The Healthcare Improvement Podcast

Healthcare Improvement Scotland

The Healthcare Improvement podcast is brought to you by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, an organisation that enables the people of Scotland to experience the best quality of health and social care. Each episode features discussions with healthcare professionals across the NHS and private sectors, as well as experts from within Healthcare Improvement Scotland, in which they discuss the issues currently affecting healthcare and the solutions that are being developed to address them. read less

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Diabulimia: what is it and why have so few people heard of it?

Diabulimia: what is it and why have so few people heard of it?

Content warning: This episode discusses eating disorders and disordered eating. Type 1 diabetes with disordered eating (T1DE), or diabulimia as some experts call it, is a serious eating disorder that people with type 1 diabetes can develop where the person reduces or stops taking their insulin as a way of managing their weight. The condition can be life-threatening. Although studies are limited, it’s estimated that eating disorders affect more than a third of patients with type 1 diabetes. A new toolkit published by SIGN, part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland, sets out recommendations to raise awareness of diabulimia and provide guidance on how best to support people living with the condition. In this episode we discuss diabulimia and speak with experts about the key recommendations in the new toolkit. We speak to Lawrence Smith who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was four years old and went on to develop an eating disorder in his teens. We also speak to Safia Qureshi, Director of Evidence & Digital at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, who talks about the key recommendations in the toolkit and Dr Louise Johnston, Consultant and Clinical Lead on the inpatient unit for eating disorders, NHS Grampian. For more information on how to get support, follow the link to our toolkit: https://rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/optimising-glycaemic-control-in-people-with-type-1-diabetes-sign-170/psychological-and-behavioural-interventions/ For help, support and information about eating disorders, Beat provides Helplines which are open from 3pm-8pm, Monday to Friday. If you’re in Scotland, the number is 0808 801 0432. Also available on the following podcast platforms:   Spotify  Google Podcasts Amazon Music  You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletter TwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Episodes

Diabulimia: what is it and why have so few people heard of it?

Diabulimia: what is it and why have so few people heard of it?

Content warning: This episode discusses eating disorders and disordered eating. Type 1 diabetes with disordered eating (T1DE), or diabulimia as some experts call it, is a serious eating disorder that people with type 1 diabetes can develop where the person reduces or stops taking their insulin as a way of managing their weight. The condition can be life-threatening. Although studies are limited, it’s estimated that eating disorders affect more than a third of patients with type 1 diabetes. A new toolkit published by SIGN, part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland, sets out recommendations to raise awareness of diabulimia and provide guidance on how best to support people living with the condition. In this episode we discuss diabulimia and speak with experts about the key recommendations in the new toolkit. We speak to Lawrence Smith who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was four years old and went on to develop an eating disorder in his teens. We also speak to Safia Qureshi, Director of Evidence & Digital at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, who talks about the key recommendations in the toolkit and Dr Louise Johnston, Consultant and Clinical Lead on the inpatient unit for eating disorders, NHS Grampian. For more information on how to get support, follow the link to our toolkit: https://rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/optimising-glycaemic-control-in-people-with-type-1-diabetes-sign-170/psychological-and-behavioural-interventions/ For help, support and information about eating disorders, Beat provides Helplines which are open from 3pm-8pm, Monday to Friday. If you’re in Scotland, the number is 0808 801 0432. Also available on the following podcast platforms:   Spotify  Google Podcasts Amazon Music  You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletter TwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Raising awareness of maternal mental health: Breaking down the stigma

Raising awareness of maternal mental health: Breaking down the stigma

Content warning: This episode discusses mental illness and suicide. The World Health Organisation estimates that almost 1 in 5 women will experience a mental health condition during pregnancy or in the year after the birth. Women are more likely to develop mental health problems at this time than at any other stage of their life – highlighting that access to mental health care for pregnant women is more important than ever. In a new guideline published by SIGN, part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland, it is recommended that more awareness is needed to reduce the stigma of maternal mental health, and ensure new mothers receive the support they need. In this episode, we discuss maternal mental health care and speak with experts about Scotland’s new guideline on maternal mental health conditions. We speak to Hope Cawood – a mother of two boys, who shares her experience of being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after the birth of her first son. We also speak to Dr Selena Gleadow-Ware, co-chair of the guideline development group and Chair of the Perinatal Faculty of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, and Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist, NHS Lanarkshire and Shona McCann, a Specialist Midwife in Perinatal Mental Health, NHS Grampian. For help and support, the PANDAS Helpline is available from 10am-5pm Monday – Friday (excluding bank holidays). You can reach them on: 0808 1961 776. For anyone looking for support in a crisis, the Samaritans helpline is 116 123 and is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Also available on the following podcast platforms:   Spotify  Google Podcasts Amazon Music  You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletter TwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Health and Care Staffing Act: How NHS boards have been preparing for the new legislation

Health and Care Staffing Act: How NHS boards have been preparing for the new legislation

The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act came into force on 1st April 2024, setting out requirements for safe staffing across all health and care services in Scotland. The legislation places a duty on NHS boards and care services to ensure appropriate staffing levels are in place across the sectors. It also exists to ensure that health and care staff are appropriately trained for the work they perform.   In this episode, we find out more about the new act, how NHS boards have been preparing for it and what it means for patients and healthcare professionals working on the ground. We speak to Caroline Craig from our own Healthcare Staffing Programme, as well as Dr. Susan Ross, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist at NHS Lanarkshire, Natalie Buchanan, an Advanced Speech and Language Therapist at NHS Fife and Kate Patience-Quate who is NHS Highland’s Deputy Nurse Director. Also available on the following podcast platforms:   Spotify  Google Podcasts Amazon Music  You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletter TwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Improving care for people with dementia and their carers

Improving care for people with dementia and their carers

An estimated 90,000 people are living with dementia in Scotland, with that number expected to increase to 164,000 by 2036. Our latest podcast looks at the first guideline to be published in nearly 20 years that provides recommendations on the assessment, treatment and support of adults living with dementia. It calls for greater awareness of pre-death grief for people with dementia, their carers and their loved ones, as they fear the loss of the person they know. We speak to professionals including Dr Adam Daly, Chair of Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Guideline Development Group and a Consultant in old age psychiatry and Jacqueline Thompson, a nurse consultant and the lead on pre-death grief for the guideline. We also speak with Marion Ritchie, a carer who experienced pre-death grief while caring for her husband. To read the full guideline and the patient version, visit our website: www.sign.ac.uk/our-guidelines/dementia Also available on the following podcast platforms:   Spotify  Google Podcasts Amazon Music  You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletter TwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Patient safety: the importance of the public voice

Patient safety: the importance of the public voice

Evidence shows that when patients are treated as partners in their care, then safety, patient satisfaction and health outcomes improve. To mark World Patient Safety Day 2023, our latest podcast episode discusses the importance of engaging with patients and how it contributes towards increased patient safety in health and social care settings. We speak to a number of professionals from Healthcare Improvement Scotland, as well as Lisa McDowall, a Senior Charge Nurse at Jubilee Hospital in Grampian. We also spoke with Gareth Bourhill who lost his mum in the Vale of Leven c-difficile outbreak of 2007 to 2008, and is now a public partner with our organisation’s Excellence in Care team. Read our corporate strategy Also available on the following podcast platforms:   Spotify  Google Podcasts Amazon Music  You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletter TwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Hospital at Home

Hospital at Home

If you have experienced an overnight stay in hospital, you can probably relate to the feeling of wanting to be at home in your own bed, in surroundings that are familiar to you and where your support network is on hand. Hospital at Home is a service that allows patients to receive treatments that would otherwise require them to be admitted to hospital, in the comfort of their own home. In our latest episode, we look at the benefits Hospital at Home can bring to patients in Scotland, how it can be as safe and effective as hospital care, and how the service works in both urban and rural settings. We speak to Belinda Robertson, Associate Director of Improvement Support, Dr. Latana Munang, Clinical Lead for Hospital at Home, Gail Black, Senior Co-ordinator at NHS Western Isles and Richard Wells-Holland, a Hospital at Home nurse in NHS Lanarkshire. We also spoke with a patient who is currently receiving care through the Hospital at Home service who shared his experience of the service and the benefits it has brought to him and his wife. Also available on the following podcast platforms:   Spotify  Google Podcasts Amazon Music  You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletter TwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Delivering the best care to people living with stroke

Delivering the best care to people living with stroke

It is estimated that as many as 15,000 people in Scotland have a stroke each year. The ways in which a stroke affects a person varies, depending on factors like which part of the brain was affected, how much of the area was affected and even how healthy the person was before the stroke. A fast response and personalised care following the stroke also play a key role in establishing how well and how quickly a person can recover. And with so many aspects at play, it is key that the best, most up-to-date care is provided to patients to guarantee the best possible outcomes. In our latest podcast episode, we look at the new five nations’ guideline for stroke. The guideline brings together the best current research and covers the entirety of the patient pathway, setting out standards of care that will be applied across the United Kingdom and Ireland, regardless of the patient’s age, gender, type of stroke, location or any other feature. We speaking to Roberta James, SIGN Programme Lead and Dr Tony Burn, the Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh representative on SIGN Council. We will speak to people affected by stroke, as well as Martin James, Chair of the guideline development group.  Also available on the following podcast platforms:  Spotify Google Podcasts Amazon Music You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletterTwitter FacebookLinkedIn

Improving access to Primary Care

Improving access to Primary Care

Winter is the busiest time for our NHS and social care services and it’s no secret that they’re under tremendous pressure. The impact of this is acutely felt across our Primary Care services, which include general practice and community pharmacies, amongst others. Last winter, the outbreak of Strep A amongst children put huge pressure and strain on primary care services. As a result, many GP practices had to adapt to cope with the high demand for appointments. We’re a year on and it’s unclear what the biggest challenges will be this winter, but we can anticipate that demand for appointments will remain high. Earlier this year, we spoke to a number of professionals about some of the innovative work that is being implemented and delivered to improve access to Primary Care services. We spoke to Alison Frankland, who is the Practice Manager at Moray Coast Medical Practice and Dr Savannah Irving, GP at Perth City Medical Centre to find out about the problems they faced last winter and how we’ve worked with their teams to overcome them. We also spoke to our very own Primary Care Improvement Portfolio Lead, April Masson, who told us more about how our Primary Care Access programme is hoping to solve some of the pressures that general practice can face and what it’s looking to achieve. Also available on the following podcast platforms: SpotifyGoogle PodcastsAmazon Music You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletterTwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Private healthcare: regulation, patient safety and the future

Private healthcare: regulation, patient safety and the future

Cosmetic procedures, carried out to improve how people look, are becoming increasingly popular. As the number of people opting for lip fillers, Botox injections, chemical peels and nose jobs increases, concerns over safety for those receiving treatments, as well as the qualifications and experience of those giving them, have grown. Join us as we discuss the importance of regulating private healthcare and what the future of this sector might look like with our very special guests – Head of Service Review, Kevin Freeman-Ferguson, as well as Jackie Partridge and Linda Strachan, who run their own clinics and belong to the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses. We are also joined by Natalie Graham, who shares her own experience of cosmetic procedures and shares her insights on what you should look out for if booking a procedure for yourself. Also available on the following podcast platforms: SpotifyGoogle PodcastsAmazon Music You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletterTwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Frailty: Impact, causes and prevention

Frailty: Impact, causes and prevention

Frailty, the result of the interplay of age, chronic disease and fitness, has the potential to truly disrupt someone's life, impacting how and where they spend their later years. It is predicted that in just a 10 year period, we will see a 50% increase in the number of people who are categorised as frail. Join our special guests, National Lead for Frailty, Dr Lara Mitchell, Kathryn Allen, Lead Elderly Care Assessment Nurse, QEUH, Dr Graham Ellis Deputy CMO and advisor to the Scottish Government, and Doug Anthoney, Age Scotland, as we discuss the important work currently underway to improve the lives of those living with frailty, the impact it has on the NHS and what we can do to prevent it. You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletterTwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Adverse events and the importance of communication

Adverse events and the importance of communication

In this episode, our hosts will be covering a topic that is a high priority within the NHS – adverse events and how we learn, and share what we learn, from events that impact patients, families and carers. The team is joined by guests to discuss the ongoing work to standardise how NHS boards categorise adverse events and how to ensure that the right level of review is carried out, as well as healthcare professionals’ experience of engaging with the families of those affected by adverse events. More info: Read the Healthcare Improvement Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland study on adverse event reviews in healthcare You can follow the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland at www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org Monthly eNewsletterTwitterFacebookLinkedIn