News & Updates
The Inspirational Miracle of Service User, Carer and Staff Co-production: a journey never taken before
19 October 2020
By Craig, Susannah and Upma Satwinder, also involved in the training, has composed the following poem which encapsulates the co-production experience. Empowering one another today, we come together, we care and listen from voices shared in this virtual space Learning from different journeys that have led us here, together, we respect and value all… Read More

Making QI a way of being
26 February 2020
In October 2019, Craig Donohoe, a QI Coach and Service User, aptly summarised the sentiment that was being echoed from different parts of the organisation – “QI should be a way of being” The way we do quality improvement work at ELFT has been expanding to include everyday improvement activities that happen outside of formal… Read More

An open letter from Saxonnorse Roman to ELFT
20 September 2019
Saxonnorse Roman is a Service User on Limehouse ward and he is on the project team for “Lets talk about Sex”. Saxonnorse wrote an open letter to the Trust, patients, service users, carers and staff about what his involvement in this project was and his experience as a Service User at ELFT.

People Participation
20 September 2019
Jamie Stafford, Improvement Advisor, discusses what we have done at ELFT to encourage and further service users and carers participation in QI projects. Within our organisation we’ve spent much of the last year thinking about service users and carer participation in QI projects. We have learnt that when this is ‘done right’ it can have… Read More

People Participation at Wave 9 ILP
20 September 2019
On the 10th of September 150 ELFT staff members, service users and carers began Wave 9 of the Improvement Leaders Programme. The programme is a fantastic opportunity for learning about quality improvement and applying the method to solve real-life complex quality issues. People Participation in QI has been shown to be a major influence on… Read More

Congratulations to our award winning quality conference presenters!
20 August 2019
In August a group of ELFT service users and carers received the Chair’s Award at the 2019 People Participations Awards in Luton. The team worked together to develop the theme and content of this year’s conference, including the presentation of a plenary session, and workshop for external guests. You can find highlights from the event… Read More

Improving People Participation in QI – a trust-wide initiative
24 September 2018
In this blog, Improvement Advisor Jamie Stafford describes the initiative launched by ELFT to maximise people participation across the organisation. In the four years I’ve been involved in QI project teams, it’s been very apparent that we’ve made our most transformative and meaningful improvements when project teams have included staff, service users and carers. Not… Read More

Service user ownership: lifestyle improvement project on Woodberry Ward
24 May 2018
Learn more about how service users take the lead in this lifestyle improvement project in the video below. introduction by Courtenay Gilchriest, Support Staff. The Lifestyle Improvement Project was introduced on Woodberry Ward (a low secure rehabilitation unit), to tackle the day-to-day physical health challenges and sedentary behaviours that arise within an inpatient setting. From day… Read More

Big I involvement: the challenges of people participation
18 May 2018
In this blog, People Participation Lead Su Goulding shares her thoughts on the challenges of getting people involved in QI projects. I am the People Participation Lead (PPL) for Tower Hamlets Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Adult Community Learning Disability Service. Over the past two years I’ve been involved in engaging those who… Read More

Co-producing Quality Improvement with Service Users in Tower Hamlets
18 May 2018
Learn about the benefits of service user involvement in this blog written by service users and staff working at the Isle of Dogs QI team, with the supervision of Francisco Frasquilho (Coach and Improvement Advisor supporting Reshaping Community Services) and Emma Binley (Improvement Advisor supporting Reshaping Community Services). “If you look at history, innovation doesn’t… Read More

Improving Support to Informal Carers in Community Health Newham
16 May 2018
Thana Narashiman, QI Communications Assistant interviewed Anthony Edwards, an Occupational Therapist (OT) working at ELFT and also a full-time carer to his late wife. The interview is based on Anthony’s incisive report which exposed the gaps in provision of care and support provided by various services. This resulted in a QI project in the Community… Read More

Working Together on the Triple Aim
25 April 2018
At the 2018 Quality Conference we unveiled our illustration on the Triple Aim at ELFT. Working on the Triple Aim is a key part of the Trust’s new strategy to improve the quality of life for all we serve. The ideas for this illustration were inspired by staff, service users and carers at a half day workshop… Read More

QI Project Story: Bridging the Bedford Gap
7 March 2018
Read about how the team overcame challenges and are celebrating achievements in this blog by Felicity Stocker, Satwinder Kaur, James Patrick, Kamila Naseova, Kay Sookun and Evri Anagnostara. The Bridging the Bedford Gap project aims to raise awareness of the Bedfordshire (and Luton) Recovery College (RC), and improving access to it. It aims to encourage diversity, promoting People Participation… Read More

Introducing our Service User and Carer QI Project Meeting Role Plays
13 October 2017
In the lead up to the 2017 annual quality conference some of our service users and carers came together to plan an hour long conference breakout session. They developed a session that included information on getting involved with People Participation at ELFT. Also looking at opportunities, benefits and barriers for service users and carers involved… Read More

A Carers’ Perspective on Quality Improvement: A personal story
6 September 2017
Thana, QI Communications Assistant, interviewed Zhenreenah; a carer and expert by experience client in August 2017, about her abundant passion and energy for engaging with QI Projects at the Trust. She shared her expert advice in this personal story. Zhenreenah Carer | Expert by Experience (Pictured with ELFT CEO Dr Navina Evans at the People… Read More

Service User Perspective: Barriers to Engagement with QI Projects
1 September 2017
Thana Narashiman , QI Communications Assistant, interviewed Tony Fulham; service user in July 2017, about his personal journey and barriers to engaging with QI Projects at the Trust and offered his advice. Please share with us some barriers you faced to getting involved in Quality Improvement (QI) Projects? I believe the biggest barrier to engaging… Read More

Improving BME service user experience
26 May 2017
A new patient experience project is underway on Ruth Seifert Ward, City and Hackney On Thursday 25th May, the project team on Ruth Seifert Ward , developed the measurement plan and driver diagram for the team’s new project on improving service user experience. The team have already conducted interviews with service users and discussed the… Read More

The Grand Unveiling of Newham’s QI Wall
3 May 2017
On the 26th April 2017 our Trust Chair, Marie Gabriel joined service users, carers , staff and international visitors for the unveiling of Newham’s Quality Improvement wall. Over the last few months ELFT service users, carers and staff have been working together with Jonny Glover, a local artist, to create a QI visibility wall at Newham… Read More

What do your Service Users really think?
4 May 2016
We all know how important getting feedback on the impact of change ideas from our service users and their carers is! But getting this in a systematic and reliable way can sometimes be pretty difficult! Well, now there is a way for teams to add additional questions (2 maximum) to their patient feedback hardware (tablets… Read More
Stella and Syeda Meet the Carers!
3 March 2016
Stella and Syeda are involved in a QI project to improve and increase Service User and Carer Involvement in Tower Hamlets QI projects “With all the excellent QI work going on to improve services for patients/service users, we mustn’t forget a very important and hardworking group of people – the carers. Carers are often an… Read More