DGT Clinical Strategy 2020 - 2025

Introduction

Dr Stephen Fenlon Medical Director

Dr Gill Jenner Non-Executive Director

It is our pleasure to introduce the Dartford & Gravesham Trust’s (DGT) Clinical Strategy for 2020- 2025, that will support our journey to becoming an outstanding Trust which provides outstanding care that is skilled, trusted and kind every time. This strategy builds on the successes that we have had in the past five years in delivering our previous strategy which set out to transform our core services, become a “hospital without walls” and to provide specialist services locally. We achieved this by focusing on the productivity and efficiency of our services, using digital solutions to change the way services are provided and, working in partnership with a range of NHS providers to improve pathways and provide more local specialist advice. The impact of this is evident in our recent Care Quality Commision (CQC) rating of “good”. This clinical strategy supports the delivery of our Trust strategy and in particular two of its priorities for the next five years: Journey To Outstanding and Working Together. In turn, the clinical strategy will be enabled by the quality, people, estates and digital strategies that have also been refreshed and are available alongside the clinical strategy on our Trust website and intranet. Whilst our clinical strategy is set in the global, national, NHS and Kent and Medway wide context, we have been unable to fully consider the impact of Covid-19 on the implementation of this strategy, and will do so in due course. • Specialist services: We have been announced as one of the three hospitals in Kent and Medway to provide stroke services, and this provides an opportunity for us to enhance inter-linked services such as neurology. We are also considering the potential for becoming a trauma unit. Our priorities for this strategy are:

• Children and young people: Children and young people are seen in a variety of areas across the Trust and it is important that we make sure that wherever they are seen, the care and environment is safe, trusted, kind and is appropriate for them and their families. • Integration and pathways: Pathways across health and care boundaries are often fragmented, duplicative or create gaps in service. Working Together with health and care providers in Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley as an Integrated Care Provider presents us with a fantastic opportunity to improve the overall health and wellbeing of the local population. We will continue to foster our relationship with GSTT Healthcare Alliance, clinical networks as well as the Kent and Medway and South East London Integrated Care Systems. • Excellence: Our Journey To Outstanding requires a culture that sets high clinical standards and prioritises excellent clinical practice. To achieve this, we need an unrelenting focus on our processes, policies and procedures. Getting the basics more than right will rely on innovation, excellent supporting systems (particularly IT) and committed and skilled teams that value one another and enjoy their work. This also means expanding our research involvement by capitalising on the innovation and recruitment seen during Covid-19. We aim to, year-on-year, increase our portfolio, recruitment onto trials and adoption of innovative clinical pathways. Excellence also relies on our clinicians in high pressure roles having the support required to perform at their best. We are excited to oversee the implementation of the strategy and will be closely monitoring its progress over the next five years at the Quality Trust Leadership Team, Quality Committee and Trust Board.

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Clinical Strategy Summary