As a result of COVID-19, the Kent Surrey Sussex Patient Safety Collaborative specification has changed to focus on three key areas – Managing Deterioration, Maternity and Neonatal safety and Safe Tracheostomy – a new programme in response to an expected increase in patients requiring tracheostomy care post ventilation. We will also continue to monitor adherence to the COPD Care Bundle, and support where requested.

There are more details on each area below, if you have any queries please do get in touch.

Managing deterioration COVID-19 priorities

The Managing Deterioration programme will be refocused to support the COVID-19 response. These relate to improving the capacity of health systems to co-ordinate care around deteriorating patients, sharing information and aligning assessment and decision-making. We will:

  • Identify existing related networks and build ‘Managing Deterioration Networks’ to assist local and regional efforts to optimise COVID-19 outcomes.
  • Increase use and accessibility of Treatment Escalation Plans (TEP) in relation to appropriate decision-making over emergency admission, ventilation and inotropic support.
  • Reach and maintain 100% NEWS2 adoption in acute trusts & ambulance sector
  • Support the adoption of NEWS2/RESTORE2 or local equivalent in all non-acute settings, including use in Community Hospitals / General Practice to assist in risk stratifying patients with suspected COVID-19.
  • Share good practice in digital recording and sharing of NEWS2

Maternity and Neonatal Safety COVID-19 priorities

In response to the current pandemic MatNeo will prioritise activities related to COVID-19 by:

  • Supporting and coaching Trusts with improvement work, the adoption and spread of policies, procedures, pathways related to identification, escalation and response of deterioration in mother or baby e.g. risk identification, sepsis, fetal monitoring, NEWTT
  • Working with LMS colleagues, maternity and neonatal clinical networks, commissioners and others to support in information/resource dissemination, signposting, co-ordination and prioritisation across the system
  • Sharing intelligence, position updates and making connections at Trust, regional and national level to accelerate pace of improvement
  • Support development of Maternity and Neonatal early warning scores, MEWS & NEWTT

Safe Tracheostomy Care NEW

With an expected increase in patients requiring tracheostomy care post ventilation, a new programme is being developed that will look in two phases. We hope to:

Phase 1:

  • The PSC will support implementation of three tracheostomy safety interventions into all acute-based tracheostomy care settings. These relate to Bed signage; Correct Equipment and daily adherence to safe tracheostomy care bundle
  • Where possible, provide sites with guidance around designated safe cohort wards for tracheostomy patients

Phase 2:

  • It is likely that more patients will be discharged with tracheostomies into the community at an earlier date than usual due to COVID-19 adding pressures to Critical Care and ICU beds. Initial focus of this project will relate to ward-based care; however, dependent on capacity, PSCs could support transition and community-based safety improvement work as a second phase. Phase two will be introduced based upon need.

COPD

With a light touch KSS will continue to review adherence to the COPD Care Bundle and support where / if requested.