Central to the work of NHS Improvement is the delivery and design of health services around the needs of patients and carers. We achieve this through meaningful involvement and the development of partnerships between patients, carers and healthcare staff to shape current and future service delivery.
Patient and public experience and engagement news
8 May 2012
The National Institute for Health Research announces a new study into the initiation of advance care planning (ACP) for those entering end of life care
The initiation of advance care planning for those entering end of life care is the subject of a new study funded by the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR) programme.
The collaborative research by University of Nottingham academics and senior palliative care clinicians will look into the ways in which ACP is used in community care settings and how this affects patients’ experience of end of life care. Led by Dr Kristian Pollock, the research team will conduct a series of qualitative interviews with healthcare professionals to investigate the ACP process. They will also use longitudinal patient-centred case studies and analyse patients’ medical records and other documents recording ACP discussions. Dr Pollock said: “Evidence suggests that ACP can reduce the number of unscheduled, costly and distressing hospital admissions and increase the likelihood that patients are able to die in their preferred place. To read more about the study click HERE.
Inpatient survey 2011 findings published
CQC has published findings from the inpatient survey 2011, which looked at the experiences of over 70,000 people who were admitted to NHS hospitals around England. The results of the survey will be used by NHS trusts to improve their performance and to understand their patients’ experiences. CQC will use the results to support their regulatory, compliance and monitoring activities. To view the A-Z list of inpatient survey results by NHS trust click HERE.
Review of end of life care research methods published by London School of Economics and Political Science
This review provides an overview of the range of research methods that have been commonly used in end of life care research and their relevance for social care. It provides a policy and service context for understanding end of life care research in social care and, using examples from relevant research, considers the advantages and disadvantages of different research methods and tools. To access the review click HERE.
20 April 2012
Putting people first through shared decision-making and collective involvement
A report published last month by the NHS Confederation explores what it really means to put people first when commissioning and providing services, and sets out what is known about the benefits. To view the report click here.
New Report Highlights Lack of Support for End of Life Carers
Committed to carers: Supporting carers of people at the end of life published by the Marie Curie Cancer Care highlights the lack of support for carers looking after loved ones at the end of their lives and the negative social and economic impact this has. The report shows how carers can have drastically different experiences of support and information, which can create difficulties during what is a very stressful and exhausting time. It also points to a lack of coordinated support for carers, which causes health breakdowns for carers and unnecessary and costly hospital admissions for them and their loved ones at end of life, preventing people from dying in their place of choice. To access the full report and recommendations click here.
Caring for our future: what service users say
A report published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation shares the results of a consultation held in November 2011 on social care reform. The report identifies issues that are important to service users, including funding, damaging effects of public spending cuts, hostility towards disabled people and user involvement; discusses proposed changes, including funding, to the social care system and; makes recommendations on the future of adult social care, based on the experiences of service users.
To access the report click here.
Connect - the communication disability network
Connect has been funded by the Department Of Health to develop and pilot information packages for people with aphasia and their carers. They worked in collaboration with a steering group of people with aphasia and their relatives to produce The Aphasia Information Pack. It includes:
A 24 page information booklet on aphasia
An flyer on aphasia
A 30 minute DVD on aphasia
The Pilot version of the Aphasia Information Pack is now ready to download free. Please visit the Connect website on www.ukconnect.org or click here.
A framework for NHS patient experience
The Department of Health has published the NHS Patient Experience Framework, which outline the areas most important to patients’ experience of NHS services. This framework, agreed by the National Quality Board Patient Experience sub group, provides healthcare organisations with a common evidence-based list of what matters to patients, and can be used to direct efforts to improve services. For example it can be used to help define what questions to ask patients in surveys and in real time feedback
Improving patient experience is a key aim for the NHS click here to access further information about the framework.
South Asian stroke awareness
South Asians (Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis), have a higher risk of stroke than the rest of the population. This online resource provides information in English, Urdu, Sylheti, Punjabi and Gujarati.
Local Healthwatch: A strong voice for people – the policy explained
Following recent amendments to the health and social care bill, the Department of Health has published a document to clarify and restate the government’s vision for local Healthwatch. The document outlines the key policy ambitions for Healthwatch, and is aimed at all those with an interest in local Healthwatch organisations across the NHS and social care, including local authorities, local involvement networks, emerging health and wellbeing boards and the voluntary and community sectors.
The intention is for Healthwatch England to be established in October 2012 and for local Healthwatch organisations to start in April 2013. To read more click here.
NICE publishes guidance on patient experience
CG138 Patient Experience in Adult NHS Services: Improving the experience of care for people using adult NHS services has recently been published by NICE.
The guideline focuses on generic patient experiences and is relevant for all people who use adult NHS services in England and Wales and aims to provide the NHS with clear guidance on the components of a good patient experience. The guideline provides evidence based advice on ensuring a good experience of care for people who use adult services and sits alongside the published quality standard describing high quality care for patients using adult NHS services. To read more about the guideline click here
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Further information
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