QI Resources

This page collates some of the most useful quality improvement resources for EDs.

What is Quality Improvement?

"The conception of improvement finally reached as a result of the review was to define improvement as better patient experience and outcomes achieved through changing provider behaviour and organisation through using a systematic change method and strategies." (Dr John Øvretveit, Does Improving Quality Save Money? Sept 2009). 

What is Quality Care?

The Institute of Medicine (IoM) defines quality care as: safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable. Read more about these six domains of quality in Crossing the Quality Chasm (IoM, March 2001).

Quality improvement in the ED

• RCEM Quality Improvement Guide (revised July 2018)
• Understanding the SPC charts in your national QIP dashboards (Dec 2018)
• Trainees and Healthcare organisations Roles and responsibilities in quality improvement and audit (Nov 2018)

• Delivering Quality in the ED
  
• Clinical Audit & Improvement

FRCEM QIP examination

• The Quality Improvement Project - Guidance for FRCEM Examination Candidates (July 2018)
• Candidates preparing for the FRCEM Final Quality Improvement Project (QIP) should review the resources available on the FRCEM Final Regulations & Information Packs page

Useful QI resources

• Glossary of terms used in improvement and implementation (King's Improvement Science, Dec 2018)
• An introduction to analysing quality improvement and assurance data (HQIP, Oct 2018)
• Improvement Fundamentals - short online QI courses (NHS England, Oct 2018)
• Clinical audit does not work, is quality improvement any better? (British Journal of Hospital Medicine, Sept 2018)
• Making data count - understanding SPC charts (NHS Improvement May 2018) 
• Change Model - NHS England (2018)
• Unlocking the potential: Supporting doctors to use national clinical audit to drive improvement (Royal College of Physicians, Apr 2018)
• Guide to quality improvement - King's Improvement Science (Apr 2018)
• Guidance for deciding what to improve and the feasibility of a quality improvement project - King's Improvement Science (Apr 2018)
• Template for planning and evaluating a quality improvement project - King's Improvement Science (Apr 2018)
• Assessing quality improvement in a healthcare provider (CQC BG048, March 2018)
• Using data to support change in clinical practice (Royal College of Surgeons, Oct 2017)
• Quality Improvement Training for Better Outcomes - Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (2016)
• A guide to quality improvement methods – HQIP (June 2015)
• Quality Improvement made simple – The Health Foundation (August 2013)
  
• Model for Improvement - IHI (2009)
• Quality Improvement Essentials Toolkit - IHI
• Plan-So-Study-Act Worksheet – IHI
  
• Improvement Project Roadmap– IHI
• Using run and control charts to understand variation - IHI
• BMJ Quality
• SQUIRE Guidelines Table
• SQUIRE Glossary
• Quality Improvement: theory and practice in healthcare - NHSIII (2008)
• Interactive map of QI projects - Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
• RCEM QIP example: Implementing a low-technology, low cost solution to a complex issue
• The Leeds improvement model

Websites for QI organisations

• NHS Improvement
  
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
  
• The Health Foundation
• Q: A connected community working together to improve health and care quality across the UK
• NHS Improving Quality (NHS IQ)
  
• Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP)
  
• BMJ Quality & Safety
  
• NHS Scotland Quality Improvement Hub
  
• American Society for Quality (ASQ)
  
• Institute of Medicine (IOM, USA)
  
• School for Health and Care Radicals
  
• Kings Fund
  
• Clinical Audit Support Centre (CASC) 
• Improvement Academy (Local resource - Yorkshire)

If you would like to suggest a resource to be featured on this page, please contact sam.mcintyre@rcem.ac.uk.