Darent Valley Hospital - DGT - Quality Strategy

Delivering the Quality Strategy

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQi): To be a learning and improving culture, using continuous improvement to discover, create and innovate Nightingale Programme The Healthcare Alliance is a collaborative model between DGT and Guys and St Thomas Hospital (GSTT) and was formed in 2018. Within the alliance, both Trusts are committed to the learning and sharing of good practice such the Nightingale Programme. The nurse-led Nightingale Programme is a quality improvement programme that was launched at Guys and St Thomas Hospital (GSTT) in May 2016; its aim is to ensure that patients receive safe, effective care delivered with the utmost kindness at all times by standardising processes on the ward, improving communication between multidisciplinary teams on the ward and involving staff and patients in decision making. The programme uses a combination of simulation training and focussed arrangements for the first, middle and last hours of shifts on the ward and standardising how staff are deployed. Although it is recognised that each ward works differently and every shift can be different, with variances in staffing levels and skill mix across the 24 hour day, the Nightingale programme seeks to minimise inconsistencies, and support staff from different professions and clinical backgrounds, to jointly work together in creating care plans for our patients. The programme also supports in improving staff satisfaction and has a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of our staff; evidence shows that this leads to the delivery of improved patient outcomes and efficiencies. In collaboration with GSTT, the Nightingale programme was successfully launched at DGT on 1st March 2019. We have focused on training and building knowledge on all of our wards. Over the next 5 years, under the guidance of the DGT CQi Academy we will be focusing on moving from this being a programme to a culture change.

Ward Accreditation Programme

Step 1: Baseline Audit

Audit gainst 152 performance indicators through observation, interviews and data collection

Step 2: Assessment Result

A weighted scoring matrix is applied across the five CQC domains to give a total score

Step 3: Accreditation

A ward is accredited as white, bronze, silver or platinum based on their total score

Step 4: Support

Action plans are developed and monitored and tools such as the Nightingale Programme are adopted

Step 5: Re-audit

The same audit is undertaken three months later and scores compared to baseline Step 6: Maintaining and Improving Accreditation Wards continuously work towards ‘platinum’ by monitoring performance against trajectories through audits and Early Warning Signs system (NEWS2)

Step 7: Review

Once ‘silver’ or ‘platinum’ has been achieved for two consecutive years, an annual review process will take place to maintain accreditation level

Step 8: Celebrating success

Through staff awards and local / national sharing of achievements

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Trust Strategy Summary