NHS ward accreditation programmes and their effects on driving improvements in patient care standards and safety: a literature review.

Abstract

Ward accreditation programmes provide ward-to-board assurances of quality and safety, and have been implemented in NHS settings for a number of years. Locally implemented ward accreditation programmes aim to standardise care delivery, support clinical governance and foster continuous quality improvement, but the evidence on whether such programmes lead to improvements in patient care and safety is yet to be established. This article reports the findings of a literature review that explored whether ward accreditation programmes drive improvements in standards of patient care and safety in NHS settings. The findings suggest that ward accreditation programmes are drivers for identifying and communicating measurable improvements in patient care and safety outcomes, and can support identification of areas requiring improvement and highlight areas of excellence. However, it is vital that care standards and evaluation methods are continually reviewed, improved and updated to reflect current policy, recommendations and evidence. Further research is required to assess the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of NHS ward accreditation programmes and to inform future quality and safety initiatives.