Contacts
Contact:
Sue Hutton, Maggie Bisset, Dr Caroline Stirling, Dr Chi Chi Cheung
Service Manager / Nurse and Medical Consultants in Palliative Care
Organisation:
Camden PCT
Palliative Care 3rd Floor West Wing 250 Euston Road London NW1 2PG United Kingdom
Tel:
020 7380 6811
Email:
Case study:
11 May 2010
Palliative Care Team performance evaluation in Camden and UCLH
Key points
- Camden and UCLH Palliative Care Team uses a monthly performance matrix as well as robust clinical governance system to measure its performance at regular intervals
- The performance matrix uses a traffic light system to set a range of specific performance targets
- The team also meet weekly to discuss and evaluate aspects of the governance programme, including risk management issues
- From April 2007 to March 2008 over 1,200 referrals were made to the team with most community patients being cared for and dying in their place of choice.
Camden and UCLH (University College London Hospital) Palliative Care Team is using a monthly performance matrix as well as robust clinical governance systems to measure its performance and quality of care at regular intervals.
The performance matrix employs a traffic light system to set a range of specific monthly targets.
In addition the whole team meet weekly to discuss and evaluate aspects of the governance programme, including risk management issues.
The multidisciplinary specialist team works across south Camden and UCLH Foundation Hospitals Trust and provides a 24-hour, seven days a week out of hours telephone and visiting service to all patients in the community.
The service is based on clinical need rather than diagnosis and caters for all age groups, including children and young people with palliative care needs receiving care within UCLH.
Over the 20 years of its existence the service has grown in all areas of core activity.
The team is helping to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, supporting people throughout their hospital stay and helping to speed up discharge from hospital when appropriate.
From April 2007 to March 2008 over 1,200 referrals were made to the team with the majority of community patients being cared for and dying in their place of choice.
The performance matrix employs a computerised IT system that all clinicians use to record patients’ data.
The governance system ensures dynamic real time collation of data, with all clinical staff having responsibility to input this information during their working week.
The ‘traffic light’ targets include:
Various activity data for all professionals working within the service
Preferred place of care and death
Clinical outcome scoring
Safe practice data regarding opioids
The matrix is discussed within the team each month and performance on all aspects of service delivery is then scrutinised and discussed openly.
Camden PCT directors receive monthly reports on the performance matrix as well as an annual clinical governance report.
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