I was very pleased to hear that my poster was accepted at the FMLM Cambridge QI Conference 2015, which took place last November. The study we conducted looked at the perception of Quality Improvement in GP trainees in Leicestershire, Northampton and Rutland. Attending the event was not just about sharing my work, but also about having the opportunity to network with like-minded people and learn from others.
It was insightful to hear Dr Martin Roland and learn from Rene Wiedner of Manchester Business School. Negotiating with stakeholders was the new lesson I learnt and which I hadn’t expected to receive from the conference I had studied this during my MBA course, yet the opportunity for role play at the event helped me polish and push my skills to the next level.
This was not the only highlight of the conference. I came back knowing it is expected of any QIP executor to be resilient and persevere during the challenging times of a quality improvement project. It is natural to meet resistance and barriers as a part of the expected curve of completing the project. Persevering with stakeholders is what can make the difference.
Another lesson learnt is around the impact of doing small QIPs first to build my own confidence from the frequent smaller gains rather than jumping into bigger projects – which tend to be more challenging and may get aborted. I have already made this mistake and coming to the FMLM Cambridge QI Conference put all my previous experiences into perspective; I wish I had discovered the conference sooner.
The best posters on QIP in action were presented as talks. The QIP that won had improved safety, flow of patients, quality and the productivity of doctors with the help of an innovative IT tool. It was inspiring to learn that what is a common problem for me is a common problem for others. One team’s solution has the potential to be a solution elsewhere.
This means my own QIP has the potential to have a greater impact when it gets replicated or learnt from. This is the power of Quality Improvement – it is infectious and powerful, indeed.
Thank you to FMLM for providing me with the platform to learn, grow and make a difference.
