National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare
Dr. Mary Browne
National Standards Implementation Team
Quality and Patient Safety Directorate
National Standards for
Safer Better Healthcare
• Officially launched on the 26th June 2012
• Apply to all healthcare services (excluding
mental health) provided or funded by the
HSE
• 45 Standards – grouped under 8 themes
Quality Dimensions
A quality service focuses on:
Person-Centred Care and Support
Effective Care and Support
Safe Care and Support
Better Health and Wellbeing
Delivering the Quality Dimensions
Delivering improvements within the quality dimensions
depends on capability and capacity in four key areas:
Leadership, Governance and Management
Workforce
Use of Resources
Use of Information
Purpose of the National Standards
To drive improvement in quality and safety for service users
through:
• describing what high quality safe healthcare should look
like
• helping service users to understand what to expect from
well run services
• strengthening accountability
• identifying strengths, highlighting areas for improvement
• providing the basis for day-to-day delivery of quality and
safety
• promoting up-to-date, effective practice
• promoting better use of resources and information
Theme 1: Person-Centred Care and Support
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take into account the needs and preferences of
service users
involve service users
provide equitable access based on assessed
need
respect the rights, dignity, privacy and autonomy
of service users
promote a culture of kindness and respect
Theme 2: Effective Care and Support
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provide evidence-based healthcare
assess and meet individuals initial and ongoing
healthcare needs while balancing with the needs
of others
integrate and coordinate healthcare services
monitor and evaluate their own effectiveness
Theme 3: Safe Care and Support
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protect service users from the risk of harm
while using healthcare services
manage, respond to and learn from
patient-safety incidents
provide patient-safety improvement
programmes
promote of a culture of quality and safety
Theme 4: Better Health and Wellbeing
identify and use opportunities to promote, protect and
improve the health and wellbeing of their service users.
Theme 5: Leadership, Governance and
Management
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have effective leadership
have clear accountability at all levels
have effective management
implement monitoring arrangements to achieve quality
improvement
Theme 6: Workforce
 plan and manage their workforce to achieve
service objectives
 recruit effectively
 ensure their workforce has the competencies
required to deliver high quality safe reliable
healthcare
 support their workforce in delivering high
quality safe, reliable healthcare
Theme 7: Use of Resources
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plan and manage their resources to deliver high
quality safe reliable healthcare
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achieve best possible quality and safety outcomes
for their service users for the resources used
Theme 8: Use of Information
 use quality information in managing and
delivering healthcare
 have effective information governance
 manage their healthcare records effectively
Role of Quality and Patient Safety
Directorate
• Support service providers in implementing
the Standards:
– Partnership approach: Collaboratives
– Building on work already undertaken
– Focus on continuous quality improvement
– Development of a quality and performance
improvement tool
Roadmap for Implementation of the National Standards
Establishing Governance
Framework
Defining Strategic Approach
• Setting
out aim and objectives
• Hospital Groups
• Identifying and engaging with
key stakeholders
• Clinical Directorates and Clinical
Directors
• Establishing the Safer Better
Healthcare – Acute and Primary
Care Collaboratives
• Clearly accountability and
responsibility for implementation
Liaising with Regulator
•
Regular update meetings
•Providing input into Monitoring
Framework
Quality & Performance
Improvement tool
• Roll
out of assessment tool
• Workshops to support
providers in using the tool
• Development of a User
manual
• Additional guidance to support
implementation
Translating the
Standards
• Identifying Quality Elements
 Setting out Levels of
Performance
 Guidance for evidence that
will support validation of
assessment
 Knowledge hub of national
and regional resources
Thanks
Contact details:
Dr. Mary Browne
QPS Lead for National Standards
Steevens Hospital
Mary.browne7@hse.ie
Telephone: 01 6352131