Wales autumn 2012 report

Published: 21 September 2012

The Welsh Government sets out the strategic framework and formulates the health and social care policy which is to be implemented by NHS Wales and its partners when planning and delivering services for the people of Wales.

A new five-year vision for the NHS, based around community services and placing prevention, quality and transparency at the heart of health care has been published by the health minister. Together for Health outlines the challenges facing the health service and the actions necessary to ensure it is capable of world-class performance. 

The aims of the Five Year Service, Workforce and Financial Strategic Framework for NHS Wales, are:

Developing higher levels of practice is an enabler for meeting the service and workforce challenges of the future. The National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare (NLIAH) is part of NHS Wales and shares expertise, knowledge and resources to support NHS Wales staff in improving patient care. In conjunction with advanced nurse practitioners and educators within Wales, NLIAH developed The NHS Wales Framework (2011) for Advanced Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional Practice in Wales. This framework has been developed to guide the successful development, implementation and evaluation of advanced practice roles within NHS Wales.

It is an essential enabling tool to promote increased understanding of advanced practitioner roles and supports NHS organisations to achieve the workforce and service priorities aimed at improving quality of care for the population of Wales. Implementation by local health boards and trusts ensures a more consistent approach is taken and an appropriate governance framework is in place to support current and future developments of advanced level practice in nursing, midwifery and allied health professions across NHS Wales.The integrated workforce planning process is the mechanism for identifying how and where advanced practice roles are required.

Advanced Practice: The Portfolio Report (2011) was published subsequently. It aims to assist advanced practitioners engaged in research, education, management, leadership and clinical activity in the development of a portfolio of evidence that demonstrates advanced level practice as outlined in the framework.

Advanced practice enhances the development of services that better meet the needs of patients and the public in accordance with strategic and regulatory guidance. The Advanced Practice Portfolio supports the practitioner’s development, whatever their field of practice. Dave Barton (Senior Lecturer at Swansea University) is currently developing training courses to enable appropriate gathering of evidence and portfolio formulation.

Advanced practice is at the forefront of a wide range of initiatives throughout Wales both at national and local levels. Initiatives include the promotion of self-care and healthy lifestyles for young people, smoking cessation, information and training for patients on managing long-term conditions, initiatives in primary and secondary care aimed at reducing waiting times for treatment, protecting against infection, reducing harm and saving lives.

Health Challenge Wales is a campaign adopted as the national focus for improving health in Wales.  It aims to raise public awareness of the need for each of us to do more to improve our own health and to provide information and support. Key partners include Chief Medical Officer for Wales Dr Ruth Hussey, NHS Direct, Public Health Wales, the Food Standards Agency, Sport Wales and the Environmental Health Agency. The Health in Wales website is an online point of access for all NHS Wales services.

Expert Patients Programme Wales is an NHS based training programme that helps people living with long-term conditions to develop new skills to manage their own condition better and so improve their quality of life. The courses are led by two tutors, who themselves have experience of making life changes as a result of a long-term health condition. The majority of EPP Cymru tutors are volunteers. EPP Cymru courses are run in suitable venues in local communities and are free of charge. What makes EPP Cymru special is that people who are all dealing with similar problems share their skills and experiences with each other.

The 1000 Lives and 1000+ campaigns aim to reduce risks to patient safety in secondary care, by implementing life saving interventions developed by clinicians in Wales. Interventions include better medicines management, treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, reducing hospital acquired infections and surgical complications and improving general medical and surgical care.

Choose Well is an initiative to encourage patients to feel empowered to make decisions regarding their own health care. A mobile phone app has been developed which includes details of how and when patients should contact the health service in Wales. It includes contact information, opening hours, GP locations and digitally mapped directions to services within Wales.

NHS Wales is at the forefront in improving patient care and formulating a service that is fit for purpose; advanced nursing practice is an integral part of its success.

The RCN in Wales in conjunction with Cardiff and Vale NHS trust will be holding a conference aimed at exploring the professional issues relating to advanced practice in November 2O12 (date TBC) at Ty Maeth, Cardiff. Minimal delegate charge will apply and spaces will be limited so please book early to avoid disappointment when details are announced.

Victoria Williams, Advanced Nursing Practitioner Forum steering committee member