Improvement Science for Leaders: Cohort 6 applications now open!

• Do you have a problem in your organisation that you need to tackle?
• Do you want to upskill your staff in improvement methodology and help them to become quality champions in your organisation?

We are pleased to announce that our next cohort for our HSJ nominated Improvement Science for Leaders (IS4L) programme is now open for applications.

The popular programme provides the opportunity for system leaders and a team of up to 7 colleagues from their specialty area to work together on an improvement challenge.

Running over 12 months, IS4L supports clinically led teams to take challenges and issues from care settings and apply a tried and tested approach using improvement science to innovate, test and solve problems in order to improve outcomes for patients.

The learning at NHS Quest enabled me to learn about the theory behind quality improvement. It was useful to take time out to define the issues we faced in our project, to analyse the facts, to generate solutions as a team, to plan, implement and sustain the solution. Above all it was FUN, I take enormous pride in how we improved at dressing Mr Potato Head and at the same time it spoke to me that change and improvement was always possible. – Katherine Delargy, Deputy Chief Pharmacist – Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust

This year, we have introduced new innovative, interactive and virtual platforms to deliver web-based learning, improvement coaching and networking on the programme.

The programme also enables access to experts in the field of improvement and an opportunity for teams to learn and share with like-minded colleagues.

Previous teams have worked on projects on a variety of challenging topics, including:

• Reduction in controlled drug errors
• Reduction in incidents of potential/ actual harm
• Reduction in outpatient attendances of patients with stable conditions
• Identifying pre-morbid cognitive issues in acute stroke patients
• Improving the oral health of inpatients on the ward
• Implementing a delirium screening bundle

We needed some help in how to integrate self-management into the way we care for patients. We knew we needed help in how to apply QI methodology to do this, so applied for the IS4L programme to get the support we needed. – Cath Stansfield, Consultant Nurse, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust

Have a read of some of our previous cohorts improvement projects:

Emily Birleson: Decreased mortality rate after intracerebral haemorrhage

Vicki Stevenson-Hornby: Rapid Access Jaundice Pathway

Hear from cohort 5 about why they took part in the project and how it’s helped them… 

Watch video: Kathryn Delargy – Team Phoenix

Watch video: Cath Stansfield, Consultant Nurse.

Thinking about applying?

Find out more in the programme information pack here.

Download an application form.

Application deadline: Friday 2 October.