Services provided
Service improvement underpins many aspects of the Network's activities. The service improvement approach serves to promote the re-design and improvement of services ahead of any adjustments made to Trusts' commissioning arrangements. Working across the whole patient pathway, this approach can ensure that resources for new developments are appropriately directed only after a full evaluation of the potential benefits
Network staff are skilled in the application of service improvement techniques and lead initiatives on a sector-wide basis. Most recently, the network has been instrumental in using service improvement techniques to implement a new model for stroke services in London. The introduction of the new model, which sees patients taken to hyper-acute units for specialist treatment following their stroke, has led to significant improvements across the patient pathway, improving the quality of care given to patients as well as delivering efficiencies across the health economy. The network is currently also using service improvement techniques to implement new model of care for cardiac services across the sector.
As well as implementing locally driven change programmes, the network has played a key role in delivering national strategies for cardiac and stroke services. Current national priorities that the network is focusing upon for cardiac services are:
- Heart Failure
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Atrial Fibrilation
- Non-elective inpatient waits
For stroke services, the network is focussed upon delivering the Accelerating Stroke Improvement priorities set by NHS Improvement. These priorities involve delivering measurable improvements across stroke prevention, acute stroke services and rehabilitation stroke services.