The 5th Emergency Department (ED) Safety Collaborative hosted by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust at the John Lister Postgraduate Medical Centre at Wexham Park Hospital took place on 10 October 2019.
The collaborative was set up in 2017 as a forum where ED staff and associated disciplines could come together to share learning, hear about safety initiatives and quality improvement work to improve ED flow and patient outcomes and support each other with time to network and build relationships with colleagues and peers.
‘The ED collaboratives are doing two things; firstly they are bringing people together to share best practice and great ideas, and secondly, in some ways more importantly, it is bringing people to a place of mutual support and strengthening, realising that the modern emergency department is a place of real challenge and a place where support is needed in spades.’ (Lay Partner, Oxford AHSN).
Presentations given on the day were:
Opening address : Dr.Emmanuel Umerah, Deputy Medical Director on the importance of healthcare staff valuing and caring for each other to enable the provision of safe and high quality care for patients and families. In Frimley Health the importance of leaders modelling behaviour which recognises the emotional cost of caring for others is key to creating a work place where caring for each other is as important as caring for others.
Continuing the theme of caring for staff Jayne Ellis, MD EF Training and Lucy Tebbit, ED Practice Development Nurse shared their experience of bespoke training which gave nursing staff in Frimley Health the tools and techniques to be alert to Recognising Compassion Fatigue in their work and interaction with patients in the ED. The result was a renewed resilience and joy in their work and support for the organisation and management to improve their strategies to better support staff emotionally. Compassion Fatigue presentation
South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) is a major first point of contact for patients with perceived or real need for Urgent and Emergency care. Chris Jackson, Urgent Care Pathway Manager (SCAS) spoke about their clinical strategy which seeks to set out by patient need/ condition the best practice pathway allowing SCAS to better tailor their care and support patients. Accessibility and Visibility of Urgent Care Pathways presentation
Dr Neil Dawson, ED Consultant Oxford University Hospitals gave an honest appraisal of the opening of John Radcliffe Hospital Assessment Area in his presentation on Optimising Initial Assessment. The AA was built as a solution to reduce overcrowding in resus during the interim period of a rebuild over the winter period of 2018/19. The aim of this work was to ensure that there were reliable processes in place that can sort patients according to their clinical need to improve safety and efficiency. Optimising Initial Assessment Presentation
Dr Saskia Fursland, National Investigator Health Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) introduced the work of the HSIB which conducts independent investigations of patient safety concerns in NHS funded care across England and is the first of its kind in the world. Key themes identified were handover and transfer of clinical information, guidance and standardisation and misperception. HSIB presentation
Dr Rosie Riley, NHS Clinical Entrepreneur shared her work on promoting the recognition of Modern Slavery as a major health challenge to individuals and societies. Rosie’s organisation VITA exists to ensure that victims presenting in healthcare settings can be safely identified and supported, whilst advancing and facilitating national Modern Slavery prevention, intervention and survivor care. Modern Slavery presentation
Kate Eadie, Risk Midwife at Oxford University Hospitals shared a complex clinical maternity case which spanned care in the community, ED and maternity service. Highlighting the safety implications for patients of health care staff and departments operating in silos, the case generated robust discussion and learning for attendees. Maternity Cases in ED presentation
A Sepsis Quality Improvement Project- meeting the one- hour target presented by Diana Marujo, Emergency Nurse Practitioner and Sepsis Lead, Wexham Park Hospital, discussed work to further improve early recognition and management of sepsis through the support of a Sepsis Bleep Team. Deteriorating patients are being prioritised, rapidly assessed and treated with improved antibiotic stewardship. Sepsis Quality Improvement presentation
Virtual Fracture Clinic- 6 months on presented by Dr Divyansh Gulati, ED Consultant Milton Keynes UH sharing their work on improving patient experience through the provision of an alternative to the traditional model of a fracture clinic to manage certain musculoskeletal injuries. Virtual Fracture Clinic presentation
Trello: Emergency Medicine e-Platform for Education and Training was presented by Dr Justine Loh, Speciality Trainee in EM and Paediatric EM, Royal Berkshire Hospital, an interesting and innovative solution to improving the accessibility of educational materials with real- time information sharing including practical and simulation learning experiences. Trello presentation