Monitor Annual Conference 2006 - 'Achieving Excellence' |
|
The conference was a chance for existing and aspirant NHS foundation trusts and some stakeholders to look at the challenges emerging in the healthcare market. Throughout the day there was a strong emphasis on discussion and interaction. The event allowed delegates to make comments and respond to questions using electronic tablets. The key questions asked and a selection of the answers are given below: 1) What are you hoping to get out of today’s event? - Opportunity to engage with other NHS foundation trust applicants. - To understand the place of FTs in a complex provider environment. - Critical success factors and learning from others. - Greater understanding and networking. - Sharing best practice. 2) What would success for the Foundation Trust system look like? - No turnaround teams - Financial integrity; reputation; strategic leadership; political influence; new service models. - True Independence; strong relationship with community and mature engagement with partners. - Patients choosing to use their local NHS foundation trust. - The creation of a genuine stand alone health market. - More responsive to what patients want. - Private sector systems of planning and financial control in NHS organisations. - Strong governance; links between governors, members and directors. - A much more open and transparent system; understood by patients as well as organisations; greater financial stability across health economies; shared responsibility for maximising the value of the healthcare system. - Patients would recognise a significant improvement in the quality and range of their healthcare services. - Services would work in a more joined up way because different providers would be operating through a robust system of contracts; the system would attract customers through its reputation for safety; there would be a reduction in health inequalities. - Focused, well structured commissioning. - Financial stability continues. - Strong clinical leadership and engagement. 3) Do you know how efficient your trust is?
4) How efficient is your trust?
5) How do you know? - Benchmarking, efficiency and productivity review; trend analysis. - Member of benchmarking club; assessment by external auditors; reference cost - position against tariff; reducing lengths of stay. - A. external national assessment of the organisation; benchmarking information where available or internal benchmarking of services against national reports/guidance best practice; invite other leading organisations in to independently review aspects of our service. - Benchmarking is a useful start in exploring management information in order to reflect on strategy and challenge assumptions in the context of competition. - Use benchmarking data to identify areas to explore further e.g. Dr Foster tools - Comparative indices e.g. Audit Commission, reference costs, productivity measures. 6) What examples can you suggest of best practice in efficiency? - Internal service reviews led by clinicians. - Monitoring of performance between multi-sites to identify best practice; streamlining of patient journey to reduce duplication and handover. - Day-surgery; pre-assesment; care pathways; tele medicine and outreach services. - Partnership pathology; pan-trust support service; Increasing day-case rates by technology, improved techniques and by admitting direct to theatre. - QOF (quality and outcomes framework) used to compare practices openly against each other. - HC cardiothoracic study; KPIs including day-case rates; LOS, theatre utilisation; infection control; WTs, re-admission rates and sickness absenteeism. 7) What are the best ways of sharing good practice? - Seminars on good practice and master class events. - Network data sharing using standard data capture; thematic working groups with clear output/performance measures. - In a competitive market, why share? - Create effective networks; build research into practice; process consultancy. - FT Network; mental health partnership; national companies/organisations e.g. Dr Foster; specialty-based benchmarking clubs. - Clinical involvement with similar organisations; effective use of cpd. 8) How confident are you that the climate is right for success?
The presentations given by some speakers can be downloaded below: The context for NHS reform in 2008, and critical success features for NHS foundation trusts The NHS in 2008 The presentations given at workshop sessions can be downloaded below: Foundation Trusts, the next ten years? A leadership opportunity, Managing effective turnaround, The Intelligent Board, Managing acute services in the new NHS, The Foundation Trust Network also led a session ‘Driving performance improvement: lessons from the FTN orthopaedic benchmarking project’. If you would like to get copies of their presentation please contact the Foundation Trust Network |
