03.09.13
RCP prioritises elderly in Francis response
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has set out 33 actions in response to the Francis review, with many highlighting the importance of effective care for frail elderly people.
‘Putting patients first’ calls for the NHS to work together to promote a culture change in patient safety, patient experience and quality improvement.
Actions include: developing an Elder-friendly Ward Quality Mark, a Hospital Health Check which aggregates available data on trusts, and agreed definitions for the three tiers of standards recommended by Francis – fundamental, quality and aspirational.
All trainees will be supported in developing leadership skills and the RCP will develop physician guidance on raising concerns. The Future Hospital Commission, which reports on September 12, will provide a means of implementing many of these recommendations.
The response will be reviewed on an annual basis.
Patrick Cadigan, RCP Registrar, said: “It is our role as a royal college to answer the “it’s too difficult” question. The RCP‘s response to the Francis Inquiry sets us on the road to achieving this.
“Many of the instances of substandard care at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust took place in medical wards caring for our most vulnerable patients: frail older people with complex comorbidities. Achieving “gold standard” care for this group must be the priority. It will make a substantial contribution to ensuring that the events at Mid Staffordshire are never repeated.
“Francis’ vision of the patient at the centre of everything the NHS does forces us to reconsider our own actions as individuals and as a body of professionals, and leaves no room for complacency.”
Suzie Hughes, chair of the RCP’s Patient and Carer Network, said: “In their response to Francis, the RCP has set a challenge to its members: they must contribute to a culture of openness by embedding and learning from patient experience. Medical leadership is key to improving patient experience; we must move to a system where doctors lead by example.
“We must get care right for the most vulnerable group, who are often the most challenging to treat: frail older people. The challenge is to embed the experience of this group in hospital care – getting it right for them is our first benchmark.”
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]