Learning disability and autism service receives accreditation for care
Experts by experience and staff from Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust’s (NSFT) Learning Disability and Autism team in Ipswich are celebrating being awarded a national accreditation.
The award comes from the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Quality Network for Inpatient Learning Disability Services (QNLD).
Service manager at Walker Close Kathryn Barrow said having the accreditation would give confidence to patients and their loved ones that they will receive good quality care.
“I am immensely proud of the team and the high-quality, person-centred care they provide. This accreditation enables us to share the pride we have in our service and also to continue to strive for even higher standards as we continually look for ways to improve our care,” she said. “The Walker Close team, who work every day with our patients and families, are proud of the accreditation and what this means for those in our care.”
Staff work closely with experts by experience and their work contributed to the accreditation.
The accreditation took 18 months to achieve and involved evidencing how the service meets 176 qualifying standards. It also included a day’s peer review with feedback from patients and families.
Kathryn said: “Engaging in the process has enabled us to identify areas for improvement and action them. For example, we have been able to improve the speech and language provision for inpatients, we have created a family room, improved the signage to the unit and improved medication audits which are now being rolled out to other teams.”
The QNLD inpatient network promotes quality improvement through a supportive network and peer-review process, using standards based on national guidelines and agreed on by network members.
It works with services to identify areas for improvement and achievement. A key component is sharing best practice by listening to and being led by those who work, use and engage with services.
Accreditation lasts up to three years.
Faisil Sethi, deputy chief executive and chief medical officer, said: “The team at Walker Close works very hard to make sure the service user and carer voice is heard, and this has paid off in receiving this recognition.
“Their experts by experience are a vital cog in the wheel to make NSFT a safer, kinder and better organisations with our patients at its heart.”