Doing it by yourself

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety
• Organizational Change

Background:

• The Department of Health (DoH) emphasizes the need for motivated, self-aware, and collaborative leaders in healthcare.
• Self-medication practices involve all professional groups within the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust, in partnership with pharmacy departments.
• Ensuring high-quality service delivery to users is a primary goal in health and social sectors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To improve the quality of service delivery to users through enhanced self-medication practices.
• To ensure timely medication for patients and reduce hospital discharge delays.
• To assess and manage the process of change associated with implementing new self-medication protocols.

Main Methods:

• Integrating self-medication assessment into all stages of a service user's stay, including transfers between care settings.
• Developing and implementing staff training programs to prepare healthcare professionals for the change.
• Utilizing experiential learning, reflection, and knowledge transfer for change management.

Main Results:

• The project aims to improve medication adherence and reduce hospital discharge delays, though direct demonstration may be challenging.
• The project team acted as change agents, adapting their styles and working collaboratively.
• The project experienced delays and increased workload due to a merger, extending its timeline to March 2004.

Conclusions:

• The implementation of self-medication requires strong leadership, staff readiness, and effective change management strategies.
• Despite meticulous planning, external factors can disrupt project implementation.
• The project provided valuable opportunities for personal growth, enhanced self-awareness, and professional development for the team.