Today it's Toyota, tomorrow the NHS; Hospital looks to adopt safety initiative

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), July 29, 2008

Byline: By HELEN RAE Health Reporter

HOSPITAL staff are to use Japanese car production line systems to stop errors on the wards.

Health chiefs at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead will use the 'Stop the Line' process adopted from the Toyota, motto 'Today, Tomorrow Toyota', manufacturing industry to give employees the freedom to halt a procedure if they know or suspect something is not right.

An instant response can prevent a mistake from progressing any further, thereby improving patient safety and confidence.

Although planning is in the very early stages, it is thought a check-list for procedures would be highlighted and an employee who believed routine was not being adhered to could page a senior member of staff to call for immediate assistance.

Gateshead Queen Elizabeth hospital's medical director and surgeon, Bill Cunliffe said: "We want to empower all members of staff and we place a strong emphasis on patient safety.

"Junior members of staff can lack confidence in approaching senior members if they see or feel a medical procedure is not being done right.

"'Stop the Line' would empower all staff to take action and literally stop a procedure in its tracks in order to prevent a mistake being made."

It is hoped the scheme would be implemented within the next 10 years.

A spokesman for the Strategic Health Authority added: "'Stop the Line' describes a process adopted from the manufacturing industry which gives people the freedom to halt an activity or procedure if they know or suspect something is not right.

"This instant decision and response can prevent an error or mistake from progressing any further, thereby improving safety and ensuring no adverse impact.

"As a proven way of improving quality, it can have particular benefits in healthcare and supports the existing strong emphasis that the NHS places on patient safety.

"Some NHS organisations in the North East are looking at the best way to fully implement such a system and create the right culture for 'Stop the Line' to work as effectively as possible."

The idea for the process came when health officials sent a delegation to Japan last year to discover ways of increasing efficiency in the health service.

The group, made up of senior doctors and chief executives, visited Toyota to see the management systems that have made it the world's biggest carmaker.

Stop the Line' would empower all staff to take action, and literally stop a procedure in its tracks, in order to prevent a mistake being made

CAPTION(S):

RECORD: The Toyota car plant has pioneered the 'Stop the Line' system of highlighting errors; ALERT: Staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Surgery Centre in Gateshead