Within the health and care setting, the term improvement encompasses all elements of the quality thread which includes innovation, quality improvement (QI), research, clinical audit, service evaluation, and transformation. The key is that the ‘improvement’ project utilises the right approach, the right tool, at the right time, involving the right people. The ‘right’ approach will depend on project focus and purpose. Sometimes the distinction between ‘approaches’ can be difficult to navigate and the activities will be overseen and supported by different teams/departments within an organisation. In order to help clarify these distinctions, we have created the following simple guide.
