Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust: empowering staff to drive improvement with ImproveWell
Background
As part of an integrated system rollout across Black Country Local Maternity and Neonatal System, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust (“the Trust”) adopted the ImproveWell solution in their maternity department and neonatal unit to drive effective staff engagement and continuous improvement. The departments recognised that frontline teams are best placed to identify challenges and propose solutions, and that having a structured way to capture their insights was essential.
The approach
To embed ImproveWell into daily practice and encourage participation, Gem Haselgrove (Retention Lead Midwife) led a focused effort to support staff in using the platform effectively. This included:
- Increasing awareness: posters were displayed across all clinical areas to encourage staff participation.
- Proactive engagement: regular walkabouts ensured teams had the opportunity to discuss their ideas and concerns in person.
- Closing the feedback loop: dedicated time was allocated each week to review submissions, respond to suggestions and escalate ideas to the relevant teams.
- Transparent communication: updates on actions taken were shared with staff through the ImproveWell platform, ensuring they could see the impact of their input.
The impact
ImproveWell has played a key role in strengthening staff engagement and driving practical improvements within the unit:
- Empowering staff: team members value having a structured way to share their insights and see responses to their suggestions.
- Driving operational improvements: a key challenge raised was improving communication around patient discharge. As a result, the team collaborated with the communications department to introduce discharge talks available on iPads in multiple languages.
- Identifying areas for change: staff flagged delays in discharge medication. While immediate adjustments to ward stock were not possible, discussions with pharmacists helped clarify challenges and encourage ongoing conversations for improvement.
What’s next?
With the Trust’s move to the new Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, ImproveWell will continue to be a vital tool in capturing staff feedback and shaping innovation in the new environment.
Final thoughts
“ImproveWell is a quick and easy way for staff to voice concerns that require ‘quick win’ actions to improve. I’m able to reply individually to suggestions and update staff with progress, even if their concerns cannot be actioned immediately. It helps staff feel listened to and valued.”
Gem Haselgrove, Retention Lead Midwife, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
