1. Improving Care for Older People in Acute Care
Update: July 2012
Programme Aim
Progress to Date
To improve the care of older people in acute care, including:
 the identification and spread of good practice for older people in acute hospital, building on work that is already evident and in existence, and
the testing and implementing of improvements to deliver safe, effective, person-centred care for older people in acute hospital.
Tasks Completed / key highlights
A Critical Assimilation and Analysis Process (CAAP) was undertaken to review current evidence of care of older people in acute care. The emerging themes are consistent with topic themes for the work stream (continence, cognitive impairment, falls, nutritional care and tissue viability).
A meeting of critical friends was held on 24 April 2012 to share CAAP findings, inspection themes and to consult on the draft improvement approach.
A National Leads Meeting was held on 11 June 2012 to understand the current landscape of national programmes, identify current change packages and measures and identify opportunities to align with this work stream.
The improvement approach was shared with pharmacy colleagues and there was agreement that ‘safer medicines’ should be an underpinning theme to this work.
A Board engagement event was held on 26 June 2012 to consult on the improvement approach and to understand the requirements of NHS boards in supporting improvements in the care for older people in acute care.
Key themes from the above engagement activities included:
The importance of culture and leadership in this work
Person-centred care is central to this work
De-cluttering the landscape is required
Topic areas identified for this work are consistent with inspection themes, evidence base, local and national priorities
These topic areas could be proxy measures under the frailty pathway
A hybrid approach of topic-specific and integrated approach along the patient pathway is required.
Boards would like support with knowledge and evidence
Current Work:
Scoping
Critical Assimilation and Analysis Process undertaken to review evidence.
24/04/12 – Critical Friends Meeting
11/06/12 – National Leads Meeting
12/06/12 – Scottish Mental Health Pharmacists
26/06/12 – Board Leaders Event
03/09/12 (tbc)–Innovation session to agree key messages to inform communication strategy
Clinical Engagement
Improvement planning
Identification of test sites
Engagement with test sites
Planning for learning session 1
Challenges & Opportunities
Identification of areas for improvement in large scale and complex agenda
Opportunity to focus on the frailty pathway
Develop alignment opportunities with person centred care collaborative programme (Healthcare Improvement Scotland/Scottish Government) including learning session 1 joint planning
contact: (Implementation and Improvement Facilitator) or (Improvement Advisor)

2. Improvement planning activities
Improving Care for Older People in Acute Care
UPDATE: July 2012
Risks for escalation (linked to Risk Register)
Next Steps
It is acknowledged that this is a highly complex and large scale agenda and so this work stream will be required to deliver within the identified scope agreed by the Programme Board.
A risk register has been developed and risks will be elevated to the Programme Board as required.
Task
Deadline
Letter to NHS boards
12 July 2012
Identification of NHS board test sites
6 August 2012
Programme Board Meeting
10 August 2012
Test site engagement and identification of good practice
August – Oct 2012
Learning Session 1
20-21 November 2012
Communication Actions (linked to Communication Strategy and Action Plan
Task
Deadline
Internal meeting to discuss alignment with person centred care collaborative programme.
Impact Innovation Session being arranged to agree key messages for the programme.
10 July 2012
3 September 2012 (tbc)
Timeline
Clinical Engagement – Scoping Meetings
Improvement planning activities
CAAP
March – April 2012
April 2012 – July 2012
August 2012
Test Site identification, engagement and Identify good practice