Cambridge University Hospitals wins place on Department of Health pilot scheme

Cambridge University Hospitals has been chosen by the Department of Health from over 120 applications to participate in the testing phase of a new scheme – the information accreditation scheme - to ensure good quality information across the health and social care sector. 40 organisations are taking part in the testing phase.

The information accreditation scheme will combat substantial variation in the quality of health and social care information available and will provide a recognisable quality mark and therefore a way for the public and professionals to know that the information they are using is reliable. It will also support information producers in raising general standards and will be focused at the organisation level – accrediting the source of information rather than the information itself.

Cambridge University Hospitals are testing the scheme alongside others from the commercial, public and voluntary sectors.

As part of the testing phase we will be involved in: 

• testing the scheme standard
• sharing our experiences in order to support the development of case studies
• helping to develop the visual identity of the quality mark.

Subject to achieving certification through this testing phase, Cambridge University Hospitals will become one of the first scheme members – a small number of departments in the Trust are being assessed against the scheme standard in May 2009. If successful in gaining certification, the assessment against the standard will gradually be rolled out across all departments in the hospital.

For further information on the accreditation scheme contact:

Katie Robins, Programme Manager for Patient Information and Trust Documents on 01223 216032 or patient.information@addenbrookes.nhs.uk

Or refer to the Department of Health website:
> Department of Health - Information accreditation