The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust anaesthetists rewarded for high quality patient care 

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust has been re-accredited under the prestigious Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA) scheme, demonstrating the Centre’s commitment to patient safety and excellence of care.  

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 high standards in areas such as patient experience, patient safety and clinical leadership.  

Dr Sally Wilson, ACSA Lead reviewer said:  

“My congratulations to the anaesthetic department at the Walton Centre for their re-accreditation with ACSA. The department offers excellent specialist patient centred care from a dedicated and cohesive workforce, who have a clear emphasis on all aspects of quality and safety.  

“The review team were particularly impressed by the positive culture of the multidisciplinary team and the support offered at a managerial level. Everyone that we met embraced the ethos of ACSA and they were keen to use any feedback to improve care for their patients. The department is to be commended for their well-deserved re-accreditation.” 

Dr Sandeep Lakhani, Divisional Clinical Director at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust said:  

“We are delighted and proud to have achieved ACSA re-accreditation, especially as this was in the shadows of the Covid-19 pandemic. This has been possible due to the fantastic teamwork, not just within our department, but with our theatre and recovery teams, specialist nursing teams, critical care unit and divisional management.  

“Even though the re-accreditation process was challenging, it is immensely satisfying to receive a confirmation from our peers that we continue to meet the high standards of service delivery set by the College. Preparing for ACSA re-accreditation has facilitated our continued focus on quality improvement and improving our services for our patients. We look forward to continuing to benchmark our practice against the ever-evolving ACSA standards as we navigate the next re-accreditation cycle.” 

Dr Fiona Donald, President of the Royal College of Anaesthetists said:  

“I would like to offer my personal congratulations to the entire anaesthetic department on achieving ACSA re-accreditation. It is very impressive to see the commitment and approach of the whole department to sustaining their standards. They have demonstrated their ability and passion for providing the best possible care for their patients. 

“Patient safety is at the heart of what we do as a Medical Royal College. The quality improvement demonstrated during the re-accreditation process has helped the department manage the immense tasks presented to them by COVID-19 and the resumption of normal services.      

“It was impressive to see the innovative practices taking place at the hospital, and the excellent commitment from all staff during the process. As well as meeting the standards, the department demonstrated many areas of excellent advanced practice that have now been highlighted for sharing through the ACSA network.”