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Q Visits

Visits are an opportunity to learn about how organisations inside and beyond the health and care sector support change and improvement, and to take that learning back to your own area of work.

Q works to increase capacity and capability for improvement in the health and care system. Visits to different organisations across the UK achieve this by allowing participants to explore different topics through immersive learning.

Our online and in-person Visits give members and others first-hand opportunities to learn from different sectors and to take that knowledge back to their own improvement work. Visit topics range from community organising and social prescribing, to lean and agile project delivery, systems thinking and experienced-based co-design,

What are Visits?

  • Visits are in-person or virtual site visits to organisations inside and beyond the health and care sector, to learn about and get a different perspective on important topics and to take that learning back to your own area of work.
  • You will hear from the people directly involved in improvement and find out how their tools and methodologies work in practice.
  • As well as learning from the host organisation, Visits are a chance to connect with other members of the community and include time to learn and reflect on what you want to take back to your context.
  • Most Visits are online and some are in person.
  • The number of people attending each Visit will vary, depending on whether it is in person or online. Online Visits are likely to include more people than in-person Visits and the numbers at in-person Visits will depend on the location and venue.
  • Visits are usually CPD certified.
  • Visits are usually open to non-members as well as Q members.
  • All Visits are free to attend.

What are Visits like?
  • You will be sent a comprehensive pack ahead of any Visit so you will know what to expect at that particular Visit. The pack includes the programme, a video welcome from the facilitators, introduces you to the hosts, and suggests resources you may want to look at ahead of the Visit.
  • All Visits are interactive, whether they are online or in-person, and are a mix of sessions involving everyone on the Visit, and smaller group work. We will also ensure dedicated time for independent reflection.
  • You will hear directly from the host organisation, their partners and the communities they work with through interactive presentations, demonstrations or question and answer sessions.
  • You will usually join small group conversations with other people on the Visit, giving you a chance to hear about their work and interests and share your own learning and experience.
  • On in-person Visits, you will probably tour the location, meet team members and experience demonstrations.
  • For online Visits, you will join on Zoom, and we make sure the experience remains immersive and interactive.
  • During moments of interaction in online Visits, particularly in small groups, we ask you to have your camera on if you can.
  • During moments of reflection in online Visits, you can of course turn off your camera.
  • You’ll have access to tools and templates to capture your learning and reflections during the Visit.
  • You’ll be sent things to read, watch or listen to before and after the Visit to help you prepare and to continue your learning journey if you wish.
How are Visits made accessible and inclusive?
  • venues for in-person Visits are all wheelchair accessible
  • we cater for any dietary requirements on in-person Visits
  • we use automated closed captions on Zoom

You can also request:

  • live speech to text or BSL interpretation for online or in-person Visits
  • BSL translation of any resource we send to you before or after a Visit
  • large print resources
  • easy read resources
  • a quiet room at in-person Visits

We understand you will have different accessibility needs, preferences for participation and learning styles. If there is anything you would like us to be aware of (for instance if you prefer not to speak in big groups) please let us know.

If there is anything else not listed here that we can do to support you to fully take part in a Visit, please contact us to discuss this on q@health.org.uk.

What members have said about previous Visits

“I will share the stories and lessons from today with my colleagues at work, and the event will inform the way I talk about continuous improvement with NHS trusts widely” Q member at the NHS Blood & Transplant visit

“Q Visits give some great opportunities to learn, share, collaborate and (above all) make a difference to patients” Q member at the Mayden Ltd visit

Read more about past visits from members that attended:

Stay up to date with the latest by joining the online Visits group. Continue conversations, share information and connect with others that attended a Visit.

If you have any queries about Q Visits, have a question about an existing booking, want to let us know how we can support you to fully take part in a Visit – or have an exciting idea for a visit – please contact the team at q@health.org.uk.

Upcoming visits

DateVisit
19th Mar 2024Q in-person Visit: building a culture of continuous improvement with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals
22nd May 2024Q in-person Visit: integrated health and care systems in Northern Ireland
6th Jun 2024Q Online Visit: Lessons from creating an Innovation Hub
26th Jun 2024Q in-person Visit: Transforming mental health services at Living Well Salford
12th Sep 2024Q Online Visit: One year on from NHS IMPACT at Imperial NHS Trust

Recent visits

DateVisit
29th Feb 2024Q in-person Visit: Point of Care Foundation
25th Jan 2024Q Online Visit: Leeds Teaching Hospitals and Virginia Mason Institute
5th Dec 2023Online Visit: Foresight and Futures Thinking: using digital and design tools to plan strategically for the future
View all past visits