Quality improvement in general practice

Abstract

Quality improvement describes the process of improving patients’ safety, experiences and health outcomes by systematically addressing individual and organisational processes. This is aimed at creating a ‘self-improving NHS’, in which individual clinicians are empowered to make changes toward a more efficient, safe and cost-effective healthcare system that is readily able to respond to patients’ needs. Improvement science is increasingly recognised as a central component to healthcare, and with general practice taking on added responsibility for the healthcare budget, it is essential that our training addresses aspects of healthcare organisation and improvements. This article offers a summary for AITs and GPs to further their understanding of improvement science. It provides some useful methods to facilitate the delivery of change in the GP surgery.