Example 3 - Co-production in the new Breast Care Unit design
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What the team said about their success:
Michelle Ellitts requested patient and public involvement in the development of the new Breast Care Unit at County Hospital. Following a discussion, we agreed on a phased approach: first gathering feedback on the existing unit and proposed plans for the new unit, and later seeking final input once the new unit was nearing completion. This approach enabled patients to share what worked well and what could be improved in the current unit, contribute ideas for the new design, and ultimately see how their feedback shaped the finished environment and make any final tweaks before the unit officially opened.
To ensure a broad range of perspectives, we engaged patients and members of the public through the Hospital User Group and local community organisations, including ‘Too Young to Pause’ and the Thomas Pocklington Trust ‘Sight Loss Council’. This ensured we captured insights not only from those who have used Breast Care Services before, but also from individuals with accessibility needs that we must be aware of. We conducted several visits to the existing unit to gather detailed feedback on patient experience, then sat down together to review the plans for the new unit over a cup of tea. In the months that followed, we toured the new unit, providing further feedback.
This project has ensured that the patient and public voice has been central to improving Breast Care Services. Insights gathered have informed enhancements both in the interim use of the “old” unit and in the design of the new unit. As a result, the new Breast Care Unit has been shaped to provide a calm, welcoming, clean, and supportive environment for patients that is accessible for all.
The feedback from those involved in the project has been overwhelmingly positive. Participants found it interesting to explore the units, rewarding to contribute to meaningful improvements, and especially valuable to be part of the entire process from start to finish. Michelle also highlighted that the involvement of patients and local people has been invaluable in ensuring the unit is designed to meet the needs of the community.
Why they chose to focus on this:
Patient and public involvement in the development of the Breast Care Unit was invaluable to ensure that it met the needs of the patients who would be using. Getting patients involved at the start of the project meant that they were involved in the whole process and we could make meaningful changes based off their input.
What did they do? When, where and for how long?
We took a 3 step approach: first gathering feedback on the existing unit and proposed plans for the new unit, and later seeking final input once the new unit was nearing completion. This approach enabled patients to share what worked well and what could be improved in the current unit, contribute ideas for the new design, and ultimately see how their feedback shaped the finished environment and make any final tweaks before the unit officially opened.
How did you engage with the team and service users?
To ensure a broad range of perspectives, we engaged patients and members of the public through the Hospital User Group and local community organisations, including ‘Too Young to Pause’ and the Thomas Pocklington Trust ‘Sight Loss Council’. This ensured we captured insights not only from those who have used Breast Care Services before, but also from individuals with accessibility needs that we must be aware of. We conducted several visits to the existing unit to gather detailed feedback on patient experience, then sat down together to review the plans for the new unit over a cup of tea. In the months that followed, we toured the new unit, providing further feedback.
What impact did you have? How did you know change was an improvement?
This project has ensured that the patient and public voice has been central to improving Breast Care Services. Insights gathered have informed enhancements both in the interim use of the “old” unit and in the design of the new unit. As a result, the new Breast Care Unit has been shaped to provide a calm, welcoming, clean, and supportive environment for patients that is accessible for all.
The feedback from those involved in the project has been overwhelmingly positive. Participants found it interesting to explore the units, rewarding to contribute to meaningful improvements, and especially valuable to be part of the entire process from start to finish. Michelle also highlighted that the involvement of patients and local people has been invaluable in ensuring the unit is designed to meet the needs of the community.
What was your key learning? Next Steps, plan to roll out more widely?
The learning was how important it is to involve patients and the public in the development of services from the start, rather than inviting them to comment at the end. It also helped to develop strong relationships with patients and the public as they were able to see their feedback being used. so they will be interested in supporting us again. We will share this learning and implement it into further projects.
What the team said about their success:
One of the most impactful initiatives I led as a Ward Manager was the implementation of the "5 Patients, 5 Questions" audit tool, originally developed by Tracy Mellor during her time as a Ward Sister. I introduced the audit on my ward to better understand the patient experience. By speaking directly with patients and asking a series of simple questions, we gained valuable insight into the effectiveness of our communication and engagement practices.
The results were both surprising and concerning. The audit revealed that 93% of patients did not know the name of the staff member responsible for their care. This highlighted a significant gap between our intentions as healthcare professionals and the experience of our patients.
Rather than viewing this as a negative finding, I saw it as an opportunity to drive improvement. I shared the results with the ward team and used the data to initiate conversations about the importance of introductions, patient engagement, and person-centred care. We reinforced the principles of the #HelloMyNameIs campaign, encouraged staff to clearly introduce themselves at every interaction, and embedded discussions about patient communication into safety huddles and team meetings. The initiative was inspired by the late Dr Kate Granger's #HelloMyNameIs campaign, which highlighted the importance of healthcare professionals introducing themselves to patients and creating meaningful human connections.
As a result, staff awareness increased, communication improved, and patients reported feeling more informed about who was caring for them. The initiative helped foster a culture where compassionate communication was recognised as being just as important as clinical care.
This project demonstrated how a simple audit can uncover important insights and drive meaningful change. It also reinforced my belief that listening to patients and using evidence to inform practice are essential components of effective leadership and continuous improvement.