Improving Quality

Improving quality (also known as Quality improvement) is a structured way to make care and services better.

What it involves

• solving problems using proven methods
• achieving measurable improvements
• using:
• quality improvement tools
• feedback from people who use services

Why it matters

Improving quality is a continuous process that helps ensure care is safe, effective, person-centred, timely, efficient, equitable, and sustainable.

It supports:

• better outcomes
• fewer errors
• better use of resources

Key improvement activities include:

• building the will and conditions for change
• understanding current systems and opportunities for improvement
• developing aim and change theory
• identifying change ideas, testing, and refining
• implementing and sustaining where tested
• sharing learning and spread where appropriate

During periods of change, the same structured approach applies:

• involve the right people
• use data to understand problems and evidence improvement
• test ideas on a small scale
• co‑design solutions with those who use and deliver services

Support and skills

To enable quality improvement, people who use and deliver need the right skills and capacity to:

• raise concerns
• address problems
• learn from successful changes

Healthcare Improvement Scotland provides more details on improving quality and more quality improvement resources can be found in NHS Education for Scotland’s Quality Improvement Zone.