Q Exchange – Q’s collaborative funding programme – aims to activate the knowledge of improvement experts across the UK by providing a space where teams can collaboratively develop ideas for improvement projects and submit bids for up to £30,000 of funding. In 2020, we asked teams to develop ideas under the theme ‘Embedding positive changes emerging through new collaborations or partnerships during COVID-19.’
We are pleased to announce that, this year, we will be funding 30 projects through Q Exchange 2020.
We have an opportunity through Q Exchange to support ideas that have potential to generate value for the health and care system; in an exceptional year this support is needed now more than ever.
The final list showcases a dynamic range of projects from around the UK and Ireland that are committed to tackling the challenges of COVID-19
Q Exchange would usually invite the Q community to vote on the 30 projects, and funding would be awarded to the top 20 projects. In response to the exceptional circumstances the health and care system is facing, and the amount of time required by the project teams to input into the voting stage of the programme, we reassessed how Q Exchange could best support the Q community and the system at this time. We have taken the decision to cut the voting stage for this year and fund all 30 projects to contribute to embedding positive and collaborative changes developed through COVID-19.
The final list showcases a dynamic range of projects from around the UK and Ireland that are committed to tackling the challenges of COVID-19 using a range of quality improvement methods. Each project was built from ideas generated during the early stages of the pandemic. Q Exchange will be providing the opportunity to grow and test these ideas to further improve care, and embed positive changes developed in response to the pandemic.
Our final projects were selected using the expertise of the community through member-led panels, who reviewed 122 submitted proposals to select the final 30.
We will be creating opportunities for the community to find out more about the 30 projects that have been awarded this year, and how you can get involved with them and learn from them.
Congratulations to all the Q Exchange 2020 funded projects!
Q Exchange Funded Projects
Browse the full list of projects:
‘Start Well>End Well’ Psychological safety through compassion, connectedness and courage
To share nationally and evaluate the adaptable ‘Start Well>End Well’ 3-step procedure which was developed during COVID-19 to enhance team collaboration and wellbeing by fostering psychological safety and peer-to-peer support.
Community Hospitals: Embedding COVID-19 positive impact changes through shared learning
This project aims to describe, support and promote ways of working developed during COVID-19 through shared learning across Community Hospitals. We will examine case studies to develop a protocol to map initiatives and collaborations nationally, sharing learning across the network of community hospitals.
Creating the conditions for a culture of joy in work
Using a whole system collaboration to reset the culture in a workforce that has been in an ongoing state of change from COVID-19, creating a culture where everyone takes joy in their work.
Delivering a Virtual Frailty Multidisciplinary Team service during COVID-19
Transforming our ‘multi-clinician’ Frailty MDT clinics to completely virtual and offsite, based on adapting learning from our similar COVID-19 transition work, for our ‘single-clinician’ Diabetes and Dermatology clinics.
Demonstrating sustainability to nurture change in whole-system discharge to assess
Measuring and communicating environmental and social benefits to nurture new collaborative culture and greener ways of working in whole-system discharge to assess.
Developing a Clinical Health Psychology pathway for ICU trauma patients
This project will collaboratively develop new processes, pathways and resources to support staff and ICU patients experiencing trauma following their stay.
Develop an Early Help Knowledge Bank for Child & Family Support
Develop a live library of resources and information to improve connections and relationships between Gateway and C&V sector to optimise opportunities and benefit children and families in need of Early Help.
Digital integration at primary-secondary care interface to streamline blood tests
For the first time in the UK, we are introducing a digital solution at primary-secondary care interface to streamline blood tests for secondary care to facilitate remote monitoring of patients.
Dive into Digital: Enabling Digital Inclusion
‘Digital Inclusion gives a Voice to Everyone’. This project aims to provide staff with the skills and confidence to authentically engage with and influence digital transformation
Embedding video consultation services inclusive of non-English speaking communities
Ensuring the benefits from the rapid scale up of video consultations are available to non-English speaking communities. This project will review activity, patient and staff feedback and explore promising change ideas.
Everyone can be at the frontline of Quality Improvement
Nightingale London was a COVID-19 exemplar; a learning organisation, it developed the “Bedside learning coordinator”, which we believe can benefit all teams, and involve all staff in practical, rapid improvement.
Extended Critical Care Rehabilitation – Beyond the ICU
To fund a post-hospital rehabilitation programme for former ICU patients and their families, designed by ICU clinicians, patients and carers, to address physical, psychological and cognitive issues following critical illness.
Freedom of reasonable adjustments
ONS data shows deaths in people with learning disabilities have increased by 158% due to COVID-19. The primary project aim is to strengthen relationships and improve outcomes for people with learning disabilities.
From COVID to Frailty; Virtual Ward implementation across the system
Virtual Ward models implemented as a result of COVID-19 can facilitate collaborative, shared learning with models for monitoring and escalation in many other health areas.
Harnessing learning from staff experiences of QI during COVID-19
Harnessing learning from staff experiences of QI and innovation during the extraordinary pandemic response. To understand why and how positive/negative outcomes were observed and to inform ongoing service reform and improvement.
Helping all families access top quality breastfeeding support
NHS Trusts partnering with LatchAid, an easy-to-use breastfeeding support app using cutting-edge 3D interactive and AI technology to help mothers learn vital breastfeeding skills, connect with peers and get professional support.
Improving placements for Allied Health Professions across North West London
COVID-19 presented a significant challenge in relation to clinical placements for AHP students. We will co-produce resources supporting AHP practice educators ensuring high quality placements despite significant system pressures.
Junior Health Sciences Academy
The Junior Health Sciences Academy (JHSA) aims to inspire young people to be champions for health promotion in their schools and understand and learn about a career in health.
KidzHub – getting high risk medications to children easily and safely
KidzHub is a single point of access for families across the region to get high risk / complex medication delivered quickly, safely and close to home.
Making primary care accessible to women with experience of trauma
Bridging Gaps is a collaboration of women with complex needs, GPs, researchers, commissioners and a charity aiming to increase the access of marginalised women to trauma-informed primary care.
Maternity Assessment and Advice service linking hospital and community
To create a dedicated maternity advice and assessment service, providing telephone and video support to pregnant and postnatal women day and night, linking in hospital and community-based services.
Positive parent and carer decision making rather than scaremongering during COVID-19
COVID-19 created anxiety and resulted in mixed media messages. However parental decisions about unwell children during lockdown were generally proportionate and safe. We have a vision to empower Guardians with medical information they can safely use to manage their child’s health care.
Resource pack for virtual cancer multidisciplinary team working
Capture effects on the use of video conferencing at cancer multidisciplinary team meetings, using improvement methodology to develop a resource pack to embed efficient and effective team working.
Support services for children with a disability and their families
The project is designed to support families and stop children with a disability being admitted to the care system when normal support systems are disrupted or withdrawn due to COVID-19 or other system pressures.
Supporting frail patients with diabetes in a virtual clinic age
Proactively supporting frail patients living with Type 1 Diabetes through the COVID pandemic and beyond: harnessing cutting-edge technology to support the most vulnerable.
Talk To Us Together! Enhancing Parent Experience of Neonatal Encephalopathy
To embed digital communications with families developed during COVID-19 in the management of critically ill newborn infants transferred for cooling treatment.
Using telehealth to support patients on cancer treatment at home
Embedding a telehealth service, currently in pilot phase, into normal practice. Establishing long term support for this service and defining the most appropriate patient population to support with it.
Video group support for families of preschool children with autism
Advice, education and emotional support for families of children immediately after autism diagnosis. This will be developed and led through collaboration between GNCH and the North East Autism Society.
Virtual Peer Support for Parents
Parents of children with emotional and mental health needs often feel isolated and lack support in caring for their child. This has been particularly true and evident during COVID-19. We want to capitalise on a partnership we forged during COVID-19 to pilot peer support for parents of children in receipt of CAMHS.
Virtual QI simulations and games – supporting online learning
Building a suite of virtual quality improvement simulations and games to support online learning as part of building QI capability across health and social care.
Visit the Q Exchange area of the website to read more about this year’s projects.