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Leadership by nurses praised in CQC report on improving standards

Nurse-led interventions and senior nurses bridging the gap between management and ward staff are among the initiatives credited for turning round poor-performing hospitals.
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Nurse-led interventions and senior nurses bridging the gap between management and ward staff are among the initiatives credited for turning around poorly performing hospitals in a report by independent inspector the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

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Initiatives led by nurses helped turn around poorly performing hospitals.
Picture: iStock

The report, Driving Improvement: Case studies from eight NHS trusts, highlights the work staff undertook in order to help change the culture of their respective employers and significantly improve their CQC rating.

Outgoing CQC chief inspector Sir Mike Richards said: ‘We know from our inspections that strong leadership and a positive open culture are important drivers of change.

‘Each trust had its own approach to change, but there were themes common to all and numerous examples.’

Nurse-led

Among the eight trusts was University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, which went from Special measures to Good.

Its nurse-led project highlighted in the report showed how staff in the intensive care unit tackled the pain caused by nose tubes and pressure sores, savings tens of thousands of pounds.

At Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, which moved from Requires improvement to Good, nurses created 'Clinical Tuesday', where all matrons and lead nurses go and work on wards to act as links between management and junior staff.

Surprise visits

In the report, issued on 14 June, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust director of nursing Chris Pearson, who joined the trust five months after it entered special measures, credits the success of her trust, now rated Good, to the introduction of a Nursing Assessment Practice Framework, whereby all wards receive surprise visits by five senior staff similar to a CQC inspection.

Responding to the report, RCN general secretary Janet Davies said: ‘We welcome the recognition from the CQC that listening to staff makes this change happen more quickly.

‘The report confirms what we knew to be the case – that encouraging, rewarding and engaging staff improves quality, safety and outcomes for patients.’

Read all eight case studies here


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