Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust hearing.screening.nhs.uk NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme NHSP Quality Assurance Programme: What are the outcomes? Christine Cameron MSc CS Head of NHSP QA Programme BAPA Conference January 2013

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 2 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Setting the scene English newborn hearing screen has been fully implemented since 2006 Recently celebrated screening of the 5 millionth baby 115 local screening programmes in England Local screening programme incorporates the whole care pathway of the hearing screen 33 clearly defined quality standards relating to activity across the care pathway QA Programme started in 2006

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 3 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Some questions to begin with How does quality assurance work? Does quality assurance have an effect on improving services? How do the professionals feel about an external audit? Is there a benefit for the families? What is the real value of quality assurance?

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 4 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Quality Assurance is an external audit of local performance against the quality standard

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 5 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Quality Assurance in practice Collect information from all services in each local programme –Self assessment questionnaires –Supporting evidence –Visit to the service to look at clinic resources, case notes, interviews, observations Expert Peer Review team who review the information and assess performance against the quality standards Final Report –Recognition of good practice and gives recommendations for quality improvement –Report circulated to managers and commissioners, and public domain –Improvement Plan

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 6 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Quality Assurance in practice Action Plan lists all the recommendations in a convenient table It takes 18 months to complete one QA cycle of all 115 local programmes In the next QA cycle we repeat the process –look at the previous Action Plan –reassess performance against the standards –can determine progress and quality improvement We have now reviewed all the local screening programmes four times so, have we any evidence that the QA programme is necessary or has improved services?

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 7 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk QA programme: an iterative process First cycle Nov March2008 –Word documents for self assessment –Peer review visits Second cycle April2008 – Oct2009 –Electronic self assessment questionnaires QAF –Peer review visits incl case studies and ABR Third cycle June2010 – Sept2011 –Self assessment questionnaires; triggered recommendations –ABR review –Targeted peer reviews to services Fourth cycle April2012 – March2013 –Self assessment questionnaires; triggered recommendations –Case studies – audiology/medical/early intervention –ABR review –Targeted peer reviews to services

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 8 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Does quality assurance have an effect on improving services? Evidence from; comparison between QA cycles recommendations addressed in Implementation Plan Screening Audiology Education Medical CHSWG

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 9 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Screening: Quality Standard 7 : 95% screens completed in 4 weeks

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 10 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Screening Quality Standard 15: all screen referral to audiological assessment offered within 4 weeks

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 11 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Screening: case study QA1 screen coverage 55.8 % by 4 weeks of age no effective leadership no robust procedure for referral to audiology Local working group set up to address issues following QA report and possible suspension of screening When would this situation have been identified without QA QA2 turned the service around Overall rating in top five of country

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 12 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Case study

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 13 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk impact on Audiology services Diagnostic testing Behavioural testing – use of VRA Habilitation –RECD; appointment time; staffing Facilities – test accommodation Test results given on same day Team working Community audiology – VRA, staffing, facilities

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 14 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk impact on Audiology services RecommendationQA1QA3 to perform frequency specific tone pips and bone conduction ABR 31* audiology services none to measure RECD before fitting hearing aids 28* audiology services 2 audiology services to introduce insert and bone conduction VRA 27* audiology services none

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 15 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Impact on Audiology: behavioural testing

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 16 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk impact on Audiology services Eastbourne & Hastings – lone paediatric audiologist Highlighted in 2 QA reports as a risk As a direct result of the QA reports the new team looks like: 1 wte head of service 0.4wte senior paediatric audiologist 1.0wte paediatric audiologist 0.4wte health visitor specialist (with Audiology training)

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 17 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Impact on Audiology services QA2QA3QA4 Results given on same day Course attended Education present425043

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 18 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Impact on Audiology: ABR QA1 identified issues with ABR traces. Poor use of BC and tone pip QA2 ABR traces included in peer review –Training update courses –External review groups encouraged –Pilot of regional review groups –serious incident and suspension QA3 ABR review (5 cases) by external experts. All using BC and tone pip –Followed up with phone call to ensure QI QA4 ABR review (4 cases) by external experts with requested ID

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 19 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Impact on Audiology: ABR Review 13 incidents Additional 20 audiology departments requiring regular external review & training External expert reviewers PC expert reviewer Setting up of regional peer reviews

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 20 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Impact on Audiology: ABR Review QA3 42% category 1 or 2 QA4 48% category 1or 2

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 21 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Impact on Medical services Improved adherence to the aetiological investigation guidelines Inclusion of all PCHI – mild & unilateral Attendance at aetiological investigation course Raised concerns over succession planning Supportive evidence for genetic testing

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 22 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Impact on Early Intervention services Early Intervention services have improved their year round cover to respond and visit families referred from audiology Improved sharing of information between education and audiology colleagues An increased number of parents are now involved in the local Children Hearing Services Working groups

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 23 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Is there a benefit for the families? Sharing the news courses Results discussed on day of test Informed choice Parent satisfaction surveys Representation at CHSWG Quality improvement to services Improved equity of services QA reports in public domain

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 24 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk impact of QA programme: CHSWG QA3 78 % QA3 groups report they are now effective : 54% in QA2 81% in QA3 as being both strategic and operational : 78% in QA2. 74% QA3 groups meet every 3-4 months : 53% in QA2 Improved representation – see next slide

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 25 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Stakeholder representation in CHSWG QA2QA3 Audiology Medical Education Parents Social care 2090

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 26 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Patient satisfaction survey: impact on service provision Integral part of the QA programme is to recommend services ask families for their view of the service and we have asked what changes they have made as a result of such a survey o Wax removal was improved and a fast track care pathway was implemented o Appointment slots altered to give greater parental choice of time and date o Improved parking and waiting room facilities o Ensure that all staff introduce themselves and their role when first seeing a patient o Establishing hearing aid maintenance sessions at satellite clinics o Ear moulds sent directly to families from manufacturers

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 27 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Why did the improvement happen? QA Reports were taken seriously and acted on –Wide circulation of reports –Respect for the QA programme –External Peer Review audit against Quality Standards –Local ownership for improvement –Suspension of services Repeated QA cycles –Came back to check on progress Working with professionals to improve practice with offering training courses, networking, peer review groups (ABR) Parent surveys

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 28 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Quality improvement culture developed Courses –ABR Update –Sharing the News –Infant Hearing Aid fitting –VRA Forum to discuss late identified cases Peer review – internal & external Audit embedded in services

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 29 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk How do professionals feel about the QA programme? QA3 96% valued the QA programme as a means to maintain and improve quality 96.9% reported that changes have been made to their service as a result of QA programme ABR review QA3 86% aid to quality improvement 78% necessary to assure quality across services 75% reassuring exercise 69% change in their clinical practice

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 30 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Quality Assurance : the value Identifying poorly performing services and services performing well Driver for quality improvement Provide commissioners with either assurance that they are paying for a good service or encouragement to improve Provide professionals with an external review of practice Offer families a view of services – informed choice Inclusion of the complete care pathway was vital to ensure no gaps Most importantly families and babies benefit – the Quality Assurance Programme ensures they will receive a quality service wherever they live in England

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 31 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Summary Demonstrated power of QA cycles in bringing about QI and maintaining high level of service provision – across the care pathway QA programme is now established and respected The future of NHSP QA

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 32 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk Acknowledgements & thanks to All the leads of screening, audiology, medical and early intervention services in England that have participated in the QA programme over the past 6 years The expert peer review Quality Assurance team of experienced professionals who undertook the review visits Colleagues at the national Programme Centre

Hosted by the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 33 NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme hearing.screening.nhs.uk