NEWS
Commission to improve urgent care for older people seeks nursing input By Jennifer Sprinks @JenniferSprinks Nurses are being urged to submit their ideas and examples of innovative practice to inform a commission on improving urgent care for older people. The NHS Confederation last week launched an independent commission to drive improvements in urgent and emergency care for older people in hospitals and the community. The commission is seeking examples of best practice from experts and staff across the health and care system so it can devise practical solutions for creating an integrated
healthcare service for older people across acute and primary care. The commission comprises leaders and experts from across the acute, primary, community and social care sectors, as well as commissioners, patient groups and older people’s advocates. Members include Age UK health and care expert Ruthe Isden and NHS Employers chief executive Danny Mortimer. However, there are no nurse representatives. RCN professional lead for older people and dementia care Dawne Garrett expressed disappointment that nurses are not on the commission.
‘It is highly unusual and they must be very clear that the nursing evidence and voice is well represented in their report,’ she said. Ms Garrett added that nurses have particularly good examples of best practice related to case management, preventive strategies and the work of community matrons with older people. Commission chair Mark Newbold, former chief executive of Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, said nurses’ input will be heavily required in the commission’s work. ‘We would like to hear from nurses about any examples where they are innovating around urgent care for older people,’ he said. The commission will gather best practice until June, and will call on some of the people who have submitted examples to present their work in oral evidence sessions.
Practical solutions
STUDENTS TESTED IN EMERGENCY MOCK-UP A mock road accident was staged last week at Birmingham City University’s campus to enable nursing students to put their clinical and communication skills into practice. On arrival at the scene of the ‘accident’, students were faced with an overturned coach, multiple casualties and trapped passengers. Actors and university staff posed as crash victims and displayed a wide range of injuries and conditions.
A mock emergency department and operating theatre were put on red alert to receive patients requiring surgery and the nursing students joined forces with medical students from the University of Birmingham and West Midlands fire and police services to respond to the incident. Children’s nursing student Laura Critchley said: ‘Everyone was out of their comfort zone, but we collaborated as true professionals.’
Dr Newbold added: ‘We will want to recommend practical activities based on what we know is right for patients and what we know works in the field. ‘There is lots of evidence out there but it is not happening everywhere. Instead of more guidance, we want to put something practical out that can be used and bring about effective change.’ Age UK’s charity director Caroline Abrahams welcomed the commission’s focus, adding: ‘Health services must be proactive and make sure that people are not going from crisis to crisis, as can often be the case. ‘However, urgent care is not always avoidable. Too often older people experience disjointed care that does not meet their needs and can lead to poor outcomes, and care with little regard for their dignity.’ The commission will publish its final report at the end of the year and NHS Confederation will roll out a programme of activities in 2016.
8 april 1 :: vol 29from no 31 :: 2015 by ${individualUser.displayName} on Sep 09, 2017. For personal use only. No NURSING STANDARD Downloaded RCNi.com other uses without permission. Copyright © 2017 RCN Publishing Company Ltd
Commission to improve urgent care for older people seeks nursing input By Jennifer Sprinks @JenniferSprinks Nurses are being urged to submit their ideas and examples of innovative practice to inform a commission on improving urgent care for older people. The NHS Confederation last week launched an independent commission to drive improvements in urgent and emergency care for older people in hospitals and the community. The commission is seeking examples of best practice from experts and staff across the health and care system so it can devise practical solutions for creating an integrated
healthcare service for older people across acute and primary care. The commission comprises leaders and experts from across the acute, primary, community and social care sectors, as well as commissioners, patient groups and older people’s advocates. Members include Age UK health and care expert Ruthe Isden and NHS Employers chief executive Danny Mortimer. However, there are no nurse representatives. RCN professional lead for older people and dementia care Dawne Garrett expressed disappointment that nurses are not on the commission.
‘It is highly unusual and they must be very clear that the nursing evidence and voice is well represented in their report,’ she said. Ms Garrett added that nurses have particularly good examples of best practice related to case management, preventive strategies and the work of community matrons with older people. Commission chair Mark Newbold, former chief executive of Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, said nurses’ input will be heavily required in the commission’s work. ‘We would like to hear from nurses about any examples where they are innovating around urgent care for older people,’ he said. The commission will gather best practice until June, and will call on some of the people who have submitted examples to present their work in oral evidence sessions.
Practical solutions
STUDENTS TESTED IN EMERGENCY MOCK-UP A mock road accident was staged last week at Birmingham City University’s campus to enable nursing students to put their clinical and communication skills into practice. On arrival at the scene of the ‘accident’, students were faced with an overturned coach, multiple casualties and trapped passengers. Actors and university staff posed as crash victims and displayed a wide range of injuries and conditions.
A mock emergency department and operating theatre were put on red alert to receive patients requiring surgery and the nursing students joined forces with medical students from the University of Birmingham and West Midlands fire and police services to respond to the incident. Children’s nursing student Laura Critchley said: ‘Everyone was out of their comfort zone, but we collaborated as true professionals.’
Dr Newbold added: ‘We will want to recommend practical activities based on what we know is right for patients and what we know works in the field. ‘There is lots of evidence out there but it is not happening everywhere. Instead of more guidance, we want to put something practical out that can be used and bring about effective change.’ Age UK’s charity director Caroline Abrahams welcomed the commission’s focus, adding: ‘Health services must be proactive and make sure that people are not going from crisis to crisis, as can often be the case. ‘However, urgent care is not always avoidable. Too often older people experience disjointed care that does not meet their needs and can lead to poor outcomes, and care with little regard for their dignity.’ The commission will publish its final report at the end of the year and NHS Confederation will roll out a programme of activities in 2016.
8 april 1 :: vol 29from no 31 :: 2015 by ${individualUser.displayName} on Sep 09, 2017. For personal use only. No NURSING STANDARD Downloaded RCNi.com other uses without permission. Copyright © 2017 RCN Publishing Company Ltd
