Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Quality improvement'.
Found 757 results
-
Content ArticleIn July 2017, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh published a number of critical recommendations to government to greatly improve safety in the delivery of surgical treatment and patient care, with seven recommendations for best practice. The RCSEd surveyed opinions from a cross-section of the UK surgical workforce - from trainees to consultants - which highlighted broad inefficiencies on the frontline which impact the working environment and the delivery of a safe service. The report notes factors adversely affecting morale, including a lack of team structure, poor communication, high stress levels, and limited training opportunities. The report also records how staff, at times, feel diverted away from the patient-centred care they strive to deliver because of administrative and IT issues, and believe that being more innovative and efficient with existing resources could make a positive difference.
-
Content ArticleAlthough debate continues over estimates of the amount of preventable medical harm that occurs in healthcare, there seems to be a consensus that healthcare is not as safe and reliable as it might be. It is often assumed that copying and adapting the success stories of nonmedical industries, such as civil aviation and nuclear power, will make medicine as safe as these industries. However, the solution is not that simple. This article explains why a benchmarking approach to safety in high-risk industries is needed to help translate lessons so that they are usable and long lasting in healthcare. Five successive systemic barriers currently prevent health care from becoming an ultrasafe industrial system: the need to limit the discretion of workers, the need to reduce worker autonomy, the need to make the transition from a craftsmanship mindset to that of equivalent actors, the need for system-level (senior leadership) arbitration to optimise safety strategies, and the need for simplification. Finally, healthcare must overcome 3 unique problems: a wide range of risk among medical specialties, difficulty in defining medical error, and various structural constraints (such as public demand, teaching role, and chronic shortage of staff). Without such a framework to guide development, ongoing efforts to improve safety by adopting the safety strategies of other industries may yield reduced dividends. Rapid progress is possible only if the health care industry is willing to address these structural constraints needed to overcome the 5 barriers to ultrasafe performance.
-
Content Article
Quality health services: a planning guide (WHO, 17 November 2020)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in WHO
This guide from the World Health Organization (WHO) focuses on actions required at the national, district and facility levels to enhance quality of health services, providing guidance on implementing key activities at each of these three levels. It highlights the need for a health systems approach to enhance quality of care, with a common understanding on the activities needed by all stakeholders. The guide articulates the key actions required to improve the quality of health services for the entire population. It recognises that the path varies for each country, district and facility – stimulating the reader to consider multiple factors and entry points for action. This planning guide is for staff working at all levels of the health system (i.e. national, district and facility) who have a role in enhancing the quality of health services. It is also relevant to all stakeholders initiating and supporting action at facility, district and/or national levels both in the public and private sectors. -
Content ArticleThe “WHO handbook for national quality policy and strategy” outlines an approach for the development of national policies and strategies to improve the quality of care. Such policy and strategy can help clarify the structures, roles and responsibilities within national quality efforts, support the institutionalisation of a culture of quality, and secure buy-in from health system leaders and stakeholders. The handbook is not a prescriptive process guide but is designed to support teams developing policies and strategies in this area, and very much recognizes the varied expertise, experience and resources available to countries. It outlines eight essential elements to be considered by teams developing national quality policy and strategy: national health goals and priorities; local definition of quality; stakeholder mapping and engagement; situational analysis; governance and organizational structure; improvement methods and interventions; health management information systems and data systems; quality indicators and core measures. The NQPS handbook was co-developed with countries each finding themselves at different stages of the development and execution of national quality policies and strategies and was informed by the review of a sample of more than 20 existing quality strategies across low-, middle- and high-income countries globally.
-
Content ArticleThis World Health Organization (WHO) document – Delivering quality health services: a global imperative for universal health coverage – describes the essential role of quality in the delivery of health care services. As nations commit to achieving universal health coverage by 2030, there is a growing acknowledgement that optimal health care cannot be delivered by simply ensuring coexistence of infrastructure, medical supplies and health care providers. Improvement in health care delivery requires a deliberate focus on quality of health services, which involves providing effective, safe, people-centred care that is timely, equitable, integrated and efficient. Quality of care is the degree to which health services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge.
-
Content ArticleThis article, published in BMC Health Services Research, reviews the effectiveness of hospital accreditation. It found no evidence to suggest accreditation and certification of hospitals leads to improved quality of care.
-
Content ArticleThis document compiles good practices produced and submitted by the experts participating in the World Health Organization's Meeting of the Minds on Quality of Care conference in Athens on the 2-3 December. It includes the submission from Patient Safety Learning's Chief Executive Helen Hughes.
-
Content ArticleLong dreary corridors, impersonal waiting rooms, the smell of disinfectant — hospitals tend to be anonymous and depressing places. Even if you’re just there as a visitor, you’re bound to wonder, “How can my friend recover in such an awful place? Will I get out of here without catching an infection?” But the transformation of the Rotterdam Eye Hospital suggests that it doesn’t have to be this way. Over the past 10 years, the hospital’s managers have transformed their institution from the usual, grim, human-repair shop into a bright and comforting place. By incorporating design thinking and design principles into their planning process, the hospital’s executives, supported by external designers, have turned the hospital into a showplace that has won a number of safety, quality, and design awards.
-
Content ArticleQuality improvement initiatives take many forms, from the creation of standards for health professionals, health technologies and health facilities, to audit and feedback, and from fostering a patient safety culture to public reporting and paying for quality. For policymakers who struggle to decide which initiatives to prioritise for investment, understanding the potential of different quality strategies in their unique settings is key. This volume, developed by the Observatory together with OECD, provides an overall conceptual framework for understanding and applying strategies aimed at improving quality of care. Crucially, it summarises available evidence on different quality strategies and provides recommendations for their implementation. This book is intended to help policy-makers to understand concepts of quality and to support them to evaluate single strategies and combinations of strategies.
-
Content ArticleThe launch of Barts Health quality strategy in November 2019 was an important moment for the trust. The 24 page document set out how they would use quality improvement (QI) methodology to become a good and outstanding group of hospitals. Within weeks of the strategy however, the world had changed with COVID-19. How they worked, where they worked and the things they were working on were flipped on their head. Despite this, colleagues across Barts Health have continued to apply the QI skills they had learnt since the WeImprove programme began three years ago. Examples include setting up family liaison hubs for patients in critical care and establishing a network of blood test locations across the boroughs to reduce visits to the hospitals.
-
Content Article
Recently an enduring discussion evolved on Twitter on why safety culture is important for patient safety. My reaction, of course, was: it isn’t. Let me explain why. I think it is possible to address safety without addressing safety culture. Or, rather, to focus on actions that will improve both safety performance and safety culture (as a by-product) at the same time. In this blog I propose some of these actions – showing how to create an understanding of how work is (actually) done (rather than what it says on paper), seeing what makes it difficult and identifying what resources are missing. If we address these challenges, then surely we will be able to improve safety and safety culture will follow naturally. -
Content ArticleThis briefing by NHS Supply Chain looks at shared learning on patient safety, and how collaborative working is enabling better assurance and safety for healthcare products and services. The briefing covers these topics: The role of NHS Supply Chain in patient safety Safety specifications for safer products System-level join up Human factors and just culture Case studies Overview of system partners Conclusion
-
Content ArticleIn this editorial in the Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, Professor Brendan McCormack, Associate Director of the Centre for Person-centred Practice Research at Queen Margaret University Edinburgh, looks at the role of person-centred care in improving quality in health systems. He argues that there is a need to demonstrate the value of person-centred cultures and the significance of person-centred outcomes to healthcare organisations. In order to achieve this, researchers need to utilise theory-driven and mixed-methodology evaluation designs that demonstrate effectiveness and capture the diversity of experiences among all stakeholders.
-
Content ArticleThe aim of this study, published in BMJ Quality and Safety, was to assess the role of intraoperative non-routine events and team performance on paediatric cardiac surgery outcomes. It focuses on improving methods for studying teamwork.
-
Content ArticleRecording of Ted Baker's presentation at The Royal Society of Medicine's Improving Patient Safety & Care Conference.
-
Content ArticleThis audit of the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP), published by JBara Innovation, looked at how to engage clinicians and clinical teams to learn from evidence, be accountable, and to act to improve quality as a result. It explores how those who lead data collection programmes can deliver their findings to drive action, and to lead and promote change. The attachment includes a series of quotes from various groups, including a HQIP Advisory Group member, a National Clinical Audit lead and consumers, surrounding quality improvement in the NHS.
-
EventuntilDevelop your understanding of current topics in patient safety at the 13th edition of the annual Patient Safety students and trainees day. This Royal Society of Medicine event brings together students and trainees to show their work promoting patient safety within their organisations with prizes for the best poster and oral presentation. Our expert speakers aim to inspire attendees through interactive workshops and lectures, developing new and existing ideas around patient safety in an engaging and dynamic way. With all specialities welcome, the meeting provides an opportunity for cross-speciality learning and networking. Register
-
EventThis year's conference is all about IPC Legends focusing on individuals who in their respective fields are experts willing to share their knowledge with us, and exploring new ideas in the field of IPS. Alyson Prince – Built Environment Infection Prevention & Control Nurse Specialist/Engineering, Archus Healthcare Infrastructure Specialist who will be covering Ventilation in the Healthcare Setting – What is the air and why is it important. Dave Cunningham – Leadership & Workforce Workstream Lead, NHS Improvement who will be providing an update on the National Infection Prevention IPC Educational framework. Leo Andrew Almerol – Vascular Clinical Nurse Specialist, Imperial College NHS Trust / Vascular Access Nurse 2022, British Journal of Nursing will be providing an update on The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Vascular Access Service in the UK. Dr Emily McWhirter – Nurse Consultant, World Health Organization will be sharing with us Leadership and expertise in influencing IPC practice. Professor Elaine Cloutman-Green – Consultant Clinical Scientist (Infection Control Doctor), Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust is speaking around Challenges in IPC: Aiming for progress not perfection. Dr Mat Moyo – Quality Improvement Mentor / Founder, Quantum Quality Improvement Coaching / Lecturer, Solent University will be speaking to us about Quality Improvement Project Coaching in IPC: Wise People Ask for Help and Get Further!" Sir Jonathan Van- Tam MBE – Former Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England 2017-2022, recording on Learning from the pandemic and the mission of vaccinating the nation will be played before we conclude the day by hearing from Karen Storey – Nursing Retention and Liaison Lead, who will demonstrate to us Shiny Mind app and the benefits to us all for our wellbeing. Register
-
Event
THIS Space 2023
Sam posted an event in Community Calendar
untilSave the date for THIS Space 2023, THIS Institute’s annual event bringing together people interested in evidence-based healthcare improvement. It’s free to join and will take place entirely online 29 and 30 November. You can expect: the latest evidence on what works in healthcare improvement, what doesn’t, and why imaginative ways of understanding problems and evaluating solutions fresh thinking on how we can improve healthcare. Register your interest -
EventuntilThe final tweetchat in the 'Six lessons for leading improvement' campaign.
-
EventuntilThis online session will explore the purpose of clinical audit and then compare and contrast this with the key principles of a quality improvement approach. With this foundation we’ll then discuss how these approaches are complementary as part of a holistic approach to improving quality of health and care. Some NHS organisations are already on a journey to a more integrated approach to clinical audit and quality improvement, and we hear about the journey underway at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It would be great to hear about your journeys with clinical audit and quality improvement too. This session will be presented by Nikki Davey, from Quality Improvement Clinic Ltd, and Craig Short, from Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Register for the webinar
-
Event
Clinical audit masterclass
Patient Safety Learning posted an event in Community Calendar
This one day clinical audit masterclass will provide you with a full understanding of why clinical audit is important to organisations, teams and individuals (e.g. helping to meet your revalidation requirements). Short activities will help you understand how clinical audit relates to research, service evaluation and other current quality improvement techniques. Register hub members receive a 20% discount. Email info@pslhub.org for discount code. -
Event
Clinical audit masterclass
Patient Safety Learning posted an event in Community Calendar
This one day clinical audit masterclass will provide you with a full understanding of why clinical audit is important to organisations, teams and individuals (e.g. helping to meet your revalidation requirements). Short activities will help you understand how clinical audit relates to research, service evaluation and other current quality improvement techniques. Register hub members receive a 20% discount. Email info@pslhub.org for discount code. -
Event
Clinical audit masterclass
Patient Safety Learning posted an event in Community Calendar
This one day clinical audit masterclass will provide you with a full understanding of why clinical audit is important to organisations, teams and individuals (e.g. helping to meet your revalidation requirements). Short activities will help you understand how clinical audit relates to research, service evaluation and other current quality improvement techniques. Register hub members receive a 20% discount. Email info@pslhub.org for discount code. -
EventLeadership in the NHS is the responsibility of all staff. This one day masterclass in Quality Improvement will allow all healthcare staff to learn about QI methodology, tools to use and how to lead change. The day has been developed to provide both practical and appropriate QI training to all staff. You will learn what QI tools to use and how to maintain the improvements. You will explore how to avoid common mistakes that staff make. Key learning objectives: Understand QI. Learn QI methodology. Develop QI skills. Learn how to lead change and avoid common resistance to change. Consider when to lead and when to follow. Ensure your QI results are maintained. Register hub members receive a 20% discount. Email info@pslhub.org for discount code.
