Almost 600 improvements have been made by hospital and community teams across two Black Country NHS Trusts over the last couple of years – most of which have been shaped by patient feedback and involvement.

Some of these will form part of a special focus next month – Quality Improvement Week runs from 8-12 September and is an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the many innovations impacting patients’ care and experience.

Staff and teams across Walsall Healthcare and The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trusts, who have made the majority of these improvements, have been supported by the Quality Improvement (QI) Team.

Throughout QI Week, there will be training sessions, events and webinars aimed at highlighting these achievements which include improving the flow in outpatients for spinal orthopaedic patients at Walsall Manor Hospital by having an extended physiotherapy service in the department, to establishing a Same Day Discharge Centre, away from the wards, for patients ready to leave New Cross Hospital.

Kate Salmon, Deputy Chief Strategy Officer – Improvement & Collaboration for the Trusts, said: “The QI Team is passionate about the difference that we can collectively make to our patients’ experience of healthcare services and the inspiration and ideas that are generated by those who work within our services and are best placed to drive improvements.

“We’re excited about Quality Improvement Week because it gives us a chance to highlight these efforts as well as encourage other staff to get involved in improving the services they work in. We’ve got a packed timetable of talks and other activities and are looking forward to raising its profile even more.”

QI aligns with the Trusts’ joint strategy of striving to embed a culture of learning and continuous improvement at all levels of the organisations, supporting, recognising and celebrating colleagues who are embracing quality improvement in all that they do.