Quality Improvement projects
Quality Improvement projects in healthcare are implemented with a goal to promote patient safety, improve outcomes, promote service efficiency and service user experience. Various critical care units within the Network carry out several improvement projects and these are showcased below.
Introducing the S.P.E.A.K. Project: Enhancing Safety in Critical Care Ventilation
The S.P.E.A.K. Project (Safety Principles for Effective Airway Knowledge) was developed as a regional quality improvement initiative in response to a serious incident involving the use of one-way valves in-line with mechanical ventilation in a critical care unit. Click here, to read more about the project. Some other resources include (click on each highlighted word to access the document)
- S.P.E.A.K. Algorithm – A clinical decision-making tool to guide safe valve use in patients with tracheostomies
- Bedhead Signage – Visual prompts tailored to various ventilation scenarios, including high-flow oxygen and tracheostomy mask use
- Documentation Proformas – Standardised forms aligned with the S.P.E.A.K. algorithm for consistent clinical recording
- Multidisciplinary Competencies – Training frameworks to ensure staff are equipped to manage one-way valves safely
