliver time critical Parkinson’s medication on time in hospital.
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Content Article
In the past, long before Covid, doctors used to openly discuss complex cases and unexpected deaths on an anonymous basis either in the doctors' mess or in medical grand rounds hosted by their hospital’s clinical education department. What's happened to these forums for learning? Are these clinical conversations alive and well, and helping doctors and nurses alike to learn from safety incidents? Or have medical grand rounds disappeared from practice?- Posted
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Content ArticleThe USA National Nurses United is proposing for minimum, mandated, nurse-to-patient staffing ratios to protect patients’ right to nursing care. Every patient deserves a single standard of high-quality care. The ratios, coupled with nurses’ powerful voice of advocacy secured in collective bargaining, protect patients from complications that arise from missed care such as medical errors, health care disparities, infections, and so much more.
