13.06.14
Displaying doctors’ names can help deliver good patient care – AoMRC
Hospitals must develop a way to display the name of doctors and nurses providing care for patients to ensure people receive good quality care.
This is according to new guidance published by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC), which says displaying the information of the Responsible Consultant/Clinician and the Named Nurse helps to develop positive, trusting relationships between clinicians and patients.
AoMRC states that there is no single correct solution to how the details should be displayed, but it has suggested that it should be highlighted in the relevant place i.e. if visitors require the information, it needs to be at the bedside; and the information displayed should be clear and simple. However, the overall decision on what action to take must be down to local organisations.
It was outlined that the Responsible Consultant/Clinician is an individual named consultant/clinician who has responsibility for the overall management, continuity and delivery of all care to a patient throughout their hospital stay.
“Also, wherever if possible, the Responsible Consultant/Clinician should remain the same for the duration of a patient’s hospital stay. There may be occasions when it is clinically appropriate that the role is formally transferred to another consultant with the documented agreement of all parties,” the guidance states.
In addition, the Named Nurse refers to the allocated registered nurse who is caring for the patient during their shift and will be a primary point of contact for a patient and their relatives/carers. The Named Nurse will change with every nursing shift change, and this needs to be communicated to the patient.
Dr Johnny Marshall, GP and director of policy at the NHS Confederation, said: “It is important that patients know who is ultimately responsible for their care. Displaying the names of the accountable doctor and nurse is a good building block to developing positive, trusting relationships between clinicians and their patients.
“This is vital to ensuring patients receive good quality care. Everyone involved in the management or delivery of NHS services has a personal responsibility for the quality of care they provide and ensuring the safe transfer of that responsibility when patients leave hospital.”
AoMRC added that the main concepts behind the guidance are to both improve the accountability of clinicians and communication with patients and families.
Professor Sir Peter Rubin, chair of council at the General Medical Council, said: “Being in hospital can be a worrying experience for many and this new role should provide reassurance to patients and their families across England that there is someone overseeing their hospital journey.
“We want to do what we can to support doctors who are taking on this new role and this is why we have produced a helpful guide which pulls together our existing guidance which we hope doctors will find useful.”
To view the full guidance, click here.
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