A project to establish processes that enable local Managed Clinical Networks (MCNs) to develop their quality assurance programmes and obtain subsequent approval by their NHS boards; refine the existing NHS QIS processes for approving regional and national MCN quality assurance programmes and identify the role of NHS QIS in monitoring MCN performance against their quality assurance programmes.
Aims and objectives
• To develop a clearly defined process to enable local MCNs to devise their own quality assurance programmes.
• To develop a clearly defined process to enable individual NHS boards to approve their local MCN quality assurance programmes.
• To devise an implementation methodology for the new local processes, ensuring consistency in approach across NHSScotland.
• To specify the role of NHS QIS in monitoring the implementation of the new local processes by NHS boards.
• To refine the existing NHS QIS processes for approving regional and national MCN quality assurance programmes.
• To identify the role of NHS QIS in assessing MCN performance against their quality assurance programmes.
Key milestones:
The key milestones for this project are:
- Draft process for local MCNs to devise their own quality assurance programmes: September 2007
- Draft process for NHS boards to approve their local MCN quality assurance programmes: September 2007
- A final process for local MCNs to devise their own quality assurance programmes: March 2008
- A final process for NHS boards to approve their local MCN quality assurance programmes: March 2008
- An implementation methodology for the new local processes to be used across NHSScotland: March 2008
- A revised NHS QIS process for approving regional and national MCN quality assurance programmes: March 2008
Project History
Managed clinical networks have been evolving in NHSScotland since 1998 and NHS QIS has been involved in supporting such networks during this period.
NHS QIS currently supports local, regional and national MCNs in the development and approval of their quality assurance frameworks. A review of the current process by NHS QIS in conjunction with MCN colleagues across NHSScotland undertaken in 2005/2006 revealed the process was overly bureaucratic, resulted in a disproportionate amount of work for both the service and NHS QIS in relation to the benefits gained and was unlikely to be sustainable.
It was subsequently agreed with the Scottish Government Healthcare Policy and Strategy Directorate (formerly Scottish Executive Health Department) that local MCN quality assurance programmes were to be approved through the local NHS board rather than NHS QIS. It was anticipated that this will also help to achieve the aim of MCNs developing closer working links with their NHS boards, local and regional planning functions. This is supported by the recent health department letter HDL (2007)21 – Strengthening the role of Managed Clinical Networks. NHS QIS will continue to approve regional and national MCNs.
Some preliminary work was undertaken in 2005/2006 to identify the requirements of an external quality assurance process for local MCNs. This project is taking forward the recommendations arising from this work.
Published documents
HDL (2007)21 – Strengthening the role of Managed Clinical Networks (MCN)
Contacts
Miss Ali McAllister
MCN Co-ordinator
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland,
Delta House,
50 West Nile Street,
Glasgow, G1 2NP
Email: mcnteam.qis@nhs.net
Tel: 0141 225 6880
Textphone for Delta House: 0141 241 6316
