What is the Care Home Quality Improvement Project?
In collaboration with NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Integrated Care Board, this project offers a new approach to quality improvement in care homes, whereby homes identify the areas where they want to make changes, and support is tailored by the project staff accordingly.
Our Vision
The project uses Appreciative Inquiry, to work in partnership with 20 care homes in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin on quality improvement initiatives that support the wellbeing of their residents. In the context of this project, wellbeing includes:
- Maintaining independence, choice and control
- Optimal fluid and nutritional intake
- Being involved in meaningful activities
- Being valued as an individual
- Feeling safe
- Staying active
- Feeling calm and relaxed
- Sleeping well
- Maintaining relationships and social contacts
- Avoiding hospital admissions
Why was the Project developed?
The project was developed in recognition of the many factors influencing wellbeing in care homes. Increasing numbers of care home residents have dementia, along with symptoms such as:
- Poor night-time sleep
- Daytime sleepiness
- Restlessness
- Agitation
- Apathy and depression
- Poor appetite
- Poor fluid intake
Any of the above may potentially lead to increased frailty and poor health outcomes including hospital admission. Every care home is different and so the support they need to meet the needs of their residents in the best possible way is different between each home.
What is the approach?
This is a preventing/reversing frailty approach, aiming to support residents to stay well for longer. This is not a one-size-fits-all project but one that aims to support homes to build on their existing strengths to become even better at what they do.
For more information:
If you would like to find out more about the project please contact Sophie Corbett, Care Quality Improvement Lead, at