Efficacy of Targeted Teaching Program on the Patient Care in NHS Hospital

Objectives: Continuous professional development is essential in medical education programs to enhance patient care. Junior Doctors in the UK often experience challenges adapting to new specialty-specific standards during their rotations, potentially compromising patient care. A targeted teaching program was developed to address this issue. This study evaluates the efficacy of a Targeted Teaching Program (TTP) implemented in a regional vascular surgery unit within the NHS on patients' care and safety.

Methods: This observational study was designed to gather data about patients' management in the vascular department at the Countess of Chester NHS Foundation trust in the period between 2019 to 2023. Various clinical audits were completed to assess the impact of TTP on clinical outcomes and to gauge the improvement in healthcare delivery standards and adherence to national guidelines.

Results: The TTP significantly improved patient care metrics in our vascular surgery service between 2019 to 2023. Key improvements included antiplatelet medication prescriptions increasing from 86% to 100%, lipid modification therapy from 82.9% to 98%, post-amputation pain management from 25% to 92%, and diabetes screening using HbA1c from 32% to 100%. These enhancements demonstrate a marked advancement patient care standards following TTP introduction.

Conclusion: Introduction of regular TTP has led to significant improvements in the standard of care for patients by implementing evidence-based practices. Furthermore, it enhanced doctors' knowledge, reduced the adaptation period to new specialties, and positively impacted the national trainee survey. Expanding targeted teaching to other clinical and non-clinical areas is recommended to enhance patient care across various settings.