- Date published
- September 2005
- Pages
- 20
- Download publication [1408kb PDF]
Improving the Quality of Healthcare
A year in review 2004/05
The Health Foundation wants to make the quality of healthcare in the UK the best it can be. Working with others, we are helping to shape a future healthcare system that offers safe, effective and responsive care for all.
We are a charitable foundation and operate independently from government, political parties or other interest groups.
Our endowment enables us to spend up to £20 million annually. We seek out the best people in healthcare and support them to learn and share with others. Through projects, research and evaluation studies we test and measure new ways of improving health services for the future.
We actively influence healthcare decision-makers so that we achieve sustainable and widespread improvements in the quality of patient care.
Building knowledge
Our major £2.5 million research initiative QQuIP will provide independent and rigorous information about the quality and performance of healthcare in the UK.
Developing leaders
We have strengthened our leadership programme with two new schemes: our Quality Improvement Fellowships enable clinicians to study the best international practices in quality improvement and Shared Leadership for Change provides leadership development for teams.
Supporting organisations
Through our £4.3 million Safer Patients Initiative, four UK trusts are transforming the care they provide to their patients. They are set to become centres of excellence, helping others to improve patient safety. We are also committing part of our funding to the developing world.
Engaging clinicians
We have made eight awards to royal colleges and other professional organisations as part of our Engaging with Quality Initiative. This aims to improve aspects of clinical care by engaging clinicians in quality improvement.
Engaging patients
As part of the International Health Policy Survey, we revealed how patients across five nations feel about their healthcare, and we have funded Picker Institute Europe to find out how UK patients with chronic conditions are managing their treatment.
