Objective four - Inspecting bodies continuously improve their methods
Objective 4 is underpinned by 8 practices that encourage concordat signatories to ensure that their approaches to inspection, audit or review are fit for purpose, appropriately aligned with those of other concordat signatories and offer value for money, by:
- evaluating the cost and impact of inspection
- benchmarking costs and performance
- gathering and acting upon feedback received from healthcare providers and service users
Practice 4.1: Evaluating and revising standards/criteria
There are regular and defined processes for evaluating and revising the standards, criteria, questions and relevant information used by inspecting bodies. Inspecting bodies seek ways of aligning their approaches where to do so is consistent with the effective discharge of their functions and assists shared or coordinated programmes of inspection. Any legislative barriers are identified to the relevant Government departments.
Practice 4.2: Long term evaluation of cost and benefit
Inspecting bodies instigate a continuing programme to evaluate the broad impact of inspections, including that on healthcare bodies and the wider community. These take into account direct and indirect operational costs and benefits and those of compliance. Inspecting bodies put procedures in place to evaluate the extent to which inspection has contributed to improving healthcare and/or other relevant (eg operational, value for money or environmental) improvements. Published reports help to inform the planning and revision of methodologies.
Practice 4.3: Pilot and assessment of major changes or new inspections
Inspecting bodies assess fully the costs and benefits of major changes to inspections and, where appropriate, pilot new processes to ensure that they are practical, efficient and effective and contribute to service or other relevant improvements.
Practice 4.4: Gather and act on feedback from those who receive or provide healthcare
Inspecting bodies collect feedback from inspected bodies, and those who use the services and/or the outputs of inspections, to help inform future inspection methodologies.
Practice 4.5: Use an external reference board or advisory panel
Inspecting bodies ensure that the views of those receiving and providing care are taken into account in reaching decisions about methods of inspection. They develop ways of managing the relevant processes in conjunction with other inspecting bodies.
Practice 4.6: Share good practice with other inspecting bodies
Inspecting bodies share their methodologies and learn from other inspecting bodies.
Practice 4.7: Benchmarking costs and performance
Inspecting bodies have benchmarking processes in place. These will assess the impact of inspection on similar bodies (eg acute trusts) to be compared within a sector, and also the impact on different sectors of public services that are subject to comparison.
Practice 4.8: Innovation and research
Inspecting bodies support worthwhile innovation and the development of joint research strategies and projects in areas relevant to the practices in this concordat.
