Quality Improvement Project in The Independent Care Home Sector

By Lee EdmondsTissue Viability Nurse

Four Seasons Health Care

Quality Improvement Project

Three Independent Care Home providers involved

‘Relieving the Pressure’ developed quality improvement in pressure area care‘Talking Quality’ developed quality

improvement in communication‘Getting the Record Straight’ developed

quality improvement in record keeping and documentation

Four Seasons Health Care

3100 Care beds in Northern Ireland 6th Largest Employer in NI. Range of facilities and care units Quality improvement already in place This initiative formalised and strengthened

current and future quality improvement into a more structured approach.

‘Relieving The Pressure’

Care Circle Ltd.

93 Care home Beds Provide high quality care to Frail Elderly

persons Standard setting is seen as intrinsic to Care

Circle’s ethos Main thrust of this initiative is to compliment

the primary nurse concept using a formalised, structured approach

‘Getting the Record Straight’

Clonlee/Massereene Care Home Group

95 Care home beds in group Caters for Elderly mentally infirm, Frail

elderly and physically disabled Have already developed a pro-active

approach to effective and efficient care practices focusing mainly on training

‘Talking Quality’

Destination

Quality/standards were assessed & improved

Information shared between groups to avoid duplication

Various methods were used to illicit information needed

Organisational structure User participation was seen as essential Objective data gathering

– Quality assessment tool created Subjective opinion gathering

– Clients group encouraged to give opinion

Coordinating Committee

Group Support

Working Groups

Professional groups Other CarersClients groups

Information Gathering

Anticipated Quality Outcomes

Quality systems developed – Various quality systems already in place– System changes

Increased client involvement & satisfaction Increased involvement of key groups Increased awareness of quality Care system improvements

Resource Management

Time Frame Original meetings were held to discuss the

way forward, schedules etc. Organisational structure developed to

facilitate quality initiative Audit system developed at the outset

Resource ManagementObstacles

Multi-disciplinary team Management changes Time

– Time frame– Motivation

Quality Outcomes

Goal is simply to increase quality in three key areas from a client centred perspective

Key areas identified:– Targeted training needs– Creation of more robust policy/guidelines– Improvement of existing documentation– Empowerment of client group– Increasing staff awareness/involvement in quality improvement– Formalised quality assessment – Formalised equipment replacement

Performance Vs Budget

Time was the only initial resource Recommendations were considered in light

of cost – effectiveness assessment. Financial resources were allocated when

goal setting was completed.

Our Challenge is to maintain those improvements we have madeLack of Time is an Excuse – there is

always time for quality

Lessons Learned

Quality is a Journey – Never a Destination