PAH formally accredited for quality improvement work
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is delighted to announce that we have become the second hospital in the country to be formally accredited by the Academy of Fabulous NHS Stuff.
On Monday, 13 January, independent health policy analyst, writer, broadcaster and commentator Roy Lilley and Dr Terri Porrett PhD, MSc, RN, from The Academy of Fabulous NHS Stuff, visited the hospital to unveil a plaque at the main entrance, commemorating the accreditation (pictured with the PAHT team).
We have been recognised for the host of quality improvement projects that we have shared via The Academy of Fabulous NHS Stuff. This has included projects such as implementing a new test - a procalcitonin (PCT) test - in the Emergency Department last year to identify early indications of sepsis and as a marker for how we use antibiotics. The level of procalcitonin in the blood can increase significantly in systemic bacterial infections and sepsis. The test supports the recognition and treatment of sepsis and optimal use of antibiotics for our patients.
Other projects include introducing a virtual reality tour of the day stay theatres for our young patients via the Little Journey app. In addition, we have carried out the library in a box project, bringing the library service to our people who may not regularly visit the library. By delivering a selection of books to departments, this improved the accessibility of relevant content for our people.
Roy and Terri were joined by our PAHT improvement partners - those who have successfully completed the Leading Change and Leading Projects training sessions, followed by a quality improvement project which they have shared with the Academy.
The Academy of Fabulous NHS Stuff, set up by Roy Lilley in 2015, is a social movement for sharing health and social care ideas, services and solutions. The principles of the Academy encourage staff to own changes and improvements to benefit their working lives and the care delivered to patients.
For two consecutive years, PAHT won Champion Organisation at the annual Academy of Fab Stuff national awards.
Jim McLeish, director of quality improvement at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, said: "It is testament to the energy and effort of our teams across the hospital that our work to continually improve the quality of our services has been recognised nationally.
"We have carried out hundreds of quality improvement projects in recent years, all of which have contributed to providing the right care for our patients in the right place, at the right time."
Lance McCarthy, chief executive of The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, said: "It was wonderful to welcome Roy Lilley and Dr Terri Porrett to our hospital for this fantastic occasion.
"We are delighted to have been acknowledged for our dedication to improving our services and our achievements for our patients, people, performance, places and pounds."
Notes to editors:
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust was established in April 1995 and provides services at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop's Stortford, and St Margaret's Hospital in Epping. We have an annual income of around £236,700 million.
We have 414 general and acute beds at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and provide a full range of general acute services, including a 24/7 emergency department, an intensive care unit, a maternity unit and a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We also provide outpatient and diagnostic services from the Herts and Essex Hospital, Bishop's Stortford, and St Margaret's Hospital in Epping.
We employ around 3,500 staff and serve a local population of about 350,000 people living in West Essex and East Hertfordshire, centred on the M11 corridor and the towns of Harlow, Bishop's Stortford and Epping. Our extended catchment area incorporates a population of up to 500,000 and includes the areas of Hoddesdon, Cheshunt and Broxbourne in Hertfordshire.
In October 2019, the Government announced that we are to receive funding to rebuild a new hospital in Harlow for our patients, community and people. The details around the funding and the timeframe are currently being finalised and we are completing our full business case for the new hospital.