Quality Improvement Programme (QIP)

Pinnacle engaged StayWell as an external evaluator for year one of the quality improvement programme. Staywell interviewed 10 deidentified practice teams then developed a survey for all practice staff to answer that provided information around the current programme and the way forward for Pinnacle.

The evaluation provides evidence that year one of the new QIP was successfully implemented within most practices and achieved the initial goal of increasing practice QI skills and knowledge. As with any new programme implementation, it is important to understand what worked and where there were areas for improvement. 

Linked below is the Evaluation of QIP practice summary report with the recommendations made by StayWell. 

We will be working through the recommendations over the next twelve months including:

• adjusting the training available to practices to be more tailored
• simplifying the documentation at a practice level (such as reporting requirements)
• working internally to improve the data provided to practices in the Power BI dashboards 
• starting some ways of sharing learnings – starting once the final reports are in from practices.

QI looks at systems and processes through a cycle of improvement, which includes problem identification, planning and testing ideas, data collection and analysis, and measurement of change. 

Tools are used to support practices to problem solve and access data. This includes PDSA cycles (plan, do, study, act) which many will be familiar with, and tools such as Power BI to access the data and for simple measurement.

One of the recommendations of the evaluation was to consolidate on the current programme. For this reason, we are continuing with the current programme for another twelve months giving practices time to embed the programme. PDSA cycles are being extended to every six months.  

This means practices will be asked to complete two indicators.

1. Childhood immunisation remains compulsory for practices. 
2. Second clinical indicator.

For the second clinical indicator, practices will have the following options.

1. Continue with the same clinical indicator from 2024/25 and building on this. This gives practices the opportunity to sustain the gains made this year, or build or scale up on your change ideas.
2. If your practice has exhausted all change ideas associated with the existing clinical indicator and measured that change with an equity focus, there is the opportunity to choose one of the other clinical indicators. Please talk to your development manager if you are looking at this option.   

PDSA cycles are increased to six monthly. Practices are required to report by:

• 30 June 2026.

The Quality Improvement Programme (Year 2) is now into the third quarter. Improvements were made to the programme after the external evaluation in 2025. One of these improvements related to practice reporting. These included easier reporting for practices through using a Microsoft form and reporting less often.   

Six monthly reporting identified the following change ideas that were put through PDSA cycles.

Development managers leading the programme in each region. These people are your first line of contact around the QI Programme.