Using an original triage and on call management tool aids identification and assessment of the acutely unwell surgical patient.

Until now, there have been no published surgical triage tools. We have developed the first such tool with a tiered escalation policy, aiming to improve identification and management of critically unwell patients. The existing sheet which is used to track new referrals and admissions to the surgical assessment unit was reviewed.

Improving oxygen prescribing rates by tailoring interventions for specific healthcare professional groups.

Oxygen prescription remains a nationwide problem. The dangers associated with unregulated oxygen administration are well described in the literature with the potential for serious harm in patients with chronic hypercapnia, as well as potentially delaying discharge in patients who are administered it without a prescription. This project identifies poor compliance with regional and national standards and sets out to improve the frequency of oxygen prescribing on a cardiology ward.