CHS124 Manage and support the progress of individuals through patient pathways

Overview

This standard covers the effective management and support of individuals through pathways within any health or social care setting or context.  The care pathway represents every aspect of the individual’s care, from their initial presentation through to the successful resolution of their health care needs, their discharge or their death. Patient pathways are determined by the specific needs of the individual, whether they are a child, young person or an adult. 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 types of information that need to be shared with others as individuals progress through their care pathways
2. The nature, sequence and urgency of each part of the care pathway
3. The reasons for reviewing individuals’ priorities and the frequency with which this should be undertaken
4. The requirements of each stage of the individual’s care pathway, and how the number of individuals that access services can be managed and optimised
5. The importance of maintaining individual safety when supporting the operation of care pathways
6. The importance of effective communication with all involved in the management and delivery of patient pathways
7. The factors influencing the efficiency and effectiveness of care pathways and how potential problems can be prevented
8. The resources that are required at each stage of the care pathway
9. The scope of practice of the staff available to enable or support a given care pathway at any one time
10. The time individuals spends at each stage of the care pathway, and how to manage this effectively
11. The policy and procedures for recording information related to the care pathway
12. The protocols and guidelines for prioritising care and treatment
13. The information that should be collected as part of the audit processes
14. Current legislation, guidelines, policies and protocols which affect your responsibilities and work practice
15. The policies and guidance which clarify your scope of practice
16. The boundaries of your role and the importance of working within your scope of practice
17. The roles and responsibilities of others involved in the delivery of care pathways

Performance Criteria

You must be able to do the following:

1. adhere to legislation, protocols and guidelines relevant to your role and area of work
2. record, store and share patient documentation and information in line with patient confidentiality and data protection
3. recognise the boundary of your role and responsibility and the situations that are beyond your competence and authority
4. communicate with individuals and their families/significant others at a pace and level appropriate to their understanding
 
5. identify the resources required for the effective transfer of individuals along care pathways and ensure their availability
6. implement aspects of care pathways promptly, in the correct sequence, and at the earliest possible opportunity, so as to achieve the best outcome for the individual
7. encourage individuals to promote their own health and well-being and to express their interests and concerns throughout the care pathway
8. identify potential problems that can arise as individuals move along the care pathway and devise actions to overcome these
9. ensure the safety of individuals as they progress through the care pathway
10. take prompt and effective action when there is deviation from the planned pathway
11. communicate information regarding the individual, their needs and treatment as the individual is transferred to the care of colleagues, other departments or services
12. specify and audit the quality and standards of care
13. review care pathways and update as necessary to ensure their efficiency and effectiveness and that they are based on current evidence

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: HWB4 Enablement to address health and wellbeing needs This standard has replaced EC_32 and EC_33