MEDICINE & COMMUNITY HOSPITALS (NORTH) DIVISION
BRIEFING NOTE – THE KING’S FUND PATIENT AND FAMILY-CENTRED CARE PROGRAMME
1. Introduction
The ‘Patient and Family Centred Care (PFCC) Programme’ is run by the King’s Fund, in partnership with the Health Foundation, and is part of their ‘Point of Care Programme’. The programme’s aim is to focus on patients’ experience as a key driver for improving quality.
There is an opportunity for the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust (NDHT) to participate in the second phase of this programme which is due to commence early in 2012.
2. PFCC Programme
Inspired by the work undertaken by Dr Tony Di Gioia at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre (UPMC), the PFCC programme actively engages patients, families and staff to redesign care experiences (pathways) with the express aim of improving patient experience and staff well being.
The aims of the PFCC programme are as follows: –
- Improve patient and family experience
- Promote staff well being
- Embed patient experience in culture of team, organisation and Board
- Bring patients and staff together
3. Why should the NDHCT participate in the programme?
‘The patient …….. is the reason for the existence of the whole organisation which has no life, no purpose and no value without them. This makes the patient the most important person.’
Participating in the PFCC programme would support the delivery of this statement. It would also support the development of the team(s) involved in the project through regular learning events and one-to-one support from the PFCC programme faculty experts. The team(s) will benefit by learning Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) methodologies as well as getting expert support on measurement for improvement and enhancing staff well being from the PFCC programme faculty experts.
The NDHCT is also in a unique position to participate as an integrated health and social care provider. In the first phase of the programme the five participating Trusts were asked to identify 2 care experiences (pathways), one elective and one emergency. However, instead of doing this, the Trust could identify the Dementia pathway and involve teams from the acute, community and social care setting. This is consistent with the Kings’ Fund’s current priorities which are improving and integrating care for people with long-term conditions and shaping the future of health and social care. It is likely that a bid submitted by the Trust would be attractive to the King’s Fund.
4. Contribution required by the Trust:
To participate in the PFCC programme the following would be required: –
- Evidence of Trust Board commitment towards improving patient experience
- Commitment from the Trust Board to support participation in the 18-month programme
- Contribution of £5,000 per year for 2012 and 2013 towards the costs of running the programme
- Identification of a core team (senior nurse, doctor, manager) for each care experience and support (time and travel costs) to allow effective participation in the programme
5. Benefits to the Trust of participating in the PFCC Programme:
- Operationalise the Trust’s commitment to improve patient experience, safety and care given in the selected care experience(s)
- Contribute to the implementation of the Trust’s Dementia Strategy (if the participation of the dementia care experience is supported)
- Improve staff morale and experience in the selected care experience(s)
- Positive effect on the reputation of the Trust through being a ‘leader’ in the field of patient experience
- Develop expertise within the Trust on how to bring about and sustain change, for a relatively small cost
- Develop expertise in a team(s) which can then be spread across the organisation
6. Recommendation:
The Executive Team are asked to support an application to participate in phase 2 of the PFCC programme with the dementia care experience being one designated pathway.
Patient and Family Centred Care (PFCC) – Application form (pdf)
Andy Burgess
Divisional General Manager
Medicine and Community Hospitals (North)
January 2012