Pages
Quality Conversations Training
https://dchs.nhs.uk/about-us/quality-heart-our-care/quality-conversations-training
Prem Singh – reflections from a career in public service
https://dchs.nhs.uk/news/prem-singh-reflections-career-public-service
Files
Neonatal Jaundice Guidelines (G267)
This guidance supports health visitors with management of jaundice in infants.
Disclosure Ref 2024143 - CAFM contract.pdf
Freedom of information disclosure regarding corporate property/assets, ownerships and occupations, lease agreements and facilities management (CAFMSpace and Facilties management) contracts and procurement
Recognition of Patient Deterioration (Adults) Policy (P83)
The aim of this policy is to set the minimum standard and frequency for monitoring and recording adult patients’ vital signs in their own home, Minor Injuries Units, outpatient podiatric surgery and community hospital wards. The mismanagement of deterioration is a common area of systemic failure in avoidable patient death across the NHS (NHS Improvement, 2016, Hogan et al, 2012) and poor communication is a leading cause of adverse events in healthcare. The National Early Warning Score (NEWS) offers a common language to describe and communicate a patient’s acute illness severity by all healthcare professionals in all settings and is central to establishing a national pathway for improving the management of deterioration and sepsis (Inada-Kim and Nsutebu, 2018). This policy aims to increase survival among acutely unwell and deteriorating patients
Water Safety Governance Policy 1.1
Water, Water Safety Group, Legionella, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Legionellosis, Water Management, water flushing.
Disclosure Ref 2024148 - Maintenance Systems Contracts.pdf
Freedom of information disclosure regarding contracts for software used for maintenance management systems
Enhanced Observation Policy (P61)
The purpose of this policy is to describe how supportive observations and engagement maximise people’s safety, minimise risk and initiate and build supportive therapeutic relationships. During times of increased distress or risk, a person may require a temporary period of an enhanced level of supportive engagement to maintain safety for him/her or others while the level of distress or risk is reduced. This will be achieved by establishing a good rapport with the person, promoting their coping skills and being aware of their individual needs/reasonable adjustments. This policy sets out evidence-based practice for individual clinicians, teams and services regarding the engagement and observations of patients being cared for in DCHS inpatient Older People Mental Health and Learning Disability Services only. Observation is seen as an integral part of person-centred treatment planning and contributes to the management and reduction of risk. All forms of observation however will have implications for the patients’ privacy and dignity. The level of observation for each person should be justified as reasonable and proportionate to the degree of risk they pose to either themselves or others and to enable their care needs to be safely met. The aim of The Policy is to provides clear evidence-based guidance for the observation of patients within Older People’s Mental Health and the Learning Disability Service. All persons cared for in Older People’s Mental Health and Learning disability clinical areas are observed by the staff.
STAY conversations
DCHS STAY conversations - managers guide. This is a management tool, not a formal process, aimed at supporting staff retention.
Disclosure Ref 2024162 - Committee Meeting Software.pdf
Freedom of Information disclosure regarding committee meeting management software
Incident Reporting Policy (P80)
Derbyshire Community Health Services (DCHS) NHS Foundation Trust is committed to ensuring the safety of patients, staff, visitors, and contractors alike. DCHS aspires to provide a Zero Harm environment. The policy considers the recommendations of the Department of Health publications: An Organisation with a Memory, Building a Safer NHS, Doing less Harm and the former National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) publication Building a memory: preventing harm, reducing risks and improving patient safety, Berwick report 2013 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and subsequent subsidiary reports. The reporting, management and investigation of adverse incidents are fundamental elements of risk management. Sharing the learning from adverse incidents (including near misses) enables the organisation to implement changes to practice, processes, and systems so that the risk of harm is reduced. In addition to the human costs, if incidents are not properly managed, they may result in a loss of public confidence in the organisation and a loss of assets.
Clinical Record Keeping Policy and Standards (P6)
This policy aims to ensure that the clinical records made by staff are fit for purpose and of a quality that provide for objective, accurate, current and comprehensive information that supports and enables the best clinical care and treatment for the patient/client. This policy has incorporated a range of best practice and related legislative requirements to outline the organisations expectations for clinical record keeping standards, both on paper and electronically. The policy provides support to the organisation in meeting its statutory and legal obligations as laid down by the Records Management: NHS Code of Practice 2016; Data Protection Act 1998 section 7, General Data Protection Regulation 2018 and relevant professional bodies. The policy also identifies the standards expected of all registered and non-registered staff. It sets a minimum standard, which will be applicable to all patient settings, including community clinics and inpatient areas. This policy does not replace standards set by professional organisations, but is complementary to them and should be used in conjunction with them.