Update on latest achievements - The Royal Wolverhampton ...

Team Focus
"Touring staff
around the
department
to see the
results for
themselves
shows them
the real
benefits of
taking this
approach."
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Focus on -
T-POT Thinking
Since its National launch, in
September 2009, The Productive
Operating Theatre programme,
(T-POT), has played a fundamental
role in helping theatre teams work
together more effectively.
The programme seeks to improve
the patient experience, the safety and
outcomes of surgical services and
more effective use of theatre time.
Clare Nash is the Programme’s
Manager here at the Trust: “T-POT
was officially launched to staff at
the end of July and follows the
highly successful Productive Ward
Programme. This new initiative
will focus on two of the hospital’s
theatres; Nucleus 3 and Beynon, with
plans to roll it out to the others later
on.”
‘Building Teams for Safer Care’ is
the slogan behind the programme. It
looks at how the department is doing
and what can be improved in the key
areas of: safety and reliability; patient
experience and outcome; team
performance, staff wellbeing and
value and efficiency.
A Systematic Approach
“It’s all about taking a systematic
approach,” explains Clare. “It looks
at each element and unpicks each
one, finding out where the wastage
is and stripping out any unnecessary
waste steps. It’s about smarter ways
of working and giving people the
tools to help them be more efficient
and further develop the service.”
It’s hoped that, by using this
approach, theatre teams will be in
a better position to reduce waiting
list times, reduce the extra hours
staff need to work and get through
operating lists more quickly.
Top 7 Priorities
Fifty staff attended the launch’s
visioning workshop, which included
theatre staff, support staff and
clinicians. They were tasked with
creating a list of Top 7 actions
which, in their view, would make
their working day ‘perfect.’ The list
includes things like, having enough
recovery staff, starting on time and
better scheduling. Staff then voted
on these in order of priority. They
put having all equipment and sets
ready to go top of the list. “Getting
people from all levels together was
Staff getting involved in the visioning workshop
really helpful, because it allowed
people to appreciate the issues and
the difficulties faced by their fellow
colleagues,” said Clare.
Chief Executive, David Loughton
attended the launch. He emphasised
that TPOT is about improving
working lives for the staff as well as
improving the safety and reliability
of care. It’s not about saving money.
Measurement workshops also took
place in August, where teams chose
their own local measurements based
on the Top 7 priorities.
The Benefits
The success of the Productive Ward
Programme showed how beneficial
this type of approach can be. Laura
Patrick is a Staff Nurse and found
Productive Ward incredibly useful:
“A lot of the time we couldn’t find
anything so we would re-order it. We
had a treatment room which was also
used for drug preparation. Children
undergoing treatment are already
nervous so having people coming in
and out all the time didn’t help. Now,
we have a drug preparation room
and a separate treatment room –
with no more interruptions!”
Engaging with staff is an equally
important aspect of the programme.
“Touring staff around the
department to see the results for
themselves shows them the real
benefits of taking this approach.
We’ve also linked up with several
regional hospitals to share each
other’s learning and ideas from the
programme,” said Clare.
Clinicians have been briefed at
directorate meetings and the
programme has also been featured at
Senior Managers Briefing. All staff
can access the latest updates on the
programme through the home page
of the intranet.
Joint Seminar
The Royal College of Surgeons
and the NHS Institute held a joint
seminar in September to talk about
the important role surgeons and
anaesthetists continue to play within
the programme. It highlighted how,
as the NHS enters a critical time,
surgeons and anaesthetists can
embrace the programme, be at the
forefront of quality improvements
and make a real difference for
patients and staff.
About the Team
Led by Clare Nash, the programme
team has a lead Matron and
includes a project facilitator, with
support from admin and the service
improvement team. It expects to
collect some baseline data around
sets of equipment being ready and
lists being kept to, which will help
measure the positive outcomes of the
programme.
The Productive Operation Theatre
'PEAT'
Rates Trust
Highly
Ivan Little, left and Sandra Roberts, pictured right, receive their
certificates from Chief Executive, David Loughton CBE.
Midwifery
Award for
Normal
Childbirth
The maternity unit is celebrating after winning an award
from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Maternity
(APPGM).
The Trust was recognised in the Normality in Childbirth
category at the awards, which acknowledge inspiring or
innovative work in improving local maternity services.
They were presented at the APPGM summer reception
in July, at the Houses of Parliament.
The APPGM, which is serviced by the NCT charity, is
a cross-party group whose aim is to highlight maternity
issues within Parliament and bring together health
professionals and service users with politicians.
The team at New Cross Hospital developed a
standardised model of care for high risk women in
labour and their partners. This model aims to maximise
the opportunity for normal birth and promote a positive
birth experience.
The National Patient Safety Agency has rated the Trust
excellent in all three areas when treating patients in a
cleaner and better maintained environment.
The Patient Environment Action Team, (PEAT),
assesses all hospitals and inpatient units with 10
or more beds. The teams are made up of nurses,
matrons, doctors, catering staff, domestic service
managers, patients and the public. They scrutinise
levels of cleanliness, aspects of infection control, the
quality of the environment and the standard of the
food.
Hospitals are scored; excellent, good, acceptable,
poor or unacceptable. Wolverhampton was rated
excellent in all three PEAT categories – one of only 40
out of 1,242 hospitals to achieve this.
Divisional Manager for Estates and Facilities, Graham
Argent, explained why these ratings are so important:
“To have achieved the triple excellence rating puts us
firmly in the upper quartile of hospital performers. It’s
a real demonstration of our determination to be the
best and we’re totally committed to maintaining this
rating for the benefit of our patients.”
Estates and Facilities Manager, Ivan Little and Sandra
Roberts, Head of Hotel Services were presented
with certificates by the Trust’s Chief Executive, in
recognition of their efforts towards this.
PEAT scores are conducted annually, with assessments
carried out between January and March.
The birth environment has been adapted to be
conductive to normal birth, with a range of birthing aids
including birthing balls and stools. This information will
be given to all members of the maternity team over the
next few months.
Dr Dan Poulter MP, Chair of the APPGM, said: “It’s a
privilege to present these awards to such deserving and
exemplary maternity units. The winning units’ innovative
work will be an inspiration to other Trusts.”
Awards
Receiving their award are Matron Tracy Palmer and midwives Lyndsay Durkin, Joanne Ridley and Cath Denyer.
Photograph supplied by Lyndsay Durkin.
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