Essence of Care – patient-focused benchmarking for health care practitioners

Time to celebrate and share best practice (Part 2)

Abstract: This is the second of a series of articles exploring our progress in the implementation of the 'Essence of Care – Patient-focused benchmarking for health care practitioners' (1). The previous article (Nursing Progress, June 2001) outlined the strategy for introducing the 'Essence of Care', in the context of on-going practice development work within Barts and London NHS Trust.(2) This article outlines where we are now in the implementation process. It also provides an opportunity to share some of the activity taking place across the Trust.

Contents
Roadshows
Resource groups
Intranet site
Patient involvement
Conclusion
References

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Roadshows have taken place throughout the Trust to raise awareness of the 'Essence of Care'. (1) The first series of roadshows focused on where the benchmarking process fitted into the quality framework outlined in the NHS Plan (3).  The presentation provided an overview of how, and why, the eight fundamental aspects of care were identified as priority areas for developing, sharing and comparing best practice. Series-two roadshows presented the Trust's strategy for the implementation of the benchmarking process. Early in 2002 'series-three' roadshows will commence. The focus for this new series will be on each individual fundamental aspect of care, and provide a forum for sharing benchmark specific activity and progress.

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Resource groups

A 'resource group' for each of the benchmarks has been established. The groups meet to explore ways of providing continuing support and advice to wards and departments developing practice in their chosen aspect of care. Each group has an co-ordinator and the membership is multidiscilplinary. The groups have agreed to facilitate the next series of roadshows in the New Year. Each group will also contribute to an 'Essence of Care' newsletter to be distributed to all wards and departments as part of the communication strategy. They also provide the information necessary to update the intranet site for their area.

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Intranet site

There are a variety of ways in which the knowledge and understanding of the benchmarking process is being communicated throughout the Trust. The Practice Development intranet site provides a comprehensive source of information about much of the activity and progress underway. Each resource group provides information that they would like to appear on the site, this includes the names and location of members of the group, the notes of meetings, and a 'hints and tips' page for supporting the implementation process. All the documentation necessary for wards and departments to utilise is also available on the site, either for on-screen viewing or to print out locally.

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Patient involvement

Work is underway to develop a framework to ensure that patient's views and participation, are sought at all stages of the process of benchmarking. We are exploring ways to achieve patient participation and feedback with a number of teams, including the Resource Groups and the Clinical Effectiveness Unit (CEU). The practice development nurses are exploring this issue within their directorates as they are ideally placed to explore with their teams, ways of capturing patient's views and feedback locally. A number of iniatives are already underway to meet this outcome. An example is the patient feedback that was received by the Nursing Philosophy Group. (4)  The new nursing philosophy was launched by the Trust in June 2000 and it was agreed that the philosophy should be evaluated from a patient's perspective.

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Conclusion

There is an enourmous amount of activity underway across the Trust in relation to the 'Essence of Care' project. As far as we are aware, we continue to be the only Trust that is exploring all of the fundamental aspects of care contained within the 'Essence of Care'. This was a decision taken to allow each individual ward and department to identify the aspect of care that they would like to celebrate and share best practice. We have much to celebrate, but more importantly we have a wealth of patient-centred practice to share across the Trust; between ward teams as well as across directorates. Further information about 'Essence of Care' will be available from a variety of sources in the New Year. This will include newsletters, roadshows, and the Practice Development intranet site. Staff can contact key personnel related to each aspect of care, or the project overall, by visiting the website to obtain all relevant names and contact details.

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1. Department of Health. 'Essence of Care – patient-focused benchmarking for health care practitioners'. London, DoH 2001.

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Page last updated by DEB on 1/7/02

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