P ATIENT S AFETY Quality Observatories: using information to create a culture of measurement for improvement Samantha Riley and Katherine Cheema; NHS South East Coast Quality Observatory Abstract In June 2008 High Quality Care for All was published, a blueprint for the delivery of NHS services in the future with quality of care put firmly at the heart of the principles guiding the NHS. Measurement of quality was identified as a crucial aspect of achieving delivery, enabling clinical teams to focus on where they need to improve most, and monitor the effects of interventions and initiatives. To date, the South East Coast Quality Observatory has developed over 80 benchmarking tools, products and analyses which contribute to the goal of delivery high quality analysis in a way that can be understood and utilized effectively by all levels of staff in a variety of clinical and managerial settings to evidence and drive improvement and innovation across organizations and local health economies. Patient safety, as a fundamental aspect of high quality care, makes up a significant part of this output, focusing on key topic areas that can deliver the best, and safest, results for patients. The following sets out details of a selection of the patient safety areas that the Quality Observatory has focused on and describes the analysis undertaken and, crucially, the key outcomes linked to its publication and usage. Introduction: what is a Quality Observatory? In June 2008 High Quality Care for All 1 was published, a blueprint for the delivery of NHS services in the future. This milestone document put quality of care at the heart of the principles guiding the NHS and made clear that measuring this quality was a crucial aspect of delivery, enabling clinical teams to focus on where they need to improve most and monitor the effects of interventions or initiatives. It was explicitly acknowledged that high per- formance in all aspects of quality is nearly always present in organizations that proactively and effectively measure their activity and use the information gathered to drive improve- ments forward. One aspect of embedding this measurement agenda in the NHS as a whole was the requirement for each of the 10 strategic health authorities (SHAs) to estab- lish a formal ‘Quality Observatory’ which built on existing analytical arrangements. Quality Observatories were expected to provide a range of functions, with the key stakeholders being clinical teams operating on the front line. These functions primarily included: † To enable and support benchmarking across regions; † To support the development of metrics to enable frontline staff to effectively monitor and improve their services; † To identify opportunities for clinical staff to innovate and improve services, providing the quantitative evi- dence to support change where required. In NHS South East Coast, this function had been in place for sometime providing a free service to NHS professionals within the region. Since 2007 there had been a substantive ‘Knowledge Management team’ focused on helping organ- izations and individuals get more from the wealth of data collected by the NHS. Based at the SHA headquarters, the team provided analysis and benchmarking to the NHS across Kent, Surrey and Sussex on a broad range of subjects including performance, efficiency and a variety of clinical services. In addition to the provision of analysis and benchmark- ing, the Quality Observatory has provided the following services: † An education and training function both for analysts and ‘customers’ of information. An example of the training provided is the ‘de-mystifying data for clinicians’ training session; † How to develop clinical indicators and combine them to understand more about a service; † Identifying best practice and evidencing the variation between teams and organizations; † Acting as a conduit for local issues/news to be raised with relevant national bodies and vice versa; † A bespoke service to individual clinicians and teams requiring support with analysis/development of measures. To date, the South East Coast Quality Observatory has developed over 80 benchmarking tools, products and Email: [email protected]Samantha Riley, Katherine Cheema, NHS South East Coast – The Quality Observatory, York House, 18–20 Massetts Road, Horley, Surrey RH6 7DE, UK DOI: 10.1258/cr.2010.010002 Clinical Risk 2010; 16: 93–97
This paper was written by the South East Coast Quality Observatory and describes how Quality Observatories can utilise information to create a culture of measurement for improvement. This paper was published in the May 2010 edition of Clinical RIsk journal.
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PA T I E N T S A F E T Y
Quality Observatories: using information to createa culture of measurement for improvement
Samantha Riley and Katherine Cheema; NHS South East CoastQuality Observatory
AbstractIn June 2008 High Quality Care for All was published, a blueprint for the delivery of NHS services in the
future with quality of care put firmly at the heart of the principles guiding the NHS. Measurement of
quality was identified as a crucial aspect of achieving delivery, enabling clinical teams to focus on
where they need to improve most, and monitor the effects of interventions and initiatives. To date,
the South East Coast Quality Observatory has developed over 80 benchmarking tools, products and
analyses which contribute to the goal of delivery high quality analysis in a way that can be understood
and utilized effectively by all levels of staff in a variety of clinical and managerial settings to evidence
and drive improvement and innovation across organizations and local health economies. Patient safety,
as a fundamental aspect of high quality care, makes up a significant part of this output, focusing on
key topic areas that can deliver the best, and safest, results for patients. The following sets out details
of a selection of the patient safety areas that the Quality Observatory has focused on and describes the
analysis undertaken and, crucially, the key outcomes linked to its publication and usage.
Introduction: what is a QualityObservatory?
In June 2008 High Quality Care for All1 was published, a
blueprint for the delivery of NHS services in the future.
This milestone document put quality of care at the heart of
the principles guiding the NHS and made clear that
measuring this quality was a crucial aspect of delivery,
enabling clinical teams to focus on where they need to
improve most and monitor the effects of interventions or
initiatives. It was explicitly acknowledged that high per-
formance in all aspects of quality is nearly always present in
organizations that proactively and effectively measure their
activity and use the information gathered to drive improve-
ments forward. One aspect of embedding this measurement
agenda in the NHS as a whole was the requirement for
each of the 10 strategic health authorities (SHAs) to estab-
lish a formal ‘Quality Observatory’ which built on existing
analytical arrangements. Quality Observatories were
expected to provide a range of functions, with the key
stakeholders being clinical teams operating on the front
line. These functions primarily included:
† To enable and support benchmarking across regions;
† To support the development of metrics to enable frontline
staff to effectively monitor and improve their services;
† To identify opportunities for clinical staff to innovate
and improve services, providing the quantitative evi-
dence to support change where required.
In NHS South East Coast, this function had been in place
for sometime providing a free service to NHS professionals
within the region. Since 2007 there had been a substantive
‘Knowledge Management team’ focused on helping organ-
izations and individuals get more from the wealth of data
collected by the NHS. Based at the SHA headquarters, the
team provided analysis and benchmarking to the NHS
across Kent, Surrey and Sussex on a broad range of subjects
including performance, efficiency and a variety of clinical
services.
In addition to the provision of analysis and benchmark-
ing, the Quality Observatory has provided the following
services:
† An education and training function both for analysts and
‘customers’ of information. An example of the training
provided is the ‘de-mystifying data for clinicians’ training
session;
† How to develop clinical indicators and combine them
to understand more about a service;
† Identifying best practice and evidencing the variation
between teams and organizations;
† Acting as a conduit for local issues/news to be raised
with relevant national bodies and vice versa;
† A bespoke service to individual clinicians and teams
requiring support with analysis/development of measures.
To date, the South East Coast Quality Observatory has
developed over 80 benchmarking tools, products andEmail: [email protected]
Samantha Riley, Katherine Cheema, NHS South East Coast – The
Quality Observatory, York House, 18–20 Massetts Road, Horley, Surrey