Summary
Pilot workshop provides the opportunity for practice managers to develop their Quality Improvement skills.
Practice managers (PMs) from across Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale (HMR) and some neighbouring practices recently took part in a Quality Improvement (QI) pilot workshop.
Around 30 PMs and primary care leaders gathered in Rochdale on Thursday, 22 October, to take part in a face-to-face session to develop their understanding of QI.
The session, which was facilitated by Dr Joanna Bircher, GMPCB’s clinical director for the GP Excellence Programme, was delivered in response to local demand from Rochdale PMs seeking practical face-to-face support.
The aim of the session was to equip PMs with the knowledge, tools and confidence to lead QI projects within their own practices.
During the workshop participants explored key QI concepts and tools such as system thinking, human factors, organisational culture, process mapping, measurements for improvement and the Model for Improvement.
Participants also had the opportunity to take part in a group exercise where they could apply the tools to real-life challenges from their own practices.
They left the session with practical tips and ideas to take back to their practices, including how to reduce telephone demand, improve access, enhance team engagement and use process mapping and data more effectively.
One participant commented that the session was “the best I’ve been to in a good few years”. The session was also described as “excellent”, “engaging” and “interactive”.
Joanna said:
“The quality improvement pilot session has highlighted a strong appetite for dedicated QI training within primary care across Greater Manchester.
It has also highlighted the important role that Practice Managers play in leading sustainable improvements for their practices that benefit both patients and staff.”
Following the success of the pilot, GP Excellence will explore a wider roll-out of further QI sessions in Greater Manchester (GM) localities delivered by the GM Peer Ambassadors.
This forms part of the GP Excellence Programme’s wider support offer under the Greater Manchester Beyond Core Contract (BeCCoR) scheme which helps practices to achieve their BeCCoR targets.
For further information, get in touch with the GP Excellence team: gm.gpexcellence@nhs.net
