Case studies

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  Reducing maternal death rates in Malawi

  Malawi has one of the world's highest death rates during childbirth. In March 2006, The Health Foundation launched a three year programme dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare for mothers and babies in Malawi.
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  Using leadership to improve patient safety

  Patient safety is literally at the top of the agenda at NHS Tayside. Rather than finance or performance management, safety is the first issue discussed at the executive team’s weekly meeting.
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  Developing resources for people with insomnia

  Around one in ten people suffer chronic insomnia, which occurs on a regular basis or over a long period of time. This project aims to improve treatment for people with insomnia by promoting a range of treatment options beyond sleeping pills, which carry the risk of side effects and addiction.
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  Introducing a one-stop shop for short stay patients

  Dr Makani Hemadri is a participant on The Health Foundation’s Leaders for Change scheme. His project is addressing the problem of waiting times for short stay patients by introducing a one-stop same day service for all day and short stay patients at Scunthorpe General Hospital.
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  Improving mental health prescribing

  Each year, more than 250,000 people are admitted to psychiatric hospitals, where they may be prescribed one or more psychotropic drugs. However, prescribing practice varies greatly and frequently departs from best practice, with potentially devastating effects for patients. We are supporting a project to help mental health trusts monitor and improve their prescribing of anti-psychotic medicines.
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  My year as a Quality Improvement Fellow

  Dr Jonathon Gray was a consultant and senior lecturer in medical genetics at Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust before he was awarded a Quality Improvement Fellowship. He explains what he did during his transformative year in the USA.
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  Influencing change in elderly care

  The Health Foundation's leadership fellows award scheme aims to prove that investment in leadership development leads to significant improvements in the quality of patient care. Rebecca Pulford is building on her experience on the scheme to move into a new role which gives her the opportunity to influence change in elderly care.