Welcome to the Right Decision Service (RDS) newsletter for April 2024.
Tactuum has been working hard to address the issues experienced during the last week. They have identified a series of three mitigation measures and put the first of these in place on Friday 3rd May. If this does not resolve the problems, the second mitigation will be actioned, and then the third if necessary.
Please keep a lookout for any slowing down of the system or getting locked out. Please email myself, mbuchner@tactuum.com and onivarova@tactuum.com if you experience any problems, and also please raise an urgent support ticket via the Support Portal.
Thank you for your patience and understanding while we achieve a full resolution.
A rotating carousel presenting some of the key RDS tools and capabilities, and an editable slideset, are now available in the Resources for RDS providers section of the Learning and Support toolkit.
The redesign of RDS Search and Browse is still on-track for delivery by mid-June 2024. We then plan to have a 3-week user acceptance testing phase before release to live. All editors and toolkit owners on this mailing list will be invited to participate in the UAT.
The archiving and version control functionality is also progressing well and we will advise on timescales for user acceptance testing shortly.
Tactuum is also progressing with the deep linking to individual toolkits within the mobile RDS app. There are several unknowns around the time and effort required for this work, which will only become clear as the work progresses. So we need to be careful to protect budget for this purpose.
These have all been compiled and effort estimated. Once the redesign work is complete, these will be prioritised in line with the remaining budget. We expect this to take place around late June.
Many thanks to those of you completed the value and impact survey we distributed in February. Here are some key findings from the 65 responses we received.
Figure 1: Impact of RDS on direct delivery of care
Key figures
Figure 2 shows RDS impact to date on delivery of health and care services
Key figures
These data show how RDS is already contributing to NHS reform priorities and supporting delivery of more sustainable care.
Saving time and money
Quality assurance and governance
Service innovation and workforce development
A few examples of toolkits published to live in the last month:
Some of the toolkits the RDS team is currently working on:
Please contact his.decisionsupport@nhs.scot if you would like to learn more about a toolkit. The RDS team will put you in touch with the relevant toolkit lead.
Thanks to all of you who have responded to the retrospective quality audit survey and to the follow up questions. We still have some following up to do, and to work with owners of a further 23 toolkits to complete responses. An interim report is being presented to the HIS Quality and Performance Committee.
Eight clinical services and two public library services are undertaking tests of change to implement the Being a partner in my care app. This app aims to support patients and the public to become active participants in Realistic Medicine. It has a strong focus on personalised, person-centred care and a library of shared decision aids, as well as simple explanations and videoclips to help the public to understand the aims of Realistic Medicine. The tests of change will inform guidance and an implementation model around wider adoption and spread of the app.
With kind regards
Right Decision Service team
Healthcare Improvement Scotland
Take swabs prior to antibiotic therapy. Check previous microbiology results, allergies and drug interactions.Penicillin Allergy:
• Penicillin allergy is documented in over10% of patients but the nature of allergy is often uncertain (not a true allergy).
• True allergy (anaphylaxis) occurs in under 1% of patients and is a barrier to all beta-lactam antibiotics.
• History of a rash or mild symptoms could still allow the use of cephalosporins or carbapenem antibiotics.
Consider delayed antibiotic prescriptions.
See SIGN 160
• Only use a dipstick in females under 65 years.
• Never dipstick a catheter specimen.
• UTI diagnosis in females under 65 years requires 2 or more urinary symptoms and positive nitrites on dipstick.
• Do not treat asymptomatic bacteriuria in non-pregnant females of any age.
• Consider self management with NSAID / delayed antibiotic prescribing if only mild UTI symptoms in non-pregnant women.
PONitrofurantoin and POAmoxicillin
If penicillin allergic:PO Co-trimoxazole
PO Trimethoprim or PO Nitrofurantoin
If renal impairment (eGFR <30):PO Ciprofloxacin 500mg 12hrly
Duration: 3 days (females) or 7 days (males)
1st line: Nitrofurantoin (1st or 2nd trimester only) 50mg 4 times daily or 100mg MR BD
2nd line: Amoxicillin (if susceptible) 500mg TDs or Cefalexin 500mg BD
Duration: 7 days
PO Trimethoprim OR PO Ciprofloxacin 500mg 12hrly
Duration: 7 days
35 years or over: PO Ofloxacin 400mg daily
Under35 years old: PO Doxycycline 100mg BD
Duration: 14 days
Antibiotic treatment if one of the following:
• New onset costovertebral tenderness
• Rigors
• New delirium
• Fever
Change catheter prior to antibiotic treatment
Nitrofurantoin 100mg MR BD (or 50mg 4 times daily) or Trimethoprim 200mg BD
Duration: 7 days
If signs of sepsis urgent admission to hospital
PO Trimethoprim or PO Ciprofloxacin 500mg 12hrly
Duration: 14-28 days minimum
Metronidazole 400mg BD for 7 days or Tinidazole 2g OD for 2 days)
Note: less relapse with 7 day course
NHS Dumfries & Galloway - RefHelp