The National Endoscopy Team (NET), hosted by the East
Midlands SHA, has lead a rejuvenation of endoscopy
services, with low waits and high quality, patient-centred
care, delivered by a highly motivated workforce. At the
core of the project is a web-based, patient-centred
assessment tool (Endoscopy Global Rating Scare – GRS)
that is used by more than 97% of the 207 hospital
endoscopy units in England. The team has also identified
overwhelming evidence of the importance of effective
leadership to achieve sustainable excellence in the service,
and has developed a Nationwide Team Leadership
Programme.
The team initially created a clinical leadership network,
engaging clinicians in service redesign and working with
SHAs and PCTs. The development of the GRS captured the
attention of clinicians and rapid improvements followed.
They created a knowledge management system, linking
knowledge and others’ experience to each component of
the GRS and designed specific support training for
endoscopists and the workforce. Working closely with two
key stakeholders, the NET created a quality framework and
a peer-review accreditation process for services which is
also being tested in community and independent sectors.
Collected feedback from the service shows that the
experience of patients having an endoscopy has changed
out of all recognition compared to four years ago. The
positive change in the workforce is exemplified by the
recruitment and training of endoscopists with a training
programme for 100 nurse endoscopists to refine or renew
their skills. “If only all of the regulatory processes were this
good. The really striking (and humbling) thing though was
the way yourself and the whole team have grasped the
issue, driven massive improvements in a very short space of
time and really transformed the service for patients”
For more information on this project, please contact:
roland.valori@endoscopy.nhs.uk
