David Smith’s Post

RENDERING EXCEPTIONAL HEALTH CARE SERVICE The majority of individuals anticipate receiving high-quality service. Reflecting on my personal experience, there was a time when I worked into a financial institution. I encountered an issue that urgently needed to be resolved. I was disappointed that, in spite of my hopes, I was unable to find a solution and left feeling dissatisfied. My realization that the service I received did not live up to the standard was prompted by an inscription regarding quality that I seem to have seen inscribed somewhere in the company building. I gave careful thought to how I could make sure I offer consistent, high-quality healthcare services after going through this experience. The following are the actions I use to accomplish my aim, with feedback being extremely important. Establishing a Welcome Environment: Many times, clients or patients are worried about their health and the possibility of being admitted. I can earn their trust and encourage them to raise any concerns by introducing them to the unit and outlining what to expect. This method creates a supportive atmosphere while making them feel at ease and secure. Transparency: It is crucial to tell patients about their care, within the parameters of one's job description and authority. Violence against healthcare workers can be greatly reduced even in dire circumstances if people are informed about the potential consequences and actively participate in their care decisions. Standard of treatment: Ensuring that patients receive competent treatment requires ongoing professional growth. Maintaining current knowledge of developments and honing one's skills guarantees the best possible care. Soft Skills: Its important to listen to patients since it can prevent mistakes and raise the standard of care provided. Furthermore, patients are capable of assessing empathy and compassion for themselves. It is insufficient to only state that you have compassion; you also need to behave accordingly. Seeking for Help: In order to improve our care, there are occasions when we must turn to others for assistance. To avoid wearing ourselves out, it's critical to ask for help when we feel overwhelmed. I recently discovered this, and although while it might not always be in our control, it's important to know when we need help.

Health-care privatisation has almost never had a positive effect on the quality of care... Higher levels of hospital privatisation were linked to higher rates of avoidable deaths. Overall the Review of #LANCET provides evidence challenging the justifications for health-care privatisation and concludes that the scientific support for further privatisation of health-care services is weak !! #HealthCare #Privatization

On Tuesday, in view of creating a more 'open healthcare system', the Department of Health and Social Care and maria caulfield MP sent out a press release regarding a call for evidence around duty of candour. The call for evidence, which will run for six weeks (from 16th April) aims to capture and consider views about how duty of candour is honoured, monitored and enforced. So, what is ‘Duty of candour’? Duty of candour requires health and care providers to be open and honest when things go wrong. It means that patients and families have a right to receive explanations for what happened as soon as possible and a meaningful apology where required. The review into duty of candour has gained widespread support from the health and care sectors, which see the review as an important way to ensure that healthcare providers are adhering to best practice. The Minister for Mental Health and Women’s Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield said: "I spent twenty years working as a nurse in the NHS, and I know how important it is that health and care providers are open with patients and their loved ones – especially if something has gone wrong. "I want to ensure that our system of duty of candour is kept up to date, so I urge anyone with views or experience to respond to the call for evidence to help inform our review, which will ensure that honesty and integrity remain at the heart of our health and social care services." Patient Safety Commissioner, Henrietta Hughes said:  "I welcome the fact that duty of candour is being reviewed because it is important that people do not struggle to get information when something has gone wrong. Working with patients as partners is an opportunity for us to learn and improve. I would urge the public and clinicians to respond to this call for evidence." #nhs #healthcare #callforevidence #dutyofcandour #mentalhealth #womenshealth #menshealth

As Sam Freedman argues in his recent book, Failed State: “People matter, but systems matter more, and we will get nowhere until we fix our systems.” It is time to address the bigger picture of the NHS. What would it take to deliver the three big shifts outlined by the Health Secretary: moving from hospital to community care, transitioning from analogue to digital, and shifting the focus from treating sickness to preventing it? I outline how to take a systems approach to the 'big shifts' in my new blog: https://lnkd.in/ejPvkhVR I'd love to read your thoughts on this!

Never, ever, ask consumers what they want. It’s the first rule of #research. I was impressed by Lord Darzi’s honest review of the NHS and Wes Streeting fills me with more confidence than most Health Secretaries of the last decade (low bar admittedly). But I have no idea why they’ve opened up this consultation, asking the public for their ideas on how to fix the NHS. Some of the more amusing suggestions have already hit social media. But the reality is, it’s not the job of consumers to suggest solutions. Research is about observing or listening, to understand the problems that need solving. Sometimes it’s about running possible solutions past people to get them to kick the tyres on them. But it’s not about asking people how to make things better. That’s someone else’s job. So this exercise will deliver little of any use that we haven’t already heard: reopen cottage hospitals, make foreigners pay for their healthcare, get rid of managers and diversity champions, bring back matrons. 🤦♀️ #nhs #healthcare https://lnkd.in/ebCeMQXi

This week is Personalised Care Week 🙌 But what is personalised care? And what does it mean to us an organisation? "Personalised care represents a major practical change to the NHS and is a key part of the NHS Long Term Plan. It is a whole system approach that enables a variety of services across the health, social care, public health and community spectrum to be integrated around the individual in order to deliver better outcomes and experiences." - Personalised Care Institute Text reads: Personalised care encompasses so much of what it is to be human to me. Learning more about the skillset of personalised care has changed how I turn up to work. I no longer hold a dynamic of ‘expert’ and ‘patient,’ but I am able to hold a sense of sharing the journey, exploring each other’s opinions, understanding the life of the person and how the person’s beliefs, ideas and values compare to mine. I love the sense of magic that is created within the interpersonal space, and value seeing the person and them seeing me. Quote from: Georgi Daluiso-King Personalised Care Lead at Sussex MSK Partnership Personalised Care Institute Ambassador #PersonalisedCare #PersonalisedCareInstitute #PCIWeek24 #NHS #Healthcare

”Over the past 40 years, many health-care systems that were once publicly owned or financed have moved towards privatising their services, primarily through outsourcing to the private sector. But what has the impact been of privatisation on the quality of care? A key aim of this transition is to improve quality of care through increased market competition along with the benefits of a more flexible and patient-centred private sector. However, concerns have been raised that these reforms could result in worse care, in part because it is easier to reduce costs than increase quality of #health care. ” ”We found that hospitals converting from public to private ownership status tended to make higher profits than public #hospitals that do not convert, primarily through the selective intake of patients and reductions to staff numbers. We also found that aggregate increases in privatisation frequently corresponded with worse health outcomes for patients. Very few studies evaluated this important reform and there are gaps in the literature. However, based on the evidence available, we provide evidence that challenges the justifications for health-care privatisation and concludes that the scientific support for further privatisation of health-care services is weak.” #lifestylemedicine

A big reason healthcare is broken is poor access. (Lots of others but let’s focus on that) “Poor access” is one of those seemingly simple phrases that doesn’t exactly describe the barrier. Those opaque phrases is another reason why the healthcare system is so complex and hard to navigate (let alone fix) but that’s a different post. I’d consider myself a relatively educated healthcare consumer. Mom was a nurse for 40 years; lots of connected friends and family members who practice. I’ve worked in the business side of healthcare for 8 years. Prioritizing Primary Care is one of the best things we can do as a country and as individuals to improve our health outcomes. I wasn’t feeling great this week so I scheduled a primary care apt with the local health system. It’s not a sore throat so urgent care wouldn’t work and it’s not a heart attack so I don’t need to go to the ER. Just wanted to talk to a primary care provider. Soonest I could get in was next Monday (not ideal) but I scheduled, and here’s the response I got. Keep in mind, I delivered both my kids at this health system, had an annual physical there earlier this year and had a colonoscopy there last month. But I’ll need to wait till April for a sick visit. What does “poor access” mean? This is one very real example.

🏥 UK Government Launches Groundbreaking Initiative To Transform NHS: A 10-Year Vision For Community-Based, Digital And Preventative Healthcare 🏥 The UK government has launched the most extensive national conversation about the NHS since its creation, inviting the public, NHS staff and health experts to contribute their ideas on shaping its future. Through an online platform - change.nhs.UK - available until early 2025, participants can share their views on what needs improvement and how to address current challenges. This feedback will be crucial in shaping the government’s 10-Year Health Plan, set to be published in spring 2025. The plan will centre on three major shifts in healthcare: moving care from hospitals to communities, transitioning from analogue to digital systems, and shifting the focus from treating illness to preventing it. Find out more and have you say on the future of the NHS here – https://lnkd.in/gTN6WkX4 #NHS #NHSConsultation #ChangeNHS #Healthcare #HealthConditionsOfDisability #DisabledPatients #UKPolitics #UKGovernment #HaveYourSay

Is the NHS really broken? The NHS has been a hot topic lately, with the Health Secretary's pronouncements sparking debate. But how are these discussions influencing public behaviour? Our latest research reveals a complex picture. While many Britons are trying to use NHS resources responsibly, a significant number are avoiding necessary care due to anxieties about the system. This great blog by my colleague Molly Dawson delves into the findings, and explores the links between political rhetoric, public perception, and healthcare choices. Well worth 5 mins of your time! https://lnkd.in/eq7Er6sg #NHS #Healthcare #PublicOpinion #HealthPolicy