Following the publication of the Carter Report in February 2016, all NHS Trusts have been challenged with ensuring that opportunities to work more collaboratively are explored.
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been working with; University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust, to establish a Lancashire Coding Collaborative.
By looking to pool training and audit resource, along with the shared provision or training facilities and administrative support, we are looking to provide a high quality, cost efficient programme that benefits all involved parties. Pooling audit and training resource will allow the trusts involved to benefit from access to a number of experienced trainers and auditors, who in turn will provide support and mentorship to the apprentice auditors and trainers within the group.
Following affiliation with the MIAA Clinical Coding Academy, the Lancashire Coding Collaborative will deliver a comprehensive training programme using NHS Classifications Service endorsed materials. This will be underpinned by a robust schedule of clinical coding audit, with the overall aim of driving up standards in clinical coding within the Lancashire area.
As always, the provision of clinical coding training and audit is available to other trusts outside of the collaborative that currently do not have the resources to undertake these quality assurance activities.
