CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS SWOT ANALYSIS

(31st March 2003)

The Clinical Effectiveness (CEf) Strategy has three main components: inform, change, monitor. These have been used as the basis for this SWOT analysis

Aspect / Inform /

Change

/ Monitor
Considerations / Besides our own staff, we need to consider:
Stakeholders:
Patients, RBAT staff, User Groups, Acute & Community Care are all involved with the performance of the service & so have expectations of Clinical Effectiveness & its outcome
External Environment
Local partnerships, voluntary agencies, other ambulance services, ASA, CHI, DoH generate audit work, either by setting standards & audit requirements or as partners with RBAT in collaborative audit & development work / This reflects the effectiveness of the audit cycle in RBAT.
Learning
Encouraging the participation of staff in audit & research through making information available, links to clinical education & training, training in audit tools, research methodology & change management techniques
Growth
Increasing the capability of RBAT – giving feedback on outcomes & identifying good practice & learning points to the service in its delivery of patient care & with supporting the participation of staff in audit & research. / Internal Processes:
Planning of audit & capacity, data quality, communications (making audit information available) & accountability. Managing the integration of clinical effectiveness activities with other aspects of Clinical Governance
Aspect / Inform /

Change

/ Monitor
Strengths /
  • Good links with other ambulance services & ASA
  • Data entry to ASA MI database up-to-date
  • Publication of audit & research tools
  • Intranet with access to Internet
/
  • Medical Director
  • Computer network
  • Some progress with communicating with staff
  • Developing relationships with voluntary groups & First Responders
/
  • Framework established through clinical effectiveness policy
  • Annual planning in operation

Weaknesses

/
  • Time to enable further networking
  • No public or patient involvement
  • Little use of Internet for literature searching
  • Staff rotas preclude time to access Intranet
/
  • Communications need strengthening
  • Other forums for discussions are challenged by lack of allocated time
  • A need to develop an open culture in the Trust
/
  • Low clinical involvement in audit & research
  • Lack of dedicated staff time
  • No external reviewer other than ad hoc peer review

Opportunities /
  • Build up reputation in national arena through meetings, publications & other contributions
  • Developing work with Hosp / PCT focus Groups
  • New interactive Intranet
/
  • Implementation of ASA/JRCALC Clinical Guidelines will form basis of future audits
  • More staff to be involved in Clinical Governance activities through portfolio of evidence
/
  • Improvements to data management through EPRF
  • Clinical audit to be formally incorporated into PP training
  • Greater operational effectiveness developing

Threats /
  • To keep local initiatives active against other priorities
/
  • Formal links & feedback to training underdeveloped, closing the loop
/
  • High priority attached to updating of staff & the introduction of new procedures & equipment (eg for thrombolysis) may limit audit training

Progress

April 2003 /
  • CEfD move to Medical Directorate will enable staff to focus more on audit and research
  • PALS manager recruited
/
  • Paramedic seconded to CEfD for 6 months to expand communications with road staff
  • Same Paramedic will continue the work with managing RBAT’s review of ASA/JRCALC Clinical Guidelines
/
  • CHI review re-scheduled - ? Dec ‘03
  • CHD CHI review due June/July ‘03

May 2003 /
  • RDDirect is now available on the J-drive\Station Uniformity directory – it provides info on research methods and critical appraisal
/
  • Training section of CEf mtg will identify items highlighted for improvement through discussion in the meeting. This will continue until it can be demonstrated that significant improvements have been made
/
  • UK E-PRF group meeting

June 2003
July 2003
August 2003