Posted 06 April 2023 - 05:00
Posted 06 April 2023 - 05:00
News
Trust’s chocolate incentive leaves a bitter taste with nurses
The promise of sweet treats for performing quick patient discharges drew fire on Twitter, with some pointing out the risks to safety and staff morale
The promise of sweet treats for performing quick patient discharges drew fire on Twitter, with some pointing out the risks to safety and staff morale
An NHS trust has been forced to apologise after offering chocolate prizes to clinical teams who discharged patients in a ‘timely’ manner ahead of the Easter bank holiday weekend.
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHUT) came under fire after an internal newsletter was shared on social media in which ‘Easter goodies’ were offered to clinical teams that discharged patients quickly.
Trust launched a ‘Home for Easter’ initiative
An extract from the newsletter said the trust had launched a ‘Home for Easter’ campaign in a bid to free up beds ahead of a busy Easter weekend, and in preparation for the second junior doctors’ strikes next week.
It asked colleagues to ensure patients were discharged in a ‘timely way’, adding: ‘From 3 April to 6 April, a daily competition will run for wards, with the best teams for discharges receiving some Easter chocolates each day.’
London South Bank University chair of healthcare and workforce modelling Alison Leary criticised the incentive on Twitter:
Incentive ‘could encourage more cutting of corners’
Many nurses initially questioned if it was an April Fool’s prank, with others agreeing that incentives like these were a bad idea.
Nurse Bex Bailey-McHale said: ‘This is dreadful. Our experience of discharge is poor, with referrals not completed [and] rushed discharge without care put back in place, leaving gaps of days. Now a competitive task, which could encourage more cutting of corners.’
Trust ‘truly sorry’ for organising the incentive
The trust later issued an apology on social media:
The trust added on Twitter: ‘Discharge decisions are an important part of preparation for a bank holiday period and whilst we had good intentions to get staff talking about the challenges we face, we can absolutely see why this has landed badly. We know that incentives have no place in influencing clinical decisions.’
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