Homerton University Hospital becomes first to be re-accredited with prestigious quality improvement award

The anaesthetic team at Homerton University Hospital today became the first to be re-accredited under the College Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA) scheme. 

The hospital became the first to receive the accreditation in October 2014 for the high quality care the anaesthetic team provided to patients.

ACSA is the RCoA’s peer-reviewed scheme that promotes quality improvement and the highest standards of anaesthetic service. To receive accreditation, departments are expected to demonstrate a high standard in areas such as patient experience, patient safety and clinical leadership. It is supported by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an information source to support its inspections.

Dr Sade Okutubo, consultant anaesthetist, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said:

“By engaging with the ACSA process, we have found a useful framework for directing our endeavours in providing safe and high quality patient care.

“We remain firmly focused not just on maintaining but also continually improving our patient centric service with the highest possible standards of provision as rated by our peers.

“The journey to re-accreditation though challenging and sometimes daunting, remains immensely satisfying. We are privileged to be part of a united, enthusiastic, ever evolving anaesthetic department, always achieving together.”

Professor Ravi Mahajan, President of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, said:

“I am delighted to see that the first NHS hospital to receive ACSA accreditation is also the first to be re-accredited.

“Achieving accreditation in the first place is a great accomplishment and it is very impressive to see the commitment and approach of the whole department to maintaining their standards and being re-accredited.

“As part of the re-accreditation process the Homerton anaesthetists demonstrated their continued dedication to enhancing the quality of service they provided across the hospital.

“I would like to personally congratulate everyone in the team for their commitment to continuing to provide the best possible care for their patients.”

Ian Trenholm, Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission said:

“I am delighted to be able to offer my congratulations to the anaesthetic team at Homerton University Hospital, for becoming the first to be re-accredited with the ACSA award.

“The largest single hospital speciality in the NHS is anaesthesia and it is of course essential to patient safety that high standards are maintained at all times - a goal I am always happy to support.”