Improvement doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when we choose to prioritise it; when we make space, ask better questions and give ourselves and others the permission to slow down enough to do it well soniasparkles.com/pictorials/

In improvement work, clarity of language is foundational. When we throw around terms like transformation, innovation, or QI without a shared understanding, we create organisational static Find out more about Sonia Sparkles here: buff.ly/yvqvIfC

Without psychological safety in improvement work, it simply doesn’t stick. You can have the best tools, the smartest people, and the boldest ideas, but if people don’t feel safe to speak up, challenge the norm, or admit when something isn’t working… nothing really changes.

The building blocks to quality improvement that form the roots of most projects. While the tools and techniques on top of them may vary depending on the context, these foundational elements are essential to successful and sustainable improvement:

The prism of judgement:

Brainstorming is a creative thinking process used to create a wide range of ideas, solutions, or approaches to a problem. It encourages free thinking, collaboration, and innovation. Great to tap into creative thinking Read more here: lnkd.in/gHwe8B3s

In a world full of “more more more” What are you going to stop doing? ⏰

Keep on pushing. Discover new things. Grow & nurture yourself. It’s uncomfortable but in time you’ll master it 🦋

Burnout creeps up on you. Take time to recognise it & be disciplined in protecting yourself 🔥

You are not a robot: We all make mistakes, have wobbles, good days & bad days 🤖

Circle of appreciation: You’re doing some amazing things. Don’t forget them. Be proud of yourself.

Had a wonderful day yesterday doing a keynote speech & running a workshop on creativity and joy with NHS Education for Scotland in Glasgow.

The comfort zone:

There’s an insane rush to do more, faster, be busy and expectations to keep up with everything - Do you reflect? - Do you step away? - Do you have breaks? - Do you rest & daydream? - Do you let your mind wander? - Do you ask why? - Do you learn from experiences? - Do you give time to grow?

The hype of keeping busy, rushing around, wasting away & trying to keep up with the social expectations of info consumption is overrated. Slow down & be present where it matters most. 🐢

My pictorial on “What is clinical governance?”

Facts tell stories sell. Spread your learning.

"Working within teams can sometimes be difficult, but it's even harder across organisational boundaries." Our interface improvement learning hub aims to make negotiating those relationships easier. Check out the resources and video guides here: https://buff.ly/49zomsN

How does your leadership style affect your ability to influence change in your teams and the services you are responsible for? This is just one of the questions we explore in more detail in the Culture & Leadership section of our new improvement learning hub. Full video: https://buff.ly/3Bi00XX

A focused checklist with prompts for patient flow

Some simple things that can help improve culture & wellbeing (…some of it!)

Phase 1 of our primary/secondary interface improvement programme is complete. If you'd like to know more about our approach and how it went then watch here vimeo.com/1035273874/0... Huge thanks to @soniasparkles.bsky.social and everyone involved. Onto phase 2...... @nhsconfed.bsky.social

One of my more vibrant pictorials on qualities of a change agent #QI #Qualityimprovement

My #Sketchnote on preventing falls for Yorkshire & Humber public health network #holistic #prevention

You can now check out the @nhsconfed.bsky.social Interface Improvement Hub here. Worth looking at! #InterfaceImprovement www.nhsconfed.org/improving-in...

It’s been great to be part of the @nhsconfed.bsky.social #InterfaceImprovement programme this year. Final session today with presentations from the teams involved and sharing of learning. Great stuff! Thanks to @soniasparkles.bsky.social for your leadership of this programme.

Hi 👋 I doodle & sketch all things healthcare, improvement, leadership & wellbeing related. Joined because I need a place built on kindness. There’ll also be the odd baby post, random thoughts & reflections on life Excited to reconnect with like minded again!