Posted on: 11 January 2022
January 2022 
Happy New Year!
Welcome to the launch of our CNWL Improvement Academy and our new Improvement Academy Newsletter which replaces our monthly Quality Improvement (QI) Newsletter.
Here is a video (opens link) of Dr Con Kelly, Chief Medical Officer, introducing the Improvement Academy.
The New Year is a great opportunity for new beginnings and a fresh start and that is exactly what we have decided to do. Ever ambitious, we are building on our QI expertise and experience over the last four years to take our improvement work to a more reaching level and are introducing an Improvement Academy for the Trust.
In this issue we explain the Improvement Academy vision and how our improvement work will expand wider than the QI programme. We also introduce a new look Improvement Academy website at https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/ia and you may notice that our Twitter handle has been updated to @CNWLImprovement.
Reflecting on 2021, we present the 2021 infographic and celebrate achievements and milestones in the last year including our successful annual conference, The Safety Conversation Day, held on the 11 November.
As we look ahead to what 2022 will bring, we outline our exciting plans for the Improvement Academy in the next year.
The Improvement Academy
The Improvement Academy, sponsored by Dr Con Kelly, Chief Medical Officer, will be led by Alison Butler, Director of Improvement and Dr Simon Edwards, Medical Lead and supported by the QI Team.
Dr Con Kelly said; “The Improvement Academy brings an exciting opportunity for the Trust to further expand our improvement work, enhance our improvement capability, strengthen our improvement leadership and boost our reputation as being a leader in the improvement agenda both nationally and internationally.”
Whilst continuing to use the Model for Improvement as our main approach to improvement, the Improvement Academy will look to support wider improvement initiatives e.g. using improvement science to make process improvements, using Lean methodologies, experienced based co-design, collaborative improvement programmes, systematic reviews, and much more.
Our ambitious vision in the next 4 years is to have:
- A workforce that has the knowledge, skills and confidence to continually strive for safety, improvement and excellence throughout CNWL
- Improvement work as part of the DNA of the organisation
- An improvement network focused on delivering better health and safer services
- The ability to provide improvement expertise and training both internally and externally and provide income generation for the Trust
- Improvement Awards to celebrate successful improvement work
- An Improvement Fund to award funding to innovative improvement initiative
- Silent business (corporate) processes
- A strong reputation as a leader in improvement work not only in London but nationally and internationally
- Numerous publications and posters evidencing our successful improvement work
- The status as being the preferred partner when it comes to improvement initiatives across the sector
We are just starting this journey and will keep you informed on both our progress and how you can get involved.
Our New Education Programme
Our new education programme offers a wide range of training to staff from entry level introduction to QI to more specialist training. Bespoke training is also included in this programme.
Improvement Support
The Improvement Academy will also offer a wide range of improvement support for your improvement initiatives.
Improvement Academy Website
Our new look website offers more details on the Improvement Academy and is the “go-to” place for all our news and information. It also gives quick access on how to book training.
You will find the new Improvement Academy website HERE. We hope you enjoy the new website; we are always happy to hear from you if you have any feedback at cnw-tr.improvementsupport@nhs.net
CNWL Quality Improvement Infographic 2021
Reflecting on 2021 here are some of the milestones and highlights of the QI Programme.
Improvement Awards
We have introduced new Improvement Awards (our very own Oscars!) for teams that can evidence sustained improvement in CNWL services. These will be awarded on a six-monthly basis by the Improvement Academy faculty, the awards are recognition of excellence in improvement achievements. Winners are awarded a special certificate which acknowledges their accomplishments.
The deadline submit posters for the first Improvement Academy Awards is 25 March 2022. All teams that have made improvements are encouraged to submit a poster to celebrate your improvement work and share your learning with others across the Trust. To apply for an award, teams will need to submit a poster which details their sustained improvement to cnw-tr.improvementsupport@nhs.net
Deadlines for awards will be published in future newsletters. Examples of posters can be found here and a poster template can be found here (opens powerpoint file).
Honorary Faculty Membership
We are pleased to offer staff, either internally or externally, the opportunity to become Honorary Faculty members. This membership will be awarded to individuals who:
- Have completed and shared their improvement work
- Are recognised for their improvement expertise and / or have taught improvement methodologies
- Are able to dedicate some of their time to contribute to the Academy’s education and/or development programmes, either in an advisory capacity or delivering training.
This is a voluntary arrangement and is not a contract of employment.
If you are interested in joining as an Honorary Faculty Member please contact cnw-tr.improvementsupport@nhs.net
Looking Ahead
2022 will be a busy and exciting year as the Improvement Academy becomes more established and new courses come online.
We will be launching our Improvement Academy Prospectus shortly so do look out for that.
Further details of these developments will be in the February edition of this newsletter.
Upcoming Education Dates
Level 1: Bronze - Bitesize (Intro to QI) New dates into 2022!
Dates for the ever-popular monthly 3-hour virtual QI training on the model for improvement and how to set out on a QI project are bookable on LDZ at: https://cnwllearning.org/login/index.php
Search for ‘Bitesize QI’ to find the course, which is available on these dates all starting at 9.30am:
- Tuesday 11 January 2022
- Tuesday 15 February 2022
- Tuesday 15 March 2022
- Tuesday 12 April 2022
- Tuesday 10 May 2022
- Tuesday 14 June 2022
More dates through to the end of 2022 coming soon…
Level 2: Silver – QI Project Team Leader Training
This course is aimed at CNWL staff who wish to use improvement methodologies in their role and need to develop skills as a QI project leader. The course is a workshop-based programme, delivered over 4 months with 1.5 days formal training and also forms part of the 21st Century Leadership Programme (Level 2).
- 1.5 days training on Thursday 3 February and Tuesday 31 May 2022
To book your place on course, log in to LDZ and search/look for the Quality Improvement block, which will take you to the range of QI training available and select The QI Project Lead course.
Level 4: Improvement Coach Development Programme
This course is now fully booked and commences on the 1 February 2022.
Annual Conference
The Safety Conversation Day 2022 – Date to be confirmed
Useful Links
Contact information for Improvement Advisors:
|
Diggory Division |
Peter Toohey |
peter.toohey@nhs.net |
|
Goodall Division and Corporate |
Peter Smith |
|
|
Jameson Division |
Bridget Browne |
CNWL Improvement Academy Microsite: www.cnwl.nhs.uk/ia
Life QI: www.lifeqisystem.com/
If you want to get in touch please contact us here:
cnw-tr.improvementsupport@nhs.net