NSFT details actions it's taking to improve following critical report
A highly critical report, released last year, found the trust had lost track of the number of deaths of patients either under or formerly under its care
Bosses at a mental health service in Norfolk and Suffolk are sharing what actions they're taking in response to a highly critical report, released last year, that found the trust had lost track of the number of deaths of patients either under or formerly under its care.
They'll appear before the Norfolk Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee to discuss the update, which they've shared on their website, later today.
The update will also be discussed at the Suffolk Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday 24 January 2024.
What does the NSFT say it's done?
The trust says there's been a "significant amount of work undertaken since the action plan was published and progress is being made."
It explains, that to improve NSFT management and reporting of mortality data, the NSFT have developed a new system, which comprises two key components:
A Microsoft SharePoint list, which holds data on all patient deaths that have occurred during care at NSFT or within 6 months of discharge from NSFT services
A Microsoft PowerBI dashboard which displays the patient data and allows users to view the information according to a range of different perspectives, such as age, gender and ethnicity.
The trust says work started on this new process in April 2023, and it was made live on the 6 November 2023 (covering deaths notified after the 1 November).
The trust has also appointed Gary O'Hare, who it says is an experienced Board Chief Nurse and Chief Operating Officer.
He is also said to be working on improvements to patient safety and governance across the Trust.
Next steps
The trust also detailed what next steps it would be taking, explaining it's established a new Learning from Deaths Action Plan Management Group which will replace the current internal executive led Action Plan Programme Management Board.
It says the group will have a significantly increased membership which will include NSFT Executives, service users, carers, including bereaved relatives, who will be recruited through existing NSFT networks, SNEE and N&W ICB Quality/Safety Representatives, both Healthwatch organisations and Public Health leads from the respective Local Authorities.
The Group will provide the governance framework for the reporting of progress to the NSFT CEO/Management Group, The Trusts Quality Committee, and through it, the Board as well as to the Quality Committees and Boards of the two ICBs.