Quality, Safety, Improvement and Audit

Details

Title

Quality, Safety, Improvement and Audit

Type

Stage One

Module code

HPE104

Requirement

Compulsory

Module objective

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be able to analyse and synthesise their knowledge and understanding of the importance of quality and safety improvement in the delivery of a high-quality, patient-focused service. The Clinical Scientists in HSST will be expected to apply their knowledge in the clinical setting and demonstrate the ability to manage, analyse, present and justify at least one quality improvement project, using    the  results  to  improve  patient  care  to  promote  the  delivery  of  high-quality care in accordance with local/national guidelines. The Clinical Scientist in HSST will also be expected to consistently demonstrate the attitudes and behaviours necessary for the role of a Consultant Clinical Scientist.

Knowledge and understanding

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be able to analyse, synthesise and critically apply their knowledge with respect to clinical investigations, including:

• The purpose and structure of a clinical governance framework to unite a range of quality improvement activities to safeguard standards and facilitate improvements in clinical services.
• The role of risk management in the delivery of a safe, high-quality service.
• The principles of and need for quality and safety improvement in healthcare.
• How care plans can be used to improve patient safety.
• Safety issues in the framework of case-based discussions.
• Local major incident planning and their potential role in any such incident.
• The purpose, generation and review of clinical guidelines.
• The benefits and limitations of guidelines and care pathways.
• Systems of quality assurance and clinical improvement in clinical and scientific work and training.
• The quality improvement process.
• Opportunities for improving the reliability of care following audit, adverse events, or ‘near misses’.
• Root-cause analysis.
• Importance of reporting, discussing and learning from all incidents and concerns related to patient safety.
• The audit cycle and how it relates to the improvement of clinical care in clinical science and the wider healthcare environment.
• Features of an effective audit that leads to real and sustained changes in practice.
• Certification and accreditation schemes, e.g. Physical Sciences and engineering Quality Improvement project (PSQIP).

Technical and clinical skills

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of current research, protocols and guidelines and its application to the performance and mastery of the following skills with respect to quality and safety, and be able to:

• Initiate and lead a system of quality assurance and service improvement in a clinical scientific setting.
• Design, implement and evaluate a quality improvement project and disseminate the findings, instigating changes in practice as necessary.
• Critically reflect on the challenges of implementing, maintaining and improving services building on a critique of available evidence base.
• Identify the need for, undertake and document a risk assessment and implement the actions of a clinical scientific lead procedure.
• Evaluate personal learning with respect to quality and safety improvement and the role of audit as part of personal professional development.

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of current relevant research, theory and knowledge and its application to the quality and safety of clinical scientific services, and be able to:

• Lead discussions on improving technical clinical practice in a multiprofessional setting, defending and justifying proposals.
• Identify opportunities for improving the reliability of the clinical service as an outcome of audit, adverse events, critical incidents, or ‘near misses’, and critically evaluate the impact of each improvement.
• Actively participate and/or lead trust or directorate audit/clinical governance processes and meetings.
• Evaluate the recommendations of an audit or health improvement project related to patient safety issue, disseminate findings and introduce improvements into service.

Attitudes and behaviours

By the end of this module the Clinical Scientist in HSST will be expected to evaluate their own response to both normal and complex situations. They should consistently demonstrate the professional attributes and insights required of a Consultant Clinical Scientist working within the limits of professional competence referring as appropriate to senior staff and will:

• Show respect and behave in accordance with Good Scientific Practice.
• Establish and influence the culture of health and safety in the workplace.
• Have a clear focus on effective patient-centred service delivery, minimising risk and promoting patient safety.