These are just some of the quality improvement projects that have been driven by patient involvement and feedback:
The Peaceful Night Pledge
The Peaceful Night Pledge is a quality improvement project which aims to reduce avoidable noise at night and improve the quality of sleep for our patients.
Surveys showed that year on year, more patients were negatively affected by noise and light pollution during their stay in hospital. To address this issue, a team of staff and patients worked together to create a solution: The Peaceful Night Pledge.
The pledge focuses on reducing avoidable noise between 11pm and 6am and outlines several steps that patients and staff can take to ensure that everyone works together to create a quieter environment. Given to all patients, the pledge is included as a leaflet and is part of a care package that comprises an eye mask and ear plugs.
Data collected since the start of the initiative has shown a small decrease in the number of patients affected by noise. We will continue to roll out the scheme throughout 2023.
The Patients' Amenity Fund
The Patients' Amenity Fund, run by Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity, is a bi-annual scheme which funds projects to improve patient and family experiences.
Hospital staff are invited to submit projects that they believe will enhance the lives of the patients they treat. Funds are then allocated to the projects deemed to have the biggest impact. Recent examples include:
- Infographic wall art on ITU to help put patients at ease
- China mugs to make patients' stays more homely and improve sustainability
- Comfort boxes to help make palliative care patients' stay more comfortable
- TVs for apheresis patients to watch while undergoing treatment
- Transplant care trolley for patients to access everyday essentials