Latest news

20 August 2018

This year’s Study Day is on Tuesday 13th November at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester.

The event includes: presentations from organisations running SAGE & THYME training across the UK; updates from the SAGE & THYME team on issues such as the change in the way SATFAC feedback is given and running the workshop; and an interactive discussion session.

We recommend that at least one person for each SAGE & THYME licence attends the day to ensure that your organisation is up to date on any new developments.

The early bird fee (for booking before 17 September 2018) is £60 per person and the fee thereafter is £80 per person.  Fees charged simply cover the costs.

We are currently organising speakers and workshops, and will advertise the programme once finalised.
 

2 July 2018

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust has been shortlisted for a Nursing Times 'Enhancing Patient Dignity' award for its work on SAGE & THYME.

The award submission was entitled 'Giving every patient their voice - teaching every nurse how to listen'.  It explains how the memorable structure of SAGE & THYME helps nurses and others to use evidence-based skills in conversations with patients, as dignity in care starts with patients being carefully listened to.

Winners will be announced at the award ceremony on 31 October 2018.

For more information on the awards click here.

25 Jun 2018

To mark 10 years of collaboration between Macmillan Cancer Support professionals and SAGE & THYME, an article has been published in Macmillan's summer edition of its 'Mac Voice' magazine.

The article, written by Mike Connolly (Lead Trainer of SAGE & THYME and Consultant Nurse in Supportive and Palliative Care at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust), talks about how Macmillan was an early adopter of the SAGE & THYME Foundation Level workshop and that to date it has supported more than 230 professionals to become SAGE & THYME facilitators.

Genevieve Murphy, Macmillan Senior Learning & Development Manager in Belfast, says, ‘For Macmillan professionals, SAGE & THYME gives them a model they can use in clinical practice, that of listening and responding to concerned patients, putting the patient at the centre of the process and demonstrating a patientcentred approach to communicating and supporting people through the concerns that are important to them.’

Click here to read the article (on page 14).

6 June 2018

We are pleased to announce that to encourage new organisations interested in adopting the SAGE & THYME Foundation Level workshop to find out more about it, we are offering them the chance to ‘try before they buy’.

This offer is SAGE & THYME’s contribution to celebrating 70 years of the NHS, and will therefore last until 31 Dec 2018.

We are offering two free places (normally costing £90 each)* for two members of staff within an organisation that is not currently running the SAGE & THYME training, to attend a SAGE & THYME Foundation Level workshop at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester.

Attending the workshop will provide a clear understanding of how the workshop is delivered and what participants learn, and help the organisation to decide if and how it could adopt and run the SAGE & THYME communication skills training for its own staff, students and volunteers.

Contact us for more information.

*Subject to availability – terms and conditions apply

14 May 2018

Dying Matters week is an annual event to raise the profile of talking about dying, death and bereavement. Giving a terminally ill person the chance to plan their end of life, allows them to indicate their wishes around their care when their condition deteriorates, in the event that they no longer have the capacity to make decisions, and/or the ability to communicate their wishes to others in the future. These wishes are recorded in an advance care plan.

Professionals responsible for discussing advance care planning with patients include GPs, senior nurses and social care staff. They often report that they don't know how to open such discussions and then structure the conversation, whilst supporting the patient with their concerns. The SAGE & THYME for Advance Care Planning (ACP) workshop teaches staff who have knowledge on the processes and procedures (e.g. Gold Standards Framework) around ACP, how to speak with patients.

9 April 2018

Listening to patients is a key part of their care in the NHS. Helping them to talk through their concerns can provide effective support, by allowing patients to think clearly and consider what might help them. Foundation level communication skills facilitate listening to patients and the SAGE & THYME Foundation Level workshop is believed to be the most widespread training programme teaching these skills - it is currently being taught in 1 in 5 acute, community, mental health, and ambulance Trusts in England.

1 February 2018

NHS Tayside adopted the SAGE & THYME training to complement their advanced communication skills programme.  The aim was to enable all staff in contact with patients, from a variety of backgrounds, to be taught how to listen to patients using a person-centred approach.

Nearly 100% of people who have attended the training would recommend it to others.  Staff, including healthcare support workers, say that they have more confidence in speaking to patients and carers about their concerns and show that they have learnt key aspects of effective communication.

To find out more about the benefits of the training to NHS Tayside, click here to go to the case study page.

15 January 2018

We're pleased to announce our second SAGE & THYME case study on how and why University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust adopted the SAGE & THYME foundation level workshop.  It also covers the challenges the Trust was facing, the benefits of the training and some tips for those organisations considering running the training.

Click here to go to the case studies page.

18 December 2017

Two new papers have just been published on the SAGE & THYME Foundation Level workshop by Dr Jane Griffiths at the University of Manchester.

The first, published in British Journal of Community Nursing, is an article entitled 'Person-centred communication for emotional support in district nursing: SAGE and THYME model'.

The second is a review in the International Journal of Palliative Nursing, entitled 'Communication in palliative care: the applicability of the SAGE and THYME model in Singapore', and was co-authored with Ang Seng Hick Martin (Singapore General Hospital) and Professor John Costello at the University of Manchester.

Click on the links above to read the abstracts.

5 December 2017

Princess Alice Hospice is one of the largest in the UK, with around 500 staff and 1,200 volunteers (including retail team and drivers involved in fund raising).  It has been rated ‘outstanding’ in all 5 domains of its last Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection.

SAGE & THYME was adopted by the hospice because, whilst advanced communication skills training existed for senior medical staff; there was nothing available for junior clinical staff and also non-clinical staff and volunteers who also come into contact with distressed (and sometimes bereaved) people.

Jane Berg, Deputy Director - Skills Knowledge and Research and SAGE & THYME facilitator says: “To use an analogy, teaching SAGE & THYME is like teaching first aid for people who are upset.”

13 November 2017

Hospice UK has recently announced that two types of Wolfson Foundation education bursaries are open for application: one is for care home nurses and healthcare assistants; and the other is for hospice staff (nurse, healthcare assistant, doctor, allied health professional, or social worker).

The aim of the bursaries is to provide education for staff that will lead to improving the quality of end of life care for their residents, patients and families.

The SAGE & THYME facilitator ('SATFAC') course is on the list of eligible courses for the bursary.

There is a limited pot of funding available for the bursaries so early applications for the funding are encouraged.

For more information on how to apply for a bursary, click here.

10 November 2017

A summary of the evidence of the impact of the SAGE & THYME foundation level workshop was presented as a poster at the UK Oncology Nurse Society in Harrogate today.

Mike Connolly, the lead developer and head trainer of the SAGE & THYME programme, attended the conference to present the findings and answer questions.  He also tweeted from @SAGEandTHYME_