23 January 2025

safety month banner

We’ve kicked off the New Year at CNWL with an entire month focused on safety priorities, featuring daily lunch and learn sessions for all staff.

The events highlight safety practices and improvements to patient care and focus in on the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), which emphasises kindness and compassion when responding to incidents, system-based learning, and supportive oversight.

Dr Cornelius Kelly, Chief Medical Officer and Safety Month lead, said

“Thank you to all our presenters who've put so much work into their project presentations. There is so much to take inspiration from; we've seen some fantastic examples of co-production, innovation, learning and quality improvement; wonderfully responsive, creative and collaborative initiatives happening in every specialism of this Trust.”

Notable presentations to date include high-risk medicines, patient safety incident investigations, methods for reducing pressure ulcers and an expert by experience led panel discussion.

We heard from Vincent Square Eating Disorder Service and Shannon Ward about improving coordination between services and enhancing safety protocols. Pond Ward presented their improvement flow project, which focused on safe admissions, effective treatment, and safe discharges to reduce the length of stay by 20.8%. Similarly, Danube Ward discussed their project aimed at reducing the length of stay through team collaboration, early identification of discharge barriers, and optimising patient care and treatment.

Highlights were shared about an innovative therapy programme and the positive impact on patient recovery in eating disorder services as well as learning about innovations in epilepsy care, autism assessments, and the development of a unified neurodevelopmental pathway.

All sessions emphasised the huge importance of listening to colleagues and patients, integrating mental and physical health care, and the need for multidisciplinary collaboration, patient and carer feedback, staff training and community involvement.

Staff have shared this feedback so far

word cloud using words from the safety month daily polls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Improvement Safety Awards 2025

Today (23 January), CNWL's Improvement Academy showcased local safety initiatives at the annual awards ceremony, featuring over 170 poster entries.

Guest speaker Dr. Sri Kalidindi CBE, the National Clinical Lead and Consultant Psychiatrist for Mental Health Rehabilitation, Getting It Right First Time and the Chair of the Association of Mental Health Providers, opened the event. Followed by a presentation from a winning team to demonstrate their criteria for success.

The winners received Improvement Awards presented by CNWL Chair, Tom Kibasi.

The full winners list is announced below and all 173 poster entries are on this page (opens link) 

Dr Cornelius Kelly, Chief medial Officer, said

“There is so much energy and determination to do the right thing by patients. There is so much incredible talent in the organisation and so much good work happening. Please have an event in your division with each of the award winners to celebrate too.”

Helen Willets, Chief Nurse, said

“it’s been a privilege today to hear from you all and be able to see these projects and innovations in action.”

The winners are:

  • The Chair's Award - Innovative approaches to keeping children and young people safe in the least restrictive settings, bringing intensive mental healthcare closer to home - CAMHS and Eating Disorder Service
  • Expert by Experience Improvement Award – Safe Care, Safe Patients, Pond Ward
  • Trainee Project Award - Development of an Integrated Electronic Platform for  ADHD Medication Initiation in Child and Adolescent  Mental Health Services – Brent CAMHS
  • 7 Improvement Awards
    • Bridging the Gap; Implementing the Electronic Referral System (eRS) to Mental Health Ward - eRS Team
    • Reducing Restrictive Practice: A whole team approach - Shore Ward
    • Managing Supplier Change – Wheelchair Service, Camden and Islington
    • Safer use of valproate across the Integrated Care System - Pharmacy
    • Rethinking discharge destinations for patients with cognitive impairment- Seacole - Home 1st Therapy Team
    • Improving Engagement for the East of England  Gambling Service
    • Elastomeric Pumps: Continuous Subcutaneous Delivery of Symptom Control Medication to Improve Transfer of Care in Palliative Patients - CNWL/UCLH Palliative Care Team

Kindness and Compassion Day on 31 January

To conclude Safety Month, the last day is dedicated to 'Kindness and Compassion,' with a panel discussion on reducing self-harm and supporting compassionate care. Teams are encouraged to reflect on the importance of kindness and compassion in their daily practice and there will be mindfulness events to drop into for staff.