A standardised storage solution for venepuncture/cannulation equipment could save an NHS hospital the equivalent of a whole junior doctor

Junior doctors, nursing staff, and phlebotomists spend a large proportion of their time taking blood samples and siting (venous) cannulae. Approximately 350 blood samples are taken daily across 25 wards at the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust. There is no standard storage solution for venepuncture or cannulation equipment. On-call junior doctors cover most of the hospital's wards. Time is wasted locating essential equipment on unfamiliar wards and nurses are frequently interrupted to assist. These delays can compromise patient safety in emergencies as well as contributing to a source of daily inefficiency. Junior doctors were timed collecting equipment needed for venepuncture and cannulation on unfamiliar wards. Initial results suggested large variation between timings on different wards. The medical admissions unit (MAU), which organises items for venepuncture and cannulation on a single trolley, was 4 times quicker than the mean of all other wards. MAU mean time 21.0s vs. Non-standardised wards mean time 103.0s (p<0.0001). Estimates suggest approximately 47 hours per week (the equivalent of a fulltime doctor) could be saved by implementing a standard trust-wide storage solution. We set out to introduce the MAU trolley format to all adult inpatient wards. All ward managers agreed to implement the trolley. 18 wards (72% of adult inpatient wards) already possessed the ‘MAU style’ trolley, which we standardised using an easy-to-follow inventory and laminated draw inlays. Feedback was very positive from doctors and ward staff alike. We repeated timings to validate the change and successfully presented a business case to senior management for a further 10 trolleys (£3623.78) for full adult inpatient ward coverage. As junior doctors, we identified a common problem, tested solutions, and made early simple affordable changes. Initial work helped us present a compelling case for patient safety and efficiency improvements, releasing money to implement modest trust-wide quality improvement changes.