Blog

As nations try to manage and contain the spread of Covid-19, routine healthcare has stalled and many aspects of service delivery have changed. The virus has tested the resilience of organisations across the world, with major emergency plans forced into action. The Republic of Ireland has been gradually and cautiously lifting lockdown restrictions, and case numbers are low as a result. Healthcare services have been heavily curtailed for months, however, which means that there is now a large backlog of elective cases building up and the challenges facing Ireland’s healthcare services are far from over.
 
Many of our clients continue to grapple with the ongoing crisis, and at CHKS we have endeavoured to continue carrying out monitoring and surveillance assessments through the development of a remote process, while ensuring clients experience minimal disruption. The key to successfully delivering accreditation assessments remotely has been to understand the unique challenges that each client faces and how these may affect them.
 
While this new process has meant some additional preparation required in the pre-assessment phase, CHKS has retained control through robust scheduling, which has enabled remote assessments to run smoothly. Clients have been able to produce and transmit evidence securely through our online accreditation portal, including all supplemental evidence that CHKS representatives would usually review on site, such as meeting minutes, audit reports, and action follow-ups.
 
CHKS has received hugely positive feedback from the remote assessments undertaken so far. A combination of partnership working, clear communication, and a proactive approach from both CHKS and our clients has made for a successful transition to this new way of working and is testament to the resilience of healthcare services and their ability to adapt in the face of adversity.
 
At CHKS, we have chosen to view this crisis as an opportunity to review and improve our processes. As organisations begin to assess the wider impact of lockdown and work through the backlog, we aim to help clients monitor and maintain standards across the sector. It is crucial now, more than ever, to ensure the delivery of safe and quality care continues.

Geraldine is a registered general & paediatric nurse and a registered IRCA Lead Auditor. She has 40 years of nursing and senior healthcare management experience in Ireland and enjoys applying that expertise in her present role to support clients, colleagues and surveyors.
 
If you’re interested in hearing more about our remote accreditation assessments, please do get in touch or you can contact CHKSinfo@capita.com   



As nations try to manage and contain the spread of Covid-19, routine healthcare has stalled and many aspects of service delivery have changed.