Case Study

The development was led by Margaret Newsham, Placement Development Manager (PDM) and supported by Stephanie Purcell, team lead for the Cumbria and Lancashire team of NWPDN.  The team were tasked with increasing placements that met the learning outcomes of the student and the course curriculum.   These placements had to be of high quality with enough mentors to support the students. There was also the impact of capacity for other health students who needed to access placements in operating theatres.

The North West Placement Development Network (NWPDN) in collaboration with University of Liverpool worked together to develop the NWPDN as a placement area.  This placement was developed in order to increase and expand learning opportunities for pre-registration healthcare learners to prepare them to be part of the future health care workforce.  This project initially explored the concept of providing a two week spoke placement for pre-registration nursing students in the 2nd or 3rd year of their degree programme.

Placement Development between Primary Care and a Health & Social Care organisation• Primary Care Organisation – Brownlow Group Practice and Enhanced Training Practice• Multi Local Organisation –  Health and Social Care Organisation– Person Shaped Support (PSS)Brownlow Group Practice and Person Shaped Support (PSS) have worked in partnership with the North West Placement Development Network (NWPDN) to develop an increase in access to Primary Care placement opportunities.

A multi-agency group led by Stockport’s Children and Young People’s Disability Partnership came together to improve service provision for school age children with autism.  They established a multi-agency assessment and diagnostic team which allows staff working in mainstream placements to access services efficiently and be involved in the work up, with families they know.

Reviewing the approach of in-patient physiotherapist services across all hospital sites at Pennine Acute, and in collaboration with the Department of Health’s Emergency Care Intensive Support Team (ECIST) this project took a cross-site approach to improve patient flow and experience.

Since 2008, the Diagnostics Division of Pennine Acute had experienced a high turnover of middle grade anesthetists   and had difficulty recruiting enough UK or EU nationals to fill the resultant vacancies. Therefore the Trust enlisted the support of Hays Recruitment Agency to undertake an overseas recruitment project in India, successfully filling all the required roles.

Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) in North Lancashire collaborated with Blackpool Fylde and Wyre Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, including Clifton and Rossall Hospital and the Stroke Association to provide enhanced therapy using computer technology to improve recovery potential by increasing patient access.

Knowsley Health and Wellbeing brings together NHS Knowsley with Knowsley Borough Council Directorate of Wellbeing Services (adult social care; leisure and cultural services).  The organisation has pursued competence based workforce planning for the End of Life and Long Term Conditions Care Pathways.  It has developed models identifying workforce competences and structures required to deliver End of Life and Long Term Conditions care.

This re-designed and enhanced drop-in service was introduced by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust to improve access and quality of service for patients with low back pain. The service is  run by experienced physiotherapists who offer early assessment advice and reassurance. Waiting times are now minimal, duplicate referrals and unnecessary diagnostics have been vastly reduced, and patient outcomes are good with improved productivity.

NHS Bolton have created a healthy workplace programme entitled Clock on 2 Health, designed and run for businesses and organisations in the Bolton area. It is a tailored package of health promotion and ill-health prevention services offered free to local businesses in order to improve the health and wellbeing of the local community.