About Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust

The Chief Executive at Salford Royal and the senior team have clearly articulated the vision for the organisation – to be the safest Trust in the NHS. This aim has remained constant for many years and all efforts are directed to this simple aim. He has engendered a culture of ‘quality improvement’ by ensuring that people have the time and the tools to continuously improve the service they deliver and there has been a real drive to ensure that front line teams are empowered to make changes.

The organisation has recently spent £317k introducing a major transformational organisational development initiative, the implementation of the Contribution Framework process. This initiative involves all of their staff and is expected to have a direct impact on patient experience, mortality and staff experience and engagement. Salford Royal’s Contribution Framework process (appraisal process) measures the contribution of their staff to the organisations objectives and includes rating the staff’s behaviours (values), as well as their day to day contribution. Considering the tight financial restrictions facing the National Health Service, this represents a significant commitment to the development of their people. Over 800 leaders/managers in the organisation attended a one day workshop intended to support them in engaging in effective conversations with their staff. The workshop utilised actors to enable the development of a coaching style conversation. Real life problems facing leaders/managers were also practiced, resulting in an effective and powerful learning experience. In addition, 5700 reviewers in the organisation will have attended a 2 hour workshop intended to support them in making meaningful contributions within the process. Both programmes have highlighted their commitment to engage fully with people across the organisation.

Salford Royal operate an annual Staff Awards scheme which last year saw more than 200 individuals or teams nominated for being compassionate, supportive and dedicated to providing excellent patient care. More than 600 staff attended their most recent event, which saw awards for Collaboration, Administrative worker, Doctor, and Team of the Year. Staff nominated people within the award categories and they then vote for their preferred winner when the shortlist is announced. The Patient’s Star Award gives patients and relatives the opportunity to nominate a team or individual who had gone above and beyond the call of duty to provide exceptional care, support or treatment. The shortlist is then put to the public vote in the local paper.