The Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Centre for Quality Improvement (CCQI) works with mental health services to assess and improve the quality of care that they provide.
One of the main ways we achieve this is through quality and accreditation networks that work with a range of services through a process of self and peer review, as well as offering a variety of networking and learning opportunities such as conferences and online forums.
CCQI hosts 29 different networks, working with over 1,600 services across the UK and internationally. These networks work with both inpatient and community settings, including specialist services.
A key component of our work is providing opportunities to staff working in services to share best practice and innovations in care. Our work is led by listening to and being led by frontline staff and patients. We serve to identify areas for improvement through a culture of openness and enquiry. The model is one of engagement and development rather than inspection. We aim to facilitate improving quality through a supportive network and peer review process.
The model is one of engagement rather than inspection.
Once the service has completed their self-review, they will host a peer review day where multidisciplinary staff members from other member services visit the unit with a patient or carer representative and a member of the CCQI project team.
The peer review team will meet with staff, patients and carers throughout the day and will review the host team against the relevant standards. The peer review team will use experience from their own services to share good practice and support the team to focus on improvement and action planning.
Following the visit, the project team provide the service with a report summarising their performance against the standards and the discussions on the day. The service can then create an action plan to address any improvements that have been suggested.
For most of our networks, services demonstrating a high level of performance against our standards can be accredited by the College as a way of demonstrating quality to people who both use and fund the service.
We look forward to working with you.
CCQI Clinical and Strategic Director
Director of CCQI
