Introduction to HDFT Impact
HDFT has been using “lean” improvement methods for over 10 years and we’ve seen the improvements it can bring for patients and colleagues. HDFT Impact builds on this experience to put continuous improvement at the centre of our culture and ways of working. It will align improvement with our Strategy and enable improvement through coaching and support. Through proven systems, routines and tools, teams will make significant, long lasting improvements as part of their daily work. HDFT Impact will mobilise all 5,000 colleagues in TeamHDFT to improve quality in everything we do. We will celebrate and encourage improvement by everyone and everywhere throughout the Trust.
Our Approach
Through HDFT Impact we will:
Our Vision
Our vision for HDFT Impact is that all of our colleagues are able to say:
- I understand our Strategy and how we are performing against our goals
- I understand the contribution to the strategy that my team and I need to make using improvement techniques
- I am able to deliver my work and improve how I do it as part of my day job
HDFT Impact Structure
HDFT Impact consists of six work streams:
- Leadership Development – to develop behaviours for improvement and a coaching culture in our Leadership Team and throughout HDFT.
- Strategy Deployment – to align improvement with a focused set of strategic priorities.
- Improvement Operating Model – to empower and enable teams to seek continuous improvement everyday, aligned to our strategic priorities.
- Centre of Excellence – to build our capacity and capability to sustain and spread HDFT Impact throughout HDFT
- Business Intelligence – to provide the data and analysis for improvement
- Communications – to build support and enthusiasm for HDFT Impact
HDFT Impact Roadmap
Partners
Over the last decade many colleagues will have been involved in improvement workshops run by the Improvement & Transformation Team. We know this approach works and we’ve seen the improvements it can bring for patients and colleagues. In December 2022 the Trust Board supported our plans to build on these foundations and take our approach to improvement to the next level – to embed improvement at the centre of our culture and operating model so we can provide the best quality, safest health and care services for our patients and children; and make HDFT the best place to work for our colleagues.
In March 2023 we appointed Catalysis and KPMG as our partners to support us to develop our own improvement operating model, and philosophy, to train and coach teams across the Trust in the approach and to build our own capacity and capability to continue and sustain our improvement journey. Following a Readiness Assessment during April-August 2023, we designed the initial implementation programme which will run from September 2023 to September 2024 with KPMG and Catalysis’ support. Beyond September 2024 the Trust will continue to implement the approach through its own capability and capacity.
Our Improvement Academy
The Improvement Academy’s role is to drive the HDFT Impact programme in the future ourselves so that we can develop and sustain our improvement journey.
The Improvement Academy is the motor that drives HDFT Impact’s philosophy and programme through the Trust. The team comprise qualified and highly experienced continuous improvement experts with diverse clinical, management and leadership expertise across and beyond public and private health and care systems.
All team members have detailed knowledge of the HDFT Impact operating model and all the supporting tools and techniques. It is their job to ensure the success of our approach by delivering high quality teaching, coaching, advice, facilitation, planning and logistics support.
What can I be doing now?
To get the most out of the exciting opportunities ahead, colleagues can start thinking about improvements you might want to explore in your own area of work. You know better than anyone the things that could really make a difference for you, our patients and our organisation.
The Improvement Academy is working to further develop and extend its training offer. As you prepare to join in the HDFT Impact work completing our bronze or silver improvement training is a great place to start your professional continuous improvement journey. Details are available on the intranet by typing in ‘Quality Improvement Champions’ in the Site Search Bar, via the training tab on the teamHDFT app, or by visiting https://learninglab.hdft.co.uk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Continuous Improvement?
Continuous improvement is an organised approach to improving quality, health outcomes, safety, patient and family experience and efficiency. It introduces ways of working that add value, reduce waste and empowers every colleague to identify improvements and develop solutions.
Continuous improvement can be used to make your day easier and help us to further improve the health of our patients.
Continuous improvement can benefit every single member of teamHDFT and we are keen to involve everyone, across every team in HDFT Impact in the months and years ahead.
What are our True North Ambitions?
As an organisation our purpose is to put the patient and child first and to improve the health and wellbeing of our patients, children and communities. This is our True North, working as a compass to provide a guide to take us from where we are currently to where we want to be. We have developed a number of True North Ambitions with metrics – measurable goals and benchmarks – will be the focus of our improvement efforts in the years ahead.
What does the programme look like?
Over time, team members from all teams will be invited to HDFT Impact training and coaching sessions which will take place over a four month period. Each module will consist of initial training supported by weekly coaching sessions to help embed the tools.
Each module will consist of various forms of training methods:
- Digital and Face to Face Training will introduce the tools, techniques and behaviours of HDFT Impact
- Coaching are ‘hands on’ practical sessions in your immediate teams where you’ll embed what you have learned in your daily routines
The journey has already begun for some teams within HDFT with Wave One commencing in October 2023. The first wave included Long Term Unscheduled Care (LTUC) Planned and Surgical Care (PSC) and Community and Children’s Directorate’s (CC) management teams, acute services’ management team and Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC). The second wave of teams start their training in January 2024 and they comprise the Emergency Department and their management team, and the Acute Paediatrics management team and their colleagues in Woodlands Ward.
What success can we can expect?
Other trusts who have worked on similar programmes have achieved wide ranging success including:
- £800k savings from theatre efficiencies
- 25% increase in surgery cases per list
- 60% reduction in falls and 20% reduction in pressure ulcers
- Significant improvement in Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection ratings
