Neil Hammacott: Head Of Improvement
Q1: How long have you been working with the Quality Academy team?
I have been working in the Quality Academy team for almost 4 years.
Q2: What other experience have you had working in the NHS?
My time working for the NHS has purely been in Service Improvement. However, prior to the NHS I have 15 years’ experience of change management across financial services, insurance, transport and higher education sectors.
Q3: Can you list your relevant qualifications;
- Lean 6 Sigma Green belt.
- PRINCE2 practitioner.
- Master’s in Business Administration.
Q4: What do you enjoy most about Improvement Practice or working with the QA team?
I enjoy most working with different teams in the trust, supporting and coaching them to solve their problems and also the varied nature of our project work.
Q5: What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the NHS in the next 5 years?
I believe the biggest challenge facing the NHS are pressures of increased demand from an ageing population (which is a good thing) and responding to this challenge in an environment of financial and work force pressures.
Q6: What work have you been involved in recently, and what work are you most proud of?
Work I have been involved in recently includes: the national 7 days working standards; working with the Emergency Department on various projects, including reducing ambulance handover delays, reducing delays in rapid assessment of patients (FLIC) and reducing triage delays in minors. My proudest achievement is the development of the electronic bed state which has fundamentally changed and improved how we manage the site for the benefit of patients.