About our ambitions

The NHS has the ambition to provide the best health service in the world: as an organisation covering a quarter of the NHS in England.  Our Cluster has an important contribution to make to support this goal.

The SHA cluster board and PCT cluster Chief Executives across the Midlands and East have agreed five ambitions, which aim to make a difference to patients during 2012/13.

Through these ambitions, the NHS will be working with local organisations, including local authorities and the voluntary sector, to deliver improvements over the next twelve months and beyond, particularly in the area of safeguarding patient safety and enhancing quality.

The five cluster-wide ambitions were agreed at the NHS MIdlands and East board meeting on 24 November 2011.

Avoidable pressure ulcers are a key indicator of the quality of nursing care.  Preventing them happening will improve all care for vulnerable patients.

Significantly improve quality and safety in primary care

Working with GPs to create a definitive set of measures to improve the standard of primary care and prescribing practice

Create a revolution in patient and customer experience

Encouraging participation and shared decision-making with patients and the public to deliver the healthcare services that people want and need   

Make every contact count using every opportunity to deliver brief advice to improve health and wellbeing 

Encouraging all NHS staff to inform and help people make positive lifestyle changes                                                                                                                        

Ensure radically strengthened partnerships between the NHS and local government

Supporting Clinical Commissioning Groups to work closely with local authorities to deliver a health and social care system that works for patients

We cannot achieve the ambitions without the support and work of NHS staff within the region.  Much good practice already exists around the areas of the ambitions, and the ambitions should be seen as the vehicle to drive these forward and to give them a higher profile.  Where good practice exists, the ambitions will not duplicate this.

The ambitions are in line with national policy and other key NHS developments and will support their delivery.  We will endeavour to keep NHS staff and other stakeholders engaged with the ambitions, and provide regular updates on progress.

To find out more about our ambitions, read our Board Papers, or follow the #NHSMEambitions hashtag on Twitter.