Ministry of Health
NZ Government

National Women's high standards of care and commitment to continuous quality improvement have been recognised by the award of 3 years accreditation status by the New Zealand Council of Healthcare Standards (NZCHS). This award recognises our high standard of care and our desire to keep improving.

Accreditation Surveyors from the Council visited National Women's in July 2006 to review the consumer focus and cultural appropriateness of services, the multidisciplinary treatment and care of patients, clinical and management systems, diagnostic and support services, the safety of services, personnel and facilities and the commitment to continuous quality improvement. The surveyors were satisfied that National Women's met the quality standards required and the hospital was subsequently accredited.

The standards used in accreditation are developed specifically for the health and disability sector and are designed to meet the specific requirements of all health providers - from acute and aged care, to mental and community health.

Accreditation for a health service means an independent assessment of its clinical and management systems against contemporary standards. If the health service meets sufficient of these standards, accreditation status is awarded.

Accreditation is about striving for continuous improvement. It requires a continuing commitment to monitoring and evaluating standards. The strength of accreditation is that it looks at the whole service in a client-focused and multi-disciplinary manner. The needs of the client are uppermost.

Preparation for the first accreditation survey usually takes 2 years. The NZCHS helps to identify the steps required and time needed and a programme of education and communication with everyone involved with the service begins. The standards used to measure the service cover all aspects of care and relate to systems, processes and outcomes.

Achievements are determined by measuring whether the following key principles are evident:

• Client focus
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Clinical & management systems
• Continuous quality improvement

All areas come under scrutiny but the surveyors are flexible and realistic in their approach. The survey report focuses on achievement of standards, commends areas of excellence, points out opportunities for improvement and makes its recommendations to the Council on accreditation.

There are 9 organisation-wide standards:

1. Continuous quality improvement
2. Client rights and needs
3. Assessment and the planning of care
4. Client records
5. Management systems
6. Human resource management
7. Safe environment
8. Infection control
9. Clinical practice

• Assurance that, within the hospital or service, good standards exist which also cover client safety, care and rights
• Knowledge that service is being provided by an organisation continually striving to improve

• Peers outside their organisation who can provide fresh perspectives and new ideas review them.
• They can become actively involved in assessing and improving the quality of services.
• They have an opportunity to develop better team-work and morale.

• A framework for integrating quality improvement activities.
• An opportunity for self-review as well as external assessment.
• The identification and communication of good practices and a means of promoting good internal communication.
• A motivation to identify existing problems and a timetable by which to correct them.
• A demonstration to the public that services are of high quality.
• A means of attracting clients and staff.
• A demonstration of quality to purchasing agencies

• The existence of national quality standards
• An independent body leading and co-ordinating quality improvement in health and disability support services.

(accreditation information extracts from the NZ Council on Healthcare Standards)