The network works collaboratively across the region to equip the child health workforce with the skills and knowledge to deliver improvements in care. Children, young people and families are partners in our work and we actively seek their involvement. We use this approach to help ensure we meet and surpass national quality standards for child health.

The aims are:
  • to promote and embed quality improvement in paediatric departments across our region
  • to facilitate networking across sites and disciplines, sharing skills and experience in quality improvement
  • to reduce variation and improve patient outcomes across our region.

​The network has a number of work streams and ongoing activities. Further details can be obtained from the innovation lead, Kate Pryde (kate.pryde@uhs.nhs.uk) Health Education Wessex lead for quality improvement in child health. We strongly encourage trainee and multi-disciplinary representation.
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Each trust across the region has identified a link PIER clinician and nurse/allied health professional for the network

Innovation & Improvement Resources


​There are many resources available to support you in acquiring skills and knowledge in quality improvement.

Quality improvement and patient safety (QIPS)
A series of educational programmes run by the RCPCH on how to practice and encourage quality improvement and patient safety in paediatric care. Find out more

Health education wessex quality improvement fellowship
A local year long fellowship programme that aims to equip you with skills, knowledge and confidence to lead a quality improvement project in your workplace. It includes learning on leadership, education and improvement science. For more details please contact qualityimprovement@wessex.hee.nhs.uk

The IHI open school
​A range of online courses in patient safety, improvement capability, quality, cost and value, person and family-centred care, triple aim for populations and leadership. Find out more

Additional resources
​The following websites also have useful information:
  • Paediatric international patient safety and quality community www.pipsqc.org
  • Meds IQ - An online service that brings together QI tools on paediatric prescribing. www.medsiq.org
  • Making it safer together - National paediatric patient safety collaborative of organisations who share a vision of achieving harm free paediatric healthcare. www.mistuk.org
  • NHS atlas of variation - Variations across the breadth of child health services are provided here by NHS England to allow clinicians, commissioners and service users to identify priority areas for improvement. www.rightcare.nhs.uk
  • BMJ safety and quality - International peer reviewed journal that encourages innovation and creative thinking to improve the quality of healthcare and the science of improvement. www.qualitysafety.bmj.com
  • Scottish patient safety hub - A world leading safety programme launched in 2008, which aims to systematically, improve safety and reliability of hospital care throughout Scotland. The specific maternity and children improvement programme has some useful resources. www.scottishpatientsafetyprogramme.scot.nhs.uk
  • Institute for Healthcare Improvement - A wealth of resources and information to help you build patient and family focused improvement capability. www.ihi.org
  • The Health Foundation - An independent charity committed to bringing about better health and healthcare for people in the UK. The website contains numerous links to helpful publications as well as details of quality improvement initiatives and fellowships. There are frequent grants made available to support improvement projects. www.health.org.uk