Annual Report and Accounts - The Great Western Hospital

Part 2 - Priorities for improvement and statements of
assurance from the Board
6.2 Priorities for improvement
Within its business plan, the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust sets out that the
provision of safe, high quality, patient care, is its number one priority.
The Trusts aim is to set out a clear quality improvement plan building on current local and national
quality improvement initiatives to meet its patient quality and safety objectives and provide the safest
and most effective care to enhance the experiences of our patients.
6.2.1 Priorities 2011/12:
Safe care
To reduce harm through the monitoring and reducing:
1. Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs)
2. Medication errors
3. Patients falls
4. Pressure ulcers
5. Blood transfusion errors
6. Reducing preventable hospital mortalities year on year i.e. hospital standardised mortality
rates (HMSR)
7. Participating on the Regional Patient Safety Programme
Effective care
1. Complying with best practice guidance (NICE) and Central Alert Bulletins
2. Reviewing the clinical care of patients who need to return to theatre within a two week period
3. Ensuring that patients who have sustained a fractured neck of femur are operated upon
within 36 hours of sustaining their injury if medically fit
4. Ensuring patients are assessed for the risk of developing Venousthromboembolisms and
managing the risk appropriately
5. Undertaking nutritional assessments on patients on admission to hospital to ensure we meet
their nutritional and hydration needs
6. Achieving the sentinel stoke audit indicators
Patient Experience
1. To involve patients more in decisions about their care
2. To ensure privacy when discussing treatment and care with patients
3. To improve upon the information given to patients on medication and it side effects
4. To ensure patients know who to contact after discharge if they have concerns
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