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East Cheshire, Greater Manchester
Patient Safety Collaborative - Mental Health
Patient Safety Collaborative - Mental Health

The National Patient Safety Improvement Programme forms the largest safety initiative in NHS history. It brings together five programmes, including the mental health safety improvement programme.
Collectively, the programmes support a culture of safety, continuous learning and sustainable improvement across the healthcare system.
In Greater Manchester and Easter Cheshire (GMEC) the Mental Health SIP work is delivered by Health Innovation Manchester (HInM) under the leadership of Wendy Stobbs (Senior Programme Development Lead) with Stuart Kaill (Programme Development Lead) and Rebecca Williams (Project Officer).
What is the focus of the programme?
The programme aims to reduce restrictive practice in inpatient mental health wards.
Restrictive practice refers to any act which involves restricting a person. This includes:
- physical restraint
- the use of rapid tranquillisation
- the use of a seclusion room
Health Innovation Manchester is coaching wards in quality improvement techniques to test change ideas that are proven to make a difference.
The focus is mainly on reviewing unwritten rules and improving activities on the wards.
What are the aims?
The aim of the programme is to lower restrictive practice by 25% by the end of September 2023.
What are the benefits of reducing restrictive practice?
Reducing restrictive practice significantly improves patient and staff experience.
Lowering levels of restrictive practice can:
- Reduce the risk of physical and psychological harm for patients.
- Improve patient experience of care.
- Reduce the risk of psychological harm and trauma for staff.
- Boost staff morale and retention.
- Address CQC findings calling for a reduction in restrictive practice.
- Enhance relationships between staff and patients.
- Attract CQUIN financial incentive (only for children’s and young people’s wards.)
- Ensure compliance with the Use of Force Act (Seni’s Law).
- Address inequalities in care – there is a large variation in rates of restrictive practice depending on race, diagnosis, age and sex.
What’s in it for teams?

- Reconnect with your purpose – this project can make a real difference to people’s lives.
- Build confidence in your quality improvement skills – these can be used in any project.
- Learn something new – this can contribute to continuing professional development.
- Work collaboratively as a team and strengthen your relationships.
- Share learning with other teams, both in Greater Manchester and nationally.
- Showcase the great work you are doing both with your colleagues in Greater Manchester and nationally.
- Opportunity to earn certificates to recognise your achievements.
Who can join in?
Health Innovation Manchester is supporting inpatient mental health wards across the Greater Manchester area.
This includes wards at Greater Manchester Mental Health, Pennine Care and Cygnet.
This programme is for all types of wards – we work across settings including acute, psychiatric intensive care, secure and with children and young people.
What support does Health Innovation Manchester provide?
Health Innovation Manchester is working in collaboration with the Advancing Quality Alliance (AQUA) to support wards to develop their quality improvement skills and deliver projects that lower levels of restrictive practice.
We offer the following support:
- Facilitation of 3 learning events to help teams share ideas and learning across the network.
- Coaching in quality improvement skills through learning events and coaching calls.
- Regular coaching calls. We’ll help you with planning and delivering your idea.
- Monthly drop-in sessions where you can get in touch with us about any queries.
- Help to connect with other teams working on this project across Greater Manchester and nationally.
- Templates to help you with your quality improvement project.
- Help to communicate your great work, including working with you to develop case studies.
- We’ll provide you with a ward pack which you can use as a reference guide with all the information about the programme.
- Support with presenting and analysing data to drive change.
What are the timescales?
The programme runs from April 2022 to September 2023.
What has been the impact so far?
We are already seeing a greater than 25% reduction in restrictive practice.
Wards are continuing to test and refine their change ideas.
An example is the work to lift the WiFi ban at Prospect Ward in Pennine Care.
See our case study below.
Teams are telling us that this work is making a difference. Here’s what they have to say:
“Staff are more engaged and want to make changes. They’ve been really burnt out and worn out –this project has been really positive. They are really on board. We could go a long way with this.”
“It’s the small things that make a massive impact.”
“It was great to find out what other people have experienced as well and the variations and the tips.”
Where can I find out more?
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Get in touch
Stuart Kaill – Programme Development Lead, stuart.kaill@healthinnovationmanchester.com
Wendy Stobbs – Senior Programme Development Lead, wendy.stobbs@healthinnovationmanchester.com
Rebecca Williams – Project Officer, Rebecca.williams@healthinnovationmanchester.com
Resources
Click here to view our Mental Health SIP Ward Pack
The sustainability model is a diagnostic tool that has been developed to support health and care leaders to identify strengths and weaknesses in their implementation plans and predict the likelihood of sustainability for their improvement initiatives.