Is innovative workforce planning software the solution to NHS staffing and cost crisis? An exploration of the locum industry

Abstract Background Workforce planning in the British healthcare system (NHS) is associated with significant costs of agency staff employment. The introduction of a novel software (ABG) as a ‘people to people economy’ (P2PE) platform for temporary staff recruitment offers a potential solution to this problem. Consequently, the focus of this study was twofold – primarily to explore the locum doctor landscape, and secondarily to evaluate the implementation of P2PE in the healthcare industry. Methods Documentary analysis was conducted alongside thirteen semi structured interviews across five informant groups: two industry experts, two healthcare consultants, an executive director, two speciality managers and six doctors. Results We found that locum doctors are indispensable to covering workforce shortages, yet existing planning and recruitment practices were found to be inefficient, inconsistent and lacking transparency. Contrarily, mobile-first solutions such as ABG seem to secure higher convenience, better transparency, cost and time efficiency. We also identified factors facilitating the successful diffusion of ABG; these were in line with classically cited characteristics of innovation such as trialability, observability, and scope for local reinvention. Drawing upon the concept of value-based healthcare coupled with the analysis of our findings led to the development of Information Exchange System (IES) model, a comprehensive framework allowing a thorough comparison of recruitment practices in healthcare. Conclusion IES was used to evaluate ABG and its diffusion against other recruitment methods and ABG was found to outperform its alternatives, thus suggesting its potential to solve the staffing and cost crisis at the chosen hospital

Audit of electronic operative documentation in interventional radiology:the value of standardised proformas

Background On the background of the interventional radiology department of a tertiary hospital converting its periprocedural documentation from paper-based to electronic using a standardised proforma, a study was performed to ascertain the effects of this change on the standard of clinical documentation for radiologically-guided angiographic procedures. Using a retrospective approach, perioperative records were analysed in reverse chronological order for inclusion in the study. The standard for this audit was developed in the form of minimum criteria that all clinical documentation of angiographic procedures were expected to meet. Results The audit was performed at three equally spaced intervals of 6 months, yielding a total of 99 records. The baseline audit of paper-based records concluded > 80% completeness for 8 out of the 14 of parameters measured, with only two of parameters meeting the target of 100% completeness. The second audit cycle performed on electronic records found 7 out of 14 parameters demonstrating absolute improvement in completeness, when compared to paper-based, but with the number of parameters exceeding 80% completeness falling to only 4 out of 14. Again, 100% completeness was observed in only 2 of the parameters. In the final audit cycle, after the introduction of a standardised electronic proforma, performance improved in every dimension with 6 out of 14 parameters reaching completeness of 100% and the 80% completeness threshold met by 12 out of 14 parameters. Conclusion The construction of a procedure-specific perioperative electronic proforma can save clinicians valuable time and encourage safe and effective clinical documentation

Molecular Imaging in Ischemic Heart Disease

Depto. de Bioquímica y Biología MolecularFac. de Ciencias QuímicasTRUEpu

Hands train the brain-what is the role of hand tremor and anxiety in undergraduate microsurgical skills?

Introduction: Physiological hand tremor occurs naturally, due to oscillations of the upper extremities. Tremor can be exacerbated by stress and anxiety, interfering with fine motor tasks and potentially impact on surgical performance, particularly in microsurgery. We investigated the link between tremor, anxiety and performance in a neurosurgical module as part of an international surgical course. Methods: Essential Skills in the Management of Surgical Cases (ESMSC) course recruits medical students from European Union (EU) medical schools. Students are asked to suture the dura mater in an ex vivo swine model, of which the first suture completed was assessed. Questionnaires were distributed before and after the module, eliciting tremor risk factors, self-perception of tremor and anxiety. Johnson O'Connor dexterity pad was used to objectively measure dexterity. Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) was used to assess skills-based performance. Anxiety was assessed using the Westside Test Anxiety Scale (WTAS). Tremor was evaluated by four qualified neurosurgeons. Results: Forty delegates participated in the study. Overall performance decreased with greater subjective perception of anxiety (p = 0.032, rho = -0.392). Although increasing scores for tremor at rest and overall WTAS score were associated with decreased performance, this was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Tremor at rest did not affect dexterity (p = 0.876, rho = -0.027). Conclusions: Physiological tremor did not affect student performance and microsurgical dexterity in a simulation-based environment. Self-perception of anxiety affected performance in this module, suggesting that more confident students perform better in a simulated neurosurgical setting