James Paget University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Committed to modernizing and improving patient care and doing the best for their patients, James Paget University Hospital (JPUH) are now enhancing their commitment by streamlining their Calls 4 Concern (C4C) and Critical Care Outreach Team (CCOT) data and incorporating it into their wider patient safety and quality improvement work.

JPHU had previously relied heavily on manual processes to track C4C and CCOT data, using spreadsheets to track data and log their workload. They found this way of doing things time-consuming and prone to errors as things weren’t as clear as they needed to be. Data extraction and creating reports also took an incredibly long time and the team often lacked real-time insights.

Critical care workload and patient concerns were hidden in written patient records, limiting oversight and analysis. Also, the existing system made it difficult to effectively track and follow up on patient and family concerns. Most importantly, there was a lack of integration with incidents, complaints, legal matters, and patient safety data were not easily connected, limiting the ability to see a full picture of patient care.

JPHU worked closely with the team at Ideagen Healthcare Guardian to create a new digital solution.

“It's designed so that if this is the first time you interact with the product, it's easy to use. You click and it naturally flows. It's been designed by the clinical teams for them to do their work.” - Paul Morris, Former Chief Nurse from James Paget Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The team at JPHU are now able to log patient concerns and interactions on the go from mobile devices, so they don’t have to wait until they get back to a secure computer. Family members of patients can also report their concerns by scanning a QR code and reporting directly into the system, smoothing out nerves when approaching staff or any language barriers. The CCOT team get notified of new concerns and can provide a timely response.

“Maybe you're better to talk, maybe you're better to write. The more options that are available helps to raise those concerns. It really empowers those who have those concerns.” - Paul Morris, Former Chief Nurse from James Paget Hospital NHS Foundation Trust/

The CCOT team at JPHU can now see their data in real-time, facilitating better handovers and follow-ups, especially across shift changes. They can also make any customizations to reporting forms and dashboards in-house to adapt the system to their own ways of working and so that they can be aligned with any national or local requirements, including Martha’s Rule. Staff can easily export data for monthly audit returns and regional reporting requirements, taking hours off reporting every month.

“What's also really important is the ability to export that data rather than working through manual spreadsheets and the ease of which you can personalize that and get real oversight of your workload.” - Paul Morris, Former Chief Nurse from James Paget Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

JPHU experienced a significant improvement in how their Critical Care Outreach team managed patient concerns. Digital and consistent data capture and the elimination of manual spreadsheet use saved time and provided a clearer picture of the team’s workload.

By integrating Calls for Concern with incidents, complaints, and legal data, the Trust gained a comprehensive view of each patient’s care journey. This holistic approach allowed the Critical Care Outreach team to make informed decisions about patient care, reducing the risk of missed concerns and improving overall safety.

“What's really powerful is we can connect both our call for concerns, deteriorating patients, our incidents, our PALS, our complaints, our legal, so they're all connected. We're able to have a whole suite of information that could be impacting on that patient and help to inform us of what's best next steps.” - Paul Morris, Former Chief Nurse from James Paget Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

As a result of their commitment to improving patient safety and care, the changes that James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust made for Calls for Concern and compliance with Martha’s Rule represents a significant leap forward in patient safety and operational efficiency. The Trust’s ability to integrate critical data, streamline communication, and provide real-time oversight has empowered staff and families alike, ensuring that concerns are addressed promptly and effectively.

To discover how your organization can streamline Calls 4 Concern and CCOT data to improve patient safety, drive learning and save hours of time each month, speak to an Ideagen Healthcare Guardian adviser today.