Campaign achieves aim of saving 1000 lives

The “1000 Lives Campaign”, which aimed to improve patient safety and increase the quality of healthcare across Wales, has published its final figures. It is estimated that some 1,199 additional lives have been saved by NHS staff in Wales during its two years (April 2008-April 2010). Campaign director, Dr Alan Willson, said: “NHS staff save lives every day. The 1000 Lives Campaign has helped save more. Over the two years, we have seen staff at all levels, across all sectors – both clinical and non-clinical – committed to improving the quality of care their patients receive.” The campaign has used a new measurement tool which has enabled organisations to identify where harm occurs. This represents the first time harm has been measured on a national level and is to be the subject of a major four year research study. “Our final figures indicate that 50,000 episodes of harm have been prevented, but we are aware that the methodology needs further work in order to provide a greater degree of confidence,” said Dr Willson. “It is important that we are able to measure when, and where, harm takes place. The work undertaken by organisations through the campaign provides the basis for ongoing work to reduce harm in Welsh healthcare.”

Changing culture

Dr Willson explained that one of the biggest challenges, initially, was to deliver a culture change that would ensure improving patient safety became the norm for everyone in NHS Wales. Key to this was to empower frontline staff to make small changes that would improve patient care. “Frontline staff have been able to implement small changes such as improved hand washing, listening to patients needs and spending more time at the bedside, that have made a big difference to care,” he commented. Significant developments delivered by staff have included the introduction of care bundles to reduce central line infections and ventilator-associated pneumonias in critical care wards, improved hand hygiene leading to a reduction in infections and action to reduce pressure ulcers, with some wards going more than a year without a case.