The term quality improvement (QI) may sound a little intimidating but this page aims to dispel that feeling by giving you a basic introduction to quality improvement so you can understand more about it and what it involves.
The page has been created by NHS Lothians Quality Improvement Team for Care Homes and Primary Care Settings and aims to provide an introduction to QI, examples of QI, information about the QI forum (QIF) as well as resources for further reading, courses and Qi tools.
What is Quality Improvement? – Everyone can do it!
Everyone can do it!
The term quality improvement may sound very complicated or even slightly scary but remember making positive (improvement) changes are actually something people do all the time in everyday real life – whether it’s changing your diet to be healthier or changing the time of morning handover so all relevant people can attend.
Basically it’s having an idea to improve something. Then making a goal and making plans for changes to achieve that goal. You will measure progress along the way as well as at the end. It is not always a straight process sometimes steps will need repeated or changed depending on how things are going. You will also need to look back to make sure you are still working towards the goal you set but it may be that your goal changes to a degree as you progress.
Quality improvement uses methods and tools to guide you through the process to achieve your aim/goal and make the change/changes you want to make.
The methods and tools provide a clear smooth process for carrying out and evidencing your work so you can clearly see what’s going well and what’s maybe not going too well, and in the end whether you have achieved the change and exactly how you did it – this can be useful for many things, including:
- Demonstrating to your team/residents/relatives why this change may be useful
- If someone wants to do your change too – they will know what to do but also that the idea is based on evidence rather than just thinking
- If you want to take the idea further and need to apply for funding or permission
Proving everyone can do it – Examples from Care Homes
Proving Everyone Can do it
Although there are teams such as the NHS Lothian Quality Improvement Team for Care Homes and Primary Care Settings who can help you with a quality improvement project you can also carry out a project yourself, here is an example of a Care Home doing it for themselves.
A walk down memory lane: Improving communication for residents and staff
Deputy Manager of Jewel House, Gill Morris, shares the project she completed as a part of the Scottish Improvement Foundation Skills (SIFS) Programme.
Gill’s project aimed to help improve communication for residents and staff; it proved so successful this work will continue with other residents.
“Creating a picture story book involved collecting photos and images and compiling them to tell the resident’s story.
My inspiration came from taking part in residents reminiscing groups. Although there is immense value in reminiscing. I found photos and pictures evoked stronger memories for some.
My aim was to create a life story book which I named “A walk down memory lane”.
I discovered photos and pictures helped transport a person back to that moment and was key to connecting people with their past.
Each image told a story, and it was amazing how effective this was for recapturing past memories. Memories hold tremendous value for people by bringing back forgotten times with images that may otherwise be a distant memory to them.
The positive feedback was the driving force for me as it has made the whole experience worthwhile.”
Gill shared this work in the Quality Improvement Forum on 10th June 2025.
Creating a skin tear E-kit and instruction card to improve skin tear management
Pei Shan Ng from Camilla House lead and completed a QI project creating a skin tear E-kit and instruction card to improve skin tear management.
The project objective was to improve staff knowledge and accessibility to appropriate dressing products when skin tears occur, prompting the implementation of the skin tear E-Kit.
The E-kit and instruction card was piloted in 8 selected Care Homes under Sanctuary Care with good feedback.
Feedback collected in the trial period showcased the positive impact that the Skin Tear E-Kit has had in the pilot sites.
Quality Improvement Forum (QIF) for Lothian Care Homes
What is QIF?
QIF is an online (microsoft teams) quarterly forum for Care Homes in Lothian to come together to learn about quality improvement while also sharing their stories of quality improvement projects or hearing from invited speakers. It is hosted by NHS Lothians Quality Improvement Team for Care Homes and Primary Care Setting
What does it do?
The forum provides a safe informal space where experiences and information on QI projects, processes and tools can be shared by Care Homes detailing their own projects or by invited speakers.
Although it varies, generally, each session is around an hour and will have 2-3 prearranged speakers who will discuss a project or an aspect of Qi alongside time for discussion and questions.
We are aware people will vary in their level of QI knowledge and everyone is welcome no matter your level of knowledge or experience.
Next session
All sessions of the forum will be advertised on the Latest News section of the website and emailed to members on the mailing list.
Sessions for you – the people working in Care Homes
We aim for the forum to be shaped over time by you, the Care Homes, telling us what you want to use the forum for and what you would find helpful so feedback and suggestions are always welcome; please email the Quality Improvement Team for Care Homes and Primary Care Settings.
Do you have questions, want an invite or want to speak at a forum?
For more information, to join the mailing list, receive an invite to sessions or contribute to future sessions please do not hesistate to email the Quality Improvement Team for Care Homes and Primary Care Settings who host the forum.
Quality Improvement Resources
Whatever your interest in quality improvement is, the following resources will provide you with a wealth of information, including:
- What quality improvement involves
- Resources for carrying out your own quality improvement project
- Seeing the methods we as a quality improvement team may use
- The tools and methods available for quality improvement
Turas
Some links on this webpage may require you to log into TURAS to view content – do not worry anyone can have a TURAS account and you can sign up using the link below.
Care Inspectorate – How we support improvement
It has information on:
- Improvement support section – including a 6 part online course for improving supporting older people to live active healthy lives
- Improvement guidance, advice and resources
- Documents such as – Supporting Improvement it’s Everyone’s Business
Health Care Improvement – ihub
Details on:
- Current projects for improvement within healthcare settings
- Tools and resources made from the above projects – for making specific improvements in certain areas
Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership
Three e-learning modules:
- Definition of Clinical Quality
- Quality Improvement Principles
- Use of Quality Improvement Tools
There is a short certificated self assessment following completion of the modules to test your knowledge.
Lothian Quality Academy – Tools and Resources
It has information on:
- The quality improvement process
- Quality improvement tools
- Examples and videos of quality improvement work
- Quality improvement information for Patient Experience
- Quality Improvement Information for Staff experience
- Online courses you or your staff could do for learning more about quality improvement and undertaking project
NES Quality Improvement Zone
Site run by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) Quality Improvement team. It has information on:
- The quality improvement process
- Quality improvement tools
- Online courses you or your staff could do for learning more about quality improvement and undertaking projects
NES Quality Improvement Zone: Learner Pathways
The QI learner pathways have been designed to offer flexible learning for people working in public services, including health and social care, education, and beyond.
Kickstart QI
Kickstart QI is a single eLearning module to introduce learners to QI; it is open to anyone with a Turas account.
QI Essentials
QI essentials is a series of 4 modules which aims to provide knowledge on core quality improvement methods and tools. This course is for anyone who is or plans to be involved in improvement activity and change in their workplace.
Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
SSSC have produced a quality improvement (QI) learning resource to help you improve the quality of outcomes for people who use services.
The resource includes information on SSSC courses, QI resources and videos demonstrating how QI tools and techniques have supported services in Scotland to improve how they deliver services to the people that matter most.
Page updated July 2025 HS
