measures, our expert teams will use their professional judgement to assess the quality and safety of care. I will ensure that they have access to continuing professional development and support, so that they can recognise good and outstanding care, and that they are empowered to act with confidence when care is inadequate or requires improvement. I am bringing in more people who have personal experiences of care services – our ‘experts by experience’. They will play a unique and valuable role in helping us to listen to the views and experiences of service users. I hope that by working together we will build an approach that is effective and supported – as well as something that people have confidence in – and which plays its part in supporting improvements to care. Andrea Sutcliffe, chief inspector of adult social care, Care Quality Commission
PASSING ON KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS GAVE ME A SENSE OF FULFILMENT Columnist Zeba Arif refers to nurses who achieve their lofty goals and then swiftly pull up the ladder behind them (Reflections November 6). Sixty years ago this year, as a nursing student, I soon realised that some of my colleagues were reluctant to pass on their skills and knowledge. This was for fear of losing their power and hold over those less experienced. During my career, passing on my skills and knowledge gave me a sense of fulfilment. But then I have never sought power or wanted such control. Reynagh Jarrett, by email
FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT FROM LAMBETH TO CAMBRIDGESHIRE Please join us for the next meeting of Lambeth Keep Our NHS Public on Thursday November 21, from 7pm at the Duke of Cambridge, 74 Lansdowne Way, London SW8 2DR. For further details, email [email protected] May I also draw your attention to A Healthy Market? – a 38-minute
NURSING STANDARD
File on Four radio programme about private companies taking over NHS services. It can be listened to on iPlayer Radio at www.bbc.co.uk/ programmes/b03h3fx6 File on Four reports on the NHS hospital trusts and private companies Serco, Virgin Care and Circle that are competing for a five-year £800 million contract to run older people’s services in Cambridgeshire. The stakes are high, with the successful bidder providing everything from podiatry and occupational therapy to dementia and end of life care. Gay Lee, by email
GOOD HOSPITALS SHOULD THANK AND ACKNOWLEDGE WHISTLEBLOWERS How do nurses go about blowing the whistle on unsafe staffing? (Letters November 13). This is a tricky question, as we all know that staffing in hospitals can be a battleground, especially in the current economic climate. Employers are also likely to already be aware of staff shortages. Start by putting the risk in real terms. How many staff are on duty? How many should there be? What risk does this pose? Has it led to poor care? This may help the employer to see the urgency of the situation. What should be straightforward, however, is the response. A good hospital will acknowledge and thank the whistleblower. But we know that ignoring the concerns of staff is a big problem, with three out of four whistleblowers stating their employer did nothing when they raised a concern. Managers should provide feedback when staff speak up. They should recognise and act where a trend develops and where inadequate staffing is compromising good care. They should also make sure that the whistleblower does not suffer. When this is not the case, consider getting some advice before escalating the matter through the Care Quality Commission. Cathy James, chief executive, Public Concern at Work, www.pcaw.org.uk
TWEETS OF THE WEEK Of 1,200 nurses, one third have had to ask for a loan and half need to work in a second job. That’s very shocking and sad #NScomment @MsNaughtyCheese
@NScomment: ‘Sad to hear that nurses in our survey said they were scrimping on treats for their kids and saying no to school trips’ @Cleverestcookie
@mikeyeley85 I know I’m not the only nurse having to severely ration my heating! @suemcdonald342
If you’re struggling, Cavell Nurses’ Trust is here to support you: http://bit.ly/TavsUY @CavellTrust
Many of our workers prefer working flexibly and find they can boost their income with shift work that suits them @247Nursing
A Francis Bacon triple portrait sells for £89m. Nurses on the breadline. What does this tell us about society’s values? @mariaobrien112
#NScomment Managing healthcare budgets through pay freezes for everyone except senior managers is a disgrace @nhsemployers @RogerEvansE1
Follow Nursing Standard @NScomment and join the #NScomment chat on Thursdays at 12.30pm november 20 :: vol 28 no 12 :: 2013 37
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PASSING ON KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS GAVE ME A SENSE OF FULFILMENT Columnist Zeba Arif refers to nurses who achieve their lofty goals and then swiftly pull up the ladder behind them (Reflections November 6). Sixty years ago this year, as a nursing student, I soon realised that some of my colleagues were reluctant to pass on their skills and knowledge. This was for fear of losing their power and hold over those less experienced. During my career, passing on my skills and knowledge gave me a sense of fulfilment. But then I have never sought power or wanted such control. Reynagh Jarrett, by email
FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT FROM LAMBETH TO CAMBRIDGESHIRE Please join us for the next meeting of Lambeth Keep Our NHS Public on Thursday November 21, from 7pm at the Duke of Cambridge, 74 Lansdowne Way, London SW8 2DR. For further details, email [email protected] May I also draw your attention to A Healthy Market? – a 38-minute
NURSING STANDARD
File on Four radio programme about private companies taking over NHS services. It can be listened to on iPlayer Radio at www.bbc.co.uk/ programmes/b03h3fx6 File on Four reports on the NHS hospital trusts and private companies Serco, Virgin Care and Circle that are competing for a five-year £800 million contract to run older people’s services in Cambridgeshire. The stakes are high, with the successful bidder providing everything from podiatry and occupational therapy to dementia and end of life care. Gay Lee, by email
GOOD HOSPITALS SHOULD THANK AND ACKNOWLEDGE WHISTLEBLOWERS How do nurses go about blowing the whistle on unsafe staffing? (Letters November 13). This is a tricky question, as we all know that staffing in hospitals can be a battleground, especially in the current economic climate. Employers are also likely to already be aware of staff shortages. Start by putting the risk in real terms. How many staff are on duty? How many should there be? What risk does this pose? Has it led to poor care? This may help the employer to see the urgency of the situation. What should be straightforward, however, is the response. A good hospital will acknowledge and thank the whistleblower. But we know that ignoring the concerns of staff is a big problem, with three out of four whistleblowers stating their employer did nothing when they raised a concern. Managers should provide feedback when staff speak up. They should recognise and act where a trend develops and where inadequate staffing is compromising good care. They should also make sure that the whistleblower does not suffer. When this is not the case, consider getting some advice before escalating the matter through the Care Quality Commission. Cathy James, chief executive, Public Concern at Work, www.pcaw.org.uk
TWEETS OF THE WEEK Of 1,200 nurses, one third have had to ask for a loan and half need to work in a second job. That’s very shocking and sad #NScomment @MsNaughtyCheese
@NScomment: ‘Sad to hear that nurses in our survey said they were scrimping on treats for their kids and saying no to school trips’ @Cleverestcookie
@mikeyeley85 I know I’m not the only nurse having to severely ration my heating! @suemcdonald342
If you’re struggling, Cavell Nurses’ Trust is here to support you: http://bit.ly/TavsUY @CavellTrust
Many of our workers prefer working flexibly and find they can boost their income with shift work that suits them @247Nursing
A Francis Bacon triple portrait sells for £89m. Nurses on the breadline. What does this tell us about society’s values? @mariaobrien112
#NScomment Managing healthcare budgets through pay freezes for everyone except senior managers is a disgrace @nhsemployers @RogerEvansE1
Follow Nursing Standard @NScomment and join the #NScomment chat on Thursdays at 12.30pm november 20 :: vol 28 no 12 :: 2013 37
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 22, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
