The Big Word and Topp Language Solutions provide our interperting and translation services to patients at CHFT. It's important they're made aware if colleagues have any service issues. Recently an interpreter was cancelled at the last moment over a weekend. This meant the patient's appointment on the Monday had to be cancelled at short notice, which would have been inconvenient and could also have caused them added worry.

If you have any service issues on our intertertation or British Sign Language providers please feedback to them. You'll find all the information on how to do that on the intranet (see non-clinical information/Interpreting and British Sign Language (BSL) Services).

Patient Alerts - new

The Patient Safety Group monitors the implementation of nationally and locally agreed best practice/initiatives/standards in patient safety and supports the improvement of learning around safety across the organisation. NHS Improvement Patient Safety Alerts rapidly alert the healthcare system to risks and provide guidance on preventing potential incidents that may lead to harm or death.

Two new alerts have been added to the intranet:

1: Resources to support safer modification of food and drink - support and guidance following incidents nationally due to confusion over the term "soft diet".

2: Resources to support safer bowel care for patients at risk ofautonomic dysreflexia - support for patients with spinal cord injury or neurological conditions who may depend on routine interventional bowel care.

Find both Patient Alerts and guidance here.