Background
Anyone involved in the care and treatment of people in health or social care settings will understand the importance of providing the best care possible - high quality care which is safe, equitable, efficient, effective, timely and person-centred.
Although much progress has been made in defining best practice, setting standards for delivery and improving the processes of care, there is still variability; there is no consistent delivery or outcomes.
Healthcare is a highly complex system, full of professional people trying to do their best, but on a daily basis clinicians, managers, support staff, and students will come across processes which do not work well. These poor processes can lead to harm, delays and waits, repeated work, frustration and complaints.
What is Quality Improvement?
Quality Improvement (QI) goes beyond traditional management practices. It is a systematic approach that uses specific techniques to improve quality in health and care.
These methods are designed for complex systems, where the problems may not be completely understood, and the answers are not always known. They are used where change is to be made at the same time as continuation of normal work.
There are several QI methodologies. The approaches most widely used in healthcare are the 'organisational approaches'. Over the past decade these robust organisational approaches to quality improvement have spread from manufacturing, nuclear and aviation industries to healthcare. The use of these methods is about creating environments in which change and improvement can flourish, where leadership fosters a culture of innovation, and which provides the tools, techniques and training so that staff can take ownership of improving the quality of care.
Why is QI important?
Everyone who works in health or care settings understands how complex these environments are; there are numerous processes and pathways, and although most of them work well, all staff will be able to identify care processes and pathways which do not work well for staff or for patients.
Quality improvement is about enabling those who work in the health and care system to take responsibility, not just for the care which they provide but for improving the system within which they work. Organisational QI approaches provide the permission, skills and resources for staff to redesign and continually improve care to meet the changing needs of patients and communities so the care system supports delivery of the best care possible.
What is out there?
Over the years, several national and international organisations have developed sound reputations for championing the use of these tools and techniques in healthcare. As experience in these settings has deepened, many of the same organisations have developed freely accessible resource sites which act as repositories of their learning and sources of knowledge, learning and expertise. Most of the sites listed also provide information about national training opportunities or grants and allocations.
Some sites will focus on a single subject or a specialist area; others will target their resources for a specific level of experience. For example, Foundation level for those needing a general overview; Advanced levels of training for those who may be leading a practical improvement project or for senior staff supervising a student; up to Expert level for those contemplating a move into an Improvement role.
The following summary of sites is a starting point, it is not an exhaustive list, nor is intended to rank one source above another.
For more QI resources, you may also wish to visit the BGS QI Hub.
