Launched in 2006, the Safer Nursing Care Tool (SNCT) is a simple-to-use, evidence based decision support tool that calculates nurse staffing requirements based on the acuity and dependency of patients on a ward. Since its launch, it has helped hundreds of nurse leaders across the country set safe ward staffing estiablishments. The development of the tool was initially led by the Association of UK University Hospitals Chief Nurses and the Shelford Group’s Chief Nursing Officers group, which brings together chief officers from across the country to share expertise and collaborate on initiatives such as this.
The tool was originally initiated by two NHS Chief Nurses, Professor Dame Hilary Chapman and Katherine Fenton OBE, and is now used in around 170 trusts across the country. It has also been further developed for use in emergency departments, adult in-patient wards, adult acute assessment units, children and young peoples’ wards and mental health trusts.
Endorsed by NICE and supported by the Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, the tool remains free of charge to NHS organisations in England.
Professor Janice Sigsworth CBE, Chair of the Shelford Group’s Safer Nursing Care Tool committee, talks about the success of the tool and its future development….
Why was the Safer Nursing Care Tool originally created, and how has it developed over time?
The tool was developed because there was no evidence base for historical staffing establishments. Whilst nursing leaders clearly understood that hospital patients are sicker and need more care, there was no simple consistent method of describing this in a valid, reliable and user friendly way. The work on developing the tool commenced in 2002 and the tool was launched in 2006.
The tool was updated in 2013 ahead of the Sir Robert Francis review into care failings in mid Staffordshire, and is currently being updated again to reflect the changing needs of patients and patient care pathways. It is now used by 170 trusts where it has supported senior nursing leaders in their safer staffing decisions aligned to their professional judgemen. The tool has also been adapted for other specialties, such as children and young people and emergency departments. A bespoke Mental health Tool (MHOST) was also launched in 2019. And in my own organisation, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, the biggest impact has been for supporting workforce planning – it’s been invaluable in that respect.
What have been the biggest benefits so far?
Most importantly, it has helped Chief Nurses and nursing leaders across England in their safer staffing decisions and assurance. However, there have been a huge number of benefits beyond just planning immediate nursing staffing requirements. It’s enabled nursing leaders to plan better for the future and make business cases for investment – not only in staffing numbers, but also training, equipment and service changes.
There has also been a professional benefit for staff. As part of the work NHS England have set up the Chief Nursing Officer Safer Staffing Fellowship programme, an accredited MSc in Healthcare workforce planning, delivery and assurance programme launched in 2019. The programme teaches nursing staff about the tool but, more broadly, trains staff to a masters level in how to embed a sustainable, consistent approach to safer staffing in the NHS. NHS England working in partnership with us has created a brilliant community of nurses who now have the specialist knowledge and skills to plan and implement evidence-based staffing programmes as well as support organisations with safer staffing challenges. Many of these Fellows have now gone on to become Deputy and Chief Nurses as well as taking up Regional and National Safer staffing roles.
What are the next steps now for the tool?
We’re hugely proud of everything we’ve achieved so far with the tool. It’s been endorsed by NICE, supported by CNO Ruth May and also now has a global reach, being used in countries around the world. We’re now in the process of further developing and improving the tool in partnership with our industry partners, Imperial College Innovations – watch this space!
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Read more about the Safer Care Nursing Tool and the NHS Chief Nursing Officer Safer Staffing Fellowship programme.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the nursing tool, or obtaining a licence for your Trust, please contact the Shelford Group secretariat on info@shelfordgroup.org in the first instance.