HEIW improvement prize 2023/24 winner announcement
Published: 26/06/2024
The HEIW Quality Improvement Skills Training (QIST) team is delighted to announce that on 21st June 2024 the HEIW Improvement Prize 2023/24 was awarded to Yvette Powe, General Dental Practitioner for her quality improvement project, entitled:
“Reduction of clinical waste in primary care: GCG Dental Practice”
The project focused on reduction of clinical waste, as part of the aim of NHS Wales Decarbonisation Strategic Delivery Plan to reach net zero by 2030.
As winner of the prize, Yvette will receive support, and funding, from the QIST team at HEIW, to write up her project for publication in the BMJ or BDJ Open.
Yvette reflected on the success of her project with the following statement:
“Over the past two years the team at GCG dental practice have been committed to more sustainable practice. Using QI methodology we have introduced numerous changes, successfully reducing our clinical waste production by 40%. Over four plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles, we have introduced new re-usable equipment and waste segregation, including recycling, into the clinical areas. Reflecting on each change encouraged and inspired the team. The project has allowed us to make significant long-lasting change, which is now a part of our daily practice. This has been a team approach, and we are all very excited to have won HEIW's improvement prize for 23/24.”
The judging panel also awarded a Highly Commended certification to Kate Mortiboy, for her quality improvement project, entitled:
“A quality improvement project to reduce the number of insufficient quality referrals to the peripheral hospitals dental service in Cardiff and the Vale”
Kate said:
“I carried out my Quality Improvement project whilst I was a DCT2 in Special Care Dentistry at Cardiff Dental Hospital. My project aimed to reduce the number of insufficient quality referrals to the Peripheral Hospitals Dental Service in Cardiff and the Vale. Through this project, I gained lots of knowledge about QI methodology and have gained confidence in carrying out future QI projects. I found the QI tutors to be both approachable and supportive and I learnt a lot from their expertise. I am now working as a STR in Special Care Dentistry in South West England and plan to carry out more QI projects in my new post!”
The HEIW QIST Team works in partnership with Improvement Cymru to develop and deliver a unique Quality Improvement training programme for healthcare professionals across Wales. QI methodology equips healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills that can be used to implement real time changes, to enhance health services and the learning environment in areas of patient safety, wellbeing and sustainability.
The HEIW Improvement Prize is an annual competition that is open to all NHS Wales Staff. Entrants are required to submit a completed quality improvement project for consideration by the prize panel, with the winner receiving support for publication in the relevant professional journal.
The opening date for submissions for the 2024/25 Prize will be announced early next year. For further information on the HEIW Improvement Prize or the QIST programme, please contact the team at HEIW.QIST@wales.nhs.uk