Finding a Supervisor for Your Quality Improvement Project

Why this topic matters

Quality Improvement is a core component of clinical practice and a mandatory element for training and revalidation across various UK medical and allied health professions. Successfully completing a QI project demonstrates your commitment to improving care, critical thinking, and collaborative skills.

A good supervisor is not merely a signatory for your project but a vital mentor. They can offer expertise, guidance, institutional knowledge, and critical feedback, helping you navigate challenges, ensure your project is well-designed, ethically sound, and achieves meaningful outcomes. Without adequate supervision, QI projects can lack direction, face unforeseen obstacles, or fail to meet the necessary standards for portfolio submission or local governance.

Practical explanation

A QI project supervisor is typically a senior clinician, manager, or a dedicated Quality Improvement lead who has experience in QI methodology and an understanding of the local clinical context. Their role is to:

• Provide oversight: Ensure the project aligns with organisational priorities and governance.
• Offer methodological guidance: Help refine your project aim, measures, and change ideas.
• Facilitate connections: Introduce you to key stakeholders or data sources.
• Problem-solve: Offer advice when you encounter challenges or roadblocks.
• Review and feedback: Provide constructive criticism on your plans, data, and reports.
• Approve and endorse: Sign off on your project for portfolio, appraisal, or dissemination.

It is important to distinguish between a QI project supervisor and an educational supervisor. While an educational supervisor oversees your overall training, a QI supervisor focuses specifically on the project itself. Often, your educational supervisor may be able to advise on potential QI supervisors within your department or trust.

Common pitfalls

Identifying and working with a QI supervisor can present several common challenges:

• Lack of clarity on project scope: Approaching a potential supervisor with a vague idea rather than a focused problem can make them less likely to commit.
• Underestimating time commitment: Both yours and the supervisor's. QI projects require sustained effort over time, and supervisors are often busy.
• Choosing the wrong person: Selecting someone solely based on seniority rather than their interest in QI, relevant expertise, or availability.
• Poor communication: Infrequent updates or only reaching out when problems arise can strain the supervisory relationship.
• Failure to define expectations: Not discussing meeting frequency, reporting requirements, or roles and responsibilities early on.
• Ignoring local governance: Proceeding without understanding the local audit or QI project registration process, which a supervisor can help navigate.
• Expecting the supervisor to 'do' the project: While they guide, the onus remains on you to drive the work forward.

Step-by-step approach to finding a supervisor

Step 1: Clarify your project idea and requirements

Before approaching anyone, have a clear, albeit provisional, understanding of your QI project. Consider:

• The clinical area/problem: Where do you see an opportunity for improvement? (e.g., medication safety, patient flow, communication).
• Potential scope: Is it feasible within your timeframes and resources?
• Why it matters: What is the potential impact on patients or services?
• Your learning objectives: What do you hope to gain from this project?
• Your portfolio/training requirements: What does your Royal College or training programme specify for QI?

This initial clarity will make your approach more professional and your project more appealing to a potential supervisor.

Step 2: Identify potential supervisors

Consider individuals who possess a combination of the following attributes:

• Clinical expertise: In the area your project targets.
• QI experience/interest: Someone who understands QI methodology, or is keen to learn alongside you.
• Organisational knowledge: Familiarity with the department, trust policies, and key stakeholders.
• Accessibility and availability: Realistic capacity to supervise.
• Enthusiasm for mentorship: A genuine interest in supporting your development.

Where to look:

• Your Educational Supervisor or Training Programme Director: They often have an overview of who is active in QI or amenable to supervising.
• Departmental Clinical Leads/Consultants: Especially those with an interest in service improvement or governance.
• QI Leads/Teams: Many NHS trusts have dedicated QI departments or leads who can offer guidance or direct you to suitable supervisors.
• Clinical Audit Departments: They often work closely with QI and know active individuals.
• Directorate/Service Managers: Some managers have excellent process knowledge and an appetite for QI.
• Previous trainees/colleagues: Ask peers who have successfully completed QI projects for recommendations.
• Grand Rounds/Departmental Meetings: Look out for presentations on QI work.

Step 3: Prepare your approach

Once you have identified one or two potential supervisors, prepare a concise, professional request. This might involve:

• A brief email: Clearly stating your purpose.
• Executive summary: A short paragraph outlining your project idea, its relevance, and your motivation.
• Specific ask: What do you need from them (e.g., 30 minutes to discuss, ongoing supervision)?
• Outline of commitment: Be realistic about the time you anticipate needing from them.
• Availability: Suggesting a few times you are free to meet.

Remember, you are asking for their valuable time and expertise. Make it easy for them to understand your request and say 'yes'.

Step 4: Initial meeting and setting expectations

When you meet, be prepared to discuss:

• Your project in more detail: Be open to feedback and refinement.
• Their availability and capacity: Clarify how much time they can realistically commit.
• Meeting frequency: Agree on regular check-ins (e.g., monthly for 30 minutes).
• Preferred communication methods: Email, Microsoft Teams, etc.
• Roles and responsibilities: What they expect from you, and what you can expect from them.
• Local governance: Discuss the process for registering your project with the local audit or QI department.
• Mutual agreement: Ensure both parties are happy with the arrangement.

If the first person you approach cannot supervise you, ask if they can recommend someone else. Do not be discouraged; it is common to approach more than one person.

Step 5: Nurturing the supervisory relationship

Once supervision is established, maintain a proactive and professional approach:

• Be prepared for meetings: Send agendas and relevant updates in advance.
• Follow through on actions: Do what you say you will do.
• Communicate effectively: Provide regular, concise updates on progress and challenges.
• Be receptive to feedback: View it as an opportunity for learning.
• Show appreciation: Acknowledge their time and contribution.

Example in clinical practice

Dr. Anya Sharma, a Foundation Year 2 doctor, identifies that patients attending the Dermatology clinic for urgent suspected skin cancers are experiencing delays in receiving biopsy results, leading to increased anxiety and potential delays in treatment. She decides to undertake a QI project to improve this pathway.

1. Project Idea: Improve the timeliness of urgent suspected skin cancer biopsy results communication.
2. Identifying Supervisors: Anya first speaks to her Educational Supervisor, who suggests Dr. Ben Carter, a Consultant Dermatologist with a known interest in service improvement, and Sarah Jones, the Clinical Governance Lead for the division. Anya also notes that the Clinical Audit Department publishes a list of ongoing projects and supervisors.
3. Approach: Anya drafts a concise email to Dr. Carter and Ms. Jones, outlining her project idea, its potential impact on patient care, and her motivation. She requests a 20-minute meeting to discuss the feasibility and potential for supervision, attaching a brief bullet-point summary of her proposed project.
4. Initial Meeting: Dr. Carter and Ms. Jones both respond positively. Anya meets with Dr. Carter, who expresses enthusiasm for the project. They discuss the current pathway, potential data sources, and agree to meet monthly. Dr. Carter advises Anya to contact the Clinical Audit Department to register her project and offers to introduce her to the pathology lead to discuss data access.
5. Supervisory Relationship: Anya sets up a shared document for notes, sends a brief agenda before each meeting, and provides concise updates. She acts on feedback, such as refining her run chart, and informs Dr. Carter promptly if she encounters issues, allowing them to troubleshoot together.

Through this structured approach, Anya successfully secures and maintains effective supervision, leading to a well-executed project that significantly reduces biopsy result communication delays, improving patient experience and informing wider service changes.

How Lazomis can help

While Lazomis cannot find a supervisor for you, it can significantly streamline the administrative and analytical aspects of your Quality Improvement project, making you a more attractive supervisee and your project more manageable.

• Project Planning & Tracking: Use Lazomis's project management features to clearly define your project's scope, aims, measures, and deadlines. This structured approach helps you present a well-articulated plan to potential supervisors and demonstrate your organisational skills.
• Data Collection & Visualisation: Lazomis tools can simplify the process of collecting, managing, and visualising your QI data. Presenting clear run charts and control charts will impress your supervisor and facilitate more effective discussions about project progress.
• Reporting & Dissemination: Lazomis supports structured reporting, helping you present your project findings concisely and professionally, ready for review by your supervisor or for submission to your portfolio.
• Demonstrate Preparedness: By using Lazomis to organise your QI work, you convey a level of preparedness and professionalism that makes you an appealing trainee to supervise, showcasing that you are serious about delivering a high-quality project.

This resource supports, but does not replace, clinical judgement. Local policy, formulary and specialist advice should be followed.

Key takeaways

• A strong QI supervisor is crucial for project success and professional development.
• Clarify your project idea and specific requirements before approaching potential supervisors.
• Identify individuals with relevant clinical expertise, QI experience, and organisational knowledge.
• Prepare a concise, professional approach outlining your project idea and specific ask.
• Establish clear expectations for roles, responsibilities, and communication in an initial meeting.
• Maintain proactive communication and be receptive to feedback to foster a productive supervisory relationship.