Amsta launched the Steeds Beter programme, together with Conclusion (delivery was led by Morgens Conclusion). Its aim: to work smarter, better and more enjoyably on a structural basis. The programme was built around three pillars: 

1. Leadership
   Through training, inspiration visits and internal “peek over the fence” sessions, Amsta developed a leadership profile that encourages continuous improvement and gives teams more decision-making space. Managers learned how to empower staff and actively support improvement initiatives. 
2. Projects
   Ten organisation-wide improvement projects were initiated, led by internal project managers. Using Amsta’s own approach—Analyse, Mobilise, Start, Monitor & Conclude—and targeted training, inefficiencies were tackled, such as duplicate registrations and cumbersome procedures. Each project was supported by baseline and impact measurements. 
3. Teams
   In workshops and later peer review sessions, quality nurses and support workers learned how to drive improvements on the ground. Teams actively identified bottlenecks and waste, for example through observation rounds on the work floor. This led to a wide range of local improvement initiatives. 

At the heart of the approach was ownership: managers, project leaders and teams took charge of the changes themselves—supported by Conclusion, but with a strong emphasis on learning by doing. 

Within eighteen months, the programme delivered measurable improvements: 

• Process improvements in care 
  Numerous procedures were simplified for both clients and staff. Examples include replacing care agreements with a warm welcome letter, giving staff more choice in e-learning modules, and allowing competent informal carers to carry out double medication checks. 
   
• Room to experiment 
  Locations were given the mandate to freely experiment with task distribution and work processes. This quickly yielded practical insights and new ways of working. 
   
• A better start for clients 
  The admissions process was redesigned, significantly reducing administrative pressure on the first day. There is now more attention and guidance, partly through better use of clients’ personal networks. 
   
• Structural time savings 
  The ten projects together saved over 10,000 hours structurally—excluding additional local initiatives by teams. 
   
• Visible impact on residents 
  More efficient processes created space for fresh cooking, for example. Residents gained an average of over two kilos, had improved appetites and required less supplementary nutrition. 

What began as a programme has evolved into a permanent way of working: continuous improvement is now part of the organisational culture. Staff are better equipped to turn frustrations into improvement initiatives, and the management team has fully embraced the philosophy.