A process evaluation of the first year of Leading Change, Adding Value.

Background: Leading Change, Adding Value (LCAV) is a national framework to support transformational change across health and social care.

Design: a qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews was used to capture information on how LCAV has been disseminated in its early stages from the perspective of key stakeholders and partners. This also included looking at how it might be embedded into everyday practice.

Setting standards for high-quality placements.

As part of a project undertaken by a local education and training board, a wide range of stakeholders across South London were asked what makes a high-quality practice placement for student nurses, and how that quality could be effectively measured. This article outlines the drafting and testing of a set of quality standards in a mix of provider settings. Although further refinement is required, the standards enabled placement sites to question themselves about their own education and training processes, strengthened their partnership with the training and education board and facilitated the assurance that student nurses receive safe, effective and compassionate preparation when they are on placement.

Encouraging student feedback on placements.

Student nurses at Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust participated in pilot work for the local education and training board to ensure clinical placements were fit for purpose. This article looks at how they recognised a good practice placement and which themes emerged to highlight what they felt led to an effective learning environment. Feeling valued and being able to raise concerns in a transparent, open culture was important to them.

Held to account. tt.

Representatives of two nursing organisations offer a summary of nurses' legal position in relation to unsafe staffing levels.

The role of the nurse consultant in managing paediatric pain.

The role of nurse consultant is still fairly new, with many nurses unclear about where the job sits in the nursing hierarchy and what it involves. This paper describes the role of the first nurse consultant for paediatric pain in the UK, which involves specialist patient care, education, audit, research and providing guidance to other professionals.