High Quality Patient Care and Treatment
In this section:
- Clinical Quality Strategy
- Clinical Audit
- Standards and Guidelines
- Policies
- Research
- Reflective Practice and the Relational Aspects of CarE (TRACE) scale
Quality Assurance / Quality Improvement updates featured regularly on the Board’s agenda during 2020/21 providing information on the improvement work being supported through the Quality Forum, quality improvement capacity building through various NHS Education Scotland Quality Improvement Programmes and the internal Essentials of Quality Improvement Course, and updates on the Realistic Medicines action plan.
Clinical audits aim to provide feedback and assurance to a range of stakeholders that clinical policies are being adhered to. During 2020/21, 18 Clinical audits were completed. All clinical audit reports contain recommendations to ensure continuous quality improvement and action plans are discussed at the commissioning group.
The State Hospital adopts a standardised approach to the review of standards and guidance, and the implementation of associated action plans. All 219 pieces of standards, guidance and reports that were issued in 2020/21 underwent relevancy checks. Of these, 88 were applicable to the Hospital’s patient population, six of which required completion of an evaluation matrix.
A Policy Review Group was established in 2020/21 to ensure policies and procedures were effectively recorded, assessed, implemented and reviewed. Additionally, the process was strengthened in year to meet legislative requirements by way of having to complete an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) and Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) for all policy and procedures as part of the new policy review and development process. During the year, 24 policies underwent staff consultation and 17 policies were approved. This figure included 13 policy reviews and four new policies.
The Research Committee Annual Report 2020/21 provides assurance in the quality of research, a high level of scientific and ethical standards, transparent decision making and clear monitoring arrangements. The report notes 15 published journal articles and the delivery of 10 research focused presentations. The annual State Hospital Research, Clinical Effectiveness and Quality Improvement Conference was not held in 2020 or 2021. The format and remit of the conference will be discussed with the aim of recommencing in 2022. The Seventh national Forensic Network Research Conference took place utilising a virtual online format over MS Teams in November 2020 and received very positive feedback. As a result, the November 2021 conference will adopt the same format.
Reflective Practice and the Relational Aspects of CarE (TRACE) scale
Relational dynamics between patients and staff in forensic settings can be complicated and demanding for both sides. Reflective practice groups (RPGs) bring clinicians together to reflect on these dynamics. The State Hospital uses the Relational Aspects of CarE (TRACE) scale as its quantitative tool which can be used by other clinicians in the wider NHS.
The Relational Aspects of CarE (TRACE) scale
Scoring Key (required to analyse the tool)
