Who we are

Our team is made up of a Network Manager, Lead Nurse and Administrator. Clinical Leadership is provided by our two Co-Chairs of the Critical Care Clinical Effectiveness Committee.

What do we do?

We provide assurance to the Operational Delivery Network Board through our Peer review process of Critical Care units against nationally recoginsed standards; NHS England Critical Care service specification (D05) & GPICSv2 (Guidelines for the Provision of Intensive Care Services) that critical care units in Greater Manchester are operating to the required standards.

We provide opportunities for collaborative, cross-organisational clinical engagement and sharing of best practices across all the Critical Care units in Greater Manchester. Close working relationships are forged between the 13 Critical Care units through quarterly Clinical Effectiveness & Lead nurse meetings and through our RiCON (Risk Control over the Network)  work streams.

The Network has a clear and effective organisational structure which ensures clear lines of accountability, effective two-way communication and clearly defined work streams. This structure allows for integration of both management and clinical staff who together can plan and deliver the needs of the critically ill patient and enable ideas to be exchanged and best practice to be easily shared.

Hospitals within Greater Manchester Operational Delivery Network

The Critical Care Network team engages with 14 Critical Care units within 12 hospitals across 8 Trusts. These are:

• Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
• East Cheshire NHS Trust
• Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Northern Care Alliance Group
• Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
• Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
• The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
• Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh NHS Foundation Trust

Risk Control Over the Network (RiCON) work streams

The aim of these groups is to improve quality of care & patient safety  within the Critical Care network by allowing different units to share problems and best practice.

There are 4 main work streams looking at;

• Medication safety
• Airway safety
• Lung protective ventilation
• Critical Care Transfers

Additionally there are 4 other groups looking at;

• Infection prevention and ventilator associated pneumonia
• Delirium and rehabilitation
• Communication across Critical Care units
• Morbidity & Mortality

Collaborative working between critical care units can be helpful as opportunities are given to share problems and concerns. The experiences gained in one unit may prevent problems from developing in other units. Medical and nursing staff from each unit in Greater Manchester meet regularly throughout the year in these forums to share best practice ideas.