Almost 200 delegates attended our quality improvement (QI) conference last week where they took part in workshops, learned more about QI projects taking place across Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) and heard from the NHS Director of Improvement.
The conference was face-to-face, at the Ashford International Hotel and virtual, with presentations livestreamed throughout the day.
The keynote speaker was Hugh McCaughey, NHS Director for Improvement, who was making his second visit to the trust (pictured above with Dr Sarah Phillips). He last paid KCHFT a visit shortly before the pandemic lockdown, in March 2020, when he visited several sites to see several QI projects in action.
He explained to the audience how QI “inspires and energises people” and how it’s about “thinking differently”.
He said: “It’s about thinking, how can I make my service better and everyone having the opportunity to do that.”
The event was opened by KCHFT’s Medical Director Sarah Phillips. There were presentations about several of our own QI projects including a project to increase the number of health checks for adults with learning disabilities and another to increasing efficiency and reduce patient waiting times in dietetics.
Other projects presented included a project to improve patient flow in the Speech and Language Therapy Service, increasing downloads of a health app and more. The conference had a focus on involving those who use our services in all we do and measuring and recording data.
External speakers included the Academy of Fab NHS Stuff and the 15 seconds 30 minutes movement, which encourages people to do something small today which will make a big difference to other people later. There was also a sketch noting workshop run by Nev Raven, a designer in KCHFT Communications Team.
The conference was attended by KCHFT colleagues, as well as colleagues from other trusts and partner organisations and service users.
It was KCHFT’s second QI conference, with the first held in July 2019. A planned 2020 conference was cancelled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sarah Donovan, Head of Service Improvement at KCHFT, said: “The whole day went really well. Thanks to all who attended, including our service users.”
Pictured above, service users John and Lyn, at the KCHFT QI conference.
If you missed our conference, you can still watch presentations from the main room here