Gwent NHS staff join battle on waste (From South Wales Argus)

Gwent NHS staff join battle on waste

3:40pm Friday 1st January 2010 in Gwent news By Andy Rutherford - Health correspondent

GWENT'S largest employer is urging its staff of almost 14,000 to get involved in a battle against waste and bureaucracy that it hopes will save thousands, and perhaps millions, of pounds.

Aneurin Bevan Health Board's Why Don't We... campaign, endorsed by management and staff representatives, is designed to help tackle a mid-year budget deficit of £14m and to eliminate unacceptable and occasionally nonsensical situations that affect the delivery of top quality healthcare.

Staff are being encouraged to make suggestions that can save money and cut red tape, and to prefix their ideas and observations with the phrase "Why don't we..." A report on the campaign highlights four examples of situations encountered in the organisation that board bosses are keen to stamp out: * A £4.50 (computer) mouse required for someone to do their job, was ordered through a process that required 10 authorisations, ending with that of the chief executive, and was late to arrive.

* A lack of support that meant five patients who were waiting for transport home from Nevill Hall Hospital one afternoon, had to stay an additional night.

* Complex care patients having to be placed in expensive, out-of-county placements because no local service is available.

* A focus on savings to the extent that it led to worries that cotton wool balls were rumoured not to be able to be bought for wards, which was not true.

“Why Don't We... is about pulling together and generating ideas that will reduce waste and delays across our services," states the report, signed up to by health board chief executive Dr Andrew Goodall, and staff representative George Puckett.

Most of the health board's overspend is caused by increases in the costs of providing Continuing Healthcare packages to people in their own homes or nursing homes, and the cost of meeting waiting times targets, which have not been fully funded through the Assembly.

Health boards in Wales are expected to break even at the end of the financial year next March, and board bosses hope the “Why Don't We...” campaign, along with board-wide efficiency programmes, will inspire staff to come up with short- and long term solutions.