Towards Outstanding

Reflection is a process by which professionals consider experiences to gain insights about their practice. It supports people to continually improve the way they work and the care they provide, it allows for mistakes to be accepted and analysed rather than repeated, and it is encouraged by professional bodies wishing to foster improvements in services and continuous professional development. Specifically designed for staff working across health and social care, this self-development workbook guides users to reflect on experiences, focus their thoughts, generate new ideas about what good practice looks like, and understand the impact of their actions on others. Expert CQC inspector Terri Salt stresses that through careful reflection everyone in a service can make a difference - and that only when every member of staff seeks to do so can services move beyond the ordinary and start to become genuinely 'Outstanding'.

TERRI SALT is Inspection Manager for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) - the regulator of all health and social care services in England. Until recently she was Head of Hospital Inspection for North London. As one of the longest serving regulators in the country, Terri is unique in having regulated all types of services (today's inspectors specialise in only one). She awarded the very first 'Outstanding' rating, (for end of life care at Frimley Park Hospital), and she has awarded more 'Outstanding' ratings to hospitals than any other member of CQC staff.Terri trained as a nurse for adults and children, and retains a current professional registration. She earned qualifications in a range of nursing specialisms before leaving clinical practice to start a family. She then moved into lecturing and eventually management, joining the CQC in 2000. She has given keynote talks on the subject of what 'Outstanding' looks like.