An important change will take place across primary and secondary on 31 July.

NHS Lanarkshire will adopt the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) which is recommended by the Scottish Patient Safety Programme. This will also mean that we will no longer use the Modified Early Warning System (MEWS).

Dr Iain Wallace, medical director, said: “In order to support a national approach to the care of deteriorating patients in acute hospitals, the Scottish Patient Safety Programme is encouraging the implementation of NEWS across Scotland.

“NEWS is an evidence-based tool to support recognition and response of acute physiological deterioration which is recommended by Royal College of Physicians.

“A universal changeover date will reduce clinical risk by ensuring only one system is in operation. The date has also been chosen ahead of the junior doctor changeover.”

NHS Lanarkshire has been actively testing the NEWS with an additional table to incorporate patients with known hypercapnoeic respiratory failure, for example some Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and additions to incorporate NEWS escalation, delirium and Hospital Anticipatory Care Plans (HACPs).

Martin Carberry, consultant nurse critical care, said: “NEWS is based on six physiological measurements that are traditionally recorded in a patient’s bed chart: respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate and consciousness.

“Like MEWS, each measurement is allocated a number and the results are added to produce an overall score which, if high, indicates that the patient deterioration needs escalated.”

For more information, including contacts, see the MEWS FirstPort page.