APPROVED

NHS GRAMPIAN

Minutes of Senior Nurse Group

held on Monday 10th May, 2010

Seminar Room, Summerfield House

Present
Elinor Smith (Chair)
Elaine Allan
Sean Coady
Jenny Gibb
Mary McAuley
Fiona MacKenzie
Jenny McNicol
Jane Ormerod
Gregory Poon
Yvonne Wright
In Attendance
Eunice Chisholm
Sheila Irvine (Item 5)
Eleanor Murray (Item 7)
Alison McGruther
Sandra McKandie (Item 11)
Fiona Stewart
Elaine Stirton (Minuting Secretary)
Linda Watson, Lecturer, Faculty of Health & SocialCareSchool of Nursing & Midwifery, RGU (Item 9)
Item / Subject / Action
1. / Apologies
Linda Harper, Helen Ogg
2. / Minutes of meeting held on 12 April 2010
Under ‘In attendance’ correct misspelling - Keith Down to Keith Dow
P3, item 7 correction – Fiona MacKenzie, Sean Coady and Jenny Gibb meantime developing job description for nurse manager role.
Otherwise accepted as an accurate record.
3. / Matters Arising
3.1 Newly Qualified Nurses
Fiona MacKenzie reported the October intakes are now all placed. Work is now in progress looking at the March to May intakes. It is acknowledged that this will be very challenging and more information requires to be shared with colleagues at RGU. Some discussions have taken place with regard to backfilling around shifting the balance of care. Elinor Smithand Brian Websterhave also recently met with students to reiterate message around need for flexibility with all options having to be considered.
3.2Community Nursing Update
Constructive comments on the document entitled: “Review of Community Nursing – NHS Grampian” have been forthcoming from RGU, LAdams, L Harper & R Browning. It is envisaged this piece of work will be finalised ready for circulation in time for the next Strategy Forum Group. / GP
3.3N & M Council Referrals – Learning Resource
Jane Ormerod highlighted that a working group (with input from PPDU and Helen Robbins) had been established one year ago to develop a form of guidance resource around conduct and capability/NMC referral which dovetailed with current NHS policies.
The Group acknowledged the benefits of establishing such a succinct process which would improve final outcomes.
The Group were invited to provide Helen Ogg with more detailed comments over the next 10 days.Elinor Smith also proposed taking this item to the AHP Group. Comments are also meantime being sought from GAPF. Jane Ormerod to update the Group on progress at next meeting. / ALL
ES
JO
4. / Leading Better Care
Difficulties with establishing a separate Steering Group to progress this piece of work have been encountered. It was agreed that SNG should take on role of Steering Group. Jane Ormerod confirmed that current arrangements with sector, team and board level support has been working well and it was acknowledged that smaller groups for individual specific topics may be feasible in due course. Meantime facilitators continue to meet monthly. It was noted that Senior Charge Nurses are required to complete this programme by the end of the year. Master classes are currently behind schedule. Further work is required on producing a generic job description. Clinical Nurse Managers may berequired to take initiative in objective setting without involvement of PPDU or facilitators.
Moray have established dashboards around HAI datix/complaints. Sean Coady to present fuller details with the Group at the next meeting.
Fiona MacKenzie offered to share with the Group a document from ForthValley on operational performance management. / JO
SC
FMcK
5. / Releasing Time to Care
A cohort of 10 wards are meantime participating in releasing time to care. Progress has been limited due to time constraints on team members. Sheila Irvine and Fiona MacKenzie to meet withnurse managers to discuss the way forward to support this initiative. A recent pilot on usage of ultra-karts has returned positive feedback from staff and patients.
This item to remain a regular agenda item. / SI/FMcK
E.Stirton
6. / SANE
The SANE project continues and currently pilot peer reviews are at the writing up stage. Plans are in hand to circulate a risk assessment tool comprising 20 pertinent questionsfor completion and return within 300 areas. Final report is due by September 2010. It was noted that the change to 12 hour shifts continues to be problematic in certain areas but acknowledged that the recent Challenge meetings will hopefully address this issue.
Bank and Agency Spend
Clark Paterson tabled figures highlighting huge reduction in agency spend. Bank usage has also decreased sharply.
Nurse Bank Arrangements
The redesign of the service has now been formalised, involving redeployment of two staff members. Overtime authorisation form has also been developed and currently being piloted in the acute sector.
7. / HAI/HEI
Eleanor Murray updated group on the following items:
  1. A meeting of the Waste Group is scheduled for 11th May to discuss poster design on waste segregation aimed at patients and the general public.
  2. Triggering system (plastic pocket/card insert “I have been cleaned” with plastic tie or dome fixture). Trials to commence by beginning of next week. Information leaflet and audit sheet has also been devised.
  3. Work is progressing well exploring dirty and clean areas in wards. A project manager from estates has been identified working alongside Flo Morrison from the Decontamination Team.
  4. Roll out of patient safety briefings to every ward at ARI is scheduled supported by Jenny Ingram and Carol Lowe.
  5. Progress on shortened audit continues to show improvement in the following areas: general facilities – partial compliance; bed space – compliant; toilets – partial compliance; waste segregation – compliant; handling sharps – minimal compliance; hand hygiene – compliant; uniform – compliant; stethoscopes - consensus still to be reached; mattresses – Grampian wide decision still required.
Elinor Smith encouraged Group members to continue discussing the above items within their individual areas and welcomed feedback comments for next meeting. / ALL
8. / Updates from Areas
No written report was received from Moray or Aberdeenshire.
Sean Coady verbally updated for Moray: Community redesign now completed. A member of staff’s presentation at recent patient safety conference has been very well received. An Executive Review Panel has over-ruled recent dismissal decision following appeal hearing. There was no nursing representative on the review panel. Sean & Elinor to discuss in more detail outwith this meeting. Following last HAI inspection negotiation around wording within report is ongoing.
It was noted that no report has been available from Aberdeenshire for two consecutive months. Eunice Chisholm agreed to take this back to area and will ensure this is rectified for next meeting.Eunice updated the Group on OOH - Moray have not found this to be cost effective; City are currently not ready to progress; MacMillan aim to realign to CHPs; Marie Curie carrying out pilot on all palliative needs. / SC/ES
EC
9. / Advanced Practitioner Role
Linda Watson summarised proposal for the development of curriculum for a Masters Degreeaimed for the advanced practitioner. Powerpoint presentation to be shared with Group via Elaine Stirton. Planning is at the consultation stage at present, involving local colleagues, stakeholders, students, across North of Scotland, Registration Bodies, General Practice and NHSG. Currently seeking views from Group to assist with scoping exercise, for example trying to anticipate needs, workforce planning, skill mix, titles.
Feedback welcome by email, telephone or visit. / E.Stirton
ALL
10. / Mental Health Clinical Supervision Policy
Item better addressed at Nursing & Midwifery Strategy Forum. / E.Stirton
11. / Resuscitation
As of April 2010 now only one service. Constraints on service highlighted due to staff losses and non-replacement of posts. Updated guidelines will be issued by October and manuals implemented by January. DNA CPR roll out and Paediatric roll out both planned for 1st October. Awareness sessions on resus, palliative care and the possible use of e-learning are under discussion. Cascading training has been less successful and it was noted that 12 hour shift patterns will also bring added pressures.
Group agreed advice requires to be sought via the Governance route for a targeted view on mandatory/statutory training. Jane Ormerod to share draft OMT paper on training requirements.
Meantime sector leads can forward names for training from each area to Elaine Stirton. / JO
ALL
12. / AOCB
Mattress Audits
Stephanie Broadbent will update the Goup at the June meeting.
Elinor updated Group on two new appointments within the Chief Nursing Officer Directorate: Acute Care – Service improvement and quality (Charles Sinclair); and Children – Vulnerable families and early years (Deirdre McCormick). An invitation has been extended for them to visit Aberdeen and this Group.
Elinor shared with the Group copies of the following reports:
‘Best practice statement – skincare of patients receiving radiotherapy.’
‘Making a difference – The evolution of the nutrition champion role in NHS Scotland’
Jane Ewan to be invited to the next meeting to update on the nutrition champions initiative.
The accompanying introductory letters will be circulated separately with minutes.
Fiona MacKenzie has been appointed as Programme Manager within the Scottish Government, commencing 1st June. Initially this willbe a 2 year secondment and interim arrangements for Fiona’s current role are meantime under discussion. Group members warmly congratulated Fiona on this achievement. / E.Stirton
E.Stirton
13. / Date and time of next meeting
Monday 14th June 2010; 1200 – 1600 hrs,
Seminar Room, Summerfield House
Apologies for absence to: Elaine Stirton, ext. 58680;