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Rethink on NHS Maternity Services and Midwife Led Units

In a recent announcement by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), maternity services across the UK need a radical rethink.

Under their proposal it suggests a reduction in the number of hospital units, giving more patients access to 24-hour care from senior doctors. It also recommends, for lower risk pregnancies, an increase in the number of units led by a midwife.

This latest proposal from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists comes at a time when birth rates in the UK have reached a 40-year high. According to recent statistics released by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) the total number of babies born in England and Wales during 2010 reached723,165 (1972 witnessed a birth rate of 725,440). Naturally a rising birth rate means more midwives and current figures from the RCM suggest that they need an additional 4,700 midwives to cope.

The RCM general secretary, Cathy Warwick said, “The issue should be top of the government’s agenda. Midwives are working harder and doing more with less and maternity services and the quality of care is suffering. Action is needed by this government and I appeal to David Cameron to accept what the figures are telling him and honour his promise.”

“Failing to do so is a disservice to midwives and more importantly, a disservice to the women and babies those midwives care for.”

With rising birth rates, the demand for more nurse jobs and midwifery jobs need to be addressed by the government with more money being spent on training and recruitment for nurse jobs with the NHS.

Although the National Childbirth Trust welcomed the report they don’t believe it goes far enough and NHS Managers agree, they stated that “Maternity care desperately needs to be reorganised.”

In the past, attempts to re-organise maternity care has proved controversial, but Dr Anthony Falconer, president of the RCOG, said, “If women could be convinced of the greater safety they would be prepared to travel to have their babies.”

Currently the RCOG have reported that in their opinion too many babies are born in traditional hospital units, which in the current financial climate is neither acceptable nor sustainable. Dr Falconer also added that most “out of hours care” is being provided by junior doctors, with the RCOG currently estimating that the number of consultants would need to increase by 1000, to be able to provide “round-the-clock” cover for hospital units.

Dr Falconer also said “There is no doubt if you look at the worst scenario of serious complications, you need the right person, a senior person, there immediately.”

The report estimates that currently across the UK, 56 units see fewer than 2,500 deliveries a year and therefore the proposed changes are likely to affect large cities and towns but rural areas that need to maintain smaller units are likely to remain unaffected. The proposal also recommends an increase in units led by midwives taking pressure off hospital units.

The report was welcomed by Midwives who stated “It could improve the experience for about a third of women who have straightforward deliveries.”, the National Childbirth Trust also commented, saying “The idea of having a network to provide joined-up care for women was one it could support but it would prefer care during pregnancy and maternity to be concentrated in one NHS organisation in each area.”

Mike Farrar, Chief executive of the NHS Confederation said, “Politicians needed to be prepared to speak up for change. Where the case for change is clear, politicians should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with managers and clinicians to provide confidence to their constituents that quality and care will improve as a consequence of this change”. “That has not always been the case, with two ministers in the last Labour government campaigning against the closure of units in Greater Manchester.”

With more babies being born than in previous years the demand for midwife jobs is set to increase with more positions likely to become available in NHS Hospitals and with the possible introduction of more smaller specialist maternity units as recommended by RCOG.

As hospitals across the UK cope with increased births, Nursing Personnel works with our clients across the UK to provide first class nursing personnel at all grades.

Established for over 10 years, all of Nursing Personnel’s nurses are compliant checked under the Nursing and Midwifery Council. We are one of the UK’s largest specialist recruitment service providers and offer a range of positions across the NHS and private healthcare including general nurse jobs, midwife jobs, psychiatric nurse jobs and clinical nurse jobs.

If you are seeking high calibre nursing personnel or want to be part of the best nursing agency in the UK, contact our registration team by telephone, or register online today.

Palliative Care Would Save the NHS Millions

Under a review of Palliative care ordered by the government it could see millions of pounds being saved in a new system for end-of-life care. The review proposes a fairer funding system, which will see a national payment structure being set up. This would cut the current variations around the country with greater clarity on what the state pays for and what is does not.

Currently the total spent by primary care trusts (PCTs) in England on palliative care varies radically dependent upon where the patient lives and this can range from £186 per patient to £6,123, furthermore, where the patient lives also affects the services they receive and this can include whether they receive round-the-clock care. Currently experts estimate that around 90,000 more people die in hospital than they wish to.

The Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley ordered a review of “Palliative Care Funding”, and this review proposed the implementation of a “fair and transparent” funding system where the money is linked to the needs of individual patients.

The scheme proposes that patients undergo an initial assessment of their needs; this in turn is then combined with other factors such as their age and capabilities. The proposed “needs classification system” would have 25 separate classes (13 for adults and 12 for children), each with its own funding, the funding would take into account various factors, including:

  • A Patients personal care needs
  • Whether the patient requires help with washing and eating
  • Is 24/7 nursing care required to support the patient at home
  • Does the patient require a co-ordinator to assist them to work out their state entitlements as well as give them access to local charitable services.

The government’s latest proposal would guarantee funding regardless of where patients live, whether they live in a care home, their own home or in hospital. Currently experts estimate that by 2021, this new palliative scheme will see a reduction in deaths in hospital by up to 60,000, this could save the NHS on average £180m annually.

Thomas Hughes-Hallett, chair of the review and chief executive of Marie Curie Cancer Care, said, “No other country in the world has introduced such a system for both adults and children, so the step is both a bold and necessary one.”

Professor Sir Alan Craft, adviser to the review, said, “The government must act on the recommendations contained in the review because evidence shows us that incentivising the provision of palliative care leads to better outcomes for patients, supports choice and is the most effective way of using NHS resources, we need to remove barriers within the current system to enable this to happen.”

Currently only 20% of patients die at home, which is 30% to 40% less than those patients wanting to die at home. “People want a choice over where to die” confirmed Ciaran Devane, chief executive of MacMillan Cancer Support, she went on to say “Twenty-four hour community nursing services are crucial to the delivery of choice and to the realisation of these ambitious recommendations.”

“It will be up to the government to ensure that these services are standard across the country. We need to see a massive improvement on the 56% of PCTs who currently provide 24-hour community nursing.”

Simon Chapman, director of policy and parliamentary affairs at the National Council for Palliative Care, said, “It is vital that the government acts of the review’s recommendations and creates a fair funding mechanism that will ensure people get high quality end of life care where and when they need it.”

“We only get one chance to get it right for dying people, which is why it must be a priority to ensure everyone who needs it can access palliative care around the clock.”

The government’s latest review and proposal to overhaul palliative care for patients will not only see the NHS save millions a year, which could be spent elsewhere such as on training and recruitment, but it will also see better end-of-life patient care.

This increase in palliative care will see the need to train and recruit more nurses to care for patients at home which can only be a good thing as more nurse and community nurse jobs should become available within the NHS.

As the NHS goes through further changes with the implementation of the palliative care review, Nursing Personnel work alongside our clients to provide first class nursing personnel at all grades, across the UK, to meet the ever changing needs and demands of our clients. If you are looking for your next position or wish to work with one of the UK’s leading specialist recruitment agencies then contact our registration team by telephone, or register online today.

Nursing Personnel Nursing Agency Awarded Platinum Rating by LRANF

Further to Nursing Personnel’s external audit by the London Regional Agency Nursing Framework (LRANF) in conjunction with UCLH we are pleased to have been awarded a platinum rating. This is the highest rating available and equivalent to a compliance score of 95% or higher.

Nursing Personnel work continuously to ensure all nurses and medical staff supplied to the NHS across the UK are fully compliant, competent, and screened to work safely in the clinical area they are supplied to.

We would like to thank all our nurses, operating theatre staff, and healthcare assistants for their continued support and assistance in ensuring all their documentation and compliance is 100% up to date, helping us to achieve a platinum rating.

Nursing Personnel are continuously recruiting nurses, healthcare assistants, and operating theatre staff across the UK. If you are looking for Nursing Jobs anywhere in the UK register with a platinum rating nursing agency online at www.nursing-personnel.com

Nursing Personnel win preferred supplier to London CNWL NHS Foundation Trust

Nursing Personnel are pleased to announce the award of preferred supplier to CNWL (Central and North West London) NHS Foundation Trust for the supply of nursing and health care agency staff.

Nursing Personnel  (part of Medical Professional Personnel Ltd) was selected as a result of being an approved supplier to the NHS under the NHS London Procurement Programme / LPP Framework Agreement. Nursing Personnel are confident that with our competitive charge rates and quality of staff we supply the NHS receives excellent value for money with our service. This is fundamental especially in these challenging economic conditions.

Nursing Personnel will be supplying agency nurses and healthcare assistants to the following locations across London:

  • Kensington & Chelsea
  • Brent
  • Harrow
  • Ealing
  • Hillingdon
  • Westminster
  • St Johns Wood
  • Hammersmith and Fulham
  • Hounslow

Nursing Personnel are looking forward to working with the CNWL NHS Foundation Trust and if you are an agency nurse looking for agency nurse jobs in London please feel free to contact us on 0845 122 0414 or visit our website www.nursing-personnel.com for all the latest nurse jobs across the UK.

For the latest updates and contract awards keep a close eye on Nursing Personnel’s website.

 


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