15th December – 19th December 2014
As I mentioned in my blog last week, I have been gaining an understanding of the recruitment process in the NHS. This week, I have had the opportunity to gain some great HR (Human Resources) experience when I was on interview panel for one of the Governance vacancies at the CCG. It was a really interesting experience to understand the types of questions that are asked and the scoring process for each candidate. I gained more of an idea about what I should do (and should not do!) when attending interviews in the future. It was a relatively long process when determining who the successful candidate would be and there was much deliberation between the interview panel when making the final decision, but we feel we have apointed the most suitable candidate for the job!
I have also been producing a business case to commission services that support women who have a mental illness during pregnancy and in the year after delivery (known as the postpartum year). At the CCG, we follow a specific online template to write a business case. Having studied Business from GCSE level and currently at undergraduate level, I have had quite a few years of experience writing business cases/plans, but I feel this template I have been using whilst on placement has been really helpful in ensuring that I've considered every aspect of the project before it is implemented.
As well as conducting interviews and producing business cases, I have been doing my regular finance activities; coding invoices and matching them for payment, in addition to amending local provider contracts, which will become one of my main duties in the New Year.
I will be having a little break over the festive season, so may I wish everyone a Merry Christmas!
19 December 2014
12 December 2014
Christmas at the CCG!
8th December - 12th December 2014
This week I have been learning about the recruitment process in the NHS. The vacancy for the new placement student to fill my role next year is now being advertised on the NHS jobs website and is on several University placement websites. A number of my tasks over the past week have been liaising with the placement teams at the selected Universities and the HR department (which is based outside of the CCG) to finalise the job description and person specification.
At the CCG, we are in the process of recruiting staff to fill a couple of roles and I have been given the opportunity to be on the panel when interviews take place next week. I have been going through several applications to shortlist candidates for interview, which has been really interesting to see what determines a suitable candidate. This experience has taught me to make sure that my CV and cover letter stand out when applying for jobs in the future, I now have a much better understanding of what makes a good job application!
I have been amending the contracts of local providers by adding national and local requirements and attaching documents needed for each healthcare provider. In addition, to also meeting with the psychiatric liasion team at the hospital to discuss how to commission and implement services for mothers in the local area who experience mental health problems.
It is officially the run up to Christmas and on Tuesday we had an early Christmas celebration! It was the final of the Great CCG Bake Off! Where contestants were asked to bake a Christmas showstopper incorporating the theme of the countdown to Christmas! I baked a chocolate yule log with twelve mini cakes, decorated with seasonal holly! We also enjoyed a Christmas buffet and exchanged our Secret Santa gifts!
This week I have been learning about the recruitment process in the NHS. The vacancy for the new placement student to fill my role next year is now being advertised on the NHS jobs website and is on several University placement websites. A number of my tasks over the past week have been liaising with the placement teams at the selected Universities and the HR department (which is based outside of the CCG) to finalise the job description and person specification.
At the CCG, we are in the process of recruiting staff to fill a couple of roles and I have been given the opportunity to be on the panel when interviews take place next week. I have been going through several applications to shortlist candidates for interview, which has been really interesting to see what determines a suitable candidate. This experience has taught me to make sure that my CV and cover letter stand out when applying for jobs in the future, I now have a much better understanding of what makes a good job application!
I have been amending the contracts of local providers by adding national and local requirements and attaching documents needed for each healthcare provider. In addition, to also meeting with the psychiatric liasion team at the hospital to discuss how to commission and implement services for mothers in the local area who experience mental health problems.
It is officially the run up to Christmas and on Tuesday we had an early Christmas celebration! It was the final of the Great CCG Bake Off! Where contestants were asked to bake a Christmas showstopper incorporating the theme of the countdown to Christmas! I baked a chocolate yule log with twelve mini cakes, decorated with seasonal holly! We also enjoyed a Christmas buffet and exchanged our Secret Santa gifts!
5 December 2014
NHS Contracting...
1st December – 5th December 2014
This week, I started working with the Contracts team at the CCG and was given the responsibility of creating a new NHS contract for a local provider of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) treatment; along with the help from Karen (Who is sadly leaving the CCG!) we filled in the appropriate areas and information to produce the contract. Following on from this, we then held a meeting with the provider to talk them through the contract in more detail, discussing terms and conditions and to determine what information we needed in order for the contract to be issued and signed.
I have also been in the process of finalising the job description and person specification for the new student placement for 2015/16, who will fill my role when I leave in August. I will be responsible for the recruitment for this position and will be shortlisting suitable candidates, as well as holding interviews for the role within the New Year. I am particularly looking forward to being involved in this process as it will enable me to gain an insight into the recruitment process within the NHS and to also understand what type of attributes and traits recruiting managers look for. I am looking forward to being sat on the other side of the interview panel this time!
I have now been on placement for just over three months now (which has flown!) and a large proportion of my role over the past few weeks has been working with the finance team; particularly focusing on coding new invoices which are uploaded onto the online system each day and matching the Continuing Healthcare (CHC) invoices for payment. Due to the ageing population in Eastern Cheshire, there are a large number of residents living in Care Homes, who require complex care needs and treatment. It is essential to keep on top of these invoices and ensure that they are paid on time. In the New Year, I will be focusing on assisting the Contracts team with renewing and producing contracts for 2015/16 and will be reducing my time working with Finance. I have been surprised that I have enjoyed the finance work that I've been getting involved in, having previously not enjoyed studying finance units at University!
Bake Off Week 4... As mentioned in previous weeks, we are currently competing in our own charity Bake Off at the CCG! Over the past four weeks, we have been given a different baking task, which incorporates a specific theme, which at times has been stressful! This week, we had the challenge of baking bread; I produced granary rolls which were extremely boring compared with the other contestants’ breakfast buns and German sweet treats!
Next week is the final of the Great CCG Bake Off... where we will be producing sweet and savory Christmas-themed bakes for the staff briefing and we will also be exchanging our Secret Santa presents!
This week, I started working with the Contracts team at the CCG and was given the responsibility of creating a new NHS contract for a local provider of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) treatment; along with the help from Karen (Who is sadly leaving the CCG!) we filled in the appropriate areas and information to produce the contract. Following on from this, we then held a meeting with the provider to talk them through the contract in more detail, discussing terms and conditions and to determine what information we needed in order for the contract to be issued and signed.
I have also been in the process of finalising the job description and person specification for the new student placement for 2015/16, who will fill my role when I leave in August. I will be responsible for the recruitment for this position and will be shortlisting suitable candidates, as well as holding interviews for the role within the New Year. I am particularly looking forward to being involved in this process as it will enable me to gain an insight into the recruitment process within the NHS and to also understand what type of attributes and traits recruiting managers look for. I am looking forward to being sat on the other side of the interview panel this time!
I have now been on placement for just over three months now (which has flown!) and a large proportion of my role over the past few weeks has been working with the finance team; particularly focusing on coding new invoices which are uploaded onto the online system each day and matching the Continuing Healthcare (CHC) invoices for payment. Due to the ageing population in Eastern Cheshire, there are a large number of residents living in Care Homes, who require complex care needs and treatment. It is essential to keep on top of these invoices and ensure that they are paid on time. In the New Year, I will be focusing on assisting the Contracts team with renewing and producing contracts for 2015/16 and will be reducing my time working with Finance. I have been surprised that I have enjoyed the finance work that I've been getting involved in, having previously not enjoyed studying finance units at University!
Bake Off Week 4... As mentioned in previous weeks, we are currently competing in our own charity Bake Off at the CCG! Over the past four weeks, we have been given a different baking task, which incorporates a specific theme, which at times has been stressful! This week, we had the challenge of baking bread; I produced granary rolls which were extremely boring compared with the other contestants’ breakfast buns and German sweet treats!
Next week is the final of the Great CCG Bake Off... where we will be producing sweet and savory Christmas-themed bakes for the staff briefing and we will also be exchanging our Secret Santa presents!
28 November 2014
Joining the Contracts team!
24th November - 28th November 2014
Next week, I will be starting to work with the contracts team at the CCG. The team is responsible for amending each healthcare provider's contract with changes to certain sections; for example, the payment section which needs to be updated annually due to changes to regional payment tariffs. All contracts are drafted on an online NHS contracts portal where they are then finalised, issued and sent to be signed by the appropriate healthcare provider. I'm looking forward to getting involved in this area of work and gaining more of an insight into the different contracts which we hold.
This week, I have been writing the business case for commissioning Perinatal Mental Health Services for women in Eastern Cheshire, experiencing mental health problems during the antenatal and postpartum period of their pregnancy. I have been researching what services currently exist for women in our neighbouring areas. There are a number of services and clinics within the Wirral and West Cheshire area, indicating that there is a significant need to commission services that are similar, in addition to also ensuring that there is an integrated care pathway in place for referrals to the services we commission. The business case will justify the rationale behind the project and will list the benefits of the project.
I have also been continuing to work on a number of different projects, including; comparing and contrasting the 2014/15 CQUINs (Commissioning for Quality and Innovation) implemented by our neighbouring CCG's for our leading mental health provider (CWP), amending the business case for the risk stratification tool which we are looking to procure next year as part of our transformation programme ‘Caring Together'. I have also been analysing results from surveys conducted at each GP practice in Eastern Cheshire to identify trends, improvements and declines.
Bake off update...! This week we were given the challenge of making pastry! The last time I attempted to make a pastry-based product was about seven years ago in a food technology class. We were given the task of making jam tarts; of which mine ended up being raw in the middle, so this week’s bake off was a real challenge! I decided to bake mini apple and blackberry pies. There were a number of different pastry treats on offer; including profiteroles, tarts and pies…. there were no soggy bottoms in sight!
Next week, we have been given the challenge of baking bread!
Next week, I will be starting to work with the contracts team at the CCG. The team is responsible for amending each healthcare provider's contract with changes to certain sections; for example, the payment section which needs to be updated annually due to changes to regional payment tariffs. All contracts are drafted on an online NHS contracts portal where they are then finalised, issued and sent to be signed by the appropriate healthcare provider. I'm looking forward to getting involved in this area of work and gaining more of an insight into the different contracts which we hold.
This week, I have been writing the business case for commissioning Perinatal Mental Health Services for women in Eastern Cheshire, experiencing mental health problems during the antenatal and postpartum period of their pregnancy. I have been researching what services currently exist for women in our neighbouring areas. There are a number of services and clinics within the Wirral and West Cheshire area, indicating that there is a significant need to commission services that are similar, in addition to also ensuring that there is an integrated care pathway in place for referrals to the services we commission. The business case will justify the rationale behind the project and will list the benefits of the project.
I have also been continuing to work on a number of different projects, including; comparing and contrasting the 2014/15 CQUINs (Commissioning for Quality and Innovation) implemented by our neighbouring CCG's for our leading mental health provider (CWP), amending the business case for the risk stratification tool which we are looking to procure next year as part of our transformation programme ‘Caring Together'. I have also been analysing results from surveys conducted at each GP practice in Eastern Cheshire to identify trends, improvements and declines.
Bake off update...! This week we were given the challenge of making pastry! The last time I attempted to make a pastry-based product was about seven years ago in a food technology class. We were given the task of making jam tarts; of which mine ended up being raw in the middle, so this week’s bake off was a real challenge! I decided to bake mini apple and blackberry pies. There were a number of different pastry treats on offer; including profiteroles, tarts and pies…. there were no soggy bottoms in sight!
Next week, we have been given the challenge of baking bread!
24 November 2014
HealthVoice - Listening to the Public's Views;
17th November - 21st November 2014
This week I have been working on a number of projects, including; gathering research for the quality and performance section on the CCG’s website, continuing with producing a business case for procuring a new risk stratification tool as part of the ‘Caring Together’ programme and also continuing to work with Finance by coding invoices and matching continuing healthcare (CHC) packages for payment.
As mentioned in previous weeks, we are looking to procure a new risk stratification tool, in order to identify the top 2% of high risk patients within the East Cheshire area. The risk stratification tool will enable GP’s to identify patients who have complex long-term conditions, who require care and support. The tool is fundamental to our transformation ‘Caring Together’ programme at the Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group, which aims to encourage individuals to take a more proactive approach to manage their condition at an early stage, to ultimately prevent admission to hospital and A&E visits.
Towards the end of the week, I had the opportunity to attend the HealthVoice meeting, which allows members of the public to voice their opinions and to put forward suggestions for the local healthcare services which we commission. The meeting is a chance for the CCG to understand the public’s views and feelings and to consider which elements need improving; it also gives members of the public the opportunity to become involved in commissioning decisions. This ensures that the CCG is constantly engaging with its patients and taking on board the views of those who use the healthcare services.
The Great CCG Bake Off continues! This week participants were asked to bake biscuits with a Disney theme! There were some incredible biscuits… we have a number of very talented bakers at the CCG! Next week we move on to baking pastry based products!
This week I have been working on a number of projects, including; gathering research for the quality and performance section on the CCG’s website, continuing with producing a business case for procuring a new risk stratification tool as part of the ‘Caring Together’ programme and also continuing to work with Finance by coding invoices and matching continuing healthcare (CHC) packages for payment.
As mentioned in previous weeks, we are looking to procure a new risk stratification tool, in order to identify the top 2% of high risk patients within the East Cheshire area. The risk stratification tool will enable GP’s to identify patients who have complex long-term conditions, who require care and support. The tool is fundamental to our transformation ‘Caring Together’ programme at the Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group, which aims to encourage individuals to take a more proactive approach to manage their condition at an early stage, to ultimately prevent admission to hospital and A&E visits.
Towards the end of the week, I had the opportunity to attend the HealthVoice meeting, which allows members of the public to voice their opinions and to put forward suggestions for the local healthcare services which we commission. The meeting is a chance for the CCG to understand the public’s views and feelings and to consider which elements need improving; it also gives members of the public the opportunity to become involved in commissioning decisions. This ensures that the CCG is constantly engaging with its patients and taking on board the views of those who use the healthcare services.
The Great CCG Bake Off continues! This week participants were asked to bake biscuits with a Disney theme! There were some incredible biscuits… we have a number of very talented bakers at the CCG! Next week we move on to baking pastry based products!
14 November 2014
The Great CCG Bake Off!
10th – 14th November 2014
Due to the popularity of the BBC show ‘The Great British Bake Off’, the CCG has decided to hold its own bake off, to celebrate colleagues’ baking talents and to raise money in the process. There are 12 participants in the weekly challenge which sees baking abilities tested across range of areas from cakes to biscuits to pies. On Tuesday, before the monthly staff briefing, the first challenge took place! Bakers were asked to create a sponge cake of their choice by using a maximum of four eggs, including a filling in the cake and incorporating fruit or veg in the finished product. Being a fan of the show, I couldn't resist getting involved!
For the first challenge I decided to bake a Jamie Oliver chocolate celebration cake, which was filled with strawberries, raspberries and whipped cream and decorated with melted chocolate, fruit and Malteasers. The cakes were anonymously judged by three volunteers at the CCG; Karen, Sally and Niall, who announced the winners during the staff briefing. Somehow I managed to bag second place in this week’s bake off! I was extremely surprised to come second as there were some incredible cakes!
Next week we tackle the difficult challenge of creating biscuits with a Disney theme!
As a way of improving quality and performance, we held a ‘Brown Paper Event', which is a technique used to map out a process and looking at ways of improving individual elements, by identifying concerns. The ‘Brown Paper Event’, was held to identify problems with the hospital’s ‘Delayed Transfers of Care’ (DTOC) process. We mapped the process from the initial admission to hospital to the end transfer back to the patient's home, intermediate care or a nursing home. We arranged for a number of nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and continuing healthcare (CHC) staff, to take part in the workshop to understand each individual's role in the process. By the end of the event, we identified the main areas of concerns and improvements to be made to make the process flow more smoothly. Before this event, I was not aware of how long and complicated the transfer of care process was and the number of staff that are involved.
Due to the popularity of the BBC show ‘The Great British Bake Off’, the CCG has decided to hold its own bake off, to celebrate colleagues’ baking talents and to raise money in the process. There are 12 participants in the weekly challenge which sees baking abilities tested across range of areas from cakes to biscuits to pies. On Tuesday, before the monthly staff briefing, the first challenge took place! Bakers were asked to create a sponge cake of their choice by using a maximum of four eggs, including a filling in the cake and incorporating fruit or veg in the finished product. Being a fan of the show, I couldn't resist getting involved!
For the first challenge I decided to bake a Jamie Oliver chocolate celebration cake, which was filled with strawberries, raspberries and whipped cream and decorated with melted chocolate, fruit and Malteasers. The cakes were anonymously judged by three volunteers at the CCG; Karen, Sally and Niall, who announced the winners during the staff briefing. Somehow I managed to bag second place in this week’s bake off! I was extremely surprised to come second as there were some incredible cakes!
Next week we tackle the difficult challenge of creating biscuits with a Disney theme!
As a way of improving quality and performance, we held a ‘Brown Paper Event', which is a technique used to map out a process and looking at ways of improving individual elements, by identifying concerns. The ‘Brown Paper Event’, was held to identify problems with the hospital’s ‘Delayed Transfers of Care’ (DTOC) process. We mapped the process from the initial admission to hospital to the end transfer back to the patient's home, intermediate care or a nursing home. We arranged for a number of nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and continuing healthcare (CHC) staff, to take part in the workshop to understand each individual's role in the process. By the end of the event, we identified the main areas of concerns and improvements to be made to make the process flow more smoothly. Before this event, I was not aware of how long and complicated the transfer of care process was and the number of staff that are involved.
10 November 2014
The First Perinatal Mental Health Networks Meeting:
3rd November - 7th November 2014
As mentioned earlier in my blog, a project which I will be involved in over the next few weeks consists of commissioning Perinatal Mental Health Services within the Cheshire East area. On Tuesday, I attended a meeting along with several psychiatrists, midwives and consultant liaisons within the Cheshire area, with the psychiatry lead from the NHS (CWP) Cheshire and Wirral Partnership, who are responsible for providing mental health services to our population. The meeting was arranged to discuss current pathways of referral for women with mental health conditions whilst pregnant and up to a year after birth. We discussed advantages and disadvantages of the pathways that had been created by CWP, actions to take in the upcoming months and the types of services that need to be commissioned. I came away from the meeting with a much better understanding of mental health conditions during and after pregnancy and also with a number of contacts of professionals who are happy to help with this project.
This week, I have been reviewing the CQUIN (Commissioning for Quality and Innovation) evidence that has been provided by CWP for quarter two for the Proactive Care and the Health Equality Framework goals. At the CCG, each year we set a number of targets which each service provider must achieve, in order to receive a payment. Each healthcare service must provide evidence to reflect how the milestone has been achieved in each quarter. At the monthly ‘Clinical Quality and Performance Meeting' at the CCG, we then discuss the CQUIN achievements for each provider and monitor the performance with a 'RAG' (Red, Amber, Green) rating to demonstrate achievement.
On Friday, I attended an event at Cranage Hall in Holmes Chapel which was based on intergating health and social care through 'Short-Term Assessment Intervention Recovery and Rehabilitation Service'; also known as 'STAIRSS'. A number of colleagues attended the workshop including representatives from South Cheshire and Vale Royal CCG, the council, NWAS (North West Ambulance Service) and members of the public, where we discussed ways of integrating health and social care across Cheshire to reduce the gaps in the care pathways. The workshop involved understanding areas which delay transfers of care for a patient and understanding the need for patients to receive rapid assessment, rehabilitation and re-ablement in the comfort of their own home.
As mentioned earlier in my blog, a project which I will be involved in over the next few weeks consists of commissioning Perinatal Mental Health Services within the Cheshire East area. On Tuesday, I attended a meeting along with several psychiatrists, midwives and consultant liaisons within the Cheshire area, with the psychiatry lead from the NHS (CWP) Cheshire and Wirral Partnership, who are responsible for providing mental health services to our population. The meeting was arranged to discuss current pathways of referral for women with mental health conditions whilst pregnant and up to a year after birth. We discussed advantages and disadvantages of the pathways that had been created by CWP, actions to take in the upcoming months and the types of services that need to be commissioned. I came away from the meeting with a much better understanding of mental health conditions during and after pregnancy and also with a number of contacts of professionals who are happy to help with this project.
This week, I have been reviewing the CQUIN (Commissioning for Quality and Innovation) evidence that has been provided by CWP for quarter two for the Proactive Care and the Health Equality Framework goals. At the CCG, each year we set a number of targets which each service provider must achieve, in order to receive a payment. Each healthcare service must provide evidence to reflect how the milestone has been achieved in each quarter. At the monthly ‘Clinical Quality and Performance Meeting' at the CCG, we then discuss the CQUIN achievements for each provider and monitor the performance with a 'RAG' (Red, Amber, Green) rating to demonstrate achievement.
On Friday, I attended an event at Cranage Hall in Holmes Chapel which was based on intergating health and social care through 'Short-Term Assessment Intervention Recovery and Rehabilitation Service'; also known as 'STAIRSS'. A number of colleagues attended the workshop including representatives from South Cheshire and Vale Royal CCG, the council, NWAS (North West Ambulance Service) and members of the public, where we discussed ways of integrating health and social care across Cheshire to reduce the gaps in the care pathways. The workshop involved understanding areas which delay transfers of care for a patient and understanding the need for patients to receive rapid assessment, rehabilitation and re-ablement in the comfort of their own home.
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