Enhancing Quality Programme

The Enhancing Quality Programme (EQ) supports commissioners and providers to improve outcomes for patients and deliver their Duty of Quality.

The Programme is closely linked to NICE Quality Standards, the Commissioning Outcome Framework and NHS Outcomes Framework.

“EQ is important for clinicians and patients because adapting to best practice and improving service quality are fundamental to modern healthcare. EQ provides the structure that keeps best practice and quality at the centre of every patient’s care.”

Dr Terry Lynch GP and Dementia Primary Care Lead

Clinical engagement in quality improvement and collaborative learning has been a major success of the Programme.  Events have been well supported by clinical teams and they have attracted national speakers and experts in their field. There has been a positive response to the sharing of comparative quality data and clinical teams have been keen to take the opportunity to describe in detail how improvements have been made. This has been a key component in the rapid pace of performance improvement.

The model demonstrated in the Programme includes financial incentives through use of Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) funding and public recognition for providers delivering improvements and top performance. A real sense of a community of interest has been created between clinical teams, working in a transparent way to share their successes and learning to deliver rapid and sustainable improvements in quality.