Report: The Make Every Child Count Study

This new study confirmed that the number of children in England with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions has continued to rise over the last 17 years.  It acknowledges there is an urgent need to make sure that children’s palliative care services are properly planned, funded and delivered.  It’s hoped the study will make it easier for government, the NHS, children’s palliative care providers and others to do this.  Published April 2020.

Fraser, L. 2020. The Make Every Child Count, Estimating current and future prevalence of children and young people with life-limiting conditions in the United Kingdom study.  Martin House Research Centre & University of York.

A summary of the key findings available here

News piece and report: Children's Palliative Care - a workforce in crisis

Together for Short Lives CEO, Andy Fletcher sums up the current crisis in the children's palliative care workforce.  For more details download the report "A workforce in crisis" published October 2019.

Article: Nursing Rotation Programme: Children's Hospices and the NHS

In 2018, Children's Hospices Across London (CHaL) launched the Burdett Nurse Rotation Programme.  Working alongside hospice teams, statutory services and academic partners, the project provides opportunities for nurses to rotate between hospice, community and acute care facilities.   Katie Stevens the Project Manager writes about the highlights and challenges of managing the project.
Contact the library for a copy of the article and power point presentation given at the Hospice UK 2019 conference.

15 seconds 30 minutes - empowering staff at all levels to improve the workplace

15 Seconds 30 Minutes (15s30m) is a quality improvement initiative encouraging staff to identify small tasks which can take a few seconds but will save someone else 30 minutes later.  The aim is to "increase joy in the workplace, reduce frustration and improve patient experience".  Originating from Bradford NHS Trust, and winner of the 2017 NHS Improvements award, it's being adopted across many NHS organisations, encouraging staff at all levels to feel empowered to make small changes.
Read more here

Guidance: A new approach to supporting community healthcare funding testing and guidance

Published by NHS England and NHS Improvement, the document sets out the process for testing the new draft currencies developed as part of the Community Currency Development Project.   It includes information on children with complex needs/disabilities, and those who will be transitioning to adult services.  May 2019.

Available to download

Article: Leadership needs to come at all levels to make a great workforce

An article describing how two Senior Managers at large NHS Trusts in London discuss have empowered their staff to improve performance.

Pearce, L. 2019. Leadership needs to come at all levels to make a great workforce.  Nursing Standard, 34 (6) p 55 - 58.  
Contact the library for a copy.

Article: The balancing act of flexible working

A review of what a number of NHS Trusts have done regarding role design and job flexibility to help the NHS recruit and retain staff.

Moore, A. 2019.  The balancing act of flexible working.  Nursing Standard, 34 (6) p 26 - 29.
Contact the library for a copy.

Research: Improving organisational well being - Schwartz Rounds

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) conducted this research looking at the effectiveness of Schwartz Rounds - a forum for clinical and non clinical teams to share stories and discuss the emotional impact of delivering healthcare.  115 organisations, including hospices who use them were involved in the research.  It showed that overtime staff participating in the sessions felt less stressed and isolated and more empathetic when dealing with patients and colleagues. It offers one of the few evidence based interventions that work at both organisational and person centred level.

Read more here

Report: The NHS Long Term Plan - 5 things you need to know

From the Think Tank - The Kings Fund, an analysis of the NHS 10 year plan, summing up the key points and areas to be aware of.  Relevant for both NHS and voluntary organisations.

Read more here

News piece: Hospice and palliative care charities respond to the NHS Long Term Plan

A response in Hospice UK's eHospice on the NHS Long Term Plan.  It includes a response from Hospice UK and Chief Executive of Together for Short Lives Andy Fletcher.

Read more here

Book: Managing Transitions: making the most of change

An updated, 2017 4th edition  Managing Transitions: making the most of change is the best selling guide to dealing with the human side of organisational change.  Directed at managers of all levels, it provides step by step strategies for minimizing disruptions, navigating uncertain times and bringing staff through these changes.

Contact the library  for a copy

Report: Together for Short Lives' report to NHS England: a national overview of the readiness of the children's palliative care sector to implement the NICE End of Life Care for Infants, Children and Young People: Planning and Management Guidelines

Published in December 2017, this report by Together for Short Lives with the support of NHS England provides a baseline of the current position of the children’s palliative care sector in providing high quality, equitable palliative and end of life care based on the NICE guideline.  The data was collected from the regional children’s palliative care networks and then collated and analysed against the NICE guideline. The results show a mixed level of achievement reflecting the wide variation that exists across each of the networks.

Available to download here

Report: Influencing Locally: A Toolkit For Hospices

The toolkit has been produced to support hospices to identify and build relationships locally, and to raise awareness and influence key statutory bodies to ensure that hospice care is on the agenda of local decision makers. The guide provides information on local health and well being boards, clinical commissioning groups, and includes a "how to influence" section.

Hospice UK, 2016.  Influencing locally: a toolkit for hospices in England. Hospice UK.

Copy available from the library

[Report] Briding the Gap: Strengthening Relationships Between Hospices and Muslims

The report was commissioned by Hospice UK and Together for Short Lives with the aim to learn how hospices and British Muslim communities can mutually strengthen engagement.  It gives a detailed insight into end of life care for Muslims and makes a number of recommendations to work together better across the UK.

Ahmed, S. & Siddiqi, N.  2015. Bridging the gap: strengthening relationships between hospices and muslims. Woolf Institute, and Hospice UK, and Together for Short Lives.  48 pages.

Available to download or request a copy for loan from the library

Article: Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards: Road to Ruin?

Written by medical staff at Willow Wood Hospice, the authors express strong views against the deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS).  Born out of good intentions, DoLS create more issues than solves they argue, and call on their colleagues in the UK and elsewhere in Europe to take up the debate.

Tapley, M. Regan, A. & Jolley D. 2016.  Deprivation of liberty safeguards: road to ruin?  European Journal of Palliative Care, 23 (2) p 88-89.

To request a copy, click here and return form to library.

[Article] What does your board know about the Care Act?

The Care Act 2014 which came into force on the 1st April 2015 is the single most important piece of law affecting social care in over 60 years.  This 2 page article discusses the new regulatory regime and summaries what care providing charities should have in place.

Shiva, S. 2015.  What does your board know about the Care Act?  Charity Finance Yearbook 2015.  Charity Finance. p143-145.

To request a copy, click here and return form to library.

Report: Multiple and multidemensional transitions: understanding the life transitions for young adults cared for by CHAS and the impact on their parents, siblings and health professionals.

The report sought to better understand the life transitions of young adults with life-limiting illnesses and their families cared for by Children's Hospices Association Scotland (CHAS).  It found that the young adults' medical conditions impacted on several other areas of their life, including their plans for the future, education, employment and relationships.  The report also indicated that children’s hospices may not be best suited to meet the wide variety of needs that young adults (between the ages of 15 and 25) have. The research was carried out by Dundee and Nottingham Universities.

Summary available to download here

Healthcare Briefing - CQC's approach to Duty of Candour

This 2 page healthcare briefing has been designed to be read in conjunction with the CQC's document on meeting the statutory requirements in relation to Duty of Candour within the NHS and independent sector.   It oulines the process the CQC are proposing to follow and what will take place during an inspection.  

Radcliffe Le Brasseur, May 2015.  Healthcare Briefing - CQC's approach to Duty of Candour

Click  here to download the Briefing

Click here to download the CQC Regulation 20: Duty of Candour - Information for Healthcare Providers

Guidance: Professional duty of Candour

The statutory Duty of Candour which has been in force for NHS bodies for over six months, was extended to non-NHS providers in April 2015.  This guidance written by the Nursing & Midwifery Council and General Medical Council sets out how healthcare professionals should apply the Duty of Candour on an individual basis.

NMC & GMC, 2015.  Openness and honesty when things go wrong: the professional duty of candour.

Click here  to download guidance

Report: Together for Short Lives Three Year Strategy 2015-18

The strategy focuses on five key priority areas: providing information and advice to families; improving the quality of life and death for children and young people; strengthening the commissioning of services so providers are more sustainable; transforming transitions for young people and increasing community engagement and volunteering in children’s palliative care.

Together for Short Lives, 2015.  Together for Short Lives Three Year Strategy 2015-2018: Quality of Life, Quality of Death: Leading Change of Children's Palliative Care. TfSL.

Available to download here