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This example of improvement case study gives examples from NHS trusts. You can view the case study below or download it as a PDF
Effective Team-Working, a Medicines Management Case Study
What they wanted to achieve:
Bolton, Salford & Trafford Mental Health Trust wanted to establish a core medicines management team within the Trust to:
- Provide a point of contact within the organisation for Trust staff and service users who required support with medicines management issues
- To enhance the flow of medicines management information between internal departments, and
- To create a more cohesive infrastructure within the Trust to address medicines management issues.
What they did:
As part of a Multi-disciplinary approach the formation of a Medicines Management Team included:
- Medicines Management Team Leader
- Lead Nurse for Medicines Management
- Director of Pharmacy
- Associate Director of Nursing and Patient / Public Involvement
- One Pharmacy Technician.
What they achieved:
This may seem like a very basic development. However the simple formation of this kind of network of professionals (previously not existing in the Trust) had an invaluable impact on the development of safer and more effective medicines management systems within the Trust.
- The team were able to raise the profile and understanding of what medicines management is and what part other employees can play in enhancing services.
- There has been easier access to support services in the event of medicines management-related human error and/or systems failure.
- The multidisciplinary nature of the team increased collaboration and communication between departments that had previously relied on more formal systems that were less helpful in maintaining communication, flow of information and joint action planning.
“The formation of a central multi disciplinary team is, in our opinion, an essential and effective process that must take place if any Trust is serious about driving forward the medicines management agenda within their organisation”
Medicines Management Team Leader, Bolton & Salford Mental Health Trust.
An Example of Principles & Ground Rules, as Agreed by Members of the NPC Medicines Management Directorate Team
The team will work to the following set of principles that it has agreed are important. These are:
- Honesty with each other and with others outside the team
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- Sharing of thoughts and ideas unless stated to be confidential
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- Trust in each others ability
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- Respect for each other and our different ways of working
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- Loyalty to each other and the team
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- Individuality is recognised, respected and nurtured
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- Decision-making based on data and by consensus whilst avoiding “death by democracy”
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- Active participation in team activities by all team members
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- Challenge of decisions is acceptable
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- Listening to others and hearing what they are saying
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- Be able to raise issues in a non-judgemental environment
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- Accepting diversity and rejecting the idea that differences reflect weakness
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- Individuals will have access to the Team Leader on a one-to-one basis
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- Assignments/work done on time
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- Regular communications with each other and meetings, when appropriate
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- Working away from the office and at home is part of the job
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- Site visits, including travel times, are part of the working week
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- Team members can choose how they work most effectively but within the constraints of the law and both national and local NHS guidelines and policies
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- Full use will be made of information technology including electronic scheduling, handheld devices, mobile phones and remote computer access
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These principles will be reviewed at least twice every year to ensure that they remain relevant
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Examples of Improvement Case Studies