New and revised audit tools
Children's Hospices - The Health & Social Care Act 2008, Code of Practice: Self Assessment
This is the second audit tool which has been customised for
use by children's hospices.
Latest new issues
Pain Management
The Pain Management audit tool, which was first published in 2007 and reissued in 2009, has been further revised and updated in May 2012.
Accessing audit tools
Help the Hospices audit tools are made available on the understanding that:
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Audit tools will not be altered or amended in any way. Any queries, difficulties or suggestions regarding the audit tools, please contact us.
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Reference to the audit tools, made in published works or conference presentations, must acknowledge Help the Hospices authorship and provide full details of the National Audit Tools Group.
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It is the responsibility of the hospice to ensure that they are using the current version of the relevant audit tool. Following release, the audit tools will reviewed and updated periodically to ensure they comply with current/emergent legislation and guidance. When an audit tool has been revised, the new issue will be added to the website and the previous version removed.
Members
Audit tools can be downloaded in the members area of the website.
Members can use their standard login details to access audit tools.
Non-members
People working for non-member hospices can register for an audit tools account.
Once you have an audit tools account you can log in and download audit tools.
Tools currently available to download
The following audit tools can be downloaded and used as shown in the guidance notes included with each tool.
Treatment and Care
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Inpatient admission and initial assessment
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Day care admission and initial assessment
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Pain management (new issue May 2012)
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Nutrition and Hydration
Medicines Management
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Controlled drugs: a self assessment tool for the
accountable officer
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Management of controlled drugs
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Management of general medicines
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Self administration of medicines
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Medical gases
End of Life
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Pre-Bereavement care (new release July 2011)
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Bereavement support service
Children's Hospices
Prevention and control of infection
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H&SCA 2008, Code of Practice: Self Assessment (updated Nov 2011)
Notes:
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The NATG is aware that the audit tools produced by the Infection Control Nurses Association which are quoted as references in the above modules have now been superseded by the Infection Prevention Quality Improvement Tools published by the Infection Prevention Society. The NATG is in the process of reviewing these references and will be releasing updated modules during 2012. In the meantime, hospices can still use the existing modules with confidence to evidence compliance with the required standards.
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If you are an infection control nurse and you have an interest in audit, we would greatly appreciate your input into the further development of the NATG infection control audit tool.
Audit tools currently under development
The following new audit tools are currently being finalised following trial:
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The first of the Community Service audit tools - Referral & Initial Assessment - Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Team
- Four new modules for the Infection Control audit tool covering:
Public Areas; Toilets for Public Use; Offices within Clinical Areas;
Visitors’ Accommodation
It is planned to release all of these in the next few months of 2012.
Other new tools under development include:
- Clinical Waste Management in Clinical Areas
- Body Fluid Spillages
- General Medicines (Children's Hospices)
If you would like to take part in the testing of any of the above, please email us at practicedevelop@helpthehospices.org.uk.
Developing new audit tools
Development of new audit tools is undertaken by sub-groups of the NATG. The six established sub-groups are:
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Treatment and care
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Medicines management
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Bereavement support
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Infection control
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Community services
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Children’s hospices
Additional ad hoc sub-groups are set up as required.
Anyone interested in joining these sub-groups should contact
practicedevelop@helpthehospices.org.uk.
Work is ongoing to develop a comprehensive set of community audit tools, covering Hospice at Home and the advice service provided by the Palliative Care Nurse Specialists. This is a very big piece of work and we would welcome help from hospices providing these services
The Group is looking ahead at which other audit tools should be developed in 2012-2013. In addition to the community audit tools, we plan to develop audit tools covering:
There will also be ongoing development of further audit tools for children's hospices.
Please suggest any other topics which you think we should cover.
To provide feedback or to advise if you would like to be involved in the development or testing of a particular audit tool please contact us.
