The Essence of Carethe English experience- a welding of talentsMaria SinfieldProject ManagerCheshire and Merseyside SHA

ObjectivesTo consider the drivers in developing the Essence of CareTo explore the journey from development to implementation across the countryTo recognise some key influences to sustainability and spreadTo examine the lessons learnt and the way forward

National Perspectives

Emphasis on the importance of getting the basics right, and creating a modern NHS that delivers high-quality services

The drivers-putting quality at the heart of healthcareadverse media reports, the I was lucky syndromelack of public confidence

Areas of care identified from: Patient/health carers concernsComplaintsOmbudsman reports

The aspects of things that are most important to us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarityProfessor Ludwig Wittgenstein1889-1957The context

The fundamental aspects of careBenchmarks developed workshops held which included patients, carers & their representatives, Allied health professionals, nurses from both acute & primary care, voluntary organisations, Central principle-patient centredAll benchmarks are interrelated & relevant to all health & social care setting

seeing things through the patients eyes

Essence of Care is about working together to compare, share and achieve best practice in fundamental care

what matters to patients, carers and health care professionals

being integral to good clinical governance management

The journeyLaunched 2001 by the Department of Health (DH)2000-Eight regional facilitators trained to use the toolkit. Supported local facilitators in each NHS acute and primary care Trust Copies of the toolkit sent to each regional office in February 2001

Became part of Modernisation Agency within nurse leadership centreProgramme Director appointedSubject to Ongoing review Project manager appointed Communication benchmarks commissioned

Embedding

Integrated into Clinical Governance Support Team May 2002, Document revised in direct response to comments from those using the toolFormat simplified-to maintain focus on practice not the scoreCopies of revised toolkit widely distributedPartnership working with leadership programmes, the CGST and the wider NHS Modernisation AgencyTo satisfy demands from the UK and beyond! a downloadable version available on the CGST website.

Embracing Challenges and breaks down traditional boundaries between professional groups and organisations, replacing them with an integrated patient focus.

Good leadership is critical to maintaining the drive and direction of healthcare teams

Nationally the principles of essence of Care have been embraced as fundamental to the implementation and delivery of good clinical governance. .

Finding the G Spot!Governance!Clinical Governance is about the ability to produce effective change so that that high-quality care is achieved

Finding the G Spot!

Supporting successIf we always do what weve always done, well always get what weve always got

Mark Twain

Belief in human potentialpeople drive success-using creativity, energy and innovationculture of the team values people and encourages developmentability is what you are capable of doing, motivation determines what you do & attitude determines how you do it!those closest to the patient often have best & most intimate knowledge of problems

Harnessing talents Eden was never about plants and architecture, it was always about harnessing people to a dream and exploring what they were capable ofTim Smit

Lessons on the wayhas to become part of the culture within organisationsneeds to be driven by leadership at all levelsshaped by local ownership, bottom up! translation into meaningful actionsSmall changes make biggest differences

Lessons learntVisibilitystaff as well as patients need to see it makes a difference!recognition of effort and achievementsKISS Keep it real/ bite sized pieces/Time scalesChange management Dealing with Scepticism

Where are we now?Being able to make that difference!

Benefits far beyond any expectationsChallenging the status quo!Not just nursing powerful catalyst to get patients and teams to explore improvements with patient focusKeeping the patient at the heart of any activityRobust framework that provides evidence of continuous quality improvement

Does it made a difference?Yes! . So long as it

it is an active pursuit driven by, and focused on, quality

recognises the complex nature of health care systems, and is built from local ownership

is not strangled by paper and procedure

Into the futureApril 2005 locally rather than centrally driven More democratic and locally responsiveWill continue its contribution to NHS improvement and modernisation

Relevance and valueRecognised as a key mechanism for driving continuous quality improvement in patient careMaking the Links with healthcare standards

Essence of Care becoming integral within policy development at a local, national and international level, i.e. patient choice, greater consumer involvement, long term conditions, NSFs

Development of networks-to influence policy agenda

Into the futureBe brave, never hang backget out there and go for it!

Remember, Essence of care is not just about structures and processes, Its about people

it belongs to patients, but they need you to deliver it!

Thank you! Wishing you every success with your Essence of care journeys

Quickie Ice breakerGet people in groups between 4-6Brainstorm around each of the 4 areasGet someone to scribe and somneone from group to dfeedback to larger groupGood idea to then capture themes generated on large flip boardNeed to then post this in conspicuous position to act as reminder for day