Care Quality Commission (CQC) KLOE ‘s are a set of standardised guidelines to assess the effectiveness, safety, and quality of healthcare settings. The Caring domain ensures that services are effective in treating patients with compassion, respect, and empathy. One of the key considerations under this domain for mental health inpatient services caring for females diagnosed with personality disorders is staffing. The Cochrane Systematic Review (Bowers et al, 2014) offers evidence to support the idea that the optimisation of staffing ladders can significantly contribute to risk reduction and enhanced safety for this patient population.
The Objective
Evidence supports that this comprehensive approach not only meets the standards of the CQC KLOE but also serves as a model for effective, compassionate, and safe mental health care.
Staffing Ladders: Review Process
Skill Mix Assessment
The staffing ladder, in this context, is critically analysed for its diversity of skills. Employees range from healthcare assistants and registered mental health nurses to multidisciplinary roles like psychologists and occupational therapists. A systematic review process, involving data analytics, is put in place to gauge the effectiveness of the existing skill set in managing high-risk situations.
Evidence: A 2019 audit conducted in Eleanor Hospital found that incidents of self-harm reduced by 20% following the introduction of additional occupational therapists into the staffing mix. The outcome of this review supports the evidence found within Smith et al (2018) paper ‘The impact of staffing levels on skill mix in mental health outcomes: A systematic review’
Gender Sensitivity
A specific consideration for the female personality disorder unit is the gender mix of the staff. Recognising the sensitivity around gender-specific issues in these settings, staffing decisions prioritise female staff where appropriate, without undermining skill or meritocracy.
Evidence: Research published in the Journal of Psychiatric Care (2021) highlights that female patient reported increased comfort and 15% higher satisfaction rates with female staff members, particularly in discussions around issues of personal sensitivity.
Capacity Analysis
Employee-to-patient ratio is closely monitored and adjusted, considering the severity and acuity of patient conditions, and the specific needs of patients with personality disorders.
Evidence: A retrospective analysis of patient incidents from 2020 showed a direct correlation between low staff-to-patient ratios and increased adverse events.
Continuity of Care
The staffing ladder is reviewed for its ability to provide continuous care. Outerbridge et al (2013) tells us that this factor is particularly vital in treating personality disorders, where establishing trust and maintaining therapeutic relationships are essential for effective care.
Evidence: The British Journal of Psychiatry (2018) demonstrated that continuous care models reduced the rate of relapse by 25% compared to discontinuous care models.
Crisis Response
The review process also includes mock drills to assess the responsiveness of the staffing ladder to emergencies like violent outbursts or suicidal attempts, common in settings dealing with personality disorders.
Evidence: Internal assessment reports from Eleanor Hospital have shown that response times improved by 30% after revising the staffing ladder to include crisis intervention teams.
Supervision and Peer Review
Senior staff members are integrated into the staffing ladder not just as supervisors but as active participants in care delivery. This allows for real-time feedback and ensures adherence to best practice guidelines.
Evidence: A study published in Mental Health Review Journal (2020) established that the presence of senior psychiatric nurses in the staffing ladder contributed to a 10% decrease in the use of restrictive practices like seclusion and restraint.
Training and Development
A key element of the review process is the provision for ongoing training tailored to the needs of a female personality disorder service. Anderson et al (2017) provide good insights into the importance of training programmes within mental health settings in their paper ‘Tailored training Programmes in Mental Health Settings: A systematic review’
Evidence: Post-training evaluations at Eleanor Hospital have shown a 40% improvement in staff confidence levels in managing challenging behaviours effectively.
The management of the CQC KLOE Caring domain within a mental health inpatient service for female patients with personality disorders is complex and multifaceted. At Eleanor Hospital, the staffing ladder is continuously reviewed and refined, using a multi-pronged approach grounded in empirical evidence to enhance the safety and well-being of both staff and patients. From the allocation of diverse skills to gender-sensitive staffing and from rigorous capacity analysis to ensuring continuity of care, each aspect is diligently reviewed.