The UK's ten Strategic Health Authorities have made a public commitment to improving patient safety and care by setting out a vision for an NHS with quality at the heart of everything it does.  This raises a series of challenging questions which include:

• Why strive for total quality?
• How can we achieve total quality?
• What are the most effective approaches?

Why strive for total quality?

The Department of Health has provided a strong steer to look at the introduction of various methodologies as part of the drive to establish financial and performance improvement within their operations.  Many NHS Trusts are now utilising quality improvement techniques and “lean” tools that can provide significant benefits to the patient, staff and organisation, including: 

• Patient pathways designed around the patientImproved performance as waste is eliminated
• Freeing up of staff time from activities that don’t add value to the patient’s treatment
• Staff spending more quality time with patients
• Enhancement of staff skills through knowledge and technology transfer
• Demonstrable improvements in quality and efficiency of patient care

How can we achieve total quality?

There are several steps to achieving total quality in a healthcare setting.  These are:

• Why strive for total quality?
• How can we achieve total quality?
• What are the most effective approaches?

Establish a fully aligned leadership team that is well versed on the concepts and methodologies associated with the improvement programme Build the quality infrastructure needed for the ongoing programme of training and continuous improvement Develop the necessary skills required to conduct a wide range of improvement projects Identify and deliver breakthrough wins in service that will drive improvements in patient pathways creating exemplars for the approach Initiate a widely shared total quality culture – leading to sustained improvements in service provision areas and in patient care and confidence

What are the most effective approaches?

Some companies advocate a “lean” approach which grew out of the manufacturing industry and focuses on removing the non-value adding  time from processes. Others promote an approach focussed on reducing variation.  We combine both and tailor them to your context to give them the best chance of success.

Creating value starts with understanding how both the patient and the organisation define value.  Many approaches consider only the ‘customer’ (patient’s) viewpoint but in many settings, and particularly healthcare where there is limited capacity, the environment in which the organisation operates is a prime consideration. Hence the need to assess both what the patient wants (their “voice”) and what the organisation wants.

Reductions in costs and subsequent improvements in capacity are delivered through reducing non-value added activities and variation.  Value is created through understanding and improving the patient care pathways and supporting processes.

Typical benefits to a total quality approach

• Significant reductions in time taken for end to end processes
• Increased capacity – more time for quality care
• Improved safety with reduced untoward incidents
• Reduced patient complaints and increased patient satisfaction 
• Improved staff engagement, morale and ownership of improvements

Our  health sector experience includes:

• Deploying a total quality approach across a provider organisation including breakthrough improvements to the patient experience, executive engagement and skills development
• Increasing capacity in outpatients with reduced infection risk, morbidity and mortality and identified savings of £4 million
• Improving the blood administration process  with a 25% reduction in overall process time
• Eliminating inefficiencies in procedures for admitting & discharging heart surgery patients  significantly reducing intensive care periods

To learn more

Oakland is uniquely placed to assist you with the challenge of launching a total quality improvement programme and building the foundations, energy and commitment to sustain the changes into the future.  To learn more, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  our experienced health sector team or telephone +44 (0)113 234 1944

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