Lean principles

Lean working principles have enabled Airedale General Hospital cut referal to diagnosis times for suspected bowel cancer patients.

Developed by staff at Airedale NHS Trust, the project saw the Lean Healthcare Academy, based at Airedale General Hospital, West Yorkshire, working with its founding partner, The Virtual College in Ilkley, to streamline the process and implement a new leaner pathway.

The Colorectal Cancer Fast Track Pathway was mapped out and redesigned in one week.

The team met on a Monday morning and were presented with a blank canvas. By Tuesday they had charted and summerised the patient's journey, identifying the actions and issues that needed to be rectified, along with an accountable person and a timescale for which each action was to be completed.

By Friday the new pathway was presented to Airedale General Hospital chief executive Adam Cairns, assistant medical director Maggie Helliwell and director of nursing Bridget Fletcher.

The maximum time span for referral to diagnosis has been halved from 81 days to 41 days, although the hospital says that, in reality, refferal to diagnosis is down from a typical 34 days to just 14.

Jessica Isherwood, Airedale General Hospital's head of organisational development, with current responsibility for the coordination of the Lean projects explains: 'There was a real sense of pride at what had been achieved in the space of an otherwise normal working week, coupled with the fact that most individuals and departments involved gave thier wholehearted support and help in progressing the initiative.

'Has the project fundamentally solved every problem - no, but it has definitely intriduced major improvements to pathway and the treatment of fast track colorectal patinets.'

For more information visit www.leanhealthcareacademy.co.uk