Staff focus updates - 10 January 2013

New policy, guidance and initiatives from across the UK which focus on staff issues and professional development. For more information about this theme see Quality and Safety e-Bulletin: staff focus.

Some of the resources linked to are in PDF format - see how to access PDF files.

2020health: Work as a health outcome in the devolved nations: how Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland tackle sickness-related worklessness. This report looks at how Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are addressing the sickness-absence issue. It finds that that efforts in the devolved nations are are more advanced than those in England, and each boasts innovative programs that provide useful lessons for health and wellbeing boards in England.

Centre for Workforce Intelligence (CFWI): Planning for the personal assistant workforce. The CfWI is commissioned by the Department of Health to provide the expert authoritative voice on workforce planning and intelligence in social care. This includes supporting workforce planning for personalisation. This document sets out, at a high level, the key issues facing the future personal assistant workforce.

DH: Department of Health. Care in local communities: a new vision and model for district nursing (PDF 1.2MB). This vision and service model builds on ‘Compassion in practice’, the national vision for nurses, midwives and care staff. It was developed by a strategic partnership of the Department of Health, NHS Commissioning Board Authority, The Queen’s Nursing Institute, alongside district nurse leaders and practitioners. It sets out the foundations of district nursing services, the developments and innovations that ensure services can meet current and future needs, and the district nurse-led team contribution to providing care and support in the community, including peoples’ homes. It aims to be a resource for those designing and providing local community health services, including nurse leaders, health and wellbeing boards, clinical commissioning groups, and others with an interest in developing integrated care for older people.
News: New vision for district nursing published.

DH: Public Health England: code of conduct for staff (PDF 60KB). This code of conduct, announced by Chief Executive Designate Duncan Selbie, has been agreed for staff of Public Health England.
News: Code of conduct for Public Health England staff.

DH: Chief Medical Officer revalidated as doctor. Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies has become one of the first doctors in the UK to be revalidated, after she received confirmation from the General Medical Council (GMC). Medical revalidation, the process by which all doctors will demonstrate that they are up to date and fit to practise, started this month, with the most senior doctors being the first to undergo the process.

DH: Supplementary evidence for the review body on doctors and dentists remuneration: review for 2013. This scoping report on the contract for doctors in training and command paper provides a basis for discussions with the medical profession about how to ensure national medical contracts that are affordable and fit for purpose for staff, employers and especially patients. The report outlines a case for the need to provide doctors who are completing specialist training a clearer career path; to reward excellence and promote high quality care; and to support the move towards more consultant-delivered care.

DH: Letter on pensions for public health staff transferring to local authorities. This letter provides an update on the treatment of pensions after 1st April 2013 in relation to the transfer of public health staff to local authorities.

Health Education England (HEE): Building HEE Issue 2 December 2012. The latest transision news from Health Education England.  

Health Protection Agency (HPA): Migrant health training event videos. This section of the HPA Migrant Health Guide contains links to videos from a training event held for primary care practitioners held in London on 12 November 2012 which look at specific diseases as well as general aspects of health care.

Health and Social care Information Centre (HSCIC): NHS staff earnings estimates to September 2012. This is the first in a series containing data tables produced using a new methodology. The data covers the period from April 2008 to 30 September 2012.  
News: New detailed analysis about NHS staff pay in England.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES): More than a Dancer - Contemporary Allied Health Professional Placements in Care Homes. The primary aims of the project were to support a group of AHPs (dance movement psychotherapy students) to gain valuable practice learning experience while developing capacity and capability in the care sector. Additionally it also aimed to support improvement in the quality of care for those who reside in a care home. A report on the pilot and a video are available.

NES: Raising the issue of smoking. The e-learning resource for pharmacists has been updated.

NHS Employers: Managers guide on sickness absence – musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This guide offers information and support for line managers that are managing staff with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This includes staff that are absent from work as well as those who remain in the workplace. The web based guide provides an overview of the role of line managers as well as signposting to other available resources.

NHS Employers: New education and training web pages. The pages have been updated with information about Health Education England and local education and training boards.

NHS Employers: 2011 census data and the profile of the NHS workforce. This tool has been developed to help utilise census data in order to further analyse the NHS workforce at a local level. The tool enables workforce planners and diversity specialists to analyse workforce by age, disability, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation and religion or belief.

NHS Employers: Updated immigration ‘quick guides’. These guides, which are useful for employers to refer to when recruiting somebody who requires a sponsor to legally work in the UK, have been updated to reflect the most recent changes to immigration rules.

Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery (NIPEC): Evaluation of Nursing Supervision processes in Nursing in Health & Social Care Trusts - Questionnaire. This questionnaire is relevant to all registered nurses working within HSC Trusts and provides an opportunity for individual nurses to tell their Trusts about their experiences of supervision which can then inform Trust processes. The questionnaire is available online until 22 February 2013.

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC): Midwives rules and standards. New midwives rules and standards now in force. The new Midwives rules and standards (2012) are now in place as of Tuesday 1 January. Following extensive consultation, the NMC has made revisions to the rules to ensure they reflect contemporary midwifery practice and are relevant to stakeholders’ needs. The revised rules and standards supersede those released in 2004.

NMC: Changes to NMC search the register facility. The names of nurses and midwives who have been removed from the register or have had sanctions imposed by the NMC will soon be appearing on the online search facility from later this week. Nurses and midwives who are currently suspended, cautioned or have a conditions of practice order or any interim order against them or have been struck off since 1 January 2008 will now appear in the search results. Public protection will be increased by providing this additional information to the public about the current status of nurses and midwives who have been removed from the register or have restrictions on their practice.

NMC: Applications for Council members now open. The NMC has launched a recruitment exercise to find 11 council members, including six registrant nurses or midwives, to join its governing Council in May 2013. The recruitment of new Council members follows an amendment to the constitution order of the NMC which reduced the size of the Council from 14 to 12 people. The closing date for applications is noon on Monday 4 February and interviews will be held between Monday 25 February and Wednesday 6 March.

Nursing the Nation episode 1. First episode of a seven part series on ITV which looks at the work of District Nurses.
ITV Press release.

Office of Manpower Economics: Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration: review of compensation levels, incentives and the Clinical Excellence and Distinction Award schemes for NHS consultants. This gives some background on the current Clinical Excellence Award Schemes, along with links to where more detail of the current schemes can be obtained. It also presents the recommendations for an integrated reward package for consultants.

RCN: Apply now for learning and development bursary. The RCN Foundation Worshipful Company of Needlemakers Educational Bursary offers awards of up to £1,000 to assist with funding learning and development activities that enhance patient care. If you’re a nurse or midwife undertaking learning and development in any of the above fields find out more about applying for this bursary by visiting the RCN Foundation website. Applications close on 25 January 2013.

RCN: Election results announced. The Royal College of Nursing recently held a number of elections for its regional and country Board members, as well as the Students Committee, Health Practitioners Committee, Learning Representatives Committee, Safety Representatives Committee and Stewards Committee.

RCN Policy briefing 40/12: The weaknesses of voluntary regulation for health care support workers (PDF 149.9KB). Patients and the public rightly expect the highest standards of care from whoever delivers their care. The RCN believes that only mandatory regulation of health care support workers (HCSWs), enshrined in law, and core standards of education can provide the peace of mind to patients and assurance to nurses that all HCSWs have the appropriate level of knowledge and skills required for the role.
RCN: mandatory registration of HCSWs required.

RCN CPD Online learning: Diabetes essentials. This new learning resource is relevant to all registered nurses, student nurses, midwives and health visitors, health care assistants (HCAs) and assistant practitioners working in any health care setting or nursing specialism. The aim is to provide you with an overview of diabetes and to provide some guidelines on treating patients with this condition as part of the nursing team. There are some scenarios that you can work through that look at different situations involving diabetes.
This learning resource is complemented by the signposting resource: RCN Diabetes.

RCN CPD Online learning: HIV/AIDS- what you need to know. This learning programme has been developed for registered nurses, student nurses, health care assistants, assistant practitioners, or others working in health care. It is also a helpful general resource for anyone interested in learning more about HIV infection. The learning content provides an overview of the key issues related to HIV and is suitable for those with limited experience with HIV infection as well as for those who want to reinforce their knowledge and skills. It is designed in ‘bite-sized’ sections that learners can work through at their own pace, either in one or several sittings. Learners may work through all sections or simply select those that are most relevant to their needs or interest.