News

New free courses offered

Presenting magically - Monday 9th June 2008 in Macclesfield.

Strategic thinking - Thursday 3rd July 2008 in Macclesfield.

Creating a social enterprise - Tuesday 13th May 2008 in Manchester.

Increasing your personal effectiveness - Wednesday 23rd April 2008 in Buxton.

Power networking - 24th April 2008 in Stockport.

Reclaim over 8 hours a week - 12th May 2008 in Manchester.

Double the income of your social enterprise - Tuesday 15th April 2008 in Stockport.

"Modernising nursing careers - setting the direction" published

This report from the 4 Chief Nursing Officers sets the direction for modernising nursing careers. The priorities focus on the careers of registered nurses, but it is recognised that nurses do not work in isolation and nursing teams include more than registered nurses. Nursing careers also need to take account of changes in the careers of other professional groups. Importantly, this report recognises that careers take different forms: while some will choose to climb an upward ladder of increasing responsibility and higher rewards, many other nurses choose a more lateral career journey, moving within and between care groups and settings. Our actions are for all nurses no matter what the nature of their career. The report can be downloaded here (pdf format - 323 Kb)

New Social Enterprise Briefings

Mary Seacole leadership and development awards

NHS Employers, the DOH and healthcare unions are offering two new awards under the Mary Seacole 2007 leadership and development awards scheme. Each award is worth £12,500 and provides an opportunity to undertake a year-long project or other activity to enhance patient care. Further information is from carol.baxter@nhsemployers.org

Queens Nursing Institute Awards for 2007

The QNI offers a number of different awards schemes that offer funding and support for practice-based or research projects, as well as an award to recognise outstanding service in the field of community nursing.

They are currently seeking applications for our 2007 Innovative and Creative Practice Awards including:

• Awards of up to £7,500 for which all community nurses are eligible to apply
  
• The Maureen Acland Award for Research & Development Award offering £7,500 for a project that will question and advance nursing practice
  
• The Queen’s Nursing Institute /Alzheimer’s Society Excellence in Dementia Care Award with funding of up to £6,000
  
• The Queen’s Nursing Institute / Multiple Sclerosis Society Award available to those looking to make a difference to the care and support of people with multiple sclerosis (with funding of up to £7,500)

The award schemes are coordinated by Anne Pearson and Cathie Brennan. You can download application forms and guidance from the QNI site.

Trusts not complying with Race Relations Act 

An audit by the Healthcare Commission has found that the NHS may not be complying with legislation aimed at promoting equality. Their findings suggest that most trusts have not met their responsibilities to publish information under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. Inspectors spent 30 minutes scanning each website of all 570 NHS trusts, looking for information that legislation has required public bodies to publish since May 2002. In that half an hour, they could only find this information on the websites of seven NHS trusts - around one per cent of the total. The audit is not a definitive test of compliance, but the findings do suggest a significant problem with the number of trusts meeting statutory codes of practice

Busynurse.com launched

The European Nursing Leadership Foundation has launched www.busynurse.com which is a website aimed at helping the personal and professional development of nurses. The site is full of free resources including career diagnostic tests, clinical and non-clinical e-learning, CV and portfolio development, nursing blogs, clinical and nursing news and much much more. The site can be accessed at www.busynurse.com

District nurses ‘lack leadership’, says QNI

A lack of professional leadership has left the district nursing workforce without an effective voice in policy making and planning, according to a report from the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI). The report, Vision and Values: A call for action on community nursing, published last month, is based on interviews with groups of district nurses across the UK. It says that many district nurses are critical of nursing organisations for an absence of vision or national leadership at a time when their workloads are increasing but their numbers are dwindling. Early discharge of patients means that, according to one nurse, ‘the patients emerge quicker and sicker so we have to work faster and slicker’. Many district nurses report staff shortages and that their services run on good will alone.

The QNI argues that a national vision for district and community nursing, and a strategy to deliver it, are needed. This would include a leadership development programme to ensure that the expertise of district nurse is integral to decision making about policy, strategic commissioning and service delivery.Institute director Rosemary Cook called for a new national forum of professional organisations and health departments to take forward issues raised by the report. Chief nursing officer for England Chris Beasley said: ‘With all the developments in community and primary care, it is vital that the profession begins to explore what we need to do to ensure our profession can fulfil its own aspirations and those of commissioners. This QNI report provides a helpful and timely contribution to this process’

The report can be ordered from the QNI at www.qni.org.uk

Burdett Trust for Nursing launches 'Leadership and the Business of Caring' - a project to take patient care issues "from bedside to boardroom."

A new nursing initiative aims to push patient care up the Board agenda of health trusts and address the further development of senior nurses. The Burdett Trust for Nursing has commissioned the Office for Public Management (OPM) to carry out a study to form the basis for the development for executive nurses and the Boards of which they are members.

Increasingly patient-centred healthcare provision and commissioning are demanding a different approach to the way local Boards operate and manage patient care .Customer care, reputation, marketing, risk management and innovative quality care now need equal ranking with finance, targets and outcomes on Boards' agendas. OPM will conduct surveys, interviews and workshops over the next two months involving a wide range of those with professional and community interests in healthcare. It will report results and recommendations in mid April. Alan Gibbs, chairman of the Trust, said: 'The development of leadership for patient care is one of our key areas of interest and we have made it the subject of the Trust's first commissioned project. Being independent gives us a unique opportunity to push the boundaries of innovation in support of patients and nurses.' For more info, please visit the Burdett Fund for Nursing.

Self-assessment toolkit - From values to action: The Chief Nursing Officer’s review of mental health nursing

This toolkit is intended to complement the report From values to action: The Chief Nursing Officer’s review of mental health nursing. From values to action makes a number of good practice recommendations that apply to nurses working in services for people across the whole age range. Recommendations relate to nursing practice and education and the organisational context in which care is provided. The toolkit is largely for the use of organisations, in consultation with stakeholders – but anyone can use it to reflect on current local nursing-related issues.

It is anticipated that, during 2008, stakeholder organisations that contributed to From values to action will together review developments to date. A research evaluation project is also being established to identify progress and ways in which successful implementation can happen.

Download Self-assessment toolkit - From values to action: The Chief Nursing Officer’s review of mental health nursing (DOC, 217K)

Towards a Million Change Agents - a review of the social movements literature: implications for large scale change in the NHS by Paul Bate, Helen Bevan &Glenn Robert

This review has four objectives:
• to explore ‘social movements’ as a new way of thinking about large-scale systems change
• to assess the potential contribution of applying this new perspective to NHS improvement
• to enrich and extend NHS thinking in relation to large-scale, system-wide change, and
• to begin to establish a research and evidence base to support the emergence of an improvement movement in the NHS.

This review offers a new perspective on large-scale systems change which may provide new ways of thinking and approaching service improvement and organisational change and development within the NHS.
The central thesis of the review is that by combining insights from organisational studies and social movements theory and analysis, we may discover some previously unused or under-utilised concepts and theories of change that may - in parallel with existing approaches - contribute to or extend NHS improvement efforts. To date, social movement analysts have looked to organisational theory but there has been little exchange of ideas in the opposite direction. This review
builds on recent work, mostly in the United States, which has begun to redress that imbalance and to promote two-way dialogue. This can be downloaded here (pdf format - 190Kb).

Impact of the Manager’s Span of Control on Leadership and Performance by Doran et al

This study examined the relationships between types of leadership, the number of staff that managers are responsible for, and patient and nurse outcomes.

• Nurse managers with positive leadership styles, who develop, stimulate, and inspire followers to exceed their own self-interests for a higher purpose and are based on a series of exchanges or interactions between leader and followers, had more-satisfied staff.
• Nurse managers with negative leadership styles, who take action only when required or when issues become serious or who avoid leadership responsibilities, had less-satisfied staff.
• Patient satisfaction was higher on units where managers used a positive leadership style.
• Patient satisfaction was lower on units where managers had a large number of staff reporting to them.
• Units with managers who had a large number of staff reporting to them had higher levels of staff turnover.
• Units with managers who used a positive leadership style had lower levels of staff turnover.
• Having a large number of staff reporting to the managers reduced the positive effect of the positive leadership styles on staff satisfaction and increased the negative effect of the negative leadership styles on staff satisfaction.
• Having a large number of staff reporting to the managers also reduced the positive effect of the positive leadership styles on patient satisfaction.
• No leadership style will overcome having a large number of staff reporting to the managers.
• Organizations should implement management training programs to develop positive leadership styles.
• Guidelines need to be developed regarding the optimum number of staff that should report to nurse managers.

The full report can be downloaded here (pdf format - 453 Kb)

New white paper published on the future of the NHS

"Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services" has just been published which sets out the future direction of community and GP services. The full document can be downloaded here (3.01Mb pdf format) and there is a summary document which can also be downloaded here (58Kb)

Guide to social enterprises

One of the areas highlighted in the white paper is the increasing role of social enterprises and we are receiving an increasing number of queries about what social enterprises are and how to develop them. The Social Enterprise have published an excellent publication, "a guide to social enterprises" which can be downloaded here (4.1 Mb pdf format).

Queen's Nursing Institute annual awards scheme

Community nurses are being offered the chance to apply for up to £7,500 to support their health projects in an annual awards scheme run by the Queen's Nursing Institute. Entries are now open for the institute's innovative and creative awards, which offer funding and support to community nurses working in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to develop projects which will enhance the care and lives of patients. The awards have been made over the past 15 years to a diverse range of projects, from falls prevention to men's health in prisons, and to nurses in every type of community role. They also provide support to project teams and a year-long professional development programme through a series of two-day workshops. Staff at the Queen's Nursing Institute are happy to discuss prospective applications with nurses who are interested.

Applications close on 30 January and more information is available by calling 020 7490 4227 or e-mailing anne.pearson@qni.org.uk

Commissioning a Patient-led NHS Update

"Commissioning A Patient-Led NHS - Human Resources Framework for SHAs and PCTs" has just been published which explains how the transition process will be managed for PCT and HA staff. This can be downloaded here (pdf format 79Kb).This guidance includes transition arrangements, employment issues, action to support staff at risk of compulsory redundancy, pay protection and the potential impact of age legislation on redundancy payments and pension compensation. PCT reconfiguration options which have been submitted to the Secretary of State can also be downloaded here (pdf format 16Kb). There is a page at the Department of Health site to all the latest updates and information on Commissioning a Patient-Led NHS.

New study on how to develop Community Matron roles

"Supporting Experienced Hospital Nurses to Move into Community Matron Roles" by Vari Drennan, Claire Goodman and Stephen Leyshon at the Primary Care Nursing Research Unit can be downloaded here (pdf format 379Kb) This was commissioned by the Department of Health (England)
This is the report of a study to examine the key knowledge and support required by nurses, experienced in the management of patients with long term conditions, to work in primary care contexts in undertaking community matron roles. This study aimed to identify the key knowledge and support that hospital based nurses, who are experienced in caring for patients with long term conditions, require to work in primary care contexts as community matrons. The primary purpose is to inform those with responsibilities for employing community matrons and nurses in case manager roles, as well as those with responsibilities for commissioning of education and training. The study drew on a systematic review of literature, together with group and individual interviews that involved participants from across England. The participants included nurses who were new to primary care both as chronic disease management specialists and staff nurses, community practice teachers, managers, commissioners, researchers and education experts.

Review of the literature on team leadership published

We have published our Review of the Literature on Team Leadership which was commissioned by the Health Foundation. The review can be downloaded here (pdf format 632Kb) and contains an analysis of the key literature on teams, team development and team leadership. It also provides an evidence base to a variety of team interventions and should be of particular use to those who are trying to develop team leadership prorgammes.

New leadership literature added to the site

We have also added an evaluation of the RCN Clinical Leadership Programme and an evaluation of the LEO (Leading Empowered Organisations) Programme which were both commissioned by the Department of Health. The LEO evaluation can be downloaded here (pdf format 753 Kb) and the RCN evaluation can be downloaded here (2.1 Mb)

Evaluation of the impact of nurse consultants published

"An Evaluation of the Impact of Nurse, Midwife and Health Visitor Consultants" is a report developed by Kings College London. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of nurse, midwife and health visitor consultants on service delivery and patient care. Additional aims were to explore their role as leaders, to analyse how consultants craft their role and to determine factors associated with greater effectiveness. The report can be downloaded here (pdf format 1.1 Mb).

The world health report 2004 - changing history

This year's report (produced by the World Health Organisation) examines the global health situation and some of the major threats to health in today's world. Drawing on many examples, the report suggests that major improvements in health for everybody are within reach, and that progress depends on collaboration among governments, international institutions, the private sector and civil society to build stronger health systems.

Click here to download the full report (pdf format - 3852 Kb)
Click here to download the summary report (pdf format - 182 Kb)

New Foundation Trusts announced

Health Secretary John Reid announced the next group of NHS Trusts allowed to make a formal application for NHS Foundation Trust status. He announced that all 32 Trusts that had submitted preliminary applications – including for the first time 8 Mental Health Trusts – had been successful and will now be asked to submit a more detailed application.
To find out more, please click here

New literature reviews on website

We have added new literature reviews on leadership and leadership development. These can be seen here.

New Code of practice for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals

This revised edition has been produced by the Department of Health and builds upon recent experience and offers both principles and standards for all organisations to follow. This revised Code of Practice also gives all healthcare organisations the opportunity to follow the lead set by the NHS in ensuring that international healthcare professionals are not actively recruited from developing countries, as well as broadening its scope to cover the employment of temporary and locum staff for the first time.

Click here to download the new code of practice (pdf format - 112 Kb)

Evaluation of the "Modern Matron" role published

The Department of Health Policy Research Programme commissioned a research team from the RCN Institute and the University of Sheffield to investigate: a) how NHS trusts were establishing ‘modern matron’ posts; b) the experiences of nurses in these posts; and c) the impact of their activities on patient care. The research team was also asked to identify messages and lessons for trusts about the processes and inputs that enabled matrons to work effectively.

Click here to read the Executive Summary (pdf format - 120 Kb)
Click here to read the Full Report (pdf format - 1,517 Kb)

New courses developed - prospective nurse consultant & team development

We have developed two new programmes for prospective nurse consultants and developing teams. Details can be found by clicking:

• Here for prospective nurse consultants
• Here for team development

The state of mental health in the European Union

This report aims to describe and compare the state of mental health in the European Union and Norway, in the context of longstanding efforts of EU public health programmes to promote good mental health and to prevent mental ill health. A documented knowledge of the population’s mental health status, and its determinants, is essential to establish the basis for such programmes and to monitor and improve them.

Click here to download the full report (pdf format - 2,604 Kb)

NHSU and Modernisation Agency dissolved following Arm’s Length Bodies Review

Following the Review of Arm's Length Bodies, John Reid announced the dissolution of the NHSU and Modernisation Agency. A new body will be created which will bring together the work of the NHS Modernisation Agency, the Leadership Centre and the NHSU into a single NHS Institute for Learning, Skills and Innovation, employing 300 rather than the current 1,500 staff.

The new NHS Institute of Learning, Skills and Innovation will promote excellence and innovation across the health system incorporating the work currently carried out by the NHS University and the Modernisation Agency. It will enhance service delivery in the NHS by placing innovation, learning and leadership development at the heart of the NHS in an integrated and efficient manner. It will assume a leadership role in the implementation and delivery of change in the NHS and manage the new Innovation Centre recommended in the Healthcare Industries Taskforce Report published on 18 November 2004.

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