News
Barney Newman
Awarded nurse of the year for tackling domestic violence A NURSE who spearheaded a domestic violence service in an emergency department has been named RCN Nurse of the Year. Amanda Burston, pictured, was named overall winner of the 2015 Nursing Standard Nurse Awards for her part in setting up the Safer Steps service, which has helped more than 400 victims of abuse. Ms Burston said: ‘It is overwhelming. It sounds corny but it is not about me; it is about the victims of domestic abuse.’ ■■ More information about the Safe Steps service is available at doi.org/10.7748/en.23.1.9.s10
Attacks on children reduced by one fifth in England and Wales THE NUMBER of people injured in serious violence in England and Wales dropped by 10% last year, according to a study by Cardiff University. Lead author of the study and director of the violence research group at Cardiff University Jonathan Shepherd said: ‘Most encouraging is that attacks against children and adolescents are down by nearly one fifth. This trend could be attributed to a number of things, from improved child-safeguarding policies to increased information sharing between the NHS, police and local government.’
Scrap pay for unsocial hours and nurses will retaliate, warns RCN THE RCN will consider balloting its members on taking industrial action if the next government removes unsocial hours payments for nurses. The college’s head of employment relations Josie Irwin said the proverbial ‘worm’ would turn if the payments are no longer made. ‘The RCN is clear that, while members were not prepared to consider strike action over the 1% pay deal, an attack on unsocial hours pay would change that. EMERGENCY NURSE
Figures were gathered from 117 minor injury units, emergency departments and walk-in centres across the two countries. All are certified members of the National Violence Surveillance Network, which has published an annual report on such injuries for the past 15 years. Professor Shepherd said: ‘Our study demonstrates a substantial decrease in violence-related injuries for men and women in 2014 compared with 2013. Since 2010, we have identified a decline of over 30% in people needing treatment in emergency departments after violence. ‘It is not all good news, however. The issue of alcohol-related violence endures, with violence-related emergency department attendance consistently at its highest levels on weekends.’
‘All the evidence and all responses to surveys on this issue indicate that they would feel differently about militant action.’ In January, health minister Dan Poulter asked the NHS Pay Review Body (RB) to look into how 24/7 services could be introduced at no extra cost. The RB is due to publish its report in June. The Department of Health suggested unsocial hours payments, part of nationally agreed terms and conditions, could be scrapped to make 24/7 working across the NHS affordable. The RCN is developing an online resource for members to ensure they are compensated properly for working through breaks and other additional hours.
Call for donations after earthquake devastates Nepal THE NEPALESE Nursing Association UK (NNA UK) is calling on nurses to donate to a fund for people left devastated by Saturday’s earthquake in Nepal. At least 3,600 people have been killed, thousands have been injured and there has been widespread destruction of buildings following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake and nearly 60 aftershocks in the country. NNA UK has already received nearly £10,000 in donations to provide medication and other supplies. The target is £50,000. The UK has sent a medical team, Gurkha engineers and shelter kits, and has provided £10 million in aid. To donate to the NNA UK appeal, visit tinyurl.com/pg6uw2v and nurses who want to provide support can contact NNA UK general secretary Vinod Simkhada on 07737 751432.
More patients seen in Scotland thanks to hard work of staff NHS SCOTLAND staff have been thanked for their continued hard work as nine out of ten patients were seen within four hours last month. According to the Scottish Government, 90.8% of patients in core emergency departments were seen and treated within four hours during the week ending April 19, slightly less than the previous week’s figure of 91.5%. During the same week, core A&E sites in England saw 89.8% of patients within four hours. Health secretary Shona Robison, pictured, said: ‘While performance is down slightly, it is still almost five percentage points higher than the first weekly reporting began on February 22. ‘However, I have been clear with health boards that they must sustain the reductions in waiting times we have seen recently and move towards meeting our world-leading targets.’ May 2015 | Volume 23 | Number 2
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Barney Newman
Awarded nurse of the year for tackling domestic violence A NURSE who spearheaded a domestic violence service in an emergency department has been named RCN Nurse of the Year. Amanda Burston, pictured, was named overall winner of the 2015 Nursing Standard Nurse Awards for her part in setting up the Safer Steps service, which has helped more than 400 victims of abuse. Ms Burston said: ‘It is overwhelming. It sounds corny but it is not about me; it is about the victims of domestic abuse.’ ■■ More information about the Safe Steps service is available at doi.org/10.7748/en.23.1.9.s10
Attacks on children reduced by one fifth in England and Wales THE NUMBER of people injured in serious violence in England and Wales dropped by 10% last year, according to a study by Cardiff University. Lead author of the study and director of the violence research group at Cardiff University Jonathan Shepherd said: ‘Most encouraging is that attacks against children and adolescents are down by nearly one fifth. This trend could be attributed to a number of things, from improved child-safeguarding policies to increased information sharing between the NHS, police and local government.’
Scrap pay for unsocial hours and nurses will retaliate, warns RCN THE RCN will consider balloting its members on taking industrial action if the next government removes unsocial hours payments for nurses. The college’s head of employment relations Josie Irwin said the proverbial ‘worm’ would turn if the payments are no longer made. ‘The RCN is clear that, while members were not prepared to consider strike action over the 1% pay deal, an attack on unsocial hours pay would change that. EMERGENCY NURSE
Figures were gathered from 117 minor injury units, emergency departments and walk-in centres across the two countries. All are certified members of the National Violence Surveillance Network, which has published an annual report on such injuries for the past 15 years. Professor Shepherd said: ‘Our study demonstrates a substantial decrease in violence-related injuries for men and women in 2014 compared with 2013. Since 2010, we have identified a decline of over 30% in people needing treatment in emergency departments after violence. ‘It is not all good news, however. The issue of alcohol-related violence endures, with violence-related emergency department attendance consistently at its highest levels on weekends.’
‘All the evidence and all responses to surveys on this issue indicate that they would feel differently about militant action.’ In January, health minister Dan Poulter asked the NHS Pay Review Body (RB) to look into how 24/7 services could be introduced at no extra cost. The RB is due to publish its report in June. The Department of Health suggested unsocial hours payments, part of nationally agreed terms and conditions, could be scrapped to make 24/7 working across the NHS affordable. The RCN is developing an online resource for members to ensure they are compensated properly for working through breaks and other additional hours.
Call for donations after earthquake devastates Nepal THE NEPALESE Nursing Association UK (NNA UK) is calling on nurses to donate to a fund for people left devastated by Saturday’s earthquake in Nepal. At least 3,600 people have been killed, thousands have been injured and there has been widespread destruction of buildings following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake and nearly 60 aftershocks in the country. NNA UK has already received nearly £10,000 in donations to provide medication and other supplies. The target is £50,000. The UK has sent a medical team, Gurkha engineers and shelter kits, and has provided £10 million in aid. To donate to the NNA UK appeal, visit tinyurl.com/pg6uw2v and nurses who want to provide support can contact NNA UK general secretary Vinod Simkhada on 07737 751432.
More patients seen in Scotland thanks to hard work of staff NHS SCOTLAND staff have been thanked for their continued hard work as nine out of ten patients were seen within four hours last month. According to the Scottish Government, 90.8% of patients in core emergency departments were seen and treated within four hours during the week ending April 19, slightly less than the previous week’s figure of 91.5%. During the same week, core A&E sites in England saw 89.8% of patients within four hours. Health secretary Shona Robison, pictured, said: ‘While performance is down slightly, it is still almost five percentage points higher than the first weekly reporting began on February 22. ‘However, I have been clear with health boards that they must sustain the reductions in waiting times we have seen recently and move towards meeting our world-leading targets.’ May 2015 | Volume 23 | Number 2
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 08, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
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