Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Appointment'.
Found 208 results
-
News ArticlePatients were harmed at a Midlands trust because of delays in receiving outpatients and diagnostics appointments, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has warned. Following the inspection at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Foundation Trust in September and October last year, the CQC has lowered the trust’s rating in its safety domain from “requires improvement” to “inadequate”. It warned there were insufficient numbers of staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience to “keep patients safe from avoidable harm”. The report noted the trust had identified incidents in 2018 and 2019 where patients had come to harm due to delays in receiving appointments in outpatients, particularly in ophthalmology. Ten patients were found to have come to low harm, one patient moderate harm and two patients severe harm. The CQC also issued a Section 31 letter of intent to seek further clarification in relation to incidents where patients had come to harm because of delays to receiving appointments in outpatients and diagnostic imaging, although it has confirmed the trust has provided details on how it is going to manage the issues raised. The watchdog said it would continue to monitor the issue. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 7 February 2020
-
News Article
Nearly 35,000 patients overdue follow-ups at single trust
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Nearly 35,000 patients are overdue a follow-up appointment at North Lincolnshire and Goole Foundation Trust, HSJ has learned. Almost 20% of the 34,938 follow-up appointments are in ophthalmology. A paper from the trust’s November board meeting said the “backlog of follow-up appointments… clearly remains a risk”. The report also said the service was failing some of the quality guidelines set out by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The trust told HSJ it had introduced a clinical harm review process last year to address the backlog. It has reviewed “more than 5,000 patients”, out of the 34,938 cases to date, according to Chief Operating Officer Shaun Stacey. He said the trust had initially identified 83 patients who could have come to “potential harm”. Read full story Source: HSJ, 28 January 2020 -
News Article
Hywel Dda cancels operations after 'critical pressures'
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A health board has cancelled planned operations at four of its hospitals "in the interest of patient safety". Hywel Dda University Health Board made the decision after "an extraordinary weekend" of "critical pressures". On Monday, inpatient operations were cancelled at Bronglais, Glangwili, Prince Philip and Withybush hospitals in mid and west Wales. The health board said it had contacted the patients affected and outpatient appointments continued as normal. No decisions have been taken yet to cancel more non-emergency operations on Tuesday, it added. Dr Philip Kloer, the health board's medical director, said the weekend saw hospitals "at a level of escalation not seen before". "It is in the interest of patient safety that we have postponed planned operations today," he added. Plaid Cymru's shadow minister for health, Helen Mary Jones, said the decision to cancel operations was "deeply concerning". She said that patients in Wales "deserve so much better". Read full story Source: BBC News, 6 January 2020 -
News Article
New national investigation looks at outpatient appointments after hospital stays
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The Healthcare and Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) started a new national investigation looking into a safety risk involving outpatient follow-up appointments which are intended but not booked after an inpatient hospital stay. If a patient does not receive their intended follow-up appointment, it could lead to patient harm owing to delayed or absent clinical care and treatment. The investigation was launched after HSIB identified an event where a patient was discharged from hospital on two separate occasions with a plan to follow-up in outpatient clinics. Neither of the outpatient appointments were made. Read full story Source: HSIB, 20 December 2019 -
News Article
Long waits 'leave mental health patients in limbo'
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Patients with mental health problems are being left in limbo on "hidden" waiting lists by England's NHS talking therapy service, the BBC can reveal. The service, Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, provides therapy, such as counselling, to adults with conditions like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. It starts seeing nine in 10 patients within the target time of six weeks, but that masks the fact many then face long waits for regular treatment. Half of patients waited over 28 days, and one in six longer than 90 days, between their first and second sessions in the past year. Charities said the headline target was giving a false impression of what was happening, warning that patients were facing "hidden waits" that were putting their health at risk. NHS England acknowledged the pressure on the system was causing delays, but pointed out that despite the delays, half of patients given treatment still recovered. Read full story Source: BBC News, 5 December 2019 -
Content ArticleThe National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) issued guidance on preventing delay to follow up for patients with glaucoma [NPSA/2009/RRR004]. This followed evidence of harm to patients with glaucoma suffering visual loss after delays to follow up appointments. This came to light from incidents reported by staff in the NHS relating to glaucoma. This paper provides background information and a checklist for organisations to help implement actions in the accompanying guidance to prevent harm from delayed follow-up appointments for patients with glaucoma. It presents details of incident data and litigation data. This work was supported by an interactive event in March 2009 with input from ophthalmic surgeons (and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists), nurses, service managers and patient representatives.
-
Content ArticleThe Care Quality Commission (CGC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. They make sure that health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and encourage care services to improve. Independent acute hospitals play an important role in delivering healthcare services in England, providing a range of services, including surgery, diagnostics and medical care. As the independent regulator, the CQC, hold all providers of healthcare to the same standards, regardless of how they are funded.
-
Content Article
NHS: How to register with a GP practice
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in GP and primary care
You have the legal right to choose a GP practice that best suits your needs. Here are some tips on how to register with a GP practice.
