Improving UK Tracheostomy Care

Safer, better care

Reducing costs

Interim results

2018

Current care

Global Tracheostomy Collaborative sites 

Safety

Preventable harm in 30% of cases

Education, equipment, training

Poorly thought out care

Inadequate responses

Significant reduction in harm

Delays, readmissions and harm contribute to the costs of care

ICU bed around £2,000 per day

£3.2 million  

Projected saving on ICU length of stay reduction alone (based on 2,000 patients)

Cost of care

Hospital stay

Un-coordinated care

Lack of multidisciplinary teams

Unclear / competing pathways

Silo working 

Early results from 1,241 patients: significantly reduced hospital stay

Eating & drinking

Communication

Delays in starting oral intake

Lack of ICU Speech & Language Therapists (SLTs)

Under-used FEES endoscopic assessment  & fear of feeding trials

100% SLT on ICU

More patients seen within 48hrs

by SLT

Faster first oral intake

Increased use of FEES

Delays in vocalisation attempts

Fear of cuff deflation

Under-used 'Speaking Valves'

Under-used alternative techniques

Significantly earlier vocalisation

New techniques ('ACV') used in ICU

Part of a global community of healthcare providers, patients and their families

20 sites

1100

patients:

what to improve

1200 staff:

how to improve

Improving Tracheostomy Care

Our research

Our methods

Rapidly implement global best practices

Over 2,000 patient episodes:

Evaluate, compare

learn

NCEPOD 2014 On the right Track? www.ncepod.org.uk

McGrath et al. Evaluating the impact.... https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/6/1/bmjqir.u220636.w7996

Thomas & McGrath. Patient safety incidents associated with the airway... https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2044.2008.05784.x

Global Tracheostomy Collaborative reports www.globaltrach.org

Data sources

www.tracheostomy.org.uk