Greg Hands M.P. has welcomed plans announced by the Prime Minister to put patients before paperwork.
The new drive will make a huge difference, allowing patients from to lead hospital inspections and freeing nurses from bureaucracy. The changes include:
- · Getting rid of bureaucracy that stops nurses from doing what they do best.
- · Introducing regular nursing rounds to systematically and routinely check that patients are comfortable, are properly fed and hydrated, and are treated with dignity and respect. The Royal College of Nurses (RCN) will assist with implementation.
- · Improving leadership on the wards: people want to see a figure of authority on the ward. To help do so, a Nursing Quality Forum of front line nurses and nursing leaders will be set up, charged with taking a national leadership role in promoting excellent care and ensuring good practice is adopted across the NHS.
- · Introducing new patient-led inspections of hospital wards: local people will go in as part of teams assessing cleanliness, dignity and nutrition and their findings will be published.
- · Introducing a new ‘friends and family test’ to check that patients, carers and staff would recommend their hospital to their families and friends in their hour of need. We will publish the results and hospital leaders who fail this test will be held to account.
Commenting, Greg Hands M.P. said: “For years, Labour loaded bureaucracy on the NHS, making it harder and harder for doctors and nurses to get on with their jobs and treat their patients. The Prime Minister’s announcement will finally change this, introducing patient-led hospital inspections and freeing up nurses from paperwork so they can make hourly ward rounds.
“We have many important hospitals in the local area, including Charing Cross, Chelsea and Westminster, Royal Marsden and the Royal Brompton. I am delighted that they will benefit.”