NW England Mental Health and Learning Disability Trusts - DoNs Network / 2013 /

NW England Mental Health and Learning Disability Trusts - DoNs Network Board – 21st November 2013

Progress Report

At the first meeting of the Programme Board on 13th May, four development proposals were agreed as priorities, and these now form the core of the Phase 2 work. The four areas were:

Project Area / Project Lead
1.Inspiring cultural change through leadership and training / Colin Dugdale, Lancashire Care
2.Developing options for guided reflective practice to improve the quality and consistency of the nursing offer / Ian Trodden, Pennine Care
3.Improving physical health care for Mental Health and Learning Disability service users / Gail Briers, 5bp
4.Developing common principles to guide nurse staffing levels and skill mix / Andy Roach, Cumbria

A brief summary of progress since the last meeting is set out below.

  1. Inspiring Cultural Change through Leadership and Training

Symmetric met with Colin on 17th July to discuss how best to take this project area forward. The following ideas were discussed and agreed:

a)establish a task and finish group;

b)determine what, if any, work was already underway in each Trust in this area;

c)construct a questionnaire to send to all Trusts to determine b) above;

d)identify potential nurse consultants to become the project lead;

e)connect with the Leadership Academy to seek any support it could offer

All nine NW Trusts were sent the following questionnaire

on10th September with a return date of Tuesday 24th September. The questionnaire was designed to establish, amongst other things, what progress each Trust had made in relation to the 6 Cs and, in particular, the ‘Care’ and ‘Compassion’ elements.

Five Trusts completed the questionnaire – 5bp, Calderstones, CWP, Lancashire Care and a summary of the responses is attached here

In the meantime, all nine Trusts were asked to identify a member of staff to participate in the task and finish group for this project. Four Trusts responded and the representatives were as follows:

Lorna Griffiths, 5 Boroughs

Nicola McNulty,Calderstones

Jane Tomlinson, CWP

Colin Dugdale, Lancashire Care

Maria Tyson, Merseycare

The first meeting of the task and finish group was held on 7th October. An agenda, Terms of Reference and minutes of the meeting can be accessed here:

Key issues from the meeting were:

  • the project should extend beyond nursing staff;
  • the term ‘champion’ had been over-used;
  • a consultant should be sought to lead the project. It was agreed the successful candidate should have a clinical background and should able to deliver a programme that is sustainable. It was agreed that the role should be a band 8a and that the programme should be aimed at Band 5 as this group will be future leaders and this could involve 360’s.

Since the meeting, a draft service specification for the consultant post has been drawn up and sent to the task and finish group for comment.

This can be accessed here:

Three names were identified as potential consultants who could undertake the work on a self-employed basis.

The service specification was agreed and has been sent to the three potential consultants who have been asked to submit a proposal for the work. The proposals will be reviewed at the next meeting of the task and finish group for this project due to be held on 20th November and an appointment made soon afterwards.

  1. Developing options for guided reflective practice to improve the quality and consistency of the nursing offer

Ian Trodden commissioned Dr Gary Wilshaw (Freelance Consultant Nurse & Psychotherapist) to assist him with this project. It was agreed that Mr Trodden & Dr Wilshaw would form the core of the task & finish group, and that others may be commissioned as and when additional expertise would be helpful. They met to scope the project on the 19th July 2013 and agreed terms of reference in principle. These can be accessed here

It was agreed that the principles of a Grounded Theory research approach be taken, in which consultations with staff in the nine Trusts would be used to generate a deeper understanding of what helps and what negates reflective practice. This would be complemented by basic quantitative data gathered from participants. The data gathered would also be used, along with other sources, to re-vision the concept of reflective practice.

Participants would also be asked to provide contact details (voluntary) for on-going consultation & feedback purposes.

Summary of action to date:

  • Development of terms of reference (July/August)
  • Survey & analysis of the clinical supervision policies of all nine participating Trusts (July/August)
  • Literature review re clinical supervision & reflective practice (August)
  • Scheduling of focus groups in sample of the nine Trusts
  • First focus group held in Cumbria Partnership (18th October)
  • Second focus group held in Pennine Care NHS Trust (21st November)
  • Consultations with various individuals re the project (August – ongoing)
  • Commissioning of 2nd Literature review looking at reflective practice in non-healthcare professions
  • Consultation with DH & others (November)
  • Scheduling of final focus groups (5 Boroughs confirmed for 19th December)
  • Consultation with areas of good practice (scheduling in progress to take place December/January

NB. Ian met with Dr Ben Thomas from the Department of Health who has expressed an interest in the project on reflective practise and would like to see a more national profile for the work when the scoping exercise is complete. Ian will provide more information on this at the meeting.

  1. Improving Physical Healthcare for Mental Health and Learning Disability Service Users

Symmetric met with Gail on 17th July to discuss how best to take this project area forward. The following ideas were discussed and agreed:

a)establish a task and finish group;

b)determine what, if any, work was already underway in each Trust in this area;

c)construct a questionnaire to send to all Trusts to determine b) above.

All nine NW Trusts were sent the following questionnaire

on29th August with a return date of Friday 13th September. The questionnaire was designed to establish, amongst other things, what progress each Trust had made in relation to improving the physical healthcare of its service users.

Seven Trusts completed the questionnaire – Calderstones, CWP, GMW, Lancashire Care, MHSC, Merseycare and Pennine Care and a summary of the responses is attached here

In the meantime, all nine Trusts were asked to identify a member of staff to participate in the task and finish group for this project. Six Trusts responded and the representatives were as follows:

Gary Flockhart, Pennine Care

Amanda Miskell, CWP

Josephine Raw, Calderstones

Janet Thomas, Lancashire Care

Joanne Scoltock, Merseycare

Karen Keighley, MHSC

The first meeting of the task and finish group was held on 8th October. An agenda for the meeting can be accessed here

Key issues from the meeting were:

  • Representation on the group may need to be reviewed. This is a strategic decision-making group and the membership needs to reflect this.
  • The level of ambition for the project was discussed. Four potential areas for development were identified:

- a consistent policy across Trusts although it was recognised that the way in which individual Trusts applied the policy may be different;

- a core competency programme;

- a common framework for the management of long-term conditions;

- to influence HEI establishments.

  • It was agreed that a nurse consultant should be sought to lead on this project.
  1. Developing common principles to guide nurse staffing levels and skill mix

The work by Dr Keith Hurst across Cumbria’s mental health inpatient services has commenced using the nationally recognised Safer Nursing Care Tool model developed by Dr Hurst.

Unfortunately, the timescale for this work had slipped from original expectation and won’t report its findings until January when It will then be appropriate to set up a ‘task and finish’ group with representatives from across all Trusts to look at the findings and to assess if it’s a valid tool that could be rolled out across the North West.

Sarah Nield
Business Manager
Symmetric Partnership / Steve Arnold
Partner
Symmetric Partnership

November 2013