Since the introduction of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), Trusts have increased the number of shifts to cope with the reduction in junior doctors’ hours to 48 hours per week. Continuity of care is suffering as patients are ‘handed over’ again and again to different shifts.
Communication at patient handover should be written. In a study simulating handovers using fictional patient scenarios, junior doctors given verbal handovers forgot 67% of the information after the first handover and 97% by the fifth handover. Groups taking notes retained 87% of important data with 85.5% retained after the fifth handover. Another study showed that a structured handover form increased information retention from 73% (plain paper notes) to 93%.
The HIU has developed standards for the structure and content of handover documents in a project funded by Connecting For Health. The standards were developed in wide consultation and signed off by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges as suitable for the medical profession in April 2008.
The standards aim to reduce inadequate handover of information between shifts to improve the quality of care and ensure patient safety.