Author: Q Online

The pandemic highlighted some of the confusion that exists around infection prevention guidance, a report by the RCN has found. The RCN has published Raising the Bar, a new infection prevention and control (IPC) publication. It investigates the history and language used to support current UK IPC guidance and policies to support RCN members implementing IPC practice in an effective and sustainable way.

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Examples of confusing language include indications for the use of face coverings, such as what type to use and when to wear them, were found to be inconsistent, which has the potential to cause issues in the level of PPE provided to staff.

There were also unhelpful differences in how the spread of COVID-19 was described, including the continuing use of the terms ‘droplet’ and ‘airborne’. This resulted in conflicting opinions on the use of PPE, especially respiratory protection.

‘The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how important language and guidelines are for the effective application of infection prevention and control when delivering care,’ said Rose Gallagher, RCN Professional Lead for Infection Prevention and Control.

‘They are at the heart of protecting patients and breaking the chain of infection.’

The RCN is recommending that the implementation of updated IPC guidelines should be monitored, and findings should be reported to trust and health boards to ensure standards improve and consistency is in place between different organisations. The organisation is also calling for all organisations delivering health care in the UK to carry out routine audits of hand hygiene adherence that include glove use.

‘Our review of the foundation principles of infection prevention found that there is a wide range of international and national guidelines available,’ added Ms Gallagher.

‘However, now is the time to implement learning from the pandemic and ensure language is consistent in existing and new guidance.’

The NHS is on track to recruit 50,000 more nurses by March 2024 but with little impact on the number of unfilled posts.

There are still around 40,000 unfilled nursing vacancies across the NHS in England.

According to a new report, the supply of new nurses into the health service is not keeping up with the demand.

An analysis by the King’s Fund has revealed that although the NHS is on track to recruit 50,000 more nurses by March 2024, it is not having a “substantial impact” on the number of unfilled posts.

The report suggests their findings were not explained by worsening retention rates but the demand for nurses rising more quickly than new nurses can be trained or recruited.

Earlier this month, MPs rejected a plan for the second time to publish a regular healthcare workforce analysis designed to identify and help tackle the shortfall in staff.

There are still around 40,000 unfilled nursing vacancies across the NHS in England.

Hitting the target but missing the point.

Jonathon Holmes, policy adviser at The King’s Fund comments, “This analysis shows the government risks hitting the target but missing the point”.

“The supply of nurses may have increased, but so too have the demands on the NHS – there are still substantial shortages, with 40,000 nurse vacancies”.

Mr Holmes continued, “It has been too easy for successive governments to duck the health and care workforce challenge. The regular publication of workforce supply and demand projections would create the much-needed impetus to tackle the staffing crisis”.

“The NHS and social care workforce crisis long pre-dates the Covid-19 pandemic. It follows years of poor planning, weak policy, and fragmented responsibilities.”

Nursing teams pulled out all the stops to ensure a grandfather was able to meet his baby granddaughter for the first and final time.

The fantastic team at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth helped arrange for Paul Kempton to meet his newest granddaughter for the first time before dying peacefully.

With the ever-changing pandemic restrictions and 63-year-old Paul going in and out of hospital, the possibility of him getting to meet his granddaughter, Millie, was becoming very difficult.

Desperate to meet the ten-month-old, the family hadn’t seen Ella and her partner since they left for Australia four years ago, where Ella fell pregnant and gave birth during lockdown.

In quarantine.

Luckily, restrictions changed at the beginning of March and Ella booked last minute flights home. But just two days before she was due to fly home, her father was rushed back into hospital where he tested positive for Covid-19.

With Paul in quarantine on the ward, Ella was finally back in the UK but unable to bring Millie in for a visit. After five weeks and two rescheduled flights, it seemed that the family were not going to be able to introduce Millie to her grandad.

After speaking with ward manager Danni Munks, Danni simply couldn’t let Ella and her family fly back to Australia without Paul meeting his granddaughter. Danni went above and beyond organising a surprise for Paul to be wheeled outside of the ward.

Millie finally got to meet her grandad.

A moment of happiness.

In what had been a very hard and emotional time for the family, Ella said it was a moment of happiness and joy. She said: “I can’t thank Danni and the ward staff enough for making that happen, especially Joseph who had taken such wonderful care of my dad.”

Sadly, during Ella’s journey back to Australia, Paul died peacefully in his sleep. Surrounded by his family, they said their final goodbyes.

“The team on his ward were so wonderful during this time, and my mum and my sister were in the room with him as he drifted off, and myself on FaceTime from Singapore airport,” Ella noted. “We are all unbelievably devastated, and I’m struggling to find the words to express our sadness. It does however make us all the more grateful that Danni’s team were so accommodating and helped us make those last few days so special.”

Paul leaves behind his wife Julie of 43 years, eldest daughter Lauren and granddaughter three-year-old Alice.

The Government is seeking views on how mental health services can be improved, to inform a new 10-year strategy.

The public, people of all ages with lived experience of mental health conditions and those who support people with mental ill-health are urged to respond to the call to inform a new 10-year mental health plan and a refreshed national suicide prevention plan seeking views on what can be improved within the current service, particularly in light of the pandemic which has led to record levels of people seeking treatment.

‘The pandemic put unprecedented pressure on people across the country. While we continue to expand and transform our mental health services under the NHS Long Term Plan to meet rising demand, we know we need to go further,’ said Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid.

‘Too many people, particularly our children and young people, do not have the tools and support they need to look after their wellbeing or prevent mental health problems from escalating.’

Around 1 in 5 adults in Britain experienced some form of depression in the first 3 months of 2021, over double pre-pandemic figures. The plan will also look at how initiatives across government including green social prescribing, online harms and Thriving at Work can work together to ensure people’s daily practical, social and emotional needs are being met, as well as how to fully harness the potential of technology and data to support better mental health.

‘Mind has long been calling for a more joined-up approach from government to mental health, one which follows the evidence of what works in areas like benefits, education and housing to build a better future for us all, and reduces the glaring racial and social inequalities that persist in mental health,’ said Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind.

‘A truly cross-government plan will play a key role in making sure support for our mental health starts to be rebuilt post-pandemic to the same level as for our physical health.’

A leaked report claims that staff shortages, low morale, sickness, and burnout pose a risk to patient safety.

A study commissioned by the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust reportedly discovered how low morale and overall physical and mental exhaustion affected staff at the Trust’s Accident and Emergency Department.

The report, seen by the city’s Local Democracy Reporting Service and originally reported by the Derby Telegraph, revealed how staff had been instructed to “cry privately” rather than in front of patients as they struggle to deal with burnout.

One senior member of staff told investigators, “So many staff cry now, every day I have them queuing at my doors, all suffering anxiety, stress, insomnia. I worry constantly if we will push some too far.”

Only yesterday, NursingNotes reported that staff at The Royal Preston Hospital were experiencing similar pressures leaving patients waiting “days” for a hospital bed. 

Recently, numerous hospitals have declared critical incidents over increased demand for services.

Lambs to the slaughter.

Over forty members of A&E staff, alongside consultants and doctors, were asked their views.

One member of staff is reported to have cried as they told investigators, “I am not happy, I have always loved being a nurse and working for the NHS, but I can’t keep this up, this pace, this speed, this total lack of care over me, us, and our patients.”

Another member of staff added; “I love my job, my role, but this has defeated me, I want to leave and never come back. I was happy, but this is all just too difficult, it is chaos every moment. I feel like I am drowning, and everyone can see I am, but no one offers to save me or pull me out.”

While others were more blunt, “It is a colossal s***-show.”

Staff also raised concerns over a lack of experience in the department suggesting it is “unsafe” and potentially “negligent and criminal”.

They concluded, “We are lambs to the slaughter, staff and patients’ lives put at risk to save face for the trust.”

When asked to rank morale at the department out of ten, with ten being the best, staff ranked it at a two overall.

Immense pressure.

Interim executive medical director and emergency medicine consultant at UHDB Dr James Crampton, responded to the comments, “Our A&E workforce has been under immense pressure during the pandemic and has shown resilience throughout, but they are human too and as an emergency medicine consultant myself I know first-hand how intense it is working in that environment.

“As part of an ongoing programme of support around staff wellbeing, colleagues were encouraged to share raw thoughts and feelings through these series of confidential conversations and group sessions and I’m very grateful they did and I want them to know they can keep talking to us. In doing so they will bring about real change as we build on their experiences to make improvements.

“The wellbeing of those who provide frontline care is our priority and we have a number of staff support initiatives, including listening programmes such as these, on-the-day access to counselling and a wellbeing activity calendar.

“Those attending A&E can be reassured the team continues to provide the highest standard of care possible at this stage of the pandemic.”