A DIGNIFIED REVOLUTION NEWSLETTER: MAY 2014
”Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world - indeed it is the only thing that ever does" (Margaret Meade)
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
HEADLINE NEWS
This month the report of the review of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg (ABMU) hospitals (Princess of Wales and Neath Port Talbot) has been published, and as expected it told us little that we weren’t already aware of. We were surprised; therefore, that the Health Minister reported that he was shocked by the findings . In our view the issues appear to be similar to those that contributed to the appalling failures of care in Mid Staffordshire.
Seven nurses have been suspended on suspicion of falsifying records at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend. It comes after South Wales Police had previously arrested three other nurses there on suspicion of neglect following claims notes had been falsified.
Another recently published report from the Welsh Health Committee shows that Healthcare Inspectorate Wales’ lack of clarity has "undermined its ability to establish itself as an authoritative regulator". In its evidence to the Health Committee, HIW said it could not give strong assurances "that a situation like the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal is not happening in the Welsh NHS”.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council is to be granted powers to allow it to re-open fitness to practise cases. The move is part of the Department of Health’s response to the Francis Report and follows criticism of the regulator's handling of the caseof former Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust Director of Nursing, Helen Moss. A recent audit by the Professional Standards Authority found the investigation committee had reached the wrong conclusion about Ms Moss’ case.
Mid Staffordshire Foundation trust has been fined by the Health & Safety Executivefor the unavoidable death of Gillian Astbury who died because nurses failed to give her medication.
Scroll down for more news.
CONSULTATION
The NMC is consulting on increasing nurse registrant’s fees. The consultation is open from 8 May 2014 until 31 July 2014 at 12:00midday and is available for anyone to respond to. The proposed increase is from £100 to £120 per year, which is an increase of almost 60 per cent in two years. Given that annual reports from the Health Select Committee and a recent report for the Professional Standards Authority highlight ongoing poor performance within the NMC one has to question whether such a step is appropriate. The RCN petition opposing the increase has been signed by over 104,000 people. You can add your signature by clicking here
GOOD NEWS STORY
We are pleased to be able to share the following correspondence with our readers.
Another great newsletter – keep up the good work. I always look forward to reading them. Many staff are also in the loop. You need more good news stories if you can find any!
I have been a nurse for over 30 years but I was ill recently and required hospitalisation and care. I am now back at work thankfully and well. My experience on the “other side" was truly superb from the consultant right down to the ward clerk; caring, efficient, timely and consistent care.
You certainly get a real perspective lying in a bed in constant pain [but getting it sorted each and every time I hasten to add] and talking and listening to the professionals going about their business. This made me reflect on what it’s now like working in the NHS, a bit like being in a goldfish bowl really - constantly in view and in the spotlight. It made me think how the constant barrage of criticism and blame affects staff in their everyday work. Not very scientific I know but I walk the walk and talk to staff every day and clearly the current climate is starting to affect them Even when they perform well there seems to be very little that’s reported to this effect. The sense that whatever you do as an individual makes no difference, the unending plethora of guidance, reviews, audits, action plans, etc. is really starting to take its toll. My colleagues are dedicated passionate nurses but they can only see hope in their imminent retirement.
We have an ageing workforce, and even if the numbers of new nurses trained meet the numbers leaving, the gap in experience skills and knowledge is going to be very deep in the coming years. Staffing levels alone will not address this. Perhaps valuing people will. The NHS has seen real cuts to expenditure over the last few years, which apparently is now being corrected. However, we now face the equally difficult challenge of local authorities having to make significant cuts in their budgets. But where will the burden fall? If the figures of A&E attendances for the elderly in England are the barometer, then it will be our hospitals which will be taking the strain. Being in the front line is becoming a real challenge everyday.
And finally, we are looking forward to yet another internal re-organisation and re-structuring when the last one hasn’t been completed! Why is it a surprise that staff don’t feel valued?
The thing that keeps most of us going is that we are old enough to remember where we started, when there were more patients who died from coronaries/strokes who if they survived and had disability had no rehabilitation, and ended up in long stay institutions, with what was a warehouse approach to care: same meals, bath day, communal clothing, etc. Some of us have been involved in reshaping services and changing provision and moving care into the community, against massive opposition and obstacles, to ensure our patients have more dignified care. This has been achieved in a relatively short time-span but never gets a mention. We all need to hope that the staff who have seen these changes through leave that dedication, drive and commitment in their teams when they leave, as without this “ethos” at the centre of care delivery we face a very difficult future as older citizens.
We are also pleased to able to share this good news story from Wrexham. It is written by a doctor who was recently a patient. He relates how he, and other patients on the ward, were treated with kindness, thoughtfulness with a human touch.
ACTIVITY
Recent activity includes the following:
- Meeting the Chair and Vice Chair of Cardiff & Vale LHB
- Interview with Wales on Sunday and featuring in a subsequent news article
- Participating in research being undertaken on behalf of EHRC
- Attending an ABMU victim support group meeting
- Writing to Jean White, Chief Nursing for Wales regarding the comments about the Fundamentals of Care audit tool in the recent report of the independent review of ABMU hospitals
- Writing to the NMC to ascertain what action they are taking in relation to the findings of the independent review of ABMU hospitals
FEEDBACK
“Thanks again for the good work you are heading up, my biggest satisfaction comes from knowing you are striving so hard to find justice and maintain standards; patients rightfully deserve to get”.
“The fact that I and many others look forward to the next publication on a monthly basis, speaks volumes about this publication. Through this newsletter I have been empowered to challenge, reflect on my practice and that of others and action improvements in my place of work”
RESOURCES
Managing medicines in care homes
This NICE guideline considers all aspects of managing medicines in care homes and recommends that all care home providers have a care home medicines policy.
Infection prevention and control quality standard
This NICEquality standard contains six statements designed to reduce infection rates, including a statement recommending that patients should be looked after by healthcare workers who always clean their hands thoroughly, both immediately before and immediately after contact or care.
Raising concerns at work: whistleblowing guidance for workers and employers in health and social car
This Whistleblowing Helplineguidancecontains recommendations, aiming to help make whistleblowing an important part of improving the quality of service user support and patient safety.
Safe nurse staffing of adult wards in acute hospitals
Thisdraft NICE guidanceprovides recommendations on safe staffing for nursing in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals. The guidance was developed following the Francis and Berwick reports and aims to provide evidence-based guidance on safe staffing levels in hospitals
Cardiff & Vale Carers Website
Cardiff & Vale Health Board, in conjunction with Cardiff Council and the Vale of Glamorgan, runs a specific website for carers. The site is for anyone who is providing care to someone at home or possibly in a hospital or a nursing home. Click here for more information.
NEWS
House of Lords committee reports on Mental Capacity Act
The Committee’s key finding is that the Act is not widely implemented. Its second key finding is that the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are not fit for purpose. The Committee recommends that they be replaced with new provisions.Click hereto download the report.
Independent review into mortality data in Welsh hospitals announced
An independent review will take place intothe way the NHS collects and uses mortality data in Welsh hospitals. Source: Wales Online
Ombudsman’s Casebook
The Public services Ombudsman for Wales has published issue 16of his casebook.
Regulation of health care professionals and regulation of social care professionals in England
This Law Commission project is a review of UK law relating to the regulation of health care professionals, and in England only, the regulation of social workers.
2013 accountability hearing with the General Medical Council (GMC)
This Health of Commons Select Committeereportfinds that the GMC is making steady progress in protecting patients but it warns that more can be done to build confidence in the professional regulation of doctors.
Palliative care
This Dr Fosterreportcalls on NHS England and the Health and Social Care Information Centre to improve the consistency and accuracy of data recording to improve monitoring of patient care.
NHS whistle blower reveals all
A whistle blower who claims to have been silenced by his former employers has published a tell-all book about his work as a security officer.Richard Hayes wants toshare his experience of working in the NHS to raise awareness of the challenges faced by security teams contracted to work in busy hospitals. Source: Dewsbury Reporter
Nurse whistle blower Kevin Murray wins damages
Awhistle blower has won undisclosed damagesagainst a national nursing agency following an industrial tribunal in Belfast.Agency nurse Kevin Murray made allegations of abuse and neglect regarding a patient's home care package. Source: BBC News
KetteringHospital reveals death errors
A hospital where a girl bled to death has revealeda catalogue of errors, weeks after withholding details for fear of "putting staff under more stress". Victoria Harrison, 17, was found dead the day after an appendix operation at KetteringGeneralHospital in 2012.Source: BBC News
Family of dying man said he was let down by hospital staff
The family of a dying man let down by hospital staff have spoken out after an investigation found serious failures. The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales said aspects of the 56-year-old’s care were wholly unacceptable and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board has since apologised.
Elderly man dies after 'fortnight from hell' at Welsh hospital
The son of an 84 year-old man who died following a fortnight from hell at a Welsh hospital has partlyblamed NHS cuts and inadequate training of nursesfor his father’s death. Source: Wales Online
Family goes to appeal court in fight over patient resuscitation decisions
A family says it hopes to bring moreclarity to end-of-life decisionsfor thousands of others as its long-running legal challenge over the way doctorsdetermine whether to attempt resuscitation of critically ill patients returns to court. Source: Guardian
Residential and Social Care
Learning for care homes from alternative residential care settings
ThisJRF reviewexplores the learning from delivery of care in residential services for children and young people, residential services and supported housing for people with learning disabilities and hospice care, and considers how this can be applied in care homes for older people.
Patients 'imprisoned' in care homes
Vulnerable adults are being keptvirtual prisoners in care homesbecause of misuse of mental health laws, a House of Lords committee says. Source: BBC News
JOIN THE MAILING LIST
If you are reading a copy of this email forwarded to you by a colleague we may not have your contact details. If you would like to guarantee a regular monthly copy of the mailing send your details to
If you would like to unsubscribe email
A Dignified Revolution
Britannia House
High St
Cowbridge
CF71 7AD
Tel: 07811 159800