Health Care Plan

Executive Summary

NHS is one of the largest organizations in Europe and came into existence about fifty years ago. It is one of the kind, state run and not for profit establishment which promotes direct primary and secondary care. Major consequence is given to patients and patients are therefore the highest priority.

Health Care Plan

Introduction

NHS is a major resource consumer and also the nation's most extensive employer. It could be called a primary service on the basis that it is not only professional but also labour intensive and high grade service carried out by specialists such as Doctors or Nurse. Two key factors that governed NHS was that there should be equal basis to treatment for all based on clinical needs regardless of patients monetary circumstances. Secondly, collective funding of NHS through national taxation is the most effectual way to ensure that quality health care is available to all on the grounds that paying for all health care expenses is beyond personal financial means. (Farnham, 1995)

Current Problems

No Policy or procedure

Poor Communication and documentation

Patients are admitted/discharges in appropriately

Patient's length of stay in an acute bed

Cost

Delay in treatment

Lost bed days

Consultant and patient dissatisfaction

Lack of communication with wards, patients, consultants clinical site managers

Health Care Plan

Being a clinical site manager the policy which I recommend for NHS hospital in order to solve the current problems are as follows:

Policy or procedure

Inequalities in health care have resulted in disparities in health status. The impact is particularly evident amongst social class Vs who suffer from lower life expectancies (Clatworthy, 1997). The motto of NHS hospital is to bring health for everyone. So being a clinical manger I believe that in NHS we will provide same kind of facilities to each class. (Farnham, 1995)

Hospital Management

The time allocated to individual outpatient appointments should be sufficient to allow effective patient management. Ideally this can be done by assigning individual appointment times or by staggered block bookings.

Continuity

To optimize continuity of care hospital procedures should facilitate patients being seen by the same hospital or team at each appointment.

Pre-attendance investigations

Where appropriate, protocols should exist to ensure that relevant investigations are completed prior to hospital attendance thus facilitating timely treatment decisions. (Sheaff, 1997)

Non-attendance

Non-attendance is a major issue when addressing outpatient waiting lists. A variety of strategies have been utilized to decrease non-attendance including telephone and mail reminders and audits, patient- initiated appointment confirmation and removal from waiting lists following non-attendance. It is recommended that organizations institute strategies to reduce non-attendance that are appropriate for the patient population and hospital type. (Preston, 1992)

Discharge

Patients should be discharged from the hospital when the episode of care is complete or when another provider can more appropriately provide the service. A discharge/transfer summary should be provided to the referring practitioner and the ongoing service provider as appropriate. (Sheaff, 1997)

Removals

Names should be removed from appointment allocation waiting lists and appointment waiting lists when:

The patient has completed the episode of care associated with the outpatient hospital.

An audit ascertains that the service is ...