[Quality oriented education: the experience of the Prevention Department of the Empoli Local Health Company n 11].

Quality management (QM) is a key issue for the Italian National Health System (NHS). Regione Toscana is currently undertaking a pilot programme to promote QM in Prevention Departments (PD). An introductory training to such programme was devised in the PD of the Local Health Unit no.11 Empoli, since the management was persuaded that all staff should be provided with basic knowledge concerning quality before being enrolled in QM programmes. Managers in charge of PD Units were offered a one-day training,focused on their role in promoting and achieving a QM culture, as an opportunity to be directly involved in the drafting of the DP quality handbook and in improving working procedures. The whole staff took part in a more extensive two-days course, including the basic concepts about QM in health systems, and the illustration of the programme in Regione Toscana; they were also asked to draw up some working procedures according to the draft already used in the Local Health Unit no.11, to be included in the DP quality handbook. The goal of this training programme was to implement a process capable of improving integrated working procedures through the competence, autonomy and responsibility of PD professionals.