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 There are lots of really powerful examples around of things we can do to improve quality while improving productivity. 
David Nicholson, NHS Chief Executive.

Welcome to NHS Evidence - QIPP

NHS Evidence – QIPP is a collection of evidence to support quality and productivity at a local level.

Launched in December 2009, the collection provides users with real examples of how staff are improving quality and productivity across the NHS and social care, and Cochrane topics drawn from systematic reviews by the Cochrane Collaboration that may help to inform local initiatives to address the quality and productivity challenge. Other products may be added to the collection over time.

The aim of the NHS Evidence - QIPP collection is to provoke thoughts, ideas and discussions about changes that can be made locally in the NHS.

Examples and topics are organised around topic areas, accessible through the sidebar on the left. More examples will be added over time to build a comprehensive library of quality and productivity evidence.

Public spending will come under increasing pressure from 2011 and the NHS Evidence - QIPP collection will help the NHS identify efficiency savings that can be made while continuing to deliver high quality care. 

Quality and Productivity Case Studies

The case studies in the NHS Evidence - QIPP collection have been supplied by the Department of Health with contributions from across the NHS and includes examples of innovative practices that can be shared with all staff. The examples of improvements range from one-off studies in single organisations to robustly tested large scale changes that have been replicated in multiple organisations and have had results published in academic journals. A selection of the examples have been highly recommended as potential high impact changes, these can be found under the Recommended section. Please note that we will soon be adding case study examples to the primary care, right care, safer care, medicines management, clinical rationalisation, procurement, back office, and productive care sections.

Quality and Productivity Cochrane Topics

The Cochrane topics in the NHS Evidence - QIPP collection come from the ‘implications for practice’ section in systematic reviews written by health professionals working internationally and published by the Cochrane Collaboration, and are presented here with relevant background information, including costing analysis. The Cochrane QP topics may help to inform local initiatives to address the quality and productivity challenge. When submitting a QIPP example please indicate if you have used one of the Cochrane QP topics as the basis for your initiative.

Cochrane Quality and Productivity topics will be available on NHS Evidence – QIPP in August 2010.

Is your organisation a beacon of best practice that others can learn from?

NHS Evidence – QIPP needs your help to build a comprehensive collection of best practice that others can learn from. We are calling on all NHS organisations and all NHS Trusts to get involved and contribute examples of best practice to the QIPP collection. Building a substantial evidence base for the benefit of the NHS can only happen with your help. If you would like to make a submission, please complete our online form.
To help you with your submission our User Guide outlines the level of supporting information the assessment team are looking for on productivity, quality, implementability and effectiveness. Please note that this work is part of an ongoing project and we will be initiating several calls for evidence over the next 12 months to build a comprehensive base of best practice examples.

Recommended examples

  • Cervical Cancer screening - improved efficiency.

    Efficiency in screening has been used in 13 regions to improve detection of cervical cancer. Quality is improved by the optimal treatment of patients with suspected cervical cancer, thereby reducing the risk of death. Productivity is increased by the reduction in costs associated with duplication of work and centralised laboratory services reduce overhead costs.

  • Atrial fibrillation - detection and optimal therapy in primary care.

    Opportunistic screening by pulse palpation of patients over 65 has been used in 18 regions to improve detection of atrial fibrillation. Quality is improved by the optimal treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation reducing risk of stroke. Productivity is increased by the reduction in costs associated with stroke and its complications.

  • Fractured neck of femur: rapid improvement programme.

    Ten pilot trusts have succesfully implimented service re-design for the Fractured Neck Femur patient pathway. This improved quality by: improving multi discplinary and cross agency teamworking, reducing mortality, and time to theatre, and earlier mobilisation. Productivity was improved by reduced length of stay, readmissions, and delays to the theatre.

  • Stroke pathway: delivering through improvement.

    The NHS Institute supported Chief Executives and senior leadership to champion change and improvement across NHS organisations in all areas of the stroke pathway. Quality was improved by reducing mortality, time in A&E, and delay in CT scanning. Productivity was increased through reduction in length of stay and readmission.

  • The productive ward.

    The NHS Institute has supported ward leaders and nursing teams with innovative methods to improve the ward environment and process. Over 60% of NHS Acute Trusts are implementing the Productive Ward programme. Key improvements from the programme include improved quality through increasing direct patient care time and staff satisfaction and improved productivity through reduced staff absence and reduced length of hospital stay.

  • Electronic blood transfusion systems.

    Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals have successfully implemented an electronic blood transfusion system. This has improved quality by reducing transfusion errors and the time taken to deliver blood. Productivity has improved by reduced blood usage, wastage, and staff time.

  • Enhanced recovery for elective surgery.

    Enhanced recovery programmes use evidence based interventions to improve pre-, intra-, and postoperative care. They have enabled early recovery, discharge from hospital, and more rapid return to normal activities. Quality is increased by reducing complications and enabling a more rapid return to function. Productivity is improved by reducing hospital stay.