Time is running out for scientific and diagnostic services accreditation

It is a fact of life that most of us tend to put things off until the last minute, especially when there are more pressing concerns. Many acute trust directorate service managers probably feel this way when it comes to the NHS England’s target for the accreditation of scientific and diagnostic services. The target is that more than 70 per cent to be part of an accreditation programme by end of March 2015.

Given the scale of other issues they face including funding gaps, A&E overload and low staff morale it is easy to understand why many will not have acted on this yet. However, even though it is something that should be incorporated in all 2014-2016 business plans, many trusts are still to embark on a programme of accreditation.
In the UK there are only two organisations (including CHKS) with the credentials to deliver these accreditation programmes so there is a limited capacity to absorb any last minute surge to register. 

That means trusts should be acting now rather than later to ensure their scientific and diagnostic teams don’t miss this looming deadline that is just over a month away. They should also be aware that although registration onto a programme satisfies the target the process itself is likely to take a few weeks from initial meeting to registration. You don’t have to be a project manager to realise that those not already on a programme, or engaged with one of the providers by the middle of February, are likely to struggle to make the boat.

Click here to read our top tips for undertaking a successful accreditation programme.It is a fact of life that most of us tend to put things off until the last minute, especially when there are more pressing concerns. Many acute trust directorate service managers probably feel this way when it comes to the NHS England’s target for the accreditation of scientific and diagnostic services. The target is that more than 70 per cent to be part of an accreditation programme by end of March 2015.

Given the scale of other issues they face including funding gaps, A&E overload and low staff morale it is easy to understand why many will not have acted on this yet. However, even though it is something that should be incorporated in all 2014-2016 business plans, many trusts are still to embark on a programme of accreditation.
In the UK there are only two organisations (including CHKS) with the credentials to deliver these accreditation programmes so there is a limited capacity to absorb any last minute surge to register. 

That means trusts should be acting now rather than later to ensure their scientific and diagnostic teams don’t miss this looming deadline that is just over a month away. They should also be aware that although registration onto a programme satisfies the target the process itself is likely to take a few weeks from initial meeting to registration. You don’t have to be a project manager to realise that those not already on a programme, or engaged with one of the providers by the middle of February, are likely to struggle to make the boat.

Click here to read our top tips for undertaking a successful accreditation programme.It is a fact of life that most of us tend to put things off until the last minute, especially when there are more pressing concerns. Many acute trust directorate service managers probably feel this way when it comes to the NHS England’s target for the accreditation of scientific and diagnostic services.