About the ACOMHS network

This membership is idea for services that:

• Are new members of the network who’ve not had experience with the standards before
• Want to focus on the specific areas of the standards that are most useful to them
• Want to work on recommendations from a recent CQC visit
• Want to prepare for accreditation in the future.

What’s involved?

• You’ll self-review your service against the network’s standards over a three-month period. You will have the option to collect feedback from patients, staff and carers, complete health record audits and provide evidence. 
• A peer review team made up of multidisciplinary staff from other member services, a patient or carer representative and a member of the ACOMHS project team will visit your service for one day. The peer review team will meet with staff, patients and carers throughout the day and help you identify your areas of achievements and ways to improve your service.
• Following the visit, the project team provide your service with a report summarising performance against the standards and the discussions on the review day. You will be supported to create an action plan to address any improvements that have been suggested.

The accreditation membership option operates as a more comprehensive process of both the self and peer review. 

This membership option is ideal for services that:

• are familiar with the QNLD standards and feel they are meeting the required standards for Accreditation
• have previously been through the developmental or accreditation process.

What’s involved?

• You’ll self-review your service against the standards over a three-month period. This will include compulsory completion of patient, carer, staff questionnaires, a case note audit. You will also need to provide documentary evidence to show compliance against our standards.
• A peer review team made up of multidisciplinary staff members from other member services, a patient or carer representative and a member of the ACOMHS project team will visit your service for one day and help you identify your areas of achievements, and ways to improve your service.  
• The project team will provide your service with a report summarising your performance against the standards and the discussions on the review day.
• Further evidence can be provided for any unmet standards. 
• Your draft report will be discussed by our ACOMHS accreditation committee who will decide if your service is to be accredited.

If awarded, accreditation lasts up to three years subject to terms and conditions.

The Advisory Group comprises professionals who represent key interests and areas of expertise in adult community mental health services alongside patients and carers who have experience of using these services. The purpose of the group is to advise and further the work of ACOMHS.

The advisory group comprises a minimum of 6 members and a maximum of 15 members. The membership will aim to reflect the range of disciplines working in adult community services.

The Accreditation Committee recommends accreditation status based on the evidence gathered during the self and peer review period. In particular, it looks closely at any instances of non-compliance with Type 1 Standards.  The committee consists of members from across the disciplines who are experts in the field of adult community services, alongside patient and carer representatives.

There is an overall Chair of the Combined Committee Meetings who oversees all network committees and ratifies the decisions recommended by the ACOMHS Accreditation Committee. This ensures consistency across all of the Quality and Accreditation networks. The Chair of the Combined Committee has the right to overturn any decisions made by the ACOMHS Accreditation Committee.

The Accreditation Committee also functions to advise the Project Team about the quality of the reports and information that forms the basis of recommendations to services. 

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