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.
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Article: How to check your GDPR compliance

One year on from the launch of the EU GDPR, this article dispels some of the lingering myths.  May 2019.

Contact the library for a copy

Book: Its tough at the top: the No-fibbing Guide to Leadership

It's tough at the top is a practical, no nonsense guide to upper level management from a respected leader in the voluntary sector.  It combines leadership theory and models with personal anecdotes and real life situations.  This 2nd edition includes updated material on working with trustees, practical examples and tools, and feedback from experienced sector leaders.

Debra Allcock Tyler, 2018. It's tough at the top: the No-fibbing Guide to Leadership.  Directory of Social Change.

Contact the library for a copy.

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

Survey: The Commissioning of Hospice Care in England in 2015

Between April and May 2015, Help the Hospices undertook a survey of member hospices to establish a picture of how NHS commissioning arrangements were impacting on hospice funding.  The report identifies a number of concerns, including increasing complexity in the commissioning environment, ongoing uncertainty around the sustainability of statutory funding, and continuing funding cuts and frozen budgets.  The report recommends a series of actions for government, NHS England, CCGs and local authorities.

Help the Hospices, July 2014.  The Commissioning of Hospice Care in England in 2014/2015. Help the Hospices.

To download the report click here

Report: Risk Management for Charities

12 page report from the Institute of Risk Management Charities Special Interest Group, helps charities of all sizes make sense of risk management.  It is consistent with the Charity Commission's requirement.

The Institute of Risk Management, 2014.  Risk management for charities: getting started - supplementary guidance.

Available to download

Report: Hospice Accounts: analysis of the accounts of UK voluntary independent hospices

The report brings together the accounts of 186 hospices in the UK, including adult and children's hospice services.  The report can be used by hospice staff and trustees to benchmark their own hospice against others of the same size.  The report looks in detail at the different types of income, free reserves, deficits and falling reserves, returns of investment, staff costs and audit costs.

Help the Hospices (2014).  Hospice Accounts: analysis of the accounts of UK voluntary independent hospices for the year ended 31 March 2013.

To request a copy, contact the library

Survey: Leadership Survey 2014

Produced jointly by Governance and Charity Finance Magazine, this 4th biennial Trustee Leadership Survey, provides an insight into the make-up of trustee boards at the largest 100 UK charities.  Part 1 focuses on the profile of the chair, their board and key issues they face, while part 2 of the surey looks at gender balance on the trustee board.

Available for loan from the library.

Article: Board diversity: diverse thinking

The magazine Charity Finance recently convened a group of senior sector figures to debate best practice on board and staff diversity.  This article reports on their discussions which included reflecting on their own charity board's diversity, why diversity is important, methods of recruitment and the elements of risk involved in achieving diversity.

Allson, I. July 2014. Board Diversity: diverse thinking. Charity Finance Magazine,

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

Guidance: Developing a balanced score card for your hospice: good practice guide

This guide is one of a series of good practice guides produced by Help the Hospices Board Development Programme, set up to establish the best governance practices in hospices.  The guide looks at the key benefits of adopting a balanced score card approach, the 3 components to it, and the steps involved to create this.

Help the Hospices, 2013  Developing a balanced score card for your hospice: good practice guide. Help the Hospices.

Click here to access the guide on the Help the Hospices web site

Guidance: Strategic planning for your hospice: good practice guide

This guide is one of a series of good practice guides produced by Help the Hospices Board Development Programme, set up to establish the best governance practices in hospices.   The  guide looks at the board's role in strategic planning, the key benefits, the steps involved and the main strategy documents.

Help the Hospices, 2013  Strategic planning for your hospice: good practice guide.  Help the Hospices.

Click here to access the guide on the Help the Hospices web site

Guidance: The tendering process for NHS services in England: a short guide for health professionals tendering for services

This publication acts as a short guide for health professionals who are new to the process of tendering for services in the NHS. It explains the processes in each of the key stages and provides tips on what to consider at each stage.

Royal College of Nursing, 2013.  The tendering process for NHS services in England: a short guide for health professionals tendering for services.  RCN.

Available on loan from the library or download here

Article: Compliance Toolkit: protecting charities from fraud and financial crime

Updated in June 2012, the guidance aims to highlight some of the types of fraud and financial crime to which charities are vulnerable and provide practical advice for trustees and senior managers on how to tackle it.

Charity Commission, 2012.  Compliance Toolkit: Protecting charities from harm: Chapter 3 - Fraud and Financial Crime.

Available on loan from the library or download here

Guidance: The role of hospices in supporting young people in transition

Published in October 2013 by Help The Hospices, the report considers the key role that hospices have in ensuring a smooth transition for young adults who need their services, as they reach adulthood.   The report looks at the role of both children's and adult's hopsices.

Help the Hospices, 2013.  The role of hospices in supporting young people in transition.

Available on loan from the library or download here

Guidance: The tendering process for NHS services in England: a short guide for health professionals tendering for services [guidance]

This publication acts as a short guide for health professionals who are new to the process of tendering for services in the NHS. It explains the processes in each of the key stages and provides tips on what to consider at each stage.

Royal College of Nursing, 2013.  The tendering process for NHS services in England: a short guide for health professionals tendering for services.  RCN.

Available to download here

Guidance: Future ambitions for hospice care: our mission and our opportunity [report]

Part of a series of reports produced by Help the Hospice, this report sets out why hospices will need to change in the future.  It signposts some key principles to be adopted in the future, and provides 5 key steps to enable hospices to thrive.

Help the Hospices, 2013.  Future ambitions for hospice care: our mission and our opportunity.  Help the Hospices.

Available for loan from the library or download here

Report: Research in palliative care: can hospices afford not be be involved? [report]

This report explores the importance of hospices engaging and becoming active in research, evidence and data to prove the outcome of their work. It provides some recommendations for how the sector can improve in this regard.

Help the Hospices, 2013.  Research in palliative care: can hospices afford not be be involved?  Help the Hospices, London.

Available on loan from the library or download here
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