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Improving outpatient services

 The four "Ps" that spell the best care the NHS can oer

"I tell colleagues that outpatients is one of our main front doors and is often the only

part of the Trust that patients and visitors get to see – so it is vitally important these

services are right and we give a good impression"

Helen Tees! roup #anager responsible for outpatient services! spea$s passionately

about the wor$ she and many other colleagues have done to move outpatient

services into the new hospital

%or her! it is very much a case of good things come to those who wait She tells the

story about how! when she &rst came to the 'ueen (li)abeth Hospital in the mid*

+,-.s! her /ob description included the tas$ of preparing plans for outpatient

services in a new hospital Now! the plan 0not the same one12 has become a reality

She says3 "People were an4ious about the big changes of the new hospital

However! many people gained e4perience during the hospital moves of the +,,.s of 

outpatient services sometimes moving into sub*optimal conditions

"%or the &rst time we moved into one purpose*built space that optimises patient

e4perience and care The move process was very e4citing! we completed a huge

amount of wor$ to ma$e it happen"

 The person who led the challenge of preparing outpatient services for the new

hospital was 5onsultant 6ascular Surgeon #r 7a/iv 6ohra! one of si4 associate

divisional directors 0899s2 who were responsible for $ey areas of clinical redesign

He coined four "Ps" that de&ne world*class outpatient services3

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Pleasant

Polite

Privacy

Professional

#r 6ohra said3 "The four Ps de&ne the approach we ta$e to our relationship with

patients They are the principles on which we laid down the foundations of the

future delivery of outpatient care"

He says the four Ps act as a chec$ list for the ma/or pro/ects! many of them

interlin$ing! that have and will run over all move phases

%or many specialties the ma/or dierence has been that outpatient areas are

grouped in one area! rather than dotted about around the hospital

7a/iv 6ohra says this has brought with it big bene&ts and! at the same time! a

number of challenges "The way specialty clinics &t together and wor$ with related

services! such as diagnostics! has been crucial :e are now able to utilise

aggregations of allied specialties with ;one*stop; services and ;rapid assessment;

clinics that are a central part of outpatient care

"This is a win*win situation Patients get

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"5reating a system that simpli&ed these information >ows! whilst maintaining a

focus on the

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etting here

Information about travelling to! staying at and getting around the hospital