Using the Care Excellence Framework to benchmark and improve patient care
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Using the Care Excellence Framework to benchmark and improve patient care

Trish Rowson Director of nursing, Quality and safety, Department of Nursing, Royal Stoke University Hospital, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, Stoke-on-Trent, England
Wilfred McSherry Professor in nursing, Department of Nursing, School of Health and Social Care, Staffordshire University, England, and University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, England, and professor, VID Vitenskapelige Høgskole, Bergen, Norway

Quality is complex and difficult to define, and institutions and organisations often have their own definitions, measurements and assurance processes. The Care Excellence Framework (CEF), developed and used at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, is a unique, integrated framework of measurement, clinical observation, patient and staff interviews and benchmarking. It also has an internal accreditation system that provides assurance from ward to board based on the five Care Quality Commission (CQC) domains and reflects CQC standards. The CEF has been established in its existing form since autumn 2016 and has been used in all areas of the organisation. This article provides an overview of the development and use of the CEF in an acute care setting, demonstrates how the framework acts as an internal accreditation system, and shows how it can encourage staff to undertake effective change and transform care from ordinary to excellent.

Nursing Management. doi: 10.7748/nm.2018.e1710

Citation

Rowson T, McSherry W (2018) Using the Care Excellence Framework to benchmark and improve patient care. Nursing Management. doi: 10.7748/nm.2018.e1710

Peer review

This article has been subject to open peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

Correspondence

trish.rowson@uhnm.nhs.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Published online: 04 July 2018

Want to read more?

RCNi-Plus
Already have access? Log in

or

3-month trial offer for £5.25/month

Subscribe today and save 50% on your first three months
RCNi Plus users have full access to the following benefits:
  • Unlimited access to all 10 RCNi Journals
  • RCNi Learning featuring over 175 modules to easily earn CPD time
  • NMC-compliant RCNi Revalidation Portfolio to stay on track with your progress
  • Personalised newsletters tailored to your interests
  • A customisable dashboard with over 200 topics
Subscribe

Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now


Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more