The next stage of Operation FLOW’s improvement journey is well underway as the three acute hospitals aim to continue maintaining good flow.
NHS Lanarkshire dramatically reduced pressure across its sites, improving patient care and experience following the successful nine-day “firebreak”.
The firebreak, part of Lanarkshire’s positive and ambitious Operation FLOW plan, resulted in a significant improvement in the percentage of patients meeting the four-hour emergency standard.
It has also led to a big reduction in hospital occupancy levels, creating a safer and more effective environment for patients and staff.
The focus since has been on the next stage of the improvement journey.
We will be running articles this week with some of the positive reflections experienced at each of the acute sites. First up, University Hospital Wishaw.
Ken Dagg, chief of medical services, University Hopsital Wishaw said:
“It is now about sustaining flow and building on all of these positives and maintaining the momentum.
“We were able to see, assess and discharge more patients in our medical assessment area on the Monday night following the firebreak because there were no inpatients in the beds. One of the social work staff saw that as real validation of all the hard work discharging patients from the backdoor and creating space.
“The whole system approach allowed health and social care teams to work together to support patients and families, with criteria-led discharges allowing decisions to be safely delegated.
“The extremely high use of the discharge lounge helped make beds available earlier in the day to facilitate the flow of patients from the front door to those empty beds.”
