Recent Submissions

  • Rostering in a pandemic: Sustainability is key

    Goddard, Andrew (2020-10)
    In preparation for the peak of the first wave of COVID-19, many healthcare organisations implemented emergency rotas to ensure they were adequately staffed. These rotas - while addressing the acute issues - are in many cases not sustainable. As we move past the peak and services start resuming, many organisations need to reassess their rotas. There are considerable wellbeing benefits to optimal rostering. In this article we discuss how best to achieve this and suggest a number of key principles, including the following: involvement of staff affected by the rota; taking into account individual circumstances; building in flexibility and adequate time for rest; and designing rotas for different grades of staff together to create stable teams.
  • Building a Positive Culture Around Exception Reporting

    Bhat, Snobar (2018-12)
    In this new case study, we find out how University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust built a positive culture around exception reporting. Exception reporting benefits both junior doctors and employers. The process enables any issues to be highlighted, giving employers the chance to address them early in the placement. This means a safer working environment and a better educational experience for junior doctors. The case study outlines how the trust has embedded exception reporting processes and shares top tips for other organisations.
  • We must not repeat the mistakes of Mid Staffs

    Moss, Stephen (2017-03)
    These are exceptionally tough times for everyone providing care and treatment across NHS settings. Colleagues on the front line face unprecedented pressure day in, day out, without any respite and often with limited resources. As a nurse it distresses me greatly to see graphic images of older, frail patients waiting for long periods on trolleys in overcrowded emergency departments.