What are the HFH QI Awards?
Each year, we award Quality Improvement Awards to Hospice Friendly Hospitals. These annual awards recognise projects that will improve end-of-life care for patients, their families, staff and the hospital.
The awards were first launched in 2019, as an initiative through our Hospice Friendly Hospitals programme. Over the past five years the HFHQI have awarded funding for 53 projects across 32 hospitals. The Hospice Friendly Hospitals Quality Improvement (HFHQI) Awards provide an opportunity to inspire, encourage and support staff to continually strive for a quality improvement approach to End-Of-Life Care (EOLC).
All staff from HSE/Voluntary Acute Hospitals who are engaging within our HFH programme are eligible to apply; those successful will receive a financial support of up to €1,000 for their project. Recognising that staff are central to continual quality improvement within end-of-life care, the awards allow those with the knowledge, experience, and passion to put forward their ideas.
Awards
Awarded
Hospitals
Figures based on awards granted since 2019
Purpose of the HFH QI Awards
Reflective in nature, the HFH QI Awards requires staff to work cohesively and collaborate to examine current practices and look at new ways of working. At the heart of the awards is the aim of continuing to improve the end-of-life care approach and to help hospital towards the implementation of the Quality Standards for End-of-Life Care.
Goals of the HFH QI Awards
When considering potential projects for HFH QI Awards, we encourage staff to consider the goals of the awards.
Explore current practices.
What are we doing we
could do better? What
do we want to accomplish?
Raise awareness of how
Quality Improvement methods
can be used to make EOLC better.
Explore creative and
innovative ways to
improve the way we work.
Shine a light on
improved ways of
providing person
-centred EOLC.
Use a robust Quality
Improvement approach
to make those changes.
Use a robust Quality Improvement approach to make those changes.
Shine a light on improved ways of providing person-centred EOLC.
Explore creative and innovative ways to improve the way we work.
Raise awareness of how Quality Improvement methods can be used to make EOLC better.
Look at current ways of working. What are we doing we could do better? What do we want to accomplish?
Awards Timeline
Key Dates for 2024
May 16, 2024: HFHQI Awards Open
August 30, 2024: Applications close
October 30, 2024: Awards Announced
Applying for the HFHQI Awards
There are two ways to apply for a HFHQI Award:
- Applicants can complete either the PDF or Word version of the QI Awards Application form and email it as an attachment to the HFH Programme Team – [email protected]. Alternatively, completed applications can be posted to the following address:
Irish Hospice Foundation, Morrison Chambers (Floor 4), 32 Nassau St, Dublin 2, D02 X627 - Applications via a video blog, whiteboard presentation or other equally creative media can be emailed to the HFH Programme Team – [email protected].
Whether you are new to the HFHQI Awards or have previously applied, we strongly recommend carefully reviewing the comprehensive application pack.
Application Pack
The timeline below shows the sequence of steps for the HFH QI Awards, from Awards Opening through Support Sessions & Communication, Application, Feedback and Winner Announcement.
For more information about the awards, the types of projects and application guidelines, please read the Application Pack for HFH QI Awards 2024.
Note: All dates have been removed from the application pack with the advice for applicants to refer to the HFHQI webpage for key dates.
HFHQI Support Sessions
The HFHQI Support Sessions are delivered in partnership with the HSE Quality and Patient Safety Improvement Team. The aim of these sessions is to help applicants navigate the application process, gain information on quality improvement (QI), and share and inspire ideas.
This year we will be delivering two support sessions, which have been developed to build on one another. Potential applicants are encouraged to attend both.
Each session will focus on a specific element of QI, with the first exploring stakeholder engagement and encouraging meaningful participation. The second focusses on monitoring and measuring QI projects.
In each session, we feature previous awardees to present their experiences and learnings from the awards. This year we look forward to welcoming Lisa White, End-of-Life Care Coordinator at Naas General Hospital; Anne McKeown, End-of-life Care Coordinator; and Vivan Roche-Fahy, Bereavement Liaison Officer at University Hospital Galway.
Support Session 1: Thursday 27th June at 2:00 – 3:00 pm, Online – Watch recordings
Support Session 2: Tuesday 23rd July at 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, Online – Watch recordings
2023 Support Sessions
If you missed our 2023 HFHQI Support Sessions, you can view the recordings at the bottom of this page: HFH QI Support Sessions 2023.
Apply for HFH QI Awards
There are three ways to apply for the HFH QI Awards:
- Complete the HFH QI Awards PDF form
- Complete the HFH QI Awards Word form
Email as an attachment to the HFH Programme Team – [email protected].
Or post to: IHF, Morrison Chambers (Floor 4), 32 Nassau St, Dublin 2, D02 YE06
3. Alternatively, applicants can provide required information via a video blog, whiteboard presentation or other equally creative media once the application fields are covered. Please refer to the Application Pack for guidelines and additional information.
Previous Awardees
We have some wonderful examples of previous projects such as the Together in Sympathy book, a Palliative Care Resource folder and a Care after Death checklist. Please visit our HFH QI Awardees page or view the video below for a selection of past projects.
Questions?
For queries about the HFH QI Awards, contact the HFH Programme team: email [email protected] or call (01) 679 3188.
