Optimising Musculoskeletal Patient Flow Through Digital Triage and Supported Self-Management: A Service Evaluation Set Within Community Musculoskeletal Care.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are one of the leading causes of years of living with disability in the UK, resulting in pressure on the health system and the UK economy. In response to the increasing levels of patients accessing NHS care with MSK conditions across Sandwell and West Birmingham (SWB), a digital triage and self-management tool was implemented in 2023.

Aims: To optimise safety, efficiency, and choice within the community MSK service from the first contact through to specialist MSK care through digital triage and supported self-management.

The compatibility of multiple leadership styles in responding to a complex crisis: leading a health service COVID-19 response.

Purpose: The health service response to COVID-19 provided a unique opportunity to build our understanding of the leadership styles in use in managing a crisis event. Existing literature emphasises command and control leadership; however, there has been less emphasis on relational approaches and the behaviours necessary to ensure the agility of the response and minimise the risk of relational disturbances. The purpose of this paper is to understand leadership styles in use, as part of a health service response to COVID-19.

Determining the acceptability of testing contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases to improve secondary case ascertainment.

Background: UK asymptomatic contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases are not routinely tested for SARS-CoV-2. Testing contacts may improve case ascertainment and reduce onward transmission. This study investigated the acceptability of SARS-CoV-2 testing among contacts of confirmed cases as an integral part of the contact-tracing process.

Virtual models of chronic disease management: lessons from the experiences of virtual care during the COVID-19 response.

Objective This study examined Gold Coast staff and patient experiences with the rapid expansion of a virtual model of chronic disease management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The study undertook a survey of enrolled patients (n=24) and focus groups with clinical and administrative staff (n=44) delivering chronic disease programs at Gold Coast Health in Queensland. The study also examined routinely collected activity data for the chronic disease programs before COVID (January-February 2020) and for the first 3 months of the COVID-19 response (March-May 2020).

User involvement in regulation: A qualitative study of service user involvement in Care Quality Commission inspections of health and social care providers in England.

Background: High profile failures of care in the NHS have raised concerns about regulatory systems for health-care professionals and organizations. In response, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the regulator of health and social care in England overhauled its regulatory regime. It moved to inspections which made much greater use of expert knowledge, data and views from a range of stakeholders, including service users.