TWO NHS Lothian teams have been shortlisted for top awards for patient safety.
The paediatric intensive care unit and health records teams are both finalists in the UK Health Service Journal & Nursing Times Patient Safety Awards.
The paediatric intensive care unit at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children have been shortlisted for creating a paediatric medical emergency team at the hospital.
Says a spokesperson: “The dedicated paediatric emergency team has members from paediatric intensive care, emergency medicine and paediatric wards. The team are on call 24/7 to assess patients when staff are concerned about their condition.
“Six members of staff are on call at any one time, although over 50 team members undergo weekly training sessions to ensure they have the required skills and can work together as a team.”
The team are shortlisted in the ‘Education and training in patient safety’ category.
Dr Ulf Theilen, paediatric consultant, said: “Since we introduced the new team, we’ve responded more quickly to any deterioration in a child’s condition in hospital, we ensure that senior assessment takes place quickly and, if required, transfer the patient more quickly to intensive care.
“This has lead to fewer admissions to intensive care, and better outcomes for children who required intensive care support.
“Being shortlisted in the education and training category recognises both the direct care provided by the team and the effect the training had on staff when responding to all emergency cases on the wards.
“The lessons learnt during training are applied in clinical work, directly benefitting children who become more unwell.”
The health records team are shortlisted for the work they have been doing to ensure that patient records are complete and accurate.
Continues the spokesperson: “This has been improved though a project with a very clear aim – ‘right information, right place, right time’.
“Duplicate and incomplete patient records can cause unnecessary delays in accessing clinical information.
“The project used ‘Human Factors’ science, which helps to understand and remove ‘human error’ from systems. Processes were redesigned, staff awareness sessions and training workshops undertaken and rigorous audit processes put in place.
“As a result, registration tasks are now increasingly carried out by administrative and clerical staff leaving clinical staff more time to provide direct care.
“The changes mean that inaccurate records have fallen by almost 80 per cent over 18 months.”
The health records team have been shortlisted for the Data/Information Management Award.
Simon Watson, associate medical director for Patient Safety, NHS Lothian, said: “Patient safety is a key priority for us. Being shortlisted in two categories for these highly competitive awards is a tremendous achievement.
“Innovative projects like these make substantial contributions to safer healthcare in Lothian. They also provide new ideas and models for other healthcare organisations, both within Scotland and other countries. Our region already enjoys a world-wide reputation for innovation in healthcare research and provision.
“Recognition at these prestigious awards is clear evidence of our determination match this with world-class innovation in healthcare safety.
“I am delighted to join patients and colleagues in congratulating the teams from the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Health Records on their success.”
The winners will be announced at the Patient Safety Awards ceremony in London on Wednesday 9 March.
Ends
Issued: 16.02.2011
Aileen MacArthur
Acting Communications Manager
0131 465 5646
Aileen.macarthur@nhs.net
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