- Date published
- December 2004
- Pages
- 31
- Download publication [304kb PDF]
Progress on improving quality
During 2004, we launched two major initiatives that reflect our ability to commit major resources to large-scale demonstration projects that have national significance and that draw on our strategic alliances to provide an international perspective and evidence base. Firstly, after a process of open competition, we selected four acute trusts to take part in our £4.3 million Safer Patients Initiative. We fully expect that these trusts will become known as models of excellence in patient safety and act as inspirational role models to others. Secondly, we announced our Engaging with Quality Initiative that aims to build professional capacity for quality and performance improvement in healthcare. As well as engaging clinicians in quality improvement, this initiative aims to shape healthcare policy in ways that will produce the resources required to embed clinical engagement in improved service quality.
Our leadership programme continues to go from strength to strength. The Foundation sees effective leadership as a critical component of healthcare improvement. Through our growing portfolio of leadership award schemes, we aim to create a cadre of leaders with the skills and influence to make a disproportionate difference to improving healthcare. This year we welcomed healthcare professionals from a diverse range of professional backgrounds on to our five leadership award schemes. We believe that these individuals all have the potential to become the outstanding future leaders in their fields. As one example of our work in leadership, our first three Quality Improvement Fellows started their programmes in Boston, USA earlier this year. We have high expectations of this new scheme which aims to develop a group of senior leaders with the experience and skills to promote quality improvement at both national and international levels.
2004 also saw us take significant steps forward in our intention to build and make public the knowledge base for quality and performance improvement. One major project in this area involves us working in partnership with the team who produced last year’s influential Nuffield Trust report ‘The Quest for Quality in the NHS: A mid term evaluation of the ten-year quality agenda’. The present project involves us in developing the capacity to monitor and analyse the quality of healthcare in the UK and place the results of our work in the public domain. I am confident that this will create a valuable resource for the public at large and for the policy makers, clinicians and managers who are working to improve quality and performance in healthcare.
During 2004, the Foundation stepped up its capacity to wield political influence, strengthened its media relations function and enhanced its engagement with external stakeholders around the UK. We have taken opportunities to boost our profile with key policy makers and healthcare leaders and have been able to maximise opportunities to keep healthcare quality and performance high on agendas. At this year’s party conferences we were the main supporter of the Health Hotel, an alliance that of 27 health-related organisations that offered fringe sessions, receptions and other activities.
Evaluation is a critical component of our programme activity and this year saw increasing evidence of our investments coming to fruition. Early evaluation of The Foundation’s Leadership Fellows and Leaders for Change schemes demonstrate that both individuals and their supporting organisations are experiencing significant benefits. We intend to continue our evaluation of all programmes in order to gauge impacts across the wider healthcare economy.
We also recognised that in order to achieve our ambitious strategic objectives, maximise our impact and work efficiently and effectively, we need to have systems and processes in place to ensure that the knowledge generated is fully utilised. During 2004 we audited the ways in which we store, access and share our knowledge and have developed a new strategic approach that will be implemented in 2005.
