What is Quality Improvement?
Quality Improvement is an approach that supports those closest to care delivery, to develop and test ideas that will support better outcomes for patients, staff and family members. QI provides a structured approach to managing change and can give you as a leader or a member of a team tools, techniques and methods that are easily used in wards, services or areas.
UHLG’s approach to Quality Improvement is the Model for Improvement which focuses around 3 questions, this is covered in the training offers detailed below:
- What is it that we are trying to achieve?
- How will we know a change is an improvement?
- What changes can we make that results in improvement?
Followed by repeated PDSA cycles (Plan, Do, Study, Act) to rapidly test the changes on a small scale, increasing to larger scale testing as learning progresses.
The Trust has seen a number of significant improvements utilising this approach in Fundamentals of Care, Deteriorating Patient Collaborative and, Clinical Reliability Groups. The key to the success we have seen in these improvement efforts really is down to the engagement of everyone. However, we recognise that without a formal training offer that provides skills and knowledge to our colleagues, the Trust will not be able to capitalise on all the ideas for improvement across UHLG.
Introduction to Quality improvement
This three-hour in person session introduces attendees to one of the core concepts of QI, The Model for Improvement. This session will take participants through the stages of diagnosing a problem, developing an aim, creating a family of measurement, generating a change idea, and designing their PDSA. We ask those looking to attend the course bring along a quality challenge in their area so that the model can be applied to a real challenge in your area. We aim for staff to leave the session with an idea that they can test in their environment so that the theory can be applied into practice. These sessions run throughout the year and you can book your place via ESR using this link
Quality Improvement Leaders course
This 4-day course will provide participants with the knowledge and framework for them to run a QI project from inception to implementation. The course will cover diagnosing quality challenges, engaging others in change, generating ideas for change, spread and sustainability. This programme is pitched for those colleagues that have a basic understanding of Quality Improvement, such as the Model for Improvement or Lean principles, so that they can be supported to lead projects and effect change within their services. We are encouraging teams to apply for this course together so that the issues can be worked upon after each session. This course is due to launch in Q4 of 24/25 and will be bookable via ESR – if you’d like to register your interest, please get in touch with the QI team by emailing qi.