real life success stories
To support the online toolkit, the Committee have put together a series of case studies which highlight the positive effects of implementing the recommendations in the Updated Best Practice Guide and utilising the practical templates in the online toolkit.
We hope to transform continence care through sharing best practice.
Reducing single use waste and improving continence sustainability through implementation of catheter trays
Since 2018, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) has undertaken a massive drive to improve continence care for their patients. The introduction of the Bard Tray and its consequent streamlining of required products and excess packaging meant that 83.16kg of clinical waste was saved, 11.2kg plastic waste was avoided and 24kg of paper and card were recycled over the pilot period.
Reducing Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI’s) through implementing a CQUINN
Chesterfield Royal Hospital have successfully developed an improvement strategy to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections through the update of a Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQINN) project. Through implementing a CQUINN the service saw a significant decrease in patient harm, shortened lengths of stay for this group of patients, and patient flow has improved within the organisation.
Reducing waste of continence products through implementing a patient management system
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have successfully integrated a patient management system within their service to ensure appropriate use of products and reduce the complications of using products, such as UTIs, which can cause hospital admissions. A saving estimated to be approximately £70,000 was achieved on the product budget within the first 6 months and the reduction in the average spend per patient per month fell from £106.11 (2014) to £101.58 (2016).
Reducing CAUTIs through training and implementation of an all-in-one catheterisation pack
Nottingham University Hospitals found inconsistent use of products and training for urinary catheters increased the likelihood of urinary tract infections in their patients. To address this issue, they brought in an all-in-one catheterisation pack and appropriate training which resulted in an overall 70% reduction in CAUTI rates, with the same level of catheterisation.
Reducing attendances to Emergency Department through uptake of catheter passport
Central Surrey Health (CSH Surrey) issues a catheter passport to every patient who attended its catheter clinic in March 2016 following a large cohort of transferred patients without documentation. The result was improved communication with patients, better record keeping of patient hisotyr for healthcare provders and a reduction in the number of attednacnes to the hopsital Emergency Department.
More productive use of clinical time through uptake of standardised products
Within The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board the incidence of equipment shortages leading to the inability to catheterise at the patients home was estimated as between 1 incident per week to one per month, especially identified for out of hours staff. With the aim of minimising clinical incidents and improving clinical practice, the C & V UHB carried out a trial of a catheter tray and found a reduction in catheterisation time of approx 10 – 15 mins per catheterisation allowing professionals to be released for other aspects of care.
Redesign services to improve budget management and prescribing accuracy
The NHS Rotherham Medicine Management team found that its CCG had no idea about how many patients were using continence equipment or how many had had a review the last 12 months, and therefore could not assure compliance with appropriate NICE guidance. By transferring the prescribing and budgetary management of these products to the health professional best equipped to manage the service, they saw continence prescribing costs fall by -4.52% comapred to the average increase of 25.95% in the rest of England.
Reducing CAUTIs through implementation of CQUIN and catheter tray
Following a local CQUIN in 2011/12, Sherwood Forest Hosptials NHS FT aimed to reduce its bacteraemia rate due to catheter associated UTI’s. To reduce the number CAUTI’) they implemented a fully integrated catheter tray, which saw its CAUTI rate reduced by more than 50%, from 13.3% to now 2.1% in 2017.