Our commitment to quality improvement

RCVS Knowledge has affirmed its commitment to the continuous advancement of veterinary care with the launch of the Quality Improvement Project.

The systematic approach to measuring, analysing and maintaining excellent care, quality improvement (QI) reduces avoidable errors, ensures practice is based on the best available evidence and, ultimately, saves lives.

QI is well established within human health – overseen by NHS Improvement and promoted by the likes of the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) – and as such its effects are well-documented.

Successful implementation of QI has been shown to have huge benefits across a number of clinical and non-clinical scenarios.

A report in September of this year demonstrated that the use of a safer method of angioplasty had risen from 26.9% to 80.5% over an eight-year period. Similarly, the mortality rate of diabetes sufferers who had received the recommended annual checks was shown to be half that of those who had not.

Such is the importance of quality improvement, the Health Foundation recently pledged £1.6m to research that advances the development and use of national clinical audit data.

Initiatives like these are largely missing within the veterinary profession, and RCVS Knowledge’s Quality Improvement Project aims to fill in this gap by providing practices with practical tools to implement QI at the point of care.

Step-by-step guides, templates and examples will allow any and all members of a veterinary practice to apply QI, while those new to the concept can check out our training modules.

All of these provisions will be accessible via Knowledge’s soon-to-launch e-learning site, available for free to everyone involved with animal care.

Bradley Viner, Chair of the Quality Improvement Advisory Board, reassured those who are worried about the initial effort associated with adopting QI.

“As busy practitioners, we all share a concern about the time required to put quality improvement processes into place.

“The resources we have created have been designed with this in mind, ensuring that practices can embark on implementing QI quickly and simply, yet actually save time and improve clinical outcomes in the long run.”

The Project will officially launch at Skills Day 2017, on November 15 at Mary Sumner House. Come along to discover what else Knowledge has in store, including case studies, awards and introductory workshops.

Over the next few months you will hear more about the positive effects of quality improvement and how it has aided other industries to further advance their performance. Keep an eye on the #whyQI hashtag and visit our website and blog for interviews, features and commentaries.