The Abbott Nurse Advisor Service acted to promote and protect the safety of patients, their family members, carers and staff. The service demonstrated patients were at the centre of their service delivery and developments.

Processes were followed to ensure equipment was available and safe to use for both staff and patients. The provider had assurance that staff employed had the skills, competencies and knowledge to carry out their role. Risks of abuse and neglect were mitigated by staff who had a good understanding about safeguarding both for vulnerable adults and children, and who knew the safeguarding procedures in the localities they worked in. The service showed it took action and learnt from incidents. This included incidents occurring outside the organisation, incidents relating to the delivery of patient care that the NHS trusts investigated and responding to national patient safety alerts. However, some nurses did not have a full understanding about the process for reporting and alerting contracting NHS trusts about incidents that involved the delivery of care and treatment by that NHS trust

The service demonstrated good outcomes for patients. The care and support provided prevented hospital visits and admissions, and enabled patients to independently care for and administer their enteral feeds. Multi-disciplinary teamwork with the local trust’s dietitians and nutrition nurses supported a cohesive, patient-centred dietary and enteral feeding service for patients.

Staff provided compassionate and friendly care to patients, treating them with respect and dignity. The aim of the service was to support patients to independently manage their own feeding tubes and administration of feeds. Training to achieve this was delivered at a pace and in the environment that best supported the patient’s individual needs.

Staff had a good understanding of the emotional impact and anxieties patients experienced. Mechanisms were in place for patients to access support and advise 24 hours a day.

There was an embedded strategy and vision for the service which staff demonstrated commitment to in their working practices. The service had effective systems and processes that were used to monitor and support improvements in the quality of the service and monitored risks and their associated mitigating actions. The service considered the views of patients in the development of the service.