Clinical Governance in the UK National Health Service.
Clinical Governance in the UK National Health Service Dr Alastair Baker King's Colloge Hospital, London, UK The UK National Health Service (NHS) was formed in 1948 by the Labour government. It was based on a vision of healthcare that still has a powerful influence in the UK including care for all equally 'from the cradle to the grave' and 'free at the point of delivery'. Funding was and remains from central taxation. The NHS is the largest single employer in Europe. Initially, the NHS was administered by Area Health Authorities who exerted little influence on day-to day running of clinical services. Management was weak and doctors held the major control over service delivery in a paternalistic manner. Lines of accountability were unclear and there was no transparency in the supervision of standards by the medical professional bodies; the Royal Colleges and General Medical Council. In 1991, the Conservative Government under Mrs. Thatcher, realising that there were cost inflation pressures within the NHS for which there was no mechanism for control or accountability, designed the 'Internal Market'. The whole service was divided into notional 'purchasers', Area Health Authorities and larger family doctor practices, who would control their own defined budget on behalf of their population by commissioning services, and 'providers', hospitals and community services designated
Identify the kinds of information that a frontline manager needs to carry out their role. Discuss some of the issues that they will need to handle to be effective when managing information
Option B Identify the kinds of information that a frontline manager needs to carry out their role. Discuss some of the issues that they will need to handle to be effective when managing information Introduction During this assignment I will first look at what kinds of information a manager needs in order to carry out their role. I will go on to investigate the confidentiality issues surrounding handling information and what can happen when that information is abused, muddled and mismanaged. I also hope to establish how good handling of information by a manager can enhance their work and that of others and how it can benefit service users, staff teams and agencies. Main Discussion A manager needs a wide range of information in order to successfully carry out their role. This range will include service user records, personnel information, monitoring facts and figures, financial information, communications such as e mails, faxes and letters and reports such as inspection reports. Of course, this is all hard data but as a manager you would also deal with soft data such as information received during telephone conversations or during meetings. Even just chatting with personnel can provide you with valuable information, as can something as subtle as observing body language. The manager at my current place of work WH (A residential unit for children and young people) appears
This essay is about accident prevention in the older adult at home. Relevant health promotion theories and model shall be used, sociological and psychological determinants affecting health will be discussed
This essay is about accident prevention in the older adult at home. Relevant health promotion theories and model shall be used, sociological and psychological determinants affecting health will be discussed. Relevant policies, documents, and government reports shall be included. The role of the nurse will be explained in relation to health promotion. Epidemiological, statistical evidence to accidents in the home will be included and why illness is a major life event. Dr Manish (2007) explains that "health" is an elusive word. Most people who consider themselves healthy are not. And many people, who are suffering from some known disease, may be relatively healthy. Health is a concept which does not merely relate to the absence of disease, of healthy working organs, or having good thoughts. Health is a holistic concept. It relates to a person as a whole. Not just the person you see, but also the person you feel. Health is a tri-une of three parts: emotional health, mental health and physical health." According to Heinrich (1931), who developed the domino theory, "88% of all accidents are caused by unsafe acts of people, 10% by unsafe actions, and 2% by "acts of God." He proposed a "five-factor accident sequence" in which each factor would actuate the next step in the manner of toppling dominoes lined up in a row. The sequence of accident factors are: ancestry and
"Rational decision taking in those areas where life is at risk (such as safety investment to reduce physical risk in transport and health care) requires a value to be placed on life" - Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement.
Topic 1: Accidental Deaths, Safety Policy and the Value of Life . "Rational decision taking in those areas where life is at risk (such as safety investment to reduce physical risk in transport and health care) requires a value to be placed on life." Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement. Economics is the study of the most efficient course of action to allocate finite resources. Health or life is a finite resource so in order to ascribe to rationality the most number of lives must be extended within the boundaries of natural law and the budget constraint. Natural law states that everyone will die at some point and the budget constraint states that there is a finite amount of finance available to extend these lives. To be rational and to follow economic theory correctly a value or cost is always involved because it is needed to compare with the benefits. A good example is the NHS. When a person reaches a certain age, say eighty, the health service is less likely to approve a costly operation to extend their lives by two or three years when the same operation might give a younger person thirty or forty years of life. If the operation cost £10,000 then for the older patient this represents £3000 per year of extra life. For the younger patient it is £250 per year. Although this is a value judgement and is not what the older person would agree to, it is
HEALTH LAW AND POLICY
HEALTH LAW AND POLICY Assessment Two Introduction Being a patient under the care of a doctor is probably the only occasion where an individual unconditionally places their welfare in the hands of another. However, not everything goes according to plan - sometimes the unexpected happens and things go wrong. It is often assumed that complaints to some form of statutory Health Ombudsman are an effective mechanism not only to resolve individuals' complaints, but also to improve the overall quality of health care (Paterson, 2001). In this assignment I will discuss the laws and legislations that are relevant to Case 00HDC00835. Secondly, I will examine the impact of law and the accountability of Health Practitioners. Thirdly, I will investigate the legal issues raised from the complaints of the patient, and the patient's family. I will pay attention to some of the issues that frequently challenge the elderly population. I will also attempt to identify some policy considerations that are specific to this case. Finally, I will form my own opinion of whether decisions made by the Health and Disability Commissioner struck a fair equilibrium. Other comments will be raised for examination. Law and the Tensions that Arise The law of torts is defined as a "civil wrong". It is concerned with those situations where the conduct of one person causes harm to another (Todd, 1997).
Critically discuss the multiple meanings of the 'working environment' for workers, managers and service users. How can managers work to improve care environments?
Critically discuss the multiple meanings of the 'working environment' for workers, managers and service users. How can managers work to improve care environments? Introduction In writing this assignment I will answer both aspects of the question. I will identify that one's working environment can be another's living environment and the problems that may arise as a result of this. I will also work towards finding ways in which to improve on those problem areas. I will make good use of the course materials but I will also draw upon my own experiences within the workplace. Designing any building must be a large task but when that building has many, many different functions the task must become enormous. When a care environment is designed the designer must take into account so many issues, both from the perspective of those who may work there and those that may live there whilst also acknowledging visitors. During this assignment I can only hope to cover a small amount of these issues, those I do cover will be relevant to my workplace. (See Appendix One for a floor plan). Main Discussion In the children's home where I work the environment has three main uses: - It's a living environment, for the young people (currently all teenagers, 2 girls and 2 boys, there are also two vacancies). - It's a working environment, for the team of support staff, education staff, the care
How might you explain the existence of inequalities in health? In July 2000, 'the government gave a commitment in the NHS
How might you explain the existence of inequalities in health? In July 2000, 'the government gave a commitment in the NHS plan that, for the first time ever, local targets for reducing health inequalities would be reinforced by the creation of national health inequality targets' The overall aim by 2010 was to reduce inequalities in health outcomes by 10% as measured by infant mortality and life expectancy at birth. The strong correlation between occupational class and the mortality rate can be shown in every decinnial survey conducted. The following statistic is from the most recent survey in the early 1970's 'men and women in occupational class V had a two-and-a half greater chance of dying before reaching retirement age than their professional counterparts in occupational class I' (Black 1980) The Black Report published in 1980 'was an attempt authorised by a Government to explain trends in inequalities in heath' The report did show a general improvement in health amongst all classes, due to the beginning of the NHS, thirty-five years ago. But despite of the health improvements provided by the health service (for example vaccine's preventing infectious diseases), the unresolved difference in health between the classes was still at large. There is a connection between occupational classes and mortality throughout all ages, especially when looking
Assess the claim that the NHS is being privatised by stealth.
Assess the claim that the NHS is being privatised by stealth. The National Health Service was set up in 1948 to provide healthcare for all citizens, based on need, not the ability to pay. It is made up of a wide range of health professionals, support workers and organisations. The NHS claims to bring about the highest level of physical and mental health for all citizens, within the resources available. They claim to do this by, promoting health and preventing ill health; diagnosing and treating injury and disease; caring for those with a long-term illness and disability. The NHS is predominantly funded by taxation, and the level of GNP devoted to health care is the lowest of any comparable developed country at 6.7% of GDP (NHS Support Federation 1999). Because the NHS is funded by the taxpayer, it is accountable to Parliament. It is managed by Department of Health - which is directly responsible to the secretary of state for health John Reid. The department sets overall health policy in England, is the headquarters for the NHS and is responsible for putting policy into practice. It also sets targets for the NHS and monitors performance through its four directors of health and social care. The NHS is one of the largest employers in Europe. It has more than a million staff working in over a thousand Trusts. Around one million people work for the NHS in England and it costs
Proffesional Studies
KERRY BROWNE 21683549 ACADEMIC TUTOR Moria Sugden INTAKE YEAR 2006 EBL GROUP PFX106 MODULE CODE NCPG1005 WORD COUNT 2410 SUMITTED 25/05/07 This essay will be looking at the three strands of Professional Studies, Evidence Based Practice (EBP), Philosophy of Care and Management of Care. It will discuss the factors which will help develop the promotion of EBP, showing why using these methods are better for the client to ensure it is appropriate to their individual needs. Roach's 5 C's will be discussed as to how relevant they are to nursing care is provided, looking mainly at spirituality and holism. In the closing part of this essay it will look at the different levels of care, Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Care, while identifying systematic processes and legal frameworks which will control the management of care. Evidence based practice can have a range of meanings. Some authors highlight the role of research evidence in clinical decisions, making others have a much wider viewpoint that encompasses the view of both patients and clinicians in informing clinical decisions. Sackett et al (1996) describes it as: "The conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of the individual patients". (Fitzpatrick 2007) Trinder and
Management of risk and protection of vulnerable individuals in health and social care.
FOUNDATION DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIALCARE PRINCIPALS OF CARE Management of risk and protection of vulnerable individuals in health and social care. INTRODUCTION This report is about the potential risk to an elderly person living alone, and the implementation of a risk assessment using a legal framework. Also those risks are assessed using the organisational policies and guidelines available to all care agencies to help protect and minimise risks which may be encountered by a vulnerable client group. The report also highlights the need for multi-disciplinary care agencies to uphold the importance of and implement principles of good care practice when considering the management of risks exposed to an individual and their differing needs within our society. THE DILEMMA Mrs B is an elderly lady who has been living alone within her own home. She has no relatives and has been adamant that she can care for herself. It is known that Mrs B has refused help in the past by various care services due to lack of trust and sees their involvement as an intrusion on her private life. Mrs B however. Unfortunately fell down her stairs and was admitted to hospital with a fractured femur, during a routine admission assessment of her care plan, it was observed and documented that Mrs B was considerably underweight and her clothing and general hygiene was unkempt. It was clear from this
