Ambition: High quality care

We are proud of our reputation for delivering high quality care and committed to protecting and strengthening it.

Our ambition means putting patients first every time — ensuring safety, dignity, and compassion are at the heart of every interaction. We will maintain clinical excellence through evidence-based practice, listening to the lived experience of patients, families, and carers, and by acting on their feedback to provide personalised care. Central to this is building a ‘learning culture’, where we are curious about how we can improve. It’s essential we deliver care equitably so everyone receives the same high standard of care, regardless of background or circumstance.

Strategic outcome

People in our communities are healthier and more independent.

Strategic priorities

• Improve access, experience, and safety of services
• Achieve improvements in the greatest health inequalities
• Embed continuous quality improvement in everything we do.

Strategic measures

Safety:

• Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator
• Percentage of incidents that caused moderate harm or above.

Experience:

Friends and Family Test (FFT), including the % of patients from Core20Plus5 groups reporting positive experience.

Infection prevention:

Healthcare acquired infections:

• MRSA bacteraemia count
• C. Difficile infection count
• E. Coli bacteraemia count
• Klebsiella bacteraemia count
• Pseudomonas bacteraemia count.

CQC rating performance

• 4-hour A&E standard
• Referral to Treatment (RTT) <18 weeks
• RTT <52 weeks
• RTT <65 weeks
• Cancer 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard.

Staff survey, ‘advocacy’:

If a friend or relative needed treatment I would be happy with the standard of care provided by this organisation.

What does great look like for our patients

• Every patient is treated with compassion, dignity, and care that makes them feel safe and valued
• We listen to patients and families, use their feedback to make care better, and follow proven medical practices
• No matter who you are or where you’re from, you will get the same high standard of care

What does great look like for our staff?

• Staff are supported to deliver care that is kind, safe, and respectful in every interaction
• Staff have the skills, support, and tools to do their jobs to the best of their abilities
• Staff work together to make sure everyone gets the same high standard of care, no matter their background.

What does great look like for our partners?

• Partners benefit from working with a team that puts patients first and delivers safe, kind, and reliable care in the right place
• Partners gain access to feedback, data, and proven approaches that help improve services and outcomes together
• Partners will feel valued because we listen to the perspectives of different professionals in the delivery of care.

Case study