Improving Quality in Physiological diagnostic Services (IQIPS)

IQIPS Quality Domains

IQIPS has four domains of quality:

• patient experience
• facilities, resources and workforce
• safety
• clinical

These domains are populated with standards against which services will be assessed. For each specialism, these standards are supported by indicative evidence, guidance and a knowledge management system developed in partnership with the professional bodies, societies and colleges.

Self Assessment and Improvement Tool and Accreditation

The entry point for IQIPS Accreditation will be the Self Assessment and Improvement Tool (IQIPS-SAIT) which can be used by services to assess accurately their level of performance in relation to established standards and to continually improve the service delivered. IQIPS service accreditation will involve a peer assessment process that validates adherence of a service to the standards providing assurance of quality to patients and commissioners. Accreditation will set a badge of quality.

This programme will raise the profile of physiological diagnostic services across organisations, with commissioners and patients. It will validate and recognise success as well as seek to drive up quality - aspiring towards excellence. The programme will also promote sharing of good practice and cooperation across physiological diagnostic services. The work on the audiology Quality Enhancement Tool (QET) has embedded a culture of self improvement within the audiology community and IQIPS has retained this focus on quality and the philosophy of self improvement. There is huge value and knowledge within QET that IQIPS has built upon to maintain the momentum and success.  The experience of working with the QET will help audiology services on their accreditation journey.

The IQIPS model is a four year Accreditation cycle with an annual self assessment and improvement process (SAIT).  A copy of the model can be found in the downloads section below.  The IQIPS registration form is now available for completion.

The web-based technical platform for IQIPS material is being developed along with a knowledge management system that will sit behind the standards to assist sites in the process and share good practice.

An eight week public consultation exercise took place took place in 2011 and the results of this are now available.  Over 80 bodies were contacted and a variety of responses were received.  Further information on the results can be found in the attachment document below.

Further information

Kerry Tinkler, IQIPS Programme Manager
Email: Ask IQIPS