The 2024 Q Exchange Programme (Round 6) is open and currently inviting quality improvement project proposals for up to £40,000 funding per project.
What is Q Exchange?
Q Exchange is the Q Community’s funding programme for improvement projects. Q members are invited to post ideas for projects that fit with this year’s theme on the Q website and create online project pages. There is no limit to the number of ideas that can be submitted by a person or team. Through February and early March, members refine ideas by commenting and offering support on the project pages and help applicants to develop their ideas. Final project proposals are submitted by 20th March. Submitted proposals are shortlisted by a panel of Q members. In May, Q announces the shortlist and applicants campaign for support from the community, who will vote on the ideas they would like to receive funding. The winners are announced n 3rd July.
Is it only open to Q members?
While at least one team member needs to be a member of Q to submit an idea, other members of the team do not need to be a member of Q.
If you are interested in applying for free membership, click here: https://q.health.org.uk/join-q/ Applications take around 6 weeks to process and go before an assessment board, but you can still become a member by the time voting comes around!
What is the Theme for this year?
The theme for this year is “How can we improve across system boundaries?”
Proposals are invited that involve two or more parts of the healthcare system and focus on improving the quality and efficiency of the interface between different sectors (including care at home).
Projects should relate to one or more of the following areas:
- Reducing waits sustainably and equitably.
- Increasing productivity and reducing waste.
- Boosting the culture, capabilities and structures needed for learning and improvement.
- Embedding improvement into management systems and processes.
Proposals should have potential for insights or interventions that are scalable; show proactive links to local or national priorities and structures; and make active use of the Q community.
Key Dates
- Tuesday 6th February: Idea generation opens
- Tuesday 27th February: Refinement opens
- Wednesday 20th March: Deadline for proposals
- Wednesday 15th May: Shortlist announcement and beginning of campaign phase
- Wednesday 29th May: Community-wide vote opens:
- Wednesday 3rd July: Winners announced
Find out more
Q is hosting an webinar next Monday 19th February from 12:30-1:30pm to explain more about the funding programme and application process.