Presenting Quality Improvement Findings Effectively at Governance Meetings

Introduction

Presenting Quality Improvement (QI) work to governance committees is a critical step in translating local improvements into broader organisational change. These forums, often comprising senior management, clinicians, and non-executive directors, hold the authority and oversight necessary to endorse, scale, or integrate QI initiatives. However, the format, audience, and objectives of governance meetings differ significantly from a departmental update or a QI conference. Successful presentation requires not just good QI work, but also compelling communication tailored to the governance context.

Why this topic matters

Effective presentation at governance meetings is vital for several reasons:

• Securing resources and support: Robust presentation helps garner the necessary resources (staffing, funding, IT) and senior leadership support for QI projects to succeed and be sustained.
• Driving organisational learning: Governance committees are key conduits for disseminating best practice across the organisation. Well-presented QI findings can inform strategic decisions and encourage uptake in other departments.
• Demonstrating accountability: Showing improvements in patient care, safety, and efficiency aligns with statutory duties and CQC requirements. It provides assurance that the organisation is actively monitoring and improving its services.
• Translating local success to systemic change: A compelling case can elevate a successful local project to an organisational priority, enabling wider implementation and impact.
• Avoiding duplication of effort: Sharing insights on what worked (and didn't) helps prevent other teams from repeating mistakes and promotes a culture of sharing.

Practical explanation: Tailoring your message for governance

Governance committees are distinct from operational clinical meetings. Their focus tends to be strategic oversight, risk management, financial stewardship, and statutory compliance. When presenting QI findings, consider these aspects:

Understand your audience

Committee members may have diverse backgrounds: clinical, managerial, financial, legal, and patient representation. Avoid overly technical jargon. Explain clinical concepts concisely and focus on the broader implications.

Focus on impact and assurance

The primary questions a governance committee will ask are: 'What was the problem?', 'How did we address it?', 'What was the impact?', and 'What are the implications for the organisation?'. Emphasise patient safety, quality of care, efficiency gains (e.g., length of stay, reduced waste), and risk mitigation.

Data-driven narrative

While clinical nuance is important, governance committees rely heavily on data to make decisions. Present clear, concise charts and graphs that illustrate trends, changes, and measurable improvements. Ensure your data sources are credible and methods reproducible.

Link to organisational priorities

Frame your QI project within the context of the Trust's strategic objectives, CQC domains, national priorities (e.g., waiting list reduction, Net Zero targets), or local quality accounts. This demonstrates alignment and relevance.

The 'So What?' and 'What Next?'

Beyond reporting findings, clearly articulate the 'so what?' – what do these results mean for the organisation? – and the 'what next?' – what actions or decisions are required from the committee? This could be endorsement for wider rollout, resource allocation, policy updates, or further investigation.

Common pitfalls

• Too much detail, too little strategic relevance: Drowning the committee in granular process maps or methodological minutiae without highlighting the high-level impact.
• Lack of clear ask/recommendation: Presenting a problem and improvement without a clear proposal for action or decision from the committee.
• Understating risks or challenges: Not acknowledging limitations, future risks, or sustainability challenges can undermine credibility.
• Over-reliance on anecdotal evidence: While patient stories can be powerful, they must be balanced with robust data.
• Poor visual communication: Unclear charts, too much text on slides, or inconsistent branding can detract from your message.
• Not anticipating questions: Failing to prepare for probing questions about methodology, sustainability, scalability, cost-benefit, or patient involvement.

Step-by-step approach to preparing your presentation

1. Define your objective

Before you start, clarify what you want the governance committee to do. Do you need:

• Endorsement of findings?
• Approval to scale the intervention?
• Allocation of resources?
• A policy change?
• Acknowledgement of progress?

2. Craft your narrative arc

Structure your presentation logically:

• Context/Problem: Briefly describe the issue, its impact (patient, staff, financial), and why it was chosen for QI.
• Aim: State your specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound (SMART) aim.
• Intervention: Briefly explain the changes made (PDSA cycles).
• Results (data): Present key data clearly, showing impact on your aim statement and any balancing measures. Use run charts or control charts where appropriate.
• Learning/Discussion: Discuss what worked, what didn't, key challenges, and potential sustainability issues.
• Recommendations/Ask: Clearly state what you propose the committee does. This is your 'call to action'.
• Next Steps: Outline the plan moving forward, regardless of the committee's decision, to show proactivity.

3. Prepare your slides

Keep slides succinct and visually appealing. Aim for one key message per slide. Use high-quality graphics and minimal text. Ensure consistent branding.

4. Anticipate questions

Think from the perspective of a committee member. Common questions include:

• How were patients/staff involved?
• What are the resource implications (staff, money, IT)?
• How will this be sustained?
• Is this scalable across the Trust?
• What are the risks if we do/don't act?
• How does this align with CQC/national standards?

5. Rehearse

Practise your presentation, ideally with someone unfamiliar with your project, to ensure clarity and timing. Be prepared for interruptions and direct questions.

Example in clinical practice

A cardiology department implemented a QI project to reduce the time from 'door-to-balloon' (PCI time) for STEMI patients, aiming for a consistent reduction below the national target of 120 minutes.

Presentation to Clinical Governance Committee:

• Context: "STEMI is time-critical. Our baseline data showed inconsistent door-to-balloon times, with 30% of patients exceeding 120 minutes during Q1 2023, leading to potential poorer patient outcomes and increased length of stay."
• Aim: "To reduce the mean door-to-balloon time to less than 90 minutes for all STEMI patients presenting to our ED by Q4 2023, and to ensure 95% of patients achieve <120 minutes."
• Intervention: "We implemented a multi-faceted approach based on PDSA cycles: pre-hospital ECG transmission, parallel processing in ED, immediate cath lab activation by ambulance crew, and a 'STEMI huddle' upon patient arrival. Key changes included specific training for ED and cath lab staff and a new 'STEMI bypass' pathway to streamline patient flow."
• Results: "Our run chart demonstrates a sustained reduction in mean door-to-balloon time from 135 minutes to 88 minutes, with 98% of patients now receiving PCI within 120 minutes for the past two quarters. This has coincided with a 1-day reduction in average length of stay for STEMI patients and a decrease in major adverse cardiac events (MACE) by 5% (data in appendix)."
• Learning: "Early pre-alert and direct communication were critical. Initial resistance to bypassing ED was overcome through clinical champions and clear protocols. Staff engagement and a shared mental model were paramount."
• Recommendations/Ask: "We recommend formalising the 'STEMI bypass' pathway within Trust policy, endorsing a Trust-wide training module, and allocating budget for two additional pre-hospital ECG devices to further improve response times and support sustainability. We also propose a similar QI approach for stroke thrombectomy services."
• Next Steps: "We will continue to monitor door-to-balloon times using our established dashboard and will report back to the committee quarterly. We will also partner with the stroke team to explore adapting this methodology."

How Lazomis can help

Lazomis offers tools that can streamline the presentation of your QI findings to governance committees. Our Lazomis Dashboards allow you to visualise key performance indicators and run charts clearly, presenting process and outcome data in an accessible format. The Lazomis QI Project Setup module helps structure your project from the outset, ensuring your aim, measures, and interventions are clearly defined—a foundational step for effective reporting. For multi-team initiatives, Lazomis Collaboration Hubs can track progress and shared learning, which can then be summarised for a governance audience. Our Lazomis Reporting Tools can generate concise summaries of your project's impact, linking directly to the data, making it easier to extract the high-level information needed for governance oversight. This resource supports, but does not replace, clinical judgement. Local policy, formulary and specialist advice should be followed.

Key takeaways

• Tailor your presentation to the strategic, oversight, and assurance focus of governance committees.
• Start with a clear objective: what do you want the committee to do?
• Focus on measurable impact on patient care, safety, and efficiency, supported by robust data.
• Frame your QI work within organisational priorities and statutory duties.
• Provide clear recommendations and a 'call to action' for the committee.
• Anticipate questions, particularly regarding resources, scalability, and sustainability.
• Visualise data clearly and concisely, avoiding jargon.
• Rehearse your presentation to ensure clarity and confidence.