News

Sebastian Stewart, CHS Healthcare

In the latest installation of our Continuing Healthcare (CHC) webinar series ‘Clinical governance, performance and audit: how data can inform best practice’, we were joined by Paul Kaye, Director at Quiq Solutions and Dan Harbour, Managing Director at Beacon and NHS Continuing Healthcare Consultant.

Paul and Dan gave their expert overview about the current governance landscape and how audit and data can be used to drive improved performance. They also answered questions around clinical governance and performance and how data informs best practice within Continuing Healthcare.

Questions from attendees included: 

• How can qualitative audit tools support the drive to best practice within NHS Continuing Healthcare?
• Why is audit important to improve performance within NHS continuing healthcare?
• At a national level, how are ICBs monitored in the context of CHC performance?
• What is the shape of NHS continuing healthcare toda,y and where do we want it to be?
• How can qualitative audit tools support the drive to best practice within NHS continuing healthcare?
• How can compliance be made front and centre for all commissioners?
• How can audit be implemented as part of everyday business?

You can watch the full webinar here ‘Clinical governance, performance and audit: how data can inform best practice’

My key takeaways from the discussion:

• Continuing Healthcare is highly complex which can be open to subjectivity; auditing is crucial to consistent performance and to support informed decision making at all the key touch points of the patient journey. Clinical governance ensures compliance and variation issues are picked up, providing the foundation of a consistent approach across all areas of Continuing Healthcare operations.
• There are new lines of reporting to monitor ICBs in the context of NHS continuing healthcare – In addition to the core methods of national statistics being reported to NHSD or NHSE for monthly and quarterly analysis, further lines of reporting have been added for this financial year.
• Following consultation from NHS Digital, reporting methods have been strengthened within NHS Continuing Healthcare. The reporting now includes new patient level data sets with anonymous reporting and subcategories including care package data and review data. Separately to that, ICBs are independent decision-making bodies and will also have their own assurance mechanisms. NHSE and NHSD also have a remit to provide strategic leadership and vocational development to ensure local systems are operating effectively.
• Audit tools can help drive best practice – CHAT (continuing healthcare assessment tool) is designed as a self-assessment mechanism for ICBs and their sub locations to monitor performance. The tool covers three main themes: assessment decision making, care planning and commissioning, and enablers. Assessments can be peer reviewed by NHS England and systemic issues can then be identified to highlight trends.
• Education is necessary at every level of an ICS in the context of continuing healthcare – Education about continuing healthcare is necessary at every level of an ICS to ensure clinical governance is accurate across the system.
• Compliance can be made front and centre for all commissioners – Continuing healthcare is a whole system issue despite statutory responsibility sitting with the ICB. Governance arrangements require a response from additional statutory agencies to make it work. Whilst ICBs are responsible for system leadership within their patch, there is an opportunity to draw partners more closely into delivery and performance monitoring, as part of a whole system approach.

To learn more about how CHS Healthcare can support your teams with clinical governance and auditing within Continuing Healthcare, please contact Will Johnson (William.johnson@chshealthcare.co.uk) or Jody Collier  (jody.collier@chshealthcare.co.uk).

If you’d like to join us for future webinars and events, please register your interest by emailing marketing@chshealthcare.co.uk