Improving Access to Clinical Guidelines Through a Centralised Digital Platform in an NHS Setting: A Quality Improvement Study

BackgroundA recurring issue was identified among resident doctors at Glan Clwyd Hospital regarding difficulty locating clinical guidelines, which may impact decision-making and patient safety.Timely access to guidelines is particularly critical during out-of-hours shifts to ensure safe, evidence-based care. AimTo develop and implement a centralised SharePoint TM -based clinical guideline repository to improve the speed, ease, and efficiency of accessing clinical guidelines, and to evaluate its impact on staff experience. MethodsA single-centre survey-based quality improvement project was conducted using independent pre-and postintervention surveys within a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework.A baseline survey of clinical staff identified key barriers in accessing guidelines.A centralised SharePoint TM site was then created, organising guidelines by speciality and clinical scenario.Training and communication were provided, followed by a post-intervention survey conducted. ResultsThe pre-intervention survey had 80 respondents.Pre-intervention surveys showed the majority of clinicians found accessing guidelines via BetsiNet difficult, with n=59 (74%) reporting perceived delays to patient care and strong demand for an alternative platform.The post-intervention survey had 50 respondents.Following SharePoint TM implementation, n=47 (94%) respondents reported faster access with perceived improvements in patient care and safety across grades.The platform accrued 764 page views over a 90-day period and 3,869 cumulative views since launch, demonstrating sustained engagement across all clinical grades. ConclusionThe implementation of a centralised SharePoint TM platform was associated with perceived improvements in timely access to clinical guidelines and enhanced staff confidence.This low-cost, scalable intervention utilises existing NHS digital infrastructure, supports efficient patient care via desktop and mobile device access, improves staff satisfaction and is readily replicable across other departments and health boards.