Gold Level: Improvement Coach
The Gold Improvement Coach programme is designed to develop a network of staff across the Trust with a combination of QI and coaching skills who can help to embed and support local Quality Improvement Activities.
The Gold Improvement Coach Programme
Quality Improvement is about making a real difference, directly or indirectly to patient care. It’s not about finding new clinical approaches (research) but about improving our own systems and processes to make them more patient focused, efficient, timely or relevant to the latest clinical guidelines.
The role of the Gold QI coach will help to support Improvers at a local level to help ensure the success of their Improvement work. The role will also work within the Specialty to ensure that the improvement efforts are focused on the areas that are most needed so that limited resource is appropriately directed.
The Gold programme will also enable you to learn new skills or fine tune and use existing ones. It also provides an opportunity to become part of the wider Gloucestershire Safety & Quality Improvement Academy and be a member of the Gold Improvement Coach Network.
The programme consists of an introductory session plus 8 modules and a debrief session. There will also be Gold Coaching Practice Reflective Review Sessions (formerly Continuing Development Sessions) to support you as a Gold Coach and you will need to attend a minimum of 1 per year.
Upcoming Programmes
Our 10th cohort commenced in September 2024. Programme dates can be viewed here. Dates for the March 2025 cohort will be released in the New Year. Please contact ghn-tr.gsqia@nhs.net to be placed on the waiting list.
Application to be an Improvement Coach
You must obtain support from your manager and commit to attend all of the dates. This is more than a training programme. By taking part you are committing to an active role as a Gold Improvement Coach in your speciality/area.
You can access the Gold Improvement Coach SharePoint site where you can find all course materials, interactive discussion boards, the workbook for completion and ongoing reflective practice sheets to continue your reflective practice beyond the Gold programme. You will also find other reading materials and information available. If you have any feedback for how to improve this site please email ghn-tr.gsqia@nhs.net.
Q Community
Q is an initiative connecting people with improvement expertise across the UK, led by the Health Foundation and supported and co-funded by NHS Improvement.
Q’s mission is to foster continuous and sustainable improvement in health and care. We’re creating opportunities for people to come together as an improvement community – sharing ideas, enhancing skills and collaborating to make health and care better.
A list of Trust staff who are members of the Q can be found in the Q directory.
View our Gold Improvement Coaches
Qualified Gold coaches in our Trust are:
| Andrea Beech, oral & maxillofacial |
| John Boyes, microbiology |
| Margaret Collins, nutrition support team |
| Suzie Cro, deputy director of quality |
| Tracey Cullerne, oncology |
| Dr. Chris Custard, acute medicine |
| Jo Daubeney, maternity |
| Catrin Davies |
| Natasha Davy |
| Deborah Elliott, critical care, pain |
| Lizzie Hemlock, policy systems |
| Kate Horton, neonates |
| Matthew Little, divisional quality officer (medicine) |
| Dr. Helen Mansfield, emergency medicine |
| Rebecca Mustow, pharmacy |
| Rebecca Offord, critical care, pain and vascular access services |
| Adele Pugh, women & children |
| Lisa Riddington, library and knowledge services |
| Dr. Charlie Sharp, respiratory medicine |
| Emma-Jane Smith |
| Zara Strinati, oncology |
| Dr. Hilly Webb-Peploe, clinical psychology |