Darent Valley Hospital - DGT - Quality Strategy

Delivering the Quality Strategy

Governance: Shared Governance Shared governance promotes collaboration, shared decision making and accountability for improving quality of care, safety, and enhancing work life. Models of shared governance first evolved in the USA over 30 years ago, and it is now a methodology for creating and sustaining well led, engaged organisations across the world. It is clear that empowering front line staff to make patient-focused change has visible benefits for patients and staff alike. We have developed our approach to speaking with our staff and asking them what they want. Our staff have made it clear that, in order for them to make improvements, they must be supported and empowered to make positive changes through a culture that supports them. This is why at DGT we are going to support the implementation of ‘Quality Councils’ in our organisation. The Quality Council Chairs will sit on the Trust Leadership Team Quality and Workforce meeting where they will be involved in Trust decision making. Each Division will be able to earn greater autonomy through consistently high performance against quality, finance and workforce metrics. How does it work?

What is a Quality Council?

• A group of approximately 10 to 12 frontline staff of any grade or role/profession • Chaired by a member of staff from Band 1-6 or Junior Doctor, who will be trained and supported (this is to prevent it becoming a management- led work group) • A Patient or carer representative will support the Quality Council (QC), if possible • The QC will meet for two hours of protected time per month • The QC will be supported by Senior Management and the Quality Improvement team • The QC will choose a specific continuous quality improvement issue to work on or to suggest be worked on by the Trust • Anyone in the Trust can ask any of the QCs a question for them to discuss and offer help • The Chairs of the QCs will sit on the Trust Leadership team meeting and will meet bi-monthly with the CEO One of the core principles of shared governance is that staff are not “chosen” to be on a quality council. Instead, there will be a process of staff putting themselves forward to be on a QC or to Chair a QC and an independent, fair process will be used to appoint to the QCs.

Support and Training for Quality Councils

These councils will report to a Trust Wide Shared Governance Coordinating Council chaired by the CEO or appointed Executive Director. The Councils will be hosted by the DGT CQi Academy and provided with improvement training. All Shared Governance projects will be linked to one of the five quality priorities. Where possible; shared governance councils will seek the involvement of a patient or someone who uses services in their work.

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Trust Strategy Summary