One of the most valuable aspects of Q is the way it supports members to make connections with and learn from health and care sector peers UK-wide – across distances they might not have reached without the support of the community. Just as important as these more far-reaching connections however, are those made on a local level.

Working together

To help build local connections, Q is partnered with 18 different organisations around the UK.

Across England, the 15 Academic Heath Science Networks (AHSNs) are helping support members to engage in both local and national activities, along with Public Health Wales in Wales, Healthcare Improvement Scotland in Scotland and HSC Safety Forum in Northern Ireland.

In a recent event at the Health Foundation offices in London, representatives from a selection of these partner organisations, many Q members themselves, met to discuss all things Q on a local level and how to best share learning looking ahead.

Some of the things we talked about on the day were:

• The impact of local Q networks on wider improvement work
• What good looks like when it comes to supporting members, including best practice and experience
• Reflections on key areas such as Q identity, collaboration, connection building, supporting learning, enabling spaces, sharing resources and knowledge and growing the community

In an interactive market place session, we heard about community activity from three different parts of the UK, where members shared some of the varied and creative ways Q is developing on a local level.

Yorkshire and Humber

Clare Ashby and Alison Lovatt, Head of Safety and Clinical Network Director respectively for the Yorkshire and Humber Improvement Academy, explained how the region is growing its improvement community through both their improvement fellowship programme and Q. Read the full story.

Greater Manchester

Dai Roberts, Programme Development Lead for Health Innovation Manchester, shared how a new improvement book club is meeting five times a year, giving members a forum to discuss topics from the habits of improver, to influencing and systems thinking. Full story coming soon…

West of England

Dave Evans, Senior QI Lead for West of England AHSN, told us about a series of exciting master-classes covering coaching models like GROW and workshops in team work, personal resilience and conflict management. Members in the region have also taken part in a challenging but valuable masterclass on personal impact training from a former Eastenders’ actor. Full story coming soon..

Collaboration lies at the heart of Q, and coming together like this to swap stories and support each other planning for the future gave us all lots of valuable insight and learning – learning that will help shape Q as the community continues to grow!

Have you got a local Q success story to share? Contact us at qcomms@health.org.uk.