As Firebreak entered day 2, NHS Lanarkshire’s senior leaders visited a number of different departments across University Hospital Wishaw, University Hospital Monklands and the Flow Navigation Centre (FNC+Plus) to hear about all the incredible work taking place in teams across these sites to enable us to deliver the best possible care to the people we serve.
Click here to watch a short video from Dr Ken Dagg, Chief of Medical Services at University Hospital Wishaw.
In the video Ken talks about the importance of the board rounds and huddles in our continuing care wards. There has been a big emphasis on Planned Date of Discharge (PDD) and the 24/72 hour rule.
The 24/72 Rule is being introduced during Firebreak to ensure safe, speedy discharge as close as possible to the Planned Date of Discharge (PDD).
Staff must ensure they are aware of what this means as applying it consistently across all three acute hospital sites will help prevent delays for our patients.
The 24/72 Rule for Requesting Support on Discharge:
- Minimum of 24-hours’ notice must be given before PDD for patients who have an existing package of care (restarts)
- Minimum of 72-hours’ notice must be given before PDD for patients who need a new referral for supported discharge.
Requests for support on discharge will be triaged by the social work team and, if accepted, directed onto the relevant team for processing.
Multidisciplinary team working during the patient’s stay and the earliest notice possible of requests helps support safe and timely discharge.
The 24/72 rule started on Monday 16 September and continue beyond Firebreak.
Firebreak background
The Firebreak initiative focuses on improving safety, quality of care, and staff wellbeing. This vital programme will help create lasting, positive change for everyone across NHS Lanarkshire.
During the Firebreak, we aim to:
- Lower occupancy rates in our hospitals
- Fewer patients boarding in non-appropriate areas
- Improved patient experiences and outcomes
- Create a more satisfying work environment for our staff.
A new FAQ document has been published with all you need to know about Firebreak ’24: Sustainable Change, Safer Care. Click here to find out more about what Firebreak will achieve, how you can play your part and the sustainable change that teams are working together to deliver.
Feedback and Engagement
We highly value your feedback and encourage you to actively participate in shaping Firebreak ’24:
- Feedback Channels: Please use our dedicated email address operationFLOW@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk to share your thoughts, suggestions and questions
- Stay Engaged: Discuss in your teams and stay updated through our weekly internal communications.
- Find Out More: Visit our webpages to find out more about Operation FLOW: www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/OperationFLOW/
Interface Firebreak Frequently Asked Questions
You can learn more about the Flow Navigation Centre Plus (FNC+Plus) – and the broader work of the Interface Directorate – in our FAQ where Trudi Marshall, NHS Lanarkshire’s Interface Director, provides clear answers to key questions.
Together, we are not just addressing the challenges of today but building more resilient services for the future. Your dedication and commitment to this important initiative is crucial to the improvement of our system.
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