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RCP to host first ever UK accreditation scheme for adult allergy services

Today the Royal College of Physicians’ (RCP) Accreditation Unit is pleased to announce it will be hosting this autumn, the first ever clinical service accreditation scheme for Improving Quality in Allergy Services (IQAS). But in order for the allergy community to prepare, the RCP is publishing its IQAS clinical service accreditation and evidence requirements, ahead of its official launch.

These standards will underpin the IQAS accreditation scheme for adult allergy services in the UK and it will allow the allergy community time to prepare for the challenging and rigorous process of meeting these standards before they register their services.

This is an exciting initiative for the allergy community, as it will provide allergy services with a robust quality assurance process and a supportive quality improvement pathway, as recommended in Allergy services: still not meeting the unmet need.

This work has been possible because through support of the RCP, the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the British Society for Immunology and the Royal College of Pathologists.

Dr Thirumala Krishna, IQAS clinical lead and consultant allergist and immunologist, said:

The IQAS accreditation scheme will be an important driver of quality improvement for allergy services in the UK. Today’s publication of the IQAS standards and evidence requirements is a considerable success for our specialty to help standardise and provide high quality of care for our patients. The IQAS accreditation scheme will provide allergy services with a rigorous quality assurance process.

Notes to editors

For further information please contact Joanna Morgan, Care Quality Improvement Department communications manager, via Joanna.Morgan@rcplondon.ac.uk or +44 (0)20 3075 1354.

About the RCP Accreditation Unit

The RCP Accreditation Unit was established to improve the quality, safety and outcomes of healthcare through accreditation assessment against agreed standards. Accreditation is a supportive process involving self-assessment, training, consultancy, support, recommendations, and the sharing of best practice by teams. The RCP hosts several accreditation schemes, including the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) on gastrointestinal endoscopy (established in 1994), Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service (SEQOHS), Improving Quality in Physiological diagnostic Services (IQIPS) and Quality in Primary Immunodeficiency Services (QPIDS).