We will use proven improvement methodologies to support services to understand and reduce demand, increase activity and improve flow.
Delivery
We will recruit up to twelve services in 20-week improvement sprints to:
- support sustainable improvements in access and patient flow
- target improvements in services with the longest waits and limited recent progress
- apply QI methodologies using DCAQ to uncover and address key challenges contributing to long waits
Participating services will commit to:
- work with HIS in services with projected waits of 40 weeks or more, with no recent improvements
- be able to provide a range of demand and activity data relating to waiting times
- be willing and able to actively engage in this improvement work including clinical and non-clinical staff across a pathway
- have no recent improvements
- have an organisational sponsor who will support this work by removing organisational barriers slowing progress
- have a clinical lead within the service, to act as a driver for improvements
- attend an informal discussion via MS Teams at application process.
Sprint timeline
The sprints will be delivered over 20 weeks.
- Preparation period: Create the conditions
- Week one: Mobilise
- Week two: Understand
- Week three: Understand
- Week six: Set aims
- Week seven – 17: Testing
- Week 18: adopt
- Week 20: sustain
A timeline of the 20-week improvement sprint is available .