Hi
To clarify, during consultation with the Counties M&H steering group, we were asked to implement the Waitemata DHB M&H programme there. I recommended a base line measurement of the organisations M&H status, via the TROPHI tool, pre-implementation. I would urge any organisation to do this before any major intervention for M&H is planned. After connecting Dr Mike Fray with the Counties team, led by Dana, the TROPHI tool was introduced, carried out in 14 clinical areas and results were analysed by Mike. The next stage is underway and the implementation of the Waitemata programme starts in August. Training for Counties Staff goes live in September, with our support during the transitional stage and ongoing. Counties will be implementing all of WDHBs M&H tools, documents and practises in a gradual planned process.
The TROPHI tool will then be repeated, analysed by Mike and can inform us of both progress or lack of it and where the gaps remain. The benefits are multiple but for at least a basic start, staff transitioning from one DHB to the other won’t need to be either retrained or be convinced of a differing set of practises just because of geography!
As we know relying purely on Staff injury information does not give us the basis for either investment for improvements or the real impact of doing little or nothing. The TROPHI tool can help change this with actual evidence gathered through measuring and analysing the data from the 12 key focus tools. It is also an opportunity to highlight the absence of a whole professional group in managing this hazard for themselves and others. Evidence is what drs will expect to convince the profession as a whole to be part of this.
I feel this could be further strengthened in the additional measurement of the financial, ethical and overall health benefits for patients. Plus stronger integration of the currently siloed areas of pressure injury prevention, falls and early recovery and earlier discharge care.
Dr Mike Fray is joining us for the whole MHANZ roadshow in November and will be presenting on this specific project as well as other topics. We are very lucky to have him so please encourage and advertise attendance. We and Counties intend to have some feedback of where we are at and what’s next. MHANZ was integral to the introduction of the M&H post grad cert at AUT. The content and premise is based on Dr Fray’s at Loughborough University in the UK.
Establishing our credibility in this practise is crucial in lieu of any standards or regulation from MoH, unions or professional bodies.
Finally from me personally, developing a national programme has been my lofty aim for nearly 13 years. A programme that could also be measured on both the sucess or failure of its interventions and then tweaked accordingly, can only be good for us as an industry. It can only benefit patients who are ultimately also us and every other person in New Zealand. We have to stop diluting and confusing our messages or philosophies if we want to progress M&H to the level of professionalism it should be at.
Only when have this can we expect to fully integrate M&H into all professions and environments in health and social care. Embedding M&H practise into the training and practise of Drs, I think, will be a national issue but a crucial one. Again having a clear evidence based programme can only help strengthen the argument.
Apologies for the giant message! 🙂