GRS Census 2011

The GRS census data for October 2011 is due to be sumbitted to Information Services Division at the end of the month. If you require any assistance with accessing the site then please contact Richard Dobbie (0131 275 7732). For other enquiries please contact Edel Sheridan  at Edel.Sheridan@nhs.net on 0131 623 4304.

Pre-JAG accreditation local reports and action plans

The first phase of the pre-JAG accreditation of endoscopy units completed in November 2010. An interim national report on identified key themes was published in March 2011. The report, 'A look inside Scotland's endoscopy services' is available on the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website. www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org

Phase 2 pre-JAG accreditation visits commenced in early April 2011. Local reports on each of the units will be published on the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website during 2011. Local reports and action plans should be shared with colleagues within endoscopy services and with the Bowel Screening Programme Lead for your board area.

Newsletter

We are now producing a twice yearly newsletter (Issue 3 will be sent to GRS contacts in June 2011). In order to receive a copy of this newsletter please provide your contact details to Susan Lowes  at Susan.Lowes@nhs.net (0131 623 4376).

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (previously NHS Quality Improvement Scotland) was given responsibility for hosting the GRS from the October 2008 census and for the implementation and roll out of pre-JAG assessment and JAG accreditation of endoscopy units in NHS Scotland with effect from February 2010.

The Healthcare Improvement Scotland GRS/JAG work programme focuses on the following priority areas:

Developing the GRS website in Scotland in liaison with the English Endoscopy Team and the website hosts.

Supporting NHS boards in Scotland to achieve the standards identified by the GRS quality indicators by analysing the data submitted, reporting this locally and nationally and considering quality improvement initiatives.

Delivering the roll out of pre-JAG assessment and JAG accreditation visits across NHS Scotland by 2011 to ensure quality improvements in the service are sustained.

Ensuring consistency and quality of assessment of decontamination facilities and practice across Scotland by liaising closely with Health FacilitiesScotland and other national agencies with strategic responsibility for decontamination standards in NHSScotland.

Identifying and sharing good practice and lessons learned with endoscopy units across NHSScotland following the visits.

GRS domains

Completion of the Training and Workforce (with the exception of Staff Feedback) domains are now mandatory for the Scottish GRS census. This brings the census in line with the UK returns.

Decontamination

Units will be assessed in line with the requirements of SHTM 2030 and SHPN13 Part 3.

To help you improve your GRS scores, why not set up some Action Plans? We also recommend you use the KMS - Knowledge Management System  as a useful source of related information.