NHS programme highlights areas of good practice at Shropshire hospitals
A national NHS clinical improvement programme has highlighted areas of good practice at Shropshire’s two main hospitals.
The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme looks to improve NHS care by reducing unwarranted variation in the way services are delivered.
The programme is working with The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust as part of its improvement journey, to identify and share good practice and agree opportunities for further development.
SaTH says areas praised by the programme include the care of children admitted through A&E being led by paediatricians, with input from other specialties where required.
It also says that in orthopaedics, SaTH has reduced its surgical equipment costs, while in renal medicine the trust is delivering a high-quality home therapy service.
GIRFT is led by expert clinicians, who visit NHS trusts across England to review a range of surgical and medical specialties, as well as support services, such as radiology and pathology. During each visit, good practice is identified and a series of recommendations are made to improve services further.
SaTH, which runs Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital, has already welcomed the GIRFT team to 13 of its departments, with three more visits booked for the coming months.
The trust says teams are now working hard to improve services further, in line with recommendations agreed by GIRFT and SaTH.
The trust has ring-fenced 14 beds for orthopaedic surgery, with a view to reducing cancellation rates and minimising infection risks.
In obstetrics and gynaecology, SaTH is now offering more laparoscopic procedures, which carry a lower surgical risk and shorter recovery times than open approaches.
Professor Tim Briggs, NHS director of clinical improvement and GIRFT chair, said: “It’s great to see the teams at SaTH so engaged with the GIRFT programme.
“GIRFT aims to improve patient outcomes and ensure value for taxpayers, by reducing unwarranted variation in NHS services.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the trust to build on the success realised so far.”
GIRFT works with NHS trusts in England across 40 clinical specialties.
The programme has already published eight national reports, making a wide range of recommendations into how services can be improved.
