Practice 1.4 Planning inspections

Examples of notable practice:

Mapping joint working

Project to map current or planned joint working between and among Concordat signatories (pdf 96kb)

Formalising joint working arrangements: Developing memoranda of understanding

Agreements with external partners (pdf 37kb)

Advance notice of routine inspections

The frequency of NHS Litigation Authority assessments is set out in a published timetable and dates are negotiated with each trust.

Examples of partnership working

Concordat signatories are working together in a number of areas and have developed a number of different approaches to collaboration. Some examples are listed below.

Jointly developed and jointly delivered reviews

CSCI
To find details of joint inspections conducted by the Commission for Social Care Inspection and its partners, please follow this link:
www.csci.org.uk/inspection_reports/joint+inspections/ (opens new window)
 
MHAC
The Mental Health Act Commission has undertaken a number of joint visits to mental health services with the Healthcare Commission and other partners. To view details, please follow this link:
Joint working between the Healthcare Commission and the Mental Health Act Commission (pdf 27kb)
 
NAO/Audit Commission
The NAO and AC worked together to conduct a census of PCTs regarding their out of hours services. Data gathered will be used to produce separate but complementary products – an NAO value for money audit and an AC benchmarking tool for PCTs.  On the National Audit Study on the use of  temporary nursing, due for publication in spring 2006, two members of the Audit Commission were seconded to the NAO team to carry out the fieldwork and the same two team members were subsequently commissioned to write a good practice guide which will be published at the same time as the report on Parliament.   This study also uses data from the Healthcare Commissions Acute Hospital Portfolio audits on ward staffing.

http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/reports/NATIONAL-REPORT.asp?CategoryID=&ProdID=0AB22D47-B559-4B4C-A7E6-05ED2056EA1B (opens new window)
Financial Management in the NHS (NAO, Audit Commission) (pdf 1266kb) 

Contributing to a review led by another organisation

An Inspector from the Health and Safety Executive joined a Healthcare Commission review team and participated in one of the Healthcare Commission’s last clinical governance reviews. Following this exercise, and in consultation with the Trust involved, HSE and HC conducted a joint review of the approach. The experience has inspired some wider thinking about how the two signatories might work in partnership in future, and both organisations are now considering how best strengthen their working arrangements. 

Sharing plans

Concordat signatories have shared inspection plans for 2005/2006. These are displayed on a scheduling site accessible to all signatories. The site, which is about to be developed further to make it publicly accessible, will enable signatories to better coordinate their inspection and audit activity and will provide healthcare providers with advance notice of inspections. It will also allow Concordat signatories to share amongst themselves details of unannounced visits to ensure they too are coordinated.
Activity Scheduling