DH Wellbeing and health policy

March 6, 2014 Comments Off on DH Wellbeing and health policy

Source: Department of Health

Link to main document https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wellbeing-and-health-policy

Publication format: PDF

Date of publication: 6th February 2014

Summary of driver: Evidence on why wellbeing matters to health throughout someone’s life, and what policy makers can do about it

Key features of driver: Important findings are that wellbeing:

•adds years to life and improves recovery from illness
•is associated with positive health behaviours in adults and childrens
•is associated with broader positive results
•influences the wellbeing and mental health of those close to us
•affects how staff and health care providers work with implications for decisions for patient care practises and services, and treatment decisions and costs
•affects decisions about local services
•may ultimately reduce the healthcare burden

Primary audience: All NHS Trust staff

Impact on library policy/practice: Publicise and display material in relation to wellbeing and health for staff. Signposting to relevant support services within workplace.

Date last updated: 6th March 2014

Due for review: 1 year

Group member responsible: LK

A mandate from the Government to Health Education England

March 6, 2014 Comments Off on A mandate from the Government to Health Education England

Title of driver: Delivering high quality, effective, compassionate care: developing the right people with the right skills and the right values: a mandate from the Government to Health Education England: April 2013 to March 2015

Source: Department of Health

Link to main document

Publication format: PDF

Date of publication: May 2013

Summary of driver:

Details of the strategic objectives of the Government in the areas of workforce planning, health education, training and development for which Health Education England and the LETBs have responsibility.

It sets out the need for Health Education England to work with a wide range of partners involved to ensure they effectively support the aim of having the right numbers of staff, with the right skills and values, to deliver high quality healthcare and public health.

Key features of driver:

Annex A (p.34) has a number of short-term deliverables for Health Education England to meet, under the following headings:

  • Support for service priorities
  • NHS values and behaviours
  • Excellent education
  • Competent and capable staff
  • Flexible workforce receptive to research and innovation
  • Widening participation
  • Working in partnership – patient voice and local accountability
  • Value for money, transparency and fairness

Primary audience: Health Education England and LETBs (Local Education and Training Boards)

Impact on library policy/practice:

May have implications for the numbers of trainees in different areas, such as emergency medicine, health visiting, dementia care, undergraduate nursing and HCAs.

There are to be minimum training standards for HCAs.

The deliverables could have implications for library stock (for example, more books aimed at HCAs), and the level of support required by different user groups such as HCAs that have not traditionally been major library users.

Date last updated: March 2014

Due for review: March 2015

Group member responsible: JC

Using Clinical Librarians to support evidence-based, cost effective purchasing decisions

March 3, 2014 Comments Off on Using Clinical Librarians to support evidence-based, cost effective purchasing decisions

Project Team

Tissue Viability Nurse (TVN) Consultant and Specialist Tissue Viability nurses (acute & community) – to review/report on products & evidence and make final decisions.
Purchasing Manager –  supplier/clinician liaison and costings & data provision and analysis.
Assistant Clinical Librarian (CL) – to conduct literature searches.

Resources Required

Library resources: Assistant CL time (34.5 hours to complete 54 literature searches over a 2 month period)

Timeframe

Approx. 6 months from initial meeting to completion of review by TVN team.

“The Story”

The Tissue Viability Nurse Consultant and her team were due to undertake a review of the Wound Care Formulary Review used across the acute and community setting. Having been a frequent user of the CL, the nurse consultant requested CL input to as wanted to ensure that decisions regarding dressing choice were made on a comprehensive assessment of each product (incorporating the available evidence base, cost and availability, staff and patient-reported experience and outcomes).

Assistant CL attended meetings with an iPad to provide quick access to the evidence base for the dressings being evaluated by the group. Subsequent in-depth literature searches were undertaken to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of dressing types as well as specific products. Results were then disseminated across the group.

Meetings took place over the summer of 2013 and 54 searches were undertaken to provide the required evidence.

The project was completed and the new formulary was disseminated amongst the project team in January 2014.

Alignment to local, regional and national drivers

Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust Quality Strategy 2013 – 2018: “to provide the very best care to each patient on every occasion”

National Audit Office: The procurement of consumables by NHS acute and Foundation trusts (Feb 2011) “In the new NHS of constrained budgets, trust chief executives should consider procurement as a strategic priority”

NMC The Code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives “Provide a high standard of practice and care at all times”

Impact of this project/service

TVN team now have a centrally-held repository of evidence relating to their specialist area with arrangements in place for regular updates from CLS.

Timely delivery of new wound care formulary.

Projected cost savings of £50,000 per annum for the lifetime of the formulary (3 years) achieved whilst quality maintained across the organisation.

Increased awareness and actual use of the CL and library service as a whole.

Lessons Learned

Opportunity for ongoing CL input valued by team.

CL able to refine current evidence & knowledge alerts to better suit the information needs of this user group.

Sustainability / next steps?

This project will be the subject of an article in the Trust magazine which will support the marketing of this project to other clinical and care teams trust wide.

This collaboration is to be included in promotional brochure for Learning & Organisation Development department.

Continued collaboration with this clinical team, resulting in actual increased uptake of library services to support the TVN team in both clinical and professional development (e.g. writing for publication, undertaking accredited study and conference presentations).

Anticipated CL involvement in subsequent formulary reviews.

Contact details

Jo Whitcombe,
Assistant Clinical Librarian
Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
0161 627 8462/ joanne.whitcombe@pat.nhs.uk

Date case study completed:  January 2014.

Increasing research and innovation in health and social care

January 13, 2014 Comments Off on Increasing research and innovation in health and social care

Title of driver: Increasing research and innovation in health and social care

Source:  Department of Health

Link to main document 

Publication format: HTML (Webpage)

Date of publication: 25 March 2013

Summary of driver:  Department of Health (DH) policy document outlining plans to encourage leading-edge health research across NHS England and increased use of innovative approaches and technologies in healthcare to improve quality and the effectiveness of NHS patient care.

Evidence-based decision making will be applied across Public Health and Social Care. By supporting strategies that are proven to work, improvements in productivity, value for money and the quality of NHS health services can be achieved.

Key features of driver:

  • DH will continue to provide large scale funding into health and social care research programmes through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Additional funding made available by Medical Research Councils and Small Business Research Initiatives.
  • From April 2013 Public Health England (PHE) will collate evidence and advise NHS services and Councils on effective initiatives to target public health problems e.g. excessive drinking, smoking and obesity.

Primary audience: NHS research providers (including: NIHR Clinical Research Network, NHS Trusts), NHS research partners (HE and private sector), Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), NHS social care providers, NHS Commissioning Board / Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG)

Impact on library policy/practice: Whilst not directly applicable to NHS library services, the policy provides an opportunity for libraries to work collaboratively with colleagues in the following areas:

  • Public health initiatives e.g. NHS Health Awareness Events throughout the year – highlighting innovative research which supports NHS / public health objectives such as: smoking cessation or awareness of obesity and its link to type II diabetes.
  • Supporting NHS healthcare researchers – providing information / research skills training to help identify high quality clinical research, promoting relevant journals / research publications, circulating eTOC alerts and current awareness services (e.g. evidence update bulletins).
  • Supporting clinical audit teams and clinical policy makers – literature searching and critical appraisal to enable effective review of current protocols and targeted monitoring of NICE technology appraisals and health technology assessments. This can help to inform changes to clinical practice and introduction of new drugs or healthcare devices.
  • Strategic positioning – aligning the strategic aim and objectives of the library service with Trust priorities and the research and development programme. This can help direct business and financial planning to support research and innovative practice within NHS Trusts.
  • Working with healthcare staff in their departments and remotely via outreach and clinical librarian initiatives, to assist access to NICE Clinical Guidelines and other reliable evidence. This can support professionals to remain up-to-date with clinical developments and best practice.

Date last updated: 24/12/2013

Due for review: December 2014

Group member responsible: ME

Berwick review into patient safety

December 23, 2013 Comments Off on Berwick review into patient safety

Source: Department of Health

Link to the document: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/berwick-review-into-patient-safety

Update published 6th August 2014 “One year on – reflections from the Berwick advisory group”

Publication format: Website, with further PDFs available

Date of publication: 6 August 2013

Summary of driver:

Don Berwick (founder and former President of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement) led an Advisory Group carrying out a review of patient safety, following the breakdown of care at Mid Staffordshire hospitals.

The report identifies changes that could help the English NHS become even more effective, safe, and patient-centered.

The recommendations of the report are grouped into nine categories.

I)             The overarching goal

II)            Leadership

III)           Patient and Public Involvement

IV)          Staff

V)           Training and Capacity Building

VI)          Measurement and Transparency

VII)        Structures

VIII)       Enforcement

IX)          Moving Forwards

Key features of driver: 

The report envisions the NHS in England moving forward as a learning organisation.  As a result, the overarching principles of the report are that the NHS should be committed to:

  • Placing the quality of patient care, especially patient safety, above all other aims.
  •  Engaging, empowering, and hearing patients and carers throughout the entire system and at all times.
  • Fostering whole-heartedly the growth and development of all staff, including their ability and support to improve the processes in which they work.
  • Embracing transparency unequivocally and everywhere, in the service of accountability, trust, and the growth of knowledge

The report includes the following Appendices:

  • A note on the methodology
  • Letter to Senior Government Officials and Senior Executives in the Health Service
  • Letter to the people of England
  • Letter to the clinicians, managers, and all staff of the NHS
  • A list of Advisory Group Members

Primary audience: Government and NHS England Leaders, NHS Organisation Leaders and Boards and System Regulators

Impact on library policy/practice: To support NHS workers and expand their skills with a commitment to lifelong learning

Date last updated: August 2014

Due for review: December 2015

Group member responsible: LA

HCLU Consumer Health Information Website (Health Care Libraries Unit NW)

December 20, 2013 Comments Off on HCLU Consumer Health Information Website (Health Care Libraries Unit NW)

Title of project: HCLU Consumer Health Information Website

Project Team:

  • Health2Works (web designers)
  • Director of Health Libraries NW
  • CPD & Partnerships Manager

Stakeholders:

  • General Public
  • Health Providers
  • NHS North West CHI Providers

Resources Required: The project will be managed by the HCLU CPD and Partnerships Manager, Gil Young; under the direction of the Director of the Unit, David Stewart. A sum has been allocated by HCLU to develop the website. All other work will be undertaken by the unit and, at this stage of the project, will not require additional funding.

Timeframe: February 2011 – September 2011

Description of product/service: To create a single point of contact for high quality web based health information for the general public with the emphasis on services located in the North West.

Alignment to local, regional and national drivers: 

Liberating the NHS: Developing the healthcare workforce (white paper) Public Health white paper Nov 2010 Department of Health Information Strategy HCLU strategy

Intended outcome for customer / organisation / library: The main outputs of this project will be: A newly developed website providing access to quality consumer health information for the North West public particularly patients and carers. Marketing materials to aid the advocacy of the services Stronger links between the NHS Libraries and the providers of consumer health information in the North West. A raised profile for HCLU

Next steps: The project will share outcomes and learning with stakeholders and the NHS Library community via the HCLU Web Site, the LIHNN newsletter, briefing meetings and the use of e-mail lists. Contacts across the North West will be encouraged to share information with colleagues in order to raise awareness of the project. The project manager will actively seek out opportunities to share project outcomes, for example sharing knowledge with other libraries and health providers, publications and conferences.

At the end of the project period (September 2011), the website will be handed over to HCLU. A brief end of project report will be compiled, together with recommendations on how the project can be developed further.

Mystery Shopper Exercise (Health Library – Keele University & University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust)

December 20, 2013 Comments Off on Mystery Shopper Exercise (Health Library – Keele University & University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust)

Title of project: Mystery Shopper Exercise North Staff logo

Project team: Customer services Manager – University Campus Library; Senior Library Assistant – University Campus Library; Deputy Health Library Manager

Resources required:

  • Involvement of library customers – specifically students.
  • Staff time and mystery shopper’s time.
  • Mystery shopper guidance packs – instructions, scenarios, guidance on expected service levels.
  • Template of the previous University Campus Library’s mystery shopper exercise report and mystery shopper packs as guidance on how the method should work.
  • Knowledge of the services available at the Health Library and the library’s customer mix to ensure the scenarios tested are suitable to the library.
  • Vouchers as mystery shopper participation incentive.
  • Technology – Microsoft Excel for results analysis.

Timeframe: January 2013 – ideal completion by Easter 2013

Description of product/service: Customer service survey using the Mystery Shopper method. The Health Library’s survey will focus on the medical, midwifery and nursing University students. Health Library’s exercise needs to be comparable with the exercise conducted at the University Campus Library in winter 2012. The report produced needs to be able to stand alone on its own as NHS Library report; but also to be able to be read conjunctively with the University Campus Library’s report as a cross-libraries survey.

Alignment to local, regional and national drivers

Local drivers: Unwritten library aims from the NHS and the University to provide good customer service to all customers.

National drivers: Library Quality and Assurance Framework – criteria that ‘Library/knowledge service development/improvement is informed by relevant information’ – which could include the results of a customer survey.

Published literature: numerous journals articles have been published demonstrating how libraries/information services in other sectors have used mystery shopper exercises successfully to test certain aspects of the library service and gain insight into how their services are really being delivered. The public sector and higher education in particular have documented using this method.

Intended outcome for customer / organisation / library: To produce a report that can be read on its own as an assessment of the Health Library’s service, and which can be read conjunctively with the University’s Library report as a cross-libraries survey.

  • To identify any improvements needed to the library‘s customer service.
  • To provide a benchmark which future repeat surveys can be judged against to ensure standards are being maintained or improved.

Next steps:

  • Discuss and write the scenarios to be tested at the Health Library – for inclusion in the Mystery Shopper packs.
  • Recruit mystery shoppers from the Health Faculty Schools.
  • Brief mystery shoppers.
  • Run the mystery shopper exercise.
  • Results analysis and report production.
  • Act on any identified improvements needed.

Copies from stock (Health Library – Keele University & University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust)

December 20, 2013 Comments Off on Copies from stock (Health Library – Keele University & University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust)

North Staff logo

Title of project: Copies from Stock Service to on-site customers

Project team: Deputy Health Library Manager; Library Manager; NHS Library Lead;
Library Assistants – especially the Inter-Library Loans team.

Resources required:

  • Journal publications
  • Staff time to plan service and deal with requests
  • Time for service pilot
  • Office supplies for production of request forms and actual copies needed.
  • Access to the library scanner and MFD device to produce copies
  • Software for production of pdfs where needed
  • CLA website to check copying permissions.

Finance: Payment from library customers for the copies produced at the normal in person photocopying rate. Set up of departmental library accounts for customers to charge their requests to.

Timeframe: Planning September – December 2013; Implementation anticipated for January 2014 and then ongoing.

Description of product/service: Service where the library staff will, upon request, routinely provide copies from stock to on-site hospital staff/ students on placement customers who do not want to or have not got time to come to the library to make copies themselves. This means staff and students will get the information they need for their continued education and training, at the time they need it.

This service will provide greater parity with the service provided to off-site customers who are sent copies of articles that they are not able to access because they work off-site. We feel there should be the option for on-site customers to have items sent to them, though at the cost of what they would pay if they came in and copied the items themselves.

Alignment to local, regional and national drivers

Local drivers: Trust Learning and Education policy – the trust will support the continuing education of staff and the education of students on placement in the Trust by providing appropriate resources.

Trust strategy priorities – includes several goals relating to the delivery of education and training to staff and students – this library service will support these aims.

Library aim – to provide parity of service levels between on-site customers and offsite customers. Off-site customers will have copies sent to them because they are unable to access the library. This option currently is not routinely available to on-site customers.

Regional drivers: West Midlands Workforce Skills and Development Strategy 2013 – 2018 – by West Midlands Health Education LETB . Education development will not be a limiting factor to the creation of a skilled and flexible workforce. This service would support this aim by making resources available to the Trust workforce when they need it for their learning and development.

Intended outcome for customer / organisation / library: We will have an established and publicised copies from stock service for on-site customers. Copies would be supplied at same cost which they would have to pay if they came in and copied the items themselves.

Trust staff and students on placement will get the information they need for their continued education and training, at the time they need it.

This service will provide greater parity with the service provided to off-site customers (who are sent copies of articles that they are not able to access because they work off-site) and that provided to on-site customers.

Next steps:

  • Develop request form and processes for the service – in consultation with library colleagues.
  • Pilot/test the service.
  • Roll out of service and creation of departmental accounts as needed.
  • Marketing of the service as a standard service offering.

Review into the quality of care and treatment provided by 14 hospital trusts in England; overview report (Keogh Review)

December 3, 2013 Comments Off on Review into the quality of care and treatment provided by 14 hospital trusts in England; overview report (Keogh Review)

Source: Independent review commissioned by the Department of Health and led by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh KBE

Link to main document

Publication format: PDF report

Date of publication: July 2013

Summary of driver:
The report is a review into the quality of care and treatment provided by hospital trusts with a high mortality rate. Fourteen trusts were selected on the basis that they had been outliers for the last two consecutive years on either the Summary Hospital-Level Mortality Index (SHMI) or the Hospital Standardised Mortality ration (HSMR). The final report covers in detail, areas for improvement in each of the 14 trusts as well as identifying common challenges facing the wider NHS. Keogh concludes that significant progress is to be made within two years.

There are 8 ambitions (listed below) – which are common challenges facing the wider NHS after working with these 14 hospitals.

• Progress towards reducing avoidable deaths in hospitals rather than relying on mortality statistics to judge the quality of care
• Boards and leaders of provider/commissioner organisations, patients and the public to have access to good quality data
• Patients/carers/members of the public to be treated as equals in assessment of NHS and confident that their feedback is taken on board and to see how this impacts on future patient care
• Patients and clinicians to become active participants in future Care Quality Commissions assessments
• The development and maintenance of a culture of professional and academic recognition
• Nurse staffing levels and skills mix will match caseload and severity of patients. This information to be reported transparently by trust boards
• The contribution made by junior doctors and student nurses within organisations and the harnessing of the knowledge and innovation they bring
• Recognition of the effect that positive and motivated staff have on patient outcomes

Suggestions include the following:
• All NHS organisations need to think about innovative ways to engage staff
• Patient and public engagement must be a central theme to those who plan/run/regulate hospitals
• Implementation of an early warning system, which has the relevant support/back up in place
• Adoption of systematic processes to ensure staff and patient involvement
• Embracing all feedback, concerns and complaints
• The creation of Quality Surveillance Groups to support the CQC
• Evidence based tools to be used to determine appropriate staffing levels and skill mix

Key features of driver: Each of the 14 trusts was reviewed and the process has three sections. Information gathering and analysis, the rapid response review and finally a risk summit and action plan, which sets out the plan of action that each Trust needed to take to improve and who is accountable. The report includes a summary of findings and actions for the 14 trusts involved.

Primary audience: Department of Health, HEE, NHS Trusts, other provider/commissioner organisations.

Impact on library policy/practice: Libraries could support staff with training. This might include:
• Critical appraisal sessions and Information skills training to help staff find and understand the evidence

Date last updated: November 2013
Due for review: November 2014
Group member responsible: LK

NHS Health and Well-Being (Boorman Review)

November 27, 2013 Comments Off on NHS Health and Well-Being (Boorman Review)

Title of driver: NHS Health and Well-being Final Report (Boorman Review)

Source: Independent review commissioned by the Department of Health and led by Dr Steve Boorman

Link to main document: http://www.nhshealthandwellbeing.org

Publication format: Web site, with interim and final reports available as PDFs

Date of publication: November 2009

Summary of driver:

The report is an analysis of impacts on staff health and well-being within the NHS. The final report states that NHS organisations which prioritise staff health and well being:

  • Achieve enhanced performance
  • Improve patient care
  • Are better at retaining staff
  • Have lower rates of sickness absence

Suggestions include focusing on prevention and health improvement, providing efficient support for staff who present with ill-health, being proactive in tackling the causes of ill-health and providing early intervention services, where appropriate.

Reducing staff absence by a third could save the NHS working days equivalent to 14,900 whole-time equivalent staff.

Key features of driver: There is a separate Appendix with 50 case studies of NHS trusts sharing examples of best practice.

Primary audience: Department of Health, SHAs, NHS Trusts.

Impact on library policy/practice: Libraries could support the health and wellbeing of staff in a number of ways. These might include:

  • Leisure reading collections
  • Book clubs
  • Displays related to health awareness weeks
  • Poetry competitions
  • Involvement in Health and Wellbeing events for staff, such as a stall at roadshows
  • Development of collections of books or leaflets to support healthy living

One specific example is South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, whose library service ran Mood Boosting events to support Trust’s staff health and wellbeing.

Date last updated: November 2013

Due for review: November 2014

Group member responsible: JC

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