Patient handover in orthopaedics, improving safety using Information Technology

"Following the merger of two orthopaedic departments into a single service in a new hospital, it was felt that a number of safety issues within the handover process needed to be addressed. This quality improvement project addressed these issues through the creation and implementation of a new patient database which spanned the department, allowing trouble free, safe, and comprehensive handover."

Patient handover in orthopaedics, improving safety using Information Technology
T Pearkes
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u207329.w2939

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Improving inpatient care with the introduction of a hip fracture pathway

"A system of payment by results exists for the management of hip fractures in England and Wales. Poor performance against the national standards was noted, reflecting failure to deliver optimal care. Through the introduction of a multi-disciplinary patient pathway and clerking pro forma, the proportion of patients earning the best practice tariff uplift increased from 44.4% to 91.7%. "

Improving inpatient care with the introduction of a hip fracture pathway
M Chamberlain, H Pugh
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u204075.w2786

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British Orthopaedic Association commissioning guides

The British Orthopaedic Association and Royal College of Surgeons have developed a range of guides to support commissioning. The guides are currently available for the following conditions:

• Painful deformed great toe in adults
• Painful tingling fingers
• Pain arising from the hip in adults
• Painful osteoarthritis of the knee
• Low back pain
• Subacromial shoulder pain

Access the guides here.

Clinical responses to the downturn

"Seven medical specialties address how they can help tackle the NHS financial challenge."

This report examines how to release NHS resources across the seven specialties of:

• neurosurgery
• geriatrics
• vascular services
• pathology
• orthopaedics
• neonatology 
• dermatology

Clinical responses to the downturn
NHS Confederation - in partnership with British Medical Association, Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, and The Joint Medical Consultative Council
December 2010

Read more here.