Lay summary
The wellbeing of staff is a prerequisite for high-quality healthcare. Achieving high-quality healthcare is challenging, particularly in emergency departments (EDs), because of the complexity of these environments. Research in 2020 led by Dr Nicholls demonstrated high levels of burnout throughout Aotearoa New Zealand among 1372 ED staff. High burnout may contribute to gaps between the desired and delivered quality of care within our EDs. Facilitators of wellbeing identified in the research (a supportive team culture, delivery of excellent patient-centred care and professional development opportunities) are aligned with high-quality healthcare. An insider-led Quality Improvement (QI) system is an established approach to improve the provision of healthcare, provides professional development opportunities, and demonstrates a supportive team culture. The research aim is to determine whether implementation of insider-led QI systems in New Zealand EDs is associated with a reduction in burnout and improved wellbeing among staff, and an improvement in healthcare quality for patients.