NACEL Quality Improvement

About Documents Community of Practice Tools and Support

Tools and Support

Below is a diagram outlining QI into 6 stages, aligned with some tools (signposted in links) that you may find helpful to aid your work. This is not an exhaustive list of tools, rather a starting point. There may be specific tools your hospital prefers, it is best to check first. Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to further support.

  1
  Identification of a quality issue

  Stakeholder identification

  Consider sustainability evaluation here

Stage 1: Identification of a quality issue

Tools:

Stakeholder mapping & analysis (Source: ELFT)

NHS Sustainability model, PDF guide and Excel file (Source: Kent CT)

Alternative sustainability model - MUSIQ Excel file (Source: ELFT)

  2
  Understanding the current situation/problem

  Stakeholder Analysis /   Fishbone Diagram

  Driver Diagram / Process Map

Stage 2: Understanding the current situation/problem

Tools:

Stakeholder mapping & analysis (Source: ELFT)

Fishbone diagram (Source: ELFT)

Driver Diagrams (Source: ELFT)

Process mapping (Source: ELFT)

  3
  Measure for improvement

  Run Charts / SPC Charts
Pareto Charts

Stage 3: Measure for improvement

Tools:

Run Charts (Source: ELFT)

SPC Charts (Source: ELFT)

Pareto Charts (Source: ELFT)

  4
  Develop a strategy and change ideas

  Driver Diagram / 5 Ways

  Prioritisation Matrix (ease/impact)

Stage 4: Develop a strategy and change ideas

Tools:

5 Whys (Source: Mind Tools)

Prioritisation Matrix Template (Source: Kent CT)

An example in Figure 11 of this Case Study (Source: ELFT)

  5
  Small scale testing

  PDSA / Evaluation

Stage 5: Small scale testing

Tools:

PDSA (Source: ELFT)

Template (Source: ELFT)

Stage 6: Sustain improvement

Tools:

NHS Sustainability model, PDF guide and Excel file (Source: Kent CT)

  6
  Sustain improvement

  Sustainability Model

Further QI Support

The NACEL team have collated a list of some of the available courses and communities. These are not associated with NACEL, but are examples of the resources available.

Featured

HQIP

The HQIP (Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership) have developed a guide to quality improvement tools. It brings together ten other quality improvement tools providing an overview of each and practical advice on how and when to implement them, with illustrative case examples.

ELFT

ELFT (East London Foundation Trust) have partnered with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), the world leader in healthcare improvement, to support the organisation with their improvement journey. A range of tools and resources are available to view from the website.

NHS Impact

NHS IMPACT (Improving Patient Care Together) is the new, single, shared NHS improvement approach.

The Health Foundation

Institute of Healthcare Improvement

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement offers many opportunities for QI learning, including, the IHI Open School, a great resource for introducing improvement, safety and leadership concepts and The Improvement Advisor Professional Development programme.