Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital has been praised as an ‘excellent example’ of patient care in today’s NHS by England’s Chief Nursing Officer, Jane Cummings. She was impressed by the achievements of staff at the hospital in developing and implementing its pioneering Patient Vision.
Ms Cummings said: “The work of everyone at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital in implementing their Patient Vision Experience during the past three years is a great example of best practice in today’s NHS. The work of the hospital fits perfectly with Compassion in Practice – the three year vision and strategy for nursing, midwifery and care staff which I launched at the end of last year.” At the heart of the strategy are the 6Cs – Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage and Commitment. “The 6Cs recognise the changing landscape of the healthcare sector and articulates the values for the nursing and midwifery professions’ role in delivering the highest possible standards of care,” said Ms Cummings. Speaking at the first UK Conference on Patient and Family Centred Care, Ms Cummings highlighted the fact that patient mortality rates are lower in hospitals where staff have the opportunities to influence and contribute to improvements at work. “A positive organisational climate is associated with low and declining levels of patient mortality,” she said. The Patient Vision Experience insisted upon a standard by which all activities – clinical and non-clinical – are measured. It comprised six steps – Reputation, Arrival, Patient Contract, Stay, Treatment and After Stay – and gave staff permission to challenge care they did not feel met the hospital’s ambitious standards. Both staff and patient experience measures have shown significant improvements as a result.
