Quality improvement

Where quality issues are identified that cannot be solved within quality control, a more concerted and focused quality improvement approach is needed.

For many organisations, quality improvement will be the most established aspect of a Quality Management System (QMS). The difference is making sure that it is connected to, and focused on, the key quality issues you are facing and connected to your overarching purpose and metrics.

Well managed improvement includes:

• The use of a standardised methodology for all your improvement efforts
• Developing improvement skills throughout the organisation, from Board to frontline, with experts who can support
• Improvement designed and delivered as close to the frontline as possible by those involved with its delivery: staff, patients, service users, family and carers
• Leaders may need to help remove barriers, as well as provide guidance, sponsorship and recognition
• A system for identifying and learning from improvements that have worked and those that have not.

Supporting resources

• QI made simple: A Health Foundation guide explaining some of the popular approaches and methods of quality improvement that are used in health care.
• The Model for Improvement: IHI’s guide.
• Quality Improvement Essentials Toolkit: A curated list of tools and templates to support and manage successful improvement projects developed by the IHI.
• THIS Institute’s Cambridge Element on Lean as a Healthcare Improvement Approach.
• Q’s guide to An Effective approach to change.
• The Scottish Approach to Change: Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s guide and resources.
• How to develop an evidence-informed theory of change for health: WHO technical guidance.
• NHS England’s Making Data Count Guides on getting started and strengthening your decisions.