Improvement Story Two

Shrewsbury & Telford NHS Trust, SaTH

Contributor: Mrs Sarah Kirk, Neonatal Safety Champion on behalf of the Perinatal Safety Champions Team 

What aspects of culture did you focus on, why, and what changes did you make?

Provision of a visible, accessible & responsive “ward-to-board and beyond” Perinatal Safety Champions Team.

Key achievements: Perinatal Safety Champions Team; Safety Champion Walkabout; 'You said, We did' Safety Champion Notice Board; Perinatal Safety Champion Pathway

Maternity and neonatal safety champions have been introduced to support the national ambition to achieve measurable improvements in safety outcomes for women and babies. At SaTH a Perinatal Safety Champions Team was established to promote a positive cultural environment within which safety improvements could be identified, escalated, investigated and implemented. This Team includes representatives from maternity, obstetrics, neonatal, LMNS CCG, patient safety specialist and Trust Board teams with liaison with the Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP). The Trust Team first met in 2020 and has matured, embedding an agenda through experience. Key roles and responsibilities were set out, and the wider group with external representation established.
 
To ensure an open, accessible and transparent culture the monthly Safety Champion Walkabout is an opportunity for staff to raise and discuss any safety concerns and solutions they have. These walkabouts focus on one or two key clinical areas each month. Staff are encouraged to communicate with any team member available on the day. There is no hierarchy, confidentiality is maintained and all comments are valued. All perinatal areas are visited, including wards, outpatients, scanning and community sites. The Team inform and facilitate others to find solutions including service leads so that appropriate action plans can be developed. Once solutions are found 'You said, We did' comments are posted on the Safety Champion Notice Board to inform staff groups of any changes.
 
There is an established Perinatal Safety Champion Pathway. Monthly safety champion meetings discuss issues raised during the preceding Walkabouts and elsewhere, develop a key summary report for escalation, including to the CCG led Perinatal Quality Surveillance Group and the Trust board.  Maternity and Neonatal safety dashboards feed into the Team meetings and 'You said, We did' topics developed for display. Additional external input is requested as required, including advice on regional and national matters, and of course liaison with MVP.

What effect has this had on your team culture?

The Team have demonstrated that all staff can raise any issues that concern them, share their solutions, and they will be listened to and have their concerns taken seriously not only by staff they know and work with clinically but also by the Trust board and external representatives. Staff are well-engaged with the Team, generating a sense of shared responsibility for identifying and implementing safety improvements.

What barriers have you had to overcome?

Our only potential barrier was the pandemic although the Walkabouts continued face to face on-site; time and workload of course can be an issue as successful teams generate more activity.

What helped to make this successful?

The inclusive nature of this Team, their visibility face to face, and their ability to listen to and signpost issues to enablers within the organisation and beyond has established the team as a respected, trusted, effective group. Closure of issues with feedback has been highly valued by staff who have visible confirmation that their thoughts and issues are heard and acted on.