Charing Cross Hospital attains prestigious Pathway to Excellence designation for nursing excellence
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has been awarded the distinguished Pathway to Excellence designation for nursing at its Charing Cross Hospital site.This achievement marks Charing Cross as the first acute hospital in London, and the first within the Shelford Group (a collaboration of ten leading teaching and research NHS hospital trusts in England), to receive this recognition.
Employing over 1,000 registered nurses, Charing Cross is also the largest hospital in the UK to achieve Pathway to Excellence designation, with response rates and results in its final accreditation nurse survey much higher than average. The nurse survey assesses how efforts by the hospital to build a positive practice environment are viewed by nurses working there.
Pathway to Excellence is an international programme to recognise hospitals which demonstrate a commitment to creating a positive practice environment where nurses excel. A rigorous, 12-month assessment by the American Nurses Credentialing Centre considers working culture and practices, staff engagement and the commitment of nursing leaders to investing in and developing their staff.
Successful accreditation focuses on six essential nursing standards central to ensuring a positive practice environment: shared decision-making, leadership, quality, safety, wellbeing, and professional development.
Work to achieve this status at Charing Cross has included the introduction of shared-decision councils, which have helped staff make improvements in their work areas and have a greater role in decision-making across the Trust. The scheme has also helped to embed a renewed focus on staff wellbeing by building a culture of recognition and professional development into day-to-day working.
With Charing Cross the first hospital in the Trust to pursue Pathway to Excellence designation, the focus is now on involving nurses and midwives in the Trust’s other hospitals to extend the approach and accreditation.
Chief executive, Professor Tim Orchard, said: "This recognition is testament to the extraordinary dedication, skill and compassion of our nursing staff. This milestone not only highlights the great work that has been happening at Charing Cross to allow our nurses to excel, it sets out a roadmap for sharing learning and improvement across our Trust. Congratulations to everyone involved in this outstanding accomplishment."
Chief nurse, Dame Janice Sigsworth, said: “Throughout our Pathway to Excellence journey, I have observed the hard work and passion that has gone in to creating a really positive practice environment – from participating in shared decision councils to demonstrating great leadership and a steadfast commitment to quality and safety, our nurses have gone above and beyond. I am very proud to be part of such an amazing nursing and midwifery team at Imperial College Healthcare.”
