A quality improvement project to improve handover in the integrated assessment liaison team

BackgroundEfficient handovers are integral to patient care. Challenges to handover for liaison psychiatry included high patient and staff turnover and varied handover approaches across the multidisciplinary team (MDT).MethodMDT focus groups and questionnaires explored change ideas. PDSA cycles were used to design a structured handover.We aimed to:Reduce handover time to 30 minutes.Improve communication using the SBAR tool.Implement a multidisciplinary teaching schedule in the time saved.Daily measures:Handover timingTeam Satisfaction (Individuals ranked handover as ‘good’, ‘average’, or ‘poor’)Weekly measures:Semi-qualitative questionnaires triangulated areas for improvement.Emails, posters and team meetings provided team feedback regarding QI progress.ResultA structured twice-daily handover format incorporating SBAR, allocated handover coordinators and documentation was created. Weekly MDT teaching sessions were developed.Over 4 weeks, ‘good’ handover ratings increased from 22% to 65%; ‘poor’ ratings decreased from 25% to 8%. Mean handover time decreased from 37 minutes to 28.5.The team viewed SBAR as a positive efficiency-promoting tool. MDT teaching improved team communication and confidence. Documentation is an area to improve.ConclusionStructured handover has promoted efficiency and effective information-sharing amongst the liaison psychiatry team.Interdisciplinary teaching can promote inclusive team feeling and encourage confidence across the MDT.