In this section
Improvement that makes a difference – for every patient, every colleague, every day.
At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), improvement is not just another project – it is how we work.
The MFT Improvement Team exists to support our staff, services, patients and partners to continuously improve care, outcomes and experience. We bring together expertise in quality improvement, clinical leadership, data, change and transformation to help turn ideas into measurable impact at scale.
Our ambition is simple: To create the conditions where improvement can thrive across MFT.
Our Aim
We want everyone who uses services or works at MFT to contribute to improvement, be excited to explore ‘better is possible’, and to have the skills, time and permission to make improvements.
We will measure success by:
70% of staff agreeing in the Staff Survey that “I am able to make improvements happen in my area of work” by 2030 from 56.6% in 2024.
- Increasing staff confidence to make improvements in their area of work
- Building improvement capability across the organisation
- Delivering measurable improvements in patient care and experience
What Do We Mean by Improvement?
Improvement in the NHS is about making care better, safer, and more efficient consistently.
At MFT, this means:
- Understanding problems through data and lived experience
- Testing solutions in real-world settings
- Learning quickly and adapting
- Embedding successful changes so they become “the way we do things”
Our approach is grounded in improvement science, combining structured methods with curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Our Improvement Strategic Delivery Plan
Our work is guided by four connected priorities:
1. Create the conditions for improvement to thrive
We are building a strong, visible culture of improvement across MFT:
- Trust-wide leadership for improvement, supported by senior clinical and operational leaders
- Strong partnerships and international learning networks
- A recognised reputation for quality improvement, supported by a thriving Improvement Academy
2. Equip our people to improve
We are investing in our people so improvement becomes part of everyday work:
- Thousands of staff to be trained in improvement methods
- Coaching and practical support embedded in frontline teams
- A growing community sharing learning, improvement ideas and results across the Trust
3. Deliver improvement at scale
We focus on what matters most and deliver measurable change:
- Large-scale Improvement Collaboratives aligned to MFT priorities
- Clinical Communities working together across services
- Consistent use of improvement science and evidence-based methods across improvement activities
4. Co-produce a world-class quality management system
We are embedding improvement into how MFT operates:
- A clear and aligned Quality Framework
- Leaders who understand, lead and apply improvement in practice
- Co-production with patients and staff at every appropriate stage of improvement
How we are Structured
The MFT Improvement Team is made up of three complementary functions:
Improvement Academy
Building capability across MFT by providing:
- Training in improvement methods (including Improve@MFT and PDSA)
- Coaching and mentoring
- Resources, tools, and learning programmes
Improvement at Scale (improvement delivery unit)
Delivering improvement where it matters most:
- Trust-wide programmes aligned to strategic priorities
- Large-scale collaboratives
- Spread and adoption of proven improvements
Local Clinical Group Improvement Teams
Connecting clinical leadership with improvement:
- Clinical communities focused on shared priorities
- Cross-specialty collaboration
- Driving improvement directly within patient pathways
What We Do
We support teams across MFT to:
- Design and deliver improvement projects that address real clinical and operational challenges
- Use data to understand variation, measure impact and guide decisions
- Test changes quickly using proven improvement methods such as Plan–Do–Study–Act (PDSA) cycles
- Share learning and scale up what works
- Embed sustainable improvements into everyday practice
We work side by side with frontline teams, leaders, and patients to ensure change is practical, meaningful and lasting.
Our Impact
Our work is already making a difference across MFT:
- Improvements in patient flow and reduced waiting times
- Enhanced patient safety through digital innovation, including Hive (our Electronic Patient Record system)
- Staff gaining skills, confidence, and ownership of improvement
- Successful programmes delivered at scale across multiple services
- Innovative models such as Hospital at Home, supporting care closer to where people live
Working in Partnership
We work locally, regionally and nationally to share learning and accelerate improvement.
Through partners and collaborators such as the Shelford Group and wider NHS and healthcare improvement networks, we:
- Share best practice
- Learn from others
- Contribute to national improvement priorities
Join the Improvement Movement!
Improvement at MFT belongs to everyone.
Whether you are a clinician, staff member, patient, or partner you have a role in making care better.
Follow our journey, learn from others, and be part of improvement at MFT.
How to get involved
- Explore opportunities on the MFT Website
- Join a Forum
- Reach out to the MFT Patient Experience Team (Beeinvolved)
- Follow us on LinkedIn