Stress-busting NHS staff scheme expands

The expansion of a “groundbreaking” scheme which is meant to help foster a culture of compassionate patient care among NHS staff has been announced by the health minister Dr Dan Poulter. The Department of Health is giving a grant of almost £650,000 over the next two years to the Point of Care Foundation (PCF) to extend the programme.

The scheme, called ‘Schwartz center rounds’ allows NHS staff to get together once a month to reflect on the stresses and dilemmas they faced while caring for patients. Robert Francis QC specifically pointed to the positive impact of Schwartz center rounds in his report.

Staff who have used them said they feel they can communicate better with patients and colleagues, feel less isolated and more supported, feel better able to cope with the emotional pressures of their work, and understand better how their colleagues think.

The sessions are currently run by 15 NHS trusts and by the end of the grant period around 40 more trusts should be running them. For the first time ever, they will also have been piloted with GP practices, district nurses and in the community.

“Shocking failures of care – like Mid Staffs and Winterbourne View – demonstrate the need for more compassionate care right across hospitals and care homes,” Poulter said. “As a doctor, I know how rewarding it is to care for patients, but that there isn’t always the right culture that allows staff to share the challenges they have faced while caring for patients.

“Schwartz center rounds have been shown to help hospital and care staff support each other and learn about how to deal better with tough situations, and spend more time focused on caring for patients in a compassionate way. That is something I want to see more of, and that is why we are expanding this programme.”

PCF director Jocelyn Cornwell added: “Doctors, nurses, health professionals and support workers all work extremely hard to deliver the best possible care to patients. But patients do not always have a good experience of healthcare – sometimes they don’t understand what is happening, their preferences aren’t taken into account or they aren’t spoken to sensitively. Often, this is because staff feel challenged or stressed by the high pressure environment in which they work.

“The Schwartz center rounds give staff an opportunity to discuss their working lives in a supportive and confidential environment. By regularly talking about their experiences, healthcare staff re-connect with the reasons they went into healthcare and develop a greater understanding of their colleagues. This fosters better teamwork and ultimately better care for patients. We hope the Schwartz center rounds will help transform the culture of many organisations and make a significant contribution to improving patient care.”

Marjorie Stanzler, senior director of programs for the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare – which pioneered the idea – said she was extremely pleased that the NHS had made the rounds a central part of its strategy to improve the patient and caregiver experience.

“Our rounds programme has been changing the culture in more than 320 hospitals and other healthcare facilities throughout the United States,” she said, “and we are confident that it will usher in similar changes in the UK.”

Source Public Service.co.uk