Feeling and working better – it starts with you

Vet Times

This article explores how we can nurture wellness and resilience.

Quality improvement Communication and teamwork

Some days, it can seem unrealistic to aim for more than just getting through the day. Research has identified nine components that lead to happy, healthy, productive people at work, helping to consistently deliver high-quality care.

When a vet who was passionate about QI asked for volunteers to get involved, I thought it didn’t apply to me – I thought you’d have to be clinical and full time, and it’s not for us receptionists, but she showed me that there was a role for us. It’s great for teamwork: for the audit team we set up, we try to have a vet, a nurse and a member of reception, so that you get lots of perspectives on the audit itself. It means everybody can understand the whole of the business, and it’s really rewarding for everyone to see that you’ve actually improved on something. If you can do a job that’s easier than how you were doing it before, and achieve a better result, that’s ultimately going to have an impact on your health and wellbeing.”
Jo Civil, Lead Receptionist and QI Officer, 387 Veterinary Centre

What this article covers

The sixth article in the series focusses on how all of us can help nurture wellness and resilience in ourselves and each other. It demonstrates the shared principles of the Joy in Work framework and quality improvement (QI) approach to problem solving, and how any team member can use QI to make things better. The article covers:

the connections between quality improvement and improved workplace wellbeing
demonstrates the varied roles in the veterinary team undertaking improvement activities
the practical steps that can be taken to encourage whole team involvement.

Read the full article on Vet Times

Further resources

Workplace wellbeing

Hayley Potter from Old Golf House Vet Group, part of the CVS Group of practices, introduced a ‘What Matters to You?’ initiative to improve workplace wellbeing with Joy in Work resources used to aid the change. The introduction of wellbeing meetings brought about several interventions to help boost morale and Net Promoter Score (NPS) score.

Quality improvement: too important to be left to just the vets

This session, led by Pam Mosedale, explores the role of practice managers, nurses and the reception team in ensuring Quality Improvement is properly understood and embedded throughout the whole practice team. The session was recorded at SPVS-VMG Virtual Congress in May 2021.

How the reception team can get involved in quality improvement

Listen to Pam Mosedale, QI Clinical Lead, chat to Jo Civil about her role as a veterinary receptionist and Quality Improvement Officer within practice. This podcast was recorded for the QI Boxset – Series 1: Episode 2: Getting started with quality improvement.

Getting your team on board to deliver quality improvement

Shobhan Thakore, who was Clinical Lead for the Scottish Quality and Safety Fellowship Programme at the time of recording, gives an approachable and personal perspective on how to get your team on board to deliver quality improvement. This presentation was an Adapt, Improve, Achieve session by RCVS Knowledge recorded at SPVS-VMG Congress 2020 in Newport as part of the quality improvement stream.