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Patient-Safety-Learning

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Everything posted by Patient-Safety-Learning

  1. News Article
    Some frontline NHS staff who have been double vaccinated may be allowed to continue working even if they are exposed to someone who has Covid-19. This decision comes after concerns were raised regarding staff shortages and where absences could result in "significant harm". Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said: "As we learn to live with this virus, it's important that we ensure frontline staff can keep providing the best possible care and support to people up and down the country. These new rules will fortify our collective defences against this awful virus, by allowing fully vaccinated frontline NHS and social care staff to continue to work when needed." Read full story. Source: BBC News, 19 July 2021
  2. News Article
    It has been announced that the UK is set to launch 15 new research programs to study 'Long Covid', allocating nearly 20 million pounds to the projects. The research programs are aiming to understand the condition better as well as identify it and evaluate different treatments. The Department for Health and Social Care have said, "Those people who have long COVID will benefit from the latest research revealed, which will help to understand the condition better, improve diagnosis and find new treatments." Read full story. Source: The Day Chronicle, 18 July 2021
  3. News Article
    Now, almost two years after a consultation on inquests into stillbirths was delivered, the government has yet to respond. It has recently been reported by MPs that 1,000 babies die preventable deaths each year due to understaffing and a culture of blame among the maternity ward workforce. However, despite pressure from campaigners and a promise by the government that a response would come in September 2019, it is yet to be published. The Department for Health and Social Care has told Byline Times, “work on analysing the responses to the consultation on coronial investigations of stillbirths has been delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic”. Read full story. Source: Byline Times, 14 July 2021
  4. News Article
    £140m that was spent on developing ventilators has been written off by ministers. According to the Observer, the ventilators were never put to use in the NHS in the months after the pandemic began. The 'ventilator challenge' was launched to help provide more machines where needed, however problems began early last year when companies complained their expertise was not being used, while others who had no relevant experience of building ventilators, were asked to do so. A government spokesperson has said: “Throughout the pandemic, we have done whatever it takes to protect the NHS and save lives. This included launching the ventilator challenge, which saw more than 15,000 new machines delivered to the NHS, meaning every patient who needs a ventilator has been able to access one". Read full story. Source: The Guardian, 18 July 2021
  5. News Article
    While most of the UK is double vaccinated, there is still a steady rise in the number of Covid cases, raising concerns about the safety of the unlocking of the UK. On Monday 19th July, England will lift Covid restrictions including mandatory mask wearing as well as limits on indoor mixing. However, if someone is notified by the NHS app, they will still need to self-isolate, a rule that will no longer apply from 16th August if the person is double vaccinated. Read full story. Source: CNN 18 July 2021
  6. Content Article
    Past research, some dating as far back as 1990 has highlighted a number of inaccuracies in readings when measuring oxygen levels in ethnic minorities. Especially now with the outbreak of coronavirus, further assessment is needed to ensure accurate measurements are being taken. The NHS Race and Health Observatory is now calling for further action and research alongside a rapid review includes a series of recommendations for national healthcare, regulatory and research bodies.
  7. News Article
    Owing to a lack of beds and space, one the of the largest hospitals in the country has had to cancel all it's planned operations for two days. The hospital, which has more than 1,100 beds has had to cancel cancer operations and liver transplants due to an influx in coronavirus patients increasing demand for bed space. Deputy medical director at the University Hospitals Birmingham, Ian Sharp has said “The pressure at the front door, whether its people who should be able to access care elsewhere, or people with Covid, or people with other acute issues, flooding our front door makes it very difficult to function effectively". Read full story. Source: The Independent, 16 July 2017
  8. Content Article
    Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) looked into the suitability of equipment and technology used within maternity departments to conduct continuous fetal heart rate monitoring during labour and birth. Although there are multiple methods used to monitor fetal heart rate, the main equipment used is a continuous fetal heart rate monitoring is the cardiotocograph (CTG) machine. There has been some common safety issues identified with availability of equipment and functionality, staff understanding of the equipment and its purpose and an inability to understand and interpret the fetal heart rate. HSIB conducted an investigation into how cardiograph machines are used, any problems staff experienced while using them and problems that staff using them and how the equipment was purchased experienced, and how staff are trained and assessed as being competent to use them.
  9. News Article
    1.6 million people in England have been told to self-isolate in a week and the government say it is unlikely the Covid app will adjusted to make it less sensitive. Robert Jenrick, communities secretary told the BBC, “It is important we have the app, that we take it seriously and that when we do get those messages, we act accordingly”. According to reports, UK coronavirus cases climbed to 48,553 on Thursday, the highest since January. Concerns have now been raised about the climbing number of cases with fears there may be chaos to come. Read full story. Source: The Guardian, 16 July 2021
  10. News Article
    Hospital waiting lists across the country could hit 13 million in the months to come. Reports have found Manchester Hospitals are having to provide extra beds for critical care patients as the number of people coming in has surged. Hospitals are struggling to cope due to increase in patients attending hospitals in the city a reports the Manchester Evening News. The “number of people attending emergency departments across Greater Manchester has seen a significant increase in recent weeks” and that assistance from hospitals in other parts of the country was “part of our usual processes”, a spokesperson for the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership has said. Read full story. Source: The Independent, 15 July 2021
  11. News Article
    A major new study has found Long Covid is associated with at least 200 symptoms, the most common of which includes fatigue, post-exertional malaise and cognitive dysfunction. The research led by a team at University College London spoke to thousands of people, many of whom have said they experienced symptoms for months. Other symptoms include: visual hallucinations, tremors, itchy skin, changes to the menstrual cycle, sexual dysfunction, heart palpitations, bladder control issues, shingles, memory loss, blurred vision, diarrhoea, and tinnitus. Read full story. Source: The Independent, 15 July 2021
  12. News Article
    A new study has found younger adults admitted to hospital with Covid-19 may suffer similar complications as to those over 50 year old. The research, conducted by 7 different universities, the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England found that around half of all adult patients in hospital with Covid-19 suffered a least one complication. Professor Calum Semple who led the work has said, "The message is that this is not just a disease of the elderly and frail". Read full story. Source: BBC News, 16 July 2021
  13. Event
    This conference focuses on practical steps you can take to improve action planning and embed human factors and after action reviews to ensure learning, change and demonstrable improvement. This conference will enable you to: Network with colleagues who are working to drive change and improvement Understand the action planning process Reflect on the challenges in ensuring accountability for change Develop effective strategies for embedding a human factors approach into action planning Learn from action planning examples in patient safety, complaints and to embed findings from clinical audit and quality improvement Understand the legal context including the implications of unimplemented action plans Ensure assurance and oversight of action plans CQC action planning right and communicating improvement back to the CQC Motivating clinical teams to change and improve Conducting effective after action reviews To book you place, please click here.
  14. Event
    The Deteriorating Patient Summit focuses on recognising and responding to the deteriorating patient through improving the reliability of patient observations and ensuring quality of care. This conference will enable you to: Network with colleagues who are working to improve the recognition and management of deteriorating patients Learn from outstanding practice in improving care for deteriorating patients Implement the recommendations from the HSIB Investigation into responding to critically unwell patients Reflect on national developments and learning including latest evidence on effective implementation of NEWS2 including in patients with Covid-19 Understand the practicalities of involving patients and their families in the recognition of deterioration Develop your skills in identifying deteriorating patients including those with Covid-19 Understand what success factors facilitate escalation of care and how can these be applied more reliably Ensure effective implementation of NEWS2 Understand how to work with clinical teams to create a language and spread this across the whole health system Self assess, reflect and expand your skills in the management of sepsis, and communicating the risks to patients who have recovered from Covid-19 Gain CPD accreditation points contributing to professional development and revalidation evidence To book your place, please click here.
  15. Content Article
    This article describes SEIPS ((Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety) 101 and seven simple SEIPS tools. The authors discuss how it is intended to make the SEIPS model more useful, particularly for practitioners and those who have not used it before.
  16. Event
    until
    How to successfully apply audit technology to your infection control systems, to prepare for winter and transform team performance. Please register here to join the webinar.
  17. News Article
    NHS England have issued a safety alert on the risk of inappropriate anticoagulation of patients with a mechanical heart valve. Published guidance supported clinical teams in reviewing patients being treated with a vitamin K antagonist (VKA) early on in the pandemic and change their medication to an alternative anticoagulant where needed. However, there have been reports that those with a mechanical heart valve have been prescribed a molecular weight heparin (LMWH) or a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) which the guidance lists as an exception to its use in such patients. The alert asks GPs and other NHS providers to urgently identify patients with a mechanical heart valve and ensure they are on the most appropriate anticoagulant. Read full story. Source: NHS England, 14 July 2021
  18. News Article
    NHS Blood and Transplant have estimated that almost 7,000 people are waiting for lifesaving transplants in the UK, the highest number in six years. During the first peak of the pandemic last year, several key services have had to be closed reveals the analysis from April 2020 to March 2021, although most were rapidly reinstated and 80% of NHS transplant work went ahead. Figures from the report found 474 patients died while waiting for organs, a higher number than the year before and the majority of patients were waiting for kidney transplants. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 15 July 2021
  19. News Article
    The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has warned there may be a risk to pregnant women when next weeks restrictions relax. Experts are warning that infection rates among pregnant women may increase once the restrictions are lifted and encourage them to protect themselves and their families as women who are pregnant are more likely to become severely ill with Covid-19. RCN chief executive Gill Walton, has said: "Along with mask wearing, hand washing and social distancing, vaccination is a vital tool in the fight to protect yourself against this virus. Read full story. Source: BBC News, 15 July 2021
  20. News Article
    Since lockdown, people have not been exposed to viruses that normally circulate during the winter months, but now that restrictions are lifting, there are concerns the viruses may make a comeback. Now, leading medics have warned there will be a surge in respiratory viruses alongside Covid-19 this winter and have urged anyone experiencing symptoms to self-isolate. Testing for flu, Covid and respiratory viruses common in children and elderly may help doctors treat cases quickly, doctors have said. A report by Professor Azra Ghani, from Imperial College London found a surge in winter viruses during the summer. She has said "Whilst we expect the peak in deaths to be considerably lower than last winter, under some scenarios we could see hospital admissions rise to similar levels." Read full story. Source: BBC News, 15 July 2021
  21. News Article
    The Royal College of Nursing has written to the Prime Minister demanding continued protective measures after the loosening of restrictions on July 19th. In a joint letter with the British Medical Association, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, British Dental Association and College of Optometrists, they ask for support and protection for healthcare staff. The letter says “The need to recognise health and care settings as unique environments for the care and safety of the most vulnerable is paramount. While you state that you would expect the public to continue wearing face coverings in healthcare settings, we ask that this is translated into action". Read full story. Source: RCN, 14 July 2021
  22. News Article
    A new study has been published focusing on surgical innovation and how it could be made safer. The research set out to develop a 'core outcome set', an agreed minimum set of outcomes to measure and report for safe surgical techniques in all audits, research, and clinical practice. The study, co-led by Dr Kerry Avery, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol and NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) has said "It may surprise many people to learn that surgical procedures haven’t traditionally been subject to the kind of regulation we see in other areas of medicine. But to ensure safety and improve efficiency, a core outcome set is an important step". Read full story. Source: University of Bristol, 13 July 2021
  23. Content Article
    This study looks at patients experiences of surgical site infections (SSIs) with the aim of improving clinical practice. The researchers conducted 17 narrative interviews with patients who had SSIs and then performed a thematic content analysis. Results found patients were not fully informed about SSIs and the nature surrounding them, with 7 patients saying they did not know they even had SSIs which may have been due to staff not informing the patients appropriately. Among the authors' conclusions, they suggest that if patients were more aware of SSIs, it may be able to help them adhere to preventative measures.
  24. Content Article
    The aim of the study was to create a core outcome set (COS), an agreed set of outcomes that could be measured, and report in all studies an evaluation of the introduction and evaluation of novel surgical techniques. The authors used data from several different sources such as innovation-specific literature, policy/regulatory body documents, and surgeon interviews. The results included 7,972 verbatim outcomes that were identified which were categorized into 32 domains. The researchers conclude the COS could be used to help encourage safer surgical innovation.
  25. News Article
    A new independent inquiry has been launched after reports of mother and baby deaths at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust. According to patient safety minister Nadine Dorries, the inquiry will be led externally and will be examining cases going back to 2016. The review has been welcomed by families but they have said they want to be fully involved in the process including setting the terms of reference and making sure it is a truly independent inquiry. Read full story. Source: The Independent, 13 July 2021
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