Developing a Core QI Content for NHS Wales

Project Board Meeting notes

Wednesday26 September 10 am – 12pm

Attendees: Dr Alan Willson (AW), Jan Davies (JD), Sian Bolton (SB), Angie Oliver (AO), Felicity Barclay (FB)

Apologies: Jo Carruthers (JC), Mark Sykes (MS), Stephen Griffiths (SG), Jayne Dando (JDa)

  1. Notes from the Previous Meeting

The group agreed the notes as a true and accurate note of the meeting in July 2012.

  1. Matters Arising

The group approved the revised Overview Document and timeline and were informed that the Core Content Planning Group and Implementation Group had met for their first meetings.

FB provided an overview of the process to date (see the paper Project Board SBAR Update September 2012).

AW informed the group that he has begun a series of calls with organisations to discuss their implementation approach and to provide support as they think about the issues and opportunities in their organisation. All organisations except Cardiff have taken up the opportunity to engage in a call.

The group discussed the need to ensure a clear communication about the work and the support provided to organisations.

A general discussion around the issues of accreditation, implementation and communications ensued and these points are noted under the appropriate heading below.

The group discussed the need for a conversion process for prior learning and agreed that Transforming Care (including theatres and maternity) will be the biggest area to address. There is a two way benefit in bringing the programme into the mainstream and also ensuring participants are trained in the standardized content through the conversion process. It is likely that there will be a conversion process for Transforming Care facilitators to the gold level and then there will be a need to look at how to convert the people who have been ‘touched’ by Transforming Care – this could be through evidencing their ‘new’ way of working through a portfolio. The conversion process will include ways that certain aspects of learning can be topped-up to the standardised content where appropriate.

The group agreed to invite Dominique Bird (DB), as lead for the Core Content development, to map the content in existing Transforming Care programmes and then see what is needed to top up this training to the standardised content.

  1. Developing the core content
  1. Defining the Levels

The group approved the level definitions.

  1. Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

The group agreed the learning outcomes and assessment criteria, pending the approval by absent members of the Project Board, and with the following changes:

  • ‘1000 Lives Plus’ to be replaced by ‘the OD approach to service, quality and financial improvement’ in the first point as part of the Indicative Content for each level.
  • Reference to the estimated time required for completion of each level if available.
  • Include mapping to the NOS.
  • Ensure core KSF dimensions are referenced in the KSF mapping where they relate to additional dimensions.
  • Omit KSF Mapping for the Board level.
  1. Organisation Implementation Plans

AW introduced the Implementation Plan Template as a tool to support the consideration of key issues and considerations by organisations.

The purpose of the Implementation Group is to work through the issues organisations unveil in working out their plans, not checking that the plans are in place.

The Project Board needs assurance that the implementation plans and approaches are in place – evidence of the plans / performance management is not appropriate.

The group agreed that whilst the conversion of teams who have already participated in training (Transforming Care and LQI) will help towards meeting the 25% target, other groups need to be engaged broader than nursing e.g. Finance, Radiography.

AO agreed to share the Hywel Dda action plan for the Workforce Strategy to show how the implementation plans need to be linked to the Strategy.

  1. Reporting Requirements
  1. Internal arrangements

WIFIS should provide a mechanism for internal reporting if the bronze, silver and gold levels can be added to the record.

  1. Welsh Government

Welsh Government will want assurance that organisations have a plan and Boards will be accountable for this. JD will discuss with Welsh Government colleagues the anticipated information that will be required on meeting the target.

JD also agreed to discuss with JDa how the external reporting can be built into existing QDP and WOD feedback to Welsh Government, and to discuss with SG and JDa how WIFIS can be used for reporting (to include primary care as well).

  1. Considerations in taking the project forward

a. Measurement Strategy

The group agreed this had been addressed in the above agenda point.

b. Communications Strategy

The group discussed the need for a one page generic news item / bulletin for organisations to cascade, providing an update and the key messages on this work. It was also agreed that a communications strategy including local communication packs (similar to S.T.O.P) would be helpful to tailor the key messages for each organisation.

The group agreed to invite Andrew Cooper, 1000 Lives Plus Communications Manager, to develop the above documents.

The key messages agreed by the group include:

  • This is not a conventional training programme; it is an OD step to skill up the workforce.
  • The focus is on getting improvement into the mindset and everyday jobs of the service – it is about maturing our organisations
  • It is not about training but about how quality improvement can make you move forward as an organisation – the quality improvement agenda links to leadership and improvement in the OD world.
  • It is developing a core content by streamlining and simplifying existing resources, but there is not a rigid plan for how this is taught locally. It is about supporting local opportunities and incorporation into existing local OD programmes.
  • A Microsystems / team approach to training is positive and will support a change in culture.
  • It is an internationally recognised methodology and a standardised language and content, kite-marked by 1000 Lives Plus.
  • There is a need to build in the assumption that there will be a conversion process (specifically for Transforming Care programmes and LQI).
  • Strong links with the Workforce Strategy need to be evidenced.
  • If every team speaks the same language of improvement this will create traction to transform organisations.

c. Welsh Risk Pool Indemnity cover for training

AO confirmed that Welsh Risk Pool have agreed that there will be indemnity cover for organisations to provide training to primary care contractors and the work is to progress the service as a whole. As the need to deliver training to contractors is mandated by the Welsh Government within the Quality Delivery Plan, it is considered to be a core activity, and on this basis falls within the indemnity arrangements of the Welsh Risk Pool scheme.

d. Accreditation

The group agreed that accreditation is optional for organisations.

The current work with Agored Cymru is based on £2.70 per credit, with the silver level estimated at 6 credits per person.

AO raised the concern that there must be a formal tender process for the accrediting body for the training materials e.g. the Open University, City and Guilds, ILM.

SB agreed to share details on a similar tender and to discuss with SG.

e. Translation

The group agreed that a precedent had not been set in terms of the translation of all training materials i.e. the induction package is not available in Welsh.

As the materials will largely be technical documents the group agreed the silver and gold materials should not be translated, but it would be good practice to translate the bronze level – including the online site.

AO suggested liaising with Helen Thomas at WIFIS to ensure this is an appropriate approach.

  1. Next Steps: Train-the-trainer continued support and quality assurance

FB noted that in conversation with Dominique Bird (DB), the issue of continued quality assurance of the trainers and the core content had been discussed with a view to mapping out a process.

The group agreed this needs to be addressed and AO suggested that the national learning events may provide a mechanism to support this process.

  1. A.O.B

There were no A.O.B items.

Actions Log

Actions / Completion Date
1 / FB to make initial amendments to Learning outcomes and assessment criteria:
  • ‘1000 Lives Plus’ to be replaced by ‘the OD approach to service, quality and financial improvement’ in the first point as part of the Indicative Content for each level.
  • Omit KSF Mapping for the Board level.
/ 26th October
2 / DB to make further changes to the Learning outcomes and assessment criteria:
  • Reference to the estimated time required for completion of each level if available.
  • Include mapping to the NOS.
  • Ensure core KSF dimensions are referenced in the KSF mapping where they relate to additional dimensions.
/ 2nd October
3 / All Project Board members to approve the Learning outcomes and assessment criteria document for the bronze, silver and gold levels (noting that the above changes will be made) / 12 pm 1st October
4 / AO agreed to share the Hywel Dda action plan for the Workforce Strategy to show how the implementation plans need to be linked to the Strategy. / ASAP
5 / JD to discuss with Welsh Government colleagues the anticipated information that will be required on meeting the target. / ASAP
6 / JD to discuss with JDa how external reporting can be built into existing QDP and WOD feedback to Welsh Government. / ASAP
7 / JD to discuss with SG and JDa how WIFIS can be used for reporting (to include primary care as well). / ASAP
8 / Andrew Cooper, Communications Manager, to draft a one page bulletin for organisations to cascade to provide an update and the key messages on this work. To be shared with the Implementation Group. It was also agreed that a / 2nd October
9 / Andrew Cooper to develop a communications strategy including local communication packs (similar to S.T.O.P) / Ongoing
10 / AW to feedback the response regarding Welsh Risk Pool indemnity to the Implementation Group / 2nd October
11 / SB to share details on a framework tender to be used by DB for accreditation. / ASAP
12 / SB to discuss the accreditation process with SG / ASAP
13 / FB / DB liaise with Helen Thomas to address the issue of translating training materials / ASAP