Knowledge @lert for Monday 11th May

May 11, 2015 Uncategorized

Streamlining inpatient processes can reduce discharge times – HSJ
A review of the NHS continuing healthcare procedures inspired a trust and CCG to come up with new ways to speed up the transfers of care, plus the rest of today’s news and comment

Using communications approaches to spread improvement
S Randall, Health Foundation “A practical guide to help you effectively communicate and spread your improvement work.” Read more here.

Hospital finances and productivity: in a critical condition?
S Lafond, A Charlesworth, A Roberts, The Health Foundation
“Our analysis suggests that while the NHS did improve its productivity in the early years of this parliament, performance has now tailed off sharply and the crude productivity of hospitals has gone backwards over the last two years.” Read more here.

Help for doctors facing fitness-to-practise hearings
The British Medical Association has announced that it is recruiting ‘doctor supporters’ to help doctors facing fitness-to-practise proceedings. The supporters will work for the BMA Doctors for Doctors unit Doctor Support Service. The service has been commissioned by the General Medical Council to provide independent, confidential and free support to all doctors.

Using apps in clinical practice
The Royal College of Physicians has published Using apps in clinical practice ,this guidance aims to provide clinicians and medical app developers with important information about the use of apps in clinical practice.

Performance data in healthcare
Dr Foster has published Uses and abuses of performance data in healthcare. The report explores the current ways in which performance data is utilised and the potentially adverse consequences of these approaches as well as considering the key aspects of performance measurement and offering some recommendations to improve the situation in future. The report discusses the five elements that would comprise “legitimate performance management”, which were developed by an expert reference group. It points to relevant policies for each and considers the challenges that have been faced around implementation. In conclusion the document offers five recommendations, which the authors feel “would go a long way to reducing abuse of performance data and significantly improving the gain that could be achieved through their use.

Using survey data to inform health and wellbeing strategy
NHS Employers has published a case study detailing how a staff survey by Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust was used to inform a health and wellbeing strategy for staff. The survey results revealed that the trust had low scores in relation to staff wellbeing, work-related stress being a key issue. The trust wanted to put together a new employee health and wellbeing strategy, focusing on improving staff physical and mental wellbeing through a collective effort with other departments including Human Resources, occupational health, nursing directorates, communications and the unions. This strategy would inform the health and wellbeing programme, which included a range of accessible and affordable ways for staff to lead a healthier lifestyle but also achieve a better work life balance.

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