East Midlands Patient Safety Collaborative is recruiting for two Senior Improvement Leads. In this blog former lead, Tracey Jackman shares her experience of the role and gives insight into the opportunities available.

To find out more about this position and how to apply, visit our webpage.

My background

I am Tracey Jackman, and I am the Deputy Head of Patient Safety at EMAHSN. I joined EMAHSN in 2020 and since then I have been appointed Deputy Head of Patient Safety.

I qualified as a Physiotherapist in 1993 and have worked in a range of clinical and leadership roles since. As someone who is motivated by leading change and improving the quality and safety of services, I enjoy working at the EMAHSN.

This blog reflects on my previous role as a Senior Improvement Lead (SIL), what it's like working for the EMAHSN and the opportunities it provides.

Why I enjoy working for EMAHSN

There are many things I enjoy about working in the EMAHSN. One of these is the wide diversity of experience, knowledge, and skill held within the organisation. The EMAHSN works across health and social care, industry, and academia, and brings together a wealth of clinical, care, academic and commercial insight together. I enjoy seeing this diversity of experience, skill and knowledge come together to discover solutions, unlock innovation, and enable change.

Being a Senior Improvement Lead (SIL)

As SIL for the Managing Deterioration Safety Improvement Programme, I worked across health and social care to enhance safe, co-ordinated care, quality improvement and patient safety culture. The main aim of the programme was to optimise patient safety and outcomes while reducing deterioration-associated harm.

My work was varied, and I enjoyed having a clear focus on patient safety, interactions with multiple stakeholders, supporting quality improvement and enabling care providers to trial proven innovations. The role was both strategic and enabling, giving the opportunity to support staff and system leaders, who were often balancing multiple priorities and demands.

Some of the work I was involved in, with other PSC colleagues included:

• Roll-out of Covid Oximetry at Home and Virtual wards.
• Set up of Safety Networks – Care Home and Managing Deterioration.
• Provision of Regional Learning Webinars.
• Support of East Midlands sites to participate in a national study regarding the safe management of deterioration in children.
• Safety culture assessments and safety interventions - care homes.
• Carrying out a regional survey regarding use of deteriorating management tools - to inform locality planning.
• Supporting implementation and evaluation of quality improvements.
• Networking and building strategic alignments.

In undertaking this work it enabled me to use my skills to bring people together and influence change for the good of patients, residents, and staff.

I also enjoy being part of the EMPSC team. I joined during the Covid-19 pandemic and deeply appreciated being part of a team who were committed to the work, welcoming, supportive, and kind. Despite working virtually, the team continued to work hard, strive for the best, show care, and have fun together.

Current SIL opportunities (fixed term or secondment)

1. Managing Deterioration to March 2023
2. Managing Deterioration: Learning Disabilities - This role is project based: October 2021-March 2022.

Whatever your clinical or health leadership background, these roles will provide fantastic opportunities to use and develop skills and knowledge in patient safety, system leadership and quality improvement.

If you are interested in this work and it sounds like a team you would like to be part of, thenThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. We are happy to answer your questions and provide further information about the role, to inform your application.

For additional information regarding the work of the EMAHSN and EMPSC you can also take a look at our website