New system to drive up standards in NHS Wales

 Swansea East AM Mike Hedges has welcomed the news that a new system to assess the quality of service within the NHS and share findings with the public will be introduced in Wales later this year.

NHS organisations have been asked to produce Annual Quality statements as part of the Welsh Labour Government’s commitment to high quality and safe services underpinned by transparency on performance. The statements will give patients easy access to a range of information about the services available to them and how well those services perform in a range of areas. 

Welsh Labour’s Health Minister, Lesley Griffiths, has also said that she expects greater transparency to help drive up performance and quality across the NHS. 

Annual Quality statements will outline progress by the organisation in the previous year and demonstrate how they have acted on any areas of concern.  It is expected they will be signed off by a ‘patient voice’, for example the local Community Health Council.

NHS organisations will also introduce new ‘quality triggers’ made up of organisational data and feedback from patients.  The triggers will enable monitoring and act as an early warning system to pick up signs of services that may give cause for concern and help organisations take action to mitigate risks.