Making Waves October 07 - James Paget University Hospitals

Essence of Care Update
Cherry Townsend, Clinical
Educator for Essence of Care
gives an update on how this
important programme is
progressing.
The fundamental concept of Essence of Care
(EOC) is that it hopefully improves the
patient’s experience through their healthcare journey. As
highlighted in the March edition of Making Waves, EOC
benchmarking is an ongoing process of comparing, sharing and
developing practice in order to achieve and sustain best
practice.
The framework consists of 10 benchmarks. EOC was
launched here in March 2003 and since then we have
undertaken three benchmarks:
✔ Food and Nutrition
✔ Privacy and Dignity
✔ Continence Care
Achievements with these ongoing benchmarks were
covered in the March edition, but we’ve made more progress
since then, including:
FOOD AND NUTRITION
Protected Mealtimes:
The concept of providing a calm atmosphere, with a focus on
serving appetising meals and providing patients with
uninterrupted times to eat and enjoy their food has always
been our aim. As part of the nutrition benchmark for EOC, we
should be attempting to provide an environment which is
conducive to comfortable eating.
The concept of Protected Mealtimes has been previously
launched within the Trust, with staff successfully implementing
the initiative in some areas very well. However, a recent
nutrition observational audit showed non-urgent clinical
activities continued to take place in some areas during the time
allocated as a protected mealtime. So it’s proposed that we relaunch
protected mealtimes again over the next few months,
sharing the best practice achieved in some areas and promoting
the benefits of the initiative throughout the Trust.
I appreciate it’s very difficult to totally achieve this initiative
in a busy acute hospital, so a project team will be developed
representing all services involved. This will be widely advertised
throughout the Trust with regular updates and feedback on
progress. Presentations and training sessions are also planned
to assist with the implementation process.
Friends and relatives who visit patients to assist at mealtimes
will of course continue to be encouraged to visit.
Adapted Cutlery:
We are reviewing purchasing more adapted cutlery and holding
them in a central store in the kitchen for ward use.
Standardising the use of the red trays:
An updated nutrition pathway will be provided to each clinical
area, describing options
available to the nutritionally
compromised patient, including
the use of the red trays,
screening and referrals.
Nutrition Policy:
Is being reviewed.
Conversion to “Thick and Easy” thickener:
Replacing Nutilis as a thickening agent. Speech and Language
therapy are instigating the change. Training is taking place
around the Trust provided by Fresenius reps.
Mealtime support Volunteers:
Nine volunteers have been trained to provide mealtime
support; once all have completed assessments in practice, the
service is likely to expand.
CONTINENCE CARE
We are negotiating with Coloplast to agree the content of a
staff training programme for the remainder of 2007 and 2008,
promoting continence.
Free Distance Learning packages for continence care continue
to be available from nurse education.
NEW BENCHMARK
The next EOC Benchmark will be Pressure Ulcers. The first
project team met in August to discuss the content of the
benchmark and the proposed format of the audit tool. The first
audits will take place in November 2007.
Essence of Care has been designed to provide a structured
approach to developing best practice and assisting staff to
achieve and sustain the fundamentals of nursing care and to
focus once again on ‘getting the basics right.’
Once an Essence of Care culture has been established,
sustaining momentum and maintaining interest in delivering
the essence of care is crucial to its continued progress.
❝ I would like to thank all the staff who
continue to be enthusiastic and motivated in
achieving the goals set by the Essence of Care
benchmarks. ❞
If you would like to be involved with any of the initiatives mentioned or need assistance with any stages of the Essence of Care
process, please do not hesitate to contact Cherry Townsend on ext 3731.
CELEBRATION DAY
A day to celebrate Essence of Care achievements, incorporating the launch of the new pressure ulcers benchmark is planned for
Tuesday 16th October in the Boardroom. This is open to all staff and will give you an opportunity to see what’s been achieved
since we started our first benchmark four years ago and also ideas for how we move forward with the new benchmark.
10 October 2007 Making Waves
www.jpaget.nhs.uk