|
We are pleased to share the May 2024 edition of the Care Inspectorate’s Quality Improvement and Participation update. During the last three months, Quality Improvement colleagues continue to deliver targeted interventions, working collaboratively with colleagues, providers and stakeholders to improve outcomes for people who experience health and social care.
The 2024/25 Quality Improvement and Participation plans have just been agreed by the organisation (May 2024) and demonstrates a whole organisation approach to deliver quality improvement, in the right places, at the right time with the right resources. The plans will shortly be available on our HUB.
Getting it right for everyone
Improving dementia care
The quality improvement and participation section, recently worked with a large provider to help improve dementia care and reduce inappropriate psychoactive medication, for people living with dementia.
The project gave frontline staff the freedom and safety to innovate, initiate and test change ideas relevant to their local context. These included changes to environment, personal care, activity and wellbeing, medication reviews and staff practice in medicines administration.
As a result of the improvement work there was a reduction (over 40%) in when required psychoactive medicines were used and inappropriate regular psychoactive medicines were prescribed.
“The feisty wee woman I knew is back- every time we used to visit; she was sleeping. That is no longer the case she is now running this unit”. Relative 2023
“Mum passed away peacefully not on any sedative medication. She was able to hold a conversation with us and share memories. I will never be able to thank the staff enough for never giving up and giving my mum a nice death” Relative 2023
One of the many successful case studies from the project featured in the recently published delivery plan for the Scottish Government’s new Dementia Strategy.
Case study one: A woman was struggling to accept twice daily personal care. Desensitising the resident to the bathroom and gender of care staff had limited effect. Consistency of staff giving personal care had some effect. However, height of care staff was a key trigger factor for this person. Knowing this staff achieved around 10-12 personal care sessions per week, compared to a baseline level of two per week. Along with improved personal care, a successful reduction (over 50%) of antipsychotic (Quetiapine) medication is now in place. This person gained 2.25 kg, with staff reporting she now sits and enjoys meals in the dining room, something she wouldn’t do before.
Cohort two of the project started, with seven care homes participating.
|
Care about Physical Activity (CAPA) funded programme comes to an end
Last month saw the conclusion of the funded part of the Care about Physical Activity (CAPA) programme. There will be very many legacies that will live on from the funded part of the programme. You can read more about the programme and the improved outcomes for people here.
|
Quality improvement in action
A provider recently contacted the quality improvement and participation section, to update on one of their quality improvement projects.
In February 2024, a provider rolled out a physical activity challenge. Six people experiencing care, one family member (person’s daughter,) five care staff and all four-office staff took part. The team covered (virtually) a total of 679 miles between them. The oldest participant was 100 years old.
Using a variety of methods to track the progress of the activity. The team also created a Google chat space available for the staff taking part where they uploaded their own and the people experiencing care miles. They shared fun updates along the route (for example, landmarks). The team also had an open WhatsApp chat space through the on-call phone with a relative, so they were able to receive updates.
The chat space itself was so supportive, and the staff have asked if they can start another challenge now, possibly Lands' End to John o Groats! The people experiencing care enjoyed themselves and felt the benefit of the challenge. They got outdoors more, they had something to focus on, and something to chat about with their care team. Staff got to know each other better through this challenge by supporting each other in the chat space. The manager mentioned that they received lots of lovely photographs of the countryside from their team out on walks.
Care Home Improvement Programme (CHIP)
The Care Inspectorate, supported by the Scottish Social Services Council, have been supporting adult care homes in Scotland by delivering a national quality improvement programme. The programme includes four in-person events.
Who: Specifically, services with an inspection outcome evaluation of adequate. For cohort one we invited 30 eligible services from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Forth Valley to participate.
When: The first cohort launched in April 2024 and will run until August 2024
The programme is aimed at staff within services who can affect change and who have time to plan and test changes to improve outcomes for people who experience care. Participants are expected to undertake their own improvement project throughout the duration of the programme to consolidate their learning and apply skills from learning workshops and events into practice.
The aim of the programme is to enable individuals to:
- use our self-evaluation tools, guidance and participation approaches
- use quality improvement to make improvements and improve outcomes for people
- develop approaches in leadership and management
- build peer support with other services in their geographical area
- develop skills to embed and sustain changes
- celebrate success.
Day one was a resounding success. The services that participated told us they enjoyed meeting other services from their area and valued the peer support from colleagues and the dedicated support from improvement advisors at their tables.
Our improvement advisors are supporting all services before and after each in person day to plan and test changes that will improve outcomes for people who experience care.
Stay tuned for more updates and information on where in Scotland cohort two will target in the autumn.
|
Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC)
Another year of funding for the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Improvement Programme
The ELC Improvement Team are pleased to have received another year of funding for the programme. The next cohort for the programme has started, with another 45 services receiving quality improvement support to improve outcomes for children and families. This will be cohort eight of the programme, with planning taking place for a further two cohorts to run before the end of the business year (31 March 2025).
The ELC improvement team have worked with scrutiny and assurance colleagues to support the Keeping Children Safe Campaign (SIMOA). A bitesize video was recently released that supports the sector with some key messages and considerations around keeping children safe in settings. You can watch the bitesize video here. There are also various other bitesize resources on our ELC Improvement Hub to support learning around quality improvement. The team are currently reviewing and updating bitesize resources on the Hub, to make it more accessible and relevant to Day Care of Children, Childminders, and Out of School services.
Over the last year, the ELC improvement team have begun to offer bespoke training sessions to local authority quality support staff and some service managers, of varying group sizes. These sessions are offered face to face and have been focussing on observation and communication for improvement. The largest event was delivered recently to the Forth Valley and West Lothian Regional Improvement Collaborative (FVWRIC) reaching 200 participants across these four local authority areas. These have been well received and feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, including:
‘I feel I can now observe and feedback more effectively as a leader. I look forward to embedding this into my practice. This (training) has been very inspiring, thought-provoking and informative.’
Local inspectors are invited to all sessions to strengthen links and relationships out with the inspection footprint and to feedback to their team.
“During inspection we could begin to see the impact of the training in the quality of observations carried out, and the rich information identified.” (Inspector feedback)
The team have delivered both large- and small-scale sessions and the largest session to date was delivered to 200 members of the Forth Valley and West Lothian regional improvement collaborative (RIC). With follow on training delivered to ELC leads from Stirling, Falkirk and West Lothian.
“Once again thanks to your team for such an amazing couple of days. In one sweep you have certainly improved positive outcomes for children in Forth Valley.” -
Early Years Improvement Officer
To date the team have delivered seven sessions and have five further local authorities who have made enquiries and wish to meet to organise sessions in their area. Three of the participating local authorities wish to find out about further sessions that can be offered.
|
Find out more about our work at www.careinspectorate.com
Contact us Unsubscribe
|
