We asked you in January to update to v4.7.2. After the deployment planned for 27th February, this new update will be needed to ensure that you are able to download RDS toolkits even when the RDS website is not available. We will wait until as many users as possible have downloaded the new version before switching off the old system for app downloads and moving entirely to the new approach.
To check your current RDS version, click on the three dots bottom right of the RDS app screen. This takes you to a “More” page where you will see the version number.
To update to the latest release:
On iPhones – go to the Apple store, click on your profile icon top right, scroll down to see the apps waiting to be updated and update the RDS app.
On Android phones – these can vary, but try going to the Google Play store, click on your profile icon top right, click on “Manage apps and device”, select and update the RDS app.
Welcome to the February 2025 update from the RDS team
A new release of RDS is planned (subject to outcomes of current testing) for week beginning 24th February. This will deliver:
The release will also incorporate a number of small fixes, including:
We will let you know when the date and time for the new release are confirmed.
There is now the capability to publish toolkits on the web with left hand side navigation rather than tiles on the homepage. To use this feature, turn on the “Toggle navigation panel” option at the top of the Page settings menu at toolkit homepage level – see below. Please note that publication to downloadable mobile app for this type of navigation is still under development.
The Benzodiazepine tapering tool (https://rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/benzotapering) is now available as part of the RDS toolkit for the national benzodiazepine prescribing guidance developed by the Scottish Government Effective Prescribing team. The tool uses this national guidance developed with a wide-ranging multidisciplinary group. This should be used in combination with professional judgement and an understanding of the needs of the individual patient.
Due to the intensive work Tactuum has had to undertake on the new technology infrastructure has pushed back the delivery dates again and some new requirements have come out of the recent user acceptance testing. It now looks likely to be an April release for the search and browse interface. The archiving and version control functionality may be released earlier. We’ll keep you posted.
At the end of January, Olivia completed the generation of the latest set of usage statistics for all RDS toolkits. If you would like a copy of the stats for your toolkit, please contact Olivia.graham@nhs.scot .
We have now generated reports of all RDS toolkit content that has exceeded its review date by 6 months or more. We will be in touch later this month with toolkit owners and editors to agree the plan for updating or withdrawing out of date content.
Some important toolkits in development by the RDS team include:
The RDS team and other information scientists in HIS have also been producing evidence summaries for the Scottish Government Realistic Medicine team, to inform development of national guidance around Procedures of Limited Clinical Value. This guidance will in due course be translated into an RDS toolkit.
To book a place, please contact Olivia.graham@nhs.scot, providing your name, organisation, job role, and level of experience with RDS editing (none, a little, moderate, extensive.)
To invite colleagues to sign up to receive this newsletter, please signpost them to the registration form - also available in End-user and Provider sections of the RDS Learning and Support area. If you have any questions about the content of this newsletter, please contact his.decisionsupport@nhs.scot If you would prefer not to receive future newsletters, please email Olivia.graham@nhs.scot and ask to be removed from the circulation list.
With kind regards
Right Decision Service team
Healthcare Improvement Scotland
"Information given on this site is not meant to take the place of a talk with your doctor or health worker."
Good nutritional care and adequate hydration are essential elements of a patient’s treatment. Protected mealtimes are periods of time when all non-urgent activity stops, enabling the patient to eat without interruption and allowing staff to provide assistance as required. This ensures that maximum priority is given to good nutritional care.
Protected mealtimes will vary between wards but will generally be Lunch 12:00 – 14:00, Dinner 16.30 – 18:30
This is a period of time set aside over breakfast lunch and dinner when all non-essential activities on the wards will stop. The nursing staff will be available to serve the food and give support to patients who may need help. This will prevent unnecessary interruptions to mealtimes.
The presentation of food in hospitals is important to ensure that meals are tempting, even to those with the poorest of appetites. The only true measure of success is how much food is eaten. We have introduced protected mealtimes to help our patients get the most nutritional benefit from the food provided.
As well as the patients the only people on the ward will be nursing staff and those involved in food service. All with the same aim; to help, encourage and monitor the patients' food intake during their mealtime and make it an enjoyable experience.
All urgent and emergency treatments will be dealt with as usual.
If you are visiting a ward displaying the protected mealtimes poster, please respect this and try to visit outside the registered protected mealtimes.
If you normally visit at mealtimes to help your relative or friend eat or just give encouragement, we are happy for you to continue to do this. Please ask the nurse in charge how you can help out.
If possible, please try to avoid telephoning the ward for information during these times, so the staff can concentrate on helping the patients with their meal.
Together we can make sure that all our patients are given the appropriate help and the required time to eat and enjoy their meals uninterrupted. This is a key requirement for good nutrition and will help support their recovery.
Patient information leaflets