One-stop outpatient and pre-operative assessment.

The introduction of the 18-week pathway has provided an opportunity for interprofessional teams at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust to achieve their ultimate goal of more successful patient-led care, and their achievements are now being replicated throughout the country in NHS trusts. Improved communication and awareness of each other's roles and listening skills are key to understanding and negotiating changes in the delivery of care. In addition, there must be a willingness to listen and to change current practice. Changes of care must be interprofessional, and must have at their centre, demonstrable improvements to providing patients with the care that is determined by their individual needs.