It is important to consider how CVDACTION will become business as usual in your area to ensure the implementation is sustained over time and becomes an integral part of routine practice.
Start by reflecting with your team on key aspects like identifying who will oversee the CVDACTION dashboard and determining how often data will be refreshed to inform decision-making. Regular reviews of progress and outcomes are also vital to maintaining focus and demonstrating the ongoing benefits to your patients and your team.
Sustainability also means preparing your team for the future. Consider whether role descriptions need to be updated to reflect CVDACTION responsibilities, how new team members will be introduced to the programme, and if there are any skill gaps requiring additional training. By addressing these elements early, CVDACTION can seamlessly integrate into daily operations and deliver lasting benefits to patient care.Â
The sustainability model is a diagnostic tool that helps health and care leaders assess the strengths and weaknesses of their improvement plans and predict the likelihood of sustaining changes over time. It should be used at the start of a project to identify areas for strengthening and revisited regularly to track and improve the sustainability score, enhancing the chances of long-term success. The model provides a total score based on the strengths and weaknesses in the implementation plans, helping predict sustainability beyond the project’s duration.
Here are some key sustainability questions to work through with your teams when implementing CVDACTION:
- Who will review the CVDACTION dashboard? Â
- How frequently will you re-run the data that populates CVDACTION? Â
- Are there any skill competency gaps that need addressing in the workforce?  Â
- Which staff need to have their role descriptions updated? Â
- How are you measuring progress? Â
- How are you measuring outcomes?  Â
- How will new joiners to your team hear about CVDACTION and what they will need to do to support this work? Â