Scots charity introduce new nursing structure
Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) is introducing a new nursing structure to their care plan which will ensure the charity have the right skills, resources and expertise to support and manage the complex care needs of families in their hospices.
From today, Skill Mix, a staffing structure developed to allow the charity to meet the ever evolving needs of families in their care, has been carefully thought out to utilise and build on the existing expertise of nursing staff. The restructuring will allow CHAS to take on more care staff which in turn, will enable specialist teams to better cater to the requirements of children who have complex care needs.
CHAS chief executive Maria McGill said: “Caring for children, young people and families is at the heart of all that we do. The needs of families in our care has changed and grown since Rachel House opened and we’ve listened to the families and our staff in order to address this. Skill Mix lays out a clear structure which will not only improve the care we provide to families, but will allow us to adapt, giving more responsibility, support and motivation to team members who are keen to progress.”
Research carried out within the organisation indicated that staff would like to see a clearer model for career progression in hospices and there was also a desire for enhanced clinical leadership and support within care teams. Skill Mix is hoped to address both concerns by bringing in more support and setting clear progression paths for staff.
CHAS is only charity in Scotland providing hospice care for Children with life shortening conditions. The main priority in developing the new structure has been to ensure the organisation is able to continue their high standards of care. Throughout the process, the charity has actively encouraged staff to be involved giving them a chance to influence the final structure.
By working closely with the NHS and taking account of what’s happening throughout the UK economically, socially and with new technology, it is hoped the implementation of these changes will have a positive impact on families and give care teams more time to focus on specialist areas.
