Engaging for Improvement – Wave 9 Completion Workshop
By Lydia Hulme, Improvement Support Officer with CLIC
Wednesday May 1st saw the completion workshop for the Wave 9 of CLIC’s ‘Engaging for Improvement’ 20 week programme. Using a range of the Cumbria Production System tools, teams reviewed their current state, collected data from staff, patients, and engagement meetings; and created a plan for their projects with the support of their CLIC Improvement Coaches. We saw some fantastic ideas implemented as part of this cohort, and celebrated with an afternoon of presentations, poster displays and table top talks in the CLIC Training Room.
One such presentation was from Jenny Wilson of the Specialist Palliative Care Team (SPCT), whose project was to improve patient experience by effective and compassionate DNACPR decisions across care settings. During their research, the group found that awareness of DNACPR decisions was poor and that patients’ decisions were not always respected. There were significant delays in the process between the patient discussion and the form reaching the patient; as well as gaps in training for nurses signing DNACPR. Their project resulted in the development of a new policy and accompanying SOP, new patient information leaflets, further audits of records, and a quarterly spot check audit of documentation. Ongoing, a review of DNACPR incidents will be completed in six months. The benefits of the project are many, but most importantly focus on better patient care by reducing anxieties and supporting care decisions across boundaries.
Another fantastic presentation was from Helen Farren and Elaine Lawson of the Children’s Community Nursing Services who had to defer from wave 8, and join us in wave 9. They drafted a new evidence based Trust policy for the management of pressure areas in children, as well as adopting a paediatric risk tool for pressure ulcer care and prevention in children and young people. The group noticed a gap in policy and a lack of good practice evidence, so created appropriate training and awareness with the aim of ensuring safe practice and improving patient care, whilst supporting and empowering staff.
Sue McHugh and Emma Aspden of the Specialist Dental Team from Furness and South Lakes completed a brilliant project which is already benefitting patients across South Cumbria. Their project was to create an Anxiety Management Pathway for dental phobic patients using CBT techniques. They collected data for pre and post treatment anxiety and studied wasted surgery time and cost implications for treating patients with sedation. Their enthusiasm throughout their presentation was infectious and the patients who were dental phobic prior to the intervention have since been successfully treated without sedation which has increased patient safety. The referral to assessment time for CBT patients is four weeks, compared to sixteen weeks for IV sedation appointments. Patient feedback was brilliant, not only had the CBT treated the patients’ dental anxiety, but made a positive impact on their general health and wellbeing. The project saw a 100% success rate and the team are hoping to roll the scheme out across Cumbria.
The completion workshop closed with remarks from Robin Talbot, Chair of the joint trusts and a presentation of certificates. The CLIC team would like to congratulate everyone who participated in the initiative and we look forward to celebrating your ongoing successes.
Engaging for Improvement Wave 9 Case Studies – click here to find out more
- Pressure Area Care for Children & Young People
- Protecting Patients & Staff from Health and Safety Risks
- Development of Competency Hubs
- Supporting Staff with the Impact of Suicide
- Collaborative Learning in Practice Model
- Reducing Patients Falls on Ward 4
- Anxiety Management Pathway for Dental Patients
- Improving Risk Formulation
- Patient Information
- Continuing Healthcare Improvement Plan
- Application of DOLS and Court of Protection Applications
- DNACPR Decisions at End of Life