A range of successes were spotlighted at the latest meeting of the Executive Flow Oversight Board (EFOB), held at University Hospital Wishaw (UHW).
This was the first EFOB that was held at one of our acute hospitals and future meetings will continue to rotate across the three acute hospitals.
The key objective of EFOB is to oversee and connect the various strands of priority work across the health board and the partnerships, to bring performance improvement, enhanced patient safety and even greater staff wellbeing.
EFOB’s aim is to oversee and monitor the improvement work within NHS Lanarkshire and the two university health & social care partnerships, focusing on three priority areas:
- Managing demand
- Maintaining a positive admission and discharge balance
- Maximising output.
Russell Coulthard, NHS Lanarkshire Director of Acute Services, said: “I was very pleased to be at UHW EFOB meeting to hear from site colleagues about transformational approaches within unscheduled care that have already made tangible improvements to patient flow.
“EFOB has a crucial role in achieving our improvement ambitions, and the positive feedback we received about having the meeting on site underlines our decision to continue to hold them at our acute hospitals over the coming months.”
Speaking about recent successes at University Hospital Wishaw, Claire Ritchie, Director of Hospital Services, said: “We have increased the use of our hospital discharge lounge from 22% to 40%. We have also seen a 25% increase in activity in our new minors unit, with a notable rise in category four patients being attended to. This has been made possible by our innovative blended workforce model, integrating physiotherapy and nursing.
“Additionally, within just two weeks of launching our new trauma assessment initiative, operating from 8am to 8pm, five days a week, we have successfully redirected 78 patients from across the three emergency departments.
“I would like to say ‘thank you and well done to everyone who helped make these achievements possible. It has been a real team effort.”
Examples of some of the comments posted on Care Opinion by patients, relatives and cares about the trauma assessment unit include:
- “Scott and Jill were absolutely amazing so funny, helpful. Everything was explained in great detail, made my girl feel so relaxed. Cast was done great. Honestly could not fault them or the work they did at all!”
- “Was sent to trauma unit at UHW. The staff were fantastic and very caring. The nurse and Dr Karen who attended me were exceptional. I was examined and attended to without delay and staff kept me up to date what was happening. I was sent home and advised I would receive a call the next day for an MRI. I thought that wouldn’t happen, however next day I was asked to attend for MRI and was advised of the results later that day by phone.
- “I hope this service continues as it is an example of what should happen when sent to UHW, and what the NHS should be like. Thank you Dr Karen and the lovely nurse for your care and support it was a positive experience.”
- “Lauren and Scott made me feel really relaxed and explained everything to me. They were really friendly and put me at ease and changed my sling. Answered any questions that I had.”
- “I didn’t have to wait longer than 10 minutes before the consultant came and examined my knee, they referred me there and then for an MRI and said I was likely to hear from them within 2-4 weeks. I can’t thank all the staff within the team that day enough. Charge nurse Jill in particular, she got my knee into a brace, fixed my crutches and sent me off with pain killers. Both the nursing staff and doctors within the clinic were so supportive and very easy to talk with. There was a lovely, positive and inclusive atmosphere within the clinic and most definitely the best experience I have had within the NHS.”
