Health Business 15.3

VOLUME 15.3 www.healthbusinessuk.net

PARAMEDIC CARE

HEALTH + CARE

CATERING

FINANCE

DECISIONS OF VALUE

Balancing the priorities of quality improvement and financial sustainability ENERGY

SUSTAINABILITY STARS IN THE NHS Which NHS Trusts were awarded for their efforts in reducing their environmental impact?

HOSPITAL INSPECTIONS

TIME TO RETHINK INSPECTIONS? Is the current inspection method working, or is there a better way to monitor patient care?

PLUS: PROCUREMENT • CUSTOMER CONTACT • PEST CONTROL • PERSONAL FINANCE

HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE ISSUE 15.3 VOLUME 15.3 www.healthbusinessuk.net

PARAMEDIC CARE

HEALTH + CARE

Comment

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

Will we now get to smell Rose’s Remedy?

CATERING

FINANCE

DECISIONS OF VALUE

So, Ed Miliband putting the NHS at the heart of Labour’s final election push may well have been the right thing to do, but unfortunately for those that believed in the party’s plans, it didn’t work.

Balancing the priorities of quality improvement and financial sustainability ENERGY

SUSTAINABILITY STARS IN THE NHS Which NHS Trusts were awarded for their efforts in reducing their environmental impact?

HOSPITAL INSPECTIONS

TIME TO RETHINK INSPECTIONS? Is the current inspection method working, or is there a better way to monitor patient care?

PLUS: PROCUREMENT • CUSTOMER CONTACT • PEST CONTROL • PERSONAL FINANCE

Just before the country went to vote, the (now resigned) Labour leader and shadow health secretary Andy Burnham (now a Labour leadership candidate himself) made a final attempt to discredit Tory plans by enquiring about the contents of the ‘mysterious and scary’ Stuart Rose report, which was commissioned in February 2014 and delivered by the Tory peer two days before Christmas. It may well have been a turkey. But as no-one has seen or heard that much about it since, it’s more likely to have contained sensitive details that the Conservatives were not keen on making public just before the election. The official Tory line is that the report required amendments to align it with Simon Stevens’s NHS Five Year Forward View, which has been widely accepted by the Party as the way forward.

Back in March, Tory chair of the health select committee Sarah Wollaston made a valid point when she said: “It is not right that reports paid for out of public money are not made available to the public on such vital issues as soon as possible, particularly ahead of a general election.”

Hunt commissioned the report, and has remained in situ. Maybe now the public, and the opposition, will get to scrutinise its content and decide for itself whether the Supermarket Sweep is on.

Danny Wright

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Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS

07 NEWS

Jeremy Hunt retains Health Secretary post in Conservative Cabinet reshuffle; doctors asked to prescribe treatments more wisely; and a 14-storey Super hospital opens in South Glasgow

11

13 FINANCE

One of the most important questions asked of the NHS is whether it delivers value for money. Paul Healy, from the NHS Confederation, discusses the values that nurture the success of the NHS

17 PROCUREMENT

29

The NHS Supply Chain, The Royal College of Nursing and the Clinical Procurement Specialist Network have joined forces to help nursing staff to use their knowledge and experience to have a say in how trusts purchase and use clinical supplies

21 PERSONAL FINANCE

Mark Brownridge, a member of the Institute of Financial Planning, provides tips to put health professionals in control of their finances, including managing pension schemes

33

Flight Sergeant Andy Thomas, of James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, reviews the paramedic programme from the Trauma Care Conference, tackling the collar debate and the NHS response to the modern‑day paramedic

53 CATERING

The Hospital Caterers Association’s Andy Jones outlines how the Association consistently promotes, develops and implements food standards for those in the health care environment – both patients and visitors

57 CUSTOMER CONTACT

Katherine Potter of the Professional Planning Forum analyses the latest developments in the field of customer contact, and how the industry can promote innovation

63 HEALTH & SAFETY

Health Business examines the winners of this years NHS Sustainability Awards, which encourage, benchmark and reward action on creating a more sustainable NHS

29 HOSPITAL INSPECTIONS

67 PEST CONTROL

Shirley Cramer of the Royal Society for Public Health considers the role of inspections in improving services within hospitals and GP services

47

47 AMBULANCES

Slips, trips and falls at work are collectively the single most common cause of injury in UK workplaces.

Rob Burgon of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents discusses how hospitals can protect their staff from such harm

25 ENERGY

33 HEALTH+CARE PREVIEW Health Business reviews this years Health+Care Show, which took place on 24-25 June, analysing integrated models of service for the benefit of all care providers, clinicians, social care and public health professionals

Contents

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The modern hospital functions on a 24-hour, 365-day basis, with several thousand staff, patients and other visitors, supported by a wide range of services. As such it resembles a small city, creating a very attractive habitat for a range of pests. So how should pests in a healthcare environment be handled?

71 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Products for the healthcare sector

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INTEGRATED CARE

Hunt remains in place for huge task ahead in delivering 5-year forward view Jeremy Hunt remains as Health Secretary after his part in the Conservative majority saw him retain his South West Surrey seat with a majority of more than 28,500 over his nearest rival.

The Prime Ministers post election reshuffle saw little change to the big government jobs.

Hunt said: “I am humbled to be reappointed Health Secretary, not least because of the enormous responsibility for hundreds of thousands of doctors, nurses and other NHS staff who are working incredibly hard right now and under enormous pressure.

“To them I want to say a heartfelt thank you for all their efforts, with a simple message: like you, I want the NHS to be the safest, most caring and highest quality healthcare system in the world. After Mid Staffs we have started a journey to get there - but if we are honest there is still further to go.

“My biggest priority now is to transform care outside hospitals – just as we have dramatically improved the quality of care inside hospitals in the last few years. All of us want every single older and vulnerable person to be treated with the highest standards of care – so we need a step change in services offered through GP surgeries, community care and social care. That is my mission, and I know it is the mission of the whole NHS too.”

Hunt assumed office in September 2012, after a two year spell as Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport. Replacing Andrew Lansley, Hunt was tasked with dealing with the fallout after the Health and Social Care Act received royal assent in March 2012.

In an interview with the Health Service Journal in November 2014 he said he wanted to stay as Health Secretary until 2017. He declared that patient choice was not key to improving NHS performance in a major break from a policy favoured by Conservative and Labour governments over the past 12 years. He recognised that “there are natural monopolies in healthcare, where patient choice is never going to drive change”.

Hunt will have his work cut out if he is set to deliver the Conservative party pledges made in the run up to the election, including £8bn more funding by 2020 and £1bn for general practice over the next four years – as well as the promise of 5,000 more GPs made at their party conference last year.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens already has the backing of Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne, and the main message from the Tory manifesto’s health pages was support for Simon Stevens to get on with the NHS Five Year Forward View, his reform plans as laid out last autumn. King’s Fund chief executive Chris Ham believes Hunt’s reappointment

News

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

NEWS IN BRIEF ‘Never Events’ down The number of ‘Never Events’, largely preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur if guidance or safety recommendations have been followed, has fallen by nearly 10 per cent over the last year.

Trusts are required to monitor the occurrence of Never Events within the services they commission and publicly report them on an annual basis. The latest figures published

by NHS England show that between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015 a total of 308 ‘Never Events’ took place, compared to 338 the previous year.

Examples of ‘Never Events’ include operating on the wrong area of the body and the use of the wrong implant or prosthesis.

READ MORE:

tinyurl.com/lar9263

RCP guidance on medical apps The Royal College of Physicians’ Health Informatics Unit has produced a short factsheet on the use of medical apps. The guidance underlines two key pieces of advice for doctors using medical apps: You should not use medical apps, including web apps, that do not have a CE mark, and always exercise professional judgement before relying on information from an app. will deliver much needed continuity to the health service, but warned of high stakes: “Mounting deficits, worsening performance and declining staff morale mean the NHS is facing its biggest challenges for many years. The Secretary of State will need to strike a balance between addressing unprecedented short term pressures and initiating the long term changes needed to place the NHS and social care on a sustainable footing. The stakes could not be higher”.

Rob Webster, chief executive, NHS Confederation: “The political will to support the implementation of the Five Year Forward View, the financial support for the NHS and the consequential changes in the way in which care is delivered will be high on the agenda.”

In other cabinet news affecting healthcare, Ben Gummer, the MP for Ipswich, was named Parliamentary under-secretary of State at the Department of Health while Alistair Burt, the MP for North East Bedfordshire, is a new minister of State. Burt was minister for disabled people between 1995 and 1997 and Parliamentary under-secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office between 2010 and 2013.

THE NHS 5-YEAR FORWARD VIEW: tinyurl.com/kcjenmc

DOWNLOAD THE FACTSHEET: tinyurl.com/kzj4872

Monitor to look closely at newly authorised Trust Healthcare regulator Monitor is investigating St George’s University Hospitals Foundation Trust after a “sudden deterioration” in its finances.

The trust had promised to make a small financial surplus in the current financial year, and to break even in the last year.

Instead, it has reported losses of £16.8 million last year and is predicting even larger losses in the current year.

Monitor said it would be conducting an investigation into the circumstances.

The regulator also wants to understand why St George’s has failed to sustain its progress in treating patients more promptly, as requested at the time of its foundation trust authorisation in February. Its application was deferred from December because it did not have in place the commercial overdraft facilities that the regulator Monitor requires foundation trusts to have.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/n6rqzc6

Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

7

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News

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WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

King’s Fund think-tank analysis of the NHS workforce recommends national strategy DRUGS

Initiative asks doctors to ‘choose wisely’ when specifying drugs and treatments The UK’s leading medical organisations are launching a new initiative to tackle the use of unnecessary drugs and procedures.

‘Choosing Wisely’, a programme inspired by similar endeavours in the USA, Canada, Germany and Australia, will draw up lists of procedures that expert opinion now suggests should not be used routinely, if at all.

Led by Dr Aseem Malhotra from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, the campaign will encourage GPs to discuss potential harms of treatments with patients, as well encouraging patients to ask if tests are really needed. By autumn, each of the colleges will submit a list of the top five tests or procedures that are of ‘questionable value’ and will advise doctors on stopping using them.

The move comes after a team of GPs, led

by Royal College of General Practitioners’ Council (RGCP) member Dr Margaret McCartney, set up a working group on overmedicalisation. Professor Maureen Baker, RCGP chair, said: “If there is evidence to show that a particular intervention might be of little benefit to a patient, it is good practice that alternatives are explored.”

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) estimated earlier this year that 30 per cent of people diagnosed with asthma actually show no clear evidence of the disease, meaning hundreds of thousands of people are, potentially, receiving unnecessary treatment.

The Patients Association criticised the plan. Chief executive Katherine Murphy said: “For me, the concern is that I hope this is not the start of the road to widespread rationing of investigations and treatments, but I fear it might be.”

READ MORE: tinyurl.com/k46jq9q

The Kings Fund’s latest report into NHS workforce planning uses national statistics, key publications and insights gained from interviews with expert stakeholders to describe what is happening in the NHS workforce in three key areas: mental health, general practice and community nursing.

The analysis is presented alongside data that highlights providers’ reliance on agency staff. It looks at how workforce issues have been addressed across the system so far, explores the main challenges, and makes improvement recommendations.

Workforce planning in the NHS begins by stating that “70 per cent of recurring NHS provider costs relate to staffing”, and suggests a more joined-up approach to workforce planning, with a national strategy that covers all NHS-commissioned services.

This will, according to the Kings Fund, avoid what it describes as: “The current piecemeal approach to addressing workforce pressures.”

The NHS Confederation made the following observations: Mental health services – the NHS Five Year Forward View (5YFV) commits the NHS to achieving parity of esteem between mental and physical health. However, King’s Fund do not see evidence that this greater strategic priority has resulted in extra funding for staff on the ground. There are also issues with assessing workforce in mental health due to the increasing role of the independent sector, which is “largely excluded from workforce data”.

Primary care – delivering the 5YFV will require a more generalist workforce to better meet the needs of those with complex conditions in the community. The report concludes that national commitments to

improve out of hospital care have not translated to more resources and staff in primary care.

Planning for the GP workforce is complicated by the fact that there are no clear ways to measure demand in primary care.

Community nursing – there is a clear strategic goal to “increase the scale and scope of out-of-hospital services”. However, the authors believe that it is “difficult to see any increases in the key staff groups covered” beyond areas with specific targets (such as those for health visitors).

The community sector also faces issues of incomplete information on demand, and incompleteness of staff number data due to the independent sector having an increasing role in delivering these services.

Responding to the report, Danny Mortimer, chief executive of the NHS Employers organisation, said:”The Kings Fund report is a useful addition to current thinking on planning the NHS workforce. Workforce planning doesn’t of course exist in isolation but is informed by clarity in service planning.”

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT: tinyurl.com/k5lx7px

EQUALITY

Equality leaders join forces to promote ideas NHS Employers has reported that 25 organisations have joined forces to develop and promote equality in the NHS workplace in 2015/16.

The ‘Equality and Diversity Partners’ have been selected from 42 organisations which applied to be members of the scheme. This will help them to network with each other and the wider NHS, expanding on the previous years’ work.

The partners will work together on urgent areas, such as the career progress of people from black and minority ethnicity backgrounds and the employment of people with learning disabilities.

The partners include health trusts, charities, clinical commissioning groups and

a commissioning support unit and charities.

All were selected for their innovative equality and diversity programmes.

Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, said: “We have worked closely with NHS England on the development and roll-out of the ninepoint workforce race equality standard (WRES) metric. Launched on 1 April, this WRES - alongside the Equality Delivery System framework - are now mandatory features of what we hope will become an effective and robust governance system for health and social care.

READ MORE:

tinyurl.com/pu6tju3

Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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NEW HOSPITAL

News

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

NEWS IN BRIEF WHO issues best practices for naming new infectious diseases

14-storey Super hospital open for business The end of April saw the £842m South Glasgow University Hospital (SGUH) open its doors to patients. Funded by the Scottish government, the complex is made up of two hospitals – the adult acute SGUH will see patients and staff move in a phased timetable with the majority of adult acute services being in place at the new hospital by the end of May. The new Royal Hospital for Sick

Children (RHSC) will see staff and patients move in June.

The hospital has been nicknamed the “Death Star” by locals because of its imposing 14-storey star-shaped design, topped by a landing pad for aircraft. The adult hospital features 1,109 patient rooms and underground tunnels on which a fleet of autonomous ‘robots’ will operate, helping with facilities management tasks.

MENTAL HEALTH

Cardiff study looks into GPs mental health issues Researchers at Cardiff University have found that doctors are reluctant to disclose details about their own mental health.

Cardiff senior medical research fellow Debbie Cohen said 1,946 doctors had responded to an online survey to give their views. The results are yet to be published, but Dr Cohen said: “The major thing we found is that what doctors think they will do and what they actually do is very different.

“More than 60 per cent of doctors who did not have a mental health condition said they would be likely to disclose one, but only 40 per cent of those who did have one said they would.”

The British Medical Council’s board of science chair Baroness

Sheila Hollins said: “This is such an important study because attitudes to our own mental health and well-being as doctors will affect our attitudes towards our patients.

“I perceive the problem as a wider one within the medical profession and place much of the blame on our medical schools, which consistently prioritise subjects that they see as more scientific.”

Hollins added: “The educators of future doctors must recognise the centrality of mental health and of whole-person medicine and only then will the stigma and shame attached to mental health problems begin to decline.”

READ MORE:

tinyurl.com/ovtg56v

New human diseases should be given socially acceptable names which do not offend people and countries or mention animals, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

The WHO says Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Spanish Flu are examples of what to avoid because they mention specific locations. Instead, names should contain generic terms that are “easy to pronounce”.

The WHO said several new human infectious diseases had emerged in recent years and some had stigmatised certain cultures, regions and economies.

Dr Keiji Fukuda, assistant director general for health security, said: “This may seem like a trivial issue to come, but disease names really do matter READ MORE: to the people who are tinyurl.com/pgm8exp directly affected.”

NICE consults on changes to Interventional Procedures guidance programme NICE is updating the way it develops Interventional Procedures guidance to increase the efficiency with which new surgical techniques and other technologies can be safely introduced into the NHS. Amongst the changes, which are open for public consultation, is a proposal to more formally recognise the role of device manufacturers in the development of guidance.

Over the past 14 years, over 500 pieces of IP guidance have been published. Under the latest proposals, medical device manufacturers will now be identified by NICE in the early stages of Interventional Procedure guidance development, if the procedure in question involves a device.

Manufacturers will be asked to make a written submission of information about their product to NICE’s Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee, bringing the programme more into line with some READ MORE: of the Institute’s other tinyurl.com/pgm8exp guidance processes.

End of Life Care Training Pack introduced A new training pack has been introduced called: “Working together: Improving end of life care ”through better integration” which has been designed to increase awareness of the importance of working together to support people at the end of their lives. Led by Skills for Care and in partnership with Skills for Health and the National Council for Palliative Care, the project brought together a wide range of people from different backgrounds READ MORE: including professionals tinyurl.com/pbkbmg5 in end of life care.

Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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FINANCIAL DECISIONS

Finance

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

DECISIONS OF VALUE

One of the most important questions asked of the NHS is whether it delivers value for money. The National Audit Office, which scrutinises public spending on behalf of Parliament, defines value for money as “using resources optimally to achieve intended outcomes” and measures it by how far public bodies have been able to spend less, spend well and spend wisely. Economists traditionally define value in more technical terms, but the focus is, as above, on what is gained relative to what is given up.

For the NHS, value for money considerations tend to focus on demonstrating that services are delivered to a sufficient standard with the funding made available. Yet, if value for money is a concept concerned with delivering what is ‘optimal’, and with what we gain relative to what we give up, in theory the standards set should link to the funding allocated.

Written by Paul Healy, Senior Policy Advisor (Economics and Regulation), NHS Confederation

There are some decisions in the NHS that only impact on finances and some that only impact on quality, but most impact on both. So what’s the best way to balance the priorities of quality improvement and financial sustainability? The NHS Confederation’s Paul Healy reports on recent research into the matter

A close een fewer resources by betw rapportesponsible improving efficiency r e s and reducing waste. o h g t iverin l Department of Health/ e d r o f e s o h IPSOS Mori public t d care an paying for polling indicates d in a growing belief that involveessential for the NHS is delivering it is value for money, ng deliveri with almost three quarters value of people now thinking

STANDARDS AND VALUE FOR MONEY While it may appear obvious in theory, this notion presents a challenge for the NHS and other public services. It suggests that a drop in standards may be reasonable, and still represent good value for money for the tax-payer, in the context of reductions in funding.

In practice, public (and staff) expectations make proposals to lower standards in order to optimise overall value near impossible to consider, and while the NHS has seen its finances under greater pressures since 2010, there has been little suggestion that quality should reduce as a result.

Instead, NHS organisations are expected to deliver the same or better services with

this is the case. However, the same polling also shows only 40 per cent of people think it possible to increase quality while reducing costs, which is exactly what the NHS has needed to do.

BALANCING BOTH OBJECTIVES Of course, there is nothing wrong with the public expecting continually improving services and the values underpinning the NHS mean staff will always strive E

Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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FINANCIAL DECISIONS  to deliver better care. The consequence though of turning up the financial pressure without releasing it on the quality side means a heavier burden on NHS decision‑makers that need to balance both.

The NHS Confederation has been keen to highlight the link between quality and finance in the NHS and demonstrate how our members need to balance the two to ensure sustainability. There are some decisions in the NHS that only impact on finances and some that only impact on quality, but most impact on both. A good example is setting staff levels, which if set too high could generate a waste of resources or if set too low could compromise quality. To optimise resources and maximise quality, a decision has to be made that gets this balance right and the more you consider the factors involved, the more you realise just how tough a decision like this can be.

DECISIONS OF VALUE We, along with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, spent the last year studying these types of decisions and exploring with NHS decision-makers what factors affect their ability to do this rationally. Our project is called “Decisions of Value” and we have uncovered really useful insight into the ways in which the NHS can deliver value for money.

Unsurprisingly, we found that while the system can often rely on rules and standards to ensure good decision‑making, the most important factors relate to cultures and behaviours.

One significant factor we found was the relationship between finance staff and clinical colleagues, who traditionally have a lead role in ensuring either financial balance or service quality. It is becoming increasingly obvious that a close rapport between those most responsible for delivering care and those most involved in paying for it is essential for delivering value. The savings now required of the NHS demand that clinical staff be more involved in decisions about how resources are distributed. Despite this, in a survey we conducted with NHS staff nearly three quarters of the clinicians responded felt they were rarely or never involved in financial decisions affecting their whole organisation, and more than half of those on the front-line did not feel involved in financial decisions affecting their service or team.

and other feedback through the public consultation, but the influence of these tools is often not communicated well to patients.

Other themes uncovered in our research were the importance of deeper values‑based behaviour and the need for more information‑driven decision-making, increasingly supportive environments and larger networks of peer support. Together, they illustrate good principles for decision‑making but the scope for them to become the norm in the NHS is dependent on continuing the culture change demanded by the Francis Report, published more than two years ago.

Reference has been made to the impact of this report, the so-called “Francis effect”, and nothing we heard in our research calls this into question. The NHS is certainly mindful of the lessons expressed by Sir Robert Francis QC and people working in the service are determined to demonstrate their motivation to deliver the highest quality of care possible, now and for the future. Yet, most did not need a report to elicit this response and many

Finance

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organisations were working on shifting culture before its recommendations were published.

Culture change cannot be forced, it needs to be nurtured to help people understand each other better. Our research shows how intricate decisions in the NHS can be and how far good decision-making relies on the space afforded to staff to rationally consider all factors. Evidence shows the impact external factors have on their ability to do this and how far they inhibit decision-making, so that it falls back on the old ways of doing things. Standards have their place in the NHS and they need to offer a basis for staff to be confident in the quality of the care they deliver.

Real value though is unlocked by people driven by continuous improvement, motivated by the values and relationships that lie at the heart of what makes the NHS truly world class. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.nhsconfed.org

There are some decisions in the NHS that only impact on finances and some that only impact on quality, but most impact on both. A good example is setting staff levels, which if set too high could generate a waste of resources or if set too low could compromise quality

SERVICE PROVIDERS AND USERS Relationships between the service provider and the service user appears also to be crucial. This is not just with regards to clinical decisions, but also in terms of involving patients in the decisions organisations make about how they run or improve their services.

The patients we spoke to were adamant they could add benefit to the process of putting resources in the right places, if they were given greater opportunity to do so. In truth, there are many ways in which this happens across the NHS, from use of complaints

Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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CLINICAL SUPPLIES

QUALITY, SAFETY AND VALUE AT THE FRONTLINE

The NHS Supply Chain, the Royal College of Nursing and the Clinical Procurement Specialist Network have joined forces to give nursing staff a say in how trusts purchase and utilise key clinical supplies, using their knowledge and experience The small changes, big differences campaign has been developed to help drive savings and promote patient safety – with product quality and patient care being key factors. The aim is to harness the knowledge and expertise that exists in the NHS and to provide simple, interactive tools that can help to drive long lasting change and share best practice.

Janet Davies, RCN Director of Nursing & Service Delivery, says in the foreword to the ‘Small Changes, Big Differences’ guide: “Say the word ‘procurement’ to a lot of nurses, and they’ll probably start to glaze over.

But talk to them about making sure they provide safe care to their patients, and you really have their attention. What they may not realise is how closely the two are linked – making the right choices about which equipment and supplies the NHS buys can make a huge difference to patient safety.”

PROCUREMENT VALUE Nursing staff are on the frontline of patient care, using clinical products and equipment on a daily basis. They have the potential to add real value to procurement processes by highlighting other crucial aspects of product suitability besides simply cost, such as usability, safety, quality and patient comfort.

NHS procurement processes vary across the devolved health systems of the UK. There are many opportunities to learn from the experience of devolved systems and to share experiences, successes and challenges.

When nursing and midwifery staff are involved in procurement activities, all too often this occurs at a late stage in the process when the impact of nursing experience and knowledge is least effective. Creating an inclusive relationship between clinical and procurement staff is a crucial first step to ensuring both financial and clinical benefits are considered from the outset.

Waste has always been an unpalatable word but in today’s austerity-era NHS it is fast becoming a taboo. Nonetheless, getting the best value out of procurement remains a challenge for many trusts.

The reasons are complex, but one of the most common is a lack of true clinical involvement. Often, the entire process of selecting and purchasing items has been managed by procurement departments alone. This approach tends to mean that the financial perspective is the main one considered when products are chosen – product usability and clinical suitability becomes a secondary consideration. This in turn means staff are asked to use products they may find inefficient or ineffective.

The launch of clinical commissioning groups, alongside other changes introduced by the Health and Social Care Act, may prove an unprecedented opportunity to address this problem.

The boundaries between hospital procurement and health care commissioning are being dismantled, leading to increasing opportunities for clinical input into the procurement process.

Evidence shows that nursing involvement can be particularly valuable.

Their position on the frontline of patient care, using a vast range of clinical products on a daily basis, leaves them uniquely qualified to offer detailed insight on what items do and do not work.

Procurement

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their clinical expertise was crucial. At Heart of England Foundation Trust, a similar model has been implemented.

Traditionally, large numbers of stakeholders were involved in identifying technical specifications for products being procured. Consensus was difficult to achieve, and the process extremely lengthy.

On occasion, several products were procured which served the same purpose. Now senior nurses are the decision makers on the products generally used by nursing staff.

Discussions take place at the trust nursing and midwifery board, to which procurement colleagues are invited on a quarterly basis.

This drives collaboration, allows any barriers to be identified and addressed, and for new savings opportunities to be identified.

Empowering senior nurses to make procurement decisions has also helped to drive product standardisation across clinical areas.

Rather than placing several small orders for several similar products, one larger order for one product can now be placed. This makes it possible to capitalise on economies of scale, leading to significant cost savings.

Agreeing a standard item during a recent contract renewal for curtains and glide sheets secured savings of £106,000. On a potential contract covering body warming and continence products, potential savings of around £187,000 have been identified. Standardising examination gloves will deliver another £100,000 back to the trust.

On top of the financial savings are the quality and patient safety improvements. Using the same product across the organisation reduces the potential for clinical errors, particularly when it comes to medical devices. The need to train staff on new products should they move wards is also eliminated – another time and cost saving. If more organisations are to realise such benefits, senior clinical managers will need to drive collaborative involvement in procurement.

Nursing directors should be highlighting that every £30,000 saved on products equates to one Band 5 nurse. They should also be encouraging nurses to take ownership of procurement. The benefits – and the necessity – are now beyond debate.

Nur staff ar sing e frontlinon the e of patient c a r e , using clinical p r o d ucts and equ ipment on a da ily basis

EMPOWERING SENIOR NURSES The implementation of the EU directive on the prevention of sharps injuries within health care settings, from May 2013, is a case in point. Individual trusts were required to identify the existing sharps products used and to identify, where appropriate, replacements which comply with the requirements of the directives.

Nursing staff were responsible for defining the technical specifications of the products – a central part of the procurement process, and one in which

THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SUPPORT SYSTEM With £4.5 billion spent by the NHS each year on clinical supplies, and with constant pressure on budgets, NHS Supply Chain were keen to develop a process by which staff at all levels could be involved in better, more informed decisions around which products to use. 

Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

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HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 15.3

CLINICAL SUPPLIES  Helping to raise awareness around how clinical supplies could be used more efficiently is not a new concept. One popular approach already used by some trusts, the unit-cost labelling of supplies in stock rooms, has helped to increase awareness of costs but feedback has confirmed some tweaks were necessary. The approach was seen to be too time-intensive to manage, and staff were at risk of becoming blind to a sea of stickers. A simpler, quicker and more visual solution was developed, using fewer, more visible stickers with a longer shelf life to be used as part of a flexible process which could be tailored to each site.

NHS Supply Chain’s Clinical Nurse Advisor Karen Hudson and Shelley Scothorne from their communications team devised the Traffic Light Support System – a simple red (think), amber (consider) and green (go) sticker system to label clinical supplies in the stock room.

The purpose was to help raise awareness of the cost of clinical supplies, identify where relevant alternatives are available, and to encourage staff to think before using the most expensive items.

Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (PAT) agreed to support a three-month pilot of the system. Working with NHS Supply Chain, scoping of the project started in May 2014.

Half page static advert.pdf 1 05/05/2015 PAT’s project team led the pilot which

included the Head of Procurement, Chief Nurse, Assistant Operations Manager and Senior Supplies Assistant from Materials Management. Aware that the system needed to work across different types and sizes of stockrooms and storage areas, they identified 11 suitable sites and wards for the pilot.

PILOTING THE SUPPLIES When selecting the clinical supplies to be targeted for the pilot, the team focused on small, consumable, easy-to-use and frequently used items. As supplies are often selected from trollies in wards, the system needed to work in static storage areas as well as mobile ones. Eye-catching, wipeable stickers, a user guide and posters were included in the toolkit.

The pilot ran from July to November 2014. It was reviewed on implementation, after six weeks, and at the end. Relevant teams were provided with regular updates throughout the pilot to ensure engagement.

At the beginning of the pilot, a survey of participants revealed a disengagement around effective purchasing, highlighting the importance of the project to put procurement back in to the spotlight in a simple but impactful way. A survey of the nursing teams involved at the conclusion 16:58 of the pilot identified that the Traffic Light

Procurement

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Support System had raised awareness of the cost of clinical supplies, with over half of the teams stating that a red sticker on a product drawer would highlight that there may be a cost effective alternative and that they would think twice before using that product. The results also showed that the system had great potential to help with standardisation, and that the majority of teams were not always aware of the cost of clinical supplies, as they were not directly involved in purchasing decisions. This pilot gave them the opportunity make savings and improve patient safety, with cost awareness in mind.

Additionally, good practice was shared across the trust with the potential for significant impact with minimal time and effort required, as well as achieving its primary goal, in every area the Traffic Light Support System was piloted, other new and innovative ways to drive efficiencies and savings were discussed.

Spring 2015 will see the implementation of the Traffic Light Support System at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust and Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.supplychain.nhs.uk www.supplychain.nhs.uk/trafficlights

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THINKING OF THE FUTURE

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Medical professionals are busy people and it’s all too easy to spend your time dealing with the here and now. But serious thought should also be given to your own personal future, advises Mark Brownridge, member of the Institute of Financial Planning remain in control of your finances, rather than letting them control you.

DEADLINE TO THE BREADLINE Research in 2014 from Legal & General shows that on average, people in the UK could be on the breadline in just 29 days if anything happened to them or their partner. And don’t rely on state benefits for help. Improve your financial security by considering life assurance and/or income protection.

Get a clear picture of your household finances by sitting down and putting together a budget showing your monthly income and expenditure. Once finished, you will know where you stand each month and what you can and can’t afford.

Unbiased.co.uk provide some great tools and calculators to help you budget and Certified Financial PlannerCM professionals, the top echelon of financial

planners, can help you draw up a financial plan to help you achieve the financial future you want.

PAYBACK TIME Debts, including credit card debt, is a big hurdle when trying to get financially fit.

Research from The Money Advice Service reveals that one in three of us started 2015 with Christmas-related debts. It’s all too easy to let debt mount up and spiral out of control. Pay off the balance monthly to avoid significantly increasing the amount you owe. Try to ensure that you live within your means each month, and don’t take on unnecessary debts.

If you’re of er a membPension the NHSe, you’ll schem that it is ate appreci r benefit of a majo ur role yo

BOOTCAMP YOUR CASH It pays to shop around and get the best deal on your savings possible.

There’s generally little loyalty shown by banks to customers, so constantly moving to the most competitive deal on the market is worthwhile.

We are now living longer than ever before.

Estimates of life expectancy suggest that most individuals born today will live beyond 90 years of age. However, before you start dreaming of your retirement, it’s worth considering how this is going to be paid for. Such expectations for our older age means saving for the future, especially retirement, is now more important than ever before – and the earlier you start retirement planning, the easier it is to accumulate sufficient funds.

Remember that the current State Pension is just £102.15 a week. Could you live on just that for the next 25 years?

Written by Mark Brownridge, member of the Institute of Financial Planning

Patients, appointments, delivering care, running a busy department, business or practice. The list of things to do as a medical professional probably seems never ending and it’s all too easy to spend your time dealing with the here and now. But when was the last time you gave serious thought to yours and your family’s own personal future?

One particular area which medical professionals often neglect is their personal financial planning. For instance, have you recently considered what your answer would be to important question, such as when to retire and what effect death or serious illness would have on life plans.

Whilst only a couple of the questions above may be relevant in your circumstances, hopefully they will kickstart you into thinking about your and your family’s own finances and the questions that really matter to you.

Obviously, once you know the questions, you will want the answers. Below, are some key areas of personal financial planning and top tips to help make sure you

NISA CHANGES NISAs recently underwent a makeover and have become an increasingly tax efficient way of saving for the future. Money held in a NISA continues to be free of income tax and capital gains tax but now the maximum investment amount has gone up to £15,000 and surviving spouses can now to enjoy tax free investment returns on E

Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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FINANCIAL ADVICE  savings equal to the deceased’s ISA fund.

The Government has recently increased the maximum amount you may contribute to Junior ISAs. As with full ISAs, Junior ISAs can invest in cash or stocks and shares free of income tax. A parent or grandparent can make contributions, up to £4,000 per year, and at age 18, your child will be able to gain access to the cash pot built up and use the money to fund university fees or a house deposit.

PENSIONS If you’re a member of the NHS Pension scheme, you’ll appreciate that it is a major benefit of your role. However there are a number of changes to the scheme that you should be aware of and which may have implications on your pension funding. Make sure you understand what the changes are and how they will affect you.

Additionally, from 6 April 2015, a raft of new pensions legislation comes into force giving more freedom to pension savers than ever before. According to Treasury figures around 320,000 people with defined contribution (i.e. private) pension schemes will be immediately ‘set free’ by the new reforms. This has changed the landscape in terms of planning for retirement. While this is all excellent news for pension savers, the new rules wont apply for anyone in a defined benefit scheme such as the NHS Pension scheme and you will only

From 6 April 2015, a raft of new pensions legislation comes into force giving more freedom to pension savers. According to Treasury figures around 320,000 people with defined contribution (i.e. private) pension schemes will be immediately ‘set free’ by the new reforms benefit from the new rules if you transferred to a defined contribution pension scheme before 6 April 2015. Take professional advice from a Certified Financial Planner professional or contact an Accredited Financial Planning Firm. Both have been independently assessed by the Institute of Financial Planning.

HOUSE PRICES As house prices balloon it’s all too easy to overvalue your property when thinking about your financial future. Too many people have an over-inflated view that they will enjoy a comfortable future just with the value of their home. However, if property prices cool or you can’t sell when you want to, you may be in trouble. Consider diversifying your savings across a number of different types of savings vehicles to avoid putting all eggs in one basket.

Personal Finance

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It’s estimated up to £15 billion pounds of unclaimed financial assets in the UK lie in old bank accounts, pensions, life assurance and investments. And there’s more – most of us have savings or a workplace pension which may be under exploited or forgotten about altogether.

Over the years, the worry of being under‑protected and over exposed to financial catastrophe has also caused some people to acquire too many policies. Have a clean out, bin the surplus and see what you unearth. L

Mark Brownridge is a member of the Institute of Financial Planning and research and development manager at Mazars Financial Planning.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.financialplanning.org.uk

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With the many changes in the NHS Pension Scheme senior medics are asking: ● Will I be hit for tax now or in the future? ● Should I opt out of my NHS Pension? ● When can I retire or go part time? ● Will we outlive our money? ● How can we best gift to our children and minimise Inheritance Tax? ● Am I covered adequately to protect my family? ● What is my best way to invest for retirement?

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Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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THE SUSTAINABILITY STARS OF THE NHS

The second annual NHS Sustainability Awards recognised Trusts and Ambulance services for their part in creating a more sustainable and planet-friendly health service Nottingham NHS Trust and Vanguard

The big f o winnerswere t the nighnd North a the Eastdshire NHS Hertfor st who Tru three scoopedrds awa

The second annual NHS Sustainability Awards took place on 16 April and recognised Trusts and Ambulance Services for their efforts to improve environmental performance and health.

The big winners of the evening were the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust who scooped three awards, including being named the overall winner. Sussex Community NHS Trust also picked up three prizes winning the Behaviour Change, Clinical and HR categories.

Other winners included Guys and St Thomas NHS Trust who picked up awards for their work on Water and Energy, Manchester Central NHS Foundation Trust for their efforts on waste reduction, North Bristol NHS Trust who were recognised for their utilisation of local food produce and Derby Hospitals who resisted calls for a multi-storey car park and instead created a sustainable travel solution.

All submissions for the 2015 awards will be compiled into a report highlighting the impact sustainability is having on finances

and environmental performance within the NHS. The report will be submitted to the Department of Health this summer.

THE WINNERS The Behaviour Change, Human Resources and Clinical Awards were presented to Sussex Community NHS Trust (SCT). In 2010 the Trust introduced its first Sustainable Development Management Plan (SDMP), which set a trajectory to reduce all key environmental impacts from Trust operations (including, most significantly absolute CO2 emissions) by 2015, along with a zero landfill commitment.

In the first four years, the SDMP succeeded in reducing its carbon footprint by 985 tonnes (15.7 per cent), and 60 per cent of its general waste by weight was recycled, with the remainder converted into fuel to generate electricity.

In February 2014 SCT’s Board approved a new and more holistic sustainable healthcare strategy, called Care Without Carbon. This superseded the original SDMP

and set more challenging sustainability targets forward to 2020, with a long-term aspiration to become the first carbon neutral healthcare NHS provider in the UK. FOOD North Bristol NHS Trust won in the Food category. The Trust has taken significant steps to source local, seasonal, organic and fairly traded food as part of its Trust-wide policy to reduce its impact on the environment at the same time as maintaining quality.

The Trust convinced its existing wholesalers that it wanted more seasonal and organic food within a 50 mile radius wherever possible.

The Trust also worked with its local branch of the Soil Association to find local suppliers and change its menus.

Since the initiative, all its milk (412,800 pints a year) comes from the local family run Gundenham Dairy Farm in Wellington, Somerset. All its meat is farm assured and comes from a local butcher, all beef mince is organic; all eggs are free range; and all fish is sustainably sourced and MSC certified.

The Trust now operates winter and summer menus to make the most of seasonal produce and reduce food miles, and over 93 per 

Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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The most recent patient satisfaction survey shows a recent score of 95.1 per cent.

WATER Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust picked up the award in the Water category.

The Trust has saved nearly 20 per cent of its water consumption, a value of over £120k per annum, through a partnership with water management experts ADSM. The programme utilises AquaFund, a grant scheme that provides all finance and resources to achieve water efficiencies and financial savings by engaging engineering, maintenance and clinical staff to reduce water use. The savings achieved are split between the Trust and the fund with a proportion of the money donated to WaterAid each year on the Trust’s behalf.

WASTE Central Manchester NHS Foundation Trust scooped the ‘Waste Award’. By working in partnership with its PFI provider (Sodexo) and WRAP to address food waste, the Trust has achieved exceptional savings in waste volume, waste costs and recycling rates.

Historically food waste at the Trust was disposed of in its general domestic waste stream, contaminating its otherwise clean recyclable waste. This had a knock-on effect; requiring all domestic waste to be processed at a ‘dirty’ Materials Recovery Facility. This waste management process resulted in recycling rates of approximately 25 per cent of total volume.

The Trust created a separate food waste stream, which involved arranging caddies for food collection in all wards; training and engagement for all staff involved in the change; allocating space in disposal holds for food waste collection; and procurement of a food waste collection service, sending the stream for Anaerobic Digestion.

The end result of this work was to reduce its monthly food waste volume from 12.5 tonnes to 7.4 tonnes per month. And by moving from a ‘dirty MRF’ process to a ‘clean MRF’ process, the Trust increased overall recycling rates of its general domestic waste stream from 25 per cent to 95 per cent.

The cost savings from the food waste stream alone total more than £17,000 per year.

TRANSPORT Derby Hospitals won the Transport Award.

Hospital parking is a challenge across the country and was absolutely the case when Derby’s two former hospitals merged onto the new Royal Derby Hospital site in 2008.

With car parking problems overshadowing the otherwise positive new hospital experience of staff and patients, a tremendous effort was put into developing innovative ways to encourage alternative transport use through the Trust’s first ever Travel Plan.

Despite endless calls from staff and the public to ‘build’ a multi-storey car park and

simply address the problem by creating more car parking, the Trust set out to work in partnership with Derby City Council and local transport providers to influence and support sustainable behaviour change by encouraging staff and patients to choose the healthy option and reduce their carbon footprint by using more sustainable modes of transport.

As a result, the annual programme has been running for over four years, incorporating cycle to work, public transport, and walk to work incentive weeks. What’s more, in partnership with local bus companies, Derby hospitals hold monthly public transport road shows, as well as hosting a travel hub and waiting area with live bus wait times and bus information available at the hospital’s main entrances.

COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH East and North Hertfordshire scooped both the Community, Public Health award, and were also crowned the Overall Winner.

The Trust has a campaign to inspire citizens

Energy

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members of staff which were converted into posters and over 200 were placed around GOSH buildings. They were also set as GOSH’s default screensavers for the week leading up to NHS Sustainability Day 2014. The campaign was very well received and GOSH saw an immediate eight per cent reduction in electricity consumption the following month.

This was followed up in April with the launch of a Carbon Culture online community platform, displaying the building level electricity consumption on a public website.

PROCUREMENT Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust picked up the Procurement Award. Medical instruments, used to treat and heal patients in the UK, have been shown, in some cases, to be produced in environments where employees are at risk of injury and labour rights violations, such as sexual harassment, poor working conditions and unfair wages.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust,

The Energy Award went to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust (GOSH) for reducing its energy demand in the past year – a 14 per cent reduction in total energy demand for the first 10 months to January 2015, compared to 2013/14 across all its communities to get involved in health and make a positive difference to their local community. The Trust’s vision was to engage all in contributing to healthier more sustainable communities. The Trust trains its young members as health champions and give them opportunities to apply their learning in local community settings such as schools and health action days. The Trust also works in partnership to design and deliver projects to tackle health inequalities, such as young members teaching ICT skills to older members at risk of social isolation. What’s more, the Trust transforms its regular AGM meeting intoa full-blown 400+ community development conference designed to inspire and involve communities and partners in creating a more sustainable local health economy.

ENERGY The Energy Award went to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust (GOSH) for reducing its energy demand in the past year – a 14 per cent reduction in total energy demand for the first 10 months to January 2015, compared to 2013/14. The Trust’s Scope 1&2 carbon footprint is also 14 per cent lower than the first 10 months of 2013/14.

GOSH introduced a series of five sustainable action pledges from five of the most senior

supported by the British Medical Association (BMA), has embarked on a programme of working with key suppliers to understand the impact of its £600m supply chain to improve conditions, and establish clear standards for suppliers that can be used on a national or even international level.

Using the Ethical Trade Initiative’s Base Code as a foundation, the Trust has developed a supplier Code of Conduct, which incorporates ethical as well as environmental standards.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Locala Community Partnerships won the IT Award. Locala’s digital journey started in 2013 when it began working with IT provider Dell. Using Lync technology, Locala Community Partnership has an increasing number of video appointments with patients on computers or phones and in locations that suit the patient – at home or work and even on a train. This has an environmental benefit because travel between appointments is reduced and colleagues can use Lync to ask for a second opinion when in the patient’s home – speeding up treatment and reducing the number of extra visits.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.nhssustainabilityawards.co.uk

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HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT

Hospital Inspections

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

Written by Shirley Cramer, CEO of the Institute of Healthcare Management

IS IT TIME TO RETHINK INSPECTIONS?

The current system for inspecting healthcare services creates too many opportunities to hide the gap between policy and reality, says Shirley Cramer CEO of the Royal Society for Public Health and the Institute of Healthcare Management, arguing the case for a rethink on how to improve services In the aftermath of the Mid-Staffordshire scandal, NHS England declared that the NHS “must, and will, put patients at the heart of everything we do.” A clear commitment was made to change how the health system worked in order to put patients first. The knee-jerk reaction to serious shortcomings being uncovered in any environment is a renewed focus on inspection, a process with a dictionary definition of ‘to examine carefully and critically,

especially for flaws’. Note the last two words. There is no mention of identifying and disseminating best practice or ‘to review or examine officially.’

The THE ROLE OF INSPECTION rk knee-jeserious So what role does inspection o t n play a role in this ‘new o i t g reac mings bein world’ where the patient is at the centre of healthcare shortcoovered in provision? The argument s i unc t n e m n goes that a robust inspection o r i process offers patients any env wed focus and the public reassurance a rene pection that high standards of care s n i n o are being adhered to.

It is important that the patient and public play a role in this process and the Institute of Healthcare Management (IHM)

supports all moves to create opportunities for them to do so. For example, the introduction in April 2013 of patient-led assessments of the care environment (PLACE) in England, a system for assessing the quality of the patient environment, was welcome.

Under this system, local people go into hospitals, hospices and day treatment centres providing NHS funded care to appraise how the environment supports patient’s privacy and dignity, food, cleanliness and general building maintenance.

However, PLACE focuses entirely on the care environment and does not cover clinical care provision or how well staff are doing their job.

In England, the responsibility for this lies in the hands of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which carries out both announced and 

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HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT  unannounced inspections and has placed 19 hospitals in special measures since July 2013.

UNANNOUNCED INSPECTIONS IHM is firmly opposed to ‘announced’ inspections. The Institute believes that giving establishments due for inspection advance warning and time to prepare for the inspectors’ visit is nonsense. What possible guarantee is there that the world laid out before them is a day-to-day reality, rather than a carefully designed stage set peopled by well-rehearsed actors?

In education, the debate over the value of announced, as against unannounced, inspections has been rolling on for many years with ‘no notice’ proponents defeated or mollified by the compromise of mixing the two. A consultation on the subject last year revealed ‘strong approval’ for no notice inspections from more than three quarters of parents and pupils but that ‘it was not popular with head teachers and teachers’.

Ofsted’s reasons for not going ahead with no-notice inspections to date has been that it reduces the ability of parents’ views to be sought in sufficient numbers; that it might make it difficult for governors to attend inspections; and that a headteacher might not be at the school during the visit.

Opponents of unannounced inspections in the healthcare world might attempt a similar argument, replacing parents with patients and headteachers with CEOs or other key leaders.

But they might find a similar proportion of patients expressing strong approval of the idea.

No notice inspections work well elsewhere.

Environmental health practitioners carry out regular inspections at food premises to ensure that standards of hygiene and food safety are being maintained and that there is no risk to public safety. Occasionally, they conduct inspections if a complaint has been made. The majority of routine food hygiene visits to premises are carried out without prior notification and are ‘priority programmed’ according to degree of risk.

DISGUISING THE REALITY So why not hospitals? Is it fair to patients to give providers the opportunity to paper up the cracks between policy and reality. Is it really likely, for example, that a hospital that knows CQC inspectors are on the way will allow them to witness a drastically understaffed ward at word? A ward where each nurse is trying to look after the medical and personal care needs of perhaps nine or ten patients and some of those are agency nurses unfamiliar with the workings of the ward?

And yet few would denying that this can be the reality - indeed acknowledgment of the problem was clear in the run-up to the recent general election when all parties promised policies to drive up recruitment.

IHM recently asked 120 health and care managers what they thought and over

Hospital Inspections

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

Raising concerns within work should be promoted not as a problem, but as a potential solution, creating the opportunity to stop poor practice at an early stage and to learn lessons that can have a positive impact on the future. It can form an important part of changing the culture of an organisation two thirds (70 per cent) said that they believed that unannounced inspections were more representative of the true standards operating in hospitals. As a mater of interest, a similar percentage felt that there was a disproportionate emphasis on inspection as a means of measuring success.

IHM’s view on inspection of GP surgeries is similar, although we would question whether the cost and effort involved in carrying out any type of inspection can be justified. The CQC has published ratings for 755 GP practices since it launched its four-point Ofsted-style rating system in October. Of these, around 86 per cent have been rated either ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’.

That means there are a very small numbers of surgeries failing their populations.

Perhaps the Family and Friends Test might be sufficient to bring these few to the attention of the CQC, concentrating their resources where they are most needed.

There is one caveat in our argument promoting unannounced inspections.

The potential stress on those working in healthcare, of course, is something that policy-makers should also always bear in mind. Is there any evidence to suggest that those unannounced inspections that already take place cause extra anxiety?

That should be a consideration for anyone worried about recruitment and retention to the profession, so it must, of course, be thoroughly researched first.

ALTERNATIVES TO INSPECTION Finally, there are questions to be asked about whether the present focus on inspection as a means of improving patient care is really the way forward. Isn’t inspection a heavy-handed way of policing what should already be happening? We trust healthcare professionals with our lives – surely we should be able to trust health and care managers to do their jobs without artificial big brother style surveillance from inspectors?

Feedback from staff on shortfalls in best practice is an important alternative to inspection. As IHM stresses in its position paper on whistleblowing, raising concerns at work isn’t always easy but it should be seen as part of normal day‑to‑day good working. If it is seen as part of routine practice, organisations have a better chance of making quality improvements for staff and, most importantly, the end‑user of their services – the patient.

Raising concerns within work should be promoted not as a problem, but as a potential solution, creating the opportunity to stop poor practice at an early stage and to learn lessons that can have a positive impact on the future. It can form an important part of changing the culture of an organisation and IHM believes that culture will eat inspection for breakfast every time.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.ihm.org.uk

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UKAS Accreditation Underpinning Quality in Healthcare Commissioning UKAS accreditation is a mark of quality that can be used by commissioners to easily identify safe, efficient and patient-focused services. Accreditation supports Commissioners in the delivery of informed and effective purchasing, good governance and public confidence.

UKAS accreditation is already available within diagnostic imaging, physiological sciences, pathology, point of care testing, and care homes. When commissioning services in these areas, local and national ‘specialised’ commissioners are advised to specify UKAS accredited services, wherever possible.

For further information about how UKAS accreditation can help commissioners to make an informed choice and to find a list of accredited providers, please contact UKAS: info@ukas.com

020 8917 8400

“

Accreditation is absolutely essential to ensure the quality of supply” Lord Carter of Coles, Chair, The Independent Review of NHS Pathology Services

www.ukas.com

CPA is a wholly owned subsidiary of UKAS

UKAS will be exhibiting at the Commissioning Show 2015 on 24th & 25th June 2015 at the Excel, London. Visit Stand H23 to find out more about how accreditation can support healthcare commissioners.

EVENT PREVIEW

DRIVING QUALITY THROUGH PERSON-CENTRED CARE

Health+Care 2015

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

The largest national event for health and care professionals returns to London’s ExCeL on 24-25 June, providing a world class learning and networking environment for health professionals Health+Care 2015 is free to attend for all NHS and public sector teams and senior managers within care settings.

Over 300 speakers will deliver ‘live’ case studies, insightful debates and offer practical solutions to current challenges.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Post the general election, Health+Care will host new ministerial speakers, who will be giving their first public addresses to the sector at the conference. It doesn’t matter who will be saying it, they’ll be saying it at Health+Care. The keynote sessions will cover everything from innovative projects, organisational development, and governance advice to new legislation and regulation, and workforce development.

But, it’s not just about integration.

Although Health+Care is one event, it consists of seven shows. Delegates who register to attend Health+Care will gain access to seven shows - The Commissioning Show, Integrated Care Conference, The Residential Care Show, The Home Care Show, Public Health, Care Commissioning and Technology First. Each offers high quality advice from leading experts on driving efficiency and improving performance, with a focus on sharing innovation and best practice.

INTEGRATING CARE The ‘business case’ for integrated health and social care has been developed and has the potential to improve access, reduce waste, and deliver better outcomes for people. Integrated care means different things to different people.

Integration can include the commissioning of services, access to services, the assessment of need and the delivery of services.

And there are many different ways of achieving it, from a bit of multi‑agency working through to creating one governance structure, one budget, one group of staff working to a single set of priorities and objectives.

The Integrated Care Show brings all the successful pioneers and experts together from across the professional boundaries to showcase what is working – reducing hospital admissions and long stays, improving patient experience and outcomes, increasing engagement and wellness – and how delegates can go about delivering it in their areas. Relevant 

The Commissioning Show will bring delegates up to speed on all the postelection changes to the NHS, allowing them to learn and share knowledge with peers, and find out how the NHS Five Year Forward View is reshaping the health and care landscape Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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EVENT PREVIEW

 to all professionals across health and care involved in integrating services, from Health and Wellbeing Board members and commissioners to senior clinicians, social workers and health and social care providers.

The Integrated Care Plenary Theatre will stage an update in the Better Care Fund, presented by Idris Griffiths on NHS Sheffield CCG, Joe Fowler of Sheffield City Council and Dr Tim Moorhead, board member of the NHSCC. This is followed by a conference on ‘Integrating mental health – how do we act on the evidence?’, chaired by Geraldine Strathdee, NHS England’s national clinical director for mental health, and the day is closed by a session in ‘Is integration enough?’, chaired

by Julie Wood, NHSCC director. This will focus upon the CCG’s perspective, financial sustainability and worldwide integration.

Day two commences with a keynote speech

by Andy Turnham, shadow secretary for state, and a keynote debate on ‘Postcode prescribing and rationalisation’, chaired by NHSCC senior advisor Dr Michael Nixon.

THE COMMISSIONING SHOW The Commissioning Show also returns to London’s ExCel for this years show. More than 6,000 commissioners, health, and social care providers will gather from across

Health+Care 2015

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

The Technology Enabled Care Services theatre will demonstrate how cutting-edge telehealth and telecare technologies are breaking down barriers in health and social care, reducing hospital admissions and enabling more patients to be cared for at home and in community settings Europe to take part in the UK’s largest social and primary care conference.

The Commissioning Show is made up of 12 streams: commissioning for value; implementing the 5 Year Forward View; hospital trusts - sustaining your future; integrating community based care; transforming general practice; medicines optimisation; public health; integrating mental health; personalisation; dementia and care of the elderly; healthcare technologies; and technology enabled care services.

The programme will include high-level debate and analysis on the future of the NHS and social care under the new government as well as case studies from the vanguard sites that are trailblazing new models of care across the system. The show also features

best practice examples of delivering more accessible, high quality, cost-effective services centred round the needs of patients.

Dave Sweeney, operational director, NHS Halton CCG, said: “This is the must-attend event of the industry. As a commissioner, I come to hear from national speakers and to rubber stamp what I’m doing. It’s a very impressive show and every CCG should be here.”

There will also be interactive sessions focussing on topics such as the Better Care Fund, co-commissioning, patient activation, integrating mental health, harnessing new technology and care of the frail and elderly.

The Commissioning Show will bring delegates up to speed on all the post-election changes to the NHS, allowing them to learn 

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HTM Compliant Nurse Call Systems Quick to fit, HTM standards compliant and excellent value for money, the Medicare HTM series Nurse Call system is designed for ease of use, and built to withstand the demands of the busiest care environment.

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EVENT PREVIEW  and share knowledge with peers, and find out how the NHS Five Year Forward View is reshaping the health and care landscape.

For the first time, the Commissioning Show is reaching out into secondary care to support the dissolution of historic boundaries between secondary and primary care that is advocated in NHS England’s Five Year Forward View.

There are over 400 exhibitors at this year’s show, giving those involved in care provision and delegates from both commissioning and providing organisations an unparalleled user‑friendly experience in one convenient place. Delegates will have the chance to see all the key players in one place, including Optum, NHS England and MSD. Over 350 speakers will deliver live case studies, debates and offer practical solutions to current challenges.

SOCIAL CARE COMMISSIONING Local authorities are experiencing rapidly rising demand and costs in social care. Councils are under pressure to reduce expenditure on social care at the same time as raising quality. New legislation is also driving new approaches to assessment and service delivery – putting people who use services in the driving seat.

Through innovative commissioning, local authorities and its partners are more likely to be efficient, make best use of its resources and achieve the best outcomes possible for people.

Shifting to an outcome focus, working with better information, improving planning,

adopting preventative and early intervention strategies, developing a partnership approach and joint commissioning are all key to improving social care commissioning.

ADULT’S AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES THEATRE The Adult’s and Children’s Services Theatre will include a speech on ‘Working across health and social care to safeguard children’

by Annie Hudson, CEO of The College of Social Work, Dr Jeremy Cox, GP for Safeguarding Children in Hertfordshire, and Alison O’ Sullivan of Kirklees Council. Rob Greig delivers an opinion on the ‘Role of commissioners in promoting community inclusion’, before Carey Oppenheim of the Early Intervention Foundation discusses how early intervention should be a priority when budgets are under pressure.

Day two will stage the Department of Health’s Lyn Romeo’s seminar on ‘The Care Act’, analysing the opportunities for social

workers in integrated care systems. At the same theatre, The Care Act is further explored in a live debate between Sed Kelly of the National Care Forum, Dr Sam Bennett of Think Local Act Personal and Harold Bodmer of ADASS. In the afternoon, Caroline Selkirk from the British Association fro Adoption and Fostering, examines the importance of ‘Meeting vulnerable children’s needs’ and Heather Mitchell of SEQOL taking on embedded integration in joined up care.

Health+Care 2015

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

TECHNOLOGY FIRST The Technology Enabled Care Services theatre will demonstrate how cutting-edge telehealth and telecare technologies are breaking down barriers in health and social care, reducing hospital admissions and enabling more patients to be cared for at home and in community settings. These technologies are key to activating people to self‑care and to the delivery of more accessible, personalised health and social care. 

High quality home care services represent the future of social care. But with increasing demand, more complex clients, downward fee pressures, intense competition and tighter regulation, home care agencies are feeling the pressure

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UK batch manufacture Quality tested Certificates of analysis Product data sheets Shelf life development programme Medical information

Special Products Limited is dedicated to the delivery of quality, service and innovation. To find out why our customers value our unlicensed medicines, visit: www.specialproducts.biz or call us on: +44(0) 1932 690325

EVENT PREVIEW  Sessions in this theatre will show how these technologies are being used by progressive trusts, GPs, primary, community and social service providers to improve efficiencies and outcomes for their patients.

Speakers will include Robert Flack, chief executive of Locala Community Partnerships, who will talk about how pioneering technology is used to deliver his organisation’s ambition of high-quality community services closer to home. For example, front line staff take small, lightweight laptops into patients’ homes, using them to access and update notes and test results.

The Technology First – Healthcare Technologies theatre will showcase world-class technologies available to support the delivery of integrated, efficient and patient‑centred health and care systems. Day one will open with an inspirational talk from Tim Kelsey, NHS England’s National Director for Patients and Information, on how the NHS must exploit the ‘information revolution’ and accelerate innovation in order to close the £30 billion funding gap. Other sessions will focus on how these technologies can be

embraced to improve efficiencies, outcomes and the flow of data that is so crucial to the execution of the 5 Year Forward View.

PIONEERING TECHNOLOGY Health+Care will be featuring a range of pioneering technologies to support 21st century, personalised healthcare, including interoperable systems, digital platforms, approved apps and clinical systems. The long‑term sustainability of your organisation depends on intelligent application of digital technologies like those showcased in this theatre.

The ogy Technollthcare ea First - H ologies Techn showcase will theatre orld-class w ogies technol ble NHS ENGLAND availa ENGAGEMENT ZONE

As well as providing a number of high profile speakers at The Commissioning Show, NHS England will host its first speaker engagement zone (stand number F45) giving delegates the opportunity to meet NHS England speakers to ask questions and continue conversations started in plenary sessions. Delegates will also be given the opportunity to feed through their views into the Five Year Forward View on a

supplying your care home

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Graffiti board integrated within the area.

The NHS England Engagement Zone will also host a number of mini presentations and demonstrations from commissioning experts from across the organisation during the two days. The Zone will also host a number of mini presentations and demonstrations from commissioning experts from across the organisation during the two days.

Confirmed NHS England speakers so far include Ian Dodge, Director of Commissioning Strategy; Tim Kelsey, National Director for Patients and Information; Richard Jeavons, Director of Commissioning Specialised Services; Bob Ricketts, Director of Commissioning Support Services; Dr Robert Varnam, Head of General Practice Development; Dr Mike Bewick, Deputy Medical Director; Dr Geraldine Strathdee, National Clinical Director for Mental Health; and Samantha Jones, Director of New Models of Care.

Health+Care 2015

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

HEALTHCARE INNOVATIONS DEN The Healthcare Innovation Den has been designed to support innovators with the brightest and best emerging innovations to get them get noticed and embedded in the NHS. And to help those seeking cost and time saving efficiencies to see a great new idea every 10 minutes.

Innovations could range from new 

Gas and electricity for businesses – Gas and electricty for Yu Specialising in supplying gas and electricity to the care sector, Yu Energy was formed in 2014 by former care home owner Bobby Kalar with a view to providing outstanding customer service coupled with great prices.

Its understanding of high usage and the need to save money wherever possible has meant Yu Energy has been able to create a bespoke energy packages for the care sector.

Individually allocated account managers mean that clients get the highest levels of customer service at all times and that they’re not left on hold waiting to be put through to the correct department.

Yu Energy will be exhibiting on stand Q35 at this year’s Health+Care show, where it will be providing no obligation

quotes and giving visitors tips on how you can save money on their gas and electricity.

If you are looking to switch supplier or your contract is coming up for renewal, one of the team from Yu Energy will be more than happy to talk to you and see if it can save you money on your energy bills.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0115 975 8258 www.yuenergy.co.uk

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BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

VALUING CARE The Mevarius Electronic Monitoring Solution is an inexpensive revolutionary change for the care market industry to provide a unique solution to attendance monitoring. A change that not only delivers more accountability for care staff and care managers / owners but also provides peace of mind for families regarding the provision of care. A solution designed, developed and supported by those who value care.

Contact info@mevarius.co.uk or telephone: 0121 796 1160 or www.mevarius.uk for more information.

The UK’s leading experts in the assessment of mental capacity At TSF Consultants we realise that any delay in assessment has potentially far reaching consequences for all involved. Our national network of expert assessors enables us to provide a fast efficient service whilst keeping costs low. Our clients include NHS Foundation Trusts, The Brain Injury Group and many of the UK’s largest law firms such as Pannone, Irwin Mitchell and Penningtons Manches. We also work with both health and large financial organisations to ensure that their processes and procedures in relation to mental capacity are as robust as possible. Our level of expertise mean we are unrivalled in the field of mental capacity.

Tel: 0333 577 7020

40

HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 15.3

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EVENT PREVIEW  medical technologies to new services and techniques – any ideas with the potential to support the NHS to improve productivity and outcomes for patients.

In addition to this, the show will feature a Knowledge Exchange Theatre - with sessions offering a unique opportunity for health and social care professionals to step out of the lecture theatres and engage in focussed, in‑depth discussions around shared challenges.

CARE INNOVATIONS The residential care sector is being challenged.

Policy drivers are looking less favourably on residential care placements, and council funds are under intense pressure.

Commissioners are being encouraged to develop a more preventative approach that keeps people in their own homes longer and, if things go wrong, seeks to rapidly rehabilitate and re-able them. However, there are growing numbers of vulnerable people moving into older age with long-term conditions and significant support needs.

There’s still an important role for residential care providers as part of a diverse, high quality care sector that can meet the needs – both low and high – of service users and self-funders. But providers need to adapt the changing market and offer more flexible, personalised and outcome-oriented services. 

The show will feature a Knowledge Exchange Theatre – with sessions offering a unique opportunity for health and social care professionals to step out of the lecture theatres and engage in focussed, in-depth discussions around shared challenges

Ulysses Rostering Systems: delivering efficient, realworld software solutions Rostering the right staff for each shift is crucial to the smooth running of every organisation to ensure that an optimum skill mix is mainatained, manning levels and availability.

Communicating this to each staff member can be a nightmare, and many organisations are still in the dark ages, with paper timesheets, manual systems, and reliance on telephone calls.

Ulysses Rostering Systems has created a suite of apps that enable staff to use their own phone, whether it be Apple, Windows or Android, to see their shifts, record their availability, and log time and attendance using Timelog Services.

The system is designed to link to any system that has a shift management capability, whilst still providing a secure external gateway.

This means that staff feel informed, know where they

Health+Care 2015

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

are supposed to be and can be relied upon to react to real-time changes rather than out-of-date pdf or paper plans.

In Reablement applications the system allows rapid visual shift planning, dynamic real-time changes, presenting visit tasks and instructions, google maps, GPS, and allowing outcomes to be recorded at each visit.

In addition, staff can log their visits in real-time, eliminating manual timesheets and allowing lone-worker tracking.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01865 890883 sales@rosteringsystems.co.uk www.rostering-systems.co.uk

Spire Healthcare – Partnering with the NHS Spire Healthcare is a leading provider of private healthcare, and in England it has a network of 34 hospitals working in partnership with their local CCGs and NHS trusts to provide efficient, quality and reliable services.

Approximately 4,500 NHS outpatients visit a Spire hospital each week, while 120 CCGs use Spire hospitals.

Pathology, oncology, diagnostics, physiotherapy and complex surgical services all are provided by Spire, helping acute trusts and CCGs meet local demand.

As well as supporting acute trusts with waiting list initiatives, Spire delivers specialised and complex surgery for specialist commissioners. For example, its national network of cancer care services, gives patients access to treatment facilities local to their community and its mobile scanning units provide diagnostic imagining where a trust requires them.

Spire Healthcare has the UK’s largest network of CPA accredited pathology laboratories providing expertise and rapid results, helping trusts, CCGs and dentists as well as their own hospitals.

All 34 of Spire’s English hospitals are accredited to provide elective NHS services, and in 2014 Spire provided elective procedures and aftercare to 95,000 NHS patients. 8,500 patients are referred by their GP through ‘patient choice’ each month. The experienced NHS team offers transparent pricing and advice.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0800 158 8820 www.spirehealthcare.com

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Health+Care 2015

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BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

Underpinning quality Leading wireless radio healthcare commissioning nursecall systems The need to drive up quality of care for patients, whilst delivering efficiency and productivity, is a key principle for commissioners of healthcare services. As pressure on NHS finances continues to build, accreditation is increasingly being seen as an effective way for purchasers to demonstrate that they can achieve ‘more for less’.

UKAS, formally appointed as the national accreditation body under European Regulation, is the only body recognised by government to assess and declare the competence of organisations against internationally recognised standards. UKAS accreditation provides commissioners with an independent assurance of quality and safety that supports their decisions to deliver better care and value for patients. It also provides a mechanism for measuring quality improvement and supports consistency in the quality of care.

The influence and use of UKAS accreditation in healthcare continues to grow in supporting the delivery of informed and

effective purchasing, good governance and public confidence.

UKAS accreditation is already available within pathology, diagnostic imaging, pathology, physiological sciences, point of care testing and care homes.

When commissioning services in these areas, local and national ‘specialised’ commissioners are advised to specify UKAS accredited services, wherever possible.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 020 8917 8400 www.ukas.com

Medicare Systems is an established company with over 80 years combined experience within its four principal directors in the design, manufacture and installation of radio nurse call systems.

In 2013, the company opened a specialist division based solely on the nurse call demands of the growing Hospital Market.

Although Medicare has installed the system in a number of hospitals the new division deals specifically with, the ever growing needs of the modern hospital and the requirements of the managers and estates Managers.

Recruiting a few of the leading industry experts to head the new division was vital, people who knew and understood the industry a select group of specialists who would work along with our in house design team to produce a range of equipment that is compatible with the HTM requirements and offers a real alternative

to other nurse call systems.

All of the call points are manufactured under strict conditions in the UK and the colours all reflect the HTM guidelines. The company’s display panels offer clear concise information and are easy to use. Its products are robust but aesthetically pleasing and use the very latest in technology.

Medicare offers a full and extensive range of products and support from its offices in Dorset, Nottinghamshire and Scotland and its DRB checked engineers are located throughout the UK. All of its engineers have training in the installation of systems within the hospital environment.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0800 849 5123 www.medicaresystems.co.uk

Green Access - Secure and reliable solutions

High quality medicines from Special Products

Green Access designs, develops and manufacturers solutions for today’s door-entry and telecare and telehealth sectors, that are integratable and adaptable without limitations.

Achieved through the use of IP/SIP infrastructures, the company successfully utilises open standard protocol all within a single package, offering benefits and simplicity through bespoke solutions for both single and multi-tenant formats.

Green Access provides strategies and services which delivers long term benefits of security and independence based upon clients key requirements.

Embracing innovation, Green Access aims to drive awareness and the industry forward with new technology that makes a positive difference to people’s lives. The company is continually developing and evolving its products and ensures the best available solution for clients at all times.

Special Products sources and supplies a range of high quality medicines to hospital and community pharmacies. The company supplies UK batch manufactured unlicensed medicines for patients with special clinical requirements that licensed medicines cannot meet.

Although Special Products are not restricted to particular disease areas or patient groups, it is well represented in the therapeutic areas of the central nervous systems, inborn errors of metabolism and the neonatal and paediatric patient groups.

Special Products’ high quality products are delivered with Certificates of Analysis and are supported by stability data and backed by validated and extended shelf lives.

Datasheets are supplied on a regular basis and any queries that cannot be dealth with by the Supply Chain Department are dealth with through medical enquiries in a professional and timely manner.

Green Access’s main product in the telehealth and telecare industry is its in-house designed I-Care Audio with industrial and commercial technologies as opposed to consumerbased technologies. With the implementation of a flexible intelligent infrastructure, I-Care allows the genuine possibility of a virtual 24/7 healthcare provision.

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FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0845 47 49 049 www.greenaccess.plc.uk

HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 15.3

Some of the company’s products are supplied with secondary packaging which includes a carton and a patient information leaflet.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01932 690 325 info@specialproducts.biz www.specialproducts.biz

EVENT PREVIEW  On the opening day of the event, the Residential Care Theatre will host a session entitled ‘Differentiate your care business to maximise your profitability’ by profit advisor Mike Ogilvie, ‘Nest steps in dementia care’

by George McNamara of the Alzheimer’s Society and Evermore Wellbeing’s Sara McKee providing case studies on ‘Innovations in residential care’. The second day continues the discussion of dementia care by Jason Corrigan of Four Season and Fiona Mahoney of Reminiscence Learning.

High quality home care services represent the future of social care. But with increasing demand, more complex clients, downward fee pressures, intense competition and tighter regulation, home care agencies are feeling the pressure. Not only are there challenging market conditions to deal with, there’s also significant change in the commissioning and legislative landscape.

But, therein lies the opportunity. Those providers who can work in tandem with

commissioners delivering personalised, compassionate services that also harness the latest developments in telecare will grow their market share. Councils are looking to move away from time and task commissioning, and work with providers to offer more flexible, cost effective care that demonstrably improves outcomes.

CARE HOME SAVINGS HUB New for 2015, Health+Care will be coordinating a Care Home Savings Hub, designed for residential care providers to find costcutting solutions to the everyday running of their homes. From a survey of residential care providers, 73 per cent prioritised cutting utility costs as a primary objective for this year.

To emphasise the importance of cost saving potential, the event will include a streamed programme of case study based sessions, offering tangible cost saving advice to delegates. The topics covered range from staff payroll, cutting food costs and maintaining quality, funding support for Care Home owners, and achieving effective cost and

rs Providedapt a need to nging the cha nd offer a market flexible, more ised and l personae-oriented outcomrvices se

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Pathways with corresponding trigger criteria and data entry templates are built to meet local requirements and are then

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carbon reduction with biomass boilers.

Additionally, Savills head of Capital Allowances, Neil Farquhar, will discuss capital allowances in the healthcare sector, and Deborah Harrison of A1 Risk Solutions will tackle a session titled ‘Beyond Compliance - Handling the Care Act’.

Health+Care 2015

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

PUBLIC HEALTH It’s been a turbulent time with the responsibility for public health moving into local government. Policy makers want the system to take a ‘whole population’ approach to improving health and wellbeing with public health professionals coordinating a more preventative approach across local government and primary care.

While the new structure allows local government to tackle these issues through a more collaborative and structured approach, it is against the backdrop of an ageing population, widening health inequalities and tight funding. The public health workforce is still in a state of flux, and this stream will profile examples where public health teams are bedding in effectively and working innovatively to improve outcomes locally.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.healthpluscare.co.uk

A monitoring solution for the homecare sector Mevarius solution is an inexpensive revolutionary change for the care market industry to provide a unique and effective solution to attendance monitoring.

The solution consists of a physical monitoring unit located at the service users home supported by a simple software solution available on laptops, mobile, tablets and PC’s. This can be accessed from anywhere in the world to offer documentation in the provision of care.

The monitoring unit is simply plugged into an electrical socket and times for commencement and completion of care are logged by a swipe of a small and inexpensive key fob carried by the carer.

Significant benefits to organisations adopting the Mevarius solution include an enhanced service, a reduction in operating costs, improved documentation of care, a reduction in administration time,

greater visibility for relatives of service users and information for compliance purposes.

There is no upfront cost as the solution is provided solely on a rental basis and is available for less than the price of a cup of tea per day per service user. In addition, the solution is available on a free one month trial for organisations to experience the benefits before any commitment is made.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0121 796 1160 enquiries@mevarius.co.uk www.mevarius.uk

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BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

Make a real difference 19 CCGs and health boards are already using Vision to standardise care across their healthcare teams by integrating local policies into clinical IT systems.

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HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 15.3

SECURITY

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EMBACING INNOVATION Embracing innovation and excellence the company specialise in design, development and manufacturing of Advanced Door Entry and Digital Healthcare systems. Established in 2010, Green Access PLC was the youngest European partner for the worldwide manufacturing Group AME (global manufacture of electronics). AME is the manufacturer for world’s largest blue chip organisations. Couple this expertise with an excess of 20 years of knowledge between the factory and the UK based team and clients may have a combination of that can understand and support the ever changing needs of the UK market.

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As David Soto, managing director of Green Access, said: “We are looking for a more intelligent solution for taking care of our people in the society, and technology opens the door for us all. I am proud to tell you that our IP system is the backbone of your digital infrastructure for telehealthcare services”. As a leading innovation company, the co‑founder of Green Access, Tony Hunter, also highlighted: “We designed Green Access

Green Access’s main product in Telehealth/ Telecare industry is their in-house designed iCare Audio. With the implementation of a flexible intelligent infrastructure, iCare allows the genuine possibility of a virtual 24/7 healthcare provision. With the power of iCare clients can have first line triage support; 2-way video conference for a more personal care plan iCare system to improve the quality of people’s life and to solve the problems of connectivity with all aspects of health care as well as your personal life. With one device-Green Access iCare you can choose your own level of care”.

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Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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GUARANTEED PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS Service provision and capital product options Olympus has developed Guaranteed Performance Solutions, a new service in response to the changing health service landscape, to improve patient outcomes through efficiency gains.

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Paramedic Care Written by Andy Thomas,, James Cook University Hospital

TRAUMA CARE CONFERENCE

THE LATEST IN TRAUMA CARE

Flight Sergeant Andy Thomas, of James Cook University Hospital, chaired the recent paramedic programme at the Trauma Care Conference, and provides insight into what was discussed The 16th International Trauma Conference took place at the Park Inn Hotel, Telford, Shropshire, on the 18-24 April 2015. This included first aid, and community first responder days in recognition of the key roles these two groups play in patient outcomes within the community. This was then followed by five days with three conference programmes running each day. The paramedic programme ran on Monday 21 April.

RISKY BUSINESS Dr Marietjie Slabbert kicked things off with her talk, ‘Risky Business: Zen like strategies in trauma care’. With pre-hospital experience from around the world she described how it all

began with her first pre-hospital care experience. Whilst a very junior doctor in South Africa, she describes been woken in the night by a loud bang from the road outside and how woefully ill-prepared she was in dealing with multiple seriously injured patients outside the hospital and gave a gripping and heart felt account of the emotions, and isolation you can experience in pre-hospital care.

It was this experience, in addition

to being well practiced in pre-hospital care around the world, that lead her to develop a six step Zen like strategy to manage this unpredictable environment.

Firstly, Step One is pause and breathe, which allows a safe assessment of the task in hand, followed by Step Two – control your environment, don’t let it control you. Step Three is have a reason for what you do: Question current (out E

A dic parame tem lead sysvancing ad deliverscedures pro nitive fi e d s a such suscitation post‑re e when car d require

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TRAUMA CARE CONFERENCE  dated) practice, which was supported by the Zen proverb of ‘knowledge is learning something everyday, whilst Wisdom is letting go of something everyday’ and reflects the increased pace at which we must continue to change to improve patient care.

Step Four revolves around the concept that one + one = infinity, encouraging people to think outside the box and reach for the sky. Step Five maintains that the patient is the centre of the universe no one else, whilst Step Six reminds us to do the laundry even after enlightenment.

The speaker touched on areas such as CPR in traumatic arrests, use of collars and some of the general dogma around outdated practice, thus setting the scene for the remaining speakers to expand.

Through a blend of enhanced care, advancing pre-hospital interventions and the carriage of ‘blood on board’, GNASS and other HEMS services are vital in continuing the upward trend of patient outcomes in pre‑hospital trauma and nationally work must continue to ensure the service achieves this standard 24/7 for all within the UK and reduce the post code lottery.

Professor Sir Keith Porter spoke about ‘spinal immobilisation and changing with tradition’. Sir Keith provided background biomechanics, discussing the forces involved and stressed that for the spinal injured patient, movement within the normal range without excessive force involved will not result in further injury. He further discussed

TRAUMATIC CARDIAC ARREST Next up the conference chair spoke about Traumatic Cardiac Arrest (TCA). Using a blend of lessons learned from unexpected survivors on military operations, excellent work from enhanced UK teams such as HEMS, whilst noting the key role more specialist paramedics such as advanced, critical care and trauma paramedics have in outcome. With the use of case examples, Porter proposed a TCA survival triangle of Sustain, Slice and Survive. He focused on the non specialist paramedics who arrive on scene first as part of a standard response and the key role needed in sustaining patients prior to the arrival of increased levels of care.

This included priority to addressing the reversible causes of the TCA, empowering the first paramedic on scene not to let external chest compressions (ECC), prevent life saving treatment especially in hypovolaemia, tension pneumothorax and cardiac tamponade as they would be ineffective without prior interventions. Provide adequate but not over ventilation and not using adrenaline routinely, as in trauma the patient would have already maximised individual catecholamine release.

Slice referred to the critical surgical interventions that teams like MERIT and HEMS bring to the patient, who thus improve the patients chance of a positive outcome.

This would include finger thoracostomies and resuscitative thoracotomy when indicted. By working together to each individuals skill level and reversing the cause it is possible to sustain, slice and survive.

The final speaker was Michelle Sanderson, a former military paramedic living with PTSD. Sanderson gave an emotional personal account of her journey, whilst trying to highlight key methods to spot concerns within NHS environments

NHS RESPONSE Andy Mawson from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNASS) challenged the concept that a standard NHS response is insufficient in trauma. He raised concerns about the variant ambulance response including private and volunteer aid societies in trauma, and whether we really know ‘who comes’. Mawson presented a passionate case to the delegates that we must accept our limitations and call for expert help in trauma situations. This was the third speaker in a row who noted it’s not about clinicians, but moreover about the patient and maximising that patient outcome.

some of the disadvantages of immobilisation including pain, reduced respiration, increased ICP and general patient distress supported by a wide range of studies. Extensive evidence was provided that during extrication if the patient is able then the patient can self extricate independently which is the best and safest option. The patient can then be immobilised once this has been done.

The need for tissue and global oxygenation to prevent hypoxia is key in improving patient outcomes and spinal immobilisation in penetrating trauma is associated with a two fold in mortality rates. The use of cervical collars was touched on and Porter concluded that these are not necessary in pre-hospital care, whilst stating: “I’d rather invest in a beer than a cervical collar.” This concluded the morning session and left delegates with lots to discuss over lunch prior to the next talk, which would look further at the collar debate.

THE COLLAR DEBATE Andy Rosser, a paramedic with the West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS), presented a talk on ‘Cervical Collars: Should they stay or should they go?’ He explored the evidence again, pointing out the many risks of cervical collar use including all those discussed by Sir Keith.

Rosser expanded by presenting studies showing how the use of collars can increase intracranial pressure in the head injury patient. This argument further compounded the opinion that cervical collars do more harm than good, and although we have limited level 1 or 2 evidence, the existing evidence points to harm. In context, the use of collars appears to be historic dogmalysis, based on little evidence against a growing

wave of evidence against its use. ILCOR draft guidelines have also noted that the routine use of cervical collars cannot be supported.

You are now less likely to see people in collars, but it may take more time to see all adopting such practices as the collar is engrained, and almost expected by the public.

Paul Younger, an advanced paramedic with the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) and a member of the trusts cardiac arrest response unit (CARU), guided the delegates through the work being conducted which highlighted increased survival rates in a paramedic lead system. This delivers advancing procedures such as pre-hospital ultrasound, advanced airway management, and definitive post‑resuscitation care including

Paramedic Care

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

inotropes and post ROSC sedation when required. He also debated the concept of specialist cardiac arrest centres, similar to the Major Trauma Centre concept in trauma, and how they could improve the outcomes of those who survive the pre‑hospital arrest.

Some thought provoking points and similar schemes are being used around the country, but as yet its not universally available.

THE MODERN DAY PARAMEDIC Chris Jones, a senior paramedic lecturer with Teesside University, presented how we prepare the 21st Century paramedic. He gave an insightful look at the three year BSc (Hons) programme and how they no longer just train paramedics for NHS practice with such a wide range of employment opportunities.

The biggest surprise came when Jones asked whether paramedics should be degree trained, and less than 20 per cent of the audience agreed. This was an unexpected response and may be something that the College of Paramedics may want to investigate further, or support a campaign to highlight the potential benefits of higher education to improve the profession.

The final speaker of the day was Michelle Sanderson, a former military paramedic living with PTSD. Sanderson gave an emotional and personal account of her journey, whilst trying to highlight key signs and methods to spot concerns within NHS environments, which was well received by all delegates. Watching out for key symptoms in colleagues, whilst demands on paramedics is ever increasing was a beneficial note to finish the programme on. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.traumacare.org.uk/conference

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FOOD STANDARDS

Catering

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

Written by Andy Jones, Hospital Caterers Association national chair

EATING TO RECOVER

The Hospital Caterers Association’s national chair Andy Jones, urges hospitals to embed food and drink as a vital part of the patient’s recovery plan, and discusses how this can be achieved Good quality, high standard catering in hospitals and healthcare establishments is crucial. As the NHS in England Food Standards Report of 2014 states: ‘Food is a critical part of a patient’s hospital experience. It needs to be nutritious, appetising and accessible to patients, their visitors and NHS staff. It should meet social and cultural expectations and be packaged and presented so that people can eat and enjoy it.

Food must also be clinically appropriate and everyone who needs more help to eat and drink should get it. When a patient is malnourished it makes recovery more difficult, increases length of stay and can lead to complications such as pressure sores and infections.’

FOOD STANDARDS The NHS in England will have legally binding food standards, and hospitals will be ranked on food quality as part of a wideranging drive to raise standards of hospital food across the country. The other ‘three Nations’ have all got robust standards, with Scotland taking the lead and making them mandatory by means of legislation.

Food is the best form of medicine and when you are ill, whether it is in hospital, in social care or even in your own home, you look for food that will not only assist in your recovery, but will make you feel better.

Then, as the recovery progresses, you look

for more nutritious foods which assist in your recuperation. So based on this ‘truism’, patient catering is all about ‘eating for good health’.

To the Hospital Caterers Association (HCA), the standard of catering in hospitals is of the highest priority. As such, it is key that we set a clear example by providing good nutritious food for patients, with healthier menus for visitors and staff. This menu and beverage choice will meet visitor and staff needs and will be suitable for the patient groups we serve, as well as being flexible in their offering

members of the clinical care team, as well as caterers, to recognise the role that good quality food based on the patient’s needs can play in improving the patient’s clinical outcome.

THE FOUR NATIONS Considering the ‘detail’, as part of a wideranging drive to raise standards of hospital food across the UK, the NHS now has a Food Standards Plan for England. Plus we have the ‘Food in Hospitals, National Catering and Specification for Food and Fluid Provision

We are now faced with an increasingly ageing population and obesity is on the rise. So we are also mindful of rising malnutrition, which we believe costs the NHS more than obesity and which will grow with the ageing population and adaptability. Good nutritious food helps patients to recover quickly and go home to their loved ones. This means caterers have just as important role to play as the clinicians.

So we’re not just caterers, we are actually clinicians, because the food and care we provide plays an integral part in the patient’s recovery plan. Therefore it is important for all

in Hospitals in Scotland’; ‘The All Wales Catering and Nutrition Standards for Food and Fluid Provision for Hospital Inpatients’, along with ‘The All Wales Menu Framework’, set up to introduce a standardised menu for the whole of Wales, and ‘Promoting Good Nutrition – the ‘10 A Day’ strategy for good nutritional care for adults in 

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dies e-stu s a c / hcare E: foodservice /healt s r o t c se I) W: mccainfoodservice.co.uk/ 6 2 3 ( RO

o.uk @mccain.c

409 T: 0800 146 573 (GB) / 1800

FOOD STANDARDS  all care settings in Northern Ireland’.

The recent PLACE in England results have once again highlighted the disparity in spend in patient food across the NHS. The Association has shown by caterers leading that costs need not rise. As a consequence, the HCA is still calling on the government for a mandatory minimum expenditure on all patient meals to be introduced in all Trusts across the UK. However, until this happens, HCA Members are tasked with getting their CEOs or Directors of Nursing on side to produce and implement their organisation’s ‘Food and drink strategy’. This aims to encourage eating for good health as well as healthy eating, high-quality food production, sustainability and excellent nutritional care.

Adopting this as a strategic board issue will serve to embed food and drink as a vital part of the patient’s recovery plan.

With a better protocol in place for every single patient which can be followed by all members of the team - from ward to kitchen and throughout a patient’s stay – patients will then receive the optimum nutritional care they expect and deserve.

The welfare of staff and visitors also impacts the patient’s recovery, so ensuring that we offer a balance of healthy choices is something that caterers must lead upon.

We are also encouraging our Members to put the calorie content on the menus for staff and visitors, making it easier for them to choose a healthier diet.

The new Hospital Food Plan for NHS England goes a long way in helping to achieve the much needed improvements. We know there are people who want nutritional standards to become mandatory, however mandatory standards for nutrition are already in place with the British Dietetic Association’s ‘Food Counts Digest’. These are the standards which every caterer in the UK has to achieve in all the menus they provide. As England welcomes the introduction of the new standards, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have been working to standards for several years.

which will grow with the ageing population and as the challenges in the social care/ health care mix become more prevalent.

So there needs to be far greater recognition of the nutritional value of food in the treatment of patients. This is why we support and work with one of our fellow organisations, the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) to raise awareness and improve understanding of good nutrition and hydration and to protect the NHS from the burden malnutrition of the elderly patients will undoubtedly place on the budget.

EATING FOR GOOD HEALTH Patients’ food is all about eating for good health and we need to focus on that. This is something this Association has driven through in the various guides we have published, and indeed utilise, and in the campaigns we are running. We are very proud that our Ward Guide is in England’s Hospital Food Plan. But all of these great intentions can be undone in what we are calling the ‘Last 9 Yards’.

In essence, good food can be ruined in those last few steps, whether due to lack of care taken in serving the food or drink, mis-communication with the clinical teams or patients, to giving the wrong diet, or even serving food without a smile or showing concern for the patient’s comfort and ability to readily manage and enjoy their meal.

So the work that the HCA is doing in this area is our focus, going forward. It’s all about caring and making a difference together, so also of major importance and influence is our support of, and working to, NHS England’s ‘The 6Cs are for everyone’ values. This has involved tailoring the values of the 6Cs for our Members who are principally caterers, but are also people working across the wide area of food service provision, and their suppliers.

And once again we have recommended that our Members and their teams not only follow this ethos, but share it with their chief executives or Directors of Nursing, so that the 6Cs become embedded as an intrinsic part of the culture, and indeed behaviour across their organisations.

This shows how the HCA is rising to meet this ‘end stage’ challenge by convening a working group of caterers, nurses, dietitians and SALT representatives from all four Nations to focus on the ‘Last 9 Yards’ on behalf of their professional colleagues. The deployment of ward hostesses on more wards too, would ensure better monitoring and communication of individual patient food and drink requirements and intake. Improved screening of patients’ nutritional status on admission is called for so that special dietary

Food is m of t for the bes and when e medicinll you look for i you are at will not only food th your recovery, assist ll make you but wi better feel

ADHERING TO THE STANDARDS So we don’t need to re-invent the wheel; we just need to ensure that people adhere to those standards. So how do we do this?

We do it by working with and listening to the patients we serve, ensuring we provide menus and the dishes they want to eat. That can vary according to the patient group as one size does not fit all. We not only have to cover the different age groups, we are now faced with an increasingly ageing population and obesity is on the rise. So we are also mindful of rising malnutrition, which we believe costs the NHS more than obesity and

Catering

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

conditions or needs can also be identified.

So whether it’s protected meal times which ensure that patients can eat their meals undisturbed, giving them the dignity they deserve; or providing assistance in opening the packaging, it is essential that our menus and beverage choices meet and are suitable for the patient groups we serve.

SERVICE OFFERING To reiterate, to improve the quality of all aspects of continuous patient food and drink provision, the caterer should be allowed to take responsibility for the whole of the ward service to ensure consistency and support.

The HCA is constantly looking at our service offering, exploring how improvements can be made, with equal focus on the ward end. It’s not just about meeting their food needs, which is paramount, it’s also about customer care. This is shown through how you speak to patients, not just the smile that you give, and just as important, it’s how you treat them and give them time.

For example, hydration is extremely important for patients to assist in the absorption of any prescribed drugs, so we must also look at our mealtimes. Twelve noon is not a suitable mealtime if that is when hospitals have the drugs round. And that is one of the great things this Association is doing; we are challenging the status quo and changing the way we serve the meals to patients. The patients are our customers and the customer is always right. Working with fellow associations and like minded partners, we listen to what they want, and this is the ethos I want to foster. We don’t want to see patients coming back into hospital, so working with the NACC, we are tackling the problem of why they are coming back into hospital, especially elderly people. And we are part of the PS1004 group, looking at the whole aspect of patient catering.

We are also looking at what we offer to patients. We need to ensure that we use natural sugars and natural salts more, working with the clinicians to ensure we achieve a true balance, meeting both the medical needs and patients’ needs. The benefits of the ‘Food Standards Plans’ across the 4 Nations are universal, so we’re asking all caterers to lead and drive the Plans to ensure this standard of service is accepted as an integral part of the patient’s recovery plan and staff and visitors’ wellbeing.

I am proud to lead the Association as National Chair, ensuring that the patients are at the core of all we do and that they are involved in their food service offer. But above all, our mission is to see that food is embedded in all healthcare establishments, with CEO and Directors of Nursing buy-in, as part of the recovery plan. Consequently the Plans are the beginning and not the end of the process, and we as caterers have to lead this.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.hospitalcaterers.org

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Enghouse Interactive transforming patient services Enghouse Interactive develops and supplies the widest range of customer contact solutions on the market. e integrated suite of solutions fall into 4 main areas; • Multi-Media Contact Centre • Operator Attendant Console • Self-Service • Quality Management Enabling agents to classify and respond to patients in the way they want: quickly, efficiently and successfully, with minimal effort.

Tel: +44 (0) 118 943 9200 Email: marketingemea@enghouse.com Web: www.enghouseinteractive.co.uk

CONTACT CENTRES

PEOPLE-FOCUSED CONTACT

Customer Contact

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

Katherine Potter discusses some of the innovations that are happening in contact centres in the healthcare industry – using examples from the Forum’s recent Innovation Award finalists

NHS BUSINESS SERVICE AUTHORITY The first case study is a great example of an enterprise wide initiative, which resulted in a 10 per cent improvement in turnaround time and delivered 11 per cent cost savings in the back office for patient services at the NHS Business Service Authority.

Building on established success in the contact centre, the planning team extended their existing planning principles and systems to the back office environment starting e m with patient o s While entres services. This c t c a involved a new t n e co ng, th e communications i t a r t s u are fr e to improv strategy, more n o d effective k d r n o w ‑e o t ‑ d utilisation n e the rney u of existing o j r e resources and custom nsformed Customer contact centres have implementing has tra ustomer not stood still over the last decade a robust c some iences or so; far from it. While some are planning still the cause of frustration, the strategy. exper work done to improve the end-to-end The customer journey has transformed the innovation customer experience in many cases. For the was in how they brought millions of people who either contact or are this initiative together contacted by centres, this is a good result. and took everyone The Forum, a champion of best practice with them. and professional development in customer Andrena Lauder, contact, celebrates its 15th anniversary service delivery this year. Widely recognised as an manager, explained: innovative, inclusive and independent “They understand community of professionals, our aim is to the business now, stimulate collaboration, continual learning it’s a massive step and customer focus in the industry. forward. It’s stopped One of the ways we do this, is through that silo mentality.” our Innovation Awards programme, which is The new rigorously judged with visits to each finalist. communication In this article, I want to show how two of our strategy was vital recent finalists have risen to the customer in changing the challenge, and achieved great results where culture. They had it matters, both in their workplace and with to address the fact their customers. They have been asked to that 50 per cent of the

workforce had worked in the role for more than 20 years and that it takes over 12 months to reach full competency. A clear strategy engaged processors, managers and other stakeholders in focus groups, working parties and question and answer sessions with senior management.

Introducing planning and workforce management (WFM) in the back office resulted in far better utilisation of the existing workforce. Like many public services, the drive for cost efficiency and accountability is a major catalyst for change; this was a massive priority for both the contact centre and patient services managers. Robust plans and MI were set up and they centralised annual leave, shrinkage and time recording, freeing up team managers’ time and creating resource flexibility across departments to manage volatility.

Customer applications are now processed quicker, with applications per hour up ten per cent, and flexibility between back office and contact centre people has made the organisation much more agile and responsive.

Planning was successfully established in three back office areas, by carefully mapping the traditional planning process of a contact centre and identifying what would be of most benefit. E

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Written by Katherine Potter, Professional Planning Forum

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Two recent finalists from the Innovation Awards have risen to the customer challenge, and achieved great results where it matters, both in their workplace and with their customers  These planning fundamentals gave visibility and control of back office work for the first time. Working closely with Patient Services management the team were able to understand and appreciate making the right changes to working practices was crucial, whilst balancing this with considering the impact to staff.

For example, they avoided completely removing flexi-time and centralising annual leave was a very popular development.

Utilisation of experienced staff to cross‑skill was another major step, so that these subject matter experts from the back office could assist with inbound work at peak times, and the other way round.

Mark Dobson, patient services manager, said: “What’s been really successful is sharing resources between the two areas.

People have got used to not just working in one area, it’s part of the job now.”

“Minds have changed” concluded David Roberts, contact centre services manager, which must be the ultimate accolade for a successful innovation that has delivered outstanding results and stuck.

invested significantly in developing and empowering their people which has contributed towards a significant increase in profitability.

It started with a clear vision set out by the new claims and operation director. He set out to invest in developing people: asking people to take responsibility and providing the support they need and in return driving customer satisfaction and shareholder return. Employee surveys had given a clear message about the need for more opportunities to develop, progress and grow, but, because of the tough financial pressures, he first created a culture of collaborative working focussed on the shared purpose of achieving efficiencies, such as process improvement and first contact resolution.

PEOPLE-FOCUSED INNOVATION While not in the public service, the second case is another great example of a more people focused innovation resulting in major advances for both customers and the organisation.

Aviva UK Health

These efficiencies were then re-invested in the new Continual Learning Programme (CLP), a user-friendly toolkit that offers learning in variable bite-sized pieces.

Designed and implemented by the operational development team, this isn’t about a technical advancement, it’s the result of

About The Innovation Awards The Innovation Awards, organised by The Forum, showcase organisations that are leading the way, making customer contact a pleasure for customers and contact centres a great place to work.

Customer Contact

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This year the range and balance of case studies offers innovation in planning, insight, quality and customer experience – all with the focus on raising standards and meeting increased customer expectations. The level of impact demonstrated by specialist support teams in these organisations is astounding.

Confident skilled professionals make innovation a reality.

Previous winners have included Arise Virtual Solutions, BT Retail Customer Services, DRL Appliances Online, Autoglass®, Scottish Power, QVC, EDF Energy, Salford City Council, Tesco, HBOS, Norwich Union and T-Mobile. cooperation between teams that made it such an effective resource.

Crucially, the way the CLP was created has made it what it is, powerfully supporting a shift in culture and engendering deep trust. Everyone was involved – from the Chief Medical Officer to performance managers, to claims assessors – and ops development tested this back intensively before pulling it together in a CLP vision.

For example, the planning team influenced the focus in CLP on ‘bite sized chunks’, a key success factor in consistently delivering the training time to every advisor on every shift, and KPIs were changed to focus on quality, stripping away other potential blockages to learning and improvement. Likewise, assessors and clinical specialists shaped the content, so it helps assessors deal with more enquiries better, first time – so that learning deepens the service provided for customers as well as helping people feel they can realise their full potential.

As Andrew Watkinson, claims and operations director explained: “It became clear to me the only way to make a breakthrough was to build the people capability to own a lot more of the customer journey, not to hand off the customer. We were only accessing 50 per cent of people’s potential, now we are above the 80 per cent mark because we are doing more for the customer.”

Another win for innovation and the customer. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.theforum.social

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AIR QUALITY

IMPROVING AIR QUALITY IN HOSPITALS

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The average person spends up to 90 per cent of their time indoors, so the quality of the air we breathe in our working and living spaces is of great importance. This is even more significant for environments used regularly by vulnerable people, such as learning and healthcare settings. Whilst good ventilation is vital, the use of certain building products can significantly improve air quality In recent years, a number of studies have investigated indoor air quality in the UK and its long-term effects on human health. Ongoing research, such as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), conducted by the University of Bristol, suggests that Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) can have a serious impact on well-being. Toxic solvents from new furnishings, cleaning products and construction materials can be major contributors to VOCs in buildings.

With indoor spaces becoming increasingly airtight to optimise energy efficiency, air pollutants, and VOCs in particular, are proving more challenging than ever to disperse for the protection of public well-being.

Lowering the concentration of VOCs is

concentration by between 10 and 30 per cent. For this reason, product manufacturers are investing in the development of solutions that can be used alongside ventilation systems to help minimise VOCs and achieve the best possible air quality.

Research by the UK’s leading manufacturer of interior lining systems, British Gypsum, found that air quality is one of the top three considerations for building clients when selecting products. In recognition of this issue it worked to develop an effective solution. The result was ACTIVair technology.

ACTIVair is specifically designed to convert formaldehyde emissions into non-harmful inert compounds, preventing them from being re-emitted into the atmosphere.

ACTIVair has been shown to remove 70 per

Research by the UK’s leading manufacturer of interior lining systems, British Gypsum, found that air quality is one of the top three considerations for building clients when selecting products. In recognition of this issue it worked to develop an effective solution important in all indoor spaces but even more so in areas commonly used by members of the public, such as schools, offices and hospitals. This is because some of the negative symptoms that can be attributed to VOCs are particularly harmful in these environments.

The most prevalent VOC, formaldehyde, has been shown to cause headaches, lethargy and reduced concentration.

SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY When it comes to improving the air quality within a building, ventilation is often first to be addressed. Whether it is natural, or through an air conditioning unit or other specialist system, ventilation is essential in order to improve overall air quality for building inhabitants.

However, when it specifically comes to VOC concentration levels, ventilation is not very effective. In fact, studies have shown that ventilation systems only reduce VOC

cent of the formaldehyde concentration in the indoor air; and, with a lifetime of up to 50 years, it provides long-lasting improvements to indoor air quality.

ACTIVair is also available as an optional technology in Gyproc DuraLine, Gyproc SoundBloc, and Rigidur H plasterboards, and as standard in Thistle PureFinish and Gyptone ceiling products. ACTIVair technology is effective through a paint finish and does not impact on the fire or acoustic qualities of a system, making it ideal for buildings such as schools and hospitals that have regulatory requirements to meet.

For an optimum result, solutions such as ACTIVair should be used alongside a good quality ventilation system. Together these solutions will address both the concentration of formaldehyde and the other pollutants present, to achieve the best possible indoor air quality.

ACTIVE IN PATIENT RECOVERY British Gypsum’s GypWall systems and ceiling tiles have been used to help create a healthy indoor environment for patients, visitors and employees at a new unit of St Mary’s Hospital, Kettering.

When faced with the challenge of developing an interior that was as conducive to patient recovery as possible, main contractor, Balfour Beatty, identified air quality as one of its key considerations. After turning to British Gypsum for a solution, a system containing ACTIVair technology was specified alongside a range of interior lining systems to meet the hospital’s acoustic and impact resistance requirements.

PERFORMANCE British Gypsum’s Gyptone ceiling range with ACTIVair technology, was installed in four key areas of the existing hospital building as a retrofit measure. The lead nurse office, corridor areas and memory assessment services office were used to test the success of the products in-situ, providing Balfour Beatty with sufficient data to demonstrate the performance of the technology.

Plasterboard and Gyptone Ceiling tiles with ACTIVair technology were then specified throughout the new build hospital building.

The St. Mary’s hospital project tests showed that, following the installation of ACTIVair plasterboard and ceiling products, there was an average reduction of 42 per cent in levels of formaldehyde.

Measurements taken in rooms without ACTIVair showed significantly higher formaldehyde levels, in comparison to the same rooms with ACTIVair installed. All results were well below the maximum level recommended by the WHO of 0.08ppm. L FURTHER INFORMATION To view the full video case study on St Mary’s Hospital, Kettering, visit www.british-gypsum.com/activair-hb

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TRANSLATION

HARNESSING BEDSIDE TECHNOLOGY FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES

Using existing technology solutions located at the patient bedside can save the NHS millions of pounds on translation and language services, while improving patient safety and increasing satisfaction measures Ensuring that patients and clinical staff are able to communicate effectively often requires the involvement of qualified translators and interpreters.

In 2012, independent think tank 2020Health estimated that the NHS spends over £23m each year on translators, to provide a safe service to patients with different language needs. What’s more, this figure is increasing, with a rise of 17 per cent in the amount spent between 2007 and 2012.

Hiring in-house or local interpreters has traditionally been the only way for NHS Trusts to provide such a service, but the costs of doing so include not only the translation activity, but also travel, expenses and waiting time between appointments.

Further, with a population as diverse as the UK, the number of languages that need to be covered by translation is vast.

Patients with less common language needs can be missed, as few translators speak their language, and delays in locating an appropriate translator can have a significant impact on medical care and patient outcomes.

Trusts in ethnically diverse areas unsurprisingly spend more on translation services, but there are gaps in areas where there is less demand for specific languages.

Unfortunately, this means that some patients may slip through the cracks. In some cases, a friend or relative with some level of English language skill is called upon to translate, however this brings its own inherent issues. Their own biases, lack of understanding of medical terminology, or embarrassment may contribute to poor quality information being provided to medical staff, ultimately affecting the patient’s care.

UTILISING TECHNOLOGY Hospedia, a leading provider of point of care systems in healthcare, have partnered with thebigword, global language services provider, to provide patients and clinicians with immediate access to live interpretation services at the patient bedside.

Hospedia’s innovative, patient-centred technology is designed to make day-today life easier for both patients and staff in hospitals, and this partnership with

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thebigword provides a new and cost-effective service that supports patient experience, patient safety and clinical excellence.

IMMEDIACY By utilising the point of care platform, doctors and nurses are able to pick up the phone at the patient bedside and immediately be connected to a qualified interpreter.

Over 120 different languages are available through thebigword, covering far more patients with more diverse and uncommon language needs than the traditional inhouse translation service could hope to.

No patient needs to slip through the cracks because their language is one not commonly spoken in the area in which they live.

Being able to access translation services at the patient bedside saves considerable time. Immediate access to the service means that patients are not kept waiting for the availability of an appropriate translator, potentially saving lives in cases where rapid treatment is necessary. Communicating immediately reduces delays in the commencement of medical treatment, and clinicians are able to ensure that the patient understands and consents to treatment without confusion or uncertainty.

ACCURACY In order to ensure that both patients and clinicians are able to communicate effectively, any translation service must be able to handle the intricacies of the medical environment. Traditionally, this is why hospitals have spent such a large sum of money on language services.

The service from Hospedia and thebigword is designed specifically to meet this need, recognising that standard interpretation is significantly different to medical translation. The linguists provided by thebigword are fully trained experts in medical terminology, ensuring that hospitals using the service can rely on the quality of the communication provided.

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY With over 12,000 linguists across the world, thebigword can also cater to patients’ cultural

needs. In some cases, a patient may be more comfortable communicating through a member of their own sex – male patients may not wish to disclose medical information to a female translator, for example.

Confidentiality is also key. With immediate access to qualified, dedicated medical translators, there is no need to rely on potentially inaccurate or misinterpreted information from untrained communicators such as patients’ friends or relatives, and patients do not need to disclose sensitive information that they may be uncomfortable discussing with a non-medical professional.

MEETING THE MANY NEEDS OF PATIENTS Effective translation services help to meet the needs of patients, both medically and culturally, providing a safe, effective and confidential experience. Utilising innovative technology solutions allows hospitals to achieve an improved service at a significantly reduced cost, both vital in today’s pressured NHS environment.

The partnership between Hospedia and thebigword brings together two forwardthinking, innovative companies to provide a technology solution that could help save the NHS millions of pounds each year. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.hospedia.com

WORKPLACE SAFETY

WORKPLACE SAFETY FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS

Slips, trips and falls at work are collectively the single most common cause of injury in UK workplaces. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stats for Great Britain for 2012/13 show that there were an estimated 5.2 million working days lost due to workplace injury, and many of those will be slips, trips and falls.

A simple trip or fall at work may be considered as a minor problem to many supervisors and managers – but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Whether you work in a depot, warehouse, factory or office, it’s important to remember that every site is brimming with potential slip and trip hazards. It could be a spillage, a wet or uneven floor, or cleaning equipment and cables left lying around.

According to the HSE, the majority of trips are caused by obstructions in walkways, while the rest are caused by uneven surfaces.

The good news is that preventing these accidents is often simple and cost-effective.

THE STEPS TO TAKE Essentially, employers have to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the absence of risk to the safety and health of workers and others affected by their undertakings. There are certain basic principles that, if implemented effectively, enable organisations to achieve this.

Firstly, have a system in place to manage health and safety. You need to be able to show how you plan, organise, control, monitor and review preventative measures, and you need a competent person to help you understand and respond appropriately to your legal duties.

Your main hazards (things that could cause harm) should be identified, and risk should be assessed to make sure your risk control measures are adequate and that they are used and maintained.

Safety measures have to be sensible and balanced. You do not need to go over the top. But if necessary,

ing Somethple as sim sure ing as mak s are kept y walkwad keeping an clear an t for trailing eye ou es could wir many preventents accid

put in place back-up measures such as emergency procedures. Inform, train and supervise employees.

Do certain things consistently like: consulting your workforce; conducting regular health and safety checks; reporting, recording and investigating accidents and near-misses; and providing employees and others with certain basic information.

Also make sure you have provided suitable first aid and welfare facilities and have employers’ liability insurance, and make time periodically to review performance and then feed back any lessons learned to improve controls and management arrangements.

A risk assessment will help you identify the slip and trip hazards that exist in your workplace and their potential for causing people to slip or trip. The assessment should also have given you some ideas for how to prevent these accidents. Remember, you cannot eliminate all risks – you need to implement control measures that are proportionate to the risk in question and a good approach to health and safety balances E

Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by Rob Burgon, workplce safety manager, RoSPA

The single most common cause of injury in UK workplaces is slips, trips and falls.

Rob Burgon of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents discusses how hospitals can protect their staff from such harm

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huge difference, as they help you The build up a picture of where y t i problems are happening so r o j ma s n you can then decide what to o i t a s ni a g r do next to prevent them. o w o f o of h e r The vast majority of a w a accidents and ill health can are un ey are losing be prevented by good health much thafety failures, and safety management. The s due to much could Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers or how st if their the health and safety be lo ls fail oftoallensure employees and anyone o contr affected by their work, so far as is

Health & Safety

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reasonably practicable, which means balancing the level of risk against the measures needed to control the risk in terms of money, time or trouble. This includes taking steps to control slip and trip risks.

 control measures sensibly against other needs. As we saw earlier, people tripping over obstructions on the floor is also a common cause of accidents. Therefore, something as simple as good housekeeping – for example, making sure walkways are kept clear and keeping an eye out for trailing wires – could prevent many accidents.

CHANGING CULTURE As with health and safety in general, continuous improvement in preventing slips, trips and falls cannot be achieved by one-off interventions such as a single memo requesting that spilt drinks are mopped up quickly. Prevention strategies have to be bedded in deeper than this so they are sustainable.

Therefore, before you start hunting for hazards, assessing risks and reviewing

your precautions, make sure you have a robust ‘system’ – the policies, people and procedures – in place for managing health and safety on an on‑going basis. Underpinning such a system should be a positive safety culture, encompassing everyone from board‑level directors and on‑site managers, supervisors and team leaders to the frontline workforce – employees or contractors.

Working together to develop a good health and safety culture has to be a team effort, with ownership and commitment to safety built throughout the workforce.

What sets a safety conscious company apart is having employees with trained eyes to spot these hazards, and prevent the hundreds of major injury accidents caused by slips and trips every year. Good reporting of near-miss slips and falls can make a

STRATEGY At RoSPA, we know that risk assessment is a lynchpin of health and safety management and our courses emphasise the simple and cheap measures every company can take to protect the workforce, while also complying with the law. In this case, developing a slip and trip map of your premises is a good way to target problem areas and understand what may be causing these accidents.

The last thing an organisation needs is an accident that could keep a key employee off, or bring adverse publicity when competition is stiff, so the focus should always be on preventing serious injuries connected with work activities.

After all, safe and healthy working is the foundation upon which everything else in business is built – not just because it is the morally correct way for businesses to work, but because it is also the most cost-effective and efficient.

The majority of organisations are also unaware of how much they are actually losing due to safety failures, or how much could be lost if their controls fail.

Many are also unaware how much they need to spend to demonstrate reasonably practicable (strategic or operational) compliance. So, do yourself a favour and get in-step with this issue before it costs your company in sickness, lost time, higher insurance premiums and, ultimately, profit. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.rospa.com

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WASTE MANAGEMENT

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR WASTE IN HEALTHCARE

With healthcare providers under constant pressure to meet sustainability targets, improve resource efficiency and reduce costs the time has come to think about waste in a different way says Clare Noble, Managing Director at PHS Wastemanagement The UK produces significant levels of clinical waste per year with around one in every 100 tonnes of domestic waste generated coming from the NHS, according to the NHS Sustainable Development Unit.

At the same time, the ‘cradle to grave’ waste disposal journey has a number of touch points involving manual handling which in the recent Ebola crisis were highlighted as areas of possible risk should the virus spread to the UK. Whilst suggestions for on-site recycling technology to address hazardous waste disposal in high-risk areas deserve further discussion and consideration, it is unlikely that gainful results can be achieved in the immediate term. This is especially evident given the significant logistical implications this will have throughout organisations such as the NHS. However there are ways in which healthcare organisations can approach the waste challenge differently whilst protecting those responsible for waste collection.

FIRST STEP A first step in the drive to zero waste could be to look at producing less waste overall.

In healthcare businesses this could include looking at the current levels of prescriptions

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of drugs vs. their disposal; not placing flowers or newspapers in clinical waste bins.

Similarly, there is a debate to be had around ways in which the loop from extraction of materials to their end of use disposal can be closed.

BETTER UNDERSTANDING This will necessitate a better understanding of process flows and how these can be optimised to improve overall environmental performance and sustainability.This includes maximizing available storage and not calling out contractors just because there is a weekly collection contract in place.

With a raft of current assessment methods that target recycled content, recyclability, rapidly renewable materials or deconstructability, the reality is that zero waste without specific circular economy objectives and targets would be very difficult to achieve.

Moreover, it is important to acknowledge that although a large percentage of clinical waste can be reduced and without doubt recycled, certain items cannot. Therefore it is important to have a knowledgeable and licensed waste disposal partner that can advise on the best ways to collect and dispose

of clinical, offensive and sharps waste, plus pharmaceutical and dental waste amalgam.

In addition to clear cost and efficiency savings, this approach is also useful in reducing risks and incidents of infection without leaving anything to chance.

Understandably, effective waste management comes at a cost. Research undertaken shows that since 2007 spend on waste by the NHS has increased by around 20per cent despite waste volumes falling to almost a quarter of the 2007 level. At the same time the volume of waste recycled by the NHS in England for example has increased by 18per cent overall.

Part of the explanation for the increased cost can be found by looking at the types of waste being produced. Although the majority of the NHS’ waste is classed as domestic, it is its clinical or hazardous waste that costs around five to 10 times more to dispose of. With the landfill tax rising from £80 per tonne to £82.60 in April, it should come as no surprise that NHS England has warned of an anticipated funding gap in terms of productivity of £30bn by 2021.

Unfortunately the challenges posed by the current economic climate and pressures brought by EU legislation around sustainability are also expected to continue.

SO HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD? The answer starts with an approach to waste as a resource. This means putting waste to use in order for organisations to operate as sustainably as possible. In practical terms this necessitates not just adopting a clear waste management strategy, but working in partnership with government, local authorities, waste producers, service providers and other organisations to provide effective solutions and alternatives to landfill. Additionally, sustainable resource management also helps to reduce costs and improve perceptions both internally and externally.

NHS WORCESTERSHIRE PHS Wastemanagement has been working with the Trust since 2001 and committed to identify its hazardous waste streams and segregate waste at source. The project was led by Infection Control, who worked on a plan for the Community and Mental health groups.

PHS supported full site audits to ensure compliance and make recommendations.

This included approximately 90 locations including home patients and hospitals on various service frequencies.

From sending all of the waste to be incinerated, the Trust was able to segregate 45 per cent as offensive waste. This resulted in significant cost savings. The overall trend within the NHS is a reduction in incineration with around 67 per cent of the waste segregated as offensive. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.phswastemanagement.co.uk

INFECTION CONTROL

Hospitals are vulnerable to infestation. The modern hospital functions on a 24-hour, 365-day basis, with several thousand staff, patients and other visitors, supported by a wide range of services. As such it resembles a small city, creating a very attractive habitat for a range of pests. So how should pests in a healthcare environment be handled?

There have been times when infestation in hospitals was not being appropriately managed. In the early 1980s, records indicated that about 65 per cent of UK hospitals were infested with oriental cockroaches, and about 10 per cent had pharaohs ants. At that time, Crown Immunity of hospital premises was seen as one reason why infestation was not being taken seriously, and public concern eventually resulted in the lifting of Crown Immunity in 1984. This move, together with the introduction of measures by the Department of Health, including the preparation of a Model Contract for Pest Control, and the establishment within each hospital of a trained nominated officer with responsibility for the management of pest control, brought about

a gradual improvement.

Importantly, these measures changed the culture of pest control in hospitals, by showing that it was possible to eradicate many pests that had formerly been considered as fixtures.

Across the UK, there are many hospitals that formerly had deeply entrenched infestations that have now not had a significant infestation for several years.

e There ar itals sp many hoerly had m that for ntrenched deeply ens that have o infestati not had an now ion for infestatl years severa

UP TO SPEED There is, however, no room for treading water. The issues around infestation and its control do not stand still. Feedback on recent nominated officer training courses indicates that infestations of cockroaches, bed bugs and other pests in hospitals are still all too common.

Recent reports also indicate that some pests, such as rats and mice, are on the increase across the UK, and this is being reflected in hospitals.

In addition, entirely new pests such as ghost ants have appeared in the UK, and E

Volume 15.3 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INFECTION CONTROL  are becoming increasingly widespread.

In addition to changes in pests, changes in the health service also bring new challenges. In some of the latest facilities, pest control appears to have fallen down the gap between the management company and the Trust. Pest control, where this has been considered at all, has sometimes gone out to tender along with catering, cleaning, security, and car parking, with no consideration of existing arrangements or of the specific requirements of the site.

Sometimes, significant questions have subsequently come to light about the design of details in new buildings, for example with respect to pigeon roosting sites close to air intakes and clinical facilities.

Old buildings can also bring their own problems. On numerous sites, redundant buildings sit empty prior to demolition, and some hospitals have removed these from the pest control contract in order to save costs, which can lead to several problems.

At one site, rats became established in a redundant building that was no longer subject to pest control inspection, and started to cause a persistent problem in the nearby Out Patients Department.

LITIGATION The risk of litigation in relation to infestation has grown in recent years. The lifting of Crown Immunity created the possibility of legal action under food safety legislation, and for some hospitals this has since become reality. Of course all Trusts will also have a duty to provide a safe working environment for staff, and this extends to the prevention of pest infestation. Similarly any Trust that provides accommodation for staff will also have responsibilities to ensure that this is free of pests, and failure to do so again creates the possibility of claims. In addition, there is the real possibility of claims being brought by members of the public, perhaps in relation to an infestation, illness or infestation which they believe they may have acquired in hospital. As hospitals and Trusts now become increasingly competitive, the indirect costs of high profile litigation on the public and professional perception of the unit may well exceed the direct costs of Court action.

Faced with these and other issues, those with responsibility for the management of pest control within Trusts and hospitals need to actively maintain a broad professional competence in this area.

WHERE CAN THEY HAVE COME FROM? Upon finding an infestation this is normally the first question to be asked, but often the last to be answered, if at all. We can normally identify which factors are conducive to infestation, but it is often very difficult to look at a particular current infestation, and work out its origin with any degree of certainty.

Of course we know that feral pigeons visit the site at intervals, and may become

established if they find regular food (particularly if it is deliberately placed out for them), and sheltered roosting sites.

Rats, squirrels, foxes, and feral cats are all likely to respond similarly. At the other end of the scale, we presume that most stored food pests such as beetles, moths, mites etc, normally arrive within food products.

However some storage insects are also associated with bird’s nests, which may provide an alternative route into a building.

Pests such as pharaohs ants, cockroaches and bed bugs do not normally colonise buildings very rapidly under current UK conditions, and the actual infestation routes

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such as hepatitis and HIV, for example.

However the recent upswing in bed bug infestations has created particular problems for those suffering from haemophilia.

Rodents are recognised as carriers of a number of diseases and human cases of Weils disease occur regularly in the UK. At-risk groups are seen as those spending time in areas infested with rats, with cases having occurred in construction workers, watersports enthusiasts, sewer workers and others. Birds are also increasingly recognised as capable of transmitting a range of human pathogens. For example outbreaks of Listeria have been shown to be caused by birds

The risk of litigation in relation to infestation has grown in recent years. The lifting of Crown Immunity created the possibility of legal action under food safety legislation, and for some hospitals this has since become reality are often difficult to identify. An infestation that re-appears some months after a treatment programme is much more likely to be based on survivors of the old infestation, rather than on newly arrived pests. Once a hospital is truly free of cockroaches, ants, or other infestations of this type, years can easily pass before a new infestation appears.

DO WE NEED TO ACTUALLY ERADICATE THEM? The reasons for keeping the hospital free of infestation are many, and reducing the risk of litigation and adverse publicity are clearly important. However within the hospital environment, reducing the risk of infection is likely to be uppermost in most peoples minds and with cases of infection contracted within hospitals believed to be running at a high rate, the co-existence of patients and potential sources of infection cannot be tolerated.

Studies of insects such as cockroaches, ants and houseflies have shown that these insects acquire a very wide range of human pathogens from their environment (e.g. refuse areas or drains) and are potentially able to transfer these to other areas. The pathogens are carried externally, or via their faeces or vomit. Nonetheless conclusive evidence of human infection by crawling insects is hard to establish although there are several cases that support this theory.

With houseflies, there is now recent research overseas to show a statistically clear link between housefly infestation and gastroenteritis.

Although disease transmission by some blood-feeding insects is a major problem globally; fleas, bed bugs and mosquitoes are fortunately no more than a severe nuisance in the UK at present. Research has revealed no evidence to link biting insects with infections

pecking milk bottle tops, while E. coli 0157 has been shown to occur in the faeces of gulls that have been feeding on refuse.

Although direct effects of infestation on patients and staff are of greatest concern in hospitals, infestations can cause a wide range of other problems. For example, an infestation of food stores is likely to result in quantities of food being discarded and the enforced closure of catering, and damage to electrical cables by rodents is a fire hazard, as well as putting computing and communication systems at risk.

PUTTING PROCEDURES IN PLACE Almost all hospitals and Trusts will have pest control arrangements already in place. However the process needs to be reviewed at regular intervals, especially prior to re‑tendering for pest control work.

Key aspects ensure that each hospital has a nominated officer with responsibility for pest control, and ensure that they have been specifically trained to monitor the NHS pest control contract. Moreover, adopt the NHS model pest control contract, ensure it is tailored to meet your needs, and go through a rigorous competitive tendering process at the next opportunity. Use of this contract has been instrumental in driving down hospital infestation rates in recent years. Finally, select a competent contractor.

The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) is the UK trade association representing organisations with a professional interest in pest control. All BPCA members meet our strict membership criteria, hold the relevant pest control insurances, and are fully qualified and trained to deal with your pest problems.  FURTHER INFORMATION www.bpca.org.uk

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Professional 3D scanning, inspection and reverse engineering services.

      

Scan to 3D CAD modelling services Scan to CAD inspections – understanding wear on parts Experienced in prosthetic modelling Portable onsite laser scanning service Large volume to sub-millimetre scanning Geomagic partner – software sales, training and support Mantis vision partner – handheld scanners

To discuss your 3D project, call us on +44 (0)1691 777 774 Email info@or3d.co.uk Visit www.or3d.co.uk

TRANSPORT

Digital mapping and transport data solutions Established in 2000, Basemap is a specialist provider of digital mapping, travel time analysis and transport data solutions successfully servicing a wide range of clients across the private and public sectors.

In 2013, Basemap launched TRACC, the award winning travel time analysis solution. TRACC was created to help Basemap’s clients to produce accurate, public transport and road based travel time analysis, quickly and easily, so that they can make informed business decisions saving time and money.

Basemap is very proud to work with a wide range of organisations such as the Department for Transport, NHS, local authorities and global transport planning consultancies.

Within the NHS, TRACC is used to support key infrastructure and sustainability initiatives. Examples of use range from the reversal of a decision to rationalise stroke

services in the South West to the assessment as to whether NHS staff should receive a parking permit based on their travel time using public transport.

Providing the highest quality solutions and the best value to its clients is very important to Basemap, hence the client forum is a vibrant community. A reflection of this is the development of TRACC which continues to be truly customer led.

Basemap also provides training and consultancy as well as a broad range of national datasets from Ordnance Survey and other leading data providers.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01483 688 470 www.basemap.co.uk

ENERGY

Cubic Apple – Green thinking outside the box Cubic Apple’s clients cover the full building spectrum, from large portfolio to private sellers. With all of its clients, no matter how big or small, Cubic Apple acts professionally and aims to provide an unbeatable quality of service.

Working with a national network of assessors, surveyors, consultants and engineers, enables the company to match its client’s requirements to provide the most competent and reliable of services.

The company’s services include Air Conditioning Energy Assessments (ACEA), including an exclusive Cubic Apple Report Supplement (CARS). The company

also offers an Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), an Energy Efficency Directive, Article 8. Now in Force with Financial Penalties Upward of £50,000.

Cubic Apple’s Display Energy Certificates (DEC), are required annually on all public buildings larger than 1000m2 and every 10 years on all public buildings larger than 500m2.

The company supplies Non Domestic Energy Performance Certificates (NDEPC), which are required on all commercial buildings. Finally, the company provides Solar PhotoVoltaic’s, Solar PV Installation with no upfront capital investment.

If you would like to discuss how Cubic Apple can help your organisation, please contact Lee Clements at your earliest opportunity.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01827 713 870 www.cubicapple.co.uk info@cubicapple.co.uk

FLEET MANAGEMENT

Supporting fleet managers in achieving efficiency gains

Improving the quality of services delivered and achieving efficiency targets is paramount for fleet managers and keeping control of fleet costs is a never ending challenge. Civica’s Tranman fleet management software enables improved fleet management, cost savings and operational efficiency.

Fleet systems are becoming a data hub, pulling data in from numerous sources, including HR/training systems, GPS tracker/black box systems and organisations such as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. In addition, there is a move towards digitisation and mobilisation of records and workforce.

Tranman Touchscreen - Tranman’s touch screen solution - has been enhanced to use the latest

Products & Services

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

Windows 8 technology. Additional improvements include the ability to edit and update the job header and issue stock items directly from the touch screen.

Civica’s touch screen technology provides an intuitive user interface for workshop technicians ensuring rapid data entry and minimal administrative overhead.

Tranman E-Forms, a product soon to be unveiled, removes the need for paper inspection sheets.

Tranman E-forms offer complete compliance and piece of mind with the dashboard feature giving instant access to vehicle data.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01454 874011 jonathan.roberts@civica.co.uk www.civica.co.uk/tranman

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Reducing the risk of contamination from drain and sewer blockages First deployed in the utility sector back in 2010, the BDT blocked sewer warning system ticks the boxes of health and safety and facility managers as it drastically helps to reduce the risk of infection, contamination and closure due to spills caused by blockages in drains or sewers.

Winner of the Society of British Water and Wastewater Industries Innovation Award in 2012, Radio Data Networks is certain that the technology will bring substantial cost savings to the health sector which has a long history of losses due to blockages often attributed to patient misuse of facilities.

The BDT technology has been designed for rapid installation and the warning messages can be relayed over significant distances both within and outside buildings. Gateway receivers are available that convert the warnings into simple switch contacts that can interface directly with

existing Building Management BMS and SCADA systems.

In addition to sewer alarms, Radio Data Networks specialises in the measurement of a wide range of parameters from temperature through to water and energy consumption. This data can be ported via Gateways or alternatively collated by Windows SentinelTM FM which is a PC based monitoring package launched by RDN back in 2014.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01279 600 440 www.radio-data-networks.com

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Products & Services

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

HEALTH MANAGEMENT

DATA SHREDDING

Healthlogistics, one of the leading providers of e-procurement solutions to the NHS, has acquired hTrak Pty Ltd, Australia’s leading supplier of procedure costing and billing solutions.

The combined product offering will provide NHS Trusts with a unique end-to-end solution for their e-procurement requirements, resulting in significant efficiency savings. Through this acquisition, Healthlogistics will be able to provide NHS Trusts with accurate procedure costing information for each patient, supported by bar code scanning, contract pricing of consumables, autoreplenishment of stock and full track-and-trace, all via the web.

Healthlogistics and hTrak’s combined solution has already delivered extensive savings at Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where it has been in use since April 2014.

Using a handheld scanner, healthcare professionals capture at the point of use every item

Kenny’s Shredding Company, based in Norwich, is a local independent shredding company. It offers an efficient, well priced and trustworthy shredding service to both the private and public sectors throughout the Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire regions.

Kenny’s Shredding Company really care about its customers.

The company is more than capable of taking care of paper shredding, office waste, confidential shredding, smart bins from either homes or offices and larger bins if required.

Kenny’s Shredding Company also handles one off shredding collections, pay as you go and regular collections designed to suit the customers needs.

The personalised service offered by the company guarantees customers with the name of the person looking after the, and a very fast response to any enquiry.

The shredding team is CRB and DBS checked and has over 40

Experts in e-procurement for the healthcare sector

used during a procedure, record members of staff present and link the information to a specific patient.

This enables healthcare providers to access live, accurate information about the cost of each procedure.

Peter Elwin, Joint Managing Director of Healthlogistics, said: “We believe that our combined expertise will have a transformational impact, as it will enable NHS Trusts to control their procurement spend more effectively and reduce both paperwork and inventory whilst improving patient safety.”

FURTHER INFORMATION www.healthlogistics.co.uk

DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

HEALTH & SAFETY

Since 2005, Filofile has had a proven track record of offsite document storage and management services in South West England.

The company collects and registers boxes, stores, retrieves on a variety of levels and ultimately carries out the confidential destruction, of records past their retention period.

Whether you are short of space, moving, trying not to move, or wanting to enhance your data security, traceability or outsource your records management to allow your staff to concentrate on what they do best, Filofile can help.

Filofile works closely with the legal, financial and health sectors, amongst many, so understands that confidentiality and security are paramount. Its premises are linked to the police and fire services, and are monitored 24/7, with CCTV inside and out. For every document movement, there is a time, date and signature recorded.

Filofile also advises its clients

Step on Safety is a leading nationwide supplier of slip resistant access structures and associated safety products. The multimillion pound Essex based business is known for its ability to deliver affordable solutions with minimal disruption.

The company boasts: “If you can’t find it, we will build it!’

Installations come with a ten year warranty and the business consistently reviews its range of products and services, within the guidelines of its ISO9001 and Achilles registrations.

The Education sector is one of three key market sectors that Step On Safety works closely with and forms an integral part of its strategic growth plans to achieve 20:20 Vision. This is to achieve £20 million by 2020.

The company services risers, rooftop access ladders, CAT ladders, rooftop up and overs, fire escapes, bridges, mezzanines, stair cases, walkways, stair nosing, tread covers, handrials,

Document management that thinks inside the box

72

Trusted paper, document and data shredding

on archiving matters, and where required the establishment of a records management procedure.

This allows companies and organisations to address their legal, professional, business and procedural responsibilities towards the Data Protection Act of 1998 and The Freedom of Information Act 2000, not to mention legislation relating to your sector.

Filofile is secure, traceable, convenient, cost effective and caring. Filofile is thinking inside of the box.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0845 602 7006 www.filofile.co.uk

HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 15.3

years experience in this line of work. Paper will be recycled into animal bedding or used to make more paper and cardboard.

Kenny’s Shredding Company always issue a Destruction Certificate to prove that paper has been shredded to International DIN Standard 3.

Customers should ask themselves: ‘Why risk your essential and confidential paper work falling into the wrong hands?’

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01603 484 292 www.kennysshreddingco.co.uk

Step on Safety: The antislip floring specialists

decking strips and tactiles.

Step on Safety is involved in all aspects of the servicing process, beginning with a comprehensive in-house design. This is followed up by the fabrication process, supply, installation and finally the delivery process.

Working alongside the UK’s leading freight forwarders, Step on Safety can normally ensure next day delivery.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01206 396446 sales@steponsafety.co.uk www.steponsafety.co.uk

COMMUNICATIONS

MARKET RESEARCH

MPS Networks were delighted to be crowned Communications Provider of the Year at the 2014 GP Awards in London.

As well as rewarding the hard work and innovation that gets carried out every day in surgeries up and down the UK, the awards, hosted by Nursing in Practice, Management in Practice, The Commissioning Review and Pulse, are designed to recognise, highlight, and reward the service providers who always go that extra mile to support general practices and help improve patient care.

Now in its 25th year, MPS supports nearly 400 medical practices across the UK with telephone systems, complimented by telephone lines, data networking and IT services, designed, delivered and supported exclusively by the company’s own skilled and dedicated team.

What sets MPS apart from

The Telemarketing Company (TTMC) Research holds IQCS, MRS, AITS and ISO9001 accreditation and operates from its 200 seat offices on the Brighton sea front.

Experts at delivering medical and pharmaceutical sector telephone research services, TTMC has a proven track record of 25 years of delivery.

TTMC provide both small and large scale projects (into the tens of thousands of completed surveys) focusing on clinical practitioners, healthcare management contacts, pharmacies and patients for a broad range of public and private sector clients.

They are consultative, cost effective, flexible and professional. Driven by ethics, compliance and best practice, the research team were finalists in the ‘best field force’ category at the 2014 Market Research Society operations awards.

TTMC works for organisations

MPS wins Communications Medical sector research Provider of the Year Award delivered by experts

its competitors in this sector is its understanding of common commercial and operational issues faced by many medical practices and the ability to design and deliver solutions which deal with them.

This ultimately leads to reduced costs, improved productivity, enhanced patient experience and practice managers enjoying simplified administration, billing, maintenance and support.

For more information about the awards and the services MPS provides, please visit the website below.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0800 298 5299 www.mpsplc.co.uk

CALL CENTRES

DESIGN & BUILD

Scorebuddy is an easy-to-use quality assessment solution for call centres of any industry; healthcare, insurance, finance, housing, etc.

It replaces spreadsheets with web-based QA forms and reports that you can easily edit without worrying about breaking anything.

Customers love Scorebuddy because it is easy to use and has a great return on investment averaging eight to ten times.

The solution can be used to score calls, emails, web chats, social media or back office processes, reflecting the multichannel nature of today’s contact centre activities.

Scorebuddy has customers all over the world including; Allianz Global Assistance, DHL, Laya Healthcare, RelateCare and The Money Shop.

The need to control the environment and the ingress of dirt and dust within hospital wards and laboratories to prevent the spread of disease and infection is very important.

Selectaglaze secondary glazed windows not only create an excellent barrier with high performing seals to help prevent this, they also boast a very wide range of products to suit every need, from switchable glass, to units that are secured by design accredited. With over 50 years of experience working within hospitals and healthcare establishments Selectaglaze is the leading specialist and tailors its windows to each individual client’s needs.

The product range includes systems with robust frames incorporating laminated glass or polycarbonate panels and antiligature furniture. The installation will also enable the use of privacy blinds between the primary and secondary windows.

Many hospital buildings of

Call centre quality assurance software

The software is loaded with flexible and time-saving features to consistently improve efficiency.

The scoring interface is quick, simple and intuitive – allowing for comments and other feedback.

Scorebuddy is designed for non-techie users. You login online to use the software so there’s no download or install required.

Scorebuddy is a pay as you use service and the company has no minimum contract. A 30 day free trial is available. Browse and test the software at your leisure to see if it will meet your needs.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0203 5140415 info@scorebuddy.co.uk www.scorebuddy.co.uk

Products & Services

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

including TPP, Siemens Medical, Roche Diagnostics, InHealth, Asteral, Barco Voxar, Alliance Medical and many other clients in this specialised sector. The TTMC website holds numerous case studies with client testimonials for your review.

Call today and discover how TTMC can deliver insight, measurement, data and market information to help you to achieve your goals.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01273 765 000 info@ttmc.co.uk www.ttmc.co.uk

Secondary glazing for healthcare environments

traditional construction are not particularly energy efficient, and often suffer with draughty windows and poor insulation.

With the use of secondary glazing, low emissivity glass will reduce u-values across the window to less than 1.9, a reduction of up to 65 per cent against a single glazed metal window.

Established in 1966 and Royal Warrant holders since 2004, Selectaglaze has a wealth of knowledge and has worked on all building types from new to listed.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01727 837271 www.selectaglaze.co.uk

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Advertisers Index

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS – www.healthbusinessuk.net

HEALTHCARE IT

CCG

Mental health is one of Britain’s biggest social problems. Mental health problems account for nearly 40 per cent of people on incapacity benefits and takes up a third of all GPs’ time.

PCMIS, a web-based Case Management Information System, was the first evidence-based patient administration system developed in the UK. This was developed in collaboration with the Department of Health Sciences Mental Health Research Group at the University of York, with the specific purpose of managing high volume mental health patients, through stepped care.

This is a process which provides psychological therapy at the least intrusive level to the patient initially, and, if unsuccessful, interventions are then ‘stepped up’.

PCMIS provides innovative evidence based real-time patient profiling and modelling to provide accurate information on patient progress, treatment regimens and on contacts between clinical staff

In the latest evolution of delivering health and social care to the communities, the government introduced CCG’s. CCG’s are primarily made up of GP’s and experienced health care professionals that are focussed on delivering cost effective, quality care for their population.

No one doubts their intent or integrity but what happens when things go wrong? How exposed are the individual members, and could the NHS have a conflict of interest?

The truth of the matter is that the CCG and the individual members can be exposed. Yes, the NHS will protect them as far as is practicable or within the interest of the NHS, but imagine the following scenarios: A legal challenge by a third party to the awarding of a contract for service by a CCG. Who meets the defence costs of such a challenge? What happens if the allegation is proven?

A CCG service provider fails in the contractual requirements to arrange appropriate insurance

Prioritising patient health through stepped care

and patients. With patient App and portal integration, PCMIS enables services to manage large numbers of cases efficiently. The system has reduced waiting times, improved patient engagement and outcomes and reduced patient service dropout rates.

PCMIS is used by more than 12,000 healthcare professionals in range of healthcare settings including IAPT Adult and Children’s Services, Military Veterans, Mental Health Charities and Research Trials, both in the UK and Australia.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01904 321322 enquiries@pcmis.com

Palm: Putting your insurance in safe hands

or fails financially and ceases trading. A patient is injured by that service provider and seeks compensation. Who meets the claim for compensation?

Does the CCG have a duty to check that their contractual requirements are complied with?

This is just two simple examples of where the CCG can incur costs to defend an allegation or compensation claim, but what happens if that defence fails?

Tailored insurance can meet such exposures, and a discussion with Palm can explore the risks and risk transfer options available.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 08459 282828 www.palm-insurance.co.uk

ADVERTISERS INDEX

The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service Approved Marketing 68 Basemap 71 Big Beach Marketing 73 Bona 58 Bosse Interspice 52 British Gypsum 60, 61 Care Check 48 Ccube Solutions IFC CFH Docmail 50, 51 Civica UK 71 Cubic Apple 71 Decorative Panels Lamination 8 Enghouse Interactive 56 Fiat 12 Fibre Technologies 64 Filofile 72 Green Access 45 Highland Marketing 72 Hospedia 62 In Practice Systems 44

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HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 15.3

ISS Mediclean BC Kampstrup 58 Kennys Shredding Co 72 McCain 54 Medicare Systems 36 Mevarius 43 MTX Contracts 22 Nexus Industries 24 NYCH 74 Olympus Medical 46 OR3D 70 Palm Insurance 74 PHS Group 66 Radio Data Networks 71 Rutherford Wilkinson 23 Schneider Electric IBC Scorebuddy 73 Screwfix 6 Seat 16 Selectaglaze 73

Sidhil 19 SJS Solutions 58 Skoda UK 4 Special Products 38, 42 Spire Healthcare 34 Static Systems Group 18 Step on Safety 72 The Telemarketing Company 73 Toshiba Tec UK 10 Towergate Insurance 18 TSF Consultants 40 Ulysses Rostering Systems 41, 44 United Kingdom Accreditation 32 Voice Connect 28 VW 14 Wilo UK 26 Wiltshire Enterprise Training 48 YPO 20 Yu Energy 39

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In every industry, available power is critical to success. When businesses operate around the clock, the power needs to stay on 24/7, too. And with the digitisation of industry and infrastructure, protecting the availability of today’s mission-critical systems, data, processes, and equipment as they transition to digital storage, monitoring, and control, could not be any more crucial.

Helping businesses succeed in the evolving digital landscape Quality and reliability of electrical power is vital with the increase of connected electronic devices in many critical applications. Equipment located outside the IT space, such as tollbooth cameras, digital sensors on water pipes, or airport baggage belts, is constantly communicating information back to on-site IT systems and mobile devices, increasing the demand for real-time analytics, and making available power indispensible for monitoring and control.

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Make the most of your energy

SM

Effect of UPS on System Availability

White Paper 24 Revision 3

by Neil Rasmussen

> Executive summary

This white paper explains how system availability and uptime are affected by AC power outages and provides quantitative data regarding uptime in real-world environments, including the effect of UPS on uptime.

white papers are now part of the Schneider Electric white paper library produced by Schneider Electric’s Data Center Science Center DCSC@Schneider-Electric.com

Contents

Click on a section to jump to it

Introduction The AC power environment Effect of equipment behavior on uptime

2 2 3

Effect of UPS on system downtime

3

Guidelines for UPS selection

4

Conclusion

5

Resources

6

Download our White Paper and learn how to preserve system availability with the right power protection!

Visit: www.SEreply.com Key Code: 56073p Call: 0845 0805034

©2015 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric and Make the most of your energy are trademarks owned by Schneider Electric Industries SAS or its affiliated companies.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. • www.schneider-electric.com • 998-1228141_GB

“Creating a better, brighter environment” The ISS Healthcare Team

With more than 100 years of experience in the service industry and 530,000 devoted employees, we provide the ‘Human Touch’ to those important jobs that our clients outsource. Which is why we are very proud to have been serving the NHS since 1984.

Operating in over fifty countries ISS provides services within six different areas: Catering, Cleaning, including professional healthcare cleaning, Property Services, Security and Support Services including healthcare logistics, and Facility Management.

Every day ISS employees work as an integrated part of each Client NHS Trust, ensuring that service value is created through ‘The ISS Way’ of customising and delivering our service solutions.

ISS FS Healthcare is proud to be a signatory to the Corporate Covenant, underlining our commitment to the armed forces community, as well as being a strong supporter of the Healthcare Associations such as HefmA, HCA and AHCP.

For the second year running IAOP has voted ISS the worlds #1 Best Outsourcing Company . It is our ambition to be ‘The World’s Greatest Service Organisation’, and remaining the market leader in public sector healthcare.

To find out how you can benefit from the experience and skills provided by our 530,000 service professionals, visit www.uk.issworld.com or contact us at isshealthcare.commercial@uk.issworld.com

ISS Facility Services, Healthcare, ISS House, Genesis Business Park, Albert Drive, Woking GU21 5RW - Phone: +44 845 057 6300

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