Introducing our new Quality Strategy
We've worked with colleagues and partners across the health and social care system in County Durham to produce a new overarching quality strategy for the County Durham Care Partnership. The strategy reflects what people have told us is most important to them when they think of 'good quality', as well as those areas we need to collectively improve on.
The strategy is intended to complement, rather than replace, individual organisational quality strategies that already exist across the partnership.
Our aim
The aim of the strategy is for all partners to be thinking in the same way about quality, whether we're commissioning or providing services. That's why we've adopted the shared single view of quality as laid out in the National Quality Board's, Shared Commitment to Quality.
What this means for the people who use our services
Care should be person-centred focus on what matters most to the people of County Durham, people who use services, their families and carers, taking into account those who may not have families to support them. Quality care is equitable so everybody should have access to high-quality care and outcomes. Those working in systems (partnerships) must be committed to understanding and reducing variation and inequalities. People have a positive experience that is caring and responsive to people's diverse needs. Services are safe so people are protected from avoidable harm, neglect and abuse. When mistakes happen lessons are learned. Services are effective so people’s care promotes a good quality of life and is based on best practice.
What this means for our staff across the Partnership
We should be well-led, promoting an inclusive culture that is open, transparent and committed to learning and improvement. We use resources sustainably, responsibly, to deliver high quality outcomes that reduce the impact on public health and the environment.
Our priorities for 2023-2026
A set of nine high-level priorities were co-produced with stakeholders:
• Delivery of person-centred care
• Co-production of services
• Outcomes focussed care
• Safety
• Developing joint systems, tools and processes
• Be clear and transparent
• Clear accountability
• Flexibility – governance around people rather than structures
• *Culture – having shared values and behaviours
*Priority 9 (Culture) is part of a wider change programme being delivered outside of the quality strategy work.
Next steps
We're talking to our partners and stakeholders to establish a baseline position to allow us to measure progress against each priority area. This activity will also help us track ongoing quality improvement work across the partnership not yet identified by the quality strategy oversight group.
If you'd like more information about the quality strategy please contact Rob Milner, Quality and Development Manager robert.