News
OLDER PEOPLE should practise strength and balance exercises such as t’ai chi to reduce falls and fracture risk, according to experts from an international research group. The Prevention of Falls Network for Dissemination provides training for exercise instructors who then teach coaches in their local regions. It aims to extend exercise programmes to 84,000 older people across Europe by 2016. Older people who have conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, dementia or arthritis, take
Support in community needed to transform end of life services AT LEAST £4.5 billion is spent each year in England caring for people at the end of their lives but the quality of services varies, a report has found. While some individuals, particularly those accessing hospice or specialist community and hospital palliative services, receive good care, many others do not. The report, by the Deloitte UK Centre for Health Solutions, analyses national reviews and audits over the past 18 months. It highlights shortcomings and concerns about the large degree of variation in services. There are half a million deaths each year in England, two thirds of which are people aged 75 and over. Centre director Karen Taylor said: ‘The primary barrier to the delivery of good quality end of life care is lack of access to effective services that support people to die at home or in their care home. In 2013, 50% of people died in hospital, despite the fact that opinion polls show that, on average, 70% would prefer to die in their usual place of residence.’ The report argues that while there has been much positive activity since the End of Life Care Strategy was published in 2008, significant inequalities remain. This was highlighted by Public Health England’s 2013 national survey of bereaved people, which found that while 43% of respondents NURSING OLDER PEOPLE
four or more medications or have problems walking are at increased risk of falls. Falls cost the health service £2.3 billion annually and one third of people aged over 65 and half of those over 80 fall every year. Alamy
Exercise programme aims to cut number of falls across Europe
T’ai chi exercises can reduce the risk of falls in older people
thought care of their loved one was excellent or outstanding, 24% said it was only fair or poor. Ms Taylor added: ‘The emphasis now should be on transforming support in the community. ‘High spend does not equate to a “good death” and reallocation of resources from the more expensive hospital setting should lead to better quality care that is cost neutral if not cost saving.’ Go to tinyurl.com/mmp5g2u
Cancer partnership to roll out recovery package for survivors A MAJOR partnership of cancer nursing organisations has been launched to try to improve care for patients who are living with and beyond the disease. The Cancer Nursing Partnership represents more than 22,000 nurses from 12 organisations including the RCN. Its aim is to implement the recovery package – a series of interventions that, when delivered together, can improve outcomes for survivors. The package consists of four aspects that focus on supporting people to self-manage after diagnosis: holistic assessment of needs, treatment summary, cancer care review and health and wellbeing event. RCN lead for cancer care Rose Gallagher said: ‘Nursing staff have a big part to play in the roll out of the recovery package and in increasing patients’ access to person-centred care.’ Find out more at www.ukons.org/cnp
In brief RCN Bulletin Jobs Fair takes place in Leeds on November 11 and 12. Entry is free. Find out more at www.RCNBulletinJobsFair.com The RCN older people’s forum and the British Geriatrics Society have issued a call for abstracts for their inaugural joint conference. The conference, titled Making Integrated Care a Reality, takes place in Manchester from March 30-31 2015. Deadline for abstract submissions is November 21. Further details can be found at www.rcn.org.uk/olderpeople15 An authority on nursing older people has become the first European nurse to be inducted into an international nurse researcher hall of fame. Brendan McCormack (pictured), who is head of nursing at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, has been honoured in the Sigma Theta Tau International 2014 international nurse researcher hall of fame awards. An online tool to improve the management of staff sick leave in the health service has been launched by NHS Employers. The guide is designed to help managers adopt a confident and consistent approach and provides step-by-step information on what to do when staff call in sick. www.nhsemployers.org/sickness A guide to help community nurses and other healthcare professionals spot the signs of gastrointestinal intolerance in malnourished adults has been published. The guide has been drawn up by experts including oncology clinical nurse specialist Pam O’Donoghue. tinyurl.com/nmbjjvt Leaflets on the flu vaccination for winter 2014/15 are now available for patients. The leaflets outline why all people over the age of 65 should be vaccinated. tinyurl.com/mwhe8wt November 2014 | Volume 26 | Number 9
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 28, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
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OLDER PEOPLE should practise strength and balance exercises such as t’ai chi to reduce falls and fracture risk, according to experts from an international research group. The Prevention of Falls Network for Dissemination provides training for exercise instructors who then teach coaches in their local regions. It aims to extend exercise programmes to 84,000 older people across Europe by 2016. Older people who have conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, dementia or arthritis, take
Support in community needed to transform end of life services AT LEAST £4.5 billion is spent each year in England caring for people at the end of their lives but the quality of services varies, a report has found. While some individuals, particularly those accessing hospice or specialist community and hospital palliative services, receive good care, many others do not. The report, by the Deloitte UK Centre for Health Solutions, analyses national reviews and audits over the past 18 months. It highlights shortcomings and concerns about the large degree of variation in services. There are half a million deaths each year in England, two thirds of which are people aged 75 and over. Centre director Karen Taylor said: ‘The primary barrier to the delivery of good quality end of life care is lack of access to effective services that support people to die at home or in their care home. In 2013, 50% of people died in hospital, despite the fact that opinion polls show that, on average, 70% would prefer to die in their usual place of residence.’ The report argues that while there has been much positive activity since the End of Life Care Strategy was published in 2008, significant inequalities remain. This was highlighted by Public Health England’s 2013 national survey of bereaved people, which found that while 43% of respondents NURSING OLDER PEOPLE
four or more medications or have problems walking are at increased risk of falls. Falls cost the health service £2.3 billion annually and one third of people aged over 65 and half of those over 80 fall every year. Alamy
Exercise programme aims to cut number of falls across Europe
T’ai chi exercises can reduce the risk of falls in older people
thought care of their loved one was excellent or outstanding, 24% said it was only fair or poor. Ms Taylor added: ‘The emphasis now should be on transforming support in the community. ‘High spend does not equate to a “good death” and reallocation of resources from the more expensive hospital setting should lead to better quality care that is cost neutral if not cost saving.’ Go to tinyurl.com/mmp5g2u
Cancer partnership to roll out recovery package for survivors A MAJOR partnership of cancer nursing organisations has been launched to try to improve care for patients who are living with and beyond the disease. The Cancer Nursing Partnership represents more than 22,000 nurses from 12 organisations including the RCN. Its aim is to implement the recovery package – a series of interventions that, when delivered together, can improve outcomes for survivors. The package consists of four aspects that focus on supporting people to self-manage after diagnosis: holistic assessment of needs, treatment summary, cancer care review and health and wellbeing event. RCN lead for cancer care Rose Gallagher said: ‘Nursing staff have a big part to play in the roll out of the recovery package and in increasing patients’ access to person-centred care.’ Find out more at www.ukons.org/cnp
In brief RCN Bulletin Jobs Fair takes place in Leeds on November 11 and 12. Entry is free. Find out more at www.RCNBulletinJobsFair.com The RCN older people’s forum and the British Geriatrics Society have issued a call for abstracts for their inaugural joint conference. The conference, titled Making Integrated Care a Reality, takes place in Manchester from March 30-31 2015. Deadline for abstract submissions is November 21. Further details can be found at www.rcn.org.uk/olderpeople15 An authority on nursing older people has become the first European nurse to be inducted into an international nurse researcher hall of fame. Brendan McCormack (pictured), who is head of nursing at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, has been honoured in the Sigma Theta Tau International 2014 international nurse researcher hall of fame awards. An online tool to improve the management of staff sick leave in the health service has been launched by NHS Employers. The guide is designed to help managers adopt a confident and consistent approach and provides step-by-step information on what to do when staff call in sick. www.nhsemployers.org/sickness A guide to help community nurses and other healthcare professionals spot the signs of gastrointestinal intolerance in malnourished adults has been published. The guide has been drawn up by experts including oncology clinical nurse specialist Pam O’Donoghue. tinyurl.com/nmbjjvt Leaflets on the flu vaccination for winter 2014/15 are now available for patients. The leaflets outline why all people over the age of 65 should be vaccinated. tinyurl.com/mwhe8wt November 2014 | Volume 26 | Number 9
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 28, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
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