CCQI

 

Quality Improvement, Accreditation and Audit

 

 

The Projects:

ACP 360

This is the College’s multi-source feedback system for psychiatrists. The psychiatrist completes a self-appraisal and is also appraised by their colleagues and patients about performance in eight domains including communication, availability, relationships with colleagues and with patients. Participants receive a report presenting their results in an accessible format and in the context of national benchmarks.

 

Accreditation for Acute Inpatient Mental Health Services (AIMS)

AIMS is a standards-based accreditation service designed to improve the quality of care in psychiatric wards.  Standards are drawn from authoritative sources and cover all aspects of the inpatient journey. Compliance is measured by self- and peer-review. Accreditation is valid for up to 4 years, subject to an annual self-review. AIMS accredits acute and assessment wards for working age adults and wards for older people.

 

Community of Communities (C of C)

This is a standards-based quality improvement network bringing together Therapeutic Communities (TCs) in the UK and internationally. Member communities are located in Health, Education, Social Care and Prison settings. The network enables therapeutic communities to engage in service evaluation and quality improvement using methods and values that reflect their philosophy, specifically the belief that responsibility is best promoted through interdependence.

 

ECT Accreditation Service (ECTAS)

ECTAS is a standards-based accreditation service designed to improve the quality of the administration of electroconvulsive therapy. Feedback from clinics undertaking the accreditation process indicates that ECTAS has helped bring about widespread improvements in the provision of ECT, including investment in new equipment and better deployment of staff.

 

Memory Services National Accreditation Programme (MSNAP)

This is a new standards-based accreditation programme designed to improve the quality of care received by people with memory problems/dementia (specifically focusing on the process around the assessment and diagnosis of memory problems/dementia). The CCQI, in partnership with the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIHME)/Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) North West, has piloted this programme in the North West of England. Due to the success of this pilot and the high levels of interest from memory services around the country, the programme became available nationwide from June 2009 and is currently open for membership.

 

AIMS Learning Disabilities

This is a new standards-based accreditation service designed to improve the quality of care for people with learning disabilities and mental health needs.  Standards have been developed by a multidisciplinary team of experts including people with learning disabilities and their carers.  The accreditation process involves self- and peer-review.  The programme began at the beginning of 2009 and is currently open for membership.

 

National Audit of Psychological Therapies for Anxiety and Depression

The Healthcare Quality Improvement Programme Partnership (HQIP) has made funding available for 3 years to conduct a national audit of psychological therapies for people suffering from anxiety and depression in England and Wales. The audit aims to promote access, appropriateness, acceptability and positive outcomes of treatment for those suffering from depression and anxiety.

 

National Audit of Dementia (care in general hospitals)

Admission to a general hospital can be a difficult and distressing event for people with dementia and is often associated with a worsening in their condition. This audit will help to identify structures, clinical practice and standards affecting people with dementia in general hospitals across England and Wales and to look into priority areas for improvement of services for people with dementia.  

 

Prescribing Observatory for Mental Health-UK (POMH-UK)

POMH-UK helps mental health services monitor and improve prescribing practice. The project provides a range of services to members (Trusts and private healthcare organisations). The core are fully supported programmes of clinical audit, individualised benchmarking reports and a range of change interventions to help improve practice.

 

Quality Improvement Network for Multi-Agency CAMHS (QINMAC)

QINMAC is a network of ‘Tier 2 and 3’ community-based child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). It improves mental health services for children and young people through a supportive, standards-based review process.  A key focus of the network is the interface between Specialist CAMHS and other agencies involved in children and young people’s care, such as Social Services Departments, Education, and the voluntary sector.

 

Quality Network for Inpatient CAMHS (QNIC)

QNIC is a network for in-patient child and adolescent mental health services. Approximately 85-90% of units in the UK and Ireland are members and the network has recently expanded with services in Iceland, Norway and Turkey participating. QNIC demonstrates and improves the quality of child and adolescent psychiatric in-patient care through a system of review against service standards. The process is supportive and enables information sharing between services that can sometimes be isolated.

 

Quality Network for Forensic Mental Health Services

The network facilitates quality improvement and change in forensic mental health settings through peer-review. A fundamental principle is that of listening to and being led by frontline staff and service users. The model is one of engagement. The network identifies areas for improvement through a culture of openness and enquiry rather than of inspection or blame. The process breaks down isolation, promotes learning between services and supports local staff to improve their services in line with national guidance about best practice.

 

Quality Network for Perinatal Mental Health Services

This new peer-review network works with in-patient mother and baby units. Standards have been developed in collaboration with perinatal professionals and service users. The network measures services’ performance against the standards and encourages quality improvement and information sharing between peers. The long term aim is to work with other perinatal mental health services such as outreach teams.

 

 

© 2010 Royal College of Psychiatrists