title: Improving performance through self-assessment.
abstract: Wakefield and Pontefract Community Health NHS Trust uses the European Business Excellence Model self-assessment for continuous improvement. An outline of the key aspects of the model, an approach to TQM, is presented. This article sets out the context that led to the adoption of the model in the Trust and describes the approach that has been taken to completing self-assessments. Use of the model to secure continuous improvement is reviewed against Bhopal and Thomson's Audit Cycle and consideration is given to lessons learned. The article concludes with a discussion on applicability of the model to health care organisations. It is concluded that, after an initial learning curve, the model has facilitated integration of a range of quality initiatives, and progress with continuous improvement. Critical to this was the linking of self-assessment to business planning and performance management systems.
authors.affiliation: Wakefield and Pontefract Community Health NHS Trust, UK.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pitt
mesh_terms: D003132:Commerce / Q000592:standards; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D007857:Leadership; D008330:Management Audit; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006113:United Kingdom