Mid Staffs Inquiry - SPF response
In Hard Truths: the journey to putting patients first, the Government's response to the Report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry, chaired by Robert Francis QC, the SPF contributed the following statement and six key messages:
The Social Partnership Forum (SPF) believes that we have an opportunity to use the Francis inquiry report to emphasise fundamental strengths within the NHS workforce and challenge issues that need to be addressed. We also believe that staff are the biggest asset of the NHS and its greatest investment.
Our starting point is that staff and managers in the NHS want to provide compassionate care and to do their best for patients and families. Every day in every ward, clinic and community, this is happening.
We need to continue to build on our strengths to develop positive working environments through:
This is highlighted in a growing body of research evidence (West et al 2011; Berwick 2013) and should be implemented with the rigour of a new drug or treatment.
- NHS Constitution handbook: 'The NHS commits to engage staff in decisions that affect them and the services they provide...'
- Michael West's report: Quality and safety in the NHS: evaluating progress, problems and promise.
- IPA Report: Meeting the challenge: successful employee engagement in the NHS.
- SPF guidance on staff engagement and partnership working, published July 2014.
- The Point of Care Foundation – Staff Care – How to engage staff in the NHS and why it matters.
- NHS Employers: Staff experience and patient outcomes: what do we know?
- Michael West's presentation at UNISON's health conference, April 2016: Leading cultures that deliver high quality and compassionate care.
In particular, for staff to have well designed jobs, access to appropriate training and education, support to maintain their health, wellbeing and safety and to be involved in decisions that affect them.
- Leadership development activity carried out at Salford Royal Foundation Trust (see Related documents). For more information please contact Paul Renshaw - paul.renshaw@srft.nhs.uk.
- NHS Employers' website details how to use organisational development to enable staff to increase their skills and experience and to improve services for patients and also highlights innovative health and wellbeing initiatives that are delivering real results for staff and for patients.
- SPF Learning for life.
- NHS Constitution.
- Engage for Success.
This needs to be done by all providers of NHS services [whatever their sector] as well as commissioners and regulators. We would urge that the NHS staff survey is completed by all providers of NHS services.
- NHS Staff Survey.
- NHS Employers website has information on using the NHS staff survey and other data to identify and help tackle potential issues.
These are recognised as essential to good patient care and patient outcomes, but are only one component of establishing safe staffing. There also needs to be effective whole team working supported by good employment systems.
- Salford Royal Foundation Trust - Showcasing their Quality Improvement (QI) work, including the short summaries of the QI strategy, QI capability courses offered, aims and achievements (see Related documents).
- RCN Safe staffing guidance.
- How to ensure the right people are in the right place at the right time is a guide to nursing, midwifery and care staff capacity and capability.
Working to deliver a cultural change so that staff feel able to raise issues of concern and know they will be listened to.
- Raising concerns (whistleblowing).
- RCN raising concerns guidance.
- NHS Staff Council publication: the importance of effective partnership working on health, safety and wellbeing.
- Independent review freedom to speak up.