1. The LIFE Platform
Sarah Leng
Improvement Manager

2. Summary of presentation
Introduction to Quality Improvement (QI)
What is LIFE?
How do I access it?
How can it be used?
Why have we got it?
Improvers Network
Demonstration

3. Why study Quality Improvement?
Based on Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Model for Improvement
Who in the room is doing quality improvement work?
Whatever you are doing – how do you know the change has worked?
Can you tell a story of your improvement journey?

4. What is a Driver Diagram?
Aim:
What and by when?
(Size smaller/1 stone lighter - by Christmas)
What are we trying to accomplish?

5. What to measure? Outcome Measures
The impact/result of the work you are trying to achieve – (my final weight)
Process Measures
Are the processes performing as planned ?– (eating less/exercising more)
Balancing Measures   Are the changes designed to improve causing new problems? (am I starving myself and fainting/feeling ill?)
Use a balanced set of measures for all improvement efforts.
How will we know a change is an improvement?

6. What is a PDSA cycle?
We are great at planning and doing – but sometimes the study and act are missing!
This should be quick easy small tests of change – don’t invest too long in each PDSA

7. What is a SPC chart?
Statistical Process Control (SPC) is a way of using statistical methods and visual display of data to allow us to understand the variation (special or common) in a process.
By understanding the types of variation in the process we can make improvements to the process that we predict will lead to better outcomes. SPC can also then be used to see whether our predictions were correct
Allows determination of system’s “control”:
Wide fluctuations = out-of-control systems.
Out-of-control indicates opportunity to improve reliability.
Distinguishes between common- and special-cause variation:
Common-cause variation = normal, random variation.
Special-cause variation:
Changes in the pattern of data that can be assigned to a specific cause.
Cause may or may not be beneficial, intentional.

8. Does a SPC chart tell a story?
What is a control chart?  A control chart is a line graph of your data with an average (or median) line and lines showing one, two, or three standard deviations (sigma). These help determine stability and predictability. Most SPC software will do this analysis for you. The average and sigma lines are calculated from the data. The UCL is the +3 sigma line and the LCL is the −3 sigma line. The percentage of all data points that will fall between these two limits in 99.7 percent.

9. What is the LIFE platform?
Bespoke QI platform developed by SW AHSN
Based on IHI model for improvement
Allows for collaborative learning
Covers all aspects of project development
Driver diagrams
PDSA cycles
SPC charts
Project library
Asset mapping capability
Impress your board with QI tools to maximise interest in business cases/QI improvement stories.
Before starting your project – look on the platform – is anyone else working on the same project? What went well/not so well that you can learn from?

10. How can we use it? Free to all healthcare workers in KSS
Register through site
User guide– look in resources in LIFE

11. Why have we got it? Increase visibility of improvement
Improve collaborative working
Improvers network
Tracking of collaborative improvement

12. Improvers Network – Why join IN?
We have created a new improvers network of health, social services and care staff for Kent, Surrey and Sussex to share learning and expertise.
The network will help to:
Maximise the use of capability expertise
Share learning
Accelerate the adoption of best practice
Embed best practice across the region
So if you are doing improvement work – please join our network, learn QI and network across KSS.
Information on the tables.

13. Demonstration of LIFE
24/7 Fall Free Care
Username –
P – S1!

14. LIFE! Thank you – any questions? Your username is: s.leng@nhs.net
Please visit

15. Demonstration Home Page

16. Demonstration My Projects

17. Demonstration Resources

18. Demonstration Connect

19. Demonstration – good example

20. Demonstration Driver Diagram

21. Demonstration Charts

22. SPC Charts Key rules of thumb are:
If it’s a proportion (e.g. proportion of patient with a pressure ulcer) it’s a p-chart
If its measure of something on a continuous scale (e.g. blood pressure, height, weight etc.) and you’re just collecting a single point (so maybe for just one person, imagine you’re monitoring your weight on a daily basis) then use an i-chart (individuals)
If it’s a measure of something on a continuous scale across a number of people and you want to plot an average then use an x-bar chart.  Think average length of stay as an example. Many people say that the x-bar chart is the ‘swiss army knife’ of SPC and is statistically robust enough to use with anything!
Your username is:
Please visit