Penny Reid is a member of our Side-by-Side Network and has also participated in a number of QI courses, including the QI Leader training. Here she shares some insight into the reasons why she originally got involved with healthcare improvement activity, and what it means to be a QI Leader.
"I have been QI Leader as patient representative since it started and being a QI Leader is one of the most rewarding opportunities a patient or carer can have. During the years of caring for my late
husband who had Dementia with Lewy Bodies, I got to know a lot of NHS professionals and started to understand how the NHS and social services interact. I saw I could offer both my personal and business experiences to support both frontline and senior NHS staff as they explore how to improve services for patients who are or become less able to express their needs.
Being a QI Leader means I can support conversations and provide guidance to achieve improvement that will benefit our patients. If, like me, you believe that a hundred small things done better by individuals will improve the quality of NHS services, you will realise that being a QI Leader is an amazing chance to share your ideas and influence change where it’s needed most."
