DClinPsy Portfolio Volume 1 of 3 - University of Hertfordshire ...

Additional research could consider a larger sample and further explore any differences in
opinion regarding the function of ward rounds across different professional groups.
Clinical and service implications
Offering appointment times to patients as well as their invited members was rated as
important. This may serve to decrease any problems on the ward for the nurses whilst the
ward round is taking place. In the comments section it was stated that the ward is harder
to manage during ward rounds, perhaps due to the patients’ level of anxiety prior to being
summoned. Explaining confidentiality and making sure that the patient understands what
the meeting is for was also seen as important and there were some differences in views
regarding whether this was taking place. When, how and by whom this information
should be conveyed may need to be decided.
Having a structured agenda was viewed as very important by the Nursing and ‘Other’
groups and was also commented on by Psychology. The agenda will depend on how
multi-disciplinary and genuinely holistic the role of the ward round is. Some comments
revealed that the ward round is medical and should remain that way with a separate
multi-disciplinary team meeting being held where all professionals can be involved in the
discussion of patients’ care. Comments regarding the function of the ward round being
medical (i.e. for the Consultant to have contact with the patients under their clinical care,
a factor noted by both Psychology and Psychiatry) all highlight how ward rounds are not
truly holistic. Piloting of a holistic ‘ward round’ or meeting to serve the purpose of
discussing the service users’ care could be useful. This could then be audited so that
patients and staff could report on whether this does work better.
It is apparent from this small study that opinions regarding the importance of the factors
in the best practice code published by Wolf, (1997) are thought to be important by all the
professional groups with significant consensus about the most important points. In
practise, not all of the important guidelines are consistently adhered to. It may therefore
be useful for all Trusts to employ a code of best practice for such meetings that can then
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