Service specification (what it is, how it works)
A Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) in pharmacy services is a structured approach to continuously improving the safety, effectiveness, and patient experience of care delivered in community pharmacies. It is part of the NHS Scotland contractual framework and applies to all pharmacies providing NHS services.
What is a Quality Improvement Plan?
- A QIP is a systematic plan that identifies areas for improvement, sets measurable goals, and outlines actions to enhance service quality.
- It focuses on patient safety, clinical effectiveness, and service efficiency, aligning with NHS Scotland’s commitment to continuous improvement. [cps.scot], [pharmaceut…ournal.com]
Key Components
- Assessment of Current Practice
- Use tools like the Safety Climate Survey to benchmark safety culture.
- Identify Quality Issues
- Examples: dispensing errors, patient safety incidents, communication gaps.
- Action Plan
- Develop interventions based on findings (e.g., NSAID safer care bundles, root cause analysis).
- Implementation
- Train staff, apply QI methods (Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles).
- Monitoring & Evaluation
- Measure improvements and update the plan annually. [cps.scot]
Why Is It Important?
- Promotes patient safety and reduces harm.
- Encourages a culture of learning and improvement.
- Required as part of core pharmacy services in Scotland alongside Pharmacy First, Public Health Service, Acute Medication Service, and Medicines Care & Review. [claritylocums.com]
Examples of QIP Activities
- Completion of NHS Scotland QI modules.
- Safety Climate Surveys and follow-up action plans.
- NSAID interventions to reduce gastrointestinal harm.
- Root Cause Analysis for near misses and errors. [cps.scot]
Resources