News

Guide issued on care contact time

A guide has been issued today by Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer England, for providers and commissioners identifying ‘care contact time’, as part of the drive to deliver safe and effective care.

The guide published today sits alongside NQB guidance (How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time – A guide to nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability), NICE guidelines and NICE endorsed safe staffing toolkits.

The guide gives providers a suite of toolkits to support them in making decisions to secure safe staffing care for their patients and service users and recommends that organisations review the contact time staff spend with their patients.

It also supports commissioners working with providers to assure themselves that there is sufficient nurse, midwifery and care staff capacity and capability to meet appropriate outcomes and quality standards and to use commissioning and contractual levers to help secure improvements.

If you have any questions, please email england.contacttime@nhs.net