Month: May 2024

The NHS introduced Martha’s Rule in April 2024. This policy is designed to empower patients, families and carers to seek urgent reviews of patient health concerns. Martha’s Rule is endorsed by the General Medical Council (GMC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The rule is named for Martha Mills, who died in 2021 at the age of 13. Her death followed failure to identify and properly treat sepsis that developed while she was in hospital after a bike accident. Martha’s mother campaigned for the NHS to create a formal strategy for requesting a second medical opinion.

Through Martha’s Rule, healthcare staff and patients, and the patients’ families and carers, will have access to a rapid review by a critical care outreach team. The goal is to respond quickly to concerns and prevent potentially avoidable harm. Healthcare providers will collect information about patients’ conditions daily to promote continuous monitoring and responsiveness. Hospitals will provide information about this process to patients and families so that they know how to raise concerns. Martha’s Rule aligns with the NMC’s Code and the GMC’s Good Medical Practice.

In care settings, carers must ensure those they support and their families feel heard. This may require training in a range of topics, including basic clinical observations, effective communication, mental health awareness and person-centred care/support. Care staff need to collaborate with healthcare professionals while advocating for those they support. The introduction of Martha’s Rule highlights the need for continuous learning and development for health and social care staff.

The NHS is currently in the First Phase of introducing Martha’s Rule. Acute provider sites with existing critical care outreach capabilities will participate. This phase will help develop a standardised approach to Martha’s Rule. Future phases are expected to begin in 2025/26. At this time, other NHS sites, including community and mental health hospitals, will incorporate Martha’s Rule.

At Advantage Accreditation, we are proud to accredit over 100 care organisations to deliver training for their staff. Our centres deliver a mix of original courses and our 150+ ready-to-use awards. If you are interested in becoming a centre with us, please get in touch.

At Advantage Accreditation, we specialise in accreditation for health and social care providers. We ensure our accredited centres and learning materials meet the standards of national bodies, including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

NICE recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. 

Launched in April 1999, NICE was set up to evaluate the effectiveness of new interventions in the health and social care sector. This was in response to calls for a national, consistent, cost-effective approach to medicines and treatments. 

NICE guidance is based on independent advice and robust evidence. 

Read more about the 25-year story of NICE in their article.

 

NICE Today

We regularly update our learning materials and advice based on the latest NICE guidance. 

NICE recommends a new treatment for ulcerative colitis. We are investigating any relevant updates to our Stoma Care courses that may be necessary. 

A quick guide for improving oral health is available on the NICE website. This is relevant to our learning materials on Oral Health. 

 

If you have any questions about how we incorporate guidance from national bodies in our learning materials, please get in touch.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 runs from Monday 13th May to Sunday 19th May. This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week theme is “Movement: Moving more for our mental health.” 

 

The Mental Health Foundation hosts the annual campaign. They are encouraging all people to find moments for movement in our daily lives. We are proud to support this cause and help spread their message.

 

Why Movement Matters

There is a real connection between physical movement and mental well-being. Research consistently demonstrates the benefits of moving to mental health. Every movement counts, whether it’s a gym session, a walk, a dance class, simple chair exercises, the list goes on and on. 

 

Individuals who exercise have fewer days of poor mental health compared to those who do not exercise (Chekroud et al, 2018). Physical activity and exercise are recommended as therapeutic approaches for depression and schizophrenia (Schuch & Vancampfort, 2021). According to the NHS, the wellbeing benefits of exercise include:

• Improved sleep
• More energy 
• Improved self-esteem
• Improved mood
• Improved focus
• Sense of achievement
• Reduced anger or frustration
• Improved motivation
• Improved social skills
• Healthy appetite
• Reduced tension, stress and mental fatigue

 

Get Involved

Show your support for Mental Health Awareness Week 2024:

• Share your #MomentsForMovement on social media
• Organise a Wear It Green Day to raise awareness and show solidarity 
• Donate to support the Mental Health Foundation 
• Join the Strava Challenge to increase your movement and mindfulness 

 

Advantage Accreditation offers ready-to-use learning materials for our accredited training centres. These include the Level 1 Award in Mental Health, Dementia, and Learning Disability Awareness, and the Level 2 Award in Mental Health.

If you are interested in delivering these courses, please contact us.

In an ever-changing sector like Health and Social Care, it is important to stay up to date on the needs of care workers and those they support.

Here are some key updates from Skills for Care, published in recent months…

The New Care Workforce Pathway

Launched 10th January 2024, the pathway directs care workers in their career development. Read our guidance on the Care Workforce Pathway here. 

In collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Care, Skills for Care is moving on to the next phase of the new pathway. This phase focuses on the roles of Deputy Managers and Registered Managers. You can have your say on this, as managers are invited to share their thoughts and collaborate with Skills for Care.

Registered and Deputy Managers are invited to complete a 30-minute survey to share their own perspectives. The survey closes on 13th May, so make sure you have your say before then. Access the survey here.

If you have any additional insights or queries, you can contact [email protected]

Findings on Race Equality

Skills for Care recently published findings related to the Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard (SC-WRES). This aims to bring about systemic change to combat race inequality in the social care workforce.

Key findings showed that care workers from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds were more likely to enter the formal disciplinary process or fitness-to-practice process and experience harassment, bullying or abuse at work compared to white staff. 

In response, many local authorities have introduced evidence-based action plans with the aim to improve race equality for care workers. 

We strongly encourage any managers to contribute to the survey and make your voice heard. Let’s work together to make sure all care workers are represented and able to thrive in their careers.