Quality and performance

Quality strategy

High quality care should be as safe and effective as possible, with patients treated with compassion, dignity and respect. As well as clinical quality and safety, quality means care that is personal to each individual.

In December 2009 the Secretary of State introduced NHS 2010-2015: from good to great, which maps out a five year plan for continued quality improvement in the NHS against a back drop of very limited growth in resources from 2011. 
 
The strategy proposes a more preventative, people centred and productive NHS with a greater level of integration and collaboration.
 
The plan focuses on implementing Lord Darzi’s high quality health care for all (June 2008) which set out his vision of quality becoming the principle focus of the NHS with the drive for improvement coming from NHS staff, with a stronger role for clinical leadership, based on a conviction about the power of quality as a driver for change.
 
From good to great describes what this will mean for patients and the public, including:

• More rights for patients as to choice of hospital, and to a personal health budget (subject to consultation), health checks and to be able to choose where to spend their last days of life.
• Accelerated improvements in quality across five key areas of care – cancer, cardiac care, stroke care, maternity care and patient experience.
• Transformed services for those with a long term condition (such as diabetes and dementia).
• Ensuring up to 10% of hospitals’ income, over time, is dependent on patients’ experience and satisfaction.

Lord Darzi’s report 'High quality health care for all' outlines three dimensions of quality:

1. Patient experience
2. Clinical effectiveness
3. Patient safety

These are reflected in the trust’s quality strategy which was agreed by the Trust Board in 2008 and describes how we will reduce harmful events and continue to develop our patient focus by setting challenging targets and implementing evidence based practice. A number of quality improvements have been implemented during 2009/10.

Our quality

Patient experience - privacy and dignity

The trust has focussed on continuing to improve privacy and dignity for patients. Alterations have been made to increase the number of bathrooms and toilets and additional staff training has been given.
 
The trust provides same sex accommodation unless there is clinical justification for an exception. 

Clinical effectiveness - advancing quality

The trust has been taking part in a North West initiative to ensure that patients who have the following conditions or interventions receive a ‘bundle’ of evidence based care and treatment. These conditions are heart failure, heart attack, pneumonia and hip and knee replacements.  These interventions improve the outcome for patients. Performance has been monitored and has consistently improved over the year.

Patient safety - reduction in pressure sores

As part of the quality strategy the trust has been focussing on reducing hospital acquired pressure sores. The work undertaken during 2009/10 has seen a reduction overall of 22% and there have been no incidents of the most severe type.
 
Central and Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust, as the main commissioners of services at the trust have been monitoring the trust throughout the year against a number of additional quality standards detailed in a schedule. They also commissioned quality innovations. These were in relation to patient hospital discharge information and the management of patients who have abused alcohol.
 
Hospital discharge information is now provided electronically, using a quality template agreed with general practitioners.
 
In relation to patients who have abused alcohol, staff have been trained to offer early intervention and support and advice.
 
The trust will be producing a quality account for publication in June 2010. The quality account will detail priorities for improvement and review quality performance in 2009/10 and will be available to view here once produced.

Performance against national standards - targets

Advancing Quality third year results published

CQC standards

The CQC regulates care provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies and voluntary organisations. They aim to make sure better care is provided for everyone - in hospitals, care homes and people's own homes and ensure standards are met.

View the latest report