A national NHS Wales programme aimed at increasing the time nurses spend directly caring for patients is being launched today.

Transforming Care, facilitated by the National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare (NLIAH), brings together the best of two very successful initiatives, Transforming Care At the Bedside and Releasing Time To Care.

 

The programme also aims to improve the experience had by patients during a hospital stay and, in partnership with the 1000 Lives Campaign, reduce incidents such as hospital acquired infections and pressure ulcers.

 

Using effective tools and methods staff are able to redesign processes releasing time which is reinvested in patient safety and quality of care.

 

Chris Matthews, Transforming Care Programme Lead at NLIAH said:

“Transforming Care empowers staff to take ownership of the wards they work on and make positive changes for the good of their patients.”

 

Improvements have already been seen as a result of the Transforming Care at the Bedside and Releasing Time To Care initiatives.

 

On two wards at Withybush Hospital in West Wales nurses are now spending one third more of their time with patients and this continues to grow.

 

Judith Bowen, Clinical Practice Development Nurse at Withybush Hospital said:

 

“Nurses on these wards can spend a lot more time caring for patients than before. Thinking about ways of reducing waste and improving quality has made a huge difference to the quality and safety of care we provide.”

For one ward at Morriston Hospital, the focus has been on reducing the number of pressure ulcers. Since introducing the ‘Skin Bundle’ care process in April 2008, Anglesey ward has not seen a single pressure ulcer in 560 days.

 

Nigel Broad, Senior Charge Nurse on Anglesey Ward, said:

 

 

“There have been a number of changes to ensure that this process works. It really has been a culture change with the staff taking on board the importance of pressure ulcer prevention.”

 

“Patients have also been paramount in the success of this initiative and some now refer to the bundle as their contract of care.”

 

One patient on the ward said:

 

"It is only right that this is taken seriously. Pressure ulcers are debilitating and not only cost lots of money to heal but also impact on my quality of life tremendously."