NHS England – Improving Patient Experience for Children and Young People
6. Review of Existing Best Practice
A key part of this report is to look at and celebrate the existing best practice that is already in place - practical examples of how organisations have already tackled some of the perceived, and very real, problems associated with providing excellent patient experience and clinical care for children and young people. For the purposes of this report we reviewed some of the extensive bank of case studies PEN have either uncovered or made themselves aware of. A selection of these case studies has been collated to demonstrate the wealth of practical best practice that already exists. As there are well over 200 case studies in the archives – all relating to improving patient experience, but not necessarily directly related to children and young people, we have selected just a few. Most of the ones we have used here are directly related to improving patient experience for children and young people, however, it is critical – and one of the key conclusions of this report – that organisations do not limit themselves to looking at best practice only from their individual specialism. This blinkered thinking ensures that some excellent initiatives and practical examples are overlooked on the basis that ‘this does not apply to me’. Many of the case studies and examples uncovered are easily adaptable to other settings and should not be ignored. Some of the case studies which show clearly the positive financial benefits of improving patient experience could also be used to more positively influence the budget holders. These case studies have been written by the organisations themselves. 6.1 Alder Hey – Disability Workshops and Soccer Spa Overview: At last years’ PEN National Awards the overall winner was Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust with a fascinating entry which showed just how the NHS can work effectively with other organisations to deliver something extra special for both staff and the family / caregivers in the difficult field of children’s medicine. Introduction: Children and young people with disabilities can often feel marginalised and excluded from public health messages. Their parents can feel very protective and this can lead to further exclusions. The programme Alder Hey, Everton in the Community and Woodlands Beauty Spa have developed is aimed at being fully inclusive. It enables those with a range of disabilities to be active, receive information on healthy lifestyles, see positive role models in action and help parents understand that their children are able to exercise and take part in main stream activities without any harm. It also improves the patient experience and provides parents and families an opportunity to look after themselves by receiving a holistic therapy on site to aid relaxation and reduce stress during an extremely difficult time in their life.
Patient Experience Network 28
Re:thinking the experience