‘Perfect Week’ launches to improve patient care and reduce delays

From Monday 28 September, Guy's and St Thomas' is running a Trust-wide ‘Perfect Week’ to help improve patient care and reduce unnecessary delays across our hospitals.

The initiative will bring together teams from across the Trust to focus on improving the flow of patients through our hospitals and helping them go home as soon as it is safe to do so.

Perfect Weeks are used by NHS organisations across the country to make rapid improvements in areas where change is needed. During the week, staff will be encouraged to escalate any issues that can delay patients going home and to test new ways of working that could lead to lasting improvements in care.  

Patients, families and carers can play an important role by helping us to plan their discharge as early as possible. This could include discussing any support they may needed at home and planning how they will travel home when they are ready to leave hospital.

Emma Gadsby, Director of Site Operations, said:

"The Perfect Week is an opportunity for us to focus on making improvements that will have a real impact on our patients. No one wants to wait too long in our emergency department or too long on our wards to go home.

“Our teams will be making sure we embed our 'flow principles' – that patients in our emergency department are reviewed by specialists as early as possible and discharge planning starts as soon as patients are admitted, or even earlier for planned procedures.

By improving how our services work together and with our patients and families, we can improve patients' experience of care and make sure our hospital beds are available for those who need them most.

The Trust is launching the Perfect Week after one of its busiest summers on record and as it is preparing for the additional demands that winter and flu season can bring.

Patients and the public can also help by remembering that our emergency department is for serious injuries and life-threatening emergencies. We have one of the busiest emergency departments (A&E) in the country, so it's important to choose the right NHS service for you.

NHS 111, pharmacies, GP practices and urgent treatment centres can provide expert advice, assessment and treatment for many health concerns, helping you access the most appropriate care as quickly as possible.

Visit our staying in hospital section to help you plan for going home.

Read more about why leaving hospital as soon as it’s safe is so important.