NEWS
SHORT-SIGHTED CUTS TO PUBLIC HEALTH BUDGETS WILL COST NHS DEAR, SAYS RCN Stealth cuts to funding and short-term decision making risk storing up serious problems across the NHS, the RCN warned ahead of this week’s unveiling of chancellor George Osborne’s budget. The college warned that the Treasury’s plans to cut £200 million from the public health budget will lead to more people becoming increasingly sick as a result of conditions that could have been prevented. This would increase the burden on acute services. The college said the extra pressure on services would come at a time when the NHS is struggling to recruit. RCN general secretary Peter Carter called on the government and MPs to heed the evidence for preventive health services and instead to take a
long-term, strategic view of workforce and health services. Dr Carter said: ‘It is important to continue warning that short-term decision making is already storing up serious problems for the future,’ he said. ‘Issues such as childhood obesity, smoking, drugs, alcohol and inactivity are not going to go away – they will get worse if they are not tackled now.’ Dr Carter added that NHS England’s Five Year Forward View that looked at new models of care for the NHS, published in October last year, has a strong focus on prevention. ‘The services may look expensive – but they are far, far cheaper than having a generation of young people suffering increasingly poor health, and the NHS could end up spending millions more at a time when it is least equipped to.’
EMPLOYERS ISSUE POST-SAVILE ADVICE ON OFFICIAL VISITS
Hospitals should nominate an individual or team to ensure safety protocols are followed during celebrity visits, advises NHS Employers. The organisation issued guidance on official visits that draws on best practice throughout the NHS. The document was published following an inquiry into serial sexual abuse on NHS premises by late broadcaster Jimmy Savile. The inquiry report was published in February and recommended that NHS hospitals have robust policies for managing celebrity visits. It noted Savile was often given unlimited access to hospitals, including Broadmoor. The guidance says official visitors should be required to wear an identity badge at all times that states the level of access permitted and an expiry date. The guidance notes that visits by celebrities, royalty and sports personalities can play an important role in enhancing patients’ experience. Go to tinyurl.com/nbolmo4
Inspectors heap praise on nurse-led GP practice A nurse-led GP practice has been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The Cuckoo Lane Practice in Hanwell, west London, was commended by the regulator for being ‘particularly responsive to the needs of the local community’ and for providing ‘a safe, caring, effective and well-led service’. Inspectors highlighted a number of areas of outstanding practice including the targeted treatment for people with mental illness, which has enabled 19 patients who had been receiving treatment in secondary care to be able to access treatment from the local practice instead. Director Julie Belton, one of two nurse practitioners running the practice, along with colleague Carol Sears, said she was ‘absolutely thrilled’ by the CQC’s glowing verdict.
This followed an inspection of the practice’s services in January. Ms Belton said: ‘We are about continuously improving what we do and putting patients at the centre of decision making about their care.’ Ms Belton pointed to the importance of communication between colleagues
‘STAFF DEMONSTRATED A SOUND UNDERSTANDING OF PATIENTS’ DIFFERING NEEDS’ at the practice, including two five-minute meetings each day where staff can talk about patient and operational issues. The CQC pointed out that a nurse practitioner carries out spirometry tests at the practice and weekly clinics. All patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease get self-management plans. These have
improved symptom control and led to fewer hospital admissions for a quarter of those patients in the past year, the regulator noted. Michele Golden, the CQC’s head of general practice inspection for London, said: ‘We found the Cuckoo Lane Practice is providing an outstanding service, particularly for people whose circumstances make them vulnerable. ‘We were particularly impressed with the practice’s work to initiate service improvements for local people,’ she added. ‘Staff demonstrated a sound understanding of the differing needs of their patients and reflected these when planning and delivering services. This is a great example of what outstanding care looks like.’ To read the full CQC report, visit tinyurl.com/cuckoolanereport
8 julyDownloaded 8 :: vol 29 from no 45 :: 2015 by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 16, 2015. For personal use only. NoNURSING STANDARD RCNi.com other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
SHORT-SIGHTED CUTS TO PUBLIC HEALTH BUDGETS WILL COST NHS DEAR, SAYS RCN Stealth cuts to funding and short-term decision making risk storing up serious problems across the NHS, the RCN warned ahead of this week’s unveiling of chancellor George Osborne’s budget. The college warned that the Treasury’s plans to cut £200 million from the public health budget will lead to more people becoming increasingly sick as a result of conditions that could have been prevented. This would increase the burden on acute services. The college said the extra pressure on services would come at a time when the NHS is struggling to recruit. RCN general secretary Peter Carter called on the government and MPs to heed the evidence for preventive health services and instead to take a
long-term, strategic view of workforce and health services. Dr Carter said: ‘It is important to continue warning that short-term decision making is already storing up serious problems for the future,’ he said. ‘Issues such as childhood obesity, smoking, drugs, alcohol and inactivity are not going to go away – they will get worse if they are not tackled now.’ Dr Carter added that NHS England’s Five Year Forward View that looked at new models of care for the NHS, published in October last year, has a strong focus on prevention. ‘The services may look expensive – but they are far, far cheaper than having a generation of young people suffering increasingly poor health, and the NHS could end up spending millions more at a time when it is least equipped to.’
EMPLOYERS ISSUE POST-SAVILE ADVICE ON OFFICIAL VISITS
Hospitals should nominate an individual or team to ensure safety protocols are followed during celebrity visits, advises NHS Employers. The organisation issued guidance on official visits that draws on best practice throughout the NHS. The document was published following an inquiry into serial sexual abuse on NHS premises by late broadcaster Jimmy Savile. The inquiry report was published in February and recommended that NHS hospitals have robust policies for managing celebrity visits. It noted Savile was often given unlimited access to hospitals, including Broadmoor. The guidance says official visitors should be required to wear an identity badge at all times that states the level of access permitted and an expiry date. The guidance notes that visits by celebrities, royalty and sports personalities can play an important role in enhancing patients’ experience. Go to tinyurl.com/nbolmo4
Inspectors heap praise on nurse-led GP practice A nurse-led GP practice has been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The Cuckoo Lane Practice in Hanwell, west London, was commended by the regulator for being ‘particularly responsive to the needs of the local community’ and for providing ‘a safe, caring, effective and well-led service’. Inspectors highlighted a number of areas of outstanding practice including the targeted treatment for people with mental illness, which has enabled 19 patients who had been receiving treatment in secondary care to be able to access treatment from the local practice instead. Director Julie Belton, one of two nurse practitioners running the practice, along with colleague Carol Sears, said she was ‘absolutely thrilled’ by the CQC’s glowing verdict.
This followed an inspection of the practice’s services in January. Ms Belton said: ‘We are about continuously improving what we do and putting patients at the centre of decision making about their care.’ Ms Belton pointed to the importance of communication between colleagues
‘STAFF DEMONSTRATED A SOUND UNDERSTANDING OF PATIENTS’ DIFFERING NEEDS’ at the practice, including two five-minute meetings each day where staff can talk about patient and operational issues. The CQC pointed out that a nurse practitioner carries out spirometry tests at the practice and weekly clinics. All patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease get self-management plans. These have
improved symptom control and led to fewer hospital admissions for a quarter of those patients in the past year, the regulator noted. Michele Golden, the CQC’s head of general practice inspection for London, said: ‘We found the Cuckoo Lane Practice is providing an outstanding service, particularly for people whose circumstances make them vulnerable. ‘We were particularly impressed with the practice’s work to initiate service improvements for local people,’ she added. ‘Staff demonstrated a sound understanding of the differing needs of their patients and reflected these when planning and delivering services. This is a great example of what outstanding care looks like.’ To read the full CQC report, visit tinyurl.com/cuckoolanereport
8 julyDownloaded 8 :: vol 29 from no 45 :: 2015 by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 16, 2015. For personal use only. NoNURSING STANDARD RCNi.com other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
