EUSC07 Prioritise individuals for further assessment, treatment and care

Overview

This standard covers determining the priority order for a number of people who need to receive further assessment, treatment or care.  Priority must be assigned in such a manner as to ensure the optimal service provision to all individuals requiring further assessment, treatment and care.  This is different from prioritising multiple interventions required by an individual to ensure their health is optimised. Users of this standard will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies. Version No 1

Knowledge and Understanding

You will need to know and understand:

1. The current European and national legislation, national guidelines and local policies and protocols which affect your work practice in relation prioritising individuals for further assessment, treatment and care
2. Your responsibilities under the current European and national legislation, national guidelines and local policies and protocols
3. The policies and guidance which clarify your scope of practice and the relationship between yourself and other members of staff in terms of delegation and supervision
4. Your role and the importance of working within your own scope of practice
5. The roles and responsibilities of other team members and the impact these have on the prioritisation of individuals for further assessment, treatment and care
6. The different requirements health and care providers must meet to support an individual’s personal and socio-cultural needs
7. The importance of confidentiality and how to ensure personal data is kept confidential whilst being shared with other health and care providers
8. The importance of keeping the individual informed about what you are doing and how prioritisation is decided
9. The importance of considering the individual’s communication difficulties/differences and level of understanding in answering questions that will inform the priority order assigned to them for further assessment, treatment and care
10. The range of health and care providers engaged in providing further assessment, treatment and care and how to gauge their appropriateness in meeting the needs of the individual
11. The health and social care network and directory of services and how these impact on the prioritisation of individuals for further assessment, treatment and care
12. The arrangements, procedures and protocols for the transfer of individuals between health and care providers
13. The procedures and protocols for prioritising A working understanding of the procedures and protocols for prioritising the further assessment, treatment and care needs of an individual with multiple needs
14. The individual assessment process, including how to evaluate factors which might impact on the prioritisation and/or sequencing of further assessment and care
15. The pertinent clinical information required by other health and care providers for the further assessment, treatment and care of individuals
16. The bio-psycho-social model of health and how this impacts on the prioritisation of individuals for further assessment, treatment and care
17. What constitutes pertinent personal and socio-cultural information about an individual in terms of information that may be required by other professionals who will be involved in the provision of their further assessment, treatment and care
18. The importance of recording information clearly, accurately and in a systematic manner
19. The types of information that must be recorded in relation to the prioritisation of individuals for further assessment, treatment and care
20. The importance of recording information about the priority assigned to individuals for further assessment, treatment and care at an appropriate time and in an approved format

Performance Criteria

You must be able to do the following:

1. determine which individuals are to be considered and prioritised for further assessment, treatment and care
2. obtain all patient notes and other relevant materials and documentation which might inform the prioritisation of individuals for further assessment, treatment and care
3. ascertain relevant details about individuals that could have an impact on the priority status assigned to their further assessment, treatment and care
4. ensure in appropriate circumstances that individuals have given informed consent to further assessment, treatment and care
5. identify what further assessment, treatment and care each individual will require in order to complete their care pathway, taking into account any available details
6. identify accurately which health and care provider is most able to appropriately meet the further assessment, treatment and care needs of the individual
7. determine the availability of the required further assessment, treatment and care with the relevant health and care provider that will be providing this service, in a timely and appropriate manner
8. prioritise individuals for further assessment, treatment and care taking into account:
1. the priority status of each individual being directed towards further assessment, treatment and care, based on available details
2. the availability of the appropriate service providing the required further assessment, treatment and care
9. be alert to any changes in the needs of the individual or the availability of the required service, and reprioritise individuals as appropriate to ensure optimum service delivery
10. make arrangements with the relevant health and care provider for the appropriate assessments, treatment and care to be provided, in line with national and local policies and guidelines
11. ensure that the needs of individuals requiring multiple further assessment, treatment and care from one or more health and care provider have been taken into account, arranging further service provision in an appropriate and logical sequence
12. ensure that the individual or significant others are fully informed about planned further assessment, treatment and care, including:
1. what it will involve
2. where it will be conducted
3. when it will be conducted
13. ensure that any required transfer or referral of responsibility for individuals between health and care providers is agreed, arranged and documented appropriately and accurately, in line with agreed policies and protocols
14. respect the privacy, dignity and confidentiality of the individual throughout your interaction with them
15. work within your scope of responsibility and accountability, referring to others where appropriate and/or necessary
16. maintain timely, accurate, complete and legible records in accordance with local policies and procedures and work at all times within appropriate patient and information confidentiality guidelines and protocols

Additional Information

This National Occupational Standard was developed by Skills for Health. This standard links with the following dimension within the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (October 2004): Dimension: G5 Service and project management