QI & Safety in Primary Care Enhanced Service 2026-27
The Quality Improvement & Safety Enhanced Service evolved from the Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP). This offering provides support to allow individual practices to carry out Quality Improvement work through the Scottish Enhanced Service Programme (SESP).
To find out more about the Enhanced Service, contact the team
Scroll down to find out about the contract requirements, cluster working and use of toolkits.
Enhanced Service Requirements 26/27
A full checklist of the contract requirements can be found here.
Project Charter
Submission of the project charter is required by 27th June 2026.
An example project charter from the team at Links Medical Centre can be found here.
Click the button below to download the charter template.
Launch Workshops (Optional)
Attendance at one of the launch workshops in May 2026 is optional.
Click the button below for more information.
Data
2 baseline data points are required by 27th June 2026. Practices are then required to submit an additional 4 data points by 25th March 2027.
Click the button below to read more about data and measurement.
Planning Tool
Submission of a planning tool is required by 27th June 2026.
Click the button below to learn more about planning tools.
Evidence of test of change
Include evidence of a small test of change on your poster.
Learn more about using a PDSA here.
Patient and Staff Experience
Include evidence of patient/staff experience on your poster.
Learn more about patient/staff experience here.
Poster
Practices are required to submit a poster by 25th March 2027.
Click the button below to download the template. Please see the technical guidance document here.
Showcase Events (Optional)
More information will be available shortly.
26/27 QI & Safety Enhanced Service Resources
Optional resources linked to the recommended themes for 2026/2027
A Cancer Research UK report in 2022 highlighted that health inequalities are associated with a 74% higher cancer mortality and estimated 4900 extra cancer cases every year in Scotland. This document provides practical examples of approaches to addressing inequalities along a cancer pathway in a general practice setting.
Cluster Working
Practices are welcome to work within their cluster on an agreed project topic.
Cluster project topics must
Have demonstrated evidence of local testing.
Have a designated ‘Cluster Project Lead’ who is stated in the initial proposal. This does not have to be a PQL or CQL.
Have the ‘Cluster Project Lead’ attend a launch workshop.
Have all participating practices must complete all Enhanced Service requirements. This includes attendance at workshops, showcase events, and completion of practice specific planning tools.
Not all practices in a cluster need to sign up for the cluster project to proceed.
For more information, please contact the QI team.
Use of Quality Improvement toolkits
In 2026-27, practices can choose to use an existing NHS Lothian Quality Improvement toolkit for their QI project.
These toolkits provide the tools and templates needed for a successful QI project, sharing previously-tested change ideas and practical resources as well a data collection and measurement framework. Quality planning toolkits provide guidance and resources to support practices through quality planning stages, with suggestions regarding data collection, measurement frameworks and change ideas.
Click the button below to view the available toolkits