Resources

Web scan Sickness absence NHS Employers has launched a free online tool to improve the management of staff sick leave in the NHS. The tool is designed to help managers adopt a confident and consistent approach, and provides step-by-step information about what to do when staff call in sick, practical advice on some of the common reasons for sickness absence, and information on what to do if staff are off sick frequently or are on long-term sick leave. It also has information about managing return to work and how to prevent sickness absence. Visit the microsite at www.nhsemployers.org/sickness Skills and knowledge Two practical ‘how-to’ guides have been launched by NHS Improving Quality to support health and care professionals to improve their skills and knowledge continually. The Learning Handbook (media.nhsiq.nhs.uk/ learninghandbook) helps readers take a systematic approach to learning, capture and share learning that can inform best practice, and focus on activities that will give them the greatest chance of improved outcomes. It is designed to help people obtain the best value out of all learning opportunities. The Intelligence Handbook (media.nhsiq.nhs.uk/ intelligencehandbook), on the other hand, guides readers through the process of finding, filtering and understanding intelligence and

will help them distil new information and use it to best advantage. Both handbooks signpost to further reading and resources. Emergency care ‘Exit block’ describes situations when hospital staff cannot move patients out of emergency departments (EDs) into inpatient beds. According to the College of Emergency Medicine, it affects around half a million patients a year. To help managers and clinicians reduce crowding in their EDs, the college has produced a guideline that explains the causes and consequences of crowding and suggests ways of reducing the effects and improving safety in EDs. Crowding in Emergency Departments can be accessed online at tinyurl.com/exit-block NHS England and Monitor have endorsed the resource in their winter planning guidance.

Sepsis screening NHS Education for Scotland has, in collaboration with the Scottish Patient Safety Programme, made the national early warning score (NEWS) and sepsis screening tool available as a smartphone app. The app provides: a NEWS calculator to alert clinicians to deteriorating patients and acute illness; a sepsis screening tool for the prompt recognition and initiation of treatment of patients with sepsis; an outline of the Sepsis 6 care bundle; and an algorithm to help identify organ dysfunction, severe sepsis, septic shock and when to escalate care. Go to tinyurl.com/sepsisscreening to download the app. Quality improvement Ready to Lead at tinyurl.com/pd9mmuy is a collection of a short series of articles by senior improvement manager at Healthcare Improvement Scotland Steven Wilson. The collection is aimed at drawing out some of the key behaviours, skills and attributes necessary for successful quality improvement leadership. It is not intended as a comprehensive examination, but offers some alternative and creative ideas about what makes effective quality improvement leaders. Web scan and Out for consultation are compiled by Ruth Williams

Out for consultation Pension scheme The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety Northern Ireland is consulting on the arrangements for the new health and social care pension scheme from next April. The document, at www.dhsspsni. gov.uk/showconsultations?txtid=74019, guides readers through the design of the new scheme and the key differences between it and the existing scheme. It also: sets out the arrangements for members of the existing pension scheme who are closest to retirement, some of whom will not move to the new scheme; looks at proposals for those members of the existing NURSING MANAGEMENT

scheme who will move to the 2015 scheme; explains member contribution rates from April 1, payable by all contributing members of both the existing and new schemes; and looks at working longer, later state-pension ages meaning a later normal pension age for the new scheme, and options for retirement planning in the existing and new schemes. Closing date for comments is November 28. Respiratory conditions The Northern Ireland Service Framework for Respiratory Health and Wellbeing, originally launched in 2009, has been reviewed. The Department of Health, Social

Services and Public Safety Northern Ireland is seeking views on the revised framework, which contains 56 standards relating to all respiratory conditions, including specific conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and to issues such as communication, patient and public involvement, health improvement and protection, social and emotional support, medicines management and palliative care. The documentation, including a response questionnaire, can be found at www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/ showconsultations?txtid=74033 The consultation closes on January 2. November 2014 | Volume 21 | Number 7 15

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Sickness absence.

NHS Employers has launched a free online tool to improve the management of staff sick leave in the NHS. The tool is designed to help managers adopt a ...
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