NHS to report non-binding ward staffing levels
20 November 2013
NHS organisations will have to publish monthly details online of ward-by-ward staffing levels from next April, under the Department of Health (DH) response to the Mid-Staffs inquiry.
Wed, 20 Nov 2013NHS organisations will have to publish monthly details online of ward-by-ward staffing levels from next April, under the Department of Health (DH) response to the Mid-Staffs inquiry.
However, these will not be enforceable by the NHS Litigation Authority, with individual trusts still being responsible for “effective risk assessments when changes to numbers or skills of staff are under consideration”.
NHS boards will be asked to “review the evidence for their staffing numbers in public at least once every six months”.
This measure was rumoured ahead of health secretary Jeremy Hunt's presentation in parliament yesterday of the government response to the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry.
The Department of Health (DH) response, available online, has also committed to values-based recruitment across the NHS, whereby all staff are “required to enter into an express commitment to abide by the NHS values and the Constitution”, with these written into contracts.
This proposal – recommendation seven – was accepted “in principal” by the DH, and had previously been touted as a mainstay of the response.
However, recommendation 191, specifically suggesting nursing staff should be assessed for “values, attitudes and behaviours towards the wellbeing of patients and their basic care needs”, was accepted without condition.
Also in the recruitment field, recommendation 84 suggested that when executive or non-executive appointments are terminated “in circumstances in which there are reasonable grounds for believing that he or she is not a fit person to hold such a post”, this matter must be reported to outside bodies.
This was accepted in principal, with the response noting: “NHS Employers are working on how to support organisations so that all information relating to recruitment into Board positions is presented, known and used by employers.”
Hunt comments: “Today’s measures are a blueprint for restoring trust in the NHS, reinforcing professional pride in NHS frontline staff and above all giving confidence to patients.”
However, these will not be enforceable by the NHS Litigation Authority, with individual trusts still being responsible for “effective risk assessments when changes to numbers or skills of staff are under consideration”.
NHS boards will be asked to “review the evidence for their staffing numbers in public at least once every six months”.
This measure was rumoured ahead of health secretary Jeremy Hunt's presentation in parliament yesterday of the government response to the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry.
The Department of Health (DH) response, available online, has also committed to values-based recruitment across the NHS, whereby all staff are “required to enter into an express commitment to abide by the NHS values and the Constitution”, with these written into contracts.
This proposal – recommendation seven – was accepted “in principal” by the DH, and had previously been touted as a mainstay of the response.
However, recommendation 191, specifically suggesting nursing staff should be assessed for “values, attitudes and behaviours towards the wellbeing of patients and their basic care needs”, was accepted without condition.
Also in the recruitment field, recommendation 84 suggested that when executive or non-executive appointments are terminated “in circumstances in which there are reasonable grounds for believing that he or she is not a fit person to hold such a post”, this matter must be reported to outside bodies.
This was accepted in principal, with the response noting: “NHS Employers are working on how to support organisations so that all information relating to recruitment into Board positions is presented, known and used by employers.”
Hunt comments: “Today’s measures are a blueprint for restoring trust in the NHS, reinforcing professional pride in NHS frontline staff and above all giving confidence to patients.”
