Tag: Lord Willis of Knaresborough

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they are making to support healthcare employers to recruit apprentices onto nursing associate and graduate registered nursing programmes.

Lord Prior of Brampton

In May 2016, the Government confirmed proposals to introduce a new nursing support role, a nursing associate. Health Education England (HEE) are in the process of establishing test sites to educate and train the new nursing associates, which will be confirmed in the autumn. Once the test sites are confirmed with health and care employers, HEE will recruit at least 1,000 nursing associates into training by the end of 2016.

A draft Higher Degree Level Nurse Apprenticeship Standard has been submitted to the Department for Education for approval by the Nurse Apprenticeship Trailblazer Group. Trailblazer Group members are from a wide variety of health and care employers. Once the standard is approved, the Trailblazer Group will commence work on the associated assessment plan which will ensure employers and training providers are geared up to support the apprenticeship when it is ready to deliver.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to enable the Nursing and Midwifery Council to process disciplinary hearings in a more timely, effective and efficient manner.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent body responsible for the regulation of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom. The NMC is responsible for discharge of its statutory duties including fitness to practise (FtP) investigations and hearings.

The Department is working closely with the NMC on a number of proposed legislative changes which will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its FtP processes. The Department has recently consulted on these proposed changes and is currently considering the responses received.

The Government is committed to ensuring that professional regulation continues to provide effective protection for patients.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect Shared Business Services to cease to provide services to Research Councils.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

No decisions have been taken beyond what has already been announced by the Department. The detailed plan will be developed in consultation with Partner Organisations and Unions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-01-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on safe staffing levels for qualified nurses in the NHS and other health and care establishments subject to Care Quality Commission or Monitor inspections.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Government is committed to supporting National Health Service trusts to put in place sustained safe staffing by using their resources as effectively as possible for patients.

Hospitals should be able to demonstrate that they are able to ensure safe, quality care for patients and that they are making the best use of resources. This should take account of patient acuity and dependency, time of day and local factors. It is therefore important for providers to take a rounded view, looking at staffing in a flexible way which is focused on the quality of care, patient safety and efficiency rather than just numbers and ratios of staff.

The responsibility for both safe staffing and efficiency rests, as it has always done, with provider Boards.

Comprehensive lists of research commissioned and published, of criteria in all European Union countries, Australia and the United States, each of which have a variety of systems in operation, and of discussions held by United Kingdom officials to compare patient outcomes in those countries with outcomes in England, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

However, the 2013 National Quality Board (NQB) guidance on safe staffing issued in 2013 How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time: A guide to nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability, referred to a number of sources of evidence on this issue. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) safe staffing guideline Safe staffing for nursing in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals, July 2014 set out the evidence and expert papers, including international evidence, that was considered in preparing the guideline. A copy of the NQB guidance and the NICE guideline are attached.

In addition, The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) commissions research evidence to improve the quality, accessibility and organisation of health services through the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research programme. Current research of particular relevance to the relationship between nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes and mortality includes:

– a study on nurse staffing levels, missed vital signs observations and mortality in hospital wards; and

– a study on the future of 24/7 care: investigating the links between staffing levels, patient access and inequalities in health outcomes.

As announced by the Secretary of State on 16 July 2015, Dr Mike Durkin, National Director for Patient Safety, is working with the Chief Nursing Officer to complete the work started by NICE on safe staffing levels. Their work will draw on evidence and expert advice from England and internationally, and will be reviewed independently by NICE, the Chief Inspector of hospitals, and Sir Robert Francis to ensure it meets the high standards of care the NHS aspires to.

The programme includes revision of the NQB 2013 guidance to take account of further developments in the evidence base, the need to look beyond acute settings, new models of care leading from the Five Year Forward View and the need for providers to secure both safe staffing and greater efficiency.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the new platform for providing back-office services to Research Councils will be; when it will be operational; and what plans they have for the safe migration of services to the new platform.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

No decisions have been taken beyond what has already been announced by the Department. The detailed plan will be developed in consultation with Partner Organisations and Unions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-01-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the evidential base to support their current policy on safe staffing levels for qualified nurses, and whether they will place a copy of that evidence in the Library of the House.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Government is committed to supporting National Health Service trusts to put in place sustained safe staffing by using their resources as effectively as possible for patients.

Hospitals should be able to demonstrate that they are able to ensure safe, quality care for patients and that they are making the best use of resources. This should take account of patient acuity and dependency, time of day and local factors. It is therefore important for providers to take a rounded view, looking at staffing in a flexible way which is focused on the quality of care, patient safety and efficiency rather than just numbers and ratios of staff.

The responsibility for both safe staffing and efficiency rests, as it has always done, with provider Boards.

Comprehensive lists of research commissioned and published, of criteria in all European Union countries, Australia and the United States, each of which have a variety of systems in operation, and of discussions held by United Kingdom officials to compare patient outcomes in those countries with outcomes in England, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

However, the 2013 National Quality Board (NQB) guidance on safe staffing issued in 2013 How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time: A guide to nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability, referred to a number of sources of evidence on this issue. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) safe staffing guideline Safe staffing for nursing in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals, July 2014 set out the evidence and expert papers, including international evidence, that was considered in preparing the guideline. A copy of the NQB guidance and the NICE guideline are attached.

In addition, The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) commissions research evidence to improve the quality, accessibility and organisation of health services through the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research programme. Current research of particular relevance to the relationship between nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes and mortality includes:

– a study on nurse staffing levels, missed vital signs observations and mortality in hospital wards; and

– a study on the future of 24/7 care: investigating the links between staffing levels, patient access and inequalities in health outcomes.

As announced by the Secretary of State on 16 July 2015, Dr Mike Durkin, National Director for Patient Safety, is working with the Chief Nursing Officer to complete the work started by NICE on safe staffing levels. Their work will draw on evidence and expert advice from England and internationally, and will be reviewed independently by NICE, the Chief Inspector of hospitals, and Sir Robert Francis to ensure it meets the high standards of care the NHS aspires to.

The programme includes revision of the NQB 2013 guidance to take account of further developments in the evidence base, the need to look beyond acute settings, new models of care leading from the Five Year Forward View and the need for providers to secure both safe staffing and greater efficiency.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to retain key staff during the migration of back-office Research Council services to a new platform.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The details of these reforms are being worked through, but we will ensure that the longstanding expertise of our partner organisations is not lost. Appropriate transition arrangements will be put in place for those staff transferring and normal legal protections will apply. We will be maintaining open communication with staff and trade unions throughout the process to enable long term planning within the organisations concerned.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-01-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government  what are the criteria for safe staffing levels for qualified nurses in (1) EU countries, (2) the US, and (3) Australia, and what discussions UK officials have had about comparing patient outcomes in those countries with those in England.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Government is committed to supporting National Health Service trusts to put in place sustained safe staffing by using their resources as effectively as possible for patients.

Hospitals should be able to demonstrate that they are able to ensure safe, quality care for patients and that they are making the best use of resources. This should take account of patient acuity and dependency, time of day and local factors. It is therefore important for providers to take a rounded view, looking at staffing in a flexible way which is focused on the quality of care, patient safety and efficiency rather than just numbers and ratios of staff.

The responsibility for both safe staffing and efficiency rests, as it has always done, with provider Boards.

Comprehensive lists of research commissioned and published, of criteria in all European Union countries, Australia and the United States, each of which have a variety of systems in operation, and of discussions held by United Kingdom officials to compare patient outcomes in those countries with outcomes in England, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

However, the 2013 National Quality Board (NQB) guidance on safe staffing issued in 2013 How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time: A guide to nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability, referred to a number of sources of evidence on this issue. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) safe staffing guideline Safe staffing for nursing in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals, July 2014 set out the evidence and expert papers, including international evidence, that was considered in preparing the guideline. A copy of the NQB guidance and the NICE guideline are attached.

In addition, The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) commissions research evidence to improve the quality, accessibility and organisation of health services through the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research programme. Current research of particular relevance to the relationship between nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes and mortality includes:

– a study on nurse staffing levels, missed vital signs observations and mortality in hospital wards; and

– a study on the future of 24/7 care: investigating the links between staffing levels, patient access and inequalities in health outcomes.

As announced by the Secretary of State on 16 July 2015, Dr Mike Durkin, National Director for Patient Safety, is working with the Chief Nursing Officer to complete the work started by NICE on safe staffing levels. Their work will draw on evidence and expert advice from England and internationally, and will be reviewed independently by NICE, the Chief Inspector of hospitals, and Sir Robert Francis to ensure it meets the high standards of care the NHS aspires to.

The programme includes revision of the NQB 2013 guidance to take account of further developments in the evidence base, the need to look beyond acute settings, new models of care leading from the Five Year Forward View and the need for providers to secure both safe staffing and greater efficiency.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-01-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research has been commissioned or published showing the correlation between nursing numbers and (1) patient outcomes, and (2) patient mortality, in England.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Government is committed to supporting National Health Service trusts to put in place sustained safe staffing by using their resources as effectively as possible for patients.

Hospitals should be able to demonstrate that they are able to ensure safe, quality care for patients and that they are making the best use of resources. This should take account of patient acuity and dependency, time of day and local factors. It is therefore important for providers to take a rounded view, looking at staffing in a flexible way which is focused on the quality of care, patient safety and efficiency rather than just numbers and ratios of staff.

The responsibility for both safe staffing and efficiency rests, as it has always done, with provider Boards.

Comprehensive lists of research commissioned and published, of criteria in all European Union countries, Australia and the United States, each of which have a variety of systems in operation, and of discussions held by United Kingdom officials to compare patient outcomes in those countries with outcomes in England, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

However, the 2013 National Quality Board (NQB) guidance on safe staffing issued in 2013 How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time: A guide to nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability, referred to a number of sources of evidence on this issue. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) safe staffing guideline Safe staffing for nursing in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals, July 2014 set out the evidence and expert papers, including international evidence, that was considered in preparing the guideline. A copy of the NQB guidance and the NICE guideline are attached.

In addition, The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) commissions research evidence to improve the quality, accessibility and organisation of health services through the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research programme. Current research of particular relevance to the relationship between nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes and mortality includes:

– a study on nurse staffing levels, missed vital signs observations and mortality in hospital wards; and

– a study on the future of 24/7 care: investigating the links between staffing levels, patient access and inequalities in health outcomes.

As announced by the Secretary of State on 16 July 2015, Dr Mike Durkin, National Director for Patient Safety, is working with the Chief Nursing Officer to complete the work started by NICE on safe staffing levels. Their work will draw on evidence and expert advice from England and internationally, and will be reviewed independently by NICE, the Chief Inspector of hospitals, and Sir Robert Francis to ensure it meets the high standards of care the NHS aspires to.

The programme includes revision of the NQB 2013 guidance to take account of further developments in the evidence base, the need to look beyond acute settings, new models of care leading from the Five Year Forward View and the need for providers to secure both safe staffing and greater efficiency.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2016-03-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to involving appropriate regulators in the development of degree-level apprenticeships for nursing and other allied health professionals.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Apprenticeship standards focus on the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to enable an apprentice to demonstrate mastery of an occupation and, as such, must meet professional registration requirements in sectors where these exist at the relevant level.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council are involved in the development of the Degree Nurse Apprenticeship Standard and will formally be invited to become a member of the Nursing Trailblazer Group.