20 February 2020
The Power of Stories
HSE Schwartz Rounds generate a sense of community, improving teamwork and personal practice and Q community launched in Ireland
On Tuesday, 18 February members of the HSCQI travelled to Dublin to take part in the HSE’s second Schwartz Rounds and Quality Improvement (QI) conference in Dublin Castle, the HSE. The Conference marked four years since the introduction of Schwartz Rounds in Ireland. Since the process began, 25 organisations have signed a service level agreement with the Point of Care Foundation, helping to improve staff wellbeing and teamwork.
Schwartz Rounds provide a forum for conversations about the emotional impact of work, open to all staff within an organisation. During the monthly, one-hour meetings staff can share their experiences that can improve relationships with colleagues and gain insight into how others care for patients.
The conference made the connection between Schwartz Rounds and Quality Improvement (QI) and provided great opportunities to communicate, connect, collaborate and network to further Schwartz Rounds and QI development and learning.
The conference, a collaboration between the HSE National QI Team and the HSCQI brought people across the island together to share experiences. Building on the concept of shared learning, the HSE announced country partnership with Q – an ambitious, long-term initiative that brings together people working to improve health and care. It is led by the Health Foundation and supported by partners across the UK and Ireland. HSCQI is already a Q Country Partner.
Q is not a taught programme, but a network for people with experience of delivering improvement. By creating opportunities for people to share ideas, enhance skills, and collaborate, Q supports members to use and develop the wealth of ideas and expertise.
Dr Mark Roberts, Clinical Director, Improvement Hub for HSCQI added: “This conference is part of HSCQI’s ongoing collaboration with the HSE’s National Quality Improvement team. This relationship is mutually beneficial and we are learning a lot from each other. It is great that colleagues from the HSCQI network shared their innovative QI work at the Dublin conference, which provided another opportunity for connecting people with common goals. We are all focused on providing safe and effective care for those who need our health and social care services and we all face similar challenges in doing so. It makes good sense for us to continue to build this relationship and develop our QI learning and expertise.”
Dr Philip Crowley, HSE National Director, National QI Team said: “The event is a further deepening of the National QI Team’s collaboration with the Health and Social Care QI team in Northern Ireland. We share learning north and south and this represents the 5th joint event focusing on how we improve the quality of patient care across the Island. We are also celebrating four years of developing Schwartz Rounds in Ireland. These have been evaluated very positively and help staff share their experiences of working in our health services.”
Penny Pereira, Q Initiative Director said “I’m delighted that we’re working with the HSE to launch Q in Ireland. Since Q began we have been working with Q members and partners to create a cross-sector, cross-profession, pan-country infrastructure for learning and collaboration. Launching in Ireland further demonstrates our commitment to growing the community and supporting members to connect across boundaries. The experience and expertise of improvers in Ireland will be a fantastic addition to the community.”
Schwartz Rounds
Schwartz Rounds provide a framework which helps to improve staff wellbeing, teamwork and support which ultimately has an impact on improved person centred care. The National Quality Improvement Team in collaboration with the Point of Care Foundation (PoCF) will provide training in Ireland for up to 30 teams who want to establish Schwartz Rounds over the next two years.
Organisations introducing Schwartz Rounds
- Portiuncula University Hospital
- Mayo University Hospital, Ireland
- Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore
- Connolly Hospital, Ireland
- The Royal Hospital, Donnybrook, Ireland
- Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda
- Temple Street Children’s Hospital
- The National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght
- Laura Lynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, Ireland
- Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Harold’s Cross
- Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Blackrock Hospice
- Beaumont Hospital
- UL Hospitals Group
- Cork University Hospital
- University Hospital Galway / Saolta University Health Care Group
- Cavan and Monaghan Hospital
- Adult Mental Health Service, HSE CHO 5 Carlow Kilkenny
- Adult Mental Health Service, HSE CHO 5 Waterford Wexford
- Adult Mental Health Services, HSE CHO 7
- National Ambulance Service (South Operational Area)
- Community HealthCare West -Roscommon CHO2
- The National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street
- The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital Dublin
- Resilience care
- St. Michael’s House
Q Community
Q is an ambitious, long-term initiative that brings together people working to improve health and care. It is led by the Health Foundation and supported by partners across the UK and Ireland. It is an exciting opportunity for improvers in Ireland to connect and collaborate with fellow improvers, use Q as a source of innovation and practical problem solving, and get involved with a range of activities and benefits that are on offer. By creating opportunities for people to share ideas, enhance skills, and collaborate, Q supports members to use and develop the wealth of ideas and expertise that currently exists in every part of the UK and Ireland.
For more information visit q.health.org.uk