Diagnostic Techniques in Pathology

MOD003123

Diagnostic Techniques in Pathology

Tri 1 2023/4

Element 010

Live Brief: NHS Pathology Service

Quality Improvement Project

Instructions

This assessment contains 3 parts. These all need to be added to this template document and submitted as a single submission via Canvas by 2 pm, Friday 3rd November 2023.

The 3 parts are:

SWOT analysis

Business Case

Reflection

SWOT Analysis (10%)

A SWOT analysis is an exercise aimed at understanding the current situation and considering the future implications of a business or service. For this task you will need to consider the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats associated with NHS diagnostic pathology services. You should consider the four key themes of the module learning outcomes of (i) the role of pathology departments and its staff; (ii) quality management; (iii) legal and ethical considerations (including UKAS accreditation); and (iv) result reporting.

The SWOT analysis produced should be inserted into this document.

Business Case (70%)

After completion of the SWOT analysis, you should choose one of the Employer-Partner named opportunities to design a service improvement project that aims to enhance the quality within their NHS diagnostic pathology service.

The aim of a business case is to gain approval for commencement of a project. It needs to provide sufficient detail to allow an authoriser or funder to approve your project and be convinced of its necessity and benefits of its success. Within this template document, the sections of the business case are identified with maximum word limits per section. These word limits not flexible. Appropriate referencing should be used.

You should consider the four key themes of the module learning outcomes of (i) the role of pathology departments and its staff; (ii) quality management; (iii) legal and ethical considerations (including UKAS accreditation); and (iv) result reporting.

Reflection (20%)

Upon completion of the business case activity, you should reflect on the learning experience. This should include consideration of the Live Brief, the completion of the group SWOT analysis and the writing of a business case. There are four questions provided to guide your reflection. The reflection has a word limit of 400 words.

304800875665Insert your SWOT analysis here

00Insert your SWOT analysis here

SWOT Analysis

Business Case

Executive Summary (200 words 10%)

Provide an abstract of the key points of the project, including the issue, the potential solution, and the possible benefits this could lead to.

The majority of the tests being used to diagnose covid 19 are genetics test known as PCR tests. These tests are very accurate because even if there a tiny present of virus in a sample is able to take genetic material form the virus

Background (400 words 20%)

Describe the current situation that this project aims to address.

Options & Approach (500 words 25%)

Highlight the issues with the current approach, stating potential resolutions to improve the current practice. Give a critical review of the options, indicating which approach would be most favourable.

Benefits (150 words 7.5%)

Discuss how the implementation of the approach indicated may improve the service and the wider field.

Risks (150 words 7.5%)

Discuss any potential limitations or risks associated with the project.

Reference List

Appropriate references should be used to evidence the opinions and discussions made in the business case. In text citations and full reference list should be provided using ARU Harvard or Cite Them Right Harvard style referencing.

https://library.aru.ac.uk/referencing/referencing.htmReflection

Describe the learning activity that you undertook (100 words)

Discuss why this learning activity was identified (100 words)

Discuss how undertaking this learning activity may impact on your day-to-day practice

Discuss how undertaking this learning activity may impact on service users (relevant to your own circumstances and/or ambitions)

So I know that there's a particular problem with blood cultures in terms of the turnaround time.

You have a four hour window with the current technology to get the blood from the patient and get it on to that machine, and there's lots of stats from WHO and UKHSA on how that's not happening quick enough and there's issues with false positives, false negatives.

So if you could get that blood sample and throw it on to PCR quicker to see if there's something there, you might have a point of care test on the intensive care unit that is managed by the microbiology service to then start that testing.

She also then has your limitations and Cherie mentioned about, you know, what are the limitations, molecular testing, you need a single piece of DNA in your sample to get a positive result that that infection is present.

And we would never have picked that up in the normal culturing method.

So perhaps we're going to get more positives than we actually need to identify, and perhaps we're gonna get positives that we would never need it to treat.

So there's, you know, the the opposite side of it and something you can think about in your risks that you then need to mitigate.

OK, so I think for this one you wanna see what's out there.

You wanna see how it's applied while at the same time thinking about public health and where the real challenge is?

So we're we're always going back to the patient what's happening in the community.